Harmonic analysis of summer mean wind at 200 mbar level during contrasting monsoon years over India

Summer (June-August) mean zonal and meridional wind components at 200 mbar level are subjected to harmonic analysis for the years 1970, 1971, 1972 and 1979. It is found that the small scale disturbances are intense during normal monsoon years. The westerlies in the belt 10°S to 30°S are stronger during drought years. During normal monsoon years (1970, 1971) the northward transport of westerly momentum by wave number 1 at 19.6°N is large as compared to drought years (1972, 1979). The transport of westerly momentum by standing eddies is northward for all the years between 5°S and 28.7°N but large during the normal monsoon years

Momentum transport of wave zero during March: A possible predictor for the Indian summer monsoon

Analysis of monthly momentum transport of zonal waves at 850 hPa for the period 1979 to 1993, between 30°S and 30°N for January to April, using zonal (u) and meridional (v) components of wind taken from the ECMWF reanalysis field, shows a positive correlation (.1 level of significance) between the Indian summer monsoon rainfall (June through September) and the momentum transport of wave zero TM(0) over latitudinal belt between 25°S and 5°N (LB) during March. Northward (Southward) TM(0) observed in March over LB subsequently leads to a good (drought) monsoon season over India which is found to be true even when the year is marked with the El-Nino event. Similarly a strong westerly zone in the Indian Ocean during March, indicates a good monsoon season for the country, even if the year is marked with El-Nino. The study thus suggests two predictors, TM(0) over LB and the strength of westerly zone in the Indian Ocean during March

Intra-seasonal variations of kinetic energy of lower tropospheric zonal waves during northern summer monsoon

Space spectral analysis of zonal (u) and meridional (v) components of wind and time spectral analysis of kinetic energy of zonal waves at 850 hPa during monsoon 1991 (1st June 1991 to 31st August 1991) for the global belt between equator and 40°N are investigated. Space spectral analysis shows that long waves (wavenumbers 1 and 2) dominate the energetics of Region 1 (equator to 20°N) while over Region 2 (20°N to 40°N) the kinetic energy of short waves (wavenumbers 3 to 10) is more than kinetic energy of long waves. It has been found that kinetic energy of long waves is dominated by zonal component while both (zonal and meridional) the components of wind have almost equal contribution in the kinetic energy of short waves. Temporal variations of kinetic energy of wavenumber 2 over Region 1 and Region 2 are almost identical. The correlation matrix of different time series shows that (i) wavenumber 2 over Regions 1 and 2 might have the same energy source and (ii) there is a possibility of an exchange of kinetic energy between wavenumber 1 over Region 1 and short waves over Region 2. Wave to wave interactions indicate that short waves over Region 2 are the common source of kinetic energy to wavenumber 2 over Regions 1 and 2 and wavenumber 1 over Region 1. Time spectral analysis of kinetic energy of zonal waves indicates that wavenumber 1 is dominated by 30-45 day and bi-weekly oscillations while short waves are dominated by weekly and bi-weekly oscillations. The correlation matrix, wave to wave interaction and time spectral analysis together suggest that short period oscillations of kinetic energy of wavenumber 1 might be one of the factors causing dominant weekly (5-9 day) and bi-weekly (10-18 day) oscillations in the kinetic energy of short waves

Black parental involvement in education

The South African Schools Act of 1996 (SASA) provides formal power in education to parents as well as communities. SASA creates the expectation for parents to be meaningful partners in school governance. It envisages a system where school-based educators would collaborate with the parents to ensure quality education, including curriculum matters such as outcomes-based education (OBE). An ethnographic study was conducted in historically disadvantaged black secondary schools. The study focused on the effects of black parental involvement on the success of their children. For a period of twelve months spread over two years (2002/2003), 24 parents with learners in eight different historically disadvantaged secondary schools (HDSS) were investigated. The findings of the study revealed that the black parents' role is crucial in the enhancement of learner success. Parents who played little or no role in their children's homework and study programmes contributed to the poor performance of their children in the classroom. Also, the extremely limited success thus far in the implementation of OBE in historically black communities was significantly due to the absence of co-operation between the school and the home. This study affirms the view that community input is crucial in the development of curriculum in schools. Without proactive black community involvement, HDSS are less likely to succeed in their efforts to improve education. South African Journal of Education Vol.24(4) 2004: 301-30

Impact of oral iron therapy on quality of life in patients with heart failure

Background: To assess the effect of oral iron supplementation on quality of life (QOL) in anemic patients with heart failure (HF) and to compare QOL with HF patients without iron treatment.Methods: Sixty anemic patients (Hb 8-11g/dl) with HF (NYHA-class II and III) with LVEF<40% were divided in to 2 groups of 30 each. Group I- received ferrous sulfate 100mg bid x 90 days + standard treatment for HF. Group II- anemic patients received standard treatment for HF only. Primary end point- QOL was measured by MLWHF questionnaire. Secondary end points are Borg scale for dyspnoea and fatigue and exercise tolerance/ capacity in the form of 6 min. walk distance, haematological parameters, efficacy and safety assessment.Results:  There was significant improvement in QOL in iron treated patients as compared to group II (control). Exercise tolerance /capacity, Borg scale for fatigue and dyspnoea showed improvement in patients received iron for 90 days. Haematological parameters were improved gradually with less incidence of fatigue and pallor. Orally administered ferrous sulfate was well tolerated with mild side effects.Conclusions: Oral iron supplementation in anemic patients with heart failure improves quality of life/ physical functioning in these patients

Anaesthetic implications of a parturient with antiphospholipid antibody syndrome

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