Search

Upper limits on the spin-independent (SI) as well as spin-dependent (SD) elastic scattering cross sections of WIMPs with protons, imposed by the Super-Kamiokande (S-K) upper limit on the neutrino flux from WIMP annihilation in the Sun, and their compatibility with the "DAMA-compatible" regions of the WIMP parameter space within which the annual modulation signal observed by the DAMA/LIBRA experiment is compatible with the null results of other direct detection experiments, are studied within the frame work of a self-consistent model of the finite-size dark matter (DM) halo of the Galaxy, the parameters of which are determined by a fit to the rotation curve data of the Galaxy. We find that the S-K implied upper limits on the WIMP-proton elastic cross section as a function of WIMP mass impose stringent restrictions on the branching fractions of the various WIMP annihilation channels. For SI interaction, while the S-K upper limits are consistent with the DAMA-compatible region of the WIMP parameter space if the WIMPs annihilate dominantly to $\bbarb$\ and/or $\cbarc$, portions of the DAMA-compatible region can be excluded if WIMP annihilations to $\tautau$ and $\nu\anu$ occur at larger than ~ 10% and 0.1% levels, respectively. For SD interaction, the restrictions on the possible annihilation channels are much more stringent, essentially ruling out the DAMA-compatible region of the WIMP parameter space if the relatively low-mass ($\sim$ 2 -- 20 GeV) WIMPs under consideration annihilate predominantly to any mixture of $\bbarb$, \ $\cbarc$, \ $\tautau$, \ and $\nu\anu$ final states., Comment: Replaced with revised version; Latest published results from Super-Kamiokande incorporated; quantitative limits on the branching fractions of various WIMP annihilation channels become more stringent by factors of 3 - 4; references added; overall conclusions unchanged; 17 pages, Latex, 6 Figures, accepted for publication in Phys. Rev. D

This paper describes the bifurcation behavior of a PWM controlled DC drives, where switching boarders are varying periodically with time. The type of system under study covers most of PWM controlled drives where two or more dynamical systems are switched according to the interaction of the control variable with the periodically moving boarders. In particular, the complex bifurcation behavior of a DC series motor is studied in detail. The bifurcation diagrams are obtained by varying different parameters. The occurrence of chaos has been quantified by calculation of Lyapunov exponents. The bifurcation diagrams of the motor drawn with different initial conditions show the existence of coexisting attractors. The space of initial condition drawn to show the basin of attraction of trajectories for period-1, period-2 and period 4 orbits.

Fission fragment mass distribution has been measured in two reactions to populate compound nu- cleus 246 Bk. Both the target nuclei were deformed. However, entrance channel mass asymmetry of the two sys- tems was on the either side of the Businaro Gallone mass asymmetry parameter. Near the Coulomb barrier, at similar excitation energies, the width of the fission fragment mass distribution was found to be significantly dif- ferent for the 14 N + 232 T h reaction compared to the 11 B + 235 U reaction. The entrance channel mass asymmetry was found to play a significant role in deciding the fusion process.

Fission fragment mass distributions have been measured from the decay of the compound nucleus 246 Bk that has been populated via two entrance channels. These entrance channels have a slight difference in their mass asymmetries that puts them on either side of the Businaro Gallone mass asymmetry parameter. Both target nuclei were deformed. Near the Coulomb barrier, at similar excitation energies, the width of the fission fragment mass distribution was found to be drastically different for the 14 N + 232 Th reaction compared to the 11 B + 235 U reaction. The entrance channel mass asymmetry was found to affect the fusion process sharply.

High energy {gamma} rays in coincidence with low energy yrast {gamma} rays have been measured from {sup 113}Sb, at excitation energies of 109 and 122 MeV, formed by bombarding {sup 20}Ne on {sup 93}Nb at projectile energies of 145 and 160 MeV, respectively, to study the role of angular momentum (J) and temperature (T) over giant dipole resonance (GDR) width ({gamma}). The maximum populated angular momenta for fusion were 67({Dirac_h}/2{pi}) and 73({Dirac_h}/2{pi}), respectively, for the above-mentioned beam energies. The high energy photons were detected using a Large Area Modular BaF{sub 2} Detector Array (LAMBDA) along with a 24-element multiplicity filter. After pre-equilibrium corrections, the excitation energy E* was averaged over the decay steps of the compound nucleus (CN). The average values of temperature, angular momentum, CN mass, etc., have been calculated using the statistical model code CASCADE. Using those average values, results show the systematic increase of GDR width with T, which is consistent with Kusnezov parametrization and the thermal shape fluctuation model (TSFM). The rise of GDR width with temperature also supports the assumptions of adiabatic coupling in the TSFM. But the GDR widths and corresponding reduced plots with J are not consistent with those of the theoretical modelmore » at high spins.« less

The inclusive energy distributions of the complex fragments (3{

The use of organic nutrient sources in improving crop quality can be a viable alternative to traditional farming. Organic farming encourages the reduction of agrochemicals and promotes soil conservation principles. Although crop quality depends on several factors, among which the nutrient source plays a great role, there is little information available on how rice quality is affected by different organic composts. Here we grew aromatic rice on two levels of four organic composts made from kudzu vine (Pueraria lobata) at 5 and 10 Mg ha−1, Urtica sp. (nettle) at 5 and 10 Mg ha−1, Lantana sp. at 5 and 10 Mg ha−1, winter weeds at 2.5 and 5 Mg ha−1, and two other organic amendments of poultry at 2.5 and 5 Mg ha−1 and farmyard manure at 5 and 10 Mg ha−1. We studied the effect of these organic sources on nutritional and physico-chemical properties, and on the cooking quality of the rice, using a fertilized, chemical treatment as positive control. Our results show that grain yield was significantly influenced by the supply of major plant nutrients. The highest rice yield of 4.0 Mg ha−1 was obtained from the inorganically fertilized treatment. The protein content in grains was the highest, 8.98%, in the inorganic treatment (100:60:40 kg N, P, K ha−1) and lowest, 7.55%, in the control. Among organic treatments, farmyard manure at 10 Mg ha−1 contributed the least in terms of the protein content of the rice (7.78%). Significantly higher iron content, of 52.2 μg g−1, was recorded with organic fertilization than inorganic fertilization (42.1 μg Fe g−1). However, inorganic fertilization was superior in terms of copper content, of 4.1 μg Fe g−1, compared with organic treatments: 3.1–4.0 μg Fe g−1. Quality attributes indicated that cooked kernel length was positively correlated with the kernel elongation ratio. Winter weed compost provided comparative benefits for rice yield (3.87 Mg ha−1) and quality in terms of protein (8.42%), iron (48.31 μg g−1) and head rice recovery (49.39%) compared with other sources of nutrients. The results of this study suggest that organic nutrient sources can perform comparatively well as regards chemical and physico-chemical properties, and cooking quality of rice, if not better in some parameters than inorganic fertilization.

A 22 years old female presented with fever, respiratory distress and a rapidly enlarging, soft left postauricular lump for last two months. She was found anaemic, had a right supraclavicular, non-tender lymph node of about 2.5 cm diameter and mild hepatosplenomegaly. She had a positive Mantoux test, and normal chest x-ray. Ultrasonography of abdomen showed multiple pre-and para-aortic enlarged lymph nodes. Mild pericardial effusion was detected on echocardiography. Fine needle aspiration cytology from the right supraclavicular lymph node showed epithelioid cell granuloma. Excision and biopsy of the dermoid were carried out. The content was pus, which was smear-negative but culture-positive for acid-fast bacilli. The patient responded to antituberculous chemotherapy satisfactorily.

The inclusive energy distributions of fragments with Z $\ensuremath{\ge}$ 3 emitted from the bombardment of $^{12}\mathrm{C}$ by $^{20}\mathrm{Ne}$ beams with incident energies between 145 and 200 MeV have been measured in the angular range ${\ensuremath{\theta}}_{\mathrm{lab}}~{10}^{\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}}\text{\ensuremath{-}}{50}^{\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}}$. Damped fragment yields in all cases have been found to be characteristic of emission from fully energy equilibrated composites; for B and C fragments, average Q values, $\ensuremath{\langle}Q\ensuremath{\rangle}$, were independent of the center-of-mass emission angle (${\ensuremath{\theta}}_{\mathrm{c.m}.}$), and the angular distributions followed a $~1/\mathrm{sin}{\ensuremath{\theta}}_{\mathrm{c.m}.}$-like variation, signifying long lifetimes of the emitting dinuclear systems. Estimates of total yields of these fragments have been found to be much larger than those predicted by the standard statistical model. This may be indicative of the survival of an orbiting-like process in the $^{12}\mathrm{C}+^{20}\mathrm{Ne}$ system at these energies.

A 44-year-old male presented with dizziness, blurring of vision, unproductive cough, dyspnoea, heaviness of head, fever and hepatosplenomegaly along with reticulonodular infiltration in chest x-ray. His serum showed monoclonal IgM gammopathy. Peripheral blood smear, bone marrow examination and serum protein electrophoresis suggested it was a case of Waldenstrom's macroglobulinaemia. Chest x-ray and CT scan of thorax were suggestive of pulmonary involvement in the form of interstitial lung disease.

A 22 years old male presented with right sided scrotal swelling of 5 months duration. On examination it was found to be of orange-sized, firm to hard in consistency with mild tenderness. Ultrasonography of testes failed to arrive at a diagnosis. However, fine needle aspiration cytology of the testicular swelling confirmed the diagnosis of testicular tuberculosis. Even conservative approach in the management gave satisfactory result.

Using the major accelerator facilities available in India, detailed experimental studies have been made to understand the mechanism of quasi-fission and role of nuclear shell effect in heavy nuclei. Fission fragment mass distribution has been used as the probe to explore the role of entrance channel effects on fusion-fission and quasi- fission dynamics. Fission fragment mass distribution has also been demonstrated to be useful to identify the phenomenon of 'washing out' of nuclear shell effect with excitation energy.

The quantitative contributions of various direct three alpha decay mechanisms in the decay of the famous Hoyle state, the 02 + resonant excited state of 12 C at excitation energy of 7.65 MeV, has been estimated using 60 MeV α inelastic scattering on 12 C target in complete kinematical measurement. Simultaneous optimisation of three different distributions (the relative energy of 8 Be like pairs, the root mean square energy deviation and the radial projection of symmetric Dalitz plot) derived from the experimental data with those generated from the Monte Carlo simulated event sets, have been done to arrive at a consistent estimation of the contributions of various direct decay modes.

Background Asthma is a serious global health problem. Global prevalence of asthma ranges from 1% to 18% of population in different countries. In India, prevalence of asthma is 3% of the population. Major depressive disorder is the most common mood disorder often found to be higher among people with chronic health conditions like asthma. Presence of depression may lead to increased severity of asthma making it an uncontrolled asthma. Our objective was to see prevalence of depression among asthma patients and effect of asthma control on severity of depression. Methods

The 27Al(12C,11B)28Si reactions have been studied at 73, 81 and 85 MeV to extract spectroscopic factors for the ground (0+), first (2+) and second (4+) excited states of 28Si using a transfer reaction. The elastic scattering angular distributions have been fitted using the computer code ECIS94, and finite range distorted-wave Born approximation calculations have been performed using DWUCK5. The extracted spectroscopic factors are compared with shell model calculations.