Do equal land and water rights benefit the poor?: Targeted irrigation development: The case of the Andhi Khola Irrigation Scheme in Nepal

Irrigation programs / Water rights / Poverty / Households / Surveys / Water allocation / Water distribution / Water users’ associations / Farmers / Landlessness / Land ownership

Eder, Tower of

Permeability is a key parameter for the evaluation of subsurface formations in groundwater and hydrocarbon exploration. We utilize broadband full-waveform sonic data to exploit Pride's relationship between P-wave velocity dispersion and permeability for porous, fluid-filled media. Frequency dependent P-wave velocities are extracted from multi-channel sonic data during a two-step process: computation of semblance-based velocity spectra at two or more center frequencies followed by a 2D cross-correlation of the velocity spectra. A comparison with MRI-derived permeability logs confirm that P-wave velocity dispersion logs can be used to map permeability variations

Extracting frequency dependent velocities from full waveform sonic data

In porous, fluid-filled rock formations, compressional seismic wave velocities show a strong dependence on frequency. The potential linkage between P-wave velocity dispersion and permeability would make the use of broadband sonic waveform data suitable for determining reservoir parameters. Automatic velocity analysis of multi-channel sonic data can be tailored to detect and measure frequency dependent velocities.This seismic data processing strategy enables the creation of velocity dispersion logs for fluid-filled porous media

The Discovery of an X-ray/UV Stellar Flare from the Late-K/Early-M Dwarf LMC 335

We report the discovery of an X-ray/UV stellar flare from the source LMC 335, captured by XMM-Newton in the field of the Large Magellanic Cloud. The flare event was recorded continuously in X-ray for its first 10 hours from the precursor to the late decay phases. The observed fluxes increased by more than two orders of magnitude at its peak in X-ray and at least one in the UV as compared to quiescence. The peak 0.1-7.0 keV X-ray flux is derived from the two-temperature APEC model to be ~(8.4 +/- 0.6) x 10^-12 erg cm-2 s-1. Combining astrometric information from multiple X-ray observations in the quiescent and flare states, we identify the NIR counterpart of LMC 335 as the 2MASS source J05414534-6921512. The NIR color relations and spectroscopic parallax characterize the source as a Galactic K7-M4 dwarf at a foreground distance of (100 - 264) pc, implying a total energy output of the entire event of ~(0.4 - 2.9) x 10^35 erg. This report comprises detailed analyses of this late-K / early-M dwarf flare event that has the longest time coverage yet reported in the literature. The flare decay can be modeled with two exponential components with timescales of ~28 min and ~4 hours, with a single component decay firmly ruled out. The X-ray spectra during flare can be described by two components, a dominant high temperature component of ~40-60MK and a low temperature component of ~10MK, with a flare loop length of about 1.1-1.3 stellar radius.Comment: 35 pages, 6 figures, 5 tables, accepted for publication in Ap

The Ultraluminous X-ray Sources near the Center of M82

We report the identification of a recurrent ultraluminous X-ray source (ULX), a highly absorbed X-ray source (possibly a background AGN), and a young supernova remnant near the center of the starburst galaxy M82. From a series of Chandra observations taken from 1999 to 2005, we found that the transient ULX first appeared in 1999 October. The source turned off in 2000 January, but later reappeared and has been active since then. The X-ray luminosity of this source varies from below the detection level (~2.5e38 erg/s) to its active state in between ~7e39 erg/s and 1.3e40 erg/s (in the 0.5-10 keV energy band) and shows unusual spectral changes. The X-ray spectra of some Chandra observations are best fitted with an absorbed power-law model with photon index ranging from 1.3 to 1.7. These spectra are similar to those of Galactic black hole binary candidates seen in the low/hard state except that a very hard spectrum was seen in one of the observations. By comparing with near infrared images taken with the Hubble Space Telescope, the ULX is found to be located within a young star cluster. Radio imaging indicates that it is associated with a H II region. We suggest that the ULX is likely to be a > 100 solar mass intermediate-mass black hole in the low/hard state. In addition to the transient ULX, we also found a highly absorbed hard X-ray source which is likely to be an AGN and an ultraluminous X-ray emitting young supernova remnant which may be related to a 100-year old gamma-ray burst event, within 2 arcsec of the transient ULX.Comment: 9 pages, 8 figures. Accepted for publication in Ap

The Radon Monitoring System in Daya Bay Reactor Neutrino Experiment

We developed a highly sensitive, reliable and portable automatic system (H$^{3}$) to monitor the radon concentration of the underground experimental halls of the Daya Bay Reactor Neutrino Experiment. H$^{3}$ is able to measure radon concentration with a statistical error less than 10\% in a 1-hour measurement of dehumidified air (R.H. 5\% at 25$^{\circ}$C) with radon concentration as low as 50 Bq/m$^{3}$. This is achieved by using a large radon progeny collection chamber, semiconductor $\alpha$-particle detector with high energy resolution, improved electronics and software. The integrated radon monitoring system is highly customizable to operate in different run modes at scheduled times and can be controlled remotely to sample radon in ambient air or in water from the water pools where the antineutrino detectors are being housed. The radon monitoring system has been running in the three experimental halls of the Daya Bay Reactor Neutrino Experiment since November 2013

Challenges of Using Google Sites in Education and How Students Perceive Using It

ABSTRACT This paper describes an on-going project which is about how Google Sites, which is a type of wiki, applied in the implementation of Inquiry project based learning (PjBL). Teachers and students from a local school being anonymous as KS shared the first hand experience and positive comment on using Web 2.0 technologies in education and learning. This paper reveals the finding of the project and states out the school encountered the challenges from students" parent because of misunderstanding the nature of on-line project, and also from the students due to not being familiar with using Google Sites. This paper also includes how the school IT teacher dealt with those challenges with probable solutions, and he perceived an improvement of the students" performance in this General Studies group project facilitated by using Google Sites

Evaluation of Different Thyroid Lesions with Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology and Thyroid Function Tests

Introduction: Swelling of the thyroid gland is a commonly encountered clinical problem in all age groups whether benign or malignant. Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology (FNAC) of the thyroid lesions along with hormonal function test helps in the proper preoperative assessment. Ultimately it changes clinical management and improves the patient outcome. Objectives: To describe the cytomorphological features of palpable thyroid nodules using fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) along with the assessment of thyroid hormonal status of the patient. Methods: The study was conducted in the Department of Pathology of Gandaki Medical College and Teaching hospital from January 2017 to December 2017 and included 50 patients with thyroid lesions. Cytological assessment was done using FNAC along with serological assessment of thyroid hormones. Results: In the study 50 cases of thyroid swelling were included and evaluated by cytological and hormonal analysis which comprises of 10% males and 90% females with a with a female to male ratio of 9 : 1. Maximum number of cases was seen in the age range 41 - 60 years (46%), mean age being 44.6 years. The cytological diagnosis comprised colloid goiter (58%), lymphocytic thyroiditis (16%), Hashimoto thyroiditis (10%). Thyroid hormone analysis showed 66% euthyroid, 22% hypothyroid and 12% hyperthyroid. Conclusions: The study showed that FNAC and TFT profile both are essential for the proper management of thyroid lesions. FNAC along with hormonal analysis helps in proper patient assessment and management.  J-GMC-N | Volume 11 | Issue 01 | January-June 2018, Page: 17-2

Histopathological Analysis of Endometrial Biopsy in Gandaki Medical College Teaching Hospital, Pokhara, Nepal

Objective: To study the spectrum of histopathological diagnosis of endometrial lesions and their distribution according to age. Methods: All the endometrium samples obtained by the procedure of dilatation and curettage and hysterectomy sent for histopathological examination at Pathology Department of Gandaki Medical College Teaching Hospital, Pokhara, Nepal. The study duration was total 12 months ranging from July 2016 to June 2017. All the endometrial samples were processed, sectioned at 4 - 6 μm and stained with routine H & E stain. Patient’s data including age, sex, procedure of the biopsy taken and histopathological diagnosis were noted. A pathologist, using Olympus microscope, reported the slides. Cases were reviewed by a second pathologist whenever necessary. Results: A total of 128 cases were studied. The most common histopathological diagnosis was proliferative endometrium (28.9%) followed by disorder proliferative endometrium (15.65%). Most of the patients were in age group 36 - 45 years comprising 32.03%. Hydatidiform mole comprised of 7.03% and among Hydatidiform mole, partial mole was more common. Dilatation and curettage (82.8%) was the common procedure in compare to hysterectomy for the evaluation of endometrial lesions. Conclusions: In this study, we observed a variety of endometrial lesions. Most of them are benign; among benign, proliferative endometrium was the common histopathological diagnosis followed by disorder proliferative endometrium. Most common presenting age group was found to be at 36 - 45 years. In evaluation of hydatidiform mole, partial mole was more frequent in compare to complete mole. Conventional dilatation and curettage is the preferred method in developing countries with limited resource to screen endometrial lesion and therefore biopsy should be sent for histopathological examination. Thus histopathological examination of routinely stained hematoxylin and eosin is readily available and widely accepted standard technique for evaluation of the endometrial lesions

High Resolution mid-Infrared Imaging of SN 1987A

Using the Thermal-Region Camera and Spectrograph (T-ReCS) attached to the Gemini South 8m telescope, we have detected and resolved 10 micron emission at the position of the inner equatorial ring (ER) of supernova SN 1987A at day 6067. ``Hot spots'' similar to those found in the optical and near-IR are clearly present. The morphology of the 10 micron emission is globally similar to the morphology at other wavelengths from X-rays to radio. The observed mid-IR flux in the region of SN1987A is probably dominated by emission from dust in the ER. We have also detected the ER at 20 micron at a 4 sigma level. Assuming that thermal dust radiation is the origin of the mid-IR emission, we derive a dust temperature of 180^{+20}_{-10} K, and a dust mass of 1.- 8. 10^{-5} Mo for the ER. Our observations also show a weak detection of the central ejecta at 10 micron. We show that previous bolometric flux estimates (through day 2100) were not significantly contaminated by this newly discovered emission from the ER. If we assume that the energy input comes from radioactive decays only, our measurements together with the current theoretical models set a temperature of 90 leq T leq 100 K and a mass range of 10^{-4} - 2. 10^{-3} Mo for the dust in the ejecta. With such dust temperatures the estimated thermal emission is 9(+/-3) 10^{35} erg s^{-1} from the inner ring, and 1.5 (+/-0.5) 10^{36} erg s^{-1} from the ejecta. Finally, using SN 1987A as a template, we discuss the possible role of supernovae as major sources of dust in the Universe.Comment: aastex502, 14 pages, 4 figures; Accepted for publication in ApJ Content changed: new observations, Referee's comments and suggestion