Study of propagation and detection methods of terahertz radiation for spectroscopy and imaging

The applications of terahertz (THz, 1 THz is 1012 cycles per second or 300 pm in wavelength) radiation are rapidly expanding. In particular, THz imaging is emerging as a powerful technique to spatially map a wide variety of objects with spectral features which are present for many materials in THz region. Objects buried within dielectric structures can also be imaged due to the transparency of most dielectrics in this regime. Unfortunately, the image quality in such applications is inherently influenced by the scattering introduced by the sample inhomogeneities and by the presence of barriers that reduces both the transmitted power and the spatial resolution in particular frequency components. For continued development in THz radiation imaging, a comprehensive understanding of the role of these factors on THz radiation propagation and detection is vital. This dissertation focuses on the various aspects like scattering, attenuation, frequency filtering and waveguide propagation of THz radiation and its subsequent application to a stand-off THz interferometric imager under development. Using THz Time Domain spectroscopic set-up, the effect of scattering, guided THz propagation with loss and dispersion profile of hollow-core waveguides and various filtering structures are investigated. Interferometric detection scheme and subsequent agent identification is studied in detail using extensive simulation and modeling of various imaging system parameters

Perception of Japanese Encephalitis and Its Vaccination: An Experience from a Rural Area of Hooghly District, West Bengal

Background: Japanese Encephalitis (JE) is endemic in Hooghly district of West Bengal. A mass vaccination program among 15–65 year old people was planned and implemented during the month of December, 2015. In this background, the present study was conducted to find out the knowledge regarding JE, and the perceived reasons for receiving vaccination among the beneficiaries.Materials and Methods: 135 beneficiaries were interviewed during vaccination sessions (held in December, 2015) at three camps located at three different villages of Singur block of Hooghly district using structured Bengali questionnaire. After obtaining informed consent, each person was approached for interview at the entry point for receiving the vaccine.Results: Majority (36%) came to receive vaccine because others in the neighborhood did so. Only 59 persons (43.7%) had ever heard of the disease. A little over 50% of those 59 participants perceived themselves susceptible to JE and felt that vaccination would help. Major sources of JE-related information were from teachers (45.7%) and health personnel (22%).Conclusion: Perception regarding the basic aspects of JE among those for whom the vaccination program was targeted was unsatisfactory. Therefore, any such public health initiative should be preceded by appropriate and effective community awareness program

Does Women Empowerment Predict Contraceptive Use? A Study in a Rural Area of Hooghly District, West Bengal

Background: India launched the world’s first national family planning programme in 1952. Unfortunately, considerable numbers of eligible couples in India are still not using any method of contraception in spite of the fact that knowledge related to contraceptives are not lacking. Studies reported that the status of the women in the family and largely in the community, represented by a measure ‘women empowerment’ plays a role in determining contraceptive use. However, there is dearth of literature in this regards especially among women of reproductive age of West Bengal. Aims & Objectives: To find out the current contraceptive use and its relationship, if any with women empowerment among adult married women of reproductive age group in a rural area of West Bengal. Material & Methods: Community based cross-sectional study was conducted among 151 WRA using interviewer-administered questionnaire. Current use of contraceptive was the outcome variable. The main explanatory variable was ‘empowerment score’-a summed measure of four domains: ‘financial autonomy’, ‘freedom of movement’, ‘involvement in household level decision making’ and ‘woman’s power in sexual and reproductive decision making’. Results: 63.6% study participants were using any method of contraception at the time of study. Women empowerment [AOR (CI): 1.11 (1.02-1.22)] and education of women [AOR (CI): 2.56 (1.13-5.85)] were significantly associated with contraceptive use, even after adjustment with other independent variables. Conclusion: Educating women and empowering them will improve the family planning practices. This will, in long run play a pivotal role in improving family and community health

Domestic unintentional injury of 1 to 5-year-old children in a rural area of West Bengal, India: a community-based study

Background: Childhood unintentional injury, a major public health problem in India, is largely preventable. The aim of this study was to determine the burden and determinants of unintentional injury of 12 to 59 months old child at household level.Method: A community based cross-sectional study was conducted at Singur block, Hooghly district, West Bengal, India among randomly chosen children using a predesigned and pretested interviewer administered questionnaire and a checklist for assessing household level injury hazard during the period of November 2015 to February 2016. Parental supervisory behaviour was assessed using PSAPQ questionnaire. Multivariable logistic regression was performed using SPSS 19.0 software.Result: A total of 163 were involved in the study. Over one-third (37.4%) of the children underwent any type of injury during last 3-month time period, predominant body part being upper limb. Parental supervisory behaviour [AOR-2.6, (95% CI-1.2-4.9)] and household level injury hazard (AOR-1.55, 95% CI- 1.3-1.7)] were found to be significant predictors of unintentional injury.Conclusion: Unintentional injury among children is prevalent in West Bengal in India. Dissemination of injury prevention information with special focus on household modification and increased parental supervision are effective strategies to prevent unintentional injury

Perception of prevention of Japanese Encephalitis with emphasis on its vaccination programme: a community based study in a slum of Kolkata

Introduction Japanese Encephalitis (JE) is a mosquito borne disease with epidemic potential. There is no specific treatment available till date and apart from vector control, vaccination of individuals is considered as a safe and effective measure for prevention. Vaccination campaign among 1-15 years is being carried out with full vigour from 2015 onwards in West Bengal. Objectives This study was conducted to assess the knowledge of the care givers of 1-15 years old children about JE and its prevention and to find out the factors associated with vaccination status of the children. Methods A cross sectional, community based study was conducted from May-June 2016 in a slum of Chetla, Kolkata, which is within the service area of Urban Health Unit and Training Centre (UHU&TC), Chetla of All India Institute of Hygiene and Public Health, Kolkata, where the campaign prior to the study was completed in March 2016. Care givers of 90 children of aged 1-15 years were interviewed with a pre-designed, pre-tested, structured schedule. Results Mean age of the surveyed children was 6.34 years (SD 3.76) and 88% of them were vaccinated during the campaign. 56.7% of the caregivers had poor knowledge about JE and 84.95% were sensitized about the campaign by relatives/friends followed by health workers (33.7%). Low socio-economic status and good knowledge of JE had significant association with vaccination of the child after adjusting with other factors (age and sex of the child, education and occupation of parents, type of family). Conclusions Enhancement of knowledge and awareness about JE with appropriate health education programmes and special emphasis on sensitization campaigns for JE vaccination at both mass and individual level would prevent emergence of JE epidemics in future

THz Communication Technology in India Present and Future

As the communication industry is currently undergoing a major overhaul to accommodate greater bandwidth and higher data-rate to meet the rapidly growing data demand; terahertz range of frequencies from 100 GHz to 3 THz are being investigated as a possible replacement of the conventional mm-wave technology. In this paper, we have examined the technology readiness of Indian research community in this specific direction and have discussed the research development strategies that are required to gain momentum towards achieving a viable technology standard in THz communication in India. Moreover, we have presented a collection of technology recommendations towards product development required for initiation and advancement in THz communication. We have also introduced a design of a short-range THz communication configuration in conclusion, based on recent reports of successful realization of THz communication which could be utilized for immediate realization using commercially available resources

Search for dark matter produced in association with bottom or top quarks in √s = 13 TeV pp collisions with the ATLAS detector

A search for weakly interacting massive particle dark matter produced in association with bottom or top quarks is presented. Final states containing third-generation quarks and miss- ing transverse momentum are considered. The analysis uses 36.1 fb−1 of proton–proton collision data recorded by the ATLAS experiment at √s = 13 TeV in 2015 and 2016. No significant excess of events above the estimated backgrounds is observed. The results are in- terpreted in the framework of simplified models of spin-0 dark-matter mediators. For colour- neutral spin-0 mediators produced in association with top quarks and decaying into a pair of dark-matter particles, mediator masses below 50 GeV are excluded assuming a dark-matter candidate mass of 1 GeV and unitary couplings. For scalar and pseudoscalar mediators produced in association with bottom quarks, the search sets limits on the production cross- section of 300 times the predicted rate for mediators with masses between 10 and 50 GeV and assuming a dark-matter mass of 1 GeV and unitary coupling. Constraints on colour- charged scalar simplified models are also presented. Assuming a dark-matter particle mass of 35 GeV, mediator particles with mass below 1.1 TeV are excluded for couplings yielding a dark-matter relic density consistent with measurements

The evolution of Balari Bar in the Hugli Estuary, West Bengal, India, and its impact on navigation

1376-1382Systematic study of charts, maps and satellite images pertaining to 1967-68, 1975, 1992, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2009 and 2012, indicate that the Balari Bar steadily increased, choking up the northern portion of the Haldia Channel, on the west of the Hugli Estuary. Its rapid growth, from 0.29 km2 in 1997 to 3.83 km2 in 2012, started to threaten the Haldia Dock Complex (HDC). Eight superimposed profiles across the 15 km Balari Reach of the estuary show gradual deterioration of the western Haldia Channel and the improvement of the eastern Rangafalla Channel resulting in the concentration of the tidal flows in the latter. The decrease in the overall capacity of the reach has been 8.13% from 2000 to 2012. The result of this is reflected on the performance of the HDC as some of its share of cargo is diverted to the other sea ports in the vicinity

Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy and its Association with Diabetes Self-care: A Clinic-based Study in an Urban Health Centre, Kolkata

Introduction: Diabetes mellitus is considered as silent epidemic worldwide including India. Peripheral neuropathy is one of the most common complications of diabetes mellitus. Diabetes Self-Management (DSM) is crucial in mitigating the afflictions of diabetes and it’s after effects. There was dearth of studies in view of Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy (DPN) and diabetes self-management in Kolkata, West Bengal. Aim: To assess the associations between diabetes selfmanagement and DPN in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) patients attending an urban health clinic in Kolkata. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted from December 2018 to March 2019 among known case of T2DM patients aged 30 years and above attending the NonCommunicable Disease (NCD) clinic at Chetla, under the purview of field practice areas of Urban Health Unit and Training centre (UHU and TC) of All India Institute of Hygiene and Public Health (AIIH and PH) Kolkata, West Bengal. A pre-designed and pretested schedule was used to collect data which were analysed using International Business Machines Statistical Product and Service Solutions (IBM SPSS) version 16.0 and represented using various tables. Results: The mean (SD) age of the participants was 54.89 (8.98) years. About 32.4% of the patients had DPN which was significantly associated with increased duration of T2DM {AOR (95% CI)}={1.52 (1.22-1.91)}, lower glucose management sub-scale score {AOR (95% CI)}={2.84 (1.42-5.67)} and lower healthcare use sub-scale score {AOR (95% CI)}={1.86 (1.05-3.31)}. Conclusion: Early screening and education regarding diabetes self-care would be helpful in glycaemic control and in prevention of DPN

Romancing the Strange: The Fiction of Kunal Basu

This book brings together over twenty well-researched and insightful articles on the historical fiction of Kunal Basu - especially his first two novels, The Opium Clerkand The Miniaturist. The essays in this book focus on topics such as fiction and history, colonialism and post colonialism, character studies and narrative functions. This book also features the transcript of an exclusive tête-à-tête with Kunal Basu in which the novelist provides many autobiographical details about his life, creative instincts, and about the novels he has penned and intends to write. For the use and benefit of academic researchers, a special section containing media responses to Kunal Basu\u27s novels has been included.https://scholarcommons.scu.edu/faculty_books/1296/thumbnail.jp