A STUDY OF PROPERTIES OF TYPE IA SUPERNOVA AND THE CALIBRATION OF MULTIBAND PHOTOMETRY

The peak luminosity of Type Ia Supernova (SN) can be calibrated using a distance independent luminosity parameter called the decline rate parameter (?m15 (B) to get accurate distances to the galaxies. The photometry gathered from the telescopes should be transformed to a standard scale for uniformity and should be corrected for precision in measurements. The sources of systematic errors are correctly identified and remedied using S-corrections and extinction corrections. The study found a larger scatter in the photometry of Type Ia Supernovae (SNe) in the ultraviolet band (U-band). The importance of Type Ia as a valuable cosmological tool is subsequently shown by deriving the U-band decline rate relation and the magnitude redshift diagram for 36 objects. The photometry of Type Ia SNe puts constraints on the Einstein?s equation of state parameters and supports the Dark Energy cosmological parameter causing the accelerated expansion of the Universe

Fixing the U-band photometry of Type Ia supernovae

We present previously unpublished photometry of supernovae 2003gs and 2003hv. Using spectroscopically-derived corrections to the U-band photometry, we reconcile U-band light curves made from imagery with the Cerro Tololo 0.9-m, 1.3-m and Las Campanas 1-m telescopes. Previously, such light curves showed a 0.4 mag spread at one month after maximum light. This gives us hope that a set of corrected ultraviolet light curves of nearby objects can contribute to the full utilization of rest frame U-band data of supernovae at redshift ~0.3 to 0.8. As pointed out recently by Kessler et al. in the context of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey supernova search, if we take the published U-band photometry of nearby Type Ia supernovae at face value, there is a 0.12 mag U-band anomaly in the distance moduli of higher redshift objects. This anomaly led the Sloan survey to eliminate from their analyses all photometry obtained in the rest frame U-band. The Supernova Legacy Survey eliminated observer frame U-band photometry, which is to say nearby objects observed in the U-band, but they used photometry of high redshift objects no matter in which band the photons were emitted.Comment: 25 pages, 9 figures, accepted for publication in the Astronomical Journa

Evaluation of bread wheat genotypes under rain-fed conditions in Terai districts of Nepal

Thirty four percent of the total wheat cultivated area is under rain-fed condition in Nepal and that of the Terai is nineteen percent. The objective of this study was to develop drought tolerant and high yielding varieties of wheat for timely sown rain-fed environments. Coordinated Varietal trial (CVT) was carried out in normal wheat growing season during 2016/17 and 2017/18. The research was conducted at five locations (Rampur, Bhairahawa, Doti, Jitpur and Nepalgunj) of five research stations of Nepal Agricultural Research Council (NARC) throughout the Terai region in alpha lattice design with two replications. Data on different yield attributing traits were recorded. In the CVT-TTL 2016/17 highly significant difference (p<0.01) among the genotypes was found for days to heading, days to maturity, plant height, number of grains per spike and thousand kernel weight and significant difference (p<0.05) for grain yield. The highest grain yield was observed in NL 1326 (2954 kg/ha) which was followed by NL 1327 (2819 kg/ha), NL 1211 (2719 kg/ha), NL1202 (2683 kg/ha), BL 4707 (2654 kg/ha) and BL 4708 (2652 kg/ha).  Similarly, in CVT-TTL 2017/18, highly significant difference (p<0.01) among the genotypes was observed for the days to heading, days to maturity and plant height and non-significant different for number of grains per spike, grain yield and TGW.  However, Genotype by Environment (G x E) was found highly significant (p<0.01) for the days to heading, plant height, grain yield and TGW and significant different (p<0.05) for number of grains per spike. The highest grain yield was obtained in NL1322 (2305 kg/ha) which was followed by NL1369 (2287 kg/ha), NL 1202 (2205 kg/ha), BL 4708 (2197 kg/ha) and BL 4820 (2118 kg/ha). Among these tested genotypes BL 4708, NL 1202, NL 1211, NL 1307, NL 1327 and NL 1369 are recommended for the coordinated farmer's field trial for further verification and release as variety

EN-BIRTH Data Collector Training - Handbook and Manual

The EN-BIRTH study aims to validate selected newborn and maternal indicators for routine facility-based tracking of coverage and quality of care for use at district, national and global levels. The item contains the EN-BIRTH_Trainer's Manual (14 June 2017) and EN-BIRTH_Training Handbook (23 May 2017)

EN-BIRTH Data Collector Training - Supporting Annexes

The EN-BIRTH study aims to validate selected newborn and maternal indicators for routine facility-based tracking of coverage and quality of care for use at district, national and global levels. The item contains consent forms and participant information, in addition to standard operating procedures (SOP) for adverse clinical events, and managing distress in interviews. The full complement of annex files used during the training can be requested via this site if required

EN-BIRTH Data Collection Tools

The EN-BIRTH study aims to validate selected newborn and maternal indicators for routine facility-based tracking of coverage and quality of care for use at district, national and global levels. The item contains the following data collection tools: Register data extraction, Observation checklist (labour and delivery ward), Observation checklist (kangaroo mother care), Patient record verification tools for antenatal corticosteroid administration, Patient record verification tools for antibiotic administration, and the Maternal recall survey

EN-BIRTH Data Collector Training – Training Module material

The EN-BIRTH study aims to validate selected newborn and maternal indicators for routine facility-based tracking of coverage and quality of care for use at district, national and global levels. The item contains PowerPoint slides used for the nine modules of the Data Collector's Training Programme delivered during May and June 2017. Module 1 (introduction) provides an overview of the training syllabus; Module 2 (Registration) helps tracking officers to understand their roles and responsibilities in the project and how to best execute them; Module 3 (Observation: Labour & Delivery) is intended to help Labour & Delivery observers to conduct themselves, and their work, in accordance with project guidelines and training handbook; Module 4 (Observation: Resuscitation - Nepal) covers the function of CCTV cameras and the value of collecting extra observation data from filmed clinical events; Module 5 (Observation: KMC) outlines expectations and practices to be applied by KMC (kangaroo mother care) observers; Module 6 (Data Extraction & Verification) outlines how data collectors should extract and verify register data and record information in the app extraction form in the L&D ward and KMC ward; Module 7 (Maternal Pre-discharge Recall Survey) outlines how to conduct high-quality interviews and administer the maternal pre-discharge recall survey; Module 8 (Supervision) equips supervisors with the skills to be good team managers, ensure team effectiveness and happiness, respond to incidents in the health facility, and monitor data quality; and finally Module 9 (Training Summary) provides a recap of key information taught over the week

Higher-Order Accurate Variance Estimation in Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC)

Variance estimation in the context of high dimensional Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) is an interesting topic in research. Practical implications of estimating variance are limited due to inherent systematic bias both in univariate and multivariate settings. Recent advancements in high dimensional covariance matrix estimation in the MCMC setting, including works on Lugsail Batch Means (LUG-BM), have proven to improve the bias properties. Using spectral theory of estimation, we can further improve upon the bias and variance properties of the estimators. Finite sample properties of variance estimators should be studied in detail using statistical properties of the sampling bias, while accounting for the sampling error. The direction of this bias is crucial in finite sample applications. Mean Square Error (MSE) has been traditionally used to assess the quality of estimation. However, using alternate asymmetrical loss functions is recommended as they are more natural to use in applications where constructing optimal variance estimators in finite samples is required. Normality assumptions are required to make efficient use of these techniques and a careful analysis should be done to ensure the assumptions for normality are met

A Consecutive Series Study of the Frequencies, Intensities, and Natural History of Symptoms Following COVID-19 Infection in Nepali Men

Background: In Nepal, approximately one million individuals, two-thirds men, have tested positive for COVID-19. The recovery picture from this infection is undescribed. Methods: At one major testing institution in Kathmandu, we attempted to contact men three-four months following documentation of a positive PCR Covid test. If the men contacted consented and reported that they had not completely recovered from their Covid infection, we then sought their answers about the presence and intensities of 23 symptoms. Results: Of 2043 consecutive test-positive men, we successfully contacted 1254 men/or family members. 14 men had died before our calls, and two reported having cancer or tuberculosis, providing 1238 individuals. 318 (25.7%) reported that they were unrecovered and 311 of these men were successfully interviewed. At a median of 3.5 months from diagnosis, 216 (17.4%) men reported fatigue, 153 (12.4%) pain, 134 (10.8%) difficulty remembering, 133 (10.7%) reduced physical activity, 114 (9.2%) shortness of breath, and 114 (9.2%) poor sleep. By 6 and 9 months, 108 (8.7%) and 55 (4.4%) of men respectively were still unrecovered. Conclusions: In this PCR Covid test-positive series of symptomatic men, recovery was significantly prolonged compared with other viral illnesses. Keywords: COVID-19; long-COVID; men; recovery; symptom

Evaluation of Bread Wheat Genotypes Under Rain-fed Conditions in Terai Districts of Nepal

Thirty four percent of the total wheat cultivated area is under rain-fed condition in Nepal and that of the Terai is nineteen percent. The objective of this study was to develop drought tolerant and high yielding varieties of wheat for timely sown rain-fed environments. Coordinated Varietal trial (CVT) was carried out in normal wheat growing season during 2016/17 and 2017/18. The research was conducted at five locations (Rampur, Bhairahawa, Doti, Jitpur and Nepalgunj) of five research stations of Nepal Agricultural Research Council (NARC) throughout the Terai region in alpha lattice design with two replications. Data on different yield attributing traits were recorded. In the CVT-TTL 2016/17 highly significant difference (p<0.01) among the genotypes was found for days to heading, days to maturity, plant height, number of grains per spike and thousand kernel weight and significant difference (p<0.05) for grain yield. The highest grain yield was observed in NL 1326 (2954 kg/ha) which was followed by NL 1327 (2819 kg/ha), NL 1211 (2719 kg/ha), NL1202 (2683 kg/ha), BL 4707 (2654 kg/ha) and BL 4708 (2652 kg/ha).  Similarly, in CVT-TTL 2017/18, highly significant difference (p<0.01) among the genotypes was observed for the days to heading, days to maturity and plant height and non-significant different for number of grains per spike, grain yield and TGW.  However, Genotype by Environment (G x E) was found highly significant (p<0.01) for the days to heading, plant height, grain yield and TGW and significant different (p<0.05) for number of grains per spike. The highest grain yield was obtained in NL1322 (2305 kg/ha) which was followed by NL1369 (2287 kg/ha), NL 1202 (2205 kg/ha), BL 4708 (2197 kg/ha) and BL 4820 (2118 kg/ha). Among these tested genotypes BL 4708, NL 1202, NL 1211, NL 1307, NL 1327 and NL 1369 are recommended for the coordinated farmer's field trial for further verification and release as variety