Astrophysical Limits on Gravitino Mass

We calculate exotic cooling rates of stars due to photo-production of light particles (mostly scalars and pseudoscalars) which originate from the hidden sector of no scale supergravity theories. Using this we can restrict the gravitino mass $m_{3/2}$. The range of eliminated values of $m_{3/2}$ stretches over six orders of magnitude and is given by $\displaystyle{2 \times 10^8 < {m_{\tilde g} \over m_{3/2}} < 6 \times 10^{13}}$, $m_{\tilde g}$ being the gluino mass. Combining our result with the earlier analysis from colliders ($\displaystyle{ {m_{\tilde g} \over m_{3/2}} < 2.7 \times 10^{14}}$) we conclude that $\displaystyle{{m_{\tilde g} \over m_{3/2}} < {\cal O}(10^8)}$ except for a narrow window around $10^{14}$. Together with the current experimental limit on $m_{\tilde{g}}$ and cosmological constraints on $m_{3/2}$, albeit model dependent, our analysis shows that a light gravitino is on the verge of being ruled out.Comment: 14 pages in Latex,PRL-TH-94/1

Analyzing the Effects of Transit Network Change on Agency Performance and Riders in a Decentralized, Small-to-Mid-sized US Metropolitan Area: A Case Study of Tallahassee, Florida, MTI Report 12-04

On July 11, 2011, StarMetro, the local public transit agency in Tallahassee, Florida, restructured its entire bus network from a downtown-focused radial system to a decentralized, grid-like system that local officials and agency leaders believed would better serve the dispersed local pattern of population and employment. The new, decentralized network is based on radial routes serving the major arterial roads and new crosstown routes linking the outer parts of the city, where population and employment is growing. Local officials and agency staff hoped the change would increase transit’s attractiveness and usefulness to the community. One year after the service restructuring, overall performance results are similar to those experienced in other cities that have implemented major service changes. Overall ridership and productivity are lower than before the service restructuring, due to the short time frame for rider adjustments and longer-than-anticipated headways, but new ridership has appeared in previously un-served or under-served corridors and neighborhoods. The service restructuring resulted in longer walks to bus stops, due to the removal of stops from many neighborhoods and their relocation to major roads, but overall transit travel times are shorter due to more direct routing. No particular neighborhoods or community groups disproportionately benefited from or were harmed by the change. The service restructuring was supported by some segments of the community who viewed the older system as ill-suited to the increasingly decentralized community, while it was opposed by other community stakeholders who worried about the loss of service in some neighborhoods and issues of access and safety, particularly affecting elderly and disabled riders, at new stop locations. StarMetro’s extensive public outreach efforts and ongoing service adjustments have reduced the intensity of the opposition to the service restructuring over time, although some segments of the community continue to voice their concerns about the effects of the change on transit-dependent, disabled, and elderly riders

Time-Varying Hedge Ratios: An Application to the Indian Stock Futures Market

Using different unconditional and conditional versions of the bivariate BEKK-GARCH model of Engle and Kroner, we calculate time-varying hedge ratios for Indian stock futures market involving a cross-section of seven firms across a spectrum of industries. These models are solved not only with the usual square root exponent but also analysed with an unrestricted version where the exponent is set to one. Our results show time-varying hedge ratios with the exponent set to one improve over hedge ratios obtained from the square root exponent setup as well as over static hedge ratios calculated from the error correction types of models. Time-varying optimal hedge ratio calculation in this new framework makes perfect sense in terms of portfolio allocation decision involving individual stock futures.Unrestricted BEKK-GARCH, Stock Futures, Dynamic Hedging

Orthodontic treatment using segmental T loop for correction of ectopically erupting canine: a case report

Most of the patients approach the orthodontist with their prime issue being their appearance. The patient expects the treatment to improve their overall appearance which in turn increases the acceptance by their peers. A 14 year old female report with a chief complain of irregularly placed teeth in upper and lower front region of jaw. After detailed diagnosis her treatment was planned wherein over retained 53 was extracted followed by correction of buccally erupting 13 and correction of crowding and improvement in airway was achieved. Titanium molybdenum (TMA) segmental T loop was used to retract 13. Post-treatment records revealed that treatment objectives were achieved and patient was satisfied with the treatment.

Prospects for Development of Ecotourism in Bodoland Territorial Area District

                      Ecotourism refers to tourism in which the local people are significant stakeholders and gives immense importance to conservation of the available tourism resources.  With the advancement of science and technology, the world has shrunk and simultaneously, the population has expanded like never before. More and more people are touring the world for leisure and other activities. This has put a huge pressure on the natural resources all over the world. Looking into this challenge, the world has come up with the concept of ecotourism In India also this concept of tourism is gaining momentum with industrially backward and rural areas, rich in natural resources like forests, wildlife and rivers, such as in the BTAD (Bodoland Territorial Area Districts), having much scope to attract the tourists. But these natural resources are very much exploited through activities like deforestation, habitat destruction and hunting of different endemic species. Also the nature inspired rich and vibrant culture has not yet been explored adequately. This paper attempts to throws light on the various issues related to ecotourism in the region by understanding the available resources, the perceptions of local people to involve them in the tourism development programs and the tourists by interacting with them.  The bottlenecks of the development of tourism here have also been chalked out to facilitate plans for ecotourism development with its effective execution to bring about all round development here with sustainability. 

Modulated Rashba interaction in a quantum wire: Spin and charge dynamics

It was recently shown that a spatially modulated Rashba spin-orbit coupling in a quantum wire drives a transition from a metallic to an insulating state when the wave number of the modulation becomes commensurate with the Fermi wave length of the electrons in the wire. It was suggested that the effect may be put to practical use in a future spin transistor design. In the present article we revisit the problem and present a detailed analysis of the underlying physics. First, we explore how the build-up of charge density wave correlations in the quantum wire due to the periodic gate configuration that produces the Rashba modulation influences the transition to the insulating state. The interplay between the modulations of the charge density and that of the spin-orbit coupling turns out to be quite subtle: Depending on the relative phase between the two modulations, the joint action of the Rashba interaction and charge density wave correlations may either enhance or reduce the Rashba current blockade effect. Secondly, we inquire about the role of the Dresselhaus spin-orbit coupling that is generically present in a quantum wire embedded in semiconductor heterostructure. While the Dresselhaus coupling is found to work against the current blockade of the insulating state, the effect is small in most materials. Using an effective field theory approach, we also carry out an analysis of effects from electron- electron interactions, and show how the single-particle gap in the insulating state can be extracted from the more easily accessible collective charge and spin excitation thresholds. The smallness of the single-particle gap together with the anti-phase relation between the Rashba and chemical potential modulations pose serious difficulties for realizing a Rashba-controlled current switch in an InAs-based device. Some alternative designs are discussed.Comment: 20 pages, 6 figure

Z_N Phases in Hot Gauge Theories

We argue that the \zn phases of hot gauge theories cannot be realized as a real system with an Hermitean density matrix.Comment: 7 page

Erratum: Assessment of uncertainties in QRPA 0νββ0\nu\beta\beta-decay nuclear matrix elements [Nucl. Phys. A 766, 107 (2006)]

This is an erratum to our previously published paper.Comment: Accepted for publication in Nucl. Phys. A, see also nucl-th/050306

Episodic river flooding events revealed by palynological assemblages in Jurassic deposits of the Brent Group, North Sea

Spore and pollen (sporomorph) assemblages from Middle Jurassic marine deposits of the Brent Group in the northern North Sea are investigated to assess temporal and spatial variations in vegetation and depositional processes. Four wells were sampled for palynology from the Penguins Cluster and the Don North East fields through the Rannoch Formation shoreface succession. Hyperpycnite deposits occur throughout, but are concentrated within the lower part of the section. These are expressed by sand-prone beds displaying waxing and waning current motifs, normally graded muddy beds and structureless mudstones. Hyperpycnal/hypopycnal deposits resulting from episodic river flooding represent important sedimentary features as they may be preserved below fair weather wave base in more offshore settings and potentially be the only record of the former presence of a nearby river mouth. The hyperpycnites typically contain abundant Botryoccocus spp., Amorphous Organic Matter (AOM) and hinterland sporomorph taxa with relatively few marine components compared to associated marine shoreface facies. Variations in palynofacies assemblages and Botryococcus spp. abundances indicate frequent river mouth avulsion. Ordination of samples using non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) indicates that shoreface samples of the sampled wells are relatively distinct, but hyperpycnite samples are highly similar regardless of their sampled well. This suggests that depositional processes and spore/pollen sources (i.e. catchment zones) were similar among hyperpycnite events across different wells. Abundant bisaccate pollen, Botryococcus spp. and AOM within interpreted hyperpycnites suggest sediment mixing along the fluvial drainage path during flooding events. The terrestrial signature of hyperpycnite sporomorph assemblages demonstrates that underflows remained coherent as they descended the shoreface profile with little turbulent mixing with ambient marine waters. Sporomorph assemblages display few large changes through time suggesting vegetation on the adjacent coastal plain was relatively static through the studied interval

Problem drug use the public health imperative: what some of the literature says

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>With more than 200,000 problem drug users is contact with structured treatment services in England the public health imperative behind drug treatment is great. Problem drug use for many is a chronic and relapsing condition, where "cure" is often neither a reasonable or appropriate expectation and it can further be argued that in these circumstances problem drug use is no different from any number of chronic and enduring health conditions that are managed in the health care system and therefore should be conceptualised as such.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>A public health approach to drug treatment emphasises the need for drug users in or accessing treatment, to reduce their harmful drug use, reduce drug use related risks such as sepsis and overdose and stay alive for longer. However a public health perspective in relation to problem drug use isn't always either apparent or readily understood and to that end there is still a significant need to continue the arguments and debate that treatment and interventions for problem and dependent drug users need to extend beyond an individualistic approach. For the purposes of discussion in this article public and population health will be used interchangeably.</p> <p>Summary</p> <p>A recognition and acceptance that a public and population health approach to the management of problem drug users is sound public health policy also then requires a long term commitment in terms of staffing and resources where service delivery mirrors that of chronic condition management.</p