Associated HI absorption in the z=3.4 radio galaxy B2 0902+343 observed with the GMRT

We have made observations of the associated HI absorption of a high redshift radio galaxy 0902+34 at z=3.395 with the Giant Meterwave Radio Telescope in the $323\pm1$ MHz band. We find a narrow absorption line with a flux density of 11.5 mJy at a redshift of 3.397 consistent with that observed by Uson et al. (1991), Briggs et al. (1993) and de Bruyn (1996).A weak broad absorption feature reported by de Bruyn (1996) has not been detected in our observations. We also place an upper limit of 4 mJy (2 $\sigma$) on emission line strength at the position where Uson et al. (1991) claimed to have found a narrow emission line.Comment: To appear in Journal of Astronomy and Astrophysic

Modelling the influence of personality and culture on affect and enjoyment in multimedia

Affect is evoked through an intricate relationship between the characteristics of stimuli, individuals, and systems of perception. While affect is widely researched, few studies consider the combination of multimedia system characteristics and human factors together. As such, this paper explores the influence of personality (Five-Factor Model) and cultural traits (Hofstede Model) on the intensity of multimedia-evoked positive and negative affects (emotions). A set of 144 video sequences (from 12 short movie clips) were evaluated by 114 participants from a cross-cultural population, producing 1232 ratings. On this data, three multilevel regression models are compared: a baseline model that only considers system factors; an extended model that includes personality and culture; and an optimistic model in which each participant is modelled. An analysis shows that personal and cultural traits represent 5.6% of the variance in positive affect and 13.6% of the variance in negative affect. In addition, the affect-enjoyment correlation varied across the clips. This suggests that personality and culture play a key role in predicting the intensity of negative affect and whether or not it is enjoyed, but a more sophisticated set of predictors is needed to model positive affect with the same efficacy

Fisheries Stakeholders and Their Livelihoods in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry

Fisheries Management for Sustainable Livelihoods (FIMSUL), is a project implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) with the Government of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry in India under the World Bank Trust Fund. The project aims at establishing frameworks, processes and building capacities of various stakeholders especially the Government, to facilitate the planning, design and implementation of appropriate fisheries development and management policies. The project includes a series of stakeholder consultations and consensus building apart from detailed review and analysis in the areas of stakeholders, livelihoods, policy, legal and institutional frame work and fisheries management. Based on this, the project comes up with various options. Stakeholder and livelihoods analysis is an essential part of the project. Hence, the team developed a detailed methodology for stakeholder consultations which includes district level stake holder consultation, focus group discussions, household interviews and validation meetings. The stakeholder and livelihoods analysis following the above steps were done through six NGO partners working along the coast of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry who were initially trained on the methodology. The NGO partners : PLANT, GUIDE, FERAL, SIFFS, DHAN Foundation and TMSSS, especially a team of dedicated staff engaged by them had done an excellent work in completing comprehensive field exercises and bringing out 12 district/regional reports. These are published separately. This report is a compilation, and complete analysis of the stakeholders and livelihoods based on all the field level consultations.This report is expected to be an important reference to primary stakeholders' perspective of the important stakeholders in the sector, the livelihoods and livelihoods changes, the adaptive and coping mechanism, the relationships between the stakeholders and their hopes and aspirations. For any development intervention for any sector or stakeholder group, region-wise in marine fisheries in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, the information from this report could be an important starting point

The Potts-q random matrix model : loop equations, critical exponents, and rational case

In this article, we study the q-state Potts random matrix models extended to branched polymers, by the equations of motion method. We obtain a set of loop equations valid for any arbitrary value of q. We show that, for q=2-2 \cos {l \over r} \pi (l, r mutually prime integers with l < r), the resolvent satisfies an algebraic equation of degree 2 r -1 if l+r is odd and r-1 if l+r is even. This generalizes the presently-known cases of q=1, 2, 3. We then derive for any 0 \leq q \leq 4 the Potts-q critical exponents and string susceptibility.Comment: 7 pages, submitted to Phys. Letters