Gamma-ray bursts as the birth-cries of black holes

The origin of cosmic gamma-ray bursts remains one of the most intriguing puzzles in astronomy. We suggest that purely general relativistic effects in the collapse of massive stars could account for these bursts. The late formation of closed trapped surfaces can occur naturally, allowing the escape of huge energy from curvature-generated fireballs, before these are hidden within a black hole.Comment: 4 pages Revtex, 1 figure. This essay received an honorable mention in the Gravity Research Foundation essay competitio

Delivery site preferences and associated factors among married women of Panauti Municipality, Kavrepalanchok district, Nepal

Introduction: Maternal mortality is a top global developmental agenda. The main cause of being underutilization of available delivery services especially in a developing country like Nepal. Various socio-demographic, socio-cultural and health service-related factors affect the utilization of these services. Thus, the study aims to identify the delivery site preferences and its associated factors among the married women of Panauti municipality of Kavrepalanchok district. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted among the married women between the ages of 15-49 y residing in Panauti municipality. The face-to-face interviews were conducted using semi-structured questionnaires. The statistical analysis was done using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21. Result: A total of 106 women of 15-49 y were included in the study. The proportion of institutional delivery among the participants was 68%. 90.6% of total participants would prefer health facility for their future deliveries; 7.5% were not sure about their preferences and very few (1.9%) preferred to deliver at home. The factors like knowledge regarding safe-motherhood program and age at marriage were found to be significantly associated with their delivery site preference (p<0.05). Conclusion: In a country like Nepal, home delivery is still in practice and pregnancy and childbirth are regarded as normal life events. Thus, efforts should be made to change that perception, increasing utilization of available services and improving maternal and child health. This in turn will help to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal target in reducing the Maternal Mortality Rate

STUDY OF CHARKOKTA ANGULA PRAMANA OF SHADANGA AND IT’S IMPACT ON PHYSICAL HEALTH

Body parts and their Pramana are specially described in Ayurveda which is an important part of Rachana Sharir. Description of Angula Pramana was found in Vedic Kala, Purana-Upanishad Kala. Samhita Kala like Vrahtai (Charaka Samhita, Sushruta Samhita, Ashtanga Sangraha, Astanga Hridya) Kashyapa Samhita, Bhela Samhita, Sharangadhara Samhita, Vangsena Samhita, and Kautilya Arthashastra. Pramanas are not useful only in Rog and Rogi Pariksha but also useful to know about his/her Ayu such as Hitaayu, Ahitaayu, Sukhayu and Dukhaayu. At the time of Acharya Charaka, the length and breadth of different Anga-Pratyanga was measured by using their own fingers. This technique of measurement is known as Anguli Pramana. Anguli Pramana which is based on Swa-Angula Pramana is used for measuring the dimensions (Ayam, Vistara and Parinaha etc.) of the different Anga Pratyanga of the body. The study was conducted on 200 volunteers in the age group of 16-40 years. One Angula as a unit of Angula Pramana was obtained by measuring the width of Madhyamparva of middle finger of working hand. The measurements were taken in centimetres for standardization as per metric system and then converted into Anguli Pramana based on individual. This article summarizes the facts related to Anguli Pramana from classical literature, Ayurvedic literature and modern literature along with result of our research work to identify the anatomical landmark of Shadanga to measure through Anguli Pramana and its impact on physical health in present era. At present, there are many physical anomalies either they are genetic disorders, endocrine disorders, traumatic injury which results as anatomical disfiguration of body parts that can distinguish from their Anguli pramana or anthropometry

Variations of great saphenous vein: a cadaveric study in central Indian population

Background: Variations are more commonly seen in venous system as compared to arterial system. Varicosities are more commonly seen in the superficial veins of lower limbs.Methods: In the present study, thirty lower limbs were dissected superficially to study the course, tributaries and perforators of great saphenous vein. After exposing the vein, we took various measurements from saphenofemoral junction to the origin of various tributaries and perforators. Pattern of duplications were also reported.Results: The mean distance of tributaries and perforators were compared with the previous literature available. Patterns of duplication were also reported.Conclusions: Study of variations of great saphenous vein would be of immense help in planning varicose vein treatment and coronary artery bypass procedures where it is used as autograft. Therefore, the study will be helpful for surgeons, cardiologist and interventional radiologist

Non-singular black-holes on the brane

We investigate the possibility of obtaining non-singular black-hole solutions in the brane world model by solving the effective field equations for the induced metric on the brane. The Reissner-Nordstrom solution on the brane was obtained by Dadhich etal by imposing the null energy condition on the 3-brane for a bulk having non zero Weyl curvature. In this work, we relax the condition of vanishing scalar curvature $R$, however, retaining the null condition. We have shown that it is possible to obtain class of static non-singular spherically symmetric brane space-times admitting horizon. We obtain one such class of solution which is a regular version of the Reissner-Nordstrom solution in the standard general relativity.Comment: 8 pages, References added, Version to appear in Int. J. Mod. Phys.

Effect of leptin on spatial learning, memory and blood glucose level in streptozotocin induced diabetes mellitus in male wistar albino rats

Background: Diabetes mellitus is known to cause cognitive impairment that can be possibly attributed to deficient levels of leptin in diabetic animals. This study was undertaken to study the effect of administration of leptin on spatial learning, memory and blood glucose levels in diabetic rats.Methods: Rats were divided into three groups. The first group was the control group. Diabetes was induced in groups 2 and 3 by streptozotocin (STZ) injection (60 mg/kg) intraperitoneally. Group 2 received saline while group 3 received leptin (0.1 mg/kg) subcutaneously for 10 days from 4th day of STZ administration. Behavioural assessment was done in T maze after 21 days of the last injection of leptin. Blood glucose levels were also analysed.Results: The number of correct arm entries decreased while time spent being immobile and time spent to reach the correct arm increased in the diabetic group when compared to the control group and correct arm entries increased while time spent immobile and time spent to reach the correct arm decreased with leptin treatment when compared to the diabetic control rats. Blood glucose levels increased in the diabetic rats while leptin administration reduced blood glucose levels in the group 3.Conclusions: Our study suggests that leptin can improve learning and memory while also producing a slight reduction in the blood glucose levels in diabetic rats

Drug Utilization Pattern by Using WHO Core Prescribing Indicators in Orthopedics and Obstetrics / Gynecology Departments of a Tertiary Care Hospital

Introduction: Drug utilization research is an important tool to facilitate rational use of drugs. In low income countries irrational use of drugs is a common problem like overuse of drugs and inappropriate use of antibiotics, leading to poor treatment outcome and increased burden of treatment. This study was conducted to provide understanding of drug utilization pattern by using WHO Core Prescribing Indicator. Methods: This study was conducted in Orthopedics and Obstetrics / Gynecology departments. Patients visiting these Out Patient Departments with at least one drug on prescription form were included in the study. Further, information related to WHO Core Prescribing Indicators were collected in pre-designed proforma. Results: Average number of drugs prescribed per prescription was 2.6. Means of number of drugs prescribed in Orthopedics and Obstetrics / Gynecology departments were 2.9 and 2.3 respectively (p < 0.001). Drugs prescribed in generic name and from essential drug list was 41.4% and 34.3% respectively. Prescription forms with generic name in Orthopedics department were significantly more compared to Obstetrics / Gynecology department (p = 0.00002). However, there was an increased tendency to prescribe drugs from essential drug list in Obstetrics / Gynecology department compared to Orthopedics department (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Drugs were prescribed by generic name and from essential drug list, but this was not sufficient to meet the ideal values of WHO Core Prescribing Indicator. Therefore, prioritization on prescribing drugs by generic name and from essential drug list by respective departments to achieve the standards of WHO needs to be encouraged

Why do naked singularities form in gravitational collapse?

We investigate what are the key physical features that cause the development of a naked singularity, rather than a black hole, as the end-state of spherical gravitational collapse. We show that sufficiently strong shearing effects near the singularity delay the formation of the apparent horizon. This exposes the singularity to an external observer, in contrast to a black hole, which is hidden behind an event horizon due to the early formation of an apparent horizon.Comment: revised for clarity, new figure included; version accepted by Phys. Rev. D (RC

Gravitational collapse of null fluid on the brane

We first obtain the analogue of Vaidya's solution on the brane for studying the collapse of null fluid onto a flat Minkowski cavity on the brane. Since the back-reaction of the bulk onto the brane is supposed to strengthen gravity on the brane, it would favour formation of black hole as against naked singularity. That is the parameter window in the initial data set giving rise to naked singularity in the 4D Vaidya case would now get partially covered.Comment: 12 pages, latex, 3 figures, submitted to Phys.Lett.