Self-consistent triaxial de Zeeuw-Carollo Models

We use the usual method of Schwarzschild to construct self-consistent solutions for the triaxial de Zeeuw & Carollo (1996) models with central density cusps. ZC96 models are triaxial generalisations of spherical $\gamma$-models of Dehnen whose densities vary as $r^{-\gamma}$ near the center and $r^{-4}$ at large radii and hence, possess a central density core for $\gamma=0$ and cusps for $\gamma > 0$. We consider four triaxial models from ZC96, two prolate triaxials: $(p, q) = (0.65, 0.60)$ with $\gamma = 1.0$ and 1.5, and two oblate triaxials: $(p, q) = (0.95, 0.60)$ with $\gamma = 1.0$ and 1.5. We compute 4500 orbits in each model for time periods of $10^{5} T_{D}$. We find that a large fraction of the orbits in each model are stochastic by means of their nonzero Liapunov exponents. The stochastic orbits in each model can sustain regular shapes for $\sim 10^{3} T_{D}$ or longer, which suggests that they diffuse slowly through their allowed phase-space. Except for the oblate triaxial models with $\gamma =1.0$, our attempts to construct self-consistent solutions employing only the regular orbits fail for the remaining three models. However, the self-consistent solutions are found to exist for all models when the stochastic and regular orbits are treated in the same way because the mixing-time, $\sim10^{4} T_{D}$, is shorter than the integration time, $10^{5} T_{D}$. Moreover, the ``fully-mixed'' solutions can also be constructed for all models when the stochastic orbits are fully mixed at 15 lowest energy shells. Thus, we conclude that the self-consistent solutions exist for our selected prolate and oblate triaxial models with $\gamma = 1.0$ and 1.5.Comment: 6 Pages, 3 Figures, 2 Tables. Accepted for Publication in A&

A study of knowledge and practice regarding Hepatitis B among nursing students attending tertiary care hospitals in Agartala city

Background: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a global problem and more than 350 million HBV carriers in the world. The objective of the study is to assess awareness, practice of selected nursing students regarding risk for contracting hepatitis B and self-reported vaccination status.Methods: A Cross sectional study was conducted among 300 selected nursing students of AGMC & GBP Hospital, TMC and Dr BRAM Teaching Hospital and Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital, Agartala during Jan to March 2015.Results: 73.3% were females and majority of them were within the age group 19-22 years (50.2%) with a mean age of 21.07 years (SD±2.321). Mean age of male and female were 21.52 (SD±2.320) & 20.90 (SD±2.315) years respectively. Majority (99.7%) of participants knew Hepatitis B is a virus. The mean knowledge score was 16.2 (SD±3.209) (p=0.000). Majority (92.7%) knew that Hepatitis B is transmissible and 63.1% of them were aware that Hepatitis B transmission was possible through unsafe sex, infected blood/body fluid contaminated syringe, needle & scalpel. Almost eighty five percent (84.7%) respondents were vaccinated with three doses of Hepatitis B vaccine. Majority of the participants had accidental injuries (53.4%) case while at work and tested for HBV (75.0%). Among those who exposed were consulted doctors; used needle destroyer; vaccinated with 3 doses of hepatitis B vaccine and used sterile gloves while performing work especially while dealing with blood and body fluid.Conclusion: Inspite of having good knowledge their practice for prevention of hepatitis B was not satisfactory.

Utilization of ASHA services by the pregnant women of rural Tripura, India

Background: India’s National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) introduced Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) at the community level. Their vital role is to promote antenatal care and increase the utilization of the existing health services. The objectives were to find out utilization of ASHA services by the pregnant women and to study its determinants in rural area of Tripura, India.Methods: A community based cross-sectional study was conducted during February – April 2015 using a validated interview schedule among 306 recently delivered women residing in Mohanpur block of Tripura, chosen by multistage sampling.Results: Utilization rate of ASHA services by pregnant women was found to be 89.7%. Pregnancy registration rate was 95% and 90% of these registrations were facilitated by ASHA. Adequate antenatal check-up rate facilitated by ASHA was 76.69%. Regarding Iron and Folic Acid prophylaxis, 67.88% of the adequate recipients were facilitated by ASHA. For laboratory tests, 80.23% of the women were motivated by ASHA. About 90% of the study women have heard about Janani Suraksha Yojona (JSY) scheme from ASHA and 70% of them got the benefit through ASHA. Literacy, parity, community, economic class, home visit by ASHA and family decision maker were identified as the significant determinants of utilization of ASHA services by the pregnant women.Conclusions: Utilization rate of the ASHA services by the pregnant women needs improvement. Apart from IEC activities, active home visits by ASHA, empowering couples to make their own fertility decisions, improvement in female literacy etc. may enhance utilization of ASHA services by this community which will intern enhance maternal health care utilization.

A family of triaxial modified Hubble mass models: effects of the additional radial functions

The projected properties of triaxial generalization of the modified Hubble mass models are studied. These models are constructed by adding the additional radial functions, each multiplied by a low-order spherical harmonic, to the models of \citet{ct00}. The projected surface density of mass models can be calculated analytically which allows us to derive the analytic expressions of axial ratio and position angles of major axis of constant density elliptical contours at asymptotic radii. The models are more general than those studied earlier in the sense that the inclusions of additional terms in density distribution, allows one to produce varieties of the radial profile of axial ratio and position angle, in particular, their small scale variations at inner radii. Strong correlations are found to exist between the observed axial ratio evaluated at $0.25 R_{e}$ and at $4 R_{e}$ which occupy well-separated regions in the parameter space for different choices of the intrinsic axial ratios. These correlations can be exploited to predict the intrinsic shape of the mass model, independent of the viewing angles. Using Bayesian statistics, the result of a test case launched for an estimation of the shape of a model galaxy is found to be satisfactory.Comment: 23 pages, 8 figures, accepted for publication in New Astronom

A structure parameter for porous pharmaceutical tablets obtained with the aid of Wiener bounds for effective permittivity and terahertz time-delay measurement.

A structure parameter that can be used to predict the pattern of arrangement of porous inclusions in pharmaceutical tablets is introduced. By utilizing the effective refractive index of a pharmaceutical tablet obtained from terahertz time-domain measurements, we have shown that there exists a promising correlation between the calculated structural parameter and the porosity of training sets of pharmaceutical tablets, having well-defined characterization. Knowing of the structural arrangement, i.e. combined constituent skeletal-pore elements in series, parallel or mixed within porous media, could serve as a basis for understanding the ingress and permeation of liquids in such media. In the realm of pharmaceutical applications, such knowledge of the structural arrangement of air voids within a medicinal tablet could enable correlation with mechanical strength and dissolution behaviour in aqueous systems.This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Elsevier via http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpharm.2016.04.02

Nanostructured ZnO thin film with improved optical and electrochemical properties prepared by hydrothermal electrochemical deposition technique

Zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films were grown on fluorine-doped tin oxide coated glass substrate by the hydrothermal electrochemical deposition (HTED) route using slightly acidic aqueous zinc acetate solution at 80°C and were characterised by various techniques. The deposited films showed n-type behaviour with improved carrier concentration. The steady state photocurrent densities were found to be 0.4 mA/cm2(under UV irradiation) and 8 μA/cm 2(under visible light illumination) at zero bias potential. Significant improvement of optical, electrochemical and photoelectrochemical properties of deposited films could be achieved using HTED technique

A Rare HBV Subgenotype D4 with Unique Genomic Signatures Identified in North-Eastern India –An Emerging Clinical Challenge?

BACKGROUND/AIMS: HBV has been classified into ten genotypes (A-J) and multiple subgenotypes, some of which strongly influence disease outcome and their distribution also correlate with human migration. HBV infection is highly prevalent in India and its diverse population provides an excellent opportunity to study the distinctiveness of HBV, its evolution and disease biology in variegated ethnic groups. The North-East India, having international frontiers on three sides, is one of the most ethnically and linguistically diverse region of the country. Given the paucity of information on molecular epidemiology of HBV in this region, the study aimed to carry out an in-depth genetic characterization of HBV prevailing in North-East state of Tripura. METHODS: From sera of chronically HBV infected patients biochemical/serological tests, HBV DNA quantification, PCR-amplification, sequencing of PreS/S or full-length HBV genomes were done. HBV genotype/subgenotype determination and sequence variability were assessed by MEGA5-software. The evolutionary divergence times of different HBV subgenotypes were estimated by DNAMLK/PHYLIP program while jpHMM method was used to detect any recombination event in HBV genomes. RESULTS: HBV genotypes D (89.5%), C (6.6%) and A (3.9%) were detected among chronic carriers. While all HBV/A and HBV/C isolates belonged to subgenotype-A1 and C1 respectively, five subgenotypes of HBV/D (D1-D5) were identified including the first detection of rare D4. These non-recombinant Indian D4 (IndD4) formed a distinct phylogenetic clade, had 2.7% nucleotide divergence and recent evolutionary radiation than other global D4. Ten unique amino acids and 9 novel nucleotide substitutions were identified as IndD4 signatures. All IndD4 carried T120 and R129 in ORF-S that may cause immune/vaccine/diagnostic escape and N128 in ORF-P, implicated as compensatory Lamivudine resistance mutation. CONCLUSIONS: IndD4 has potential to undermine vaccination programs or anti-viral therapy and its introduction to North-East India is believed to be linked with the settlement of ancient Tibeto-Burman migrants from East-Asia

Combined hydrogen and wind power plant study

Incomin

Antibacterial activity of biostabilized silver nanoparticles

Bioactive silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) have been synthesized by reacting aqueous solution of silver nitrate (AgNO3) with plant extracts which act as reducing and stabilizing agent at ambient temperature. The bio-reduction behaviour of extracts of different parts of plant such as Plumbagozeylanica, Cassia tora, Kalanchoegastonis-bonnieri, Euphorbia milii, Tridaxprocumbens, Nyctanthesarbor-tristis, Psidiumguajava and Lantana camara in the synthesis of silver nanoparticles have been studied. The size and size distribution of prepared NPs have been investigated employing UV-vis absorption spectrophotometer, Dynamic light scattering (DLS) and Transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Dispersion destabilization of NPs is detected by Turbiscan. Different parameters such as stirring effect, reaction time, temperature, silver nitrate concentration and amount of plant extract have been studied to find out the optimum condition for synthesis of Ag NPs. Furthermore, biologically synthesized Ag NPs are tested for their antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis