Determination of cosmological parameters: an introduction for non-specialists

I start by defining the cosmological parameters $H_0, \Omega_m$ and $\Omega_\Lambda$. Then I show how the age of the universe depends on them, followed by the evolution of the scale parameter of the universe for various values of the density parameters. Then I define strategies for measuring them, and show the results for the recent determination of these parameters from measurements on supernovas of type 1a. Implications for particle physics is briefly discussed at the end.Comment: 12 pages, Latex with epsf.sty. Invited talk at the ``Discussion meeting on Recent Developments in Neutrino Physics'', held at the Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad, February 2--4, 199

FROM “BOTTOMLESS BASKET” TO “BEAUTIFUL BANGLADESH”: TOURISM ADVERTISING AS PUBLIC DIPLOMACY TOOL

This study measures the attitude toward Bangladesh, its people and its government among a group of international respondents from 40 different countries before and after watching a television commercial. This commercial, titled “School of Life” and part of the “Beautiful Bangladesh” campaign, was produced for the Bangladesh Tourism Board to attract international tourists to Bangladesh. It was the first of its kind in Bangladesh and launched during a major sporting event hosted in the country in 2011. This pre-post quasi-experimental survey results show that respondents had a significantly more positive perception about the country, its government and its people after watching the commercial though it did not have a significant effect on their intention to travel to Bangladesh. The results of the study concur with similar previous studies related to the bleed-over effect of tourism advertising and contribute to the growing literature of public diplomacy and nation branding

Public diplomacy in social media: an examination of Twitter use by foreign embassies in the U.S.

Digitalization has changed public diplomacy (PD). Literature suggests that the new PD is dialogic and collaborative. Additionally, the presence of embassies online indicates the adoption of new communication platforms. Using Cull’s Taxonomy of Public Diplomacy, this study analyzed tweets from January 2020 for 27 foreign embassies based in the U.S. It found that the embassies still predominantly use a traditional broadcast model of communication rather than a collaborative dialogic model. It therefore also found that these embassies do not fully utilize the benefits social media present to its users. Listening on social media was notably the least-used public diplomacy strategy, while international broadcasting was the most frequently used. Results also show that images are the most-used media and mentions are more frequently used than hashtags. The study also found that there is a correlation between engagement and Twitter content like hashtags and media used in tweets. In an exploratory qualitative analysis of the nature of conversation in the users’ replies to tweets, the study found mostly negative sentiment and emotions. This finding, though limited, suggests that embassies should aim to establish a more positive engagement with their audiences. Overall, this study suggests that there is a significant difference in what literature states the digital public diplomacy should be, the benefits this new way of engaging with audiences could present to public diplomacy efforts, and what it is in practice. The researcher recommends public diplomacy practitioners could implement several strategies to improve their success in conducting public diplomacy via Twitter

Small-Scale Turkey Farming in Bangladesh: Farming Practices, Profitability and Supply Chain Mapping

The study was conducted to know the existing turkey production system, supply chain mapping, and identifying the prospects and problems of turkey rearing in some selected areas of Bangladesh during October 2019 to December 2019. A total of 100 turkey raisers were surveyed following convenience method of sampling technique. The primary data were collected, analyzed accordingly and tabular presentation method was applied with the help of simple descriptive statistical measures e.g. frequency distributions, percentage, sum and means to illustrating the results. Profitability analysis was done on the basis of variable cost, fixed cost, return by using arithmetic means and percentages. The study revealed that 87 male and 13 female respondents were surveyed, of them cent percent found educated. About 56% turkey keeper’s main occupation was business, 27% service and 12% in farming while 88.57% involved with farming as secondary sources of income. Average landholding for homestead, cultivable and non-cultivable was 24.40, 129.71 and 29.47 decimal, respectively. About 59% farms started for commercial purpose, 32% for non-commercial purpose and 9% for both. About 60% respondents kept less than 50 turkeys and only 2% kept 501-1000 turkeys. Among the surveyed farms55% stopped their operation and 45% farms found running their business. Among the running farms cent percent were small-scale group. The average feed intake was 192.13 grams per day per bird at 20 weeks of age. Turkey laid on an average 139 eggs a year irrespective of variety and for hatching poults, the fertility and hatchability rate found between 65 to 100% and 50 to 90%, respectively. About 28% farmers experienced the deaths of turkey because of Cold, Pox, Ranikhet, Bird flu and unknown cases and 69.47% farmers took veterinary advice from Upazila Livestock Hospital and rest from other sources. Farmers to consumers were the most common and widely used marketing channel for egg, chick and adult turkey. The market intermediaries of turkey farm carried out different marketing functions e.g. buying and selling, pricing, transportation, sorting, distribution and market information. The average net return and benefit-cost ratio was BDT 127838.04 and 1.38, respectively for 50 turkeys per year. In the study, turkey rearing found some comparative benefit over chicken and ducks e.g. higher weight gain, forage eater, lower diseases rate and suitability for the country. The main problem of turkey rearing identified as market instability, lack of quality turkey feed, higher feed price, lack of proper marketing facility and training on turkey farming. In conclusion, the small-scale turkey farming could be a viable source of income for the rural people of Bangladesh after taking some remedial steps by the Government of Bangladesh for the aforesaid hindrances faced by the turkey farmers

Prevalence, antibiotic susceptibility profiles and ESBL production in Klebsiella pneumoniae and Klebsiella oxytoca among hospitalized patients

Background and Purpose: Klebsiella pneumoniae and Klebsiella oxytoca are the two most common pathogens causing nosocomial infections in humans and are of great concern for developing multidrug resistance. In the present study, K. pneumoniae and K. oxytoca from clinical samples were evaluated for their antibiotic sensitivity patterns against commonly used antibiotics and production of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL). Materials and Methods: The isolates were obtained from tracheal swabs, sputum, wound swabs, pus, blood and urine samples of hospitalized patients. Klebsiella pneumoniae and Klebsiella oxytoca were identified by cultural and biochemical methods. Antibiotic sensitivity test was performed by modified Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion technique. ESBL production in Klebsiella spp. was confirmed by double disc synergy test. Results and Conclusion: Out of 500 clinical isolates, 120 were found positive for Klebsiella among which 108 were K. pneumoniae and 12 were K. oxytoca based on indole test. Prevalence rate of Klebsiella was found more prominent in males aged over 50 years, mostly in urine samples. Overall resistance pattern of Klebsiella isolates to Ampicillin, Amoxicillin, Ceftriaxone, Ciprofloxacin, Co-trimoxazole, Gentamicin, Nalidixic acid, Tetracycline was 100%, 90%, 45%, 40%, 45%, 25%, 50%, 35% respectively. Multidrug resistance was found more common in K. pneumoniae (56%) than in K. oxytoca (50%). Prevalence rate of ESBL producing Klebsiella was found 45% among which K. pneumoniae (50%) were found more prominent than K. oxytoca (25%). All the ESBL producing Klebsiella isolates were found to be multidrug resistant, showing 100% resistance to Ampicillin, Amoxicillin, Ceftriaxone and Ciprofloxacin

The strong-CP question in SU(3)_c X SU(3)_L X U(1)_N models

We analyze two recent models based on the gauge group SU(3)$_c\times$SU(3)$_L\times$U(1)$_N$ where each generation is not anomaly-free, but anomaly cancels when three generations are taken into account. We show that the most general Yukawa couplings of these models admit of a Peccei-Quinn symmetry. This symmetry can be extended to the entire Lagrangian by using extra fields in a very elegant way so that the resulting axion can be made invisible.Comment: Latex, 8 pages, no figure

Quantization of eletric charge, the neutrino and generation nonuniversality

text of abstract It is showed that the eletric charge quantization is unconnected to Majorana neutrino in the non-universal generations leptoquark-bilepton flavordynamics which includes the right-handed neutrino and an explicit U(1) factor in the gauge semisimple group.Comment: 4 pages, latex ps, no figure

Implications of LEP Results for SO(10) Grandunification with Two Intermediate Stages

We consider the breaking of the grand unification group $SO(10)$ to the standard model gauge group through several chains containing two intermediate stages. Using the values of the gauge coupling constants at scale $M_Z$ derived from recent LEP data, we determine the range of their intermediate and unification scales. In particular, we identify those chains that permit new gauge structure at relatively low energy $(\sim 1\, {\rm TeV})$.Comment: (LATEX, 9 pages + 3 pages of figures not included) OITS-48

CP-violating Majorana phases, lepton-conserving processes and final state interactions

The CP-violating phases associated with Majorana neutrinos can give rise to CP-violating effects even in processes that conserve total Lepton number, such as \mu -> eee+, \mu + e -> e + e and others. After explaining the reasons that make this happen, we consider the calculation of the rates for the process of the form \ell_a + \ell_b -> \ell_a + \ell_c, and its conjugate \bar\ell_a + \bar\ell_b -> \bar\ell_a + \bar\ell_c, where \ell_a, \ell_b and \ell_c denote charged leptons of different flavors. In the context of the Standard Model with Majorana neutrinos, we show that the difference in the rates depends on such phases. Our calculations illustrate in detail the mechanics that operate behind the scene, and set the stage for carrying out the analogous, more complicated (as we explain), calculations for other processes such as \mu -> eee+ and its conjugate.Comment: Latex, axodraw, 24 page

Gravitational coupling of neutrinos in a medium

In a medium that contains electrons but not the other charged leptons, such as normal matter, the gravitational interactions of neutrinos are not the same for all the neutrino flavors. We calculate the leading order matter-induced corrections to the neutrino gravitational interactions in such a medium and consider some of their physical implications.Comment: 21 pages, Latex, uses axodraw.sty (typos corrected; two references added. To appear in Phys. Rev. D