Relativistic Expansion of Electron-Positron-Photon Plasma Droplets and Photon Emission

The expansion dynamics of hot electron-positron-photon plasma droplets is dealt with within relativistic hydrodynamics. Such droplets, envisaged to be created in future experiments by irradiating thin foils with counter-propagating ultra-intense laser beams, are sources of flashes of gamma radiation. Warm electron-positron plasma droplets may be identified and characterized by a broadened 511 keV line

A QUESTIONNAIRE BASED SURVEY TO ASSESS THE KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE AND PRACTICES OF AYURVEDIC PRACTITIONERS TOWARDS MASANUMASIK KASHAYAS

For a healthy pregnancy and delivery of a normal child, different group of medicines taken for each month of pregnancy is described in Ayurveda as Masanumasik Kashayas (monthly antenatal decoctions). Objectives: To assess the knowledge, attitude and practice of Ayurvedic practitioners regarding Masanumasik Kashayas. Methodology: Following ethical approval, a cross-sectional descriptive survey was conducted among Ayurvedic physicians from Mumbai region. Results: Of 130 questionnaires distributed, 120 physicians responded (92%). Although all the physicians were aware that Masanumasik Kashayasare described in the Samhitas, only 60% knew the number of Kashayas (decoctions). 85% knew the rationale for prescribing these Kashaya s(decoctions) and 93% agreed that these Kashayas (decoctions) improved pregnancy outcome. However, in clinical practice, 45% participants said that they prescribed Kashayas (decoctions) only in patients with bad obstetric history while 52.5% prescribed in regular ante-natal care. 83% preferred Vati (tablet) form rather than Kashaya (decoction) as patient compliance was better. All physicians who prescribed said that there were no adverse complaints and the pregnancy outcome was good. Conclusion: The study thus showed that all Ayurvedic practitioners were still well versed with Masanumasik Kashayas and prescribed these kashayas (decoctions) for a good pregnancy outcome in clinical practice with some modifications like usage of only 9 Kashayas (decoctions) and Vati form (tablet)

Assessment of the degree of awareness among post-graduate medical physicians and Pharmacists about look-alike, sound-alike drug and potential medication errors

Background: With thousands of drugs currently in the market, the potential for medication errors due to confusing drug names amongst practising physicians, pharmacists and patients is significant. The existence of confusing drug names is one of the most common causes of medication error. There are many look-alikes, sound-alike (LASA) combinations that could potentially result in medication errors. There is insufficient data about medication errors due to LASA. Hence, we conducted the present study to determine the degree of awareness regarding LASA drugs among post graduate medical physicians and Pharmacists.Methods: This study was a cross-sectional, questionnaire-based survey, conducted among 137 year post graduate medical residents of a tertiary care teaching hospital and 121 local pharmacists in an urban metropolitan Indian city.Results: There were 34% resident doctors and 17% pharmacists were aware of concept of LASA drugs. Only 46% resident doctors and 22% pharmacists had knowledge about the full form of LASA. Among resident doctors, 39% came across prescription errors due to LASA drugs. Only 69% of the pharmacists agreed that they consulted their doctors when they faced problems due to prescription errors due to similar looking and similar sounding drugs.Conclusions: Look-Alike, Sound-Alike (LASA) drugs are common source of medication errors. Our study suggests that there is lack of awareness about LASA drugs amongst resident doctors and pharmacists, which may contribute to occurrence of medication errors. Therefore, combined efforts by prescribers, pharmacists, organizations, manufacturers and patients is required to overcome medication errors due to LASA drugs

Bias and Hierarchical Clustering

It is now well established that galaxies are biased tracers of the distribution of matter, although it is still not known what form this bias takes. In local bias models the propensity for a galaxy to form at a point depends only on the overall density of matter at that point. Hierarchical scaling arguments allow one to build a fully-specified model of the underlying distribution of matter and to explore the effects of local bias in the regime of strong clustering. Using a generating-function method developed by Bernardeau & Schaeffer (1992), we show that hierarchical models lead one directly to the conclusion that a local bias does not alter the shape of the galaxy correlation function relative to the matter correlation function on large scales. This provides an elegant extension of a result first obtained by Coles (1993) for Gaussian underlying fields and confirms the conclusions of Scherrer & Weinberg (1998) obtained using a different approach. We also argue that particularly dense regions in a hierarchical density field display a form of bias that is different from that obtained by selecting such peaks in Gaussian fields: they are themselves hierarchically distributed with scaling parameters $S_p=p^{(p-2)}$. This kind of bias is also factorizable, thus in principle furnishing a simple test of this class of models.Comment: Latex, accepted for publication in ApJL; moderate revision

The redshift evolution of bias and baryonic matter distribution

We study the distribution of baryonic and luminous matter within the framework of a hierarchical scenario. Using an analytical model for structure formation which has already been checked against observations for galaxies, Lyman-$\alpha$ clouds, clusters and reionization processes, we present its predictions for the bias of these objects. We describe its dependence on the luminosity (for galaxies or quasars) or the column density (for Lyman-$\alpha$ absorbers) of the considered objects. We also study its redshift evolution, which can exhibit an intricate behaviour. These astrophysical objects do not trace the dark matter density field, the Lyman-$\alpha$ forest clouds being undercorrelated and the bright galaxies overcorrelated, while the intermediate class of Lyman-limit systems is seen to sample the matter field quite well. We also present the distribution of baryonic matter over these various objects. We show that light does not trace baryonic mass, since bright galaxies which contain most of the stars only form a small fraction of the mass associated with virialized and cooled halos. We consider two cosmologies: a critical density universe and an open universe. In both cases, our results agree with observations and show that hierarchical scenarios provide a good model for structure formation and can describe a wide range of objects which spans at least the seven orders of magnitude in mass for which data exist. More detailed observations, in particular of the clustering evolution of galaxies, will constrain the astrophysical models involved.Comment: 13 pages, final version published in A&

Screening of a Moving Parton in the Quark-Gluon Plasma

The screening potential of a parton moving through a quark-gluon plasma is calculated using the semi-classical transport theory. An anisotropic potential showing a minimum in the direction of the parton velocity is found. As consequences possible new bound states and J/psi dissociation are discussed.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, final, extended version, to be published in Phys.Rev.

Estimating the Integrated Bispectrum from Weak Lensing Maps

We use a recently introduced statistic called {\em Integrated Bispectrum} (IB) to probe the gravity-induced non-Gaussianity at the level of the bispectrum from weak lensing convergence or $\kappa$ maps. We generalize the concept of the IB to spherical coordinates. This result is next connected to the response function approach. Finally, we use the Euclid Flagship simulations to compute the IB as a function of redshift and wave number. We also outline how the IB can be computed using a variety of analytical approaches including the ones based on Effective Field Theory (EFT), {\em Halo models} and models based on the {\em Separate Universe approach} in projection or two-dimension (2D). Comparing these results against simulations we find that the existing theoretical models tend to over-predict the numerical value of the IB. We emphasize the role of the finite volume effect in the numerical estimation of the IB. We introduced the concept of squeezed and collapsed tripsectrum for 2D $\kappa$ maps. We derive the IB for many parameterized theories of modified gravity including the Horndeskii and beyond-Horndeskii theories specifically for the non-degenerate scenarios that are also known as the Gleyzes-Langlois-Piazza-Venizzi or GPLV theories. In addition, the cosmological models with clustering quintessence and models involving massive neutrinos are also derived.Comment: 49 pages, 8 figures, To appear in JCA

Does depression diagnosis and antidepressant prescribing vary by location? Analysis of ethnic density associations using a large primary-care dataset

BACKGROUND: Studies have linked ethnic differences in depression rates with neighbourhood ethnic density although results have not been conclusive. We looked at this using a novel approach analysing whole population data covering just over one million GP patients in four London boroughs. METHOD: Using a dataset of GP records for all patients registered in Lambeth, Hackney, Tower Hamlets and Newham in 2013 we investigated new diagnoses of depression and antidepressant use for: Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, black Caribbean and black African patients. Neighbourhood effects were assessed independently of GP practice using a cross-classified multilevel model. RESULTS: Black and minority ethnic groups are up to four times less likely to be newly diagnosed with depression or prescribed antidepressants compared to white British patients. We found an inverse relationship between neighbourhood ethnic density and new depression diagnosis for some groups, where an increase of 10% own-ethnic density was associated with a statistically significant (p < 0.05) reduced odds of depression for Pakistani [odds ratio (OR) 0.81, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.70-0.93], Indian (OR 0.88, CI 0.81-0.95), African (OR 0.88, CI 0.78-0.99) and Bangladeshi (OR 0.94, CI 0.90-0.99) patients. Black Caribbean patients, however, showed the opposite effect (OR 1.26, CI 1.09-1.46). The results for antidepressant use were very similar although the corresponding effect for black Caribbeans was no longer statistically significant (p = 0.07). CONCLUSION: New depression diagnosis and antidepressant use was shown to be less likely in areas of higher own-ethnic density for some, but not all, ethnic groups

Stellar metallicity gradients of Local Group dwarf galaxies

Aims. We explore correlations between the strength of metallicity gradients in Local Group dwarf galaxies and their stellar mass, star formation history timescales, and environment. Methods. We performed a homogeneous analysis of literature spectroscopic data of red giant stars and determined radial metallicity profiles for 30 Local Group dwarf galaxies. This is the largest compilation of this type to date. Results. The dwarf galaxies in our sample show a variety of metallicity profiles, most of them decreasing with radius and some with rather steep profiles. The derived metallicity gradients as a function of the half-light radius, [Fe/H](R/Re), show no statistical differences when compared with the morphological type of the galaxies, nor with their distance from the Milky Way or M31. No correlations are found with either stellar mass or star formation timescales. In particular, we do not find the linear relation between [Fe/H](R/Re) and the galaxy median age t50, which has been reported in the literature for a set of simulated systems. On the other hand, the high angular momentum in some of our galaxies does not seem to affect the gradient strengths. The strongest gradients in our sample are observed in systems that are likely to have experienced a past merger event. When these merger candidates are excluded, the analysed dwarf galaxies show mild gradients (ã-0.1 dex Re-1) with little scatter between them, regardless of their stellar mass, dynamical state, and their star formation history. These results agree well with different sets of simulations presented in the literature that were analysed using the same method as for the observed dwarf galaxies. Conclusions. The interplay between the multitude of factors that could drive the formation of metallicity gradients likely combine in complex ways to produce in general comparable mild [Fe/H](R/Re) values, regardless of stellar mass and star formation history. The strongest driver of steep gradients seems to be previous dwarf-dwarf merger events in a system

Inequalities in glycemic management in people living with type 2 diabetes mellitus and severe mental illnesses: cohort study from the UK over 10 years

Introduction Using data from a a primary care pay-for-performance scheme targeting quality indicators, the objective of this study was to assess if people living with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and severe mental illnesses (SMI) experienced poorer glycemic management compared with people living with T2DM alone, and if observed differences varied by race/ethnicity, deprivation, gender, or exclusion from the scheme. Research design and methods Primary care data from a cohort of 56 770 people with T2DM, including 2272 people with T2DM and SMI, from London (UK), diagnosed between January 17, 2008 and January 16, 2018, were used. Adjusted mean glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and HbA1c differences were assessed using multilevel regression models. Results Compared with people with T2DM only, people with T2DM/SMI were more likely to be of an ethnic minority background, excluded from the pay-for-performance scheme and residing in more deprived areas. Across the sample, mean HbA1c was lower in those with T2DM and SMI (mean HbA1c: 58 mmol/mol; 95% CI 57 to 59), compared with people with T2DM only (mean HbA1c: 59 mmol/mol; 95% CI 59 to 60). However, HbA1c levels were greater in Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani, and Chinese people compared with the White British reference in the T2DM/SMI group. People with T2DM/SMI who had been excluded from the pay-for-performance scheme, had HbA1c levels which were +7 mmol/mol (95% CI 2 to 11) greater than those with T2DM/SMI not excluded. Irrespective of SMI status, increasing deprivation and male gender were associated with increased HbA1c levels. Conclusions Despite a pay-for-performance scheme to improve quality standards, inequalities in glycemic management in people with T2DM and SMI persist in those excluded from the scheme and by gender, ethnicity, and area-level deprivation