Luminosity functions of Lyman-alpha emitters at z=6.5, and z=5.7: evidence against reionization at z=6

Lyman-alpha emission from galaxies should be suppressed completely or partially at redshifts beyond reionization. Without knowing the instrinsic properties of galaxies at z = 6.5, this attenuation is hard to infer in any one source, but can be infered from a comparison of luminosity functions of lyman-alpha emitters at redshifts just before and after reionization. We combine published surveys of widely varying depths and areas to construct luminosity functions at z=6.5 and 5.7, where the characteristic luminosity L_star and density phi_star are well constrained while the faint-end slope of the luminosity function is essentially unconstrained. Excellent consistency is seen in all but one published result. We then calculate the likelihood of obtaining the z=6.5 observations given the z=5.7 luminosity function with (A) no evolution and (B) an attenuation of a factor of three. Hypothesis (A) gives an acceptable likelihood while (B) does not. This indicates that the z=6.5 lyman-alpha lines are not strongly suppressed by a neutral intergalactic medium and that reionization was largely complete at z = 6.5.Comment: Submitted to Astrophysical Journal Letter

Sex determination from hand dimensions for forensic identification

Background: Sex determination is an important and foremost criteria in establishing the identity of an individual. The issue of Sex discrimination can be very complicated in cases of intersex, bodies in advanced state of putrefaction, mutilated & fragmentary remains in which it is common to recover dismembered & peripheral parts of the body. It was realized that anthropometric measurements of the hand has been very useful tool in sexual identification.Objectives: This paper attempts to discriminate between male and female on the basis of hand dimensions, to investigate among the variables which can better predict sex, to derive sectioning point for discriminating sex and to reflect frequent hand index category among the sexes.Methods: The research study was based on 182 subjects (91 males & 91 females) within age 18-60 years, devoid of any deformity, fracture or surgical proceedings of either hand were randomly selected from Udaipur district of Rajasthan. Hand Length and Hand Breadth was obtained from each subject and results were analyzed using IBM SPSS computer software.Results: Hand length and hand breadth show statistically significant male – female differences at p<0.001. Hand Breadth was found as best predictor of sex in comparison with hand length. Frequency of hand index categories reveals that females have highest dolichocheir morphology of hand. Sectioning point analysis confirms that cut-off point of 43 and below is suggestive of male hand whereas above 43 were considered as female hand.Conclusions: This study has implications in mass disasters and in criminal cases where an isolated hand is recovered and needs forensic identification.

A Review of Fixed Bed Gasification Systems for Biomass

The gasification of biomass into useful fuel enhances its potential as a renewable energy resource. The fixed bed gasification systems are classified as updraft, Imbert downdraft, throatless downdraft, crossdraft and two stage gasifiers. Updraft gasifiers are suitable for gasification of biomass containing high ash (up to 15 %) and high moisture content (up to 50 %) and generate producer gas having high tar content (50–100 g/Nm3). The high temperature (830 oC) air gasification of biomass in updraft gasifiers increase the lower calorific value of producer gas and reduce the tar content. The updraft gasifiers have been used for gasification of bark, wood blocks, chips and pellets, straw, maize cobs, refuse derived fuel (RDF), and waste pellets with air and O2 as the gasifying media. The Imbert downdraft gasifiers are suitable to handle biomass fuel having ash and moisture content less than five per cent and 20% respectively. Modifications in the design of grate and hopper of Imbert downdraft gasifiers have been suggested to gasify non-woody biomass such as coir dust, cotton stalks, wheat straw, hazelnut shells, leather residues, sludge etc. Downdraft gasifiers yield producer gas with lower tar content (1-2 g/Nm3) than updraft gasifiers. Throatless downdraft gasifiers have been developed to overcome the problems of bridging and channelling in Imbert downdraft gasifiers. The throatless gasifiers have been successfully used for gasification of rice husk, wood chips, bagasse, sugarcane leaves, coconut shells etc. Improving the insulation of the gasifier, re-circulation of producer gas and varying the air distribution have been reported to enhance the performance of the throatless gasifiers and reduce the tar content to 50–250 mg/Nm3. In two stage gasifiers, pyrolysis and gasification of biomass takes place in separate chambers resulting in low tar (15–50 mg/Nm3) producer gas. Some aspects of the research and development in fixed bed gasification of biomass and their commercial applications are reviewed and cited in this paper

Recreating Hamlet: creativity of Vishal Bhardwaj in Haider

William Shakespeare’s plays are universal in human character, which have raised him to be the exemplar in film industry. Shakespeare’s works stand to the test of time due to their intrinsic quality of life-likeness as Arthur Koestler comments that life-likeness is regarded as the supreme criterion of art. Shakespeare’s works and films project the reality of human life. The universality of his works has motivated the film producers to adapt Shakespeare extensively in their films in different regions, nations and contexts. The adaptation of the literary text into filmic interface involves major creative restructuring between the original text and the filmic medium. The restructuring of the adaptation involves shift in the medium, genre, context and culture to suit the differences in area and medium. The director of a film needs to be highly creative to adapt a literary text to make a film. Vishal Bhardwaj is one such contemporary prolific film makers who have successfully adapted Shakespearean plays like Othello, Macbeth and Hamlet into Indian cinema. The research article tries to portray the creativity of a director to recreate a new film out of an existing text (filmic adaptation). The article analyses the concept of conceptual blending creativity process and bricolage in highlighting the creativity of Bhardwaj in adapting Hamlet and localizing it in Indian cinema as Haider (2014)

A prospective study on pregnancy complicated with jaundice with special emphasis on fetomaternal outcome

Background: Jaundice defined as yellow discolouration of skin, sclera and mucus membrane resulting from increased serum bilirubin concentration. It is usually clinical visible when plasma bilirubin exceeds 3mg/dl. This study aimed at determining maternal and foetal outcome in women with jaundice complicating pregnancy.Methods: This prospective study was conducted on 58 cases of pregnant women with jaundice (serum bilirubin ≥3 mg%) admitted at Panna Dhaya Zanana Hospital (PDZH), RNT Medical College, Udaipur, Rajasthan from January 2016 December 2016.Results: The incidence observed in this study was 0.28%. 77.59% cases in this study were in third trimester of pregnancy. Serum bilirubin was >20 mg% in 5.18% cases. Haemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, low platelets (HELLP) syndrome, acute fatty liver of pregnancy, intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy, viral hepatitis and malaria were the causes of jaundice. HELLP syndrome was the most common cause of jaundice. Of 58 women 38 delivered vaginally and 12 were LSCS for obstetrical indication and 8 were undelivered. The disease is associated with high incidence of preterm labour, IUGR, birth asphyxia and foetal distress. Perinatal mortality was 38%. Maternal mortality in 11 cases i.e. 18.96%. Main causes of maternal mortality were hepatic encephalopathy, DIC followed by shock due to PPH, DIC followed by multiple organ dysfunction syndrome.Conclusion: Jaundice and pregnancy having a grave prognosis, resulting in a very high perinatal as well as maternal morbidity and mortality, and requires an early diagnosis and careful management

BACTERIOTHERAPY: A NOVEL THERAPEUTIC APPROACH

The alteration in the homeostasis of gut microbiota and harmful bacteria is associated with various kinds of diseases. Many gastrointestinal disorders such as inflammatory bowel diseases, irritable bowel syndrome, colorectal cancer and systemic diseases such as diabetes, obesity and atherosclerosis are due to dysbiosis in human gut. Many recent clinical studies revealed that probiotic is effective in treatment of various ailments by defending against colonization by opportunistic pathogens, production of antimicrobial substances and immunomodulation. Studies have shown that prebiotics and probiotics or the combinations of two i.e. synbiotics can restore the aberrant gut and can improve the health of gut. There is rapid growth and demand of dairy-based probiotics food in the market due to its awareness among the consumers. Bacteriotherapy has good hold future as novel therapy as consumers are looking for safe, cost effective and no adverse side effects therapeutic approach

Control of annual reproductive cycle in the subtropical house sparrow (Passer domesticus): evidence for conservation of photoperiodic control mechanisms in birds

BACKGROUND: In many birds, day length (=photoperiod) regulates reproductive cycle. The photoperiodic environment varies between different seasons and latitudes. As a consequence, species at different latitudes may have evolved separate photoperiodic strategies or modified them as per their adaptive need. We studied this using house sparrow as a model since it is found worldwide and is widely investigated. In particular, we examined whether photoperiodism in house sparrows (Passer domesticus) at 27°N, 81°E shared features with those exhibited by its conspecifics at high latitudes. RESULTS: Initial experiment described in the wild and captive conditions the gonad development and molt (only in captives) cycles over a 12-month period. Both male and female sparrows had similar seasonal cycles, linked with annual variations in day length; this suggested that seasonal reproduction in house sparrows was under the photoperiodic control. However, a slower testis and attenuated follicular growth among captives indicated that other (supplementary) factors are also involved in controlling the reproductive cycle. Next experiment examined if sparrows underwent seasonal variations in their response to stimulatory effects of long day lengths. When birds were transferred every month over a period of 1 year to 16 hours light:8 hours darkness (16L:8D) for 17–26 weeks, there was indeed a time-of-year effect on the growth-regression cycle of gonads. The final experiment investigated response of house sparrows to a variety of light-dark (LD) cycles. In the first set, sparrows were exposed for 31 weeks to photoperiods that were close to what they receive in between the period from sunrise to sunset at this latitude: 9L:15D (close to shortest day length in December), 12L:12D (equinox, in March and September) 15L:9D (close to longest day length in June). They underwent testicular growth and regression and molt in 12L and 15L photoperiods, but not in 9L photoperiod. In the second set, sparrows were exposed for 17 weeks to photoperiods with light periods extending to different duration of the daily photosensitivity rhythm (e.g. 2L:22D, 6L:18D, 10L:14D, 14L:10D, 18L:6D and 22L:2D). Interestingly, a slow and small testicular response occurred under 2L and 10L photoperiods; 6L:18D was non-inductive. On the other hand, 14L, 18L and 22L photoperiods produced testicular growth and subsequent regression response as is typical of a long day photostimulation. CONCLUSION: Subtropical house sparrows exhibit photoperiodic responses similar to that is reported for its population living at high latitudes. This may suggest the conservation of the photoperiodic control mechanisms in birds evolved over a long period of time, as a physiological strategy in a temporally changing environment ensuring reproduction at the best suited time of the year

Bayesian and Semi-Bayesian Estimation of the Parameters of Generalized Inverse Weibull Distribution

Bayesian and semi-Bayesian estimators of parameters of the generalized inverse Weibull distribution are obtained using Jeffreys’ prior and informative prior under specific assumptions of loss function. Using simulation, the relative efficiency of the proposed estimators is obtained under different set-ups. A real life example is also given