Exploring the extended density-dependent Skyrme effective forces for normal and isospin-rich nuclei to neutron stars

We parameterize the recently proposed generalized Skyrme effective force (GSEF) containing extended density dependence. The parameters of the GSEF are determined by the fit to several properties of the normal and isospin-rich nuclei. We also include in our fit a realistic equation of state for the pure neutron matter up to high densities so that the resulting Skyrme parameters can be suitably used to model the neutron star with the "canonical" mass ($\sim 1.4 M_\odot$). For the appropriate comparison we generate a parameter set for the standard Skyrme effective force (SSEF) using exactly the same set of the data as employed to determine the parameters of the GSEF. We find that the GSEF yields larger values for the neutron skin thickness which are closer to the recent predictions based on the isospin diffusion data. The Skyrme parameters so obtained are employed to compute the strength function for the isoscalar giant monopole, dipole and quadrupole resonances. It is found that in the case of GSEF, due to the the larger value of the nucleon effective mass the values of centroid energies for the isoscalar giant resonances are in better agreement with the corresponding experimental data in comparison to those obtained using the SSEF. We also present results for some of the key properties associated with the neutron star of "canonical" mass and for the one with the maximum mass.Comment: 45pages, 16 figure

Prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus and its feto-maternal outcome in Kamla Nehru state hospital for mother and child, IGMC, Shimla, India

Background: Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) is defined as carbohydrate intolerance of variable severity with the onset or first recognition during pregnancy. It is a disease entity that adversely affects maternal as well as fetal outcome. DIPSI guideline having suggested one-time plasma glucose level has emerged as a simple, practical and cheap method to detect GDM. This study was done to evaluate the prevalence of gestational diabetes using Diabetes in Pregnancy Study Group India (DIPSI) criteria and further assess its feto maternal outcome in Kamla Nehru State Hospital for Mother and Child, IGMC, Shimla.Methods: This study was conducted in 500 patients between 24 and 28 weeks of gestation, attending the antenatal OPD. These patients were given 75g oral glucose irrespective of last meal and their plasma glucose was estimated at 2h. Patients with plasma glucose ≥140mg/dl were diagnosed as GDM and the rest as control or the non GDM group. The GDM patients were followed up and treated with medical nutrition therapy (MNT) and/or insulin therapy till delivery and maternal and fetal outcomes were then noted.Results: The prevalence of GDM in this study was 6%. Maternal and fetal complications were more in the GDM patients. Vaginal candidiasis and PROM were the common maternal complications, while hypoglycemia and hyperbilirubinemia were common in the fetuses.Conclusions: GDM adversely affects the mother as well as fetus. DIPSI guideline having suggested a single plasma glucose level test has emerged as a practical and economical method to detect GDM

Pressure effects on the magnetic structure in La0.5Ca0.5-xSrxMnO3 (0.1 -< x -< 0.4) manganites

The effect of high pressure (0 - 8 GPa) on the magnetic structure of polycrystalline samples of La0.5Ca0.5-xSrxMnO3 (0.1 -< x -< 0.4) manganites at 5 K is investigated using neutron diffraction technique. Application of pressure is found to modify the previously reported magnetic structure, observed under ambient conditions, in these compounds [I. Dhiman et al., Phys. Rev. B 77, 094440 (2008)]. In x = 0.1 composition, at 4.6(2) GPa and beyond, A-type antiferromagnetic structure is found to coexist with CE-type antiferromagnetic phase, observed at ambient pressure, with TN ~ 150 K. For x = 0.3 sample, as a function of pressure the CE-type phase is fully suppressed at 2.3(1) GPa and A-type antiferromagnetic phase is favored. Further Sr doping at x = 0.4, the A-type antiferromagnetic phase is observed at ambient pressure and for T < TN (~ 250K). This phase is retained in the studied pressure range. However, the magnetic moment progressively reduces with increasing pressure, indicating the suppression of A-type antiferromagnetic phase. The present study brings out the fragile nature of the CE-type antiferromagnetic state in half doped manganites as a function of pressure and disorder \sigma 2. We observe that pressure required for destabilizing the CE-type antiferromagnetic state is reduced with increasing disorder \sigma 2. External pressure and changing A-site ionic radii have analogous effect on the magnetic structure.Comment: 9 pages, 6 figures, 1 table, To appear in Physical Review

Prosody Modifications for Voice Conversion

Generally defined, speech modification is the process of changing certain perceptual properties of speech while leaving other properties unchanged. Among the many types of speech information that may be altered are rate of articulation, pitch and formant characteristics.Modifying the speech parameters like pitch, duration and strength of excitation by desired factor is termed as prosody modification. In this thesis prosody modifications for voice conversion framework are presented. Among all the speech modifications for prosody two things are important firstly modification of duartion and pauses (Time scale modification) in a speech utterance and secondly modification of the pitch(pitch scale modification).Prosody modification involves changing the pitch and duration of speech without affecting the message and naturalness.In this work time scale and pitch scale modifications of speech are discussed using two methods Time Domain Pitch Synchronous Overlapped-Add (TD-PSOLA) and epoch based approach.In order to apply desired speech modifications TD-PSOLA discussed in this thesis works directly on speech in time domian although there are many variations of TD-PSOLA.The epoch based approach involves modifications of LP-residual

Diffuse Neutron Scattering Study of Magnetic Correlations in half-doped La0.5Ca0.5-xSrxMnO3 (x = 0.1, 0.3 and 0.4) Manganites

The short range ordered magnetic correlations have been studied in half doped La0.5Ca0.5-xSrxMnO3 (x = 0.1, 0.3 and 0.4) compounds by polarized neutron scattering technique. On doping Sr2+ for Ca2+ ion, these compounds with x = 0.1, 0.3, and 0.4 exhibit CE-type, mixture of CE-type and A-type, and A-type antiferromagnetic ordering, respectively. Magnetic diffuse scattering is observed in all the compounds above and below their respective magnetic ordering temperatures and is attributed to magnetic polarons. The correlations are primarily ferromagnetic in nature above T\_N, although a small antiferromagnetic contribution is also evident. Additionally, in samples x = 0.1 and 0.3 with CE-type antiferromagnetic ordering, superlattice diffuse reflections are observed indicating correlations between magnetic polarons. On lowering temperature below T\_N the diffuse scattering corresponding to ferromagnetic correlations is suppressed and the long range ordered antiferromagnetic state is established. However, the short range ordered correlations indicated by enhanced spin flip scattering at low Q coexist with long range ordered state down to 3K. In x = 0.4 sample with A-type antiferromagnetic ordering, superlattice diffuse reflections are absent. Additionally, in comparison to x = 0.1 and 0.3 sample, the enhanced spin flip scattering at low Q is reduced at 310K, and as temperature is reduced below 200K, it becomes negligibly low. The variation of radial correlation function, g(r) with temperature indicates rapid suppression of ferromagnetic correlations at the first nearest neighbor on approaching TN. Sample x = 0.4 exhibits growth of ferromagnetic phase at intermediate temperatures (~ 200K). This has been further explored using SANS and neutron depolarization techniques.Comment: 13 pages, 12 figures, To appear in Physical Review