Optical Probing of high intensity laser propagation through plasma

This thesis studies the propagation of high intensity lasers through underdense plasmas and the subsequent channel formation. This comprises experimental studies of hole boring mechanism in laser plasma interactions, as well as simulations relevant to these experiments. The experiments described were conducted at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (January- April 2009) utilising the Vulcan laser facility. A chapter is dedicated to the characterisation of gas jets used for the channelling experiments. This chapter gives a study of gas flows using different supersonic nozzles and theoretical background that is applicable to laser plasma experiments described later. The major experimental chapter presents, the production of relativistic electron with the interaction of high intensity lasers (1 ps) with under dense plasmas. The experimental results and simulations show that the ponderomotive force of the laser pulse produces an ion channel due to the expulsion of electrons. The interaction of the laser field with the focusing force of the channel leads to significant electron acceleration with energies up to 200 MeV. The final experimental chapter investigates channel creation in deuterium gas jets at varying plasma densities ( 1018 cm−3 - 1020 cm−3), using laser pulses with parameters for the hole-boring phase of the Fast Ignitor scheme of inertial confinment fusion ( τ ~ 30 ps,I = 1018 Wcm−2). The ponderomotive force and relativistic effects cause the laser pulse to self-focus. These effects can guide the laser pulse through the plasma over many Rayleigh lengths. The generation of energetic electrons (~ MeV) was also observed, but with relatively little dependence on density. The experimental data has been also illustrated by simulations, which exhibit good agreement with experimental results for the channel formation

Solving Frege’s Substitution Puzzle: Analyzing it in Light of Descriptivism and Direct Reference Theory

Although replacing one proper name with another that refers to the same person does not change the truth-value of a declarative statement, it affects the truth-value of propositional attitude reports, which are cognitive relations that people hold towards propositions. Frege’s Substitution Puzzle about propositional attitude reports essentially asks an important question: if two proper names co-refer in a certain linguistic community, then why does their intersubstitutability produce propositional attitude reports (that contain those proper names) with opposite truth-values? This paper attempts to explain how Description Theory of Names and Direct Reference Theory, two theories of proper names, solve Frege’s Substitution Puzzle. According to the Description Theory of Names, a proper name has both a sense and a reference. In other words, a proper name expresses its sense as a descriptive meaning and it designates a specific referent. Descriptivists solve the puzzle by rejecting the Principle of Intersubstitutability of names due to their reference shift in attitude contexts; because two proper names do not entail the same sense, they cannot co-refer in attitude context and therefore are not intersubstitutable in indirect discourse. Contrary to the Description Theory of Names, Direct Reference Theory argues that a proper name is a rigid designator without any connotative attributes. It simply picks out objects and living things in possible worlds. Direct Reference Theorist solve the puzzle by stating that the seeming contradiction in the truthvalues of propositional attitude reports containing co-referential names occurs because of the differing truth-values of the pragmatically implicated statements. Furthermore, this essay concludes with an argument for why Direct Reference Theory is a stronger view than Description Theory of Names

Impact of Difficulties Faced by Adolescents in Making Career Decision on their Mental Health

This research aimed to explore the impact of difficulties faced by adolescents in making a career decision on their mental health. The objective of the research was to explore the factors affecting career decision making and to explore the psychological effect of career decision making difficulties. A quantitative research design was used to collect data through online survey by random sampling method in which a sample of 70 adolescents aged between 18-24 both male (28) and female (42) were collected from Rawalpindi, Pakistan and then analyzed on SPSS. A correlation (p: .002) was found between career indecisiveness and mental health. Independent T test result suggested that gender difference exists with respect to career indecisiveness indicating a value of p to be .01, while one way ANOVA indicated a value of p to be .382, showing that no significant difference exist with respect to respondents age. A chi square result indicated the factors affecting career decision making to be parental (p: .000) and peer pressure (p: .002) and indicated that career decision making time period is stressful for adolescents who feel difficulty in making a career decision (p: .000) indicating a psychological effect. Thus, the hypothesis was proved that adolescents face career decision making difficulties which negatively impact their mental health and it is recommended that they should be given career guidance to help them out in exploring what they really want to do in their lives instead of making a wrong career and regretting it later

Impact of rational and experiential thinking styles on interpersonal conflict resolution among young adults

This research aimed to find the relationship between thinking styles (rational or experiential) and interpersonal conflict resolution (ICR) in young adults. A sample of 99 females and 103 males, age range 18 to 40 years, was selected via convenient and snow-ball sampling. Thinking styles were assessed using Rational-Experiential Inventory-40, and ICR was measured using Conflict Resolution Questionnaire. Regression analysis was used to predict ICR based on thinking style covariates and several relevant demographic covariates, including gender and family birth order. Rational thinking style (RTS) was most prevalent among young adults and was the strongest predictor of ICR. In addition, gender was a significant predictor. These findings may help in coaching young adults toward a well-integrated personality by using rational thinking for effective ICR

Elementary School Female Students' Attitude towards STEM

STEM has unraveled itself as an integrated teaching learning approach that fosters ingenuity and creativity, instill innovation, inculcate critical thinking, teach problem solving and encourages experimentation. Despite of modern advances, female representation in STEM workforce is low as compared to males. Studies show that girls lose their interest and intent to major in STEM fields during their middle school. The purpose of this study was to develop female student’s attitude towards STEM at elementary level. True experimental design of quantitative approach was employed to conduct the study. The population was consisted of all the girls students of govt. school at elementary level. The sample was comprised of 8th grade female students of a public sector school in Lahore. To collect data a questionnaire developed by Friday Institute for Educational Innovation (2012) was adapted. The study was concluded on the basis of the findings that there was a significant effect of STEM integrated teaching on the female student’s attitude of experimental group as compared to the results of control group. It is recommended by the researcher that similar kind of study should be conduct using mixed method approach to validate the results of the study

OUTCOME OF USE OF HIGH QUALITY CHAMOMILE EXTRACT ON SLEEP DISORDERS OCCURRING AFTER MENOPAUSE

Objective: To compare the outcome of four weeks use of High Grade Extract of Chamomile and the placebo on sleep diary data. Study Design: Randomized controlled clinical trial. Place and Duration of Study: Gynecology outdoor, Nishtar Hospital Multan from January 22, 2018 to January 10, 2019. Methodology: Two equal groups were made with 53 menopausal women in each. Age, age at menarche and menopause, and BMI was compared between the two groups. Sleep latency, time and number of awakenings, total sleep time, sleep quality, sleep efficiency, PQSI score, BDI, FSS and STAI-T score were compared between both the groups at baseline and 28th day. Student t-test was applied using SPSS v.23 computer software. P>0.05 was considered statistically insignificant. Results: After 4 weeks of treatment, significant improvement was observed in sleep latency, time of waking after sleep onset, number of awakenings and total sleep time in the Chamomile group compared with placebo group (0.023, 0.002, 0.019 and <0.001, respectively). The improvement in STAI score was statistically significant (0.024) in the chamomile group. , There was some improvement observed in the chamomile group in terms of sleep quality (0.075) and sleep efficiency (0.059) but the differences were still statistically insignificant. Conclusion: It is concluded that chamomile extract has significant beneficial effects on the menopausal women suffering from sleep disorders. Keywords: menopause, sleep disorders, chamomile extract DOI: 10.7176/JMPB/52-1

Violent asphyxial deaths-an autopsy based retrospective study

Objective: To statistically analyze the data of violent asphyxial deaths obtained from PIMS Forensic Record during years 2014-2018. Methodology: This was an autopsy based retrospective study was conducted based on the five years January 2014 to December 2018 data collected from Forensic department, PIMS Islamabad. Only asphyxial deaths were further analyzed. Cross tabs were made between types of asphyxial deaths, age and gender of victims using SPSS and Microsoft Excel to evaluate and interpret the results in the form of graphs and charts. Results: A total of 650 autopsies were conducted during the period of 5 years i.e. 2014-2018, out of which 69 (10.615%) were violent asphyxia deaths. Ratio of male to female asphyxial deaths was observed as 1.72:1 with a percentage of victims as (62.3%) in males and (37.7%) in females. Among all cases, ligature strangulation was the leading cause of death (40.6%) and smothering was the least common (only 2.9%). Most commonly involved age group was 21-30 years (30.4%). Conclusion: Violent asphyxial deaths are most common in young adults. Strangulation came out to be the most common type in both males and females

Medical students’ endeavour to make use of their mental capabilities

Objective: To identify and compare awareness of intellectual wellness in male and female medical students of Karachi. Methods: The cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey comprised randomly selected 800 medical students of both gender. It was conducted from January to December 2010 in 8 medical colleges of Karachi. Responses - never, sometimes, mostly and always (numbered 0-4) - were analysed in terms of frequency, proportion and percentages by Predictive Analysis Software version 18. Chi square test was applied for comparison of intellectual wellness in both genders. Results were considered significant at p \u3c0.05. Results: Of the 800 questionnaires distributed, 736 (92%) were received fully completed; 526 (71.5% of them from females. Intellectual wellness was significantly higher in females due to an increasing aptitude towards book reading (p Conclusion: Females were found to be better in terms of intellectual wellness compared to the males. However, males used mentorship support to acquire intellectual wellness

Comparison of frequency of diagnosis, induction of labour and caesarean section in patients with isolated oligohydramnios diagnosed by amniotic fluid index versus single deepest vertical pocket

Objective: To compare the frequency of diagnosis, induction of labour and caesarean section in patients with isolated oligohydramnios diagnosed by amniotic fluid index versus single deepest vertical pocket. Study design: Randomized controlled trial Place and duration of study: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Holy Family hospital, Rawalpindi from March 2020 to August 2020. Materials & Methods: A total of 110 (55 in each group), 18 to 35 years of age of parity <5 were included. Group A females were evaluated by using AFI and group B females were evaluated by using SDVP. Patients were managed according to standard protocol practiced in the department. Caesarean section was performed in case of fetal distress, in presence of meconium stained liquor or in case of failure to progress of labour. Results: In my study, oligohydramnios was recorded in 19/55 (34.50%) in group A (amniotic fluid index) versus 11/55 (20.0%) in group B (single deepest vertical pocket) (p-value = 0.086). Similarly induction of labour was recorded in 19/55 (34.50%) in group A (amniotic fluid index) versus 11/55 (20.0%) in group B (single deepest vertical pocket) (p-value = 0.086) and caesarean section was recorded in 16/55 (29.09%) in group A (amniotic fluid index) versus 07/55 (12.73%) in group B (single deepest vertical pocket) (p-value = 0.035). Conclusion: This study concluded that frequency of diagnosis, induction of labour and caesarean section in patients with isolated oligohydramnios diagnosed by amniotic fluid index is higher as compared to single deepest vertical pocket.  Keywords: Oligohydramnios, Amniotic fluid index, Single deepest vertical pocke