Radiative Energy-Loss of Heavy Quarks in a Quark-Gluon Plasma

We estimate the radiative energy-loss of heavy quarks, produced from the initial fusion of partons, while propagating in a quark-gluon plasma which may be formed in the wake of relativistic heavy ion collisions. We find that the radiative energy-loss for heavy quarks is larger than the collisional energy-loss for all energies. We point out the consequences on possible signals of the quark-gluon plasma.Comment: 5 papes, REVTE

Large Mass Diphotons From Relativistic Heavy Ion Collisions

We evaluate the production of large mass diphotons from quark annihilation at BNL RHIC and CERN LHC energies from central collisions of gold nuclei. The collision is assumed to lead to either a thermally and chemically equilibrated quark gluon plasma, or a free-streaming quark gluon gas having an identical initial entropy, or a chemically equilibrating quark gluon system, with the same entropy at $T=T_c$. We also obtain an estimate of hard photon pairs from initial state quark annihilation and find that the thermal production dominates the yield up to $M \approx$ 4 GeV at RHIC, and up to 6 GeV at LHC. A simulation study of decay versus thermal diphotons is presented.Comment: Latex file; to appear in Physics Letters

The extent of strangeness in equilibration in quark-gluon plasma

The evolution and production of strangeness from chemically equilibrating and transversely expanding quark gluon plasma which may be formed in the wake of relativistic heavy ion collisions is studied with initial conditions obtained from the Self Screened Parton Cascade (SSPC) model. The extent of partonic equilibration increases almost linearly with the square of the initial energy density, which can then be scaled with number of participants.Comment: 4 pages including three figures, talk given at ICPAQGP'01, Jaipur, India, to appear in Pramana - Journal of Physics, Indian Academy of Scienc

Effect of Emotional Intelligence on Organisational Commitment in Higher Educational Institutions in Haryana

The objective of the paper is to explore the relationship between emotional intelligence and organisational commitment among the employees of the higher educational institutions in Haryana. A structured questionnaire is used to assess emotional intelligence and organisational commitment. Participants of the study included 350 employees working in higher education institutions in Haryana, India. Confirmatory factor analysis is used to validate the scales and structural equation modeling is used to explore the relationship between emotional intelligence and organisational commitment using AMOS 21. It is concluded that emotional intelligence is positively associated with organisational commitment. Employees with strong emotional intelligence have greater levels of organisational commitment

J/ψJ/\psi suppression: gluonic dissociation {\em vs.} colour screening

We evaluate the suppression of $J/\psi$ production in an equilibrating quark gluon plasma for two competing mechanisms: Debye screening of colour interaction and dissociation due to energetic gluons. Results are obtained for $S+S$ and $Au+Au$ collisions at RHIC and LHC energies. At RHIC energies the gluonic dissociation of the charmonium is found to be equally important for both the systems while the screening of the interaction plays a significant role only for the larger systems. At LHC energies the Debye mechanism is found to dominate for both the systems. While considering the suppression of directly produced $\Upsilon$ at LHC energies, we find that only the gluonic dissociation mechanism comes into play for the initial conditions taken from the self screened parton cascade model in these studies. Thus we find that a systematic study of quarkonium suppression for systems of varying dimensions can help identify the source and the extent of the suppression.Comment: (revised) 5 pages including 3 figures, discussion expande

Determination of equation of state of quark matter from J/ψJ/\psi and Υ\Upsilon suppression at RHIC and LHC

The long life-time of the quark-gluon plasma likely to be created in the relativistic heavy ion collisions at RHIC and LHC energies renders it sensitive to the details of the equation of state of the quark-matter. We show that the $p_T$ dependence of the survival probability of the directly produced $J/\psi$ at RHIC energies and that of the directly produced $\Upsilon$ at LHC energies is quite sensitive to the speed of sound in the quark matter, which relates the pressure and the energy density of the plasma. The transverse expansion of the plasma is shown to strongly affect the $J/\psi$ suppression at LHC energies.Comment: 26 pages including 11 figures. (Submitted to Eur. Phys. Jour. C

Breaking Yield Ceiling in Wheat: Progress and Future Prospects

Wheat is one of the most important staple crops that contribute considerably to global food and nutritional security. The future projections of the demand for wheat show significant enhancement owing to the population growth and probable changes in diets. Further, historical yield trends show a reduction in the relative rate of gain for grain yield over time. To maintain future food security, there is a strong need to find ways to further increase the yield potential of wheat. Grain yield is a quantitative trait that is highly influenced by the environment. It is determined by various interlinked yield component traits. Molecular breeding approaches have already proven useful in improving the grain yield of wheat and recent advances in high-throughput genotyping platforms now have remodelled molecular breeding to genomics-assisted breeding. Hence, here in this chapter, we have discussed various advancements in understanding the genetics of grain yield, its major components, and summarised the various powerful strategies, such as gene cloning, mining superior alleles, transgenic technologies, advanced genome editing techniques, genomic selection, genome-wide association studies-assisted genomic selection, haplotype-based breeding (HBB), which may be/being used for grain yield improvement in wheat and as the new breeding strategies they could also be utilised to break the yield ceiling in wheat

Soft Electromagnetic Radiations from Relativistic Heavy Ion Collisions

The production of low mass dileptons and soft photons from thermalized Quark Gluon Plasma (QGP) and hadronic matter in relativistic heavy ion collisions is evaluated. A boost invariant longitudinal and cylindrically symmetric transverse expansion of the systems created in central collision of lead nuclei at CERN SPS, BNL RHIC, and CERN LHC, and undergoing a first order phase transition to hadronic matter is considered. A large production of low mass (M< 0.3 GeV) dileptons, and soft photons (p_T< 0.4 GeV) is seen to emanate from the bremsstrahlung of quarks and pions. We find an increase by a factor of 2--4 in the low mass dilepton and soft photon yield as we move from SPS to RHIC energies, and an increase by an order of magnitude as we move from SPS to LHC energies. Most of the soft radiations are found to originate from pion driven processes at SPS and RHIC energies, while at the LHC energies the quark and the pion driven processes contribute by a similar amount. The study of the transverse mass distribution is seen to provide interesting details of the evolution. We also find a unique universal behaviour for the ratio of M^2 weighted transverse mass distribution for M= 0.1 GeV to that for M= 0.2 and 0.3 GeV, as a function of M_T, for SPS, RHIC, and LHC energies, in the absence of transverse expansion of the system. A deviation from this universal behaviour is seen as a clear indication of the flow.Comment: Revtex fil

Floristic diversity of Theog Forest Division, Himachal Pradesh, Western Himalaya

We provide a check list of the vascular plants of Theog Forest Division, Himachal Pradesh, Western Himalaya. Himachal Pradesh has been extensively surveyed in terms of flora by a large number of workers, albeit highly confined to prioritized areas. The floristic inventorization resulted in a total of 442 vascular plant species belonging to 311 genera and 117 families from an area of 512 km2. Out of these, 408 species belonged to Angiosperms, 7 to Gymnosperms and 27 to Pteridophytes. The predominant families among Dicotyledons were Asteraceae, Rosaceae and Lamiaceae. Among the Monocotyledons, the most represented family was Poaceae, followed by Liliaceae and Cyperaceae. Pinaceae and Pteridaceae were found to be the most represented families among the Gymnosperms and Pteridophytes, respectively. Species richness was highest in shrubberies, which formed an ideal habitat for many herbaceous species within different habitat types. Strategic eradication of weed species, especially obnoxious species such as Lantana camara and Parthenium hysterophorus is required for effective management in the area

EVALUATION OF THE EFFICACY OF PRANAYAMA ON THE LUNGS

Yoga is a science which has been practised in India from over thousands of years. Besides the spiritual achievements, the practice of yoga is accompanied by a number of beneficial physiological effects in the body. Yoga and health goes hand in hand. Yoga calms and relaxes the mind and it strengthens and tunes the body and brings them into harmony with each another. Pranayama is an art of controlling the life force of breath [1]. It produces many systemic psycho-physical effects in the body, besides its specific effects on the respiratory functions. This study is designed to study the effects of pranayama (12 weeks) on the pulmonary function parameters. It is one of the best lifestyle modifications which have ever been devised in the history of mankind. There are many classical paths which have been described to reach the ultimate goal of healthy life. It is an ancient yoga technique, a spiritual and physical practice which integrates the mind and body. Pranayama is a type of yogic practice which produces many systemic psycho-physical effects in the body, besides its specific effects on the respiratory functions. So, it has become a standard fare at health clubs and community recreation programmes.Pulmonary function tests (PFTs) are simple screening procedures which are performed by using a standardized equipment (spirometer) to measure the lung function. This test provides useful information about the minimum levels of the lung function. The breath holding time measures the level of the threshold of the respiratory center to the partial pressure of the carbon dioxide (Pco2) level.Pulmonary function tests have been studied in yoga and pranayama practitioners. They have shown that the regular practice of these pranayama techniques have proved to be beneficial for the human body. Pranayama has a favourable influence and it causes a marked improvement in the lung functions. This study is designed to study the effects of pranayama (12 weeks) on the pulmonary function parameters.In these clinical trial 60 patients of mild to moderate hypertensive patients were randomly selected and divided in to two groups. In each group 30 patients had taken. In Group A Pranayam had been given to the 30 patients of mild to moderate hypertensive patients and In Group B only placebo drug Prana had given to the 30 patients mild to moderate hypertensive patients. In all these two groups, group A was found as the most benefited because it showed significant changes in symptoms and Biochemistry investigations. Whereas in Group B (Placebo group) showed insignificant changes in symptoms as well as in Biochemistry investigations.    Key words-For Yoga- Pranayama, Yoga, Pulmonary Function Parameters FVC FEV1 FEF (25-75percent), and BHT For Hypertension-Vyan vikriti, vyan bala, Raktavritta vata, Raktagata vata, Dhamani Pratichaya, Siragata vata, Rasabhara, Dhamani Prapurnata, Vyanavrita vata etc. Â