Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a complete shut-down of the entire world and almost all the countries are presently in a "lockdown" mode. While the lockdown strategy is an essential step ...to curb the exponential rise of COVID-19 cases, the impact of the same on mental health is not well known.
Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the psychological impact of lockdown due to COVID-19 pandemic on the general public with an objective to assess the prevalence of depression, anxiety, perceived stress, well-being, and other psychological issues.
Materials and Methods: It was an online survey conducted under the aegis of the Indian Psychiatry Society. Using the Survey Monkey platform, a survey link was circulated using the Whatsapp. The survey questionnaire included perceived stress scale, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale to assess perceived stress, anxiety, depression, and mental well-being, respectively. The survey link was circulated starting from April 6, 2020 and was closed on April 24, 2020.
Results: During the survey, a total of 1871 responses were collected, of which 1685 (90.05%) responses were analyzed. About two-fifth (38.2%) had anxiety and 10.5% of the participants had depression. Overall, 40.5% of the participants had either anxiety or depression. Moderate level of stress was reported by about three-fourth (74.1%) of the participants and 71.7% reported poor well-being.
Conclusions: The present survey suggests that more than two-fifths of the people are experiencing common mental disorders, due to lockdown and the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic. This finding suggests that there is a need for expanding mental health services to everyone in the society during this pandemic situation.
Abstract
GRAPES-3 is a mid-altitude (2200 m) and near-equatorial (11.°4N) air shower array, overlapping in its field of view for cosmic-ray observations with experiments that are located in the ...Northern and Southern Hemispheres. We analyze a sample of 3.7 × 10
9
cosmic-ray events collected by the GRAPES-3 experiment between 2013 January 1 and 2016 December 31 with a median energy of ∼16 TeV for study of small-scale (<60°) angular-scale anisotropies. We observed two structures, labeled A and B, that deviate from the expected isotropic distribution of cosmic rays in a statistically significant manner. Structure A spans 50°–80° in R.A. and from −15° to 30° in decl. The relative excess observed in structure A is at the level of (6.5 ± 1.3) × 10
−4
with a statistical significance of 6.8 standard deviations. Structure B is observed in the R.A. range 110°–140° and at decl. from −10° to 30°. The relative excess observed in this region is at the level of (4.9 ± 1.4) × 10
−4
with a statistical significance of 4.7 standard deviations. These structures are consistent with those reported by Milagro, ARGO-YBJ, and HAWC. These observations could provide a better understanding of the sources of cosmic rays, their propagation, and the magnetic structures in our Galaxy.
This paper characterize microplastics (MPs) in the heavily urbanized, brackish water Vembanad Lake (India), focussing on some commercially important bottom-feeding fishes and shellfish (Arius ...maculatus, Etroplus suratensis, E. maculatus and Villorita sp.). The average abundance of MPs was higher in the water column (872 ± 573 nos./m3) than in finfishes (15 ± 13 particles per fish) and shellfish (23 ± 20 nos./ind.). Fibre was the most abundant MP type in the water and the organisms examined. The size of MPs obtained from finfishes ranged between 0.04 and 4.73 mm (4 ± 3 mm), with a majority of particles being <4 mm. No correlation was found between biological features (e.g. gut length, mouth size) of fishes and the size of MPs in their gut. In Villorita sp., the abundance of MPs was positively correlated with the size of the individuals. Raman spectroscopy confirmed the presence of chlorinated polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene, polypropylene and polyester in the samples.
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•Microplastics present in all samples of bottom dwelling fishes and shellfish•Higher MP load in water column than in fishes and shellfish•MP types included chlorinated PVC, polyethylene, polypropylene and polyester.•More microplastics consumed by Arius maculatus and Villorita sp.•MP load in Villorita sp. correlated positively with size of individuals.
Surface modification is essential to enhance the surface properties of engineering components. This may be accomplished either in the form of altering the surface chemistry or by providing a ...protective layer over the work surface. In this paper, the surface modification phenomenon by depositing a protective layer over the work surface by electrical discharge machining (EDM) is presented. The potential of EDM, which is otherwise a useful non-conventional machining process, has been explored for surface alteration by depositing material over work surface using tungsten–copper (W–Cu) sintered powder metallurgy tools. The photographic presentation of the EDMed surface at different parameter settings is given. The variations of mass transfer rate (MTR), deposited layer thickness (LT), and average surface roughness (
R
a
) with various parameter combinations are presented in graphical form and their effects are discussed. A wide spectrum of MTR ranging from nearly 1 to 191 mg/min and average surface roughness values ranging from 3 to 15 μm have been achieved. A wide range of deposited layers with thickness varying from 3 to 785 μm has been achieved by various combinations of process parameters. The microstructure of the deposited layers with microhardness at different zones is presented. It has been observed that the microhardness is gradually increasing from the base material to the deposited layer and its maximum value is found to be 15.7 GPa at the hardest zone. SEM, EDX, and XRD analyses has been also performed for further characterization of the deposited layer. A quantitative analysis of the layer has been carried out by EDX and it is found that the inner part of the layer is richer in tungsten than the superficial surface. This contributed towards the higher hardness of the layer at the core.
We present the measurement of the cosmic ray proton spectrum from 50 TeV to 1.3 PeV using 7.81×10^{6} extensive air shower events recorded by the ground-based GRAPES-3 experiment between 1 January ...2014 and 26 October 2015 with a live time of 460 day. Our measurements provide an overlap with direct observations by satellite and balloon-based experiments. The electromagnetic and muon components in the shower were measured by a dense array of plastic scintillator detectors and a tracking muon telescope, respectively. The relative composition of the proton primary from the air shower data containing all primary particles was extracted using the multiplicity distribution of muons which is a sensitive observable for mass composition. The observed proton spectrum suggests a spectral hardening at ∼166 TeV and disfavors a single power law description of the spectrum up to the Knee energy (∼3 PeV).
This article describes the configuration of strange quark stars composed of three flavour quarks in hydrostatic equilibrium considering the energy density profile of Mak and Harko and non-zero ...strange quark mass (
m
s
≠
0
). A suitable stellar model is proposed assuming equation of state of interior matter as modified MIT equation of state in bag model
p
=
1
3
(
ρ
-
4
B
g
)
, where
B
g
is known as bag constant, to predict the viability of strange stars. The interior of such compact stars is mainly composed of quarks and electrons to establish charge neutrality condition. We have checked the various stability windows depending on the energy per baryon for different values of bag constant
B
g
and mass of strange quark
m
s
. We have studied the effect of non-zero mass of the strange quark (
m
s
) on the physical properties of the strange star in the context of the modified MIT bag equation of state. We note that the maximum stellar mass decreases with increasing
m
s
. The model is suitable for predicting the radius, central density and other properties of compact stars having mass
≤
2.01
M
⊙
, such as
4
U
1820
-
30
,
P
S
R
J
1614
-
2230
etc, which are supposed to be strange stars. The radius of few recently observed compact stars are predicted in our model and they are found to be compatible with the value as predicted from observation. The model is found to be suitable in view of all the necessary criterion along with fulfilment of stability of the stellar configuration as well as stable in view of small radial perturbations.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
A class of strange stars is analysed in the present article in hydrostatic equilibrium, whose state is defined by a CFL phase equation of state. We have compared our results with those obtained from ...the MIT equation of state for strange quark matter, which is regarded as free particles. We have noted that if we consider quarks to form a cooper pair and if their description is made by the CFL equation of state, the maximum mass of strange star reaches a value as high as 3.61
M
⊙
. This value is well above the value of 2.03
M
⊙
obtained by using the MIT bag equation of state for massless free quarks. Both the maximum masses are determined by solving the TOV equation for different values of the strange quark mass
m
s
. Thus, the inclusion of the possibility of quark pair formation in the theory permits us to accommodate a wider class of compact objects such as PSR J1614-2230, PSR J0740+6620, PSR J0952-0607 etc. and the mass of the companion star in the GW190814 event in our model. The consideration of such a high value of mass is hardly theoretically obtainable from normal strange star models in general relativity even with a fast rotation effect. The object PSR J0952-0607 is found to be the fastest and heaviest pulsar in the disk of Milky Way Galaxy, having a mass of 2.35
M
⊙
, which may be predicted in our model, as observational evidence supports the existence of strange quark matter in its composition.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Here, we have demonstrated strong size dependency of quasi-equilibrium and nonequilibrium carrier and photon dynamics in InGaN/GaN single nanowalls using photoluminescence and transient absorption ...spectroscopy. We demonstrate that two-dimensional carrier confinement, strain relaxation, and modified density of states lead to a reduced Stokes shift, smaller full width at half-maxima, increased exciton binding energy, and reduced nonradiative recombination. The ultrafast transient spectroscopy shows that carrier capture is a two-step process dominated by optical phonons and carrier–carrier scattering in succession. The carrier capture is a strongly size-dependent process and becomes slower due to modulation of the density of available states for progressively decreasing nanowall sizes. The slowest process is the electron–hole recombination, which is also extremely size-dependent and the rate increases by almost an order of magnitude in comparison to that of quantum-well structures. Electron–hole wave function overlap and modified density of states are among the key aspects in determining all the properties of these structures.
Multidrug-resistant (MDR) microorganism development in the gut is frequently the result of inappropriate antibiotic use. Faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) restores normal gut microbiota in ...patients with Clostridium difficile infection. We hypothesized that it may help in decolonizing MDR organisms (MDROs) and in preventing recurrent MDR infections.
To assess FMT efficacy (eradication rate) for decolonizing MDROs and preventing recurrent MDR infections.
Medline, Embase and Web of Science (inception through 11 February 2019).
Clinical trials, retrospective studies, case reports and case series.
Patients with MDR infections or MDRO colonization treated with FMT.
FMT.
Systematic review.
Twenty-one studies (one randomized clinical trial, seven uncontrolled clinical trials, two retrospective cohort studies, two case series, nine case reports) assessing 192 patients were included. Three studies assessed FMT efficacy in preventing MDR infections; 16 assessed its effect on MDRO colonization; two assessed both. Data from 151 patients were included in the final analyses. In studies with low to moderate risk of bias, the eradication rate was 37.5% to 87.5%. Efficacy was similar in studies looking at infection or colonization and did not differ by length of follow-up. No serious adverse events from FMT were reported. Seven patients died of other causes.
FMT could be used as a treatment for eradicating MDR colonization and possibly preventing recurrent MDR infections, once more supporting efficacy and safety data are available. Larger well-designed randomized controlled trials are needed to further explore this therapy.
In this paper, the solutions of Einstein–Maxwell Field Equations for relativistic strange quark star in Tolman-IV potential considering MIT bag model EoS
p
=
1
3
(
ρ
-
4
B
)
of interior matter in ...presence of charge in higher dimensions is presented, where
B
is bag parameter. Here we consider density dependent
B
as it has more practical application. We note some interesting results. It is observed that interior of a strange quark star may contain bulk stable quarks as a whole having energy per baryon
E
B
<
930.4
MeV/fm
3
or stable quark matter core enclosed by a thin metastable quark matter layer enveloped by unstable quark matter. It is also found that interior composition depends on the value of space-time dimension (
D
) and net charge (
Q
). The model presented in this paper satisfies all the necessary stability and energy conditions for a viable stellar configuration. We also note the maximum mass of stable strange quark star is 1.773
M
⊙
for density dependent
B
and 1.684
M
⊙
for constant
B
.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
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