Conductivity Study of DTAB in Water and Ethanol-Water Mixture in the Presence and Absence of ZnSO4

تمت دراسة السلوك الفيزيائيى و الكيميائي لدوديسيل ثلاثي ميثيل بروميد الأمونيوم (DTAB)في  الماء ومزيج الماء والإيثانول في وجود وغياب كبريتات الزنك  ZnSO4 عن طريق قياس الموصلية عند 298.15 كلفن . تم الحصول على الميل  قبل التركيز الحرج للمايسيل  (S1) و بعده ( (S2  وحسبت درجة التفكك (α) وتركيز الحرج للمايسيل  .(cmc) مع زيادة محتوى الإيثانول وجد cmcو α ل DTAB  تزداد بغياب ، في ZnSO4 بينما تنخفض بوجودها. وباستخدام  cmc   و α تم تقييم الخواص الديناميكية الحرارية كطاقة الحرة القياسية للمايسيل ( ). مع زيادة محتوى الإيثانول ، تنخفض القيم السالبة لـ مما يشير الى انخفاض التلقائية في تكوين المايسيل   وجعلها اقل  ملائمة . تمت مناقشة العلاقة بين الميل  ما قبلالمايسل وما بعدالمايسيلمع نسبة  حجم الإيثانول. تم اختبارتكوين المايسيل  الدوديسيل ثلاثي ميثيل بروميد الأمونيومDTAB من خلال دوال  خاصة للمذيب  ودالة الصفة الكارهة للمذيبThe physicochemical behaviour of dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide (DTAB) in water and ethanol-water mixture in the presence and absence of ZnSO4 were studied by measuring the conductivity at 298.15 K. The pre-micellar (S1) and post-micellar slopes (S2) were obtained and calculated the degree of dissociation (α) and the critical micelle concentration (cmc). With an increase in ethanol content, the cmc and α of DTAB increased whereas, in the presence of ZnSO4, the cmc and α decreased. By using cmc and α, thermodynamic properties as the standard free energy of micellization ( ) were evaluated. With an increase in ethanol content, the negative values of  are decreased indicating less spontaneous in the micellization which makes micellization less favourable. The correlation of the pre-micellar and post-micellar slopes with the volume fraction of ethanol were discussed. DTAB micellization was tested in contexts of specific solvent parameters and solvophobic parameter

Effects of Storage Structures and Moisture Contents on Seed Quality Attributes of Quality Protein Maize

The study was aimed to examine the effects of various storage structures and moisture contents on seed quality attributes of quality protein maize seed. The quality protein maize (QPM-1) seed was tested in conventional seed storage containers (Fertilizer sack and earthen pot) and the improved hermetic ones (Metal bin, Super grain bag, and Purdue Improved Crop Storage (PICS) bag) at Seed Science and Technology Division, Khumaltar, Nepal during February, 2015 to January 2016. Ten treatments comprising 5 storage devices in two moisture regimes (11% and 9%) replicated thrice and laid out in Completely Randomized Design (CRD). Data on temperature, relative humidity (RH), germination, electrical conductivity (EC), seed moisture content (MC) were collected bimonthly. The conventional containers were found liable to the external environmental condition whereas the hermetic structures observed with controlled RH level below 40% in all combinations. Electrical conductivity (EC) for seed vigor showed that hermetic containers provide higher seed vigor than the conventional ones. Up to 4 months all treatments were found statistically at par for germination. A significant difference was observed in each treatment after 4 months where PICS bag & Super grain bag showed best germination followed by metal bin while fertilizer bag & earthen-pot showed poorer and poorest germination respectively till one year. Almost all treatments with lower MC showed better results than the treatments with higher MC. A negative correlation (R2=69.7%) was found between EC and Germination. All six figures from 2 to 12 months on MC showed statistically different where hermetic plastic bags were found maintaining MC as initial whereas MC of fertilizer bags and earthen pot was spiked than the basal figure. The finding evidenced that the hermetic containers and low MC are the seed storage approaches for retaining the quality of seed even in an ambient environmental condition for more than a year

Regulation of Surgical Procedures and Health Care Facilities Rankings in Nepal

Globally, millions of surgeries are performed each year to compliment and manage a diverse set of medical conditions. Adverse surgical outcomes constitute a major proportion of avoidable death and disabilities in the hospital, especially in low-income countries like Nepal. A comprehensive study on the standards of surgical procedures and its institutional regulations is missing. We discuss here the importance of surgical regulation based on it’s financial as well as healthcare implications in the Nepalese healthcare system. Keywords: surgical procedures; health care facilities; safety; surgery; WHO.

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Concerning COVID-19 in Nepal

Background: Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) severely affects patients with chronic diseases. Adequate knowledge, attitudes, and practice related to COVID-19 is associated with decrease morbidity and mortality. Therefore, this aimed to assess knowledge, attitudes, and practice toward COVID-19 disease among chronic diseases patients visiting tertiary hospitals in Kathmandu. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among chronic disease patients who visited Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital and Manmohan Cardiothoracic Vascular and Transplant Center, Kathmandu. Structured questionnaire was used to collect patients’ socio-demographic data and perspectives on COVID-19. Results: Four hundred chronic disease patients participated in the study, with 53.2% female and 46.8% male, and 56.8% of age ≥50 years. Overall, 55.5% of the participants had good knowledge, 56.2% had good practice, and 30.7% had positive attitude towards COVID-19. Younger patients, 18-34 years, were found to have higher odds of having good knowledge compared to other age groups (aOR: 2.5; 95% CI: 1.3-6.0). The patients with less than average family income and those unable to read and write had lower odds of having positive attitude towards COVID-19 (aOR: 0.6; 95% CI: 0.4-0.9 and aOR: 0.4; 95%CI: 0.2-0.9, respectively). A statistically significant correlation was found between the patients’ knowledge and practice, knowledge and attitude, and attitude and practice (p <0.001). Conclusions: Nearly half of the chronic disease patients in Nepal had poor knowledge and practice whereas more than two-third had negative attitude towards COVID-19 disease. Older age of the patient was significantly associated with poor knowledge and practice. Keywords: Attitudes; chronic diseases; COVID-19; knowledge; practic

Climate Change Impacts in Bhutan: Challenges and opportunities for the agricultural sector

This project was undertaken to examine the suitability of 8 keys crops in Bhutan under current conditions and future climate scenarios (RCP 8.5) up to 2050. This was a collaborative initiative between MoAF, CIAT and UNEP, funded through the Asia-Pacific Climate Technology Network and Finance Center (AP-CTNFC). The project had two principal objectives: Objective 1: Build capacities of key technical staff to produce suitability maps for a wider range of crops under different emission scenarios. Furthermore enhance the understanding and interpretation of uncertainties of the projections and introduce climate-resilient crop management practices in Bhutan. Objective 2: Assess the impacts of climate change on the climatic suitability of maize, rice, potato, chili and tomato growing areas in Bhutan. Share and discuss the results and implications of crop suitability studies with key stakeholders from Bhutan and relevant international agencies such as UNEP and FAO