Optical Studies of Zero-Field Magnetization of CdMnTe Quantum Dots: Influence of Average Size and Composition of Quantum Dots

We show that through the resonant optical excitation of spin-polarized excitons into CdMnTe magnetic quantum dots, we can induce a macroscopic magnetization of the Mn impurities. We observe very broad (4 meV linewidth) emission lines of single dots, which are consistent with the formation of strongly confined exciton magnetic polarons. Therefore we attribute the optically induced magnetization of the magnetic dots results to the formation of spin-polarized exciton magnetic polarons. We find that the photo-induced magnetization of magnetic polarons is weaker for larger dots which emit at lower energies within the QD distribution. We also show that the photo-induced magnetization is stronger for quantum dots with lower Mn concentration, which we ascribe to weaker Mn-Mn interaction between the nearest neighbors within the dots. Due to particular stability of the exciton magnetic polarons in QDs, where the localization of the electrons and holes is comparable to the magnetic exchange interaction, this optically induced spin alignment persists to temperatures as high as 160 K.Comment: 26 pages, 7 figs - submitted for publicatio

A study to Assess the Knowledge Regarding Human Right of Mentally Ill Patient among Community People in Kaski, Pokhara,Nepal

Introduction: Mental health problems raise many human rights issues. People with mental illness are exposed to human rights violation within and outside the health care context. Because of lack of awareness, people with mental illness and their families do not exercise their rights. Psychiatric patients are most vulnerable groups in community. Incidence of violation of rights of mentally ill patients can be avoided if the community people become aware of them. Objective: To assess knowledge regarding human rights and myth of mental illness among community people. Method: A descriptive crosssectional study was conducted among 140 community people of Ritthepani-27, Kaski, Nepal. Non probability convenient sampling technique was adopted to collect the data. Inclusion criteria included head of the family of the selected community who were willing to participate in the study. Data was collected through face to face interview using a structured questionnaire. Results: In the present study, it was found that 46.40% of the community people had inadequate knowledge regarding human rights of mentally ill patients. There was no significant association between demographic variables and knowledge score of the respondents. The study found that more than half of the respondents (51%) had belief that mental illness is not related to physical health. Likewise 36.4% believed mental illness is caused by supernatural power and evil and 30% believed that marriage can cure mental illness. Conclusion: Based on findings, it is concluded that the level of knowledge regarding rights of mentally ill patient is inadequate and there is a high prevalence of myths and misconceptions related to mental illness among the adult population. So, there is need to conduct awareness raising activities in the community

Persistent circulating platelet and endothelial derived microparticle signature may explain on-going pro-thrombogenicity after acute coronary syndrome

Aims: Microparticles (MPs) are submicron vesicles, released from activated, and apoptotic cells. MPs are elevated in the circulation of patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and have pro-thrombotic potential. However, limited data exists on MP signature over time following an acute coronary event. / Methods & results: Circulating total annexin v + (Anv+) MPs of endothelial (EMP), platelet (PMP), monocyte (MMP), neutrophil (NMP) and smooth muscle cell (SMMP) origin were quantified by flow cytometry. 13 patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) were prospectively enrolled and 12 patients with stable angina (SA) were included as a comparator group. A panel of MP was measured at baseline, after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and at days 1, 7, 30 and 6 months. Intra & inter group comparison was made between various time points. MP mediated thrombin generation was measured by recording lag phase, velocity index, peak thrombin and endogenous thrombin potential at these time points and compared with healthy controls. The total AnV+ MP levels were similar in ACS and SA groups at baseline, peaked immediately after PCI and were at their lowest on day 1. PMP & EMP levels remained significantly elevated in ACS patients at 6 months when compared to SA. No such difference was noted with NMP, MMP and SMMP. Patients with coronary artery disease showed abnormal thrombograms when compared to controls. Peak thrombin (nano moles) was significantly higher in CAD when compared to controls (254 IQR [226, 239] in ACS, 255 IQR [219, 328] in SA and 132 IQR [57, 252] in controls; p = 0.006). Differences in thrombin generation between ACS and SA were not significant (p = 1). Furthermore, thrombin parameters remained abnormal in ACS & SA patients at 6 months. / Conclusions: Total MP and individual MP phenotypes were significantly elevated after PCI reflecting endothelial injury. Elevated PMP and EMP levels at 6 months in ACS patients is suggestive of on-going inflammation, endothelial injury and may explain on-going pro-thrombogenicity seen up to 6 months after ACS despite dual antiplatelet therapy

Knowledge, Attitude and Practice towards Exclusive Breastfeeding among Mothers in Pokhara-Lekhnath

Background: Exclusive breastfeeding means that the infant receives only breast milk. Infants should be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life to achieve optimal growth, development and health. Thereafter, to meet their evolving nutritional requirements, infants should receive nutritionally adequate and safe complementary foods, while continuing to breastfeed for up to two years or beyond. Breastfeeding is an unequalled way of providing ideal food for the healthy growth and development of infants; it is also an integral part of the reproductive process with important implications for the health of mothers. Objective: To assess the knowledge, attitude and practice of pregnant women on exclusive breastfeeding. Methods: The quantitative descriptive research design was used for this study. Purposive sampling technique was used to select the subjects in community setting. Total 140 subjects were taken as a sample and self-administered structured questionnaire on knowledge, attitude and practice of exclusive breast feeding among reproductive age group women was used to collect data. Results: The study shows that out of 140 women, 48 (34.3%) belonged to 26 - 30 age group, 136 (97.14%) were married, 109 (77.9%) women followed Hindu caste, 67 (47.9%) women belonged to Dalit group, 129 (92.1%) women were housewife, 73 (52.1%) women had taken primary education, 68 (48.6%) had monthly income >20000, 116 (82.9 %) had ≤3 children. Among 140 women, 69 (49.3%) had good knowledge and fair knowledge whereas only 2 (1.4%) had poor knowledge. Regarding attitude 122 (87.1%) thought that EBF was better than other artificial feeding, 75 (53.6%) believed that first milk should be discarded, 108 (77.1%) agreed that EBF is enough for child up to 6 months, 77 (55%) didn’t feel comfortable with extra feeding other than breast milk, 51 (36.4) stated that they were not comfortable because of insufficient amount to meet child’s demand, 100 (71.4%) agreed that child less than six months who is exclusively breastfed were healthier than child who took additional foods. Out of 140 women, 139 (99.3%) breastfed her last child, 83 (59.3%) started breastfeeding within 1 hr after delivery, 77 (55%) breastfed on demand of baby, 91 (65%) had not given anything before initiating breastfeeding, 25 (17.9%) had given plain water before breast milk after delivery, 107 (76.4%) had given breast milk only starting from birth to six months of age.  J-GMC-N | Volume 11 | Issue 01 | January-June 2018, Page: 40-4

Changes in seasonal snow cover in Hindu Kush-Himalayan region

The changes in seasonal snow covered area in the Hindu Kush-Himalayan (HKH) region have been examined using Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) 8-day standard snow products. The average snow covered area of the HKH region based on satellite data from 2000 to 2010 is 0.76 million km2 which is 18.23% of the total geographical area of the region. The linear trend in annual snow cover from 2000 to 2010 is −1.25±1.13%. This is in consistent with earlier reported decline of the decade from 1990 to 2001. A similar trend for western, central and eastern HKH region is 8.55±1.70%, +1.66% ± 2.26% and 0.82±2.50%, respectively. The snow covered area in spring for HKH region indicates a declining trend (−1.04±0.97%). The amount of annual snowfall is correlated with annual seasonal snow cover for the western Himalaya, indicating that changes in snow cover are primarily due to interannual variations in circulation patterns. Snow cover trends over a decade were also found to vary across seasonally and the region. Snow cover trends for western HKH are positive for all seasons. In central HKH the trend is positive (+15.53±5.69%) in autumn and negative (−03.68±3.01) in winter. In eastern HKH the trend is positive in summer (+3.35±1.62%) and autumn (+7.74±5.84%). The eastern and western region of HKH has an increasing trend of 10% to 12%, while the central region has a declining trend of 12% to 14% in the decade between 2000 and 2010. Snow cover depletion curve plotted for the hydrological year 2000-2001 reveal peaks in the month of February with subsidiary peaks observed in November and December in all three regions of the HKH

Analysis of Risk Factors for Incisional Hernias and its Management

Introduction: Incisional hernia is a common problem after abdominal surgery. Patients present with pain, swelling and intestinal obstruction. It may be repaired by either anatomical suturing or mesh repair. Methods: It is a prospective observational study conducted in Western Regional Hospital and Fewa City Hospital, Pokhara from 2013 to 2016. A total of consecutive 100 patients admitted in these hospitals during the study period were included. Results: Incisional hernia is more common in females (M : F = 1 : 3.8), and in 30 - 50 years age group (60%). Major risk factors were wound infection (30%), overweight (25%), and postoperative cough (10%). It is found to be more associated with gynecological (65%), than gastrointestinal operations, and more so with lower abdominal midline incision (65%). It is found to occur mostly within one year (60%) of primary surgery than later. Even 24% of the patients had first symptom within six months. Mesh repair (92%) was the preferred standard surgical treatment for incisional hernia. Conclusion: Overweight females of age range between 30 - 50 years with history of gynecological operations by lower abdominal midline incision are more prone to develop incisional hernia. This incidence increases when there is wound infection. Mesh repair is the choice of operation for incisional hernia. J-GMC-N | Volume 11 | Issue 01 | January-June 2018, Page: 16-2

Let us conserve and exchange seeds: celebrating traditional crop diversity of the Nepali lowlands

A seed fair is an activity to create awareness about and appreciate local crop diversity, exchange seed and related knowledge, and celebrate farmers’ efforts to conserve agrobiodiversity. It takes considerable time and effort to organize a seed fair. This brief describes the seed fair organized at the Agyauli Community Seedbank, Nawalparasi in the southern region of Nepal. About 30 members of 10 community seedbanks from the terai (the southern lowland) region of Nepal came together for this. Apart from exchanging seeds of traditional crop varieties, they also shared stories about the socio-cultural, religious, spiritual, nutritional and medicinal values of their varieties. The recent formal registration of the Community Seed Banks Association of Nepal (CSBAN) was also celebrated

Optically Induced Magnetization of CdMnTe Self-Assembled Quantum Dots

We demonstrate that resonant excitation of CdMnTe self-assembled quantum dots creates an ensemble of spin-polarized magnetic polarons at B=0 T. The strong spatial confinement characteristic of quantum dots significantly increases the stability of magnetic polarons so that the optically induced spin alignment is observed for temperatures > 120 K.Comment: accepted for publication in Applied Physics Letter

Rapid gains in yield and adoption of new maize varieties for complex hillside environments through farmer participation. II. Scaling-up the adoption through community-based seed production (CBSP)

Participatory varietal selection (PVS) led to the identification of Population-22 and its later release as Manakamana-3. Subsequently further mother–baby trials tested five unreleased open-pollinated varieties (OPVs), ZM-621, Shitala, Population-45, Hill Pool White, and Hill Pool Yellow to compare them with Manakamana-3. Farmers again preferred Manakamana-3 as well as ZM-621 for their stable, higher grain yield, and for other traits such as stay-green, non-lodging, large white grains, and tolerance to foliar diseases. However, Manakamana- 3 and ZM-621 both had late maturity, open husks and dented grain. Both were tested with farmers on-farm coordinated farmers field trials (CFFTs) and had not been identified as this was more contractual type of participatory research. Individual traits were measured but overall farmers’ preferences were not elicited. In the more collaborative participation of the mother– baby trials the overall preference was determined and farmers traded-off the late maturity and dented grains of Manakamana-3 and ZM-621 against other favorable traits. Depending on location, these genotypes yielded 15–45% more grain than the local varieties in the mother–baby trials. These results led to the release of ZM-621 as Deuti in 2006. Farmers had adopted Manakamana-3 (released in 2002) and ZM-621 (Deuti) as a direct result of PVS trials and increased area under them year after year. Farmers awareness of the varieties has increased and seeds of these varieties are under community-based seed production (CBSP). Involving farmers through a collaborative mode of participation in varietal selection overcame bottlenecks to finding new varieties that had occurred with more contractual on-farm research