New record of scoliid wasps (Hymenoptera: Scoliidae: Scoliinae) from Bhutan

Eighteen species of scoliid wasps from Bhutan (Scoliidae: Scoliinae) are documented here of which 17 species, namely, Megacampsomeris cochinensis (Betrem), M. shillongensis (Betrem), Campsomeriella (Annulimeris) annulata annulata (Fabricius), C. (Campsomeriella) collaris collaris (Fabricius), Phalerimeris phalerata phalerata (de Saussure), Megascolia (Regiscolia) azurea hindostana (Micha), M. (R.) azurea christiana (Betrem & Guiglia), Scolia (Discolia) desidiosa Bingham, S. (D.) binotata binotata Fabricius, S. (D.) kamengensis Gupta & Jonathan, S. (D.) fasciatopunctata dunensis Betrem, S. (D.) elizabethae Betrem, S. (D.) rugifrons Betrem, S. (D.) clypeata rufuhirta Betrem, S. (D.) venusta Smith, S. (D.) dehraensis Betrem and Liacos erythrosoma erythrosoma (Burmeister) are reported for the first time from Bhutan

Socio-demographic Correlates of Psychological Well-being among Older Adults in Bhutan

Well-being is a complex combination of physical, psychological, emotional, and social health factors of a person. The feeling of well-being is essential for the overall health of a person and enables them to be successful and achieve what they want in life. There is a paucity of study on the well-being of older adults in Bhutan. This study attempted to assess how older adults in Bhutan perceive their well-being and determine their socio-demographic correlates. The World Health Organization five well-being indexes were applied to measure well-being. Findings indicated above average well-being score with the nature of the relationship with children, education level, and employment status as independent correlates. Efforts to enhance the relationship between family members could be more relevant for the well-being of older adults. Further research on well-being is required to incorporate determinants other than socio-demographic variables

Royal Manas National Park, Bhutan: A Hot Spot for Wild Felids

The non-uniformity of the distribution of biodiversity makes allocation of the limited resources available for conservation of biodiversity a difficult task. Approaches such as biodiversity hotspot identification, endemic bird areas, crisis ecoregions, global 200 ecoregions, and the Last of the Wild are used by scientists and international conservation agencies to prioritize conservation efforts. As part of the biodiverse Eastern Himalayan region, Bhutan has been identified as a conservation priority area by all these different approaches, yet data validating these assessments are limited. To examine whether Bhutan is a biodiversity hot spot for a key taxonomic group, we conducted camera trapping in the lower foothills of Bhutan, in Royal Manas National Park, from November 2010 to February 2011. We recorded six species of wild felids of which five are listed on the IUCN Red List: tiger Panthera tigris, golden cat Pardofelis temminckii, marbled cat Pardofelis marmorata, leopard cat Prionailurus bengalensis, clouded leopard Neofelis nebulosa and common leopard Panthera pardus. Our study area of 74 km(2) has c. 16% of felid species, confirming Bhutan as a biodiversity hot spot for this group

Gender with marital status, cultural differences, and vulnerability to hypertension: Findings from the national survey for noncommunicable disease risk factors and mental health using WHO STEPS in Bhutan

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the Kingdom of Bhutan. Thus, the early detection and prevention of hypertension is critical for reducing cardiovascular disease. However, the influence of sociocultural factors on vulnerability to hypertension needs further investigation. This study performed secondary data analysis on 1, 909 individuals in a cross-sectional study (the National survey for noncommunicable disease risk factors and mental health using World Health Organization (WHO) STEPS approach in Bhutan– 2014). Multivariate logistic regression demonstrated a significant association between gender with marital status and hypertension. Women had a higher odds ratio than men (Ref) when married (AOR: 1.27, 95% confidence intervals (CI): 1.23–1.31), and when separated, divorced, or widowed (AOR: 1.18, 95% CI: 1.12–1.26). People who speak the Tshanglakha language scored the highest odds (AOR: 1.24, 95% CI: 1.20–1.27), followed by Lhotshamkha (AOR: 1.09, 95% CI: 1.06–1.12) and Dzongkha (Ref) after adjusting for various social and biomedical factors. Additionally, tobacco use displayed decreased odds for hypertension. To promote the early detection and prevention of hypertension, these cultural factors should be considered even within small geographic areas, such as Bhutan. It is necessary to strengthen hypertension preventive strategies for people who speak Tshanglakha and Lhotshamkha. Furthermore, careful consideration should be given to preventing hypertension among adults aged 40 years or more, women who are married, separated, divorced, or widowed, and men who never married in Bhutan

Yield of Brain MRI in Clinically Diagnosed Epilepsy in the Kingdom of Bhutan: A Prospective Study

Background: People with epilepsy (PWE) in low- and middle-income countries may not access the health resources that are considered optimal for epilepsy diagnosis. The diagnostic yield of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has not been well studied in these settings. Objectives: To report the diagnostic yield of brain MRI and identify clinical associations of abnormal MRI findings among PWE in a neurocysticercosis-endemic, resource-limited setting and to identify the proportion and putative structural brain causes of drug-resistant epilepsy. Methods: PWE were prospectively enrolled at the Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Referral Hospital in Bhutan (2014-2015). Each participant completed clinical questionnaires and a 1.5-Tesla brain MRI. Each MRI was reviewed by at least 1 radiologist and neurologist in Bhutan and the United States. A working definition of drug-resistant epilepsy for resource-limited settings was given as (a) seizures for >1 year, (b) at least 1 seizure in the prior year, and (c) presently taking 2 or more antiepileptic drugs (AEDs). Logistic regression models were constructed to test the cross-sectional association of an abnormal brain MRI with clinical variables. Findings: A total of 217 participants (125 [57%] female; 54 [25%] neurocysticercosis (n = 26, 12%, including 1 child) and congenital/perinatal abnormalities (n = 29, 14%, including 14 children). The number of AEDs (odds ratio = .59, 'P' = .03) and duration of epilepsy (odds ratio = 1.11, 'P' = .02) were significantly associated with an abnormal MRI. Seizure in the prior month was associated with the presence of mesial temporal sclerosis (odds ratio = .47, 'P' = .01). A total of 25 (12%) participants met our definition of drug-resistant epilepsy, with mesial temporal sclerosis (n = 10), congenital malformations (n = 5), and neurocysticercosis (n = 4) being the more common findings. Conclusions: The prevalence of abnormalities on brain MRI for PWE in resource-limited settings is high as a result of a diffuse range of etiologies, most commonly mesial temporal sclerosis. Drug-resistant epilepsy accounted for 12% of the referral population in a conservative estimation

Adverse life experiences and quality of life among senior citizens of Bhutan

This study investigated links between adverse life experiences, health and quality of life (QOL) among 391 older adults in Bhutan. Women and men aged between 60 to 101 years in four towns were interviewed. Good QOL was reported by most participants, although many encountered difficulties. QOL was associated with the absence of significant illness, spirituality, family harmony and close social connectedness. Adverse life experiences, including from childhood five to eight decades earlier, were linked with poor QOL. This first study in Bhutan to examine these issues yielded insights that may assist development of social services for older people

Comparative Study of Mathematics Education in Bhutan and Japan

This comparative study reveals the similarities and differences in the education systems of the two nations in terms of their national education systems, school mathematics curricula and textbooks, and actual classroom practice through a review of previous literature and relevant government documents, seminars, and classroom teaching observations. There are striking differences in various areas, such as the academic year, assessment and promotion, textbook development and adoption process, actual classroom teaching through so-called “problem-solving,” the professional development program known as “lesson study,” etc. While Japan is continuously ranked in the top 10 and students’ levels of achievement are found to be high, particularly in science and mathematics through international assessment like Programme for International Student Assessment （PISA） and Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study （TIMSS）, Bhutan has not yet to participated in such an international assessment program. The Bhutanese education system is comparatively younger than to that of Japan; however its success, especially in professional development through lesson study and student-centered classroom practices through “structured problem-solving” methods, which are gaining international attention for possible adoption in other countries

An annotated checklist of the Vespidae (Hymenoptera: Vespoidea) of Bhutan with new records

Dorji, Phurpa, Nidup, Tshering, Klein, Wim, Dorji, Cheten, Daglio, Anthony, Gyeltshen, Choki (2022): An annotated checklist of the Vespidae (Hymenoptera: Vespoidea) of Bhutan with new records. Zootaxa 5150 (3): 301-332, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5150.3.

<b>Bibliography and checklist of the dragonflies and damselflies of Bhutan</b>

An overview is given of literature containing distribution records of dragonflies and damselflies in Bhutan.  Based on this an annotated checklist is presented which contains 92 species.  Camacinia gigantea (Brauer, 1867) and Libellago lineata (Burmeister, 1839) are listed as new to Bhutan. </div