May Measurement Month 2017: An analysis of blood pressure screening results in Nepal - South Asia

Hypertension is the leading risk factor of mortality in Nepal accounting for ∼33 000 deaths in 2016. However, more than 50% of the hypertensive patients are unaware of their status. We participated in the May Measurement Month 2017 (MMM17) project initiated worldwide by the International Society of Hypertension to raise the awareness on the importance of blood pressure (BP) screening. In this paper, we discuss the screening results of MMM17 in Nepal. An opportunistic cross-sectional survey of volunteers aged ≥18 years was carried out in May 2017 following the standard MMM protocol. Data were collected from 18 screening sites in 7 districts covering 5 provinces. Screenings were conducted either in health facilities, public places, or participants' homes. Trained volunteers with health science background and female community health volunteers were mobilized to take part in the screening. A total of 5972 individuals were screened and of 5968 participants, for whom a mean of the 2nd and 3rd readings was available, 1456 (24.4%) participants had hypertension; 908 (16.8%) of those not receiving treatment were hypertensive; and 248 (45.2%) of those being treated had uncontrolled BP. MMM17 is the first nationwide BP screening campaign undertaken in Nepal. Given the suboptimal treatment and control rates identified in the study, there is a strong imperative to scale up hypertension prevention, screening, and management programmes. These results suggest that opportunistic screening can identify significant numbers with hypertension. Mobilization of existing volunteer networks and support of community stakeholders, would be necessary to improve the overall impact and sustainability of future screening programmes

MODIFIED ATMOSPHERE PACKAGING OF CAULIFLOWER FOR ENHANCING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF COOL BOT COLD STORAGE TO PRESERVE THE POSTHARVEST QUALITY IN NEPAL

In recent years, cool bot storage was introduced to smallholder farmers in Nepal as a low-cost alternative to cold storage. The present study was carried out to evaluate the efficacy of different poly films in perforated modified atmosphere packaging on the postharvest life of cauliflower in cool bot-equipped cold rooms and ambient room conditions in the years 2019 and 2020 in the month of December. The cauliflower curds (hybrid variety White Top) were harvested from commercial vegetable growers at a fully mature stage. The compact and mature curds were harvested in the morning and brought to the National Horticulture Research Centre in Khumaltar. The curds were kept overnight for pre-cooling. Four different poly films (25 μ, 50 μ, 75 μ, and 100 low-density polyethylene with 16 perforations were used during storage in two different storage conditions. The study was conducted in a completely randomized block design. Curds were kept at ambient room conditions (15.5°C, 58% RH) for 10 days and at cool, bot devised, cold storage (11.25°C, 96% RH) for 15 days and analyzed for various postharvest quality parameters every 5 days of storage. The results modified atmosphere packaging i.e.50μ LDPE was found effective in cauliflower stored in ambient room conditions with quality perspective but the packaging didn’t provide additive effects in shelf life and quality of cauliflower in cool bot storage conditions

Free roaming dogs in Central Nepal: demographics, health and public knowledge, attitudes and practices

In Nepal most dogs are free to roam and may transmit diseases to humans and animals. These dogs often suffer from malnutrition and lack basic health care. Minimal information is available about their demographics and about public attitudes concerning dogs and diseases. We carried out a study in Chitwan District (central Nepal), to collect baseline data on free-roaming owned dog demographics, assess knowledge, attitudes and practices of dog owners concerning dogs and rabies, evaluate rabies vaccination coverage and anthelmintic treatment of dogs, measure dogs’ response to rabies vaccination and assess dog health through body condition scores and parasites. We conducted household interviews with owners of free-roaming female dogs (n=60) and administered dogs with rabies vaccination and anthelmintics. Dog owners regularly fed free-roaming dogs but provided minimal health care; 42% of respondents did not claim ownership of the dog for which they provided care. We collected skin, faecal and blood samples for parasite identification and for measuring rabies virus-specific antibodies. Ninety-two percent of dog owners were aware of the routes of rabies virus transmission but only 35% described the correct post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) following a dog bite. Twenty-seven percent of the dogs had measurable rabies virus-specific antibody titres and 14% had received anthelmintics in the previous year. Following rabies vaccination, 97% of dogs maintained an adequate antibody titre for > 6 months. Most dogs appeared healthy, although haemoprotozoans, endoparasites and ectoparasites were identified in 12%, 73% and 40% of the dogs, respectively. Poor skin condition and parasite load were associated. Seventy-four percent of the females had litters in one year (mean litter size= 4.5). Births occurred between September and February; we estimated 60% mortality in puppies. We concluded that vaccination coverage, PEP awareness and anthelmintic treatment should be emphasized in educational programmes focussed on animal welfare, veterinary and public health

Probabilistic seismic hazard assessment of Nepal for revision of national building code NBC105

Being located in seismically active Himalayan mountain belt, Nepal has been the locus of many devastating earthquakes. The Mw 8.4 Bihar-Nepal earthquake of 1934 AD was the biggest earthquake disaster in Nepal that had highlighted the need of a building seismic design code for safer construction. Though the necessity was realised earlier, Nepal developed its first National Building Code (NBC-105) only in 1994 after the 1988 Mw 6.9Udayapur earthquake in eastern Nepal. In April 2015, central Nepal witnessed the Mw 7.8 Gorkha earthquake, which had epicentre at Barpak village of Gorkha district, about 75 km west of Kathmandu. The ground mtions recorded at soft soil sites in Kathmandu Valley clearly show strong site effect resulting in high energy in long period, i.e. at 3s to 5s. A comparative study has revealed that, at least in Kathmandu Valley, the observed ground motions exceeded the seismic design demand proposed by NBC-105 for some period ranges. Unsurprisingly, the earthquake caused extensive damage to buildings and infrastructures in 14 districts(mostly towards east of the epicentre due to further ruptured directivity effect) and killed 8,970 people. This earthquake also triggered revision of the existing national building code (known as NBC- 105)by the Government of Nepal.A key feature of the revision of NBC-105 has been re-assessment of national seismic hazard by adopting a probabilistic approach. Since the development of NBC-105 in 1994, a large number of studies have been carried on seismo-tectonics, active fault, paleoseismology, seismicity, geodesy etc, which have significantly increased the level of knowledge on seismic sources in the central Himalayas. In addition, after the 2015 Gorkha earthquake, much knowledge is gained on the geometry of the main seismogenic fault, the Main Himalayan Thrust (MHT) also called the Main Frontal Thrust (MFT) at the surface of the Himalayan front. Based on recent researches, in contrast to seismic sources adopted in 1994, a fault source (MHT) and area sources, i.e. northern garbens in Tibet, strike-slip event dominant sources in eastern and western Nepal and a source south of MHT are considered for seismic hazard analysis. As there is no specific Ground Motion Prediction Equation (GMPE) for the Himalayas, based on seismo-tectonics, GMPEs are adopted including Next Generation Attenuation laws. More than two GMPES are used for each source using the logic tree approach. Seismic hazard is computed for 2%, and 10% probability of exceedence in 50 year. In contrast to hazard map of 1994, the zones of relatively higher Peak Ground Acceleration (PGA) i.e. 0.36g to 0.46g are, for 10% probability of exceedence in 50 year, concentrated just above the locked portion of MHT throughout the country. The PGA values gradually decrease towards the north and south of MFT. This pattern of PGA distribution is consistent with the coupling nature of the MHT in the Himalayas

The Humoral Pattern Recognition Molecule PTX3 Is a Key Component of Innate Immunity against Urinary Tract Infection

International audienceImmunity in the urinary tract has distinct and poorly understood pathophysiological characteristics and urinary tract infections (UTIs) are important causes of morbidity and mortality. We investigated the role of the soluble pattern recognition molecule pentraxin 3 (PTX3), a key component of the humoral arm of innate immunity, in UTIs. PTX3-deficient mice showed defective control of UTIs and exacerbated inflammation. Expression of PTX3 was induced in uroepithelial cells by uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) in a Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)- and MyD88-dependent manner. PTX3 enhanced UPEC phagocytosis and phagosome maturation by neutrophils. PTX3 was detected in urine of UTI patients and amounts correlated with disease severity. In cohorts of UTI-prone patients, PTX3 gene polymorphisms correlated with susceptibility to acute pyelonephritis and cystitis. These results suggest that PTX3 is an essential component of innate resistance against UTIs. Thus, the cellular and humoral arms of innate immunity exert complementary functions in mediating resistance against UTIs.</p

Isolation, biochemical and molecular identification, and in-vitro antimicrobial resistance patterns of bacteria isolated from bubaline subclinical mastitis in South India

Buffaloes are the second largest source of milk. Mastitis is a major impediment for milk production, but not much information is available about bubaline mastitis, especially subclinical mastitis. The aim of this study was to (a) investigate the application of various tests for the diagnosis of bubaline subclinical mastitis, (b) identify the major bacteria associated with it, and (c) evaluate the antibiotic resistance pattern of the bacteria. To this end, 190 quarter milk samples were collected from 57 domesticated dairy buffaloes from organized (64 samples) and unorganized (126 samples) sectors. Of these, 48.4%, 40.0%, 45.8%, 61.1%, and 61.6% were positive for subclinical mastitis by somatic cell count, electrical conductivity, California mastitis test, bromothymol blue test, and N-acetyl glucosaminidase test, respectively. As compared to the gold standard of somatic cell count, California mastitis test performed the best. However, a combination of the two methods was found to be the best option. Microbiological evaluation, both by biochemical methods as well as by monoplex and multiplex polymerase chain reaction, revealed that coagulase-negative staphylococci were the most predominant (64.8%) bacteria, followed by streptococci (18.1%), Escherichia coli (9.8%) and Staphylococcus aureus (7.3%). Most of the pathogens were resistant to multiple antibiotics, especially to β-lactam antibiotics. We propose that California mastitis test be combined with somatic cell count for diagnosis of subclinical mastitis in domestic dairy buffaloes. Further, our results reveal high resistance of the associated bacteria to the β-lactam class of antibiotics, and a possible major role of coagulase-negative staphylococci in causing the disease in India