Intraventricular dissemination of the pilocytic astrocytomas in an adult

Pilocytic astrocytoma (PA) is a subset of gliomas characterized by a benign course with an excellent prognosis and rarely metastasizing or spreading along the neuraxis. We report a case of a 56-year female with intraventricular dissemination of pilocytic astrocytoma in an adult and discuss the clinical significance diagnosis and management including the peculiar pattern of dissemination of the pilocytic astrocytoma. The course of the disseminated disease may not be as good as that of patients with localized recurrence or totally resected primary disease and can vary from rapid progression to prolonged stabilization

Road safety and heavy goods vehicle driving in LMICs: Qualitative evidence from Nepal

Background: Heavy goods vehicle drivers are an influential driving population in Nepal, with over 90% of goods in the country are transported by road. Due to the time spent on the road, drivers have long periods of exposure to the risk of crash involvement. The study explores the perceptions and experiences of heavy goods vehicle drivers and representatives from their professional association regarding road danger. Methods: We conducted semi-structured interviews with fifteen heavy goods vehicle drivers regularly driving on the East-West highway of Makwanpur District, Nepal. A focus group was conducted with eleven members from a major transportation entrepreneur's association in Nepal. The focus group and interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, translated, and analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: Four themes were developed- assumptions of blame; perceptions of safety culture in the trucking industry; influence of road infrastructure; and behaviours of road users. The road and traffic environment, enforcement, and the safety culture in the heavy vehicle industry not only influenced the attitudes of the road users towards traffic safety but also legitimized and encouraged behaviours that affect safety. General and industry-related road safety improvements suggested by participants included: making provision for heavy good vehicles parking areas, separating the highway with a median strip, improving crash investigation capacity, conducting road safety awareness and training programs, strictly enforcing the speed limit and laws about driving under the influence of alcohol/drugs, and formulating strategies to create a safe, supportive working environment in the heavy vehicle industry. Conclusion: Heavy goods vehicle drivers and members of the professional association can provide rich information regarding the barriers and facilitators of road risk in Nepal. Their perceptions and opinions can contribute to devising interventions at individual, societal, organizational, and governmental levels, and inform efforts to develop a positive safety culture within the heavy vehicle transport industry

Experience of living near a highway in Nepal: Community perceptions of road dangers in Makwanpur district

Introduction: Road traffic injuries are a major but neglected global challenge. There are high and rising rates of road traffic injuries in Nepal. Most of the studies reporting these injuries in Nepal have used quantitative methods to describe the injury burden. Little qualitative research has been conducted to describe the contexts and social processes surrounding crashes, or public perceptions of risks and potential solutions. The aim of this study was to explore the perceptions of road dangers from communities living alongside a major highway in Nepal. Methods: In this qualitative study we recruited members of neighbourhood development committees and a mother's group to take part in focus groups exploring their views. Data were audio-recorded, transcribed, translated and analysed thematically. Results: Four focus groups were conducted involving 34 participants aged 24-65. Our study findings highlight the challenges faced by people living near a major highway and their fear of getting injured on the road. Five themes that emerged were: risky behaviours of road users, infrastructure for safer behaviour, poor condition and maintenance of roads and vehicles, limited adherence and enforcement of traffic laws, and the need for road safety awareness programmes. Conclusion: The community groups expressed multiple concerns regarding the safety of members of their communities and lived-in fear of death and injury on the road where they lived. There is an urgent need for government agencies to understand these concerns and to take action in relating to infrastructure provision, regulation and behavioural change programmes

Views of professional stakeholders on readiness for a safe road system in Nepal; an exploratory qualitative study

Road traffic injuries in Nepal are increasing despite being largely preventable. Little evidence exists regarding the barriers and facilitators to a safer road system. This study aimed to explore the perspectives of professionals whose jobs had the potential to influence road safety in Nepal regarding challenges and potential solutions. Semi-structured interviews with eight informants from diverse roles were analysed thematically. Three themes were identified: Modifying behaviours of road users; Road planning, construction and maintenance; and the Governance of roads and traffic. All participants considered the primary cause of crashes to be the negligent behavior of the road users, suggesting that improved knowledge would influence their decisions. Poor road design, building and maintenance, together with poor vehicle standards, and lack of investment and enforcement of existing road safety legislation, needed to be addressed through greater coordination of the agencies. The study identified a range of areas for future inquiry and action

Completeness of police reporting of traffic crashes in Nepal: Evaluation using a community crash recording system

Objective: Accurate road crash reporting is essential for evaluating road safety interventions and plans. Under-reporting of road traffic crashes, injuries, and fatalities in police records has been widely described. The aim of this study was to apply and evaluate a community crash recording system, and assess the quality of the data in comparison with traffic police data in Nepal. Methods: The crash data collection methodology involved recruiting Local Record Keepers working and living at locations known to be at a high risk of crashes. Six shopkeepers were recruited at three crash locations and trained to complete collision incident forms for crashes occurring over one year on the section of road visible from their premises. Manual traffic volume and pedestrian counts, and spot speed surveys were conducted. Data were compared with District police records for the same period and locations. Results: Over 12 months, 110 crashes were recorded by the Local Record Keepers. Of these, 70 resulted in 145 injuries (5 fatalities, 62 severe, and 78 minor injuries), while 40 resulted only in property damage. Comparable police data recorded 23 crashes, of which 18 crashes resulted in 27 injuries (8 fatalities, 13 serious, and 6 minor injuries), and 5 crashes in property damage only. The difference in recording of fatal and serious injuries was statistically significant (χ2(1) = 19.94, p < 0.001). The police reporting rate was highest for fatalities (62.5%) but only 11.6% and 7.1% for property damage cases and minor injuries respectively, and 3.8% for single-vehicle crashes. Compared to the Local Record Keeper data, the overall police crash reporting rate was 19.7%. Conclusions: Local Record Keepers’ recording of road traffic crashes and casualties is feasible and provides a more complete record than routinely collected police data. The low reporting rate in the police records of minor injury, property damage, and single-vehicle crashes suggest significant underestimation and bias in the reporting of the actual burden of road traffic crashes. Local Record Keeper recording is a viable method for validating police reports

Development and application of C - scan ultrasonic facility

This paper presents the in-house development and application of a C-scan ultrasonic facility ULTIMA 200M2 at the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR), Kalpakkam, carried out in collaboration with the Electronics Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Mumbai. The paper describes various constituents of the system developed and also highlights the typical results obtained using this system, including bond integrity assessment of explosive welds and imaging of fuel sub-assembly heads of the Fast Breeder Test Reactor. The system has also been used for imaging both the sides of a one rupee Indian coin. All the finer details of the coin could be extracted, demonstrating the resolution capabilities of the system

Middle mountains forests of Nepal

Publication no. 3201

Challenges and issues in continuum modelling of tribology, wear, cutting and other processes involving high-strain rate plastic deformation of metals

Contribution of finite element method (FEM) as a modelling and simulation technique to represent complex tribological processes has improved our understanding about various biomaterials. This paper presents a review of the advances in the domain of finite element (FE) modelling for simulating tribology, wear, cutting and other processes involving high-strain rate plastic deformation of metals used in bio tribology and machining. Although the study is largely focused on material removal cases in metals, the modelling strategies can be applied to a wide range of other materials. This study discusses the development of friction models, meshing and remeshing strategies, and constitutive material models. The mesh-based and meshless formulations employed for bio tribological simulations with their advantages and limitations are also discussed. The output solution variables including scratch forces, local temperature, residual stresses are analyzed as a function of input variables

High mountains and high Himal forests of Nepal

Publication no. 4201