A Maternal Death due to an Unsafe Abortion in Rural Nepal - A Case Report

Background: Abortion was illegal before 2002 A.D. in Nepal and was legalized under the 11th amendment to the Country Code (Muluki Ain) in March 2002, receiving royal assent in September 2002. Nepal Government began providing comprehensive abortion care services from March 2004 after 18 months of legalization of abortion, when the government issued Safe Abortion Service Procedure. The maternal mortality ratio in Nepal is among the highest in South Asia. Unsafe abortion is defined as an induced abortion process either conducted by less skilled personnel or performed in a non-accredited facility. Though abortion has been legal in Nepal for more than 14 years now; physicians in Nepal still face problems of abortions done by less qualified personnel.Case Report: We report a fatal case of unsafe abortion in a 32 year old lady whose cause of death was ascertained as irreversible septic shock due to septic abortion.Conclusion: Prompt diagnosis and appropriate intervention might provide better outcome in these types of cases. Therefore, we stress the importance of safe abortion services provided by skilled personnel at rural areas in developing countries and of early referral in case complication arises so that the life of the patient is not endangered

Economics of Rice Production in Pyuthan District of Nepal

A research was conducted at Pyuthan district in order to access the profitability of rice production in Pyuthan during the summer season of 2018-2019. Altogether of 70 respondents were selected randomly and surveyed with semi-structured interview schedule. The results revealed that the average land holding was 0.45 hectare, and the average rice cultivation area was 0.34 hectare. On the basis of average rice cultivation area, farmers were categorized as small (39) and large (31). The cost and return was calculated among both the category. t- test was used to compare the mean costs of inputs between small and large farmers. Cost for agronomic operations was found far higher (more than 70%) in both the category in compared to the cost of inputs. Contribution of rice grains and straw to overall return was 72.65% and 27.35% respectively. Benefit Cost ratio was found greater among large farmers. The average B:C ratio was 1.51, which was fairly higher than 1.14 in Dang district indicating the investment of rice production is expected to deliver a positive net return to the farmers of the study area. In a nutshell, rice cultivation is an important enterprise that should be encouraged, considering the fact that it is a major staple crop

Analysis of copy number variation in the Abp gene regions of two house mouse subspecies suggests divergence during the gene family expansions

The Androgen-binding protein (Abp) gene region of the mouse genome contains 64 genes, some encoding pheromones that influence assortative mating between mice from different subspecies. Using CNVnator and quantitative PCR, we explored copy number variation in this gene family in natural populations of Mus musculus domesticus (Mmd) and Mus musculus musculus (Mmm), two subspecies of house mice that form a narrow hybrid zone in Central Europe. We found that copy number variation in the center of the Abp gene region is very common in wild Mmd, primarily representing the presence/absence of the final duplications described for the mouse genome. Clustering of Mmd individuals based on this variation did not reflect their geographical origin, suggesting no population divergence in the Abp gene cluster. However, copy number variation patterns differ substantially between Mmd and other mouse taxa. Large blocks of Abp genes are absent in Mmm, Mus musculus castaneus and an outgroup, Mus spretus, although with differences in variation and breakpoint locations. Our analysis calls into question the reliance on a reference genome for interpreting the detailed organization of genes in taxa more distant from the Mmd reference genome. The polymorphic nature of the gene family expansion in all four taxa suggests that the number of Abp genes, especially in the central gene region, is not critical to the survival and reproduction of the mouse. However, Abp haplotypes of variable length may serve as a source of raw genetic material for new signals influencing reproductive communication and thus speciation of mice

Phyllochron Development in Cool-Season Forage Grasses

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between grass leaf insertion rate and accumulated growing degree-days, and determine the phyllochron for five perennial forage grass species and two cultivars of each species. Species field seeded in solid stands were crested wheatgrass [Agropyron desertorum (Fisch. ex. Link) Schult.], intermediate wheatgrass, [Thinopyrum intermedium Barkw. & Dewey:Syn:A. intermedium (Host) Brauv], western wheatgrass [Pascopyrum smithii (Rybd) L ve], green needlegrass (Stipa viridula Trin.), and smooth bromegrass (Bromus inermis Leyss). Species phyllochron differences ranged from 77 GDD for Mandan 404 smooth bromegrass to 114 GDD for Lodorm green needlegrass. Phyllochron differences were greater among species than cultivars within species which suggests a single equation is adequate for predicting species phyllochron for determining grazing readiness

Development of a SiPM Camera for a Schwarzschild-Couder Cherenkov Telescope for the Cherenkov Telescope Array

We present the development of a novel 11328 pixel silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) camera for use with a ground-based Cherenkov telescope with Schwarzschild-Couder optics as a possible medium-sized telescope for the Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA). The finely pixelated camera samples air-shower images with more than twice the optical resolution of cameras that are used in current Cherenkov telescopes. Advantages of the higher resolution will be a better event reconstruction yielding improved background suppression and angular resolution of the reconstructed gamma-ray events, which is crucial in morphology studies of, for example, Galactic particle accelerators and the search for gamma-ray halos around extragalactic sources. Packing such a large number of pixels into an area of only half a square meter and having a fast readout directly attached to the back of the sensors is a challenging task. For the prototype camera development, SiPMs from Hamamatsu with through silicon via (TSV) technology are used. We give a status report of the camera design and highlight a number of technological advancements that made this development possible.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figures, In Proceedings of the 34th International Cosmic Ray Conference (ICRC2015), The Hague, The Netherlands. All CTA contributions at arXiv:1508.0589

Decorating Metal Oxide Surfaces with Fluorescent Chlorosulfonated Corroles

We have prepared 2,17-bis(chlorosulfonyl)-5,10,15-tris(pentafluorophenyl)corrole (1), 2,17-bis(chlorosulfonyl)-5,10,15-tris(pentafluorophenyl)corrolatoaluminum(III) (1-Al), and 2,17-bis(chlorosulfonyl)-5,10,15-tris(pentafluorophenyl)corrolatogallium(III) (1-Ga). The metal complexes 1-Al and 1-Ga were isolated and characterized by electronic absorption and NMR spectroscopies, as well as by mass spectrometry. Relative emission quantum yields for 1, 1-Al, and 1-Ga, determined in toluene, are 0.094, 0.127, and 0.099, respectively. Reactions between 1, 1-Al, and 1-Ga and TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) result in corrole–TiO_2 NP conjugates. The functionalized NP surfaces were investigated by solid-state Fourier transform infrared and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopies and by confocal fluorescence imaging. The fluorescence images for 1-Al–TiO_2 and 1-Ga–TiO_2 suggest a promising application of these NP conjugates as contrast agents for noninvasive optical imaging

Development of digital feedback systems for beam position and energy at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility

The development of beam-based digital feedback systems for the CEBAF accelerator has gone through several stages. As the accelerator moved from commissioning to operation for the nuclear physics program, the top priority was to stabilize the beam against slow energy and position drifts (<1 Hz). These slow drifts were corrected using the existing accelerator monitors and actuators driven by software running on top of the EPICS control system. With slow drifts corrected, attention turned to quantifying the higher frequency disturbances on the beam and to designing the required feedback systems needed to achieve the CEBAF design stability requirements. Results from measurements showed the major components in position and energy to be at harmonics of the power line frequencies of 60, 120, and 180 Hz. Hardware and software was installed in two locations of the accelerator as prototypes for the faster feedback systems needed. This paper gives an overview of the measured beam disturbances and the feedback systems developed

Teaching Social Justice Lawyering: Systematically Including Community Legal Education in Law School Clinics

There is a body of literature on clinical legal theory that urges a focus in clinics beyond the single client to an explicit teaching of social justice lawyering. This Article adds to this emerging body of work by discussing the valuable role community legal education plays as a vehicle for teaching skills and values essential to single client representation and social justice lawyering. The Article examines the theoretical underpinnings of clinical legal education, community organizing and community education and how they influenced the authors’ design and implementation of community legal education within their clinics. It then discusses two projects designed to help victims of domestic violence. The first project has been ongoing for several years in a clinic with a long history of incorporating community education into its work. The second project was undertaken for the first time by a clinic teaching community legal education after a long hiatus. Through the discussion of these two projects, the Article evaluates and explains the pedagogical and logistical successes and challenges of incorporating community education into clinical programs and assesses the justice outcomes of their community work, both to the communities served and to their students

Impact of Legislated and Best Available Emission Control Measures on UK Particulate Matter Pollution, Premature Mortality, and Nitrogen-Sensitive Habitats

Past emission controls in the UK have substantially reduced precursor emissions of health-hazardous fine particles (PM2.5) and nitrogen pollution detrimental to ecosystems. Still, 79% of the UK exceeds the World Health Organization (WHO) guideline for annual mean PM2.5 of 5 μg m-3 and there is no enforcement of controls on agricultural sources of ammonia (NH3). NH3 is a phytotoxin and an increasingly large contributor to PM2.5 and nitrogen deposited to sensitive habitats. Here we use emissions projections, the GEOS-Chem model, high-resolution data sets, and contemporary exposure-risk relationships to assess potential human and ecosystem health co-benefits in 2030 relative to the present day of adopting legislated or best available emission control measures. We estimate that present-day annual adult premature mortality attributable to exposure to PM2.5 is 48,625 (95% confidence interval: 45,188-52,595), that harmful amounts of reactive nitrogen deposit to almost all (95%) sensitive habitat areas, and that 75% of ambient NH3 exceeds levels safe for bryophytes and lichens. Legal measures decrease the extent of the UK above the WHO guideline to 58% and avoid 6,800 premature deaths by 2030. This improves with best available measures to 36% of the UK and 13,300 avoided deaths. Both legal and best available measures are insufficient at reducing the extent of damage of nitrogen pollution to sensitive habitats. Far more ambitious reductions in nitrogen emissions (>80%) than is achievable with best available measures (34%) are required to halve the amount of excess nitrogen deposited to sensitive habitats