Nanoporous Gold as a Solid Support for Protein Immobilization for the Development of Immunoassays, and for Biomolecular Interaction Studies

Nanoporous gold (NPG) is a versatile material of high surface area to volume ratio that can be readily modified with self-assembled monolayers of alkanethiols to which biomolecules can be linked. NPG presents new opportunities for the development of immunoassays, and for the development of carbohydrate based assays. This thesis explores the use of NPG as a support for self-assembled monolayers, their linkage to antibody-enzyme conjugates for immunoassay development, and for the study and application of carbohydrate-protein interactions. Direct kinetic electrochemical immunoassays were developed on NPG for prostate specific antigen (PSA) and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA). The decrease in enzymatic conversion of p-aminophenylphosphate to p-aminophenol, by alkaline phosphatase conjugated to an antibody, due to steric hindrance caused by the presence of antigen on antibody, was observed as a drop in peak current in square-wave voltammetry. Detection limit of these assays was 0.075 ng mL-1 and 0.015 ng mL-1 for PSA and CEA, respectively. Similarly, the linear range of determination of these biomarkers extended up to 30 ng mL-1 and 10 ng mL-1 for PSA and CEA, respectively. Minimal interference was observed using newborn calf serum as a substitute for the human serum matrix. A rapid and sensitive enzyme linked lectinsorbant assay was also developed for the study of glycoprotein-lectin interactions on the NPG surface. Self-assembled monolayers of alkanethiols on NPG were characterized by cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Similarly, the applicability of this surface for the formation of carbohydrate monolayers and its application for lectin carbohydrate interactions was also studied. Pure and mixed SAMs of 8-mercaptooctyl -D-mannopyranoside (Man-C8-SH) and α-D-Gal-(1→4)-β-D-Gal-(1→4)-D-Glc1-O-mercaptooctane (Gb3-C8-SH) with alkanethiols having varying tail groups were prepared. Binding affinity and binding kinetics of concanavalin A to mannoside and soybean agglutinin to galactose in these SAMs were found to be different on NPG than on flat polycrystalline gold, and was also sensitive to the chemical composition of the modified surfaces

Analysis of Climate Policy and Monetary Policy Nexus in the Norwegian Context: A DSGE Approach

This thesis aims to analyze the nexus between climate policy and monetary policy using the DSGE approach in the context of Norway. It considers two central themes: first, whether subsidization of electric vehicles could substantiate emission reduction, and second, whether it could be a better idea to involve the government in direct economic activities, such as production. New Keynesian macroeconomics provided essential theoretical and methodological foundations. Simulations over the selected variables followed by estimation using Dynare version 5.5 within the Matlab environment offered several results. The observed data series included the gross domestic product, consumer price index, returns on bonds, and emissions from Norwegian economic activities. All the series are related to Norway during 1990Q1:2022Q4. Data analysis occurred especially through impulse response function and historical decomposition methods. The results show that climate policy through incentivization of electric vehicles does not contribute to emission reductions. On the other hand, public investment resulting from the direct involvement of government in the production activity contributes to influencing the evolution of several key macro variables such as employment and output along with greenhouse gas emissions. To conclude Monetary policy has substantial effects on causing variation in emission levels over time

Diaconal Work for Women Empowerment by the Christian Organization; HimalPartner in Nepal

This has discussed and analyzed the diaconal activities for women empowerment in Nepalese societies by Christian organization HimalPartner. Large numbers of women are discriminated and marginalized by gender discriminations and domestic violence in rural areas of Nepalese societies. HimalParner have been working with local and international partners to empower discriminated and marginalized women with different diaconal activities

SEVERAL METHODS OF FEATURE EXTRACTION TO HELP IN OPTICAL CHARACTER RECOGNITION

An Optical Character Recognition (OCR) consists of three bold steps namely Preprocessing, Feature extraction, Classification. Methods of Feature extraction yield feature vectors based on which the classification of a testing pattern is executed. The paper aims at proposing some  methods of feature extraction that may go a long way to recognize a Bengali numeral or character. Pixel Ex-OR Method presents a digital gating (Ex-OR) technique to extract the information in an image. Two successive elements of a row in image matrix have been Ex-ORed and the output is again Ex-ORed with the next element.  Alphabetical coding codes a binary character image by means of letters of English alphabet. Directional features find gradient information using Sobel Masks to make position of stroke clear in an image. The features have been derived in eight standard directions and then these eight feature vectors are merged into four sets of features to reduce the system complexity and hence processing time is saved considerably. These features will help develop a Bengali numeral recognition system

Older Adult Perspectives towards Health Literacy and Knowledge of Chronic Diseases in Nepal: A case study

Background: The individual level of health literacy directly affects the health outcomes of any people. Older adult people are more vulnerable to chronic diseases than other groups of people. Also they have low health literacy and poor understanding of diseases than any other age group of people. Aim: This study aim is to explore older adult perspectives towards health literacy and knowledge of chronic diseases. Methods: The study was taken during December 2019 in the Budhanilkantha Municipality of Kathmandu district of Nepal. Semi-structured interview was conducted in four older adult participants with chronic diseases. It included health knowledge, level of understanding of chronic disease conditions, and the use of health services. Inductive analysis was followed for the patterns, themes, and categories of analysis to emerge. Results: Health literacy and knowledge of chronic diseases, health belief system, and experience of health problems were the emerging themes included here. The study results finds that lack of disease knowledge, low health literacy, health belief system, socio-economic, and cultural factors were influencing factors to chronic diseases among older adults. Participants had a minor knowledge of chronic diseases; they had lack in knowledge regarding their own chronic diseases. Conclusion: Health literacy is an important factor of understanding, accessing and utilizing health knowledge and health services. It is most important that the health literacy of the people is necessary to improve for positive health and gaining the knowledge of chronic diseases. To overcome the chronic health problems it is most important to improve the health knowledge, understanding of chronic diseases, and literacy level to the older adult people

Approximation of a generalized Lipschitz class function by Euler - Cesàro means of Fourier series

In this paper, I have taken product of two summability methods, Euler and Cesaro; and establish a new theorem on the degree of approximation of the function f belonging to W(Lp, ?(t)) classes by Euler - Cesaro method. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/bibechana.v9i0.7190 BIBECHANA 9 (2013) 151-15

Approximation of a generalized Lipschitz class function by Euler - Cesàro means of Fourier series

In this paper, I have taken product of two summability methods, Euler and Cesaro; and establish a new theorem on the degree of approximation of the function f belonging to W(Lp, ?(t)) classes by Euler - Cesaro method. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/bibechana.v9i0.7190 BIBECHANA 9 (2013) 151-15

Effect of Temperature, Rainfall, Cloud, and Humidity on Production of Large Cardamom in Sankhuwasabha, Nepal

The objective of this work was to assess the status of Large cardamom production in the past ten years and impact of meteorological parameters on production of Large cardamom in Sankhuwasabha district, Nepal. Cardamom production data of ten years are taken from statistical information on Nepalese agriculture, Ministry of Agriculture Development. Apart from this monthly data of temperature, rainfall, cloud and humidity are collected from the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, Khadbari station. The variables under consideration are the cardamom production as a dependent variable and the temperature, cloud, humidity and rainfall as independent variables. P-values and correlation between the dependent and independent variables are calculated using MS EXCEL. Findings of the study shows that Rainfall and Humidity made a significant contribution to the rate of cardamom production forming an upward trend. Temperature gives a downward trend and possesses negative correlation with productivity. Clouds is not significantly related with the cardamom production. The implication of this study for the improvement of cardamom production was discussed