An Overview of Fingerprint Patterns among Students of Gandaki Medical College, Pokhara, Nepal

Introduction: Fingerprint system of positive identification is based on the principle that the arrangement and distribution of fingerprint re­mains constant and persists throughout life and that the patterns of no two hands resemble each other. Methods: A cross sectional study was carried out among 250 students (125 male and 125 female students), aged 17 - 40 years of age, of Gan­daki Medical College, Pokhara, Nepal from 15 March to 13 April, 2017 A.D. The fingertip patterns of both hands were collected and identified with the aid of a magnifying glass and documented as: Loops, Whorls, Arches and Composite type. The data were enrolled in SPSS version 16 and analyzed accordingly. Results: There was a preponderance of loop pattern (52.6%) followed by whorls (39.4%), arches (7.3%) and composite (0.6%). Whorls (41.7%) were more common in males compared to females (37.1%) and females had more arches (9.6%) compared to that of the male counter­parts (5.04%). There was no significant difference in fingerprint pat­terns among male and female students. Conclusion: The predominance of loops amongst other fingerprint patterns along with no significant gender differences in fingerprint pat­terns can be considered as a valuable research finding in the field of forensic science

Comparative study of Pelvi-calyceal system and relationship of structures at hilum of kidney between Nepalese and North Americans

Introduction: Pelvi-calyceal system consists of renal pelvis along with major and minor calyces.The minor calyces unite with their neighbors two or three chambers to form the major calyces. The major calyces drain into the infundibula. The renal pelvis is formed from the junction of the infundibula. The common pattern of arrangement of structures at the renal hilum, antero-poteriorly is renal vein, renal artery and pelvis. Objectives: To compare the study of pelvi-calyceal system and relationship of structures at hilum of kidney between Nepalese and North Americans. Methodology: The gross and prosected kidney specimens were studied for pelvi-calyceal system and relationship of structures at hilum of kidney in Anatomy department. In Nepal, the study was undertaken in Gandaki Medical College, Kaski and in USA, it was done in Well-cornel University, New York. Result: Tricalyceal major calyx were found in 63.8% in Nepalese and Bicalyceal were found in 65.6% North Americans which is statistically significant variations. The number of minor calyces and pyramids varying 6 in Nepalese and 9 in North Americans were also statistically significant (p<0.05). The arrangement of structures at hilum of kidney from anterior to posterior(renal vein, artery and pelvis) in Nepalese and North American kidneys was 86.1% and 62.5% respectively whereas the structures arranged as renal artery, vein and pelvis from anterior to posterior was 13.9% and 37.5% . Conclusion: There are significant variations in pelvicalyceal system and relations of structures at hilum of kidneys of Nepalese and North-Americans

Association of Fingerprints with the ABO Blood grouping among students in Gandaki Medical College

Introduction: Dermatoglyphic study is undoubtedly the most reliable, convenient and acceptable method of individual identification since the fingerprint pattern persist same throughout the life and no two individ­ual has similar pattern. Both blood group and dermatoglyphic pattern have genetic inheritance so an attempt has been made to analyze their correlation with gender and blood group of an individual. Methods: A cross sectional study was carried out in 200 students (105 male and 95 female), aged 17to 27 years, with prior knowledge of their blood group, of Gandaki Medical College, Pokhara, Nepal. The finger­print patterns of both hands were recorded and patterns were observed. Results: Loop was the most common pattern registering 51.8% followed by whorls, arches and composite in both genders. Frequency of loop was higher in both male and female. Frequency of whorl was comparative­ly higher in male (41.3%) compared to female (38.8%). Similarly arch was more common in female (9.89%) than in male (5.05%).Frequency of loop was highest in all blood groups in both male and female; followed by whorls, arches and composite. Both loops and whorls were highest in individual with O+ blood group. Arch was found to be highest in B+ subjects. Conclusion: There was no significant association between distribution of fingerprint patterns, blood group and gender and thus prediction of gender and blood group of a person is not possible based on his finger­print pattern

Patient and Public Engagement in Health Research: Learning from UK Ideas

One of the new ideas in health and social care research in the UK is around involving patients and the general public in all aspects of research. This paper led by seven MSc students from Manmohan Memorial Institute of Health Sciences in Nepal. They attended Bournemouth University modules as part of the Erasmus+ exchange programme in 2022 and worked with two UK-based academics. The authors outline the thinking behind this process, and offer an example. They address its importance in improving the quality of the research as well as adding value to its societal relevanc

Agenda setting and framing of gender-based violence in Nepal: how it became a health issue.

: Gender-based violence (GBV) has been addressed as a policy issue in Nepal since the mid 1990s, yet it was only in 2010 that Nepal developed a legal and policy framework to combat GBV. This article draws on the concepts of agenda setting and framing to analyse the historical processes by which GBV became legitimized as a health policy issue in Nepal and explored factors that facilitated and constrained the opening and closing of windows of opportunity. The results presented are based on a document analysis of the policy and regulatory framework around GBV in Nepal. A content analysis was undertaken. Agenda setting for GBV policies in Nepal evolved over many years and was characterized by the interplay of political context factors, actors and multiple frames. The way the issue was depicted at different times and by different actors played a key role in the delay in bringing health onto the policy agenda. Women's groups and less powerful Ministries developed gender equity and development frames, but it was only when the more powerful human rights frame was promoted by the country's new Constitution and the Office of the Prime Minister that legislation on GBV was achieved and a domestic violence bill was adopted, followed by a National Plan of Action. This eventually enabled the health frame to converge around the development of implementation policies that incorporated health service responses. Our explicit incorporation of framing within the Kindgon model has illustrated how important it is for understanding the emergence of policy issues, and the subsequent debates about their resolution. The framing of a policy problem by certain policy actors, affects the development of each of the three policy streams, and may facilitate or constrain their convergence. The concept of framing therefore lends an additional depth of understanding to the Kindgon agenda setting model.<br/

Anti-Tuberculosis Therapy-Induced Hepatotoxicity among Ethiopian HIV-Positive and Negative Patients

Background: To assess and compare the prevalence, severity and prognosis of anti-TB drug induced hepatotoxicity (DIH) in HIV positive and HIV negative tuberculosis (TB) patients in Ethiopia. Methodology/Principal Findings: In this study, 103 HIV positive and 94 HIV negative TB patients were enrolled. All patients were evaluated for different risk factors and monitored biochemically and clinically for development of DIH. Sub-clinical hepatotoxicity was observed in 17.3 % of the patients and 8 out of the 197 (4.1%) developed clinical hepatotoxicity. Seven of the 8 were HIV positive and 2 were positive for HBsAg. Conclusions/Significance: Sub-clinical hepatotoxicity was significantly associated with HIV co-infection (p = 0.002), concomitant drug intake (p = 0.008), and decrease in CD4 count (p = 0.001). Stepwise restarting of anti TB treatment was also successful in almost all the patients who developed clinical DIH. We therefore conclude that anti-TB DIH is a major problem in HIV-associated TB with a decline in immune status and that there is a need for a regular biochemical and clinical follow up for those patients who are at risk

Blood pressure and hypertension in people living at high altitude in Nepal

This study aimed to describe blood pressure (BP) and hypertension (HT) in samples of high altitude populations of Nepal and to explore associations of systolic BP, diastolic BP and HT with altitude. This was a cross-sectional survey among 521 people living at four different altitude levels, all above 2800 m, in the Mustang and Humla districts of Nepal. Data on BP was available for all 521 participants. Systolic and diastolic BP levels were highest at the altitude of 3620 m (the highest area surveyed) but did not consistently increase with altitude. Using the cut-point of ≥140/90 mmHg (systolic/diastolic), the prevalence of HT (or on anti-hypertensive medication) was 46.1%, 40.9%, and 54.5% respectively at 2800 m, 3270 m and 3620 m of Mustang district, and 29.1% at 2890 m of Humla district. In a multivariate model adjusting for potential confounders there was moderate evidence of a relationship between systolic BP and altitude; mean systolic BP increased by 14.1 mmHg (95% CI 2.6 to 25.5), P=0.02 for every 1000 m elevation. Although diastolic BP and the probability for HT (or on anti-hypertensive medication) also tended to increase with increasing altitude levels, there was no evidence of a relationship. In the present study three out of four communities living at higher altitude levels showed a greater prevalence of HT among those aged 30 years or older compared with the overall national data. These findings indicate a probable high risk of raised BP in high altitude populations in Nepal