Tharu community's perception on climate changes and their adaptive initiations to withstand its impacts in Western Terai of Nepal

This paper brings out perceptions and observations of Tharu communities (Rana and Chaudhary), inhabitants of Shakarpur VDC of Kanchanpur and Gadariya VDCs of Kailali on climate change and its impacts on their livelihood strategies over the years. In addition, the paper explores some initiatives taken by the local communities to minimize its effects and impacts. Focus Group Discussions (FGD) were organized to collect and analyze vulnerability contexts on climate change and its impact on various sectors like, agriculture, forest, livestock, biodiversity, infrastructure, human casualties and water sources. Similarly, information on available service providers and their contribution was garnered through secondary sources. Local communities are facing these changes over the time and adapting strategies as per their own traditional knowledge, skills and information. Most of these strategies are biodiversity friendly, economically viable and socially acceptable. However, these innovative steps should be shared for larger scale dissemination after validating with scientific review and justifications

Allocative Efficiency of Resource use on Beekeeping in Chitwan District of Nepal

Agriculture is facing with increasing pollinators decline all over the world affecting the functioning of regulatory and production service of pollination in adverse manner. Study on ways to conserve pollinating agents like bee is crucial in modern intensive agriculture. In this context a study was conducted to estimate the productivity and resource use efficiency of bee keeping in Chitwan district of Nepal. The study used data collected from randomly selected 48 bee keepers using face to face interview technique in the year 2014. Descriptive statistics, gross margin analysis, benefit cost analysis and multiple regression analysis using Cob-Douglas form were employed to achieve study objectives. It was found that farmers were rearing honey bee on an average of about 34 hives per farm with annual productivity of bee products equivalent to 36 Kg honey per hive. Gross margin of beekeeping in the research area was found to be NRs. 3111.55 per hive with undiscounted benefit cost ratio of 1.71. Human labour use, expenditure on sugar, drugs and comb foundation and; migration cost were significantly contributing to the productivity of beekeeping and were required to increase their use by 39%, 34% and 74%, respectively to achieve optimum profit. It was suggested to increase the level of all variable inputs through loan, subsidy and insurance to promote beekeeping enterprise in the study area for ensuring optimum profit to farmers and conservation of the most important agent of pollination

Preservation of geochemical characteristics in Permo-Triassic mudstones by metagenesis and low-grade metamorphism in the Tethys Himalaya, Central Nepal

Abstract HKT-ISTP 2013 A

Nkx2-5 and Sarcospan genetically interact in the development of the muscular ventricular septum of the heart

The muscular ventricular septum separates the flow of oxygenated and de-oxygenated blood in air-breathing vertebrates. Defects within it, termed muscular ventricular septal defects (VSDs), are common, yet less is known about how they arise than rarer heart defects. Mutations of the cardiac transcription factor NKX2-5 cause cardiac malformations, including muscular VSDs. We describe here a genetic interaction between Nkx2-5 and Sarcospan (Sspn) that affects the risk of muscular VSD in mice. Sspn encodes a protein in the dystrophin-glycoprotein complex. Sspn knockout (Sspn(KO)) mice do not have heart defects, but Nkx2-5(+/−)/Sspn(KO) mutants have a higher incidence of muscular VSD than Nkx2-5(+/−) mice. Myofibers in the ventricular septum follow a stereotypical pattern that is disrupted around a muscular VSD. Subendocardial myofibers normally run in parallel along the left ventricular outflow tract, but in the Nkx2-5(+/−)/Sspn(KO) mutant they commonly deviate into the septum even in the absence of a muscular VSD. Thus, Nkx2-5 and Sspn act in a pathway that affects the alignment of myofibers during the development of the ventricular septum. The malalignment may be a consequence of a defect in the coalescence of trabeculae into the developing ventricular septum, which has been hypothesized to be the mechanistic basis of muscular VSDs

Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Contamination of Hands and Mobile Phones of Health Care Workers in a Health Care Setting: A Silent Threat

Background: The extensive use of mobile phones in the hospital among health care workers (HCWs) can lead to infectious agents being transferred from one patient to another and thus serve as a vehicle in the transmission of nosocomial pathogens. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus auerus (MRSA) contamination of mobile phones and hands of HCWs in Gandaki Medical College and Teaching Hospital. Methods: The present study was hospital and laboratory based cross-sectional study, carried out from April, 2017 to December, 2017. A total of 100 mobile phone swab and 100 hand swab samples of HCWs were collected and cultured directly on MacConkey agar, blood agar, and mannitol salt agar after 24 hrs of enrichment. All the isolated organisms including MRSA were identified using standard microbiological techniques and subjected to antibiotic susceptibility testing using disc diffusion technique. Results: Among the Gram positive isolates, frequency distribution from mobile phones showed the highest prevalence of coagulase negative Staphylococci (CONS) (34.69%), followed by Staphylococcus aureus (20.41%), Bacillus spp (15.31%), Micrococci spp (11.23%), however considerable number of Diptheroides (8.16%), Enterococci (6.12%) and Streptococcus pneumoniae (4.08%). Siimilarly from hand swabs CONS (39.62%), followed by S. aureus (26.42%), Bacillus spp (10.38%), Micrococci (11.32%), Enterococci (6.60%) and Diptheroids (5.66%) were isolated. The frequency of MRSA was 20%, 25% among mobile phones and hands of HCWs respectively. Drugs like Vancomycin, Amikacin, Clindamycin and Gentamycin were found quite effective against S. aureus in the present study and would be better options for the management of such infections. Conclusions: Mobile phones and hands of HCWs were the potential source of nosocomial infections including multidrug-resistant pathogens like methicillin-resistant S. aureus

A Qualitative Insight into Pre-Departure Orientation Training for Aspiring Nepalese Migrant Workers

Pre-departure orientation training (PDOT) can help equip aspiring migrant workers with skills and knowledge to mitigate vulnerabilities throughout their migration journey, including health. In Nepal, PDOT has been mandatory since 2004 for migrant workers awaiting labour permits. The current PDOT programme includes country-specific information as well as health and well-being advice. However, the views of trainees and trainers on PDOT are largely unknown. This qualitative study aims to explore perceptions of migrant workers and relevant stakeholders on the content and delivery of PDOT. Six focus group discussions and six in-depth interviews were conducted with migrants, and eight interviews with key stakeholders were conducted. Thematic analysis resulted in five themes: (a) PDOT structure, accessibility, and implementation; (b) role of stakeholders in labour migration process; (c) coordination and governance; (d) curriculum development and relevance; and (e) capacity of trainers and effectiveness of training. Our findings emphasise the need for a more tailored curriculum with relevant information, education, and communication resources, possibly with input from former migrant workers. Regular updates of training topics and resources, as well as continued engagement with migrants after their employment, are essential for meeting the dynamic demands of the global employment market