Color-based classification of EEG Signals for people with the severe locomotive disorder

The neurons in the brain produces electric signals and a collective firing of these electric signals gives rise to brainwaves. These brainwave signals are captured using EEG (Electroencephalogram) devices as micro voltages. These sequence of signals captured by EEG sensors have embedded features in them that can be used for classification. The signals can be used as an alternative input for people suffering from severe locomotive disorder.Classification of different colors can be mapped for many functions like directional movement. In this paper, raw EEG signals from NeuroSky Mindwave headset (a single electrode EEG sensor) have been classified with an attention based Deep Learning Network. Attention based LSTM Networks have been implemented for classification of two different colors and four different colors. An accuracy of 93.5\% was obtained for classification of two colors and an accuracy of 65.75\% was obtained for classifcation of four signals using the mentioned attention based LSTM network.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures, 14 graphs, 4 tables, 2 author

Vliv rozšíření, populační dynamiky a krajinné genetiky, a preference druhů kořisti na ochranu levharta sněžného v Nepálu

This thesis deals with an endangered large mammal species - snow leopard, its distribution, population dynamics, landscape genetics and connectivity, trophic ecology and human-snow leopard conflicts in the Nepalese Himalaya (Sagarmatha National Park (SNP), Lower Mustang (LM) and Upper Manang (UM) in the Annapurna Conservation Area, during Wet and Dry seasons in 2014-2016. In the case of snow leopard study, we used data obtained from camera traps, scat's genetic analysis and monitoring of fresh pugmarks and scrapes while direct count method was used to study for its main prey, blue sheep and Himalayan tahr. In study 1, we assessed the determinants of habitat suitability of snow leopards using MaxEnt model and mapped the distribution of suitable habitat for snow leopards in Nepal. Altitude and Annual mean temperature are important common factors contributing to snow leopard habitat suitability within the area studied, which is indicated by both the percentage contribution of environmental variables and Jackknife test from MaxEnt model. Some other uncommon factors also seem to play a role, as they were important in at least one of the analyses. These were: distance from road, and precipitation of driest month but their importance has to be considered with caution. In study 2, we present our...Tato práce se zabývá ohroženým velkým druhem savců - sněžným levhartem, jeho rozšířením, populační dynamikou, genetikou a konektivitou krajiny, trofickou ekologií a konflikty sněžným levhartem a člověkem v nepálském Himálaji: Národní park Sagarmatha (SNP), Dolní Mustang (LM) a Upper Manang (UM) v Annapurna Conservation Area, během let 2014-2016. V případě studie levhartů sněžných jsme použili údaje získané z fotopastí, genetické analýzy trusu a sledování čerstvých pobytových známek a škrábanců, zatímco přímé odpočty byly použity ke studiu hlavní kořisti, nahura modrého a tahra himálajského. Ve studii 1 jsme pomocí modelu MaxEnt hodnotili determinanty vhodnosti stanovišť levhartů sněžných a mapovali rozšíření vhodného prostředí pro levharty sněžné v Nepálu. Nadmořská výška a roční průměrná teplota jsou důležitými společnými faktory, které přispívají k vhodnosti stanoviště levharta sněžného ve studované oblasti, což je indikováno jak procentním příspěvkem proměnných prostředí, tak testem Jackknife z modelu MaxEnt. Zdá se, že tu hrají roli i některé další neobvyklé faktory, které byly důležité alespoň v jedné z analýz. Byly to: vzdálenost od silnice a srážky v nejsušším měsíci, ale jejich důležitost je třeba zvažovat opatrně. Ve studii 2 prezentujeme naše pozorování spolu s dalšími publikovanými údaji...Institute for Environmental StudiesÚstav pro životní prostředíFaculty of SciencePřírodovědecká fakult

Diet and prey selection by snow leopards in the Nepalese Himalayas

Visual attractiveness and rarity often results in large carnivores being adopted as flagship species for stimulating conservation awareness. Their hunting behaviour and prey selection can affect the population dynamics of their prey, which in turn affects the population dynamics of these large carnivores. Therefore, our understanding of their trophic ecology and for-aging strategies is important for predicting their population dynamics and consequently for developing effective conservation programs. Here we concentrate on an endangered species of carnivores, the snow leopard, in the Himalayas. Most previous studies on snow leopard diet lack information on prey availability and/or did not genetically check, whether the identification of snow leopard scats is correct, as their scats are similar to those of other carnivores. We studied the prey of snow leopard in three Himalayan regions in Nepal (Sagarmatha National Park (SNP), Lower Mustang (LM) and Upper Manang (UM) in the Annapurna Conservation Area, during winter and summer in 2014-2016. We collected 268 scats along 139.3 km linear transects, of which 122 were genetically confirmed to belong to snow leopard. Their diet was identified by comparing hairs in scats with our reference collection of the hairs of potential prey. We determined prey availability using 32-48 camera-traps and 4,567 trap nights. In the SNP, the most frequent prey in snow leopard faeces was the Himalayan tahr in both winter and summer. In LM and UM, its main prey was blue sheep in winter, but yak and goat in summer. In terms of relative biomass consumed, yak was the main prey everywhere in both seasons. Snow leopard preferred large prey and avoided small prey in summer but not in winter, with regional differences. It preferred domestic to wild prey only in winter, and in SNP. Unlike most other studies carried out in the same area, our study uses genetic methods for identifying the source of the scat. Studies solely based on visual identification of samples may be strongly biased. Diet studies based on frequency of occurrence of prey tend to overestimate the importance of small prey, which may be consumed more often, but contribute less energy than large prey. However, even assessments based on prey biomass are unlikely to be accurate as we do not know whether the actual size of the prey consumed corresponds to the average size used to calculate the biomass eaten. For example, large adults may be too difficult to catch and therefore mostly young animals are consumed, whose weight is much lower. We show that snow leopard consumes a diverse range of prey, which varies both regionally and seasonally. We conclude that in order to conserve snow leopards it is also necessary to conserve its main wild species of prey, which will reduce the incidence of losses of livestock.The authors thank the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation (Nepal) and National Trust for Nature Conservation (Nepal) for permitting us to conduct this study at ACA and SNP. We thank GA CR (grant No. GB14-36098G), Panthera (US), and Rufford Foundation (UK) for supporting our field and laboratory work

Identification of Pseudomonas fluorescens using different biochemical tests

Pseudomonas fluorescens not only enhances the plant growth but also controls the fungal pathogens by production of anti fungal metabolites. The objective of this experiment was to identify P. fluorescens using different biochemical tests. This research was carried out in Plant Pathology Laboratory at Agriculture and Forestry University (AFU), Rampur, Chitwan, Nepal. The result of this experiment indicated that P.  fluorescens gave positive result for Catalase test, Gelatin liquefaction, Fluorescent pigment and Oxidase test but negative result for starch hydrolysis test. The colony of P. fluorescens was maximum in maize seed than that of rice seed after two hours of inoculation, whereas higher number of colony was found in rice seed than that of maize seed after twenty four hours of seed inoculation. This findings is useful for identifying colony of P. fluorescens  per seed which is necessary for better seedling growth and effective biological control of pathogens

Bio-fertilizer activity of Trichoderma viride and Pseudomonas fluorescens as growth and yield promoter for maize

Saabunud / Received 01.06.2020 ; Aktsepteeritud / Accepted 16.09.2020 ; Avaldatud veebis / Published online 19.09.2020 ; Vastutav autor / Corresponding author: Bikram Nepali [email protected] bio-fertilizer potential of Trichoderma viride and Pseudomonas fluorescens on growth and yield performance of open-pollinated maize variety Rampur Composite was studied at the research farm of Agriculture and Forestry University (AFU), Rampur, Chitwan, Nepal during the winter season of 2018/19. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design with seven treatments (T1: recommended dose of NPK (120:60:40 kg NPK ha–1), T2: T. viride only, T3: P. fluorescens only, T4: T. viride + 50% NPK; T5: P. fluorescens + 50% NPK; T6: T. viride + P. fluorescens + 100 % NPK, T7: control) and replicated thrice. The package of agronomic practices was followed as per national recommendation. The result revealed that T. viride + 50% NPK enhanced most of the growth components like plant height (103%), leaf number (9.77%), stem diameter (73.98%), root length (40.57%), leaf area index (173.28%), leaf biomass (83.36%) and stem biomass (127.72%) of maize compared to the control. Similarly, the higher cob biomass (641 g), yield (5708 kg ha–1) and thousand kernel weight (295 g) were recorded in the plot applied to P. fluorescens + 50% NPK. The use of Trichoderma viride and Pseudomonas fluorescens with a half-dose of recommended fertilizers may increase the vegetative growth and yield of maize and may also help to reduce the rate of chemical fertilizers in maize

Human casualties from human-elephant conflict around Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve, Nepal

We studied human casualties in the buffer zone of Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve to gain insights into the factors responsible for elephant attacks on humans. We interviewed victims' families for those that got killed and victims that got injured, over the past six years. Human behaviour was responsible for more casualties than elephant behaviour. Casualties were mainly caused by people's negligence of threats and confrontation of elephants. Providing awareness about elephant ecology and training people about deterrents and methods for avoiding conflict, along with regular patrolling and maintenance of electric fences is required to ensure the safety of both people and elephants

Ecological Factors Determining Barking Deer Distribution and Habitat Use in the Mid-Hills of Nepal

Barking deer is found in dense tropical and subtropical forests of Asia. It is listed as “least concerned” by the International Union of Conservation of Nature and as “vulnerable” in Nepal, where it is also protected. Due to the habitat loss and fragmentation by human activities, barking deer abundance is decreasing, which may even ultimately lead to its extinction. This in turn might negatively affect local ecosystem such as the abundance of the endangered common leopard, for which barking deer is the main prey species in the mid-hills of Nepal. We therefore need to know factors affecting barking deer abundance and its habitat preferences. To determine these factors, we recorded barking deer either by direct sighting or by any evidence of its indirect presence observed through transect surveys in January and February, 2019. To analyze habitat preference, the presence of barking deer was set to 1 if the barking deer or any sign of its presence were observed “used plots,” or to 0 if the barking deer or any sign of its presence were not observed (“habitat availability plot”). We measured main four ecological drivers such as forest management regime, microclimate, disturbance and food resources, which include 11 habitat characteristics in spots where barking deer was present, and in randomly selected spots. We found that elevation, slope, distance from settlement, presence of tree species, depth of leaf litter and percentage cover of leaf litter were most significantly affecting its presence. These results can serve as guidelines for local authorities to prevent decline in abundance of barking deer.Peer reviewe

Efficacy of Various Biopesticides against Red Ant (Dorylus orientalis Westwood) in Potato Field

Red ant (Dorylus orientalis Westwood) is the most destructive insect pest of potato tubers in the field in Nepal. A field experiment was conducted at Bhatkada, Dadeldhura district, Nepal in 2020 to determine the efficacy of various biopesticides and chemical insecticide on red ants. The plot size in this experiment was 106.7 m2. Five treatments viz. Chlorpyriphos 20% EC (2 mL L-1 water), Banmaara (2 kg plot-1), Cow urine (2 L 6 L-1water plot-1), Agave (25 g tuber-1) and Control (no treatment) were evaluated in randomized complete block design with four replications. The data on plant height and the number of leaves were taken at 45, 60, and 75 days after planting (DAP). The data on slightly and severely infested tubers were taken after harvesting of potato. The results showed that Chlorpyriphos treated plots gave the lowest values of traits viz numbers of slightly infested tuber (91,500 ha-1), severely infested tubers (12,500 ha-1), weights of slight infested tubers (7,700 kg ha-1) and severely infested tuber (1,130 kg ha-1). Among the botanical pesticides, Agave treated plots provided the second lowest values of numbers of slightly infested tuber (145,500 ha-1), severely infested tubers (37,400 ha-1), weights of slight infested tubers (13,400 kg ha-1) and severely infested tuber (3,110 kg ha-1). The results showed that the Agave treatment provided the highest marketable yield (50,900 kg ha-1). Thus, Chlorpyriphos and Agave could be used to efficiently protect potato tubers from red ant in potato field

Visualisation of Rouviere’s Sulcus during Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy

Introduction: Safe dissection of Calot’s Triangle is important during the performance of laparascopic cholucystectomy. The purpose of the study is to determine the frequency of demonstrable Rouviere’s sulcus in patients with symptomatic gall stones and its role in safe dissection in Calot’s triangle. Methods: This is a prospective descriptive study design done in Department of surgery, Kathmandu Medical College Teaching Hospital from Jan 2013 to Jan 2015. Patients who were posted for laparoscopic cholecystectomy were included. During laparoscopy, Rouviere’s sulcus was noted in the operative note and classified according to following: Type I: Open type was defined as a cleft in which the right hepatic pedicle was visualized and the sulcus was opened throughout its length. Type II: if the sulcus was open only at its lateral end. Type III If the sulcus was open only at its medial end. Type IV: Fused type was defined as one in which the pedicle was not visualized. Results: A total of 200 patients underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy during period of 2 years. Out of which Rouviere’s sulcus was visualized in 150 patients (75 %).Type I (open type) was commoner in 54%, type II in 12%, Type III in 9% and type IV (fused type) in 25%. Conclusions: Rouviere’s Sulcus is an important extra biliary land mark for safe dissection of Calot’s triangle during laparoscopic cholecystectomy.  Keywords: Rouviere’s Sulcus, laparoscopic cholecystectomy, bile duct injury