Sleep-Related Arousal and Spontaneous Movement Properties in Methadone-Exposed Neonates: A Videographic Assessment On the First or Second Postnatal Night

Prenatal substance exposure such as alcohol, nicotine, and opiates is known to modulate autonomic regulatory function during sleep, and to decrease arousability and spontaneous movements (SM). SM during sleep may reflect a protective mechanism for immature patterns of arousals. Neurodevelopmental compromise in sleep and arousal systems may underlie sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) risk in which infants expire during sleep. Previous studies from our laboratory found abnormal patterns of neonatal arousal, sleep fragmentation, and deficits in sleep-related SM in infants with prenatal alcohol exposure. In this study, prenatal exposure to methadone was hypothesized to disrupt the development of sleep and arousal neural circuitry, which have been found for other high-risk samples. Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) is a common consequence of prenatal methadone exposure that may appear within 24 - 72 hours postbirth, and is known to disrupt sleep due to hyperarousability. As a secondary hypothesis, the neonatal age (day 1 or 2 of life) was expected to affect infant sleep and arousal outcomes in methadone-exposed neonates particularly on day 2 when NAS symptoms increase. Additionally, single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene was found to associate with the severity of NAS in our previous study. NAS severity has been associated with sleep disorders. Therefore, the second hypothesis of this thesis study is that the minor allelic variants (AG/GG) of the COMT gene previously identified as protective of NAS severity may also associate with better sleep organization and more robust SM than the carriers of the AA genotype. Rural, disadvantaged Caucasian mothers and infants (N=58 dyads: methadone=37, comparison=21) were recruited from multiple narcotic treatment sites and prenatal clinic at Eastern Maine Medical Center (EMMC). Mothers were interviewed to determine demographics, psychiatric status, and substance abuse history during the 3rd trimester. Biweekly maternal urinalysis screens and neonatal meconium were applied to verify comorbid alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use. Finnegan scores determined symptoms of withdrawal in opioid exposed newborns. Videosomnographic recordings of behavioral states were collected in the newborn nursery of EMMC overnight, and recordings between 2400-0500h were analyzed for frequency and duration of sleep, wake, arousal, and SM. Saliva samples for genetic study was collected using OrageneTM kits. Results from behavioral state analysis (n=50) showed that methadone-exposed neonates were significantly hyper-aroused and crying more on both day 1 and 2 of life (p\u3c.05); and both the frequency and duration of these parameters increased significantly in the methadoneexposed neonates on day 2 of life, as expected. In the genetic study (n=20), neonates with NAS protective AG/GG genotypes showed better behavioral sleep, fewer arousals, and robust SM than infants with NAS risk AA genotype (p\u3c.05). These findings support evidence of sleep fragmentation in the exposed neonates that is exacerbated by the passage of time since birth when withdrawal symptoms compound the intensity of sleep disturbance and infant distress. Consistent with other findings from other SIDS-risk samples, these findings indicate that arousal and SM regulation may be disrupted in methadone-exposed neonates, suggesting that prenatal methadone may increase risk for SIDS

Evaluation of common bean (Phaseolous vulgaris L.) genotypes against anthracnose (Colletotrichum lindemuthianum Sacc. and Magn.)

Saabunud / Received 21.10.2021 ; Aktsepteeritud / Accepted 27.12.2021 ; Avaldatud veebis / Published online 27.12.2021 ; Vastutav autor / Corresponding author: Sujata K.C. [email protected] genotypes of common bean were evaluated against anthracnose under natural epiphytotic conditions. This study was carried out in a randomized complete block design with three replications at the research field of Agriculture Research Station (ARS), Vijaynagar, Jumla, Nepal from June to September 2018. The area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC) and disease severity were calculated. In laboratory conditions, artificial inoculation was carried out on detached leaves of twelve genotypes using a pure culture suspension of Colletotrichum lindemuthianum (1.2× 106 conidia ml–1) in a completely randomized design with three replications. The results showed that bean genotypes varied significantly for disease severity both in the field and laboratory conditions. In the field, bean genotypes showed resistance to highly susceptible reactions. Their AUDPC value ranged from 120.55 to 502.31. The lowest mean AUDPC value was recorded in KBL-1 (120.55) followed by KBL-3 (123.79) and KBL-2 (124.44). Similarly, the lowest severity value was recorded with KBL-1 (0.51), KBL-2 (0.52) and KBL-3 (0.53). Detached leaf assay in laboratory experiment showed that the lowest mean AUDPC was found in KBL-2 (16.67) and KBL-3 (16.67). Therefore, KBL-2 and KBL-3 could be utilized as resistant varieties to anthracnose disease under Jumla and similar field conditions

Screening of local, improved and hybrid rice genotypes against leaf blast disease (Pyricularia oryzae) at Banke district, Nepal

Rice (Oryza sativa) is the major cereal crop of Nepal which is being faced by the devastating rice blast disease caused by Pyricularia oryzae Cavara. An experiment was conducted to screen rice genotypes against leaf blast disease under disease conducive upland nursery at Regional Agricultural Research Station (RARS), Khajura, Banke, Nepal during July to November, 2016. A total of 101 rice genotypes (comprising of local, improved and hybrid) including resistant and susceptible check were screened in a randomized complete block design with two replications. Disease scoring was done beginning from the 20th days of sowing by using the disease rating scale 0-9. Amongst the tested 101 rice genotypes, 28 genotypes were found resistant, 15 genotypes were moderately resistant, 16 genotypes were moderately susceptible, 39 genotypes were susceptible and 3 genotypes were highly susceptible to leaf blast. The information revealed from this study could be helpful for rice leaf blast disease management and utilizing these resistant and moderately resistant genotypes for further resistance breeding program

Evaluation of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) genotypes for spot blotch (Bipolaris sorokiniana Sacc) resistance in terai condition of Nepal

Spot blotch caused by Bipolaris sorokiniana is a major disease of wheat in warm and humid regions of Nepal. The fungus has a worldwide distribution but as a pathogen, it is the most aggressive under the conditions of high relative humidity and temperature associated with the low fertility of soils in Nepal. The yield loss due to the disease is very significant in Nepal. This experiment was conducted to identify the genotypes having a good level of resistance against spot blotch. The experiment set was received from CIMMYT comprises 52 genotypes and arranged in alpha lattice design with two replications in 2017/18 at National Wheat Research Program, Bhairahawa, Nepal, and Regional Agricultural Research Station, Parwanipur, Bara, Nepal. Each plot size was 8 rows of 2 meters long. Three times disease scoring was done in the double-digit method and calculated the Area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC). Other data were analyzed by using R software (4.2.2). Heading days, days to maturity, plant height, number of grains per spike (NGPS), number of tillers per meter square (NTPM), mean AUDPC, thousand-grain weight (TGW), and grain yield were found highly significant. The genotype 8HLBSN47 was found the highest yielder (4996kg/ha) with a 304 mean AUDPC value. Seventeen genotypes (15.3%) found the lowest mean AUDPC, Penultimate leaf AUDPC, Flag leaf AUDPC, and the highest number of tillers per square meter, number of grains per spike, thousand-grain weight, and grain yield

Occurrence and diversity of Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris in vegetable brassica fields in Nepal

Black rot caused by Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris was found in 28 sampled cabbage fields in five major cabbage-growing districts in Nepal in 2001 and in four cauliflower fields in two districts and a leaf mustard seed bed in 2003. Pathogenic X. campestris pv. campestris strains were obtained from 39 cabbage plants, 4 cauliflower plants, and 1 leaf mustard plant with typical lesions. Repetitive DNA polymerase chain reaction-based fingerprinting (rep-PCR) using repetitive extragenic palindromic, enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus, and BOX primers was used to assess the genetic diversity. Strains were also race typed using a differential series of Brassica spp. Cabbage strains belonged to five races (races 1, 4, 5, 6, and 7), with races 4, 1, and 6 the most common. All cauliflower strains were race 4 and the leaf mustard strain was race 6. A dendrogram derived from the combined rep-PCR profiles showed that the Nepalese X. campestris pv. campestris strains clustered separately from other Xanthomonas spp. and pathovars. Race 1 strains clustered together and strains of races 4, 5, and 6 were each split into at least two clusters. The presence of different races and the genetic variability of the pathogen should be considered when resistant cultivars are bred and introduced into regions in Nepal to control black rot of brassicas

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Interventions to Improve the Follow-up Rate for Children With Visual Disabilities in an Eye Hospital in Nepal: Nonrandomized Study

Background: Monitoring ocular morbidity among pediatric patients requires regular follow-up visits. We found that the follow-up rate was poor among children in our setting. Therefore, we intended to assess the effectiveness of 2 interventions—(1) counseling and (2) SMS text messaging and phone calls—to improve the follow-up rates. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of 2 interventions, counseling and SMS and phone calls group, as well as a routine standard care for improving the follow-up rate of pediatric patients. Methods: A Nonrandomized, quasiexperimental design was used. Children (aged 0-16 years) with ocular conditions requiring at least 3 follow-up visits during the study period were included. A total of 264 participants were equally allocated to the 3 intervention groups of (1) counseling, (2) SMS and phone calls, and (3) routine standard care group. A 20-minute counseling session by a trained counselor with the provision of disease-specific leaflets were given to those in the counseling group. For the second intervention group, parents of children received an SMS text 3 days before and a phone call 1 day before their scheduled follow-up visits. Participants allocated for the routine standard care group were provided with the existing services with no additional counseling and reminders. Participants attending 3 follow-ups within 2 days of the scheduled visit date were considered compliant. The difference in and among the proportion of participants completing all 3 follow-up visits in each group was assessed. Results: The demographic characteristics of the participants were similar across the study groups. Only 3% (8/264) of participants completed all 3 follow-up visits, but overall compliance with the follow-up, as defined by the investigators, was found to be only 0.76% (2/264). There was no statistically significant difference in the proportion of follow-up between the intervention groups. However, the proportion of participants attending the first and second follow-ups, as well as the overall total number of follow-ups, was more in the SMS and phone-call group followed by the counseling group. Conclusions: We did not find any evidence on the effectiveness of our interventions to improve the follow-up rate. The primary reason could be that this study was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic. It could also be possible that the intensity of the interventions may have influenced the outcomes. A rigorously designed study during the absence of any lockdown restrictions is warranted to evaluate intervention effectiveness. The study also provides useful insights and highlights the importance of designing and systematically developing interventions for improving the follow-up rate and ensuring a continuum of care to children with visual disabilities in Nepal and similar contexts. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04837534; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04837534 International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID): RR2-10.2196/3157

Investment in Wheat Research in Nepal – An Empirical Analysis

Investment in wheat research in Nepal has been examined through estimation of full time equivalent of researchers on the basis of their time spent on wheat crop research. The information about full time equivalent was collected through questionnaire survey of the researchers involved in various disciplines of wheat research. The research investment has been compared with production share in value-terms using congruency model in the major production domains, such as development regions, eco-zones and environments. The model comparing actual production share with full time equivalent of researchers has revealed a moderately low congruency percentage indicating discrepancies in research investment across production domains. On adjusting the production share with both research progress and equity factors at the same time, the congruency percentage increased in production environments and decreased in ecozones and geographic regions, highlighting the mismatch in research investments. Some policy measures have been suggested to mitigate the mismatch in resource allocations to wheat research in Nepal

Severe Malaria with a Rare Tetrad of Blackwater Fever, Acute Renal Failure, Disseminated Intravascular Coagulopathy, and Acute Acalculous Cholecystitis.

BACKGROUND: Blackwater fever (BWF) is a severe clinical syndrome occurring as a complication of malarial infection characterized by intravascular hemolysis, hemoglobinuria, and acute renal failure in people exposed to CONCLUSION: Malaria continues to be a parasitic disease that can have devastating effects and continues to be a challenge globally. Although cases of malaria in the United States are rare and cases of severe malaria, mainly attributed t