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Rashmi Karki,1,2,* Samir Lamichhane,3,* Buddha Bahadur Basnet,4 Anuja Dahal,5 Bal Krishna Awal,2,6 Shyam Kumar Mishra7,8,* 1Janamaitri Foundation Institute of Health Sciences, Tribhuvan University, Nepal; 2National Public Health Laboratory, Kathmandu, Nepal; 3Department of Pharmacology, Maharajgunj Medical Campus, Institute of Medicine, Tribhuvan University, Nepal; 4Faculty of Science, Nepal Academy of Science and Technology, Lalitpur, Nepal; 5Department of Pharmacy, Maharajgunj Medical Campus, Institute of Medicine, Tribhuvan University, Nepal; 6Shahid Dharmabhakta National Transplant Center, Bhaktapur, Nepal; 7School of Optometry and Vision Science, Faculty of Medicine and Health, UNSW, Sydney, NSW, Australia; 8Department of Microbiology, Maharajgunj Medical Campus, Institute of Medicine, Tribhuvan University, Nepal*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Shyam Kumar MishraSchool of Optometry and Vision Science, UNSW, Sydney, NSW, AustraliaTel +61415538329Email s.mishrabaishnab@unsw.edu.auPurpose: Inappropriate use of broad-spectrum antibiotics contributes to the emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria. Finding novel antimicrobial agents and strategies based on synergistic combinations are essential to combat MDR infections. This study was designed to determine in vitro synergy of different antimicrobials against extensively drug-resistant (XDR) Gram-negative clinical isolates.Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted at Human Organ Transplant Center, Nepal, for five months. Clinical isolates were checked for their drug-resistance properties including extended-spectrum beta-lactamase- (ESBL-) and metallo-beta-lactamase- (MBL-) production. The XDR isolates were further tested for antimicrobial synergy, and the results were interpreted as synergistic, additive, indifferent or antagonistic determining fractional inhibitory concentration of the antibiotics.Results: Out of total 1155 clinical samples, 308 showed significant growth. Escherichia coli was the most common isolate (n=142) followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter calcoaceticus baumannii (Acb) complex, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and miscellaneous bacteria. Out of the culture positive isolates, 21.4% were MDR and 10.06% were XDR. The XDR population comprised K. pneumoniae (18.42%), E. coli (9.86%), Acb complex (7.41%) and P. aeruginosa (4.17%). Among the culture positive isolates, 4.5% and 5.8% were ESBL- and MBL-producers, respectively. Colistin, polymyxin B, and tigecycline were the antibiotics effective in majority of MDR isolates as compared to carbapenems. The combination of antibiotics – meropenem and colistin showed the highest proportion of “synergy” among all XDR E. coli whereas the combination of amikacin and colistin showed synergistic effect in XDR K. pneumoniae.Conclusion: A significant proportion of isolates were MDR among which a large fraction was XDR. The combination of meropenem, amikacin and colistin with one another in pair showed beneficial activity in vitro. Such combinations can be utilized as effective therapy for XDR infections. Further studies are required to confirm these findings, and accordingly treatment protocols should be developed in the management of such infections.Keywords: antimicrobial synergy, ESBL, MBL, MDR, XDR

Introduction: Ano-rectal malformation (ARM) comprises a wide spectrum of diseases that involves the distal anus and rectum as well as the urinary and genital tracts. The factors that need to be considered during treatment are the type of anomaly, associated anomalies and patients general condition. The aim of this study is to analyze the types of anorectal malformations and their management in a tertiary level children's hospital. Materials and Methods: The medical records of patients with the diagnosis of anorectal malformation managed in the hospital during a period of January 2009 to January 2014 were reviewed. Results: There were 187 cases of ARM 126 (67.37%) males and 61 (32.62%) females. High/Intermediate type was 129 (68.98%). Low ARM was 58 (31.01%). In male high type ARM with recto-urethral fistula was seen in 60 (47.61%). ARM with Rectovestibular fistula(RVF) was seen in 40 (65.5%) female. High and intermediate ARMs were managed initially with colostomy and low ARM with primary anoplasty. ARM with rectovestibular fistula in females were managed with Anterior Sagittal Anorectoplasty without colostomy. Common cloaca in female was managed initially with colostomy followed by posterior sagittal ano-recto-vagino-urethroplasty. Colostomy closure was done after adequate size of anus was achieved with anal dilation. Conclusion: The type of ARM in newborn is diagnosed by perineal examination and X-rays. Low type ARM was managed by primary surgery without colostomy. High anomaly and complex defect was treated with stage surgeries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bishal Babu Basnet, Prakash Kumar Parajuli, Raj Kumar Singh, Pramita Suwal, Pragya Shrestha, Dharanidhar BaralDepartment of Prosthodontics, BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, NepalBackground: Establishment of proper occlusal vertical dimension (OVD) is one of the important tasks for successful prosthodontic therapy. An ideal method for determining OVD in terms of cost, time, and instrument requirements has been sought in prosthodontics by various investigators. However, no such single method has been formulated. In the current anthropometric study, the relationship of the length of the thumb to the OVD was tested in two ethnic groups of Nepal, Aryans, and Mongoloids. The result of this study can be useful in determining proper OVD in edentulous patients.Aims and objectives: The primary aim of the present study was to evaluate the correlation between the length of the thumb and OVD in Aryan and Mongoloid ethnic groups. The secondary aim was to compare the correlation between OVD and other anatomic measurements (eye–ear distance and pupil-to-rima oris distance) in these ethnicities.Materials and methods: The OVD, thumb length, eye–ear distance and distance between pupil of eye and rima oris were measured in a total of 500 adult dentulous volunteers. The correlation between OVD and thumb length as well as other anatomic measurements was checked with Pearson's product moment correlation coefficient. Linear regression analysis was performed to determine the relationship of OVD to the length of the thumb.Results: The thumb length was significantly (P≤0.05) correlated with strong and positive values (Pearson’s coefficient =0.874 in the whole population, 0.826 in Aryans, and 0.944 in Mongoloids). Regression analysis showed that thumb length was significantly related to OVD in both ethnic groups.Conclusion: Within the limitations of the present study, the result implies that thumb length can be used as an adjunct for establishing OVD in the edentulous patients.Keywords: thumb, prosthodontic, caliper, rima oris, pupil of eye, edentulous patient

Since 1984, the 'Chilero' spring wheat line developed by CIMMYT has proven to be highly resistant to leaf rust and stripe rust. Amid efforts to understand the basis of resistance of this line, a recombinant inbred line (RIL) population derived from a cross between Avocet and Chilero was studied. The parents and RILs were characterized in field trials for leaf rust and stripe rust in three locations in Mexico between 2 0 12 and 2015 and genotyped with DArT-array, DArT-GBS, and SSR markers. A total of 6,168 polymorphic markers were used to construct genetic linkage maps. Inclusive composite interval mapping detected four colocated resistance loci to both rust diseases and two stripe rust resistant loci in the Avocet x Chilero population. Among these, the quantitative trait locus (QTL) on chromosome 1BL was identified as a pleotropic adult plant resistance gene Lr46/Yr29, whereas QLr.ciin-5DS/QYr.cim-5DS was a newly discovered colocated resistance locus to both rust diseases in Chilero. Additionally, one new stripe rust resistance locus on chromosome 7BL was mapped in the current population. Avocet also contributed two minor colocated resistance QTLs situated on chromosomes 1DL and 4BS. The flanking SNP markers can be converted to breeder friendly Kompetitive Allele Specific PCR (KASP) markers for wheat breeding programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assessment of economic traits of germplasms, which are associated with genetic variation, is vital for mung improvement. Therefore, by wielding the randomized complete block design with 3 replications, a probe analysis using multiple trait stability indexing and analysis of variance with Duncan's test at p ≤ 0.05 is performed to compare the means of yield attributes. Moreover, simultaneous application of GA3 and NAA (50 mg/L each) was carried out at 30 DAS and at mid-flowering. Pondering not only factorial analysis but also correlation and path studies revealed that flower shedding before and 12 h after spraying is nearly detrimental to yield. In addition, yield/plant was positively (p < 0.001, r = 0.67-0.96) correlated with the harvesting index and test weight. 'Pratigya', demonstrating heightened sensitivity to environmental cues-unveils increased sensitivity-while 'VC3960A-88' flourished with hormone-boosted pod formation. 'VC6368(46-40-3)' packed 11 pods/cluster, and 'CN95' thrived, excelling in abundant grains as well as clusters. Notably, 'VC6370-A' topped yielder, whereas CN95 augmented an efficient harvest index of 0.48. Moreover, path analysis revealed that all postfertility traits are inherently associated with yield. By employing 17 % selection intensity, the MTSI unequivocally ascertained that not only 'VC6370A' but also 'CN95' are the ideal stable and prime performing genotypes for yield(3.04-2.8 tons/ha) as well as interactive traits, a marker for simultaneous selection, as well as improvement. The MTSI view of strengths and weaknesses harbingers that breeders need to focus on increasing the number of genotypes with the desired phenotypes-lower flower abscission, greater grain dimensions and pod setting, harvesting indices, and yields/ha., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Authors.)

Background:  The ability of Staphylococcus aureus to form biofilmsâ€"architectural complexes that cause chronic and recalcitrant infectionsâ€"along with its notorious variant, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), leads to multidrug-resistant (MDR) infections that are challenging to treat with antibiotics. This cross-sectional study investigated the prevalence of S. aureus infections in Kanti Children’s Hospital and characterized the antibiograms of MDR, MRSA, and biofilm-forming strains, along with their coexistence., Methods:  S. aureus strains were isolated and identified from clinical samples and tested for antibiograms following standard microbiology guidelines. MDR strains were non-susceptible to at least one agent in three antimicrobial categories, whereas MRSA strains were cefoxitin-resistant. The microtiter plate method was used to detect biofilms. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS version 17.0., Results:  S. aureus was detected in 9.0% (11.4-6.6%, 95% Confidence Interval) of 543 samples, primarily from pus (79.6%, 39/49). Children aged 1 to <3 years most commonly contracted infections (30.6%, 15/49), and males (67.4%, 33/49) had twice as many infections as females (32.7%, 16/49). As high as 84.7% (83/98) of strains were penicillin-resistant, while 18.4% (27/147) were aminoglycoside-resistant. MDR accounted for 79.6% (39/49) of all S. aureus infections, while MRSA and biofilm-formers accounted for 67.6% (33/49) and 24.5% (12/49), respectively. Fluoroquinolone resistance in non-MDR-MRSA-biofilm-formers, MDR-MRSA, MDR-biofilm-formers, and MRSA-biofilm-formers was 31.3%, 46.8%, 58.3%, and 60.0%, respectively, while aminoglycoside resistance was 0%, 32.3%, 50.0%, and 45.0%, and penicillin resistance was 87.5%, 85.5%, 100.0%, and 100.0%., Conclusions:  MDR-isolates and MRSA caused nearly four-fifths of S. aureus infections. Compared to MDR and MRSA strains, biofilm-formers triggered higher levels of antimicrobial resistance.

Introduction: Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) is a rare neoplasm marked by the proliferation of Langerhans cells, primarily affecting children under 2 years old. Gastrointestinal (GI) involvement in LCH is uncommon and often part of widespread disease., Case Presentation: We report a 16-year-old female with a history of LCH, previously treated with 6-mercaptopurine and vinblastine, who presented with bloody diarrhoea, abdominal pain, and vomiting. Examination revealed hypopigmented skin lesions, lymphadenopathy, and hepatosplenomegaly. Laboratory tests indicated anaemia and eosinophilia, and colonoscopy was suggestive of GI LCH., Discussion: Gastrointestinal LCH often presents with nonspecific symptoms. It is crucial to maintain a high degree of suspicion for GI LCH in atypical GI presentations, as treatment outcomes can be challenging if diagnosed late or misdiagnosed., Conclusion: GI symptoms in LCH are rare but may occur in isolation. Early diagnosis and treatment are crucial to reduce morbidity and improve prognosis., Competing Interests: The author(s) declare no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.Sponsorships or competing interests that may be relevant to content are disclosed at the end of this article., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

Background: Stroke is the third most common cause of disability and the second most common cause of death worldwide. Prognosis assessment in acute ischemic stroke is challenging for clinicians. The development of simple and easily performed prognostic markers that correlate with the outcome of patients can be of immense benefit. The aim of this study was to find out the prognostic significance of total leukocyte count, red cell distribution width and erythrocyte sedimentation rate in patients with acute ischemic stroke., Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in a tertiary center after ethical approval from the Institutional Review Committee. The study period spanned from April 18, 2022 to June 17, 2023, a period of 14 months. 136 patients diagnosed with acute ischemic stroke with total leukocyte count (TLC), red cell distribution width (RDW), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), and modified Rankin Scale (mRS) were included in the study after fulfilling the inclusion criteria. The modified Rankin Scale (mRS) was obtained 28 days following admission. Data was collected and analyzed through Microsoft Excel 365 and SPSS version 22. Spearman Correlation and multivariate regression analysis were used to analyze the association., Results: TLC, RDW, and ESR were significantly associated with an mRS at 28 days showing a positive correlation between them. Total in-hospital mortality has been significantly associated with TLC only ( p  < 0.05)., Conclusions: The prognostic value of TLC, RDW, and ESR in patients with acute ischemic stroke was found to be significant and similar to the studies done in similar settings., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (© 2024 The Author(s). Health Science Reports published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Subarachnoid hemorrhage is a neurological emergency in which arterial blood accumulates in the subarachnoid space with cerebral aneurysmal rupture being the most common cause. Subarachnoid hemorrhage is often misdiagnosed in the emergency department and mortality rates range from 8% to 67%. It may be the manifestation of the chronicity of the migraine. The difference in severity or quality compared to previous headaches, and other symptoms, particularly neck stiffness, but also seizure, syncope, focal neurological deficit, and vomiting are the key factors differentiating subarachnoid hemorrhage from the migraine. We report a case of a 37-year-old female with a previous history of migraines who presented with acute onset of excruciating headaches in the occiput associated with nausea, vomiting, and photophobia in whom a non-contrast computed tomography scan of the head showed hyper-densities involving the bilateral cerebral cortical sulcus and Sylvian fissure and the cerebral angiography showed a complex aneurysm in anterior communicating artery., Competing Interests: The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article., (© The Author(s) 2024.)

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused changes in the global health system, causing significant setbacks in healthcare systems worldwide. This pandemic has also shown resilience, flexibility, and creativity in reacting to the tragedy. The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection targets most of the respiratory tract, resulting in a severe sickness called acute respiratory distress syndrome that may be fatal in some individuals. Although the lung is the primary organ targeted by COVID-19 viruses, the clinical aspect of the disease is varied and ranges from asymptomatic to respiratory failure. However, due to an unorganized immune response and several affected mechanisms, the liver may also experience liver cell injury, ischemic liver dysfunction, and drug-induced liver injury, which can result in respiratory failure because of the immune system's disordered response and other compromised processes that can end in multisystem organ failure. Patients with liver cirrhosis or those who have impaired immune systems may be more likely than other groups to experience worse results from the SARS-CoV-2 infection. We thus intend to examine the pathogenesis, current therapy, and consequences of liver damage concerning COVID-19., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (©The Author(s) 2024. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Post infectious glomerulonephritis remains the most common cause leading to the majority of hospital admissions in children of developing countries like ours. The aim of our study was to find the prevalence of post infectious glomerulonephritis, study the clinical profile, biochemical changes and its complication in children admitted in a tertiary care hospital of Nepal., Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study of children admitted at a tertiary care hospital was done from May 2020 till May 2023. A census sampling method was used and sample of 1554 children was taken. Detailed socio demographic data, clinical findings and laboratory investigations were done. Data analysis was done using SPSS software and the results obtained are shown in the form of frequencies along with percentages., Results: Among 1554 patients, the prevalence of acute post-infectious glomerulonephritis was found to be 63 (4.05%) (3.07-5.03 at 95% Confidence Interval). The mean age of the patients was 9.06±3.48 years. Antistreptolysin O titer was raised in 34 (54%) patients, while low serum C3 was observed in 39 (61.90%) patients with acute post-infectious glomerulonephritis., Conclusions: Acute post-infectious glomerulonephritis (APIGN) remains a notable health concern in children, particularly in developing countries like Nepal. This highlights the need for ongoing surveillance, prevention strategies, and effective management protocols to address this burden effectively.

As an attempt to improve the catalytic processes in different electrochemical systems, molybdenum dioxide nanoparticles were prepared using the hydrothermal method, and their electrical and dielectric properties were investigated. The nanoparticles were polycrystalline with an orthorhombic structure. AC electrical transport properties of the pressed disc were conducted over a temperature range of 303-423 K and a frequency range of 42-5 × 10 6  Hz. The AC conductivity follows Jonscher's universal dynamic law, and it has been determined that correlated barrier hopping (CBH) is the primary conduction mechanism. The maximum barrier height ( W M ) was found to be 0.92 eV. The low activation energy showed that hopping conduction is the dominant mechanism of transporting current. The dielectric parameters were analyzed using both complex permittivity and complex electric modulus, with a focus on how they vary with temperature and frequency. At relatively high temperatures and low frequencies, the dielectric parameters showed a high-frequency dependence. The dielectric modulus showed that relaxation peaks move towards lower frequency when temperature increases. The dielectric relaxation activation energy, Δ E ω was determined to be 0.31 eV., Competing Interests: We do not have either financial interest or personal relationship which may be considered as potential competing interest., (© 2023 Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Background Antimicrobial resistance, caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa), poses a global health threat, limiting treatment options and increasing morbidity and mortality rates due to its intrinsic and multidrug resistance. Objective To determine the antimicrobial resistance patterns of P. aeruginosa isolates from patients visiting or admitted to tertiary care hospitals in Kathmandu. Method A cross-sectional study was conducted at Bir Hospital and Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH) from December 2021 to December 2022. Isolates were identified and tested for antibiotic susceptibility following standard microbiological guidelines. Result The antimicrobial resistance of 200 P. aeruginosa isolates increased from low to high levels, as per the recommended anti-pseudomonal antibiotics by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI), from 0% to 94%. piperacillin/tazobactam exhibited significantly lower resistance at 18(9%) and while considerably higher resistance was observed with ceftazidime at 188(94%) compared to different antibiotics, followed by amikacin 34(17%), imipenem 58(29%), ciprofloxacin 42(21%), aztreonam 51(25.5%), and fosfomycin 44(22%). No resistance was observed to colistin and polymyxin B. P. aeruginosa resistant to carbapenem was accounted for 33.5% of the total, and multidrug resistance categories included multidrug resistance (MDR) at 39.0%, extensively drug resistance (XDR) at 13.5%, and P. aeruginosa difficult-to-treat (DTR PA) at 4.6%. Conclusion Most of the isolates were resistant to anti-pseudomonal antibiotics; however, colistin, polymyxin B, amikacin, doripenem, piperacillin/tazobactam, and fosfomycin were effective against MDR P. aeruginosa. Regular surveillance measures are essential to manage antimicrobial resistance.

The pancreas develops from a small ventral bud and a larger dorsal bud. During the rotation of the foregut, the ventral pancreas rotates toward the dorsal pancreas and joins together to form a complete pancreas with ducts. Among the various developmental congenital anomalies, dorsal pancreatic agenesis is one of the rare entities, with less than a hundred cases reported so far. It involves the absence of the dorsal bud derivatives (head, body, and tail)., Case Presentation: Herein, we present a case of a 50-year-old woman who presented to general outpatient department with a complaint of abdominal pain. The patient was diagnosed with cholelithiasis with a contrast-enhanced computed tomography finding of dorsal pancreatic agenesis on a detailed workup. However, the patient did not have any other associated anomalies or symptoms associated with dorsal pancreatic agenesis. The patient was managed for cholelithiasis with laparoscopic cholecystectomy., Clinical Discussion: Failure in development due to aberrant embryogenesis may cause partial or complete agenesis of the dorsal pancreas. The minor papilla, the accessory pancreatic duct, the body, and the tail of the pancreas are not present in the case of complete dorsal agenesis. Most cases of dorsal pancreatic agenesis are asymptomatic and diagnosed incidentally, whereas some of the cases may present with other associated abnormalities. It is almost always diagnosed via imaging modalities., Conclusion: Dorsal pancreatic agenesis is a very rare congenital anomaly of the pancreas. It can be diagnosed via various imaging modalities and almost always remains a radiological diagnosis with incidental findings., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

Background: The skill, accessibility, and knowledge of community pharmacists have been paramount in managing pandemics. This study was conducted to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice of community pharmacy personnel towards tackling COVID-19 pandemic which might help concerned authorities to take effective actions to eliminate the gaps for the management of such pandemic in an efficient way., Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 428 community pharmacy personnel from different community pharmacies in Kathmandu, Nepal from December 2021 to February 2022. Statistical analysis was done through SPSS® v21 and MedCalc for Windows v12.3.0., Results: Most of the participants (42.76%) had certificate-level degrees in their respective fields and one to five years of working experience (48.84%). Only 29.67% of the respondents had good knowledge towards tackling COVID-19, whereas good attitude and practice were demonstrated by 59.11% and 42.29% respectively. The participants with higher degrees and more working experience had better knowledge, attitude, and practice. Education level bachelor and above was independent predictor of good knowledge (OR 20.69, 95% CI 11.30-37.90). Knowledge and practice (Spearman's rho: 0.135; P ≤0.005) and attitude and practice (Spearman's rho: 0.095; P = 0.049) scores were positively correlated., Conclusions: The significant association of community pharmacy personnel's educational level with knowledge, attitude, and practices demands the necessity of policy-making bodies' involvement for the mandatory presence of well-qualified pharmacists and regular training at the community pharmacy level. Furthermore, it is high time to reinforce the drug regulatory acts, regulations, and codes all over the nation.

Spontaneous electric polarization of solid ferroelectrics follows aligning directions of crystallographic axes. Domains of differently oriented polarization are separated by domain walls (DWs), which are predominantly flat and run along directions dictated by the bulk translational order and the sample surfaces. Here we explore DWs in a ferroelectric nematic (N F ) liquid crystal, which is a fluid with polar long-range orientational order but no crystallographic axes nor facets. We demonstrate that DWs in the absence of bulk and surface aligning axes are shaped as conic sections. The conics bisect the angle between two neighboring polarization fields to avoid electric charges. The remarkable bisecting properties of conic sections, known for millennia, play a central role as intrinsic features of liquid ferroelectrics. The findings could be helpful in designing patterns of electric polarization and space charge., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Genetically and economically, Maize plays a pivotal role in tackling Iron-Zinc mineral deficiency through the crop's biofortification approach to high-yielding cultivars. The objective of this study is to summarize quantitative trait loci (QTL) is useful for identifying novel genes of interest in diverse germplasm for understanding the exact genetic mechanism for Iron and zinc uptake, deposition, and biosynthesis in Zea mays L endosperm. various techniques like Germplasm Genetic Wide Association, QTL meta-analysis, and biparental linkage analysis are used by researchers in diverse germplasm of Maize for the gene of interest marking and are extracted as secondary information through a systematic review of scientific published sources in peer-reviewed sites. A literature review was focused on quantitative trait loci with candidate genes from different families like YS, NRAMP, ferritin, Cation efflux, etc., and cloned four phytase soluble genes which influence the concentration as well as bioavailability of Fe & Zn in the endosperm. More than 30 QTLs with 15-Fe, 17-Zn; 10 Meta QTLS are common and linked with micronutrient concentration as well 17 candidate genes from different families are responsible for the zinc-iron deposition on the endosperm. More than 46 Fe-Zn (20 + 26) SNPs and 22 SNPs (10 + 12) on nine different chromosomes play a significant role in the variation of the mineral value of inbreeds and Double haploid Bi-parental population of Zea mays L . In Rice and Maize, five different chromosomes are collinear for the uptake to deposition of these minerals in the endosperm. The success of marker-based biofortification depends upon the nature of germplasm, the gap between flanking marker and targeted genes, the selection of genotypes in each generation, and genotype-environment interaction which are the future area of study. This study can assist the breeders in fast-tracking Fe and Zn biofortification through frequency multiplication of these desired loci of Maize., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (© 2022 The Author(s).)

Introduction: Despite the importance of Venous Thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis in hospitalized patients, audits have shown inadequate use of VTE prophylaxis methods around the world. We aimed to assess knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors regarding VTE prophylaxis among clinicians in Nepal., Methodology: A cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey was conducted using an online survey platform., Results: 199 (60.7%) of the respondents were aware of the risk factors-based risk stratification approach to VTE prophylaxis in hospitalized patients. Only 154 (47%) of the physicians reported institute-based protocols for VTE prophylaxis., Conclusion: We found a significant lack of awareness on risk factors-based stratification strategy for VTE prevention practices among Nepalese physicians. We recommend educational efforts for Nepalese physicians on the overall impact of VTE on mortality and morbidity of hospitalized patients. Our study highlights the needs for adoption of institution-based protocols for VTE prophylaxis and prevention., Competing Interests: 7. Financial disclosure All authors declare that they do not have any financial disclosure to disclose. None of the authors have received any grants or support from any entities for this work or any other work., (© 2022 Greater Baltimore Medical Center.)

Surface interactions are responsible for many properties of condensed matter, ranging from crystal faceting to the kinetics of phase transitions. Usually, these interactions are polar along the normal to the interface and apolar within the interface. Here we demonstrate that polar in-plane surface interactions of a ferroelectric nematic N F produce polar monodomains in micron-thin planar cells and stripes of an alternating electric polarization, separated by [Formula: see text] domain walls, in thicker slabs. The surface polarity binds together pairs of these walls, yielding a total polarization rotation by [Formula: see text]. The polar contribution to the total surface anchoring strength is on the order of 10%. The domain walls involve splay, bend, and twist of the polarization. The structure suggests that the splay elastic constant is larger than the bend modulus. The [Formula: see text] pairs resemble domain walls in cosmology models with biased vacuums and ferromagnets in an external magnetic field., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Introduction: COVID-19 has emerged as a pandemic and has varied clinical presentation. Computed Tomography scans of the chest play an important role in evaluating the lung parenchymal changes and aids in better planning the management of COVID-19 patients. The purpose of this study was to find the prevalence of abnormal chest computed tomography findings among admitted symptomatic COVID-19 patients in a tertiary care centre., Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted from 25 October 2020 to January 2021 in a tertiary care hospital. Ethical approval was taken from the Institutional Review Committee (Registration number: 348). Convenience sampling method was used. Chest computed tomography findings of the admitted symptomatic COVID-19 patients were evaluated for abnormal findings. Point estimate and 95% Confidence Interval were calculated., Results: Among 153 patients, abnormal chest computed tomography findings were seen in 147 (96.07%) (92.99-99.15, 95% Confidence Interval). The findings of ground-glass opacities with consolidations were seen in 78 (53.06%) patients., Conclusions: The prevalence of abnormal chest findings among symptomatic COVID-19 patients in our study was similar to the studies done in other countries in similar settings. Majority of the symptomatic COVID-19 patients showed abnormal chest computed tomography scan findings in the form of ground glass opacities and consolidations., Keywords: COVID-19; Nepal; pneumonia; prevalence.

Maternity service providers have struggled to provide high-quality services to women and newborns during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic which has substantially impacted health systems and disrupted maternity services globally. Nepal is a resources-limited country that reported a significant impact of the pandemic on maternal health services. It is therefore important to understand better the perspective of health care professionals in this context. This study intends to explore the experiences of nurses providing maternity care in the public sector during the COVID-19 pandemic in Nepal. A qualitative study using a phenomenological design was conducted. Altogether ten nurses working in maternity services were selected using purposive sampling technique. Data were collected by face-to-face in-depth interviews using a semi-structured interview guide. Thematic analysis was conducted using Clarke and Braun 2006 technique. The findings of the study were organized into codes, sub-themes and themes. The six themes identified were fear of COVID-19 at work, challenges at work, changes at work and services, motivations to work, stigma due to COVID-19, and impact on services. Participants described how maternity services could not be stopped during the pandemic. They had experienced decreased utilization of antenatal services as a consequence of 'lockdown' thereby leading to an increase in maternal and neonatal mortality. Respondents reported ineffective human resource management compromising the quality of care. The professional responsibility to cope with adverse circumstances and serve society is a major source of motivation that health workers relied upon to get them through the pandemic period. A wide range of challenges were faced by service providers during the pandemic which requires action and support of all levels of government, institutions and society-at-large to assure the continued provision of safe maternity care during such a protracted period of challenging work., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2022 Basnet et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Background: Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Corona Virus 2019, a novel coronavirus first reported from China in 2019, is the causative agent of pandemic corona virus disease 2019. Antibody response and its dynamics may provide information about natural immunity conferred upon by corona virus disease 2019., Methods: A health-center-based follow up study of confirmed Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Corona Virus-2 infected patients was conducted from December 2020 to June 2021. Patients were followed up to period of 28 weeks during the study. An electrochemiluminescence immunoassay was used to test antibodies elicited by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Corona Virus-2. Socio-demographic and clinical information was collected from each patient., Results: A total of 40 patients (18 males and 22 females) were enrolled in the study, with 90 % seropositivity of SARS-CoV-2 antibody. Antibody level was tracked up to 28 weeks following the infection, and persistence was observed till the end. Antibody level peaked on the 3rd to 4th month, after symptom onset. The male population was found to have higher antibody levels compared to females. Age-wise trend analysis showed lower antibody levels in the younger people (15-30 years) than those older (31-60 years)., Conclusions: We demonstrated that Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Corona Virus-2 specific antibodies in corona virus disease 2019 patients persist for at least 28 weeks, peaking at 13 to 20 weeks. Statistically, there was no correlation of antibody levels with the age and sex of individuals. Further study on a larger population is needed for determining long-term immunity.

We investigated increasing genetic gain for grain yield using early generation genomic selection (GS). A training set of 1,334 elite wheat breeding lines tested over three field seasons was used to generate Genomic Estimated Breeding Values (GEBVs) for grain yield under irrigated conditions applying markers and three different prediction methods: (1) Genomic Best Linear Unbiased Predictor (GBLUP), (2) GBLUP with the imputation of missing genotypic data by Ridge Regression BLUP (rrGBLUP&#95;imp), and (3) Reproducing Kernel Hilbert Space (RKHS) a.k.a. Gaussian Kernel (GK). F2 GEBVs were generated for 1,924 individuals from 38 biparental cross populations between 21 parents selected from the training set. Results showed that F2 GEBVs from the different methods were not correlated. Experiment 1 consisted of selecting F2s with the highest average GEBVs and advancing them to form genomically selected bulks and make intercross populations aiming to combine favorable alleles for yield. F4:6 lines were derived from genomically selected bulks, intercrosses, and conventional breeding methods with similar numbers from each. Results of field-testing for Experiment 1 did not find any difference in yield with genomic compared to conventional selection. Experiment 2 compared the predictive ability of the different GEBV calculation methods in F2 using a set of single plant-derived F2:4 lines from randomly selected F2 plants. Grain yield results from Experiment 2 showed a significant positive correlation between observed yields of F2:4 lines and predicted yield GEBVs of F2 single plants from GK (the predictive ability of 0.248, P < 0.001) and GBLUP (0.195, P < 0.01) but no correlation with rrGBLUP&#95;imp. Results demonstrate the potential for the application of GS in early generations of wheat breeding and the importance of using the appropriate statistical model for GEBV calculation, which may not be the same as the best model for inbreds., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Bonnett, Li, Crossa, Dreisigacker, Basnet, Pérez-Rodríguez, Alvarado, Jannink, Poland and Sorrells.)

Introduction: COVID-19 is an emerging global health pandemic causing tremendous morbidity and mortality worldwide. Chronic symptoms progressing to poor functional status have been reported in a substantial proportion of COVID-19 patients worldwide. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of functional limitation in COVID-19 recovered patients using the post-COVID-19 functional status scale., Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital. COVID-19 recovered patients with reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction negative status were included and assessed using the post-COVID-19 functional status scale. Data entry and analysis was done in Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 20.0. Descriptive statistics were performed., Results: A total of 106 patients were included for the final analysis. More than half of the patients (56.6%) reported having no functional limitation (grade 0), while the prevalence of some degree of functional limitation was observed in 46 (43.4%) patients (grade 1 to 4)., Conclusions: Some form of functional limitation should be anticipated after COVID-19 infection. Post-COVID-19 functional status scale can be a valuable tool in determining the prevalence of functional limitation in COVID-19 recovered patients in acute health care settings. It can potentially guide in planning rehabilitative measures in post-acute care management of COVID-19 survivors.