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Natural compounds hold promise in the search for cancer therapies due to their unique chemical structures and combinations that may effectively combat cancer while minimizing toxicity and side effects compared to conventional treatments. Silibinin, a natural lignan, has been found to possess strong anti-cancer activity against several types of human cancers based on emerging research. This study aims to provide an overview of the therapeutic potential of silibinin in the treatment and prevention of cancers. A comprehensive search was conducted using various internet databases such as PubMed, Google Scholar, and ScienceDirect to identify relevant research papers. Silibinin has been shown to exhibit anticancer activity against several types of cancers, including liver, lungs, breast, prostate, colorectal, skin, and bladder cancers. Its multifaceted mechanisms of action contribute to its therapeutic effects. Silibinin exerts antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-proliferative, pro-apoptotic, anti-metastatic, and anti-angiogenic activities, making it a promising candidate for cancer therapy. One of the key mechanisms underlying the anticancer effects of silibinin is its ability to modulate multiple signaling pathways involved in cancer development and progression. It can inhibit the activation of various oncogenic pathways, including PI3K/Akt, NF-κB, Wnt/β-catenin, and MAPK pathways, thereby suppressing cancer cell proliferation, inducing cell cycle arrest, and promoting apoptosis. Silibinin possesses great potential as an effective treatment agent for cancer. The multifaceted mechanisms of action, favorable safety profile, and potential synergistic effects of silibinin with conventional therapies make it an attractive candidate for further investigation and development as a cancer treatment. However, more extensive clinical studies are necessary to fully establish the efficacy, optimal dosage, and long-term effects of silibinin in cancer treatment.

The 2022 Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) World Cup will take place in Qatar and will be a one-of-a-kind mega-crowd gathering. This is the first time in history that people from all over the world would gather in such a concentrated place. There is a higher chance of spreading zoonotic illnesses from one community to another among those who travel internationally, therefore tourists should be aware of the dangers they may face and take precautions. The public health system of the country hosting the event must be equipped to avoid the spread of zoonotic diseases considering the current global climate. The potential for an increase in cases of COVID-19 and monkeypox is notably heightened by this event. Possible exotic diseases such as the Marburg virus disease could also be spread. Due to Qatar’s inexperience in hosting such major events, it is crucial to invest heavily in training for the early identification of infectious illnesses and the prevention of their spread among event attendees. Visitors to Qatar 2022 should acquire the most up-to-date information available and be aware of the usual precautions that should be followed. Your immunization record must be up to date. Hospitals and other medical facilities in Qatar would be wise to increase their readiness for mass casualty occurrences given that this small location is hosting such an event for the first time. To better meet the health needs of its population, the government of Qatar should promote health advice materials in different languages and keep an adequate supply on hand. The potential for the emergence of zoonotic diseases is briefly reviewed here considering the upcoming FIFA World Cup in 2022.

Background. Traditionally, antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) has been suspected mainly by a rise in serum creatinine (Scr) and confirmed by allograft biopsy. There is limited literature describing the trend of Scr after treatment, and how that trend might differ between patients with histological response and with no response to treatment. Methods. We included all cases of AMR at our program between March 2016 and July 2020 who had a follow-up biopsy after the index biopsy, with initial diagnosis of AMR. We trended the Scr and change in Scr (delta Scr) and its association with being a responder (microvascular inflammation, MVI ≤1) or nonresponder (MVI >1), as well as graft failure. Results. A total of 183 kidney transplant recipients were included, 66 in the responder group and 177 in the nonresponder group. The MVI scores and sum chronicity scores, along with transplant glomerulopathy scores, were higher in the nonresponder group. However, Scr at index biopsy was similar in responders (1.74 ± 0.70) versus nonresponders (1.83 ± 0.65; P = 0.39), as were the delta Scr at various time points. After adjustment for multiple variables, delta Scr was not associated with being a nonresponder. Also, delta Scr value at follow-up biopsy compared with index biopsy among responders was 0 ± 0.67 (P = 0.99) and among nonresponders was –0.01 ± 0.61 (P = 0.89). Being a nonresponder was significantly associated with an increased risk of graft failure at the last follow-up in univariate analysis but was not in multivariate analysis (hazard ratio 1.35; 95% confidence interval, 0.58-3.17; P = 0.49). Conclusions. We found that Scr is not a good predictor of the resolution of MVI, supporting the utility of follow-up biopsies after treatment of AMR.

Global population growth, rapid urbanization, and developmental activities have inflicted significant pressures on drinking water supplies, thus leading to severe water scarcity. Spring is the major source of water within the mid-hill and mountain region. However, studies carried out on water quality of spring in Nepal are quite limited. The objective of the study was to access the water quality index (WQI) of spring in April, and May (pre-monsoon months) and June (monsoon month) in Tanahun district of Nepal. Discharge of water from three springs was measured at 10 am and 4 pm in two months by bucket method. Water samples from the three springs were collected with plastic bottles (a bottle of sample for each month for each spring) and sent to the laboratory for analysis of various water quality parameters. The discharge of all the springs increased during the monsoon month than the pre-monsoon month. Water quality parameters i.e. turbidity, pH, ammonia, nitrate, total hardness calcium hardness, and alkalinity were approximately under the range of standard limits by World Health Organization (WHO), National Drinking Water Quality Standard of Nepal (NDWQS) and Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). However, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), and fecal coliform (E. coli) exceeded the WHO, and NDWQS permissible limit of drinking water. The presence of fecal coliform made the water unsuitable for drinking purposes without treatment. The WQI was good in Spring II (15.76) followed by Spring III (38.65) and Spring I (61.08). Spring II has the lowest WQI among the three springs due to the application of conservation measures like plastering the spring. The variation in WQI in three springs depends on both natural factor and management of springs. Overall, application of modern technology i.e. GIS and Remote Sensing will provide accurate information on the source of springs which can be beneficial for conservation of springs globally and contribute to reducing water scarcity especially in the mountain regions.

The case detection rate of childhood tuberculosis in Bangladesh is 4%, far below the World Health Organization predicted rate of 10–15% for a country with a high burden of tuberculosis. A concurrent triangulation mixed-methods study was carried out in eight urban DOTS (Directly Observed Treatment, Short-course) centres to investigate the factors contributing to the diagnosis and treatment of childhood tuberculosis. Front-line health care workers (Shasthya Shebika) (n = 111) were surveyed to understand knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of the diagnosis and treatment of childhood tuberculosis. In-depth interviews were conducted with field workers (n = 32) and mothers of TB cases (n = 4). Stakeholders involved in implementing the tuberculosis program (n = 9) participated in the key informant interviews. Knowledge of Shasthya Shebika was associated with the components addressed during refresher training (p = 0.02). Government stewardship, presence of specific guidelines, knowledge and capacity building of front-line health workers were identified as the key facilitators. Frequent turnover of key managerial positions in the government, stigma, delays in seeking care, lack of diagnostic facilities, and poor engagement of private practitioners were identified as major constraints. It was identified that the government should focus on improving diagnostic capacities, conduct research on childhood tuberculosis, and produce awareness materials.

Concept mapping is a phased, mixed-method approach that is increasingly used in health research to develop an understanding of complex phenomena. The six phases of concept mapping are preparation, idea generation, structuring (clustering and prioritization), data analysis, interpretation, and utilization of the map. The reporting of concept mapping research requires the development of a specific reporting guideline. We conducted a systematic review to identify candidate reporting items for inclusion in a reporting guideline. Three databases (MEDLINE, CINAHL, and PsycInfo) were searched to identify studies that used concept mapping methodology. We included 75 concept mapping studies published since 2019 from which we extracted information about the quality of reporting. A third of the studies focused on public health. We identified 71 candidate items that relate to the quality of reporting concept mapping research. The rationale for the study, the focus prompt, procedures for brainstorming, and structuring statements were consistently reported across the included studies. The process for developing the focus prompt, the rationale for the size of the stakeholder groups, and the process for determining the final concept map were generally not reported. The findings from the review will be used to inform the development of our reporting guideline for concept mapping research.

Introduction: Cystic hygroma, a benign congenital malformation of the lymphatic system occurs as a result of sequestration or obstruction of developing lymph vessels. Eighty to 90% of cystic hygromas present before the end of the second year of life and are rare in adults. We present a case of 25 years old male with painless neck mass on right side for past 5 years. Case presentation: A twenty-five-years male presented with painless neck swelling ∼13 x 12 × 11 cm3 in right side of neck for past 5 years. The swelling was rapidly growing over past 2 years which resulted difficulty in neck movements. He underwent contrast enhanced computed tomography scans along with angiography and fine needle aspiration cytology. Based on clinical, radiological and cytological finding diagnosis of cystic hygroma was made. Mass was excised via transverse cervical incision with uneventful intraoperative and post-operative period. Diagnosis of cystic hygroma was confirmed by histopathological examination. Conclusion: Cystic hygromas though rare in adult population should be considered in differential diagnosis in adult neck masses. It is essential to evaluate intrathoracic extension of cystic hygroma with the help of different imaging modalities. Surgical excision is the treatment of choice and it may risk vital structures, such as the sympathetic chain, carotid sheath content, and branches of the hypoglossal, lingual and the facial nerves.

The variation in Global Solar Radiation (GSR) was studied by using experimental data via an automatic weather station (CMP3 pyranometer) located at Guranshe (Surkhet), a hilly area with elevation 2194m from the sea level. Also the estimated sunshine hour data of the area were used to calculate the GSR for the purpose of comparison with the measurements. Our study finds a good agreement between the measured (15.65 MJ/m2/day) and estimated/calculated (19.18 MJ/m2/day) values of annual average GSR. The estimated GSR uses Angstrom-Prescott type model for calculating sunshine hours, and the coefficients (a=0.28) and (b=0.57) were obtained using the Sangeetas and Tiwari model. The annual average estimated sunshine hours was found to be 6.86hr which is suitable for GSR based applications. The measured data were used to study the seasonal, monthly and diurnal variations of GSR. The maximum and minimum values of GSR were found during the spring and summer seasons respectively. The minimum GSR in summer is because of heavy rainfall, high relative humidity, and cloud formation in the sky during the time. The coefficient of regression(R) and the coefficient of determination (R2) were obtained as R=0.881 and R2=0.776 respectively. Here the high value of R (88.1%) indicates that of dependent variable (GSR) is nicely predicted by the independent variables. Also the coefficient of determination (R2) tells us the strength of the relationship between two variables. BIBECHANA 19 (2022) 150-159

African swine fever (ASF) is a highly contagious viral infection of domestic and wild pigs with high mortality. First reported in East Africa in the early 1900s, ASF was largely controlled in domestic pigs in many countries. However, in recent years ASF outbreaks have been reported in several countries in Europe and Asia. The occurrence of ASF in China, the largest pork producer in the world, in 2018 and in India, the country that surrounds and shares open borders with Nepal, has increased the risk of ASF transmission to Nepal. Lately, the pork industry has been growing in Nepal, overcoming traditional religious and cultural biases against it. However, the emergence of viral infections such as ASF could severely affect the industry’s growth and sustainability. Because there are no effective vaccines available to prevent ASF, the government should focus on preventing entry of the virus through strict quarantine measures at the borders, controls on illegal trade, and effective management practices, including biosecurity measures.

Abstract Despite the global efforts to mitigate the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the disease transmission and the effective controls still remain uncertain as the outcome of the epidemic varies from place to place. In this regard, the province-wise data from Nepal provides a unique opportunity to study the effective control strategies. This is because (a) some provinces of Nepal share an open-border with India, resulting in a significantly high inflow of COVID-19 cases from India; (b) despite the inflow of a considerable number of cases, the local spread was quite controlled until mid-June of 2020, presumably due to control policies implemented; and (c) the relaxation of policies caused a rapid surge of the COVID-19 cases, providing a multi-phasic trend of disease dynamics. In this study, we used this unique data set to explore the inter-provincial disparities of the important indicators, such as epidemic trend, epidemic growth rate, and reproduction numbers. Furthermore, we extended our analysis to identify prevention and control policies that are effective in altering these indicators. Our analysis identified a noticeable inter-province variation in the epidemic trend (3 per day to 104 per day linear increase during third surge period), the median daily growth rate (1 to 4% per day exponential growth), the basic reproduction number (0.71 to 1.21), and the effective reproduction number (maximum values ranging from 1.20 to 2.86). Importantly, results from our modeling show that the type and number of control strategies that are effective in altering the indicators vary among provinces, underscoring the need for province-focused strategies along with the national-level strategy in order to ensure the control of a local spread.

Abstract A suitcase laboratory was used for 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing to assess microbial water quality in the holy Bagmati River, Kathmandu, Nepal. SourceTracker analysis and Volcano plots revealed that microbial communities in the downstream part of the river were mainly contributed by untreated sewage. Seasonal variability in the sewage microbiome was reflected in the downstream river water quality. The bacterial genera Acidovorax, Geobacillus and Caulobacter predominated in the upstream sites, while genera containing putative human pathogens and gut bacteria, such as Clostridium, Prevotella, Arcobacter, Lactobacillus, Enterococcus and Streptococcus become prominent in the downstream sites. Marker gene qPCR assays for total bacteria, total coliforms, Human E. coli, Arcobacter butzleri and Vibrio cholerae confirmed the sequencing data trends. Even though basic sanitation provision is nowadays near universal in Nepal, our findings show how inadequate wastewater management may turn an urban river into an open sewer, which poses a public health risk.

Even though vaccines against rabies are available, rabies still remains a burden killing a significant number of humans as well as domestic and wild animals in many parts of the world, including Nepal. In this study, we develop a mathematical model to describe transmission dynamics of rabies in Nepal. In particular, an indirect interspecies transmission from jackals to humans through dogs, which is relevant to the context of Nepal, is one of the novel features of our model. Our model utilizes annual dog-bite data collected from Nepal for a decade long period, allowing us to reasonably estimate parameters related to rabies transmission in Nepal. Using our model, we calculated the basic reproduction number (R0=1.16) as well as intraspecies basic reproduction numbers of dogs (R0D=1.14) and jackals (R0J=0.07) for Nepal, and identified that the dog-related parameters are primary contributors to R0. Our results show that, along with dogs, jackals may also play an important role, albeit lesser extent, in the persistence of rabies in Nepal. Our model also suggests that control strategies may help reduce the prevalence significantly but the jackal vaccination may not be as effective as dog-related preventive strategies. To get deeper insight into the role of intraspecies and interspecies transmission between dog and jackal populations in the persistence of rabies, we also extended our model analysis into a wider parameter range. Interestingly, for some feasible parameters, even though rabies is theoretically controlled in each dog and jackal populations (R0D1) due to interspecies transmission. These results may be useful to design effective prevention and control strategies for mitigating rabies burden in Nepal and other parts of the world.

Barley diseases are the major yield limiting factors for barley cultivation in Nepal. Stripe/Yellow rust (P. striformis f.sp. hordei and P. striformis f.sp. tritici), leaf rust (Puccinia hordei), and crown rust (P. coronata) are the major rust diseases in Nepal. Pyramiding resistance genes against all these rust diseases are possible through molecular marker assisted breeding. Sweden originated barley variety ‘Bonus’ is found resistant to stripe rust and having linked microsatellite markers for stripe rust and crown rust resistance. Similarly, Nepalese hull-less barley variety ‘Solu Uwa’ and Nepalese awn-less barley landrace NPGR Acc# 2478 have linked microsatellite markers for leaf rust resistance. Therefore, one polymorphic sequence tagged sites (STS) marker (ABG054) for stripe rust resistance, two polymorphic simple sequence repeats (SSR) markers (Bmac0144h and HVM049) for leaf rust and one polymorphic SSR marker (Bmag0006) for crown rust resistance were used to select the advanced barley lines (at F8 stage) from above parents. Field screening of stripe rust resistance was also conducted. Among 51 advanced and field disease resistance lines from Bonus/Solu Uwa cross, 10 pyramided lines for all three types of barley rust resistance were selected. Similarly, among 39 advanced and field disease resistance lines from Bonus/NPGR Acc#2478 cross, three pyramided lines were selected and advanced for further yield testing for general cultivation purpose. The chances of losing the desired gene are higher in late generation selection using molecular marker assisted selection (MAS), but the chances of getting agronomically superior varietal output is expected to increase.

In many developing countries, including Nepal, rabies epidemics constitute a serious public health concern, partly because of limited resources for proper implementation of control measures. In this study, we develop an extended model by incorporating various controls into the transmission dynamics model with both dog and jackal vectors. We apply the optimal control theory on the developed model system to identify optimal control strategy for mitigating rabies burden in Nepal with limited resources. Among the potential control strategies, human vaccination, dog vaccination, dog culling, dog sterilization, and jackal vaccination, considered in this study, our results show that a combination of dog vaccination and dog culling is the most effective strategy to control rabies in Nepal. Our optimal control solutions provide the strategy for optimal implementation of these controls to suppress rabies prevalence among dogs and jackals of Nepal using a minimum cost associated with controls. We found that given limited resources, implementing controls in a time-dependent manner with a higher level at the beginning of the outbreaks and reducing them during later part of the epidemics can provide maximum benefits.

Societal Impact Statement Ecosystem‐based adaptation (EbA) is increasingly being used to reduce the impacts of climate change on vulnerable people and landscapes. The international EbA South project implemented EbA interventions across three countries (Mauritania, Nepal, the Seychelles), piloting the restoration of mountain, desert and coastal ecosystems to enhance the climate resilience of local communities. The experiences of the EbA South project across these distinct ecosystems and socio‐economic environments provide unique insights into the adaptive management invariably required within EbA initiatives. This analysis also provides lessons on how to share knowledge among different stakeholders and countries to advance South‐South cooperation. Summary Climate change is having an increasingly negative impact on the world's most vulnerable societies. Ecosystem‐based adaptation (EbA) uses biodiversity and ecosystem services to help local communities adapt to the adverse impacts of climate change. This approach, which has the potential to be implemented across a wide range of ecosystem types and scales, is increasingly being adopted by governments and international donors within climate change adaptation initiatives. The objective of the EbA South project was to enhance the climate resilience of communities in Mauritania, Nepal, and the Seychelles by building institutional capacity, mobilizing knowledge and transferring EbA technologies based on China's experience in successfully implementing restoration. The project implemented EbA interventions in the drylands of Mauritania, Himalayan forests in Nepal, and the coastal zone of the Seychelles. All interventions were carefully monitored by researchers to generate scientific evidence of the impacts of EbA. Here, we provide implementers of EbA with the major lessons learned from the EbA South project, namely: (a) quantifying the full suite of ecosystem goods and services generated through EbA at a landscape scale; (b) budgeting in advance for management of time‐consuming complexities related to socioeconomics and ecology such as land‐use conflict, ineffective government structures, disagreements regarding intervention options, and challenging environmental conditions; (c) undertaking long‐term research for adaptive management and documenting the project's successes; (d) providing platforms for effective communication and collaboration among stakeholders with different first languages; and (e) regularly adjusting exit strategies for maintenance of the EbA landscapes after closure of the project.

Background: Client satisfaction is essential for improvement of quality of antenatal care and to increase service utilization. Therefore, this article aimed to assess the level of satisfaction of postnatal mothers About antenatal care services in Chandannath Municipality of Jumla, Nepal. Methods: The descriptive cross sectional study design was conducted to assess the level of satisfaction of postnatal mothers about antenatal care services in Chandannath Municipality of Jumla, Nepal. The study population was postnatal mothers within one year of child birth who came in maternal and child health (MCH) clinic for the immunization of their baby. Total 367 postnatal mothers within one year of childbirth were recruited by adopting simple random sampling technique, and face to face interview was done by using Likert scale to collect the data. Data analysis was done by using descriptive statistics. Results: Regarding the satisfaction on antenatal care received by postnatal mothers on different aspects, majority were satisfied with the information received regarding prenatal test and procedures (68.1%), and antenatal guidance/counseling on preparation for child birth (61.3%). Similarly, more than half were satisfied with time given to answer their questions (57.5%). About approachability, less than half (45.8%) were dissatisfied because providers were hurried during antenatal visit. Concerning the availability; majority (68.9%) were satisfied because they got in touch with care providers. Likewise, majority of mothers were satisfied with respect (67.0%) and support (64.0%) from providers. Regarding the satisfaction level on antenatal care received by postnatal mother, majority of them (71.4%) were satisfied and 28.6% were dissatisfied from antenatal care they received. Conclusion: The facility based study showed that the majority of postnatal mothers were satisfied and one third were not satisfied from antenatal care. So community based study should be conducted to find out the actual satisfaction level.

Inter-professional collaboration is a process in which health professionals from different disciplines work together, sharing their ideas and opinions to plan evidence-based care. Nurses and doctors spend most of their time providing direct patient care. Therefore, effective interprofessional collaboration may be important in ensuring safe and effective patient care. There are no systematic reviews that have evaluated the association between nurse–doctor collaboration and patient outcomes in medical and surgical settings. We will conduct a systematic search of five key databases MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycInfo, CINAHL, and the Cochrane register. We will include observational and experimental research that tests the association between levels of inter-professional collaboration and medical and surgical inpatient mortality. Two reviewers will independently conduct title and abstract, full-text screening, and data extraction. The Effective Public Health Practice (EPHPP) tool will be used to determine the quality of the included studies. If sufficient studies are available, we will undertake a meta-analysis. The protocol is registered with the international prospective register of systematic reviews (PROSPERO-CRD42019133543).

Coronaviruses are a group of enveloped, single-stranded, positive-sense RNA viruses which are broadly classified into Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta coronaviruses genera based on the viral genome. Coronavirus was not thought to be a significant problem in humans until the outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in 2002 but infection in animals including pigs, cats, dogs and poultry has been problematic for long. The outbreak of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in December 2019 in Wuhan, China drew special attention towards this virus once again. The intermediate host of this novel coronavirus, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is yet to be determined, but it has a very close genomic relationship with the bat coronavirus (BatCoV), RaTG13 strain, and the pangolin coronaviruses. As veterinary medicine has long term experience dealing with coronaviruses, this could be helpful in better understanding to detect the origin of SARS-CoV-2 and drive human medicine towards the development of vaccines and antiviral drugs through the collaborative and transdisciplinary approach of One Health.

In this article, we developed a deterministic model for the transmission dynamics of visceral leishmaniasis in humans, canine reservoirs and sandflies, which is the only vector that transmits the disease parasite. The theoretical and epidemiological findings of this study indicates that the disease-free equilibrium of the model is locally and globally asymptotically stable when the associated reproduction number is less than unity. We perform sensitivity analysis on the model parameter to determine the parameter with the most impact on the reproduction number. Following the results obtained from the sensitivity analysis, we apply optimal control theory using three time dependent control variables representing personal protection, insecticide spraying and culling of infected canine reservoirs. Simulation results are presented for various outbreak scenarios which indicates that leishmaniasis can be eliminated from a region by the application of three time dependent controls representing respectively, personal protection, insecticide spraying and culling infected canine reservoir.

Nowadays, increasing environmental and social awareness has led numerous industries to adopt Sustainable Supply Chain Management (SSCM). Sustainable Supplier Selection (SSS) is considered as a very important and primary step of achieving an SSCM. SSS is a Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) problem and is very intricate for its nature. This study aims to evaluate and rank sustainable suppliers using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) which is a popular model for measuring the productive efficiency of decision-making units effectively and is also able to handle MCDM problems. To avoid some inherent limitations of DEA, an evolutionary algorithm Differential Evolution (DE) is used to solve the DEA model. This integrated DEA-DE model provides more accurate efficiencies and is verified through a case study in a pharmaceutical company. Employing this easy and fast model to assess sustainable suppliers will help industries and suppliers to move forward towards achieving and maintaining sustainability and thus will increase the overall performance of SSCM.

In 2014, Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) introduced an affordable and portable sequencer called MinION. We reviewed emerging applications in water research and assessed progress made with this platform towards ubiquitous genetics. With >99% savings in upfront costs as compared to conventional platforms, the MinION put sequencing capacity into the hands of many researchers and enabled novel applications with diverse remits, including in countries without universal access to safe water and sanitation. However, to realize the MinION’s fabled portability, all the auxiliary equipment items for biomass concentration, genetic material extraction, cleanup, quantification, and sequencing library preparation also need to be lightweight and affordable. Only a few studies demonstrated fully portable workflows by using the MinION onboard a diving vessel, an oceanographic research ship, and at sewage treatment works. Lower nanopore sequencing read accuracy as compared to alternative platforms currently hinders MinION applications beyond research, and inclusion of positive and negative controls should become standard practice. ONT’s EPI2ME platform is a major step towards user-friendly bioinformatics. However, no consensus has yet emerged regarding the most appropriate bioinformatic pipeline, which hinders intercomparison of study results. Processing, storing, and interpreting large data sets remains a major challenge for ubiquitous genetics and democratizing sequencing applications.

A study was conducted to identify the immunomodulatory effect of Stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) and Aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis) in broiler chicken. A total of 240 birds were divided into 4 treatment groups with 4 replications in each group, each replication containing 15 birds. Treatments were comprised of no Nettle and Aloe vera (T0); Nettle 5% (T1), Aloe vera @5 ml/lit drinking water (T2) and Nettle 5% and Aloe vera @5 ml/lit drinking water (T3). The study was conducted under a randomized design. The immunomodulating effect was evaluated by measuring antibody titer against NDV vaccine; and by estimating the albumin, globulin and total protein upto 40 days of age. The effect on liver was estimated by measuring liver enzymes alanine aminotransferase (ALT). The hypoglycemic effect was estimated by measuring glucose level in the serum, and morphological changes in the spleen and bursa were estimated by measuring the ratio score of the respective organs to the body weight. Throughout the experiment, the value for HI titer, albumin, globulin, total protein, spleen weight ratio score, bursa weight ratio score, liver function test and blood glucose of all treatment group were non significant (p > 0.05) except for albumin on 10th day, globulin on 0th day, total protein on 0th day and ratio score of spleen were found to be significant (p ≤ 0.05) at 30 days in all treatment compared to control group. Histopathology of spleen and bursa appeared normal in all treatment and control groups. Result thus suggests that nettle and Aloe vera have non-significant immunomodulatory effects. Keywords: Immunomodulatory, Stinging nettle, Aloe vera, Broiler, Total protein

Rabies is a global problem, but the burden is higher in less developed or developing countries of Asia and Africa. In Nepal, rabies is reported to kill around 500 animals and up to 32 human beings in recent years, with possible under-reporting of cases and deaths. As a prophylactic measure, around 30,000 livestock and 300,000 humans get vaccinated each year in Nepal. This review summarizes the past, present and future perspectives of rabies control and prevention in Nepal. The global strategic plan of World Health Organization (WHO) aims to bring human deaths from dog-transmitted rabies to zero by 2030. To achieve this goal of ‘Zero by 30’, the concerned governmental and non-governmental agencies in Nepal should work together using the One Health concept.

Background. A cutaneous horn is a common clinical entity which usually presents as a cutaneous lesion. Because of its subtle nature, patients usually tend to present late unless the lesion is big or complications develop. Because of its resemblance to animal horn, it has been given the term “horn.” Cutaneous horn seems to have a remarkable history. Though cutaneous horn is benign most of the times, chances of malignancy (20–25%) should be kept in mind. Old age, giant cutaneous horn carries more chances of transformation into malignancy like in our case. Thus, early diagnosis and treatment is required in all cases. Case Presentation. We report a case of a 74-year-old farmer with a cutaneous projection measuring ∼8 × 5 × 3 cm3 over the medial surface of the right pinna for 1 year. It started as a small projection which was progressively enlarging. The primary reason behind him presenting to us was cosmetic reason since it resembled an animal horn. The projection was not associated with pain or similar lesions anywhere else in body. Understanding the malignancy risks and the cosmetic benefits, he was planned for excision biopsy of the horn. He had no systemic signs of malignancy. Histopathological reports were consistent with malignancy. Conclusions. Cutaneous horns are usually benign lesions and mostly found in the head and neck region. Because of the chances of malignancy, cutaneous horns should undergo surgical removal and biopsy for early and definitive diagnosis and management.

Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations of propane dimer in different solvents (water, acetonitrile and methanol) were performed by using CHARMM platform for modeling the solute and solvents. A series of Umbrella sampling MD simulations were carried out in each solvent separately and potential of mean force (PMFs) were calculated by using Weighted Histogram Analysis Method. Results show that two minima (contact minima and solvent separated minima) characterize the PMF of propane dimer in all three solvent environments. The contact minima are deeper and less sensitive to solvent environment for its position. However, significant effect in the position of second minima, solvent separated minima, was observed. Our study reveals that the interaction between propane dimer is softer in methanol and acetonitrile than in water. BIBECHANA 17 (2020) 1-12

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a major global health issue. The development of T2DM is gradual and preceded by the pre-diabetes mellitus (pre-DM) stage, which often remains undiagnosed. This study aimed to identify novel pre-DM biomarkers in a high-fat diet (HFD)-induced pre-DM mouse model. Male C57BL/6J mice were fed either a chow diet or HFD for 12 weeks. Serum and liver samples were isolated in a time-dependent manner. Semi-quantitative assessment of secretory cytokines was performed by cytokine array analysis, and 13 cytokines were selected for further analysis based on the changes in expression levels in the pre-DM and T2DM stages. HFD-fed mice gained body weight and exhibited high serum lipid, liver enzyme, glucose, and insulin levels during the progression of pre-DM to T2DM. The mRNA expression of inflammatory and lipogenic genes was elevated in HFD-fed mice The mRNA expression of Fc receptor, IgG, low affinity Iib, lectin, galactose binding, soluble 1, vascular cell adhesion molecule 1, insulin-like growth factor binding protein 5, and growth arrest specific 6 was elevated in the pre-DM, which was confirmed by measuring protein levels. Our study identified novel pre-DM biomarkers that may help to delay or prevent the progression of T2DM.

Vaccination is the most effective preventive measure of COVID-19 available at present, but its success depends on the global accessibility of vaccines and the willingness of people to be vaccinated. As the vaccination rollouts are increasing worldwide, it is important to assess public perception and willingness towards vaccination, so that the aim of mass vaccination will be successful. This study aimed to understand public perception towards COVID-19 vaccines and their willingness to get vaccinated in Nepal. This cross-sectional online survey was conducted among 1196 residents of Nepal in August 2021; most of the participants of this online survey were young adults (18–47 years) with university-level education. A total of 64.5% (771/1196) of the participants perceived COVID-19 vaccines to be safe and risk-free, while 68.6% (820/1196) agreed that vaccination would be efficient in the fight against this pandemic. Most of the participants (841/1196, 70.3%) disagreed that people are getting COVID-19 vaccines easily in Nepal, while they agree with the prioritization of older adults and healthcare workers for vaccination. A total of 61.1% (731/1196) of the participants had received at least one dose of the vaccine. Among the unvaccinated, 93.3% (434/465) were willing to get vaccinated when their turn came. The higher confidence of younger adults in vaccines and the vaccination process is encouraging, as that can help educate others who are hesitant or are not positive towards the idea of receiving vaccines. Dissemination of correct and current information, acquisition of enough doses of vaccines, and equitable distribution of vaccines will be required to achieve successful completion of the COVID-19 vaccination campaign in Nepal.

Plant vascular systems can translocate the entomopathogen Bacillus thuringiensis from the soil into plant tissues. However, whether other soil dwelling entomopathogens utilize plant vascular tissue for movement has not yet been fully explored. We used Spodoptera frugiperda multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (SfMNPV) to evaluate whether baculoviruses, a common entomopathogen and bioinsecticide, can be transported through the plant vascular pathways of Zea mays. We found that our treatments did not allow a sufficient virus translocation into the plant to induce a lethal infection in insects, which was confirmed by a molecular analysis. While other entomopathogens translocate, baculoviruses may not be one of them.

Barley (Hordeum vulagare L) is the major crop for the people living in the high hills and mountainous region of Nepal. Leaf rust (caused by Puccinia hordei) is one of the major production threats for barley cultivation. A lot of variation can be observed on Nepalese barley accessions with respect to leaf rust resistance characteristics. Two hundred and forty one barley accessions were screened for leaf rust resistance characteristics on heading stage at Khumaltar, Lalitpur, Nepal. Among them, one hundred and nine Nepalese barley accessions showing promising for disease resistance were screened using six SSR markers linked to leaf rust resistance genes. Bonus and Local Jau was used as the resistant and susceptible check respectively. Leaf rust resistance genes Rph1, Rph2, Rph3, Rph7, QBLR-P and QTL on chromosome 5HS were detected on Nepalese barley accessions using respective SSR markers. Eight Nepalese barley accessions showed presence of three and more leaf rust resistant genes. The poor relationship between the field disease resistance and molecular markers linked with specific leaf rust resistance gene proved that Nepalese barley gene pool contains other leaf resistance genes.

Introduction: Organophosphorous poisoning is a common problem prevalent in Nepal. Intermediate syndrome is a common clinical feature seen among the patients those have ingested poison. There is a scarcity of data related to intermediate syndrome and other general complications in patients with organophosphorous poisoning in context of Nepal. This study was carried out to observe the prevalence of intermediate syndrome and the general complications of oraganophosphorus poisoning among admitted patients in a tertiary care hospital. Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted at a tertiary care hospital from April 2008 to June 2009 after ethical approval was from Institiutional Review Board of tertiary care hospital. Forty four patients with history of ingestion of organophosphorus poisoning within 24 hours were included in our study through convenience sampling. Clinical examinations were done to look for Intermediate syndrome. Data was entered in Statistical Package for Social Sciences and point estimate at 95% of CI was calculated along with frequency and proportion for binary data. Results: Out of 44 patients, features of intermediate syndrome were seen in 40 (90.9%) at 95% of CI (84.2-97.6) patients in the study. The frequency of intermediate syndrome signs like weakness of neck flexion, inability to sit up and swallowing difficulty were seen among the patients. Complications like pneumonia 4 (9.09%), hyponatremia 3 (6.8%), hypokalemia 1 (2.27%) and bradycardia 1 (2.27%) were seen in the study. Mortality seen in the study was 2 (4.5%) among the admitted patients. Conclusions: Prevalence of intermediate syndrome was higher compared to other studies done in similar settings. Complications like pneumonia, hyponatremia, hypokalemia and bradycardia were seen among the patients.