'Everest' Panorama; 20-20 Vision

Science.gov (United States)

2005-01-01

[figure removed for brevity, see original site] 'Everest' Panorama 20-20 Vision (QTVR) [figure removed for brevity, see original site] 'Everest' Panorama Animation If a human with perfect vision donned a spacesuit and stepped onto the martian surface, the view would be as clear as this sweeping panorama taken by NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit. That's because the rover's panoramic camera has the equivalent of 20-20 vision. Earthlings can take a virtual tour of the scenery by zooming in on their computer screens many times to get a closer look at, say, a rock outcrop or a sand drift, without losing any detail. This level of clarity is unequaled in the history of Mars exploration. It took Spirit three days, sols 620 to 622 (Oct. 1 to Oct. 3, 2005), to acquire all the images combined into this mosaic, called the 'Everest Panorama,' looking outward in every direction from the true summit of 'Husband Hill.' During that period, the sky changed in color and brightness due to atmospheric dust variations, as shown in contrasting sections of this mosaic. Haze occasionally obscured the view of the hills on the distant rim of Gusev Crater 80 kilometers (50 miles) away. As dust devils swooped across the horizon in the upper right portion of the panorama, the robotic explorer changed the filters on the camera from red to green to blue, making the dust devils appear red, green, and blue. In reality, the dust devils are similar in color to the reddish-brown soils of Mars. No attempt was made to 'smooth' the sky in this mosaic, as has been done in other panoramic-camera mosaics to simulate the view one would get by taking in the landscape all at once. The result is a sweeping vista that allows viewers to observe weather changes on Mars. The summit of Husband Hill is a broad plateau of rock outcrops and windblown drifts about 100 meters (300 feet) higher than the surrounding plains of Gusev Crater. In the distance, near the center of the mosaic, is the 'South Basin,' the

Real-time electrocardiogram transmission from Mount Everest during continued ascent.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wei-Fong Kao

Full Text Available The feasibility of a real-time electrocardiogram (ECG transmission via satellite phone from Mount Everest to determine a climber's suitability for continued ascent was examined. Four Taiwanese climbers were enrolled in the 2009 Mount Everest summit program. Physiological measurements were taken at base camp (5300 m, camp 2 (6400 m, camp 3 (7100 m, and camp 4 (7950 m 1 hour after arrival and following a 10 minute rest period. A total of 3 out of 4 climbers were able to summit Mount Everest successfully. Overall, ECG and global positioning system (GPS coordinates of climbers were transmitted in real-time via satellite phone successfully from base camp, camp 2, camp 3, and camp 4. At each camp, Resting Heart Rate (RHR was transmitted and recorded: base camp (54-113 bpm, camp 2 (94-130 bpm, camp 3 (98-115 bpm, and camp 4 (93-111 bpm. Real-time ECG and GPS coordinate transmission via satellite phone is feasible for climbers on Mount Everest. Real-time RHR data can be used to evaluate a climber's physiological capacity to continue an ascent and to summit.

Rb-Sr ages of the biotite and muscovite of the Himalayas, eastern Nepal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kai, Kunio

1981-01-01

Rb-Sr ages of biotite from the southern flank of Mt. Everest, eastern Nepal, range from 14.1 to 1.3 m.y., the youngest biotite coexists with muscovite of 7.3 m.y. These different ages for different samples reflect the difference in cooling history related to the uplift of the Himalayas. The biotite ages decrease with increasing distance from the high mountain range, suggesting that the high range, i.e., the northern area, was uplifted earlier than the southern area. The relationship between the ages and altitutes of sampling sites indicates that the uplift rate of the northern area was 0.60 mm/yr. (author)

Climate Change and its Impacts on Tourism and Livelihood in Manaslu Conservation Area, Nepal

Science.gov (United States)

K C, A.

2016-12-01

The Hindukush Himalayan region including Nepal, a country reliant on tourism, is particularly sensitive to climate change. However, there are considerable gaps in research regarding tourism, livelihood and climate change in Nepal. The present research assesses the impact of climate change on tourism and livelihood in the Manaslu Conservation Area (MCA) of Nepal. Seventy-six households were interviewed followed by three focus group discussions and five key informant interviews. The empirical data collected at the site are complemented by secondary scientific data on climate and tourism. Correlation, regression, descriptive and graphical analysis was carried out for the presentation and analysis of data. Local people perceived that temperature and rainfall have been increasing in the study site as a result of climate change. It was also verified by the observed scientific data of temperature and precipitation. Socioeconomic variables such as marital status, size of household, education and landholding status had positive effect on tourism participation while livestock-holding status and occupation of the household had negative effect on tourism participation. Number of visitors is increasing in MCA in recent years, and tourism participation is helping local people to earn more money and improve their living standard. Till the date, there is positive impact of climate change on tourism sector in the study area. But, unfavorable weather change phenomena, intense rainfall and snowfall, melting of snow, occurrence of hydrological and climatic hazards and increase in temperature may have adverse impact on the tourism and livelihood in the mountainous area. Such type of adverse impact of climate change and tourism is already experienced in the case of Annapurna region and Mt. Everest region as tourist were trapped and affected by unfavorable weather change phenomena. In response to gradually warming temperature and decreasing snowfall, there seems an urgent need for

Critical discussion on the "observed" water balances of five sub-basins in the Everest region

Science.gov (United States)

Chevallier, P.; Eeckman, J.; Nepal, S.; Delclaux, F.; Wagnon, P.; Brun, F.; Koirala, D.

2017-12-01

The hydrometeorological components of five Dudh Koshi River sub-basins on the Nepalese side of the Mount Everest have been monitored during four hydrological years (2013-2017), with altitudes ranging from 2000 m to Everest top, areas between 4.65 and 1207 km², and proportions of glaciated areas between nil and 45%. This data set is completed with glacier mass balance observations. The analysis of the observed data and the resulting water balances show large uncertainties of different types: aleatory, epistemic or semantic, following the classification proposed by Beven (2016). The discussion is illustrated using results from two modeling approaches, physical (ISBA, Noilhan and Planton, 1996) and conceptual (J2000, Krause, 2001), as well as large scale glacier mass balances obtained by the way of a recent remote sensing processing method. References: Beven, K., 2016. Facets of uncertainty: epistemic uncertainty, non-stationarity, likelihood, hypothesis testing, and communication. Hydrological Sciences Journal 61, 1652-1665. doi:10.1080/02626667.2015.1031761 Krause, P., 2001. Das hydrologische Modellsystem J2000: Beschreibung und Anwendung in groen Flueinzugsgebieten, Schriften des Forschungszentrum Jülich. Reihe Umwelt/Environment; Band 29. Noilhan, J., Planton, S., 1989. A single parametrization of land surface processes for meteorological models. Monthly Weather Review 536-549.

Pattern of Occurrence of Leukemia at a Teaching Hospital in Eastern Region of Nepal - A Six Year Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ritu Kulshrestha

2009-01-01

The data published in this study reflects the leukemia pattern in the eastern region of Nepal. The pattern and distribution of AML, CML, ALL was similar to that in the developed western countries while the lesser frequency of CLL was similar to that in Southeast Asian region Key Words:leukemia, pattern, eastern Nepal, seasonality.

Quantifying seasonal velocity at Khumbu Glacier, Nepal

Science.gov (United States)

Miles, E.; Quincey, D. J.; Miles, K.; Hubbard, B. P.; Rowan, A. V.

2017-12-01

While the low-gradient debris-covered tongues of many Himalayan glaciers exhibit low surface velocities, quantifying ice flow and its variation through time remains a key challenge for studies aimed at determining the long-term evolution of these glaciers. Recent work has suggested that glaciers in the Everest region of Nepal may show seasonal variability in surface velocity, with ice flow peaking during the summer as monsoon precipitation provides hydrological inputs and thus drives changes in subglacial drainage efficiency. However, satellite and aerial observations of glacier velocity during the monsoon are greatly limited due to cloud cover. Those that do exist do not span the period over which the most dynamic changes occur, and consequently short-term (i.e. daily) changes in flow, as well as the evolution of ice dynamics through the monsoon period, remain poorly understood. In this study, we combine field and remote (satellite image) observations to create a multi-temporal, 3D synthesis of ice deformation rates at Khumbu Glacier, Nepal, focused on the 2017 monsoon period. We first determine net annual and seasonal surface displacements for the whole glacier based on Landsat-8 (OLI) panchromatic data (15m) processed with ImGRAFT. We integrate inclinometer observations from three boreholes drilled by the EverDrill project to determine cumulative deformation at depth, providing a 3D perspective and enabling us to assess the role of basal sliding at each site. We additionally analyze high-frequency on-glacier L1 GNSS data from three sites to characterize variability within surface deformation at sub-seasonal timescales. Finally, each dataset is validated against repeat-dGPS observations at gridded points in the vicinity of the boreholes and GNSS dataloggers. These datasets complement one another to infer thermal regime across the debris-covered ablation area of the glacier, and emphasize the seasonal and spatial variability of ice deformation for glaciers in High

The distribution of Reptiles and amphibians in the Annapurna-Dhaulagiri region (Nepal)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nanhoe, L.M.R.; Ouboter, P.E.

1987-01-01

The reptiles and amphibians of the Annapurna-Dhaulagiri region in Nepal are keyed and described. Their distribution is recorded, based on both personal observations and literature data. The ecology of the species is discussed. The zoogeography and the altitudinal distribution are analysed. All in

Potential GLOF Hazards and Initiatives taken to minimize its Impacts on Downstream Communities and Infrastructures in Nepal Himalaya

Science.gov (United States)

Regmi, D.; Kargel, J. S.; Leonard, G. J.; Haritashya, U. K.; Karki, A.; Poudyal, S.

2017-12-01

With long-term temperature increases due to climate change, glacier lakes in several parts of the world are a fast-developing threat to infrastructure and downstream communities. There are more than 2000 glacier lakes in Nepal; while most pose no significant hazard to people, a comparative few are very dangerous, such as Tso Rolpa, Imja, Barun and Thulagi glacier lakes. The objectives of this study are to present 1) a review of prior glacier lake studies that have been carried out in the Nepal Himalaya; 2) recent research results, including bathymetric studies of the lakes; 3) a summary of possible infrastructure damages, especially multi-million-dollar hydropower projects, that are under threat of glacier lake outburst floods (GLOFs); 4) to present the outcome of the recently completed Imja lake lowering project, which is the highest altitude lake ever controlled by lowering the water level. This project is being undertaken as a response to a scientific ground-based bathymetric and geophysical survey funded by the United Nations Development Program and a satellite-based study of the long-term development of the lake (funded by NASA's SERVIR program, J. Kargel, PI). The objective of the Imja Lake GLOF mitigation project is to lower the water level by three meters to reduce the lake volume, increase the freeboard, and improve the safety of tourism, downstream communities, and the infrastructure of Nepal's Everest region. This GLOF mitigation step taken by Nepal's government to reduce the risk of an outburst flood is a good step to reduce the chances of a GLOF, and to reduce the magnitude of a disaster if a GLOF nonetheless occurs despite our best efforts. We will also present the prospects for the future of Imja Lake, including an outline of possible steps that could further reduce the hazards faced by downstream communities and infrastructure. Key words: Glacier Lakes; GLOF; Hydropower; Imja lake; lake lowering

Dengue virus infection in a French traveller to the hilly region of Nepal in 2015: a case report.

Science.gov (United States)

Gupta, Birendra Prasad; Adhikari, Anurag; Rauniyar, Ramanuj; Kurmi, Roshan; Upadhya, Bishnu Prasad; Jha, Bimlesh Kumar; Pandey, Basudev; Das Manandhar, Krishna

2016-03-21

Dengue viral infections are known to pose a significant risk during travel to tropical regions, but it is surprising to find dengue transmission in the hilly region of Nepal, which is over 1800mtr above sea level. A 43-year-old Caucasian female traveler from France presented with fever and abdominal pain following a diarrheal illness while visiting the central hilly region of Nepal. Over the course of 9 days, she developed fever, body aches, and joint pain, with hemorrhagic manifestation. She was hospitalized in India and treated with supportive care, with daily monitoring of her platelets. An assessment by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay showed that she was positive for dengue non-structural protein 1. Upon her return to France, dengue virus was confirmed by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. The district where this dengue case was reported is in the hilly region of Nepal, neighboring the capital city Kathmandu. To the best of our knowledge, there has previously been no dengue cases reported from the district. This study is important because it aims to establish a potential region of dengue virus circulation not only in the tropics, but also in the subtropics as well, which in Nepal may exceed elevations of 1800mtr. This recent case report has raised alarm among concerned health personnel, researchers, and organizations that this infectious disease is now on the way to becoming established in a temperate climate.

Results of groundwater monitoring and vegetation sampling at Everest, Kansas, in 2009 .

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

LaFreniere, L. M.; Environmental Science Division

2010-05-13

In April 2008, the Commodity Credit Corporation of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (CCC/USDA) conducted groundwater sampling for the analysis of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the existing network of monitoring points at Everest, Kansas (Argonne 2008). The objective of the 2008 investigation was to monitor the distribution of carbon tetrachloride contamination in groundwater previously identified in CCC/USDA site characterization and groundwater sampling studies at Everest in 2000-2006 (Argonne 2001, 2003, 2006a,b). The work at Everest is being undertaken on behalf of the CCC/USDA by Argonne National Laboratory, under the oversight of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE). The findings of the 2008 investigation were as follows: (1) Measurements of groundwater levels obtained manually and through the use of automatic recorders demonstrated a consistent pattern of groundwater flow - and inferred contaminant migration - to the north-northwest from the former CCC/USDA facility toward the Nigh property, and then west-southwest from the Nigh property toward the intermittent creek that lies west of the former CCC/USDA facility and the Nigh property. (2) The range of concentrations and the areal distribution of carbon tetrachloride identified in the groundwater at Everest in April 2008 were generally consistent with previous results. The results of the 2008 sampling (reflecting the period from 2006 to 2008) and the earlier investigations at Everest (representing the period from 2000 to 2006) show that no significant downgradient extension of the carbon tetrachloride plume occurred from 2000 to 2008. (3) The slow contaminant migration indicated by the monitoring data is qualitatively consistent with the low groundwater flow rates in the Everest aquifer unit estimated previously on the basis of site-specific hydraulic testing (Argonne 2006a,b). (4) The April 2008 and earlier sampling results demonstrate that the limits of the plume have been

Providing a non-deterministic representation of spatial variability of precipitation in the Everest region

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. Eeckman

2017-09-01

Full Text Available This paper provides a new representation of the effect of altitude on precipitation that represents spatial and temporal variability in precipitation in the Everest region. Exclusive observation data are used to infer a piecewise linear function for the relation between altitude and precipitation and significant seasonal variations are highlighted. An original ensemble approach is applied to provide non-deterministic water budgets for middle and high-mountain catchments. Physical processes at the soil–atmosphere interface are represented through the Interactions Soil–Biosphere–Atmosphere (ISBA surface scheme. Uncertainties associated with the model parametrization are limited by the integration of in situ measurements of soils and vegetation properties. Uncertainties associated with the representation of the orographic effect are shown to account for up to 16 % of annual total precipitation. Annual evapotranspiration is shown to represent 26 % ± 1 % of annual total precipitation for the mid-altitude catchment and 34% ± 3 % for the high-altitude catchment. Snowfall contribution is shown to be neglectable for the mid-altitude catchment, and it represents up to 44 % ± 8 % of total precipitation for the high-altitude catchment. These simulations on the local scale enhance current knowledge of the spatial variability in hydroclimatic processes in high- and mid-altitude mountain environments.

Adaptation to Climate Change in Panchase Mountain Ecological Regions of Nepal

OpenAIRE

Shankar Adhikari; Himlal Baral; Craig Nitschke

2018-01-01

Rural mountain communities in developing countries are considered particularly vulnerable to environmental change, including climate change. Forests and agriculture provide numerous ecosystem goods and services (EGS) to local communities and can help people adapt to the impacts of climate change. There is however poor documentation on the role of EGS in people’s livelihood and adaptation practices. This study in the rural Panchase Mountain Ecological Region of Nepal identifies practices being...

Closed and open breathing circuit function in healthy volunteers during exercise at Mount Everest base camp (5300 m)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

McMorrow, R. C. N.; Windsor, J. S.; Hart, N. D.; Richards, P.; Rodway, G. W.; Ahuja, V. Y.; O'Dwyer, M. J.; Mythen, M. G.; Grocott, M. P. W.; Ahuja, V.; Aref-Adib, G.; Burnham, R.; Chisholm, A.; Clarke, K.; Coates, D.; Coates, M.; Cook, D.; Cox, M.; Dhillon, S.; Dougall, C.; Doyle, P.; Duncan, P.; Edsell, M.; Edwards, L.; Evans, L.; Gardiner, P.; Grocott, M.; Gunning, P.; Hart, N.; Harrington, J.; Harvey, J.; Holloway, C.; Howard, D.; Hurlbut, D.; Imray, C.; Ince, C.; Jonas, M.; van der Kaaij, J.; Khosravi, M.; Kolfschoten, N.; Levett, D.; Luery, H.; Luks, A.; Martin, D.; McMorrow, R.; Meale, P.; Mitchell, K.; Montgomery, H.; Morgan, G.; Morgan, J.

2012-01-01

We present a randomised, controlled, crossover trial of the Caudwell Xtreme Everest (CXE) closed circuit breathing system vs an open circuit and ambient air control in six healthy, hypoxic volunteers at rest and exercise at Everest Base Camp, at 5300 m. Compared with control, arterial oxygen

Pattern of occurrence of leukemia at a teaching hospital in eastern region of Nepal - a six year study.

Science.gov (United States)

Kulshrestha, R; Sah, S P

2009-01-01

Pattern of leukemia is known to vary widely throughout the world. The characterization of distribution patterns of different subtypes of leukemia in Nepal needs further study. We wanted to study the leukemia pattern in our institute. A retrospective study of 196 cases of leukemia, diagnosed at BPKIHS, between January 1997 to December 2002 was done. We analyzed the pattern of leukemia at BPKIHS by morphological subtype, gender, age at diagnosis, time period of diagnosis (seasonality), and geographic distribution. Morphological sub typing showed that 121 cases were of acute leukemia and 75 of chronic leukemia. Chronic myeloid leukemia constituted the single largest group comprising 35.2 % of all cases, followed by acute myeloid leukemia (28.57 %) and acute lymphoid leukemia (19.9 %). Maximum numbers of cases were from the lowlands while least number of cases were from the mountain districts. Results were compared with literature from Nepal and other countries. This is the second series of leukemia from Nepal. The data published in this study reflects the leukemia pattern in the eastern region of Nepal. The pattern and distribution of AML, CML, ALL was similar to that in the developed western countries while the lesser frequency of CLL was similar to that in Southeast Asian region.

Factors associated with childhood ocular morbidity and blindness in three ecological regions of Nepal: Nepal pediatric ocular disease study.

Science.gov (United States)

Adhikari, Srijana; Shrestha, Mohan Krishna; Adhikari, Kamala; Maharjan, Nhukesh; Shrestha, Ujjowala Devi

2014-10-23

Nepal Pediatric Ocular Diseases Study is a three year longitudinal population based study. Here we present the baseline survey report which aims to investigate various risk factors associated with childhood ocular morbidity and blindness in three ecological regions of Nepal. This baseline survey is a population based cross sectional study. The investigation was conducted in a district from each of the following regions: Terai, Hill and Mountain. The Village Development Committees (VDCs) from each district were selected by random sampling. Three Community health workers were given training on vision screening and identification of abnormal ocular signs in children. They conducted a house to house survey in their respected districts examining the children and gathering a standardized set of data variables. Children with abnormal vision or ocular signs were then further examined by pediatric ophthalmologists. A total of 10950 children aged 0-10 years (5403 from Terai, 3204 from the hills, 2343 from the mountains) were enrolled in the study. However 681 (6.2%) were non responders. The male to female ratio was 1.03. The overall prevalence of ocular morbidity was 3.7% (95% CI of 3.4%-4%) and blindness was 0.07% (95% CI of 0.02%-0.12%). Ocular morbidity was more prevalent in the mountain region whereas blindness was more prevalent in the Terai region.Children from the Terai region were more likely to suffer from congenital ocular anomalies compared to the other regions. Children whose mother smoked, drank alcohol, or was illiterate were significantly afflicted with ocular diseases (p Blindness was more prevalent in children who suffered from a systemic illness. Females and under-nourished children were more likely to have ocular morbidity and blindness. It was found that childhood blindness was more prevalent in the Terai region, the undernourished, females and in those with co-morbid systemic illnesses. This study strongly suggests that prevention of childhood

Ophthalmodynamometry for ICP prediction and pilot test on Mt. Everest.

Science.gov (United States)

Querfurth, Henry W; Lieberman, Philip; Arms, Steve; Mundell, Steve; Bennett, Michael; van Horne, Craig

2010-11-01

A recent development in non-invasive techniques to predict intracranial pressure (ICP) termed venous ophthalmodynamometry (vODM) has made measurements in absolute units possible. However, there has been little progress to show utility in the clinic or field. One important application would be to predict changes in actual ICP during adaptive responses to physiologic stress such as hypoxia. A causal relationship between raised intracranial pressure and acute mountain sickness (AMS) is suspected. Several MRI studies report that modest physiologic increases in cerebral volume, from swelling, normally accompany subacute ascent to simulated high altitudes. 1) Validate and calibrate an advanced, portable vODM instrument on intensive patients with raised intracranial pressure and 2) make pilot, non-invasive ICP estimations of normal subjects at increasing altitudes. The vODM was calibrated against actual ICP in 12 neurosurgical patients, most affected with acute hydrocephalus and monitored using ventriculostomy/pressure transducers. The operator was blinded to the transducer read-out. A clinical field test was then conducted on a variable data set of 42 volunteer trekkers and climbers scaling Mt. Everest, Nepal. Mean ICPs were estimated at several altitudes on the ascent both across and within subjects. Portable vODM measurements increased directly and linearly with ICP resulting in good predictability (r = 0.85). We also found that estimated ICP increases normally with altitude (10 ± 3 mm Hg; sea level to 20 ± 2 mm Hg; 6553 m) and that AMS symptoms did not correlate with raised ICP. vODM technology has potential to reliably estimate absolute ICP and is portable. Physiologic increases in ICP and mild-mod AMS are separate responses to high altitude, possibly reflecting swelling and vasoactive instability, respectively.

The EVER-EST Virtual Research Environment for the European Volcano Supersites

Science.gov (United States)

Salvi, S.; Trasatti, E.; Rubbia, G.; Romaniello, V.; Marelli, F.

2017-12-01

EVER-EST (European Virtual Environment for Research - Earth Science Themes) is an European H2020 project (2015-2018) aimed at the creation of a Virtual Research Environment (VRE) for the Earth Sciences. The VRE is intended to enhance the ability to collaborate and share knowledge and experience among scientists. One of the innovations of the project is the exploitation of the "Research Object" concept (http://www.rohub.org). Research Objects encapsulate not only data and publications, but also algorithms, codes, results, and workflows that can be stored, shared and re-used. Four scientific communities are involved in the EVER-EST project: land monitoring, natural hazards, marine biology, and the GEO Geohazard Supersites community (http://www.earthobservations.org/gsnl.php). The latter is represented in the project by INGV and the University of Iceland, and has provided user requirements to tailor the VRE to the common needs of the worldwide Supersite communities. To develop and test the VRE we have defined user scenarios and created Research Objects embedding research activities and workflows on the Permanent Supersites Campi Flegrei, Mount Etna and Icelandic Volcanoes (http://vm1.everest.psnc.pl/supersites/). While these Supersites are test sites for the platform, during the last year of the project other Supersites may also be involved to demonstrate the added value of the collaborative environment in research activities aiming to support Disaster Risk Reduction. Using the VRE, scientists are able to collaborate with colleagues located in different parts of the world, in a simple and effective way. This includes being able to remotely access and share data, research results and ideas, to carry out training sessions and discussions, to compare different results and models, and to synthesize many different pieces of information in a single consensus product to be disseminated to end-users. In particular, a further need of the Supersite scientists, which can be

Ophthalmodynamometry for ICP prediction and pilot test on Mt. Everest

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bennett Michael

2010-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background A recent development in non-invasive techniques to predict intracranial pressure (ICP termed venous ophthalmodynamometry (vODM has made measurements in absolute units possible. However, there has been little progress to show utility in the clinic or field. One important application would be to predict changes in actual ICP during adaptive responses to physiologic stress such as hypoxia. A causal relationship between raised intracranial pressure and acute mountain sickness (AMS is suspected. Several MRI studies report that modest physiologic increases in cerebral volume, from swelling, normally accompany subacute ascent to simulated high altitudes. Objectives 1 Validate and calibrate an advanced, portable vODM instrument on intensive patients with raised intracranial pressure and 2 make pilot, non-invasive ICP estimations of normal subjects at increasing altitudes. Methods The vODM was calibrated against actual ICP in 12 neurosurgical patients, most affected with acute hydrocephalus and monitored using ventriculostomy/pressure transducers. The operator was blinded to the transducer read-out. A clinical field test was then conducted on a variable data set of 42 volunteer trekkers and climbers scaling Mt. Everest, Nepal. Mean ICPs were estimated at several altitudes on the ascent both across and within subjects. Results Portable vODM measurements increased directly and linearly with ICP resulting in good predictability (r = 0.85. We also found that estimated ICP increases normally with altitude (10 ± 3 mm Hg; sea level to 20 ± 2 mm Hg; 6553 m and that AMS symptoms did not correlate with raised ICP. Conclusion vODM technology has potential to reliably estimate absolute ICP and is portable. Physiologic increases in ICP and mild-mod AMS are separate responses to high altitude, possibly reflecting swelling and vasoactive instability, respectively.

A population approach to renal replacement therapy epidemiology: lessons from the EVEREST study.

Science.gov (United States)

Caskey, Fergus J; Jager, Kitty J

2014-08-01

The marked variation that exists in renal replacement therapy (RRT) epidemiology between countries and within countries requires careful systematic examination if the root causes are to be understood. While individual patient-level studies are undoubtedly important, there is a complementary role for more population-level, area-based studies--an aetiological approach. The EVEREST Study adopted such an approach, bringing RRT incidence rates, survival and modality mix together with macroeconomic factors, general population factors and renal service organizational factors for up to 46 countries. This review considers the background to EVEREST, its key results and then the main methodological lessons and their potential application to ongoing work. © The Author 2013. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of ERA-EDTA. All rights reserved.

Slope Stability Analysis of Mountainous/Hilly regions of Nepal: A case study of Bhotekoshi Hydropower site

Science.gov (United States)

Acharya, A.; Gautam, S.; Kafle, K. R.

2017-12-01

Nepal is a mountainous, developing country that straddles the boundary between the Indian and Himalayan tectonic plates. In Nepal, landslides represent a major constraint on development, causing high levels of economic loss and substantial number of fatalities each year. There is a general consensus that the impacts of landslides in mountainous countries such as Nepal are increasing with time due to unstable slopes. The present study deals with the field investigation of slope stability in mountainous/hilly region of Nepal. Among the natural hazards that occur in regularly in Nepal, flood and landslides due to unstable slopes are by far the serious ones. They claim many human lives every year and cause other damages such as destruction and blockage of highway, destruction of hydropower, losses of livestock, crops and agricultural land. Slope Mass Rating system and stereographic projection has been carried out for analysis of slope stability using standard formats and parameters. It has been found that there are few major discontinuities that play the role for the rock/soil slides around the area. The major discontinuities are 235°/67°. These joint sets play the main role to the plane as well as wedge failures around the area. The rock mass rating of the slope has been found to be 27 and the slope mass rating has been found to be 37.8. The obtained slope mass rating value lies on IV class (Bad) that represents unstable slope having planner or big wedge failure and needs to be corrective measures in the slope. From stereographic projection, wedge failure of the slope has been seen according to the conditions of slope failure.

Isotopic signatures for natural versus anthropogenic Pb in high-altitude Mt. Everest ice cores during the past 800 years

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Khanghyun; Hur, Soon Do; Hou, Shugui; Burn-Nunes, Laurie J.; Hong, Sungmin; Barbante, Carlo; Boutron, Claude F.; Rosman, Kevin J.R.

2011-01-01

A long-term record, extending back 800 years (1205 to 2002 AD), of the Pb isotopic composition ( 206 Pb/ 207 Pb and 208 Pb/ 207 Pb) as well as Pb concentrations from high altitude Mt. Everest ice cores has the potential to identify sources and source regions affecting natural and anthropogenic Pb deposition in central Asia. The results show that the regional natural background Pb isotope signature (∼ 1.20 for 206 Pb/ 207 Pb and ∼ 2.50 for 208 Pb/ 207 Pb) in the central Himalayas was dominated by mineral dust over the last ∼ 750 years from 1205 to 1960s, mostly originating from local sources with occasional contributions of long-range transported dust probably from Sahara desert and northwestern India. Since the 1970s, the Pb isotope ratios are characterized by a continuous decline toward less radiogenic ratios with the least mean ratios of 1.178 for 206 Pb/ 207 Pb and 2.471 for 208 Pb/ 207 Pb in the period 1990–1996. The depression of the 206 Pb/ 207 Pb and 208 Pb/ 207 Pb values during the corresponding periods is most likely due to an increasing influence of less radiogenic Pb of anthropogenic origin mainly from leaded gasoline used in South Asia (India as well as possibly Bangladesh and Nepal). From 1997 to 2002, isotopic composition tends to show a shift to slightly more radiogenic signature. This is likely attributed to reducing Pb emissions from leaded gasoline in source regions, coinciding with the nationwide reduction of Pb in gasoline and subsequent phase-out of leaded gasoline in South Asia since 1997. An interesting feature is the relatively high levels of Pb concentrations and enrichment factors (EF) between 1997 and 2002. Although the reason for this feature remains uncertain, it would be probably linked with an increasing influence of anthropogenic Pb emitted from other sources such as fossil fuel combustion and non-ferrous metal production.

Isotopic signatures for natural versus anthropogenic Pb in high-altitude Mt. Everest ice cores during the past 800 years

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Khanghyun; Hur, Soon Do [Korea Polar Research Institute, Songdo Techno Park, 7-50, Songdo-dong, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon 406-840 (Korea, Republic of); Hou, Shugui [State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Cold and Arid Regions Environmental and Engineering Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Science, Lanzhou 730000 (China); School of Geographic and Oceanographic Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093 (China); Burn-Nunes, Laurie J. [Department of Imaging and Applied Physics, Curtin University of Technology, GPO Box U1987, Perth, WA 6845 (Australia); Hong, Sungmin, E-mail: smhong@inha.ac.kr [Department of Ocean Sciences, Inha University, 253 Yonghyun-dong, Nam-gu, Incheon, 402-751 (Korea, Republic of); Barbante, Carlo [Department of Environmental Sciences, University Ca' Foscari of Venice, Dorsoduro 2137, 30 123 Venice (Italy); Institute for the Dynamics of Environmental Processes-CNR, University Ca' Foscari of Venice, Dorsoduro 2137, 30 123 Venice (Italy); Boutron, Claude F. [Laboratoire de Glaciologie et Geophysique de l' Environnement (UMR Universite Joseph Fourier/CNRS 5183 ), 54 rue Moliere, BP 96, 38402 Saint Martin d' Heres Cedex (France); Unite de Formation et de Recherche ' Physique, Ingenierie, Terre, Environnement, Mecanique' , Universite Joseph Fourier de Grenoble ( Institut Universitaire de France ), 715 rue de la Houille Blanche, BP 53, 38041 Grenoble Cedex 9 (France); Rosman, Kevin J.R. [Department of Imaging and Applied Physics, Curtin University of Technology, GPO Box U1987, Perth, WA 6845 (Australia)

2011-12-15

A long-term record, extending back 800 years (1205 to 2002 AD), of the Pb isotopic composition ({sup 206}Pb/{sup 207}Pb and {sup 208}Pb/{sup 207}Pb) as well as Pb concentrations from high altitude Mt. Everest ice cores has the potential to identify sources and source regions affecting natural and anthropogenic Pb deposition in central Asia. The results show that the regional natural background Pb isotope signature ({approx} 1.20 for {sup 206}Pb/{sup 207}Pb and {approx} 2.50 for {sup 208}Pb/{sup 207}Pb) in the central Himalayas was dominated by mineral dust over the last {approx} 750 years from 1205 to 1960s, mostly originating from local sources with occasional contributions of long-range transported dust probably from Sahara desert and northwestern India. Since the 1970s, the Pb isotope ratios are characterized by a continuous decline toward less radiogenic ratios with the least mean ratios of 1.178 for {sup 206}Pb/{sup 207}Pb and 2.471 for {sup 208}Pb/{sup 207}Pb in the period 1990-1996. The depression of the {sup 206}Pb/{sup 207}Pb and {sup 208}Pb/{sup 207}Pb values during the corresponding periods is most likely due to an increasing influence of less radiogenic Pb of anthropogenic origin mainly from leaded gasoline used in South Asia (India as well as possibly Bangladesh and Nepal). From 1997 to 2002, isotopic composition tends to show a shift to slightly more radiogenic signature. This is likely attributed to reducing Pb emissions from leaded gasoline in source regions, coinciding with the nationwide reduction of Pb in gasoline and subsequent phase-out of leaded gasoline in South Asia since 1997. An interesting feature is the relatively high levels of Pb concentrations and enrichment factors (EF) between 1997 and 2002. Although the reason for this feature remains uncertain, it would be probably linked with an increasing influence of anthropogenic Pb emitted from other sources such as fossil fuel combustion and non-ferrous metal production.

Annual report of groundwater monitoring at Everest, Kansas, in 2010.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

LaFreniere, L. M. (Environmental Science Division)

2011-03-21

The Commodity Credit Corporation of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (CCC/USDA) began its environmental investigations at Everest, Kansas, in 2000. The work at Everest is implemented on behalf of the CCC/USDA by Argonne National Laboratory, under the oversight of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE). The results of the environmental investigations have been reported in detail (Argonne 2001, 2003, 2006a,b). The lateral extent of the carbon tetrachloride in groundwater over the years of investigation has been interpreted as shown in Figure 1.1 (2001-2002 data), Figure 1.2 (2006 data), Figure 1.3 (2008 data), and Figure 1.4 (2009 data). The pattern of groundwater flow and inferred contaminant migration has consistently been to the north-northwest from the former CCC/USDA facility toward the Nigh property, and then west-southwest from the Nigh property (e.g., Figure 1.5 [2008 data] and Figure 1.6 [2009 data]). Both the monitoring data for carbon tetrachloride and the low groundwater flow rates estimated for the Everest aquifer unit (Argonne 2003, 2006a,b, 2008) indicate slow contaminant migration. On the basis of the accumulated findings, in March 2009 the CCC/USDA developed a plan for annual monitoring of the groundwater and surface water. This current monitoring plan (Appendix A in the report of monitoring in 2009 [Argonne 2010]) was approved by the KDHE (2009a). Under this plan, the monitoring wells are sampled by the low-flow procedure, and sample preservation, shipping, and analysis activities are consistent with previous work at Everest. The annual sampling will continue until identified conditions at the site indicate a technical justification for a change. The first annual sampling event under the new monitoring plan took place in April 2009. The results of analyses for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and water level measurements were consistent with previous observations (Figures 1.1-1.4). No carbon tetrachloride was detected in surface

Nepal Development Update, September 2017 : Fiscal Architecture for Federal Nepal

OpenAIRE

World Bank

2017-01-01

Global growth is picking up and the growth in the South Asia region continues to remain strong. A recovery in industrial activity has coincided with a pickup in global trade, after two years of marked weakness. Growth in South Asia remains strong, with regional output projected to grow by 6.8 percent in 2017 and an average of 7.2 percent in 2018–19. Economic activity in Nepal, which reboun...

23rd May 2011 - University of Liverpool Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Public Orator K. Everest (UK) Mrs Everest in the ATLAS visitor centre with Collaboration Deputy Spokesperson D. Charlton, in LHCb surface building with Collaboration Spokesperson A. Golutvin, accompanied throughout by P. Wells and Liverpool University T. Bowcock and M. Klein.

CERN Multimedia

Maximilen Brice

2011-01-01

23rd May 2011 - University of Liverpool Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Public Orator K. Everest (UK) Mrs Everest in the ATLAS visitor centre with Collaboration Deputy Spokesperson D. Charlton, in LHCb surface building with Collaboration Spokesperson A. Golutvin, accompanied throughout by P. Wells and Liverpool University T. Bowcock and M. Klein.

Multidimensional poverty and catastrophic health spending in the mountainous regions of Myanmar, Nepal and India.

Science.gov (United States)

Mohanty, Sanjay K; Agrawal, Nand Kishor; Mahapatra, Bidhubhusan; Choudhury, Dhrupad; Tuladhar, Sabarnee; Holmgren, E Valdemar

2017-01-18

Economic burden to households due to out-of-pocket expenditure (OOPE) is large in many Asian countries. Though studies suggest increasing household poverty due to high OOPE in developing countries, studies on association of multidimensional poverty and household health spending is limited. This paper tests the hypothesis that the multidimensionally poor are more likely to incur catastrophic health spending cutting across countries. Data from the Poverty and Vulnerability Assessment (PVA) Survey carried out by the International Center for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) has been used in the analyses. The PVA survey was a comprehensive household survey that covered the mountainous regions of India, Nepal and Myanmar. A total of 2647 households from India, 2310 households in Nepal and 4290 households in Myanmar covered under the PVA survey. Poverty is measured in a multidimensional framework by including the dimensions of education, income and energy, water and sanitation using the Alkire and Foster method. Health shock is measured using the frequency of illness, family sickness and death of any family member in a reference period of one year. Catastrophic health expenditure is defined as 40% above the household's capacity to pay. Results suggest that about three-fifths of the population in Myanmar, two-fifths of the population in Nepal and one-third of the population in India are multidimensionally poor. About 47% of the multidimensionally poor in India had incurred catastrophic health spending compared to 35% of the multidimensionally non-poor and the pattern was similar in both Nepal and Myanmar. The odds of incurring catastrophic health spending was 56% more among the multidimensionally poor than among the multidimensionally non-poor [95% CI: 1.35-1.76]. While health shocks to households are consistently significant predictors of catastrophic health spending cutting across country of residence, the educational attainment of the head of the household is

Modeling the GLOF Hazard Process Chain at Imja Lake in the Nepal Himalaya

Science.gov (United States)

Lala, J.; McKinney, D. C.; Rounce, D.

2017-12-01

The Hindu Kush-Himalaya region contains more glacial ice than any other non-polar region on earth. Many glacial lakes in Nepal are held in place by natural moraine dams, which are inherently unstable. Avalanches or landslides entering glacial lakes can cause tsunami-like waves that can overtop the moraines and trigger glacial lake outburst floods (GLOF). Mass loss at the Imja glacier is the highest in the Mount Everest region, and contributes to the expansion of Imja Tsho, a lake with several villages downstream. A GLOF from the lake might destroy both property and human life, making an understanding of flood triggering processes beneficial for both the downstream villages and other GLOF-prone areas globally. The process chain for an avalanche-induced GLOF was modeled numerically. The volume and velocity of debris from avalanches entering various future lake extents were calculated using RAMMS. Resulting waves and downstream flooding were simulated using BASEMENT to evaluate erosion at the terminal moraine. Wave characteristics in BASEMENT were validated with empirical equations to ensure the proper transfer of momentum from the avalanche to the lake. Moraine erosion was determined for two geomorphologic scenarios: a site-specific scenario using field samples, and a worst-case scenario based on past literature. Both cases resulted in no flooding outside the river channel at downstream villages. Worst-case scenario geomorphology resulted in increased channelization of the lake outlet and some moraine erosion but no catastrophic collapse. Site-specific data yielded similar results but with even less erosion and downstream discharge. While the models confirmed that Imja Tsho is unlikely to produce a catastrophic GLOF in the near future, they also highlight the importance of continued monitoring of the lake. Furthermore, the ease and flexibility of these methods allows for their adoption by a wide range of stakeholders for modeling other high-risk lakes.

Scrub Typhus: An Emerging Neglected Tropical Disease in Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Upadhyaya, B P; Shakya, G; Adhikari, S; Rijal, N; Acharya, J; Maharjan, L; Marasini, B R

2016-05-01

Scrub typhus is a neglected tropical disease and is under reported from Nepal. The objective of this study was to investigate the sero-epidemiology of scrub typhus in patients suffering from acute febrile illness. A total of 434 specimens collected from July to November 2015 at National Public Health Laboratory (NPHL) were investigated for detection of immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibody to Orientiatsutsugamushi.The Scrub Typhus Detect TM kit (InBios, USA) was used to detect the antibodies to O.tsutsugamushi in human serum. Randomly selected 10% positive specimens were used for confirmation by dot- enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and indirect immunofluorescence assay. Of the total, 175 (40.3%) were positive for IgM antibodies to O. tsutsugamushi. Positive results of scrub typhus were highest among female in 11-20 year followed by males in 41-50 years age group. The IgM antibodies to O. tsutusugamushi were positive in specimens of various geographical regions including 30 districts of Nepal. Positive cases were found in various ecological regions of Nepal. Scrub typhus is one of the neglected tropical diseases in Nepal. Patients with acute febrile illness should be investigated for scrub typhus with high priority. There is an urgent need of reliable and affordable diagnostic tests at all level of health facilities of Nepal. Surveillance and public health awareness about the disease transmission and preventive measures needs to be initiated.

The Household Costs of Visceral Leishmaniasis Care in South-eastern Nepal

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Uranw, S.; Meheus, F.; Baltussen, R.M.; Rijal, S.; Boelaert, M.

2013-01-01

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is an important public health problem in south-eastern Nepal affecting very poor rural communities. Since 2005, Nepal is involved in a regional initiative to eliminate VL. This study assessed the economic impact of VL on households and examined

New particle formation in the free troposphere: from the Alps to the Everest Base Camp.

Science.gov (United States)

Bianchi, F.; Junninen, H.; Kontkanen, J.; Marinoni, A.; Bonasoni, P.; Sellegri, K.; Laj, P.; Dommen, J.; Worsnop, D. R.; Baltensperger, U.

2016-12-01

Atmospheric aerosols can affect the climate by absorbing or scattering incoming radiation and also by acting as cloud condensation nuclei (CCN). A recent study estimates that the major fraction of CCN comes from gas to particle conversion (Merikanto et al., 2009). During the last decade, several nucleation studies have been published based on field observations mainly in the planetary boundary layer. Therefore, we have only little information about the free tropospheric case. The aim of these studies is to understand what species contribute to new particle formation at high altitude. In order to characterize NPF processes, advanced instrumentation was deployed at the Swiss station Jungfraujoch (3580 m asl - Bianchi et al., 2016) and at the Himalayan Nepal Climate Observatory Pyramid site, not far from Everest base camp (5079 m asl). Previous studies have already showed that at both of these locations NPF takes place frequently. However, no chemical information of the vapours was retrieved. At the Nepal Observatory, we deployed an atmospheric pressure interface time-of-flight mass spectrometer (APi-TOF), a particle size magnifier (PSM) and a neutral cluster and air ion spectrometer (NAIS). The APi-TOF measured the chemical composition of either the positive or negative ions during the nucleation events and when equipped with a chemical ionization source it provided information on the chemical composition of the neutral species. Figure 1 shows the first APi-TOF mass spectrum running in negative mode recorded above 5000 m asl during a nucleation event. The main ions that have been identified so far are all deprotonated acids: sulfuric acid, nitric acid, malonic acid, methanesulfonic acid and iodic acid. Larger ions are formed by different combinations of these acids (i.e. H2SO4°HSO4-, CH3SO3H°HSO4-, etc.). We will present a detailed analysis of the particle evolution during NPF and also the chemical composition of the small clusters measured with these advanced mass

A review on important maize diseases and their management in Nepal

OpenAIRE

Subash Subedi

2015-01-01

In Nepal, maize ranks second after rice both in area and production. In recent years, maize area and production has shown a steady increase, but productivity has been low (2.46 t/ha). The major maize producing regions in Nepal are mid hill (72.85%), terai (17.36%) and high hill (9.79%) respectively. A literature review was carried out to explore major maize diseases and their management in Nepal. The omnipresent incidence of diseases at the pre harvest stage has been an important bottleneck ...

Bear-inflicted injuries - a report from Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Atreya, Alok; Kanchan, Tanuj; Nepal, Samata; Acharya, Jenash

2016-06-01

Upper Mustang in the Northern Himalayan range of Nepal is the home of brown bears (Ursusarctos). Low-plant biomass as a result of scanty rainfall in Upper Mustang is a reason for habitat overlap of humans and wild animals. Humans who enter into the wild to collect firewood and graze cattle are liable to wild animal attacks. Such attacks, especially by brown bears, are readily identified by the type of injuries. These are more commonly confined to head and neck regions. Cutting, gnawing and tearing by sharp teeth and claws produces specific pattern of injuries, which are devastating but seldom fatal. This article reports a rare case of brown bear injury inflicted upon a man from the Upper Mustang region in Nepal. © The Author(s) 2016.

Evaluating Satellite Products for Precipitation Estimation in Mountain Regions: A Case Study for Nepal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tarendra Lakhankar

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Precipitation in mountain regions is often highly variable and poorly observed, limiting abilities to manage water resource challenges. Here, we evaluate remote sensing and ground station-based gridded precipitation products over Nepal against weather station precipitation observations on a monthly timescale. We find that the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM 3B-43 precipitation product exhibits little mean bias and reasonable skill in giving precipitation over Nepal. Compared to station observations, the TRMM precipitation product showed an overall Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency of 0.49, which is similar to the skill of the gridded station-based product Asian Precipitation-Highly Resolved Observational Data Integration Towards Evaluation of Water Resources (APHRODITE. The other satellite precipitation products considered (Global Satellite Mapping of Precipitation (GSMaP, the Climate Prediction Center Morphing technique (CMORPH, Precipitation Estimation from Remotely Sensed Information Using Artificial Neural Networks-Cloud Classification System (PERSIANN-CCS were less skillful, as judged by Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency, and, on average, substantially underestimated precipitation compared to station observations, despite their, in some cases, higher nominal spatial resolution compared to TRMM. None of the products fully captured the dependence of mean precipitation on elevation seen in the station observations. Overall, the TRMM product is promising for use in water resources applications.

The cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) of India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal and Sri Lanka: an annotated provisional catalogue, regional checklist and bibliography.

Science.gov (United States)

Price, Benjamin Wills; Allan, Elizabeth Louise; Marathe, Kiran; Sarkar, Vivek; Simon, Chris; Kunte, Krushnamegh

2016-01-01

The cicadas of the Indian subcontinent, like many other insects in the region, have remained understudied since the early part of the 20th Century, and await modern taxonomic, systematic and phylogenetic treatment. This paper presents an updated systematic catalogue of cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) from India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal and Sri Lanka, the first in over a century. This paper treats 281 species, including: India and Bangladesh (189 species), Bhutan (19 species), Myanmar (81 species), Nepal (46 species) and Sri Lanka (22 species). For each species all recognized junior synonyms are included with information on the type material and additional specimens where relevant. The global distributional range and notes on the taxonomy of each species are included where appropriate. Two lists are provided: (1) species known to occur in India and Bangladesh (treated as a geographic unit), Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal and Sri Lanka; and (2) species previously listed from these countries in error. A bibliography of species descriptions is provided, with the papers containing the original descriptions provided where copyright allows.

The Disaster of 96: An educational way of explaining the physiological reactions produced as a consequence of exposure to low oxygen pressure at high altitude using the film Everest (2015

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Germán DOMÍNGUEZ VÍAS

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The 96 Mount Everest Disaster refers to the events that took place from May 10 to 11, 1996, when eight people caught in a storm were died, some during the ascent and, those who had already reached the Summit, while they descended. The film Everest (2015 faithfully reflects the previous symptoms that occurred during ascension, an important reason to understand the effects of altitude and low gas pressures on the human body. In this paper we address both problems, Everest can help students to understand and reflect on the challenges for body homeostasis that take place at great heights.

Oxygen transport and cardiovascular function at extreme altitude: lessons from Operation Everest II

Science.gov (United States)

Sutton, J. R.; Reeves, J. T.; Groves, B. M.; Wagner, P. D.; Alexander, J. K.; Hultgren, H. N.; Cymerman, A.; Houston, C. S.

1992-01-01

Operation Everest II was designed to examine the physiological responses to gradual decompression simulating an ascent of Mt Everest (8,848 m) to an inspired PO2 of 43 mmHg. The principal studies conducted were cardiovascular, respiratory, muscular-skeletal and metabolic responses to exercise. Eight healthy males aged 21-31 years began the "ascent" and six successfully reached the "summit", where their resting arterial blood gases were PO2 = 30 mmHg and PCO2 = 11 mmHg, pH = 7.56. Their maximal oxygen uptake decreased from 3.98 +/- 0.2 L/min at sea level to 1.17 +/- 0.08 L/min at PIO2 43 mmHg. The principal factors responsible for oxygen transport from the atmosphere to tissues were (1) Alveolar ventilation--a four fold increase. (2) Diffusion from the alveolus to end capillary blood--unchanged. (3) Cardiac function (assessed by hemodynamics, echocardiography and electrocardiography)--normal--although maximum cardiac output and heart rate were reduced. (4) Oxygen extraction--maximal with PvO2 14.8 +/- 1 mmHg. With increasing altitude maximal blood and muscle lactate progressively declined although at any submaximal intensity blood and muscle lactate was higher at higher altitudes.

Market mechanisms for newborn health in Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Lunze, Karsten; Dawkins, Rosie; Tapia, Abeezer; Anand, Sidharth; Chu, Michael; Bloom, David E

2017-12-19

In Nepal, hypothermia is a major risk factor for newborn survival, but the country's public health care sector has insufficient capacity to improve newborn survival given the burden imposed by distance to health facilities and cost. Low-cost technology to provide newborn thermal care in resource-limited environments exists, but lacks effective distribution channels. This study aims to develop a private sector distribution model for dedicated newborn thermal care technology to ensure equitable access to thermal protection and ultimately improve newborn health in Nepal. We conducted a document analysis of newborn health policy in Nepal and a scoping literature review of approaches to newborn hypothermia in the region, followed by qualitative interviews with key stakeholders of newborn health in Nepal. Current solutions addressing newborn hypothermia range from high-technology, high-cost incubators to low-cost behavioral interventions such as skin-to-skin care. However, none of these interventions  are currently implemented at scale. A distribution model that provides incentives for community health volunteers and existing public health services in Nepal can deliver existing low-cost infant warmers to disadvantaged mothers where and when needed. Newborn technology can serve as an adjunct to skin-to-skin care and potentially create demand for newborn care practices. Harnessing market forces could promote public health by raising awareness of newborn challenges, such as newborn hypothermia, and triggering demand for appropriate health technology and related health promotion behaviors. Market approaches to promoting public health have been somewhat neglected, especially in economically disadvantaged and vulnerable populations, and deserve greater attention in Nepal and other settings with limited public health service delivery capacity.

Fault- and Area-Based PSHA in Nepal using OpenQuake: New Insights from the 2015 M7.8 Gorkha-Nepal Earthquake

Science.gov (United States)

Stevens, Victoria

2017-04-01

The 2015 Gorkha-Nepal M7.8 earthquake (hereafter known simply as the Gorkha earthquake) highlights the seismic risk in Nepal, allows better characterization of the geometry of the Main Himalayan Thrust (MHT), and enables comparison of recorded ground-motions with predicted ground-motions. These new data, together with recent paleoseismic studies and geodetic-based coupling models, allow for good parameterization of the fault characteristics. Other faults in Nepal remain less well studied. Unlike previous PSHA studies in Nepal that are exclusively area-based, we use a mix of faults and areas to describe six seismic sources in Nepal. For each source, the Gutenberg-Richter a and b values are found, and the maximum magnitude earthquake estimated, using a combination of earthquake catalogs, moment conservation principals and similarities to other tectonic regions. The MHT and Karakoram fault are described as fault sources, whereas four other sources - normal faulting in N-S trending grabens of northern Nepal, strike-slip faulting in both eastern and western Nepal, and background seismicity - are described as area sources. We use OpenQuake (http://openquake.org/) to carry out the analysis, and peak ground acceleration (PGA) at 2 and 10% chance in 50 years is found for Nepal, along with hazard curves at various locations. We compare this PSHA model with previous area-based models of Nepal. The Main Himalayan Thrust is the principal seismic hazard in Nepal so we study the effects of changing several parameters associated with this fault. We compare ground shaking predicted from various fault geometries suggested from the Gorkha earthquake with each other, and with a simple model of a flat fault. We also show the results from incorporating a coupling model based on geodetic data and microseismicity, which limits the down-dip extent of rupture. There have been no ground-motion prediction equations (GMPEs) developed specifically for Nepal, so we compare the results of

Processes of Internal and International Migration from Chitwan, Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Bohra, Pratikshya; Massey, Douglas S

2009-01-01

In this study we examine which factors predict internal and international migration from Chitwan, a flat valley located in the South-Central region of Nepal, seeking to measure the effect of theoretically specified variables such as human capital, social capital, physical capital, and neighborhood socioeconomic conditions while controlling for demographic variables. We use data from the Chitwan Valley Family Study (CVFS) to estimate a series of discrete time event history models of first and repeat migration to three competing destinations: other locations within Chitwan, other districts within Nepal, and places outside of Nepal. Results support hypotheses derived from neoclassical economics, the theory of new economics of migration, social capital theory, and cumulative causation theory. Our results underscore the need for a synthetic theoretical model that incorporates factors operating at the individual, household, and community levels. The use of multiple explanatory models yields a clearer picture of the forces driving internal and international migration from rural districts in developing nations such as Nepal.

Regional variation in pig farmer awareness and actions regarding Japanese encephalitis in Nepal: implications for public health education.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Santosh Dhakal

Full Text Available Japanese encephalitis (JE is a mosquito-borne zoonotic disease that has pigs as the major amplifying hosts. It is the most important cause of viral encephalitis in people in Nepal and is spreading in its geographic distribution in that country. Pig farming is increasing in Nepal due to reducing cultural biases against pigs and government programs to support pig farming for poverty alleviation. Major strategies for JE prevention and control include education, vector control, and immunization of people and pigs. This study used a survey of 400 pig farmers in 4 areas of Nepal with different JE and pig farming histories to explore regional variations in farmer awareness and actions towards JE, the association of awareness and actions with farm and farmer variables, and the implications of these associations for public health education. Exposure to JE risk factors was common across pig farms and pig farming districts but there were significant district level differences in knowledge and practices related to on-farm JE risk reduction. Social factors such as literacy, gender, and cultural practices were associated with farmer attitudes, knowledge and practices for JE control. JE vaccine uptake was almost non-existent and mosquito control steps were inconsistently applied across all 4 districts. Income was not a determining factor of the differences, but all farmers were very poor. The low uptake of vaccine and lack of infrastructure or financial capacity to house pigs indoors or away from people suggest that farmer personal protection should be a priority target for education in Nepal. This study re-enforces the need to attack root causes of people's personal disease prevention behaviours and take into account local variation in needs and capacities when designing health or agriculture education programs.

The Ever-Est Virtual Research Environment Infrastructure for Marine - the Sea Monitoring Virtual Research Community (vrc) Use Case

Science.gov (United States)

Foglini, F.

2016-12-01

The EVER-EST project aims to develop a generic Virtual Research Environment (VRE) tailored to the needs and validated by the Earth Science domain. To achieve this the EVER-EST VRE provides earth scientists with the means to seamlessly manage both the data involved in their computationally intensive disciplines and the scientific methods applied in their observations and modellings, which lead to the specific results that need to be attributable, validated and shared within the community e.g. in the form of scholarly communications. Central to this approach is the concept of Research Objects (ROs) as semantically rich aggregations of resources that bring together data, methods and people in scientific investigations. ROs enable the creation of digital artifacts that can encapsulate scientific knowledge and provide a mechanism for sharing and discovering assets of reusable research and scientific assets as first-class citizens. The EVER-EST VRE is the first RO-centric native infrastructure leveraging the notion of ROs and their application in observational rather than experimental disciplines and particularly in Earth Science. The Institute of MARine Science (ISMAR-CNR) is a scientific partner of the EVER-EST project providing useful and applicable contributions to the identification and definition of variables indicated by the European Commission in the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) to achieve the Good Environment Status (GES). The VRC is willing to deliver practical methods, procedures and protocols to support coherent and widely accepted interpretation of the MSFD. The use case deal with 1. the Posidonia meadows along the Apulian coast, 2. the deep-sea corals along the Apulian continenatal slope and 3. the jellyfish abundance in the Italian water. The SeaMonitoring VRC created specific RO for asesing deep sea corals suitabilty, Posidonia meadows occurrences and for detecting jelly fish density aloing the italian coast. The VRC developed specific RO

Adaptation to Climate Change in Panchase Mountain Ecological Regions of Nepal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shankar Adhikari

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Rural mountain communities in developing countries are considered particularly vulnerable to environmental change, including climate change. Forests and agriculture provide numerous ecosystem goods and services (EGS to local communities and can help people adapt to the impacts of climate change. There is however poor documentation on the role of EGS in people’s livelihood and adaptation practices. This study in the rural Panchase Mountain Ecological Region of Nepal identifies practices being used to adapt to a changing environment through key informant interviews and focus group discussions. At the household level, livelihood diversification, changes in cropping patterns and farming practices, use of multipurpose plant species and income-generation activities were identified as adaptation strategies. Among major strategies at the community level were community forestry-based climate adaptation plans of action for forest and water resource management. Landscape-level adaptation strategies were large-scale collaborative projects and programs, such as Ecosystem-based Adaptation and Chitwan Annapurna Landscape conservation; which had implications at both the local and landscape-level. A proper blending and integration of adaptation strategies from individual households through to the community and to the landscape level is needed for implementing effective adaptation in the region.

Abortion Incidence and Unintended Pregnancy in Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Puri, Mahesh; Singh, Susheela; Sundaram, Aparna; Hussain, Rubina; Tamang, Anand; Crowell, Marjorie

2016-12-01

Although abortion has been legal under broad criteria in Nepal since 2002, a significant proportion of women continue to obtain illegal, unsafe abortions, and no national estimates exist of the incidence of safe and unsafe abortions. Data were collected in 2014 from a nationally representative sample of 386 facilities that provide legal abortions or postabortion care and a survey of 134 health professionals knowledgeable about abortion service provision. Facility caseloads and indirect estimation techniques were used to calculate the national and regional incidence of legal and illegal abortion. National and regional levels of abortion complications and unintended pregnancy were also estimated. In 2014, women in Nepal had 323,100 abortions, of which 137,000 were legal, and 63,200 women were treated for abortion complications. The abortion rate was 42 per 1,000 women aged 15-49, and the abortion ratio was 56 per 100 live births. The abortion rate in the Central region (59 per 1,000) was substantially higher than the national average. Overall, 50% of pregnancies were unintended, and the unintended pregnancy rate was 68 per 1,000 women of reproductive age. Despite legalization of abortion and expansion of services in Nepal, unsafe abortion is still common and exacts a heavy toll on women. Programs and policies to reduce rates of unintended pregnancy and unsafe abortion, increase access to high-quality contraceptive care and expand safe abortion services are warranted.

Iodine status in a Sherpa community in a village of the Khumbu region of Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Heydon, Emma E; Thomson, Christine D; Mann, Jim; Williams, Sheila M; Skeaff, Sheila A; Sherpa, Kami T; Heydon, John L

2009-09-01

To assess the iodine status of Sherpa residents living in Kunde village, Khumbu region, Nepal. Prevalence of goitre was determined by palpation. Urinary iodine concentrations (UIC) were determined in casual morning samples, and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) in finger-prick blood samples on filter paper. Dietary and demographic data were obtained via questionnaire, and selected foods analysed for iodine. Khumbu region is an area of low soil iodine in Nepal, where the prevalence of goitre was greater than 90% in the 1960s prior to iodine intervention. Two hundred and fifteen of 219 permanent residents of Kunde were studied. Overall prevalence of goitre was 31% (Grade 1 goitre, 27.0%; Grade 2, 4.2%). When adjusted to a world population, goitre prevalence was 27% (95% CI 23, 32%); Grade 2 goitre prevalence was 2.8% (95% CI 1.0, 4.6%). Median UIC was 97 microg/l, but only 75 microg/l in women of childbearing age. Thirty per cent had UIC 300 microg/l. Ten per cent of participants had TSH concentrations >5 microU/ml. The prevalence of severe iodine deficiency has decreased since the 1960s, but mild iodine deficiency persists, particularly in women of childbearing age. The consumption of high-iodine uncooked instant noodles and flavour sachets by school-aged children contributed to their low prevalence of goitre and excessive UIC values. This finding may obscure a more severe iodine deficiency in the population, while increasing the risk of iodine-induced hyperthyroidism in children. Ongoing monitoring is essential.

Ethnobotany in the Nepal Himalaya.

Science.gov (United States)

Kunwar, Ripu M; Bussmann, Rainer W

2008-12-02

Indigenous knowledge has become recognized worldwide not only because of its intrinsic value but also because it has a potential instrumental value to science and conservation. In Nepal, the indigenous knowledge of useful and medicinal plants has roots in the remote past. The present study reviews the indigenous knowledge and use of plant resources of the Nepal Himalayas along the altitudinal and longitudinal gradient. A total of 264 studies focusing on ethnobotany, ethnomedicine and diversity of medicinal and aromatic plants, carried out between 1979 and 2006 were consulted for the present analysis. In order to cross check and verify the data, seven districts of west Nepal were visited in four field campaigns. In contrast to an average of 21-28% ethnobotanically/ethnomedicinally important plants reported for Nepal, the present study found that up to about 55% of the flora of the study region had medicinal value. This indicates a vast amount of undocumented knowledge about important plant species that needs to be explored and documented. The richness of medicinal plants decreased with increasing altitude but the percentage of plants used as medicine steadily increased with increasing altitude. This was due to preferences given to herbal remedies in high altitude areas and a combination of having no alternative choices, poverty and trust in the effectiveness of folklore herbal remedies. Indigenous knowledge systems are culturally valued and scientifically important. Strengthening the wise use and conservation of indigenous knowledge of useful plants may benefit and improve the living standard of poor people.

Seasonal features of aerosol particles recorded in snow from Mt. Qomolangma (Everest) and their environmental implications

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

CONG Zhiyuan; KANG Shichang; QIN Dahe

2009-01-01

To assess the seasonality of aerosol deposition and anthropogenic effects on central Himalayas, a 1.85-m deep snow pit was dug on the northern slope of Mr. Qomolangma (Everest). Based on the morphology and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) signal, totally 1500 particles were classed into 7 groups: soot; aluminosilicates; fly ash; calcium sulfates; Ca/Mg carbonates; metal oxides; and biological particles and carbon fragments. The size distribution and number fractions of different particle groups exhibited distinct seasonal variations between non-monsoon and monsoon periods, which are clearly related to the differences in air mass pathways. Specifically, the relative abundance of soot in non-monsoon period (25%) was much higher than that in monsoon period (14%), indicating Mr. Qomolangma region received more anthropogenic influence in non-monsoon than monsoon period.

Radiocarbon ages of upper quaternary deposit in central Nepal and their geomorphological significance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamanaka, Hidetsugu

1982-01-01

The author visited Nepal from October, 1980, to February, 1981, investigated the geomorphology and upper Quaternary geology in Central Nepal, and collected a number of samples for radiocarbon dating. After returning to his university, he dated ten samples by himself. In Nepal, radiocarbon age has been scarcely reported as yet, besides in Kathmandu valley. Therefore, the author's ten data of the age are very important for the late Quaternary chronological study of Nepal Himalayas. In this paper, the author describes sampling localities and horizons, dating results and their geomorphological significance. These ten samples included Pokhara valley, Marsyandi Kohla, Modi Khola, Madi Khola and Muktinath samples. Some conclusion was derived as for the geomorphological development in central Nepal: The last Himalayan glacial age had already ended before 9,000 yr BP (years before A.D. 1950); In the Midland region, from 4,300 to 600 yr BP, some large-scale mudflows broke out nearly contemporaneously in the upper valleys, and they flowed down torrentially and catastrophically to deposit in the middle course of rivers. But the cause of vast quantity of material suddenly brought down from the Great Himalayas has been still left unexplained. The conclusion like this also was able to be applied to the middle Marsyandi Khola and the Pokhara valley. The wide-spread schema that the river was aggraded in the glacial age and degraded in the interglacial age may not be applicable to the rivers in the Midland region of Nepal Himalayas. (Wakatsuki, Y.)

Chinese Policy Toward South Asia: Implications and Prospects for Nepal

Science.gov (United States)

2013-03-01

Silk Road not only served as a major trade route between India and China, but was also credited for the expansion of Buddhism in this region. India...endowed with legendary fighters of world fame.36 Nepal is the melting pot where two important religions, Hinduism and Buddhism are being practiced...It is believed that Hinduism exists since 1200 BC37 and Buddhism since 520 BC.38 Buddha was born in Nepal, enlightened in India, and Buddhism spread

All projects related to nepal | Page 2 | IDRC - International ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

This research project will help the Sri Lanka-based Social Scientists' Association (SSA) ... Social Policy, POLICY MAKING, RESEARCH NETWORKS, SOCIAL INEQUALITY, Gender ... Region: Indonesia, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Malaysia.

Molecular characterization of multidrug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolated in Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Poudel, Ajay; Nakajima, Chie; Fukushima, Yukari; Suzuki, Haruka; Pandey, Basu Dev; Maharjan, Bhagwan; Suzuki, Yasuhiko

2012-06-01

Despite the fact that Nepal is one of the first countries globally to introduce multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) case management, the number of MDR-TB cases is continuing to rise in Nepal. Rapid molecular tests applicable in this setting to identify resistant organisms would be an effective tool in reversing this trend. To develop such tools, information about the frequency and distribution of mutations that are associated with phenotypic drug resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis is required. In the present study, we investigated the prevalence of mutations in rpoB and katG genes and the inhA promoter region in 158 M. tuberculosis isolates (109 phenotypically MDR and 49 non-MDR isolates collected in Nepal) by DNA sequencing. Mutations affecting the 81-bp rifampin (RIF) resistance-determining region (RRDR) of rpoB were identified in 106 of 109 (97.3%) RIF-resistant isolates. Codons 531, 526, and 516 were the most commonly affected, at percentages of 58.7, 15.6, and 15.6%, respectively. Of 113 isoniazid (INH)-resistant isolates, 99 (87.6%) had mutations in the katG gene, with Ser315Thr being the most prevalent (81.4%) substitution. Mutations in the inhA promoter region were detected in 14 (12.4%) INH-resistant isolates. The results from this study provide an overview of the current situation of RIF and INH resistance in M. tuberculosis in Nepal and can serve as a basis for developing or improving rapid molecular tests to monitor drug-resistant strains in this country.

Attempts to bring the trained teachers in the schools of Nepal

Science.gov (United States)

Lamsal, Jeevan

2016-07-01

To develop space activities and to industrialize astronomy, base of space education in the high schools must be very effective. This paper highlights the present scenario of space education and discusses the syllabus of astronomy in the different education level of Nepal. Astronomy is included in the curriculum of science book of middle school and high school which contains very few contents of solar system, constellations, galaxy, black holes and formation of stars. There is no any degree for higher studies in astronomy as a separate department in any university of Nepal. This paper also highlights the space activities and national level programs conducting in Nepal to support astronomy education. With the rise of many astronomical clubs and societies in the different regions of Nepal, astronomy education has been more effective in the recent time. Series of Galileo Teacher's Training Program in the different parts of Nepal being organized by Global Hands on Universe in cooperation with local astronomy clubs will be discuss in brief. The attempts to bring more trained and skilled teachers in the classroom by the government and non-government agencies are now gradually increasing. The competition of private schools and their capacity building workshops to their teachers to attract more students is also playing active role to shape the school education effective. The challenges, prospects and the practice of effective astronomy education prevailing in Nepal will be discuss. Key Words: Nepal, Astronomy Education, GTTP, Trained Teachers

Seasonal fuel consumption, stoves, and end-uses in rural households of the far-western development region of Nepal

Science.gov (United States)

Lam, Nicholas L.; Upadhyay, Basudev; Maharjan, Shovana; Jagoe, Kirstie; Weyant, Cheryl L.; Thompson, Ryan; Uprety, Sital; Johnson, Michael A.; Bond, Tami C.

2017-12-01

Understanding how fuels and stoves are used to meet a diversity of household needs is an important step in addressing the factors leading to continued reliance on polluting devices, and thereby improving household energy programs. In Nepal and many other countries dependent on solid fuel, efforts to mitigate the impacts of residential solid fuel use have emphasized cooking while focusing less on other solid fuel dependent end-uses. We employed a four-season fuel assessment in a cohort of 110 households residing in two elevation regions of the Far-Western Development Region (Province 7) of Nepal. Household interviews and direct fuel weights were used to assess seasonality in fuel consumption and its association with stoves that met cooking and non-cooking needs. Per-capita fuel consumption in winter was twice that of other measured seasons, on average. This winter increase was attributed to greater prevalence of use and fuel consumption by supplemental stoves, not the main cooking stove. End-use profiles showed that fuel was used in supplemental stoves to meet the majority of non-meal needs in the home, notably water heating and preparation of animal food. This emphasis on fuels, stoves, and the satisfaction of energy needs—rather than just stoves or fuels—leads to a better understanding of the factors leading to device and fuel choice within households.

Gaddi Buffalo: An Indigenous Breed of Far-Western Nepal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T.M. Raj

2010-02-01

Full Text Available A study on indigenous Gaddi buffalo of far-western region of Nepal was conducted to understand the production parameters and husbandry practices intending to make future strategy for improvement. The breed is well known in the far-western districts of Nepal and adapted in hills and mountains of the region with diverse climatic conditions. Among 3 identified buffalo breeds (Gaddi, Lime and Parkote and one under study (Terai, Gaddi was found morphologically larger (p<0.01 and docile in temperament. Major population of Gaddi was found to be black in color and some brown and light brown. Morphologically, it looks like Indian Murrah, however white round patch on the middle of forehead and tuft of the tail, and semi-curved horn shape are the distinguished characters. The average ages at puberty, first calving and calving interval was 3.8, 5.7 and 2.0 years respectively. Lactation length varied from 14 to 22 months and milk yield from 2.5 to 5.5 liters/day. Major problems recorded were lack of pure breeding bulls, negative selection, feed scarcity, poor technical know-how and health management. The paper discusses on the overall buffalo management system in the far-western region of Nepal and suggests improvement plan with maximum utilization of locally available farm resources.

An ethnobotanical analysis of parasitic plants (Parijibi) in the Nepal Himalaya.

Science.gov (United States)

O'Neill, Alexander Robert; Rana, Santosh Kumar

2016-02-24

Indigenous biocultural knowledge is a vital part of Nepalese environmental management strategies; however, much of it may soon be lost given Nepal's rapidly changing socio-ecological climate. This is particularly true for knowledge surrounding parasitic and mycoheterotrophic plant species, which are well represented throughout the Central-Eastern Himalayas but lack a collated record. Our study addresses this disparity by analyzing parasitic and mycoheterotrophic plant species diversity in Nepal as well as the ethnobotanical knowledge that surrounds them. Botanical texts, online databases, and herbarium records were reviewed to create an authoritative compendium of parasitic and mycoheterotrophic plant species native or naturalized to the Nepal Central-Eastern Himalaya. Semi-structured interviews were then conducted with 141 informants to better understand the biocultural context of these species, emphasizing ethnobotanical uses, in 12 districts of Central-Eastern Nepal. Nepal is a hotspot of botanical diversity, housing 15 families and 29 genera of plants that exhibit parasitic or mycoheterotrophic habit. Over 150 of the known 4500 parasitic plant species (~3 %) and 28 of the 160 mycoheterotrophic species (~18 %) are native or naturalized to Nepal; 13 of our surveyed parasitic species are endemic. Of all species documented, approximately 17 % of parasitic and 7 % of mycoheterotrophic plants have ethnobotanical uses as medicine (41 %), fodder (23 %), food (17 %), ritual objects (11 %), or material (8 %). Parasitic and mycoheterotrophic plant species exhibit high diversity in the Nepal Central-Eastern Himalaya and are the fodder for biocultural relationships that may help inform future environmental management projects in the region.

All projects related to nepal | Page 3 | IDRC - International ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Researchers are examining the tax policies (exemptions, value-added, property) ... Region: Nepal, Central Asia, Far East Asia, South Asia ... or "think tanks," in developing countries, thereby enabling them to produce sound research that both ...

Existing landraces of Jatropha Curcas L. (physic nut) in Nepal and analysis of their bio-diesel content

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sharma, Ram Prasad

2010-09-15

The aim of this work was to find the existing landraces of Jatropha curcas in different agro ecological regions of Nepal and their Bio-Diesel content. More specifically, research efforts focused on (1) existing landraces (varieties) in all three topographic regions of Nepal (2) Bio-diesel content in those varieties (3) Bio-Diesel content in varieties from Laos (4) Constraints faced by the Nepalese Jatropha grower (5) Compare the quality of Bio-diesel between the Nepalese varieties and Laos varieties. To collect all the information, Seeds were collected from Nepal (Terai: Chitwan; Hill: Palpa and Syanja; Mountain: Tanahu and Gorkha) and Vientiane province from Laos.

All projects related to nepal | Page 5 | IDRC - International ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

... the Internet has been dominated by the English language and North American culture. ... Topic: Internet, LANGUAGE BARRIER, ASIAN LANGUAGES, COMPUTER ... IMMIGRATION LAW, WOMEN'S RIGHTS, GENDER EQUALITY, Gender. Region: Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Central Asia, Far East Asia, South Asia.

Conservation Strategy for Brown Bear and Its Habitat in Nepal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Achyut Aryal

2012-08-01

Full Text Available The Himalaya region of Nepal encompasses significant habitats for several endangered species, among them the brown bear (Ursus arctos pruinosus. However, owing to the remoteness of the region and a dearth of research, knowledge on the conservation status, habitat and population size of this species is lacking. Our aim in this paper is to report a habitat survey designed to assess the distribution and habitat characteristics of the brown bear in the Nepalese Himalaya, and to summarize a conservation action plan for the species devised at a pair of recent workshops held in Nepal. Results of our survey showed that brown bear were potentially distributed between 3800 m and 5500 m in the high mountainous region of Nepal, across an area of 4037 km² between the eastern border of Shey Phoksundo National Park (SPNP and the Manasalu Conservation Area (MCA. Of that area, 2066 km² lie inside the protected area (350 km² in the MCA; 1716 km² in the Annapurna Conservation Area and 48% (1917 km² lies outside the protected area in the Dolpa district. Furthermore, 37% of brown bear habitat also forms a potential habitat for blue sheep (or bharal, Pseudois nayaur, and 17% of these habitats is used by livestock, suggesting a significant potential for resource competition. Several plant species continue to be uprooted by local people for fuel wood. Based on the results of our field survey combined with consultations with local communities and scientists, we propose that government and non-government organizations should implement a three-stage program of conservation activities for the brown bear. This program should: (a Detail research activities in and outside the protected area of Nepal; (b support livelihood and conservation awareness at local and national levels; and (c strengthen local capacity and reduce human-wildlife conflict in the region.

Future Scope of Community Based Tourism in Nepal

OpenAIRE

Gurung, Sunita

2015-01-01

This Bachelor’s thesis is based on the tourism and community based tourism in Nepal. The purpose of selecting tourism as a main topic is to find out the future scope of CBT in Nepal. Despite having small size, Nepal holds many attractive and adventurous tourist destinations. Nepal is famous from its cultural and traditional diversity, natural beauty, trekking trails, moun-taineering and warm and welcoming hospitality. Tourism in Nepal is undoubtedly the most important source for the econo...

The spatial heterogeneity between Japanese encephalitis incidence distribution and environmental variables in Nepal.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel E Impoinvil

Full Text Available To identify potential environmental drivers of Japanese Encephalitis virus (JE transmission in Nepal, we conducted an ecological study to determine the spatial association between 2005 Nepal JE incidence, and climate, agricultural, and land-cover variables at district level.District-level data on JE cases were examined using Local Indicators of Spatial Association (LISA analysis to identify spatial clusters from 2004 to 2008 and 2005 data was used to fit a spatial lag regression model with climate, agriculture and land-cover variables.Prior to 2006, there was a single large cluster of JE cases located in the Far-West and Mid-West terai regions of Nepal. After 2005, the distribution of JE cases in Nepal shifted with clusters found in the central hill areas. JE incidence during the 2005 epidemic had a stronger association with May mean monthly temperature and April mean monthly total precipitation compared to mean annual temperature and precipitation. A parsimonious spatial lag regression model revealed, 1 a significant negative relationship between JE incidence and April precipitation, 2 a significant positive relationship between JE incidence and percentage of irrigated land 3 a non-significant negative relationship between JE incidence and percentage of grassland cover, and 4 a unimodal non-significant relationship between JE Incidence and pig-to-human ratio.JE cases clustered in the terai prior to 2006 where it seemed to shift to the Kathmandu region in subsequent years. The spatial pattern of JE cases during the 2005 epidemic in Nepal was significantly associated with low precipitation and the percentage of irrigated land. Despite the availability of an effective vaccine, it is still important to understand environmental drivers of JEV transmission since the enzootic cycle of JEV transmission is not likely to be totally interrupted. Understanding the spatial dynamics of JE risk factors may be useful in providing important information to the

All projects related to Nepal | Page 2 | IDRC - International ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Region: South Asia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Pakistan, Nepal ... and embarked on a process of development have often started with strong political settlements, or elite pacts. ... RESEARCH NETWORKS, POLICY MAKING, PEACE, Capacity building ... As countries in South Asia move toward greater economic integration, ...

Closed and open breathing circuit function in healthy volunteers during exercise at Mount Everest base camp (5300 m).

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

McMorrow, R C N

2012-08-01

We present a randomised, controlled, crossover trial of the Caudwell Xtreme Everest (CXE) closed circuit breathing system vs an open circuit and ambient air control in six healthy, hypoxic volunteers at rest and exercise at Everest Base Camp, at 5300 m. Compared with control, arterial oxygen saturations were improved at rest with both circuits. There was no difference in the magnitude of this improvement as both circuits restored median (IQR [range]) saturation from 75%, (69.5-78.9 [68-80]%) to > 99.8% (p = 0.028). During exercise, the CXE closed circuit improved median (IQR [range]) saturation from a baseline of 70.8% (63.8-74.5 [57-76]%) to 98.8% (96.5-100 [95-100]%) vs the open circuit improvement to 87.5%, (84.1-88.6 [82-89]%; p = 0.028). These data demonstrate the inverse relationship between supply and demand with open circuits and suggest that ambulatory closed circuits may offer twin advantages of supplying higher inspired oxygen concentrations and\\/or economy of gas use for exercising hypoxic adults.

Scientific publications in Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Magar, A

2012-09-01

Scientific publications have become a mainstay of communication among readers, academicians, researchers and scientists worldwide. Although, its existence dates back to 17 th century in the West, Nepal is still struggling to take few steps towards improving its local science for last 50 years. Since the start of the first medical journal in 1963, the challenges remains as it were decades back regarding role of authors, peer reviewers, editors and even publishers in Nepal. Although, there has been some development in terms of the number of articles being published and appearances of the journals, yet there is a long way to go. This article analyzes the past and present scenario, and future perspective for scientific publications in Nepal.

Societal impacts and vulnerability to floods in Bangladesh and Nepal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tanvir H. Dewan

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Bangladesh and Nepal lie between the Himalayas and low-lying coasts of the Bay of Bengal and are traversed by hundreds of rivers and tributaries. Historical data shows that, since 1970, the scale, intensity and duration of floods have increased in Bangladesh and Nepal, causing grave human suffering; disruptions in normal life and activity, damages of infrastructure, crops and agricultural land with severe impacts on the economy. Bangladesh is affected by torrential rain, glacier melt, upstream water flow and tidal surges. In 1988, Bangladesh experienced one of the most severe floods of the twentieth century which aroused significant concern internationally and triggered the Bangladesh Action Plan for Flood Control. The Government of Bangladesh (GOB has so far constructed a number of flood shelters and carried out 482 water and flood control projects involving flood protection embankments, drainage channels, sluice gates and regulators on different rivers and canals. These also provided safety measures against inundation by tidal waves, storm-surges and flooding. The Terai region of Nepal is highly prone to hydrological risks including torrential rain, floods, glaciers resulting in erosion and landslides. The Government of Nepal (GON has implemented different mitigation measures mainly early warning awareness, rescue measure, relief, and post-flood rehabilitation programs etc. Disaster Management Bureaus of both the countries have already conducted many trainings, workshops and seminars to disseminate scientific knowledge and coping up practices to disaster managers and to create public awareness. Besides the contemporary approaches to mitigating flood effects, people of these countries have coped with floods through generations relying on traditional/indigenous knowledge and other local adaptation practices. It is crucial that along with scientific process, indigenous, traditional and conventional practices are to be integrated for a national

Classification of surface types using SIR-C/X-SAR, Mount Everest Area, Tibet

Science.gov (United States)

Albright, Thomas P.; Painter, Thomas H.; Roberts, Dar A.; Shi, Jiancheng; Dozier, Jeff; Fielding, Eric

1998-01-01

Imaging radar is a promising tool for mapping snow and ice cover in alpine regions. It combines a high-resolution, day or night, all-weather imaging capability with sensitivity to hydrologic and climatic snow and ice parameters. We use the spaceborne imaging radar-C/X-band synthetic aperture radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) to map snow and glacial ice on the rugged north slope of Mount Everest. From interferometrically derived digital elevation data, we compute the terrain calibration factor and cosine of the local illumination angle. We then process and terrain-correct radar data sets acquired on April 16, 1994. In addition to the spectral data, we include surface slope to improve discrimination among several surface types. These data sets are then used in a decision tree to generate an image classification. This method is successful in identifying and mapping scree/talus, dry snow, dry snow-covered glacier, wet snow-covered glacier, and rock-covered glacier, as corroborated by comparison with existing surface cover maps and other ancillary information. Application of the classification scheme to data acquired on October 7 of the same year yields accurate results for most surface types but underreports the extent of dry snow cover.

Knowledge and practices on maternal health care among mothers: A Cross sectional study from rural areas of mid-western development region Nepal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kapil Gyawali

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Safe motherhood is a priority program in Nepal, aiming to restrain maternal deaths. Meanwhile, knowledge, practices, accessibility, and service quality are considered keys to improve service utilization. This study was conducted to identify knowledge and practices of maternal health care among mothers having < 1-year-old child in the Mid-western Development Region, Nepal. Materials and Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted during January-April 2011 in rural, Mid-western Development Region, Nepal. Three Village Development Committees (VDC from Bardiya (plain and two VDCs from each of the Salyan and Pyuthan (hill and Jumla (mountain districts were selected randomly. Hence, there were 81 clusters (1VDC = 9 clusters and 7-8 participants were selected randomly from each cluster. Data were collected by interview using structured questionnaire and Focus Group Discussion Guideline (18 FGDs, analyzed by SPSS (16.0. CD recorded qualitative data were transcribed and narrated. Percent mean and standard deviation were calculated. Results: Three quarters of the participants had correct knowledge regarding minimum numbers of antenatal visits to be done by a pregnant woman (WHO guideline. Nearly two-fifth participants knew schedule of antenatal care (ANC visits. Almost 60% had done ≥ 4 ANC visits during last pregnancy. Majority visited Sub Health Post/Health Post/Primary Health Care Centre for ANC Checkup. About 90% had taken Iron and folic acid tablets. About 57% were home deliveries (last childbirth, 40% deliveries were assisted by relatives/husband, and only 32% did postnatal health checkup. Conclusions: There were gaps in the knowledge and practices for health care during pregnancy, childbirth and in the postpartum period. A high rate of home deliveries with the low postnatal service utilization was prevalent. Intensive awareness progam and behavioral change interventions, regular pregnancy monitoring may promote the

Understanding of Altitude Illness and Use of Pharmacotherapy Among Trekkers and Porters in the Annapurna Region of Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Havryliuk, Tatiana; Acharya, Bhuwan; Caruso, Emily; Cushing, Tracy

2015-09-01

We surveyed Nepali porters and guides as well as English- and non-English-speaking trekkers on their knowledge of altitude illness and its treatment during trekking expeditions to the Annapurna region of Nepal. From March 15 to April 15, 2014, Nepali porters and visiting trekkers were surveyed regarding their ability to recognize and treat altitude illness in Manang, Nepal (3540 m). Their personal use of medications and home remedies and presence of acute mountain sickness (AMS) symptoms were also assessed. 504 subjects were surveyed, including 108 Nepalis. Overall incidence of AMS symptoms was 16%, 5% among Nepalis, and 21% among trekkers. Subjects recognized that headache (88%) was one of the symptoms of AMS, however many reported not knowing the symptoms of high altitude pulmonary edema (40%) or high altitude cerebral edema (42%). 58% of subjects reported carrying and 16% reported taking acetazolamide, while only 2 (0.4%) respondents took dexamethasone. The majority of subjects reported that they would be able to recognize (67%) and treat (62%) altitude illness. Trekkers reported a higher incidence of AMS symptoms than Nepalis. Although most respondents recognized symptoms of AMS, both Nepalis and trekkers lacked knowledge regarding more serious presentations of altitude illness, thus both groups were overconfident in their ability to recognize and treat altitude illness.

A review on important maize diseases and their management in Nepal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Subash Subedi

2015-12-01

Full Text Available In Nepal, maize ranks second after rice both in area and production. In recent years, maize area and production has shown a steady increase, but productivity has been low (2.46 t/ha. The major maize producing regions in Nepal are mid hill (72.85%, terai (17.36% and high hill (9.79% respectively. A literature review was carried out to explore major maize diseases and their management in Nepal. The omnipresent incidence of diseases at the pre harvest stage has been an important bottleneck in increasing production. Till now, a total of 78 (75 fungal and 3 bacterial species are pathogenic to maize crop in Nepal. The major and economically important maize diseases reported are Gray leaf spot, Northern leaf blight, Southern leaf Blight, Banded leaf and sheath blight, Ear rot, Stalk rot, Head smut, Common rust, Downy mildew and Brown spot. Information on bacterial and virus diseases, nematodes and yield loss assessment is also given. Description of the major maize diseases, their causal organisms, distribution, time and intensity of disease incidence, symptoms, survival, spreads, environmental factors for disease development, yield losses and various disease management strategies corresponded to important maize diseases of Nepal are gathered and compiled thoroughly from the available publications. Concerted efforts of NARC commodity programs, divisions, ARS and RARS involving research on maize pathology and their important outcomes are mentioned. The use of disease management methods focused on host resistance has also been highlighted.

Revisiting the 1993 historical extreme precipitation and damaging flood event in Central Nepal

Science.gov (United States)

Marahatta, S.; Adhikari, L.; Pokharel, B.

2017-12-01

Nepal is ranked the fourth most climate-vulnerable country in the world and it is prone to different weather-related hazards including droughts, floods, and landslides [Wang et al., 2013; Gillies et al., 2013]. Although extremely vulnerable to extreme weather events, there are no extreme weather warning system established to inform public in Nepal. Nepal has witnessed frequent drought and flood events, however, the extreme precipitation that occurred on 19-20 July 1993 created a devastating flood and landslide making it the worst weather disaster in the history of Nepal. During the second week of July, Nepal and northern India experienced abnormal dry condition due to the shifting of the monsoon trough to central India. The dry weather changed to wet when monsoon trough moved northward towards foothills of the Himalayas. Around the same period, a low pressure center was located over the south-central Nepal. The surface low was supported by the mid-, upper-level shortwave and cyclonic vorticity. A meso-scale convective system created record breaking one day rainfall (540 mm) in the region. The torrential rain impacted the major hydropower reservoir, Bagmati barrage in Karmaiya and triggered many landslides and flash floods. The region had the largest hydropower (Kulekhani hydropower, 92 MW) of the country at that time and the storm event deposited extremely large amount of sediments that reduced one-fourth (4.8 million m3) of reservoir dead storage (12 million m3). The 1-in-1000 years flood damaged the newly constructed barrage and took more than 700 lives. Major highways were damaged cutting off supply of daily needed goods, including food and gas, in the capital city, Kathmandu, for more than a month. In this presentation, the meteorological conditions of the extreme event will be diagnosed and the impact of the sedimentation due to the flood on Kulekhani reservoir and hydropower generation will be discussed.

An Assessment of Monsoon Triggered Landslides in Western Nepal

Science.gov (United States)

Sudan Acharya, Madhu

2010-05-01

Due to heavy monsoon rain, rugged topography and very young mountains, frequent slope failures and soil erosion are very common in Nepal but in most of cases the natural slopes are disturbed by men to construct a road through it and the situation further aggravated by the Monsoon rain. Summer usually tests the disaster response capacity of Nepal, when the monsoons trigger water induced disasters. This year Nepal's Western regions were most severely affected by floods and landslides. Every year, sadly, it is the same story of mostly poor people living in remote villages succumbing to landslides and flooding and those who survive facing hardships brought on by the disaster. The tail end of the monsoon in October has triggered flood and landslides in Nepal which affected a total of 14 districts in the mid and far-west regions, of which Kailali, Bardiya, Banke, Dadeldhura, Accham and Kanchapur district are most affected. The affected areas are geographically scattered and remote, and are therefore difficult to access. In this year (2009), flood and landslides have claimed 62 lives, affecting more than 152,000 individuals from 27,000 families. More than 4,000 families are displaced and are taking shelter in schools, open space and forest areas with no protection from the external elements. In the above context the prevention and mitigation measures for landslides is a great challenge for Nepal. Nepal has been investing its huge amount of resources to stabilize landslides and roadside slope failures, still then it has become unmanageable during Monsoon time. Considering the above facts, an assessment of landslides which were occurred during the Monsoon (July-October 2009), along Khodpe - Jhota - Chainpur road in far western region of Nepal has been carried out based on the field observation of various landslides. The paper presents the causes and mechanisms of failures of different landslides which are mostly triggered by Monsoon rain. It also suggests some low cost

Adoption of Improved Potato Varieties in Nepal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Samaya Gairhe

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Nepal is one of the top twenty countries where potato contributes substantially for the human diet. Enhancing adoption of improved potato varieties could impact on farmer’s income, household food and nutritional security. As such, using a multistage sampling procedure, a study was conducted to assess the determinants of improved potato varieties adoption in Nepal covering 180 samples in four districts, two in hills and two in Tarai region. The study revealed that; Kavre and Bardiya districts in the hills and Tarai, respectively, were dominated by improved potato varieties adoption. On the other hand, Dhankuta and Jhapa in the hills and Tarai, respectively, were dominated by local potato varieties adoption. The informal seed sources followed by agro-vet and market were the major sources for improved varietal adoption. Farmers’ accesses to training and formal seed sources were important factor determining improved potato varietal adoption. However, households with larger farm size were less likely to allocate more area for improved potato varieties as many of farmers were reluctant to take potato cultivation as agri-business and still follow subsistence farming. Potato R&D programs, therefore, need to strengthen formal seed system to enhance access to quality potato seeds and build producer’s capacity through regular training and exposer visits in order to improve adoption of improved potato varieties in Nepal.

Molecular characterization of infectious bursal disease virus isolates from Nepal based on hypervariable region of VP2 gene.

Science.gov (United States)

Sharma, K; Hair-Bejo, M; Omar, A R; Aini, I

2005-01-01

Two Infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) isolates, NP1SSH and NP2K were obtained from a severe infectious bursal disease (IBD) outbreak in Nepal in 2002. The hypervariable (HV) region of VP2 gene (1326 bp) of the isolates was generated by RT-PCR and sequenced. The obtained nucleotide sequences were compared with those of twenty other IBDV isolates/strains. Phylogenetic analysis based on this comparison revealed that NP1SSH and NP2K clustered with very virulent (vv) IBDV strains of serotype 1. In contrast, classical, Australian classical and attenuated strains of serotype 1 and avirulent IBDV strains of serotype 2 formed a different cluster. The deduced amino acid sequences of the two isolates showed a 98.3% identity with each other and 97.1% and 98.3% identities, respectively with very virulent IBDV (vvIBDV) isolates/strains. Three amino acids substitutions at positions 300 (E-->A), 308 (I-->F) and 334 (A-->P) within the HV region were common for both the isolates. The amino acids substitutions at positions 27 (S-->T), 28 (I-->T), 31 (D-->A), 36 (H-->Y), 135 (E-->G), 223 (G-->S), 225 (V-->I), 351 (L-->I), 352 (V-->E) and 399 (I-->S) for NP1SSH and at position 438 (I-->S) for NP2K were unique and differed from other IBDV isolates/strains. NP1SSH and NP2K showed highest similarity (97.8%) with the BD399 strain from Bangladesh as compared with other vvIBDV isolates/strains. We conclude that the NP1SSH and NP2K isolates of IBDV from Nepal represent vvIBDV of serotype 1.

The EVEREST project: sensitivity analysis of geological disposal systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marivoet, Jan; Wemaere, Isabelle; Escalier des Orres, Pierre; Baudoin, Patrick; Certes, Catherine; Levassor, Andre; Prij, Jan; Martens, Karl-Heinz; Roehlig, Klaus

1997-01-01

The main objective of the EVEREST project is the evaluation of the sensitivity of the radiological consequences associated with the geological disposal of radioactive waste to the different elements in the performance assessment. Three types of geological host formations are considered: clay, granite and salt. The sensitivity studies that have been carried out can be partitioned into three categories according to the type of uncertainty taken into account: uncertainty in the model parameters, uncertainty in the conceptual models and uncertainty in the considered scenarios. Deterministic as well as stochastic calculational approaches have been applied for the sensitivity analyses. For the analysis of the sensitivity to parameter values, the reference technique, which has been applied in many evaluations, is stochastic and consists of a Monte Carlo simulation followed by a linear regression. For the analysis of conceptual model uncertainty, deterministic and stochastic approaches have been used. For the analysis of uncertainty in the considered scenarios, mainly deterministic approaches have been applied

Crossing the roof of the world: Trade in medicinal plants from Nepal to China.

Science.gov (United States)

He, Jun; Yang, Bin; Dong, Min; Wang, Yunshang

2018-04-26

Trade in medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) between Nepal and China has taken place for centuries along the Tibetan border. While there is anecdotal evidence that economic development in China over the past decades, coupled with regional infrastructure development and increasing market integration, has substantially changed this trade, there are no current published studies investigating this, e.g. in terms of species and market structure. This knowledge gap impedes the development of public interventions, e.g. in support of sustainable trade. The primary objective of this study is to provide the first informative insights into the Nepal-China trade in MAPs, with particular emphasis on the value chain in Tibet. Data was collected from December 2015 to August 2016 in Nepal and Tibet. The data collection included standardized questionnaires to understand and map the value chain of MAPs, including the actors involved and key governance issues. Data was collected from Katmandu-based MAPs wholesalers exporting from Nepal to China, (n = 6) and with regional wholesalers (n = 40) based in Tibet. The questionnaires contained quantitative and qualitative components focusing on key elements of the MAPs value chain, e.g. the traded species and their values. This was augmented with qualitative interviews with Lhasa-based processors (n = 4) and government officials (n = 12) working in border controls, customs, and/or drug administration. We also collected official statistics on the Nepal-China MAPs trade and conducted a workshop in Lhasa with traders and government officials to discuss the nature of the Nepal-China MAPs trade. The Nepal-China MAPs trade boomed after 2011 when the value of traded plants increased more than nine-fold. This rapid increase reflected both a broader species composition and higher unit prices in response to increasing demand from China. The trade expansion was also driven by increasing demand in China and facilitated by improved

Molecular characterization of Mycobacterium orygis isolates from wild animals of Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Thapa, Jeewan; Nakajima, Chie; Maharjan, Bhagwan; Poudell, Ajay; Suzuki, Yasuhiko

2015-08-01

Mycobacterium orygis, a new member of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex, was isolated from a captive spotted deer (Axis axis) and a blue bull (Boselaphus tragocamelus) in Nepal. Analyses by spoligotyping, mycobacterial interspersed repetitive units-variable number of tandem repeats (MIRU-VNTR) typing, region of difference and single nucleotide polymorphism of genes gyrB, mmpL6, TbD1, PPE55 and Rv2042c confirmed the isolates as M. orygis. Moreover, analyses by spoligotyping (SIT587) as well as MIRU-VNTR showed that the isolates shared a similar pattern with many reported isolates. From previous and the present studies, it can be inferred that South Asia is one of the endemic regions for M. orygis. Further investigation including a larger sample size and different host interaction will help to understand the ecology and epidemiology of M. orygis in Nepal.

Critical Review of the Millennium Project in Nepal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ashma Vaidya

2016-10-01

Full Text Available “Our Common Future” harmonized development policies around a new sustainable development (SD paradigm, and experts also emphasize the importance of a democratic and equitable approach to define and achieve sustainable development. However, SD targets and indicators are often defined by a suite of experts or a few stakeholder groups, far removed from on-the-ground conditions. The most common expert-led development framework, the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals (MDGs, promoted one set of targets and indicators for all developing countries. While progress towards these targets was routinely reported at the national scale, these targets may not reflect context-specific sustainable development. We evaluated the relevance and comprehensiveness of MDG 7 (environmental sustainability for Nepal. Although Nepal has met most of the MDG 7 (e.g., forest cover, protected areas coverage, water and sanitation, on closer inspection these indicators do not provide adequate context for ensuring that these targets provide the intended levels of development. Simple forest cover and protected area indicators belie the dearth of ecological conservation on the ground, and water and sanitation indicators do not reflect the inequality of access based on poverty and regions. While the Millennium Development Goals align with broad sustainability concerns in Nepal, these indicators do not reveal its true development conditions.

Monsoon Rainfall and Landslides in Nepal

Science.gov (United States)

Dahal, R. K.; Hasegawa, S.; Bhandary, N. P.; Yatabe, R.

2009-12-01

A large number of human settlements on the Nepal Himalayas are situated either on old landslide mass or on landslide-prone areas. As a result, a great number of people are affected by large- and small-scale landslides all over the Himalayas especially during monsoon periods. In Nepal, only in the half monsoon period (June 10 to August 15), 70, 50 and 68 people were killed from landslides in 2007, 2008 and 2009, respectively. In this context, this paper highlights monsoon rainfall and their implications in the Nepal Himalaya. In Nepal, monsoon is major source of rainfall in summer and approximately 80% of the annual total rainfall occurs from June to September. The measured values of mean annual precipitation in Nepal range from a low of approximately 250 mm at area north of the Himalaya to many areas exceeding 6,000 mm. The mean annual rainfall varying between 1500 mm and 2500 mm predominate over most of the country. In Nepal, the daily distribution of precipitation during rainy season is also uneven. Sometime 10% of the total annual precipitation can occur in a single day. Similarly, 50% total annual rainfall also can occur within 10 days of monsoon. This type of uneven distribution plays an important role in triggering many landslides in Nepal. When spatial distribution of landslides was evaluated from record of more than 650 landslides, it is found that more landslides events were concentrated at central Nepal in the area of high mean annual rainfall. When monsoon rainfall and landslide relationship was taken into consideration, it was noticed that a considerable number of landslides were triggered in the Himalaya by continuous rainfall of 3 to 90 days. It has been noticed that continuous rainfall of few days (5 days or 7 days or 10 days) are usually responsible for landsliding in the Nepal Himalaya. Monsoon rains usually fall with interruptions of 2-3 days and are generally characterized by low intensity and long duration. Thus, there is a strong role of

Urban Expansion Occurred at the Expense of Agricultural Lands in the Tarai Region of Nepal from 1989 to 2016

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bhagawat Rimal

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Recent rapid urbanization in developing countries presents challenges for sustainable environmental planning and peri-urban cropland management. An improved understanding of the timing and pattern of urbanization is needed to determine how to better plan urbanization for the near future. Here, we describe the spatio-temporal patterns of urbanization and related land-use/land-cover (LULC changes in the Tarai region of Nepal, as well as discuss the factors underlying its rapid urban expansion. Analyses are based on regional time-series Landsat 5, 7 and 8 image classifications for six years between 1989 and 2016, representing the first long-term observations of their kind for Nepal. During this 27-year period, gains in urban cover and losses of cultivated lands occurred widely. Urban cover occupied 221.1 km2 in 1989 and increased 320% by 2016 to a total 930.22 km2. Cultivated land was the primary source of new urban cover. Of the new urban cover added since 1989, 93% was formerly cultivated. Urban expansion occurred at moderately exponential rates over consecutive observation periods, with nearly half of all urban expansion occurring during 2006–2011 (305 km2. The annual rate of urban growth during 1989–1996 averaged 3.3% but reached as high as 8.09% and 12.61% during 1996–2001 and 2011–2016, respectively. At the district level, the rate of urban growth and, by extension, agricultural loss, were weakly related to total population growth. Variability in this relationship suggests that concerted urban-growth management may reduce losses of agricultural lands relative to historic trends despite further population growth and urbanization. Urbanization and LULC change in the Tarai region are attributable to significant inter-regional migration in a context of poor urban planning and lax policies controlling the conversion and fragmentation of peri-urban cultivated lands. Urban expansion and farmland loss are expected to continue in the future.

Household energy consumption patterns and its environmental implications: Assessment of energy access and poverty in Nepal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Malla, Sunil

2013-01-01

Approximately 87% of Nepal's total final energy is consumed by households. This paper analyzes the patterns of household energy use and associated air pollutant emissions in Nepal based on LEAP framework for thirteen analytical regions and three end-uses. Four scenarios involving different growth paths for socio economic and energy system development through the year 2040 are considered. The study finds that household energy use is heterogeneous across the regions and biomass for cooking dominates the country's energy-mix. Households' CO 2 emissions are less significant but their local indoor pollutant emissions will continue to rise in the future. To help strengthen government's commitment to the UN's sustainable energy for all initiative, this study devises an energy development index (EDI) to assess country's energy access and poverty across the regions. The results reveal that the current level of both energy access and energy poverty in the country is below the basic human needs and this situation will improve by little in next 30 years. The paper argues that to improve these situations require more coordinated and innovative plans and policies from the government. The paper suggests that greater emphasis will be needed in reducing dependence of biomass for cooking, promoting domestic alternative energy sources, scaling up biomass improved cookstoves programs and developing periodic regional level energy database. - Highlights: • Household energy use and air pollutant emissions in Nepal are analyzed based on LEAP framework. • Household energy use is heterogeneous across the regions and biomass for cooking dominates country's energy-mix. • Energy Development Index is devised to assess country's energy access and poverty across the regions. • Scaling up RETs and biomass ICS programs are suggested. • Coordination with inter-agencies and ODAs is vital in alleviating energy poverty in Nepal

Youth Labor Migration in Nepal

OpenAIRE

Bossavie, Laurent; Denisova, Anastasiya

2018-01-01

This descriptive study investigates internal and external labor migration by Nepalese youth. External labor migration is separated into the flow to India, which is unregulated, and the flow to other countries, which typically takes the form of temporary contract migration to countries with bilateral labor agreements with Nepal (referred to in Nepal as foreign employment). The study finds t...

Kyoto protocol and Nepal's energy sector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pokharel, Shaligram

2007-01-01

Nepal has recently ratified Kyoto Protocol, which considers justifiable use of resources to limit or reduce the emission of gases that contribute to green house gas inventory in the atmosphere. Nepal's per capita green gas (GHG) emission from energy use is insignificant. However, it is important for Nepal to adopt environmentally friendly energy options based on local resources like hydropower and biomass. Nepal can benefit from the provisions of clean development mechanism (CDM) under the Kyoto Protocol of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) or carbon funds being promoted by various organizations in order to obtain funding for new projects that reduce GHG emissions (ER). Funding can be generated through Carbon trading in international market as well. In this paper, the country's current contribution to GHG due to energy consumption is evaluated. Options for promoting more sustainable and environmentally friendly projects have also been discussed

Post-Conflict Realities and the Future of Stability in Nepal

Science.gov (United States)

2017-03-01

British Army states that they have selected 310 recruits from Nepal, among which 230 will go to the British Army and the remaining 80 will join the...Workers’ Union 12. All Nepal Hotel and Restaurant Workers’ Union 13. All Nepal Carpet Workers’ Union 14. All Nepal Meter Tempo Workers’ Union 15

Climate Change and Spatiotemporal Distributions of Vector-Borne Diseases in Nepal--A Systematic Synthesis of Literature.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Meghnath Dhimal

Full Text Available Despite its largely mountainous terrain for which this Himalayan country is a popular tourist destination, Nepal is now endemic for five major vector-borne diseases (VBDs, namely malaria, lymphatic filariasis, Japanese encephalitis, visceral leishmaniasis and dengue fever. There is increasing evidence about the impacts of climate change on VBDs especially in tropical highlands and temperate regions. Our aim is to explore whether the observed spatiotemporal distributions of VBDs in Nepal can be related to climate change.A systematic literature search was performed and summarized information on climate change and the spatiotemporal distribution of VBDs in Nepal from the published literature until December 2014 following providing items for systematic review and meta-analysis (PRISMA guidelines.We found 12 studies that analysed the trend of climatic data and are relevant for the study of VBDs, 38 studies that dealt with the spatial and temporal distribution of disease vectors and disease transmission. Among 38 studies, only eight studies assessed the association of VBDs with climatic variables. Our review highlights a pronounced warming in the mountains and an expansion of autochthonous cases of VBDs to non-endemic areas including mountain regions (i.e., at least 2,000 m above sea level. Furthermore, significant relationships between climatic variables and VBDs and their vectors are found in short-term studies.Taking into account the weak health care systems and difficult geographic terrain of Nepal, increasing trade and movements of people, a lack of vector control interventions, observed relationships between climatic variables and VBDs and their vectors and the establishment of relevant disease vectors already at least 2,000 m above sea level, we conclude that climate change can intensify the risk of VBD epidemics in the mountain regions of Nepal if other non-climatic drivers of VBDs remain constant.

Survival on antiretroviral treatment among adult HIV-infected patients in Nepal: a retrospective cohort study in far-western Region, 2006–2011

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

Background Though financial and policy level efforts are made to expand antiretroviral treatment (ART) service free of cost, survival outcome of ART program has not been systematically evaluated in Nepal. This study assesses the mortality rates and determinants among adult HIV-infected patients on ART in Far-western region of Nepal. Methods This retrospective cohort study included 1024 (51.2% men) HIV-infected patients aged ≥15 years, who started ART between May 15th 2006 and May 15th 2011 in five ART sites in the Far-western region, Nepal. Follow-up time was calculated from the date of ART initiation to date of death or censoring (loss to follow-up, transferred out, or 15 November 2011). Mortality rates (per 100 person-years) were calculated. Kaplan-Meier and Cox-regression models were used to estimate survival and explore determinants of mortality. Results The median follow-up time was 19.1 months. The crude mortality rate was 6.3 (95% confidence interval (CI) 5.3-7.6) but more than three-times higher in first 3 months after ART initiation (21.9 (95% CI 16.6- 28.8)). About 12% (83% men) of those newly initiated on ART died during follow-up. The independent determinants of mortality were male sex (hazard ratio (HR) 4.55, 95% CI 2.43-8.51), poor baseline performance scale (bedridden bedridden >50% of the day during the past month, HR 3.41, 95% CI 1.67-6.98 compared to normal activity), one standard deviation decrease in baseline bodyweight (HR 1.04, 95% CI 1.01-1.07), and poor WHO clinical stage (stage III, HR 2.96, 95% CI 1.31-6.69; stage IV, HR 3.28, 95% CI 1.30-8.29 compared to WHO clinical stage I or II). Conclusions High mortality was observed within the first 3 months of ART initiation. Patients with poor baseline clinical characteristics had higher mortality, especially men. Earlier initiation of ART through expanded testing and counselling should be encouraged in HIV-infected patients. PMID:24369908

Epidemiology, Impact and Control of Rabies in Nepal: A Systematic Review

Science.gov (United States)

Devleesschauwer, Brecht; Aryal, Arjun; Sharma, Barun Kumar; Ale, Anita; Declercq, Anne; Depraz, Stephanie; Gaire, Tara Nath; Gongal, Gyanendra; Karki, Surendra; Pandey, Basu Dev; Pun, Sher Bahadur; Duchateau, Luc; Dorny, Pierre; Speybroeck, Niko

2016-01-01

dog populations and the true contribution of the sylvatic cycle. Interpretation Better data are needed to unravel the true burden of animal and human rabies. More collaboration, both within the country and within the region, is needed to control rabies. To achieve these goals, high level political commitment is essential. We therefore propose to make rabies the model zoonosis for successful control in Nepal. PMID:26871689

Epidemiology, Impact and Control of Rabies in Nepal: A Systematic Review.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Brecht Devleesschauwer

2016-02-01

populations and the true contribution of the sylvatic cycle.Better data are needed to unravel the true burden of animal and human rabies. More collaboration, both within the country and within the region, is needed to control rabies. To achieve these goals, high level political commitment is essential. We therefore propose to make rabies the model zoonosis for successful control in Nepal.

Cardiac response to hypobaric hypoxia: persistent changes in cardiac mass, function, and energy metabolism after a trek to Mt. Everest Base Camp

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Holloway, Cameron J.; Montgomery, Hugh E.; Murray, Andrew J.; Cochlin, Lowri E.; Codreanu, Ion; Hopwood, Naomi; Johnson, Andrew W.; Rider, Oliver J.; Levett, Denny Z. H.; Tyler, Damian J.; Francis, Jane M.; Neubauer, Stefan; Grocott, Michael P. W.; Clarke, Kieran; Grocott, Mike; Montgomery, Hugh; Levett, Denny; Martin, Daniel; Wilson, Mark; Windsor, Jeremy; Luery, Helen; Murray, Andrew; Stroud, Mike; Khosravi, Maryam; Wandrag, Liesl; Holloway, Cameron; Edwards, Lindsay; Ince, Can; Mythen, Monty; Jonas, Max; Imray, Chris; Newman, Stan; Stygal, Jan; Doyle, Patrick; Rodway, George; Howard, David; McMorrow, Roger; Ahuja, Vijay; Aref-Adib, Golnar; Burnham, Richard Dick; Chisholm, Amber; Coates, David; Cook, Debbie; Dhillon, Sundeep; Dougall, Christina; Duncan, Polly; Edsell, Mark; Evans, Lynn; Gardiner, Paul Bugs; Gunning, Paul

2011-01-01

We postulated that changes in cardiac high-energy phosphate metabolism may underlie the myocardial dysfunction caused by hypobaric hypoxia. Healthy volunteers (n=14) were studied immediately before, and within 4 d of return from, a 17-d trek to Mt. Everest Base Camp (5300 m). (31)P magnetic

Attracting and retaining doctors in rural Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Shankar, P R

2010-01-01

In Nepal, a number of private sector medical schools have opened recently; although sufficient numbers of doctors are graduating there continues to be a doctor shortage in rural areas. This article analysed the rural doctor shortage in Nepal and reviewed the international literature for strategies that may be suitable for use in Nepal. Original research articles, reviews, magazine articles and project reports dealing with Nepal and other developing countries during the period 1995 to 2010 were sourced via Google, Google Scholar and Pubmed. Full text access was obtained via WHO's HINARI database. The health workforce in Nepal is unevenly distributed resulting in doctor shortages in rural areas. The recent introduction of mandatory rural service for scholarship students was aimed to reduce the loss of medical graduates to developed nations. High tuition fees in private medical schools and low Government wages prevent recent graduates from taking up rural positions, and those who do face many challenges. Potential corrective strategies include community-based medical education, selecting rural-background medical students, and providing a partial or complete tuition fee waiver for medical students who commit to rural service. Traditional healers and paramedical staff can also be trained for and authorized to provide rural health care. A range of strategies developed elsewhere could be used in Nepal, especially community-oriented medical education that involves rural doctors in training medical students. The reimbursement of tuition fees, assistance with relocation, and provision of opportunities for academic and professional advancement for rural doctors should also be considered. Government investment in improving working conditions in rural Nepal would assist rural communities to attract and retain doctors.

Development of 2010 national land cover database for the Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Uddin, Kabir; Shrestha, Him Lal; Murthy, M S R; Bajracharya, Birendra; Shrestha, Basanta; Gilani, Hammad; Pradhan, Sudip; Dangol, Bikash

2015-01-15

Land cover and its change analysis across the Hindu Kush Himalayan (HKH) region is realized as an urgent need to support diverse issues of environmental conservation. This study presents the first and most complete national land cover database of Nepal prepared using public domain Landsat TM data of 2010 and replicable methodology. The study estimated that 39.1% of Nepal is covered by forests and 29.83% by agriculture. Patch and edge forests constituting 23.4% of national forest cover revealed proximate biotic interferences over the forests. Core forests constituted 79.3% of forests of Protected areas where as 63% of area was under core forests in the outside protected area. Physiographic regions wise forest fragmentation analysis revealed specific conservation requirements for productive hill and mid mountain regions. Comparative analysis with Landsat TM based global land cover product showed difference of the order of 30-60% among different land cover classes stressing the need for significant improvements for national level adoption. The online web based land cover validation tool is developed for continual improvement of land cover product. The potential use of the data set for national and regional level sustainable land use planning strategies and meeting several global commitments also highlighted. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of leucine supplementation on fat free mass with prolonged hypoxic exposure during a 13-day trek to Everest Base Camp: a double-blind randomized study.

Science.gov (United States)

Wing-Gaia, Stacie L; Gershenoff, Dana C; Drummond, Micah J; Askew, E Wayne

2014-03-01

Loss of body weight and fat-free mass (FFM) are commonly noted with prolonged exposure to hypobaric hypoxia. Recent evidence suggests protein supplementation, specifically leucine, may potentially attenuate loss of FFM in subcaloric conditions during normoxia. The purpose of this study was to determine if leucine supplementation would prevent the loss of FFM in subcaloric conditions during prolonged hypoxia. Eighteen physically active male (n = 10) and female (n = 8) trekkers completed a 13-day trek in Nepal to Everest Base Camp with a mean altitude of 4140 m (range 2810-5364 m). In this double-blind study, participants were randomized to ingest either leucine (LEU) (7 g leucine, 93 kcal, 14.5 g whey-based protein) or an isocaloric isonitrogenous control (CON) (0.3 g LEU, 93 kcal, 11.3 g collagen protein) twice daily prior to meals. Body weight, body composition, and circumferences of bicep, thigh, and calf were measured pre- and post-trek. There was a significant time effect for body weight (-2.2% ± 1.7%), FFM (-1.7% ± 1.5%), fat mass (-4.0% ± 6.9%), and circumferences (p FFM (CON -2.1 ± 1.5%; LEU -1.2 ± 1.6%), fat mass (CON -2.9% ± 5.9%; LEU -5.4% ± 8.1%), or circumferences. Although a significant loss of body weight, FFM, and fat mass was noted in 13 days of high altitude exposure, FFM loss was not attenuated by leucine. Future studies are needed to determine if leucine attenuates loss of FFM with longer duration high altitude exposure.

Human resources for refraction services in Central Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Kandel, Himal; Murthy, G V S; Bascaran, Covadonga

2015-07-01

Uncorrected refractive error is a public health problem globally and in Nepal. Planning of refraction services is hampered by a paucity of data. This study was conducted to determine availability and distribution of human resources for refraction, their efficiency, the type and extent of their training; the current service provision of refraction services and the unmet need in human resources for refraction in Central Nepal. This was a descriptive cross-sectional study. All refraction facilities in the Central Region were identified through an Internet search and interviews of key informants from the professional bodies and parent organisations of primary eye centres. A stratified simple random sampling technique was used to select 50 per cent of refraction facilities. The selected facilities were visited for primary data collection. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with the managers and the refractionists available in the facilities using a semi-structured questionnaire. Data was collected in 29 centres. All the managers (n=29; response rate 100 per cent) and 50 refractionists (Response rate 65.8 per cent) were interviewed. Optometrists and ophthalmic assistants were the main providers of refraction services (n=70, 92.11 per cent). They were unevenly distributed across the region, highly concentrated around urban areas. The median number of refractions per refractionist per year was 3,600 (IQR: 2,400 - 6,000). Interviewed refractionists stated that clients' knowledge, attitude and practice related factors such as lack of awareness of the need for refraction services and/or availability of existing services were the major barriers to the output of refraction services. The total number of refractions carried out in the Central Region per year was 653,176. An additional 170 refractionists would be needed to meet the unmet need of 1,323,234 refractions. The study findings demand a major effort to develop appropriately trained personnel when planning

Assessing the Groundwater Concentrations and Geographical Distribution of Arsenic in Nepal

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, J.; Liu, F.

2015-12-01

Arsenic 33As, one of the major groundwater contaminants, occurs in both natural and anthropogenic forms. Arsenic inhibits cellular respiration and the production of ATP in human body. Prolonged intake of non-lethal quantities of arsenic can cause cancer and diseases in vital organs such as the heart, liver, skin, and kidney. Each year, millions of people in the rural areas of Bangladesh, India, and other developing countries in South Asia are exposed to arsenic-poisoned groundwater. According to the World Health Organization, arsenic levels in drinking water should not exceed 10 parts per billion; however, the levels of arsenic found in groundwater in the heavily contaminated regions are often more than ten times of the recommended limit. Nepal is one of these regions. In most of the rural areas in Nepal, there is no infrastructure to produce clean filtered water, and wells thus became the major source. However, most of these wells were dug without testing for groundwater safety, because the test commands resources that the rural communities do not have access to. This is also limited data published on Nepal's groundwater contaminant levels. The scarcity of information prohibits the international community from recognizing the severity of arsenic poisoning in Nepal and coming up with the most efficient measures to help. With this project, we will present a method to determine groundwater safety by analyzing geologic data and using remote sensing. The original source of arsenic is the arsenic-bearing minerals in the sediments. Some geological formations have higher arsenic levels than others due to their depositional environments. Therefore, by using existing geologic data from Nepal and countries with similar types of arsenic contamination, we hope to determine correlations between areas where there are reports of high concentrations of arsenic in groundwater to the environmental factors that may cause a particular concentration of arsenic. Furthermore, with deeper

Molecular Epidemiology and Antigenic Characterization of Seasonal Influenza Viruses Circulating in Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Upadhyay, B P; Ghimire, P; Tashiro, M; Banjara, M R

2017-01-01

Influenza is one of the public health burdens in Nepal and its epidemiology is not clearly understood. The objective of this study was to explore the molecular epidemiology and the antigenic characteristics of the circulating influenza viruses in Nepal. A total of 1495 throat swab specimens were collected from January to December, 2014. Real time PCR assay was used for identification of influenza virus types and subtypes. Ten percent of the positive specimens were randomly selected and inoculated onto Madin-Darby Canine Kidney Epithelial cells (MDCK) for influenza virus isolation. All viruses were characterized by the hemagglutination inhibition (HI) assay. Influenza viruses were detected in 421/1495 (28.2%) specimens. Among positive cases, influenza A virus was detected in 301/421 (71.5%); of which 120 (39.9%) were influenza A/H1N1 pdm09 and 181 (60.1%) were influenza A/H3 subtype. Influenza B viruses were detected in 119/421 (28.3%) specimens. Influenza A/H1N1 pdm09, A/H3 and B viruses isolated in Nepal were antigenically similar to the vaccine strain influenza A/California/07/2009(H1N1pdm09), A/Texas/50/2012(H3N2), A/New York/39/2012(H3N2) and B/Massachusetts/2/2012, respectively. Influenza viruses were reported year-round in different geographical regions of Nepal which was similar to other tropical countries. The circulating influenza virus type and subtypes of Nepal were similar to vaccine candidate virus which could be prevented by currently used influenza vaccine.

Maternal Mortality in Nepal: Unraveling the Complexity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Suwal, Juhee V.

2008-01-01

Full Text Available EnglishMaternal mortality has been recognised as a public health problem in the developing countries. The situation concerning maternal mortality in Nepal remained unexplored and vague until the early 1990s. By using 1996 Nepal Family Health Survey, this study discusses the maternal mortality situation in Nepal and analyses the differentials in maternal mortality by place of residence,region, ethnic and religious groups, age at death, and parity. Almost 28 percent of deaths of women in reproductive age was accountable to maternal causes.Logistic regression analysis shows ‘ethnicity,’ ‘age of women,’ and ‘number of births’ as strong predictors of maternal mortality. A number of policy recommendations are suggested to help lower maternal mortality.FrenchLa mortalité liée à la maternité est un des phénomènes de santé qui a étéidentifié dans les pays en voie de développement. La situation de la mortalitéliée à la maternité au Népal est restée inexplorée et assez vague jusqu’au débutdes années 1990. En utilisant les données du Nepal Family Health Survey de1996, cet article examine la situation de la mortalité liée à la maternité au Népalet analyse les différentiels des taux de mortalité par lieu de résidence, région,groupe ethnique et religieux, âge au décès, et parité. Presque 28 pourcent desdécès de femmes en âge de procréer sont liés à la maternité. L’analyse derégression logique démontre que « l’ethnicité », « l’âge des femmes », et le« nombre de naissances » sont de forts prédicteurs du taux des mortalités liées àla maternité.

Mapping Geohazards in the Churia Region of Nepal: An Application of Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Bannister, Terri

The Churia region of Nepal is experiencing serious environmental degradation due to landslides, monsoon flooding, land use changes, and gravel excavation. The objectives of this study were to quantify the temporal change of landslides as related to changes in land use/deforestation/urbanization, to quantify the temporal change and extent of river inundation in the Terai, to quantify the extent to which stone quarrying exacerbates the degradation process, and to generate a landslide hazard risk map. Gravel extraction and precipitation data, along with field work and geospatial methods, were used to map degradation by focusing on the centrally located districts of Bara, Rautahat, and Makwanpur. Landsat land use classifications were conducted on imagery from 1976, 1988, 1999, and 2015. A modified Normalized Difference Mid-Infrared (NDMIDIR) algorithm was created by incorporating slope, elevation, and land use types to identify landslide scars. A GIS model using weighted landslide variables derived from remote sensing and GIS methods to predict landslide susceptibility was created. These variables include hydrology, settlement, lithology, geology, precipitation, infrastructure, elevation, slope, aspect, land use, and previous landslides. Gravel excavation in 2007/2008 was nearly 700% higher than in 2001/2002. The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) results showed that the study area is losing 1.03% forest cover annually; in 1977, there was 70% forest cover, but only 32% forest cover remained in 2016. The accuracy assessment of the 2015 Landsat 8 land use classification was 79%. NDMIDIR results showed that from 1988 to 2016, the total area representing landslide scars increased from 7.26km2 to 8.73 km2. The weighted variable GIS model output map indicated that 70% of the Siwalik zone and southern Lesser Himalayan zone in the three study districts have significant risk of landslides. Landslides and flooding from heavy monsoon rain, deforestation to develop

El Desastre del 96: Una forma educativa de explicar las reacciones fisiológicas producidas como consecuencia de la exposición a la baja presión de oxígeno a gran altitud usando la película Everest (2015

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Germán DOMÍNGUEZ VÍAS

2018-01-01

Full Text Available El Desastre del 96 del Monte Everest se refiere a los eventos ocurrido del 10 al 11 de mayo de 1996, cuando ocho personas atrapadas en un temporal perdieron la vida, algunos durante el ascenso y, aquellos que ya habían hecho cumbre, mientras descendían. La película Everest (2015 refleja fielmente los síntomas previos ocurridos durante la ascensión, razón importante para comprender los efectos de la altura y de las bajas presiones de gases sobre el cuerpo humano. En este trabajo se aborda ambos problemas, Everest puede ayudar al alumnado a entender y reflexionar sobre los desafíos para la homeostasis corporal que tienen lugar a grandes alturas.

From early wireless to Everest.

Science.gov (United States)

Allen, A

1998-01-01

Medical information has been transmitted using wireless technologies for almost 80 years. A "wired wireless" electronic stethoscope was developed by the U.S. Army Signal Corps in the early 1920's, for potential use in ship-to-shore transmission of cardiac sounds. [Winters SR. Diagnosis by wireless. Scientific American June 11, 1921, p. 465] Today, wireless is used in a wide range of medical applications and at sites from transoceanic air flights to offshore oil platforms to Mt. Everest. 'Wireless LANs' are often used in medical environments. Typically, nurses and physicians in a hospital or clinic use hand-held "wireless thin client" pen computers that exchange patient information and images with the hospital server. Numerous companies, such as Fujitsu (article below) and Cruise Technologies (www.cruisetech.com) manufacture handheld pen-entry computers. One company, LXE, integrates radio-frequency (RF) enhanced hand-held computers specifically designed for production use within a wireless LAN (www.lxe.com). Other companies (Proxim, Symbol, and others) supply the wireless RF LAN infrastructure for the enterprise. Unfortunately, there have been problems with widespread deployment of wireless LANs. Perhaps the biggest impediment has been the lack of standards. Although an international standard (IEEE 802.11) was adopted in 1997, most wireless LAN products still are not compatible with the equipment of competing companies. A problem with the current standard for LAN adapters is that throughput is limited to 3 Mbps--compared to at least 10 Mbps, and often 100 Mbps, in a hard-wired Ethernet LAN. An II Mbps standard is due out in the next year or so, but it will be at least 2 years before standards-compliant products are available. This story profiles some of the ways that wireless is being used to overcome gaps in terrestrial and within-enterprise communication.

A Himalayan Border Trilogy: The Political Economies of Transport Infrastructure and Disaster Relief between China and Nepal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Galen Murton

2016-03-01

Full Text Available This photo essay illustrates and contrasts the infrastructure and operations of three international border posts between China and Nepal. Located at Zhangmu-Kodari, Kyirong-Rasuwa, and Likse-Neychung borders, these posts function as the only motorable China-Nepal border crossings and represent half of the six official, open borders recognized by Kathmandu and Beijing. In addition to China’s new position as Nepal’s number-one source of foreign direct investment, bilateral trade, humanitarian aid, and tourism traffic between the two countries continue to expand annually. As infrastructure development facilitates new political-economic dynamics between China and Nepal, these three border posts are becoming increasingly potent symbols of ongoing evolutions in Sino-Nepal relations. Because each crossing is also located at Nepal’s border with the Tibet Autonomous Region, each site exhibits a complex politics of identity, citizenship, and mobility with respect to the movement and control of local traders, Tibetan exiles, the Nepali Army, and the Chinese State Police, among other actors.

Contextualizing Social Science in Nepal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dev Raj Dahal

2008-10-01

Full Text Available Social science informs about the ideals and trains experts to deal with the complex social realities. It has a public purpose rooted in what we call dharma (professional and institutional responsibility as opposed to the arrogance of reason, self-will and self-rationalization intrinsic to contemporary rational choice and modernity. Learning has a synergy - establishing connection between the world of social science theories and the drama of social life. A lack of mutual learning between Nepal's traditional faith intellectuals and modern reason-based social scientists has created a big hiatus and contradiction. The academic life of social scientists in Nepal is completely outside of spiritual, moral and ethical influence experienced by ordinary public. The spiritual blindness of modern social scientists has thus opened multiple gaps between their worldview and those of the citizens on various frontiers--theoretical knowledge and practical experience, technical understanding and composite knowledge and secularity of social science and the vitality of the Hindu-Buddhist scriptures in the popular mind, culture, behavior and practices. This has reinforced a division between the system of knowledge of social scientists and the life-world of people. The proponents of new social movements in Nepal, such as women, Dalits, Janajatis, Madhesis, youths and marginalized population are seeking a structural shift in reason-based knowledge to both reason and feeling in social science knowledge discovery. This movement can open the "captive mind" to social learning of contextual knowledge, conduct research with the citizens, provide inputs to the policy makers and reverse their linear, structure-bound, rationalist and disciplinary thinking into the one that represents what the Nepal mandala, the Nepali space, is really like and how to improve it for the better. The renewal and indigenization of qualitative social science research is important to overcome the

Dropout of Children from schools in Nepal

OpenAIRE

Wagle, Dhirendra

2012-01-01

Nepal, a developing country of the south-asian region has bigger problem of children not completing the full cycle of basic education. In other words, large number of children dropout of schools, especially in the primary and secondary level of schooling. Especially, the situation is worse for those of the backward and socially disadvantaged populations and of the rural and the remote areas. Being in this frame, this study focused on the reasons of dropout of children from schools and the pos...

Cumulative incidence, distribution, and determinants of catastrophic health expenditure in Nepal: results from the living standards survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Ghimire, Mamata; Ayer, Rakesh; Kondo, Masahide

2018-02-14

Nepal has committed to the global community to achieve universal health coverage by 2030. Nevertheless, Nepal still has a high proportion of out-of-pocket health payment and a limited risk-pooling mechanism. Out-of-pocket payment for the healthcare services could result in catastrophic health expenditure (CHE). Evidence is required to effectively channel the efforts to lower those expenses in order to achieve universal health coverage. However, little is known about CHE and its determinants in a broad national context in Nepal. Therefore, this study was conducted to explore the cumulative incidence, distribution, and determinants of CHE in Nepal. Data were obtained from the nationally representative survey, the Nepal Living Standards Survey-third undertaken in 2010/11. Information from 5988 households was used for the analyses. Households were classified as having CHE when their out-of-pocket health payment was greater than or equal to 40% of their capacity to pay. Remaining households were classified as not having CHE. Logistic regression analyses were used to identify determinants of CHE. Based on household-weighted sample, the cumulative incidence of CHE was 10.3% per month in Nepal. This incidence was concentrated in the far-western region and households in the poorer expenditure quartiles. Multivariable logistic regression revealed that households were more likely to face CHE if they; consisted of chronically ill member(s), have a higher burden of acute illness and injuries, have elderly (≥60 years) member(s), belonged to the poor expenditure quartile, and were located in the far-western region. In contrast, households were less likely to incur CHE when their household head was educated. Having children (≤5 years) in households did not significantly affect catastrophic health expenditure. This study identified a high cumulative incidence of CHE. CHE was disproportionately concentrated in the poor households and households located in the far

Factors Associated with Pregnancy among Married Adolescents in Nepal: Secondary Analysis of the National Demographic and Health Surveys from 2001 to 2011

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rina Pradhan

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Pregnancy-related morbidity and mortality are much more prevalent among adolescents than adults, particularly in low-income settings. Little is known about risk factors for pregnancy among adolescents in Nepal, but setting-specific evidence is needed to inform interventions. This study aimed to describe the prevalence, and identify factors associated with pregnancy among adolescents in Nepal between 2001 and 2011. Secondary analyses of Nepal Demographic Health Surveys (NDHS data from 2001, 2006, and 2011 were completed. The outcome was any pregnancy or birth among married adolescents; prevalence was calculated for each survey year. Although the rate of marriage among adolescent women in Nepal decreased significantly from 2001 to 2011, prevalence of pregnancy and birth among married adolescent women in Nepal remains high (average 56% in Nepal, and increased significantly between 2001 and 2011. Regression analyses of this outcome indicate higher risk was associated with living in the least resourced region, early sexual debut, and older husband. Despite national efforts to reduce pregnancies among married adolescent women in Nepal, prevalence remains high. Integrated, cross-sectoral prevention efforts are required. Poverty reduction and infrastructure improvements may lead to lower rates of adolescent pregnancy.

Demo 94. Campana de vacío : hinchar un globo sin soplar y cocer un huevo en el Everest

OpenAIRE

Garro Martínez, Núria

2013-01-01

Objetivo: a) Hinchar un globo sin soplar: Experimentar la relación entre el volumen y la presión de los gases. Demostrar que es posible hinchar un globo sin insuflar aire en su interior, reduciendo la presión (atmosférica). b) Cocer un huevo en el Everest: Comprobar la disminución del punto de ebullición del agua al reducir la presión (atmosférica)

The EVER-EST portal as support for the Sea Monitoring Virtual Research Community, through the sharing of resources, enabling dynamic collaboration and promoting community engagement

Science.gov (United States)

Foglini, Federica; Grande, Valentina; De Leo, Francesco; Mantovani, Simone; Ferraresi, Sergio

2017-04-01

EVER-EST offers a framework based on advanced services delivered both at the e-infrastructure and domain-specific level, with the objective of supporting each phase of the Earth Science Research and Information Lifecycle. It provides innovative e-research services to Earth Science user communities for communication, cross-validation and the sharing of knowledge and science outputs. The project follows a user-centric approach: real use cases taken from pre-selected Virtual Research Communities (VRC) covering different Earth Science research scenarios drive the implementation of the Virtual Research Environment (VRE) services and capabilities. The Sea Monitoring community is involved in the evaluation of the EVER-EST infrastructure. The community of potential users is wide and heterogeneous including both multi-disciplinary scientists and national/international agencies and authorities (e.g. MPAs directors, technicians from regional agencies like ARPA in Italy, the technicians working for the Ministry of the Environment) dealing with the adoption of a better way of measuring the quality of the environment. The scientific community has the main role of assessing the best criteria and indicators for defining the Good Environmental Status (GES) in their own sub regions, and implementing methods, protocols and tools for monitoring the GES descriptors. According to the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD), the environmental status of marine waters is defined by 11 descriptors, and forms a proposed set of 29 associated criteria and 56 different indicators. The objective of the Sea Monitoring VRC is to provide useful and applicable contributions to the evaluation of the descriptors: D1.Biodiversity, D2.Non-indigenous species and D6.Seafloor Integrity (http://ec.europa.eu/environment/marine/good-environmental-status/index_en.htm). The main challenges for the community members are: 1. discovery of existing data and products distributed among different infrastructures; 2

Determinants and promotion of oral hygiene behaviour in the Caribbean and Nepal

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Buunk-Werkhoven, Yvonne; Dijkstra, Arie; Bink, Pim; van Zanten, Sarah; van der Schans, Cees

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to identify predictors of oral hygiene behaviour (OHB) based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) among dental care seekers in two cultural different regions: the Caribbean (Aruba/Bonaire) and Nepal. In addition, measures of oral health knowledge (OHK) and the

Villages in Nepal prepare for weather extremes | IDRC ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

2012-03-22

Mar 22, 2012 ... Research focus To assess the vulnerability of rural communities in Nepal's diverse ... In 2010, the Institute for Social and Environmental Transition-Nepal ... Through continuous interaction with each community, the team ...

Geographical Dynamics of Poverty in Nepal between 2005 and 2011: Where and How?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jifei Zhang

2018-06-01

Full Text Available Poverty eradication is currently a central issue within the national economic development strategy in developing countries. Understanding the spatial changes and possible drivers of poverty from different geographical perspectives has the potential to provide a policy-relevant understanding of the trends in poverty. By district-level data, poverty incidence (PI, and a statistical analysis of the period from 2005 to 2011 in Nepal, we used the location quotient (LQ, as well as the Lorenz curve, to inspect the poverty concentration and the spatial-temporal variation of poverty in Nepal. As such, this study analyzed the change in identified typologies of poverty using an approach, which accounts for inter-regional and three identified terrain components. The PI methodological approach was applied in order to (i compare the spatial change in poverty for Nepal during the study period from a geographical-administrative perspective and (ii to develop Lorenze curves which show the change of poverty concentration over the study period. Within the Foster-Greer-Thorbecke (FGT approach, PI was further used, in combination with the indices of poverty gap (PG and squared poverty gap (SPG, in order to highlight the unidimensional poverty (UP, that is the incidence, depth, and severity of poverty between 2005 and 2011. Simultaneously, the spatial relationship between UP and economic development was assessed, leading to five specific economic modes or typologies of poverty. Our findings identified that proportional poverty appears to have grown in mountainous areas as well as more urbanized and developed regions, while the mid hill regions have steadily reduced proportions of poverty. We propose a hypothesis, for further examination, which suggests that the increase in proportional poverty in the mountain regions is as a result of the migration to the urban areas of Nepal of the relatively less poor, leaving behind a trapped poorer population. This migration to

The mechanics of head-supported load carriage by Nepalese porters.

OpenAIRE

Bastien, Guillaume; Willems, Patrick; Schepens, Bénédicte; Heglund, Norman

2016-01-01

In the Everest valley of Nepal, because of the rugged mountain terrain, roads are nothing more than dirt paths and all material must be conveyed on foot. The Nepalese porters routinely carry head-supported loads, which often exceed their body mass, over long distances up and down the steep mountain footpaths. In Africa, women transport their loads economically thanks to an energy-saving gait adaptation. We hypothesized that the Nepalese porters may have developed a corresponding mechanism. To...

Strong sustainability in Nepal: A structural economics approach

Science.gov (United States)

Devkota, Surendra R.

This dissertation analyzes the sustainability of the economy of Nepal. The main empirical question addressed is whether the Tenth Plan of Nepal (2002--2007) will meet its projected economic output goal and achieve its primary goal of reducing poverty. To this end, economic growth scenarios are examined in terms of availability of energy demand and supply, and income disparity among different households. The structure of the Nepali economy is examined using a Leontief input-output table, a Ghosian supply-side input-output table, and a social accounting matrix for the year 1999. Based on the input-output analysis of energy demand and supply for the 10th Plan, it is unlikely that energy requirements of the projected output will be met, unless some extra sources of energy are developed. Households need to switch their energy use from fuel wood/biomass to other alternatives. In order to meet the target of the Plan vis-a-vis energy demand or supply, a few policy measures are urgently needed, though some of these options require many years to develop. Household income inequality and distribution is examined through the SAM multipliers; namely aggregate, transfer, open-loop, and closed-loop multipliers. The investment-income multiplier scenarios for the 10th Plan indicate that the nominal income of households may increase due to the increased investment, which will not necessarily improve the bottom deciles households, particularly socio-economically deprived households. Economic growth in Nepal during the past fifty years demonstrates that the modernization model is unsuccessful. Economic growth occurred at some centers at the cost of periphery. A huge regional disparity has developed between hills and plains, east and west, city and rural areas. Nepal's persistent poverty indicates a failure of modernization theory. The Tenth Plan would be another continuation of a failed legacy, unless social and natural endowments are considered for sustainability. Nepal could be an

Habitat Ecology of Ophiocordyceps sinensis in Western Nepal

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Sigdel, S. R.; Rokaya, Maan Bahadur; Münzbergová, Z.; Liang, E.

2017-01-01

Roč. 37, č. 2 (2017), s. 216-223 ISSN 0276-4741. E-ISSN 1994-7151 R&D Projects: GA ČR GB14-36098G Institutional support: RVO:86652079 Keywords : plant-species richness * cordyceps-sinensis * medicinal - plants * himalayas * growth * conservation * communities * patterns * gradient * harvest * Alpine region * plant species * soil * caterpillar fungus * detrended correspondence analysis * Nepal Subject RIV: EF - Botanics OBOR OECD: Environmental sciences (social aspects to be 5.7) Impact factor: 1.149, year: 2016

Depression among inmates in a regional prison of eastern Nepal: a cross-sectional study.

Science.gov (United States)

Shrestha, Gambhir; Yadav, Deepak Kumar; Sapkota, Nidesh; Baral, Dharanidhar; Yadav, Birendra Kumar; Chakravartty, Avaniendra; Pokharel, Paras Kumar

2017-10-23

Depression is the most common form of mental disorder among inmates, with a prevalence much higher than in the general population. This study aims to estimate the prevalence of depression among inmates and identify factors associated with it. This cross-sectional study was conducted in Jhumka Regional Prison, the largest prison in eastern Nepal, from September 2014 to August 2015. A total of 434 randomly selected inmates were interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire examining socio-demographic characteristics, detention status, self-reported health problems, substance use status, and suicidal ideation. Depression was screened using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale. Chi-square tests and multiple logistic regression analysis were applied to determine the association between depression and related variables. The mean age of the participants was 35.7 years (SD 13.3). The prevalence of depression among the inmates was 35.3%. Approximately 2.3% reported suicidal ideation during imprisonment and 0.9% had attempted suicide inside the prison. In bivariate analysis, depression was significantly associated with previous incarceration (OR = 1.91, 95% CI = 1.05-3.47, p = 0.033), poor self-rated health (OR = 1.75, 95% CI = 1.16-2.64, p = 0.007), frequent appointments when encountering health problems (OR = 1.66, 95% CI = 1.06-2.61, p = 0.028), suicidal ideation (OR = 4.44, 95%CI = 1.13-17.44, p = 0.038) and loss of weight (OR = 1.49, 95% CI = 1.00-2.23, p = 0.049). However, only previous incarceration (AOR = 1.97, 95% CI = 1.04-3.74, p = 0.037) and frequent appointments when encountering health problems (AOR = 1.61, 95% CI = 1.01-2.57, p = 0.046) remained significant in a multivariate model. This study showed a high rate of depression among inmates in Nepal. The results suggest a need for psychiatric and rehabilitative care in correctional settings to improve the health status of the inmates.

Early and Forced Child Marriages in Rural Western Nepal

OpenAIRE

Pitambar Acharya; Benjamin Welsh

2017-01-01

After reviewing the state of early and forced child marriage (ECM) globally and nationally within Nepal, this research assessed the determinants, consequences and preventive measures of ECM in rural municipalities in Nepal today. This mixed method surveyed 167 households taking 15 % sample from the clusters of three wards of Badhaiyatal Rural Municipality in Bardiya and Dullu Municipality in Dailekh of Western Nepal. Besides household survey, six Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), 16 Key Informa...

Sexual behavior and condom use among seasonal Dalit migrant laborers to India from Far West, Nepal: a qualitative study.

Science.gov (United States)

Bam, Kiran; Thapa, Rajshree; Newman, Marielle Sophia; Bhatt, Lokesh Prasad; Bhatta, Shree Krishna

2013-01-01

Around 41% of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) cases in Nepal occur in seasonal migrant laborers. Dalit migrant laborers represent the largest proportion of reported HIV cases in the Far Western Region (Sudur Pashchimanchal, or Far West), Nepal. The study's objectives were to assess sexual behavior, condom use status and HIV risk perception among Dalit migrant laborers to India from Far West Region, Nepal. The study was conducted among Dalit male migrant laborers aged 15 years and above who had migrated for at least six months of the last two years to India. For the sampling the village development committees (VDCs) from Achham, Doti and Kanchanpur districts of Nepal were purposively selected. The data were collected in March and April 2011 via ten in-depth interviews and four focus group discussions and analyzed using content analysis. Poor socio-economic status, caste-related discrimination, and lack of employment opportunities push large groups of young Dalits to migrate to India for employment, where they engage in sex with female sex workers (FSWs). The participants described unmarried status, peer influence, alcohol use, low-priced sex with FSWs and unwillingness to use condoms as common factors of their migration experience. Lack of awareness on HIV/AIDS was common among study participants. Awareness of HIV/AIDS and faithful, monogamous partnerships are reported as factors influencing safer sexual behavior. Dalits are an especially vulnerable population among migrant laborers and may be over-represented in new HIV infections in Nepal. Comprehensive surveying and health promotion programs targeted to this population are urgently needed and potent methods of stopping HIV spread.

Predicted Attenuation Relation and Observed Ground Motion of Gorkha Nepal Earthquake of 25 April 2015

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, R. P.; Ahmad, R.

2015-12-01

A comparison of recent observed ground motion parameters of recent Gorkha Nepal earthquake of 25 April 2015 (Mw 7.8) with the predicted ground motion parameters using exitsing attenuation relation of the Himalayan region will be presented. The recent earthquake took about 8000 lives and destroyed thousands of poor quality of buildings and the earthquake was felt by millions of people living in Nepal, China, India, Bangladesh, and Bhutan. The knowledge of ground parameters are very important in developing seismic code of seismic prone regions like Himalaya for better design of buildings. The ground parameters recorded in recent earthquake event and aftershocks are compared with attenuation relations for the Himalayan region, the predicted ground motion parameters show good correlation with the observed ground parameters. The results will be of great use to Civil engineers in updating existing building codes in the Himlayan and surrounding regions and also for the evaluation of seismic hazards. The results clearly show that the attenuation relation developed for the Himalayan region should be only used, other attenuation relations based on other regions fail to provide good estimate of observed ground motion parameters.

Communicating awareness of light pollution with the schools in Nepal

Science.gov (United States)

Acharya, Jayanta

2015-08-01

Nepal is also highly polluted by the lights and other dusts partials, but lacks the formal education of light pollutions and effect of light for astronomy observations. When we get Sky Quality Meter (SQM) last year (2014) we have installed it in Kathmandu.This paper will highlight about installation SQM in Nepal, measurement of brightness of the night sky in magnitudes per square arc second. Research work of light pollution of Kathmandu will be more in focus. Highlight of the Astronomy programs by different Schools in Nepal along with the background of coverage of Astronomy education in the syllables of different education level. The various procedure , technique and idea used in providing the space education through different activities and program to school studentsThe paper will also deal with the Importance of light and use of artificial light. Beside it will also highlight the possibility of development of various observatories in Nepal because of its tremendous topography increasing the Astro tourism in Nepal.Hence the paper would focus on the light pollution of the city like Kathmandu and light system in Nepal and Astronomy education to its implementation along with its outreach to Nepalese society.

Medicinal plant diversity and traditional healing practices in eastern Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Shrestha, Nawal; Shrestha, Saugat; Koju, Laxmi; Shrestha, Krishna Kumar; Wang, Zhiheng

2016-11-04

The rich floral and ethnic composition of eastern Nepal and the widespread utilization of locally available medicinal plants offer remarkable opportunity for ethnomedicinal research. The present paper aims to explore medicinal plant diversity and use in the remote villages of eastern Nepal. It also aims to evaluate ethnopharmacological significance of the documented use reports and identify species of high indigenous priority. The study was undertaken in four villages located in the Sankhuwasabha district in eastern Nepal. Ethnomedicinal information was collected through structured interviews. The homogeneity of informant's knowledge and the relative importance of documented medicinal plants were validated by informant consensus factor and use value, respectively. Species preference for treatment of particular diseases was evaluated through fidelity level. We reported medicinal properties of 48 species belonging to 33 families and 40 genera, for the treatment of 37 human ailments. The uses of 10 medicinal plants were previously undocumented. The informant consensus factor (F IC ) ranged between 0.38 and 1 with about 50% of values greater than 0.80 and over 75% of values greater than 0.70, indicating moderate to high consensus among the informants on the use of medicinal plants in the region. Swertia chirayita was the most preferred species with significantly high use values, followed by Paris polyphylla and Neopicrorhiza scrophulariiflora. The remote villages in eastern Nepal possess rich floral and cultural diversity with strong consensus among informants on utilization of plants for local healthcare. The direct pharmacological evidence for medicinal properties of most species indicates high reliability of documented information. Careful and systematic screening of compounds isolated from these plants could possibly provide good opportunity for the discovery of novel medicines to treat life-threatening human diseases. We recommend prioritization of medicinal

Medicine procurement in hospital pharmacies of Nepal: A qualitative study based on the Basel Statements

Science.gov (United States)

Ranjit, Eurek

2018-01-01

Background Accessibility and affordability of evidence-based medicines are issues of global concern. For low-income countries like Nepal, it is crucial to have easy and reliable access to affordable, good-quality, evidence-based medicines, especially in the aftermath of natural or manmade disasters. Availability of affordable and evidence-based high quality medicines depends on the medicine procurement procedure, which makes it an important aspect of healthcare delivery. In this study, we aimed to investigate medicine procurement practices in hospital pharmacies of Nepal within the framework of International Pharmaceutical Federation [FIP] hospital pharmacy guidelines “the Basel Statements”. Method We conducted semi-structured interviews with hospital pharmacists or procurement officers in hospital pharmacies of four major regions in Nepal to explore procurement practices. Data were collected until saturation of themes, analysed using the framework approach, and organised around the statements within the procurement theme of the Basel Statements. Results Interviews conducted with 53 participants revealed that the procurement guidelines of the Basel Statements were adopted to a certain extent in hospital pharmacies of Nepal. It was found that the majority of hospital pharmacies in Nepal reported using an expensive direct-procurement model for purchasing medicines. Most had no formulary and procured medicines solely based on doctors’ prescriptions, which were heavily influenced by pharmaceutical companies’ marketing strategies. Whilst most procured only registered medicines, a minority reported purchasing unregistered medicines through unauthorised supply-chains. And although the majority of hospital pharmacies had some contingency plans for managing medicine shortages, a few had none. Conclusions Procurement guidelines of the Basel Statements were thus found to be partially adopted; however, there is room for improvement in current procurement practices in

Medicine procurement in hospital pharmacies of Nepal: A qualitative study based on the Basel Statements.

Science.gov (United States)

Shrestha, Mina; Moles, Rebekah; Ranjit, Eurek; Chaar, Betty

2018-01-01

Accessibility and affordability of evidence-based medicines are issues of global concern. For low-income countries like Nepal, it is crucial to have easy and reliable access to affordable, good-quality, evidence-based medicines, especially in the aftermath of natural or manmade disasters. Availability of affordable and evidence-based high quality medicines depends on the medicine procurement procedure, which makes it an important aspect of healthcare delivery. In this study, we aimed to investigate medicine procurement practices in hospital pharmacies of Nepal within the framework of International Pharmaceutical Federation [FIP] hospital pharmacy guidelines "the Basel Statements". We conducted semi-structured interviews with hospital pharmacists or procurement officers in hospital pharmacies of four major regions in Nepal to explore procurement practices. Data were collected until saturation of themes, analysed using the framework approach, and organised around the statements within the procurement theme of the Basel Statements. Interviews conducted with 53 participants revealed that the procurement guidelines of the Basel Statements were adopted to a certain extent in hospital pharmacies of Nepal. It was found that the majority of hospital pharmacies in Nepal reported using an expensive direct-procurement model for purchasing medicines. Most had no formulary and procured medicines solely based on doctors' prescriptions, which were heavily influenced by pharmaceutical companies' marketing strategies. Whilst most procured only registered medicines, a minority reported purchasing unregistered medicines through unauthorised supply-chains. And although the majority of hospital pharmacies had some contingency plans for managing medicine shortages, a few had none. Procurement guidelines of the Basel Statements were thus found to be partially adopted; however, there is room for improvement in current procurement practices in hospital pharmacies of Nepal. Adoption and

Medicine procurement in hospital pharmacies of Nepal: A qualitative study based on the Basel Statements.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mina Shrestha

Full Text Available Accessibility and affordability of evidence-based medicines are issues of global concern. For low-income countries like Nepal, it is crucial to have easy and reliable access to affordable, good-quality, evidence-based medicines, especially in the aftermath of natural or manmade disasters. Availability of affordable and evidence-based high quality medicines depends on the medicine procurement procedure, which makes it an important aspect of healthcare delivery. In this study, we aimed to investigate medicine procurement practices in hospital pharmacies of Nepal within the framework of International Pharmaceutical Federation [FIP] hospital pharmacy guidelines "the Basel Statements".We conducted semi-structured interviews with hospital pharmacists or procurement officers in hospital pharmacies of four major regions in Nepal to explore procurement practices. Data were collected until saturation of themes, analysed using the framework approach, and organised around the statements within the procurement theme of the Basel Statements.Interviews conducted with 53 participants revealed that the procurement guidelines of the Basel Statements were adopted to a certain extent in hospital pharmacies of Nepal. It was found that the majority of hospital pharmacies in Nepal reported using an expensive direct-procurement model for purchasing medicines. Most had no formulary and procured medicines solely based on doctors' prescriptions, which were heavily influenced by pharmaceutical companies' marketing strategies. Whilst most procured only registered medicines, a minority reported purchasing unregistered medicines through unauthorised supply-chains. And although the majority of hospital pharmacies had some contingency plans for managing medicine shortages, a few had none.Procurement guidelines of the Basel Statements were thus found to be partially adopted; however, there is room for improvement in current procurement practices in hospital pharmacies of Nepal

Testing the effect of the Himalayan mountains as a physical barrier to gene flow in Hippophae tibetana Schlect. (Elaeagnaceae.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

La Qiong

Full Text Available Hippophae tibetana is a small, dioecious wind-pollinated shrub endemic to the Tibetan-Qinghai Plateau. It is one of the shrubs that occur at very high elevations (5250 m a.s.l.. The Himalayan mountains provides a significant geographical barrier to the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, dividing the Himalayan area into two regions with Nepal to the south and Tibet to the north. There is no information on how the Himalayan mountains influence gene flow and population differentiation of alpine plants. In this study, we analyzed eight nuclear microsatellite markers and cpDNA trnT-trnF regions to test the role of the Himalayan mountains as a barrier to gene flow between populations of H. tibetana. We also examined the fine-scale genetic structure within a population of H. tibetana on the north slope of Mount (Mt. Everest. For microsatellite analyses, a total of 241 individuals were sampled from seven populations in our study area (4 from Nepal, 3 from Tibet, including 121 individuals that were spatially mapped within a 100 m × 100 m plot. To test for seed flow, the cpDNA trnT-trnF regions of 100 individuals from 6 populations (4 from Nepal, 2 from Tibet were also sequenced. Significant genetic differentiation was detected between the two regions by both microsatellite and cpDNA data analyses. These two datasets agree about southern and northern population differentiation, indicating that the Himalayan mountains represent a barrier to H. tibetana limiting gene flow between these two areas. At a fine scale, spatial autocorrelation analysis suggests significant genetic structure within a distance of less than 45 m, which may be attributed mainly to vegetative reproduction and habitat fragmentation, as well as limited gene flow.

Final work plan : indoor air and ambient air sampling near the former CCC/USDA grain storage facility in Everest, Kansas.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

LaFreniere, L. M. (Environmental Science Division)

2010-05-24

The Commodity Credit Corporation of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (CCC/USDA) operated a grain storage facility at the western edge of Everest, Kansas, from the early 1950s to the early 1970s. Sampling by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) in 1997 resulted in the detection of carbon tetrachloride in one domestic well (the Nigh well) northwest of the former facility. On behalf of the CCC/USDA, Argonne National Laboratory subsequently conducted a series of investigations to characterize the contamination (Argonne 2003, 2006a,b,c). Automatic, continuous monitoring of groundwater levels began in 2002 and is ongoing at six locations. The results have consistently indicated groundwater flow toward the north-northwest from the former CCC/USDA property to the Nigh property, then west-southwest from the Nigh property to the intermittent creek. Sitewide periodic groundwater and surface water sampling with analysis for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) began in 2008. Argonne's combined data indicate no significant downgradient extension of contamination since 2000. At present, the sampling is annual, as approved by the KDHE (2009) in response to a plan developed for the CCC/USDA (Argonne 2009). This document presents a plan for collecting indoor air samples in homes located along and adjacent to the defined extent of the carbon tetrachloride contamination. The plan was requested by the KDHE. Ambient air samples to represent the conditions along this pathway will also be taken. The purpose of the proposed work is to satisfy KDHE requirements and to collect additional data for assessing the risk to human health due to the potential upward migration of carbon tetrachloride and its primary degradation product (chloroform) into homes located in close proximity to the former grain storage facility, as well as along and within 100 ft laterally from the currently defined plume emanating from the former Everest facility. Investigation of the indoor air

Do mobile family planning clinics facilitate vasectomy use in Nepal?

Science.gov (United States)

Padmadas, Sabu S; Amoako Johnson, Fiifi; Leone, Tiziana; Dahal, Govinda P

2014-06-01

Nepal has a distinct topography that makes reproductive health and family planning services difficult to access, particularly in remote mountain and hill regions where over a quarter of modern contraceptive users rely exclusively on vasectomy. A three-level random intercept logistic regression analysis was applied on data from the 2011 Nepal Demographic and Health Survey to investigate the extent of influence of mobile family planning clinics on the odds of a male or a female sterilization, adjusting for relevant characteristics including ecological differences and random effects. The analyses included a sample of 2014 sterilization users, considering responses from currently married women of reproductive ages. The odds of a male sterilization were significantly higher in a mobile clinic than those in a government hospital (odds ratio, 1.65; 95% confidence interval, 1.21-2.25). The effects remained unaltered and statistically significant after adjusting for sociodemographic and clustering effects. Random effects were highly significant, which suggest the extent of heterogeneity in vasectomy use at the community and district levels. The odds of vasectomy use in mobile clinics were significantly higher among couples residing in hill and mountain regions and among those with three or more sons or those with only daughters. Mobile clinics significantly increase the uptake of vasectomy in hard-to-reach areas of Nepal. Reproductive health interventions should consider mobile clinics as an effective strategy to improve access to male-based modern methods and enhance gender equity in family planning. Family planning interventions in hard-to-reach communities could consider mobile clinic as an effective strategy to promote male-based modern methods. Improving access to vasectomy could substantially reduce unmet need for family planning in countries experiencing rapid fertility transition. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

THE CONSERVATION AND POTENTIAL HABITAT OF THE HIMALAYAN MUSK DEER, MOSCHUS CHRYSOGASTER, IN THE PROTECTED AREAS OF NEPAL

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Achyut ARYAL

2011-06-01

Full Text Available The Himalayan musk deer (Moschus chrysogaster is a cervid distributed from the eastern to the western Himalayas of Nepal. The species is listed as endangered in appendix I of IUCN Red data, and protected in Nepal under the National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act of 1973. Musk deer occupy the middle to the higher mountain regions, which cover 12 protected areas of Nepal (6 national parks, 5 conservation areas, 1 hunting reserve. However, of the 30177.19 km2 potential habitat, only 19.26% (5815.08 km2 is inside the protected areas and the remaining 80.73% falls outside the protected areas. Consequently, poaching, habitat destruction, livestock grazing and forest fire in the musk deer habitat are important challenges for the conservation of musk deer in the country. A thorough status survey in and outside the protected areas should be carried out and a species-focused conservation action plan should be prepared and implemented properly. A program for increasing awareness and enhancing livelihood of the local populations be launched in the poor and poaching risk zones of Nepal.

Re-emergence of dengue virus serotype 2 strains in the 2013 outbreak in Nepal

Science.gov (United States)

Gupta, Birendra Prasad; Singh, Sneha; Kurmi, Roshan; Malla, Rajani; Sreekumar, Easwaran; Manandhar, Krishna Das

2015-01-01

Background & objectives: Epidemiological interventions and mosquito control are the available measures for dengue control. The former approach uses serotype and genetic information on the circulating virus strains. Dengue has been frequently reported from Nepal, but this information is mostly lacking. The present study was done to generate a comprehensive clinical and virological picture of a dengue outbreak in Nepal during 2013. Methods: A hospital-based study involving patients from five districts of Nepal was carried out. Demographic information, clinical details and dengue serological status were obtained. Viral RNA was characterized at the molecular level by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), nucleotide sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. Results: From among the 2340 laboratory-confirmed dengue cases during the study period, 198 patients consented for the study. Clinically they had fever (100%), headache (59.1%), rashes (18.2%), retro-orbital pain (30.3%), vomiting (15.1%), joint pain (28.8%) and thrombocytopenia (74.3%). Fifteen (7.5%) of them had mucosal bleeding manifestations, and the rest were uncomplicated dengue fever. The patients were mostly adults with a mean age of 45.75 ± 38.61 yr. Of the 52 acute serum samples tested, 15 were positive in RT-PCR. The causative virus was identified as DENV serotype 2 belonging to the Cosmopolitan genotype. Interpretations & conclusions: We report here the involvement of DENV serotype 2 in an outbreak in Nepal in 2013. Earlier outbreaks in the region in 2010 were attributed to serotype 1 virus. As serotype shifts are frequently associated with secondary infections and severe disease, there is a need for enhancing surveillance especially in the monsoon and post-monsoon periods to prevent large-scale, severe dengue outbreaks in the region. PMID:26905233

Using exhumation histories to constrain Main Himalayan Thrust geometry and seismic hazard in the western Nepal Himalaya

Science.gov (United States)

Harvey, J. E.; Burbank, D.

2016-12-01

from an analogous structural position in western Nepal, which puts seismic hazard well north of where one would expect by simply projecting PT2 across western Nepal. In addition to clarifying the seismic hazard posed by the MHT to populations in the region, these results are especially relevant to the proposed large hydroelectric dam projects in the region.

Dating and Sex among Emerging Adults in Nepal

Science.gov (United States)

Regmi, Pramod R.; van Teijlingen, Edwin R.; Simkhada, Padam; Acharya, Dev R.

2011-01-01

Social and cultural changes in Nepal, including better communication facilities and transport, more urbanization and a rising age at which people marry, have created more opportunities for young people for "dating." Our qualitative study explores whether the existence of dating cultures influences young people's sexual behavior in Nepal.…

Implementing Nepal's national building code—A case study in patience and persistence

Science.gov (United States)

Arendt, Lucy; Hortacsu, Ayse; Jaiswal, Kishor; Bevington, John; Shrestha, Surya; Lanning, Forrest; Mentor-William, Garmalia; Naeem, Ghazala; Thibert, Kate

2017-01-01

The April 2015 Gorkha Nepal earthquake revealed the relative effectiveness of the Nepal Standard, or national building code (NBC), and irregular compliance with it in different parts of Nepal. Much of the damage to more than half a million Nepal's residential structures may be attributed to the prevalence of owner-built or owner-supervised construction and the lack of owner and builder responsiveness to seismic risk and training in the appropriate means of complying with the NBC. To explain these circumstances, we review the protracted implementation of the NBC and the role played by one organization, the National Society for Earthquake Technology-Nepal (NSET), in the NBC's implementation. We also share observations on building code compliance made by individuals in Nepal participating in workshops led by the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute's 2014 class of Housner Fellows.

Three-dimensional body-wave model of Nepal using finite difference tomography

Science.gov (United States)

Ho, T. M.; Priestley, K.; Roecker, S. W.

2017-12-01

The processes occurring during continent-continent collision are still poorly understood. Ascertaining the seismic properties of the crust and uppermost mantle in such settings provides insight into continental rheology and geodynamics. The most active present-day continent-continent collision is that of India with Eurasia which has created the Himalayas and the Tibetan Plateau. Nepal provides an ideal laboratory for imaging the crustal processes resulting from the Indo-Eurasia collision. We build body wave models using local body wave arrivals picked at stations in Nepal deployed by the Department of Mining and Geology of Nepal. We use the tomographic inversion method of Roecker et al. [2006], the key feature of which is that the travel times are generated using a finite difference solution to the eikonal equation. The advantage of this technique is increased accuracy in the highly heterogeneous medium expected for the Himalayas. Travel times are calculated on a 3D Cartesian grid with a grid spacing of 6 km and intragrid times are estimated by trilinear interpolation. The gridded area spans a region of 80-90o longitude and 25-30o latitude. For a starting velocity model, we use IASP91. Inversion is performed using the LSQR algorithm. Since the damping parameter can have a significant effect on the final solution, we tested a range of damping parameters to fully explore its effect. Much of the seismicity is clustered to the West of Kathmandu at depths Small areas of strong fast wavespeeds exist in the centre of the region in the upper 30 km of the crust. At depths of 40-50 km, large areas of slow wavespeeds are present which track along the plate boundary.

Sexual Behavior and Condom Use among Seasonal Dalit Migrant Laborers to India from Far West, Nepal: A Qualitative Study

Science.gov (United States)

Bam, Kiran; Thapa, Rajshree; Newman, Marielle Sophia; Bhatt, Lokesh Prasad; Bhatta, Shree Krishna

2013-01-01

Background Around 41% of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) cases in Nepal occur in seasonal migrant laborers. Dalit migrant laborers represent the largest proportion of reported HIV cases in the Far Western Region (Sudur Pashchimanchal, or Far West), Nepal. The study’s objectives were to assess sexual behavior, condom use status and HIV risk perception among Dalit migrant laborers to India from Far West Region, Nepal. Methods The study was conducted among Dalit male migrant laborers aged 15 years and above who had migrated for at least six months of the last two years to India. For the sampling the village development committees (VDCs) from Achham, Doti and Kanchanpur districts of Nepal were purposively selected. The data were collected in March and April 2011 via ten in-depth interviews and four focus group discussions and analyzed using content analysis. Results Poor socio-economic status, caste-related discrimination, and lack of employment opportunities push large groups of young Dalits to migrate to India for employment, where they engage in sex with female sex workers (FSWs). The participants described unmarried status, peer influence, alcohol use, low-priced sex with FSWs and unwillingness to use condoms as common factors of their migration experience. Lack of awareness on HIV/AIDS was common among study participants. Awareness of HIV/AIDS and faithful, monogamous partnerships are reported as factors influencing safer sexual behavior. Conclusions Dalits are an especially vulnerable population among migrant laborers and may be over-represented in new HIV infections in Nepal. Comprehensive surveying and health promotion programs targeted to this population are urgently needed and potent methods of stopping HIV spread. PMID:24040359

Sexual behavior and condom use among seasonal Dalit migrant laborers to India from Far West, Nepal: a qualitative study.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kiran Bam

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Around 41% of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV cases in Nepal occur in seasonal migrant laborers. Dalit migrant laborers represent the largest proportion of reported HIV cases in the Far Western Region (Sudur Pashchimanchal, or Far West, Nepal. The study's objectives were to assess sexual behavior, condom use status and HIV risk perception among Dalit migrant laborers to India from Far West Region, Nepal. METHODS: The study was conducted among Dalit male migrant laborers aged 15 years and above who had migrated for at least six months of the last two years to India. For the sampling the village development committees (VDCs from Achham, Doti and Kanchanpur districts of Nepal were purposively selected. The data were collected in March and April 2011 via ten in-depth interviews and four focus group discussions and analyzed using content analysis. RESULTS: Poor socio-economic status, caste-related discrimination, and lack of employment opportunities push large groups of young Dalits to migrate to India for employment, where they engage in sex with female sex workers (FSWs. The participants described unmarried status, peer influence, alcohol use, low-priced sex with FSWs and unwillingness to use condoms as common factors of their migration experience. Lack of awareness on HIV/AIDS was common among study participants. Awareness of HIV/AIDS and faithful, monogamous partnerships are reported as factors influencing safer sexual behavior. CONCLUSIONS: Dalits are an especially vulnerable population among migrant laborers and may be over-represented in new HIV infections in Nepal. Comprehensive surveying and health promotion programs targeted to this population are urgently needed and potent methods of stopping HIV spread.

Tortricoidea from Nepal, 2

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Diakonoff, A.

1976-01-01

Introduction ... 3 Cochylidae ... 5 Tortricidae, Olethreutinae, Laspeyresiini ... 10 Tortricinae, Tortricini ... 48 Polyorthini ... 67 Sparganothidini ... 69 Ceracini ... 70 Archipini ... 71 Cnephasiini ... 128 Chlidanotinae ... 132 Appendix 1. Matsumuraeses species from Nepal, treated elsewhere ...

Exploring farmer perceptions of agricultural innovations for maize-legume intensification in the mid-hills region of Nepal

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Alomía Hinojosa, M.V.; Speelman, Erika N.; Thapa, Arun; Wei, Hisiang-En; Mcdonald, Andrew J.; Tittonell, Pablo; Groot, Jeroen C.J.

2018-01-01

Maize-legume intercropping is a fundamental component of mixed farming systems in the mid-hills of Nepal. However, its productivity is constrained by several biophysical and social factors, and limited adoption of proven agricultural innovations. In this study, we assessed the productivity impact of

Managing the injury burden in Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Karmacharya, P C; Singh, G K; Singh, M P; Gautam, V G; Par, Andrew; Banskota, A K; Bajracharya, A; Shreshtha, A B; Mahara, Deepak

2008-10-01

Nepal loses about 530,000 disability adjusted life years (DALYs) per year to injury, predominantly due to falls. It takes 30,000 Nepali rupees (NR), or approximately US$430 at 70 rupees per $US saved per DALY to achieve primary prevention and 6000 NR per DALY if we invest in hospitals, versus 1000 NR invested in prehospital care, because simpler less expensive actions performed early have a greater impact on outcome than more complex measures later. A system for prehospital services was planned for medical emergencies at a national level meeting at the Medical University of Nepal to promote healthcare to victims in inaccessible regions by empowered or enlightened citizens. Feasible actions for common emergencies were defined and a tutorial required to help the majority of such victims was created and packaged. The knowledge and attitude component of the tutorial will be delivered through a web site to citizens motivated to learn and help with emergencies. The knowledge will be tested through a net-based Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) test. Practical training in medical triage skills will be provided to those who qualify for the test at the University or its designated affiliates. A mobile phone-based information system will be created and used to make these enlightened citizens available to the victim at the site/time of the emergency.

Rumblings and Rainfall, Rebels, Remittances and Roads- The complex landscape of slope failure in Nepal

Science.gov (United States)

McAdoo, Brian G.; Sudmeier, Karen; Devkota, Sanjaya

2017-04-01

During the first monsoon season following the deadly 2015 Gorkha earthquake, 27 people were killed during two events in Nepal's Western Region due to debris flows triggered by a 24-hour, 315 mm cloudburst (Devkota et al. 2015). Both events were linked with roads: the first was caused by an accumulation of water on a newly constructed road above a steep, deforested slope, the second wiped out a major road and destroyed 10 houses. These deadly landslides were not triggered solely by extreme rainfall, but rather a complex combination of earthquakes, intensified rainfall associated with climate change and an explosion of unplanned rural road construction fueled by an increase in foreign investment, remittances and decentralisation of budgets and power from the central government to local villages. This complexity is explored through a trend data analysis on the number of landslides, landslide fatalities, rainfall intensity, and the road network in Nepal between 1980-2014 (McAdoo et al, submitted). Of most concern are the poorly constructed roads in Nepal's Middle Hill districts ( 1000-3000 m above sea level, humid, subtropical) as they are proliferating at an unprecedented pace without proper alignment, drainage, grading or maintenance. They are occurring in areas which frequently receive up to 4,000-5,000 mm of precipitation per year, causing considerable loss in lives, livelihoods and investment. Landslide fatalities increased from 88 on average for the period 1982-1995 to 130 deaths per year for the period 2007-2014 (Desinventar, 2016). Contrary to numerous studies which show a strong link between rainfall and landslides, our trend analysis demonstrates a decoupling of climate and the geomorphic drivers, pointing to other factors, namely the exponential road construction trend to explain the increase in landslide fatalities. Nepal has some of the oldest manuals and well-trained cadres in low-cost green engineering practices, yet these are rarely applied. To reverse

Suicide in Nepal: a modified psychological autopsy investigation from randomly selected police cases between 2013 and 2015.

Science.gov (United States)

Hagaman, Ashley K; Khadka, S; Lohani, S; Kohrt, B

2017-12-01

Yearly, 600,000 people complete suicide in low- and middle-income countries, accounting for 75% of the world's burden of suicide mortality. The highest regional rates are in South and East Asia. Nepal has one of the highest suicide rates in the world; however, few investigations exploring patterns surrounding both male and female suicides exist. This study used psychological autopsies to identify common factors, precipitating events, and warning signs in a diverse sample. Randomly sampled from 302 police case reports over 24 months, psychological autopsies were conducted for 39 completed suicide cases in one urban and one rural region of Nepal. In the total police sample (n = 302), 57.0% of deaths were male. Over 40% of deaths were 25 years or younger, including 65% of rural and 50.8% of female suicide deaths. We estimate the crude urban and rural suicide rates to be 16.1 and 22.8 per 100,000, respectively. Within our psychological autopsy sample, 38.5% met criteria for depression and only 23.1% informants believed that the deceased had thoughts of self-harm or suicide before death. Important warning signs include recent geographic migration, alcohol abuse, and family history of suicide. Suicide prevention strategies in Nepal should account for the lack of awareness about suicide risk among family members and early age of suicide completion, especially in rural and female populations. Given the low rates of ideation disclosure to friends and family, educating the general public about other signs of suicide may help prevention efforts in Nepal.

Genetic characterization of rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) in Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Kyes, Randall C; Jones-Engel, Lisa; Chalise, Mukesh K; Engel, Gregory; Heidrich, John; Grant, Richard; Bajimaya, Shyam S; McDonough, John; Smith, David Glenn; Ferguson, Betsy

2006-05-01

Indian-origin rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) have long served as an animal model for the study of human disease and behavior. Given the current shortage of Indian-origin rhesus, many researchers have turned to rhesus macaques from China as a substitute. However, a number of studies have identified marked genetic differences between the Chinese and Indian animals. We investigated the genetic characteristics of a third rhesus population, the rhesus macaques of Nepal. Twenty-one rhesus macaques at the Swoyambhu Temple in Kathmandu, Nepal, were compared with more than 300 Indian- and Chinese-origin rhesus macaques. The sequence analyses of two mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) loci, from the HVS I and 12 S rRNA regions, showed that the Nepali animals were more similar to Indian-origin than to Chinese-origin animals. The distribution of alleles at 24 short tandem repeat (STR) loci distributed across 17 chromosomes also showed greater similarity between the Nepali and Indian-origin animals. Finally, an analysis of seven major histocompatibility complex (MHC) alleles showed that the Nepali animals expressed Class I alleles that are common to Indian-origin animals, including Mamu-A*01. All of these analyses also revealed a low level of genetic diversity within this Nepali rhesus sample. We conclude that the rhesus macaques of Nepal more closely resemble rhesus macaques of Indian origin than those of Chinese origin. As such, the Nepali rhesus may offer an additional resource option for researchers who wish to maintain research protocols with animals that possess key genetic features characteristic of Indian-origin rhesus macaques. 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Use of solar parabolic cookers (SK-14) in Nepal

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shrestha, S. [Asia Network for Small Scale Bioresources, Kathmandu (Nepal)

2000-07-01

Solar Cooker is a device that uses only sunlight to cook food and pasteurise water. Solar cooker can be used along with other cooking devices to save cost, fuel and the time spent in gathering fuelwood. Solar cooking enables individual families to do without commercially sold fuel and help save money. In Nepal, supply of energy is one of the major problems for both urban and rural households. Increase in population, high migration, expensive fuel bills, environmental degradation, and unsafe drinking water have resulted in the keen interest from people of Nepal in the use of solar energy. The increasing number of tourists and trekkers are now one of the major sources of income and many people are engaged in running hotels, lodges, and restaurants. This has also increased the fuel demand. This paper highlights the current energy situation of Nepal, the technical details of solar parabolic cooker (SK-14), its uses throughout Nepal, strategies adopted by various organisations for its promotion. A lot of effort have been made by various organisations, educational, governmental and health related institutions in order to introduce solar cooking programs in villages of Nepal. The parameters, which have influenced the adoption of this technology in Nepal are also mentioned. Various awareness programs and the government subsidy program are playing considerable role in dissemination of such technologies. The promotion activities with the objective of mass awareness have long term effect and sustainable rather than instant business. Continued efforts to create awareness, development of models as well as proper promotion and dissemination are required. (au)

El Volcán Chimborazo "El Coloso de los Andes”

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Castro Izurieta Dario Felix

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Por muchos años se pensó que el Monte Everest localizado en Nepal podía ser considerado como el punto más alto del mundo en todo sentido; sin embargo, un estudio realizado por el Instituto Geográfico Militar del Ecuador (IGM con ayuda del Instituto Francés de Investigación para el Desarrollo (IRD, el cuál consistió en realizar nuevas mediciones considerando el centro de la Tierra como referencia, arrojaron que el volcán Chimborazo es el punto más alto del planeta superando al Everest por un margen de alrededor de dos kilómetros. Gracias a estos nuevos datos relevantes, el volcán Chimborazo ha hecho eco alrededor del mundo siendo un atractivo para científicos y curiosos en general interesados en saber un poco más sobre la geología y la biología del lugar.

AN ANALYSIS OF IMPORTANT POLICIES FOR ACCELERATING DEVELOPMENT IN NEPAL

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sudarshan Neupane

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Nepal belongs to one of the least developed countries around the world with HDI 157 out of 187 countries (UNDP 2013. Even though poverty in Nepal has reduced to 24.8% in the latest census, the livelihoods of the poorest people living in the remote communities are still vulnerable. Two third of the population still depends on the subsistence agriculture. Similarly, due to lack of job opportunities, youth migration is escalating and Nepal is facing one of the most critical phases of development in its history (Snellinger 2009. Inadequate infrastructure and poor road connectivity are other constraints for the development (World Bank 2011. It follows that, poor access to electricity is another challenge despite the country’s enormous potential for hydroelectricity. Similarly, Nepal  has huge prospective for tourism due to its unique natural resources (Bhandari 2004. Nonetheless, Nepal has not benefited optimally from the tourism sector for its self-sustained development. Recently Government of Nepal (2011 has announced diverse policies for accelerating development through proper utilization of local resources. This paper critically evaluates the crucial policies such as Agriculture Development Strategy, National Cooperatives Policy, National Youth Policy, and Micro-hydro for Rural Development, and Tourism for Development. The paper discusses each of these policies’ background; critically analyse the likelihood as well as challenges for fast-tracking development; and finally offers some recommendations based discussion and analysis.

First record of Scotophilus kuhlii Leach, 1821 (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae from Nepal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dibya Dahal

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Occurrence of Scotophilus kuhlii was speculated throughout the southern plain (Tarai of Nepal.  However, there was no record of voucher specimen of the species from Nepal. We collected a specimen from the Tikulia tole, Pakali Village Development Committee, Sunsari District of southeastern Nepal and deposited at Central Department of Zoology (CDZ Museum, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu.  The specimen was identified as S. kuhlii based on measurement of external body, cranial, dental parts and detail description of the species.  This is the first specific locality record of the species from Nepal that confirms its presence in the country. 

Is Inflation in India an Attractor of Inflation in Nepal?

OpenAIRE

Edimon Ginting

2007-01-01

The paper attempts to answer some important questions around the inflationary process in Nepal, particularly the transmission of inflation from India. Because the Nepali currency is pegged to the Indian rupee and the two countries share an open border, price developments in Nepal would be expected to mirror to those in India. The results show that inflation in India and inflation in Nepal tend to converge in the long run. Our estimates indicate that the passthrough of inflation from India to ...

Spatial and Temporal Variability of Rainfall in the Gandaki River Basin of Nepal Himalaya

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jeeban Panthi

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Landslides, floods, and droughts are recurring natural disasters in Nepal related to too much or too little water. The summer monsoon contributes more than 80% of annual rainfall, and rainfall spatial and inter-annual variation is very high. The Gandaki River, one of the three major rivers of Nepal and one of the major tributaries of the Ganges River, covers all agro-ecological zones in the central part of Nepal. Time series tests were applied for different agro-ecological zones of the Gandaki River Basin (GRB for rainfall trends of four seasons (pre-monsoon, monsoon, post-monsoon and winter from 1981 to 2012. The non-parametric Mann-Kendall and Sen’s methods were used to determine the trends. Decadal anomalies relative to the long-term average were analyzed using the APHRODITE precipitation product. Trends in number of rainy days and timing of the monsoon were also analyzed. We found that the post-monsoon, pre-monsoon and winter rainfalls are decreasing significantly in most of the zones but monsoon rainfall is increasing throughout the basin. In the hill region, the annual rainfall is increasing but the rainy days do not show any trend. There is a tendency toward later departure of monsoon from Nepal, indicating an increase in its duration. These seasonally and topographically variable trends may have significant impacts for the agriculture and livestock smallholders that form the majority of the population in the GRB.

Health-sector responses to address the impacts of climate change in Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Dhimal, Meghnath; Dhimal, Mandira Lamichhane; Pote-Shrestha, Raja Ram; Groneberg, David A; Kuch, Ulrich

2017-09-01

Nepal is highly vulnerable to global climate change, despite its negligible emission of global greenhouse gases. The vulnerable climate-sensitive sectors identified in Nepal's National Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPA) to Climate Change 2010 include agriculture, forestry, water, energy, public health, urbanization and infrastructure, and climate-induced disasters. In addition, analyses carried out as part of the NAPA process have indicated that the impacts of climate change in Nepal are not gender neutral. Vector-borne diseases, diarrhoeal diseases including cholera, malnutrition, cardiorespiratory diseases, psychological stress, and health effects and injuries related to extreme weather are major climate-sensitive health risks in the country. In recent years, research has been done in Nepal in order to understand the changing epidemiology of diseases and generate evidence for decision-making. Based on this evidence, the experience of programme managers, and regular surveillance data, the Government of Nepal has mainstreamed issues related to climate change in development plans, policies and programmes. In particular, the Government of Nepal has addressed climate-sensitive health risks. In addition to the NAPA report, several policy documents have been launched, including the Climate Change Policy 2011; the Nepal Health Sector Programme - Implementation Plan II (NHSP-IP 2) 2010-2015; the National Health Policy 2014; the National Health Sector Strategy 2015-2020 and its implementation plan (2016-2021); and the Health National Adaptation Plan (H-NAP): climate change and health strategy and action plan (2016-2020). However, the translation of these policies and plans of action into tangible action on the ground is still in its infancy in Nepal. Despite this, the health sector's response to addressing the impact of climate change in Nepal may be taken as a good example for other low- and middle-income countries.

Marginalization of the Tharu Ethnic Group in Tourism Development in Nepal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Suman Pandit

2012-04-01

Full Text Available The main objective of this study is to analyze how the tourism development has marginalized the Tharu, an indigenous and ethnic group in the Terai region of Nepal. The research for this study was carried out in Chitwan National Park in Nepal, where the Tharu has been residing for a long time. The research work was based on the key informant interviews, participant observation and an analysis of secondary data taken from a variety of sources. The study reveals that the expansion of tourism has led to social differentiation developing between the Tharu and the hill migrants, as most of the business activities in the area are controlled by the hill migrants, while the Tharu have been marginalized. The study also shows that tourism has empowered the hill migrant women more than the Tharu women; as both the group women previously used to depend on their husband’s finances but now the hill migrant women are more financially independent.

European Program 'EVEREST'. Evaluation of the elements producing the effective doses associated to a radioactive waste disposal in deep underground geological formations. Comparative study of the results obtained by IPSN concerning the sedimentary and granite formations; Programme europeen 'EVEREST'. Evaluation des elements responsables des doses efficaces associees a un stockage de dechets radioactifs en formations geologiques profondes. Etude comparative des resultats obtenus par l'IPSN concernant les formations sedimentaire et granitique

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Baudoin, Patrick; Serres, Christophe; Certes Catherine [Departement d' evaluation de surete, Inst. de Protection et de Surete Nucleaire, CEA Centre d' Etudes de Fontenay-aux-Roses, 92 (France)

1996-09-01

The European exercise EVEREST that was run from 1991 to 1995 was a means of training for IPSN, having in view the expertise studies of ANDRA on the safety of radioactive waste geological disposal. The exercise implied two fictitious waste disposal sites, one inside a granite massif and the other in a clay formation, and had as principal objective identification and establishing a hierarchy of the radiological risk parameters important after the disposal closing. The study has considered the most likely scenario for evolution of the geological environment. As computing tools three codes were utilized: MELODIE, assuming a continuous 2D water flow and transfer of radionuclides from waste disposal to biosphere; TRISEC, assuming a continuous 3D water flow and NEWSAM, assuming a transient water flow in a multi-shell geometry. Results for the water circulation in different geological environment as well as the flux curves of soluble radionuclides are presented. Twenty seven radionuclides were retained as important by their radiological impact in assessing the influential EVEREST parameters. The EVEREST exercise does not prove the feasibility of a given geological disposal. It only contributes to the comprehension of the mechanisms controlling the radionuclide migration and gives a hierarchy of the questions which IPSN must answer in approaching the safety demonstrations required by ANDRA.

Teaching English as a Foreign/Second Language in Nepal: Past and Present

Science.gov (United States)

Bista, Krishna

2011-01-01

In this paper, the author reviews the history of English language teaching English as a second or foreign language in schools and colleges in Nepal. Teaching English language and literature in Nepal is of about a half a decade, starting from the mid of twentieth century. English learners in Nepal do not have enough exposure to various techniques…

Balancing Energy, Food, Natural Resources and Environment in Nepal

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Singh, Dilli Bahadur

2010-09-15

Nepal could harness less than 1% of its 83000 MW hydropower potential. Pancheshwar Multipurpose Project (6720 MW) is a bi-national project on Mahakali River bordering between Nepal and India. The earnings from: electricity (NRs. 34.55 billion/year); irrigation (NRs. 5.55 billion/year), fish farming (NRs. 8.65 billion/year), carbon trading (NRs. 4.42 billion/year) and many billions from other sources e.g. eco-tourism, industry, horticulture, herbiculture, floriculture, sericulture, rafting and water sports, educational and vocational training and other industrial/commercial activities can catapult the socioeconomic horizon of Nepal. Hence, PMP should be jointly developed in the earliest and build confidence for the further hydropower development.

Soil Bioengineering Application and Practices in Nepal

Science.gov (United States)

Dhital, Yam Prasad; Kayastha, Rijan Bhakta; Shi, Jiancheng

2013-02-01

The small mountainous country Nepal is situated in the central part of the Himalayas. Its climate varies from tropical in the south to arctic in the north; and natural vegetation follows the pattern of climate and altitude. Water-induced disaster problems including soil erosion, debris flow, landslides and flooding are common due to the unstable landscape. Soil erosion is the most important driving force for the degradation of upland and mountain ecosystems. Soil bioengineering has been used in Nepal for nearly 30 years to deal with erosion problems on slopes, in high way construction and riverbank stabilization. The main soil bioengineering techniques used in Nepal are brush layering, palisades, live check dams, fascines and vegetative stone pitching. This study is based on the geology, climate and vegetation of Nepal and briefly summarizes the application of soil bioengineering on slopes and stream banks, with especial attention to the role of vegetation on slope and stream bank stabilization. Furthermore, this paper addresses the role of community participation and responsibility for successful application of vegetation-based techniques in management, maintenance and utility aspects for the future. In recent years, soil bioengineering techniques are extensively used due to their cost-effectiveness, using locally available materials and low-cost labour in comparison to more elaborate civil engineering works. However, scientific implementation and record-keeping and evaluation of the work are indeed essential.

Soil bioengineering application and practices in Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Dhital, Yam Prasad; Kayastha, Rijan Bhakta; Shi, Jiancheng

2013-02-01

The small mountainous country Nepal is situated in the central part of the Himalayas. Its climate varies from tropical in the south to arctic in the north; and natural vegetation follows the pattern of climate and altitude. Water-induced disaster problems including soil erosion, debris flow, landslides and flooding are common due to the unstable landscape. Soil erosion is the most important driving force for the degradation of upland and mountain ecosystems. Soil bioengineering has been used in Nepal for nearly 30 years to deal with erosion problems on slopes, in high way construction and riverbank stabilization. The main soil bioengineering techniques used in Nepal are brush layering, palisades, live check dams, fascines and vegetative stone pitching. This study is based on the geology, climate and vegetation of Nepal and briefly summarizes the application of soil bioengineering on slopes and stream banks, with especial attention to the role of vegetation on slope and stream bank stabilization. Furthermore, this paper addresses the role of community participation and responsibility for successful application of vegetation-based techniques in management, maintenance and utility aspects for the future. In recent years, soil bioengineering techniques are extensively used due to their cost-effectiveness, using locally available materials and low-cost labour in comparison to more elaborate civil engineering works. However, scientific implementation and record-keeping and evaluation of the work are indeed essential.

IDRC in Nepal

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

the spread of disease in Kathmandu. In 1988, when the building of a dam flooded homes and farmland in ... diseases that spread from animals to humans. The research led to the coun- try's first Animal Slaughtering and ... online teaching for mental-health nursing. □ Privacy and new technologies in Asia. Funding for Nepal: ...

Psychosocial rehabilitation and democratic development in Nepal

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Triantafillou, Peter; Sassene, Michel

2011-01-01

Today, centres and programmes for the rehabilitation of torture victims are found all over the world. In Nepal, one of the world's poorest countries, the Centre for Victims of Torture (CVICT) has since 1990 provided advanced psychosocial rehabilitation programmes. These and similar psychosocial i....... On both a discursive and a technical-practical level, the psychosocial therapy offered by the CVICT is trying to make torture victims align their personal desires and freedom with the political objectives of turning Nepal into a liberal democracy....

Resource reliability, accessibility and governance: pillars for managing water resources to achieve water security in Nepal

Science.gov (United States)

Biggs, E. M.; Duncan, J.; Atkinson, P.; Dash, J.

2013-12-01

As one of the world's most water-abundant countries, Nepal has plenty of water yet resources are both spatially and temporally unevenly distributed. With a population heavily engaged in subsistence farming, whereby livelihoods are entirely dependent on rain-fed agriculture, changes in freshwater resources can substantially impact upon survival. The two main sources of water in Nepal come from monsoon precipitation and glacial runoff. The former is essential for sustaining livelihoods where communities have little or no access to perennial water resources. Much of Nepal's population live in the southern Mid-Hills and Terai regions where dependency on the monsoon system is high and climate-environment interactions are intricate. Any fluctuations in precipitation can severely affect essential potable resources and food security. As the population continues to expand in Nepal, and pressures build on access to adequate and clean water resources, there is a need for institutions to cooperate and increase the effectiveness of water management policies. This research presents a framework detailing three fundamental pillars for managing water resources to achieve sustainable water security in Nepal. These are (i) resource reliability; (ii) adequate accessibility; and (iii) effective governance. Evidence is presented which indicates that water resources are adequate in Nepal to sustain the population. In addition, aspects of climate change are having less impact than previously perceived e.g. results from trend analysis of precipitation time-series indicate a decrease in monsoon extremes and interannual variation over the last half-century. However, accessibility to clean water resources and the potential for water storage is limiting the use of these resources. This issue is particularly prevalent given the heterogeneity in spatial and temporal distributions of water. Water governance is also ineffective due to government instability and a lack of continuity in policy

Possible emissions of POPs in plain and hilly areas of Nepal: Implications for source apportionment and health risk assessment.

Science.gov (United States)

Yadav, Ishwar Chandra; Devi, Ningombam Linthoingambi; Li, Jun; Zhang, Gan; Breivik, Knut

2017-01-01

Ambient air is a core media chosen for monitoring under the Stockholm Convention on POPs. While extensive monitoring of POPs in ambient air has been carried out in some parts of the globe, there are still regions with very limited information available, such as some developing countries as Nepal. This study therefore aims to target the occurrence of selected POPs in Nepal in suspected source areas/more densely populated regions. Four potential source regions in Nepal were furthermore targeted as it was hypothesized that urban areas at lower altitudes (Birgunj and Biratnagar located at approximately 86 and 80 m.a.s.l.) would be potentially more affected by OCPs because of more intensive agricultural activities in comparison to urban areas at higher altitudes (Kathmandu, Pokhara located 1400 and 1135 m.a.s.l). As some of these areas could also be impacted by LRAT, air mass back trajectories during the sampling period were additionally evaluated using HYSPLIT. The concentrations of overall POPs were twice as high in plain areas in comparison to hilly areas. DDTs and HCHs were most frequently detected in the air samples. The high p,p'-DDT/(pp'-DDE + pp'-DDD) ratio as well as the low o,p'-DDT/p,p'-DDT ratio observed in this study was inferred as continuing use of technical DDT. High levels of ∑ 26 PCBs were linked to proximity to highly urbanized and industrial areas, indicating the potential source of PCBs. The measured concentrations of legacy POPs in air from this study is assumed to represent a negligible health risk through inhalation of ambient air, however, other modes of human exposure could still be relevant in Nepal. The air mass backward trajectory analysis revealed that most of the air masses sampled originated from India and the Bay of Bengal. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of the barrage and embankments on flooding and channel avulsion case study Koshi River, Nepal

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Devkota, L.; Crosato, A.; Giri, S.

2012-01-01

Humans have utilized water resources for millennia by modifying natural river courses and such interventions have greatly influenced not only river flows and sediment fluxes, but also the overall river morphology. Situated in the Nepal's eastern Ganges region, the braided Koshi River is unique among

Dynamics of Major Cereals Productivity in Nepal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Samaya Gairhe

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Cereal crops have played major roles in addressing food security issues in Nepal. In recent years there have been fluctuations in crop production and demands situations due to various reasons. Thus, the present study aims to analyze the dynamics of major cereals productivity in Nepal from 1995 to 2014. Focus group discussions were done in mid-hills and tarai of Nepal in 2015. Percentage change, compound growth rate, annual rate of change, coefficient of variation, instability index were calculated to analyze results. The result shows that the area, production and productivity of major cereals had an increasing trend over the study period. The major factors contributing on productivity increase in cereal crops were irrigation facilities, use of improved and hybrid seeds, chemical fertilizer and better technical knowhow among the farmers. For effective adoption of research outputs to improve the productivity emphasis should also be given on promotion of public private partnership (PPP in research and development.

Problem of franchising in Nepal and possible solutions

OpenAIRE

K. C., C., Biswas

2017-01-01

The study focuses on exploring problems of franchising in Nepal. Its main objective is to discover obstacles franchisees encounter when bringing a franchise to Nepal and recommendations that are beneficial to their success. The thesis considers the topic both from the franchiser’s and the franchisee’s perspectives. In the literature review, the main concepts presented are franchising, franchiser, franchisee, international franchise, types of franchise systems and franchise agreements, pr...

Determinants of institutional delivery among young married women in Nepal: Evidence from the Nepal Demographic and Health Survey, 2011

Science.gov (United States)

Shahabuddin, ASM; De Brouwere, Vincent; Adhikari, Ramesh; Delamou, Alexandre; Bardaj, Azucena; Delvaux, Therese

2017-01-01

Objectives To identify the determinants of institutional delivery among young married women in Nepal. Design Nepal Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) data sets 2011 were analysed. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed using a subset of 1662 ever-married young women (aged 15–24 years). Outcome measure Place of delivery. Results The rate of institutional delivery among young married women was 46%, which is higher than the national average (35%) among all women of reproductive age. Young women who had more than four antenatal care (ANC) visits were three times more likely to deliver in a health institution compared with women who had no antenatal care visit (OR: 3.05; 95% CI: 2.40 to 3.87). The probability of delivering in an institution was 69% higher among young urban women than among young women who lived in rural areas. Young women who had secondary or above secondary level education were 1.63 times more likely to choose institutional delivery than young women who had no formal education (OR: 1.626; 95% CI: 1.171 to 2.258). Lower use of a health institution for delivery was also observed among poor young women. Results showed that wealthy young women were 2.12 times more likely to deliver their child in an institution compared with poor young women (OR: 2.107; 95% CI: 1.53 to 2.898). Other factors such as the age of the young woman, religion, ethnicity, and ecological zone were also associated with institutional delivery. Conclusions Maternal health programs should be designed to encourage young women to receive adequate ANC (at least four visits). Moreover, health programs should target poor, less educated, rural, young women who live in mountain regions, are of Janajati ethnicity and have at least one child as such women are less likely to choose institutional delivery in Nepal. PMID:28408543

Use of Fault Displacement Vector to Identify Future Zones of Seismicity: An Example from the Earthquakes of Nepal Himalayas.

Science.gov (United States)

Naim, F.; Mukherjee, M. K.

2017-12-01

Earthquakes occur due to fault slip in the subsurface. They can occur either as interplate or intraplate earthquakes. The region of study is the Nepal Himalayas that defines the boundary of Indian-Eurasian plate and houses the focus of the most devastating earthquakes. The aim of the study was to analyze all the earthquakes that occurred in the Nepal Himalayas upto May 12, 2015 earthquake in order to mark the regions still under stress and vulnerable for future earthquakes. Three different fault systems in the Nepal Himalayas define the tectonic set up of the area. They are: (1) Main Frontal Thrust(MFT), (2) Main Central Thrust(MCT) and (3) Main Boundary Thrust(MBT) that extend from NW to SE. Most of the earthquakes were observed to occur between the MBT and MCT. Since the thrust faults are dipping towards NE, the focus of most of the earthquakes lies on the MBT. The methodology includes estimating the dip of the fault by considering the depths of different earthquake events and their corresponding distance from the MBT. In order to carry out stress analysis on the fault, the beach ball diagrams associated with the different earthquakes were plotted on a map. Earthquakes in the NW and central region of the fault zone were associated with reverse fault slip while that on the South-Eastern part were associated with a strike slip component. The direction of net slip on the fault associated with the different earthquakes was known and from this a 3D slip diagram of the fault was constructed. The regions vulnerable for future earthquakes in the Nepal Himalaya were demarcated on the 3D slip diagram of the fault. Such zones were marked owing to the fact that the slips due to earthquakes cause the adjoining areas to come under immense stress and this stress is directly proportional to the amount of slip occuring on the fault. These vulnerable zones were in turn projected on the map to show their position and are predicted to contain the epicenter of the future earthquakes.

Water soluble ions in aerosols (TSP) : Characteristics, sources and seasonal variation over the central Himalayas, Nepal

Science.gov (United States)

Tripathee, Lekhendra; Kang, Shichang; Zhang, Qianggong; Rupakheti, Dipesh

2016-04-01

Atmspheric pollutants transported from South Asia could have adverse impact on the Himalayan ecosystems. Investigation of aerosol chemistry in the Himalayan region in Nepal has been limited on a temporal and spatial scale to date. Therefore, the water-soluble ionic composition of aerosol using TSP sampler was investigated for a year period from April 2013 to March 2014 at four sites Bode, Dhunche, Lumbini and Jomsom characterized as an urban, rural, semi-urban and remote sites in Nepal. During the study period, the highest concentration of major cation was Ca2+ with an average concentration of 8.91, 2.17, 7.85 and 6.42 μg m-3 and the highest concentration of major anion was SO42- with an average of 10.96, 4.06, 6.85 and 3.30 μg m-3 at Bode, Dhunche, Lumbini and Jomsom respectively. The soluble ions showed the decrease in concentrations from urban to the rural site. Correlations and PCA analysis suggested that that SO42-, NO3- and NH4+ were derived from the anthropogenic sources where as the Ca2+ and Mg2+ were from crustal sources. Our results also suggest that the largest acid neutralizing agent at our sampling sites in the central Himalayas are Ca2+ followed by NH4+. Seasonal variations of soluble ions in aerosols showed higher concentrations during pre-monsoon and winter (dry-periods) due to limited precipitation amount and lower concentrations during the monsoon which can be explained by the dilution effect, higher the precipitation lower the concentration. K+ which is regarded as the tracer of biomss burning had a significant peaks during pre-monsoon season when the forest fires are active around the regions. In general, the results of this study suggests that the atmospheric chemistry is influenced by natural and anthropogenic sources. Thus, soluble ionic concentrations in aerosols from central Himalayas, Nepal can provide a useful database to assess atmospheric environment and its impacts on human health and ecosystem in the southern side of central

Examination of Relationships among Organizational Characteristics and Organizational Commitment of Nurses in Western and Eastern Region of Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Joshi, A S; Namba, M; Pokharela, T

2015-01-01

The objective of this study is to identify relationships between three components of organizational commitment and organizational characteristics of nurses in the western and the eastern region of Nepal. A self-administrated questionnaire was used to collect data from 310 nurses currently working at various hospitals in the eastern and the western region of the country. The questionnaire included three sections namely 1) personal characteristics 2) organizational characteristics and 3) organizational commitments scale. Descriptive analysis and multiple regression analysis were performed to identify significance in various relationships. Out of the 240 completed questionnaires, 226 were found valid for analysis. The mean age was 27.4 years. For each depended variable affective, continuance and normative commitment, multiple regression analysis was performed with personal Characteristics and organizational characteristics as independent variables. All independent variables were found significantly related to each of the two dependent variables; affective commitment and normative commitment (R2 adjusted=0.24, pcommitment. Both support from boss (β=0.138, pcommitment. On the other hand, satisfaction with training (β=0.191, pcommitment. Since both support from boss and training program were found to be positive and significant with affective commitment, hospitals must encourage supervisors to provide more assistance to the subordinate nurses. Moreover, hospitals should develop more training programs to keep nurses motivated.

Molecular phylogenetic identification of Fasciola flukes in Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Shoriki, Takuya; Ichikawa-Seki, Madoka; Devkota, Bhuminand; Rana, Hari B; Devkota, Shiva P; Humagain, Sudeep K; Itagaki, Tadashi

2014-12-01

Eighty-one Fasciola flukes collected from 8 districts in Nepal were analyzed for their species identification on the basis of their spermatogenic status and nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) and for their phylogenetic relation with Fasciola flukes from other Asian countries on the basis of the mitochondrial NADH dehydrogenase subunit 1 (nad1) gene. Sixty-one flukes (75.3%) were aspermic Fasciola sp., and 20 flukes (24.7%) were identified as Fasciola gigantica. All of the aspermic flukes displayed the Fh/Fg type in ITS1, which was predominant in aspermic Fasciola sp. from China, and most (60 flukes) displayed the Fsp-ND1-N1 haplotype in the nad1, which had an identical nucleotide sequence to the major haplotype (Fg-C2) of the aspermic flukes from China. These results suggest that aspermic Fasciola sp. was introduced into Nepal from China. Furthermore, the results of the diversity indices, neutrality indices, and median-joining network analysis with reference haplotypes from Asian countries suggest that aspermic Fasciola sp. rapidly expanded its distribution. In contrasts, F. gigantica displayed 10 nad1 haplotypes, which showed higher population diversity indices than the haplotypes of aspermic flukes, indicating that the F. gigantica population was clearly distributed in Nepal earlier than the aspermic Fasciola population. Although the F. gigantica haplotypes from Nepal formed a star-like phylogeny consisting of a main founder haplotype (Fg-ND1-N1), together with some F. gigantica haplotypes from Myanmar and Thailand, the Nepal population differed genetically from F. gigantica populations of neighboring countries as each country had distinct founder haplotype(s). Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Japanese encephalitis in a French traveler to Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Lagarde, S; Lagier, J-C; Charrel, R; Quérat, G; Vanhomwegen, J; Desprès, P; Pelletier, J; Kaphan, E

2014-02-01

Japanese encephalitis is frequent in Asia, with a severe prognosis, but rare in travelers. Culex mosquitoes transmit Japanese encephalitis virus. Risk factors are destination, duration of stay, summer and fall seasons, outdoor activities, and type of accommodation. We report the case of a French traveler to Nepal with neutralization-based serological confirmed Japanese encephalitis. He presented classical clinical (viral syndrome before an encephalitis status with behavioral disorder, global hypotonia, mutism, movement disorders, seizure, and coma), radiological (lesions of thalami, cortico-spinal tracts, and brainstem) and biological features (lymphocytic meningitis). Nowadays, the presence of Japanese encephalitis virus in Nepal, including mountain areas, is established but Japanese encephalitis remains rare in travelers returning from this area and neurologist physicians need to become familiar with this. We recommend vaccination for travelers spending a long period of time in Nepal and having at-risk outdoor activities.

Level of awareness about legalization of abortion in Nepal: a study at Nepal Medical College Teaching Hospital.

Science.gov (United States)

Tuladhar, H; Risal, A

2010-06-01

World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that about 25.0% of all pregnancies worldwide end in induced abortion, approximately 50 million each year. More than half of these abortions are performed under unsafe conditions resulting in high maternal mortality ratio specially in developing countries like Nepal. Abortion was legalized under specified conditions in March 2002 in Nepal. But still a large proportion of population are unaware of the legalization and the conditions under which it is permitted. Legal reform alone cannot reduce abortion related deaths in our country. This study was undertaken with the main objective to study the level of awareness about legalization of abortion in women attending gyne out patients department of Nepal Medical College Teaching Hospital (NMCTH), which will give a baseline knowledge for further dissemination and advocacy about abortion law. Total 200 women participated in the study. Overall 133 (66.5%) women said they were aware of legalization of abortion in Nepal. Women of age group 20-34 years, urban residents, service holders, Brahmin/Chhetri caste and with higher education were more aware about it. Majority (92.0%) of the women received information from the media. Detail knowledge about legal conditions under which abortion can be performed specially in second trimester was found to be poor. Large proportion (71.0%) of the women were still unaware of the availability of comprehensive abortion care services at our hospital, which is being provided since last seven years. Public education and advocacy campaigns are crucial to create awareness about the new legislation and availability of services. Unless the advocacy and awareness campaign reaches women, they are not likely to benefit from the legal reform and services.

Genetic analysis of Asian measles virus strains--new endemic genotype in Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Truong, A T; Mulders, M N; Gautam, D C; Ammerlaan, W; de Swart, R L; King, C C; Osterhaus, A D; Muller, C P

2001-07-01

In many parts of Asia measles virus (MV) continues to be endemic. However, little is known about the genetic characteristics of viruses circulating on this continent. This study reports the molecular epidemiological analysis based on the entire nucleocapsid (N) and hemagglutinin (H) genes of the first isolates from Nepal and Taiwan, as well as of recent MV strains from India, Indonesia, and China. Four isolates collected in various regions in Nepal during 1999 belonged to a new genotype, tentatively called D8. Another Nepalese isolate and one from India belonged to genotype D4. The diversity of the Nepalese strains indicated that measles continues to be endemic in this country. The isolate from Taiwan grouped with D3 viruses and one Chinese strain isolated in The Netherlands was assigned to the previously described clade H, known to be endemic in Mainland China. Molecular characterization emerges as an important tool for monitoring virus endemicity and vaccination efforts.

ADULT EDUCATION IN NEPAL.

Science.gov (United States)

HELY, ARNOLD S.M.

IN THIS REPORT ON ADULT EDUCATION IN NEPAL, THE GEOGRAPHIC, ETHNIC, ECONOMIC, EDUCATIONAL, AND POLITICAL FACTORS AFFECTING SOCIAL, EDUCATIONAL, AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ARE DISCUSSED. THE EXTENT OF PROGRESS IN NATIONAL EDUCATION (INCLUDING LITERACY CAMPAIGNS) SINCE 1951 PROVIDES BACKGROUND FOR A DESCRIPTION OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE ORGANIZATION AND…

Ruokakulttuuriprojektin suunnittelu ja toteutus – Esimerkkinä Nepal-ruokakulttuuriprojekti

OpenAIRE

Laitinen, Kai

2012-01-01

Opinnäytetyön tavoitteena oli selvittää, kuinka suunnitellaan ja toteutetaan Nepal-ruokakulttuuriprojekti. Projektin toimeksiantajana oli Vantaan ammattiopisto Varia. Projektin johtamisen kirjallisuus oli teoriaosassa pohjana Nepal-ruokakulttuuriprojektin suun-nitelmassa sekä projektin vaiheissa. Projektin johtamisen kirjallisuuden avulla kuvattiin pro-jektinsuunnitelma ja projektin eri vaiheet. Empiirisenä aineiston hankintamenetelmänä käytettiin teemahaastattelua ja kyselyä. Suomi-v...

Newborn survival in Nepal: a decade of change and future implications.

Science.gov (United States)

Pradhan, Y V; Upreti, Shyam Raj; Pratap K C, Naresh; K C, Ashish; Khadka, Neena; Syed, Uzma; Kinney, Mary V; Adhikari, Ramesh Kant; Shrestha, Parashu Ram; Thapa, Kusum; Bhandari, Amit; Grear, Kristina; Guenther, Tanya; Wall, Stephen N

2012-07-01

Nepal is on target to meet the Millennium Development Goals for maternal and child health despite high levels of poverty, poor infrastructure, difficult terrain and recent conflict. Each year, nearly 35,000 Nepali children die before their fifth birthday, with almost two-thirds of these deaths occurring in the first month of life, the neonatal period. As part of a multi-country analysis, we examined changes for newborn survival between 2000 and 2010 in terms of mortality, coverage and health system indicators as well as national and donor funding. Over the decade, Nepal's neonatal mortality rate reduced by 3.6% per year, which is faster than the regional average (2.0%) but slower than national annual progress for mortality of children aged 1-59 months (7.7%) and maternal mortality (7.5%). A dramatic reduction in the total fertility rate, improvements in female education and increasing change in skilled birth attendance, as well as increased coverage of community-based child health interventions, are likely to have contributed to these mortality declines. Political commitment and support for newborn survival has been generated through strategic use of global and national data and effective partnerships using primarily a selective newborn-focused approach for advocacy and planning. Nepal was the first low-income country to have a national newborn strategy, influencing similar strategies in other countries. The Community-Based Newborn Care Package is delivered through the nationally available Female Community Health Volunteers and was piloted in 10 of 75 districts, with plans to increase to 35 districts in mid-2013. Innovation and scale up, especially of community-based packages, and public health interventions and commodities appear to move relatively rapidly in Nepal compared with some other countries. Much remains to be done to achieve high rates of effective coverage of community care, and especially to improve the quality of facility-based care given the rapid

Medical education and training in Nepal: SWOT analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Dixit, H; Marahatta, S B

2008-01-01

To analyse the impact of the medical colleges that have been set up within the last two decades by production of the doctors and the effect on the health of the people. SWOT (strength, weakness, opportunities and threats) analysis of medical education in Nepal has been done by reviewing medical manpower produced by the different institutions in the undergraduate and postgraduate (PG) categories, their registration with the Nepal Medical Council in terms of the existing health scenario of the country. Shows severe shortage of basic sciences teachers. In the clinical areas ophthalmic manpower and services provided are exemplary. There are shortages and shortcomings in all areas if standard health care is to be provided to the Nepalese. There is a long way to go to provide the expected educational and medical services to foreigners prepared to pay more to avail of this in Nepal.

Security of highly radioactive sources in Nepal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shrestha, Kamal K.

2010-01-01

Subsequent to 9/11, concerned countries and UN agencies have taken especial interest in the security of highly radioactive sources throughout the world. The IAEA Nuclear Security Plan (2006-2009) consequently made as a result of UN Security Council Resolution 1540 is binding to all States. The Global Threat Reduction Initiative (GTRI) of the US and the Global Threat Reduction Programme (GTRP) of UK have assisted the four hospitals in Nepal having more than 1,000 Curies of radioactivity in their Cobalt-60 sources used for teletherapy. The physical upgrade of the security of the nuclear materials has also been launched in Nepal for prevention of theft with malicious intention or threats. In this presentation, the radioisotopes in Nepal that comes under different categories according to TECDOC-1355 of IAEA will be described. Problems and issues regarding the security and protection of radioactive sources at hospitals, academic and research institutions that could be prevalent in many developing counties too will be discussed by taking a case study of one of the cancer hospitals in Kathmandu valley. (author)

First report of Lyme disease in Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Pun, Sher Bahadur; Agrawal, Sumit; Jha, Santoshananda; Bhandari, Lila Nath; Chalise, Bimal Sharma; Mishra, Abadhesh; Shah, Rajesh

2018-03-01

Lyme disease is a tick-borne illness caused by the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi and is widely reported in the USA, Central Europe, South East Asia and Latin America. Until recently, no scientific report regarding Lyme disease in Nepal had been published. A 32-year-old, previously healthy female visited the hospital with a history of joint pains, fatigue, neck stiffness, tingling sensation and headache. She was initially treated for typhoid fever, brucellosis and malaria, but did not show significant improvement. Doxycycline was prescribed empirically for 3 weeks for the treatment of suspected tick-borne illness. A two-tiered immunoglobulin laboratory testing confirmed Borrelia burgdorferi . She developed post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome after completion of antibiotic therapy. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of Lyme disease in Nepal and probably the first documented case of post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome in Asia. Lyme disease might have been overlooked in Nepal and, therefore, patients having clinical signs and symptoms similar to Lyme disease should not be disregarded in differential diagnosis.

A High Resolution Technology-based Emissions Inventory for Nepal: Present and Future Scenario

Science.gov (United States)

Sadavarte, P.; Das, B.; Rupakheti, M.; Byanju, R.; Bhave, P.

2016-12-01

A comprehensive regional assessment of emission sources is a major hindrance for a complete understanding of the air quality and for designing appropriate mitigation solutions in Nepal, a landlocked country in foothills of the Himalaya. This study attempts, for the first time, to develop a fine resolution (1km × 1km) present day emission inventory of Nepal with a higher tier approach using our understanding of the currently used technologies, energy consumption used in various energy sectors and its resultant emissions. We estimate present-day emissions of aerosols (BC, OC and PM2.5), trace gases (SO2, CO, NOX and VOC) and greenhouse gases (CO2, N2O and CH4) from non-open burning sources (residential, industry, transport, commercial) and open-burning sources (agriculture and municipal solid waste burning) for the base year 2013. We used methodologies published in literatures, and both primary and secondary data to estimate energy production and consumption in each sector and its sub-sector and associated emissions. Local practices and activity rates are explicitly accounted for energy consumption and dispersed often under-documented emission sources like brick manufacturing, diesel generator sets, mining, stone crushing, solid waste burning and diesel use in farms are considered. Apart from pyrogenic source of CH4 emissions, methanogenic and enteric fermentation sources are also accounted. Region-specific and newly measured country-specific emission factors are used for emission estimates. Activity based proxies are used for spatial and temporal distribution of emissions. Preliminary results suggest that 80% of national energy consumption is in residential sector followed by industry (8%) and transport (7%). More than 90% of the residential energy is supplied by biofuel which needs immediate attention to reduce emissions. Further, the emissions would be compared with other contemporary studies, regional and global datasets and used in the model simulations to

Isolation and characterization of aerobic culturable arsenic resistant bacteria from different water sources such as surface water and ground water in Rautahat, Nepal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shakya, S.; Pradhan, B.; Smth, L.; Shrestha, J.; Tuladhar, S.

2009-01-01

Arsenicosis is a problem that is primarily caused by the consumption of arsenic-contaminated water. The different surveys have identified that Terai region in Nepal is at risk of ground water arsenic contamination. With the recent adoption of the 50 part per billion (ppb) of Nepal and 10 ppb by United States Environmental protection agency standard for arsenic in drinking water, it has been estimated that the Rautahat has its share of hotspots that exceeds the level in drinking water. (Author)

Isolation and characterization of aerobic culturable arsenic resistant bacteria from different water sources such as surface water and ground water in Rautahat, Nepal

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shakya, S.; Pradhan, B.; Smth, L.; Shrestha, J.; Tuladhar, S.

2009-07-01

Arsenicosis is a problem that is primarily caused by the consumption of arsenic-contaminated water. The different surveys have identified that Terai region in Nepal is at risk of ground water arsenic contamination. With the recent adoption of the 50 part per billion (ppb) of Nepal and 10 ppb by United States Environmental protection agency standard for arsenic in drinking water, it has been estimated that the Rautahat has its share of hotspots that exceeds the level in drinking water. (Author)

Creation of Nepal's First Skin Bank: Challenges and Outcomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Cai, Lawrence; Long, Chao; Karki, Bishal; Nakarmi, Kiran; Iqbal, Adnan; Casertano, Michele; Anderson, Sara; Patell, James; Chang, James; Rai, Shankar Man

2017-11-01

In Nepal, burn trauma causes more than 55,000 injuries each year. Burn-related mortality is high in Nepal, in part due to lack of allograft, leading to high infection rates. To address this challenge, our collaboration between Kirtipur Hospital, America Nepal Medical Foundation, Stanford University, and ReSurge International established Nepal's first skin bank. We identified 3 major tasks to create a sustainable skin banking program: 1) identify and acquire the equipment and personnel needed to collect, process, store, and graft cadaveric skin for burn injuries; 2) develop safe donation protocols and documentation tools that remain feasible for low-resource settings; and 3) develop a long-term awareness program to educate the Nepali people on skin donation, a previously foreign concept. Kirtipur Hospital acquired the necessary equipment and materials for the skin bank through a combination of local and international fundraising efforts. Existing U.S. skin banking protocols were adapted for the Nepali setting and piloted on potential patients, donors, and physicians. For the first time in the hospital's history, patients with > 40% total body surface area burns were successfully treated with extensive allografts. It is feasible to create a skin bank in a country with no tradition of allograft skin use. Long-term sustainability now depends on spreading awareness and education in the Kathmandu Valley to overcome religious and cultural barriers that have hindered donor recruitment. Our low-cost and high-impact skin bank provides a model to expand this system to other hospitals both within Nepal and beyond.

Disaster risk profile and existing legal framework of Nepal: floods and landslides

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gaire S

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Surya Gaire, Rafael Castro Delgado, Pedro Arcos González Unit for Research in Emergency and Disaster, Department of Medicine, University of Oviedo, Campus del Cristo, Oviedo, Asturias, SpainAbstract: Nepal has a complicated geophysical structure that is prone to various kinds of disasters. Nepal ranks the most disaster-prone country in the world and has experienced several natural calamities, causing high property and life losses. Disasters are caused by natural processes, but may be increased by human activities. The overall objective of this paper is to analyze the disaster risk profile and existing legal framework of Nepal. The paper is based on secondary data sources. Major causative factors for floods and landslides are heavy and continuous rainfall, outburst floods, infrastructure failure, and deforestation. Historical data of natural disasters in Nepal show that water-induced disasters have killed hundreds of people and affected thousands every year. Likewise, properties worth millions of US dollars have been damaged. There is an increasing trend toward landslides and floods, which will likely continue to rise if proper intervention is not taken. A positive correlation between water-induced disasters and deaths has been observed. Nepal has a poor Index for Risk Management (INFORM. There are fluctuations in the recording of death data caused by flood and landslides. The Government of Nepal focuses more on the response phase than on the preparedness phase of disasters. The existing disaster management act seems to be weak and outdated. There is a gap in current legal procedure, so the country is in dire need of a comprehensive legal framework. The new proposed act seems to take a much broader approach to disaster management. With a long-term vision of managing disaster risk in the country, the Government of Nepal has begun the Nepal Risk Reduction Consortium (NRRC in collaboration with development and humanitarian partners. In order to

Risk Factors for the Presence of Chikungunya and Dengue Vectors (Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus), Their Altitudinal Distribution and Climatic Determinants of Their Abundance in Central Nepal

Science.gov (United States)

Dhimal, Meghnath; Gautam, Ishan; Joshi, Hari Datt; O’Hara, Robert B.; Ahrens, Bodo; Kuch, Ulrich

2015-01-01

Background The presence of the recently introduced primary dengue virus vector mosquito Aedes aegypti in Nepal, in association with the likely indigenous secondary vector Aedes albopictus, raises public health concerns. Chikungunya fever cases have also been reported in Nepal, and the virus causing this disease is also transmitted by these mosquito species. Here we report the results of a study on the risk factors for the presence of chikungunya and dengue virus vectors, their elevational ceiling of distribution, and climatic determinants of their abundance in central Nepal. Methodology/Principal Findings We collected immature stages of mosquitoes during six monthly cross-sectional surveys covering six administrative districts along an altitudinal transect in central Nepal that extended from Birgunj (80 m above sea level [asl]) to Dhunche (highest altitude sampled: 2,100 m asl). The dengue vectors Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus were commonly found up to 1,350 m asl in Kathmandu valley and were present but rarely found from 1,750 to 2,100 m asl in Dhunche. The lymphatic filariasis vector Culex quinquefasciatus was commonly found throughout the study transect. Physiographic region, month of collection, collection station and container type were significant predictors of the occurrence and co-occurrence of Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus. The climatic variables rainfall, temperature, and relative humidity were significant predictors of chikungunya and dengue virus vectors abundance. Conclusions/Significance We conclude that chikungunya and dengue virus vectors have already established their populations up to the High Mountain region of Nepal and that this may be attributed to the environmental and climate change that has been observed over the decades in Nepal. The rapid expansion of the distribution of these important disease vectors in the High Mountain region, previously considered to be non-endemic for dengue and chikungunya fever, calls for urgent actions to

Impact and determinants of sex preference in Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Leone, Tiziana; Matthews, Zoë; Dalla Zuanna, Gianpiero

2003-06-01

Gender discrimination and son preference are key demographic features of South Asia and are well documented for India. However, gender bias and sex preference in Nepal have received little attention. 1996 Nepal Demographic and Health Survey data on ever-married women aged 15-49 who did not desire any more children were used to investigate levels of gender bias and sex preference. The level of contraceptive use and the total fertility rate in the absence of sex preference were estimated, and logistic regression was performed to analyze the association between socioeconomic and demographic variables and stopping childbearing after the birth of a son. Commonly used indicators of gender bias, such as sex ratio at birth and sex-specific immunization rates, do not suggest a high level of gender discrimination in Nepal. However, sex preference decreases contraceptive use by 24% and increases the total fertility rate by more than 6%. Women's contraceptive use, exposure to the media, parity, last birth interval, educational level and religion are linked to stopping childbearing after the birth of a boy, as is the ethnic makeup of the local area. The level of sex preference in Nepal is substantial. Sex preference is an important barrier to the increase of contraceptive use and decline of fertility in the country; its impact will be greater as desired family size declines.

Global projects and Astronomy awareness activities in Nepal

Science.gov (United States)

Gautam, Suman

2015-08-01

Modern astronomy is a crowning achievement of human civilization which inspires teenagers to choose career in science and technology and is a stable of adult education. It is a unique and cost effective tool for furthering sustainable global development because of its technological, scientific and cultural dimensions which allow us to reach with the large portion of the community interact with children and inspire with our wonderful cosmos.Using astronomy to stimulate quality and inspiring education for disadvantaged children is an important goal of Nepal Astronomical Society (NASO) since its inception. NASO is carrying out various awareness activities on its own and in collaboration with national and international organizations like Central Department of Physics Tribhuvan University (TU), International astronomical Union (IAU), Department of Physics Prithvi Narayan Campus Pokhara, Nepal academy of science and technology (NAST), Global Hands on Universe (GHOU), EU- UNAWE and Pokhara Astronomical Society (PAS) to disseminate those activities for the school children and teachers in Nepal. Our experiences working with kids, students, teachers and public in the field of universe Awareness Activities for the school children to minimize the abstruse concept of astronomy through some practical approach and the project like Astronomy for the visually impaired students, Galileo Teacher Training program and International School for young astronomers (ISYA) outskirts will be explained which is believed to play vital role in promoting astronomy and space science activities in Nepal.

Evaluation of soil fertility status of Regional Agricultural Research Station, Tarahara, Sunsari, Nepal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dinesh Khadka

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Soil fertility evaluation of an area or region is most basic decision making tool for the sustainable soil nutrient management. In order to evaluate the soil fertility status of the Regional Agricultural Research Station (RARS, Tarahara, Susari, Nepal. Using soil sampling auger 81 soil samples (0-20 cm were collected based on the variability of land. The collected samples were analyzed for their texture, structure, colour, pH, OM, N, P2O5, K2O, Ca, Mg, S, B, Fe, Zn, Cu and Mn status. The Arc-GIS 10.1 software was used for the preparation of soil fertility maps. The soil structure was granular to sub-angular blocky and varied between brown- dark grayish brown and dark gray in colour. The sand, silt and clay content were 30.32±1.4%, 48.92±0.89% and 20.76±0.92%, respectively and categorized as loam, clay loam, sandy loam, silt loam and silty clay loam in texture. The soil was moderately acidic in pH (5.98±0.08. The available sulphur (2.15±0.21 ppm, available boron (0.08±0.01 ppm and available zinc (0.35±0.03 ppm status were very low, whereas extractable magnesium (44.33±6.03 ppm showed low status. Similarly, organic matter (2.80±0.07%, total nitrogen (0.09±0.004 %, extractable calcium (1827.90±45.80 ppm and available copper (1.15±0.04 ppm were medium in content. The available phosphorus (39.77±5.27 ppm, extractable potassium (134.12±4.91 ppm, and available manganese (18.15±1.15 ppm exhibits high status, while available iron (244.7±19.70 ppm was very high. The fertilizer recommendation can be done based on determined soil fertility status to economize crop production. Furthermore, research farm should develop future research strategy accordance with the prepared soil data base.

Multidisciplinary study on anthropogenic landslides in Nepal

Science.gov (United States)

Puglia, Christopher; Derron, Marc-Henri; Nicolet, Pierrick; Sudmeier-Rieux, Karen; Jaboyedoff, Michel; Devkota, Sanjay

2013-04-01

Nepal is a country in which shallow landslide is a frequent phenomenon. Monsoon is the main triggering factor but anthropogenic influence is often significant too. Indeed, many infrastructures, such as roads or water pipes, are not built in a rigorous way because of a lack of funds and knowledge. In the present study we examine the technical, social and economic issues of landslide management for two sites in Nepal. The first site is located in Sanusiruwari VDC (Sindhupalchock district, central Nepal) and the second one in Namadi VDC (Ramecchap district, central Nepal). Both sites are affected by landslides induced by the construction of hydropower plants. These landslides may threaten the viability of the hydropower plants. At both sites the problems are quite similar, but the first site project is a private one and the second one is a public one implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). For both sites, bioengineering methods using Vetiver (Vetyveria zizanioides) plantations is the main stabilization measure. To follow the progression of both landslides, fieldwork observations were conducted before and after the 2012 rainy season, including photogrammetric and distancemeter acquisitions. Main issues were discussed with communities and stakeholders of the hydropower projects through interviews and participatory risk mapping. Main issues include: lack of communication between the project managers and communities leading to conflict and the lack of maintenance of the bio-engineering sites, leading to less effective Vetiver growth and slope stabilization. Comparing the landslide management (technical, social and economic) of the two projects allows to point out some specific issues within an integrated risk perspective.

Four years prospective study of the maxillofacial trauma at a tertiary center in Western Nepal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rajib Khadka

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Purpose: This study was conducted to find the epidemiological characteristics of maxillofacial trauma in the Western region of Nepal. Materials and Methods: All the trauma patients attending the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial surgery in 4 years period at a tertiary center in Western Nepal were included in the study. The incidence, prevalence, age and sex distribution, etiologies and types as well as seasonal and daily variation of maxillofacial trauma were studied. Results: Maxillofacial trauma with male (71.55% predominance was seen. Road traffic accidents (RTA, 46.5% were the most common cause, and 41.65% of fracture cases due to RTA were under the influence of alcohol. Accidents were more common on the rural roads (38.9%, and majorities (43.3% were due to motorcycle accidents. They were more common on Friday (36.7% and in winter seasons (51.2%. The mandible fractures (65.85% were more common than midface fractures (53.58% and 19.44% of the fractures were combined fractures. Parasymphysis in mandible (32.16% and zygoma (39.09% in midface were the most common type of fracture. Conclusion: The increased incidence of maxillofacial trauma following RTA under the influence of alcohol noted in this study reveals the need for formulating preventive measures in the Western region of Nepal. Need to aware people to avoid drink and drive proper traffic management, prevention of carrying excessive passengers, especially on the rooftop of vehicles on the highway and disposal of out of date vehicles and timely maintenance of faulty roads is a must.

Factors Related to Intention to Undergo Female Sterilization Among Married Women in Rural Kathmandu, Nepal

OpenAIRE

Dhungana, Adhish; Nanthamongkolchai, Sutham; Pitikultang, Supachai

2016-01-01

Background: Sterilization is most widely used fertility regulation method in Nepal. However, prevalence of uptake of female sterilization in central hilly region is less than the national average. The objective of the study was to explore the number and factors related to intention of married women to undergo female sterilization in rural Kathmandu which lies within central hilly region. Materials and Methods: This is a community based cross-sectional survey research conducted in rural area o...

Health federalism: the role of health care professionals in Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Dulal, R K

2009-01-01

Nepal has entered from its unitary system into a new "Federal Democratic Republic State". The current constitution presents basic health care services as a fundamental right. The Ministry for Health and Population has been providing resources to meet health demands, but managers are wrestling to meet these demands. Persistent disparities between rural and urban and across regions resulted inferior health outcomes, e.g., life expectancy in an urban district like Bhaktapur is 71 years, whereas in the rural district of Mugu it is 44 years. The poor health and poor access to health care in the past systems prompted people to seek a different model. Ultimately, all political parties except one have agreed on federalism. The exact number of federal states that are going to be created is unknown. In federalism, all federated states have to assume certain relationships between the locality, the region, and the nation that apply not only in politics but in health care too. Managing changes in health care organization during the transitional period and after restructuring the unitary Nepal into federal states should be carefully planned. In case, if new system also fails to deliver necessary health care services, the possibility of igniting of dissatisfaction, public unrest and even disintegration cannot be ignored. In order to outline a structure and give life to a health care system under federalism, health care professionals need to engage themselves seriously.

Status and prospects of maize research in Nepal

OpenAIRE

Govind KC; Tika B. Karki; Jiban Shrestha; Buddhi B. Achhami

2015-01-01

Food and nutritional securities are the major threats coupled with declining factor productivity and climate change effects in Nepal. Maize being the principal food crops of the majority of the hill people and source of animal feed for ever growing livestock industries in Terai of Nepal. Despite the many efforts made to increase the maize productivity in the country, the results are not much encouraging. Many of the maize based technologies developed and recommended for the farmers to date ar...

Effects of Dividends on Stock Prices in Nepal

OpenAIRE

Rabindra Joshi

2012-01-01

This paper examines the impact of dividends on stock price in the context of Nepal. A majority of earlier studies conducted in developed countries show that dividend has a strong effect than retained earnings. The study examines whether this is consistent in the context of Nepal (or not) and the implication particularly to the banking and non-banking sector. To achieve the objective of the study, a descriptive and analytical research design has been administered. The secondary data are used t...

Prevalence, distribution and correlates of tobacco smoking and chewing in Nepal: a secondary data analysis of Nepal Demographic and Health Survey-2006

OpenAIRE

Sreeramareddy Chandrashekhar T; Ramakrishnareddy N; Harsha Kumar HN; Sathian Brijesh; Arokiasamy John T

2011-01-01

Abstract Background Nearly four-fifths of estimated 1.1 million smokers live in low or middle-income countries. We aimed to provide national estimates for Nepal on tobacco use prevalence, its distribution across demographic, socio-economic and spatial variables and correlates of tobacco use. Methods A secondary data analysis of 2006 Nepal Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) was done. A representative sample of 9,036 households was selected by two-stage stratified, probability proportional to ...

Burden of road traffic accidents in Nepal by calculating disability-adjusted life years

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ling Huang

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Objective: To calculate the burden of road traffic accidents in Kathmandu Valley and then extrapolate this to the national level. Methods: A prospective study was performed to compute the burden of road traffic accidents by quantification of disability-adjusted life years (DALYs using the Global Burden of Disease Study method on the basis of 1-year data from nine hospitals in Nepal and the Department of Forensic Medicine and cross-checked with the Nepal Traffic Directorate. Multiple methods were applied to the extrapolated population metrics of the burden of road traffic accidents in Nepal. Results: The total number of years of life lived in disability, years of life lost, and DALYs in Nepal were 38,848±194, 119,935±1464, and 158,783±1658 (95% confidence interval respectively. The number of years lost because of morbidity and death was similar in Kathmandu Valley. Most (75% of the DALYs resulted from years of life lost in Nepal. Males accounted for 73% of DALYs. Almost half (44% of the DALYs were contributed by the group aged 15–29 years. Conclusion: This study is the first to calculate the burden of road traffic accidents in Nepal using Nepal’s own data. Nepal needs to develop and enhance its own system to identify significant public health issues so as to set national priorities for prevention of road traffic accidents.

Competing Perspectives on the Gurkhas and Identity Politics in Nepal

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Seeberg, Jens

2015-01-01

Associated with the unification of Nepal under the ‘Gorkha’ kingdom, and popularly projected in both national myth and globalized tourist imagery, the ‘Gurkhas’ in the British army have been an important national symbol. The history of the ‘Gurkhas’ is multifaceted and also includes chapters abou...... of the ‘Gurkhas’ are discussed in relation to post-conflict identity politics in Nepal......., the ‘symbolic value’ of the ‘Gurkha’ tradition being loaded with notions of bravery and pride has been challenged by competing notions of (post)colonialism and mercenary practice. Hence, the discussion about the ‘Gurkha’ tradition is also a debate about national identities in the changing Nepal. This debate...

Issues and Challenges of HIV/AIDS Prevention and Treatment Programme in Nepal

OpenAIRE

Wasti, Sharada Prasad; Simkhada, Padam; Randall, Julian; Van Teijlingen, Edwin

2009-01-01

This paper explores some of the key issues and challenges of government HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment programme in Nepal. Providing HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment services in Nepal is associated with a number of issues and challenges which are shaped mostly on cultural and managerial issues from grass root to policy level.\\ud Numerous efforts have been done and going on by Nepal government and non-government organization but still HIV\\ud prevention and treatment service is not able to ...

Preferred Source and Perceived Need of More Information about Dental Implants by the Undergraduate Dental Students of Nepal: All Nepal Survey

OpenAIRE

Sharma, Arati; Shrestha, Bidhan; Chaudhari, Bijay Kumar; Suwal, Pramita; Singh, Raj Kumar; Niraula, Surya Raj; Parajuli, Prakash Kumar

2018-01-01

Objectives. This study was conducted to know the preferred source and perceived need of more information about dental implants by the undergraduate students of Nepal and their association with academic levels and gender. Materials and Methods. It was conducted in all the dental colleges of Nepal from June 2016 to June 2017 after taking ethical clearance and approval from the research committee of BPKIHS. It included all those who were present at the time of survey. Data collection was done th...

Selling photovoltaics at the top of the world. Marketing strategy for Solar Home Systems in Nepal

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thieke, O.; Parodi, O.; Schweizer, P. [Fraunhofer Inst. for Solar Energy Systems (ISE), Freiburg (Germany)

1996-12-31

In this paper a marketing strategy for Solar home systems (SHS) in the Solu Khumbu region of Nepal is presented. Four scenarios for distribution and service were developed and analysed using a break even analysis. The outcome of the study is that the most promising way for a successful market entry is provided by a not too dense sales network in the region itself, a three year warranty and a annual maintenance service. (orig.)

Association between socioeconomic status of mothers, food security, food safety practices and the double burden of malnutrition in the Lalitpur district, Nepal

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sarki, Mahesh; Robertson, Aileen; Parlesak, Alexandr

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity is increasing in low-and middle income countries such as Nepal. At the same time, high prevalence of chronic undernutrition persists leading to a double burden of malnutrition. AIM: To identify associations between the socioeconomic...... with either HAZ or the BAZ. CONCLUSION: The education level of mothers seems to be relevant to help reduce the double burden of malnutrition at least in some regions of Nepal. This should be taken into consideration when designing programmes to prevent both chronic undernutrition and non-communicable diseases....

Past, present and future of breast cancer in Nepal: A review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Biwesh Ojha

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The objective of this review is to provide a comprehensive outlook on existing evidence related to breast cancer in Nepal and provide a way forward. Different key words were used to search the articles in MEDLINE, Google Scholar and Google. In addition, grey literatures were searched and experts on related fields were contacted. We also looked into the references of each searched articles. BC cases are on the rise since 1990. It is more common among urban women aged 41‐50. Majority of women presented self‐detected mass at an advanced stage. Most common type of cancer was Invasive ductal carcinoma. Quality of life among BC patients was above average. History of BC treatment goes back to 1992 where first radiation therapy was started. Treatment services are being provided in seven major hospitals along and some private hospitals. BP Koirala memorial hospital is the first specialized cancer hospital in Nepal catering all kind of cancer treatment in Nepal. Different NGOs, government and cancer hospitals are working on prevention of BC in Nepal. Nepal has invested much in detection, diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer. It is high time when the resources should be diverted to primary prevention and early detection along with awareness creation.

Status of intestinal parasitosis among hospital visiting patients in Deukhury Valley, Dang, Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Khanal, L K; Rai, S K; Khanal, P R; Ghimire, G

2011-06-01

Intestinal parasitosis is highly prevalent among the general population in Nepal. This study aimed to assess the status of intestinal parasitosis among patients attending Deukhury Community Hospital, Lamahi, Dang, situated in the mid western region of Nepal. A total of 210 stool samples examined by direct smear technique were reported. The overall prevalence of intestinal parasitic infection was found to be 21.4% (M = 23.5% vs F = 19.3%). Children 60 yrs and 15-60 yrs aged people. Among adults, Entamoeba histolytica infection was found to be very high compared to high helminthic infection found among children. Finding showed that, the prevalence was significantly high (68.8%) among people having low socio-economic status compared to others (31.1%) (p < 0.05). Among various parasites detected, E. histolytica was the most common parasite (48.8%) followed by helminths, mainly Ascaris lumbricoides (31.1%), hookworm (13.3%), Trichuris trichiura (4.4%) and Taenia species (2.2%) respectively in the locality.

Education reform in Nepal

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Carney, Stephen; Rappleye, Jeremy

2011-01-01

The article discusses various reports published within the issue, including papers on various aspects of Nepal's education policy dynamic, a study on young people's experiences of education, especially the faith in schooling as a means to social and economic betterment, and a more radical critique...... of modernity and its relation to education in the South....

Challenges in diabetes mellitus type 2 management in Nepal

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gyawali, Bishal; Ferrario, Alessandra; van Teijlingen, Edwin

2016-01-01

on the prevalence, cost and treatment of diabetes mellitus type 2 and its complications in Nepal and to critically assess the challenges to be addressed to contain the epidemic and its negative economic impact. DESIGN: A comprehensive review of available evidence and data sources on prevalence, risk factors, cost......, complications, treatment, and management of diabetes mellitus type 2 in Nepal was conducted through an online database search for articles published in English between January 2000 and November 2015. Additionally, we performed a manual search of articles and reference lists of published articles for additional...... references. RESULTS: Diabetes mellitus type 2 is emerging as a major health care problem in Nepal, with rising prevalence and its complications especially in urban populations. Several challenges in diabetes management were identified, including high cost of treatment, limited health care facilities...

HIV-AIDS in Nepal: the coming crisis.

Science.gov (United States)

Seddon, D

1998-01-01

The number of officially reported cases of HIV infection and of AIDS in Nepal remains low in comparison with numbers in many other Asian countries. But Nepal's open border with India (where HIV infection rates are rapidly rising) and the high level of physical mobility within Nepal and abroad, associated with widespread labor migration and encouraged by the recent development of road transport, means that there is a real danger of a rapid spread of HIV within Nepal. The major means of infection is through heterosexual encounters involving male clients and female sex workers, but other sections of the population are also at risk from infection. Media attention has focused on female sex workers, particularly those who have worked in India, but the issue is far broader than this. Social and economic factors forcing or encouraging young men and women to seek employment away from home underlie the widespread growth of ¿the sex industry¿ and the ¿trafficking¿ of girls and young women. The state's capacity to respond effectively is limited, in part through lack of resources; international agencies are supporting local nongovernmental organizations in a variety of activities designed to ¿educate¿ and to ¿support¿ those at risk; but in the last analysis, it is the local communities from which young men and women migrate and to which they return that are obliged to find ways of coping. Sometimes these communities are supportive of the victims, sometimes not. The spread of HIV-AIDS is not just a ¿health¿ issue, but an issue of economic and social development, of gender relations and of human rights.

Micronutrients Deficiency, a Hidden Hunger in Nepal: Prevalence, Causes, Consequences, and Solutions.

Science.gov (United States)

Bhandari, Shiva; Banjara, Megha Raj

2015-01-01

Micronutrient deficiency is a global challenge to health as in Nepal. In Nepal, the targeted beneficiaries are less aware about importance of micronutrients (MNs), which has resulted in low intake of foods rich in MNs. Micronutrient deficiencies (MNDs) have huge impact on health of vulnerable population like women and children and have jeopardized the national economy and prosperity of developing countries including Nepal. However, less attention has been paid towards MNDs, which can be prevented. Therefore, this study aims to draw attention of the concerned authorities and researchers to combat against MNDs in Nepal. This study showed that different types of MNDs with higher prevalence exist in Nepal. The major causes of MNDs were poor diet, diseases and infestations, and poor health caring practices. The results of MNDs were unwanted child and maternal mortality, impairments of lives, and reduction in productivity and intellectual capacity. School health and nutrition education and supplementation and fortification of essential MNs proved to be effective while dietary diversification and economic growth and poverty eradication seemed promising. Control and prevention of MNDs can help to achieve Millennium Development Goals as well, so studies in this sector should be emphasized.

Poor thermal care practices among home births in Nepal: further analysis of Nepal Demographic and Health Survey 2011.

Science.gov (United States)

Khanal, Vishnu; Gavidia, Tania; Adhikari, Mandira; Mishra, Shiva Raj; Karkee, Rajendra

2014-01-01

Hypothermia is a major factor associated with neonatal mortality in low and middle income countries. Thermal care protection of newborn through a series of measures taken at birth and during the initial days of life is recommended to reduce the hypothermia and associated neonatal mortality. This study aimed to identify the prevalence of and the factors associated with receiving 'optimum thermal care' among home born newborns of Nepal. Data from the Nepal Demographic and Health Surveys (NDHS) 2011 were used for this study. Women who reported a home birth for their most recent childbirth was included in the study. Factors associated with optimum thermal care were examined using Chi-square test followed by logistic regression. A total of 2464 newborns were included in the study. A total of 57.6 % were dried before the placenta was delivered; 60.3% were wrapped; 24.5% had not bathing during the first 24 hours, and 63.9% were breastfed within one hour of birth. Overall, only 248 (10.7%; 95% CI (8.8 %, 12.9%)) newborns received optimum thermal care. Newborns whose mothers had achieved higher education (OR 2.810; 95% CI (1.132, 6.976)), attended four or more antenatal care visits (OR 2.563; 95% CI (1.309, 5.017)), and those whose birth were attended by skilled attendants (OR 2.178; 95% CI (1.428, 3.323)) were likely to receive optimum thermal care. The current study showed that only one in ten newborns in Nepal received optimum thermal care. Future newborn survival programs should focus on those mothers who are uneducated; who do not attend the recommended four or more attend antenatal care visits; and those who deliver without the assistance of skilled birth attendants to reduce the risk of neonatal hypothermia in Nepal.

Poor thermal care practices among home births in Nepal: further analysis of Nepal Demographic and Health Survey 2011.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vishnu Khanal

Full Text Available INTRODUCTION: Hypothermia is a major factor associated with neonatal mortality in low and middle income countries. Thermal care protection of newborn through a series of measures taken at birth and during the initial days of life is recommended to reduce the hypothermia and associated neonatal mortality. This study aimed to identify the prevalence of and the factors associated with receiving 'optimum thermal care' among home born newborns of Nepal. METHODS: Data from the Nepal Demographic and Health Surveys (NDHS 2011 were used for this study. Women who reported a home birth for their most recent childbirth was included in the study. Factors associated with optimum thermal care were examined using Chi-square test followed by logistic regression. RESULTS: A total of 2464 newborns were included in the study. A total of 57.6 % were dried before the placenta was delivered; 60.3% were wrapped; 24.5% had not bathing during the first 24 hours, and 63.9% were breastfed within one hour of birth. Overall, only 248 (10.7%; 95% CI (8.8 %, 12.9% newborns received optimum thermal care. Newborns whose mothers had achieved higher education (OR 2.810; 95% CI (1.132, 6.976, attended four or more antenatal care visits (OR 2.563; 95% CI (1.309, 5.017, and those whose birth were attended by skilled attendants (OR 2.178; 95% CI (1.428, 3.323 were likely to receive optimum thermal care. CONCLUSION: The current study showed that only one in ten newborns in Nepal received optimum thermal care. Future newborn survival programs should focus on those mothers who are uneducated; who do not attend the recommended four or more attend antenatal care visits; and those who deliver without the assistance of skilled birth attendants to reduce the risk of neonatal hypothermia in Nepal.

Women's autonomy in household decision-making: a demographic study in Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Acharya, Dev R; Bell, Jacqueline S; Simkhada, Padam; van Teijlingen, Edwin R; Regmi, Pramod R

2010-07-15

How socio-demographic factors influence women's autonomy in decision making on health care including purchasing goods and visiting family and relatives are very poorly studied in Nepal. This study aims to explore the links between women's household position and their autonomy in decision making. We used Nepal Demographic Health Survey (NDHS) 2006, which provided data on ever married women aged 15-49 years (n = 8257). The data consists of women's four types of household decision making; own health care, making major household purchases, making purchase for daily household needs and visits to her family or relatives. A number of socio-demographic variables were used in multivariable logistic regression to examine the relationship of these variables to all four types of decision making. Women's autonomy in decision making is positively associated with their age, employment and number of living children. Women from rural area and Terai region have less autonomy in decision making in all four types of outcome measure. There is a mixed variation in women's autonomy in the development region across all outcome measures. Western women are more likely to make decision in own health care (1.2-1.6), while they are less likely to purchase daily household needs (0.6-0.9). Women's increased education is positively associated with autonomy in own health care decision making (p make decision in own healthcare. Women from rural area and Terai region needs specific empowerment programme to enable them to be more autonomous in the household decision making. Women's autonomy by education, wealth quintile and development region needs a further social science investigation to observe the variations within each stratum. A more comprehensive strategy can enable women to access community resources, to challenge traditional norms and to access economic resources. This will lead the women to be more autonomous in decision making in the due course.

Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation in Nepal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nabina Shah

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Spinal cord injury is a major trauma, with its short and long term effects and consequences to the patient, his friends and family. Spinal cord injury is addressed in the developed countries with standard trauma care system commencing immediately after injury and continuing to the specialized rehabilitation units. Rehabilitation is important to those with spinal injury for both functional and psychosocial reintegration. It has been an emerging concept in Nepal, which has been evident with the establishment of the various hospitals with rehabilitation units, rehabilitation centres and physical therapy units in different institutions. However, the spinal cord injury rehabilitation setting and scenario is different in Nepal from those in the developed countries since spinal cord injury rehabilitation care has not been adequately incorporated into the health care delivery system nor its importance has been realized within the medical community of Nepal. To name few, lack of human resource for the rehabilitation care, awareness among the medical personnel and general population, adequate scientific research evidence regarding situation of spinal injury and exorbitant health care policy are the important hurdles that has led to the current situation. Hence, it is our responsibility to address these apparent barriers to successful implementation and functioning of rehabilitation so that those with spinal injury would benefit from enhanced quality of life. Keywords: rehabilitation; spinal injury.

Low compliance with iron-folate supplementation among postpartum mothers of Nepal: an analysis of Nepal Demographic and Health Survey 2011.

Science.gov (United States)

Khanal, Vishnu; Adhikari, Mandira; Karkee, Rajendra

2014-06-01

One in five maternal deaths are directly attributable to anaemia in the world. The World Health Organization recommends iron supplementation from the second trimester of pregnancy to 45 days after delivery. The aim of this study was to determine the compliance rate of iron-folate consumption and the factors associated with iron-folate consumption among post-natal mothers in Nepal. This study utilised the data of Nepal Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) 2011. The NDHS 2011 is a cross sectional and nationally representative survey. Of the 4,148 respondents, only 20.7% consumed iron throughout the post-natal period for 45 days. Mothers who had higher and secondary education [adjusted Odd ratio (aOR) 3.101; 95% CI (2.268-4.240)]; had attended four or more antenatal care visits [aOR 9.406; 95% CI (5.552-15.938)]; lived in Far-western development region [aOR 1.822; 95% CI (1.387-2.395)]; delivered in health facility [aOR 1.335; 95% CI (1.057-1.687)]; and attended postnatal care [aOR 2.348; 95% CI (1.859-2.965)] were more likely to take iron for 45 days of postpartum. Intervention to increase the compliance with the postpartum iron-folate supplementation are required to avoid adverse pregnancy outcomes associated with poor iron status with especial focus on the mothers who delivered at homes and did not attend post-natal check up.

Determinants of child maltreatment in Nepal: Results from the 2014 Nepal multiple indicator cluster survey (the 2014 NMICS).

Science.gov (United States)

Atteraya, Madhu Sudhan; Ebrahim, Nasser B; Gnawali, Shreejana

2018-02-01

We examined the prevalence of child maltreatment as measured by the level of physical (moderate to severe) and emotional abuse and child labor, and the associated household level determinants of child maltreatment in Nepal. We used a nationally representative data set from the fifth round of the Nepal Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (the 2014 NMICS). The main independent variables were household level characteristics. Dependent variables included child experience of moderate to severe physical abuse, emotional abuse, and child labor (domestic work and economic activities). Bivariate analyses and logistic regressions were used to examine the associations between independent and dependent variables. The results showed that nearly half of the children (49.8%) had experienced moderate physical abuse, 21.5% experienced severe physical abuse, and 77.3% experienced emotional abuse. About 27% of the children had engaged in domestic work and 46.7% in various economic activities. At bivariate level, educational level of household's head and household wealth status had shown significant statistical association with child maltreatment (pchild labor. In general, child maltreatment is a neglected social issue in Nepal and the high rates of child maltreatment calls for mass awareness programs focusing on parents, and involving all stakeholders including governments, local, and international organizations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The household costs of visceral leishmaniasis care in south-eastern Nepal.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Surendra Uranw

Full Text Available BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Visceral leishmaniasis (VL is an important public health problem in south-eastern Nepal affecting very poor rural communities. Since 2005, Nepal is involved in a regional initiative to eliminate VL. This study assessed the economic impact of VL on households and examined whether the intensified VL control efforts induced by the government resulted in a decrease in household costs. METHODS: Between August and September 2010, a household survey was conducted among 168 patients that had been treated for VL within 12 months prior to the survey in five districts in south-eastern Nepal. We collected data on health-seeking behaviour, direct and indirect costs and coping strategies. RESULTS: The median total cost of one episode of VL was US$ 165 or 11% of annual household income. The median delay between the onset of symptoms and presentation to a qualified provider was 25 days. Once the patient presented to a qualified provider, the delay to correct diagnosis was minimal (median 3 days. Direct and indirect costs (income losses represented 47% and 53% of total costs respectively. Households used multiple strategies to cope with the cost of illness, mainly mobilizing cash/savings (71% or taking a loan (56%. CONCLUSIONS: The provision of free VL diagnosis and drugs by the Nepalese control programme has been an important policy measure to reduce the cost of VL to households. But despite the free VL drugs, the economic burden is still important for households. More effort should be put into reducing indirect costs, in particular the length of treatment, and preventing the transmission of VL through vector control.

Determining bioclimatic space of Himalayan alder for agroforestry systems in Nepal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Santosh Kumar Rana

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Himalayan alder species are proven to be very useful in traditional as well as contemporary agroforestry practice. These nitrogen-fixing trees are also useful in the land restoration. Therefore, understanding the distribution of Himalayan alder and the potential zone for plantation is meaningful in the agroforestry sector. Suitable climatic zones of Alnus spp. were modelled in MaxEnt software using a subset of least correlated bioclimatic variables for current conditions (1950–2000, topographic variables (DEM derived and Landuse Landcover (LULC data. We generated several models and selected the best model against random models using ANOVA and t-test. The environmental variables that best explained the current distribution of the species were identified and used to project into the future. For future projections, ensemble scenarios of climate change projection derived from the results of 19 Earth System Models (ESM were used. Our model revealed that the most favorable conditions for Alnus nepalensis are in central Nepal in the moist north-west facing slope, whereas for Alnus nitida they are in western Nepal. The major climatic factor that contributes to Alnus species distribution in Nepal appears to be precipitation during the warmest quarter for A. nepalensis and precipitation during the driest quarter for A. nitida. Future projections revealed changes in the probability distribution of these species, as well as where they need conservation and where they can be planted. Also, our model predicts that the distribution of Alnus spp. in hilly regions will remain unchanged, and therefore may represent sites that can be used to revitalize traditional agroforestry systems and extract source material for land restoration.

Determinants of skilled birth attendants for delivery in Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Baral, Y R; Lyons, K; Skinner, J; van Teijlingen, E R

2010-01-01

This review is to explore the factors affecting the uptake of skilled birth attendants for delivery and the issues associated with women's role and choices of maternal health care service for delivery in Nepal. Literature was reviewed across the globe and discussed in a Nepalese context. Delivery by Skilled Birth Attendance serves as an indicator of progress towards reducing maternal mortality worldwide, the fifth Millennium Development Goal. Nepal has committed to reducing its maternal mortality by 75% by 2015 through ensuring accessibility to the availability and utilisation of skilled care at every birth. The literature suggests that several socio-economic, cultural and religious factors play a significant role in the use of Skilled Birth Attendance for delivery in Nepal. Availability of transportation and distance to the health facility; poor infrastructure and lack of services; availability and accessibility of the services; cost and convenience; staff shortages and attitudes; gender inequality; status of women in society; women's involvement in decision making; and women's autonomy and place of residence are significant contributing factors for uptake of Skilled Birth Attendance for delivery in Nepal. The review found more quantitative research studies exploring the determinants of utilisation of the maternal health services during pregnancy in Nepal than qualitative studies. Findings of quantitative research show that different social demographic, economic, socio-cultural and religious factors are responsible for the utilisation of maternal health services but very few studies discussed how and why these factors are responsible for utilisation of skilled birth attendants in pregnancy. It is suggested that there is need for more qualitative research to explore the women's role and choice regarding use of skilled birth attendants services and to find out how and why these factors are responsible for utilisation of skilled birth attendants for delivery

Is there new public health management (NPM) in Nepal? Arguments for and against NPM in Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Paudel, Mohan

2013-01-01

This article is a reflection about whether new public management (NPM) styles of reforms seen in other developing countries are also seen in Nepal, and to substantiate these facts with the available evidence and findings. The author saw the emergence of NPM ideas in Western industrialized countries like the United Kingdom and New Zealand. Now it exists in several developing countries of Africa and Asia; but it is very hard to generalize the degree and scope of NPM elements' existence. In Southeast Asia, there is still a mix of the old bureaucratic system with new NPM-oriented reform initiatives. Series of administrative reforms, donor conditionality, and the reestablishment of democracy in the country after 1991 have influenced an orientation toward an efficient, people-oriented, mixed-economy model with increasing partnership of private agencies and nongovernmental organizations in Nepal. The political movement of the last 15 years in the country has strongly called for a new, efficient, and performance-oriented administration and management culture in the country. There are several initiatives already introduced (public-private partnership, decentralization, good governance, accountability/public auditing, performance-based outcome/results-oriented financing and reporting systems). However, to take this momentum up, it still requires strong willingness of political leaders and senior administrators. At the moment, peace and stability of turmoil, political stability, state-of-the-art management skills, and supportive organizational culture are the fundamental requirements for increasing the realization of, and sustaining the NPM-oriented reforms in Nepal.

Farmer Field Schools: Unexpected outcomes of gendered empowerment in wartime Nepal

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Westendorp, A.M.B.; Visser, L.E.

2015-01-01

This article is the outcome of an empirical study of technical training of women and men through Farmer Field Schools in rural Nepal during the last decade. When the Farmer Field Schools started in Nepal as part of the FAO Integrated Pest Management project in 1997, this was also the year that the

El derecho a voto de los desplazados internos en Nepal

OpenAIRE

Ghimire, Anita

2007-01-01

Nepal está saliendo de un conflicto y debatiendo el calendario electoral. Los rebeldes maoístas han depuesto las armas y se han unido a la coalición gubernamental. Pero, ¿tendrán las elecciones algún tipo de credibilidad si un gran número de desplazados no puede votar? ¿Qué puede aprender Nepal de las experiencias en otros lugares?.

Genotypic Characterization of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Derived from Antiretroviral Drug-Treated Individuals Residing in Earthquake-Affected Areas in Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Negi, Bharat Singh; Kotaki, Tomohiro; Joshi, Sunil Kumar; Bastola, Anup; Nakazawa, Minato; Kameoka, Masanori

2017-09-01

Molecular epidemiological data on human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) are limited in Nepal and have not been available in areas affected by the April 2015 earthquake. Therefore, we conducted a genotypic study on HIV-1 genes derived from individuals on antiretroviral therapy residing in 14 districts in Nepal highly affected by the earthquake. HIV-1 genomic fragments were amplified from 40 blood samples of HIV treatment-failure individuals, and a sequencing analysis was performed on these genes. In the 40 samples, 29 protease, 32 reverse transcriptase, 25 gag, and 21 env genes were sequenced. HIV-1 subtyping revealed that subtype C (84.2%, 32/38) was the major subtype prevalent in the region, while CRF01_AE (7.9%, 3/38) and other recombinant forms (7.9%, 3/38) were also detected. In addition, major drug resistance mutations were identified in 21.9% (7/32) of samples, indicating the possible emergence of HIV-1 drug resistance in earthquake-affected areas in Nepal.

Genetic diversity of plasmodium vivax merozoite surface protein-3alpha (Pvmsp-3alpha) gene in Jhapa District of Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Adhikari, Madhav; Ranjitkar, Samir; Schousboe, Mette Leth; Alifrangis, Michael; Imwong, Mallika; Bhatta, Dwij Raj; Banjara, Megha Raj

2012-03-01

In Nepal, Plasmodium vivax accounts for approximately 80-90% of the malaria cases, but limited studies have been conducted on the genetic diversity of this parasite population. This study was carried out to determine the genetic diversity of P. vivax population sampled from subjects living in an endemic area of Jhapa District by analyzing the polymorphic merozoite surface protein-3alpha (Pvmsp-3alpha) gene by using PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism. Three distinct genotypes were obtained from 96 samples; type A: 40 (71%), type B: 7 (13%), and type C: 9 (16%) which could be categorized into 13 allelic patterns: A1-A9, B1, B2, C1 and C2. These results indicated a high genetic diversity within the studied P. vivax population. As the transmission rate of malaria is low in Nepal, the diversity is most likely due to migration of people between the malaria endemic regions, either within the country or between Nepal and India. Similar prevalence of the three genotypes of Pvmsp-3alpha between the two countries likely supports the latter explanation.

Performance evaluation of early maize genotypes in far western hills of Nepal

OpenAIRE

Hari Kumar Prasai; Ujjawal Kumar Singh Kushwaha; Bishnu Prasad Joshi; Jiban Shrestha

2015-01-01

Initial evaluation trial of maize (early) genotypes was carried out at Regional Agricultural Research Station, Doti, Nepal in 2013 and 2014. Total fourteen and fifteen genotypes of early maize were included in initial evaluation experiment of the year 2013 and 2014 respectively. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications in each year. Out of the tested genotypes, SO3TEY/LN, ZM 423 and SO3TEY-FM (ER) identified as promising from statistical a...

What Caused the Winter Drought in Western Nepal during Recent Years?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, S-Y (Simon); Yoon, Jin-Ho; Gillies, R.; Cho, Changrae

2013-11-01

Western Nepal has experienced consecutive and worsened winter drought conditions since 2000 culminating in a severe drought episode during 2008-2009. In this study, the meteorological conditons and a historical pespective of the winter droughts in western Nepal were analyzed using respectively instumental records and a paleoclimatic drought index. Althought decadal-scale drought conditions were found to be recurrent in the paleoclimate record, the severity of the recent decadal drought (since 2000) clearly stands out in the 700 years of record and, this is suggestive of potential anthropogenic influences in the recent decades. Meteorological diagnosis using atmospheric reanalysis in the recent decades revealed that (1) winter drought in western Nepal is linked to the Arctic Oscillation and its decadal variability, which initiates a tropospheric short-wave train across the Europe, Eurasia and South Asia, and that (2) the persistent warming of the Indian Ocean likely contributes to the suppression of rainfall through enhanced local Hadley circultion. It is therefore conceivable that the recent spells of decadal drought in Nepal drought are symptomatic of both natural variability and anthropogenic influences.

Agricultural intensification in Nepal, with particular reference to systems of rice intensification

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Uprety, Rajendra

2016-01-01

This thesis deals with agricultural intensification in Nepal. The initial focus of the study was the System of Rice Intensification (SRI), as introduced in Nepal from 2001. The multiple factors affecting SRI adoption, modification and dissemination together with the option to apply SRI in

Disaster response under One Health in the aftermath of Nepal earthquake, 2015.

Science.gov (United States)

Asokan, G V; Vanitha, A

2017-03-01

Until now, an estimate quotes that 1100 healthcare facilities were damaged and over 100,000 livestock lost in the two earthquakes that occurred in April and May of 2015 in Nepal. Threats of infectious diseases, mostly zoonoses, could affect Nepal's economy, trade, and tourism, and reaching the targets of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals. Historically, outbreaks of infectious diseases, including zoonoses, were largely associated with the aftereffects of the earthquakes. It has been documented that zoonoses constitute 61% of all known infectious diseases. Therefore, the purpose of this communication was to examine the infectious disease outbreaks after earthquakes around the world and explore the risk assessment of the zoonoses threats reported in Nepal and highlight adopting One Health. Our summaries on reported zoonoses in Nepal have shown that parasitic zoonoses were predominant, but other infectious disease outbreaks can occur. The fragile public health infrastructure and inadequately trained public health personnel can accelerate the transmission of infections, mostly zoonoses, in the post impact phase of the earthquake in Nepal. Therefore, we believe that with the support of aid agencies, veterinarians and health professionals can team up to resolve the crisis under One Health. Copyright © 2016 Ministry of Health, Saudi Arabia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Review of Brucellosis in Nepal

Science.gov (United States)

Acharya, Krishna Prasad; Niroula, Nirajan; Kaphle, Krishna

2016-01-01

OBJECTIVES The aim of this paper is to evaluate the current status of the disease, the mechanism of infection, and pathogenesis, its zoonotic potential, diagnostic advances, treatment regimens, and the preventive measures that can be adopted in managing human brucellosis in under-developed countries such as Nepal. METHODS We performed a systematic review of all the available literture through Google Scholar, PubMed, Gideon Informatics, World Health Organization and other legitimate sources. Other secondary informations were collected from the government agencies such as department of livestock services and Ministry of Health. The obtained information was then re-analysed and summarized. RESULTS Few publications have addressed brucellosis in Nepal and most of those publications have focused on bovine brucellosis with sparse information available on brucellosis in humans and small ruminants. Brucella abortus is the most predominant causative agent followed by B. suis. B. abortus is predominant in cattle accounting for a substantial portion of bovine abortion in the country. Lack of awareness, unhealthy food habit, traditional husbandry practices, and a lack of surveillance and immunization have been the major factors in maintaining a vicious cycle of propagation of the disease in human and animals. Unfortunately, nothing has been done to identify the species of Brucella at the biovar level. CONCLUSIONS Although brucellosis has been reported to be endemic in Nepal, neither the distribution nor the economic and public health impact of this disease is well characterized. Robust and well-designed nationwide survey is warranted to assess the prevalence and distribution of disease in livestock and humans. Such data would facilitate the design of appropriate control programmes. PMID:27703129

Economic Burden of HIV/AIDS Upon Households in Nepal: A Critical Review

Science.gov (United States)

Newlands, David; Simkhada, Padam

2015-01-01

Thousands of people are infected with HIV/AIDS in Nepal and most of them are adults of working age. Therefore, HIV/AIDS is a big burden in Nepal. This review was conducted to find the existing knowledge gap about the economic burden of HIV/AIDS at the household level in Nepal, the extent of economic burden exerted by the disease, and to provide policy recommendations. It is concluded that there was a considerable knowledge gap about the issue, and the economic burden exerted by HIV/AIDS was big enough to push the affected households into poverty. It is suggested that more studies need to be conducted to fill the knowledge gap. Similarly, Government of Nepal and other organisations working in the field of HIV/AIDS need to provide economic supports (e.g.- support for travel costs) to the HIV positive people and need to increase the awareness level among general population for reducing stigma and discrimination, and reducing economic burden on them. PMID:26913211

PHYSICO-CHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF DIFFERENT KIWIFRUIT (ACTINIDIA DELICIOSA) CULTIVARS GROWN IN THE MID-HILLS REGION OF EASTERN NEPAL

OpenAIRE

Poudel Krishna

2017-01-01

Kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa) is being popular among the farmers of Nepal due to its precocity, high economic return, high nutritional value, especially vitamin C. Six different kiwifruit cultivars (Hayward, Bruno, Monty, Abbott, Allison and Red Kiwi) were collected during 2012 for the study. The collected fruits were analyzed for the physical and chemical properties. These properties included fresh fruit weight, fruit length, fruit diameter, stalk length, total soluble solid (TSS), titrabl...

Abortion: Still Unfinished Agenda in Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Shrestha, Dirgha Raj; Regmi, Shibesh Chandra; Dangal, Ganesh

2018-03-13

Unsafe abortion is affecting a lot, in health, socio-economic and health care cost of many countries. Despite invention of simple technology and scientifically approved safe abortion methods, women and girls are still using unsafe abortion practices. Since 2002, Nepal has achieved remarkable progress in developing policies, guidelines, task shifting, training human resources and increasing access to services. However, more than half of abortion in Nepal are performed clandestinely by untrained or unapproved providers or induced by pregnant woman herself. Knowledge on legalization and availability of safe abortion service among women is still very poor. Stigma on abortion still persists among community people, service providers, managers, and policy makers. Access to safe abortion, especially in remote and rural areas, is still far behind as compared to their peers from urban areas. The existing law is not revised in the spirit of current Constitution of Nepal and rights-based approach. The existence of abortion stigma and the shifting of the government structure from unitary system to federalism in absence of a complete clarity on how the safe abortion service gets integrated into the local government structure might create challenge to sustain existing developments. There is, therefore, a need for all stakeholders to make a lot of efforts and allocate adequate resources to sustain current achievements and ensure improvements in creating a supportive social environment for women and girls so that they will be able to make informed decisions and access to safe abortion service in any circumstances.

Transforming the Lives of Mountain Women Through the Himalayan Nettle Value Chain: A Case Study From Darchula, Far West Nepal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lipy Adhikari

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Naugad is a remote rural municipality in the mountains of far west Nepal with poor accessibility and limited economic opportunities, especially for women and marginalized communities. Promotion of the natural resource-based value chain for allo (the Himalayan nettle, Girardinia diversifolia was identified as an innovative livelihood strategy by the local community. Value chain development started in 2014. The project was designed to focus on women and include participation by the private sector. This paper analyzes the impact of the project, especially on women's lives, using primary and secondary data. A community-owned enterprise was established with private-sector support from the South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation's Business Association of Home Based Workers (SABAH Nepal. The enterprise now has 82 members (69 of them women, with 150 households benefiting directly and indirectly. SABAH Nepal provided training in sustainable harvesting and processing techniques and promotes the products in high-end international markets. A buyback guarantee scheme provides security to local artisans. The quality and range of allo products have increased markedly, as has the share in benefits for local people. Skills training and visits to trade fairs have helped women build their capacity and take a leading role in the value chain process. The community-owned enterprise members have earned up to NPR 4000 per month from sewing, more than the local rate for day labor and sufficient to cover general household expenses. More than 25 women entrepreneurs have started microbusinesses related to allo. Allo has become an important economic asset, transforming the lives of mountain women in this village area. The approach has potential for scaling up across the subtropical to temperate areas of the Himalayan region in Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, and Nepal.

Involving diaspora and expatriates as human resources in the health sector in Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Devkota, A; Devkota, B; Ghimire, J; Mahato, R K; Gupta, R P; Hada, A

2013-05-01

Health professional mobility has increased in the recent years and is one of the public health concerns in the developing countries including Nepal. On the other hand, we can't ignore a positive shift of Nepali diaspora coming back to Nepal for some work related projects. The objective of this study was thus to estimate the number of Nepalese Diaspora and foreign expatriate those are coming to Nepal and explore the ways and process of their engagement in the health sector of Nepal. Mixed method was used. In total, 13 Key Informant Interviews were conducted at the central level along with record review from professional councils. Nepalese Diasporas mainly come through Diaspora Volunteering Organizations, Non Resident Nepali Association and personal connections to the place of their origin. Nepalese Diasporas have supported as health specialists, health camps and project organizers, trainer and hospital promoters, supplier of equipment including ambulances etc. The Nepalese Diasporas are unrecorded with professional organizations such as NMC and NHPC. As such the real status and results of support from Nepalese Diaspora are not known. Overall, 5,120 foreign medical professionals have served to Nepal through NMC followed by 739 nursing professionals through NNC and 189 paramedical staff through NHPC as of 2012. Systematic information on number and characteristics of the Nepalese Diaspora and their role in the health sector of Nepal is limited. The health professional bodies have some record systems but they lack uniformity and systematic process.

Variations in the Phytophthora infestans Population in Nepal as Revealed by Nuclear and Mitochondrial DNA Polymorphisms.

Science.gov (United States)

Ghimire, S R; Hyde, K D; Hodgkiss, I J; Shaw, D S; Liew, E C Y

2003-02-01

ABSTRACT Phytophthora infestans isolates collected from potato and tomato crops from various parts of Nepal during the 1999 and 2000 crop seasons were characterized for nuclear and mitochondrial DNA polymorphisms using restriction fragment length polymorphism markers. The nuclear DNA probe RG57 detected 11 multilocus genotypes among 280 isolates. Three genotypes were detected 21 times or more, constituting 94% of the total population, whereas frequencies of other genotypes ranged from 0.004 to 0.014. The overall genotypic diversity as estimated by the Gleason index was 1.78. Most of the overall diversity was present at the highest level (i.e., interregional, 46%), indicating limited gene flow among regions. Cluster analysis of multilocus genotypes derived from RG57 and mating type data for Nepalese isolates and representative isolates worldwide showed Nepalese isolates grouping into four clusters. Characterization of 67 isolates for mitochondrial DNA polymorphisms revealed the presence of two mt-haplotypes, Ia and Ib with the proportions of 0.88 and 0.12, respectively. Polymorphisms in nuclear and mitochondrial DNA revealed a moderate level of diversity in this population. Genotype NP3 had an identical RG57 fingerprint to US1 and had mt-haplotype Ib, confirming the presence of an old population in Nepal. Most of the genotypes had a different RG57 fingerprint than that of US1 and mt-haplotype Ia, the common characteristics of new populations. The presence of a new population at high proportions in Nepal was consistent with the global trend of mt-haplotype distribution, and suggests the displacement of old populations. This study indicates at least three possible introductions of P. infestans to Nepal.

Association between socioeconomic status of mothers, food security, food safety practices and the double burden of malnutrition in the Lalitpur district, Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Sarki, Mahesh; Robertson, Aileen; Parlesak, Alexandr

2016-01-01

The prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity is increasing in low-and middle income countries such as Nepal. At the same time, high prevalence of chronic undernutrition persists leading to a double burden of malnutrition. To identify associations between the socioeconomic status of mothers, food security, the food safety environment within the household, and prevalence of stunting and overweight of the children. Statistical analysis of socioeconomic, food safety-related and anthropometric data from 289 mother-child dyads in an urban area of the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. According to WHO standards, 26 % of the children, aged 0-59 months, were stunted, 10 % were underweight, and 6.6 % were either overweight or obese. Significantly more boys than girls were underweight (p = 0.004) and stunted (p malnutrition at least in some regions of Nepal. This should be taken into consideration when designing programmes to prevent both chronic undernutrition and non-communicable diseases.

AN APPLICATION OF DOCTRINE OF NECESSITY: PREVIOUS CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY OF NEPAL AND ITS TIME EXTENSION TO AVOID CONSTITUTIONAL UNCERTAINTY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vijay Pd. Jayshwal

2015-02-01

Full Text Available This paper aims to investigate issues in relation of constitutional doctrine which had potential debate among the jurists of Nepal for the issues of time extension. The paper will also argue some weaknesses in the constituent assembly and their role expected by the people of Nepal. This paper will discuss about the evolution of constitution in Nepal, its features, the principle of Constitutionalism embodied in Nepalese constitution. This paper will further argue about the legitimacy of Doctrine of Necessity and its application in Nepal. In last, this paper will show the possibility of constitutional uncertainty by newly elected constituent assembly.   Penulisan ini dalam rangka mengkaji doktrin konstitusional yang tengah ramai diperdebatkan oleh para ahli hukum di Nepal, khususnya berkaitan dengan isu mengenai perpanjangan waktu. Melalui tulisan ini, terdapat temuan yang menunjukkan beberapa kelemahan yang ada dalam majelis konstituate Nepal di samping peran-perannya sebagaimana yang diharapkan oleh rakyat Nepal. Tulisan ini membahas pula mengenai evolusi konstitusi Nepal sebagaimana diwujudkan dalam prinsip-prinsip konstitusionalism yang dianut oleh Konstitusi Nepal. Lebih lanjut, berkaitan dengan legitimasi dari Doctrin of Necessity dan penerapannya di Nepal. Pada akhirnya, tulisan ini akan memberikan gambaran mengenai kemungkinan ketidakpastian secara konstitusional berkaitan dengan kondisi majelis konstituante yang baru saja terpilih.

Identification of glacier motion and potentially dangerous glacial lakes in the Mt. Everest region/Nepal using spaceborne imagery

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T. Bolch

2008-12-01

Full Text Available Failures of glacial lake dams can cause outburst floods and represents a serious hazard. The potential danger of outburst floods depends on various factors like the lake's area and volume, glacier change, morphometry of the glacier and its surrounding moraines and valley, and glacier velocity. Remote sensing offers an efficient tool for displacement calculations and risk assessment of the identification of potentially dangerous glacial lakes (PDGLs and is especially helpful for remote mountainous areas. Not all important parameters can, however, be obtained using spaceborne imagery. Additional interpretation by an expert is required. ASTER data has a suitable accuracy to calculate surface velocity. Ikonos data offers more detail but requires more effort for rectification. All investigated debris-covered glacier tongues show areas with no or very slow movement rates. From 1962 to 2003 the number and area of glacial lakes increased, dominated by the occurrence and almost linear areal expansion of the moraine-dammed lakes, like the Imja Lake. Although the Imja Lake will probably still grow in the near future, the risk of an outburst flood (GLOF is considered not higher than for other glacial lakes in the area. Potentially dangerous lakes and areas of lake development are identified. There is a high probability of further lake development at Khumbu Glacier, but a low one at Lhotse Glacier.

Does hypoxia play a role in the development of sarcopenia in humans? Mechanistic insights from the Caudwell Xtreme Everest Expedition.

Science.gov (United States)

Wandrag, Liesl; Siervo, Mario; Riley, Heather L; Khosravi, Maryam; Fernandez, Bernadette O; Leckstrom, Carl A; Martin, Daniel S; Mitchell, Kay; Levett, Denny Z H; Montgomery, Hugh E; Mythen, Monty G; Stroud, Michael A; Grocott, Michael P W; Feelisch, Martin

2017-10-01

Sarcopenia refers to the involuntary loss of skeletal muscle and is a predictor of physical disability/mortality. Its pathogenesis is poorly understood, although roles for altered hypoxic signaling, oxidative stress, adipokines and inflammatory mediators have been suggested. Sarcopenia also occurs upon exposure to the hypoxia of high altitude. Using data from the Caudwell Xtreme Everest expedition we therefore sought to analyze the extent of hypoxia-induced body composition changes and identify putative pathways associated with fat-free mass (FFM) and fat mass (FM) loss. After baseline testing in London (75m), 24 investigators ascended from Kathmandu (1300m) to Everest base camp (EBC 5300m) over 13 days. Fourteen investigators climbed above EBC, eight of whom reached the summit (8848m). Assessments were conducted at baseline, during ascent and after one, six and eight week(s) of arrival at EBC. Changes in body composition (FM, FFM, total body water, intra- and extra-cellular water) were measured by bioelectrical impedance. Biomarkers of nitric oxide and oxidative stress were measured together with adipokines, inflammatory, metabolic and vascular markers. Participants lost a substantial, but variable, amount of body weight (7.3±4.9kg by expedition end; pFFM was observed, and after eight weeks, the proportion of FFM loss was 48% greater than FM loss (pFFM loss. GLP-1 (r=-0.45, pFFM loss. In a multivariate model, GLP-1, insulin and nitrite were significant predictors of FFM loss while protein carbonyls were predicted FM loss. The putative role of GLP-1 and nitrite as mediators of the effects of hypoxia on FFM is an intriguing finding. If confirmed, nutritional and pharmacological interventions targeting these pathways may offer new avenues for prevention and treatment of sarcopenia. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Household Perceptions about the Impacts of Climate Change on Food Security in the Mountainous Region of Nepal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shobha Poudel

2017-04-01

Full Text Available This study tried to understand the mountainous households’ perception of climate change and its impacts on food security in the Lamjung district of Nepal. The study attempted to find out changes in households food security and daily activities in the face of climate change for the last twenty years. The study started with the 150 household surveys along with participatory rural appraisal to understand the climate change perception of local people and its impact on dimensions of food security. Households expressed different levels of perception in terms of climate change on food security. The result shows that most of the mountainous households experienced increased temperature, less rainfall in winter, an increasing number of natural disasters and the emergence of insects for the last twenty years. They perceived the role of climate change in decreased crop production, decreased dairy products and increased household work. The situation of food security is likely to be more vulnerable to climate change in the future. It was also observed that households have been using different autonomous adaptation measures, such as high yielding crop varieties, enhanced irrigation systems and fertilizers, to cope with the changing climate. Finally, the study recommended policy instruments to enhance food security in the mountainous region amidst changing climate.

Alternative energy in Nepal

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tiwari, H.B.; Bhandari, K.P.

2011-05-15

Renewable energy Technology (RET) becomes the mainstream option for rural Nepal to access modern source of energy. It focuses on the trend of RET applications consisting of biogas technology, solar thermal, micro and Pico hydropower, biomass technology bio fuel technology, wind power technology etc. The RET's which provide both electricity based as well as non electricity based services, have been shown to most immediately meet the needs of a cleaner indoor environment, better quality lightning for education and income generating, activities, alternative cooking fuels and agro processing as well as rural industries. Improved cooking stoves and much more beneficial than other technologies. Wind energy utilization is still not popular. Solar thermal to generate thermal energy to cook, warm and dry, biogas for lighting and cooking services. Micro hydropower for electric as well as mechanical use and solar PV mainly for domestic lighting may become choice. The most important Renewable Energy Technology (RET's) in Nepal are related to Pico hydropower and micro-hydropower, biomass energy (biogas, briquettes, gasifies, improved cooking stoves, bio-fuels etc.) solar photovoltaic energy, solar PV water pumping, solar thermal energy (solar heater, solar dryers, solar cookers etc.) and wind energy (such as wind generators, wind mills etc.). One renowned Non-governmental organization has been established in the Jhapa and Mornag Bhutanese refugee camp. Two families from all the seven camps in Nepal received one solar cooker, one hay box and two cooking posts to each family. Under this programme, a total of 6,850 solar cookers, 12600 hay boxes and 25,200 cooking pots have been distributed 2009. The number of beneficiaries from this program has reached 85,000. Before the distribution of the cookers and the utensils, the instruction and orientation training for the maintenance and repair and operation method was improved. The refugees were divided in 315 groups of 40

Estimating Indoor PM2.5 and CO Concentrations in Households in Southern Nepal: The Nepal Cookstove Intervention Trials.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chen Chen

Full Text Available High concentrations of household air pollution (HAP due to biomass fuel usage with unvented, insufficient combustion devices are thought to be an important health risk factor in South Asia population. To better characterize the indoor concentrations of particulate matter (PM2.5 and carbon monoxide (CO, and to understand their impact on health in rural southern Nepal, this study analyzed daily monitoring data collected with DataRAM pDR-1000 and LASCAR CO data logger in 2980 households using traditional biomass cookstove indoor through the Nepal Cookstove Intervention Trial-Phase I between March 2010 and October 2011. Daily average PM2.5 and CO concentrations collected in area near stove were 1,376 (95% CI, 1,331-1,423 μg/m3 and 10.9 (10.5-11.3 parts per million (ppm among households with traditional cookstoves. The 95th percentile, hours above 100μg/m3 for PM2.5 or 6ppm for CO, and hours above 1000μg/m3 for PM2.5 or 9ppm for CO were also reported. An algorithm was developed to differentiate stove-influenced (SI periods from non-stove-influenced (non-SI periods in monitoring data. Average stove-influenced concentrations were 3,469 (3,350-3,588 μg/m3 for PM2.5 and 21.8 (21.1-22.6 ppm for CO. Dry season significantly increased PM2.5 concentration in all metrics; wood was the cleanest fuel for PM2.5 and CO, while adding dung into the fuel increased concentrations of both pollutants. For studies in rural southern Nepal, CO concentration is not a viable surrogate for PM2.5 concentrations based on the low correlation between these measures. In sum, this study filled a gap in knowledge on HAP in rural Nepal using traditional cookstoves and revealed very high concentrations in these households.

Knowledge, attitude and practice regarding dengue fever among the healthy population of highland and lowland communities in central Nepal.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Meghnath Dhimal

Full Text Available Dengue fever (DF is the most rapidly spreading mosquito-borne viral disease in the world. In this decade it has expanded to new countries and from urban to rural areas. Nepal was regarded DF free until 2004. Since then dengue virus (DENV has rapidly expanded its range even in mountain regions of Nepal, and major outbreaks occurred in 2006 and 2010. However, no data on the local knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP of DF in Nepal exist although such information is required for prevention and control measures.We conducted a community based cross-sectional survey in five districts of central Nepal between September 2011 and February 2012. We collected information on the socio-demographic characteristics of the participants and their knowledge, attitude and practice regarding DF using a structured questionnaire. We then statistically compared highland and lowland communities to identify possible causes of observed differences.Out of 589 individuals interviewed, 77% had heard of DF. Only 12% of the sample had good knowledge of DF. Those living in the lowlands were five times more likely to possess good knowledge than highlanders (P<0.001. Despite low knowledge levels, 83% of the people had good attitude and 37% reported good practice. We found a significantly positive correlation among knowledge, attitude and practice (P<0.001. Among the socio-demographic variables, the education level of the participants was an independent predictor of practice level (P<0.05, and education level and interaction between the sex and age group of the participants were independent predictors of attitude level (P<0.05.Despite the rapid expansion of DENV in Nepal, the knowledge of people about DF was very low. Therefore, massive awareness programmes are urgently required to protect the health of people from DF and to limit its further spread in this country.

Challenges in diabetes mellitus type 2 management in Nepal

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gyawali, Bishal; Ferrario, Alessandra; van Teijlingen, Edwin

2016-01-01

references. Results Diabetes mellitus type 2 is emerging as a major health care problem in Nepal, with rising prevalence and its complications especially in urban populations. Several challenges in diabetes management were identified, including high cost of treatment, limited health care facilities, and lack...... on the prevalence, cost and treatment of diabetes mellitus type 2 and its complications in Nepal and to critically assess the challenges to be addressed to contain the epidemic and its negative economic impact. Design A comprehensive review of available evidence and data sources on prevalence, risk factors, cost...

Knowledge of diabetes mellitus among pregnant women in three districts of Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Shrestha, S; Thapa, P; Saleh, F; Thapa, N; Stray, B Pedersen; Khanom, K

2013-09-01

Diabetes mellitus is an emerging health problem in developing world with the consumption of energy dense diet and inactive lifestyle. The problem of diabetes is further expanded due to ignorance and lack of knowledge. The aim of the study was to assess the knowledge of diabetes among pregnant women in three districts of Nepal. A community based cross-sectional study was conducted in three districts in mountain, hilly and plain areas of Nepal. A total of 590 pregnant women were interviewed during the period of July 2009 to June 2010. A knowledge score system was applied. Poor score was 60%) of the total score. Statistical software SPSS 11.5 was used for data entry, data management and analysis. Out of 590 pregnant women, only 41% had heard about diabetes mellitus. Majority of the participants (75%) from age group >30 years had not heard about diabetes. Among the 241 with some knowledge, the knowledge score median percent(range) on the meaning, symptoms, risk factors, treatment, prevention, complications and overall knowledge were 50%(0-100), 25% (0-75), 20% (0-60), 20% (0-100), 25% (0-100), 20% (0-60) and 26% (0- 58) respectively. According to defined category, majority of those who ever heard about diabetes had poor knowledge (95%). Knowledge among literate women (p=.001), women residing in Kailali district (plain region) (p=.003) and those with positive family history of diabetes (p=.003) was found to be significant. As large proportions of Nepalese pregnant women do not have any knowledge or have poor knowledge regarding diabetes, extensive health education and health promotion programs are urgently recommended to prevent diabetes in Nepal.

Contemporary Surface Seasonal Oscillation and Vertical Deformation in Tibetan Plateau and Nepal Derived from the GPS, Leveling and GRACE Data

Science.gov (United States)

Shen, W.; Pan, Y.; Hwang, C.; Ding, H.

2015-12-01

We use 168 Continuous Global Positioning System (CGPS) stations distributed in the Tibetan Plateau (TP) and Nepal from lengths of 2.5 to 14 years to estimate the present-day velocity field in this area, including the horizontal and vertical deformations under the frame ITRF2008. We estimate and remove common mode errors in regional GPS time series using the principal component analysis (PCA), obtaining a time series with high signal to noise ratio. Following the maximum estimation analysis, a power law plus white noise stochastic model are adopted to estimate the velocity field. The highlight of Tibetan region is the crust vertical deformation. GPS vertical time series present seasonal oscillations caused by temporal mass loads, hence GRACE data from CSR are used to study the mass loads change. After removing the mass load deformations from GPS vertical rates, the results are improved. Leveling data about 48 years in this region are also used to estimate the rates of vertical movements. Our study suggests that the boundary of south Nepal is still sinking due to the fact that the India plate is crashing into the Eurasian plate. The uplift rates from south to north of TP reduce gradually. Himalayas region and north Nepal uplift around 6 mm/yr in average. The uplift rate along East TP in Qinhai is around 2.7 mm/yr in average. In contrast, the southeast of Tibetan Plateau, south Yunnan and Tarim in Xinjiang sink with different magnitudes. Our observation results suggest complicated mechanism of the mass migration in TP. This study is supported by National 973 Project China (grant Nos. 2013CB733302 and 2013CB733305), NSFC (grant Nos. 41174011, 41429401, 41210006, 41128003, 41021061).

Societal impacts and vulnerability to floods in Bangladesh and Nepal

OpenAIRE

Tanvir H. Dewan

2015-01-01

Bangladesh and Nepal lie between the Himalayas and low-lying coasts of the Bay of Bengal and are traversed by hundreds of rivers and tributaries. Historical data shows that, since 1970, the scale, intensity and duration of floods have increased in Bangladesh and Nepal, causing grave human suffering; disruptions in normal life and activity, damages of infrastructure, crops and agricultural land with severe impacts on the economy. Bangladesh is affected by torrential rain, glacier melt, upstrea...

FAMILY RUN SMEs IN NEPAL AND THEIR APPROACH TO MARKETING

OpenAIRE

Sanghai, Megha Sanghai

2007-01-01

This exploratory research aims to study the role of marketing and its relevance in small and medium sized family businesses in Nepal by comparing it to the combined review of authors and academicians in the field of SME/ entrepreneurial marketing. Although marketing is a key factor in the survival and development of business ventures, SMEs in Nepal cannot do conventional marketing because of the limitations of resources which are inherent to Nepalese SMEs and also because business owner/ mana...

Factors affecting IUCD discontinuation in Nepal

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thapa, Subash; Paudel, Ishwari Sharma; Bhattarai, Sailesh

2015-01-01

Information related to contraception discontinuation, especially in the context of Nepal is very limited. A nested case-control study was carried out to determine the factors affecting discontinuation of intrauterine contraceptive devices (IUCDs). A total of 115 cases (IUCD discontinuers) and 115...

Collection for Nepal

CERN Multimedia

Staff Association

2015-01-01

You are wonderful, thank you! On 25 April 2015, Nepal and neighboring countries suffered a violent earthquake, which killed thousands. On 28 April CERN Staff Association and CERN Management appealed to your generosity to help those affected, and opened an account to be able to receive your donations. We are now pleased to announce that the amount raised is CHF 34'800, and was donated to the NGO Live to Love of His Holiness the Gyalwang Drukpa. We thank everyone who contributed to this important cause.

Characterization of extensively drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Poudel, Ajay; Maharjan, Bhagwan; Nakajima, Chie; Fukushima, Yukari; Pandey, Basu D; Beneke, Antje; Suzuki, Yasuhiko

2013-01-01

The emergence of extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB) has raised public health concern for global control of TB. Although molecular characterization of drug resistance-associated mutations in multidrug-resistant isolates in Nepal has been made, mutations in XDR isolates and their genotypes have not been reported previously. In this study, we identified and characterized 13 XDR Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates from clinical isolates in Nepal. The most prevalent mutations involved in rifampicin, isoniazid, ofloxacin, and kanamycin/capreomycin resistance were Ser531Leu in rpoB gene (92.3%), Ser315Thr in katG gene (92.3%), Asp94Gly in gyrA gene (53.9%) and A1400G in rrs gene (61.5%), respectively. Spoligotyping and multilocus sequence typing revealed that 69% belonged to Beijing family, especially modern types. Further typing with 26-loci variable number of tandem repeats suggested the current spread of XDR M. tuberculosis. Our result highlights the need to reinforce the TB policy in Nepal with regard to control and detection strategies. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Does Private School Competition Improve Public School Performance? The Case of Nepal

Science.gov (United States)

Thapa, Amrit

2013-01-01

Using data from the survey of the Ministry of Education, Nepal-2005 for school leaving certificate (SLC) exam, this paper attempts to estimate the impact of private school competition on public school performance for the case of Nepal. The study uses the number of private schools in the neighborhood as a measure of competition. The identification…

Pattern of Occurrence of Leukemia at a Teaching Hospital in Eastern Region of Nepal - A Six Year Study

OpenAIRE

Ritu Kulshrestha; SP Sah

2009-01-01

INTRODUCTION: Pattern of leukemia is known to vary widely throughout the world. The characterization of distribution patterns of different subtypes of leukemia in Nepal needs further study. We wanted to study the leukemia pattern in our institute. METHODS: A retrospective study of 196 cases of leukemia, diagnosed at BPKIHS, between January 1997 to December 2002 was done. We analyzed the pattern of leukemia at BPKIHS by morphological subtype, gender, age at diagnosis, time period of d...

The prospects of renewable energy technologies for rural electrification: A review from Nepal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gurung, Anup; Kumar Ghimeray, Amal; Hassan, Sedky H.A.

2012-01-01

Utilization of renewable energy technologies remains one of the major energy policies throughout the world. These technologies are proven to be successful for electrifying rural communities, especially in developing countries. Realizing the benefits of renewable energy sources, the Government of Nepal has initiated the production and distribution of renewable energy technologies in recent years, mainly to electrify rural communities. Although these technologies are suitable for providing electricity in isolated and remote rural areas, their implementation programs have not been successful as expected. This review provides broad-spectrum view about the energy situation in Nepal and highlights the current policies and subsidies for the optimal utilization of renewable energy resources in isolated and poor rural communities. In addition, major promotional barriers for their implementation in Nepal have been discussed. - Highlights: ► Nepal has enormous potential of renewable energy sources. ► Till date only small fraction of renewable energy sources has been exploited. ► However, renewable energy technologies seem to be promising options for rural electrification.

Effects of abortion legalization in Nepal, 2001-2010.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jillian T Henderson

Full Text Available Abortion was legalized in Nepal in 2002, following advocacy efforts highlighting high maternal mortality from unsafe abortion. We sought to assess whether legalization led to reductions in the most serious maternal health consequences of unsafe abortion.We conducted retrospective medical chart review of all gynecological cases presenting at four large public referral hospitals in Nepal. For the years 2001-2010, all cases of spontaneous and induced abortion complications were identified, abstracted, and coded to classify cases of serious infection, injury, and systemic complications. We used segmented Poisson and ordinary logistic regression to test for trend and risks of serious complications for three time periods: before implementation (2001-2003, early implementation (2004-2006, and later implementation (2007-2010.23,493 cases of abortion complications were identified. A significant downward trend in the proportion of serious infection, injury, and systemic complications was observed for the later implementation period, along with a decline in the risk of serious complications (OR 0.7, 95% CI 0.64, 0.85. Reductions in sepsis occurred sooner, during early implementation (OR 0.6, 95% CI 0.47, 0.75.Over the study period, health care use and the population of reproductive aged women increased. Total fertility also declined by nearly half, despite relatively low contraceptive prevalence. Greater numbers of women likely obtained abortions and sought hospital care for complications following legalization, yet we observed a significant decline in the rate of serious abortion morbidity. The liberalization of abortion policy in Nepal has benefited women's health, and likely contributes to falling maternal mortality in the country. The steepest decline was observed after expansion of the safe abortion program to include midlevel providers, second trimester training, and medication abortion, highlighting the importance of concerted efforts to improve

Effects of abortion legalization in Nepal, 2001-2010.

Science.gov (United States)

Henderson, Jillian T; Puri, Mahesh; Blum, Maya; Harper, Cynthia C; Rana, Ashma; Gurung, Geeta; Pradhan, Neelam; Regmi, Kiran; Malla, Kasturi; Sharma, Sudha; Grossman, Daniel; Bajracharya, Lata; Satyal, Indira; Acharya, Shridhar; Lamichhane, Prabhat; Darney, Philip D

2013-01-01

Abortion was legalized in Nepal in 2002, following advocacy efforts highlighting high maternal mortality from unsafe abortion. We sought to assess whether legalization led to reductions in the most serious maternal health consequences of unsafe abortion. We conducted retrospective medical chart review of all gynecological cases presenting at four large public referral hospitals in Nepal. For the years 2001-2010, all cases of spontaneous and induced abortion complications were identified, abstracted, and coded to classify cases of serious infection, injury, and systemic complications. We used segmented Poisson and ordinary logistic regression to test for trend and risks of serious complications for three time periods: before implementation (2001-2003), early implementation (2004-2006), and later implementation (2007-2010). 23,493 cases of abortion complications were identified. A significant downward trend in the proportion of serious infection, injury, and systemic complications was observed for the later implementation period, along with a decline in the risk of serious complications (OR 0.7, 95% CI 0.64, 0.85). Reductions in sepsis occurred sooner, during early implementation (OR 0.6, 95% CI 0.47, 0.75). Over the study period, health care use and the population of reproductive aged women increased. Total fertility also declined by nearly half, despite relatively low contraceptive prevalence. Greater numbers of women likely obtained abortions and sought hospital care for complications following legalization, yet we observed a significant decline in the rate of serious abortion morbidity. The liberalization of abortion policy in Nepal has benefited women's health, and likely contributes to falling maternal mortality in the country. The steepest decline was observed after expansion of the safe abortion program to include midlevel providers, second trimester training, and medication abortion, highlighting the importance of concerted efforts to improve access. Other

Promoting small towns for rural development: a view from Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Bajracharya, B N

1995-06-01

Two small villages in Nepal are the subjects of case studies that illustrate the role of small towns in provision of services, employment, and market operations. Some general findings are that small towns act as service centers for distribution of basic essential goods such as food grains, salt, kerosene, and fabric for hill and mountain areas. The role of small towns as market centers and in the provision of employment is limited. In resource-poor areas small towns are less diversified. Towns with agricultural surpluses are more developed. Small hill towns satisfy consumption rather than production needs. The growth of rural areas and towns in rural areas in Nepal is dependent on arable land and levels of production in hill areas. Limited land and low levels of production have an adverse impact. Movement of people, goods, and services is limited by difficult terrain and lack of access to good roads. Variability in access to off-farm jobs and services available in small towns varies with ethnicity and place of residence. The best development strategy for small towns in Nepal is market-oriented territorial development, which retains surpluses in the local area and integrates markets in the larger economy. The strategy would decentralize planning into small territorial units that include both small towns and groups of villages, provide institutional support for the rural poor, expand off-farm employment, and include investment in region-serving functions. Subsistence agriculture needs to include diversification of high value cash crops based on local comparative advantage suitable for hill climate and terrain. Small farmers must produce both cash and subsistence crops. Government should provide market space and paved areas, weighing facilities, and overnight storage facilities. Products would be processed at the village level. Subdistricts must be established according to spatial and social linkages between villages and the service center and coordinated at the

Collection for Nepal

CERN Multimedia

Staff Association

2015-01-01

Following the violent earthquake in Nepal and neighbouring countries, a collection of money to help the victims was organized at CERN. A sum of 34 800 CHF was collected, and transferred to the NGO Live to Love. On July 22, the NGO sent a letter to CERN thanking for the support (see below). You can also find more information concerning this NGO and how they use their funds on our website: http://staff-association.web.cern.ch/sites/staff-association.web.cern.ch/files/Docs/Live_to_Love.pdf

Perception of security by health workforce at workplace in Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Prajapati, R; Baral, B; Karki, K B; Neupane, M

2013-05-01

In Nepal, the relationship of health worker and patient or community people is now deteriorating and the security and safety of health worker is becoming emerging issues. The poor relationship between community people and health worker is hampering the health service especially in rural setting. This study was aimed at finding the security perception and situation of health workforce in Nepal. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted using both quantitative and qualitative methods. Out of 404 sample health institutions, 747 health workforce from 375 health institutions were interviewed (workplace. Mostly, doctors felt insecure at their workplace 24 (30%) and argued with service users , 26 (32.50%). Feeling of security was highest in central region 160 (83.30%). Nationwide, 121 (16%) of health workers faced some level of arguments with service users, which was highest in Tarai 64 (18.08%). Of the total harassment, both gender based and sexual harassment was higher among female health workers [20 (62.5%) and 13 (56.5%) respectively]. Only, 230 (30.7%) of health workers who suffered from workplace accidents got compensation and treatment. Higher proportions of health workers feel insecurity at workplace whereas provision of compensation was minimal. There is a need of strict implementation of Security of the Health Workers and Health Organizations Act, 2066 (2009) for effective health service delivery.

Generic Pest Risk Analysis for Potato in Nepal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Baidya Nath Mahto

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Pest Risk Analysis (PRA is the process of evaluation for biological and economic evidences in order to determine whether a pest should be regulated under phyto-sanitary measures. The present mini review highlights the potential potato pathogen list recorded in Nepal harmful for potato production and productivity. At global scale altogether 135 potential quarantine pests (PQP for potato has been recorded, while in Nepal only 92 PQP were recorded. Out of those 52, 13 and 27 were fungi, bacteria and viruses respectively. Among the 92 PQP, 34, 30 and 13 were considered at high, medium and lower risk type pathogens for potato. There was no information available on other 15 PQP.

A hyperendemic focus of Taenia solium transmission in the Banke District of Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Sah, Keshav; Poudel, Ishab; Subedi, Suyog; Singh, Dinesh Kumar; Cocker, Jo; Kushwaha, Peetambar; Colston, Angela; Donadeu, Meritxell; Lightowlers, Marshall W

2017-12-01

Neurocysticercosis is a major cause of epilepsy in countries where Taenia solium is endemic and the parasite is a major cause of food-borne disease globally. Pigs are the natural intermediate host involved in transmission of the parasite. T. solium is known to be endemic in Nepal, however there is limited reliable data about the prevalence of the disease in Nepal. The aim of this study was to determine accurately the prevalence of porcine cysticercosis in slaughter age pigs in an area of Nepal where pigs are known to be free-roaming. Pigs were obtained from the Udaypur Village Development Committee (VDC) and Hirminiya & Betahani VDC of the Banke district in Nepal. One hundred and ten animals of slaughter age (approximately 8-16 months old) were purchased, slaughtered and the heart, liver, brain and half the body skeletal musculature were sliced using hand knives and the number and viability of T. solium cysts determined. Thirty two of the 110 animals were found to harbour T. solium cysticerci (29%), of which 30 (27%) were found to have viable cysticerci (93% of the infected animals). This is one of the highest prevalences of porcine cysticercosis that has been reported to date from the results of necropsy on randomly selected animals. This study highlights a high rate of transmission of T. solium in the Banke District of Nepal. It encourages further investigation of human and porcine cysticercosis in Nepal, as well as implementation of efforts to reduce transmission of the parasite and the associated human disease. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

First isolation of dengue virus from the 2010 epidemic in Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Pandey, Basu D; Nabeshima, Takeshi; Pandey, Kishor; Rajendra, Saroj P; Shah, Yogendra; Adhikari, Bal R; Gupta, Govinda; Gautam, Ishan; Tun, Mya M N; Uchida, Reo; Shrestha, Mahendra; Kurane, Ichiro; Morita, Kouichi

2013-09-01

Dengue is an emerging disease in Nepal and was first observed as an outbreak in nine lowland districts in 2006. In 2010, however, a large epidemic of dengue occurred with 4,529 suspected and 917 serologically-confirmed cases and five deaths reported in government hospitals in Nepal. The collection of demographic information was performed along with an entomological survey and clinical evaluation of the patients. A total of 280 serum samples were collected from suspected dengue patients. These samples were subjected to routine laboratory investigations and IgM-capture ELISA for dengue serological identification, and 160 acute serum samples were used for virus isolation, RT-PCR, sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. The results showed that affected patients were predominately adults, and that 10% of the cases were classified as dengue haemorrhagic fever/ dengue shock syndrome. The genetic characterization of dengue viruses isolated from patients in four major outbreak areas of Nepal suggests that the DENV-1 strain was responsible for the 2010 epidemic. Entomological studies identified Aedes aegypti in all epidemic areas. All viruses belonged to a monophyletic single clade which is phylogenetically close to Indian viruses. The dengue epidemic started in the lowlands and expanded to the highland areas. To our knowledge, this is the first dengue isolation and genetic characterization reported from Nepal.

Psychiatric morbidity in elderly patients attending OPD of tertiary care centre in western region of Nepal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Prakash Thapa

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Context: Aging of population is currently a global phenomenon. At least one in 5 people over the age of 65 years will suffer from a mental disorder by 2030. Study of psychiatric morbidities in this age group is essential to prepare for upcoming challenges. Aims: To find out the prevalence of different psychiatric morbidities in elderly population and to find out if there are any age and gender specific differences. Settings and Design: Retrospective review; Psychiatric outpatient department of Manipal Teaching Hospital, Pokhara, Nepal. Materials and Methods: Data for patients ≥ 65 years of age attending the psychiatric outpatient department of Manipal Teaching Hospital, Pokhara, Nepal, from 1 st January 2012 to 15 th January 2013 were collected retrospectively in a predesigned proforma. Statistical Analysis Used: Risk of having different psychiatric disorders was estimated using odds ratio. Results: The mean age of 120 patients included in this study was 69.67 (SD = 5.94 years. Depressive disorder (26.7% was the most common diagnosis. There was no statistically significant difference in psychiatric disorders in >75 years compared with ≤75 years except for dementia [odd ratio (OR (≤75 years/>75 years=0.055, 95% confidence interval (CI=0.016; 0.194]. Alcohol dependence syndrome [OR (male/female=7.826, 95% CI = 1.699;36.705] and dementia [OR (male/female=3.394, 95% CI = 1.015;11.350] was more common in males. Conclusions: Depressive disorder was the most common psychiatric morbidity among the elderly patients. The odds suffering from dementia increased with increasing age. The odds of having alcohol related problems and dementia were more in males compared with females.

Challenging gender roles through STEM education in Nepal

Science.gov (United States)

Wallenius, Todd J.

Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) education programs are currently being introduced and expanded across "developing" nations. STEM programs often conflict with hegemonic gender norms, for example by targeting girls and women in male dominated societies. However, given the cultural complexity of STEM for girls, implementing educators are rarely asked their point of view on programs from abroad. This study explored the perceptions of educators in Nepal who participated in the Girls Get STEM Skills (GGSS) program, a program funded through the U.S. Department of State for 2015/2016. The 8-month program reached 254 girls across three government schools and included the donation of 30 laptops. In August, 2016, the researcher conducted one-on-one interviews and focus groups with 18 participants at GGSS school sites in Pokhara, Nepal. Qualitative data was gathered on educators' perceptions of teacher roles, Nepal as a developing nation, gender imbalance in STEM, and the GGSS curriculum. The study argues that educators viewed educational topics through the lens of bikas, the Nepali word for development. This suggests that the principal impact of STEM programs--as part of larger development initiatives--may be the creation and reinforcement of new social meanings rather than the tangible impacts of the projects themselves.

Status and prospects of maize research in Nepal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Govind KC

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Food and nutritional securities are the major threats coupled with declining factor productivity and climate change effects in Nepal. Maize being the principal food crops of the majority of the hill people and source of animal feed for ever growing livestock industries in Terai of Nepal. Despite the many efforts made to increase the maize productivity in the country, the results are not much encouraging. Many of the maize based technologies developed and recommended for the farmers to date are not fully adopted. Therefore, problem is either on technology development or on dissemination or on both. Considering the above facts, some of the innovative and modern approaches of plant breeding and crop management technologies to increase the maize yield need to be developed and disseminated. There is a need for location-specific maize production technologies, especially for lowland winter maize, marginal upland maize production system, and resource poor farmers. Research efforts can be targeted to address both yield potential and on-farm yields by reducing the impacts of abiotic and biotic constraints. Therefore, in order to streamline the future direction of maize research in Nepal, an attempt has been made in this article to highlight the present status and future prospects with few key pathways.

Developing conservation governance strategies: holistic management of protected areas in Nepal

OpenAIRE

Budhathoki, Prabhu

2012-01-01

The Buffer Zone (BZ) concept has been introduced in Nepal as a key component of the national biodiversity conservation strategy to mitigate the impacts of protected areas on local communities, and thereby reduce adverse impacts of local people on protected areas. Unlike traditional Buffer Zone programmes which are mostly limited to creating a protective layer and/or distributing economic benefits to local people, the Buffer Zone management approach in Nepal integrates livelihoods and conserva...

Climate Change and its Impacts on Tourism and Livelihood in Manaslu Conservation Area, Nepal

Science.gov (United States)

K C, A.

2017-12-01

The Hindukush Himalayan region including Nepal, a country reliant on tourism, is particularly sensitive to climate change. It had impact on different sectors of the environment including tourism and livelihood. There are very few researches focused on tourism, livelihood and climate change in Nepal. The present research assesses the impact of climate change on tourism and livelihood in the Manaslu Conservation Area (MCA) of Nepal. In this study, the empirical data collected at the field was complemented by secondary data on climate and tourism. For primary data collection, seventy-six households were interviewed followed by three focus group discussions and five key informant interviews. Correlation, regression and graphical analysis was carried out for the presentation of data. Local people perceived that temperature and rainfall have been increasing in the study site as a result of climate change. Change in usual pattern of temperature and rainfall had affected tourism sector. Socioeconomic variables such as marital status, size of household, education and landholding status had positive effect on tourism participation while livestock-holding status and occupation of the household had negative effect on tourism participation. Number of visitors is increasing in MCA in recent years, and tourism participation is helping local people to earn more money and improve their living standard. In response to gradually warming temperature and decreasing snowfall, there seems an urgent need for tourism promotional activities in the study area. Also awareness and education related to tourism, gender empowerment of women, advertisement and publicity on tourism promotion, adequate subsidy and training on ecotourism and skill development trainings on handicraft are recommended.

Mitochondrial DNA analyses and ecological niche modeling reveal post-LGM expansion of the Assam macaque (Macaca assamensis) in the foothills of Nepal Himalaya.

Science.gov (United States)

Khanal, Laxman; Chalise, Mukesh K; He, Kai; Acharya, Bipin K; Kawamoto, Yoshi; Jiang, Xuelong

2018-03-01

Genetic diversity of a species is influenced by multiple factors, including the Quaternary glacial-interglacial cycles and geophysical barriers. Such factors are not yet well documented for fauna from the southern border of the Himalayan region. This study used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequences and ecological niche modeling (ENM) to explore how the late Pleistocene climatic fluctuations and complex geography of the Himalayan region have shaped genetic diversity, population genetic structure, and demographic history of the Nepalese population of Assam macaques (Macaca assamensis) in the Himalayan foothills. A total of 277 fecal samples were collected from 39 wild troops over almost the entire distribution of the species in Nepal. The mtDNA fragment encompassing the complete control region (1121 bp) was recovered from 208 samples, thus defining 54 haplotypes. Results showed low nucleotide diversity (0.0075 ± SD 0.0001) but high haplotype diversity (0.965 ± SD 0.004). The mtDNA sequences revealed a shallow population genetic structure with a moderate but statistically significant effect of isolation by distance. Demographic history analyses using mtDNA sequences suggested a post-pleistocene population expansion. Paleodistribution reconstruction projected that the potential habitat of the Assam macaque was confined to the lower elevations of central Nepal during the Last Glacial Maximum. With the onset of the Holocene climatic optimum, the glacial refugia population experienced eastward range expansion to higher elevations. We conclude that the low genetic diversity and shallow population genetic structure of the Assam macaque population in the Nepal Himalaya region are the consequence of recent demographic and spatial expansion. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Evidence of a Large Triggered Event in the Nepal Himalaya Following the Gorkha Earthquake: Implications Toward Enhanced Seismic Hazard

Science.gov (United States)

Mandal, Prantik

2018-03-01

A DC (double couple) constrained multiple point-source moment-tensor inversion is performed on the band-passed (0.008-0.10 Hz) displacement data of the 25 April (M w 7.8) 2015 Nepal mainshock, from 17 broadband stations in India. Our results reveal that the 25 April event (strike = 324°, dip = 14°, rake = 88°) ruptured the north-dipping main Himalayan thrust (MHT) at 16 km depth. We modeled the Coulomb failure stress changes (ΔCFS) produced by the slip on the fault plane of the 25 April Nepal mainshock. A strong correlation with occurrences of aftershocks and regions of increased positive ΔCFS is obtained below the aftershock zone of the 2015 Nepal mainshock. We notice that predicted ΔCFS at 16 km depth show a positive Coulomb stress of 0.06 MPa at the location of the 12 May 2015 event. These small modeled stress changes can lead to trigger events if the crust is already near to failure, but these small stresses can also advance the occurrence of future earthquakes. The main finding of our ΔCFS modeling implies that the 25 April event increased the Coulomb stress changes by 0.06 MPa at 16 km depth below the site of the 12 May event, and thus, this event can be termed as triggered. We propose that the seismic hazard in the Himalaya is not only caused by the mainshock slip on the MHT; rather, the occurrence of large triggered event on the MHT can also enhance our understanding of the seismic hazard in the Nepal Himalaya.

Preferred Source and Perceived Need of More Information about Dental Implants by the Undergraduate Dental Students of Nepal: All Nepal Survey

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arati Sharma

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Objectives. This study was conducted to know the preferred source and perceived need of more information about dental implants by the undergraduate students of Nepal and their association with academic levels and gender. Materials and Methods. It was conducted in all the dental colleges of Nepal from June 2016 to June 2017 after taking ethical clearance and approval from the research committee of BPKIHS. It included all those who were present at the time of survey. Data collection was done through a cross-sectional questionnaire survey during the academic schedule of the colleges, supervised and monitored by the investigators themselves. The collected data were coded and entered in Microsoft excel 2013, and statistical analysis was done by SPSS 20 version. Result. A majority of the respondents agreed that they were not provided with sufficient information about implant treatment procedures during their BDS program (65.3%, would like more to be provided in the curriculum (95.1%, and would like to get additional reliable information from dental consultants and specialists (40.7% and training on it from fellowship programs conducted by universities (39.2%. Significant association was seen between the responses and academic levels. Conclusion. Undergraduate dental students of Nepal want more information about dental implants through various means.

Preferred Source and Perceived Need of More Information about Dental Implants by the Undergraduate Dental Students of Nepal: All Nepal Survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Sharma, Arati; Shrestha, Bidhan; Chaudhari, Bijay Kumar; Suwal, Pramita; Singh, Raj Kumar; Niraula, Surya Raj; Parajuli, Prakash Kumar

2018-01-01

This study was conducted to know the preferred source and perceived need of more information about dental implants by the undergraduate students of Nepal and their association with academic levels and gender. It was conducted in all the dental colleges of Nepal from June 2016 to June 2017 after taking ethical clearance and approval from the research committee of BPKIHS. It included all those who were present at the time of survey. Data collection was done through a cross-sectional questionnaire survey during the academic schedule of the colleges, supervised and monitored by the investigators themselves. The collected data were coded and entered in Microsoft excel 2013, and statistical analysis was done by SPSS 20 version. A majority of the respondents agreed that they were not provided with sufficient information about implant treatment procedures during their BDS program (65.3%), would like more to be provided in the curriculum (95.1%), and would like to get additional reliable information from dental consultants and specialists (40.7%) and training on it from fellowship programs conducted by universities (39.2%). Significant association was seen between the responses and academic levels. Undergraduate dental students of Nepal want more information about dental implants through various means.

Public and Private School Performance in Nepal: An Analysis Using the SLC Examination

Science.gov (United States)

Thapa, Amrit

2015-01-01

Using data from the survey of the Ministry of Education, Nepal-2005 for School Leaving Certificate Exam, this paper analyzes public and private school performance in Nepal. The ordinary least square estimates suggest that private school students perform better than public school students. However, the problem of self-selection bias arises, as…

IAU Project and Research Activity in Nepal

Science.gov (United States)

Gautam, Suman

2015-08-01

The second half of the twentieth century has witnessed a tremendous development in the field of astronomy and space exploration. The large telescope both on the land and in the orbit, using the whole range of the electromagnetic spectra from radio waves to gamma rays are extending their range of exploration, right to the edge of the observable universe, and making astounding discoveries in the process. Many large international telescope facilities and global plans are accessible to all astronomers throughout the world, providing an inexpensive entry to cutting- edge international research for developing countries.Nepal is a mountainous country it has a wide range of climatic and altitude variations which varies from an elevation of 200 meter to ≥ 4000 meter. The average temperature varies from ≥ 25 o C to ≤ 0 to 5oC. Because of these diverse weather and climatic variation there is the potential for the establishment of sophisticated observatory/ data centre and link with each other. So, the future possible opportunity of astronomy in Nepal will be discussed. Besides Education and Research activities conducted in Tribhuvan University, Nepal under the support of International Astronomical Union (IAU) will also be highlighted. The importance brought by those two workshops conducted on data simulation supported by IAU under TF1 will also be discussed which is believed to play a vital role for the promotion and development of astronomy and astrophysics in developing countries.

Emigration from Nepal: some major issues.

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, M L

1997-07-01

This study examined emigration from Nepal during 1952-91. Data were obtained from census records decennially. Records indicate that the volume of emigration amounted to about 2.39% of total population in 1952-53, and 3.58% in 1991. The level of emigration rose from 198,120 persons to 658,290. Emigrants are persons who were absent from their home for more than 6 months due to tourism, pilgrimage, business trips, studies, employment, or permanent migration. Most emigrants return home after several months or years. A recent survey finds that 14.1% returned after more than 5 years. The Nepal model of migration is different from conventional or Marxist models. For example, landlessness or near landlessness are not the primary reasons for migration. The recent emigration to Arab countries is driven by the desire for better income. Emigrants pay handsomely to go abroad for work (Rs. 85,000). Nepalese emigrate to Australia and the US for a better income and a better life. The proportion of female emigrants was 6.23% of total emigrants to Arab countries, and 16.2% to India. 31% of emigrants were females who emigrated to North America, and 29% emigrated to European countries. Emigrants to Arab countries were likely to return home. Emigrants to North America and Europe were likely to be permanent migrants. The author prefers Mellassoux's (1981) model that says that Nepal is losing manpower during their most productive years. Remittances do not offset the loss. Government costs are incurred for supporting education abroad, benefits in old age and for youth, and the spread of sexually transmitted diseases.

Laboratory and molecular surveillance of paediatric typhoidal Salmonella in Nepal: Antimicrobial resistance and implications for vaccine policy.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carl D Britto

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Children are substantially affected by enteric fever in most settings with a high burden of the disease, including Nepal. However pathogen population structure and transmission dynamics are poorly delineated in young children, the proposed target group for immunization programs. Here we present whole genome sequencing and antimicrobial susceptibility data on 198 S. Typhi and 66 S. Paratyphi A isolated from children aged 2 months to 15 years of age during blood culture surveillance at Patan Hospital, Nepal, 2008-2016.S. Typhi was the dominant agent and comprised several distinct genotypes, dominated by 4.3.1 (H58. The heterogeneity of genotypes in children under five was reduced compared to data from 2005-2006, attributable to ongoing clonal expansion of H58. Most isolates (86% were non-susceptible to fluoroquinolones, associated mainly with S. Typhi H58 lineage II and S. Paratyphi A harbouring mutations in the quinolone resistance-determining region (QRDR; non-susceptible strains from these groups accounted for 50% and 25% of all isolates. Multi-drug resistance (MDR was rare (3.5% of S. Typhi, 0 S. Paratyphi A and restricted to chromosomal insertions of resistance genes in H58 lineage I strains. Temporal analyses revealed a shift in dominance from H58 Lineage I to H58 Lineage II, with the latter being significantly more common after 2010. Comparison to global data sets showed the local S. Typhi and S. Paratyphi A strains had close genetic relatives in other South Asian countries, indicating regional strain circulation. Multiple imports from India of ciprofloxacin-resistant H58 lineage II strains were identified, but these were rare and showed no evidence of clonal replacement of local S. Typhi.These data indicate that enteric fever in Nepal continues to be a major public health issue with ongoing inter- and intra-country transmission, and highlights the need for regional coordination of intervention strategies. The absence of a S. Paratyphi A

Occupational radiation exposure monitoring among radiation workers in Nepal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bhatt, Chhavi Raj; Shrestha, Shanta Lall; Khanal, Tara; Ween, Borgny

2008-01-01

Nepal was accepted as a member of the IAEA in 2007. Nepal is one of the world's least developed countries and is defined in Health Level IV. The population counted 26.4 millions in 2007. The health care sector increases with new hospitals and clinics, however, Nepal has no radiation protection authority or radiation protection regulation in the country until now. The radiation producing equipment in the health sector includes conventional X-ray and dental X-ray equipment, fluoroscopes, mammography, CT, catheterization laboratory equipment, nuclear medicine facilities, a few linear accelerators, Co 60 teletherapy and High Dose Rate brachytherapy sources. The situation regarding dosimetry service for radiation workers is unclear. A survey has been carried out to give an overview of the situation. The data collection of the survey was performed by phone call interviews with responsible staff at the different hospitals and clinics. Data about different occupationally exposed staff, use of personal radiation monitoring and type of dosimetry system were collected. In addition, it was asked if dosimetry reports were compiled in files or databases for further follow-up of staff, if needed. The survey shows that less of 25% of the procedures performed on the surveyed hospitals and clinics are performed by staff with personnel radiation monitoring. Radiation monitoring service for exposed staff is not compulsory or standardized, since there is no radiation protection authority. Nepal has taken a step forward regarding radiation protection, with the IAEA membership, although there are still major problems that have to be solved. An evaluation of the existing practice of staff dosimetry can be the first helpful step for further work in building a national radiation protection authority. (author)

First Isolation of Dengue Virus from the 2010 Epidemic in Nepal

OpenAIRE

Pandey, Basu D.; Nabeshima, Takeshi; Pandey, Kishor; Rajendra, Saroj P.; Shah, Yogendra; Adhikari, Bal R.; Gupta, Govinda; Gautam, Ishan; Tun, Mya M. N.; Uchida, Reo; Shrestha, Mahendra; Kurane, Ichiro; Morita, Kouichi

2013-01-01

Denguei is an emerging disease in Nepal and was first observed as an outbreak in nine lowland districts in 2006. In 2010, however, a large epidemic of dengue occurred with 4,529 suspected and 917 serologicallyconfirmed cases and five deaths reported in government hospitals in Nepal. The collection of demographic information was performed along with an entomological survey and clinical evaluation of the patients. A total of 280 serum samples were collected from suspected dengue patients. These...

Economic Relationship between Access to Land and Rural Poverty in Nepal

OpenAIRE

Chandra Bahadur Adhikar; Trond Bjorndal

2014-01-01

In the present socio-economic structure of Nepal, land is the main source of income and consumption for the majority of Nepalese. This study analyses the economic relationship between access to land and poverty in Nepal by establishing the link between land and consumption as well as land and income. A generalised additive model (GAM) and ordinary least squares (OLS) demonstrate that greater access to land increases income and consumption of the household and thereby reduces poverty. The sign...

Trade in Health Service: Unfair Competition of Pharmaceutical Products in Nepal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Madhusudan Subedi

2010-02-01

Full Text Available About 35 percent of the total demand for medicines in Nepal is covered by Nepali Pharmaceutical companies, and such companies are moving ahead for producing different kinds of medicines. The Government of Nepal, Department of Drug Administration (DDA has formulated different regulations and guidelines to ensure ethical practices in the medical sector of Nepal. Ethical Promotion of Medicine-2007 was developed and released to encourage the improvement of health care through the rational use of medicine and discourage unethical practices. It is distressing that the guidelines have not been implemented properly due to the conflict of interests among concerned stakeholders. The cost of medicine has been very expensive and poor people have always suffered. Key Words: Bonus; Ethical Guideline; Unethical Practices; Pharmaceutical Regulation; Conflict of Interest DOI: 10.3126/dsaj.v3i0.2783 Dhaulagiri Journal of Sociology and Anthropology Vol.3 2009 123-142

Utilization of maternal health care services in post-conflict Nepal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bhandari TR

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Tulsi Ram Bhandari, Prabhakaran Sankara Sarma, Vellappillil Raman Kutty Achutha Menon Centre for Health Science Studies, Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, Trivandrum, Kerala, India Background: Despite a decade-long armed conflict in Nepal, the country made progress in reducing maternal mortality and is on its way to achieve the Millennium Development Goal Five. This study aimed to assess the degree of the utilization of maternal health care services during and after the armed conflict in Nepal.Methods: This study is based on Nepal Demographic and Health Survey data 2006 and 2011. The units of analysis were women who had given birth to at least one child in the past 5 years preceding the survey. First, we compared the utilization of maternal health care services of 2006 with that of 2011. Second, we merged the two data sets and applied logistic regression to distinguish whether the utilization of maternal health care services had improved after the peace process 2006 was underway.Results: In 2011, 85% of the women sought antenatal care at least once. Skilled health workers for delivery care assisted 36.1% of the women, and 46% of the women attended postnatal care visit at least once. These figures were 70%, 18.7%, and 16%, respectively, in 2006. Similarly, women were more likely to utilize antenatal care at least once (odds ratio [OR] =2.18, confidence interval [CI] =1.95–2.43, skilled care at birth (OR =2.58, CI =2.36–2.81, and postnatal care at least once (OR =4.13, CI =3.75–4.50 in 2011.Conclusion: The utilization of maternal health care services tended to increase continuously during both the armed conflict and the post-conflict period in Nepal. However, the increasing proportion of the utilization was higher after the Comprehensive Peace Process Agreement 2006. Keywords: antenatal care, armed conflict, Nepal, post-conflict, postnatal care, skilled care at birth

Halfway up the highway: Can Nepal meet its Health Millennium Development Goals?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abhinav Vaidya

2009-01-01

Full Text Available The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs are international objectives on poverty reduction adopted by the world community and provide the broad context for this revolution in thinking and practice. The MDGs place a central focus on public health, in recognition of the fact that improvements in public health are vital not only in their own right but also to break the poverty trap of the world's poorest economies. Nepal has been committed to achieving the MDGs since it endorsed the Millennium Declaration. As we have at present just passed the midway through the 15 years to MDGs deadline of 2015, this article reviews the status of Nepal in achieving the MDGs, the challenges it faces and whether it can achieve the MDGs by 2015. Key words: development, goals, health, millennium, Nepal

The Role of Civil Society in Shaping Democratic Civil-Military Relations During Political Transition in Nepal

Science.gov (United States)

2015-03-01

Participation,” in Nepal: Quest for Participatory Democracy , ed. L. R. Baral (New Delhi: Adroit, 2006), 1. 68 Ibid, 3. 69 Ibid, 10. 70 Yanyong Innanchai...Political Participation.” In Nepal: Quest for Participatory Democracy , edited by L. R. Baral, 1–15. New Delhi: Adroit, 2006. . “The Nepali...with an emphasis on the current period. Since its first experience with democracy in 1950, the king intenupted Nepal ’s pw-suit of consolidation until

Farmers' laws and irrigation : water rights and dispute management in the hills of Nepal

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Poudel, R.

2000-01-01

The title of my Thesis is "Farmers' Laws and Irrigation: Water Rights and Dispute Management in the Hills of Nepal". This is based on a research I conducted in the Thulotar Kulo irrigation system in Nepal, during 1997 and 1998. Thulotar Kulo is a farmer-managed irrigation

The Genesis of August 2017 Nepal Floods

Science.gov (United States)

Uprety, M.; Dugar, S.; Gautam, D.; Budimir, M.; Parajuli, B.; Kharbuja, R. G.

2017-12-01

The 2017 monsoon in Nepal was normal until mid-August 2017 when a low pressure system that formed parallel to the foothills of the Churia range brought significant amount of rain in the southern Terai belt. Rivers from East to West swelled as many of them crossed the pre-defined warning thresholds, and rainfall depths in excess of 200 mm to 600 mm were recorded in over a dozen meteorological stations across the country between 11th and 13th of August. The West Rapti River recorded water level of approximately 9 meters while the adjacent Babai River crossed 10 meters and smaller rivers such as Riu Khola and Kankai rose up to 4.8 meters and 5.5 meters respectively, well above danger levels for consecutive days. Early warning systems established in the aforementioned rivers were critical to saving lives and livelihoods. However the severity of flash floods from intermittent streams that originate from the Churia range caught people unaware and led to massive water logging and devastation across Eastern and Central Nepal that claimed 96 lives and displaced more than 14.060 families. The Department of Hydrology and Meteorology with help from telecom operators sent more than 6 million SMS messages to communities residing along the floodplains. These messages provided them with critical information on when to evacuate their homes and move to safer grounds, yet the shear spatial scale and extend of floods meant that communities struggled to find refuge on higher ground. Whilst the Global Flood Awareness System (GLoFAS) indicated with medium probability that major rivers across Nepal might swell in mid-August and the 3 day rainfall forecasts from the Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) consistently indicated heavy precipitation in the southern Terai belt, yet no significant early actions were taken in response to this information. Despite the availability of forecast information on streamflow prediction and rainfall, there was limited pre-emptive actions and now it is

Characteristic of low vision patients attending an eye hospital in eastern region of Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Labh, R K; Adhikari, P R; Karki, P; Singh, S K; Sitoula, R P

2015-01-01

Low vision is an important public health problem. To study the profile of low vision patients in a hospital of Nepal. Information related to the patients' profile, visual status, ocular disease and, low vision devices prescribed were obtained retrospectively from the records of 1,860 visually- impaired patients, regardless of the cause, presenting to the low vision department of the Biratnagar Eye Hospital, Biratnagar, Nepal, over a period of four years. These patients, after a comprehensive ocular examination, underwent low vision examination by an ophthalmologist and a low vision specialist. Of 1,860 patients, males comprised 1298 (70 %), while 562 (30 %) patients were female. Six hundred and one (32.3%) patients were of less than 20 years while 398(21.4%) were more than 60 years of age. Agriculture (500, 27 %), household work (341, 18 %) and students (308, 17 %) were the common occupations. Retinal diseases were the commonest cause of low vision. They were: macular disorders 408 (22 %), retinitis pigmentosa 226 (12.1 %) and other retinal causes 361 (19.4 %) (diabetic retinopathy, choroidal coloboma, post laser for retinal vasculitis and central retinal/branch retinal vein occlusion, healed macular chorioretinal scar secondary to retinochroiditis and choroiditis). Refractive error 215 (11.5 %), amblyopia 49 (2.6 %), optic atrophy 144 (7.8 %) and microphthalmos 105 (5.6 %) were the other causes. Uncorrected distance visual acuity was between 6/24 and 6/60 in 509 (27.4 %) and between 5/60 and PL in 1,327 (71.3 %) patients. Similarly, near visual acuity with vision better than 2.50 M (N 20) and worse than 2.50 M (N20) was present in 643(34.5%) and 1,217(65.5%) patients. About 67% and 54.5% of the patients had some improvement in their distance and near visual acuity with glasses and low vision aids. Distance spectacles 909 (49 %), near spectacles 106 (5.7 %), hand held magnifiers 78 (4 %) and telescopes 18 (1 %) were the optical devices prescribed. The prevalence of

Ethnic Disparities in Contraceptive Use and Its Impact on Family Planning Program in Nepal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mukesh Mishra

2010-09-01

Full Text Available Objective: Regardless of three decades of implementation of family planning program in Nepal, need offamily planning services is largely unmet. Systematic studies, evaluating the impact of family program onseveral ethnic groups of Nepal has not been carried out in large scale. This study sheds light on theinvestigation of, whether the use of contraceptives varies among different ethnic groups in Nepal andwhat are the predictors of contraceptive variance in ethnic groups in Nepal.Materials and methods: The study is based on data collected from Nepal Demographic Health Survey(NDHS 2006. Multilevel logistic regression analyses of 10793 married women of reproductive agenested within 264 clusters from the surveys were considered as the sample size. Individual, household,and program variables were set and a multilevel logistic regression model was fitted to analyze thevariables, using GLLAMM command in STATA-9.Results: Multilevel logistic regression analysis indicated that Muslims, Dalits and Terai madheshi womenwere significantly less likely to use modern contraceptives compared to the Brahmins and Chhetries(Higher Castes. Women who were exposed to family planning information in radio were more likely touse modern contraceptives than women not exposed to radio information (OR=1.22, P> 0.01. An odd ofusing contraceptives by Newar was (OR 1.09, P>0.05, the highest among all ethnic groups. Exposure ofwomen to family planning messages through health facilities, family planning workers, and means ofcommunication, increased the odds of using modern contraceptives. However, impact of the familyplanning information on contraceptive use varied among ethnicity.Conclusion: Special attention need to be paid, in particular to the ethnicity, while formulating familyplanning policies in Nepal, for better success rate of family planning intervention programs.

Soil Fertility Assessment and Mapping of Regional Agricultural Research Station, Parwanipur, Bara, Nepal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dinesh Khadka

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Soil fertility assessment is a key for sustainable planning of a particular area. Thus, the present study was conducted to assess the soil fertility status of the Regional Agricultural Research Station, Parwanipur, Bara, Nepal. The study area is situated at the latitude 27°4’40.9’’N and longitude 84°56’9.85”E at 75masl altitude. Altogether 76 soil samples were collected based on the variability of land at 0-20 cm depth. The texture, pH, OM, total N, available P2O5, K2O, Ca, Mg, S, B, Fe, Zn, Cu and Mn content in the samples were determined following standard analytical methods. Arc-GIS 10.1 was used for soil fertility mapping. The soil structure was angular blocky, and varied between grayish brown (10YR 5/2 and dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2 in color. The sand, silt and clay content were 24.41±0.59%, 54.57±0.44% and 21.03±0.32%, respectively and categorized as silt loam and loam in texture. The soil was moderately acidic in pH (5.67±0.09, low in organic matter (0.74±0.04% and available Sulphur (0.8± 0.1 ppm. The total nitrogen (0.06±0.001%, available boron (0.59±0.08ppm and available zinc (0.51±0.05ppm were low. Furthermore, available potassium (50.26±2.95ppm, available calcium (1674.6±46.3ppm and available magnesium (175.43± 8.93ppm were medium. Moreover, available copper (1.36±0.06 ppm and available manganese (16.52±1.12 ppm were high, while, available phosphorus (77.55±6.65 ppm and available iron (85.88±7.05 ppm were found high. It is expected that the present study would help to guide practices required for sustainable soil fertility management and developing future agricultural research strategy in the farm.

Politicians in apron: case study of rebel health services in Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Devkota, Bhimsen; van Teijlingen, Edwin R

2009-10-01

This article presents the findings of a systematic review on the health consequences of Nepal's armed conflict waged by the Maoists and the development and trajectory of their health workers. Nepal's decade-long violent conflict resulted in more than 13,000 deaths, the destruction of more than 1000 health posts and poor health services delivery. At present, most of the former rebel health workers live in remote/rural areas and some are running health centers. The review found that the Maoists had trained more than 2000 health workers, who can be categorized into 4 levels. However, there is little evidence on their competencies and career motivation. The Maoists demand restructuring of the Nepalese health sector and the integration of their health workforce into the national health system. However, there has been no national discussion in Nepal of what kind of health reform and integration model is appropriate for a sustainable peace and improved service delivery.

Impact of Irrigation Method on Water Use Efficiency and Productivity of Fodder Crops in Nepal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ajay K Jha

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Improved irrigation use efficiency is an important tool for intensifying and diversifying agriculture in Nepal, resulting in higher economic yield from irrigated farmlands with a minimum input of water. Research was conducted to evaluate the effect of irrigation method (furrow vs. drip on the productivity of nutritious fodder species during off-monsoon dry periods in different elevation zones of central Nepal. A split-block factorial design was used. The factors considered were treatment location, fodder crop, and irrigation method. Commonly used local agronomical practices were followed in all respects except irrigation method. Results revealed that location effect was significant (p < 0.01 with highest fodder productivity seen for the middle elevation site, Syangja. Species effects were also significant, with teosinte (Euchlaena mexicana having higher yield than cowpea (Vigna unguiculata. Irrigation method impacted green biomass yield (higher with furrow irrigation but both methods yielded similar dry biomass, while water use was 73% less under drip irrigation. Our findings indicated that the controlled application of water through drip irrigation is able to produce acceptable yields of nutritionally dense fodder species during dry seasons, leading to more effective utilization and resource conservation of available land, fertilizer and water. Higher productivity of these nutritional fodders resulted in higher milk productivity for livestock smallholders. The ability to grow fodder crops year-round in lowland and hill regions of Nepal with limited water storages using low-cost, water-efficient drip irrigation may greatly increase livestock productivity and, hence, the economic security of smallholder farmers.

Real-Time Science on Social Media: The Example of Twitter in the Minutes, Hours, Days after the 2015 M7.8 Nepal Earthquake

Science.gov (United States)

Lomax, A.; Bossu, R.; Mazet-Roux, G.

2015-12-01

Scientific information on disasters such as earthquakes typically comes firstly from official organizations, news reports and interviews with experts, and later from scientific presentations and peer-reviewed articles. With the advent of the Internet and social media, this information is available in real-time from automated systems and within a dynamic, collaborative interaction between scientific experts, responders and the public. After the 2015 M7.8 Nepal earthquake, Twitter Tweets from earth scientists* included information, analysis, commentary and discussion on earthquake parameters (location, size, mechanism, rupture extent, high-frequency radiation, …), earthquake effects (distribution of felt shaking and damage, triggered seismicity, landslides, …), earthquake rumors (e.g. the imminence of a larger event) and other earthquake information and observations (aftershock forecasts, statistics and maps, source and regional tectonics, seismograms, GPS, InSAR, photos/videos, …).In the future (while taking into account security, false or erroneous information and identity verification), collaborative, real-time science on social media after a disaster will give earlier and better scientific understanding and dissemination of public information, and enable improved emergency response and disaster management.* A sample of scientific Tweets after the 2015 Nepal earthquake: In the first minutes: "mb5.9 Mwp7.4 earthquake Nepal 2015.04.25-06:11:25UTC", "Major earthquake shakes Nepal 8 min ago", "Epicenter between Pokhara and Kathmandu", "Major earthquake shakes Nepal 18 min ago. Effects derived from witnesses' reports". In the first hour: "shallow thrust faulting to North under Himalayas", "a very large and shallow event ... Mw7.6-7.7", "aftershocks extend east and south of Kathmandu, so likely ruptured beneath city", "Valley-blocking landslides must be a very real worry". In the first day: "M7.8 earthquake in Nepal 2hr ago: destructive in Kathmandu Valley and

Outbreak of pandemic influenza A/H1N1 2009 in Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Adhikari, Bal Ram; Shakya, Geeta; Upadhyay, Bishnu Prasad; Prakash Kc, Khagendra; Shrestha, Sirjana Devi; Dhungana, Guna Raj

2011-03-23

The 2009 flu pandemic is a global outbreak of a new strain of H1N1 influenza virus. Pandemic influenza A (H1N1) 2009 has posed a serious public health challenge world-wide. Nepal has started Laboratory diagnosis of Pandemic influenza A/H1N1 from mid June 2009 though active screening of febrile travellers with respiratory symptoms was started from April 27, 2009. Out of 609 collected samples, 302 (49.6%) were Universal Influenza A positive. Among the influenza A positive samples, 172(28.3%) were positive for Pandemic influenza A/H1N1 and 130 (21.3%) were Seasonal influenza A. Most of the pandemic cases (53%) were found among young people with ≤ 20 years. Case Fatality Ratio for Pandemic influenza A/H1N1 in Nepal was 1.74%. Upon Molecular characterization, all the isolated pandemic influenza A/H1N1 2009 virus found in Nepal were antigenically and genetically related to the novel influenza A/CALIFORNIA/07/2009-LIKE (H1N1)v type. The Pandemic 2009 influenza virus found in Nepal were antigenically and genetically related to the novel A/CALIFORNIA/07/2009-LIKE (H1N1)v type.

Outbreak of pandemic influenza A/H1N1 2009 in Nepal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shrestha Sirjana

2011-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The 2009 flu pandemic is a global outbreak of a new strain of H1N1 influenza virus. Pandemic influenza A (H1N1 2009 has posed a serious public health challenge world-wide. Nepal has started Laboratory diagnosis of Pandemic influenza A/H1N1 from mid June 2009 though active screening of febrile travellers with respiratory symptoms was started from April 27, 2009. Results Out of 609 collected samples, 302 (49.6% were Universal Influenza A positive. Among the influenza A positive samples, 172(28.3% were positive for Pandemic influenza A/H1N1 and 130 (21.3% were Seasonal influenza A. Most of the pandemic cases (53% were found among young people with ≤ 20 years. Case Fatality Ratio for Pandemic influenza A/H1N1 in Nepal was 1.74%. Upon Molecular characterization, all the isolated pandemic influenza A/H1N1 2009 virus found in Nepal were antigenically and genetically related to the novel influenza A/CALIFORNIA/07/2009-LIKE (H1N1v type. Conclusion The Pandemic 2009 influenza virus found in Nepal were antigenically and genetically related to the novel A/CALIFORNIA/07/2009-LIKE (H1N1v type.

Neurocysticercosis in Nepal: a retrospective clinical analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rajeev Ojha

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Aim: The prevalence of epilepsy is higher in Nepal. This study was conducted to analyze the clinical manifestations of neurocysticercosis (NCC among seizure patients admitted to our center. Methods: We retrospectively studied all the NCC patients admitted to Neurology Department, Bir Hospital, Kathmandu, Nepal from April 2012 to February 2014. Computer tomography/magnetic resonance imaging (CT/MRI head, clinical profile, lab investigations and exclusion of other causes were the basis of the NCC diagnosis. Chi-square and Student′s t-test were used for comparison of variables. Results: Out of 131 seizure patients admitted, 21 patients were diagnosed with NCC (mean age: 33.95 ± 16.41; male: 15 (71.4%, female: 6 (28.6%. Generalized tonic clonic seizure was the most common seizure type in NCC patients (18 patients; 85.7%, two of them had status epilepticus during presentation in Emergency Department. Three patients had focal seizure, one with epilepsia partialis continua. Neuroimaging showed multiple NCC lesions in 8 (38.1% and a single NCC lesion in 13 (61.9% patients. Seven of them (33.3% sought traditional healers before being presented to our center. Eight patients (38.1% were treated with antiepileptics in local health-post without neuroimaging studies done. Calcified stage of NCC was the most frequent CT/MRI findings (12 patients; 57.1%. Phenytoin was preferred both by physicians and patients due to its low cost. Conclusion: NCC is a common finding among seizure patients in Nepal. Poor economic status, illiteracy and underdeveloped rural society are the major challenges in prevention and treatment of NCC.

Analysis of Health Sector Budget of Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Dulal, R K; Magar, A; Karki, S D; Khatiwada, D; Hamal, P K

2014-01-01

Primarily, health sector connects two segments - medicine and public health, where medicine deals with individual patients and public health with the population health. Budget enables both the disciplines to function effectively. The Interim Constitution of Nepal, 2007 has adapted the inspiration of federalism and declared the provision of basic health care services free of cost as a fundamental right, which needs strengthening under foreseen federalism. An observational retrospective cohort study, aiming at examining the health sector budget allocation and outcome, was done. Authors gathered health budget figures (2001 to 2013) and facts published from authentic sources. Googling was done for further information. The keywords for search used were: fiscal federalism, health care, public health, health budget, health financing, external development partner, bilateral and multilateral partners and healthcare accessibility. The search was limited to English and Nepali-language report, articles and news published. Budget required to meet the population's need is still limited in Nepal. The health sector budget could not achieve even gainful results due to mismatch in policy and policy implementation despite of political commitment. Since Nepal is transforming towards federalism, an increased complexity under federated system is foreseeable, particularly in the face of changed political scenario and its players. It should have clear goals, financing policy and strict implementation plans for budget execution, task performance and achieving results as per planning. Additionally, collection of revenue, risk pooling and purchasing of services should be better integrated between central government and federated states to horn effectiveness and efficiency.

National health insurance policy in Nepal: challenges for implementation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shiva Raj Mishra

2015-08-01

Full Text Available The health system in Nepal is characterized by a wide network of health facilities and community workers and volunteers. Nepal's Interim Constitution of 2007 addresses health as a fundamental right, stating that every citizen has the right to basic health services free of cost. But the reality is a far cry. Only 61.8% of the Nepalese households have access to health facilities within 30 min, with significant urban (85.9% and rural (59% discrepancy. Addressing barriers to health services needs urgent interventions at the population level. Recently (February 2015, the Government of Nepal formed a Social Health Security Development Committee as a legal framework to start implementing a social health security scheme (SHS after the National Health Insurance Policy came out in 2013. The program has aimed to increase the access of health services to the poor and the marginalized, and people in hard to reach areas of the country, though challenges remain with financing. Several aspects should be considered in design, learning from earlier community-based health insurance schemes that suffered from low enrollment and retention of members as well as from a pro-rich bias. Mechanisms should be built for monitoring unfair pricing and unaffordable copayments, and an overall benefit package be crafted to include coverage of major health services including non-communicable diseases. Regulations should include such issues as accreditation mechanisms for private providers. Health system strengthening should move along with the roll-out of SHS. Improving the efficiency of hospital, motivating the health workers, and using appropriate technology can improve the quality of health services. Also, as currently a constitution drafting is being finalized, careful planning and deliberation is necessary about what insurance structure may suit the proposed future federal structure in Nepal.

Yield Interactions of Wheat Genotypes to Dates of Seeding in Eastern Mid Hills of Nepal

OpenAIRE

Rudra Bhattarai; Bedanand Chaudhary; Dhruba Bahadur Thapa; Ramesh Raj Puri; Ram Nath Chaudhary; Ram Nath Chaudhary; Bibek Sapkota; Kiran Baral; Shukra Raj Shrestha; Surya Prasad Adhikari

2015-01-01

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is one of the major cereal crops and staple food sources in Nepal. Wheat varieties being popular in mid hill regions are still in the early stages of adoption. Identification of appropriate date of seeding plays important role in enhancing the adoption rate ensuring the sustainable production. Therefore, three dates viz 15th November, 1st and 15th December for seeding and twenty eight wheat genotypes were evaluated in a split plot design with two replications for ...

Atmospheric organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls in urban areas of Nepal: spatial variation, sources, temporal trends, and long-range transport potential

Science.gov (United States)

Pokhrel, Balram; Gong, Ping; Wang, Xiaoping; Nath Khanal, Sanjay; Ren, Jiao; Wang, Chuanfei; Gao, Shaopeng; Yao, Tandong

2018-02-01

The study of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in low-latitude tropical and subtropical urban cities is necessary to assess their local and global impacts on ecosystems and human health. Despite studies on levels of POPs in water, soils, and sediments, analysis of the distribution patterns, seasonality, and sources of POPs in urban regions of Nepal remain limited. Polyurethane foam (PUF)-based passive air samplers were deployed in three major cities in Nepal: Kathmandu (the capital city), Pokhara, and Hetauda (agricultural cities). Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) were the dominant organochlorine pesticides in the atmosphere at all sites. The average concentrations of POPs were ∑ DDTs, 8.7-1.0 × 103 pg m-3; ∑ HCHs, 5.3-3.3 × 103 pg m-3; HCB, 5.8-3.4 × 102 pg m-3; ∑ endosulfan, BDL-51 pg m-3; and ∑ 6PCBs, 1.4-47 pg m-3. Isomer and metabolite ratio analyses suggested that the concentrations present were from both new and historical applications of the POPs. Vegetable production sites and their market places appeared to be the major DDT and HCH source areas. Higher atmospheric concentrations of DDT and HCH occurred during the pre-monsoon and monsoon seasons, and winter, respectively, closely associated with their local application for soil preparation and vegetable spraying. The estimated travel distances of the POPs (HCB, α-HCH, γ-HCH, and p, p'-DDT) under the Nepalese tropical climate were all above 1000 km, suggesting that high precipitation levels in the tropical climate were not enough to scavenge the POPs and that Nepal could be an important source region for POPs. Due to their close proximity and cold trapping (driven by low temperatures), the high Himalayas and the Tibetan Plateau are likely the key receptors of POPs emitted in Nepal. These results add to the information available on POPs from tropical developing countries.

Primary Education and Dropout in Nepal

Science.gov (United States)

Devkota, Shree Prasad; Bagale, Shiba

2015-01-01

This article tries to highlight the dropout rate of primary education of Nepal. The main essence of the article is to explore the situation of dropout of primary education. There are several programs and policies to reduce the dropout, out of the school children and so on but still there are several issues that are left behind. Educational budget…

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in soils from the Central-Himalaya region: Distribution, sources, and risks to humans and wildlife

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bi, X.; Luo, J.; Gao, J.; Xu, L.; Guo, Q.; Zhang, K.Y.; Romesh, J.P.; Giesy, S.; Kang, J.; de Boer, J.

2016-01-01

The Central Himalayas are not only a natural boundary between China and Nepal but also a natural barrier for transport of air masses from South Asia. In this study, 99 samples of surface soil were collected from five regions of Nepal on the southern side of the Central Himalayas, and 65 samples of

Effects of Abortion Legalization in Nepal, 2001-2010

OpenAIRE

Harper, Cynthia; Darney, Philip; Henderson, JT; Puri, M; Blum, M; Harper, CC; Rana, A; Gurung, G; Pradhan, N; Regmi, K; Malla, K; Sharma, S

2013-01-01

Background: Abortion was legalized in Nepal in 2002, following advocacy efforts highlighting high maternal mortality from unsafe abortion. We sought to assess whether legalization led to reductions in the most serious maternal health consequences of unsafe

Career intentions of medical students in the setting of Nepal's rapidly expanding private medical education system.

Science.gov (United States)

Huntington, Ian; Shrestha, Suvash; Reich, Nicholas G; Hagopian, Amy

2012-08-01

The number of medical students trained in Nepal each year has increased nearly fifty-fold in the last 15 years, primarily through the creation of private medical schools. It is unknown where this expanding cohort of new physicians will ultimately practice. We distributed an anonymous survey to students in their last 2 years of medical school at four medical schools in Nepal to examine two dimensions of career intention: the intention to practice in Nepal and the intention to practice in rural areas. Eighty-five per cent of the eligible study population participated, for a total of 469 medical students. Of these, 88% thought it was likely they would practice in Nepal and 88% thought it likely they would practice in urban areas. Those students who indicated a greater likelihood of practicing abroad came from families with higher incomes, were more likely to think earning a good salary was very important to their decision to become a physician, and were less likely to think they could earn a good salary in Nepal. Students whose tuition was paid by the government were no more likely to indicate an intention to practice in Nepal than students paying their own tuition at private medical schools. Students who indicated a greater likelihood of practicing in rural areas were more likely to be male, to have gone to a government secondary school, to have been born in a village, or to have received a scholarship from the Ministry of Education that requires rural service. Based on our findings, we suggest the following policy changes: (1) medical schools consider selecting for students from rural backgrounds or government secondary schools who are more likely to intend to practice in rural areas, and (2) increase the number of post-graduate positions--weighted toward rural health needs--to retain students in Nepal.

Climate change issues of Nepal: challenges and perspectives for future generations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Regmi, M.R.; Khanal, H.S.

2009-01-01

In Nepal Climate change has implications on reduction of snow pack on the mountains, water supply shortages, increase forest fires, increase in extreme weather, increase demand for irrigation, decreases power generation; wells dry up due to lower water table. Climate change seeks the two actions on the mitigation of greenhouse gases and adaptation to the climate change. This paper also describes the climate change issues of Nepal. In addition it deals with the potential threats of climate change to water Supply, agriculture and food security, temperature increase, run-off patterns, glacial melt and floods. (author)

Process evaluation of a community-based intervention promoting multiple maternal and neonatal care practices in rural Nepal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Silwal Ram C

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The challenge of delivering multiple, complex messages to promote maternal and newborn health in the terai region of Nepal was addressed through training Female Community Health Volunteers (FCHVs to counsel pregnant women and their families using a flipchart and a pictorial booklet that was distributed to clients. The booklet consists of illustrated messages presented on postcard-sized laminated cards that are joined by a ring. Pregnant women were encouraged to discuss booklet content with their families. Methods We examined use of the booklet and factors affecting adoption of practices through semi-structured interviews with district and community-level government health personnel, staff from the Nepal Family Health Program, FCHVs, recently delivered women and their husbands and mothers-in-law. Results The booklet is shared among household members, promotes discussion, and is referred to when questions arise or during emergencies. Booklet cards on danger signs and nutritious foods are particularly well-received. Cards on family planning and certain aspects of birth preparedness generate less interest. Husbands and mothers-in-law control decision-making for maternal and newborn care-seeking and related household-level behaviors. Conclusions Interpersonal peer communication through trusted community-level volunteers is an acceptable primary strategy in Nepal for promotion of household-level behaviors. The content and number of messages should be simplified or streamlined before being scaled-up to minimize intervention complexity and redundant communication.

Traditional uses of medicinal plants in gastrointestinal disorders in Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Rokaya, Maan B; Uprety, Yadav; Poudel, Ram C; Timsina, Binu; Münzbergová, Zuzana; Asselin, Hugo; Tiwari, Achyut; Shrestha, Shyam S; Sigdel, Shalik R

2014-12-02

Gastrointestinal disorders cause morbidity and can lead to mortality, especially in the developing world where sanitation is deficient. A large part of the human population relies on medicinal plants for treating various diseases, including gastrointestinal disorders. The present review summarizes the traditional uses of medicinal plants of Nepal used to treat gastrointestinal disorders, and evaluates their bio-efficacy based on a review of the available phytochemical and pharmacological literature. We searched different electronic databases and libraries for the literature on medicinal plants used in Nepal to treat gastrointestinal disorders. For each species, we also searched the literature for information on conservation status, as well as for phytochemical and pharmacological studies in support of the ethnobotanical information. We used principal component analysis to explore the relation among disorders and plant families, plant life forms, plant parts and preparation modes. We also performed permutation tests to determine if botanical families were used more often than expected considering their availability in the Nepali flora. We documented a total of 947 species belonging to 158 families and 586 genera used to treat gastrointestinal disorders in Nepal. Diarrhea was the disorder treated by the highest number of species (348), followed by stomachache (340) and dysentery (307). Among the reported species, five were endemic to Nepal, whereas 16 orchid species were protected under CITES Appendices II and III. The randomization test showed that species belonging to 14 families were used less often than expected, whereas plants belonging to 25 families were used more often than expected. The PCA scatter plot showed distinct groups of gastrointestinal disorders treated with similar plant life forms, plant parts, and/or preparation modes. We found 763 phytochemical studies on 324 species and 654 pharmacological studies on 269 species. We showed the diversity and

The Essential Oil Compositions of Ocimum basilicum from Three Different Regions: Nepal, Tajikistan, and Yemen.

Science.gov (United States)

Sharopov, Farukh S; Satyal, Prabodh; Ali, Nasser A Awadh; Pokharel, Suraj; Zhang, Hanjing; Wink, Michael; Kukaniev, Muhammadsho A; Setzer, William N

2016-02-01

The aerial parts of Ocimum basilicum L. were collected from four different geographical locations, Sindhuli and Biratnagar (Nepal), Chormaghzak village (Tajikistan), and Sana'a (Yemen). The essential oils were obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. A cluster analysis of 179 essential oil compositions revealed six major chemotypes: Linalool, eugenol, estragole, methyl eugenol, 1,8-cineole, and geraniol. All four of the basil oils in this study were of the linalool-rich variety. Some of the basil oils were screened for bioactivity including antimicrobial, cytotoxicity in human cancer cells, brine shrimp lethality, nematicidal, larvicidal, insecticidal, and antioxidant. The basil oils in this study were not notably antibacterial, cytotoxic, antioxidant, nor nematicidal, but were active in the brine shrimp lethality test, and did show larvicidal and insecticidal activities. Copyright © 2016 Verlag Helvetica Chimica Acta AG, Zürich.

An Overture for eCAM: Science, Technology and Innovation Initiation for Prosperous, Healthy Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Kaphle, Krishna; Bhuju, Dinesh Raj; Jha, Pramod Kr; Bhattarai, Hom Nath

2011-01-01

Nepal the "Shangri-La" in the lap of the Himalayas is gearing up for modern times as it starts rebuilding after a decade of senseless violence and destruction. The nation one of the poorest in the global development index is rich in natural resources and biodiversity. Reports of medicinal plants far exceeding those recorded and reported so far are encouraging and at the same time concerns for medicinal plants under threat as a result of overexploitation are emerging from Nepal. The harsh mountain terrains, lack of industrialization and harnessing potentiality of its areas of strength; water; natural resources and tourism make it poor in per capita income which averages ~ 300 US$, with half the population living under >1$ a day. Nepal is beginning to realize that the way ahead is only possible through the path of Science and Technology (ST). Nepal Academy of Science and Technology formerly known as Royal Academy of Science and Technology organized the fifth national conference held every 4 years that took place in the capital Kathmandu during November 10-12, 2008. The ST initiation event saw the participation of ~ 1400 people representing over 150 organizations from the country and experts from abroad. The theme for the fifth national meet was "Science, Technology and Innovation for Prosperous Nepal". Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) was an important theme in the event as the realization for the need of ST research focused in CAM for harnessing the chemo diversity potential was univocally approved.

Between Yesterday and Today: Contemporary Art in Nepal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kathryn Hagy

2012-01-01

Full Text Available This paper examines works from the last decade by six Nepalese artists and delves into questions such as how today’s artists align themselves between their ancient arts and their contemporary context. What is the conversation about globalism and its impact on artists? How do artists deal with social pressures and is the content of their work directly affected by these pressures? Through in-country research and subsequent study and interviews with artists, what is revealed is an energetic art scene that draws much of its inspiration from a local context, whether that be affirmation of or protest against that context to some degree. When visiting Kathmandu Nepal, one is bound to discover that like the ancient sculptures, paintings and temple architecture that exist on every corner, the art of contemporary Nepal is everywhere as well.

Characterization of rabies virus from a human case in Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Pant, G R; Horton, D L; Dahal, M; Rai, J N; Ide, S; Leech, S; Marston, D A; McElhinney, L M; Fooks, A R

2011-04-01

Rabies is endemic throughout most of Asia, with the majority of human cases transmitted by domestic dogs (Canis familiaris). Here, we report a case of rabies in a 12-year-old girl in the Lalitpur district of Nepal that might have been prevented by better public awareness and timely post-exposure prophylaxis. Molecular characterization of the virus showed 100% identity over a partial nucleoprotein gene sequence to previous isolates from Nepal belonging to the 'arctic-like' lineage of rabies virus. Sequence analysis of both partial nucleoprotein and glycoprotein genes showed differences in consensus sequence after passage in vitro but not after passage in vivo.

Development and Climate Change in Nepal. Focus on Water Resources and Hydropower

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Agrawala, S.; Raksakulthai, V.; Van Aalst, M.; Larsen, P.; Smith, J.; Reynolds, J.

2003-01-01

This document is an output from the OECD Development and Climate Change project, an activity jointly overseen by the EPOC Working Party on Global and Structural Policies (WPGSP), and the DAC Network on Environment and Development Co-operation (ENVIRONET). The overall objective of the project is to provide guidance on how to mainstream responses to climate change within economic development planning and assistance policies, with natural resource management as an overarching theme. This report presents the integrated case study for Nepal carried out under an OECD project on Development and Climate Change. The report is structured around a three-tier framework. First, recent climate trends and climate change scenarios for Nepal are assessed, and key sectoral impacts are identified and ranked along multiple indicators to establish priorities for adaptation. Second, donor portfolios in Nepal are analyzed to examine the proportion of donor activities affected by climate risks. A desk analysis of donor strategies and project documents as well as national plans is conducted to assess the degree of attention to climate change concerns in development planning and assistance. Third, an in-depth analysis is conducted for Nepal's water resources sector which was identified as most vulnerable to climate change. This part of the analysis also involved stakeholder consultation through an in-country workshop to identify key synergies and conflicts between climate change concerns and sectoral projects and plans

Molecular and phylogenetic analyses of the liver amphistome Explanatum explanatum (Creplin, 1847) Fukui, 1929 in ruminants from Bangladesh and Nepal based on nuclear ribosomal ITS2 and mitochondrial nad1 sequences.

Science.gov (United States)

Mohanta, U K; Rana, H B; Devkota, B; Itagaki, T

2017-07-01

Explanatum explanatum flukes, liver amphistomes of ruminants, cause significant economic loss in the livestock industry by inducing severe liver damage. A total of 66 flukes from 26 buffaloes and 7 cattle in four different geographic areas of Bangladesh and 20 flukes from 10 buffaloes in the Chitwan district of Nepal were subjected for analysis. The sequences (442 bp) of the second internal transcribed spacer (ITS2) of ribosomal DNA and the variable fragments (657 bp) of mitochondrial nicotinamide dehydrogenase subunit 1 (nad1) of E. explanatum flukes from Bangladesh and Nepal were analysed. The aim of this study was molecular characterization of the flukes and to elucidate their origin and biogeography. In the ITS2 region, two genotypes were detected among the flukes from Bangladesh, while flukes from Nepal were of only one genotype. Phylogenetic analyses inferred from the nad1 gene revealed that at least four divergent populations (groups I-IV) are distributed in Bangladesh, whereas two divergent populations were found to be distributed in Nepal. Fst values (pairwise fixation index) suggest that Bangladeshi and Nepalese populations of group I to IV are significantly different from each other; but within groups III and IV, the populations from Bangladesh and Nepal were genetically close. This divergence in the nad1 gene indicates that each lineage of E. explanatum from diverse geography was co-adapted during the multiple domestication events of ruminants. This study, for the first time, provides molecular characterization of E. explanatum in Bangladesh and Nepal, and may provide useful information for elucidating its origin and dispersal route in Asia.

Intervention processes and irrigation institutions : sustainability of farmer managed irrigation systems in Nepal

OpenAIRE

Pant, D.R.

2000-01-01

With the support from various donors, His Majesty's Government of Nepal has implemented support programmes with a view to transform water availability, improve production, and increase the institutional capabilities of farmers to develop and sustain efficient, fair and reliable irrigation management practices in irrigation systems in Nepal. In this respect, this study aimed to understand the social, administrative and political processes involved in the social and institutional chang...

Performance analysis of spring wheat genotypes under rain-fed conditions in warm humid environment of Nepal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ramesh Raj Puri

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Around 25% of total wheat area in Terai of Nepal falls under rain-fed and partially irrigated condition. A Coordinated varietal trial (CVT was conducted during two consecutive crop cycles (2011-12 and 2012-13 under timely sown rain-fed conditions of Terai. The trial was conducted in Alpha Lattice design with two replications at Nepal Agricultural Research Council, National Wheat Research Program, Bhairahawa and Nepal Agricultural Research Council, Regional Agriculture Research Station, Nepalgunj. Observations were recorded for yield and yield traits and analyzed using statistical software Cropstat 7.2.The combined analysis of coordinated varietal trial showed that BL 3978 possessed the highest yield (2469.2 Kg ha-1 followed by NL 1097 (2373.2 Kg ha-1 and NL 1094 (2334.06 Kg ha-1. Genotype x Environment interaction for grain yield was significant (p<0.05 over locations and years. BL 3978 with early maturity (111 days escaped the heat stress environment. Among the top three genotypes, BL 3978 was consistently higher in both favorable and unfavorable conditions. Earliness was one of the major traits for heat tolerant genotypes. The three identified genotypes will be further evaluated in participatory varietal selection or coordinated farmers field trial followed by small plot seed multiplication (seed increase and release in the future for timely sown rain-fed conditions. These lines also appear suitable for inclusion in crossing program targeted for water stress tolerance variety development. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/ije.v4i2.12649 International Journal of Environment Vol.4(2 2015: 289-295

Impact of migration on rural employment and earnings in the Western Development Region of Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Tiwari, I P

1996-01-01

This study examines the impact of migration on rural employment and income in the Western Development Region of Nepal. Data were obtained from interviews conducted among a sample population among villages in the mountain zone of the north, to the Terai in the south. The study area boundaries are irregular in order to ensure adequate spatial, topographic, and socioeconomic representation. The sample included 1387 hill people, 1248 mountain people, and 96 Terai people. Only 15.8% of the sample had access roads to villages in hill areas. 51% had access to roads in the Terai. There is no history of occupational mobility, but settlements changed over time as an adjustment to conditions. Pioneer models of development that aimed to increase economic opportunity included planned settlements. Presently, migration is comprised of rural to rural, rural to urban, and urban to urban. Rural to rural migration is primarily short distances, while long distances accompany hill to Terai moves. 37.0% of immigrants in hill areas migrate between hill districts. About 33% of hill valley settlers were first generation in-migrants, of which about 60% were migrants from hill settlements. Over 60% of the Terai plains' immigrants were from hill districts. The largest short distance movements were from higher to lower elevations, followed by horizontal movements. Permanent emigration has declined in recent years. At least one member from 34.9% of households was a temporary emigrant seeking employment. 41.5% of households had at least one employee in the Eastern Pokhara Valley. Many hill emigrants travel to foreign countries. Migrants were better educated and more involved in agriculture and salaried jobs. Analysis of variance findings indicates that rural temporary migrants came from households with smaller landholdings and larger family size. Findings support the Todaro hypothesis and findings of House and Rempel (1980) in Kenya, that reflect the benefits from migration.

An Overview: Distribution, Production, and Diversity of Local Landraces of Buckwheat in Nepal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dol Raj Luitel

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Buckwheat is a sixth staple food crop after rice, wheat, maize, finger millet, and barley in Nepal. It is considered as an alternate cereal and poor man’s crop, representing an important food supply in remote places of Himalayas. It is the best crop in higher altitude in terms of adaptation to different climatic variables and easily fitted to different cropping patterns due to short duration. It is cultivated on marginal land in 61 out of 75 districts of Nepal from some 60 m to 4500 m asl, especially hilly and mountain districts like Rukum, Rolpa, Jajarkot, Dolpa, Humla, Jumla, Kalikot, Kavre, Dolakha, and Okhaldhunga. Sweet buckwheat varieties are generally grown in midhill and Terai but Tartary buckwheat varieties are grown in higher altitude. There are altogether 19 local landraces of sweat buckwheat and 37 for Tartary buckwheat listed from Nepal. The largest producers are China, USA, and Russia and Japan is principal user of global buckwheat grown in the world. In Nepal, it is cultivated in 10510 ha area with production of 10355 t/yr and yield of 0.983 t/ha. It has also medicinal value used in different forms including all its parts so the demand of buckwheat is increasing.

Impact of mass media on the utilization of antenatal care services among women of rural community in Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Acharya, Dilaram; Khanal, Vishnu; Singh, Jitendra Kumar; Adhikari, Mandira; Gautam, Salila

2015-08-12

Antenatal care has several benefits for expecting mothers and birth outcomes; yet many mothers do not utilise this service in Nepal. Mass media may play an important role in increasing the use of antenatal care and other maternal health services. However, the effect of mass media on increasing health service utilisation has remained an under studied area in Nepal. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of mass media on the utilisation of antenatal care services in rural Nepal. A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Sinurjoda Village Development Committee of Dhanusha District, Nepal. A total of 205 mothers of children aged under 1 year were selected using systematic random sampling. Logistic regression was employed to examine the association between selected antenatal care services and mass media exposure after adjusting for other independent variables. A majority of mothers were exposed to mass media. Radio was accessible to most (60.0%) of the participants followed by television (43.41%). Mothers exposed to mass media were more likely to attending antenatal visits [Odds ratio (OR) 6.28; 95% CI (1.01-38.99)], taking rest and sleep during pregnancy [OR 2.65; 95% CI (1.13-6.26)], and receiving TT immunization [OR 5.12; 95% CI (1.23-21.24)] than their non-exposed counterparts. The study reported a positive influence of mass media on the utilisation of antenatal care services in Nepal. Therefore, further emphasis should be given to increase awareness of women of rural Nepal through mass media to improve utilisation of antenatal care services in Nepal.

Associations of women's position in the household and food insecurity with family planning use in Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Diamond-Smith, Nadia; Raj, Anita; Prata, Ndola; Weiser, Sheri D

2017-01-01

Women in Nepal have low status, especially younger women in co-resident households. Nepal also faces high levels of household food insecurity and malnutrition, and stagnation in uptake of modern family planning methods. This study aims to understand if household structure and food insecurity interact to influence family planning use in Nepal. Using data on married, non-pregnant women aged 15-49 with at least one child from the Nepal 2011 Demographic and Health Survey (N = 7,460), we explore the relationship between women's position in the household, food insecurity as a moderator, and family planning use, using multi-variable logistic regressions. We adjust for household and individual factors, including other status-related variables. In adjusted models, living in a food insecure household and co-residing with in-laws either with no other daughter-in-laws or as the eldest or youngest daughter-in-law (compared to not-co-residing with in-laws) are all associated with lower odds of family planning use. In the interaction model, younger-sisters-in-law and women co-residing with no sisters-in-law in food insecure households have the lowest odds of family planning use. This study shows that household position is associated with family planning use in Nepal, and that food insecurity modifies these associations-highlighting the importance of considering both factors in understanding reproductive health care use in Nepal. Policies and programs should focus on the multiple pathways through which food insecurity impacts women's reproductive health, including focusing on women with the lowest status in households.

Linking Attitudes, Policy, and Forest Cover Change in Buffer Zone Communities of Chitwan National Park, Nepal

Science.gov (United States)

Stapp, Jared R.; Lilieholm, Robert J.; Leahy, Jessica; Upadhaya, Suraj

2016-06-01

Deforestation in Nepal threatens the functioning of complex social-ecological systems, including rural populations that depend on forests for subsistence, as well as Nepal's biodiversity and other ecosystem services. Nepal's forests are particularly important to the nation's poorest inhabitants, as many depend upon them for daily survival. Two-thirds of Nepal's population relies on forests for sustenance, and these pressures are likely to increase in the future. This, coupled with high population densities and growth rates, highlights the importance of studying the relationship between human communities, forest cover trends through time, and forest management institutions. Here, we used surveys to explore how household attitudes associated with conservation-related behaviors in two rural communities—one that has experienced significant forest loss, and the other forest gain—compare with forest cover trends as indicated by satellite-derived forest-loss and -regeneration estimates between 2005 and 2013. Results found a significant difference in attitudes in the two areas, perhaps contributing to and reacting from current forest conditions. In both study sites, participation in community forestry strengthened support for conservation, forest conservation-related attitudes aligned with forest cover trends, and a negative relationship was found between economic status and having supportive forest conservation-related attitudes. In addition, on average, respondents were not satisfied with their district forest officers and did not feel that the current political climate in Nepal supported sustainable forestry. These findings are important as Nepal's Master Plan for the Forestry Sector has expired and the country is in the process of structuring a new Forestry Sector Strategy.

Linking Attitudes, Policy, and Forest Cover Change in Buffer Zone Communities of Chitwan National Park, Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Stapp, Jared R; Lilieholm, Robert J; Leahy, Jessica; Upadhaya, Suraj

2016-06-01

Deforestation in Nepal threatens the functioning of complex social-ecological systems, including rural populations that depend on forests for subsistence, as well as Nepal's biodiversity and other ecosystem services. Nepal's forests are particularly important to the nation's poorest inhabitants, as many depend upon them for daily survival. Two-thirds of Nepal's population relies on forests for sustenance, and these pressures are likely to increase in the future. This, coupled with high population densities and growth rates, highlights the importance of studying the relationship between human communities, forest cover trends through time, and forest management institutions. Here, we used surveys to explore how household attitudes associated with conservation-related behaviors in two rural communities-one that has experienced significant forest loss, and the other forest gain-compare with forest cover trends as indicated by satellite-derived forest-loss and -regeneration estimates between 2005 and 2013. Results found a significant difference in attitudes in the two areas, perhaps contributing to and reacting from current forest conditions. In both study sites, participation in community forestry strengthened support for conservation, forest conservation-related attitudes aligned with forest cover trends, and a negative relationship was found between economic status and having supportive forest conservation-related attitudes. In addition, on average, respondents were not satisfied with their district forest officers and did not feel that the current political climate in Nepal supported sustainable forestry. These findings are important as Nepal's Master Plan for the Forestry Sector has expired and the country is in the process of structuring a new Forestry Sector Strategy.

Net energy balance of molasses based ethanol. The case of Nepal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khatiwada, Dilip; Silveira, Semida

2009-01-01

This paper evaluates life cycle energy analysis of molasses based ethanol (MOE) in Nepal. Net energy value (NEV), net renewable energy value (NREV) and energy yield ratio are used to evaluate the energy balance of MOE in Nepal. Total energy requirements in sugarcane farming, cane milling and ethanol conversion processes are estimated and energy allocation is made between co-products (molasses and sugar) as per their market prices. The result shows negative NEV (-13.05 MJ/L), positive NREV (18.36 MJ/L) and energy yield ratio (7.47). The higher positive value of NREV and energy yield ratio reveal that a low amount of fossil fuels are required to produce 1 L of MOE. However, negative NEV reveals that the total energy consumption (both fossil and renewables) to produce the ethanol is higher than its final energy content. Nevertheless, the renewable energy contribution amounts to 91.7% of total energy requirements. The effect of the increased price of molasses and reduced energy consumption in the sugarcane milling and ethanol conversion are found to be significant in determining the energy values and yield ratio of MOE. In addition, there are clear measures that can be taken to improve efficiency along the production chain. Finally, energy security, scarcity of hard currency for importing fossil fuels and opportunities for regional development are also strong reasons for considering local renewable energy options in developing countries. (author)

All projects related to Nepal | Page 3 | IDRC - International ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Reducing Vulnerability to the Threat of Japanese Encephalitis in Nepal ... South Asian Network for Development and Environmental Economics (SANDEE) - Phase III ... In South Asia, people's social, political and cultural aspirations often get ...

All projects related to Nepal | Page 4 | IDRC - International ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

... of data storage capability coupled with the rise of social media and Internet business ... Asia, South Asia, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Japan ... South Asian Network for Development and Environmental Economics ...

Mixed-methods approaches in health research in Nepal

OpenAIRE

Simkhada, Padam; Van Teijlingen, Edwin; Wasti, Sharada Prasad; Sathian, B.

2014-01-01

Combining and integrating a mixture of qualitative and quantitative methods in one single study is widely used in health and social care research in high-income countries. This editorial adds a few words of advice to the novice mixed-methods researcher in Nepal.

Son preference, number of children, education and occupational choice in rural Nepal

OpenAIRE

Hatlebakk, Magnus

2012-01-01

A unique family survey was conducted in Nepal to investigate the economic consequences of having a first-born girl. Women get more children, but we find no causal effect of number of children on economic outcomes. But independently of the number of children there is a positive effect on boys' education of having a first born sister, who presumably takes care of household work so the boys can focus on school. This indicates a stronger son-preference in Nepal than what is found in studies from ...

Yield Interactions of Wheat Genotypes to Dates of Seeding in Eastern Mid Hills of Nepal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rudra Bhattarai

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Wheat (Triticum aestivum L. is one of the major cereal crops and staple food sources in Nepal. Wheat varieties being popular in mid hill regions are still in the early stages of adoption. Identification of appropriate date of seeding plays important role in enhancing the adoption rate ensuring the sustainable production. Therefore, three dates viz 15th November, 1st and 15th December for seeding and twenty eight wheat genotypes were evaluated in a split plot design with two replications for two consecutive seasons in 2011/12 and 2012/13 at an altitude of 2200 masl of eastern Nepal. The results showed genetic differences and interaction effect of genotypes with the dates of sowing on grain yield, panicle length and effective tillers per square meter. The wheat sown on 1st December showed the highest yield as compared to other sown dates. Similarly, WK1907, WK1911, WK1803, WK1915, WK1909, WK1714 and WK1803 produced highest yield among the tested genotypes with retaining maximum number of effective tillers and posed suitable maturity across all sowing date.

Nepal Networking

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Annette Skovsted

, as a Danida fellow. Today, the older sister works in Nepal and the younger in Seattle, where they still make use of their personal networks including connections to their fellow alumni of technical assistance courses. Inspired by work on social remittances in combination with network theory , I argue......Technical Assistance courses have many functions apart from disseminating knowledge and information, one such function is to engender networks. During the course period, participants meet and establish contact and some of these contacts remain connections between alumni for many years after...... the courses are finished. The alumni networks depend on the uses they are put to by the individual alumni and the support they get from alumni and host countries. The United Nations initiated technical assistance courses in the late 1940s in order to train nationals from developing countries as a means...

The Art of Survival: Policy Choices for Nepal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dev Raj Dahal

2012-06-01

Full Text Available The tendency to change foreign policy tilt with every change in government has posed difficulty for Nepal to maintain internal cohesion and external adaptation. Now the nation is suffering from ceaseless spasms of political instability because many of its state-bearing institutions are broken and new are not yet invented to glue the nation’s diverse society and get viable traction to balance neighborhood geopolitics and become relevant to international community. In this context, Nepal now needs a regime that fosters centripetal tendencies of domestic forces for a cohesive and coherent foreign and security policy strategy to survive and prosper in a world dominated by protagonist giants and devise material, institutional and symbolic bases of the nation to scramble safe future.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/dsaj.v5i0.6355 Dhaulagiri Journal of Sociology and Anthropology Vol. 5, 2011: 31-48 

Effects of Abortion Legalization in Nepal, 2001–2010

Science.gov (United States)

Henderson, Jillian T.; Puri, Mahesh; Blum, Maya; Harper, Cynthia C.; Rana, Ashma; Gurung, Geeta; Pradhan, Neelam; Regmi, Kiran; Malla, Kasturi; Sharma, Sudha; Grossman, Daniel; Bajracharya, Lata; Satyal, Indira; Acharya, Shridhar; Lamichhane, Prabhat; Darney, Philip D.

2013-01-01

Background Abortion was legalized in Nepal in 2002, following advocacy efforts highlighting high maternal mortality from unsafe abortion. We sought to assess whether legalization led to reductions in the most serious maternal health consequences of unsafe abortion. Methods We conducted retrospective medical chart review of all gynecological cases presenting at four large public referral hospitals in Nepal. For the years 2001–2010, all cases of spontaneous and induced abortion complications were identified, abstracted, and coded to classify cases of serious infection, injury, and systemic complications. We used segmented Poisson and ordinary logistic regression to test for trend and risks of serious complications for three time periods: before implementation (2001–2003), early implementation (2004–2006), and later implementation (2007–2010). Results 23,493 cases of abortion complications were identified. A significant downward trend in the proportion of serious infection, injury, and systemic complications was observed for the later implementation period, along with a decline in the risk of serious complications (OR 0.7, 95% CI 0.64, 0.85). Reductions in sepsis occurred sooner, during early implementation (OR 0.6, 95% CI 0.47, 0.75). Conclusion Over the study period, health care use and the population of reproductive aged women increased. Total fertility also declined by nearly half, despite relatively low contraceptive prevalence. Greater numbers of women likely obtained abortions and sought hospital care for complications following legalization, yet we observed a significant decline in the rate of serious abortion morbidity. The liberalization of abortion policy in Nepal has benefited women’s health, and likely contributes to falling maternal mortality in the country. The steepest decline was observed after expansion of the safe abortion program to include midlevel providers, second trimester training, and medication abortion, highlighting the importance

Urban air quality of kathmandu valley "Kingdom of Nepal"

Science.gov (United States)

Sharma, C. K.

The oval shaped tectonic basin of Kathmandu valley, occupying about 656 sq.km is situated in the middle sector of Himalayan range. There are three districts in the valley, i.e. Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur. Out of the three, the most populated is Kathmandu city (the capital of Kingdom of Nepal) which has a population of 668,00 in an area of approximately 50 km 2. The energy consumption of the city population is about 1/3 of the total import to Nepal of gasoline, diesel, kerosene, furnace oil and cooking gas. This has resulted heavy pollution of air in the city leading to bronchitis, and throat and chest diseases. Vehicles have increased several fold in recent months and there are 100,000 in number on the road and they have 900 km of road, out of which only 25% is metalled. Most of the two and three wheelers are polluting the air by emission of gases as well as dust particulate. SO 2 has been found to go as high as 202 μg cm -3 and NO 2 to 126 μg cm -3 particularly in winter months when a thick layer of fog covers the valley up to 10 am in the morning. All the gases are mixed within the limited air below the fog and the ground. This creates the problem. Furthermore, municipal waste of 500 m 3 a day and also liquid waste dumped directly into the Bagmati river at the rate of 500,000 ℓ d -1 makes the city ugly and filthy. Unless pollution of air, water and lard are controlled in time, Nepal will lose much of its foreign exchange earnings from the tourist industry. It is found that tourist arrivals have considerably reduced in recent years and most of hotels occupancy is 50-60% in peak time. Nepal is trying to introduce a legal framework for pollution control but it will take time to become effective.

Solar home systems in Nepal

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Henryson, Jessica; Haakansson, Teresa

1999-04-01

Photovoltaic (PV) technology is a clean and environmentally friendly technology that does not require any fuels. The high reliability of operation and little need for maintenance makes it ideally suited for rural areas. Today PV systems are used in Nepal to power telecommunications centres, navigational aids, in pumping systems for irrigation and drinking water, and for household electrification. A solar home system consists of a PV module, a battery, a charge controller and 3-4 fluorescent light bulbs with fixture. The system provides power for lighting and operation of household appliances for several hours. The success of donor supported programs have shown that solar home systems can be a practical solution for many rural households. In 1996 the Government of Nepal launched a subsidy program for solar home systems, which dramatically has increased the demand for solar home systems among rural customers. This report includes a survey of 52 households with solar home systems in two villages. The field-study shows that the villagers are very happy with their systems and the technical performance of the systems in both villages is satisfactory. The study also shows the positive impact electricity has on education, health, income generation and quality of life. The beneficiaries of introducing electricity in remote areas are the children and the women 39 refs, 18 tabs. Examination paper

Engineering geological aspect of Gorkha Earthquake 2015, Nepal

Science.gov (United States)

Adhikari, Basanta Raj; Andermann, Christoff; Cook, Kristen

2016-04-01

the ground especially in the epicenter area. Similarly, liquefaction occurred in the different parts of Kathmandu valley. However, the recording in KATNP and DMG indicate that the ground motions that resulted from the quake were not strong enough to fully weaken liquefiable materials and in most cases incipient or "marginal" liquefaction was observed. Here, we will present a compilation of the different types of mass wasting that have occurred in this region and discuss their location and hazard potential for local communities. References: Adhikari, L.B., Gautam, U.P., Koirala, B.P., Bhattarai, M., Kandel, T., Gupta, R.M., Timsina, C., Maharjan, N., Maharjan, K., Dhahal, T., Hoste-Colomer, R., Cano, Y., Dandine, M., Guhem, A., Merrer, S., Roudil, P., Bollinger, L., 2015, The aftershock sequence of the 2015 April 25 Gorkha-Nepal Earthquake, Geophysical Journal International, v. 203 (3), pp. 2119-2124. Earthquake Without Frontiers, 2015, http://ewf.nerc.ac.uk/2015/05/12/nepal-update-on-landslide-hazard-following-12-may-2015-earthquake/ GEER, 2015: Geotechnical Extreme Event Reconnaissance http://www.geerassociation.org Moss, R.E.S., Thompson, E.M., Kieffer, D.S., Tiwari, B., Hashash, Y.M.A., Acharya, I., Adhikari B.R., Asimaki, D., Clahan, K.B., Collins, B.D., Dahal, S., Jibson, R.W., Khadka, D., Machdonald, A. Madugo C.L., Mason, H.B., Pehlivan., M., Rayamajhi, D. and Upreti. S., 2015, Geotechnical Effects of the 2015 AMgnitude 7.8 Gorkah, Nepal, Earthquake and Aftershocks, seismological Research Letters, v. 86(6), PP. 1514-1523 National Seismoligical Center, 2015, http://www.seismonepal.gov.np/

Human Trafficking in Nepal: Post-Earthquake Risk and Response.

Science.gov (United States)

Gyawali, Bishal; Keeling, June; Kallestrup, Per

2017-04-01

As Nepal mourns the 1-year commemoration of the April 2015 earthquake and its aftershocks that killed more than 8500 people and left thousands injured and displaced, other more hidden repercussions of the resultant chaotic environment need attention: the increased risk of human trafficking. Considering that natural disasters provide a milieu for this illicit trade, there is a need for a robust response from stakeholders such as donors, civil society organizations, and government organizations against human trafficking following disasters such as the Nepal earthquake. Responsibility to prevent and fight trafficking should be explicitly included in the mandate of relief and rehabilitation mechanisms set up at the national level to coordinate the disaster relief response, serving to support populations in both rural and urban areas. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2017;11:153-154).

Women and citizenship post-trafficking: the case of Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Richardson, Diane; Laurie, Nina; Poudel, Meena; Townsend, Janet

2016-05-01

This article analyses the relationship between gender, sexuality and citizenship embedded in models of citizenship in the Global South, specifically in South Asia, and the meanings associated with having - or not having - citizenship. It does this through an examination of women's access to citizenship in Nepal in the context of the construction of the emergent nation state in the 'new' Nepal 'post-conflict'. Our analysis explores gendered and sexualized constructions of citizenship in this context through a specific focus on women who have experienced trafficking, and are beginning to organize around rights to sustainable livelihoods and actively lobby for changes in citizenship rules which discriminate against women. Building from this, in the final section we consider important implications of this analysis of post-trafficking experiences for debates about gender, sexuality and citizenship more broadly.

Genetic diversity of plasmodium vivax merozoite surface protein-3alpha (Pvmsp-3alpha) gene in Jhapa District of Nepal

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Adhikari, Madhav; Ranjitkar, Samir; Schousboe, Mette Leth

2012-01-01

In Nepal, Plasmodium vivax accounts for approximately 80-90% of the malaria cases, but limited studies have been conducted on the genetic diversity of this parasite population. This study was carried out to determine the genetic diversity of P. vivax population sampled from subjects living...... in an endemic area of Jhapa District by analyzing the polymorphic merozoite surface protein-3alpha (Pvmsp-3alpha) gene by using PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism. Three distinct genotypes were obtained from 96 samples; type A: 40 (71%), type B: 7 (13%), and type C: 9 (16%) which could be categorized...... into 13 allelic patterns: A1-A9, B1, B2, C1 and C2. These results indicated a high genetic diversity within the studied P. vivax population. As the transmission rate of malaria is low in Nepal, the diversity is most likely due to migration of people between the malaria endemic regions, either within...

Prevalence of Hypertension, Obesity, Diabetes, and Metabolic Syndrome in Nepal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sanjib Kumar Sharma

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Background. This study was carried out to establish the prevalence of cardiovascular risks such as hypertension, obesity, and diabetes in Eastern Nepal. This study also establishes the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MS and its relationships to these cardiovascular risk factors and lifestyle. Methods. 14,425 subjects aged 20–100 (mean 41.4 ± 15.1 were screened with a physical examination and blood tests. Both the International Diabetic Federation (IDF and National Cholesterol Education Programme’s (NCEP definitions for MS were used and compared. Results. 34% of the participants had hypertension, and 6.3% were diabetic. 28% were overweight, and 32% were obese. 22.5% of the participants had metabolic syndrome based on IDF criteria and 20.7% according to the NCEP definition. Prevalence was higher in the less educated, people working at home, and females. There was no significant correlation between the participants’ lifestyle factors and the prevalence of MS. Conclusion. The high incidence of dyslipidemia and abdominal obesity could be the major contributors to MS in Nepal. Education also appears to be related to the prevalence of MS. This study confirms the need to initiate appropriate treatment options for a condition which is highly prevalent in Eastern Nepal.

Livelihood Vulnerability Approach to Assess Climate Change Impacts to Mixed Agro-Livestock Smallholders Around the Gandaki River Basin of Nepal

Science.gov (United States)

Panthi, J., Sr.

2014-12-01

Climate change vulnerability depends upon various factors and differs between places, sectors and communities. People in developing countries whose subsistence livelihood depends upon agriculture and livestock are identified as particularly vulnerable. Nepal, where the majority of people are in a mixed agro-livestock system, is identified as the world's fourth most vulnerable country to climate change. However, there are few studies on how vulnerable mixed agro-livestock smallholders are and how their vulnerability differs across different ecological regions. This study aims to test two vulnerability assessment indices, livelihood vulnerability index (LVI) and IPCC vulnerability index (VI-IPCC), around the Gandaki river basin of Nepal. A total of 543 households practicing mixed agro-livestock were surveyed from three districts (Dhading, Syangja and Kapilvastu) representing the mountain, mid-hill and lowland altitudinal belts respectively. Data on socio-demographics, livelihoods, social networks, health, food and water security, natural disasters and climate variability were collected. Both indices differed across the three districts, with mixed agro-livestock smallholders of Dhading district found to be the most vulnerable and that of Syangja least vulnerable. This vulnerability index approach may be used to monitor rural vulnerability and/or evaluate potential program/policy effectiveness in poor countries like Nepal. The present findings are intended to help in designing intervention strategies to reduce vulnerability of mixed agro-livestock smallholders and other rural people in developing countries to climate change.

Land Cover Change in the Vicinity of MT. Qomolangma (everest), Central High Himalayas Since 1976

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Y.; Nie, Y.; Liu, L.; Wang, Z.; Ding, M.; Zhang, J.

2010-12-01

Under the background of global environmental change, the Mt. Qomolangma (Everest) region becomes the ideal place for the research of earth-atmosphere system, water and energy change, ecosystem patterns and processes change due to its sensitive and fragile natural environment. Land change science has emerged as a fundamental component of global environmental change and sustainability research. In this paper, geography, spatial information, climate science and other related theories and methods were applied, with the help of remote sensing, GIS, GPS, combining with a large number of RS data, field survey data and meteorological observation data to build 3 periods (1976, 1988 and 2006) of land cover, 30 periods (1970-2009) of major lakes data and long time-series NDVI change data from 1982 to 2009 in the Mt. Qomolangma region. The main results are as follows: 1. The land cover types in Mt. Qomolangma region are rich and with distinctive alpine features. The main land cover types include: closed to open grassland, alpine sparse vegetation, bare rock, closed grassland, forbs and glaciers (each percentage larger than 7%) with the area of 8274.27 km2, 7515.15 km2, 5450.82 km2, 5215.85 km2, 2782.66 km2 and 2710.17 km2 respectively in 2006. 2. The distribution of the main cover types are of obvious vertical zonallity. The transition of land cover types is forest→shrubland→grassland→meadow→sparse grassland→bare rock →glacier in order as the altitude arises with basically Gaussian distribution and assending peak in each elevation zone of types. The dominant natural zones distributed from bottom to top are: forest dominated zone (1500 ~ 3900 m), shrubland dominated zone (3900 ~ 4100 m), grassland dominated zone (4100 ~ 5000 m), sparse vegetation dominated zone (5000 ~ 5600 m), bare land dominated zone (5600 ~ 5900 m) and glacier (>5900 m). The altitude distribution of forest, shrubland and grassland in north and south slope are generally consistent. The range of

Contrastive research of ionospheric precursor anomalies between Calbuco volcanic eruption on April 23 and Nepal earthquake on April 25, 2015

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Wang; Guo, Jinyun; Yue, Jianping; Yang, Yang; Li, Zhen; Lu, Deikai

2016-05-01

On April 23, 2015, the VEI4 (volcanic explosive index) Calbuco volcano abruptly erupted in Chile and the Mw7.9 Nepal earthquake occurred on April 25. In order to investigate the similarities and differences between total electron content (TEC) anomalies preceding these two types of geophysical activities, the TEC time series over preparation zones before the volcanic eruption and earthquake extracted from global ionosphere map were analyzed. We used sunspot numbers (SSN), Bz, Dst, and Kp indices to represent the solar-terrestrial environment and eliminate the effects of solar and geomagnetic activities on ionosphere by the sliding interquartile range method with the 27-day window. The results indicate that TEC-negative and -positive anomalies appeared in the 14th and 6th day before the eruption, respectively. The anomalies lasted about 4-6 h with a magnitude of 15-20 TECU. The TEC anomalies were also observed on the 14th and 6th day before the Nepal earthquake with a duration of 6-8 h, and the absolute magnitude of TEC anomalies was within 12-20 TECU. These findings indicate that the magnitude of TEC anomalies preceding volcanic eruption was larger, and the duration of TEC anomalies before the earthquake was longer, which may be associated with their particular physical mechanisms. The TEC anomalies before the Nepal earthquake in the Eastern hemisphere occurred in the afternoon local time, but those before the eruption were observed in the night local time. Peak regions of TEC anomalies did not coincide with the epicenters of geophysical activities, and the TEC anomalies also appeared in the magnetic conjugated region. Both the TEC anomalies in the preparation zone and conjugated region were distributed near the boundaries of equatorial anomaly zone and moved along the boundaries. In the moving process, sometimes the extent or magnitude of TEC anomalies in the conjugated region was larger than that in the preparation zone. Many more GPS stations and receivers

Economic sustainability, water security and multi-level governance of local water schemes in Nepal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Emma Hakala

2017-07-01

Full Text Available This article explores the role of multi-level governance and power structures in local water security through a case study of the Nawalparasi district in Nepal. It focuses on economic sustainability as a measure to address water security, placing this thematic in the context of a complicated power structure consisting of local, district and national administration as well as external development cooperation actors. The study aims to find out whether efforts to improve the economic sustainability of water schemes have contributed to water security at the local level. In addition, it will consider the interactions between water security, power structures and local equality and justice. The research builds upon survey data from the Nepalese districts of Nawalparasi and Palpa, and a case study based on interviews and observation in Nawalparasi. The survey was performed in water schemes built within a Finnish development cooperation programme spanning from 1990 to 2004, allowing a consideration of the long-term sustainability of water management projects. This adds a crucial external influence into the intra-state power structures shaping water management in Nepal. The article thus provides an alternative perspective to cross-regional water security through a discussion combining transnational involvement with national and local points of view.

The Prevalence of Diabetic Retinopathy Among Known Diabetic Population in Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Mishra, S K; Pant, B P; Subedi, P

2016-01-01

Background The worldwide prevalence of diabetic retinopathy (DR) was found to be 34.6%. WHO estimates that DR is responsible for 4.8% of the 37 million cases of blindness throughout the world. In a study undertaken in urban population in Nepal, M.D. Bhattarai found the prevalence of diabetes among people aged 20 years and above to be 14.6% and the prevalence among people aged 40 years and above to be 19%. Studies on DR, to our knowledge, have mostly been hospital based in Nepal. Little information is available about prevalence of DR at the community level in Nepal. Objective To investigate the prevalence of diabetic retinopathy and associated risk factors among known diabetic population of Nepal. Method A descriptive cross sectional study was conducted among individuals aged 30 and more using cluster sampling method. The study sites were Kathmandu metropolitan city and Birgunj sub-metropolitan city. A sample size of 5400 was calculated assuming 5% prevalence rate with 95% confidence level, 5% worst acceptable level and 1.5 cluster sampling design effect. Study participants were interviewed, anthropometric measurements and fundus photograph was taken from participants with diabetes. Fundus photographs were used to grade retinopathy. Result Around 12% of the respondents were diabetic, mean age 55.43±11.86 years, of which slightly more than half were females (50.2%). Among these diabetic respondents 9.9% had some forms of diabetic retinopathy, mean age 54.08±10.34 years, 56.7% were male. When severe grade of retinopathy in any eye was considered as overall grade of retinopathy for the individual, prevalence of Non-proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy, Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy and complete vision loss was found to be 9.1%, 0.5% and 0.3%. Prevalence of Diabetic Macular Edema was 5.5%. Duration of diabetes, family history of diabetes and blood pressure at the day of survey was found to be associated with having any retinopathy. Conclusion Diabetic retinopathy

Sequence characterization of heat shock protein gene of Cyclospora cayetanensis isolates from Nepal, Mexico, and Peru.

Science.gov (United States)

Sulaiman, Irshad M; Torres, Patricia; Simpson, Steven; Kerdahi, Khalil; Ortega, Ynes

2013-04-01

We have described the development of a 2-step nested PCR protocol based on the characterization of the 70-kDa heat shock protein (HSP70) gene for rapid detection of the human-pathogenic Cyclospora cayetanensis parasite. We tested and validated these newly designed primer sets by PCR amplification followed by nucleotide sequencing of PCR-amplified HSP70 fragments belonging to 16 human C. cayetanensis isolates from 3 different endemic regions that include Nepal, Mexico, and Peru. No genetic polymorphism was observed among the isolates at the characterized regions of the HSP70 locus. This newly developed HSP70 gene-based nested PCR protocol provides another useful genetic marker for the rapid detection of C. cayetanensis in the future.

Atmospheric organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls in urban areas of Nepal: spatial variation, sources, temporal trends, and long-range transport potential

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

B. Pokhrel

2018-02-01

Full Text Available The study of persistent organic pollutants (POPs in low-latitude tropical and subtropical urban cities is necessary to assess their local and global impacts on ecosystems and human health. Despite studies on levels of POPs in water, soils, and sediments, analysis of the distribution patterns, seasonality, and sources of POPs in urban regions of Nepal remain limited. Polyurethane foam (PUF-based passive air samplers were deployed in three major cities in Nepal: Kathmandu (the capital city, Pokhara, and Hetauda (agricultural cities. Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT and hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH were the dominant organochlorine pesticides in the atmosphere at all sites. The average concentrations of POPs were  ∑ DDTs, 8.7–1.0  ×  103 pg m−3;  ∑ HCHs, 5.3–3.3  ×  103 pg m−3; HCB, 5.8–3.4  ×  102 pg m−3;  ∑ endosulfan, BDL–51 pg m−3; and  ∑ 6PCBs, 1.4–47 pg m−3. Isomer and metabolite ratio analyses suggested that the concentrations present were from both new and historical applications of the POPs. Vegetable production sites and their market places appeared to be the major DDT and HCH source areas. Higher atmospheric concentrations of DDT and HCH occurred during the pre-monsoon and monsoon seasons, and winter, respectively, closely associated with their local application for soil preparation and vegetable spraying. The estimated travel distances of the POPs (HCB, α-HCH, γ-HCH, and p, p′-DDT under the Nepalese tropical climate were all above 1000 km, suggesting that high precipitation levels in the tropical climate were not enough to scavenge the POPs and that Nepal could be an important source region for POPs. Due to their close proximity and cold trapping (driven by low temperatures, the high Himalayas and the Tibetan Plateau are likely the key receptors of POPs emitted in Nepal. These results add to the information available on POPs from

Feasibility Study of Low-Cost Image-Based Heritage Documentation in Nepal

Science.gov (United States)

Dhonju, H. K.; Xiao, W.; Sarhosis, V.; Mills, J. P.; Wilkinson, S.; Wang, Z.; Thapa, L.; Panday, U. S.

2017-02-01

Cultural heritage structural documentation is of great importance in terms of historical preservation, tourism, educational and spiritual values. Cultural heritage across the world, and in Nepal in particular, is at risk from various natural hazards (e.g. earthquakes, flooding, rainfall etc), poor maintenance and preservation, and even human destruction. This paper evaluates the feasibility of low-cost photogrammetric modelling cultural heritage sites, and explores the practicality of using photogrammetry in Nepal. The full pipeline of 3D modelling for heritage documentation and conservation, including visualisation, reconstruction, and structure analysis, is proposed. In addition, crowdsourcing is discussed as a method of data collection of growing prominence.

Selection and Characterization of Potential Baker’s Yeast from Indigenous Resources of Nepal

OpenAIRE

Tika B. Karki; Parash Mani Timilsina; Archana Yadav; Gyanu Raj Pandey; Yogesh Joshi; Sahansila Bhujel; Rojina Adhikari; Katyayanee Neupane

2017-01-01

The study aims to isolate the yeast strains that could be used effectively as baker’s yeast and compare them with the commercial baker’s yeast available in the market of Nepal. A total of 10 samples including locally available sources like fruits, Murcha, and a local tree “Dar” were collected from different localities of Bhaktapur, Kavre, and Syangja districts of Nepal, respectively. Following enrichment and fermentation of the samples, 26 yeast strains were isolated using selective medium Wa...

Heterogeneous Landscapes on Steep Slopes at Low Altitudes as Hotspots of Bird Diversity in a Hilly Region of Nepal in the Central Himalayas

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Basnet, T. B.; Rokaya, Maan Bahadur; Bhattarai, B. P.; Münzbergová, Z.

2016-01-01

Roč. 11, č. 3 (2016), č. článku e0150498. E-ISSN 1932-6203 R&D Projects: GA ČR GB14-36098G Institutional support: RVO:67179843 Keywords : species richness * elevational gradient * habitat heterogeneity * insectivorous birds * forest birds * vegetation structure * protected areas * lowland Nepal * communities * patterns Subject RIV: EH - Ecology, Behaviour Impact factor: 2.806, year: 2016

Influence of biomass burning emissions on black carbon and ozone variability in the Southern Himalayas (NCO-P, 5079 m a.s.l.)

Science.gov (United States)

Putero, Davide; Landi, Tony Christian; Cristofanelli, Paolo; Marinoni, Angela; Laj, Paolo; Duchi, Rocco; Adhikary, Bhupesh; Calzolari, Francescopiero; Bonafè, Ubaldo; Stocchi, Paolo; Vuillermoz, Elisa; Bonasoni, Paolo

2013-04-01

Black carbon (BC) and tropospheric ozone (O3) play a key role in the climate system, since they are short-lived climate forcers (SLCF) that contribute to climate change. BC and O3 precursors are emitted from several natural and anthropogenic sources; one of the most important is biomass burning, i.e. the combustion of organic matter from natural or man-made activities. Studying BC and O3 variations in connection to biomass burning is critical, mainly because of the effects that these SLCF have on the ecosystems, agriculture and human health. The issue appears urgent in several regions of the world, such as South Asia, where a vast region extending from the Indian Ocean to the Himalayas is characterized by large amounts of aerosols and pollutant gases. Here we present the variability of BC and O3 concentrations observed at the Nepal Climate Observatory-Pyramid (NCO-P, 5079 m a.s.l.), the highest WMO-GAW global station, installed in the high Khumbu valley (Nepal, Everest region) since March 2006. Considering over 5 years of continuous measurements, the BC and O3 concentrations have shown an average value of 48.7 ± 12.6 ppbv and 208.1 ± 364.1 ng m-3, respectively. The possible contribution of open biomass burning to the average BC and O3 levels is investigated, using various satellite observations, such as MODIS fire products, the USGS Land Use Cover Characterization and TRMM rainfall measurements, linking these products to the air-mass back-trajectories reaching the sampling site (computed using LAGRANTO model). On 162 days (9% of the entire dataset), characterized by acute pollution events at NCO-P, 90 days (56%) were characterized by the transport of pollutants originated by agricultural and forest fires located in regions very close to the Himalayan sampling site. These analyses have shown that biomass burning emissions, especially at regional scale, are likely to play a key role in BC and O3 variations at NCO-P, particularly concerning the development of acute

Public Health Interventions for Control of Malaria in the Population Living in the Terai Region of Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Awasthi, Kiran Raj; Adefemi, Kazeem; Awasthi, Mamata Sherpa; Chalise, Binaya

2018-01-01

Infectious diseases are a major problem for developing countries. Controlling and eradicating these diseases have remained a challenge because of the multitudes of social and environmental factors involved. However, a multi-sectoral and collective effort in dealing with these diseases has been shown to result in positive outcomes. This paper looks at the current situation of Malaria in Nepal and a population that is at high risk. It explains the impact that social and environmental determinants have on this target population. This review then critically examines the various possible public health interventions that could potentially help in the control of malaria in this high risk population, drawing from evidences and experiences reported from other countries with suggestions for adapting these interventions to the Nepali environment.

An ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants used in Terai forest of western Nepal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Singh Anant

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Nepal Himalayas have been known as a rich source for valuable medicinal plants since Vedic periods. Present work is the documentation of indigenous knowledge on plant utilization as natural remedy by the inhabitants of terai forest in Western Nepal. Methods Study was conducted during 2010–2011 following standard ethnobotanical methods. Data about medicinal uses of plants were collected by questionnaire, personal interview and group discussion with pre identified informants. Voucher specimens were collected with the help of informants, processed into herbarium following standard methods, identified with the help of pertinent floras and taxonomic experts, and submitted in Department of Botany, Butwal Multiple Campus, Tribhuvan University, Nepal for future references. Results During the present study 66 medicinal plant species belonging to 37 families and 60 genera has been documented. These plants were used to treat various diseases and ailments grouped under 11 disease categories, with the highest number of species (41 being used for gastro-intestinal disorders, followed by dermatological disorders (34. In the study area the informants’ consensus about usages of medicinal plants ranges from 0.93 to 0.97 with an average value of 0.94. Herbs (53% were the primary source of medicine, followed by trees (23%. Curcuma longa (84% and Azadirachta indica (76% are the most frequently and popularly used medicinal plant species in the study area. Acacia catechu, Bacopa monnieri, Bombax ceiba, Drymaria diandra, Rauvolfia serpentina, and Tribulus terrestris are threatened species which needs to be conserved for future use. Conclusions The high degree of consensus among the informants suggests that current use and knowledge are still strong, and thus the preservation of today's knowledge shows good foresight in acting before much has been lost. The connections between plant use and conservation are also important ones, especially as the

Women and citizenship post‐trafficking: the case of Nepal

Science.gov (United States)

Richardson, Diane; Laurie, Nina; Poudel, Meena; Townsend, Janet

2016-01-01

Abstract This article analyses the relationship between gender, sexuality and citizenship embedded in models of citizenship in the Global South, specifically in South Asia, and the meanings associated with having – or not having – citizenship. It does this through an examination of women's access to citizenship in Nepal in the context of the construction of the emergent nation state in the ‘new’ Nepal ‘post‐conflict’. Our analysis explores gendered and sexualized constructions of citizenship in this context through a specific focus on women who have experienced trafficking, and are beginning to organize around rights to sustainable livelihoods and actively lobby for changes in citizenship rules which discriminate against women. Building from this, in the final section we consider important implications of this analysis of post‐trafficking experiences for debates about gender, sexuality and citizenship more broadly. PMID:27642193

Threat of multidrug resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Western Nepal

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bhatta, Dharm R.; Cavaco, Lina; Nath, Gopal

2015-01-01

antibiotic susceptibility testing in developing countries like Nepal. Hospital acquired infections including prevalence of MRSA can be minimized by appropriate hygienic measures in patient care and management and by antibiotic stewardship. Screening of erythromycin resistant isolates would minimize clinical...

Sustainable implementation of solar tunnel dryers, water heaters and cookers in Nepal

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kovacs, Peter [Danish Energy Management, DEM for Renewable Energy Project, REP, Dhobighat, Lalitpur (Nepal); Shrestha, Niraj; Shakya, Prajwal Raj [Renewable Energy Project, REP, Dhobighat, Lalitpur (Nepal); Pokharel, Govind [Alternative Energy Promotion Centre (AEPC), Lalitpur (Nepal)

2008-07-01

The Renewable Energy Project (REP) is a joint effort of the European Union and the Government of Nepal. Main objectives of the project are to create renewable energy infrastructure and services for the benefit of rural people in remote districts of Nepal. The REP will provide solar energy systems for public services in remote districts, as well as for income generating activities e.g. agro business and tourism. The REP focuses on the installation of institutional PV systems with a total capacity of 0.850 MWp. Concurrently, a number of solar thermal systems are being provided to community organizations (COs) in rural areas of Nepal. The priority applications for the solar thermal part are solar tunnel dryers for small industries drying vegetables. fruits and herbs, solar water heaters for community centers in trekking areas and large scale solar cookers in schools. The paper describes the Renewable Energy Project's implementation program for solar thermal technology and in particular the implications on design and usefulness of the solar tunnel dryer from on-site feasibility studies carried out by the project team. REP provides a framework for a sustainable implementation of these systems by carrying out the whole process from dissemination of information to demand collection, feasibility studies, design, procurement, commissioning and user training. Hand over of ownership will take place once the equipment is installed and successfully commissioned. Monitoring during the first year of operation should conclude the project. REP is co-funded by the European Union and the Government of Nepal. (orig.)

Disjunctured reciprocity: Paradoxes of community-school relationship in Nepal

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pradhan, Uma; Shrestha, Shivana; Valentin, Karen

2018-01-01

and community. This article questions the simplistic assumption through an ethnographic study of community-school relationship in Nepal. While these relationships may conflict with the kind of reciprocity assumed in school governance policies, we argue that this disjunctured reciprocity, firstly, reflects...

Glacier Surface Lowering and Stagnation in the Manaslu Region of Nepal

Science.gov (United States)

Robson, B. A.; Nuth, C.; Nielsen, P. R.; Hendrickx, M.; Dahl, S. O.

2015-12-01

Frequent and up-to-date glacier outlines are needed for many applications of glaciology, not only glacier area change analysis, but also for masks in volume or velocity analysis, for the estimation of water resources and as model input data. Remote sensing offers a good option for creating glacier outlines over large areas, but manual correction is frequently necessary, especially in areas containing supraglacial debris. We show three different workflows for mapping clean ice and debris-covered ice within Object Based Image Analysis (OBIA). By working at the object level as opposed to the pixel level, OBIA facilitates using contextual, spatial and hierarchical information when assigning classes, and additionally permits the handling of multiple data sources. Our first example shows mapping debris-covered ice in the Manaslu Himalaya, Nepal. SAR Coherence data is used in combination with optical and topographic data to classify debris-covered ice, obtaining an accuracy of 91%. Our second example shows using a high-resolution LiDAR derived DEM over the Hohe Tauern National Park in Austria. Breaks in surface morphology are used in creating image objects; debris-covered ice is then classified using a combination of spectral, thermal and topographic properties. Lastly, we show a completely automated workflow for mapping glacier ice in Norway. The NDSI and NIR/SWIR band ratio are used to map clean ice over the entire country but the thresholds are calculated automatically based on a histogram of each image subset. This means that in theory any Landsat scene can be inputted and the clean ice can be automatically extracted. Debris-covered ice can be included semi-automatically using contextual and morphological information.

Longlasting insecticidal nets for prevention of Leishmania donovani infection in India and Nepal: paired cluster randomised trial

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Picado, Albert; Singh, Shri Prakash; Rijal, Suman

2010-01-01

To test the effectiveness of large scale distribution of longlasting nets treated with insecticide in reducing the incidence of visceral leishmaniasis in India and Nepal.......To test the effectiveness of large scale distribution of longlasting nets treated with insecticide in reducing the incidence of visceral leishmaniasis in India and Nepal....

Building trust to improve healthcare in Nepal | IDRC - International ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

I left Ottawa aspiring to identify the needs of mothers in Nepal and to find ways of delivering better healthcare,” says 2015 Research Award recipient Sunisha Neupane. “Two months after being there I realized how much I don't know.”

The 2014 Karnali River Floods in Western Nepal: Making Community Based Early Warning Systems Work When Data Is Lacking

Science.gov (United States)

Dugar, S.; MacClune, K.; Venkateswaran, K.; Yadav, S.; Szoenyi, M.

2015-12-01

Implementing Community Based Flood Early Warning System (EWS) in developing countries like Nepal is challenging. Complex topography and geology combined with a sparse network of river and rainfall gauges and little predictive meteorological capacity both nationally and regionally dramatically constrain EWS options. This paper provides a synopsis of the hydrological and meteorological conditions that led to flooding in the Karnali River, West Nepal during mid-August 2014, and analyses the effectiveness of flood EWS in the region. On August 14-15, 2014, a large, slow moving weather system deposited record breaking rainfall in the foothills of the Karnali River catchment. Precipitation depths of 200 to 500 mm were recorded over a 24-hour period, which led to rapid rise of river heights. At the Chisapani river gauge station used for the existing EWS, where the Karnali River exits the Himalaya onto the Indo-Gangetic Plain, water levels rapidly exceeded the 11 meter danger level. Between 3 to 6 am, water levels rose from 11 to 16. 1 meters, well beyond the design height of 15 meters. Analysis suggests that 2014 floods may have been a one-in-1000 year event. Starting with the onset of intense rainfall, the Chisapani gauge reader was in regular communication with downstream stakeholders and communities providing them with timely information regarding rising water level. This provided people just enough time to move to safe places with their livestock and key assets. Though households still lost substantial assets, without the EWS, floodwaters would have caught communities completely unaware and damage would almost certainly have been much worse. In particular, despite the complications associated with access to the Chisapani gauge and failure of critical communication nodes during the floods, EWS was instrumental in saving lives. This study explores both the details of the flood event and performance of the early warning system, and identifies lessons learned to help

Overview of Nepal's energy sources and environment

Science.gov (United States)

Sharma, C. K.

In the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal faces environmental problems of most industrialized countries whereas it has problems similar to the least developed countries, in the hills. Types and quantity of energy use have a close link with the environmental degradation in Nepal Himalaya. Over dependence on the forest to meet the energy demand in the hills has aggravated the environmental problems. Lack of forest cover on the hills, the intense monsoon rain, the fragile geology and steep terrain are contributing to the acceleration of landslides, soil erosion and temperature rise. The rise of average minimum temperature is causing glaciers to retreat and thereby the development of large bodies of glacial lake. Glacial lake outbursts of 1981 in Kodari and of 1985 in Namche bazar area caused extensive damage on infrastructures down stream. Heavy use of commercial fuel (hydrocarbons) in the bowl shaped Kathmandu valley is causing air and water pollution and an increase in the average minimum temperature. Extensive development of hydropower, biogas plants and massive reforestation on naked hills and efficient use of imported hydrocarbons are the solution to existing energy and environmental problems.

Tracking health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs in Nepal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Meghnath Dhimal

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs comprise of 17 goals and 169 targets. All SDGs are interlinked to produce synergetic eff ects and emphasize health in all policies. Among the 17 Goals, Goal 3 has a central focus on health, which is underpinned by 13 targets. The other 16 goals are also directly or indirectly related to health and will contribute to achieving the associated targets for Goal 3. The ambitious SDG agenda and their progress can be tracked by measuring numerous goals, targets, and indicators. The main objective of this paper is to provide an overview about how health- related SDGs and their targets and indicators are being tracked in the national context of Nepal. Adequate investment in research for knowledge generation, capacity building and innovation, and continous research communication among policy makers, researchers and external development partners will contribute to tracking the progress of SDGs in Nepal.

Man-animal relationships in Central Nepal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lohani Usha

2010-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Nepal is small in size but rich in bio-cultural diversity. The rugged terrain of the country is home to a number of unique assemblages of fauna, some of which are endemic. Not only faunal resources the country also harbors some very ancient populations whose interrelationship with these diverse faunal resources is very intimate and thus demands scientific study. Animals play important role in both material and spiritual spheres of their life. There are more than hundred groups of such populations in the country and the group Tamang is one of these. The present paper studies Tamang-animal relationships in central Nepal. There is a growing trend of scientific ethnozoological studies all across the globe, but this field is yet in its infancy in Nepal. The country is losing important fauna as well as ancient human cultures at the advent of development processes. As a result, ethnozoological knowledge is also teetering on the brink of extinction. Methods Ethnozoological data were collected by applying different participatory approaches techniques such as semi-structured interviews, participatory rural appraisal, key informant interviews and focus group discussions. Quantitative data were obtained by employing a household level questionnaire survey. Data were collected from the period of September 2004 to August 2005. Most of the animals were identified up to the species level with the help of standard taxonomic keys. Results The Tamang community treasures knowledge on various uses of 41 genera belonging to 28 families. Out of total number of animals, 14.6% belong to the Invertebrate group and the rest to the Vertebrate group. Of the total uses 58% fall in the food and medicinal use category, 16% in the magico-religious use category, 18% in the category of omen indication, and 2% each in the categories such as weather forecasting, trophy, ethnomusical and taboos. Conclusions The Tamang maintain strong ties with animals both at a

Support to the Safe Motherhood Programme in Nepal: an integrated approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Barker, Carol E; Bird, Cherry E; Pradhan, Ajit; Shakya, Ganga

2007-11-01

Evidence gathered from 1997 to 2006 indicates progress in reducing maternal mortality in Nepal, but public health services are still constrained by resource and staff shortages, especially in rural areas. The five-year Support to the Safe Motherhood Programme builds on the experience of the Nepal Safer Motherhood Project (1997-2004). It is working with the Government of Nepal to build capacity to institute a minimum package of essential maternity services, linking evidence-based policy development with health system strengthening. It has supported long-term planning, working towards skilled attendance at every birth, safe blood supplies, staff training, building management capacity, improving monitoring systems and use of process indicators, promoting dialogue between women and providers on quality of care, and increasing equity and access at district level. An incentives scheme finances transport costs to a health facility for all pregnant women and incentives to health workers attending deliveries, with free services and subsidies to facilities in the poorest 25 districts. Despite bureaucracy, frequent transfer of key government staff and political instability, there has been progress in policy development, and public health sector expenditure has increased. For the future, a human resources strategy with career paths that encourage skilled staff to stay in the government service is key.

An Assessment of Physicochemical Parameters of Selected Industrial Effluents in Nepal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abhinay Man Shrestha

2017-01-01

Full Text Available It is a well-known fact that the effluents released from the industries and environmental degradation go hand in hand. With the ongoing global industrialization this problem has been further aggravated. As such, Nepal is no exception. Hundreds of industries are being registered in the country annually which inevitably brings the issues regarding environmental pollution. This study has been conducted with samples of wastewater from 5 different industrial sites in 4 districts of Nepal, namely, Makwanpur, Sunsari, Morang, and Kathmandu, among which two were Waste Water Treatment Plants which treated the combined effluents collected from various sources. The other three sites were from wires and cables industry, paint manufacturing industry, and plastic cutting industry. The physicochemical parameters analysed were pH, temperature, conductivity, turbidity, and Cu, Cr, SO42-, and PO43- levels. Possible onsite measurements were recorded using portable, handheld devices whereas other parameters were assessed in the laboratory. The observed parameter levels in the collected samples were compared against the available Nepal national standards for industrial effluents and in the absence of standards for industrial effluents, with other relevant standard levels. Most of the parameters analysed were within the permissible limits with the exception of pH and Cr levels in some sites.

Climate change and livestock system in mountain: Understanding from Gandaki River basin of Nepal Himalaya.

Science.gov (United States)

Dahal, P.; Shrestha, N. S.; Krakauer, N.; Lakhankar, T.; Panthi, J., Sr.; Pradhanang, S.; Jha, A. K.; Shrestha, M.; Sharma, M.

2015-12-01

In recent years climate change has emerged as a source of vulnerability for agro-livestock smallholders in Nepal where people are mostly dependent on rain-fed agriculture and livestock farming for their livelihoods. There is a need to understand and predict the potential impacts of climate change on agro-livestock farmer to develop effective mitigation and adaptation strategies. To understand dynamics of this vulnerability, we assess the farmers' perceptions of climate change, analysis of historical and future projections of climatic parameters and try to understand impact of climate change on livestock system in Gandaki River Basin of Central Nepal. During the period of 1981-2012, as reported by the mountain communities, the most serious hazards for livestock system and agriculture are the increasing trend of temperature, erratic rainfall patterns and increase in drought. Poor households without irrigated land are facing greater risks and stresses than well-off people. Analysis of historical climate data also supports the farmer perception. Result shows that there is increasing trend of temperature but no consistent trend in precipitation but a notable finding is that wet areas are getting wetter and dry areas getting drier. Besides that, there is increase in percentage of warm days and nights with decrease in the cool nights and days. The magnitude of the trend is found to be higher in high altitude. Trend of wet days has found to be increasing with decreasing in rainy days. Most areas are characterized by increases in both severity and frequency of drought and are more evident in recent years. The summers of 2004/05/06/09 and winters of 2006/08/09 were the worst widespread droughts and have a serious impact on livestock since 1981. Future projected change in temperature and precipitation obtained from downscaling the data global model by regional climate model shows that precipitation in central Nepal will change by -8% to 12% and temperature will change by 1

Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation in Nepal

OpenAIRE

Nabina Shah; Binav Shrestha; Kamana Subba

2013-01-01

Spinal cord injury is a major trauma, with its short and long term effects and consequences to the patient, his friends and family. Spinal cord injury is addressed in the developed countries with standard trauma care system commencing immediately after injury and continuing to the specialized rehabilitation units. Rehabilitation is important to those with spinal injury for both functional and psychosocial reintegration. It has been an emerging concept in Nepal, which has been evident with the...

Evaluating Coupled Human-Hydrologic Systems in High Altitude Regions: A Case Study of the Arun Watershed, Eastern Nepal

Science.gov (United States)

Voss, K.; Bookhagen, B.; Tague, C.; Lopez-Carr, D.

2014-12-01

The Himalaya exhibit dynamic ecological, hydrological, and climatic extremes that magnify the variability and extent of natural hazards, resulting in destruction to both physical and human landscapes. Coupled with poverty, these factors intensify local communities' vulnerability to climate change. This study highlights the Arun watershed in eastern Nepal as a case study to evaluate how local communities in high altitude regions are managing their water for domestic and agricultural needs while coping with extreme events, such as floods and landslides. Remotely-sensed precipitation, snowpack and glacial extent data from the past decade are combined with preliminary results from extensive field-based community surveys in the Arun watershed. The analysis of remotely-sensed data will describe seasonal trends in water availability, glacial lake growth, and the spatial variation of these trends within the basin. These hydrologic changes will be linked to the human survey analysis, which will provide an understanding of locals' perceptions of water challenges and the current water management strategies within the basin. Particular attention will be given to a comparison between the eastern and western tributaries of the Arun River, where the catchments are mainly rain-fed (eastern) versus glacial-fed (western). This contrast will highlight how different hydrologic scenarios evidenced from remote-sensing data motivate diverse human water management responses as defined in field surveys. A particular focus will be given to management decisions related to agriculture expansion and hydropower development. This synthesis of remote-sensing and social research methodologies provides a valuable perspective on coupled human-hydrologic systems.

A study of anemia among adolescent girls in eastern part of Nepal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Piush Kanodia

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Background & Objectives: Anemia is a global health problem. About 40% of the world's population suffers from anemia and adolescence is one of the most vulnerable age group. Hence the objective of the study was to determine prevalence and distribution of anemia among adolescent girls in eastern part of Nepal.Materials & Methods: This cross sectional study was conducted in a Government School of Dharan over a period of one year. There were total 433 participants, whose clinical and demographic profile were recorded and analyzed. Hemoglobin estimation was done by using cyanmethaemoglobin method and anemia was defined as per WHO cut-off.Results: The overall prevalence of anemia was found to be 51.3%. Prevalence was significantly more in pre-menarche age and undernourished girls (p<0.05. However factors like diet (vegetarian/non-vegetarian, worm infestation and parental education did not have a significant impact on occurrence of anemia.Conclusion: Anemia is the major health problem among adolescent girls in eastern part Nepal with high prevalence rate and nutrition is one of the leading causative factors for anemia.JCMS Nepal. 2016;12(1:19-22.

Assessing the sustainability of bioethanol production in Nepal

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Khatiwada, Dilip

2010-10-15

Access to modern energy services derived from renewable sources is a prerequisite, not only for economic growth, rural development and sustainable development, but also for energy security and climate change mitigation. The least developed countries (LDCs) primarily use traditional biomass and have little access to commercial energy sources. They are more vulnerable to problems relating to energy security, air pollution, and the need for hard-cash currency to import fossil fuels. This thesis evaluates sugarcane-molasses bioethanol, a renewable energy source with the potential to be used as a transport fuel in Nepal. Sustainability aspects of molasses-based ethanol have been analyzed. Two important indicators for sustainability, viz. net energy and greenhouse gas (GHG) balances have been used to assess the appropriateness of bioethanol in the life cycle assessment (LCA) framework. This thesis has found that the production of bioethanol is energy-efficient in terms of the fossil fuel inputs required to produce it. Life cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from production and combustion are also lower than those of gasoline. The impacts of important physical and market parameters, such as sugar cane productivity, the use of fertilizers, energy consumption in different processes, and price have been observed in evaluating the sustainability aspects of bioethanol production. The production potential of bioethanol has been assessed. Concerns relating to the fuel vs. food debate, energy security, and air pollution have also been discussed. The thesis concludes that the major sustainability indicators for molasses ethanol in Nepal are in line with the goals of sustainable development. Thus, Nepal could be a good example for other LDCs when favorable governmental policy, institutional set-ups, and developmental cooperation from donor partners are in place to strengthen the development of renewable energy technologies

Mobile Learning Practice in Higher Education in Nepal

Science.gov (United States)

Parajuli, Krishna Prasad

2016-01-01

During the 15 years of this current century, mobile technology has become a leading technology in the support of educational outcomes. This study investigated the mobile learning practices among undergraduates in higher education in the semi-urban and rural areas of the Gorkha district of Nepal. The objectives were to explore the availability of…

Abortion law in Nepal: the road to reform.

Science.gov (United States)

Thapa, Shyam

2004-11-01

In 2002 Nepal's parliament passed a liberal abortion law, after nearly three decades of reform efforts. This paper reviews the history of the movement for reform and the combination of factors that contributed to its success. These include sustained advocacy for reform; the dissemination of knowledge, information and evidence; adoption of the reform agenda by the public sector and its leadership in involving other stakeholders; the existence of work for safe motherhood as the context in which the initiative could gain support; an active women's rights movement and support from international and multilateral organisations; sustained involvement of local NGOs, civil society and professional organisations; the involvement of journalists and the media; the absence of significant opposition; courageous government officials and an enabling democratic political system. The overriding rationale for reforming the abortion law in Nepal has been to ensure safe motherhood and women's rights. The first government abortion services officially began in March 2004 at the Maternity Hospital in Kathmandu; services will be expanded gradually to other public and private hospitals and private clinics in the coming years.

National Livestock Policy of Nepal: Needs and Opportunities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Upendra B. Pradhanang

2015-03-01

Full Text Available This paper describes Nepal’s national livestock policies and considers how they can be improved to help meet the pressing national challenges of economic development, equity, poverty alleviation, gender mainstreaming, inclusion of marginalized and underprivileged communities, and climate vulnerability. Nepal is in the process of transforming its government from a unitary system to a federal democratic structure through the new constitution expected by 2015, offering the opportunity to bring a new set of priorities and stakeholders to policymaking. Nepal’s livestock subsector comes most directly within the purview of the National Agricultural Policy 2004, Agro-Business Policy, 2006 and Agricultural Sectoral Operating Policies of the Approach Paper to 13th Plan, 2012/13–2015/16 policy instruments. We systematically review these and other livestock-related national policies through analysis of their Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT. We conclude with the need to formulate a separate, integrated national livestock policy so that Nepal can sustainably increase livestock productivity and achieve diversification, commercialization and competitiveness of the livestock subsector within the changing national and international contexts.

PREVALENCE OF LYMPHATIC FILARIASIS, MALARIA AND SOIL TRANSMITTED HELMINTHIASIS IN A COMMUNITY OF BARDIYA DISTRICT, WESTERN NEPAL.

Science.gov (United States)

Ranjitkar, Samir; Alifrangis, Michael; Adhikari, Madhav; Olsen, Annette; Simonsen, Paul E; Meyrowitsch, Dan Wolf

2014-11-01

Lymphatic filariasis (LF), malaria and soil transmitted helminthiasis (STH) cause major health problems in Nepal, but in spite of this very few stud- ies have been carried out on these parasitic infections in Nepal. A cross sectional survey of all three categories of parasitic infections was carried out in Deuda- kala Village of Bardiya District, western Nepal. A total of 510 individuals aged 5 years and above were examined from finger prick blood for circulating filarial antigen (CFA), malaria antigen using a rapid diagnostic test (RDT), and malaria DNA using a PCR-based assay. In addition, 317 individuals were examined for soil-transmitted helminth (STH) eggs by the Kato-Katz technique. Prevalence of LF, malaria (antigen) and STH infection was 25.1%, 0.6% and 18.3%, respectively. PCR analysis did not detect any additional malaria cases. The prevalence of LF and STH infections differ significantly among different age groups and ethnic communities. The high prevalence of LF in the community studied indicates an immediate need for implementing a mass drug administration program for its control in this particular geographical area of Nepal.

Masculinities among irrigation engineers and water professionals in Nepal

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Liebrand, J.

2014-01-01

Summary

This thesis documents my attempt to study masculinities among irrigation engineers and water professionals in Nepal. It is based on the recognition that more than two decades of mainstreaming gender in development research and policy have failed to come to grips

Medical Requirements During a Natural Disaster: A Case Study on WhatsApp Chats Among Medical Personnel During the 2015 Nepal Earthquake.

Science.gov (United States)

Basu, Moumita; Ghosh, Saptarshi; Jana, Arnab; Bandyopadhyay, Somprakash; Singh, Ravikant

2017-12-01

The objective of this study was to explore a log of WhatsApp messages exchanged among members of the health care group Doctors For You (DFY) while they were providing medical relief in the aftermath of the Nepal earthquake in April 2015. Our motivation was to identify medical resource requirements during a disaster in order to help government agencies and other responding organizations to be better prepared in any upcoming disaster. A large set of WhatsApp (WhatsApp Inc, Mountain View, CA) messages exchanged among DFY members during the Nepal earthquake was collected and analyzed to identify the medical resource requirements during different phases of relief operations. The study revealed detailed phase-wise requirements for various types of medical resources, including medicines, medical equipment, and medical personnel. The data also reflected some of the problems faced by the medical relief workers in the earthquake-affected region. The insights from this study may help not only the Nepalese government, but also authorities in other earthquake-prone regions of the world to better prepare for similar disasters in the future. Moreover, real-time analysis of such online data during a disaster would aid decision-makers in dynamically formulating resource-mapping strategies. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2017;11:652-655).

Migration and the Problem of Old Age People in Nepal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tika Ram Gautam

2008-10-01

Full Text Available Current trends of migration in Nepal imply that the extensive out-migration of young people from rural areas, to foreign and internal urban centres, coincides with a rise in the problem of older couples in rural areas. This article examines the impact of migration on living condition and internal feelings of old age couples by drawing on the results of sociological and demographic field studies in Kandebash Village Development Committee (VDC comprising multiethnic communities of western Nepal. The methodology for identifying older people is, social survey followed by direct interview with semi-structured questionnaire, examining variations by socio-economic strata and family structures. Comparative analysis indicates considerable heterogeneity in past and present migration patterns, both within and between countries. Economically higher status families are commonly able to reinforce their position by making better use of emigration opportunities. These families are migrating permanently to urban centers within country. Migrants from economically middle and lower status families are continuing temporary migration to foreign countries. Temporary migration, both within and between countries, is making old age couples alone in rural villages. The migrants' financial and material contributions are a nominal support. The old age lonely couples are facing many problems such as feeling loneliness, helplessness, frustration, increased household and social burdening.Key words: Migration, emigration, immigration, old age couple, rural migration, NepalDOI = 10.3126/dsaj.v2i0.1361Dhaulagiri Journal of Sociology and Anthropology Vol.2 pp.145-160

Nepal : Electronic Government Procurement Readiness Assessment and Roadmap

OpenAIRE

World Bank

2007-01-01

The assessment focused on the degree of readiness of Government of Nepal's (GoN's) current public procurement environment for making a transition from a traditional paper-based, manual procurement transaction processing and communication to electronic government procurement (e-GP). Some 20 public and private sector organizations, involved in a wide range of functions that relate to public...

An annotated checklist of the orchids of Nepal

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Rokaya, Maan Bahadur; Raskoti, B. B.; Timsina, Binu; Münzbergová, Zuzana

2013-01-01

Roč. 31, č. 5 (2013), s. 511-550 ISSN 0107-055X R&D Projects: GA ČR GA526/09/0549 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z6005908 Institutional support: RVO:67985939 ; RVO:67179843 Keywords : orchids * checklist * Nepal Subject RIV: EF - Botanics; EH - Ecology, Behaviour (UEK-B) Impact factor: 0.844, year: 2013

Birth Spacing of Pregnant Women in Nepal: A Community-Based Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Karkee, Rajendra; Lee, Andy H

2016-01-01

Optimal birth spacing has health advantages for both mother and child. In developing countries, shorter birth intervals are common and associated with social, cultural, and economic factors, as well as a lack of family planning. This study investigated the first birth interval after marriage and preceding interbirth interval in Nepal. A community-based prospective cohort study was conducted in the Kaski district of Nepal. Information on birth spacing, demographic, and obstetric characteristics was obtained from 701 pregnant women using a structured questionnaire. Logistic regression analyses were performed to ascertain factors associated with short birth spacing. About 39% of primiparous women gave their first child birth within 1 year of marriage and 23% of multiparous women had short preceding interbirth intervals (gender equality in society.

Gender Perspective to Vedic Education: Current Practices in Nepal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rajendra Raj Timilsina

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Vedic civilization has seen changes in its history- from Satya Yug to current Kali Yug. There were equal rights and duties of both men and women at the beginning. Interpretations of Veda, brought out of the Puranas and externalities made the status unequal. Sanatan Dharma, which is still mainstream of Hinduism, has been challenged by reformist Arya Samaj. As a result, there are interpretive differences as well as practices. Such differences can be seen in contemporary Nepal for the last 130 years. Continuing the differences, classicism has been reviving in the education. This revival also commenced with the same dualism. In this qualitative approach of exploration, two different gurukuls of girls have been observed and analyzed from the field for the purpose of exploring the recent practices. The observation was based on respective scriptures as well as experts' interviews. These data have analyzed the confronting practices on gender in Veda and rooted ideas in contemporary Nepal.

Medical Humanities in Nepal: Present Scenario.

Science.gov (United States)

Dhakal, Ajaya Kumar; Shankar, P Ravi; Dhakal, Sanjaya; Shrestha, Devendra; Piryani, Rano Mal

2014-01-01

Humanities have an essential role in medical education. The current gap between the humanities and medicine has to be bridged and there should be continuous and vigorous debate about the theory and practice of medical humanities. Medical humanities is a relatively new concept even in developed countries, and is at infancy stage in developing countries. In Nepal, modules on medical humanities have been initiated in certain medical schools by enthusiastic faculties and it requires further debates for inclusion in curriculum.

Managing the Injury Burden in Nepal

OpenAIRE

Karmacharya, P. C.; Singh, G. K.; Singh, M. P.; Gautam, V. G.; Par, Andrew; Banskota, A. K.; Bajracharya, A.; Shreshtha, A. B.; Mahara, Deepak

2008-01-01

Nepal loses about 530,000 disability adjusted life years (DALYs) per year to injury, predominantly due to falls. It takes 30,000 Nepali rupees (NR), or approximately US$430 at 70 rupees per $US saved per DALY to achieve primary prevention and 6000 NR per DALY if we invest in hospitals, versus 1000 NR invested in prehospital care, because simpler less expensive actions performed early have a greater impact on outcome than more complex measures later. A system for prehospital services was plann...

Strategic Brand Creation for Yeti Nepal

OpenAIRE

Gautam, Sushil

2011-01-01

The thesis aims to create a strategic brand for a recently established restaurant called Yeti Nepal that serves Nepalese food and is located at Helsinki. The new venture does not have a clear brand positioning, brand promise and satisfactory awareness level at the moment. The literature has been reviewed to highlight the process that begins from a new brand creation to the strategic positioning of the brand in the market. The techniques to increase the awareness to the level of...

Community-Based Management of Diabetes in Nepal: Exploring the Potential Role of Female Community Health Volunteers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gyawali, Bishal

2016-01-01

, and this is particularly apparent in the South Asian countries, including Nepal. Despite the growing burden and chronic nature of type 2 diabetes, prevention and control of this disease is far from adequate in these settings. One possibility could be through the involvement of community health workers to prevent, diagnose...... and treat type 2 diabetes. We suggest that involving Female Community Health Volunteers (FCHVs) of Nepal offering culturally appropriate health promotion may be the blue print for community-based management programmes tackling type 2 diabetes. We aim to explore the potential role of FCHVs of Nepal...... for diabetes management at community level. It is anticipated that the study can give valuable information regarding effectiveness, acceptability, and feasibility of an innovative way to improve diabetes management in low resource settings....

Pilot study to reduce emissions, improve health, and offset BC emissions through the distribution of improved cook stoves in Nepal

Science.gov (United States)

Banmali Pradhan, B.; Panday, A. K.; Surapipith, V.

2013-12-01

In most developing countries, wood and other biomass fuels are still the primary source of energy for the majority of the people, particularly the poor. It is estimated that cook stoves account for approximately 20% of global black carbon emissions. In Nepal 87% of energy is supplied from traditional biomass and 75% of households still depend on biomass as a cooking fuel. The substitution of traditional cook stoves with improved cook stoves provides an important way to reduce black carbon emissions. In 2013 the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) has commenced a pilot study that both examines ways to effectively disseminate improved cookstoves across remote rural mountain regions, and also quantifies the resulting changes in emissions, air quality and health. The selected study area is in Bajrabarahi Village in Makawanpur district, to the southwest of Kathmandu. The study area consists of around 1600 households, which are divided into control groups and groups where the cook stove intervention is taking place. The study complements the ';Clean Cooking energy solution for all by 2017' announced by the Government of Nepal recently, and will provide insights to the government on ways to effectively reduce black carbon emissions from cook stoves. To make the study robust and sustainable, local women's group and a local medical institution are involved in the project right from the conceptualization stage. The study region has been chosen in part because the medical school Patan Academy of Health Sciences (PAHS) has already started a long term health assessment in the region, and has built up considerable local contacts. The local women's group is working on the modality of cook stove distribution through micro credit programmes in the village. We will distribute the best available manufactured, fan-assisted cook stoves that are expected to reduce BC emissions the most. Health assessments, emissions estimates, as well as measurements of

Nepal : tous les projets | Page 2 | CRDI - Centre de recherches pour ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

End Date: 5 janvier 2018 ... ACCESS TO INFORMATION, DEVELOPING COUNTRIES, Economic and social development, CASE STUDIES, ... Région: Argentina, South America, Brazil, India, Kenya, Nigeria, Nepal, Far East Asia, Philippines, ...

First molecular identification and characterization of classical swine fever virus isolates from Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Postel, Alexander; Jha, Vijay C; Schmeiser, Stefanie; Becher, Paul

2013-01-01

Classical swine fever (CSF) is a major constraint to pig production worldwide, and in many developing countries, the epidemiological status is unknown. Here, for the first time, molecular identification and characterization of CSFV isolates from two recent outbreaks in Nepal are presented. Analysis of full-length E2-encoding sequences revealed that these isolates belonged to CSFV subgenotype 2.2 and had highest genetic similarity to isolates from India. Hence, for CSFV, Nepal and India should be regarded as one epidemiological unit. Both Nepalese isolates exhibited significant sequence differences, excluding a direct epidemiological connection and suggesting that CSFV is endemic in that country.

Child maltreatment in Nepal: prevalence and associated factors.

Science.gov (United States)

Kandel, P; Kunwar, R; Karki, S; Kandel, D; Lamichhane, P

2017-10-01

Child maltreatment is a global public health problem. There is limited information about this problem in low-income countries. We aimed to document the prevalence and factors associated with physical punishment of children less than 14 years of age in Nepal. Population-based cross-sectional study. We conducted an in-depth analysis using data from the Nepal Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey, a nationally representative multi-stage-stratified cluster sampling survey. Data were collected from 13,000 households in 520 sample enumeration areas. We assessed prevalence of physical punishment and different child violence related acts on 5081 children aged 3-14 years for whom complete information on all acts and attitude towards violence was available. Logistic regression was used to investigate the association between physical punishment of child and factors such as household and maternal demographics. Our results suggested violence is common across Nepal, with data showing one in every second child is physically punished. One in every third (33%) of children were spanked, hit or slapped on the bottom, 25% were hit or slapped on the face and approximately 3% were beaten up hard. Odds of facing physical punishment were higher among children aged 3-5 years (odds ratio [OR] 2.9, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.0-4.3), aged 6-8 years (OR 2.8, 95% CI: 2.2-3.7), engaged in child labour activities (OR 1.4, 95% CI: 1.1-1.7), with mother that accepted wife beating by husband is justified (OR 1.2, 95% CI: 1.1-1.4), whose father is currently abroad (OR 1.5, 95% CI: 1.2-1.9) and whose father is away from home but in the same country (OR 1.60, 95% CI: 1.1-2.3). The risk was also higher among children living in households that believe physical punishment of children is necessary (OR 3.5, 95% CI: 2.9-4.3) and from lower caste/indigenous (dalit/janajati) ethnicity (OR 1.3, 95% CI: 1.1-1.7). Those less likely to experience physical punishment included female children (OR 0.7, 95% CI: 0

Importance of Health and Social Care Research into Gender and Sexual Minority Populations in Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Regmi, Pramod R; van Teijlingen, Edwin

2015-11-01

Despite progressive legislative developments and increased visibility of sexual and gender minority populations in the general population, mass media often report that this population face a wide range of discrimination and inequalities. LGBT (lesbian, gay, and bisexual, and transgender) populations have not been considered as priority research populations in Nepal. Research in other geographical settings has shown an increased risk of poor mental health, violence, and suicide and higher rates of smoking, as well as alcohol and drugs use among LGBT populations. They are also risk for lifestyle-related illness such as cancer, diabetes, and heart diseases. Currently, in Nepal, there is a lack of understanding of health and well-being, social exclusion, stigma, and discrimination as experienced by these populations. Good-quality public health research can help design and implement targeted interventions to the sexual and gender minority populations of Nepal. © 2015 APJPH.

Molecular and Clinical Epidemiology of Salmonella Paratyphi A Isolated from Patients with Bacteremia in Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Sherchan, Jatan Bahadur; Morita, Masatomo; Matono, Takashi; Izumiya, Hidemasa; Ohnishi, Makoto; Sherchand, Jeevan B; Tandukar, Sarmila; Laghu, Ujjwal; Nagamatsu, Maki; Kato, Yasuyuki; Ohmagari, Norio; Hayakawa, Kayoko

2017-12-01

Little is known about the epidemiology of typhoid and paratyphoid fever in Nepal. We aimed to elucidate the molecular and clinical epidemiology of Salmonella Paratyphi A in Nepal. Isolates were collected from 23 cases of bacteremia due to S. Paratyphi A between December 2014 and October 2015. Thirteen patients (57%) were male, and the median age was 21 years. None of the patients had an underlying chronic disease. All S. Paratyphi A isolates were sensitive to ampicillin, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, ceftriaxone, and chloramphenicol. All isolates were resistant to nalidixic acid and were categorized as intermediately susceptible to levofloxacin. Phylogenetic analysis revealed close relatedness among the isolates, including several clonal groups, suggesting local spread. Patients with bacteremia due to S. Paratyphi A in Kathmandu, Nepal, were relatively young and nondebilitated. Improving control of S . Paratyphi infections should focus on effective infection control measures and selection of empirical therapy based on current resistance patterns.

Diversity, distribution and host-species associations of epiphytic orchids in Nepal

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Timsina, B.; Rokaya, Maan Bahadur; Münzbergová, Zuzana; Kindlmann, P.; Shrestha, B.; Bhattarai, B.; Raskoti, B. B.

2016-01-01

Roč. 25, č. 13 (2016), s. 2803-2819 ISSN 0960-3115 Institutional support: RVO:67985939 Keywords : species richness * host * Nepal Himalaya Subject RIV: EF - Botanics Impact factor: 2.265, year: 2016

Birth spacing of pregnant women in Nepal: A community-based study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rajendra Karkee

2016-09-01

Full Text Available BackgroundOptimal birth spacing has health advantages for both mother and child. In developing countries, shorter birth intervals are common and associated with social, cultural and economic factors, as well as a lack of family planning. This study investigated the first birth interval after marriage and preceding interbirth interval in Nepal.MethodsA community-based prospective cohort study was conducted in the Kaski district of Nepal. Information on birth spacing, demographic and obstetric characteristics was obtained from 701 pregnant women using a structured questionnaire. Logistic regression analyses were performed to ascertain factors associated with short birth spacing.ResultsAbout 39% of primiparous women gave their first child birth within one year of marriage and 23% of multiparous women had short preceding interbirth intervals (<24 months. The average birth spacing among the multiparous group was 44.9 (SD 21.8 months. Overall, short birth spacing appeared to be inversely associated with advancing maternal age.For the multiparous group, Janajati and lower caste women, and those whose newborn was female, were more likely to have short birth spacing.ConclusionsThe preceding interbirth interval was relatively long in the Kaski district of Nepal and tended to be associated with maternal age, caste, and sex of newborn infant. Optimal birth spacing programs should target Janajati and lower caste women, along with promotion of gender equality in society.

Community-based stillbirth rates and risk factors in rural Sarlahi, Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Anne C; Mullany, Luke C; Tielsch, James M; Katz, Joanne; Khatry, Subarna K; Leclerq, Steven C; Adhikari, Ramesh K; Darmstadt, Gary L

2011-06-01

To assess stillbirth rates and antepartum risk factors in rural Nepal. Data were collected prospectively during a cluster-randomized, community-based trial in Sarlahi, Nepal, from 2002 to 2006. Multivariate regression modeling was performed to calculate adjusted relative risk estimates. Among 24531 births, the stillbirth rate was 35.4 per 1000 births (term stillbirth rate 21.2 per 1000 births). Most births occurred at home without a skilled birth attendant. The majority (69%) of intrapartum maternal deaths resulted in stillbirth. The adjusted RR (aRR) of stillbirth was 2.74 among nulliparas and 1.47 among mothers with history of a child death. Mothers above the age of 30 years carried a 1.59-fold higher risk for stillbirth than mothers who were 20-24 years old. The stillbirth risk was lower among households where the father had any formal education (aRR 0.70). Land ownership (aRR 0.85) and Pahadi ethnicity (aRR 0.67; reference: Madhesi ethnicity) were associated with significantly lower risks of stillbirth. Stillbirth rates were high in rural Nepal, with the majority of stillbirths occurring at full-term gestation. Nulliparity, history of prior child loss, maternal age above 30 years, Madhesi ethnicity, and socioeconomic disadvantage were significant risk factors for stillbirth. Clinicaltrials.govNCT00 109616. Copyright © 2011 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

The success of biogas plants in Nepal: a note on gender

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Opdam, J.H.M.

1997-01-01

This article describes a successful programme to disseminate biogas plants in Nepal, and summarises the findings of various studies on the impact of the biogas technology on the quality of life of women.

Cultural Anarchism: The Consequences of Privileging Languages in Nepal

Science.gov (United States)

Giri, Ram Ashish

2010-01-01

Nepali, the official language of administration of Nepal, has been privileged through systematic political manoeuvres throughout its history. English also enjoys special status and privileges, and despite the fact that it is officially only a "foreign" language, in practice it is one of the most dominant languages in educational and…

Hidden voices: prevalence and risk factors for violence against women with disabilities in Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Puri, Mahesh; Misra, Geetanjali; Hawkes, Sarah

2015-03-18

There is an increasing body of evidence on the extent and predictors of violence against women in Nepal. However, much of the published research does not yet take into account additional features of marginalization and vulnerability suffered by some women - for example, women socially excluded on account of their disability. Critical gaps exist in empirical data on the extent, risk factors, access to care, socio-economic and health consequences of violence among women with disabilities in Nepal. This paper addresses some these gaps and aims to promote evidence-informed policy and programme responses in Nepal. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of 475 women with disability aged 16 years and above in three districts in Nepal. In-depth interviews with 12 women who reported violence in the survey were also carried out. Using multivariate statistical methods we estimated the prevalence and risk factors for violence experienced both over the past 12 months and lifetime. Over the lifetime, 57.7% of women reported they had ever experienced violence, including emotional violence (55.2%); physical violence (34%); and sexual violence (21.5%). Over the preceding 12 months, 42% of women reported that they had experienced violence. Multivariate analysis showed that women with disabilities who were young, working in paid employment, and those who required permission from husbands/family to go to health centres or participate in community organizations were at increased risk of violence. Women experienced a range of negative outcomes from violence - including physical and emotional trauma. However, a majority of women did not seek care or redress from the health, justice or other sectors. Women in Nepal are at high risk of violence, often from members of their immediate family or local community. Rates of violence are higher in women with disability than among women in the general population. Tackling violence requires a comprehensive approach that addresses the root causes of

Symptom Recognition to Diagnosis of Autism in Nepal

Science.gov (United States)

Shrestha, Merina; Shrestha, Rena

2014-01-01

Awareness and knowledge about autism is almost non-existent in Nepal. Children who eventually get the diagnosis often miss their opportunity for early intervention. The current study shows that medical help was seeked at mean age of 27.9 + 14.5 months and most of them were for delayed language and the first preference for parents were…

Performance evaluation of locally developed black light trap for maize insects monitoring in Chitwan, Nepal

OpenAIRE

Ghanashyam Bhandari; Shiva Kumar Jha; Yagya Prasad Giri; Hira Kaji Manandhar; Pramod Kumar Jha; Nabaraj Devkota; Praseed Thapa; Resham Bahadur Thapa

2017-01-01

Till today, the light traps in Nepal are found using with traditional type, which have not being recognized internationally. These light traps were of low efficiency for trapping insects as compared to black light trap (BLT). The black light tube (F10T8/BL) was used in newly constructed trap at National Maize Research Program (NMRP), Rampur, Chitwan, Nepal. Both traps were installed at the maize experimental field at NMRP during February to October, 2017. Data on insect numbers were recorded ...

Marketing of adventure tourism destination in Nepal

OpenAIRE

Baral, Nirajan

2016-01-01

Adventure tourism is one of the key factors of the Nepalese tourism industry. The main aim of this bachelor’s thesis was to clarify the current situation and challenges for developing adventure tourism in Nepal and to evaluate the importance of appropriate marketing strategies. The thesis also focuses on promoting adventure tourism activities and rural tourism destinations. The objective of the thesis was to explore Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve as an adventure tourism destination at internationa...

Diet of Bengal Tigers (Panthera tigris tigris in Chitwan National Park, Nepal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bhandari Shivish

2017-10-01

Full Text Available We studied the diet of the Bengal tigers (Panthera tigris tigris in Chitwan National Park, Nepal, by identifying 109 prey items from 85 tiger scats. Tigers in this region fed upon eight different mammal species. Chital (Axis axis was the major prey with a frequency of 45% of the Tigers’ diet. The occurrence of other prey species included sambar (Cervus unicolor, 23%, wild pig (Sus scrofa, 15%, hog deer (Axis porcinus, 9%, barking deer (Muntiacus muntjak, 4%, and gaur (Bos gaurus, 2%. Tigers also hunted livestock, but this prey comprised a small component of the relative biomass (buffalo 5% and cow 2%. Our study suggests that the tiger depends mostly upon wild prey for its subsistence in the Chitwan National Park, but will also sporadically hunt livestock.

Geomorphic and Geologic Controls of Geohazards induced by Nepal's 2015 Gorkha Earthquake

Science.gov (United States)

Kargel, J. S.; Leonard, G. J.; Shugar, D. H.; Haritashya, U.K.; Bevington, A.; Fielding, E. J.; Fujita, K.; Geertsema, M.; Miles, E. S.; Steiner, J.;

Physicochemical analysis of apis dorsata honey from terai forests, Nepal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qamer, S.; Ahmad, F.; Latif, F.; Ali, S.S

2008-01-01

The multi floral honey produced by Apis dorsata from Shahabgunj, Dhakeri, Narayanpur and Perari forest, Nepal, were provided by International Center for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), Nepal. These ninety nine Apis dorsata honey samples were characterized physicochemical and were found to have values of various quality determining parameters well with in the permissible International standards. The honey samples had pH in the range of 3.8-4.68, free acidity 41-48 meq/kg, lactones 13-16 meq/kg, total acidity 55-65 meq/kg, moisture content 20.5-26%, electrical conductivity 0.22-0.63 mS/cm, proline content 76-160 mg/kg, HMF content 30-56 mg/kg, diastase number 5.1-29 DN, invertase number 390-499, apparent reducing sugars 73.78-77.78%, fructose 36.93-44.61%, glucose 19.61-27.51% and sucrose 12.07-20.38%. (author)

Analysis of changes in crop farming in the Dudh Koshi (Nepal) driven by climate changes

Science.gov (United States)

Gianinetto, Marco; Polinelli, Francesco; Frassy, Federico; Aiello, Martina; Rota Nodari, Francesco; Soncini, Andrea; Bocchiola, Daniele

2017-10-01

Nepal is one of the poorest nations of the world and the Koshi Basin includes some of the poorest regions of this country. It's farming system is subsistence agriculture, mainly rainfed, with crop productivity among the lowest in South Asia. Nepal is also severely impacted by climate changes, such as retreat of glaciers, rise in temperature, erratic rainfalls and increase in frequency of extreme weather. This paper describes the spatio-temporal evolution of cultivated land in Dudh Koshi during the last four decades (1970s-2010s), by mapping the farming of its four main cereals in the districts of Solukhumbu, Okhaldunga and Kothang from space. The analysis of satellite time series showed a 10% of increment in farmland from 1970s to 1990s, and about 60% in the following twenty years. With a shift of cropping to higher altitudes. Data belonging to of the second twenty years are strongly correlated with the population growth observed in the same period (0.97demographic and socioeconomic pressures are driving the expansion, while climatic and topographic parameters are just channeling the expansion. Apart from any policies that could change the tack, Dudh Koshi should be able to meet the increasing demand of cereals in the near future and climate seems not being a limiting factor for further development as it will be the availability of an irrigation system.

Refining the structural framework of the Khimti Khola region, east-central Nepal Himalaya, using quartz textures and c-axis fabrics

Science.gov (United States)

Larson, Kyle P.

2018-02-01

New quartz texture and c-axis fabric data from across the Paleoproterozoic Ulleri-Phaplu-Melung orthogneiss in the Khimti Khola region of east central Nepal provide new constraints on the internal structural framework of the Himalaya that help shed light on the convergence accommodation processes active in the upper portion of the crust during orogenesis. These data outline a strain history that varies across the unit. Deformation near the base of the unit occurred at ∼605 (±50) °C with evidence of significant static recrystallization and recovery preserved in quartz, whereas deformation near the top of the unit occurred at ∼540 (±50) ˚C with quartz characterized by dynamic recrystallization mechanisms. The strength of the quartz c-axis fabrics follows a similar spatial pattern, with those from near the top of the unit recording stronger fabrics than those measured from lower in the unit. Together, these data are interpreted to indicate strain localization, possibly at progressively lower temperature, near the top of the Ulleri-Phaplu-Melung orthogneiss. This interpretation is consistent with cooling ages that indicate the upper boundary of the unit coincides with an out-of-sequence shear zone. This study not only provides a structural characterization of the shear zone, helping to refine the kinematic framework of this portion of the Himalaya, but also confirms the utility of fabric strength analysis in deciphering strain localization within pervasively deformed rocks.

Urban Ecosystem Health in Kathmandu (Nepal) - Phase III | CRDI ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

The two earlier phases of this project (003320 and 101277) led to the creation or strengthening of 18 local stakeholder groups and resulted in a new Animal Slaughtering and Meat Inspection Act, modification of the Nepal Food Act, modification of the Garbage Disposal Act, revisions to the Kathmandu Valley Housing Plan ...

Uterine prolapse prevention in Eastern Nepal

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Radl, Christina Mathilde; Rajwar, Ranjita; Aro, Arja R.

2012-01-01

are working well or the attitudes toward them. This paper presents the findings of a qualitative study on primary and secondary prevention of uterine prolapse in Eastern Nepal. Method: The study involved eight focus group discussions with 71 women in six villages of the eastern districts of Siraha and Saptari......: It was found that patriarchy, gender discrimination, and cultural traditions such as early marriage and pregnancy make it difficult for people to discontinue uterine prolapse risk behaviors. Women are aware of risk factors, prevention, and treatment, but are powerless to change their situations. Health...

An Overture for eCAM: Science, Technology and Innovation Initiation for Prosperous, Healthy Nepal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Krishna Kaphle

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Nepal the “Shangri-La” in the lap of the Himalayas is gearing up for modern times as it starts rebuilding after a decade of senseless violence and destruction. The nation one of the poorest in the global development index is rich in natural resources and biodiversity. Reports of medicinal plants far exceeding those recorded and reported so far are encouraging and at the same time concerns for medicinal plants under threat as a result of overexploitation are emerging from Nepal. The harsh mountain terrains, lack of industrialization and harnessing potentiality of its areas of strength; water; natural resources and tourism make it poor in per capita income which averages ~ 300 US$, with half the population living under >1$ a day. Nepal is beginning to realize that the way ahead is only possible through the path of Science and Technology (ST. Nepal Academy of Science and Technology formerly known as Royal Academy of Science and Technology organized the fifth national conference held every 4 years that took place in the capital Kathmandu during November 10-12, 2008. The ST initiation event saw the participation of ~ 1400 people representing over 150 organizations from the country and experts from abroad. The theme for the fifth national meet was “Science, Technology and Innovation for Prosperous Nepal”. Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM was an important theme in the event as the realization for the need of ST research focused in CAM for harnessing the chemo diversity potential was univocally approved.

Fish cage culture catches on in Nepal | IDRC - International ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

2010-10-25

Oct 25, 2010 ... With new-found financial security, more families are able to provide education for their children, unlike many rural communities in Nepal. And the role of women in decision-making has been strengthened. ... In the early 1990s, the global news media became entranced by a ... Careers · Contact Us · Site map.

Action Learning in ActionAid Nepal: A Case Study

Science.gov (United States)

Lustig, Patricia; Rai, Deep Ranjani

2009-01-01

This article describes an example of how action learning was used as a framework for an organisational intervention to fundamentally change the organisational culture over a period of time. It also identifies our learning over that period of time and what worked well (and not so well) in an International Non-Governmental Organisation in Nepal.

Haulage Methods in Different Areas of Nepal and the Health Condition of the Porters in Kathmandu

OpenAIRE

Kaneda, Eiko; Yamauchi, Masaki; Ohwatari, Nobu; Lee, Jeong-Beom; Kosaka, Mitsuo

1999-01-01

The complicated geographical features of Nepal make transport of goods difficult. People have to depend on human power even today, especially porters who use a number of different transport styles. The objectives of this study were to document (1) the characteristics of haulage methods in relation to the geographical conditions, and (2) the diurnal activities and health of porters in Kathmandu. The observed methods used by the porters in Nepal to carry loads were divided into four main classe...

Isolation and characterization of aerobic culturable arsenic-resistant bacteria from surfacewater and groundwater of Rautahat District, Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Shakya, S; Pradhan, B; Smith, L; Shrestha, J; Tuladhar, S

2012-03-01

Arsenic (As) contamination of groundwater is a serious Environmental Health Management issue of drinking water sources especially in Terai region of Nepal. Many studies have reported that due to natural abundance of arsenic in the environment, various bacteria have developed different resistance mechanisms for arsenic compound. In this study, the culturable arsenic-resistant bacteria indigenous to surfacewater as well as groundwater from Rautahat District of Nepal were randomly isolated by standard plate count method on the basis of viable growth on plate count agar amended with arsenate ranging from 0, 0.5, 10, 40, 80 to 160 milligram per liter (mg/l). With respect to the morphological and biochemical tests, nine morphologically distinct potent arsenate tolerant bacteria showed relatedness with Micrococcus varians, Micrococcus roseus, Micrococcus luteus, Pseudomonas maltophilia, Pseudomonas sp., Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Bacillus cereus, Bacillus smithii 1 and Bacillus smithii 2. The isolates were capable of tolerating more than 1000 mg/l of arsenate and 749 mg/l of arsenite. Likewise, bioaccumulation capability was highest with M. roseus (85.61%) and the least with B. smithii (47.88%) indicating the potential of the organisms in arsenic resistance and most probably in bioremediation. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Women's empowerment in agriculture and child nutritional status in rural Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Cunningham, Kenda; Ploubidis, George B; Menon, Purnima; Ruel, Marie; Kadiyala, Suneetha; Uauy, Ricardo; Ferguson, Elaine

2015-12-01

To examine the association between women's empowerment in agriculture and nutritional status among children under 2 years of age in rural Nepal. Cross-sectional survey of 4080 households conducted in 2012. Data collected included: child and maternal anthropometric measurements; child age and sex; maternal age, education, occupation and empowerment in agriculture; and household size, number of children, religion, caste and agro-ecological zone. Associations between the Women's Empowerment in Agriculture Index (WEAI)'s Five Domains of Empowerment (5DE) sub-index and its ten component indicators and child length-for-age Z-scores (LAZ) and weight-for-length Z-scores (WLZ) were estimated, using ordinary least-squares regression models, with and without adjustments for key child, maternal and household level covariates. Two hundred and forty rural communities across sixteen districts of Nepal. Children under 24 months of age and their mothers (n 1787). The overall WEAI 5DE was positively associated with LAZ (β=0·20, P=0·04). Three component indicators were also positively associated with LAZ: satisfaction with leisure time (β=0·27, Pempowerment in agriculture was associated with WLZ. Women's empowerment in agriculture, as measured by the WEAI 5DE and three of its ten component indicators, was significantly associated with LAZ, highlighting the potential role of women's empowerment in improving child nutrition in Nepal. Additional studies are needed to determine whether interventions to improve women's empowerment will improve child nutrition.

Catastrophic household expenditure on health in Nepal: a cross-sectional survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Saito, Eiko; Gilmour, Stuart; Rahman, Md Mizanur; Gautam, Ghan Shyam; Shrestha, Pradeep Krishna; Shibuya, Kenji

2014-10-01

To determine the incidence of - and illnesses commonly associated with - catastrophic household expenditure on health in Nepal. We did a cross-sectional population-based survey in five municipalities of Kathmandu Valley between November 2011 and January 2012. For each household surveyed, out-of-pocket spending on health in the previous 30 days that exceeded 10% of the household's total expenditure over the same period was considered to be catastrophic. We estimated the incidence and intensity of catastrophic health expenditure. We identified the illnesses most commonly associated with such expenditure using a Poisson regression model and assessed the distribution of expenditure by economic quintile of households using the concentration index. Overall, 284 of the 1997 households studied in Kathmandu, i.e. 13.8% after adjustment by sampling weight, reported catastrophic health expenditure in the 30 days before the survey. After adjusting for confounders, this expenditure was found to be associated with injuries, particularly those resulting from road traffic accidents. Catastrophic expenditure by households in the poorest quintile were associated with at least one episode of diabetes, asthma or heart disease. In an urban area of Nepal, catastrophic household expenditure on health was mostly associated with injuries and noncommunicable diseases such as diabetes and asthma. Throughout Nepal, interventions for the control and management of noncommunicable diseases and the prevention of road traffic accidents should be promoted. A phased introduction of health insurance should also reduce the incidence of catastrophic household expenditure.

Cross-sectional time series analysis of associations between education and girl child marriage in Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan, 1991-2011.

Science.gov (United States)

Raj, Anita; McDougal, Lotus; Silverman, Jay G; Rusch, Melanie L A

2014-01-01

Girl education is believed to be the best means of reducing girl child marriage (marriage girl child marriages occur, substantial improvements in girl education have not corresponded to equivalent reductions in child marriage. This study examines the levels of education associated with female age at marriage over the previous 20 years across four South Asian nations with high rates (>20%) of girl child marriage- Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan. Cross-sectional time series analyses were conducted on Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) from 1991 to 2011 in the four focal nations. Analyses were restricted to ever-married women aged 20-24 years. Multinomial logistic regression models were used to assess the effect of highest level of education received (none, primary, secondary or higher) on age at marriage (girl child marriage; in Nepal, it was protective against marriage at girl child marriage in South Asia, outside of India. Secondary education may be a better protective strategy against this practice for the region, but may be less effective for prevention of marriage among older relative to younger adolescents.

Repeated catastrophic valley infill following medieval earthquakes in the Nepal Himalaya.

Science.gov (United States)

Schwanghart, Wolfgang; Bernhardt, Anne; Stolle, Amelie; Hoelzmann, Philipp; Adhikari, Basanta R; Andermann, Christoff; Tofelde, Stefanie; Merchel, Silke; Rugel, Georg; Fort, Monique; Korup, Oliver

2016-01-08

Geomorphic footprints of past large Himalayan earthquakes are elusive, although they are urgently needed for gauging and predicting recovery times of seismically perturbed mountain landscapes. We present evidence of catastrophic valley infill following at least three medieval earthquakes in the Nepal Himalaya. Radiocarbon dates from peat beds, plant macrofossils, and humic silts in fine-grained tributary sediments near Pokhara, Nepal's second-largest city, match the timing of nearby M > 8 earthquakes in ~1100, 1255, and 1344 C.E. The upstream dip of tributary valley fills and x-ray fluorescence spectrometry of their provenance rule out local sources. Instead, geomorphic and sedimentary evidence is consistent with catastrophic fluvial aggradation and debris flows that had plugged several tributaries with tens of meters of calcareous sediment from a Higher Himalayan source >60 kilometers away. Copyright © 2016, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Qualitative research and its place in health research in Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

van Teijlingen, E; Simkhada, B; Porter, M; Simkhada, P; Pitchforth, E; Bhatta, P

2011-01-01

There has been a steady growth in recent decades in Nepal in health and health services research, much of it based on quantitative research methods. Over the same period international medical journals such as The Lancet, the British Medical Journal (BMJ), The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) and the Journal of Family Planning and Reproductive Health Care and many more have published methods papers outlining and promoting qualitative methods. This paper argues in favour of more high-quality qualitative research in Nepal, either on its own or as part of a mixed-methods approach, to help strengthen the country's research capacity. After outlining the reasons for using qualitative methods, we discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the three main approaches: (a) observation; (b) in-depth interviews; and (c) focus groups. We also discuss issues around sampling, analysis, presentation of findings, reflexivity of the qualitative researcher and theory building, and highlight some misconceptions about qualitative research and mistakes commonly made.

A community practitioner abroad: listening to women in Dailekh, Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Nixon, Catherine

2015-07-01

Nepal is one of the poorest countries in the world, and has a strongly patriarchal culture. This study reports on methods used to explore women's opportunities in decision-making roles in Dailekh, Nepal. Action-based research was used to support women to identify barriers and to enable them to find solutions which could increase meaningful, practical and genuine representation. Participants were women in nominal positions of leadership in the community and subsequently also men in leadership roles. Focus groups and interviews enabled data to be collected and analysed using participatory and 'rich picture' tools. A five-stage framework approach was used to analyse data. A major theme of 'power' emerged comprised of supporting themes; 'place in society 'formal power,' informal power and 'voice'. These outcomes formed the basis for identifying viable action plans generated by the participants of both genders to promote meaningful involvement of women in community decision making. Women were clear that involving men and women in the actions was key to increasing success.

Ground motions from the 2015 Mw 7.8 Gorkha, Nepal, earthquake constrained by a detailed assessment of macroseismic data

Science.gov (United States)

Martin, Stacey; Hough, Susan E.; Hung, Charleen

2015-01-01

To augment limited instrumental recordings of the Mw 7.8 Gorkha, Nepal, earthquake on 25 April 2015 (Nepali calendar: 12 Baisakh 2072, Bikram Samvat), we collected 3831 detailed media and first-person accounts of macroseismic effects that include sufficiently detailed information to assign intensities. The resulting intensity map reveals the distribution of shaking within and outside of Nepal, with the key result that shaking intensities throughout the near-field region only exceeded intensity 8 on the 1998 European Macroseismic Scale (EMS-98) in rare instances. Within the Kathmandu Valley, intensities were generally 6–7 EMS. This surprising (and fortunate) result can be explained by the nature of the mainshock ground motions, which were dominated by energy at periods significantly longer than the resonant periods of vernacular structures throughout the Kathmandu Valley. Outside of the Kathmandu Valley, intensities were also generally lower than 8 EMS, but the earthquake took a heavy toll on a number of remote villages, where many especially vulnerable masonry houses collapsed catastrophically in 7–8 EMS shaking. We further reconsider intensities from the 1833 earthquake sequence and conclude that it occurred on the same fault segment as the Gorkha earthquake.

Socio-Cultural Dimensions of Cluster vs. Single Home Photovoltaic Solar Energy Systems in Rural Nepal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kimber Haddix McKay

2010-02-01

Full Text Available This paper analyzes the socio-cultural dimensions of obstacles facing solar photovoltaic projects in two villages in rural Nepal. The study was conducted in Humla District, Nepal, one of the most remote and impoverished regions of the country. There are no roads in the district, homes lack running water and villagers’ health suffers from high levels of indoor air pollution from open cooking/heating fires and the smoky torches traditionally burned for light. The introduction of solar energy is important to these villagers, as it removes one major source of indoor air pollution from homes and provides brighter light than the traditional torches. Solar energy is preferable in many villages in the region due to the lack of suitable streams or rivers for micro-hydroelectric projects. In the villages under study in this paper, in-home solar electricity is a novel and recent innovation, and was installed within the last three years in two different geo-spatial styles, depending upon the configuration of homes in the village. In some villages, houses are grouped together, while in others households are widely dispersed. In the former, solar photovoltaic systems were installed in a “cluster” fashion with multiple homes utilizing power from a central battery store under the control of the householder storing the battery bank. In villages with widely spaced households, a single home system was used so that each home had a separate solar photovoltaic array, wiring system and battery bank. It became clear that the cluster system was the sensible choice due to the geographic layout of certain villages, but this put people into management groups that did not always work well due to caste or other differences. This paper describes the two systems and their management and usage costs and benefits from the perspective of the villagers themselves.

Nepal : tous les projets | Page 4 | CRDI - Centre de recherches pour ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Région: Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Central Asia, Far East Asia, South Asia, Bhutan ... NUTRITION, WATER QUALITY, WATER BORNE DISEASES, PESTICIDES ... de préservation de la biodiversité, d'amélioration des cultures et de gestion des ...

Demand and access to mental health services: a qualitative formative study in Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Brenman, Natassia F; Luitel, Nagendra P; Mall, Sumaya; Jordans, Mark J D

2014-08-02

Nepal is experiencing a significant 'treatment gap' in mental health care. People with mental disorders do not always receive appropriate treatment due to a range of structural and individual issues, including stigma and poverty. The PRIME (Programme for Improving Mental Health Care) programme has developed a mental health care plan to address this issue in Nepal and four other low and middle income countries. This study aims to inform the development of this comprehensive care plan by investigating the perceptions of stakeholders at different levels of the care system in the district of Chitwan in southern Nepal: health professionals, lay workers and community members. It focuses specifically on issues of demand and access to care, and aims to identify barriers and potential solutions for reaching people with priority mental disorders. This qualitative study consisted of key informant interviews (33) and focus group discussions (83 participants in 9 groups) at community and health facility levels. Data were analysed using a framework analysis approach. As well as pragmatic barriers at the health facility level, mental health stigma and certain cultural norms were found to reduce access and demand for services. Respondents perceived the lack of awareness about mental health problems to be a major problem underlying this, even among those with high levels of education or status. They proposed strategies to improve awareness, such as channelling education through trusted and respected community figures, and responding to the need for openness or privacy in educational programmes, depending on the issue at hand. Adapting to local perceptions of stigmatised treatments emerged as another key strategy to improve demand. This study identifies barriers to accessing care in Nepal that reach beyond the health facility and into the social fabric of the community. Stakeholders in PRIME's integrated care plan advocate strategic awareness raising initiatives to improve the reach

On the contribution of renewable energies for feeding a high altitude Smart Mini Grid

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Proietti, Stefania; Sdringola, Paolo; Castellani, Francesco; Astolfi, Davide; Vuillermoz, Elisa

2017-01-01

Highlights: • Off-grid renewable power generation in a smart mini-grid perspective. • Direct measurements and CFD simulation for energy resources and consumption. • Detailed distribution of wind resource in the Khumbu Valley, Everest region, Nepal. • PV/wind system with storage device, for emergency and permanent scenarios. • Important wind contribution to the energy balance and positive environmental assessment. - Abstract: Governments around the world strive to achieve ambitious targets of incorporating considerable amounts of distributed renewable generation and combined heat and power, in response to the climate-change challenge and the need to enhance fuel diversity. The scientific interest is moving toward off-grid power generation systems, based on conventional and/or renewable sources, often coupled with storage devices, which distribute power through a local grid network. This approach, applied to increase electricity access especially in remote areas, is effective to reduce poverty, mitigate climate change and improve the resilience. In this framework, the paper presents the assessment of different renewable sources for power generation in Nepal, aimed to (i) optimize the energy fluxes, (ii) evaluate the long term energy balance by comparing productions and consumption, (iii) preliminary size a multiple input/output storage device on the basis of specific boundary conditions. The study is geographically set within the Khumbu Valley, in the central part of the Himalayan Range, East Region of Nepal, recently damaged by severe seismic events causing serious consequences on population and territory. The specific features of the reference context have been assessed from different points of view, focusing on climate data, energy consumption, and available resources. Wind potential in several spots around Namche Bazar region was estimated using CFD methods, and a customized micro wind turbine – projected by University of Perugia – has been

Geo-Hazards and Mountain Road Development in Nepal: Understanding the Science-Policy-Governance Interface

Science.gov (United States)

Dugar, Sumit; Dahal, Vaskar

2015-04-01

The foothills of Nepalese Himalayas located in the neotectonic mountain environment are among some of the most unstable and geomorphologically dynamic landscapes in the world. Young fold mountains in this region are characterized by complex tectonics that influence the occurrence of earthquakes, while climatic processes such as intense orographic rainfall often dictate the occurrence of floods and landslides. Development of linear infrastructures, such as roads, in mountainous terrain characterized by high relief and orogeny is considerably challenging where the complexity of landscape in steep and irregular topography, difficult ground conditions and weak geology, presents engineers and planners with numerous difficulties to construct and maintain mountain roads. Whilst application of engineering geology, geomorphic interpretation of terrain in terms of physiography and hydrology, and identification of geo-hazards along the road corridor is critical for long term operation of mountain roads, low-cost arterial roads in the Himalayan foothills generally fail to incorporate standard road slope engineering structures. This research provides unique insights on policy and governance issues in developing mountainous countries such as Nepal, where achieving a sound balance between sustainability and affordability is a major challenge for road construction. Road development in Nepal is a complex issue where socio-economic and political factors influence the budget allocation for road construction in rural hilly areas. Moreover, most mountain roads are constructed without any geological or geo-technical site investigations due to rampant corruption and lack of adequate engineering supervision. Despite having good examples of rural road construction practices such as the Dharan-Dhankuta Road in Eastern Nepal where comprehensive terrain-evaluation methods and geo-technical surveys led to an improved understanding of road construction, learnings from this project have not

Malnutrition Status Among Under-5 Children in a Hill Community of Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Gaurav, K; Poudel, I S; Bhattarai, S; Pradhan, P M S; Pokharel, P K

2014-01-01

Malnutrition, especially under nutrition puts children at increased risk of morbidity and mortality and remains a serious barrier in child growth, development and survival. This is a major public health problem among under- 5 children in Nepal particularly in rural areas. To assess the burden and contributing factors for malnutrition in hill community of Ilam district in eastern Nepal. A cross sectional study was conducted in rural hill communities of Ilam district, Nepal with a sample of 240 under- 5 children. Anthropometric measurements were used as per WHO guidelines to asses three nutritional status: Underweight, Stunting, and Wasting using descriptive statistics and chi square test was applied using SPSS 12.0 to assess social and predisposing factors. Seventeen percent of under- 5 children were moderately and 10.4 % were severely underweight. Similarly, 22.9%, and 17.5% were found to be moderately and severely stunted respectively. Less than 10% were found to be moderately and severely wasted. Older age group of children, education level of mother, not exclusive breast feeding practice had significant (p children were affected with stunting, underweight and wasting at the same time. Significant proportion of under - 5 children were malnourished in the communities of the hilly areas. The study unveiled the importance of literacy and exclusive breast feeding for the prevention of malnutrition in under- 5 children.

Hepatitis E virus seroepidemiology: a post-earthquake study among blood donors in Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Shrestha, Ashish C; Flower, Robert L P; Seed, Clive R; Rajkarnikar, Manita; Shrestha, Shrawan K; Thapa, Uru; Hoad, Veronica C; Faddy, Helen M

2016-11-25

As one of the causative agents of viral hepatitis, hepatitis E virus (HEV) has gained public health attention globally. HEV epidemics occur in developing countries, associated with faecal contamination of water and poor sanitation. In industrialised nations, HEV infections are associated with travel to countries endemic for HEV, however, autochthonous infections, mainly through zoonotic transmission, are increasingly being reported. HEV can also be transmitted by blood transfusion. Nepal has experienced a number of HEV outbreaks, and recent earthquakes resulted in predictions raising the risk of an HEV outbreak to very high. This study aimed to measure HEV exposure in Nepalese blood donors after large earthquakes. Samples (n = 1,845) were collected from blood donors from Kathmandu, Chitwan, Bhaktapur and Kavre. Demographic details, including age and sex along with possible risk factors associated with HEV exposure were collected via a study-specific questionnaire. Samples were tested for HEV IgM, IgG and antigen. The proportion of donors positive for HEV IgM or IgG was calculated overall, and for each of the variables studied. Chi square and regression analyses were performed to identify factors associated with HEV exposure. Of the donors residing in earthquake affected regions (Kathmandu, Bhaktapur and Kavre), 3.2% (54/1,686; 95% CI 2.7-4.0%) were HEV IgM positive and two donors were positive for HEV antigen. Overall, 41.9% (773/1,845; 95% CI 39.7-44.2%) of donors were HEV IgG positive, with regional variation observed. Higher HEV IgG and IgM prevalence was observed in donors who reported eating pork, likely an indicator of zoonotic transmission. Previous exposure to HEV in Nepalese blood donors is relatively high. Detection of recent markers of HEV infection in healthy donors suggests recent asymptomatic HEV infection and therefore transfusion-transmission in vulnerable patients is a risk in Nepal. Surprisingly, this study did not provide evidence of a large

Hepatitis E virus seroepidemiology: a post-earthquake study among blood donors in Nepal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ashish C. Shrestha

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background As one of the causative agents of viral hepatitis, hepatitis E virus (HEV has gained public health attention globally. HEV epidemics occur in developing countries, associated with faecal contamination of water and poor sanitation. In industrialised nations, HEV infections are associated with travel to countries endemic for HEV, however, autochthonous infections, mainly through zoonotic transmission, are increasingly being reported. HEV can also be transmitted by blood transfusion. Nepal has experienced a number of HEV outbreaks, and recent earthquakes resulted in predictions raising the risk of an HEV outbreak to very high. This study aimed to measure HEV exposure in Nepalese blood donors after large earthquakes. Methods Samples (n = 1,845 were collected from blood donors from Kathmandu, Chitwan, Bhaktapur and Kavre. Demographic details, including age and sex along with possible risk factors associated with HEV exposure were collected via a study-specific questionnaire. Samples were tested for HEV IgM, IgG and antigen. The proportion of donors positive for HEV IgM or IgG was calculated overall, and for each of the variables studied. Chi square and regression analyses were performed to identify factors associated with HEV exposure. Results Of the donors residing in earthquake affected regions (Kathmandu, Bhaktapur and Kavre, 3.2% (54/1,686; 95% CI 2.7–4.0% were HEV IgM positive and two donors were positive for HEV antigen. Overall, 41.9% (773/1,845; 95% CI 39.7–44.2% of donors were HEV IgG positive, with regional variation observed. Higher HEV IgG and IgM prevalence was observed in donors who reported eating pork, likely an indicator of zoonotic transmission. Previous exposure to HEV in Nepalese blood donors is relatively high. Conclusion Detection of recent markers of HEV infection in healthy donors suggests recent asymptomatic HEV infection and therefore transfusion-transmission in vulnerable patients is a risk in

HIV decline associated with changes in risk behaviours among young key populations in Nepal: analysis of population-based HIV prevalence surveys between 2001 and 2012.

Science.gov (United States)

Deuba, Keshab; Ekström, Anna Mia; Tomson, Göran; Shrestha, Rachana; Marrone, Gaetano

2017-08-01

We assessed changes in HIV prevalence and risk behaviours among young key populations in Nepal. A total of 7505 participants (aged 16-24 years) from key populations who were at increased risk of HIV infection (2767 people who inject drugs (PWID); 852 men who have sex with men/transgender (MSM/TG); 2851 female sex workers (FSW) and 1035 male labour migrants) were recruited randomly over a 12-year period, 2001-2012. Local epidemic zones of Nepal (Kathmandu valley, Pokhara valley, Terai Highway and West to Far West hills) were analysed separately. We found a very strong and consistent decline in HIV prevalence over the past decade in different epidemic zones among PWID and MSM/TG in Kathmandu, the capital city, most likely due to a parallel increase in safe needle and syringe use and increased condom use. A decrease in HIV prevalence in 22 Terai highway districts, sharing an open border with India, was also consistent with increased condom use among FSW. Among male labour migrants, HIV prevalence was low throughout the period in the West to Far West hilly regions. Condom use by migrant workers involved with FSW abroad increased while their condom use with Nepalese FSW declined. Other risk determinants such as mean age at starting first injection, injection frequency, place of commercial sex solicitation, their mean age when leaving to work abroad did not change consistently across epidemic zones among the young key populations under study. In Nepal, the decline in HIV prevalence over the past decade was remarkably significant and consistent with an increase in condom use and safer use of clean needles and syringes. However, diverging trends in risk behaviours across local epidemic zones of Nepal suggest a varying degree of implementation of national HIV prevention policies. This calls for continued preventive efforts as well as surveillance to sustain the observed downward trend.

Glacial Lake Outburst Flood Risk in Nepal and Their Mitigation Practices in Nepal

Science.gov (United States)

Gurung, S.

2017-12-01

Glacial lakes in Nepal face a huge risk of Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) due to the ongoing effects of climate change leading to considerable amount of snow and glacier melt thus weakening the natural barriers holding these high altitude glacial lakes. Nepal is at an ever growing risk every year and always waiting for an inevitable natural disaster. Since GLOF can cause extreme huge loss of human lives and physical properties, it has now become very important to design a proper mechanism which helps in reducing hazards from such events. There is little we can do to stop natural disasters, but we can implement pro-active control measures to minimize the loss. Early Warning System is the provision of timely and effective information, which allows individuals exposed to hazards to take action, avoid or reduce risk to life and property and prepare for effective response. The basic idea behind Early Warning System is that, the earlier and more accurately we are able to predict potential risks associated with natural hazards especially flood, the more likely we will be able to manage and mitigate the disasters' impact on society, economies and environment. We are currently focused on the development of early warning system for Imja Glacial Lake. The objective of developing early warning system for Imja GLOF is to help reduce economic losses and mitigate the number of injuries or deaths by providing information that allows individuals and communities downstream of Imja Lake to protect their lives and properties by using the latest and most advanced technology available. We have installed one Automatic Weather Station near the left lateral moraine of Imja Lake to study the effects of different meteorological parameters so as to predict occurrence of any GLOF event. The sensor includes pluviometer, pyranometer, temperature and humidity sensor, wind sensor, Snowdepth sensor. Two radar level sensors are installed at the outlet of Imja Lake and downstream of Imja river

How Liberal is Nepal's Liberal Grade Promotion Policy?

OpenAIRE

Sharma, Dhiraj

2016-01-01

This paper estimates the magnitude of liberal grade promotion in public schools in Nepal by comparing the pass rate in internally administered exams with the pass rate in the district-exam whose scores determine grade transition. The pass rate in the year-end exam is three and a half times as high as the pass rate in the internal exams. The difference is not explained by an increase in stu...

Sedimentology and uranium prospecting of the Siwaliks in Western Nepal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakajima, Terumasa

1982-01-01

The Siwaliks (Miocene to Pleistocene) distributed along the southern side of the Main Boundary Thrust in Nepal are composed of conglomerates, sandstones, mudstones and lignites. The lower and Middle Siwaliks show various kinds of cyclic repetition in their lithofacies and sedimentary structures. A generalized unit of the cycles consists of sandstones, mudstones and lignites from bottom to top. The sandstones are well-stratified and frequently cross-bedded while the mudstones exhibit massive aspect occasionally with lenticular bedding. In the unit, each lithofacies gradually change into overlying one whereas the boundaries between units are mostly discontinuous and erosional. These cyclic sedimentation, sedimentary structures and fossil evidence suggest the Siwaliks to have been deposited in coastal environments of a fresh water basin. The conglomerates of the Middle and Upper Siwaliks of the investigated area do not contain any High Himalayan rocks such as gneisses and granites. The composition of the conglomerates combined with the palaeocurrent data reveals the sediments to be derived mainly from the Lesser Himalayas just north of the Main Boundary Thrust. As in Pakistan, uranium deposits are expected to occur in the Siwalik sandstones in Nepal. In most places, however, the Siwaliks would have less possibility of uranium occurrence because the Lesser Himalayas do not contain big granite bodies from which uranium minerals are supposed to be originated. In the High Himalayas, granitic rocks are widely distributed, and three big rivers of Nepal have percolated through them and transported the sediments into the Siwalik basin from the ancient time. It seems to be more effective to concentrate our uranium prospecting to the area where these rivers have descended into the Siwalik basin. (author)

Socio-economic and Demographic Determinants of Antenatal Care Services Utilization in Central Nepal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Srijana Pandey, PhD

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Background/Objective: The importance of maternal health services in lessening maternal mortality and morbidity as well as neonatal deaths has received substantial recognition in the past decade. The lack of antenatal care has been identified as a risk factor for maternal mortality and other adverse pregnancy outcomes. The purpose of this study was to determine the factors affecting attendance of antenatal care services in Nepal. Methods: This is a cross-sectional descriptive study carried out in Central Nepal. Using semi-structured questionnaire, interviews were conducted with married women aged between 15-49 years, who had delivered their babies within one year. Systematic random sampling method was used to select the sample. Results were obtained by frequency distribution and cross-tabulation of the variables. Results: More than half of the women were not aware of the consequences of lack of antenatal care. Age, education, income, type of family were strongly associated with the attendance at antenatal care service. Conclusions and Public Health Implications: In Nepal and in other developing countries, maternal mortality and morbidity continue to pose challenges to the health care delivery system. Variety of factors including socio-demographic, socio-economic, cultural and service availability as well as accessibility influences the use of maternal health services.

Buddha's birthplace (Lumbini, Nepal) is polluted

Science.gov (United States)

Rupakheti, Dipesh; Adhikary, Bhupesh; Praveen Puppala, Siva; Kang, Shichang; Naja, Manish; Panday, Arnico; Zhang, Qianggong; Rupakheti, Maheswar; Mahata, Khadak; Lawrence, Mark

2016-04-01

Lumbini, in southern Nepal, is a UNESCO world heritage site of universal value as the birthplace of the Buddha. Poor air quality in Lumbini and surrounding regions is a great concern for public health as well as for preservation, protection and promotion of Buddhist heritage and culture. Measurements of the ambient concentrations of key air pollutants (BC, PM, CO, O3) were conducted in Lumbini, first of its kind in Lumbini, during an intensive measurement period of three months (April-June 2013) in the pre-monsoon season. The measurements were carried out as a part of the international air pollution measurement campaign; SusKat-ABC (Sustainable Atmosphere for the Kathmandu Valley - Atmospheric Brown Clouds). Hourly average concentrations were: BC: 4.9±3.8 (0.3-29.9) μg/m3; CO: 344.1±160.3 (124.9-1429.7) ppbv; O3: 46.6±20.3 (0.85-118.1) ppbv; PM10: 128.8±91.9 (10.5-603.9) μg/m3; and PM2.5: 53.1±35.1 (6.1-272.2) μg/m3. These levels are comparable to heavily polluted sites in the region. The 24-h average PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations frequently (94% and 85%, respectively, of the sampled period) exceeded the WHO guideline, which implies significant health risks for the residents and visitors in the region. Clear diurnal cycles were observed for the pollutants. Occurrences of peak concentrations during the study period were due to regional forest fires and meteorological conditions conducive of transport to Lumbini. The WRF-STEM model was used to simulate the meteorology and the pollution concentration, and showed the model concentration to be lower by a factor of ~1.4-5, even though the model was able to capture the observed variability. Regionally tagged CO tracers and the chemical composition of fine mode PM2.5 was obtained from the model. The aerosol spectral light absorption coefficients obtained from Lumbini indicated presence of BC from both biomass burning and fossil fuel combustion, with more than half of the ambient BC attributable to fossil fuel

Innovative Product Development Partnership Reduced Neonatal Mortality In Nepal Through Improved Umbilical Cord Care.

Science.gov (United States)

Oyloe, Peter; Khanal, Leela; Hodgins, Stephen; Pradhan, Sabita T; Dawson, Penny

2017-11-01

Approximately 40 percent of all newborn deaths in Nepal are attributable to neonatal infections. A randomized controlled trial conducted in Nepal in the period 2002-05 on the application of a solution of the disinfectant chlorhexidine to umbilical cord stumps of newborns showed a reduced risk of infections and death. In response to these results, the Government of Nepal and various partners mobilized to deliver this simple, low-cost intervention on a national scale. We describe the design, development, and maturation of a partnership among the government, technical assistance agencies, and a local pharmaceutical company to create a suitable, commercially available gel product to reduce newborn infections. Essential contributors to the partnership's effectiveness included having a for-profit pharmaceutical company as a fully engaged partner; having responsive, flexible relationships among the partners that evolved over time; and paying attention to competition within the private sector. A less formalized arrangement among partners allowed them to build trust in each other over time. Government stewardship of the program throughout the scale-up process ensured that policy and systems integration were aligned as the program matured.

Modelled and observed mass balance of Rikha Samba Glacier, Nepal, Central Himalaya

Science.gov (United States)

Gurung, T. R.; Kayastha, R. B.; Fujita, K.; Sinisalo, A. K.; Stumm, D.; Joshi, S.; Litt, M.

2016-12-01

Glacier mass balance variability has an implication for the regional water resources and it helps to understand the response of glacier to climate change in the Himalayan region. Several mass balance studies have been started in the Himalayan region since 1970s, but they are characterized by frequent temporal gaps and a poor spatial representatively. This study aims at bridging the temporal gaps in a long term mass balance series of the Rikha Samba glacier (5383 - 6475 m a.s.l.), a benchmark glacier located in the Hidden Valley, Mustang, Nepal. The ERA Interim reanalysis data for the period 2011-2015 is calibrated with the observed meteorological variables from an AWS installed near the glacier terminus. We apply an energy mass balance model, validated with the available in-situ measurements for the years 1998 and 2011-2015. The results show that the glacier is shrinking at a moderate negative mass balance rate for the period 1995 to 2015 and the high altitude location of Rikha Samba also prevents a bigger mass loss compared to other small Himalayan glaciers. Precipitation from July to January and the mean air temperature from June to October are the most influential climatic parameters of the annual mass balance variability of Rikha Samba glacier.

Demographic, socio-economic, and cultural factors affecting fertility differentials in Nepal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adhikari Ramesh

2010-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Traditionally Nepalese society favors high fertility. Children are a symbol of well-being both socially and economically. Although fertility has been decreasing in Nepal since 1981, it is still high compared to many other developing countries. This paper is an attempt to examine the demographic, socio-economic, and cultural factors for fertility differentials in Nepal. Methods This paper has used data from the Nepal Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS 2006. The analysis is confined to ever married women of reproductive age (8,644. Both bivariate and multivariate analyses have been performed to describe the fertility differentials. The bivariate analysis (one-way ANOVA was applied to examine the association between children ever born and women's demographic, socio-economic, and cultural characteristics. Besides bivariate analysis, the net effect of each independent variable on the dependent variable after controlling for the effect of other predictors has also been measured through multivariate analysis (multiple linear regressions. Results The mean numbers of children ever born (CEB among married Nepali women of reproductive age and among women aged 40-49 were three and five children, respectively. There are considerable differentials in the average number of children ever born according to women's demographic, socio-economic, and cultural settings. Regression analysis revealed that age at first marriage, perceived ideal number of children, place of residence, literacy status, religion, mass media exposure, use of family planning methods, household headship, and experience of child death were the most important variables that explained the variance in fertility. Women who considered a higher number of children as ideal (β = 0.03; p Conclusion The average number of children ever born is high among women in Nepal. There are many contributing factors for the high fertility, among which are age at first marriage, perceived ideal

Demographic, socio-economic, and cultural factors affecting fertility differentials in Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Adhikari, Ramesh

2010-04-28

Traditionally Nepalese society favors high fertility. Children are a symbol of well-being both socially and economically. Although fertility has been decreasing in Nepal since 1981, it is still high compared to many other developing countries. This paper is an attempt to examine the demographic, socio-economic, and cultural factors for fertility differentials in Nepal. This paper has used data from the Nepal Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS 2006). The analysis is confined to ever married women of reproductive age (8,644). Both bivariate and multivariate analyses have been performed to describe the fertility differentials. The bivariate analysis (one-way ANOVA) was applied to examine the association between children ever born and women's demographic, socio-economic, and cultural characteristics. Besides bivariate analysis, the net effect of each independent variable on the dependent variable after controlling for the effect of other predictors has also been measured through multivariate analysis (multiple linear regressions). The mean numbers of children ever born (CEB) among married Nepali women of reproductive age and among women aged 40-49 were three and five children, respectively. There are considerable differentials in the average number of children ever born according to women's demographic, socio-economic, and cultural settings. Regression analysis revealed that age at first marriage, perceived ideal number of children, place of residence, literacy status, religion, mass media exposure, use of family planning methods, household headship, and experience of child death were the most important variables that explained the variance in fertility. Women who considered a higher number of children as ideal (beta = 0.03; p Muslim women (beta = 0.07; p media (beta = -0.05; p women in Nepal. There are many contributing factors for the high fertility, among which are age at first marriage, perceived ideal number of children, literacy status, mass media exposure

Co-seismic deformation and gravity changes of the 2011 India-Nepal and Myanmar earthquakes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liu Chengli

2012-02-01

Full Text Available Co-seismic deformation and gravity field changes caused by the 2011 Mw6. 8 Myanmar and Mw6. 9 India-Nepal earthquakes are calculated with a finite-element model and an average-slip model, respectively, based on the multi-layered elastic half-space dislocation theory. The calculated maximum horizontal displacement of the Myanmar earthquake is 36 cm, which is larger than the value of 9. 5 cm for the India-Nepal earthquake. This difference is attributed to their different focal depths and our use of different models. Except certain differences in the near field, both models give similar deformation and gravity results for the Myanmar event.

The 2015 Nepal Earthquake(s): Lessons Learned From the Disability and Rehabilitation Sector's Preparation for, and Response to, Natural Disasters.

Science.gov (United States)

Landry, Michel D; Sheppard, Phillip S; Leung, Kit; Retis, Chiara; Salvador, Edwin C; Raman, Sudha R

2016-11-01

The frequency of natural disasters appears to be mounting at an alarming rate, and the degree to which people are surviving such traumatic events also is increasing. Postdisaster survival often triggers increases in population and individual disability-related outcomes in the form of impairments, activity limitations, and participation restrictions, all of which have an important impact on the individual, his or her family, and their community. The increase in postdisaster disability-related outcomes has provided a rationale for the increased role of the disability and rehabilitation sector's involvement in emergency response, including physical therapists. A recent major earthquake that has drawn the world's attention occurred in the spring of 2015 in Nepal. The response of the local and international communities was large and significant, and although the collection of complex health and disability issues have yet to be fully resolved, there has been a series of important lessons learned from the 2015 Nepal earthquake(s). This perspective article outlines lessons learned from Nepal that can be applied to future disasters to reduce overall disability-related outcomes and more fully integrate rehabilitation in preparation and planning. First, information is presented on disasters in general, and then information is presented that focuses on the earthquake(s) in Nepal. Next, field experience in Nepal before, during, and after the earthquake is described, and actions that can and should be adopted prior to disasters as part of disability preparedness planning are examined. Then, the emerging roles of rehabilitation providers such as physical therapists during the immediate and postdisaster recovery phases are discussed. Finally, approaches are suggested that can be adopted to "build back better" for, and with, people with disabilities in postdisaster settings such as Nepal. © 2016 American Physical Therapy Association.

Siliguri: A Geopolitical Manoeuvre Corridor in the Eastern Himalayan Region for China and India

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hasan Yaser Malik

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Siliguri Corridor being part of Indian West Bengal is a diplomatic manoeuvre place located between Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, India’s Seven Sister States and Chumbi Hills in the Eastern Himalayan Region. Being located at the crossroads and centrally situated between all the neighbouring countries the landlocked Siliguri has an especially economic and political value for the regional countries. The corridor being in close proximity to China and India’s Seven Sister States has added to the diplomatic mosaic of the Eastern Himalayan Region. The region consists of beautiful landscape, mountains and rivers which not only add to topographical diversity but also demographic mixture. Despite its geopolitical significance the area could not advance for not only being a northeastern border region but also for being a gateway to the Seven Sister States. Peripheral development of Siliguri Corridor is one of the reasons for illegal practices like smuggling and terrorism. In year 2002 Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh discussed a proposal to form a free trade corridor to simplify the goods transportation through Siliguri Corridor but no such pact could be concluded that would have avoided the activities like smuggling and terrorism mainly through economic and diplomatic ventures.

Percutaneous vertebroplasty: Multi-centric results from EVEREST experience in large cohort of patients

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Anselmetti, Giovanni Carlo, E-mail: giovanni.anselmetti@ircc.it [Interventional Radiology Unit, Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment, Strada Provinciale No. 142, Km. 3, 95, 10060 Candiolo, Turin (Italy); Marcia, Stefano, E-mail: stemarcia@gmail.com [Radiology Unit, ASL8 Cagliari, SS. Trinità Hospital, Via Is Mirrionis 92, 09121 Cagliari (Italy); Saba, Luca, E-mail: lucasaba@tiscali.it [Radiology Unit, University of Cagliari, Policlinico Universitario, ss 554, Monserrato, 09127 Cagliari (Italy); Muto, Mario, E-mail: mutomar@tiscali.it [Neuroradiology Unit, AORN Cardarelli, Via A. Cardarelli No. 9, 80131 Napoli (Italy); Bonaldi, Giuseppe, E-mail: bonaldi@mail.org [Neuroradiology Unit, Riuniti di Bergamo, Largo Barozzi, 124128 Bergamo (Italy); Carpeggiani, Paolo, E-mail: p.carpeggiani@ausl.mo.it [Neuroradiology Unit, Policlinico di Modena, Via Dal Pozzo 17, Modena (Italy); Marini, Stefano, E-mail: stemarini@gmail.com [Radiology Unit, University of Cagliari, San Giovanni di Dio Hospital, Via Ospedale 46, 09127 Cagliari (Italy); Manca, Antonio, E-mail: anto.manca@gmail.com [Interventional Radiology Unit, Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment, Strada Provinciale No. 142, Km. 3, 95, 10060 Candiolo, Turin (Italy); Masala, Salvatore, E-mail: salva.masala@tiscali.it [Radiology Unit, Diagnostic Imaging Department, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Roma (Italy)

2012-12-15

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to prospectively evaluate results and complications of percutaneous vertebroplasty (PV) performed in 6 different Italian Centres belonging to the European VErtebroplasty RESearch Team (E.VE.RES.T) in a large series of patients. Materials and methods: Follow-up was obtained in 4547 patients (3211 females and 1336 males; mean age 70.2 years) that underwent PV for a total of 13.437 treated vertebrae. Procedures were performed by using fluoroscopic guidance or combined CT-fluoroscopic guidance. All patients underwent PV in local anaesthesia except for second cervical vertebrae treated with a trans-oral approach that required general anaesthesia. Results: 4004 out of 4547 (88.0%) patients reported significant pain relief (difference > or = 2 point in pain evaluated with an 11-point visual analogue scale; p < 0.0001) within 48 h: an average of 7.7 ± 0.4 dropped to 1.8 ± 0.6 in the osteoporotic patients; 8.3 ± 0.4 to 2.4 ± 0.4 in metastases; 8.3 ± 0.4 to 1.7 ± 1.0 in myeloma; 6.2 ± 3.5 to 0.3 ± 0.2 in angioma and 7.4 ± 0.4 to 1.4 ± 0.9 in trauma. 430 osteoporotic patients (13%) were retreated for a subsequent fracture; in 302/430 patients (70.2%), the new fracture occurred in the contiguous vertebra. No major neurologic complications were reported and the most frequent minor complication was venous leakage (20.5%). Conclusions: This large series of patients confirms that percutaneous vertebroplasty is an effective and safe procedure in the treatment of vertebral fractures. Best results are obtained in the treatment of myeloma and trauma.

Menstruation and Education in Nepal. NBER Working Paper No. 14853

Science.gov (United States)

Oster, Emily; Thornton, Rebecca

2009-01-01

This paper presents the results from a randomized evaluation that distributed menstrual cups (menstrual sanitary products) to adolescent girls in rural Nepal. Girls in the study were randomly allocated a menstrual cup for use during their monthly period and were followed for fifteen months to measure the effects of having modern sanitary products…

Remittance Received by Households of Western Chitwan Valley, Nepal: Does Migrant’s Destination Make a Difference?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Prem Bhandari

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Studies on migration in Nepal primarily focused on the causes of migration, in general. While a few studies examined the remittances received or sent by migrants, there is little information about the variation in remittances received by households by migrant’s destination. Thus, this exploratory study attempts to answer: Does the extent to which households receive remittances vary by migrant’s destination? Using the data collected in 2013 from the western Chitwan Valley of Nepal, the findings from multivariate analysis reveal that net of controls, both the receipt (whether a household received any remittance or not as well as the amount of remittances received by a household varied by migrant’s destination. Evidence suggests that households are less likely to receive remittances from migrants working in India (a country of low earning potential as compared to those working in Nepal. On the other hand, households received significantly more amount of remittances from migrants working in countries with high earning potentials (such as Middle East, East or South East Asia, and America, Australia and Europe as compared to the domestic migrants who were working inside of Nepal but outside of Chitwan. Adjusting for other factors, the largest amount of remittances was received from migrants working in the East or South East Asian countries (e.g. South Korea, Malaysia, Japan followed by those in America, Australia, and Europe and the Middle East. The insights gained from this exploratory study are discussed.

Epidemiology of Leishmania donovani infection in high-transmission foci in Nepal

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rijal, Suman; Uranw, Surendra; Chappuis, François

2010-01-01

OBJECTIVE: Nepal reports a visceral leishmaniasis (VL) incidence of 5 per 10 000 per year on the basis of notification by health facilities, but little community-based epidemiological information exists. We report data on prevalence rates of Leishmania donovani infection in ten communities in East...

The contribution of farmer field schools to rural development in Nepal

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Westendorp, A.M.B.

2012-01-01

 This thesis argues that Farmer Field Schools in Nepal contributed to agriculture and rural development and to gendered empowerment. The Nepalese government, but also NGOs involved in FFS applied a rather technocratic approach towards development (Li, 1999) and assumed that will well-defined

On the water hazards in the trans-boundary Kosi River basin

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, N. Sh.; Hu, G. Sh.; Deng, W.; Khanal, N.; Zhu, Y. H.; Han, D.

2013-03-01

The Kosi River is an important tributary of the Ganges River, which passes through China, Nepal and India. With a basin area of 71 500 km2, the Kosi River has the largest elevation drop in the world (from 8848 m of Mt Everest to 60 m of the Ganges Plain) and covers a broad spectrum of climate, soil, vegetation and socioeconomic zones. The basin suffers from multiple water related hazards including glacial lake outburst, debris flow, landslides, flooding, drought, soil erosion and sedimentation. This paper describes the characteristics of water hazards in the basin, based on the literature review and site investigation covering hydrology, meteorology, geology, geomorphology and socio-economics. Glacial lake outbursts are a huge threat to the local population in the region and they usually further trigger landslides and debris flows. Floods are usually a result of interaction between man-made hydraulic structures and the natural environment. Debris flows are widespread and occur in clusters. Droughts tend to last over long periods and affect vast areas. Rapid population increase, the decline of ecosystems and climate change could further exacerbate various hazards in the region. The paper has proposed a set of mitigating strategies and measures. It is an arduous challenge to implement them in practice. More investigations are needed to fill in the knowledge gaps.

Analysis of health sector gender equality and social inclusion strategy 2009 of Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Mahara, G B; Dhital, S R

2014-01-01

The policy on gender equality and social inclusion (GESI) in health sector of Nepal is formulated in 2009 targeting toward poor, vulnerable, marginalized social and ethnic groups. Gender inequality and social discrimination are a social problem that affect on individual health finally. The main objective of this paper is to critically analysis and evaluates the Government's strategy on health sector gender equality and social inclusion in Nepal. We collected published and unpublished information assessing the public health, policy analysis and research needs from different sources. A different policy approaches for the analysis and evaluation of GESI strategies is applied in this paper. Universal education, community participation, individual, group and mass communication approaches, and social capital are the key aspects of effective implementation of policy at target levels.

Time Trend of the People lost follow up on Antiretroviral Therapy (ART Services in Nepal: A Epidemiological Modelling

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Brijesh Sathian

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Background: The real state about the spread of the HIV epidemic in Nepal is not clear since the details available are on the basis of repeated integrated biological and behavioral surveillance. Objective To study the trends of People lost follow up on ART in future. Material and methods: A retrospective study was carried out on the data collected from the Health ministry records of Nepal, between 2006 and 2012. Descriptive statistics and statistical modelling were used for the analysis and forecasting of data. Results: Including the constant term from the equation, the quadratic model was the best fit, for the forecasting of People lost follow up on ART. Using quadratic equation, it is estimated that 4331 reported number of People lost follow up on ART will be there in Nepal by the year 2020. Conclusion: The People lost follow up on ART in Nepal are having an increasing trend. Estimates of the total number of People lost follow up on ART attributable to the major routes of infection make an important contribution to public health policy. They can be used for the planning of healthcare services and for contributing to estimates of the future numbers with People lost follow up on ART used for planning health promotion programmes.

Prevalence, distribution and correlates of tobacco smoking and chewing in Nepal: a secondary data analysis of Nepal Demographic and Health Survey-2006.

Science.gov (United States)

Sreeramareddy, Chandrashekhar T; Ramakrishnareddy, N; Harsha Kumar, Hn; Sathian, Brijesh; Arokiasamy, John T

2011-12-20

Nearly four-fifths of estimated 1.1 million smokers live in low or middle-income countries. We aimed to provide national estimates for Nepal on tobacco use prevalence, its distribution across demographic, socio-economic and spatial variables and correlates of tobacco use. A secondary data analysis of 2006 Nepal Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) was done. A representative sample of 9,036 households was selected by two-stage stratified, probability proportional to size (PPS) technique. We constructed three outcome variables 'tobacco smoke', 'tobacco chewer' and 'any tobacco use' based on four questions about tobacco use that were asked in DHS questionnaires. Socio-economic, demographic and spatial predictor variables were used. We computed overall prevalence for 'tobacco smoking', 'tobacco chewing' and 'any tobacco use' i.e. point estimates of prevalence rates, 95% confidence intervals (CIs) after adjustment for strata and clustering at primary sampling unit (PSU) level. For correlates of tobacco use, we used multivariate analysis to calculate adjusted odds ratios (AORs) and their 95% CIs. A p-value smoking' and 'tobacco chewing' were 30.3% (95% CI 28.9, 31.7), 20.7% (95% CI 19.5, 22.0) and 14.6% (95% CI 13.5, 15.7) respectively. Prevalence among men was significantly higher than women for 'any tobacco use' (56.5% versus 19.6%), 'tobacco smoking' (32.8% versus 15.8%) and 'tobacco chewing' (38.0% versus 5.0%). By multivariate analysis, older adults, men, lesser educated and those with lower wealth quintiles were more likely to be using all forms of tobacco. Divorced, separated, and widowed were more likely to smoke (OR 1.49, 95% CI 1.14, 1.94) and chew tobacco (OR 1.36, 95% CI 0.97, 1.93) as compared to those who were currently married. Prevalence of 'tobacco chewing' was higher in eastern region (19.7%) and terai/plains (16.2%). 'Tobacco smoking' and 'any tobacco use' were higher in rural areas, mid-western and far western and mountainous areas. Prevalence of

Spatial-Temporal Analysis of Social Media Data Related to Nepal Earthquake 2015

Science.gov (United States)

Thapa, L.

2016-06-01

Social Medias these days have become the instant communication platform to share anything; from personal feelings to the matter of public concern, these are the easiest and aphoristic way to deliver information among the mass. With the development of Web 2.0 technologies, more and more emphasis has been given to user input in the web; the concept of Geoweb is being visualized and in the recent years, social media like Twitter, Flicker are among the popular Location Based Social Medias with locational functionality enabled in them. Nepal faced devastating earthquake on 25 April, 2015 resulting in the loss of thousands of lives, destruction in the historical-archaeological sites and properties. Instant help was offered by many countries around the globe and even lots of NGOs, INGOs and people started the rescue operations immediately; concerned authorities and people used different communication medium like Frequency Modulation Stations, Television, and Social Medias over the World Wide Web to gather information associated with the Quake and to ease the rescue activities. They also initiated campaign in the Social Media to raise the funds and support the victims. Even the social medias like Facebook, Twitter, themselves announced the helping campaign to rebuild Nepal. In such scenario, this paper features the analysis of Twitter data containing hashtag related to Nepal Earthquake 2015 together with their temporal characteristics, when were the message generated, where were these from and how these spread spatially over the internet?

A review of conservation legislation in Nepal: Past progress and future needs

Science.gov (United States)

Heinen, Joel T.; Kattel, Bijaya

1992-11-01

Nepal is considered a leader among developing nations with regard to conservation legislation and programs; it was among the first Asian nations to develop national conservation legislation, sign CITES, and develop a national conservation strategy. We review the history of modern conservation law in Nepal from the Rana period (early 1950s) to the present. The early legislation focused mainly on strict preservation of areas and species; this phase culminated in the National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act of 1973. Subsequent legislation has evolved more in the direction of an integrated, holistic approach to conservation and is beginning to incorporate the participation of local people; subsequent amendments to the 1973 act allowed greater rights to rural villagers, and the designation of conservation areas in addition to the more strictly defined protected areas (national parks, wildlife reserves, etc.). Our review of conservation legislation suggests that Nepal has had many successes to date; the country has a protected area system covering over 10% of its land area, and many target species are recovering in parks and reserves. There are also some causes of concern, including staff shortages, financial constraints within the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation, and the fact that there is little legal infrastructure outside of protected areas to enforce conservation laws; further, some aspects of hunting regulations are in need of revision. Primary needs include a comprehensive review of these policies and a nationalized strategy to ameliorate the shortcomings.

SPATIAL-TEMPORAL ANALYSIS OF SOCIAL MEDIA DATA RELATED TO NEPAL EARTHQUAKE 2015

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L. Thapa

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Social Medias these days have become the instant communication platform to share anything; from personal feelings to the matter of public concern, these are the easiest and aphoristic way to deliver information among the mass. With the development of Web 2.0 technologies, more and more emphasis has been given to user input in the web; the concept of Geoweb is being visualized and in the recent years, social media like Twitter, Flicker are among the popular Location Based Social Medias with locational functionality enabled in them. Nepal faced devastating earthquake on 25 April, 2015 resulting in the loss of thousands of lives, destruction in the historical-archaeological sites and properties. Instant help was offered by many countries around the globe and even lots of NGOs, INGOs and people started the rescue operations immediately; concerned authorities and people used different communication medium like Frequency Modulation Stations, Television, and Social Medias over the World Wide Web to gather information associated with the Quake and to ease the rescue activities. They also initiated campaign in the Social Media to raise the funds and support the victims. Even the social medias like Facebook, Twitter, themselves announced the helping campaign to rebuild Nepal. In such scenario, this paper features the analysis of Twitter data containing hashtag related to Nepal Earthquake 2015 together with their temporal characteristics, when were the message generated, where were these from and how these spread spatially over the internet?

The burden of parasitic zoonoses in Nepal: a systematic review.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Brecht Devleesschauwer

Full Text Available Parasitic zoonoses (PZs pose a significant but often neglected threat to public health, especially in developing countries. In order to obtain a better understanding of their health impact, summary measures of population health may be calculated, such as the Disability-Adjusted Life Year (DALY. However, the data required to calculate such measures are often not readily available for these diseases, which may lead to a vicious circle of under-recognition and under-funding.We examined the burden of PZs in Nepal through a systematic review of online and offline data sources. PZs were classified qualitatively according to endemicity, and where possible a quantitative burden assessment was conducted in terms of the annual number of incident cases, deaths and DALYs.Between 2000 and 2012, the highest annual burden was imposed by neurocysticercosis and congenital toxoplasmosis (14,268 DALYs [95% Credibility Interval (CrI: 5450-27,694] and 9255 DALYs [95% CrI: 6135-13,292], respectively, followed by cystic echinococcosis (251 DALYs [95% CrI: 105-458]. Nepal is probably endemic for trichinellosis, toxocarosis, diphyllobothriosis, foodborne trematodosis, taeniosis, and zoonotic intestinal helminthic and protozoal infections, but insufficient data were available to quantify their health impact. Sporadic cases of alveolar echinococcosis, angiostrongylosis, capillariosis, dirofilariosis, gnathostomosis, sparganosis and cutaneous leishmaniosis may occur.In settings with limited surveillance capacity, it is possible to quantify the health impact of PZs and other neglected diseases, thereby interrupting the vicious circle of neglect. In Nepal, we found that several PZs are endemic and are imposing a significant burden to public health, higher than that of malaria, and comparable to that of HIV/AIDS. However, several critical data gaps remain. Enhanced surveillance for the endemic PZs identified in this study would enable additional burden estimates, and a more

The 2015 Nepal earthquake disaster: lessons learned one year on.

Science.gov (United States)

Hall, M L; Lee, A C K; Cartwright, C; Marahatta, S; Karki, J; Simkhada, P

2017-04-01

The 2015 earthquake in Nepal killed over 8000 people, injured more than 21,000 and displaced a further 2 million. One year later, a national workshop was organized with various Nepali stakeholders involved in the response to the earthquake. The workshop provided participants an opportunity to reflect on their experiences and sought to learn lessons from the disaster. One hundred and thirty-five participants took part and most had been directly involved in the earthquake response. They included representatives from the Ministry of Health, local and national government, the armed forces, non-governmental organizations, health practitioners, academics, and community representatives. Participants were divided into seven focus groups based around the following topics: water, sanitation and hygiene, hospital services, health and nutrition, education, shelter, policy and community. Facilitated group discussions were conducted in Nepalese and the key emerging themes are presented. Participants described a range of issues encountered, some specific to their area of expertize but also more general issues. These included logistics and supply chain challenges, leadership and coordination difficulties, impacts of the media as well as cultural beliefs on population behaviour post-disaster. Lessons identified included the need for community involvement at all stages of disaster response and preparedness, as well as the development of local leadership capabilities and community resilience. A 'disconnect' between disaster management policy and responses was observed, which may result in ineffective, poorly planned disaster response. Finding time and opportunity to reflect on and identify lessons from disaster response can be difficult but are fundamental to improving future disaster preparedness. The Nepal Earthquake National Workshop offered participants the space to do this. It garnered an overwhelming sense of wanting to do things better, of the need for a Nepal-centric approach

Agenda setting and framing of gender-based violence in Nepal: how it became a health issue.

Science.gov (United States)

Colombini, Manuela; Mayhew, Susannah H; Hawkins, Ben; Bista, Meera; Joshi, Sunil Kumar; Schei, Berit; Watts, Charlotte

2016-05-01

Gender-based violence (GBV) has been addressed as a policy issue in Nepal since the mid 1990s, yet it was only in 2010 that Nepal developed a legal and policy framework to combat GBV. This article draws on the concepts of agenda setting and framing to analyse the historical processes by which GBV became legitimized as a health policy issue in Nepal and explored factors that facilitated and constrained the opening and closing of windows of opportunity. The results presented are based on a document analysis of the policy and regulatory framework around GBV in Nepal. A content analysis was undertaken. Agenda setting for GBV policies in Nepal evolved over many years and was characterized by the interplay of political context factors, actors and multiple frames. The way the issue was depicted at different times and by different actors played a key role in the delay in bringing health onto the policy agenda. Women's groups and less powerful Ministries developed gender equity and development frames, but it was only when the more powerful human rights frame was promoted by the country's new Constitution and the Office of the Prime Minister that legislation on GBV was achieved and a domestic violence bill was adopted, followed by a National Plan of Action. This eventually enabled the health frame to converge around the development of implementation policies that incorporated health service responses. Our explicit incorporation of framing within the Kindgon model has illustrated how important it is for understanding the emergence of policy issues, and the subsequent debates about their resolution. The framing of a policy problem by certain policy actors, affects the development of each of the three policy streams, and may facilitate or constrain their convergence. The concept of framing therefore lends an additional depth of understanding to the Kindgon agenda setting model. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions

Correlates of institutional deliveries among teenage and non-teenage mothers in Nepal

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Acharya, Pawan; Adhikari, Tara Ballav; Neupane, Dipika

2017-01-01

Introduction: Globally, maternal age is identified as an important predictor of institutional service utilization during delivery. This study aims to assess the correlates of institutional delivery among teenage and non-teenage mothers in Nepal by using the data from Nepal Demographic and Health...... Survey 2011. Methods: The study population consisted of 5391 women of reproductive age (15–49 years) who had given birth to a child within five years before the survey. Out of them, 381 (7.07%) were teenage mothers. The association between the background characteristics and institutional delivery...... was assessed separately for the teenage and non-teenage mothers using chi-square test and multiple logistic regression analysis. Results: After adjusting for background characteristics, teenage mothers were found more likely to deliver at a health facility [AOR: 2.25; 95% CI: 1.10 4.59] in comparison...

Does Sacrifice Avert Violence? Reflections from Nepal and the People’s War

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marie Lecomte-Tilouine

2013-10-01

Full Text Available This article attempts to address the link between sacrifice and violence by exploring the settings in which they are to be found in the ritual order governing socio-political organization. It is based on extensive ethnographic work in Nepal, a country that was regarded as a safe haven until it was swept up in a revolutionary movement that combined Maoist ideology with a sacrificial impetus. If warlike movements generate an ideology of legitimization that borrows religious imagery, those supported by a revolutionary ideal tend to spiritualize violence to the point of developing a genuine mysticism. This was the case of the People’s War in Nepal, which was presented as an apocalypse, led by warriors rejoicing in their own suffering and glorifying martyrdom as the supreme means of achieving the ideal goal of a classless society.

Adapting to climate variability: the views of peasant farmers in Nepal

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Chalise, S.; Maraseni, T.; Maroulis, J.

2015-01-01

There are growing concerns, especially from farmers in rural mid-east Nepal, about main-streaming locally-led climate adaptation strategies. Using a bottom-up approach, we analysed the bio-physical and socio-economic impacts on Nepalese agriculture from three focus group discussions and a survey of

Understanding the Rapid Reduction of Undernutrition in Nepal, 2001-2011.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Derek D Headey

Full Text Available South Asia has long been synonymous with unusually high rates of undernutrition. In the past decade, however, Nepal has arguably achieved the fastest recorded decline in child stunting in the world and has done so in the midst of civil war and post-conflict political instability. Given recent interest in reducing undernutrition-particularly the role of nutrition-sensitive policies-this paper aims to quantitatively understand this surprising success story by analyzing the 2001, 2006, and 2011 rounds of Nepal's Demographic Health Surveys. To do so, we construct models of the intermediate determinants of child and maternal nutritional change and then decompose predicted changes in nutrition outcomes over time. We identify four broad drivers of change: asset accumulation, health and nutrition interventions, maternal educational gains, and improvements in sanitation. Many of these changes were clearly influenced by policy decisions, including increased public investments in health and education and community-led health and sanitation campaigns. Other factors, such as rapid growth in migration-based remittances, are more a reflection of household responses to changing political and economic circumstances.

Molecular characterization of Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates from elephants of Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Paudel, Sarad; Mikota, Susan K; Nakajima, Chie; Gairhe, Kamal P; Maharjan, Bhagwan; Thapa, Jeewan; Poudel, Ajay; Shimozuru, Michito; Suzuki, Yasuhiko; Tsubota, Toshio

2014-05-01

Mycobacterium tuberculosis was cultured from the lung tissues of 3 captive elephants in Nepal that died with extensive lung lesions. Spoligotyping, TbD1 detection and multi-locus variable number of tandem repeat analysis (MLVA) results suggested 3 isolates belonged to a specific lineage of Indo-Oceanic clade, EAI5 SIT 138. One of the elephant isolates had a new synonymous single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) T231C in the gyrA sequence, and the same SNP was also found in human isolates in Nepal. MLVA results and transfer history of the elephants suggested that 2 of them might be infected with M. tuberculosis from the same source. These findings indicated the source of M. tuberculosis infection of those elephants were local residents, presumably their handlers. Further investigation including detailed genotyping of elephant and human isolates is needed to clarify the infection route and eventually prevent the transmission of tuberculosis to susceptible hosts. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Negotiating geophysical hazards in Nepal: An interdisciplinary approach

Science.gov (United States)

Oven, Katie; Petley, Dave; Rosser, Nick; Dunn, Chris; Rigg, Jonathan

2010-05-01

It is widely accepted that the impact of natural hazards reflects not only the nature of geophysical processes but also the social conditions that prevail. The need for collaborative research to address these complex interactions between the natural and human systems is well recognised, however moving from theory to practice presents a number of significant challenges. How researchers frame problems; develop their research questions; select the methodologies to explore these questions; and privilege certain knowledges over others, can be seen to vary between physical and social science. Drawing on a case study examining the vulnerability of rural communities to landslides in the Upper Bhote Koshi Valley, Central Nepal, this paper explores how these barriers can be overcome and the benefits of undertaking interdisciplinary research within the natural hazards field. This research investigates the different framings of landslide risk and vulnerability from different stakeholder and disciplinary perspectives. Specifically, we ask: 1. Who is vulnerable to landslide hazard? 2. Why do people occupy landslide prone areas? 3. How do ‘at risk' rural communities perceive and respond to landslide hazard and risk? The findings, based on a series of participatory methodologies, challenge a number of assumptions made regarding landslide vulnerability in mountain communities. Within the Upper Bhote Koshi Valley clear transitions in settlement patterns, rural livelihoods and thus the occupation of landslide prone areas have been seen over time. For the majority of households, their decision to occupy these areas is driven by the economic and social benefits associated with the Arniko Highway which runs through the valley, linking Nepal with Tibet. Landslide vulnerability therefore emerges not just from societal marginalisation but also from situations of relative prosperity. The findings suggest that occupants of landslide prone areas have a good understanding of landslide hazard

Spatial analysis and statistical modelling of snow cover dynamics in the Central Himalayas, Nepal

Science.gov (United States)

Weidinger, Johannes; Gerlitz, Lars; Böhner, Jürgen

2017-04-01

General circulation models are able to predict large scale climate variations in global dimensions, however small scale dynamic characteristics, such as snow cover and its temporal variations in high mountain regions, are not represented sufficiently. Detailed knowledge about shifts in seasonal ablation times and spatial distribution of snow cover are crucial for various research interests. Since high mountain areas, for instance the Central Himalayas in Nepal, are generally remote, it is difficult to obtain data in high spatio-temporal resolutions. Regional climate models and downscaling techniques are implemented to compensate coarse resolution. Furthermore earth observation systems, such as MODIS, also permit bridging this gap to a certain extent. They offer snow (cover) data in daily temporal and medium spatial resolution of around 500 m, which can be applied as evaluation and training data for dynamical hydrological and statistical analyses. Within this approach two snow distribution models (binary snow cover and fractional snow cover) as well as one snow recession model were implemented for a research domain in the Rolwaling Himal in Nepal, employing the random forest technique, which represents a state of the art machine learning algorithm. Both bottom-up strategies provide inductive reasoning to derive rules for snow related processes out of climate (temperature, precipitation and irradiance) and climate-related topographic data sets (elevation, aspect and convergence index) obtained by meteorological network stations, remote sensing products (snow cover - MOD10-A1 and land surface temperatures - MOD11-A1) along with GIS. Snow distribution is predicted reliably on a daily basis in the research area, whereas further effort is necessary for predicting daily snow cover recession processes adequately. Swift changes induced by clear sky conditions with high insolation rates are well represented, whereas steady snow loss still needs continuing effort. All

Assessment of vulnerability of forest ecosystems to climate change and adaptation planning in Nepal

Science.gov (United States)

Matin, M. A.; Chitale, V. S.

2016-12-01

Understanding ecosystem level vulnerability of forests and dependence of local communities on these ecosystems is a first step towards developing effective adaptation strategies. As forests are important components of livelihoods system for a large percentage of the population in the Himalayan region, they offer an important basis for creating and safeguarding more climate-resilient communities. Increased frequency, duration, and/or severity of drought and heat stress, changes in winter ecology, and pest and fire outbreaksunder climate change scenarios could fundamentally alter the composition, productivity and biogeography of forests affecting the potential ecosystem services offered and forest-based livelihoods. Hence, forest ecosystem vulnerability assessment to climate change and the development of a knowledgebase to identify and support relevant adaptation strategies is identified as an urgent need. Climate change vulnerability is measured as a function of exposure, sensitivity and the adaptive capacity of the system towards climate variability and extreme events. Effective adaptation to climate change depends on the availability of two important prerequisites: a) information on what, where, and how to adapt, and b) availability of resources to implement the adaptation measures. In the present study, we introduce the concept of two way multitier approach, which can support effective identification and implementation of adaptation measures in Nepal and the framework can be replicated in other countries in the HKH region. The assessment of overall vulnerability of forests comprises of two components: 1) understanding the relationship between exposure and sensitivity and positive feedback from adaptive capacity of forests; 2) quantifying the dependence of local communities on these ecosystems. We use climate datasets from Bioclim and biophysical products from MODIS, alongwith field datasets. We report that most of the forests along the high altitude areas and few

Hydrological system dynamics of glaciated Karnali River Basin Nepal Himalaya using J2000 Hydrological model

Science.gov (United States)

Khatiwada, K. R.; Nepal, S.; Panthi, J., Sr.; Shrestha, M.

2015-12-01

Hydrological modelling plays an important role in understanding hydrological processes of a catchment. In the context of climate change, the understanding of hydrological characteristic of the catchment is very vital to understand how the climate change will affect the hydrological regime. This research facilitates in better understanding of the hydrological system dynamics of a himalayan mountainous catchment in western Nepal. The Karnali River, longest river flowing inside Nepal, is one of the three major basins of Nepal, having the area of 45269 sq. km. is unique. The basin has steep topography and high mountains to the northern side. The 40% of the basin is dominated by forest land while other land cover are: grass land, bare rocky land etc. About 2% of the areas in basin is covered by permanent glacier apart from that about 12% of basin has the snow and ice cover. There are 34 meteorological stations distributed across the basin. A process oriented distributed J2000 hydrologial model has been applied to understand the hydrological system dynamics. The model application provides distributed output of various hydrological components. The J2000 model applies Hydrological Response Unit (HRU) as a modelling entity. With 6861 HRU and 1010 reaches, the model was calibrated (1981-1999) and validated (2000-2004) at a daily scale using split-sample test. The model is able to capture the overall hydrological dynamics well. The rising limbs and recession limbs are simulated equally and with satisfactory ground water conditions. Based on the graphical and statistical evaluation of the model performance the model is able to simulate hydrological processes fairly well. Calibration shows that Nash Sutcliffe efficiency is 0.91, coefficient of determination is 0.92 Initial observation shows that during the pre-monsoon season(March to May) the glacial runoff is 25% of the total discharge while in the monsoon(June to September) season it is only 13%. The surface runoff

Fertility, Household’s size and Poverty in Nepal

OpenAIRE

François Libois; Vincent Somville

2014-01-01

Population control policies keep on attracting a lot of attention. The main argument in favour of a reduction in fertility rates, is that having more children contributes directly to a household’s poverty. Using the last three rounds of the Nepal Living Standards Surveys, we investigate the links between household’s fertility decisions and their consequent achievements in incomes and consumption. In contradiction with the popular presumptions, we find that having more children does not have a...

25 years after Vi typhoid vaccine efficacy study, typhoid affects significant number of population in Nepal.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Deepak Bajracharya

Full Text Available Salmonella Typhi, first isolated in 1884, results in infection of the intestines and can end in death and disability. Due to serious adverse events post vaccination, whole cell killed vaccines have been replaced with new generation vaccines. The efficacy of Vi polysaccharide (ViPS vaccine, a new generation, single-dose intramuscular typhoid vaccine was assessed in Nepal in 1987. However, despite the availability of ViPS vaccine for more than 25 years, Nepal has one of the highest incidence of typhoid fever. Therefore we collected information from hospitals in the Kathmandu Valley from over the past five years. There were 9901 enteric fever cases between January 2008 and July 2012. 1,881 of these were confirmed typhoid cases from five hospitals in the Kathmandu district. Approximately 70% of the cases involved children under 15 years old. 1281 cases were confirmed as S. Paratyphi. Vaccines should be prioritized for control of typhoid in conjunction with improved water and sanitation conditions in Nepal and in endemic countries of Asia and Africa.

CASE STUDY: Nepal — A cleaner city and better health in Kathmandu

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

2003-04-07

Apr 7, 2003 ... CASE STUDY: Nepal — A cleaner city and better health in Kathmandu .... Dr Joshi believes that blending science and a recognition of the social ... One example of where AMESH was applied was in analyzing why the ward ...

Corporal Punishment in Private Schools: The Case of Kathmandu, Nepal

Science.gov (United States)

Khanal, Jeevan; Park, Sae-Hoon

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to elaborate the situation of corporal punishment which is being practiced in Nepalese schools going against new policies that promote the non-violence teaching. It was based on original qualitative study of one private school of Kathmandu (the capital city of Nepal) having more than 2000 students and 100 teachers.…

World Bank in Nepal's Education: Three Decades of Neoliberal Reform

Science.gov (United States)

Regmi, Kapil Dev

2017-01-01

This paper critically analyses key educational policy documents produced by the World Bank mainly from the mid-1980s to 2010 with regard to implementing major educational projects in Nepal. Using critical policy sociology as a methodological tool, the paper explores how a small Himalayan nation with per capita income of about US$730 (2014) plunged…

nepal : tous les projets | CRDI - Centre de recherches pour le ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

La plupart des villes à croissance rapide en Asie du Sud sont confrontées à une augmentation de l'engorgement et de la contamination de l'eau en raison de la mauvaise gestion des déchets solides. Région: Bangladesh, Nepal. Programme: Climate Change. Financement total : CA$ 1,034,200.00. Renforcement de la ...

Human rights violations among sexual and gender minorities in Kathmandu, Nepal: a qualitative investigation.

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Sonal; Pant, Sunil Babu; Dhakal, Suben; Pokhrel, Subash; Mullany, Luke C

2012-05-16

Nepal has experienced sporadic reports of human rights violations among sexual and gender minorities. Our objective was to identify a range of human rights that are enshrined in international law and/or are commonly reported by sexual and gender minority participants in Kathmandu, to be nonprotected or violated. In September 2009 three focus group discussions were conducted by trained interviewers among a convenience sample of sexual and gender minority participants in Kathmandu Nepal. The modified Delphi technique was utilized to elicit and rank participant-generated definitions of human rights and their subsequent violations. Data was analyzed independently and cross checked by another investigator. Participants (n = 29) reported experiencing a range of human rights violations at home, work, educational, health care settings and in public places. Lack of adequate legal protection, physical and mental abuse and torture were commonly reported. Access to adequate legal protection and improvements in the family and healthcare environment were ranked as the most important priority areas. Sexual and gender minorities in Nepal experienced a range of human rights violations. Future efforts should enroll a larger and more systematic sample of participants to determine frequency, timing, and/or intensity of exposure to rights violations, and estimate the population-based impact of these rights violations on specific health outcomes.

Time trends and inequalities of under-five mortality in Nepal: a secondary data analysis of four demographic and health surveys between 1996 and 2011.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chandrashekhar T Sreeramareddy

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Inequalities in progress towards achievement of Millennium Development Goal four (MDG-4 reflect unequal access to child health services. OBJECTIVE: To examine the time trends, socio-economic and regional inequalities of under-five mortality rate (U5MR in Nepal. METHODS: We analyzed the data from complete birth histories of four Nepal Demographic and Health Surveys (NDHS done in the years 1996, 2001, 2006 and 2011. For each livebirth, we computed survival period from birth until either fifth birthday or the survey date. Using direct methods i.e. by constructing life tables, we calculated yearly U5MRs from 1991 to 2010. Projections were made for the years 2011 to 2015. For each NDHS, U5MRs were calculated according to child's sex, mother's education, household wealth index, rural/urban residence, development regions and ecological zones. Inequalities were calculated as rate difference, rate ratio, population attributable risk and hazard ratio. RESULTS: Yearly U5MR (per 1000 live births had decreased from 157.3 (95% CIs 178.0-138.9 in 1991 to 43.2 (95% CIs 59.1-31.5 in 2010 i.e. 114.1 reduction in absolute risk. Projected U5MR for the year 2015 was 54.33. U5MRs had decreased in absolute terms in all sub groups but relative inequalities had reduced for gender and rural/urban residence only. Wide inequalities existed by wealth and education and increased between 1996 and 2011. For lowest wealth quintile (as compared to highest quintile hazard ratio (HR increased from 1.37 (95% CIs 1.27, 1.49 to 2.54 ( 95% CIs 2.25, 2.86 and for mothers having no education (as compared to higher education HR increased from 2.55 (95% CIs 1.95, 3.33 to 3.75 (95% CIs 3.17, 4.44. Changes in regional inequities were marginal and irregular. CONCLUSIONS: Nepal is most likely to achieve MDG-4 but eductional and wealth inequalities may widen further. National health policies should address to reduce inequalities in U5MR through 'inclusive policies'.

Serotyping, PCR, phage-typing and antibiotic sensitivity testing of Salmonella serovars isolated from urban drinking water supply systems of Nepal

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bhatta, D.R.; Bangtrakulnonth, A.; Tishyadhigama, P.

2007-01-01

Aims: To study the occurrence and diversity of Salmonella serovars in urban water supply systems of Nepal. Methods and Results: Occurrence of Salmonella was detected in 42 out of 300 water samples by enrichment culture technique in selenite F broth followed by plating on Salmonella Shigella agar...... isolates of Salm. Enteritidis indicated the presence of one of the ESBL genes, blaSHV, whereas the genes blaTEM and blaCTX were absent. Conclusions: The microbiological quality of the urban water supply is poor and indicates possibility of fatal outbreaks of enteric fever and related infections in Nepal....... Significance and Impact of the Study: The present study will be useful in water borne disease control and prevention strategy formulation in Nepal and in the global context....

Student perception about working in rural Nepal after graduation: a study among first- and second-year medical students

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shankar P

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal is a developing country in South Asia with a population of 29.8 million. In September 2011, there were 18 medical schools with 14 being in the private sector. KIST Medical College is a private school in Lalitpur district. The present study was conducted to obtain information on student perceptions about working in rural Nepal after graduation. Methods The study was conducted among first- and second-year undergraduate medical students using a semi-structured questionnaire developed by the authors using inputs from the literature and their experiences of teaching medical students. Year of study, gender, method of financing of medical education, place of family residence and occupation of parents were noted. Participant responses were analysed, grouped together and the number of respondents stating a particular response was noted. Results Of the 200 students, 185 (92.5% participated with 95 being from the first year and 90 from the second. Most students were self-financing and from urban areas. Regarding the question of working in rural Nepal after graduation, 134 (72.4% said they will work after their undergraduate course. Students preferred to work in the government or nongovernmental sector. Student felt doctors are reluctant to serve in rural Nepal due to inadequate facilities, low salary, less security, problems with their professional development, less equipment in health centres, decreased contact with family and difficulties in communicating with an illiterate, rural population. About 43% of respondents felt medical education does not adequately prepare them for rural service. Repeated rural exposure, postings in rural hospitals and health centres, and training students to diagnose and treat illness with less technology were suggested. The median monthly salary expected was 60 000 Nepalese rupees (US$ 820 and was significantly higher among first-year students. Conclusions The

Assessment of impacts of climate change on gender in the context of Nepal

Science.gov (United States)

Paudel, R.; Acharya, A.

2016-12-01

Climate change and its impact on gender in the context of Nepal has not been clearly understood due to lack of proper scientific research in terms of gender and climate change. Climate induced disasters such as droughts, floods, GLOFs, and landslides affect men and women differently. This study is conducted to analyze the scenario of gender equality, and impacts of climate change on gender in Nepal. This study also identifies gender based adaptation approaches through the use of observed climate data, and projected and modeled demographic data such as Adolescent Fertility Rate, Labor Force Participation Rate, and Maternal Mortality Ratio. The major tasks of this project include the calculation of Gender Inequality Index (GII), trend analysis and correlation between GII and temperature, that helps to evaluate the women vulnerability and identify the gender based adaptation interventions in Nepal. The required data on gender and temperature are obtained from World Bank and Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, Nepal. GII is calculated for almost 26 years starting from the year 1990 by utilizing a tool "Calculating the Indices using Excel" provided through the UNDP. The Reproductive Health Index (RHI), Empowerment Index (EI), and Labor Market Index (LMI) that are required to determine GII are also calculated through the use of same tool. The trend analysis shows that GII follows a decreasing trend indicating higher gender equality. The correlation analysis shows the temperature positively correlated with RHI (r=0.64), EI Female (r=0.61), and EI Male (r=0.73). In case of LMI, temperature is positively correlated with female (r=0.14) and negatively correlated with male (r=-0.57). The analysis depicts negative correlation (r=-0.68) between climate change and GII. This research will provide some valuable insights in the research relating to gender and climate change that could help gender advocates and policymakers in developing further plans for women empowerment.

Fish cage culture catches on in Nepal | CRDI - Centre de recherches ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

... for their children, unlike many rural communities in Nepal. And the role of women in decision-making has been strengthened. Women take part alongside the men in all activities, from cleaning and repairing the fish cages to participating in meetings of farmers'' associations, attending workshops, and marketing the catch.

Using Morphological, Molecular and Climatic Data to Delimitate Yews along the Hindu Kush-Himalaya and Adjacent Regions

Science.gov (United States)

Poudel, Ram C.; Möller, Michael; Gao, Lian-Ming; Ahrends, Antje; Baral, Sushim R.; Liu, Jie; Thomas, Philip; Li, De-Zhu

2012-01-01

Background Despite the availability of several studies to clarify taxonomic problems on the highly threatened yews of the Hindu Kush-Himalaya (HKH) and adjacent regions, the total number of species and their exact distribution ranges remains controversial. We explored the use of comprehensive sets of morphological, molecular and climatic data to clarify taxonomy and distributions of yews in this region. Methodology/Principal Findings A total of 743 samples from 46 populations of wild yew and 47 representative herbarium specimens were analyzed. Principle component analyses on 27 morphological characters and 15 bioclimatic variables plus altitude and maximum parsimony analysis on molecular ITS and trnL-F sequences indicated the existence of three distinct species occurring in different ecological (climatic) and altitudinal gradients along the HKH and adjacent regions Taxus contorta from eastern Afghanistan to the eastern end of Central Nepal, T. wallichiana from the western end of Central Nepal to Northwest China, and the first report of the South China low to mid-elevation species T. mairei in Nepal, Bhutan, Northeast India, Myanmar and South Vietnam. Conclusion/Significance The detailed sampling and combination of different data sets allowed us to identify three clearly delineated species and their precise distribution ranges in the HKH and adjacent regions, which showed no overlap or no distinct hybrid zone. This might be due to differences in the ecological (climatic) requirements of the species. The analyses further provided the selection of diagnostic morphological characters for the identification of yews occurring in the HKH and adjacent regions. Our work demonstrates that extensive sampling combined with the analysis of diverse data sets can reliably address the taxonomy of morphologically challenging plant taxa. PMID:23056501

Maize production in mid hills of Nepal: from food to feed security

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Krishna Prasad Timsina

2016-12-01

Full Text Available This study was undertaken in 2016 to analyze the production and utilization of maize in Nepal. Sixty maize growers from Kavre and Lamjung districts were selected using purposive, cluster and simple random sampling techniques. Similarly, six feed industries and five maize experts from Chitwan district were also interviewed. Study shows 56% of the total areas were used for maize production and 50% of the maize areas were covered by hybrid maize. There was no practice of contract maize production. The results revealed that 60%, 25% and 3% of the grain were used for animal feed, food and seed respectively in hill districts. Whereas the remaining amount of the maize (12% was sold to the different buyers. The proportion of maize feed supply to different animals in the study area was varying. Result shows that at least 1.5 million tons of maize is required only to the feed industries affiliated with national feed industry association in Nepal. Similarly, out of total maize used in feed production, 87% of the maize was imported from India each year by feed industries. Analysis shows negative correlation between scale of feed production and use of domestic maize due to unavailability of required quantity of maize in time. The major pre-condition of feed industries for maize buying was moisture content which must be equal or less than 14%. Very little or no inert materials and physical injury, free from fungal attack and bigger size were also the criteria for maize buying. However, some of the feed industries were also thinking about protein and amino acid contents. Result shows 13% and 8.5% increasing demand of poultry feed and animal feed, respectively over the last five year in Nepal. Most likely, maize is known as a means of food security in Nepal, however, in the context of changing utilization patterns at the farm level and also tremendous increasing demand of maize at the industry level suggest to give more focus on development and dissemination of

Skilled care at birth among rural women in Nepal: practice and challenges.

Science.gov (United States)

Dhakal, Sulochana; van Teijlingen, Edwin; Raja, Edwin Amalraj; Dhakal, Keshar Bahadur

2011-08-01

In Nepal, most births take place at home, and many, particularly in rural areas, are not attended by a skilled birth attendant. The main objectives of the study were to assess the use of skilled delivery care and barriers to access such care in a rural community and to assess health problems during delivery and seeking care. This cross-sectional study was carried out in two Village Development Committees in Nepal in 2006. In total, 150 women who had a live birth in the 24 months preceding the survey were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. The sample population included married women aged 15-49 years. Forty-six (31%) women delivered their babies at hospital, and 104 (69%) delivered at home. The cost of delivery at hospital was significantly (p home. Results of univariate analysis showed that women from Brahmin-Chhetri ethnicity, women with higher education or who were more skilled, whose husbands had higher education and more skilled jobs, had first or second childbirth, and having adverse previous obstetric history were associated with institutional delivery while women with higher education and having an adverse history of pregnancy outcome predicted the uptake of skilled delivery care in Nepal. The main perceived problems to access skilled delivery care were: distance to hospital, lack of transportation, lack of awareness on delivery care, and cost. The main reasons for seeking intrapartum care were long labour, retained placenta, and excessive bleeding. Only a quarter of women sought care immediately after problems occurred. The main reasons seeking care late were: the woman or her family not perceiving that there was a serious problem, distance to health facility, and lack of transport. The use of skilled birth attendants at delivery among rural women in Nepal is very poor. Home delivery by unskilled birth attendants is still a common practice among them. Many associated factors relating to the use of skilled delivery care that were identified

Contraceptive knowledge and attitudes among women seeking induced abortion in Kathmandu, Nepal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Berin E

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Emilia Berin,1,* Micaela Sundell,1,* Chanda Karki,2 Jan Brynhildsen,1 Mats Hammar1 1Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden; 2Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kathmandu Medical College, Kathmandu, Nepal *These authors contributed equally to this work Objective: To map the knowledge about and attitudes toward birth control methods among women in Kathmandu, Nepal, and to compare the results between women seeking an induced abortion and a control group. Method: This was a cross-sectional cohort study with matched controls. Women aged 15–49 years seeking medical care at the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics at Kathmandu Medical College were included and interviewed. A case was defined as a woman who sought an elective medical or surgical abortion. A control was defined as a woman who sought medical care at the outpatient department or had already been admitted to the ward for reasons other than elective abortion. A questionnaire developed for the study – dealing with different demographic characteristics as well as knowledge about and attitudes toward contraceptives – was filled out based on the interview. Results: A total of 153 women were included: 64 women seeking an abortion and 89 controls. Women seeking an abortion had been pregnant more times than the control group and were more likely to have been informed about contraceptives. Women with higher education were less likely to seek an abortion than women with lower education. There was no significant difference in knowledge about and attitudes toward contraceptives between cases and controls. The women considered highest possible effectiveness to be the most important feature when deciding on a birth control method. Conclusion: Women seeking abortion in Kathmandu had shorter education and a history of more pregnancies and deliveries than women in the control group. Education and counseling on sex

Alcoholic liver disease in Nepal: identifying homemade alcohol as a culprit

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pradhan B

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Bickram Pradhan,1 Antoine Hadengue,2 François Chappuis,3 Shatdal Chaudhary,1 Dharanidhar Baral,4 Pascal Gache,5 Prahlad Karki,6 Suman Rijal6 1Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, B P Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, Nepal; 2Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, 3Division of Tropical and Humanitarian Medicine, Geneva University Hospital, Geneva, Switzerland; 4Department of Community Medicine and School of Public Health, B P Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, Nepal; 5Department of Health and Community Medicine. Geneva University Hospital, Geneva, Switzerland; 6Department of Internal Medicine, B P Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, Nepal Background: Though the type of alcohol consumed is not thought to be associated with alcoholic liver disease (ALD, some studies have shown a beverage-specific effect. In the present study, we aim to study the effects of locally brewed alcoholic beverages on the development of liver disease.Patients and methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at the internal medicine department of a university hospital in Nepal. All patients classified as having either alcohol abuse or alcohol dependence by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition were evaluated for the presence of ALD.Results: A total of 1,500 patients were screened, of which, 447 patients had ALD. Chronic liver disease (CLD was detected in 144 patients (9.6%. Most of the patients consumed homemade locally brewed alcohol. On multivariate analysis, the following variables were found to be significantly associated with CLD: male sex (odds ratio [OR]: 1.81; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.12–2.94; P=0.02: rakshi consumption ≥30 units (OR: 2.53; 95% CI: 1.07–6.01; P=0.04; and tongba consumption (OR: 3.02; 95% CI: 1.22–7.50; P=0.02.Conclusion: There was a significant increase in the risk of developing ALD with the consumption of rakshi

Women's agency in relation to population and environment in rural Nepal

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tiwari Pandey, N.

2007-01-01

This research investigated the complex relationship between population and environ­ment with a focus on women’s role in fertility and the food resource environment. The research was carried out in a Gurung community in Lamjung district, in mid-hill Nepal. The household was taken as the unit of

Climate Changes and Their Impact on Agricultural Market Systems: Examples from Nepal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrea Karin Barrueto

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Global climate models foresee changes in temperature and precipitation regimes that shift regional climate zones and influence the viability of agricultural market systems. Understanding the influence of climate change on the different sub-sectors and functions of a market system is crucial to increasing the systems’ climate resilience and to ensuring the long-term viability of the sectors. Our research applies a new approach to climate change analysis to better understand the influence of climate change on each step of an agricultural market system—on its core (processing units, storage facilities and sales and support functions (sapling supply, research, insurance and agricultural policy. We use spatial climate analyses to investigate current and projected changes in climate for different regions in Nepal. We then analyse the risks and vulnerabilities of the sub-sectors banana, charcoal, coffee, macadamia, orange, vegetables and walnut. Our results show that temperatures and precipitation levels will change differently depending on the climatic regions, and that climate change elicits different responses from the market functions both between and within each of the different sub-sectors. We conclude that climate-related interventions in market systems must account for each different market function’s specific response and exposure to climate change, in order to select adaptation measures that ensure long-term climate resilience.

Allele frequency distribution for 21 autosomal STR loci in Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Kraaijenbrink, T; van Driem, G L; Opgenort, J R M L; Tuladhar, N M; de Knijff, P

2007-05-24

The allele frequency distributions of 21 autosomal loci contained in the AmpFlSTR Identifiler, the Powerplex 16 and the FFFL multiplex PCR kits, was studied in 953 unrelated individuals from Nepal. Several new alleles (i.e. not yet reported in the NIST Short Tandem Repeat DNA Internet DataBase [http://www.cstl.nist.gov/biotech/strbase/]) have been detected in the process.

Innovation in a Hybrid System: The Example of Nepal | Urscheler ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The Nepali legal tradition is a legal hybrid in many regards. Nepal was not colonised by a Western state, and the Hindu legal tradition therefore dominated all areas of law until the middle of the 20th century. Since the 1950s there has been a strong influence of Indian common law. It is probably for this reason that ...

Wet deposition at the base of Mt Everest: Seasonal evolution of the chemistry and isotopic composition

Science.gov (United States)

Balestrini, Raffaella; Delconte, Carlo A.; Sacchi, Elisa; Wilson, Alana M.; Williams, Mark W.; Cristofanelli, Paolo; Putero, Davide

2016-12-01

The chemistry of wet deposition was investigated during 2012-2014 at the Pyramid International Laboratory in the Upper Khumbu Valley, Nepal, at 5050 m a.s.l., within the Global Atmosphere Watch (GAW) programme. The main hydro-chemical species and stable isotopes of the water molecule were determined for monsoon rain (July-September) and snow samples (October-June). To evaluate the synoptic-scale variability of air masses reaching the measurement site, 5 day back-trajectories were computed for the sampling period. Ion concentrations in precipitation during the monsoon were low suggesting that they represent global regional background concentrations. The associations between ions suggested that the principal sources of chemical species were marine aerosols, rock and soil dust, and fossil fuel combustion. Most chemical species exhibited a pattern during the monsoon, with maxima at the beginning and at the end of the season, partially correlated with the precipitation amount. Snow samples exhibited significantly higher concentrations of chemical species, compared to the monsoon rainfall observations. Particularly during 2013, elevated concentrations of NO3-, SO42- and NH4+ were measured in the first winter snow event, and in May at the end of the pre-monsoon season. The analysis of large-scale circulation and wind regimes as well as atmospheric composition observations in the region indicates the transport of polluted air masses from the Himalayan foothills and Indian sub-continent up to the Himalaya region. During the summer monsoon onset period, the greater values of pollutants can be attributed to air-mass transport from the planetary boundary layer (PBL) of the Indo-Gangetic plains. Isotopic data confirm that during the monsoon period, precipitation occurred from water vapor that originated from the Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal; by contrast during the non-monsoon period, an isotopic signature of more continental origin appeared, indicating that the higher

Severe Hailstorm in Nepal: A case study

Science.gov (United States)

Aryal, D.

2017-12-01

During the pre-monsoon months (March-May) in Nepal, severe thunder and hailstorms cause significant property and agricultural damage in addition to loss of life from lightening. Forecasting thunderstorm severity remains a challenge even in wealthy, developed countries that have modern meteorological data gathering infrastructure, such as Doppler Radar. This study attempts to isolate the specific and unique characteristics of a hailstorm that not only might explain its severity, but also suggest forecasting techniquees for future forecasting in Nepal. The primary data sources for this investigation included Infrared Satellite images, which illustrated the sequences of convective activity, and original archived ESRL India and China upper air data, which was used for synoptic and mesoscale analyses. On May 3, 2001 between the hours of 1100pm and midnight, a severe thunderstorm accompanied by hail stones estimated at 1kg, devastated the village of Thori (Southern border to India). 800 thatched houses were destroyed, over 500 farm animals were killed and more than 200 hectares of crops lost. Many inhabitants were injured, but luckily only one death. Thori hailstorm had its origins in a topographically induced lee-side convergence area in the deserts of Pakistan on May 2, 2001, from where it propagated eastwards into India and evolved into an eastward travelling Mesoscale Convective System reaching Thori near midnight on May 3. Atmospheric instability over the Gangetic Plains, fuelled by a very active surface heat low, cold temperatures and dynamic lifting mechanisms aloft, created a synoptic and mesoscale environment capable of generating a dangerous thunderstorm.

Municipal solid waste generation in Kathmandu, Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Dangi, Mohan B; Pretz, Christopher R; Urynowicz, Michael A; Gerow, Kenneth G; Reddy, J M

2011-01-01

Waste stream characteristics must be understood to tackle waste management problems in Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC), Nepal. Three-stage stratified cluster sampling was used to evaluate solid waste data collected from 336 households in KMC. This information was combined with data collected regarding waste from restaurants, hotels, schools and streets. The study found that 497.3 g capita(-1) day(-1) of solid waste was generated from households and 48.5, 113.3 and 26.1 kg facility(-1) day(-1) of waste was generated from restaurants, hotels and schools, respectively. Street litter measured 69.3 metric tons day(-1). The average municipal solid waste generation rate was 523.8 metric tons day(-1) or 0.66 kg capita(-1) day(-1) as compared to the 320 metric tons day(-1) reported by the city. The coefficient of correlation between the number of people and the amount of waste produced was 0.94. Key household waste constituents included 71% organic wastes, 12% plastics, 7.5% paper and paper products, 5% dirt and construction debris and 1% hazardous wastes. Although the waste composition varied depending on the source, the composition analysis of waste from restaurants, hotels, schools and streets showed a high percentage of organic wastes. These numbers suggest a greater potential for recovery of organic wastes via composting and there is an opportunity for recycling. Because there is no previous inquiry of this scale in reporting comprehensive municipal solid waste generation in Nepal, this study can be treated as a baseline for other Nepalese municipalities. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Where is Nepal in the nutrition transition?

Science.gov (United States)

Subedi, Yagya Prasad; Marais, Debbi; Newlands, David

2017-03-01

Nutrition transition is rapid in developing countries, but Nepalese transition is relatively unknown. This study aimed to describe nutrition transition in Nepal over the past 40 years by identifying the shifts in the Nepalese diets and nutritional status and the underlying shifts associated with this. Popkin's framework was used to identify shifts in Nepalese diet and the inter-relationship of diet with epidemiological, demographic and economic shifts. The current study used quantitative methodology including secondary data analysis based on food balance sheets, economic surveys and the government databases. The Nepalese diet is shifting away from agricultural staple based foods to modern processed foods with higher total energy, total fat, and sugar. The prevalence of overweight/obesity and diet related non-communicable diseases are increasing. Urbanisation is rapid and nutrition transition already advanced in urban area. The Nepalese economic structure has also changed shifting away from agricultural food supply system towards modern processing based food supply system. These changes in the Nepalese diet are triggered by income and urbanisation. The trade liberalisation has made processed foods, edible oil and sugar easily available at supermarkets and fast food outlets. It is clear that Nepal has now entered into the fourth stage of nutrition transition according to Popkin's framework. As a result, overweight, obesity and the prevalence of many noncommunicable diseases are all rapidly growing. A further study is recommended to identify whether urban versus rural, rich versus poor and educated versus uneducated families are experiencing the transition in similar way.

Transport of regional pollutants through a remote trans-Himalayan valley in Nepal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Dhungel

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Anthropogenic emissions from the combustion of fossil fuels and biomass in Asia have increased in recent years. High concentrations of reactive trace gases and light-absorbing and light-scattering particles from these sources form persistent haze layers, also known as atmospheric brown clouds, over the Indo–Gangetic plains (IGP from December through early June. Models and satellite imagery suggest that strong wind systems within deep Himalayan valleys are major pathways by which pollutants from the IGP are transported to the higher Himalaya. However, observational evidence of the transport of polluted air masses through Himalayan valleys has been lacking to date. To evaluate this pathway, we measured black carbon (BC, ozone (O3, and associated meteorological conditions within the Kali Gandaki Valley (KGV, Nepal, from January 2013 to July 2015. BC and O3 varied over both diurnal and seasonal cycles. Relative to nighttime, mean BC and O3 concentrations within the valley were higher during daytime when the up-valley flow (average velocity of 17 m s−1 dominated. BC and O3 concentrations also varied seasonally with minima during the monsoon season (July to September. Concentrations of both species subsequently increased post-monsoon and peaked during March to May. Average concentrations for O3 during the seasonally representative months of April, August, and November were 41.7, 24.5, and 29.4 ppbv, respectively, while the corresponding BC concentrations were 1.17, 0.24, and 1.01 µg m−3, respectively. Up-valley fluxes of BC were significantly greater than down-valley fluxes during all seasons. In addition, frequent episodes of BC concentrations 2–3 times higher than average persisted from several days to a week during non-monsoon months. Our observations of increases in BC concentration and fluxes in the valley, particularly during pre-monsoon, provide evidence that trans-Himalayan valleys are important conduits for transport of

Transport of regional pollutants through a remote trans-Himalayan valley in Nepal

Science.gov (United States)

Dhungel, Shradda; Kathayat, Bhogendra; Mahata, Khadak; Panday, Arnico

2018-01-01

Anthropogenic emissions from the combustion of fossil fuels and biomass in Asia have increased in recent years. High concentrations of reactive trace gases and light-absorbing and light-scattering particles from these sources form persistent haze layers, also known as atmospheric brown clouds, over the Indo-Gangetic plains (IGP) from December through early June. Models and satellite imagery suggest that strong wind systems within deep Himalayan valleys are major pathways by which pollutants from the IGP are transported to the higher Himalaya. However, observational evidence of the transport of polluted air masses through Himalayan valleys has been lacking to date. To evaluate this pathway, we measured black carbon (BC), ozone (O3), and associated meteorological conditions within the Kali Gandaki Valley (KGV), Nepal, from January 2013 to July 2015. BC and O3 varied over both diurnal and seasonal cycles. Relative to nighttime, mean BC and O3 concentrations within the valley were higher during daytime when the up-valley flow (average velocity of 17 m s-1) dominated. BC and O3 concentrations also varied seasonally with minima during the monsoon season (July to September). Concentrations of both species subsequently increased post-monsoon and peaked during March to May. Average concentrations for O3 during the seasonally representative months of April, August, and November were 41.7, 24.5, and 29.4 ppbv, respectively, while the corresponding BC concentrations were 1.17, 0.24, and 1.01 µg m-3, respectively. Up-valley fluxes of BC were significantly greater than down-valley fluxes during all seasons. In addition, frequent episodes of BC concentrations 2-3 times higher than average persisted from several days to a week during non-monsoon months. Our observations of increases in BC concentration and fluxes in the valley, particularly during pre-monsoon, provide evidence that trans-Himalayan valleys are important conduits for transport of pollutants from the IGP to the

Ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants from the Humla district of western Nepal

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Rokaya, Maan Bahadur; Münzbergová, Z.; Timsina, B.

2010-01-01

Roč. 130, č. 3 (2010), s. 485-504 ISSN 0378-8741 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA526/09/0549 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z60050516 Keywords : Nepal * medicinal plants * ethnobotany Subject RIV: EF - Botanics Impact factor: 2.466, year: 2010

A Review of Tectonic Models and Analytical Data from Almora-Dadeldhura Klippe, Northwest India and Far Western Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Bosu, S.; Robinson, D.; Saha, A.

2017-12-01

Tectonic models developed from the Himalayan thrust belt constitute three models- critical taper, channel flow and wedge extrusion. Their differences are manifested in predicted minimum shortening, deformation propagation style and tectonic architecture across the thrust belt. Recent studies from isolated synformal klippen composed of Greater and Tethyan Himalayan rock within the Himalayan thrust belt disagree over the tectonic history, especially in the Almora-Dadeldhura klippe, which is the largest klippe in the thrust belt. These recent studies are limited to one transect each, and two or fewer types of analytical data to justify their models. Due to the limited spatial coverage, these studies often reflect a narrow perspective in their tectonic models; thus, combining the data from these studies provides a holistic view of the regional tectonic history. This study compiled the available data across the 350 km wide Almora-Dadeldhura klippe, using petrology, stratigraphy, metamorphic history, microstructure, U-Pb ages of intrusive granite, monazite and muscovite ages of the shear zones, and exhumation ages from apatite fission track, along with original field observations, microstructure and microtexture data from 5 different transects in northwest India and far western Nepal. The review of the compiled data suggests that the Himalayan thrust belt in northwest India and far western Nepal is a forward propagating thrust system, and that the analytical data support the critical taper model.

Complementary school garden, nutrition, water, sanitation and hygiene interventions to improve children’s nutrition and health status in Burkina Faso and Nepal: a study protocol

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Séverine Erismann

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Malnutrition and intestinal parasitic infections are common among children in Burkina Faso and Nepal. However, specific health-related data in school-aged children in these two countries are scarce. In the frame of a larger multi-stakeholder project entitled “Vegetables go to School: Improving Nutrition through Agricultural Diversification” (VgtS, a study has been designed with the objectives to: (i describe schoolchildren’s health status in Burkina Faso and Nepal; and to (ii provide an evidence-base for programme decisions on the relevance of complementary school garden, nutrition, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH interventions. Methods/Design The studies will be conducted in the Centre Ouest and the Plateau Central regions of Burkina Faso and the Dolakha and Ramechhap districts of Nepal. Data will be collected and combined at the level of schools, children and their households. A range of indicators will be used to examine nutritional status, intestinal parasitic infections and WASH conditions in 24 schools among 1144 children aged 8–14 years at baseline and a 1-year follow-up. The studies are designed as cluster randomised trials and the schools will be assigned to two core study arms: (i the ‘complementary school garden, nutrition and WASH intervention’ arm; and the (ii ‘control’ arm with no interventions. Children will be subjected to parasitological examinations using stool and urine samples and to quality-controlled anthropometric and haemoglobin measurements. Drinking water will be assessed for contamination with coliform bacteria and faecal streptococci. A questionnaire survey on nutritional and health knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP will be administered to children and their caregivers, also assessing socioeconomic, food-security and WASH conditions at household level. Focus group and key-informant interviews on children’s nutrition and hygiene perceptions and behaviours will be

Psychotropic drugs in Nepal: perceptions on use and supply chain management.

Science.gov (United States)

Upadhaya, Nawaraj; Jordans, Mark J D; Gurung, Dristy; Pokhrel, Ruja; Adhikari, Ramesh P; Komproe, Ivan H

2018-01-24

Psychotropic drugs play an important role in the treatment of mental, neurological and substance use disorders. Despite the advancement of the use of psycho-pharmaceuticals in the developed countries, the psychotropic drug production and supply chain management in low- and middle- income countries are still poorly developed. This study aims to explore the perceptions of stakeholders involved in all stages of the psychotropic drug supply chain about the need, quality, availability and effectiveness of psychotropic drugs, as well as barriers to their supply chain management. The study was conducted among 65 respondents from the Kathmandu, Chitwan and Pyuthan districts, grouped into four categories: producers, promoters and distributors (N = 22), policy makers and government actors (N = 8), service providers (N = 21) and service users/family members (N = 14). The respondents reported that psychotropic drugs, despite having side effects, are 1) needed, 2) available in major regional centers and 3) are effective for treating mental health problems. The stigma associated with mental illness, however, forces patients and family members to hide their use of psychotropic drugs. The study found that the process of psychotropic drug supply chain management is similar to other general drugs, with the exceptions of strict pre-approval process, quantity restriction (for production and import), and mandatory record keeping. Despite these regulatory provisions, respondents believed that the misuse of psychotropic drugs is widespread and companies are providing incentives to prescribers and retailers to retain their brand in the market. The production and supply chain management of psychotropic drugs is influenced by the vested interests of pharmaceutical companies, prescribers and pharmacists. In the context of the government of Nepal's policy of integrating mental health into primary health care and increased consumption of psychotropic drugs in Nepal, there is a

The incidence of color blindness among some school children of Pokhara, Western Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Niroula, D R; Saha, C G

2010-03-01

The incidence of color blindness varies from race to race and different in different geographical area. Since, there is no such report about the prevalence of color blindness in the western part of Nepal, the present study had been conducted to find out the incidence of color blindness among school children of Pokhara city, western Nepal. Participant's (n=964, 474 boys, 490 girls, age group 10 to 19 years) color vision was tested by using Ishihara chart (38 plates). Among 474 boys, 18 boys were color blind with the prevalence of 3.8%. None of girls were found to be color blind. Out of 18 color blind boys, nine, six and three boys were the victims of deuteranopia, deuteranomaly and protanomaly respectively. The incidence of color blindness were more amongst the Darji (14.3%) and Newar (9.1%) ethnic groups.