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AbstractSwitchgrass can be used as an alternative source for bioenergy production. Many breeding programs focus on the genetic improvement of switchgrass for increasing biomass yield. Quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping can help to discover marker-trait associations and accelerate the breeding process through marker-assisted selection. To identify significant QTL, this study mapped 7 hybrid populations and one combined of 2 hybrid populations (30–96 F1s) derived from Alamo and Kanlow genotypes. The populations were evaluated for biomass yield, plant height, and crown size in a simulated-sward plot with 2 replications at 2 locations in Tennessee from 2019 to 2021. The populations showed significant genetic variation for the evaluated traits and exhibited transgressive segregation. The 17,251 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) generated through genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) were used to construct a linkage map using a fast algorithm for multiple outbred families. The linkage map spanned 1,941 cM with an average interval of 0.11 cM between SNPs. The QTL analysis was performed on evaluated traits for each and across environments (year and location) that identified 5 QTL for biomass yield (logarithm of the odds, LOD 3.12–4.34), 4 QTL for plant height (LOD 3.01–5.64), and 7 QTL for crown size (LOD 3.0–4.46) (P

Many threatened birds use the mosaic of agricultural landscapes for foraging and breeding. Despite the reliance of many species on these habitats, few studies have investigated factors influencing the breeding ecology of storks in agricultural landscapes. We assessed site-level variables (tree height and location of nest tree; human habitation or non-human habitation), colony-level variables (colony size and chicks per nest), and landscape-level variables (area of human habitation, wetland area, and distance to the nearest wetland) to understand the factors influencing the breeding ecology of the globally threatened Lesser Adjutant (Leptoptilos javanicus) across multiple locations in the agricultural landscape of lowland Nepal during 2019–2020. We monitored 65 active colonies that had 206 active nests in five study sites. Two hundred eighty chicks fledged from these colonies, with 13% (n = 41) chick mortality. Most colonies were in agricultural land (51%) and human habitation (28%). Lesser Adjutant colonies located on tall trees such as Bombax ceiba (57%), Haldina cordifolia (11%), and Ficus religiosa (11%); however, these tree species were used much more than their availability on the landscape. Tree height had a significant positive influence on colony site selection and colony size, whereas colony size positively influenced fledgling success. Measured landscape variables did not have significant relationships with breeding success metrics. The agricultural landscapes of lowland Nepal provided important breeding habitat for Lesser Adjutants, and the suitability of sites with colonies related more to site-level and colony-level than landscape-level variables. Increasing urban development of agricultural landscapes is likely the greatest threat to breeding Lesser Adjutants, with the decline of suitable nesting trees being a potential additional threat. Lowland Nepal's agricultural landscapes support significant breeding populations of Lesser Adjutants that had considerable breeding success, underscoring the urgent need to support traditional agriculture that favors large waterbirds.

The cause for rapid decline of the South Asian vulture population in 1990s was unknown for many years until diclofenac was proved to be the main reason for such decline in 2004. The vulture populations from Nepal has also undergone rapid decline that causes low awareness among people about its ecological importance. For declining species that have large range and are mostly associated with humans, people’s attitudes can have direct effects on their survival because of the multiple linkages and potential for both positive and negative impacts of human behaviour for these large scavengers. However, little is known about vultures in the eastern mid-hills of Nepal. Therefore, we conducted a study in Ramechhap, a district in the eastern mid-hills of Nepal, to assess the vultures’ status and human relations using transect and questionnaire surveys respectively. Himalayan Griffons Gyps himalayensis and Egyptian Vultures Neophron percnopterus were found in the area, and the majority of respondents interviewed had a positive attitude towards vultures (58.8%) and their conservation (47.3%). Although neglected in previous studies, a neutral attitude (20% towards vultures and 15.8% towards vulture conservation) can be significant (largely related to ignorance) and can be readily turned to negative due to the vulture’s carcass consuming behaviour and lack of conventional appeal to many people, with implications for the success of a conservation programme. In our study, carcass scarcity appeared to be an increasing concern with about 90% of the respondents reporting burying cattle carcasses, and that this practice has recently increased. In the course of the study period, however, two (unburied) carcasses were observed. Our study found that nimesulide, a potentially toxic NSAID for vultures, was used for veterinary purpose in the study area, which could be a serious threat to vultures. Other human activities such as carcass poisoning pose threats to vultures in the study area. Therefore, for long term vulture conservation, local attitudes and behaviour should be considered along with ecological aspects of vultures.

Pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) sometimes involves regional lymph nodes like mediastinal lymph nodes. These may resolve spontaneously or on treatment; or they may enlarge and result in various complications such as extrinsic bronchial inflammation, ulceration, or rarely erode through the bronchial wall. This erosion is seen radiologically as mediastinal widening or lymphadenopathy with atelectasis and consolidation termed “epituberculosis.” This is more frequently encountered in infants than older children and extremely rarely in adults. We hereby describe a rare case of a 14-year-old girl with mediastinal lymphadenopathy complicating into a bronchonodal fistula and lung abscess formation. A diagnosis of pulmonary rifampicin-resistant TB was obtained on repeated testing of sputum for GeneXpert. The patient was started on appropriate drug-resistant TB therapy and completed therapy successfully.

Abstract Background Vitamin D deficiency has been examined as a risk factor for severity and progression of kidney disease due to its immunomodulatory effects. There is paucity of data about its impact in IgA nephropathy (IgAN). Methods In a retrospective cohort study, 25 (OH) vitamin D assay was performed in bio-banked baseline serum samples collected during kidney biopsy of 105 adult patients with primary IgAN diagnosed between 2015 and 2019. A level of

Abstract Habitat fragmentation and isolation threaten the survival of several wide‐ranging species, such as tigers, through increased risk from diseases, disasters, climate change, and genetic depression. Identification of the habitat most likely to achieve connectivity among protected areas is vital for the long‐term persistence of tigers. We aimed to improve the mapping of potential transfrontier protected area corridors for tigers by connecting sites within the Terai Arc Landscape in Nepal and to those in India, highlighting targeted conservation actions needed along these corridors to maintain long‐term connectivity. We used least‐cost corridor modeling and circuit theory to identify potential corridors and bottlenecks in the study area. The landscape's resistance to tigers' movement was gathered from expert opinions to inform corridor modeling. We identified nine potential tiger corridors in the Terai Arc Landscape—Nepal that aligned strongly with the remaining intact habitats of the Siwalik landscape, which could facilitate tiger movement. Banke‐Bardia and Chitwan‐Parsa‐Valimiki complexes and Lagga‐Bhagga and Khata corridors were identified as high‐priority conservation cores and corridors. While our model exhibited congruence with most established corridors in the landscape, it has identified the need to enhance existing corridors to improve landscape connectivity. Several pinch points posing an increased risk to connectivity were identified. Most of these were located near the protected area boundaries and along the Nepal–India border. The Siwalik landscape holds the key to long‐term connectivity in the study area; however, immediate conservation attention is needed, particularly at pinch points, to secure this connectivity for tigers. Validation of identified corridors through empirical research and their conservation is a priority.

IntroductionConservation research plays an integral role in the effort to conserve biodiversity globally. However, research gaps can limit conservation research’s potential contribution to addressing global biodiversity problems such as habitat fragmentation. While a synthesis of the research literature does not attain effective conservation action by itself, it can inform future research and corridor conservation planning and practices.MethodsWe used a systematic search of peer-reviewed research articles in Scopus, Web of Science, and grey literature in the Connectivity Conservation Specialist Group library published before December 2020. Our review assessed research on the identification and use of corridors, a primary instrument used to address the threats of habitat fragmentation, for large carnivores to identify patterns, priorities, and gaps in the literature. We focused on large carnivores because they are frequently used for connectivity planning owing to their higher sensitivity to habitat fragmentation and their importance as conservation flagship species.Results and discussionWe found that peer-reviewed studies primarily focused on single-species corridors with a strong preference toward apex predators, whereas grey literature focused on multi-species corridors. More than 80% of studies included one of the following five species, the mountain lion (n=46 studies), American black bear (n=31 studies), jaguar (n=25 studies), tiger (n=25 studies), and brown bear (n=18 studies). Although research on the identification of corridors was relatively more common in the past, we found an increasing trend in the publication of studies assessing the use of corridors by large carnivores in recent years. The published research is predominantly from North America (47%) and Asia (30%), with comparatively fewer studies from Africa (4%), despite having several large carnivore species. While climate change and human-wildlife conflict are considered major concerns for large carnivore conservation, these were seldomly considered in corridor research. Corridor research collaborations exist between academia, government, and non-government institutions, but the involvement of the private sector is lacking.ConclusionsOur review shows that there is scope for future corridor research to (i) focus on areas where geographical gaps exist, (ii) target multi-species corridors, (iii) include climate change and human-wildlife conflict scenarios, and iv) increase collaboration with the private sector to better inform connectivity solutions.

Worldwide defaunation is being accelerated by wildlife hunting, trapping, and trade. However, there is little knowledge of bird hunting or trapping in South Asia, including Nepal. Despite being illegal, trapping and eating wild birds (locally called Bagedi, i.e., bunting species - small passerine birds that are declining globally) is popular in lowland Nepal. However, it has received little research interest. We identified the potential bird species that could be trapped under the name Bagedi. We also interviewed 24 trappers, 26 middlemen, 65 hoteliers, and 105 customers to understand the trapping, trade, and eating practices of Bagedi and the impacts on the farmland bird population in Madhesh Province, Nepal. By following trappers and middlemen and based on our Farmland Bird Survey Program in lowland Nepal, we identified 25 farmland bird species that are most likely to be trapped, killed, and sold in the name of Bagedi. We confirmed six of them including true buntings, such as Black-headed Bunting (Emberiza melanocephala), Crested Bunting (Emberiza lathami) and other similar-sized species like Scaly-breasted Munia (Lonchura punctulata) and Baya Weaver (Ploceus philippinus), among others. Trade in Bagedi has increased over the past ten years due to high prices and the customers’ belief that consuming Bagedi produces heat in the body in winter and has aphrodisiac properties. Winter (December–February) is the peak Bagedi eating season and based on interviews with hoteliers (n = 55) during the survey period, we estimated that 115,200 to 129,600 birds were killed. During this period, the surveyed hoteliers would make an estimated business of around Nepalese Rupees 7488,000 to 8424,000 (USD 65,113–73,252). More than 70% of the people interviewed claimed that they did not know that trapping, trading, or eating wild birds is illegal. Around 50% of the trappers, 92% of the middlemen, 56% of the hoteliers, and 54% of the customers showed an unwillingness to stop this activity. Our study shows that bird trapping in our study area is highly market-driven and is a serious, understudied, and overlooked conservation threats to farmland birds in Nepal.

Climate change and land use change pose a threat to the world's biodiversity and have significant impacts on the geographic distribution and composition of many bird species, but little is known about how they affect threatened large-sized waterbird species that rely on agricultural landscapes. To address this gap, we investigated how climate and land use changes influence the distribution and nesting habitats of the globally vulnerable Lesser Adjutant (Leptoptilos javanicus) in Nepal. Between 2012 and 2023, we collected distribution data from 24 districts and nesting site information from 18 districts. In a nation-wide breeding survey conducted in 2020, we documented a total of 581 fledglings from 346 nests in 109 colonies. The ensemble model predicted a current potential distribution of 15% (21,637 ​km2) and a potential nesting habitat of 13% (19,651 ​km2) for the species in Nepal. The highest predicted current suitable distribution and nesting habitat was in Madhesh Province, while none was predicted in Karnali Province. The majority of this predicted distributional and nesting habitat falls on agricultural landscapes (>70%). Our model showed a likely range expansion of up to 15% (21,573 ​km2) for the distribution and up to 12% (17,482 ​km2) for the nesting habitat under SSP5–8.5 scenarios for the 2070s. The range expansion is expected to occur mainly within the current distribution and breeding range (Tarai and some regions of Siwalk), particularly in Lumbini and Sudurpashchim provinces, and extend to the northern portions (Siwalik and Mid-hill regions) in other provinces. However, the current Protected Areas and Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas are inadequate for providing optimal habitats for the species. Although the model suggests range expansion, the use of such novel habitats is primarily contingent on the availability and protection of large-sized trees (particularly Bombax ceiba, observed in 65% of colonies) in agricultural regions where nesting occurs. Therefore, our research suggests that agricultural landscapes should be prioritized in management plans for the conservation of the Lesser Adjutant in Nepal.

Abstract Attacks on humans by Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) is an extreme form of human–elephant conflict. It is a serious issue in southern lowland Nepal where elephant‐related human fatalities are higher than other wildlife. Detailed understanding of elephant attacks on humans in Nepal is still lacking, hindering to devising appropriate strategies for human–elephant conflict mitigation. This study documented spatiotemporal pattern of elephant attacks on humans, factors associated with the attacks, and human/elephant behavior contributing to deaths of victims when attacked. We compiled all the documented incidences of elephant attacks on humans in Nepal for last 20 years across Terai and Chure region of Nepal. We also visited and interviewed 412 victim families (274 fatalities and 138 injuries) on elephant attacks. Majority of the victims were males (87.86%) and had low level of education. One fourth of the elephant attacks occurred while chasing the elephants. Solitary bulls or group of subadult males were involved in most of the attack. We found higher number of attacks outside the protected area. People who were drunk and chasing elephants using firecrackers were more vulnerable to the fatalities. In contrast, chasing elephants using fire was negatively associated with the fatalities. Elephant attacks were concentrated in proximity of forests primarily affecting the socioeconomically marginalized communities. Integrated settlement, safe housing for marginalized community, and community grain house in the settlement should be promoted to reduce the confrontation between elephants and humans in entire landscape for their long‐term survival.

Avifaunal diversity can act as a proxy to prioritize areas for conservation, such as Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs). Within such priority areas, different forest structures can have contrasting effects on avifauna, and could potentially lead to an overlapping but somewhat different species assemblage. Therefore, we aimed to quantify the relative importance of horizontal forest structures and fragmented habitats i.e., contiguous forest and isolated forest, in harboring avifauna and also understanding the patterns of diversity in different seasons in the Mai Valley IBA of Eastern Nepal. We used a double-observer method to collect bird species lists during repeated visits in winter and spring to an isolated and a contiguous forest area. We used Hill numbers and Hutcheson’s t-test to account for differences in the number of survey points sampled in each forest. The study recorded higher diversity in the contiguous forest compared to the isolated forest. However, the bird assemblage based on foraging and habitat guild were found to be similar between these two forests. Despite the importance of both forests for avifauna, restricted-range species were recorded only in contiguous forest. The ecological integrity of contiguous forests provides a natural habitat with a variety of niches influencing the presence of forest specialists, which might lead to the higher species diversity observed in contiguous forest. Also, the difference in area, and forest management regime could have influenced the diversity difference between the two forest types. We recommend more research on avifaunal assemblage and their habitat to prioritize these critical areas for conservation. Furthermore, considering the role played by contiguous forest in maintaining bird communities, we emphasize the maintenance of forest birds corridors by preserving natural forests and planting native trees in private orchards in the Mai Valley Area.

The diploid anuran Xenopus tropicalis has emerged as a key research model in cell and developmental biology. To enhance the usefulness of this species, we developed methods for generating immortal cell lines from Nigerian strain (NXR_1018, RRID:SCR_013731) X. tropicalis embryos. We generated 14 cell lines that were propagated for several months. We selected four morphologically distinct lines, XTN-6, XTN-8, XTN-10 and XTN-12 for further characterization. Karyotype analysis revealed that three of the lines, XTN-8, XTN-10 and XTN-12 were primarily diploid. XTN-6 cultures showed a consistent mixed population of diploid cells, cells with chromosome 8 trisomy, and cells containing a tetraploid content of chromosomes. The lines were propagated using conventional culture methods as adherent cultures at 30°C in a simple, diluted L-15 medium containing fetal bovine serum without use of a high CO2 incubator. Transcriptome analysis indicated that the four lines were distinct lineages. These methods will be useful in the generation of cell lines from normal and mutant strains of X. tropicalis as well as other species of Xenopus.

Abstract Statin‐induced autoimmune necrotizing myositis is a rare but important cause muscle weakness. Withdrawal of the statin and steroid treatment alone may be insufficient treatment for SIANM. Targeted immunosuppression may be needed and can be effective.

The Bengal Florican is one of the rarest bustard species and is listed ‘Critically Endangered’ by the IUCN. The species is restricted to the lowland grasslands of India, Nepal, and Cambodia with fewer than 1,000 mature individuals. To assess the species status in Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve, Nepal, we repeated our first comprehensive survey conducted during the 2012 breeding season. In spite of a larger area coverage we recorded only 41 adult Bengal Floricans in 2017 compared to 47 individuals in 2012. Detectability of this rare species is low in its Imperata-Saccharum grasslands. We, therefore, used a long pole with black and white clothing to mimic Bengal Florican’s display flight to stimulate male Bengal Florican. The number of adult males recorded was the same as in the 2012 survey and the adult male density remains one of the highest in the Indian subcontinent. Management recommendations for the long-term conservation of the species in Koshi Tappu include maintenance of Imperata-Saccharum grasslands in the reserve favoured by the Bengal Florican and working with farmers and communities adjacent to the reserve where the birds breed in order to maintain some agricultural lands with vegetation height suitable for the species especially during the species’ breeding season.

Human elephant conflict (HEC) is rapidly increasing throughout the Asian elephant range countries including Nepal. HEC occurs in the form of human deaths and injuries, and crop as well as property losses. We compiled 10,798 incidents of HEC including attacks on humans, crop and property losses caused by elephants in the Chure Terai Madhesh Landscape, Nepal, between January 2001 and June 2020. We interviewed 10.3% of the total households affected by HEC using structured questionnaire. We used multivariate analysis to identify landscape predictors associated with HEC. The intensity of HEC was high in the areas with higher forest fragmentation, vicinity to forests, protected areas, and larger coverage of seasonal surface water. Landscape heterogeneity, effective mesh size and altitude also contributed in HEC. Socio-economically marginalized communities living close to forests are more vulnerable to HEC. The spatial risk map of HEC identified Jhapa and Koshi in the eastern region; Parsa and Chitwan in the central region, Bardiya and Kanchanpur in the western region as HEC hotspots. Restoration of forests and corridor functionality in these hotspots could reduce HEC. The comprehensive understanding of HEC from this study provides important insights to devise strategies and actions for mitigating the HEC at the landscape level.

Farmland birds are facing a gradual decline in their population globally due to various anthropogenic threats. Understanding farmers' knowledge, attitudes, and perception towards the conservation of farmland birds is crucial to understand distribution and threats, as farmers often come across the birds year-round. We interviewed 743 farmers in four districts (Kapilvastu, Chitwan, Sarlahi, and Sunsari) of lowland Nepal. The majority of the interviewed farmers were male (72%), formally educated (66%), and 16–78 years old. Around 62% of the farmers reported having seen at least one of the 15 birds that we showed them in the interview, of which 57% recognized them correctly. Farmers from protected areas identified more birds than those from non-protected areas. However, the study revealed farmers' poor understanding of birds' names at the species level, nesting, conservation status, ecosystem services provided, and bird hunting as an illegal practice. The majority of the farmers (63%) liked all 15 birds, mainly for their beautiful appearance and sounds. Bird identification ability was correlated with birds' abundance and influenced by the respondent's gender and knowledge on birds' ecological importance. Most farmers perceived that farmland birds decline was mainly due to hunting and trade, pesticides, and lack of nesting trees in the farmlands. The baseline data of this study can be used by policymakers to develop site-specific conservation action plans for farmland birds. We emphasize the pressing need of conservation interventions by government and conservation organizations to increase farmers' knowledge on birds and their ecology and their importance in ecosystems through community outreach programs and school curriculum for farmland bird conservation.

Abstract Illicit wildlife trade may have devastating consequences for Nepal's wildlife populations given its increasing national and global connectivity and proximity with large Indian and Chinese markets. Despite its potential impacts, our understanding about trends, patterns and networks of illicit wildlife trade in Nepal is very limited. Here, we provide a thorough and comprehensive national assessment of such trade in Nepal using 5 years (2011 through 2015) of data on wildlife seizures and arrests (n = 830) collected from 73 districts. Nearly 87% of arrests included seizures, and globally threatened species were confiscated from 56% of total arrests. There were increasing trends of arrest cases over the time period for all species (p = 0.03), leopards (p = 0.02) and red pandas (p = 0.002), and a decreasing trend for rhinoceros (p = 0.04). Seizures of multiple species—especially tigers, leopards, and pangolin—in arrest cases were suggestive of international organized criminal linkages, whereas individual small‐scale seizures were likely for local, species‐specific markets. The trade networks suggested connections between species core habitats (poaching sites), cities (collection sites), and transit routes between India and China (international markets). Our results show that wildlife trade, except for rhinoceros, is increasing and trade nodes along districts bordering China and India are suggestive of large, international networks.

Purpose: To understand demographic and socioeconomic barriers and treatment-seeking behaviors of patients with infectious keratitis requiring therapeutic penetrating keratoplasty (TPK) in a developing country. Methods: This prospective non-comparative questionnaire- based study included all patients presenting to Aravind Eye Hospital, Madurai with infectious keratitis that eventuated to TPK between November 2015 and October 2016. A structured questionnaire was administered on post-operative day 3 to collect data on the demographic details, predisposing factors, prior treatment received, and treatment expenditures. Results: In total, 227 patients underwent TPK between November 2015 and October 2016 for infectious keratitis. The majority of patients were males (n = 132, 58.1%), illiterate (n = 129, 56.8%), and had a family monthly income of less than INR 6000 (n = 142, 62.5%). Most of the patients (n = 163, 71.8%) had prior treatment with an ophthalmologist before presenting to our hospital. The mean distance travelled to reach our centre was 269.2 ± 298.5 km. The mean duration of disease before the presentation was 20.3 ± 21.1 days. Corneal smear was positive for fungus in 163 (88.1%) and Aspergillus was the most commonly isolated fungi in 55 (41.3%) cultures. The mean total cost of treatment was INR 8752.87 ± 7615.39 per patient. There was a positive correlation between the duration of the disease (rho 0.19, P = 0.0034) and the costs of treatment (rho 0.2, P = 0.0024) with the distance travelled by the patient. Conclusion: Patients who travelled a farther distance had a delayed onset of presentation and spent significantly more than their respective counterparts.

The main objectives of the Nepal National Mammal Red Data Book (RDB) were to provide comprehensive and up-to-date accounts of 212 mammal species recorded in Nepal, assess their status applying the IUCN Guidelines at Regional Levels, identify threats and recommend the most practical measures for their conservation. It is hoped that the Mammal RDB will help Nepal achieve the Convention on Biological Diversity target of preventing the extinction of known threatened species and improving their conservation status. Of the 212 mammal species assessed, 49 species (23%) were listed as nationally threatened. These comprise nine (18%) Critically Endangered species, 26 (53%) Endangered species and 14 (29%) Vulnerable species. One species was considered regionally Extinct. A total of seven species (3%) were considered Near Threatened and 83 species (39%) were Data Deficient. Over sixty percent of Nepal’s ungulates are threatened and almost half of Nepal’s carnivores face extinction (45% threatened). Bats and small mammals are the least known groups with 60 species being Data Deficient. Habitat loss, degradation and fragmentation are the most significant threats. Other significant threats include illegal hunting, small and fragmented populations, reduction of prey base, human wildlife conflict and persecution, climate change, invasive species, disease and inadequate knowledge and research. Adequate measures to address these threats are described. It was also concluded that re-assessments of the status of certain mammal groups be carried out every five years and the setting up of a national online species database and mapping system would also greatly help in land-use planning and policies.

The main objectives of the Nepal National Bird Red Data Book were to provide comprehensive and up-to-date accounts of all the bird species found in Nepal, assess their status applying the IUCN Guidelines at Regional Levels, identify threats to all bird species and recommend the most practical measures for their conservation. It is hoped that the Bird RDB will help Nepal achieve the Convention on Biological Diversity target of preventing the extinction of known threatened species and improving their conservation status. As population changes of Nepal’s birds have been studied for only a few species, assessments of species’ national status were mainly made by assessing changes in distribution. Species distribution maps were produced for all of Nepal’s bird species except vagrants and compared to maps that were produced in 1991 using the same mapping system. Of the 878 bird species recorded, 168 species (19%) were assessed as nationally threatened. These comprise 68 (40%) Critically Endangered species, 38 (23%) Endangered species and 62 (37%) Vulnerable species. A total of 62 species was considered Near Threatened and 22 species Data Deficient. Over 55% of the threatened birds are lowland grassland specialists, 25% are wetland birds and 24% tropical and sub-tropical broadleaved forest birds. Larger birds appear to be more threatened than smaller birds with 98 (25%) non-passerine species threatened and 67 (14%) passerine species. Habitat loss, degradation and fragmentation are the most important threats. Other threats include chemical poisoning, over-exploitation, climate change, hydropower, invasive species, intensification of agriculture, disturbance, and limited conservation measures and research. Measures to address these threats are described. It was also concluded that re-assessments of the status of certain bird groups carried out every five years and the setting up of a national online system for storing and reporting bird sightings would be useful.

Previously explored combination therapies mostly involved the use of bioactive molecules. It is believed that herbal compounds containing multiple plant products have synergistic hepatoprotective effects and could enhance the desired actions. To investigate the combination of ethanolic fruits extract of Solanum xanthocarpum (SX) and Juniperus communis (JC) against Paracetamol (PCM) and Azithromycin (AZM) induced liver toxicity in rats. Liver toxicity was induced by combine oral administration of PCM (250 mg/kg) and AZM (200 mg/kg) for 7 days in Wistar rats. Fruit extract of SX (200 and 400 mg/kg) and JC (200 and 400 mg/kg) were administered daily for 14 days. The hepatoprotective activity was assessed using liver functional test, oxidative parameters and histopathological examination. The results demonstrated that combine administration of AZM and PCM significantly produced liver toxicity by increasing the serum level of hepatic enzymes and oxidative parameters in liver of rats. Histopathological examination also indicated that AZM and PCM produced liver damage in rats. Chronic treatment of SX and JC extract significantly and dose-dependently attenuated the liver toxicity by normalizing the biochemical factors and no gross histopathological changes were observed in liver of rats. Furthermore, combine administration of lower dose of SX and JC significantly potentiated their hepatoprotective effect which was significant as compared to their effect per se. The results clearly indicated that SX and JC extract has hepatoprotective potential against AZM and PCM induced liver toxicity due to their synergistic anti-oxidant properties.

Background Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are disorders of neurodevelopmental origin characterized by social reciprocity deficits, communication deficits, and unusual restricted and repetitive behaviors. In some of these people, measured IQ (Intelligence Quotient) can be normal or even superior or low. Material and Methods This is a Retrospective study in autistic children. We have analyzed with autistic disorder, 47 patients had savant skills and 1 patients of MR (Mental Retardation) had savant skills. China- Wechsler Young Children Scale of Intelligence (C-WYCSI) and China-Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children(C-WISC) were used for calculating IQ levels in different age groups. Results Asperger’s syndrome (AS) children had higher verbal IQ (VIQ) and full scale IQ (FSIQ) compared to autism and high functional autism (HFA) children with statistical difference. Autism children had lower VIQ, performance IQ and FSIQ compared to HFA and AS children with statistical significance. AS children had higher values in C-WISC and CWYCSI compared to autism children. Conclusion Children with Asperger’s syndrome have higher full IQ and Sub test IQ compared with autism and HFA children. Journal of Nobel Medical College Volume 5, Number 1, Issue 8, January-July 2016, 9-13

Prostate cancer is one of the most prevalent cancers and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in men in the United States. A large number of patients undergo radiation therapy (RT) as a standard care of treatment; however, RT causes erectile dysfunction (radiation-induced erectile dysfunction; RiED) because of late side effects after RT that significantly affects quality of life of prostate cancer patients. Within 5 years of RT, approximately 50% of patients could develop RiED. Based on the past and current research findings and number of publications from our group, the precise mechanism of RiED is under exploration in detail. Recent investigations have shown prostate RT induces significant morphologic arterial damage with aberrant alterations in internal pudendal arterial tone. Prostatic RT also reduces motor function in the cavernous nerve which may attribute to axonal degeneration may contributing to RiED. Furthermore, the advances in radiogenomics such as radiation induced somatic mutation identification, copy number variation and genome-wide association studies has significantly facilitated identification of biomarkers that could be used to monitoring radiation-induced late toxicity and damage to the nerves; thus, genomic- and proteomic-based biomarkers could greatly improve treatment and minimize arterial tissue and nerve damage. Further, advanced technologies such as proton beam therapy that precisely target tumor and significantly reduce off-target damage to vital organs and healthy tissues. In this review, we summarize recent advances in RiED research and novel treatment modalities for RiED. We also discuss the possible molecular mechanism involved in the development of RiED in prostate cancer patients. Further, we discuss various readily available methods as well as novel strategies such as stem cell therapies, shockwave therapy, nerve grafting with tissue engineering, and nutritional supplementations might be used to mitigate or cure sexual dysfunction following radiation treatment.

Steppe Eagle (Aquila nipalensis) is a globally endangered species that breeds at high latitudes of Palearctic and winters in Africa and Indian subcontinent. Migration count from bottleneck sites along the flyways is an appropriate method to monitor population of this species and other migrating raptors. In 2012–2015, we carried out autumn migration count at Thoolakharka raptor migration watch site along the foothills of Annapurna Himalayan Range of Nepal to investigate population dynamics of migrating Steppe Eagle. Each year, migration of Steppe Eagle started from the first week of October and continued throughout the count until 8 of December. Every year, we observed high fluctuation in the total number of migrating Steppe Eagles that ranged between 8 684 (in 2013) to 4 302 (in 2015). Similar results were observed in the proportion of juveniles (first year bird) 23.7% to 17.6%, subadults (2nd to 4th year) 44.8% to 33.6% and adults (≥ 5th year) 48.8% to 34.9%. High fluctuation in the total count and the proportion of age groups could have two possible reasons: 1) the actual change in population over different years and 2) changes in the actual migration route eagles follow depending on the local or regional weather conditions. For these reasons, we could not ascertain that the population of migrating Steppe Eagle at Thoolakharka watch site is actually declining. Therefore, we stress a long term monitoring of migrating Steppe Eagle population from Thoolakharka watch site in the future to investigate the real changes in population

Background: Cannabis continues to be the most commonly used illicit psychoactive substance globally. The National Survey in India conducted in the year 2004 also reported it to be the most commonly used illicit substance in the country. Furthermore, it was reported to be the second most commonly used psychoactive substance by the treatment seekers at de-addiction centers in the country. Objectives: To assess time trends of cannabis use among treatment-seeking individuals at government de-addiction centers across India over a period of 7 years. Materials and Methods: The study utilized data collected through Drug Abuse Monitoring System across India. The data of treatment seekers from de-addiction centers established under the Drug De-addiction Program, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India and supported by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India (122 in number) across the country were analyzed. Results: A total of 107,469 individuals sought treatment from government de-addiction centers over the 7 years (2007–2013) period. With the exception of an aberration for the year 2012, there has been a steady decline in the proportion of treatment seekers who are not current cannabis users. A significantly greater proportion (Chi-square: 586.30, df: 1, P < 0.001) of individuals with current cannabis use alone or along with tobacco (20.4%) tend to have a co-morbid psychiatric disorder as compared to treatment seekers with current use of substances other than cannabis (6.1%). Conclusions: It is important to focus on cannabis in clinical service delivery and research in the country.

The status of the Fishing Cat Prionailurus viverrinus in Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve, Nepal was assessed by camera trapping and pugmark searches from 2011 to 2014. The reserve is a highly dynamic and unstable snow-fed braided river system with many anabranches and islands. Evidence of Fishing Cats was found throughout most of the reserve. They were probably more abundant on the eastern side, among the islands of the main river channel, and in the adjacent buffer zone where there was a chain of fishponds and marsh areas fed by seepage from the main river channel. Evidence of Fishing Cats was found up to 6km north of the reserve on the Koshi River but not beyond this. The population is probably small and may be isolated but given the endangered status of the species, is significant. The main likely threats identified are wetland and riparian habitat deterioration caused by over exploitation and illegal grazing by villagers, overfishing of wetlands and rivers within the reserve, and direct persecution arising from perceived conflicts with fish farming and poultry husbandry. Required conservation actions are discussed.

The child development is a dynamic process that utilizes the genetic potential of the baby to achieve full potential within the context of available environment. Throughout the world, there are growing concerns about developmental, behavioural, social and emotional wellbeing of children. The management of these issues is possible only with an organized approach through a multidisciplinary team Objective: To estimate the prevalence of developmental and behavioral disorders in children. Method: Data were collected from primary caregivers of children presented to a developmental and behavioral pediatrics clinic over a period of 12 months. Standard screening and assessment tools like Strength and Difficulty Questionnaire (SDQ), Spence anxiety scale and Vanderbilt rating scale for ADHD were used. Cases were referred to the Psychiatrist, psychologist, speech therapist and physiotherapist for assessment and management when needed. Results: A total of 85 children with developmental problems presented to our clinic which gives clinic prevalence of 8.5%. There were 51 (60%) of male and 34 (40%) of female. The majority of these children were from Morang district 39 (46%), Sunsari district 13 (15%) and Jhapa District 9 (10.6%). The most common diagnosis were speech and language delay (22.4%), behavioral problems 21.2%, Anxiety disorders 18.8% , cerebral palsy 14.1% and Global developmental delay of 11.8% and several others. The highest number of children i.e 27 (31.8%), were referred to the psychologist/Psychiatrist followed by speech therapist 25 (29.4%) and physiotherapist 21(24.7%). Behavioral modification strategies and CBT were provided to children. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/jonmc.v3i1.10054 Journal of Nobel Medical College Vol.3(1) 2014; 45-49

Bengal Florican Houbaropsis bengalensis is one of the most critically threatened birds of the world. The species has restricted distribution within the Indian subcontinent extending southeast to parts of Cambodia and Vietnam. The population of the species is being monitored in Nepal since 1982. The most recent study on the species shows a precipitous decline in its population, even for a species mainly confined to protected areas. Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve and adjoining areas had been omitted in previous surveys mainly because the area was considered not to hold any significant number of the species. Opportunistic surveys in April and May 2011 indicated that there is a comeback of this species in Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve and the adjoining riverine grasslands. As many as 12 pairs were estimated. Further systematic surveys are recommended to find out the total population of the species.

Introduction: Concomitant multiple substance use by clients in drug abuse treatment settings has been recognized as an important treatment issue for many years, and remains under-researched in Indian context. Aim: To examine the patterns and prevalence of concomitant alcohol and illicit drug use among the patients seeking treatment for illicit drug use. Materials and Methods: A total of 110 patients attending the National drug dependence treatment centre having multiple drug use were included for the present study. Data was collected by face-to-face structured interview on a semi-structured proforma. Results: It was observed that overall 38.2% of the illicit drug users had concomitant alcohol use. Concomitant use of alcohol was found to be 37.1%, 45.5% and 44.4% among heroin, cannabis users and Doda (opium) users respectively. The maximum quantity of alcohol consumption was reported by patients who used opium (Doda) (mean = 703.13 ml/day). A multinomial logistic regression analysis showed that middle aged males and those with lower educational levels, were at greater risk for concomitant exposure to alcohol and illicit drugs. Conclusion: Many people use alcohol in combination with illicit drugs. Clinicians should warn every patient about alcohol-drug interactions, especially those at high risk for concomitant exposure. These findings have implications for prevention, as well as clinical risk for adverse consequences of concomitant alcohol and illicit drug consumption.

The study was conducted during 2010-13 among randomly sampled 124 pulse farmers from Jalaun district of Bundelkhand region of India with the aim to analyze the effectiveness of farmer to farmer networks in dissemination of improved pulse seeds and to ascertain the attributes of farmers that determined for wider seed dissemination by them through informal networks. The selected lead farmers were provided seeds of improved pulse varieties and extent of dissemination of the introduced seeds was studied. Finding revealed that from 2038 kg of quality seeds that was provided to 124 key farmers, about 7486 kg of produce spread as seeds among 331 farmers that covered 300.9 acres of area through farmer to farmer networks. Thus farmer to farmer networks were found to cause 3.7, 4.4 and 2.7 times enhancement in quantity of seed diffused, the area covered under the introduced varieties and farmers reached. Variables like extent of information utilization, land under crop, perception towards improved pulse varieties, attitude towards improved technologies and yield advantage positively and significantly (P

Robust reference values for fecal egg count reduction (FECR) rates of the most widely used anthelmintic drugs in preventive chemotherapy (PC) programs for controlling soil-transmitted helminths (STHs; Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura, and hookworm) are still lacking. However, they are urgently needed to ensure detection of reduced efficacies that are predicted to occur due to growing drug pressure. Here, using a standardized methodology, we assessed the FECR rate of a single oral dose of mebendazole (MEB; 500 mg) against STHs in six trials in school children in different locations around the world. Our results are compared with those previously obtained for similarly conducted trials of a single oral dose of albendazole (ALB; 400 mg).The efficacy of MEB, as assessed by FECR, was determined in six trials involving 5,830 school children in Brazil, Cambodia, Cameroon, Ethiopia, United Republic of Tanzania, and Vietnam. The efficacy of MEB was compared to that of ALB as previously assessed in 8,841 school children in India and all the above-mentioned study sites, using identical methodologies.The estimated FECR rate [95% confidence interval] of MEB was highest for A. lumbricoides (97.6% [95.8; 99.5]), followed by hookworm (79.6% [71.0; 88.3]). For T. trichiura, the estimated FECR rate was 63.1% [51.6; 74.6]. Compared to MEB, ALB was significantly more efficacious against hookworm (96.2% [91.1; 100], p

Adolescents and young adults continue to remain the main focus of attention with regards to substance use related problems. There has been a limited focus on illicit substance use among middle aged and elderly population. The current study explored the changing trends of substance use among treatment seeking middle aged individuals (aged 40–60 years) at a tertiary level drug dependence treatment centre. The questionnaire used to gather information for the study is a 19-item structured questionnaire. It includes information on various sociodemographic variables, “current,” and “ever” use of substance. Information is also collected on variables related to high risk injecting drug use and HIV status of the individuals. There has been consistent increase in the population of treatment seekers over five years. Over the five-year period, the absolute percentage increase in treatment seeking population is approximately 21%. Polysubstance use was found to increase significantly over five-study years (PTrend = 0.007).

Abstract Background Genome-wide statistics established that long intrinsically disordered regions (over 30 residues) are predicted in a large part of proteins in all eukaryotes, with a higher ratio in trans-membrane proteins. At functional level, such unstructured and flexible regions were suggested for years to favour phosphorylation events. In plants, despite increasing evidence of the regulation of transport and signalling processes by phosphorylation events, only few data are available without specific information regarding plasma membrane proteins, especially at proteome scale. Results Using a dedicated phosphoproteomic workflow, 75 novel and unambiguous phosphorylation sites were identified in Arabidopsis plasma membrane. Bioinformatics analysis showed that this new dataset concerned mostly integral proteins involved in key functions of the plasma membrane (such as transport and signal transduction, including protein phosphorylation). It thus expanded by 15% the directory of phosphosites previously characterized in signalling and transport proteins. Unexpectedly, 66% of phosphorylation sites were predicted to be located outside long intrinsically disordered regions. This result was further corroborated by analysis of publicly available data for the plasma membrane. Conclusions The new phosphoproteomics data presented here, with published datasets and functional annotation, suggest a previously unexpected topology of phosphorylation in the plant plasma membrane proteins. The significance of these new insights into the so far overlooked properties of the plant plasma membrane phosphoproteome and the long disordered regions is discussed.

Abstract Background In many Asian countries, Klebsiella pneumoniae (KP) is the second pathogen responsible for community-acquired pneumonia. Yet, very little is known about KP etiology in ALRI in Cambodia, a country that has one of the weakest medical infrastructures in the region. We present here the first clinico-radiological description of KP community-acquired ALRI in hospitalized Cambodian patients. Methods Through ALRI surveillance in two provincial hospitals, KP was isolated from sputum and blood cultures, and identified by API20E gallery from patients ≥ 5 years-old with fever and respiratory symptoms onset ≤14 days. Antibiotics susceptibility testing was provided systematically to clinicians when bacteria were isolated. We collected patients' clinical, radiological and microbiological data and their outcome 3 months after discharge. We also compared KP-related with other bacteria-related ALRI to determine risk factors for KP infection. Results From April 2007 to December 2009, 2315 ALRI patients ≥ 5 years-old were enrolled including 587 whose bacterial etiology could be assigned. Of these, 47 (8.0%) had KP infection; their median age was 55 years and 68.1% were females. Reported prior medication was high (42.5%). Patients' chest radiographs showed pneumonia (61.3% including 39% that were necrotizing), preexisting parenchyma lesions (29.5%) and pleural effusions alone (4.5%) and normal parenchyma (4.5%). Five patients had severe conditions on admission and one patient died during hospitalization. Of the 39 patients that were hospital discharged, 14 died including 12 within 1 month after discharge. Only 13 patients (28%) received an appropriate antibiotherapy. Extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBL) - producing strains were found in 8 (17.0%) patients. Female gender (Odds ratio (OR) 2.1; p = 0.04) and diabetes mellitus (OR 3.1; p = 0.03) were independent risk factors for KP-related ALRI. Conclusions KP ALRI in Cambodia has high fatality rate, are more frequently found in women, and should be considered in diabetic patients. The extremely high frequency of ESBL-producing strains in the study is alarming in the context of uncontrolled antibiotic consumption and in absence of microbiology capacity in most public-sector hospitals.

Abstract Background Melioidosis is a disease caused by Burkholderia pseudomallei and considered endemic in South-East Asia but remains poorly documented in Cambodia. We report the first series of hospitalized pulmonary melioidosis cases identified in Cambodia describing clinical characteristics and outcomes. Methods We characterized cases of acute lower respiratory infections (ALRI) that were identified through surveillance in two provincial hospitals. Severity was defined by systolic blood pressure, cardiac frequency, respiratory rate, oxygen saturation and body temperature. B. pseudomallei was detected in sputum or blood cultures and confirmed by API20NE gallery. We followed up these cases between 6 months and 2 years after hospital discharge to assess the cost-of-illness and long-term outcome. Results During April 2007 - January 2010, 39 ALRI cases had melioidosis, of which three aged ≤2 years; the median age was 46 years and 56.4% were males. A close contact with soil and water was identified in 30 patients (76.9%). Pneumonia was the main radiological feature (82.3%). Eleven patients were severe cases. Twenty-four (61.5%) patients died including 13 who died within 61 days after discharge. Of the deceased, 23 did not receive any antibiotics effective against B. pseudomallei. Effective drugs that were available did not include ceftazidime. Mean total illness-related costs was of US$65 (range $25-$5000). Almost two-thirds (61.5%) incurred debt and 28.2% sold land or other belongings to pay illness-related costs. Conclusions The observed high fatality rate is likely explained by the lack or limited access to efficient antibiotics and under-recognition of the disease among clinicians, which led to inappropriate therapy.