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In the present work, numerical simulations are conducted for external flow through a double rectangular cylinder with different inclinations at Reynolds number (Re) 50 to 200 based on free stream velocity. The cylinder aspect ratio is considered to be fixed at 0.25. During the numerical simulations, one cylinder is kept fixed, and the other cylinder is inclined at ‘θ = 20°’ first clockwise and then in an anticlockwise direction alternatively for both cylinders. Because of the inclined cylinder, the vortex dynamics lead to significant changes in flow-induced forces. In this article, the focus is given to how Re and inclination in the cylinder influence the flow structures and associated aerodynamic properties. It is shown that when any of the cylinders are inclined, a significant decrease in the average drag coefficient is noticed as compared to the parallel cylinder case. In a similar manner, the lift coefficient also decreases when any one of the cylinders is inclined at θ = 20° either clockwise or counterclockwise as compared to the parallel cylinder case. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Etravirine, an antiretroviral agent, used in the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus belongs to biopharmaceutical classification system classification IV. The reported solubility of the drug is 0.0169 mg/ ml. In the present study, an attempt was made to enhance the solubility of etravirine by crystal engineering technique. The cocrystallization method was carried out using 12 different coformers and each coformer was studied in two different stoichiometric ratios. A preliminary screening of all the cocrystals was done by determination of melting point and solubility. A statistical evaluation of all the cocrystals on solubility was carried out at a significance level of p<0.05. The best cocrystals were subjected to drug content, in vitro drug release, solid-state study (fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, powder x-ray diffraction) and stability study for 3 mo. Coformer benzoic acid showed a significant improvement in etravirine solubility in the drug:coformer ratio of 1:1 and 1:2. The drug:benzoic acid ratio of 1:2 was found to have more solubility and showed enhanced dissolution compared to pure drug. The in vitro dissolution rate of the drug:benzoic acid ratio of 1:2 was found to be more than 90 % in 60 min. Therefore, it can be concluded that the cocrystallization method with benzoic acid as coformer can be a promising approach for solubility improvement of etravirine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Canal curvatures such as dilacerated canals, bayonetshaped canals, and acute curvatures in the apical third pose a therapeutic challenge to the clinician. Pretreatment determination of the degree of curvature, usage of scrupulous instrumentation techniques facilitate successful negotiation of the bends and enhance the quality of the treatment. The following case series chronicles the application of a novel instrumentation technique known as Tactile Controlled Activation(TCA) technique in the management of sharp apical curvatures in a molar and a premolar, thus upholding its accountability in the management of canal curvatures without any iatrogenic mishaps, besides maintaining the original trajectory of the canal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pure phase exchange coupled nanocomposites of magnetically hard-soft oxides, (hard) SrFe12-yAlyO19 -(soft) x Wt.% Ni0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 were prepared via one-pot autocombustion method. The hard-phase magnetic anisotropy was systematically varied via Al3+ doping and magnetic properties of the nanocomposites were assessed as a function of magnetic soft-phase content in the nanocomposite. As synthesized, ferrites were assessed for phase composition, crystallinity, and magnetic properties by using XRD and VSM respectively. Exchange coupling behavior was observed in nanocomposites for all soft phase content in the low field region up to 1200 Oe. Also, exchange coupling was observed to weaken with increase in Al3+ content in the hard phase of the composite. As a result of hard-soft exchange coupling, the saturation magnetization, reduced remanence, and Curie temperature were observed to be higher than those of pure SrFe12O19 hexaferrite. The present study is novel in its approach of tuning magnetic parameters of exchange-spring nanocomposites via systematically controlling magnetic parameters of the hard phase and content of the soft phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fractional tree cover (Fcover) is an important biophysical variable for measuring forest degradation and characterizing land cover. Recently, atmospherically corrected Landsat data have become available, providing opportunities for high-resolution mapping of forest attributes at global-scale. However, topographic correction is a pre-processing step that remains to be addressed. While several methods have been introduced for topographic correction, it is uncertain whether Fcover models based on vegetation indices are sensitive to topographic effects. Our objective was to assess the effect of topographic correction on the accuracy of Fcover modelling. The study area was located in the Eastern Arc Mountains of Kenya. We used C-correction as a digital elevation model (DEM) based correction method. We examined if predictive models based on normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), reduced simple ratio (RSR) and tasseled cap indices (Brightness, Greenness and Wetness) are improved if using topographically corrected data. Furthermore, we evaluated how the results depend on the DEM by correcting images using available global DEM (ASTER GDEM, SRTM) and a regional DEM. Reference Fcover was obtained from wall-to-wall airborne LiDAR data. Landsat images corresponding to minimum and maximum sun elevation were analyzed. We observed that topographic correction could only improve models based on Brightness and had very small effect on the other models. Cosine of the solar incidence angle (cos i) derived from SRTM DEM showed stronger relationship with spectral bands than other DEMs. In conclusion, our results suggest that, in tropical mountains, predictive models based on common vegetation indices are not sensitive to topographic effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The aim of this study is to show that a change in occlusal contacting pattern of tooth has definite influence over the behavior of orofacial musculature, resulting deleterious effect on it. Keeping this in view, the electro myographic (EMG) activity of temporal's and masseter muscles in rest position of mandible, maximum clenching and chewing, was studied in total 24 subjects--14 subjects with normal occlusion and rest 10 with normal occlusion and one tooth carious which was prepared to receive an inlay with high point. This high point or occlusal interference was introduced intentionally to have a change in occlusion or “altered dentition”. The subjects were all male medical volunteers with average age group of 20 years. A particular variety of chewing substance – chewing gum was used in this study. No EMG activity was detected in the rest position of mandible. In maximum clenching, balanced type of activity was seen bilaterally in normal occlusion.Whereas in changed occlusion, an unbalanced type of muscle activity was seen in temporalis muscle during maximum clenching. There was an overall decrease in activity in both the muscles during maximum clenching and during chewing. This decrease in activity was statistically significant in most of the times. A non-specific pattern of muscle activity resembling spasm in skeletal muscle -- a state of “hyperactivity” was also found during chewing in presence of occlusal interference. This spasm-like activity may cause pain in the muscles of masticatory apparatus. All these abnormal types of behavior of muscle were abolished after removal of high point and establishing the previous normal occlusion. It is therefore, for the clinicians to understand the importance of establishing occlusal equilibrium in day to day practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Health camp provides service to patients, near to their home, living in remote places with inadequate health facilities, like remote places of Nepal. This study was carried to assess the visual outcomes and complications associated with cataract surgery in camp patients, operated in a camp setting at community level in Sindhupalchowk. Methods: In a retrospective study, 23 outreach camp patients had undergone cataract surgeries with chamber intraocular lens implantation under peri-bulbaranaesthesia. Post-operative complications on day-1 were examined. Patients with any complications were managed conservatively and referred for further management to tertiary eye care centre. Results: 23 eyes underwent cataract extraction with intra ocular lens implantation. Small incision cataract surgery (SICS) was the commonest method (91.6%) used. 69.57% were female and 30.43% were male. The commonest first post- operative day complication was mild conjunctival congestion and sub-conjunctival haemorrhage. On Day-1 of post-operative Normal to Near-normal vision (6/6-6/18) was seen in 14(60.82), Moderate low vision 6/24 to 6/36 in 5 (21.74%), Severe low vision 6/60-3/60 in 3(13.04%), and Moderate blindness <3/60 in 1(4.35%) of the operated patients. Conclusion: High quality cataract surgery with low rate of intraoperative complications and good visual outcome can be obtained in camp patients operated in community level under skilled man power suggesting more similar surgical camps to reduce the burden of preventable blindness due to cataract. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The post global era is signified in terms of women’s changed status in the patriarchal society of India. Their participation in the work force is not experienced as good or as desired because they have to face rampant violence related to their reorganized desires. The media-bound culture is a prime cause of their mimetic behavior in lifestyle and other choices. This paper attempts to raise two questions: Might this be the major cause of the violence? Is there a relationship between consumerism and women’s body as sex commodity?

Social work is a sharing and caring profession based on scientific methods. This problem solving profession makes people self-reliant and self-dependent when he/she is in any sorts of crises. Thus, it differs from relief work, social services or social welfare delivered during emergence crises. This paper examined the application of professional social work as relief work, which did not bring any change among the beneficiaries; rather it set their mind as opportunist. For this purpose, the programme sponsored by the government of India and implemented by nongovernmental organizations for rehabilitation of the street children (i.e., pavements and slums dwellers, children of sex workers, and so forth) of Metro cities like Kolkata had priority. This evaluative study assessed the progress and changes among 500 street children who were the beneficiaries for 10 years of the programme, selected according to their parental residents/occupation through stratified sampling. Interviews, case studies and group interaction were used to collect data on various aspects, i.e. personal background, education, and occupation of these children. It revealed that after almost 10 years of services, the problem of children was static. Firstly, service delivery system was as relief work. The methods of social work were not implied while the professionals were in implementation. On the other hand, the scope of monitoring and evaluation of the programme by government was suspended due to several reasons. Definitely, the politicalization in human development would be restricted. The problems of suffering would be root out and it should not be a continued process.

This paper attempts to discuss the causes of violence against women in India in relation to their body-revealing dress and conditional consent to sexual relations. Historically, women in Indian society have been victims of gender practices under the typical patriarchy. Culturally, women are treated as sex objects and their status is bounded within the periphery of feminine role-relations as housekeepers and pro-creators of generation. Women's education and participation in the workforce are not bringing with them the expected changes in gender stereotyped-ness. Even the work done on gender justice and women's human rights has failed to establish their status as anything more than sex objects. The rampant sexual violence against women is a reminder that the problem is deeply rooted in Indian society. In such a situation we may not be able to avoid considering the responsibility of women. Their body-revealing clothing and conditional consent to sexual relation are significant in provoking men into treating them as sex objects. So we should think about how to bring about a change in gender practices and this should start in each and every family. The family as a correctional institution should teach its offspring about gender equality and their behavior and attitude towards gender should regard the physical and physiological differences between the sexes as minor. This might perhaps be a step towards reducing violence against women.

Antiepileptic drugs are used commonly by physicians, neurologist and neurosurgeons in Nepal. Lamotrigine is an effective antiepileptic drug used as an add-on and monotherapy for a variety of seizure types in both adults and children. Rashes due to AED including SJS and hypersensitivity syndrome leading to hospitalization occur in approximately 0.33% of adults and 0.8% in children. Reactions due to LTG alone occur in around 5.7% of cases. We report probably the first case of this reaction in a 12-year old girl with a brief discussion on its etiology and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Invasive alien plant species (IAPS) pose a serious threat to overall plant biodiversity across the globe. Nepal's national parks and protected areas are not devoid of the impact of IAPS. Unfortunately, there is a substantial gap in knowledge regarding the extent and impact of invasion in protected areas of Nepal. This study assessed the impact of invasive alien plant species on the resident plant species of the Koshi Tapu wildlife reserve. After a preliminary field observation, we selected five major IAPS in the area, Mesosphaerum suaveolens, Chromolaena odorata, Ipomoea carnea, Lantana camara , and Mikania micrantha for this study. Ten pairs of adjacent plots sized 4 m × 4 m were surveyed for each invasive species, comprising diverse vegetation types. Each pair consisted of one "invaded plot" where the invasive species was dominant with cover greater than 50%, and another "uninvaded plot" laid out in an adjacent area with similar site conditions but without the invasive species. We calculated the Sørensen Index of Similarity for each paired plot. Wilcoxon rank-sum test was employed to compare ecological parameters between invaded and uninvaded plots for various plant species. Similarly, the difference in impact between each of the five invasive species was assessed using the Kruskal-Wallis test. Species richness varied significantly between invaded and uninvaded plots for C. odorata and I. carnea . The most significant impact on species composition of invaded communities (39.6%) was observed for C. odorata . The cover of the other dominant species varied significantly between invaded and uninvaded plots for all five species studied. The Kruskal-Wallis test showed no significant difference in the impact caused by the five studied invasive species on Species richness, Shannon-Wiener diversity index, species evenness, and height of dominant species. However, a significant difference was observed between the impacts of five studied invasive species and the cover of other dominant species. The crown cover of dominant species decreased much more in the invaded plots of L. camara and M. micrantha than in other species. Specialized management efforts are required to control highly invasive species, such as C. odorata and I. carnea , alongside proactive measures to prevent further spread in ecologically sensitive areas., Competing Interests: None., (© 2024 The Author(s). Ecology and Evolution published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

The endangered hispid hare ( Caprolagus hispidus ) is one of the least studied mammal species. The recent rediscovery of hispid hare in Chitwan National Park (CNP) after three decades, necessitated urgent conservation measures. A detailed investigation into the species' ecology is imperative for developing evidence-based conservation strategies to support these efforts. The main objective of this study is to investigate the current distribution pattern and habitat preferences, offering vital insights for the effective preservation and management of the species and its habitat. Between 28 January and 13 February 2023, fifty-two surveys using strip transects were carried out in the potential areas. If any indirect signs of the presence of the hispid hare were identified, the corresponding value is coded as 1 "used plot". In contrast, a value of 0 was assigned if there is an absence of any indirect signs "habitat availability plot". Nine habitat predictors (habitat type, ground cover, distance to water source, distance to roads/path/firelines, ground condition, dominant plant species, presence/absence of (anthropogenic disturbance, predators, and invasive species), were measured from both plot types ("used plot" and "habitat availability plot"). Our research indicates a clumped distribution pattern within the CNP, with the Sukhibhar grassland identified as a key hotspot. Our study reveals the hispid hare's adaptability to diverse grassland conditions, favoring both tall and short grasslands. It is essential to integrate the species' preference for various grassland habitats and critical water sources to enhance conservation strategies. This requires a comprehensive grassland management plan for Chitwan National Park that preserves habitat diversity, safeguards key water sources, and adapts to evolving environmental conditions., Competing Interests: The authors declare there are no competing interests., (©2024 Prasai et al.)

Loss-of-function mutations in the C terminus of TPL2 kinase promote oncogenesis by impeding its proteasomal degradation, leading to sustained protein expression. However, the degradation mechanism for TPL2 has remained elusive. Through proximity-dependent biotin identification (BioID), we uncovered tripartite motif-containing 4 (TRIM4) as the E3 ligase that binds and degrades TPL2 by polyubiquitination of lysines 415 and 439. The naturally occurring TPL2 mutants R442H and E188K exhibit impaired TRIM4 binding, enhancing their stability. We further discovered that TRIM4 itself is stabilized by another E3 ligase, TRIM21, which in turn is regulated by KRAS. Mutant KRAS recruits RNF185 to degrade TRIM21 and subsequently TRIM4, thereby stabilizing TPL2. In the presence of mutant KRAS, TPL2 phosphorylates and degrades GSK3β, resulting in β-catenin stabilization and activation of the Wnt pathway. These findings elucidate the physiological mechanisms regulating TPL2 and its exploitation by mutant KRAS, underscoring the need to develop TPL2 inhibitors for KRAS-mutant cancers., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests The authors declared no competing interests., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Our study assessed patterns of Asiatic black bear ( Ursus thibetanus )-human conflicts within the Guthichaur rural municipality, Jumla, Nepal. Through semi-structured interviews with villagers, focus group discussions (FGDs), and key informant interviews (KIIs), we gathered black bear-human conflict information from 2009 to 2019. We identified three primary types of black bear-human interactions: crop damage, livestock depredation, and human injuries. Of these, crop damage (77.03%) emerged as the most prevalent issue. Notably, peak occurrences were observed during autumn (September-October) typically between 9 PM and 3 AM. Livestock depredations were more frequent during nighttime in April-August, with cows/ox (70.12%) being the most depredated animal. Our data also revealed five recorded cases of black bear attacks on humans, which transpired from September to October, primarily in farmland areas in varying years. Despite a prevailing negative perception of bears, a notable level of support exists for their conservation efforts among local communities. Furthermore, these conflicts could be mitigated by reinforcing indigenous crop protection methods and implementing targeted mitigation strategies, as observed in other regions with successful black bear-human interaction management.

Background Stroke is the second leading cause of mortality globally, with 70% of cases occurring in low- and middle-income countries. Various risk factors for stroke have been identified as predictors of Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL). Objective This study aims to assess the impact of associated factors of stroke on the quality of life (QoL) of stroke patients at this tertiary hospital in Nepal. Method A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 92 stroke patients at Annapurna Neurological Institute and Allied Sciences from June to December, 2022. Data were collected through a pre-designed and pre-tested SS-QoL questionnaire followed by a face-to-face interview. SPSS version 22 was employed for analysis, and Mann-Whitney U tests and Kruskal-Wallis H tests was applied to determine the association of variables at a 5% level of significance. Result About two-thirds of the participants were male, indicating a male predominance. Patients aged 45-55 exhibited higher quality of life in family roles and vision, possibly due to the adversity of stroke in older patients. Ischemic stroke was three times more prevalent than hemorrhagic stroke, and those individuals reported higher quality of life, particularly in work and productivity. However, other domains remained statistically insignificant. Among the studied comorbidities, hypertensive patients had the highest overall quality of life. Conclusion Conducting a comprehensive evaluation of the overall quality of life in individuals who have experienced a stroke can contribute to improved health outcomes, particularly in terms of their functioning and well-being in psychosocial aspects.

Introduction: Patient satisfaction is important tool to monitor health care performance and quality of health plans, emphasizing effective counseling and consent processes. The objective of the study is to assess patient satisfaction and anxiety with the use of NSQIP surgical risk calculator in comparison to standardized questionnaires., Methodology: This is an interventional prospective randomized study. Difference in patient satisfaction is assessed by a 7-point Likert scale and anxiety assessment by 5-point Likert scale of Amsterdam Preoperative Anxiety and Information Scale (APAIS) questionnaire written in Nepalese. Satisfaction scores were compared using analysis of variance (ANOVA), or the Kruskal-Wallis test. P- value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant., Results: Satisfaction score regarding comfort during counseling and consent process was similar with and without use of NSQIP surgical risk calculator (83.3 % and 76.9 %, respectively). Satisfaction score regarding plan of anesthesia was 63.33 % with the use of NSQIP and 53.8 % without NSQIP tool. 30.76 % of patients with high school education developed negative feelings following counseling when NSQIP tool was not used ( p value 0.002). NSQIP usage increased anxiety about anesthesia and surgery and led to higher continual thinking about the procedure.Duration of counseling was 12 min with NSQIP tool use in comparison to 9.67 min following conventional counseling ( p value 0.047)., Conclusion: NSQIP surgical risk calculator is a reliable tool that can be used alongside conventional methods during preoperative period for decision-making and counseling with similar satisfaction scores but a higher incidence of anxiety and continual thinking about procedures., Competing Interests: The authors of this manuscript have no related conflicts of interest to declare., (© 2024 The Authors.)

Livestock depredation by leopards is a pervasive issue across many Asian and African range countries, particularly in and around protected areas. Developing effective conflict mitigation strategies requires understanding the landscape features influencing livestock depredation. In this study, we investigated predictors associated with livestock depredation by leopards using 274 cases of leopard attacks on livestock that occurred between 2017 and 2020 in the Annapurna Conservation Area, Nepal. We also examined how livestock predation by leopards varied depending on the species, season, and time. A generalized linear model with binary logistic regression was used to test the statistical significance of variables associated with the presence and absence of conflict sites. The results revealed that the area of forest, agricultural land, length of rivers, slope, proximity to settlements and protected areas, and elevation significantly predicted the probability of leopard attacks on livestock. We also observed a significant increase in the incidence of leopard predation on livestock with decreasing slopes and rising elevations. The areas near human settlements and the protected areas faced a higher risk of leopard predation. The incidence of leopard predation on livestock varied significantly depending on the livestock species, season, and time. Goats were the most highly predated livestock, followed by sheep, cow/ox, and buffalo. A total of 289.11 km 2 (or around 5% of the research area) was deemed to be at high risk for leopard predation on livestock. This study's comprehensive understanding of human-leopard conflicts provides valuable insights for planning and implementing measures to reduce damage caused by leopard populations throughout their range., Competing Interests: Bikram Shrestha is a general member of Green Governance Nepal and employee of Department of Biodiversity Research, Global Change Research Institute, Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic., (©2023 Lamichhane et al.)

In developing countries, VVF mainly occurs due to obstructed labor unlike developed countries where common causes are radiotherapy and malignancy. Due to social taboos, patients do not seek medical attention for problems like urinary incontinence and dysuria, thus presenting very late., Competing Interests: The authors have declared no conflict of interest., (© 2023 The Authors. Clinical Case Reports published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome (WAS) is a rare X-linked disorder characterized by combined immunodeficiency, eczema, microthrombocytopenia, autoimmunity, and lymphoid malignancies. Gene therapy (GT) to modify autologous CD34+ cells is an emerging alternative treatment with advantages over standard allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for patients who lack well-matched donors, avoiding graft-versus-host-disease. We report the outcomes of a phase 1/2 clinical trial in which 5 patients with severe WAS underwent GT using a self-inactivating lentiviral vector expressing the human WAS complementary DNA under the control of a 1.6-kB fragment of the autologous promoter after busulfan and fludarabine conditioning. All patients were alive and well with sustained multilineage vector gene marking (median follow-up: 7.6 years). Clinical improvement of eczema, infections, and bleeding diathesis was universal. Immune function was consistently improved despite subphysiologic levels of transgenic WAS protein expression. Improvements in platelet count and cytoskeletal function in myeloid cells were most prominent in patients with high vector copy number in the transduced product. Two patients with a history of autoimmunity had flares of autoimmunity after GT, despite similar percentages of WAS protein-expressing cells and gene marking to those without autoimmunity. Patients with flares of autoimmunity demonstrated poor numerical recovery of T cells and regulatory T cells (Tregs), interleukin-10-producing regulatory B cells (Bregs), and transitional B cells. Thus, recovery of the Breg compartment, along with Tregs appears to be protective against development of autoimmunity after GT. These results indicate that clinical and laboratory manifestations of WAS are improved with GT with an acceptable safety profile. This trial is registered at clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT01410825.

Background: Biodiversity conservation is becoming challenging day by day. For this, it is essential to understand the distribution, habitat, and impact of anthropogenic activities on animals at risk. We assessed the suitable habitats and anthropogenic impacts on Asiatic black bears, common leopards, musk deer, and snow leopards in and outside the protected areas of Gandaki Province, Nepal., Methods: We collected the presence locations of Asiatic black bears, common leopards, musk deer, and snow leopards based on scats and other signs. We employed the Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt) tool to identify suitable habitats of our studied species and their anthropogenic impacts on them., Results: The total suitable habitat of the common leopard was found to be 6,052 km 2 , followed by the Asiatic black bear (5,819 km 2 ), snow leopard (4,447 km 2 ), and musk deer (1,690 km 2 ) in Gandaki Province. Most of the areas of suitable habitat for common leopards and Asiatic black bears were outside the protected areas, and for musk deer and snow leopards were inside the protected areas. Elevation was the most important variable determining habitat suitability of Asiatic black bear, common leopard, and musk deer, whereas the distance to water was the most important variable determining habitat suitability of snow leopard. Asiatic black bears, common leopards, and musk deer face significant anthropogenic impacts, but snow leopards face some anthropogenic impacts., Conclusion: Managing these animals' habitats inside and outside protected areas is essential. Hence, biodiversity conservation and livelihood opportunities should be balanced in the Himalayas on a win-win basis., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (© 2023 Malla et al.)

The abuse and misuse of antibiotics is one of the main drivers of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Globally, AMR in food-producing animals is a significant public health concern. This study, therefore, assessed the knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to antibiotic usage (AMU) and AMR among poultry farmers in Nepal. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of 605 poultry farmers from six districts of Nepal from May to June 2022 to assess the status of knowledge, attitude, as well as practices toward prudent antibiotic usage (AMU) and AMR. The majority of the participants in our study were from the Chitwan district (31.6%; n = 191/605), aged 30-44 (54.2%; n = 328/605), males (70.4%; n = 426/605), and farmers with a higher secondary (28.76%; n = 174/605) level of education. The tetracyclines (28%, n = 228/828), aminoglycosides (23%, n = 188/828), and fluoroquinolones (15%, n = 126/828) were the most used antibiotics classes among poultry farmers. Although 87.8% ( n = 531/605) of poultry farmers used antibiotics, 49.8% ( n = 301/605) of them were aware of AMR, and 55.7% ( n = 337/605) knew that the misuse of antimicrobials could affect human and environmental health. There were significant differences in the knowledge, attitude, and practices toward prudent AMU and AMR among farmers who reared different birds. The mean knowledge, attitude, and practice score of the respondents were 7.81 ± 3.26, 5.8 ± 2.32, and 7.59 ± 3.38 when measured on a scale of 12, 10, and 15, respectively. Based on a cut-off of 75% of the maximum score, 49.4% ( n = 299/605), 62.8% ( n = 380/605), and 12.73% ( n = 77/605) of the respondents had good knowledge, attitude, and practices toward prudent AMU and AMR, respectively. The multivariable logistic regression analyses revealed that the positive predictors of good knowledge and attitude were male gender, higher level of education, district, and the types of birds (layers). Similarly, those of the male gender (OR: 3.36; 95% CI: 1.38-8.20; p = 0.008) and those that rear layers (OR: 4.63; 95% CI: 1.75-12.25; p = 0.003) were more likely to practice prudent usage of antimicrobials. The findings of this study show poor practice toward prudent antibiotic usage despite good knowledge of AMR. This study provides essential baseline data on the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of poultry farmers in Nepal and offers valuable insights that could help in the design of interventions and policies aimed at addressing illicit AMU and AMR in poultry in Nepal.

Introduction and Importance: Boerhaave syndrome is a rare finding where spontaneous rupture of esophagus occurs, usually in distal segment. It is a life threatening condition that requires urgent surgical intervention., Case Presentation: We present a case of 70 years male who presented with pleural effusion and later empyema following spontaneous rupture of cervico-thoracic junction of esophagus who was managed successfully with primary surgical repair., Clinical Discussion: Although Boerhaave syndrome is tricky to diagnose but it should be considered in all cases with a combination of gastrointestinal and pulmonary signs and symptoms., Conclusion: Clinical correlation along with imaging such as HRCT chest or gastrografin study is required to come to a diagnosis, however surgical intervention should not be delayed to reduce the mortality., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest N/A., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Pseudophilautus conniffae from Lowland wet zone of Sri Lanka, was described as a new species in 2019. The validity of the new species was questionable and was often challenged as it shares strong morphological resemblance with P. limbus. Moreover, the phylogenetic placement of P. conniffae was unknown as no molecular data was available until now. Here, we generated 16S DNA sequences and re-examined the external morphological characters to assess its taxonomic distinctiveness. Pseudophilautus conniffae was recovered as being close to P. limbus with strong posterior probability and bootstrap support. The uncorrected pairwise genetic distance between P. conniffae and P. limbus was negligible, being less than 0.3% for the 16S gene fragment. Further two molecular species delimitation methods, ABGD and mPTP suggested that P. conniffae and P. limbus are a single operational taxonomic unit. The Principal Component Analysis of the morphometric characters also resulted in overlapping clusters. These results suggest that the newly described P. conniffae is not a valid species and we conclude that P. conniffae as a junior synonym of P. limbus.

Rapidly changing environmental conditions (bioclimatic, anthropogenic, topographic, and vegetation-related variables) are likely to alter the spatial distribution of flora and fauna. To understand the influence of environmental variables on the Blue bull's distribution and to identify potential conflict zones, the habitat suitability analysis of the Blue bull was performed using ensemble modeling. We modelled the distribution of the Blue bull using an extensive database on the current distribution of the Blue bull and selected 15 ecologically significant environmental variables. We used ten species distribution modeling algorithms available in the BIOMOD2 R package. Among the ten algorithms, the Random Forest, Maxent, and Generalized linear model had the highest mean true skill statistics scores, ensuring better model performance, and were considered for further analysis. We found that 22,462.57 km 2 (15.26%) of Nepal is suitable for the Blue bull. Slope, precipitation seasonality, and distance to the road are the environmental variables contributing the most to the distribution of Blue bull. Of the total predicted suitable habitats, 86% lies outside protected areas and 55% overlaps with agricultural land. Thus, we recommend that the future conservation initiatives including appropriate conflict mitigation measures should be prioritized equally in both protected areas and outside protected areas to ensure the species' survival in the region.

Pseudophilautus pardus, was first described in 2007, based on a single specimen collected in Sri Lanka during the 19th century. Its absence in recent surveys suggested that the species was extinct. The distinctive spotted dorsal coloration, together with other morphological features, was used to distinguish it from congeners. In 2013, we discovered a specimen resembling the holotype of P. pardus in Samanala Strict Nature Reserve. A DNA analysis based on the 16S rRNA mt-DNA locus recovered a low uncorrected pairwise genetic distance of 0.77-0.96% between the recent example of 'P. pardus' and a congener, P. viridis. Molecular species delimitation methods suggest P. pardus and P. virids to be a single operational taxonomic unit. Morphological analyses using the freshly collected specimen, together with numerous photographic records show P. viridis to be a highly polychromatic species within which the coloration observed in P. pardus too occurs, though rarely. We conclude that P. pardus is a junior synonym of P. viridis.