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Background and Purpose: Social anxiety disorder (SAD) which is characterized by persistent fear of social situations is increasingly relevant, particularly among students in today’s competitive society. This study assesses the prevalence of SAD and identifies associated factors among health care students. Materials and Methods: A web-based cross-sectional study was conducted from March to May 2023 and included 325 participants from five colleges in Kathmandu City, Nepal. The sample size was calculated using the formula Z²pq/d². The participants were selected via the purposive sampling method. SAD was assessed using the 17-item social phobia inventory instrument. Logistic regression analysis identified significant predictors (P

Background: Venous network of hand is superficially placed and is easy to trace for clinical purposes. Ce-phalic vein on lateral aspect and basilic vein on medial aspect of the hand are clinically important for inva-sive and surgical procedures. Thus the study of cephalic and basilic veins at dorsal venous arch of hand was dissected to observe for length of dorsal venous arch and the diameter and thickness of cephalic and basilic veins. Methods: This is a cross-sectional observational study conducted in 50 hands of cadavers (36 hands of male cadavers, 14 hands of female cadavers) in Department of Anatomy, Kathmandu Medical College Teaching Hospital, Duwakot. Cadavers were performed to measure the length of dorsal venous arch, diame-ter and thickness of cephalic and basilic vein on dorsum of hands. Results: The mean±s.d. length of dorsal venous arch in male cadaver (19.03±2.84 cm.) was significantly greater than in female (16.51±1.36 cm.).There was no significant difference in length of dorsal venous arch on right (18.22 ±2.47 cm.) and left side (18.42±3.05 cm.) in either sex. The mean±s.d thickness of basilic vein (0.10±0.01mm) in either sex was significantly greater than that of cephalic vein (0.09±0.01mm). Conclusions: The length of the dorsal ve-nous arch in male cadavers was found significantly greater than in female cadavers. The diameters based on external and internal circumference of basilic veins was found to be more than diameter of cephalic veins in both male and female cadavers. The thickness of basilic vein was found to be more (0.10±0.01mm) than that of cephalic vein (0.09±0.01mm) in cadaver of both sexes.

Bishnu Prasad Neupane, Dinesh Chaudhary, Sanjita Paudel, Sangita Timsina, Bipin Chapagain, Nirmala Jamarkattel, Bishnu Raj TiwariSchool of Health and Allied Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Pokhara University, Pokhara, Kaski, NepalBackground: Himalayan honey, a natural product of wild honey bees found in the Himalayan mountains of Nepal, has been used in medicine for many years. The successful development of nanotechnology and beneficial effects of honey would bring a new opportunity to synthesize hybrid nanomaterials for biomedical applications. Thus, the purpose of this study was to load Himalayan honey onto iron oxide nanoparticles (IO-NPs) and study their antioxidant and antimicrobial activities.Methods: Himalayan honey loaded iron oxide nanoparticles (HHLIO-NPs) were synthesized and X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) analyses were performed for characterization. UV-VIS spectra confirmed the loading of honey onto nanoparticles. The antioxidant activity of these nanoparticles was studied against 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical system. We also tested antimicrobial activity of HHLIO-NPs using well diffusion method towards both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains of Staphylococus aureus & Escherichia coli.Results: From XRD analysis, the average particle size was found to be 33–40 nm. The SEM images show needle shape porous structures of HHLIO-NPs compared to free IO-NPs indicating the surfactant-like behaviour of honey. In DPPH radical system, the scavenging activities of Himalayan honey (HH), free IO-NPs and HHLIO-NPs ranged 7.93-35.99%, 11.02-52.02% and 16.10-80.52% respectively, with corresponding IC50 values of 1.36 mg/mL, 1.09 mg/mL and 0.52 mg/mL. The antimicrobial property of all test samples showed a noteworthy inhibition on both bacterial strains. However, the HH and HHLIO-NPs exhibited strong antibacterial activity against E. coli.Conclusion: This work reveals that the biological activity of HH is enhanced significantly after loading into IO-NPs. Thus, the HHLIO-NPs would be a promising alternative for antioxidant and antimicrobial agents.Keywords: honey, biological activities, nanoparticles, cliff bee

Aim: Resistance to methicillin and Macrolide–Lincosamide and Streptogramins B and their association with erm genes in Staphylococcus aureus are unknown in Nepal. Materials & methods: Nonduplicate nasal swabs from 160 school children were collected from April to September 2018 and processed using standard microbiological procedures. Results: Out of 160 samples, 64 (40%) were S. aureus in which 17 (26.6%) were methicillin-resistance Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). D-test identified 15 (23.4%) as inducible clindamycin-resistant, which were more prevalent in MRSA (76.4%) than methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA; 4.2%). 18.7% of isolates harbored the ermC gene followed by ermA (15.6%) and ermB (3.1%), and were more in MRSA than MSSA. Conclusion: To prevent treatment failure by inducible resistance, D-test must be performed on erythromycin-resistant and/or clindamycin-sensitive isolates.

Background Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are the leading causes of deaths globally. Currently, there are limited high-quality data on the epidemiology and usefulness of community-based screening and treatment of NCDs in low-to-middle-income countries (LMIC), like Nepal. We describe the protocol of a community-based, longitudinal epidemiological study of screening and management of NCDs in rural Nepal. Methods We organize monthly mobile health clinics to screen NCDs among 40- to 75-year-old residents from municipal subdivision wards 3, 4, 6, and 7 of Ghorahi submetropolitan city, Dang, Nepal (approximately 406 km west of the capital, Kathmandu). We estimate a total of 7052 eligible participants. After obtaining informed consent, trained personnel will collect sociodemographic and lifestyle data, medical, medication, and family history using validated questionnaires, plus anthropometric measures and capillary glucose levels. We will screen for hypertension, diabetes, obesity, dyslipidemia, tobacco and alcohol use, self-reported physical activity, dietary habits, cardiovascular disease, stroke, chronic lung disease, cancer, and chronic kidney disease. We will also check hemoglobin A1C, lipid panel, serum creatinine, sodium, potassium, urine dipstick, and urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio in high-risk participants. We will offer lifestyle counseling, pharmacotherapy or refer to higher level care, where appropriate; routinely follow participants with NCDs for continuity of care; and follow individuals without NCDs but with elevated glucose, prehypertension or other risk factors every year, and those without risk factors every 2 years. We will monitor participants in the community to reduce attrition and to track all-cause and disease-specific mortality. Discussion Understanding the community burden of NCDs in resource-limited setting and testing effectiveness of community-based screening and management of NCDs will provide insights to develop national policy to address NCD burden in LMIC like Nepal.

ABSTRACT Men and women suffering from the problems of various psychoactive substance abuse were helped to come out of the problem by the Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health since it’s establishment in 1986. Since the De-addiction ward started functioning under the Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, T.U. Teaching Hospital (TUTH) from February, 2000 A.D., people suffering from various drugs related problems have received in-patient care. This study describes the profile of first 100 psychoactive substance abusers admitted in this ward. The first hundred patients were admitted in a period of 5 months and 2 weeks, in an average of 18 patients per month. Eighty eight males, the average age being 33.3+10.98 years. Seventy were married. The average years of education was 8.56+4.94 years. Alcohol (n=58) was the commonest initial substance, followed by cannabis (n=19) and cigarette (n=11). Currently 60 were predominantly alcohol users and 36 predominantly opiate users. The majority were multiple substance users: 79 used alcohol, 37 used opiates, 25 used cannabis and 18 used benzodiazepines. Age at first use was 19.57+5.54 years and duration of continuous use was 5.88+4.47 years. Eleven (8 males) were HIV ELISA reactive, all of whom were parenteral opiate abusers. Thirty-nine (35 males) had fatty changes in liver and 6 (all males) had cirrhotic changes in liver. Those 45 persons with liver abnormality were all alcohol users. Key Words: psychoactive substance, alcohol, opiates, HIV, liver changes.

Introduction: With the increasing geriatric population, the demand of the geriatric care has been increasing worldwide. Numerous comorbidities like hypertension, COPD, diabetes mellitus, arthritis, are seen commonly in the older population of Nepal, affecting their quality of life. Assessing functional status of individual using Basic Activities of Daily Living and Instrumental Activities of Daily Life scoring is beneficial in predicting the mortality and morbidity among the group. This study hence focuses on determining the comorbidities and functional status of older population. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted from February 2024 to May 2024 in tertiary care hospital at Kathmandu among population of age group above 60 years, after taking ethical approval from Institutional Review Committee (Reference number: 19012024/04). A total of 423 individuals were taken for the study. Data collection for socio-demographic information, comorbidities, functional assessment via Katz and Lawton scale was done and analysed using IBM SPSS. Results: Among the total 423 participants visiting the outpatient department, 188 (44.44%) were males and 235 (55.56%) were females. Basic Activity of Daily Living using Katz scoring, suggested that 377 (89.13%; 95% CI: 85.76%-91.93%)) were independent. Using Lawton scoring for the assessment of Instrumental Activities of Daily Living, it was seen that 170 (40.19%; 95% CI: 35.48%-45.03%) were independent. There were 184 (43.50%) individual with comorbidities. Conclusions: Most of the patients were independent in Basic Activities of Daily Living as per Katz Index of independence and almost half were independent in Instrumental Activities of Daily Living as per Lawton-Brody scale.

Introduction: Globally, over two billion people suffer from vision impairment, almost half preventable. In Nepal, the Eastern Regional Eye Care Program introduced self-vision assessment charts in 137 schools for early eye issue detection. This study assessed the charts' use and perceived impact. Methods: A multi-method study was conducted to evaluate the use of self-vision assessment charts in schools in Eastern Nepal. Ethical approval was obtained from Institutional Review Board (Refrence number: 72-079-040). Quantitative data were collected through a questionnaire survey. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, while qualitative data were analyzed using framework analysis. Both methods were integrated to enhance understanding of participants' experiences. Results: In this study, 400 students participated in questionnaire survey, 180 in self vision assessment, and 16 teachers in in-depth interviews. Among the participants, 198 (49.50%) of students used the chart, 125 (65.78%) expressed satisfaction, 241 (60.25%) found it useful, 276 (69%) as beneficial, and 253 (63.25%) stated improved health. There were 93 (23.25%) students who felt knowledgeable about its use, with 18 (10%) using it correctly. In 162 (90%) of schools there were adequate chart placement, 23 (12.77%) provided clear signage for viewing points. Teachers recognized the chart's benefits and encouraged its use, but students lacked awareness. Regular use was viewed as beneficial for early detection of eye issues, though challenges included a need for more awareness among students and teachers and reliance on home remedies. Conclusions: Most students and teachers acknowledged self-vision assessment charts’ benefits but had low utilization and accuracy rates. Strategic interventions such as regular informational sessions, teacher motivation, and engagement with eye health experts are essential.