Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are common in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM). The propensity of the infection can vary in different individuals especially when there is underreporting from the patients having a risk of acquiring infections. This study was conducted in Padma Nursing Home, Pokhara, Nepal from April to September, 2014. A total of 200 mid-stream urine samples were collected from diabetic patients visiting the nursing home and processed by standard laboratory procedure. Antibiotic susceptibility test was performed by modified Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method. About 13% of the patient's urine specimens had shown UTIs. The prevalence of UTI was 18.1% in female and 8.5% in male. Statistically significant association of UTI was found with gender and pyuria. E. coli was the most predominating organism (37%) causing UTI followed by Enterococcus spp (22.2%) and Klebsiella spp. (14.8%). Nitrofurantoin and Ciprofloxacin were the most potent drugs. UTIs are more frequent and are likely to have a more complicated course in patients with DM. This study pointed out that higher age patients, female gender and diabetic patients are risk groups for UTI and should be very cautious to so as to prevent it.

Background: The present study compares the apical microleakage of three different root-end filling materials in which the retrograde cavity is prepared by two different burs. Methods: Eighty extracted single rooted maxillary and mandibular premolars were taken. Root canal treatment was completed. Apical 3 mm of all the teeth were resected with diamond disk. The tooth were divided into four groups with two subgroups for each group containing 10 tooth (N = 10) as: Group IA (Negative Control and IB (Positive Control); Group IIA and IIB: Prepared with round carbide bur and round diamond bur respectively, filled with GIC; Group IIIA and IIIB: Prepared with round carbide bur and round diamond bur respectively, filled with MTA; Group IVA and IVB: Prepared with round carbide bur and round diamond bur, filled with Biodentine. After applying two coats of nail varnish leaving apical 3 mm (except for negative control group) all teeth were immersed in 2% methylene blue for 3 days and again in 65% nitric acid for next 3 days for extraction of dye. The obtained solution was then transferred to eppendorf tube and centrifuged in microcentrifuges at 14,000 revolution per minutes (RPM) for 5 min. Optical density or absorbance of the supernatant solution was measured with UV spectrophotometer at 550 nm. Results: The absorbance of the supernatant solution after dye extraction is decreasing in the order of positive control> GIC > MTA > Biodentine> negative control group. The significant difference was observed between GIC and MTA (p = 0.0001) and GIC and Biodentine (p = 0.0001) with two different burs but statistically non-significant difference was observed between MTA and Biodentine with Carbide bur (p = 0.127) and Diamond bur (p = 0.496) respectively. Conclusions: Within the limitations of the present study, it can be concluded that Biodentine and MTA showed less microleakage as compared to GIC. There is no significant difference between mean microleakage of MTA and Biodentine. However, the mean OD of the Biodentine was least of all evaluated materials. Preparation of the rootend using round carbide bur as well as round diamond burs showed comparable microleakage for all three filling materials.

This paper assesses the interrelationship between poverty, climatic and non-climatic shocks, and shock coping strategies adopted by farm-based rural households in Nepal. An analysis is based on a comprehensive data set collected from 300 randomly selected households from three purposively chosen villages of Gandaki province. The study utilizes binary and ordered probit regression models to analyze the determinants of poverty, shocks, and coping strategies. Findings reveal that the Dalit (ethnic group), large-sized, and agricultural households are more likely to be characterized as poor. The study further shows that majority of the households are exposed to the severe shock of climatic types. Patterns of shock exposure vary with the household’s characteristics. In particular, poor households in the hills primarily dependent on forest for livelihood are more likely to experience severe shocks. Further analyses indicate that the households ex-post choose dissaving, borrowing, shifting occupation, and migration to cope with severe climatic shocks. The analyses also reveal that the nature of shocks, socio-economic, demographic, geographic contexts, and factor endowments effect adopting a particular coping strategy. Findings suggest household level-specific support should be provided to mitigate the effects of shock, and appropriate measures are taken to protect their means of living.

Objectives: The study was carried out to optimize the phenotypic method to characterize the sickle cell trait (SCT), sickle cell anaemia (SCA) and β-thalassemia (β-TT) suspected sample from tharu community of South Western province-5, Nepal. SCT and SCA were further evaluated by genotypic method employing amplification refractory mutation system (ARMS PCR). Moreover, Glucose 6 Phosphate Dehydrogenase (G6PD) was estimated in those hemoglobinopathy to observe its prevalence. The accurate and reliable method can play an important role in reduction of morbidity and mortality rate. Results: The 100 suspected cases were subjected to phenotypic method adopting cellulose acetate electrophoresis and genotypic metod using ARMS PCR which portraits (5%) SCA positive test showing HBS/HBS, (38%) SCT positive trait HBA/HBS and (36%) cases normal HBA/HBA. β-TT (21%) cases were confirmed by electropherogram. G6PD deficiency was observed in (40%) of SCA, (18.4%) of SCT, (4.8%) of β-TT and (2.8%) in normal cases. Increased G6PD were developed only in SCT (5.3 %) and β-TT (4.8%). The study highlighted sickle cell disorder (SCD) and β-TT as the most common hemoglobinopathy coexisting with G6PD deficiency. Though hemoglobinopathy sometime could be protective in malaria but G6PD deficiency can cause massive hemolysis which may exacerbate the condition.

Background: Amenorrhea is the absence of menstrual periods. It has multiple social consequences as it may leads to infertility. This case control study was conducted for determining the association of thyroid hormones with hyperprolactinemia in patient with amenorrhea.Methods: We investigated 50 women with diagnosed cases of secondary amenorrhoea, who attended UCMS hospital, for hormonal evaluations. Fifty two healthy women were taken as the controls. The thyroid dysfunction and serum prolactin level were reviewed in cases and in the controls. Results: Mean serum prolactin level was found to be significantly higher in the cases as compared to the controls. Mean serum fT3 and fT4 level in the hyperprolactinemic cases (mean = 2.67, SD = 1.04 pg/ml) and (mean = 1.38, SD = 0.51 ng/dl respectively) were slightly lower as compared to normoprolactinemic cases (mean = 3.21, SD = 1.86 pg/ml) and (mean = 1.73, SD = 1.37 ng/dl) respectively. Mean TSH of normoprolactinemic and hyperprolactinemic cases were comparable (P = 0.049). There was positive correlation between prolactin, BMI and TSH whereas negative correlation of prolactin was seen with fT3, fT4 and age. In hyperprolactainemic cases, prolactin was found to be negatively correlated with TSH (r = -0.155, P = 0.491) whereas prolactin was positively correlated with TSH (r = 0.296, P = 0.126) in normoprolactainemic cases.Conclusions: Thus, hyperprolactinemia with thyroid dysfunction may be contributory hormonal factor in patient with amenorrhoea and as such, estimation of prolactin, fT3, fT4 and TSH should be included for diagnostic evaluation of amenorrhea.

Routine TR access for PPCI using UFH plus GPI is associated with a low 30-day rate of major bleeding equivalent to the bivalirudin arm of HORIZONS-AMI. Default transradial access for PPCI permits routine use of a GPI without the penalty of high bleeding rates.

Background: Air and soil pollution are among the main concerns in urban areas worldwide, and dust and heavy metals are major contributors to environmental pollution. Lead (Pb) is a highly toxic heavy metal that badly affects human health as well as plant's survival and growth. Vegetation can play an important role in ameliorating the effects of these pollutants. Eucalyptus camaldulensis is well adapted and cultivated throughout a wide range of urban environments from temperate to tropical climates. Methods: A 90 days experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of lead (Pb) and dust pollution on the growth performance of young E. camaldulensis plants. Four months old seedlings were treated with a factorial combinations of Pb (0,10 and 20 mg/l applied in irrigation) and dust levels (0,5 and 10 g applied on foliage). Results: All morphological traits (root length, shoot length, stem diameter) and biomass (root and shoot, fresh and dry mass) of E. camaldulensis were significantly reduced when exposed to higher Pb and dust levels. The highest Pb treatments exhibited greater Pb accumulation in plant roots (23.54 ± 1.61 mg/kg), shoots (15.53 ± 1.98 mg/kg), and leaves (13.89 ± 1.49 mg/kg). Dust load on leaves was greater (72.78 ± 8.1 mg/cm2) for those treatments with higher dust and Pb additions compared to the control (16.11 ± 2.0 mg/cm2). Chlorophyll content was greater at the start of the experiment (68.78 ± 0.74 mg.g-1FW) and progressively decreased over time consistently  with the increase of Pb and dust levels applied. Conclusions: The results of the experiment, suggest that E. camaldulensis could be successfully grown in minimum to moderate Pb and dust polluted urban environments.

In order to monitor the woody biomass yield 241 permanent sample plots wereestablished in four forests (total 2017 ha) across three physiographic regionsof Nepal. Tree species identification, tree positioning and diameter at breastheight (DBH) for all trees and height for a sample of trees were measured in2005 and 2010. Results presented are density and volume by forest, speciesand diameter class in 2010 and the species-wise increment between 2005and 2010 by forest. Standing volumes were between 134 and 311 m3ha-1, andannual volume increment was 2.5-7.6 m3ha-1. These plots may be utilized forfuture research, teaching and for local planning purposes.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/banko.v22i2.9194Banko Janakari: A Journal of Forestry Information for NepalVol. 22, No. 2, 2012 NovemberPage: 11-18Uploaded date: 12/1/2013