Stroke Epidemiology in Asia.

Background Stroke is a major cause of death and disability globally, with different stroke burdens in different regions. This paper reviews the epidemiology of stroke in Asia. Summary There is a wide range in age and sex-standardised stroke incidence, highest in China, lowest in Bhutan.

The impacts of alien species on river bioassessment.

The extent of alien taxa impacts on river ecosystem health is unclear, but their frequency continues to rise. We investigated 1) the prevalence of including alien taxa in common bioindicators used in river bioassessment, 2) the effect of alien taxa on the richness and abundance of natives, and 3) whether including alien taxa in bioassessment tools increased their sensitivity to river degradation. In the 17 countries analyzed fish represented the greatest number of alien species (1726), followed by macrophytes (925), macroinvertebrates (556), and diatoms (7).

Intracranial ependymoma: A retrospective analysis of clinical features, treatment modalities, and long-term outcome.

Objective: Ependymomas, rare neuroglial tumors originating from ependymal cells, can occur in the CNS and typically affect the brain's ventricles or spinal cord. Prognosis is influenced by tumor grade, location, resection extent, and preoperative Karnofsky Performance Status Scale (KPSS) scores. This study evaluates clinical features, treatment outcomes, and factors affecting prognosis in patients with intracranial ependymomas.

No prediction without prevention: A global qualitative study of attitudes toward using a prediction tool for risk of developing depression during adolescence.

Given the rate of advancement in predictive psychiatry, there is a threat that it outpaces public and professional willingness for use in clinical care and public health. Prediction tools in psychiatry estimate the risk of future development of mental health conditions. Prediction tools used with young populations have the potential to reduce the worldwide burden of depression.

Tracking the Ghosts of the Himalayas: Snow Leopard Conservation Insights From Satellite Collar Data.

This study presents the first movement analysis of snow leopards () using satellite telemetry data, focusing on the northeastern Himalayas of Nepal. By examining GPS-based satellite collar data between 2013 and 2017 from five collared snow leopards (effectively three individuals), the research uncovered distinct movement patterns, activity budgeting and home range utilisation from one adult male and two sub adult females. Hidden Markov models (HMMs) revealed three behavioural states based on the movement patterns-slow (indicative of resting), moderate and fast (associated with travelling) and demonstrated that the time of day influenced their behavioural state.

Impact of Country Income Level on Outcomes in Patients with Acute Brain Injury Requiring Invasive Mechanical Ventilation: A Secondary Analysis of the ENIO Study.

Background: Invasive mechanical ventilation can present complex challenges for patients with acute brain injury (ABI) in middle-income countries (MICs). We characterized the impact of country income level on weaning strategies and outcomes in patients with ABI.

Methods: A secondary analysis was performed on a registry of critically ill patients with ABI admitted to 73 intensive care units (ICUs) in 18 countries from 2018 to 2020.

Effectiveness of menstrual hygiene management training to enhance knowledge, attitude, and practice among adolescents in Sindhupalchowk, Nepal.

Background: Menstrual Health (MH) knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) are highly affected by access to information regarding menstruation. Despite being included in the school curriculum, Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) education is often not delivered in practice. School-based educational interventions have been shown to be effective in promoting MH.

Food habit, physical activity and nutritional status of adolescents in selected schools of Madhyapur Thimi municipality, Nepal: A cross-sectional study.

A dramatic rise in obesity is caused by unhealthy eating habits combined with lower levels of physical activity, and the under nutrition problem is still unresolved. Focusing on the nutritional needs of adolescents could be a significant step toward breaking the vicious cycle of malnutrition, chronic diseases, and poverty. This study aims to assess food habit, levels of physical activity and nutritional status of adolescents in Madhyapur Thimi Municipality, Bhaktapur.

Exosomal NEDD4L derived from HG+oxLDL-induced vascular endothelial cells accelerates macrophage M1 polarization and oxLDL uptake by ubiquitinating IκBα and PPARγ.

Background: Vascular endothelial cell-derived exosomes are thought to mediate disease progression by regulating macrophage polarization. However, its mechanism in diabetes mellitus (DM)-related atherosclerosis (AS) progress is unclear.

Methods: High-glucose (HG) and oxLDL were used to induce human cardiac microvascular endothelial cells (HCMECs) to mimic DM-related AS model.

Autoregulation of the glial gene reversed polarity in Drosophila.

During development, cells of the nervous system begin as unspecified precursors and proceed along one of two developmental paths to become either neurons or glia. Work in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster has established the role of the transcription factor Glial cells missing (Gcm) in directing neuronal precursor cells to assume a glial cell fate. Gcm acts on many target genes, one of which is reversed polarity (repo).

A case of acute labyrinthitis due to intra-aural tick infestation: a case report.

Background: Intra-aural tick infestations, though uncommon, pose a serious clinical challenge owing to the risk of acute labyrinthitis-an inflammatory condition of the inner ear. This inflammation can lead to severe complications such as sensorineural hearing loss, vertigo, and facial nerve palsy. Prompt recognition and management are crucial to prevent these adverse outcomes.

Practice of self-medication to manage oral health issues in a community setting of Nepal.

Background: Self-medication has been defined as the practice of self-diagnosis and medication use without seeking professional healthcare advice. Its prevalence for alleviating dental problems in Nepali communities has not been explored. This study was conducted to assess self-medication for oral health problems in a community setting in Nepal.

Mutational analysis of an antimalarial drug target, ATP4.

Among new antimalarials discovered over the past decade are multiple chemical scaffolds that target P-type ATPase (ATP4). This essential protein is a Na pump responsible for the maintenance of Na homeostasis. ATP4 belongs to the type two-dimensional (2D) subfamily of P-type ATPases, for which no structures have been determined.

Ethical considerations in the UK-Nepal nurse recruitment: Nepali nurses' perspectives.

Background: The global migration of nurses from resource-constrained to affluent nations raises complex ethical concerns, often rooted in historical power imbalances and neocolonial legacies. The Nepal-UK Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on nurse recruitment, while presented as a solution to workforce shortages, exemplifies this complex dynamic, prompting critical questions about its implications for individual nurses and the healthcare systems involved.

Aim: This qualitative study explored the ethical complexities and dilemmas associated with the Nepal-UK nurse recruitment Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

First Report of the Gene Mutations Associated with Permethrin Resistance in Head Lice ( De Geer, 1767) from Primary School Children in Istanbul (Türkiye) and Nagarkot (Nepal).

Head lice infestation (HLI), caused by De Geer, 1767, has long been a common global problem of school children. Permethrin is an old pyrethroid derivative that has been used commonly for its treatment, and it exerts its activity over the voltage-sensitive calcium channels (VSCC) of the lice. There has been a growing list of persistent HLI cases lately in the world among patients using permethrin, and knockdown resistance (kdr)-related point mutations on VSCC have been identified and reported from those resistant lice samples.

Functional Involvement of Signal Transducers and Activators of Transcription in the Pathogenesis of Influenza A Virus.

Signal transducers and activators of transcription (STATs) function both as signal transducers and transcription regulators. STAT proteins are involved in the signaling pathways of cytokines and growth factors; thus, they participate in various life activities and play especially critical roles in antiviral immunity. Convincing evidence suggests that STATs can establish innate immune status through multiple mechanisms, efficiently eliminating pathogens.

Advances in Natural-Product-Based Fluorescent Agents and Synthetic Analogues for Analytical and Biomedical Applications.

Fluorescence is a remarkable property exhibited by many chemical compounds and biomolecules. Fluorescence has revolutionized analytical and biomedical sciences due to its wide-ranging applications in analytical and diagnostic tools of biological and environmental importance. Fluorescent molecules are frequently employed in drug delivery, optical sensing, cellular imaging, and biomarker discovery.

Sector-Wide Approach (SWAp) in Healthcare-A Mixed-Methods Assessment of Health SWAps in Nepal and Bangladesh.

Background: The sector-wide approach (SWAp) is an instrument of cooperation between external development partners (EDPs) and the government of a country. Its main purpose is the coordination, alignment and harmonisation of activities between EDPs and between EDPs and the respective government by covering the entire sector with one major programme.

Methods: The main objective of this paper is to analyse the performance of the SWAps in two countries and draw conclusions about the appropriateness of SWAps as financing instruments in the healthcare sector under certain conditions.

Primary Health Care Systems and Their Contribution to Universal Health Coverage and Improved Health Status in Seven Countries: An Explanatory Mixed-Methods Review.

Background: Primary health care (PHC) systems and their successes and challenges vary between and within countries. We elucidate the role of PHC on health status and universal health coverage (UHC) by describing the achievements and challenges of PHC systems in seven countries representing the three economic levels: high-income (Belgium, Australia), middle-income (South Africa, Thailand), and low-income countries (Cambodia, Ethiopia, and Nepal).

Methods: We adopted a mixed-methods approach and (a) extracted quantitative data on the key health and universal health coverage index of countries and (b) conducted a scoping review of the PHC systems in these countries.

Mental Health Literacy and Attitudes Towards Mental Health Problems Among College Students, Nepal.

(1) Background: Research on mental health literacy (MHL) and attitudes toward mental health problems (ATMHP) among non-medical college students in Nepal is limited. This study examined the relationship between MHL and ATMHP, considering demographic variables and familiarity with mental health issues; (2) Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey with 385 college students from Chitwan and Kathmandu, Nepal, using opportunity sampling. Descriptive and inferential statistics examined demographic differences, while Pearson's correlation assessed relationships among latent variables; (3) Results: No relationship was found between MHL and ATMHP (r = -0.

Current Stroke Solutions Using Artificial Intelligence: A Review of the Literature.

Introduction: In recent years, artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a transformative tool for enhancing stroke diagnosis, aiding treatment decision making, and improving overall patient care. Leading AI-driven platforms such as RapidAI, Brainomix, and Viz.ai have been developed to assist healthcare professionals in the swift and accurate assessment of stroke patients.

Bullous Type 2 Lepra Reaction: A Rare and Significant Case Report.

Bullous type 2 lepra reactions are a rare initial presentation in leprosy that can complicate the disease with vesiculo-bullous lesions. Early recognition and differentiation from other bullous disorders are critical for timely corticosteroid and multidrug therapy initiation to improve patient outcomes.

Mad Honey Poisoning in Nepal: A Case Report.

Widespread vagal activation following honey consumption is a sign of mad honey poisoning. Early initiation and appropriate treatment can prevent fatal outcomes.

Pentavalent Vaccine-Induced Immune Thrombocytopenia: A Case Report From Nepal.

Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is an autoimmune disorder marked by a low platelet count, leading to symptoms ranging from mild to severe bleeding. It can be triggered by various factors, including idiopathic origins, medications, malignancies, infections, and other autoimmune conditions. Though rare, ITP can also occur postvaccination.