This study was conducted in order to assess the pesticide (Cypermethrin) residue in some vegetables and examine the related human health risk. The purpose of this study was to investigate pesticide residue in vegetables from the Kathmandu market of Nepal. Total of 16 samples were collected from March 2018 to Nov 2019. The samples were analyzed to determine the concentration of pesticide residue. Cypermethrin is the most widely used pyrethroid pesticide to control many pests and is also most frequently detected pyrethroid in vegetables and fruits in Nepal. It interacts with the sodium channels in nerve cells through which sodium enters the cell in order to transmit a nerve signal. Symptoms of poisoning include abnormal facial sensations, dizziness, headache, nausea, anorexia and fatigue, vomiting and increased stomach secretion. Analysis was performed by gas-chromatography equipped with mass-spectrometry. In 13 of the tested samples, no residues were found while 3 samples contained pesticide residue 47.091, 118.334 and 306.103 ppb, respectively. Sample with residue is above maximum residue limit that is 200 ppb may pose health hazards to the consumers. It may be due to lack of awareness of farmer about the application dose, method of application and withholding period.
Land Surface Temperature (LST) refers to the radiative temperature of the Earth's surface, as measured by satellite sensors. This study employs Remote Sensing technologies to conduct a detailed spatio-temporal analysis of LST trends in Siddharthanagar from 1993 to 2024. The research focuses on analyzing temporal LST patterns, investigating the spatial distribution, and examining the factors influencing LST, particularly Land Use Land Cover (LULC) and the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). Using Landsat-5 and Landsat-8 satellite data processed through Google Earth Engine (GEE), LST values were derived from thermal bands. The results show a significant rise in LST, with an average annual increase of 0.18°C. Areas with dense vegetation, indicated by higher NDVI values, have lower LST, while regions with sparse vegetation such as bare ground and range lands experience higher LST. The study highlights the critical role of vegetation in regulating surface temperatures and the need for sustainable urban planning to mitigate rising temperatures and the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect.
Modern gravitational-wave (GW) parameter estimation greatly depends on highly precise vacuum templates framed in General Relativity which assume that compact binaries coalesce in an absolute vacuum. But actual astrophysical backgrounds possess dense matter distributions, including baryonic accretion disks, dark matter halos, and background cosmic Dirac fields. In this paper, the quantitative impact of external matter fields on the inspiral phase of compact binaries has been evaluated. Focus is specifically on a black hole binary (36 M⊙ + 29 M⊙) like GW150914. We model the dissipative corrections introduced by gravitational drag (dynamical friction) at the negative Post-Newtonian (-2PN) order in natural geometric units (G = c = 1). Using standard analytical implementations and numerical simulations, the phase deviation ∆Ψ(ƒ) has been mapped across the ground-based (aLIGO) observation window (30 - 100 Hz). The indication of the findings is that for cosmic localized Dirac field configurations (ranging from ρ ∼ 10-50 m-2 to 10-26 m-2), the cumulative phase shifts at 30 Hz remain entirely suppressed (< 10-15 rad). This validates the fact that current ground-based observing runs operating within the "Vacuum Limit," leave standard general relativity parameter estimations unperturbed while imposing the constraints will be necessary for future multi-band space missions.
Gaultheria fragrantissima is a medicinal plant widely used in traditional systems of medicine due to its potent therapeutic effects as an anti-inflammatory and analgesic agent. In the present study, the methanol extract and an essential volatile oil of G. fragrantissima were employed as the active ingredient for the formulation of vanishing cream, and their physicochemical and biological properties were studied. The methanol extract and volatile oil were analyzed for extractive values, ash values, and loss on drying, and total phenolic and total flavonoid contents. Antioxidant and cytotoxic potentials were assessed using DPPH and MTT assays, respectively. The quantitative phytochemical analysis revealed that the methanol extract contained the highest total phenolic content (111.94 ± 1.36 mgGAE/g) and flavonoid content (50.02 ± 0.89 mgQE/g). Furthermore, the extract possessed strong antioxidant activity, as evidenced by the low IC50 value of 59.80 ± 0.58 µg/mL. In comparison to essential oil, methanol extract demonstrated notable cytotoxic potential with CC50 values of 41.68 ± 0.39 µg/mL in breast (MCF-7) and 57.09 ± 1.26 µg/mL in lung (A549) cancer cell lines. Six batches of the formulated cream met the required standards for pH, homogeneity, and emollience and remained stable throughout the stability testing period. The physicochemical parameters are within the range given in the Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India. The prepared creams were slightly acidic in nature, but they had excellent homogeneity and emollience. The creams retained their physical attributes throughout the 28-day testing period. This study highlights the potential of G. fragrantissima in the formulation of cream with potential biomedical applications.
Detailed geological study and landslide susceptibility mapping are crucial aspects and critical components of any engineering project in tectonically active Himalayan region. The study area was characterized by the rocks of Nawakot complex with Lower Nawakot Group which comprises Kuncha Formation, Fagfog Quartzite, Dandagaon Phyllite, Nourpul Formation, Purebesi Quartzite and Dhading Dolomite and Upper Nawakot Group comprises the Benighat Slate only. Landslide susceptibility mapping was carried out by Weight of Evidence method and Frequency Ratio method using the combination of remote sensing and detailed engineering geological investigation of field. Data obtained from these methods were integrated and analyzed in Arc Map 10.8. During study sixteen landslide triggering factors were analyzed. These factors are slope, aspect, stream power index, topographic wetness index, distance from stream, normalized difference vegetation index, land-use and land cover, distance from shear zone, rainfall, plan curvature, profile curvature, distance from road, lithology, elevation, sediment transport index, terrain ruggedness index and all these factors were integrated into a map. The map was validated with an Area under curve (AUC). The Success Rate curve shows 72.54% accuracy for Frequency Ratio method and 76.04% for Weight of Evidence method.
The anisotropy of cosmic rays offers insights into their origin, propagation, and interaction with galactic magnetic fields. Using twelve years (2011–2023) of data from the IceCube Neutrino Observatory, we present an energy-resolved analysis of cosmic-ray muon anisotropy based on 7.92 × 1011 reconstructed events between 13 TeV and 5.3 PeV. The spectrum is divided at log10(Ereco/GeV) = 5 corresponding approximately to 100 Tev and to explore low and high energy regimes. Analyses include sidereal modulation, angular distributions, Fourier power spectra, and HEALPix intensity mapping. Gaussian and power-law fits were assessed using χ2, χ2v, and BIC metrics. Low-energy muons (≤ 100 TeV) show strong dipolar modulation and large-scale anisotropy, while high-energy muons (> 100 TeV) exhibit localized, directionally coherent features, suggesting reduced magnetic scattering and source related origins. The results confirm a statistically significant energy-dependent anisotropy consistent with diffusion based cosmic-ray transport, establishing IceCube as a precision probe of PeV scale anisotropy.
With a focus on galaxies with redshifts between 0.50 and 0.53 we have studied the spatial alignment of 106,019 galaxies surveyed by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). The SDSS telescope in New Mexico USA was equipped with a 447 nm Charged Coupled Device (CCD) filter to record the g-magnitudes. We transformed two-dimensional given constraints into three-dimensional parameters, polar and azimuthal angle. In order to ascertain the theoretical isotropic distribution of galaxy rotation axes while taking into account different selection effects we conducted random simulations by creating 107 virtual galaxies using the methodology described by earlier studies. Chi-square, autocorrelation, and Fourier analysis were the three statistical tests we used to examine the differences between the theoretical and observed distributions. The main goals are to investigate non-random effects in galaxy orientations and evaluate how well the selected coordinate system explains the actual orientation of far-off galaxies. Our results show that the spin vectors in samples g01, g02, g05, and g06 have an isotropic distribution which is consistent with the Hierarchy Model of galaxy evolution. The reference coordinate system is the cause of the controversy for few samples. Additionally, g07 has a significant negative value consistent with the Primordial Vorticity Model while go3 and go4 have significant positive first order Fourier coefficients supporting the Pancake model.
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) represents a heterogeneous group of lymphoid neoplasms with diverse morphology, immunophenotypic characteristics, clinical behavior, and prognosis. The prevalence of NHL subtypes varies across different geographical regions and populations. Limited data are available regarding the histological distribution of NHL in Nepal. To evaluate the prevalence and distribution of histological subtypes of Non-Hodgkin lymphoma among patients diagnosed at a tertiary care center in Nepal , retrospective observational study was conducted at the Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Vayodha Hospital, Nepal, between January 2023 and December 2025. Patients diagnosed with NHL based on histopathological examination and immunohistochemistry (IHC) were included in the study. Demographic characteristics, disease sites, and histological subtypes were analyzed using descriptive statistics. A total of 130 patients with NHL were included. Among them, 84 (65%) were male and 46 (35%) were female, with a male-to-female ratio of 1.8:1. The mean age at diagnosis was 41.8 years. Most patients (72%) were above 40 years of age. Extra nodal involvement was slightly more common (51%) than nodal disease (49%). B-cell lymphoma was the predominant subtype accounting for 111 (86%) cases, while T-cell lymphoma constituted 19 (14%) cases. Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) was the most common B-cell subtype observed in 78 (70%) patients. Among T-cell lymphomas, lymphoblastic lymphoma was the most common subtype accounting for 7 (37%) cases. The findings are comparable with regional and international studies. Larger multicenter studies are recommended to better understand the epidemiological pattern and treatment outcomes of NHL in Nepal.
Current study presents the synthesis of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) from a silver precursor utilizing the eco-friendly and cost-effective green synthesis method and their excellent photocatalytic performance. Initially, ginger rhizome powder extract was employed for the synthesis of silver nanoparticles from aqueous silver nitrate (precursor). Ginger rhizome extract was employed as a source of very useful phytochemicals. The extracted phytochemicals can act as capping and reducing agents. The characterization of the as-prepared Ag NPs was accomplished using different tools and techniques such as ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy, Fourier Transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffractometry (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). UV-Vis spectra confirmed the formation of Ag NPs through the generation of absorbance peak at 425 nm, whereas FTIR analysis was effective to identify the biomolecules responsible for the reduction of silver ions into Ag NPs. XRD analysis confirmed the presence of crystalline structure of as-synthesized Ag NPs. Likewise, FE-SEM and HR-TEM accessed the shape, size, and morphology of nanoparticles. The as-synthesized nanoparticles were explored for their photocatalytic performance. Effective synthesis method and remarkable photocatalytic performance of the as-synthesized nanoparticles have revealed that they can be employed in the field of environmental detoxification as the sustainable remedy to water pollution because of organic dyes.
We studied visual flux collected by Meade 16-inch LX200GPS Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope in between April and June, 2025 from the National Observatory Nagarkot, Nepal. The goal of this study was to use these data and analyze to gain important understanding and study of visual flux emitted from the outer layers of the Moon. Five lines through the center were drawn in the figure joining the innermost contour and variation of relative flux density along these five lines were calculated and studied. The result showed that there was consistent decrease in the relative flux distribution from inner to outer region of the Moon. When we move more towards the outer region, the relative flux distribution decreases slowly and it reaches close to the background flux density value when we reached the outermost region. The average background radiation (FB), from our calculation, was found to be 59.98 P.U. (Pixel Units). And, the relative flux density per pixel was found to be in the range of -0.98 to -41.98 with background subtraction. From our calculation, the relative flux density of the Moon was found to be in negative values, which indicates that the Moon is one of the brightest objects in the night sky.
Hybrid organic-inorganic perovskite materials have been a field of keen interest in photovoltaic research community. Its improvement in efficiency over the last fifteen years has been the main motivation. Despite the development it has seen, there are two prevailing fundamental problems that need critical investigation. The first one is related to the formamidinium lead iodide (FAPbI3) phase stability, whose photoactive phase happens to be thermodynamically metastable at room temperature. Another issue is non-radiative recombination caused by defects at grain boundaries and interfaces which lowers conversion efficiency of the devices. Literature from 2020 to 2026 seem to attempt to solve both the problems. We survey 51 studies that address these issues through tuning composition, integrating multidimensional architectures, additive and interface modification, and complementary DFT and machine learning approaches. Considering the computational side, DFT clarifies the effect of tolerance factor, octahedral connectivity and defects on the phase stability and defect tolerance. ML models accelerate screening of compositions, passivation techniques and device configurations by learning from the experimental and DFT data. The main idea is that phase stability, defects leading to recombination, and the data-driven methods dedicated to address them are not independent topics. This review organizes recent work around a single structure-defect-performance relationship, where experimental, DFT and ML findings converge or diverge. We conclude by discussing how this perspective can help us understand designing of perovskites that are not only efficient in laboratory but also structurally robust for long-term photovoltaic applications.
This study attempts to characterize the ionospheric behavior over Nepal during quiet periods by studying ionospheric total electron content in 2009 and 2014 utilizing ground-based GPS data from the station GRHI (Gorahi). The GPS receiver and satellite pseudorange measurement is used to compute the VTEC. Our study shows in the quietest day of January 12, 2009, at the minimum time of solar cycle 24, and January 19, 2014, during the highest phase of solar cycle, a flat curve with a slight peak in the diurnal TEC of around 12 and 28 TECU. In 2009, there was no equinoctial asymmetry; nevertheless, in 2014, spring VTEC was higher than autumn VTEC. The plot reveals the highest VTEC in 2009 was between 10 and 30 TECU, and it spreads roughly from 7.75 to 18.75 LT. In 2014, the maximum VTEC was between 20 and 120 TECU, and it spreads from 8.75 to 17.90 LT. Spring had the highest value and winter the lowest in 2009, but, in 2014 summer had the lowest value and spring the highest value of TEC. The results of this study advance our understanding of ionospheric physics and offer important new perspectives on the evolution of the ionospheric layer over Nepal and other comparable regions.
Carbon nanotubes have been considered as excellent support materials for metal catalysts due to their high specific surface area, thermal and chemical stability. Metallic nanoparticles decorated with carbon nanotubes are gaining extensive attention due to their fundamental and technological importance. In this contribution, we report facile production of nickel nanoparticles (2 – 3 nm) decorated on aqua regia treated multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) via wet-chemical method using ethylene glycol as reducing agent for nickel salt and stabilizing agent for nanotubes. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and elemental mapping confirmed the formation of nickel nanoparticles with average diameter in the range of 2 – 3 nm which are uniformly distributed on the external surface of multiwalled carbon nanotubes. The results of Raman Spectroscopy, Infrared Spectroscopy and Thermal analysis (TG, DTA) are also reported.
Biomass-derived activated carbon has emerged as a promising low-cost and sustainable electrode material for electrochemical energy storage applications. In this work, activated carbon was synthesized from Mucuna monosperma seed biomass via chemical activation with potassium hydroxide (KOH), followed by carbonization and activation at 700°C to develop a porous carbon structure (BSC_700). Physicochemical characterization using iodine number, methylene blue adsorption, Boehm titration, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) confirmed the formation of predominantly amorphous carbon with well-developed porosity and surface functional groups, with a specific surface area of 1360 m² g⁻¹ estimated by using the multi-point methylene blue adsorption technique. The electrochemical performance of the prepared activated carbon was evaluated in a three-electrode configuration using cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic charge-discharge, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy with 6 M KOH as the electrolyte. The electrode exhibited electrical double-layer capacitive behavior and delivered a good specific capacitance of 333.8 Fg⁻¹ at 1 Ag⁻¹, demonstrating good electrochemical reversibility and low internal resistance. These results indicate that Mucuna monosperma seed- derived activated carbon is an efficient, environmentally friendly, and promising electrode material for supercapacitor applications.
We constructed a self-consistent stellar+nebular photoionization model of IC 418 using the Cloudy code (v23.01) in 1-D spherical geometry. The central star is approximated by a 36,700 K blackbody. Nebular elemental abundances are set to values typical for a carbon-rich, Type II planetary nebula. Under these assumptions the model reproduces the observed emission and yields the expected ionization structure: an inner He++ zone, surrounded by a He+ shell, and an extended H+ region. The electron temperature rises to approximately 9000 K in high-ionization zones and falls to approximately 7000–8000 K at large radii, consistent with photoionization heating balanced by line cooling. The solution is in photoionization equilibrium (heating = cooling) by construction. Heavy-element abundances (Mg, Si, S, etc.) must be reduced relative to solar (approximately 0.5–3 dex) to match collisionally-excited line strengths, implying those elements are locked in grains. We include dust in the model and find carbonaceous grains reproduce the IR continuum; however, to avoid over-heating the grains one needs either larger grain sizes or confinement of dust to the neutral (PDR) zone. In summary, our Cloudy model (blackbody star, spherical gas, representative abundances) self-consistently matches IC 418’s emission, yielding the expected H+, He+, He++ ionization layers, realistic radial temperature gradients, and insights into its dust content and radiative transfer.
Accurate short-term traffic prediction in Long-Term Evolution (LTE) networks is essential for proactive resource management and maintaining quality of service. With increasing data demand and dynamic traffic patterns, reliable forecasting at the cell level has become critical for efficient network operations. This analysis compared ARIMA, SARIMA, LSTM and GRU models with real hourly traffic data of urban and rural LTE eNodeBs in Nepal. The dataset was split chronologically into 80% training and 20% testing before preprocessing to prevent data leakage. The LSTM model performed best, achieving MSE of 1.4804, MAE of 0.8770, RMSE of 1.2167, and R-squared of 0.9563. Deep learning, particularly LSTM, was able to learn the non-linear and complex traffic patterns better than other models. This finding highlights the practical applicability of deep learning models in real world telecom network operations. The research provides a comparative analysis of the statistical and deep learning models for real-time, cell-level LTE eNodeB traffic forecasting across diverse geospatial environments using real-world data, with practical validation through LSTM- based traffic prediction for network optimization.
Carbonaceous candle soot (CS) was prepared from combustion of candle wax in the laboratory. Thus prepared material has been characterized by energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD), fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Surface area, methylene blue number (MBN), and iodine number (IN) were also investigated. EDX clearly showed high carbon content. XRD exhibited well defined graphitic domain structure. Oxygen functionality has been observed on the surface by FTIR. The specific surface area of CS, was found to be 242.46 m2/g. Thus prepared CS was used for the removal of dye from aqueous solution by batch adsorption studies. Methylene Blue (MB) was used as a model dye. The adsorption parameters such as contact time, initial concentration of MB and adsorbent dosage, and pH were also examined. The optimum pH was found to be 10 while optimum time and adsorbent dose was found to be 2 hrs and 0.25 g/L respectively. After optimizing parameters, CS as an adsorbent have been used to remove MB where a significant 97% MB adsorption was observed. To evaluate adsorption behaviors of CS, different adsorption isotherm models have been tested. Langmuir isotherm and Temkin isotherm model revealed the chemisorption type of adsorption perceived in CS. The maximum monolayer coverage (Qm) was found to be 17.95 mg/L with the dimensionless separation factor RL ˂ 1 indicating a favorable sorption condition. Therefore, it might be an impressive alternative for the treatment of colored wastewater discharged from many industrial outlets including textile.
In this study, the preparation of zirconia (ZrO2) nanoparticles (NPs) infused carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) hydrogel films. CMC hydrogel was prepared by adding citric acid (CA) to the CMC solution. The ZrO2 NPs were synthesized by the sol-gel method and modified using ascorbic acid (AA) and CA. The modified ZrO2 NPs suspension was incorporated into the CMC hydrogel paste to prepare zirconia-infused CMC hydrogel films (ZCMCH). The prepared ZCMCH was characterized using FTIR, UV-Visible, XRD, and SEM. The stretching vibrations in the wavenumber range of 450-750 cm⁻¹ in FTIR analysis confirmed the successful formation of ZrO2 NPs. XRD analysis revealed an average crystallite size of 10.80 nm for ZrO₂ NPs, and the diffractogram of ZCMCH exhibited characteristic peaks at 2θ values of approximately 16°, 29°, and 40°, confirming the incorporation of ZrO₂ NPs within the CMC hydrogel matrix. SEM analysis confirmed the proper distribution of ZrO2 NPs throughout the CMC hydrogel matrix with an average particle diameter of 4.81 μm. Furthermore, the ZCMCH was evaluated for antimicrobial analysis against selected microbial strains, bacteria (Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis), and fungus (Candida albicans). The antimicrobial efficacy of the samples was assessed by the agar well diffusion method, showing an inhibition zone of 1.6 cm against bacteria and 1.4 cm against fungus. These findings suggest that the developed ZrO2 NPs infused CMC hydrogel holds considerable potential for biomedical applications.
Abstract: Density Functional Theory investigation of Azulene was carried out on the azulene molecule at the B3LYP/6-311G++(d,p) level using Gaussian 09. The optimized geometry confirmed structural stability with consistent bond parameters having the longest bond length of 1.49 Å for C7-C5 shortest bond length of 1.08 Å for C13-H14 and the largest bond angle of 129.89° for C4-C1-C2 indicating slight angular distortion in the carbon framework. The optimized total energy of Azulene is −385.935 Hartree (-10501.291 eV) to be in the optimized geometric structure geometry. The calculated HOMO-LUMO gap with value 3.287 eV agreed well with the density of states having 3.257 eV suggesting that azulene is relatively stable and less prone to electron transfer under normal conditions. Mulliken charge analysis shows that all the hydrogen atoms have positive charges and all of the carbon atom except C5 and C7 corresponds to the negative charge. H8 and H11 exhibit the highest positive charge, while the C1 and C2 exhibit the highest negative charge. The global reactivity descriptors like ionization potential, electron affinity, chemical potential, electronegativity, hardness, softness, and electrophilic index are found to be 5.557 eV, 2.269 eV, -3.931 eV, 3.931 eV, 1.644 eV, 0.608 eV−1 and 4.656 eV respectively. Molecular electrostatic potential, electrostatic potential and electron density analyses revealed distinct electron-rich and electron-deficient regions clarifying the molecule’s reactive sites. Vibrational assignments were consistent with characteristic C-H and C=C modes and thermodynamic parameters demonstrated temperature-dependent increases in heat capacities, internal energy, enthalpy, and entropy, accompanied by a decrease in Gibbs free energy with respect to increase in temperature.
Monsoon runoff can dilute and degrade river water quality in Himalayan catchments by mobilizing sediments, organic matter, and fecal contaminants. The Tinau River in western Nepal supports domestic abstraction, irrigation and riparian livelihoods, yet its monsoon-season suitability for these uses remains insufficiently resolved. This study assessed the twenty-four sites (Tinau River Basin) spanning upstream (TR01-TR10), midstream (TR11-TR16) and downstream (TR17-TR24) reaches during the third week of September 2025 using physicochemical parameters, fecal indicator bacteria, a weighted arithmetic water quality index (WQI), and major-ion-based irrigation indices. Water was neutral to slightly alkaline (pH = 7.10-8.60) and moderately mineralized (EC = 212-503 μS/cm; TDS = 106-252 mg/L), but turbidity exceeded 5 NTU at 18 sites. BOD5 and COD ranged from 8.11-40.54 and 10.0-52.4 mg/L, respectively, indicating notable organic loading. Total coliform and Escherichia coli ranged from 20-247 and 7-102 CFU/100 mL, respectively and E. coli occurred at every site. WQI classification identified 1 good site, 11 poor sites, 8 very poor sites and 4 unsuitable sites. Hydrochemical facies were dominated by Ca-HCO3 water, consistent with carbonate weathering. Irrigation indices suggested low salinity and sodicity hazards, with 23 samples in C2-S1 and 1 in C1-S1, although RSC values of 1.76-2.96 meq/L indicated carbonate hazard at several locations. The Tinau River is therefore generally suitable for irrigation with drainage and soil management, but direct drinking use during the monsoon is not advisable without clarification and effective disinfection.
