Tribhuvan University

Household food waste presents a growing challenge to both economic security and environmental sustainability, particularly in rural agricultural regions. This study evaluated the economic and environmental implications of food waste at household level in Gauradaha Municipality, Jhapa district, Nepal. Based on a structured survey of 51 households using a self-administered questionnaire, the research examined factors influencing food waste generation and its associated costs. Data were analyzed using MS Excel and RStudio. One-way ANOVA, Pearson correlation, and proportions were analyzed in R to examine the effects of gender, education, and family size on waste generation, whereas MS Excel was used to assess the quantity of economic and environmental impacts. Economic valuation revealed that household food waste results in a loss of approximately NRS 35.21 (0.24 USD) per household per week, equivalent to less than 1% of annual household income. Environmentally, each household's food wastage contributes an estimated 0.92 kg of CO₂ emissions and consumes nearly 477.70 liters of water. Among food categories, cereals were identified as having the highest economic and environmental impact. Furthermore, overcooking emerged as the leading cause of waste, with refrigeration being the most commonly used storage method, yet no measures of value addition, processing and sustainable storage methods were practiced effectively, which reflects changing lifestyles, urbanization, and time constraints. These findings underscore the urgent need for targeted strategies that address food waste behaviour, promote efficient storage practices, and reduce the broader sustainability burdens at the household level in rural Nepal.

Klebsiella pneumoniae cause several serious infections, pneumonia, urinary tract infections and bloodstream infections, especially in a immune-compromised patient. There has been rise in antibiotics resistant K. pneumoniae in recent years. This study aimed detection and expression of blaKPC-2 and fimH genes in carbapenemase producing K. pneumoniae that can form biofilms in clinical samples. A total of 608 clinical samples were processed for K. pneumoniae using standard microbiological procedure. Antibiotic resistance was checked using the modified Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method, and carbapenemase production was tested using a modified carbapenem inactivation method in conjunction with EDTA modified carbapenem inactivation method. In order to detect the presence and expression of resistant genes, bacterial DNA and RNA were extracted. A total of 30 isolates were positive for K. pneumoniae among which 21 (70%) were multi-drug resistant and 18 (85.71%) were carbapenemase producers in MDR isolates. A total of 14 isolates (66.67%) produced biofilm, of which 6 (28.57%) were strong, 6 (28.57%) were moderate and 2 (9.52%) were weak. Both blaKPC-2 and fimH genes were detected in 19 isolates (90.47%) and were actively expressed in 16 (76.19%). These findings show the blaKPC-2 and fimH genes are common in clinical isolates and are actively being expressed. In conclusion, there is urgent need to control highly resistant K. pneumoniae.

In September 2025, Nepal experienced a historic youth-led uprising that culminated in the dissolution of parliament and the establishment of an interim government. This article situates Nepal’s Gen Z revolt within broader global patterns of democratic fragility in the developing world. Drawing on experiences of democratic transition, elite capture, and electoral integrity, the paper argues that Nepal’s crisis reflects both the structural weaknesses of new democracies and the rising aspirations of digitally connected youth. The analysis exposes the risks of populism and authoritarian backsliding but also identifies pathways through which Nepal could revitalize its democratic institutions.

Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) remains a clinically and immunologically heterogeneous disease influenced by parasite species and host immune responses. In this study, seventeen CL cases were assessed through lesion characteristics, histopathological analysis and Kinetoplast DNA (kDNA) nested Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)figure. Lesions mainly appeared on exposed body parts, especially the face (64.70%) and most patients had a single lesion. kDNA PCR confirmed CL in 58.82% (n=10) of cases, identifying Leishmania donovani (720 bp) in 5 cases and L. major (560–590 bp) 5 cases as the circulating species. Immunological analysis showed reduction in T-lymphocytes in CL patients compared to Healthy Controls (HC), largely due to a significant decrease in CD8⁺ T cells (p=0.036), while CD4⁺ T cell levels remained stable. Further stratification based on CL PCR positivity showed that reductions in T-lymphocytes (p=0.045) were confined to patients with confirmed Leishmania infection, again attributed mainly to decreased CD8⁺ T cells (p=0.040). No notable changes were observed in B cells, NK cells, or NKT cells. These findings highlight CL infection positivity status-dependent variations in host immune responses and emphasize the importance of CD8⁺ T-lymphocytes in CL pathogenesis and disease outcome.

Observing waste as a resource sparks interest in recovering dairy wastewater for resilient sustainability. Dairy wastewater, rich in organic content, is very much suitable for microbial fuel cell (MFC) applications. This paper used MFCs to study electricity generation and dairy waste treatment with paneer whey as a substrate and a biocatalyst culture from dairy development corporation (DDC) sewage targeting for lactose-utilizing strains. Bacteria from DDC sewage found to contain Klebsiella, Pseudomonas, Salmonella, and Escherichia coli, which were identified by biochemical tests. An yeast Sungouiella pseudointermedia was identified molecularly by D1D2 primer amplification and sequencing. A dual-chamber MFC with paneer whey, a bacterial consortium from DDC sewage, and alcohol-treated CNT-coated graphite felt electrodes removed 75.71% of total reducing sugar, 61.03% COD, and 48.91% total phosphorus, generating 25.869 W/m³. A simpler MFC with paneer whey, a bacterial consortium, and 0.1 M phosphate buffer removed 95.06% of total reducing sugar, 58.27% COD, 65.67% total phosphorus and 67.13% ammoniacal nitrogen but had lower power output. Challenges like pH regulation and equipment limitations are key for optimizing MFC performance and adoption. MFCs show promise as sustainable energy recovery and wastewater treatment solutions.