Browsing by Author "Thapa, Arjun"

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    An Analysis of Food Habits and Conservation of Red Panda (Ailurus Fulgens Cuvier, 1825) in Langtang National Park, Nepal
    (Department of Zoology, 2010) Thapa, Arjun
    This study onfood habits andconservation threatsof red panda Ailurus fulgensinthe Langtang National Park, was carried outbetween March 2009 toMarch 2010and was mainly centered onexamining diet composition, food niche breadth and conservation threats. Three sites were chosen for the study, which wereGopache,Dhokachet and Trisuli-Originof Cholangpati-Dhokachet areas.Thisstudy includedreconnaissance survey for specific siteselection, altitudinal line intercept methodfor faecal samplecollectionanddung encounter,whereasmicro-histological techniquewas used to examine the seasonal diet compositionand niche breadth of the red panda. Conservation threats of animal were analyzedthrough semi-structured questionnairesand interviews with local people and also throughcattle dung encounter rate and grazing intensity. A total of 12 altitudinalline interceptswerelaid in three sites at theelevations of 3000m-3600m with verticallinesat theinterval of 150 m.A total of 161fecal sampleswere examinedusingmicro-histologicalanalysis.Results showed thatthe red panda’s diet composed ofeightdifferent plantsincluding bamboo, tree, herbs, shrubs and moss. They wereThamnocalamus aristatus, Sorbus cuspidata, moss, Juniper recurva, Acer caudatum, Rhododendron campanulatum,Abies spectabilis,andRubus sp.Itsdiet consistedof Thamnocalamus aristatus(mean=245.08±15.74%) inhighest proportion,followed by Moss (mean=5.91±1.95%), S. cuspidata (mean=5.83±1.22%), J. recurva(mean=1.08±071.95%), A. caudatum(mean=1.00±0.38%), andsomeothersinalow proportion (all<1). Statistically,T. aristatuswas consumed in all seasonsthat was insignificant (2> 0.001, df =11, P>0.05),where as other foodsvaried seasonally.Niche breadthdeterminationofred panda was 0.000104, which was quite low that resembledits high selectiveness in forage.Unidentified hairs, bonesand claws were observed in the few faecal samples. Livestock pressure, speciallytheChauri caused major threatstothered pandasalong with the fire woodandfodder collection. Dhokachet siteof Cholang-Dhokachet wasfoundwithhighest grazing intensity withahigher dung encounter rate(mean=34.19/km),followed by Gopche (mean=24.49/km) and Trisuli (mean=9.6/km).Also the line of regression(r2=0.491) showedthere wasa decreaseinfecal pellet encounter rate correspondingcattle dung encounter rate.
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    GC-MS, ANTIBACTERIAL, CYTOTOXICITY AND ESSENTIAL OIL OF (SPRENG. PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MASTER OF SCIENCE DEGREE IN CHEMISTRY T.U. REGISTRATION NO.: DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY INSTITUTE OF MS, ANTIBACTERIAL, ANTIOXIDANT, TPC, TFC TOXICITY AND FTIR ANALYSIS OF EXTRACTS AND ESSENTIAL OIL OF AGERATINA ADENOPHORA SPRENG.) R.M. KING & H. ROB. FROM PALPA DISTRICT OF NEPAL
    (Amrit Campus, 2022-07-10) Thapa, Arjun
    Ageratina adenophora (Spreng.) R.M. King & H. Rob. is an important perennial medicinal herb that belongs to the family Asteraceae. It has scented leaves that have historically been used as a medicine. The plants of A. adenophora were collected from the Palpa district and were air-dried. The goal of this study was to look into GC-MS analysis, phytochemical screening, total phenolic content, total flavonoid content, antibacterial and antifungal activity, toxicity, Thin layer chromatography, and column chromatography of A. adenophora extracts and essential oil. Clevenger-type hydro distillation apparatus was used to extract the essential oil. The air-dried powdered plant materials of A. adenophora were extracted with methanol, hexane, chloroform, and ethyl acetate solvents for the extract. Qualitative phytochemical analysis of methanol, hexane, chloroform, and ethyl acetate extracts of A. adenophora plants showed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, phenols, steroids, quinones, saponins, tannins, cardiac glycosides, carbohydrate, terpenoids, proteins, and amino acids. The GC-MS study of chloroform extract revealed ten different possible compounds, whereas essential oil revealed fourteen. 1-naphthalenol (24.33%) and α–bisabolol (18.01%) were the most numerous components in the chloroform extract, and 1-napthalenol (24.56%) and α-bisabolol (14.74%) were the most abundant components in the essential oil of A. adenophora. Free radical scavenging activity was evaluated using (DPPH) free radical. The antioxidant activity of essential oil was determined to be 50.24 % at 15 mg/mL of sample solution, while the antioxidant activity of chloroform extract was 62.84 % at 2 mg/mL of sample solution. The IC50 value of essential oil was found to be 17.21 mg/mL whereas that of chloroform extract was found to be 1.46 mg/mL. The TPC content of the essential oil and extract was found to be 53.42 mg gallic acid/g of equivalent and 89.75 mg gallic acid/g of equivalent. The TFC content in essential oil and chloroform extract was found to be 3.372 mg quercetin equivalent/g of dry extract and 49.252 mg quercetin equivalent/g of dry extract respectively. The essential oil, as well as chloroform extract, also showed LC50 values of 64.56 µg/mL and 174.78 µg/mL respectively. Antibacterial activity was shown to E. coli, Proteus vulgaris, and Staphylococcus subsp. aureus in both chloroform extract and essential oil of A. adenophora. There was no evidence of antifungal action. In FTIR analysis of chloroform leaf extracts of A. adenophora studies revealed the presence of these functional groups: 1° amine (N-H), the carboxylic acid (-COOH), alkane (C-H), aldehyde (-CHO). A single spot was seen in the solvent system of ethyl acetate and hexane (5:95), (10:90), (20:80) by the use of column chromatography.
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    PHYSICO-CHEMICAL WATER QUALITY PARAMETERS AND AQUATIC PLANT DIVERSITY OF DIPANG LAKE, POKHARA, NEPAL
    (Amrit Campus, 2022-08-29) Thapa, Arjun
    Dipang lake is the important but vulnerable lake of Pokhara valley due to mainly natural causes and other human activities. Understanding of different water properties is helpful in sustainable management of lake. The present investigation deals with the characterization of water quality parameters of Dipang lake situated in Pokhara- Lekhnath Metropolitan city, Kaski. The investigation was carried out on physical parameters like colour, odour, temperature and transparency while chemical parameters like pH, dissolved oxygen, free CO2, alkalinity, total hardness, nitrate and ammonia both seasonally (rainy, winter and summer) as well as source wise (inlet, middle and outlet). Present study highlights the natural variation of the different water quality parameters of the lake water seasonally as well as water source wise. But parameters were within the permissible limit for fishing, agricultural and domestic purposes. Statistically the recorded mean values of water parameters especially temperature i.e (27±1.76 °C in rainy to 10.95±0.55 °C in winter) and total hardness i.e (92±11.06 ppm in dry summer to 32.30 ± 6 ppm in winter) varies significantly (p<0.05) according to the season. Likewise, other parameters show slight fluctuations seasonally. The water parameters also affect the growth of some plant species especially Nelumbo lutea (Yellow lotus) which was found only towards the water inlet where the amount of ammonia is high 18±14.03 ppm.
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    Prevalence Of Gastro-Intestinal Helminth Parasites Of Indigenous Darai And Kumal Communiies Of Salyantar, Dhading
    (Department of Zoology, 2021-03) Thapa, Arjun
    In Nepal gastrointestinal helminthiases are endemic in indigenous people living in low land area of Nepal. Their life expectancy is well below in comparison to the other people.Darai and Kumal are marginalized group of people with low socio-economic condition.The present study was carried out on indigenous people (Darai and Kumal) from Salyantar ward no 1 and 2 of Dhading, Nepal from June to September 2018 in order to determine the prevalence of intestinal helminth. A total of 189 (82 from Darai and 107 from Kumal) stool samples from people of two indigenous caste were collected and examined by direct smear methods under microscope along with structured questionnaire related with KAP in relation to intestinal parasitic infection and result were analyzed by “R” version 3.5.1. Among them 25.92% (28.04% of Darai and 24.29% of Kumal) were found positive for one or more intestinal helminths parasites. All together seven species of helminths were encountered. For Darai people, Trichuris trichiura (18.29%) was found to be most common than Ascaris lumbricoides (4.87%), Strongyloides stercoralis and Hymenolepis nana (3.65%), Taenia spp. (1.21%) without Enterobius vermicularis and hookworm infections. As for the Kumal people, Trichuris trichiura, Ascaris lumbricoides and Hymenolepis (7.47%) were most common infection prevailed over Strongyloides stercoralis (3.73%), Enterbius vermicularis (2.80%), Taenia spp. (1.86%) and hookworm infections (0.93%). According to age and sex, in Darai both male and female ˃ 50 years showed high parasitic prevalence 27.27% and 55.55% respectively. But in Kumal male ˃ 50 years showed high parasitic prevalence (27.27%) and female belongs to 36-50 years showed high parasitic prevalence (35.71%). The prevalence of single infection was higher than double and multiple infections with significant difference (p < 0.05). Among education attainment, from primary and higher level people showed significant association with prevalence of helminth infection. Similarly, occurrence of intestinal helminth parasites may attributed to lack of knowledge, awareness deficient, food habit, poor sanitation, open defecation, drinking water treatment method, hand washing agent were found to be significantly associated (p < 0.05) except occupation, source of drinking water and treatment methods (p ˃ 0.05). Hence a remarkable prevalence of helminth infection was indicated by study carried out among Darai and Kumal indigenous people of Salyantar, Dhading. Improvement in personal hygiene, environmental sanitation, periodic MDA, health education, awareness on modes of infection and prevention measures implementation in order to reduce and eradicate these infections.
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    A Study on Hegemony of Patriarchy in George Bernard Shaw’s Candida
    (Central Departmental of English, 2010) Thapa, Arjun
    This thesis entitled“A Study on Hegemony of Patriarchy in George Bernard Shaw’s Candida”powerfully portrays the bold and courageous woman, who, however, eventually becomes dependent onher husband. When the questions arises whether a woman should continue to stay with her husband even when they are mutually incompatible or go out with her love with whom there is much greater compatibility. In such a situation, Candida has no other choices than to obey the social convention i.e. to stay with her husband, because, she takes her husband as the ultimate protector, the provider of shelter, and thebread-winner of the family. Her ways of feeling secure with her husband reflects how Candida has been hegemonized by the patriarchal norms and values.