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\"Environmental security has been one of the greatest threats of the twenty-first century. Crossing the tipping point of two degrees Celsius is projected to be catastrophic, but perennial policy gridlock at the United Nations' multilateral climate change negotiations has so far prevented significant progress. The Asia-Pacific region has much at stake in these negotiations--it is often regarded as the most climate-vulnerable region in the world and also harbors the largest number of poor people already affected and in danger of being affected by climate change. Existing climate change literature frames issues through the prism of North-South relations. In contrast, this book focuses on both North-South and South-South relations to reveal an understanding of major climate change and climate change management issues through practices and narratives of environmental security in a specific regional context. Environmental Security in the Asia-Pacific provides an in-depth understanding of major climate change challenges, initiatives, and prospects using cutting-edge research. The case studies are diverse and represent both large emitters like China and India and the smallest emitter, Nepal, as well as resource-cursed Indonesia, dilemmatic New Zealand and green visionaries Korea and Japan. Contributors analyze causal interlinkages that affect environmental security policy from both geopolitical and geoeconomic dynamics\"-- Provided by publisher.

Student's t test (t test), analysis of variance (ANOVA), and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) are statistical methods used in the testing of hypothesis for comparison of means between the groups. The Student's t test is used to compare the means between two groups, whereas ANOVA is used to compare the means among three or more groups. In ANOVA, first gets a common P value. A significant P value of the ANOVA test indicates for at least one pair, between which the mean difference was statistically significant. To identify that significant pair(s), we use multiple comparisons. In ANOVA, when using one categorical independent variable, it is called one-way ANOVA, whereas for two categorical independent variables, it is called two-way ANOVA. When using at least one covariate to adjust with dependent variable, ANOVA becomes ANCOVA. When the size of the sample is small, mean is very much affected by the outliers, so it is necessary to keep sufficient sample size while using these methods.

\"Volume 1: Handbook on Spatio-Temporal Monitoring of Forests and Climate is aimed to describe the recent progress and developments of geospatial technologies (Remote Sensing and GIS) for assessing, monitoring and managing fragile Himalayan ecosystems and its sustainability under climate change. It is a collective research contribution from renowned researchers and academicians working in the Hindu Kush Himalayan (HKH) mountain range. The Himalayas ecosystems have been facing substantial transformation due to severe environmental conditions, land transformation, forest degradation and fragmentation. The authors utilized satellite datasets and algorithms to discuss the intricacy of Land use Land cover change, forest and agricultural ecosystems, canopy height estimation, above-ground biomass, wildfires, carbon sequestration, and landscape restoration. Furthermore, the potential impacts of climate change on ecosystems, biodiversity and future food and nutritional security are also addressed including the impact on the livelihood of people of the Himalayas. This comprehensive Handbook explains the advanced geospatial technologies for mapping and management of natural resources of the Himalayas\"-- Provided by publisher.

Descriptive statistics are an important part of biomedical research which is used to describe the basic features of the data in the study. They provide simple summaries about the sample and the measures. Measures of the central tendency and dispersion are used to describe the quantitative data. For the continuous data, test of the normality is an important step for deciding the measures of central tendency and statistical methods for data analysis. When our data follow normal distribution, parametric tests otherwise nonparametric methods are used to compare the groups. There are different methods used to test the normality of data, including numerical and visual methods, and each method has its own advantages and disadvantages. In the present study, we have discussed the summary measures and methods used to test the normality of the data.

In biostatistics, for each of the specific situation, statistical methods are available for analysis and interpretation of the data. To select the appropriate statistical method, one need to know the assumption and conditions of the statistical methods, so that proper statistical method can be selected for data analysis. Two main statistical methods are used in data analysis: descriptive statistics, which summarizes data using indexes such as mean and median and another is inferential statistics, which draw conclusions from data using statistical tests such as student's t-test. Selection of appropriate statistical method depends on the following three things: Aim and objective of the study, Type and distribution of the data used, and Nature of the observations (paired/unpaired). All type of statistical methods that are used to compare the means are called parametric while statistical methods used to compare other than means (ex-median/mean ranks/proportions) are called nonparametric methods. In the present article, we have discussed the parametric and non-parametric methods, their assumptions, and how to select appropriate statistical methods for analysis and interpretation of the biomedical data.

An electrochemical immunosensor has been fabricated for the early determination of epithelial cell adhesion molecules (EpCAM, tumor biomarker) antigen using reduced graphene oxide (rGO) modified with nanostructured titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ). The hydrothermally synthesized rGO@TiO 2 nanocomposite has been electrophoretically deposited on indium tin oxide (ITO) coated glass substrate, and the deposition was confirmed using various spectroscopic, microscopic, and electrochemical techniques. The fabricated rGO@TiO 2 /ITO electrode shows improved electron transfer kinetics with an electron transfer rate constant of 1.93 × 10 −7  cm·s −1 . Furthermore, the rGO@TiO 2 /ITO electrodes were used for the covalent immobilization of monoclonal EpCAM antibodies. Electrochemical determination of the EpCAM cancer biomarker is achieved using differential pulse voltammetry by scanning the potential from − 0.4 to 0.8 V with an amplitude of 50 mV. The rGO@TiO 2 -based biosensor shows high sensitivity (3.24 μA·mL·ng −1 ·cm −2 ), wide detection range (0.01 ng·mL −1 to 60 ng·mL −1 ), and low detection limit (0.0065 ng·mL −1 , S/ N  = 3). The fabricated biosensor is highly stable and regenerable and has been successfully applied to the determination of EpCAM in spiked human serum samples. Graphical abstract

PurposeUnderstanding bottom-up approaches including local coping mechanisms, recognizing them and strengthening community capacities is important in the process of disaster risk reduction. The purpose of this paper is to address the questions: to what extent existing disaster policies in Nepal support and enable community-based disaster resilience? and what challenges and prospects do the communities have in responding to disaster risk for making communities resilient?Design/methodology/approachThis paper is based on policy and academic literature reviews complimented by field research in two communities, one in Shankhu, Kathmandu district and another in Satthighare, Kavrepalanchowk district in Nepal. The author conducted in-depth interviews and mapped out key disaster-related policies of Nepal to investigate the role of communities in disaster risk management and post-disaster activities and their recognition in disaster-related policies.FindingsThe author found that existing literature clearly identifies the importance of the community led initiatives in risks reduction and management. It is evolutionary phenomenon, which has already been piloted in history including in the aftermath of Nepal earthquake 2015 yet existing policies of Nepal do not clearly identify it as an important component by providing details of how communities can be better engaged in the immediate aftermath of disaster occurrence.Research limitations/implicationsThe author conducted this research based on data from two earthquake affected areas only. The author believes that this research can still play an important role as representative study.Practical implicationsThe practical implication of this research is that communities need to understand about risks society for disaster preparedness, mitigation and timely response in the aftermath of disasters. As they are the first responders against the disasters, they also need trainings such as disaster drills such as earthquakes, floods and fire and mock practice of various early warning systems can be conducted by local governments to prepare these communities better to reduce disaster risk and casualties.Social implicationsThe mantra of community-based disaster risk management (CBDRM) is community engagement, which means the involvement of local people to understand and prepare against their local hazards and risks associated with disaster and haphazard development. CBDRM approaches motivate people to work together because they feel a sense of belongingness to their communities and recognize the benefits of their involvement in disaster mitigation and preparedness. Clearly, community engagement for disaster risk reduction and management brings great benefits in terms of ownership and direct savings in losses from disasters because the dynamic process allows community to contribute and interchange ideas and activities for inclusive decision making and problem solving.Originality/valueThis research is based on both primary and secondary data and original in case of its findings and conclusion.

Achieving water security is one of the major global challenges in the age of climate change, urbanization, population increase and incapacitated institutions. Despite the proliferation of water institutions and policies at national, provincial and local levels in Nepal, the slow response to address water scarcity is a puzzle, which we studied through this current research. We used a mixed method approach, which included 479 household surveys, eight city water forums and 16 interviews with the city-level water stakeholders and users in the two case study cities. We found that impacts of climate change and haphazard urbanization in supply side and increased population, and changing lifestyle patterns and socioeconomic practices in demand side are constantly putting pressures on water resources and urban water security. We argue that the challenges of climate change, rapid growth of urban population and haphazard urbanizations are building significant stress on urban water security; however, institutional responses, and reforms by introducing climate adaptive new plans and their implementation to address the tripatriate challenges, are inadequate.

Climate change is one of the biggest threats humanity is facing in the 21st century. Nepal, being a low‐income country located on the lap of the Himalayas, is experiencing a wide range of impacts from changing climate and climate‐induced disasters. Communities of the Kamala river basin are increasingly affected by climate‐induced hazards such as floods. Land use change, deforestation, and climate change‐induced disasters such as landslides, droughts, and floods are affecting the riverine communities. Floods have been one of the most serious threats for centuries; however, their frequency and scope are being amplified by climate‐induced extreme weather events. Employing a convergent mixed‐method approach, this study explored the impacts of climate‐induced disasters, especially focusing on floods in Ward 12 of Siraha and Ward 11 of Dudhauli municipalities in Nepal's Kamala river basin. It investigated the current status of impacts of climate change‐induced disasters; the availability, usage and effectiveness of flood early warning systems; and analyzed local community practices for making communities flood and disaster resilient. The findings suggested that the climate‐induced disasters are becoming key concerns for the communities as they are affecting multiple areas from water security to livelihood options. In addition, the existing early warning systems for floods are still weak. While communities are attempting adaptation strategies including increasing social cohesion, their resilience level is insufficient. This study has made original contribution to the relevant literature and developed applicable knowledge for strengthening local communities' capacities to build climate, flood, and disaster resilience.

Bleeding during cardiac surgery, liver transplant, trauma and post partum hemorrhage are often multifactorial and these factors are dynamic as new factors crop up during the course of management. Conventional tests of coagulation offer information of a part of the coagulation system and also is time consuming. Viscoelastic point of care tests (VE POCTs) like rotational thromboelastometry, thromboelastogram and Sonoclot, are based on analysis of the viscoelastic properties of clotting blood and provide information for the entire coagulation pathway. In this comprehensive review being presented here, we have examined the pros and cons of VE POCTs including clinical, cost and survival benefits. The recommendations of the various guidelines regarding use of VE POCTs in various scenarios have been discussed. The review also tried to offer suggestions as to their optimal role in management of bleeding during cardiac surgeries, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, left ventricular assist devices, liver transplant and briefly in trauma and postpartum hemorrhage.