Problem statement: Polyetherimide (PEI) has several uses such as electrical insulation. It can undergo different constraints like heat or high voltage which influence its performances as insulator. In this study, the effects of heating on structural and electrical properties of polyetherimide (Ultem 1000) are studied. Approach: PEI samples were heated at different temperatures below the glass transition temperature (175, 190 and 205°C). Different complementary techniques were used to investigate structural alterations and dielectric relaxations. These are infrared (IR) spectroscopy, Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), Thermally Stimulated Depolarisation Current (TSDC) technique and Dielectric Spectroscopy (DS). Results: Physical ageing was revealed in heated samples by DSC analysis. DS and TSDC results have shown that dipolar relaxations are affected by heating. The amount of relaxing dipoles decreases when the material is heated at 190°C. Conclusion/Recommendations: The heating of polyetherimide at 190°C leads to a stabilisation of charges in deeper energetic levels which influences the insulating character of the material.

Crossing Bhutan is one of the shortest transits, and Bhutan holds the main breeding refuge/habitats for many Central Asian migratory birds. Our study assessed the community structure of waterbirds along the Punatsangchhu River basin, located towards the western part of Bhutan. The study determined the species composition, habitat use and preference of waterbirds, together with the different habitats present. Furthermore, the study examined the potential drivers of habitat fragmentation along the river. The entire study area was classified into five different habitats: dam, dredged area, farmland, urban, and pristine. The Cummings method of habitat assessment for high gradient river and streams was used to assess the habitat variables such as bank stability, vegetative protection and the riparian vegetation zone along the river and the association with the diversity of aquatic birds. A questionnaire survey was also used to evaluate the degree of threats caused by human disturbances. Among the five habitats, the dam area recorded the highest diversity (H` = 2.13) against their total count of 103 (8.7%) and the least diversity was recorded from farmland area (H` = 1.1) against their total count of 282 (23.8%) birds. Most waterbirds preferred an open area with shallow river depth. Habitats with emergent vegetation negatively correlated with the waterbird species composition. The study also recorded one Vulnerable species Aythya ferina, one Near Threatened species Vanellus duvaucelii, and one Endangered species Haliaeetus leucoryphus. Punatsangchhu is a major habitat to both resident and migratory waterbirds which stop here enroute from the Palaearctic and Indo-Malayan Region corroborating the need for habitat conservation and management regimes in the basin.

Laboratory medicine plays a critical role in the modern healthcare system, and it is reported to influence 60–70% of clinical decision makings. The quantitative laboratory test results are interpreted by comparing to the Reference Intervals (RIs) and therefore the use of appropriate RIs is critical. Clinical laboratories in Bhutan have been randomly using RIs from textbooks and manufacturer’s package inserts without even verifying their applicability and therefore lessening their contribution to clinical decision makings. To improve the healthcare service delivery in Bhutan, this study aims to establish routine clinical chemistry and haematological test RIs for healthy adults in the Bhutanese population. Out of 1150 (male, n = 570; female, n = 580) healthy Bhutanese adults listed for the study through a simple random sampling technique, 1002 (male, n = 405; female, n = 597) individuals were assessed and 815 (male, n = 372; female, n = 443) individuals were enrolled in the study. An adequate volume of venous blood was drawn from these participants with the use of standard phlebotomy technique for clinical chemistry and haematological analysis. The laboratory data were analysed with the use of statistical methods recommended by the International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine and Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute. After excluding the test results indicating underlying pathology and statistically detected outliers, a maximum of 775 (male, n = 346; female, n = 429) and 784 (male, n = 351; female, n = 433) individuals test values were eligible for clinical chemistry and haematology RIs establishment respectively. Statistically, there were no significant differences between age groups of same-sex for both test categories; however, significant differences between sex were observed for various test parameters in both test categories. Our RIs are generally comparable to other published literature. The established RIs are applicable to all the adult Bhutanese population; however, clinical laboratories should validate the transference of these RIs before using them for clinical purposes.

This study aimed to explore the teachers’ perceptions about principals’ instructional leadership practices in the schools. A total of 202 teachers working in 30 schools in Bhutan were involved as the research sample. The researcher used mixed method design to explore the study. The survey structured questionnaire and semi-structured interview tools were administered to collect data from the sample group. As for the data analysis, the findings were analyzed using descriptive statistical analysis and thematic analysis. The findings of the study indicated that teachers tend to develop positive perception toward their principals’ instructional leadership practices in the schools. Further analysis of teachers’ perception in relation to their demographic and institutional factor indicated insignificant leadership practices.

Application that use deep learning incur a substantial amount of energy consumption. Reducing this energy footprint is important, especially for applications such as Internet of Things (IoT) Embedded Systems (ESs), where resources are scarce. Here, we present computational self-awareness as a promising solution for intelligently adapt machine learning algorithms at runtime to reduce their energy consumption. In particular, we focus on approximation as a key enabler knob for such adaptivity. We show that the benefits of such an approach can be up to 2.5× energy savings.