We describe the human performance and cognitive challenges of high altitude mountaineering. The physical (environmental) and internal (health) stresses are first described, followed by the motivational factors that lead people to climb. The statistics of mountaineering accidents in the Himalayas and Alaska are then described. We then present a detailed discussion of the role of decision-making ...

Seven species of the subgenus Polistella Ashmead of the genus Polistes Latreille including a new species, P. brunetus Nguyen & Kojima, sp. n. described here, are recognized to occur in northeastern Vietnam, the easternmost part of the eastern slope of the Himalayas. A key to these species is provided. Their distributional records are remarked. Nests of P. delhiensis Das & Gupta, P. mandarinus d...

Availability of accurate and objective landslide susceptibility maps depicting zones defined on the basis of probability of occurrence of landslides is one of the critical inputs in assessing risk to property and lives in any mountainous region, particularly in the Himalayas. The aim of this study is to assess the utility of soft computing tools, namely, neural network, fuzzy and neuro-fuzzy ap...

Only one species of Medetera Fischer von Waldheim was known to occur previously in Tibet. Here the following three species of Medetera are described as new to science: Medetera exornata sp. nov., Medetera furva sp. nov. and Medetera sinuosa sp. nov. The first two species belong to the apicalis group, and the last one belongs to the diadema-veles group. A key to the species of Medetera from the ...

The geologic causes of this event can be traced back over 120 million years ago, when the southern supercontinent of Gondwanaland broke up. The subcontinent of India separated from Antarctica and started its steady motion northward. 50 million years ago it collided with Asia, raising the Himalayas and forming the Tibetan plateau. The plate collision continues today as the Indian plate moves nor...

Hydrodistilled essential oil of the aerial parts of Laggera crispata (Vahl) Hepper & Wood, collected from the Kumaon region of the western Himalayas was analysed by gas chromatography and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Eighty constituents, accounting for 83.9 % of the total oil composition, were identified. The oil was mainly dominated by sesquiterpenoids (45.3 %) and benzenoid compounds...

Hippophae rhamnoides (Seabuckthorn) (Family: Elaegnaceae), a medicinal plant from Himalayas, traditionally used for health promotion. The study has been designed to investigate the effect of Sea buckthorn leaf alcoholic extract and other well-known medicinal plants, in Dengue infected U-937 cells (Human Monocytic cell line), as monocytes are the host cells for Dengue virus. Significantly high a...

Adaptation to changing environmental conditions is a driver of plant diversification. Elevational gradients offer unique opportunity for investigating adaptation range climatic conditions. The use specialized metabolites as volatile and phenolic compounds major in plants, affecting their reproductive success survival by attracting pollinators protecting themselves from herbivores other stressor...