A perception-based study to explore COVID-19 pandemic stress and its factors in Bangladesh

Background and aimsWorldwide the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated sufferings of mental health and behaviour attitudes of people. Many countries, including Bangladesh, reported suicide as extreme consequences of the psychological burden influenced by COVID-19. The present study explores human stress and its factor influenced by COVID-19 in Bangladesh, which significantly affect the quality of life.MethodsAn online-based questionnaire survey was conducted among 651 adult Bangladeshi populations by capturing socio-demographic information, possible human stress, and consequences of the pandemic. A set of statistical tools such as Pearson's Correlation Matrix (PCM), T-test, Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA) were applied to identify the relationship between different factors and influential factors increasing human stress.ResultsMore than 83% of the participants are facing COVID-19 related mental stress, which results in short temper, sleep disorder, and family chaos. PCA and HCA outcomes indicated a significant relationship between the respondents' opinions and human stress factors, which harmonized with the country's existing scenario. PCM results enlighten the relationship between human stress factors and found financial hardship, cutting back daily spending, and food crisis are interconnected together causes stress. Also, hampering students' formal education and future career plans significantly contribute to mental stress.ConclusionBased on the above findings, it's crucial to introduce a time-oriented strategy and implement precaution monitoring plans for Bangladesh. The rescue plan will help people to manage the pandemic and improve mental health to fight against psychological challenges related to COVID-19 and future pandemics.     

Cancer of the hypopharynx — A clinical study of 290 cases

Between 1986–1990, 290 patients with squamouscell carcinoma of the hypopharynx were assessed at the S. S. K. M. Hospital Calcutta, out of the total of 1460 number of Head Neck cancer, (19.8%). The most frequent initial symptom was a foreign body sensation in the throat (70%), and males were affected more than females (9.8 : 1.2). The peak age incidence was found between 40 and 50 years (24%). Most of the patients came in advanced stages with cervical lymph node metastases (60%). One interesting fact that came out from the present study is the Right pyriform fassa was more commonly affected than the left in righthanded persons (56.9%). Though the reason is not clear it could be due to right — sided swallow, as one side may be predominant in funtion.     

Ausfallhonorar wegen Nichterscheinens zu einem Exklusiv-Termin

Abstrakt 1. Nimmt ein Patient einen ihm von seinem (Zahn-)Arzt einger?umten Exklusiv-Termin nicht wahr, obwohl er auf dessen Eigenschaft ausdrücklich hingewiesen wurde, so hat er dem (Zahn-)Arzt den Behandlungsausfall abzüglich eines angemessenen Eigenanteils des (Zahn-)Arztes zu ersetzen. 2. Die Ersatzpflicht tritt auch dann ein, wenn der Patient den Termin nicht in der in dem Behandlungsvertrag vorgesehenen Frist absagt. Eine hierfür seitens des (Zahn-)Arztes bestimmte Frist von zwei Tagen vor Behandlungsbeginn stellt sich für den Patienten grunds?tzlich auch nicht als unangemessene Benachteiligung i.S. des § 307 BGB dar. 3. Ein Anspruch des Arztes entf?llt auch bei nur mündlicher Vereinbarung nicht unter dem Gesichtspunkt des § 4 Abs. 5b BMV-Z, denn diese Vorschrift ist teleologisch dahin zu reduzieren, dass nur zahn?rztliche Honoraransprüche aus erfolgten Behandlungen schriftlich vereinbart werden müssen. Soweit es jedoch um einen vertraglichen Anspruch wegen einer Leistungsst?rung geht, vermag das Schriftformerfordernis des § 4 Abs. 5b BMV-Z grunds?tzlich nicht einzugreifen. (Leits?tze des Bearbeiters)     

Retinoyl β-Glucuronide: A Biologically Active Form of Vitamin A

Retinoyl β-glucuronide is a naturally occurring, biologically active metabolite of vitamin A. Although retinoyl β-glucuronide is regarded as a detoxification product of retinoic acid, it plays several roles in the functions of vitamin A. It can serve as a source of retinoic acid, and it may be a vehicle for transport of retinoic acid to target tissues. Topically applied retinoyl β-glucuronide is comparable in efficacy to retinoic acid in the treatment of acne in humans, without the same side effects. Retinoyl β-glucuronide may or may not be teratogenic, depending on the mode of administration and the species in which it is used. It may be a valuable therapeutic compound for the treatment of skin disorders and certain types of cancers.     

Role of IL-2 in rat fetal thymocyte development

Early during rat thymus ontogeny, an important proportion of thymocytes expresses IL-2R and contains IL-2 mRNA. To investigate the role of the IL-2-IL-2R complex in rat T cell maturation, we supplied either recombinant rat IL-2 or blocking anti-CD25 mAb to rat fetal thymus organ cultures (FTOC) under several experimental conditions. The IL-2 treatment initially stimulated the growth of thymocytes and, as a result, induced T cell differentiation, but the continuous addition of IL-2 to rat FTOC, as well as the anti-CD25 administration, resulted in cell number decrease and inhibition of thymocyte maturation. These results indicate that immature rat thymocytes bear functional high- affinity IL-2R and that IL-2 promotes T cell differentiation as a consequence of its capacity to stimulate cell proliferation. Modifications in TCR alpha beta repertoire and increased numbers of NKR- P1+ cells, largely NK cells, were also observed in IL-2-treated FTOC. Furthermore, IL-2-responsiveness of different thymocyte subsets changed throughout thymic ontogeny. Immature CD4-CD8-cells responded to IL-2 in two stages, early in thymus development and around birth, in correlation with the maturation of two distinct waves of thymic cell progenitors. Mature CD8+ thymocytes maximally responded to IL-2 around birth, supporting a role for IL-2 in the increased proliferation of mature thymocytes observed in vivo in the perinatal period. Taken together, these findings support a role for IL-2 in rat T cell development.      

Serum concentrations of oestradiol-17beta, progesterone, relaxin and chorionic gonadotrophin during blastocyst implantation in natural pregnancy cycle and in embryo transfer cycle in the rhesus monkey

The present study was undertaken to assess the temporal association between the profiles of serum concentrations of oestradiol-17beta, progesterone, chorionic gonadotrophin (CG) and relaxin in pregnancies established naturally, and after embryo transfer, as well as in failed pregnancies in rhesus monkeys. In naturally mated cycles (group 1) a conception rate of 75% was obtained. In group 1, the mean day of CG detection in serum was 11.5 +/- 1.9 day post-ovulation, and for relaxin, 9.0 +/- 2.5 day post-ovulation. In group 2, embryo transfer to synchronous, non-mated surrogate recipients was performed; seven embryo transfer cycles yielded three pregnancies which were allowed to continue to term and normal infants were delivered. In embryo transfer cycles the mean day of CG detection was 14.8 +/- 1.8 day post- ovulation, and for relaxin, 11.4 +/- 2.6 day post-ovulation. A delay of about 3 days was observed in the appearance in circulation of CG (P < 0.05) and also of relaxin (P < 0.05) between natural mated and embryo transfer conception cycles. Significant differences (P < 0.05 for progesterone and P < 0.03 for oestradiol) were obtained for the areas under the curves for progesterone and oestradiol between days 12 and 16 in conception cycles compared with failed pregnancies. These data provide the first observation of the normal hormonal signals associated with maternal recognition of transferred embryos during the peri- implantation period, and suggest that the use of such an experimental primate embryo transfer model may help to elucidate components of maternal and embryonic signal-response mechanisms during embryo implantation.      

A rapid microagglutination test for the diagnosis of Legionella pneumophila (serogroup 1) infection

A rapid microagglutination test has been developed which can be performed in 30 minutes. Ninety-seven percent of 96 patients diagnosed as having Legionella pneumophila (serogroup 1) infection by indirect immunofluorescence were also detected by the rapid microagglutination test.