Knowledge on,and attitude toward,HIV/AIDS among staff of an international organization in Bangladesh

Two hundred and ninety-three randomly-selected members of the staff of ICDDR,B: Centre for Health and Population Research were surveyed anonymously in June 1998, using a pre-tested and self-administered questionnaire, to assess their knowledge on, and attitude toward, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). All except 4 (1.4%) heard of AIDS. Main sources of information were radio and television (93%), newspapers and magazines (84.8%), posters and leaflets (70.2%), and friends (59.2%). About 94% of the respondents believed that HIV might spread in Bangladesh. Only 61.6% knew about the causative agent for AIDS. More than 96% had knowledge that HIV could be detected through blood test. The respondents were aware that unprotected sexual intercourse (92%), transfusion of blood and blood components (93.8%), sharing unsterile needles for injections (94.1%), and delivery of babies by infected mothers (82.7%) could transmit HIV. Similarly, the respondents had the knowledge that HIV infection could be prevented by using condom during sexual intercourse (85.5%), having sex only with an HIV-negative faithful partner (87.2%), avoiding transfusion of blood not screened for HIV (88.9%), and taking injections with sterile needles (86.5%). However, only 33.0% had the knowledge that HIV-infected persons can look healthy, and 56.4% were unaware of transmission through breastmilk. Most members of the staff, particularly at lower level, had misconceptions about transmission and prevention of HIV/AIDS. More than 40% of the respondents had the attitude that HIV-infected persons should not be allowed to work, while another 10% did not have any idea about it. The findings of the study suggest that the members of the Centre's staff have a satisfactory level of essential knowledge on HIV/AIDS, although half of them have poor attitudes toward persons with HIV/AIDS. Therefore, preventive strategy for the staff should be directed toward behaviour change communication.     

Hyperhomocysteinemia,and low intakes of folic acid and vitamin B12 in urban North India

Summary Background and Aim An adverse coronary risk profile has been reported amongst rural-to-urban migrant population living in urban slums undergoing stressful socio-economic transition. These individuals are likely to have low intakes of folic acid and vitamin B12, which may have an adverse impact on serum levels of homocysteine (Hcy). To test this hypothesis, we studied serum levels of Hcy in subjects living in an urban slum of North India and healthy subjects from urban non-slum area. Methods Group I consisted of 46 subjects (22 males and 24 females) living in an urban slum, while group II consisted of healthy subjects (n = 26, 13 males and 13 females) living in the adjacent non-slum area. Anthropometric measurements, biochemical profile (fasting blood glucose, total cholesterol, serum triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol) and fasting serum levels of Hcy were measured. Dietary intakes of folic acid, vitamin B12, vitamin B1, and iron were calculated by the 24-hour dietary recall method. Serum levels of Hcy were correlated with dietary intakes of nutrients, anthropometry, and metabolic variables. Results Sex-adjusted serum levels of Hcy in mmol/L (Mean ± SD) were high, though statistically comparable, in both the groups (group I: 20.8 ± 5.9 and group II: 23.2 ± 5.9). Overall, higher than normal serum levels of Hcy (> 15 μmol/L) were recorded in 84 % of the subjects. A substantial proportion of subjects in both groups had daily nutrient intakes below that recommended for the Asian Indian population (folic acid: 93.4 % in group I and 96.7 % in group II, vitamin B12: 76.1 % in group I and 88.4 % in group II). However, between the two groups, average daily dietary intakes of both the nutrients were statistically comparable. As compared to non-vegetarians, vegetarians showed lower intakes of folic acid (p < 0.01) and vitamin B12 (p < 0.01) in both groups. On multivariate linear regression analysis with serum Hcy as the response variable and vegetarian/non-vegetarian status and sex (male/female) as predictor variables, higher serum levels of Hcy were observed in vegetarians vs non-vegetarians (β = 4.6, p < 0.05) and males vs females (β = 5.3, p < 0.01). Conclusions Low intakes of folic acid and vitamin B12, and hyperhomocysteinemia, in both the healthy population living in urban slums and adjacent urban non-slum areas, are important observations for the prevention of nutritional and cardiovascular diseases in the Indian subcontinent. Received: 30 October 2001, Accepted: 14 January 2002     

Instructional improvement: how to overcome the barriers?

This is no easy way to improve teaching. Not one or even two activities are right or best for all instructions. The improvement of instruction requires a multi directional approach. When faculty members, departmental heads or interested administrator come across an idea they find appealing, they often tend to be converted and start proselytizing. The way to better teaching lies in review of videotaped teaching samples or diagnostic student evaluation with consultation, or seminars on course design, or monitoring with master teachers, peer assessment or whatever the favored strategy happens to be. All of these are possible ways to better teaching, made right or best only after they have been carefully matched with their instructional needs of the teacher, course content & instructional setting.     

A unilateral presentation of 'Satoyoshi syndrome'

Satoyoshi syndrome is a rare, slowly progressive disorder of unknown etiology with a poor long-term prognosis. The syndrome consists of the following clinical features: (1) painful, intermittent muscle spasms; (2) alopecia; (3) diarrhea; and (4) skeletal abnormalities in cases of juvenile onset. The age of onset is typically less than 20 years of age, although three adult onset cases had been reported. There had been no case report of Satoyoshi syndrome with strict unilateral presentation. We present a 25-year-old man with progressive unilateral hair loss and muscle spasms. Although previous literature had postulated malabsorption and autoimmune mechanism as pathogenic for Satoyoshi syndrome, the presence of a strictly unilateral presentation argues against those hypotheses. However, these hypotheses should still be considered, as our patient did not fit a typical Satoyoshi syndrome. Therefore, more research is needed to understand the pathophysiology and develop an effective treatment to prevent the progression of the disease.     

Hypolipidaemic activity of seaweed from Karachi coast

During the present study, ethanol extracts of five seaweed species Solieria robusta, Iyengaria stellata, Colpomenia sinuosa, Spatoglossum asperum and Caulerpa racemosa at 10 mg/ 200 g body weight were tested for their hypolipidaemic activity. All the species significantly decreased the serum total cholesterol, triglyceride and low density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in normal, triton-induced and diet-induced hyperlipidaemic rats. Solieria robusta was found to be the most effective in reducing the lipid profile, particularly in diet-induced hyperlipidaemic rats. A beneficial effect of the ethanol extract of S. asperum was also found on cardiac and liver enzymes in diet-induced hyperlipidaemic rats.     

Anti-tumor immunity induced by OK-432-derived DNA

We have tried to identify the effective components of OK-432, a Streptococcus-derived anti-cancer immunotherapeutic agent. In the current study, we investigated the effect of OK-432-derived DNA (OK-DNA) in augmenting anti-cancer immune response. Analysis of OK-DNA with the restriction enzymes Hpa II and Msp I revealed that OK-DNA contained unmethylated CpG motifs. OK-DNA induced Th1-type cytokines, such as IFN-gamma and IL-12, and augmented killer cell activities in vitro on human peripheral blood mononuclear cells, whereas the methylated OK-DNA did not. Cytokines were also produced by OK-DNA-stimulated splenocytes derived from wild-type mice but not from TLR9-deficient mice. In the in vivo study, a peritumoral administration of OK-DNA resulted in a significant inhibition of tumor growth in syngeneic tumor-bearing wild-type and TLR4-deficient mice but not in TLR9-deficient mice. Anti-tumor effect of OK-432 in TLR9-deficient mice was significantly but partially reduced as compared with that in wild-type mice, while the effect of OK-432 was almost completely eliminated in TLR4-deficient mice. These findings suggest that unmethylated CpG-DNA in OK-432 functions as an active component in OK-432-induced anti-cancer immunity via TLR9, at least in part.     

Comparison and outcome of commissurotomy by metallic valvotome and balloon commissurotomy

The purpose of this study was to compare the echocardiographic outcome of percutaneous transvenous metallic mitral commissurotomy (PMMC) and Percutaneous transvenous balloon mitral commissurotomy (PTMC). This prospective comparative study was carried out during the period of January 1999 to June 2000 in the department of Cardiology, National Institute of cardiovascular diseases (NICVD) and national heart foundation hospital, Dhaka Bangladesh. Two dimension, M-mode, spectral and colour Doppler studies were done to all patient of mitral stenosis both before and after PMMC and PTMC. The increased in mitral valve area in PMMC was statistically significant than PTMC. (P<0.047).     

Parotid gland sarcoidosis with renal failure

Sarcoidosis is a multisystem granulomatous disorder of unknown etiology. Although any organ can be involved in sarcoidosis, significant renal involvement is rare, mostly due to nephrocalcinosis. Renal impairment in the absence of nephrocalcinosis is uncommon and is usually due to glomerulonephritis or granulomatous pathology in the interstitium. Bilateral parotid swelling with renal impairment, as a presenting feature of sarcoidosis, as in this case, has never been reported before.