Depression,sleeping pattern,and suicidal ideation among medical students in Bangladesh: a cross-sectional pilot study

Journal of Public Health - Depression is a major morbidity and the most common mental disorder among the medical students in medical schools globally. Undergraduate students suffer stress more due...     

Reduction of Hysteresis in Hybrid Perovskite Transistors by Solvent-Controlled Growth

The effect of crystallization process speed on the morphology of solution-processed methyl ammonium lead iodide (MAPbI₃) thin films is investigated. Crystallization speed is controlled by varying the number of annealing steps, temperature, and resting time between steps. The resting period allows solvent-controlled growth (SCG) in which crystallization progresses slowly via an intermediate phase—during which solvents slowly evaporate away from the films. SCG results in fewer residues, fewer pinholes, and larger grain sizes. Consequently, thin-film transistors with SCG MAPbI₃ exhibit smaller hysteresis in their current-voltage characteristics than those without, demonstrating the benefits of SCG toward hysteresis-free perovskite devices.     

Development of Epstein-Barr virus-associated gastric cancer: Infection,inflammation, and oncogenesis

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-associated gastric cancer (EBVaGC) cells originate from a single-cell clone infected with EBV. However, more than 95% of patients with gastric cancer have a history of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection, and H. pylori is a major causative agent of gastric cancer. Therefore, it has long been argued that H. pylori infection may affect the development of EBVaGC, a subtype of gastric cancer. Atrophic gastrointestinal inflammation, a symptom of H. pylori infection, is observed in the gastric mucosa of EBVaGC. Therefore, it remains unclear whether H. pylori infection is a cofactor for gastric carcinogenesis caused by EBV infection or whether H. pylori and EBV infections act independently on gastric cancer formation. It has been reported that EBV infection assists in the onco-genesis of gastric cancer caused by H. pylori infection. In contrast, several studies have reported that H. pylori infection accelerates tumorigenesis initiated by EBV infection. By reviewing both clinical epidemiological and experimental data, we reorganized the role of H. pylori and EBV infections in gastric cancer formation.     

Prevalence of,and risk factors for,symptomatic pelvic organ prolapse in Rural Bangladesh: a cross-sectional survey study

Introduction and hypothesis

The prevalence of symptomatic pelvic organ prolapse (POP), diagnosed by a pre-tested structured questionnaire, is unknown in Bangladesh. We investigated the prevalence of, and risk factors for, symptomatic POP in women in rural Bangladesh, recruited from the community.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey of 787 women aged over 15 years was conducted in four villages in one district in rural Bangladesh. The prevalence of symptomatic POP and the risk factors associated with the condition was investigated, using Chi-squared and multivariate logistic regression.

Results

The prevalence of symptomatic POP was 15.6 %. The mean age of participants was 40.1 (±9.0) years. Women aged 35–44 years (odds ratio [OR] 1.96, 95 % confidence interval [CI] 1.03–3.73) and ≥45 years (OR 2.95, 95 % CI 1.62–5.38) were more likely to have POP compared with women aged ≤35 years. Having POP was positively associated with women having ≥5 children (OR 4.34, 95 % CI 1.39–13.58), having chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD; OR 2.07, 95 % CI 1.02–4.21), and women having constipation (OR 3.54, 95 % CI 1.87–6.72). Women whose husband had >5 years of schooling were less likely to have POP (OR 0.37, 95 % CI 0.19–0.73) compared with women whose husband had no schooling.

Conclusions

Symptomatic POP affects a substantial proportion of women in rural Bangladesh and increases with age. Parity, COPD, constipation and husband’s education are associated with POP, all of which have the potential to be modified. Thus, interventions targeting these risk factors to prevent the condition are urgently needed in Bangladesh.

     

Identifying women with severe angiographic coronary disease

Abstract. Kreatsoulas C, Natarajan MK, Khatun R, Velianou JL, Anand SS (McMaster University; CARING Network, McMaster University; Population Health Research Institute, McMaster University and Hamilton Health Sciences; Interventional Cardiology, Hamilton Health Sciences; Eli Lilly Canada–May Cohen Chair in Women's Health, McMaster University; Michael G. DeGroote‐Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario Chair in Population Health Research, McMaster University; Population Genomics Program, McMaster University; McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada). Identifying women with severe angiographic coronary disease. J Intern Med 2010; 268 :66–74. Objectives. To determine sex/gender differences in the distribution of risk factors according to age and identify factors associated with the presence of severe coronary artery disease (CAD). Design. We analysed 23 771 consecutive patients referred for coronary angiography from 2000 to 2006. Subjects. Patients did not have previously diagnosed CAD and were referred for first diagnostic angiography. Outcome measures. Patients were classified according to angiographic disease severity. Severe CAD was defined as left main stenosis ≥50%, three‐vessel disease with ≥70% stenosis or two‐vessel disease including proximal left anterior descending stenosis of ≥70%. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression was used to assess the association between risk factors and angina symptoms with severe CAD. Results. Women were less likely to have severe CAD (22.3% vs. 36.5%) compared with men. Women were also significantly older (69.8 ± 10.6 vs. 66.3 ± 10.7 years), had higher rates of diabetes (35.0% vs. 26.6%), hypertension (74.8% vs. 63.3%) and Canadian Cardiovascular Society (CCS) class IV angina symptoms (56.7% vs. 47.8%). Men were more likely to be smokers (56.9% vs. 37.9%). Factors independently associated with severe CAD included age (OR = 1.05; 95% CI 1.05–1.05, P < 0.01), male sex (OR = 2.43; CI 2.26–2.62, P < 0.01), diabetes (OR = 2.00; CI 1.86–2.18, P < 0.01), hyperlipidaemia (OR = 1.50; CI 1.39–1.61, P < 0.01), smoking (OR = 1.10; CI 1.03–1.18, P = 0.06) and CCS class IV symptoms (OR = 1.43; CI 1.34–1.53, P < 0.01). CCS Class IV angina was a stronger predictor of severe CAD amongst women compared with men (women OR = 1.82; CI 1.61–2.04 vs. men OR = 1.28; CI 1.18–1.39, P < 0.01). Conclusions. Women referred for first diagnostic angiography have lower rates of severe CAD compared with men across all ages. Whilst conventional risk factors, age, sex, diabetes, smoking and hyperlipidaemia are primary determinants of CAD amongst women and men, CCS Class IV angina is more likely to be associated with severe CAD in women than men.     

Clinical implications of expression of ETS-1 related to angiogenesis in uterine endometrial cancers.

BACKGROUND: Angiogenesis is essential for development, growth and advancement of solid tumors. During angiogenesis, ETS-1 is strongly expressed in vascular endothelial cells and the adjacent interstitial cells, while the inhibition of ETS-1 expression leads to suppression of angiogenesis. This prompted us to study the clinical implications of ETS-1 in relation to angiogenesis in uterine endometrial cancers. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Sixty patients underwent resection for uterine endometrial cancers. From the tissues of 60 uterine endometrial cancers, the levels of ets-1 mRNA, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), platelet-derived endothelial cell growth factor (PD-ECGF) and interleukin (IL)-8 were determined by competitive RT-PCR using recombinant RNA and enzyme immunoassay, and the localization and counts of microvessel were determined by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: There was a significant correlation between microvessel count and ets-1 gene expression levels in uterine endometrial cancers. Immunohistochemical staining revealed that the localization of ETS-1 was similar to that of vascular endothelial cells. The level of ets-1 mRNA tended to increase with increasing disease stage. Furthermore, the level of ets-1 mRNA correlated with levels of VEGF in well-differentiated adenocarcinomas (G1) and of bFGF in moderately differentiated adenocarcinomas (G2) and poorly differentiated adenocarcinomas (G3). CONCLUSIONS: ETS-1 is a possible angiogenic mediator in uterine endometrial cancers.     

Randomized controlled trial of the effect of zinc supplementation on the mental development of Bangladeshi infants

BACKGROUND: Zinc deficiency is thought to be common in young children in developing countries and some data suggest that it may detrimentally affect children's development. OBJECTIVE: Our goal was to assess the effect of zinc supplementation on the developmental levels and behavior of Bangladeshi infants. DESIGN: This was a randomized, double-blind, controlled trial conducted in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Three hundred one infants aged 1 mo were randomly assigned to receive either 5 mg elemental Zn or placebo daily for 5 mo, and subsequent growth and morbidity were observed. For the present study, developmental levels were assessed in a subsample of 212 infants at 7 and 13 mo of age with use of the Bayley Scales of Infant Development, and the infants' behavior during the tests was observed. The children's social backgrounds, weights, and lengths were also recorded. RESULTS: The children's nutritional status was generally poor. The zinc-treated group had slightly lower scores on the mental development index of the Bayley Scales than did the placebo group (beta = 3.7, SE = 1.3, P < 0.005). This effect remained significant when nutritional status and social background were controlled for. No other significant differences between groups were noted. CONCLUSIONS: The mental development index scores of the zinc-treated group were slightly but significantly lower than those of the placebo group. This finding may have been due to micronutrient imbalance. Caution should be exercised when supplementing undernourished infants with a single micronutrient.     

Rosai-Dorfman disease involving the neurohypophysis

Rosai-Dorfman disease is a rare, histiocytic proliferative disorder of unknown etiology commonly affecting lymph nodes. Extranodal lesions with or without nodal involvement also occur. We report the case of a 63 year-old woman with disseminated Rosai-Dorfman disease involving the neurohypophysis and associated with adenohypophysial PRL cell hyperplasia.     

Carpenter syndrome: a case report

Carpenter syndrome is a rare hereditary disorder known as Acrocephalopolysyndyctyly (ACPS) type II characterized by acrocephaly, facial dysmorphism, brachedyctyly, syndyctyly, preaxial polydyctyly, obesity, congenital heart disease, cryptorchidism, hypogenitalism, bony abnormalities and umbilical hernia. Carpenter syndrome is autosomal recessive disorder and prenatal diagnosis of this syndrome is possible by ultrasonogram during pregnancy. We reported a case of carpenter syndrome of 2.5 months old female infant of consanguineous parents who was admitted in the paediatric ward of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) on 30th March 2010. She was diagnosed as a case of Carpenter syndrome having acrocephaly prominent ridge of sagital suture, polydactyly, syndyctyly on history, clinical examination findings and investigation reports.