Pattern of use of anti-hypertensive drugs amongst hypertensive patients in a tertiary care hospital: a cross sectional, observational study

Background: Hypertension is one of the primary modifiable risk factors for cardiac and renal diseases and is the single most important risk factor for stroke. Despite different guidelines for management of hypertension like Joint National Committee, British Hypertension Society, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence; there are still the clouds of controversy. The objective of the study was to evaluate the prescribing pattern of antihypertensive drugs among the patients attending medicine outpatient department of a tertiary care teaching hospitalMethods: A cross-sectional, observational study was conducted in our hospital over a period of six months. Relevant information was collected from medical records of 209 hypertensive patients fulfilling inclusion criteria. The collected data were sorted and analyzed.Results: Out of 209 patients, maximum were of age group of 45-65 years (55.02%). 115 (55.02%) were male and 94 (44.97%) were female. Diabetes mellitus (24.4%) was the most common associated disease with hypertension. Most of the patients had received single antihypertensive drugs (49.28%). Among the monotherapy category calcium channel blocker (82.78%) was the most commonly prescribed antihypertensive drug class followed by angiotensin receptor blocker (36.36%). Amlodipine (81.82%) was the most common among calcium channel blockers. The most frequent fixed drug combination prescribed consisted of amlodipine and atenolol. Most of the drugs were prescribed in generic name (90.9%).Conclusions: The treatment pattern, in general, conformed to standard treatment guidelines

Carbon nanotube based nanocomposite fibril for cartilage regeneration

This research was designed to evaluate the feasibility of Nanotubebased nano-composite fibril for cartilage by characterizing the morphological and physical properties of the scaffold and by evaluating in vitro cell proliferation of chondrocytes on the scaffold. The unique physical properties of carbon nanotube (CNT) at nanolevel allow significant application of nanotubes in every conceivable area of structural engineering. The application of nanotubes in the biomedical area is still very much limited. Since, all lives are carbon based and nanotubes are solely made of carbon with a similar scale size of DNA-the molecule of life, promising possibilities can be expected by introducing them to reinforce tissue engineered scaffolds. Matrix was fabricated by electrospinning to develop a 3-dimensional assembly of nanofibers. Use of biocompatible and biodegradable polymer Poly-L-lactic acid ensured nontoxic response of the body towards the scaffold and complete elimination of the polymer from the body after the regeneration of the natural tissue. The nanotubes were purified, dispersed and mixed with the polymer solution for being electrospun into non-woven fabric with interconnected pores. The porosity and pore size were optimized by changing the parameters during electrospinning.Spectroscopic study using Raman spectrometer was used to detect the presence of nanotubes in the samples. Transmission electron microscopy was performed in order to study the alignment of the nanotubes in the polymer fibers and visualize the presence of crystalline lattice fringe of the nanotubes. Scanning electron microscopy was used to analyze the pore size porosity and the fiberdiameter of the over all structure while Atomic force microscopy was performed to evaluate the topography of individual CNT containing fibers. The integrity of the nanotube-nanofiber constructs were evaluated by testing the tensile modulus using an Instron machine. Electrical conductivity of the samples was tested using four-probe device. During each characterization, one control sample of PLA nanofibers Calf articular chondrocytes were used for in vitro cell study. Theviability of the cells onto the scaffold and their hyperplastic activity was tested. SEM images were taken at day 7 and 14 to evaluate the cell morphology, the attachment and spreading of cells on the scaffold and formation of intercellular bridge. Results from characterization revealed that the CNT/PLA scaffold was a novel construct with optimum pore size for cell-migration andoptimum porosity similar to natural tissue to allow tissue regeneration. Nanotubes were well arranged in the nanofibers, providing a modulus of the scaffold within the range of modulus of the natural cartilage and electrical conductivity same as semi-conductor materials. In vitro cell study showed the presence of living chondrocytes onto the scaffold using the MTT assay. The ability of the cells to produce and secrete Procollagen II on the scaffold showed convincing evidence of the cell-differentiation within the scaffold. SEM study revealed that there were migration of cells on the deeper part of the structures with a period of one week and the scaffold surface was covered by cells leaving little or no pores open. It can be concluded that, the nano-composite scaffold with its nano-scale size, 3-dimensional structure, optimum pore size and porosity, high integrity, electrical conductivity is a highly suitable scaffold for load-bearing cartilage that are subjected to high tensile and compressive stress. The 2-dimensional bending flexibility of graphite sheets in the nanotube walls are expected to allow gliding movement on the scaffold during locomotion. The ability to shape the structure readily allows the use of the scaffold in areas with difficult access such as, craniofacial injury.M.S., Biomedical Science -- Drexel University, 200

A Causal Relationship between Energy Consumption, Energy Prices and Economic Growth in Africa

This paper examines the causal relationships between energy consumption, income and energy prices for the African countries using Johansen's maximum-likelihood test of cointegration and Error-Correction Model (ECM). To have a reliable estimate, only countries having data availability for a minimum period of 25 years were considered. This requirement reduces the sample size to 26 countries only. Out of these, a long run cointegrating relationship was found for a total of six countries, which was then subsequently analyzed to confer on the direction of causality. Out of the reported five countries, we found the existence of bidirectional Granger causality for Ethiopia, Morocco and Mozambique. The result for Angola suggests unidirectional Granger causality running from income to energy consumption while no Granger causality for the case of Tanzania. Findings suggest that countries regardless of their level of income and development should direct their energy conservation policies on the basis of the energy-output causality relation. Keywords: energy; Johansen's maximum likelihood test of cointegration; Error Correction Model. JEL Classifications: C22; Q43; Q4

Assessment of health-related quality of life of COVID-19 patients during follow-up

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the quality of life of individuals worldwide. The aim of this study was to assess the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and its associated factors among COVID-19 patients discharged from hospital. Methods: This facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted among laboratory confirmed COVID-19 patients who were discharged from medicine department of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University and did their first-month follow-up from April to September 2021. A validated Bengali version of International Quality of Life Assessment, Short form – 36 (SF-36) questionnaire was used to assess the HRQOL status. Univariate and multivariate analyses were done for identifying factors associated with low HRQOL. Result: Out of 225 patients, the mean (standard deviation) age was 36.9 (14.2) years and four in every ten patients were women. Out of eight subgroups, almost all scored averagely 79 out of 100. Older age, rural residence and severe to critical disease was reported as factors for low physical and mental component summary of SF-36. Conclusion: COVID-19 patients with older age, rural residence and having severe to critical disease condition need to be addressed critically as they have a higher chance of having low HRQOL status after COVID-19 infection

Socio-demographic and clinical profile of the COVID-19 positive cases among the patients attending in the fever clinic of a tertiary care hospital of Bangladesh

Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) caused by the virus SARS CoV 2 is a major global health concern nowadays. Bangladesh is also confronting this highly transmissible disease with an exponentially rising number of cases across the country. This study was designed to observe the socio-demographic characteristics and clinical profile of COVID-19 patients in Bangladesh is still very scanty. In this cross-sectional observational study, a total of 662 COVID-19 positive patients were enrolled following selection criteria who attended the fever clinic at BSMMU. COVID-19 was found to be more prevalent in males as the male to female ratio was 2.5:1. The mean age was 37.50 ± 12.14. Most of them belong to the 31-40 year age group. Among the patients, 41.8% were obese. DM, hypertension and bronchial asthma are the most common comorbidities. The most frequent symptoms were fever 80.8%, cough 36%, anosmia 21.8% and runny nose 1.7%. Most of the patients sought healthcare for fever 77.6 %, cough 23.3 %, dysgeusia 13.3% and anosmia 21.7 %. About 86.6 % had no history of contact with positive cases. Most of them had been BCG vaccinated previously. BSMMU J 2021; 14(4): 114-12

Internal migration and the condition of female construction workers: a study in Chittagong city

Women workers are found in certain activities traditionally falling within the male domain. This is particularly the case for landless women who largely belong to the hardcore poor group. It indicates growing economic pressure and erosion of familial support and traditional beliefs and norms regarding women's outside work. With the Bangladesh economy’s heavy dependence on imports Chittagong has traditionally played a very important role in the trading sectors and industrial centre of the country and also commercial capital of Bangladesh which is going through a massive phase of construction of new structures. The study employed triangulation method as a research strategy. The objective of the study is to know the reasons of internal migrations and conditions of female construction workers of Chittagong city. A good number of rural women are involved at urban construction work in Chittagong city where they faces different harmful condition like as long working hour, less salary, lack of women rights, sexual harassment, food expenditure, low health condition, hard working etc. From this rational discussion this papers examine internal migration and the condition of migrant female construction works in Chittagong city

Displacement and deplorable living conditions of slum dwellers: with special reference to Sylhet city

Environmental displacement has already become extreme in geographically and environmentally vulnerable areas in Bangladesh. Thus, climate induced migration to big cities is getting spontaneous over the last few decades. Increasing numbers of slums represent a major challenge to development. Displaced people living in urban slums are in search of better and secure life. But urban slums located mostly in low lying environmentally hazardous area coupled with inadequate facilities like food, shelter, sanitation, high rates of malnutrition, density of population, communicable diseases, exposure to violence, health care make their life even worse. In other words it refers to informal areas suffering from problems of accessibility, narrow streets, the absence of vacant land and open spaces, very high residential densities, insufficient infrastructure and services. The study is fully based on primary data that followed stratified sampling method with triangulation research design and reviewing some related literatures from past research reports. This paper examines that exploration of living conditions of slum dwellers, it is seen that the sketch of their social life is very different, deplorable, unorganized, poor health status, using different kinds of family planning methods, lack of proper water supply and sanitation, low income group with inadequate education, leading unhealthy environment, to enhanced poverty, under nutrition of Bangladeshi's inhabitants those are engaged in various sectors of economical activities. Their present scenario of social life is very pathetic and miserable because of having been deprived from education, employment and other basic facilities of human life and as a result they are being regarded as a reluctant Dwellers. They are far from touch of modernization, fully separated and alienated from the mainstream of society

Costs and benefits of improving water and sanitation in slums and non-slum neighborhoods in Dhaka, a fast-growing mega-city

Mega-cities like Dhaka in Bangladesh face urban planning challenges to provide residents access to safe water and sanitation. This paper presents the results of a large-scale survey focusing on slum and non-slum residents' experiences with urban water supply, water pollution and flood risks and associated costs of illness (COI). The latter are compared to residents' willingness to pay (WTP) for improved water services. We test differences in public health risks between slum and non-slum residents and the value of improved water and sanitation in a discrete choice experiment closing the loop between water supply, wastewater and stormwater. We find that a substantial share of a Dhaka household's disposable income is spent on water, varying between 3 and 21% across neighborhoods. Over 10% of the residents link poor health to poor water quality and face higher COI. Higher income non-slum residents appear to have a higher absolute WTP, but slum residents are willing to contribute a higher share of their income to the improvement of urban water management. These results provide important value cues to support large-scale investments in improved water and sanitation infrastructure and their cost recovery