A STUDY TO EVALUATE USERS’ SATISFACTION OF BLACKBOARD LEARN

This study summarizes and reports first-time users’ satisfaction of a Blackboard Learn user interface that had been adopted as an online/blended teaching-learning management tool. Users’ satisfaction was measured in terms of the overall consistency, ease of use, universability, positive aspects, and problems/limitations of the Blackboard Learn user interface. Data were collected through a number of 5-point Likert scale type items using an online survey. The survey also gathered participants’ gender and major area of study to determine if there exists any significant difference in their satisfaction, among the possible groups in these measures. Results revealed that first-time Blackboard Learn users are most likely overall satisfied in using it without any significant difference among male vs. female; and engineering vs. non-engineering major users. Blackboard users are satisfied with a number of its advanced features, although they have reported some noticeable problems, limitations, and recommendations

Segmentation and Classification of Left Ventricular Abnormalities in Cardiac MRI Using Initial Point Prediction based Deformable Model

The shape of the left ventricle (LV) of a cardiac magnetic resonance image (CMRI) helps physicians to diagnose different cardiac abnormalities. The similarity of pixel intensity and shape of LV with neighbor tissues, the imprecision of boundaries, and the presence of noise are the challenges to accurate segmentation of LV. This paper contributes to the successful implementation of an automatic edge contouring method to segment LV area from CMRI and detect whether the ventricle belongs to abnormalities. This method proposes the regression-based artificial neural network to predict the possible initial position of the deformable edge-based active contour model for precise segmentation of the LV. Using the segmented shapes of the LV from a series of CMRI slices, LV volumes are estimated to find the end-diastole and end-systole volumes. From the volumetric features of normal LV as a reference, the proposed work decides the patient\u27s abnormalities with their corresponding CMRI images. The proposed method has been applied to a renowned database and found an overall prediction accuracy of 85.7%, as well as the accuracy for abnormality detection, which is 92.9%. The result is convincing for clinical applications to replace the manual efforts in LV-related abnormalities detection from CMRI images

Role of Immunological Method of Fecal Occult Blood Test for Screening Colorectal Diseases

Background: Colorectal diseases specially colorectal carcinoma is one of the major health problems throughout the world. Therefore, early diagnosis of these diseases is mandatory. There are various screening methods are used for early diagnosis of colorectal diseases. Among them fecal occult blood test is the most widely used screening test. Objectives: The objectives of the present study were to find out the role of immunological method of fecal occult blood test for screening colorectal diseases. Methods: This was a prospective study consisted of 110 patients suspected to have colorectal diseases of both sexes attending in Gastroenterology and Clinical Pathology department of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University. Stool samples of all the patients were examined by immunological method of fecal occult blood test and then advised for colonoscopy and histopathology for confirmatory diagnosis. The results of immunological method of fecal occult blood test and the colonoscopic findings were compared. Results. Of 110 patients, 87 (79%) cases were positive and 23 (20.9%)cases were negative by immunological method of fecal occult blood test. According to colonoscopy and histopathology, 65(32.5%) cases were found to have colorectal diseases and 45(22.5%) cases had no pathology. Diseases detected by colonoscopy in occult blood test positive patients, 18(16.4%) colorectal polyp, 24(21.8%) colonic ulcer, 8(7.3%) colorectal cancer, 5(3.5%) inflammatory bowel disease, 7(6.4%) haemorrhoids and fissure, 2(1.8%) colonic diverticulum and 1(0.9%) proctitis. Among the 65(32.5%) lesions detected by colonoscopy,62(95.3%) cases were positive by immunological method of fecal occult blood test where as only three(3) lesions were found in occult blood test negative cases. The sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV of immunological method of fecal occult blood test (IFOBT) for detection of occult bleeding were 95.4%, 44.4%, 71.3% and 87.0% respectively. Conclusion: It can apparently be concluded from this study that the role of immunological method of fecal occult blood test for colorectal diseases is promising in Bangladesh. Key words: Colorectal diseases; Fecal occult blood test; Immunological method DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bsmmuj.v4i2.8634 BSMMU J 2011; 4(2):76-8

Role of Hematologic Scoring System in Early Diagnosis of Neonatal Septicemia

Background: Neonatal septicemia is one of the major health problems throughout the world. Infections are a frequent and important cause of morbidity and mortality in neonatal period. Objective: The objective of this study was the role of hematologic scoring system (HSS) in the early diagnosis of neonatal septicemia. Methods: This is a prospective study consisted of 100 neonates admitted at neonatal ICU, BSMMU, who were clinically suspected cases of septicemia. The neonatal hematological parameter was measured in all cases. Blood culture was done for the gold standard of proven sepsis. There were 12 out of 100 neonates (12%) who had culture proven sepsis. They were predominantly preterm and of very low birth weight. Results: On evaluation of various hematological parameters total leucocytes count, total neutrophil count, IT ratio (>0.2), IM ratio (> 0.3), total immature PMNs count, platelet count were found to have optimal sensitivities and negative predictive values. Using these values hematologic scoring system was formulated according to Rodwell et al. Score > 4 has a sensitivity of 100%, specificity of 60%, with PPV 26% and NPV 100 %. Considering the high sensitivity, negative predictive value, this study implies that score > 4 were more reliable as a screening tool for sepsis than any of the individual hematological parameter. Conclusion: HSS are useful test to distinguish the infected from non infected infants. They also provide a effective guideline to make decisions regarding judicious use of antibiotic therapy.Keywords: Hematologic scoring system (HSS); Blood culture; Neonatal septicemia DOI: 10.3329/bsmmuj.v3i2.7053BSMMU J 2010; 3(2): 62-6

Role of Immunological Method of Fecal Occult Blood Test for Screening Colorectal Diseases

Background: Colorectal diseases specially colorectal carcinoma is one of the major health problems throughout the world. Therefore, early diagnosis of these diseases is mandatory. There are various screening methods are used for early diagnosis of colorectal diseases. Among them fecal occult blood test is the most widely used screening test. Objectives: The objectives of the present study were to find out the role of immunological method of fecal occult blood test for screening colorectal diseases. Methods: This was a prospective study consisted of 110 patients suspected to have colorectal diseases of both sexes attending in Gastroenterology and Clinical Pathology department of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University. Stool samples of all the patients were examined by immunological method of fecal occult blood test and then advised for colonoscopy and histopathology for confirmatory diagnosis. The results of immunological method of fecal occult blood test and the colonoscopic findings were compared. Results. Of 110 patients, 87 (79%) cases were positive and 23 (20.9%)cases were negative by immunological method of fecal occult blood test. According to colonoscopy and histopathology, 65(32.5%) cases were found to have colorectal diseases and 45(22.5%) cases had no pathology. Diseases detected by colonoscopy in occult blood test positive patients, 18(16.4%) colorectal polyp, 24(21.8%) colonic ulcer, 8(7.3%) colorectal cancer, 5(3.5%) inflammatory bowel disease, 7(6.4%) haemorrhoids and fissure, 2(1.8%) colonic diverticulum and 1(0.9%) proctitis. Among the 65(32.5%) lesions detected by colonoscopy,62(95.3%) cases were positive by immunological method of fecal occult blood test where as only three(3) lesions were found in occult blood test negative cases. The sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV of immunological method of fecal occult blood test (IFOBT) for detection of occult bleeding were 95.4%, 44.4%, 71.3% and 87.0% respectively. Conclusion: It can apparently be concluded from this study that the role of immunological method of fecal occult blood test for colorectal diseases is promising in Bangladesh. Key words: Colorectal diseases; Fecal occult blood test; Immunological method DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bsmmuj.v4i2.8634 BSMMU J 2011; 4(2):76-8

Role of Hematologic Scoring System in Early Diagnosis of Neonatal Septicemia

Background: Neonatal septicemia is one of the major health problems throughout the world. Infections are a frequent and important cause of morbidity and mortality in neonatal period. Objective: The objective of this study was the role of hematologic scoring system (HSS) in the early diagnosis of neonatal septicemia. Methods: This is a prospective study consisted of 100 neonates admitted at neonatal ICU, BSMMU, who were clinically suspected cases of septicemia. The neonatal hematological parameter was measured in all cases. Blood culture was done for the gold standard of proven sepsis. There were 12 out of 100 neonates (12%) who had culture proven sepsis. They were predominantly preterm and of very low birth weight. Results: On evaluation of various hematological parameters total leucocytes count, total neutrophil count, IT ratio (>0.2), IM ratio (> 0.3), total immature PMNs count, platelet count were found to have optimal sensitivities and negative predictive values. Using these values hematologic scoring system was formulated according to Rodwell et al. Score > 4 has a sensitivity of 100%, specificity of 60%, with PPV 26% and NPV 100 %. Considering the high sensitivity, negative predictive value, this study implies that score > 4 were more reliable as a screening tool for sepsis than any of the individual hematological parameter. Conclusion: HSS are useful test to distinguish the infected from non infected infants. They also provide a effective guideline to make decisions regarding judicious use of antibiotic therapy.Keywords: Hematologic scoring system (HSS); Blood culture; Neonatal septicemia DOI: 10.3329/bsmmuj.v3i2.7053BSMMU J 2010; 3(2): 62-6

Efficacy of probiotics in irritable bowel syndrome: A randomized, double blind placebo-controlled study

Background: Gut flora have important trophic effects on intestinal epithelia and on immune structure and fonction.They also protect colonized host against invasion by alien microbes.Recent research suggests that an imbalance of the intestinal microbiota and a dysfunctional intestinal barrier might trigger irritable bowel syndrome (lBS). As probiotics have been reported to restore the intestinal microbiota and the gut barrier, the therapeutic potential of probiotics within IBS became of strong interest. Objectives: To assess the efficacy of probiotics in lBS. Methods: Patients of 15 to 60 years old and both sexes were included f om the out patient department (OPD) of gastroenterology, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medi­cal University (BSMMU). A validated lBS-QOL instmment consisted of 34 questions used to assess improvement of quality of Iife before and after treatment. A total of 65 diarrhoea predominant LBS patients were randomised to receive either probiotics(n-33) or placebo(n-32) twice daily frir 6 weeks.Results: At the end of 6 weeks therapy, improvement in various symptoms(abclominal pain, stool frequency, consistency and 11atulence) in probiotics group was statistically significant. Mean QOL score before treatment was 103 in probiotics group and I 06 in placebo group. After 6 weeks of treatment mean QOL score was 82 in probiotics group and I 02.58 in placebo group. No side effects of the therapeutic agents were observed in any patient during the trial. Conclusions: Probiotics effectively alleviates global IBS and improves TBS symptoms simultaneously with an improvement of quality of life

Geographical Modules of COVID-19 Pandemic in Bangladesh: Social Response and Action Taken

Objectives: This research attempts to figure out a comparative pattern of the social response from the peoples of Bangladesh as well as different communities and regarding actions taken by the government during the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh. Else, this study also investigates the shortcomings of the different wing authorities of the Bangladesh Government to reach people of every corner of this country. Methods: In this research, different facts are analyzed from a statistical point of view. Authentic sources like reputed national and international newspapers, governmental release documents, release notes of WHO, etc. were considered for data collection to realize this country’s preparations against the COVID-19 pandemic. Results: From the statistical analysis, this study found that different government authorities partially failed to communicate the measures of the government to the wider public audience. This study has shown that having more tests could have prevented the spread of the virus in Bangladesh. The strong lockdown measures taken by the government were not enough as the population of this country is huge and it is really difficult to maintain social distance in a densely populated country like Bangladesh. Conclusions: The socio-economic condition and decision-makers’ shortcomings could have been overcome if the right plan and action had been taken at the right time. Until the vaccine is available it is recommended that people should keep social distance while going outside, using masks and protection should be mandatory. Furthermore, more health care professionals should be hired and trained to fight this virus.   Doi: 10.28991/SciMedJ-2021-03-SI-4 Full Text: PD