Does the Community Contribute to Reducing Student Dropout? Current Practices, Challenges, and A Way Forward in RuRal Bangladesh

The constitution of Bangladesh aims to ensure quality education for all children. Attending school regularly and completing the cycle is a pre-condition of quality education. This qualitative research was conducted to obtain insights into current practice on community involvement for regular student attendance and reducing dropout in rural Government Primary Schools (GPS) in Bangladesh as well as challenges and possible initiatives. Data were analyzed thematically after conducting five semi-structured interviews with Upazila Education Officers, Assistant Upazila Education Officers, head teachers, and School Managing Committee chairmen; two focus group discussions with assistant teachers and community members of two rural GPS; and school observation. We find that various local and school committees and associations were not performing their assigned and defined roles. Physical home visits were effective but not performed on a regular basis. Mother gatherings were to some extent helpful with the possibility of broadening their scope, but uthan boithok (local gatherings in common spaces) were totally absent. Poverty and lack of awareness about formal education, the tendency of educated families to live in cities and town, negative perceptions of communities about government organizations, the unexpected attitudes of teachers towards rural guardians, and a lack of about the importance of community involvement were the main challenges hindering community contribution to regular student attendance and reducing dropout. To mitigate these challenges, we recommend robust educational leadership, where head teachers as leaders take the required initiatives by raising awareness through collaborations with the local community. This research contributes to ensuring quality education by discussing possible initiatives involving the community to promote regular student attendance and reducing dropout in rural GPS. Keywords: Community, Rural Government Primary Schools, Attendance, Drop-out DOI: 10.7176/JEP/12-1-03 Publication date: January 31st 202

Squamous cell carcinoma developed on hypertropic lichen planus

Carcinoma occurring in the cutaneous lesions of Lichen Planus though rarely mentioned in literature does occw-and should be kept in mind while treating such lesions. We report a 30 year female who developed a squamous cell carcinoma in a long standing hypertropic lichen planus in the lower leg. This case is being presented to indicate the possibility of malignant transformation of cutaneous lichen planus to carcinoma, especially in the hypertrophic fonns and the need to have an early diagnosis so that it can be treated in the initial stages. A high degree of suspicion should be present when­ever we come across a non healing lesion in a patient with lichen planus. A few markers, which may give us a clue for increased chances of malignant transformation in these cases is presented

Association of Serum Testosterone with Acne Vulgaris in Women

Background: Androgens enhance the sebum production and follicular keratosis that plays the key role in the aetiology of acne. Objective: To find out the association between serum testosterone and acne vulgaris. Methods: A case control study was carried out for a period of two years in the outpatient department of Dermatology and Venereology, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), Dhaka, Bangladesh. Female patients having acne vulgaris were selected as case. Healthy control (age and sex matched) were enrolled from the community. Results: The study showed that the mean age of the cases was 22.43 with standard deviation 5.2 years and the mean age of the control was 23.23 with standard deviation 5.9 years. The mean duration of disease was 62.6 months ranging from 12 months to 300 months. All the patients had presented with comedones (blackheads and whiteheads) followed by 94.3% had papules and 58.6% had pustules. Considering the site of lesion, all the patients had acne in the face. Data analysis revealed that the percentage of serum testosterone above normal was found to be high among the cases with acne (10%) whereas below normal level of serum testosterone was found among the control and the difference was statistically significant (p<0.001). Conclusion:The study found a significant association between serum testosterone and acne vulgaris. As serum testosterone is associated with acne vulgaris, testosterone levels should be measured in patients presenting with acne vulgaris especially in treatment resistant cases and anti-androgen treatment may be indicated in cases with elevated testosterone level.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bsmmuj.v5i1.10980 BSMMU J 2012; 5(1):1-5

Linear Psoriasis- A rare case report

Linear psoriasis is a rare form of disease which is very difficult to differentiate from inflammatory linear verrucous epidermal nevus. Sometimes clinical history, physical examination and histopathology analysis may not be sufficient to confirm the diagnosis. We report a case of25 year-old male presented with a linear plaque covered with silvery scales on left upper extremity extending from tip of the index to mid forearm for last 2 years. A skin biopsy was consistent with psoriasis, and the unilateral distribution in a linear pattern led to a diagnosis of linear psoriasis, which is a rare variant of psoriasis. Although histopathologically it can be difficult to distinguish from inflammatory linear verrucous epidermal nevus (ILVEN), linear psoriasis presents in adulthood and responds to conventional topical antipsoriatic therapies

Optimization of dietary protein level for good aquaculture practice based carp fattening in ponds under drought prone area of Bangladesh

Good aquaculture practice (GAP) based carp fattening is a potential technique to obtain higher and safe fish production within shorter period in ponds of drought prone area. Sustainability of this technique, however, is constrained by high feed cost and poor water quality. Therefore, as an overcoming effort, three diets (protein content of 20%, 25% and 30%) under three different treatments (T1, T2 and T3) were tested during January-June, 2020 in fattening ponds of carps (Catla, Gibelion catla; silver carp, Hypophthalmichthys molitrix; rohu, Labeo rohita; mrigal, Cirrhinus cirrhosis; and carpio, Cyprinus carpio var. specularis) under Rajshahi district, Bangladesh. Variation in protein level had no significant effect on environmental parameters of pond water. Combined fish yield was found to vary significantly (P<0.05) among the treatments, while feed conversion ratio did not vary significantly. Although second degree polynomial regression analysis identified 28.50% dietary protein for optimal growth of carps but no significant difference between T2 and T3 was found for the total fish yield. However, significantly (P<0.05) highest cost-benefit ratio obtained with the diet containing 25% protein suggested this protein level in diet was profitable for carp fattening in pond

Linear Psoriasis- A rare case report

Linear psoriasis is a rare form of disease which is very difficult to differentiate from inflammatory linear verrucous epidermal nevus. Sometimes clinical history, physical examination and histopathology analysis may not be sufficient to confirm the diagnosis. We report a case of25 year-old male presented with a linear plaque covered with silvery scales on left upper extremity extending from tip of the index to mid forearm for last 2 years. A skin biopsy was consistent with psoriasis, and the unilateral distribution in a linear pattern led to a diagnosis of linear psoriasis, which is a rare variant of psoriasis. Although histopathologically it can be difficult to distinguish from inflammatory linear verrucous epidermal nevus (ILVEN), linear psoriasis presents in adulthood and responds to conventional topical antipsoriatic therapies

Linear Psoriasis- A rare case report

Linear psoriasis is a rare form of disease which is very difficult to differentiate from inflammatory linear verrucous epidermal nevus. Sometimes clinical history, physical examination and histopathology analysis may not be sufficient to confirm the diagnosis. We report a case of25 year-old male presented with a linear plaque covered with silvery scales on left upper extremity extending from tip of the index to mid forearm for last 2 years. A skin biopsy was consistent with psoriasis, and the unilateral distribution in a linear pattern led to a diagnosis of linear psoriasis, which is a rare variant of psoriasis. Although histopathologically it can be difficult to distinguish from inflammatory linear verrucous epidermal nevus (ILVEN), linear psoriasis presents in adulthood and responds to conventional topical antipsoriatic therapies

Association of Serum Testosterone with Acne Vulgaris in Women

Background: Androgens enhance the sebum production and follicular keratosis that plays the key role in the aetiology of acne. Objective: To find out the association between serum testosterone and acne vulgaris. Methods: A case control study was carried out for a period of two years in the outpatient department of Dermatology and Venereology, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), Dhaka, Bangladesh. Female patients having acne vulgaris were selected as case. Healthy control (age and sex matched) were enrolled from the community. Results: The study showed that the mean age of the cases was 22.43 with standard deviation 5.2 years and the mean age of the control was 23.23 with standard deviation 5.9 years. The mean duration of disease was 62.6 months ranging from 12 months to 300 months. All the patients had presented with comedones (blackheads and whiteheads) followed by 94.3% had papules and 58.6% had pustules. Considering the site of lesion, all the patients had acne in the face. Data analysis revealed that the percentage of serum testosterone above normal was found to be high among the cases with acne (10%) whereas below normal level of serum testosterone was found among the control and the difference was statistically significant (p<0.001). Conclusion:The study found a significant association between serum testosterone and acne vulgaris. As serum testosterone is associated with acne vulgaris, testosterone levels should be measured in patients presenting with acne vulgaris especially in treatment resistant cases and anti-androgen treatment may be indicated in cases with elevated testosterone level. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bsmmuj.v5i1.10980 BSMMU J 2012; 5(1):1-5