Understanding Caregiving Processes in South Asian Families: Relationship between caregiver EE and clinical outcomes in first episode

Background: Expressed Emotion (EE) measures the quality of significant relationships in the family environment. High EE is considered to precipitate relapse in people with psychosis and thus is a target for intervention. However, research has questioned the cross-cultural validity of EE. Understanding EE within the South Asian population may lead to developments in interventions that better suit this population. Aims: The current study aims to explore EE characteristics of South Asian families in the presence of a first episode of psychosis (FEP) and whether there is a relationship between caregiver EE and clinical outcomes. Methods: Caregivers and individuals with FEP known to several Early Intervention in Psychosis Services were recruited. Clinical outcomes were collected for service users and caregiver EE was assessed using various measures of EE. The general profile of EE was examined using descriptive statistics. The relationship between caregiver EE and service user clinical outcomes was examined using correlation analyses and Mann-Whitney U tests. Results: The EE profile of the sample was dependent on which measure of EE was used. The Level of Expressed Emotion showed a 50% split in terms of high and low EE, whereas the Family Questionnaire categorised 68% of the sample as low-EE and 32% as high-EE. There were no significant relationships found between caregiver EE on a domain level or broader (high/low) level and clinical outcomes. Conclusion: This study adds to the existing argument that the current conceptualisation of EE may not be universally associated with poor outcomes for psychosis. The clinical and research implications for this are discussed, with consideration of the limitations of this study

A matlab based educational software for the study on the effect of cut-out in aircraft wings

Cut-outs on aircraft wings are unavoidable due to the placement of fuel tanks and retraction of landing gear inside the wing. The stresses acting on an aircraft wing will deviate substantially before and after a cut-out is made and therefore it is crucial to perform stress analysis in an aircraft wing in order to ensure that the wing structure will be able to withstand the applied stress. Stress analysis of such structures is tedious and time consuming due to its statically indeterminate nature. A free stand-alone software based on MATLAB for the computation of stress due to the effect of cut-out in idealized wing torsion box has been developed. The main purpose is to provide the end-user (student or academic) a useful and user-friendly tool to perform preliminary stress assessment of the effect of cut-out analysis for an idealized wing

Educational software for stress analysis of non-idealized closed thin-walled sections

Aerospace structures such as fuselage and wings are made of typical thin-walled closed sections and the detailed stress analysis of such closed thin-walled structures can be tedious and time consuming due to its statically indeterminate nature of the problem. In the present work, an educational software for the stress analysis of such non-idealized thin-walled closed sections has been developed that complements tradi-tional methods of teaching and learning. The software developed is able to generate any given closed cross section which are subjected to bending, shear, and torsional loads and compute the resulting stresses on the cross section. Results from literature have been used to validate the results from the software. The software has been developed using Graphical User Interface (GUI) in MATLAB which makes the soft-ware very user friendly. The software is expected to be an effective teaching and learning tool of courses on thin-walled structures and air-craft/automotive structures

ANCA-negative Churg-Strauss Syndrome

A rare and a disease of unknown etiology, Churg-Strauss syndrome (CSS) is a granulomatous necrotizing small vessel vasculitis characterized by the presence of asthma, sinusitis, and hypereosinophilia, which is initially described by Churg and Strauss in 1951. Because of its clinical and pathological features that overlap with those of the other anti-neutrophil antibody (ANCA)-associated systemic vasculitides (AASVs) and now the disease is classified as AASVs. The ANCA status may dictate the clinical phenotype. ANCA-positive patients are significantly more likely to have disease manifesta­tions associated with small-vessel vasculitis, including oecrotising glomemlonephritis, mononeuritis and purpura, whereas ANCA-negative cases predominantly likely to have cardiac and lung involvement. The objective of this case report is to point out the possibility of vasculitic rash in ANCA-negative CSS in a 35-year-old man and the disease rarely occurs in Bangladeshi population. We analyze the history, clinical examinations and relevant investigations related to the patient to establish the diagnosis in our department. The clinical scenario and biopsy help us to attain the diagnosis. But due to unavailability of patients' cohort we have limitations of comparison of ANCA status in Bangladeshi populations. Though ANCA-positive and ANCA-negative CSS differ phenotypically, primary therapy for both the conditions is systemic glucocorticoids. Additional immunosuppressive agents like cyclophosphamide, mycophenolate mofetil, azathioprine, rituxin1ab are occasionally added in patients with more advanced or refractory disease

Forecasting the applied deep learning tools in enhancing food quality for heart related diseases effectively : a study using structural equation model analysis

The term heart-related disease is stated as the range of condition that impacts an individual heart negatively. In the current scenario, cardiovascular diseases are causing more deaths when compared with other ailments, it has been estimated that there are nearly 18 million deaths annually as per the recent report released by World Health Organization (WHO). It has been stated that unhealthy habits and other related aspects adopted by individuals are considered as the primary reasons for an increase in the risk of heart diseases. High cholesterol, eating more junk foods, hypertension, etc., created the issue related to heart diseases. Hence, addressing food quality and suggesting better eating habits enable individuals to enhance their living and support better health. The application of new technologies like machine learning, deep learning, and other models support doctors, nurses, and radiologists to predict heart disease effectively. Studies have stated that the various models are used mainly for the classification and forecasting of the diagnosis of heart-related diseases. The researchers have identified that critical algorithms like CART support the predictability of the disease by 93.3% whereas the conventional models possess vert less specificity. Furthermore, deep neural networks can be applied for analyzing and detecting heart failures effectively and supporting medical practitioners in making better and more critical clinical decisions making. The researchers focus on using a descriptive research study for performing the study; moreover, the researcher collates the data using the questionnaire method, which enables sourcing the critical information from the medical practitioners and supports in making critical data analysis effectively. The researchers also use secondary data modes for sourcing the information related to past studies on the related topic. The researchers use the frequency analysis, correlation analysis, and structural equation model analysis for performing the study, and the results are stated in detail in the respective sections

Personality Traits of Substance Users in Bangladesh

Background: Drug taking behavior and drug dependence is a multi-factorial disorder. Personality is a very important determining factor of drug dependence. Objectives: To find out the possible relationship between personality traits and substance use disorders. Methods: This was a descriptive, cross-sectional and case-control study conducted in the department of Psychiatry of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University and Central Drug Addiction Treatment Center, Dhaka for a period of one year (January 2005 to December 2005). From five hundred respondents, 250 had the history of substance use disorders selected as case, and equal number were age, sex, habitat and economic background matched controls were taken. Personality traits of both cases and control were measured by applying Eysenck Personality Questionnaire. Results: Mean ± SD psychoticism (8.42±3 vs 4.33±1.8), Neuroticism (11.89±2.3 vs 9.83±2) were significantly higher (P<0.01) in cases than controls. It was found that psychoticism was 2.3 times and neurticism was 1.7 times higher in substance users than that of controls. There were no significant differences of mean distribution of extroversion and lie scales among the cases & controls. This study also revealed that, there was no significant relationship between personality traits and different variables related to substance use except that psychoticism was significantly higher in those substance users who had have positive history of troubles with law than those having no history of trouble with law (8.82±3.2 & 7.95±2.7 respectively). Conclusion: Personality traits may have an influence on persons with substance use disorder which detoriates quality of life. Key words: Drug dependence; Personality; Psychoticism; Neuroticism; Extraversion; Lie scale. DOI: 10.3329/bsmmuj.v3i2.7056BSMMU J 2010; 3(2): 76-8

Personality Traits of Substance Users in Bangladesh

Background: Drug taking behavior and drug dependence is a multi-factorial disorder. Personality is a very important determining factor of drug dependence. Objectives: To find out the possible relationship between personality traits and substance use disorders. Methods: This was a descriptive, cross-sectional and case-control study conducted in the department of Psychiatry of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University and Central Drug Addiction Treatment Center, Dhaka for a period of one year (January 2005 to December 2005). From five hundred respondents, 250 had the history of substance use disorders selected as case, and equal number were age, sex, habitat and economic background matched controls were taken. Personality traits of both cases and control were measured by applying Eysenck Personality Questionnaire. Results: Mean ± SD psychoticism (8.42±3 vs 4.33±1.8), Neuroticism (11.89±2.3 vs 9.83±2) were significantly higher (P<0.01) in cases than controls. It was found that psychoticism was 2.3 times and neurticism was 1.7 times higher in substance users than that of controls. There were no significant differences of mean distribution of extroversion and lie scales among the cases & controls. This study also revealed that, there was no significant relationship between personality traits and different variables related to substance use except that psychoticism was significantly higher in those substance users who had have positive history of troubles with law than those having no history of trouble with law (8.82±3.2 & 7.95±2.7 respectively). Conclusion: Personality traits may have an influence on persons with substance use disorder which detoriates quality of life. Key words: Drug dependence; Personality; Psychoticism; Neuroticism; Extraversion; Lie scale. DOI: 10.3329/bsmmuj.v3i2.7056BSMMU J 2010; 3(2): 76-8

A new estimate of carbon for Bangladesh forest ecosystems with their spatial distribution and REDD+ implications

In tropical developing countries, reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+) is becoming an important mechanism for conserving forests and protecting biodiversity. A key prerequisite for any successful REDD+ project, however, is obtaining baseline estimates of carbon in forest ecosystems. Using available published data, we provide here a new and more reliable estimate of carbon in Bangladesh forest ecosystems, along with their geo-spatial distribution. Our study reveals great variability in carbon density in different forests and higher carbon stock in the mangrove ecosystems, followed by in hill forests and in inland Sal (Shorea robusta) forests in the country. Due to its coverage, degraded nature, and diverse stakeholder engagement, the hill forests of Bangladesh can be used to obtain maximum REDD+ benefits. Further research on carbon and biodiversity in under-represented forest ecosystems using a commonly accepted protocol is essential for the establishment of successful REDD+ projects and for the protection of the country’s degraded forests and for addressing declining levels of biodiversity