The impact of surgical closure of atrial septal defect on the pulmonary hypertension: a prospective observational study

Introduction: The most prevalent congenital disease is atrial septal defect. Atrial septal defects that have a left to right shunt result in persistent volume overload in the pulmonary vasculature. So histological changes occur in pulmonary vasculature leads to pulmonary hypertension. Without surgery, both life expectancy and functional ability are reduced. The aim of this study was to observe the impact of surgical closure of atrial septal defect on pulmonary hypertension. Methods: This observational study was done in the department of cardiac surgery, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University from June 2020 to June 2022. Sample size was 24 Patients were evaluated preoperatively, postoperative day of operation through a clinically, ECG, color doppler echocardiography. The statistical analysis was performed by using SPSS version 26.0 for windows software. Results: In my study, the mean age of the patients was 33.33±11.3 years, male female ratio was 1:2. The mean pulmonary artery systolic pressure got decreased from 57.54±7.9 mmHg to 53.29±8.30 mmHg on postoperative day. 75% patients improved into New York heart association class 2 on post operative day. Significant improvement was seen in functional capacity of the patients. 29.2% patients had atrial fibrilation preoperatively, after surgery on post-operative day it became 25%. Conclusions: This study concludes that surgical closure of atrial septal defect leads to a significant reduction in pulmonary hypertension

ANTIOXIDATIVE POTENTIAL OF DURANTA REPENS (LINN.) FRUITS AGAINST H2O2 INDUCED CELL DEATH IN VITRO

The effects of Duranta repens fruits were investigated on H2O2 induced oxidative cell death to evaluate its antioxidative potential in vitro. HEK293T cells were treated with different concentrations [0-1000 µg/ ml] of ethanol extract (E-Ex) and methanol extract (M-Ex) of D. repens for 24h, and then treated with 100 µM H2O2 for 24h. Cell viability, antioxidant parameters of cells, and antioxidant constituents of the extracts were determined. Treatment with limited dose of E-Ex or M-Ex increased the survival rate of H2O2–treated HEK293T cells, however the extra-high dose showed growth inhibitory effect. Treatment with E-Ex or M-Ex protected cellular lipid per-oxidation. In vitro analyses showed the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and H2O2 scavenging activities as well as reducing potential of the extracts. We report here that the limited dose of E-Ex and M-Ex possess antioxidative potential, which can protect H2O2-induced oxidative cell damage

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the education of medical, dental and non-medical healthcare professionals in Bangladesh : findings and connotation

Lockdown measures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic had an appreciable impact on the education of all medical, dental, and non-medical healthcare professional (HCP) students. These included the closure of universities necessitating a rapid move to e-learning and new approaches to practical’s. However initially, there was a lack of knowledge and expertise regarding e-learning approaches and the affordability of internet bundles and equipment. We initially con-ducted two pilot studies to assess such current challenges, replaced by a two-stage approach including a full investigation involving 32 private and public universities during the early stages of the pandemic followed by a later study assessing the current environment brought about by the forced changes. Top challenges at the start of the pandemic included a lack of familiarity with e-learning approaches, cost of the internet, lack of IT equipment and the quality of the classes. Universities offered support to staff and students to a varying degree to address identified challenges. Since then, e-learning approaches have widened the possibilities for teaching and learning at convenient times. However, challenges remain. In conclusion, there were considerable challenges at the start of them pandemic. Several key issues have been addressed with hybrid learning here to stay. Remaining challenges include a lack of ICT equipment. However, new innovations will continue

Review of fisheries legal framework of Bangladesh: Towards policy implications

16-22This article scrutinized policy papers, acts, policy progressions, policy drift, and policy accomplishments with regards to marine stocks, capture fisheries, marine environment policy in Bangladesh in the context of an important coastal delta based country. This is done to review existing policies to devise strategies and action plan in light of fisheries ecosystem and suggestions for the realization of action plans for renewable resources including fish, shrimps and other aquatic resources and marine environment management. Analysis on existing policy documents; plans, ordinances, and relevant literature through reviewed to find out gaps, if there were any, and made policy recommendations to amend the existing policies or to formulate an entirely new policy guidelines. Problems among the existing policies are related to their outcome focused are not desired output basis. This review suggests that the policy on marine fisheries is not well specified thereby demands improvement in the policy content, and greater challenges may lie in implementing modified policy and in improving policy processes

Constraints and Prospects of Sustainable Fisheries Management in Bangladesh

7-15Fisheries sector of Bangladesh plays an important role in food security, employment, foreign exchange earnings and different other facets of the economy. The findings of the present study show that the yield of the floodplain, ponds, seasonal water logging area, artisanal fisheries, estuaries, and rivers are varied; there are various limitations on expansion to their potentials. Several factors are identified as threats to the sustainability of the fisheries resources that includes over-exploitation, pollutants like agrochemicals, industrial wastes, lack of stock assessment to set MSY, underprivileged enactment of fisheries laws and regulations, the inadequate spread of fish farming technology, low financial capacities, and ineffectiveness extension practices

A comprehensive review on sustainable coastal zone management in Bangladesh: Present status and the way forward

Bangladesh, a coastal developing nation with a diverse sustainable biodiversity of natural resources is currently focused upon by international communities as a result of its high potential of the coastal zone (CZ) with natural gas. Sustainable Coastal Zone Management (SCZM) is key to its national development. SCZM refers to the management of coastal resources in order to provide secure and alternative livelihoods, as well as to manage all types of coastal hazards and social and cultural well-being in order to ensure long-term productivity and minimize environmental impact. This paper aims to delineate the current initiatives and status of coastal management in Bangladesh, highlighting key issues such as climate changes, sea level rise, tropical cyclones, coastal and marine pollution, coastal erosions, saltwater intrusions, and mangrove degradations as well as the future trend in Bangladesh which will facilitate sustainable development by emphasizing the social, ecological, and economic pillars of sustainability. Unsustainable coastal development practices in Bangladesh are going to damage the coastal ecosystems, particularly mangrove forests and coral reefs, which provide protection against tropical cyclones caused by global climate change and coastal erosions. The paper concludes by outlining a roadmap toward achieving SCZM in Bangladesh. The road to achieving SCZM requires collaboration, integration of scientific research, policy frameworks, community engagement, capacity building, and long-term commitment from all stakeholders involved. So, it is required to address all kinds of coastal issues and reframes all existing coastal management practices to ensure a healthy productive ecosystem to achieve SCZM as well as the sustainable development of the country

Cognitive Behavior Therapy for psychosis based Guided Self-help (CBTp-GSH) delivered by frontline mental health professionals:Results of a feasibility study

Availability of Cognitive Behavior Therapy for psychosis (CBTp) is limited in spite of strong evidence base. The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility of a CBTp based Guided Self-help (CBTp-GSH) in comparison to Treatment As Usual (TAU). The secondary outcomes were a reduction of symptoms of schizophrenia using Positive and Negative Symptom Scale (PANSS) & Disability (WHO DAS 2.0). A total of 33 adults with a DSM-IV diagnosis of schizophrenia was recruited from community mental health services in Kingston, ON, Canada, and randomly assigned to the 12–16 week intervention with TAU (Treatment), or TAU alone (Control). End of therapy (16 weeks) comparisons between the two groups were made on an Intention To Treat (ITT) basis. Post-intervention scores on measures of psychopathology were compared using Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) to adjust for baseline measurements. Recruitment proved feasible, retention rates were high and participants reported a high level of acceptability. There was significant “treatment group by outcome interaction” for Positive and Negative Symptoms, General Psychopathology, measures of disability, such that individuals who received the Treatment improved more than those in Control group. The results of this feasibility study indicate that CBTp based Guided Self-help is feasible and acceptable to the participants, and it can lead to improvement in psychopathology and the level of disability. Individuals in this study had a moderate degree of psychopathology and relatively low level of disability and, therefore, caution is warranted in applying these results to individuals with severe symptoms and with high levels of disability. An adequately powered randomized controlled trial of the intervention is warranted

Fisheries resources of Bangladesh: Present status and future direction

Bangladesh is considered one of the most suitable regions for fisheries in the world, with the world's largest flooded wetland and the third largest aquatic biodiversity in Asia after China and India. This paper reviews the performance of fisheries in Bangladesh using data collected from the Bangladesh Department of Fisheries, and related un-published grey literatures. The findings within describe recent growth within Bangladeshi inland fisheries, primarily in the inland aquaculture sector (2014–2015). This increase in the aquaculture production has been made possible with the implementation of scientific and technological modernization. From 2000 and 2016, aquaculture production increased from 712,640 and 2,060,408 metric t, a much larger quantity than wild capture production (1.023 million t) in 2016. There has also been a recent increase in the value of fishery exports, with more than US $34.08 billion in 2010 rising to more than US$46.60 billion in 2015. However, fisheries production is well below production targets despite the large gains seen in the aquaculture sector

Antioxidant activity and Brine Shrimp Lethality Bioassay of the Ethanolic and water Extracts of Fruits and Leaves of Olea Europaea

Background: Cell oxidation can lead to the onset and development of a wide range of diseases like diabetes, cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, neurodegenerative diseases and many more. Antioxidants are substances which can scavenge free radicals and help to decrease the incidence of oxidative stress induced damage. A vast of medicinal plants available in nature has the antioxidant and anticancer properties and recently a great deal of effort are being to find out effective natural antioxidant for the prevention and treatment of free radical mediated disorders. Objective: The purpose of this study was to identify the antioxidant and cytotoxic potential of Olea europaea. Results: Crude ethanolic and water extracts of leaves and fruits of the plant were prepared and evaluated for antioxidant and cytotoxic potential. All the investigated extracts showed antioxidant and cytotoxic potential. Ethanolic extracts of the fruits was found to possess highest antioxidant activity on the basis of DPPH scavenging assay, total antioxidant capacity assay, total phenolic content assay, total flavonoid content assay. However, in nitric oxide scavenging capacity assay ethanolic extracts of the leaves was found to be most effective among the tested extracts. Total alkaloid contents and total tannin contents of the plant extracts were also determined. In brine shrimp lethality bioassay, ethanolic extracts of leaves showed the most potent cytotoxic action with LC50 value of 3.335 µg/ml followed by ethanolic extracts of fruits where standard cytotoxic agent vincristine used as positive control. Conclusion: In this study both fruits and leaves parts showed moderate antioxidant potential. All the extracts possess substantial quantity of phenol, flavonoid, tannins and alkaloid content and initial phytochemical screening also confirmed the presence of the compounds which might be responsible for their activity

Video intervention for the psychiatric waiting room:proof-of-concept randomised controlled trial of RESOLVE (Relaxation Exercise, SOLVing problem and cognitive Errors)

BACKGROUND: The waiting room in psychiatric services can provide an ideal setting for offering evidence-based psychological interventions that can be delivered through electronic media. Currently, there is no intervention available that have been developed or tested in mental health. AIMS: This proof-of-concept study aimed to evaluate a pilot design of RESOLVE (Relaxation Exercise, SOLving problem and cognitiVe Errors) to test the procedure and obtain outcome data to inform future, definitive trials (trial registration at Clinicaltrials.gov NCT02536924, REB Number: PSIY-477-15). METHOD: Forty participants were enrolled and equally randomised to the intervention, RESOLVE plus treatment as usual arm (TAU), or to a control group (TAU only). Those in the intervention group watched RESOLVE in a room adjacent to the waiting area. Participants in the control received routine care. Outcome measures included the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale; the Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluations outcome measure; and the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule. These measures were performed by a masked assessor at baseline and at 6-week follow-up. Additionally, we measured the number of contacts with mental health services during the prior 4 weeks. Both intention-to-treat and per protocol analyses were performed. RESULTS: The study proved feasible. We were able to recruit the required number of participants. There was a statistically significant improvement in depression (P < 0.001), anxiety (P < 0.001), general psychopathology (P < 0.001) and disability (P = 0.0361) in favour of the intervention group. People in the intervention group were less likely to contact the service (P = 0.012) post-intervention. CONCLUSIONS: Findings provide preliminary evidence that evidence-based psychosocial interventions can be delivered through electronic media in a waiting-room setting. The outcome data from this study will be used for future definitive trials. DECLARATION OF INTEREST: None