Global Crisis in Fertility Theory: What Went Wrong?

Fertility, as a component of population change, caught the attention of many demographers since the relationship between population and society has been established. Even though micro level theories successfully projected trends of fertility at local level but finding a global theory is still a way to go. Macro theories failed to overcome social, cultural, and political boundaries. The solution can go either way. Demographers can all together give up on looking a grand theory. Or they can go for the regional theories because not all economic, social, or cultural mechanism operates equally to lower down fertility. The present paper is an attempt to question the validity of unified theory of fertility, thereby, an attempt to look for a modified version of fertility theory which would be better fit at the regional level. Key words: Fertility, theories of fertility, regional theory, unified theory, validity of fertility theory Résumé: La fécondité, comme une composante de l'évolution démographique, a attiré l'attention de nombreux démographes depuis que la relation entre la population et la société a été établie. Même si la théorie micro-niveau a projeté à succès les tendances de la fécondité au niveau local mais il y a encore un longue chemin à parcourir à trouver une théorie globale. Macro théorie a échoué à surmonter les bornes sociales, culturelles et politiques. La solution peut aller à l'une ou l'autre route. Les démographes peuvent donner tous ensemble sur la recherche d'une grande théorie. Ou ils peuvent aller pour la théorie régionale parce que ce n’est pas tous le mécanisme économique, social, culturel fonctionne également à diminuer la fécondité. Le présent document est une tentative de remettre en question la validité de la théorie unifiée de la fécondité, de ce fait, une tentative de chercher une version modifiée de la théorie de féconditéqui serait mieux adaptés au niveau régional. Mots-Clés: Fécondité, théorie de fécondité, théorie régional, théorie unifiée, validité de la théorie de fécondit

Morphological granulometry for classification of evolving and ordered texture images.

In this work we investigate the use of morphological granulometric moments as texture descriptors to predict time or class of texture images which evolve over time or follow an intrinsic ordering of textures. A cubic polynomial regression was used to model each of several granulometric moments as a function of time or class. These models are then combined and used to predict time or class. The methodology was developed on synthetic images of evolving textures and then successfully applied to classify a sequence of corrosion images to a point on an evolution time scale. Classification performance of the new regression approach is compared to that of linear discriminant analysis, neural networks and support vector machines. We also apply our method to images of black tea leaves, which are ordered according to granule size, and very high classification accuracy was attained compared to existing published results for these images. It was also found that granulometric moments provide much improved classification compared to grey level co-occurrence features for shape-based texture images

Classification of ordered texture images using regression modelling and granulometric features

Structural information available from the granulometry of an image has been used widely in image texture analysis and classification. In this paper we present a method for classifying texture images which follow an intrinsic ordering of textures, using polynomial regression to express granulometric moments as a function of class label. Separate models are built for each individual moment and combined for back-prediction of the class label of a new image. The methodology was developed on synthetic images of evolving textures and tested using real images of 8 different grades of cut-tear-curl black tea leaves. For comparison, grey level co-occurrence (GLCM) based features were also computed, and both feature types were used in a range of classifiers including the regression approach. Experimental results demonstrate the superiority of the granulometric moments over GLCM-based features for classifying these tea images

Power Relations and Contraceptive Use: Gender Differentials in Bangladesh

Previous research tends to ignore men and women’s contraceptive use based on existing power relations at the household level. Male role theory and power theory suggest that although men dominate at the household level and influence all the decisions that have taken place, these men become really invisible when it comes to contraceptive use. The present study attempts to explain the impact of power relations on differential contraceptive use among men and women in Bangladesh. Since the main objective of this research is to see differentials based on gender, men’s and women’s data from the Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey 2000 have been matched based on cluster number, household number, and line number and merged to get sample size of 2249. The results suggest that power relations at the household level have a significant impact in transcending barriers to contraceptive use. Key words: gender differential; contraceptive use; power relations; and hierarchical linear model Résumé: Les recherches antérieures ont une tendance d’ignorer l’utilisation de contracceptif des hommes et des femmes, basée sur le rapport de force existant au niveau familial. La théorie du rôle masculin et la théorie du pouvoir suggère que même si les hommes dominent sur les femmes au niveau familial et qu’ils exercent une influence sur toutes les décisions, ils deviennent invisibles quand il s’agit de l’utilisation de contraceptifs. L’études présente cherche à expliquer l’effet du rapport de force sur l’utilisation de contraceptifs chez les hommes et les femmes au Bangladesh. L’objectif de cette recherche est de dévoiler les différences chez les deux 1-15 sexes. Les données sur les hommes et les femmes venant de l’enquête de la démographie et de la santé du Bangladesh en 2000 sont bien assorties pour avoir un échantillon de 2249 personnes. Le réslutat montre que le rapport de force au niveau familal a une influence significative sur l’utilisation de contraceptifs. Mots-Clés: différences de sexe; utilisaiton de contraceptifs; rapport de force; modèle linéaire hiérarchiqu

Oral health related disorder among children with behavioral problems

Background: The best mouth function, the absence of disease, and oral health are achieved by maintaining the highest self-esteem possible. When someone has good dental health, they can communicate and connect with people without getting sick, feeling uncomfortable, or feeling embarrassed. This study aimed to evaluate the Oral health-related disorder specifically to assess dental caries and gingivitis among children with behavioral problems. Methods: This study was a prospective cross-sectional investigation carried out at Kalachandpur Government Primary School and Jashim Uddin Institute, Dhaka. The study was carried out between October 2021 and December 2022 and included 650 pediatric patients who were aged between 6 to 15 years. Results: Most 290 (44.62%) children were aged 6-9 years, 250 (38.46%) were 10-12 years, and the rest 110 (16.92%) were 13-15 years old. Patients with 11-15 years had lower dental caries. 310 (48%) were female, and 340 (52%) were male. Dental caries is associated with elevated risk. Children in the elevated caries risk group had a significantly higher mean value of conduct problems and Hyperactivity/inattention based on the SDQ compared to those with low caries risk. No statistically significant differences were found between the low caries risk group and the elevated caries group for the other subscales. Conclusions: There were statistically more children in the study group who had a high risk of getting caries. Behavior problems were observed while externalizing children who had a high risk of getting caries. Children with externalizing behavior also have more conduct problems and hyperactivity compared to children with reduced caries risk

Nurses’ knowledge regarding nursing care and management of hypertensive patients in a selected hospital in Dhaka city

Background: Heart diseases, hypertension, diabetes, COPD and cancer are some of the major NCDs and account for more than three-fifths of a death in Bangladesh. This study was aimed to assess the level of nurses’ knowledge regarding nursing care and management of the hypertensive patients.Methods: This study utilized a descriptive cross-sectional study type and the data were collected using self-administered questionnaire. The respondents were informed about the purpose of the study to obtain their consent and they were given clear instructions on how to fill the questionnaires. All the data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22.Results: In this study slightly above 60.0% of the participants were female and 73% of them were Muslims. More than half (53.0%) of the respondents had B.Sc. in nursing and 51.3% of them had <10 years of service experience. About 70.4% of the respondents had attended a training on hypertension and 92.2% of them knows about normal blood pressure measurement. About 92.2% of the participants knows the causes of hypertension and 82.6% of the respondents mentioned that hypertension management aims to prevent morbidity and mortality and only 39.1% of them knows the recommended diet for people with hypertension.Conclusions: The finding reported that the nurses' knowledge regarding the management of hypertensive patients and knowledge on hypertension were very good. Developing knowledge among the nurses in relation to hypertension is the key factor to plan for comprehensive nursing care for better prognosis of the patient

Assessment of knowledge and practice of menstrual hygiene among the female nursing students in a selected private nursing college in Dhaka City

Background: Adolescent females are often uninformed and inexperienced on most health-related issues including menstruation. The problems of menstrual hygiene are inadequately acknowledged and has not received any proper attention as well. This study was aimed to assess the level of knowledge and practice of menstrual hygiene among the female nursing students in Bangladesh.Methods: A total of 106 female nursing students were selected from Grameen Caledonian College of nursing using purposive sampling technique.  A descriptive cross-sectional type of study was used. Data were collected directly using self-administered semi-structured questionnaire developed and was analysed using SPSS version 22.0.Results: In this study more than six-tenths (63.2%) of the respondents were 20 years and below and most of them (74.5%) were unmarried.  About 60.4% of them were currently running diploma in nursing and the rest (38.6%) were B.Sc. nursing students. About 72.6% of the respondent’s mothers had above HSC level of education and most of them (61.3%) were from nuclear family.  Little above half (51.9%) of the respondents mentioned that menstruation is the uterine bleeding and the majority (67.0%) of the respondents were surprised during their first menstruation. Most of the respondents source of information about menstruation before menarche was sister (95.3%), followed by friend (92.5%), mother (67.9%) and the rest mentioned the teacher (62.3%). About 76.5% of the respondents mentioned that their mode of disposal of absorbents was dustbin and most of them (68.9%) used water and soap to clean their genital area after menstruation.Conclusions: The study was concluded that more than half of the respondents had moderate level of knowledge and practice regarding the menstrual hygiene. Most of the (67.0%) of the respondents were surprised during their first menstruation and close to eight-tenths (79.2%) mentioned they had a regular usual menstrual cycle. There is need for more awareness regarding the information on good menstrual hygiene practices

Microbiology of chronic suppurative otitis media: an update from a tertiary care hospital in Bangladesh

Objectives: Chronic suppurative otitis media is a major cause of acquired hearing impairment, especially in children of developing countries. The study sought to explore the bacteriological profile and their antimicrobial susceptibility among patients of chronic suppurative otitis media from a tertiary care hospital in Bangladesh. Methods: A cross sectional microbiological study was conducted at the Department of Microbiology, Rajshahi Medical College, Bangladesh from January to December 2019. Aural swabs were collected aseptically from clinically suspected patients irrespective of age and gender attending the ear, nose and throat outpatient department of Rajshahi Medical College Hospital. Aerobic bacterial culture was done and isolates were identified through standard bacteriological identification scheme. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing of isolates was done by modified Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method following Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines. Results: Of 96 swabs, culture yielded a total of 73 bacterial isolates from 68(70.8%) culture-positive plates including 63 (65.6%) unimicrobial and 5 (5.2%) polymicrobial (mixed growth of a pair of bacteria) growths. Frequency distribution revealed, 40(55%) gram-negative and 33(45%) gram-positive bacteria with Staphylococcus aureus was the leading isolate (37%) followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa (31.5%), Escherichia coli (13.7%), coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (8.2%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (5.5%) and Proteus spp. (4.1%). Gram-positive bacteria were found to be highly susceptible (100%) to Linezolid and Vancomycin followed by Imipenem (83 to 96.3%), while moderate to high resistance (44 to 67%) was observed against Ciprofloxacin, Ceftriaxone, Ceftazidime, Amoxicillin/Clavulanate and Clindamycin. For gram-negative bacteria, susceptibility ranged from 67 to 100% to Imipenem, 67 to 96% to Piperacillin/ Tazobactam and 67 to 83% to Gentamicin, while moderate to high resistance (50 to 75%) was observed against Ciprofloxacin, Ceftriaxone, Ceftazidime and Amoxicillin/Clavulanate. Conclusion: Moderate to high level of multidrug-resistance especially to 3rd generation cephalosporins, Ciprofloxacin and Amoxicillin/Clavulanate is an alarming situation. It warns reinforcement of judicious antibiotic prescription and introduction of antibiotic stewardship program in the tertiary care hospitals

Clinical Profile of HIV/AIDS-infected Patients Admitted to a New Specialist Unit in Dhaka, Bangladesh\u2014A Low-prevalence Country for HIV

This paper describes the clinical features of a series of patients admitted to the specialist HIV/AIDS unit (Jagori) of the Dhaka Hospital, ICDDR,B (International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh) during May 2008\u2013February 2010. Data were collected from a review of documents and electronic case-records and collation of laboratory results with respect to CD4 counts. One hundred and nine patients were admitted during this period. Their mean age was 33.4 years, and 62% were male. On admission, the mean CD4 count\ub1standard deviation (SD) was 244\ub1245 (range 2-1,549). The death rate was 12%. The patients were classified as World Health Organization clinical stage 1: 23%, stage 2: 30%, stage 3: 23%, and stage 4: 24% during the admission. The commonest diagnosis recorded was tuberculosis (TB) (23%), which was also the commonest cause of death (38%). Even for those clinicians with limited experience of managing AIDS cases, the commonest problem encountered in this patient group was TB, reflecting the continued high burden of TB on health services in Bangladesh. Additional challenges to managing TB/HIV co-infection include atypical presentations in HIV-infected persons and the complex drug interaction with antiretroviral therapy