Serum Iron Profile and Red Cell Indices in Children with Severe Acute Malnutrition in A Tertiary Level Hospital.

This cross-sectional analytical study was conducted in the department of Paediatrics, Mymensingh Medical College Hospital (MMCH), Mymensingh, Bangladesh from March 2017 to August 2018 to assess the pattern of serum iron profile and red cell indices in children with severe acute malnutrition. Seventy children having severe acute malnutrition were compared with 70 age matched children those had normal growth. Age range of the studied children was 6 months to 59 completed months. Male was found predominant (54.3%) in both study group and comparison group. Mean serum iron, serum ferritin, serum total iron binding capacity and transferrin saturation in severely malnourished children were 45.3±19.3µg/dl, 26.5±20.0ng/ml, 246.3±47.5µg/dl and 16.4±2.0% respectively which were significantly lower than that of healthy children (p<0.05). Mean Hb level in children with severe acute malnutrition was found 8.3±1.6gm/dl which was also found significantly lower than that of normal children (p<0.05). Anaemia was found in all (100%) severely malnourished children compared to 25.7% of children in comparison group. Mean MCV, MCH and MCHC in children with severe acute malnutrition was found 71.7±13.5fl, 24.0±5.8pg and 31.4±4.0gm/dl respectively which were significantly lower than that of comparison group (p<0.05). Serum iron profile and red cell indices should be routinely done in severely malnourished children for early intervention and management of iron deficiency anaemia.

Anorectal Malformations and Associated Anomalies in Children.

Anorectal malformations (ARM) incorporate a broad spectrum of diseases, can affect both sexes, and involve the distal anus and rectum as well as the uro-genital tracts. Defects range from the minor which can be treated easily with an excellent outcome, to those are complex and often associated with other anomalies are difficult to manage with poor functional prognosis. This study was done to observe the hospital incidence of Anorectal malformations, frequency of types, sex distribution and spectrum of associations with ARM. The effects of presence of associated anomalies on morbidity and mortality also observed. Detailed history, clinical examinations and relevant investigations were performed for the primary and as well as the associated anomalies. A total of 80 patients were admitted in the department of pediatric surgery in Mymensingh Medical College Hospital during the period of June 2016 to May 2017. Age of the patients was ranging from 1-180 days with the mean age of 0.49±1.002 months. Male: Female ratio was 1.6: 1. Among them 48(60%) were high and 32(40%) were low variety of ARM. In male 37(46.2%) had high and 13(13.7%) were low variety whereas in female 11(13.7%) were high and 19(23.7%) had low ARM. Associated anomalies were seen in 25(31.2%) patient -18 in males and 7 in females; 20 in high and 5 in low ARM. Associated anomalies were uro-genital 11(13.8%), cardiovascular 10(12.5%), vertebral 4(5%), limb defects 3(3.5%) and others 2(2.5%). Four patients have more than one anomaly. Anorectal malformations occur more in boys than girls. Males were more likely to have high lesions and without fistula was the common defect. Low variety ARM were found more in females with Anovestibular fistula is the commonest defect. The most common associated anomalies were recto urinary fistula (13.8%). Associations were more in high than low ARM but not significant (p>0.05). Post operative complications were more in high ARM in both sexes with associated anomalies. The effects of types and associations on morbidity and mortality were significantly different (p<0.05).

A Comprehensive Study on Mo/CdTe Metal-Semiconductor Interface Deposited by Radio Frequency Magnetron Sputtering.

Metal-semiconductor (MS) junction between Mo and CdTe, which is one of the fundamental issues for CdTe based solar cell, has been investigated for films deposited on different substrates. XRD pattern of Mo/CdTe films on the polyimide (PI) substrate shows a strong preferential orientation of MoTe2 in (100) at 2θ = 29.44 degrees, which becomes less apparent as deposition time of CdTe increases. However, on soda lime glass (SLG) no such XRD reflection pattern is observed. Moreover, from EDX measurement, Mo-Te compound also identifies MoTe2 at Mo/CdTe interface on PI substrate, which is not present on SLG. Bulk carrier concentration of Mo/CdTe films on PI substrate for lower deposition time of CdTe is found 1.42 x 10(18) cm(-3), which is almost equal to MoTe2. Thereafter, it decreases as CdTe growth time increases. The type of unintentionally formed MoTe2 on PI substrate is found to be n-type in nature. Lattice constants of a = 6.5 Šfor CdTe and a = 3.52 Šfor MoTe2 are found from nanostructure study by TEM.

Naltrexone in drug addiction: significance in the prevention of relapse.

The primary aim of this study was to investigate significance of the naltrexone in the management of drug addiction. A total of 108 opiate dependent drug abusers were included in this study. The study period was May 2004 to March 2008. They were selected consecutively on the basis of defined criteria. Of 108 drug abusers, 81.48% were literate and rest was illiterate. In current profession, majority of them (81.48%) had no work; rests were businessmen (13.89%) or service holders (4.63%). Nearly 72.22% drug abusers were young adult had age 20-30 years and 71.30% were married. About 94.00% of them were using heroin. In lifetime, sixty percent of them had been using heroin or phensedyl for 3-5 years, 25.93% for 6-10 years and 13.89% for 11-16 years. Hundred percent of the studied drug abusers had habit of smoking cigarettes. Most of them were heterosexual having sex with multiple partners. Nocturnal insomnia, difficulty falling asleep or hypersomnia, antisocial and/or irritable behaviors were found among them. About 75.00% of them had altered food habit and 45.37% had sexual dysfunction. Eighty-four percent wives of the participant drug abusers were found to be literate and 84.42% had only household works in their profession. Illiteracy was found to be higher in mother (26.85%) than that of father (24.07%). Majority of the father were found to be businessmen and mothers had household works only. Their family income was Tk.10,000-20,000 monthly. In addition, disharmony among family members, illicit drug users and mental illness were found in 81.48%, 23.15% and 21.30% families respectively. About 95.00% of the participant drug abusers were completed treatment schedule with naltrexone successfully and rest were dropout. Only 45.37% of them were developed adverse effects; of which, insomnia, nausea vomiting, headache, abdominal cramps and nervousness were found to be notable. Finally, 75.93% participant drug abusers were relapsed and rest (25.49%) was remained abstinent from illicit drug use. Multiple factors were found to be liable to use illicit drugs once more. Of them, unpleasant emotional state, sexual dysfunction, friend's incitement, family disharmony and interpersonal conflict were found to be crucial important. All of the participants were acknowledged essentiality of the Naltrexone in the treatment of drug addiction. They expressed their satisfaction during treatment including abstinent period. Most of them had not physical or mental craving for illicit drugs as before treatment and did not mention sleep disturbance or other mental troubles. They had normal food habit, increased appetite and taste preference in abstinent period. However, naltrexone could play important role in demand reduction but has no effect to enhance self-efficacy. In combination with self-efficacy enhancement therapies, it would be effective in the treatment of opioids dependence.