Quality of Life Assessment by SF-36 among the Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients have substantial functional disability which poses a significant impact on the quality of life (QoL). So, this study aims to assess the QoL of RA patients by the Short Form Health Survey-36 (SF-36) questionnaire. Total sixty-two (62) rheumatoid arthritis patients were included in this cross-sectional observational study and were performed in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), Dhaka, Bangladesh from August 2018 to September 2019 according to selection criteria. A Bengali validated version of Medical Outcomes Study-36: Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) questionnaire was used to assess QoL. Among the sixty-two (62) patients, mean age was 44.18±12.14 years with female preponderance (77.4%). About one-fifth of the patients (19.4%, n=12) were illiterate and the majority (71.0%, n=44) were housewives. Amongst all, 53.2% (n=33) had monthly family income >20,000 taka. Forty percent (n=25) had a disease duration of 1 to 5 years. According to Disease Activity Score Sheet 28 (DAS-28), 36(58.1%) patients had moderate disease activity and 26(41.9%) patients had high disease activity. Among the 8 domains, the mental health domain had the highest score (42.77±13.78) and the role physical domain had the lowest (35.89±15.43). Male, literate patients with higher income had relatively better QoL. Patients with prolonged disease, high disease activity and irregular taking of Disease Modifying Anti-Rheumatic Drugs (DMARDs) had poor quality of life. A significant negative correlation was present between SF-36 scores and the DAS-28 scores (r = -0.803, p<0.001). Rheumatoid arthritis had a relatively poor quality of life regarding both physical and mental health components, but the physical health component was predominantly affected.

Reduction of the Carbapenemase Inactivation Method (CIM) assay time by real-time PCR.

Carbapenemase Inactivation Method (CIM) is a test to detect presence of the carbapenemase in Gram-negative bacteria. Determination of the carbapenemase production by inactivation of meropenem requires that a zone of control E. coli inhibition be measured approximately 6-24 h after plating. We have modified the CIM test by developing a rapid method which instead measures the growth of E. coli indicator strain ATCC 25922 using real-time PCR, referred to as a nucleic acid testing CIM (natCIM). Our natCIM, therefore reduces the detecting time from 6 to 24 h to approximately 4 h.

Fetomaternal Outcome of Pregnancy in Women with Tetralogy of Fallot.

This prospective study was done to determine fetomaternal outcomes of pregnancy in women with Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) and carried out in two centres especially in the care of patients with adult congenital heart disease (CHD) from January 2005 to December 2009. Clinical, haemodynamic and obstetric data were reviewed for pregnant women with TOF. Ten (10) pregnant women were identified in the age range 18 to 47 years. Most of the patients were in the age group of 18 to 27 years, 34 to 36 weeks gestational age (in week) and primi gravida (60%). Right-sided aortic arch (20%) and major anomalies of pulmonary collaterals (30%) were common anomalies anatomical association. Normal vaginal delivery was the mode of delivery (70%) in the majority of the patients. Spontaneous abortions were occurred in 3(30%) patients. Primary maternal cardiac events complicating pregnancies were congestive heart failure (20%), arrhythmias and cardiovascular events (10%). Premature labor (40%) was the most common obstetric complication. Premature birth (40%), fetal demise (20%), neonatal death (10%) and cardiac anomaly at birth (10%) were the offspring complications in the study. Women with TOF can go through pregnancy with a low risk to themselves with frequent treatable complications, but there is a high incidence of miscarriage, premature births and low birth weight. An incidence of congenital anomaly in the fetus is higher than that found in the normal population.

Gold Standard Cholera Diagnostics Are Tarnished by Lytic Bacteriophage and Antibiotics.

A fundamental, clinical, and scientific concern is how lytic bacteriophage, as well as antibiotics, impact diagnostic positivity. Cholera was chosen as a model disease to investigate this important question, because cholera outbreaks enable large enrollment, field methods are well established, and the predatory relationship between lytic bacteriophage and the etiologic agent Vibrio cholerae share commonalities across bacterial taxa. Patients with diarrheal disease were enrolled at two remote hospitals in Bangladesh. Diagnostic performance was assessed as a function of lytic bacteriophage detection and exposure to the first-line antibiotic azithromycin, detected in stool samples by mass spectrometry. Among diarrheal samples positive by nanoliter quantitative PCR (qPCR) for V. cholerae (n = 78/849), the odds that a rapid diagnostic test (RDT) or qPCR was positive was reduced by 89% (odds ratio [OR], 0.108; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.002 to 0.872) and 87% (OR, 0.130; 95% CI, 0.022 to 0.649), respectively, when lytic bacteriophage were detected. The odds that an RDT or qPCR was positive was reduced by more than 99% (OR, 0.00; 95% CI, 0.00 to 0.28) and 89% (OR, 0.11; 95% CI, 0.03 to 0.44), respectively, when azithromycin was detected. Analysis of additional samples from South Sudan found similar phage effects on RDTs; antibiotics were not assayed. Cholera burden estimates may improve by accommodating for the negative effects of lytic bacteriophage and antibiotic exposure on diagnostic positivity. One accommodation is using bacteriophage detection as a proxy for pathogen detection. These findings have relevance for other diagnostic settings where bacterial pathogens are vulnerable to lytic bacteriophage predation.

Positive reinforcement targeting abstinence in substance misuse (PRAISe): Study protocol for a Cluster RCT & process evaluation of contingency management.

There are approximately 256,000 heroin and other opiate users in England of whom 155,000 are in treatment for heroin (or opiate) addiction. The majority of people in treatment receive opiate substitution treatment (OST) (methadone and buprenorphine). However, OST suffers from high attrition and persistent heroin use even whilst in treatment. Contingency management (CM) is a psychological intervention based on the principles of operant conditioning. It is delivered as an adjunct to existing evidence based treatments to amplify patient benefit and involves the systematic application of positive reinforcement (financial or material incentives) to promote behaviours consistent with treatment goals. With an international evidence base for CM, NICE recommended that CM be implemented in UK drug treatment settings alongside OST to target attendance and the reduction of illicit drug use. While there was a growing evidence base for CM, there had been no examination of its delivery in UK NHS addiction services. The PRAISe trial evaluates the feasibility, acceptability, clinical and cost effectiveness of CM in UK addiction services. It is a cluster randomised controlled effectiveness trial of CM (praise and financial incentives) targeted at either abstinence from opiates or attendance at treatment sessions versus no CM among individuals receiving OST. The trial includes an economic evaluation which explores the relative costs and cost effectiveness of the two CM intervention strategies compared to TAU and an embedded process evaluation to identify contextual factors and causal mechanisms associated with variations in outcome. This study will inform UK drug treatment policy and practice. Trial registration ISRCTN 01591254.

Low Free T3 was Associated with Poor Glycemic Control in Type 2 Diabetes in a Hospital Based Study in Bangladesh.

Clinical significance of low free T3 (FT3) has not been well explained in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM); FT3 level may be associated with diabetes control and also with diabetic complications. This cross-sectional study was carried out among 153 (mean age 46.8±12 years; female 68%, mean duration of diabetes 5.5±0.53 years, 63.4% either overweight or obese) non-pregnant adults with T2DM who had no acute illness and were unaware about their thyroid function status from July 2016 to December 2016. Serum TSH, free T4 (FT4) and FT3 were measured in all patients by radioimmunoassay (RIA). Patients having subnormal FT3 level with normal TSH and FT4 levels were labeled as having low FT3 syndrome. The mean HbA1c of the study subjects was 8.3±1.7%, serum TSH 2.24±0.34µIU/mL, FT4 16.5±6.56fmol/mL and FT3 was 5.36±1.74fmol/mL. Among them, 9.15% were found to have low FT3 syndrome. There was no statistical difference of FT3 level between males and females (5.87±1.50 vs. 5.99±1.85fmol/mL, mean±SD; p=0.165) and among different BMI groups (p=0.179). Patients with uncontrolled diabetes had lower FT3 than those with controlled diabetes (5.91±1.83 vs. 6.15±1.21fmol/mL, mean±SD, p=0.024). The frequency of low FT3 syndrome was 11.1% in uncontrolled diabetic patients whereas none of the patients with controlled diabetes had low FT3. FT3 level showed positive correlations with the duration of diabetes (r=0.296, p=0.002) and FT4 level (r=0.490, p<0.001) only in female subjects. A fair number of clinically stable T2DM patients had low FT3 in our study. Patients with uncontrolled diabetes had lower FT3 than those with controlled diabetes.

Efficacy of 0.5% Hyperbaric Bupivacaine with Dexamethasone versus 0.5% Hyperbaric Bupivacaine alone in Spinal Anaesthesia for Patient Undergoing Lower Abdominal Urological and Lower Limb Orthopedic Surgeries.

Spinal anaesthesia with local anaesthetics has limited duration. Different additives have been used to prolong spinal anaesthesia. The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of adding dexamethasone to bupivacaine in spinal anaesthesia specially whether it would prolong the duration of sensory block/ surgical analgesia and post-operative analgesia/pain free period or not. This randomized, prospective, double-blind, clinical study was conducted in the Department of Anaesthesia, Analgesia and Critical Care of Combined Military Hospital, Chittagong from October 2016 to August 2017. Seventy two (72) adult patients scheduled for lower abdominal urological and lower limb orthopedic surgery under spinal anaesthesia were included. They were divided in two groups; each group comprised 36 patients to receive 20mg 0.5% hyperbaric bupivacaine (Bupivacaine group) or 15mg 0.5% hyperbaric bupivacaine plus 5mg dexamethasone (Bupivacaine-Dexamethasone/case group) intrathecally. The patients were evaluated for quality, quantity and duration of sensory block/surgical analgesia, post-operative analgesia/pain free period, blood pressure, heart rate, nausea, and vomiting or other complications. There were no significant differences in demographic data, sensory level and onset time of the sensory block between two groups. Duration of sensory block/Surgical analgesia in the bupivacaine group was 92.32±8.34 minutes and in the bupivacaine- dexamethasone/case group was 122.11±10.59 minutes which was statistically highly significant (p<0.001). The duration of post-operative analgesia/pain free period was 208.78±41.57 minutes in the bupivacaine group; whereas it was 412.82±71.51 minutes in the bupivacaine-dexamethasone/case group which was also statistically highly significant (p<0.001). The frequency of complications was not different between two groups. This study has shown that the addition of dexamethasone to bupivacaine in spinal anaesthesia significantly improved the duration of sensory block/surgical analgesia as well as post-operative analgesia/pain free period without any complications.

An outbreak of hepatitis E in an urban area of Bangladesh.

We investigated an outbreak of jaundice in urban Bangladesh in 2010 to examine the cause and risk factors and assess the diagnostic utility of commercial assays. We classified municipal residents reporting jaundice during the preceding 4 weeks as probable hepatitis E cases and their neighbours without jaundice in the previous 6 months as probable controls. We tested the sera collected from probable cases and probable controls for IgM anti-hepatitis E virus (HEV), and the IgM-negative sera for IgG anti-HEV using a commercial assay locally. We retested the IgM-positive sera for both IgM and IgG anti-HEV using another assay at the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), USA. Probable cases positive for IgM anti-HEV were confirmed cases; probable controls negative for both IgM and IgG anti-HEV were confirmed controls. We explored the local water supply and sanitation infrastructure and tested for bacterial concentration of water samples. Probable cases were more likely than probable controls to drink tap water (adjusted odds ratio: 3.4; 95% CI: 1.2-9.2). Fifty-eight percentage (36/62) of the case sera were IgM anti-HEV positive; and 75% of the IgM-positive samples were confirmed positive on retesting with another assay at CDC. Compared to confirmed controls, cases confirmed using either or both assays also identified drinking tap water as the risk factor. Two tap water samples had detectable thermotolerant coliforms. Research exploring decentralized water treatment technologies for sustainable safe water might prevent HEV transmission in resource-poor cities. Detection of serological markers in a majority of probable cases implied that available diagnostic assays could adequately identify HEV infection during outbreaks.

Effect of Sn Doping on the Properties of Nano-Structured ZnO Thin Films Deposited by Co-Sputtering Technique.

In this study, tin doped zinc oxide (ZnO:Sn) nano-structured thin films were successfully deposited by co-sputtering of ZnO and Sn on top of glass substrate. The effect of Sn doping on the microstructure, phase, morphology, optical and electrical properties of the films were extensively investigated by means of XRD, EDX, SEM, AFM, Hall Effect measurement, and UV-Vis spectrometry. The results showed that the undoped ZnO film exhibited preferred orientation along the c-axis of the hexagonal wurtzite structure. With increase of Sn doping, the peak position of the (002) plane was shifted to the higher 20 values, and ultimately changed to amorphous structure. The absorption edge was shifted to blue region which confirmed the excitonic quantum confinement effect in the films. Consequently, improved surface morphology with optical bandgap, reduced average particle size, reduced resistivity, enhanced Hall mobility and carrier concentration were observed in the doped films after vacuum annealing. Among all of the as-deposited and annealed ZnO:Sn films investigated in this study, annealed film doped with 8 at.% of Sn concentration exhibited the best properties with a bandgap of 3.84 eV, RMS roughness of 2.51 nm, resistivity of 2.36 ohm-cm, and Hall mobility of 83 cm2 V(-1) s(-1).

Social defeat interacts with Disc1 mutations in the mouse to affect behavior.

DISC1 (Disrupted-in-schizophrenia 1) is a strong candidate susceptibility gene for psychiatric disease that was originally discovered in a family with a chromosomal translocation severing this gene. Although the family members with the translocation had an identical genetic mutation, their clinical diagnosis and presentation varied significantly. Gene-environment interactions have been proposed as a mechanism underlying the complex heritability and variable phenotype of psychiatric disorders such as major depressive disorder and schizophrenia. We hypothesized that gene-environment interactions would affect behavior in a mutant Disc1 mouse model. We examined the effect of chronic social defeat (CSD) as an environmental stressor in two lines of mice carrying different Disc1 point mutations, on behaviors relevant to psychiatric illness: locomotion in a novel open field (OF), pre-pulse inhibition (PPI) of the acoustic startle response, latent inhibition (LI), elevated plus maze (EPM), forced swim test (FST), sucrose consumption (SC), and the social interaction task for sociability and social novelty (SSN). We found that Disc1-L100P +/- and wild-type mice have similar anxiety responses to CSD, while Q31L +/- mice had a very different response. We also found evidence of significant gene-environment interactions in the OF, EPM and SSN.

Case report: anxiety and fear in a patient with meningioma compressing the left amygdala.

The amygdalae are an important part of fear and anxiety circuits in the mammalian brain, involved in the encoding and storage of fear memories. In this case report we discuss a 26-year-old male patient with a temporal lobe meningioma that presented with unilateral abducens palsy, deep-seated headaches, and persistent psychiatric symptoms including depression and anticipatory anxiety. The patient's psychiatric symptoms and clinical diagnosis provided the impetus for the eventual diagnostic imaging and discovery of the intracranial lesion.

Not really identical: epigenetic differences in monozygotic twins and implications for twin studies in psychiatry.

Classical twin studies in the field of psychiatry generally fall into one of two categories: (1) those designed to identify environmental risk factors causing discordance in monozygotic (MZ) twins and (2) those geared towards identifying genetic risk factors. However, neither environment nor differences in DNA sequence can fully account for phenotypic discordance among MZ twins. The field of epigenetics--DNA modifications that can affect gene expression--offers new models to understand discordance in MZ twins. In the past, MZ twins were regarded as genetically-identical controls for differing environmental conditions. In contrast, the evolving current concept is that epigenetic differences between MZ twins may modulate differences in diverse phenotype, from disease to personality. In this article, we review some twin studies, and discuss the dynamic interactions between stochastic, environmental, and epigenetic variables that influence neurobiological phenotypes.

Synthesis and characterization of iron(II) complexes with tetradentate diiminodiphosphine or diaminodiphosphine ligands as precatalysts for the hydrogenation of acetophenone.

Six complexes of the type trans-[Fe(NCMe)2(P-N-N-P)]X2 (X = BF4(-), B{Ar(f)}4(-)) (Ar(f) = 3,5-(CF3)2C6H3) containing diiminodiphosphine ligands and the complexes trans-[Fe(NCMe)2(P-NH-NH-P)][BF4]2 with a diaminodiphosphine ligand were obtained by the reaction of Fe(II) salts with achiral and chiral P-N-N-P or P-NH-NH-P ligands, respectively, in acetonitrile at ambient temperature. The P-N-N-P ligands are derived from reaction of ortho-diphenylphosphinobenzaldehyde with the diamines 1,2-ethylenediamine, 1,3-propylenediamine, (S,S)-1,2-disopropyl-1,2-diaminoethane, and (R,R)-1,2-diphenyl-1,2-diaminoethane. Some complexes could also be obtained for the first time in a one-pot template synthesis under mild reaction conditions. Single crystal X-ray diffraction studies of the complexes revealed a trans distorted octahedral structure around the iron. The iPr or Ph substituents on the diamine were found to be axial in the five-membered Fe-N-CHR-CHR-N- ring of the chiral P-N-N-P ligands. A steric clash between the imine hydrogen and the substituent probably determines this stereochemistry. The diaminodiphosphine complex has longer Fe-N and Fe-P bonds than the analogous diiminodiphosphine complex. The new iron compounds were used as precatalysts for the hydrogenation of acetophenone. The complexes without axial substituents on the diamine had moderate catalytic activity while that with axial Ph substituents had low activity but fair (61%) enantioselectivity for the asymmetric hydrogenation of acetophenone. The fact that the diaminodiphosphine complex has a slightly higher activity than the corresponding diiminodiphosphine complex suggests that hydrogenation of the imine groups in the P-N-N-P ligand may be important for catalyst activation. Evidence is provided, including the first density-functional theory calculations on iron-catalyzed outer-sphere ketone hydrogenation, that the mechanism is similar to that of ruthenium analogues.

Primary hydatidosis of gluteus maximus.

Hydatid disease is a parasitic infestation of humans and herbivorous animals, caused by echinococcus granulosus. Dogs and some wild carnivores, like foxes, are definitive hosts, harboring worms in their intestines. Eggs are passed in feces and eaten by intermediate hosts and larvae encyst in the liver, lungs and other organs. Primary muscular hydatidosis without involving the thoracic or abdominal organs is extremely rare. A case of intramuscular gluteal hydatid cyst is being reported with the intent of highlighting this atypical localization of the disease. Since the soft tissue tumors may be confused with hydatid cysts, preoperative evaluation of these patients is critical for proper handling during surgery to avoid life-threatening complications. We report a case of a 24-year-old male patient with a cystic gluteal swelling turning out to be hydatid cyst on sonography and computerized scanning. Surgical excision with postoperative antihelmenthics formed the main modality of treatment.

Primary osteosarcoma of the skull.

Primary osteogenic sarcoma of the skull is an exceedingly rare condition. An adult male patient is described, who had a painless swelling in the right forehead that had rapidly enlarged in the previous 6 months. Radiological investigations showed a large destructive mass lesion involving the right side of the frontal bone with extension into the frontal sinus, causing marked extradural compression of brain parenchyma. Histopathological examination confirmed the lesion to be primary osteogenic sarcoma.

PGE2 suppresses intestinal T cell function in thermal injury: a cause of enhanced bacterial translocation.

Increased gut bacterial translocation in burn and trauma patients has been demonstrated in a number of previous studies, however, the mechanism for such an increased gut bacterial translocation in injured patients remains poorly understood. Utilizing a rat model of burn injury, in the present study we examined the role of intestinal immune defense by analyzing the T cell functions. We investigated if intestinal T cells dysfunction contributes to bacterial translocation after burn injury. Also our study determined if burn-mediated alterations in intestinal T cell functions are related to enhanced release of PGE2. Finally, we examined whether or not burn-related alterations in intestinal T cell function are due to inappropriate activation of signaling molecule P59fyn, which is required for T cell activation and proliferation. The results presented here showed an increase in gut bacterial accumulation in mesenteric lymph nodes after thermal injury. This was accompanied by a decrease in the intestinal T cell proliferative responses. Furthermore, the treatments of burn-injured animals with PGE2 synthesis blocker (indomethacin or NS398) prevented both the decrease in intestinal T cell proliferation and enhanced bacterial translocation. Finally, our data suggested that the inhibition of intestinal T cell proliferation could result via PGE2-mediated down-regulation of the T cell activation-signaling molecule P59fyn. These findings support a role of T cell-mediated immune defense against bacterial translocation in burn injury.

Isolation of Bifidobacteria infantis and its antagonistic activity against ETEC 0157 and Salmonella typhimurium S-285 in weaning foods.

Probiotic organism Bifidobacteria was isolated from the faeces of breast-fed infants at Universiti Putra Malaysia. Trypticase phytone peptone yeast extract agar (TPY) was used as a selective media for the isolation. Morphological examination of the isolates indicated that Bifidobacteria was Gram-positive rods in nature, curved with characteristics of V and Y shapes. The organisms were non-catalase producing, non-nitrate reducing, non-motile, had an absence of indole and were unable to liquify gelatin. The ratios of acetic and lactic acids were determined using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Using carbohydrate fermentation profile test API-CH-50 kits, 20 Bifidobacteria strains had been identified: they were the species of Bifidobacteria infantis and two different sub-species, mainly infantis and lacentis. Based on a wide zone of inhibition, three suitable strains of B. infantis, Bifi-11, Bifi-19 and Bifi-20, were tested in weaning foods for antimicrobial activity towards two human pathogens: E. coli-0157 (World Health Organization) and Salmonella typhimurium S-285. The pH, titratable acidity of weaning foods and total colony count for Bifidobacteria, enteropathogenic Escherichia coli and S. typhimurium were recorded at 3-h intervals for 30 h. It was found that after 9 h of incubation of weaning foods, the pH declined to < 3.6 from pH 6.0, whereas titratable acidity increased from 0.026 to 0.08%. It was indicated that Bifidobacteria inhibited E. coli better than did S typhimurium due to low pH. After 24 h of incubation, approximately 98% of E. coli was inhibited by Bifidobacteria. It is suggested that the inhibitory effect of Bifidobacteria strains in weaning foods towards the growth of enteropathogenic E. coli and S. typhimurium was solely due to low pH and the production of volatile acid components by the organism.

Positive response to sodium antimony gluconate administration in visceral leishmaniasis seropositive patients.

In a prospective study conducted in Mymensingh district of Bangladesh, 1, 273 patients were assessed for the presence of visceral leishmaniasis (VL). Sodium antimony gluconate (SAG) was successfully administered to 715 patients with parasitologically confirmed infection. In the remaining 558, although there was clinical indication of VL, Leishmania donovani parasites could not be demonstrated. Administration of SAG in this group was on the grounds of the prevailing symptoms, exclusion of malaria and a positive direct agglutination test (DAT). Significant improvements in the clinical and hematological parameters were observed in 547 (98%) of the unconfirmed VL cases. On the basis of the parasitological findings or positive response to specific anti-Leishmania chemotherapy, the sensitivity and specificity of the DAT were 99.6% and 97.7% respectively. The results supported the reliability of DAT for diagnosis of VL at levels below that of parasitological detection.