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Biomedical subjects

N Alam

Publications and source records attributed to N Alam.

35 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1997

Health behavior, perceptions, practices, and decision making: sub-national and socio-demographic differentials in Bangladesh, 1995.

The study examines health behavior, perceptions, practices, and decision making using data from the 1995 Health and Demographic Survey conducted by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics. Knowledge about causes of diarrhea and food contamination were higher than knowledge about causes of nightblindness and worm infestation but this knowledge is inadequate. The household's economic condition and the respondent's education were found to be positively associated with disease knowledge and food contamination; the same is also true for health behavior and practices. Sub-national variation in disease knowledge and food contamination exists but did not correspond always with the health behavior and practices. Decisions regarding treatment of disease were made by the husband and wife together in two-thirds of the cases, however, it was not uniform across socio-demographic and sub-national categories.

Bangladesh↗
PubMed1995

Local preoptic/anterior hypothalamic warming alters spontaneous and evoked neuronal activity in the magno-cellular basal forebrain.

Local warming of the medial preoptic/anterior hypothalamus (POAH) promotes sleep, enhances EEG slow-wave activity during sleep, and suppresses arousal-related discharge in neurons of the midbrain reticular formation (MRF) and the posterior lateral hypothalamic area (PLHa). Another important site of sleep and arousal regulation, and a potential site of POAH thermal modulation, is the magnocellular basal forebrain (BF). We examined the ability of local POAH warming during wakefulness to influence the spontaneous and evoked discharge of neurons recorded in the BF of unanesthetized, unrestrained cats. Seventy of 174 BF neurons responded to 60-90 s periods of POAH warming with either increases or decreases in discharge rate. Forty-one of the 70 responsive cells displayed suppression of waking discharge during warming. Discharge rate in these cells declined by an average of 26.04 +/- 2.76%/degrees C of POAH temperature increase. The majority of warming-suppressed BF cells (73%) displayed higher rates of discharge during periods of wakefulness compared to periods of sleep. Twenty-nine of 70 responsive cells responded to POAH warming with an average increase in discharge rate of 43.81 +/- 6.26%/degrees C. A majority of these neurons (62%) exhibited higher spontaneous discharge rates during sleep compared to waking. Orthodromic excitatory responses were evoked in 29 BF cells by electrical stimulation of the MRF or PLHa. Thirteen of 29 cells displayed a waking-related discharge pattern, and responded to POAH warming with a significant suppression of evoked excitation. For a group of 15 behavioral state-indifferent cells (i.e., cells displaying no modulation of spontaneous discharge rate across the sleep-waking cycle), POAH warming had no effect on evoked excitatory responses. These results support the hypothesis that thermosensitive neurons of the POAH exert control of sleep-waking state, in part, via modulation of arousal- and sleep-regulating cell types within the magnocellular BF.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Birth spacing and infant and early childhood mortality in a high fertility area of Bangladesh: age-dependent and interactive effects.

To examine the effects of birth spacing on early childhood mortality, 3729 singleton births in 1983-84 were followed for 3 years in rural Bangladesh. Logistic regression analyses were used to assess whether the survival of older siblings modifies the effect of preceding birth intervals and to see if the effects of preceding and succeeding birth intervals are inter-related, controlling for the effects of sex of the child, mother's age and household economic status. With the exception of the neonatal period, birth spacing effects were highly significant. A preceding birth interval of < 15 months was associated with a greater mortality risk in the post-neonatal period for children with an older sibling who survived infancy. However, a short preceding birth interval did not adversely affect post-neonatal mortality if the older sibling died in infancy. Neonatal and post-neonatal deaths were higher if older siblings had died in respective age intervals. A pregnancy interval of < 12 months after childbirth raised the risk of death at ages 1-2 years considerably if the child was born after a short birth interval (< 15 months). The results suggest that the high mortality risks of closely spaced children are due to sibling competition for parental resources.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1995

New antifungal bithienylacetylenes from Blumea obliqua.

Two new bioactive bithienylacetylenes isolated from Blumea obliqua have been characterized as 5'-methyl-5-[4-(3-methyl-1-oxobutoxy)-1-butynyl]-2,2'- bithiophene [1] and 5'-hydroxymethyl-5-[butyl-3-en-1-yn]-2,2'-bithiophene isovaleroxy ester [2], respectively. Compounds 1 and 2 showed antifungal activity against Epidermophyton floccosum and Pleurotus ostreatus.

Antifungal Agents↗
PubMed1995

Predictors of diarrhoea in young Bangladeshi children.

This study investigated diarrhoea episodes in 196 children aged 6-23 months in relation to their diarrhoea experience in the first 6 months of life, domestic hygiene, and number of other children aged < 5 years in the household. Diarrhoea episodes were recorded weekly, while observations on domestic hygiene behaviour patterns were made once in 1982 and 1983. Correlation and regression analyses suggest that diarrhoea experience in the first 6 months of life was positively associated with diarrhoea episodes in ages 6-23 months. The strength of association improved a little, but significantly by controlling for mothers' handwashing, but did not improve by controlling for disposal of faeces and use of tube-well water for domestic use. The number of other children aged < 5 years in the household was an independent predictor of diarrhoea episodes in the age group 6-23 months.

Bangladesh↗
PubMed1995

Role of a large plasmid in mediation of multiple drug resistance in Salmonella typhi and paratyphi A in Bangladesh.

From 405 patients of suspected typhoid fever, 94 Salmonella typhi and 17 Salmonella paratyphi A, were isolated from blood and/or stool at the Institute of Postgraduate Medicine and Research, Dhaka during March 1992 to February 1993. Forty seven percent of the isolates were resistant to multiple drugs which included amoxicillin, ampicillin, chloramphenicol and co-trimoxazole. A large plasmid of 140 MDa was isolated from 73% of multidrug resistant (MDR) strains. However, no plasmid was isolated from any of the strains sensitive to above mentioned antibiotics. Majority of MDR Salmonella transferred resistance to E. coli K-12 (Lac+, F-, NxR.) by conjugation method. The transconjugants were similarly resistant to multiple drugs. All Salmonella were sensitive to ciprofloxacin and ceftriaxone.

Drug Resistance↗
PubMed1993

Study of complications in hypertensive patients having irregular treatment.

One hundred cases of hypertensive complications due to irregular drug-therapy were studied in medicine units of Dhaka Medical College Hospital for the period of one year from February 7, 1989 to February 6, 1990. Among those stroke had headed the list (48%) manifesting in various ways e.g. cerebral haemorrhage with focal neurological signs--hemiplegia, hemiperesis, aphasia etc. Hypertension associated with varying degrees of cardiac ischaemias and heart failure was seen in 14% and 10% cases respectively. Highest incidence of complications was seen in 1-5 years after detection of hypertension with mean age of 55 +/- 18.70 years. Out of 48 cases of strokes, smoker were 41 (75.92%). Regarding reasons of noncompliance of drugs, personal carelessness was the prominent one (47%). Among the risk-factors for atherosclerosis family history tops the list (66%). Diabetes coexists with hypertension in 13% cases. Ocular complications were seen in 06% cases of malignant hypertension with variable retinal changes.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Importance of age in evaluating effects of maternal and domestic hygiene practices on diarrhoea in rural Bangladeshi children.

To understand the roles of specific maternal and domestic hygiene practices in preventing diarrhoea, 611 rural children aged under 5 years in southeastern Bangladesh were studied. From July 1980 to June 1983, diarrhoeal episodes were recorded by weekly home visits, while observations on maternal and domestic hygiene were made yearly. Infants (aged 3-11 months) in households where mothers washed their hands (before handling food and after toilet use) and removed the child's faeces from the premises soon after defecation had 0.82 and 0.98 annual episodes respectively, fewer than those of their counterparts with 4.1 episodes. Diarrhoea was less frequent by more than 0.5 episodes in children in the age groups 12-23 and 24-35 months with 4.3 and 2.5 annual episodes respectively for the removal of faeces only. The use of handpump water at home was not associated with the frequency of diarrhoea in children, except in the age group 48-59 months, in a particular year of the study.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Anthropometric indicators and risk of death.

Six anthropometric indicators based on weight, height, arm circumference (AC), and age were examined to predict mortality risk of children aged 12-59 mo in a rural area of Teknaf, Bangladesh. In the period 1981-85, 9861 measurements at 6-mo intervals were made on 2449 children. For all indices mortality risk was greater in the first 3 mo than in the second 3 mo in severely malnourished children. Mortality discriminating power of the indicators in terms of sensitivity and specificity was highest for AC and AC for age and lowest for weight-for-height. Logistic regression analysis showed that the predictive power of weight-, height-, and age-based indicators improved after adding AC whereas predictive power of AC did not improve after adding weight-based indicators. The relative risk of death in children with ACs measuring less than or equal to 120 mm was 12 times higher than in those whose ACs measured greater than 140 mm.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1989

Mothers' personal and domestic hygiene and diarrhoea incidence in young children in rural Bangladesh.

This study examines the effect of maternal personal and domestic hygiene on the incidence of diarrhoea in children aged 6-23 months from rural areas around Teknaf, Bangladesh. The intervention area received augmented water supply through handpumps and health education while the control area received no project inputs. From July 1980 to June 1983, diarrhoea incidence was recorded weekly while mothers' personal and domestic hygiene was observed yearly. Annual incidence of diarrhoea in 314 children from the intervention area and 309 children from the control area was analysed in relation to maternal personal and domestic hygiene, controlling for education and occupation of household head and household size. Results show that, in both areas, use of handpump water for drinking and washing, removal of child's faeces from the yard, and maternal handwashing before handling food and after defaecation of self and child, observed together, decreased yearly diarrhoea incidence in children by more than 40% compared to children living in households where none or only one of these practices was observed.

Bangladesh↗
PubMed1989

Reporting errors in one-week diarrhoea recall surveys: experience from a prospective study in rural Bangladesh.

To estimate inaccuracy in a diarrhoea recall survey mothers of pre-school children in Teknaf, Bangladesh were interviewed every week from July 1980 through June 1983. Because the likelihood of an episode starting on any given day of the week should be equal, we were able to quantify any deviation observed. Results show an average of 34% less diarrhoea episodes reported prior to a 48-hour recall period in any week. The amount of reporting error was (a) directly related to the length of the recall period, and (b) inversely related to the severity of diarrhoea as indicated by presence of fever and frequency of motions. This analysis reveals that weekly diarrhoea recall surveys in Bangladesh underestimate severe diarrhoea cases by 20-22% and less severe cases by 42-44%. The findings also indicate that morbidity surveys based on lengthy recall are likely to mislead health planners with regard to the magnitude of the problem and the volume of resources required to combat it.

Bangladesh↗
PubMed1988

Reduction of postprandial triglyceridemia in humans by dietary n-3 fatty acids.

Long chain n-3 fatty acids present in fish oils have been shown to reduce fasting plasma triglyceride and very low density lipoprotein levels in normal and hyperlipidemic human subjects. The present studies were designed to examine whether dietary n-3 fatty acids influence chylomicron formation and metabolism in healthy volunteers. In the first study seven subjects were fed either saturated fat, vegetable oil, or fish oil-based diets for 4 weeks each, and test meals containing 50 g of the background fat were administered after the second week of each diet. The postprandial rise in triglyceride levels was significantly lower following the fish oil test meal as compared to the saturated fat or vegetable oil test meals. In the second study, six subjects eating their usual home diets were given two fat tolerance tests. The first contained saturated fat and the second, given 1 week later, contained fish oil. There was no difference in the postprandial triglyceride response between the fish oil and the saturated fat meals. A third study was then conducted with eight volunteers in which saturated fat and fish oil test meals were administered during saturated fat and fish oil background diets in a crossover design. The presence of fish oil in the background diet reduced postprandial lipemia regardless of the type of fat in the test meal. Although there was no effect of the fish oil diet on the lipoprotein lipase and hepatic lipase activity of postheparin plasma measured in vitro, stimulation of in vivo lipolysis was not ruled out. Our results suggest that chronic (but not acute) intake of fish oil may inhibit the synthesis or secretion of chylomicrons from the gut. However, accelerated clearance due to decreased VLDL competition cannot be excluded.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Dysentery, not watery diarrhoea, is associated with stunting in Bangladeshi children.

To study the interaction between diarrhoea and malnutrition, an average of 300 children aged 5-24 months were followed from January 1981 to January 1983 in Teknaf, Bangladesh. Diarrhoea episodes, differentiated according to stool appearance, were recorded weekly while weight and height measurements were taken every 6 months. Results showed no relationship between the nutritional indicators and diarrhoea incidence recorded within 60 d after anthropometric assessment. However, the duration of dysentery was significantly longer in the severely malnourished children who were stunted but not for those wasted. Although many children with watery diarrhoea had episodes of long duration, these were not associated with any nutritional indicator. We conclude that the key factors in this interaction are the invasive type of pathogen and chronic malnutrition.

Bangladesh↗