The incidence of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) can be reduced by preventing transmission with rapid and precise case detection and early treatment. The Gene-Xpert MTB/RIF assay is a useful tool for detecting Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) with rifampicin resistance within approximately two hours by using a nucleic acid amplification technique. This study was designed to reduce the underdiagnosis of smear-negative pulmonary TB and to assess the clinical and radiological characteristics of PTB patients. This cross-sectional study included 235 participants who went to the Luyang primary health care clinic from September 2016 to June 2017. The demographic data were analyzed to investigate the association of patient gender, age group, and ethnicity by chi-square test. To assess the efficacy of the diagnostic test, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and accuracy were calculated. The area under the curve for sputum for both AFB and gene-Xpert was analyzed to compare their accuracy in diagnosing TB. In this study, TB was more common in males than in females. The majority (50.71%) of the cases belonged to the 25–44-year-old age group and the Bajau ethnicity (57.74%). Out of 50 pulmonary TB cases (smear-positive with AFB staining), 49 samples were positive according to the Gene-Xpert MTB/RIF assay and was confirmed by MTB culture. However, out of 185 smear-negative presumptive cases, 21 cases were positive by Gene-Xpert MTB/RIF assay in that a sample showed drug resistance, and these results were confirmed by MTB culture, showing resistance to isoniazid. In comparison to sputum for AFB, Gene-Xpert showed more sensitivity and specificity with almost complete accuracy. The additional 21 PTB cases detection from the presumptive cases by GeneXpert had significant impact compared to initial observation by the routine tests which overcame the diagnostic challenges and ambiguities.

Background: Functional training, also known as CrossFit, is a unique sport that combines weightlifting, gymnastics, and metabolic conditioning into a single program. There are an estimated 50 functional training centers in Malaysia. Purpose: To analyze the injury rates, patterns, and risk factors of functional training/CrossFit. Study Design: Descriptive epidemiology study. Methods: Electronic questionnaires were distributed to 244 participants from 15 centers in the country. Descriptive data regarding the athletes, injury occurrence within the past 6 months, injury details, and risk factors were collected. Results: Of the 244 athletes, 112 (46%) developed at least 1 new injury over the previous 6 months. Injury rates were significantly higher in athletes from nonaffiliate training gyms compared with CrossFit-affiliated gyms, in athletes with previous injuries, and in those who perceived themselves as having more than average fitness. Conclusion: Coaches and athletes need to be more aware of risk factors for injury to enable safer and better training strategies.

Background: Liver is an essential metabolic organ. It can be damaged due to prolonged use and higher doses of drugs, exposure to some chemicals, toxins, or infectious agents. Herbal plants as ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) may have free radical scavenging activity thereby can be used for the prevention and treatment of liver damage.Objective: To observe the effect of ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) root extract on gentamicin induced changes of some liver marker enzymes e,g serum aspartate amino transferase (AST ) and alanine amino transferase (ALT) in Wistar albino rats.Methods: This experimental study was carried out in the Department of Physiology, Sir Salimullah Medical College (SSMC), Dhaka from 1st July 2010 to 30th June 2011. A total number of 35 Wistar albino rats, aged 90 to 120 days, weighing between 150 to 200 grams were selected for the study. After acclimatization for 14 days, they were divided into control group (Group A) and experimental group (Group B). Control group was again subdivided into group A1 (baseline control, consisted of 10 rats) and group A2 (gentamicin treated control group, consisted of 10 rats). Again, experimental group (Group B-ashwagandha pretreated and gentamicin treated group) consisted of 15 rats. All groups of animals received basal diet for 22 consecutive days. In addition to this, group A2 also received gentamicin subcutaneously (100mg /kg body weight/day) for the last eight (15th to 22nd day) consecutive days. Again, group B received ashwagandha root extract (500mg/kg body weight/day, orally) for 22 consecutive days and gentamicin subcutaneously (100mg/kg body weight /day) for last eight (15th to 22nd day) days. All the animals were sacrificed on 23rd day. Then blood and liver samples were collected. For assessment of liver function, serum AST, ALT and bilirubin levels were estimated. All these tests were done by standard Laboratory technique. The statistical analysis was done by one way ANOVA and Bonferroni test as applicable.Results: The mean serum levels of AST and ALT were significantly (p<0.001) higher in gentamicin treated control group and in ashwagandha pretreated and gentamicin treated group in comparison to those of baseline control group.. Again, these levels were significantly (p<0.001) lower in ashwagandha pretreated and gentamicin treated group than those of gentamicin treated control group.Conclusion: Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) root extract restored serum AST, ALT towards normal levels in gentamicin intoxicated rats which may be due to its free radical scavenging activity. Therefore it may have hepatoprotective effect. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jbsp.v7i1.11152 J Bangladesh Soc Physiol. 2012, June; 7(1): 1-7

Background: The stature of a living human reflects the nutritional, genetic, and disease patterns of individual experiences. This study adopted a simple linear regression method and R² values to identify the preferred model for stature estimation based on the lengths of the arm, radius, ulna, and hand; breadth of the hand; and circumference of the wrist of the adult Bangladeshi male population. This cross-sectional study was performed in the Anatomy Department of Sir Salimullah Medical College, Dhaka, from January 2009 to June 2011. One hundred right-handed adult Muslim Bangladeshi males aged 25 to 45 years participated in the study. Results: The regression model using right and left ulnar length explained 63% of the measured stature with the least standard error of the estimate (0.435 and 0.436), the model using left and right arm length explained 60%, the model using left and right radius length explained 51%, and the model using left- and right-hand length explained 44% of the measured stature. However, the models using left and right handbreadth and wrist circumference explained only 11 to 13% of the measured stature with a higher standard error of the estimate (6.66 to 6.73). For 25- to 45-year-old Bangladeshi Muslim males, the ulnar length of both sides was the best predictor of stature. Conclusions: Linear regression equations in estimating stature effectively may encourage its application in future studies addressing different age groups, sexes, nutritional statuses, religions, and ethnicities of Bangladesh.

Anthropometry, the quantitative interface between anatomy and physiology, is a scientific specialization concerned with applying measurement to appraise human size, shape, proportion, composition, development, and gross function. Anthropometric measurement is essential in many areas, including archaeology, anthropology, ergonomics, forensic sciences, anatomy, and nutrition. Although different researchers have studied the anthropometry of hand extensively in Malaysia, there is still a paucity of data among the major ethnicities (Kadazandusun, Bajau, Malay and Chinese) that exist in Sabah. The study was designed to create baseline data for normative values of hand length, handbreadth, middle finger length, second inter-crease length of the middle finger, and the hand span of major ethnic groups in Sabah. This cross-sectional study was conducted from February 2021 to January 2022 by applying a stratified random sampling method. At first, the students were stratified into ethnicities and were further stratified as males and females. The hand dimensions were measured using a digital calliper. The baseline data for Sabah’s four major ethnic groups were compared for symmetry, gender, and ethnic differences. The right handbreadth was broader than the left hand (p<0.01). The result also demonstrated a statistically significant (0.001) difference between gender; however, there was no significant difference among the four ethnicities. Further study at the community level is recommended for different age groups and ethnicities by addressing hand activity, hormones, and brain asymmetry to complement the findings of this study.