95 results
Search Results
Now showing 1 - 10 of 95
Publication Metadata only Phallus, performance and power: Crisis of masculinity(2008-02-01) Sharful Islam Khan; Nancy Hudson-Rodd; Sherry Saggers; Mahbubul Islam Bhuiyan; Abbas Bhuiya; Syed Afzalul Karim; Oratai Rauyajin; International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research Bangladesh; Edith Cowan University, Joondalup; Dhaka Medical College and Hospital; Mahidol UniversityMen's sexual health concerns (SHCs) receive inadequate attention in research and health interventions. We explored meanings of SHCs, particularly sexual performance, in a qualitative study on male sexuality in Bangladesh. Five focus group discussions with key-informants and 50 urban and rural men were interviewed. Male superiority and power over women were proclaimed as 'normal' and 'natural'. Men's authoritative relations with women affect sexual acts where 'real' men need to be sexually 'potent' to demonstrate 'sexual power' through sustained penile erections, penetration and prolonged sexual intercourse. Without adequate knowledge of human sexuality, men deem 'sex' as another agency of power, dominance and governance. Sexual performance with a large-sized penis symbolizes masculine power to control women. Narrowly focused penetrative male sexuality relies on performance, which destroys the quality of sexual life and equality in relationships. In a patriarchal society, the discrepancy of gender-biased socialization creates an essentialist framework of male sexuality where phallus, performance and power are at the core of men's SHCs, constructed in the context of market economy and technology. Thus, SHCs, products of men's threatened masculine power, need to be re-conceptualized before any effective health programs are designed.Item Metadata only Alkaloids as drug leads in Alzheimer's treatment: Mechanistic and therapeutic insights(2024-07-01) Rezaul Islam M.; Akash S.; Murshedul Islam M.; Sarkar N.; Kumer A.; Chakraborty S.; Dhama K.; Ahmed Al-Shaeri M.; Anwar Y.; Wilairatana P.; Rauf A.; Halawani I.F.; Alzahrani F.M.; Khan H.; Rezaul Islam M.; Mahidol UniversityAlzheimer's disease (AD) has few effective treatment options and continues to be a major global health concern. AD is a neurodegenerative disease that typically affects elderly people. Alkaloids have potential sources for novel drug discovery due to their diverse chemical structures and pharmacological activities. Alkaloids, natural products with heterocyclic nitrogen-containing structures, are considered potential treatments for AD. This review explores the neuroprotective properties of alkaloids in AD, focusing on their ability to regulate pathways such as amyloid-beta aggregation, oxidative stress, synaptic dysfunction, tau hyperphosphorylation, and neuroinflammation. The FDA has approved alkaloids such as acetylcholinesterase inhibitors like galantamine and rivastigmine. This article explores AD's origins, current market medications, and clinical applications of alkaloids in AD therapy. This review explores the development of alkaloid-based drugs for AD, focusing on pharmacokinetics, blood–brain barrier penetration, and potential adverse effects. Future research should focus on the clinical evaluation of promising alkaloids, developing recently discovered alkaloids, and the ongoing search for novel alkaloids for medical treatment. A pharmaceutical option containing an alkaloid may potentially slow down the progression of AD while enhancing its symptoms. This review highlights the potential of alkaloids as valuable drug leads in treating AD, providing a comprehensive understanding of their mechanisms of action and therapeutic implications.Publication Metadata only 'Semen contains vitality and heredity, not germs': Seminal discourse in the AIDS era(2006-12-01) Sharful Islam Khan; Nancy Hudson-Rodd; Sherry Saggers; Mahbubul Islam Bhuiyan; Abbas Bhuiya; Syed Afzalul Karim; Oratai Rauyajin; ICDDRB, Public Health Sciences Division; Edith Cowan University, Joondalup; Dhaka Medical College and Hospital; Mahidol UniversityPerspectives of public health generally ignore culture-bound sexual health concerns, such as semen loss, and primarily attempt to eradicate sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Like in many other countries, sexual health concerns of men in Bangladesh have also received less attention compared to STIs in the era of AIDS. This paper describes the meanings of non-STI sexual health concerns, particularly semen loss, in the masculinity framework. In a qualitative study on male sexuality, 50 men, aged 18-55 years, from diverse sociodemographic backgrounds and 10 healthcare practitioners were interviewed. Men considered semen the most powerful and vital body fluid representing their sexual performance and reproductive ability. Rather than recognizing the vulnerability to transmission of STIs, concerns about semen were grounded in the desire of men to preserve and nourish seminal vitality. Traditional practitioners supported semen loss as a major sexual health concern where male heritage configures male sexuality in a patriarchal society. Currently, operating HIV interventions in the framework of disease and death may not ensure participation of men in reproductive and sexual health programmes and is, therefore, less likely to improve the quality of sexual life of men and women. © 2006 International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh.Item Metadata only FT-FEDTL: A fine-tuned feature-extracted deep transfer learning model for multi-class microwave-based brain tumor classification(2024-12-01) Hossain A.; Islam R.; Islam M.T.; Kirawanich P.; Soliman M.S.; Hossain A.; Mahidol UniversityThe microwave brain imaging (MBI) system is an emerging technology used to detect brain tumors in their early stages. Multi-class microwave-based brain tumor (MBT) identification and classification are crucial due to the tumor's patterns and shape. Manual identification and categorization of the tumors from the images by physicians is a challenging task and consumes more time. Recently, to overcome these issues, the deep transfer learning (DTL) technique has been used to classify brain tumors efficiently. This paper proposes a Fine-tuned Feature Extracted Deep Transfer Learning Model called FT-FEDTL for multi-class MBT classification purposes. The main objective of this work is to suggest a better pathway for brain tumor diagnosis by designing an efficient DTL model that automatically identifies and categorizes the MBT images. The InceptionV3 architecture is utilized as a base for feature extraction in the proposed FT-FEDTL model. Thereafter, a fine-tuning method is applied to the additional five layers with hyperparameters. The fine-tuned layers are attached to the base model to enhance classification performance. The MBT data are collected from two sources and balanced by augmentation techniques to create a total of 4200 balanced datasets. Later, 80 % images are used for training, 20 % images are utilized for validation, and 80 samples of each class are used for testing the FT-FEDTL model for classifying tumors into six classes. We evaluated and compared the FT-FEDTL model with the three traditional non-CNN and seven pretrained models by applying an imbalanced and balanced dataset. The proposed model showed superior classification performance compared to other models for the balanced dataset. It attained an overall accuracy, recall, precision, specificity, and Fscore of 99.65 %, 99.16 %, 99.48 %, 99.10 %, and 99.23 %, respectively. The experimental outcomes ensure that the proposed model can be employed in biomedical applications to assist radiologists for multi-class MBT image classification purposes. The Anaconda distribution platform with Python 3.7 on the Windows 11 OS is used to implement the models.Publication Metadata only COVID-19-Related infodemic and its impact on public health: A global social media analysis(2020-10-01) Md Saiful Islam; Tonmoy Sarkar; Sazzad Hossain Khan; Abu Hena Mostofa Kamal; S. M. Murshid Hasan; Alamgir Kabir; Dalia Yeasmin; Mohammad Ariful Islam; Kamal Ibne Amin Chowdhury; Kazi Selim Anwar; Abrar Ahmad Chughtai; Holly Seale; International University of Health and Welfare; University of New South Wales (UNSW) Australia; Khulna University of Engineering and Technology; Mahidol University; International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research BangladeshCopyright © 2020 by The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene Infodemics, often including rumors, stigma, and conspiracy theories, have been common during the COVID-19 pandemic. Monitoring social media data has been identified as the best method for tracking rumors in real time and as a possible way to dispel misinformation and reduce stigma. However, the detection, assessment, and response to rumors, stigma, and conspiracy theories in real time are a challenge. Therefore, we followed and examined COVID-19-related rumors, stigma, and conspiracy theories circulating on online platforms, including fact-checking agency websites, Facebook, Twitter, and online newspapers, and their impacts on public health. Information was extracted between December 31, 2019 and April 5, 2020, and descriptively analyzed. We performed a content analysis of the news articles to compare and contrast data collected from other sources. We identified 2,311 reports of rumors, stigma, and conspiracy theories in 25 languages from 87 countries. Claims were related to illness, transmission and mortality (24%), control measures (21%), treatment and cure (19%), cause of disease including the origin (15%), violence (1%), and miscellaneous (20%). Of the 2,276 reports for which text ratings were available, 1,856 claims were false (82%). Misinformation fueled by rumors, stigma, and conspiracy theories can have potentially serious implications on the individual and community if prioritized over evidence-based guidelines. Health agencies must track misinformation associated with the COVID-19 in real time, and engage local communities and government stakeholders to debunk misinformation.Item Metadata only Defining the hidden burden of disease in rural communities in Bangladesh, Cambodia and Thailand: a cross-sectional household health survey protocol(2024-03-23) Zhang M.; Htun N.S.N.; Islam S.; Sen A.; Islam A.; Neogi A.K.; Tripura R.; Dysoley L.; Perrone C.; Chew R.; Batty E.M.; Thongpiam W.; Wongsantichon J.; Menggred C.; Zaman S.I.; Waithira N.; Blacksell S.; Liverani M.; Lee S.; Maude R.J.; Day N.P.J.; Lubell Y.; Peto T.J.; Zhang M.; Mahidol UniversityINTRODUCTION: In low-income and middle-income countries in Southeast Asia, the burden of diseases among rural population remains poorly understood, posing a challenge for effective healthcare prioritisation and resource allocation. Addressing this knowledge gap, the South and Southeast Asia Community-based Trials Network (SEACTN) will undertake a survey that aims to determine the prevalence of a wide range of non-communicable and communicable diseases, as one of the key initiatives of its first project-the Rural Febrile Illness project (RFI). This survey, alongside other RFI studies that explore fever aetiology, leading causes of mortality, and establishing village and health facility maps and profiles, will provide an updated epidemiological background of the rural areas where the network is operational. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: During 2022-2023, a cross-sectional household survey will be conducted across three SEACTN sites in Bangladesh, Cambodia and Thailand. Using a two-stage cluster-sampling approach, we will employ a probability-proportional-to-size sample method for village, and a simple random sample for household, selection, enrolling all members from the selected households. Approximately 1500 participants will be enrolled per country. Participants will undergo questionnaire interview, physical examination and haemoglobin point-of-care testing. Blood samples will be collected and sent to central laboratories to test for chronic and acute infections, and biomarkers associated with cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. Prevalences will be presented as an overall estimate by country, and stratified and compared across sites and participants' sociodemographic characteristics. Associations between disease status, risk factors and other characteristics will be explored. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This study protocol has been approved by the Oxford Tropical Research Ethics Committee, National Research Ethics Committee of Bangladesh Medical Research Council, the Cambodian National Ethics Committee for Health Research, the Chiang Rai Provincial Public Health Research Ethical Committee. The results will be disseminated via the local health authorities and partners, peer-reviewed journals and conference presentations. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT05389540.Item Metadata only Zoonotic concerns of Marburg virus: Current knowledge and counteracting strategies including One Health approach to limit animal-human interface: An update(2022-10-01) Dhama K.; Chandran D.; Chakraborty S.; Yatoo M.I.; Islam M.A.; Bhattacharya M.; Chakraborty C.; Harapan H.; Chaicumpa W.; Mahidol UniversityPublication Metadata only Growth characteristics of mung beans and water convolvuluses exposed to 425-MHz electromagnetic fields(2010-10-01) Peeraya Jinapang; Panida Prakob; Pongtorn Wongwattananard; Naz E. Islam; Phumin Kirawanich; Mahidol University; University of Missouri-ColumbiaEffects of high-frequency, continuous wave (CW) electromagnetic fields on mung beans (Vigna radiata L.) and water convovuluses (Ipomoea aquatica Forssk.) were studied at different growth stages (pre-sown seed and early seedling). Specifically, the effects of the electromagnetic source's power and duration (defined as power-duration level) on the growth of the two species were studied. Mung beans and water convolvuluses were exposed to electromagnetic fields inside a specially designed chamber for optimum field absorption, and the responses of the seeds to a constant frequency at various power levels and durations of exposure were monitored. The frequency used in the experiments was 425 MHz, the field strengths were 1mW, 100mW, and 10W, and the exposure durations were 1, 2, and 4 h. Results showthat germination enhancement is optimum for the mung beans at 100 mW/1 h power-duration level, while for water convolvuluses the optimum germination power-duration level was 1 mW/2 h. When both seed types were exposed at the early sprouting phase with their respective optimum power-duration levels for optimum seed growth, water convolvuluses showed growth enhancement while mung bean sprouts showed no effects.Water content analysis of the seeds suggests thermal effects only at higher field strength. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.Item Metadata only Effects of lean and six sigma initiatives on continuous quality improvement of the accredited hospitals(2023-01-01) Ahmed S.; Islam R.; Ashrafi D.M.; Alqasmi I.; Choudhury M.M.; Rahman M.; Dhar B.K.; Mahidol UniversityThe main purpose of this study is to investigate the role of Lean and Six Sigma initiatives on continuous quality improvement in the Malaysian Society for Quality in Health (MSQH) accredited hospitals. In particular, it investigates the relationship between top management support and teamwork. It also examines the influence of teamwork on Lean and Six Sigma initiatives. In this study, 450 survey questionnaires were distributed to twelve MSQH-accredited hospitals’ staff using the Stratified Random Sampling method and received 251 useable responses constituting a 55.78 per cent response rate. The reliability and validity of the research variables were tested based on internal consistency, construct validity and discriminant validity by applying the SmartPLS 3.3.4 software. The relationships among various variables in the model were tested using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). Overall, the study’s findings reveal that Lean and Six Sigma initiatives positively and significantly impact the continuous quality improvement of MSQH-accredited hospitals. The findings also indicate that top management support has a positive and significant relationship with teamwork and vice versa, i.e. teamwork significantly affects Lean and Six Sigma initiatives.Item Metadata only Translation, Validation, and Diagnostic Performance of the Michigan Neuropathy Screening Instrument (MNSI) in Bangla(2025-12-01) Islam N.; Akhter Q.S.; Arifuzzaman M.; Saha M.; Rahman N.; Akter M.; Busra K.; Sarker K.; Rahman M.; Noor I.N.; Islam N.; Mahidol UniversityBackgrounds and Aims: Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) can result in foot ulcers and ultimately limb amputation. The Michigan Neuropathy Screening Instrument (MNSI) is a recommended screening tool for DPN. However, it must be appropriately translated and validated before use in new linguistic and cultural contexts. The study aimed to translate the MNSI into Bangla and assess its validity and applicability among Bangladeshi Diabetic patients. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted to develop Bangla version of the MNSI questionnaire (MNSIq-Bl) following ISPOR Task Force recommendations. The translation process included reconciliation, expert committee review, and pilot testing among 20 purposively selected patients with diagnosed diabetes mellitus. Validation was performed among purposively selected 50 diabetic patients attending outpatient Department of Endocrinology, Dhaka Medical College, adhering to the inclusion and exclusion criteria between July 2018 and June 2019. Cut-off values for the MNSIq-Bl and MNSIe (questionnaire and physical examination) scores were recommended compared with the result of the Nerve Conduction Study (NCS). Ethical clearance (MIU-DMC/ECC/2019/42, dated February 6, 2019) from the due authority and informed written consent were obtained from the respondents before data collection. Results: Strong inter-interviewer reliability was observed for both MNSIq-Bl (r = 0.977) and MNSIe (r = 0.923), with significance at p < 0.001. Cronbach's α for MNSIq-Bl (excluding Items 4 and 10) ranged from 0.7 to 0.8, indicating acceptable internal consistency. The area under the curve (AUC) for MNSIq-Bl was 0.850 at a cut-off score of ≥ 2.5 with 68% sensitivity and 75% specificity. For MNSIe, the AUC was 0.918 at a cut-off score of ≥ 0.5, with 90% sensitivity and 75% specificity. Conclusion: The Bangla version of MNSI (MNSI-Bl) is a valid and reliable tool for screening diabetic peripheral neuropathy among Bangla-speaking patients, demonstrating good diagnostic performance.