Marma

Ethnicity has a significant role in shaping the composition of the gut microbiome, which has implications in human physiology. This study intends to investigate the gut microbiome of Bengali people as well as several indigenous ethnicities (Chakma, Marma, Khyang, and Tripura) residing in the Chittagong Hill Tracts areas of Bangladesh. Following fecal sample collection from each population, part of the bacterial 16 s rRNA gene was amplified and sequenced using Illumina NovaSeq platform. Our findings indicated that Bangladeshi gut microbiota have a distinct diversity profile when compared to other countries...

The study was carried out to investigate the isolation of Escherichia coli from tracheal and oropharyngeal swab of clinically sick chickens. The antibiotic susceptibility patterns of the isolates to several antimicrobials were determined with a striking emphasis on oxytetracycline. The PCR technique was applied to detect tetA, tetB, and tetC in the tetracycline-resistant isolates. The isolates were initially screened for their resistance patterns against 6 antimicrobials of six different groups using the disc diffusion technique...

The monkeypox virus was still spreading in May 2022, with the first case identified in a person with travel ties to Nigeria. Using molecular docking-based techniques, we evaluated the efficiency of different bioactive chemicals obtained from plants against the monkeypox virus. A total of 56 plant compounds were evaluated for antimonekypox capabilities, with the top four candidates having a higher binding affinity than the control. We targeted the monkeypox profilin-like protein, which plays a key role in viral replication and assembly...

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the surgical practice throughout the world, including elective surgical care. This study investigated the characteristics of patients undergoing elective surgery, the prevalence of COVID-19 infection, the surgical procedures performed, and 30-day mortality in general and pediatric surgical settings in selected tertiary-level hospitals in Bangladesh from November 2020 to August 2021. METHODS: This serial cross-sectional study included 264 patients scheduled for elective surgeries during the study period...

BACKGROUND: Mental illnesses stigma is a universal and transcultural phenomenon. While mental illnesses stigma is pervasive in Bangladesh, very little research exists on stigma toward mental illnesses among indigenous communities. This study aimed to investigate the prevailing stigma and the risk factors among different indigenous communities in the Chattogram Hill Tracts (CHT) in Bangladesh. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was carried out and participants were recruited purposively from Rangamati, a South-Eastern district of Bangladesh in the CHT...

Marma is an important component of Ayurveda. It was recorded in Susruta Samhita that there were 107 marma points in human body, which located at the anatomical site where muscles, veins, ligaments, bones and joints meet together and were regarded as seats of life energy. While acupoints in Traditional Chinese Medicine is defined as having the similar position as marma points, and also the function of regulating vital energy, these body points have been constantly combined with acupuncture technique, which encouraged doctors to stimulate applicable acupoints in order to relief pain and treat diseases...

In the present study, the features of summation of effects caused by contextual distracting dots in the length-matching task (a variant of the filled-space illusion) were investigated. In the first two series of psychophysical experiments, the illusion magnitude was measured as a function of the displacement of distractors (either single or double sets of dots) orthogonally to the main axis of the stimulus. It was demonstrated that with increasing displacement, the illusion smoothly decreases for a single set of distractors, while for two sets, the illusion first increases to a certain maximum value, and then gradually decreases...

In the present study, we tested the applicability of the computational model of the illusion of interrupted spatial extent (Bulatov, Marma, & Bulatova, Attention, Perception, & Psychophysics, 82, 2714-2727, 2020) to account for the psychophysical data collected with three-dot stimuli containing a cross-shaped contextual distractor. In different series of experiments, the illusion magnitude changes caused by the rotation of distractors with different values of the internal angle (45°, 75°, and 90°) were quantitatively determined...

In 2010, the American Heart Association defined a novel construct of cardiovascular health to promote a paradigm shift from a focus solely on disease treatment to one inclusive of positive health promotion and preservation across the life course in populations and individuals. Extensive subsequent evidence has provided insights into strengths and limitations of the original approach to defining and quantifying cardiovascular health. In response, the American Heart Association convened a writing group to recommend enhancements and updates...

BACKGROUND: In developing countries like Bangladesh, self-medication has become a predicament associated with health risks and clinical complications. To date, no studies have been conducted on the practice of self-medication among the indigenous population living in Chittagong Hill Tract (CHT). OBJECTIVES: This study was aimed to determine the prevalence of self-medication and analyzing the factors associated with it among the indigenous population in CHT. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted from late October to early December 2020; among different indigenous group populations residing in the three districts of CHT aged 18 or more...

According to Traditional Complementary and Alternative Medicine (TCAM), the universe as well as the human body, is grossly and subtly comprised of five elements. The five elements namely space, air, fire, water and earth. These are the prime factors for origin of life. Among the five elements, space is related with mind, air with body movements, fire with thermodynamics of the body, water with structural integrity of the body and earth with gross body. The Indian System of Medical science has contributed various insights into the understanding of human body using various philosophical, analytical, experimental and spiritual modalities...

BACKGROUND: Ideal "cardiovascular health" (CVH)-optimal diet, exercise, nonsmoking, BMI, BP, lipids, and glucose-is associated with healthy longevity in adults. Pediatric heart transplant (HT) patients may be at risk for suboptimal CVH. METHODS: Single-center retrospective study of HT patients 2003-2014 who survived 1 year post-transplant. Five CVH metrics were collected at listing, 1, 3 and 5 years post-transplant (diet and exercise were unavailable)...

BACKGROUND: The American Heart Association, in conjunction with the National Institutes of Health, annually reports the most up-to-date statistics related to heart disease, stroke, and cardiovascular risk factors, including core health behaviors (smoking, physical activity, diet, and weight) and health factors (cholesterol, blood pressure, and glucose control) that contribute to cardiovascular health. The Statistical Update presents the latest data on a range of major clinical heart and circulatory disease conditions (including stroke, congenital heart disease, rhythm disorders, subclinical atherosclerosis, coronary heart disease, heart failure, valvular disease, venous disease, and peripheral artery disease) and the associated outcomes (including quality of care, procedures, and economic costs)...

Emerging resistance to artemisinin drugs threatens the elimination of malaria. Resistance is widespread in South East Asia (SEA) and Myanmar. Neighboring Bangladesh, where 90% of infections occur in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHTs), lacks recent assessment. We undertook a prospective study in the sole district-level hospital in Bandarban, a CHT district with low population densities but 60% of reported malaria cases. Thirty patients presented with malaria in 2018. An increase to 68 patients in 2019 correlated with the district-level rise in malaria, rainfall, humidity, and temperature...

The present study investigated whether the asymmetry in magnitude between the wings-in and wings-out versions of the Müller-Lyer illusion can be explained by the manifestation of accompanying effects of the filled-space illusion. In psychophysical experiments, the three-dot stimuli were used, and in different series, a single set of the Müller-Lyer wings was attached to the left or to right terminating dot. To check whether the summation of illusory effects occurs, experiments with two sets of the wings forming the Judd figure were performed...

Marburg virus disease (MVD) caused by the Marburg virus (MARV) generally appears with flu-like symptoms and leads to severe hemorrhagic fever. It spreads via direct contact with infected individuals or animals. Despite being considered to be less threatening in terms of appearances and the number of infected patients, the high fatality rate of this pathogenic virus is a major concern. Until now, no vaccine has been developed to combat this deadly virus. Therefore, vaccination for this virus is necessary to reduce its mortality...

Background: The mental health status of indigenous people in Bangladesh has attracted little or no attention. The objective of the present study is to determine the extent of symptoms of anxiety and depression in the two largest indigenous communities in Bangladesh. Methods: In total, 240 participants were recruited, 120 from each of the Marma and Chakma communities with an overall mean age of 44.09 years (s.d. 15.73). Marma people were older (mean ages 48.92 v ...

Ancient Ayurvedic literature described 107 vital regions of the body and considered them as a seat of prana (life force) and collectively termed them as marma. The applied aspect of this concept, marma chikitsa or marma therapy, is gaining popularity as it is being practiced by many clinicians in which these marma are stimulated in different ways to treat different diseases. Hypertension is one of the major disorders affecting majority of the world population. Inspite of available antihypertensive therapies, the hypertensive population of not only the older age group, but also of that of young adults is increasing...

BACKGROUND: COVID-19, a respiratory tract infection caused by SARS-CoV-2, is a burning question worldwide as it gives rise to a pandemic situation. No specific medications are still recommended for COVID-19; however, healthcare support is crucial for ameliorating the disease condition. Pharmacists are the frontline fighters who are responsible for providing healthcare support to the COVID-19 infected patients around the world. This review endeavored to briefly rationalize the contributions of several pharmacy professionals in diverse fields along with their collaborative efforts and dedication regarding their limitations during the COVID-19 situation and view the prospects of pharmaceutical care services in the post-pandemic period...

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Ophiorrhiza rugosa var.prostratais a traditional medicinal plant used by the indigenous and local tribes (Chakma, Marma and Tanchangya) of Bangladesh for the management of chest pain, body ache, and earache. However, the knowledge of anti-nociceptive and anti-inflammatory potentials of this plant is scarce. AIM OF THE STUDY: Therefore, we scrutinized the anti-nociceptive and anti-inflammatory properties of O. rugosa leaves along with its possiblemechanism(s) of action using chemical and heat-induced pain models...