Background: The academic activities of the 1st and 2nd year MBBS students are running according to the new curriculum (Curriculum 2002). Curriculum is a series of planned activities to which the learner may be exposed in order to achieve the learning goals. But due to ongoing modifications of society, disease demography, medical science, concepts of teaching and availability of newer technique; curriculum may need to be changed. Assessment is the process of testing a student's ability. A good assessment should be valid, reliable, practicable and objective. Without assessment the purpose of effective teaching will not fulfill. To change curricula, examination system or assessment system also needs to be changed. Though evaluation of students is an integral part of all educational processes, a suitable evaluation procedure is said to be lacking. So opinions of teachers as well as students are immensely important to develop an ideal evaluation procedure. Methodology: This cross-sectional prospective study was done in Dhaka Medical college over a period of 1 months.2nd year MBBS students( 100) and teachers of Physiology, Anatomy and Biochemistry (22) gave their opinion in this study in a mixed pattern of questionnaire ( both open-ended and closed) . Results: Majority of students( 84%) but minority of teachers opined that there was need of card completion examination as in course assessment system .Other teachers and students suggested for alternate examination instead of card completion examination like only MCQ (18%), both MCQ and SAQ (82%). Choice of venue of the examination were - tutorial class (58%), lecture class (21%), practical and tutorial class (21%). Discussion: Though present MBBS curriculum is a problem oriented scientific curriculum with modern concepts like MCQ, OSPE, SAQ and SOE; the teachers are facing a lot of problems in implementing the curriculum due to lack of orientation and shortage of manpower. Conclusion: In spite of criticisms Curriculum 2002 is a positive change in an academic field. In order to improve and update the curriculum; its planning should be constantly reviewed.   DOI = 10.3329/jom.v8i2.1404 J MEDICINE 2007; 8 : 39-43

In the present study peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) were estimated in pregnant women during different trimester to observe the alteration in air flow rate during pregnancy. This study was carried out in the department of Physiology of Dhaka Medical College from July 2004 to June 2005. For this purpose, total 100 women with age ranged from 25 years to 35 years without any recent history of respiratory diseases were selected and divided into 25 healthy non-pregnant women as control and 75 normal pregnant women as study group. Study group was further divided into 25 in first trimesters, 25 in second trimester and 25 in third trimesters of pregnancy. All the subjects belonged to lower socioeconomic class. The PEFR was estimated by using an automatic spirometer. The measured values and percentage of predicted values of PEFR were estimated during the 1st, 2nd, 3rd trimesters of pregnant women and non-pregnant women. Statistical analysis of data were done by un paired student's "t" test.The PEFR was significantly lower in both 2nd and 3rd trimester pregnant women than that of nonpregnant women. Again the PEFR was significantly lower in 3rd trimester than that of 1st trimester of pregnant women. There were no statistically significant difference of PEFR between the non-pregnant and 1st trimester; between the 1st trimester and 2nd trimeste ; and between the 2nd trimester and 3rd trimester of pregnant women.It may be concluded that PEFR were progressively decreased throughout the pregnancy, most likely due to mechanical effects of progressively increased size of uterus that progressively decreases lung volumes and capacities.

Objectives: A cross sectional comparative study was performed to evaluate the changes of the serum lipid profile in apparently healthy adolescent male non smokers and smokers’ subjects. Method: This study was carried out in the department of Physiology of Dhaka Medical College from January to December 2005. For this purpose, total 80 subjects with age range 12-19 years were selected, of whom 20 were non smokers (control) and 60 were smokers (experimental) who smoked for at least one year. Again smokers were grouped according to the number of cigarettes smoked per week, ( mild < 19, moderate 20-59, heavy >60). Fasting serum Triglyceride and total Cholesterol levels of all subjects were measured. Data were compared between smokers and non smokers and between non smoker and mild moderate and heavy smokers and analyzed statistically by unpaired t test. Result: Mean ±SD Triglyceride levels were136.80mg/dl ± 42.18 vs. 153.12mg/dl ± 26.66 and Mean ±SD Total Cholesterol levels were 165.20mg/dl ± 15.13 vs165.36mg/dl ± 10.12 in non smokers and smokers respectively. there were no significant changes in the mean serum total cholesterol levels in adolescent smokers but the mean serum triglyceride level in smokers were significantly higher (p<0.01 )than that of non smokers. hyper Triglyceridemia (TG level> 150mg/dl) were observed in 56% of smoker subjects whereas 36% in non smokers. The dose response effect of smoking was observed in serum triglyceride levels of smoker subgroups. Mean ±SD TG levels in mild, moderate, heavy groups were 148.15mg/dl± 21.32,152.8mg/dl± 29.49,154.12mg/dl± 23.75 respectively. Conclusion: From the result of the present study it may be concluded that, cigarette smoking during adolescent period induces alteration in serum lipid levels in the direction of increased risk for coronary artery disease. J Bangladesh Soc Physiol. 2006 Dec;(1):14-18

Objective: Percentage saturation of hemoglobin with oxygen in arterial blood (SaO2) was studied in pregnant women to evaluate the lung function status in pregnancy. Methods: This study was conducted in the department of physiology in Dhaka medical college during July 2004 to June 2005. For this purpose total 32 women with age ranged 25-35 years without any recent history of respiratory diseases were selected from Dhaka city. Eight (8) age matched apparently healthy women was taken as control and Twenty four (24) normal pregnant women without any complication were included in experimental group. All pregnant subjects were studied during first, second and third trimester. SaO2 was determined by “Easy Blood Gas Auto Analyzer”. SaO2 during different trimesters were compared with that of non pregnant and also among the trimesters. Statistical analysis was done by students unpaired ‘t’ test. Result: Mean ±SD SaO2 during first trimester (97.73%±0.92), second trimester (98.05%±0.54) and third trimester (98.40%±0.30) were progressively increasing and were significantly higher (p<0.05, p<0.001, p<0.001) than that of non pregnant women (96.71±0.63). But no statistically significant differences were observed among the trimesteric values. The present result indicates increased lung function in pregnant women associated with progressively increased oxygen saturation with trimester. Higher progesterone level is related to increased ventilation which is more marked in luteal phase of menstrual cycle. In pregnant women gradually rising progesterone level reaches its peak at the later part of pregnancy. Conclusion: Therefore it may be concluded from the present study that progressively increased SaO2 might be related to hyperventilation induced by high progesterone level. Key words: Pregnant women, trimester, progesterone J Bangladesh Soc Physiol. 2006 Dec;(1):10-13.

In the present study the partial pressure of oxygen (PaO 2 ), carbon dioxide (PaCO 2 ) and bicarbonate ion (HCO3