Background: Bangladesh has a neonatal death rate that is substantially high and demands urgent attention. Objective: This retrospective study was performed to determine the incidence of bacterial neonatal sepsis condition in the Chittagong area of Bangladesh with focus on various demographic characteristics of neonates, causative organisms and their antibiotic susceptibility. Methodology: Blood culture was performed on all neonates with risk factors or signs of suggestive sepsis. Blood samples were cultured using tryptone soya broth (TSB-blood broth) according to standard method. Results: From the 1400 neonates 104 had positive blood culture for neonatal sepsis infection. Among the infected children 40 (38.46%) were born in the hospital and 64 (61.54%) were born at home. The EONS (Early Onset Neonatal Sepsis) accounted for 68 (65.38%) and LONS (Late Onset Neonatal Sepsis) accounted for 36 (34.62%). Among the isolated organism Klebsiella pneumoniae accounted for 79 (75.96%), Serratia marcescens 19 (18.27%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa 04 (3.85%) and Staphylococcus aureus accounted for 02 (1.92%). Among the isolated species 102 were attributed to G (-ve) bacteria and 02 were attributed to G (+ve) bacteria. Most of the G (-ve) bacteria showed resistance to commonly used antibiotics such as ampicillin, ceftriaxon and gentamicin. In this study all isolates showed sensitivity to the imipenem. Conclusion: Collection of up-to-date data is mandatory for appropriate use of antibiotics.

Aims:The present study was aimed to investigate the effects of Emblica officinalis against fluoride-induced alterations in the behavioral and biochemical abnormalities in rats.Design:The healthy adult albino rats of Wistar strain (Rattus norvegicus) weighed 200–250 g were used for experiments. The animals were divided into three groups. Group I, control rats received only drinking water (F 0.9 ppm). Group II rats were exposed to fluoride (10 ppm) water for 60 days. Group III rats were treated with E. officinalis (100 mg/day/rat) along with fluoride water for 60 days. In order to investigate the effects of elevated levels of fluoride (10 ppm) in drinking water on behavioral pattern of rat, a maze test was carried out in all three groups from day 1 till completion of treatment.Materials and Methods:The animals were weighed before and after treatment. After respective treatment, the animals were autopsied. The blood was collected through cardiac puncture and brain was excised blotted free of blood weighed and used for biochemical parameters. The estimation of protein, enzyme activity of cholinesterase (ChE), and lipid peroxidation were carried out in brain using standard techniques.Results:The tissue (brain) and serum fluoride was estimated by a fluoride-specific electrode (Orion). Learning and memory abilities assessed during maze test showed reduced memory retention in rats exposed to fluoride water in comparison to control whereas amla powder (E. officinalis) fed rats showed increased memory retention than fluoride water exposed rats. The protein content and ChE enzyme activity in brain of fluoride exposed rats diminished as compared to control whereas the same was found to be elevated in E. officinalis fed rats. The level of malanoaldehyde showed a significant increase in fluoride-treated group and decrease in E. officinalis treated group.Conclusions:Our results suggest that exposure of rats to Na-F has detrimental effects on the brain as reflected in diminished learning and memory. Administration of E. officinalis during fluoride exposure significantly overcome neuronal fluoride toxicity and, therefore, may be used as a therapeutic agent for fluorotic victims.

Circadian periodicity of plasma lipid peroxides and serum ascorbic acid and uric acid levels were studied in one hundred renal stone formers (55 women and 45 men; age 20-60 years) and 50 clinically healthy volunteers (21 women and 29 men; age 21-45 years) with diurnal activity from 06:00 to 22:00 and nocturnal rest. A marked circadian variation was demonstrated by population-mean-cosinor for all studied variables in stone formers and healthy subjects. By comparison to the healthy controls, parameter tests indicate that the stone formers had a higher MESOR (±SE) of MDA (2.90 ± 0.03 vs. 2.28 ± 0.06; F = 94.929, < 0.001), a lower MESOR of serum ascorbic acid (0.722 ± 0.010 vs. 0.839 ± 0.10; F = 32.083, < 0.001), and a similar MESOR of serum uric acid. Furthermore, the patients also differed from the healthy subjects in terms of their circadian amplitude and acrophase (tested jointly) of all three variables ( < 0.001). The demonstration herein of a circadian rhythm in MDA, serum ascorbic and uric acid suggests that these variables could also serve as markers to optimize the timing of treatment and to assess the patient's response to treatment for further management.

The chronome of lipid peroxidation and antioxidant defense mechanisms may relate to the efficacy and management of time qualified preventive therapeutic and dietary interventions. One hundred renal stone patients, 20-60 years of age, and 50 clinically healthy volunteers, 21-45 years, were synchronized for 1 week with diurnal activity from 06:00 to 22:00 and nocturnal rest. All subjects took their usual meals three times daily (breakfast around 08:30, lunch around 13:00, and dinner around 20:30) with usual fluid intake. Drugs known to affect free radical system were not taken. Blood samples were collected at 6-h intervals for 24-h under standardized, presumably 24-h synchronized conditions. Determinations included plasma lipid peroxides, in terms of malondialdehyde (MDA) and blood superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione reductase (GR) and catalase (CAT) activities. A marked circadian variation was demonstrated for each studied variable by populationmean cosinor in renal stone patients and healthy participants (p \ 0.001). By comparison to healthy subjects, parameter tests indicate that the stone formers had a higher MESOR of MDA, but a lower MESOR of SOD, GPx, GR and CAT. Furthermore, the patients also differed from the healthy controls in terms of their circadian amplitude and acrophase (tested jointly) of all variables (p \ 0.001). Mapping the broader time structure with multifrequency circadian characteristics of oxidants and anti-oxidants is needed for exploring their role as marker in the treatment and management of urolithiasis.