Psychotheraputic Dimensions of an Islamic-Sufi-Based Rehabilitation Center: A Case Study.

Due to limited professional mental health facilities in Indonesia, traditional and faith-based mental health care is essential to provide an alternative treatment. This study explored the therapeutic aspects of treatment at Pesantren Tetirah Dhikr (PTD), an Islamic-Sufi-based rehabilitation center for people with mental illness and drug addiction in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. We employed a case-study method to understand the process of therapy and the theoretical ideas behind the practice. We conducted interviews with the Kyai (head of PTD), his assistants, and sixteen patients (called santri). The results of a thematic analysis revealed that the practice of dhikr was the essential therapeutic component for improving the participants' mental health. From an Islamic psychological perspective, the process of therapy at PTD was comparable with the process of purification of the soul in Sufism. This process comprised three stages: takhalli (purifying the soul from reprehensible attributes), tahalli (adorning the soul with noble and praiseworthy attributes), and tajalli (attaining of a pure soul). From a transpersonal psychology perspective, the effect of dhikr was comparable with the therapeutic benefits of meditation practice and other psychotherapy.

Effect of route of inoculation on replication of avian influenza virus (H9N2) and interferon gene expression in guinea fowl (Numida meleagridis).

The study was designed to investigate the replication of a re-assortant H9N2 avian influenza virus (AIV) and induction of the interferon (IFNγ) response after aerosol or intranasal inoculation with the virus in guinea fowl. To determine virus shedding pattern, oropharyngeal and cloacal swabs and tissue specimens of trachea, lungs, spleen and caecal tonsils were collected post-inoculation (pi). Infected guinea fowl showed mild clinical signs, while negative control guinea fowl remained healthy and active throughout the experiment irrespective of the inoculation route. However, the clinical signs were more prominent in guinea fowl infected through the aerosol route. Virus was detected in all oropharyngeal and cloacal swabs up to 7 d pi in guinea fowl from both inoculation groups. However, virus was detected more frequently and in higher titres in oropharyngeal swabs and specimens of trachea and lungs from the group exposed to aerosols than in the group given intranasal drops. In accordance with viral replication findings, expression of IFNγ was up-regulated on 1, 2 and 4 d pi to a significantly higher level in lung tissue specimens from the group exposed to virus aerosol than from controls treated with PBS intranasally. On the other hand, IFNγ was up-regulated above that of controls in lung tissue specimens from the group treated with intranasal drops of virus only on 4 d pi. These findings indicate that virus administered in aerosols was more efficient in infecting the lower respiratory tract and in inducing activity of the IFNγ gene than virus administered as intranasal drops. The results of this study suggest that virus aerosols cause more intense respiratory infection and increase the shedding of the H9N2 AIV in guinea fowl, highlighting the potential role of guinea fowl as a mixing bowl for transmission and maintenance of H9N2 AIV between poultry premises.

A laryngeal presentation of Churg-Strauss syndrome in childhood.

A 10- year-old female, known to have bronchial asthma, presented with an unusual laryngeal lesion, eventually diagnosed as Churg-Strauss syndrome (CSS). She was referred to our hospital with history of recurrent stridor. On endoscopyhe, the larynx showed signs similar to recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP). CSS is a systemic disorder and is now defined as one of the ANCA ( antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies)-associated vasculitides. CSS is a systemic disease that may involve unusual sites like the larynx. Such an unusual presentation of CSS should be kept in mind, especially in patients with history of asthma.

Relation between insulin secretory capacity and microangiopathy in young diabetic patients in Bangladesh.

The pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy is still unclear. The relative role of duration of diabetes, glycemic and insulinemic status in the etiopathogenesis of retinopathy is to be clearly understood. Hypertension, hyperlipidemia, pregnancy and age at diagnosis have been thought to be factors associated with diabetic retinopathy. Taking advantage of the availability of a group of young lean, normotensive and generally normolipidemic subjects in Bangladeshi population, the present study was undertaken to investigate the relationship between insulin secretory capacity and microvascular damage in the pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy. A total number of 91 diabetic subjects, diabetes diagnosed before the age of 30 years, were recruited form the out-patient Department, BIRDEM Hospital. Diabetic subjects recruited were new- to previously diagnosed cases with duration of diabetes around 8 years. Insulin secretory capacity was assessed by C-peptide and C-peptide was estimated by ELISA method. Urinary albumin was measured by Immunoturbidetric methods. The subjects were grouped on the basis of duration of diabetes and presence (DR) and absence (NDR) of diabetic retinopathy. Subjects were also divided on the basis of albumin-creatinine ratio (ACR) level. ACR level was observed sharply increased with the duration of diabetes and showed a peak after 8 years. In the ACR positive cases 95.25% of diabetic patient had retinopathy. Both retinopathic and ACR positive subjects had low insulin secretory capacity as evident by absolute C-peptide level and C-peptide glucose ratio. Retinopathy was found increased with generalized vasculopathy. Both microvasculopathy and retinopathy seemed to occur at around 8 years. Insulin secretory capacity in particular seemed to have predominant determinant effect in the etiopathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy.

Glomus fasciculatum alleviates transplantation shock of micropropagated Sesbania sesban.

Investigations were carried out using the vesicular arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus, Glomus fasciculatum, to improve the success in transplanting micropropagated plantlets of Sesbania sesban. Plantlets were developed from somatic embryos and/or adventitious buds (induced from various explants on Gamborg's medium supplemented with 6-benzylaminopurine), in the presence of 10-7 M α-naphthaleneacetic acid and 5×10-6 M gibberellic acid. Subsequent to nodulating the roots with Rhizobium, plantlets were transplanted into sterile garden soil and inoculated with or without G. fasciculatum. Only 30% of plantlets transferred to soil without G. fasciculatum survived. In contrast, all the plantlets inoculated with G. fasciculatum survived. Histochemical study revealed the presence of intracellular hyphae with well-developed arbuscules and intercellular hyphae with vesicles, suggesting that G. fasciculatum formed a good mycorrhizal association with S. sesban roots. These observations showed that mycorrhizal association helped to increase the potential of micropropagated plantlets to successfully withstand transplantation shock.

Role of free to total prostate specific antigen ratio in serum in the diagnosis of prostatic enlargement.

This study was aimed to demonstrate the significance of free/total Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) ratio in the diagnosis of prostatic enlargement. The study was carried out in a total number of 100 subjects, of which 58 had benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), 42 had carcinoma prostate and 50 were age matched control. The subjects were collected from Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU). Venous blood (5ml) was drawn from each subject before digital rectal examination or pre-urethral manipulation for estimation of PSA. Final diagnosis was made by histopathological examination, specimen being obtained by transurethral resection of prostate (TURP), open prostatectomy and per rectal tru-cut biopsy with biopsy gun. The study showed a highly significant difference of serum PSA and free/total PSA ratio in differentiating BPH from carcinoma prostate. Free/total PSA ratio was highly significant in differentiating between BPH and carcinoma prostate (p<0.001) and carcinoma prostate and control (p<0.001). In the marginally elevated PSA, free/total PSA ratio reduced biopsy by 81-85% in BPH and carcinoma prostate respectively. The overall specificity, positive predictive value and efficiency of free/total PSA was much higher than that of total PSA in differentiating BPH from carcinoma prostate.

Trimethoxypsoralen in vitiligo.

The treatment of vitiligo has been unsatisfactory. Introduction of systemic furocoumarins to treatment regimens has given very promising results. Trimethylpsoralen has been found to be more potent than 8-methoxypsoralen. In cases studied, ultraviolet irradiation of affected sites following topical application of trimethylpsoralen was found to hasten the process of repigmentation. Simultaneous treatment of underlying disease produced a quicker response followed by sustained relief.