Pengetahuan Dan Pemanfaatan Metode Pengobatan Tradisional Pada Masyarakat Desa Suka Nalu Kecamatan Barus Jahe

Pengetahuan mengenai sakit dan penyakit dalam masyarakat dipengaruhi oleh nilai-nilai tradisional dan pengaruh perkembangan ilmu medis modern. Sakit disebut dalam dua kategori yaitu bangger dan sakit, bangger yaitu dimana penderitanya dalam kondisi tubuh mengalami disfungsi namun masih sanggup melakukan aktivitas, sedangkan sakit diartikan sebagai kondisi manusia yang mengalami disfungsi bagian tubuh tertentu namun penderitanya tidak mampu melakukan aktivitasnya dalam arti lain penderitanya membutuhkan bantuan orang lain dalam penyembuhannya. Konsep sakit dan penyakit juga banyak diketahui dari perkembangan ilmu kedokteran. Penyakit dalam masyarakat Suka Nalu terbagi ke dalam dua kategori berdasarkan penyebabnya yaitu penyakit naturalistik dan personalistik. Penyakit naturalistik yakni penyakit yang terjadi secara alami seperti Perubahan cuaca, gigitan serangga, kecelakaan dan faktor alami lainnya. Sedangkan penyakit personalistik yaitu penyakit yang disebabkan oleh agen tertentu seperti masuknya roh tertentu, kutukan ataupun karena perbuatan orang lain (aji)

Microbiota signatures in type-2 diabetic patients with chronic kidney disease - A Pilot Study

The human microbiota is paramount for normal host physiology. Altered host-microbiome interactions are part of the pathogenesis of numerous common ailments. Currently, much emphasis is placed on the involvement of the microbiome in the pathogenesis of type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), impaired glucose tolerance, and other metabolic disorders (i.e. obesity). Several studies found highly significant correlations of specific intestinal bacteria with T2DM. A better understanding of the role of the microbiome in diabetes and its complications might provide new insights in the development of new therapeutic principles. Our pilot study investigates the microbiota patterns in Romanian type-2 diabetic patients with diabetic kidney disease. Fecal samples were collected from type 2-diabetic patients and healthy controls and further used for bacterial DNA isolation. Using 16 rDNA qRT-PCR, we analyzed phyla abundance (Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes) as well as the relative abundance of specific bacterial groups (Lactobacillus sp., Enterobacteriaceae, Ruminococus sp., Prevotella sp., Faecalibacterium sp., Clostridium coccoides, Clostridium leptum). Our study also investigates the diabetic fungal microbiome for the first time. Furthermore, we report significant correlations between the treatment regimen and microbiota composition in diabetic nephropathy

Cardiotoxicity of mitoxantrone treatment in a german cohort of 639 multiple sclerosis patients

Background and Purpose: The aim of this study was to elucidate the role of therapy-related cardiotoxicity in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients treated with mitoxantrone and to identify potential predictors for individual risk assessment. Methods: Within a multicenter retrospective cohort design, cardiac side effects attributed to mitoxantrone were analyzed in 639 MS patients at 2 MS centers in Germany. Demographic, disease, treatment, and follow-up data were collected from hospital records. Patients regularly received cardiac monitoring during the treatment phase. Results: None of the patients developed symptomatic congestive heart failure. However, the frequency of patients experiencing cardiac dysfunction of milder forms after mitoxantrone therapy was 4.1% (26 patients) among all patients. Analyses of the risk for cardiotoxicity revealed that cumulative dose exposure was the only statistically relevant risk factor associated with cardiac dysfunction. Conclusions: The number of patients developing subclinical cardiac dysfunction below the maximum recommended cumulative dose is higher than was initially assumed. Interestingly, a subgroup of patients was identified who experienced cardiac dysfunction shortly after initiation of mitoxantrone and who received a low cumulative dose. Therefore, each administration of mitoxantrone should include monitoring of cardiac function to enhance the treatment safety for patients and to allow for early detection of any side effects, especially in potential high-risk subgroups (as determined genetically)

The Role of Fructose as a Cardiovascular Risk Factor: An Update

There is increasing presence of fructose in food and drinks, and some evidence suggests that its higher consumption increases cardiovascular risk, although the mechanisms still remain not fully elucidated. Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are still responsible for one-third of deaths worldwide, and therefore, their prevention should be assessed and managed comprehensively and not by the evaluation of individual risk factor components. Lifestyle risk factors for CVD include low degree of physical activity, high body mass index, alcohol consumption, smoking, and nutritional factors. Indeed, nutritional risk factors for CVD include unhealthy dietary behaviors, such as high intake of refined foods, unhealthy fats, added sugars, and sodium and a low intake of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fiber, fish, and nuts. Even though there is no definitive association between CVD incidence and high consumption of total sugar, such as sucrose and fructose, there is, however, evidence that total sugars, added sugars, and fructose are harmfully associated with CVD mortality. Since high fructose intake is associated with elevated plasma triglyceride levels, as well as insulin resistance, diabetes hyperuricemia, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, further longitudinal studies should be conducted to fully elucidate the potential association between certain sugars and CVD

High prevalence of secondary resistance mutations in Venezuelan HIV-1 isolates.

The genetic variability was studied in HIV-1 from Venezuelan patients with and without treatment, in order to evaluate the presence of polymorphisms and drug resistance mutations. Proviral DNA from peripheral blood mononuclear cells or viral RNA from plasma was extracted from the blood of 30 patients. Two regions from the polymerase gene, protease (Pr) and reverse transcriptase (RT) and one genomic fragment from the envelope (Env) gene were amplified and sequenced. All HIV-1 samples analyzed were classified as subtype B, without evidence of recombination. Although no primary protease mutations were detected, a high frequency of secondary mutations (86%, 19/22), associated to restoration of viral replicative fitness, was observed in strains circulating both in treated and non-treated patients. Resistance mutations to nucleoside RT inhibitors (NRTI) and non-nucleoside RT inhibitors (NNRTI) were detected in 35% (6/17) and 12% (2/17) of the viruses circulating in treated patients, respectively. Resistance mutations were also present in the virus infecting one antiretroviral naive individual (7.7%), suggesting that local screening for resistant mutation in naive patient might be important to minimize therapy failure. Future studies are warranted to assess the role of secondary mutation in the success of viral infection

Isolation of filter passing bacteria from a range of dental clinic surfaces

Filter passing bacteria have been isolated from a variety of natural environments, appearing as a mixture of Gram-positive and Gram-negative, as well as nano-forms and wall-free species. In this study, filter passing bacteria were isolated from surfaces located in various dental departments at the College of Dentistry, King Saud University Hospital. Surface samples were obtained by using Q-tip swabs, with ten different surfaces being sampled in each clinic during pre-patient and post-patient visits. Filterable bacteria (using 0.4 and 0.2 micron filters, but not 0.1 micron filter) were isolated, being mainly Gram-positive cocci. Isolation results of filterable bacteria were compared before and after patient treatment in the clinic. More frequently, filter passing bacteria were isolated on clinic surfaces after patient treatment. The results show that dental settings are contaminated with filterable bacteria which may act as a reservoir for the wider contamination of hospital environments

Unilateral anterior uveitis complicating zoledronic acid therapy in breast cancer

BACKGROUND: Zoledronic acid is very widely used in patients with metastatic bone disease and osteoporosis. Only one case of bilateral uveitis was recently reported related to its use. CASE PRESENTATION: We report the first case of severe unilateral anterior uveitis in a patient with breast cancer and an intraocular lens. Following zoledronic acid infusion, the patient developed severe and dramatic right eye pain with decreased visual acuity within 24 hours and was found to have a fibrinous anterior uveitis of moderate severity The patient was treated with topical prednisone and atropine eyedrops and recovered slowly over several months. CONCLUSION: Internists, oncologists, endocrinologists, and ophtalmologists should be aware of uveitis as a possible complication of zoledronic acid therapy. Patients should be instructed to report immediately to their physicians and treatment with topical prednisone and atropine eyedrops should be instituted immediately at the onset of symptoms. This report documents anterior uveitis as a complication of zoledronic acid therapy. This reaction could be an idiosyncratic one but further research may shed more light on the etiology