First molecular epidemiological study of cutaneous leishmaniasis in libya.
Amro A, Gashout A, Al-Dwibe H, Zahangir Alam M, Annajar B, Hamarsheh O, Shubar H, Schönian G.
PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2012 Jun;6(6):e1700. Epub 2012 Jun 19.
Intervention effectiveness among war-affected children: A cluster randomized controlled trial on improving mental health.
Qouta SR, Palosaari E, Diab M, Punamäki RL.
J Trauma Stress. 2012 May 30. doi: 10.1002/jts.21707. [Epub ahead of print]
We examined the effectiveness of a psychosocial intervention in reducing mental health symptoms among war-affected children, and the role of peritraumatic dissociation in moderating the intervention impact on posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS). School classes were randomized into intervention (n = 242) and waitlist control (n = 240) conditions in Gaza, Palestine. The intervention group participated in 16 extracurriculum sessions of teaching recovery techniques (TRT) and the controls received normal school-provided support. Participants were 10- to 13-year-old Palestinian girls (49.4%) and boys (50.6%). Data on PTSS, depressive symptoms, and psychological distress were collected at baseline (T1), postintervention (T2), and 6-month follow-up (T3). Peritraumatic dissociation was assessed only at baseline. Regression analyses that took regression to the mean and cluster sampling into account were applied. The results on intervention effectiveness were specific to gender and peritraumatic dissociation. At T2, the intervention significantly reduced the proportion of clinical PTSS among boys, and both the symptom level (R(2) = .24), and proportion of clinical PTSS among girls who had a low level of peritraumatic dissociation. The results have implications for risk-specific tailoring of psychosocial interventions in war conditions.
Risk factors of cardiovascular disease among children with chronic kidney disease in Gaza strip.
Muhaisen RM, Sharif FA, Yassin MM.
J Cardiovasc Dis Res. 2012 Apr;3(2):91-8.
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is increasingly recognized as a global public health problem. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a major cause of mortality in patients with mild-to-moderate CKD and end-stage renal disease. There is accumulating evidence that the increase in CVD burden is present in CKD patients prior to dialysis, due both to conventional risk factors and kidney-specific disease. Detection and initiation of treatment for CVD risk factors at early stages of CKD should be effective in reducing CVD events before as well as after the onset of kidney failure.
The study sample consisted of a total of 112 subjects aged ≤12 years: 60 CKD patients and 52 healthy control individuals. All subjects were investigated for a group of CVD risk factors such as: Hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, physical inactivity, body mass index (BMI), family history of CVD, hypoalbuminemia, albuminuria, anemia, Ca x P product, and inflammation in terms of C-reactive protein (CRP).
Patients (40 males and 20 females) were categorized into four CKD stages (2, 3, 4, and 5) where, Stage 4 had the highest frequency, followed by Stages 3, 5 and 2. Evaluation of the patients indicated that they were shorter, had lower weight and had higher systolic and diastolic blood pressure as compared with control subjects. Frequency of physical inactivity among patients was two-fold higher than controls (50% vs. 25%). The patients showed significantly higher levels of cholesterol (163.6±39.8 vs. 141.8±24.2 mg/dL, P<0.0001), triglycerides (145.5±67.1 vs. 82.9±39.8 mg/dL, P<0.0001), low-density lipoprotein (92.6±31.9 vs. 72.5±19 mg/dL, P<0.0001) and albumin/creatinine ratio (1792±3183 vs. 11.1±6.6 mg/g, P<0.0001). Moreover, the patients had lower levels of high-density lipoprotein (41.9±11.0 vs. 52.7±11.7 mg/dL, P<0.0001), hemoglobin (9.8±1.4 vs. 11.9±0.8 g/dL, P<0.0001) and albumin (4.6±0.6 vs. 4.8±0.2 g/dL, P=0.012). The CRP showed higher occurrence among patients (40% were positive for CRP). Calcium and phosphorus evaluation showed significantly lower calcium and higher phosphorus among patients. However, the difference in Ca X P product was not statistically significant.
The study indicates that many of the CVD risk factors are associated with the different stages of CKD in children patients prior to dialysis, and that some of these factors are exacerbated as CKD progresses.
Zaid AN, Qaddomi A, Khammash S. Formulation and Comparative Bioavailability of 2 Ciprofloxacin Sustained Release Tablets. Arzneimittelforschung. 2012;
College of Pharmacy, An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine.
Hussein AS. High prevalence of three prothrombotic polymorphisms among Palestinians: factor V G1691A, factor II G20210A and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase C677T. J Thromb Thrombolysis. 2012;
Genetics Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine, ashussein@najah.edu.
Musmar SG, Qanadeelu S. Breastfeeding Patterns among Palestinian Infants in the First 6 Months in Nablus Refugee Camps: A Cross-Sectional Study. J Hum Lact. 2012;28(2):196-202.
1Faculty of Medicine/An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestinian Territory.
Abdeen Z, Jildeh C, Dkeideek S, Qasrawi R, Ghannam I, Al sabbah H. Overweight and Obesity among Palestinian Adults: Analyses of the Anthropometric Data from the First National Health and Nutrition Survey (1999-2000). J Obes. 2012;2012:213547.
Al-Quds Nutrition and Health Research Institute, Al-Quds University, Jerusalem 20760, Palestine.
Mwafy SN, Yassin MM. Antidiabetic activity evaluation of glimepiride and Nerium oleander extract on insulin, glucose levels and some liver enzymes activities in experimental diabetic rat model. Pak J Biol Sci. 2011;14(21):984-90.
Corresponding Author: Saleh N. Mwafy, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University of Gaza, P.O. Box 1277, Gaza Strip, Palestine.
Al-hussaini M, Bakri I, Swaidan M, Jumaily U, Abuirmeileh N. Cystic tumor in a 4 month old male. Brain Pathol. 2012;22(3):423-6.
Department of Pathology and laboratory Medicine Department of Radiology Department of Pediatrics, King Hussein Cancer Center, Amman, Jordan. Department of Pathology, Makassed Hospital, Jerusalem.
Sirdah M, Reading NS, Perkins SL, Shubair M, Aboud L, Prchal JT. Hemolysis and Mediterranean G6PD mutation (c.563 C>T) and c.1311 C>T polymorphism among Palestinians at Gaza Strip. Blood Cells Mol Dis. 2012;48(4):203-8.
Associated Regional and University Pathologists, Inc., ARUP Laboratories and University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Biology Department, Al Azhar University-Gaza,Palestine.
