BackgroundChildhood obesity is a national as well as worldwide problem. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of overweight and obesity among Qatari children with lipid profile and waist circumference as adverse cardiovascular risk factors in children aged 6–11 years. International Obesity Task Force reference values were used to screen for overweight and obesity.MethodsA cross-sectional study in a randomly selected sample was conducted in 315 Qatari primary school students aged 6–11 years. Anthropometric measurements, including body weight, height, waist circumference, and body mass index were calculated for 151 girls and 164 boys. Weight categories were based on International Obesity Task Force reference values. Fasting blood glucose, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and triglycerides were measured, and atherogenic index was calculated.ResultsIn total, 31.71% of boys and 32.78% of girls were overweight or obese. Overweight and obese children screened against International Obesity Task Force reference values had a significantly increased risk of high waist circumference (P < 0.0001), hypertriglyceridemia (P = 0.002), low HDL-C (P = 0.017), and atherogenic index (P = 0.021) compared with children who were not overweight or obese. The partial correlation coefficient for the cardiovascular risk marker of waist circumference indicated a positive significant association with total cholesterol (r = 0.465, P = 0.003), triglycerides (r = 0.563, P < 0.001), and LDL-C (r = 0.267, P = 0.003), and a significant negative association with HDL-C (r = −0.361, P = 0.004). Overweight and obesity significantly increase the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence interval (CIs) of cardiovascular risk factors as follows: hypertriglyceridemia (OR 6.34, CI 2.49–13.44, P < 0.0001); LDL-C (OR 3.18, CI 1.04–9.75, P = 0.043); hypercholesterolemia (OR 1.88, CI 1.10–3.19, P = 0.020); and increased waist circumference (OR 1.40, CI 1.29–1.55, P = 0.022). Overweight and obesity significantly increased the risk of atherosclerosis (assessed by atherogenic index) by about two-fold (OR 1.83, 95% CI 1.06–3.15, P = 0.025).ConclusionOverweight and obese children screened by International Obesity Task Force reference values are at increased risk of cardiovascular disease in adulthood.

Background: Patients with Multiple-primary Malignancies are usually excluded from clinical trials. Clinical information re-distribution, associations, response to treatment and prognosis are scared. Collecting information will help us to expect the impact of prior therapies and to teach us how to best treat them. This study aims to report cases in our society and to see if we have a special predilection of certain Multiple-primary Malignancies in our region based on different geographic and environmental risk factors. Our retrospective study aims to collect these cases and follow their prognosis and treatment response as well as looking for any relation to cancer therapy. Methods: A retrospective study included patients who have two or more histologically diverse primary malignancy, either as synchronous or metachronous malignancy. The study was conducted in King Abdullah Medical City, Saudi Arabia over 7 years period from 2012 to 2019. We collected all patient’s clinicopathological information, treatment, and modalities. Results: We collected 53 cases of multiple primary malignancies 26were synchronous (48%) and 27 were metachronous (52%). Out of 53 patients, 29 (60 %) were females and 14 (40 %) were males. The most common sites for synchronous are breast and endometrial cancer. Curative treatment could be offered in 19 patients (73%). For metachronous tumours, the most common primary tumour was breast cancer, while the most common second malignancy was colorectal cancer. Curative treatment could be offered in 15 patients (53%). Conclusion: Multiple primary malignancies represent a small proportion of our cases, with no special predilection in our society. Multiple primary malignancies did not signify a poor prognosis; besides nonmetastatic cases showed a good response to therapy. We should not forget the possibility of a second primary tumour as these cases can be reasonably treated with curative intent. 

During the Iraq War, news of the Abu Ghraib prison abuse scandal and the beheading of American citizen Nick Berg disturbed Americans, as they were left trying to negotiate the meanings of these events, wondering what `we' (Americans) stand for versus what `they' (Iraqis) do. These events — and the news media's communication of them to the American public — created a situation we call `nationalistic ambiguity', where occurrences present a mixed message to the public mind about national identity and purpose. This article investigates how opinion columns and letters in US newspapers, which addressed these events, reconciled the paradox of America's mission to liberate a people with the Abu Ghraib prison abuse scandal and the beheading of Nick Berg.

Background There is evidence of a chronic inflammatory state in patients with chronic rheumatic valvular heart disease (RhD) as shown by high serum levels of high sensitivity C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin-6 (IL6). Despite the efficacy of long acting penicillin (LAP) in secondary prevention of rheumatic fever, its effect on this inflammatory state is still unknown Objective We sought to study the effect of (LAP) on the inflammatory markers, (CRP) and (IL-6), in patients with chronic rheumatic heart disease. Methods Eighty patients having (RhD) patients coming to our university hospitals outpatient clinic for rheumatic fever secondary prophylaxis by regular administration of (LAP) were enrolled in. the study. Patients were divided into to 3 groups: Group A; 70 patients with (RhD) already on prophylactic (LAP), Group B; 10 patients with (RhD) who have not yet started prophylactic (LAP), Group C; control group of 10 healthy individuals not known to have (RhD). Serum levels of (LAP), (IL6) and (CRP) were measured for the three groups. Results . Group A had significantly lower (IL6) levels than group B (25.22±33.50 vs. 126.1±33.76ng/ml, respectively, p<0.0001). (IL6) levels were significantly lower in control subjects compared to patients in group B (3.600±2.319, 25.22±33.50 ng/ml respectively, p<0.0001). However, IL6 levels in the control group were lower but non-significantly different compared to Group A . (CRP) level was lower in group A than group B (8419±4935 vs. 14400±3375mg/dl respectively, p=0.0002). (CRP) levels were significantly lower in control subjects compared to patients in group A and group B. (IL6) values were positively correlated with (CRP) values (r=0.6387, p<0.0001). (CRP) level negatively correlated with Long acting penicillin level (r=−0.5277, p<0.0001). (IL-6) level negatively correlated with (LAP) level (r=−0.4401, p<0.0001). There was a highly significant difference between (LAP) level in compliant and non-compliant patients (1.045±1.270 vs. 0.0785±0.1057ng/ml, respectively, p value <0.0001). There was also a highly significant difference between (CRP) level in compliant and non-compliant patients (7640±4558 vs. 13090±4717 mg/dl, respectively, p value 0.005).Moreover, there was a significant difference between (IL-6) levels in compliant and non-compliant patients (21.53±32.70 vs. 47.40±30.91 ng/ml, respectively, p value 0.03). Conclusion Serum (LAP) has a strong negative correlation with (IL-6) and (CRP) levels. Regular administration of (LAP) strongly ameliorates the inflammatory state seen in patients with (RhD).

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