Measurement of Impairment among Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder as Part of Evaluating Treatment Outcome

Objectives: This study assesses the impairment and treatment outcome of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in an outpatient child psychiatry clinic, using multiple sources, including the Children Global Assessment Scale (C-GAS). Methods: A total of 20 children, aged 4 to 16 years, were recruited serially in 2010 from the Child Psychiatric Unit of the Psychiatric Hospital, Manama, Bahrain. The children received a diagnosis of ADHD using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR). The children were assessed with the C-GAS by a blinded investigator, initially at the beginning of the treatment and then one year later. Results: The parents of the patients reported improvement in all cases; the improvement in impairment after one year, assessed using the C-GAS, was significant for all of the cases (P = 0.001) and low for those with comorbidity (P = 0.07). Conclusion: Measurement of improvement using the C-GAS was a suitable method of collecting data, and hence should be included in routine clinical practice for both ADHD diagnosis and outcome measurement

Alcohol: from Mesopotamia to Modern Iraq.

An understanding of alcohol's place in Iraq's history and society can help inform alcohol policy responses in that country and other Muslim majority countries. This article describes the history of alcohol in Iraq from ancient to modern times, with reflection on the challenges facing Iraqi youth today. A search was undertaken to identify peer-reviewed and gray literature that describes alcohol-related practices, norms, and values across the millennia in Iraq. A historical overview is provided of alcohol's use and context, with more detail on recent times. Alcohol was an important commodity in Iraq until the rise of Islam in the seventh century CE. Despite the subsequent Islamic restrictions on alcohol, alcohol remained present in Iraq's society and cultures. Recent studies provide varying descriptions of the prevalence of alcohol consumption, and there are challenges in researching this sensitive topic. External forces shaping alcohol use in Iraq include direct and indirect alcohol promotion, globalized media, and conflict and violence with its associated stress and trauma. Alcohol research and policy development in Iraq must consider the country's unique cultural, religious, historical, and political context. Iraq's youth may be subject to pressures to increase consumption, and thus policies must be informed by an understanding of the complex set of current perspectives and pressures

Molecular epidemiology of Rotavirus in children with gastroenteritis in Qatar

Acute gastroenteritis remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality of young children worldwide. The vast majority of diarrhea cases in developing and developed countries are attributable to the viruses and to a lesser extent to bacteria, fungi and toxins. Rotavirus (RV) is recognized as the most important etiological agent leading to acute gastroenteritis globally. In order to determine the burden and characteristics of RV infections in children in Qatar, profiling of circulating genotypes and their correlation with demographics and clinical manifestations were evaluated

PSYCHOMETRIC CHARACTERISTICS OF THE RYFF’S PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING SCALE (PWB-42) OF A SAMPLE OF KUWAITISالخصائص السيكومترية لمقياس رايف للهناء النفسىي (PWB-42) لدى عينة من الكويتيين

تهدف الدراسة الحالية إلى إعداد صورة عربية لمقياس الهناء النفسي (Ryff’s Psychological Well-Being Scale (PWB-42 (Ryff,1989) يتكون من (42) بندًا× 6 اختيارات، بواقع (7) بند لكل مقياس فرعي، وتمثل العبارات في المقياس مكونات الهناء النفسى الستة التي اقترحتها رايف (الاستقلالية، والتمكين البيئي، والنمو الشخصي، و العلاقات الإيجابية مع الآخرين ، والحياة الهادفة ، وتقبل الذات ). استخدمت في هذه الدراسة عينتين مستقلتين من طلاب جامعة الكويت إجمالي قوامها (1643) فردا بواقع (762) من الذكور و (881) من الإناث، وذلك لحساب الثبات والصدق ولفحص الفروق بين الجنسين . تم تطبيق مقياس الهناء النفسي PWB-42، و قائمة أوكسفورد للسعادة (OHI)، ومقياس الرضا عن الحياة (SWLS)، واختبار التوجه نحو الحياة المعدل (LOT-R ) ، ومقياس الأمل للراشدين (AHS) ، وقائمة بيك الثانية للاكتئاب (BDI-II) . وقد أسفرت نتائج الدراسة عن تباين معاملات الثبات للمقاييس الفرعية الستة المكونة لمقياس الهناء النفسي PWB-42 بين 0.70 و0.78 بمتوسط للدرجة الكلية علي المقياس 0.74. كما اسفرت نتائج الصدق العاملي الاستكشافي عن استخلاص ستة عوامل مكونة لمقياس الهناء النفسي. كما كشفت النتائج عن ارتباطات جوهرية موجبة بين الهناء النفسي وكل من والسعادة، والرضا عن الحياة، والتفاؤل، والأمل في حين ارتبط الهناء النفسي بارتباط جوهري سالب مع الإكتئاب. وأخيرا كشفت النتائج عن عدم وجود فروق جوهرية بين الجنسين في الهناء النفسي

Expected Future Precipitation in Central Iraq Using LARS-WG Stochastic Weather Generator

The Middle East (ME) is characterized by its water shortage problem. This region with its arid climate is expected to be the most vulnerable in the world to the potential impacts of climate change. Iraq (located in ME) is seriously experiencing water shortage problem. To overcome this problem rain water harvesting can be used. In this study the applicability of the long-term weather generator model in downscaling daily precipitation Central Iraq is used to project future changes of precipitation based on scenario of seven General Circulation Models (GCMs) outputs for the periods of 2011-2030, 2046-2065, and 2080-2099. The results indicated that December-February and September-November periods, based on the ensemble mean of seven GCMs, showed an increasing trend in the periods considered; however, a decreasing trend can be found in March, April, and May in the future

Future Prospects for Macro Rainwater Harvesting (RWH) Technique in North East Iraq

Countries in Middle East and North Africa (MENA region) are considered arid and semi-arid areas that are suffering from water scarcity. They are expected to have more water shortages problem due to climatic change. Iraq is located in the Middle East covering an area of 433,970 square kilometers populated by 31 million inhabitants. One of the solutions suggested to overcome water scarcity is Rain Water Harvesting (RWH). In this study Macro rain-water harvesting technique had been tested for future rainfall data that were predicted by two emission scenarios of climatic change (A2 and B2) for the period 2020-2099 at Sulaimaniyah Governorate north east of Iraq. Future volumes of total runoff that might be harvested for different conditions of maximum, average, and minimum future rainfall seasons under both scenarios (A2 and B2) were calculated. The results indicate that the volumes of average harvested runoff will be reduced when average rainfall seasons are considered due to the effect of climatic change on future rainfall. The reduction reached 10.82 % and 43.0% when scenarios A2 and B2 are considered respectively

Risk Indicators for Tooth Loss Due to Periodontal Disease

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/142117/1/jper1910.pd

Skin eruptions following treatment with Iodine-131 for hyperthyroidism. A rare and un-reported early/intermediate side effect

BACKGROUND: Iodine-131 (131I) is a well-established method for the treatment of hyperthyroidism. Following such therapy, patients may experience symptoms relating to early or delayed side effects that can be prevented or minimized if necessary measures are taken. We have noticed an unusual side effect of 131I therapy in the form of a skin eruption (iododerma) and aimed at assessing the frequency and severity of this side effect. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Retrospective review of 141 patients treated with 131I between January 1994 to December 2000 (86 F, 55 M; mean age 41.35 ± 11.02 years) was performed. The dose of 131I ranged from 250-500 MBq. Post therapy clinical and biochemical evaluation of thyroid function was done at 6 weeks, 3, 6, and 9 months then annually. RESULTS: Of the 141 treated patients, 3 patients (2.1%) presented with iododerma 4-6 weeks after 131I therapy administration. Lesions were observed at both ankles & lower legs in all 3 cases. All lesions disappeared within 6 months with no residual effect. No other skin lesions were seen thereafter during the follow-up period. CONCLUSION: Iododerma is a rare complication of 131I therapy that has not been reported before. It appears within 4-6 weeks after therapy and is a self-limiting condition