Prevalence and sociodemographic correlates of stunting, underweight, and overweight among Palestinian school adolescents (13-15 years) in two major governorates in the West Bank

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>There is little information about height and weight status of Palestinian adolescents. The objective of this paper was to assess the prevalence of stunting, underweight, and overweight/obesity among Palestinian school adolescents (13-15 years) and associated sociodemographic factors in 2 major governorates in the West Bank.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A Cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2005 comprising 1942 students in 65 schools in Ramallah and Hebron governorates. Data was collected through self-administered questionnaires from students and parents. Weights and heights were measured. Overweight and obesity were assessed using the 2000 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reference and the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) criteria. Stunting and underweight were assessed using the 2000 CDC reference.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Overweight/obesity was more prevalent in Ramallah than in Hebron and affected more girls than boys. Using the 2000 CDC reference, the prevalence of overweight and obesity in Ramallah among boys was 9.6% and 8.2%, respectively versus 15.6% and 6.0% among girls (P < 0.01). In Hebron, the corresponding figures were 8.5% and 4.9% for boys and 13.5% and 3.4% for girls (P < 0.01). Using the IOTF criteria, the prevalence of overweight and obesity among boys in Ramallah was 13.3% and 5.2%, respectively versus 18.9% and 3.3% for girls. The prevalence of overweight and obesity among boys in Hebron was 10.9% and 2.2%, respectively versus 14.9% and 2.0% for girls. Overweight/obesity was associated with high standard of living (STL) among boys and with the onset of puberty among girls. More boys were underweight than girls, and the prevalence was higher in Hebron (12.9% and 6.0% in boys and girls, respectively (P < 0.01)) than in Ramallah (9.7% and 3.1% in boys and girls, respectively (p < 0.01)). The prevalence of stunting was similar in both governorates, and was higher among boys (9.2% and 9.4% in Ramallah and Hebron, respectively) than among girls (5.9% and 4.2% in Ramallah and Hebron, respectively). Stunting was negatively associated with father's education among boys and with urban residence, medium STL and onset of puberty among girls.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Under- and overnutrition co-exist among Palestinian adolescents, with differences between sexes. Region, residence, STL, and onset of puberty were associated factors.</p

НЕОАДЪЮВАНТНАЯ И АДЪЮВАНТНАЯ ХИМИОГОРМОНАЛЬНАЯ ТЕРАПИЯ У БОЛЬНЫХ РАКОМ ПРЕДСТАТЕЛЬНОЙ ЖЕЛЕЗЫ ВЫСОКОГО И КРАЙНЕ ВЫСОКОГО РИСКА ПРОГРЕССИРОВАНИЯ: СОБСТВЕННЫЙ ОПЫТ

Background. The approach to the management of prostate cancer with lymph node metastases has recently moved towards aggressive multimodal treatment with the use of the most rational combinations that are currently available.Objective: to assess the efficacy and tolerability of chemohormonal therapy (CHT) in patients with high-risk and very high-risk prostate cancer.Materials and methods. An open prospective clinical trial evaluating the efficacy and tolerability of neoadjuvant and adjuvant CHT in patients with high-risk and very high-risk prostate cancer was initiated in 2016 at the P.A. Herzen Moscow Oncology Research Institute. Patient recruitment is still ongoing.A total of 64 patients with high-risk and very high-risk prostate cancer (сT3N0–T3N+М0, prostate specific antigen (PSA) ≥20 ng/mL, and Gleason score of 8–10)  were recruited since July 2016. All patients were examined prior to treatment initiation and after 3 and 6 courses of therapy. The examination included pelvic magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasound imaging of the abdominal cavity and retroperitoneal space, transrectal ultrasound imaging, and chest radiography or computed tomography. Serum PSA level was evaluated before each course of therapy. Bone scintigraphy was performed before treatment and after its completion. Study participants were divided into two groups. Group A included patients that initially underwent surgical treatment and then 6 courses of CHT no later than 6 weeks after surgery: docetaxel 75 mg/m2 given intravenously on day 1 of a 21-day cycle and oral prednisolone 10 mg/day. Patients also received hormonal therapy with luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone analogue (aLHRH) given in depot injections every 28 days.Group B included patients that initially received 6 courses of CHT: docetaxel 75 mg/m2 given intravenously on day 1 of a 21-day cycle and oral prednisolone 10 mg/day. After that, patients underwent radical prostatectomy with pelvic lymphadenectomy no later than 4 weeks after the completion of chemotherapy. Patients also received hormonal therapy with aLHRH given in depot injections every 28 days. The total treatment duration was 6 months.Results. The group of adjuvant CHT included 24 patients with high-risk prostate cancer (T3b–4N+М0 with at least 5 regional lymph node metastases detected by morphological examination of surgical specimens). All patients had Gleason score 8–10 tumors. Mean age of patients was 63.0 ± 7.7 years (range: 46–72 years). In total, all patients received 142 courses of CHT. By the time of publishing this article, 23 (96 %) of patients completed their treatment.The group of neoadjuvant CHT included 40 patients with very high-risk prostate cancer (T3b–4N+М0 with metastases to pelvic and retroperitoneal lymph nodes detected by instrumental examination). All patients had Gleason score 8–10 tumors. Mean age of patients was 61.0± 6.4 years (range: 43–69 years). In total, all patients received 236 courses of CHT. By the time of publishing this article, 36 (90 %) of patients completed their treatment. Thirty-five patients (87 %) underwent radical prostatectomy with extensive pelvic and paraaortic lymphadenectomy. Routine pathological examination demonstrated that all patients had signs of tumor destruction. Thirty-three participants (94 %) had grade II therapeutic pathomorphosis, whereas 2 patients (6 %) had grade III therapeutic pathomorphosis.Median PSA relapse-free survival (PSA-RFS) rate in the neoadjuvant CHT group was 10 months. Serum PSA of 0.1 ng/mL 1 month postoperatively correlated with longer RFS (р = 0.04). Biochemical relapse (PSA level &gt;0.2 ng/mL) was observed in 6 patients (15 %) from this group. Later these patients received hormonal therapy with aLHRH. Median PSA-RFS in the adjuvant CHT group was 11 months.The main adverse events in the two groups were hematological toxicity, observed in 24 patients (34.29 %), and gastrointestinal toxicity, observed in 9 patients (12.86 %) (diarrhea (n = 6) and stomatitis (n = 3)). Only grade I–II toxicity was registered so far. Two patients (3.1 %) had febrile neutropenia, which required cytostatic dose reduction by 20 %. Relatively good tolerability and acceptable quality of life allowed the vast majority of patients to be treated on an outpatient basis.Conclusion. So far, we can make only a preliminary conclusion that adjuvant and neoadjuvant CHT is a promising treatment strategy for high-risk and very high-risk prostate cancer.Введение. На сегодняшний день взгляд на проблему лечения рака предстательной железы (РПЖ) с наличием метастазов в лимфатических узлах изменился в сторону применения агрессивного мультимодального подхода с использованием наиболее рациональных комбинаций среди всех имеющихся методов воздействия.Цель исследования – оценка переносимости и эффективности химиогормональной терапии (ХГТ) у больных РПЖ высокого и крайне высокого риска прогрессирования.Материалы и методы. В МНИОИ им. П.А. Герцена в 2016 г. инициировано и продолжает набор открытое проспективное клиническое исследование по оценке эффективности и переносимости неоадъювантной и адъювантной ХГТ у больных РПЖ высокого и крайне высокого риска прогрессирования.За период с июля 2016 г. по настоящее время в исследование включены 64 больных РПЖ высокого и очень высокого риска прогрессирования (сT3N0–T3N+М0, уровень простатического специфического антигена (ПСА) ≥20 нг/мл, сумма баллов по шкале Глисона 8–10).  Всем больным обследование проводили перед началом лечения, после 3 и 6 курсов в объеме: магнитно-резонансная томография органов малого таза, ультразвуковое исследование органов брюшной полости, забрюшинного пространства, трансректальное ультразвуковое исследование, рентгенография или компьютерная томография органов грудной клетки. Исследование уровня ПСА выполняли перед каждым курсом терапии, остеосцинтиграфию проводили перед лечением и по его завершению. Больные разделены на 2 группы.Группа А – пациенты, которым на 1-м этапе лечения выполняли хирургическое вмешательство, далее не позднее 6 нед проводили 6 курсов ХГТ в режиме: доцетаксел в дозе 75 мг/м2 внутривенно в 1-й день 21-дневного цикла на фоне перорального приема преднизолона в дозе 10 мг/сут. Гормональную терапию осуществляли депо-формой аналога лютеинизирующего гонадотропин-рилизинг-гормона (аЛГРГ) в виде инъекций каждые 28 дней.Группа В – пациенты, которым на 1-м этапе лечения проводили 6 курсов ХГТ в режиме: доцетаксел в дозе 75 мг/м2 внутривенно в 1-й день 21-дневного цикла на фоне перорального приема преднизолона в дозе 10 мг/сут с последующим выполнением хирургического вмешательства в объеме радикальной простатэктомии с тазовой лимфаденэктомией не позднее 4 нед после завершения лекарственного лечения. Гормональная терапия включала депо-форму аЛГРГ в виде инъекций каждые 28 дней.Длительность лечения в группах составила 6 мес.Результаты. В группу адъювантной ХГТ включены 24 больных РПЖ очень высокого риска прогрессирования (T3b–4N+М0 с наличием не менее 5 метастазов в регионарных лимфатических узлах по результатам планового морфологического исследования операционного материала). По данным гистологического исследования у всех больных верифицированы опухоли с суммой баллов по шкале Глисона 8–10.  Средний возраст пациентов составил 63,0 ± 7,7 года (46–72  года). Всего проведено 142 курса ХГТ. На момент подведения результатов 23 (96 %) больных завершили весь объем лекарственного лечения.В группу неоадъювантной ХГТ включены 40 больных РПЖ крайне высокого риска прогрессирования (T3b–4N+М0 с наличием метастазов в тазовых, забрюшинных лимфатических узлах по результатам инструментального обследования). По данным гистологического исследования у всех больных верифицированы опухоли с суммой баллов по шкале Глисона 8–10.  Средний возраст пациентов составил 61,0 ± 6,4 года (43–69  лет). Всего проведено 236 курсов ХГТ. На момент анализа 36 (90 %) пациентов завершили весь объем лекарственного лечения. Хирургическое лечение в объеме радикальной простатэктомии с расширенной тазовой и парааортальной лимфаденэктомией проведено 35 (87 %) больным. По данным планового патоморфологического исследования у всех больных зафиксированы признаки поражения опухоли. Так, у 33 (94 %) пациентов отмечен лекарственный патоморфоз II степени, у 2 (6 %) больных – III степени.Медиана ПСА-безрецидивной выживаемости (ПСА-БРВ) в группе неоадъювантной ХГТ составила 10 мес. Уровень ПСА 0,1 нг/мл через 1 мес после операции коррелировал с более длительной БРВ (р = 0,04). Биохимический рецидив (уровень ПСА &gt;0,2 нг/мл) зарегистрирован у 6 (15 %) больных в данной группе. В дальнейшем эти пациенты получали гормональную терапию аЛГРГ. Медиана ПСА-БРВ в группе адъювантной ХГТ составила 11 мес.Основными нежелательными явлениями в 2 группах были гематологическая токсичность у 24 (34,29 %) пациентов и гастроинтестинальная токсичность у 9 (12,86 %) (диарея (n = 6), стоматит (n = 3)), однако они не превышали I–II степень. Гематологическая токсичность III степени была зарегистрирована у 6 (8,57 %) больных. У 2 (3,1 %) пациентов была отмечена фебрильная нейтропения, потребовавшая редукции дозы цитостатика на 20 %. Относительно удовлетворительная переносимость и приемлемый уровень качества жизни позволили подавляющему числу больных проводить лечение в амбулаторных условиях.Заключение. Небольшое число наблюдений позволяет сделать только предварительное заключение о практическом применении адъювантной и неоадъювантной ХГТ как перспективном направлении в лечении РПЖ высокого и крайне высокого риска прогрессирования

Gender and society

Contents: 1. Contemporary feminist scholarship and Middle East studies; 2. Commentary : feminist scholarship and the literature of Palestinian women; 3. Commentary : feminist scholarship and research on Palestinian society.Due to copyright restrictions, this item cannot be share

Between state and tribe : the rule of law and dispute resolution in post - Oslo Palestine; first interim technical report, Dec. 22, 2003 - June 22, 2004

In PDF formatThe research proposes ways to strengthen rule of law by ascertaining relationships between formal and informal justice systems in the field of criminal law, and then formulating policy recommendations based on findings of the research, regarding how these two potentially conflicting systems can be reconciled in a future Palestinian judiciary. The plurality of the Palestinian legal culture, encompassing laws of myriad political regimes, religious authorities and various methods of informal dispute resolution, has resulted in a fluidity of authorities wherein responsibilities are blurred, and due process and justice are not always respected

NEOADJUVANT AND ADJUVANT CHEMOHORMONAL THERAPY IN PATIENTS WITH HIGH-RISK AND VERY HIGH-RISK PROSTATE CANCER: OUR EXPERIENCE

Background. The approach to the management of prostate cancer with lymph node metastases has recently moved towards aggressive multimodal treatment with the use of the most rational combinations that are currently available.Objective: to assess the efficacy and tolerability of chemohormonal therapy (CHT) in patients with high-risk and very high-risk prostate cancer.Materials and methods. An open prospective clinical trial evaluating the efficacy and tolerability of neoadjuvant and adjuvant CHT in patients with high-risk and very high-risk prostate cancer was initiated in 2016 at the P.A. Herzen Moscow Oncology Research Institute. Patient recruitment is still ongoing.A total of 64 patients with high-risk and very high-risk prostate cancer (сT3N0–T3N+М0, prostate specific antigen (PSA) ≥20 ng/mL, and Gleason score of 8–10)  were recruited since July 2016. All patients were examined prior to treatment initiation and after 3 and 6 courses of therapy. The examination included pelvic magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasound imaging of the abdominal cavity and retroperitoneal space, transrectal ultrasound imaging, and chest radiography or computed tomography. Serum PSA level was evaluated before each course of therapy. Bone scintigraphy was performed before treatment and after its completion. Study participants were divided into two groups. Group A included patients that initially underwent surgical treatment and then 6 courses of CHT no later than 6 weeks after surgery: docetaxel 75 mg/m2 given intravenously on day 1 of a 21-day cycle and oral prednisolone 10 mg/day. Patients also received hormonal therapy with luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone analogue (aLHRH) given in depot injections every 28 days.Group B included patients that initially received 6 courses of CHT: docetaxel 75 mg/m2 given intravenously on day 1 of a 21-day cycle and oral prednisolone 10 mg/day. After that, patients underwent radical prostatectomy with pelvic lymphadenectomy no later than 4 weeks after the completion of chemotherapy. Patients also received hormonal therapy with aLHRH given in depot injections every 28 days. The total treatment duration was 6 months.Results. The group of adjuvant CHT included 24 patients with high-risk prostate cancer (T3b–4N+М0 with at least 5 regional lymph node metastases detected by morphological examination of surgical specimens). All patients had Gleason score 8–10 tumors. Mean age of patients was 63.0 ± 7.7 years (range: 46–72 years). In total, all patients received 142 courses of CHT. By the time of publishing this article, 23 (96 %) of patients completed their treatment.The group of neoadjuvant CHT included 40 patients with very high-risk prostate cancer (T3b–4N+М0 with metastases to pelvic and retroperitoneal lymph nodes detected by instrumental examination). All patients had Gleason score 8–10 tumors. Mean age of patients was 61.0± 6.4 years (range: 43–69 years). In total, all patients received 236 courses of CHT. By the time of publishing this article, 36 (90 %) of patients completed their treatment. Thirty-five patients (87 %) underwent radical prostatectomy with extensive pelvic and paraaortic lymphadenectomy. Routine pathological examination demonstrated that all patients had signs of tumor destruction. Thirty-three participants (94 %) had grade II therapeutic pathomorphosis, whereas 2 patients (6 %) had grade III therapeutic pathomorphosis.Median PSA relapse-free survival (PSA-RFS) rate in the neoadjuvant CHT group was 10 months. Serum PSA of 0.1 ng/mL 1 month postoperatively correlated with longer RFS (р = 0.04). Biochemical relapse (PSA level &gt;0.2 ng/mL) was observed in 6 patients (15 %) from this group. Later these patients received hormonal therapy with aLHRH. Median PSA-RFS in the adjuvant CHT group was 11 months.The main adverse events in the two groups were hematological toxicity, observed in 24 patients (34.29 %), and gastrointestinal toxicity, observed in 9 patients (12.86 %) (diarrhea (n = 6) and stomatitis (n = 3)). Only grade I–II toxicity was registered so far. Two patients (3.1 %) had febrile neutropenia, which required cytostatic dose reduction by 20 %. Relatively good tolerability and acceptable quality of life allowed the vast majority of patients to be treated on an outpatient basis.Conclusion. So far, we can make only a preliminary conclusion that adjuvant and neoadjuvant CHT is a promising treatment strategy for high-risk and very high-risk prostate cancer

Researching Spaces of Violence Through Family

This chapter uses families’ spatial practices as a lens for exploring violence. Geographical understandings of violence and conflict often focus on international terrorism and domestic governance. This can create situations where certain contexts, often in the global South, are apprehended solely as spaces of death, destruction, and demise. Far less attention is paid to the experiential and everyday dimensions of violence or the context that coconstitutes it. This chapter uses the family as a lens for exploring violence and lived experience. While the family can be a site of gendered, generational, and patriarchal violence, this chapter argues that family relations need to be understood in more complex ways. In particular, geographical practices of family can do other kinds of work that enable people to endure and resist violence and conflict. These arguments are given substance through a detailed exploration of Palestinians living through, resisting, and enduring Israeli settler-colonial violence