Investigating the Interrelationships Between Obesity, Academic Achievement, Physical Activity, and Social Support Among Jazan University Students.

Background: In developing and developed countries, the prevalence of overweight and obesity has grown. The college phase is a critical period during which healthy behaviors are learned through lifestyle and social environment. College students are prone to increased stress, negatively affecting their daily activities and academic performance. Objective: The general study objective was to investigate the prevalence of obesity among Jazan University students. Methods: This observational cross-sectional study used a pre-tested self-administered anonymous electronic questionnaire to evaluate the prevalence of obesity among 474 Jazan University students and its association with academic performance, physical activity, and social support. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, and associations between variables were assessed using the chi-square test. Results: Approximately 21% and 9.2% of the male and female students were obese, respectively, and the prevalence of obesity significantly differed between them. The use of one or more tobacco products was significantly associated with the prevalence of obesity (P < 0.001); the prevalence of obesity was substantially higher among the tobacco product users than among the non-users (35.3% vs. 14.4%). The presence of a morbidity was also significantly associated with the prevalence of obesity (P = 0.007); the prevalence of obesity was significantly higher among the students with at least one comorbidity than among the medically free students (28.8% vs. 14.9%). Conversely, obesity was not associated with academic performance and depression. Specifically, the grade point average was not affected across the academic years (P = 0.085 and P = 0.308, respectively). Conclusion: Obesity is significantly associated with male sex and the use of one or more tobacco products. This finding warrants the need for strategic and multidisciplinary plans at all levels to encourage healthy behaviors among college students, including an active, healthy lifestyle.

Ocular Myasthenia.

Ocular myasthenia is a form of myasthenia gravis in which weakness is restricted to the ocular muscles and may produce significant visual disability. Patients present with fluctuating ptosis, diplopia, or a combination of both. Examination may show any type of ocular motility deficit ranging from isolated muscle palsy to complete ophthalmoplegia. Cogan lid twitch, enhanced ptosis, peek sign, and saccadic fatigue are specific examination findings that support the clinical diagnosis of myasthenia gravis. Confirmation of the diagnosis is challenging with autoantibody serology, and repetitive nerve stimulation studies are often negative.

E. coli, K. pneumoniae and K. oxytoca community-acquired infections susceptibility to cephalosporins and other antimicrobials in Lebanon.

OBJECTIVES: Cephalosporin resistance in Enterobacteriaceae has become an international concern. This article studies the distribution and trends of resistance of E. coli and Klebsiella species isolated from clinical specimens representing community-acquired infections. METHODS: E. coli, K. pneumoniae and K. oxytoca specimen strains were collected from patients presenting to three acute care hospitals in Lebanon. The study period extended from January 2010 to January 2011 and included patients presenting with community-acquired infections only. Automated microbiological system (VITEK 2) was used for identification and antimicrobial susceptibilities. RESULTS: Data from consecutive non-duplicate 589 E. coli, 54 K. pneumoniae and 40 K. oxytoca strains were collected of which 69.5%, 74.0% and 67.5% were susceptible to 3rd generation cephalosporins (3GC), respectively. Out of the 3GC-resistant E. coli strains, around 90% were susceptible to nitrofurantoin, 46% were susceptible to trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (TMP/SMX) and 53% to ciprofloxacin. The patterns of antimicrobial susceptibility in the two Klebsiella species did not parallel those in the E. coli strains. Yet, the number of Klebsiella strains was much lower than that of E. coli. Of note is that the 3GC-resistant strains of both Klebsiella species were less susceptible to nitrofurantoin compared to the overall groups reaching a maximum of 30%. However, susceptibility to TMP/SMX was much higher reaching 79% and that of ciprofloxacin reaching 86%. CONCLUSION: Clinical specimens of E. coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Klebsiella oxytoca, causing community-acquired infections in Lebanon showed that these organisms are significantly resistant to many antibiotics. These patterns of resistance were mainly to internationally recommended drugs for empiric treatment of community-acquired infections like community-acquired urinary tract infections (UTIs) and intra-abdominal infections. Therefore, continuous antimicrobial susceptibility surveillance is advisable to track emerging resistance in Enterobacteriaceae and national guidelines would be tailored accordingly.

Evolving treatment approaches for the management of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer - role of radium-223.

Radium-223 is a first-in-class alpha particle-emitting radiopharmaceutical approved for the treatment of bone metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. Radium-223 is administered intravenously with no requirement for complex shielding and specifically targets areas of bone metastasis. In a randomized placebo-controlled Phase III study, treatment with radium-223 was shown to improve overall survival, time to skeletal-related events, and health-related quality of life. Apart from radium-223, the cytotoxic chemotherapy agents docetaxel and cabazitaxel, androgen biosynthesis inhibitor abiraterone acetate, novel anti-androgen enzalutamide, and immunotherapy sipuleucel-T have also been shown to improve survival of men with advanced prostate cancer in Phase III trials. This review will outline current treatment approaches for advanced prostate cancer with a focus on the role of radium-223 in changing treatment paradigms.