Level of empathy among medical students in Kuwait university, Kuwait

To evaluate the level of empathy among medical students in Kuwait University Medical School and its association with sociodemographic factors, stress levels and personality. A cross-sectional survey of 264 medical students was conducted in the Faculty of Medicine, Kuwait University. Empathy levels were measured using the Jefferson Scale, personality was assessed using the Zuckerman-Kuhlman Personality Scale and the Perceived Stress Scale was used to measure stress levels. Factors associated with empathy were evaluated using t test/ANOVA for categorical variables and correlation for continuous predictors. Mean empathy score was 104.6 +/- 16.3. Empathy scores were significantly associated with gender, year of study, mother's level of education, household income, satisfactory relationship with the mother and stress levels. Male medical students in their clinical years also had significantly lower empathy levels. However, factors such as grade point average, desired specialty, marital status of parents, father's educational level and relationship with father were not significantly [p > 0.05] associated with levels of empathy. Stress scores were significantly and positively associated with empathy [r = 0.13; p = 0.041]. Medical students in Kuwait University had low empathy level and this may be a cause for concern; as such we suggest a possible inclusion of emphasis on empathy in the curriculum

Inhibition of Ehrlich ascites carcinoma by Manilkara zapota L. stem bark in Swiss albino mice

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the antitumor activity of Manilkara zapota (M. zapota) L. stem bark against Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) in Swiss albino mice.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The in vivo antitumour activity of the ethyl acetate extract of stem bark of M. zapota L. (EASM) was evaluated at 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg bw against EAC using mean survival time. After administration of the extract of M. zapota, viable EAC cell count and body weight in the EAC tumour hosts were observed. The animal was also observed for improvement in the haematological parameters (e.g., heamoglobin content, red and white blood cells count and differential cell count) after EASM treatment.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Intraperitoneal administration of EASM reduced viable EAC cells, increased the survival time, and restored altered haematological parameters. Significant efficacy was observed for EASM at 100 mg/kg dose (P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>It can be concluded that the ethyl acetate extract of stem bark of M. zapota L. possesses significant antitumour activity.</p>

Prevalence and risk indicators of myopia among schoolchildren in Amman, Jordan

We aimed to identify the prevalence and risk factors of myopia among secondary-school students in Amman. Thus 1777 [1081 males and 696 females] students aged 12-17 years old were recruited from 8 schools randomly selected from 8 different geographic locations in Amman. Data were collected by questionnaire, and self-reported myopia was checked against school medical records. The prevalence of myopia was 17.6%, with no significant difference between males and females after adjusting for other possible variables. Myopia was significantly associated with age, family history of myopia, computer use, and reading and writing outside school. Playing sports was inversely associated with myopia but there was no association with watching television

Microcephaly, retinal dysplasia, pedal edema, mental retardation, and short stature

Microcephaly, retinal dysplasia, pedal edema syndrome is a rare syndrome and possibly under diagnosed. We could find less than 25 cases reported in the literature. Patients were initially categorized as having either microcephaly and lymphedema or microcephaly and chorioretinal dysplasia. The existence of the 3 criteria in the same patients is reported. Other features such as mental retardation and short stature were noticed in other patients. In the Pediatric Department of the Armed Forces Hospital Southern Region, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, we report a case with all clinical manifestations described in the above-related syndromes. The girl has microcephaly, retinal dysplasia, pedal edema, short stature, mental retardation, and some other dysmorphic features. The parents are not relatives, but both have retinal dysplastic changes. This report documents the existence of all different features reported in the literature in one patient, suggesting that different clinical features of reported patients are possibly the variable expression of the same syndrome

Bacillus sphaericus as mosquito larvicide

In Noorpur Shahan, a village in the outskirts of Islamabad, Bacillus sphaericus was tested to determine its efficacy against mosquito larvae. Since the creation of this new Islamabad district no mosquito control measure has been taken in the area and like so many other places in and around Islamabad, mosquito density is unusually high in this village. The efficacy of Bacillus sphaericus was studied up to seven weeks after its application and it gave good larval control

Rotavirus infection among childhood diarrhea in Basrah

During a prospective two years study, 747 faecal samples of infants and young children with acute gastroenteritis and 160 non-diarrhoeal control were collected. Rotavirus was detected significantly more often in those with gastroenteritis 278/746 [37.3%] than those with other illnesses 6/160 [3.8%]. Rotavirus as the only pathogen was detected in 66% of the positives, while it was found to be mixed with one or more pathogens in 36%. The infection was more common among children from rural areas [43%] than from urban areas [28.3%]. The prevalence rate of rotavirus infection was lower in infants who were breast-fed [15.4%] than in bottle-fed [58.8%] or those who were combined-fed [41.4%]. The prevalence of rotavirus recovery was lower among children of families who practiced boiling of water [18.2%], compared to other groups using river or marches water which were occasionally boiled [24.3%] or unboiled [66.4%]. The seasonal pattern of rotavirus shedding was found to be maximum during the winter season