45 research outputs found
Assessment of Fraction of Exhaled Nitric Oxide and Soluble Receptor for Advanced Glycation End Products Biomarkers for Jordanian Asthmatic Children
No full textEbaa M Alzayadneh,1 Suzan A Al Bdour,1 Eman R Elayeh,2 Mai M Ababneh,3 Ruqaya A Al-ani,3 Alia Shatanawi,4 Montaha Al-Iede,3 Enas Al-Zayadneh3 1Department of Physiology and Biochemistry, School of Medicine, The University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan; 2Department of Biopharmaceutics and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, The University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan; 3Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, The University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan; 4Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, The University of Jordan, Amman, JordanCorrespondence: Ebaa M Alzayadneh, Tel +962796972717, Fax +96265300820, Email [email protected]: Fraction of exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) and soluble advanced glycation end-product receptor (sRAGE) are proposed as biomarkers of asthma, therefore we sought to assess their use in asthmatic children of Jordan.Patients and Methods: We conducted a case-control study at The University of Jordan Hospital. A total of 141 asthmatic children followed by respiratory pediatricians and 118 healthy children aged 4– 18 years were recruited. FeNO was measured by NObreath device and serum sRAGE by ELISA that detect endogenously soluble isoform (esRAGE) and total soluble RAGE (sRAGE).Results: sRAGE in asthmatic was half of the control (p < 0.001). In addition, ratio of esRAGE/sRAGE was two-fold higher in asthmatic (p = < 0.001). Neither FeNO nor esRAGE levels were significantly different between groups. FeNO and asthma control test (ACT) score were negatively correlated corrected for age and body mass index (BMI), (r = − 0.180, p= 0.034). For the uncontrolled asthma group, esRAGE/sRAGE negatively correlated with ACT score (r = − .329, p = 0.038). Receiver operating curve (ROC) analysis revealed significant predictive value (PV) for sRAGE and esRAGE/sRAGE in asthma detection with area under the curve (AUC) of (0.751 ± 0.031) and (0.711± .033), consequently. However, no biomarker had a significant PV for lack of control.Conclusion: The current study supports utilizing sRAGE as a marker for asthma and present a potential therapeutic target. However, our results indicate that both FeNO and sRAGE have a limited role in the management of asthmatic children or assessment of asthma control.Keywords: childhood asthma, allergy, inflammation, asthma control tes
Delayed intravitreal anti-vegf therapy for patients during the covid-19 lockdown: An ethical endeavor
No full textPurpose: To assess the impact of Jordanian’s Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19) lockdown on visual acuity and macular thickness in patients with macular edema receiving intravitreal injections, and to assess the ethical endeavor of lockdown among serious sight threatening conditions. Patients and Methods: This retrospective observational study included patients planned for intravitreal injections who did not complete the planned course before the lockdown (ie, before 20th of March 2020). Data included demographics, indication for the intravitreal injection, corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA), and central macular thickness on Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) before and after the lockdown. Results: One-hundred and sixty-six eyes of 125 patients were studied, 68 (54.4%) patients were males, and the mean (± standard deviation, SD) age was 64.79 (±9.41) years. Mean (±SD) duration of delay in the planned injection was 60.97 (±24.35) days. The change in visual acuity was statistically significant for patients with diabetic macular edema (p= 0.045 improvement), patients with central retinal vein thrombosis (CRVO) (p= 0.05 deterioration), and patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) (p= 0.005 deterioration). Of interest, delay of more than 2 months and the previous need for 3 or more injections were significant poor prognostic factors for visual outcome for patients with diabetic macular edema (p=0.027 and 0.045). Conclusion: The impact of delay in the scheduled intravitreal injections resulted in variable outcomes depending on the indication. Triaging the urgency of patients should be based on the indication to support the equity principle of bioethics, where those in need are prioritized against others, depending on potential adverse outcome
Electrohydrodynamic drying of viscous materials and agar gel
No full textA need exists for developing a drying technique for heat-sensitive materials as the conventional heat-based drying methods often produce changes in their physico-chemical properties. This thesis presents a non-thermal electrohydrodynamic (EHD) drying technique that may be used to dry both heat-sensitive and viscous materials. A single point-to-plate EHD system was used in de-watering sugar solutions and glycerin-water mixtures having viscosity between 2 and 22 mPa s. The EHD and forced air (2.5 m s-1) each produced 3 to 5 times higher evaporation rate than the control, which was at ambient temperature and relative humidity. The vapor flux decreased considerably and quadratically compared with the control as viscosity increased, and the dehydration kinetics was linear regardless of viscosity. Agar gels showed a linear relationship between vapor flux and time, and EHD was effective in drying at sub-zero temperatures. The agar temperature during drying was significantly below the ambient, indicating evaporative and entropic cooling
Integrated product development methodology using dual mode QFD and functional hierarchy applied to a real case implementation
No full textTechnological developments are extremely fast paced in the modern world. However, application of new approaches in production of products has to be balanced against economic constraints. Consequently, with the development of new technologies and while striving for effective, efficient and low cost products, new and complex product development methodologies have evolved to develop a concept.
Getting to know customer needs and their priorities to establish a new concept is critical in the development process. The research outlined herein utilises the established methodologies of the Kano, Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), and Quality Function Deployment (QFD) techniques to identify top-level core user requirements and the technologies that can lead to effective and competitive product development.
Application of the above tools has allowed the development of an “Integrated Dual Mode QFD” analysis that offers a more holistic coverage of the customer needs spectrum compared with the traditional QFD, this is done by associating the priorities and competitiveness of individual needs through both of AHP and Kano methods. This approach avoids inconsistencies in customer needs and priorities.
Systems specifications obtained from the QFD analysis were used to undertake development of a functional model. This activity links the ‘Whys’ with ‘Hows’ that lead to the development of a system architectural model.
Using the above tools, a modular architecture concept has been developed for a Militarised All-Terrain Vehicle (MATV). The architecture offers future variants with improved performance in terms of power, agility, dash speed, reduced weight, mobility based survivability and network-centric communication for better situational awareness.
Overall this methodology allows a comprehensive systematic approach to concept development resulting in shorter system design and development time, while ensuring all aspects of customer voices have been taken into account to avoid costly integration issues later in the validation and verification stage
Keratoconus patients at Jordan University Hospital: a descriptive study
No full textMohammed A Abu Ameerh, Rola M Al Refai, Muawya D Al BdourOphthalmology Department, Jordan University Hospital, Amman, JordanPurpose: To study a sample of keratoconus patients, who were referred to Jordan University Hospital for possible penetrating keratoplasty (PKP), and provide basic epidemiological analysis.Method: A descriptive study; we reviewed the medical records of 308 keratoconus patients referred for possible PKP. The following parameters were collected and analyzed: sex predilection, age at presentation, best corrected visual acuity, severity, bilaterality of the disease, and its association with vernal catarrh.Results: Males constituted 61.6% while females constituted 38.4% of the study group. The mean age at presentation for males and females was 19.1 and 19.9 years, respectively. The best corrected visual acuity on evaluation was &le;6/60 in 60.4% of males&rsquo; eyes and 57.9% of females&rsquo; eyes; &gt;6/60 and &lt;6/12 in 30% of males&rsquo; eyes and 28.5% of females&rsquo; eyes; and &ge;6/12 in 9.6% of males&rsquo; eyes and 13.6% of females&rsquo; eyes. Regarding the severity, 72.3% of males&rsquo; eyes and 71.8% of females&rsquo; eyes had severe keratoconus; 17.3% of males&rsquo; and 28.2% of females&rsquo; eyes had moderate keratoconus; and 10.4% of males&rsquo; eyes had mild keratoconus, which was not recorded in females. 90.5% of male patients and 93.2% of female patients had bilateral disease and vernal catarrh was recorded in 33.7% of males and 35.6% of females.Conclusion: Keratoconus was found to be more prevalent in Jordanian males referred for PKP than females, keeping in mind that this doesn&rsquo;t reflect the real sex predilection in the general population. Males also presented at a younger age. We didn&rsquo;t find any association between gender and bilaterality, nor association with vernal catarrh.Keywords: Jordan, keratoconus, penetrating keratoplasty, vernal keratoconjunctiviti
Posterior segment causes of reduced visual acuity after phacoemulsification in eyes with cataract and obscured fundus view
No full textHisham M Jammal,1,3 Yousef Khader,2 Riham Shawer,3 Muawyah Al Bdour41Department of Ophthalmology, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan; 2Department of Community Medicine, Public Health and Family Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan; 3Department of Ophthalmology, King Abdullah University Hospital, Irbid, Jordan; 4Department of Ophthalmology, The University of Jordan, Amman, JordanPurpose: To determine posterior segment causes of reduced visual acuity after phacoemulsification in eyes with cataract and obscured fundus view.Patients and methods: Retrospective review of medical records of patients with cataract, obscured fundus view, and normal B-scan ultrasonography, undergoing phacoemulsification from May 2005 to March 2012 was conducted. Eyes with fundus pathology, previous trauma, surgery, glaucoma, amblyopia, or uveitic cataract were excluded. Ocular comorbid conditions, preoperative visual acuity (VA), intraoperative and early postoperative complications, and final best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) at 1 month were abstracted from the records.Results: All 201 eyes of 179 patients studied had a preoperative VA of &le;6/60. Preoperative ocular comorbidity was present in 31 eyes (15.5%). Intraoperative complications occurred in 20 eyes (10%). Postoperative complications developed in 34 eyes (17.0%). One month postoperatively, 175 eyes (87.1%) achieved a BCVA of &ge;6/12; whereas 26 eyes (12.9%) achieved a BCVA of &le;6/18. The most common posterior segment causes of reduced VA in the 26 eyes were age-related macular disease in ten eyes (38.5%) and diabetic maculopathy in six eyes (23.1%). Similar fundus pathology was seen preoperatively in the fellow fundus in 10 of the 26 eyes (38.5%).Conclusion: One month after phacoemulsification in eyes with cataract and obscured fundus view, age-related macular disease and diabetic maculopathy were the most common posterior segment causes of reduced final BCVA. To avoid postsurgical dissatisfaction, patients with obscured fundus view in their preoperative eye should be counseled, especially if posterior segment pathology exists in their fellow eye.Keywords: B-scan ultrasonography, fundus view, macula, outcome, phacoemulsifcatio
Prevalence of fungal and fungus‐like diseases on potato seed tubers imported from Europe to Jordan
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An evaluation of housing finance in Saudi Arabia : the Real Estate Development Fund's policies and alternative options.
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