Методология синтеза архитектуры программно-технического комплекса автоматизированной системы мониторинга обстановки

Предложен подход к проектированию архитектуры программно-технического комплекса автоматизированной системы мониторинга обстановки в реальном времени, основанный на классификации решаемых функциональных задач на основе методов кластерного анализа и выбранного множества признаков подобия. Разработанный подход позволяет из множества функций системы выделить подобные (по определенным признакам) и объединить их в архитектурные компоненты (унифицированные функциональные модули).Запропоновано підхід до проектування архітектури центру обробки інформації автоматизованої системи моніторингу середовища в реальному часі, що заснований на класифікації функціональних задач на підставі методів кластерного аналізу і обраної множини ознак схожості. Розроблений підхід дозволяє вибрати із множини функцій системи схожі (за певними ознаками) і поєднати їх в архітектурні компоненти (уніфіковані функціональні модулі).The approach to designing architecture of the information processing complex of the automated real time conditions monitoring system based on classification of functional tasks on the basis of methods of cluster analysis and the chosen set of similarity attributes is offered. The developed approach allows to allocate from a set of functions the systems similar (on certain attributes) and to unite them in architectural components (unified functional modules)

Acute kidney injury among nonagenarians in Jordan: a retrospective case–control study

Sameeha A Alshelleh,1 Ashraf O Oweis,2 Karem H Alzoubi3 1Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, The University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan; 2Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan; 3Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan Background: Improvements in health care systems worldwide have had notable effects on the life expectancy of older individuals. As a result, nonagenarians are emerging as a separate age group with distinct health care needs. The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI), the mortality rates, and length of in-hospital stay among nonagenarians.Methods: This is a retrospective case–control chart review of patients of age 90 years and above who were admitted to hospital. Patients with Stage I, II, or III chronic kidney disease were included in the analysis. The incidence of AKI was determined using data from the Acute Kidney Injury Network (AKIN) classification. Primary outcome variables included length of in-hospital stay and mortality rates.Results: Of the 253 patients who were included in the study, the mean age was 91.5 years, 61 of the patients (25.9%) developed AKI, and 41 patients (66.1%) were in Stage I AKI according to AKIN criteria. Fifty-seven patients died during the study period; 57.9% of those patients had AKI. Hospital stay was longer in patients with AKI with a mean length of stay of 8.1 days. Congestive heart failure, cancer, and use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs were the main risk factors for AKI among those patients.Conclusion: AKI is common in nonagenarians. It was associated with increased length of hospital stays and increased risk for mortality. Keywords: acute kidney injury, elderly, geriatric, outcomes&nbsp

Awareness of physicians and pharmacists of aldosterone antagonists in heart failure and myocardial infarction in Jordan

Objective: to evaluate physicians and clinical pharmacists' awareness and practices regarding use of aldosterone antagonists in heart failure (HF) and post-myocardial infarction (MI). Methods: First, we reviewed the prescription of aldosterone antagonists among 408 patients presenting to the cardiology clinic at a major hospital in Jordan. Second, physicians and pharmacists working in cardiovascular departments completed a questionnaire related to use of aldosterone antagonists in HF and post-MI. Results: Thirty patients (7.59%) were eligible for aldosterone antagonist; only 4 received them at discharge (13.3%). The survey was completed by 153 professionals (response rate 76.12%). About 72.1% of participants were aware of studies regarding use of aldosterone antagonists post-MI and in HF. Moreover, 10.45%/53.6% of participants strongly agreed/agreed that these agents are useful in normotensive post-MI and HF patients. Spironolactone was the most prescribed drug by 92.1% of participants. About 41.8% of participants reported use of spironolactone in post-MI and HF. With respect to guidelines, only 39.2% of participants agreed that adding spironolactone to standard therapy in HF is recommended, and 48.3% agreed on adding it directly post-MI. Clinical pharmacists and cardiologists were generally more aware of guidelines than pharmacists, cardiac surgeons and residents/fellows. Conclusions: there is an under-use of aldosterone antagonists in HF and post-MI patients, and a lack of detailed awareness of current guidelines among health care providers. Dissemination of evidence-based guidelines and usage protocols may improve management of post-MI and HF

Applying DESyne coronary stent system in patients with ischemic heart disease: experience from Jordan

Mohamad I Jarrah,1 Nasr Alrabadi,2 Karem H Alzoubi3 1Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan; 2Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan; 3Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan Background: The safety and efficacy of drug-eluting coronary stenting have been established for various degrees of severity of coronary artery disease. The DESyne is a contemporary cobalt–chromium thin-strut stent which has been studied in low-risk patients so far. Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety, efficacy and performance of the DESyne stent in patients with an indication for coronary stent implantation at the King Abdullah University Hospital (KAUH), Jordan. Patients and methods: Hospital records for all patients implanted with DESyne stent were retrospectively reviewed. Specific clinical events were recorded for all cases, and their incidence rates were estimated by the Kaplan–Meier method. A total of 715 patients (79.3% males and 58.3% with diabetes) with a mean age of 57.8±10.3 years were enrolled in this study. An acute coronary syndrome was the most frequent indication for stenting in 86.3% of the patients (unstable angina 72.0%, myocardial infarction [MI] 14.3%). A total of 849 lesions (1.2 lesions/patient) were treated with the DESyne stent. Results: After 1 year of follow-up, the death rates from cardiac or noncardiac causes were 0.6% and 1.1%, respectively. MI was observed in 0.9% of the cases, and an ischemia-driven revascularization was performed in 0.8% of them. The definite/probable stent thrombosis rate was 1.1%. Conclusion: Favorable clinical event rates including cardiac death, MI and stent thrombosis were observed for the DESyne stent in ischemic heart patients especially those with high prevalence of diabetes mellitus and acute coronary syndrome. Keywords: coronary stent system, DESyne stent, ischemic heart diseas

The effect of combined treatment with sodium phenylbutyrate and cisplatin, erlotinib, or gefitinib on resistant NSCLC cells

Maha S Al-Keilani,1 Karem H Alzoubi,1 Saied A Jaradat2,3 1Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid 22110, Jordan; 2Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid 22110, Jordan; 3Princess Haya Center for Biotechnology, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid 22110, Jordan Background: Chemotherapy resistance is the main cause of the marginal clinical benefit of platinum-based chemotherapy and tyrosine kinase inhibitors in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Thus, the identification of new therapeutic agents that can enhance the sensitivity of these drugs is of clinical importance. Histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACIs) are emerging as new promising agents with strong antiproliferative effects against different types of cancers. This study investigates the synergistic potential of sodium phenylbutyrate (NaPB) added on top of standard chemotherapy used against NSCLC. Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the ability of NaPB to overcome the resistance of NSCLC cell lines to cisplatin, gefitinib, and erlotinib. Methods: MTT cell proliferation assay was used to measure the anticancer effects of cisplatin, erlotinib, or gefitinib alone or combined with various concentrations of NaPB against A549, Calu1, and H1650 NSCLC cell lines. Synergism was estimated by measuring synergy value (R), which is equal to the ratio of IC50 of each primary drug alone divided by combination IC50s. Student’s t-test analysis was used to evaluate the potential differences between IC50 values. ANOVA followed by Tukey’s post hoc was used to evaluate the potential differences among monotherapy and combination treatment groups. Analyses were performed using R 3.3.2 software. P-value <0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. Results: NaPB was shown to inhibit the growth of A549, Calu1, and H1650 cell lines in a dose-dependent manner (IC50 10, 8.53, and 4.53 mM, respectively). Furthermore, the addition of NaPB along with cisplatin, erlotinib, or gefitinib to A549, Calu1, and H1650 cell lines resulted in a synergistic antiproliferative effect against the three NSCLC cell lines (R>1.6, P-value <0.05), thus suggesting that NaPB can potentiate the effect of cisplatin, erlotinib, and gefitinib on A549, Calu1, and H1650 cell lines. Conclusion: Current results suggest a potential role of NaPB as a sensitizing agent in NSCLC. Keywords: NSCLC, resistance, histone deacetylase inhibitor, sodium phenylbutyrate, synergism, sensitizing chemotherap