The Impact of E-marketing on Marketing Performance as Perceived by Customers in Jordan

The study’s goal is to see how e-marketing affects marketing performance in Jordan, as assessed by consumer satisfaction and loyalty. The basic data for this study was gathered using a convenient sampling method. The research was conducted using a self- report questionnaire as the primary tool. The data was acquired from a sample of 217 e-marketing users using a questionnaire. The study hypotheses were tested using SPSS 24.0, AMOS 23.0, and Smart PLS 3.0. The results showed that e-marketing had significant positive effects on both customer satisfaction and customer loyalty. The contribution made by the study is that measuring marketing performance is not done by evaluating the e-marketing process itself or the tools used in it, such as search engines, but through the results of this process, like customer satisfaction and customer loyalty

The anti-proliferative role of metformin in non-diabetic female patients with breast cancer: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized control trials

Background. Usage of metformin in non-diabetic womenwith breast cancer is neither a common approachnor a conventional treatment modality. Metforminand chemotherapy have a high phenotypic variationin complete response rate among diabetic patientswith different types of cancer. Although the resultson salvage therapy were contradictory, we carried outa meta-analysis to evaluate the effect of the additionof metformin to conventional treatment on the prognosisin non-diabetic women who have breast cancer. Methods. A consummate literature search of Pub-Med, EMBASE, grey literature, and web of sciencewas conducted until 7th of March 2020. A total of 11randomized control trials were included in this metaanalysisincluding references related to metformin,breast cancer, and prognosis. The search was limited toEnglish language and human studies, including referencesrelated to metformin, breast cancer, and prognosis.We performed the meta-analysis using a randomand fixed-effects model, with hazard ratios and 95%confidence intervals (95% CI) as effect measures. Results. A total of 11 randomized control trials consistingof 1681 breast cancer patients without diabetesincluding 841 ones which received metformintreatementversus 840 ones not treated with metformin.The meta-analysis found that metformin has beenlinked with anti-proliferative role (HR 0.63, 95% CI0.59–0.71). Subgroup analysis showed an increased averageprogression of free survival which demonstratesthat metformin improves overall survival by 65% aftercorrecting for hormone-receptor/gene expression (HR0.35, 95% CI 0.15–0.84). Taking metformin as treatmentof breast cancer has been related to extendedsurvival rate. Conclusion. This meta-analysis supports the potentialrole of metformin in the management of cancer, as itmay increase progression free survival among nondiabeticpatients with breast cancer. More clinical trialsare needed for further exploration of metformin role,and to determine whether improvements in cancercare can be achieved with adding metformin to reducemortality or to improve overall survival in patients withbreast cancer

Colorimetric Measurement of Triglycerides Cannot Provide an Accurate Measure of Stored Fat Content in Drosophila

Drosophila melanogaster has recently emerged as a useful model system in which to study the genetic basis of regulation of fat storage. One of the most frequently used methods for evaluating the levels of stored fat (triglycerides) in flies is a coupled colorimetric assay available as a kit from several manufacturers. This is an aqueous-based enzymatic assay that is normally used for measurement of mammalian serum triglycerides, which are present in soluble lipoprotein complexes. In this short communication, we show that coupled colorimetric assay kits cannot accurately measure stored triglycerides in Drosophila. First, they fail to give accurate readings when tested on insoluble triglyceride mixtures with compositions like that of stored fat, or on fat extracted from flies with organic solvents. This is probably due to an inability of the lipase used in the kits to efficiently cleave off the glycerol head group from fat molecules in insoluble samples. Second, the measured final products of the kits are quinoneimines, which absorb visible light in the same wavelength range as Drosophila eye pigments. Thus, when extracts from crushed flies are assayed, much of the measured signal is actually due to eye pigments. Finally, the lipoprotein lipases used in colorimetric assays also cleave non-fat glycerides. The glycerol backbones liberated from all classes of glycerides are measured through the remaining reactions in the assay. As a consequence, when these assay kits are used to evaluate tissue extracts, the observed signal actually represents the amount of free glycerols together with all types of glycerides. For these reasons, findings obtained through use of coupled colorimetric assays on Drosophila samples must be interpreted with caution. We also show here that using thin-layer chromatography to measure stored triglycerides in flies eliminates all of these problems

Leeds sleep evaluation questionnaire in Jordanian university students: A psychometric investigation using comparative confirmatory factor analysis

© 2020 Saudi Arabian Armed Forces Hospital. All rights reserved. Objectives: To analyze the fit of different competing factor models (a one-factor model, 3 2-factor models, and 2 4-factor models) of the Leeds sleep evaluation questionnaire (LSEQ) in the data from a Jordanian student population. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on university students, with 2 sleep-related tools - the LSEQ and the sleep hygiene index (SHI). The students (n=166) at Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan participated in this study from January-April, 2019. A total of 12 LSEQ models (6 models with all 10-items, and 6 models with one item deleted) were evaluated by using confirmatory factor analysis. The summary statistics of correlation coefficients, descriptive measures of item analysis, the model fit, and Cronbach’s alpha were determined. Results: The findings show that a 4-factor correlated solution was a plausible model for the LSEQ with 9-items, compared to a one-factor, 2-factor, and other 4-factor variant models. The deletion of one item from the original LSEQ improved the data fit significantly in the studied population. Moreover, correlation analysis between the LSEQ and SHI confirmed the divergent validity of the LSEQ. Conclusion: The results support the validity of a 4-factor structure of the LSEQ with 9-items with adequate internal consistency and divergent validity

ROLE OF KAOLIN ON HEMTOLOGICAL, BIOCHEMICAL AND SURVIVAL RATE OF CYPRINUS CARPIO CHALLENGED WITH PESUYDOMONAS AERUGINOSA

In present study, we assessed the role of kaolin [(Al2Si2O5(OH)4), an inert clay], for treatment of  common carp, Cyprinus carpio experimentally infected with  Pesudomonas aeruginosa. Fish were experimentally challenged with P. aeruginosa (LD50= 2±0.2×109 CFU/ml), in untreated water or water treated with addition of kaolin at levels of 4, 6 and 8g/l (G1, G2 and G3 respectively). Over the 5‐day course of kaolin treatment led to significantly (P ≤ 0.05) improved of survival (100%) in treated groups (G2 and G3) as compared to untreated fish (infected group; 75% survival). Considerable changes were observed in blood parameters, leucocyte count recorded significant increase (P≤0.05) in G2 and G3 relative to C- and C+ groups. Erythrocyte count, Hb content and HT(%) reported significant decrease (P≤0.05) in all treated groups (G1, G2 and G3) related to C- group. Globulin level registered significantly increased (P≤0.05) in G2 and G3 than C+ group.  The current study strongly recommends that treatment of common carp infected with kaolin at 6 and 8g/l improves survival, hematological and biochemical profile, against P. aeruginosa. Future complete molecular studies are required before application of kaolin as a treatment in aquaculture

In-hospital mortality rates in SARS-CoV-2 patients treated with enoxaparin and heparin

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate in-hospital mortality rates in patients with coronavirus disease (COVID-19) according to enoxaparin and heparin use. Methods: This retrospective cohort study included 962 patients admitted to two hospitals in Kuwait with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19. Cumulative all-cause mortality rate was the primary outcome. Results: A total of 302 patients (males, 196 [64.9%]; mean age, 57.2 ± 14.6 years; mean body mass index, 29.8 ± 6.5 kg/m2) received anticoagulation therapy. Patients receiving anticoagulation treatment tended to have pneumonia (n = 275 [91.1%]) or acute respiratory distress syndrome (n = 106 [35.1%]), and high D-dimer levels (median [interquartile range]: 608 [523;707] ng/mL). The mortality rate in this group was high (n = 63 [20.9%]). Multivariable logistic regression, the Cox proportional hazards, and Kaplan-Meier models revealed that the use of therapeutic anticoagulation agents affected the risk of all-cause cumulative mortality. Conclusion: Age, hypertension, pneumonia, therapeutic anticoagulation, and methylprednisolone use were found to be strong predictors of in-hospital mortality. In elderly hypertensive COVID-19 patients on therapeutic anticoagulation were found to have 2.3 times higher risk of in-hospital mortality. All cause in-hospital mortality rate in the therapeutic anticoagulation group was up to 21%

In-hospital mortality in SARS-CoV-2 stratified by hemoglobin levels : a retrospective study

This study is to estimate in-hospital mortality in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) patients stratified by hemoglobin (Hb) level. Patients were stratified according to hemoglobin level into two groups, that is, Hb 100 g/L. A total of 6931 patients were included. Of these, 6377 (92%) patients had hemoglobin levels >100 g/L. The mean age was 44 ± 17 years, and 66% of the patients were males. The median length of overall hospital stay was 13 days [2; 31]. The remaining 554 (8%) patients had a hemoglobin level 100 g/L (52, 0.82%). Risk factors associated with increased mortality were determined by multi- variate analysis. The Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed hemoglobin as a predictor of mortality. Cox proportional hazards regression coefficients for hemoglobin for the HB ≤ 100 category of hemoglobin were significant, B = 2.79, SE = 0.17, and HR = 16.34, p < 0.001. Multivariate logistic regression showed Hb < 100 g/L had a higher cumu- lative all-cause in-hospital mortality (22.4% vs. 0.8%; adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.33; 95% [CI]: [0.20–0.55]; p < 0.001). In this study, hemoglobin levels <100 g/L were found to be an independent predictor of in-hospital mortality

In-hospital mortality in SARS-CoV-2 stratified by gamma-glutamyl transferase levels

Background: This study investigates in-hospital mortality amongst patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and its relation to serum levels of gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT). Methods: Patients were stratified according to serum levels of gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) (GGT<50 IU/L or GGT≥50 IU/L). Results: A total of 802 participants were considered, amongst whom 486 had GGT<50 IU/L and a mean age of 48.1 (16.5) years, whilst 316 had GGT≥50 IU/L and a mean age of 53.8 (14.7) years. The chief sources of SARS-CoV-2 transmission were contact (366, 45.7%) and community (320, 40%). Most patients with GGT≥50 IU/L had either pneumonia (247, 78.2%) or acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) (85, 26.9%), whilst those with GGT<50 IU/L had hypertension (141, 29%) or diabetes mellitus (DM) (147, 30.2%). Mortality was higher amongst patients with GGT≥50 IU/L (54, 17.1%) than amongst those with GGT<50 IU/L (29, 5.9%). More patients with GGT≥50 required high (83, 27.6%) or low (104, 34.6%) levels of oxygen, whereas most of those with GGT<50 had no requirement of oxygen (306, 71.2%). Multivariable logistic regression analysis indicated that GGT≥50 IU/L (odds ratio [OR]: 2.02, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.20–3.45, p=0.009), age (OR: 1.05, 95% CI: 1.03–1.07, p<0.001), hypertension (OR: 2.06, 95% CI: 1.19–3.63, p=0.011), methylprednisolone (OR: 2.96, 95% CI: 1.74–5.01, p<0.001) and fever (OR: 2.03, 95% CI: 1.15–3.68, p=0.016) were significant predictors of all-cause cumulative mortality. A Cox proportional hazards regression model (B = −0.68, SE =0.24, HR =0.51, p = 0.004) showed that patients with GGT<50 IU/L had a 0.51-times lower risk of all-cause cumulative mortality than patients with GGT≥50 IU/L. Conclusion: Higher levels of serum GGT were found to be an independent predictor of in-hospital mortality

Risk factors for pre-term birth in Iraq: a case-control study

BACKGROUND: Preterm birth (PTB)is a major clinical problem associated with perinatal mortality and morbidity. The aim of the present study is to identify risk factors associated with PTB in Mosul, Iraq. METHODS: A case-control study was conducted in Mosul, Iraq, from 1(st )September, 2003 to 28(th )February, 2004. RESULTS: A total of 200 cases of PTB and 200 controls of full-term births were screened and enrolled in the study. Forward logistic regression analysis was used in the analysis. Several significant risk associations between PTB and the following risk factors were identified: poor diet (OR = 4.33), heavy manual work (OR = 1.70), caring for domestic animals (OR = 5.06), urinary tract infection (OR = 2.85), anxiety (OR = 2.16), cervical incompetence (OR = 4.74), multiple pregnancies (OR = 7.51), direct trauma to abdomen (OR = 3.76) and abortion (OR = 6.36). CONCLUSION: The main determinants of PTB in Iraq were low socio-economic status and factors associated with it, such as heavy manual work and caring for domestic animals, in addition to urinary tract infections and poor obstetric history