Symptomatic dry eye disease among university students

Background: Dry eye disease (DED) is a multifactorial condition often characterized by a reduction in tear film quantity or quality. This study aimed to determine the frequency of DED and its associated subjective symptoms among students of Mu’tah University. Methods: In this cross-sectional study conducted at Mu’tah University, Mu’tah, Jordan, from January to April 2022, 489 students completed an online patient-reported DED symptom questionnaire and the ocular surface disease index (OSDI) questionnaire. Moreover, 106 participants underwent clinical examinations using the Schirmer test I and fluorescein tear breakup time (TBUT). Results: Approximately 74.6% of the students self-reported experiencing DED symptoms, and 72.6% had an OSDI score > 12, which is considered the threshold for an abnormal ocular surface. Clinical examinations revealed low Schirmer test scores (< 10 mm) in 26.4% (n = 28) and 25.5% (n = 27) of the right and left eyes, respectively. We observed low TBUT scores (< 5 s) in 19.8% (n = 21) and 18.9% (n = 20) of the right and left eyes, respectively. We noted significant differences between the self-reported DED symptoms and the Schirmer test scores (P = 0.003 for both right and left eyes), TBUT (P < 0.001 for both right and left eyes), and OSDI score (P < 0.001 for each self-reported DED symptom). We observed a weak significant positive correlation between Schirmer test scores and TBUT in the right (r = + 0.30; P = 0.002) and left (r = + 0.34; P < 0.001) eyes; a negligible significant inverse correlation between OSDI scores and Schirmer test scores in the right (r = - 0.24; P = 0.013) and left (r = - 0.23; P = 0.019) eyes; and a negligible significant inverse correlation between the OSDI score and TBUT of the left eye (r = - 0.25; P = 0.011) but not of the right eye (r = - 0.17; P = 0.077). Conclusions: The frequency of DED symptoms in this study was higher than that previously reported based on foreign statistics. The presence of self-reported DED symptoms was significantly associated with higher OSDI scores. Self-reported DED symptoms were more frequent than the abnormalities detected using objective methods. Therefore, a combination of subjective and objective measures may provide a higher diagnostic yield for DED. Further studies are required to confirm this hypothesis

Treatment of psychological morbidity secondary to benign prostatic hyperplasia: a comparative study

Background: Authors tend to compare the medical treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia with the surgical option regarding lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and related psychological morbidity.Methods: A retrospective study of (1614) patients who were managed by either transurethral resection of prostate (TURP) or medical treatment for lower urinary tract symptoms secondary to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) over a period of 5 years between (Sep. 2013 and Sep. 2018) carried out in Prince Hussein Urology Center at Jordanian Royal Medical Services. Patients were classified into two groups, group1 (807 patients) who get a medical option and group 2 (807 patients who underwent TURPs. A comparison between both groups according to the effect of minimizing the psychological morbidities was done over a period of 1-year follow-up after reviewing the patient’s medical records.Results: Ages of the patients for group1 and 2 were (47-68 years), (49-73 years), respectively. There were significant differences at the level of depression, anxiety and psychiatric morbidity pre-treatment between both groups p-value 0.05, but significant differences in the level of improvement after treatment between both groups and in group 2 were found, p-value <0.05.Conclusions: The severity of LUTS and psychological morbidity have a positive relationship and were higher in the pretreatment surgical group, but the effect of TURP was superior to the medical group in the management of this morbidity and its causative (LUTS)

Consumer Adoption of Self-Service Technologies in the Context of the Jordanian Banking Industry: Examining the Moderating Role of Channel Types

YesThis study aimed to examine the key factors predicting Jordanian consumers’ intentions and usage of three types of self-service banking technologies. This study also sought to test if the impacts of these main predictors could be moderated by channel type. This study proposed a conceptual model by integrating factors from the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT), along with perceived risk. The required data were collected from a convenience sample of Jordanian banking customers using a survey questionnaire. The statistical results strongly support the significant influence of performance expectancy, social influence, and perceived risk on customer intentions for the three types of SSTs examined. The results of the X2 differences test also indicate that there are significant differences in the influence of the main predictors due to the moderating effect of channel type. One of the key contributions of this study is that three types of SSTs were tested in a single study, which had not been done before, leading to the identification of the factors common to all three types, as well as the salient factors unique to each type

Examining factors influencing Jordanian customers’ intentions and adoption of internet banking: Extending UTAUT2 with risk

YesThe key objective of this study is to propose and examine a conceptual model that best explains the key factors influencing Jordanian customers’ intentions and adoption of Internet banking. The conceptual model proposed was based on the extended Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT2). This was further extended by adding perceived risk as an external factor. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was conducted to analyse the data collected from the field survey questionnaires administered to a convenience sample of Jordanian banking customers. The results show that behavioural intention is significantly influenced by performance expectancy, effort expectancy, hedonic motivation, price value and perceived risk; however, social influence does not have a significant impact on behavioural intention. This study offers Jordanian banks some guidelines for designing and marketing such channel in order to enhance their acceptance by their customers

Acute Dysphagia as the Presenting Feature of Syringobulbia in a Sixteen-Year-Old Patient

A sixteen-year-old female with no past medical history presented with a one-week history of painless dysphagia to solids and liquids and a two-week history of bowels not opening. Neurological examination on admission revealed left-beating nystagmus but no other cranial nerve or peripheral neurological deficits. CT Head showed a longitudinal Cerebrospinal Fluid-density lesion in the Medulla and Cervical Cord. Within eight-hours of her initial neurological examination, the patient developed bilateral Glossopharyngeal, Vagus, Accessory and Hypoglossal Nerve palsies, bilateral nystagmus, and glove-and-stocking paraesthesiae. MRI spine showed an extensive, complex hydro-syringomyelic cavity extending from the junction of the Fourth Ventricle and central Spinal Canal to the T10 level, with associated cord expansion. The patient underwent neurosurgical excision of the tumour and decompression of the syrinx within three days of admission. She subsequently made a full neurological recovery. Histology revealed a Grade 1 haemangioblastoma. The patient is being investigated for other features of Von Hippel Lindau Syndrome. This case illustrates the importance of regular neurological examination to detect evolving signs which may indicate life-threatening rises in intra-cranial or intra-spinal pressure. It also demonstrates that an extensive spinal cord space-occupying lesion in a young patient may be part of an underlying condition such as Von Hippel Lindau Syndrome, and therefore prompt imaging of the Central Nervous System should be considered in any patient with a focal neurological deficit. Finally, it serves as a reminder that timely referral to other specialties can be life-saving for patients admitted on the Acute Medical Take

Neosporosis in Sheep and Different Breeds of Goats from Southern Jordan: Prevalence and Risk Factors Analysis

A cross sectional study was performed to investigate the epidemiology of Neospora caninum infection in Southern Jordan. A total of 320 sheep and 300 goats from 38 and 24, sheep and goat flocks, respectively, were randomly sampled and assayed for presence of antibodies against N. caninum. A structured pre-tested questionnaire was administered to collect information on flocks' health and management. A multivariable logistic regression model was constructed to investigate risk factors associated with seropositivity to N. caninum. The individual true seroprevalence of N. caninum in sheep and goats was 4.3 and 5.7%, respectively. The sheep and goat flock level true seroprevalence for N. caninum was 45.8 and 48.7%, respectively. The logistic regression model revealed small herd size, having more than one dog and grazing in communal pastures as risk factors for N. caninum seropositivity in both sheep and goats. Damascus breed goats were more likely to be seropositive than goats of other breeds.A.M. Al-Majali, K.I. Jawasreh, H.A. Talafha and A.Q. Talafh

Genotype and Allelic Frequencies of a Newly Identified Mutation Causing Blindness in Jordanian Awassi Sheep Flocks

A total of 423 blood samples were collected (during 2009 and 2010) from all the ram holdings at three major Jordanian governmental Awassi breeding stations (Al-Khanasry, Al-Mushairfa and Al-Fjaje) and two private flocks. All blood samples were screened for the presence of mutations at the CNGA3 gene (responsible for day blindness in Awassi sheep) using RFLP-PCR. The day blindness mutation was detected in all studied flocks. The overall allele and genotype frequencies of all studied flocks of the day blindness mutation were 0.088 and 17.49%, respectively. The genotype and allele frequencies were higher in station flocks than the farmer flocks (0.121, 24.15 and 0.012, 2.32, respectively). Al-Mushairfa and Al-Khanasry stations have the highest genotype and allele frequencies for the day blindness mutation that were 27.77, 30.00% and 0.14, 0.171, respectively. The investigated farmer flocks have low percentages (0.03, 5.88% at Al-Shoubak and 0.005 and 1.05%, at Al-Karak, respectively for genotype and allele frequencies) compared with the breeding stations. Ram culling strategy was applied throughout the genotyping period in order to gradually eradicate this newly identified day blindness mutation from Jordanian Breeding station, since they annually distribute a high percentage of improved rams to farmer’s flocks