Online grocery retailing in Jordan: Future perspectives

Electronic commerce (e-Commerce) has been considered as the way of conducting business transactions online. The use of e-commerce technologies is widely accepted around the world since it offers organizations many opportunities to improve their performance. However, it is still skeptical that using this technology will come up with positive expectations. This study aimed at identifying the possible benefits and barriers that may affect the Jordanian grocery retailers’ decision to adopt this kind of technologies

Study of the Activation of Peripheral Blood and Cord Blood Natural Killer Cells

Background: Natural killer (NK) cells are cytotoxic effectors providing a first line of defence against viruses and tumours. NK cells can be isolated from peripheral blood (PB) or cord blood (CB) for cancer immunotherapy. However, it was shown by our group and others, that CB NK cells express higher NKG2A and less killer immunoglobulin like receptors (KIRs) than PB NK cells indicating an immature phenotype. Also, CB NK cells require high doses of interleukin (IL)-2 for proliferation and activation. It was also shown that resting CB NK cells are poorly cytotoxic and produce less IFN-γ than PB NK cells after stimulation with IL-2. Hypothesis and aims: CB NK cells have an immature phenotype and could mediate different role in neonatal immunity than adult PB NK cells. Hence, the aim of this study was to explore whether differential mechanisms of activation exist between PB and CB NK cells. Methods: PB samples from healthy volunteers and CB samples were obtained with prior written consent and ethical approval from Anthony Nolan. Purified PB and CB NK cells were stimulated with cytokines including IL-2, IL-12, IL-15, IL-18, individually or in combination. Thereafter, comparative analysis was performed on their phenotype, signalling, proliferation, cytotoxicity, cytokine secretion and chemotaxis post-cytokine stimulation. Results: My results show that CB NK cells responded less to IL-2 activation than PB NK cells, which correlated with lower levels of IL-2 receptors and decreased phosphorylation of STAT5 pathway. CB NK cells activated with IL-15+IL-2 showed enhanced cytotoxicity while activation with IL-15+IL-18 promoted maximal proliferation, higher IFN-γ and TNF-α secretion. In contrast, optimal activation of PB NK cells was achieved by IL-2 stimulation. Interestingly, CB NK cells secreted substantial IL-8 concentrations following cytokine stimulation. IL-12 or IL-18 stimulation induced L- selectin expression on CB NK cells and promoted NK cell migration towards chemokines that induce homing to lymph nodes. I also generated long-lived memory- like NK cells from PB and CB using cytokines whereby IL-12+IL-15+IL-18 pre- activation led to substantial IFN-! production. Conclusions: CB NK cells are fully functional upon activation with IL-15+IL-2 or IL-15+IL-18 rather than IL-2 thereby providing a basis for activation of NK cells derived from different sources that may be utilised for future NK cell-based therapeutic purposes. In addition, CB NK cell cytokine secretion profile is suggestive for a role of neonatal NK cells in providing protective immunity against bacterial infections

Editorial

Emergence of data communication networks and the evolution of global data communication via the Internet have provided a potential platform for researchers around the globe to disseminate their research findings to the global community

Revving up natural killer cells and cytokine-induced killer cells against hematological malignancies

Natural killer (NK) cells belong to innate immunity and exhibit cytolytic activity against infectious pathogens and tumor cells. NK-cell function is finely tuned by receptors that transduce inhibitory or activating signals, such as killer immunoglobulin-like receptors, NK Group 2 member D (NKG2D), NKG2A/CD94, NKp46, and others, and recognize both foreign and self-antigens expressed by NK-susceptible targets. Recent insights into NK-cell developmental intermediates have translated into a more accurate definition of culture conditions for the in vitro generation and propagation of human NK cells. In this respect, interleukin (IL)-15 and IL-21 are instrumental in driving NK-cell differentiation and maturation, and hold great promise for the design of optimal NK-cell culture protocols. Cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cells possess phenotypic and functional hallmarks of both T cells and NK cells. Similar to T cells, they express CD3 and are expandable in culture, while not requiring functional priming for in vivo activity, like NK cells. CIK cells may offer some advantages over other cell therapy products, including ease of in vitro propagation and no need for exogenous administration of IL-2 for in vivo priming. NK cells and CIK cells can be expanded using a variety of clinical-grade approaches, before their infusion into patients with cancer. Herein, we discuss GMP-compliant strategies to isolate and expand human NK and CIK cells for immunotherapy purposes, focusing on clinical trials of adoptive transfer to patients with hematological malignancies

Impact of Training on Developing wisdom in Gifted Female Students at Secondary School

هدف البحث إلى معرفة أثر برنامج تدريبي قائم على الحكمة في تنمية مهارات الحكمة لدى الطالبات الموهوبات في المرحلة الثانوية، وللتحقق من هذا الهدف قام الباحثون بالتحقق من الفرض التالي: يؤدي تطبيق برنامج تدريبي قائم على الحكمة في تحسين مهارات الحكمة (التأملي، الحواري) بشكل إيجابي لدى الطالبات الموهوبات في المرحلة الثانوية في مملكة البحرين. وقد تكونت عينة البحث من (24) طالبة موهوبة من المرحلة الثانوية، موزعات بالتساوي على مدرستين ثانويتين للبنات إحداهما تجريبية والأخرى ضابطة. طبقت أداة الحكمة في القياس القبلي والبعدي لأفراد المجموعتين التجريبية والضابطة، بينما طبق البرنامج التدريبي "القائم على الحكمة" على أفراد المجموعة التجريبية على مدى (22) جلسة تدريبية خلال الفصل الثاني من العام الدراسي (2014-2015م). وبعد المعالجة الإحصائية، جاءت النتائج كالآتي: وجود فروق دالة إحصائياً عند مستوى أقل من (0.001) على التطبيق البعدي لمهارات البعدين التأملي والحواري بين المجموعتين التجريبية والضابطة لصالح المجموعة التجريبية، وهذا يدل على أثر البرنامج التدريبي في تنمية مهارات الحكمة لدى الطالبات الموهوبات. الكلمات المفتاحية: الموهبة، الحكمة، المرحلة الثانوية.The study aimed to investigate the effect of a wisdom-based training program on the development of wisdom of gifted students in the secondary level in the kingdom of Bahrain. In order to achieve this objective, the researchers answered  this question: “Is there a valid positive impact for the implementation of a wisdom-based training program in the development of gifted students’ wisdom skills in the secondary level in the kingdom of Bahrain? The sample of the study consisted of (24) gifted students from the secondary level divided equally into two groups: experimental group and control group. The wisdom tool  was applied in the pre-test and post-test processes on the two groups, whereas the wisdom-based training program was applied on the members of the experimental group only over (22)  training sessions in the second term of the academic year (2014/2015). After the statistical analysis, the results revealed statistically significant differences in the post-test levels of reflective and dialogic dimension skills between the experimental and control groups, in favor of the experimental group. This indicates the effect of the experimental program in the development of wisdom skills on gifted students. Keywords: Giftedness, Wisdom, Secondary level

Evaluation of risk factors associated with the peritoneal flap hernioplasty for complex incisional hernia repair:a retrospective review of 327 cases

Background: Repair of large incisional hernias is challenging, and the risks of postoperative complications have been associated with obesity, smoking, and diabetes. The present study was conducted to determine the impact of these risk factors on short and long-term outcomes following the repair with the peritoneal flap hernioplasty (PFH). Methods: Three hundred twenty-seven patients undergoing PFH for incisional hernia repair were identified. Patient demographics and clinical data were recorded. Patients presenting signs of complications were assessed during a visit to the outpatient clinic. A multivariable regression analysis was performed to evaluate the association between BMI, smoking and diabetes, and postoperative complications. Results: The study included 157 males (48.0%) and 170 females (52.0%). Median BMI was 30.9 kg/m2. Diabetes was present in 13.8% of patients. 23.2% were active smokers. The recurrence rate was 2.4%. The odds ratios for postoperative complications were increased by 9% per BMI unit (P &lt; 0.01), due predominantly to a rise in superficial wound infections (P &lt; 0.01) and seroma production (P = 0.07). The adjusted odds ratio increased fourfold in patients with BMI &gt; 40 kg/m2 (P = 0.06). Conclusion: Incisional hernia repair with the PFH technique is associated with a low risk of short and long-term complications. The risk is associated with obesity and significantly increased in patients with a BMI exceeding 40 kg/m2, where a fourfold increase was observed predominantly due to seroma and superficial wound infections. The recurrence rate was 2.4% and was unaltered across BMI categories. No association was established between smoking, diabetes, and the risk of all-cause complications.</p

Deprescribing in Danish clinical treatment guidelines

Lack of clinical guidance constitutes a significant barrier to deprescribing. Within Danish clinical guidelines on treatment of dementia, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and osteoporosis, only limited attention was given to deprescribing. For dementia, type 2 diabetes, and osteoporosis, guidance was primarily focused on when to consider and implement deprescribing, with limited practical guidance on how to deprescribe. No guidance for deprescribing antihypertensives was identified. This highlights a need to consider deprescribing more broadly when developing and updating clinical guidelines, as argued in this review

Deprescribing in Danish clinical treatment guidelines

Lack of clinical guidance constitutes a significant barrier to deprescribing. Within Danish clinical guidelines on treatment of dementia, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and osteoporosis, only limited attention was given to deprescribing. For dementia, type 2 diabetes, and osteoporosis, guidance was primarily focused on when to consider and implement deprescribing, with limited practical guidance on how to deprescribe. No guidance for deprescribing antihypertensives was identified. This highlights a need to consider deprescribing more broadly when developing and updating clinical guidelines, as argued in this review

Deprescribing in Danish clinical treatment guidelines

Lack of clinical guidance constitutes a significant barrier to deprescribing. Within Danish clinical guidelines on treatment of dementia, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and osteoporosis, only limited attention was given to deprescribing. For dementia, type 2 diabetes, and osteoporosis, guidance was primarily focused on when to consider and implement deprescribing, with limited practical guidance on how to deprescribe. No guidance for deprescribing antihypertensives was identified. This highlights a need to consider deprescribing more broadly when developing and updating clinical guidelines, as argued in this review