Because of their broad applications in our life, nanoparticles are expected to be present in the environment raising many concerns about their possible adverse effects on the ecosystem of plants. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of different sizes and concentrations of iron oxide nanoparticles [(Fe3O4) NPs] on morphological, physiological, biochemical, and ultrastructural parameters in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum var.2 Turkish). Lengths of shoots and roots of 5 nm-treated plants were significantly decreased in all nanoparticle-treated plants compared to control plants or plants treated with any concentration of 10 or 20 nm nanoparticles. The photosynthetic rate and leaf area were drastically reduced in 5 nm (Fe3O4) NP-treated plants of all concentrations compared to control plants and plants treated with 10 or 20 nm (Fe3O4) NPs. Accumulation of sugars in leaves showed no significant differences between the control plants and plants treated with iron oxide of all sizes and concentrations. In contrast, protein accumulation in plants treated with 5 nm iron oxide dramatically increased compared to control plants. Moreover, light and transmission electron micrographs of roots and leaves revealed that roots and chloroplasts of 5 nm (Fe3O4) NPs-treated plants of all concentrations were drastically affected. The size and concentration of nanoparticles are key factors affecting plant growth and development. The results of this study demonstrated that the toxicity of (Fe3O4) NPs was clearly influenced by size and concentration. Further investigations are needed to elucidate more about NP toxicity in plants, especially at the molecular level.

Cataract, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy and dry eye disease are common with high prevalence in Jordan. This study aims to assess the awareness of these ocular diseases among Jordanian population. A self-designed questionnaire was developed in Arabic and used to interview people in different provinces of Jordan. Socio-demographic data e.g. age, gender and level of education was reported. Public awareness of four ocular diseases; cataract, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy (DR) and dry eye disease (DED) was assessed. Questions about familiarity with the diseases, familiarity with their risk factors and participants’ source of knowledge were asked. Moreover, awareness of the effect of these disease on the eye whether they are blinding, preventable, treatable and/or the vision is back to normal following treatment was also assessed. A total of 802 participants (232 males and 570 females) completed the questionnaire. The average age (± standard deviation) of the study participants was 28 ± 11.6 (range 18 to 80 years old). Awareness of cataract, glaucoma, DR and DED was reported by 31%, 38%, 37% and 52% of the study population, respectively. Family/relatives/friends and mass media appeared to be the most common sources of knowledge. Age and level of education of the participants were significantly associated with the level of disease awareness. This work shows that the level of awareness of the four ocular diseases among Jordanians is good and compares with many reports in the developed and developing countries. Familiarity and knowledge about ocular diseases is essential as it would increase the chance of the subject being tested and thus diagnosed early enough if any problem occurred. Better understanding of the disease would encourage subjects to seek medical care sooner which in turn would prevent visual impairment. Therefore, awareness campaigns should be made to target unaware population.

Exposure to air pollution can cause detrimental health and be an economic burden. With newly developed equipment, monitoring of different air pollutants, identifying the sources, types of air pollutants and their corresponding concentrations, and applying mitigation intervention techniques became a crucial step in public health protection. Countries in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) are highly exposed to dust storms, have high levels of particulate matter (PM) concentrations, and have a unique climatic as well as topographic and socio-economic structure. This is the first study conducted to systemically and qualitatively assess the health impacts of air pollution in the EMR, identify susceptible populations, and ascertain research and knowledge gaps in the literature to better inform decisions by policy makers. We screened relevant papers and reports published between 2000 and 2014 in research databases. A total of 36 published studies met the inclusion criteria. A variety of indoor and outdoor exposures associated with various acute and chronic respiratory health outcomes were included. Respiratory health outcomes ranged in severity, from allergies and general respiratory complaints to lung cancer and mortality. Several adverse health outcomes were positively associated with various indoor/outdoor air pollutants throughout the EMR. However, epidemiological literature concerning the EMR is limited to a few studies in a few countries. More research is needed to elucidate the health outcomes of air pollution. Standardized reliable assessments on the national level for various air pollutants in different regions should be implemented and made publically available for researchers to utilize in their research. Moreover, advancing and utilizing more sound epidemiological designs and studies on the effect of air pollution on the respiratory health outcomes is needed to portray the actual situation in the region.

Purpose. To investigate the association between obesity and breast cancer clinicopathologic characteristics at presentation along with prognostic impact among Jordanian breast cancer patients. Such data are lacking in Arabian countries. Methods. In this retrospective study, 348 breast cancer patients were included. Analyses were conducted for associations between body mass index (BMI) and age at diagnosis, tumor clinicopathologic characteristics, and molecular subtypes. Eight prognostic factors were considered, and total prognostic scores were calculated. The analysis was stratified by menopausal status. Multivariate logistic stepwise regression analysis was conducted to identify predictors for breast cancer recurrence and death. Results. Mean age at diagnosis was 50.98 ± 10.96 years. Mean BMI at diagnosis was 29.52 ± 5.32 kg/m². Mean age at diagnosis was significantly higher for overweight and obese patients compared to underweight/normal patients (P<0.001). A significant positive correlation was observed between patient age and BMI at diagnosis (r = 0.251, P<0.001). Grade of carcinoma was significantly correlated with BMI in the whole population examined (P=0.003). Obese breast cancer patients had significantly higher prognostic scores compared to nonobese cases, indicating worse prognostic features at presentation (P=0.034). Stratification of data analysis based on menopausal status revealed significant associations between obesity and each of tumor stage and grade among postmenopausal but not premenopausal patients (P=0.019 and P=0.031, respectively). Similarly, postmenopausal obese patients had significantly higher prognostic scores compared to nonobese counterparts (P=0.007), indicating worse prognosis, a finding which was also absent among premenopausal breast cancer patients. No significant association between BMI with expression status of hormone receptors, HER2, lymphovascular invasion, and molecular subtypes was found among patients. BMI was a significant predictor for disease recurrence in which obese breast cancer patients had greater odds (2-fold) to develop locoregional and distant recurrence compared to nonobese cases (P=0.011). Conclusions. Obesity was associated with advanced stage and grade of breast carcinoma at diagnosis. The impact of BMI on clinicopathologic characteristics and prognosis was confined to postmenopausal cases. Jordanian obese breast cancer patients are at greater risk of breast cancer recurrence and reduced survival compared to their nonobese counterparts.

Salinity is one of the major problems facing crops worldwide. Salinity can severely affect plants in a negative manner. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of NaCl on morpho–physiological, biochemical, structural and ultrastructural properties in Solanum melongena seedlings under different NaCl concentrations. Plants treated with high concentrations of NaCl showed a nonsignificant decrease in shoot height compared to the controls. However, NaCl concentration of 50 mM and above significantly decreased leaf area, while 75 mM and above significantly reduced the photosynthetic rate (PN) and leaf total sugar content when compared with plants treated with less-concentrated NaCl and the controls. Thick root sections from plants grown in 100 and 150 mM NaCl exhibit severe deformation in the epidermal and cortical layers. Additionally, TEM micrographs of plants treated with 75, 100, and 150 mM exhibited bulgy chloroplasts with loss of integrity thylakoid membranes associated with large starch grains. The changes in plant ultrastructure observed in this study broaden our knowledge about the impact of salinity at the cellular level.

Objectives: We aim to address public knowledge, attitudes, and practices relative to prenatal genetic testing as a starting point for policy development in Jordan. Study design: We conducted a cross-sectional prenatal genetic testing knowledge, attitudes, and practices survey with 1111 women recruited at obstetrics and gynecology clinics nationwide. Data were analyzed using a variety of descriptive and inferential statistical tests. Results: The overwhelming majority (>94%) of participants considered prenatal genetic testing, particularly non-invasive prenatal genetic screening, procedures to be good, comfortable, and reasonable, even when the non-diagnostic nature of non-invasive prenatal genetic screening was explained. Likewise, 95% encouraged the implementation of non-invasive prenatal genetic screening within the Jordanian health system, but most preferred it to remain optional. However, women in higher-risk age brackets, in consanguineous marriages, and with less education were significantly less interested in learning about non-invasive prenatal genetic screening. Only 60% of women interviewed were satisfied with the services provided by their obstetric/gynecologist. The more satisfied the women were, the more they are likely to adapt non-invasive prenatal genetic screening. Conclusions: In sum, although the data support the receptivity of Jordanian women to national implementation of non-invasive prenatal genetic screening, such policies should be accompanied by health education to increase the genetic literacy of the population and to engage high-risk populations. Thus, this offers rare insight into the readiness of 1 particular Arab population to adapt non-invasive prenatal genetic screening technologies.