Establishment of an Accelerated Doctor of Family Medicine Program at Unaizah College of Medicine, Qassim University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Primary health care is well known to be the cornerstone for the health of the society. Furthermore, efficient health care at the secondary and tertiary levels is entirely dependent on effective primary health care. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) is currently building up a rigorous primary health care system with a large number of well-equipped primary health care centers.

Prevalence of mistreatment and justice of grading system in five health related faculties in Jordan University of Science and Technology.

Background: Many Jordanian university students complain of the behavior of some teaching staff. Also, they complain of the grading systems in universities.

Aim: This study concerns the occurrence of different forms of student mistreatment and student mistrust of the grading system in the Jordan University of Science and Technology (JUST) as an example of universities in Jordan.

A comparative study of plasma renin activity, aldosterone and atrial natriuretic hormone between normotensive and hypertensive people living at below sea level altitude (Jordan Valley) and those residing at moderate altitude above.

A cross-sectional study was designed to investigate the association of the levels of plasma renin activity (PRA) and aldosterone (ALDO) and atrial natriuretic hormone (ANH) with the rates of hypertension prevalence in people living at 340 meters below sea level, the Jordan Valley (JV) and those residing at 620 meters above sea level, Irbid City. 1072 natives from the JV and 1402 natives from Irbid City were covered by a questionnaire to estimate hypertension prevalence in the JV and Irbid city (population age: 35-65 years). Male subjects were selected from the JV (24 hypertensives, 46+/-15 years old, and 93 normotensives, 33+/-13 years old) and from Irbid City (31 hypertensives, 47+/-12 years old, and 89 normotensives, 40+/-13 years old) to evaluate the levels of PRA, ALDO and ANH.

Clinico-hormonal correlation of oligospermic patients in the below sea level environment (Jordan Valley).

A correlation between serum levels of luteinizing hormone (LH), total testosterone (T), free T and sex-hormone binding globulin (SHBG) in normospermic and in oligospermic male people was done. This study was designed to measure serum levels of these hormones and of SHBG in people living at different altitude environments relative to sea level: at 209-408 meters below (the Jordan Valley, JV) and at 620 meters above (Irbid city, IC). In addition, a clinical awareness study of oligospermia was done in the North of Jordan (IC).

Effect of fasting during the month of Ramadan on serum levels of luteinizing hormone and testosterone in people living in the below sea level environment in the Jordan Valley.

Objectives: To study a possible effect of Ramadan fasting on luteinizing hormone and testosterone in people of the Jordan Valley.

Methods: A comparative study (n=40) of serum levels of luteinizing hormone (LH) and testosterone (T) between people living in the Jordan Valley (JV), n=20, 360 meters below sea level, and those living in Ramtha City (RC), n=20, 600 meters above sea level, was conducted in December, 1998. A similar study (n=40) was also done during January 1999 in fasting people during the month of Ramadan.

Plasma levels of adrenocorticotropic hormone and cortisol in people living in an environment below sea level (Jordan Valley) during fasting in the month of Ramadan.

Objectives: To investigate the effects of Ramadan fasting on plasma levels of ACTH and cortisol in athletic students living in the Jordan Valley (JV) and compare them to those living at above sea level in Ramtha City (RC).

Methods: Sample collection and measurements were done in November 1998 from non-fasting and in December 1998 from fasting people.

Results: ACTH levels in non-fasting subjects in the JV were 36 +/- 4 IU/ml compared to 43 +/- 3 IU/ml for those in RC.