The relationship between single nucleotide polymorphism in taste receptor genes and body composition, energy intake, and macronutrient consumption in young adults​

Genetic variations in taste receptor genes play a notable role in human taste perception and food preferences and intake, which may affect nutritional and health status. Understanding how genetic variations in taste receptor genes influence food perception, preferences, and intake can play an important role in designing effective interventions to improve the quality of peoples\u27 nutrition and minimize the risk of diet-related diseases such as obesity. The objective of this study was to investigate single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of umami taste receptor gene TAS1R1 and GRM4 and sweet taste receptor gene TAS1R3 and percentage of body fat mass (BF%) among young adults. 833 young adults aged 18-31 years old were enrolled in a cross-sectional study. Umami and sweet taste receptor genotypes were determined and analyzed. A strong association was observed between the allele frequencies of sweet taste receptor gene TAS1R3 for SNPs rs307355 and rs35744813 and BMI, and between the same SNPs rs307355 and rs35744813 and BF%. In addition, the allele frequencies of SNP rs2499729 were significantly related to the likelihood of having obesity based on BMI classification. However, there was no association between the allele frequencies of the SNPs of the umami taste receptor genes; TAS1R1 for rs34160967 and BMI or BF%. The results of this study also indicated association in total energy intake and the percentage of energy from carbohydrates, protein, and fat intake between the alleles of the sweet receptor gene TAS1R3 for rs307355 and 35744813. Furthermore, a notable association was also detected in the percentage of energy from fat intake among the alleles of the umami receptors gene TAS1R1 rs34160967, and a significant relation in the percentage of energy from carbohydrates and protein intake between the different genotype polymorphisms of the umami receptor GRM4 gene for rs2499729

Hypochondroplasia, Acanthosis Nigricans, and Insulin Resistance in a Child with FGFR3 Mutation: Is It Just an Association?

FGFR3 mutations cause wide spectrum of disorders ranging from skeletal dysplasias (hypochondroplasia, achondroplasia, and thanatophoric dysplasia), benign skin tumors (epidermal nevi, seborrhaeic keratosis, and acanthosis nigricans), and epithelial malignancies (multiple myeloma and prostate and bladder carcinoma). Hypochondroplasia is the most common type of short-limb dwarfism in children resulting from fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3) mutation. Acanthosis nigricans might be seen in severe skeletal dysplasia, including thanatophoric dysplasia and SADDAN syndrome, without a biochemical evidence of hyperinsulinemia. Insulin insensitivity and acanthosis nigricans are uncommonly seen in hypochondroplasia patients with FGFR3 mutations which may represent a new association. We aim to describe the association of hypochondroplasia, acanthosis nigricans, and insulin resistance in a child harboring FGFR3 mutation. To our knowledge, this is the first case report associating the p.N540 with acanthosis nigricans and the second to describe hyperinsulinemia in hypochondroplasia. This finding demonstrates the possible coexistence of insulin insensitivity and acanthosis nigricans in hypochondroplasia patients

STUDY THE POTENTIAL ANTIOXIDANT EFFECT OF VITAMIN D3 SUPPLEMENTATION ON THE LEVEL OF EXTRACELLULAR SUPEROXIDE DISMUTASE IN ASTHMATIC PATIENTS

Objective: This study was designed to evaluate the potential antioxidant effect of vitamin D3 supplementation in chronic asthma patients.Methods: A total of 44 candidate patients were diagnosed with asthma allocated as Group 1 includes 20 patients assigned to receive conventional therapy for asthma and Group 2 includes 24 patients assigned to receive conventional therapy for asthma plus 2000 IU vitamin D3 tablet for 3-month period. Furthermore, 30 apparently healthy subjects were included in the study as a control group. Pulmonary function test, serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D levels, serum extracellular superoxide dismutase (SOD3) levels were measured before and after 3 months therapy.Results: The mean forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) both the measured and the percentage of predicted value showed a highly significant increase after 3 months treatment compared to pre-treatment value in both study groups (p<0.01). When compared to pre-treatment value, there was no significant increase in forced expiratory volume in one second to forced vital capacity ratio (FEV1/FVC) in Group 1 (p>0.05), nevertheless, Group 2 showed highly significant increase after 3 months (p<0.01). Approximately, 90-96% of adult asthmatic patients revealed vitamin D deficiency (<20 ng/ml). Post-treatment with adjuvant vitamin D3 therapy, 25% of patients obtained acceptable level of vitamin D sufficiency (≥30 ng/ml). After 3 months of the treatment, Group 1 patients showed a significant decrease in mean SOD3 level compared to pre-treatment level (p<0.05), while Group 2 patients showed a significant increase in mean SOD3 level compared to pre-treatment level (p<0.05).Conclusion: Most of the asthmatic patients revealed vitamin D deficiency and supplementation with vitamin D3 reduce oxidative stress burden in those patients

Fathers And Breastfeeding Process: Determining Their Role And Attitudes

Breastfeeding is a vital for infants during their early stage of life and it is considered that fathers have an important role to make this process succeed; this study was done to determine father’s attitudes and involvement in the breastfeeding process. A study survey instrument designed to measure father’s attitudes regarding breastfeeding process, the degree of their involvement and fathers` surrounded cultural effect on their involvement. Instrument were piloted with 22 fathers who met the inclusion criteria and Cronbach's alpha was 0.73 for both measures : fathers` attitudes regarding breastfeeding and fathers` involvement in the process. Then a total of 198 fathers in King Abdullah University Hospital (KAUH) in Jordan completed a self-administered questionnaire. Means and standard deviations were calculated for the measures of fathers` breastfeeding attitudes and involvement, then Pearson’s correlation analysis was conducted with an alpha level of 0.05 between the measure of fathers` involvement in breastfeeding process and surrounded cultural effect on their involvement. Result shows that fathers in had a negative attitudes and poor involvement in the breastfeeding process, and a significant correlation found between fathers` involvement in the breastfeeding process and surrounded cultural effect regarding this role (P- value = 0.01). Father may play an important role to positively influence a mother's decision to initiate and continue breastfeeding. Therefore, efforts to increase breastfeeding rates should focus on involving fathers in interventions and programs to change their attitudes and make them aware regarding their role in the breastfeeding process

Evaluation of microalbuminuria in patients with systemic sclerosis as an indicator of early renal damage and increased morbidity

AbstractIntroductionRenal involvement and systemic vascular damage have been shown to be significantly affecting prognosis in systemic sclerosis.Aim of workMicroalbuminuria detection in SSc patients as an indicator of early renal involvement and its correlation with various SSc clinical, laboratory parameters and severity of organ systems’ damage assessed by Scleroderma Assessment Questionnaire.Patients and methodsForty SSc patients (33 females and 7 males) with mean age of 27.48±12.56years and mean disease duration of 6.2±4.14years were included. Twenty-four (60%) had lSSc; 13 (32.5%) had dSSc and 3 (7.5%) patients had SSc sine scleroderma.ResultsEight (20%) had microalbuminuria and 9 (22.5%) patients had decreased creatinine clearance. Albumin/creatinine ratio was significantly higher among dSSc patients compared to those with lSSc and SSc sine scleroderma (X2=9.077; p=0.01). Albumin/creatinine ratio showed significant positive correlations with telangiectasia (r=0.322; p=0.04) and mRodnan’s skin score (r=0.352; p=0.026) and negative correlations with inter-incisor distance (r=−0.525; p=0.001) and pleurisy (r=−0.446; p=0.004). Albumin/creatinine ratio correlated significantly and positively with IMSS and IDS indices of SAQ (r=0.378, 0.32; p=0.016, 0.044, respectively). SSc patients with microalbuminuria showed significantly higher mean IDS than those without (1.058 vs. 0.631, p=0.04). No statistically significant correlations were found between creatinine clearance and the different demographic, clinical features and the indices of SAQ.ConclusionMicroalbuminuria compared to creatinine clearance may be a more sensitive indicator of early renal affection and predictor of increased morbidity

Case Report Hypochondroplasia, Acanthosis Nigricans, and Insulin Resistance in a Child with FGFR3 Mutation: Is It Just an Association?

FGFR3 mutations cause wide spectrum of disorders ranging from skeletal dysplasias (hypochondroplasia, achondroplasia, and thanatophoric dysplasia), benign skin tumors (epidermal nevi, seborrhaeic keratosis, and acanthosis nigricans), and epithelial malignancies (multiple myeloma and prostate and bladder carcinoma). Hypochondroplasia is the most common type of shortlimb dwarfism in children resulting from fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3) mutation. Acanthosis nigricans might be seen in severe skeletal dysplasia, including thanatophoric dysplasia and SADDAN syndrome, without a biochemical evidence of hyperinsulinemia. Insulin insensitivity and acanthosis nigricans are uncommonly seen in hypochondroplasia patients with FGFR3 mutations which may represent a new association. We aim to describe the association of hypochondroplasia, acanthosis nigricans, and insulin resistance in a child harboring FGFR3 mutation. To our knowledge, this is the first case report associating the p.N540 with acanthosis nigricans and the second to describe hyperinsulinemia in hypochondroplasia. This finding demonstrates the possible coexistence of insulin insensitivity and acanthosis nigricans in hypochondroplasia patients

Novel Green Synthesis and Characterization of Nanopolymer Porous Gold Oxide Nanoparticles

Purpose: To develop a novel approach to green synthesis of nano-polymer porous gold oxide nanoparticles, and examine the effects of the temperatures on their surface.Methods: Green synthesis of nano-polymer porous gold oxide nanoparticles (GONPs) using cetyle trimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) surfactant with a mixture of Olea europaea fruit and Acacia Nilotica extracts, was performed using sol-gel method. The nanoporous particles were characterized by UV (ultraviolet (UV) visible spectroscopy and dynamic light scattering (DLS) while a zetasizer was applied to determine their average particle size. Their surface morphology and shape were assessed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning election microscopy (SEM) while surface area was measured using nitrogen gas adsorption method.Results: TEM and SEM images showed a smooth, cylindrical or spherical, and cluster shapes, and porous surface morphology. Increase in calcination temperature resulted in increase in surface area and pore volume of nanoparticles. This feature yielded GONPs that were unique with a high surface area of 146.706 m2/g.Conclusion: The approach used in this study constitutes a new and rapid green synthesis of porous nanoparticles of gold oxide under simple conditions. Furthermore, increase in GONPs surface area is enhanced by increase in calcination temperature.Keywords: Gold oxide, Nanoporous, Green synthesis, Olea europaea, Acacia Nilotica, Surface area, Nanopolymer, Surface morpholog

Effect of Curcumin Supplement on Pulmonary Functions, Total and Differential White Blood Cell Count, Serum Level of Leptin and Body Mass Index in a Sample of Iraqi Patients with Chronic Bronchial Asthma

Asthma is a heterogeneous disease, usually characterized by chronic airway inflammation together with increased oxidative stress that lead to clinical symptoms of asthma.    Obesity is a known risk factor of asthma as the obesity is correlated with systemic inflammation and airway restriction. Curcumin, a natural product derived from the rhizomes of Curcuma longa (Turmeric), has a wide range of beneficial properties including anti-inflammatory and weight reducing agent. This study was designed to evaluate the effect of curcumin as supplement therapy on the pulmonary function, total and differential white blood cell count and metabolic status of chronic bronchial asthmatic patients. It is a prospective randomized controlled interventional study carried out on 40 patients visiting Al-Yarmouk teaching hospital and conducted from October 2017 to April 2018. The patients were allocated into group1; include 17 asthmatic patients assigned to receive conventional therapy for asthma alone, and group 2; include 23 asthmatic patients assigned to receive conventional therapy for asthma plus 750 mg curcumin capsule twice daily for two months. Results revealed significant improvement in forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and the ratio of forced expiratory volume in one second to forced vital capacity (FEV1/FVC) in group 2 patients after two months(P0.05)

Updates in the Prevalence of Rotavirus Gastroenteritis in Babylon City

Background: Diarrhea is a main cause of morbidity and mortality in children under 5 years old. Globally it is responsible for approximately four billion cases and three million deaths annually. In developing countries, it causes two million deaths each year. The major causative organism is rotavirus which is responsible for one-third of hospitalizations with approximately 40% mortality. Objectives: To determine the prevalence and demographic characteristics of rotavirus infection in Babylon city, Iraq. Materials and Methods: Fecal samples were taken from children with age range of 6 months to 5 years complained of diarrhea during the period beginning in October 2016 till August 2017. The age, gender, residence, the type of feeding, place of the sample collection and duration of diarrhea were recorded. Specimens were analyzed by Latex test for detection of rotavirus. Results: A total of 349 children presented with diarrhea, the rotavirus antigen was detected in 169 fecal specimens from children with diarrhea (48%). More percentages of positive rotavirus specimens were seen in the 5year of age. No gender differences were observed, meanwhile samples obtained from rural areas and breastfed children showed less rotavirus positive infection. Conclusion: The present study confirms that rotavirus infection is still currently a prevalent gastroenteritis causative agent and required careful clinical attention. Pediatricians and health care providers are needed to be encouraged to take into account the children who at risk for developing rotavirus infection including age, residence and type of feeding. 

Analgesic effect of neohesperidin is mediated by TRPV1 antagonism

Context: Transient receptor potential vanilloid type 1 (TRPV1) is a non-specific cation channel. It is one of the most important targets in pain research. Aims: To evaluate new TRPV1 antagonists without altering body temperature. Methods: Docking simulation was performed, and one of the candidate compounds, neohesperidin, was tested using thermal and chemical pain models in BALB/c mice. Rectal body temperature was measured using a temperature meter with a thermocouple probe detector, and the capsaicin-evoked calcium response was determined in dorsal root ganglia (DRG) neurons. Results: Docking resulted in the identification of 30 compounds able to interact with the essential amino acids required for the antagonistic activity of TRPV1. Neohesperidin was chosen for further investigations because of its good binding energy (-6.63 kcal/mol) and because its TRPV1 antagonistic activity was not tested before. This study reported for the first time that neohesperidin exerted analgesic activity through TRPV1 antagonism without altering body temperature. Its activity was comparable to the known TRPV1 antagonist N-(4-tertiarybutylphenyl)-4-(3-chloropyridin-2-yl)tetrahydropyrazine-1(2H)-carbox-amide (BCTC). In the writhing test, acetic acid-induced abdominal cramps decreased by 66% using 30 mg/kg of neohesperidin. All tested doses of neohesperidin significantly decreased paw-licking time in the capsaicin-induced paw-licking test. A significant increase in the latency time in hot plate and tail flick tests was observed using 30 and 60 mg/kg of neohesperidin. In DRG neurons, neohesperidin reduced capsaicin-evoked calcium responses. Conclusions: Neohesperidin exerts a significant analgesic activity without altering body temperature, which could be due, at least partially, to its antagonistic activity against TRPV1