ApaI and Fok1 Variants of Vitamin D Receptor Gene Associated with Metabolic Syndrome Among Jordanian Women

Objectives: The association between vitamin D receptor (VDR) polymorphisms and metabolic syndrome (MS) remains debatable. The current study aimed to determine the correlation of VDR gene polymorphisms with MS among Jordanian women.Methods: This case-control study enrolled 100 women with MS and 100 age-matched women as control at Al-Hikma Modern Hospital in Jordan between January 2019 and January 2020. The levels of glycated hemoglobin, fasting glucose, triglyceride, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25(OH)D) were determined from serum samples of all participants. DNA was extracted from whole blood samples, and VDR gene polymorphisms Apa1, Taq1,Bsm1, and Fok1 were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism. Results: There was a significant difference between MS patients and control in terms of body mass index (34.3±3.1 vs. 28.1±2.5), glycated hemoglobin (5.9±1.1 vs. 4.6±1.2), fasting blood glucose (6.4±1.6 vs. 5.2±1.4), and total cholesterol (6.5±1.2 vs. 5.3±1.8). The results also demonstrated a statistical difference in the number of MS patients and control with 25(OH)D deficiency (69.0 vs. 33.0), 25(OH)D insufficiency (25.0 vs. 42.0), and 25(OH)D sufficiency (6.0 vs. 25.0) (p < 0.001). MS was significantly associated with VDR polymorphisms among Apa1 and Fok1 genes. The genotype distribution for CC (47.0% vs. 53.0%; p=0.002) and CA (37.0% vs. 45.0%; p=0.001) genotypes among Apa1 VDR polymorphism, as well as among TT genotype (38.0% vs. 20.0%; p=0.025) among Fok1VDR gene polymorphism significantly differed between MS patients and healthy individuals. However, no associations were detected among Taq1 and Bsm1 VDR genotypes. Conclusions: VDR gene polymorphism of Apa1 and Fok1 variants may increase the risk of metabolic syndrome among Jordanian women

Extraction, Characterization, Amino Acid Profile of Halal Gelatin from Kampong and Broiler Chicken Feet Skin

Gelatin is one of the food additives where the issue of halal is interesting to study. Several previous studies have explored alternatives to halal gelatin. This study analyzes gelatin's chemical and physical properties from kampong and broiler chicken feet skin. The results obtained can be utilized to develop a halal alternative to gelatin. The study used a nested randomized design consisting of two factors: variations in the chicken origin and the concentration of the acid solvent. The first factor, the kind of chicken, had two levels, kampong and broiler chickens. The second factor was acetic acid concentration (CH3COOH) with 2 %, 4 %, 6 %, and 8 % (v v–1). Gelatin from the skin of kampong chicken feet skin with 4 % (v w–1) acetic acid reached a yield of 12.67 %, a moisture content of 10.29 %, an ash content of 1.58 %, a protein content of 82.52 %, a pH 4.53, a viscosity of 4.78 cp, and a gel strength of 66.29 g cm–2. Gelatin from broiler chicken leg skin with 4 % acetic acid reached a yield of 10.90 %, a moisture content of 7.95 %, an ash content of 7.95 %, a protein content of 82.48 %, a pH of 4.76, a viscosity of 5.4 cp, and a gel strength of 70.13 g cm–2. Kampong and broiler chicken feet skin gelatin were similar to commercial gelatin concerning the glycine percentage. Glycine has more than 50 % gelatin from all amino acids. Glycine from kampong chicken feet skin gelatin was 53.37 %, broiler chicken feet skin gelatin had 51.95 %, and commercial gelatin was 54.33 %. The meatballs using kampong and broiler chicken feet skin gelatin (acetic acid 4 %) meet all the requirements of NSA (National Standardization Agency of Republic of Indonesia -Standar Nasional Indonesia: 3818-2014) for moisture, ash, protein, and lipid content variables

Formulation of a Synbiotic Beverage Based on Red Bean with Addition of Inulin Dahlia Tuber

This study aims to determine the effect of adding inulin to synbiotic beverage chemical and organoleptic properties. The study consisted of two stages, the first stage was the isolation of inulin from dahlia tubers and the second stage was the manufacture of synbiotic beverage. The design used in this study was a Randomized Block Design (RBD) with one factor, namely the concentration of dahlia tuber inulin added with a concentration level of 0 %, 1 %, 3 %, 5 %, and 7 %. One-factor research with two replications has ten experimental units with research variables: qualitative dahlia tuber inulin, synbiotic beverage water content, ash content, lipid content, protein content, fiber content, and organoleptic tests. The addition of inulin significantly affected the chemical variables of ash, lipid, protein, and fiber, and organoleptic variables of aroma, texture, colour, and taste. The best treatment results from this study were F0 treatment with the addition of 1 % inulin concentration resulting in 85 % water content, 0.14 % ash content, 3.58 % protein content, 0.32 % lipid content, and 1.76 % fiber content. The best treatment organoleptic results were 4.96 % aroma variables, 5.20 % texture, 4.96 % colour, and 4.60 % taste variables

Utilization of Green Tea Extract on Anti-aging Cream with Butylated Hydroxytoluene (BHT) and Tertiary Butylhydroquinone (TBHQ): Physical Stability Aspect

Green tea (Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze) is a potent natural ingredient with flavonoid content that can be used as an antioxidant and anti-aging for skincare products. The formula containing green tea extract is usually formulated as oil in water emulsion or cream. The active components of green tea are catechins which are characterized as less stable against oxidation. Therefore, it is needed to add other antioxidants such as ButylatedHydroxy Toluene (BHT) and Tertiary–Butyl Hydroquinone (TBHQ) to protect the product from degradation. The aim of this study was to obtain a physically stable antiaging cream formula. Each formula was tested for physical stability by measuring several variables including organoleptic, pH, relative density, viscosity, and flow properties, as well as droplet size. Accelerated stability testing is carried out for 3 mo at 40 °C and 75 % relative humidity. The results found that cream with the BHT formula is more stable than the TBHQ formula in terms of the parameters of density and droplet size. While the TBHQ formula only gave better stability in pH, the other variables from both formulas remain stable in 3 mo. It can be concluded that the green tea extract cream with BHT antioxidant is more stable than the TBHQ

Vitamin D and Breast Cancer: Latest Evidence and Future Steps

Vitamin D (the sunshine vitamin) plays a vital role in calcium homeostasis, skeletal metabolism, and immune, cardiovascular, and reproductive systems’ functions. The worldwide prevalence of vitamin D deficiency is approximately 1 billion. Vitamin D deficiency is a serious health problem with numerous health consequences; it is associated with diabetes, rheumatic arthritis, Parkinson, Alzheimer diseases, osteomalacia, osteoporosis, and fractures in adults and cancers. Many reports showed an inverse association between serum vitamin D concentration and incidence of several cancers, including breast, colorectal, kidney, lung, and pancreatic. About 20 different cancers have incidence rates inversely related to solar UV-B doses and serum vitamin D concentration. Considering the rising incidence of breast cancer and high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency, this review aimed to reflect an association between serum vitamin D concentration and breast cancer risk, reveal the link between vitamin D receptor genetic polymorphisms and breast cancer risk, and review the relationship between vitamin D level, breast cancer risk, and prognostic factors such as tumor stage, grade, size, lymph node involvement, and hormone receptor status

The Human Coronavirus Disease COVID-19: Its Origin, Characteristics, and Insights into Potential Drugs and Its Mechanisms

The emerging coronavirus disease (COVID-19) swept across the world, affecting more than 200 countries and territories. Genomic analysis suggests that the COVID-19 virus originated in bats and transmitted to humans through unknown intermediate hosts in the Wuhan seafood market, China, in December of 2019. This virus belongs to the Betacoronavirus group, the same group of the 2003 severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV), and for the similarity, it was named SARS-CoV-2. Given the lack of registered clinical therapies or vaccines, many physicians and scientists are investigating previously used clinical drugs for COVID-19 treatment. In this review, we aim to provide an overview of the CoVs origin, pathogenicity, and genomic structure, with a focus on SARS-CoV-2. Besides, we summarize the recently investigated drugs that constitute an option for COVID-19 treatment

The optimal therapeutic irisin dose intervention in animal model: A systematic review

Background and Aim: Irisin, a novel myocyte-secreted hormone, was proposed to mediate some of the beneficial effects of exercise such as browning of adipocytes, thermogenesis, and metabolic homeostasis. Recently, several animals' models' studies have been performed to investigate the therapeutic impact of irisin in several disorders. Several interventional trials used different doses. However, optimum dose was not determined. This systematic review aims to identify the optimal dose of interventional irisin in mice and rat animal models. Materials and Methods: Online databases PubMed, Google Scholar, and Springer were systematically searched from 2012 to 2019. The words searched were irisin, irisin and animal model, physical activity, and irisin and irisin dosage. Non-irisin doses, in vitro studies, and factors influencing irisin levels were excluded. Results: Eleven of the total 391 qualifying studies were included. A daily injection of 500 μg/kg irisin may be the optimum dose of effect in mice and rats. Conclusion: More studies are required to determine the optimum dose of irisin to be used as a therapeutic intervention based on animal model

Molecular Diagnosis and Identification of Leishmania Species in Jordan from Saved Dry Samples

Diagnosis of the endemic cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) in Jordan relies on patient clinical presentation and microscopic identification. Studies toward improved identification of the causative Leishmania species, especially in regions where multiple species exist, and the introduction of these techniques into medical diagnosis is paramount. This study looked at the current epidemiology of CL in Jordan. Clinically diagnosed 41 patients with CL were tested for the presence of Leishmania parasite using both Giemsa staining from skin scraps on glass slides and ITS1-PCR from samples blotted onto storage cards (NucleoCards®). Microscopically, 28 out of the 41 (68.3%) collected samples were positive for amastigotes, whereas the molecular ITS1-PCR amplification successfully identified 30 of the 41 samples (73.2%). Furthermore, PCR-RFLP analysis allowed species identification which is impossible microscopically. Of the 30 PCR positive samples, 28 were Leishmania major positive and the other two samples were Leishmania tropica. This indicates that L. major is the most prevalent species in Jordan and the two L. tropica cases originated from Syria indicating possible future L. tropica outbreaks. Diagnosis of CL based on clinical presentation only may falsely increase its prevalence. Although PCR is more sensitive, it is still not available in our medical laboratories in Jordan

Formulation of a Synbiotic Beverage Based on Red Bean with Addition of Inulin Dahlia Tuber

This study aims to determine the effect of adding inulin to synbiotic beverage chemical and organoleptic properties. The study consisted of two stages, the first stage was the isolation of inulin from dahlia tubers and the second stage was the manufacture of synbiotic beverage. The design used in this study was a Randomized Block Design (RBD) with one factor, namely the concentration of dahlia tuber inulin added with a concentration level of 0 %, 1 %, 3 %, 5 %, and 7 %. One-factor research with two replications has ten experimental units with research variables: qualitative dahlia tuber inulin, synbiotic beverage water content, ash content, lipid content, protein content, fiber content, and organoleptic tests. The addition of inulin significantly affected the chemical variables of ash, lipid, protein, and fiber, and organoleptic variables of aroma, texture, colour, and taste. The best treatment results from this study were F0 treatment with the addition of 1 % inulin concentration resulting in 85 % water content, 0.14 % ash content, 3.58 % protein content, 0.32 % lipid content, and 1.76 % fiber content. The best treatment organoleptic results were 4.96 % aroma variables, 5.20 % texture, 4.96 % colour, and 4.60 % taste variables