EFFECTS OF MALTODEXTRIN AS FAT REPLACER ON THE CHEMICAL AND SENSORY PROPERTIES OF BARAZEQ, GHURIBEH AND MA'AMUL

ABSTRACT   Objective: The objective of this study is to assess the effect of maltodextrinas fat replacer at various levels on some structural and sensory properties of Ma'amul, Barazeq and Ghuribeh.Methods: This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of fat replacing with maltodextrin at various levels (i.e., 10, 20, 30, and 40%) on Ma'amul, Barazeq and Ghuribeh chemical and quality characteristicsResults:Fat and energy were significantly (P<0.05) reduced with the increase of maltodextrin level in these bakery products. Overall acceptance, flavor, color and softness of Ma'amul, Barazeq and Ghuribeh were not significantly affected by the replacement in ratio ranging from 10-20% when compared to controls. Greater replacements (i.e., 30 and 40% maltodextrin) showed significant reduction on sensory acceptability of the three products.Conclusion:Ma'amul, Barazeq and Ghuribeh are rich fat traditional sweet bakery products that are usually consumed in the Middle East. The maximum fat level that could be replaced in Ma'amul, Barazeq and Ghuribeh were 40%, 30% and 20%, respectively.  Keyword: Fat Replacer, Brazzaq, Ma'amul, Ghuribeh, Maltodextrin, Sensory properties

An Interactive Graphical User Interface Module for Soldier Health and Position Tracking System

Soldiers are the backbone of any armed force. They usually lose their lives due to the lack of medical assistance in emergency situations. Furthermore, army bases face problems due to the inability to track soldiers’ locations in the field. Hence, this paper proposes an interactive graphical user interface module (IGUIM) for soldiers’ bioinformatics acquisition and emergency reaction during combat, a global positioning system (GPS) is used to track soldiers’ locations through a device carried by the soldier. Soldiers’ bioinformatics are gathered using health monitoring biosensors, bidirectional communication between the soldiers and the army base is established via a global system for mobile (GSM). The proposed interactive module aims to enumerate the soldiers on the battlefield within a database that easily facilitates health monitoring, position tracking and bidirectional communication with each soldier through their identification number. The proposed IGUIM will increase the rate of soldiers’ survival in emergencies, which contributes to preserving the human resources of the army during combat

Causes of death and survival analysis for patients with retinoblastoma in Jordan

PurposeTo analyze causes and prognostic factors for death among Retinoblastoma (Rb) patients treated at a single specialized tertiary cancer center in Jordan.MethodsWe reviewed the mortality causes for all Rb patients who have been treated at the King Hussein Cancer Center between 2003 and 2019 and were followed for at least 3 years after diagnosis. The main outcome measures included demographics, laterality, tumor stage, treatment modalities, metastasis, survival, and causes of death.ResultsTwenty-four (5%) of the 478 patients died from retinoblastoma and 5-year survival was 94%. The mean age at diagnosis was 15 months (median, 18 months; range, 4–38 months); eight (33%) received diagnoses within the first year of life. Eleven (46%) were boys, 16 (67%) had bilateral disease, and 3 (13%) had a positive family history. The stage for the worst eye was C for 1 (4%) patient, D in 6 (25%) patients, and E (T3) in 15 (63%) patients. Two patients had extraocular Rb at diagnosis, and four of the patients who had intraocular Rb at diagnosis refused treatment and then came back with extraocular Rb. In total, extraocular disease was encountered in six eyes (six patients). After a 120-month median follow-up period, 24 patients (5%) died of second neoplasms (n = 3) or metastases (n = 21). Significant predictive factors for metastasis and death included advanced IIRC tumor stage (p < 0.0001), the presence of high-risk pathological features in the enucleated eyes (p = 0.013), parental refusal of the recommended primary treatment plan (p < 0.0001), and extraocular extension (p < 0.0001).ConclusionThe 5-year survival rates of Rb patients in Jordan are as high as those in high-income countries. However, 5% are still dying from metastatic disease, prompting the need for awareness campaigns to educate the public about the high cure rates and to prevent treatment abandonment