The effects of sedentary behaviour on patients with peripheral arterial Disease: A systematic review.

Sedentary behavior has recently emerged as a risk factor for cardiometabolic diseases. The objective of this review was to assess the relationship between sedentary behavior and peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines, we performed an electronic search across databases including Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Embase, MEDLINE (Ovid), CINHAL and PubMed to identify studies focusing on sedentary behavior and PAD. A total of 678 records fulfilled eligibility; 166 duplicates were removed, 487 were excluded at the title and abstract level and 15 studies were excluded at the full article level. Thus, our review comprised 10 studies of 20,064 patients with mean age 67.4 years. The average sedentary time was 544.9 min/day. The current review findings indicate that patients with PAD exhibited prolonged periods of sedentary behavior. Furthermore, sedentary behavior among patients with PAD was associated with lower survival rates. The included studies also reported varied outcomes regarding walking distance with some showing an association between reduced sedentary behavior and increased total walking distance. A randomized controlled trial in this review highlighted that reducing sedentary time among patients with PAD improved walking distance. Therefore, the connection between sedentary behavior and PAD seems to be bidirectional. Sedentary time could contribute to PAD development, and PAD-related symptoms may lead to prolonged sedentary behavior. A call for research investigating the link between PAD and sedentary time. Additionally, intervention studies are needed to target the reduction of sedentary time in patients with PAD.

Promising role of Lawsonia inermis L. leaves extract and its nano-formulation as double treatment against aflatoxin toxicity in ulcerated-rats: Application in milk beverage.

Aflatoxins are an unavoidable contaminant of foods. The current work aimed to study the ameliorating effect of Lawsonia inermis L. extract and its nano-formulation versus aflatoxin ingestion in ulcerative rats. Lawsonia inermis L. bioactivity was evaluated by both antioxidant & antimicrobial assays. The nanoparticles characterization measurements were evaluated. Different parameters in the fortified milk beverage were assessed. Seventy two Sprague-Dawley male rats were randomized into 12 groups (6 rats/group) where peptic ulcer was induced with a single aspirin dose (500 mg/kg BW) orally. The nutritional and biochemical parameters were evaluated. The results showed that antioxidant activity and total phenolic content increased with increasing nano-formulation ratio. A remarkable improvements in all the treated groups, either for ulcer alone or for aflatoxin exposed ulcerative groups in normal and nano-formulation. Conclusively, Lawsonia inermis L. & its nano-formulation could act as dual therapy for ulcer treatment and the hazardous effects of aflatoxin exposure.

Systematic review of the relationship between Hollenhorst plaques and cerebrovascular events.

BACKGROUND: Few studies have evaluated the association between asymptomatic cholesterol emboli on fundoscopy (known as Hollenhorst plaque) and the subsequent risk of stroke or death.1. AIM: To evaluate the association between the presence of asymptomatic cholesterol retinal emboli and the risk of cerebrovascular events, with assessment of the need for carotid intervention. METHODS: PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases were searched using appropriate terms. The systematic review was conducted according to PRISMA guidelines. RESULTS: Initial search revealed 43 in Medline and 46 in Embase databases. Twenty-four potentially eligible studies were included after duplicate and non-related studies were excluded based on title and abstract. Three more studies were identified from reference lists. Seventeen studies were included in the final analysis. Asymptomatic cholesterol emboli were present in 1343 patients. Approximately 17.8% (n = 181) had history of either cerebro-vascular Accident (CVA) or transient ischaemic attacks (TIAs) at presentation (more than 6 months). Nine studies mentioned the incidence of cerebrovascular events during follow-up. Of 780 patients, 93 evolved to stroke, TIAs, or death from a major carotid event during the follow-up period (6-86 m), an incidence of about 12%. Death due to stroke was documented in 3 studies (n = 12). CONCLUSION: The presence of asymptomatic retinal emboli indicates a risk of a cerebrovascular event when compared to patients with no plaques seen on fundoscopy. The evidence suggests that these patients warrant referral for medical optimization of cardiovascular risk factors. Currently, there is no recommendation to support carotid endarterectomy in patients with Hollenhorst plaques, or retinal emboli, and further studies are needed to assess this.

Correlations between serum testosterone and irisin levels in a sample of Egyptian men with metabolic syndrome; (case-control study).

BACKGROUND: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) in men is a common problem. Several studies highlight that testosterone deficiency is associated with metabolic disorders that may be explained by "myokines". Irisin is an adipo-myokine that has beneficial metabolic effects. AIM: To evaluate serum testosterone in a sample of Egyptian men with MetS diagnosed by NCEP ATP III, and correlate it with serum irisin level. METHODS: A total of 90 men (60 with MetS and 30 healthy age-matched controls) participated in the study. Testosterone level is estimated by an automated system, Irisin level was measured by ELISA. RESULTS: Circulating irisin was positively correlated with serum testosterone and was significantly lower in patients with MetS. CONCLUSION: This study highlights the effect of serum testosterone on irisin formation from skeletal muscle. Recommendations; treatments of MetS may include testosterone supplementation. Further studies are needed to elucidate this association.

Enhancing date seed phenolic bioaccessibility in soft cheese through a dehydrated liposome delivery system and its effect on testosterone-induced benign prostatic hyperplasia in rats.

Introduction: The consumption of dairy products, including soft cheese, has been associated with numerous health benefits due to their high nutritional value. However, the phenolic compounds bioaccessibility present in soft cheese is limited due to their poor solubility and stability during digestion. So, this study aimed to develop an innovative soft cheese enriched with date seed phenolic compounds (DSP) extracted ultrasonically and incorporated into homogeneous liposomes and study its attenuation effect on testosterone-induced benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) in rats. Methods: Date seed phenolic compounds were extracted using 98 and 50% ethanol along with water as solvents, employing ultrasonication at 10, 20, and 30-min intervals. The primary and secondary DSP-liposomes were prepared and dehydrated. The particle size, zeta potential, encapsulation efficiency, and morphology were measured. Incorporating dehydrated liposomes (1-3% w/w) into soft cheese and their impact on BPH using male Sprague-Dawley rats was assessed. After inducing BPH, rats were fed a cheese diet with dehydrated DSP-liposomes. Over 8 weeks, parameters including nutrition parameters, prostate enlargement analysis, biochemical parameters, hormones level, oxidative stress, and cytokines were analyzed. Results and Discussion: The results showed that ultrasound-assisted extraction effectively reduced the extraction time and 30 min extraction EtOH 50% was enough to extract high yield of phenolic compounds (558 mg GA/g) and flavonoids (55 mg qu/g) with high antioxidant activity (74%). The biological results indicate that prostate weight and prostate index% were diminished in the treatment groups (1 and 2) compared to the BPH control group. The high antioxidant content present in the DSP-liposomes acted as the catalyst for suppressing the responses of the inflammatory cytokines, inhibiting the anti-inflammatory IL-10 production, and suppressing the elevated levels of lipid peroxidation products compared to the BPH group. Conclusion: The treatment group (2) supplemented with dehydrated secondary DSP-liposomes exhibited the most significant variance (p < 0.05) as opposed to the BPH group. Liposomal encapsulation was proved to be a feasible approach for administering DSP in soft cheese, thereby establishing new functional food category possessing prophylactic properties against the advancement of BPH in rats.

Evaluation of safety and efficacy of topical 4% nicotinamide in treatment of psoriasis; among a representative sample of Egyptians (an analytical observational study).

To assess and evaluate the efficacy and safety of nicotinamide 4% topical formulation for the treatment of mild to moderate psoriasis. This study was conducted on 60 patients aged 18-65 years, with mild to moderate psoriasis vulgaris. Nicotinamide 4% in a cold cream base was used twice daily for 12 weeks. Nicotinamide 4% topical treatment shows satisfactory results, more in males than in females. Some patients report disturbing irritation (burning, itching, and redness) upon the usage of topical nicotinamide treatment and were advised to wash out the treated area after 1 h of cream application, which solved the issue. No other adverse effects of treatment were reported by patients during the study period. Unicentral base, a limited amount of sample size, and 12 weeks duration of therapy and follow-up period, which may not be sufficient to demonstrate the complete therapeutic properties and side effects of using nicotinamide as a long-term treatment for psoriasis. This study reveals statistically reliable evidence of the positive impact of topical 4% nicotinamide preparation used alone on the treatment of psoriasis with minimal side effects. Thus, we can conclude that topical nicotinamide preparation may be a good adjuvant to the current treatment regimens used alone or alternate currently used topical therapeutical regimens if used in combination.

Microencapsulation of Plant Phenolic Extracts Using Complex Coacervation Incorporated in Ultrafiltered Cheese Against AlCl3-Induced Neuroinflammation in Rats.

Plant-derived phenolic compounds have numerous biological effects, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective effects. However, their application is limited because they are degraded under environmental conditions. The aim of this study was to microencapsulate plant phenolic extracts using a complex coacervation method to mitigate this problem. Red beet (RB), broccoli (BR), and spinach leaf (SL) phenolic extracts were encapsulated by complex coacervation. The characteristics of complex coacervates [zeta potential, encapsulation efficiency (EE), FTIR, and morphology] were evaluated. The RB, BR, and SL complex coacervates were incorporated into an ultrafiltered (UF) cheese system. The chemical properties, pH, texture profile, microstructure, and sensory properties of UF cheese with coacervates were determined. In total, 54 male Sprague-Dawley rats were used, among which 48 rats were administered an oral dose of AlCl3 (100 mg/kg body weight/d). Nutritional and biochemical parameters, including malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase, catalase, reduced glutathione, nitric oxide, acetylcholinesterase, butyrylcholinesterase, dopamine, 5-hydroxytryptamine, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, and glial fibrillary acidic protein, were assessed. The RB, BR, and SL phenolic extracts were successfully encapsulated. The RB, BR, and SL complex coacervates had no impact on the chemical composition of UF cheese. The structure of the RB, BR, and SL complex coacervates in UF cheese was the most stable. The hardness of UF cheese was progressively enhanced by using the RB, BR, and SL complex coacervates. The sensory characteristics of the UF cheese samples achieved good scores and were viable for inclusion in food systems. Additionally, these microcapsules improved metabolic strategies and neurobehavioral systems and enhanced the protein biosynthesis of rat brains. Both forms failed to induce any severe side effects in any experimental group. It can be concluded that the microencapsulation of plant phenolic extracts using a complex coacervation technique protected rats against AlCl3-induced neuroinflammation. This finding might be of interest to food producers and researchers aiming to deliver natural bioactive compounds in the most acceptable manner (i.e., food).

Comparative study of the use of fractional CO2 laser versus the use of liquid nitrogen cryotherapy in the treatment of alopecia areata in a sample of the Egyptian population.

Alopecia areata (AA) is an autoimmune disease that is represented as patches of hair loss, fractional CO2 laser and cryotherapy are used to stimulate hair growth in patients of AA. Evaluation of fractional CO2 laser effect versus liquid nitrogen cryotherapy in the treatment of AA. Eighty patients presented with patches of AA. The first group consisted of 40 patients were treated with fractional CO2 laser, the second group also 40 patients were treated with cryotherapy. The efficacy of the treatment was statistically evaluated. A positive therapeutic response was noted in most patients by trichoscopy at the end of treatment, there was a decrease in exclamation mark hairs, yellow dots, black dots, broken hairs, and an increase in short vellus hair and circle hair of patients compared to baseline and control. No serious side effects were seen. Fractional CO2 laser and liquid nitrogen cryotherapy are considered a promising, safe, and effective treatment modality with the better result with CO2 laser.

Sensitivity of serum S100B protein as a disease activity marker in Egyptian patients with vitiligo (case-control study).

BACKGROUND: Vitiligo is a depigmented skin disease. S100B is a damage-associated molecular pattern protein proposed as a marker of melanocyte cytotoxicity. AIM: To detect the sensitivity of serum levels of S100B as a disease activity marker in vitiligo patients. METHODS: Four patient groups of both sexes: twenty segmental vitiligo, twenty non-segmental active vitiligo patients, twenty non-segmental stable vitiligo patients and thirty healthy controls age and sex-matched, patients were subjected to vitiligo disease activity score (VIDA score) and Vitiligo Extent Tensity Index (VETI) score. RESULTS: An increased level of S100B was observed in patients with vitiligo compared to control, there was statistically significant increase in its level in non- segmental-active than non-segmental stable and segmental-stable. Roc analysis for S100B to predict cases vs control was confirmed by getting cut off point 80.2 pg/ml, with high sensitivity 96.67 and high specificity 96.67. Roc analysis for S100B to predict non-segmental-active versus segmental and non-segmental was also confirmed by getting cut off point 118.3 pg/ml, with sensitivity 80.0 and specificity 77.50. CONCLUSION: S100B can be used as indicators for disease activity with high sensitivity and specificity in Egyptian vitiligo patients.

Gender Difference in Perceived Symptoms and Laboratory Investigations in Suspected and Confirmed COVID-19 Cases: A Retrospective Study.

BACKGROUND: Evaluating gender-specific effects of COVID-19 is important to develop effective therapeutic strategies. The aim of this study was to explore gender difference in perceived symptoms and laboratory investigations in suspected and confirmed cases. METHODS: This is a retrospective study that included data from suspected COVID-19 patients during the first wave of the pandemic. Participants using the phone triaging system at Kasralainy outpatient clinics were included. The analyzed data included patient history and results of nasopharyngeal swab and laboratory data. RESULTS: Out of 440 COVID-19 suspected cases, 56.36% were females. The perceived COVID-19 symptoms showed no significant gender difference in suspected cases while in confirmed cases females were 4 times more likely to complain of cough [OR (95% CI) 3.92 (1.316-11.68), P-value .014] and 5 times more likely to experience loss of smell or taste [OR (95% CI) 4.84 (1.62-14.43), P-value .005]. Laboratory markers revealed high levels of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, blood urea, serum creatinine, creatine kinase, and serum ferritin in males and this was statistically significant (P-value <.001) in suspected and confirmed cases. Females confirmed with COVID-19 were 80%, 97%, and 97% less likely to have high levels of ALT, creatin kinase, and serum ferritin [OR (95% CI) 0.20 (0.07-0.54), 0.07 (0.01-0.38), and 0.07 (0.01-0.90), P-value .002, .002, and .041, respectively]. CONCLUSION: Gender differences were found in laboratory markers in COVID-19 suspected and confirmed cases and in perceived symptoms in confirmed cases.

Effect of DASH Diet Versus Healthy Dietary Advice on the Estimated Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease Risk.

INTRODUCTION: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the most leading cause of mortality worldwide. Changes in diet can reduce subclinical cardiac injury and inflammation in parallel with reductions of other CVD risk factors. AIM: The study aimed to evaluate the beneficial effect of the DASH diet versus usual healthy dietary advice (HDA) on the estimated risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). METHODS: It was a prospective interventional nonrandomized controlled study, conducted on 92 participants attending Family Medicine Outpatient Clinics, Cairo University. The participants were assigned to 2 dietary groups, the DASH and HDA groups, for 12 weeks. All subjects were subjected to anthropometric measurement, assessment of lipid profile, and the estimated cardiovascular risk pre-and post-intervention. RESULTS: The estimated cardiovascular risk was reduced significantly in both the DASH and HDA groups, with no statistically significant difference between the 2 groups regarding the risk reduction. By comparing the percent change between pre and post-intervention in both DASH and HDA groups, the following are the results: BMI dropped by 6.5% versus 2.5%, systolic blood pressure decreased by 6.9% and 4.1%, fasting blood sugar dropped by 5.5% and 3.1%, total cholesterol dropped by 5.2% and 3.1%, LDL dropped by 8.2%, and 3.1%, and HDL increased by 8.2% and 2.4%, in DASH and HDA groups, respectively. CONCLUSION: Both the DASH diet and HDA are associated with improvement in CVD risk factors. Although better risk factors decline with the DASH diet, there was no statistically significant difference between the 2 groups.

Comparative study between the effect of topical tazarotene 0.1 gel alone vs its combination with tioconazole nail paint in treatment of onychomycosis.

Onychomycosis (OM) is a chronic fungal infection of the nail caused by dermatophytes, yeasts, and nondermatophytes. Tioconazole is one of the topical antifungal belonging to imidazole derivatives. Tazarotene is a synthetic retinoid, with immunomodulating properties and anti-inflammatory activity. To evaluate the efficacy of tazarotene 0.1% gel alone in comparison with its combination with tioconazole nail paint in the treatment of onychomycosis. Forty patients presented with onychomycosis, subjected to a full history taking, clinical examination, and nail examination, which includes a clinical, dermoscopic, assessment of severity by using Onychomycosis Severity Index (OSI), KOH examination, and fungal culture. There was a statistically significant increase in the response of treatment in patients treated by a combination of tazarotene and tioconazole compared to tazarotene alone through (decrease in OSI, dermoscopic features, and mycological clearance). Tazarotene had antifungal activity specially against Aspergillus niger while its combination with tioconazole gave better results and can be used as an adjuvant to the standard systemic or topical antifungal treatment for OM.

Trichoscopic evaluation of frontal hairline recession in Egyptian female patients.

BACKGROUND: Since frontal hairline is the most characteristic feature of the face for both men and women, affecting the psychological state of patients, hair loss has been considered to be one of the most prominent esthetic problems. Hair loss either resulting from the androgenetic or nonandrogenetic origin is characterized by changes in the anterior line. AIM: The aim of this study was to evaluate the causes of the frontal hairline recession in Egyptian female patients using trichoscopy and to detect the prevalence of each of those causes in Egyptian females. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This study was performed on a total of 200 Egyptian female patients aged between 15 and 65 years who complained of frontal hairline recession. All patients were derived from Al-Zahraa University hospital outpatient clinic over a period from November 2017 to April 2019. We classified them into two groups according to age: Group A: 15-45 and Group B: 46-65. After full history taking, general and dermatological examination, photographs of hair recession were taken from both frontal and temporal sides. Then, the trichoscopic examination by noncontact dermoscopy was done photographed and evaluated. RESULTS: The most common cause of the frontal hairline recession in Egyptian female patients was androgenetic alopecia (AGA) (50%). Most of the patients were of old age (58%). The high statistically significant trichoscopic findings in androgenetic alopecia were yellow dots, peripilar sign, hair diameter diversity, and single-hair pilosebaceous unit (45.0%, 61.0%, 100.0%, and 96.0%), respectively. On the other hand, perifollicular scaling, absence of hair follicles, and lonely hair revealed a high statistically significant presentation (88.9%, 100.0%, and 22.2%), respectively, with frontal fibrosing alopecia, and vellus hair (100.0%) and perifollicular casts (91.8%) with tractional alopecia. Finally, hair broken at different levels (100%), black powder (88.9%), black dots (100.0%), hook hairs (11.1%), i hair (16.7%),V sign (44.4%), flame hairs (33.3%), coiled hair (5.6%), and burnt match stick sign (5.6%) showed a high statistically significance presentation with trichotillomania. CONCLUSION: The present study supports the trichoscopic criteria for the diagnosis of causes of frontal hairline recession, which provide a noninvasive diagnostic tool compared with histopathological diagnosis.

Onychomycosis: Correlation between the dermoscopic patterns and fungal culture.

BACKGROUND: Onychomycosis is a dermatophyte fungal infection of the nail plate, bed, and the matrix, leading to the gradual damage which often considered a cosmetic problem. Several presentations of onychomycosis: distolateral subungual (DLSOM), superficial white, proximal subungual, endonyx, and total dystrophic (TDOM). Although the diagnosis relies on mycological results, there are three specific dermoscopic findings for onychomycosis: a jagged edge of the onycholytic area, with spikes directed to the proximal fold, white-yellow longitudinal striae in the onycholytic nail plate, and colored parallel bands. AIMS: The objective of this diagnostic cross-sectional study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of dermoscopy as a low-cost tool compared with fungal culture in patients with onychomycosis. PATIENTS/METHODS: This study was carried out on 40 patients with a clinical diagnosis of onychomycosis collected from dermatology outpatient clinic of Alzahraa University Hospital after approval from the research ethics committee of Al-Azhar University. For each patient, dermoscopic imaging of nail was done. And nail scrapings, culture on sabouraud's dextrose agar medium, and dermatophyte test agar medium. Informed written consent was taken from all patients, and the data collected from dermoscopic and laboratory results were statistically evaluated. RESULTS: Concerning the dermoscopic features, longitudinal white striae, jagged proximal edge with spikes, were the most commonly detected in DLSOM and TDOM. Linear edge was exclusive to traumatic onycholysis. Laboratory results: Aspergillus species was the most common detected fungus (45%) followed by Candida (32.5%). CONCLUSION: Dermoscopy could facilitate the diagnosis of onychomycosis and differentiate it from mycologically negative onycholysis.

Accuracy of salivary glucose assessment in diagnosis of diabetes and prediabestes.

AIMS: to assess salivary glucose correlation with blood glucose and its accuracy in diagnosis of diabetes and prediabetes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A comparative study including 204 adults in 3 groups (104 type 2 diabetics, 50 prediabetics, 50 non-diabetic controls) aging 18-65 years. The participants were interviewed about their socio-demographic, comorbidities, & drug treatment using a predesigned questionnaire. Salivary & blood samples were collected and analyzed. RESULTS: Mean salivary glucose was observed to be 23.40 ±â€¯12.755 mg/dl in control group, 42.68 ±â€¯20.830 mg/dl in prediabetic group and 59.32 ±â€¯19.147 mg/dl in diabetic group with significant difference between the 3 groups (P value < 0.001). Salivary glucose was significantly correlated to FBS with strong positive association (r = 0.67, P value < 0.001 in control group, r = 0.56, P value < 0.001in diabetic group and r = 0.36, P value 0.01 in pre-diabetic group). Salivary glucose could differentiate non-diabetics from diabetics (AUC: 0.928, P value < 0.001) with sensitivity (94.2%) and specificity (62%) & differentiate non-diabetics from prediabetics (AUC: 0.928, P value < 0.001) with sensitivity (94.2%) and specificity (62%). CONCLUSIONS: Salivary glucose estimation can serve as valid and non-invasive test for screening and diagnosis of diabetes & prediabetes.

Microencapsulation of natural polyphenolic compounds extracted from apple peel and its application in yoghurt.

BACKGROUND: Apple peel is a by-product of fruit processing and a rich source of natural antioxidants, especially of polyphenolic compounds. Although it has many health benefits, the microencapsulation of polyphe- nolic compounds protects it from reactions with milk components during manufacturing or storage of dairy products which reduce the bioavailability and total acceptability of these products. METHODS: Polyphenolic compounds (PC) were extracted from apple peel using ethanol (80%). Polyphenolic compounds extract powder (PCEP) was encapsulated by physical methods (spray and freeze dryer) using maltodextrin, whey protein concentrate (8:2), and Gum Arabic mixture (6:4) as coating materials, which were homogenized by ultraturrax and ultrasonication. Encapsulated PCEP was used in supplementing yoghurt. Phenolic content (PC), physiochemical and texture properties of yoghurt samples were evaluated during storage (fresh, 7 and 15 days). RESULTS: The microencapsulation by freeze dryer method for PCEP which was homogenized by ultrasoni- cation was the best treatment, while encapsulation efficiency using the spray dryer method, which was homogenized by ultraturrax, was the worst. Encapsulated PCEP in yoghurt samples didn’t have any significant influence on the physiochemical and texture properties of these samples. CONCLUSIONS: Yoghurt samples maintained on the polyphenolic compounds until the end of storage overall, our results revealed that adding encapsulated PCEP into yoghurt gave closer characteristics to the control sample.

Non-traditional Oils Encapsulation as Novel Food Additive Enhanced Yogurt Safety Against Aflatoxins.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Hibiscus oil (HO) and black cumin oil (BCO) are interesting oils which give a source for photochemical. Yoghurt recognized for health benefits, but mycotoxin is a food problem. The aim was adjusting non-traditional capsulated oils for minimizing mycotoxins in dairy products (yoghurt) and biological systems. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Oils fatty acid composition were evaluated. Micro and nano-emulsion designed to achieve food safety and shelf-life extension. Encapsulated emulsions evaluated by in vitro and in vivo models for several aflatoxins reduction through yogurt fortification model, for in vivo model reduction estimated as enhancement of rat's blood biochemical parameters. Concerning the in vitro model, changes of supplemented yoghurt properties were estimated. RESULTS: Linoleic followed by oleic acid showed a high content in these oils representing omega fatty acids. Gamma fractions presented in considerable values (>50% of vitamin E). To evaluate encapsulated oils reduction on aflatoxins (AFs), it was estimated for in vitro and in vivo models. The in vitro reduction of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) recorded 31.6 and 34.9%, respectively in plain yogurt. However, yogurt fortification by oil-capsules upgraded the ratio for AFB1 (63.9%) and AFM1 (66.4%). The best reduction recorded using BCO fortification. For in vivo study, supplementation of rat's diet by BCO micro-capsule declared an enhancement of biochemical parameters against aflatoxin G1 (AFG1) effects. Fortified yogurt offered enhancement of viscosity and water holding capacity properties. CONCLUSION: Encapsulated emulsions recorded high AFs reduction in fortified yogurt and experimental rat's model. Yogurt fortification enhanced its quality characteristics and shelf-life that give a recommendation for the application.

Molecular Patterns of MEFV Gene Mutations in Egyptian Patients with Familial Mediterranean Fever: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF) is a hereditary autosomal recessive disease which is mainly seen in the Turks, Armenians, Arabs, and Jews. It is characterized by recurrent episodes of fever, polyserositis, and rash. MEFV gene, encoding pyrin protein, is located on the short arm of chromosome 16. FMF is associated with a broad mutational spectrum in this gene. Certain mutations are more common in particular ethnic groups. To date, different mutations of MEFV were observed in studies carried out in different regions worldwide. However, most of these studies did not extensively investigate the Egyptian population, in spite of the high prevalence of FMF in this geographical region. AIM: To identify the frequency of MEFV gene mutations among the patients who presented with FMF like symptoms and, to characterize the different genetic mutations and their association with increased Amyloid A among Egyptian patients. METHODS: FMF Strip Assay (Vienna Lab Diagnostics, Vienna, Austria) was used. This test is based on reverse hybridization of biotinylated PCR products on immobilized oligonucleotides for mutations and controls in a parallel array of allele-specific oligonucleotides. RESULTS: Among the 1387 patients presenting with signs and symptoms suggestive of FMF, 793 (57.2%) were of undefined mutations, whereas 594 had MEFV gene mutations. 363 patients (26.2%) were heterozygous mutants, 175 patients (12.6%) were compound heterozygous mutants, and 56 patients (4%) were homozygous mutants. The most commonly encountered gene mutations in heterozygous and homozygous groups were E148Q (38.6%), M694I (18.1%), and V726A (15.8%). The most commonly encountered gene mutations in the compound heterozygous groups were E148Q+M694I observed in 20.6% of the patients, followed by M694I+V726A and M6801+V726A found in 18.9% and 11.4 %, respectively. The most commonly encountered gene mutation associated with abdominal pain, fever, and high serum Amyloid A was E148Q allele (37.5%). CONCLUSIONS: Unlike all previous publications, E148Q allele was found to be the most frequent in the studied patients. Moreover, this allele was associated with increased Amyloid A. 793 patients were free of the 12 studied Mediterranean mutations, which implies the necessity to perform future sequencing studies to reveal other mutations.

Functional Yoghurt Supplemented with Extract Orange Peel Encapsulated Using Coacervation Technique.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Orange peels (OP) as a fruit waste is a rich source of polyphenolic compounds (PC). In this research, the different concentrations of orange peel were extracted to obtain the highest PC concentration. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The aqueous orange peel extracts (OPE) were encapsulated using coacervation method. Different ratios between wall materials (whey protein concentrate (WPC) and gum arabic ((GA) 3:1, 3:2 and 3:3) were investigated. The ratios between OPE and wall materials were 1:10 and 1:20. Encapsulated OPE was supplemented in yoghurt. The encapsulation efficiency (EE) was evaluated for capsules while phenolics content (PC), physiochemical and texture properties of yoghurt samples were evaluated during cold storage (fresh, 7 and 15 days). RESULTS: The higher EE (95.4%) was observed when used WPC: GA at ratio 3:1 and OPE: wall materials at ratio 1:10. There aren't any significant influences on the physiochemical and texture properties of yoghurt samples. The organoleptic properties of supplemented yoghurt had gained acceptable flavor and satisfied scores from judging persons. CONCLUSION: Application of microcapsules as a carrier of orange peel extract in yoghurt (WPC: GA at ratio 3:1 and OPE: wall material at ratio 1:10) had the best potential to be successfully applied.

Production of Functional Processed Cheese Supplemented with Nanoliposomes of Mandarin Peel Extract.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The Mandarin fruit is a wonderful source of essential dietary nutrients. The liposome is an encapsulation method to incorporate the phenolics in functional food. The objective of this study was production of functional processed cheese supplemented with nanoliposomes of mandarin peel extract. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The encapsulation efficiency (EE) of mandarin peel extract powder (MPEP) was examined at five concentrations (0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8 and 1% w/v) and inclusion the highest EE in processed cheese by replacing water with MPEP nanoliposomes at ratios 25, 50 and 100% v/v. The physicochemical properties and phenolics content for processed cheese were analyzed. Rustles: High EE (>80%) of MPEP nanoliposomes was achieved. The chemical composition of the resultant processed cheese was in accordance with the Egyptian standard for half fat processed cheese. Physical and organoleptic properties and color parameters of processed cheese supplemented with MPEP nanoliposomes inferior to the control. CONCLUSION: The characterizations of processed cheese samples supplemented with MPEP nanoliposomes remained unaffected during cold storage. The MPEP nanoliposomes were effectively retained within processed cheese, presented a simple and effective delivery vesicle for phenolic compounds.