The aim of this study is to compare the elemental composition among different coffee varieties consumed in Jordan. Levels of different metallic elements in coffee samples; green and roasted coffee beans from five origins; Brazil, Ethiopia, Kenya, Columbia, and India, collected from the Jordanian market were investigated. Twenty-two elements, including essential and toxic elements such as potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), iron (Fe), aluminum (Al), manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), barium (Ba), strontium (Sr), zinc (Zn), chromium (Cr), lead (Pb), nickel (Ni), vanadium (V), cobalt (Co), gallium (Ga), uranium (U), cadmium (Cd), silver (Ag), lithium (Li), indium (In), bismuth (Bi), thorium (Th), and thallium (Ti), were determined using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The detected heavy metals and their intake per 1 cup of coffee did not largely contribute to the recommended daily intake (RDI) and tolerable upper limit of daily intake (TULD) in an adult with an average body weight of 80 kg. The ICP-MS versus flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS) results were linearly fitted, and the correlation coefficients ( R2 > 0.95) were better than 0.95 for the three checked elements. No significant difference between the results of the two techniques was observed ( p > 0.05). The ANOVA results indicated the presence of a significant difference between the levels of Cr, Co, and Zn in green and roasted coffee beans. The results of this study indicated that the coffee consumed in Jordan did not contain toxic levels of heavy elements and is safe for consumption according to health organizations.

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Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) dysregulations contribute to the neurotoxicity in neurodegenerative pathologies and could be efficiently targeted by therapies. In Alzheimer's disease (AD), although the relationship between BDNF and amyloid load has been extensively studied, how Tau pathology affects BDNF signaling remains unclear. Using the TAU-P301L transgenic zebrafish line, we investigated how early Tau-induced neurotoxicity modifies BDNF signaling. Alterations in BDNF expression levels were observed as early as 48 h post fertilization in TAU-P301L zebrafish embryos while TrkB expression was not modified. Decreasing BDNF expression, using a knockdown strategy in wild-type embryos to mimic Tau-associated decrease, did not modify receptor expression but promoted neurotoxicity as seen by axonal outgrowth shortening and neuronal cell death. Moreover, the TrkB antagonist ANA-12 reduced the length of axonal projections. Rescue experiments with exogenous BDNF partially corrected neuronal alterations in TAU-P301L by counteracting primary axonal growth impairment but without effect on apoptosis. Importantly, the axonal rescue was proved functionally effective in a behavioral test, at a similar level as obtained with the GSK3b inhibitor LiCl, used as positive control. Finally, treatment with a TrkB agonist, 7,8-dihydroxyflavone, gave comparable results and allowed full rescue of locomotor response. We provided here strong evidences that Tau neurotoxicity provoked alterations in BDNF system and that BDNF pathway might represent an efficient therapeutic target.

High-pressure methods have become an interesting tool of investigation of structural stability of proteins. They are used to study protein unfolding, but dissociation of oligomeric proteins can be addressed this way, too. HIV-1 protease, although an interesting object of biophysical experiments, has not been studied at high pressure yet. In this study HIV-1 protease is investigated by high pressure (up to 600 MPa) fluorescence spectroscopy of either the inherent tryptophan residues or external 8-anilino-1-naphtalenesulfonic acid at 25°C. A fast concentration-dependent structural transition is detected that corresponds to the dimer-monomer equilibrium. This transition is followed by a slow concentration independent transition that can be assigned to the monomer unfolding. In the presence of a tight-binding inhibitor none of these transitions are observed, which confirms the stabilizing effect of inhibitor. High-pressure enzyme kinetics (up to 350 MPa) also reveals the stabilizing effect of substrate. Unfolding of the protease can thus proceed only from the monomeric state after dimer dissociation and is unfavourable at atmospheric pressure. Dimer-destabilizing effect of high pressure is caused by negative volume change of dimer dissociation of −32.5 mL/mol. It helps us to determine the atmospheric pressure dimerization constant of 0.92 μM. High-pressure methods thus enable the investigation of structural phenomena that are difficult or impossible to measure at atmospheric pressure.

The Pharmacy One™ Poising Call Center (P 1 PCC), located in Amman, Jordan, was created to address deficiencies identified by the pharmacy service, including in the management of poisoning cases. The aims of this study were to analyze the patterns of poisoning cases reported to the P 1 PCC and to describe the role of the P 1 PCC pharmacist in ensuring preparedness and managing the response to poisoning cases. In addition, the information from these interventions was used to survey human poisoning in Jordan. This is a retrospective descriptive study of acute poisoning incidents in the Jordanian population, as recorded by the P 1 PCC during the period 2014-2018.Inquiries received by the P 1 PCC were recorded on a predesigned form. The year, patient demographics, toxic agent involved, and circumstances of the poisoning event were all fully documented utilizing Oracle and Excel spreadsheets. A total of 1992 poisoning incidents were reported to the P1PCC, predominately (68.59%) via 911 phone calls. Reports were predominantly from males (1.67:1). Children were the second most common age group after adolescents (22.62% and 42.49%, respectively). The most frequent causative nonpharmaceutical agents were household products (17%) in preschool children and animal bites (20%) in adolescents. Most of the poisoning incidents (74.63%) occurred at home. Unintentional poisoning (54.12%), with mild medical outcomes (61.45%), accounted for most of the poisoning incidents caused by exposure to household products. These data may represent the most recent picture of poisoning incidents in Jordan. Emergency medical services were provided by experienced pharmacy practitioners at the P 1 PCC, to respond to emergency needs in the community in a professional manner. Therefore, the need for unnecessary hospitalization and the cost of ambulance dispatch were minimized, which are highly valuable outcomes. K E Y W O R D SJordan, pharmacist, Pharmacy One™, poison control center

Poison control centers provide surveillance data that can be used to estimate the magnitude of poisoning cases and the level of public awareness and to evaluate control measures. The aim of this study is to describe the drug‐related poisoning queries received by the Pharmacy One™ Poisoning Call Center (P1PCC) in Jordan. This is a retrospective descriptive study of the acute drug‐related poisoning incidents in the Jordanian population recorded by the P1PCC during the 2014‐2018 period. The inquiries received were recorded on a predesigned form. The demographic data, including the age and the sex of the patient, the route of and reason for exposure and the drug therapeutic groups, in addition to medical outcomes, were extracted utilizing computerized Oracle and Excel spreadsheets. During the period of evaluation, 900 drug‐related poisoning incidents were reported to the P1PCC. The majority of calls (48.5%) were received via 911, followed by the public (48.56%) and healthcare professionals (27.1%). More than half of the poisoning incidents were recorded among males (52.5%). Adults were the most affected group (40.5%), followed by children (34.0%). Unintentional exposure was the most common cause of poisoning (58.6%), followed by suicide attempts (25.3%). Nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs and paracetamol caused the majority of the reported cases. Poisoning incidents were mainly classified as mild to moderate (56.1%), while only 16.6% were severe. The P1PCC has demonstrated an important and vital role in improving patient safety and providing education on rational drug use. Reflections on these data can be used to increase public awareness in promoting the rational use of medications among Jordanian citizens.

<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> Pharmacogenomics, which emerged from disciplines such as pharmacology and genetics, is an increasingly important interdisciplinary field of health research, as indicated by the rapid growth of related literature. The aim of this study was to evaluate knowledge among genetics and pharmacology health-care students and to evaluate their exposure to and perceptions of pharmacogenomics. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> An anonymous, 28-item online survey was distributed to medical and pharmacy students enrolled at Yarmouk University, Jordan. <b><i>Results:</i></b> The respondents (<i>n</i> = 300) had an overall moderate level of knowledge regarding genetics and pharmacology. Most respondents recognized the benefits of pharmacogenomics for therapy optimization, but they had insufficient exposure to the topic. Most respondents supported providing pharmacogenetic testing in Jordan. The most preferred educational format in pharmacogenomics was integration in pharmacology courses. <b><i>Discussion/Conclusion:</i></b> Medical and pharmacy students are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of pharmacogenomics in therapy optimization. Challenges such as the complexity of the topic and low retention of previous knowledge should be addressed to promote pharmacogenomics education. More work is needed to increase students’ exposure to pharmacogenomics information. A deeper integration of pharmacogenomics applications into pharmacology courses is proposed to emphasize applications of pharmacogenomics.

Objective: Bleeding is the most serious complication associated with anticoagulation therapy. The purpose of this study was to estimate the frequency of major bleeding related to warfarin and to identify its predictors in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). Methods: Patients with AF treated with warfarin at Penang General Hospital in Malaysia were identified according to the international classification of disease, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9). The medical reports of 1611 patients were reviewed, bleeding events were set as primary end point which were identified in 313 patients. Demographic and clinical data were retrieved and warfarin therapy-related parameters including dose, therapy duration, and prothrombin time-international normalized ratio (PT-INR) were recorded and analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results: Of the 313 patients, 28 patients with major bleeding events were identified. Gastrointestinal bleeding was the major type of bleeding, which accounts for 68% (n = 17) of the cases. The frequency of major bleeding events among all AF patients was 1.7%. High PT-INR value was found in 96.3% (n = 28) of the patients, thereby making it the primary predictor of bleeding events. Other predictors including, advanced age, other comorbidities such as hypertension and multiple anticoagulation therapy were also observed to be significant. Conclusion: Lower doses of warfarin are recommended to achieve target PT-INR range similar to that reported previously for Asian populations. A regular clinical review for bleeding predictors is essential for maximizing the time spent by the patient taking warfarin in the optimal therapeutic range and for making recommended therapy adjustment.