Research Title: Metabolic Syndrome (MS): Definition, Classification and Potential Associated Factors

Author: Hani Jameel Mohammad Hamad, Published Year: 2016

Faculty: Allied Medical Sciences

Abstract: Many lifestyle-related risk factors for cardiovascular disease have been identified. The most powerful and consistent risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) are dyslipidemia, hypertension, obesity (particularly central obesity) and diabetes mellitus, which are also known as metabolic syndrome. It is also commonly used term was insulin resistance syndrome (Syndrome X). At present, there is various accepted definition of the metabolic syndrome. When comparing to the defining level between The Adult Treatment Panel III (ATPIII) and World Health Organization (WHO), a higher blood pressure was required in WHO than in ATPIII. Instead of waist circumferences in ATPIII, body mass index (or increased waist: hip ratio) was used in WHO. The requirement of objective evidence of insulin resistance in WHO requirement should give more power to predict diabetes than does ATPIII, but like ATPIII, the presence of type 2 diabetes does not exclude a diagnosis of metabolic syndrome. The differences in diagnostic criteria for this syndrome are partially responsible for variations in the reported prevalence among different studies. Metabolic syndrome is correlated with different possible factors which may associate and predict its existence and intensity. Some of these factors are explained in this review.

Keywords: Metabolic Syndrome (MS), Diabetes, Lipids Disorder, Blood Pressure (BP), Obesity & the Adult Treatment Panel III (ATP III).

Research Title: Effect of Birhi Variety of Date Palm Fruits, (Phoenix dactylifera L.) at the Tamr Stage on Serum Glucose Levels in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats

Author: Hani Jameel Mohammad Hamad, Published Year: 2016

Faculty: Allied Medical Sciences

Abstract: This study was carried out to investigate the effect of a dietary preparation of Birhi tamr (Phoenix dactylifera L.) on serum glucose levels and body weight in normal, diabetic insulin-treated and diabetic insulin-untreated rats. Diabetes was partially induced by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (32.25 mg/kg). Thirty six male Sprague-Dawley rats (239 ± 8.4 g) were divided into two normal, two diabetic insulin-treated and two diabetic insulin-untreated groups. Each group was fed a diet containing either 0% or 10% tamr for six weeks. Fasting serum glucose levels were determined by enzymatic-calorimetric method using a standard kit procedure. Feeding 10% tamr did not show significant differences (P > 0.05) in serum glucose levels in any of the normal and insulin-treated diabetic rats. Insulin-untreated diabetic rats fed 0% tamr or 10% tamr exhibited significantly (P < 0.05) higher serum glucose levels (496 ± 81.6, 315 ± 61.1 mg/dl respectively) compared to normal (147 ± 5.3, 156 ± 7.6 mg/dl respectively) and insulin-treated diabetic rats (227 ± 17.6, 268± 18.9 mg/dl respectively). Feeding 10% tamr to insulin-untreated rats induced significant (P < 0.05) reduction in this variable. The findings of the present study may provide support for the favorable effect of date palm fruits as tamr, on blood glucose in streptozotocin-diabetic rats. This effect cannot be simply explained on the basis of the macro-nutrient composition of tamr. However, due to the apparent effects of tamr on blood glucose in normal and insulintreated and insulin-untreated diabetic rats, the possible presence of insulin-like substance in tamr may not be excluded. The mechanism of action of the blood glucose-lowering effect of tamr awaits further investigation.

Keywords: date palm fruit, Birhi vaiety (Phoenix dactylifera L.), streptozotocin (STZ), serum glucose, sprague-dawley rat

Research Title: Relationship between Birth Weight and Body Growth of Awassi Lambs during Early Weaning

Author: Hani Jameel Mohammad Hamad, Published Year: 2015

Faculty: Allied Medical Sciences

Abstract: A study was conducted to find the relationship between body weight of male and female Awassi lambs at birth with their body development at early weaning period. Sixty lambs were used and divided into two groups (I, II). Each group was consisted of 30 lambs and divided into two subgroups (15 male and 15 female). Groups formed according to body weight at birth as follows: Group I, lambs with less than 3kg of weight; and Group II, lambs with more or equal than 3 kg of weight. Lambs were kept with their mothers and suckling ad libitum throughout the experimental period and were weighed at birth day (1 day old), at 30 days, and at 60 days. Differences between groups of lambs at 60 days of age were significant (p<0.05). Correlations ranged from low to moderate among the respective traits and ranged between positive from 0.505 to 0.762 and negative from - 0.181 to -0.513. Highest correlation in this study found between age (1-60) in male lambs (0.762) and in female lambs (0.659) of group II. The correlation coefficient effect at 60 days of age was higher in males than females lambs (p<0.05) where the correlation coefficient was 66% for male and 50% for female lambs. Therefore, lambs with heavier birth weights, showed the best production results in the development of body weight during the period of 60 days of early weaning process, which indicated that selection of lambs with greater birth weight may contribute to increasing Awassi lamb body development and growth.

Keywords: Awassi sheep, Body growth, Correlation, Early weaning

Research Title: Nutritional and Health Outcomes of Household Food Insecurity (HFIS)

Author: Hani Jameel Mohammad Hamad, Published Year: 2016

Faculty: Allied Medical Sciences

Abstract: Poverty, food security and malnutrition are major concerns among international health, development and economic organizations. Attention has been focused on means of eliminating food insecurity and hunger world-wide. Food security exists when all people, at all times, have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life. Household food security is the application of this concept to the family level, with individuals within households as the focus of concern. (FAO, 2009). The complex nature of food security indicates that in order to achieve a food secure status in a population, a range of aspects need to be assessed. Some examples on these encircle equitable sharing among household members; sufficient household production dedicated towards subsistence; use of soil, water and biodiversity conservation techniques; and the sanitary aspects of cooking. (Bhattacharya et al., 2004). Because of conceptuality, the food insecurity is a multidimensional array of behaviors and perceptions and its potential determinants and consequences are wide-ranging and multidimensional. As a result, the emerging direct qualitative measures of food security offer large potential for use at the international, national and sub-national levels. Furthermore, the increased attention has led to the realization that newer methods for monitoring the prevalence and severity of hunger and food insecurity are needed and that such methods need to be developed in a manner that reflects the perception of food security and hunger by those affected, e.g. the poor (Kennedy, 2002b). Definitions, Measurements, Socio-Demographic and Economic Aspects of Household Food Insecurity (HFIS) had been extensively explained in previous work (Hamad & Ashraf, 2016). In this review, the work focused on the Nutritional and Health Outcomes of Household Food Insecurity (HFIS)

Keywords: Health Outcomes, Anthropometric Measurement, Nutritional Outcomes, Metabolic Syndrome and Biochemical Markers

Research Title: Comparison Between the Effects of Different Sources of Dietary Fiber on Blood Lipid Profile in Rats

Author: Hani Jameel Mohammad Hamad, Published Year: 2016

Faculty: Allied Medical Sciences

Abstract: This study was conducted to investigate the effect of different sources of dietary fiber on serum lipids and lipoproteins in Sprague-Dawley rats, namely total cholesterol (TC), Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLC), high–density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) triglyceride (TG), and (HDL-C/LDL-C) ratio. The experimental diets included casein diet, untreated wheat bran diet, soaked wheat bran diet, Arabic white bread diet, lupine diet, chickpea and pectin diet. Each group of rats (6/group) was fed one of the seven prepared diets for 6 weeks. Untreated wheat bran has hypercholesterolemic effect since it significantly (p<0>0.05) from casein and pectin diets, but it has also decreased LDL-C. White bread was found to have no hypocholesterolemic effect in comparison with treated brans groups and control group; it raised TG, TC and LDL-C levels. Pectin had a similar behavior in a remarkable decrease blood TC and LDL-C cholesterol. White bread was found to have no hypocholesterolemic effect in comparison with treated brans groups and control group; it raised TG, TC and LDL-C levels. It is concluded that the behavior of cereals and legumes varies in its effect on cholesterol– lowering ability. Preparation of wheat bran foods by soaking improve some physiological characteristics of insoluble fibers, particularly lowering total cholesterol TC and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol LDL-C).

Keywords: Dietary fiber, Arabic bread, Wheat bran, Soaking, Chickpea, Lupine, Pectin, Lipoproteins, Rat

Research Title: Prevalence of Obesity among Jordanian School-aged Adolescents in Greater Amman

Author: Hani Jameel Mohammad Hamad, Published Year: 2016

Faculty: Allied Medical Sciences

Abstract: The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of obesity among Jordanian school female adolescents in greater Amman. A representative random sample of 501 female adolescents school children, 10 to 17 years of age was recruited from 3 schools from greater Amman. The anthropometric data for adolescents (10-17 years old) were entered and compared to the growth reference curves/charts developed in 2006/2007 by the World Health Organization (WHO) using WHO 2009 AnthroPlus software. After sorting and cleaning of the data, descriptive analysis was conducted to obtain prevalence of obesity, overweight, and thinness. Malnourished children were defined as those with overweight, obese, or thinness. The overall average prevalences of thinness, normal weight, overweight, and obesity were 7.2% , 46.8%, 36.2% and 9.9 %, respectively. Among the thinness category (WAZ <-2 SD) , the highest percentage (16.7%) is for 16-17 age group followed by 14-15 age group (6.7%) while it is 5.3% in 10-11 age group. An overall prevalence of malnutrition characterized by overweight and obesity together among all age groups is 46.1%. As a conclusion, the study showed that more than half (53.3%) of Jordanian school adolescents in greater Amman are malnourished, with a prevalence of overweight, obesity and thinness at the same time, requiring different strategies to control either type. Further research about the dietary habits and lifestyle behaviors of Jordanian adolescents is recommended.

Keywords: Prevalence, Obesity, School-aged children, Adolescents, Greater Amman, Jordan

Research Title: Prevalence of Obesity among Jordanian School-aged Adolescents in Greater Amman

Author: Hani Jameel Mohammad Hamad, Published Year: 2016

Faculty: Allied Medical Sciences

Abstract: The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of obesity among Jordanian school female adolescents in greater Amman. A representative random sample of 501 female adolescents school children, 10 to 17 years of age was recruited from 3 schools from greater Amman. The anthropometric data for adolescents (10-17 years old) were entered and compared to the growth reference curves/charts developed in 2006/2007 by the World Health Organization (WHO) using WHO 2009 AnthroPlus software. After sorting and cleaning of the data, descriptive analysis was conducted to obtain prevalence of obesity, overweight, and thinness. Malnourished children were defined as those with overweight, obese, or thinness. The overall average prevalences of thinness, normal weight, overweight, and obesity were 7.2% , 46.8%, 36.2% and 9.9 %, respectively. Among the thinness category (WAZ <-2 SD) , the highest percentage (16.7%) is for 16-17 age group followed by 14-15 age group (6.7%) while it is 5.3% in 10-11 age group. An overall prevalence of malnutrition characterized by overweight and obesity together among all age groups is 46.1%. As a conclusion, the study showed that more than half (53.3%) of Jordanian school adolescents in greater Amman are malnourished, with a prevalence of overweight, obesity and thinness at the same time, requiring different strategies to control either type. Further research about the dietary habits and lifestyle behaviors of Jordanian adolescents is recommended.

Keywords: Obesity, Overweight, Perceptions of body weight, University students, JUST University, Jordan

Research Title: The Moderating Effect of Corporate Governance on Corporate Social Responsibility and Information Asymmetry: An Empirical Study of Chinese Listed Companies

Author: Fahd Mohammed Saleh Al-Duais, Published Year: 2022

Faculty: Business

Abstract: This study is conducted to investigate the relationship between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and information asymmetry (IA), as well as the role of corporate governance (CG) as a moderating factor. This paper employs panel data regression analysis. The CSR disclosure scores are collected from the HX database by way of Hexun.com, while financial data are collected from the CSMAR database. The association between CSR and information asymmetry is examined using generalised least squares (GLS). The current evidence shows that CSR disclosure reduces information asymmetry. In addition, the findings illustrate that particular aspects of CG moderate the relationship between CSR and information asymmetry. More specifically, board size, CEO duality, and board independence positively affect the bid–ask spread. Moderation by the independence board positively affects the relationship between CSR disclosure and information asymmetry. Since the sample is derived from large Chinese companies, the results should be supported by samples obtained from the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and, subsequently, comparisons with the entire stock market. In future studies, we recommend conducting research using other variables as proxies regarding information asymmetry. The current study extends existing research on CSR and IA by adding both board characteristics and ownership concentration variables as moderating variables.

Keywords: corporate social responsibility; information asymmetry; corporate governance; disclosure; China

Research Title: Influence of Symmetry Theory on Understanding the Qur'anic Ayas *

Author: Ibtisam Hussein Jamil, Published Year: 2022

Jordan Journal of Modern Languages and Literatures, 14

Faculty: Arts

Abstract: Symmetry theory is a well-known mathematical theory, which has been applied to physics and chemistry as well as other scientific disciplines. Here, we apply the symmetry theory to language in general and to the Holy Quran in specific. We argue that there is ample evidence for this theory in language such as the X-bar theory, parallelism and the mirror image derivation across languages. We show that there are vertical as well as horizontal types of symmetry, some of which have a line of symmetry while others have a virtual point. The data is analyzed from a semantic angle with some reference to syntax. We focus on symmetry at the Aya (verse) level. The paper found that symmetry can help interpret Ayas of similar wording or similar structures. It also found that symmetry theory presents a solution for the either-or-pause Ayas. Further, it showed how symmetry theory help solve ellipsis in the Holy Quran. Finally, the paper revealed that there are symmetry-less sentences that communicate propositions without the need for a symmetrical image.

Keywords: Symmetry Theory, the Holy Quran, X’ Theory, Semantics, Discourse Analysis

Research Title: Influence of Symmetry Theory on Understanding the Qur'anic Ayas *

Author: Ibtisam Hussein Jamil, Published Year: 2022

Jordan Journal of Modern Languages and Literatures, 14

Faculty: Arts

Abstract: Symmetry theory is a well-known mathematical theory, which has been applied to physics and chemistry as well as other scientific disciplines. Here, we apply the symmetry theory to language in general and to the Holy Quran in specific. We argue that there is ample evidence for this theory in language such as the X-bar theory, parallelism and the mirror image derivation across languages. We show that there are vertical as well as horizontal types of symmetry, some of which have a line of symmetry while others have a virtual point. The data is analyzed from a semantic angle with some reference to syntax. We focus on symmetry at the Aya (verse) level. The paper found that symmetry can help interpret Ayas of similar wording or similar structures. It also found that symmetry theory presents a solution for the either-or-pause Ayas. Further, it showed how symmetry theory help solve ellipsis in the Holy Quran. Finally, the paper revealed that there are symmetry-less sentences that communicate propositions without the need for a symmetrical image.

Keywords: Symmetry Theory, the Holy Quran, X’ Theory, Semantics, Discourse Analysis