Phenolic compounds are the biggest group of phytochemicals, and many of them have been found in plant-based foods. Polyphenol-rich diets have been linked to many health beneits including cancer. The potential anti-carcinogenic mechanisms of action that have been so far identiied for phenolic compounds, as well as the feasibility reports occurred in vivo. In general terms, under the oxidative stress, polyphenols could act in those cellular mechanisms by participating in the modulation of the redox status and on multiple key elements in intracellular signal transduction pathways related to cell proliferation, diferentiation, apoptosis, inlammation, angiogenesis and metastasis. A protective role of polyphenols against carcinogenesis is supported by many studies carried out on animal models and diferent mechanisms of action have been proposed to explain such protective efects. Studies performed in animals have demonstrated that phenolic components can prevent and/or slow down the initiation-progression of diferent types of cancers. They act through the regulation of cell signal transduction and gene expression and exhibit either up or down regulation of genes controlling tumor development.

Background: CYP1A1 is a candidate gene for low-penetrance breast cancer susceptibility, as it plays an important role in the metabolism of carcinogens and estrogens. Purpose: The objective of this study was to assess the association between M2 (A2455G, Ile462Val) and M4 (C2453A, Thr461Asn) polymorphisms in CYP1A1 and breast cancer risk among Jordanian women and in subgroups stratified by menopausal status and smoking history. Materials and Methods: Blood samples were collected from 112 breast cancer female patients and 115 age-matched controls who underwent breast cancer screening with imaging and showed negative results (BI-RADS I or BI-RADS II). Genotyping was performed using the PCR-RFLP technique. Results: No statistically significant overall association was found between breast cancer risk and CYP1A1 M2 genotypes (p= 0.55; OR = 0.77; 95% CI= 0.32-1.83) nor with the M4 polymorphism (p= 0.95; OR= 0.95; 95% CI= 0.51-1.88). Analysis of subgroups defined by menopausal status or smoking history also revealed no association with these polymorphisms. Furthermore, the four identified haplotypes (AC; AA; GC and GA) were equally distributed among cases and controls, and haplotype analysis showed a strong linkage disequilibrium of both studied loci in either cases or controls (D'=1). Conclusions: Based on the study results, CYP1A1 M2 and M4 polymorphisms do not seem to play a major role in breast cancer risk among Jordanian females.

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Objective: This study aimed to assess the basic knowledge, attitude, and practice among people from nine Middle Eastern and North African countries about COVID-19 symptoms, modes of transmission, acceptance of recovered patients, and practice of some basic preventive measures. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, data was collected from 3515 participants in nine Middle Eastern and North African countries using an online self-administered questionnaire to assess participants' basic knowledge, attitude, and practice of some preventive measures related to COVID-19. Results: In this study, most of the participants were aware of the basic preventive measures against coronavirus. Despite this awareness, the practice of these measures was low, with a significant variation among participating countries and gender. Social media was the major source of their information. More than half of participants (53.2%) would not accept recovered patients in the community without protective measures, and the majority (84%) of them believed that people living in hot and sunny areas are less susceptible and affected by COVID-19. Conclusion: Our findings indicate that participants of Middle Eastern and North African countries have relatively good knowledge and attitudes regarding COVID-19. Still, they have unsatisfactory preventive practices, and more than half of them refuse to accept recovered patients as normal in the community without protective measures.