Hypercholesterolemia in Thai primary school children: Relation to maternal and nutritional factors

Background: There is evidence to show that atherosclerosis can occur in young children and that elevated total cholesterol and low density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations are risk factors for atherosclerosis. The aim of the present cross-sectional study was to investigate the influence of maternal and nutritional factors on blood cholesterol in primary school children.
Methods: One hundred and ninety-five population-based mother–child pairs (obese child–overweight mother pairs, n = 60; obese child–normal-weight mother pairs, n = 48; wasted child–overweight mother pairs, n = 37; normal-weight child–normal-weight mother pairs, n = 50), were enrolled in the study. Various anthropometric parameters were measured and serum lipids of subjects were further determined. Biological data and children's eating behavior were obtained from the mothers through interviews.
Results: Hypercholesterolemia was found in 64.6–65% of obese children, 24.3% of wasted children and in 56% of the normal-weight children; whereas the proportion of children in all groups who had normal blood cholesterol levels was in the lower range. Multivariate logistic regression indicated that mother's serum cholesterol (odds ratio [OR], 2.41; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.12–4.78), child obesity defined by weight-for-height Z-score > +2SD (OR, 2.56; 95%CI: 1.33–4.98), and child's energy intake ≥75th percentile (OR, 2.59; 95%CI: 1.01–6.66) were the significant factors associated with hypercholesterolemia in children.
Conclusion: Hypercholesterolemia in school children is associated with familial factor, bodyweight and nutrient intake. Elevated blood cholesterol was also found in some of the normal-weight and wasted children. Effective family-based intervention programs are urgently needed to modify risk factors predisposing to coronary heart disease.     

Testing of folate conjugase from chicken pancreas vs. commercial enzyme and studying the effect of cooking on folate retention in Thai foods

Crude enzyme from chicken pancreas as a source of folate conjugase was prepared in a lyophilised form. Homogeneity, stability and activities were checked against a commercial enzyme. Subsequently, the prepared crude enzyme was used to investigate the process of folate extraction in various food matrices and study the effect of cooking on folate retention in several Thai foods. The lyophilised enzyme was homogeneous and contained 4 μg endogenous folate per g of prepared lyophilised crude enzyme. The stability of the lyophilised enzyme and the diluted enzyme, kept at 4 °C, was at least 12 months and 3 days, respectively. The activity of the prepared lyophilised folate conjugase, used at the level of 20 mg/g sample, was evaluated by a microbiological assay of total folate in brown rice, egg, whole milk powder, soybeans and asparagus. It showed comparable results to that of the commercial enzyme. Single-enzyme treatment (folate conjugase alone) was sufficient for the determination of folate content in brown rice, soybeans and asparagus. However, for egg and whole milk powder, it was necessary to apply tri-enzyme treatment as this showed a significantly higher level (at P < 0.05) of total folate than that obtained using only single- or di-enzyme (protease + folate conjugase) treatments. Among the representative foods studied, the levels of total folate ranked in order of concentration, were soybeans > egg > asparagus > brown rice > steamed-mackerel (common form sold) (305, 117, 95, 41 and 24 μg/100 g wet weight basis, respectively). After cooking, the true retention of total folate in the cooked foods ranged from 60% in brown rice (cooked in an electric rice cooker) up to 82% in boiled asparagus. On a wet weight basis, the total folate content in boiled soybeans, boiled asparagus, boiled egg, fried mackerel and cooked brown rice was 100, 84, 72, 22 and 12 μg/100 g, respectively. One boiled egg (50 g) contributes 36 μg folate, which is equal to 18% of the Thai Recommended Daily Intake (RDI), and thus it can be considered as a good source of folate based on one serving size. A serving of boiled soybeans (70 g) or boiled asparagus (80 g) is an excellent source of folate, each contributing about 35% of the Thai RDI.     

Investigation of Thai plants for potential sources of inulin-type fructans

Several studies have found wide distributions of natural inulin and its fractions as fructo-oligosaccharide (FOS) in varieties of plants, starchy roots, fruits, and vegetables. However, there is a lack of information of their abundance in foods consumed in Thailand. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine inulin-type fructans, FOS (1-kestose (1-kestotriose; GF₂), nystose (1,1-kestotetraose; GF₃), and 1F-β-fructofuranosylnystose (1,1,1-kestopentaose; GF₄)) and sugars (glucose, fructose and sucrose) in potential food sources. For a preliminary study, 47 varieties of Thai plant foods, distributing in five food groups, were selected and purchased from one representative market. Inulin-type fructans, FOS and total sugars were extracted following the method 997.08 of AOAC, and determined by gas chromatography. Potential food sources of inulin-type fructans and FOS were identified. Another two sets of these samples were purchased randomly from other two representative markets and the same analyses were conducted. High levels of inulin-type fructans was found in great headed garlic, Chinese garlic, common garlic and Jerusalem artichoke (Kaentawan) (29.2 ± 5.62, 24.3 ± 1.94, 22.4 ± 2.86 and 19.4 ± 1.04 g/100 g fresh weight (FW), respectively), with the medium level in shallot and red onion (8.86 ± 0.75 and 3.56 ± 0.95 g/100 g FW, respectively). Highest level of FOS (5.18 ± 0.04 g/100 g FW) was found in Jerusalem artichoke.     

Pneumomediastinum as initial presentation of paralytic rabies: A case report

Background  

Rabies is readily diagnosed when it presents as the classic furious form. Paralytic and atypical forms can pose significant problems in diagnosis. Catastrophic incidents included 7 organ transplant recipients who died of rabies recently in United States and Germany. Although rabies remains top in the lists of differential diagnosis of encephalitis in rabies endemic area, its complication may divert physicians from making a relevant management. We encountered an unusual case of paralytic rabies who presented with spontaneous pneumomediastinum.     

Antioxidant capacity, total phenolics and sugar content of selected Thai health beverages

This study was to determine antioxidant capacity, total phenolics and sugar content of 12 pasteurized and sterilized Thai health beverages, products of The Royal Chitralada Projects. The antioxidant capacities were analyzed using 2,2-diphenyl-l-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging and the photochemiluminescence (PCL) assay. Folin-Ciocalteu assay and Nelson's reducing sugar test were used to determine total phenolic compounds and sugar contents, respectively. Sacred lotus root drink showed the significantly highest antioxidant capacity in both equivalents to trolox and equivalents to ascorbic acid but not in the PCL test. In contrast, chrysanthemum drink and roselle drink showed the significantly highest values of both the total antioxidant capacity of water and lipid-soluble substances in the PCL assay. Bael fruit drink had the significantly highest total phenolic compounds. There were significant correlations between the total phenolic compounds and the antioxidant capacity values of both assays (r = 0.4-0.5).