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Anthocyanins and Anthocyanin-Rich Extracts: Role in Diabetes and Eye Function

花青素是一种水溶性的植物色素。从广义上看，属酚类化合物中的类黄酮类。目前已经有8000多种酚类化合物被分离出来，其中有500多种是花青素。近年来对花青素可能对健康带来的好处的研究越来越多。将来花青素的这种特性在功能食品和保健食品中有可能得到日益广范的应用。在过去的二十年间越来越多的研究结果表明水果和蔬菜中的种酚类化合物多种多样的保护作用。其中包括抗氧性，抗过敏，抗炎症，抗病毒，抗细胞扩散，抗突变因素，抗微生物，抗癌，保护免受心血管损伤和过敏，改善微循环，预防周边微血管脆弱，预防糖尿病，和改善视觉等作用。为了帮助我们理解花青素的作用机制，本文总结了多年来花青素对于预防糖尿病和改善视觉方面的研究成果。

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Fructose Malabsorption in Thai Adult

Fructose malabsorption has not been well-defined in Thai populations but there has been increasing consumption of fructose-fortified drinksObjectives: To assess the incidence of fructose malabsorption and intolerance in Thai normal subjects as well as the facilitating effect of glucose on fructose absorption.Methods: Twenty-five gram of fructose was ingested by 77 subjects (37 men, 40 women; mean age 26 and 31 y, range 20-50 y and 21-50 y for men and women, respectively). Measurement of breath-H2 levels after fructose ingestion in each subject up to 2 h was performed. Those who showed fructose malabsorption were later given 25 g of each glucose and fructose and second tests of breath-H2 tests were done.Results: Fructose malabsorption was found in eleven females with a significant rise in average breath-H2 level at 30, 60, 90, and 120 min (p ＜ 0.001), whereas none of the males had an abnormal breath-H2 test. Only 1 of the 11 females with increased breath H2 had gastrointestinal symptoms. In all the fructose malabsorbers, excess breath- H2 reverted to normal when the fructose solution was mixed and administered with 25 g glucose (p ＜ 0.001).Conclusion: The incidence rate of fructose malabsorption was 11 of 77 subjects but these were female. One of the 11 had gastrointestinal symptoms. It was found that an equal amount of glucose would abolish fructose malabsorption.

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Hypoalbuminemia is a Predictor of Delayed Postoperative Bowel Function and Poor Surgical Outcomes in Right-sided Colon Cancer Patients

Purpose: To determine the relationship between preoperative serum albumin and postoperative bowel function as well as surgical outcomes in right-sided colon cancer patients.Methods: This retrospective study in a university hospital included 84 patients who underwent elective right hemicolectomy for adenocarcinoma of the right-sided colon between January 2004 and December 2005. The patients had a preoperative serum albumin assessment. Serum albumin less than 3.5 g/dL was regarded as hypoalbuminemia. Postoperative outcomes were classified into mortality, morbidity (infectious and noninfectious complications), time to first bowel movement, time to resume normal diet, and hospital stay.Results: Forty males (48%) and forty-four females (52%) with a mean age of 64 (range, 27-89) years were included. Forty-eight patients (57%) had hypoalbuminemia. No 30-day postoperative mortality occurred. All 14 postoperative complications occurred in hypoalbuminemic cases. Therefore, 29% of the hypoalbuminemics had complications whereas none occurred in nonhypoalbuminemics (p=0.001). In univariate analysis, hypoalbuminemia and postoperative complications were the risk factors for delayed postoperative recovery of bowel function and prolonged length of hospital stay. In multivariate analysis, hypoalbuminemia was the significant risk factor for postoperative complications (p＜0.001) and delayed time to first bowel movement (p=0.018) whereas postoperative complications were the significant risk factor for delayed time to resume normal diet (p＜0.001) and prolonged hospital stay (p＜0.001).Conclusion: Hypoalbuminemia is a potential predictor of delayed recovery of bowel function postoperatively and significantly associated with postoperative complications in right-sided colon cancer patients undergone right hemicolectomy.

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Cytokines Related to Nutritional Status in Patients with Untreated Pulmonary Tuberculosis in Indonesia

雖然幾個研究已經探討過結核的細胞激素產生型態，但是結核病人的營養素缺乏與細胞激素間的關係所知有限。本研究目的為評估在結核病期間，細胞激素的濃度與營養狀況的相關。在印尼城市的醫院，41名未治療的結核病人與其配對的健康對照組，我們測量其身高與體重、鐵、維生素A及鋅；以及在循環中和全血培養產生的細胞激素濃度。病人的血漿中介白質-6（IL-6）及介白質-1接受體拮抗物（IL-1ra）顯著的較對照組高。有肺部空洞的病人（n=26）比起沒有空洞的病人（n=15）有較高的IL-6濃度。身體質量指數小於18.5kg/m^2與較高濃度的腫瘤壞死因子-α（TNF-α）及IL-6有關。貧血者有較高的IL-6及IL-1ra。鋅缺乏與高的LPS-刺激產生TNF-α及IL-1ra有關。血漿視網醇濃度臨界缺乏與經LPS刺激後高濃度的IL-6相關。綜合以上，肺結核病人低微量營養素濃度與細胞激素產生增加有關。介入性研究將可評估其因果關係。

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Extent of Error in Estimating Nutrient Intakes from Food Tables Versus Laboratory Estimates of Cooked Foods

使用間接分析（E）（印度國家生鮮食物營養素成分資料庫，已校正烹調後水分含量）及我們實驗室做的化學分析（M）來評估煮熟食物單項（104）和混合餐食（92）的營養素值的一致性。我們將使用食物成分表，來評估每日攝取量之巨量及微量營養素會引起誤差的校正水分予以量化。我們分析食物樣本中的鐵、鋅、銅、β-胡蘿蔔素、核黃素、硫胺、抗壞血酸、葉酸及巨量營養素、植酸和膳食纖維。在E和M之間熱量平均相差3.07±0.6%、蛋白質5.3±2.0%、脂質2.6±1.8%及醣類5.1±0.9%。在E和M之間維生素平均差異從32（維生素C）到45.5%（β-胡蘿蔔素）；而礦物質從5.6（銅）到19.8%（鋅）。計算264名健康成人每日營養素攝取量E/M百分比。熱量、蛋白質、脂質及醣類分別為108、112、127 及97。他們的銅（102）及β-胡蘿蔔素（114）攝取E/M 百分比接近一百，而鋅（186）、鐵（202）及維生素C（170）、硫胺（190）、核黃素（181）及葉酸（165）卻相當高。使用經校正水分的食物成分表後，顯示熟食的巨量營養素誤差在±5%，而每日攝取量誤差則增加至27%。多個微量營養素的評估一致性欠佳，顯示使用印度的食物成分表評估微量營養素攝取量並不恰當。

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The Association between Amount of Cigarettes Smoked and Overweight, Central Obesity among Chinese adults in Nanjing, China

Objectives: To examine the association between overweight, central obesity and cigarette smoking (total amount of cigarettes smoked [TACS] and status).Design: Population-based cross-sectional study.Setting: Administrative villages and neighborhoods (n=45) randomly selected from three urban districts and two rural counties in Nanjing City, China.Subjects and methods: A representative sample (n=13,463) of permanent local male residents aged 35 years or older; 66.5% were urban residents. The response rate was 90.1%. Overweight (BMI＞=24) and central obesity (waist circumference＞=85 in men) were defined according to the new Chinese standard. The association between smoking (amount and status) and obesity was examined using logistic and linear regression analysis.Results: The overall prevalence of overweight was 36.1% (29.7% with 24＜=BMI＜28 and 6.4% with BMI＞=28).After adjusted for age, residence, education, occupation, family income, alcohol drinking, dietary intake, occupational and leisure-time physical activity, the prevalence was significantly lower among current smokers (33.0%) than in non-smokers (39.9%) and ex-smokers (39.2%), respectively (p＜0.05). The amount of cigarette smoked was reversely associated with BMI (compared to non-smokers, ORs and 95%CIs for smokers with low-,medium- and high-TACS were 0.88 [0.79, 0.98], 0.77 [0.69, 0.86], and 0.77 [0.69, 0.86], respectively). The prevalence of central obesity was 35.9%. Compared to nonsmokers, only male ex-smokers were at increased risk of central obesity (OR=1.38, 95%CI=1.10, 1.74), while there was no significant association with current-smokers (OR=1.02 [0.92, 1.12]). The amount of cigarette smoked was not significantly associated with central obesity.Conclusions: Cigarette smoking was negatively associated with body weight indicated by BMI but not with central obesity indexed by waist circumference in Chinese men. Cessation of smoking may increase the risk of gaining overall body weight and developing central obesity. Cigarette smoking prevention and cessation should be a public health priority in China.

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Correlation of Dyslipidemia with Waist to Height Ratio, Waist Circumference, and Body Mass Index in Iranian Adults

Overweight and obesity are increasing problems in many countries and are related to multiple cardiovascular risk factors. Although imaging techniques can determine total body fat and its distribution reliably, anthropometric measurements remain important in clinical practice. The purpose of this study was to determine the association between some anthropometric measurements and dyslipidemia as an important cardiovascular risk factor in Iranian population. A total of 750 subjects (580 females and 170 males) were selected by multistage random sampling from residents of Arak (Iran) and related villages in 2005. None of them had any significant past medical history. Body mass index(BMI), waist circumference(WC), and waist to height ratio(W/Ht) of subjects were measured to identify their relationship with their lipid profile including total cholesterol(TC), triglyceride(TG), high density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C), low density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C), and the ratio of total cholesterol to high density lipoprotein cholesterol(TC/HDL-C). Fasting blood sugar (FBS) was also measured. WC and W/Ht showed greater correlation with TC, TG, LDL-C, TC/HDL-C level than did BMI. Among lipid profile, TG showed the closest correlation with W/Ht (r=0.309, p＜0.001) and WC (r=0.308, p＜0.001). HDL-C level did not show any statistical relationship with W/Ht, but it was weakly correlated with WC (r=-0.088, p＜0.05). None of the indices showed any association with FBS level. It can be concluded that W/Ht and WC can best predict dyslipidemia in an Iranian adult population. We suggest using both W/Ht and WC as inexpensive and easy methods in clinical and epidemiological fields.

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Insulin, Lipid Profiles and Measures of Fatness in Taiwanese Women in Relation to Duration of Residence in Australia

This study investigated the relationships between measures of fatness and blood insulin and lipids in Taiwanese females living in Taiwan (n=97) or Australia (n=100), and examined the effect of length of residence in Australia on these relationships. Fasting glucose and lipids were determined by Reflotron and fasting insulin using Microparticle Enzyme Immunoassay; insulin resistance (IR) was identified by HOMA. There were no significant inter-country differences in crude plasma insulin or HOMA-IR between Taiwan and Australia (51.7±42.2 vs. 45.0±29.0 pmol/L and 1.43±1.21 vs. 1.29±1.00, respectively, all p＞ 0.05), but when insulin and HOMA-IR were adjusted for waist circumference, they were greater in Taiwan (45.7±1.6 vs. 38.0±1.6 pmol/L and 1.26±1.59 vs. 1.13±1.59, respectively, all p＜ 0.05). Subjects living in Australia greater than 5 years had higher insulin and HOMA-IR values than those with less than 5 years residence (50.0±32.3 vs. 32.4±10.5 pmol/L and 1.45±1.00 vs. 0.90±0.28, respectively, all p＜ 0.01), even after adjustment for all measures of fatness. Subjects in Australia ＞ 5 years have 6 (CI, 1.3-27.9) times the risk of having insulin ＞ 50 pmol/L; the increased risk being confined to generally and/or centrally obese women. Measures of central obesity and general obesity were positively associated with HOMA-IR in both countries (r = 0.23, p＜ 0.05 and 0.27 p＜ 0.01, Taiwan, 0.43 and 0.43, both p＜ 0.01, Australia). Taiwanese females living in Australia initially appear to have a more favorable state of IR than those in Taiwan, but insulin resistance is associated with length of residence in Australia, particularly among the obese.

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Association between Serum CRP Concentrations with Dietary Intake in Healthy and Dyslipidaemic Patients

Serum CRP concentrations are elevated in subjects at risk of coronary events and in subjects with metabolic syndrome. Although dietary fat and antioxidants are known for their immune-modulating actions, their reported effects on CRP concentrations have been inconsistent. In the present study we have investigated whether dietary constituents are associated with serum CRP concentrations in healthy subjects and patients with dyslipidaemic. Dyslipidaemic subjects (n=238) were recruited from Hospital Outpatient Clinics in Guilford, UK. Apparently healthy subjects (n=188) were recruited from amongst adjacent University and Hospital employees. A validated food frequency questionnaire was used to estimate dietary intake. Dyslipidaemic patients had higher serum CRP [1.25 (0.42-3.26) mg/L] than control subjects [0.50 (0.17-1.42) mg/L] (p＜0.001). In the dyslipidaemic patients, approximately 4% of the variation in serum CRP could be explained by dietary cholesterol intake (p = 0.015, 2.8%), and weakly by dietary vitamin C intake (p = 0.06, 1.2%). No relationship between dietary constituents and serum CRP concentrations was found among the healthy subjects. Hence the present study shows that serum CRP concentrations are increased in patients with classical coronary risk factors, and that they may be modulated by dietary cholesterol.

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Red Cell Folate and Predicted Neural Tube Defect Rate in Three Asian Cities

Background: Periconceptional folic acid reduces neural tube defect (NTD) risk. Red blood cell folate concentration is inversely associated with NTD risk. In many countries there is a lack of information on NTD rates. Red cell folate status in women of childbearing age may be a surrogate for NTD rates and may be helpful in identifying countries or regions most likely to benefit from improved folate status.Objective: To predict NTD rates using red cell folate concentrations in women of childbearing age living in three Asian citiesDesign: Cross-sectional convenience samples of non-pregnant women living in Beijing (n=220), Kuala Lumpur (n=389), and Jakarta (n=129).Results: Red cell folate concentrations were highest (p＜0.001) in women from Jakarta at 872 nmol/L (95% CI; 833, 910) followed by Kuala Lumpur at 674 nmol/L (95% CI: 644, 704) and lowest in Beijing at 563 nmol/L (95% CI: 524, 601). Accordingly, predicted NTD rates were highest in Beijing at 30/10000 (95% CI: 27, 33), followed by Kuala Lumpur at 24/10000 (95% CI: 22, 25), and lowest in Jakarta at 15/10000 (95% CI: 14, 15).Conclusion: Our red blood cell folate data suggests that of the three cities improving the folate status of women in Beijing would have the greatest impact on NTD rates.