Arterial pressure and lipid profile in rats following chronic ingestion of palm oil diets.

The mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) and plasma lipid profile of rats following chronic consumption of a diet containing 15% palm oil (fresh or oxidized) were studied. Rats were allowed to feed on either a fresh or oxidized palm oil diet for 18 weeks and their effects were compared with a control group receiving normal rat feed. Mean arterial blood pressures were 128.0 +/- 2.3 mmHg (mean +/- SEM) for the control, 135.0 +/- 2.4 mmHg for the fresh-oil fed group and 147 +/- 2.5 mmHg for the oxidized oil-fed group. The oxidized oil-fed group had a significantly greater rise in mean arterial blood pressure than the control and fresh oil-fed groups (P < 0.01 and 0.05, respectively). Mean arterial blood pressure was not significantly elevated in the fresh oil-fed group than the control. Low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) levels were 1.51 +/- 0.07 mMol/L for the control, 1.62 +/- 0.03 mMol/L for the fresh oil-fed group and 1.78 +/- 0.03 mMol/L for the oxidized oil-fed group. The values were not significantly different in the control and the fresh oil groups. LDL level was significantly higher in the oxidized than in the control (P < 0.01) and fresh oil-fed groups (P < 0.05). Total cholesterol for the two test groups were significantly (P < 0.05) higher than the control, while the value in the oxidized oil group was also significantly (P < 0.05) higher than the fresh oil-fed group. There was no significant difference in high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLP) levels in the three groups. The significantly elevated MAP in the oxidized oil-fed rats when compared to the fresh oil-fed and control rats may be due to thermoxidation of the fresh oil that produced significantly higher levels of LDL and total cholesterol which predisposes to high blood pressure.

The effects of fresh palm wine on human gastric acid secretion.

The effect of fresh palm wine on gastric acid secretion was studied using human volunteers. Basal acid output for seven subjects used for the study with palm wine was 1.05 +/- 0.14 mMol/hr (mean and SEM). Peak acid output following the administration of 200 ml of the palm wine was 1.21 +/- 0.20 mMol/hr, and was not statistically different from the basal. Basal acid output for six subjects used for the study with ethanol (a constituent of palm wine) was 0.95 +/- 0.13 mMol/hr and following the administration of 200 ml of 5% ethanol the peak acid output was 5.85 +/- 0.32 mMol/hr. This peak acid output was higher in the ethanol group than the palm wine group (p less than 0.001). Fresh palm wine is not ulcerogenic as might be thought despite its content of ethyl alcohol (5%).

Transfer factor in smokers and non-smokers after smoking two cigarettes.

Impairments of lung functionality as long-term effects of cigarette smoking have been well established. To our knowledge, no study on acute recovery patterns in any important lung function index after smoking a very limited number of cigarettes has ever been reported. The present study reports recovery patterns of lung transfer factor (TF) and related parameters in smokers and non-smokers who smoked two Camel cigarettes. Lung transfer factor and other indices were determined by the single breath-holding technique. From our results, the TF and related indices of healthy Malaysians are similar to previously published normals of comparable age. On smoking two cigarettes, male smokers began to recover from the 30th minute; male non-smokers had not begun recovery even by the 50th minute. Extrapolation of the recovery curves suggests that a "safer" interval between cigarettes for male smokers is about 114 minutes.

Value of subcutaneous fat in predicting ovulation day.

Subcutaneous body fat and Quetelet's Indices (QI) of 52, 18-29 year old normal female volunteers were determined. These body mass indices were then grouped according to the phase of each subject's menstrual cycle, early or late follicular and early or late luteal phase. The subcutaneous body fat is 27.07 +or- 1.0% in the early follicular but drops to 24.68 +or- 1.84% in the late follicular phase. The value then rises significantly higher than that in the late follicular phase to 30.14 +or- 1.15% (P0.02) in the early luteal drops to 27.17 +or- 0.55% towards the level of the early follicular phase (P0.05). Variations in the values of QI during each menstrual cycle exactly mirror those for subcutaneous body fat. The fall in the 2 body mass indices during the late follicular phase coincides somewhat with the established preovulatory LH and FSH surges as well as the high levels of estrogen of this period. On the other hand the significant rise in the 2 parameters during the early luteal phase coincides with the marked rise in the ratio of progesterone to estrogen. Clearly, increased levels of progesterone relative to estrogen appear to cause an increase in the body fat during each menstrual cycle. The implication of this finding for women on contraceptive pills which are predominantly progesterone and those whose normal menstrual cycle is "interrupted" at the early luteal phase by a successful fertilization raises very interesting questions with regards to prediction of ovulation.

Thyroid status in various degrees of protein-calorie malnutrition in children.

The thyroid functional parameters of 102 children with protein-calorie malnutrition (PCM) classified as undernourished, marasmic, kwashiorkor and marasmic-kwashiorkor were studied by measuring the serum T4, T3, T3 percentage uptake (T3%UT), free thyroxine index (FTI), and (in a few subjects) TSH. Total plasma proteins, albumin and globulin were also estimated. T4 was increased markedly in the undernourished children and significantly decreased in kwashiorkor and marasmic-kwashiorkor groups. There was a consistent and significant fall in T3 levels of all PCM children. From normal values, the fall in T3 levels was progressive in the order of undernourished, marasmic, kwashiorkor and the marasmic-kwashiorkor states. The T3%UT was increased above normal in the marasmic, kwashiorkor and marasmic-kwashiorkor conditions. The FTI decreased somewhat in marasmus and kwashiorkor groups and was very low in marasmic-kwashiorkor. Total protein and albumin levels were above normal in the undernourished but became markedly depressed in the marasmic-kwashiorkor children. The changes in the levels of both T4 and T3 in our observations are well correlated with the levels of plasma proteins in the undernourished, marasmic and kwashiorkor states but not in the marasmic-kwashiorkor group.

Thyroxine, triiodothyronine and thyrotrophin levels in meningococcal meningitis, typhoid fever and other febrile conditions.

Thyroid status was estimated serially by measuring triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4) and thyrotrophin (hTSH) in 20 patients suffering from meningococcal meningitis, typhoid fever and other acute febrile illnesses. Significantly low T3 and only slightly increased T4 were observed in all the patients. hTSH was normal in all of these. A significant reciprocal relationship was found between the degree of fever and fall in T3 concentrations. T3 tended to rise in patients who recovered but in those who deteriorated or died, T3 remained persistently low.

Thyroid hormone levels in Nigerians living in endemic goitrous and non-goitrous areas.

Serum thyroxine (T-4) levels, triiodothyronine (T-3) sponge uptake and free thyroxine index (FTI) were determined in Nigerians living in endemic goitrous and non-goitrous areas. T-4 and FTI values in inhabitants of the non-goitrous area were found to be significantly higher and T-3% sponge uptake values significantly lower, than those from the goitrous area. The range of T-4 levels for normal subjects falls between 4.0 and 13.5 Ug%, that of T-3% uptake between 21.0 and 35.0 and that of FTI values between 1.25 and 4.60.

Casual blood pressures and their possible relation to age, body weight, Quetelet's index, serum cholesterol, percentage of body fat and mid-arm muscle circumference in three groups of northern Nigerian residents.

Blood pressures were determined for rural outpatients, soldiers and university students. There was no consistent change of systolic blood pressure with age until the sixth decade but even here, the rise could be due to the inclusion of a relatively high number of hypertensive subjects in the sample mean. Diastolic blood pressures show a steady rise with age consistent with the decreased elasticity of arteries with age. Diastolic pressures are remarkably low and probably reflect a general vasodilation necessitated by the hot day-time temperatures of this environment to facilitate heat loss and maintain body temperature. Dietary and psychological influences may also be involved. Pulse pressures are predictably high and decrease with age. Hypertension was observed in many groups although totally absent in some. Body weight significantly correlates with systolic and diastolic pressures in 13-19-year old adolescents probably because during this period of rapid growth blood pressure changes parallel changes in body build. In most other groups blood pressures show no consistent relationship with either body weight, Quetelet's index, mid-arm muscle circumference, serum cholesterol or percentage of body fat.

Taste sensitivity to phenylthiocarbamide in non-goitrous and goitrous Nigerians.

Taste sensitivity to phenylthiocarbamide is thought to reflect a genotype homozygous for a single recessive gene. European and North American populations show a mean non-taster frequency of about 30% whereas Mongoloid populations show a much lower frequency of non-tasters. In the present study of Nigerians, there were mean non-taster frequencies of 1.9-2.9% among healthy subjects and not a significantly different level, 3.5%, among goitrous ones. Among subjects with nodular goiter, however, the non-taster frequency was 18.7%, significantly higher. The results suggest that there is a rarity of non-tasters among Nigerians and that non-tasters are more susceptible to the development of nodular goiter than are tasters.

Anthropometric measurements and amounts of body fat and serum cholesterol in samples of three Nigerian populations.

1. Skinfold thicknesses, arm circumferences, heights, weights and serum cholesterol levels were determined in ninety-one university students, 207 soldiers and 102 out-patients, all male subjects. Some of these measurements were used to determine the amount of body fat, Quetelet's index and mid-arm muscle circumference. 2. Quetelet's indices and body-fat values obtained were similar to previously reported values for lean or moderately built males. 3. Serum cholesterol levels were generally low, with means ranging from 3-98 mmol/l for 18-to 29-year-old students to 5-19 mmol/l for 40- to 69-year-old out-patients. 4. The mean values for triceps skinfold thickness, the amount of body fat and serum cholesterol levels for healthy adults obtained in this study are probably normal for northern Nigerian populations. 5. There was a significant correlation between the amount of body fat and values for triceps and subscapular skinfold thicknesses, Quetelet's index and body-weight for all adults. The correlation between muscle circumference and the amount of body fat was significant for all subjects except adult soldiers.

Some blood indices in three groups of Nigerians and in very severe but ambulatory cases of anaemia.

This study determined the haemoglobin concentrations, packed cell volumes and mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentrations of healthy students and soldiers as well as "non-anaemic" outpatients. The same indices were also determined in small groups of moderately and severely anaemic but fully ambulatory outpatients. On the basis of the haemoglobin values most commonly observed in healthy male subjects it is suggested that the usual or "normal" haemoglobin concentration of a healthy male adult averages 14-7 gm. per cent; the packed cell volume averages 44 per cent and the mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration averages 32-6 per cent. It is further suggested that subjects with haemoglobin values less than 11-0 gm. per cent (75 per cent of normal average) should probably be sent for further haematological investigations because such persons are probably anaemic. This study also reports some startlingly low haemoglobin values in fully ambulatory outpatients. There tended to be a compensatory rise in pulse rates as the degree of severity of anaemia increased.

Body build, serum cholesterol and percentages of body fat in some male Nigerians. A contribution to the establishment of norms.

Heights and weights were measured and Quetelet's indices calculated for 402 subjects among whom were university students, local soldiers and outpatients of a rural hospital. Serum cholesterol and percentages of body fat as calculated from the sum of four skinfold thicknesses were also determined. Heights, and weights and Quetelet's indices of these mostly Northern Nigerian subjects fit a generally slim body build comparable to that of lean populations of other parts of the world. The subjects have generally low mean serum cholesterol levels of 152.1 mg% in the students, 189.9 mg% in soldiers and 188.4 mg% in outpatients. Mean percentage body fat values are also generally low ranging from 12.6% in soldiers through 12.4% in students to 11.2% in outpatients. The rather low serum cholesterol values obtained here along with the generally low values of percentage body fat suggest that our subjects may have a low risk of development coronary diseases in later years.