Somsong Nanakorn

Gender Differences in Health-Related Practices among University Students in Northeast Thailand

The study aims at appraising gender differences in health-related practices, and health behaviour among university students of the Khon Kaen University, northeast Thailand, using a self-administered questionnaire. Of 539 university students, there were 155 males, 384 females, with mean ages 19.7 (±1.2) and 19.6 (±1.1) years, respectively. Persistent health problems were not significantly different between male and female students (12.9% vs. 15.4%). An average body mass index (BMI) was significantly different between male and female students (20.2 ± 2.1 vs. 19.8 ± 2.1). Female students reported positive health habits, in terms of drinking, smoking, sun protection, tooth brushing, fruit consumption, conscious efforts to avoid fat and cholesterol, over men, while regular exercise and safety belt use were more likely practised among male students. Using ANOVA and pairwise multiple comparisons, female students demonstrated better health eating habits than men (p=0.0001). Coronary heart disease preventive habits between the medical and non-medical faculty was greater for female students than for male students (p=0.0006 for gender; p=0.0001 for faculty). Health behaviour (combination of health eating habits, deliberate nutritional practices and coronary heart diseases preventive behaviour) was found to be better practised among women than men (p= 0.0001). These findings, therefore, should focus attention on university students as a target group for health education.

Alcohol dehydrogenase-2 and aldehyde dehydrogenase-2 genotypes and male alcohol use disorders in Khon Kaen, north-east Thailand

Abstract A case–control study on the relationship between alcohol dehydrogenase‐2 (ADH2), aldehyde dehydrogenase‐2 (ALDH2) and male probable alcohol use disorders (AUD) was performed in Khon Kaen, north‐east Thailand. One hundred and fifty‐three paired cases (probable AUD) and controls (non‐probable AUD) were sampled from villagers aged 18–65 years using the modified Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test − Thai version, controls being matched for gender, age (± 4 years) and village. All of the cases and 86.9% of the controls were current drinkers. The percentage of ADH2*1/1 among cases was 47.1%, being significantly larger than the 29.4% among controls, and yielding a univariate odds ratio (OR) of 2.421* (95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.419–4.132) for developing probable AUD. The ALDH2*1/1 proportion among cases, 92.8%, was comparable to the 92.2% among controls, yielding a univariate OR of 1.100 (95%CI = 0.757–1.599). Multivariate analysis based on a conditional logistic regression model and a hierarchically well‐formulated model strategy revealed that: (i) the OR of developing probable AUD due to 1 g increment of daily ethanol drinking was 1.110* among farmers (95%CI = 1.054–1.170); (ii) OR due to 1 g increment of daily ethanol drinking was 1.329* among non‐farmers (95%CI = 1.109–1.593); (iii) OR due to either ADH2*1/1 or ALDH2*1/1 was insignificant; and (iv) the daily amount of smoking is independently associated with probable AUD. The present findings suggest that one of the genetic factors that may be related to probable AUD among Thai males living in the north‐east is the ADH2 gene.

Aldehyde dehydrogenase genotypes and male alcohol use disorders: A case-control study in Khon Kaen, north-east Thailand

A genetic epidemiological case‐control study on aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) genotype and male probable alcohol use disorders (AUD) was performed in Khon Kaen province, north‐east Thailand. One hundred and twenty‐four of cases (probable AUD) were obtained from male villagers aged 18–65 years using the modified Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test‐Thai version. The same number of controls were selected, being matched with the cases in terms of age (±4 years) within the same village. Marital status, education history and past or present histories of physical illnesses were essentially the same for the cases and the controls. All of the cases and 85.5% of the controls were current drinkers, and the cases tended to drink significantly more often than the controls. Genomic DNA was extracted from fingernails and ALDH2 genotypes were determined by polymerase chain reaction technique and digested by Ksp 632I. The ALDH2 genotypes of the cases and the controls were not significantly different: 90.3% versus 91.1% normal homozygote; 8.1% versus 8.9% heterozygote; and 1.6% versus 0.0% mutant homozygote, respectively. Among the normal homozygote, the daily amount of alcohol intakes of the cases were significantly larger than that of the controls (56.2 ± 40.6 g vs 8.1 ± 14.1 g), the same was found among the ALDH2 deficient (55.9 ± 43.4 vs 2.2 ± 5.8 g). Multivariate analysis based on the conditional logistic regression model showed no significant association of AUD with ALDH2 genotype, marital status, education history, or past history of injury, however, occupation and daily amount of alcohol intake were found to be significantly associated with AUD (OR = 10.72, 95% CI = 1.15 − 99.99, p = 0.037, and OR = 1.12, 95% CI = 1.06 − 1.18, p = 0.000, respectively). Non‐farmers showed 10.7 times larger risk of developing AUD compared to farmers, and the subjects had three times more chance of developing AUD for each increase of 10 g of the daily amount of alcohol intake.

Variability of Finger Ridge Density among Thai Adolescents

Finger ridge density (RD) is the number of finger ridges that touch the diagonal line drawn between a square of 25 mm2 which is placed on the core of the fingerprint image. It has been useful as a sex determination aid in forensic practice as its values are significantly higher in females than males. The present study was aimed at investigating the RD of Thai adolescents aged between 10 and 12 years old. Subjects were 130 schoolboys and 130 schoolgirls were randomly selected and signed informed consent forms prior to printing each individual’s ten fingers by using the adhesive transparent tape technique. The Microsoft Word program was applied for precise counting of RD. The mean RD differences between left and right hands, boys and girls, radial and ulnar areas were statistically tested. The likelihood ratio was computed to obtain the probability inferences of sex, and posterior probabilities were estimated using Bayes’ theorem. Results revealed as follows: (1) The mean RDs (ridges per 25 mm2) of boys and girls were not significantly different across the radial (15.89 vs. 16.19, respectively) and ulnar areas (15.84 vs. 16.00, respectively). For each sex, mean RDs in the radial and the ulnar were not statistically different. (2) The mean RDs in both sexes were greater in the left hand fingers compared to the right hand, and were statistically significant only in girls. (3) For the ulnar area, the RD of 13 or less is most likely to be of from male origin and that of 17 or more has a low probability of being of female origin. Comparing the radial area, an RD of 14 or less has a low probability of being of male origin while a weak probability of the RD of 17 or more is most likely being of female origin.

Thai Twin Registry: Description of the Initial Stage

The present study describes the initial phase of the Thai Twin Registry (TTR) in Khon Kaen University, a pioneer research university located in the Northeast of Thailand. The initial steps of the study included the analysis of dermatoglyphic information in Thai twins for answering the research question: Are monozygotic (MZ) and dizygotic (DZ) twins different in dermatoglyphic variables? Subjects were 212 twin pairs (131 MZ and 81 [corrected] DZ), consisting of 155 males and 269 females. Four types of fingerprint pattern (FP) - that is, arch, radial loop, ulnar loop, and whorl - were classified and analyzed and compared between MZ and DZ twins. The arch radial loop and whorl frequencies differ between MZ and DZ twins. When comparing FP in each finger, only the right little finger shows a statistically different FP, while the FP similarity average from 10 homologous fingers of co-twins was greater in MZ than DZ twins. By using the Area Under the Receiver Operating Characteristic curve analysis, the MZ twins could be differentiated from DZ twins by the FP similarity. Summarizing, this valuable report about TTR was conducted by analysis of FP data, which indicated that the MZ and DZ twins exhibited FP pattern and FP similarity differences. Other dermatoglyphic studies of the existing FP database, such as finger ridge count, finger ridge density, and minutia, will be considered for ongoing research at the TTR.

An Application of Automated Inkless Fingerprint Imaging Software in Fingerprint Collection and Pattern Analysis

Fingerprint data collections of 684 Thai subjects using a transparent-adhesive tape technique compared with developed software namely an automated inkless fingerprint image which is able to scan fingertips and face images then arrange them in a portable document format prior to printing. Each fingerprint pattern was characterized as arch, radial loop, ulnar loop, and whorl (including double loop whorl, accidental whorl). An index of pattern complexity was constructed by subtracting the number of arches from the number of whorls. Analyses show that (1) finger pattern scores summed over ten fingers of the arch, radial loop, ulnar loop, and whorl are 0.32, 0.17, 4.89, and 4.62 respectively; (2) the index of pattern complexity is 4.30 (S.D.=3.61); (3) fingerprint patterns are statistically different among males and females on the left and right thumbs. The latter technique contributes electronic fingertips and face images which are rapid, large, and clear without dirt from ink/carbon.