Relationship between Dining Place, Iodine Source, and Iodine Nutrition in School-Age Children: A Cross-Sectional Study in China / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

OBJECTIVE@#This study assesses the impact of iodine-rich processed foods and dining places on the iodine nutritional status of children.@*METHODS@#School-aged children (SAC) in seven provinces in China were selected by school-based multi-stage sampling. Urinary iodine, salt iodine, and thyroid volume (TVOL) were determined. Questionnaires were used to investigate dining places and iodine-rich processed foods. The water iodine was from the 2017 national survey. Multi-factor regression analysis was used to find correlations between variables.@*RESULTS@#Children ate 78.7% of their meals at home, 15.1% at school canteens, and 6.1% at other places. The percentage of daily iodine intake from water, iodized salt, iodine-rich processed foods, and cooked food were 1.0%, 79.2%, 1.5%, and 18.4%, respectively. The salt iodine was correlated with the urinary iodine and TVOL, respectively (r = 0.999 and -0.997, P < 0.05). The iodine intake in processed foods was weakly correlated with the TVOL (r = 0.080, P < 0.01). Non-iodized salt used in processed foods or diets when eating out had less effect on children's iodine nutrition status.@*CONCLUSION@#Iodized salt remains the primary source of daily iodine intake of SAC, and processed food has less effect on iodine nutrition. Therefore, for children, iodized salt should be a compulsory supplement in their routine diet.

Clinical characteristics of bronchiolitis obliterans in pediatric patients / 中华儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To analyze the clinical characteristics, image findings, laboratory examination, the therapeutic methods and clinical outcomes of bronchiolitis obliterans (BO) in pediatric patients.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>Twenty-six pediatric patients with BO were reported. All data were collected from cases who were hospitalized in the Department of Pediatrics, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical College from June 1(st), 2009 to the April 30(th), 2011, and infectious agents, clinical manifestations, risk factors, changes in imageology, laboratory examination, therapeutic methods and treatment responses were analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>The ranges of age at onset was 4.5 months-8 years in 26 cases (18 boys and 8 girls). The course of disease was (6.2 ± 3.5) months. The period of followed-up ranged from 2 to 24 months. The common clinical characteristics were persistent wheezing of different severity (26 cases, 100%), cough (24 cases, 92%), intolerance to exercise (22 cases, 85%), short of breath (21 cases, 81%), retraction (20 cases, 77%), wheezy phlegm (16 cases, 62%), keeping with crackles (10 cases, 38%), cyanosis around the mouth (3 cases, 12%) and no clubbed fingers (toes). In 18 cases the etiology was detected, mycoplasma (11 cases, 42%), respiratory syncytial virus (4 cases, 15%), parainfluenza virus (2 cases, 8%), influenza virus A (2 cases, 8%) and influenza virus B (2 cases, 8%), human bocavirus (HBoV) (1 case, 4%). There were 8 cases (31%) with combined infection. Chest X-ray in 10 cases indicated changes suggestive of bronchopneumonia (38%), in only 1 case there was an image of interstitial pneumonia disease (4%). All the patients were diagnosed by high-resolution computerized tomography (HRCT). All cases were demonstrated to have air retention, poor blood perfusion in lung, just like "Westemark sign" with HRCT. In 19 cases antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) was determined and 10 patients (53%) were positive for P-ANCA, and 8 cases (42%) were positive for C-ANCA. All patients received oral corticosteroid and low doses azithromycin. In 13 cases (50%) the treatment effectively reduced the severity of disease and the frequency of cough and wheezing. The average number of days for symptom improvement was (7.1 ± 4.8) days.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Respiratory infection plays an important role in BO in children. The chronic and persistent wheezing, cough, intolerance to exercises, short breath, retraction were the main clinical manifestations. But these symptoms are non-specific. Chest X-ray can not provide enough information for diagnosis. Classical "Westemark sign" with HRCT is an important sign. ANCA with a high positive rate (approximately 50%) suppose immuno-lesion in BO. Oral corticosteroid and methotrexate may relieve clinical symptoms.</p>

Clinical evaluation of the antioxidant activity of astragalus in women with gestational diabetes / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the antioxidant activity of astragalus and its therapeutic effect on gestational diabetes.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Eighty-four pregnant women with gestational diabetes were divided into insulin and insulin plus astragalus groups after regular dietary control and insulin treatment to maintain stable blood glucose level. The 43 patients in insulin group received insulin injection, whereas the 41 patients in the other group received treatment with both insulin and astragalus. The SOD activity, MDA level, blood lipids and renal function were determined in both groups after the treatments.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The patients with both insulin and astragalus treatments showed significantly increased serum SOD activity and decreased MDA level, renal function and blood lipids in comparison with those with exclusive insulin treatment.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Astragalus can effectively control blood glucose, reduce the free radicals, and promote the antioxidative activity, and may play a role in the prevention and treatment of gestational diabetes.</p>