Reporter gene assay for detection of shellfish toxins / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the potential reporter gene assay for the detection of sodium channel-specific toxins in shellfish as an alternative for screening harmful algal bloom (HAB) toxins, considering the fact that the existing methods including HPLC and bioassay are inappropriate for identifying HAB toxins which poses a serious problem on human health and shellfish industry.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A reporter plasmid pEGFP-c-fos containing c-fos promoter and EGFP was constructed and transfected into T24 cells using LipofectAMINE 2000. Positive transfectants were screened by G418 to produce a pEGFP-c-fos-T24 cell line. After addition of increasing neurotoxic shellfish poison (NSP) or GTX2,3, primary components of paralytic shellfish poison (PSP), changes in expression of EGFP in the cell line were observed under a laser scanning confocal microscope and quantified with Image-pro Plus software.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Dose-dependent changes in the intensity of green fluorescence were observed for NSP in a range from 0 to 10 ng/mL and for GTX2,3 from 0 to 16 ng/mL.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>pEGFP-c-fos-T24 can be applied in detecting HAB toxins, and cell-based assay can be used as an alternative for screening sodium channel-specific HAB toxins.</p>

Analysis on iodized salt surveillance of Changzhou City in Jiangsu Province during 1996-2007 / 中国地方病学杂志

Objective To explore the qualification and consuming of iodized salt at wholesale and household levels after Salt Iodization.Methods Iodized salt surveillance at wholesale and household levels every year by detecting iodine content.Direct titration method(GB/T 13025.7-1999)was used for salt iodjne detecting and arbitration method was used for Sichuan salt and special salt.Results Five thousand six hundred and seventy five samples of 227 batches from 3 wholesale industries were detected during 1996-2000,batch qualification rate was 60.79%(138/227)and iodized salt qualification rate was 61.83%(3509/5675).During 2001-2007,2556 samples of 252 batches from wholesale levels were detected.The batch qualification rate and iodized salt qualification rate were 1 00%(252/252)and 99.88%(2553/2556),respectively.At household level.1583 samples from 236 villages were detected during 1996-2000.Iodized salt qualification rate was 74.24%(1 170/1576)and consuming rate of qualified iodized salt was 73.91%(1 170/1583)and iodine median was 45.14 mg/kg.During 2001-2007,13 140 samples from 1656 villages were detected.Iodized salt qualification rate,consuming rate 0f qualified iodized salt and iodine median were 98.03%(12 830/13 088),97.64%(12 830/13 140)and 30.13 mg/kg,respectively. The most difference of iodine content was 3.46 mg/kg in 3 wholesale industries.At household level there was a 4.95%reduction in comparison with at wholesale level.Conclusions Salt iodization level and edible iodine salt reach the national requirements of iodine deficiency control from the starting stage.The quality 0f iodized saIt at household level related to the exclusive wholesale industry and loss phenomenon maybe existed when salt was sold from wholesale industries to residents.

Impact evaluation of universal salt iodization on spectrum of thyroid diseases in Changzhou area, Jiangsu, China / 中华预防医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the impact of universal salt iodization using monitoring data on correctional status of iodine deficiency and hospitalized thyroid diseases.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Retrospective survey was conducted to collect medical records of hospitalized thyroid disease cases. Routine monitoring data on population iodine nutrition status and goiter prevalence were analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The coverage of adequately iodized salt was consistently above 95%. Hospitalization rate of thyroid diseases rose steadily, and peaked at 54.5 per 100,000. The proportion of hospitalized thyroid disease among hospitalized diseases also rose with female and those aged above 40 years old mostly affected. The proportion of hospitalized hyperthyroidism among total hospitalized thyroid disease rose from 13.6% to 34.7%.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Universal salt iodization might eliminate iodine deficiency while other impact still exists. However, the benefits of universal salt iodization should be far overweight the adverse effects.</p>