The impact of serum BNP on retinal perfusion assessed by an AI-based denoising optical coherence tomography angiography in CHD patients.

Background: To investigate the correlation between retinal vessel density (VD) parameters with serum B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) using novel optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) denoising images based on artificial intelligence (AI). Methods: OCTA images of the optic nerve and macular area were obtained using a Canon-HS100 OCT device in 176 patients with CHD. Baseline information and blood test results were recorded. Results: Retinal VD parameters of the macular and optic nerves on OCTA were significantly decreased in patients with CHD after denoising. Retinal VD of the superficial capillary plexus (SCP), deep capillary plexus (DCP) and radial peripapillary capillary (RPC) was strongly correlated with serum BNP levels in patients with CHD. Significant differences were noted in retinal thickness and retinal VD (SCP, DCP and RPC) between the increased BNP and normal BNP groups in patients with CHD. Conclusion: Deep learning denoising can remove background noise and smooth rough vessel surfaces. SCP,DCP and RPC may be potential clinical markers of cardiac function in patients with CHD. Denoising shows great potential for improving the sensitivity of OCTA images as a biomarker for CHD progression.

Prediction for recurrence following antithyroid drug therapy for Graves' hyperthyroidism.

Objective: A common problem with antithyroid drugs (ATD) treatment in patients with Graves' disease (GD) is the high recurrence rate after drug withdrawal. Identifying risk factors for recurrence is crucial in clinical practice. We hereby prospectively analyze risk factors for the recurrence of GD in patients treated with ATD in southern China. Subjects and methods: Patients who were newly diagnosed with GD and aged > 18 years were treated with ATD for 18 months and followed up for 1 year after ATD withdrawal. Recurrence of GD during follow-up was assessed. All data were analyzed by Cox regression with P values < 0.05 considered statistically significant. Results: A total of 127 Graves' hyperthyroidism patients were included. During an average follow-up of 25.7 (standard deviation = 8.7) months, 55 (43%) had a recurrence within 1 year after withdraw of anti-thyroid drugs. After adjustment for potential confounding factors, the significant association remained for the presence of insomnia (hazard ratio (HR) 2.94, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.47-5.88), greater goiter size (HR 3.34, 95% CI 1.11-10.07), higher thyrotrophin receptor antibody (TRAb) titer (HR 2.66, 95% CI 1.12-6.31) and a higher maintenance dose of methimazole (MMI) (HR 2.14, 95% CI 1.14-4.00). Conclusion: Besides conventional risk factors (i.e., goiter size, TRAb and maintenance MMI dose) for recurrent GD after ATD withdraw, insomnia was associated with a 3-fold risk of recurrence. Further clinical trials investigating the beneficial effect of improving sleep quality on prognosis of GD are warranted.

Prediction for recurrence following antithyroid drug therapy for Graves' hyperthyroidism

ABSTRACT Objective: A common problem with antithyroid drugs (ATD) treatment in patients with Graves' disease (GD) is the high recurrence rate after drug withdrawal. Identifying risk factors for recurrence is crucial in clinical practice. We hereby prospectively analyze risk factors for the recurrence of GD in patients treated with ATD in southern China. Subjects and methods: Patients who were newly diagnosed with GD and aged > 18 years were treated with ATD for 18 months and followed up for 1 year after ATD withdrawal. Recurrence of GD during follow-up was assessed. All data were analyzed by Cox regression with P values < 0.05 considered statistically significant. Results: A total of 127 Graves' hyperthyroidism patients were included. During an average follow-up of 25.7 (standard deviation = 8.7) months, 55 (43%) had a recurrence within 1 year after withdraw of anti-thyroid drugs. After adjustment for potential confounding factors, the significant association remained for the presence of insomnia (hazard ratio (HR) 2.94, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.47-5.88), greater goiter size (HR 3.34, 95% CI 1.11-10.07), higher thyrotrophin receptor antibody (TRAb) titer (HR 2.66, 95% CI 1.12-6.31) and a higher maintenance dose of methimazole (MMI) (HR 2.14, 95% CI 1.14-4.00). Conclusions: Besides conventional risk factors (i.e., goiter size, TRAb and maintenance MMI dose) for recurrent GD after ATD withdraw, insomnia was associated with a 3-fold risk of recurrence. Further clinical trials investigating the beneficial effect of improving sleep quality on prognosis of GD are warranted.

Choroidal and retinal thickness in patients with vitamin C deficiency using swept-source optical coherence tomography.

BACKGROUND: To investigate the effects of vitamin C on central retinal thickness and choroidal thickness. METHODS: A total of 69 patients diagnosed with vitamin C deficiency and 1:1 age- and gender-matched 69 healthy individuals with normal serum vitamin C were included in this study. Demographic characteristics of the individuals were collected. All patients underwent a comprehensive ophthalmic examination. Subfoveal choroidal thickness and retinal thickness were measured using a swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT). RESULTS: The average retinal thickness was 269.07 ± 13.51 µm in the vitamin C deficiency group and 276.92 ± 13.51 µm in the control group. The average choroidal thickness was 195.62 ± 66.40 µm in the in the vitamin C deficiency group and 238.86 ± 55.08 µm in the control group. There was a significant decrease in both average choroidal thickness and retinal thickness in vitamin C deficiency group compared with normal individuals (p < 0.001, and = 0.001 respectively). CONCLUSION: The central retinal and choroidal thickness were thinner in vitamin C deficiency group compared with normal individuals. These findings suggested that vitamin C deficiency might play an important role in retinal and choroidal diseases.

Cytomegalovirus-Immune Recovery Retinitis After Initiation of Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy: A Case Series.

Purpose: To delineate the characteristics and treatment of cytomegalovirus-immune recovery retinitis (CMV-IRR) in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) patients with immune recovery under effective highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) regimen. Methods: We reported four patients with HIV who were diagnosed with CMV-IRR soon after effective HAART. Plasma levels of CD4 T cells, HAART regimen, and other clinical and laboratory characteristics of the four patients were described. Patients were monitored for ocular manifestations and clinical signs under effective ocular and systemic anti-cytomegalovirus (CMV) and corticosteroid treatment for 12 months. Results: With HAART, plasma levels of CD4 T cell counts rose remarkably. The mean baseline CD4 count of the four patients was 14.5 (range from 7 to 33) cells/µl before HAART and 183.25 (range from 153 to 220) cells/µl when diagnosed with CMV-IRR. Ophthalmic examination demonstrated severe vitreous opacities and necrotizing retinitis, intraretinal hemorrhages, and vasculitis. A large number of CMV sequencing was detected by DNA sequencing of vitreous samples. All four patients were recovered from CMV-IRR with anti-CMV and corticosteroid treatment. Conclusions: Cytomegalovirus-immune recovery retinitis is a new diagnosis of HIV-associated ocular complication under HAART. These findings suggest that the immunological effects of HAART may accelerate the CMV retinitis in patients with very low initial CD4 T cell counts. HIV patients are recommended to have a thorough fundus examination before HAART initiation and a close follow-up especially in those with low CD4 counts to avoid the progression of CMV retinitis.

The bioaccessibility of iodine in the biofortified vegetables throughout cooking and simulated digestion.

Biofortification of crops with exogenous iodine is a novel strategy to control iodine deficiency disorders (IDD). The bioaccessibility of iodine (BI) in the biofortified vegetables in the course of soaking, cooking and digestion, were examined. Under hydroponics, the concentration of iodine in leafstalks of the celery and pakchoi increased with increasing exogenous iodine concentration, 54.8-63.9% of the iodine absorbed by pakchoi was stored in the soluble cellular substance. Being soaked in water within 8 h, the iodine loss rate of the biofortified celery was 3.5-10.4% only. More than 80% of the iodine in the biofortified celery was retained after cooking under high temperature. The highest BI of the biofortified vegetables after digestion in simulated gastric and intestinal juice amounted to 74.08 and 68.28%, respectively. Factors influencing BI included pH, digestion duration, and liquid-to-solid ratio. The high BI of the biofortified vegetables provided a sound reference for the promotion of iodine biofortification as a tool to eliminate the IDD.

Changes in retina and choroid after haemodialysis assessed using optical coherence tomography angiography.

BACKGROUND: Reports of choroidal and retinal changes before and after haemodialysis are few and have been controversial. Traditional imaging modalities are insufficient for quantitative assessment. This study aims to use optical coherence tomography angiography to monitor the short-term vascular density and thickness changes in retina and choroid before and after haemodialysis. METHODS: Seventy-seven eyes of 77 patients with end-stage kidney disease undergoing haemodialysis were included. Ophthalmologic examinations including optical coherence tomography angiography were performed one hour before and after haemodialysis. The vascular density of retina and choroid were measured and calculated by optical coherence tomography angiography. The retinal thickness and subfoveal choroidal thickness were measured manually using Image J software. The relationships between the changes in ocular and systemic parameters after haemodialysis were evaluated. RESULTS: The systolic blood pressure decreased from 123.7 ± 19.7 to 116.9 ± 24.6 mmHg (p < 0.05) in all patients. The mean ocular perfusion pressure decreased significantly after haemodialysis in both diabetic and non-diabetic groups (p < 0.05). Mean retinal thickness decreased from 204.7 ± 22.4 µm to 200.8 ± 22.8 µm (p < 0.05) after haemodialysis in all patients. The vascular density of outer retina was decreased from 38.8 ± 5.5 per cent to 37.5 ± 3.4 per cent (p < 0.05) after haemodialysis in all patients. The changes in diastolic blood pressure, intraocular pressure, subfoveal choroidal thickness, vascular density of the superficial capillary plexus, deep capillary plexus and choriocapillaris were insignificant. There was no significant correlation between systolic blood pressure and the vascular density of the outer retina. CONCLUSION: In optical coherence tomography angiography, the retinal thickness became thinner and the vascular density in the outer retina decreased after haemodialysis in patients with end-stage kidney disease. The change of subfoveal choroidal thickness showed no significance after haemodialysis. The decreased volume in the retinal vascular bed and deficient choroidal autoregulatory control of ocular blood flow might be involved in the mechanism of these changes.

Iodide and iodate effects on the growth and fruit quality of strawberry.

BACKGROUND: Iodine deficiency is an environmental health problem affecting one-third of the global population. An iodine biofortification hydroponic experiment was conducted to explore the iodide and iodate uptake characteristics of strawberry plants, to measure the dosage effects of iodine on plant growth and to evaluate the influence of I- or IO3- application on fruit quality. RESULTS: After biofortification, the iodine contents of the fresh strawberry fruits were 600-4000 µg kg-1 , covering the WHO dietary iodine allowance of 150 µg · day-1 for adults. The iodine uptake of the strawberry plants increased with increasing I- or IO3- concentration of the culture solution. At the same iodine concentration, the iodate uptakes of various plant organs under I- treatments were apparently more than those under IO3- treatments. Low-level exogenous iodine (I- ≤ 0.25 mg L-1 or IO3- ≤ 0.50 mg L-1 ) not only promoted plant growth and increased biomass per plant, but also improved fruit quality by enhancing the vitamin C and soluble sugar contents of the strawberry fruits. Nevertheless, excessive exogenous iodine inhibited plant growth and reduced biomass per plant. IO3- uptake apparently increased the total acidity and nitrate content of the fruits, reducing the quality of the strawberry fruits. Conversely, I- uptake obviously decreased the total acidity and nitrate content of the strawberry fruits, improving the fruit quality. CONCLUSION: The strawberry can be used as a target crop for iodine biofortification. Furthermore, applying an appropriate dose of KI can improve the fruit quality of the strawberry plants. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

[Determination of anilines in environmental water samples by simultaneous derivatization and ultrasound assisted emulsification microextraction combined with gas chromatography-flame ionization detectors].

This research demonstrated a new method, simultaneous derivatization and ultrasound assisted emulsification microextraction combined with gas chromatography-flame ionization detector (SD-USAEME-GC-FID), for the determination of anilines in environmental water samples. In this study, several factors, such as the volume of butylchloroformate (as derivatization agent/ extraction solvent), ultrasonication time, solution pH, salt addition, and centrifuging time and speed, were optimized in order to obtain good method performance. As a result, under the optimal conditions, the method showed good linearity in the concentration range of 6-60 000 µg x L(-1) with correlation coefficients (R2) ranging from 0.999 7 to 0.999 9 for the five target anilines. The limit of detection ( LOD) , based on signal to noise ratio of 3 , ranged from 1.1-4.1 µg x L(-1). The relative standard deviations (RSD) varied from 2.4% to 5.7% (n = 6) and the enrichment factors (EF) ranged from 317 to 846. The proposed method was also successfully applied to analyze seven environmental water samples, with the relative recoveries (RR) ranging from 86.8% to 105.5%. In a conclusion, this method was convenient, highly sensitive, inexpensive and environment-friendly, and therefore, the present method can be used as a preferred method for the determination of anilines in environmental water samples.

Elevation of AQP4 and selective cytokines in experimental autoimmune encephalitis mice provides some potential biomarkers in optic neuritis and demyelinating diseases.

Idiopathic optic neuritis (ION) is an inflammation of the optic nerve that may result in a complete or partial loss of vision. ION is usually due to the immune attack of the myelin sheath covering the optic nerve. ION acts frequently as the first symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS) and neuromyelitis optica (NMO), or other inflammatory demyelinating disorders. The pathogenic progression of ION remains unclear. Experimental autoimmune encephalitis (EAE) is a commonly used model of idiopathic inflammatory demyelinating disorders (IIDDs); the optic nerve is affected in EAE as well. The specific mediators of demyelination in optic neuritis are unknown. Recent studies have indicated what T-cell activation in peripheral blood is associated with optic neuritis pathogenesis. The object of the present study was to determine whether certain cytokines (IL-6, IL-17A, and IL-23) and AQP4 contribute to the demyelinating process using EAE model. We have found that IL-6R, AQP4 and IL-23R are significantly increased in mRNA and protein levels in optic nerves in EAE mice compared to control mice; serum AQP4, IL-6, IL-17A, IL-23 are increased whereas transforming growth factor beta (TGF-ß) is decreased in EAE mice. These results suggest that AQP4 and selective cytokines in serum are associated with ION pathogenesis in the animal model, and these results shine light for future clinical diagnosis as potential biomarkers in ION patients.

An innovative approach for iodine supplementation using iodine-rich phytogenic food.

Iodine, as one of the essential trace elements for human body, is very important for the proper function of thyroid gland. In some regions, people are still suffering from iodine deficiency disorder (IDD). How to provide an effective and cost-efficient iodine supplementation has been a public health issue for many countries. In this review, a novel iodine supplementation approach is introduced. Different from traditional iodine salt supplement, this approach innovatively uses cultivated iodine-rich phytogenic food as the supplement. These foods are cultivated using alga-based organic iodine fertilizer. The feasibility, mechanics of iodine absorption of plants from soil and the bioavailability of iodine-rich phytogenic food are further discussed.

Transformation of heavy metal speciation during sludge drying: mechanistic insights.

Speciation can fundamentally affect on the stability and toxicity of heavy metals in sludge from wastewater treatment plants. This research investigated the speciation of heavy metals in sludge from both municipal and industrial sources, and metal speciation change as a result of drying process to reduce sludge volume. The changes in sludge properties including sludge moisture content, temperature, density, and electrical conductivity were also monitored to provide insights into the mechanisms causing the change in heavy metal speciation. The results show that the drying process generally stabilized Cr, Cu, Cd, and Pb in sludge by transforming acid-soluble, reducible, and oxidizable species into structurally stable forms. Such transformation and stabilization occurred regardless of the sludge source and type, and were primarily caused by the changes in sludge properties associated with decomposition of organic matter and sulfide. The results enhanced our understanding of the geochemical behavior of heavy metals in municipal sludge, and are useful for designing a treatment system for environment-friendly disposal of sludge.

Transcutaneous oxygen pressure measurement in diabetic foot ulcers: mean values and cut-point for wound healing.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate mean values and cut-point of transcutaneous oxygen pressure (TcPO2) measurement in patients with diabetic foot ulcers. DESIGN: Prospective, descriptive study. SUBJECTS AND SETTING: Sixty-one patients with diabetes mellitus and foot ulcers comprised the sample. The research setting was Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital of SunYat-sen University, Guangzhou, China. METHODS: Participants underwent transcutaneous oxygen (TcPO2) measurement at the dorsum of foot. Patients were classified into 3 groups according to clinical outcomes: (1) ulcers healed with intact skin group, (2) ulcer improved, and (3) ulcer failed to improve. TcPO2 was assessed and cut-points for predicting diabetic foot ulcer healing were calculated. RESULTS: Thirty-six patients healed with intact skin, 8 experienced improvement, and 17 showed no improvement. Mean TcPO2 levels were significantly higher (P< .001) in healed ulcers with intact skin (32 ± 10 mmHg) when compared to the improvement group (30 ± 7 mmHg) and the nonhealing group (15 ± 12 mmHg). All patients with TcPO2≤ 10 mmHg failed to heal or experienced deterioration in their foot ulcers. In contrast, all patients with TcPO2≥ 40 mmHg achieved wound closure. Measurement of TcPO2 in the supine position revealed a cut-point value of 25 mmHg as the best threshold for predicting diabetic foot ulcer healing; the area under the curve using this cut-point was 0.838 (95% confidence interval = 0.700-0.976). The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value for TxPO2 were 88.6%, 82.4%, 90.7%, and 72.2%, respectively. CONCLUSION: TcPO2≥ 40 mmHg was associated with diabetic foot ulcer healing, but a TcPO2≤ 10 mmHg was associated with failure of wound healing. We found that a cut-point of 25 mmHg was most predictive of diabetic foot ulcer healing.

[Effects of plant growth regulators on cutting propagation of Rosa laevigata].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the optimal plant growth regulator and its suitable concentration for the cutting propagation of Rosa laevigata. METHODS: The cuttings were dealt with 6 kinds of plant growth regulators (IAA,IBA, NAA, PP333, 2, 4-D and ABT) at different concentrations (100, 200 and 500 mg/L) for 50 seconds. After 30 days growth, by analysis of variance and multiple comparisons,the most suitable cutting propagation method for Rosa laevigata was found. RESULTS: Under the same condition, different concentration of different kinds of plant growth regulators had different effects on cutting propagation of Rosa laevigata. Generally speaking,cuttings soaked with 200 mg/L PP333 for 50 seconds was the best,with the high multiple effectiveness index and average root number (12.42); Cuttings soaked with 200 mg/L IBA for 50 seconds also had significant effects, with the second high multiple effectiveness index and the highest survival rate (96.67%). CONCLUSION: 200 mg/L PP333 can promote cutting propagation of Rosa laevigata best.

[Drying characteristics and apparent change of sludge granules during drying].

Three different weight grades of sludge granules (2.5, 5, 10 g) were dried at constant temperature of 100, 200, 300, 400 and 500 degrees C, respectively. Then characteristics of weight loss and change of apparent form during sludge drying were analyzed. Results showed that there were three stages during sludge drying at 100-200 degrees C: acceleration phase, constant-rate phase, and falling-rate phase. At 300-500 degrees C, there were no constant-rate phase, but due to lots of cracks generated at sludge surface, average drying rates were still high. There was a quadratic nonlinear relationship between average drying rate and drying temperature. At 100-200 degrees C, drying processes of different weight grade sludge granules were similar. At 300-500 degrees C, drying processes of same weight grade of sludge granules were similar. Little organic matter decomposed till sludge burning at 100-300 degrees C, while some organic matter began to decompose at the beginning of sludge drying at 400-500 degrees C.

The fate of exogenous iodine in pot soil cultivated with vegetables.

A pot experiment was conducted to explore a more effective approach to enhancing vegetable uptake of soil iodine, with the ultimate goal of using agricultural fortification as a measure to prevent iodine deficiency disorders in local communities. Two types of iodine fertilizers were added separately to pot soil samples at various dosages. The fortified soil in each of the flower pots was seeded with one of four test crops (pakchoi, celery, pepper, and radish) in an effort to examine the effect of vegetable cultivation. The fate and residual levels of the exogenous iodine in the fortified soil samples were then monitored and quantified. The data showed that the soil iodine contents decreased with time (and hence with plant growth as well). At the second cutting, iodine from the inorganic form (KI) as the exogenous source was reduced to approximately 50% (41.6-61.0%) of the applied dose, whereas that in soil fortified with the seaweed fertilizer was down to approximately 60% (53.9-71.5%). The abilities of the edible portion of the four vegetables in accumulating the soil iodine were as follows: pakchoi > celery > radish > pepper. On the whole, iodine residues were found less in soil cultivated with vegetables. Vegetable cultivation appeared to have enhanced the soil content of the water-soluble form of iodine somewhat, especially in soil fortified with the inorganic forms. There also appeared to be a significant negative correlation between the residual iodine and its dissolution rate in soil. Overall, the results of the present study pointed toward the direction that the seaweed fertilizer tends to be a (more) preferred source of agricultural fortification in promoting human iodine nutrition.

Biogeochemical transfer and dynamics of iodine in a soil-plant system.

Radioactive iodide (125I) is used as a tracer to investigate the fate and transport of iodine in soil under various leaching conditions as well as the dynamic transfer in a soil-plant (Chinese cabbage) system. Results show that both soils (the paddy soil and the sandy soil) exhibit strong retention capability, with the paddy soil being slightly stronger. Most iodine is retained by soils, especially in the top 10 cm, and the highest concentration occurs at the top most section of the soil columns. Leaching with 1-2 pore volume water does not change this pattern of vertical distributions. Early breakthrough and long tailing are two features observed in the leaching experiments. Because of the relatively low peak concentration, the early breakthrough is really not an environmental concern of contamination to groundwater. The long tailing implies that the retained iodine is undergoing slow but steady release and the soils can provide a low but stable level of mobile iodine after a short period. The enrichment factors of 125I in different plant tissues are ranked as: root > stem > petiole > leaf, and the 125I distribution in the young leaves is obviously higher than that in the old ones. The concentrations of 125I in soil and Chinese cabbage can be simulated with a dual-chamber model very well. The biogeochemical behaviors of iodine in the soil-cabbage system show that cultivating iodized cabbage is an environmentally friendly and effective technique to eliminate iodine deficiency disorders (IDD). Planting vegetables such as cabbage on the 129I-contaminated soil could be a good remediation technique worthy of consideration.

Pharmacokinetic and toxicity study of intravitreal erythropoietin in rabbits.

AIM: To study the pharmacokinetics and toxicity of intravitreal erythropoietin (EPO) for potential clinical use. METHODS: For toxicity study, 4 groups (60 rabbits) with intravitreal injection (IVit) of EPO were studied (10 U, 100 U, or 1,000 U) per eye for single injection and 0.6 U/eye (the designed therapeutic level in rabbits) for monthly injections (6X). Eye examination, flash electroretinogram (ERG), and fluorescein angiography (FA) were carried out before and after injection. The rabbits were killed for histological study at different intervals. For the pharmacokinetic study, after IVit of 5 U EPO into left eyes, 44 rabbits were killed at different intervals, and the EPO levels in vitreous, aqueous, retina and serum were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: At all of the time points examined, the eyes were within normal limits. No significant ERG or FA change was observed. The histology of retina remained unchanged. The pharmacokinetic profile of EPO in ocular compartments was summarized as follows. The half-life times of EPO in vitreous, aqueous and serum were 2.84, 3.24 and 2.12 d, respectively; and Cmax were 4615.75, 294.31 and 1.60 U/L, respectively. EPO concentrations in the retina of the injected eye peaked at 1.36 U/g protein at 6 h following injection, with the half-life observed to be 3.42 d. CONCLUSIONS: IVit of EPO in a wide range is well tolerated and safe for rabbit eyes. At doses up to 10-fold higher than therapeutic levels, EPO has a pharmacokinetic profile with faster clearance, which is favorable for episodic IVit.

Mechanism of iodine uptake by cabbage: effects of iodine species and where it is stored.

Iodine-enhanced vegetable has been proven to be an effective way to reduce iodine deficiency disorders in many regions. However, the knowledge about what mechanisms control plant uptake of iodine and where iodine is stored in plants is still very limited. A series of controlled experiments, including solution culture, pot planting, and field experiments were carried out to investigate the uptake mechanism of iodine in different forms. A new methodology for observing the iodine distribution within the plant tissues, based on AgI precipitation reaction and transmission electron microscope techniques, has been developed and successfully applied to Chinese cabbage. Results show that iodine uptake by Chinese cabbage was more effective when iodine was in the form of IO(3) (-) than in the form of I(-) if the concentration was low (<0.5 mg L(-1)), but the trend was opposite if iodine concentration was 0.5 mg L(-1) or higher. The uptake was more sensitive to metabolism inhibitor in lower concentration of iodine, which implies that the uptake mechanism transits from active to passive as the iodine concentration increases, especially when the iodine is in the form of IO(3) (-). The inorganic iodine fertilizer provided a quicker supply for plant uptake, but the higher level of iodine was toxic to plant growth. The organic iodine fertilizer (seaweed composite) provided a more sustainable iodine supply for plants. Most of the iodine uptake by the cabbage is intercepted and stored in the fibrins in the root while the iodine that is transported to the above-ground portion (shoots and leaves) is selectively stored in the chloroplasts.

Uptake of different species of iodine by water spinach and its effect to growth.

A hydroponic experiment has been carried out to study the influence of iodine species [iodide (I(-)), iodate (IO(-)(3)), and iodoacetic acid (CH(2)ICOO(-))] and concentrations on iodine uptake by water spinach. Results show that low levels of iodine in the nutrient solution can effectively stimulate the growth of biomass of water spinach. When iodine levels in the nutrient solution are from 0 to 1.0 mg/l, increases in iodine levels can linearly augment iodine uptake rate by the leafy vegetables from all three species of iodine, and the uptake effects are in the following order: CH(2)ICOO(-) >I(-)>IO(-)(3). In addition, linear correlation was observed between iodine content in the roots and shoots of water spinach, and their proportion is 1:1. By uptake of I(-), vitamin C (Vit C) content in water spinach increased, whereas uptake of IO(-)(3) and CH(2)ICOO(-) decreased water spinach Vit C content. Furthermore, through uptake of I(-) and IO(-)(3). The nitrate content in water spinach was increased by different degrees.