Iodine status of Turkish pregnant women and their offspring: A national cross-sectional survey

BackgroundThis national cross-sectional survey aimed to assess the iodine status in pregnant women and their offspring, and also to demonstrate regional differences by measuring urinary iodine concentration (UIC). For each woman and her newborn a questionnaire was prepared with basic facts as age, parity number or birth weight and additional information regarding thyroid diseases, use of iodized salt in the household, extra iodine supplementation during pregnancy, education level and wage income.MethodsThe target population represented 1444 pregnant women who gave birth between January 1 st, 2018 and 2019, and their offspring. Iodine deficiency for pregnant women and their offspring were defined as urine iodine level <150 μg/L and <100 μg/L, respectively. Results are given as median (25th–75th percentile).ResultsThe median UIC in the group of pregnant woman was 94 (52–153) μg/L. Within the sample of 1444 pregnant women, UIC indicative of mild iodine deficiency (100−149 μg/L) was present in 21 % (n = 306), moderate deficiency (50−99 μg/L) in 30 % (n = 430), and severe deficiency (<50 μg/L) in 23 % (n = 337). This study showed a prevalence of 74 % of iodine deficiency in Turkish pregnant woman. The median UIC in the group of offspring was 96 (41−191) μg/L. Within the new-borns, UIC indicative of mild iodine deficiency (50−99 μg/L) was present in 22 % (n = 323), moderate deficiency (20−49 μg/L) in 15 % (n = 222), and severe deficiency (<20 μg/L) in 13 % (n = 192). This survey showed a prevalence of 51 % of iodine deficiency in Turkish new-borns. Pregnant women with lower socioeconomic and education level, lower access to household iodized salt, lower rates of exposure to povidone-iodine containing skin disinfectant, higher parity and higher iodine deficiency had higher rates of iodine deficiency in their offspring. Regional differences were observed both in mothers and their offspring concerning their iodine status.ConclusionsOur findings suggest that iodine deficiency is still an important public health problem in Turkey. More drastic measures should be taken to decrease these important iodine deficiencies, both in pregnant women and in their offspring.     

24 h urinary creatinine excretion during pregnancy and its application in appropriate estimation of 24 h urinary iodine excretion

BackgroundUrinary creatinine can be used to adjust urinary iodine to evaluate iodine nutritional status during pregnancy. However, the reference intervals and impact factors of urinary creatinine are unknown.Methods24 h urine creatinine concentration (24 hUCr) and spot UCr at four different time periods of the day of pregnant women from Part 1 (n = 743) were measured. Linear regression analysis was performed to identify the impact factors of 24 h urinary creatinine excretion (24 hUCrE) and obtain the estimated 24 h urinary creatinine excretion (24 hUCrE_est). Then measured urinary iodine concentration (UIC) of 24 h and at fasting of pregnant women from Part 2 (n = 325), used spot urinary iodine to creatinine concentration ratio (UIC/UCr) and 24 hUCrE_est to calculate the estimated 24 h urinary iodine excretion (24 hUIE_est), finally checked the consistency and correlation of 24 hUIE_est and 24 h urinary iodine excretion (24 hUIE).ResultsIn Part 1, the median 24 hUCrE was 1.24(IQR0.98–1.76)g, and the reference interval was 0.61−2.93 g. The median 24 hUCr was 0.76 (IQR0.57−1.01)g/L, and the reference interval was 0.36−1.88 g/L. Multiple linear regression results showed that pregnancy weight was an influencing factor to 24 hUCrE after adjusting by gestational weeks, age, pre-pregnancy BMI, and percentage of body fat (F = 45.029, p＜0.001). In Part 2, there was no statistically significant difference between 24 hUIE_est and 24 hUIE (Z =−0.767, p = 0.443). Using 24hUIE as the gold standard, the relative average difference in 24hUIE_est was 4.2 %, the relative average differences for UIC and UIC/UCr were 32.4 % and 37.2 %. The reference interval of 24 hUIE and 24 hUIE_est were 88.43–585.90 μg and 50.97–700.39 μg, respectively.ConclusionsThe reference intervals of 24 hUCrE, spot UCr, 24 hUIE, and 24 hUIE_est during pregnancy were established. 24 hUCrE has important application value in iodine nutrition evaluation to gain more lead time for pregnant women with iodine nutrition-related diseases.     

Excessive iodine intake and thyroid dysfunction among lactating Saharawi women

ObjectivesExcessive iodine intake may lead to thyroid dysfunction, which may be particularly harmful during pregnancy and lactation. The main objective was to describe iodine status and the prevalence of thyroid dysfunction among lactating women in areas with high iodine (HI) and very high iodine (VHI) concentrations in drinking water.Design and methodsA cross-sectional survey was performed among 111 lactating women in the Saharawi refugee camps, Algeria. Breast milk iodine concentration (BMIC), urinary iodine concentration (UIC) and the iodine concentration in the most commonly consumed foods/drinks were measured. A 24-h dietary recall was used to estimate iodine intake. Thyroid hormones and antibodies were measured in serum.ResultsMedian UIC, BMIC and iodine intake across both areas was 350 μg/L, 479 μg/L and 407 μg/day, respectively. In multiple regression analyses, we discovered that being from VHI area was associated with higher UIC and BMIC. BMIC was also positively associated with iodine intake. Thyroid dysfunction and/or positive thyroid antibodies were found in 33.3% of the women, of which 18.9% had hypothyroidism and 8.1% had hyperthyroidism and 6.3% had positive antibodies with normal thyroid function. Elevated thyroid antibodies were in total found in 17.1%. We found no difference in distribution of thyroid dysfunction or positive antibodies between HI and VHI areas. BMI, BMIC and elevated thyroglobulin (Tg) predicted abnormal thyroid function tests.ConclusionsThe high prevalence of thyroid dysfunction may be caused by excessive iodine intake over several years.     

Urinary iodine and thyroid function in a population of healthy pregnant women in the North of Spain

BackgroundIodine is an essential trace element for the synthesis of thyroid hormones, which are keys in maternal metabolism during pregnancy as well as in neurological development during fetal and postnatal life. This was a prospective study on iodine status and thyroid function in women during pregnancy in the Basque country to assess whether there was any relationship among maternal urinary iodine, maternal thyroid function and thyrotropin (TSH) in newborns, and to explore any difference in women experiencing miscarriages.MethodsWe analyzed TSH, free T₄ (FT₄), free T₃ (FT₃), thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPO-Ab) titers in serum and urinary iodine concentrations (UIC) in 2104 women in the first trimester of pregnancy and in 1322 of them in their second trimester. We obtained neonatal TSH levels in 1868 cases.ResultsIn the first (T1) and second trimesters (T2), the median UICs were 88.5 μg/L and 140 μg/L, respectively. No relationship was found between UIC and FT₄, or maternal and neonatal TSH. In T1 and T2, 9.7% and 7.5% of women were TPO-Ab positive, respectively. The total miscarriage rate was 10%. The percentage of miscarriages in healthy women was 8.9%, lower than in women with overt hypothyroidism (21.2%; p < 0.001) and than in women with subclinical hypothyroidism (15.6%; p < 0.025). The miscarriage rate was not higher in TPO-Ab-positive women.ConclusionsIn this study most women had iodine deficiency during pregnancy. Neonatal TSH is not correlated with maternal UIC during pregnancy. Pregnant women with hypothyroidism have a higher rate of miscarriages.     

Relationship between mild iodine deficiency in pregnant women and thyroid function: A meta-analysis

BackgroundPregnant women are among the key groups in iodine nutrition evaluation. The purpose of the present study was to summarize the evidence supporting the relationship between mild iodine deficiency (UIC: 100–150 μg/L) in pregnant women and levels of thyroid function tests.MethodsThis review follows the guidelines for systematic reviews (PRISMA 2020). Three electronic databases (PubMed, Medline, and Embase) were searched for relevant publications in English on the association between mild iodine deficiency in pregnant women and thyroid function. Articles published in Chinese were searched in China’s electronic databases (CNKI, WanFang, CBM, and WeiPu). Pooled effects were presented as standardized mean differences (SMDs) and odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using fixed or random effect models, respectively. This meta-analysis was registered at www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero as CRD42019128120.ResultsWe summarized the results from 7 articles with 8261 participants. The overall pooled results showed that the levels of FT₃, FT4, and abnormal TgAb (the antibody levels exceeded the upper limit of the reference range) were significantly increased in pregnant women with mild iodine deficiency compared to pregnant women with adequate iodine status (FT₃: SMD=0.854, 95% CI: 0.188, 1.520; FT₄: SMD=0.550, 95% CI: 0.050, 1.051; TgAb: OR=1.292, 95% CI: 1.095; 1.524). Subgroup analysis was carried out on the sample size, ethnicity, country, and gestation of FT₃, FT_4, and TSH, but no plausible factor was found. Egger’s tests indicated no publication bias.The increase in FT₃ and FT_4, as well as TgAb levels, in pregnant women is associated with mild iodine deficiency.ConclusionMild iodine deficiency is associated with an increase in FT_3,FT₄ and TgAb levels in pregnant women. Mild iodine deficiency may increase the risk of thyroid dysfunction in pregnant women.     

Iodine intakes assessed by urinary iodine concentrations in healthy children aged ten months,two years,and four years

Urinary iodine excretion was assessed in 642 healthy children aged 10 mo (n=243), 2 yr (n=183), and 4 yr (n=216) living in the Paris area and originating from continental France (60.3%), North Africa (13.8%), the West Indies (9.1%), West Africa (8.3%), Southeast Asia (4.8%), and southern Europe (3.8%). Mild impairment of neurological (reflexes, tone, audiometry) and intellectual development (Brunet-Lézine scale) was assessed in relation to iodine status. Iodine excretions (median values) were 18.4, 11.9, and 10.9 μg/100 mL at 10 mo, 2 yr, and 4 yr, respectively, and risk of mild iodine deficiency (5–10 μg/100 mL) was 18.1%, 34.8%, and 38.3% for the same age groups. No relationship was found between anthropometry, global development quotient, and iodine status. High hearing thresholds were more commonly associated with lower iodine excretion, suggesting mild hearing defects. In spite of iodine prophylaxis, the risk of mild to moderate iodine deficiency still exists in France and in a number of European countries. Evaluation of neurological sequels of borderline iodine status is a major public health problem in European communities.     

Urinary iodine and sodium concentration and thyroid status in the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil)

ObjectivesTo evaluate urinary iodine concentration (UIC) in civil servants aged 35-74 years of the Brazilian Study of Adults Health (ELSA-Brasil) to analyze its relationship with sociodemographic, clinical risk factors, lifestyle, urinary Na and thyroid status.DesignCross-sectional study in six Brazilian cities.MethodsThis analysis included 792 participants with information about urinary iodine concentration (UIC). Thyroid status was defined by serum levels of TSH/FT4 and the current use of antithyroid drugs for treatment of overt hyperthyroidism or levothyroxine to treat overt hypothyroidism. The determination of UIC was carried out with an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS) and was expressed as median with Interquartile Range (IQR).ResultsIn 792 participants, thereof 52% women, mean age was 51.9 (9.0) years. The median UIC was 219 (IQR, 166-291) for all persons studied, thereof 211 (IQR, 157-276) for women and 231 (IQR, 178-304) for men. According to the WHO classification, for all persons studied, 60% had more than adequate iodine-supply (UIC ≥200 μg/L), 37% were adequately supplied (UIC 100-199 μg/L) and <3% had a deficient iodine status (<100 μg/L). In the 35-44-year age strata, which includes women of childbearing age, 23.2% of women presented less than 150 μg/L of UIC. No differences in UIC were detected according to thyroid status. (P = 0.39) The correlation between Ur-Na and UIC showed a Spearman coefficient of 0.52 (P < 0.0001) and it was also found an association of Ur-Na with UIC: Beta of 1.76 (95% Confidence Interval (95% CI): 1.01 to 2.51. The urinary Na concentration showed a synergy with the UIC, that means medians of 57, 72, 107 and 141 mmol Na/L urine (P < 0.001) in the groups with the four UIC classes according to the WHO grading mentioned above. The very low Na content in the persons exhibiting <100 μg/L UIC seems to reflect also a higher urine volume due to the frequent use of diuretics. The strong relationship between the urinary Na concentration and the UIC points to a dependence of the UIC on the individual consumption of iodized salt, which should be more considered in future studies. The strong relationship between the urinary Na concentration and the UIC points to a dependence of the UIC on the individual consumption of iodized salt, which should be more considered in future studies.ConclusionsEuthyroid persons were dominating by more than four fifths and no significant association was found between UIC and thyroid status. Although most of the persons studied present more than adequate iodine intake it was observed that nearly a quarter of women in childbearing age are iodine deficient.     

Iodine supplementation of the pregnant dam alters intestinal gene expression and immunoglobulin uptake in the newborn lamb

Excess iodine intake by the pregnant dam reduces lamb serum antibody concentration, specifically immunoglobulin G (IgG). An experiment was conducted to investigate the mechanisms under pinning the reduced serum IgG concentration at 24 h postpartum in the progeny of iodine supplemented dams. Forty-five mature twin bearing ewes (n=15/treatment) were allocated to one of three dietary treatments as follows: basal diet (Control); basal diet plus 26.6 mg of iodine per ewe per day as calcium iodate (CaIO₃); or potassium iodide (KI). Ewes were individually housed and fed from d 119 of gestation until parturition. All lambs received colostrum at 1, 10 and 18 h postpartum via stomach tube. At 1 h postpartum lambs from the control and an iodine supplemented treatment (n=10 per treatment from control and CaIO₃) were euthanised before colostrum consumption and ileal segments isolated to determine the gene expression profile of a panel of genes identified as having a role in antibody transfer. Preceding euthanasia, lambs were blood sampled for determination of serum IgG, total thyroxine and free tri-iodothyronine concentrations. Progeny of CaIO₃ supplemented dams had lower tri-iodothyronine concentrations (P<0.01) at 1 h postpartum and lower serum IgG concentrations (P<0.001) at 24 h postpartum when compared with the progeny of control dams. Iodine (CaIO₃) supplementation of the dam increased the relative expression (P<0.05) of the B2M, PIGR and MYC genes in the ileum of the lamb, before colostrum consumption; while the expression of THRB declined when compared with the progeny of C dams (P<0.01). In conclusion, the results of this study show that it is the actual inclusion of excess iodine in the diet of the ewe, regardless of the carrier element, that negatively affects passive transfer in the newborn lamb. This study presents novel data describing the relationship between maternal iodine nutrition and its effect on the thyroid hormone status and subsequent gene expression in the newborn lamb; which results in a failure of passive transfer and a decline in serum IgG concentration.     

外源碘在森林土壤中的残留及对山野菜植物的施用效果

以培育富碘山野菜为目标,在东北森林暗棕壤上进行了5种山野菜施碘试验。碘肥种类为碘化钾(KI),施碘剂量为1．00、3．33、10．00、16．67和50．00mg·kg^-1。结果表明,土壤施碘是培育富碘山野菜的有效途径,从低施用量到高施用量,不同山野菜植物的含碘量可达对照的2～40倍,但外源碘在土壤中的当年残留率并不高,仅有40％～5％残留,并且随着施入量增加而迅速降低;植物对碘的积累也并非总是随着施入量的增加而增加,施碘量达到10．00mg·kg^-1时,大部分植物的碘积累量趋于稳定。从施碘条件下外源碘的土壤残留率、植物碘积累特征及施用成本等方面综合考虑,适宜的施碘量上限大约为10mg·kg^-1．土壤因素显著影响施碘效果,栽培地应选择土质细腻、肥沃的中上坡地段,砂砾质土壤和易形成水分潜流的下坡土壤都不利于肥料碘的保持和植物吸收。     

Incidence of thyroid diseases in Zhejiang Province,China, after 15 years of salt iodization

Thyroid diseases(TD) can be induced by either deficient or excessive iodine intake. Universal Salt Iodization(USI) program has been implemented in China since 1995, to prevent iodine deficiency disorders (IDD). To evaluate the current conditions of TD and the role of USI, a multi-stage stratified random sampling scheme was used to perform a cross-sectional survey on the incidence of TD among participants in 6600 households in Zhejiang Province, a coastal area in China. Iodine nutrition status of the population was assessed by dietary iodine intake recall and urinary iodine concentration (UIC) of the participants, and TD were diagnosed by thyroid ultrasonography for 15122 participants and for 5873 participants by serum criteria for thyroid function(fT3, fT4, TSH, TRAb, TgAb, TPOAb; see Introduction for abbreviations). The median UIC of the surveyed population was 163 μg iodine/L. From the participants 23.2% had UIC < 100 μg/L which is moderately iodine-deficient according to WHO classification. Diffuse goiter was present in 2.3% of the population and thyroid nodule in 20.9%. The incidence of hyperthyroidism, subclinical hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, subclinical hypothyroidism, Graves’ disease and chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis was 0.5%, 0.6%, 0.6%, 7.8%, 0.2% and 0.3%, respectively. The proportion of several TD for participants with non-iodized salt intake was higher than that for participants with iodized salt intake.     

妊娠期女性HPV感染及阴道微生态失衡对妊娠结局及新生儿的影响

探讨妊娠期女性人乳头瘤病毒（HPV）感染及阴道微生态失衡对妊娠结局及新生儿结局的影响,为该类患者的治疗提供参考。

选取2020年6月至2023年6月于我院产检的102例HPV阳性妊娠妇女（HPV阳性组）以及同期产检的78例HPV阴性妊娠妇女（HPV阴性组）为研究对象,于怀孕28～34周时,收集阴道分泌物评价阴道微生态状况;另根据微生态评价结果将HPV阳性组对象分为微生态正常组（n=26）和微生态失调组（n=76）;比较HPV阳性组与HPV阴性组对象阴道微生态情况、妊娠结局及新生儿结局,比较微生态正常组与微生态失调组对象妊娠结局及新生儿结局。

HPV阳性组和HPV阴性组对象滴虫性阴道炎（TV）和外阴阴道假丝酵母菌病（VVC）发生率、阴道清洁度比较差异均无统计学意义（χ²=1.520、0.678、0.111,均P＞0.05）,而阴道pH、细菌性阴道病（BV）发生率、阴道菌群密集度、阴道菌群多样性以及微生态失调发生率比较差异均有统计学意义（χ²=10.106、8.247、4.337、5.236、13.865,均P＜0.05）。HPV阳性组对象早产、宫内感染、产褥感染及产后出血发生率显著高于HPV阴性组（χ²=5.710、10.721、6.799、4.294,均P＜0.05）,而两组对象剖宫产率及胎膜早破发生率比较差异无统计学意义（χ²=1.067、0.666,均P＞0.05）。HPV阳性组新生儿感染发生率显著高于HPV阴性组（χ²=9.001,P＜0.05）,两组胎儿窘迫、新生儿窒息和胎儿宫内生长受限（FGR）发生率比较差异均无统计学意义（χ²=2.503、1.547、0.560,均P＞0.05）。微生态失调组对象早产发生率显著高于微生态正常组（χ²=4.130,P＜0.05）,而两组胎膜早破、宫内感染、产褥感染及产后出血发生率比较差异均无统计学意义（χ²=1.401、0.578、0.141、1.368,均P＞0.05）。微生态失调组与微生态正常组胎儿窘迫、新生儿窒息、FGR和新生儿感染发生率比较差异均无统计学意义（χ²=0.261、0.698、1.057、0.242,均P＞0.05）。

妊娠期HPV感染能引发阴道微生态失调,增加不良母婴结局发生风险。

     

Effect of the gonadal status and the gender on glycosaminoglycans profile in the lower urinary tract of dogs

Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) form a functional component of connective tissues that affect the structural and functional integrity of the lower urinary tract (LUT). The specific GAGs of physiological relevance are both nonsulfated (hyaluronan) and sulfated GAGs (chondroitin sulphate [CS], dermatan sulphate [DS], keratan sulphate [KS], and heparan sulphate [HS]). As GAG composition in the LUT is hormonally regulated, we postulated that gonadectomy-induced endocrine imbalance alters the profile of GAGs in the canine LUT. Four regions of the LUT (body and neck of the bladder as well as the proximal and distal urethra) from 20 clinically healthy dogs (5 intact males, 5 intact anoestrus females, 4 castrated males, and 6 spayed females) were collected, wax-embedded and sectioned. Alcian blue staining at critical electrolyte concentrations was performed on the sections to determine total GAGs, hyaluronan, total sulfated GAGs, combined components of CS and DS, as well as KS and HS. The amount of staining was evaluated in 3 tissue layers, i.e., epithelium, subepithelial stroma and muscle within a region. Overall, hyaluronan (67.1%) was the predominant GAG in the LUT. Among sulfated GAGs, a combined component of KS and HS was found to be 61.8% and 38.2% for CS and DS. Gonadal status significantly affected GAG profiles in the LUT (P < 0.01). All GAG components were lower (P < 0.05) in body of the bladder of gonadectomized dogs. Total sulfated GAGs and a combined component of KS and HS were lower (P < 0.05) in all 4 regions of gonadectomized dogs. Except for a combined component of CS and DS, decreases in all GAGs were found more consistently in the muscle compared to other tissue layers. Differences between genders became obvious only when considered along with the effect of gonadal status. In gonadectomized dogs, changes in GAG components in the LUT were more consistent in females compared to males; this may partly explain different levels of risk in the development of urinary incontinence between genders. Quantitative differences in GAG profiles found between intact and gonadectomized dogs indicate a potential role of gonadectomy-induced endocrine imbalance in modifying GAG composition in the canine LUT. Profound alteration in the pattern of GAGs in gonadectomized dogs may compromise structural and functional integrity of the LUT and is possibly involved in the underlying mechanism of urinary incontinence post neutering.     

Cytokines and their association with insulin resistance in obese pregnant women with different levels of physical activity

BackgroundCytokines contribute to insulin resistance in pregnancy, but the role of distinct cytokines is not fully understood.ObjectivesTo study whether cytokines produced by tissues other than skeletal muscle are associated with glucose and insulin metabolism activity in overweight and obese women and to study whether these associations can be modified by physical activity.MethodsA longitudinal study with 44 overweight and obese pregnant women was conducted. Changes in cytokines levels (IFN-γ, IP-10, IL1-α, MIP1-α, adiponectin and leptin) and ICAM1 from early (15 wk) to late (32 wk) pregnancy were determined. Physical activity was measured objectively with accelerometers. In linear regression models, the associations between (changes in) cytokine levels and fasting glucose, fasting insulin and HOMA-IR were studied.ResultsBoth IFN-γ and IP-10 levels increased from early to late pregnancy, and adiponectin levels decreased. IFN-γ and IP-10 were positively associated with fasting glucose, whereas IL-1α, ICAM1 and adiponectin were inversely associated with insulin and insulin resistance. The association of IL-1α with insulin and insulin resistance was only found in women with low levels of physical activity.ConclusionsIFN-γ, IP-10, IL1-α, ICAM1, and adiponectin may play a role in glucose and insulin metabolism in pregnancy. The relationship of IL-1α with insulin and insulin resistance might be moderated by levels of physical activity. Further studies are required to confirm the role of these cytokines in glucose and insulin metabolism in obese pregnant women.     

High prevalence of TPO-Abs and subclinical hypothyroidism in iodine-sufficient pregnant women in Northern Algeria

BackgroundIodine is a trace element whose adequate intakes are essential during gestation to promote the correct growth and development of the fetus. Historically, endemic goiter and cretinism affected northern regions of Algeria, and iodized salt was introduced in 1990. However, there has been no national study of iodine nutrition in Algeria since 1994. The aim of this study was to assess the iodine status and thyroid function of women of reproductive age (WRA) and pregnant women (PW) in northern Algeria.MethodsHealthy WRA and PW were recruited from an urban area (Algiers) and healthy WRA from a rural area (Tizi-Ouzou). Spot urine and venous blood samples were collected to assess iodine status (urinary iodine concentration, UIC) and serum thyroid hormones (TSH, FT4), thyroglobulin (Tg), and anti-thyroid peroxidase antibodies (TPO-Ab) concentrations.ResultsThe median UIC in WRA was 256 μg/L (IQR: 166−354 μg/L; n = 151) in Algiers and 253 μg/L (167−341 μg/L; n = 150) in Tizi-Ouzou. The median UIC for the PW in Algiers was 233 μg/L (IQR: 157−326 μg/L; n = 173).Thirty-five percent of WRA and 30% of PW had an UIC > 300 μg/L. Median TSH, FT4 and Tg concentrations were within reference ranges in all groups of women. Among PW, 72.7%, 75.4% and 75.5% in the first, second and third trimester were TPO-Ab+. Among TPO-Ab + PW in the first, second and third trimesters, 18.7%, 13% and 10.3% had subclinical hypothyroidism.ConclusionIn northern Algeria, median UICs in PW indicate iodine sufficiency, and in WRA indicate more than adequate intakes. About 75% of PW are TPO-Ab + and the prevalence of subclinical hypothyroidism is high. Monitoring and surveillance of iodine fortification programs is vital to avoid both iodine deficiency and excess. There is an urgent need for a comprehensive national iodine status survey including school-age children and other vulnerable population groups in Algeria.     

老年女性泌尿系统感染患者的病原菌分布及耐药情况研究

目的 通过对老年女性泌尿系统感染患者病原菌类型和耐药情况进行研究,为临床合理、安全、有效使用抗菌药物提供依据。方法 收集2014年9月至2017年7月在我院进行诊治的661例老年女性泌尿系统感染患者,对其清晨清洁中段尿进行细菌培养并进行耐药试验。结果 661例样本中共分离出病原菌255株,其中革兰阴性菌165株,占64.7%,以大肠埃希菌为主,构成比为45.5%;革兰阳性菌77株,占30.2%,以屎肠球菌为主,构成比为10.2%;真菌13株,占5.1%。G-菌中检出率排在前三的依次是大肠埃希菌、肺炎克雷伯菌、奇异变形杆菌。大肠埃希菌、肺炎克雷伯菌对氨苄西林、复方新诺明耐药性较高,奇异变形杆菌对头孢唑啉耐药性较高,三者均对亚胺培南敏感性较高。G+菌中检出率排在前三的依次是屎肠球菌、表皮葡萄球菌、粪肠球菌。三种病原菌对青霉素、氨苄西林、环丙沙星耐药性较高,对万古霉素、替考拉宁敏感性较高。结论 老年女性泌尿系统感染患者的病原菌多数为革兰阴性菌,且以大肠埃希菌为主,病原菌培养和耐药试验对于临床合理有效地使用抗菌药物具有重要的指导意义。     

Selenium status of pregnant women and newborns in the former Soviet Union

The estimation of the selenium status during pregnancy is of great importance because of the significance of selenium for fetus growth and antioxidant protection of neonates. This problem is especially urgent for Russia and its neighbors because very little data are available and because data on soil selenium predict low intake levels of selenium. A large epidemiological investigation made in various areas of the former USSR allowed us to obtain the first information concerning the subject. Serum samples were obtained during 1990–1998 from 556 female blood donors aged 20–53 yr and 722 pregnant women (18–33 yr) during different times of gestation. The mean serum selenium concentration of nonpregnant women varied from 0.87 μmol/L (Slavutich, Ukraine) to 1.74 μmol/L (Ioshkar-Ola, Mary-El) and that of women at delivery from 0.66 μmol/L (Zaporozie, Ukraine) to 1.34 μmol/L (Sakhalin, Russia). Compilation of literature and present data on serum selenium showed the following relationships: nonpregnant women versus women at delivery, y=x -0.25, r=0.94; women at delivery versus umbilical serum, log y=log x -0.2, r=0.97. The two relationships were used to predict serum selenium values for pregnant women taking into account the progressive serum selenium decrease during advancing pregnancy. In almost half of the towns (i.e. 22–50%), pregnant women were considered to have relative selenium deficiency.     

Expression of prostaglandin E2 receptor subtypes in the canine lower urinary tract varies according to the gonadal status and gender

Locally-synthesised prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) is pivotal for the function of the lower urinary tract (LUT). This study aimed at investigating the expression and distribution pattern of the four PGE₂ receptor (EP) subtypes in the LUT of intact and gonadectomised male and female dogs. Expression for EP1, EP2, EP3, and EP4 and their mRNA (EP2, EP3, and EP4) was investigated. Twenty clinically healthy dogs were allotted into 4 groups based on their gonadal status and gender including 5 intact males, 5 anoestrous females, 4 castrated males, and 6 spayed females. In situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry showed variation in the expression of mRNA and protein for the EP subtypes among tissue layers (epithelium, sub-epithelial stroma, and muscle), regions (body and neck of the bladder as well as proximal and distal urethra) and between gonadal statuses and genders. The expression for the four EPs was intense in the luminal epithelium, intermediate to low in the muscle and the sub-epithelial stroma regardless of gonadal status or gender. Higher expression of all EPs and their mRNAs was observed in the proximal urethra compared to other regions in intact dogs. However, in gonadectomised dogs, the expression did not differ among different regions and was generally lower than in intact dogs particularly in the proximal urethra. Differences in the expression between genders were found and depended on EP subtypes. In conclusion, the results have shown that four subtypes of EP receptors and their mRNAs are present in the canine LUT and their expression was affected by the gonadal status and the gender. The results lead to suggest that an impaired LUT function post-neutering may partly be associated with differences in PGE₂ receptor expression between intact and gonadectomised dogs.     

The effects of cobalt and iodine supplementation of the pregnant ewe diet on immunoglobulin G, vitamin E, T3 and T4 levels in the progeny

Sixty twin-bearing ewes were allocated to one of four dietary treatments investigating the effects of supplementary iodine or cobalt during late pregnancy on lamb serum immunoglobulin G (IgG), triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4) and vitamin E concentrations, and lamb IgG absorption efficiency. Ewes were offered grass silage ad libitum supplemented with 800 g per ewe per day of a 190 g/kg crude protein (CP) concentrate from day 126 of gestation until parturition plus one of the following supplements (n = 15 per treatment); no supplement (C); 26.6 mg iodine per day for final 3 weeks pre partum (I-3); 26.6 mg iodine/day for final week pre partum (I-1); 20 mg cobalt/day for final 3 weeks pre partum (Co-3). Lambs were blood sampled at 24 and 72 h post partum for serum IgG and vitamin E concentrations. Ten lambs from C and I-3 were blood sampled at 1 h post partum for serum IgG, vitamin E, T3 and T4 concentrations. There were no differences in serum IgG, vitamin E or T4 values (P > 0.05) at 1 h post partum between lambs born to the C and I-3 ewes. T3 levels were lower in I-3 compared with C progeny (P < 0.05). Supplemental iodine reduced colostral IgG absorption efficiency (P < 0.001) and lamb serum IgG concentrations at 24 and 72 h post partum (P < 0.001). Serum vitamin E concentration in I-3 and I-1 lambs was lower than in Co-3 lambs at 24 h post partum, while at 72 h post partum I-3, I-1 and Co-3 lambs had significantly lower concentrations than C lambs (P < 0.001). Supplementing the ewe's diet with 26.6 mg/day of iodine for the final week of pregnancy reduced lamb serum IgG concentration at 24 and 72 h post partum. The lower total and free T3 values in the progeny of I-3-treated ewes suggest interference in the synthesis and metabolism of thyroid hormones when ewes receive excessive dietary iodine for 3 weeks immediately pre partum. Based on these findings, the indications are that the toxicity level for iodine in the diet of the pregnant ewe should be lowered to 20 mg per ewe per day, equivalent to 40% of its current level. The finding that high-level cobalt supplementation during the final 3 weeks of pregnancy will have a negative effect on serum vitamin E concentration at 72 h post partum is a new and significant finding and previously has not been reported in the literature.     

Monitoring ovulation and implantation in the cynomolgus macaque (Macaca fascicularis) through evaluations of urinary estrone conjugates and progesterone metabolites: a technique for the routine evaluation of reproductive parameters

Investigations were undertaken to determine the applicability of recently reported specific radioimmunoassays for urinary estrone conjugates and progesterone metabolites for monitoring ovarian function in the cynomolgus macaque (Macaca fasciularis) and other macaque species. Mean estrone conjugate measurements appear to accurately reflect the preovulatory estrogen peak in both conceptive (n = 5) and nonconceptive (n = 6) cycles, as well as to indicate early pregnancy through increases which are significantly elevated by Day + 15 (p less than 0.049) post estrone conjugates peak. The mean luteal phase levels of these progesterone metabolites are significantly elevated by Day + 14 (p less than 0.012) in conceptive cycles when compared to the mean values for nonconceptive cycles.