Adult ; Anemia, Iron-Deficiency ; diagnosis ; Female ; Hemoglobins ; analysis ; Humans ; Iron ; deficiency ; Premenopause ; ROC Curve ; Reticulocytes ; chemistry

Objective: To analyze the rate of erythrocyte iron incorporation and provided guidance for the iron nutrition for prepubertal children. Methods: Fifty-seven prepubertal children of Beijing were involved in this study and each subject was orally administered 3 mg of Fe twice daily to obtain a total of 30 mg Fe after a 5-d period. The stable isotope ratios in RBCs were determined in 14th day, 28th day, 60th day, and 90th day. The erythrocyte incorporation rate in children was calculated using the stable isotope ratios, blood volume and body iron mass. Results: The percentage of erythrocyte Fe incorporation increased starting 14 th day, reached a peak at 60 d (boys: 19.67% ± 0.56%, girls: 21.33% ± 0.59%) and then decreased. The erythrocyte incorporation rates of Fe obtained for girls in 60th day was significantly higher than those obtained for boys ( < 0.0001). Conclusions The oral administration of Fe to children can be used to obtain erythrocyte iron incorporation within 90 d. Prepubertal girls should begin to increase the intake of iron and further studies should pay more attention to the iron status in prepubertal children.
Beijing ; Child ; Erythrocytes ; metabolism ; Female ; Humans ; Iron ; metabolism ; Iron Isotopes ; analysis ; Male ; Mass Spectrometry ; methods

OBJECTIVEThe main purpose of this work was to give the evidence of reasonable and feasible dust control measures which will be taken in the future by analyzing the trend of dust concentration from 1991 to 2010 and identifying working faces with the severe dust contamination in one underground iron mine.

METHODSThe data was from routine monitoring between the years 1991 and 2010, which enclosed the total dust concentrations and silica contents. China National Standard of Occupational exposure limits for hazardous agents in the workplace used to judge whether the dust concentration exceeded the National Standard.

RESULTSThe general trend of total dust concentration from 1991 to 2010 was decreased, especially maximum and average levels. The highest exceeding rate was 43.16% in 1993 and the best years were 2009 and 2010, but the exceeding rates were still over 30%. The dust exposure levels varied with different work faces. The mining and supporting were the most severe dust pollution faces which the highest ultra exceeding rates were 51.61% and 51.48% and the maximum exceeding times were 64.6 and 16.4 respectively. The next was constructing face with 40.23% exceeding rate and 24.6 times more than standard.

CONCLUSIONThe trend of total dust concentration from 1991 to 2010 was decreased, but the dust exceeding rate was still high. The strong measures should be taken to control the dust pollution in this iron mine, especially mining and supporting faces.

Air Pollutants, Occupational ; analysis ; Dust ; analysis ; Environmental Monitoring ; Iron ; analysis ; Mining ; Occupational Exposure ; analysis

To clarify the content characteristics of mineral elements in different Artemisia argyi germplasm resources and their relationship with the quality properties of Artemisiae Argyi Folium, this study measured the content of 10 mineral elements including nitrogen(N), phosphorus(P), potassium(K), calcium(Ca), magnesium(Mg), aluminum(Al), manganese(Mn), iron(Fe), copper(Cu), and zinc(Zn) in 100 Artemisia argyi germplasm samples. Besides, their relationship with the quality properties of Artemisiae Argyi Folium was explored by correlation analysis, path analysis, and cluster analysis. The results demonstrated that the variation coefficient of the 10 mineral elements in Artemisiae Argyi Folium ranged from 12.23% to 64.38%, and the genetic diversity index from 0.97 to 3.09. The genetic diversities of N, P, and Zn were obvious. As revealed by the correlation analysis, N, P, and K showed strong positive correlations with each other. Except that Mg and Al were negatively correlated, Ca, Mg, Al, Mn, Fe, Cu, and Zn were positively correlated. The correlation analysis of mineral elements with the quality properties of Artemisiae Argyi Folium proved the significant correlations of 17 pairs of characters. According to the path analysis, P, K, Ca, and Mn greatly affected the yield of Artemisiae Argyi Folium, P, K, and Mg the output rate of moxa, N, P, and K the content of total volatile oil, P and K the content of eucalyptol, and P, K, and Ca the content of eupatilin. The 100 germplasm samples were clustered into three groups. Specifically, in cluster Ⅰ, the enrichment capacity of P, K, and Mg elements was strong, and the comprehensive properties of mineral elements were better, implying good development potential. Ca, Mn, Fe, and Zn elements in cluster Ⅱ and N and Al in cluster Ⅲ displayed strong enrichment capacities. This study has provided new ideas for resource evaluation and variety breeding of A. argyi and also reference for fertilizer application.
Artemisia/genetics* ; Iron ; Minerals/analysis* ; Plant Breeding ; Plant Leaves/chemistry*

The laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) was applied to perform a qualitative elementary analysis on four precious Tibetan medicines, i. e. Renqing Mangjue, Renqing Changjue, 25-herb coral pills and 25-herb pearl pills. The specific spectra of the four Tibetan medicines were established. In the experiment, Nd: YAG and 1 064 nm-baseband pulse laser were adopted to collect the spectra. A laser beam focused on the surface of the samples to generate plasma. Its spectral signal was detected by using spectrograph. Based on the National Institute of Standard and Technology (NIST) database, LIBS spectral lines were indentified. The four Tibetan medicines mainly included Ca, Na, K, Mg and other elements and C-N molecular band. Specifically, Fe was detected in Renqing Changjue and 25-herb pearl pills; heavy mental elements Hg and Cu were shown in Renqing Mangjue and Renqing Changjue; Ag was found in Renqing Changjue. The results demonstrated that LIBS is a reliable and rapid multi-element analysis on the four Tibetan medicines. With Real-time, rapid and nondestructive advantages, LIBS has a wide application prospect in the element analysis on ethnic medicines.
Calcium ; analysis ; Copper ; analysis ; Iron ; analysis ; Lasers ; Medicine, Tibetan Traditional ; Mercury ; analysis ; Silver ; analysis ; Spectrum Analysis ; methods

OBJECTIVETo study the characteristics of the SiO2/R2O3 in non-zonal purple soil in the light of the difference between the high yield and low yield of Salvia miltiorrhiza.

METHODBoth the high yield and low yield drugs developed from the same parental material (k1cy) were chosen in the ecology area in Zhongjiang county, Sichuan Province. By using the air-dried drugs as sample, quadrat sampling method was used to calculat the production. Gravimetric method, volumetric method, and colorimetric method and neutralization titration were used to measure the content of adhesive particle colloids element in the soil. And T-test was used for the variable-difference analysis.

RESULTThere was a sharp contrast between the production of high yield and low yield drugs (P < 0.001). The characteristic value of the high yield soil embryology was much higher than that of the low yield soil.

CONCLUSIONThe characteristic value of the purple soil embryology is one of the important factors of the soil adaptability of the drug and its quality. The weathering degree of the soil is closely related to the yield of the drug.

Aluminum ; analysis ; Aluminum Oxide ; analysis ; Ecosystem ; Ferric Compounds ; analysis ; Iron ; analysis ; Plants, Medicinal ; growth & development ; Salvia miltiorrhiza ; growth & development ; Silicon ; analysis ; Silicon Dioxide ; analysis ; Soil ; analysis ; Titanium ; analysis

BACKGROUND: Patients with transfusional iron overload have relied on treatment with deferoxamine, a standard chelating agent. Deferoxamine is administered by intravenous or subcutaneous infusion over an 8~12 hour period 5~7 times per week; however, administration of deferoxamine may lead to poor compliance and reduced quality of life in patients. The use of deferasirox, a once daily oral chelation agent, was recently approved. We conducted an economic evaluation of these two iron-chelating medications in transfusion-dependent patients. METHODS: The efficacy of oral deferasirox and infusion deferoxamine was assumed equal based on clinical trials of non-inferiority with the administration of 20mg/kg/day deferasirox versus 40mg/kg/day deferoxamine. Depending on the methods utilized for measuring administration time, travel time and convenience between the use of infusion and oral therapy, either cost analysis or cost-utility analysis was undertaken, respectively. Cost analysis included determination of direct medical costs (drug costs and administration costs), non-medical costs (travel costs), and indirect costs (productivity loss associated medical utilization). For cost utility analysis, the cost per QALYs (quality-adjusted life years) was calculated based on costs subtracting indirect costs (productivity loss) and gains of QALYs between the two agents. RESULTS: Deferasirox therapy resulted in a cost savings per patient of 23,471,777 Korean won based on cost analysis. Based on cost utility analysis, the cost per QALYs gained was -398,576 Korean won (4,527,819 Korean won savings with a gain of 11.5 QALYs per patient). CONCLUSION: The results of cost analysis and cost utility analysis of the use of oral deferasirox versus infusion deferoxamine showed that deferasirox is a more economical and potentially socially beneficial iron-chelating agent in Korea.
Benzoates ; Compliance ; Cost Savings ; Costs and Cost Analysis ; Deferoxamine ; Humans ; Income ; Infusions, Subcutaneous ; Iron ; Iron Chelating Agents ; Iron Overload ; Quality of Life ; Triazoles

The purpose of this study was to compare iron related indices in patients with iron deficiency anemia and chronic causative diseases between geriatric older than 65 years and adult, nongeriatric younger than 65 years groups. Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) cases with chronic disorders from Youngdong Severance hospital from June, 1991 to April, 1994, older than 65 years (17 cases), and younger than 65 years (29 cases) were analysed with iron related indices. Mean hemoglobin was 7.8 +/- 2.2 g/dl in geriatric IDA and 8.0 +/- 1.8 g/dl in adult IDA without significant difference. RDW value was 19.5 +/- 2.6 in geriatric IDA and 18.4 +/- 3.2 in adult IDA with no significant difference. Serum iron and transferrin saturation between geriatric IDA were 22.7 +/- 12.3 ug/dl, 6.7 +/- 4.1% and 28.6 +/- 16.6 ug/dl, 7.1 +/- 4.4% in adult IDA with no significant difference, but TIBC was significantly lower (P = 0.011) in geriatric IDA than in adult IDA patients (357.2 +/- 83.2, 413.6 +/- 54.0 ug/dl). In normal elderly people, serum ferritin was 152.5 +/- 95.4 ng/ml in male and 111.1 +/- 54.1 ng/ml in female with range 19.8 approximately 367.7 ng/ml in male and 11.7 approximately 238.7 ng/ml in female and was higher than that of normal adult in both sexes (147.0 +/- 108.0, 35.3 +/- 20.5 ng/ml) (P = 0.045). Serum ferritin in geriatric IDA was 13.8 +/- 11.8 ng/ml and 5.7 +/- 4.0 ng/ml in adult IDA with significant difference(P = 0.001). The Upper margin for geriatric IDA was 37 ng/ml with 95% confidence interval. In the diagnosis of geriatric IDA with causative diseases, we should consider that TIBC does not increase and the upper margin for serum ferritin is suggested to increases up to 37 ng/ml.
Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Anemia, Iron-Deficiency/*blood ; Female ; Ferritin/blood ; Hemoglobins/analysis ; Human ; Iron/blood ; Korea ; Male

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The optimal route for iron administration in anemic patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has not been determined. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacies of parenteral and oral iron therapy in IBD patients in Korea. METHODS: A retrospective multicenter study was performed. Patients who had been administered parenteral iron were matched to the controls with oral iron at a 1:1 ratio according to age, sex, and type of IBD. RESULTS: Patients that received parenteral iron exhibited increases in hemoglobin levels of ≥20% from the baseline at lower doses and in shorter durations (p=0.034 and p=0.046, respectively). In the multivariate analysis, parenteral iron therapy appeared to be more efficient than oral iron therapy, but this difference was not statistically significant (hazard ratio [HR], 1.552; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.844 to 2.851; p=0.157). Patients with ulcerative colitis responded better to iron therapy than those with Crohn's disease (HR, 3.415; 95% CI, 1.808 to 6.450; p<0.001). Patients with an initial hemoglobin level of 10 g/dL or higher responded poorly to iron therapy (HR, 0.345; 95% CI, 0.177 to 0.671; p=0.002). CONCLUSIONS: Parenteral iron therapy appears to be more efficient than oral iron therapy. Physicians should focus on the iron deficiency of IBD patients and consider parenteral iron supplements in appropriate patient groups.
Anemia, Iron-Deficiency ; Colitis, Ulcerative ; Crohn Disease ; Humans ; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases* ; Iron* ; Korea* ; Multivariate Analysis ; Retrospective Studies ; Sucrose*

OBJECTIVETo study the value of iron metabolism indices, serum iron (SI), total iron blinding capacity (TIBC) and transferring (Tf), in thalassema.

METHODSThe serum samples from 9 children with silent alpha thalassema, 56 with standard alpha thalassema, 26 with HbH disease, 40 with beta+ thalassema, 56 with beta0 thalassema, 45 with iron deficiency anemia (IDA) and 70 healthy children were detected for SI, TIBC and Tf levels.

RESULTSThe SI level increased (p<0.01), while the TIBC level decreased significantly in the beta0 thalassema group compared with those in the other groups (p<0.05 or 0.01), but the Tf level was not different. The Tf level of both the silent alpha thalassema and the standard alpha thalassema groups was statistically lower than that of the healthy group (p<0.01), but the levels of SI and TIBC were similar to the healthy group. Though the SI level of the HbH disease group was similar to the healthy group, the TIBC and Tf levels were statistically lower (p<0.01).

CONCLUSIONSCompared with Tf, SI and TIBC are better indices for monitoring iron loading in children with thalassema. The increased SI level and decreased TIBC level are two indices for the diagnosis of beta(0) thalassema in children with cellule anaemia.

Adolescent ; Anemia, Iron-Deficiency ; metabolism ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Genotype ; Humans ; Infant ; Iron ; metabolism ; Male ; Thalassemia ; genetics ; metabolism ; Transferrin ; analysis