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Copyright of Scientia et Technica is the property of Scientia et Technica and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES:In the absence of biochemical data on iron status in preschoolers, data on the adequacy of iron intake may be used to assess the possible risk of iron deficiency in this population group. Therefore, this study aims to investigate iron intake and its food sources in Flemish preschoolers.SUBJECTS/METHODS:A total of 661 Flemish preschoolers 2.5-6.5 years old were recruited via a random cluster sampling design, using schools as primary sampling units. Three-day estimated diet records were used to assess dietary intakes. The contribution to iron intake (haem and non-haem) of 57 food groups was computed by summing the amount provided by the food group for all individuals divided by the total intake for all individuals.RESULTS:Mean total iron intake (s.d.) was 7.4 (±2.3) and 6.7 (±2.8) mg/day for boys and girls, respectively. In all 65% of the children <4 years old and 45% of those 4-6.5 years old presented adequate iron intakes. The food groups with the highest mean proportional contribution to total iron intake were bread, meat and meat products, breakfast cereals and sweet snacks (in that order). Children from small families whose mother had a low educational level had higher iron intakes.CONCLUSION:Iron intakes were similar for boys and girls and almost half of the Flemish preschoolers do not comply with the dietary iron recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Physiology & Biochemistry is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

As part of an iron absorption study, we needed to accurately count reticulocytes in the peripheral blood of healthy human volunteers before measuring their enrichment with stable iron isotopes given in an oral dose. Recent studies have suggested the usefulness of reticulocyte counting by flow cytometry, through a combination of differential light scatter and measurement of the stoichiometric binding of thiazole orange (TO) to RNA within the maturing erythrocyte. Using this method we set out to improve the precision of our quantitative analysis by counting more cells, as reticulocytes normally comprise <2% of the red cell population. To ensure exclusion of other cell types, we identified WBCs and platelets with CD16+CD45− allophycocyanin and CD61− phycoerythrin, respectively. After removal of CD16+ CD45+ TO+ WBCs and CD61+ TO− platelets from analysis, the remaining cells were a combination of CD61− TO− erythrocytes, CD61− TO+ reticulocytes and CD61+ TO+ reticulated platelets. Reticulocyte counts were lower after exclusion of CD61+ TO+ cells from analysis. They were similarly lower when erythrocyte precursors were positively identified through their glycophorin A expression and TO uptake. We conclude that it is necessary to exclude reticulated platelets from flow cytometric reticulocyte analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Five beta-adrenoceptor blockers, propranolol, acebutolol, diacebutolol, atenolol and bisoprolol, were tested for their antagonistic effect against isoprenaline on human isolated bronchi. The results showed (1) that only propranolol exerted a competitive antagonistic effect against isoprenaline (pA2 = 9.40 +/− 0.22, n = 7) whereas the other drugs did not, and (2) that, in the presence of beta-adrenoceptor blockers in the plasma concentrations reported after a single usual therapeutic dose, the doses of isoprenaline giving the same bronchodilator effect must be multiplied by 32.6, 5.51, 4.63, 2.82 and 1.95 respectively with propranolol, diacetolol, acebutolol, atenolol, and bisoprolol. It was concluded that (1) atenolol and bisoprolol were the least potent drugs at bronchial level in therapeutic plasma concentrations and (2) that tests performed on the human isolated bronchus might be a useful screening procedure for new drugs with potential activity on the airways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE:: To evaluate whether a compartmental model could estimate iron absorption as accurately as the well-validated technique of plasma area under the curve using labelled test meals. DESIGN:: The study is a randomised cross-sectional intervention. SETTING:: The study was carried out at the Human Nutrition Unit at the Institute of Food Research, Norwich, UK. SUBJECTS:: A total of nine female volunteers, aged 33±8?y. INTERVENTIONS:: Volunteers were given an oral dose (approximately 5?mg) of Fe-57 as iron sulphate in an orange juice test drink and simultaneously infused Fe-58 (approximately 200?µg) as iron citrate over 90?min. Multiple blood samples were taken for the following 6?h. The samples were analysed by mass spectrometry and iron absorption was estimated using a mathematical model based on the appearance of Fe isotopes in plasma and the area under the curve technique. RESULTS:: The geometric mean (-1?s.d.,+1?s.d.) absorption of the model estimate is 16%(9, 31) and the area under curve estimate is 18%(8, 29). CONCLUSIONS:: Results indicate that a compartmental model can be used to estimate labelled iron absorption although it is unlikely that this new method will be used in favour of an existing one. Further studies are now needed with unlabelled iron to assess whether the technique could have application in the assessment of total (haem+nonhaem) iron absorption from food. SPONSORSHIP:: European Union Marie Curie Fellowship and Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), UK.European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2005) 59, 142-144. doi:10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602030 Published online 14 July 2004 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]