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Objective: To investigate the effects of delivering infant feeding knowledge using text messages from cell phones on improving infant growth and anemia., Methods: A community-based intervention study was conducted in four community health centers in Tumoteyou County, Baotou, Inner Mongolia, one of which was the intervention group and the other three locating nearby were assigned into the control group. Pregnant women were recruited from peri-natal care center. In the intervention group, infant feeding knowledge was sent by the staff of health care center using text messages to the subjects. Meanwhile, no intervention was given in the control group. The growth status and anemia prevalence were assessed at 6 month in both groups. The WHO growth standard for children under 5 years was used to assess the growth status, using the Anthro software v3. 2. 2 to calculate Z scores. Anemia was defined as the concentration of hemoglobin less than 110 g/L. Hemoglobin was measured in duplicate by Hemocue 301 instrument., Results: Totally 214 pregnant women were recruited at the baseline. At the 6 months of postpartum, 192 mothers and infants were investigated. The percentage of lost follow-up was 10.3%. The LAZ, HCZ and hemoglobin concentration of infants were significantly greater,in'the intervention group than in the control group at 6 month old (P < 0.01). The prevalence of stunting (P < 0.01), overweight and obesity (P = 0.02), and anemia (P < 0.01) were significantly lower in the intervention group., Conclusions: Using text messages from cell phones to deliver infant feeding knowledge may improve the growth and anemia status of infants aged 6 month.

Objective: To determine the levels of 24 minerals in human milk by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry with microwave digestion., Methods: The samples were digested by microwave. The contents of minerals were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The standard reference minerals of 1849a and 1568a from National Institute of Science and Technology were used for quality control. The accuracy and reproduability for this method were evaluated with mix standards and 1849a and 1568a standard reference materials., Results: The ranges of the levels of sodium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, aluminum, chromium, arsenic, selenium, iron, zinc, manganese, copper, molybdenum, vanadium, cobalt, nickel, gallium, cadmium, silver, strontium, cesium, barium, lead in human milk was 34.97-415.83 mg/kg, 19.00-39.52 mg/kg, 102.13-274.53 mg/kg, 351.19-713.99 mg/kg, 180.08-349.64 mg/kg, 0.06-0.44 mg/kg, 0.9-7.37 microg/kg, 0.92-2.72 microg/kg, 0.20-21.15 microg/kg, 0.10-0.70 mg/kg, 0.56-3.25 mg/kg, 3.00-16.12 micro.g/kg, 62.16-591.69 microg/kg, 0.02-6.91 microg/kg, 5.99-13.70 microg/kg, 0.07-2.11 microg/kg, 0.77-209.26 microg/kg, 0.005-0.28 microg/kg, 0.02-0.23 microg/kg, 0.02-0.71 microg/kg, 36.89-132.26 microg/kg, 0.01-4.72 microg/kg, 0.83-28.16 microg/kg, 2.5-5.3 microg/kg, respectively. The levels of minerals in human milk in present study were consisted with other similar studies., Conclusion: The experiment examined the levels of minerals in human milk satisfactorily. The method has high accuracy and good reproducibility, which could be used for understanding the levels of minerals in human milk.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of dietary protein source and protein level on serum lipids in male rats., Methods: Wistar weaning male rats were assigned to four groups (15 rats in each group) according to their original body weight. The effects of two kinds of dietary protein with two different levels, including low cow milk (LM, 9%), high cow milk (HM, 18%), low soybean and egg white (LS, 9%), and high soybean and egg white (HS, 18%) diets, were observed. Each group was provided with one of four diets for 20 weeks. Serum lipids were tested and the ratio of lipid were calculated., Results: Serum TC and HDL-C were the highest and TC/HDL-C was the lowest in HM group; serum TG in HS group was the lowest. The ratio of TG/HDL-C in HS and HM group was lower than LS and LM group. Compared with LM and HM groups, serum LDL-C and LDL-C/HDL-C was lower in LS and HS group., Conclusion: Long-term intake of protein from soybean and egg white, serum TG level may be significantly lower, which may reduce the risk of atherosclerosis. There was a trend of rising serum cholesterol level in rats fed with protein from cow milk for a long time.

There are many factors that could affect the requirement of vitamin A including infections, parasites, protein-energy malnutrition, bioconversion efficiency of provitamin A, food matrix and so on. However, the toxicity of vitamin A should also be taken into account when establishing reference values for infants, young and preschool children. Serum and breast-milk retinol concentrations, retinol binding protein concentrations, the relative-dose-response test , the modified-relative-dose-response and the deuterated retinol isotope dilution test are the common tools to assess vitamin A status.

Objective: To identify the aflatoxins contamination of corn in China., Methods: Aflatoxins B1, B2, G1 and G2 in 279 corn samples collected from 6 provinces or autonomous regions were determined by HPLC., Results: Aflatoxins were detected in 75.63% of 279 corn samples. The average concentration of positive samples was 44.04 microg/kg, with a range of 0.20 - 888.30 microg/kg. The positive rates of samples from Sichuan, Hubei, Guangxi, Henan, Guangdong and Jilin Provinces were 90.48%, 93.75%, 87.50%, 36.96%, 91.84% and 52.17% respectively, with an average concentration of 107.93, 70.98, 39.65, 8.06, 3.70 microg/kg, and 1.15 microg/kg respectively. AFB1 was detected more frequently and with higher levels than the other three aflatoxins, with a positive rate of 74.55% and an average concentration of 39.64 microg/kg. The positive rate of AFB2, AFG1 and AFG2 was 58.42%, 41.22% and 19.71% respectively, and the average concentration of them was 3.81, 3.47 and 0.51 microg/kg respectively., Conclusion: Corn samples collected from all six regions are contaminated widely with aflatoxins in various degrees. The contamination of aflatoxins in the South was more serious than that in the North of China. AFB1 is the prominent one among the four aflatoxins.

Objective: In order to evaluate the effect of coenzyme Q10 (CQ) or combined with carotenoids (lycopene and lutein, LL) or/and mineral nutrients (zinc and selenium, ZS) on the antioxidant defense system, The rats were randomized into 6 groups: control, CQ [CQ 10 mg/(kg x d)], CQ+ ZS[CQ 10 mg/(kg x d), Zn 1 mg/(kg x d), Se 4 microg/(kg x d)], CQ+ LL [CQ 10 mg/(kg x d), Lutein 1 mg/(kg x d), Lycopene 2 mg/(kg x d)], CQ + ZS + LL [CQ 10 mg/(kg x d), Zn 1 mg/(kg x d), Se 4 microg/(kg x d), Lutein 1 mg/(kg x d), Lycopene 2 mg/(kg x d)] and VE [VE 2 mg/(kg x d)], and then fed with a diet based on AIN-76 rodent diet but containing 4% lard as well as 4% corn oil. The supplement were given by oral for 8 weeks, and the plasma and liver antioxidant enzymes activity, malondialdehyde levels and lymphocyte DNA damage were determined. The results showed that the groups treated with CQ had a higher plasma SOD and TOAC level and liver SOD and GPX activity than those of the control group. Combination treatments further enhanced antioxidant enzymes activity and reduced MDA levels & DNA damage. Most of the parameters had reached statistical significance in comparison with the control. These findings suggested that CQ exerted antioxidative effects in rats, and when it was supplemented in combination with other antioxidants, the effects were raised to some extent.

Flavonoids may be natural components came from many vegetables and fruits. A variety of heath effects of these compounds were found. However, a few safety studies indicated that certain adverse effects of these compounds could influence on human health, which could involve genotoxic/carcinogenic effects or interaction with thyroid hormone biosynthesis. Isoflavones' estrogenic activity could influence on sexual development of young animals and children. Furthermore, flavonoids could inhibit the absorption of some nutrients, interact with certain drug pharmacokinetics and affect neurobehavioral development. In this paper, the potential toxicities of flavonoids from recently published papers were reviewed.

Objective: To explore the interaction role of selenium and zinc in diet on bone development in rats exposed to lead, and to observe the change of bone mineral content (BMC) and bone mineral density (BMD)., Methods: Wean male Wistar rats were fed with diet added with different levels of selenium, zinc and lead for 12 weeks., Results: Long-term exposure to lead may inhibit the development of bone and reduce BMC and BMD, however, selenium and zinc in the diets could improve the inhibit effect of lead on weight and length, BMC and BMD of rat bone., Conclusion: The present study indicated that supplementing suitable amount of selenium or/and zinc could interact the side effect of lead, and increase the BMC and BMD of rat bone. The interaction mechanism of iron and zinc on bone exposed to lead in diets needs to be explore in further.

Objective: The purpose of this paper was to explore the effect of iron and zinc in diet on development of bone in growing rats exposed to lead and observed the change of bone mineral content (BMC) and bone mineral density (BMD)., Methods: The growing rats were fed with diet added with different levels of iron, zinc and lead for 12 weeks., Results: Long-term exposure to lead may inhibit the development of bone and reduce BMC and BMD, it can be improved the weight and length of bone and increased BMC and BMD following the increased in iron and zinc levels in the diets, but the lead level of bone increases., Conclusion: Supplementary suitable iron or/and zinc could improve the BMC and BMD, the mechanism of iron and zinc in diets on bone exposed to lead should be further research.

Objective: beta-carotene (beta-C) is a major and safe vitamin A source for a vast population in China. But there is little understanding on beta-C-vitamin A equivalence in Chinese population. This study was designed to evaluate intestinal and whole-body conversion of beta-C to vitamin A in some Chinese adults by using a stable isotope dilution technique., Methods: Fifteen healthy adult farmer volunteers (9 males and 6 females) aged 50-60 years from a few villages of China's eastern Shandong Province were recruited in a 55-days experiment. A Physiological dose of 2H8 beta-C (11011 nmole or 6 mg) in oil was given with a liquid diet (25% energy from fat) to the volunteers in the first day of the study. Three days after the 2H8 beta-C dose, the volunteers each took a reference dose of 2H8 RAC (8,915 nmole or 3 mg) in oil with the same liquid diet. Serum samples were collected at 0, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13 hours of the first and the fourth days of study, and fasting serum samples were also collected daily in first 10 days and then weekly at 14th, 21st, 28th, 35th, 42nd, 49th, and 56th day after a 12-hour overnight fast, beta-C and retinol were extracted from serum and isolated by high performance liquid chromatography. The serum retinol and beta-C enrichments were respectively determined by using a gas chromatography/electron capture negative chemical ionization mass spectrometry (GC/ECNCI-MS) and liquid chromatograph/mass spectrometry with an atmospheric pressure chemical ionization interface (LC/APCI-MS)., Results: All the subjects responded well to the 2H8 retinyl acetate reference dose. However, the responses to the 2H8 beta-C dose were unexpectedly Poor in 4 of the 15 subjects. The repeated GC-MS analysis on the backup serum samples confirmed that these 4 subjects responded less efficiently to ingested 2H8 beta-C dose. These 4 subjects referred as to poor converters will be re-examined to confirm the observation. Therefore, the data of beta-C metabolism of the 4 poor converters were not analyzed together with that of the 11 normal converters. In the normal converters (7 males and 4 females), the calculated conversion factor of beta-C to retinol in1, 6, 13, 20, 27, 34, 41, and 52 days are 7.1 +/- 3.4, 5.6 +/- 2.7, 5.4 +/- 2.9, 5.1 +/- 2.8, 5.0 +/- 3.0, 5.0 +/- 2.9, 4.9 +/- 2.9, 4.8 +/- 2.8 to 1 on a molar basis respectively, and the corresponding post intestinal absorption conversion is estimated as (19.7 +/- 17.8)%, (22.7 +/- 20.5)%, (26.3 +/- 21.2)%, (27.8 +/- 22.7)%, (28.6 +/- 22.7)%, (29.5 +/- 22.8)% and (30.1 +/- 22.1)% of the total converted retinol., Conclusion: The different time conversion of beta-C to vitamin A in the tested Chinese adults had been quantitatively determined by using a stable isotope reference method, and the long term as 52 days conversion factor value was 9.1 to 1 on a weight basis, and about 30% of total converted retinol came from absorbed intact beta-C.

In order to highlight nutrients of potential concern on deficiency for the age groups under study, the dietary status of preschool children were studied in the kindergartens of Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Changsha and Dalian in 1998-1999. All the children who regularly attended the kindergarten, who were in the age range of 3-6 year old and generally health were considered eligible for enrollment in this study. The final results included a total of 1170 children, with 583 boys and 587 girls. Food weighing method was used in consecutive three-day dietary survey by recording breakfast, lunch and afternoon refreshments in kindergarten. Questionnaire form was applied to record the other food consumption outside of the kindergarten. Nutrient intakes of per child were calculated according to the Chinese Food composition Table. The average energy, protein, iron, selenium, vitamin A, vitamin E, thiamin, riboflavin, and nicotinic acid intakes were adequate in each group. The dietary energy provided by fat was near to the high marginal (30%), which indicated that more fat intake should be avoided in these children. The ratio of energy provided by each meal per day was lower in the breakfast and higher in the dinner and foods consumed at home. The average ratio of calcium to phosphorus for 3-6 years was 0.63. A deficiency of calcium is rather common, and the intake of calcium accounted for only 61.6% of the recommended nutrient intake(RNI). Salt intake was relatively higher than that of adequate intake recommended by Chinese Nutritional Society. The zinc intake reached 62.9% of RNIs. Vitamin C intakes from each age of groups did not meet their RNI. The present study indicates that the deficiencies of some trace nutrients in the diets for preschool children in day-care kindergartens is probably related to that the body weight and height of preschool children have not achieved a "satisfactory" level.