Prevalence of goiter among schoolchildren from Gorgan, Iran, a decade after national iodine supplementation: Association with age, gender, and thyroperoxidase antibodies

Background: One decade after universal salt iodization in Iran, goiter prevalence, urinary iodine concentration (UIC) and thyroperoxidase antibody (TPOAb) values were assessed among schoolchildren in Gorgan, Iran. Methods: From 2003-2004, 500 girls and 900 boys aged 7-11 yr were evaluated for goiter by palpation. UIC was measured in 183 randomly-selected goitrous children. Serum TSH, T 4, and TPOAb were measured in 53 goitrous and 30 non-goitrous children with adequate UIC. Results: Goiter was detected in 370 (26.4%) children. Goiter was present in 31 % of girls and 17% of boys age 9 (p<0.012); 37% of girls and 20% of boys age 10 (p<0.003); and 52% of girls and 19% of boys age 11 (p<0.0001). Median (range) UIC for all goitrous children sampled was 190 (20-600) μg/l; 220 (30-590) in boys and 170 (20-600) in girls (p=0.001). Eight point seven percent of goitrous children and 22% of goitrous girls aged 10-11 had UIC<100 μg/l, while 47% of the goitrous children had UIC≥200 μg/l. TPOAb was present in 52.8% of goitrous children and 10% of non-goitrous children (p=0.0001 ). TPOAb was present in 53.9% of 10-11 and 22.7% of 7-9 yr old goitrous and non-goitrous children (p=0.003) with adequate UIC. Median (range) TSH was 2.9 (0.3-10.9) mlU/l in TPO-positive and 1.8 (0.5-4.1) in TPO-negative children (p=0.001 ). Conclusions: Gorgan, Iran, is an iodine-sufficient area and almost half of schoolchildren have more than adequate UIC. TPOAb is associated with endemic goiter. Despite sufficient UIC overall, some school-aged girls remain at risk of iodine deficiency. ©2005, Editrice Kurtis

Screening for congenital hypothyroidism in the Islamic Republic of Iran: strategies, obstacles and future perspectives

The operational feasibility of a congenital hypothyroidism [CH] screening programme was assessed. Cord blood spot specimens were collected at seven Teheran hospitals and within the Damavand District health network. Cord thyroid-stimulating hormone [TSH] levels &gt; or = 20 mU/L were recalled and levothyroxine [L-T4] therapy was started immediately after diagnosis of CH. Of 20, 107 acceptable specimens, 22 neonates had CH [1: 914 births]. The recall rate was 1.3%. Screening coverage was 90% of live births. Of all cord samples, only 0.2% were unacceptable either because of delay in transportation or improper specimen collection. Median ages at the time of diagnosis and starting treatment were 12 and 8 days respectively. Screening for CH is feasible and a national screening programme is a necessity.</jats:p

Dynamic Concentrations and Potentials of Embedded Eccentrically Coated Magneto-Electro-Elastic Fiber Subjected to Anti-Plane Shear Waves

This paper examines the problem of the fully coupled magneto-electro-elastic (MEE) scattering of SH-waves incident upon a heterogeneous MEE scatterer which is embedded in an unbounded medium. The scatterer consists of a circular core and a circular encapsulator with eccentricity. All three regions: the core, encapsulator, and the surrounding matrix have distinct MEE properties and fully coupled constitutive relations. The generated coupled MEE fields coexist simultaneously in all these regions without resort to any simplifying assumptions. The precise description of the multifunctionality involves the solution of three fully coupled partial differential equations in three different regions. The associated Green’s function equations involve 9 independent components of Green’s functions. The behaviors of the regions are described by the generalized constitutive equations suitable for transversely isotropic MEE properties. Conventionally, wave function approach has been used to study the elastodynamic fields associated with the purely elastic axisymmetric problems; such a treatment encounters serious difficulties in the presence of eccentricity. As a rigorous analytical remedy the dynamic magneto-electro-mechanical equivalent inclusion method (DMEMEIM) will be developed in this work. To this end, the notions of eigenstress, eigenbody-force, eigenelectric, and eigenmagnetic fields will be introduced. As it will be shown, the employment of these notions in conjunction with the eigenfunction space of the pertinent coupled field equations provides a meticulous mathematical framework for the treatment of the proposed problem. The exact analytical formulation for the fully coupled total MEE scattering cross-section is derived. The ramifications of the MEE couplings as well as the wavenumber on the induced scattered fields are considered. As it will be seen, the magnetic field has a substantial effect on the total scattering cross-section. The interfacial stresses are remarkably affected not only by the eccentricity, but also by the magnetic parameters. Moreover, the dynamic electric displacement concentration factor (DEDCF), the dynamic stress concentration factor (DSCF), the electric potential, and the magnetic potential will be examined for different wavenumbers