Urinary Excretion of Silicon in Men, Non-pregnant Women, and Pregnant Women: a Cross-sectional Study

Abstract: Silicon is a trace element found mainly in plant-based food and proposed to be beneficial for bone health. Urinary excretion of Si has been shown to be a surrogate measure of its uptake in the gastrointestinal tract. The objective of this study was to describe and compare the levels of urinary Si excretion, and consequently Si uptake, in Swedish men, non-pregnant women, and pregnant women. No formal assessment of dietary Si intake was carried out in this study. This cross-sectional study included 89 men, 42 non-pregnant women, and 60 pregnant women. The subjects collected urine over a 24-h period and the samples were assayed for total Si using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry. The excretion levels of creatinine were used to validate the completeness of the urine sample collections. The mean 24-h urinary excretions of Si were 7.8 mg for the cohort of young men, 7.6 mg for the cohort of non-pregnant women, and 12.4 mg for the cohort of pregnant women. Creatinine excretion was similar between pregnant and non-pregnant women (10.4 vs. 10.8 mmol/day) and significantly higher in men (15.4 mmol/day). The pregnant women excreted significantly higher levels of Si than the young men and non-pregnant women, respectively (p < 0.05). The higher urinary excretion of Si by pregnant women compared with men and non-pregnant women is a novel finding possibly caused by temporary physiological changes during pregnancy such as increased gastrointestinal uptake of Si, altered bone metabolism, and increased renal excretion of Si

Urinary Excretion of Silicon in Men, Non-pregnant Women, and Pregnant Women: a Cross-sectional Study

Abstract: Silicon is a trace element found mainly in plant-based food and proposed to be beneficial for bone health. Urinary excretion of Si has been shown to be a surrogate measure of its uptake in the gastrointestinal tract. The objective of this study was to describe and compare the levels of urinary Si excretion, and consequently Si uptake, in Swedish men, non-pregnant women, and pregnant women. No formal assessment of dietary Si intake was carried out in this study. This cross-sectional study included 89 men, 42 non-pregnant women, and 60 pregnant women. The subjects collected urine over a 24-h period and the samples were assayed for total Si using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry. The excretion levels of creatinine were used to validate the completeness of the urine sample collections. The mean 24-h urinary excretions of Si were 7.8 mg for the cohort of young men, 7.6 mg for the cohort of non-pregnant women, and 12.4 mg for the cohort of pregnant women. Creatinine excretion was similar between pregnant and non-pregnant women (10.4 vs. 10.8 mmol/day) and significantly higher in men (15.4 mmol/day). The pregnant women excreted significantly higher levels of Si than the young men and non-pregnant women, respectively (p < 0.05). The higher urinary excretion of Si by pregnant women compared with men and non-pregnant women is a novel finding possibly caused by temporary physiological changes during pregnancy such as increased gastrointestinal uptake of Si, altered bone metabolism, and increased renal excretion of Si

Improved iron bioavailability in an oat-based beverage: the combined effect of citric acid addition, dephytinization and iron supplementation

Background Iron deficiency in children is a major worldwide nutritional problem. An oat beverage was developed for 1- to 3-year-old children and different treatments were used to improve the iron bioavailability. Aim of the study To investigate the effects of citric acid addition, phytase treatment and supplementation with different iron compounds on non-heme iron absorption in human from a mineral-supplemented oat-based beverage. Method A 240 g portion of a Fe-55-labeled test product (T) or a Fe-59-labeled reference dose (R) was served as breakfast after overnight fasting on four consecutive days in the order of TRRT. On day 18 the retention of Fe-59 was measured by a whole-body counter and the erythrocytes uptake of Fe-55 and Fe-59 by a liquid-scintillation counter. Forty-two healthy subjects (men and women) were randomized into four study groups, members of each being given one of the studied four products (A, B, C, and D) supplemented with Fe (1.3 mg/portion), Zn, Ca, Se and P. Ferric ammonium citrate (FeAC) was added to products A, B, and C and ferric pyrophosphate (FePP) to product D. Citric acid (60 mg/portion) was added to products B, C, and D and phytase treatment applied to products C and D. Results Citric acid improved iron absorption by 54% from 3.9% in product A to 6.0% in product B (p = 0.051). Phytase treatment increased iron absorption by 78% (from 6.0 to 10.7%, p = 0.003) by reducing the phytate-phosphorus content per portion from 16.3 mg in product B to 2.8 mg in product C. The two compounds gave similar iron absorption rates (p = 0.916). Conclusion A combination of citric acid addition, dephytinization and iron supplementation significantly increased the iron absorption in an oat-based beverage. Such a beverage can be useful in the prevention of iron deficiency in 1- to 3-year-old children

Urinary Excretion of Silicon in Men, Non-pregnant Women, and Pregnant Women: a Cross-sectional Study

Abstract: Silicon is a trace element found mainly in plant-based food and proposed to be beneficial for bone health. Urinary excretion of Si has been shown to be a surrogate measure of its uptake in the gastrointestinal tract. The objective of this study was to describe and compare the levels of urinary Si excretion, and consequently Si uptake, in Swedish men, non-pregnant women, and pregnant women. No formal assessment of dietary Si intake was carried out in this study. This cross-sectional study included 89 men, 42 non-pregnant women, and 60 pregnant women. The subjects collected urine over a 24-h period and the samples were assayed for total Si using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry. The excretion levels of creatinine were used to validate the completeness of the urine sample collections. The mean 24-h urinary excretions of Si were 7.8 mg for the cohort of young men, 7.6 mg for the cohort of non-pregnant women, and 12.4 mg for the cohort of pregnant women. Creatinine excretion was similar between pregnant and non-pregnant women (10.4 vs. 10.8 mmol/day) and significantly higher in men (15.4 mmol/day). The pregnant women excreted significantly higher levels of Si than the young men and non-pregnant women, respectively (p < 0.05). The higher urinary excretion of Si by pregnant women compared with men and non-pregnant women is a novel finding possibly caused by temporary physiological changes during pregnancy such as increased gastrointestinal uptake of Si, altered bone metabolism, and increased renal excretion of Si

Ulm's first aircraft Sopwith Dove plane G-EAJI on exhibition, Melbourne, 1920 [picture].

Title devised by cataloguer based on accompanying documentation.; Part of: Early commercial air operations, ca. 1920.; Inscriptions: "Sopwith 'Dave', Aviation Service Co. Ltd, on exhibition at Aircraft Exhibition, Melbourne, June-July, 1920."--In ink on verso; "A1"--In pencil on verso; "Ulm's first aircraft-Sopwith 'Dove', Melbourne 1920"--Printed on exhibition poster sheet.; Attached to sheet "Early commercial air operations, ca. 1920".; Condition: Yellowing, creased and tears around edges.; Also available in an electronic version via the Internet at: http://nla.gov.au/nla.pic-vn4196913

Role of iodine-containing multivitamins during pregnancy for children’s brain function : protocol of an ongoing randomised controlled trial: the SWIDDICH study

Introduction: Iodine is essential for normal brain development. Moderate and severe fetal iodine deficiency results in substantial to serious developmental delay in children. Mild iodine deficiency in pregnancy is associated with neurodevelopmental deficits in the offspring, but evidence from randomised trials is lacking. The aim of the Swedish Iodine in Pregnancy and Development in Children study is to determine the effect of daily supplementation with 150 µg iodine during pregnancy on the offspring’s neuropsychological development up to 14 years of age. Methods and analysis: Thyroid healthy pregnant women (n=1275: age range 18–40 years) at ≤12 weeks gestation will be randomly assigned to receive multivitamin supplements containing 150 µg iodine or non-iodine-containing multivitamin daily throughout pregnancy. As a primary outcome, IQ will be measured in the offspring at 7 years (Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-V). As secondary outcomes, IQ will be measured at 3.5 and 14 years, psychomotor development at 18 months and 7 years, and behaviour at 3.5, 7 and 14 years. Iodine status (urinary iodine concentration) will be measured during pregnancy and in the offspring at 3.5, 7 and 14 years. Thyroid function (thyroid hormones, thyroglobulin), and deiodinase type 2 polymorphisms will be measured during pregnancy and in the offspring at 7 and 14 years. Structural MRI or other relevant structural or functional brain imaging procedures will be performed in a subgroup of children at 7 and 14 years. Background and socioeconomic information will be collected at all follow-up times. Ethics and dissemination: This study is approved by the Ethics Committee in Göteborg, Sweden (Diary numbers: 431-12 approved 18 June 2012 (pregnancy part) and 1089-16 approved 8 February 2017 (children follow-up)). According to Swedish regulations, dietary supplements are governed by the National Food Agency and not by the Medical Product Agency. Therefore, there is no requirement for a monitoring committee and the National Food Agency does not perform any audits of trial conduct. The trial will be conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki. The participating sites will be contacted regarding important protocol changes, both orally and in writing, and the trial registry database will be updated accordingly. Study results will be presented at relevant conferences, and submitted to peer-reviewed journals with open access in the fields of endocrinology, paediatrics and nutrition. After the appropriate embargo period, the results will be communicated to participants, healthcare professionals at the maternal healthcare centres, the public and other relevant groups, such as the national guideline group for thyroid and pregnancy and the National Food Agency