Geophagy Practices and the Content of Chemical Elements in the Soil Eaten by Pregnant Women in Artisanal and Small Scale Gold Mining Communities in Tanzania.

Geophagy, a form of pica, is the deliberate consumption of soil and is relatively common across Sub-Saharan Africa. In Tanzania, pregnant women commonly eat soil sticks sold in the market (pemba), soil from walls of houses, termite mounds, and ground soil (kichuguu). The present study examined geophagy practices of pregnant women in a gold mining area of Geita District in northwestern Tanzania, and also examined the potential for exposure to chemical elements by testing soil samples. We conducted a cross sectional study using a convenience sample of 340 pregnant women, ranging in age from 15-49 years, who attended six government antenatal clinics in the Geita District, Tanzania. Structured interviews were conducted in June-August, 2012, to understand geophagy practices. In addition, soil samples taken from sources identified by pregnant women practicing geophagy were analysed for mineral element content. Geophagy was reported by 155 (45.6%) pregnant women with 85 (54.8%) initiating the practice in the first trimester. A total of 101 (65%) pregnant women reported eating soil 2 to 3 times per day while 20 (13%) ate soil more than 3 times per day. Of 155 pregnant women 107 (69%) bought pemba from local shops, while 48 (31%) consumed ground soil kichuguu. The estimated mean quantity of soil consumed from pemba was 62.5 grams/day. Arsenic, chromium, copper, iron, manganese, nickel and zinc levels were found in both pemba and kichuguu samples. Cadmium and mercury were found only in the kichuguu samples. Based on daily intake estimates, arsenic, copper and manganese for kichuguu and copper and manganese for pemba samples exceed the oral Minimum Risk Levels designated by the U.S. Agency for Toxic Substance and Disease Registry. Almost 50% of participants practiced geophagy in Geita District consistent with other reports from Africa. Both pemba and kichuguu contained chemical elements at varying concentration, mostly above MRLs. As such, pregnant women who eat soil in Geita District are exposed to potentially high levels of chemical elements, depending upon frequency of consumption, daily amount consumed and the source location of soil eaten

Exploiting members of the BAHD acyltransferase family to synthesize multiple hydroxycinnamate and benzoate conjugates in yeast

BACKGROUND: BAHD acyltransferases, named after the first four biochemically characterized enzymes of the group, are plant-specific enzymes that catalyze the transfer of coenzyme A-activated donors onto various acceptor molecules. They are responsible for the synthesis in plants of a myriad of secondary metabolites, some of which are beneficial for humans either as therapeutics or as specialty chemicals such as flavors and fragrances. The production of pharmaceutical, nutraceutical and commodity chemicals using engineered microbes is an alternative, green route to energy-intensive chemical syntheses that consume petroleum-based precursors. However, identification of appropriate enzymes and validation of their functional expression in heterologous hosts is a prerequisite for the design and implementation of metabolic pathways in microbes for the synthesis of such target chemicals. RESULTS: For the synthesis of valuable metabolites in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, we selected BAHD acyltransferases based on their preferred donor and acceptor substrates. In particular, BAHDs that use hydroxycinnamoyl-CoAs and/or benzoyl-CoA as donors were targeted because a large number of molecules beneficial to humans belong to this family of hydroxycinnamate and benzoate conjugates. The selected BAHD coding sequences were synthesized and cloned individually on a vector containing the Arabidopsis gene At4CL5, which encodes a promiscuous 4-coumarate:CoA ligase active on hydroxycinnamates and benzoates. The various S. cerevisiae strains obtained for co-expression of At4CL5 with the different BAHDs effectively produced a wide array of valuable hydroxycinnamate and benzoate conjugates upon addition of adequate combinations of donors and acceptor molecules. In particular, we report here for the first time the production in yeast of rosmarinic acid and its derivatives, quinate hydroxycinnamate esters such as chlorogenic acid, and glycerol hydroxycinnamate esters. Similarly, we achieved for the first time the microbial production of polyamine hydroxycinnamate amides; monolignol, malate and fatty alcohol hydroxycinnamate esters; tropane alkaloids; and benzoate/caffeate alcohol esters. In some instances, the additional expression of Flavobacterium johnsoniae tyrosine ammonia-lyase (FjTAL) allowed the synthesis of p-coumarate conjugates and eliminated the need to supplement the culture media with 4-hydroxycinnamate. CONCLUSION: We demonstrate in this study the effectiveness of expressing members of the plant BAHD acyltransferase family in yeast for the synthesis of numerous valuable hydroxycinnamate and benzoate conjugates

DIETARY ESSENTIAL AMINO ACID SUPPLEMENTATIONS (In a Sex and Growth-Phase Split Feeding in Pig )

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menyelidiki pengaruh suplementasi ransum dasar (BD, ransum kontrol yang disusun menurut NRC, 1988) dengan asam amino esensial lysine, methionin, threonine (SD1 dan SD2, ransum perlakuan) terhadap konsumsi ransum dan kinerja pada ternak babi. Bahan utama ketiga ransum terdiri dari tepung barley, gandum, dan kedele. Masing-masing ransum mengandung kadar protein kasar (18% untuk grower dan 16,5% untuk finisher) dan enerji (14,2 MJ/kg). Ransum diberikan dengan cara dipecah (splitted) menurut periode pertumbuhan (grower dan finisher) dan jenis kelamin (jantan dan betina ). Ransum kg BB dan SDI dipecah menjadi 2 fase pemberian (grower: 20 - 60 kg berat badan (BB), dan finisher: 60 - 105 kg BB), ransum SD2 dipecah menjadi 4 fase pemberian (grower I: 20 - 40 kg, grower II:  40 - 60 kg, finisher I : 60 - 80 kg, dan finisher II: 80 - 105 kg BB).Babi dengan berat awal 20 kg sebanyak 72 ekor (36 jantan dan 36 betina) dikandangkan dengan kondisi lingkungan yang serupa (200C) selama penelitian. Suplementasi ransum dasar dengan asam amino esensial tidak mempengaruhi konsumsi ransum harian (2,49, 2,43, dan 2,36 kg masing-masing untuk BD, SD1 dan SD2, P>0,05). Babi pada masa pertumbuhan finisher mengonsumsi ransum harian terbanyak (2,77 - 2,83 kg) dibanding masa pertumbuhan lainnya (P<0,01). Babi jantan cenderung mengonsumsi  ransum harian  lebih banyak (P<0,11) dibanding babi betina (2,49 kg vs. 2,36 kg). Babi yang diberi ransum yang diperkaya dengan asam amino tumbuh lebih cepat (0,93 dan 0,96 kg/hari untuk SD1 dan SD2) dibanding babi yang diberi ransum kontrol (0,82 kg/hari), P<0,01. Pertumbuhan tercepat terjadi pada masa awal finisher (60 - 80 kg BB), yaitu 1,07 kg/hari, sedangkan kecepatan pertumbuhan pada masa pertumbuhan yang lain sebanding(0,85; 0,86; dan 0,83 kg/hari). Babi yang diberi ransum yang diperkaya dengan asam amino esensial dapat menggunakan ransum dengan lebih efisien (2,68 dan 2,58 kg ransum/kg PBB untuk SD1 dan SD2) dibanding babi yang diberi ransum kontrol (3,03 kg ransum/kg PBB), P<0.01. Diantara masa pertumbuhan, awal masa pertumbuhan grower (20-40kg BB) mempunyai efisiensi penggunaan ransum tertinggi(2,16 kg ransum/kg PBB) dan akhir masa pertumbuhan finisher (80-105 kg BB) mempunyai nilai efisiensi terendah(3,55 kg ransum/kg PBB),P<0.01. Babi jantan cenderung lebih efisien dalam menggunakan ransum dibanding babi betina (2,66 vs 2,87 kg ransum/kg PBB), P<0,09. (Animal Production 4(1): 1-10 (2002) Kata kunci: Ransum, suplementasi,asam amino, babi, konsumsi, kinerj

Dietary Essential Amino Acid Supplementations (in a Sex and Growth-phase Split Feeding in Pig )

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menyelidiki pengaruh suplementasi ransum dasar (BD, ransum kontrol yang disusun menurut NRC, 1988) dengan asam amino esensial lysine, methionin, threonine (SD1 dan SD2, ransum perlakuan) terhadap konsumsi ransum dan kinerja pada ternak babi. Bahan utama ketiga ransum terdiri dari tepung barley, gandum, dan kedele. Masing-masing ransum mengandung kadar protein kasar (18% untuk grower dan 16,5% untuk finisher) dan enerji (14,2 MJ/kg). Ransum diberikan dengan cara dipecah (splitted) menurut periode pertumbuhan (grower dan finisher) dan jenis kelamin (jantan dan betina ). Ransum kg BB dan SDI dipecah menjadi 2 fase pemberian (grower: 20 - 60 kg berat badan (BB), dan finisher: 60 - 105 kg BB), ransum SD2 dipecah menjadi 4 fase pemberian (grower I: 20 - 40 kg, grower II: 40 - 60 kg, finisher I : 60 - 80 kg, dan finisher II: 80 - 105 kg BB).Babi dengan berat awal 20 kg sebanyak 72 ekor (36 jantan dan 36 betina) dikandangkan dengan kondisi lingkungan yang serupa (200C) selama penelitian. Suplementasi ransum dasar dengan asam amino esensial tidak mempengaruhi konsumsi ransum harian (2,49, 2,43, dan 2,36 kg masing-masing untuk BD, SD1 dan SD2, P>0,05). Babi pada masa pertumbuhan finisher mengonsumsi ransum harian terbanyak (2,77 - 2,83 kg) dibanding masa pertumbuhan lainnya (P<0,01). Babi jantan cenderung mengonsumsi ransum harian lebih banyak (P<0,11) dibanding babi betina (2,49 kg vs. 2,36 kg). Babi yang diberi ransum yang diperkaya dengan asam amino tumbuh lebih cepat (0,93 dan 0,96 kg/hari untuk SD1 dan SD2) dibanding babi yang diberi ransum kontrol (0,82 kg/hari), P<0,01. Pertumbuhan tercepat terjadi pada masa awal finisher (60 - 80 kg BB), yaitu 1,07 kg/hari, sedangkan kecepatan pertumbuhan pada masa pertumbuhan yang lain sebanding(0,85; 0,86; dan 0,83 kg/hari). Babi yang diberi ransum yang diperkaya dengan asam amino esensial dapat menggunakan ransum dengan lebih efisien (2,68 dan 2,58 kg ransum/kg PBB untuk SD1 dan SD2) dibanding babi yang diberi ransum kontrol (3,03 kg ransum/kg PBB), P<0.01. Diantara masa pertumbuhan, awal masa pertumbuhan grower (20-40kg BB) mempunyai efisiensi penggunaan ransum tertinggi(2,16 kg ransum/kg PBB) dan akhir masa pertumbuhan finisher (80-105 kg BB) mempunyai nilai efisiensi terendah(3,55 kg ransum/kg PBB),P<0.01. Babi jantan cenderung lebih efisien dalam menggunakan ransum dibanding babi betina (2,66 vs 2,87 kg ransum/kg PBB), P<0,09. (Animal Production 4(1): 1-10 (2002

Nutritional composition, gross energy concentration, and in vitro digestibility of dry matter in 46 sources of bakery meals.

Work was conducted to test the hypothesis that the nutritional composition of bakery meal varies depending on where in the United States the meal is produced due to different raw materials being used in the production of the meals. Forty-six samples of bakery meal were collected from feed mills located in the swine producing states in the United States. Based on the state where samples were collected, they were grouped into 5 regions: 1) AL, DE, GA, NC, PA, and VA (10 samples); 2) CO, MO, OK, and TX (10 samples); 3) IN, KY, OH, and TN (8 samples); 4) IA (11 samples); and 5) MN (7 samples). All samples were analyzed for proximate components, GE, AA, carbohydrates, and minerals, and IVDMD and in vitro energy digestibility (IVGED) were also determined. Results indicated that the average concentration of DM was (91.84 ± 1.29%) and there was no difference among regions. The concentration of ash in bakery meal from MN was greater (P &lt; 0.05) than in meals from other regions, but for all other proximate components, no differences among sources were observed. The average concentration (DM basis) of CP (12.20 ± 2.16%), acid hydrolyzed ether extract (AEE, 9.38 ± 1.95%), starch (44.61 ± 5.47%), and NDF (13.77 ± 4.23%) indicated that bakery meal consists of a mixture of food ingredients originating from flour or whole cereal grains and with some high-fiber ingredients such as brans or canola coproducts also included. It also appears that oil or fats were added during production. With the exception of His, no differences among regions were observed for indispensable AA and the average concentrations (DM basis) of Lys, Met, Thr, and Trp were 0.35 ± 0.08%, 0.19 ± 0.03%, 0.38 ± 0.06%, and 0.13 ± 0.03%, respectively. The bakery meals from MN contained more (P &lt; 0.05) Ca than bakery meals from other regions, indicating that limestone may have been added to bakery meal from MN to improve flowability. However, bakery meals from MN and IA contained less (P &lt; 0.05) total P, phytate, and phytate-bound P than bakery meals produced in the states east of the Mississippi River. There were, however, no differences in IVDMD (79.06 ± 6.62%) or of IVGED (74.84 ± 8.20%) of bakery meals among regions. The present results indicate that variations in the chemical composition of bakery meal obtained from different regions in the United States are relatively small and likely without great impact on the nutritional value of the meals, but in vivo digestibility experiments are needed to confirm this hypothesis