The relevance of food composition data for nutrition surveys in rural Tibet: pilot study in the context of Kashin-Beck Disease

in Biotechnologie, Agronomie, Société et Environnement = Biotechnology, Agronomy, Society and Environment [=BASE] (2013), 17(1), 32-42

Kashin-Beck disease (KBD) is an endemic and chronic osteochondropathy. This disease principally occurs in the Tibet Autonomous Region and in several provinces of the People’s Republic of China. The ... [more ▼]

Kashin-Beck disease (KBD) is an endemic and chronic osteochondropathy. This disease principally occurs in the Tibet Autonomous Region and in several provinces of the People’s Republic of China. The etiology of the disease remains obscure although environmental factors are assumed to be involved. Diet, in particular, differentiates the rural community, affected by KBD, from the other communities (nomads and city-dwellers), who remain unaffected. In anticipation of a nutrition survey, this study aimed to measure the mineral content (Ca, P, Mg, Fe, Zn, Mn, Cu, Ni, Se, Al, Sr, Mo, Cd, As, Pb, Hg, Cr, and Co) of eight Tibetan staple foods and to compare the results against two food composition tables (FCTs). Foods were sampled in twenty households selected from both an endemic and a non-endemic area of rural Tibet. Ten minerals involved in bone metabolism were measured using atomic and molecular spectrometric methods. Results revealed that a very limited number of food/constituent pairs showed a variation in mineral composition during a single year of testing for a given region. In addition, results showed significant differences in mineral content between the endemic and the non-endemic area, especially for wheat flour. Following our analysis of the mineral content of the Tibetan food samples, results were statistically compared with similar foods listed in two food composition tables: the USDA National Nutrient Database (USDA Food Search for Windows, Version 1.0, database version SR23), and the China Food Composition Table (book 1, 2nd edition). More than 50 to 60% of p-values < 0.05 were highlighted, suggesting the inappropriateness of using FCTs as a reference for nutrition surveys in rural Tibet, and emphasizing the need for analysis of traditional foods. Differences were found to be more or less marked depending on the element considered, and calcium content seemed to show the greatest difference. Although it is obviously too early for definite conclusions to be reached (insufficient number of samples by food and insufficient number of foods analyzed), it seems that the present pilot-study indicates significant discrepancies between measured and tabulated values of the mineral content of certain foods. A more complete survey would therefore seem mandatory. [less ▲]

Insights into the Defense-Related Events Occuring in Plant Cells Following Perception of Surfactin-Type Lipopeptide from Bacillus subtilis

in Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions [=MPMI] (2009), 22(4), 456-468

Multiple strains of Bacillus subtilis were demonstrated to stimulate plant defense responses, and cyclic lipopeptides may be involved in the elicitation of this induced systemic resistance phenomenon ... [more ▼]

Multiple strains of Bacillus subtilis were demonstrated to stimulate plant defense responses, and cyclic lipopeptides may be involved in the elicitation of this induced systemic resistance phenomenon. Here, we further investigated molecular events underlying the interaction between wuch lipopeptides and plant cells. Addition of surfactin but not fengycin or iturin in the micromolar range to tobacco cell suspensions induced defense-related early events such as extracellular medium alkalinization coupled with ion fluxes and reactive oxygen species production. Surfactin also stimulated the defense enzymes phenylalanine ammonia lyase and lipoxygenase and modified the pattern of phenolics produced by the elicited cells. The occurence of these surfactin-elicited early events is closely related to Ca2+ influx and dynamic changes in protein phosphorylation but is not associed with any marked phytotoxicity or adverse effect on the integrity and growth potential of the treated tobacco cells. [less ▲]

Surface water protection against diffuse crop protection products release: results of SWAP-CPP project on potatoes (Belgium)

Conference (2007, November 15)

Etude des effets des eaux météoriques sur le transfert et les transformations de substances susceptibles de polluer les eaux naturelles d’un sous-bassin versant : proposition de moyens de gestion et de remédiation.

Report (2007)

Speciation of five arsenic species (arsenite, arsenate, MMAAV, DMAAV and AsBet) in different kind of water by HPLC-ICP-MS

in Chemosphere (2007), 66(4), 738-745

Produits phytosanitaires : Réduire le transfert vers les rivières

in Hydroplus (2007), 174

New Model For Performance Prediction In Fixed-Bed Reactors Based On The Approach Of The Unused Bed Zone

in Water Research (2005), 39(16), 4004-4010

Evidence of cutinase activity released by Ascochyta pinodes and Ascochyta pisi.

in Mededelingen van de Faculteit Landbouwwetenschappen (Rijksuniversiteit te Gent) (1990), 55(3a),