Alteration of antioxidant defense status precedes humoral immune response abnormalities in macrosomia.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate whether the anomalies affecting the antioxidant and humoral immune defenses could start at birth and to check whether the decrease in antioxidant defenses may precede the immune abnormalities in macrosomic newborns. MATERIAL/METHODS: Thirty macrosomic and 30 sex-matched control newborns were recruited for a retrospective case-control study at the Maghnia Maternity Hospital of Tlemcen Department (Algeria). RESULTS: The serum IgG levels were similar in both groups. However, plasma ORAC, albumin, vitamin E, SOD, CAT and GSH-Px levels were significantly decreased in macrosomic as compared to control newborns, yet no difference was observed after adjustment for weight. Additionally, serum concentrations of complement C3, MDA and XO were significantly higher in macrosomic as compared to controls before adjustment for weight. Moreover, macrosomia was significantly associated with high levels of complement C3 (OR=8, p=0.002); whereas no association with those of IgG was observed (OR<1, p>0.05). Furthermore, macrosomia was significantly associated with low levels of ORAC (OR=4.96, p=0.027), vitamin E (OR=4.5, p=0.018), SOD (OR=6.88, p=0.020) and CAT (OR=5.67, p=0.017), and with high levels of MDA (OR=10.29, p=0.005). CONCLUSIONS: Abnormalities of the humoral defense system in excessive weight could be preceded by alterations of the anti-oxidative defense and by inflammatory response and activation of innate immunity at birth. Additionally, excessive weight could be a potential factor contributing to decreased anti-oxidative capacity and increased oxidative stress.

The dairy chains in North Africa (Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia): from self sufficiency options to food dependency?

The Maghreb countries (Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia) have experienced since the early 1950s a rapid demographic growth coupled to a significant rhythm of urbanization. This has led to a marked increase in the demand of dairy products. In order to secure the supply, specific policies have been implemented. They mainly consisted in the establishment of a dairy industry, based on the processing of either raw milk produced locally (in Morocco and Tunisia) or imported milk powder (in Algeria). These divergent options have had significant consequences on the whole organization of the dairy chains in these countries, from cattle rearing practices, to milk collection and processing. They have also implied differences in milk and its derivatives' prices and levels of consumption. The paper draws a comparative analysis of milk chains within the three countries: a supply mainly based on imports in Algeria, whereas in Morocco and Tunisia, the demand is satisfied by a chain relying on locally produced cattle milk. The paper also emphasizes on the future challenges that will have to be addressed: a rising volatility of milk and other strategic inputs' prices (feed, machinery, cattle, etc.) in global markets, an improvement in consumers' awareness about milk quality, a further pressure on natural resources (mainly soils and water) to get more raw milk, in countries already suffering an acute water stress. The article also establishes recommendations about specific issues related to the development of the dairy chains in the context of North Africa. These are mainly linked to the fragmented offer induced by numerous smallholder farms, which implies obvious difficulties to assess the hygienic and the chemical quality of milk batches delivered daily. Moreover, this fragmented offer also means that specific support programs will have to be designed, as the vast majority of farms are not dairy specialized, expecting both milk and calf crop from their herds.

Clinical evaluation of lipids, lipoproteins and red blood cells sodium and potassium in patients with different grades of hypertension.

OBJECTIVES: To show that lipid and lipoprotein levels and cell sodium and potassium content and transport could change depending on the degree of hypertension. DESIGN AND METHODS: Forty-three hypertensive patients and 20 healthy subjects were recruited at the Cardiology and Biochemistry Departments of Tlemcen University Hospital Centre (Northwest of Algeria). RESULTS: Levels of CHOL, TG, PL, HDL-TG, LDLc, LDL-TG, LDL-PL, HDL2-TG and HDL3-TG were significantly higher in hypertensive patients than those in controls. HDL-PL levels were significantly lower in patients compared with controls and decreased according to the grade of hypertension. HDL2c, HDL2-PL and HDL3-TG and cell content and fluxes of sodium and potassium change gradually with higher grades of hypertension. CONCLUSIONS: Hypertensive patients with circulating lipid alterations are associated to ion cell content and transport abnormalities, which were worsened progressively with higher grade of hypertension.