Single-nucleotide polymorphism rs1761667 in the CD36 gene is associated with orosensory perception of a fatty acid in obese and normal-weight Moroccan subjects.

Obese subjects have shown a preference for dietary lipids. A recent collection of evidence has proposed that a variant in the CD36 gene plays a significant role in this pathway. We assessed the association between the orosensory detection of a long-chain fatty acid, i.e. oleic acid (OA), and genetic polymorphism of the lipid taste sensor CD36 in obese and normal-weight subjects. Adult participants were recruited in the fasting condition. They were invited to fat taste perception sessions, using emulsions containing OA and according to the three-alternative forced-choice (3-AFC) method. Genomic DNA was used to determine the polymorphism (SNP rs 1761667) of the CD36 gene. Obese (n 50; BMI 34⋅97 (sd 4⋅02) kg/m2) exhibited a significantly higher oral detection threshold for OA (3⋅056 (sd 3⋅53) mmol/l) than did the normal-weight (n 50; BMI 22⋅16 (sd 1⋅81) kg/m2) participants (1⋅20 (sd 3⋅23) mmol/l; P = 0⋅007). There was a positive correlation between OA detection thresholds and BMI in all subjects; evenly with body fat percentage (BF%). AA genotype was more frequent in the obese group than normal-weight group. OA detection thresholds were much higher for AA and AG genotypes in obese subjects compared with normal-weight participants. Higher oral detection thresholds for fatty acid taste are related to BMI, BF% and not always to CD36 genotype.

Development and validation of bioelectrical impedance analysis equations for predicting total body water and fat-free mass in North-African adults.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Accuracy of the bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) depends on population-specific prediction equations. The aim of our study was to develop prediction equations for assessing total body water (TBW) and fat-free mass (FFM) in healthy North-African adults. SUBJECTS/METHODS: In all, 250 participants (194 women, 56 men) aged 18-64 years were included in the analysis. BIA variables were measured by a tetra-polar device. TBW and FFM were assessed by the dilution of deuterium (D2O). The participants were sorted by gender and randomly split into development and validation subgroups. The validity of other published equations was also tested using Bland and Altman procedure, proportional bias and pure error. RESULTS: The prediction equations derived were: TBW (l)=5.68+0.267 height(2)/resistance+4.42 sex (male=1, female=0) + 0.225 weight-0.052 age (R(2)=0.92, root mean square error (RMSE)=1.75 l, RMSE%=5.65); and FFM (kg)=7.47 + 0.366 height(2)/resistance+6.04 sex + 0.306 weight-0.063 age (R(2)=0.92, RMSE=2.38 kg, RMSE%=5.61). The new equations provided nonsignificant proportional bias values, and better agreement than other tested equations. Bias and pure error values were 0.36 and 1.88 l for men and 0.00 and 1.82 l for women, for TBW equation. For FFM equation, bias values were 0.43 and -0.04 kg, and pure errors were 2.57 and 2.46 kg for men and women, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The new prediction equations provide reliable estimates of TBW and FFM in North-African adults and are recommended for use in these populations.

[Impact of flour fortification with elemental iron on the prevalence of anaemia among preschool children in Morocco]. / Impact de l'enrichissement de la farine en fer élémentaire sur la prévalence de l'anémie chez les enfants en âge préscolaire au Maroc.

Anaemia is a public health problem in Morocco. To limit this problem, Morocco developed a national programme based on fortification of flour with electrolytic elemental iron. To evaluate the programme's impact on the prevalence of anaemia in children between 2 and 5 years, 4 surveys were conducted, between 2006 and 2008, throughout the country. The results showed a significant improvement in the mean rate of haemoglobin accompanied by a significant decrease in the prevalence of anaemia. This improvement appears to be the result of several mutually reinforcing actions in addition to the fortification of flour with iron, including the promotion of a diversified diet rich in micronutrients and the promotion of public health measures.

Impact of flour fortification with elemental iron on the prevalence of anaemia among preschool children in Morocco

Anaemia is a public health problem in Morocco. To limit this problem, Morocco developed a national programme based on fortification of flour with electrolytic elemental iron. To evaluate the programme's impact on the prevalence of anaemia in children between 2 and 5 years, 4 surveys were conducted, between 2006 and 2008, throughout the country. The results showed a significant improvement in the mean rate of haemoglobin accompanied by a significant decrease in the prevalence of anaemia. This improvement appears to be the result of several mutually reinforcing actions in addition to the fortification of flour with iron, including the promotion of a diversified diet rich in micronutrients and the promotion of public health measures

Vitamin A deficiency among Moroccan women and children.

BACKGROUND: Vitamin A deficiency (VAD), attributable to an inadequate food intake, constitutes a problem in developing countries. The determination of plasma vitamin A (VA) is a reliable method for assessing VA status of the population. In this context, high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) has become the method of choice for VA analysis. OBJECTIVES: We describe the VAD profile of Moroccan children and women, obtained by specific HPLC analysis of VA. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The study involved 2457 participants: 1453 children and 1004 women from different areas of Morocco. Vitamin A was assessed by HPLC. Validation was conducted by comparison of the analysis of VA achieved in two laboratories. RESULTS: The prevalence of VAD in children (n = 1453) was 40.4% [37.8% - 43.0%] against 10.9 % [8.4% - 14.1%] of women in the Gharb (n = 494) and 6.3 % [4.4% - 8.8%] in women of Doukkala (n = 510). The VA distribution of the children was low compared to distributions among women. Children had significantly lower VA levels (0.773 +/- 0.252 micromol/l) than women of Gharb (1.17 +/- 0.43 micromol/l) and women of Doukkala (1.308 +/- 0.453 micromol/l). Analytical performance was good: the reproducibility and recovery rates were respectively 1.97 % and 98.7 +/- 3.1 %. The comparison of the mean VA and the cases of VAD obtained by the two laboratories showed no significant difference. CONCLUSION: Vitamin A deficiency is severe among children and moderate among women. The absence of the stratum having comfortable averages in vitamin A (plasma VA>3.49 micromol/l) indicates likely inadequate alimentary habits for a suitable vitamin A intake. The use of HPLC analysis of vitamin A, on a large scale for the first time in Morocco, has demonstrated that vitamin A deficiency is a public health problem. The recycling of mobile phase has reduced the costs of HPLC. This analytical method is useful in the evaluation of intervention programs against vitamin A deficiency and in future epidemiological studies.

[The effect of argan oil on heart function during ischemia and reperfusion]. / Effet de l'huile d'argan sur la fonction cardiaque au cours de l'ischémie et de la reperfusion.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of organ oil on isolated heart function before and after ischemia and on the activity of cardiac antioxidant enzymes. 16 Wistar rats were divided into 2 groups; control group and treated group receiving 5 mL/kg/day of organ oil. After 8 weeks of treatment, hearts were perfused and subjected to a global ischemia followed by reperfusion. Activity of cardiac antioxidant enzymes was assessed in freeze-clamped hearts at the end of reperfusion. Results showed that organ oil induces: 1--damage to heart function during the preischemic period, 2--decreased functional recovery during reperfusion and 3--significant increase in catalase activity. It seems that, in our experimental conditions, organ oil increases heart sensitivity to ischemia and reperfusion. However, the mechanism involved has yet to be understood.

Diet culture and obesity in northern Africa.

The etiology of obesity in North Africa is not well understood and few studies shed any light on its development among women. This study compiles what is known about the prevalence of obesity and its determinants in Morocco and Tunisia. Results from the authors' two surveys on nutrition-related disease among reproductive-age women (sample size: 2800) and their children (1200 children under 5 y and 500 adolescents) were combined with data from four national income and expenditure surveys (dating from 1980) to assess obesity trends and development in Morocco and Tunisia. Overall levels of obesity, identified by body mass index (BMI) > or = 30 kg/m(2), were 12.2% in Morocco and 14.4% in Tunisia. Obesity is significantly higher among women than among men in both countries (22.7% vs. 6.7% in Tunisia and 18% vs. 5.7% in Morocco) and prevalence among women has tripled over the past 20 y. Half of all women are overweight or obese (BMI > 25) with 50.9% in Tunisia and 51.3% in Morocco. Overweight increases with age and seems to take hold in adolescence, particularly among girls. In Tunisia, 9.1% of adolescent girls are at risk for being overweight (BMI/age > or = 85th percentile). Prevalence of overweight and obesity are greater for women in urban areas and with lower education levels. Obese women in both countries take in significantly more calories and macronutrients than normal-weight women. The percentage contribution to calories from fat, protein and carbohydrates seems to be within normal limits, whereas fat intake is high (31%) in Tunisia and carbohydrate intake (65-67%) is high in Morocco. These are alarming trends for public health professionals and policy makers in countries still grappling with the public health effects of malnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies. Health institutions in these countries have an enormous challenge to change cultural norms that do not recognize obesity, to prevent significant damage to the public's health from obesity.

Effect of dietary crude proteins on the reproductive function in the postpartum dairy cow.

The study was conducted on 216 dairy cows. Samples of feeds distributed to cows were collected monthly for the purpose of determining their content in dry matter, energy, crude proteins and mineral matter. Milk samples were collected weekly for every cow from newly calved cows until confirmation of pregnancy by rectal palpation at least 2 months after artificial insemination. These samples were used for progesterone assays in skimmed milk, in order to assess the interval between calving and return to ovarian activity [C-ROA], calving and first insemination [C-I1], calving and conception [C-C] and number of inseminations per conception (nI/C). Results have shown a significant negative correlation between the duration of [C-ROA] and [C-C] intervals and the dietary content in crude proteins (r = -0.720, p < 0.05 and r = -0.914, p < 0.01 respectively).

Subcellular distribution of carbonic anhydrase in the enterocyte of the rabbit ileum and the Caco-2 cell. Evidence for the presence of two isozymes bound to brush-border membranes.

The activity of CA has been determined in the membranes of enterocytes from rabbit ileum and of Caco-2 cells. No CA activity was detected in the BLM, but the activity in the BBM (43 and 7 WAU/mg protein for rabbit and Caco-2, respectively) was doubled by the addition of Triton. These two types of activity could be distinguished in rabbit ileum by their different IC50 in the presence of acetazolamide (10(-5) and 5 x 10(-7) M) and their different sensitivities to heat. They were not modified by inhibitors of cytoplasmic isozymes and seem to correspond to two forms of CA, one situated in the extracellular leaflet of the BBM and the other one in the intracellular leaflet.

Mechanisms of Cl- uptake through brush border membranes isolated from the posterior intestine of the freshwater trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss, R.

This paper presents a study of the mechanisms of Cl- transport through the brush border membranes of the posterior part of the intestine in the freshwater trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss. The mechanisms for Cl- transport in the posterior intestine are distinct from those in the middle intestine; an inwardly directed pH gradient stimulates Cl- uptake by brush border membrane vesicles, indicating a Cl-/OH- exchange. A pH-regulated Cl- conductance is present, which is not activated at normal intracellular pH. Cl- uptake is stimulated by an outwardly directed HCO3- gradient revealing the presence of a Cl-/HCO3- exchange but, conversely, Cl- is not exchanged against SO4(2-). In addition, carbonic anhydrase activities have been detected in both the intracellular and extracellular leaflets of the brush border membranes which favour the establishment of a bicarbonate gradient. A model of Cl- transport mechanisms through the brush-border membranes of the posterior intestine of the freshwater trout is proposed.