Relationship between seaweeds consumption and hyperuricaemia in general adults: a Population-based study from the Tianjin Chronic Low-grade Systemic Inflammation and Health (TCLSIH) cohort study.

Seaweeds have numerous biologically active ingredients, such as polysaccharides, polyphenols and carotenoids, that are beneficial to human health. Although these benefits might be related to the synthesis, secretion or reabsorption of uric acid, no studies have explored the relationship between seaweeds consumption and hyperuricaemia (HUA) in the general population. The aim of this study was to investigate whether seaweeds consumption is related to HUA in a large-scale adult population. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 32 365 adults (17 328 men and 15 037 women) in Tianjin, People's Republic of China. Frequency of seaweeds consumption was assessed by a validated self-administered FFQ. HUA was defined as serum uric acid levels >420 µmol/L in men and >350 µmol/L in women. The association between seaweeds consumption and HUA was assessed by multiple logistic regression analysis. Restricted cubic spline functions were used for non-linearity tests. The prevalence of HUA in men and women was 21·17 % and 5·93 %, respectively. After adjustments for potential confounding factors, the OR (95 % CI) for HUA across seaweed consumption (g/1000 kcal per d) were 1·00 (reference) for level 1, 0·91 (95 % CI 0·81, 1·02) for level 2; 0·90 (95 % CI 0·81, 1·01) for level 3; 0·86 (95 % CI 0·78, 0·97) for level 4 in men and 0·90 (95 % CI 0·73, 1·10) for level 2; 0·82 (95 % CI 0·67, 1·00) for level 3; 0·84 (95 % CI 0·68, 1·03) for level 4 in women, respectively. A negative correlation between seaweeds consumption and HUA in males but not in females was observed. Further studies are needed to explore the causal relationship.

The association between daily yogurt consumption and serum lipid profiles in the general adult population: the TCLSIH cohort study.

The purpose of this cross-sectional study is to determine the association between yogurt consumption and lipid profiles in the general Chinese population. In this cross-sectional study, a total of 26,824 participants were included from Tianjin, China. Lipid profiles were determined by automated biochemical analyser. Yogurt consumption frequency was assessed by a validated food frequency questionnaire. Analysis of covariance was used to determine the association between daily yogurt consumption and lipid profiles. In the final multivariate model, daily yogurt consumption was negatively associated with triglyceride (TG) (p for trend <0.001) and positively associated with high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) (p for trend = 0.02). There were no significant differences (p for trend >0.05) between daily yogurt consumption and total cholesterol (TC) or low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). Results suggested that higher daily yogurt consumption was negatively correlated with TG and positively correlated with HDL-C in the general Chinese population.

The relationship between dietary patterns and grip strength in the general population: the TCLSIH cohort study.

PURPOSE: Previous studies have shown that many nutrients play an essential role in maintaining skeletal muscle strength. Hand grip strength (HGS) is frequently used as an objective and reliable method to evaluate overall body muscle strength and physical function. Some studies have demonstrated that some specific single nutrients such as PUFA, fiber, vitamin C, fruits and vegetables are associated with muscle strength. However, few studies have explored the relationship between dietary patterns and HGS in the adult population. The aim of this study was to investigate how dietary patterns are related to HGS in a large-scale Chinese population. METHODS: A cross-sectional study (n = 35,175) was performed in Tianjin, China. Adherence to dietary patterns was measured by a valid self-administered food frequency questionnaire with 81 food items. Principal-components analysis was used to derive three major dietary patterns: "sweet", "healthy" and "animal food". HGS was measured using a handheld digital dynamometer. Analysis of covariance and multiple logistic regression were employed to explore the relationship between dietary patterns and HGS. RESULTS: After adjustment for potential confounders, the means (95% confidence interval) of HGS for increasing quartile of dietary patterns were as follows: "sweet", 0.50 (0.49-0.51), 0.50 (0.49-0.51), 0.50 (0.49-0.51), 0.50 (0.48-0.51) (P value = 0.07); "healthy" 0.50 (0.49-0.51), 0.50 (0.49-0.51), 0.50 (0.49-0.51), 0.50 (0.49-0.51) (P value < 0.0001); "animal food" 0.51(0.50-0.52), 0.50 (0.49-0.51), 0.50 (0.49-0.51), 0.49 (0.48-0.51) (P value < 0.0001), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The present study demonstrated a slight improvement between healthy dietary pattern and HGS across the quartiles. On the contrary, this study also showed higher adherence to the animal food dietary pattern (i.e., higher quartile) had lower grip strength. A long-term prospective study or randomized trials are required to clarify this association.

Association between consumption of ultra-processed foods and hyperuricemia: TCLSIH prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Emerging evidence suggests that consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPF) plays a role in the development of chronic diseases, but evidence of their influence on hyperuricemia is limited. We therefore designed a cohort study to examine whether UPF consumption increase the risk of hyperuricemia in adults. METHODS AND RESULTS: This was a prospective study (n = 18,444) performed in Tianjin, China from 2013 to 2019. Participants that were aged 18 years and over and with no history of hyperuricemia, were followed up for 1-6 years (median follow-up duration = 4.2 years). UPF consumption was assessed by a validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Hyperuricemia was defined as serum uric acid levels ≥7.0 mg/dL in males and ≥ 6 mg/dL in females. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to assess the association between UPF consumption and the risk of hyperuricemia. Restricted cubic spline regression was used to estimate the dose-response association between UPF consumption and risk of hyperuricemia. During follow-up period, the incidence of hyperuricemia was 20.3% in general population (27.7% in males and 13.2% in females). In the final multivariate models, the hazard ratios (95% confidence interval) for hyperuricemia across energy adjusted UPF consumption quartiles were 1.00 (reference), 1.04 (0.94, 1.14), 1.11 (1.01, 1.23), 1.16 (1.05, 1.28) (p for trend = 0.02) in general population. CONCLUSIONS: This population-based prospective cohort study suggests that increased consumption of UPF is independently associated the risk of hyperuricemia.

Association between edible mushroom intake and the prevalence of newly diagnosed non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: results from the Tianjin Chronic Low-Grade Systemic Inflammation and Health Cohort Study in China.

Animal studies have suggested that mushroom intake can alleviate non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) due to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. However, the association between mushroom intake and NAFLD is unknown in humans. We aimed to investigate the association of mushroom intake with NAFLD among Chinese adults. This is a cross-sectional study of 24 236 adults (mean (standard deviation) age: 40·7 (sd 11·9) years; 11 394 men (47·0 %)). Mushroom intake was assessed via a validated FFQ. Newly diagnosed NAFLD was identified based on the results of annual health examinations, including ultrasound findings and a self-reported history of the disease. Multiple logistic models were used to examine the association between mushroom intake and NAFLD. The prevalence of newly diagnosed NAFLD was 19·0 %. Compared with those consuming mushrooms less frequently (≤1 time/week), the fully adjusted OR of newly diagnosed NAFLD were 0·95 (95 % CI 0·86, 1·05) for those consuming 2-3 times/week and 0·76 (95 % CI 0·63, 0·92) for those consuming ≥4 times/week (Pfor trend = 0·01). The inverse association was consistent in subgroups defined by age, sex and BMI. In conclusion, higher mushroom intake was significantly associated with lower prevalence of NAFLD among Chinese adults. Future research is required to understand the causal association between mushroom intake and NAFLD.

Sugar-containing carbonated beverages consumption is associated with hyperuricemia in general adults: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Research evidence supports a positive link between sugar-containing soft beverages and hyperuricemia. However, data thus far are mostly from Caucasian populations. And in sugar-containing soft beverages overall, sugar-containing carbonated beverages are purchased most often. Therefore, we investigated whether the high consumption of sugar-containing carbonated beverages was associated with the prevalence of hyperuricemia among adults in China. METHODS AND RESULTS: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 25,507 adults (13,013 men and 12,494 women) in Tianjin, China. Sugar-containing carbonated beverages intake was assessed by a validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Hyperuricemia was defined as serum uric acid levels ≥7.0 mg/dL in men and ≥ 6 mg/dL in women. The association between carbonated beverages consumption and hyperuricemia was assessed by multiple logistic regression analysis. The prevalence of hyperuricemia in men and women was 23.4% and 8.2%, respectively. After adjustments for potential confounding factors, the odds ratios (95% confidence interval) for hyperuricemia across sugar-containing carbonated beverages consumption were 1.00 (reference) for almost never, 1.18 (1.05, 1.32) for <1-3 cups/week, 1.49 (1.25, 1.77) for ≥4 cups/week in men (P for trend < 0.005) and 1.11 (0.91, 1.34) for <1-3 cups/week (P for trend = 0.27), 1.70 (1.23, 2.31) for ≥4 cups/week in women (P for trend < 0.001), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This cross-sectional survey demonstrated that increased consumption of sugar-containing carbonated beverages is associated with hyperuricemia among adults in China. Restricted sugar-containing carbonated beverages intake might be beneficial to the prevention of hyperuricemia in the general population.

Association between nut consumption and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in adults.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Increased nut consumption has been associated with reduced inflammation, insulin resistance, and oxidative stress. Although these factors are closely involved in the pathogenesis of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), few studies have focused on the association between nut consumption and NAFLD in the general population. We aimed to investigate the association of nut consumption and NAFLD in an adult population. METHODS: A total of 23 915 participants from Tianjin Chronic Low-Grade Systemic Inflammation and Health (TCLSIH) Cohort Study were included in this study. Information on dietary intake was collected using a validated food frequency questionnaire. Abdominal ultrasonography was done to diagnose NAFLD. Multivariable logistic regression was used to assess the association of nut consumption with NAFLD. RESULTS: After adjusting for sociodemographic, medical, dietary, and lifestyle variables, the odds ratios (95% confidence interval) for NAFLD across categories of nut consumption were 1.00 (reference) for <1 time/week, 0.91 (0.82, 1.02) for 1 time/week, 0.88 (0.76, 1.02) for 2-3 times/week, and 0.80 (0.69, 0.92) for ≥4 times/week (P for trend < 0.01). These associations were attenuated but remained significant after further adjustment for blood lipids, glucose, and inflammation markers. CONCLUSIONS: Higher nut consumption was significantly associated with lower prevalence of NAFLD. Further prospective studies and randomized trials are required to ascertain the causal association between nut consumption and NAFLD.

Association of dietary patterns with depressive symptoms in Chinese postmenopausal women.

Many components in diet have regulated oxidative stress, inflammatory reaction and even balance oestrogen levels. Because these factors are closely associated with depressive symptoms in postmenopausal women, it is considered that dietary factors are able to prevent and control depressive symptoms. On the other hand, a dietary pattern that considers the correlations and synergies between foods and nutrients is expected to have a greater impact on disease risk. The aim of the present study is to evaluate whether dietary patterns are associated with depressive symptoms in Chinese postmenopausal women. A cross-sectional study of 2051 postmenopausal women (mean age: 58·8 (sd 7·4) years) was conducted in Tianjin, China. Dietary consumption was assessed by a valid self-administered FFQ. Principal component analysis was used to derive three major dietary patterns: 'healthy', 'sweets' and 'traditional Tianjin' from eighty-eight food items. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale, and cut-off point of 48 indicating serious depressive symptoms. The association between quartile of dietary patterns and depressive symptoms was assessed using multiple logistic regression analysis. The multivariable-adjusted OR of having depressive symptoms for increasing quartile of dietary patterns were as follows: healthy, 1·00, 0·79 (95 % CI 0·49, 1·28), 0·62 (95 % CI 0·37, 1·04) and 0·57 (95 % CI 0·33, 0·97); sweets, 1·00, 0·75 (95 % CI 0·42, 1·3), 1·08 (95 % CI 0·64, 1·81) and 1·66 (95 % CI 1·03, 2·71); and traditional Tianjin, 1·00, 1·02 (95 % CI 0·58, 1·79), 0·96 (95 % CI 0·54, 1·71) and 2·53 (95 % CI 1·58, 4·16), respectively. The present study demonstrated that a healthy dietary pattern was inversely associated with depressive symptoms. On the contrary, greater adherence to sweets and traditional Tianjin dietary patterns was associated with a higher prevalence of depressive symptoms.

Estimated daily quercetin intake and association with the prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus in Chinese adults.

PURPOSE: Quercetin is one of potential antidiabetic substances because of its powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory actions. The purpose of this study is to estimate daily quercetin intake and assess the relationship between dietary quercetin intake and the prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in a Chinese population. METHODS: Dietary intake was investigated by a validated 100-item food frequency questionnaire. Daily intakes of quercetin and nutrients were calculated accordingly. T2DM was diagnosed based on the criteria of the American Diabetes Association. Adjusted logistic regression models were used to analyze the relationship between the quartiles of quercetin intake and the prevalence of T2DM. RESULTS: The prevalences of T2DM were 8.35% in men and 4.68% in women. The main food sources of quercetin were apple, orange, and green tea. Daily intake of quercetin was 20.9 ± 2.32 mg/day (mean ± SD). After adjusting for potentially confounding factors, the odds ratios (95% CI) for T2DM across the ascending quartiles of quercetin intake were: 1.00 (reference), 0.75 (0.60-0.95), 0.76 (0.59-0.99), and 0.63 (0.51-0.94). CONCLUSIONS: The results of the present study showed that quercetin intake was inversely related to the prevalence of T2DM in the Chinese population, suggesting a protective effect of quercetin in the development of T2DM.

The relationship between red blood cell distribution width and atrial fibrillation in Asian population: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Red blood cell distribution width (RDW) was related with increased risk of mortality and adverse cardiovascular outcomes. However, it is uncertain whether RDW is related to the prevalence of atrial fibrillation (AF) in Asian population. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between RDW and AF in a large Chinese population. METHODS: We performed a cross-sectional study to examine the relationship between RDW and AF among 106 998 subjects who were from the Tianjin Chronic Low-grade Systemic Inflammation and Health Cohort Study. AF was diagnosed using electrocardiography, and RDW was measured using an automated hematology analyzer. Multiple logistic regression models were conducted to examine the relation between tertiles of RDW and AF. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of AF was 0.1% (129/106 998). After adjustments for potential confounding factors, the odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) of AF across increasing tertiles of RDW were 1.00 (reference), 1.08 (0.69, 1.67), and 2.65 (1.75, 4.07) (P for trend < .0001), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The study demonstrated that elevated RDW is significantly related to higher prevalence of AF in a general Chinese population. Large prospective studies are needed to confirm this finding.

Antibody recognition by a novel microgel photonic crystal.

In this study, a easy-to-prepare biosensor for the sensitive detection of the antibody (Ab) protein was developed using a novel microgel photonic crystal (MPC). The MPC was fabricated by the spin-coated self-assembly method with the monodisperse Ab-sensitive poly (methyl methacrylate-acrylamide-glutaraldehyde-hapten) (P(MMA-AM-GA-HP)) microgels. Morphology characterization showed that the P(MMA-AM-GA-HP) microgels possessed round shapes and the large specific surface area, and the formed MPC had a highly ordered three dimensional (3D) periodically-ordered structure with the desired structural color. The Ab-response event of the P(MMA-AM-GA-HP) microgels can be directly transferred into a readable optical signal through a change in Bragg reflection of the periodic structure of the MPC. With the sensory system, the sensitive and selective detection of Ab was achieved without labeling techniques and expensive instruments. Therefore, this easy and sensitive detection system has great potential for next generation of the bioassay platform for clinical diagnosis and other applications.

A dietary pattern rich in animal organ, seafood and processed meat products is associated with newly diagnosed hyperuricaemia in Chinese adults: a propensity score-matched case-control study.

Previous studies have indicated that some food items and nutrients are associated with uric acid metabolism in humans. However, little is known about the role of dietary patterns in hyperuricaemia. We designed this case-control study to evaluate the associations between dietary patterns and newly diagnosed hyperuricaemia in Chinese adults. A total of 1422 cases and 1422 controls were generated from 14 538 participants using the 1:1 ratio propensity score matching methods. Dietary intake was assessed using a validated self-administered FFQ. Dietary patterns were derived by factor analysis. Hyperuricaemia was defined as concentrations of serum uric acid higher than 7 mg/dl (416·5 µmol/l) for men and 6 mg/dl (357 µmol/l) for women. Three dietary patterns were derived by factor analysis: sweet pattern; vegetable pattern; animal foods pattern. The animal foods pattern characterised by higher intake of an animal organ, seafood and processed meat products was associated with higher prevalence of newly diagnosed hyperuricaemia (P for trend<0·01) after adjustment. Compared with the participants in the lowest quartile of the animal foods pattern, the OR of newly diagnosed hyperuricaemia in the highest quartile was 1·50 (95 % CI 1·20, 1·87). The other two dietary patterns were not associated with the prevalence of newly diagnosed hyperuricaemia after adjustment. In conclusion, a diet rich in animal organ, seafood and processed meat products is associated with higher prevalence of newly diagnosed hyperuricaemia in a Chinese population. Further cohort studies and randomised controlled trials are required to clarify these findings.

Consumption of preserved egg, a high-lead-containing food, is strongly associated with depressive symptoms in Chinese adults.

Previous studies have demonstrated adverse mental health effects of Pb exposure. The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between consumption of preserved egg (PE), a high-Pb-containing food and depressive symptoms among adults in China. A sample of 25 213 adults (mean age 41·4 (sd 11·8) years; males, 53·9 %) in Tianjin, China, was studied in a cross-sectional analysis. Dietary intake including PE was assessed using a valid self-administered FFQ. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS). The association was estimated by OR using logistic regression models adjusted for multiple confounders. The prevalence of elevated depressive symptoms was 6·6 % (SDS≥50). Compared with the least frequent PE consumption (

Increased serum ferritin levels are independently associated with carotid atherosclerosis in women.

Previous studies have supported the theory that there is a positive association between ferritin and carotid atherosclerosis in Western people. Diet plays an important role in determining serum ferritin concentration. Asian dietary patterns are different from Western dietary patterns, implying that there may be a difference in the association of ferritin with carotid atherosclerosis between Asian and Western people. However, few studies focus on the association between ferritin and carotid atherosclerosis among Asians. The aim of this study was to investigate how serum ferritin levels are associated with carotid atherosclerosis in an Asian adult population. A cross-sectional assessment was performed in 8302 adults in Tianjin, China. Carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and plaques were assessed using ultrasonography, and serum ferritin was measured using the protein chip-chemiluminescence method. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to examine the association between quartiles of serum ferritin concentration and carotid atherosclerosis. In the present study, the overall prevalence of IMT and carotid plaques in participants is 29·2 and 22·7 %, respectively. In women, after adjustments for potentially confounding factors, the OR of IMT and carotid plaques by increasing serum ferritin quartiles were 1·00, 1·39 (95 % CI 0·98-1·99), 1·39 (95 % CI 0·99-1·97), 1·81 (95 % CI 1·30-2·55) (P for trend<0·001) and 1·00, 1·24 (95 % CI 0·89-1·73), 1·18 (95 % CI 0·85-1·65), 1·59 (95 % CI 1·15-2·20) (P for trend<0·01), respectively. However, no association was found between serum ferritin and carotid atherosclerosis in men. The study demonstrated that increased serum ferritin levels are independently associated with IMT and carotid plaques in Asian women but not in Asian men.

Dietary patterns are associated with depressive symptoms among Chinese adults: a case-control study with propensity score matching.

PURPOSE: Previous studies have indicated that consumption of particular foods or nutrients is associated with depressive symptoms, but little is known about the role of overall dietary patterns in depressive symptoms. We design this case-control study to evaluate the associations between dietary patterns and high depression symptoms in Chinese adults. METHODS: A total of 1351 participants with high depressive symptoms were matched with 1351 controls using the 1:1 ratio propensity score matching method. Dietary intake was assessed using a valid self-administered food frequency questionnaire, and high depressive symptoms were assessed with the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale, wherein cutoff point of 45 was used as a definition of high depressive symptoms. RESULTS: Exploratory factor analysis revealed three dietary patterns (vegetables and fruits pattern; sweets pattern; and animal foods pattern) explaining 25.1 % of the total variance. Compared with the participants in the lowest quartile, the participants in the highest quartile of vegetables and fruits pattern, which was defined as a healthy pattern, were associated with reduced odds of high depressive symptoms (OR 0.65, 95 % CI 0.52-0.83, P for trend <0.001) while the sweets pattern (OR 1.33, 95 % CI 1.06-1.66) and the animal foods pattern (OR 1.79, 95 % CI 1.43-2.24, P for trend <0.0001) were associated with increased prevalence of high depressive symptoms, respectively. CONCLUSION: The present study adds to the evidence that the sweets pattern and animal foods pattern are positively associated with the prevalence of high depressive symptoms. In contrast, the dietary pattern rich in vegetables, fruits, and soya bean products, but low in animal foods, candied fruits, cakes, ice cream, sugared beverages, and alcoholic drinks is negatively associated with the prevalence of high depressive symptoms.

An imprinted crystalline colloidal array chemical-sensing material for detection of trace diethylstilbestrol.

Based on a combination of the molecular imprinting technique and polymerized crystalline colloidal array, we have developed an imprinted crystalline colloidal array (ICCA) chemical-sensing material for the real-time and label-free detection of diethylstilbestrol (DES) in aqueous solution. This novel sensing material was prepared by a noncovalent and self-assembly approach using liquid monodispersed DES-imprinted colloidal spheres and was characterized by a three-dimensional (3D) ordered opal structure in which numerous nanocavities were derived from DES imprinting. Thus, the inherent high affinity of the nanocavities allowed ICCA to recognize DES with high specificity, and changes of the ordered periodic structure enabled ICCA to transfer the recognition events into readable optical signals (label-free). Owing to the special opal structure and without interference from the bulk hydrogel film, the ICCA enabled the rapid and sensitive detection of the target analyte. The understanding of the recognizing response has also been advanced by using molecular modeling software to compute rational interaction between the template molecules and the function monomers. After careful optimization of the assay conditions, the ICCA could decrease its diffraction intensity within just 7 min according to the DES concentration from 2 ng mL(-1) to 8.192 µg mL(-1), whereas there were no obvious diffraction intensity changes for the DES analogues. The adsorption results showed that the homogenous structure and large surface area of ICCA could improve its adsorption capacity. Therefore, such a sensing material with high selectivity, high sensitivity, high stability, and easy operation might offer an attractive alternative for establishing optical sensors for the rapid real-time monitoring of different residues in food and the environment.

Dual-QDs ratios fluorescent probe for sensitive and stable detection of insulin.

In this work, immune modified graphene quantum dot (GQD) and semiconductor quantum dot (SQD) with blue and red emission respectively were synthesized to assemble a dual-QDs ratios fluorescent probe, which could be efficient used for insulin determination. There may be the dynamic equilibrium of förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) and aggregation-induced emission (AIE) in the internal of the probe, thus emitted special dual fluorescent lights. However, this sate of probe was cleaved upon exposure to target insulin, resulting in changing of the dual fluorescent lights. The resulting ratios response can be correlated quantitatively to the concentration of insulin, and was found to have a detection limit (as low as 0.045 ng mL-1) and rapid response time (as short as 5 min). It has been preliminarily used for ratiometric sensing of insulin in biological samples and exhibited consistency of the insulin detected results and higher stability compared with conventional ELISA. Therefore, this sensitive, rapid and stable detection system has great potential for next generation of the bioassay platform for clinical diagnosis and other applications.

Higher plain water intake is related to lower newly diagnosed nonalcoholic fatty liver disease risk: a population-based study.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: High plain water intake (PWI) lowered body weight, reduced total energy intake, and increased fat oxidation and energy consumption. Because such factors are closely linked to metabolic disorders, which are the main risk factors for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) onset, it was speculated that higher PWI was associated with a lower risk of NAFLD. However, no prior human studies have examined such relationship. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between PWI and newly diagnosed NAFLD in a large-scale adult population. SUBJECTS/METHODS: A total of 16,434 participants from 2010 to 2019 in Tianjin, China, were included in this cross-sectional study. PWI was assessed by using a validated self-administered food frequency questionnaire, and it was categorized into three subgroups for analysis: ≤3 cups/day, 4-7 cups/day, and >7 cups/day. NAFLD was diagnosed by abdominal ultrasound. Logistic regression analysis was used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the relationship between PWI and NAFLD. RESULTS: Among 16,434 participants, 20.5% (3,364) had newly diagnosed NAFLD. After controlling for demographic characteristics, lifestyle risk factors, and dietary intake, the adjusted ORs (95% CIs) for having NAFLD across PWI categories were 1.00 (reference) for ≤3 cups/day, 0.84 (0.72, 0.97) for 4-7 cups/day, and 0.77 (0.63, 0.94) for >7 cups/day in males and 1.00 (reference) for ≤3 cups/day, 1.02 (0.81, 1.27) for 4-7 cups/day, and 1.08 (0.78, 1.49) for >7 cups/day in females, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This study is the first to show that higher PWI is independently related to lower newly diagnosed NAFLD among males, but not females. Further studies are needed to explore the causal relationship.

Association between habitual yogurt consumption and newly diagnosed non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Many studies have suggested that probiotics may be applied as a therapeutic agent for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, the effects of frequent yogurt consumption (as a natural probiotic source) on NAFLD remain poorly understood. This study was to examine the association of habitual yogurt consumption with newly diagnosed NAFLD in the general adult population. SUBJECT/METHODS: Overall, 24,389 adults were included in this cross-sectional study. Yogurt consumption was estimated by using a validated self-administered food frequency questionnaire. NAFLD was diagnosed by abdominal ultrasonography. We used logistic regression models to assess the association between yogurt consumption categories and newly diagnosed NAFLD. RESULTS: The multivariable odds ratios with 95% confidence interval of newly diagnosed NAFLD were 1.00 (0.88, 1.14) for 1 time/week, 0.91 (0.81, 1.02) for 2-3 times/week, and 0.86 (0.76, 0.98) for ≥4 times/week (P for trend = 0.01), compared with those who consumed <1 time/week yogurt. The inverse association was observed in a sensitivity analysis. CONCLUSION: Higher yogurt consumption was inversely associated with the prevalence of newly diagnosed NAFLD. These results are needed to be confirmed in randomized controlled trials or prospective studies.

[Construction of the dioxin bioassay method based on the clonal expressed aryl hydrocarbon receptor system].

OBJECTIVE: To study the specific binding of the artificial clonal aryl hydrocarbon receptor translocator (ARNT) with the natural aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) and the recolonization by polyclonal antibody. The dose-response relationship with tetrachlo-rodibenzo-dioxin (TCDD) was also studied to develop TCDD detection method and the binding degree related to dose response. METHODS: (1) The target genes including AhR-PAS, AhR-C and ARNT-PAS were amplified by RT-PCR by using the total RNA purified from the liver cells of C57BL/6J mice as templates to construct pGEX-5X1 recombinants. The recombinant plasmids were expressed in E. coli. (2) The rabbits were immuned by the clonal fusion proteins: AhR-PAS, AhR-C to prepare the polyclonal antibody. (3) The natural AhR from the hepatic cytosol of C57BL/6J mice was extracted. The artificial cloning expressed fusion protein:GST-ARNT-PAS and the natural AhR were incubated in different dose of TCDD. The quantity of the heterodimer through affinity adsorption and Western blots were measured. RESULTS: (1) The target proteins including AhR-PAS, AhR-C and ARNT-PAS were successfully cloned and expressed in E. coli. (2) The detection limit of polyclonal antibody AhR-PAS and AhR-C were 5 ng and 1 ng, respectively. (3) The total protein concentration prepared from the liver cells was 60.5 mg/ml. The artificial clonal protein ARNT-PAS could specifically bind to the natural AhR complex with the existence of TCDD. The detection limit of TCDD was 0.25 pmol which was 80 pg approximately. CONCLUSION: A TCDD detection method based on the aryl hydrocarbon receptor system was established and the detection limit might reach pg grade.