Association between use of vitamin and mineral supplement and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in hypertensive adults.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common hepatic metabolic disorder in hypertensive adults. Impaired metabolism of micronutrients may increase NAFLD risk by exacerbating oxidative stress, insulin resistance, and inflammation among hypertensive adults. In this first cross-sectional analysis of 7,376 hypertensive adults with 2,015 NAFLD cases in the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, vitamin and mineral supplements (VMS) use was identified via questionnaire. NAFLD was defined by a hepatic steatosis index > 36. Multivariable-adjusted odds ratios (MVOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using logistic regression models. In our study, 18.6% were current users of VMS; of these, 76.7% used multi-vitamin/mineral supplements. Current VMS users had significantly lower odds of NAFLD, compared with non-users (MVOR [95% CI]: 0.73 [0.58-0.92]). The inverse association became attenuated and non-significant among those consuming VMS at higher frequency (≥ 2 times/day), for longer duration (> 16 months), and taking ≥ 2 VMS products. The inverse association with current use of VMS was only evident in those aged < 56 years (MVOR [95% CI]: 0.54 [0.40-0.72]) and men (MVOR [95% CI]: 0.56 [0.40-0.80])(Pinteraction ≤ 0.04). Our results suggest that VMS use may lower NAFLD risk, particularly among younger or male hypertensive adults, if taken in moderation.

Assessing the potential of red mud and dehydrated mineral mud mixtures as soil matrix for revegetation.

The disposal of red mud (RM) and dehydrated mineral mud (DM) presents a significant challenge for the global alumina industry. This study proposes a novel disposal method for RM and DM, which uses mixtures of RM and DM as a soil matrix for revegetation in the mining area. RM mixed with DM effectively alleviated its salinity and alkalinity. X-ray diffraction analysis indicated that reduction of salinity and alkalinity may be due to the release of chemical alkali from sodalite and cancrinite. Applications of ferric chloride (FeCl3), gypsum, and organic fertilizer (OF) improved the physicochemical properties of the RM-DM mixtures. FeCl3 significantly reduced available Cd, As, Cr, and Pb content in the RM-DM, while OF significantly increased the cation exchange capacity, microbial carbon and nitrogen, and aggregate stability (p < 0.05). Micro-computed tomography and nuclear magnetic resonance analysis showed that amendment with OF and FeCl3 increased the porosity, pore diameter, and hydraulic conductivity in the RM-DM mixture. The RM-DM mixtures had low leaching of toxic elements, indicating low environmental risk. Ryegrass grew well in the RM-DM mixture at a ratio of 1:3. OF and FeCl3 significantly increased the ryegrass biomass (p < 0.05). These results suggested that RM-DM amended with OF and FeCl3 has a potential application in the revegetation of areas after bauxite mining.

Calcium Intake and Lung Cancer Risk: A Pooled Analysis of 12 Prospective Cohort Studies.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies on calcium intake and lung cancer risk reported inconsistent associations, possibly due to the differences in intake amounts and contributing sources of calcium and smoking prevalence. OBJECTIVES: We investigated the associations of lung cancer risk with intake of calcium from foods and/or supplements and major calcium-rich foods in 12 studies. METHODS: Data from 12 prospective cohort studies conducted in the United States, Europe, and Asia were pooled and harmonized. We applied the DRI to categorize calcium intake based on the recommendations and quintile distribution to categorize calcium-rich food intake. We ran multivariable Cox regression by each cohort and pooled risk estimates to compute overall HR (95% CI). RESULTS: Among 1,624,244 adult men and women, 21,513 incident lung cancer cases were ascertained during a mean follow-up of 9.9 y. Overall, the dietary calcium intake was not significantly associated with lung cancer risk; the HRs (95% CI) were 1.08 (0.98-1.18) for higher (>1.5 RDA) and 1.01 (0.95-1.07) for lower intake (<0.5 RDA) comparing with recommended intake (EAR to RDA). Milk and soy food intake were positively or inversely associated with lung cancer risk [HR (95% CI) = 1.07 (1.02-1.12) and 0.92 (0.84-1.00)], respectively. The positive association with milk intake was significant only in European and North American studies (P-interaction for region = 0.04). No significant association was observed for calcium supplements. CONCLUSIONS: In this largest prospective investigation, overall, calcium intake was not associated with risk of lung cancer, but milk intake was associated with a higher risk. Our findings underscore the importance of considering food sources of calcium in studies of calcium intake.

The effect of progesterone supplementation for luteal phase support in natural cycle frozen embryo transfer: a systematic review and meta-analysis based on randomized controlled trials.

IMPORTANCE: The necessity of progesterone supplementation for luteal phase support (LPS) in natural cycle frozen embryo transfer (NC-FET) cycles warrants further confirmation. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of progesterone supplementation for LPS on the reproductive outcomes of patients undergoing NC-FET cycles. DATA SOURCES: The PubMed, Ovid-Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, and CBM were electronically searched. The search time frame was from inception up to September 2022. STUDY SELECTION AND SYNTHESIS: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that used progesterone for LPS in NC-FET cycles, including true NC-FET cycles (tNC-FET) and modified NC-FET cycles (mNC-FET), were included. The counted data were analyzed using relative risk (RR) as the effect-size statistic, and each effect size was assigned its 95% confidence interval (CI). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcomes were the live birth rate (LBR) and the clinical pregnancy rate (CPR), and the secondary outcome was the miscarriage rate. RESULTS: Four RCTs were included, which involved 1116 participants. The results of the meta-analysis showed that progesterone supplementation was associated with increased LBR (RR, 1.42; 95% CI, 1.15-1.75; I2 = 0%, moderate-quality evidence) and CPR (RR, 1.30, 95% CI, 1.07-1.57; I2 = 0%, moderate-quality evidence) in patients undergoing NC-FET cycles. Subgroup analysis showed that progesterone supplementation was associated with higher LBR and CPR in tNC-FET cycles. However, no association was found between increased LBR and CPR in mNC-FET cycles. In addition, only one RCT reported that oral dydrogesterone had similar CPR and miscarriage rate compared with vaginal progesterone in mNC-FET cycles. CONCLUSION(S): Overall, moderate-quality evidence suggested that progesterone supplementation for LPS was associated with increased LBR and CPR in NC-FET cycles. Progesterone supplementation was associated with a higher LBR and CPR in tNC-FET cycles. However, the effectiveness of progesterone supplementation in mNC-FET cycles should be further verified by larger RCTs. Low to very low-quality evidence indicated that oral dydrogesterone and vaginal progesterone have similar reproductive outcomes in mNC-FET cycles, which requires further study, especially in tNC-FET cycles. REGISTRATION NUMBER: PROSPERO CRD42022355550 (https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=355550) was registered on September 3, 2022.

Efficacy of Pretreatment with Lycium barbarum Polysaccharide in Various Doses in Influencing Splenic Immunity and Prognosis of Sepsis in Rats.

Objective: Sepsis, showing high mortality, is a lethal dysfunction of organs caused by an infection-induced disorder in the host response. It has complicated pathogenesis, which has not yet been elucidated completely. Recently, the principal factors causing pathogenesis and even death in sepsis patients are imbalance in inflammatory response and immunosuppression occurring when the host is challenged by infection. Previous studies found that Lycium barbarum polysaccharide (LBP) worked well in enhancing immunity. This study aims at exploring the efficacy of pretreatment with LPB in regulating splenic immunity during the pathogenesis of sepsis induced by cecum ligation perforation (CLP) in rats. Methods: This research established the cecum ligation perforation rat model. Using immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry, the effects of Lycium barbarum polysaccharide in various doses in influencing splenic immunity and prognosis of sepsis induced by cecum ligation perforation in rats were examined. Results: This study showed that LBP lowered the 72-hour mortality of sepsis rats induced by CLP, relieved systemic inflammation, improved the ratio of T-cell subgroups positive in CD3+, CD4+, or CD8+ and expression of HLA-DR protein, and repaired damage to splenic tissue, implying its efficacy in enhancing the immunity of sepsis rats induced by CLP. Conclusions: LBP may ameliorate clinical symptoms of rats with cecum ligation perforation, improve cellular immunity in the spleen, and treat sepsis so as to provide a theoretical basis for the pathogenesis and development of sepsis as well as its diagnosis and treatment, and offer scientific proof for the development and utilization of LBP applied to critical diseases.

The role of dietary factors in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease to hepatocellular carcinoma progression: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Dietary factors play an important role in promoting nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development through regulation of metabolism and inflammation. However, so far there was no evidence regarding how dietary factors may influence different disease outcomes in the NAFLD to HCC progression. Our study aimed to comprehensively evaluate the role of dietary factors on the risk of progression from NAFLD to HCC. METHODS: A comprehensive literature research was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science and Embase databases to identify case-control and cohort studies published up to March 15, 2022 in English. We included studies investigating associations of food and beverage items (excluding alcohol), food groups, dietary patterns, and dietary habits with incidence risk of four main chronic liver diseases involved in the NAFLD-to-HCC progression (i.e., NAFLD, liver fibrosis, liver cirrhosis, and HCC). Three researchers independently performed the literature search, selected eligible articles, performed data abstraction and evaluated study quality. After evaluating adequacy and credibility of the associations reported for each dietary factor and each liver disease outcome, we summarized and evaluated the consistency of associations based on a priori determined criteria considering study design and the proportion of significant associations. RESULTS: There were 109 studies included in this review (47 on NAFLD, 1 on liver fibrosis, 6 on liver cirrhosis, and 55 on HCC). Consistent evidence suggested that higher dietary inflammatory potential was associated with increased risk of both NAFLD and HCC whereas Mediterranean diet was associated with lower risk of both diseases. Additionally, greater conformity to the Healthy Eating Index, Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension score, and Mediterranean Diet Score, and dietary patterns with high dietary antioxidant capacity reduced NAFLD risk. Some specific foods including soft drinks and red and/or processed meat were associated with increased NAFLD risk while total vegetables and spinach were associated with reduced NAFLD risk. Coffee and white meat consumption were inversely related to HCC risk. CONCLUSIONS: Dietary patterns or individual foods representing a more anti-inflammatory potential were associated with reduced risk of both NAFLD and HCC, which implied diet-induced inflammation may impact NAFLD progression towards HCC.

Coffee Intake of Colorectal Cancer Patients and Prognosis According to Histopathologic Lymphocytic Reaction and T-Cell Infiltrates.

Given previous biologic evidence of immunomodulatory effects of coffee, we hypothesized that the association between coffee intake of colorectal cancer patients and survival differs by immune responses. Using a molecular pathologic epidemiology database of 4465 incident colorectal cancer cases, including 1262 cases with molecular data, in the Nurses' Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study, we examined the association between coffee intake of colorectal cancer patients and survival in strata of levels of histopathologic lymphocytic reaction and T-cell infiltrates in tumor tissue. We did not observe a significant association of coffee intake with colorectal cancer-specific mortality (multivariable-adjusted hazard ratio [HR] for 1-cup increase of coffee intake per day, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.84 to 1.03). Although statistical significance was not reached at the stringent level (α=.005), the association of coffee intake with colorectal cancer-specific mortality differed by Crohn disease-like lymphoid reaction (Pinteraction=.007). Coffee intake was associated with lower colorectal cancer-specific mortality in patients with high Crohn disease-like reaction (multivariable HR for 1-cup increase of coffee intake per day, 0.55; 95% CI, 0.37 to 0.81; Ptrend=.002) but not in patients with intermediate Crohn disease-like reaction (the corresponding HR, 1.02; 95% CI, 0.72 to 1.44) or negative/low Crohn disease-like reaction (the corresponding HR, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.83 to 1.07). The associations of coffee intake with colorectal cancer-specific mortality did not significantly differ by levels of other lymphocytic reaction or any T-cell subset (Pinteraction>.18). There is suggestive evidence for differential prognostic effects of coffee intake by Crohn disease-like lymphoid reaction in colorectal cancer.

Association of folate intake and colorectal cancer risk in the postfortification era in US women.

BACKGROUND: Folate may play a preventive role in the early stages of colorectal carcinogenesis, but long latencies may be needed to observe a reduction in colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence. In addition, concerns have been raised about the potential for cancer promotion with excessive folate intake, especially after the mandatory folic acid fortification in the United States in 1998. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to examine the association between folate intake in different chemical forms and CRC risk, especially in the postfortification era in the United States. DESIGN: We prospectively followed 86,320 women from the Nurses' Health Study (1980-2016). Folate intake was collected by validated food frequency questionnaires. CRC was self reported and confirmed by review of medical records. The association between the folate intake and CRC risk was assessed using Cox proportional hazards regression. RESULTS: We documented 1988 incident CRC cases during follow-up. Analyzing folate intake as a continuous variable, greater total folate intake 12-24 y before diagnosis was associated with lower risk of CRC (per increment of 400 dietary folate equivalents (DFE)/d, HR: 0.93, 95% CI: 0.85, 1.01 for 12-16 y; HR: 0.83, 95% CI: 0.75, 0.92 for 16-20 y; and HR: 0.87, 95% CI: 0.77, 0.99 for 20-24 y); and greater synthetic folic acid intake 16-24 y before diagnosis was also associated with a lower CRC risk (per increment of 400 DFE/d, HR: 0.91, 95% CI: 0.84, 0.99 for 16-20 y and HR: 0.91, 95% CI: 0.83-1.01 for 20-24 y). In the postfortification period (1998-2016), intake of total or specific forms of folate was not associated with CRC risk, even among multivitamin users. CONCLUSIONS: Folate intake, both total and from synthetic forms, was associated with a lower risk of overall CRC after long latency periods. There was no evidence that high folate intake in the postfortification period was related to increased CRC risk in this US female population.

Effect of chromium supplementation on hs-CRP, TNF-α and IL-6 as risk factor for cardiovascular diseases: A meta-analysis of randomized-controlled trials.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this systematic review is to assess the relationship between chromium supplementation and inflammatory biomarkers levels (hs-CRP, TNF-α, IL-6) as risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. Recent studies raise questions regarding the potential of chromium supplementation to decrease the blood-levels of inflammatory markers, lowering cellular oxidative stress as markers of myocardial infarction; however, the results of the researches are inconclusive. METHODS: The following databases including PubMed, Scopus, Cochran Library and Embase databases were systematically searched until April 2020. Analysis was performed using random-effect model. RESULTS: The pooled findings for biomarkers of inflammation showed that chromium supplementation significantly reduced serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) (WMD: -0.87 mg/dL, 95% CI: -1.49, -0.26), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) (WMD: -0.97 pg/ml; 95% CI: -1.92, -0.01) and chromium insignificantly reduced interleukin -6 (IL-6) (WMD: -0.45 pg/ml, 95% CI: -1.18, 0.29). CONCLUSION: Overall, the results of this systematic review and meta-analysis imply that chromium supplementation may help to improve biomarkers of inflammation as markers of myocardial infarction.

Glucosamine and Chondroitin Use in Relation to C-Reactive Protein Concentration: Results by Supplement Form, Formulation, and Dose.

Objectives: Glucosamine and chondroitin supplements have been associated with reduced inflammation, as measured by C-reactive protein (CRP). It is unclear if associations vary by formulation (glucosamine alone vs. glucosamine+chondroitin), form (glucosamine hydrochloride vs. glucosamine sulfate), or dose. Design, Subjects, Setting, Location: The authors evaluated these questions using cross-sectional data collected between 1999 and 2010 on 21,917 US adults, surveyed as part of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Exposures: Glucosamine and chondroitin use was assessed during an in-home interview; exposures include supplement formulation, form, and dose. Outcome/Analysis: CRP was measured using blood collected at interview. Survey-weighted linear regression was used to evaluate the multivariable-adjusted association between exposures and log-transformed CRP. Results: In early years (1999-2004), use of glucosamine (ratio = 0.87; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.79-0.96) and chondroitin (ratio = 0.83; 95% CI = 0.72-0.95) was associated with reduced CRP. However, associations significantly varied by calendar time (p-interaction = 0.04 and p-interaction = 0.01, respectively), with associations nonsignificant in later years (ratio = 1.09; 95% CI = 0.94-1.28 and ratio = 1.16; 95% CI = 0.99-1.35, respectively). Consequently, all analyses have been stratified by calendar time. Associations did not significantly differ by formulation in either set of years; however, significant associations were observed for combined use of glucosamine+chondroitin (ratioearly = 0.82; 95% CI = 0.72-0.95; ratiolate = 1.16; 1.00-1.35), but not glucosamine alone. Associations also did not significantly differ by supplement form. Even so, a significant inverse association was observed only for glucosamine sulfate in the early years (ratio = 0.78; 95% CI = 0.64-0.95); no significant association was observed for glucosamine hydrochloride. No significant trends were observed by dose. Conclusions: Although a significant inverse association was observed for glucosamine and chondroitin and CRP in early years, this association did not hold in later years. This pattern held for combined use of glucosamine+chondroitin as well as glucosamine sulfate, although associations did not significantly vary by supplement form, formulation, or dose. Further study is needed to better understand these associations in the context of calendar time.

Curcusone C induces apoptosis in endometrial cancer cells via mitochondria-dependent apoptotic and ERK pathway.

OBJECTIVE: Jatropha curcashas been used in traditional medicine in Africa to treat cancer for thousands of years. This study aimed to examine the anti-endometrial cancer effect of Curcusone C, a naturally occurring rhamnofolane diterpene, isolated from J. curcas and reveal its molecular mechanism of action. RESULTS: Curcusone C treatment caused significant anti-proliferative and apoptotic effects in human endometrial cancer (EC) Ishikawa and HEC-1A cells in a dose-dependent manner. Exposure of EC cells to Curcusone C resulted in apoptosis, which was associated with cytochrome c release, caspase-3 and caspase-9 activation, Bcl-xL/Bax dysregulation, and decreased expression of inhibitors of apoptosis proteins, such as XIAP and survivin. The inhibitory effect induced by Curcusone C was greatly impaired by the overexpression of survivin or Bax-/- MEFs or the knockdown of Bim expression. Moreover, Curcusone C activated mitogen-activated protein kinases, and the ERK inhibitor U0126 significantly attenuated the growth-inhibitory and apoptotic effects of Curcusone C in Ishikawa cells. CONCLUSION: Taken together, the results demonstrate the anti-endometrial cancer potential of Curcusone C for the treatment of endometrial cancer.

Glucosamine and Chondroitin Supplements and Risk of Colorectal Adenoma and Serrated Polyp.

BACKGROUND: Studies have shown an inverse association between use of glucosamine and chondroitin supplements and colorectal cancer risk. However, the association with the precursor lesion, colorectal adenoma and serrated polyp, has not been examined. METHODS: Analyses include 43,163 persons from the Nurses' Health Study (NHS), Health Professionals Follow-up Study (HPFS), and NHS2 who reported on glucosamine/chondroitin use in 2002 and who subsequently underwent ≥1 lower gastrointestinal endoscopy. By 2012, 5,715 conventional (2,016 high-risk) adenomas were detected, as were 4,954 serrated polyps. Multivariable logistic regression for clustered data was used to calculate OR and 95% confidence intervals (CI). RESULTS: Glucosamine/chondroitin use was inversely associated with high risk and any conventional adenoma in NHS and HPFS: in the pooled multivariable-adjusted model, glucosamine + chondroitin use at baseline was associated with a 26% (OR = 0.74; 95% CI, 0.60-0.90; P heterogeneity = 0.23) and a 10% (OR = 0.90; 95% CI, 0.81-0.99; P heterogeneity = 0.36) lower risk of high-risk adenoma and overall conventional adenoma, respectively. However, no association was observed in NHS2, a study of younger women (high-risk adenoma: OR = 1.09; 95% CI, 0.82-1.45; overall conventional adenoma: OR = 1.00; 95% CI, 0.86-1.17), and effect estimates pooled across all three studies were not significant (high-risk: OR = 0.83; 95% CI, 0.63-1.10; P heterogeneity = 0.03; overall conventional adenoma: OR = 0.93; 95% CI, 0.85-1.02; P heterogeneity = 0.31). No associations were observed for serrated polyps. CONCLUSIONS: Glucosamine/chondroitin use was associated with lower risks of high-risk and overall conventional adenoma in older adults; however, this association did not hold in younger women, or for serrated polyps. IMPACT: Our study suggests that glucosamine and chondroitin may act on early colorectal carcinogenesis in older adults.

Effects of phosphorous fertilizers on growth, Cu phytoextraction and tolerance of Leersia hexandra swartz under different Cu stress levels.

In this study, the effects of Ca(H2PO4)2, KH2PO4 and (NH4)2HPO4 on growth, Cu phytoextraction and tolerance of Leersia hexandra swartz (L. hexandra) under different Cu stress levels were investigated. The results showed that KH2PO4 could most significantly increase the plant height of L. hexandra (p < 0.05), while (NH4)2HPO4 had the most significant promoting effect on its biomass (p < 0.05) by enhancing photosynthesis (chlorophyll content) (p < 0.01). The application of Ca(H2PO4)2 could most significantly improve the Cu contents in roots, stems and leaves of L. hexandra (p < 0.05). In addition, (NH4)2HPO4 could enhance the tolerance of L. hexandra to Cu by obviously reducing the content of MDA and increasing the contents of SP and MTs (p < 0.05), while Ca(H2PO4)2 could evidently improve the activity of antioxidant enzymes (SOD, POD, CAT and APX) to reduce the damage of Cu to L. hexandra (p < 0.05). Although KH2PO4 could increase the contents of SP and MTs, the L. hexandra in KH2PO4 treatment groups had the highest MDA contents, which was unfavorable to the resistance to Cu stress. These suggested that the application in combination of Ca(H2PO4)2 and (NH4)2HPO4 may be more advantageous for Cu phytoextraction by L. hexandra.

Type 2 Diabetes Prevention Diet and Hepatocellular Carcinoma Risk in US Men and Women.

OBJECTIVES: Adherence to a healthy diet has been associated with a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D). Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) may have overlapping mechanisms with T2D, such as inflammation and insulin resistance. Thus, we examined the association between a previously developed T2D prevention dietary pattern and HCC risk. METHODS: We followed 87,943 women in the Nurses' Health Study and 49,665 men in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study for up to 32 years. The dietary diabetes risk reduction score, which includes dietary glycemic index, cereal fiber, ratio of polyunsaturated to saturated fats, trans fat, sugar-sweetened beverages, nuts, coffee, and red and processed meats, was obtained using validated food frequency questionnaires and updated every 4 years. The Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to calculate multivariable hazard ratios and confidence intervals (95% CIs). RESULTS: During over 1.9 million person-years, a total of 160 incident HCC cases were identified. The dietary diabetes risk reduction score was associated with a lower risk of HCC (top vs bottom quartile; hazard ratio: 0.57, 95% CI: 0.34-0.95; Ptrend = 0.03). All the individual food and beverage items were associated with the risk of HCC in the expected direction, although the association was weaker than the overall dietary pattern. DISCUSSION: Greater adherence to the T2D prevention diet was associated with a lower risk of developing HCC among US men and women. Further studies are needed to confirm and extend our findings.

The association between calcium supplement and preeclampsia and gestational hypertension: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study is to investigate whether calcium supplement with or without other drugs could reduce the risk of preeclampsia and gestational hypertension based on existed evidence, and to clarify whether there is discrepant effect among different population and using different dose. METHODS: PubMed, Cochrane library, and EMBASE database were searched. Two authors independently screened all records and extracted data. The meta-analysis was performed to calculate risk ratios and 95% CIs using random-effects models. RESULTS: 27 studies, with 28 492 pregnant women were included. The results showed calcium supplement was associated with lower incidence of preeclampsia (RR 0.51, 95% CI: 0.40 to 0.64) and gestational hypertension (RR 0.70, 95% CI: 0.60 to 0.82). Sub-analyses revealed high-dose (1.2-2 g/day), moderate-dose (0.6-1.2 g/day), and low-dose (<0.6 g/day) of calcium supplement could reduce the risk of preeclampsia. For gestational hypertension, only high dose and moderate dose groups were associated with reducing the risk of gestational hypertension. However, we could draw a conclusion which does group was the most protective, as we were unable to directly compare the effects of different doses. CONCLUSIONS: This study indicated calcium supplementation might decrease the risk of preeclampsia and gestational hypertension. And results of subgroups analyses enhanced our confidence to the protective effect of calcium supplementation. However, further studies with direct comparison of different dose of calcium supplementation are needed to explore the ideal dose of calcium supplementation to prevent preeclampsia and gestational hypertension.

Is high vitamin B12 status a cause of lung cancer?

Vitamin B supplementation can have side effects for human health, including cancer risk. We aimed to elucidate the role of vitamin B12 in lung cancer etiology via direct measurements of pre-diagnostic circulating vitamin B12 concentrations in a nested case-control study, complemented with a Mendelian randomization (MR) approach in an independent case-control sample. We used pre-diagnostic biomarker data from 5183 case-control pairs nested within 20 prospective cohorts, and genetic data from 29,266 cases and 56,450 controls. Exposures included directly measured circulating vitamin B12 in pre-diagnostic blood samples from the nested case-control study, and 8 single nucleotide polymorphisms associated with vitamin B12 concentrations in the MR study. Our main outcome of interest was increased risk for lung cancer, overall and by histological subtype, per increase in circulating vitamin B12 concentrations. We found circulating vitamin B12 to be positively associated with overall lung cancer risk in a dose response fashion (odds ratio for a doubling in B12 [ORlog2B12 ] = 1.15, 95% confidence interval (95%CI) = 1.06-1.25). The MR analysis based on 8 genetic variants also indicated that genetically determined higher vitamin B12 concentrations were positively associated with overall lung cancer risk (OR per 150 pmol/L standard deviation increase in B12 [ORSD ] = 1.08, 95%CI = 1.00-1.16). Considering the consistency of these two independent and complementary analyses, these findings support the hypothesis that high vitamin B12 status increases the risk of lung cancer.

Calcium Intake and Survival after Colorectal Cancer Diagnosis.

PURPOSE: Although evidence suggests an inverse association between calcium intake and colorectal cancer incidence, the influence of calcium on survival after colorectal cancer diagnosis remains unclear.Experimental Design: We prospectively assessed the association of postdiagnostic calcium intake with colorectal cancer-specific and overall mortality among 1,660 nonmetastatic colorectal cancer patients within the Nurses' Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. Patients completed a validated food frequency questionnaire between 6 months and 4 years after diagnosis and were followed up for death. Multivariable hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated using Cox proportional hazards regression. RESULTS: Comparing the highest with the lowest quartile intake of postdiagnostic total calcium, the multivariable HRs were 0.56 (95% CI, 0.32-0.96; P trend = 0.04) for colorectal cancer-specific mortality and 0.80 (95% CI, 0.59-1.09; P trend = 0.11) for all-cause mortality. Postdiagnostic supplemental calcium intake was also inversely associated with colorectal cancer-specific mortality (HR, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.42-1.06; P trend = 0.047) and all-cause mortality (HR, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.54-0.94; P trend = 0.008), although these inverse associations were primarily observed in women. In addition, calcium from diet or dairy sources was associated with lower risk in men. CONCLUSIONS: Higher calcium intake after the diagnosis may be associated with a lower risk of death among patients with colorectal cancer. If confirmed, these findings may provide support for the nutritional recommendations of maintaining sufficient calcium intake among colorectal cancer survivors.

Phosphorus Enhances Cr(VI) Uptake and Accumulation in Leersia hexandra Swartz.

The effects of P supplementation on chromium(VI) uptake by Leersia hexandra Swartz were studied using pot-culture experiment. P-deficiency and zero-P addition controls were included. The Cr(VI) uptake followed Michaelis-Menten kinetics. Compare with the control, the P-supply decreased the Michaelis constant (Km) by 16.9% and the P-deficiency decreased the maximum uptake velocity (Vmax) by 18%, which indicated no inhibition and competition between P and Cr(VI) uptake by L. hexandra. Moreover, there were a synergistic action between P and Cr(VI) suggests that Cr(VI) uptake by the roots of L. hexandra may be an active process. The bioconcentration factor (BCF) and the transport factor (TF') increased with the increase in P supply. The highest BCF was 3.6-folds higher than the control, indicating that the additional P contribute to a higher ability of L. hexandra transporting Cr from root to the aboveground parts.

A microfluidics-based mobility shift assay to identify new inhibitors of ß-secretase for Alzheimer's disease.

The ß-secretase (BACE1) initiates the generation of toxic amyloid-ß peptide (Aß) from amyloid-ß precursor protein (APP), which was widely considered to play a key role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Here, a novel microfluidics-based mobility shift assay (MMSA) was developed, validated, and applied for the screening of BACE1 inhibitors for AD. First, the BACE1 activity assay was established with a new fluorescent peptide substrate (FAM-EVNLDAEF) derived from the Swedish mutant APP, and high-quality ratiometric data were generated in both endpoint and kinetic modes by electrophoretic separation of peptide substrate from the BACE1 cleaved product (FAM-EVNL) before fluorescence quantification. To validate the assay, the inhibition and kinetic parameter values of two known inhibitors (AZD3839 and AZD3293) were evaluated, and the results were in good agreement with those reported by other methods. Finally, the assay was applied to screen for new inhibitors from a 900-compound library in a 384-well format, and one novel hit (IC50 = 26.5 ± 1.5 µM) was identified. Compared with the common fluorescence-based assays, the primary advantage of the direct MMSA was to discover novel BACE1 inhibitors with lower auto-fluorescence interference, and its superb capability for kinetic study. Graphical abstract Microfluidics-based mobility shift assay for BACE1.

Circulating concentrations of biomarkers and metabolites related to vitamin status, one-carbon and the kynurenine pathways in US, Nordic, Asian, and Australian populations.

Background: Circulating concentrations of biomarkers that are related to vitamin status vary by factors such as diet, fortification, and supplement use. Published biomarker concentrations have also been influenced by the variation across laboratories, which complicates a comparison of results from different studies.Objective: We robustly and comprehensively assessed differences in biomarkers that are related to vitamin status across geographic regions.Design: The trial was a cross-sectional study in which we investigated 38 biomarkers that are related to vitamin status and one-carbon and tryptophan metabolism in serum and plasma from 5314 healthy control subjects representing 20 cohorts recruited from the United States, Nordic countries, Asia, and Australia, participating in the Lung Cancer Cohort Consortium. All samples were analyzed in a centralized laboratory.Results: Circulating concentrations of riboflavin, pyridoxal 5'-phosphate, folate, vitamin B-12, all-trans retinol, 25-hydroxyvitamin D, and α-tocopherol as well as combined vitamin scores that were based on these nutrients showed that the general B-vitamin concentration was highest in the United States and that the B vitamins and lipid soluble vitamins were low in Asians. Conversely, circulating concentrations of metabolites that are inversely related to B vitamins involved in the one-carbon and kynurenine pathways were high in Asians. The high B-vitamin concentration in the United States appears to be driven mainly by multivitamin-supplement users.Conclusions: The observed differences likely reflect the variation in intake of vitamins and, in particular, the widespread multivitamin-supplement use in the United States. The results provide valuable information about the differences in biomarker concentrations in populations across continents.