Fruit but not vegetable consumption is beneficial for low prevalence of colorectal polyps in a high-risk population: findings from a Chinese Lanxi Pre-colorectal Cancer Cohort study.

PURPOSE: The available evidence regarding the role of fruit and vegetable consumption in the development of colorectal polyps remains inconclusive, and there is a lack of data on different histopathologic features of polyps. We aimed to evaluate the associations of fruit and vegetable consumption with the prevalence of colorectal polyps and its subtypes in a high-risk population in China. METHODS: We included 6783 Chinese participants aged 40-80 years who were at high risk of colorectal cancer (CRC) in the Lanxi Pre-colorectal Cancer Cohort (LP3C). Dietary information was obtained through a validated food-frequency questionnaire (FFQ), and colonoscopy screening was used to detect colorectal polyps. Dose-response associations of fruit and vegetable intake with the prevalence of polyps were calculated using multivariate-adjusted regression models, which was reported as odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS: 2064 cases of colorectal polyps were ascertained in the LP3C during 2018-2019. Upon multivariable adjustments, including the diet quality, fruit consumption was inversely associated with the prevalence of polyps (P trend = 0.02). Participants in the highest tertile of fruit intake had a 25% lower risk (OR: 0.75; 95% CI 0.62‒0.92) compared to non-consumers, while vegetable consumption had no significant association with polyp prevalence (P trend = 0.86). In terms of colorectal histopathology and multiplicity, higher fruit intake was correlated with 24, 23, and 33% lower prevalence of small polyps (OR: 0.76; 95% CI 0.62‒0.94; P trend = 0.05), single polyp (OR: 0.77; 95% CI 0.62‒0.96; P trend = 0.04), and distal colon polyps (OR: 0.67; 95% CI 0.51‒0.87; P trend = 0.003), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Fresh fruit is suggested as a protective factor to prevent colorectal polyps in individuals at high risk of CRC, and should be underscored in dietary recommendations, particularly for high-risk populations.

Radiation Damage Mechanisms and Research Status of Radiation-Resistant Optical Fibers: A Review.

In recent years, optical fibers have found extensive use in special environments, including high-energy radiation scenarios like nuclear explosion diagnostics and reactor monitoring. However, radiation exposure, such as X-rays, gamma rays, and neutrons, can compromise fiber safety and reliability. Consequently, researchers worldwide are focusing on radiation-resistant fiber optic technology. This paper examines optical fiber radiation damage mechanisms, encompassing ionization damage, displacement damage, and defect centers. It also surveys the current research on radiation-resistant fiber optic design, including doping and manufacturing process improvements. Ultimately, it summarizes the effectiveness of various approaches and forecasts the future of radiation-resistant optical fibers.

Dissolution of mixed oxide(MOX) fuel in nitric acid:A review.

The fast neutron reactor is an internationally promising fourth-generation reactor. The main fuel for this reactor is a mixed oxide fuel, and its reprocessing is currently one of the technical challenges being tackled by various countries. One of the difficulties in the reprocessing of mixed oxide (MOX) fuel lies in the nitric acid dissolution process. The high Pu content in MOX fuel can lead to issues such as solvent radiolysis, nuclear criticality, increased insoluble residues, and slow dissolution rates during the nitric acid dissolution process. These challenges have yet to be effectively addressed. This article discusses the chemical aspects of nitric acid dissolution of MOX fuel and investigates the impact of fuel manufacturing processes, the addition of metal catalyst ions, hydrofluoric acid addition, fuel plutonium content, dissolution temperature, and ultrasonic assistance on the nitric acid dissolution of MOX fuel. A review of various countries' engineering practices related to MOX fuel dissolution is presented. Based on the research findings and experiences, a potentially feasible future industrial processing route for MOX fuel is proposed, and future research priorities are outlined.

Association of soy intake and cooking methods with colorectal polyp and adenoma prevalence: findings from the extended Lanxi pre-colorectal cancer cohort (LP3C).

Background: Limited research has explored the association between dietary soy products and colorectal polyps and adenomas, with insufficient attention given to cooking methods and subtypes of polyps. This study aimed to comprehensively assess the relationship between soy intake, its cooking methods, and the risk of colorectal polyps and adenomas within a high-incidence population of colorectal cancer (CRC) in China. Methods: Data were derived from 14,903 participants aged 40-80 years, enrolled in the extended Lanxi Pre-colorectal Cancer Cohort (LP3C) between March 2018 and December 2022. This cross-sectional study is based on the participants' baseline information. Long-term dietary information was collected through a validated food frequency questionnaire (FFQ), and colorectal polyps and adenomas were identified through electronic colonoscopy. Employing multivariate logistic regression, results were expressed as odds ratios (ORs) with their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs). Results: 4,942 cases of colorectal polyps and 2,678 cases of adenomas were ascertained. A significant positive association was found between total soy intake and the occurrence of polyps/adenomas. Considering cooking methods, a notable increase in polyp risk was associated with the consumption of fried soys while no association was detected for boiled or marinated soys. Furthermore, total soy intake demonstrated associations with large and multiple polyps, polyps Yamade-typed less than II, and polyps across all anatomical subsites. Conclusion: Within the high-risk CRC population in China, increased soy product intake was linked to a higher risk of polyps, primarily attributed to the consumption of fried soys. This suggests that modifying cooking methods to avoid fried soys may serve as a preventive strategy for colorectal polyps.

A potential virulence factor: Brucella flagellin FliK does not affect the main biological properties but inhibits the inflammatory response in RAW264.7 cells.

The bacterial flagellum is an elongated filament that protrudes from the cell and is responsible for bacterial motility. It can also be a pathogen-associated molecular pattern (PAMP) that regulates the host immune response and is involved in bacterial pathogenicity. In contrast to motile bacteria, the Brucella flagellum does not serve a motile purpose. Instead, it plays a role in regulating Brucella virulence and the host's immune response, similar to other non-motile bacteria. The flagellin protein, FliK, plays a key role in assembly of the flagellum and also as a potential virulence factor involved in the regulation of bacterial virulence and pathogenicity. In this study, we generated a Brucella suis S2 flik gene deletion strain and its complemented strain and found that deletion of the flik gene has no significant effect on the main biological properties of Brucella, but significantly enhanced the inflammatory response induced by Brucella infection of RAW264.7 macrophages. Further experiments demonstrated that the FliK protein was able to inhibit LPS-induced cellular inflammatory responses by down-regulating the expression of MyD88 and NF-κB, and by decreasing p65 phosphorylation in the NF-κB pathway; it also inhibited the expression of NLRP3 and caspase-1 in the NLRP3 inflammasome pathway. In conclusion, our study suggests that Brucella FliK may act as a virulence factor involved in the regulation of Brucella pathogenicity and modulation of the host immune response.

Nut consumption, gut microbiota, and body fat distribution: results of a large, community-based population study.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to investigate the relationships among nut consumption, gut microbiota, and body fat distribution. METHODS: We studied 2255 Chinese adults in the Lanxi Cohort living in urban areas in Lanxi City, China. Fat distribution was assessed by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, and nut consumption was assessed using food frequency questionnaires. 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) sequencing was performed on stool samples from 1724 participants. Linear regression and Spearman correlation were used in all analyses. A validation study was performed using 1274 participants in the Lanxi Cohort living in rural areas. RESULTS: Nut consumption was beneficially associated with regional fat accumulation. Gut microbial analysis suggested that a high intake of nuts was associated with greater microbial α diversity. Six genera were found to be associated with nut consumption, and the abundance of genera Anaerobutyricum, Anaerotaenia, and Fusobacterium was significantly associated with fat distribution. Favorable relationships between α diversity and fat distribution were also observed. Similar relationships between gut microbiota and fat distribution were obtained in the validation analysis. CONCLUSIONS: We have shown that nut consumption is beneficially associated with body fat distribution and gut microbiota diversity and taxonomy. Furthermore, the microbial features related to high nut intake are associated with a favorable pattern of fat distribution.