Simultaneous determination of serum tryptophan metabolites in an older Chinese population.

Tryptophan (TRP) and its metabolites exhibit significant biological effects and are strongly associated with age-related disease and mortality. However, reports on quantitatively analyzing these metabolites in older individuals are not available. We used ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry to optimize and validate a method for isotope dilution analysis of TRP metabolites in older individuals. The targeted analytes are TRP, serotonin or 5-hydroxytryptamine, kynurenine, kynurenic acid, xanthurenic acid, indole-3-acetic acid, indole-3-propionic acid, and tryptamine. The serum sample was purified using solid-phase extraction and was separated on a Waters HSS T3 column (100 mm × 2.1 mm, 1.8 µm). The analytes were detected in the multiple reaction monitoring mode under positive ionization. TRP was confirmed and measured after being diluted 100 times. This method exhibited satisfactory linearity (r > 0.99). The intrabatch and interbatch accuracies (85.7-114%) and precisions (<15%) were acceptable. The standard-normalized matrix effects ranged from 51.6 to 145%. This method was successfully applied to a cohort of 1021 older Chinese individuals, and this study may enable further understanding of the metabolic phenotypes associated with TRP in other populations.

Association between antibiotic exposure and the risk of infertility in women of childbearing age: A case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Based on self-report questionnaires, two previous epidemiological studies investigated the association between the exposure of women to antibiotics and their fertility. However, biomonitoring studies on low-dose antibiotic exposure, mainly from food and water, and its relation to the risk of infertility are missing. METHODS: Based on a case-control study design, 302 women with infertility (144 primary infertility, 158 secondary infertility) and 302 women with normal fertility, all aged 20-49 years, were recruited from Anhui Province, China, in 2020 and 2021. A total of 41 common antibiotics and two antibiotic metabolites in urine samples were determined by liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry (LC-QqQ-MS/MS). RESULTS: Twenty-eight antibiotics with detection rates from 10% to 100% in both cases (median concentration: ∼2.294 ng/mL) and controls (∼1.596 ng/mL) were included in the analysis. Logistic regression analysis revealed that after controlling for confounding factors, high concentrations of eight individual antibiotics (sulfamethoxazole, sulfaclozine, sulfamonomethoxine, penicillin G, chlorotetracycline, ofloxacin, norfloxacin, and cyadox) and four antibiotic classes (sulfonamides, tetracyclines, quinoxalines, and veterinary antibiotics) were related to a high risk of female infertility, with odds ratios (ORs) ranging from 1.30 to 2.86, except for chlorotetracycline (OR = 6.34), while another nine individual antibiotics (sulfamethazine, azithromycin, cefaclor, amoxicillin, oxytetracycline, pefloxacin, sarafloxacin, enrofloxacin, and florfenicol) and classes of chloramphenicol analogs and human antibiotics were related to a reduced risk of infertility, with ORs ranging from 0.70 to 0.20. Based on restricted cubic spline models after controlling for confounding factors, we observed that the relationship between all of the above protective antibiotics and infertility was nonlinear: A certain concentration could reduce the risk of female infertility while exceeding a safe dose could increase the risk of infertility. CONCLUSION: These results provide preliminary evidence that the effects of antibiotics on female fertility vary based on the active ingredient and usage and imply the importance of exposure dose. Future studies are needed to verify these results by controlling for multiple confounding factors.

Preconception exposure to environmental antibiotics among childbearing couples in Anhui and health risk assessment: A multicenter population-based representative study.

Only few studies have assessed the health effects due to preconception exposure to antibiotics among childbearing couples. This study investigated the status of preconception exposure to antibiotics among childbearing couples in Anhui, associated with health risks, and influencing factors. Overall, 1500 childbearing couples were randomly selected from the Reproductive Health of Childbearing Couples - Anhui Cohort (RHCC-AC). The urinary levels of 40 antibiotics and 2 metabolites were determined, and specific gravity (SG) adjusted concentrations of antibiotics were measured to assess health risks. Generalized linear models were used to assess the associations of urinary SG-adjusted concentration of antibiotics with demographic parameters and diet frequency. The total detection rates of all antibiotics were 98.9 % and 99.3 % in wives and husbands, respectively. The detection rates of veterinary antibiotics (VAs) and preferred as VAs (PVAs) were above 90 %. Among eight antibiotics, sulfonamides (95.1 %) and fluoroquinolones (87.6 %) had the highest detection rates in couples. Approximately four-fifths of couples were simultaneously exposed to at least three different antibiotics, and more than half of them were exposed to low concentrations of antibiotics. 8.9 % and 9.2 % of wives and husbands had hazard index value of antibiotics exposure greater than 1. Antibiotic concentrations were associated with residence, sampling season, and diet frequency. In Anhui, nearly 98 % of childbearing couples have environmental exposure to antibiotics, and VAs and PVAs are the primary antibiotics. More than 8 % of couples had health risks due to antibiotic exposure. Several potential determinants of urinary antibiotics deserve more attention in future research.

Urinary antibiotic exposure and low grip strength risk in community-dwelling elderly Chinese by gender and age.

Emerging studies have shown that environmental contaminants were related to decreased handgrip strength. Nevertheless, no prior research has investigated the relationship of exposure to environmental antibiotics with grip strength. Thus, we explored the relationship between urinary antibiotic burden and grip strength among the elderly in China. This study consisted of 451 men and 539 women from the baseline survey of a cohort study. Commonly used antibiotics for humans and animals were detected in 990 urine samples through a biomonitoring method. Grip strength was measured by an electronic dynamometer. We examined the associations of antibiotic exposure with low grip strength (LGS), grip strength, and grip strength index, respectively. Results suggested that 34.9% of participants developed LGS, and 93.0% of individuals were exposed to 1-10 antibiotics. Among women, oxytetracycline (Quartile 2: odds ratio: 2.97, 95% confidence interval: 1.36-6.50), florfenicol (Quartile 3: 2.60 [1.28-5.27]), fluoroquinolones (Quartile 4: 1.88 [1.07-3.30]), and chloramphenicols (Quartile 3: 2.73 [1.35-5.51]) could enhance LGS risk. Among men, ofloxacin (Quartile 2: 3.32 [1.45-7.59]) increased LGS risk, whereas tetracycline (Quartile 2: 0.31 [0.11-0.88]) was implicated in reduced LGS risk. In participants < 70 years, ofloxacin (Quartile 2: 3.00 [1.40-6.42]) could increase LGS risk. For participants who were 70 years of age or older, veterinary antibiotics (Quartile 3: 1.73 [1.02-2.94]) were linked to a 73% increased risk of LGS. Our findings suggested that antibiotics mainly pertained to LGS, and there were gender and age disparities in associations between antibiotic exposure and muscle strength indicators in the elderly Chinese population.

Associations of 10 trace element levels in the whole blood with risk of three types of obesity in the elderly.

BACKGROUND: Currently, over 2 billion people worldwide suffer from obesity, which poses a serious health risk. More and more attention is being given to the effects of trace elements on obesity in recent years. Synergistic or antagonistic interactions among these elements can adversely or positively impact human health. However, epidemiological evidence on the relationship between trace element exposure levels and obesity has been inconclusive. METHODS: Baseline data of 994 participants from the Cohort of Elderly Health and Environment Controllable Factors were used in the present study. ICP-MS was used to measure the concentrations of 10 trace elements in the whole blood of the older population. Binary logistic regression, restricted cubic splines (RCS) models, and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) models were employed to assess single, nonlinear, and mixed relationships between 10 trace element levels and three types of obesity based on body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), and body fat percentage (BFP) in the elderly. RESULTS: Based on BMI, WC and BFP, 51.8% of the included old population were defined as general overweight/obesity, 67.1% as abdominal obesity, and 36.2% as having slightly high/high BFP. After multivariable adjustment, compared with the lowest tertile, the highest tertile of blood selenium (Se) concentration was associated with an increased risk of all three types of obesity. Additionally, compared with the lowest tertile, higher tertiles of strontium (Sr) concentrations were associated with a lower risk of general overweight/obesity and having slightly high/high BFP, and the highest tertile of barium (Ba) was associated with a lower risk of having slightly high BFP, while higher tertiles of arsenic (As) concentrations were associated with an increased risk of having slightly high/high BFP, and the highest tertile of manganese (Mn) was associated with a higher risk of abdominal obesity. BKMR analyses showed a strong linear positive association between Se and three types of obesity. Higher blood levels of trace element mixture were associated with increased obesity risks in a dose-response pattern, with Se having the highest value of the posterior inclusion probability (PIP) within the mixture. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we found higher Se levels were associated with an elevated risk of obesity and high levels of Ba, Pb and Cr were associated with a decreased risk of obesity. Studies with larger samples are needed to confirm these findings.

Association between Helicobacter pylori infection and the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus based on a middle-aged and elderly Chinese population.

Evidence about the relationship between Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is inconsistent and contradictory. This study attempted to investigate this association in the middle-aged and elderly Chinese population and analyze the joint effects of Hp infection and some risk factors on T2DM. Following a cross-sectional design, participants were recruited from the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University in Hefei City, China. Hp status was measured using a 14C urea breath test. A total of 1,288 participants, including 90 diabetic patients and 1,198 nondiabetic subjects, were recruited in the current study. The participants with T2DM had a greater prevalence of Hp infection than participants without T2DM (26.67% versus 18.11%, p = 0.045). Furthermore, we found that Hp infection was closely associated with an incremental risk of T2DM [odds ratio (OR) = 1.77, 95% confidence intervals (CI): 1.04-3.00] after adjustment for potential confounders. In addition, we observed that the participants who were Hp-positive and ≥60 years old (OR = 9.16, 95% CI: 3.29-25.52), Hp-positive and obese (OR = 3.35, 95% CI: 1.57-7.14) or Hp-positive and hypertensive (OR = 6.10, 95% CI: 3.10-12.01) had a significantly higher risk for T2DM than those who were Hp-negative and ≤50 years old, Hp-negative and nonobese or Hp-negative and nonhypertensive. These findings imply that Hp infection is associated with an increased risk of T2DM in the middle-aged and elderly Chinese population. The association could be further elevated by the combination of Hp infection and some traditional risk factors.

Associations of typical antibiotic residues with elderly blood lipids and dyslipidemia in West Anhui, China.

Growing evidence has indicated the association of clinical antibiotic use with abnormal blood lipid levels; however, no epidemiological study has examined the relationship of antibiotic exposure, probably derived from food chains, with blood lipid levels. This study investigated the relationships of urinary antibiotic levels with blood lipid levels and dyslipidemias in the older population. Baseline data of 960 participants from the Cohort of Elderly Health and Environment Controllable Factors were used in the present study. High-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) was performed to detect antibiotic residues in the urine samples of the participants. Our findings revealed that each 1 µg/g increase in enrofloxacin and ciprofloxacin levels was associated with an increase of 0.084 (95 % confidence interval (CI): 0.030, 0.139) and 0.049 (95 % CI: 0.012, 0.086) in triglyceride levels, respectively. Enrofloxacin was associated with an increased risk of hypertriglyceridemia. Each 1 µg/g increase in the enrofloxacin level corresponded to an increase of 0.052 (95 % CI: 0.006, 0.098) in the low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level. Furthermore, florfenicol exposure increased the risks of both hyperbetalipoproteinemia and hypoalphalipoproteinemia. By contrast, each 1 µg/g increase in sulfaclozine and doxycycline levels was associated with a - 0.062 (95 % CI: -0.111, -0.020), and - 0.083 (95 % CI: -0.160, -0.007) decrease in total cholesterol levels, respectively. Sulfaclozine was closely related to a decreased risk of hypercholesterolemia. Stratification analysis revealed specific differences in the correlation between antibiotic exposure and lipid levels based on the waist circumference (WC) values of the participants. Except for sulfaclozine and doxycycline, other antibiotics exerted adverse effects on lipid levels and increased dyslipidemia prevalence. The older participants with higher WC values were vulnerable to antibiotic exposure. Therefore, an appropriate understanding of the epidemiological attributes of antibiotic residues is indispensable to prevent abdominal obesity in the older population.

Chronic inflammation as a potential mediator between phthalate exposure and depressive symptoms.

BACKGROUND: A few studies have reported phthalate exposure as a risk factor for depressive symptoms, but the results have been inconsistent. Whether chronic inflammation mediates the relationship between phthalates (PAEs) and depressive symptoms remains unclear. In this study, we establish mediating models of inflammatory factors and explore the mediating role of chronic inflammation in the association between PAEs exposure and depressive symptoms. METHODS: The sample included 989 participants from the Study on Health and Environment of the Elderly in Lu'an City, Anhui Province. Geriatric depression scale (GDS-30) was used to screen depressive symptoms of the elderly. The levels of seven kinds of PAEs in urine samples and four inflammatory factors in serum of the elderly were measured. To establish the mediating effect of inflammatory factors to explore the potential effect of PAEs exposure on the increased odds of depressive symptoms. RESULTS: Adjusted for multiple variables, the highest tertiles of Mono (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (MEHP) (95%CI = 1.051-2.112), Mono benzyl phthalate (MBzP) (95%CI = 1.016-2.082) and Mono butyl phthalate (MBP) (95%CI = 1.102-2.262) were positively correlated with depressive symptoms. The mediating effect of IL-6 and generalized inflammation factor between MEHP exposure and depressive symptoms were 15.96% (95%CI=0.0288-0.1971) and 14.25% (95%CI = 0.0167-0.1899). CONCLUSIONS: High levels of MEHP, MBzP and MBP increased the odds of depressive symptoms in the elderly, and chronic inflammation had a partial mediating effect on the increased odds of depressive symptoms due to MEHP exposure.

Urban-rural differences in the effect of empty-nest on mental health and behaviors of Chinese older population.

This study aimed to comprehensively analyze the effect of empty-nest on mental health and behaviors of the older population and explore the urban-rural differences. Data from the Cohort of Older People Health and Environment Controllable Factors were used, including 1071 older people aged 60 or over from a rural and an urban. Mental health, daily life behaviors, chronic physical diseases, and activities of daily living were evaluated. Logistic regression was used. The prevalence of empty-nest in older people was 55.0% in urban and 58.7% in rural. The empty-nest older people in urban were more likely to participate in physical exercise (OR[95%CI]: 1.55[1.03-2.31]), while the empty-nest older people in rural had lower rate of smoking (OR[95%CI]: 0.46[0.28-0.76]) and religious belief (OR[95%CI]: 1.61[1.01-2.58]), and higher prevalence of depression (OR[95%CI]: 1.55[1.03-2.35]) and higher level of total cholesterol (OR[95%CI]: 1.51[1.03-2.19]) compared with the non-empty-nest older people. In conclusion, the prevalence of empty-nest in older people was high both in rural and urban in China. Empty-nest exerts greater influences on the older people in rural than in urban, which should be given more attention, especially the depression and high total cholesterol.

The association of marital status with cognitive function and the role of gender in Chinese community-dwelling older adults: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Evidence of the association between marital status and cognitive function in Chinese older adults is limited. AIMS: To examine the relationship between marital status and cognitive function and to explore the role of gender amongst older adults from three Chinese communities. METHODS: A total of 1376 participants aged 60 years or over were included in this cross-sectional study. Cognitive function was assessed using the Chinese version of the mini-mental state examination (MMSE). Marital status and other variables were collected using a standardized questionnaire. Multiple linear regression models were used to examine associations between marital statuses and cognitive function amongst the target population. The moderating role of gender in these potential associations has also been explored. RESULTS: In univariate linear regression models, compared to being married, both being widowed (ß [95% CI]: -1.46[-2.78 to - 0.13]) and being single (ß [95% CI]: - 4.88[-6.43 to - 3.38]) were associated with lower MMSE scores. After adjustment for confounding factors, the significant association of being widowed with MMSE scores disappeared (ß [95% CI: - 0.08[- 1.04 to 0.86]), but the association of being single with MMSE scores still existed (ß [95% CI]: - 1.87[- 3.17 to - 0.58]). Furthermore, the association of being single with MMSE scores was statistically significant in men (ß [95% CI]: - 5.25[- 7.17 to - 3.33]) but not in women (ß [95% CI: 0.88[- 0.87 to 2.64]). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Being single was associated with poorer cognitive function compared with their married counterparts in older Chinese men but not in women. More preventive measurements should be implemented for single men to reduce or delay cognitive decline. This is particularly important in the context of an aging population in China.

Antibiotics biomonitored in urine and obesogenic risk in a community-dwelling elderly population.

BACKGROUND: Experimental and epidemiological studies have linked antibiotics use to gut dysbiosis-mediated risk of chronic metabolic diseases. However, whether adiposity is linked to antibiotic exposure in elderly remains inadequately understood. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between internal exposure of antibiotics and adiposity in elderly by using a biomonitoring method. METHODS: We included 990 participants (≥60 years) from the baseline survey of the Cohort of Elderly Health and Environment Controllable Factors in Lu'an city, China, from June to September 2016. Forty-five antibiotics and two metabolites in urine were monitored through liquid chromatography-electrospray tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS). Creatinine-corrected urinary concentrations were used to assess antibiotic exposure levels. Body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC) and body fat percentage (BFP) were used as indicators of adiposity. Multiple linear regression and binary logistic regression analyses were used to analyze the association of antibiotic concentrations with obesity-related indices. Subsequently, a gender-stratified analysis was performed. RESULTS: Of the included elderly, 50.7% were defined as having overweight/ obesity, 59.8% as having central preobesity/obesity, and 37.5% as having slightly high/high BFP. Linear regression analysis revealed that a 1-unit increase in the logarithmic transformation of norfloxacin concentrations was related with an increase of 0.29 kg/m2 (95% CI: 0.02-0.04), 0.99 cm (95% CI：0.24-1.75), and 0.69% (95% CI：0.21-1.17) in BMI, WC, and BFP, respectively. Compared with the control group, exposure to doxycycline (tertile 2: odds ratio, 2.06 [95% CI: 1.12-3.76]) and norfloxacin (tertile 2: 2.13 [1.05-4.29]; tertile 3: 2.07 [1.03-4.17]) had BMI-based overweight/obesity risk. Additionally, ciprofloxacin (tertile 2: 2.06 [1.12-3.76]), norfloxacin (tertile 3: 2.95 [1.34-6.49]), and florfenicol (tertile 3: 1.84 [1.07-3.14]) were related to WC-based central preobesity/obesity risk. Norfloxacin (tertile 3: 2.54 [1.23-5.24]) was positively associated with a slightly high/high BFP risk. Gender-stratified analysis demonstrated an increased adiposity risk in women compared with men. CONCLUSIONS: Our research provided an evidence that exposure to specific types of antibiotics (tetracyclines and fluoroquinolones) probably from the food chain contributed to obesity in elderly. Prospective cohort studies with larger sample size are warrented to explore the causation.

Prenatal low-dose antibiotic exposure and children allergic diseases at 4 years of age: A prospective birth cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Based on a medical record or questionnaire survey approach, previous epidemiological studies have investigated associations between maternal antibiotic exposure during pregnancy and childhood allergic diseases. However, biomonitoring studies on the prenatal low-dose antibiotic exposure, mainly from the environment and contaminated food, and in relation to children allergic diseases, are missing. OBJECTIVES: This research aimed to examine the associations between prenatal low-dose antibiotic exposure measured at multiple time points and children current allergic diseases at 4 years of age. METHODS: The current study including 2453 mother-child pairs was based on the Ma'anshan Birth Cohort study. Selected 41 antibiotics and their two metabolites, which including human antibiotics (HAs), preferred as human antibiotics (PHAs), veterinary antibiotics (VAs) and preferred as veterinary antibiotics (PVAs), in urine samples from 2453 pregnant women were biomonitored through liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry. Information on children current allergic diseases were collected via validated questionnaires. Generalized estimating equation were used to explore the associations between the repeated measurements of maternal urinary antibiotic over three trimesters and current allergic diseases in children. RESULTS: The detection rates of nine individual antibiotics in the three trimester during pregnancy are greater than 10%, and the 90th percentile concentration of the detected antibiotics ranges from 0.07 to 22.34 µg/g, and the 95th percentile concentration ranges from 0.17 to 59.57 µg/g. Among the participants, each one-unit concentration increment of sulfamethazine (adjusted OR=1.28, 95% CI: 1.10, 1.49, P-FDR=0.014) in the first trimester and ciprofloxacin (adjusted OR=1.17, 95% CI: 1.07, 1.28, P-FDR=0.008) in the second trimester were associated with an increased risk of current eczema in children. In the third trimester, each one-unit concentration increment of oxytetracycline (adjusted OR=1.90, 95% CI: 1.30, 2.78, P-FDR=0.014) was associated with an increased risk of current asthma in children. Gender-stratified analyses demonstrated that no gender differences were observed in the associations between prenatal antibiotic exposure and current allergic diseases in children. CONCLUSIONS: Maternal exposure to certain specific VAs or PVAs (sulfamethazine, ciprofloxacin and oxytetracycline) in different trimesters was associated with an increased risk of current asthma and current eczema in 4-year-old children. No gender differences were found in these associations. Further studies are warranted to confirm our findings and explore the potential mechanisms.

Exposure to antibiotics and mental disorders in children: a community-based cross-sectional study.

Although exposure to antibiotics at a critical developmental time window has been implicated in mental health in observational and experimental studies, very limited bio-monitoring data are available for exposure to antibiotics associated with child mental disorders. The goal of our study was to examine the association between urinary exposure of children to antibiotics and mental health. The participants were 278 children from 256 eligible families in the urban-rural fringe of Fuyang city in China since June in 2017. A single-point urine sample was collected to measure the antibiotic concentrations to characterize the exposure levels. A total of 45 antibiotics from nine classes and their two metabolites were monitored through liquid chromatography electrospray tandem mass spectrometry. We used multivariable regressions to estimate the covariate-adjusted associations between urine-antibiotic concentrations and mental impairments, as assessed using the parent version of Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Among the participants, ciprofloxacin was associated with an increased risk of mental disorders at both lower concentrations (OR = 4.06; 95% CI 1.69-9.78) and higher concentrations OR = 6.04; 95% CI 2.59-14.08). After categorizing the detected antibiotics, the positive associations were observed between abnormal score in total difficulties and higher levels exposure to fluoroquinolones (OR = 2.83, 95% CI 1.38-5.80) and antibiotics preferred for veterinary use (PVAs) (OR = 3.20; 95% CI 1.41-7.27), respectively. Our findings suggest that ciprofloxacin, fluoroquinolones and PVAs, probably from contaminated food or environment, may be associated with child mental disorders.

Antibiotic exposure across three generations from Chinese families and cumulative health risk.

Extensive antibiotic exposure in the general population has been documented by bio-monitoring, but data regarding antibiotic burden across three generations in families living in the same household are lacking. We investigated the distribution of antibiotics and the potential health risk among the three generations by selecting 691 participants from 256 households in Fuyang city, China. A total of 45 antibiotics and two metabolites were screened in urine samples through liquid chromatography electrospray tandem mass spectrometry. In total, 34 antibiotics were found in the samples with an overall detection frequency of 92.0%, and the detection frequencies of individual antibiotic ranged from 0.3% to 28.7%. Specifically, the concentrations of seven antibiotics (azithromycin, amoxicillin, oxytetracycline, levofloxacin, norfloxacin, trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole) were extremely high (i.e., above 10, 000 ng/mL). The detection rates of tetracyclines were significantly different among the three generations, with parents having the highest detection rate. Penicillin V, chlortetracycline, doxycycline, enrofloxacin, and ciprofloxacin showed a higher detection frequency in parents, whereas tetracycline, danofloxacin, and ofloxacin were more likely to be found in grandparents. The proportions of the sum of the daily exposure dose of VAs and PVAs more than 1 µg/kg/d in children, parents, and grandparents were 31.6%, 39.5%, and 26.5%, respectively. A hazard index (HI) greater than 1 was observed in 14.7% children, which was less than the 23.6% in parents and slightly higher than the 11.8% in grandparents. Ciprofloxacin was the biggest contributor to HI among the three generations. Collectively, these findings indicate that households are widely exposed to various antibiotics in Fuyang city, where parents had the highest health risk associated with the disturbance of gut microbiota.

The levels of phthalate exposure and associations with obesity in an elderly population in China.

BACKGROUND: Few epidemiological studies on the correlation between phthalate exposure and elderly obesity in China are available. The purpose of the present study is to assess phthalate exposure levels and explore the connections between exposure to phthalates and obesity using a sample of Chinese community-dwelling elderly individuals. METHODS: Data were acquired from the baseline survey of the Cohort of Health of Elderly and Controllable Factors of Environment, which was established in Lu'an, Anhui province, China, from June to September in 2016. Urine samples were obtained to analyze the concentrations of seven phthalate metabolites, utilizing a high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method. General obesity was determined based on body mass index, and abdominal obesity based on waist circumference. Binary logistic regression models were utilized to analyze the associations of creatinine-corrected phthalate metabolite concentrations (categorized into quartiles) with general and abdominal obesity in elderly people. Moreover, a stratified analysis was performed to explore the difference between genders. RESULTS: Of 942 elderly individuals, 52.9% were defined as generally obese and 75.5% as abdominally obese. The detection rates of seven phthalate metabolites ranged from 90.07% to 99.80%. The highest median concentration was 44.08 µg/l (for MBP), and the lowest was 0.55 µg/l (for MEHP). The level of exposure to LMW(low-molecular-weight) PAEs is higher than that to HMW(high-molecular-weight) PAEs. After adjustment for confounding variables, we found a significant association between urinary MEOHP (mono-2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl phthalate), MEHP (mono-2-ethylhexyl phthalate), MBP (mono-n-butyl phthalate), MEP (mono-ethyl phthalate), and MMP (mono-methyl phthalate) levels and general obesity. MBP levels were also correlated with abdominal obesity. When stratified by gender, higher urinary levels of MEOHP, MBP, MEP, and MMP were associated with general obesity in males, whereas MBP and MMP levels were eminently correlated with general obesity in females. Higher urinary MBP levels were associated with increased abdominal obesity rates in males, but not in females. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, higher phthalate metabolite concentrations were correlated with obesity in the elderly. Moreover, a gender difference was observed in these associations.

The effect of Chinese famine exposure in early life on dietary patterns and chronic diseases of adults.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of famine exposure during early life on dietary patterns, chronic diseases, and the interaction effect between famine exposure and dietary patterns on chronic diseases in adulthood. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. Dietary patterns were derived by factor analysis. Multivariate quantile regression and log-binomial regression were used to evaluate the impact of famine exposure on dietary patterns, chronic diseases and the interaction effect between famine exposure and dietary patterns on chronic diseases, respectively. SETTING: Hefei, China. PARTICIPANTS: Adults aged 45-60 years (n 939). RESULTS: 'Healthy', 'high-fat and high-salt', 'Western' and 'traditional Chinese' dietary patterns were identified. Early-childhood and mid-childhood famine exposure were remarkably correlated with high intake of the traditional Chinese dietary pattern. Compared with the non-exposed group (prevalence ratio (PR); 95 % CI), early-childhood (3·13; 1·43, 6·84) and mid-childhood (2·37; 1·05, 5·36) exposed groups showed an increased PR for diabetes, and the early-childhood (2·07; 1·01, 4·25) exposed group showed an increased PR for hypercholesterolaemia. Additionally, relative to the combination of non-exposed group and low-dichotomous high-fat and high-salt dietary pattern, the combination of famine exposure in early life and high-dichotomous high-fat and high-salt dietary pattern in adulthood had higher PR for diabetes (4·95; 1·66, 9·05) and hypercholesterolaemia (3·71; 1·73, 7·60), and significant additive interactions were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Having suffered the Chinese famine in childhood might affect an individual's dietary habits and health status, and the joint effect between famine and harmful dietary pattern could have serious consequences on later-life health outcomes.

Dietary patterns are associated with body mass index and bone mineral density in Chinese freshmen.

OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to examine associations between dietary patterns and body mass index (BMI) and bone mineral density (BMD) in Chinese freshmen. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was done in 1319 college freshmen (aged 18.1 ± 1.2 years old). Diet was assessed by using a validated self-administrated food-frequency questionnaire. Blood pressure, weight, height, waist circumference, and hip circumference were measured and bone measurements were done using Quantitative Ultrasound System. RESULTS: Four dietary patterns were identified by factor analysis: Western food, animal protein, calcium food, and Chinese traditional patterns. The prevalence of overweight/obesity and osteopenia/osteoporosis were 8.2% (108/1319) and 28.1% (371/1319). The highest tertile of Western food pattern scores had greater odds of overweight/obesity (highest vs. lowest tertile, odds ratio [OR] = 2.00, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.24-3.22), and the highest tertile of Chinese traditional pattern scores had lower risk of overweight/obesity (highest vs. lowest tertile, OR = 0.65, 95% CI, 0.53-0.80) in an adjusted model. The calcium food pattern and Chinese traditional pattern were negatively associated with the risk of osteopenia/osteoporosis (highest vs. lowest tertile, OR = 0.59, 95% CI, 0.41-0.87; OR = 0.78, 95% CI, 0.55-0.89) after adjusting for confounders. CONCLUSION: These findings suggested that there was a positive correlation between Chinese traditional dietary pattern and healthy BMI and BMD and that this same association existed between calcium food pattern and BMD in Chinese freshmen. In contrast, the Western-style diet was negatively correlated with healthy BMI in Chinese freshmen.

Gender difference in the association of hyperuricemia with hypertension in a middle-aged Chinese population.

In this study, we report the relationship between hyperuricemia and hypertension in a middle-aged Chinese population, emphasizing the difference of gender. The cross-sectional study was conducted among 1776 adults aged 45-60 years, who participated in the Hefei Nutrition and Health Study (2012). Hyperuricemia was defined as serum uric acid (SUA)> 420 µmol/l for men, and > 360 µmol/l for women. Hypertension was defined as systolic blood pressure (SBP) ≥ 140 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure (DBP) ≥ 90 mmHg. Anthropometric measurements and biochemical data were collected using standardized procedures. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the relationship between hyperuricemia and hypertension with adjustment of potential confounding factors. Body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), SBP, DBP, fasting glucose, SUA and the prevalence of hyperuricemia and hypertension were significantly higher in male than in female (p < 0.001). Females had significantly higher levels of triglycerides (TG) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol (5.23 ± 0.87 vs 5.12 ± 1.01, p < 0.05, 1.50 ± 0.37 vs 1.28 ± 0.41, respectively.) than males. Simple correlation analysis showed that SUA was positively associated with WC and TG. In addition, after adjusting for potential confounders, hyperuricemia was associated with increased risk of hypertension in both males and females, with odds ratios (95% CI) of 1.680 (1.110-2.543) and 1.065 (1.012-1.118), respectively. Conclusions: The association of hyperuricemia with hypertension was stronger in males than in females, and middle-aged men with hyperuricemia had greater association with hypertension. Our findings remain to be confirmed in future prospective studies.

[Determination of 118 pesticide residues in urine by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry].

Pesticide residues in food and their hazardous effects have attracted much attention given the increased and widespread use of pesticides. The long-term consumption of food containing pesticide residues is an important pathway for the gradual accumulation of pesticides in the human body. Urine is often monitored as a biological sample for low-dose exposure to pesticides, and urine collection is a relatively convenient sampling technique in general population research. In order to effectively monitor residual levels of multiple pesticides in human urine and provide an important technological approach for health risk assessment, a rapid screening and confirmatory detection method for 118 pesticides in urine was established using QuEChERS method as a pretreatment combined with ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS). The 118 pesticides analyzed included organophosphorus, carbamate, neonicotinoid, and strobilurin fungicides and other widely used pesticides. Following systematic optimization of the pretreatment process, LC separation conditions, and MS/MS parameters, 118 pesticides were extracted from urine samples and analyzed within 2 h. In brief, the target analytes in 5 mL urine samples were extracted with 10 mL of acetonitrile and added with 5 g of anhydrous MgSO4 and 1 g of NaCl as water-removal and salting-out agents, respectively. After centrifugation, 6 mL of the supernatant was cleaned using the QuEChERS method with 300 mg of C18, 300 mg of primary secondary amine (PSA) and 900 mg of anhydrous MgSO4 as the purification adsorbent. After nitrogen blowing and solubilization, the 118 target analytes were separated on a ZORBAX Eclipse Plus C18 analytical chromatographic column (100 mm×2.1 mm, 1.8 µm) with gradient elution using (A) 0.01% formic acid aqueous solution (containing 2 mmol/L ammonium formate) and (B) 0.01% formic acid methanol solution (containing 2 mmol/L ammonium formate) as mobile phases. The gradient elution program was as follows: 0-0.5 min, 5%B; 0.5-1.5 min, 5%B-20%B; 1.5-2.5 min, 20%B-50%B; 2.5-8.0 min, 50%B-80%B; 8.0-9.0 min, 80%B-98%B; 9.0-11.0 min, 98%B; 11.0-11.5 min, 98%B-5%B; 11.5-15.0 min, 5%B. The analytes were then determined by UHPLC-MS/MS with positive/negative ion switching in dynamic multiple-reaction monitoring mode and quantified using the external standard method. The results indicated that the proposed method can determine 118 pesticides in urine simultaneously and rapidly. The limits of detection and limits of quantification were 0.10 and 0.50 µg/L, respectively, and the matrix effects were less than 20%for all targeted compounds. The recoveries of the 118 pesticides in urine were between 70.2% and 104% at three spiked levels of 0.50, 1.00, and 5.00 µg/L, and the relative standard deviations ranged from 2.8% to 9.3%. The method was applied to 10 actual urine samples, and the results revealed the presence of six pesticides, including thiamethoxam, clothianidin, acetamiprid, dinotefuran, isoproturon, and dimethomorph, with contents ranging from

Antibiotic exposure associated with nighttime sleep duration and daytime sleepiness in newlyweds.

Few studies have explored the relationship between antibiotic exposure and sleep in newlyweds. We applied the actor-partner interdependence moderation model to estimate the relationships of antibiotic exposure with nighttime sleep duration (weekday, weekend, and average sleep durations) and daytime sleepiness in newlyweds. We found that 99.0% of the 2698 enrolled individuals were exposed to at least one antibiotic. Among the newlyweds, exposure to florfenicol (ß, - 0.077; 95% confidence interval [CI], - 0.143, - 0.011), exposure to chloramphenicols (- 0.086 [- 0.160, - 0.011]), and exposure to veterinary antibiotics (VAs) (- 0.106 [- 0.201, - 0.010]) were negatively associated with weekday sleep duration. Florfenicol, chloramphenicols, and VAs were also inversely related to average sleep duration in the newlyweds. Ciprofloxacin and cyadox exposure was significantly associated with an increase of 0.264 (0.030, 0.497) and (0.375 [0.088, 0.663]) Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) scores in the newlyweds, respectively. Gender moderated the actor-partner effects of erythromycin and tetracyclines on the newlyweds' weekday sleep duration and ESS scores. Overall, exposure to florfenicol, chloramphenicols, and VAs shortened weekday and average sleep durations of newlyweds. Exposure to ciprofloxacin and cyadox promoted daytime sleepiness. Gender moderated the actor-partner effects of specific antibiotics on the weekday sleep duration and ESS scores of the newlyweds.