Residue dissipation dynamics and dietary risk assessment of emamectin benzoate, chlorantraniliprole, chlorfenapyr, and lufenuron in cabbage.

Emamectin benzoate (EB), chlorantraniliprole (CTP), chlorfenapyr (CFP), and lufenuron (LFR) are widely used to control Spodoptera exigua on cabbage. This study is aimed at establishing a universal, sensitive, accurate, and efficient method for the determination of these pesticide residues in cabbage using QuEChERS pretreatment combined with ultra-performance liquid chromatography or gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC‒MS/MS or GC‒MS/MS). The recoveries of these pesticides (containing metabolites) in cabbage detected by the optimized method ranged between 80.9% and 99.9%, with relative standard deviations (RSDs) of 0.164-12.5%. The limit of quantification (LOQ) of the four pesticides was determined to be 0.01 mg/kg. The standard curve, accuracy, precision, and LOQ of the analysis method all met the requirements of pesticide residue detection. The optimized method was used to detect the dissipation dynamics and terminal residues in 12 regions. The dissipation half-lives of CTP, CFP, and LFR were 3.35-7.01 d, 2.29-4.75 d, and 3.24-6.80 d, respectively. The terminal residues of all these pesticides were below the maximum residue limits (MRLs). The dietary risk assessment indicated that the dietary risk probabilities for EB, CTP, CFP, and LFR were all less than 1 and were within the acceptable range. This study provides a comprehensive assessment of the residues and dietary risks of EB, CTP, CFP, and LFR for the scientific use of pesticides.

Self-assembly of eugenol-loaded particles to regulate the adhesion of carriers on leaves for efficient foliar applications and ecotoxicological safety.

Currently, there is a pressing need to develop an agrochemical-loaded system that is both uncomplicated and efficient, thereby enhancing the adhesion of agrochemical to leaf surfaces and optimizing their insecticidal efficacy, while concurrently mitigating environmental risks. The flexible eugenol-loaded particles were synthesized via a one-step polyurethane self-assembly reaction, utilizing polyethylene glycol (PEG) as the soft segment and 4,4-diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI) as the hard segment. The increase in the length of the soft segment enhances the flexibility of the particles, thereby improving the contact area and adhesion with the foliar surface. When flexible particles are applied on the foliar surface, they can achieve satisfactory resistance to rainfall erosion. When the PEG molecular weight is 800, the residual concentration of eugenol can still reach 42.11% after 6 washes. The carrier protects the active ingredients and improves the resistance to ultraviolet irradiation. After 5 h of ultraviolet irradiation, the concentration of eugenol remained at 59.03% when PEG with a molecular weight of 200 was employed. Greenhouse experiments showed that the flexible transformation of particles greatly enhanced the application effect of spray on the foliar surface of particles. After undergoing three washes, the mortality of the particles can be enhanced by 5.4-8.4 times compared to that of emulsion concentrate (EC) sample. The enhancement of leaf retention performance reduces environmental risks caused by pesticide loss. Meanwhile, the controlled release of particles also reduces the acute toxicity to zebrafish. The toxicity selection pressure of the EUG@P800-Ps sample is 10.6 times that of the EC sample. In conclusion, the preparation process of the system is simple, and the flexible transformation is an effective strategy to improve the foliar application effect of spray and improve the environmental safety.

Effects of polyunsaturated fatty acids serum levels on vascular dementia: A two-sample Mendelian randomization study.

INTRODUCTION: Several observational studies have indicated that polyunsaturated fatty acids serum levels (PUFAs) are associated with vascular dementia (VaD), but their causal relationships remain elusive. Therefore, we attempted to evaluate the causal effect of PUFAs on VaD in a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis by using summary statistics from aggregated genome-wide association studies. METHODS: The inverse-variance weighted (IVW) method was performed as the primary analysis. Sensitivity analyses (MR-Egger regression, weighted median, penalized weighted median and MR pleiotropy residual sum and outlier methods) were also implemented to estimate the effects of potential violations of MR hypotheses. RESULTS: No causality was found for PUFAs (OR, 1.14; 95% CI, .91-1.42; p = .25) on VaD in the IVW model. The results were consistent in sensitivity analyses. There was no notable horizontal pleiotropy or heterogeneity. CONCLUSION: In this two-sample MR analysis, our findings did not support the assumption that PUFAs play causal role in the occurrence or development of VaD.

Residual analysis of QoI fungicides in multiple (six) types of aquatic organisms by UPLC-MS/MS under acutely toxic conditions.

In view of the significance of food safety and the possible relationship between residual enrichment and acute toxicity for pesticides in different aquatic organisms, it is essential to establish a sensitive and reliable determination method for pesticides in different aquatic organisms to analyze the enrichment levels. Quinone outside inhibitor fungicides (QoIs) are lipophilic fungicides that pose environmental threats to aquatic organisms. Previous research has mainly focused on QoI residues in aquatic organisms under chronic toxicity, whereas less is known about how pesticide residues differ among aquatic organism under acutely toxic conditions. In the present study, the residues of QoIs in aquatic organisms (Danio rerio, Rana pipiens, Cherax quadricarinatus, Misgurnus anguillicaudatus, Corbicula fluminea, and Ampullaria gigas) were analyzed by ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) coupled with a proposed QuEChERS method. The proposed method was validated in terms of linearity (coefficients of determination of 0.9980-0.9999), the limits of quantification (0.01 µg·kg-1), the relative standard deviation (0.6-4.4%), and recovery (70.12-118.15%). The results demonstrated that the proposed method fulfilled the requirements for pesticide analysis in all tested aquatic organisms. The residues of QoIs in the same aquatic organism exposed to QoI concentrations of 5 and 500 µg L-1 decreased in the order pyraoxystrobin > pyraclostrobin > triclopyricarb > picoxystrobin > azoxystrobin > fluoxastrobin. Furthermore, the acute toxicity was strongly correlated with the enrichment level of the QoIs in aquatic organisms. This study provides the first documentation of a correlation between the enrichment level of QoIs and acute toxicity in aquatic organisms, which provides a basis for the management of agrochemicals considering aquatic ecological risks.

Dissipation Kinetics and Safety Evaluation of Flonicamid in Four Various Types of Crops.

The chemical insecticide flonicamid is widely used to control aphids on crops. Differences among crops make the universality of detection methods a particularly important consideration. The aim of this study was to establish a universal, sensitive, accurate and efficient method for the determination of flonicamid residues in peach, cucumber, cabbage and cotton. QuEChERS pretreatment was combined with ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS). A satisfactory recovery rate of 84.3-99.3% was achieved at three spiking levels, and the relative standard deviation (RSD) was 0.41-5.95%. The limit of quantification (LOQ) of flonicamid in the four matrices was 0.01 mg/kg. The residue and dissipation kinetics of flonicamid in four types of crops in various locations were determined by using the optimized method. The results showed that flonicamid had a high dissipation rate in the four different types of crops and a half-life in the different matrices and locations of 2.28-9.74 days. The terminal residue of flonicamid was lower than the maximum residue limit (MRL). The risk quotient (RQ) of flonicamid was 4.4%, which is significantly lower than 100%. This result shows that the dietary risk presented by using flonicamid at the maximum recommended dose is low and acceptable. The comprehensive long-term dietary risk assessment of flonicamid performed in this study provides a reference for the protection of consumer health and safe insecticide use.

The Association of High-Frequency Nut Intake With a Low Risk of Psychological Problems in Female Methamphetamine Users.

Background: Recent years have witnessed a gradual increase in the number of female methamphetamine users. Meanwhile, female methamphetamine users are more likely to have psychological problems than male methamphetamine users. The association between diet and psychological problems have been found among non-methamphetamine user. The present study aims to investigate the relationship between dietary intake frequency and psychological problems in female methamphetamine users. Materials and Methods: A total of 109 female methamphetamine users, collected from a Compulsory Isolated Drug Rehabilitation Centre in northern China, participated in the study. All participants completed the Symptom Checklist 90 (SCL-90) questionnaire to assess psychological status. The relation of dietary intake frequency with the SCL-90 score was tested in partial correlation analysis. Multivariable regression models were used to calculate odds ratios to evaluate the association of dietary intake frequency with psychological problems. Results: Of the current female methamphetamine population, 33 participants were diagnosed with psychological problems using SCL-90. In the terms of dietary intake frequency, the frequency of nut intake in the psychiatric symptom group was significantly lower than that in the asymptomatic group. However, there was no difference in the frequency of other food intakes between the two groups. The frequency of nut intake was negatively correlated with the total score of SCL-90 and 8 different symptom clusters of psychopathologies on SCL-90. Logistic regression analysis indicated that the increased frequency of nut intake was associated with a lower risk of psychological problems. Conclusion: In the female methamphetamine population, increasing the frequency of nut intake may reduce the risk of psychological problems for female methamphetamine users.

Toxicological risks of SDHIs and QoIs to zebrafish (Danio rerio) and the corresponding poisoning mechanism.

Quinone outside inhibitor fungicides (QoIs) and succinate dehydrogenase inhibitor fungicides (SDHIs) were classified as highly or moderately toxic to nontarget aquatic organisms, which deterred their application in paddy scenario. Currently, the mechanism of toxicity regarding which factors govern their risk ranking in fish species are not fully explored. In this study, adult zebrafish were exposed to four QoIs (pyraclostrobin, trifloxystrobin, kresoxim-methyl, and azoxystrobin) and three SDHIs (isopyrazam, thifluzamide, and boscalid) to assess its acute toxicity and effects on tissue accumulation and gill injury. The results showed that the overall toxicity level was in the order of QoIs > SDHIs, whereas the order of accumulation capacity was SDHIs > QoIs. Seven mitochondrial respiratory inhibitors exposure induced serious histological damage in the gills, including aneurism, curling, telangiectasia and swelling, and caused mitochondrial dysfunction and weaker complex II and III activities. The correlation between their acute toxicities and in vitro gill cytotoxicity was significant (R = 0.868), whereas the bioaccumulation level was not markedly associated with their 96h-LC50 values in zebrafish (R = -0.686), indicating the degree of target organ (gill) injury may be the decisive factor that governs the risk grade of respiratory inhibitors in fish. Additionally, the docking positions and binding energies of fungicides with the target proteins may be responsible for their differential branchial damage. These results offer a point of reference and theoretical support for the design of fungicides and appropriate formulations with improved environmental safety that could broaden their application scenario.

Toxicological differences of trifloxystrobin and kresoxim-methyl on zebrafish in various levels of exposure routes, organs, cells and biochemical indicators.

Trifloxystrobin (TRI) and kresoxim-methyl (KRE), as quinone outside inhibitor fungicides (QoIs), have broad applications due to their effective activity against fungi. Excessive usages of agrochemicals trigger environmental risks, such as aquatic organisms (fish). Research performed in recent years has focused on the ecotoxicology of TRI and KRE in fish containing histologic morphology, enzyme activity, protein and gene expression under chronic toxicity conditions, whereas less is known about the underlying mechanisms of toxicity and differences between TRI and KRE in fish under acute toxicity conditions. In the present study, in comparison to different exposure routes [whole-body exposure (WBE), head exposure (HE), trunk exposure (TE), and Oral administration (OA)], the external substances TRI and KRE entered the fish body mainly via gill organs and led to fish toxicity. Furthermore, gill organs and gill cells were vulnerable to TRI and KRE exposure, which indicated that the gill is a vital impaired organ. The 96 h-LC50 (sublethal concentration) value of KRE was 289.8 µg L-1 (R2 = 0.9855) with an approximate 10-fold difference in TRI toxicity. The cytotoxicity exposed to TRI was higher than that in KRE at the same concentration. The potential mechanisms of toxic differences could be various toxic effects in terms of MCIII (mitochondrial complex III) activity, ATP (Adenosine triphosphate) content, MA (mitochondrial activity), ROS (reactive oxygen species) levels, and cellular respiration. Furthermore, the disorder in MCIII activity was probably the main potential mechanisms of toxic differences. To some extent, this research provides not only new insight into the underlying toxic mechanism of TRI and KRE in fish but also a basis for the guidance of agrochemicals considering aquatic risks.

The Association and Mediating Biomarkers of Serum Retinol in Influencing the Development of Type 2 Diabetes: A Prospective Cohort Study in Middle-Aged and Elderly Population.

The aims of this research are to elucidate whether serum retinol is associated with type 2 diabetes and to explore the underlying mechanisms of the association in a prospective cohort study. A total of 3,526 diabetes-free participants aged 40 years or older were enrolled at baseline in 2010-2012. Multivariable logistic regression was adopted to evaluate the associations of serum retinol and dietary vitamin A (VA) intake with type 2 diabetes. Mediation analyses were used to reveal potential mediators in their associations. After a mean follow-up of 5.3 years, 280 incident cases of type 2 diabetes occurred. Serum retinol was positively associated with the incidence of type 2 diabetes. The multivariable-adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for type 2 diabetes from the bottom to the top quintile of serum retinol were 1, 1.878 (1.202, 2.936), 2.110 (1.364, 3.263), 1.614 (1.027, 2.538), and 2.134 (1.377, 3.306) (p-trend = 0.009), respectively. Mediation analysis showed that increased homeostasis model assessment - insulin resistance HOMA-IR, triglycerides (TG), and serum xanthine oxidase (XO) activity could account for 8.5, 14.7, and 12.1% of the total effects of serum retinol on type 2 diabetes, respectively. Serum retinol concentration was not significantly associated with dietary VA intake (r = -0.010, p = 0.570). In addition, no significant relationship was observed between dietary VA intake and the risk of type 2 diabetes. Overall, elevated serum retinol might increase the risk of type 2 diabetes which is mainly mediated by increased insulin resistance, TG, or serum XO activity.

Assessing the Causal Effects of Adipokines on Uric Acid and Gout: A Two-Sample Mendelian Randomization Study.

Previous observational studies have highlighted associations between adipokines and hyperuricemia, as well as gout, but the causality and direction of these associations are not clear. Therefore, we attempted to assess whether there are causal effects of specific adipokines (such as adiponectin (ADP) and soluble leptin receptors (sOB-R)) on uric acid (UA) or gout in a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis, based on summary statistics from large genome-wide association studies. The inverse-variance weighted (IVW) method was performed as the primary analysis. Sensitivity analyses (including MR-Egger regression, weighted median, penalized weighted median, and MR pleiotropy residual sum and outlier methods) were also performed, to ensure reliable results. In the IVW models, no causal effect was found for sOB-R (odds ratios (OR), 1.002; 95% confidence intervals (CI), 0.999-1.004; p = 0.274) on UA, or ADP (OR, 1.198; 95% CI, 0.865-1.659; p = 0.277) or sOB-R (OR, 0.988; 95% CI, 0.940-1.037; p = 0.616) on gout. The results were confirmed in sensitivity analyses. There was no notable directional pleiotropy or heterogeneity. This study suggests that these specific adipokines may not play causal roles in UA or gout development.

Simultaneous detection of ten kinds of insecticide residues in honey and pollen using UPLC-MS/MS with graphene and carbon nanotubes as adsorption and purification materials.

An analytical method of simultaneous detection of ten insecticide residues in honey and pollen was established. The samples were purified with QuEChERS approach using new adsorbents and analyzed with UPLC-MS/MS. The results showed that both of graphene and carbon nanotubes were highly efficient adsorbents for the dSPE clean up to eliminate coextractives in the samples, and graphene was superior to carbon nanotubes for the detection of pesticide residues in honey and pollen samples. The proposed method was used to detect pesticide residues in 25 honey samples and 30 pollen samples which were randomly collected from more than ten provinces in China. All honey samples contain 1-27 µg/kg of chlorpyrifos residues. Only 4% of the honey samples were detected containing acetamiprid and imidacloprid, while the other seven pesticides were not detected. Chlorpyrifos residues were found in all pollen samples (5-66 µg/kg), among which twenty percent exceeded the maximum residue limits (MRLs, 50 µg/kg, European Commission Regulation). Most of the pollen samples containing pesticide concentrations higher than MRLs were collected from rape, followed by lotus, camellia, and rose. Besides, 36.7% and 33.3% of the pollen samples had imidacloprid and flupyradifurone higher than 5 µg/kg. A total of 26.7% pollen samples were detected containing bifenthrin, while none of the other six pesticides were detected in pollen samples.

Tank-mixing adjuvants enhanced the efficacy of fludioxonil on cucumber anthracnose by ameliorating the penetration ability of active ingredients on target interface.

In this study, pot and field experiments showed that S903, Hasten and Gemini-31511 can significantly enhanced the control efficacy of fludioxonil on cucumber anthracnose. Then by studying the deposition and penetration interaction between active ingredients and cucumber leaves to revealed how the adjuvants influence the interaction process between pesticide active ingredients and target plants to improve the control efficacy. By analysis the effect of fludioxonil deposition to synergism of adjuvants, indicated that fludioxonil active ingredient deposition caused by adjuvants was not the main factor for the adjuvants synergistic effect. Fludioxonil + S903 yielded the lowest surface tension and contact angle, which also implying the best wetting ability. The mean diameters in Hasten + fludioxonil group were much smaller than those in only fludioxonil group (5.39 µm-90 g a.i. ha-1, 5.50 µm-180 g a.i. ha-1), the average particle size only had 3.45 µm (90 g a.i. ha-1) and 3.94 µm (180 g a.i. ha-1). And the result of spray droplets was consistent with the particles of fludioxonil crystals observed on glass slides and cucumber leaves. Therefore, S903 improved the penetrability of fludioxonil in the target plants by improving the wetting and dispersion of active ingredients on the target interface. Meantime, Hasten improved the penetrability of fludioxonil in the target plants by decreasing the particle size of active ingredients.

Yogurt improves insulin resistance and liver fat in obese women with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and metabolic syndrome: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Because consumption of conventional yogurt has beneficial effects in a healthy population, and insulin resistance (IR) is the mutual pathogenesis in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and metabolic syndrome (MetS), we hypothesized that yogurt would ameliorate IR in patients with NAFLD and MetS. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of yogurt on IR and secondary endpoints including liver fat, gut microbiota, and serum biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress in obese women with NAFLD and MetS. METHODS: One hundred obese women aged 36-66 y with both NAFLD and MetS were randomly assigned to consume 220 g/d of either conventional yogurt or milk for 24 wk. At baseline and week 24, we measured anthropometric indices, serum glucose, insulin, lipids, and cytokines in all participants, and liver fat and gut microbiota in 20 participants randomly selected from each group. RESULTS: Forty-eight participants from the yogurt group and 44 from the milk group completed the intervention. Compared with milk, yogurt significantly decreased the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (-0.53; 95% CI: -1.03, -0.02), fasting insulin (-2.77 mU/L; 95% CI: -4.91, -0.63 mU/L), 2-h insulin (-25.5 mU/L; 95% CI: -33.0, -17.9 mU/L), 2-h area under the curve for insulin (-29.4 mU/L · h; 95% CI: -44.0, -14.8 mU/L · h), alanine aminotransferase (-4.65 U/L; 95% CI: -8.67, -0.64 U/L), intrahepatic lipid (-3.44%; 95% CI: -6.19%, -0.68%), and hepatic fat fraction (-3.48%; 95% CI: -6.34%, -0.63%). Yogurt also decreased serum LPS (-0.31 EU/mL; 95% CI: -0.48, -0.14 EU/mL), fibroblast growth factor 21 (-57.76 pg/mL; 95% CI: -86.32, -29.19 pg/mL), lipids, and biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress, and altered gut microbiota composition. Mediation analysis showed that yogurt may improve IR by reducing serum lipids, inflammation, oxidative stress, and LPS. CONCLUSIONS: Yogurt was better than milk at ameliorating IR and liver fat in obese Chinese women with NAFLD and MetS, possibly by improving lipid metabolism, reducing inflammation, oxidative stress, and LPS, and changing the gut microbiota composition. This trial was registered at www.chictr.org.cn as ChiCTR-IPR-15006801.

Selection of organosilicone surfactants for tank-mixed pesticides considering the balance between synergistic effects on pests and environmental risks.

In this study, the bioactivities of binary mixtures of organosilicone surfactants and indoxacarb against two Lepidopteran pests were investigated along with their environmental risks. All of the tested organosilicone surfactants had obvious synergistic effects on the contact toxicity of indoxacarb against Spodoptera exigua and Agrotis ipsilon. However, all of the organosilicone surfactants exhibited certain antagonism for indoxacarb against S. exigua in terms of stomach & contact toxicity; both Silwet-408 and Silwet-806 exhibited additivity against A. ipsilon, whereas Silwet-618 and Silwet-DRS-60 exhibited synergism and slight antagonism, respectively. All of the tested chemicals were highly toxic to Daphnia magna, among which Silwet-DRS-60 had the lowest acute toxicity (EC50 of 94.91 µg/L). However, these chemicals were less toxic to Brachydanio rerio. Silwet-DRS-60 had a low toxicity to B. rerio, while Silwet-408, Silwet-806 and Silwet-618 were moderately toxic to B. rerio. For the joint toxicity evaluation of organosilicone surfactants and indoxacarb to D. magna and B. rerio, the additive index method, concentration addition method and toxicity unit method were robust in judging synergism or antagonism, whereas other methods were more conservative; the V-value method and equilibrium curve method exhibited high robustness and viability in evaluating the combined effects of binary mixtures. Overall, we should carefully select organosilicone surfactants for premixed or tank-mixed pesticides in agriculture to obtain a balance between synergistic effects on pests and environmental risks.

Joint effect of less than 1 h of daytime napping and seven to 8 h of night sleep on the risk of stroke.

BACKGROUND: The joint effect of daytime naps and night sleep on the risk of stroke has not been clarified. Our research aimed to verify this relationship based on data from a large sample-sized cross-sectional study and a cohort study. METHODS: The cross-sectional study included 7887 subjects, aged 20-74 years. Using stratified random sampling, 1928 individuals were selected for the cohort study. We then followed up with these individuals for an average of 4.94 years and collected detailed sleep information with the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Serum fasting blood glucose, triglyceride, cholesterol and high density lipoprotein were analyzed, and anthropometric measurements were taken. Interaction and joint analyses were performed. RESULTS: Consistent with the results in the cross-sectional study, hazard ratios (HRs) (95% CI) of stroke were 1.94 (1.21-3.13) and 2.24 (1.05-4.79) for daytime napping ≥1 h and nighttime sleeping ≥9 h in the cohort study. For no naps combined with <7 h of nighttime sleeping, the HR (95%CI) was 2.61 (1.17-5.82). For ≥1 h of naps combined with <7 h, 7-8 h, 8-9 h, and ≥9 h of nighttime sleeping, HRs (95% CI) were 2.16 (1.03-4.51), 2.36 (1.07-5.20), 2.41 (1.11-5.20) and 3.37 (1.05-10.81), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Individuals with 7-8 h of night sleep combined with no daytime naps or less than 1 h of daytime napping were at low risk of stroke; nighttime sleeping ≥9 h combined with daytime napping ≥1 h and night sleep <7 h combined with 0 or >1 h daytime napping was associated with high risk of stroke. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRY: http://www.chictr.org. TRAIL NUMBER: ChiCTR-ECH-1200272, ChiCTR-ECH-12002938.

Binary mixtures of alcohol ethoxylates, nonylphenol ethoxylates and pesticides exhibit comparative bioactivity against three pests and toxicological risks to aquatic organisms.

Nonylphenol ethoxylates are widely used surfactants in the industry and agriculture. However, seeking for alternatives has been imperative considering their effects of the hormonal and other toxicological risks. In the current study, the synergistic effects of nonylphenol ethoxylates or alcohol ethoxylates on the bioactivity of indoxacarb and acetamiprid were compared. Results showed that synergistic ratios of nonylphenol ethoxylates (TX-7∼TX-30) and alcohol ethoxylates (MOA-5∼MOA-20) against Spodoptera exigua, Agrotis ipsilon and Aphis citricola decreased with the EO (ethylene oxide) numbers, although different magnitudes of decreases were observed. Single toxicities of all ethoxylates to Daphnia magna and Brachydanio rerio also dramatically decreased with the EO numbers. In terms of joint toxicity, the combined effects of all ethoxylates and pesticides upon D. magna turned from synergism to antagonism with the increasing EO numbers; the combined effects of nonylphenol ethoxylates and pesticides turned from synergism to antagonism with the increasing EO numbers of ethoxylates, whereas alcohol ethoxylates and pesticides always showed antagonistic effects whatever EO numbers. Overall, alcohol ethoxylates may be potential alternatives for nonylphenol ethoxylates as they exhibited nearly comparative bioactivity against tested pests and toxicities to D. magna and B. rerio.

Elevated Serum Xanthine Oxidase Activity Is Associated With the Development of Type 2 Diabetes: A Prospective Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to evaluate whether xanthine oxidase (XO), a key enzyme in uric acid (UA) metabolism and a major source of reactive oxygen species, plays a causal and important role in the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in a large prospective cohort study. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: A total of 4,412 diabetes-free adults (2,071 women and 2,341 men) aged 30-65 years at baseline in 2008 were involved. Participants were followed for incident change of glucose metabolism during an average of 4.7 years. At baseline, serum XO and UA, serum lipids, and glucose homeostasis indexes including fasting blood glucose (FBG), 2-h blood glucose (PBG), glycosylated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), and fasting insulin were tested for analysis. RESULTS: During an average follow-up period of 4.7 years, 249 women and 360 men developed new-onset T2DM. Serum XO activity was positively associated with UA concentration (all P values <0.001). When XO activity and UA concentration were considered in the same model of the sex-specific analysis, only XO activity was significantly associated with the incidence of T2DM, with the hazard ratios from the bottom to the top quartile of XO activity being 1.00, 1.67 (95% CI 1.00-2.79), 1.86 (1.11-3.13), and 2.36 (1.43-3.90) in women and 1.00, 1.01 (0.68-1.52), 1.41 (0.98-2.03), and 1.90 (1.30-2.78) in men. CONCLUSIONS: Elevated serum XO activity, but not UA concentration, was associated with an increased risk of developing T2DM in women and men with mutual adjustment for XO and UA. Further studies are needed to examine the underlying mechanisms.

Low-Carbohydrate, High-Protein, High-Fat Diets Rich in Livestock, Poultry and Their Products Predict Impending Risk of Type 2 Diabetes in Chinese Individuals that Exceed Their Calculated Caloric Requirement.

The evidence on the association between long-term low-carbohydrate, high-fat and high-protein diets and type 2 diabetes (T2D) is controversial. Until now, data is limited for Chinese populations, especially in considering the influence of extra energy intake. In this paper, we aimed to investigate the association of low-carbohydrate, high-fat and high-protein diets with type 2 diabetes (T2D) risk in populations consuming extra calories and those with normal caloric intake, We also determined whether the association is mediated by insulin resistance (IR) or ß-cell dysfunction. A total of 3644 subjects in the Harbin People's Health Study (Cohort 1, 2008-2012) and 7111 subjects in the Harbin Cohort Study on Diet, Nutrition and Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases (Cohort 2, 2010-2015) were analyzed, with a median follow-up of 4.2 and 5.3 years, respectively. Multivariate relative risks (RRs) and their 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were calculated to estimate the association between low-carbohydrate, high-fat and high-protein diet and T2D in logistic regression models. The multivariate RRs (95% CIs) were 1.00, 2.24 (1.07, 4.72) and 2.29 (1.07, 4.88) (Ptrend = 0.04), and 1.00, 1.45 (0.91, 2.31) and 1.64 (1.03, 2.61) (Ptrend = 0.04) across tertiles of low-carbohydrate, high-fat and high-protein diet scores in the population consuming extra calories in Cohort 1 and Cohort 2, respectively. The association was no longer significant after adjustment for livestock and its products, or poultry and its products. The mediation analysis discovered that this association in the population consuming extra calories was insulin resistance mediated, in both Cohort 1 and Cohort 2. However, the association was not significant among participants overall and participants with normal caloric intake. Our results indicated that long-term low-carbohydrate, high-fat and high-protein diets were associated with increased T2D risk among the population consuming extra calories, which may be caused by higher intake of animal-origin fat and protein as well as lower intake of vegetables, fruit and fiber. Additionally, the association was mediated by IR. In the population consuming extra calories, reducing the intake of livestock, poultry and their products and increasing the intake of vegetables, fruit and fiber might protect this population from developing T2D.

Alcohol ethoxylates significantly synergize pesticides than alkylphenol ethoxylates considering bioactivity against three pests and joint toxicity to Daphnia magna.

Seeking alternatives for alkylphenol ethoxylates (APEOs) have been a heavily researched topic in the surfactant industry and agricultural systems. In this study, the combined effects of different ethoxylates and pesticides on the bioactivity against three pests and toxicological risks to Daphnia magna were investigated. Results showed that alcohol ethoxylates (AEOs) had higher synergistic effects on the bioactivity of pesticides against Spodoptera exigua, Agrotis ipsilon and Aphis citricola than did APEOs. In terms of the joint toxicity of the ethoxylates and pesticides to D. magna, additive index method, toxicity unit method, V value method and isobologram method were used in the tests. All of these methods indicated that the joint effects of APEOs + acetamiprid and APEOs + indoxacarb upon D. magna turned from synergism to antagonism with the increasing EO (ethylene oxide) numbers. Those of AEOs exhibited similar trends. Overall, AEOs may be potential alternatives for APEOs in agriculture as they synergize pesticides against three pests significantly more than do APEOs. However, further research should investigate the compounds' environmental risks to aquatic organisms because the AEOs were highly toxic to D. magna.