Effects of Meat Intake Frequency and Polymorphic Cytochrome P450 2A6 Activity on Individual Colorectal Tumour Risk in a Japanese Cohort

The relationships among meat consumption, smoking habits, and phenotypic cytochrome P450 2A6 variation with respect to colorectal cancer risk remain unclear. In this study, the relationships among colorectal tumour risk, meat consumption by questionnaire, and phenotypic P450 2A6 activity by genotyping in a case-control study (299 cases and 170 controls) were analyzed for never-smokers and ever-smokers. In never-smokers consuming ≥1 serving per day of total meat, a significant odds ratio of 4.42 (95% confidence interval, 1.29 - 15.2), adjusted by logistic regression for age and gender, was observed, compared with the group consuming ≤2 servings per week. Furthermore, in Japanese never-smokers, the susceptibility to colorectal tumours was dependent on the frequency of meat intake (trend test p = 0.011). In never-smokers who were P450 2A6 poor metabolizers and had a high frequency of meat intake, the apparent odds ratio was 3.57 (95% confidence interval, 0.30 - 42.2) compared with the P450 2A6 normal group with a low meat intake frequency. These results suggested that colorectal tumour risk was inversely associated with the phenotypic P450 2A6 activities in Japanese never-smokers with a high meat intake.

Growing Food on Green Roofs:The First Step of an Interdisciplinary Approach

Under the many available strategies for the adoption of sustainable practices,the urban agriculture emerges as a relevant alternative.Urban naturation is the vegetative treatment of built surfaces,using plants adapted to the local environmental conditions.The vegetation is a highly relevant element to the regulation and balance of extreme climatic conditions.It also affects buildings thermal comfort and energy use,when assuming functions of control regarding solar radiation,air relative humidity and air movement.Besides the role of climate control,the vegetation can also play a role in food production.The growing of vegetable crops,spices and medicinal herbs has gained the urban spaces of Brazilian cities.The growth of plants at home or in the urban environment,described as productive landscape,becomes one of the few ways of contact with the elements of nature.Therefore,the urban agriculture can create natural spaces in the urban centers,thus,promoting the comfort into two scales:the urban scale and the building scale.On the other hand,the addition of vegetation for food production on built surfaces assumes a multidisciplinary effort.It is needed to technically respond to the suitable choice of substrate and plant species,to the nutrition values of the cultivated foods and,therefore,to the building physics that supports the food production.The aims of this investigation project are:(i)to increase international partnerships in the subject(the Federal University of Pelotas,in Brazil;the Lund and the ALNARP Universities,in Sweden;the Polytechnic University of Madrid,in Spain;and the Arizona State University,in the United States);(ii)to bring information on both the building energy efficiency and the outdoor microclimate as a consequence of the green roof establishment;(iii)to generate a cultivation guide for food production on rooftops.Thus,this paper presents the first step of the research interdisciplinary approach,which deals with the construction of the Cultivation Guide for Rooftop Farmings.Through a literature review,data from 19 food plant species were compiled to inform their proper growth and management.Additionally the same data will be used as the inputs for the modelling of the outdoor microclimate and indoor thermal comfort provided by those species.Exemplifying results in the form of synthesis tables,this paper shows the data of substrate and vegetation for two vegetable species:lettuce and tomato.

Gut-liver axis in sepsis-associated liver injury:Epidemiology,challenges and clinical practice

Although the liver has a remarkable regenerative capacity,sepsis-associated liver injury(SLI)is a complication often seen in intensive care units.Due to its role in immune and inflammatory regulation,the liver is particularly vulnerable during severe infections.Understanding the global prevalence,causes,and management of SLI is essential to improve outcomes and reduce healthcare costs.This paper aims to explore these factors,with an emphasis on identifying effective strategies for clinical management.Zhang et al’s bibliometric analysis of 787 publications(745 original articles and 42 reviews,mostly in animal models)from 2000 to 2023 highlights the growing interest in SLI,focusing on oxidative stress,gut microbiota,and inflammatory processes.Key components such as nuclear factor-kappa B and the NOD-like receptor thermal protein domain associated protein 3 inflammasome pathway,along with their links to gut microbiota imbalance and oxidative stress,are crucial for understanding SLI pathogenesis.The gut-liver axis,particularly the role of intestinal permeability and bacterial translocation in liver inflammation,is emphasized.In this context,bacterial translocation is especially relevant for critically ill patients,as it can exacerbate liver inflammation.The findings underscore the need for integrated care in intensive care units,prioritizing gut health and careful antibiotic use to prevent dysbiosis.Despite extensive research,there remains a lack of clinical trials to validate therapeutic approaches.The abundance of experimental studies highlights potential therapeutic targets,stressing the need for high-quality randomized clinical trials to translate these findings into clinical practice.

Serum lipid profiles are associated with semen quality

We aimed to explore the associations between different lipid profiles and semen quality in a large-scale general male population. Sperm concentration, total sperm motility, progressive motility, and normal sperm morphology of total 7601 participants were recorded. The association of these semen parameters with the triglyceride, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein, and very low-density lipoprotein of serum lipid profiles was analyzed. Sperm concentration was statistically positively correlated with triglyceride and very low-density lipoprotein （adjusted P= 0.001 and P= 0.005, respectively）. Total sperm motility and progressive motility were statistically increased with increasing low-density lipoprotein and cholesterol levels （both adjusted P = 0.008 and P 〈 0.001, respectively）. The similar J-shaped associations （high-low-low-high） were noted between individual lipid profile and normal sperm morphology, especially low-density lipoprotein and cholesterol with statistical significance （adjusted P = 0.017 and P= 0.021, respectively）. The prevalence of abnormal total sperm motility and progressive motility was decreased in participants with high levels of cholesterol （P = 0.008 and P = 0.019, respectively）, and the reverse J-shaped associations （low-high-high-low） were noted between high-density lipoprotein, triglyceride, very low-density lipoprotein, and the prevalence of abnormal normal sperm morphology （P = 0.010, P = 0.037, and P = 0.025, respectively）. A high cholesterol level was associated with better sperm motility. Similar J-shaped associations were noted between all lipid profiles and normal sperm morphology; meanwhile, the reverse J-shaped trends were identified between them and abnormal normal sperm morphology prevalence.