Epidemiological evidence regarding the effect of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) supplementation on inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is conflicting. Additionally, little evidence exists regarding the effects of specific omega-3 components on IBD risk. We applied two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) to disentangle the effects of omega-3 PUFAs (including total omega-3, α-linolenic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), or docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)) on the risk of IBD, Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). Our findings indicated that genetically predicted increased EPA concentrations were associated with decreased risk of IBD (odds ratio 0.78 (95% CI 0.63–0.98)). This effect was found to be mediated through lower levels of linoleic acid and histidine metabolites. However, we found limited evidence to support the effects of total omega-3, α-linolenic acid, and DHA on the risks of IBD. In the fatty acid desaturase 2 (FADS2) region, robust colocalization evidence was observed, suggesting the primary role of the FADS2 gene in mediating the effects of omega-3 PUFAs on IBD. Therefore, the present MR study highlights EPA as the predominant active component of omega-3 fatty acids in relation to decreased risk of IBD, potentially via its interaction with linoleic acid and histidine metabolites. Additionally, the FADS2 gene likely mediates the effects of omega-3 PUFAs on IBD risk.

The current detection method of carbendazim suffers from the disadvantages of complicated preprocessing and long cycle time. In order to solve the problem of rapid quantitative screening of finite contaminants, this article proposed a qualitative method based on characteristic peaks and a semi-quantitative method based on threshold to detect carbendazim in apple, and finally the method is evaluated by a validation system based on binary output. The results showed that the detection limit for carbendazim was 0.5 mg/kg, and the detection probability was 100% when the concentration was no less than 1 mg/kg. The semi-quantitative analysis method had a false positive rate of 0% and 5% at 0.5 mg/kg and 2.5 mg/kg, respectively. The results of method evaluation showed that when the added concentration was greater than 2.5 mg/kg, the qualitative detection method was consistent with the reference method. When the concentration was no less than 5 mg/kg, the semi-quantitative method is consistent between different labs. The semi-quantitative method proposed in this study can achieve the screening of finite contaminants in blind samples and simplify the test validation process through the detection probability model, which can meet the needs of rapid on-site detection and has a good application prospect.

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), characterized by impaired glucose homeostasis, represents a significant threat to public health. Bile acids (BAs), as key metabolic regulators, play an essential role in glucose metabolism. Recent advances in high-resolution metabolomics have revealed that various BA species are closely linked to T2DM pathogenesis and play a critical role in maintaining glucose homeostasis. Understanding the underlying mechanisms by which BAs modulate glucose metabolism provides valuable insights for the prevention and treatment of T2DM. Methods/Results: This review describes the roles of diverse BA species in regulating glucose metabolism and comprehensively summarizes the relationship of unconjugated and conjugated BAs with T2DM in population studies. Furthermore, we discuss BA-targeted therapeutic approaches for T2DM, highlighting the urgent need for developing tissue-restricted modulators of BA receptors and advancing the clinical translation of novel beneficial BAs. Conclusion: Deeply understanding the role of BAs played in the pathogenesis and progression of T2DM will facilitate the development of potential therapeutic agents.

Background: Sex differences in blood pressure (BP) levels and hypertension are important and the role of socioeconomic status (SES) in sex differences in hypertension remains unclear. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of SES on sex differences of hypertension in a nationally representative survey study. Methods: A total of 98,658 participants aged ≥18 years who have lived in their current residence for ≥6 months were recruited from 162 study sites across mainland China. Sex was self-reported. Individual-level SES included the highest level of education and annual household income. Area-level SES included economic development status, urban/rural residency, and north/south location. Outcomes included levels of systolic and diastolic BP, and hypertension. Linear and Cox regression models were used to examine the associations between sex (women vs men) and BP characteristics stratified by individual or combined SES indicators. Results: Systolic and diastolic BP levels and the prevalence of hypertension were higher in men than in women. This sex difference was found across categories of SES with widened sex disparities in participants having more favorable SES. Significant multiplicative interaction effects of SES on the association of sex with BP characteristics were found. Women with improving SES were associated with lower BP and hypertension prevalence compared to men. For combined SES, a 9% (prevalence ratio 0.91, 95% CI 0.83-0.98) and a 30% lower probability (prevalence ratio 0.70, 95% CI 0.63-0.78) of having hypertension were found in women with an overall intermediate SES and high SES, respectively, compared to those with low SES, while no significant reduction was found in men. Conclusions: There are significant sex differences in BP characteristics and SES has a potent impact on the disparities. Sex-specific public health policies to alleviate socioeconomic inequalities, especially in women are important for the prevention of hypertension.