Carcinogenic compounds in alcoholic beverages: an update

Disentangling hydroxynitrile glucoside biosynthesis in a barley (Hordeum vulgare) metabolon provides access to elite malting barleys for ethyl carbamate-free whisky production

Barley produces several specialized metabolites, including five α-, β-, and γ-hydroxynitrile glucosides (HNGs). In malting barley, presence of the α-HNG epiheterodendrin gives rise to undesired formation of ethyl carbamate in the beverage production, especially after distilling. Metabolite-GWAS identified QTLs and underlying gene candidates possibly involved in the control of the relative and absolute content of HNGs, including an undescribed MATE transporter. By screening 325 genetically diverse barley accessions, we discovered three H. vulgare ssp. spontaneum (wild barley) lines with drastic changes in the relative ratios of the five HNGs. Knock-out (KO)-lines, isolated from the barley FIND-IT resource and each lacking one of the functional HNG biosynthetic genes (CYP79A12, CYP71C103, CYP71C113, CYP71U5, UGT85F22 and UGT85F23) showed unprecedented changes in HNG ratios enabling assignment of specific and mutually dependent catalytic functions to the biosynthetic enzymes involved. The highly similar relative ratios between the five HNGs found across wild and domesticated barley accessions indicate assembly of the HNG biosynthetic enzymes in a metabolon, the functional output of which was reconfigured in the absence of a single protein component. The absence or altered ratios of the five HNGs in the KO-lines did not change susceptibility to the fungal phytopathogen Pyrenophora teres causing net blotch. The study provides a deeper understanding of the organization of HNG biosynthesis in barley and identifies a novel, single gene HNG-0 line in an elite spring barley background for direct use in breeding of malting barley, eliminating HNGs as a source of ethyl carbamate formation in whisky production.

Substances of health concern in home-distilled and commercial alcohols from Texas

Objective

Poor distillation practices in the production of spirits have historically resulted in many instances of adverse health outcomes including death. Concern has focused on lead and copper contamination as well as unhealthy levels of methanol and glyphosate. This study assesses home-distilled and commercially distilled alcohols from Texas for these substances of concern, highlighting their potential risks to public health.

Methods

Atomic absorption spectroscopy, gas chromatography, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were employed to determine lead and copper, methanol, and glyphosate levels in 12 commercial and 36 home-distilled alcohol samples.

Results

Our findings showed that 11 % of the home-distilled alcohols exceeded the U.S. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau's copper safety limits of 0.5 mg/L for wine. Additionally, 36 % of these samples surpassed the European Commission (EC)'s lead legal threshold of 0.15 mg/L set for wine products. Results from commercial alcohols indicated that no samples exceeded the same safety limits for copper, and 33 % exceeded the same legal threshold for lead. Both commercial and home-distilled alcohols exhibited methanol concentrations remarkably below the 0.35 % limit for brandy set by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Only two home-distilled samples contained detectable glyphosate concentrations well below 100 μg/L, the maximum residue level in beer and wine established by the EC.

Conclusions

Our findings suggested that consumption of alcohol in Texas may pose potential health risks associated with the elevated content of lead and copper. There is a need for increased focus on alcohol as a potential source of exposure to heavy metals.

The prevalence and concentration of aflatoxins in beers: a global systematic review and meta-analysis and probabilistic health risk assessment

Mycotoxins have been identified as considerable contaminants in beer. The current investigation's concentration and prevalence of aflatoxins (AFs) in beer were meta-analyzed. The health risk of consumers was estimated through MOEs in the Monte Carlo simulation (MCS) model. The rank order of AFs in beer based on pooled prevalence was AFB1 (26.00%) > AFG1 (14.93%) > AFB2 (7.69%) > AFG2 (7.52%), In addition, the rank order of AFs in beer based on their pooled concentration was AFG1 (0.505 µg/l) > AFB1 (0.469 µg/l) > AFB2 (0.134 µg/l) > AFG2 (0.071 µg/l). The prevalence and concentration of AFs in beer in Malawi were higher than in other countries. The health risk assessment shows consumers in all countries, especially Malawi, Brazil, and Cameroon, are exposed to unacceptably health risks (MOEs <10,000). It is recommended to monitor levels of AFs in beer efficiently and implement control plans in order to decrease health risk of exposed population.

Understanding How Chemical Pollutants Arise and Evolve in the Brewing Supply Chain: A Scoping Review

In this study, a critical review was carried out using the Web of ScienceTM Core Collection database to analyse the scientific literature published to date to identify lines of research and future perspectives on the presence of chemical pollutants in beer brewing. Beer is one of the world's most popular drinks and the most consumed alcoholic beverage. However, a widespread challenge with potential implications for human and animal health is the presence of physical, chemical, and/or microbiological contaminants in beer. Biogenic amines, heavy metals, mycotoxins, nitrosamines, pesticides, acrylamide, phthalates, bisphenols, microplastics, and, to a lesser extent, hydrocarbons (aliphatic chlorinated and polycyclic aromatic), carbonyls, furan-derivatives, polychlorinated biphenyls, and trihalomethanes are the main chemical pollutants found during the beer brewing process. Pollution sources include raw materials, technological process steps, the brewery environment, and packaging materials. Different chemical pollutants have been found during the beer brewing process, from barley to beer. Brewing steps such as steeping, kilning, mashing, boiling, fermentation, and clarification are critical in reducing the levels of many of these pollutants. As a result, their residual levels are usually below the maximum levels allowed by international regulations. Therefore, this work was aimed at assessing how chemical pollutants appear and evolve in the brewing process, according to research developed in the last few decades.

The association between trace metals in both cancerous and non-cancerous tissues with the risk of liver and gastric cancer progression in northwest China

Liver cancer and gastric cancer have extremely high morbidity and mortality rates worldwide. It is well known that an increase or decrease in trace metals may be associated with the formation and development of a variety of diseases, including cancer. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the contents of aluminium (Al), arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), selenium (Se), and zinc (Zn) in cancerous liver and gastric tissues, compared to adjacent healthy tissues, and to investigate the relationship between trace metals and cancer progression. During surgery, multiple samples were taken from the cancerous and adjacent healthy tissues of patients with liver and gastric cancer, and trace metal levels within these samples were analysed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). We found that concentrations of As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, Se, and Zn in tissues from patients with liver cancer were significantly lower than those in healthy controls (P < 0.05). Similarly, patients with gastric cancer also showed lower levels of Cd, Co, Cr, Mn, Ni, and Zn-but higher levels of Cu and Se-compared to the controls (P < 0.05). In addition, patients with liver and gastric cancers who had poorly differentiated tumours and positive lymph node metastases showed lower levels of trace metals (P < 0.05), although no significant changes in their concentrations were observed to correlate with sex, age, or body mass index (BMI). Logistic regression, principal component analysis (PCA), Bayesian kernel regression (BKMR), weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression, and quantile-based g computing (qgcomp) models were used to analyse the relationships between trace metal concentrations in liver and gastric cancer tissues and the progression of these cancers. We found that single or mixed trace metal levels were negatively associated with poor differentiation and lymph node metastasis in both liver and gastric cancer, and the posterior inclusion probability (PIP) of each metal showed that Cd contributed the most to poor differentiation and lymph node metastasis in both liver and gastric cancer (all PIP = 1.000). These data help to clarify the relationship between changes in trace metal levels in cancerous liver and gastric tissues and the progression of these cancers. Further research is warranted, however, to fully elucidate the mechanisms and causations underlying these findings.

Development and validation of a diagnostic model for predicting cervical lymph node metastasis in laryngeal and hypopharyngeal carcinoma

Objectives

The lymph node status is crucial for guiding the surgical approach for patients with laryngeal and hypopharyngeal carcinoma (LHC). Nonetheless, occult lymph node metastasis presents challenges to assessment and treatment planning. This study seeks to develop and validate a diagnostic model for evaluating cervical lymph node status in LHC patients.

Materials and methods

This study retrospectively analyzed a total of 285 LHC patients who were treated at the Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University, from January 2015 to December 2020. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were employed to construct the predictive model. Discrimination and calibration were used to assess the predictive performance of the model. Decision curve analysis (DCA) was performed to evaluate the clinical utility of the model, and validation was conducted using 10-fold cross-validation, Leave-One-Out Cross Validation, and bootstrap methods.

Results

This study identified significant predictors of lymph node metastasis in LHC. A diagnostic predictive model was developed and visualized using a nomogram. The model demonstrated excellent discrimination, with a C-index of 0.887 (95% CI: 0.835-0.933). DCA analysis indicated its practical applicability, and multiple validation methods confirmed its fitting and generalization ability.

Conclusion

This study successfully established and validated a diagnostic predictive model for cervical lymph node metastasis in LHC. The visualized nomogram provides a convenient tool for personalized prediction of cervical lymph node status in patients, particularly in the context of occult cervical lymph node metastasis, offering valuable guidance for clinical treatment decisions.

Physiologically-based pharmacokinetic model for evaluating gender-specific exposures of N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA)

N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) is classified as a human carcinogen and could be produced by both natural and industrial processes. Although its toxicity and histopathology have been well-studied in animal species, there is insufficient data on the blood and tissue exposures that can be correlated with the toxicity of NDMA. The purpose of this study was to evaluate gender-specific pharmacokinetics/toxicokinetics (PKs/TKs), tissue distribution, and excretion after the oral administration of three different doses of NDMA in rats using a physiologically-based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model. The major target tissues for developing the PBPK model and evaluating dose metrics of NDMA included blood, gastrointestinal (GI) tract, liver, kidney, lung, heart, and brain. The predictive performance of the model was validated using sensitivity analysis, (average) fold error, and visual inspection of observations versus predictions. Then, a Monte Carlo simulation was performed to describe the magnitudes of inter-individual variability and uncertainty of the single model predictions. The developed PBPK model was applied for the exposure simulation of daily oral NDMA to estimate blood concentration ranges affecting health effects following acute-duration (≤ 14 days), intermediate-duration (15-364 days), and chronic-duration (≥ 365 days) intakes. The results of the study could be used as a scientific basis for interpreting the correlation between in vivo exposures and toxicological effects of NDMA.

Prospective cohort of pre- and post-diagnosis alcohol consumption and cigarette smoking on survival outcomes: an Alberta Endometrial Cancer Cohort Study

PURPOSE

To examine the independent and joint relationships between cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption with survival outcomes after endometrial cancer diagnosis.

METHODS

Pre- and post-diagnosis smoking and drinking histories were obtained from endometrial cancer survivors diagnosed between 2002 and 2006 during in-person interviews at-diagnosis and at ~ 3 years post-diagnosis. Participants were followed until death or January 2022. Multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated with Cox proportional hazards regression for associations with disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS).

RESULTS

During a median 16.9 years of follow-up (IQR = 15.5-18.1 years), 152 of the 540 participants had a DFS event (recurrence: n = 73; deaths: n = 79) and 134 died overall. Most participants in this cohort were current drinkers (pre = 61.3%; post = 64.7%) while few were current cigarette smokers (pre = 12.8%; post = 11.5%). Pre-diagnosis alcohol consumption was not associated with survival, yet post-diagnosis alcohol intake ≥ 2 drinks/week was associated with worse OS compared with lifetime abstention (HR = 2.36, 95%CI = 1.00-5.54) as well as light intake (HR = 3.87, 95% CI = 1.67-8.96). Increased/consistently high alcohol intake patterns were associated with worse OS (HR = 2.91, 95% CI = 1.15-7.37) compared with patterns of decreased/ceased intake patterns after diagnosis. A harmful dose-response relationship per each additional pre-diagnosis smoking pack-year with OS was noted among ever smokers. In this cohort, smoking and alcohol individually were not associated with DFS and combined pre-diagnosis smoking and alcohol intakes were not associated with either outcome.

CONCLUSION

Endometrial cancer survivors with higher alcohol intakes after diagnosis had poorer OS compared with women who had limited exposure. Larger studies powered to investigate the individual and joint impacts of cigarette smoking and alcohol use patterns are warranted to provide additional clarity on these modifiable prognostic factors.

The association of serum choline concentrations with the risk of cancers: a community-based nested case-control study

Few studies have been designed to investigate the effect of serum choline on the risk of incident cancer. This study aims to explore the association between serum choline and the risk of new-onset cancer. We conducted a case-control study, including 199 patients with incident cancer and 199 matched controls during a median of 3.9 years of follow-up, nested within the China Stroke Primary Prevention Trial. Cubic spline regression (RCS) and conditional logistic regression analysis was used to assess the association of serum choline and incident cancer risk. We observed a positive dose-response association between serum choline levels and the risk of overall (p for overall = 0.046) and digestive system cancer (p for overall = 0.039). Compared with patients with the lowest choline levels (Q1 group), patients in the highest levels of choline (Q4) had a 3.69-fold and 6.01-fold increased risk of overall (OR = 3.69, 95% CI 1.17-11.63) and digestive system cancer (OR = 6.01, 95% CI 1.14-31.67). Elevated choline levels (per SD, 11.49 μg/mL) were associated with a higher risk of overall cancer among participants who were older, male, and smokers in the subgroup analyses. We found a positive association between elevated levels of serum choline with increased risk of incident cancer. Our findings have critical clinical implications for cancer prevention and diagnosis.Trial registration CSPPT, NCT00794885. Registered: November 20, 2008. https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/study/NCT00794885 https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/study/NCT00794885.

Alcohol and cancer: a denied association the statement of the Italian society on alcohol (Società Italiana di Alcologia-SIA)

Alcohol consumption (AC) is carcinogenic to humans. The Italian Society on Alcohol (Società Italiana di Alcologia) defines excessive AC as anything greater than zero. It is not appropriate to associate AC with cardiovascular disease prevention. This is for prudence and to protect public health. It also asks to include information on alcohol labels that AC is associated with cancer.

Habitually Skipping Breakfast Is Associated with the Risk of Gastrointestinal Cancers: Evidence from the Kailuan Cohort Study

BACKGROUND

Habitually skipping breakfast may promote the initiation and progression of gastrointestinal (GI) cancers, which have never been systematically explored in large-scale prospective studies.

METHODS

We prospectively examined the effects of breakfast frequency on the occurrence of GI cancers among 62,746 participants. The hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) of GI cancers were calculated by Cox regression. The CAUSALMED procedure was used to perform the mediation analyses.

RESULTS

During a median follow-up of 5.61 (5.18 ~ 6.08) years, 369 incident GI cancer cases were identified. Participants who consumed 1-2 times breakfasts per week exhibited an increased risk of stomach (HR = 3.45, 95% CI: 1.06-11.20) and liver cancer (HR = 3.42, 95% CI: 1.22-9.53). Participants who did not eat breakfast had an elevated risk of esophageal (HR = 2.72, 95% CI: 1.05-7.03), colorectal (HR = 2.32, 95% CI: 1.34-4.01), liver (HR = 2.41, 95% CI: 1.23-4.71), gallbladder, and extrahepatic bile duct cancer (HR = 5.43, 95% CI: 1.34-21.93). In the mediation effect analyses, BMI, CRP, and TyG (fasting triglyceride-glucose) index did not mediate the association between breakfast frequency and the risk of GI cancer incidence (all P for mediation effect > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Habitually skipping breakfast was associated with a greater risk of GI cancers including esophageal, gastric, colorectal, liver, gallbladder, and extrahepatic bile duct cancer.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Kailuan study, ChiCTR-TNRC-11001489. Registered 24 August, 2011-Retrospectively registered, http://www.chictr.org.cn/showprojen.aspx?proj=8050.

Sex and Tumor-Site Differences in the Association of Alcohol Intake With the Risk of Early-Onset Colorectal Cancer

PURPOSE

Given the increasing incidence of early-onset colorectal cancer (CRC; diagnosed before age 50 years) worldwide, it is important to identify modifiable risk factors. We investigated whether alcohol consumption in the young population correlated with an increased early-onset CRC risk that differed by tumor location and sex.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We investigated the association between average daily alcohol consumption and the risk of early-onset CRC among 5,666,576 individuals age 20-49 years using data from the Korean National Health Insurance Service (2009-2019). Alcohol consumption levels of nondrinker, light (reference), moderate, and heavy drinker were defined as 0, <10, 10 to <30, and ≥30 g/d for men and 0, <10, 10 to <20, and ≥20 g/d for women, respectively. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) with 95% CIs.

RESULTS

We identified 8,314 incident early-onset CRC cases during the follow-up period. Moderate and heavy drinkers showed an increased risk of early-onset CRC compared with light drinkers (aHR, 1.09 [95% CI, 1.02 to 1.16] and aHR, 1.20 [95% CI, 1.11 to 1.29], respectively). Subgroup analysis by tumor location showed positive dose-response significance for early-onset distal colon and rectal cancers, but not for proximal colon cancer. The dose-response association between drinking frequency and risk of early-onset CRC was significant, with a 7%, 14%, and 27% increased risk for 1-2, 3-4, and ≥5 d/wk compared with nondrinkers, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Excessive alcohol consumption increases the risk of CRC onset before age 50 years. Thus, effective interventions are required to discourage alcohol consumption among young people and to tailor CRC screening approaches for high-risk individuals.

Risk assessment of combined exposure to lead, cadmium, and total mercury among the elderly in Shanghai, China

Lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd) and total mercury (THg) are toxic heavy metals (THMs) that are widely present in the environment and can cause substantial health problems. However, previous risk assessment studies have rarely focused on the elderly population and have usually targeted a single heavy metal, which might underestimate the long-term accumulative and synergistic effects of THMs in humans. Based on the food frequency questionnaire and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, this study assessed external and internal exposures to Pb, Cd and THg in 1747 elderly people in Shanghai. Probabilistic risk assessment with the relative potential factor (RPF) model was used to assess the neurotoxicity and nephrotoxicity risks of combined THMs exposures. The mean external exposures of Pb, Cd and THg in Shanghai elderly were 46.8, 27.2 and 4.9 μg/day, respectively. Plant-based foods are the main source of Pb and THg exposure, while Cd is mainly from animal-based foods. The mean concentrations of Pb, Cd and THg were 23.3, 1.1 and 2.3 μg/L in the whole blood, and 6.2, 1.0 and 2.0 μg/L in the morning urine, respectively. Combined exposure to THMs leading to 10.0 % and 7.1 % of Shanghai elderly at risk of neurotoxicity and nephrotoxicity. The results of this study have important implications for understanding the profiles of Pb, Cd and THg exposure in the elderly living in Shanghai and provide data support for risk assessment and control of nephrotoxicity and neurotoxicity from combined THMs exposure in the elderly.

Current Status of Korean Alcohol Drinking in Accordance with the Korean Alcohol Guidelines for Moderate Drinking Based on Facial Flushing

Since each person has a different ability to break down alcohol, it is inappropriate to apply a uniform standard to everyone when evaluating drinking status. In Korea, there has been a guideline for moderate drinking based not only on sex and age but Koreans' alcohol metabolism capabilities that can be predicted by presence of facial flushing response. So far, there have been no studies that have investigated drinking habits of Koreans in accordance with the guideline. This study tried to identify the current drinking status of Koreans according to the guideline. As a result, it was confirmed that about 1/3 of the total population was accompanied by facial flushing when drinking alcohol, and it was found that different drinking habits were shown even in the same age and gender groups according to the presence of facial flushing. It is difficult to accurately evaluate drinking habits because facial flushing has not yet been investigated in some large data or various medical examinations. In the future, it is necessary to ensure that the presence of facial flushing can be confirmed at the medical treatment or examination site so that accurate drinking habit evaluation and prevention and resolution of drinking problems can be achieved.

Prevalence, trends and distribution of lifestyle cancer risk factors in Uganda: a 20-year systematic review

BACKGROUND

Cancer is becoming an important public health problem in Uganda. Cancer control requires surveillance of lifestyle risk factors to inform targeted interventions. However, only one national Non-Communicable Disease (NCD) risk factor survey has been conducted in Uganda. This review assessed the prevalence, trends and distribution of lifestyle risk factors in Uganda.

METHODS

The review identified studies up to January 2019 by searching Medline, Embase, CINAL and Cochrane databases. Further literature was identified from relevant websites and journals; scanning reference lists of relevant articles; and citation searching using Google Scholar. To be eligible, studies had to have been conducted in Uganda, and report prevalence estimates for at least one lifestyle cancer risk factor. Narrative and systematic synthesis was used to analyse the data.

RESULTS

Twenty-four studies were included in the review. Overall, unhealthy diet (88%) was the most prevalent lifestyle risk factor for both males and females. This was followed by harmful use of alcohol (range of 14.3% to 26%) for men, and being overweight (range of 9% to 24%) for women. Tobacco use (range of 0.8% to 10.1%) and physical inactivity (range of 3.7% to 4.9%) were shown to be relatively less prevalent in Uganda. Tobacco use and harmful use of alcohol were more common in males and more prevalent in Northern region, while being overweight (BMI > 25 kg/m2) and physical inactivity were more common in females and more prevalent in Central region. Tobacco use was more prevalent among the rural populations compared to urban, while physical inactivity and being overweight were more common in urban than in rural settings. Tobacco use has decreased overtime, while being overweight increased in all regions and for both sexes.

CONCLUSION

There is limited data about lifestyle risk factors in Uganda. Apart from tobacco use, other lifestyle risk factors seem to be increasing and there is variation in the prevalence of lifestyle risk factors among the different populations in Uganda. Prevention of lifestyle cancer risk factors requires targeted interventions and a multi-sectoral approach. Most importantly, improving the availability, measurement and comparability of cancer risk factor data should be a top priority for future research in Uganda and other low-resource settings.

Simulation and Control of the Formation of Ethyl Carbamate during the Fermentation and Distillation Processes of Chinese Baijiu

Baijiu is a popular alcoholic beverage with a long history in China. However, the widespread presence of the ethyl carbamate (EC) carcinogen has raised many food safety concerns. To date, the main precursors of EC and its formation process have not been determined, resulting in difficulty controlling EC in Baijiu. In this study, the main precursors of EC are identified as urea and cyanide during the process of brewing for different flavors of Baijiu, while the dominant stage in which EC formation occurs is during the process of distillation rather than fermentation. In addition, the effects of temperature, pH value, alcohol concentration and metal ions on the formation of EC are confirmed. In the following study, the main precursor of EC is identified as cyanide during the process of distillation, and a combination of optimizing the distillation device and adding copper wire is proposed. Furthermore, the effect of this novel strategy is examined in gaseous reactions between cyanide and ethanol, reducing the concentration of EC by 74.0%. Finally, the feasibility of this strategy is verified in simulated distillations of fermented grains, reducing the formation of EC by 33.7-50.2%. This strategy has great application potential in industrial production.

Comprehensive Review on Monitoring, Behavior, and Impact of Pesticide Residues during Beer-Making

This paper reviews the impact of beer-making stages (malting, mashing, boiling, and fermentation) on the behavior of pesticide residues. The large use of pesticides on barley and hop could cause the occurrence of their residues in beer. The foremost factors influencing the stability of residues (pH, temperature, and water content) and the physical-chemical properties of pesticides (octanol-water partition coefficient, vapor pressure, and water solubility) are essential to know their final fate. Most pesticides show a decrease in the unhopped wort because they are adsorbed onto the spent grains after mashing. In addition, their concentrations decrease during boiling and fermentation. Generally, maltsters should dedicate particular attention to the residues of hydrophobic pesticides because they can remain on the malt. Contrarily, brewers should control residues of hydrophilic pesticides because they can be carried over into young beer, disturbing the quality and organoleptic properties (flavor, aroma, taste, or color) of the beer.

Association between serum arginine levels and cancer risk: A community-based nested case-control study

OBJECTIVE

The effect of arginine on tumors appears to be bidirectional. The association of serum arginine with the risk of incident cancer remains uncovered at present. We aimed to investigate the prospective relationship of baseline serum arginine concentrations with the risk of incident cancer in hypertensive participants.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A nested, case-control study with 1,389 incident cancer cases and 1,389 matched controls was conducted using data from the China H-Type Hypertension Registry Study (CHHRS). Conditional logistic regression analyses were performed to evaluate the association between serum arginine and the risk of the overall, digestive system, non-digestive system, and site-specific cancer.

RESULTS

Compared with matched controls, cancer patients had higher levels of arginine (21.41 μg/mL vs. 20.88 μg/mL, p < 0.05). When serum arginine concentrations were assessed as quartiles, compared with participants in the lowest arginine quartile, participants in the highest arginine quartile had a 32% (OR = 1.32, 95% CI: 1.03 to 1.71), and 68% (OR = 1.68, 95% CI: 1.09 to 2.59) increased risk of overall and digestive system cancer, respectively, in the adjusted models. In the site-specific analysis, each standard deviation (SD) increment of serum arginine was independently and positively associated with the risk of colorectal cancer (OR = 1.35, 95% CI: 1.01 to 1.82) in the adjusted analysis.

CONCLUSION

We found that hypertensive individuals with higher serum arginine levels exhibited a higher risk of overall, digestive system, and colorectal cancer.

Food-Borne Chemical Carcinogens and the Evidence for Human Cancer Risk

Commonly consumed foods and beverages can contain chemicals with reported carcinogenic activity in rodent models. Moreover, exposures to some of these substances have been associated with increased cancer risks in humans. Food-borne carcinogens span a range of chemical classes and can arise from natural or anthropogenic sources, as well as form endogenously. Important considerations include the mechanism(s) of action (MoA), their relevance to human biology, and the level of exposure in diet. The MoAs of carcinogens have been classified as either DNA-reactive (genotoxic), involving covalent reaction with nuclear DNA, or epigenetic, involving molecular and cellular effects other than DNA reactivity. Carcinogens are generally present in food at low levels, resulting in low daily intakes, although there are some exceptions. Carcinogens of the DNA-reactive type produce effects at lower dosages than epigenetic carcinogens. Several food-related DNA-reactive carcinogens, including aflatoxins, aristolochic acid, benzene, benzo[a]pyrene and ethylene oxide, are recognized by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) as causes of human cancer. Of the epigenetic type, the only carcinogen considered to be associated with increased cancer in humans, although not from low-level food exposure, is dioxin (TCDD). Thus, DNA-reactive carcinogens in food represent a much greater risk than epigenetic carcinogens.

Unboxing the molecular modalities of mutagens in cancer

The etiology of the majority of human cancers is associated with a myriad of environmental causes, including physical, chemical, and biological factors. DNA damage induced by such mutagens is the initial step in the process of carcinogenesis resulting in the accumulation of mutations. Mutational events are considered the major triggers for introducing genetic and epigenetic insults such as DNA crosslinks, single- and double-strand DNA breaks, formation of DNA adducts, mismatched bases, modification in histones, DNA methylation, and microRNA alterations. However, DNA repair mechanisms are devoted to protect the DNA to ensure genetic stability, any aberrations in these calibrated mechanisms provoke cancer occurrence. Comprehensive knowledge of the type of mutagens and carcinogens and the influence of these agents in DNA damage and cancer induction is crucial to develop rational anticancer strategies. This review delineated the molecular mechanism of DNA damage and the repair pathways to provide a deep understanding of the molecular basis of mutagenicity and carcinogenicity. A relationship between DNA adduct formation and cancer incidence has also been summarized. The mechanistic basis of inflammatory response and oxidative damage triggered by mutagens in tumorigenesis has also been highlighted. We elucidated the interesting interplay between DNA damage response and immune system mechanisms. We addressed the current understanding of DNA repair targeted therapies and DNA damaging chemotherapeutic agents for cancer treatment and discussed how antiviral agents, anti-inflammatory drugs, and immunotherapeutic agents combined with traditional approaches lay the foundations for future cancer therapies.

Acetate reprograms gut microbiota during alcohol consumption

Liver damage due to chronic alcohol use is among the most prevalent liver diseases. Alcohol consumption frequency is a strong factor of microbiota variance. Here we use isotope labeled [1-13C] ethanol, metagenomics, and metatranscriptomics in ethanol-feeding and intragastric mouse models to investigate the metabolic impacts of alcohol consumption on the gut microbiota. First, we show that although stable isotope labeled [1-13C] ethanol contributes to fatty acid pools in the liver, plasma, and cecum contents of mice, there is no evidence of ethanol metabolism by gut microbiota ex vivo under anaerobic conditions. Next, we observe through metatranscriptomics that the gut microbiota responds to ethanol-feeding by activating acetate dissimilation, not by metabolizing ethanol directly. We demonstrate that blood acetate concentrations are elevated during ethanol consumption. Finally, by increasing systemic acetate levels with glyceryl triacetate supplementation, we do not observe any impact on liver disease, but do induce similar gut microbiota alterations as chronic ethanol-feeding in mice. Our results show that ethanol is not directly metabolized by the gut microbiota, and changes in the gut microbiota linked to ethanol are a side effect of elevated acetate levels. De-trending for these acetate effects may be critical for understanding gut microbiota changes that cause alcohol-related liver disease.

Long-Term Alcohol Consumption Caused a Significant Decrease in Serum High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL)-Cholesterol and Apolipoprotein A-I with the Atherogenic Changes of HDL in Middle-Aged Korean Women

Light-to-moderate alcohol drinking is associated with a low incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) via an elevation of high-density lipoproteins-cholesterol (HDL-C), particularly with the short-term supplementation of alcohol. However, there is no information on the change in the HDL qualities and functionalities between non-drinkers and mild drinkers in the long-term consumption of alcohol. This study analyzed the lipid and lipoprotein profiles of middle-aged Korean female non-drinkers, mild-drinkers, and binge-drinkers, who consumed alcohol for at least 10 years. Unexpectedly, the serum levels of HDL-C and apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I) were decreased significantly depending on the alcohol amount; the binge-drinker group showed 18% and 13% lower HDL-C (p = 0.011) and apoA-I levels (p = 0.024), respectively, than the non-drinker group. Triglyceride (TG) and oxidized species, malondialdehyde (MDA), and low-density lipoproteins (LDL) levels were significantly elevated in the drinker groups. Interestingly, the binge-drinker group showed 1.4-fold higher (p = 0.020) cholesterol contents in HDL2 and 1.7-fold higher (p < 0.001) TG contents in HDL3 than those of the non-drinker group. The mild-drinker group also showed higher TG contents in HDL3 (p = 0.032) than the non-drinker group, while cholesterol contents were similar in the HDL3 of all groups. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed that the non-drinker group showed a more distinct and clear particle shape of the LDL and HDL image with a larger particle size than the drinker group. Electrophoresis of LDL showed that the drinker group had faster electromobility with a higher smear band intensity and aggregation in the loading position than the non-drinker group. The HDL level of binge drinkers showed the lowest paraoxonase activity, the highest glycated extent, and the most smear band intensity of HDL and apoA-I, indicating that HDL quality and functionality were impaired by alcohol consumption. In conclusion, long-term alcohol consumption in middle-aged women, even in small amounts, caused a significant decrease in the serum HDL-C and apoA-I with atherogenic changes in LDL and HDL, such as an increase in TG and MDA content with a loss of paraoxonase activity.

Recent Developments in Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy and Its Application in Food Analysis: Alcoholic Beverages as an Example

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is an emerging technology that combines Raman spectroscopy and nanotechnology with great potential. This technology can accurately characterize molecular adsorption behavior and molecular structure. Moreover, it can provide rapid and sensitive detection of molecules and trace substances. In practical application, SERS has the advantages of portability, no need for sample pretreatment, rapid analysis, high sensitivity, and ‘fingerprint’ recognition. Thus, it has great potential in food safety detection. Alcoholic beverages have a long history of production in the world. Currently, a variety of popular products have been developed. With the continuous development of the alcoholic beverage industry, simple, on-site, and sensitive detection methods are necessary. In this paper, the basic principle, development history, and research progress of SERS are summarized. In view of the chemical composition, the beneficial and toxic components of alcoholic beverages and the practical application of SERS in alcoholic beverage analysis are reviewed. The feasibility and future development of SERS are also summarized and prospected. This review provides data and reference for the future development of SERS technology and its application in food analysis.

Influence of choline chloride-based NADES on the composition of Myristica fragrans Houtt. essential oil

Natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES) have emerged as green extracting solvents in recent years. In this study, a variety of choline chloride (ChCl)-based natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES) were used as co-solvents for the hydrodistillation of nutmeg with the aim to obtain M. fragrans essential oil (EO) in higher yield and with a lower content of toxic phenylpropenoids (e.g. myristicin and safrole). The influence of ChCl-based NADES as additives in the hydrodistillation process was studied. The results showed that NADES additives improved the yield of the extracted essential oil and influenced its composition leading to a decrease in toxic phenylpropenoids. Best results were achieved by using ChCl-CA NADES ultrasound-assisted pretreatment coupled with traditional 2 ​h Clevenger hydrodistillation that increased the yield of the EO from 0.98% (traditional) to 1.41% and a decrease of the phenylpropenoids amount in the essential oil.

C‐Reactive Protein Trajectories and the Risk of All Cancer Types: A Prospective Cohort Study

A single CRP measurement is insufficient to examine the association of long‐term patterns of CRP concentration with cancer risk. We prospectively examined the relationship between CRP trajectory patterns and new‐onset cancers among 52 276 participants. Latent mixture modeling was used to identify CRP trajectories. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to evaluate the association between CRP trajectory patterns and the risk of overall and specific‐site cancer. Four CRP trajectories patterns were identified: low‐stable pattern (n = 43 258), moderate‐increasing pattern (n = 2591), increasing‐decreasing pattern (n = 2068) and elevated‐decreasing pattern (n = 4359). Relative to the low‐stable pattern, the moderate‐increasing trajectory pattern was associated with an elevated risk of overall, lung, breast, leukemia, bladder, stomach, colorectal, liver, gallbladder or extrahepatic bile duct cancer and leukemia. Participants in the increasing‐decreasing trajectory pattern were associated with an elevated risk of overall, lung, breast, bladder, pancreatic and liver cancer. The increasing‐decreasing trajectory pattern was also associated with decreased risk of colorectal cancer in the multivariate analyses. Elevated‐decreasing trajectory pattern was associated with increased risk of leukemia and decreased risk of esophageal and colorectal cancer. CRP trajectories play an important role in the occurrence of cancers, especially in the lung, breast, bladder, stomach, colorectal, liver, gallbladder and extrahepatic bile duct cancer and leukemia.

Effect of fermented foods on some neurological diseases, microbiota, behaviors: mini review

Fermented foods are among the traditional foods consumed for centuries. In recent years, awareness of fermented foods has been increasing due to their positive health benefits. Fermented foods contain beneficial microorganisms. Fermented foods, such as kefir, kimchi, sauerkraut, and yoghurt, contain Lactic acid bacteria (LAB), such as Lactobacilli, Bifidobacteria, and their primary metabolites (lactic acid). Although studies on the effect of consumption of fermented foods on diabetes, cardiovascular, obesity, gastrointestinal diseases on chronic diseases have been conducted, more studies are needed regarding the relationship between neurological diseases and microbiota. There are still unexplored mechanisms in the relationship between the brain and intestine. In this review, we answer how the consumption of fermented foods affects the brain and behavior of Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis disease, stroke, and gut microbiota.

Consumption of Alcoholic Beverages Associated With Physical Health Status in Adults: Secondary Analysis of the Health Information National Trends Survey Data

INTRODUCTION

Alcohol consumption constitutes one of the main modifiable risk factors that contribute to the increase in the global burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). The objective of this study was to determine the effects of the consumption of alcoholic beverages on the state of physical health and its equivalence according to gender.

METHODS

Cross-sectional data from the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) (n = 3865), collected during 2020 were used. Structural equation modeling was applied to assess the fit of the model, which included the prediction of measures of alcohol consumption in physical health and the equivalence of measurements of the proposed structural model in men and women.

RESULTS

The proposed structural model reported adequate goodness-of-fit indices (SBχ²/gl = 3.817, CFI = 0.984, TLI = 0.968, RMSEA [90% CI] = 0.027 [0.016-0.039]; SRMR = 0.016). Frequent alcohol consumption had a negative effect on physical health (b = -0.13, P < .01). Similarly, occasional alcohol consumption negatively predicted elevated BMI and chronic conditions such as, diabetes, hypertension, CVD, and cancer (b = -0.09, P < .01). In addition, drinking patterns of alcoholic beverages affect physical health in equal ways for men and women.

CONCLUSION

The findings highlight that frequent and occasional alcohol consumption significantly affected physical health in a negative way. Future interventions could address ways to encourage the adoption of a healthy lifestyle to reduce the risks of chronic conditions derived from excessive alcohol consumption.

Alcohol Consumption: Discussing Potential Risks for Informed Decisions in Breast Cancer Survivors

BACKGROUND

Alcohol consumption is a known risk factor for breast cancer. Because breast cancer survivors are already at risk for recurrence, it is important to understand whether these survivors could benefit from survivor-specific recommendations for alcohol consumption.

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this article was to review primary research specific to alcohol and breast cancer survivors to see whether those who consume alcohol experience more adverse effects.

METHODS

This literature review examined nine cohort studies specific to breast cancer survivors, alcohol consumption, and risks for breast cancer recurrence, breast cancer-specific mortality, and second primary breast cancers.

FINDINGS

Current guideline recommendations of a safe limit of one drink per day or less may not protect breast cancer survivors from cancer- related adverse events. The authors recommend that breast cancer survivors be educated about the associated risks of alcohol consumption so that they can make informed decisions about usage.

Occurrence of Ethyl Carbamate in Foods and Beverages: Review of the Formation Mechanisms, Advances in Analytical Methods, and Mitigation Strategies

ABSTRACT

Ethyl carbamate (EC) is a process contaminant that can be formed as a by-product during fermentation and processing of foods and beverages. Elevated EC concentrations are primarily associated with distilled spirits, but this compound has also been found at lower concentrations in foods and beverages, including breads, soy sauce, and wine. Evidence from animal studies suggests that EC is a probable human carcinogen. Consequently, several governmental institutions have established allowable limits for EC in the food supply. This review includes EC formation mechanisms, occurrence of EC in the food supply, and EC dietary exposure assessments. Current analytical methods used to detect EC will be covered, in addition to emerging technologies, such as nanosensors and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy. Various mitigation methods have been used to maintain EC concentrations below allowable limits, including distillation, enzymatic treatments, and genetic engineering of yeast. More research in this field is needed to refine mitigation strategies and develop methods to rapidly detect EC in the food supply.

HIGHLIGHTS

The Role of Diet, Alcohol, BMI, and Physical Activity in Cancer Mortality: Summary Findings of the EPIC Study

Evidence on the impact of diet, alcohol, body-mass index (BMI), and physical activity on mortality due to cancer and other cancer-related outcomes is still scarce. Herein, we reviewed the contribution of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study to the current state of the art on the role of these factors in cancer mortality. We identified 45 studies using a rapid systematic review methodology. Dietary factors associated with reduced cancer mortality included raw vegetable intake; dietary fiber intake; the Mediterranean diet; other dietary scores; other diet patterns including low meat eaters, vegetarians/vegans, or fish eaters; dietary intake (or biomarkers) of some vitamins (e.g., vitamin D, vitamin K2, or Vitamin C); and intake of lignans. Physical activity and following healthy lifestyle recommendations also reduced cancer mortality risk. In contrast, dietary factors associated with higher cancer mortality risk included poor diet quality, consumption of alcohol and soft drinks including juice, and, to a lesser extent, intake of some fatty acids. Excess weight and obesity also increased the risk of cancer mortality. The EPIC study holds valuable information on diet and lifestyle factors and offers a unique opportunity to identify key diet-related factors for cancer mortality prevention.

Margin of Exposure Analyses and Overall Toxic Effects of Alcohol with Special Consideration of Carcinogenicity

Quantitative assessments of the health risk of the constituents of alcoholic beverages including ethanol are reported in the literature, generally with hepatotoxic effects considered as the endpoint. Risk assessment studies on minor compounds such as mycotoxins, metals, and other contaminants are also available on carcinogenicity as the endpoint. This review seeks to highlight population cancer risks due to alcohol consumption using the margin of exposure methodology. The individual and cumulative health risk contribution of each component in alcoholic beverages is highlighted. Overall, the results obtained consistently show that the ethanol contributes the bulk of harmful effects of alcoholic beverages, while all other compounds only contribute in a minor fashion (less than 1% compared to ethanol). Our data provide compelling evidence that policy should be focused on reducing total alcohol intake (recorded and unrecorded), while measures on other compounds should be only secondary to this goal.

Reduction of Cell Proliferation by Acute C2H6O Exposure

Simple Summary

Alcoholic beverages and acetaldehyde formed during their metabolism are carcinogenic to humans. Alcohol drinking may affect bone marrow stem cell niche, suppressing physiological hematopoiesis and ultimately reducing the organism’s capacity to fight against cancer, infections, and to promote tissue regeneration. To elucidate in vivo the cellular mechanisms associated with alcohol intake toxicity, we used a mouse model in which proliferating cells produce the firefly’s light-emitting protein. In this animal, alcohol exposure transiently “turns off the light”, indicating a negative effect on cell proliferation in the bone marrow and spleen. Pharmacological treatment with substances interfering with ethanol metabolism, reducing acetaldehyde production, partially restores the physiological cell proliferation rate. Over 560 million people worldwide have increased susceptibility to acetaldehyde toxicity and 4% of cancer deaths are attributable to alcohol. Our model might provide a suitable tool to further investigate in vivo the effects of alcohol metabolism and aldehydes production on carcinogenesis.

Abstract

Endogenous acetaldehyde production from the metabolism of ingested alcohol exposes hematopoietic progenitor cells to increased genotoxic risk. To develop possible therapeutic strategies to prevent or reverse alcohol abuse effects, it would be critical to determine the temporal progression of acute ethanol toxicity on progenitor cell numbers and proliferative status. We followed the variation of the cell proliferation rate in bone marrow and spleen in response to acute ethanol intoxication in the MITO-Luc mouse, in which NF-Y-dependent cell proliferation can be assessed in vivo by non-invasive bioluminescent imaging. One week after ethanol administration, bioluminescent signals in bone marrow and spleen decreased below the level corresponding to physiological proliferation, and they progressively resumed to pre-treatment values in approximately 4 weeks. Boosting acetaldehyde catabolism by administration of an aldehyde dehydrogenase activity activator or administration of polyphenols with antioxidant activity partially restored bone marrow cells’ physiological proliferation. These results indicate that in this mouse model, bioluminescent alteration reflects the reduction of the physiological proliferation rate of bone marrow progenitor cells due to the toxic effect of aldehydes generated by alcohol oxidation. In summary, this study presents a novel view of the impact of acute alcohol intake on bone marrow cell proliferation in vivo.

Estimation of cancers caused by light to moderate alcohol consumption in the European Union

BACKGROUND

Research has identified alcohol to be an important risk factor for several types of cancers. This study estimates the number of incident cancers attributable to alcohol consumption in the European Union (EU) in 2017, with a special focus on those caused by light to moderate drinking levels.

METHODS

The attributable-fraction methodology is used to estimate the number of new cancer cases in the year 2017 in the EU caused by alcohol use, and further examines those due to light to moderate drinking levels, defined here as alcohol consumption of <20 g of pure alcohol per day.

RESULTS

Light to moderate drinking levels of alcohol caused almost 23 000 new cancer cases in the EU in 2017, and accounted for 13.3% of all alcohol-attributable cancers, and 2.3% of all cases of the seven alcohol-related cancer types. Almost half of these (∼11 000 cases) were female breast cancers. Also, more than a third of the cancer cases due to light to moderate drinking resulted from a light drinking level of <1 standard drink per day (total: 37%; women: 40%; men: 32%).

CONCLUSIONS

Alcohol use, including light to moderate drinking, continues to cause considerable cancer burden, and efforts should be made to reduce this burden. In addition to the alcohol control policies suggested by the World Health Organization, public information campaigns and the placement of warning labels on alcohol containers advising of the cancer risk associated with alcohol use should be initiated to increase knowledge about the alcohol-cancer link.

Bio-Active Free Direct Optical Sensing of Aflatoxin B1 and Ochratoxin A Using a Manganese Oxide Nano-System

Aflatoxins-B1 (AFB1) and Ochratoxin-A (OchA) are the two types of major mycotoxin produced by Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus parasiticus fungi, Aspergillus carbonarius, Aspergillus niger, and Penicillium verrocusumv. These toxins are mainly found in metabolite cereals, corn, coffee beans, and other oil-containing food items. Excessive consumption of these toxins can be carcinogenic and lead to cancer. Thus, their rapid testing became essential for food quality control. Herein, manganese oxide nanoparticles (MnO2 nps) have been proposed to explore the interaction with AFB1 and OchA using UV-visible spectroscopy. MnO2 nps were synthesized using the co-precipitation method. They were pure and crystalline with an average crystallite size of 5–6 nm. In the UV-vis study, the maximum absorbance for MnO2 nps was observed around 260 nm. The maximum absorbance for AFB1 and OchA was observed at 365 and 380 nm, respectively, and its intensity enhanced with the addition of MnO2 nps. Sequential changes were observed with varying the concentration of AFB1 and OchA with a fixed concentration of MnO2 nps, resulting in proper interaction. The binding constant (kb) and Gibbs free energy for MnO2 nps-AFB1 and OchA were observed as 1.62 × 104 L g−1 and 2.67 × 104 L g−1, and −24.002 and −25.256 kJ/mol, respectively. The limit of detection for AFB1 and OchA was measured as 4.08 and 10.84 ng/ml, respectively. This bio‐active free direct sensing approach of AFB1 and OchA sensing can be promoted as a potential analytical tool to estimate food quality rapidly and affordable manner at the point of use.

The International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) consensus statement on fermented foods

An expert panel was convened in September 2019 by The International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) to develop a definition for fermented foods and to describe their role in the human diet. Although these foods have been consumed for thousands of years, they are receiving increased attention among biologists, nutritionists, technologists, clinicians and consumers. Despite this interest, inconsistencies related to the use of the term 'fermented' led the panel to define fermented foods and beverages as "foods made through desired microbial growth and enzymatic conversions of food components". This definition, encompassing the many varieties of fermented foods, is intended to clarify what is (and is not) a fermented food. The distinction between fermented foods and probiotics is further clarified. The panel also addressed the current state of knowledge on the safety, risks and health benefits, including an assessment of the nutritional attributes and a mechanistic rationale for how fermented foods could improve gastrointestinal and general health. The latest advancements in our understanding of the microbial ecology and systems biology of these foods were discussed. Finally, the panel reviewed how fermented foods are regulated and discussed efforts to include them as a separate category in national dietary guidelines.

Joint Effect of Alcohol Drinking and Environmental Cadmium Exposure on Hypertension in Korean Adults: Analysis of Data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2008 to 2013

BACKGROUND

Hypertension is a common disease found in 1.13 billion adults worldwide. Several animal studies have provided evidence of the joint effect of alcohol drinking and cadmium exposure on hypertension. However, no epidemiologic study has examined the association between these 2 risk factors and hypertension. Therefore, we examined the individual effects of alcohol drinking and cadmium and the joint effect of their coexposure on hypertension in the general population.

METHODS

We analyzed data from 8,403 South Korean adults who had been randomly assigned to the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2008 to 2013. Multiple linear and logistic regression analyses were conducted to estimate the association of alcohol drinking and blood cadmium concentration with blood pressure and the odds ratio (OR) for hypertension.

RESULTS

The weighted prevalence of hypertension and high-risk drinking was 25.7 and 13.6%, respectively. The weighted geometric mean of blood cadmium levels was 0.94 μg/L (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.93 to 0.96). After adjusting for demographic characteristics, anthropometric measurements, health-related behaviors, and dietary and disease variables, the OR for hypertension in the group with the high-risk alcohol drinking was 1.67 (95% CI: 1.34 to 2.06) compared with the group without high-risk alcohol drinking. When the highest and the lowest blood cadmium quartiles were compared, the OR for hypertension was 1.46 (95% CI: 1.15 to 1.86). The positive joint effect of high-risk drinking and blood cadmium levels was statistically significant for systolic blood pressure (SBP; p = 0.037) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP; p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Our results show that heavy alcohol drinking had a joint effect with cadmium exposure to increase the risk of hypertension. Future efforts are needed to reduce alcohol drinking and environmental cadmium exposure to prevent hypertension in the general population.

An overview of chemical contaminants and other undesirable chemicals in alcoholic beverages and strategies for analysis

The presence of chemical contaminant in alcoholic beverages is a widespread and notable problem with potential implications for human health. With the complexity and wide variation in the raw materials, production processes, and contact materials involved, there are a multitude of opportunities for a diverse host of undesirable compounds to make their way into the final product-some of which may currently remain unidentified and undetected. This review provides an overview of the notable contaminants (including pesticides, environmental contaminants, mycotoxins, process-induced contaminants, residues of food contact material [FCM], and illegal additives) that have been detected in alcoholic products thus far based on prior reviews and findings in the literature, and will additionally consider the potential sources for contamination, and finally discuss and identify gaps in current analytical strategies. The findings of this review highlight a need for further investigation into unwanted substances in alcoholic beverages, particularly concerning chemical migrants from FCMs, as well as a need for comprehensive nontargeted analytical techniques capable of determining unanticipated contaminants.

Strength training protects against prostate injury in alcoholic rats

Alcoholic injury can alter the hormonal signaling pathway and lead to glucose and lipid metabolism disorders. In this study, we investigated whether the strength training could exert protective effects against the alterations caused by ethanol consumption on prostatic metabolism. A UChB, ethanol-preferring rats were used in this study. Strength training was conducted for 3 days per week for 13 weeks, rats performed jumps in water carrying a weight load strapped to their chests as part of a strength training protocol. The reduced alcohol consumption by strength training was accompanied by increased glucose, serum lipid profile, total protein levels, and reduced hormonal levels. The results of protein expression of prostatic tissues in the ethanol- and strength training-treated groups indicated that "steroidal hormone receptors," "fatty acid translocation," and "cell regulation" were significantly different between ethanol- and strength training-treated groups. Taken together, these findings show that strength training effectively ameliorated prostatic injuries in alcoholic rats at least partially by acting on lipids receptors and steroidal hormone receptors pathway, suggesting the strength training as a potential novel therapeutic strategy for treating prostate injuries caused by ethanol.

Nutrigenetics, nutrigenomics and phenotypic outcomes of dietary low-dose alcohol consumption in the suppression and induction of cancer development: evidence from in vitro studies

It is known that the intake of alcoholic beverages may impair genetic and epigenetic regulatory events with consequent crucial effects on cell phenotypes and that its association with selected genotypes can lead to a different risk of cancer in the population. The aim of this review is to pick up selected studies on this topic and recapitulate some of the biochemical and nutrigenetic/nutrigenomic aspects involved in the impact of dietary low-dose alcohol consumption on the switching-on or -off of tumorigenic pathways. These include i) the existence of predisposing or protective human genotypes and the relationship between dietary compounds and alcohol in the promotion or inhibition of carcinogenesis; ii) the effects of other components of alcoholic drinks in the modulation of the expression of oncogenes and oncosuppressors, the autophagic flux and the onset of apoptosis, with examples of their cytospecificity; and iii) the role of alcoholic beverage consumption within particular dietary regimens, including the Mediterranean diet. Taking all the data into account, several alcohol-associated bioactive dietary compounds appear capable to modulate peculiar intracellular pathways predisposing to or protecting from cancer. Advances in the nutrigenetic, nutrigenomic and nutriepigenetic knowledge complementing the biochemical and molecular approaches will help in unveiling their impact on health outcome.

Gene-Environment Interaction between Arg72Pro SNP and Selected Environmental Exposures among Brazilian Women Diagnosed with Benign Breast Disease

Background:

Benign breast disease (BBD) is a factor strongly associated with breast cancer worldwide. Arg72Pro SNP association with breast cancer is controversial due to the suggestion that environmental factors are required to modulate such risk. There are no studies evaluating these environmental interactions of the aforementioned SNP within BBD.

Aim:

To determine the frequency of SNP Arg72Pro in a cohort of women diagnosed with BBD; and to investigate gene-environmental interactions with environmental factors.

Results:

The genotype frequency was 44.6% for Arg/Pro, 39.3% for Arg/Arg genotype, and 16.3% for Pro/Pro homozygote. Gene-environment interaction analysis shows that when Arg/Arg is considered as reference, there is an ORinteraction with Arg/Pro and fabric exposure (OR=1.90;95%CI:1.04,3.48), solvents (OR=2.21;95%CI:1.01,4.83) and chlorine, bleaches, disinfectants, and liquid wax exposure (OR=2.52;95%CI:1.07,5.91). Analysis with Pro/Pro genotype as the reference showed an interaction between alcohol consumption and recessive model (OR=1.58;95%CI:1.00,2.51). Gene-environmental interactions were observed too between exposure to hair dyes, straighteners or relaxers and Arg/Arg (OR=3.26;95%CI:1.21,8.82).

Conclusion:

The Arg/Pro genotype was the most frequent in the BBD cohort. When compared with the Arg/Arg genotype, the presence of Arg/Pro genotype and solvents, fabric and cleaning products exposure increased the risk of BBD. When compared with Pro/Pro genotype, there were interactions between recessive model with alcohol consumption and exposure to hair products on the risk of BBD.

Alcohol consumption. A leading risk factor for cancer

In 2016, alcohol consumption was one of the leading risk factors for cancer development and cancer death globally, causing an estimated 376 200 cancer deaths, representing 4.2% of all cancer deaths, and 10.3 million cancer disability-adjusted life years lost, representing 4.2% of all cancer disability-adjusted life years lost. The impact of alcohol consumption on cancer in 2016 varied by age group; the proportion of cancer deaths attributable to alcohol consumption ranged from 13.9% of cancer deaths among people aged 30-34 years to 2.7% of cancer deaths among people aged 80-84 years. The burden of cancers caused by alcohol consumption might be decreased through (i) individual-level and societal-level interventions that reduce alcohol consumption, and (ii) measures that target those risk factors that interact with alcohol consumption to increase the risk of cancer or that directly affect the risk of alcohol-related cancers.

Does Alcohol Use Affect Cancer Risk?

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

To provide an overview of the risk relationships between alcohol use and cancer and of the alcohol-attributable cancer burden; to highlight areas of controversy in the alcohol-cancer relationship; to examine the reasons why these risk relationships have not received greater public attention.

RECENT FINDINGS

In 2016, alcohol caused an estimated 376,200 cancer deaths, 10.0 million cancer years of life lost (YLLs), 236,600 cancer years lived with disability (YLDs), and 10.3 million cancer disability-adjusted years of life (DALYs), representing 4.2%, 4.2%, 4.6%, and 4.2% of all deaths, YLLs, YLDs, and DALYs lost due to cancer, respectively, proportionally highest in high- and upper-middle-income countries. Alcohol use is a major contributor to cancer and is linked to the most prevalent types of cancer. No threshold for the effects of alcohol on cancer has yet been identified, and thus, abstinence is best for cancer prevention. Greater public awareness of the relationship between alcohol use and cancer is advisable.

Non-Saccharomyces Yeasts and Organic Wines Fermentation: Implications on Human Health

A relevant trend in winemaking is to reduce the use of chemical compounds in both the vineyard and winery. In organic productions, synthetic chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and genetically modified organisms must be avoided, aiming to achieve the production of a “safer wine”. Safety represents a big threat all over the world, being one of the most important goals to be achieved in both Western society and developing countries. An occurrence in wine safety results in the recovery of a broad variety of harmful compounds for human health such as amines, carbamate, and mycotoxins. The perceived increase in sensory complexity and superiority of successful uninoculated wine fermentations, as well as a thrust from consumers looking for a more “natural” or “organic” wine, produced with fewer additives, and perceived health attributes has led to more investigations into the use of non-Saccharomyces yeasts in winemaking, namely in organic wines. However, the use of copper and sulfur-based molecules as an alternative to chemical pesticides, in organic vineyards, seems to affect the composition of grape microbiota; high copper residues can be present in grape must and wine. This review aims to provide an overview of organic wine safety, when using indigenous and/or non-Saccharomyces yeasts to perform fermentation, with a special focus on some metabolites of microbial origin, namely, ochratoxin A (OTA) and other mycotoxins, biogenic amines (BAs), and ethyl carbamate (EC). These health hazards present an increased awareness of the effects on health and well-being by wine consumers, who also enjoy wines where terroir is perceived and is a characteristic of a given geographical area. In this regard, vineyard yeast biota, namely non-Saccharomyces wine-yeasts, can strongly contribute to the uniqueness of the wines derived from each specific region.