Search

Mobile food ordering apps (MFOAs) have become increasingly prevalent in the food service industry. This study investigated the links between intensity of MFOA use, restaurant performance, and customer satisfaction in dine-in restaurants using real transaction data and crowdsourced reviews. Our distinctive datasets stem from a renowned chain of restaurants in China as well as from Da Zhong Dian Ping (referred to as the Chinese equivalent of Yelp), spanning the years 2018 to 2021. Using a high-dimensional fixed effects model, we found that the intensive use of MFOA is positively correlated with an increase in restaurant dine-in revenue through higher table turnovers. However, MFOA is negatively correlated with dine-in restaurant consumer satisfaction, which was associated with lack of adequate, favorable, and high-quality comments. We also conducted several heterogeneity analyses to investigate how selected restaurant characteristics may moderate these effects. Thus, our study provides valuable theoretical insights and practical implications for academia and food service practitioners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evidence of the relationship between fecal short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) levels, dietary quality and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in rural populations is limited. Here, we aimed to investigate the association between fecal SCFA levels and T2DM and the combined effects of dietar quality on T2DM in rural China. In total, 100 adults were included in the case–control study. Dietary quality was assessed by the Alternate Healthy Eating Index 2010 (AHEI-2010), and SCFA levels were analysed using the GC-MS system. Generalised linear regression was conducted to calculate the OR and 95 % CI to evaluate the effect of SCFA level and dietary quality on the risk of T2DM. Finally, an interaction was used to study the combined effect of SCFA levels and AHEI-2010 scores on T2DM. T2DM participants had lower levels of acetic and butyric acid. Generalised linear regression analysis revealed that the OR (95 % CI) of the highest acetic and butyric acid levels were 0·099 (0·022, 0·441) and 0·210 (0·057, 0·774), respectively, compared with the subjects with the lowest tertile of level. We also observed a significantly lower risk of T2DM with acetic acid levels > 1330·106 μg/g or butyric acid levels > 585·031 μg/g. Moreover, the risks of higher acetic and butyric acid levels of T2DM were 0·007 (95 % CI: 0·001, 0·148), 0·005 (95 % CI: 0·001, 0·120) compared with participants with lower AHEI-2010 scores (all P < 0·05). Acetate and butyrate levels may be important modifiable beneficial factors affecting T2DM in rural China. Improving dietary quality for body metabolism balance should be encouraged to promote good health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Few studies are available on the relationship of androstenedione with inflammation and obesity and the effect of androstenedione and inflammation on the association between testosterone and obesity. This study intended to examine the mediation effect of inflammatory markers on the association of testosterone with obesity and the moderation effect of androstenedione on the association of testosterone with inflammation and obesity in Chinese rural men. Materials and methods: This cross‐sectional research enrolled 2536 male rural inhabitants from the Henan Rural Cohort study. The serum concentrations of testosterone and androstenedione were determined by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. Linear and logistic regression were used to examine the relationships between testosterone, inflammatory markers, and obesity. Mediation and moderation analyses were carried out to evaluate the potential effects of inflammatory markers on the relationship between testosterone and obesity, as well as androstenedione on the relationships of testosterone with inflammation and obesity. Results: After adjusting for confounding factors, the results showed that testosterone and androstenedione were negatively related to obesity, and inflammatory markers were positively associated with obesity. Besides, testosterone and androstenedione were negatively associated with inflammatory markers. Mediation analysis showed that white blood cell, neutrophil, monocyte, and high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein had mediating effects on the association between testosterone and obesity. The most vital mediator was high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein, and its proportion of the effect was 11.02% (defined by waist circumference), 11.15% (defined by waist‐to‐hip ratio), 12.92% (defined by waist‐to‐height ratio), and full mediating effect (defined by body mass index). Moreover, androstenedione played negative moderation effects on the associations of testosterone with inflammation and obesity. Conclusion: Inflammatory markers and androstenedione were first found to have modifying effects on the association of testosterone with obesity. Higher levels of testosterone and androstenedione could reduce the inflammation level and risk of obesity, indicating their potential roles in the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives Vitamin D deficiency was associated with obesity. However, the causal relationship remains controversial. We hypothesized that there would be family-based associations in both vitamin D deficient families and obese families for the SNPs associated with vitamin D deficiency, if vitamin D deficiency was a causal factor of obesity. We aimed to investigate the family-based association of SNPs in CYP27B1 with both vitamin D deficiency and obesity. Methods Four hundred and nineteen pedigrees containing 1505 rural individuals aged from 18 to 79 years in Henan Province of China were included in this study. Family-based associations of rs10877012 and rs4646536 in CYP27B1 with vitamin D deficiency and obesity were investigated. Serum 25(OH)D3 concentration Results It was shown that vitamin D deficiency was a risk factor of obesity (adjusted OR: 1.332, 95% CI: 1.042-1.703, P = 0.022). Furthermore, there were family-based associations for allele T of rs10877012 and allele T of rs4646536 in both vitamin D deficient families and obese families (P < 0.05). Both rs10877012 and rs4646536 were associated with serum 25(OH)D3 levels between siblings (P < 0.05), but not BMI (P > 0.05). In addition, there is linkage disequilibrium between rs10877012 and rs4646536 (D' = 1.0, r.sup.2 = 0.992). Conclusion Vitamin D deficiency may be a causal factor of obesity. Maintaining sufficient vitamin D is beneficial to obesity prevention. Vitamin D deficiency was associated with obesity. But their causal relationship is still controversial. CYP27B1 plays a direct role in circulating the concentration of 25(OH)D, which can be used to investigate causal relationships. In this study, allele T of rs10877012 and allele T of rs4646536 in CYP27B1 were family-based linked with both vitamin D deficiency and obesity. In addition, both rs10877012 and rs4646536 were associated with serum 25(OH)D.sub.3 levels between siblings but not BMI. Therefore, vitamin D deficiency may be a causal factor of obesity. Maintaining sufficient vitamin D is beneficial to obesity prevention., Author(s): Songcheng Yu [sup.1], Yinhua Feng [sup.1], Chenling Qu [sup.2], Wenqian Huo [sup.1], Zhenxing Mao [sup.1], Chongjian Wang [sup.1], Wenjie Li [sup.1], Xing Li [sup.1] Author Affiliations: (1) College of [...]

Background: Detergent is a chemical product commonly used in people's daily life. Contact with detergent solutions can damage the human skin barrier and cause skin diseases. Skin surface lipids (SSLs) play a decisive role in skin barrier function. This study aimed to observe the changes of SSLs in young adults after exposure to detergent solutions to explore the underlying mechanism of skin barrier function damage. Methods: A self-controlled study on youth adults was conducted in Zhengzhou, China, in November 2020. The study lasted for a total of 1 week, and skin barrier function was assessed by trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL) values. The changes of SSLs before and after exposure to the detergent with subjects were measured using ultra-performance liquid chromatography quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometry. Results: The skin barrier function of subjects' hands was impaired after exposure to detergent (TEWL value increased, p < 0.001). A total of 520 SSLs were detected, divided into 6 main categories. The average relative abundance of these 6 major lipids decreased after exposure. Sphingolipids (mainly ceramides), free fatty acids (mainly long-chain fatty acids), cholesterol lipids, and glycerophospholipids are the most severely damaged lipids. Conclusion: Detergent solutions can damage the skin barrier function and SSLs of young hands; interventions targeting SSLs to eliminate detergent damage to human skin may be of value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evidence on the effect of long-term exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) on erythrocytosis and thrombocytosis prevalence was limited. We aimed to investigate the association of PM2.5 and its constituents with the risks of erythrocytosis and thrombocytosis. The present study included a total of 33,585 participants from the Henan Rural Cohort at baseline between 2015 and 2017. A hybrid satellite-based model was employed to estimate the concentrations of PM2.5 mass and its constituents (including black carbon [BC], nitrate [NO3−], ammonium [NH4+], inorganic sulfate [SO42−], organic matter [OM], and soil particles [SOIL]). The logistic regression model was used to assess the associations of single exposure to PM2.5 and its constituents with the risks of erythrocytosis and thrombocytosis, and the quantile G-computation method was applied to evaluate their joint exposure risk. For the independent association, the odds ratios for erythrocytosis/thrombocytosis with 1 μg/m3 increase was 1.049/1.043 for PM2.5 mass, 1.596/1.610 for BC, 1.410/1.231 for NH4+, 1.205/1.139 for NO3−, 1.221/1.359 for OM, 1.300/1.143 for SO42−, and 1.197/1.313 for SOIL. Joint exposure to PM2.5 and its components was also positively associated with erythrocytosis and thrombocytosis. The estimated weight of NH4+ was found to be the largest for erythrocytosis, while OM had the largest weight for thrombocytosis. PM2.5 mass and its constituents were positively linked to prevalent erythrocytosis and thrombocytosis, both in single-exposure and joint-exposure models. Additionally, NH4+/OM was identified as a potentially responsible component for the association between PM2.5 and erythrocytosis/thrombocytosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]