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This study aimed to explore the association between serum uric acid (sUA) levels and metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) in Southeast China. Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study of 2605 subjects who underwent physical examination between 2015 and 2017 in Southeast China. To explore the association between sUA levels and the risk of MAFLD, we employed logistic regression, restricted cubic spline (RCS), subgroups and multiplicative interaction analysis. Results: Logistic regression analysis showed a positive association between sUA and MAFLD [aORtotal population (95% CI)= 1.90 (1.49 ~ 2.42)], [aORmale (95% CI)= 2.01 (1.54 ~ 2.62)], [aORfemale (95% CI)= 1.15 (0.62 ~ 2.11)], respectively. The RCS plot presented a significant nonlinear dose–response relationship between sUA levels and MAFLD risk, and the risk of MAFLD increased significantly when sUA> 5.56 mg/dL (Pnonlinear< 0.001). Subgroups analysis revealed that the positive association between sUA and MAFLD was consistent across strata of gender, age, BMI, drinking status, smoking status and tea drinking status. Significant associations between sUA and MAFLD were not only found in males but also existed in subjects whose age ≤ 60, BMI ≥ 24 kg/m2, drinkers, smokers and tea-drinkers. Adjusted ORs were estimated to be 2.01, 1.95, 2.11, 2.29, 2.64 and 2.20, respectively. Multiplicative interactions were not observed between gender, age, drinking status, smoking status, tea drinking status and sUA (all Pinteraction 0.05). Conclusion: According to our study, sUA was positively associated with the risk of MAFLD. Additionally, the risk of MAFLD increased significantly when sUA levels exceeded 5.56 mg/dL. Our study may help clarify whether sUA plays a diagnostic role in MAFLD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is a common liver disease, the risk of which can be increased by poor diet. The objective of this study was to evaluate the associations between food items and MAFLD, and to propose reasonable dietary recommendations for the prevention of MAFLD. Methods Physical examination data were collected from April 2015 through August 2017 at Nanping First Hospital (n  =   3,563). Dietary intakes were assessed using a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. The association between food intake and the risk of MAFLD was assessed by using the inverse probability weighted propensity score. Results Beverages (soft drinks and sugar-sweetened beverages) and instant noodles were positively associated with MAFLD risk, adjusting for smoking, drinking, tea intake, and weekly hours of physical activity [adjusted odds ratio (ORadjusted): 1.568; P  =   0.044; ORadjusted: 4.363; P  =   0.001]. Milk, tubers, and vegetables were negatively associated with MAFLD risk (ORadjusted: 0.912; P  =   0.002; ORadjusted: 0.633; P  =   0.007; ORadjusted: 0.962; P  =   0.028). In subgroup analysis, the results showed that women [odds ratio (OR): 0.341, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.172–0.676] had a significantly lower risk of MAFLD through consuming more tubers than men (OR: 0.732, 95% CI: 0.564–0.951). Conclusions These findings suggest that reducing consumption of beverages (soft drinks and sugar-sweetened beverages) and instant noodles, and consuming more milk, vegetables, and tubers may reduce the risk of MAFLD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The study purpose was to characterize the mycobiome and its associations with the expression of pathogenic genes in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Methods Patients with primary ESCC were recruited from two central hospitals. We performed internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) ribosomal DNA sequencing analysis. We compared differential fungi and explored the ecology of fungi and the interaction of bacteria and fungi. Results The mycobiota diversity was significantly different between tumors and tumor-adjacent samples. We further analysed the differences between the two groups, at the species level, confirming that Rhodotorula toruloides , Malassezia dermatis , Hanseniaspora lachancei , and Spegazzinia tessarthra were excessively colonized in the tumor samples, whereas Preussia persica , Fusarium solani , Nigrospora oryzae , Acremonium furcatum , Golovinomyces artemisiae , and Tausonia pullulans were significantly more abundant in tumor-adjacent samples. The fungal co-occurrence network in tumor-adjacent samples was larger and denser than that in tumors. Similarly, the more complex bacterial–fungal interactions in tumor-adjacent samples were also detected. The expression of mechanistic target of rapamycin kinase was positively correlated with the abundance of N. oryzae and T. pullulans in tumor-adjacent samples. In tumors, the expression of MET proto-oncogene, receptor tyrosine kinase (MET) had a negative correlation and a positive correlation with the abundance of R. toruloides and S. tessarthra , respectively. Conclusion This study revealed the landscape of the esophageal mycobiome characterized by an altered fungal composition and bacterial and fungal ecology in ESCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]