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Background: Red blood cell distribution width (RDW) was related with increased risk of mortality and adverse cardiovascular outcomes. However, it is uncertain whether RDW is related to the prevalence of atrial fibrillation (AF) in Asian population. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between RDW and AF in a large Chinese population. Methods: We performed a cross‐sectional study to examine the relationship between RDW and AF among 106 998 subjects who were from the Tianjin Chronic Low‐grade Systemic Inflammation and Health Cohort Study. AF was diagnosed using electrocardiography, and RDW was measured using an automated hematology analyzer. Multiple logistic regression models were conducted to examine the relation between tertiles of RDW and AF. Results: The overall prevalence of AF was 0.1% (129/106 998). After adjustments for potential confounding factors, the odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) of AF across increasing tertiles of RDW were 1.00 (reference), 1.08 (0.69, 1.67), and 2.65 (1.75, 4.07) (P for trend < .0001), respectively. Conclusions: The study demonstrated that elevated RDW is significantly related to higher prevalence of AF in a general Chinese population. Large prospective studies are needed to confirm this finding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & Aims: Increased nut consumption has been associated with reduced inflammation, insulin resistance, and oxidative stress. Although these factors are closely involved in the pathogenesis of non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), few studies have focused on the association between nut consumption and NAFLD in the general population. We aimed to investigate the association of nut consumption and NAFLD in an adult population. Methods: A total of 23 915 participants from Tianjin Chronic Low‐Grade Systemic Inflammation and Health (TCLSIH) Cohort Study were included in this study. Information on dietary intake was collected using a validated food frequency questionnaire. Abdominal ultrasonography was done to diagnose NAFLD. Multivariable logistic regression was used to assess the association of nut consumption with NAFLD. Results: After adjusting for sociodemographic, medical, dietary, and lifestyle variables, the odds ratios (95% confidence interval) for NAFLD across categories of nut consumption were 1.00 (reference) for <1 time/week, 0.91 (0.82, 1.02) for 1 time/week, 0.88 (0.76, 1.02) for 2‐3 times/week, and 0.80 (0.69, 0.92) for ≥4 times/week (P for trend < 0.01). These associations were attenuated but remained significant after further adjustment for blood lipids, glucose, and inflammation markers. Conclusions: Higher nut consumption was significantly associated with lower prevalence of NAFLD. Further prospective studies and randomized trials are required to ascertain the causal association between nut consumption and NAFLD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Chitosan biguanidine hydrochloride (CSGH) was synthesized by guanidinylation of chitosan hydrochloride (CSH) under microwave irradiation and characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, gel permeation chromatography, and element analysis. The antioxidant activity of CSGH was evaluated by both chemical and cellular methods. The results showed that CSGH was better than CSH but slightly inferior to ascorbic acid (Vc) for scavenging 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) free radicals, and the DPPH• scavenging ability of CSGH was dose-dependent. However, cell experiments indicated CSGH had a superior repairing effect on oxidatively damaged cells. The intervention of CSGH could excellently recover the cell morphology, decrease the level of malondialdehyde, and enhance the activity of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase. CSGH could be a potential antioxidant reagent, and its antioxidant activity was reflected not only in scavenging the free radicals but also in regulating the oxidation/antioxidation balance of damaged cells. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016, 133, 43570. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]