[Exposure Level and Risk Impact Assessment of Pesticides and Veterinary Drugs in Aquaculture Environment].

To explore the exposure level of pesticides and veterinary drugs in an aquaculture environment and its impact on the ecological environment, this study took the aquaculture environment in Shanghai as an example, and samples of water, sediment, and inputs from 40 major aquaculture farms were collected from July to September 2022. The types and contents of pesticides and veterinary drugs were screened using high-performance liquid chromatography-electrostatic field orbital ion trap mass spectrometry, and the risk quotient (RQ) method was used to assess the ecological risk of pesticide contamination in water and sediment. The results showed that 13 drugs were screened out from 204 samples (72 samples of water, 72 samples of mud, and 60 samples of input), namely, chlorpromazine, carbendazim, thiophanate, diazepam, florfenicol, simazine, amantidine, diazepam, trimethoprim, ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin, mebendazole, and enrofloxacin. Among them, 12 species were found in water samples with concentrations ranging from 0.016 µg·L-1 to 2.084 µg·L-1. The concentrations of seven species in the mud samples ranged from 0.018 µg·kg-1 to 23.101 µg·kg-1. The results showed that there were four types of inputs, ranging from 1.979 µg·kg-1 to 101.940 µg·kg-1. Seven drugs were found in both water and sediment. The risk quotient (RQ) results showed that there were some high and middle risks in both water and sediment samples of aquaculture farms, and the ecological risks of carbendazim were the highest in both water and sediment samples of aquaculture farms; the RQ values were 3.848 and 1.580, respectively, indicating high risk. It is suggested to strengthen the control and management of exogenous pesticides and veterinary drugs in aquaculture environments to protect the ecosystem health of the aquaculture environment.

Loop-mediated isothermal amplification for visual detection of Vibrio parahaemolyticus using gold nanoparticles.

Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) eradicates the need of thermocycler in DNA amplification. Signals are usually obtained via fluorometry or turbidimetry, but such methods need improvement in order to become more effortless and reliable. The authors describe a set of six specific primers targeting the species-specific tlh gene of Vibrio parahaemolyticus which were used in accelerated LAMP reaction. Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were functionalized with streptavidin (Avidin-AuNPs), and engineered to signal the LAMP reaction. Two of the loop primers for LAMP were biotinylated and then can produce a DNA that can cause clusterization of Avidin-AuNPs based on the formation of avidin-biotin complex. This leads to a color change of the solution from red to blue. Amplification is completed within 30 min and can be visually detected within 5 min. The detection limit of the method is found to be 8.6 cfu per reaction. This visual detection scheme does not require any fluorescent reagents and detection instruments. Conceivably, the method has a wide scope because such Avidin-AuNPs can be used as nanoprobes for a variety of other LAMP products. This rapid and universal strategy holds promise in point of care testing and food testing, particularly in resource-limited regions. Graphical abstract Six specific primers (two of them are biotinylated) were used to realize the accelerated Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification. Streptavidin modified gold nanoparticles (Avidin-AuNPs) cluster on the DNA products, leading to the apparent change of color from red to blue, which is readily identified even by unaided eye.

Correction to: Loop-mediated isothermal amplification for visual detection of Vibrio parahaemolyticus using gold nanoparticles.

The published version of this article, unfortunately, contained error. Modifications have been made to the Abstract, Introduction, Results and discussion, and Acknowledgements section. The original article has been corrected.

A sensitive immunosorbent bio-barcode assay based on real-time immuno-PCR for detecting 3,4,3',4'-tetrachlorobiphenyl.

A functionalized gold-nanoparticle bio-barcode assay, based on real-time immuno-PCR (IPCR), was designed for the determination of 3,4,3',4'-tetrachlorobiphenyl (PCB77). 15 nm gold nanoparticles were synthesized, and modified with thiol-capped DNA and goat anti-rabbit IgG. The nanoparticle probes were used to replace antibody-DNA conjugate in the IPCR, and were fixed on the PCR tube wall via the immune reaction. Real-time PCR was performed to quantify the DNA signal directly. Under optimized conditions, the new method was used to detect PCB77 with a linearity range from 5 pg L(-1) to 10 ng L(-1), and the limit of detection (LOD) was 1.72 pg L(-1). Real samples of Larimichthys polyactis, collected from the East China Sea, were analyzed. Recovery was from 82 % to 112 %, and the coefficient of variation (CV) was acceptable. The results were compared with GC-ECD, revealing that the method would be acceptable for providing rapid, semi-quantitative, and reliable test results for making environmental decisions.

Development of a new polyclonal antibody for the determination of polychlorinated biphenyls in indoor air by ic-ELISA.

A new polyclonal antibody (pAb) was prepared and used for the determination of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in air samples to promote the application of immunoassay technology in the determination of PCBs. Three PCB congeners immunogen mixture was used to stimulate immune responses in rabbits. The specific pAb to PCBs was obtained and used to develop an indirect competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ic-ELISA). A standard curve for Aroclor 1248 was prepared using concentrations ranging from 0.1 to 100 µg L(-1). The average IC50 value was 16.21 µg L(-1) and the limit of detection at 10% inhibition (IC90) was 0.069 µg L(-1). The entire procedure was then evaluated using spiked air samples. The recoveries of Aroclor 1248 at various spiking levels in the air samples ranged from 84 to 113%, with relative standard deviations of 3 to 6%. Under optimum conditions, the cross-reactivity profiles of the assays were obtained using three selected congeners, four Aroclor products, and other structurally related compounds of PCBs. The assays were found to be highly specific for PCB congeners and Aroclors 1248 and 1242. The air samples were then analyzed using gas chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry to confirm the ic-ELISA results. The attained results demonstrated that the proposed method was an effective and inexpensive technique for the PCBs determination in air samples.

Effects of diabetes mellitus on prognosis of the patients with colorectal cancer undergoing resection: a cohort study with 945 patients.

BACKGROUND: Diabetes mellitus plays an important role in cancer prevalence and outcomes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of DM on stages and outcomes among patients with colorectal cancer. METHODS: The study enrolled 945 patients who were diagnosed as having colorectal carcinoma from August 1994 to December 2002. In the cohort, 26 patients were diagnosed as having DM. With a median follow-up of 45.8 months, differences in overall survival and disease-free survival between the diabetes and non-diabetes groups were analyzed. RESULTS: Kaplan and Meier analysis showed that there were no significant differences between the two groups in overall survival rates at 3 years or 5 years. At 5 years, patients with DM, compared with patients without diabetes, experienced a significantly lower disease-free survival rate (34.2% diabetics vs. 55.1% non-diabetics; P = 0.025). CONCLUSIONS: DM was associated with an increased risk of recurrence in patients with colorectal cancer.