Phase-Engineered Dichalcogenides/Fluorine-Free V4C3Tx (T = OH, O) Heterostructures for pH-Universal Hydrogen Evolution Reaction.

This research addresses the pH-dependency limitation in electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reactions (HER) by creating heterostructures through the chemical bonding between 2D-dichalcogenides and V4C3Tx (T = OH, O) planes. The one-step solvothermal synthesis employed in this study constructs a synergistically interacted 1T phase of, e.g., MoS2 and V4C3Tx MXene, demonstrating an omnidirectional improvement on catalytic stability, active site exposure, surface area enlargement, electrical conductivity, and hence enhancement of water dissociation activities. Despite the notable progress in creating hydrogen production catalysts with ground breaking performances, a significant gap remains in the availability of catalysts capable of functioning effectively under high current densities. The catalyst 1T MoS2@V4C3Tx shows remarkable activities under the current density of 1000 mA cm-2, which require overpotentials of 16, 24, and 37 mV in 0.5 m H2SO4, 1 m KOH, and 0.1 m PBS electrolytes, respectively at 10 mA cm-2, and exhibits excellent HER performance with small overpotentials of 103.16 and 138 mV to achieve current densities of 500 and 1000 mA cm-2, respectively, with outstanding stability for 1000 cylic voltammetric cycle HER test without degradation in acidic media. Enhanced HER performance has also been observed in other 2D-dichalcogenides/V4C3Tx heterostructures, providing prospects for phase-engineered dichalcogenides/fluorine-free V4C3Tx composites for pH-universal HER.

Heterologous antigen selection of chicken single-chain variable fragments against thiamethoxam.

Single-chain variable fragments (scFvs) are valuable in the development of immunoassays for pesticide detection. In this study, scFvs specific to thiamethoxam (Thi) were successfully isolated from a library generated by chicken immunization through heterologous coating selection. These scFvs were subsequently expressed with fusion with an Avi tag and alkaline phosphatase. After combination and optimization, a scFv-biotin based enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed for the detection of Thi, demonstrating an impressive half-maximum signal inhibition concentration (IC50) of 30 ng mL-1 and a limit of detection (LOD) of 1.8 ng mL-1. The immunoassay exhibited minimal cross-reactivity with other neonicotinoid insecticides, except for 7.5% for imidacloprid and 6.7% for imidaclothiz. The accuracy of the assay was confirmed by testing spiked samples of apple, pear, cabbage, and cucumber, which resulted in average recoveries ranging between 82% and 119%, closely aligning with the results obtained through high-performance liquid chromatography. Therefore, the chicken scFv-biotin based assay showed promise as a high-throughput screening tool for Thi in agricultural samples.

Streptavidin-biotin system-mediated immobilization of a bivalent nanobody onto magnetosomes for separation and analysis of 3-phenoxybenzoic acid in urine.

The compound 3-phenoxybenzoic acid (3-PBA) is frequently utilized as a biomarker to detect exposure to various pyrethroids. In this study, a bivalent nanobody (Nb2) specifically targeting 3-PBA was biotinylated and immobilized onto streptavidin (SA)-modified bacterial magnetic nanoparticles (BMPs), resulting in the formation of BMP-SA-Biotin-Nb2 complexes. These complexes demonstrated remarkable stability when exposed to strongly acidic solutions (4 M HCl), methanol (80%), and high ionic strength (1.37 M NaCl). An immunoassay was subsequently developed utilizing BMP-SA-Biotin-Nb2 as the capture agent and 3-PBA-horseradish peroxidase as the detection probe. The immunoassay exhibited an IC50 value (half-maximum signal inhibition concentration) of 1.11 ng mL-1 for 3-PBA. To evaluate the accuracy of the assay, spiked sheep and cow urine samples (ranging from 3.0 to 240 ng mL-1) were analyzed. The quantitative recoveries ranged from 82.5% to 113.1%, which agreed well with the findings obtained using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Overall, the BMP-SA-Biotin-Nb2-based immunoassay holds great promise for rapid monitoring of 3-PBA following acid dissociation.

[Analysis of a Chinese pedigree affected with Hereditary Fâ « deficiency due to compound heterozygous variants of F12 gene].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the laboratory phenotype and molecular pathogenesis in a Chinese pedigree affected with Hereditary coagulation factor Ⅻ (FⅫ) deficiency. METHODS: A male proband admitted to Ningbo No.2 Hospital on July 17, 2021 due to chronic gastritis and members of his pedigree (7 individuals from three generations) were selected as the study subjects. Prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), FⅧ activity (FⅧ: C), FⅨ activity (FⅨ: C), FⅪ activity (FⅪ: C), FⅫ activity (FⅫ: C), and FⅫ antigen (FⅫ: Ag) were determined. All of the exons, exon-intronic boundaries, as well as the 5'- and 3'-untranslated regions of the F12 gene were subjected to Sanger sequencing. Candidate variants were verified by cloning sequencing. The effect of candidate variants on the protein function was analyzed by bioinformatics software. RESULTS: The proband, a 47-year-old male, had significantly prolonged APTT (180.0 s) and decreased FⅫ:C and FⅫ:Ag levels (< 1%). His father, mother, brother and two sons also showed certain degrees of reduction. Genetic testing revealed that the proband has harbored compound heterozygous variants of the F12 gene, namely c.1092_1093insC (p.Lys365Glnfs*69) in exon 10 and c.1792_1796delGTCTA (p.Val579Hisfs*32) in exon 14. His mother and elder son were heterozygous for the c.1092_1093ins variant, whilst his father, brother, and younger son were heterozygous for the c.1792_1796delGTCTA variant. Analysis of the promoter region of exon 1 also showed that the proband and both sons had harbored a 46T/T polymorphism, whilst other family members were 46C/T. Bioinformatic analysis suggested that the p.Val579 is a highly conserved site. Protein model analysis showed that, with the p.Val579Hisfs*32 variant, a benzene ring was added and the hydrogen bond of surrounding amino acids was changed. Based on the guidelines from the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics, the c.1792_1796delGTCTA was classified as a pathogenic variant (PVS1+PM2_Supporting+PM4). CONCLUSION: The c.1092_1093insC (p.Lys365Glnfs*69) and c.1792_1796delGTCTA (p.Val579Hisfs*32) compound heterozygous variants of the F12 gene probably underlay the decreased FXII levels in this pedigree. Above finding has also enriched the mutational spectrum for FⅫ deficiency.

Complete Genome Resource of a Hypervirulent Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae Strain YNCX Isolated from Yunnan Plateau Japonica Rice.

Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo), the causal agent of bacterial leaf blight (BLB), is one of the most destructive bacterial pathogens in rice production worldwide. Although several complete genome sequences of Xoo strains have been released in public databases, they are mainly isolated from low-altitude indica rice cultivating areas. Here, a hypervirulent strain, YNCX, isolated from the high-altitude japonica rice-growing region in Yunnan Plateau, was used to extract genomic DNA for PacBio sequencing and Illumina sequencing. After assembly, a high-quality complete genome consisting of a circular chromosome and six plasmids was generated. The genome sequence of YNCX provides a valuable resource for high-altitude races and enables the identification of new virulence TALE effectors, contributing to a better understanding of rice-Xoo interactions.

DNAzyme-powered cascade DNA walkers for sensitive detection of uracil DNA glycosylase activity.

Uracil-DNA glycosylase (UDG) is a crucial repair enzyme, which is considered a reliable biomarker due to its abnormal expression associated with serious diseases. Herein, DNAzyme-powered cascade walkers were proposed for sensitive detection of UDG. The cascade walkers consisted of a fixed walker and a subsequently activated free walker. The fixed walker was constructed on 13 nm AuNPs by loading a fixed walking strand (WS1) and a track strand 1 (TS1). The WS1 contained a DNAzyme sequence, which was pre-locked by a locking strand (LS) with an uracil base. The TS1 inserted an RNA cleavage site and sealed the same DNAzyme. The free walker tracks were conjugated on 25 nm AuNPs by modifying a FAM-labeled track strand 2 (TS2) with an RNA cleavage site. When UDG specifically recognized the LS, the WS1 was released with the assistance of Endo·IV. Then the WS1 continuously cleaved TS1s to drive the fixed walker, thus releasing many sequences containing DNAzyme. The released sequences acted as free walking strands (WS2s) to repeatedly cleave TS2s to power the free walker, which led to fluorescence accumulation. The cascade walkers successfully detected UDG with a limit of 8.5 × 10-5 U mL-1. The cascade walkers offer a new method for sensitively analyzing glycosylase.

Heterologous-coating antigen enhancing the sensitivity of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for detection of mebendazole residues.

The heterologous strategy could improve the sensitivity of competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for detection of chemical contaminants in food samples. In this study, the heterologous coating antigen ELISA was developed to evaluate its sensitivity for mebendazole (MBZ). Results showed that the heterologous ELISA had a linear range of (IC20-IC80) 0.34-10.54 ng/mL, an IC50 value of 1.83 ng/mL, and a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.13 ng/mL, in which the sensitivity of ELISA improved 1.7- and 2-fold (IC50 value dropping from 7.41 and 3.65 ng/mL to 4.27 and 1.83 ng/mL) than that of rabbit IgG- and chicken IgY-based homologous ELISA for MBZ, respectively. The heterologous coating antigen ELISA showed negligible cross reactivity (<0.2%) with its structural analogues, including hydroxy-MBZ, albendazole, oxfendazole, fenbendazole, and flubendazole, except the value of 72.6% for amino-MBZ. The average recoveries of MBZ spiked in pork and chicken muscle samples by the assay ranged from 83.7% to 109.8% and agreed well with those of high-performance liquid chromatography. The results suggested that using heterologous coating antigen could distinctly improve the sensitivity of ELISA for routine screening of MBZ residues in food samples.

The dumbbell probe mediated triple cascade signal amplification strategy for sensitive and specific detection of uracil DNA glycosylase activity.

Uracil DNA glycosylase (UDG) is a key base excision repair (BER) enzyme and its abnormal expression is nearly relevant to several diseases including cancer. The sensitive detection of UDG activity is beneficial for biomedical studies and clinic diagnosis. In this work, we proposed a dumbbell probe mediated triple cascade signal amplification strategy for sensitive and specific detection of UDG activity. The specially designed dumbbell probe contained two uracil bases, two recognition sites for nicking enzyme and a split sequence of DNAzyme. Unsealed dumbbell probes were first connected into sealed dumbbell probes by T4 DNA ligase, and then the unsealed probes were hydrolyzed by exonuclease to ensure the purity of probes. Under the influence of UDG, two uracil bases were removed to produce two apyrimidinic (AP) sites, which were subsequently cleaved by Endo.IV. The probes after cleavage acted as primers and templates for double nicking sites strand displacement amplification (SDA) to produce a mass of two products. The products of SDA continued to act as primers and templates for rolling circle amplification (RCA) to produce repeats containing complete DNAzyme sequences. The DNAzyme repeatedly cleaved multiple molecular beacons (MB), resulting in remarkable fluorescence enhancement. Benefiting from the triple cascade signal amplification, the sensitivity was improved and the detection limit was 7.2 × 10-5 U mL-1. The method could well distinguish UDG from other interfering enzymes and detect UDG activity in real biological samples, showing good specificity. In addition, this method could be used for screening inhibitors. The above results suggested that the method provided a promising analytical means for UDG related biomedical research and clinic diagnosis.

Low serum level of apolipoprotein A1 may predict the severity of COVID-19: A retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Dyslipidemia has been observed in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This study aimed to investigate blood lipid profiles in patients with COVID-19 and to explore their predictive values for COVID-19 severity. METHODS: A total of 142 consecutive patients with COVID-19 were included in this single-center retrospective study. Blood lipid profile characteristics were investigated in patients with COVID-19 in comparison with 77 age- and gender-matched healthy subjects, their predictive values for COVID-19 severity were analyzed by using multivariable logistic regression analysis, and their prediction efficiencies were evaluated by using receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves. RESULTS: There were 125 and 17 cases in the non-severe and severe groups, respectively. Total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and apolipoprotein A1 (ApoA1) gradually decreased across the groups in the following order: healthy controls, non-severe group, and severe group. ApoA1 was identified as an independent risk factor for COVID-19 severity (adjusted odds ratio [OR]: 0.865, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.800-0.935, p < 0.001), along with interleukin-6 (IL-6) (adjusted OR: 1.097, 95% CI: 1.034-1.165, p = 0.002). ApoA1 exhibited the highest area under the ROC curve (AUC) among all single markers (AUC: 0.896, 95% CI: 0.834-0.941); moreover, the risk model established using ApoA1 and IL-6 enhanced prediction efficiency (AUC: 0.977, 95% CI: 0.932-0.995). CONCLUSION: Blood lipid profiles in patients with COVID-19 are quite abnormal compared with those in healthy subjects, especially in severe cases. Serum ApoA1 may represent a good indicator for predicting the severity of COVID-19.

Genetic differentiation and restricted gene flow in rice landraces from Yunnan, China: effects of isolation-by-distance and isolation-by-environment.

BACKGROUND: Understanding and identifying the factors responsible for genetic differentiation is of fundamental importance for efficient utilization and conservation of traditional rice landraces. In this study, we examined the spatial genetic differentiation of 594 individuals sampled from 28 locations in Yunnan Province, China, covering a wide geographic distribution and diverse growing conditions. All 594 accessions were studied using ten unlinked target genes and 48 microsatellite loci, and the representative 108 accessions from the whole collection were sampled for resequencing. RESULTS: The genetic diversity of rice landraces was quite different geographically and exhibited a geographical decline from south to north in Yunnan, China. Population structure revealed that the rice landraces could be clearly differentiated into japonica and indica groups, respectively. In each group, the rice accessions could be further differentiated corresponded to their geographic locations, including three subgroups from northern, southern and middle locations. We found more obvious internal geographic structure in the japonica group than in the indica group. In the japonica group, we found that genetic and phenotypic differentiation were strongly related to geographical distance, suggesting a pattern of isolation by distance (IBD); this relationship remained highly significant when we controlled for environmental effects, where the likelihood of gene flow is inversely proportional to the distance between locations. Moreover, the gene flow also followed patterns of isolation by environment (IBE) whereby gene flow rates are higher in similar environments. We detected 314 and 216 regions had been differentially selected between Jap-N and Jap-S, Ind-N and Ind-S, respectively, and thus referred to as selection signatures for different geographic subgroups. We also observed a number of significant and interesting associations between loci and environmental factors, which implies adaptation to local environment. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings highlight the influence of geographical isolation and environmental heterogeneity on the pattern of the gene flow, and demonstrate that both geographical isolation and environment drives adaptive divergence play dominant roles in the genetic differentiation of the rice landraces in Yunnan, China as a result of limited dispersal.

Long noncoding RNA NEAT1 aggravates sorafenib-resistance in non-small cell lung cancer via regulating miRNA-335/c-Met.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to illustrate the role of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) NEAT1 in inhibiting sorafenib sensitivity in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) through targeting microRNA-335 (miR-335)/c-Met axis. METHODS: Regulatory effects of NEAT1/miR-335/c-Met axis on proliferative ability of sorafenib-induced A549 and PC9 cells were assessed by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) and colony formation assay. Apoptosis changes influenced by nuclear paraspeckle assembly transcript 1 (NEAT1)/miR-335/c-Met axis after sorafenib treatment in lung cancer cells were examined by detecting apoptotic rate, as well as relative levels of Bcl-2 and Bax. The interaction among NEAT1/miR-335/c-Met was analyzed through dual-luciferase reporter gene assay. RESULTS: Sorafenib treatment in A549 cells and PC9 cells attenuated the proliferation and induced apoptosis, which were more pronounced after silencing of NEAT1. MiR-335 was the downstream target of NEAT1, and its level was negatively regulated by NEAT1. Moreover, c-Met was the target gene of MiR -335. Rescue experiments verified the role of NEAT1/ MiR-335/c-Met regulatory loop in reducing the proliferative ability and inducing apoptosis of sorafenib-treated lung cancer cells. CONCLUSIONS: LncRNA NEAT1 aggravates sorafenib resistance in NSCLC through inhibiting MiR-335 to upregulate c-Met level, manifesting as attenuated proliferation and accelerated apoptosis.

The Talent Training Mode of International Service Design Using a Human-Computer Interaction Intelligent Service Robot From the Perspective of Cognitive Psychology.

To effectively improve the efficiency of international service design talent training and make it more in line with society's needs, we analyze the current status of international service design talent training and its professional training focus. Based on the above problems, from the perspective of cognitive psychology, artificial intelligence and human-computer interaction (HCI) technology are used to construct the international service design talent training mode of the HCI intelligent service robot. This mode can be used to solve the existing teaching problems by using novel means to ensure the quality of teaching. Finally, through the actual analysis of teaching cases, the effectiveness of the proposed talent training mode is verified. The HCI system is based on knowledge of cognitive psychology. According to the characteristics and functions of an educational robot, the robot is combined with traditional teaching activities, and the robot-assisted talent training mode is designed. Robot-assisted talent training is a feasible training method that can improve the efficiency of talent training. Students have confidence in their learning skills before the course, and the confidence is further strengthened after the end of the course. After the course, the students have a stronger sense of cooperation. This study can provide theoretical ideas for the research of international service talent training mode.

Non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy with Cilioretinal artery occlusion: a case report.

BACKGROUND: To describe a peculiar case of concurrent non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) and cilioretinal arteries occlusion (CLRAO) without other causative agents which responded well to intravenous and intravitreal injection of corticosteroids. CASE PRESENTATION: A 41-year-old woman presented with painless vision loss in the right eye for 1 week. Fundus examinations showed marked disc swelling, flame-shaped hemorrhage over the superior nerve fiber area, and well-demarcated retinal ischemia superior to the fovea in the right eye. Under the impression of NAION with branch retinal artery occlusion, the patient was treated with intravenous and intravitreal injection of corticosteroids. Two months later, as the disc swelling and retinal ischemia resolved, we found that the occluded artery was the cilioretinal artery and not the ordinary branch retinal artery. CONCLUSIONS: CLRAO may be concomitant with the setting of NAION, the physicians should be aware that CLRAO may be misinterpreted as BRAO owing to profound disc edema during the early stages of the disease.

Overexpression of MoSM1, encoding for an immunity-inducing protein from Magnaporthe oryzae, in rice confers broad-spectrum resistance against fungal and bacterial diseases.

Potential of MoSM1, encoding for a cerato-platanin protein from Magnaporthe oryzae, in improvement of rice disease resistance was examined. Transient expression of MoSM1 in rice leaves initiated hypersensitive response and upregulated expression of defense genes. When transiently expressed in tobacco leaves, MoSM1 targeted to plasma membrane. The MoSM1-overexpressing (MoSM1-OE) transgenic rice lines showed an improved resistance, as revealed by the reduced disease severity and decreased in planta pathogen growth, against 2 strains belonging to two different races of M. oryzae, causing blast disease, and against 2 strains of Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae, causing bacterial leaf blight disease. However, no alteration in resistance to sheath blight disease was observed in MoSM1-OE lines. The MoSM1-OE plants contained elevated levels of salicylic acid (SA) and jasmonic acid (JA) and constitutively activated the expression of SA and JA signaling-related regulatory and defense genes. Furthermore, the MoSM1-OE plants had no effect on drought and salt stress tolerance and on grain yield. We conclude that MoSM1 confers a broad-spectrum resistance against different pathogens through modulating SA- and JA-mediated signaling pathways without any penalty on abiotic stress tolerance and grain yield, providing a promising potential for application of MoSM1 in improvement of disease resistance in crops.

A teaching approach from the exhaustive search method to the Needleman-Wunsch algorithm.

The Needleman-Wunsch algorithm has become one of the core algorithms in bioinformatics; however, this programming requires more suitable explanations for students with different major backgrounds. In supposing sample sequences and using a simple store system, the connection between the exhaustive search method and the Needleman-Wunsch algorithm was analyzed to more thoroughly explain this algorithm. The present study could benefit the teaching and learning of the Needleman-Wunsch algorithm. © 2016 by The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 45(3):194-204, 2017.

Electrochemical non-enzyme sensor for detecting clenbuterol (CLB) based on MoS2-Au-PEI-hemin layered nanocomposites.

Clenbuterol (CLB), a kind of ß2-adrenergic agonists, could disrupt cardiovascular and central nervous system. In this work, a new electrochemical non-enzyme sensor for detecting Clenbuterol (CLB) was fabricated based on MoS2-Au-PEI-hemin layered nanocomposites. The two-dimensional (2-D) MoS2 nanosheets were first in-situ assembled with Au nanoparticles, and polyethylenimine (PEI), then hemin molecules were immobilized onto the MoS2-Au-PEI film-modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) via amide bond. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Zeta potential measurements were employed to characterize the MoS2-based nanomaterials. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) was used to investigate electrochemical activity of the immobilized hemin on the modified electrode. Upon the optimum conditions, the proposed electrochemical sensor showed an excellent response for CLB including a wide linear ranging from 10ng/mL to 2µg/mL and a detection limit (LOD) of 1.92ng/mL CLB (S/N=3) with favorable reproducibility and stability. Furthermore, this presented method could be feasible for determining CLB in the real pork samples.

Inhibition of hydrogen peroxide induced injuring on human skin fibroblast by Ulva prolifera polysaccharide.

Ulva prolifera can protect human skin fibroblast from being injured by hydrogen peroxide. This work studied the composition of Ulva prolifera polysaccharide and identified its physicochemical properties. The results showed that the cell proliferation of 0.5mg/mL crude polysaccharide was 154.4% of that in negative control group. Moreover, ROS detection indices, including DCFH-DA, GSH-PX, MDA and CAT, indicated that crude polysaccharide could improve cellular ability to scavenge free radical and decrease the injury on human skin fibroblast by hydrogen peroxide. In purified polysaccharide, the activity of fraction P1-1 was the highest, with 174.6% of that in negative control group. The average molecular weight of P1-1 was 137kD with 18.0% of sulfate content. This work showed the inhibition of hydrogen peroxide induced injuries on human skin fibroblast by Ulva prolifera polysaccharide, which may further evaluate the application of U. prolifera on cosmetics.

Postoperative herpetic endophthalmitis-A case report.

We report a case of herpetic endophthalmitis following cataract surgery. A 65-year-old man underwent uneventful phacoemulsification and vision improved within the first few postoperative days. However, visual loss with an anterior chamber reaction of ++++ and a ++ vitreous cell were noted in the 4th postoperative week. Repeated intravitreal injection of vancomycin and ceftriaxone, pars plana vitrectomy and removal of the intraocular lens (IOL), and the capsular bag were performed sequentially but in vain. Bacterial, mycobacterial, and fungal culture of the IOL and capsular bag demonstrated negative findings. Pathological examination revealed no pathogen but a number of mononuclear cells and several multinuclear giant cells. Serology exam revealed positive herpes simplex virus immunoglobulin (Ig)M and IgG. The intraocular inflammation resolved soon after changing antibiotics to oral valcyclovir.

Highly sensitive electrochemical impedance spectroscopy immunosensor for the detection of AFB1 in olive oil.

Aflatoxin produced by Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus are commonly found in olive and its derivatives. Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is a predominant toxin detected abundantly and has been implicated in the etiology of human hepatocellular carcinoma. This study proposes a sensitive and convenient electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) method for determining AFB1 by MWCNTs/RTIL composite films-based immunosensor. The calibration curve for AFB1 was linear in the range of 0.1-10ngmL(-1) with the limit of detection (LOD) 0.03ngmL(-1). The presence of MWCNTs warrant fast electron transfer, and the ionic liquid provides a benign microenvironment for antibody. The experimental parameters, such as pH and incubating time, have been investigated and optimized. Furthermore, the detection of AFB1 is presented to test this method after extracted from olive oils. It can be anticipated that this method would be used for the detection of AFB1 in various agriculture products and vegetable oils.

Genetic variations of the ADIPOQgene and risk of prostate cancer in Chinese Han men.

Adiponectin secreted by adipose tissue has been implicated in prostate carcinogenesis. Genetic variations in ADIPOQ are thought to influence the activity of adiponectin, thus relating to cancer occurrence. In this hospital-based case-control study of 917 prostate cancer (PCa) cases and 1036 cancer-free controls, we evaluated the association of single nucleotide polymorphisms in ADIPOQ with risk of PCa and adiponectin levels in Chinese Han men. Variants of ADIPOQ were genotyped by Taqman polymerase chain reaction method. The plasma adiponectin concentrations were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in a subset of cases and controls. We found that the ADIPOQ rs3774262 variant AA genotype was associated with both decreased PCa risk [adjusted odds ratio (OR): 0.66, 95% confidence interval (CI) =0.48-0.92] and increased plasma adiponectin levels (P = 0.036 and 0.043), with significant difference by tumor grade, clinical stage, and aggressiveness. A significant interaction between ADIPOQ rs3774262 and body mass index was observed in modifying the risk of PCa (P = 6.7 × 10⁻³). ADIPOQ rs266729 and rs182052 were not related to PCa risk or plasma adiponectin levels. Our data support that ADIPOQ rs3774262 may affect PCa risk in combination with plasma adiponectin levels in Chinese Han men. It may contribute to the molecular basis for the association between obesity and PCa.