Rapid high-throughput screening of multiple typical mycotoxins in cereals.

The co-contamination of multiple mycotoxins in cereals brings serious food safety hazards. This work proposes a magnetic solid-phase extraction method based on polydopamine coated magnetic particles (FeO@PDA), coupled with direct analysis in real time mass spectrometry (DART-MS), for high-throughput screening of 17 mycotoxins in six categories in rice, corn and wheat. The results suggest that FeO@PDA is capable of co-extraction of all the mycotoxins within 3 min (adsorption rate above 87.

High throughput detection of veterinary drug residues in chicken and eggs.

Co-extraction of multiple types of target substances is the key to achieve high throughput detection. In this work, PDA@MOF-808/PAN NFsM was prepared by co-modified polyacrylonitrile nanofiber membrane (PAN NFsM) with polydopamine (PDA) and metal-organic framework-808 (MOF-808), and its potential as a solid-phase extraction (SPE) adsorbent was investigated by using the most typical nine veterinary drug residues in eggs and chicken as model target substances. The results show that PDA@MOF-808/PAN NFsM could effectively co-extract all the target substances (adsorption efficiency ranged from 81.

Simultaneous monitoring of multiple prohibited drugs in various aquatic products.

Both sedative and antipathogenic drugs are often found to be illegally used in aquaculture, but there is a lack of simultaneous monitoring methods. A method for simultaneously monitoring multiple prohibited drugs in various aquatic product samples was developed in this work, including fish, shrimp, crab, and shellfish. Sulfonic acid-functionalized magnetic graphitic carbon nitride (S-MGCN) was synthesized and validated to efficiently co-extract all targets (adsorption efficiency over 90.

Polyvinyl alcohol electrospun nanofiber membrane based solid-phase extraction for monitoring administered aminoglycoside antibiotics in various animal-derived foods.

This work aims to develop a widely applicable method to monitor administered AGs in various animal-derived food samples to ensure food safety. A polyvinyl alcohol electrospun nanofiber membrane (PVA NFsM) was synthesized and employed as solid-phase extraction (SPE) sorbent, in combination with UPLC-MS/MS, for the simultaneous detection of ten AGs in nine types of animal-derived food samples. PVA NFsM exhibited excellent adsorption performance for the targets (with an adsorption rate of over 91.

Efficient adsorptive removal of aminoglycoside antibiotics from environmental water.

Aminoglycoside antibiotics (AGs) in environmental water are emerging pollutants that must be removed to protect human health and the ecosystem. However, removing AGs from environmental water remains a technical challenge due to high polarity, stronger hydrophilicity and unique characteristics of polycation. Herein, a thermal-crosslinked polyvinyl alcohol electrospun nanofiber membrane (T-PVA NFsM) is synthesized and firstly leveraged as the adsorptive removal of AGs from environmental water.

Simultaneous determination of multiple mycotoxins in corn and wheat by high efficiency extraction and purification based on polydopamine and ionic liquid bifunctional nanofiber mat.

Due to the universality and harmfulness of mycotoxin co-contamination in cereals, it is of great significance to simultaneously monitor various mycotoxins co-polluted to ensure food safety and public health. In this work, a nanofiber mat modified by polydopamine and ionic liquid (PDA-IL-NFsM) was prepared and utilized as a solid-phase extraction (SPE) adsorbent for the simultaneous quantitative detection of multiple mycotoxins in corn and wheat. The PDA-IL-NFsM can form multiple retention mechanisms with the targets through hydrogen bond, π-π interaction, electrostatic or hydrophobic interaction, it shows favorable simultaneous adsorption performance (adsorption efficiency mostly higher than 88.

Efficient and simple simultaneous adsorption removal of multiple aflatoxins from various liquid foods.

In this study, a polydopamine modified nanofibers membrane (PDA-PS NFsM) was prepared and evaluated as the adsorbent for simultaneous removal of a variety of aflatoxins in various liquid foods, including edible oil, soy sauce and milk, rice vinegar and liquor. The removal efficiency for every single aflatoxin from all samples involved above was more than 76.5% within 1 h at 25 °C, except the liquors with higher ethanol content, for which the efficiency was lower.

Rapid, simple and green solid phase extraction based on polyaniline nanofibers-mat for detecting non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug residues in animal-origin food.

In this study, polyaniline modified polyacrylonitrile nanofibers mat (PANI NFsM) was prepared as a novel adsorbent for the solid-phase extraction (SPE) of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug residues in meat or egg samples. The solvent extracts of samples were simply diluted with water to perform the SPE, and then the eluent was directly analyzed. Significant reduction of the matrix effect was obtained after SPE using only 5 mg of PANI NFsM.

Simultaneous extraction of four plant growth regulators residues in vegetable samples using solid phase extraction based on thiol-functionalized nanofibers mat.

A simple and environmentally friendly sample pretreatment method was established for extraction of four plant growth regulators (PGRs) residues in vegetable samples. In order to effectively extract targets from complex sample matrices, three types of polar groups (COOH, NH, or SH) functionalized polyacrylonitrile nanofibers mats (PAN NFsM) were prepared and evaluated, respectively. The superior -SH functionalized PAN NFsM was further selected as a novel adsorbent of solid phase extraction (SPE).

Simple, efficient, and eco-friendly sample preparation for simultaneous determination of paracetamol and chloramphenicol in meat.

We have developed and validated a simple, eco-friendly, and reliable method to simultaneously determine paracetamol and chloramphenicol in meat with ultra performance liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry. The samples were firstly extracted with ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid-McIlvaine's buffer and then purified by solid-phase extraction by using a novel core-shell polyaniline/polyacrylonitrile nanofibers mat. Compared with existing methods for the two analytes, the proposed method was simplified greatly with much fewer sample preparation steps, consumed much less time (< 2 min per sample) and organic solvent (0.

High-Throughput and High-Efficient Micro-solid Phase Extraction Based on Sulfonated-Polyaniline/Polyacrylonitrile Nanofiber Mats for Determination of Fluoroquinolones in Animal-Origin Foods.

We herein describe a high-throughput 96-well plate micro-solid phase extraction sample preparation technique based on novel sulfonated-polyaniline/polyacrylonitrile nanofiber mats (sulfonated-PANI/PAN NFMs) for multiresidue detection of fluoroquinolones (FQs) in various animal-origin food samples. Through the double-modification of polyaniline and sulfonic acid, the resulting functionalized sulfonated-PANI/PAN NFMs present high extraction efficiency for FQs. Compared with the existing methods, this approach demonstrates its advantages of being suitable for more sample matrices (milk, animal muscle, liver, kidney, and egg), lower sample amount (0.

Novel nanofibers mat as an efficient, fast and reusable adsorbent for solid phase extraction of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in environmental water.

Core-shell polyaniline/polyacrylonitrile nanofibers mat (PANI/Pan NFsM) was prepared for extraction of hydrophilic non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in environmental water. Superior adsorption and desorption performance of PANI/Pan NFsM was confirmed by both static and dynamic adsorption/desorption experiments. These properties proved PANI/Pan NFsM was a potentially efficient and fast solid phase extraction (SPE) adsorbent for NSAIDs.

Determination of Five Sex Hormones in Urine Samples for Early Evaluation of Male Reproductive Toxicity Induced by Phthalate Esters in Rats.

In this work, male rats were exposed to multiple phthalate esters (MIXPs) in a long-term low-dose model for the early evaluation of reproductive toxicity. An ananlysis method with better sensitivity, accuracy and precision was established to determine the five sex hormones (androstenedione, testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone, dihydrotestosterone, and estrone) in collected urine samples. The results showed that all the analytes in the MIXPs treated group changed in a time-dependent manner.

Association between Plasma Metal Levels and Diabetes Risk: a Case-control Study in China.

Objective: Many metals, some of which have been classified as environmental endocrine disruptors, are used extensively in everyday consumer products and are ubiquitous in our living environment. In the present study, we aimed to explore the associations between the prevalence risk of type 2 diabetes and plasma levels of 20 trace elements as well as those of heavy metals in a Han Chinese population.

Methods: We conducted a case-control study to investigate the associations between plasma concentrations of 20 metals and diabetes in Jiangsu province.

Correlation between CAT polymorphism and susceptibility to DMAc-induced abnormal liver function: a case-control study of Chinese population.

Context: Acute or chronic exposure of N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMAc) is responsible for abnormal liver function. It appears that DMAc is mainly metabolized by cytochrome P450 in the liver and thereby produces reactive oxygen species (ROS). The elimination of ROS and the repairing of ROS-induced DNA damage are relevant to the ultimate toxicity of DMAc.

Development and optimization of a novel sample preparation method cored on functionalized nanofibers mat-solid-phase extraction for the simultaneous efficient extraction of illegal anionic and cationic dyes in foods.

A simple and efficient three-step sample preparation method was developed and optimized for the simultaneous analysis of illegal anionic and cationic dyes (acid orange 7, metanil yellow, auramine-O, and chrysoidine) in food samples. A novel solid-phase extraction (SPE) procedure based on nanofibers mat (NFsM) was proposed after solvent extraction and freeze-salting out purification. The preferred SPE sorbent was selected from five functionalized NFsMs by orthogonal experimental design, and the optimization of SPE parameters was achieved through response surface methodology (RSM) based on the Box-Behnken design (BBD).

Simple and sensitive determination of atrazine and its toxic metabolites in environmental water by carboxyl modified polyacrylonitrile nanofibers mat-based solid-phase extraction coupled with liquid chromatography-diode array detection.

Carboxyl modified polyacrylonitrile nanofibers mat (COOH-PAN NFsM) was prepared as a novel solid-phase extraction (SPE) adsorbent for the rapid and effective extraction of atrazine (ATZ) and its toxic metabolites deisopropylatrazine (DIA) and deethylatrazine (DEA) from environmental water samples. Without any pre-treatment but only with the simple filter, water samples passed through pre-conditioned COOH-PAN NFsM, which integrated extraction, purification and concentration into one single step, and the eluent was directly analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography-diode array detection (HPLC-DAD). Under the optimized conditions, the target analytes in 10mL of water sample could be completely extracted by only 4mg of COOH-PAN NFsM, and easily eluted using 400μL of methanol, indicating a high efficiency in both adsorption and desorption.

IL-23R mutation is associated with ulcerative colitis: A systemic review and meta-analysis.

Objectives: Since a genome-wide association study revealed that Interleukin-23 receptor (IL-23R) gene is a candidate gene for Ulcerative Colitis (UC), many studies have investigated the association between the IL-23R polymorphisms and UC. However, the results were controversial. The aim of the study was to determine whether the IL-23R polymorphisms confer susceptibility to UC.

Prevalence of hypertension and noise-induced hearing loss in Chinese coal miners.

Background: Owing to inconsistent epidemiologic evidence and the presence of confounding factors, the relation between occupational noise exposure and hypertension still remained unclear. We aimed to assess whether Chinese coal miners were at risk of developing hypertension and noise induced hearing loss (NIHL), and whether occupational noise exposure was a risk factor of hypertension.

Methods: A questionnaire was designed to collect information from 738 study participants, all of whom were employees from the Datun Xuzhou Coal Company.

Analysis of plasma microRNA expression profiles in a Chinese population occupationally exposed to benzene and in a population with chronic benzene poisoning.

Background: Circulating microRNA (miRNA) has attractive interests as a non-invasive biomarker of physiological and pathological conditions. Our study aimed to investigate the potential effects of chronic benzene poisoning (CBP) and benzene exposure on miRNA expression, and identify CBP-related miRNAs.

Methods: In the discovery stage, we used a microarray assay to detect the miRNA expression profiles among pooled plasma samples from ten CBP patients, ten healthy benzene-exposed individuals and ten non-benzene exposed individuals.

Analysis of plasma microRNA expression profiles in male textile workers with noise-induced hearing loss.

Background: Circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) have attracted interests as non-invasive biomarkers of physiological and pathological conditions, which may be applied in noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). However, no epidemiology studies have yet examined the potential effects of NIHL or noise exposure on miRNA expression profiles.

Objectives: We sought to identify permanent NIHL-related miRNAs and to predict the biological functions of the putative genes encoding the indicated miRNAs.

Roles of A20 in autoimmune diseases.

A20 (TNFAIP3), known to inhibit NF-κB function by deubiquitinating-specific NF-κB signaling molecules, has been found in many cell types of the immune system. Recent findings suggest that A20 is essential for the development and functional performance of dendritic cell, B cell, T cell and macrophage. A number of studies further demonstrate that these cells are crucial in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases, such as type 1 diabetes, systemic lupus erythematosus, inflammatory bowel disease, ankylosing arthritis, Sjögren's syndrome and rheumatoid arthritis.

The roles of Egr-2 in autoimmune diseases.

Being a member of the early growth response (Egr) family of transcription factors, Egr-2 is expressed in a variety of cell types of the immune system. Recent findings imply that Egr-2 is important in the development and function of T helper (Th) 17 cell, regulatory T (Treg) cell, as well as dendritic cell (DC). Although these cells perform significantly in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases, such as systemic lupus erythematosus, multiple sclerosis, and systemic sclerosis, the roles of Egr-2 in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases can not be neglected.