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Abstract: MicroRNAs (miRNAs, 18–25 bases in length) are small, non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. MiRNA expression patterns, including presence and relative abundance of particular miRNA species, provide cell- and tissue-specific information that can be used for body fluid identification. Recently, two published studies reported that a number of body fluid-specific miRNAs had been identified. However, the results were inconsistent when different technology platforms and statistical methods were applied. To further study the role of miRNAs in identification of body fluids, this study sets out to develop an accurate and reliable model for data analysis of miRNA expression. To that end, the relative expression levels of three miRNAs were studied using the mirVana™ miRNA Isolation Kit, high-specificity stem-loop reverse transcription (RT) and high-sensitivity hydrolysis probes (TaqMan) quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) in forensically relevant biological fluids, including venous blood, vaginal secretions, menstrual blood, semen and saliva. Accurate quantification of miRNAs requires not only a highly sensitive and specific detection platform for experiment operation, but also a reproducible methodology with an adequate model for data analysis. In our study, the efficiency-calibrated model that incorporated the impact of the quantification cycle (Cq) values and PCR efficiencies of target and reference genes was developed to calculate the relative expression ratio of miRNAs in forensically relevant body fluids. Our results showed that venous blood was distinguished from other body fluids according to the relative expression ratio of miR16 using as little as 50pg of total RNA, while the expression level of miR658 was unstable and that of miR205 was nonspecific among different body fluids. Collectively, the findings may constitute a basis for future miRNA-based research on body fluid identification and show miRNAs as a promising biomarker in forensic identification of body fluids. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Ubiquitous human exposure to organophosphorus tri-esters (tri-OPEs) has been reported worldwide. Previous studies investigated the feasibility of using house dust and wristbands to assess human OPE exposure. We hypothesized that these two approaches could differ in relative effectiveness in the characterization of children and adult exposure. In the participants recruited from Guangzhou, South China, urinary levels of major OPE metabolites, including diphenyl phosphate (DPHP) and bis(butoxyethyl) phosphate (BBOEP), were significantly higher in children than their mothers (median 6.6 versus 3.7 ng/mL and 0.11 versus 0.06 ng/mL, respectively). The associations of dust or wristband-associated OPEs with urinary metabolites exhibited chemical-specific patterns, which also differed between children and mothers. Significant and marginally significant associations were determined between dust concentrations of triphenyl phosphate (TPHP), tris(2-butoxyethyl) phosphate (TBOEP), trimethylphenyl phosphate (TMPP), or tris(1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TCIPP) and their metabolites in children urine and between dust tris(1,3-dichloroisopropyl) phosphate (TDCIPP), TPHP or TMPP and urinary metabolites in mothers. By contrast, wristbands exhibited better efficiency of predicting internal exposure to TDCIPP. While both house dust and wristbands exhibited the potential as a convenient approach for assessing long-term OPE exposure, their feasibility requires better investigations via larger-scale studies and standardized sampling protocols. [Display omitted] • A suite of 17 organophosphate esters (OPEs) were frequently detected in house dust and wristbands. • Urinary levels of DPHP and BBOEP were significantly higher in children than their mothers. • Associations of dust or wristband-associated OPEs with urinary metabolites exhibited chemical-specific patterns. • The efficiency of using wristbands and dust to predict internal exposure appeared to be chemical dependent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To examine the associations of serum concentrations of adiponectin and leptin and leptin/adiponectin ratio (LAR) in early pregnancy with risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in Chinese women. The predictive ability of those biomarkers for GDM was also assessed.Methods: Within the Tongji-Shuangliu Birth Cohort, a nested case-control study was established with 332 GDM cases and 664 matched controls at 1:2 ratio on age (±3 years) and gestational age (±4 weeks). Serum adiponectin and leptin levels were measured in early pregnancy (median gestational week, 11; range, 6-15). Conditional logistic regression models with adjustment for potential covariates were used to evaluate the associations.Results: Multivariable-adjusted odds ratios (ORs) comparing extreme quartiles of adiponectin, leptin and LAR were 0.55 (95 % CI, 0.35, 0.85), 1.96 (95 % CI, 1.19, 3.24), and 2.72 (95 % CI, 1.63, 4.54) for GDM, respectively (All P-trend < 0.02). Adding adiponectin and leptin to a conventional prediction model (including traditional risk factors and fasting glucose) increased the C-statistics from 0.708 (95 % CI, 0.674, 0.741) to 0.728 (95 % CI, 0.695, 0.760), and achieved a net reclassification improvement of 0.292.Conclusions: Our findings indicate that adiponectin is inversely associated with GDM, while leptin and LAR are positively associated with GDM in Chinese pregnant women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Objectives: The goal of our research was to look into the clinical traits and genetic mutations in nonsyndromic oligodontia in a Chinese family and to gain insight into the role of mutations of PAX9, MSX1 and AXIN2 in oligodontia phenotypes. Materials and methods: 6 subjects from a family underwent complete oral examination, including panoramic radiographs. Retrospective data were reviewed and blood samples were collected. PCR primers for PAX9, MSX1, and AXIN2 were designed through the Oligo Primer Analysis Software. PCR products were purified and sequenced using the BigDye Terminator Kit and analysed by the 3730 DNA Analyzer. Results: The proband missed 4 permanent canines, 2 permanent maxillary lateral incisors, 2 permanent mandibular lateral incisors, and 2 permanent mandibular central incisors, whilst his maternal grandfather lacked only 2 permanent mandibular central incisors. Moreover, the size of some permanent teeth appeared smaller than normal values of crown width of Chinese people. Oligodontia and abnormalities of teeth were not present in other family members. Radiographic examination showed that the proband and the rest of family members retained all germs of the third molars. There was one known mutation A240P (rs4904210) of PAX9 in the coding region in the proband and the maternal family members (II-2, II-3, and II-4), which possibly contributed to structural and functional changes of proteins. No mutations were identified in MSX1 and AXIN2. Conclusions: Our findings may imply that the PAX9 A240P mutation is a risk factor for oligodontia in the Chinese population. A240P is likely to be a genetic cause of oligodontia though previous literature suggested it as a polymorphism only. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]