Polymorphisms in methionine synthase (MTR) gene may be involved in carcinogenesis by affecting DNA methylation. However, association studies on MTR A2756G polymorphism in cancers have reported conflicting results. Therefore we performed a metaanalysis to better assess the associations. A total of 24 896 cancer patients and 33 862 controls from 52 articles for MTR A2756G were investigated. Overall, individuals carrying MTR 2756GG genotype had a subtly reduced cancer risk under a recessive genetic model (odds ratio (OR), 0.92; P¼0.053; 95% confidence interval (95% CI), 0.84-1.00; I 2 ¼0.0%; P heterogeneity ¼0.61). In the subgroup analyses by ethnicity, 2756GG was associated with a significantly reduced cancer risk in European populations (OR, 0.83; P¼0.001; 95% CI, 0.74-0.93; I 2 ¼0.0%; P heterogeneity ¼0.99). However, in Asian populations, a significantly elevated association between 2756GG genotype and cancer risk was observed (OR, 1.33; P¼0.012; 95% CI, 1.06-1.65; I 2 ¼0.0%; P heterogeneity ¼0.50). In studies stratified by tumor site, there was a significantly reduced risk of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) (OR, 0.54; P¼0.049; 95% CI, 0.29-1.00; I 2 ¼10.7%; P heterogeneity ¼0.33) and colorectal cancer (OR, 0.63; P¼0.004; 95% CI, 0.47-0.87; I 2 ¼0.0%; P heterogeneity ¼0.73) in European populations. Our study indicates that MTR A2756G polymorphism is a candidate gene polymorphism for cancer susceptibility regardless of environmental factors. Large-scale, well-designed, and population-based studies are required to further investigate gene-gene and gene-environment interactions on MTR A2756G polymorphism and tissue-specific cancer risk in an ethnicity-specific population.

Two kinds of novel plasmonic high-sensitivity of refractive index(RI) sensors based on analyte-filled photonic crystal fiber (AF-PCF) are proposed in this paper. The metallic gold and silver is used as the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) activity metal. A full-vector finite element method (FEM) is applied to analyze and investigate the sensing and coupling characteristics of this designed AF-PCF with the gold or silver layer. Phase matching between 2nd surface plasmon polariton (SPP) and fundamental modes can be met at different wavelengths as the analyte of RI is increased from 1.40 to 1.42. The phase matching wavelength of the designed AF-PCF with the gold layer is shifted to the longer wavelength direction compared to that with the silver layer, and the resonance strength is much stronger. The average sensitivities of 7040 nm/RIU and 7017 nm/RIU in the sensing arrange from 1.40 to 1.42 with high linearity are achieved for the designed sensors with the gold and silver layers, respectively, which are almost the same. While the figure of merit (FOM) with silver layer is much better than that with the gold layer.Index Terms: Photonic crystal fiber, Surface plasmon resonance. Refractive index sensor 1943-0655 (c)

We conducted a meta-analysis to assess the association between tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFalpha) gene TNFA-308 (G [ A) and TNFA-857 (C [ T) polymorphisms and gastric cancer (GC) susceptibility. We also performed subgroup analyses based on ethnicity (Caucasian, east Asian, and other populations) and tumor location [noncardia gastric cancer (NCGC)]. There were 3,335 GC patients and 5,286 controls for TNFA-308, and 1,118 GC patients and 1,591 controls for TNFA-857 in our analysis. Overall, allele contrast (A vs. G) of TNFA-308 polymorphism produced significant results in worldwide populations [P heterogeneity = 0.05, random-effects (RE) odds ratio (OR) 1.19; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.03-1.37, P = 0.02] and Caucasian populations (P heterogeneity = 0.15, fixed-effects (FE), OR 1.27; 95% CI 1.11-1.45, P = 0.0005). Similar results were also obtained in recessive models and homozygote contrasts. No significant association was observed in NCGC and east Asian subgroup analysis. T variant of TNFA-857 produced significant results only in allele contrast (P heterogeneity = 0.38, FE OR 1.17; 95% CI 1.01-1.35, P = 0.04). In conclusion, TNFA-308 locus of TNF-alpha would be a risk factor for GC, especially in Caucasian populations. Besides, TNFA-857 locus may be related to GC risk, which demonstrated changeability of results in different contrasts.

No abstract

The SAPK/JNKs play important roles in numerous cellular processes, and for this reason they have become putative drug targets. Most dual-specificity protein phosphatases (DSPs) play important roles in the regulation of mitogenic signal transduction and cell cycle control in response to extracellular stimuli. Dual-specificity phosphatase 18 (DUSP18), a newly recognized SAPK/JNK phosphatase, is widely expressed. This expression is modulated in response to extracellular stimuli. By phosphorylation assay, pull down and coimmunoprecipitation experiments, it is shown here that DUSP18 interacts with SAPK/JNK and dephosphorylates it both in vitro and in vivo. DUSP18 does not dephosphorylate p38 or p44ERK1. Furthermore, DUSP18 inhibits SAPK/JNK pathway in vivo. Based on these findings, DUSP18 appears to serve an important role by regulation of SAPK/JNK pathway.