No abstract

Single-nucleotide variants (SNVs) are the most common genetic variants and universally present in the human genome. Genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have identified a great number of disease or trait-associated variants, many of which are located in non-coding regions. Long intergenic non-protein coding RNAs (lincRNAs) are the major subtype of long non-coding RNAs; lincRNAs play crucial roles in various disorders and cellular models via multiple mechanisms. With rapid growth in the number of the identified lincRNAs and genetic variants, there is great demand for an investigation of SNVs in lincRNAs. Hence, in this article, we mainly summarize the significant role of SNVs within human lincRNA regions. Some pivotal variants may serve as risk factors for the development of various disorders, especially cancer. They may also act as important regulatory signatures involved in the modulation of lincRNAs in a tissue-or disorder-specific manner. An increasing number of researches indicate that lincRNA variants would potentially provide additional options for genetic testing and disease risk assessment in the personalized medicine era.

No abstract

A classification system for analytical methods was developed for the first time to determine the presence of aflatoxins B1, B2, G1 and G2 in traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) based on different matrix types using ultra-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. A useful characteristic of the approach was that the TCMs could be systematically divided into four categories (i.e., volatile oils, proteins, polysaccharides and fatty oils) depending on the matrix types. The approach concluded that different types of TCMs required different optimal sample preparation procedures. Based on the optimized analytical conditions, the limits of detection and quantification, average recoveries and linearity of four aflatoxins were determined and conformed to research limits. Of 22 TCMs samples, 14 samples were contaminated with at least one type aflatoxin at concentrations ranging from 0.2 to 7.5 μg/kg, and the average contents of aflatoxins were significantly different for the different matrix types. Moreover, we found a potential link between the contamination levels of aflatoxins and matrix types. TCMs containing fatty oils were the most susceptible to contamination by aflatoxins and followed by TCMs containing polysaccharides and proteins; TCMs containing abundant amounts of volatile oils were less prone to contamination.