Subject matter of the present invention is an angiotensin-receptor-agonist and/or a precursor thereof for use in the treatment of a disease in a subject, ⋅wherein said disease is selected from the group comprising heart failure, chronic heart failure, acute heart failure (AHF), myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, liver failure, burn injuries, traumatic injuries, severe infection (microbial, viral (e.g. AIDS), parasitic diseases (e.g. Malaria)), SIRS or sepsis, cancer, acute kidney injury (AKI), CNS disorders (e.g. seizures, neurodegenerative diseases), autoimmune diseases, vascular diseases, hypotension and shock, and ⋅wherein said subject has an amount of DPP3 protein and/or DPP3 activity in a sample of bodily fluid that is above a predetermined threshold.

The invention relates to a site-specific mutagenesis modified yeast dipeptidyl peptidase III. The yeast dipeptidyl peptidase III is an isolated mutant produced by making a plurality of amino acid substitutions in a wild type yeast dipeptidyl peptidase III derived from Saccharomyces cerevisiae S288c having an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO. 1, said amino acid substitutions comprising substitutions at positions 570, 572 and 574, so that the site-specific mutagenesis modified yeast dipeptidyl peptidase III is an enzyme having an oxidative decomposition activity on 6-methoxy-bifuran coumarin. The site-specific mutagenesis modified yeast dipeptidyl peptidase III can be used in preparation of a feed and additives thereof, and a food and additives thereof, in which 6-methoxy difuran coumarin is eliminated, and can be used in preparation of a medicament for preventing diseases induced by 6-methoxy-difuran coumarin.

Maize is vital to both US agriculture and the economy. The US provides over half of the maize global market. In the US, field maize production is a $75B endeavor and comprises 95% of the total US grain production. Worldwide there is a net loss of 16 million tons of maize due to aflatoxin contamination. In the US alone, aflatoxin contamination of food/feed results in an estimated $52M-$1.68B agricultural loss every year. Aflatoxin contamination in crops, and subsequently livestock, threatens greater agricultural development, food security and human health. Elimination of aflatoxin is a critical economic and health issue in the US. The present invention features composition and methods for the degradation of aflatoxin in crops post-harvest.

The invention relates to a method for the prediction of an increase of dipeptidyl peptidase 3 (DPP3) in a critically ill patient. In particular, the method comprises providing a sample from said patient, determining a level of Dipeptidyl peptidase 3 (DPP3) in said sample, comparing said level to a pre-determined threshold, wherein the level of DPP3 in said sample is indicative of an increase of DPP3 if said level of DPP3 is above a pre-determined threshold level, which is in the range between 22 and 40 ng/ml. Furthermore, the invention also relates to a method for the prevention of a DPP3 increase in a critical ill patient, wherein a DPP3 inhibitor is administered to the patient if the level of DPP3 is above a threshold between 40 ng/ml and 22 ng/ml and said DPP3 inhibitor is an anti-DPP3-antibody and/or and anti-DPP3-antibody fragment and/or anti-DPP3 scaffold. Moreover, the invention also relates to a DPP3 inhibitor for use in the prevention of a DPP3 increase in a critical ill patient.