Enhanced struvite generation and separation by magnesium anode electrolysis coupled with cathode electrodeposition.

Adding magnesium ions (Mg2+) to produce struvite is an important method to recover nitrogen and phosphorus from wastewater. Both the Mg2+ source and subsequent separation of struvite are key factors for the utilization of struvite. In this study, we developed an efficient method to recover nutrient salts from wastewater using sacrificial Mg anodes to generate struvite, with its simultaneous separation through cathode electrodeposition. The anode-released Mg2+ reacted with NH4+-N and PO43--P in bulk solution to form struvite, which was more intense on the cathode surface due to the relatively higher pH environment from hydrogen evolution, resulting in most of the struvite being deposited on the cathode surface and simultaneously separated out of the bulk solution. Using a cathode with a higher solution-cathode interface area and relatively low current density facilitated struvite deposition. Results showed that under optimal electrolysis condition (5.76 A/m2, pH 8.5, 180 min, and 1.2:1.0 Mg:P), 91% of the undissolved substances as the phosphate precipitation were deposited on the graphite cathode surface, and the proportion of struvite in the deposition reached 41.52%. This study provides a novel electrochemical method for struvite synthesis and separation for the recovery of nitrogen and phosphorus from wastewater.

Berberine Inhibits the Expression of SCT through miR-214-3p Stimulation in Breast Cancer Cells.

In this study, we aimed to evaluate the suppressive abilities of berberine (BBR) on MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells and confirm its underlying mechanisms on miR-214-3p. We first built a panel of 18 miRNAs and 9 lncRNAs that were reported to participate in the mechanism of breast cancer. The RT-qPCR results suggested that BBR illustrated a dosage-dependent pattern in the stimulation to miR-214-3p in both MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells. Then, we performed gain-and-lose function tests to validate the role of miR-214-3p contributing to the anticancer effects of BBR. Both BBR and miR-214-3p mimic reduced the cell viability, repressed migration and invasion capacities, increased rates of total apoptotic cells and ratio of Bax/Bcl-2, and increased the percentage of G2/M cells of MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells by colony formation and CKK8 assay, scratch wound healing and gelatin-based 3D conformation assay, transwell invasion assay, and cell cycle analysis, respectively. However, miR-214-3p inhibitor counteracted all these effects of BBR. Based on the bioinformatics analysis and dual-luciferase reporter test, we identified binding sites between SCT and miR-214-3p. We further confirmed that BBR massively and dose-dependently reduced the mRNA expression and protein levels of SCT in both MCF-7 and MDA-231 cells. We testified that both miR-214-3p mimic and BBR could decrease the mRNA expression and protein levels of SCT, while miR-214-3p inhibitor weakened these reductions. In conclusion, BBR suppressed MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells by upregulating miR-214-3p and increasing its inhibition to SCT.