Aminated graphene quantum dots/CdS nanobelts for enhanced photocatalytic degradation of RhB dye under visible light.

CdS nanoparticles have wide applications as photocatalysts for degradation of organic pollutants, but due to their limited turnover number and off-pathway charge recombination processes, their degradation efficiency is low. Herein, aminated graphene quantum dots/CdS (GQDs/CdS) nanobelts were successfully fabricated by solvothermal and hydrothermal processes. The prepared GQDs/CdS were characterized by physical methods to investigate their structure, morphology, optical properties, specific surface area, element composition, and chemical state. GQDs/CdS materials promoted efficient charge separation, and showed high efficiency in the photocatalytic degradation of the organic dye Rhodamine B (RhB) under visible light. The degradation efficiency of RhB samples over 0.05 g of catalysts reached 97.40% after 150 min, a much higher efficiency in comparison to pure CdS. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy provided direct evidence for ˙OH and ˙O2- as the reactive oxidative species using DMPO as a spin trap. Consistent with the experimental results, a possible mechanism of RhB photocatalytic degradation by GQDs/CdS under visible light was proposed. This work may provide environmentally friendly photocatalysts for degrading organic dyes and purifying water.

Long noncoding RNA as a potential diagnostic tool for prostate cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: To identify consistently expressed lncRNAs and suitable lncRNAs with high sensitivity and specificity from multiple independent studies as potential biomarkers for PCa diagnostics. METHODS: We searched multiple electronic databases including PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, CNKI, CQVIP, Wanfang, and CBMdisc for studies published up to July 2022. The quality of the included studies was assessed by two independent reviewers based on the QUADAS-2 tool using Review Manager 5.3. A vote-counting method was used based on the ranking of potential molecular biomarkers. The top-ranked lncRNAs were further assessed for diagnostic value using Meta-disc version 1.4 software. RESULTS: Among the 26 included studies, 2 circulating lncRNAs (PCA3 and MALAT-1) were reported 3 or more times in PCa patients versus non-PCa patients. In further analysis, the areas under the curve of the summary receiver operating characteristic curves for PCA3 and MALAT-1 distinguishing PCa patients were 0.775 and 0.771, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the current evidence, PCA3 and MALAT-1 are reliable lncRNAs for the diagnosis of PCa.

Environmentally Friendly g-C3N4/Sepiolite Fiber for Enhanced Degradation of Dye under Visible Light.

Herein, novel visible light active graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4)/sepiolite fiber (CN/SS) composites were fabricated via a facile calcination route, exploiting melamine and thiourea as precursors, and sepiolite fiber as support, for efficient degradation of organic dye methylene blue (MB). The as-prepared CN/SS composites were characterized by various characterization techniques based on structural and microstructural analyses. The effects of CN loading amount, catalyst dosage and initial concentration of dye on the removal rate of dye under visible light were systematically studied. The removal rate of MB was as high as 99.5%, 99.6% and 99.6% over the composites when the CN loading amount, catalyst dosage and initial concentration of dye were 20% (mass percent), 0.1 g, and 15 mg/L in 120 min, respectively. The active species scavenging experiments and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) measurement indicated that the holes (h+), hydroxyl radical (·OH) and superoxide radicals (·O2-) were the main active species. This study provides for the design of low-cost, environmentally friendly and highly efficient catalysts for the removal of organic dye.

The effects of HAP and macrophage cells to the expression of inflammatory factors and apoptosis in HK-2 cells of vitro co-cultured system.

This study developed an in vitro system by co-culturing HK-2 cells with different concentration of hydroxyapatite (HAP) and/or macrophage cells to simulate the internal environment of urolithiasis as far as possible, investigating the regulatory effects of macrophage cells on HAP-induced expression of relative inflammatory factors of HK-2 cells. The control group (H group) was only comprised of HK-2 cells. Experimental groups included co-culturing HK-2 cells and macrophage cells (H + M group), co-culturing HK-2 cells and HAP (H + A group), co-culturing macrophage cells and HAP (M + A group), and co-culturing HK-2 cells and macrophage cells with HAP (H + M + A group). In the H + A, M + A, and H + M + A group, we set the concentration of HAP as 5 µg/cm2 (A1) and 10 µg/cm2 (A2). After co-culturing for 2, 4, and 6 h, we detected the expression of CCL-2 in the liquid by ELISA. We tested the expression of LDH and ROS to evaluate the damage of HK-2 cells. We assessed the apoptosis of HK-2 cells using DAPI staining assay, flow cytometry, and the rate of BAX/BCL-2. Western Blotting detected OPN, Fetuin-A, BAX, and BCL-2 of HK-2 cells. The expression of CCL-2 in the medium of H + A1 and H + A2 group increased significantly compared with the control (P < 0.05); CCL-2 of M + A1 and M + A2 group was higher than the H + A1 and H + A2 group (P < 0.05). The expression of CCL-2 in H + M + A1 and H + M + A2 group was also higher than M + A1 and M + A2 group (P < 0.05). Compared with control, the expression of OPN, LDH release, the ratio of BAX/BCL-2, and the generation of ROS in HK-2 cells increased in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Compared with the control, the expression of Fetuin-A decreased in various degrees at different incubation periods. Especially when co-culturing for 6 h, Fetuin-A decreased most seriously in the H + M + A1 group. (1) The HAP can induce the HK-2 cells oxidative stress and inflammatory damage and apoptosis, when adding the macrophages to co-culture, macrophage cells can aggravate the damage and apoptosis of the HK-2 cells. (2) After the stimulation of HAP, the expression of OPN in HK-2 cells increased in a time- and dose-dependent manner; macrophage cells can aggravate the increase of OPN in HK-2 cells. (3) In the HAP and HK-2 cells co-cultured system, the low-level Fetuin-A of HK-2 cells may be related to the excessive consumption of Fetuin-A in the process of HAP-induced renal tubular epithelial cell excessive oxidative stress, inflammatory injury, and cell apoptosis. When adding macrophage cells to co-culture, Fetuin-A decreased even more seriously, it reminds us that macrophage cells can slightly regulate the expression of Fetuin-A in the HK-2 cells.