MicroRNA-1294 targets HOXA9 and has a tumor suppressive role in osteosarcoma.

OBJECTIVE: MicroRNA-1294 (miR-1294) was reported to act as a tumor suppressor in several cancers. However, the biological function of miR-1294 in osteosarcoma (OS) has not been investigated. We, therefore, investigated the clinical significance and underlying mechanisms of miR-1294 in OS. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Quantitative Real-Time-Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR) was conducted to detect the levels of miR-1294. Targets of miR-1294 were validated by luciferase reporter assay and Western blot. In vitro functional assays were performed to investigate the effects of miR-217 on cell proliferation and invasion. RESULTS: We found miR-1294 was downregulated in OS tissues and cell lines. Downregulation of miR-1294 has a significant negative impact on the overall survival of OS patients. Overexpression of miR-1294 suppresses OS cell proliferation and invasion in vitro. Then, luciferase reporter assay validated Homeobox A9 (HOXA9) was a downstream target of miR-1294. Expression patterns of miR-1294 were inversely correlated with HOXA9 in OS tissues, strengthening the findings from the luciferase reporter assay. Further functional assays revealed that overexpression of HOXA9 could reverse the inhibition effects of miR-1294 on cell proliferation and invasion. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggested miR-1294 functions as a tumor suppressor in OS progression by targeting HOXA9.

Primary salivary gland-type carcinomas of the nasopharynx: prognostic factors and outcome.

Primary salivary gland-type carcinomas of the nasopharynx (SNPC) are a rare malignancy with diverse clinical behaviour and different prognoses. Previous studies have reported on limited patient populations, and few long-term studies have outlined outcomes and prognostic factors. Controversy exists regarding the treatment policy for SNPC. The aim of this study was to define management approaches, therapeutic outcomes, and prognostic factors for SNPC. The medical records of 54 patients with SNPC at one institution between 1963 and 2006 were reviewed. Patient records were analysed for management approaches, outcomes, and prognostic factors. After a median follow-up of 61.3 (1.8-245.2) months, the 2-, and 5-year overall survival rates (OS), loco-regional failure free survival rates (LRFFS) and distant failure free survival rates (DFFS) were 84.6% and 61.3%, 74.4% and 55.4%, and 92.0% and 70.0%, respectively. Multivariate analyses indicated that lymph node metastases, date of treatment, and surgical treatment were independent factors for DFFS, whereas histological subtypes and distant metastases were independent factors affecting OS. The optimal treatment policy for patients with SNPC might be surgery plus radiotherapy.

Enhanced photoelectrocatalytic performance of Zn-doped WO(3) photocatalysts for nitrite ions degradation under visible light.

WO(3) and Zn-doped WO(3) thin films were prepared on indium-tin oxide glass by a dip-coating. The composite films were characterized by UV-Vis absorption spectra, X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscope. The effect of preparation conditions (concentration of Zn, annealing temperature, number of layers) on the photocurrent was studied. It was found that the photocurrent under visible light displayed the highest value for 2% Zn-WO(3) films annealed at 400 degrees C. The photocatalytic activity of the Zn-doped WO(3) was evaluated in terms of decay rate of nitrite ions under visible light. The influence of applied potential, initial pH and nitrite concentration on the reaction rate was studied. The experiments demonstrated that NO(2)(-) could be efficiently degraded on the doped photoanode that showed a higher activity than the undoped WO(3) especially under high anodic potential (>0.7 V). The rate of degradation was enhanced in aqueous NaCl solutions. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that the photodegradation mechanism of NO(2)(-) proceeded mainly indirectly via OH radicals. The possible reason of enhancement of reaction rate was also discussed.

Investigation of the kinetics of a TiO2 photoelectrocatalytic reaction involving charge transfer and recombination through surface states by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy.

In this paper, the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) mathematical model of TiO2 photoelectrocatalytic (PEC) reactions involving charge transfer and recombination through surface states was developed. The model was used to study the kinetics of photoelectrocatalytic decomposition of salicylic acid. The model simulation results show that the appearance of two distinguishable semicircles in the EIS response depends on the charging of surface state and light intensity. The experimental results demonstrated that similar phenomena to the theoretical simulation results. The model provides a way to obtain the rate constants for the photoelectrochemical reactions of surface states mediating charge transfer and recombination. The applied potential changes not only the recombination rate constant but also the charge-transfer rate constant. Moreover, the experimental EIS results here and those previous published on PEC degradation reactions can be explained by the present model satisfactorily. The relevance of surface states was discussed briefly. The results demonstrated that EIS is a powerful tool for studying the kinetics of PEC decomposition of organic pollutants on TiO2 electrodes.