Co-migration behavior of toluene coupled with trichloroethylene and the response of the pristine groundwater ecosystems - A mesoscale indoor experiment.

Experimental scale and sampling precision are the main factors limiting the accuracy of migration and transformation assessments of complex petroleum-based contaminants in groundwater. In this study, a mesoscale indoor aquifer device with high environmental fidelity and monitoring accuracy was constructed, in which dissolved toluene and trichloroethylene were used as typical contaminants in a 1.5-year contaminant migration experiment. The process was divided into five stages, namely, pristine, injection, accumulation, decrease, and recovery, and characteristics such as differences in contaminant migration, the responsiveness of environmental factors, and changes in microbial communities were investigated. The results demonstrated that the mutual dissolution properties of the contaminants increased the spread of the plume and confirmed that toluene possessed greater mobility and natural attenuation than trichloroethylene. Attenuation of the contaminant plume proceeded through aerobic degradation, nitrate reduction, and sulfate reduction phases, accompanied by negative feedback from characteristic ion concentrations, dissolved oxygen content, the oxidation-reduction potential and microbial community structure of the groundwater. This research evaluated the migration and transformation characteristics of typical petroleum-based pollutants, revealed the response mechanism of the ecosystem to pollutant, provided a theoretical basis for predicting pollutant migration and formulating control strategies.

Protective effect of liver X receptor on cigarette smoke and lipopolysaccharide induced airway inflammation and emphysema in mice.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to assess the impact of Liver X receptors (LXRs) on airway inflammation, airway remodeling, and lipid deposition induced by cigarette smoke and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) exposure in the lung. METHODS: Wild mice and LXR-deficient mice were exposed to cigarette smoke and LPS to induce airway inflammation and remodeling. In addition, some wild mice received intraperitoneal treatment with the LXR agonist GW3965 before exposure to cigarette smoke and LPS. Lung tissue and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid were collected to evaluate airway inflammation, airway remodeling and lipid deposition. RESULTS: Exposure to cigarette smoke and LPS resulted in airway inflammation, emphysema and lipid accumulation in wild mice. These mice also exhibited downregulated LXRα and ABCA1 in the lung. Treatment with GW3965 mitigated inflammation, remodeling and lipid deposition, while the deletion of LXRs exacerbated these effects. Furthermore, GW3965 treatment following exposure to cigarette smoke and LPS increased LXRα and ABCA1 expression and attenuated MyD88 expression in wild mice. CONCLUSION: LXRs demonstrate the potential to mitigate cigarette smoke and LPS- induced airway inflammation, emphysema and lipid disposition in mice.

Transformation pathways of the carbon-containing group compounds during municipal sludge pyrolysis treatment.

Municipal sludge contains abundant amounts of carbon, with contents ranging from 14 % to 38 %. The various carbon-containing group compounds can be converted into beneficial products, but pollutants and greenhouse gases are also released through the municipal sludge pyrolysis process. Ascertaining the pathways by which carbon-containing group compounds is converted and transformed is crucial for addressing pollution concerns and promoting recycling. This study explored the transformation pathways of carbon-containing group compounds during the pyrolysis process of municipal sludge. The results showed that the three major carbon-containing group compounds including protein (61 %), cellulose (9 %), and hemicellulose (7 %), had significantly different pyrolysis temperature of 600 °C, 400 °C and 300 °C. In terms of gas pollution, most carbon was fully pyrolyzed into CO2. While the temperature raised up to 500 °C, a part of the CO2 converted into CO. Meanwhile, the various carbon-containing compounds exhibited distinct effects on gas production, which CH4 was produced more with cellulose and protein presenting in the sludge. When temperature increased to 700 °C, the 60 % of the carbon-containing group compounds were transformed into liquid and solid. The pyrolysis liquid in the low-temperature stage (30-300 °C) contained a relatively high aliphatics content and lower organooxygen species (OOSs) content (at 200 °C), suggesting a potential for resource utilization. The yield of CO in the gas rapidly increased as the temperature increased in the high-temperature stage (500-700 °C). The insights from this study hold practical implications for enhancing municipal sludge pyrolysis efficiency, reducing pollution, and facilitating more sustainable and resource-efficient practices.

Sulfuric acid-assisted ball milling for the preparation of Si-O-enriched straw biochar: removal efficiency of rhodamine B and adsorption mechanism.

Traditional pyrolysis biochar has been widely employed to treat dye wastewater. However, there are some problems in the pyrolysis process, such as the generation of harmful gases and the low content of silico-oxygen functional groups to promote adsorption. Straw biochar (Ac-BCbm) was prepared by sulfuric acid co-ball milling method. The adsorption performance and adsorption mechanism of rhodamine B (RhB) under different preparation conditions and factors were investigated. The results showed that the adsorption rate of Ac-BCbm on RhB was up to 94.9%, which was 60.5% and 55.8% higher than that of ball-milling straw (STbm) and biochar prepared by pyrolysis (STBC600), respectively. The Ac-BCbm had better adaptability under different pH and common interfering ions for remove RhB. Characterization and DFT simulation analysis revealed that the sulfuric acid co-ball milling process promoted the formation of Si-OH and Si-O-CH3 oxygen-containing functional groups of Si component in straw, which enhanced the hydrogen bonding interactions and effectively improved the adsorption efficiency. This study investigated a new strategy for biochar preparation by sulfuric acid co-ball milling, which provides an additional development direction for the efficient resource utilization of straw.

[Evaluation of Shallow Groundwater Quality and Optimization of Monitoring Indicators in Nanchang].

In the process of groundwater environmental monitoring, while ensuring the representativeness of groundwater quality evaluation, the number of monitoring indicators should be optimized as much as possible, which is of great significance to groundwater environmental management. Based on monitoring data of shallow groundwater in Nanchang in 2014 and 2019, the chemical characteristics of water and the changes in water quality were analyzed via statistical analysis, a Piper three-line diagram, and the entropy-weighted water quality index (EWQI). Furthermore, a key indicator optimization method based on water quality evaluation was constructed by coupling stepwise multiple linear regression analysis. The feasibility of this method was also evaluated. The results showed that the water chemistry type of groundwater in 2014 and 2019 was mainly HCO3-Ca, and the five abnormal indicators pH value, NO3-, I-, Fe, and Mn were the main influencing factors of water quality change. The water quality in 2019 was generally higher than that in 2014, which was considered as overall "moderate," and the average EWQI values of the two years were 53.72 and 82.34, respectively. The optimal model EWQImin-4 constructed based on the key indicator optimization method could better represent the actual EWQI; the key indicators included Mn, NO3-, TH, Fe, pH value, and I-; and the determination coefficient (R2) and percentage error (PE) values were 0.865 and 10.61%, respectively. Therefore, the optimization method of groundwater monitoring indicators based on entropy-weighted water quality evaluation could be used as an important reference for optimizing monitoring indicators and provide a method for regional groundwater environmental management.

Energy stress-induced circZFR enhances oxidative phosphorylation in lung adenocarcinoma via regulating alternative splicing.

BACKGROUND: Circular RNAs (circRNAs) contribute to multiple biological functions and are also involved in pathological conditions such as cancer. However, the role of circRNAs in metabolic reprogramming, especially upon energy stress in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), remains largely unknown. METHODS: Energy stress-induced circRNA was screened by circRNA profiling and glucose deprivation assays. RNA-seq, real-time cell analyzer system (RTCA) and measurement of oxygen consumption rate (OCR) were performed to explore the biological functions of circZFR in LUAD. The underlying mechanisms were investigated using circRNA pull-down, RNA immunoprecipitation, immunoprecipitation and bioinformatics analysis of alternative splicing. Clinical implications of circZFR were assessed in 92 pairs of LUAD tissues and adjacent non-tumor tissues, validated in established patient-derived tumor xenograft (PDTX) model. RESULTS: CircZFR is induced by glucose deprivation and is significantly upregulated in LUAD compared to adjacent non-tumor tissues, enhancing oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) for adaptation to energy stress. CircZFR is strongly associated with higher T stage and poor prognosis in patients with LUAD. Mechanistically, circZFR protects heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein L-like (HNRNPLL) from degradation by ubiquitination to regulate alternative splicing, such as myosin IB (MYO1B), and subsequently activates the AKT-mTOR pathway to facilitate OXPHOS. CONCLUSION: Our study provides new insights into the role of circRNAs in anticancer metabolic therapies and expands our understanding of alternative splicing.

Mechanochemically synthesized silicotungsten acidified ZVI composite for persulfate activation: Enhancement of the electron transfer and Fe slowly release mechanism.

Zero-valent iron (ZVI) is a promising technology for groundwater treatment, and its efficiency primarily depends on the electron transfer. However, there are still some problems such as low electron efficiency of ZVI particles and high yield of iron sludge that limits the performance, which warrant further investigation. In our study, a silicotungsten acidified ZVI composite (m-WZVI) was synthesized by ball milling to activate PS to degrade phenol. m-WZVI has a better performance on phenol degradation (with a removal rate of 91.82%) than ball mill ZVI(m-ZVI) with persulfate (PS) (with a removal rate of 59.37%). Compared with m-ZVI, the first-order kinetic constant (kobs) of m-WZVI/PS is 2-3 times higher than that of the others. Iron ion was gradually leached in m-WZVI/PS system, being only 2.11 mg/L after 30 min, having to avoid excessive consumption of active substances. The underlying mechanisms of m-WZVI for PS activation mainly include: 1) were elucidated through different characterizations analyses that accounted for silictungstic acid (STA) can be combined with ZVI, and a new electron donor (SiW124-) was obtained, which improved the transfer rate performance of electrons for activating PS; 2) singlet oxygen (1O2) is the main active substance for phenol degradation, but other radicals also played an important role. Therefore, m-WZVI has good prospects for improving the electron utilization of ZVI.

Large-scale snake genome analyses provide insights into vertebrate development.

Snakes are a remarkable squamate lineage with unique morphological adaptations, especially those related to the evolution of vertebrate skeletons, organs, and sensory systems. To clarify the genetic underpinnings of snake phenotypes, we assembled and analyzed 14 de novo genomes from 12 snake families. We also investigated the genetic basis of the morphological characteristics of snakes using functional experiments. We identified genes, regulatory elements, and structural variations that have potentially contributed to the evolution of limb loss, an elongated body plan, asymmetrical lungs, sensory systems, and digestive adaptations in snakes. We identified some of the genes and regulatory elements that might have shaped the evolution of vision, the skeletal system and diet in blind snakes, and thermoreception in infrared-sensitive snakes. Our study provides insights into the evolution and development of snakes and vertebrates.

High Fe and Mn groundwater in the Nanchang, Poyang Lake Basin of China: hydrochemical characteristics and genesis mechanisms.

Based on the water quality test data of 257 groups of phreatic groundwater and 165 groups of confined groundwater in the Nanchang area and the redox conditions, acid-base conditions and the organic matter content in groundwater, we identified hydrochemical characteristics and genesis of groundwater with high Fe and Mn contents in Nanchang. The results showed that Fe and Mn exceeded the standard in both phreatic and confined groundwater. The over-standard rates of Fe and Mn in groundwater were 8.56-11.52% and 33.07-36.36%, respectively. The degree of pollution Fe and Mn in the confined groundwater is higher than that in the phreatic groundwater, and the degree of pollution caused by Mn is higher than that caused by Fe. The high Fe and Mn contents in groundwater were caused by the release of Fe and Mn minerals from the native environment due to changes in the groundwater environment of the study area. A mild redox environment (Eh < 100) and low pH value are favorable for Fe and Mn enrichment in groundwater. The presence of organic matter accelerates microbial activity and promotes the release of Fe and Mn from aquifer sediments. Therefore, the change in the native environment played an important role in the increase in Fe and Mn content in the study area.

Immunotherapy for bilateral multiple ground glass opacities: An exploratory study for synchronous multiple primary lung cancer.

Background: Bilateral multiple ground glass opacities (GGOs) are observed in quite a part of patients with early-stage lung adenocarcinoma. For this so-called synchronous multiple primary lung cancer (sMPLC), targeting immune checkpoint is a favorable option in addition to surgical resection. The purpose of this study is to reveal the safety and efficacy of performing immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) on patients with sMPLC and to explore the biomarkers of the efficacy. Methods: A total of 21 patients with sMPLC were enrolled and all included cases were pathologically confirmed adenocarcinoma after conducting surgical treatment for unilateral GGOs. ICIs of Sintilimab were then used to target programmed death 1 (200mg i.v., Q3W) for up to 10 cycles. Seven patients of them received the other surgery for contralateral GGOs, and multiomics assessments, including neoantigens, somatic mutations, and methylated loci, were further performed to investigate potential biomarkers. Results: Grade 1 or 2 treatment-related adverse events (AEs) occurred in most of the patients (12/21, 57.1%), and one subject withdrawn for grade 3 AEs. For the seven patients underwent twice surgeries, twelve and thirteen GGOs were achieved before and after the use of ICIs separately, and a favorable efficacy was observed among six lesions after immunotherapy (> 50% pathologic tumor regression). Tumor infiltration T-cell and B-cell were further shown to be associated with the biological activity of ICIs. According to mechanism-based multiomics analyses, MUC19- and PCDHB5- mutations were indicated to correlate with a favorable prognosis of sMPLC underwent immunotherapy, and our results suggested that immunogenetic mutation and associated promoter methylation could provide a quantitative explanation for the pathologic response of GGOs. Conclusion: Our study provides evidence that the use of ICIs contributed favorable efficacy and safety to patients with sMPLC. Immune infiltration and immunogenic biomarkers are revealed to be implications of performing ICIs on sMPLC. These preliminary findings exhibit the prospects in performing neoadjuvant or adjuvant immunotherapies on patients with sMPLC. Clinical Trial Registration: https://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=36878, identifier ChiCTR1900022159.

Cancer-associated fibroblast-specific lncRNA LINC01614 enhances glutamine uptake in lung adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Besides featured glucose consumption, recent studies reveal that cancer cells might prefer "addicting" specific energy substrates from the tumor microenvironment (TME); however, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. METHODS: Fibroblast-specific long noncoding RNAs were screened using RNA-seq data of our NJLCC cohort, TCGA, and CCLE datasets. The expression and package of LINC01614 into exosomes were identified using flow cytometric sorting, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), and quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The transfer and functional role of LINC01614 in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) and CAFs were investigated using 4-thiouracil-labeled RNA transfer and gain- and loss-of-function approaches. RNA pull-down, RNA immunoprecipitation, dual-luciferase assay, gene expression microarray, and bioinformatics analysis were performed to investigate the underlying mechanisms involved. RESULTS: We demonstrate that cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in LUAD primarily enhance the glutamine metabolism of cancer cells. A CAF-specific long noncoding RNA, LINC01614, packaged by CAF-derived exosomes, mediates the enhancement of glutamine uptake in LUAD cells. Mechanistically, LINC01614 directly interacts with ANXA2 and p65 to facilitate the activation of NF-κB, which leads to the upregulation of the glutamine transporters SLC38A2 and SLC7A5 and eventually enhances the glutamine influx of cancer cells. Reciprocally, tumor-derived proinflammatory cytokines upregulate LINC01614 in CAFs, constituting a feedforward loop between CAFs and cancer cells. Blocking exosome-transmitted LINC01614 inhibits glutamine addiction and LUAD growth in vivo. Clinically, LINC01614 expression in CAFs is associated with the glutamine influx and poor prognosis of patients with LUAD. CONCLUSION: Our study highlights the therapeutic potential of targeting a CAF-specific lncRNA to inhibit glutamine utilization and cancer progression in LUAD.

MiR-937-3p promotes metastasis and angiogenesis and is activated by MYC in lung adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is still one of the diseases with the highest mortality and morbidity, and lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) accounts for more than half of all NSCLC cases in most countries. miRNA can be used as a potential biological marker and treatment for lung adenocarcinoma. However, the effect of miR-937-3p to the invasion and metastasis of LUAD cells is not clear. METHODS: miRNA microarray is used to analyze the expression of miRNA in lung adenocarcinoma tissue. Transwell migration, Wound-healing assay and Western blot analysis are used to analyze cell migration, invasion and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) capabilities. Tube formation is used to assess angiogenesis ability. In addition, dual luciferase reporter gene detection is used to identify the potential binding between miRNA and target mRNA. In vivo experiments were performed on male NOD/SCID nude mice by tail vein injection to establish a transplanted tumor model. The CHIP experiment is used to verify the transcription factors of miRNA. RESULT: In our study, miR-937-3p was high-regulated in LUAD cell lines and tissues, and its expression level was related to tumor progression. We found that miR-937-3p high-expression has an effect on cell invasion and metastasis. In molecular mechanism, miR-937-3p causes SOX11 reduction by directly binding to the 3'-UTR of SOX11.In addition, MYC affects miR-937-3p transcription by binding to its promoter region. CONCLUSIONS: Our research shows that miR-937-3p is mediated by MYC and can control the angiogenesis, invasion and metastasis of LUAD by regulating SOX11, thereby promoting the progress of LUAD. We speculate that miR-937-3p can be used as a therapeutic target and potential biomarker for LUAD.

A novel preparation process of straw-based iron material for enhanced persulfate activation of reactive black 5 degradation.

In this study, a new straw-iron composite material (ST@Fe) was synthesized through impregnation and freeze-drying process for persulfate (PS) activation to degrade reactive black 5 (RB5). Scanning electron microscope, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller, Fourier transform infrared spectrometry, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirmed that straw owns huge pore structure and varieties of organic functional groups, including hydroxyl carboxyl groups, which could effectively adsorb and complex iron ions. The interaction between the active iron particles in ST@Fe and straw generated Fe2+ for PS activation, effectively degrading over 94.80% of RB5 at an initial concentration of 20 ppm in 100 min with a specific degradation capacity of 18.97 min-1 per unit of iron ions. ST@Fe/PS system demonstrated high tolerance in a wide initial pH range, which could gradually attack the RB5 molecular structure and significantly reduce the mineralization of water. Quenching experiments and electron paramagnetic resonance demonstrated the efficient generation of ROS including sulfate radicals, hydroxyl radicals, and singlet oxygen, and confirmed the dominance of sulfate radicals in the degradation process. The continuous degradation capacity and reusability of ST@Fe were also evaluated, which proved that the contaminant could be effectively degraded even after multiple cycles in the simulated textile wastewater, indicating its potential for use in practical remediation. This work provided a new method for the preparation of modified functional materials for the degradation of organic pollutants in textile wastewater and posed a novel strategy for the utilization of waste biomass.

Ferrous oxalate covered ZVI through ball-milling for enhanced catalytic oxidation of organic contaminants with persulfate.

Zero-valent iron (ZVI), with high reduction capacity and cost effectiveness, has been widely used as an activator for persulfate in remediation of organic pollutants. However, the existence of inherent iron oxide shell blocked the transfer of proton and further reduced its reactivity. In present study, a novel persulfate (PS) activator BZVI@OA was synthesized via ball milling ZVI with oxalic acid dihydrate. Scanning electron microscope, X-ray diffraction spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectrometry and Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectroscopy confirmed the original low proton conductive oxidation shell was replaced by a high proton conductive FeC2O4 shell. The generated shell significantly improved persulfate activated capacity, through which degradation rates of various contaminants were enhanced for 1.64 to 2.33 times. Dissolved oxalate was proved to form complexes with iron ions, dramatically reduced the potential difference and relieved the blocked cyclic conversion. Electron paramagnetic resonance and quenching experiments confirmed an inner sphere adsorption of PS on FeC2O4·2H2O shell which facilitated the peroxide bonds cleavage, leading high efficiency of ROS generation. The accelerated proton transition was confirmed with AC impedance method, resulting in fast and elevated surface bound Fe2+ for persulfate decomposition into active species. Furthermore, BZVI@OA/PS system demonstrated high tolerance over wide initial pH range and promising reusability within 6 cycles. This work clarifies an effective strategy for developing efficient modified ZVI as a PS activator for organic pollutant degradation in water.

[Effect of Er:YAG laser in pulp revascularization in miniature pigs].

PURPUSE: To compare the effectiveness of Er:YAG laser and Ca(OH)2 in pulp revascularization in miniature pigs. METHODS: The second and third premolars of three 14-15-month-old miniature pigs were randomly divided into three groups: laser group, medication group and negative control group. After establishment of pulp necrosis model in each group, the negative control group had no more procedures, while the laser group and medication group were treated with pulp revascularization. Intracanal antisepsis operation was conducted using Er:YAG laser in laser group and Ca(OH)2 in medication group. The maxillary first premolars, as a positive control group, were left untreated and grew naturally. Three months after surgery, X-ray and cone-beam CT(CBCT) were taken. The animals were sacrificed, and the teeth were used to make H-E staining sections. The development of the teeth and the histological manifestations in the root canals of both groups were compared and evaluated by radiographic and histological assessment. SPSS 24.0 software package was used for statistical analysis of the data. RESULTS: Radiographic results showed that 3 months after surgery, apical foramen was closed in the laser group and the medication group. It also showed that intracanal calcification, and some specimens manifested root absorption. There was no significant difference between the two groups in the aspects of increase of root length, root thickness, or decrease of apical foramen size(P>0.05). Histological results showed that there was dentin-like and cementum-like tissue deposition along the root canal walls; apical closure was apparent; and fibrous connective tissue and cementum-like tissue or bone-like tissue formation in the root canal space were evident in the laser group and the medication group 3 months after surgery. There was no significant difference in the histological findings between the two groups(P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Er: YAG laser can be applied to pulp revascularization in miniature pigs, and the effect is equivalent to that of intracanal medication using Ca(OH)2.

LncRNA LINC00525 suppresses p21 expression via mRNA decay and triplex-mediated changes in chromatin structure in lung adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Emerging evidence suggests that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play crucial roles in various cancers. In the present study, we aim to investigate the function and molecular mechanism of an up-regulated and survival-associated lncRNA, LINC00525, in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). METHODS: The expression level of LINC00525 in tissues was determined by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and in situ hybridization (ISH). The functional role of LINC00525 in LUAD was investigated using gain-and loss-of-function approaches, both in vivo and in vitro. RNA pull-down, RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP), chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP), triplex-capture assay, dual-luciferase assay, gene expression microarray, and bioinformatics analysis were used to investigate the potential underlying mechanisms involved. RESULTS: LINC00525 is highly expressed in LUAD cells and tissues. Survival analysis indicated that upregulation of LINC00525 was associated with poor prognosis in patients with LUAD patients. Knockdown of LINC00525 inhibited cell proliferation and cell cycle progression in vitro. In xenograft models, LINC00525 knockdown suppressed tumor growth and tumorigenesis of tumor-bearing mice. Mechanistically, LINC00525 epigenetically suppressed p21 transcription by guiding Enhancer Of Zeste 2 Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 Subunit (EZH2) to the p21 promoter through an formation of RNA-DNA triplex with the p21 promoter, leading to increased trimethylation of lysine 27 on histone 3 (H3K27me3) of the p21 promoter. In addition, LINC00525 repressed p21 expression post-transcriptionally by enhancing p21 mRNA decay. LINC00525 promoted p21 mRNA decay by competitively binding to RNA Binding Motif Single Stranded Interacting Protein 2 (RBMS2). CONCLUSION: Our findings demonstrate that LINC00525 promotes the progression of LUAD by reducing the transcription and stability of p21 mRNA in concert with EZH2 and RBMS2, thus suggesting that LINC00525 may be a potential therapeutic target for clinical intervention in LUAD.

MIR99AHG is a noncoding tumor suppressor gene in lung adenocarcinoma.

Little is known about noncoding tumor suppressor genes. An effective way to identify these genes is by analyzing somatic copy number variation (CNV)-related noncoding genes. By integrated bioinformatics analyses of differentially expressed long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) and arm-level CNVs in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), we identified a potential antitumor gene, MIR99AHG, encoding lncRNA MIR99AHG as well as a miR-99a/let-7c/miR-125b2 cluster on chromosome 21q. All four of these transcripts were downregulated in LUAD tissues partly due to the copy number deletion of the MIR99AHG gene. Both MIR99AHG and miR-99a expression was positively correlated with the survival of LUAD patients. MIR99AHG suppressed proliferation and metastasis and promoted autophagy both in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, the interaction between MIR99AHG and ANXA2 could accelerate the ANXA2-induced ATG16L+ vesicle biogenesis, thus promoting phagophore assembly. Additionally, miR-99a targeted a well-known autophagy suppressor, mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), thereby synergistically promoting autophagy and postponing LUAD progression with MIR99AHG. In summary, MIR99AHG emerges as a noncoding tumor suppressor gene in LUAD, providing a new strategy for antitumor therapy.

Establishment of Pulp Damage Repair Models in Miniature Pigs Using Diode Lasers.

Objective: To establish a controlled pulp damage repair model in miniature pigs by using a diode laser. Background: Laser is a novel kind of controllable energy, and it is widely used in dentistry. Methods: The premolars of four 24- to 28-month-old miniature pigs were divided into three laser groups, according to the output powers of a diode laser, and the nonirradiated first molars acted as controls. The teeth in laser groups were irradiated under three parameters (output powers 1.5, 2.5, 4 W, continuous wave, frequency 50 Hz for 60 sec). The dental and gingival morphology was observed at 0, 7, 14, and 21 days after laser irradiation. The animals were sacrificed for qualitative and quantitative pulp histopathological analysis. Results: The three laser groups present no seriously irreversible dental and gingival damage. In the 1.5-W group, dental pulp exhibited angiectasis and hyperemia with no inflammation, and did not significantly differ with the control groups at 21 days (p > 0.05). In the 2.5-W group, pulpal inflammation was highest at 7 days and then decreased significantly at 21 days, and the tissue repair appeared at 14 days (p < 0.05). In the 4-W group, pulpal inflammation was significantly highest at 7 days, with an increase in the degree of tissue repair (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The output power of 1.5 W developed a reversible pulpitis model; the output powers of 2.5 and 4 W within 7 days led to the development of irreversible pulpitis models, which proceeded as chronic pulpitis with obvious tissue repair.