A high-efficient, low-cost, and eco-friendly catalyst is highly desired to activate peroxides for environmental remediation. Due to the potential synergistic effect between bimetallic oxides' two different metal cations, these oxides exhibit superior performance in the catalytic activation of peroxymonosulfate (PMS). In this work, novel MnFeO nanospheres were synthesized and used to activate PMS for the degradation of bisphenol A (BPA), a typical refractory pollutant. The catalytic performance of the MnFeO nanospheres was substantially greater than that of the Mn/Fe monometallic oxides and remained efficient in a wide pH range from 4 to 10. More importantly, a synergistic effect between solid-state Mn and Fe was identified in control experiments with MnO and FeO. Mn was inferred to be the primary active site in the surface of the MnFeO nanospheres, while Fe(III) was found to play a key role in the synergism with Mn by acting as the main adsorption site for the reaction substrates. Both sulfate and hydroxyl radicals were generated in the PMS activation process. The intermediates of BPA degradation were identified and the degradation pathways were proposed. This work is expected to help to elucidate the rational design and efficient synthesis of bimetallic materials for PMS activation.

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Long-term exposure to benzene causes several adverse health effects, including an increased risk of acute myeloid leukemia. This study was to identify genetic alternations involved in pathogenesis of leukemia in benzene-exposed workers without clinical symptoms of leukemia. This study included 33 shoe-factory workers exposed to benzene at levels from 1 ppm to 10 ppm. These workers were divided into 3 groups based on the benzene exposure time, 1- < 7, 7- < 12, and 12- < 24 years. 17 individuals without benzene exposure history were recruited as controls. Cytogenetic analysis using Affymetrix Cytogenetics Array found copy-number variations (CNVs) in several chromosomes of benzene-exposed workers. Expression of targeted genes in these altered chromosomes, NOTCH1 and BSG, which play roles in leukemia pathogenesis, was further examined using real-time PCR. The NOTCH1 mRNA level was significantly increased in all 3 groups of workers, and the NOTCH1 mRNA level in the 12- < 24 years group was significantly higher than that in 1- < 7 and 7- < 12 years groups. Compared to the controls, the BSG mRNA level was significantly increased in 7- < 12 and 12- < 24 years groups, but not in the 1- < 7 years group. These results suggest that CNVs and leukemia-related gene expression might play roles in leukemia development in benzene-exposed workers.

Extracellular DNA (eDNA), which is derived from lysis or secretion of cells, is ubiquitous in various environments and crucial for gene dissemination, bacterial metabolism, biofilm integrity, and aquatic monitoring. However, these processes are largely influenced by damage to eDNA. Photodamage to eDNA, one of the most important types of DNA damage in natural waters, thus far remains unclear. In particular, the roles of the ubiquitous dissolved organic matter (DOM) in this process have yet to be determined. In this study, eDNA photodamage, including both deoxynucleoside damage and strand breaks, proved to be significantly influenced by DOM. DOM competed with eDNA for photons to inhibit the direct photodamage of eDNA. Nevertheless, DOM was photosensitized to produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) (i.e., hydroxyl radicals (·OH) and singlet oxygen (1O2)) to enhance the indirect photodamage of eDNA. The ·OH induced damage to four deoxynucleosides and strand breaks, and the 1O2 substantially enhanced deoxyguanosine damage. The presence of DOM changed the main photodamage products of deoxynucleosides, additional oxidation products induced by ROS formed besides pyrimidine dimers caused by UV. Results indicate that DOM-mediated indirect photodamage contributed significantly to eDNA photodamage in most water bodies. This study revealed the previously unrecognized crucial role of DOM in the decay of eDNA in waters.

Opa-interacting protein 5 antisense transcript 1 (OIP5-AS1) is one kind of cytoplasmic long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), which has been demonstrated to play a critical function in multiple cancers. However, the detailed mechanism of OIP5-AS1 in the regulation of cervical cancer progression is still obscure. Here, we demonstrated that lncRNA OIP5-AS1 was upregulated in cervical cancer and was correlated with poor prognosis by bioinformatics studies. OIP5-AS1 depletion inhibited cell proliferation and promoted cell apoptosis in cervical cancer cells. Furthermore, we clarified that ROCK1 was the downstream effector of OIP5-AS1 and OIP5-AS1 acted as a molecular sponge of miR-143-3p. Finally, we verified that OIP5-AS1 exerted its function in the regulation of cervical cancer progression via interacting with miR-143-3p to regulate ROCK1 expression. Our study revealed novel mechanisms about how lncRNA OIP5-AS1 executed its function in cervical cancer and thus provided potential therapeutic targets for the disease.

Ku-Ding-Cha is a kind of herbal tea used commonly in China for its effects on hypertension, fatness, inflammation, and diuresis. The chlorophyll removal fraction from 60% aqueous acetone extract of Ku-Ding-Cha produced from the leaves of Ligustrum purpurascens (Oleaceae) exhibited observable antioxidant activity on 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay (SC50 = 45 microg/mL). Further detailed phytochemical investigation on this fraction led to the isolation of 2 new phenylethanoid glycosides, ligupurpurosides C-D (1 and 2), and 2 new sugar esters, ligupurpurosides E-F (3 and 4), together with 15 known compounds (5 to 19). All of them, except for 7, 8, 9, 11, and 12, were isolated from Ku-Ding-Cha and its original plants for the first time. The chemical structures were elucidated based on the analysis of spectroscopic data, including 1D, 2D NMR, and FABMS. In addition, the isolated compounds were evaluated for their antioxidant activities by DPPH assay.

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