High-Efficiency Photo-Fenton-like Catalyst of FeOOH/g-C3N4 for the Degradation of PNP: Characterization, Catalytic Performance and Mechanism Exploration.

The composite photocatalyst FeOOH/g-C3N4 was prepared through thermal polycondensation and co-precipitation methods, followed by XRD, SEM and UV-vis characterization. The stability of FeOOH/g-C3N4 was explored by the recycling test. The active species in the reaction system were investigated by the capture experiment. The results indicated that the optimal preparation condition for g-C3N4 involved calcination at 600 °C for 4 h. XRD analysis revealed that g-C3N4 exhibits a high-purity phase, and Fe in FeOOH/g-C3N4 exists in a highly dispersed amorphous state. SEM analysis showed that FeOOH/g-C3N4 has a rough surface with an irregular layered structure. Element composition analysis confirmed that the content of elements in the prepared catalyst is consistent with the theoretical calculation. FeOOH/g-C3N4 possesses the largest specific surface area of 143.2 m2/g and a suitable pore distribution. UV-vis DRS analysis showed that the absorption intensity of FeOOH/g-C3N4 is stronger than that of g-C3N4. When the catalyst dosage was 1.0 g/L, the H2O2 dosage was 4 mmol/L, the PNP initial concentration was 10 mg/L and the initial pH value was 5, the PNP removal could reach 92% in 120 min. Even after 5 cycles, the efficiency of PNP removal by FeOOH/g-C3N4 remains nearly 80%. The capture experiment indicated that both •OH and •O2- play roles in the photocatalytic degradation of PNP, with •OH being more significant. These findings affirm that FeOOH has been successfully incorporated into g-C3N4, resulting in a conspicuous catalytic effect on the degradation of PNP in the visible light-assisted Fenton-like reaction.

SP1-mediated up-regulation of lncRNA TUG1 underlines an oncogenic property in colorectal cancer.

The long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) taurine up-regulated gene 1 (TUG1) acts as tumor-promoting factor in colorectal cancer (CRC). We aimed to elucidate the mechanism by which the transcription factor specificity protein 1 (SP1) regulates TUG1 and microRNAs (miRs)/mRNAs in the context of CRC, which has not been fully studied before. Expression patterns of TUG1 and SP1 were determined in clinical CRC samples and cells, followed by identification of their interaction. Next, the functional significance of TUG1 in CRC was investigated. An in vivo CRC model was established to validate the effect of TUG1. The results demonstrated that TUG1 and SP1 were highly-expressed in CRC, wherein SP1 bound to the TUG1 promoter and consequently, positively regulated its expression. Silencing of TUG1 caused suppression of CRC cell growth and promotion of cell apoptosis. TUG1 could bind to miR-421 to increase KDM2A expression, a target gene of miR-421. TUG1 could activate the ERK pathway by impairing miR-421-targeted inhibition of KDM2A. Additionally, SP1 could facilitate the tumorigenesis of CRC cells in vivo by regulating the TUG1/miR-421/KDM2A/ERK axis. Altogether, the current study emphasizes the oncogenic role of TUG1 in CRC, and illustrates its interactions with the upstream transcription factor SP1 and the downstream modulatory axis miR-421/KDM2A/ERK, thus offering novel insights into the cancerogenic mechanism in CRC.

Optimization and Degradation Mechanism of Photocatalytic Removal of Bisphenol A Using Zn0.9 Fe0.1 S Synthesized by Microwave-assisted Method.

The sulfide photocatalyst of Zn0.9 Fe0.1 S was successfully synthesized by a facile microwave-assisted method, and Zn0.9 Fe0.1 S photocatalysts were characterized using SEM, EDX, XRD and BET. The specific surface area of synthesized Zn0.9 Fe0.1 S is 78.1 m2 g-1 , and total pore volume is 0.4 cm3 g-1 . With bisphenol A (BPA) as a target pollutant, photocatalytic system of UV + Zn0.9 Fe0.1 S + H2 O2 was set up. Some influencing parameters, including H2 O2 dosage, initial pH value, initial concentration of BPA and Zn0.9 Fe0.1 S dosage, were investigated, and the stability of the Zn0.9 Fe0.1 S was also studied during the photocatalysis. The optimum values of operating parameters were found at an initial pH value of 5.0, a H2 O2 dosage of 0.15 mmol L-1 and a Zn0.9 Fe0.1 S dosage of 0.08 g when the initial concentration of BPA was 10 mg L-1 . Under the optimal conditions, the highest removal rate of BPA achieved 95%. After seven consecutive reaction cycles, the degradation efficiency of BPA could still reach 85% and there was only a little dissolution of Zn2+ and Fe2+ . Compared with the traditional photo-Fenton system, the UV + Zn0.9 Fe0.1 S + H2 O2 system can not only improve the degradation efficiency of BPA, but also reduce the dosage of H2 O2 and thus reduce the processing cost.