Epac1 is involved in cell cycle progression in lung cancer through PKC and Cx43 regulation

Introduction. The exchange protein directly activated by cAMP (Epac1), a downstream target of the second messenger cAMP, modulates multiple biological effects of cAMP, alone or in cooperation with protein kinase A (PKC). Epac1 is necessary for promoting protein kinase C (PKC) translocation and activation. The aim of the study was to assess the intensity of Epac1 and protein kinase C (PKC) immunoreactivity in lung cancer and para-carcinoma tissues, and their associations with clinical-pathological indexes. Correlations between the immunoreactivity of Epac1, PKC, A-kinase anchor protein 95 (AKAP95) and connexin43 (Cx43) were also examined. Material and methods. Epac1, Cx43 (46 cases) and PKC, AKAP95 (45 cases) immunoexpression levels were determined in tissue samples of lung cancer and in 12 samples of neighboring para-carcinoma specimens by the PV-9000 Two-step immunohistochemical technique. Results. The percentage of Epac1 positive samples was significantly lower in lung cancer tissue than in neighboring para-carcinoma specimens (37% vs. 83.3%, p < 0.05); the difference in PKC immunoreactivity was not significant (64.4% vs. 91.7%). Epac1 expression was associated with the degree of malignancy and lymph node metastasis (P < 0.05), but not with histological type (P > 0.05), whereas PKC expression was not related to these parameters. Interestingly, Epac1 expression was correlated with PKC and Cx43 expression. Moreover, PKC expression was correlated with AKAP95 expression. Conclusion. Normal Epac1 expression may suppress lung cancer occurrence and metastasis, and its downregulation is involved in cell cycle progression in lung cancer through PKC and Cx43 regulation.

Treatment of wastewater using black soldier fly larvae, under different degrees of biodegradability and oxidation of organic content

The biological treatment process based on the metabolism of Black Soldier Fly (BSF) larvae proved to be a highly promising technique for the treatment of high organic content (HOC) wastewater, such as sewage from food industries, leachate from municipal solid waste (MSW) landfill, etc. The present study was aimed at achieving a better understanding of how biodegradability and degree of oxidation of organic content might influence treatment performance and biomass quality. Six leachates characterised by similar COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand) but different BOD5/COD (Biochemical Oxygen demand/COD) and TOC/COD (Total Organic Carbon/COD) ratios were tested. By combining these ratios, the BOD5/TOC ratio was introduced to take into account the effect of both leachate properties (biodegradability and oxidation degree). Process treatment performance was significantly influenced by the quality of organic substances. Higher BOD5/TOC values (higher biodegradability and lower oxidation degree) resulted in a greater and faster larvae growth, with final wet weight of between 49.2 and 91.9mg/larva; lower mortality between 5 and 32%; higher prepupation percentages ranging from 4 to 21% and higher specific substrate consumption rate with values varying from 0.051 to 0.063 mgTOC/mg larva/d, up to 3-fold higher than values obtained using conventional activated sludge based on COD consumption. Conversely, no significant differences were detected in larvae protein and lipid contents, including the profiling of fatty acids

Characterization and energy potential evaluation of urban municipal solid waste of Pakistan

Determining the physical and chemical characteristics of municipal solid waste (MSW) aids in assessing the potential environmental impacts of any waste management initiative. The study aimed to determine the basic physical and chemical characteristics of urban MSW from two Pakistani megacities (Lahore and Rawalpindi). Physical, proximate, and ultimate micronutrient analyses, as well as an energy potential analysis, were performed on the sampled MSW. Physically, there was 65–70% biogenic content and 40–53% moisture content. Elemental contents were found to be carbon (38–48%) > oxygen (18–21%) > hydrogen (4–4.3%) > nitrogen (0.5–0.9%) > sulfur (0.4–0.8%). Carbohydrates are the most abundant (32–37%) micronutrients. The combustible fraction of waste has a high calorific value, an indication of its energy potential. The MSW generated by Rawalpindi (880 tons per day) and Lahore (6100 tons per day) was found to be suitable for energy production of 6213 and 40,897 MWh, respectively. The MSW of Rawalpindi and Lahore can generate 49 MW per day and 341 MW per day of electricity, respectively. MSW has the potential to be a valuable renewable energy source for Pakistan if appropriate policies and waste management technologies (such as thermochemical treatments and biochemical treatments) are implemented

Separation of Chloride and Sulfate Ions from Desulfurization Wastewater Using Monovalent Anions Selective Electrodialysis

The high concentration of chloride ions in desulphurization wastewater is the primary limiting factor for its reusability. Monovalent anion selective electrodialysis (S-ED) enables the selective removal of chloride ions, thereby facilitating the reuse of desulfurization wastewater. In this study, different concentrations of NaCl and Na2SO4 were used to simulate different softened desulfurization wastewater. The effects of current density and NaCl and Na2SO4 concentration on ion flux, permselectivity (PSO42−Cl−) and specific energy consumption were studied. The results show that Selemion ASA membrane exhibits excellent permselectivity for Cl− and SO42−, with a significantly lower flux observed for SO42− compared to Cl−. Current density exerts a significant influence on ion flux; as the current density increases, the flux of SO42− also increases but at a lower rate than that of Cl−, resulting in an increase in permselectivity. When the current density reaches 25 mA/cm2, the permselectivity reaches a maximum of 50.4. The increase in NaCl concentration leads to a decrease in the SO42− flux; however, the permselectivity is reduced due to the elevated Cl−/SO42− ratio. The SO42− flux increases with the increase in Na2SO4 concentration, while the permselectivity increases with the decrease in Cl−/SO42− ratio

Composition and Antioxidant Activity of Anthocyanins and Non-Anthocyanin Flavonoids in Blackberry from Different Growth Stages

The high nutritional value and unique flavor of blackberries make them a popular food choice among consumers. Anthocyanin content (AC) and non-anthocyanin flavonoid content (NAFC) are important functional components in blackberry. We tested the AC, NAFC, and antioxidant activities of two blackberry—Ningzhi 1 and Hull—during the following ripening stages: green-fruit stage (GFS), color-turning stage (CTS), reddening stage (RDS), and ripening stage (RPS). The results showed that NAFC decreased and AC increased gradually during the ripening stages. The NAFC of Hull blackberry was the highest during GFS (889.74 μg/g), while the AC of Ningzhi 1 blackberry was the highest during RPS (1027.08 μg/g). NAFC was the highest at the initial stage and gradually decreased with ripening. Anthocyanin accumulation mainly occurred during the later ripening stages. These results provide a reference for comparing the NAFC, AC, and antioxidant activity of Ningzhi 1 and Hull and their changes during different ripening stages

Functional Elastic Hydrogel as Recyclable Membrane for the Adsorption and Degradation of Methylene Blue

<div><p>Developing the application of high-strength hydrogels has gained much attention in the fields of medical, pharmacy, and pollutant removal due to their versatility and stimulus-responsive properties. In this presentation, a high-strength freestanding elastic hydrogel membrane was constructed by clay nanosheets, N, N-dimethylacrylamide and 2-acrylamide-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid for adsorption of methylene blue and heavy metal ions. The maximum values of elongation and Young’s modulus for 0.5% AMPSNa hydrogel were 1901% and 949.4 kPa, respectively, much higher than those of traditional hydrogels. The adsorptions were confirmed to follow pseudo-second kinetic equation and Langmuir isotherm model fits the data well. The maximum adsorption capacity of hydrogel towards methylene blue was 434.8 mg g⁻¹. The hydrogel also exhibited higher separation selectivity to Pb²⁺ than Cu²⁺. The methylene blue adsorbed onto the hydrogel membrane can be photocatalytically degraded by Fenton agent and the hydrogel membrane could be recycled at least five times without obvious loss in mechanical properties. In conclusion, this presentation demonstrates a convenient strategy to prepare tough and elastic clay nanocomposite hydrogel, which can not only be applied as recyclable membrane for the photocatalytic degradation of organic dye, but also for the recovery of valuables.</p></div

Proposed scheme for recyclable MB treatment and optical images of the hydrogel membrane.

<p>Proposed scheme for recyclable MB treatment and optical images of the hydrogel membrane.</p