peel extract mediated eco-friendly synthesis of solar light-active ZnO nanosponge for enhanced dyeing wastewater degradation

ZnO nanosponge was synthesized for the first time via a green method using Musa acuminata peel extract. The X-ray diffraction, Raman, energy dispersive X-ray and fourier-transform infrared analyses demonstrated that the synthesized sample was well crystallized and possessed hexagonal wurtzite pure ZnO. The field-emission scanning electron microscopy observation revealed that the ZnO nanosponge was assembled by aggregated spherical particles with sizes of 30-128 nm. Under simulated solar light irradiation, the ZnO nanosponge acted as an excellent photocatalyst for methylene blue and rhodamine B mixtures degradation compared to commercially available TiO2-P25. The enhanced photocatalytic activities of ZnO sample can be attributed to the high generation of hydroxyl radicals as a result of its unique sponge-like porous structure with large surface area. Furthermore, the ZnO nanosponge can be used effectively on the photodegradation of real textile dye wastewater. These characteristics showed that the biosynthesized ZnO nanosponge can be employed as a photocatalyst for environmental remediation

Common variation at 6q16 within HACE1 and LIN28B influences susceptibility to neuroblastoma.

Neuroblastoma is a cancer of the sympathetic nervous system that accounts for approximately 10% of all pediatric oncology deaths. Here, we report a genome-wide association study of 2,817 neuroblastoma cases and 7,473 controls. We identified two new associations at 6q16, the first within HACE1 (rs4336470; combined P=2.7×10(-11); odds ratio 1.26, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.18-1.35) and the second within LIN28B (rs17065417; combined P=1.2×10(-8); odds ratio 1.38, 95% CI 1.23-1.54). Expression of LIN28B and let-7 miRNA correlated with rs17065417 genotype in neuroblastoma cell lines, and we observed significant growth inhibition upon depletion of LIN28B, specifically in neuroblastoma cells that were homozygous for the risk allele. Low HACE1 and high LIN28B expression in diagnostic primary neuroblastomas were associated with worse overall survival (P=0.008 and 0.014, respectively). Taken together, these data show that common variants in HACE1 and LIN28B influence neuroblastoma susceptibility and indicate that both genes likely have a role in disease progression

LIN28B induces neuroblastoma and enhances MYCN levels via let-7 suppression

LIN28B regulates developmental processes by modulating microRNAs (miRNAs) of the let-7 family. A role for LIN28B in cancer has been proposed but has not been established in vivo. Here, we report that LIN28B showed genomic aberrations and extensive overexpression in high-risk neuroblastoma compared to several other tumor entities and normal tissues. High LIN28B expression was an independent risk factor for adverse outcome in neuroblastoma. LIN28B signaled through repression of the let-7 miRNAs and consequently resulted in elevated MYCN protein expression in neuroblastoma cells. LIN28B-let-7-MYCN signaling blocked differentiation of normal neuroblasts and neuroblastoma cells. These findings were fully recapitulated in a mouse model in which LIN28B expression in the sympathetic adrenergic lineage induced development of neuroblastomas marked by low let-7 miRNA levels and high MYCN protein expression. Interference with this pathway might offer therapeutic perspectives