Lung cancer is the most common and fatal malignant tumor in the world. The tumor microenvironment (TME) is closely related to the occurrence and development of lung cancer, in which the inflammatory ...microenvironment plays an important role. Inflammatory cells and inflammatory factors in the tumor inflammatory microenvironment promote the activation of the NF-κB and STAT3 inflammatory pathways and the occurrence, development, and metastasis of lung cancer by promoting immune escape, tumor angiogenesis, epithelial–mesenchymal transition, apoptosis, and other mechanisms. Clinical and epidemiological studies have also shown a strong relationship among chronic infection, inflammation, inflammatory microenvironment, and lung cancer. The relationship between inflammation and lung cancer can be better understood through the gradual understanding of the tumor inflammatory microenvironment, which is advantageous to find more therapeutic targets for lung cancer.
As nitrous acid (HONO) photolysis is an important source of hydroxyl radical (OH), apportionment of the ambient HONO sources is necessary to better understand atmospheric oxidation. Based on the data ...HONO-related species and various parameters measured during the one–month campaign at Wangdu (a rural site in North China plain) in summer 2014, a box model was adopted with input of current literature parametrizations for various HONO sources (nitrogen dioxide heterogeneous conversion, photoenhanced conversion, photolysis of adsorbed nitric acid and particulate nitrate, acid displacement, and soil emission) to reveal the relative importance of each source at the rural site. The simulation results reproduced the observed HONO production rates during noontime in general but with large uncertainty from both the production and destruction terms. NO2 photoenhanced conversion and photolysis of particulate nitrate were found to be the two major mechanisms with large potential of HONO formation but the associated uncertainty may reduce their importance to be nearly negligible. Soil nitrite was found to be an important HONO source during fertilization periods, accounted for (80 ± 6)% of simulation HONO during noontime. For some episodes of the biomass burning, only the NO2 heterogeneous conversion to HONO was promoted significantly. In summary, the study of the HONO budget is still far from closed, which would require a significant effort on both the accurate measurement of HONO and the determination of related kinetic parameters for its production pathways.
In contrast to summer smog, the contribution of photochemistry to the formation of winter haze in northern mid-to-high latitude is generally assumed to be minor due to reduced solar UV and water ...vapor concentrations. Our comprehensive observations of atmospheric radicals and relevant parameters during several haze events in winter 2016 Beijing, however, reveal surprisingly high hydroxyl radical oxidation rates up to 15 ppbv/h, which is comparable to the high values reported in summer photochemical smog and is two to three times larger than those determined in previous observations during winter in Birmingham (Heard et al. Geophys. Res. Lett. 2004, 31, (18)), Tokyo (Kanaya et al. J. Geophys. Res.: Atmos. 2007, 112, (D21)), and New York (Ren et al. Atmos. Environ. 2006, 40, 252–263). The active photochemistry facilitates the production of secondary pollutants. It is mainly initiated by the photolysis of nitrous acid and ozonolysis of olefins and maintained by an extremely efficiently radical cycling process driven by nitric oxide. This boosted radical recycling generates fast photochemical ozone production rates that are again comparable to those during summer photochemical smog. The formation of ozone, however, is currently masked by its efficient chemical removal by nitrogen oxides contributing to the high level of wintertime particles. The future emission regulations, such as the reduction of nitrogen oxide emissions, therefore are facing the challenge of reducing haze and avoiding an increase in ozone pollution at the same time. Efficient control strategies to mitigate winter haze in Beijing may require measures similar as implemented to avoid photochemical smog in summer.
Hydroxyl (OH) and peroxy radicals (HO2 and RO2) were measured in the Pearl River Delta, which is one of the most polluted areas in China, in autumn 2014. The radical observations were complemented by ...measurements of OH reactivity (inverse OH lifetime) and a comprehensive set of trace gases including carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NOx=NO, NO2) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). OH reactivity was in the range from 15 to 80 s−1, of which about 50 % was unexplained by the measured OH reactants. In the 3 weeks of the campaign, maximum median radical concentrations were 4.5×106 cm−3 for OH at noon and 3×108 and 2.0×108 cm−3 for HO2 and RO2, respectively, in the early afternoon. The completeness of the daytime radical measurements made it possible to carry out experimental budget analyses for all radicals (OH, HO2, and RO2) and their sum (ROx). The maximum loss rates for OH, HO2, and RO2 reached values between 10 and 15 ppbv h−1 during the daytime. The largest fraction of this can be attributed to radical interconversion reactions while the real loss rate of ROx remained below 3 ppbv h−1. Within experimental uncertainties, the destruction rates of HO2 and the sum of OH, HO2, and RO2 are balanced by their respective production rates. In case of RO2, the budget could be closed by attributing the missing OH reactivity to unmeasured VOCs. Thus, the presumption of the existence of unmeasured VOCs is supported by RO2 measurements. Although the closure of the RO2 budget is greatly improved by the additional unmeasured VOCs, a significant imbalance in the afternoon remains, indicating a missing RO2 sink. In case of OH, the destruction in the morning is compensated by the quantified OH sources from photolysis (HONO and O3), ozonolysis of alkenes, and OH recycling (HO2+NO). In the afternoon, however, the OH budget indicates a missing OH source of 4 to 6 ppbv h−1. The diurnal variation of the missing OH source shows a similar pattern to that of the missing RO2 sink so that both largely compensate each other in the ROx budget. These observations suggest the existence of a chemical mechanism that converts RO2 to OH without the involvement of NO, increasing the RO2 loss rate during the daytime from 5.3 to 7.4 ppbv h−1 on average. The photochemical net ozone production rate calculated from the reaction of HO2 and RO2 with NO yields a daily integrated amount of 102 ppbv ozone, with daily integrated ROx primary sources being 22 ppbv in this campaign. The produced ozone can be attributed to the oxidation of measured (18 %) and unmeasured (60 %) hydrocarbons, formaldehyde (14 %), and CO (8 %). An even larger integrated net ozone production of 140 ppbv would be calculated from the oxidation rate of VOCs with OH if HO2 and all RO2 radicals react with NO. However, the unknown RO2 loss (evident in the RO2 budget) causes 30 ppbv less ozone production than would be expected from the VOC oxidation rate.
Background
Non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is one of the leading causes of cancer‐related death globally. This study aimed to disclose the role of circular RNA circ_0072088 in NSCLC and illustrate ...its potential mechanism.
Methods
Quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction (qRT‐PCR) was applied to detect the expression of circ_0072088, zinc finger RNA binding protein (ZFR), microRNA‐377‐5p (miR‐377‐5p) and NOVA alternative splicing regulator 2 (NOVA2). The viability, colony formation, cell cycle, migration and invasion of NSCLC cells were measured by cell counting kit‐8 (CCK8) assay, colony formation assay, flow cytometry, wound healing assay and transwell invasion assay. Western blot assay was employed to examine the protein levels of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), Cyclin D1, matrix metallopeptidase 2 (MMP2), MMP9 and NOVA2. The downstream targets of circ_0072088 and miR‐377‐5p were searched through using circular RNA Interactome and TargetScan databases, and the interaction between miR‐377‐5p and circ_0072088 or NOVA2 was confirmed by dual‐luciferase reporter assay and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assay. in vivo tumor growth assay was used to evaluate the functions of circ_0072088 in the progression of NSCLC in vivo.
Results
GSE101586 dataset and the analysis of tissue specimens showed that circ_0072088 was aberrantly upregulated in tumor tissues of lung cancer and NSCLC. Circ_0072088 interference caused marked suppression on the proliferation and motility of NSCLC cells. Circ_0072088 could negatively regulate miR‐377‐5p through direct combination. Circ_0072088 contributed to the progression of NSCLC through sponging miR‐377‐5p. MiR‐377‐5p could directly interact with NOVA2, and the overexpression of NOVA2 overturned miR‐377‐5p‐mediated influence on NSCLC cells. Circ_0072088 facilitated the progression of NSCLC in vivo.
Conclusions
Circ_0072088 facilitated the proliferation and metastasis of NSCLC cells through upregulating NOVA2 via functioning as a competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) for miR‐377‐5p.
An intensive field campaign was conducted in Chongqing during the summer of 2015 to explore the formation mechanisms of ozone pollution. The sources of ozone, the local production rates, and the ...controlling factors, as well as key species of volatile organic compounds(VOCs), were quantified by integrating a local ozone budget analysis, calculations of the relative incremental reactivity, and an empirical kinetic model approach. It was found that the potential for rapid local ozone formation exists in Chongqing. During ozone pollution episodes, the ozone production rates were found to be high at the upwind station Nan Quan, the urban station Chao Zhan, and the downwind station Jin-Yun Shan. The average local ozone production rate was 30×10~(-9) V/V h~(-1) and the daily integration of the produced ozone was greater than 180×10~(-9) V/V. High ozone concentrations were associated with urban and downwind air masses. At most sites, the local ozone production was VOC-limited and the key species were aromatics and alkene, which originated mainly from vehicles and solvent usage. In addition, the air masses at the northwestern rural sites were NO_x-limited and the local ozone production rates were significantly higher during the pollution episodes due to the increased NOx concentrations. In summary, the ozone abatement strategies of Chongqing should be focused on the mitigation of VOCs. Nevertheless, a reduction in NO_x is also beneficial for reducing the regional ozone peak values in Chongqing and the surrounding areas.
Hydroxyl radicals (OH) determine the tropospheric self-cleansing capacity, thus regulating air quality and climate. However, the state-of-the-art mechanisms still underestimate OH at low nitrogen ...oxide and high volatile organic compound regimes even considering the latest isoprene chemistry. Here we propose that the reactive aldehyde chemistry, especially the autoxidation of carbonyl organic peroxy radicals (R(CO)O
) derived from higher aldehydes, is a noteworthy OH regeneration mechanism that overwhelms the contribution of the isoprene autoxidation, the latter has been proved to largely contribute to the missing OH source under high isoprene condition. As diagnosed by the quantum chemical calculations, the R(CO)O
radicals undergo fast H-migration to produce unsaturated hydroperoxyl-carbonyls that generate OH through rapid photolysis. This chemistry could explain almost all unknown OH sources in areas rich in both natural and anthropogenic emissions in the warm seasons, and may increasingly impact the global self-cleansing capacity in a future low nitrogen oxide society under carbon neutrality scenarios.
Despite the recent decrease in pollution events in Chinese urban areas, the World Health Organization air quality guideline values are still exceeded. Observations from monitoring networks show a ...stronger decrease of organic aerosol directly emitted to the atmosphere relative to secondary organic aerosol (SOA) generated from oxidation processes. Here, the uptake of water‐soluble gas‐phase oxidation products is reported as a major SOA contribution to particulate pollution in Beijing, triggered by the increase of aerosol liquid water. In pollution episodes, this pathway is enough to explain the increase in SOA mass, with formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, glycolaldehyde, formic acid, and acetic acid alone explaining 15%–25% of the SOA increase. Future mitigation strategies to reduce non‐methane volatile organic compound emissions should be considered to reduce organic particulate pollution in China.
Plain Language Summary
In the rapidly developing Chinese economy, air pollution from particulate matter (PM) is a major human health risk factor. We show that secondary organic aerosol (SOA) generated from oxidation processes represent 50%–80% of the organic PM in Beijing. We find that non‐equilibrium dissolution of C1−C2 carbonyl compounds to particles is a major pathway of SOA formation during pollution events. These compounds are ubiquitous products in the chemical oxidation of hydrocarbons; thus, the reduction of a single volatile organic compound precursor would not reduce the organic PM, but rather a broad reduction of the organic reactivity is required.
Key Points
Secondary organic aerosol generated from oxidation processes dominates organic particulate pollution in Beijing
Non‐equilibrium dissolution of carbonyl compounds to particles is a major pathway of SOA formation during haze episodes
A broad reduction of the gas‐phase organic reactivity is required to reduce secondary organic aerosol formation in haze events
In 2014, a large, comprehensive field campaign was conducted in the densely populated North China Plain. The measurement site was located in a botanic garden close to the small town Wangdu, without ...major industry but influenced by regional transportation of air pollution. The loss rate coefficient of atmospheric hydroxyl radicals (OH) was quantified by direct measurements of the OH reactivity. Values ranged between 10 and 20 s−1 for most of the daytime. Highest values were reached in the late night with maximum values of around 40 s−1. OH reactants mainly originated from anthropogenic activities as indicated (1) by a good correlation between measured OH reactivity and carbon monoxide (linear correlation coefficient R2 = 0.33) and (2) by a high contribution of nitrogen oxide species to the OH reactivity (up to 30 % in the morning). Total OH reactivity was measured by a laser flash photolysis–laser-induced fluorescence instrument (LP-LIF). Measured values can be explained well by measured trace gas concentrations including organic compounds, oxygenated organic compounds, CO and nitrogen oxides. Significant, unexplained OH reactivity was only observed during nights, when biomass burning of agricultural waste occurred on surrounding fields. OH reactivity measurements also allow investigating the chemical OH budget. During this campaign, the OH destruction rate calculated from measured OH reactivity and measured OH concentration was balanced by the sum of OH production from ozone and nitrous acid photolysis and OH regeneration from hydroperoxy radicals within the uncertainty of measurements. However, a tendency for higher OH destruction compared to OH production at lower concentrations of nitric oxide is also observed, consistent with previous findings in field campaigns in China.