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Objective: This study was conducted to investigate key long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) involved in competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network associated with laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC). Materials and Methods: Three mRNA datasets, two miRNA datasets, and one lncRNA dataset of LSCC were downloaded from GEO database. Following the identification of differentially expressed mRNAs (DEmRNAs), (microRNAs) miRNAs (DEmiRNAs), and lncRNAs (DElncRNAs) in LSCC compared with adjacent tissues, functional enrichment of DEmRNAs was performed. Then, construction of the ceRNA (DElncRNA‐DEmiRNA‐DEmRNA) regulatory network and functional analyses of all DEmRNAs in ceRNA regulatory network were conducted. Quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reactions (qRT‐PCR) were used to detect the expression levels of selected DEmRNAs, DEmiRNAs, and DElncRNAs. Results: A total of 3449 DEmRNAs, 40 DEmiRNAs, and 100 DElncRNAs were identified in LSCC. The ceRNA networks, which contained 132 DElncRNA‐DEmiRNA pairs and 287 DEmiRNA‐DEmRNA pairs, involving 44 lncRNAs, 3 miRNAs, and 271 mRNAs, were obtained. DEmRNAs in ceRNA regulatory networks were significantly enriched in pathways in cancer, prostate cancer, and aldosterone‐regulated sodium reabsorption. Except for HCG22 and hsa‐miR‐1246, expressions of the others in the qRT‐PCR results played the same pattern with that in our integrated analysis, generally. Conclusions: We concluded that HCG22/EGOT‐hsa‐miR‐1275‐FAM107A and HCG22/EGOT‐hsa‐miR‐1246‐Glycerol‐3‐phosphate dehydrogenase 1 like interaction pairs may play a central role in LSCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iodine fortification of plants is a means of improving the nutritional iodine status for humans. However, knowledge regarding iodine absorption and accumulation in plants remains limited. Hence, we used nutrient culture and isotope tracking methods, and the radioactivity of 125I was measured by using a multi-channel spectrometer to study the characteristics of 125I absorption and accumulation in an eggplant. The results showed that 125I was detected in the stems and leaves after 20 min of incubation in the iodine-containing nutrient solution, while it took 40 min to be detected in fruits, indicating a relatively slow migration of 125I from the roots to the fruits. The absorption and accumulation of 125I by various organs of the eggplant significantly differed, with 125I accumulation in the roots accounting for more than 80% of the whole plant (120 h), significantly higher than the above-ground parts. The absorption rate of all parts of the eggplant rapidly increased within a short period of 125I treatment, peaking at 12 h for the roots and at 3 h for transferring to the stems, leaves, and fruits. The results of this study indicate that the transferability of 125I from the roots to the over-ground parts of the eggplant is high, and eggplant fruits have the potential to continuously accumulate 125I. It is feasible to select eggplant as an iodine-rich crop for cultivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microplastic pollution is not only an environmental problem but also a social problem. Many studies have been conducted on the sources, abundance, and distribution of microplastics in the environment, but an understanding of human exposure levels and potential health risks remains very limited. Based on the bibliometric methods, the present review systematically summarized the exposure pathways of microplastics in humans, and then the characteristics and potential adverse impacts on human health were expounded upon. Available literature showed that microplastics in human bodies were mainly concentrated on sizes smaller than 50 μm, and polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) were the main polymers. Microplastics in environments entered human bodies mainly through food and respiratory pathways, then accumulated in lung and gastrointestinal tissues. Most importantly, small-sized microplastics could distribute in tissues and organs via the circulatory system. The results from lab-based toxicological experiments showed that microplastics not only posed threats to cell membrane integrity, immune stress, gut microbiota, and energy metabolism but also had potentially adverse impacts on the reproductive system. To further understand the health risks of microplastic pollution, it is necessary to promote research on the toxicological effects of microplastics as well as the inner mechanisms and also to establish risk assessment frameworks for evaluating microplastic pollution. These works are crucial to preventing the risks of microplastic pollution with scientific evidence.