As a potential visible-light photocatalyst, the photocatalytic performance of the bulk g-C3N4 synthesized by heating melamine (denote as g-C3N4-M) is limited due to its low specific surface area and the high recombination rate of the photo-induced electron-hole pair. In this paper, a novel g-C3N4-M nanosheet (g-C3N4-MN) obtained from the bulk g-C3N4-M through a thermal exploitation method is employed as an excellent substrate and different amounts of Ag2CO3 nanoparticles are loaded at room temperature. The phase and chemical structure, electronic and optical properties of the Ag2CO3/g-C3N4-MN heterostructures are well-characterized. The photocatalytic activities of the as-prepared Ag2CO3/g-C3N4-MN are evaluated by the degradation of methyl orange (MO) and rhodamine B (RhB) pollutants under visible light irradiation. More importantly, the Ag2CO3/g-C3N4-MN heterostructure has been proved to be an excellent photocatalytic system with an enhanced specific surface area and charge separation rate compared with those of the Ag2CO3/g-C3N4-M system.

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is the most common benign disease of the prostate gland and is caused by benign hyperplasia of the smooth muscle cells and stromal cells in this important gland. BPH is also the most common disease underlying lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). The incidence of BPH increases with age and affects more than half of all men 50 years or older. BPH mainly exerts effects on urinary function and can seriously reduce a patient's quality of life. At present, treatment for BPH aims primarily to improve the quality of life and reduce the risk of BPH-related complications. Pharmacological therapy is recommended for moderate-to-severe cases of LUTS that are suggestive of BPH. A range of drugs is currently available to treat this condition, including a1adrenoceptor antagonists, 5a-reductase inhibitors (5-ARIs), phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors (PDE5Is), muscarinic receptor antagonists (MRAs), b3-adrenoceptor agonists, and plant extracts. Of these, the most commonly used drugs in the clinic are a1adrenoceptor antagonists, 5-ARIs, and combination therapy. However, these drugs exert their effects via various mechanisms and are associated with adverse reactions. The purpose of this review is to provide current comprehensive perspectives on the mechanisms of action, efficacy, and adverse reactions associated with the drugs most commonly used for the treatment of BPH.

Objective was to assess and compare the relative expressions of miR-205-5p, miR-205-3p, and miR-21-3p in tissues and serum among non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) patients, benign pulmonary conditions patients, and healthy volunteers. Serum samples were obtained between October 2011 and September 2012 from 20 NSCLC patients undergoing surgical treatment, 20 patients diagnosed with a benign lung disease (pulmonary tuberculosis, pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or interstitial pneumonia) (lesion group), and 20 healthy volunteers (control group). NSCLC patients provided cancer tissues and cancer-adjacent normal tissues during surgery (paired specimens). Quantitative RT-PCR was used to assess miR-205-5p, miR-205-3p, and miR-21-3p expressions in serum and tissue samples. The relative expressions of miR-205-5p and miR-205-3p were significantly higher in NSCLC tissues compared with cancer-adjacent paired specimens (both P < 0.001). In the serum, significantly higher miR-205-5p, miR-205-3p, and miR-21-3p relative expressions were observed in the NSCLC group compared with the two other groups (all P < 0.001). The relative expressions of miR-205-5p and miR-21-3p in NSCLC tissues and serum were significantly correlated (r = 0.553, P = 0.011; and r = -0.541, P = 0.014, respectively), while no significant correlation was observed for miR-205-3P (P = 0.120). Expressions of miR-205-5p and miR-205-3P in squamous cell carcinoma specimens were significantly higher than in lung adenocarcinoma specimens (both P = 0.001). Similarly, higher serum miR-205-5p and miR-205-3p levels were observed in squamous cell carcinoma patients (P = 0.033 and P = 0.002, respectively). In this preliminary and novel study, miR-205-5p was more useful as a marker for NSCLC than miR-205-3p or miR-21, indicating a potential for future applications in NSCLC diagnosis and prognosis.

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