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Background: Multiple MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been identified in the development and progression of osteosarcoma. However, the expression and roles of miR-212 in osteosarcoma remain largely undefined. Methods: Real-time PCR assays were used to detect the expression of miR-212 in human osteosarcoma tissues. MiR-212 mimics were introduced into MG63 and U2OS cells. Bioinformatic prediction was used to identify the potential targets of miR-212. Protein expression analysis, luciferase assays and rescue assays were used to confirm the substrate of miR-212. Results: miR-212 was significantly down-regulated in human osteosarcoma tissues, compared with adjacent normal tissues. Introduction of miR-212 mimics into MG63 and U2OS cells inhibited cell proliferation and invasion. Besides, miR-212 overexpression could also inhibit tumor growth in the nude mice. Additionally, bioinformatic prediction suggested that the sex-determining region Y-box 4 (Sox4) is a target gene of miR-212. Sox4 inhibition phenocopied the roles of miR-212, while restored expression of Sox4 dampened miR-212-mediated suppression of tumor progression. Conclusion: The miR-212/Sox4 interaction plays an important role of in the osteosarcoma progression.

Equilibrium phase diagram of ruthenium–zirconium oxide (Ru–Zr–O) was calculated by a combination of ab initio density functional theory and thermodynamic calculations. The phase diagrams suggest that the solubility between ruthenium oxide and zirconium oxide is very low under normal experimental conditions, in good agreement with the prior reports in literature. Also provided is the theoretical support for the reported phenomenon that doping or amorphization of Ru–Zr–O might suppress phase separation of the oxide. To study the spinodal decomposition of Ru–Zr–O, we successfully prepared an amorphous Ru0.48Zr0.52O2 film of a solid solution phase by a thermal decomposition at a low temperature (563 K). In situ transmission electron microscopy was utilized to witness the spinodal decomposition of the amorphous Ru0.48Zr0.52O2 solid solution by electron–beam annealing. The present fundamental study of the phase behavior of Ru–Zr–O provides a guideline for the phase and microstructure design of Ru-based mixed oxides for various important applications.

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Remarkable cathode performances for CO2 electrolysis have been achieved by introducing more oxygen vacancies in Mn/Cr-doped and A-site deficient titanates.

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First-principles calculations were employed to study the effects of the addition of ZrO 2 on the electrochemical activity and structure of Ir-Zr binary oxide. In the computation model employed, Zr atoms replaced Ir atoms in IrO 2 supercells, so as to form a rutile-type solid solution of Ir 1 -x Zr x O 2 (0 ≤ x ≤ 1). IrO 2 -ZrO 2 oxide coatings were prepared on Ti substrates by thermal decomposition. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses, cyclic voltammetry, and galvanostatic charge/discharge tests were performed to investigate the effects of the Zr content on the structure and capacitive performance of the synthesized Ti/IrO 2 -ZrO 2 electrodes. As the Zr content was increased, the density of state of Ir 1 -x Zr x O 2 moved to a higher energy level, and a forbidden band was formed, which reduced its electronic conductivity. The XRD analyses showed that ZrO 2 restrained the crystallization of IrO 2 . Thus, the extent of the amorphous phase increased with the increase in the ZrO 2 content, indicating that the proton conductivity of the binary oxide coating increased with the ZrO 2 content. When the ZrO 2 content was higher than 50 mol%, the IrO 2 -ZrO 2 coating exhibited a relatively narrow energy band gap (0.42eV) and a "amorphous/ crystalline" structure, as well as the highest charge capability, indicating that its electronic and protonic conductivities had reached an equilibrium. This was in accordance with the sudden variation in the length of the M-O bond and the change in the bulk modulus.