Biocompatible anatase TiO 2 single-crystals with 27-50% chemically reactive {001} facets were obtained in 90 min by using a microwave-assisted method. The preparation involved an aqueous solution of titanium tetrafluoride and an ionic liquid (1-methyl-imidazolium tetrafluoroborate). The as-obtained TiO 2 single-crystals exhibited a truncated tetragonal bipyramidal shape. By simply changing the concentration of the ionic liquid, the level of reactive {001} facets can be continuously tuned from 27 to 50%. The use of microwave heating is critical as it allows rapid and uniform heating of the reaction mixture. The TiO 2 single-crystals were characterized by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectra, and field emission scanning electron microscopy. The products exhibited excellent photocatalytic efficiency for both oxidation of nitric oxide in air and degradation of organic compounds in aqueous solution under UV light irradiation. The relationship between the physicochemical properties and the photocatalytic performance of the samples is discussed. The TiO 2 single-crystals were found to be nontoxic using Zebrafish (Danio rerio) as a model.

Synthesis of the 31-amino acid, inner membrane protein MgtS (formerly denoted YneM) is induced by very low Mg in a PhoPQ-dependent manner in Here we report that MgtS acts to increase intracellular Mg levels and maintain cell integrity upon Mg depletion. Upon development of a functional tagged derivative of MgtS, we found that MgtS interacts with MgtA to increase the levels of this P-type ATPase Mg transporter under Mg-limiting conditions. Correspondingly, the effects of MgtS upon Mg limitation are lost in a ∆ mutant, and MgtA overexpression can suppress the ∆ phenotype. MgtS stabilization of MgtA provides an additional layer of regulation of this tightly controlled Mg transporter and adds to the list of small proteins that regulate inner membrane transporters.

Although initially thought to be transcriptional noise, long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are gaining increased attention in human cancers as its diversity function. At present, lncRNAs are regarded as the main part of competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network due to its regulation on protein-coding gene expression by acting as miRNA sponges. However, functional roles of lncRNA-mediated ceRNAs in muscle-invasive bladder cancer remain unclear. To clarify relevant potential mechanisms, here we comprehensively compared the expression profiles of mRNAs, lncRNAs and miRNAs between 322 muscle-invasive bladder cancer tissues and 19 non-tumor bladder tissues, based on the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). A total of 22 lncRNAs were identified as aberrantly expressed and had correlations with tumorigenesis and/or progression of muscle-invasive bladder cancer (|log2FoldChange| > 1.5, corrected P value < 0.01). 6 out of the 22 dysregulated lncRNAs functioned as prognostic biomarkers for patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer according to the overall survival analysis (P value < 0.05). Finally, a dysregulated lncRNA-associated ceRNA network was successfully constructed, which inculdes five muscle-invasive bladder cancer-specific lncRNAs, nine miRNAs and 32 mRNAs. In summary, our study identified novel lncRNAs as candidate prognostic biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets for muscle-invasive bladder cancer, based on large-scale sample size. More importantly, the newly identified ceRNA network will be beneficial for improving the understanding of lncRNA-mediated ceRNA regulatory mechanisms in the pathogenesis of muscle-invasive bladder cancer.