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In this work, the porosity of plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO)-based coatings on Al- and Mg-based substrates was studied by two imaging techniques—namely, SEM and computer microtomography. Two approaches for porosity determination were chosen; relatively simple and fast SEM surface and cross-sectional imaging was compared with X-ray micro computed tomography (microCT) rendering. Differences between 2D and 3D porosity were demonstrated and explained. A more compact PEO coating was found on the Al substrate, with a lower porosity compared to Mg substrates under the same processing parameters. Furthermore, huge pore clusters were detected with microCT. Overall, 2D surface porosity calculations did not show sufficient accuracy for them to become the recommended method for the exact evaluation of the porosity of PEO coatings; microCT is a more appropriate method for porosity evaluation compared to SEM imaging. Moreover, the advantage of 3D microCT images clearly lies in the detection of closed and open porosity, which are important for coating properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highly active and coking resistant Ni-V 2 O 3 /Al 2 O 3 catalysts were prepared by co-impregnation method for CO and CO 2 methanation. The influence of vanadium oxide addition on catalyst structure, distribution and reducibility of Ni species, morphology and surface characteristics, was investigated in detail. Compared to the catalyst without vanadium, the Ni-V 2 O 3 /Al 2 O 3 catalysts showed significant improvement in the activity, thermal stability, and resistance to coke formation in CO methanation. In addition, these catalysts also showed high activities for CO 2 methanation at both atmospheric and 2.0 MPa pressures. It was found that Ni 3 V 2 O 8 was formed during the calcination of the Ni-V 2 O 3 /Al 2 O 3 catalysts, which led to the formation of smaller Ni particle sizes (ca. 3.0 nm) as compared to the case without vanadium oxide addition. The higher catalytic activity over the Ni-V 2 O 3 /Al 2 O 3 catalysts for CO methanation was mainly due to the larger H 2 uptake, the higher Ni dispersion as well as the smaller metallic Ni nanoparticles. The oxidation–reduction cycle of V 2 O 3 could increase the oxygen vacancies, which enhanced the dissociation of CO 2 by-product and generated surface oxygen intermediates, thus preventing carbon deposition on the Ni particles in CO methanation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present work, the synergistic corrosion inhibition effects between sodium fluoride (NaF) and DL-malic acid (DMA) on Mg-Al-Mn magnesium alloy in the pH neutral NaCl solution were studied through a visual identification based high-throughput screening method and a series of characterization techniques. The highest inhibition efficiency (94.1%) and synergistic factor (3.8) were achieved when an equal amount (0.05 M) of components was mixed. This excellent anti-corrosion performance was achieved by the formation of a particle-refined perovskite (NaMgF 3) film on the alloy surface resulting from the incorporation of DMA in the nucleation and growth of NaMgF 3. [Display omitted] • A visual based high throughput method is used to screen synergistic binary hybrid inhibitor. • The hybrid containing 0.05 M NaF and 0.05 M DL-malate reveals inhibition efficiency over 90% for AM50 in NaCl solution. • The synergistic inhibition of the hybrid inhibitor is due to the formation of structure-refined perovskite layer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Silicate-based coating enriched in AgNPs were successfully prepared for first time. • The obtained coatings showed high-developed morphology. • Silver addition has positive effect on the anticorrosive properties of coating on Mg. • The presence of AgNPs in the coatings did not change their biocompatibility. Magnesium is a biodegradable material and thus could be a choice for bone fixation devices and implants with a specific purpose. This study aims to enhance the anti-corrosive, biocompatible, and antibacterial properties on magnesium-based materials through ceramic coatings formation. To achieve this the silicate-based electrolyte was used to create of Plasma Electrolytic Oxidation (PEO) coatings. During investigation the bioactive surfaces were presented by highly developed morphology with pore size from 0.008 ± 0.01 to 0.098 ± 0.14 μm2. The thickness of the coatings reached 7 μm, which provides better corrosive behaviour. The silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) added during plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) into a silicate electrolytic bath allowed for achieving enhanced bioactive properties of coating. It increased hydrophilicity from 118° to 62° and showed no cytotoxic effects, which made the coatings promising for further biomedical investigations. Moreover, incorporation of AgNPs into the PEO coating led to release of silver during immersion test, which enhanced antibacterial properties of the surfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding of orchard nutrition status can facilitate the proper management of orchards for higher fruit yield and quality. From 2011 to 2019, the nutrition status of orchards in Hunan Province, a major citrus-producing area in china, were assessed. A total of 361 soil samples, 378 leaf samples and 285 fruit samples of sweet oranges including navel orange (citrus sinensis l. Osbeck 'newhall') and common sweet orange (citrus sinensis l. Osbeck 'bingtangcheng'), and mandarins including satsuma mandarin (citrus unshiu marc. 'miyagawa') and ponkan (citrus reticulata blanco 'xinnu') were collected. These samples were from112 sweet orange orchards and 140 mandarin orchards. Parameters of soil, leaf and fruit nutrition and fruit quality were analyzed based on these samples. The results revealed that soil acidification occurred in 79.0% of sweet orange orchards (ph 3.56 to 8.12) and 74.7% of mandarin orchards (ph 2.75 to 8.15). Soil organic matter (om) was abundant in both sweet orange orchards (21.3 g/kg on average) and mandarin orchards (19.77 g/kg on average). Nutrient analysis demonstrated deficiencies of nitrogen (n), potassium (k) and boron (b) in soils and leaves of sweet orange and mandarin orchards. Zinc (zn) was abundant in soils but deficient in leaves, suggesting a low zn utilization efficiency in these orchards. Besides, excessive iron (fe), magnesium (mn) and copper (cu) were found in sweet orange and mandarin leaves, which may be associated with low soil ph and fungicides application in this area. The average contents of n, phosphorus (p) and k in the fruit were about 0.80%, 0.11% and 0.51%, respectively, with a ratio close to 1:0.14:0.6. Multiple linear regression (mlr) analysis revealed that leaf npk and molybdenum (mo) significantly affect fruit fresh fruit weight (ffw) and total soluble solids (tss), and leaf p is closely correlated with fruit titratable acid (ta). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A blue tinted coating was fabricated on TC4 alloy employing anodizing treatment with the aim of improving corrosion and wear resistance. Various concentrations of MoS 2 or MoSi 2 nanoparticles were incorporated into the coatings. The addition of the particles affected the surface roughness, hardness and thickness of the coatings, thus had a comprehensive influence on the wear and corrosion property. The introduction of MoSi 2 particles remarkably improved the hardness of the coatings, and improved the wear resistance consequently. The nonconductive MoS 2 impeded the penetration of corrosive medium, while conductive MoSi 2 introduced additional galvanic couples at the interface which deteriorated the corrosion resistance. Excess concentration of the added particles impeded the growth of oxide layer, resulting in lower corrosion and wear resistance of the coatings. • The addition of NPs increased the surface roughness and hardness of the coatings • NPs covered part of the surface of Ti alloy which impeded the anodic reaction • MoSi 2 remarkably improved the coating hardness leading to higher wear resistance • Conductive NPs deteriorated corrosion property due to galvanic couples at interface [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corrosion testing of bioabsorbable metallic materials is important at material selection stage and for understanding their degradation mechanisms. A large variety of different corrosive media has been reported for evaluating degradation performance. This review takes magnesium as an example and focuses on discussing the advantages, shortcomings and applicability of commonly used corrosive media. The discrepancies between the published results disclosing Mg corrosion behavior often originate from non-comparable test media. This indicates the urgent need for verified corrosion test protocols. The media selection criteria are outlined. Additionally, the discussion extends to the other bioabsorbable metallic materials, such as zinc and iron. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rolling of metal sheet often leads to strong contamination of the resulting surface. The present work reports the effects of the surface contamination remaining after rolling of AZ31 Mg alloy on plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) treatment of the resulting sheet material. Results indicate that most of the contaminants on the surface of as-rolled AZ31 Mg alloy are removed in the early stages of PEO process. The contaminations slightly influence the phase composition of PEO coating. Non-uniform distribution of contaminations results in aggregation of pores on the surface of PEO samples. On the bare substrate the contaminations are responsible for poor wear and corrosion resistance but final PEO coatings reveals similar performance on contaminated substrate compared to the abraded one. A self-cleaning property of the PEO and possibility of one step process, avoiding pre-cleaning stages, is suggested. Image 1 • A self-cleaning capability is obtained in anodization stage during the PEO process. • Inhomogeneous distribution of micro pores appeared on contaminated PEO samples. • Contaminations results in higher wear/corrosion resistance of PEO samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current waveforms with different cathodic duty cycles of 0, 20 and 40% were applied to coat 7075 aluminum alloy in a silicate based electrolyte containing titania nano-particles. Using a constant current mode, the recorded voltage-time response showed that the required voltage for PEO coating process is lower in the presence of sodium tungstate as additive. By increasing the cathodic duty cycle, pancake surface morphology was converted to crater-like. Phase and chemical composition of the coatings were investigated by using grazing angle XRD and SEM/EDS. The tungsten concentration decreased linearly with the increase of cathodic duty cycle, which is dissimilar to the titania content. It was proposed that physical entrapping has been associated with electrophoretic incorporation of titania nano-particles, while the adsorption mechanism of tungstate anions is purely electrophoretic. Corrosion performance of the coatings was evaluated by potentiodynamic polarization and EIS measurements. Addition of sodium tungstate was detrimental for corrosion performance of the coating in the case of unipolar waveform while the corrosion resistance was improved when bipolar waveforms were used. Long-term corrosion behavior of the coatings was investigated by EIS up to 16 weeks. The results showed remarkable difference between corrosion performance of the coatings produced by unipolar and bipolar waveforms, but the difference was negligible for the coatings produced by the bipolar waveforms with different cathodic duty ratios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A TiC/TiB/Ti composite was fabricated and Y 2 O 3 nanoparticles were introduced to improve the corrosion resistance in HCl solution. When the HCl concentration exceeded 5 wt%, the passive film on the Ti alloy lost efficacy and the alloy suffered from severe exfoliation corrosion. Incorporating reinforcements and Y 2 O 3 refined the grains, leading to an increased frequency of corrosion pits. The homogeneous distribution of reinforcements and Y 2 O 3 in composites inhibited corrosion pit growth and exfoliation corrosion, resulting in increased corrosion resistance in HCl solutions. An innovative Y 2 O 3 reinforced Ti/TiC+TiB composite with high resistance to concentrated acid is proposed for application in extreme environments. • TiC/TiB/Y 2 O 3 decreases the grain dimension but increase interlamellar of α phase. • Critical concentration for stabilizing passivation of Ti alloy is lower than 5 wt%. • TiC/TiB introduce more corrosion cells then deteriorate property of passive film. • TiC/TiB/Y 2 O 3 produce more refined corrosion pits and impede the growth of the pits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plasma electrolytic oxidation was employed to produce Al 2 O 3 and Al 2 O 3 /TiO 2 composite coatings from a silicate based electrolyte on 7075 aluminum alloy using unipolar and bipolar waveforms with cathodic duty cycle of 20 and 40%. The results showed that the surface morphology of the coatings is dependent on the applied waveform. Pancake like morphology was converted to crater like by altering waveform from unipolar to bipolar. Higher thickness, lower porosity, and thus, higher corrosion protection were achieved using the bipolar waveform at higher cathodic duty cycle of 40%. The incorporation of TiO 2 nano-particles in the coatings decreased the thickness, increased the micro-cracks and widened the micro-pores on coating surface when unipolar waveform was applied. It was found that TiO 2 nano-particles have been incorporated into the coatings in their original crystalline structure, i.e. rutile, which was categorized in the “inert incorporation” mode and this incorporation has not changed the matrix micro-structure, i.e. γ-alumina. In addition, the incorporated amounts of TiO 2 nano-particles were constant and showed no reasonable relation with the applied waveform. The corrosion results indicated that although the composite coating produced at unipolar waveform shows the highest corrosion resistance at short periods of immersion due to repairing mechanism, it degrades at a higher rate. However, for the composite coatings produced using the bipolar waveform with the higher cathodic duty cycle of 40%, the maximum corrosion protection was achieved at long term immersion. Repairing mechanism is plugging the micro-pores in the inner compact layer which was found more effective for the coatings with lower porosity. Accordingly, it was concluded that the corrosion protection of the coatings with higher “intrinsic resistance” get more benefit from the repairing mechanism too. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Calcium stearate based super-hydrophobic coating was deposited on plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) pre-treated magnesium substrate. The pre-treated magnesium and super-hydrophobic coating covered sample were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and electrochemical corrosion measurements. The cytocompatibility and degradation resistance of magnesium, pre-treated magnesium and super-hydrophobic coating were analysed in terms of cell adhesion and osteoblast differentiation. The results indicate that the calcium stearate top coating shows super-hydrophobicity and that the surface is composed of micro/nanostructure. The super-hydrophobic coating covered sample shows higher barrier properties compared with the PEO pre-treated magnesium and bare magnesium. Human osteoblast proliferation, but not differentiation is enhanced by the PEO coating. Contrary, the super-hydrophobic coating reduces proliferation, but enhances differentiation of osteoblast, observable by the formation of hydroxyapatite. The combination of corrosion protection and cell reaction indicates that this system could be interesting for biomedical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Three different Mg sources were used to form PEO layers on titanium. • Bioactive Ca, P, and Mg was successfully introduced into the Ti surface during PEO. • The Mg-incorporated PEO coatings exhibited a fungi- and bacteriostatic effect. • The fungi- and bacteriostatic effect depends of the chemical form of Mg. This paper reports the surface modification of titanium via a plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) process in baths based on 0.1 M Ca(H 2 PO 2) 2 with Mg-containing additives: insoluble MgO or MgHPO 4 or highly-soluble Mg(CH 3 COO) 2. The surface morphology and roughness were investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), which showed that porous oxide layers were formed and the roughness increased. To determine the presence of bioactive Ca and P and bacteriostatic Mg, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) analysis was performed, as well as XPS analysis and Raman spectroscopy, which proved their successful incorporation into the oxide layer. All investigated oxide coatings were continuous and the thickest one was observed on Ti-PEO-MgP surface (5.2 µm–7.5 µm). The bacteriostatic and fungistatic properties of the investigated surfaces were determined via Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 and Candida albicans ATCC 2091 adhesion tests. The concentration of Mg and Ti released from the PEO-modified Ti surfaces after immersion up to 14 days in Ringer's solution was evaluated via ICP-OES technique. All studied Mg-containing PEO coatings exhibited bacteriostatic and fungistatic properties, which suggests the possible application of Mg-doped titanium PEO coatings as long-term implant materials dedicated to bone tissue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of different constituents in silicate containing alkaline electrolytes on PEO-coated AZ91D magnesium alloy has been systematically studied using response surface methodology (RSM) coupled with electrochemical measurements and microstructure characterization methods. The results indicate that the most dominant factor that determines the coating performance is the interaction between Na 2 SiO 3 and NaOH, where better corrosion resistance could be achieved when their concentrations are tuned in different directions. Infrared spectrum analysis of the electrolytes innovatively indicates that the degree of polymerization of silicate ions (from one to two- and three-dimensional), varied by the concentration of Na 2 SiO 3 and NaOH, influences the kinetic mechanism of coating formation and thermal-driven gel-forming process under sparking. When silicates species exist as a relatively higher polymerized state, which indicates lower mobility of silicates in the electrolyte and better affinity for trapping Al 3 + to form gel-like networks, the resulting coating is inhomogeneous and susceptible to corrosive ions; otherwise, the coating is more homogeneous and exhibits improved corrosion resistance. The work herein aims to provide guidelines for designing PEO electrolyte via correlating the intrinsic nature of the electrolyte with coating properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel mixture, comprising sodium fluoride (NaF) and 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole-5-thiol (ATT), was reported as an effective hybrid corrosion inhibitor for magnesium alloy in pH neutral NaCl solution. The highest efficiency (95.8%) was achieved when 50 mM NaF and 5 mM ATT were mixed. Both experimental and theoretical approaches were employed for addressing the synergism. The synergism was proposed as the formation of a double-layered inhibitors film, in which the lower layer is a uniform fluoride-enriched precipitate layer and the upper one is a hydrophobic adsorption layer. These two layers were mutually strengthened to produce an excellent inhibition effect as a whole. [Display omitted] • A synergistic inhibition effect was discovered between 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole-5-thiol (ATT) and NaF for AM50 alloy corrosion. • Optimum mixing concentration ratio was determined as the 50 mM NaF with 5 mM ATT. • Proposed a novel adsorption and precipitation co-enhanced corrosion inhibition synergism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is characterized by excessive hepatic lipid accumulation, which can progress to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Histone deacetylase Sirtuin 6 (SIRT6) regulates NAFLD by regulating metabolism-related gene expression, but an extrachromosomal role for SIRT6 in NAFLD development remains elusive. We investigated whether SIRT6 functions on NAFLD in the cytoplasm. We found that SIRT6 binds saturated fatty acids, especially palmitic acid. This binding leads to its nuclear export, where it deacetylates long-chain acyl-CoA synthase 5 (ACSL5), thereby facilitating fatty acid oxidation. High-fat diet-induced NAFLD is suppressed by ACSL5 hepatic overexpression but is exacerbated by its depletion. As confirmation, overexpression of a deacetylated ACSL5 mimic attenuated NAFLD in Sirt6 liver-specific knockout mice. Moreover, NASH-hepatic tissues from both patients and diet-fed mice exhibited significantly reduced cytoplasmic SIRT6 levels and increased ACSL5 acetylation. The SIRT6/ACSL5 signaling pathway has a critical role in NAFLD progression and might constitute an avenue for therapeutic intervention. [Display omitted] • Palmitate induces SIRT6 accumulation in the cytoplasm and stimulates its activity • SIRT6 deacetylates ACSL5 in the presence of palmitate • Deacetylated ACSL5 promotes fatty acid oxidation and suppresses lipid accumulation • SIRT6-ACSL5 ameliorates high-fat diet-induced NAFLD development in mice Hou et al. found that during NAFLD progression, excessive palmitate directly binds to SIRT6 and induces its cytosolic translocation. Cytoplasmic SIRT6 is dramatically activated by palmitate and deacetylates ACSL5 to stimulate its activity. Deacetylation of ACSL5 by SIRT6 facilitates fatty acid oxidation and prevents NAFLD development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of B-site (Al 0.5 Nb 0.5 ) 4+ complex-ion substitution on the phase transition, microstructure, dielectric, ferroelectric, and energy-storage properties of Bi 0.5 (Na 0.82 K 0.18 ) 0.5 Ti 1– x (Al 0.5 Nb 0.5 ) x O 3 (BNKT- x AN) ceramics were systematically investigated. BNKT- x AN ceramics showed single-phase perovskite structure without an obvious phase transition after adding AN. Compact and uniform microstructure with almost the same grain morphology and size was obtained. The AN doping produced slimmer P - E loops and thus improved energy storage property. Meanwhile, the energy storage density increases drastically, and a maximum value of 1.41 J/cm 3 at 105 kV/cm was achieved in BNKT-0.08AN through increasing greatly its breakdown strength with more AN content. The temperature dependence of dielectric constant and dielectric loss of BNKT- x AN ceramics illustrated the obvious relaxor phase transition characteristics. Low ionic conductivity and electronic conductivity indicated the BNKT- x AN ceramics have excellent dielectric properties. These results indicated that the BNKT-AN system may be a promising lead-free material for high energy storage density capacitor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CO methanation is the main route in industry to produce synthetic natural gas (SNG), and the conventional Ni-based catalysts for this reaction often deactivate severely because of sintering of the Ni particles and coke formation on them. To overcome these technical barriers, we designed and synthesized a group of ternary Ni–Cr–Al metal oxide composites with ordered mesoporous structure and various Cr and Ni contents via a one-pot evaporation-induced self-assembly strategy and tested them for CO methanation to produce SNG. The support and the catalysts before and after the catalytic reaction were thoroughly characterized. It was found that, after reduction at 700 °C, metallic Ni particles were generated and anchored in the ordered mesoporous alumina channels while the Cr species started to surround the metallic Ni particles. The long-range ordered mesoporous structure could be maintained well when the total loading of nickel and chromium oxides was below 22 wt.%. In general, the optimized ordered mesoporous Ni–Cr–Al catalysts show much better anti-coking and anti-sintering properties and much higher catalytic activity and stability than the conventional Ni catalysts. The improved catalytic performance is attributed to the reduced Ni particle size, the confinement effect of the mesoporous materials, and the promoting effect of Cr, which can significantly reduce the Ni particle size and increase the H 2 uptake. These findings shed light on the design of ordered mesoporous alumina-supported materials with high loading of active metal oxides for many high-temperature reactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective This study quantified the clinical correlation of interictal and ictal neuromagnetic activities from low- to very-high-frequency ranges in childhood absence epilepsy (CAE). Methods Twelve patients with clinically diagnosed drug-naïve CAE were studied using a 275-channel whole-head magnetoencephalography (MEG) system. MEG data were digitized at 6000 Hz and analyzed at both sensor and source levels with multi-frequency analyses. Results Neuromagnetic changes from interictal to ictal periods predominantly occurred in medial prefrontal cortex and parieto-occipito-temporal junction in absence seizures. The changes were statistically significant in low-frequency bands only (<30 Hz, p < 0.0001). There was a significant correlation between the source strength of ictal high-frequency oscillations (HFOs) in 200–1000 Hz and the number of daily seizures ( r = 0.734, p < 0.01). Conclusions CAE has focal neuromagnetic sources. The transition from interictal to ictal periods is associated with the elevation of low-frequency brain activities. The strength of HFOs reflects the severity of absence seizures. Significance Low- and high-frequency MEG signals reveal distinct brain activities in CAE. HFOs is a new biomarker for the study of absence seizures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preventing both the sintering of Ni particles and the coke formation in supported nickel (Ni) catalysts is a great challenge in catalysis. To address the problem, in this work, we have designed and synthesized a series of ternary Ni–V–Al metal oxide composites with desired structure and composition, for example, the ordered mesoporous structure and various V contents. The catalysts are synthesized via a facile one-pot evaporation-induced self-assembly strategy and are used in CO methanation reaction to produce synthetic natural gas. Our results showed that the Ni–V–Al catalysts with ordered mesopores have better catalytic properties than the impregnation-derived Ni catalysts supported on alumina supports with ordered mesopores or with unordered mesopores. The addition of proper amount of vanadium oxide in the ordered mesoporous Ni–V–Al catalysts further promotes the catalytic activity toward CO methanation. In a 110 h atmospheric-pressure lifetime test, the ordered mesoporous Ni–V–Al catalyst showed significant improvement in both anti-coking and anti-sintering, mainly because of the smaller Ni particle size (<5 nm), the confinement effect of the mesopore channels as well as the incorporation of the vanadium promoter as compared to the catalyst without ordered mesopores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of different concentrations of 2,6-dihydroxybenzoic acid (2,6-DHB) on corrosion performance and discharge properties of AZ31 Mg alloy is studied by means of EIS, potentiodynamic polarization and half-cell discharge test. It was found that low concentration of 2,6-DHB (0.01 M) can enhance the corrosion resistance of Mg alloy, since it acts as complexing agent to decrease the self-corrosion rate and suppress cathodic hydrogen reaction. High amount of additive in NaCl solution accelerates the dissolution rate of the substrate, leading to deteriorated corrosion performance. The discharge properties of the Mg anode have been greatly modified by the presence of 2,6-DHB. 76.86% of utilization efficiency and 1668.17 mAh g−1 of specific capacity have been achieved for AZ31 Mg alloy in 3.5 wt % NaCl solution with addition of 0.01 M organic additive. High amount of complexing agent promotes self-corrosion and dissolution rate of the substrate, which is detrimental to the discharge properties of the anode. • Corrosion and discharge performance of Mg are influenced by complexing agent. • Low amount of 2,6-DHB suppress cathodic hydrogen reaction, while increased concentration accelerates anodic dissolution rate. • High concentration of additive accelerates self-corrosion rate and increases weight loss of the anode. • Utilization efficiency of AZ31 reaches 76.86% after addition of 0.1 M 2,6-DHB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] The dMSI is particularly useful in visualizing epileptic discharges. [•] The paper adds information about onset and propagation of absence seizures. [•] The anterior and posterior cortical activity form main propagative pattern. [•] The default mode network is strongly involved in absence seizures. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Porous Ag-enriched phase forms during corrosion via de-alloying of Mg-Ag phase. • Dissolved Ag mainly redeposits to Mg surface forming Ag nanoparticles. • Both of the formed porous Ag-enriched phase and re-deposited Ag nanoparticles can result in evident cathodic activation. • The cathodic activation ability is significantly affected by Ag content and existing form of Ag. The effect of Ag on cathodic activation and corrosion behaviour of Mg-Mn-Ag alloys are investigated in the present work. During corrosion, Mg-Ag intermetallic phase undergoes dealloying to form porous Ag-rich remnant whereas Ag in the alloy matrix is dissolved to form Ag+ ions that subsequently redeposit on the alloy surface via displacement reaction with Mg to form Ag nanoparticles, which lead to significant cathodic activation. The cathodic activation is a self-catalysed process since enhanced cathodic activity promotes anodic dissolution which, consequently, results in further enhancement of cathodic activity. Thus, the corrosion rate of Mg-2 Mn-4Ag alloy increases significantly with immersion time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sirtuin 6 (SIRT6), a member of the SIRT family, plays essential roles in the regulation of metabolism, inflammation, aging, DNA repair, and cancer development, making it a promising anticancer drug target. Herein, we present our use of proteolysis-targeting chimera (PROTAC) technology to formulate a series of highly potent and selective SIRT6 degraders. One of the degraders, SZU-B6 , induced the near-complete degradation of SIRT6 in both SK-HEP-1 and Huh-7 cell lines and more potently inhibited hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell proliferation than the parental inhibitors. In preliminary mechanistic studies, SZU-B6 hampered DNA damage repair, promoting the cellular radiosensitization of cancer cells. Our SIRT6 degrader SZU-B6 displayed promising antitumor activity, particularly when combined with the well-known kinase inhibitor sorafenib or irradiation in an SK-HEP-1 xenograft mouse model. Our results suggest that these PROTACs might constitute a potent therapeutic strategy for HCC.

Breast Cancer Type 1 Susceptibility Protein (BRCA1) is a tumor-suppressor protein that regulates various cellular pathways, including those that are essential for preserving genome stability. One essential mechanism involves a BRCA1-A complex that is recruited to double-strand breaks (DSBs) by RAP80 before initiating DNA damage repair (DDR). How RAP80 itself is recruited to DNA damage sites, however, is unclear. Here, we demonstrate an intrinsic correlation between a methyltransferase DOT1L-mediated RAP80 methylation and BRCA1-A complex chromatin recruitment that occurs during cancer cell radiotherapy resistance. Mechanistically, DOT1L is quickly recruited onto chromatin and methylates RAP80 at multiple lysines in response to DNA damage. Methylated RAP80 is then indispensable for binding to ubiquitinated H2A and subsequently triggering BRCA1-A complex recruitment onto DSBs. Importantly, DOT1L-catalyzed RAP80 methylation and recruitment of BRCA1 have clinical relevance, as inhibition of DOT1L or RAP80 methylation seems to enhance the radiosensitivity of cancer cells both in vivo and in vitro. These data reveal a crucial role for DOT1L in DDR through initiating recruitment of RAP80 and BRCA1 onto chromatin and underscore a therapeutic strategy based on targeting DOT1L to overcome tumor radiotherapy resistance., Competing Interests: Competing interests statement:The authors declare no competing interest.

Backgroud: Endoplasmic reticulum/sarcoplasmic reticulum (ER/SR) is crucial for maintaining intracellular calcium homeostasis due to the calcium-signaling-related proteins on its membrane. While ryanodine receptors (RyR) on insect ER/SR membranes are well-known as targets for diamide insecticides, little is known about other calcium channels. Given the resistance of diamide insecticides, the establishment of molecular screening models targeting RyR or sarco/endoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase (SERCA) is conducive to the discovery of new insecticidal molecules., Results: The morphological features of Mythimna separata SR have closed vesicles with integrity and high density. The 282 proteins in the SR component contained RyR and SERCA. A measurement model for the release and uptake of calcium was successfully established by detecting calcium ions outside the SR membrane using a fluorescence spectrophotometer. In vitro testing systems using SR vesicles found that diamide insecticides could activate dose-dependently RyR, with EC 50 values of 0.14 μM (Chlorantraniliprole), 0.21 μM (Flubendiamide), and 0.57 μM (Cyantraniliprole), respectively. However, dantrolene inhibited RyR-mediated calcium release with an IC 50 value of 353.9 μM, suggesting that dantrolene can weakly antagonize RyR. Moreover, cyclopiazonic acid significantly reduced the enzyme activity and calcium uptake capacity of SERCA. On the contrary, CDN1163 markedly activated the enzyme activity and improved the calcium transport capacity of SERCA., Conclusions: SR vesicles can be used to study the function of unknown proteins on the SR membranes, as well as for high-throughput screening of highly active compounds targeting RyR or SERCA. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.)

The NAD + -dependent deacetylase SIRT7 is a pivotal regulator of DNA damage response (DDR) and a promising drug target for developing cancer therapeutics. However, limited progress has been made in SIRT7 modulator discovery. Here, we applied peptide-based deacetylase platforms for SIRT7 enzymatic evaluation and successfully identified a potent SIRT7 inhibitor YZL-51N . We initially isolated bioactive YZL-51N from cockroach ( Periplaneta americana ) extracts and then developed the de novo synthesis of this compound . Further investigation revealed that YZL-51N impaired SIRT7 enzymatic activities through occupation of the NAD + binding pocket. YZL-51N attenuated DNA damage repair induced by ionizing radiation (IR) in colorectal cancer cells and exhibited a synergistic anticancer effect when used in combination with etoposide. Overall, our study not only identified YZL-51N as a selective SIRT7 inhibitor from insect resources, but also confirmed its potential use in combined chemo-radiotherapy by interfering in the DNA damage repair process., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024 The Authors.)

R-loops are three-stranded structures that can pose threats to genome stability. RNase H1 precisely recognizes R-loops to drive their resolution within the genome, but the underlying mechanism is unclear. Here, we report that ARID1A recognizes R-loops with high affinity in an ATM-dependent manner. ARID1A recruits METTL3 and METTL14 to the R-loop, leading to the m6A methylation of R-loop RNA. This m6A modification facilitates the recruitment of RNase H1 to the R-loop, driving its resolution and promoting DNA end resection at DSBs, thereby ensuring genome stability. Depletion of ARID1A, METTL3, or METTL14 leads to R-loop accumulation and reduced cell survival upon exposure to cytotoxic agents. Therefore, ARID1A, METTL3, and METTL14 function in a coordinated, temporal order at DSB sites to recruit RNase H1 and to ensure efficient R-loop resolution. Given the association of high ARID1A levels with resistance to genotoxic therapies in patients, these findings open avenues for exploring potential therapeutic strategies for cancers with ARID1A abnormalities., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests The authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: We aimed to find predictors for smartphone application-based ketogenic diet (KD) treatment effectiveness and safety., Methods: The efficacy was evaluated according to the reduction in seizure frequency after the intervention of KD; safety was evaluated based on adverse effects. The ordinal logistic regression analysis was used to explore the influencing factors of efficacy., Results: The study sample included 116 males and 65 females with a median age of 2.27 years. The baseline frequency of seizure was more than five times/day in 123 children, 50.83% of them received three or more antiepileptic drugs (AEDs). Seventy-two patients' KD initiation mode was outpatient, and 73 completed the 12-month follow-up. A total of 88 (48.62%) patients had reported a reduction in seizure ≥50%. Compared with 12 months, those who had received KD therapy for only 3 (P = 0.009) and 6 months (P = 0.005) were more likely to show negative outcomes. Outpatient initiation had better outcomes (P = 0.029) than inpatient initiation. For the number of AEDs applied, patients on two AEDs were more likely to achieve better outcomes (P = 0.001). Adverse events had been noted among 77 patients; BMI Z-score at KD initiation was associated with adverse effects (P = 0.003)., Significance: Our study suggested that outpatient initiation and long-term treatment of KD should be encouraged., Plain Language Summary: Our research shows that the KD is a helpful treatment for children with refractory epilepsy, reducing seizures by more than 50% in nearly half of the cases, with some experiencing complete seizure freedom. We used a smartphone app to improve communication between patients and their healthcare teams, resulting in a high retention, and app usage was linked to reduced adverse effects. We recommend early consideration of KD treatment for patients failing two AED, encourage outpatient initiation, and advocate for longer-term KD use., (© 2023 The Authors. Epilepsia Open published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International League Against Epilepsy.)

Keratin 17 (K17) is a cytoskeletal protein that is part of the intermediate filaments in epidermal keratinocytes. In K17 -/- mice, ionizing radiation induced more severe hair follicle damage, whereas the epidermal inflammatory response was attenuated compared with that in wild-type mice. Both p53 and K17 have a major impact on global gene expression because over 70% of the differentially expressed genes in the skin of wild-type mice showed no expression change in p53 -/- or K17 -/- skin after ionizing radiation. K17 does not interfere with the dynamics of p53 activation; rather, global p53 binding in the genome is altered in K17 -/- mice. The absence of K17 leads to aberrant cell cycle progression and mitotic catastrophe in epidermal keratinocytes, which is due to nuclear retention, thus reducing the degradation of B-Myb, a key regulator of the G2/M cell cycle transition. These results expand our understanding of the role of K17 in regulating global gene expression and ionizing radiation-induced skin damage., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Chromatin relaxation is a prerequisite for the DNA repair machinery to access double-strand breaks (DSBs). Local histones around the DSBs then undergo prompt changes in acetylation status, but how the large demands of acetyl-CoA are met is unclear. Here, we report that pyruvate dehydrogenase 1α (PDHE1α) catalyzes pyruvate metabolism to rapidly provide acetyl-CoA in response to DNA damage. We show that PDHE1α is quickly recruited to chromatin in a polyADP-ribosylation-dependent manner, which drives acetyl-CoA generation to support local chromatin acetylation around DSBs. This process increases the formation of relaxed chromatin to facilitate repair-factor loading, genome stability and cancer cell resistance to DNA-damaging treatments in vitro and in vivo. Indeed, we demonstrate that blocking polyADP-ribosylation-based PDHE1α chromatin recruitment attenuates chromatin relaxation and DSB repair efficiency, resulting in genome instability and restored radiosensitivity. These findings support a mechanism in which chromatin-associated PDHE1α locally generates acetyl-CoA to remodel the chromatin environment adjacent to DSBs and promote their repair., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature America, Inc.)

Drought stress (DS) is one of the main abiotic negative factors for plants. Phthalanilic acid (PPA), as a plant growth regulator, can promote the growth and development of crops. In order to evaluate the ideal application concentration and frequency of PPA-induced drought resistance in pepper ( Capsicum annuum ) seedlings, the concentration of PPA was 133.3 mg·L -1 ; 200.0 mg·L -1 ; 266.7 mg·L -1 , and some key indicators were investigated, including leaf wilting index (LWI), relative water content (RWC), and malondialdehyde (MDA). We found that the LWI and RWC in the PPA-applied pepper leaves under light drought stress (LDS) and moderate drought stress (MDS) were all elevated, while MDA contents were decreased. To better understand how PPA makes pepper drought resistant, we examined the photosynthetic characteristics, growth parameters, antioxidant activities, and osmotic substances in pepper seedlings treated twice with PPA at a concentration of 133.3 mg·L -1 under LDS, MDS, and severe drought stress (SDS). Results showed that PPA increased the chlorophyll, plant height, stem diameter, root-shoot ratio, and seedling index of pepper leaves under LDS, MDS, and SDS. The net photosynthetic rate (Pn), stomatal conductance (Gs), intercellular CO 2 concentration (Ci), transpiration rates (Tr), and water-use efficiency (WUE) in the PPA-treated pepper leaves under LDS and MDS were improved, while their stomatal limitation (Ls) were reduced. PPA also boosted the activities of enzymatic antioxidants (superoxide dismutase, catalase, and peroxidase), as well as enhanced the accumulation of osmotic substances such as soluble sugar, soluble protein, and free proline in pepper leaves under LDS, MDS, and SDS. Thus, PPA can alleviate the growth inhibition and damage to pepper seedlings caused by DS, and the PPA-mediated efficacy may be associated with the improvement in PPA-mediated antioxidant activities, Pn, and accumulation of osmotic substances., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Lu, Wu, Nie, Wu, Chen, Wang and Ma.)

Histone deacetylase 6 (HDAC6) mediates DNA damage signaling by regulating the mismatch repair and nucleotide excision repair pathways. Whether HDAC6 also mediates DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair is unclear. Here, we report that HDAC6 negatively regulates DSB repair in an enzyme activity-independent manner. In unstressed cells, HDAC6 interacts with H2A/H2A.X to prevent its interaction with the E3 ligase RNF168. Upon sensing DSBs, RNF168 rapidly ubiquitinates HDAC6 at lysine 116, leading to HDAC6 proteasomal degradation and a restored interaction between RNF168 and H2A/H2A.X. H2A/H2A.X is ubiquitinated by RNF168, precipitating the recruitment of DSB repair factors (including 53BP1 and BRCA1) to chromatin and subsequent DNA repair. These findings reveal novel regulatory machinery based on an HDAC6-RNF168 axis that regulates the H2A/H2A.X ubiquitination status. Interfering with this axis might be leveraged to disrupt a key mechanism of cancer cell resistance to genotoxic damage and form a potential therapeutic strategy for cancer., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.)

Background: Accumulating articles have suggested the important regulatory roles of circular RNAs in human cancers, including oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). However, the role of circ&#95;0001971 in OSCC progression remains to be determined., Methods: 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide and colony formation assays were conducted to analyze cell proliferation ability. Cell migration and invasion abilities were assessed by transwell assays. Dual-luciferase reporter assay was conducted to confirm the target relation between miR-107 and circ&#95;0001971 or FZD4. Xenograft tumor model was established to analyze the biological role of circ&#95;0001971 in regulating tumor growth in vivo., Results: Circ&#95;0001971 was markedly up-regulated in OSCC tissues and cell lines. Circ&#95;0001971 knockdown inhibited the growth of xenograft tumors in vivo. miR-107 was confirmed as a direct target of circ&#95;0001971, and circ&#95;0001971 depletion-mediated anti-tumor effects in OSCC cells could be largely alleviated by silencing miR-107. miR-107 directly targeted the 3' untranslated region of FZD4, and FZD4 overexpression largely reversed the anti-tumor effects of circ&#95;0001971 in OSCC cells. Circ&#95;0001971 could positively regulate FZD4 expression by targeting miR-107 in OSCC cells., Conclusion: Circ&#95;0001971 promoted the proliferation, migration, and glycolysis of OSCC cells through mediating miR-107/FZD4 axis. Circ&#95;0001971 might be a new effective target for OSCC treatment in future., (© 2022 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

The aim of this study was to verify the effects of circular RNA nuclear factor of activated T-cells, cytoplasmic 3 (circNFATC3), in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) development. The levels of circNFATC3, microRNA-520h (miR-520h), and lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA) were measured by qRT-PCR and western blot analysis. The cellular functions were assessed by using commercial kits, MTT assay, EdU assay, flow cytometry analysis, and transwell assay. The interactions between miR-520h and circNFATC3 or LDHA were confirmed by dual-luciferase reporter assay. Finally, the mice test was enforced to evaluate the character of circNFATC3. We observed that the contents of circNFATC3 and LDHA were upregulated and miR-520h levels were downregulated in OSCC tissues compared with those in paracancerous tissues. For functional analysis, circNFATC3 knockdown repressed the cell glycolysis metabolism, cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, although it improved cell apoptosis in OSCC cells. LDHA could regulate the development of OSCC. circNFATC3 acted as a miR-520h sponge to modulate LDHA expression. In addition, the absence of circNFATC3 subdued tumor growth in vivo . In conclusion, circNFATC3 promoted the advancement of OSCC by adjusting the miR-520h/LDHA axis., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest: The authors declare that they have no competing interest., (© 2023 the author(s), published by De Gruyter.)

Objective: To compare the efficacy and safety of inpatient and outpatient initiation ketogenic diet (KD) protocol of pediatric refractory epilepsy., Methods: Eligible children with refractory epilepsy were randomly assigned to receive KD with inpatient and outpatient initiation. The generalized estimation equation (GEE) model was used to analyze the longitudinal variables of seizure reduction, ketone body, weight, height, body mass index (BMI), and BMI Z-score at different follow-up times between the two groups., Results: Between January 2013 and December 2021, 78 and 112 patients were assigned to outpatient and inpatient KD initiation groups, respectively. There were no statistical differences between the two groups based on baseline demographics and clinical characteristics (all P s > 0.05). The GEE model indicated that the rate of reduction of seizures≥50% in the outpatient initiation group was higher than that of the inpatient initiation group ( p = 0.049). A negative correlation was observed between the seizure reduction and blood ketone body at 1, 6, and 12 months (all Ps < 0.05). There were no significant differences in height, weight, BMI, and BMI Z-score between the two groups over the 12-month period by the GEE models (all P s > 0.05). Adverse events were reported by 31 patients (43.05%) in the outpatient KD initiation group and 46 patients (42.20%) in the inpatient KD initiation group, but these differences were not statistically significant ( p = 0.909)., Conclusion: Our study shows that outpatient KD initiation is a safe and effective treatment for children with refractory epilepsy., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Li, Hao, Gu, Liang, Tu, Ding, Lu, Liao, Guo, Zheng and Wu.)

This work first describes the intercalation of corrosion inhibitors into layered double hydroxides LDH-OH/CO 3 nanocontainers (parental LDH) obtained in situ on the surface of magnesium alloy AZ91 in the presence of a chelating agent. Vanadate, as a typical broad inhibitor for active metals, and oxalate, as an inhibitor suitable for magnesium, were selected as a first approach. The optimization of exchange conditions was performed, and the optimal parameters (ambient pressure and 95 °C) were selected. The corrosion protective properties of obtained LDH-based layers were studied using immersion and salt spray tests in NaCl solution, supported by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and atomic emission spectroelectrochemistry. It is demonstrated that vanadate intercalated into LDH is more effective for the active protection of AZ91 in comparison to the performance of oxalate. A possible mechanism of corrosion inhibition based on the application of LDH nanocontainers is suggested and discussed.

Fertilization is an important part of citrus crop management. However, limited details are available about the fertilization approach on citrus plant development. A pot experiment for the fertilization approaches and fertigation levels were conducted in this study. Four fertilization approaches, namely, drip fertigation (DF), broadcast fertilization (CK + ), hole fertilization (HF) and pour fertilization (PF) were tested. The fertigation level treatment included 100% (DF-337.5), 80% (DF-270), 60% (DF-202.5) and 40% (DF-135) fertilizer supply with DF, and the 100% fertilizer supply with broadcast fertilization were served as control (CK). The results showed that DF not only increased the absorptions of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) but also promoted citrus plant height, stem diameter and dry weight. In fruit quality, DF had the highest fruit total soluble solid (TSS) and titratable acidity (TA) contents. For fertilizer loss, DF had the lowest N and K leaching losses of 9.26% and 4.05%, respectively, and the lowest N and K runoff losses among the approaches. Isotopic tracing with 15 N indicated that DF had the highest fertilizer use efficiency. Based on the analysis of fertigation levels, DF approach with 60% fertilizer reduction could improve citrus plant development. Therefore, DF promoted citrus plant growth and fruit quality by accelerating fertilizer utilization and impairing fertilizer loss. The fertilizer amount in citrus production could be reduced significantly using DF.

Ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3 related (ATR) activation after replication stress involves a cascade of reactions, including replication protein A (RPA) complex loading onto single-stranded DNA and ATR activator loading onto chromatin. The contribution of histone modifications to ATR activation, however, is unclear. Here, we report that H3K14 trimethylation responds to replication stress by enhancing ATR activation. First, we confirmed that H3K14 monomethylation, dimethylation, and trimethylation all exist in mammalian cells, and that both SUV39H1 and SETD2 methyltransferases can catalyze H3K14 trimethylation in vivo and in vitro. Interestingly, SETD2-mediated H3K14 trimethylation markedly increases in response to replication stress induced with hydroxyurea, a replication stress inducer. Under these conditions, SETD2-mediated H3K14me3 recruited the RPA complex to chromatin via a direct interaction with RPA70. The increase in H3K14me3 levels was abolished, and RPA loading was attenuated when SETD2 was depleted or H3K14 was mutated. Rather, the cells were sensitive to replication stress such that the replication forks failed to restart, and cell-cycle progression was delayed. These findings help us understand how H3K14 trimethylation links replication stress with ATR activation., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interest., (Copyright © 2021 the Author(s). Published by PNAS.)

To evaluate if valproic acid (VPA) therapy is associated with vitamin D deficiency among infants and toddlers with epilepsy, a cross-sectional clinical study was conducted in 25 children with epilepsy taking VPA. Blood levels of calcium, phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase, and 25-hydroxy vitamin D [25(OH)D] and plasma VPA level were measured at 1- to 3-month intervals. At the initial and final measurements, vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency was recognized in 8 (32%) and 12 (42%), respectively. In girls, a decreasing trend in serum 25(OH)D levels ( P <0.05) was observed. Polytherapy had a significant negative effect on the longitudinal change of 25(OH)D ( P <0.05) in girls. In conclusion, our study indicates that a high proportion of girls after VPA therapy had hypovitaminosis D.

Background: Some studies have reported clinical features of relapsing MOG-IgG-associated CNS demyelination principally in Caucasians children. It is not clear whether Chinese children share the same phenotype., Objective: To delineate the clinical characteristics in Chinese children with relapsing MOG-IgG-associated demyelination., Methods: A follow-up study on 23 Children with relapsing MOG-IgG-associated demyelination from two Chinese tertiary hospitals was performed. Phenotypic features at each demyelinating attacks, neuroimaging characteristics, autoimmune antibodies in CSF/serum, response to disease modifying drugs and functional deficits during the disease course were analyzed., Results: The median age at disease onset was 5.38 (2.33-12.75) years. The male to female ratio was 1:1.30. The disease duration was 2.33(1.00-8.92) years at the last follow-up. (1) Clinical phenotypes: ADEM was the most common initial presentation (12/23, 52.17%). In 82 attacks during disease course, ADEM was also the most common phenotype (30/82, 36.59%), followed by ON (24/82, 29.27%). (2) Imaging findings: 57/70 (81.43%) brain MRI scans during acute attacks showed new lesions. The most common location of new lesions in brain was the juxtacortical white matter (45/57, 78.95%). In 46 brain MRI scans with supratentorial white matter lesions, ADEM-like patterns were most common (25/46, 54.35%), and 5/46 (10.87%) scans exhibited leukodystrophy-like patterns. (3) Laboratory examinations: Anti-NMDA receptor IgG in CSF was detected in two patients (2/12, 16.67%), with one patient presented with anti-NMDAR encephalitis associated symptoms. (4) Therapeutic responses and outcomes: In 19 patients treated with disease-modifying drugs (including rituximab, mycophenolate mofetil, azathioprine and so on) longer than 6 months, median annualised relapse rates decreased from 1.71 before treatment to 0.44 during treatment (P < 0.05), with eleven patients (11/19, 57.89%) having no relapses. Median EDSS score at the last follow-up was 1.0(0-3.5). Visual dysfunction (12/23, 52.17%) was the most common neurological sequela, with cognitive dysfunction and epilepsy in some of patients., Conclusions: The phenotypic features of Chinese children with relapsing MOG-IgG-associated CNS demyelination were similar to that in Caucasian children. ADEM was the most common phenotype in all demyelinating attacks, followed by ON. Cerebral lesions were common and extensive, manifested as ADEM-like or even leukodystrophy-like patterns. Visual dysfunction was the most common neurological sequela. Although some disease-modifying drugs could reduce ARR, optimal treatment needs future study., (Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

The tumor suppressor p53 has critical roles in regulating lipid metabolism, but whether and how p53 regulates cardiolipin (CL) de novo biosynthesis is unknown. Here, we report that p53 physically interacts with histone deacetylase SIRT6 in vitro and in vivo, and this interaction increases following palmitic acid (PA) treatment. In response to PA, p53 and SIRT6 localize to chromatin in a p53-dependent manner. Chromatin p53 and SIRT6 bind the promoters of CDP-diacylglycerol synthase 1 and 2 (CDS1 and CDS2), two enzymes required to catalyze CL de novo biosynthesis. Here, SIRT6 serves as a co-activator of p53 and effectively recruits RNA polymerase II to the CDS1 and CDS2 promoters to enhance CL de novo biosynthesis. Our findings reveal a novel, cooperative model executed by p53 and SIRT6 to maintain lipid homeostasis.

Linker histone H1 is a master regulator of higher order chromatin structure, but its involvement in the DNA damage response and repair is unclear. Here, we report that linker histone H1.2 is an essential regulator of ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) activation. We show that H1.2 protects chromatin from aberrant ATM activation through direct interaction with the ATM HEAT repeat domain and inhibition of MRE11-RAD50-NBS1 (MRN) complex-dependent ATM recruitment. Upon DNA damage, H1.2 undergoes rapid PARP1-dependent chromatin dissociation through poly-ADP-ribosylation (PARylation) of its C terminus and further proteasomal degradation. Inhibition of H1.2 displacement by PARP1 depletion or an H1.2 PARylation-dead mutation compromises ATM activation and DNA damage repair, thus leading to impaired cell survival. Taken together, our findings suggest that linker histone H1.2 functions as a physiological barrier for ATM to target the chromatin, and PARylation-mediated active H1.2 turnover is required for robust ATM activation and DNA damage repair.

Histone methyltransferase G9a has critical roles in promoting cancer-cell growth and gene suppression, but whether it is also associated with the DNA damage response is rarely studied. Here, we report that loss of G9a impairs DNA damage repair and enhances the sensitivity of cancer cells to radiation and chemotherapeutics. In response to DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs), G9a is phosphorylated at serine 211 by casein kinase 2 (CK2) and recruited to chromatin. The chromatin-enriched G9a can then directly interact with replication protein A (RPA) and promote loading of the RPA and Rad51 recombinase to DSBs. This mechanism facilitates homologous recombination (HR) and cell survival. We confirmed the interaction between RPA and G9a to be critical for RPA foci formation and HR upon DNA damage. Collectively, our findings demonstrate a regulatory pathway based on CK2-G9a-RPA that permits HR in cancer cells and provide further rationale for the use of G9a inhibitors as a cancer therapeutic., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Purpose: MicroRNA (miRNA), functions as gene regulators, plays crucial roles in pathogenesis of epilepsy. We hypothesized that single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in miRNA may be associated with childhood epilepsy., Method: We first genotyped the selected four SNPs (miR-146a rs57095329, miR-149 rs2292832, miR-196a2 rs11614913, and miR-499 rs3746444) in 267 paired childhood epilepsy patients and controls using the TaqMan assay, and evaluated the associations of the four SNPs with the risk of epilepsy. In addition, we evaluated the associations of these SNPs with drug-resistance in 95 drug-resistant and 172 drug-responsive epilepsy patients. Furthermore, the genotype-phenotype correlation was assessed in 95 drug-resistant epilepsy patients., Results: The selected four SNPs (miR-146a rs57095329, miR-149 rs2292832, miR-196a2 rs11614913, and miR-499 rs3746444) were not significantly different between epilepsy patients and controls (P>0.05 for all). However, the miR-146a rs57095329 A/G genotypes were significantly associated with increased drug-resistance risk of epilepsy patients in allelic comparison (OR=2.363, 95%CI=1.608-3.472, P<0.001), heterozygote model (OR=2.341, 95%CI=1.301-4.211, P=0.005), homozygote model (OR=1.791, 95%CI=1.239-2.589, P=0.002), dominant model (OR=2.625, 95%CI=1.558-4.425, P<0.001), and recessive model (OR=2.336, 95%CI=1.166-4.673, P=0.017). Moreover, subjects with the rs57095329 GG genotype had significantly higher NHS3 score than subjects with AA genotype (P<0.001) and AG genotype (P=0.013) in the drug resistant patients., Conclusion: miR-146a rs57095329 polymorphism might be involved in the genetic susceptibility to drug-resistance and seizure severity in childhood epilepsy patients., (Copyright © 2016 British Epilepsy Association. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: The association between ABO blood group and the risk of esophageal carcinoma (EC) in previously published studies is uncertain and conflicting. The aim of the current study was to determine the correlation of ABO blood group with EC risk via a case-control study and meta-analysis., Methods: We performed a population-based case-control study of 3,595 cases and 41,788 controls in Chinese population to evaluate the association between ABO blood group and EC risk. Then, a comprehensive meta-analysis combining our original data and previously published data was conducted to clearly discern the real relationship. The strength of association was measured by odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CI)., Results: In our case-control study, the risk of EC in blood group B was significantly higher than that in non-B groups (A, O, and AB) (OR = 1.15, 95% CI 1.09-1.21). Compared with non-O groups (A, B, and AB), individuals with blood group O demonstrated a reduced risk of EC (OR = 0.90, 95% CI 0.85-0.94). The meta-analysis also indicated that blood group B was associated with significantly higher EC risk (OR = 1.20, 95% CI 1.10-1.31), and people with blood group O had a decreased EC risk (OR = 0.94, 95% CI 0.90-0.99). Neither the case-control study nor the meta-analysis produced any significant association of blood group A or AB with EC risk., Conclusion: Results from our case-control study and the followed meta-analysis confirmed that there was an increased risk of EC in blood group B individuals, whereas a decreased risk of EC was observed in blood group O individuals.