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Blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN) is a rare and aggressive myeloid malignancy associated with a poor prognosis. Although allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) has emerged as a potential treatment strategy for BPDCN, standardized conditioning regimens remain lacking. In this manuscript, we present two cases of BPDCN that were treated with a thiotepa-busulfan-fludarabine (TBF)-based conditioning regimen prior to allo-HSCT. Both cases demonstrated complete remission post-transplantation, sustained donor chimerism, and remission maintenance, suggesting the potential efficacy of the TBF conditioning regimen for BPDCN transplantation. Given the small sample size in our study, we emphasize caution and advocate for larger studies to confirm the efficacy of TBF in the treatment of BPDCN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a case report of a 55-year-old man with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) involving the heart. The patient initially presented with fever, chest discomfort, and echocardiographic findings of masses in the right atrioventricular wall and reduced left ventricular contractility. Further tests revealed enlarged lymph nodes and multiple soft tissue masses in the pericardium and right atrium. The patient was treated with a modified R-CHOP chemotherapy regimen, which resulted in improved symptoms and a reduction in tumor size. The report emphasizes the rarity of cardiac-dominant DLBCL and the importance of early diagnosis and appropriate treatment. [Extracted from the article]

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is a complex and aggressive malignancy originating from B lymphocytes and characterized by extensive clinical, phenotypic and molecular heterogeneity. Although research conducted over the past decades has substantially improved our understanding of DLBCL, its pathogenesis has not yet been fully elucidated. The development of RNA sequencing technology has allowed the identification of numerous long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) that exhibit aberrant expression in DLBCL. These lncRNAs play crucial roles in DLBCL development and pathogenesis and are thus good candidates for use as diagnostic biomarkers or therapeutic targets. In this review, we describe the lncRNAs associated with DLBCL, summarize their characteristics and molecular functions, and discuss their relationships with clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling is frequently dysregulated in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and has been implicated in leukemogenesis. γ-catenin was previously demonstrated to be associated with the nuclear localization of β-catenin, the central mediator, and to exert oncogenic effects in AML; however, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Our study aimed to investigate the expression characteristics of γ-catenin in AML patients, explore the mechanisms by which γ-catenin regulates β-catenin, and discuss the feasibility of targeting γ-catenin for AML treatment. Methods: The mRNA expression levels of γ-catenin in AML patients were measured by qRT-PCR. Cell proliferation was examined via Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assays. The expression levels of related proteins were measured via Western blotting. Specific siRNA was used to modulate the expression level of the γ-catenin gene. Apoptosis and cell cycle distribution were quantified by flow cytometry. The subcellular localization of γ-catenin and β-catenin was examined via immunofluorescence with a confocal laser scanning microscope. Results: Overexpression of γ-catenin was frequently observed in AML and correlated with poor prognosis. Consistent with this finding, suppression of γ-catenin in the AML cell line THP-1 induced growth inhibition, promoted apoptosis and blocked β-catenin nuclear translocation. Interestingly, γ-catenin knockdown sensitized THP-1 cells to cytotoxic chemotherapeutic agents such as cytarabine and homoharringtonine and further inhibited β-catenin nuclear localization. Moreover, our data implied the relationship between γ-catenin and GSK3β (whose effect on β-catenin is mediated by its own phosphorylation), which may be the principal mechanism underlying the anti-AML effect of γ-catenin inhibition. Conclusion: Taken together, our results revealed a potential role of γ-catenin in AML pathogenesis–mainly through the inhibition of GSK3β-mediated nuclear localization of β-catenin–and indicate that targeting γ-catenin might offer new AML treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The trade-off between hardness and stretchability is a cornerstone of materials science. Balancing this trade-off is important in the molecular design of both chemical and physical networks. In this study, we report the quantitative trade-off at the molecular level for physical networks. Namely, we analyze, based on the reversible gelation model, a scaling relationship between the characteristic terminal relaxation modulus Gc in linear viscoelasticity and the stretch ratio λmax at the stress overshoot during the nonlinear elongation flow for unentangled randomly associative polymers, i.e., λmax ∼ Gc−0.17 and λmax ∼ Gc−0.33 in the mean-field and critical-percolation regimes, respectively. We use sulfonated polystyrene having different alkali counterions as a model system to test the relationship. The exponent of λmax ∼ Gc−0.25 seen in the experiment is in between the two theoretical values. We also discuss the quantitative deviation with respect to the size distribution of the network strands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to develop a time-saving method for determination of ultimate methane production, obtain the hydrolysis kinetic constant, and identify a determination method for the nonbiodegradable organic fraction of substrate ( VS NB ) of green and air-dried corn stover, the kinetics of methane production and hydrolysis were studied using batch tests. The results showed that the conventional first-order hydrolysis kinetic model was not suitable for describing the entire hydrolysis process of corn stover, because there were two first-order decay periods for hydrolysis of corn stover. The hydrolysis kinetic constants k H,1 and k H,2 of the first and second periods were 0.1701 and 0.0415 1/d for green stover and 0.1052 and 0.0360 1/d for air-dried stover. The value of VS NB could be obtained by the graphical method rather than by the hydrolysis kinetic model. The obtained VS NB contents were 12.9% and 24.7% of VS (volatile solid) for green and air-dried stover, respectively. The ultimate methane production and corresponding digestion time could be understood through the methane production kinetic model by digestion experiments within a short time. The ultimate methane productions were 347.1 and 319.4 mL/g based on VS and the corresponding digestion times were 69.2 and 182.3 days for green and air-dried stover, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, a few AB‐type multiblock copolymers have been successfully designed to form stable square cylinder phase based on self‐consistent field theory (SCFT) calculations. The previous works only identify the stability region of the square phase but not analyzing its stability, which is closely related to the free‐energy landscape. In this work, we have reexamined the stability of the square phase in B1A1B2A2B3 ${{{\rm B}}_{1}{{\rm A}}_{1}{{\rm B}}_{2}{{\rm A}}_{2}{{\rm B}}_{3}}$ linear pentablock and (B1AB2)​5 ${({{\rm B}}_{1}{\rm A}{{\rm B}}_{2}{)}_{5}}$ star triblock copolymers by drawing the free‐energy landscape with respect to the two dimensions of a rectangular unit cell. Our results demonstrate that the square phase continuously transfers to the rectangular phase as the degree of packing frustration is gradually released. Moreover, the prolate contour lines of the free‐energy landscape indicate the weak stability of the square phase in the B1A1B2A2B3 ${{{\rm B}}_{1}{{\rm A}}_{1}{{\rm B}}_{2}{{\rm A}}_{2}{{\rm B}}_{3}}$ copolymer. In contrast, the stability of the square phase is notably improved in the (B1AB2)​5 ${({{\rm B}}_{1}{\rm A}{{\rm B}}_{2}{)}_{5}}$ copolymer due to its enhanced concentration of bridging configurations. Our work sheds light on the understanding of the stability of the square cylinder phase in block copolymers. Accordingly, we propose some possible strategies for further designing new AB‐type block copolymer systems to obtain more stable square phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effects of transplanting density, nitrogen (N) application quantity and potassium (K) application quantity on hybrid rice "Luyoumingzhan" were studied by optimal design. Regression models between yield, quality and the three cultivation measures were built to study the effects of the three cultivation measures on rice yield and quality. The results showed that the yield and quality were influenced in various degrees. An optimization measure for high yield and low chalky ratio was simulated by computer, which was 214500 clumps per ha, 140.2 kg N per ha and N 136.6 kg per ha. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anther-specific expression of OsRIP1 causes dominant male sterility in rice To clone I Dms1 i , we constructed a near-isogenic line (NIL) I -NJ4 i SP I Dms1 i sp contains the genetic background of the I japonica i rice variety I Ningjing4 i ( I NJ4 i ) but carries a chromosome segment insertion with I Dms1 i introduced from the mutant donor (Figure S1). When using the anther-specific I EAT1 i promoter to drive I OsRIP1 i in I Nip i , the male sterility phenotype mimicking NIL I -Nip i SP I Dms1 i sp appeared (Figure 1g). Keywords: rice; dominant male sterility; ribosome-inactivating protein; translation inhibition EN rice dominant male sterility ribosome-inactivating protein translation inhibition 1932 1934 3 09/20/23 20231001 NES 231001 Rice ( I Oryza sativa i L.) is a major staple food crop feeding more than half of the world human population. [Extracted from the article]

Abstract: The work focuses on a mechanistic study of the title system with the aid of both TGA–FTIR (in the gas phase) and XPS (in the condensed phase). It is concluded that: (1) although the change in yield of char for PC/PPFBS is insignificant with respect to PC itself it appears that the majority of the crucial FR activity is in the condensed phase as indicated by the XPS data; (2) TGA–FTIR experiments support the view that the degradation of polycarbonate proceeds by the cleavage of the Cα–O and the Cβ–H bonds, leading to the formation of dienes, diols and carbon dioxide; (3) the reverse reaction of the intermediates, like phenols, may occur via the basic catalyst, possibly K-alkyl oxide, a weaker base is generated in the process; (4) voluminous evolution of CO2 accelerated by PPFBS may give flame retardance by way of intumescent action and its dilution into the gas phase. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The drift problems of gas sensors caused by aging ingredients and unexpected environmental impacts, which can severely decrease the performance and service life of electronic noses, have been widely discussed. Many scholars believe that the essential reason for sensor drift can be attributed to the different data distributions in the latent feature space. However, traditional drift compensation methods like OSC, GasNet, SniffMultinose, and SniffConv are costly and complex. This paper has introduced an algorithm called contrastive domain generalization convolution neural network (CDCNN) to resolve this problem. For the first time, domain generalization and contrastive learning were used as the drift compensation methods for the gas sensor. A novel data augmentation was proposed to enrich the datasets. Feature generation module is used to simulate the drift of gas sensors. Contrastive learning adapts to the unseen areas in the latent feature space. The artificially generated features and the original features are drawn closer in the feature space to improve the algorithm's generalization ability. Experiments on long-term drift data show that CDCNN achieves high accuracy (0.7230). The experimental results show that the CDCNN algorithm is more suitable for practical applications due to less resource consumption and looser constraints. [Display omitted] • Developing a domain generalization method to compensate for drift in gas sensors. • Designing a novel data manipulation method with effective generalization ability. • CDCNN is more practical due to less resource consumption and looser constraints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The prognostic value of PD-1+ TILs is favorable in DLBCL, but controversial in FL. • PD-L1+ immune cells in microenvironment favorably affect survival of NK/T and ATLL. • PD-1+ neoplastic cells contributed to progression of epithelial-derived T lymphoma. • The significance of PD-L1+ neoplastic cells, seen in subset of DLBCL, is not clear. • The 9p24 chromosome alterations are expected to be predictors to PD1/PD-L1 therapy. Recently, unprecedented clinical efficacy was observed during treatment of many solid tumors because of the introduction of programmed cell death 1 (PD-1)/programmed cell death 1 ligand 1 (PD-L1) immune checkpoint inhibitors. Preliminary clinical data indicates that checkpoint inhibition also represents a promising therapeutic strategy for certain lymphoid malignancies. However, PD-1/PD-L1 expression levels on neoplastic cells and in the tumor microenvironment vary among subtypes and their prognostic implications remain uncertain. Here, we review the clinicopathological significance of PD-1/PD-L1 expression in lymphomas. Increased infiltration of PD-1+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) is a favorable prognostic factor in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) but not in Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL). Higher numbers of PD-1+ TILs were observed in follicular lymphoma (FL) than in other subtypes of B-cell lymphoma; however, its prognostic significance remains controversial. Infiltration of PD-L1+ immune cells showed a trend toward better overall survival in nasal natural killer (NK)/T-cell lymphoma and adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma, more likely to be classified as activated macrophages and dendritic cells in microenvironment but its biological effect is not clarified. Peripheral PD-1+ T cells could be detected in blood samples from DLBCL and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and correlated with disease progression and poor prognosis. PD-1+ neoplastic T cells were more frequently observed in cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, including Sézary syndrome and mycosis fungoides, which may be involved in the progression of epithelial-derived T lymphoma. Studies on PD-L1 expression in neoplastic cells mostly focused on DLBCL. PD-L1+ neoplastic cells were observed only in a small subset of DLBCL, mainly associated with activated B cell (ABC) subtypes and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) positivity; however, its prognostic role remains controversial. In either T or B lymphoma, elevated serum or plasma levels of soluble PD-L1 represent adverse prognostic factors. Notably, in clinical trials of classical HL, the frequency of 9p24.1 chromosome alterations increases the abundance of PD-1 ligand expression, appearing to predict responses to anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapy. The cytogenetic alterations affecting chromosome 9p24.1 including the CIITA rearrangement were also frequently observed in certain specific subtypes of large B-cell lymphomas. The clinical roles of PD-1/PD-L1 expression vary between subtypes of lymphoma. Future studies should delineate the prognostic and predictive roles of PD-1 and PD-L1 expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a comprehensive computational and theoretical analysis of diffusion through flake composites in which the flakes are of rectangular shape, spanning the entire spectrum from squares to ribbons. Following a large number of detailed 3D simulations in realistic Representative Volume Elements (RVEs), each containing 1000s of individual flakes, we propose a scaling which, for the first time in the technical literature, introduces the planar aspect ratio r of the flakes as a parameter affecting the barrier properties of the resulting composite. Subsequently, we examine the effect of r in several cases of practical significance, such as under the assumptions of (i) constant number-density N /Δ V and flake volume fraction ϕ, (ii) constant N /Δ V and flake diagonal and (iii) constant ϕ and varying N /Δ V —describing the problem of the fragmentation of ribbons into flakes. Both deterministic and stochastic systems in terms of r, are considered. One key result is that square flakes offer the best barrier performance compared to flakes of general rectangular shape—as long as N /Δ V and ϕ or the diagonal of the flakes remain constant. Randomness in flake aspect ratio only moderately impacts the barrier improvement factor as long as ϕ and N /Δ V remain constant but has a strong effect under the assumption of constant N /Δ V and flake diagonal. Finally, we show that, for r < 10 and M < 1, the scaling proposed in this work is valid not only for unidirectional flakes but also for flakes showing random in-plane orientations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ability to accurately predict the rheological behavior of the blends of two incompatible polymers is critical to the polymer industry. The constitutive modeling of incompatible polymer blends requires understanding the structure and dynamics of the blends across different length scales. The polydispersity of chain length at the molecular level and nonuniformity of flow field due to dispersed domains at the mesoscopic level present significant challenges to this industrially relevant problem. This work proposes a modeling framework for linear and nonlinear rheology of industrial incompatible polymer blends with sea-island morphology. For the individual components, we adopt the Rolie-Double-Poly model and generate the relaxation spectrum from an optimized molecular weight distribution. We derive a new mixing rule without empirical parameters from the flow field analysis inside and outside the droplets. The phase interface, modeled by an ellipsoidal model, contributes to the apparent rheology only at low shear rates. Our modeling approach is verified by the shear and extensional rheology of eight polymer blends with a broad range of viscosity ratios (0.01–100). We also show that the model has the ability to predict the nonlinear rheological behaviors of incompatible polymer blends with known molecular weight distributions and phase morphology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resistance to regulated cell death is one of the hallmarks of human cancers; it maintains cell survival and significantly limits the effectiveness of conventional drug therapy. Leukemia represents a class of hematologic malignancies that is characterized by dysregulation of cell death pathways and treatment-related resistance. As the majority of chemotherapeutic and targeted drugs kill leukemia cells by triggering apoptosis, the observed resistance indicates the need for novel therapeutic strategies to reactivate nonapoptotic cell death programs in refractory leukemia. Necroptosis is a regulated form of necrosis that is precisely modulated by intracellular signaling pathways and thus provides potential molecular targets for rational therapeutic intervention. Indeed, accumulating evidence indicates that many current antitumor agents can activate necroptotic pathways and thereby induce leukemia cell death. Elucidation of the complete regulatory mechanism of necroptosis is expected to accelerate the development of novel therapeutic strategies for overcoming apoptosis resistance in leukemia. Here, we review the latest research advances in the regulatory mechanisms of necroptosis and summarize the progression of necroptosis-based therapeutic strategies in leukemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common form of blood cancer. Among the subtypes, the activated B-cell (ABC) subtype is typically more aggressive and associated with worse outcomes. However, the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. In this study, we performed microarray analysis to identify potential ABC-DLBCL-associated genes. We employed Kaplan–Meier methods and cox univariate analysis to explore the prognostic value of the identified candidate gene Coiled-coil domain containing 50 (CCDC50). Additionally, we used DLBCL cell lines and mouse models to explore the functions and mechanisms of CCDC50. Finally, we isolated CCDC50-bearing exosomes from clinical patients to study the correlation between these exosomes and disease severity. Our results demonstrated that CCDC50 not only showed significantly positive correlations with ABC subtype, tumor stage and number of extranodal sites, but also suggested poor outcomes in DLBCL patients. We further found that CCDC50 promoted ABC-DLBCL proliferation in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, CCDC50 inhibited ubiquitination-mediated c-Myc degradation by stimulating the PI3K/AKT/GSK-3β pathway. Moreover, CCDC50 expression was positively correlated with c-Myc at protein levels in DLBCL patients. Additionally, in two clinical cohorts, the plasma CCDC50-positive exosomes differentiated DLBCL subtypes robustly (AUC > 0.80) and predicted disease severity effectively (p < 0.05). Our findings suggest that CCDC50 likely drives disease progression in ABC-DLBCL patients, and the CCDC50-bearing exosome holds great potential as a non-invasive biomarker for subtype diagnosis and prognosis prediction of DLBCL patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Male sterility in plants provides valuable breeding tools in germplasm innovation and hybrid crop production. However, genetic resources for dominant genic male sterility, which hold great promise to facilitate breeding processes, are extremely rare in natural germplasm. Here we characterized the Sanming Dominant Genic Male Sterility in rice and identified the gene SDGMS using a map-based cloning approach. We found that spontaneous movement of a 1978-bp long terminal repeat (LTR) retrotransposon into the promoter region of the SDGMS gene activates its expression in anther tapetum, which causes abnormal programmed cell death of tapetal cells resulting in dominant male sterility. SDGMS encodes a ribosome inactivating protein showing N-glycosidase activity. The activation of SDGMS triggers transcription reprogramming of genes responsive to biotic stress leading to a hypersensitive response which causes sterility. The results demonstrate that an ectopic gene activation by transposon movement can give birth to a novel trait which enriches phenotypic diversity with practical utility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ride-hailing services provide an efficient way to travel, but they also cause some safety incidents, which make female passengers uneasy. Analyzing the safety perceptions of female passengers, particularly their psychological and emotional responses, can assist operators in developing effective solutions and safe travel environments for them. This study explores factors that are likely to affect the safety perception of female ride-hailing passengers using a subjective method (data was obtained from 596 Chinese female passengers). The methodologies adopted mainly include confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and a maximum-likelihood structural equation model (ML-SEM). A passenger safety perception model is developed by considering various elements such as safety expectation, platform trust, perceived environment, and safety awareness. The results revealed that safety perception is positively influenced by perceived environment and safety expectation (containing three subdimensions, namely, driver behavior, traveling together, and mobile phone dependence). The effects of safety awareness and platform trust on safety perception are mediated by perceived environment and safety expectation, respectively. Regarding overall effects, safety expectation is the most powerful predictor for safety perception of female ride-hailing passengers, followed by platform trust, perceived environment, and safety awareness. Finally, countermeasures are offered from the perspectives of operators, drivers, and passengers to enhance the safety perception of female ride-hailing passengers. A high level of ride-hailing safety would undoubtedly boost the female passenger's trust and consequently ridership. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Retaining nitrogen for polyacrylonitrile (PAN) based carbon anode is a cost‐effective way to make full use of the advantages of PAN for sodium‐ion batteries (SIBs). Here, a simple strategy has been successfully adopted to retain N atoms in situ and increase production yield of a novel composite PAZ by mixing 3 wt % of zinc borate (ZB) with poly (acrylonitrile‐co‐itaconic acid) (PANIA). Among the prepared carbonised fibre (CF) samples, PAZ‐CF‐700 maintains the highest N content, retaining 90 % of the original N from PANIA. It represents the highest capacity storage contribution (80.55 %) and the lowest impedance Rct (117 Ω). Consequently, the specific capacity increases from 60 mAh g−1 of PANIA‐CF‐700 to 190 mAh g−1 of PAZ‐CF‐700 at a current density of 100 mA g−1. At the same time, PAZ‐CF‐700 exhibits a good rate performance and excellent long‐term cycling stability with a specific capacity of 94 mAh g−1 after 4000 cycles at 1.6 A g−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The miscibility and crystallization behavior of a series of polymer blends containing different content of poly(butylene terephthalate) (PBT) and poly(ethylene terephthalate-co-1,4-cyclohexylene dimethylene terephthalate) (P(ET/CT)) have been studied. It is confirmed through DSC, SAXS and SEM that PBT is miscible with P(ET/CT) with different CT content. When the mole content of CT is 37 %, P(ET/CT) (abbreviated as P(ET/CT 37 %)) is fully amorphous. But, as the mole ratio of CT is 66 %, P(ET/CT) (abbreviated as P(ET/CT 66 %)) possesses crystallizability. Compared to the extremely fast crystallization of PBT, the crystallizability of P(ET/CT 66 %) is so weak that non-isothermal crystallization (at a cooling rate of 10 °C/min) can hardly occur. Upon blending, however, it is interesting to find that the P(ET/CT 66 %) could be involved in the crystallization of the blends within the entire composition range. In the DSC cooling curves, a double-peak crystallization could be observed, in which the T c1 is attributed to the crystallization of PBT and the T c2 to that of P(ET/CT 66 %). Further, the two glass transition temperatures of the blends after crystallization confirm the occurrence of crystallization-induced phase separation at higher P(ET/CT) content. Therefore, the excluded P(ET/CT 66 %) local domain or aggregation is regarded as the prerequisite of the P(ET/CT 66 %) crystallization, and the previously formed PBT crystals act as its nucleating agent. [Display omitted] • The miscibility and crystallization behavior of PBT with P(ET/CT) are systematically studied for the first time. • A double-peak crystallization behavior different from fractionated crystallization is discovered. • The mechanism of double-peak crystallization behavior is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Linear viscoelasticity (LVE), elongational rheological behavior, and foamability are examined for ionomer samples based on a commercial Surlyn sample: The Surlyn sample is dialyzed back into the parent acid copolymer and partially neutralized by sodium hydroxide to different degrees. The LVE pseudo-master curves shift to the lower frequency with an increase in the molar fraction of sodium, reflecting the increased activation energy for ionic dissociation. Incorporation of this energy into the sticky-double-reptation model gives good prediction of the LVE behavior. The degree of strain hardening under the extensional flow exhibits a non-monotonous change: the transient hardening first intensifies with increasing the ion content up to ∼50 mol%, and then weakens upon further increasing the ion content. The foamability of these samples in supercritical CO 2 appears to be controlled by the flowability as well as the melt strength during the elongational flow. In particular, the foaming T window widens greatly when the strain-hardening has been strengthened by the physical network based on the ionic interaction. [Display omitted] • The activation energy for ion dissociation increases with a degree of neutralization for Surlyn-based ionomers. • The linear viscoelasticity is well predicted by the sticky-double-reptation model. • There is an optimized degree of neutralization in promoting the strain-hardening under the elongational flow. • The foaming window widens when the strain-hardening becomes stronger. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Standard high resolution 13C NMR spectra of PA10T, PA6T, PA106, and PA66 were obtained by a nonacidic solvent mixture of HFIP and CDCl3. Several chemical shifts were found extremely sensitive to the polyamide type. According to the standard spectra, semi-aromatic copolyamides comprising PA10T, PA6T, PA106, and PA66 units could be distinguished. The ratio of each polyamide component in the copolyamide was determined through the integration of the methylene carbon peak associated with the amine group. 13C NMR analysis results were consistent with the theoretical values and copolyamide hydrolysis test results, making 13C NMR analysis quite reliable on the quick composition analysis of semi-aromatic copolyamides. Based on this technique, several commercial semi-aromatic copolyamides were further examined and their compositions were easily determined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the influence of the short arms in model asymmetric 3-arm star polymers, in which the short arm is unentangled while the other two long arms are entangled, on linear and nonlinear shear rheological behavior. As increasing the short arm length of the asymmetric star polymers, the linear viscoelastic rubber plateau decreases, indicating the relaxed short arms act as "solvent" that dilute the star polymers. This idea is examined by the relationship between the plateau moduli of polymer solutions G N (φ) and the corresponding polymer melts G N (1) for entangled linear polymers, G N (φ) = G N (1) φ 1+α, where φ is the volume fraction of the polymer. The "solvent" effect of the short arms is also supported by the nonlinear rheology results showing weaker damping function and larger peak strain at stress overshoot. With the above clarification of the short-arm contributions, this work provides a guidance of molecular design for tuning linear and nonlinear rheology of star polymers. [Display omitted] • The influence of the short arms in model asymmetric star polymers on shear rheology is identified. • The short arms act as "solvents", leading to lower plateau modulus just like entangled polymer solutions. • The dilution effect of the short arms on nonlinear rheology is represented by larger peak strain and weaker damping response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethylene-octene random copolymers (EOCs) and block copolymers (OBCs) have been used extensively in toughening isotactic polypropylene (iPP). In this work, the miscibility of iPP/EOC and iPP/OBC blends has been investigated quantitatively using an atomic force microscopy-infrared (AFM-IR) technique. A blend of a partially deuterated iPP and EOC at 80/20 mass ratio was found to phase separate, and in situ AFM-IR analysis revealed the presence of deuterated iPP in both phases, indicating partial miscibility between the two components. Quantitation methods for phase compositions of iPP/EOC and iPP/OBC blends using AFM-IR were established, and phase separation kinetics for a solution-mixed iPP/OBC 50/50 blend at 200 °C was investigated using AFM-IR. The phase compositions reach an equilibrium state in ∼4 h, and each component exhibits a solubility of ∼10 wt% in the other one in the molten state. Moreover, an interphase of ∼1 μm thickness and transitional composition is present in between the iPP-rich and the OBC-rich phases, indicative of good compatibility between iPP and OBC. In contrast, an iPP/EOC 50/50 blend under the same conditions contains two co-existing phases, with an EOC content of 4.9 and 93.2 wt% for the iPP-rich and EOC-rich phase, respectively, with a sharp interface between, implying poorer compatibility of EOC with iPP than for OBC. Composition analyses for iPP/EOC 80/20 and iPP/ OBC 80/20 blends prepared by melt-blending support these observations. [Display omitted] • Miscibility of iPP/POE blends is investigated quantitatively. • OBC and iPP each exhibits a solubility of ∼10 wt% in the other. • An interphase exists between the two phases in iPP/OBC blends. • OBC is more compatible with iPP than EOC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pyrolytic lignin (PyL) and zinc borate (ZB) are added to poly (acrylonitrile-co-itaconic acid) (PANIA) to facilitate the fabrication and improve the electrochemical performance. The carbonised PANIA/PyL/ZB (CPPZ) anodes with in-situ self-doped nitrogen are fabricated, demonstrating a higher char yield, a higher fabrication efficiency, and optimal carbon structures. It finds that PANIA, PyL and ZB have synergic effects with each other on improving thermal stability, resulting in a 16.21% enhancement of residue at 700°C from the calculated value. During thermal stabilisation, PyL and ZB accelerate the formation of conjugated ladder structures at 230°C. After carbonisation under 700°C, CPPZ-700 has relatively higher contents of pyridinic N (34.62%) and pyrrolic N (50.43%), and a larger interlayer space (0.46 nm). As an anode of sodium-ion battery, CPPZ-700 illustrates a reversible specific capacity of 180 mAh g−1 at a current density of 100 mA g−1, which is 120 mAh g−1 higher than PANIA-based carbon anode under the same conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The transition temperature of conjugated ladder structure (T CLS) of polyacrylonitrile is established. • This T CLS during thermal stabilization is proposed to be the efficient temperature of structural evolution. • The method based on XPS is proposed for verification of the conjugated ladder structure. Understanding the formation of conjugated ladder structure of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) is of great significance to optimize the conditions of thermal stabilisation. Here, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) is applied to observe the structural evolution in order to find the optimal conditions for thermal stabilisation. And a new method of analysing the transition temperature of conjugated ladder structure (T CLS) is introduced. Thermogravimetric (TG) and differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) analysis confirm the necessity of air atmosphere to the formation of stable structure, and XPS analysis reveals the complete formation of conjugated ladder structure between 200 and 300 °C. In this range, a method of analysing T CLS is established by the considerable increase of conjugated ladder carbon content and asymmetric tail in C1s spectrum. Besides, the optimal conditions for thermal stabilisation are determined, which are a heating rate of 5 °C/min, a temperature of 250 °C (the T CLS), and a retention time of 60 min, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The biogas fermentation is easy to fail resulting from high sensibility of methanogens to environmental change. So how to ensure the activity of methanogens is the key for anaerobic fermentation stability. A methanogenic microbial inoculant was constructed based on the physiological, biochemical characteristics and antagonisms of strain RY3, SH4, G1, G2 and G3. The performances of the inoculant under different pH values, temperatures and application rates of the methanogenic microbial inoculant were evaluated. It showed that the 5 strains had different physiological and biochemical characteristics as well as complementary roles. There were no antagonisms among 5 strains. The methanogenic microbial inoculant grew at pH value 5.5-10.5. Methane productions were 1 706.7-2 026.7 μmols at pH value 5.5-9.5 after 3 days' culture, that of different pH values showed no significant difference respectively. The results indicated that the methanogenic microbial inoculant is resistant to acid and alkali changes. The inoculant grew at 15-70°C and methane productions were 1 906.9- 2 028 μmols at 30-60°C after 3 days' culture, that of different temperatures treatment showed no significant difference respectively. The results indicated that the methanogenic microbial inoculant is adapted to a wide temperature range. At 20°C, total biogas yield of treatments 2%, 5%, 10% before 14 day were 234, 422 and 950 mL, and the methane concentration of treatments 2%, 5%, 10% on the 14th day were 46.9%, 51.2% and 58.9% respectively corresponding the treatments with 2%, 5% and 10% inoculation dosages of the methanogenic microbial inoculant. At 50°C, total biogas yield before 14 d were 2728, 3291 and 3 832 mL and the methane concentration on 14th day were 62.7%, 63.1% and 63.8% respectively corresponding the treatments with 2%, 5% and 10% inoculation dosages of the methanogenic microbial inoculant. The results indicated that the inoculation could shorten the starting time for methane production compared to the controls without inoculant at 20 and 50°C. Pilot tests by kinetic analysis indicated that inoculant could still shorten the starting time for methane production compared to the control using anaerobic active sludge as inoculant. At 20°C, total biogas and methane yields of 21 day of the treatment with 10% inoculation dosages of the methanogenic microbial inoculant were both 1.6 times of the control group with 10% inoculation dosages of anaerobic active sludge. At 50°C, total biogas and methane yields of 21 d of the treatment with 10% inoculation dosages of the methanogenic microbial inoculant were 2.7 and 2.8 times of control group with 10% inoculation dosages of anaerobic active sludge, respectively. Overall, this study showed that the methanogenic microbial inoculant could significantly improve the efficiency of biogas production at low temperature and high temperature, and it will provide a new technical way for optimal control on biogas fermentation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The flame retardancy of bisphenol A polycarbonate (PC) containing potassium diphenylsulfone sulfonate (KSS), poly(aminopropyl/phenylsilsesquioxane) (PAPSQ) and poly(vinylidenefluoride) (PVDF) was measured by limited oxygen index (LOI) and examined according to UL94. A high LOI and UL94 V-0 rating for 1.6mm thickness samples were obtained by a combined use of equivalent KSS, PAPSQ and PVDF at 0.1–0.3wt% loading, respectively. The improvement in flame retardancy of PC compositions arose from the synergistic interaction of three additives. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) indicated that the combination decreased the activation energy (E) of PC degradation and elevated the thermal degradation rate of PC to ensure the formation of an insulating carbon layer. FTIR analysis showed that the LOI char of PC containing the three additives took on a highly cross-linking aromatic ester and ether structure. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this study, a partially bio‐based carbon fiber (CF) precursor is prepared by blending 32 wt% of pyrolytic lignin (PyL) with 68 wt% of poly(acrylonitrile‐co‐itaconic acid) (PANIA), and the effect of PyL on forming conjugated ladder structure during stepwise thermal stabilization is studied. The results of X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) reveal that PyL accelerates the formation of conjugated ladder structure at 230 °C during thermal stabilization for PANIA/PyL, which is 15 °C lower and 13 min earlier than PANIA. The acceleration on forming thermally stable conjugated ladder structure can be confirmed through Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Moreover, the fiber stabilized at 230 °C is subsequently made into PANIA/PyL‐230 CF, which has relatively higher‐ordered graphitic structure and dense morphology without voids. The mechanism of PyL accelerating the formation of conjugated ladder structure during thermal stabilization is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Exosomes derived from tumor cells (TEXs) are involved in both immune suppression, angiogenesis, metastasis and anticancer stimulatory, but the biological characteristics and role of diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL)-derived exosomes have been less investigated. Methods: Exosomes (EXOs) were isolated from OCI-LY3, SU-DHL-16, and Raji cells and biological characteristics of EXOs were investigated using electron microscopy, flow cytometry analysis, and Western blot analysis. The protein expression of EXOs was determined by an antibody array. Next, the communication between EXOs and lymphoma cell, stromal cell, dendritic cells (DCs), and T cells was evaluated. Finally, effect of DLBCL TEXs on tumor growth in vivo was investigated. Results: We demonstrated that EXOs derived from DLBCL cell lines displayed malignancy molecules such as c-Myc, Bcl-2, Mcl-1, CD19, and CD20. There was a different protein expression pattern between DLBCL TEXs and Burkitt lymphoma TEXs. DLBCL TEXs were easily captured by DCs and lymphoma cells, and mainly acted as an immunosuppressive mediator, evidenced by induction of apoptosis and upregulation of PD-1 in T cells. Furthermore, the TEXs stimulated not only cell proliferation, migration of stromal cells but also angiogenesis. As a result, the TEXs promoted tumor growth in vivo. On other hand, DLBCL TEXs did not induce apoptosis of DCs. After pulsed with the TEXs, DCs could stimulate clonal expansion of T cells, increase the secretion of IL-6 and TNFα, and decrease the production of immunosuppressive cytokine IL-4 and IL-10. The T cells from tumor bearing mice immunized by TEX were shown to possess superior antilymphoma potency relative to immunization of tumor lysates. Conclusions: This study provides the framework for novel immunotherapies targeting TEXs in DLBCL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]