Synthesis of four-component acrylic-modified water-reducible alkyd resin: investigation of dilution ratio effect on film properties and thermal behaviors

This study investigated the effect of the dilution ratio on film properties of acrylic-modified water-reducible alkyd resins. First, new four-component acrylic-modified alkyd resins based on 1,3-propanediol containing 40% of the equivalent amount of acrylic copolymer to alkyd resin were synthesized using the fatty acid method. The synthesized acrylic-modified alkyd resin was then dissolved in isopropyl alcohol (IPA) at various ratios and further diluted using distilled water at various ratios to obtain by-weight percentages of 70/50, 70/60, and 80/60 of solid content to IPA and water, respectively. Films of the modified alkyd resins were prepared, and cured at 150A degrees C for 1 h, then their physical and chemical surface coating properties and thermal behaviors were investigated. The best results were obtained for the by-weight percentages of 80/60

Synthesis of Novel Acrylic Modified Water Reducible Alkyd Resin: Investigation of Acrylic Copolymer Ratio Effect on Film Properties and Thermal Behaviors

New four-component water reducible acrylic modified alkyd resins that are based on 1,3-propanediol and contain different ratios of acrylic copolymer (AC) were synthesized by using a novel four-stage fatty acid method. The final content of solids in the water reducible acrylic modified alkyd resins was 60% by weight. After the modified alkyd resin films were cured at 150 degrees C for 1 h, it was observed that the use of AC as the modifier component had improved their physical and chemical surface coating properties and thermal behaviors. Experimental results show that the optimum AC ratio is 40% of the equivalent amount of AC to alkyd resin. Low-volatile organic compounds (VOC) content water reducible acrylic modified alkyd resins yielded soft and flexible films with high chemical/thermal resistance, suitable for manufacturing of surface coating binders. (C) 2016 Society of Plastics Engineer

The usage of novel acrylic-modified water-reducible alkyd resin obtained from post-consumer PET bottles in water-based paint formulation

Glycolysis reactions of waste polyethylene terephthalate (PET) flakes obtained from post-consumer water bottles were carried out at 220-250 degrees C using diethylene glycol, dipropylene glycol and triethylene glycol, and molar ratios of PET/glycol in the glycolysis reactions were chosen to be 1/3. The obtained glycolysis products were used in the synthesis of medium-oil acrylic- modified water-reducible alkyd resins. Acrylic modification was carried out using methacrylic acid-maleic acid copolymer synthesized in our laboratory. The structure of the acrylic copolymer was investigated with FTIR analysis. Films of the modified alkyd resins were prepared and their physical and chemical surface coating properties were investigated. When surface coating test results were evaluated, it was observed that waste PET had no adverse effect on these properties of acrylic-modified water-reducible alkyd resins. Then, two water-based paints were prepared using PET-based acrylic-modified water-reducible alkyd resin and reference acrylic-modified water-reducible alkyd resin as binder. Wet paint properties and physical/chemical dry film properties of paints were determined. When the physical surface coating test results were evaluated, no difference was observed between the properties of both paints. If we evaluate the results of chemical surface coating properties, the hot water and alkali resistance of waste PET-based paint was considerably higher than the reference resin

Clinical and Laboratory Factors Affecting the Prognosis of Severe Combined Immunodeficiency

Purpose Severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) is one of the most severe forms of inborn errors of immunity characterized by absence or loss of function in T cells. The long-term outcomes of all forms of SCID have been evaluated in a limited number of studies. We aimed to evaluate the pre- and post-transplant manifestations of SCID patients and determine the factors affecting the survival of patients

The frequency of and factors affecting functional gastrointestinal disorders in infants that presented to tertiary care hospitals

This study aimed to determine the prevalence of infantile functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) based on Rome IV diagnostic criteria, and to determine the associated patient demographic and nutritional characteristics. A total of 2383 infants aged 1-12 months which were evaluated by 28 general pediatricians and pediatric gastroenterologists on the same day at nine tertiary care hospitals around Istanbul, Turkey, between November 2017 and March 2018, were included in the study. Patients included consulted the pediatric outpatient clinics because of any complaints, but not for vaccines and/or routine well child follow-ups as this is not part of the activities in the tertiary care hospitals. The patients were diagnosed with FGIDs based on Rome IV diagnostic criteria. The patients were divided into a FGID group and non-FGID group, and anthropometric measurements, physical examination findings, nutritional status, risk factors, and symptoms related to FGIDs were evaluated using questionnaires. Among the 2383 infants included, 837 (35.1%) had >= 1 FGIDs, of which 260 (31%) had already presented to hospital with symptoms of FGIDs and 577 (69%) presented to hospital with other symptoms, but were diagnosed with FGIDs by a pediatrician. Infant colic (19.2%), infant regurgitation (13.4%), and infant dyschezia (9.8%) were the most common FGIDs. One FGID was present in 76%, and >= 2 FGIDs were diagnosed in 24%. The frequency of early supplementary feeding was higher in the infants in the FGID group aged <= 6 months than in the non-FGID group (P = 0.039)

Evolution and long-term outcomes of combined immunodeficiency due to CARMIL2 deficiency

Background Biallelic loss-of-function mutations in CARMIL2 cause combined immunodeficiency associated with dermatitis, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and EBV-related smooth muscle tumors. Clinical and immunological characterizations of the disease with long-term follow-up and treatment options have not been previously reported in large cohorts. We sought to determine the clinical and immunological features of CARMIL2 deficiency and long-term efficacy of treatment in controlling different disease manifestations. Methods The presenting phenotypes, long-term outcomes, and treatment responses were evaluated prospectively in 15 CARMIL2-deficient patients, including 13 novel cases. Lymphocyte subpopulations, protein expression, regulatory T (Treg), and circulating T follicular helper (cT(FH)) cells were analyzed. Three-dimensional (3D) migration assay was performed to determine T-cell shape. Results Mean age at disease onset was 38 +/- 23 months. Main clinical features were skin manifestations (n = 14, 93%), failure to thrive (n = 10, 67%), recurrent infections (n = 10, 67%), allergic symptoms (n = 8, 53%), chronic diarrhea (n = 4, 27%), and EBV-related leiomyoma (n = 2, 13%). Skin manifestations ranged from atopic and seborrheic dermatitis to psoriasiform rash. Patients had reduced proportions of memory CD4(+) T cells, Treg, and cT(FH) cells. Memory B and NK cells were also decreased. CARMIL2-deficient T cells exhibited reduced T-cell proliferation and cytokine production following CD28 co-stimulation and normal morphology when migrating in a high-density 3D collagen gel matrix. IBD was the most severe clinical manifestation, leading to growth retardation, requiring multiple interventional treatments. All patients were alive with a median follow-up of 10.8 years (range: 3-17 years). Conclusion This cohort provides clinical and immunological features and long-term follow-up of different manifestations of CARMIL2 deficiency

Evolution and long-term outcomes of combined immunodeficiency due to CARMIL2 deficiency

Background Biallelic loss-of-function mutations in CARMIL2 cause combined immunodeficiency associated with dermatitis, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and EBV-related smooth muscle tumors. Clinical and immunological characterizations of the disease with long-term follow-up and treatment options have not been previously reported in large cohorts. We sought to determine the clinical and immunological features of CARMIL2 deficiency and long-term efficacy of treatment in controlling different disease manifestations. Methods The presenting phenotypes, long-term outcomes, and treatment responses were evaluated prospectively in 15 CARMIL2-deficient patients, including 13 novel cases. Lymphocyte subpopulations, protein expression, regulatory T (Treg), and circulating T follicular helper (cT(FH)) cells were analyzed. Three-dimensional (3D) migration assay was performed to determine T-cell shape. Results Mean age at disease onset was 38 +/- 23 months. Main clinical features were skin manifestations (n = 14, 93%), failure to thrive (n = 10, 67%), recurrent infections (n = 10, 67%), allergic symptoms (n = 8, 53%), chronic diarrhea (n = 4, 27%), and EBV-related leiomyoma (n = 2, 13%). Skin manifestations ranged from atopic and seborrheic dermatitis to psoriasiform rash. Patients had reduced proportions of memory CD4(+) T cells, Treg, and cT(FH) cells. Memory B and NK cells were also decreased. CARMIL2-deficient T cells exhibited reduced T-cell proliferation and cytokine production following CD28 co-stimulation and normal morphology when migrating in a high-density 3D collagen gel matrix. IBD was the most severe clinical manifestation, leading to growth retardation, requiring multiple interventional treatments. All patients were alive with a median follow-up of 10.8 years (range: 3-17 years). Conclusion This cohort provides clinical and immunological features and long-term follow-up of different manifestations of CARMIL2 deficiency

Comparing the levels of CTLA-4-dependent biological defects in patients with LRBA deficiency and CTLA-4 insufficiency

Background Lipopolysaccharide-responsive beige-like anchor protein (LRBA) deficiency and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte protein-4 (CTLA-4) insufficiency are recently described disorders that present with susceptibility to infections, autoimmunity, and lymphoproliferation. Clinical and immunological comparisons of the diseases with long-term follow-up have not been previously reported. We sought to compare the clinical and laboratory manifestations of both diseases and investigate the role of flow cytometry in predicting the genetic defect in patients with LRBA deficiency and CTLA-4 insufficiency. Methods Patients were evaluated clinically with laboratory assessments for lymphocyte subsets, T follicular helper cells (T-FH), LRBA expression, and expression of CD25, FOXP3, and CTLA4 in regulatory T cells (Tregs) at baseline and 16 h post-stimulation. Results LRBA-deficient patients (n = 29) showed significantly early age of symptom onset, higher rates of pneumonia, autoimmunity, chronic diarrhea, and failure to thrive compared to CTLA-4 insufficiency (n = 12). In total, 29 patients received abatacept with favorable responses and the overall survival probability was not different between transplanted versus non-transplanted patients in LRBA deficiency. Meanwhile, higher probability of survival was observed in CTLA-4-insufficient patients (p = 0.04). The T-cell subsets showed more deviation to memory cells in CTLA-4-insufficiency, accompanied by low percentages of Treg and dysregulated cT(FH) cells response in both diseases. Cumulative numbers of autoimmunities positively correlated with cT(FH) frequencies. Baseline CTLA-4 expression was significantly diminished in LRBA deficiency and CTLA-4 insufficiency, but significant induction in CTLA-4 was observed after short-term T-cell stimulation in LRBA deficiency and controls, while this elevation was less in CTLA-4 insufficiency, allowing to differentiate this disease from LRBA deficiency with high sensitivity (87.5%) and specificity (90%). Conclusion This cohort provided detailed clinical and laboratory comparisons for LRBA deficiency and CTLA-4 insufficiency. The flow cytometric approach is useful in predicting the defective gene; thus, targeted sequencing can be conducted to provide rapid diagnosis and treatment for these diseases impacting the CTLA-4 pathway

Observation of the Ξb−\Xi^-_\mathrm{b}→\toψ\psi(2S)Ξ−\Xi^- decay and studies of the Ξb∗0\Xi_\mathrm{b}^{\ast{}0} baryon in proton-proton collisions at s\sqrt{s} = 13 TeV

International audienceThe first observation of the decay $\Xi^-_\mathrm{b}$$\to$$\psi$(2S)$\Xi^-$ and measurement of the branching ratio of $\Xi^-_\mathrm{b}$$\to$$\psi$(2S)$\Xi^-$ to $\Xi^-_\mathrm{b}$$\to$ J/$\psi$$\Xi^-$ are presented. The J/$\psi$ and $\psi$(2S) mesons are reconstructed using their dimuon decay modes. The results are based on proton-proton colliding beam data from the LHC collected by the CMS experiment at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV in 2016-2018, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 140 fb$^{-1}$. The branching fraction ratio is measured to be $\mathcal{B}$($\Xi^-_\mathrm{b}$$\to$$\psi$(2S)$\Xi^-$)/$\mathcal{B}$($\Xi^-_\mathrm{b}$$\to$ J/$\psi$$\Xi^-$) = 0.84$^{+0.21}_{-0.19}$ (stat) $\pm$ 0.10 (syst) $\pm$ 0.02 ($\mathcal{B}$), where the last uncertainty comes from the uncertainties in the branching fractions of the charmonium states. New measurements of the $\Xi_\mathrm{b}^{\ast{}0}$ baryon mass and natural width are also presented, using the $\Xi_\mathrm{b}^-\pi^+$ final state, where the $\Xi^-_\mathrm{b}$ baryon is reconstructed through the decays J/$\psi \Xi^-$, $\psi$(2S)$\Xi^-$, J/$\psi \Lambda$K$^-$, and J/$\psi \Sigma^0$K$^-$. Finally, the fraction of the $\Xi^-_\mathrm{b}$ baryons produced from $\Xi_\mathrm{b}^{\ast{}0}$ decays is determined

The CMS Statistical Analysis and Combination Tool: COMBINE

International audienceThis paper describes the COMBINE software package used for statistical analyses by the CMS Collaboration. The package, originally designed to perform searches for a Higgs boson and the combined analysis of those searches, has evolved to become the statistical analysis tool presently used in the majority of measurements and searches performed by the CMS Collaboration. It is not specific to the CMS experiment, and this paper is intended to serve as a reference for users outside of the CMS Collaboration, providing an outline of the most salient features and capabilities. Readers are provided with the possibility to run COMBINE and reproduce examples provided in this paper using a publicly available container image. Since the package is constantly evolving to meet the demands of ever-increasing data sets and analysis sophistication, this paper cannot cover all details of COMBINE. However, the online documentation referenced within this paper provides an up-to-date and complete user guide