Thermal properties of MECDP copolyesters

MECDP copolyesters based on poly(ethylene terephthalate) were prepared with sodium-5-sulfo-bis-(hydroxyethyl)-isophthalate and poly(ethylene glycol) units as modifiers. Thermal properties of these copolyesters were characterized by differential scanning calorimetry and thermal gravity analyzer. Experimental results indicated that glass transition temperature, melting temperature and thermal degradation temperature reduced with increasing the poly(ethylene glycol) content. The incorporation of poly(ethylene glycol) increased the flexibility and irregularity of molecular chains which led to lower crystallinity, and bought more ether bonds into molecular chains. Besides, the thermal degradation under oxygen condition happened easily compared to that under nitrogen condition

Differential Diagnosis of Solitary Pulmonary Inflammatory Lesions and Peripheral Lung Cancers with Contrast-enhanced Computed Tomography

OBJECTIVES: To clarify differences between solitary pulmonary inflammatory lesions and peripheral lung cancers with contrast-enhanced computed tomography. METHODS: In total, 64 and 132 patients with solitary pulmonary inflammatory masses/nodules and peripheral lung cancers, respectively, were enrolled in this study. Their computed tomographic findings were summarized and compared retrospectively. RESULTS: Compared with the peripheral lung cancers, the inflammatory lesions were located closer to the pleura (

Adjuvantic cytokine IL-33 improves the protective immunity of cocktailed DNA vaccine of ROP5 and ROP18 against toxoplasma gondii infection in mice

Toxoplasma gondii is a threat for immunocompromized individuals, and no treatment is available for enhancing immunity against infection. Molecular adjuvants may improve the efficacy of DNA vaccine-induced T cell immunity. Here, we report that cocktailed DNA immunization with ROP5 and ROP18 boosted immune responses induced by a single DNA immunization with ROP5 or ROP18, but also that co-administration of molecular adjuvant IL-33 enhanced immune efficacy induced by this cocktailed DNA vaccination. These improved immune responses were characterized by higher Toxoplasma-specific IgG2a titers, Th1 responses associated with the production of IFN-γ, IL-2, IL-12, as well as cell-mediated activity with higher frequencies of CD8+ and CD4+ T cells. More importantly, this enhanced immunity has the ability to confer remarkable protection against a high dose lethal challenge of the T. gondii RH strain and thus against chronic infection with the T. gondii PRU strain. These data show that IL-33 is a promising immunoadjuvant to facilitate humoral as well as cellular immunity in a vaccine setting against T. gondii, and suggest that it should be evaluated in strategies against other apicomplexan parasites

Single nonmagnetic impurity resonance in FeSe-based 122-type superconductors as a probe for pairing symmetry

We study the effect of a single non-magnetic impurity in A$_{y}$Fe$_{2-x}$Se$_{2}$ (A=K, Rb, or Cs) superconductors by considering various pairing states based on a three-orbital model consistent with the photoemission experiments. The local density of states on and near the impurity site has been calculated by solving the Bogoliubov-de Gennes equations self-consistently. The impurity-induced in-gap bound states are found only for attractive impurity scattering potential, as in the cases of doping of Co or Ni, which is characterized by the strong particle-hole asymmetry, in the nodeless $d_{x^2-y^2}$ wave pairing state. This property may be used to probe the pairing symmetry of FeSe-based 122-type superconductors.Comment: 7 pages, 7 figure