Strategy for Fabricating Multiple-Shape-Memory Polymeric Materials via the Multilayer Assembly of Co-Continuous Blends

Shape-memory polymeric materials containing alternating layers of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) and co-continuous poly­(butylene succinate) (PBS)/polycaprolactone (PCL) blends (denoted SLBs) were fabricated through layer-multiplying coextrusion. Because there were two well-separated phase transitions caused by the melt of PCL and PBS, both the dual- and triple-shape-memory effects were discussed. Compared with the blending specimen with the same components, the TPU/SLB multilayer system with a multicontinuous structure and a plenty of layer interfaces was demonstrated to have higher shape fixity and recovery ability. When the number of layers reached 128, both the shape fixity and recovery ratios were beyond 95 and 85% in dual- and triple-shape-memory processes, respectively, which were difficult to be achieved through conventional melt-processing methods. On the basis of the classic viscoelastic theory, the parallel-assembled TPU and SLB layers capable of maintaining the same strain along the deforming direction were regarded to possess the maximum ability to fix temporary shapes and trigger them to recover back to original ones through the interfacial shearing effect. Accordingly, the present approach provided an efficient strategy for fabricating outstanding multiple-shape-memory polymers, which may exhibit a promising application in the fields of biomedical devices, sensors and actuators, and so forth

Table_1_Effects of a novel microbial fermentation medium produced by Tremella aurantialba SCT-F3 on cigar filler leaf.DOCX

IntroductionAdding a fermentation medium is an effective way to improve the quality of cigar tobacco leaves.MethodsA novel microbial fermentation medium produced by an edible medicinal fungus, Tremella aurantialba SCT-F3 (CGMCC No.23831) was used to improve the quality of cigar filler leaves (CFLs). Changes in sensory quality, chemical components, volatile flavor compounds (VFCs), and the structure and function of microbes were investigated during the fermentation process.ResultsThe sensory quality of CFLs supplemented with the T. aurantialba SCT-F3 fermentation medium significantly improved. Adding the fermentation medium increased the total alkaloid, reducing sugar, total sugar, and 12 VFCs significantly. A total of 31 microbial genera were significantly enriched, which increased the microbial community’s richness and diversity. Microbial functions increased, including nucleotide biosynthesis, amino acid biosynthesis, fatty acid and lipid biosynthesis, nicotine degradation, and nicotinate degradation. During fermentation, the total alkaloid, reducing sugar, and total sugar content decreased. The richness and diversity of the microbial community decreased, whereas bacterial enzyme activity increased. At the end of fermentation, the sensory quality was excellent. The microbial structure gradually stabilized, and functional genes were low. The contents of the four Maillard reaction products and three nicotine degradation products increased significantly. 2-Ethyl-6-methylpyrazine, methylpyrazine, D,L-anatabine, β-nicotyrine, nicotinic degradation products, and total nitrogen were significantly and positively correlated with sensory quality. Methylpyrazine, D,L-anatabine, and β-nicotyrine were negatively correlated with Luteimonas, Mitochondria, Paracoccus, Stemphylium, and Stenotrophomonas.ConclusionThis research provides not only a new microbial fermentation medium that utilizes edible and medicinal fungi to improve the quality of fermented CFLs, but also new ideas for the development and application of other edible medicinal fungi to improve the quality of cigar tobacco leaves.</p

Additional file 6: of TNFα induces Ca2+ influx to accelerate extrinsic apoptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma cells

Figure S5. The role of TNFα-mediated Ca2+ influx in normal hepatic cells. (a) and (c) Confocal microscope analysis of [Ca2+]c level using fluorescent probe Fura-2/AM in QSG-7701 cells with treatment as indicated. TNFα: 100 ng/mL; siTRPM7: siRNA target TRPM7. (b) qRT-PCR and western blot analysis of TRPM7 mRNA and protein expression levels in QSG-7701 cells transfected with siRNA as indicated. (d) Analysis of Calpain activity after TNFα stimulation for 4 h in QSG-7701 cells with treatment as indicated. Data were shown as mean ± SD. All experiments were performed at least three times. * P < 0.05; ** P < 0.01. (JPEG 664 kb

Additional file 2: of TNFα induces Ca2+ influx to accelerate extrinsic apoptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma cells

Figure S1. (a) and (b) The relative mRNA and protein expression of TNFR1 and TNFR2 measured by qRT-PCR or Western Blot in SNU739 and HLF cells. (c) and (d) qRT-PCR and Western Blot analysis of TNFR1 and TNFR2 mRNA and protein expression levels in SNU739 and HLF cells transfected with siRNA as indicated. (e) TNFR1 protein expression were determined by Co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP) and western blot in HCC cells as described. (f) and (g) qRT-PCR and western blot analysis of TRPM7 mRNA and protein expression levels in SNU739 and HLF cells transfected with siRNA as indicated. (h) The relative mRNA expression levels of TRPC1, TRPC6, TRPM2, TRPM3, TRPM7, TRPV4, TRPV5, TRPV6, TRPP2, and TRPP5 in HCC tumor tissues were analyzed in public microarray data TCGA downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. (i) The interaction effects between TNFα and TRPM7 were determined by Co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP) and western blot in HCC cells as described. Data were shown as mean ± SD. All experiments were performed at least three times. * P < 0.05; ** P < 0.01. (JPEG 945 kb

Additional file 5: of TNFα induces Ca2+ influx to accelerate extrinsic apoptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma cells

Figure S4. The level of extracellular calcium influx is positively correlated with TNFα-mediated apoptosis. (a) Confocal microscope analysis of [Ca2+]c level using fluorescent probe Fura-2/AM in 10 kinds of HCC cells with treatment as indicated. (b) Apoptosis analysis by flow cytometry 24 h after treatment as indicated. All experiments were performed at least three times. (ZIP 2184 kb

Additional file 1: of TNFÎą induces Ca2+ influx to accelerate extrinsic apoptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma cells

Supplemental materials and Methods. Table S1. Primary antibodies used for western blot. Table S2. Sequence of primers and siRNA. Table S3. Public datasets used for bioinformatic analysis. (DOC 97 kb

Additional file 4: of TNFα induces Ca2+ influx to accelerate extrinsic apoptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma cells

Figure S3. Cytosolic Ca2+ sensitized HCC cells to TNFα-induced apoptosis. (a) Apoptosis analysis by flow cytometry 24 h after treatment as indicated. (b) and (c) Confocal microscope analysis of [Ca2+]c level using fluorescent probe Fura-2/AM in HLF and QSG-7701 cells with treatment as indicated. TNFα (50 ng/mL) + Iono: 50 ng/mL TNFα combined with 1 μM ionomycin, TNFα (100 ng/mL) + Iono: 100 ng/mL TNFα combined with 1 μM ionomycin, TNFα (200 ng/mL) + Iono: 200 ng/mL TNFα combined with 1 μM ionomycin. TNFα (50 ng/mL) + IP3: 50 ng/mL TNFα combined with 10 μM IP3; TNFα (100 ng/mL) + IP3: 100 ng/mL TNFα combined with 10 μM IP3; TNFα (200 ng/mL) + IP3: 200 ng/mL TNFα combined with 10 μM IP3; (d)-(f) Apoptosis analysis by flow cytometry 24 h after treatment as indicated. Data were shown as mean ± SD. All experiments were performed at least three times. * P < 0.05; ** P < 0.01. (ZIP 2448 kb