Designing porous and stable Au coating Ni nanosheets based Ni foam for quasi-symmetric polymer Li–air Batteries

Li–air cells have aroused intense interest because of ultra-high specific energy, but their practical application is still hindered by many problems, such as slurry reaction kinetics and serious parasitic reaction...

The Roll of Toll-like Receptors in the Stem Cell Inflammatory Response

Background: Toll-like receptors serve as ligands for LPS and other inflammatory mediators. Previous studies have shown that TLR4 is deleterious, while TLR9 is beneficial in the setting of inflammation and ischemia. Umbilical stem cells (USCs) have shown promise in the acute treatment of inflammation but their response to inflammatory mediators has not been fully elucidated. We hypothesized that knockdown of TLR4 in USCs would result in lower levels of IL-6 and VEGF production, while knockdown of TLR9 would produce higher levels of these cytokines when cells were exposed to LPS or hypoxia. Methods: USCs were cultured in polystyrene flasks in Mesenpro media at 37C in 5% CO2 in air. Cells were plated into 12-well plates at a concentration of 100,000 cells/well. Cells were transfected for 24h with siRNA to knockdown TLR4 and TLR9, respectively. Knockdown was confirmed by PCR. Experimental groups were: 1) Control, 2) Scramble siRNA for negative control, 3) TLR4 siRNA and 4) TLR9 siRNA. After 24 hours the media was changed and cells were exposed to either LPS (200ng/ml) or 5% oxygen for 24 hours. The supernatant was then collected and analyzed with ELISA for VEGF and IL-6. Data were analyzed by Mann Whitney test and p<0.05 was significant. Results: TLR4 and TLR9 were effectively knocked down by the transfection process. However, no significant levels of VEGF or IL-6 were detected from any of the experimental groups. Conclusion and Implications: Although no significant levels of VEGF or IL-6 were detected in the ELISA after exposure to inflammatory agents, there is still indication that TLR4 and TLR9 play critical roles in inflammation. The experiment should be run again and tested for more inflammatory cytokines. Positive results from this study can translate to an in vivo model, in which engineered TLR4KD stem cells have the potential to minimize tissue inflammation and beyond standard cell therapy. Acknowledgement: This project was funded, in part, with support from the Indiana Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute funded, in part by UL1TR002529 from the National Institutes of Health. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

Cone Beam CT Analysis of Haller Cells: Prevalence and Relationship with Orbital Floor Dehiscence

Background and aim: Haller cells arise from anterior ethmoid air cells and are located in the medial orbital floor, lateral to the maxillary infundibulum. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to determine the prevalence of the Haller cells and its relationship with orbital floor dehiscence on cone beam CT images. Materials and Methods CBCT images of 120 patients were interpreted in coronal plane for the presence of Haller cells and orbital floor dehiscence. The prevalence of Haller cell, presence of dehiscence, unilateral or bilateral frequency were assessed. In addition, the size were categorized in three groups of small, medium and large. Chi-square and Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel tests were used for statistical analysis of the data and p<0.05 was considered to be significant. Results A total of 51 male and 69 female with Mean±SD age of 38.84±68.14 were assessed. The overall prevalence of Haller cells was 56.7%, of which 44 (64.7%) were unilateral and 24 were bilateral (35.3%). The majority of the cells (70.7%) were seen in medium (2-4mm) sized. There was a significant association between Haller cells and orbital floor dehiscence (p=0.002). Conclusion The prevalence of Haller cells was remarkably high and presence of Haller cells was strongly associated with ipsilateral orbital floor dehiscence. Based on the findings of this study, CBCT can be useful in delineation of the bony anatomy of sinonasal complex.

816 Selective immune suppression using interleukin-6 blockade in immune related adverse events

BackgroundManaging immune-related adverse events (irAEs) has become a critical challenge with the increasing implementation of immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in cancer treatment. IrAEs may cause treatment interruption or discontinuation, the rate of which is higher with multi-agent ICI regimen needed to overcome resistant tumor microenvironment. Herein, we describe our clinical experience using interleukin-6 receptor antagonists (IL-6RA) to manage irAEs in cancer patients receiving ICIs.MethodsWe conducted a retrospective, multi-center study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of IL-6RA for irAE management. Eligible patients were identified from the institutional databases (pharmacy records, tumor registries, oncology and specialty clinic records for diagnosis and management of irAEs). The primary objective was assessing changes in irAE symptoms. The secondary objective was assessing overall response rate (ORR) before and after IL-6RA treatment.ResultsA total of 81 patients received an IL-6RA (tocilizumab or sarilumab); median age was 66 years, 41% were females, 70% received single-agent anti-PD-1 and 23% received nivolumab plus ipilimumab. Cancer types were primarily melanoma (44%), genitourinary cancer (37%), and lung cancer (8.6%). Indications for using IL-6RA were inflammatory arthritis (74%), polymyalgia rheumatica (6%), myositis/myocarditis/myasthenia gravis (5%) encephalitis (5%), and 1% each with pneumonitis, colitis, hepatitis, central nervous system vasculitis, oral mucositis, and flare of pre-existing myasthenia gravis, psoriasis, and Crohn's disease. Notably, 83 % of patients received corticosteroids as first-line therapy, and 29% received disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs, without improvement. After initiation of IL-6RA, improvement of irAEs was observed in 78% after a median of 2.1 months. Of evaluable patients with inflammatory arthritis, the median clinical disease activity index (CDAI) at IL-6RA initiation was 28, indicating high disease activity, and dropped to 6 after treatment, indicating low disease activity. The median CRP level at IL-6RA initiation was 59.5 mg/L and dropped to 1.5 mg/L within 10 weeks of treatment. Seventy-two patients tolerated IL-6RA, and nine stopped treatment due to side effects. Thirty-eight patients were evaluated for tumor response by RECIST 1.1 criteria; the ORR was 58% prior to IL-6RA and 66% after treatment. Of 21 evaluable melanoma patients, the ORR was 62% prior to IL-6RA compared to 71% after treatment (figure 1).ConclusionsOur study demonstrated that targeting IL-6R could be an effective approach to mitigate autoimmunity while maintaining and possibly boosting tumor immunity. Clinical trials are currently evaluating the safety and efficacy of tocilizumab in combination with ICIs in patients with melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer, and urothelial carcinoma (NCT04940299, NCT03999749).Ethics ApprovalThe study was approved by The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center intuition's Ethics Board, approval number PA19-0089Abstract 816 Figure 1A patient with sinonasal malignant melanoma involving the ethmoid air cells. (A) Baseline maximum intensity projection (MIP) PET image at 1 month before initiation of ICI (ipilimumab and nivolumab) shows avid FDG uptake of the tumor at the ethmoid air cells (arrow). (B) MIP PET image at 7 months after ICI initiation shows resolution of the FDG uptake at the site of the tumor, consistent with complete response. (C) Concurrent MIP PET and corresponding fused PET-CT images 7 months after initiation of ICI show avid radiotracer uptake at the knee joints, suggestive of arthritis. (D) MIP PET image at 10 months after concomitant therapy with IL6R antagonist and nivolumab shows persistent absence of hypermetabolic radiotracer activity at the paranasal sinuses, consistent with complete response. (E) Concurrent MIP PET and corresponding fused PET-CT images show physiologic radiotracer uptake at the knee joints, consistent with resolving arthritis.

Synergistic Manipulation of Zero-Dimension and One-Dimension Hybrid Nanofillers in Multi-Layer Two-Dimension Thin Films to Construct Light Weight Electromagnetic Interference Material

Nanocomposite foam with a large expansion ratio and thin cell walls is promising for electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding materials, due to the low electromagnetic (EM) reflection and high EM absorption. To overcome the dimensional limitation from two-dimension (2D) thin walls on the construction of conductive network, a strategy combining hybrid conductive nanofillers in semi-crystalline matrix together with supercritical CO2 (scCO2) foaming was applied: (1) one-dimension (1D) CNTs with moderate aspect ratio was used to minimize the dimensional confinement from 2D thin walls while constructing the main EM absorbing network; (2) zero-dimension (0D) carbon black (CB) with no dimensional confinement was used to connect the separated CNTs in thin walls and to expand the EM absorbing network; (3) scCO2 foaming was applied to obtain a cellular structure with multi-layer thin walls and a large amount of air cells to reduce the reflected EM; (4) semi-crystalline polymer was selected so that the rheological behavior could be adjusted by optimizing crystallization and filler content to regulate the cellular structure. Consequently, an advanced material featured as lightweight, high EM absorption and low EM reflection was obtained at 0.48 vol.% hybrid nanofillers and a density of 0.067 g/cm3, whose specific EMI shielding performance was 183 dB cm3/g.

Influence of Multilayer Interlocked Fabrics Structure on their Thermal Performance

This paper examines the influence of weaving variables such as yarn count, number of layers, warp and weft ratio, materials of the top layer, weft density and interlocking cell shape, and size on the thermal performance of multilayer interlocked woven fabrics. A split-plot design was used to construct a total of 64 fabric structures, which were assessed for thermal performance in terms of resistance to convective, conductive, and radiative heat. It was found that, for equal weft density and yarn number, protective performance improved with the number of fabric layers and with the presence of air cells between these layers, especially if air was not trapped within and could rather pass freely between the cells. An optimal combination of factors for the thermal response to the three types of heat was established via a Derringer–a much needed desirability function. The results of this paper are useful for identifying the interaction between configuration parameters and thermal performance, and hence for the design of improved heat protective clothing.

Characteristics of Porous Aluminium Materials Produced by Pressing Sodium Chloride into Their Melts

The paper deals with research related to the production of metal cellular aluminium systems, in which production is based on the application of sodium chloride particles. In this paper, the properties of porous aluminium materials that were produced by an unconventional method—by pressing salt particles into the melt of aluminium alloy—are described. The new methodology was developed and verified for the production of these materials. The main feature of this methodology is a hydraulic forming press and a simple-shaped foundry mould. For these purposes, four different groups of sodium chloride particle sizes (1 to 3, 3 to 5, 5 to 7 and 8 to 10 mm) were applied. The preferred aluminium foundry alloy (AlSi12) was used to produce the porous aluminium samples. Based upon this developed methodology, samples of porous aluminium materials were produced and analysed. Their weight and volume were monitored, their density and relative density were calculated, and their porosity was determined. In addition, the porosity of samples and continuity of their air cells were monitored as well. An industrial computed tomograph and a scanning electron microscope were applied for these purposes.