Fluorinated Linkers Enable High-Voltage Pyrrolidinium-based Dicationic Ionic Liquid Electrolytes.

Novel fluorinated, pyrrolidinium-based dicationic ionic liquids (FDILs) as high-performance electrolytes in energy storage devices have been prepared, displaying unprecedented electrochemical stabilities (up to 7 V); thermal stability (up to 370 °C) and ion transport (up to 1.45 mS cm). FDILs were designed with a fluorinated ether linker and paired with TFSI/FSI counterions.

Influence of Crystallization Kinetics and Flow Behavior on Structural Inhomogeneities in 3D-Printed Parts Made from Semi-Crystalline Polymers.

We report the results of a study focusing on the influence of crystallization kinetics and flow behavior on structural inhomogeneities in 3D-printed parts made from polyamide 12 (PA12) and poly(lactic acid) (PLA) by dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), fast scanning calorimetry (FSC), and wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD). Temperature-dependent WAXD measurements on the neat PLA filament reveal that PLA forms a single orthorhombic α phase during slow cooling and subsequent 2nd heating. The PA12 filament shows a well pronounced polymorphism with a reversible solid-solid phase transition between the (pseudo)hexagonal γ phase near room temperature and the monoclinic α' phase above the Brill transition temperature = 140 °C.

The selenoenzyme type I iodothyronine deiodinase: a new tumor suppressor in ovarian cancer.

The selenoenzyme type I iodothyronine deiodinase (DIO1) catalyzes removal of iodine atoms from thyroid hormones. Although DIO1 action is reported to be disturbed in several malignancies, no work has been conducted in high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSOC), the most lethal gynecologic cancer. We studied DIO1 expression in HGSOC patients [The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data and tumor tissues], human cell lines (ES-2 and Kuramochi), normal Chinese hamster ovarian cells (CHO-K1), and normal human fallopian tube cells (FT282 and FT109).

Solvent and catalyst free vitrimeric poly(ionic liquid) electrolytes.

Polymer electrolytes (PEs) are a promising alternative to overcome shortcomings of conventional lithium ion batteries (LiBs) and make them safer for users. Introduction of self-healing features in PEs additionally leads to prolonged life-time of LIBs, thus tackling cost and environmental issues. We here present solvent free, self-healable, reprocessable, thermally stable, conductive poly(ionic liquid) (PIL) consisting of pyrrolidinium-based repeating units.

Upfront surgery in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer and enlarged supradiaphragmatic lymph nodes associated with comparable to neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Background: There is little data regarding the optimal approach to advanced epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) with isolated extra-peritoneal disease in the cardiophrenic lymph nodes. This study assessed whether the prognosis and surgical outcomes are affected by the treatment approach among these patients.

Material And Methods: This retrospective cohort study included patients with advanced EOC, who were treated 2012-2020.

Proteomic signature for detection of high-grade ovarian cancer in germline BRCA mutation carriers.

No current screening methods for high-grade ovarian cancer (HGOC) guarantee effective early detection for high-risk women such as germline BRCA mutation carriers. Therefore, the standard-of-care remains risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy (RRSO) around age 40. Proximal liquid biopsy is a promising source of biomarkers, but sensitivity has not yet qualified for clinical implementation.

Germline BRCA mutation carriers are more likely to undergo cytoreductive surgery for relapsed, platinum sensitive, ovarian cancer.

Objective: BRCA mutations have been associated with improved outcomes in ovarian cancer patients. This study's objective was to compare the secondary cytoreduction surgery (SCS) rates among ovarian cancer patients by BRCA mutation status.

Methods: The study was retrospective and included platinum sensitive recurrent high grade serous ovarian cancer patients from one Canadian center and two Israeli centers from January 1999 to December 2018.

Predictors of uncommon location of sentinel nodes in endometrial and cervical cancers.

Objective: Sentinel node mapping is widely used in the treatment of gynecologic cancers. The current study aimed to identify predictors of uncommon sentinel lymph node (SLN) locations.

Methods: The current study included women who were operated for endometrial or cervical cancer with attempted sentinel lymph node mapping during surgical staging.

Phase 3, randomized, open-label study of pembrolizumab plus lenvatinib versus chemotherapy for first-line treatment of advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer: ENGOT-en9/LEAP-001.

Background: Pembrolizumab plus lenvatinib is a novel combination with promising efficacy in patients with advanced and recurrent endometrial cancer. This combination demonstrated high objective response rates in a single-arm phase 1b/2 trial of lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab in patients with advanced endometrial cancer (KEYNOTE-146/Study 111) after ≤2 previous lines of therapy. In a randomized phase 3 trial of lenvatinib in combination with pembrolizumab versus treatment of physician's choice in patients with advanced endometrial cancer (KEYNOTE-775/Study 309), after 1‒2 previous lines of therapy (including neoadjuvant/adjuvant), this combination improved objective response rates, progression-free survival, and overall survival compared with chemotherapy.

Common Origin of Filler Network Related Contributions to Reinforcement and Dissipation in Rubber Composites.

A comparative study focusing on the visco-elastic properties of two series of carbon black filled composites with natural rubber (NR) and its blends with butadiene rubber (NR-BR) as matrices is reported. Strain sweeps at different temperatures are performed. Filler network-related contributions to reinforcement (ΔG') are quantified by the classical Kraus equation while a modified Kraus equation is used to quantify different contributions to dissipation (ΔGD″, ΔGF″).

High grade, advanced, serous ovarian cancer with low serum CA125 levels.

This study compares characteristics of advanced stage, high grade serous ovarian cancer, presenting with high or low serum CA125 level. This was a retrospective cohort of 118 patients with high grade serous ovarian, fallopian tube or primary peritoneal cancer, stages IIIC-IV diagnosed from January 1 1997 through January 9 2017. Patient demographics, tumour characteristics, surgical findings, chemotherapy protocols and clinical outcomes were collected.

Time interval from biopsy to surgery and risk for adjuvant therapy in patients with low-risk endometrial cancer.

Objective: Among patients with endometrial cancer, longer wait times to surgery were associated with decreased survival. Although endometrial cancer survival rate is high, about 45% of patients receive adjuvant therapy. The aim of this study was to examine whether a longer interval from diagnosis to surgery is associated with increased need for adjuvant treatment among patients with low-risk endometrial cancer.

Tuning layered superstructures in precision polymers.

An approach to influence and control layered superstructures by varying the methylene sequence length between two consecutive functional groups in linear precision polymers containing 2,6-diaminopyridine (DAP) groups is presented. Layered superstructures with repeating units involving three monomeric units along the chain direction with very high coherence lengths upto 110 nm are observed in case of shorter alkyl segments, (16 and 18 [Formula: see text] units), while more conventional layer superstructures incorporating only one monomer are found for related polymers with 20 [Formula: see text] units per methylene sequence. A building block model explaining the unusually large periodicity of three monomeric units is proposed wherein layers containing crystalline or amorphous methylene sequences occur in different combinations.

3D Printing of Supramolecular Polymers: Impact of Nanoparticles and Phase Separation on Printability.

3D printing of linear and three-arm star supramolecular polymers with attached hydrogen bonds and their nanocomposites is reported. The concept is based on hydrogen-bonded supramolecular polymers, known to form nano-sized micellar clusters. Printability is based on reversible thermal- and shear-induced dissociation of a supramolecular polymer network, which generates stable and self-supported structures after printing, as checked via melt-rheology and X-ray scattering.

Chemotherapy Toxicity in Mutation Carriers Undergoing First-Line Platinum-Based Chemotherapy.

Objective: mutations are the most frequent mutations causing homologous recombination defects in epithelial ovarian cancers (EOC). Germline mutation carriers are heterozygous for the mutation and harbor one defective allele in all cells. This has been hypothesized to cause increased susceptibility to DNA damage in healthy cells as well as neoplastic ones.

Conservative management for postmenopausal women with tubo-ovarian abscess.

Objectives: The aim of the study was to describe the experience of one institution in management and outcome of tubo-ovarian abscess (TOA) in pre- and postmenopausal women and to reassess the optimal approach for TOA in postmenopausal women.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study included women diagnosed with TOA between 2003 and 2017 in a tertiary referral center. TOA was diagnosed by sonography or computerized tomography and at least one of the following criteria: temperature more than 38°C, leukocytosis more than 15,000 mm, or surgically proven disease.

Microvesicle Proteomic Profiling of Uterine Liquid Biopsy for Ovarian Cancer Early Detection.

High-grade ovarian cancer (HGOC) is the leading cause of mortality from gynecological malignancies, because of diagnosis at a metastatic stage. Current screening options fail to improve mortality because of the absence of early-stage-specific biomarkers. We postulated that a liquid biopsy, such as utero-tubal lavage (UtL), may identify localized lesions better than systemic approaches of serum/plasma analysis.

Impact of adjuvant treatment on outcome in high-risk early-stage endometrial cancer: a retrospective three-center study.

Objective: High grade and non-endometrioid endometrial cancers carry a poor prognosis, and the lack of randomized prospective data has led to a wide range of practice regarding adjuvant therapy. The objective of this study was to evaluate the outcomes of different treatment strategies in patients with high-risk, early-stage endometrial cancer.

Methods: Patients with high-grade endometrioid, serous endometrial cancer and carcinosarcoma diagnosed between 2000 and 2012 were identified from databases in three gynecologic oncology divisions, in Toronto and in Israel.

Foundation of the Outstanding Toughness in Biomimetic and Natural Spider Silk.

Spider dragline silk is distinguished through the highest toughness of all natural as well as artificial fiber materials. To unravel the toughness's molecular foundation and to enable manufacturing biomimetic analogues, we investigated the morphological and functional structure of recombinant fibers, which exhibit toughness similar to that of the natural template, on the molecular scale by means of vibrational spectroscopy and on the mesoscale by X-ray scattering. Whereas the former was used to identify protein secondary structures and their alignment in the natural as well as artificial silks, the latter revealed nanometer-sized crystallites on the higher structural level.

Fertility preservation in women with borderline ovarian tumors - how does it impact disease outcome? A cohort study.

Introduction: Borderline ovarian tumors are typically indolent neoplasms. Since many are diagnosed in younger women, fertility conservation is an important consideration and has been advocated based on retrospective data. The objective of this study was to identify features impacting on recurrence and survival in a series of borderline ovarian tumors, and to assess the safety of a fertility-sparing approach.