Early quantification of anti-CD19 CAR T cells by flow cytometry predicts response in R/R DLBCL

CAR T cells; Flow cytometryCèl·lules T CAR; Citometria de fluxCélulas T CAR; Citometría de flujoThe work was supported by a German Research Council research grant provided within the Sonderforschungsbereich Transregio SFB-TRR 388/1 2021 452881907, and German Research Council research grant 451580403 (M.S.). The work was further supported by the Bavarian Elite Graduate Training Network (M.S. and G.B.), the Wilhelm Sander-Stiftung (M.S.) (project no. 2018.087.1), the Else Kröner-Fresenius-Stiftung (V.B., K.R., V.L.B., and M.S.), the German Cancer Consortium (V.B.), the German Cancer Aid (F.M.) (grant 70113695), the Interdisciplinary Center for Clinical Research at the University Hospital of the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg (S.V.) (project no. D43), and the Bavarian Center for Cancer Research

Automated Spatial Brain Normalization and Hindbrain White Matter Reference Tissue Give Improved [F-18]-Florbetaben PET Quantitation in Alzheimer's Model Mice

Preclinical PET studies of 13-amyloid (A beta) accumulation are of growing importance, but comparisons between research sites require standardized and optimized methods for quantitation. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate systematically the (1) impact of an automated algorithm for spatial brain normalization, and (2) intensity scaling methods of different reference regions for A beta-PET in a large dataset of transgenic mice. PS2APP mice in a 6 week longitudinal setting (N = 37) and another set of PS2APP mice at a histologically assessed narrow range of A beta burden (N = 40) were investigated by florbetaben PET Manual spatial normalization by three readers at different training levels was performed prior to application of an automated brain spatial normalization and inter -reader agreement was assessed by Fleiss Kappa (kappa). For this method the impact of templates at different pathology stages was investigated. Four different reference regions on brain uptake normalization were used to calculate frontal cortical standardized uptake value ratios (SUVRc-rx/REF) relative to raw SUVCTX. Results were compared on the basis of longitudinal stability (Cohen's d), and in reference to gold standard histopathological quantitation (Pearson's R). Application of an automated brain spatial normalization resulted in nearly perfect agreement (all If kappa >= 0.99) between different readers, with constant or improved correlation with histology. Templates based on inappropriate pathology stage resulted in up to 2.9% systematic bias for SUVRc-Fx, /REF " All SUVRG-Fx, /REF methods performed better than SUVGTx both with regard to longitudinal stability (d >= 1.21 vs. d = 0.23) and histological gold standard agreement (R >= 0.66 vs. R >= 0.31). Voxel-wise analysis suggested a physiologically implausible longitudinal decrease by global mean scaling. The hindbrain white matter reference (R-mean = 0.75

Theta-polymers in crowded media under the stretching force

We study the peculiarities of stretching of globular polymer macromolecules in a disordered (crowded) environment, using the model of self-attracting self-avoiding walks on site-diluted percolative lattices in space dimensions d=3. Applying the pruned-enriched Rosenbluth chain-growth method (PERM), we construct the phase diagram of collapsed-extended state coexistence when varying temperature and stretching force. The change in shape characteristics of globular polymers under stretching is analyzed as well.Comment: 10 page

GrassPlot - a database of multi-scale plant diversity in Palaearctic grasslands

GrassPlot is a collaborative vegetation-plot database organised by the Eurasian Dry Grassland Group (EDGG) and listed in the Global Index of Vegetation-Plot Databases (GIVD ID EU-00-003). GrassPlot collects plot records (releves) from grasslands and other open habitats of the Palaearctic biogeographic realm. It focuses on precisely delimited plots of eight standard grain sizes (0.0001; 0.001;... 1,000 m(2)) and on nested-plot series with at least four different grain sizes. The usage of GrassPlot is regulated through Bylaws that intend to balance the interests of data contributors and data users. The current version (v. 1.00) contains data for approximately 170,000 plots of different sizes and 2,800 nested-plot series. The key components are richness data and metadata. However, most included datasets also encompass compositional data. About 14,000 plots have near-complete records of terricolous bryophytes and lichens in addition to vascular plants. At present, GrassPlot contains data from 36 countries throughout the Palaearctic, spread across elevational gradients and major grassland types. GrassPlot with its multi-scale and multi-taxon focus complements the larger international vegetationplot databases, such as the European Vegetation Archive (EVA) and the global database " sPlot". Its main aim is to facilitate studies on the scale-and taxon-dependency of biodiversity patterns and drivers along macroecological gradients. GrassPlot is a dynamic database and will expand through new data collection coordinated by the elected Governing Board. We invite researchers with suitable data to join GrassPlot. Researchers with project ideas addressable with GrassPlot data are welcome to submit proposals to the Governing Board

Impact of hydrothermal processes on the back end of the nuclear fuel cycle : from nuclear fuels treatment to pellets synthesis

Dans le cadre de l'amélioration des étapes du cycle du combustible nucléaire pour les réacteurs à eau pressurisée, des méthodes innovantes de production de combustibles nucléaires font l'objet de recherches depuis des décennies. Elles sont le plus souvent basées sur la synthèse de précurseurs qui sont convertis en oxyde par traitement thermique ultérieur. Les pastilles de combustibles nucléaires issus du retraitement sont ensuite mises en forme par pressage à froid et frittage à haute température. Une faible surface spécifique, une teneur élevée en carbone résiduel ou une morphologie inadaptée aux pastillage peuvent compliquer le processus de frittage et entraîner une hétérogénéité dans la distribution des cations des combustibles d'oxydes mixtes. L'une des stratégies permettant d'améliorer les propriétés de la poudre pourrait être l'utilisation de la nanotechnologie.Au cours de ce travail, une voie de production d’oxyde d’actinides alternative, basée sur la précipitation oxalique des actinides et la conversion hydrothermale ultérieure des précurseurs en oxydes de taille nanométrique a été étudiée. Pour la formation de PuO2 par cette méthode, les conditions de réaction telles que la température et le temps de traitement ont été étudiées afin de définir l’influence de ces paramètres sur les propriétés structurales et morphologiques des poudres obtenues. Une comparaison entre un traitement hydrothermal et un traitement thermique conventionnel a été établi concernant la morphologie et la teneur en carbone résiduel des oxydes obtenus. En outre, la croissance cristalline de AnO2 (An = U, Np et Pu) synthétisés par décomposition hydrothermale des oxalates d'An(IV) correspondant a été analysée par HT-DRX et les mécanismes de diffusion impliqués ainsi que les énergies d'activation et les coefficients de diffusion ont été déterminés. Finalement, la pertinence du processus hydrothermal pour d'autres étapes du cycle du combustible nucléaire a été examinée en plus de la production de poudre d'AnO2 à l'échelle nanométriqueIn the context of improving the stages of the nuclear fuel cycle for water pressurized reactors, innovative methods for the production of nuclear fuel have been the subject of research for decades. The synthesis of precursors that are converted to oxides by subsequent heat treatment can result in some drawbacks, such as a low specific surface area, high residual carbon content, or a platelet-like morphology, which can complicate the shaping and sintering at high temperatures of reprocessed nuclear fuels, leading to heterogeneity in the cation distribution of mixed oxide fuels. One strategy to improve the powder properties could be the use of nanotechnology.In this work, an alternative production route based on the oxalic precipitation of the actinides and the subsequent hydrothermal conversion of the precursors into nano-sized actinide oxides has been investigated. For the formation of PuO2 by this method, the reaction conditions such as temperature and treatment time were studied in order to define the influence of these two parameters on the structural and morphological properties of the powders. The properties of the final product obtained by hydrothermal treatment were compared with those of the powders produced by the conventional process, focusing on morphology and residual carbon content. Furthermore, the crystal growth of AnO2 (An = U, Np and Pu) synthesized by hydrothermal decomposition of the corresponding An(IV) oxalates was analyzed by HT-XRD and the diffusion mechanisms involved as well as the activation energies and diffusion coefficients were determined. Finally, the suitability of the hydrothermal process for other steps in the nuclear fuel cycle was examined in addition to the production of nanoscale AnO2 powder

Fabrication of Flexible Multilayer Composite Capacitors Using Inkjet Printing

This paper shows a straightforward method for printing multilayer composite capacitors with three dielectric layers on flexible substrates. As known from multilayer ceramic chip capacitors (MLCCs), it is possible to create a parallel connection of the layers without enlarging the needed area. Hence, the overall capacitance is increased, as the capacitances of the single dielectric layers add up. To realize printed capacitors, a special ceramic/polymer composite ink is used. The ink consists of surface-modified Ba0.6Sr0.4TiO3 (BST), a polymeric crosslinking agent and a thermal initiator, which allows an immediate polymerization of the ink, leading to very homogenous layers. The dielectric behavior of the capacitors is examined for each completed dielectric layer (via impedance spectroscopy) so that the changes with every following layer can be analyzed. It is demonstrated that the concept works, and capacitors with up to 3420 pF were realized (permittivity of ~40). However, it was also shown that the biggest challenge is the printing of the needed silver electrodes. They show a strong coffee stain effect, leading to thicker edge areas, which are difficult to overprint. Only with the help of printed supporting structures was it possible to lower the failure rate when printing thin dielectric layers

Grain growth of NpO2 and UO2 nanocrystals

International audienceWe report on the crystallite growth of nanometric NpO2 and UO2 powders. The AnO2 nanoparticles (An = U and Np) were synthesized by hydrothermal decomposition of the corresponding actinide(IV) oxalates. NpO2 powder was isothermally annealed between 950 °C and 1150 °C and UO2 between 650 °C and 1000 °C. The crystallite growth was then followed by high-temperature X-ray diffraction (HT-XRD). The activation energies for the growth of crystallites of UO2 and NpO2 were determined to be 264(26) kJ mol−1 and 442(32) kJ mol−1, respectively, with a growth exponent n = 4. The value of the exponent n and the low activation energy suggest that the crystalline growth is rate-controlled by the mobility of the pores, which migrate by atomic diffusion along the pore surfaces. We could thus estimate the cation self-diffusion coefficient along the surface in UO2, NpO2 and PuO2. While data for surface diffusion coefficients for NpO2 and PuO2 are lacking in the literature, the comparison with literature data for UO2 supports further the hypothesis of a surface diffusion controlled growth mechanism