AVALIAÇÃO DAS TÉCNICAS DE DETERMINAÇÃO DE NITROGÊNIO POR CROMATOGRAFIA IÔNICA (IC) E POR TEOR DE NITROGÊNIO TOTAL (TN) POR QUIMILUMINESCÊNCIA

A determinação de nitrogênio pode ser feita por diferentes técnicas, tais como Kjedahl, Nitrogênio Total (NT) por quimioluminescência, cromatografia iônica (IC), entre outras. A determinação do nitrogênio total proposta por Kjeldahl em 1883, ainda é muito usada por ser uma técnica confiável, porém, tem a desvantagem de gerar resíduos e ter o tempo de análise elevado. Desse modo, outras técnicas recentes podem ser usadas para determinar o nitrogênio, reduzindo os resíduos e tempo de análise. A luminescência é o fenômeno caracterizado pela emissão de luz de uma molécula que estava no seu estado excitado. A quimioluminescência é amplamente utilizada para determinar a concentração dos óxidos de nitrogênio nos gases de combustão. Já a cromatografia iônica é uma variante da cromatografia líquida que utiliza resinas de troca iônica para separar íons atômicos ou moleculares com base na sua interação com a resina. Dessa forma, este trabalho tem o objetivo de comparar as técnicas de IC e de quimioluminescência para a determinação de nitrogênio em amostras aquosas. Para isso, foram feitos padrões de nitrogênio e as amostras foram avaliadas nas duas técnicas. Verificou-se o tempo de análise, bem como o preparo da amostra. Também foi verificada a linearidade da curva em cada técnica. Como resultado, foi visto que ambas apresentaram dados satisfatórios e resultados semelhantes

Avaliação das técnicas de determinação de Nitrogênio por cromatografia iônica (IC) e por teor de nitrogênio total (TN) por quimiluminescência

A determinação de nitrogênio pode ser feita por diferentes técnicas, tais como Kjedahl, Nitrogênio Total (NT) por quimioluminescência, cromatografia iônica (IC), entre outras. A determinação do nitrogênio total proposta por Kjeldahl em 1883, ainda é muito usada por ser uma técnica confiável, porém, tem a desvantagem de gerar resíduos e ter o tempo de análise elevado. Desse modo, outras técnicas recentes podem ser usadas para determinar o nitrogênio, reduzindo os resíduos e tempo de análise. A luminescência é o fenômeno caracterizado pela emissão de luz de uma molécula que estava no seu estado excitado. A quimioluminescência é amplamente utilizada para determinar a concentração dos óxidos de nitrogênio nos gases de combustão. Já a cromatografia iônica é uma variante da cromatografia líquida que utiliza resinas de troca iônica para separar íons atômicos ou moleculares com base na sua interação com a resina. Dessa forma, este trabalho tem o objetivo de comparar as técnicas de IC e de quimioluminescência para a determinação de nitrogênio em amostras aquosas. Para isso, foram feitos padrões de nitrogênio e as amostras foram avaliadas nas duas técnicas. Verificou-se o tempo de análise, bem como o preparo da amostra. Também foi verificada a linearidade da curva em cada técnica. Como resultado, foi visto que ambas apresentaram dados satisfatórios e resultados semelhantes

Accounting for multiple ecosystem services in a simulation of land‐use decisions: Does it reduce tropical deforestation?

Conversion of tropical forests is among the primary causes of global environmental change. The loss of their important environmental services has prompted calls to integrate ecosystem services (ES) in addition to socio-economic objectives in decisionmaking. To test the effect of accounting for both ES and socio-economic objectives in land-use decisions, we develop a new dynamic approach to model deforestation scenarios for tropical mountain forests. We integrate multi-objective optimization of land allocation with an innovative approach to consider uncertainty spaces for each objective. These uncertainty spaces account for potential variability among decisionmakers, who may have different expectations about the future. When optimizing only socio-economic objectives, the model continues the past trend in deforestation (1975–2015) in the projected land-use allocation (2015–2070). Based on indicators for biomass production, carbon storage, climate and water regulation, and soil quality, we show that considering multiple ES in addition to the socio-economic objectives has heterogeneous effects on land-use allocation. It saves some natural forest if the natural forest share is below 38%, and can stop deforestation once the natural forest share drops below 10%. For landscapes with high shares of forest (38%–80% in our study), accounting for multiple ES under high uncertainty of their indicators may, however, accelerate deforestation. For such multifunctional landscapes, two main effects prevail: (a) accelerated expansion of diversified non-natural areas to elevate the levels of the indicators and (b) increased landscape diversification to maintain multiple ES, reducing the proportion of natural forest. Only when accounting for vascular plant species richness as an explicit objective in the optimization, deforestation was consistently reduced. Aiming for multifunctional landscapes may therefore conflict with the aim of reducing deforestation, which we can quantify here for the first time. Our findings are relevant for identifying types of landscapes where this conflict may arise and to better align respective policies

Community-developed checklists for publishing images and image analysis

Images document scientific discoveries and are prevalent in modern biomedical research. Microscopy imaging in particular is currently undergoing rapid technological advancements. However for scientists wishing to publish the obtained images and image analyses results, there are to date no unified guidelines. Consequently, microscopy images and image data in publications may be unclear or difficult to interpret. Here we present community-developed checklists for preparing light microscopy images and image analysis for publications. These checklists offer authors, readers, and publishers key recommendations for image formatting and annotation, color selection, data availability, and for reporting image analysis workflows. The goal of our guidelines is to increase the clarity and reproducibility of image figures and thereby heighten the quality of microscopy data is in publications.Comment: 28 pages, 8 Figures, 3 Supplmentary Figures, Manuscript, Essential recommendations for publication of microscopy image dat

First record of Hesperomyces virescens (Laboulbeniales, Ascomycota) on Harmonia axyridis (Coccinellidae, Coleoptera) in Poland

Hesperomyces virescens Thaxt. is a fungal parasite of coccinellid beetles. One of its hosts is the invasive harlequin ladybird Harmonia axyridis (Pallas). We present the first records of this combination from Poland

In vitro generated dendritic cells of leukemic origin predict response to allogeneic stem cell transplantation in patients with AML and MDS

Allogeneic stem cell transplantation (alloSCT) is the treatment of choice for many patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndrome. The presentation of leukemic or allospecific antigens by malignant blasts is regarded as a crucial trigger for an effective allogeneic immune response. Conversely, insufficient stimulatory capacity by the leukemic blasts is thought to be a relevant escape mechanism from cellular immunotherapy (alloSCT). Our purpose was to test, whether the ability of malignant blasts to differentiate in vitro toward dendritic cells of leukemic origin (DCleu) is associated with clinical outcome. We isolated leukemic blasts from peripheral blood or bone marrow of AML and myelodysplastic syndrome patients before alloSCT (n=47) or at relapse after alloSCT (n=22). A panel of 6 different assays was used to generate DCleu in vitro. Results were correlated with clinical outcome. DCleu could be generated from all 69 samples. Significantly higher mean frequencies of DCleu were found in clinical long-term responders versus nonresponders to SCT (76.8% vs. 58.8%, P=0.006). Vice versa, the chance for response to SCT was significantly higher, if a DCleu+/dendritic cells (DC) ratio of >50% could be reached in vitro (P=0.004). Those patients were characterized by a longer time to relapse (P=0.04) and by a higher probability for leukemia-free survival (P=0.005). In vitro generation of DC and DCleu from leukemic blasts correlated with the clinical outcome. This observation may support a role of leukemic antigen presentation by "leukemia-derived DC" for the stimulation of an allogeneic immune response in AML

Staphylococcal serine protease-like proteins are pacemakers of allergic airway reactions to Staphylococcus aureus.

A substantial subgroup of asthmatic patients have "nonallergic" or idiopathic asthma, which often takes a severe course and is difficult to treat. The cause might be allergic reactions to the gram-positive pathogen Staphylococcus aureus, a frequent colonizer of the upper airways. However, the driving allergens of S aureus have remained elusive

CAR-T cells and TRUCKs that recognize an EBNA-3C-derived epitope presented on HLA-B*35 control Epstein-Barr virus-associated lymphoproliferation

Background Immunosuppressive therapy or T-cell depletion in transplant patients can cause uncontrolled growth of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-infected B cells resulting in post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease (PTLD). Current treatment options do not distinguish between healthy and malignant B cells and are thereby often limited by severe side effects in the already immunocompromised patients. To specifically target EBV-infected B cells, we developed a novel peptide-selective chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) based on the monoclonal antibody Tu165 which recognizes an Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen (EBNA)-3C-derived peptide in HLA-B*35 context in a T-cell receptor (TCR)-like manner. In order to attract additional immune cells to proximity of PTLD cells, based on the Tu165 CAR, we moreover generated T cells redirected for universal cytokine-mediated killing (TRUCKs), which induce interleukin (IL)-12 release on target contact. Methods Tu165-based CAR-T cells (CAR-Ts) and TRUCKs with inducible IL-12 expression in an all-in-one construct were generated. Functionality of the engineered cells was assessed in co-cultures with EBNA-3C-peptide-loaded, HLA-B*35-expressing K562 cells and EBV-infected B cells as PTLD model. IL-12, secreted by TRUCKs on target contact, was further tested for its chemoattractive and activating potential towards monocytes and natural killer (NK) cells. Results After co-cultivation with EBV target cells, Tu165 CAR-Ts and TRUCKs showed an increased activation marker expression (CD137, CD25) and release of proinflammatory cytokines (interferon-gamma and tumor necrosis factor-alpha). Moreover, Tu165 CAR-Ts and TRUCKs released apoptosis-inducing mediators (granzyme B and perforin) and were capable to specifically lyse EBV-positive target cells. Live cell imaging revealed a specific attraction of Tu165 CAR-Ts around EBNA-3C-peptide-loaded target cells. Of note, Tu165 TRUCKs with inducible IL-12 showed highly improved effector functions and additionally led to recruitment of monocyte and NK cell lines. Conclusions Our results demonstrate that Tu165 CAR-Ts recognize EBV peptide/HLA complexes in a TCR-like manner and thereby allow for recognizing an intracellular EBV target. Tu165 TRUCKs equipped with inducible IL-12 expression responded even more effectively and released IL-12 recruited additional immune cells which are generally missing in proximity of lymphoproliferation in immunocompromised PTLD patients. This suggests a new and promising strategy to specifically target EBV-infected cells while sparing and mobilizing healthy immune cells and thereby enable control of EBV-associated lymphoproliferation