How to evaluate applications of nanotechnology for the packaging of organic food

How to evaluate applications of nanotechnology for the packaging of organic foo

Radiation, risk perception and raw material exploration: science communication and social license

Poster presented at VMSG 2020. The book of abstracts for this meeting is available from VMSG via the link in this recordWithin our modern world, high-tech communications and low carbon energy and transport are growing the need for raw materials. Alkaline rocks and carbonatites are key sources for such raw materials. However, most alkaline rock and carbonatite-related ore deposits contain hundreds of parts per million thorium and smaller amounts of uranium. Therefore, radiation can be a key hazard at exploration and mine sites. Our study of publically available data on radiation levels at exploration projects and mines, compared with records of protests associated with these sites, shows that: - Radiation levels in ore deposits, waste materials and by-products from mines vary considerably between different sites. - Protests about exploration projects and mines are associated with a wide range of concerns, sometimes, but not always, including radiation. - In some cases high levels of radiation-related concern are found at sites with lower radiation levels. - Insufficient trust and community engagement are repeatedly associated with protests associated with exploration and mine sites. Perception of radiation risk is important and needs to be addressed at all exploration projects in alkaline rocks and carbonatites. Background levels of radiation and concentrations of uranium and thorium in ore should be published as early as possible in exploration, even if these levels are low. No information is likely to lead to assumption of a problem. More broadly, best practices for good community – company relations and communication echo the best practice lessons learned in volcanic and other risk management scenarios and reflect the wider issues about science engagement and communication. Trust development, community engagement and transparency are essential in all cases and are key to effective relationships between communities and specialists working together in many circumstances. Acknowledgement: This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (grant agreement no. 689909).European Union Horizon 202

Intratumoral CD8⁺ T cells with stem cell-like properties: Implications for cancer immunotherapy.

Intratumoral PD-1 <sup>+</sup> TCF1 <sup>+</sup> CD8 <sup>+</sup> T cells with stem cell-like properties mediate cellular expansion and tumor control in response to immunotherapy

Microangiopathy of cutaneous blood and lymphatic capillaries in chronic venous insufficiency (CVI).

The severity of microangiopathy in patients with chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) determines the extent of the trophic disturbances of the skin. Resulting from valvular incompetence of deep and/or perforating veins and the accompanying venous outflow obstruction caused by deep venous thrombosis (DVT), the increased ambulatory venous pressure heads are transmitted retrograde into the microvasculature of the skin at the ankle region. In the present study, we have assessed the changes in the cutaneous microvasculature by dynamic fluorescence video microscopy, fluorescence microlymphography, and transcutaneous oxygen tension (tcPO2) measurements. In mild forms of CVI, capillary density, morphologic characteristics, and tcPO2 are still normal. Fluorescent light intensity is, however, significantly increased, indicating an increased transcapillary diffusion of sodium fluorescein (NaF) as a marker for enhanced leakage of the capillaries in the early stage of the disease. The pericapillary halo diameters are significantly enlarged, compared to controls (p < 0.01). In the severe stages of CVI and in patients with venous ulcers, capillary thromboses, probably caused by endothelium-blood cell interactions, may lead to a reduced capillary density. In order to enlarge the exchange surface area, the remaining skin capillaries become tortuous (capillary tufts). Parallel to the reduced capillary number, tcPO2 decreases and can be extremely low at the ulcer rim or at white atrophy spots. Fibrin cuffs are not a specific finding for venous ulceration and do not significantly impair oxygen diffusion. Fluorescence microlymphography permits visualization of the lymphatic capillaries of the superficial skin. In severe stages of CVI, the lymphatic capillary network at the medial ankle area is destroyed, and the remaining lymphatic capillary fragments have an increased permeability to FITC-dextran with a molecular weight of 150,000. These findings demonstrate a special lymphatic microangiopathy in CVI, suggesting an additional lymphatic component in the edema formation

Time-course of effects of external beam radiation on [18F]FDG uptake in healthy tissue and bone marrow.

The utility of PET for monitoring responses to radiation therapy have been complicated by metabolically active processes in surrounding normal tissues. We examined the time-course of [18F]FDG uptake in normal tissues using small animal-dedicated PET during the 2 month period following external beam radiation. Four mice received 12 Gy of external beam radiation, in a single fraction to the left half of the body. Small animal [18F]FDG-PET scans were acquired for each mouse at 0 (pre-radiation), 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 12, 19, 24, and 38 days following irradiation. [18F]FDG activity in various tissues was compared between irradiated and non-irradiated body halves before, and at each time point after irradiation. Radiation had a significant impact on [18F]FDG uptake in previously healthy tissues, and time-course of effects differed in different types of tissues. For example, liver tissue demonstrated increased uptake, particularly over days 3-12, with the mean left to right uptake ratio increasing 52% over mean baseline values (p &lt; 0.0001). In contrast, femoral bone marrow uptake demonstrated decreased uptake, particularly over days 2-8, with the mean left to right uptake ratio decreasing 26% below mean baseline values (p = 0.0005). Significant effects were also seen in lung and brain tissue. Radiation had diverse effects on [18F]FDG uptake in previously healthy tissues. These kinds of data may help lay groundwork for a systematically acquired database of the time-course of effects of radiation on healthy tissues, useful for animal models of cancer therapy imminently, as well as interspecies extrapolations pertinent to clinical application eventually

Challenges in geological scientific fieldwork at the Kaiserstuhl carbonatite, Germany

This is the final version. Available from the European Commission via the link in this recordHiTech AlkCarb (New geomodels to explore deeper for High-Technology critical raw materials in Alkaline rocks and Carbonatites) project deliverable D6.3This report describes the challenges experienced during the geological scientific fieldwork at the Kaiserstuhl, Germany. Although the general perception of the public regarding the project is positive, the Municipality of Vogtsburg would have allowed the proposed ca. 400 m deep core drilling only if the HiTech AlkCarb project had taken an insurance policy for any potential environmental and social damage for the longest possible period after the drilling. This caution was the result of damage to buildings in the local town of Staufen im Breisgau and induced seismicity near Basel during geothermal energy projects. As it was not possible to obtain such an insurance, the drilling programme had to be abandoned. A company with an official exploration licence would have had the right to drill, although the lack of social licence for drilling may make an exploration licence hard to obtain in the region at the moment. Moreover, if the drilling programme had been contracted by a German governmental institution, such as a university or the geological survey, the drilling could have been carried out, as governmental institutions in Germany are automatically insured through the state. However, the local university HiTech AlkCarb project partner declined to take over running the drilling contract, and this probably reflects the perceived reputational risk of taking part in any drilling in the region at the moment. It is a good lesson in how damage to social licence can affect permitting. The recommendations to the European Commission arising from this experience are: • To assign any drilling in research and innovation projects, in Germany, and probably elsewhere in Europe, to a Government organisation where possible. • To publicise good practice examples and subsurface research projects (such as UK GEOS and similar) that can help to regain public confidence.European Union Horizon 202

Social licence for exploration/mining in Europe is influenced by other georesource projects such as deep and shallow geothermal energy

This is the final version.The Horizons 2020 HiTech AlkCarb project planned a 300m deep research drill hole, together with geological and geophysical explora<on studies, in southwest Germany, all carried out to international minerals exploration best practice. The geology and geophysics were well received by the local public, authori<es and poli<cians. However, the local politicians expressed concerns about the drill hole and requested a long term insurance policy against any nega<ve impacts. In prac<ce, this meant that the research team could not drill the hole. The cause of this concern was the nega<ve public percep<on of drilling caused by problems with two geothermal projects in the region. Although the HiTech AlkCarb team had been me<culous to apply mining-related best-prac<ce to public and official interac<ons, they had not realised the depth of feeling and loss of trust caused by the geothermal projects – in effect, the social licence for minerals explora<on drilling had been lost, and could not be regained during this project. The lesson here for expansion of mining or geothermal energy in Europe is clear – that in terms of social licence, the implica<ons of past and present geology-related projects must be considered together. The public does not discriminate and neither can industry, regional authori<es nor na<onal and interna<onal legislators.European Commissio

Neonatal tolerance to Mls-1a determinants: deletion or anergy of Vβ6 + T lymphocytes depending upon MHC compatibility of neonatally injected cells

Recent investigations in mice revealed that natural immunologlcal tolerance to endogenous minor lymphocyte-stimulating locus 1a (MIs-1a antigen correlates primarily with deletion of Mls-1aspeciflc Vβ6+ T lymphocytes In the thymus. Similar mechanisms account for acquired tolerance in some Instancessince the neonatal injection of Mls-1 a-expressing MHC compatible cells in neonatal mice within the first 24 hof life causes clonal deletion of Vβ6+ T cells. Here we demonstrate that Vβ6+ T cells are not deleted In mice neonatally treated with Mls-1a spleen cells expressing allogenelc H-2 molecules. However, when such non-deleted Vβ6+ T cells were tested In vitro, no interleukin 2 (IL-2) secretion or proliferation was observed after Mls-1a stimulation. This non-responsive state could be overcome by addition of exogenous IL-2, consistent with the fact that Vβ6+ cells enlarged and expressed IL-2 receptors upon Mls-1a stimulation. Furthermore, the same neonatally treated mice showed In vitro functional unresponsiveness of cytotoxic T cells but not of IL-2-secreting cells specific for the tolerated allogeneic MHC antigens. Taken together, our data Indicate that neonatal tolerance to Mls-1a can be accomplished by either clonal deletion or clonal anergy, and that it does not necessarily correlate with tolerance to MHC determinant

Proton acceleration in analytic reconnecting current sheets

Particle acceleration provides an important signature for the magnetic collapse that accompanies a solar flare. Most particle acceleration studies, however, invoke magnetic and electric field models that are analytically convenient rather than solutions of the governing magnetohydrodynamic equations. In this paper a self-consistent magnetic reconnection solution is employed to investigate proton orbits, energy gains, and acceleration timescales for proton acceleration in solar flares. The magnetic field configuration is derived from the analytic reconnection solution of Craig and Henton. For the physically realistic case in which magnetic pressure of the current sheet is limited at small resistivities, the model contains a single free parameter that specifies the shear of the velocity field. It is shown that in the absence of losses, the field produces particle acceleration spectra characteristic of magnetic X-points. Specifically, the energy distribution approximates a power law ~ξ-3/2 nonrelativistically, but steepens slightly at the higher energies. Using realistic values of the “effective” resistivity, we obtain energies and acceleration times that fall within the range of observational data for proton acceleration in the solar corona