Depuración del efluente de una empresa metalúrgica utilizando un wetland construido

Los humedales o wetlands han demostrado ser altamente eficientes en la remoción de contaminantes, son de bajo costo de instalación y mantenimiento, operables por mano de obra no especializada e integrables funcionalmente con el entorno. El objetivo de este trabajo fue evaluar la eficiencia de un wetland construido para la depuración en forma conjunta del efluente industrial y el cloacal de una industria metalúrgica. Las dimensiones del mismo son de 50 m de largo por 40 m de ancho y profundidad de 80 cm, con un tabique central de manera que la relación largo-ancho sea 5:1. Está impermeabilizado con bentonita, y las plantas se arraigan sobre una capa de 1 m de suelo. Se transplantaron macrófitas de la zona del Río Paraná Medio: Eichhornia crassipes (jacinto de agua), Typha domingensis (totora) y Pontederia cordata (aguapey), entre otras. La eficiencia del humedal se determinó analizando la composición química del efluente a la entrada y salida. En sedimentos y vegetales se determinó P, Cr, Ni y Zn. El muestreo se realizó quincenalmente durante 2 años. El wetland eficientemente disminuyó las concentraciones medias y la variabilidad de los parámetros analizados, salvo en el caso de fosfato y amonio debido a la anoxia. Las remociones medias fueron de 86% para Cr, 67% para Ni, 95% para Fe, 70% para nitrato, 60% para nitrito, 78% para DQO, 77% para DBO. Las concentraciones de Zn en el afluente estuvieron por debajo de los 50 μg.l-1 en la mayoría de los muestreos. La concentración de metales no aumentó significativamente en el sedimento de fondo después de 2 años de operación. Un aumento en la concentración de metales y nutrientes en los tejidos de las macrófitas, así como también el aumento de la biomasa, representó el principal mecanismo de remoción de contaminantes. La ventaja de las macrófitas es la posibilidad de ser cosechadas, lo que conduce a importantes tasas de remoción en corto tiempo. La superficie del wetland se cubrió en un 80% de E. crassipes, lo que probablemente contribuyó a la disminución de oxígeno en agua. Disminuir el nivel de agua contribuiría a favorecer la dominancia de las macrófitas enraizadas y a aumentar la concentración de oxígeno en agua. La calidad del efluente se mejoró diseñándose la salida del mismo a nivel superficial.Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Muse

Depuración del efluente de una empresa metalúrgica utilizando un wetland construido

Los humedales o wetlands han demostrado ser altamente eficientes en la remoción de contaminantes, son de bajo costo de instalación y mantenimiento, operables por mano de obra no especializada e integrables funcionalmente con el entorno. El objetivo de este trabajo fue evaluar la eficiencia de un wetland construido para la depuración en forma conjunta del efluente industrial y el cloacal de una industria metalúrgica. Las dimensiones del mismo son de 50 m de largo por 40 m de ancho y profundidad de 80 cm, con un tabique central de manera que la relación largo-ancho sea 5:1. Está impermeabilizado con bentonita, y las plantas se arraigan sobre una capa de 1 m de suelo. Se transplantaron macrófitas de la zona del Río Paraná Medio: Eichhornia crassipes (jacinto de agua), Typha domingensis (totora) y Pontederia cordata (aguapey), entre otras. La eficiencia del humedal se determinó analizando la composición química del efluente a la entrada y salida. En sedimentos y vegetales se determinó P, Cr, Ni y Zn. El muestreo se realizó quincenalmente durante 2 años. El wetland eficientemente disminuyó las concentraciones medias y la variabilidad de los parámetros analizados, salvo en el caso de fosfato y amonio debido a la anoxia. Las remociones medias fueron de 86% para Cr, 67% para Ni, 95% para Fe, 70% para nitrato, 60% para nitrito, 78% para DQO, 77% para DBO. Las concentraciones de Zn en el afluente estuvieron por debajo de los 50 μg.l-1 en la mayoría de los muestreos. La concentración de metales no aumentó significativamente en el sedimento de fondo después de 2 años de operación. Un aumento en la concentración de metales y nutrientes en los tejidos de las macrófitas, así como también el aumento de la biomasa, representó el principal mecanismo de remoción de contaminantes. La ventaja de las macrófitas es la posibilidad de ser cosechadas, lo que conduce a importantes tasas de remoción en corto tiempo. La superficie del wetland se cubrió en un 80% de E. crassipes, lo que probablemente contribuyó a la disminución de oxígeno en agua. Disminuir el nivel de agua contribuiría a favorecer la dominancia de las macrófitas enraizadas y a aumentar la concentración de oxígeno en agua. La calidad del efluente se mejoró diseñándose la salida del mismo a nivel superficial.Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Muse

Depuración del efluente de una empresa metalúrgica utilizando un wetland construido

Los humedales o wetlands han demostrado ser altamente eficientes en la remoción de contaminantes, son de bajo costo de instalación y mantenimiento, operables por mano de obra no especializada e integrables funcionalmente con el entorno. El objetivo de este trabajo fue evaluar la eficiencia de un wetland construido para la depuración en forma conjunta del efluente industrial y el cloacal de una industria metalúrgica. Las dimensiones del mismo son de 50 m de largo por 40 m de ancho y profundidad de 80 cm, con un tabique central de manera que la relación largo-ancho sea 5:1. Está impermeabilizado con bentonita, y las plantas se arraigan sobre una capa de 1 m de suelo. Se transplantaron macrófitas de la zona del Río Paraná Medio: Eichhornia crassipes (jacinto de agua), Typha domingensis (totora) y Pontederia cordata (aguapey), entre otras. La eficiencia del humedal se determinó analizando la composición química del efluente a la entrada y salida. En sedimentos y vegetales se determinó P, Cr, Ni y Zn. El muestreo se realizó quincenalmente durante 2 años. El wetland eficientemente disminuyó las concentraciones medias y la variabilidad de los parámetros analizados, salvo en el caso de fosfato y amonio debido a la anoxia. Las remociones medias fueron de 86% para Cr, 67% para Ni, 95% para Fe, 70% para nitrato, 60% para nitrito, 78% para DQO, 77% para DBO. Las concentraciones de Zn en el afluente estuvieron por debajo de los 50 μg.l-1 en la mayoría de los muestreos. La concentración de metales no aumentó significativamente en el sedimento de fondo después de 2 años de operación. Un aumento en la concentración de metales y nutrientes en los tejidos de las macrófitas, así como también el aumento de la biomasa, representó el principal mecanismo de remoción de contaminantes. La ventaja de las macrófitas es la posibilidad de ser cosechadas, lo que conduce a importantes tasas de remoción en corto tiempo. La superficie del wetland se cubrió en un 80% de E. crassipes, lo que probablemente contribuyó a la disminución de oxígeno en agua. Disminuir el nivel de agua contribuiría a favorecer la dominancia de las macrófitas enraizadas y a aumentar la concentración de oxígeno en agua. La calidad del efluente se mejoró diseñándose la salida del mismo a nivel superficial.Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Muse

Preclinical development of a humanized chimeric antigen receptor against B-cell maturation antigen for multiple myeloma

Multiple myeloma is a prevalent and incurable disease, despite the development of new and effective drugs. The recent development of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)T cells has shown impressive results in the treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory hematologic B-cell malignancies. In recent years, B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA) has appeared as a promising antigen to target using a variety of immunotherapy treatments, including CART cells, for patients with multiple myeloma. To this end, we generated clinical-grade murine CART cells directed against BCMA, named ARI2m cells. Having demonstrated its efficacy, and in an attempt to avoid the immune rejection of CART cells by the patient, the single chain variable fragment was humanized, creating ARI2h cells. ARI2h cells showed comparable in vitro and in vivo efficacy to that of ARI2m cells, and superiority in cases of high tumor burden disease. In terms of inflammatory response, ARI2h cells produced less tumor necrosis factor-αand were associated with a milder in vivo toxicity profile. Large-scale expansion of both ARI2m and ARI2h cells was efficiently conducted following Good Manufacturing Practice guidelines, obtaining the target CART-cell dose required for treatment of multiple myeloma patients. Moreover, we demonstrated that soluble BCMA and BCMA released in vesicles both affect CAR-BCMA activity. In summary, this study sets the bases for the implementation of a clinical trial (EudraCT code: 2019-001472-11) to study the efficacy of ARI2h-cell treatment for patients with multiple myeloma

Extracellular NK histones promote immune cell anti-tumor activity by inducing cell clusters through binding to CD138 receptor

Background: Natural killer (NK) cells are important anti-tumor cells of our innate immune system. Their anti-cancer activity is mediated through interaction of a wide array of activating and inhibitory receptors with their ligands on tumor cells. After activation, NK cells also secrete a variety of pro-inflammatory molecules that contribute to the final immune response by modulating other innate and adaptive immune cells. In this regard, external proteins from NK cell secretome and the mechanisms by which they mediate these responses are poorly defined. Methods: TRANS-stable-isotope labeling of amino acids in cell culture (TRANS-SILAC) combined with proteomic was undertaken to identify early materials transferred between cord blood-derived NK cells (CB-NK) and multiple myeloma (MM) cells. Further in vitro and in vivo studies with knock-down of histones and CD138, overexpression of histones and addition of exogenous histones were undertaken to confirm TRANS-SILAC results and to determine functional roles of this material transferred. Results: We describe a novel mechanism by which histones are actively released by NK cells early after contact with MM cells. We show that extracellular histones bind to the heparan sulfate proteoglycan CD138 on the surface of MM cells to promote the creation of immune-tumor cell clusters bringing immune and MM cells into close proximity, and thus facilitating not only NK but also T lymphocyte anti-MM activity. Conclusion: This study demonstrates a novel immunoregulatory role of NK cells against MM cells mediated by histones, and an additional role of NK cells modulating T lymphocytes activity that will open up new avenues to design future immunotherapy clinical strategies

Extracellular NK histones promote immune cell anti-tumor activity by inducing cell clusters through binding to CD138 receptor.

BACKGROUND: Natural killer (NK) cells are important anti-tumor cells of our innate immune system. Their anti-cancer activity is mediated through interaction of a wide array of activating and inhibitory receptors with their ligands on tumor cells. After activation, NK cells also secrete a variety of pro-inflammatory molecules that contribute to the final immune response by modulating other innate and adaptive immune cells. In this regard, external proteins from NK cell secretome and the mechanisms by which they mediate these responses are poorly defined. METHODS: TRANS-stable-isotope labeling of amino acids in cell culture (TRANS-SILAC) combined with proteomic was undertaken to identify early materials transferred between cord blood-derived NK cells (CB-NK) and multiple myeloma (MM) cells. Further in vitro and in vivo studies with knock-down of histones and CD138, overexpression of histones and addition of exogenous histones were undertaken to confirm TRANS-SILAC results and to determine functional roles of this material transferred. RESULTS: We describe a novel mechanism by which histones are actively released by NK cells early after contact with MM cells. We show that extracellular histones bind to the heparan sulfate proteoglycan CD138 on the surface of MM cells to promote the creation of immune-tumor cell clusters bringing immune and MM cells into close proximity, and thus facilitating not only NK but also T lymphocyte anti-MM activity. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates a novel immunoregulatory role of NK cells against MM cells mediated by histones, and an additional role of NK cells modulating T lymphocytes activity that will open up new avenues to design future immunotherapy clinical strategies

FREEWAT, a Free and Open Source, GIS-Integrated, Hydrological Modeling Platform

Article impact statement: free and open source tools to boost application and usage of surface−/groundwater models for effective water resource management

Preclinical development of a humanized chimeric antigen receptor against B-cell maturation antigen for multiple myeloma

Multiple myeloma is a prevalent and incurable disease, despite the development of new and effective drugs. The recent development of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)T cells has shown impressive results in the treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory hematologic B-cell malignancies. In recent years, B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA) has appeared as a promising antigen to target using a variety of immunotherapy treatments, including CART cells, for patients with multiple myeloma. To this end, we generated clinical-grade murine CART cells directed against BCMA, named ARI2m cells. Having demonstrated its efficacy, and in an attempt to avoid the immune rejection of CART cells by the patient, the single chain variable fragment was humanized, creating ARI2h cells. ARI2h cells showed comparable in vitro and in vivo efficacy to that of ARI2m cells, and superiority in cases of high tumor burden disease. In terms of inflammatory response, ARI2h cells produced less tumor necrosis factor-αand were associated with a milder in vivo toxicity profile. Large-scale expansion of both ARI2m and ARI2h cells was efficiently conducted following Good Manufacturing Practice guidelines, obtaining the target CART-cell dose required for treatment of multiple myeloma patients. Moreover, we demonstrated that soluble BCMA and BCMA released in vesicles both affect CAR-BCMA activity. In summary, this study sets the bases for the implementation of a clinical trial (EudraCT code: 2019-001472-11) to study the efficacy of ARI2h-cell treatment for patients with multiple myeloma

Efeitos da toxicidade do zinco em folhas de Salvinia auriculata cultivadas em solução nutritiva Effects of zinc toxicity on leaves of Salvinia auriculata cultivated in nutrient solution

A macrófita aquática Salvinia auriculata tem sido utilizada em vários programas de monitoramento em corpos d'água passíveis de eutrofização, sendo considerada uma planta bioindicadora. Contudo, sabe-se que a salvínia também tem um potencial fitorremediador, acumulando em seus tecidos concentrações consideráveis de poluentes. Com isso, o objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o potencial fitorremediador e bioindicador dessa planta, avaliando as características morfológicas da salvínia quando submetida a doses excessivas de zinco (Zn), bem como o teor desse metal acumulado em seus tecidos. Os indivíduos foram coletados em águas livres de contaminação e cultivados sob condições controladas, em vasos com solução nutritiva, em casa de vegetação, e submetidos aos tratamentos com zinco na forma de ZnSO4. 7H2O, nas seguintes concentrações: 0; 2,5; 5,0; 7,5; e 10,0 mg L-1. As alterações morfológicas foram observadas diariamente e, após dez dias de exposição dos vegetais ao zinco, procedeu-se à colheita das plantas. As plantas colhidas foram lavadas, secas, pesadas, moídas e digeridas em solução com ácido nítrico e ácido perclórico, obtendo-se extratos para determinação dos teores de zinco por espectrofotometria de absorção atômica. Os resultados indicaram que S. auriculata apresentou danos morfológicos, com o desenvolvimento de lesões e necroses marginais nas folhas em concentrações de zinco na solução superiores à permitida pela legislação, porém não diferiram no que se refere ao crescimento populacional. Em relação ao acúmulo, a absorção de zinco pelas plantas aumentou proporcionalmente com a concentração do metal em solução. O zinco, quando em concentrações elevadas, tornou-se tóxico às plantas, sendo as alterações morfológicas de plantas de S. auriculata de fácil detecção, podendo ser utilizadas no biomonitoramento de ecossistemas aquáticos contaminados com zinco.<br>The aquatic macrophyte Salvinia auriculata has been used in several monitoring programs in bodies of water susceptible to eutrophication, being thus considered a bioindicator. However, salvinia is also known to have phytoremediating potential, accumulating considerable concentrations of pollutants in its tissues. Thus, this work aimed to evaluate the potential of this plant as a phytoremediator and bioindicator by analyzing its morphologic characteristics when submitted to Zinc (Zn) overdoses, as well as to determine the level of this metal accumulated in its tissues. The individuals were collected in water bodies free from contamination and cultivated in vases, using a nutrition solution, under controlled greenhouse conditions and submitted to treatments with Zinc in the form of ZnSO4. 7H2O at the following concentrations: 0; 2.5; 5.0; 7.5 and 10.0 mg L-1 . The morphologic alterations were observed daily and after ten days of exposure of the plants to Zinc, the number of individuals per treatment was counted. The plants were then harvested, washed, dried, weighed, ground and digested in a nitric and perchloric acid solution, with extracts being obtained for determination of the Zinc levels by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The results indicated that S. auriculata presented morphologic damage, with the development of lesions and marginal necrosis on the leaves with Zinc concentrations, in solution, being superior to that allowed by the legislation, but not different in relation to the population growth. Zinc absorption by the S.auriculata plants increased proportionally to the concentration of the metal in the solution. When at high concentrations, Zinc became toxic to the plants, with their morphologic alterations being easy to detect, allowing them to be used in monitoring Zinc-polluted aquatic ecosystems

Extracellular NK histones promote immune cell anti-tumor activity by inducing cell clusters through binding to CD138 receptor

Background: Natural killer (NK) cells are important anti-tumor cells of our innate immune system. Their anti-cancer activity is mediated through interaction of a wide array of activating and inhibitory receptors with their ligands on tumor cells. After activation, NK cells also secrete a variety of pro-inflammatory molecules that contribute to the final immune response by modulating other innate and adaptive immune cells. In this regard, external proteins from NK cell secretome and the mechanisms by which they mediate these responses are poorly defined. Methods: TRANS-stable-isotope labeling of amino acids in cell culture (TRANS-SILAC) combined with proteomic was undertaken to identify early materials transferred between cord blood-derived NK cells (CB-NK) and multiple myeloma (MM) cells. Further in vitro and in vivo studies with knock-down of histones and CD138, overexpression of histones and addition of exogenous histones were undertaken to confirm TRANS-SILAC results and to determine functional roles of this material transferred. Results: We describe a novel mechanism by which histones are actively released by NK cells early after contact with MM cells. We show that extracellular histones bind to the heparan sulfate proteoglycan CD138 on the surface of MM cells to promote the creation of immune-tumor cell clusters bringing immune and MM cells into close proximity, and thus facilitating not only NK but also T lymphocyte anti-MM activity. Conclusion: This study demonstrates a novel immunoregulatory role of NK cells against MM cells mediated by histones, and an additional role of NK cells modulating T lymphocytes activity that will open up new avenues to design future immunotherapy clinical strategies