Prospective Environmental Life Cycle Assessment of Nanosilver T-Shirts

A cradle-to-grave life cycle assessment (LCA) is performed to compare nanosilver T-shirts with conventional T-shirts with and without biocidal treatment. For nanosilver production and textile incorporation, we investigate two processes: flame spray pyrolysis (FSP) and plasma polymerization with silver co-sputtering (PlaSpu). Prospective environmental impacts due to increased nanosilver T-shirt commercialization are estimated with six scenarios. Results show significant differences in environmental burdens between nanoparticle production technologies: The "cradle-to-gate" climate footprint of the production of a nanosilver T-shirt is 2.70 kg of CO2-equiv (FSP) and 7.67-166 kg of CO2-equiv (PlaSpu, varying maturity stages). Production of conventional T-shirts with and without the biocide triclosan has emissions of 2.55 kg of CO2-equiv (contribution from triclosan insignificant). Consumer behavior considerably affects the environmental impacts during the use phase. Lower washing frequencies can compensate for the increased climate footprint of FSP nanosilver T-shirt production. The toxic releases from washing and disposal in the life cycle of T-shirts appear to be of minor relevance. By contrast, the production phase may be rather significant due to toxic silver emissions at the mining site if high silver quantities are require

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Activation-dependent modulation of B lymphocyte migration to chemokines

In this study we have examined the migration responses of human peripheral blood or tonsillar B lymphocytes to a selection of 27 chemokines. Freshly isolated (CD19+) B lymphocytes show greatly impaired in vitro chemotaxis which is overcome by overnight culture. The best responses of cultured B lymphocytes were observed with BCA-1, SLC, ELC and SDF-1, reaching 19-26% of total input cells that have migrated, followed by LARC and TECK with 5-10% of migrated cells, whereas no other chemokine was found to be active. Stimulation of B lymphocytes with lipopolysaccharide or anti-CD40 plus IL-4 resulted in marked enhancement of the migration response to BCA-1, SLC, ELC and SDF-1, reaching 30-60% migrated cells at 12 or 36 h of culture respectively. The activation-dependent increase in the migration efficacy was transient and declined to base level responses after 72 h of culture. Under no circumstances did we detect B lymphocyte chemotaxis to inflammatory chemokines. Also, mobilization of intracellular calcium ([Ca2+]i), an otherwise typical response of leukocytes to chemokines, was not observed. The transient increase in B lymphocyte migration did not correlate with changes in chemokine receptor expression, as evidenced by cell surface staining with antibodies to CXCR4, CXCR5 and CCR6, and by receptor transcript analyses. BCA-1, SLC, ELC and SDF-1 are typical 'shousekeeping' chemokines with prominent expression at discrete locations in lymphoid tissues. Modulation of migration to these chemokines may be a critical mechanism for the proper positioning of B lymphocytes during humoral responses in secondary lymphoid tissue

Protease-activated receptor signalling initiates α5β1-integrin-mediated adhesion in non-haematopoietic cells

ISSN:1476-1122ISSN:1476-466

Seeing and sensing single G protein-coupled receptors by atomic force microscopy

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) relay extracellular information across cell membranes through a continuum of conformations that are not always captured in structures. Hence, complementary approaches are required to quantify the physical and chemical properties of the dynamic conformations linking to GPCR function. Atomic force microscopy (AFM)-based high-resolution imaging and force spectroscopy are unique methods to scrutinize GPCRs and to sense their interactions. Here, we exemplify recent AFM-based applications to directly observe the supramolecular assembly of GPCRs in native membranes, to measure the ligand-binding free-energy landscape, and how interactions modulate the structural properties of GPCRs. Common trends in GPCR function are beginning to emerge. We envision that technical developments in combining AFM with superresolution fluorescence imaging will provide insights into how cellular states modulate GPCRs and vice versa.ISSN:0955-0674ISSN:1879-041

Activation-dependent modulation of B lymphocyte migration to chemokines

In this study we have examined the migration responses of human peripheral blood or tonsillar B lymphocytes to a selection of 27 chemokines. Freshly isolated (CD19(+)) B lymphocytes show greatly impaired in vitro chemotaxis which is overcome by overnight culture. The best responses of cultured B lymphocytes were observed with BCA-1, SLC, ELC and SDF-1, reaching 19-26% of total input cells that have migrated, followed by LARC and TECK with 5-10% of migrated cells, whereas no other chemokine was found to be active. Stimulation of B lymphocytes with lipopolysaccharide or anti-CD40 plus IL-4 resulted in marked enhancement of the migration response to BCA-1, SLC, ELC and SDF-1, reaching 30-60% migrated cells at 12 or 36 h of culture respectively. The activation-dependent increase in the migration efficacy was transient and declined to base level responses after 72 h of culture. Under no circumstances did we detect B lymphocyte chemotaxis to inflammatory chemokines. Also, mobilization of intracellular calcium ([Ca(2+)](i)), an otherwise typical response of leukocytes to chemokines, was not observed. The transient increase in B lymphocyte migration did not correlate with changes in chemokine receptor expression, as evidenced by cell surface staining with antibodies to CXCR4, CXCR5 and CCR6, and by receptor transcript analyses. BCA-1, SLC, ELC and SDF-1 are typical 'housekeeping' chemokines with prominent expression at discrete locations in lymphoid tissues. Modulation of migration to these chemokines may be a critical mechanism for the proper positioning of B lymphocytes during humoral responses in secondary lymphoid tissues.publishe