Tm Concentrations Research Articles

X-ray-induced luminescence properties of Na3AlF6 doped with TmF3

Tm-doped Na3AlF6 ceramics were prepared by the spark plasma sintering (SPS) method with different Tm concentrations (0.01, 0.1, 1, 3, 5 %), and optically-stimulated luminescence (OSL) and thermally-stimulated luminescence (TSL) were investigated. In the OSL properties, emission peaks were observed at 300 and 350 nm under 500 nm stimulation due to 4f-4f transitions of Tm3+. The 0.1, 1, and 3 % Tm-doped samples indicated a dose response linearity between 100 mGy and 10 Gy. The TSL glow peaks of Tm-doped samples were detected at 80, 120, 300, and 410 °C. The 0.1, 1, and 3 % Tm-doped samples indicated a dose response linearity over the range of 0.01–1000 mGy at dose response functions.

Human activities contributing to the accumulation of high-risk trace metal(loid)s in soils of China's five major urban agglomerations

Rapid urbanization has accelerated the accumulation of trace metal(loid)s (TMs) in soils, but the relationship between this accumulation and human activities remains largely unknown. Therefore, based on 775 published literatures (2001–2020), this study aimed to identify the influence of human activities on TM accumulation. Results showed that all soil TM concentrations were higher than their corresponding Chinese soil background values. The pollution risk assessment indicated that the soil TMs in the study area were at moderate levels, and the value of Pollution load index was 2.10. According to the assessment of health risks, the non-carcinogenic risks for adults were at the “Negligible risk” level; while the carcinogenic risk was not negligible for all populations, with children being more susceptible than adults. Meanwhile, six high-risk TMs were identified based on the grading of Contaminating factors (CF ≥ 3) and contribution to health risk (≥ 75%), including four high pollution risk TMs (Cd, Hg, Cu, and Pb) and two high health risk TMs (Cr and As) . In addition, in accordance with the results of the Random forest model, the accumulation of soil high-risk TMs was closely related to influencing factors associated with human activities. The accumulation of Hg and Cr among five major urban agglomerations had the same influencing factors (the number of industrial companies and the amount of industrial wastewater discharge for Hg; the amount of pesticide application and highway mileage for Cr). However, there were significant differences in the factors influencing the accumulation of the other four high-risk TMs (including Cd, As, Cu and Pb), due to the different characteristics of each urban agglomeration. Our results provide new insights into the relationship between human activities and soil TM accumulation.

TBICheck: a rapid test to rule-out CT scans in mild Traumatic Brain Injury patients

Introduction The TBICheck TM Rapid test is an immunochromatographic rapid test capable of assisting in the triage of patients with mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI) suspected of brain lesions. It quantitatively determines heart-type Fatty Acid Binding Protein (H-FABP) levels in whole blood, serum, or plasma. The aim of the present study was to evaluate its technical performance and test it in two different cohorts of mTBI patients as a potential diagnostic tool for detecting brain lesions in patients with mTBI. Material and methods Description of the assay: Linearity and low limit of quantification (LLOQ) of TBICheck TM lateral flow assay were determined using serial dilution of standardized samples. Results were read using the TBICheck TM Reader, a mobile photometric immunoassay analyzer based on reflectance measurements to capture the optical density. Obtained results were compared to classical ELISA assays, Meso Scale Diagnostics (MSD). Patient cohorts: Two different cohorts of adult mTBI patients were included: a retrospective one including 82 patients and a prospective one including 65 patients. Values of H-FABP area under the curve (AUC), specificity (SP), sensitivity (SE) and negative predictive value (NPV) were calculated. Results The H-FABP dose response fitted a linear regression within the range of 0.5-25 ng/mL. LLOQ in blood was 0.5 ng/mL. High Spearman correlation was found (ρ=0.933, p<0.001) when MSD ELISA and TBICheck TM concentrations were compared. In the retrospective cohort, when the clinical sensitivity was set at 100%, a specificity value of 32.9% was obtained. In the prospective cohort, the SP value raised to 66.1% with 100% SE, meaning that 6 out of 10 patients might be discharged on the basis of their serum H-FABP concentration at hospital admission. Conclusions The quantification of H-FABP by using the TBICheck TM Rapid test on adult mTBI patients may allow to rule out the need of a CT-scan reducing the radiation exposure and avoiding the long waiting times in emergency units. It may lead to savings in hospital resources and assists medical doctors to provide the most appropriate treatment to the patients.

Association between rare earth element exposure during pregnancy and newborn telomere length.

Telomere length (TL) is considered a marker of biological aging and lifetime health, and some epidemiological studies report that the environmental exposures may influence TL at birth. We aimed to investigate the associations between prenatal rare earth elements (REE) exposure and newborn TL. A total of 587 mother-newborn pairs were recruited during 2013 to 2015 in Wuhan, China. Maternal urinary concentrations of REE collected during three trimesters were measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to measure relative cord blood TL. The trimester-specific associations between prenatal REE exposure and cord blood TL were evaluated using multiple informant models. Weighted quantile sum regression was used to estimate the mixture effect of urinary REE on cord blood TL. After adjustment for potential confounders, per doubling of urinary REE (Dy, Yb, Pr, Nd, and Tm) concentrations (μg/g creatinine) during the second trimester was respectively associated with 1.94% (95% CI 0.19%, 3.72%), 2.10% (95% CI 0.31%, 3.92%), 2.11% (95% CI 0.35%, 3.89%), 2.08% (95% CI 0.01%, 4.20%), and 1.38% (95% CI 0.09%, 2.70%) increase in cord blood TL. Furthermore, exposure to the mixture of REE during the second trimester was also significantly associated with increased cord blood TL (percent change 1.20%, 95% CI 0.30%, 2.11%). However, these associations were not statistically significant in the first and third trimesters. This study provides new evidence on the potential effect of prenatal REE exposure on the initial (newborn) setting of offspring's telomere biology. Further epidemiological studies are warranted to confirm our findings.

Risk assessment of trace metal(loid) pollution in surface water of industrial areas along the Huangpu River and Yangtze River Estuary in Shanghai, China

Water pollution with trace metal(loid)s (TMs) caused by anthropogenic activities is of great concern, especially in industrial areas. TM concentrations in surface water of industrial areas along the Huangpu River (HR) and Yangtze River Estuary (YRE) in Shanghai, China were investigated. The rankings of average TM concentrations in the HR and YRE were as follows: Zn > Cu > Cd > Cr > Pb > As > Hg and Zn > Cu > Cr > Cd > As > Pb > Hg, respectively. The pollution of the HR was more serious than that of the YRE, and both areas were polluted by Cd. Spearman correlation matrix results indicated that Cu, Pb, Cd, As, and Zn in the HR were correlated positively in group, but TMs were mainly controlled by physicochemical parameters in the YRE. Principal component analysis (PCA) showed that the possible origins of TMs in studied areas were affected by industrial and agricultural activities. Results of Heavy Metal Evaluation Index (HEI), Degree of Contamination (Cd), and Nemerow Index (Pn) showed that some sampling sites of the HR had high pollution risk. Human health risk assessment indicated high risks of Cd and As in studied areas. Overall, the problem of TM contamination in the waters of Shanghai industrial areas should be addressed, controlled, and managed efficiently for regional sustainability and human well-being.

Utilization of the Cluster Expansion Method for Doping the Li2Mn1-XTMxO3 (TM=Ni, Co, Cr and Ru) Cathode Material

Li2MnO3 has received great attention as potential cathode material due to its higher capacity, low cost and environmental friendliness. However, its application is obstructed by its poor rate performance and structural degradation during cycling. Cationic dopants have been used to reduce the collapse of the structure and they tend to improve performance of cathode materials. As such, it is highly desirable to identify new doped structures as a remedial technique to optimize the properties of Li2MnO3. In the current study, Cluster Expansion and Monte Carlo simulations were utilized to investigate the phase stability of Li2Mn1-xTMxO3 system (TM=Ni, Co, Cr and Ru). The binary ground state diagrams generated using Cluster Expansion yielded 73, 65, 90 and 83 new stable phases of Li2Mn1-xNixO3, Li2Mn1-xCoxO3, Li2Mn1-xCrxO3 and Li2Mn1-xRuxO3, respectively. All generated phases had in the negative heats of formation at T=0 K suggesting thermodynamic stability. Monte Carlo simulations were used to determine high temperature properties for entire range of TM concentrations (0≤x≤1) and phase diagrams were constructed. The findings predicted Li2Mn0.83Ni0.17O3, Li2Mn0.5Co0.5O3, Li2Mn0.5Cr0.5O3 and Li2Mn0.5Ru0.5O3 as the most stable phases of doped Li2MnO3 . These structures may be useful in future applications as electrode materials for lithium-ion batteries.

Geochemistry of rocks (Late Cretaceous) in the Anambra Basin, SE Nigeria: insights into provenance, tectonic setting, and other palaeo-conditions

The geochemistry of Late Cretaceous sandstones and shales in the Anambra basin has been investigated by relatively few subsurface data-based studies, thus, there is a need for subsurface geochemical characterisation of the basin's fill provenance, tectonics, and palaeo-conditions (source rocks palaeo-weathering, palaeo-climate, and palaeo-redox). This paper presents the geochemistry of sandstones and shales from cored sections (n = 10) of the Amansiodo_1 well (located in the Anambra basin) with the intent of unravelling the provenance, tectonic setting, and palaeo-conditions. Major elements (n = 10) and the trace element concentrations of Sc, Be, V, Sr, Y, Zr, and Ba were obtained using fusion inductively coupled plasma. Trace (n = 24) and rare earth elements (La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, and Lu) concentrations were obtained using fusion mass spectrometry analytical method.Based on geochemical discrimination diagrams and element ratios such as Al2O3/TiO2, TiO2/Zr, Th/Sc, and La/Th; it is suggested that the studied samples from the Anambra Basin were derived from mixed sources (mafic, felsic, and intermediate) from the adjoining basement rocks, and recycled sediments from the Abakaliki uplift or high. The high-silica and low-silica tectonic multidimensional discrimination diagrams showed that the examined rocks might have originated from rift (69 % probability), collision (24 % probability), and continental arc (7 % probability) settings. The plagioclase index of alteration (PIA), chemical index of weathering (CIW), and chemical index of alteration (CIA) values (average > 80) of studied rock specimens indicate an intensive degree of chemical weathering of the source rocks. The plot of Al2O3 + K2O + Na2O versus SiO2, weathering indices (PIA, CIW, and CIA), and Sr/Cu and Rb/Sr ratios; as well as U, Mo, Th/U, V/Cr, V/Sc, U/Th, and Ce/Ce∗ all suggested warm to hot, humid and/or arid palaeo-climate in an oxic palaeo-redox condition during the accumulation of the examined samples.

Seasonal variations of toxic metal(loid)s in groundwater collected from an intensive agricultural area in northwestern Turkey and associated health risk assessment

İpsala district located in the northwest of Turkey is an intensive agricultural area, where paddy cultivation has been carried out for more than 50 years. The main source for drinking water in the area is groundwater. Since large amounts of agrochemicals are applied to the paddy fields, groundwater in the study area can be contaminated with toxic metal (loid)s (TMs). In this study, levels of eight TMs in the drinking water samples taken from the district and its 22 villages in the dry and wet seasons were measured and compared with drinking water quality guidelines. In addition, non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic health risks, and pollution status of TMs were assessed. The mean values of Cd, Ni, Cu, Zn, Mn, Pb, As and Cr in both seasons were below the drinking water limits. High clay content and low infiltration rate of the soils in the study area may have caused low TM concentrations. The TMs levels were higher in the wet season due to high rainfall intensity. Metal pollution indices indicated that groundwater quality is suitable for potable uses. All hazard quotient and hazard index results for children and adults in both seasons were lower than the acceptable risk level of 1. Carcinogenic risk results of As and Cr in both seasons were within or below the acceptable risk range. These findings revealed that the TMs in the drinking water would not pose health risks to the local residents.

389 Interactions between zinc, copper, and growth promoting technologies in beef cattle

Abstract Trace minerals (TM) are required for many biochemical processes and support optimal animal growth. However, as animal genetics and feed technologies in the beef industry have advanced, our understanding of the TM requirements of modern cattle has lagged. Recently, Zn and Cu have emerged as potential targets for better understanding the interaction between nutrition and growth-promoting technologies like anabolic implants and β-agonists (BA). Both Zn and Cu are phosphodiesterase inhibitors, potentially maintaining cAMP concentrations, potentiating the BA signal. Zinc supplementation well above national recommendations can improve ADG or HCW in finishing cattle during the BA feeding period, and N retention is increased by both Zn and BA supplementation, suggesting a major role for Zn is in protein accretion. Interestingly, Cu status of feedlot steers appears to affect ADG during the BA period, where steers with moderate liver Cu and 10 mg Cu/kg diet DM gaining more than steers with high or low Cu status. Anabolic implants likely improve growth through altering protein deposition, degradation and satellite cell proliferation, processes that can be linked to Cu and Zn metalloproteins. Implanting cattle decreases both plasma and liver Zn, and heifers receiving a long-lasting implant had greater HCW when supplemented with 100 mg Zn/kg DM when compared with 30 mg Zn/kg DM. It is apparent Cu status and supplementation also affect the response to hormone implants. Steers supplemented with 20 mg Cu/kg DM had greater liver Cu concentrations and a lesser response to an implant than steers supplemented with 10 mg Cu/kg DM. Current state of knowledge suggests TM status and diet concentrations can impact the response to growth promoting technologies. Much remains to be learned about cattle requirements for dietary TM, and the appropriate TM concentrations to optimize feedlot cattle performance.

Using Scanning Micro X-Ray Fluorescence (µXRF) to Visualize, Understand and Quantify Transition Metal Dissolution in Li-Ion Cells

State-of-the-art Li-ion batteries (LIBs) typically consist of a graphite anode with a capacity of 372 mAh g-1 and a cathode material consisting of a layered transition metal oxide in the form of LiMO2 , where M = Ni, Mn, Co or Al (NMC and NCA material), or olivine-type material in the form of LMPO4 , where M = Fe, such as LiFePO4 (LFP). Proposed degradation mechanisms for the cathode material in LIBs include transition metal dissolution (TMD), particle cracking and phase transformation, which are believed to contribute to significant capacity fade due to the loss of cathode active material1.Here, we report the use of scanning Micro X-Ray Fluorescence (µXRF) to investigate the effects of cell drying conditions and VC additive on the extent of TMD in LFP type cells and its subsequent deposition on the anode surface. For quantitative analysis, we prepared a calibration wedge made up of a pristine graphite anode with a known linear gradient of sputtered Fe. Figure 1a shows the µXRF images of the calibration sample and blank, from which we were able to correlate known TM concentrations to an observed signal intensity in the form of net count per area to facilitate accurate quantification, schematically shown in Fig. 1b. Unlike previous reports of XRF use in TMD analysis2, our approach allows us to quantify TM concentration deposited on our anodes without having to alter the surface by DMC washing, or through ball-milling, which preserves the nature of the sample and allows us to extract both quantitative and qualitative information (such as element distribution) from our aged cells using matrix-matched calibrants.In this work, we demonstrate how our scanning µXRF approach enabled us to visualize the distribution of TMs and other elements present on the anode surface and quantify TMD in LFP Li-ion cells. We show that Fe dissolution can be greatly reduced with rigorous cell drying and appropriate choice of additives. Additionally, we report the presence of locally high TM concentration spots on the anode which we believe are due to non-uniformities in cell stack pressure. Finally, we observe that the extent of TMD is normally not significant enough to be responsible for cell capacity fade due to active material loss, and propose how Fe dissolution might be contributing to a more complicated cell failure mechanism which will be important to investigate in future work to understand its impact on cycle life.

Role of trivalent Bi/Tm partial substitution on active operable slip systems in Bi-2212 crystal structure

This study delves into three main subjects: (I) A strong definition on the variation of fundamental key mechanical design performance and general mechanical characteristic features founded on the formation of active operable slip systems and elimination of structural problems in the Tm substituted Bi-site Bi2.1-xTmxSr2.0Ca1.1Cu2.0Oy (0.00 ≤ x ≤ 0.30) ceramic materials; (II) Preference of propagation of cracks and dislocation movements (III) An examination of differentiation in the load-independent microhardness parameters in the saturation limit regions with the Bi/Tm partial replacement. It is found that all the mechanical performance (mechanical strength, stiffness, durability and resistant towards to the failure by fatigue) properties considerably improve with the increment in the Bi/Tm substitution level up to x = 0.07 due to the augmentation in the new active operable slip systems and crystallinity quality of Bi2.1Sr2.0Ca1.1Cu2.0Oy (Bi-2212) system. Accordingly, in case of the optimum Bi/Tm substitution the propagation of dislocation and crack movements is more and more easily controlled in the Bi-2212 ceramic system. However, the excess Tm concentrations in the ceramic system make the stress-induced phase transformation remarkably activate as a consequence of the degradation in the crack orientation and geometry. Hence, any deformation at even lower applied test loads is much more permanent and non-recoverable due to the enhancement of unconstrained dislocation motions and especially entanglement of cracks and dislocations. This fact is also confirmed from the reduction of typical indentation size effect (ISE) behavior in the event of excess Tm concentration. To conclude, the optimum Bi/Tm partial replacement in the Bi-2212 crystal structure is successful to improve the economic lives of Bi-2212 inorganic ceramics in the new, novel, innovative, feasible and potential design areas for the universe economy.

Ultrasonic nebulization inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry method for wine analysis

A methodology was developed to determine mineral elements in wines using Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry combined with ultrasonic nebulization. The concentration of 36 elements (Al, B, Ba, Bi, Ca, Cd, Ce, Co, Cr, Dy, Er, Eu, Fe, Gd, K, La, Lu, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Nd, Ni, Pb, Pr, Sb, Sc, Sm, Sr, Tb, Ti, Tm, V, Y, Yb, and Zn) was determined in 59 wine samples and used to distinguish between Brazilian and Spanish wines. The best conditions for the plasma were selected using a two-level factorial design: radiofrequency power 1500 W; plasma gas flow rate 15 L min−1; auxiliary 0.70 L min−1; and nebulizer 0.40 L min−1. An exploratory multivariate analysis by Principal Components Analysis (PCA) was employed to distinguish among the analyzed wines. The elements B, Ca, Fe, K, Mg, and Na were the most abundant in all the wine samples analyzed; Al, Li, Na, Sb, Sr, Tb, and Ti were found in highest concentrations in red wines from Spain; Ce, Dy, and Mn prevailed in white wines from the San Francisco River Valley (Brazil). The grouping of the samples of wine in relation to either being red or white wines was verified by PCA: the concentrations of the elements Cd, Fe, K, Mg, Mo, Ti, and V were significantly higher in the red wine samples. Spanish red wine samples presented lower amounts of the elements Ca, Dy, La, Mn, Nd, Pr, and Tm and greater concentrations of the elements Al, Na, Sb, Sr, and Tb in relation to the Brazilian ones, tending to group them thusly. Brazilian red wine samples presented greater variability in their mineral profile, compared to the Spanish ones.

Practical study on the effect of educational games on ADHD students

Rising kids’ concentrations is a hard task for both parents and teachers. We can achieve our goal of the game (Increasing kid's concentration level) by making the game surroundings a lot harder in the intercourse of the game, so we have here four kinds of surroundings for the kid to interact with: Green box: this is the main box for the kid to hit. Yellow box: this is a box with negative attitude that the kid should stay aware of. White box: this is a box for increasing time if he ran out of time. Red box: this is a rare box it's appears and disappears in a 1 second and requires a high concentration level to hit it. They abducted the hero's girlfriend and he got angry and try to restore her and free the planet from this disastrous occupation.
 Keywords: Educational Games, ADHD treatment, FPS Games.

Biosorption of Tm(III) by free and polysulfone-immobilized Turbinaria conoides biomass

The current investigation focus on the use of brown alga Turbinaria conoides (TC) and polysulfone immobilized Turbinaria conoides (PITC) for the biosorption of rare earth element Thulium (Tm(III)) from aqueous systems. To attain the highest removal of Tm(III), the process parameters including the equilibrium pH, Tm(III) concentration and biosorption time were optimized. The characterization techniques were used to analyse the morphological features and elemental analysis of the biosorbents. The isotherm models of selective two and three parameters were subjected to inspect the equilibrium data. The biosorption data fitted to the different biosorption kinetic models. Results illustrated that both TC and PITC displayed higher biosorption capacity of 200.5 and 157.9 mg/g, respectively. Through kinetic trials, we identified delay in equilibrium attainment for PITC and the data were described with intraparticle diffusion model. TC and PITC presented comparable results with biosorption equilibrium attained in 200 min, optimum equilibrium solution pH 5.0 and exhibited maximum biosorption capacity for the initial Tm(III) concentrations of 500 mg/L. Recovery studies represented that the maximum desorption efficiency attained using 0.01 M HCl and PITC presented potential uptake capacity of Tm(III) during the entire 10 biosorption–desorption cycles.

Thulium-Doped Silica Fibers with Enhanced Fluorescence Lifetime and Their Application in Ultrafast Fiber Lasers

In this work we report on the thulium-doped silica-based optical fibers with increased fluorescence lifetime of the 3F4 level thanks to the modification of the local environment of thulium ions by high content of alumina. The determination of the cross-relaxation energy-transfer coefficients from the measurements of the fluorescence lifetimes of the 3F4 and 3H4 energy levels of Tm3+ ions in the experimentally prepared optical fiber is provided as well. Preforms of optical fibers were prepared either by conventional solution-doping of Tm3+ and Al3+ ions or by dispersion-doping of Tm3+ ions with alumina nanoparticles. Optical fibers were characterized by means of Tm, Al, and Ge concentrations, refractive index profiles, optical spectral absorption and luminescence, and by time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy. Highly aluminium-codoped thulium silicate optical fibers exhibited fluorescence lifetimes of over ~500 μs with maximum value of 756 μs, which means a fluorescence lifetime enhancement when compared to the thulium-doped fibers reported elsewhere. We show an application of the thulium-doped fiber in a compact all-fiber ring laser that is passively mode-locked by using graphene-based saturable absorber. The output pulsewidth and repetition rate were 905 fs and 32.67 MHz, respectively.

Rare earth and precious elements in the urban sewage sludge and lake surface sediments under anthropogenic influence in the Republic of Benin

Nowadays, sewage sludge and water bodies are subjected to heavy pollution due to rapid population growth and urbanization. Heavy metal pollution represents one of the main challenges threatening our environment and the ecosystem. The present work aims to evaluate the contamination state of the sewage sludge and lake sediments in the Republic of Benin. Twenty metallic elements including 15 rare earth elements (Eu, Sb, Cs, Nd, Pr, Gd, La, Ce, Tb, Sm, Dy, Ho, Eu, Yb, and Lu) and five precious elements (Ag, Au, Pd, Pt, and Ru) were investigated using inductive plasma-mass spectrometry. Results showed broad range concentrations of the elements. Ce, La, and Nd were present in both sediments and sewage sludge at concentrations ranging 5.80-41.30mg/kg dry matter (DM), 3.23-15.60mg/kg DM, and 2.74-19.26mg/kg DM, respectively. Pr, Sm, Gd, Tb, Dy, Eu, Er, Yb, Cs, Ho, and Tm concentrations were lower (0.02-5.94mg/kg DM). Among precious elements, Ag was detected at the highest concentration in all sites (0.43-4.72mg/kg DM), followed by Pd (0.20-0.57mg/kg DM) and Au (0.01-0.57mg/kg DM). Ru and Pt concentrations were <0.20mg/kg DM in all samples. Pollution indices and enrichment factor indicated a strong to severe enrichment of the elements, mainly Ce and precious elements in both sediments and sewage sludge. This revealed a growing anthropogenic input which was also implied by principal component analysis. The evaluation of pollution loading index (PLI) indicated a moderate to strong contamination (0.12≤PLI≤0.58; 37≤PLI≤114, respectively, for rare earth elements and precious elements), while the degree of contamination indicated a moderate polymetallic contamination for rare earth elements and significant contamination for precious elements.

Earth’s evolving subcontinental lithospheric mantle: inferences from LIP continental flood basalt geochemistry

Archean and Proterozoic subcontinental lithospheric mantle (SLM) is compared using 83 similarly incompatible element ratios (SIER; minimally affected by % melting or differentiation, e.g., Rb/Ba, Nb/Pb, Ti/Y) for >3700 basalts from ten continental flood basalt (CFB) provinces representing nine large igneous provinces (LIPs). Nine transition metals (TM; Fe, Mn, Sc, V, Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn) in 102 primitive basalts (Mg# = 0.69–0.72) from nine provinces yield additional SLM information. An iterative evaluation of SIER values indicates that, regardless of age, CFB transecting Archean lithosphere are enriched in Rb, K, Pb, Th and heavy REE(?); whereas P, Ti, Nb, Ta and light REE(?) are higher in Proterozoic-and-younger SLM sources. This suggests efficient transfer of alkali metals and Pb to the continental lithosphere perhaps in association with melting of subducted ocean floor to form Archean tonalite–trondhjemite–granodiorite terranes. Titanium, Nb and Ta were not efficiently transferred, perhaps due to the stabilization of oxide phases (e.g., rutile or ilmenite) in down-going Archean slabs. CFB transecting Archean lithosphere have EM1-like SIER that are more extreme than seen in oceanic island basalts (OIB) suggesting an Archean SLM origin for OIB-enriched mantle 1 (EM1). In contrast, OIB high U/Pb (HIMU) sources have more extreme SIER than seen in CFB provinces. HIMU may represent subduction-processed ocean floor recycled directly to the convecting mantle, but to avoid convective homogenization and produce its unique Pb isotopic signature may require long-term isolation and incubation in SLM. Based on all TM, CFB transecting Proterozoic lithosphere are distinct from those cutting Archean lithosphere. There is a tendency for lower Sc, Cr, Ni and Cu, and higher Zn, in the sources for Archean-cutting CFB and EM1 OIB, than Proterozoic-cutting CFB and HIMU OIB. All CFB have SiO2 (pressure proxy)–Nb/Y (% melting proxy) relationships supporting low pressure, high % melting resembling OIB tholeiites, but TM concentrations do not correlate with % melting. Thus, the association of layered intrusion (plutonic CFB) TM deposits with Archean terranes does not appear related to higher metal concentrations or higher percentages of melting in Archean SLM. Other characteristics of these EM1-like magmas (e.g., S2 or O2 fugacity) may lead to element scavenging and concentration during differentiation to form ore deposits.

Pre-Pregnancy Body Mass Index Is Associated with Dietary Inflammatory Index and C-Reactive Protein Concentrations during Pregnancy.

There have been a limited number of studies examining the association between pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) and dietary inflammation during pregnancy. Our aim is to examine the association between pre-pregnancy BMI and the Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII)™ and C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations during pregnancy. The study included 631 pregnant American women from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) cross-sectional examinations from 2003 to 2012. Pre-pregnancy BMI was calculated based on self-reported pre-pregnancy weight and measured height. The cut-offs of <18.5 (underweight), 18.5–24.9 (normal), 25.0–29.9 (overweight), and ≥30 kg/m2 (obese) were used to categorize the weight status of pregnant women prior to pregnancy. The DII, a literature-based dietary index to assess the inflammatory properties of diet, was estimated based on a one-day 24-h recall. Multivariable linear and logistic regressions were performed to estimate beta coefficients and the adjusted odds ratios (AORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) on the association of pre-pregnancy BMI categories with the DII and CRP concentrations during pregnancy. After controlling for variables including: race/ethnicity, family poverty income ratio, education, marital status, month in pregnancy, and smoking status during pregnancy; women who were obese before pregnancy (n = 136) had increased odds for being in the highest tertile of the DII and CRP concentrations compared to women with normal weight (AORs 2.40, 95% CIs 1.01–5.71; AORs 24.84, 95% CIs 6.19–99.67, respectively). These findings suggest that women with pre-pregnancy obesity had greater odds of reporting higher DII and having elevated CRP. In conclusion, high pre-pregnancy BMI was associated with increased odds of pro-inflammatory diet and elevated CRP levels during pregnancy in the USA.

Mesenteric Lymph Duct Ligation Alleviating Lung Injury in Heatstroke.

To explore the roles of mesenteric lymph on lung injury in heatstroke (HS), HS rat model was prepared in a prewarmed incubator. Vascular endothelium injury biomarkers (circulating endothelial cell [CEC] as well as von Willebrand factor [vWF] and thrombomodulin [TM]), proinflammatory factors (tumor necrosis factor-α [TNF-α], interleukin-1β [IL-1β], IL-6, and high mobility group box 1), and coagulant markers (activated partial thromboplastin time, prothrombin time, D-Dimer, and platelet count) were tested in HS and HS with mesenteric lymph duct ligation (LDL) rats. In addition, lung histopathology; arterial blood gas; Evans Blue dye (EBD) and protein lung permeability; intralung inflammatory parameters including bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 levels; myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity; and vWF immune staining were analyzed. LDL prolonged HS onset time but not HS survival time. LDL significantly attenuated endothelial cell injury for decreased CEC counts as well as plasma vWF and TM concentrations; downregulated systemic inflammation for decreased plasma TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and high mobility group box 1 levels; and ameliorated coagulant disorders for decreased activated partial thromboplastin time, prothrombin time, and D-Dimer levels as well as increased platelet counts. LDL also significantly reduced acute lung pathological injury; improved lung function indexes including arterial blood PaO2, pH, PaCO2, and lactic acid; decreased BALF TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 levels and lung MPO activity; improved EBD and protein lung permeability; and inhibited lung vascular endothelium vWF expression. However, all of these parameters were not recovered to the normal states. In summary, LDL developed protection roles systemically and alleviated lung injury in HS rats which indicated that modulating mesenteric lymph flow may have some potential benefits in HS.

Abstract B099: The UniCAR system: Inducible CAR T cells for precise reactivity and high efficacy against hematopoietic malignancies

Abstract During the past years promising clinical outcomes have been reported using immunotherapy for treatment of solid tumors and malignancies of the hematopoietic system. Since T cells act as key players in immune surveillance, an encouraging approach is to genetically engineer T cells with lenti- or retroviral vectors, in order to express artificial chimeric antigen receptors (CARs), directing them against cancer cells and leading to a distinct cytotoxic response. CARs are synthetic fusion proteins consisting of an antigen-binding moiety, commonly a tumor-associated antigen (TAA)-specific single-chain fragment variable (scFv), combined with activating signaling domains like the CD3-zeta chain. Signaling can be enhanced by adding co-stimulatory domains, such as the intracellular regions of CD28 or CD137. Although, CAR T cells showed promising results in patients with B cell malignancies, a major drawback of conventional CARs, bearing a tumor-antigen-binding moiety, is the uncontrollable continuous T cell activity. Hence, CAR T cells can achieve a sustained anti-tumoral response. However, reactivity against any healthy tissues expressing the target antigen might cause severe adverse effects. A chance to gain safety on CAR T cell approaches by retaining efficacy is offered through a novel universal binary CAR system (UniCAR). The system is based on a second generation CAR with an extracellular scFv binding domain, which is directed against a short non-immunogenic peptide motif instead of a cell surface antigen. Thus, engineered T cells are inert per se, remaining in a “sleeping mode” after re-infusion. Small protein links (targeting modules, TMs), consisting e.g. of TAA-specific scFvs harboring the small peptide epitope recognized by the UniCAR are used to redirect UniCAR expressing T cells in an antigen-specific manner. Primary results demonstrate that UniCAR driven T cell activation and cytotoxic effects against tumor cells are strictly dependent on the presence of the antigen-specific TMs. UniCAR T cells show high anti-tumor efficacy even at picomolar TM concentrations and low effector to target cell (e:t) ratios in vitro. After those proof-of-concept studies we disclose positive evidence of high efficacy UniCAR T cells with reactivity against CD123-positive acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and CD19-bearing acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) cells. UniCAR T cell anti-tumor efficacy proofed to be superior when compared to conventional CAR T cells at low e:t ratios adjusted to the situation usually found in patients. Furthermore, UniCAR T cells pre-decorated with CD123-specific TMs in vitro are capable of prohibiting tumor engraftment of CD123-positive AML in vivo and persist in immunodeficient NSG mice. Ex vivo isolated UniCAR T cells retained cytotoxic potential against MOLM-13 cells for at least four month post transplantation fortifying the therapeutic potential in vitro and in vivo. The tremendous benefit of the novel UniCAR platform is the precise control of CAR T cell activity by regulating TM administration and dosage, preventing off side-toxicities arising from conventional CAR approaches. Moreover, the modular UniCAR system also enables combinatorial targeting strategies against several TAAs to increase therapy performance and circumvent the occurrence of tumor resistance mechanisms due to selectable compositions of target structures. Leukemia-related target antigens like CD19, CD20, CD22, CD33 or CD123 are conceivable therapy settings, offering advantages compared to monotherapeutic CAR-based therapies. Taken together, the modular composition of the UniCAR platform maintains the high anti-tumor potential of CAR-engrafted T cells, while introducing tight control mechanisms and unparalleled target flexibility. These features will allow a more sophisticated application of CAR technology and a reduction of adverse events in the clinical setting. Citation Format: Simon Loff, Malte v. Bonin, Josephine Dietrich, Jan-Erik Meyer, Anja Feldmann, Claudia Arndt, Johannes Spehr, Cordula Gründer, Gerhard Ehninger, Michael P. Bachmann, Armin Ehninger, Marc Cartellieri. The UniCAR system: Inducible CAR T cells for precise reactivity and high efficacy against hematopoietic malignancies [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Second CRI-CIMT-EATI-AACR International Cancer Immunotherapy Conference: Translating Science into Survival; 2016 Sept 25-28; New York, NY. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Immunol Res 2016;4(11 Suppl):Abstract nr B099.