Radioimmunotherapy combined with maintenance anti-CD20 antibody may trigger long-term protective T cell immunity in follicular lymphoma patients.

Growing evidence suggests that the patient's immune response may play a major role in the long-term efficacy of antibody therapies of follicular lymphoma (FL). Particular long-lasting recurrence free survivals have been observed after first line, single agent rituximab or after radioimmunotherapy (RIT). Rituximab maintenance, furthermore, has a major efficacy in prolonging recurrence free survival after chemotherapy. On the other hand, RIT as a single step treatment showed a remarkable capacity to induce complete and partial remissions when applied in recurrence and as initial treatment of FL or given for consolidation. These clinical results strongly suggest that RIT combined with rituximab maintenance could stabilize the high percentages of patients with CR and PR induced by RIT. While the precise mechanisms of the long-term efficacy of these 2 treatments are not elucidated, different observations suggest that the patient's T cell immune response could be decisive. With this review, we discuss the potential role of the patient's immune system under rituximab and RIT and argue that the T cell immunity might be particularly promoted when combining the 2 antibody treatments in the early therapy of FL.

Ursinia nana (Anthemideae, Asteraceae), and adventive from South Africa which is becoming naturalized in the Iberian Peninsula. Observations about its reproductive biology and fruit dispersal mechanism.

The presence of Ursinia nana, an Anthemideae of South-African origin which has been introduced into the NE Iberian Peninsula, is reported for the fi rst time in Europe. The data offered cover its precise location, morphology, chromosome number, ecology and a population census, as well as its life cycle, fl oral structure, reproductive biology and fruit dispersal mechanisms. Of special note are the clear predominance of autogamy (geitonogamy) over xenogamy as a reproductive system and the large number of fruits produced with high and immediate germinative capacity. These characteristics permit rapid colonization by the introduced species, which can become invasive. However, fruit predation by the ant Messor barbarus points to a natural mechanism that helps regulate population growth and makes biological control possible. Finally its possibilities of expansion in the colonized area and of naturalization in the NE Iberian Peninsula are assessed.

Taxonomia del grupo Anthyllis henoniana Coss. (Leguminosae): A. lugabcana, nom. nov.

Con motivo de la síntesis de Anthyllis para Flora iberica ha sido necesario revisar la nomenclatura y la taxonomía del agregado de Anthyllis henoniana, en el que se han incluido las Anthyllis sufruticosas inermes con glomérulos pauciflorus (4-7 flores), hojas subdísticas y folíolos pulvinulados. En este grupo se han reunido dos especies (A. henoniana Coss. y A. subsimplex Pomel) descritas de las estepas desérticas argelinas, junto a otra (A. sericea Lag.) descrita de los matorrales pedregosocalcáreos de Albacete. Los tres nombres han recibido diversos tratamientos taxonómicos, desde ser considerados como coespecíficos (JAFRI & ELGADI, Fl. Lybia 86:114.1980), hasta como tres entidades específicas independientes [BATTANDIER in BATTANDIER & TRABUT, Fl. Algérie (Dicot.) 1:250. 1889), o como dos especies distintas (GREUTER and al., Med-Checklist4:6-7.1989].

A proposito de la dispersion de Verbascum boerhavii L. var. bicolor (Bad.) Arcang. en Catalunya

A propósito de la dispersión de Verbascum boerhavii var. bicolor (Bad.) Arcang. en Catalunya. Verbascum boerhavii L. var. bicolor (Bad.) Arcang., Comp. Fl. Ital. 505 (1882). = V. bicolor Bad., Osserv., 3 (1824) = V. boerhavii L. fma. bicolor (Bad.) Murb., Lunds. Univ. Arssk, 29 (2): 159 (1933). = V. maiale DC. var. bicolor (Bad.) Rouy, Fl. Fr. 9:9 (1909).

Esperó de muntanya

DELPHINIUM MONTANUM DC. IN LAM. & DC., FL. FR. 5: 641 (1815) - L'esperó de muntanya(Delphinium montanum, Ranunculaceae) és una espècie perenne, tetraploide, endèmica delsPirineus orientals, restringida a 9 poblacions (3 de les quals no s¿han tornat a trobar recentment) iamenaçada (vulnerable [VU] segons criteris de la UICN de 2001). Tàxon objecte d¿estudi per l¿equipdel BioC des de fa uns 25 anys, des del punt de vista taxonòmic (Blanché, 1991), de biologiareproductiva i diversitat genètica (Bosch, 1999; Simon et al., 2001) i de l¿origen de la tetraploïdia(López-Pujol et al., 2007). Ha format part de diversos projectes de recerca entre els quals destacaConservación de la biodiversidad en zonas sometidas a impacto del sector turístico y fragmentaciónde poblaciones. Bases para la gestión de especies amenazadas, finançat pel Plan Nacional de I+D del Ministeri d'Educació i Ciència.

Esperó de muntanya

DELPHINIUM MONTANUM DC. IN LAM. & DC., FL. FR. 5: 641 (1815) - L'esperó de muntanya(Delphinium montanum, Ranunculaceae) és una espècie perenne, tetraploide, endèmica delsPirineus orientals, restringida a 9 poblacions (3 de les quals no s¿han tornat a trobar recentment) iamenaçada (vulnerable [VU] segons criteris de la UICN de 2001). Tàxon objecte d¿estudi per l¿equipdel BioC des de fa uns 25 anys, des del punt de vista taxonòmic (Blanché, 1991), de biologiareproductiva i diversitat genètica (Bosch, 1999; Simon et al., 2001) i de l¿origen de la tetraploïdia(López-Pujol et al., 2007). Ha format part de diversos projectes de recerca entre els quals destacaConservación de la biodiversidad en zonas sometidas a impacto del sector turístico y fragmentaciónde poblaciones. Bases para la gestión de especies amenazadas, finançat pel Plan Nacional de I+D del Ministeri d'Educació i Ciència.

Evaluation of a computer model to simulate water table response to subirrigation

The objective of this work was to evaluate the water flow computer model, WATABLE, using experimental field observations on water table management plots from a site located near Hastings, FL, USA. The experimental field had scale drainage systems with provisions for subirrigation with buried microirrigation and conventional seepage irrigation systems. Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) growing seasons from years 1996 and 1997 were used to simulate the hydrology of the area. Water table levels, precipitation, irrigation and runoff volumes were continuously monitored. The model simulated the water movement from a buried microirrigation line source and the response of the water table to irrigation, precipitation, evapotranspiration, and deep percolation. The model was calibrated and verified by comparing simulated results with experimental field observations. The model performed very well in simulating seasonal runoff, irrigation volumes, and water table levels during crop growth. The two-dimensional model can be used to investigate different irrigation strategies involving water table management control. Applications of the model include optimization of the water table depth for each growth stage, and duration, frequency, and rate of irrigation.

Does Influenza Vaccination Induce De Novo HLA Alloantibody Formation in Transplant Recipients?

Introduction: Infl uenza vaccination is recommended for all solid organ transplant recipients. However, some centers are reluctant to give annual vaccination due to concerns about precipitating rejection. A proposed mechanism of this is vaccineinduced development of cellular and humoral responses to donor HLA antigens. We studied the induction of HLA Ab in a cohort of lung transplant recipients receiving infl uenza vaccination. Methods: Adult lung transplant recipients were immunized with 0.5 mL intramuscular seasonal infl uenza vaccine followed by 0.1 mL intradermal booster at 4 weeks as part of a previous study. Sera were collected pre-vaccination and at 4, 8 weeks post-vaccination. Post-vaccination sera were analyzed for HLA Ab using fl owPRA specifi c beads (One Lambda Inc). A positive result was defi ned as 5%. Positive samples were further analyzed for antibody specifi city by single antigen bead testing. Pre-vaccination sera were tested only only if post-vaccination sample screen was positive for HLA Ab. The presence of HLA Ab was correlated to vaccine seroresponse and rejection episodes. Results: Sixty patients were included with equal numbers of men and women. Mean age of patients was 47.3 years (range 20.7-72.4). Median time post-transplant was 1.3 years (range 85 days - 17 years). One patient was excluded due to an uninterpretable baseline screen result. 16/59 (27.1%) patients were positive for HLA Ab both in both pre- and post-vaccination samples. Of these, 12/16 (75%) had antibody against HLA Class I (majority A30,A31,B27,B44), 2/16 (12.5%) had antibody against HLA class II (majority DQ4, DQ7), and 2/16 (12.5%) had antibody against both Class I & II. There was no signifi cant increase in existing HLA Ab post-vaccination. Of the 16 patients, only one (6.3%) patient had de novo HLA Ab and this was determined to be non donor specifi c. Factors such as gender, time from transplant, immunosuppression, and acute rejection episodes did not correlate with presence of HLA Ab. HLA Ab was not associated with seroconversion to to vaccine antigens. Conclusions: Our data support that receiving the annual infl uenza vaccine does not lead to the generation of de novo donor specifi c antibodies in lung transplant recipients or upregulation of existing HLA Ab.

Sibeliuksesta ranskaksi - Marc Vignalin mestarillinen kertomus tavoittaa yleisönsä

"FL Helena Tyrväinen on tutkijana Helsingin yliopiston musiikkitieteen oppiaineessa ja on tehnyt yhteistyötä Marc Vignalin kanssa."

Frações da matéria orgânica de Latossolo sob influência de doses de lodo de esgoto

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o efeito da aplicação contínua de doses crescentes de lodo de esgoto sobre os teores de carbono (C) associados à fração leve (C-FL) e à fração pesada (associado à areia - C-areia; associado ao silte - C-silte - e associado à argila - C-argila) de matéria orgânica em amostras de Latossolo. O experimento foi instalado em 1999, em Jaguariúna, SP, e os dados foram obtidos após a sexta aplicação de lodo de esgoto com doses acumuladas em base seca - 0, 30, 60, 120 e 240 Mg ha-1 -, após seis cultivos subseqüentes de milho. Os tratamentos foram: testemunha, sem adição de lodo (L0); aplicação de lodo de esgoto para fornecer uma (L1), duas (L2), quatro (L4) e oito (L8) vezes a dose de nitrogênio requerida pelo milho. Como referência, foi amostrada uma área sob mata nativa, adjacente ao local do experimento. O acréscimo nas doses de lodo de esgoto aplicadas aumenta de modo linear os teores de C orgânico, C-silte e C-areia, e não interfere nos teores de C-argila. À medida que se aumenta a dose de lodo de esgoto até 120 Mg ha-1, há acréscimo no teor de C-FL no solo. Em relação ao C orgânico, os teores de C associado aos compartimentos avaliados de matéria orgânica do solo têm a seguinte ordem de contribuição: C-FL

Phenotypic and functional analysis of human fetal liver hematopoietic stem cells in culture.

Steady-state hematopoiesis and hematopoietic transplantation rely on the unique potential of stem cells to undergo both self-renewal and multilineage differentiation. Fetal liver (FL) represents a promising alternative source of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), but limited by the total cell number obtained in a typical harvest. We reported that human FL nonobese diabetic/severe combined immunodeficient (NOD/SCID) repopulating cells (SRCs) could be expanded under simple stroma-free culture conditions. Here, we sought to further characterize FL HSC/SRCs phenotypically and functionally before and following culture. Unexpanded or cultured FL cell suspensions were separated into various subpopulations. These were tested for long-term culture potential and for in vivo repopulating function following transplantation into NOD/SCID mice. We found that upon culture of human FL cells, a tight association between classical stem cell phenotypes, such as CD34(+) /CD38(-) and/or side population, and NOD/SCID repopulating function was lost, as observed with other sources. Although SRC activity before and following culture consistently correlated with the presence of a CD34(+) cell population, we provide evidence that, contrary to umbilical cord blood and adult sources, stem cells present in both CD34(+) and CD34(-) FL populations can sustain long-term hematopoietic cultures. Furthermore, upon additional culture, CD34-depleted cell suspensions, devoid of SRCs, regenerated a population of CD34(+) cells possessing SRC function. Our studies suggest that compared to neonatal and adult sources, the phenotypical characteristics of putative human FL HSCs may be less strictly defined, and reinforce the accumulated evidence that human FL represents a unique, valuable alternative and highly proliferative source of HSCs for clinical applications.

Iowa Flood Mitigation Board Annual Report, 2015

The Iowa Flood Mitigation Program is created within Code of Iowa, Chapter 418. The Program seeks to provide funds for fl ood mitigation projects that otherwise would not be funded. The Flood Mitigation Board is responsible for the implementation of Code of Iowa Chapter 418. The membership of the Board is comprised of four voting public members appointed by the Governor, five voting members representing state agencies, four non-voting ex officio members of the legislature, and one non-voting ex officio member representing a state agency.

Reguladores de crescimento na frutificação efetiva e qualidade de frutos partenocárpicos de atemoia 'Gefner'

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar os efeitos de reguladores de crescimento vegetal sobre a frutificação efetiva e a qualidade de frutos partenocárpicos de atemoia 'Gefner'. O experimento foi realizado em pomar de atemoia 'Gefner', em Homestead, Flórida, EUA. Utilizou-se um delineamento experimental de blocos ao acaso, com quatro tratamentos, cinco repetições e seis flores por parcela. Os tratamentos foram compostos por: T1, ácido naftaleno acético a 450 mg L-1 e ácido giberélico a 1.000 mg L-1; T2, promalina a 100 mg L-1 e ácido giberélico a 1.000 mg L-1; T3, ácido giberélico a 1.000 mg L-1; e T4, polinização artificial (testemunha). Foram avaliados a frutificação efetiva, o crescimento e a qualidade dos frutos. A aplicação dos ácidos naftaleno acético e giberélico a flores de atemoia 'Gefner' proporcionou elevada frutificação efetiva, semelhante à da polinização artificial. A aplicação do ácido giberélico, associado ou não ao ácido naftaleno ou à promalina, resulta na produção de frutos de atemoia 'Gefner' mais tardios e menores do que os oriundos da polinização artificial, mas com boa proporção de polpa, excelente teor de sólidos solúveis e, principalmente, frutos sem sementes (partenocárpicos).