Enrichment of leukocytes in peripheral blood using 3D printed tubes

Leukocytes have an essential role in patient clinical trajectories and progression. Traditional methods of leukocyte enrichment have many significant limitations for current applications. It is demonstrated a novel 3D printing leukocyte sorting accumulator that combines with centrifugation to ensure label-free initial leukocyte enrichment based on cell density and size. The internal structure of leukocyte sorting accumulator (revealed here in a new design, leukocyte sorting accumulator-3, upgraded from earlier models), optimizes localization of the buffy coat fraction and the length of the period allocated for a second centrifugation step to deliver a higher recovery of buffy coats than earlier models. Established methodological parameters were evaluated for reliability by calculating leukocyte recovery rates and erythrocyte depletion rates by both pushing and pulling methods of cell displacement. Results indicate that leukocyte sorting accumulator-3 achieves a mean leukocytes recovery fraction of 96.2 ± 2.38% by the pushing method of layer displacement. By the pulling method, the leukocyte sorting accumulator-3 yield a mean leukocytes recovery fraction of 94.4 ± 0.8%. New procedures for preliminary enrichment of leukocytes from peripheral blood that avoid cellular damage, as well as avert metabolic and phase cycle intervention, are required as the first step in many modern clinical and basic research assays.

Nutrients Use Efficiency and Uptake Characteristics of Panicum virgatum for Fodder Production

Panicum virgatum could produce cattle feed with lower costs due to the low input requirements and its perennial nature. Dry biomass yield vs. N-P-K nutrient uptake relations as well as the N-mineralization and the N-fertilization recovery fraction for Panicum virgatum (cv. Alamo) were determined under field conditions for four N-fertilization (0, 80, 160 and 240 kg ha-1) and two irrigation levels (0 and 250 mm), οn two soils in central Greece with rather different moisture status. It was found that the dry fodder yield on the aquic soil may reach 14 t ha-1 using supplemental irrigation; while on the xeric soil a lower yield of 9-10 t ha-1 may be produced only under supplemental irrigation. Moreover, the average N, P and K concentration was 1.3%, 0.14% and 1.3% in leaves, and 0.5%, 0.85%, and 1.5% in stems, respectively, showing the very low crop requirements. Furthermore, linear biomass yield-nutrient uptake relationships were found with high R2, pointing to nutrient use efficiency of 132 and 75 kg kg-1, for N and K respectively. The base N-uptake ranged from 71-74 kg ha-1 on the aquic to 60 kg ha-1 or less on the xeric soil. Finally, it was found that N-recovery fraction was 20% on the aquic soil and lower on the xeric. Therefore, it could be conclude that Panicum virgatum seems to be a very promising crop for fodder production and its introduction in land use systems (especially οn aquic soils of similar environments) should be taken into consideration.

BIOMASS PRODUCTION AND N-USE OF FIBRE SORGHUM UNDER DIFFERENT COVER CROPPING MANAGEMENT, NITROGEN INFLUXES AND SOIL TYPES IN CENTRAL GREECE

SUMMARYField experiments were carried out over a period of three years to evaluate the effect of cover cropping faba bean with fibre sorghum, compared to mono-crop cultivation, on yield (dry matter), nitrogen utilization efficiency (NUE) and N fertilizer recovery fraction of sorghum. Experimental sites were located in central Greece on a fertile, clayey to loamy textured soil, and on a sandy soil of moderate fertility. A factorial combination of four nitrogen application rates (0, 50, 100, 150 kg ha−1) and three legume treatments (incorporated into the topsoil or harvested before the sowing of sorghum and mono-cropping) were tested in a split plot design in three blocks. The results showed importance of legume cover crops for both soil types as sorghum total dry biomass yield for clayey soil fluctuated from 23 to 27 t ha−1for control plots, from 25.2 to 30.9 t ha−1when faba bean was harvested and from 26.3 to 32.5 t ha−1when incorporated, and for sandy soil the yield fluctuated from 18.1 to 22.1 t ha−1for control plots, from 22 to 27 t ha−1when faba bean was harvested and from 23.1 to 28.1 t ha−1when incorporated. The NUE was estimated at 62 kg kg−1and 60 kg kg−1for clayey and sandy soils respectively. The N recovery fraction was doubled after incorporating faba bean as green manure, reaching large amounts for both soil types.

Parallel operation of ultrafiltration and aerobic membrane bioreactor treatment systems for mechanical newsprint mill whitewater at 55°C

An ultrafiltration system and a membrane biological reactor were operated in parallel to compare the removal efficiencies achieved for total and dissolved solids and chemical oxygen demand, from a simulated, low water-use, mechanical newsprint mill whitewater at 55°C. The ultrafiltration system was operated at water recovery fractions (Y) of 0.9, 0.95 and 0.983, while the membrane biological system was operated at water recovery fractions of 0.95, 0.975 and 0.983. In all cases, the membrane biological reactor exhibited higher removal efficiencies than the ultrafiltration system alone. The MBR demonstrated 48–58% removal of total COD, 35–45% removal of dissolved COD, 25–35% removal of total solids and 20–30% removal of dissolved solids. Maximum flux through the membranes was highest at lower water recovery fractions for both the ultrafiltration system and the membrane biological reactor. Fouling time, based on the time required for a 20% loss of flux, increased with increasing water recovery for the membrane biological reactor and decreased with water recovery fraction for the ultrafiltration system.