RESUMO: O biossólido é um resíduo proveniente do tratamento de fluidos urbanos utilizado como fonte de nutrientes para culturas agrícolas e florestais. A matéria orgânica contida nesse resíduo e as características químicas dele podem interferir no comportamento de herbicidas no solo. Objetivou-se neste estudo avaliar a influência do biossólido sobre o potencial de lixiviação de herbicidas mimetizadores de auxina. Implantaram-se dois experimentos simultâneos, sendo um teste de lixiviação do picloram + 2,4-D em coluna de solo com adição de biossólido termicamente tratado ou de biossólido solarizado e outro para a avaliação do efeito da aplicação do lixiviado proveniente dos testes de lixiviação sob material inerte. Cada tipo de biossólido foi incorporado em solo arenoso nas proporções de 0% 50%, 100% e 150% da dose máxima recomendada para adubação subsuperficial para o eucalipto. O solo foi acondicionado em colunas de PVC e aplicou-se, na superfície das colunas, herbicida à base de picloram + 2,4-D (formulação comercial Turuna®), correspondente a 240 g L-1 de 2.4-D + 64 g L-1 de picloram, na dose de 3,5 L ha-1 do produto comercial. As colunas foram submetidas à simulação de chuva e fez-se a coleta do lixiviado resultante, seguida de sua aplicação em vasos preenchidos com areia. Foi semeado Cucumis sativus ao longo do perfil das colunas de solo e nos vasos. A incorporação do biossólido, independentemente do tipo e da dose testada, não interferiu no potencial de lixiviação do picloram + 2,4-D. Observaram-se sintomas de intoxicação ao longo de todas as colunas de solo e nos vasos. Portanto, esse resíduo é pouco eficaz para a resolução de problemas ambientais causados pela lixiviação de herbicidas mimetizadores de auxina no solo.

ABSTRACT: Biosolids are residues from the treatment of urban fluids used as a source of nutrients for agricultural and forestry crops. The organic matter contained in this residue and its chemical characteristics may interfere with the behavior of herbicides in the soil. The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of biosolids on the potential for leaching herbicides mimicking auxin. Two simultaneous experiments were performed: a leaching test of picloram + 2.4-D in soil column with addition of thermally treated biosolids or solarized biosolids and another one to evaluate the effect of leachate application from the leaching tests under inert material. Each type of biosolid was incorporated in sandy soil in the proportions of 0%, 50%, 100% and 150% of the maximum recommended dose for subsurface fertilization for eucalyptus. The soil was conditioned in PVC columns and the herbicide columns based on picloram + 2.4-D (Turuna® Commercial Formulation), corresponding to 240 g L-1 of 2.4-D + 64 g L-1 of picloram at a dose of 3.5 L ha-1 of the commercial product. The columns were submitted to rain simulation and the resulting leachate was collected, followed by its application in sand-filled pots. The Cucumis sativus was sown along the profile of the soil columns and in the pots. The incorporation of the biosolid, independently of the type and dose tested did not interfere in the leaching potential of picloram + 2.4-D. Symptoms of intoxication were observed along all soil columns and pots. Therefore this residue is not very effective for the resolution of environmental problems caused by the leaching of auxin-mimicking herbicides in the soil.

RESUMO Objetivou-se neste estudo avaliar a fisiologia de milho e plantas daninhas em convívio sob diferentes densidades. Utilizou-se delineamento em blocos casualizados com quatro repetições. Foi adotado esquema fatorial 5 x 2 + 1 e 5 x 3, para o milho e plantas daninhas, respectivamente, correspondendo aos fatores espécies de planta daninha (Bidens pilosa, Commelina benghalensis, Urochloa brizantha, Sorghum arundinaceum e Ipomoea triloba) e densidade de infestação (testemunha, 15 e 30 plantas m-2). Mantiveram-se em convívio com o híbrido de milho transgênico DKB 390 PRO 2, além de um tratamento adicional para plantas de milho ausentes de competição. Aos 45 e 60 dias após o plantio (DAP) do milho, foram realizadas avaliações fisiológicas na cultura, e aos 38 dias após o transplantio (DAT), para as plantas daninhas, utilizou-se analisador de gases no infravermelho (IRGA). Houve alterações fisiológicas no milho devido ao convívio com as plantas daninhas. Aos 45 DAP, a competição, independentemente da espécie infestante, causou menor taxa fotossintética no milho em convívio com 15 plantas m-2; a condutância estomática foi inferior nas duas densidades. Aos 60 DAP, o milho em competição com 15 e 30 plantas m-2 apresentou menor taxa transpiratória. U. brizantha e S. arundinaceum apresentaram redução na fotossíntese e transpiração em função do aumento da densidade e do convívio com o milho.

ABSTRACT This study aimed at evaluating the physiology of maize and weeds when living under different densities. The randomized block design with 4 replications was used. The factorial scheme 5 x 2 + 1 and 5 x 3 was adopted, for maize and weeds respectively, corresponding to weed species (Bidens pilosa, Commelina benghalensis, Urochloa brizantha, Sorghum arundinaceum and Ipomoea triloba) and infestation density (control, 15 and 30 plants m-2). Weeds were kept in coexistence with the maize hybrid DKB 390 PRO 2, with an additional treatment for maize plants absent of competition. It was kept in coexistence with maize hybrid DKB 390 PRO 2 besides an additional treatment with maize plants absent of competition. On day 45 and 60 after maize planting (DAP) physiological reviews were performed within the culture, and 38 days after weed transplanting (DAT), an infrared gas analyzer (IRGA) was used. There were physiological changes in maize due to the coexistence with weeds. On day 45 DAP, the competition, regardless of the weed species, caused less photosynthetic rate in maize coexisting with 15 plants m-2; the stomatal conductance was lower in both densities. On day 60 DAP, maize in competition with 15 and 30 plants m-2 showed lower transpiration rate. U. brizantha and S. arundinaceum showed reduction in photosynthesis and transpiration, due to increased density and coexistence with maize.

Antibodies play an important role in both medicine and analytical biotechnology. Recently, the demand for monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) has been increasing exponentially, since their potential for therapeutic use was disclosed and improved techniques to produce them at higher titers have become available. Although upstream processing of mAbs has suffered a tremendous improvement, in the last decades, me downstream processing lias been considered the bottleneck in providing antibodies at reliable costs, being, in fact, the major cost factor with 50 to 80% of total production costs. Therefore, alternative methods for mAbs's purification may be required. Aqueous two-phase systems (ATPS) have been described, for the last decade, as a viable alternative to the current establish platform, since clarification, concentration and purification can be achieved in just one step using a biocompatible environment. Therefore, the use of ATPS for integrative purification of mAbs it will be reviewed.

Los anticuerpos tienen un papel importante tanto en la biotecnología médica como en la analítica. Desde que su potencial para uso terapéutico fue descubierto y las técnicas para producirlos en concentraciones más altas fueron mejoradas y se hicieron disponibles, la demanda de anticuerpos monoclonales (mAbs) ha estado incrementado exponencialmente. A pesar de que en las últimas décadas los procesos de fermentación de mAbs han mejorado notablemente, los procesos de recuperación y purificación han sido considerados el cuello de botella para la producción de anticuerpos a precios confiables. De hecho, es esta última etapa la que involucra un mayor costo abarcando del 50 al 80% de los costos totales de producción. Debido a esto, métodos alternativos de producción de anticuerpos son requeridos. Los sistemas de dos fases acuosas (SDFA) han sido descritos en la ultima década, como una alternativa viable a la plataforma actual establecida, dado que la clarificación, concentración y purificación pueden ser llevadas a cabo en un solo paso dentro de un ambiente biocompatible. Es por tanto que el uso de SDFA para una purificación integral será revisado.

Allogeneic stem cell transplantation has been increasingly performed for a variety of hematologic diseases. Clinically significant acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) occurs in 9 to 50% of patients who receive allogeneic grafts, resulting in high morbidity and mortality. There is no standard therapy for patients with acute GVHD who do not respond to steroids. Studies have shown a possible benefit of anti-TNF-a (infliximab)for the treatment of acute GVHD. We report here on the outcomes of 10 recipients of related or unrelated stem cell transplants who received 10 mg/kg infliximab, iv, once weekly for a median of 3.5 doses (range: 1-6) for the treatment of severe acute GVHD and who were not responsive to standard therapy. All patients had acute GVHD grades II to IV (II = 2, III = 3, IV = 5). Overall, 9 patients responded and 1 patient had progressive disease. Among the responders, 3 had complete responses and 6 partial responses. All patients with cutaneous or gastrointestinal involvement responded, while only 2 of 6 patients with liver disease showed any response. None of the 10 patients had any kind of immediate toxicity. Four patients died, all of them with sepsis. Six patients are still alive after a median follow-up time of 544 days (92-600) after transplantation. Considering the severity of the cases and the bad prognosis associated with advanced acute GVHD, we find our results encouraging. Anti-TNF-a seems to be a useful agent for the treatment of acute GVHD.