ALBERT

Description: Since their first recognition in mineral forming processes some 150 years ago chemical vapor transport reactions (CVTR) have attracted continuous scientific interest. Due to the pioneering work of Harald Schäfer quantitative understanding and exploitation of transport reactions for crystal growth, synthesis, investigation of high-temperature gas species, and thermodynamic studies have become possible. Renewed interest in CVT is triggered by the demand of material sciences for novel compounds with tailor-made physical properties and by the need for efficient recycling strategies for various metals from industrial waste.

Description: The extraordinary growth of human populations and development in coastal areas over the last half century has eliminated and degraded coastal habitats and threatened the persistence of associated wildlife. Moreover, human-induced sea-level rise (SLR) is projected to further eliminate and alter the same coastal ecosystems, especially low-lying regions. Whereas habitat loss and wildlife population declines from development are well documented, contemporary SLR has not yet been implicated in declines of coastal faunal populations. In addition, the projection of severe synergistic impacts from the combination of development and SLR is well described, yet the scientific literature offers little empirical evidence of the influence of these forces on coastal wildlife. Analysis of aerial photographs from 1959 to 2006 provided evidence of a 64% net loss of the endangered Lower Keys marsh rabbit's ( Sylvilagus palustris hefneri ; LKMR) habitat, the majority due to SLR (〉48%). Furthermore, there was a strong negative relationship between the proportion of development per island and the amount of new habitat formed. Islands with modest development (less than 8% of land area) saw formation of new areas of marsh vegetation suitable for rabbits, whereas islands with 8% or more of their lands developed between 1959 and 2006 saw little to no addition of LKMR habitat. Only 8% of habitat loss was directly due to conversion to impervious surfaces, indicating that the greatest threats from development were indirect, including blocking of the inland migration of habitat triggered by SLR. Our results were consistent with an ongoing squeeze of coastal ecosystems between rising seas and development as a threat to LKMR habitat, which raises concern for a wide variety of coastal species. Our results provide evidence that SLR has become a contemporary conservation concern, one that is exacerbated by development, and expected to increase in magnitude as ocean waters continue to rise.

Description: The Cover Feature shows crystal growth of inorganic solids via the vapor phase and how the differentiated choose of a transport agent can offer solutions for appropriate crystallization pathways. The crystal photographs were taken with a microscope DSX110 from Olympus. More details are discussed in the article by Marcus Schmidt et al. on page 1295 ff .

Description: A variety of processes of crystal growth proceeds via the gas phase. If the initial solid material is volatilized in a heterogeneous reaction under presence of a gaseous reactant, the transport agent, the term Chemical Vapor Transport Reaction (CVT) is applied. Crystallization processes by CVT are known for both elements, intermetallics, binary and complex oxides, halides, chalcogenides, and pnictides. Even if the formation of volatile halides is a common feature of almost all vapor transport reactions, significant differences are there concerning the choice of a suitable transport agent depending on the nature of the initial solid phase. Actually, the appropriateness of transport agents for the respective transport reaction can be described in a thermodynamic way. Besides some basic principles for systematic evaluation more practical recommendations for suitable experimental conditions are given for CVT of different classes of inorganic materials.

Description: Environmentally extended multiregional input-output (EE MRIO) tables have emerged as a key framework to provide a comprehensive description of the global economy and analyze its effects on the environment. Of the available EE MRIO databases, EXIOBASE stands out as a database compatible with the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA) with a high sectorial detail matched with multiple social and environmental satellite accounts. In this paper, we present the latest developments realized with EXIOBASE 3—a time series of EE MRIO tables ranging from 1995 to 2011 for 44 countries (28 EU member plus 16 major economies) and five rest of the world regions. EXIOBASE 3 builds upon the previous versions of EXIOBASE by using rectangular supply-use tables (SUTs) in a 163 industry by 200 products classification as the main building blocks. In order to capture structural changes, economic developments, as reported by national statistical agencies, were imposed on the available, disaggregated SUTs from EXIOBASE 2. These initial estimates were further refined by incorporating detailed data on energy, agricultural production, resource extraction, and bilateral trade. EXIOBASE 3 inherits the high level of environmental stressor detail from its precursor, with further improvement in the level of detail for resource extraction. To account for the expansion of the European Union (EU), EXIOBASE 3 was developed with the full EU28 country set (including the new member state Croatia). EXIOBASE 3 provides a unique tool for analyzing the dynamics of environmental pressures of economic activities over time.

Description: Abstract During R/V Meteor cruise 141/1, pore fluids of near surface sediments were investigated to find indications for hydrothermal activity in the Terceira Rift (TR), a hyper‐slow spreading center in the Central North Atlantic Ocean. To date, submarine hydrothermal fluid venting in the TR has only been reported for the D. João de Castro seamount, which presently seems to be inactive. Pore fluids sampled close to a volcanic cone at 2800 m water depth show an anomalous composition with Mg, SO4, and total alkalinity (TA) concentrations significantly higher than seawater and a nearby reference core. The most straightforward way of interpreting these deviations is the dissolution of the hydrothermally formed mineral caminite (MgSO4 0.25Mg(OH)2 0.2H2O). This interpretation is corroborated by a thorough investigation of fluid isotope systems (δ26Mg, δ30Si, δ34S, δ44/42Ca, and 87Sr/86Sr). Caminite is known from mineral assemblages with anhydrite, and forms in hydrothermal recharge zones only under specific conditions such as high fluid temperatures and in altered oceanic crust, which are conditions generally met at the TR. We hypothesize that caminite was formed during hydrothermal activity and is now dissolving during the waning state of the hydrothermal system, so that caminite mineralization is shifted out of its stability zone. Ongoing fluid circulation through the basement is transporting the geochemical signal via slow advection towards the seafloor.

Description: Introduction: Insufficient yield of Peripheral Blood Progenitor Cells (PBPC) from healthy donors can result in higher mortality after allogeneic transplantation. Plerixafor (Mozobil®) is approved for the mobilization of PBPC in combination with G-CSF for collection and subsequent autologous transplantation in patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma and multiple myeloma. Clinical data on G-CSF and Plerixafor in healthy donors are still limited. In a prospective single arm phase 2 trial we investigated the safety and efficacy of a single dose of Plerixafor as a salvage regimen in poor mobilizing allogeneic PBPC donors (NCT01954914). Methods: We enrolled healthy unrelated PBPC donors who had received G-CSF (Lenograstim) at a targed dose of 10 µg/kg bodyweight (bw) for five days but donated less than 2x 106 CD34+ cells/kg recipient bw during the 1st apheresis on day 5 of the mobilization regimen. Plerixafor was injected subcutaneously at a dose of 240µg/kg once on day 5 in the evening before the second leukapheresis. The target for the processed blood volume during each apheresis procedure was 3x donor blood volume +/- 25%. Mobilization success was defined by a donation of more than 4.5x 106CD34+ cells/kg recipient bw. Primary endpoint was the number of mobilization successes. The null hypothesis (success rate of less than 50%) was tested with an exact single sample binomial test at a one-sided significance level of 5%. Results : Between 1/2014 and 12/2015 37 allogeneic unrelated PBPC donors (54% women, 46% men, median age 34 years) were enrolled into the study. The median donor bw was 69 kg (IQR, 61 kg to 76 kg) and the median recipient bw was 85 kg (IQR, 74 kg to 102 kg). Application of Plerixafor was well tolerated in most donors with only moderate side effects such as nausea, diarrhea and occasional vomiting. The median CD34+ count in peripheral blood was 15.4/µl (IQR, 12.0-18.3) on day 5 after G-CSF alone and 44.0/µl (IQR, 38.0-60.5) on day 6 after G-CSF plus Plerixafor. The collected total nucleated cell count was 187 x 106 (IQR, 159.9-223.4) cells per ml volume of the apheresis product on day 5 and 289 x 106 (IQR, 248.0-348.0) cells per ml volume of the apheresis product on day 6. The yield of CD34+ cells in the apheresis products was 1.05 x 108 (range, 0.21-1.80) on day 5 and 2.8 x108(range, 0.93-5.26) on day 6. The percentage of CD3+ cells per TNC was 31% (IQR 27%-40%) and 31% (IQR, 23% - 35%) on days 5 and 6, respectively. In total, a median number of 5.16 x 106 CD34+ cells (IQR 3.06-6.10) per kg recipient weight were collected during both aphereses. Twenty-one out of 37 donors reached the target cell count (56.8%, 95% confidence interval (CI) 39.5% - 72.9%) by donating a CD34+ cell dose of 〉4.5x 106 CD34+ cells per kg recipient bw. Nine donors had donated ≤0.8 106 CD34+ cells per kg recipient bw during their first leukaphersis after stimulation with G-CSF alone. Notably, only one out of these nine very poor mobilizing donors failed to donate at least 2.0 x 106CD 34+ cells per kg recipient bw after salvage mobilization with Plerixafor. Nevertheless, the null hypothesis (H0: rate of mobilization success 4.5x 106 CD34+ cells per kg recipient bw) was 56.8% (95%-CI 39.5% - 72.9%) after a single dose of Plerixafor on day 5 of G-CSF administration. After injection of Plerixafor the CD34+count in the peripheral blood and the yield of CD34+ cells in the leukapheresis product increased by more than factor 2. The application of G-CSF and Plerixafor was well tolerated by most of the donors. Like for autologous donors, the administration of Plerixafor appears promising to optimize PBPC mobilization in allogeneic poor mobilizing donors. Disclosures Hoelig: Janssen Cilag GmbH: Honoraria; Therakos: Honoraria, Research Funding; Sanofi: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding. Schetelig:Sanofi: Honoraria.

Description: Introduction: The collection of hematopoietic stem cells from the peripheral blood in healthy donors has been established as a highly efficient method in clinical practice. Nevertheless, there are some donors who mobilize poorly despite adequate mobilization regimes. Several factors influencing the process of stem cell mobilization have previously been discussed in the literature. Methods: In total, the data of 7.216 unrelated donors who underwent GCSF-induced stem cell mobilization and collection in two German apheresis centers between July 1997 and August 2012 were retrospectively reviewed. We systematically analyzed more than 30 factors with potential influence on the mobilization process and established a statistically stable model in order to predict the mobilization efficacy and the harvest success in unrelated stem cell donors. Based on empirical data and standard values, we created three model donors of each gender with different donor profiles (favorable/average/unfavorable). In those model donors we calculated the corresponding likelihood of a successful stem cell harvest dependent on the recipient’s weight. Results: Overall, ten variables with high statistical significance were included in the prediction model. Body mass index, platelet count, absolute lymphocyte count and the relative monocyte count correlated positively with the CD34+ count in the peripheral blood after five days of GCSF use (p 〈 0.0001 in a multivariate analysis). In contrast, female sex, age, smoking, lactate dehydrogenase (ldh), relative monocyte count, and the relative large unstained cell count were associated negatively with the CD34+ count on day five (p 〈 0.0001 in a multivariate analysis). In order to predict the harvest success (collection of 〉 2 x 10^6 CD34+ cells/kg recipient weight after first apheresis) three different models were compared in a ROC-analysis. The first model was purely based on female sex and recipient weight. The second model additionally contained the predicted CD34+ counts. Finally, in the third model the actual observed CD34+ counts were included. By adding the predicted CD34+ counts to the simple model, a significant improvement of the predictability of a harvest success could be viewed although a considerable difference comparing these results to the model with the observed CD34+ counts remained (figure 1). Furthermore, the prediction of harvest success in model donors (figure 2) revealed that donors with a favorable donor profile (covariates set to the most favorable values within the normal range) showed a particular high likelihood for a successful harvest (100 % likelihood, irrespective to donor’s gender or recipient’s weight). The likelihood for a successful harvest in male donors with an average distribution of covariates (covariates set to the empirical mean value) was nearly 100% as well even in donations for heavy recipients. Contrary, the likelihood for an average female donor was high in normal weight recipients (97 %; 60 kg recipient) but decreased with rising recipient weight (78 %; 140 kg recipient). In donors with an unfavorable profile (covariates set to the worst values within the normal range), especially in females, the chance for a successful stem cell collection was poor even when donating for light recipients (54 % in males, 10 % in females; 60 kg recipient). Conclusions: In conclusion, multiple factors with influence on the CD34+ count after GCSF mobilization in healthy donors have been identified. With the prediction model a significant gain in the predictability of a harvest success could be achieved though a certain amount of unexplained variance still remains. Model donors with a favorable or average donor profile had a high likelihood for a successful stem cell collection. In donors with an unfavorable profile, especially in females, the chance for a harvest success was very low. Figure 1: Prediction of harvest success (〉 2 x 10^6 CD34+ cells/kg recipient weight after 1st apheresis) Figure 1:. Prediction of harvest success (〉 2 x 10^6 CD34+ cells/kg recipient weight after 1st apheresis) Abb.: AUC – area under the curve Figure 2: Probability of harvest success in model donors (〉 2 x 10^6 CD34+ cells/kg recipient weight after 1st apheresis) Figure 2:. Probability of harvest success in model donors (〉 2 x 10^6 CD34+ cells/kg recipient weight after 1st apheresis) Disclosures Schmidt: Cellex GmbH: Employment. Ehninger:Cellex GmbH: Equity Ownership. Off Label Use: G-CSF.