Primary production and carbon export connect biogeochemical cycles in the surface waters to the deep. Quantifying rates of production and carbon export are important to understanding the global carbon cycle. There are multiple productivity rate methods, but each measures a different fraction of production. The first type of method is in vitro methods that involve removing water samples from the environment and incubating with an isotopically labelled tracer, such as a nutrient. At the end of the incubation, the amount of enrichment in either the particulates (phytoplankton) or the dissolved oxygen are measured to determine productivity. The second type of method is in situ methods that measure the natural environmental parameters instead of incubations. In this study, the natural isotopic composition and the ratio of gases in the surface water are measured. Comparing in situ versus in vitro methods in the Arctic on a GEOTRACES cruise (July 2015), we identified five reasons to explain why methods do not agree: time of integration, depth of integration, recently shoaled mixed layer, mixing at the base of the mixed layer, and methodological issues. When comparing in vitro methods to each other, filter handling and some as yet unidentified bias causes differences. Comparing methods along Line P (over three years), we hypothesize that excretion of dissolved organic nitrogen, upwelling, bottle effects, mixing, and time of integration are the most important factors that cause disagreement between methods. End of bloom dynamics created an extreme case where method disagreement was most severe. Applying method comparison in the NE subarctic Pacific (August 2014 – June 2017) helps to understand what drives variability in primary production. Historical data show that chlorophyll-a is low and invariant offshore in the high nutrient low chlorophyll area (HNLC), where iron is limiting. We used satellites and models, which compare well with shipboard data, to expand our spatial and temporal coverage of the offshore HNLC area. Increased chlorophyll a is associated with higher production, higher salinity, and lower temperature. We hypothesize that iron can be supplied to surface waters by offshore fronts, using June 2015 and June 2016 as specific examples. Fronts are locations where temperature, salinity and/or density are rapidly changing, in this particular dissertation a 1°C change over 1/3 degree distance. We identified locations where fronts were located based on Mercator model sea surface temperatures and compared these features to satellite chlorophyll patterns. Our hypothesis is also supported by data from June 2017 where there were no fronts and chlorophyll was uniformly low. Future research should consider fronts as a possible mechanism for increasing productivity in the area. Identifying mechanisms that cause methods to disagree and then applying to biogeochemical regions allows for better understanding of carbon cycling. / Graduate / 2020-09-12

Endophytic fungi inhabit the living tissue of a host plant for at least a portion of their life cycle. While some researchers have shown that various endophytic fungi participate in litter decomposition, we do not know whether such fungi are actually saprotrophic, meaning that they can obtain energy from litter. Therefore, I determined if endophytic fungi are saprotrophs using leaf litter as the energy source. All 49 tested isolates were found to be saprotrophic. To compare the saprotrophic capacities of fungi from different habitats, which produce different types of litter, a universal litter proxy needs to be used. I hypothesized that pure cellulose would be an adequate proxy for litter for in vitro studies because of its abundance in litter. This was tested in the first study. Saprotrophic capacity on pure cellulose was not highly correlated with that on leaf litter. I conclude, therefore, that cellulose may not be a good proxy for leaf litter. Some endophytic fungi are biotrophs, presumably acquiring energy from photosynthate produced by the host plant. This suggests that the level of exposure to sunlight by the plant should influence the competitive ability of such fungi. If saprotrophic endophytic fungi do exist, they ought to be less competitive against biotrophic endophytic fungi in leaves receiving full sunlight than in shaded leaves. I, therefore, hypothesized that the frequency of saprotrophy will be influenced by the level of sun exposure of the leaf from which the fungi were isolated. This was tested in the second study. Moreover, because closely related organisms ought to be more similar to each other than more distantly related organisms, I also hypothesized that saprotrophic capacity has a strong phylogenetic component, which was also tested in the second study. Unexpectedly, isolate identity within genus accounted for far more variability in saprotrophic capacity than genus identity, and sun exposure did not have a significant effect on saprotrophy. These results suggest that saprotrophic capacity may not be highly consequential in the ecology of these organisms.

A eficácia de protetores solares é determinada por métodos in vivo, que utilizam humanos, tais como: Fator de Proteção Solar (FPS), Immediate Pigment Darkening (IPD), Persistent Pigment Darkening (PPD) e Fator de Proteção UVA (FP-UVA). No entanto, esses parâmetros não refletem os efeitos danosos reais induzidos pela radiação solar sobre as estruturas e componentes celulares, como o DNA, lipídeos e proteínas. O objetivo deste estudo foi desenvolver ensaios in vitro com culturas de células para avaliar o potencial fotoprotetor de protetores solares empregando parâmetros biológicos que são alterados pela radiação UV. A primeira etapa deste estudo consistiu em selecionar a linhagem de células da pele (L929 ou HaCaT) que fornecesse a melhor relação entre dose de UVA ou UVB e o efeito danoso induzido. Este efeito foi quantificado pela medida da viabilidade celular, peroxidação lipídica e geração de espécies reativas de oxigênio (EROs). O melhor modelo de cultura celular foi tratado com protetores solares de duas marcas diferentes com FPSs de 15 a 60, obtidos no mercado local. Amostras dos fotoprotetores foram aplicadas em uma placa de quartzo colocada no topo de uma microplaca preenchida por células. A viabilidade celular e a peroxidação lipídica, medidas em fibroblastos L929, foram os parâmetros mais promissores para avaliar a eficácia de protetores solares expostos à UVB e permitiram discriminar o potencial fotoprotetor de formulações com diferentes FPSs. Por outro lado, a formação de EROs, expressa em queratinócitos HaCaT, provou ser um parametro biológico promissor para discriminar a eficácia de protetores solares com diferentes FPSs ou FPSs/PPDs, expostos à UVA. Atualmente, as empresas estão adicionando aos protetores solares filtros orgânicos que absorvem na região do UVA, principalmente na faixa do UVA-1. Alguns pesquisadores têm demonstrado que o proteoma é o alvo para as EROs induzidas por UVA. Essas EROs diminuem a atividade da calcineurina (Cn), enzima conhecida pelo seu papel no recrutamento de células T. A liberação do ânion fosfato do substrato, pela ação da enzima, reduz com o aumento da exposição da Cn à radiação UVA-1. Desta forma, um método foi desenvolvido com células primárias HDFn para a avaliação da eficácia fotoprotetora de protetores solares na faixa de UVA-1, empregando a medida da atividade da Cn. Os resultados mostraram que a redução da atividade da Cn só foi proporcional a dose de UVA-1 quando o homogeneizado de células HDFn, contendo 417,55 ± 8,79 ?g/mL de proteínas, foi exposto a diferentes doses de UVA-1. Quando as culturas de células foram irradiadas por diferentes doses de UVA-1, não foi observado diminuição da atividade da enzima. Em adição, para maior precisão na medida da atividade enzimática, os homogeneizados, expostos ou não à luz UVA-1 e protegidos ou não por diferentes protetores solares, tiveram que ser diluídos na proporção de 1:2 em tampão ensaio 2x (1:1, v/v), antes da quantificação do fosfato por verde de malaquita. A medida da atividade da Cn mostrou ser um ensaio eficiente para diferenciar fotoprotetores adicionados de filtros orgânicos específicos para faixa de UVA-1 (marca B) daqueles não adicionados desses filtros (marca A). Como também, o ensaio foi capaz de diferenciar os protetores solares da marca B, com diferentes valores de PPD: fotoprotetor com PPD-15 não foi capaz de evitar a redução da atividade enzimática, semelhante ao homogeneizado exposto à luz UVA-1 sem proteção, mas diferenciou dos demais PPDs; PPDs 25 e 41 protegeram a atividade da Cn em 34,53 ± 4,15% e 38,19 ± 5,50%, respectivamente. Assim, os parâmetros biológicos testados neste estudo podem atuar como alternativas complementares para avaliação da eficácia de fotoprotetores. / The effectiveness of sunscreens is usually determined by in vivo methods, which use humans, such as Sun Protection Factor (SPF), Immediate Pigment Darkening (IPD), Persistent Pigment Darkening (PPD) and UVA Protection Factor (UVA-PF). However, these parameters do not reflect the real damaging effects induced by solar radiation on the structures and cellular components as the DNA, lipids and proteins. The aim of this study was to develop in vitro methods with cell culture to assess the photoprotective potential of sunscreens using biological parameters that are changed by UV radiation. The first stage of this study to select the skin cells strain (L929 or HaCaT) that would provide the best relationship between dose of UVA or UVB radiation and induced deleterious effect. This effect was quantified by measuring cell viability, lipid peroxidation and generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The best cell culture model was treated with commercial sunscreens two brands with SPF 15- 60, obtained from a local market. Sunscreens samples were applied in a quartz plate placed on top of a microplate filled with cells. The cell viability and lipid peroxidation measured in L929 fibroblasts were the most promising for evaluating the efficacy of sunscreens exposed to UVB radiation and allowed to discriminate the photoprotective potential of formulations with different SPFs. On the other hand, ROS generation expressed in keratinocyte of the HaCaT proved to be a promising biological test for discriminating the effectiveness of sunscreens with different SPFs or SPFs/PPDs exposed to UVA radiation. Currently, companies are adding organic filters in sunscreens that absorb in the UVA region, especially in the UVA-1 range. Some researchers have shown that proteomics is the target for ROS induced by UVA. These ROS decrease the activity of calcineurin (Cn), an enzyme known for its role in T cell recruitment. The release of phosphate anion from substrate by enzyme action, it reduces with increasing exposure of Cn to UVA-1 radiation. Thus, a method was developed with HDFn primary cells for evaluation of photoprotective efficacy of sunscreens in the UVA-1 range, using the measure of Cn activity. The results showed that the reduction of Cn activity was only proportional to the dose of UVA-1 when the HDFn cell homogenate, containing 417.55 ± 8.79 mg/mL protein, was exposed to different doses of UVA-1. When cell cultures were irradiated with different doses of UVA-1, there was no reduction in enzyme activity. In addition, for greater precision in the measurement of enzymatic activity, the homogenates, exposed or not to UVA-1 radiation and protected or not with different sunscreens, they had to be diluted at a ratio of 1:2 in buffer before of phosphate quantification for malachite green. The measure of Cn activity proved to be an efficient test to differentiate photoprotectors added specific organic filters for UVA range (brand B) of those not added these filters (brand A). As well, the assay was able to differentiate the sunscreens of brand B, but with different values of PPD: photoprotector with PPD-15 was not able to prevent the reduction of enzyme activity, similar to the homogenate exposed to UVA light without protection, but differentiated from other PPDs; PPDs 25 and 41 protected the activity of Cn to 34.53 ± 4.15% and 38.19 ± 5.50%, respectively. Thus, the biological parameters tested in this study can serve as additional alternatives for assessing the effectiveness of sunscreens.

A eficácia de protetores solares é determinada por métodos in vivo, que utilizam humanos, tais como: Fator de Proteção Solar (FPS), Immediate Pigment Darkening (IPD), Persistent Pigment Darkening (PPD) e Fator de Proteção UVA (FP-UVA). No entanto, esses parâmetros não refletem os efeitos danosos reais induzidos pela radiação solar sobre as estruturas e componentes celulares, como o DNA, lipídeos e proteínas. O objetivo deste estudo foi desenvolver ensaios in vitro com culturas de células para avaliar o potencial fotoprotetor de protetores solares empregando parâmetros biológicos que são alterados pela radiação UV. A primeira etapa deste estudo consistiu em selecionar a linhagem de células da pele (L929 ou HaCaT) que fornecesse a melhor relação entre dose de UVA ou UVB e o efeito danoso induzido. Este efeito foi quantificado pela medida da viabilidade celular, peroxidação lipídica e geração de espécies reativas de oxigênio (EROs). O melhor modelo de cultura celular foi tratado com protetores solares de duas marcas diferentes com FPSs de 15 a 60, obtidos no mercado local. Amostras dos fotoprotetores foram aplicadas em uma placa de quartzo colocada no topo de uma microplaca preenchida por células. A viabilidade celular e a peroxidação lipídica, medidas em fibroblastos L929, foram os parâmetros mais promissores para avaliar a eficácia de protetores solares expostos à UVB e permitiram discriminar o potencial fotoprotetor de formulações com diferentes FPSs. Por outro lado, a formação de EROs, expressa em queratinócitos HaCaT, provou ser um parametro biológico promissor para discriminar a eficácia de protetores solares com diferentes FPSs ou FPSs/PPDs, expostos à UVA. Atualmente, as empresas estão adicionando aos protetores solares filtros orgânicos que absorvem na região do UVA, principalmente na faixa do UVA-1. Alguns pesquisadores têm demonstrado que o proteoma é o alvo para as EROs induzidas por UVA. Essas EROs diminuem a atividade da calcineurina (Cn), enzima conhecida pelo seu papel no recrutamento de células T. A liberação do ânion fosfato do substrato, pela ação da enzima, reduz com o aumento da exposição da Cn à radiação UVA-1. Desta forma, um método foi desenvolvido com células primárias HDFn para a avaliação da eficácia fotoprotetora de protetores solares na faixa de UVA-1, empregando a medida da atividade da Cn. Os resultados mostraram que a redução da atividade da Cn só foi proporcional a dose de UVA-1 quando o homogeneizado de células HDFn, contendo 417,55 ± 8,79 ?g/mL de proteínas, foi exposto a diferentes doses de UVA-1. Quando as culturas de células foram irradiadas por diferentes doses de UVA-1, não foi observado diminuição da atividade da enzima. Em adição, para maior precisão na medida da atividade enzimática, os homogeneizados, expostos ou não à luz UVA-1 e protegidos ou não por diferentes protetores solares, tiveram que ser diluídos na proporção de 1:2 em tampão ensaio 2x (1:1, v/v), antes da quantificação do fosfato por verde de malaquita. A medida da atividade da Cn mostrou ser um ensaio eficiente para diferenciar fotoprotetores adicionados de filtros orgânicos específicos para faixa de UVA-1 (marca B) daqueles não adicionados desses filtros (marca A). Como também, o ensaio foi capaz de diferenciar os protetores solares da marca B, com diferentes valores de PPD: fotoprotetor com PPD-15 não foi capaz de evitar a redução da atividade enzimática, semelhante ao homogeneizado exposto à luz UVA-1 sem proteção, mas diferenciou dos demais PPDs; PPDs 25 e 41 protegeram a atividade da Cn em 34,53 ± 4,15% e 38,19 ± 5,50%, respectivamente. Assim, os parâmetros biológicos testados neste estudo podem atuar como alternativas complementares para avaliação da eficácia de fotoprotetores. / The effectiveness of sunscreens is usually determined by in vivo methods, which use humans, such as Sun Protection Factor (SPF), Immediate Pigment Darkening (IPD), Persistent Pigment Darkening (PPD) and UVA Protection Factor (UVA-PF). However, these parameters do not reflect the real damaging effects induced by solar radiation on the structures and cellular components as the DNA, lipids and proteins. The aim of this study was to develop in vitro methods with cell culture to assess the photoprotective potential of sunscreens using biological parameters that are changed by UV radiation. The first stage of this study to select the skin cells strain (L929 or HaCaT) that would provide the best relationship between dose of UVA or UVB radiation and induced deleterious effect. This effect was quantified by measuring cell viability, lipid peroxidation and generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The best cell culture model was treated with commercial sunscreens two brands with SPF 15- 60, obtained from a local market. Sunscreens samples were applied in a quartz plate placed on top of a microplate filled with cells. The cell viability and lipid peroxidation measured in L929 fibroblasts were the most promising for evaluating the efficacy of sunscreens exposed to UVB radiation and allowed to discriminate the photoprotective potential of formulations with different SPFs. On the other hand, ROS generation expressed in keratinocyte of the HaCaT proved to be a promising biological test for discriminating the effectiveness of sunscreens with different SPFs or SPFs/PPDs exposed to UVA radiation. Currently, companies are adding organic filters in sunscreens that absorb in the UVA region, especially in the UVA-1 range. Some researchers have shown that proteomics is the target for ROS induced by UVA. These ROS decrease the activity of calcineurin (Cn), an enzyme known for its role in T cell recruitment. The release of phosphate anion from substrate by enzyme action, it reduces with increasing exposure of Cn to UVA-1 radiation. Thus, a method was developed with HDFn primary cells for evaluation of photoprotective efficacy of sunscreens in the UVA-1 range, using the measure of Cn activity. The results showed that the reduction of Cn activity was only proportional to the dose of UVA-1 when the HDFn cell homogenate, containing 417.55 ± 8.79 mg/mL protein, was exposed to different doses of UVA-1. When cell cultures were irradiated with different doses of UVA-1, there was no reduction in enzyme activity. In addition, for greater precision in the measurement of enzymatic activity, the homogenates, exposed or not to UVA-1 radiation and protected or not with different sunscreens, they had to be diluted at a ratio of 1:2 in buffer before of phosphate quantification for malachite green. The measure of Cn activity proved to be an efficient test to differentiate photoprotectors added specific organic filters for UVA range (brand B) of those not added these filters (brand A). As well, the assay was able to differentiate the sunscreens of brand B, but with different values of PPD: photoprotector with PPD-15 was not able to prevent the reduction of enzyme activity, similar to the homogenate exposed to UVA light without protection, but differentiated from other PPDs; PPDs 25 and 41 protected the activity of Cn to 34.53 ± 4.15% and 38.19 ± 5.50%, respectively. Thus, the biological parameters tested in this study can serve as additional alternatives for assessing the effectiveness of sunscreens.

No description available.

A major challenge in designing cancer therapies is the induction of cancer cell apoptosis, although activation of intrinsic apoptotic pathways by targeting gold nanoparticles to mitochondria is promising. We report an in vitro procedure targeting mitochondria with conjugated gold nanoparticles and investigating effects on apoptosis induction in the human breast cancer cell line Jimt-1. Gold nanoparticles were conjugated to a variant of turbo green fluorescent protein (mitoTGFP) harbouring an amino-terminal mitochondrial localization signal. Au nanoparticle conjugates were further complexed with cationic maltotriose-modified poly(propylene imine) third generation dendrimers. Fluorescence and transmission electron microscopy revealed that Au nanoparticle conjugates were directed to mitochondria upon transfection, causing partial rupture of the outer mitochondrial membrane, triggering cell death. The ability to target Au nanoparticles into mitochondria of breast cancer cells and induce apoptosis reveals an alternative application of Au nanoparticles in photothermal therapy of cancer.

Charles University in Prague Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology Student: Bc. Michaela Jahodová Supervisor: PharmDr. Lukáš Červený, Ph.D. Title of diploma thesis: In vitro and ex vivo study of drug-drug interactions of antiretrovirals on intestinal ATP-binding drug transporters The absorption of orally administered drugs takes place especially in the intestine, where it can affect by the activity of drug's ABC transporters located on the apical membrane of the intestinal epithelium. Study of drug interactions in intestinal ABC transporters is essential to ensure effective and safe pharmacotherapy. Testing of bi- directional transport on Caco-2 cells is generally the preferred method for in vitro evaluation of substrates and inhibitors of ABC transporters. Drawbacks of the Caco-2 model increase the need and necessity to introduce new models. A great potential is the involvement of ex vivo methodologies in the human or rat intestine. The aim of the work was to introduce an in vitro methodology using the Caco-2 cell monolayer and the ex vivo methodology of precision-cut rat intestinal slices. By the bi-directional transport method, we analyzed drug interactions of the model substrate P-gp and BCRP Rhodamine 123 (RHD123) and clinically-used tenofovir...