Detection limits are central to improve reporting standards when using Nile red for microplastic quantification.

Beyond simple identification of either the presence or absence of microplastic particles in the environment, quantitative accuracy has been criticised as being neither comparable nor reproducible. This is, in part, due to difficulties in the identification of synthetic particles amidst naturally occurring organic and inorganic components. The fluorescent stain Nile red has been proposed as a tool to overcome this issue, but to date, has been used without consideration of polymer specific fluorescent variability.

Downmodulation of Effector Functions in NK Cells upon Toxoplasma gondii Infection.

The obligate intracellular parasite can actively infect any nucleated cell type, including cells from the immune system. The rapid transfer of from infected dendritic cells to effector natural killer (NK) cells may contribute to the parasite's sequestration and shielding from immune recognition shortly after infection. However, subversion of NK cell functions, such as cytotoxicity or production of proinflammatory cytokines, such as gamma interferon (IFN-γ), upon parasite infection might also be beneficial to the parasite.