Combustion-Derived Ultrafine Particles Transport Organic Toxicants to Target Respiratory Cells

Epidemiologic evidence supports associations between inhalation of fine and ultrafine ambient particulate matter [aerodynamic diameter ≤ 2.5 μm (PM(2.5))] and increases in cardiovascular/respiratory morbidity and mortality. Less attention has been paid to how the physical and chemical characteristics of these particles may influence their interactions with target cells. Butadiene soot (BDS), produced during combustion of the high-volume petrochemical 1,3-butadiene, is rich in polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), including known carcinogens. We conducted experiments to characterize BDS with respect to particle size distribution, assembly, PAH composition, elemental content, and interaction with respiratory epithelial cells. Freshly generated, intact BDS is primarily (> 90%) PAH-rich, metals-poor (nickel, chromium, and vanadium concentrations all < 1 ppm) PM(2.5), composed of uniformly sized, solid spheres (30–50 nm) in aggregated form. Cells of a human bronchial epithelial cell line (BEAS-2B) exhibit sequential fluorescent responses—a relatively rapid (~ 30 min), bright but diffuse fluorescence followed by the slower (2–4 hr) appearance of punctate cytoplasmic fluorescence—after BDS is added to medium overlying the cells. The fluorescence is associated with PAH localization in the cells. The ultrafine BDS particles move down through the medium to the cell membrane. Fluorescent PAHs are transferred from the particle surface to the cell membrane, cross the membrane into the cytosol, and appear to accumulate in lipid vesicles. There is no evidence that BDS particles pass into the cells. The results demonstrate that uptake of airborne ultrafine particles by target cells is not necessary for transfer of toxicants from the particles to the cells

Inclusion of an Introduction to Infrastructure Course in a Civil and Environmental Engineering Curriculum

Civil infrastructure refers to the built environment (sometimes referred to as public works) and consists of roads, bridges, buildings, dams, levees, drinking water treatment facilities, wastewater treatment facilities, power generation and transmission facilities, communications, solid waste facilities, hazardous waste facilities, and other sectors. Although there is a need to train engineers who have a holistic view of infrastructure, there is evidence that civil and environmental engineering (CEE) programs have not fully addressed this increasingly recognized need. One effective approach to address this educational gap is to incorporate a course related to infrastructure into the curriculum for first-year or second-year civil and environmental engineering students. Therefore, this study assesses the current status of teaching such courses in the United States and identifies the incentives for, and the barriers against, incorporating an introduction to infrastructure course into schools’ current CEE curricula. Two distinct activities enabled these objectives. First, a questionnaire was distributed to CEE programs across the United States, to which 33 responses were received. The results indicated that although the majority of participants believe that offering such a course will benefit students by increasing the breadth of the curriculum and by providing a holistic view of CEE, barriers such as the maximum allowable credits for graduation, the lack of motivation within a department—either because such a course did not have a champion or because the department had no plans to revise their curriculum—and a lack of expertise among faculty members inhibited inclusion of the course in curricula. Second, three case studies demonstrating successful inclusion of an introduction to infrastructure course into the CEE curriculum were evaluated. Cases were collected from Marquette University, University of Wisconsin-Platteville, and West Point CEE programs, and it was found that the key to success in including such a course is a motivated team of faculty members who are committed to educating students about different aspects of infrastructure. The results of the study can be used as a road map to help universities successfully incorporate an introduction to infrastructure course in their CEE programs

Frequency and surface dependence of the mechanical loss in fused silica

We have compiled measurements of the mechanical loss in fused silica from samples spanning a wide range of geometries and resonant frequency in order to model the known variation of the loss with frequency and surface-to-volume ratio. This improved understanding of the mechanical loss has contributed significantly to the design of advanced interferometric gravitational wave detectors, which require ultra-low loss materials for their test mass mirrors.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure but 5 figure file

Mapping the optical absorption of a substrate-transferred crystalline AlGaAs coating at 1.5 µm

The sensitivity of 2nd and 3rd generations of interferometric gravitational wave detectors will be limited by thermal noise of the test-mass mirrors and highly reflective coatings. Recently developed crystalline coatings show a promising thermal noise reduction compared to presently used amorphous coatings. However, stringent requirements apply to the optical properties of the coatings as well. We have mapped the optical absorption of a crystalline AlGaAs coating which is optimized for high reflectivity for a wavelength of 1064nm. The absorption was measured at 1550nm where the coating stack transmits approximately 70% of the laser light. The measured absorption was lower than (30.2 +/- 11.1)ppm which is equivalent to (3.6 +/- 1.3)ppm for a coating stack that is highly reflective at 1530nm. While this is a very promising low absorption result for alternative low--loss coating materials, further work will be necessary to reach the requirements of &lt;1ppm for future gravitational wave detectors. Jessica Steinlechner, Iain W Martin, Angus Bell, Garrett Cole, Jim Hough, Steven Penn, Sheila Rowan, Sebastian Steinlechne

Effect of Optical Coating and Surface Treatments on Mechanical Loss in Fused Silica

We report on the mechanical loss in fused silica samples with various surface treatments and compare them with samples having an optical coating. Mild surface treatments such as washing in detergent or acetone were not found to affect the mechanical loss of flame-drawn fused silica fibers stored in air. However, mechanical contact (with steel calipers) significantly increased the loss. The application of a high-reflective optical coating of the type used for the LIGO test masses was found to greatly increase the mechanical loss of commercially polished fused silica microscope slides. We discuss the implications for the noise budget of interferometers.Comment: 7 pages, 2 figures. Accepted for publication in the Proceedings of the Third Eduardo Amaldi Conference on Gravitational Waves, July 12-16, 1999. Updated version contains a correction of Eq. 3 and an estimate for the loss angle of a LIGO coating. (Neither of these revisions are included in the version published in the conference proceedings.

Role of differentially expressed microRNA-139-5p in the regulation of phenotypic internal anal sphincter smooth muscle tone.

The present study focused on the role of microRNA-139-5p (miRNA-139-5p) in the regulation of basal tone in internal anal sphincter (IAS). Applying genome-wide miRNA microarrays on the phenotypically distinct smooth muscle cells (SMCs) within the rat anorectrum, we identified miRNA-139-5p as differentially expressed RNA repressor with highest expression in the purely phasic smooth muscle of anococcygeus (ASM) vs. the truly tonic smooth muscle of IAS. This pattern of miRNA-139-5p expression, previously shown to target ROCK2, was validated by target prediction using ingenuity pathway (IPA) and by qPCR analyses. Immunoblotting, immunocytochemistry (ICC), and functional assays using IAS tissues and cells subjected to overexpression/knockdown of miRNA-139-5p confirmed the inverse relationship between miRNA-139-5p and ROCK2 expressions/IAS tone. Overexpression of miRNA-139-5p caused a decrease, while knockdown by anti-miRNA-139-5p caused an increase in the IAS tone; these tissue contractile responses were confirmed by single-cell contraction using magnetic twisting cytometry (MTC). These findings suggest miRNA-139-5p is capable of significantly influencing the phenotypic tonicity in smooth muscle via ROCK2: a lack of tone in ASM may be associated with the suppression of ROCK2 by high expression of miRNA-139-5p, whereas basal IAS tone may be associated with the persistence of ROCK2 due to low expression of miRNA-139-5p

Pendulum Mode Thermal Noise in Advanced Interferometers: A comparison of Fused Silica Fibers and Ribbons in the Presence of Surface Loss

The use of fused-silica ribbons as suspensions in gravitational wave interferometers can result in significant improvements in pendulum mode thermal noise. Surface loss sets a lower bound to the level of noise achievable, at what level depends on the dissipation depth and other physical parameters. For LIGO II, the high breaking strength of pristine fused silica filaments, the correct choice of ribbon aspect ratio (to minimize thermoelastic damping), and low dissipation depth combined with the other achievable parameters can reduce the pendulum mode thermal noise in a ribbon suspension well below the radiation pressure noise. Despite producing higher levels of pendulum mode thermal noise, cylindrical fiber suspensions provide an acceptable alternative for LIGO II, should unforeseen problems with ribbon suspensions arise.Comment: Submitted to Physics Letters A (Dec. 14, 1999). Resubmitted to Physics Letters A (Apr. 3, 2000) after internal (LSC) review process. PACS - 04.80.Nn, 95.55.Ym, 05.40.C

Concert recording 2014-04-18

[Track 01]. Piano sonata no. 5 in C minor, op. 10, no. 1. I. Allegro molto e con brio ; [Track 02]. II. Adagio molto / Ludwig van Beethoven -- [Track 03]. Nocturne in D-flat major, op. 27, no. 2 / Frederic Francois Chopin -- [Track 04]. Rhapsody in blue / George Gershwin -- [Track 05]. Happy from Despicable me 2 / Pharrell Williams -- [Track 06]. Let it go from Frozen / Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Robert Lopez -- [Track 07]. Spain / Chick Corea