864 research outputs found
The Gut Microbiota and the Liver: Collaborators in Host Immunity and Metabolism
No full textThe gut microbiota consists of over one hundred trillion commensal bacteria required for proper gut immunity development. Commensals also augment the host’s ability to extract energy from the diet. Although restricted to the gut lumen by intestinal barrier epithelia, commensals shed microbial associated molecule patterns (MAMPs) into the circulation where they augment aspects of systemic immunity. Commensals also release fermentation byproducts into the portal blood stream. Since the liver receives 80% of its blood via the portal vein and contains a unique repertoire of immune cells particularly enriched in Kupffer Cells (KC) and Natural Killer T cells, we proposed that gut-derived MAMPs contribute to the development of residential hepatic leukocyte subsets. Because of the contributions of gut bacteria to digestion, we suspected that gut bacteria add an additional level of regulation to host metabolism and would generate a specific hepatic metabolic gene profile.
Results showed that a cocktail of MAMPs translocate into the portal circulation of normal conventional (CL) mice stimulating KC expansion. ICAM1 expression, thought to be constitutive on sinusoidal endothelium, was significantly reduced without gut bacteria and was required for KC accumulation. The finding that constitutive ICAM1 expression by LSEC was dependent on gut bacteria lead us to investigate if the frequency of intra-hepatic lymphocytes known to bind ICAM1 were affected by gut bacteria. Results showed that intra-hepatic T lymphocyte populations including NKT (TCRβ+NK1.1+) cells and T helper (CD4+TCRβ+) cells were significantly reduced in GF mice and AVMN mice.
In addition to the significant cellular composition changes of the liver related to gut bacteria density, notable changes in murine weight and metabolic gene profiles were observed. The average body mass of CL, GF, and AVMN mice was 37.8g, 33.4g, and 34.1g respectively. Our whole-liver gene array analysis included 217 probe sets mapped to 163 differentially expressed genes between groups, of which forty-eight have roles in lipid metabolism.
In conclusion, gut bacteria affect both the hepatic metabolic gene profile and the inflammatory potential of the liver. These finding have implications for many hepatic pathologies including obesity, NAFLD, and autoimmune disease like PBC and AIH mediated by liver leukocytes
Hot tub lung machine
No full textHot tub lung (HTL) is a pulmonary disease where a hypersensitivity pneumonitis is caused by exposure and inhalation of aerosolized non‐tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) traditionally from hot water steam. HTL can affect both immunocompromised and healthy individuals, and diagnosis is dependent on high clinical suspicion in conjunction with high‐resolution computed tomography (HRCT) and microbiological evidence. We present, to our knowledge, the only case of HTL occurring from an indoor swimming pool affecting five members of a family, in which one member was not a resident of the household.Full Tex
[Photograph 2012.201.B0240.0345]
No full textPhotograph taken for a story in the Oklahoma Times newspaper. Caption: "Helen Corbitt, noted cookbook author is visiting Oklahoma City.
ICT for eco-sustainability: an assessment of the capability of the Australian ICT sector
No full textExecutive summary
As eco-sustainability issues become increasingly important to most, if not all, Australian organisations, the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) industry is expected to provide solutions that reduce material consumption (dematerialise), emissions (decarbonise), and energy use and waste production (demobilise) in both the ICT infrastructure and the business processes and practices of industries. The term \u27Green ICT\u27 represents this eco- sustainability enabling role of the ICT industry.
The School of Business Information Technology and Logistics, RMIT University in collaboration with the Australian Information Industries Association (AIIA) surveyed all members and affiliates of the AIIA at the beginning of 2010 to understand Australian ICT firms\u27 capability to enhance the eco-sustainability of other industries. Based on data collected from 133 ICT firms, this report constitutes the first comprehensive study that exclusively focuses on the Australian ICT industry
Measurement of radiation-pressure-induced optomechanical dynamics in a suspended Fabry-Perot cavity
No full textWe report on experimental observation of radiation-pressure induced effects in a high-power optical cavity. These effects play an important role in next generation gravitational wave (GW) detectors, as well as in quantum non-demolition (QND) interferometers. We measure the properties of an optical spring, created by coupling of an intense laser field to the pendulum mode of a suspended mirror; and also the parametric instability (PI) that arises from the nonlinear coupling between acoustic modes of the cavity mirrors and the cavity optical mode. Specifically, we measure an optical rigidity of K = 3 x 10⁴ N/m, and PI value R = 3.Thomas Corbitt, David Ottaway, Edith Innerhofer, Jason Pelc, and Nergis Mavalval
Mechanical loss of laser-welded fused silica fibers
No full textThe mechanical quality factor of a carbon dioxide laser-welded fiber was measured and compared to flame-welded fibers to determine the suitability of laser welding for attaching suspension fibers to test masses in precision experiments. The loss in the fiber was found to be limited primarily by thermoelastic damping and surface loss, rather than loss from the weld. This technique is attractive for the attachment of fused silica suspensions where low thermal noise and precision location of the weld are considered.Gregory Harry, Thomas Corbitt, Marat Freytsis, David Ottaway, and Nergis Mavalval
Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra Cooking School
No full textGuests at the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra Cooking School will sample foods prepared by Helen Corbitt, author of the cookbook being studied by Mrs. Harold B. Eudaly Jr., one of the hostesses. Also performing hostess duties will be Mrs. F. E. Altaras, who is taste-testing the casserole offered by Mrs. Robert C. Matteson. Fort Worth Star-Telegram Morning October 17, 1965.https://mavmatrix.uta.edu/specialcollections_startelegram1960s/2982/thumbnail.jp
Optical dilution and feedback cooling of a gram-scale oscillator to 6.9 mK
No full textWe report on the use of a radiation pressure induced restoring force, the optical spring effect, to optically dilute the mechanical damping of a 1 g suspended mirror, which is then cooled by active feedback (cold damping). Optical dilution relaxes the limit on cooling imposed by mechanical losses, allowing the oscillator mode to reach a minimum temperature of 6.9 mK, a factor of ~40 000 below the environmental temperature. A further advantage of the optical spring effect is that it can increase the number of oscillations before decoherence by several orders of magnitude. In the present experiment we infer an increase in the dynamical lifetime of the state by a factor of ~200.Thomas Corbitt, Christopher Wipf, Timothy Bodiya, David Ottaway, Daniel Sigg, Nicolas Smith, Stanley Whitcomb, and Nergis Mavalval
Squeezed-state source using radiation-pressure-induced rigidity
No full textWe propose an experiment to extract ponderomotive squeezing from an interferometer with high circulating power and low mass mirrors. In this interferometer, optical resonances of the arm cavities are detuned from the laser frequency, creating a mechanical rigidity that dramatically suppresses displacement noises. After taking into account imperfection of optical elements, laser noise, and other technical noise consistent with existing laser and optical technologies and typical laboratory environments, we expect the output light from the interferometer to have measurable squeezing of 5 dB, with a frequency-independent squeeze angle for frequencies below 1 kHz. This squeeze source is well suited for injection into a gravitational-wave interferometer, leading to improved sensitivity from reduction in the quantum noise. Furthermore, this design provides an experimental test of quantum-limited radiation pressure effects, which have not previously been tested.Thomas Corbitt, Yanbei Chen, Farid Khalili, David Ottaway, Sergey Vyatchanin, Stan Whitcomb and Nergis Mavalval
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