Search

Zoonotic tuberculosis caused by Mycobacterium bovis (M. bovis), a member of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) has increasingly gathered attention as a public health risk, particularly in developing countries with higher disease prevalence. M. bovis is capable of infecting multiple hosts encompassing a number of domestic animals, in particular cattle as well as a broad range of wildlife reservoirs. Humans are the incidental hosts of M. bovis whereby its transmission to humans is primarily through the consumption of cattle products such as unpasteurized milk or raw meat products that have been contaminated with M. bovis or the transmission could be due to close contact with infected cattle. Also, the transmission could occur through aerosol inhalation of infective droplets or infected body fluids or tissues in the presence of wound from infected animals. The zoonotic risk of M. bovis in humans exemplified by miscellaneous studies across different countries suggested the risk of occupational exposure towards M. bovis infection, especially those animal handlers that have close and unreserved contact with cattle and wildlife populations These animal handlers comprising of livestock farmers, abattoir workers, veterinarians and their assistants, hunters, wildlife workers as well as other animal handlers are at different risk of contracting M. bovis infection, depending on the nature of their jobs and how close is their interaction with infected animals. It is crucial to identify the underlying transmission risk factors and probable transmission pathways involved in the zoonotic transmission of M. bovis from animals to humans for better designation and development of specific preventive measures and guidelines that could reduce the risk of transmission and to protect these different occupational-related/populations at risk. Effective control and disease management of zoonotic tuberculosis caused by M. bovis in humans are also hindered by various challenges and factors involved at animal-human interface. A closer look into factors affecting proper disease control and management of M. bovis are therefore warranted. Hence, in this narrative review, we have gathered a number of different studies to highlight the risk of occupational exposure to M. bovis infection and addressed the limitations and challenges underlying this context. This review also shed lights on various components and approaches in tackling M. bovis infection at animal-human interface.

Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) is commonly used in the investigation of acute myeloid leukaemias (AML). Stable reference genes (RG) are essential for accurate and reliable reporting but no standard method for selection has been endorsed.We evaluated simple statistics and published model-based approaches. Multiplex-qPCR was conducted to determine the expression of 24 candidate RG in AMLs (N=9). Singleplex-qPCR was carried out on selected RG (SRP14, B2M and ATP5B) and genes of interest in AML (N=15) and healthy controls, HC (N=12).RG expression levels in AML samples were highly variable and coefficient of variance (CV) ranged from 0.37% to 10.17%. Analysis using GeNorm and Normfinder listed different orders of most stable genes but the top seven (ACTB, UBE2D2, B2M, NF45, RPL37A, GK, QARS) were the same. In singleplex-qPCR, SRP14 maintained the lowest CV in AML samples. B2M, one of most stable reference genes in AML, was expressed near significantly different in AML and HC. GeNorm selected ATP5B+SRP14 while Normfinder chose SRP14+B2M as the best two RG in combination. The median expressions of combined RG genes in AML compared to HC were less significantly different than individually implying smaller expression variation after combination. Genes of interest normalised with RG in combination or individually, displayed significantly different expression patterns.The selection of best reference gene in qPCR must consider all sample sets. Model-based approaches are important in large candidate gene analysis. This study showed combination of RG SRP14+B2M was the most suitable normalisation factor for qPCR analysis of AML and healthy individuals.

Simplified and universal circuit platform for determining the sensed resistance of gas sensor is presented herein. It applies a constant voltage across the gas sensor exposure of the sensor to the ionizing radiation. Subsequently, it measures and converts the current passing through the sensor proportional to the conductivity or resistivity of the sensor, which in turn is proportional to the gas concentration in the sensor, into a proportional analog voltage value. If the analog voltage value is to be converted into a digital value, the analog/digital values obtained prior to and after exposure of the sensor are to be compared to the sensing resistance response, and the sensing resistance response based on the change in the analog/digital values is to be computed. The electronic device for determining the sensing resistance comprises an adjustable current of LED driver, heater controller, gas sensor, constant voltage source, differential current-to-voltage converter, Bluetooth module, analog-to-digital converter connected to the microprocessor, and a digital-to-analog converter of the microprocessor that can be connected to the LED driver / microheater and fan to the extracting gas. The circuit platform can detect a resistance range of $300 k\Omega$ to $1 G\Omega$ of the gas sensor.

We reported in this paper the observation of a very bright long-delayed dancing sprite with distinct horizontal displacement from its parent stroke. The dancing sprite lasted only 60 ms, and the morphology consisted of three fields with two slim dim sprite elements in the first two fields and a very bright large element in the third field, different from other observations where the dancing sprites usually contained multiple elements over a longer time interval, and the sprite shape and brightness in the video field are often similar to the previous fields. The bright sprite was displaced at least 38 km from its parent cloud-to-ground (CG) stroke and occurred over comparatively higher cloud top region. The parent flash of this compact dancing sprite was of positive polarity, with only one return stroke (approximately +24 kA) and obvious continuing current process, and the charge moment change of stroke was small (barely above the threshold for sprite production). All the sprite elements occurred during the continuing current stage, and the bright long-delayed sprite element induced a considerable current pulse. The dancing feature of this sprite may be linked to the electrical charge structure, dynamics and microphysics of parent storm, and the inferred development of parent CG flash was consistent with previous very high-frequency (VHF) observations of lightning in the same region.

Observing from southern Taiwan on 2 August 2010, a thunderstorm near Luzon Island, Philippines, about 500 km away was found to produce 72 transient luminous events (TLEs). Besides optical images, ULF and VLF sferics of lightning from this thunderstorm were also recorded. This work examines the characteristics of TLE-producing lightning through studying their ULF and VLF sferics. The attenuation of ULF and VLF sferics in the Earth cavity is obtained through analyzing the sferics associated with Imager of Sprite and Upper Atmospheric Lightning elves that occurred within ~1500 km of Taiwan. Amplitudes of the ULF and the VLF sferics are found to vary as D−0.871 and D−1.207, respectively, where D is the source distance from the sferic stations. After normalizing the sferics from the 2 August 2010 storm to 500 km distance, the ratio of the peak ULF and the VLF magnetic fields is found to be distinct for different TLE-producing lightning. The ratio for the halo-producing lightning is nearly 3 times that of the elve-producing lightning, but it is comparable to that of the halo-sprite-producing lightning, although the ULF strength for the halo-sprite lightning is significantly larger than that for the halo lightning. Therefore, it is possible to distinguish between the TLE-types using the ULF to VLF peak ratio or the strength of ULF/VLF band emissions of the parent lightning. Comparison of numerically simulated and the observed lightning radiation fields indicates that the best fit discharge time of the elve lightning is about 100 µs, while that for the halo-producing lightning is between 200 and 500 µs.

[1] We report the ionization emission associated with N2+ 1N band in a halo event without visible sprite streamers. To avoid the lightning contamination to the ionization emission, we find halos whose parent lightning light is blocked by the Earth's limb. Five halos in the 2004–2010 Imager of Sprites and Upper Atmospheric Lightning data set were identified as halos without visible sprite streamers. A halo with maximum N2 1P brightness had significant ionization emission of N2+ 1N. The time-integrated photon intensity of N2 1P, N2 2P, and N2+ 1N emission is 2.2 × 105, 2.1 × 104, and 7.4 × 102 photons cm−2, respectively at a distance of 4130 km. The total number of photons of N2 1P, N2 2P, and N2+ 1N band emissions are 4.6 × 1023, 4.3 × 1022, and 1.6 × 1021 photons, respectively. In the halo region, the electron density increased as 1–2 orders of magnitude higher than ambient electron density. From the emission ratio of N2+ 1N to N2 2P, the reduced electric field is estimated to be 275–325 Td that is higher than the conventional breakdown electric field. The recorded electric field related to this halo event is produced by a lightning discharge that has a total charge moment change of −1450 C km. Based on the estimated electric field from optical emissions, it is found that the lightning-induced electric field in the bright halo region is significantly relaxed with a rate faster than that estimated using ambient electron density, in agreement with previous modeling results showing that the electron density enhancement due to the ionization processes leads to a short dielectric relaxation time inside the halo region.

[1] Three multi-transient luminous events, which were recorded by ISUAL on FORMOSAT-2 and shared a similar generating sequence, are reported. Each event began with a positive cloud-to-ground lightning discharge (CG)-induced sprite, and a secondary gigantic jet (GJ) followed within ~30–50 ms. Then, 1 ms after the GJ, a new sprite occurred near the GJ without associated impulsive lightning signal. The associated electromagnetic signal for one of the events indicates that the GJ is a negative cloud-to-ionosphere discharge carrying a high peak current moment. Cross-analysis of the spectral, image, and electromagnetic data of these three events indicates that the new sprites are likely induced by the secondary GJs, and the high current moment of the secondary GJs appears to be a crucial factor for the induction of the new sprites. Hence, these secondary GJs may have played a role in inducing sprites as much as the negative CGs do for the occurrence of negative sprites.

Certain bacterial strains can be employed in the removal of heavy metals from the environment. The aim of this study was to screen potential bacteria that were tolerant towards Cu and Cd and instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) was used to determine the concentrations of heavy metals in the sludge samples. The sludge samples from oil refinery plant in Malaysia contained Cr, Cs, Cu, Eu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Sb, Sc, Th, U and Zn. Seven bacterial isolates were identified to be tolerant to 100 mg/kg of copper and cadmium.

Supramolecular H-bonded complexes formed between p-ethoxybenzoic acid and 4,4′-dipyridyl or N,N′-dipyridylpiperazine were obtained as nematic liquid-crystalline phases. The corresponding crystals suitable for single crystal X-ray analysis were isolated and investigated. The stoichiomtery of complex 1 is (4,4′-dipyridyl)-2(p-ethoxybenzoic acid) and that of complex 2 is (N,N′-dipyridylpiperazine)-2(p-ethoxybenzoic acid). The molecular packing observed in the crystal structures investigated indicates that the mesogenic phases of the complexes are induced by H-bond interactions.

Aims We systematically analysed evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) examining the safety and efficacy of neutral protamine Hagedorn (NPH) insulin and glargine in the management of adults with Type 2 diabetes. Methods Studies were identified by searching medline (1966–March 2007), embase (1974–2007), American Diabetes Association abstract database and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials using Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) diabetes mellitus, Type 2, insulin, insulin isophane, hypoglycaemic agents and the keywords glargine and NPH. Data on study design, participants, fasting plasma glucose (FPG), glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c), body weight and hypoglycaemia were independently abstracted by two investigators using a standardized protocol. Results Data from a total of 4385 participants in 12 RCTs were pooled using a random-effects model. The mean net change (95% confidence interval) for FPG, HbA1c and body weight for patients treated with NPH insulin as compared with glargine was 0.21 mmol/l (−0.02 to 0.45), 0.08% (−0.04 to 0.21) and −0.33 kg (−0.61 to −0.06), respectively, with negative values favouring NPH and positive values favouring glargine. More participants experienced symptomatic and nocturnal hypoglycaemia on NPH than glargine, but there was no significant difference in confirmed or severe episodes. Conclusions We identified no difference in glucose-lowering between insulin glargine and NPH insulin, but less patient-reported hypoglycaemia with glargine and slightly less weight gain with NPH in adults with Type 2 diabetes.

Lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis) were collected in 1996 from the St. Lawrence River, Quebec, Canada. Histologic examination was performed on major organs of 497 specimens and on the liver of 48 additional individuals. Preneoplastic and neoplastic hepatic changes consisted of vacuolated cell (n = 65), clear cell (n = 17), and acidophilic (n = 16) foci of altered hepatocyte, hepatocellular carcinoma (n = 12), cholangioma (n = 5), and cholangiocarcinoma (n = 28). Six fish were intersexes (1.2%), and 11.7% of the ovaries (26/223) had ducts containing spermatogonia or more differentiated cells of the male germ cell line. Asynchronous nodular maturation of the testes was present in 8.2% of the male fish (22/267). The mean hepatic concentrations of various contaminants, including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), chlorobenzenes, pesticides, and trace metals, were 6 to 8 times higher in lake whitefish than in three other fish species (Ictalurus punctatus, Catostomus commersoni, and Stizostedion vitreum) collected at the same site. Condition factor of lake whitefish from this study was lower than that previously reported 40 to 50 years ago at this site and from contemporary pristine sites in the Great Lakes, USA. The presence of liver neoplasms, gonadal lesions, and a decreased condition factor in lake whitefish from the St. Lawrence River may be etiologically related to elevated tissue concentrations of toxic chemical contaminants.

NCKU ISUAL team has routinely carried out ground TLE campaigns in Taiwan and performed a global survey of TLEs using the ISUAL payload onboard the FORMOSAT-2 satellite since 2004. The occurrence of TLEs, including sprite, elve, halo, blue jet and gigantic jet, is known to be closely linked to the electrical discharges in thunderclouds. However, the optical and spectral analyses provide little insight into the characteristics of the electric discharge processes that induce the TLEs. The lightning discharges are known to radiate the bulk of electromagnetic energy at the bands of the ultra low frequency (ULF) and the very low frequency (VLF) bands. An ULF magnetic field and an ELF/VLF magnetic/electric fields recording systems currently are operating at low electromagnetic noise sites in Taiwan. With both systems, we have the capability to monitor the sferics emitted by the electric discharges that produced the observed TLEs and to infer their electromagnetic signatures. The important scientific results obtained from the radio observation in Taiwan, including the TLE activities in a typhoon and sferics associated with blue jets as well as electromagnetic signatures of the TLE-associated discharges, are highlighted in this talk. With a recently installed low frequency (LF) magnetic field recording system, a new algorithm based on Hilbert-Huang transform is developed to analyze the electromagnetic features in this band. The preliminary results on the LF measurements will also be presented.

An analysis of flow and heat transfer in Liquid Composite Molding (LCM) is presented. Analytical solutions for the velocity profiles including the boundary effects and temperature distributions are derived for constant viscosity fluids. The heat transfer during mold filling is also analyzed numerically. It is found that the boundary effect has a significant influence on heat transfer when the Reynolds number, Res, is greater than 1. When the Reynolds number is less than 1, the boundary effect on heat transfer can be negligible and Darcy's law is applicable. The results also show that the inertia effect can be neglected during mold filling in LCM. Experiments on heat transfer with a non-reactive fluid lead to measurements of the dispersion effect and test of the boundary effect on heat transfer. Several non-isothermal mold filling and curing experiments on two rather different reactive systems lead to an assessment of the factors a model must include to capture the curing behavior.

We demonstrated an experimental study of the influence of the Nd 3+ concentration on scaling diode-pumped Nd:YVO 4 1.34-μm lasers to higher power. An output power of 5.1 W at 1.34 μm was obtained with a 0.5-at.% Nd-doped YVO 4 at 13.5 W of incident pump power. The strong dependence of the slope efficiency on the dopant concentration is attributed to an Auger upconversion process.

The control-volume finite element method (CVFEM) has been used widely to simulate the mold filling process in polymer processing because it is more user friendly and more robust than the conventional finite element or finite difference methods. However, using lower order interpolation functions in CVFEM may result in significant numerical errors. This is especially true for convection–diffusion problems with a changeable source term as in reactive liquid composite molding (LCM). In this study, an Eulerian–Lagrangian approach is proposed where an Eulerian coordinate system is used to solve the velocity field, while the chemical species balance and the energy balance are based on a Lagrangian coordinate system. This approach is used to simulate the non-isothermal LCM process.

We present a theoretical study of the single-mode operation in a diode pumped Nd:YVO4/KTP green laser by considering the combined action of the anisotropic emission cross-section of Nd:YVO4 and the KTP crystal acting as a birefringent filter. The influence of the KTP length on the performance of single-mode operation was investigated. Comparison between theoretical predictions and experimental results is presented.

Vanadium-containing silicate MCM-41 (V-MCM-41) zeolite and aluminophosphate AFI (VAPO-5) zeolite were synthesized and characterized by spectroscopic techniques. In as-synthesized form, the vanadyl ions (VIVO)2+ were found to be the major vanadium species in the form of atomic dispersion on AFI by EPR and to exist simultaneously with tetrahedral (Td) V5+ in MCM-41 by UV−vis. 29Si MAS NMR investigations suggested that the vanadium ions might attach to MCM-41 through interaction with the silanol groups on the internal wall of hexagonal tubes. The V5+ (in Td) ions are incorporated into the lattice of MCM-41 during synthesis, while the VO2+ (in Td) is the loosely bound V species. The results of Raman spectroscopy indicated that the rodlike aggregation of cationic surfactant (cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, CTAB) was encapsulated in the intrachannel space of synthetic MCM-41 as in an aqueous solution. After calcination and hydration, the V4+ species in as-synthesized V-MCM-41 was totally oxidized to +5 as shown...

Three types of dry spot changes, which have been described in Part I, are modeled in this study. Darcy's law and ideal gas law are used to model the Type I and Type II dry spot changes, while a simplified form of the two phase Darcy's law is used to model the Type III dry spot change. A computer code based on the control volume finite element method is developed to simulate the dry spot formation and changes. In order to save computation time, a coarse mesh rebalancing method is implemented in the code. Compared to the experimental results, this flow model predicts the Type I and Type II dry spot changes and the packing and bleeding process very well. It shows the right trend of Type III dry spot changes when compared to some preliminary experimental results.

Dry spot formation and changes in liquid composite molding (LCM) were investigated by flow visualization experiments. The dry spot size can be reduced by three mechanisms: (1) it can be compressed by the hydrostatic pressure from the surrounding saturated region; (2) it can be reduced by bleeding trapped air into the surrounding saturated region if there is a pressure gradient in the saturated region; and (3) it may gradually disappear by the wicking flow due to the capillary pressure difference between the saturated region and the dry fiber region. Experiments of packing and bleeding, a technique used in industry to eliminate dry spots, were also carried out and the results are explained based on the three types of dry spot changes.

This work presents four different numerical approaches to analyze heat transfer in the mold halves. The formulations, numerical methods and simulated results of each method are presented and compared to the experimental results based on a metal (aluminum) and a non-metal (reinforced epoxy) molds. Several examples are also presented to show the importance of tool heat transfer analysis in reactive processing.

Background Tocilizumab, anti-IL-6 receptor monoclonal antibody, is widely used for patients with rheumatoid arthritis. IL-6 is essential for production of C-reactive protein (CRP). Tocilizumab fully inhibit the production of CRP. Therefore, we have difficulty in objective assessment of infection and disease activity because the level of CRP is suppressed under tocilizumab therapy. The development of new biomarker alternative to CRP is needed for daily practice. Objectives To discover new biomarkers alternative to CRP under tocilizumab therapy for rheumatoid arthritis. Methods We registered patients with rheumatoid arthritis treated with tocilizumab. We collected serum samples from those patients at baseline, 4 weeks after the first tocilizumab administration when patient9s CRP level is almost normal, and 1 year later. And we measured CRP, ESR and clinical disease activity index (CDAI) score.Serum peptidomic analysis was conducted by newly-established one-step direct transfer technology (BLOTCHIP-MS analysis), a rapid quantitative technology for peptidomic analysis. All sample measurements were repeated four times. Statistical analyses of MS spectral data were conducted using ClinProTools version 2.2 (Bruker Daltonics). Results We registered 14 patients and their background is shown in Table 1. The levels of CRP were 1.16±0.99 mg/dl at baseline, 0.02±0.01 mg/dl at 4 weeks and 0.01±0.01mg/dl at 1 year, respectively. Their CDAI score were 22±9.2 at baseline, 15±8.9 at 4 weeks and 3±2.6 at 1 year, respectively. CRP titer decreased to almost normal level at 4 weeks regardless whether CDAI score did not fully decrease. We detect 6 biomarkers, named as PRSJ01 to PRSJ06, by the peptidomic analysis (Table 2). The AUC of diagnostic value of these markers is from 0.742 to 0.858. For example, the level of PRSJ06 significantly decreased 4 weeks (Wilcoxon singed-rank test, p=0.02) and 1 year (Wilcoxon singed-rank test, p=0.003) after first tocilizumab administration (Figure 1). and it was inversely-correlated with CDAI score. Conclusions We detect new disease activity biomarkers alternative to CRP under tocilizumab therapy for rheumatoid arthritis. It is useful for exact evaluation of disease activity and infection during tocilizumab therapy. Disclosure of Interest None declared

This work presents two methods to improve the spatial accuracy of traditional control volume based finite element method for the mold filling simulation. The first method is based on the flow front mesh refinement which results in a better numerical accuracy near the flow front region without any need of remesh. The second method, flow front tracking, traces the exact location of the flow front. Together with local remesh, the spatial accuracy is improved. Application of both methods to the mold filling process in resin transfer molding (RTM) is presented.

[1] On 31 August 2010, more than 100 transient luminous events were observed to occur over Typhoon Lionrock when it passed at ∼210 km to the southwest of the NCKU site in Taiwan. Among them, 14 negative gigantic jets (GJs) with clear recognizable morphologies and radio frequency signals are analyzed. These GJs are all found to have negative discharge polarity and thus are type I GJs. Morphologically, they are grouped into three forms: tree-like, carrot-like, and a new intermediate type called tree-carrot-like GJs. The ULF and ELF/VLF band signals of these events contain clear signatures associated with GJ development stages, including the initiating lightning, the leading jet, the fully developed jet, and the trailing jet. Though the radio waveform for each group of GJs always contains a fast descending pulse linked with the surge current upon the GJ-ionosphere contact, the detailed waveforms actually vary substantially. Cross analysis of the optical and radio frequency signals for these GJs indicates that a large surge current moment (CM) (>60 kA-km) appears to be essentially associated with the tree-like GJs. In contrast, the carrot-like and the tree-carrot-like GJs are both related to a surge CM less than 36 kA-km, and a continuing CM less than 27 kA-km further separates the carrot-like GJs from the tree-carrot-like GJs. Furthermore, on the peak CM versus charge moment change diagram for the initiating lightning, different groups of GJs seem to exhibit different trends. This feature suggests that the eventual forms of negative GJs may have been determined at the initiating lightning stage.

[1] A full kinetic elve model with a wide time range from microseconds to seconds and its spectral range from UV, visible to near-infrared wavelengths is developed. Not only the fast electron-impact emissions N2 1P (B3Πg- A3Σu+), N2 2P(C3Πu- B3Πg), N2Lyman-Birge-Hopfield (a1Πg- X1Σg+), N2+ 1N (B2Σu+- X2Σg+) and O2+ 1N (b4Σg− – a4Πu) but also the post-impulse chemiluminescenses, O2 atmospheric band (b1Σg+ – X3Σg−), O(1S – 1D) at 557.7 nm and O(1D – 3P) at 630 nm, are considered in the elve model. We calculate the dominant emissions and possible weak emissions in our elves model to analyze the relative importance of emission intensity, measured by the ISUAL imager with 5 selectable band pass filters (N21P, 762, 630, 557.7, 427.8 nm filter). The modeling emission intensities were well consistent with the measurements by Imager with different filters. This comparison could also be useful in designing the imager filters for future TLE survey missions in Earth orbit.

[1] Secondary transient luminous events (TLEs) recorded by the ISUAL-FORMOSAT2 mission can either be secondary jets or secondary gigantic jets (GJs), depending on their terminal altitudes. The secondary jets emerge from the cloud top beneath the preceding sprites and extend upward to the base of the sprites at ∼50 km. The secondary jets likely are negative electric discharges with vertically straight luminous columns, morphologically resembling the trailing jet of the type-I GJs. The number of luminous columns in a secondary jet seems to be affected by the size of the effective capacitor plate formed near the base of the preceding sprites and the charge distribution left behind by the sprite-inducing positive cloud-to-ground discharges. The secondary GJs originate from the cloud top under the shielding area of the preceding sprites, and develop upward to reach the lower ionosphere at ∼90 km. The observed morphology of the secondary GJs can either be the curvy shifted secondary GJs extending outside the region occupied by the preceding sprites or the straight pop-through secondary GJs developing through the center of the preceding circular sprites. A key factor in determining the terminal height of the secondary TLEs appears to be the local ionosphere boundary height that established by the preceding sprites. The abundance and the distribution of the negative charge in the thundercloud following the sprite-inducing positive cloud-to-ground discharges may play important role in the generation of the secondary TLEs.

[1] We analyzed the ISUAL-FORMOSAT2 elves, the LIS-TRMM lightning, the sea surface temperature (SST), and the El Nino southern oscillation (ENSO) indices (the Nino 3.4 Index and the Southern Oscillation Index - SOI) in the period between June 2005 and May 2010 to explore the impacts of ENSO on the occurrences of the mesospheric elves and the troposphere lightning. The standardized anomalies of the elve and the lightning occurrence densities are used to quantify the deviation of the elve and lightning occurrences during an ENSO event. The areas in the ENSO-sensitive western Pacific, central Pacific and Tahiti regions with a significant event anomaly are taken to be the impact indicators of ENSO. Also the SOI is used to examine the correlation of the temporal intensity variation between ENSO, elve and lightning. The results indicate that elve shows clear responses to ENSO with a correlation over 0.6 in the coastal and the oceanic regions. The lightning occurrence is responsive to ENSO in the oceanic regions, but shows a low correlation in the coastal regions, due the overwhelming influence of the landmass. Therefore, between elve and lightning as proximity indices of ENSO, elve has a broader applicable geographic range. However, elve is known to be the mesospheric luminous manifestations of the high-peak-current lightning, and the response of the intense lightning to ENSO would be similar to that of the elve. Hence, alternatively, the intense lightning can also be used as an indicator of ENSO.

[1] For ELF stations using hardware notch-filters to suppress power-grid emissions, the amplitude and the phase of the recorded sferics will inevitably be distorted. The phase shift causes the event time to move and hinders cross-comparing of events between different platforms. Notch-filtering also create fictitious dips in the current moment spectrum of the ELF sferics that lead to error in deducing the charge moment change (CMC) of the source discharge. To alleviate the effects of notch-filtering, we use an elementary signal processing method to reconstruct the source signals and use lab-generated ELF-like signals to check the limitations of the reconstruction. The results indicate that the delay of signals due to the notch-filtering module can be reliably restored, while the amplitude is less; but the reconstruction does restore the low frequency components of the sferics that are important for the CMC determination. Using the corrected event time, 20 associated sprites recorded by the ISUAL/FORMOSAT-2 experiment during June to September of 2008 were found. Comparing with the notch-filtered sferics, the reconstructed sferics are found to increase the current moment amplitude Iods by 69 ± 55%, reduce the time constant τ by 52 ± 15%, and lowers the CMC by 22 ± 21%, respectively. From the linear-correlation of the sprite brightness and the CMC of the sprite-producing positive lightning, a threshold CMC of ∼900 C-km for sprite initiation is inferred based on the reconstructed sferic data; this threshold value is also 25% lower than that inferred using the notch-filtered sferics.

The Imager of Sprites and Upper Atmospheric Lightning (ISUAL) experiment on the FORMOSAT-2 satellite inferred the global occurrence rates of sprites, halos and elves to be ∼1, ∼1 and 35 events/min, respectively [1, 2]. Hence, elve is the most abundant type of transient luminous events (TLEs). From analyzing brightness observed by ISUAL Imager through different filters (1PN 2 , 762, 630, 557.7, 427.8 nm), the relative intensity of the OH (9,3), O1D, O1S, 1NN 2 + and O 2 Atmosphere band (0,0) emissions in elves will be discussed.

[1] We report the 762 nm emissions in sprites recorded by the ISUAL experiment onboard the FORMOSAT-2 satellite. The 762 nm imager filter is centered at 763.3 nm with a 7 nm bandwidth at 50% transmittance. Sprite emissions in this passband include the N2 first positive (1PN2) bands, (2, 0) and (3, 1), the O2 atmospheric (atm) band (0, 0), and the hydroxyl (4, 0) emissions. Because these mixed emissions cannot be resolved in the 762 nm narrowband filter, a zero-dimensional plasma chemistry model is used to estimate the expected relative intensities of these emission bands in sprites. The computed 1PN2 brightness in a single streamer is 1.4 MR and 2.6 kR for the O2 atm band emissions at frame integration times of 30 ms. In the 762 nm passband, the 1PN2 emissions are the dominant emissions in sprites, and the ratio of 1PN2 to O2 atmospheric emissions is ∼500, while the hydroxyl emissions can be neglected. In this ISUAL 762 nm campaign, the brightest sprite out of the four recorded events has possible O2 atm band emissions that lasted more than 90 ms, and its observed brightness is consistent with the model prediction. Even though the lightning 762 nm emissions are strongly absorbed by O2 below 60 km, the ISUAL observed parent lightning emissions in this passband are still more than a factor of two brighter than those from ISUAL observed sprites. Hence for spacecraft nadir TLE detection missions, 762 nm bands may not be used as the sole signature to identify sprites, and auxiliary emission bands are needed.

Vanadium-containing silicate MCM-41 (V-MCM-41) zeolite and aluminophosphate AFI (VAPO-5) zeolite were synthesized and characterized by spectroscopic techniques. In as-synthesized form, the vanadyl ions (VIVO)2+ were found to be the major vanadium species in the form of atomic dispersion on AFI by EPR and to exist simultaneously with tetrahedral (Td) V5+ in MCM-41 by UV−vis. 29Si MAS NMR investigations suggested that the vanadium ions might attach to MCM-41 through interaction with the silanol groups on the internal wall of hexagonal tubes. The V5+ (in Td) ions are incorporated into the lattice of MCM-41 during synthesis, while the VO2+ (in Td) is the loosely bound V species. The results of Raman spectroscopy indicated that the rodlike aggregation of cationic surfactant (cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, CTAB) was encapsulated in the intrachannel space of synthetic MCM-41 as in an aqueous solution. After calcination and hydration, the V4+ species in as-synthesized V-MCM-41 was totally oxidized to +5 as shown...

[1] From analyzing the distribution of the transient luminous events (TLEs) registered by the Imager of Sprites and Upper Atmospheric Lightning payload on the FORMOSAT-2 satellite, we deduced the synoptic-scale factors that control the occurrence of TLEs. For the low-latitude tropical regions (25°S ∼ 25°N), 84% of the TLEs were found to occur over the Intertropical Convergence Zone and the South Pacific Convergence Zone and exhibited a seasonal variation that migrates north and south with respect to the equator. For the midlatitude regions (latitudes beyond ±30°), the occurrence of TLEs congregated over the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Mediterranean Sea during the winter seasons. From studying the distributions of the daily winter storm centers and the winter TLEs, the winter TLEs are usually found to occur near the cold fronts and thus are closely related to the winter storms. Our study shows that 88% of the northern winter TLEs and 72% of the southern winter TLEs occurred near the midlatitude cyclones. The winter TLE occurrence density and the storm-track frequency share similar trends with the distribution of the winter TLEs offset by 10°–15°. Additionally, this study compares the luminous intensities of elves and sprites from the tropical and winter midlatitude regions. The results show that the convective systems in the tropical regions are presumably more capable of producing bright TLEs in comparison to their winter counterparts.

[1] The Imager of Sprites and Upper Atmospheric Lightnings (ISUAL) often recorded events that have significant far-ultraviolet (FUV) emissions in the spectrophotometer but have no discernible transient luminous events (TLEs) in the imager. These FUV events likely are dim TLEs. To confirm the conjecture, lightning emissions were simulated and proved to be completely absorbed by the atmosphere. The FUV emission of the FUV events follows the lightning OI emission within 1 ms, similar to the characteristics of elves. After analyzing the imager-N21P brightness of the elves and their FUV intensity, a linear correlation was found, which is consistent with the work of Kuo et al. (2007). The intensity of the FUV events ranks among the dimmest elves and is less than 1 × 104 photons/cm2. Combining all the information, the FUV events are identified as dim elves that eluded the detection of the ISUAL imager. Also from the detection limits of the ISUAL spectrophotometer (SP) and the imager, for the before-the-limb elves the detection number of SP is found to be nearly 16 times higher than that of the imager. This result is consistent with a related factor of ∼13 that was inferred from the U.S. National Lightning Detection Network (NLDN) peak current distribution for the negative cloud-to-ground lightning. Hence the ISUAL spectrophotometer can be used to perform elve survey, to infer the peak current of the elve-producing lightning, and possibly to be used to deduce other lightning parameters. Evidence is also found for the existence of multielves, which are FUV events from the M-components or the multiple strokes in lightning flashes.

A numerical model for non-isothermal mold filling and curing simulation in thin cavities with preplaced fiber mats was developed based on the control volume method. Both lumped temperature system (i.e. local thermal equilibrium between the resin and the fiber) and unlumped temperature system (i.e. thermal non-equilibrium locally) were considered. A Lagrangian coordinate system was used in the flow front region to improve the energy transfer calculation. Several molding simulation results were presented to show the effect of fiber mat presence (in the mold cavity) on the inlet pressure and temperaturedistribution.

We describe the construction of a high voltage electric arc puller for controllable fabrication of bent near-field optical fiber probes. Various probes with bent angles ranging from 30° to 75° and bent lengths between 600 and 900 μm were successfully produced. The tip diameters achieved are between 100 and 200 nm. These bent type probes can be made into cantilevered probes that can be used for any dynamic mode atomic force microscope, and make the construction of a scanning near-field optical microscope easily attainable.

We present the modification of a commercial tapping mode atomic force microscope into a reflection and transmission dual mode scanning near-field optical microscope. In the configuration, the normal force detection unit is replaced by a shear force detection module and an interfacing circuit. The tip-sample distance control is therefore similar to tapping mode operation. Detection of the near-field signals is based on photodiodes and the lock-in technique, and the resolutions obtained for the topography and the near-field signal are around 80 and 150 nm, respectively.

During the past four years, the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA) through its antimonide-based compound semiconductor (ABCS) program has sponsored development of high-electron-mobility transistor (HEMT) and heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) devices and circuits based on narrow-band-gap materials such as InAs or Inx Ga1-xAs with high In composition (x). These development efforts have sought to exploit the very high electron mobility and peak electron velocity of InAs for high speed circuit applications requiring very low power dissipation. At Northrop Grumman Space Technology (NGST), InAs/AlSb HEMT and In0.86Ga0.14As/In0.86Al0.14 As HBT devices have successfully been developed, and ultra-low-power circuits have successfully been demonstrated for both of these device technologies

An electrokinetics-induced stagnation flow was created inside a microscale cross-channel. Compared to hydrodynamic-induced microfluidics, this flow system can be readily assembled and the operation is very simple due to a low pressure drop. Through image analysis, a fairly homogeneous, two-dimensional elongational flow was observed. The initial conformation of DNA molecules and residence time inside the flow field play important roles in determining the extent of DNA stretching. A coarse-grain molecular simulation agrees reasonably well with experimental observations.

High quality in situ boron doped polycrystalline diamond films were grown on the scratched Si (100) substrate. A saturated deionized water solution of boron acid was chosen as a dopant source. The concentration profiles of boron, tantalum, and oxygen were examined by using scanning Auger nanoprobe and secondary ion mass spectroscopy. The boron atoms are uniformly distributed inside each diamond grain. However, no Auger signal from boron was observed at grain boundaries within the detection limit. In contrast, tantalum atoms are uniformly distributed across diamond grains and grain boundaries. A simple model was proposed in explaining the boron desegregation.

Investigation of single molecule DNA dynamics in confined environments has led to important applications in DNA analysis, separation, and sequencing. Here, we studied the electrophoretic transport of DNA molecules through nanochannels shorter than the DNA contour length and calculated the associated translocation time curves. We found that the longer T4 DNA molecules required a longer time to traverse a fixed length nanochannel than shorter λ DNA molecules and that the translocation time decreased with increasing electric field which agreed with theoretical predictions. We applied this knowledge to design an asymmetric electric pulse and demonstrate the different responses of λ and T4 DNA to the pulses. We used Brownian dynamics simulations to corroborate our experimental results on DNA translocation behaviour. This work contributes to the fundamental understanding of polymer transport through nanochannels and may help in designing better separation techniques in the future.

Conflicting data for the effects of colchicine on cholesterol transport and steroidogenesis raise the question of the role of microtubules in cholesterol transport from the lipid droplet to mitochondria in steroidogenic cells. In this study, using corticosterone radioimmunoassay and immunofluorescence microscopy, we re-evaluated the effects of colchicine on hormone production and morphological changes of lipid droplets' and studied the signaling pathway involved in colchicine-induced steroidogenesis. Colchicine stimulated steroid production in a dose- and time-dependent manner. The structural integrity of both the microtubules and the lipid droplet capsule was destroyed by colchicine treatment. Disruption of the lipid droplet capsule occurred later than microtubule depolymerization. After cessation of colchicine treatment and a 3 h recovery in fresh medium, capsular protein relocated to the droplet surface before the cytoplasmic microtubule network was re-established. beta-lumicolchicine, an inactive analogue of colchicine, disrupted the capsule and increased hormone production without affecting microtubular structure. Thus, microtubule depolymerization is not required for the increase in steroid production and capsular disruption. To explore the signaling pathway involved in colchicine-induced steroidogenesis, we measured intracellular cAMP levels. Unlike ACTH, colchicine did not increase cAMP levels, suggesting that the cAMP-PKA system is not involved. Colchicine and ACTH had additive effects on corticosterone production, whereas colchicine and PMA did not, implying that part of the PKC signaling mechanism may be involved in colchicine-induced steroidogenesis. Cycloheximide, a protein synthesis inhibitor, completely inhibited colchicine-induced steroidogenesis and capsular disruption. These results demonstrate that the steroid production and lipid droplet capsule detachment induced by colchicine are both protein neosynthesis-dependent and microtubule-independent.

1. This study investigated the effect of magnolol, a compound purified from Magnolia officinalis, on glucocorticoid production by primary adrenal cell culture. 2. Magnolol increased corticosterone secretion in a dose-dependent manner, this effect being maximal at 40 microM. A similar effect was seen in a minced adrenal gland system. 3. In magnolol-treated cells, the number and total area of cytoplasmic lipid droplets were reduced, suggesting a high utilization rate of cholesterol esters stored in lipid droplets. In control cells, the capsule of the lipid droplet was clearly delineated by immunostaining with antibody A2, whereas capsular staining was discontinuous or undetectable following magnolol treatment. The percentage of decapsulated cells increased significantly from 20% in the control group to 80% in the magnolol-treated group. 4. Magnolol-induced steroidogenesis was not mediated either via the traditional ACTH-cyclic AMP-protein kinase A pathway or by protein kinase C, since the intracellular cyclic AMP level did not change and inhibition of protein kinase A or C did not block the action of magnolol. Furthermore, calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II was not involved in magnolol-induced steroidogenesis. 5. The stimulatory effect of magnolol on steroidogenesis apparently requires new protein synthesis, since cycloheximide inhibited magnolol-induced corticosterone production by 50%. 6. Although other studies have shown that high concentrations of magnolol inhibit acyl-CoA: cholesterol acyltransferase and 11 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase in a cell-free system, our data show that, in adrenal cell cultures, low concentrations of magnolol have a stimulatory effect on steroidogenesis, and the glucocorticoid produced may explain the effective control of asthma by Magnolia officinalis.

Cordyceps sinensis contains a factor that stimulates corticosteroid production in the animal model. However, it is not known whether this drug acts directly on the adrenal glands or indirectly via the hypothalamus-pituitary axis. In the present study, we used primary rat adrenal cell cultures to investigate the pharmacological function of a water-soluble extract of Cordyceps sinensis (CS) and the signaling pathway involved. Radioimmunoassay of corticosterone indicated that the amount of corticosterone produced by adrenal cells is increased in a positively dose-dependent manner by CS, reaching a maximum at 25 microg/ml. This stimulating effect was seen 1 h after CS treatment and was maintained for up to 24 h. Concomitantly, the lipid droplets in these cells became small and fewer in number. Immunostaining with a monoclonal antibody, A2, a specific marker for the lipid droplet capsule, demonstrated that detachment of the capsule from the lipid droplet occurs in response to CS application and that the period required for decapsulation is inversely related to the concentration of CS applied. The mechanism of CS-induced steroidogenesis is apparently different from that for ACTH, since intracellular cAMP levels were not increased in CS-treated cells. However, combined application with calphostin C, a PKC inhibitor, completely blocked the effect of CS on steroidogenesis, suggesting that activation of PKC may be responsible for the CS-induced steroidogenesis.

To evaluate the pulmonary tissue distribution of levofloxacin, the new once-daily fluoroquinolone, after a single 500-mg oral dose.Open-label study.One pulmonary clinic and two university-affiliated teaching hospitals.Eighteen adults undergoing lung biopsy or lobectomy.Levofloxacin plasma and lung tissue concentrations were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection. Lung tissue levofloxacin concentrations were corrected for blood contamination by measuring hemoglobin.After a single 500-mg oral dose, concentrations of levofloxacin in lung tissue consistently exceeded those in plasma at every time point over the 24-hour sampling period, with tissue:plasma penetration ratios of 2.02 (2-3 hrs), 5.02 (4-6 hrs), 5.13 (11-17 hrs), and 4.13 (22-25 hrs). The mean penetration ratio over the 24-hour sampling period was 3.95 (range 1.06-9.98). Lung tissue concentrations of levofloxacin also exceeded minimum inhibitory concentration values for most community-acquired respiratory tract pathogens over the 24 hours.This study supports clinical evaluation of levofloxacin as once-daily oral therapy for community-acquired lower respiratory tract infections.

The effects of food and sucralfate on the pharmacokinetics of levofloxacin following the administration of a single 500-mg oral dose were investigated in a randomized, three-way crossover study with young healthy subjects (12 males and 12 females). Levofloxacin was administered under three conditions: fasting, fed (immediately after a standardized high-fat breakfast), and fasting with sucralfate given 2 h following the administration of levofloxacin. The concentrations of levofloxacin in plasma and urine were determined by high-pressure liquid chromatography. By noncompartmental methods, the maximum concentration of drug in serum (Cmax), the time to Cmax (Tmax), the area under the concentration-time curve (AUC), half-life (t1/2), clearance (CL/F), renal clearance (CLR), and cumulative amount of levofloxacin in urine (Ae) were estimated. The individual profiles of the drug concentration in plasma showed little difference among the three treatments. The only consistent effect of the coadministration of levofloxacin with a high-fat meal for most subjects was that levofloxacin absorption was delayed and Cmax was slightly reduced (Tmax, 1.0 and 2.0 h for fasting and fed conditions, respectively [P = 0.002]; Cmax, 5.9 +/- 1.3 and 5.1 +/- 0.9 microg/ml [90% confidence interval = 0.79 to 0.94] for fasting and fed conditions, respectively). Sucralfate, which was administered 2 h after the administration of levofloxacin, appeared to have no effect on levofloxacin's disposition compared with that under the fasting condition. Mean values of Cmax and AUC from time zero to infinity were 6.7 +/- 3.2 microg/ml and 47.9 +/- 8.4 microg x h/ml, respectively, following the administration of sucralfate compared to values of 5.9 +/- 1.3 microg/ml and 50.5 +/- 8.1 microg x h/ml, respectively, under fasting conditions. The mean t1/2, CL/F, CLR, and Ae values were similar among all three treatment groups. In conclusion, the absorption of levofloxacin was slightly delayed by food, although the overall bioavailability of levofloxacin following a high-fat meal was not altered. Finally, sucralfate did not alter the disposition of levofloxacin when sucralfate was given 2 h after the administration of the antibacterial agent, thus preventing a potential drug-drug interaction.