In an experimental realization of the sheared cylindrical slab, the level of plasma turbulence is strongly reduced by application of a sufficient bias potential difference in the radial direction. Density fluctuation levels ∆nrms/n decrease by more than a factor of five. The ion flow velocity profile is measured spectroscopically from the Doppler shift of an argon ion line. Comparison of the shearing rates with the turbulent amplitudes as a function of bias show no relation between the shearing rate and turbulence reduction, contrary to expectations.

Microbial ecology research requires sampling strategies that accurately represent the microbial community under study. These communities must typically be transported from the collection location to the laboratory and then stored until they can be processed. However, there is a lack of consensus on how best to preserve microbial communities during transport and storage. Here, we evaluated dimethyl sulfoxide, ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid, saturated salt (DESS) solution as a broadly applicable preservative for microbial ecology experiments. We stored fungus gardens grown by the ant Trachymyrmex septentrionalis in DESS, 15% glycerol, and phosphate buffered saline (PBS) to test their impact on the fungus garden microbial community. Variation in microbial community structure due to differences in preservative type was minimal when compared to variation between ant colonies. Additionally, DESS preserved the structure of a defined mock community more faithfully than either 15% glycerol or PBS. DESS is inexpensive, easy to transport, and effective in preserving microbial community structure. We therefore conclude that DESS is a valuable preservative for use in microbial ecology research.

Introduction Many forms of cancer are associated with loss of lean body mass, a significant indicator of increased mortality. This effect is commonly attributed to decreased protein synthesis and stimulation of proteolytic pathways within the skeletal muscle due to metabolic disturbances from the tumor burden. The branched chain amino acid (BCAA) leucine has been shown to improve protein synthesis, insulin signaling, and mitochondrial biogenesis, key signaling pathways influenced by tumor signaling. Purpose Our study aimed to elucidate the effects of leucine supplementation on mitochondrial biogenesis, within the Lewis Lung Carcinoma (LLC) implantation model. We hypothesized that LLC implantation will impair mitochondrial biogenesis and protein synthesis leading to a loss of muscle mass, with leucine attenuating these effects. Methods Twenty male C57BL/6 mice were divided into four equal groups (n=5) of equivalent body weight: Chow, leucine (Leu), LLC, LLC+Leu. At the age of 9–10 weeks, mice received a subcutaneous injection of 1×106 LLC cells or phosphate buffered saline (PBS). Leu groups were then switched to diet supplemented with 5% leucine (w/w). Upon euthanasia, muscle and tumors were weighed and collected. Measures of protein synthesis, mitochondrial biogenesis, and inflammation in the gastrocnemius muscle were assessed via western blot analysis. Results While body mass was not different between groups, gastrocnemius mass was decreased in the LLC+Leu group relative to the LLC group (p=0.040). Protein synthesis, quantified through the SUnSET technique, was decreased in LLC mice (p=0.001). Phosphorylation of STAT3, an indicator of inflammation was decreased in the Leu group relative to the control (p=0.019), but did not significantly attenuate the inflammatory effect of LLC implantation (p=0.619). Peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor Gamma Co‐activator 1‐α (PGC‐1α), a marker of mitochondrial biogenesis, was increased in LLC+Leu relative to LLC (p=0.001). Finally, LLC implantation decreased mitochondrial content as measured by Cytochrome C (p=0.015), mitochondrial complexes III (p=0.006) and V (p=0.041). Conclusion Within our study, leucine supplementation was unable to preserve protein synthesis or mitochondrial content associated with LLC implantation. However, Leucine supplementation was able to increase mitochondrial biogenesis signaling. Support or Funding Information University of Memphis School of Health Studies Faculty Grant This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.

Microbial ecology research requires sampling strategies that accurately represent the microbial community under study. These communities must typically be transported from the collection location to the laboratory and then stored until they can be processed.However, there is a lack of consensus on how best to preserve microbial communities during transport and storage. Here, we evaluated DESS (Dimethyl sulfoxide, Ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid, Saturated Salt) solution as a broadly applicable preservative for microbial ecology experiments. We stored fungus gardens grown by the ant Trachymyrmex septentrionalis in DESS, 15% glycerol, and phosphate buffered saline (PBS) to test the ability of these preservatives to maintain the structure of fungus garden microbial communities. Variation in microbial community structure due to differences in preservative type was minimal when compared to variation between ant colonies.Additionally, DESS preserved the structure of a defined mock community more faithfully than either 15% glycerol or PBS. DESS is inexpensive, easy to transport, and effective in preserving microbial community structure. We therefore conclude that DESS is a valuable preservative for use in microbial ecology research. 7 1 To whom correspondence should be addressed: jonathan.klassen@uconn.edu 8 Abstract 9 Microbial ecology research requires sampling strategies that accurately represent the microbial 10 community under study. These communities must typically be transported from the collection 11 location to the laboratory and then stored until they can be processed. However, there is a lack of 12 consensus on how best to preserve microbial communities during transport and storage. Here, we 13 evaluated DESS (Dimethyl sulfoxide, Ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid, Saturated Salt) solution 14 as a broadly applicable preservative for microbial ecology experiments. We stored fungus 15 gardens grown by the ant Trachymyrmex septentrionalis in DESS, 15% glycerol, and phosphate 16 buffered saline (PBS) to test the ability of these preservatives to maintain the structure of fungus 17 garden microbial communities. Variation in microbial community structure due to differences in 18 preservative type was minimal when compared to variation between ant colonies. Additionally, 19 DESS preserved the structure of a defined mock community more faithfully than either 15% 20 glycerol or PBS. DESS is inexpensive, easy to transport, and effective in preserving microbial 21 community structure. We therefore conclude that DESS is a valuable preservative for use in 22 microbial ecology research.

We present a method to infer the electron temperature in argon plasmas using a collisional-radiative model for argon ions and measurements of electron density to interpret absolutely calibrated spectroscopic measurements of argon ion (Ar II) line intensities. The neutral density, and hence the degree of ionization of this plasma, can then be estimated using argon atom (Ar I) line intensities and a collisional-radiative model for argon atoms. This method has been tested for plasmas generated on two different devices at the University of Texas at Austin: the helicon experiment and the helimak experiment. We present results that show good correlation with other measurements in the plasma.