Nascent HDL (High-Density Lipoprotein) Discs Carry Cholesterol to HDL Spheres

Objective: To characterize the fate of protein and lipid in nascent HDL (high-density lipoprotein) in plasma and explore the role of interaction between nascent HDL and mature HDL in promoting ABCA1 (ATP-binding cassette transporter 1)-dependent cholesterol efflux. Approach and Results: Two discoidal species, nascent HDL produced by RAW264.7 cells expressing ABCA1 (LpA-I [apo AI containing particles formed by incubating ABCA1-expressing cells with apo AI]), and CSL112, human apo AI (apolipoprotein AI) reconstituted with phospholipids, were used for in vitro incubations with human plasma or purified spherical plasma HDL. Fluorescent labeling and biotinylation of HDL were employed to follow the redistribution of cholesterol and apo AI, cholesterol efflux was measured using cholesterol-loaded cells. We show that both nascent LpA-I and CSL112 can rapidly fuse with spherical HDL. Redistribution of the apo AI molecules and cholesterol after particle fusion leads to the formation of (1) enlarged, remodeled, lipid-rich HDL particles carrying lipid and apo AI from LpA-I and (2) lipid-poor apo AI particles carrying apo AI from both discs and spheres. The interaction of discs and spheres led to a greater than additive elevation of ABCA1-dependent cholesterol efflux. Conclusions: These data demonstrate that although newly formed discs are relatively poor substrates for ABCA1, they can interact with spheres to produce lipid-poor apo AI, a much better substrate for ABCA1. Because the lipid-poor apo AI generated in this interaction can itself become discoid by the action of ABCA1, cycles of cholesterol efflux and disc-sphere fusion may result in net ABCA1-dependent transfer of cholesterol from cells to HDL spheres. This process may be of particular importance in atherosclerotic plaque where cholesterol acceptors may be limiting.

Magnetized filament models for diverging plasma lenses

ABSTRACT Spherical plasma lens models are known to suffer from a severe overpressure problem, with some observations requiring lenses with central pressures up to millions of times in excess of the ambient interstellar medium. There are two ways that lens models can solve the overpressure problem: a confinement mechanism exists to counter the internal pressure of the lens, or the lens has a unique geometry, such that the projected column-density appears large to an observer. This occurs with highly asymmetric models, such as edge-on sheets or filaments, with potentially low volume–density. In the first part of this work we investigate the ability of non-magnetized plasma filaments to mimic the magnification of sources seen behind spherical lenses and we extend a theorem from gravitational lens studies regarding this model degeneracy. We find that for plasma lenses, the theorem produces unphysical charge density distributions. In the second part of the work, we consider the plasma lens overpressure problem. Using magnetohydrodynamics, we develop a non self-gravitating model filament confined by a helical magnetic field. We use toy models in the force-free limit to illustrate novel lensing properties. Generally, magnetized filaments may act as lenses in any orientation with respect to the observer, with the most high-density events produced from filaments with axes near the line of sight. We focus on filaments that are perpendicular to the line of sight that show the toroidal magnetic field component may be observed via the lens rotation measure.

Experimental Study on Collimation Characteristics of an ECRH System with a 28GHz/50kW Gyrotron

In this paper, the collimation characteristics of an electron cyclotron resonance heating (ECRH) system with a 28GHz/50kW gyrotron in EXL-50 are studied experimentally. Through using laser trackers and designing matching tooling, test errors of horizontal distances and vertical distances between the transmission line and the flange center are all within 1mm, which are less than 0.4% and 0.07% respectively. In addition, online beam spot test with a 150 ms short pulse from a 28 GHz gyrotron also proves good collimation characteristics of the ECRH system. Finally, spherical plasma is formed through injecting the microwave to the vacuum chamber.