Properties of quasi-periodic pulsations in solar flares from a single active region

We investigate the properties of a set of solar flares originating from a single active region (AR) that exhibit QPPs, and look for signs of the QPP periods relating to AR properties. The AR studied, best known as NOAA 12192, was unusually long-lived and produced 181 flares. Data from the GOES, EVE, Fermi, Vernov and NoRH observatories were used to determine if QPPs were present in the flares. For the soft X-ray GOES and EVE data, the time derivative of the signal was used. Power spectra of the time series data (without any form of detrending) were inspected, and flares with a peak above the 95% confidence level in the spectrum were labelled as having candidate QPPs. The confidence levels were determined taking account of uncertainties and the possible presence of red noise. AR properties were determined using HMI line of sight magnetograms. A total of 37 flares (20% of the sample) show good evidence of having QPPs, and some of the pulsations can be seen in data from multiple instruments and in different wavebands. The QPP periods show a weak correlation with the flare amplitude and duration, but this may be due to an observational bias. A stronger correlation was found between the QPP period and duration of the QPP signal, which can be partially but not entirely explained by observational constraints. No correlations were found with the AR area, bipole separation, or average magnetic field strength. The fact that a substantial fraction of the flare sample showed evidence of QPPs using a strict detection method with minimal processing of the data demonstrates that these QPPs are a real phenomenon, which cannot be explained by the presence of red noise or the superposition of multiple unrelated flares. The lack of correlation between the QPP periods and AR properties implies that the small-scale structure of the AR is important, and/or that different QPP mechanisms act in different cases.Comment: 23 pages, 57 figures. Accepted for publication by Astronomy & Astrophysic

Quasi-periodic pulsations in the gamma-ray emission of a solar flare

Copyright © 2010 American Astronomical Society / IOP PublishingQuasi-periodic pulsations (QPPs) of gamma-ray emission with a period of about 40 s are found in a single loop X-class solar flare on 2005 January 1 at photon energies up to 2-6 MeV with the SOlar Neutrons and Gamma-rays (SONG) experiment aboard the CORONAS-F mission. The oscillations are also found to be present in the microwave emission detected with the Nobeyama Radioheliograph, and in the hard X-ray and low energy gamma-ray channels of RHESSI. Periodogram and correlation analysis shows that the 40 s QPPs of microwave, hard X-ray, and gamma-ray emission are almost synchronous in all observation bands. Analysis of the spatial structure of hard X-ray and low energy (80-225 keV) gamma-ray QPP with RHESSI reveals synchronous while asymmetric QPP at both footpoints of the flaring loop. The difference between the averaged hard X-ray fluxes coming from the two footpoint sources is found to oscillate with a period of about 13 s for five cycles in the highest emission stage of the flare. The proposed mechanism generating the 40 s QPP is a triggering of magnetic reconnection by a kink oscillation in a nearby loop. The 13 s periodicity could be produced by the second harmonics of the sausage mode of the flaring loop

Comparative analysis of natural antibodies to neurotransmitters in the conditions of changes in physical activity on the human body

We performed a comparative evaluation of natural antibodies (e-At) to glutamate and GABA, the bioregulators of, respectively, excitatory and inhibitory systems in the people who differ in physical activity and its duration. The study included those athletes who are intensely engaged in Greco-Roman wrestling (22 cases), ice hockey (42 cases). The control group consisted of volunteers performing a complex of fitness exercises (42 persons). The relative contents of natural neurotransmitter antibodies in blood serum was determined by the solid-phase ELISA technique, using a synthetic conjugated glutamate and GABA antigens for sorption on the analytic plates. With increasing physical activity determined by the coaching schedule, a significant increase in the level of GABA and glutamate antibodies was found in the groups subjected to strenuous exercise, compared to the controls. For wrestling athletes, a consequent measurement of glutamate and GABA antibodies was performed, with an interval of 14 days for each period. The zero point of the first stage was characterized by the absence of physical activity, being increased at later terms. We have established experimentally an interrelation between changes in immunological parameters and physical loads at different time periods of Greco-Roman wrestling. There was a gradual increase in antibodies to these neurotransmitters after the first stage of sport exercises. However, a statistically significant change in their level was observed only by the end of the third training period. In hockey players, a comparative ELISA testing of natural antibodies to glutamate and GABA showed a significant change in the level of antibodies to neurotransmitters compared with appropriate parameters of control group. We have also noted distinct features of the antibody content in hockey players if compared with Greco-Roman fighters. The content of GABA and glutamate antibodies for the group of hockey players examined was initially significantly higher than in control group, and remained on these levels throughout the entire training process. These results may indicate a different functional state of the body before exercise. Statistical evaluation of the data obtained has revealed some individual patterns of serum antibody contents in athletes. At initial terms, most hockey players, either at rest and under physical load, showed a scatter in the contents of GABA antibodies. After enhanced physical loads, the number of athletes with higher levels of glutamate antibodies was increased. The data obtained may indicate to a degree of GABA-and glutamate-dependent regulatory systems involvement into various stages of physical training

Study of humoral immunity indices for assessing physical exhaustion in sports

Studies of real opportunities for physical skills of athletes sufficiently depend on their adaptive potential for increasing physical loads. Extreme physical and psychoemotional loads may lead to overwork and decreased physical ability in professional sportsmen. These adaptation processes are regulated by the main biochemical systems of the body. A special role belongs to the factors of humoral immunity, i.e., natural antibodies, which are a component of innate immunity. They circulate in blood of healthy persons in absence of obvious antigenic stimulation. Analytical techniques for measuring the level of natural antibodies that reflect the state of the system of endogenous bioregulators involved into the molecular mechanisms of adaptation process have been developed. An important role among them is played by the regulators of the opioid system β-endorphin and orphanin. The biochemical and immunological parameters were determined in 10 athletes active in figure skating (Master of Sports), whose average age was 16±0.4 years, and sport experience of 9±1 years. The duration of the study was divided into 5 stages and was 62 days. During the dynamic observations in the course of intensive training, no clear shifts in biochemical parameters were revealed towards adaptation stress and delayed recovery. The level of natural antibodies to orphanin and beta-endorphin was measured in the athletes blood serum by ELISA techique. It is found that each athlete is characterized by individual immune profile. At the initial stage of the examination, the level of antibodies to beta-endorphin was within normal ranges, except for its decrease in one athlete. The level of antibodies to orphanin in majority of cases was higher than normal, probably, due to inhibitory control of the pain signal. Further study in time dynamics revealed that the immunological parameters, natural antibodies to opioid peptides, change in accordance with the state of adaptation resources in the athletes. These indexes reflect psycho-emotional potential and pain tolerance threshold for athletes from the start of training and throughout the entire period. Therefore, from a prognostic point of view, it is important to monitor the content of natural antibodies to beta-endorphin and orphanin in athletes in the course of training. Such individual monitoring of the athlete’s immunological indices allows us to select a more effective, personal training program

Morphological Features of Red Blood Cells in Patients with Severe Concomitant Injury

Objective: to reveal changes in the structure and shape of red blood cells depending on blood loss (BL) volume in patients with severe concomitant injury (SCI). Subjects and methods. Eighteen patients (9 men, 9 women) aged 48.6±16.1 years who had sustained severe concomitant mechanical injury (CMI) with different BL volumes and hemodynamic disorders were examined. According to the volume of BL, the patients were divided into two groups: 1) 7 victims with a BL volume of < 750 ml (5.7±1.9 ml/kg), grade 1 BL; 2) 11 victims with a BL volume of > 2000 ml (37.5±5.1 ml/kg), grade 4 BL. A comparison group consisted of 5 apparently healthy volunteers whose mean age was 26.4±2.7 years. The shapes and sizes of red blood cells were examined by light optical and atomic force microscopy (AFM). To study the composition of red blood cells, ten microliters of whole blood were applied to the slides and red blood cell monolayers were prepared using a V-sampler. The membrane surface was scanned by semicontact resonance AFM. The investigators used NSGL 01-A cantilevers with a resonance frequency in the range of 80200 kHz, a probe radius of 10 nm, 512 and 1024 scanning points, and 100X100 ^m and 10X10 ^m scanning fields. Planar and 3D images were obtained. Results. Calculation of 1000 cells by light optical microscopy and AFM showed significantly different counts of macro- and microcytes in the comparison group. The 100X100-^m field exhibited the following types of red blood cells: discocytes (97.9±1.5% and 96±5%), echinocytes (2.1±0.9% and 3±1%), and squamous cells (0.1±0.02% and 1±0.5%). Within the first 24 hours after injury, the victim group displayed lower normocyte counts and higher counts of macrocytes and microcytes than the control group. AFM in the 100X100-^m field revealed that the victims with SMI when admitted to an intensive care unit exhibited a significant decrease in the counts of discocytes counts and increases in those of echinocytes, stomatocytes, and squamous cells, as compared to the controls. Anisocytosis and poikylocytosis was found to depended on the degree of BL. The squamous cells are most likely to be a variety of young erythrocytes. An appreciable increase in macrocytes and squamous cells on day 5 most likely reflects enhanced compensatory erythropoiesis in response to BL. Examination of red blood cell shapes within the first 24 hours after injury in the AFM field revealed profound discocytes with a protuberance in the center. On day 1 of injury changes in the nanostructure of red blood cell membranes included: 9-fold increase of first-order height (hj); 1.5-fold and 3-fold increase of second- and third-order heights (h2 and h3), respectively. The magnitude of changes in hj, h2 and h3 depended on the volume of BL and tended to decrease within the first two weeks of injury. Conclusion. The victims with SMI were observed to possess significant anisocytosis and poikylocytosis. The changes were associated with the volume of BL and included profound discocytes with a protuberance in the center as well aso changes in heights of nanostructural patterns of red blood cell membranes. Key words: severe concomitant injury, blood loss, atomic force microscopy, light optical microscopy, nanostructure of red blood cell membranes

Methodology of comprehensive assessment of the athlete's adaptive potential to the load

The review summarizes the current data on the methods of assessment of adaptation and disadaptation (fatigue, overreaching, overtraining, OT) of athlete during training; special attention is paid to the diagnostic value of biochemical and immunological markers of adaptation potential (AP). Their diagnostic significance was analyzed. Hypotheses and possible mechanisms of OT development were considered. Based on the results of recent studies published by domestic and foreign authors, both the diversity and the number of proposed adaptation markers have been established, and a lack of unity of approaches in the assessment of AP and OT has been revealed. Large amount of biochemical, immunological and other tests proposed for the evaluation of AP was summed up. The most significant AP and OT markers are protein metabolism factors, enzymes, lactate, urea. The role of immune factors, besides leukocytes and lymphocytes, is intensively studied: these are leukocyte toxicity index, level of neutrophils, cytokines, natural antibodies to AP bioregulators. The prospects of using an integrated test system for determining the e-At panel to AP bioregulators is shown for monitoring the athlete's condition, and especially for early diagnosis of OT

Complex ultrasound diagnostic assessment of the results of neoadjuvant chemotherapy for locally advanced cervical cancer (Stages IIB–IIIB)

Background. Current complex ultrasound diagnosis using novel imaging techniques can assess, to a high accuracy, different tumor parameters during neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NCT) for locally advanced cervical cancer (CC) (Stages IIB–IIB). This assessment is very important and necessary to define further treatment policy.Materials and methods. A total of 199 patients diagnosed with Stages IIB–IIIB CC, including 60 patients with Stage IIB (T2bN0M0), 4 with Stage IIIА (T3aN0M0), and 135 with Stage IIIВ (T2bN1M0, T3aN1M0, T3bN0–1M0) (according to the International Federationof Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) classification), who received NCT at Stage 1 of treatment, were examined. Complex ultrasound study was conducted before treatment initiation and after each NCT cycle. The therapeutic pathomorphism of a tumor was evaluated in surgically treated patients.Results. The criteria have been determined for evaluating the efficiency of NCT for locally advanced CC, which are based on current ultrasonographic techniques including B-mode, Doppler ultrasound (power, spectral, three-dimensional ones), as well as on the results of therapeutic pathomorphism.Conclusion. The criteria for evaluating the efficiency of NCT for CC should be based on current complex ultrasonographic techniques