Plasma properties from the multi-wavelength analysis of the November 1st 2003 CME/shock event

The analysis of the spectral properties and dynamic evolution of a CME/shock event observed on November 1st 2003 in white-light by the LASCO coronagraph and in the ultraviolet by the UVCS instrument operating aboard SOHO, has been performed to compute the properties of some important plasma parameters in the middle corona below about 2 solar radii. Simultaneous observations obtained with the MLSO/Mk4 white-light coronagraph, providing both the early evolution of the CME expansion in the corona and the pre-shock electron density profile along the CME front, were also used to study this event. By combining the above information with the analysis of the metric type II radio emission detected by ground-based radio spectrographs, we finally derive estimates of the values of the local Alfv\'en speed and magnetic field strength in the solar corona.Comment: In press Journal of Advanced Research, Cairo University. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.

Associations of clock genes polymorphisms with soft tissue sarcoma susceptibility and prognosis

BACKGROUND: Dysfunction of the circadian clock and polymorphisms of some circadian genes have been linked to cancer development and progression. We investigated the relationship between circadian genes germline variation and susceptibility or prognosis of patients with soft tissue sarcoma. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We considered the 14 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of 6 core circadian genes that have a minor allele frequency >\u20095% and that are known to be associated with cancer risk or prognosis. Genotyping was performed by q-PCR. Peripheral blood and clinic-pathological data were available for 162 patients with liposarcoma or leiomyosarcoma and 610 healthy donors. Associations between the selected clock genes polymorphisms and sarcoma susceptibility or prognosis were tested assuming 3 models of inheritance: additive, recessive and dominant. Subgroup analysis based on sarcoma histotype was performed under the additive genetic model. Multivariate logistic regression and multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression analyses were utilized to assess the association between SNPs with patient susceptibility and survival, respectively. Pathway variation analysis was conducted employing the Adaptive Rank Truncated Product method. RESULTS: Six out of the 14 analyzed SNPs were statistically significantly associated with susceptibility or prognosis of soft tissue sarcoma (P <\u20090.05). The present analysis suggested that carriers of the minor allele of the CLOCK polymorphism rs1801260 (C) or of PER2 rs934945 (T) had a reduced predisposition to sarcoma (26% and 35% respectively with the additive model) and liposarcoma (33% and 41% respectively). The minor allele (A) of NPAS2 rs895520 was associated with an increased predisposition to sarcoma of 33% and leiomyosarcoma of 44%. RORA rs339972 C allele was associated with a decreased predisposition to develop sarcoma assuming an additive model (29%) and leiomyosarcoma (36%). PER1 rs3027178 was associated with a reduced predisposition only in liposarcoma subgroup (32%). rs7602358 located upstream PER2 was significantly associated with liposarcoma survival (HR: 1.98; 95% CI 1.02-3.85; P\u2009=\u20090.04). Germline genetic variation in the circadian pathway was associated with the risk of developing soft tissue sarcoma (P\u2009=\u20090.035). CONCLUSIONS: Genetic variation of circadian genes appears to play a role in the determinism of patient susceptibility and prognosis. These findings prompt further studies to fully dissect the molecular mechanisms

The slowly variable star FY Lacertae

Photometric observations and analysis of FY Lac were performed in order to determine the variability characteristics, using measurements taken at Loiano site of Bologna Astronomical Observatory and AAVSO data. The star shows a Long Term variability with a preliminary period of about 274 +/- 28 days and photometric characteristics compatible with a red M5 III giant star, with a temperature of 3420 K degrees.Comment: 9 page

Circadian pathway genetic variation and cancer risk: Evidence from genome-wide association studies

Background: Dysfunction of the circadian clock and single polymorphisms of some circadian genes have been linked to cancer susceptibility, although data are scarce and findings inconsistent. We aimed to investigate the association between circadian pathway genetic variation and risk of developing common cancers based on the findings of genome-wide association studies (GWASs). Methods: Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of 17 circadian genes reported by three GWAS meta-analyses dedicated to breast (Discovery, Biology, and Risk of Inherited Variants in Breast Cancer (DRIVE) Consortium; cases, n = 15,748; controls, n = 18,084), prostate (Elucidating Loci Involved in Prostate Cancer Susceptibility (ELLIPSE) Consortium; cases, n = 14,160; controls, n = 12,724) and lung carcinoma (Transdisciplinary Research In Cancer of the Lung (TRICL) Consortium; cases, n = 12,160; controls, n = 16,838) in patients of European ancestry were utilized to perform pathway analysis by means of the adaptive rank truncated product (ARTP) method. Data were also available for the following subgroups: estrogen receptor negative breast cancer, aggressive prostate cancer, squamous lung carcinoma and lung adenocarcinoma. Results: We found a highly significant statistical association between circadian pathway genetic variation and the risk of breast (pathway P value = 1.9 x 10(-6); top gene RORA, gene P value = 0.0003), prostate (pathway P value= 4.1x10(-6); top gene ARNTL, gene P value = 0.0002) and lung cancer (pathway P value = 6.9 x 10(-7); top gene RORA, gene P value= 2.0 x 10(-6)), as well as all their subgroups. Out of 17 genes investigated, 15 were found to be significantly associated with the risk of cancer: four genes were shared by all three malignancies (ARNTL, CLOCK, RORA and RORB), two by breast and lung cancer (CRY1 and CRY2) and three by prostate and lung cancer (NPAS2, NR1D1 and PER3), whereas four genes were specific for lung cancer (ARNTL2, CSNK1E, NR1D2 and PER2) and two for breast cancer (PER1, RORC). Conclusions: Our findings, based on the largest series ever utilized for ARTP-based gene and pathway analysis, support the hypothesis that circadian pathway genetic variation is involved in cancer predisposition

Solar Wind at 6.8 Solar Radii from UVCS Observation of Comet C/1996Y1

The comet C/1996Y1, a member of the Kreutz family of Sun-grazing comets, was observed with the Ultraviolet Coronagraph Spectrometer (UVCS) aboard the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) satellite. The Lyα line profile and spatial distribution are interpreted in terms of the theory of bow shocks driven by mass-loading. At the time of the observation, the comet was 6.8 R☉ from the Sun in a region of high-speed wind, a region difficult to observe directly with the SOHO instruments but an important region for testing models of solar wind acceleration and heating. We find a solar wind speed below 640 km s-1 and a constraint on the combination of solar wind speed and proton temperature. The total energy per proton at 6.8 R☉ is 50%-75% of the energy at 1 AU, indicating that significant heating occurs at larger radii. The centroid and width of the Lyα line generally confirm the predictions of models of the cometary bow shock driven by mass-loading as cometary molecules are ionized and swept up in the solar wind. We estimate an outgassing rate of 20 kg s-1, which implies an active area of the nucleus only about 6.7 m in diameter at 6.8 R☉. This is likely to be the size of the nucleus, because any inert mantle would have probably been blown off during the approach to the Sun

SWELTO - Space WEather Laboratory in Turin Observatory

SWELTO - Space WEather Laboratory in Turin Observatory is a conceptual framework where new ideas for the analysis of space-based and ground-based data are developed and tested. The input data are (but not limited to) remote sensing observations (EUV images of the solar disk, Visible Light coronagraphic images, radio dynamic spectra, etc...), in situ plasma measurements (interplanetary plasma density, velocity, magnetic field, etc...), as well as measurements acquired by local sensors and detectors (radio antenna, fluxgate magnetometer, full-sky cameras, located in OATo). The output products are automatic identification, tracking, and monitoring of solar stationary and dynamic features near the Sun (coronal holes, active regions, coronal mass ejections, etc...), and in the interplanetary medium (shocks, plasmoids, corotating interaction regions, etc...), as well as reconstructions of the interplanetary medium where solar disturbances may propagate from the Sun to the Earth and beyond. These are based both on empirical models and numerical MHD simulations. The aim of SWELTO is not only to test new data analysis methods for future application for Space Weather monitoring and prediction purposes, but also to procure, test and deploy new ground-based instrumentation to monitor the ionospheric and geomagnetic responses to solar activity. Moreover, people involved in SWELTO are active in outreach to disseminate the topics related with Space Weather to students and the general public