CHIANTI - an Atomic Database for Emission Lines. Paper VI: Proton Rates and Other Improvements

The CHIANTI atomic database contains atomic energy levels, wavelengths, radiative transition probabilities and electron excitation data for a large number of ions of astrophysical interest. Version 4 has been released, and proton excitation data is now included, principally for ground configuration levels that are close in energy. The fitting procedure for excitation data, both electrons and protons, has been extended to allow 9 point spline fits in addition to the previous 5 point spline fits. This allows higher quality fits to data from close-coupling calculations where resonances can lead to significant structure in the Maxwellian-averaged collision strengths. The effects of photoexcitation and stimulated emission by a blackbody radiation field in a spherical geometry on the level balance equations of the CHIANTI ions can now be studied following modifications to the CHIANTI software. With the addition of H I, He I and N I, the first neutral species have been added to CHIANTI. Many updates to existing ion data-sets are described, while several new ions have been added to the database, including Ar IV, Fe VI and Ni XXI. The two-photon continuum is now included in the spectral synthesis routines, and a new code for calculating the relativistic free-free continuum has been added. The treatment of the free-bound continuum has also been updated.Comment: CHIANTI is available at http://wwwsolar.nrl.navy.mil/chianti.htm

Regulatory and Helper Follicular T Cells and Antibody Avidity to Simian Immunodeficiency Virus Glycoprotein 120

T follicular regulatory cells (TFR) are a suppressive CD4(+) T cell subset that migrates to germinal centers (GC) during Ag presentation by upregulating the chemokine receptor CXCR5. In the GC, TFR control T follicular helper cell (TFH) expansion and modulate the development of high-affinity Ag-specific responses. In this study, we identified and characterized TFR as CXCR5(+)CCR7(-) "follicular" T regulatory cells in lymphoid tissues of healthy rhesus macaques, and we studied their dynamics throughout infection in a well-defined animal model of HIV pathogenesis. TFR were infected by SIVmac251 and had comparable levels of SIV DNA to CXCR5(-)CCR7(+) "T zone" T regulatory cells and TFH. Contrary to the SIV-associated TFH expansion in the chronic phase of infection, we observed an apparent reduction of TFR frequency in cell suspension, as well as a decrease of CD3(+)Foxp3(+) cells in the GC of intact lymph nodes. TFR frequency was inversely associated with the percentage of TFH and, interestingly, with the avidity of the Abs that recognize the SIV gp120 envelope protein. Our findings show changes in the TFH/TFR ratio during chronic infection and suggest possible mechanisms for the unchecked expansion of TFH cells in HIV/SIV infection

Performance of the new EBIS preinjector DISCLAIMER PERFORMANCE OF THE NEW EBIS PREINJECTOR*

Abstract The construction and initial commissioning phase of a new heavy ion preinjector was completed at Brookhaven in September, 2010, and the preinjector is now operational. This preinjector, using an EBIS source to produce high charge state heavy ions, provided helium and neon ion beams for use at the NASA Space Radiation Laboratory in the Fall of 2010, and gold and uranium beams are being commissioned during the 2011 run cycle for use in RHIC. The EBIS operates with an electron beam current of up to 10 A, to produce mA level currents in 10-40 µs beam pulses. The source is followed by an RFQ and IH linac to accelerate ions with q/m > 0.16 to an energy of 2 MeV/amu, for injection into the Booster synchrotron. The performance of the preinjector is presented, including initial operational experience for the NASA and RHIC programs

Performance of the new EBIS preinjector

The construction and initial commissioning phase of a new heavy ion preinjector was completed at Brookhaven in September, 2010, and the preinjector is now operational. This preinjector, using an EBIS source to produce high charge state heavy ions, provided helium and neon ion beams for use at the NASA Space Radiation Laboratory in the Fall of 2010, and gold and uranium beams are being commissioned during the 2011 run cycle for use in RHIC. The EBIS operates with an electron beam current of up to 10 A, to produce mA level currents in 10-40 {micro}s beam pulses. The source is followed by an RFQ and IH linac to accelerate ions with q/m > 0.16 to an energy of 2 MeV/amu, for injection into the Booster synchrotron. The performance of the preinjector is presented, including initial operational experience for the NASA and RHIC programs