Characteristics and Evolution of the Magnetic field and Chromospheric Emission in an Active Region Core Observed by Hinode

We describe the characteristics and evolution of the magnetic field and chromospheric emission in an active region core observed by the Solar Optical Telescope on Hinode. Consistent with previous studies, we find that the moss is unipolar, the spatial distribution of magnetic flux evolves slowly, and the magnetic field is only moderately inclined. We show that the field line inclination and horizontal component are coherent, and that the magnetic field is mostly sheared in the inter-moss regions where the highest magnetic flux variability is seen. Using extrapolations from SP magnetograms we show that the magnetic connectivity in the moss is different than in the quiet Sun because most of the magnetic field extends to significant coronal heights. The magnetic flux, field vector, and chromospheric emission in the moss also appear highly dynamic, but actually show only small scale variations in magnitude on time-scales longer than the cooling times for hydrodynamic loops computed from our extrapolations, suggesting high-frequency (continuous) heating events. Some evidence is found for flux (Ca 2 intensity) changes on the order of 100--200 G (DN) on time-scales of 20--30 mins that could be taken as indicative of low-frequency heating. We find, however, that only a small fraction (10%) of our simulated loops would be expected to cool on these time-scales, and we find no clear evidence that the flux changes consistently produce intensity changes in the chromosphere. The magnetic flux and chromospheric intensity in most individual SOT pixels in the moss vary by less than ~ 20% and ~ 10%, respectively, on loop cooling time-scales. In view of the high energy requirements of the chromosphere, we suggest that these variations could be sufficient for the heating of `warm' EUV loops, but that the high basal levels may be more important for powering the hot core loops rooted in the moss.Comment: Accepted by ApJ, 16 pages, 20 figures. Abridged abstract (original is in PDF file). Figures 1 & 2 are reduced resolution to meet size limit

“You Have Forever Changed My Life”: The Need for Academic Rigor in Teaching Humanities in a Global Society

Teaching Humanities to an increasingly globalized, diverse and non-traditional student body needs to inculcate and develop what Kysilka has called thinking skills, to equip students to approach material and concepts that may seem challenging and unfamiliar. Educators may benefit from employing the approaches Gardner has developed in his theory of Multiple Intelligences, to maximally engage students with widely differing academic exposures and skills. Reader Response journaling allows students to explore and engage with unfamiliar texts. Twenty-first-century educators need to be prepared to assess student success less by testing content acquisition and theory repetition than by evaluating student development of analytical strengths and mastery of the skills of analytical performance

'I think positivity breeds positivity': a qualitative exploration of the role of family members in supporting those with chronic musculoskeletal pain to stay at work

Background: It is proposed that family members are important sources of support in helping those with chronic musculoskeletal pain to remain at work, but the phenomenon remains largely unexplored. The aim of this study was to examine the extent and nature of support provided by family members in this respect. Methods: Qualitative data were collected from workers and their ‘significant others’ spouses/partners/close family members) in two un-related studies focused on working with pain; one conducted in the United Kingdom (n = 10 dyads) and one in the Netherlands (n = 21 dyads). Thematic analysis techniques were applied to both sets of data independently, and findings were then assimilated to establish common themes. Results: Findings were broadly similar in both studies. Workers acknowledged significant other support in helping them to manage their pain and remain at work, and their descriptions of the type of support provided and required were echoed by their significant others. Three common themes were identified - ‘connectivity’, ‘activity’ and ‘positivity’. Worker and significant other responses were largely congruent, but significant others provided more in-depth information on the nature of their support, their concerns and the impact on their relationship. Conclusions: This research presents novel insights about the specific contribution made by significant others in helping their relatives with chronic musculoskeletal pain to stay at work. These findings add to the under-represented ‘social’ dimension of the biopsychosocial model currently applied to our understanding and treatment of pain, and point to harnessing support from significant others as a potentially effective management strategy

Establishing a Connection Between Active Region Outflows and the Solar Wind: Abundance Measurements with EIS/Hinode

One of the most interesting discoveries of the X-ray Telescope and EUV Imaging Spectrometer (EIS) on board the Hinode solar observatory is the presence of persistent high temperature high speed outflows from the edges of active regions. Measurements by EIS indicate that the outflows reach velocities of 50 km/s with spectral line asymmetries approaching 200 km/s. It has been suggested that these outflows may lie on open field lines that connect to the heliosphere, and that they could potentially be a significant source of the slow speed solar wind. A direct link has been difficult to establish, however. In this letter, we use EIS measurements of spectral line intensities that are sensitive to changes in the relative abundance of Si and S as a result of the first ionization potential (FIP) effect, to measure the chemical composition in the outflow regions of AR 10978 over a period of 5 days in December 2007. We find that Si is always enhanced over S by a factor of 3--4. This is generally consistent with the enhancement factor of low FIP elements measured in-situ in the slow solar wind by non-spectroscopic methods. Plasma with a slow wind-like composition was therefore flowing from the edge of the active region for at least 5 days. Furthermore, on December 10--11, when the outflow from the western side was favorably oriented in the Earth direction, the Si/S ratio was found to match the value measured a few days later by ACE/SWICS. These results provide strong observational evidence for a direct connection between the solar wind, and the coronal plasma in the outflow regions.Comment: Version to be published in ApJ

Statin use after acute myocardial infarction by patient complexity: Are the rates right?

Reprinted with permission of the publisher.Background: Guidelines suggest statin use after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) should be close to universal in patients without safety concerns yet rates are much lower than recommended, decline with patient complexity, and display substantial geographic variation. Trial exclusions have resulted in little evidence to guide statin prescribing for complex patients. Objective: Assess the benefits and risks associated with higher rates of statin use after AMI by baseline patient complexity. Research Design: Sample includes Medicare fee-for-service patients with AMIs in 2008-2009. Instrumental variable estimators using variation in local area prescribing patterns by statin-intensity as instruments were used to assess the association of higher statin prescribing rates by statin-intensity on 1-year survival, adverse events, and cost by patient complexity. Results: Providers appear to have individualized statin use across patients based on potential risks. Higher statin rates for non-complex AMI patients were associated with increased survival rates with little added adverse event risk. Higher statin rates for complex AMI patients were associated with tradeoffs between higher survival rates and higher rates of adverse events. Conclusions: Higher rates of statin use for non-complex AMI patients are associated with outcome rate changes similar to existing evidence. For the complex patients in our study, who were least represented in existing trials, higher statin-use rates were associated with survival gains and higher adverse event risks not previously documented. Policy interventions promoting higher statin-use rates for complex patients may need to be re-evaluated taking careful consideration of these tradeoffs.This project was supported by an Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality grant (1R21HS019574-01) under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009