1,228 research outputs found
Accurately constraining velocity information from spectral imaging observations using machine learning techniques
Determining accurate plasma Doppler (line-of-sight) velocities from
spectroscopic measurements is a challenging endeavour, especially when weak
chromospheric absorption lines are often rapidly evolving and, hence, contain
multiple spectral components in their constituent line profiles. Here, we
present a novel method that employs machine learning techniques to identify the
underlying components present within observed spectral lines, before
subsequently constraining the constituent profiles through single or multiple
Voigt fits. Our method allows active and quiescent components present in
spectra to be identified and isolated for subsequent study. Lastly, we employ a
Ca II 8542 {\AA} spectral imaging dataset as a proof-of-concept study to
benchmark the suitability of our code for extracting two-component atmospheric
profiles that are commonly present in sunspot chromospheres. Minimisation tests
are employed to validate the reliability of the results, achieving median
reduced values equal to 1.03 between the observed and synthesised
umbral line profiles.Comment: 23 pages, 8 figures. Improved formatting of abstract and reference
Finding the mechanism of wave energy flux damping in solar pores using numerical simulations
Context. Solar magnetic pores are, due to their concentrated magnetic fields,
suitable guides for magnetoacoustic waves. Recent observations have shown that
propagating energy flux in pores is subject to strong damping with height;
however, the reason is still unclear. Aims. We investigate possible damping
mechanisms numerically to explain the observations. Methods. We performed 2D
numerical magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations, starting from an equilibrium
model of a single pore inspired by the observed properties. Energy was inserted
into the bottom of the domain via different vertical drivers with a period of
30s. Simulations were performed with both ideal MHD and non-ideal effects.
Results. While the analysis of the energy flux for ideal and non-ideal MHD
simulations with a plane driver cannot reproduce the observed damping, the
numerically predicted damping for a localized driver closely corresponds with
the observations. The strong damping in simulations with localized driver was
caused by two geometric effects, geometric spreading due to diverging field
lines and lateral wave leakage.Comment: 12 pages (including appendix), 13 figures, accepted for publication
by A&
Characterisation of shock wave signatures at millimetre wavelengths from Bifrost simulations
Observations at millimetre wavelengths provide a valuable tool to study the
small scale dynamics in the solar chromosphere. We evaluate the physical
conditions of the atmosphere in the presence of a propagating shock wave and
link that to the observable signatures in mm-wavelength radiation, providing
valuable insights into the underlying physics of mm-wavelength observations. A
realistic numerical simulation from the 3D radiative Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD)
code Bifrost is used to interpret changes in the atmosphere caused by shock
wave propagation. High-cadence (1 s) time series of brightness temperature
(T) maps are calculated with the Advanced Radiative Transfer (ART)
code at the wavelengths mm and mm, which represents opposite
sides of spectral band~ of the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array
(ALMA). An example of shock wave propagation is presented. The brightness
temperatures show a strong shock wave signature with large variation in
formation height between to Mm. The results demonstrate that
millimetre brightness temperatures efficiently track upwardly propagating shock
waves in the middle chromosphere. In addition, we show that the gradient of the
brightness temperature between wavelengths within ALMA band can potentially
be utilised as a diagnostics tool in understanding the small-scale dynamics at
the sampled layers.Comment: 16 pages, 6 figures. Accepted for publication in Philosophical
Transactions A of the Royal Societ
Photospheric observations of surface and body modes in solar magnetic pores
Over the past number of years, great strides have been made in identifying the various low-order magnetohydrodynamic wave modes observable in a number of magnetic structures found within the solar atmosphere. However, one aspect of these modes that has remained elusive, until now, is their designation as either surface or body modes. This property has significant implications for how these modes transfer energy from the waveguide to the surrounding plasma. Here, for the first time to our knowledge, we present conclusive, direct evidence of these wave characteristics in numerous pores that were observed to support sausage modes. As well as outlining methods to detect these modes in observations, we make estimates of the energies associated with each mode. We find surface modes more frequently in the data, as well as that surface modes appear to carry more energy than those displaying signatures of body modes. We find frequencies in the range of ~2–12 mHz, with body modes as high as 11 mHz, but we do not find surface modes above 10 mHz. It is expected that the techniques we have applied will help researchers search for surface and body signatures in other modes and in differing structures from those presented here
Dependence of Hippocampal Function on ERRγ-Regulated Mitochondrial Metabolism
SummaryNeurons utilize mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OxPhos) to generate energy essential for survival, function, and behavioral output. Unlike most cells that burn both fat and sugar, neurons only burn sugar. Despite its importance, how neurons meet the increased energy demands of complex behaviors such as learning and memory is poorly understood. Here we show that the estrogen-related receptor gamma (ERRγ) orchestrates the expression of a distinct neural gene network promoting mitochondrial oxidative metabolism that reflects the extraordinary neuronal dependence on glucose. ERRγ−/− neurons exhibit decreased metabolic capacity. Impairment of long-term potentiation (LTP) in ERRγ−/− hippocampal slices can be fully rescued by the mitochondrial OxPhos substrate pyruvate, functionally linking the ERRγ knockout metabolic phenotype and memory formation. Consistent with this notion, mice lacking neuronal ERRγ in cerebral cortex and hippocampus exhibit defects in spatial learning and memory. These findings implicate neuronal ERRγ in the metabolic adaptations required for memory formation
Anakinra reduces blood pressure and renal fibrosis in one kidney/DOCA/salt-induced hypertension
OBJECTIVE: To determine whether a clinically-utilised IL-1 receptor antagonist, anakinra, reduces renal inflammation, structural damage and blood pressure (BP) in mice with established hypertension. METHODS: Hypertension was induced in male mice by uninephrectomy, deoxycorticosterone acetate (2.4mg/d,s.c.) and replacement of drinking water with saline (1K/DOCA/salt). Control mice received uninephrectomy, a placebo pellet and normal drinking water. 10days post-surgery, mice commenced treatment with anakinra (75mg/kg/d, i.p.) or vehicle (0.9% saline, i.p.) for 11 days. Systolic BP was measured by tail cuff while qPCR, immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry were used to measure inflammatory markers, collagen and immune cell infiltration in the kidneys. RESULTS: By 10 days post-surgery, 1K/DOCA/salt-treated mice displayed elevated systolic BP (148.3+/-2.4mmHg) compared to control mice (121.7+/-2.7mmHg; n=18, P\u3c0.0001). The intervention with anakinra reduced BP in 1K/DOCA/salt-treated mice by approximately 20mmHg (n=16, P\u3c0.05), but had no effect in controls. In 1K/DOCA/salt-treated mice, anakinra modestly reduced ( approximately 30%) renal expression of some (CCL5, CCL2; n=7-8; P\u3c0.05) but not all (ICAM-1, IL-6) inflammatory markers, and had no effect on immune cell infiltration (n=7-8, P \u3e 0.05). Anakinra reduced renal collagen content (n=6, P\u3c0.01) but paradoxically appeared to exacerbate the renal and glomerular hypertrophy (n=8-9, P\u3c0.001) that accompanied 1K/DOCA/salt-induced hypertension. CONCLUSION: Despite its anti-hypertensive and renal anti-fibrotic actions, anakinra had minimal effects on inflammation and leukocyte infiltration in mice with 1K/DOCA/salt-induced hypertension. Future studies will assess whether the anti-hypertensive actions of anakinra are mediated by protective actions in other BP-regulating or salt-handling organs such as the arteries, skin and brain
No Detectable Fertility Benefit from a Single Additional Mating in Wild Stalk-Eyed Flies
Background: Multiple mating by female insects is widespread, and the explanation(s) for repeated mating by females has been the subject of much discussion. Females may profit from mating multiply through direct material benefits that increase their own reproductive output, or indirect genetic benefits that increase offspring fitness. One particular direct benefit that has attracted significant attention is that of fertility assurance, as females often need to mate multiply to achieve high fertility. This hypothesis has never been tested in a wild insect population.Methodology/Principal Findings: Female Malaysian stalk-eyed flies (Teleopsis dalmanni) mate repeatedly during their lifetime, and have been shown to be sperm limited under both laboratory and field conditions. Here we ask whether receiving an additional mating alleviates sperm limitation in wild females. In our experiment one group of females received a single additional mating, while a control group received an interrupted, and therefore unsuccessful, mating. Females that received an additional mating did not lay more fertilised eggs in total, nor did they lay proportionately more fertilised eggs. Female fertility declined significantly through time, demonstrating that females were sperm limited. However, receipt of an additional mating did not significantly alter the rate of this decline.Conclusions/Significance: Our data suggest that the fertility consequences of a single additional mating were small. We discuss this effect (or lack thereof), and suggest that it is likely to be attributed to small ejaculate size, a high proportion of failed copulations, and the presence of X-linked meiotic drive in this species
An Inside Look at Sunspot Oscillations with Higher Azimuthal Wavenumbers
Solar chromospheric observations of sunspot umbrae offer an exceptional view of magneto-hydrodynamic wave phenomena. In recent years, a wealth of wave signatures related to propagating magneto-acoustic modes have been presented, which demonstrate complex spatial and temporal structuring of the wave components. Theoretical modelling has demonstrated how these ubiquitous waves are consistent with an m=0 slow magneto-acoustic mode, which are excited by trapped sub-photospheric acoustic (p-mode) waves. However, the spectrum of umbral waves is broad, suggesting that the observed signatures represent the superposition of numerous frequencies and/or modes. We apply Fourier filtering, in both spatial and temporal domains, to extract chromospheric umbral wave characteristics consistent with an m=1 slow magneto-acoustic mode. This identification has not been described before. Angular frequencies of 0.037 +/- 0.007 rad/s (2.1 +/- 0.4 deg/s), corresponding to a period approximately 170 s for the m=1 mode are uncovered for spatial wavenumbers in the range of 0.45<k<0.90 arcsec^-1 (5000-9000 km). Theoretical dispersion relations are solved, with corresponding eigenfunctions computed, which allows the density perturbations to be investigated and compared with our observations. Such magnetohydrodynamic modelling confirms our interpretation that the identified wave signatures are the first direct observations of an m=1 slow magneto-acoustic mode in the chromospheric umbra of a sunspot
An Innovative Strategy for Dual Inhibitor Design and Its Application in Dual Inhibition of Human Thymidylate Synthase and Dihydrofolate Reductase Enzymes
Due to the diligence of inherent redundancy and robustness in many biological networks and pathways, multitarget inhibitors present a new prospect in the pharmaceutical industry for treatment of complex diseases. Nevertheless, to design multitarget inhibitors is concurrently a great challenge for medicinal chemists. We have developed a novel computational approach by integrating the affinity predictions from structure-based virtual screening with dual ligand-based pharmacophore to discover potential dual inhibitors of human Thymidylate synthase (hTS) and human dihydrofolate reductase (hDHFR). These are the key enzymes in folate metabolic pathway that is necessary for the biosynthesis of RNA,DNA, and protein. Their inhibition has found clinical utility as antitumor, antimicrobial, and antiprotozoal agents. A druglike database was utilized to perform dual-target docking studies. Hits identified through docking experiments were mapped over a dual pharmacophore which was developed from experimentally known dual inhibitors of hTS and hDHFR. Pharmacophore mapping procedure helped us in eliminating the compounds which do not possess basic chemical features necessary for dual inhibition. Finally, three structurally diverse hit compounds that showed key interactions at both activesites, mapped well upon the dual pharmacophore, and exhibited lowest binding energies were regarded as possible dual inhibitors of hTS and hDHFR. Furthermore, optimization studies were performed for final dual hit compound and eight optimized dual hits demonstrating excellent binding features at target systems were also regarded as possible dual inhibitors of hTS and hDHFR. In general, the strategy used in the current study could be a promising computational approach and may be generally applicable to other dual target drug designs
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