79 research outputs found
Evolution of Relative Magnetic Helicity: New Boundary Conditions for the Vector Potential
We recently proposed a method to calculate the relative magnetic helicity in
a finite volume for a given magnetic field which however required the flux to
be balanced separately on all the sides of the considered volume. In order to
allow finite magnetic fluxes through the boundaries, a Coulomb gauge is
constructed that allows for global magnetic flux balance. We tested and
verified our method in a theoretical fore-free magnetic field model. We apply
the new method to the former calculation data and found a difference of less
than 1.2\%. We also applied our method to the magnetic field above active
region NOAA 11429 obtained by a new photospheric-data-driven MHD model code
GOEMHD3. We analyzed the magnetic helicity evolution in the solar corona using
our new method. It was found that the normalized magnetic helicityis equal to
-0.038 when fast magnetic reconnection is triggered. This value is comparable
to the previous value (-0.029) in the MHD simulations when magnetic
reconnection happened and the observed normalized magnetic helicity (-0.036)
from the eruption of newly emerging active regions. We found that only 8\% of
the accumulated magnetic helicity is dissipated after it is injected through
the bottom boundary. This is in accordance with the Woltjer conjecture. Only
2\% of magnetic helicity injected from the bottom boundary escapes through the
corona. This is consistent with the observation of magnetic clouds, which could
take away magnetic helicity into the interplanetary space, in the case
considered here, several halo CMEs and two X-class solar flares origin from
this active region.Comment: Accepted to be pulished on A&
Observations of Magnetic Helicity Proxies in Solar Photosphere: Helicity with Solar Cycles
Observations of magnetic helicity transportation through the solar
photosphere reflect the interaction of turbulent plasma movements and magnetic
fields in the solar dynamo process. In this chapter, we have reviewed the
research process of magnetic helicity inferred from the observed solar magnetic
fields in the photosphere and also the solar morphological configurations with
solar cycles. After introducing some achievements in the study of magnetic
helicity, some key points would like to be summarized.
The magnetic (current) helicity in the solar surface layer presents a
statistical distribution similar to that of the sunspot butterfly diagram, but
its maximum value is delayed from the extreme value of the sunspot butterfly
diagram and corresponds in the phase with the statistical eruption of solar
flares. During the spatial transport of magnetic (current) helicity from the
interior of the sun into the interplanetary space at the time-space scale of
the solar cycle, it shows the statistical distribution and the fluctuation with
the hemispheric sign rule. These show that the current helicity and magnetic
helicity transport calculation methods are complementary to each other.
We also notice that the study of the inherent relationship between magnetic
helicity and the solar cycle still depends on the observed accuracy of the
solar magnetic field.Comment: 48 page,17 figure
Activating Endogenous Neurogenesis for Spinal Cord Injury Repair: Recent Advances and Future Prospects
After spinal cord injury (SCI), endogenous neural stem cells are activated and migrate to the injury site where they differentiate into astrocytes, but they rarely differentiate into neurons. It is difficult for brain-derived information to be transmitted through the injury site after SCI because of the lack of neurons that can relay neural information through the injury site, and the functional recovery of adult mammals is difficult to achieve. The development of bioactive materials, tissue engineering, stem cell therapy, and physiotherapy has provided new strategies for the treatment of SCI and shown broad application prospects, such as promoting endogenous neurogenesis after SCI. In this review, we focus on novel approaches including tissue engineering, stem cell technology, and physiotherapy to promote endogenous neurogenesis and their therapeutic effects on SCI. Moreover, we explore the mechanisms and challenges of endogenous neurogenesis for the repair of SCI
Identification of genes regulated by Wnt/β-catenin pathway and involved in apoptosis via microarray analysis
BACKGROUND: Wnt/β-catenin pathway has critical roles in development and oncogenesis. Although significant progress has been made in understanding the downstream signaling cascade of this pathway, little is known regarding Wnt/β-catenin pathway modification of the cellular apoptosis. METHODS: To identify potential genes regulated by Wnt/β-catenin pathway and involved in apoptosis, we used a stably integrated, inducible RNA interference (RNAi) vector to specific inhibit the expression and the transcriptional activity of β-catenin in HeLa cells. Meanwhile, we designed an oligonucleotide microarray covering 1384 apoptosis-related genes. Using oligonucleotide microarrays, a series of differential expression of genes was identified and further confirmed by RT-PCR. RESULTS: Stably integrated inducible RNAi vector could effectively suppress β-catenin expression and the transcriptional activity of β-catenin/TCF. Meanwhile, depletion of β-catenin in this manner made the cells more sensitive to apoptosis. 130 genes involved in some important cell-apoptotic pathways, such as PTEN-PI3K-AKT pathway, NF-κB pathway and p53 pathway, showed significant alteration in their expression level after the knockdown of β-catenin. CONCLUSION: Coupling RNAi knockdown with microarray and RT-PCR analyses proves to be a versatile strategy for identifying genes regulated by Wnt/β-catenin pathway and for a better understanding the role of this pathway in apoptosis. Some of the identified β-catenin/TCF directed or indirected target genes may represent excellent targets to limit tumor growth
Solar Ring Mission: Building a Panorama of the Sun and Inner-heliosphere
Solar Ring (SOR) is a proposed space science mission to monitor and study the
Sun and inner heliosphere from a full 360{\deg} perspective in the ecliptic
plane. It will deploy three 120{\deg}-separated spacecraft on the 1-AU orbit.
The first spacecraft, S1, locates 30{\deg} upstream of the Earth, the second,
S2, 90{\deg} downstream, and the third, S3, completes the configuration. This
design with necessary science instruments, e.g., the Doppler-velocity and
vector magnetic field imager, wide-angle coronagraph, and in-situ instruments,
will allow us to establish many unprecedented capabilities: (1) provide
simultaneous Doppler-velocity observations of the whole solar surface to
understand the deep interior, (2) provide vector magnetograms of the whole
photosphere - the inner boundary of the solar atmosphere and heliosphere, (3)
provide the information of the whole lifetime evolution of solar featured
structures, and (4) provide the whole view of solar transients and space
weather in the inner heliosphere. With these capabilities, Solar Ring mission
aims to address outstanding questions about the origin of solar cycle, the
origin of solar eruptions and the origin of extreme space weather events. The
successful accomplishment of the mission will construct a panorama of the Sun
and inner-heliosphere, and therefore advance our understanding of the star and
the space environment that holds our life.Comment: 41 pages, 6 figures, 1 table, to be published in Advances in Space
Researc
Evolution of Relative Magnetic Helicity: Method of Computation and Its Application to a Simulated Solar Corona above an Active Region
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