676 research outputs found
Intermediate shock substructures within a slow-mode shock occurring in partially ionised plasma
This is the final version. Available from EDP Sciences via the DOI in this record.Context. Slow-mode shocks are important in understanding fast magnetic reconnection, jet formation and heating in the
solar atmosphere, and other astrophysical systems. The atmospheric conditions in the solar chromosphere allow both
ionised and neutral particles to exist and interact. Under such conditions, fine substructures exist within slow-mode
shocks due to the decoupling and recoupling of the plasma and neutral species.
Aims. We study numerically the fine substructure within slow-mode shocks in a partially ionised plasma, in particular,
analysing the formation of an intermediate transition within the slow-mode shock.
Methods. High-resolution 1D numerical simulations are performed using the (PIP) code using a two-fluid approach.
Results. We discover that long-lived intermediate (Alfvén) shocks can form within the slow-mode shock, where there is
a shock transition from above to below the Alfvén speed and a reversal of the magnetic field across the shock front.
The collisional coupling provides frictional heating to the neutral fluid, resulting in a Sedov-Taylor-like expansion with
overshoots in the neutral velocity and neutral density. The increase in density results in a decrease of the Alfvén speed
and with this the plasma inflow is accelerated to above the Alfvén speed within the finite width of the shock leading to
the intermediate transition. This process occurs for a wide range of physical parameters and an intermediate shock is
present for all investigated values of plasma-ÎČ, neutral fraction, and magnetic angle. As time advances the magnitude
of the magnetic field reversal decreases since the neutral pressure cannot balance the Lorentz force. The intermediate
shock is long-lived enough to be considered a physical structure, independent of the initial conditions.
Conclusions. Intermediate shocks are a physical feature that can exist as shock substructure for long periods of time in
partially ionised plasma due to collisional coupling between species.Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC
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Ozone depletion events observed in the high latitude surface layer during the TOPSE aircraft program
During the Tropospheric Ozone Production about the Spring Equinox (TOPSE) aircraft program, ozone depletion events (ODEs) in the high latitude surface layer were investigated using lidar and in situ instruments. Flight legs of 100 km or longer distance were flown 32 times at 30 m altitude over a variety of regions north of 58° between early February and late May 2000. ODEs were found on each flight over the Arctic Ocean but their occurrence was rare at more southern latitudes. However, large area events with depletion to over 2 km altitude in one case were found as far south as Baffin Bay and Hudson Bay and as late as 22 May. There is good evidence that these more southern events did not form in situ but were the result of export of ozoneâdepleted air from the surface layer of the Arctic Ocean. Surprisingly, relatively intact transport of ODEs occurred over distances of 900â2000 km and in some cases over rough terrain. Accumulation of constituents in the frozen surface over the dark winter period cannot be a strong prerequisite of ozone depletion since latitudes south of the Arctic Ocean would also experience a long dark period. Some process unique to the Arctic Ocean surface or its coastal regions remains unidentified for the release of ozoneâdepleting halogens. There was no correspondence between coarse surface features such as solid ice/snow, open leads, or polynyas with the occurrence of or intensity of ozone depletion over the Arctic or subarctic regions. Depletion events also occurred in the absence of longârange transport of relatively fresh âpollutionâ within the high latitude surface layer, at least in spring 2000. Direct measurements of halogen radicals were not made. However, the flights do provide detailed information on the vertical structure of the surface layer and, during the constant 30 m altitude legs, measurements of a variety of constituents including hydroxyl and peroxy radicals. A summary of the behavior of these constituents is made. The measurements were consistent with a source of formaldehyde from the snow/ice surface. Median NOx in the surface layer was 15 pptv or less, suggesting that surface emissions were substantially converted to reservoir constituents by 30 m altitude and that ozone production rates were small (0.15â1.5 ppbv/d) at this altitude. Peroxyacetylnitrate (PAN) was by far the major constituent of NOy in the surface layer independent of the ozone mixing ratio
Observation of Coherent Elastic Neutrino-Nucleus Scattering
The coherent elastic scattering of neutrinos off nuclei has eluded detection
for four decades, even though its predicted cross-section is the largest by far
of all low-energy neutrino couplings. This mode of interaction provides new
opportunities to study neutrino properties, and leads to a miniaturization of
detector size, with potential technological applications. We observe this
process at a 6.7-sigma confidence level, using a low-background, 14.6-kg
CsI[Na] scintillator exposed to the neutrino emissions from the Spallation
Neutron Source (SNS) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Characteristic
signatures in energy and time, predicted by the Standard Model for this
process, are observed in high signal-to-background conditions. Improved
constraints on non-standard neutrino interactions with quarks are derived from
this initial dataset
Flow-Cytometric Phosphoprotein Analysis Reveals Agonist and Temporal Differences in Responses of Murine Hematopoietic Stem/Progenitor Cells
Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are probably the best-studied adult tissue-restricted stem cells. Although methods for flow cytometric detection of phosphoproteins in hematopoeitic progenitors and mature cells are available, analogous protocols for HSC are lacking. We present a robust method to study intracellular signaling in immunophenotypically-defined murine HSC/progenitor cell (HPC)-enriched populations. Using this method, we uncover differences in the response dynamics of several phosphoproteins representative of the Ras/MAP-Kinase(K), PI3K, mTOR and Jak/STAT pathways in HSC/HPCs stimulated by Scf, Thpo, as well as several other important HSC/HPC agonists
Amantadine for Dyskinesias in Parkinson's Disease: A Randomized Controlled Trial
BACKGROUND: Dyskinesias are some of the major motor complications that impair quality of life for patients with Parkinson's disease. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the efficacy of amantadine in Parkinson's disease patients suffering from dyskinesias. METHODS: In this multi-center, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, cross-over trial, 36 patients with Parkinson's disease and dyskinesias were randomized, and 62 interventions, which included amantadine (300 mg/day) or placebo treatment for 27 days, were analyzed. At 15 days after washout, the treatments were crossed over. The primary outcome measure was the changes in the Rush Dyskinesia Rating Scale (RDRS) during each treatment period. The secondary outcome measures were changes in the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale part IVa (UPDRS-IVa, dyskinesias), part IVb (motor fluctuations), and part III (motor function). RESULTS: RDRS improved in 64% and 16% of patients treated with amantadine or placebo, respectively, with significant differences between treatments. The adjusted odds-ratio for improvement by amantadine was 6.7 (95% confidence interval, 1.4 to 31.5). UPDRS-IVa was improved to a significantly greater degree in amantadine-treated patients [mean (SD) of 1.83 (1.56)] compared with placebo-treated patients [0.03 (1.51)]. However, there were no significant effects on UPDRS-IVb or III scores. CONCLUSIONS: Results from the present study demonstrated that amantadine exhibited efficacious effects against dyskinesias in 60-70% of patients. TRIAL REGISTRATION: UMIN Clinical Trial Registry UMIN000000780
Dystrophin deficiency in canine X-linked muscular dystrophy in Japan (CXMDJ) alters myosin heavy chain expression profiles in the diaphragm more markedly than in the tibialis cranialis muscle
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Skeletal muscles are composed of heterogeneous collections of muscle fiber types, the arrangement of which contributes to a variety of functional capabilities in many muscle types. Furthermore, skeletal muscles can adapt individual myofibers under various circumstances, such as disease and exercise, by changing fiber types. This study was performed to examine the influence of dystrophin deficiency on fiber type composition of skeletal muscles in canine X-linked muscular dystrophy in Japan (CXMD<sub>J</sub>), a large animal model for Duchenne muscular dystrophy.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We used tibialis cranialis (TC) muscles and diaphragms of normal dogs and those with CXMD<sub>J </sub>at various ages from 1 month to 3 years old. For classification of fiber types, muscle sections were immunostained with antibodies against fast, slow, or developmental myosin heavy chain (MHC), and the number and size of these fibers were analyzed. In addition, MHC isoforms were detected by gel electrophoresis.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In comparison with TC muscles of CXMD<sub>J</sub>, the number of fibers expressing slow MHC increased markedly and the number of fibers expressing fast MHC decreased with growth in the affected diaphragm. In populations of muscle fibers expressing fast and/or slow MHC(s) but not developmental MHC of CXMD<sub>J </sub>muscles, slow MHC fibers were predominant in number and showed selective enlargement. Especially, in CXMD<sub>J </sub>diaphragms, the proportions of slow MHC fibers were significantly larger in populations of myofibers with non-expression of developmental MHC. Analyses of MHC isoforms also indicated a marked increase of type I and decrease of type IIA isoforms in the affected diaphragm at ages over 6 months. In addition, expression of developmental (embryonic and/or neonatal) MHC decreased in the CXMD<sub>J </sub>diaphragm in adults, in contrast to continuous high-level expression in affected TC muscle.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The CXMD<sub>J </sub>diaphragm showed marked changes in fiber type composition unlike TC muscles, suggesting that the affected diaphragm may be effectively adapted toward dystrophic stress by switching to predominantly slow fibers. Furthermore, the MHC expression profile in the CXMD<sub>J </sub>diaphragm was markedly different from that in <it>mdx </it>mice, indicating that the dystrophic dog is a more appropriate model than a murine one, to investigate the mechanisms of respiratory failure in DMD.</p
Search for Kaluza-Klein Graviton Emission in Collisions at TeV using the Missing Energy Signature
We report on a search for direct Kaluza-Klein graviton production in a data
sample of 84 of \ppb collisions at = 1.8 TeV, recorded
by the Collider Detector at Fermilab. We investigate the final state of large
missing transverse energy and one or two high energy jets. We compare the data
with the predictions from a -dimensional Kaluza-Klein scenario in which
gravity becomes strong at the TeV scale. At 95% confidence level (C.L.) for
=2, 4, and 6 we exclude an effective Planck scale below 1.0, 0.77, and 0.71
TeV, respectively.Comment: Submitted to PRL, 7 pages 4 figures/Revision includes 5 figure
West Antarctic ice loss influenced by internal climate variability and anthropogenic forcing
Recent ice loss from the West Antarctic Ice Sheet has been caused by ocean melting of ice shelves in the Amundsen Sea.
Eastward wind anomalies at the shelf break enhance the import of warm Circumpolar Deep Water onto the Amundsen Sea
continental shelf, which creates transient melting anomalies with an approximately decadal period. No anthropogenic influence on this process has been established. Here, we combine observations and climate model simulations to suggest that increased greenhouse gas forcing caused shelf-break winds to transition from mean easterlies in the 1920s to the near-zero mean zonal winds of the present day. Strong internal climate variability, primarily linked to the tropical Pacific, is superimposed on this forced trend. We infer that the Amundsen Sea experienced decadal ocean ariability throughout the twentieth century, with warm anomalies gradually becoming more prevalent, offering a credible explanation for the ongoing ice loss. Existing climate model projections show that strong future greenhouse gas forcing creates persistent mean westerly shelf-break winds by 2100, suggesting a further enhancement of warm ocean anomalies. These wind changes are weaker under a scenario in which greenhouse gas concentrations are stabilized
Measurement of the average time-integrated mixing probability of b-flavored hadrons produced at the Tevatron
We have measured the number of like-sign (LS) and opposite-sign (OS) lepton
pairs arising from double semileptonic decays of and -hadrons,
pair-produced at the Fermilab Tevatron collider. The data samples were
collected with the Collider Detector at Fermilab (CDF) during the 1992-1995
collider run by triggering on the existence of and candidates
in an event. The observed ratio of LS to OS dileptons leads to a measurement of
the average time-integrated mixing probability of all produced -flavored
hadrons which decay weakly, (stat.)
(syst.), that is significantly larger than the world average .Comment: 47 pages, 10 figures, 15 tables Submitted to Phys. Rev.
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