Mapping solar magnetic fields from the photosphere to the base of the corona.

Routine ultraviolet imaging of the Sun's upper atmosphere shows the spectacular manifestation of solar activity; yet, we remain blind to its main driver, the magnetic field. Here, we report unprecedented spectropolarimetric observations of an active region plage and its surrounding enhanced network, showing circular polarization in ultraviolet (Mg ii & and Mn i) and visible (Fe i) lines. We infer the longitudinal magnetic field from the photosphere to the very upper chromosphere.

Characterization 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 three-dimensional radiative magnetohydrodynamic code Bifrost is used to interpret changes in the atmosphere caused by shock wave propagation.

Quantitative Assessment of Regional Mucociliary Clearance in Smokers with Mild-to-Moderate Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Chronic Bronchitis from Planar Radionuclide Imaging.

Mucociliary clearance (MCC) rate from the lung has been shown to be reduced in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This study investigates the value of regional clearance measurements in assessing MCC in mild-to-moderate disease. Measurement of lung MCC using planar gamma camera imaging was performed in three groups: (i) healthy nonsmoking controls (NSCs) ( = 9), (ii) smoking controls (SCs) who were current smokers with normal lung function ( = 10), and (iii) current smokers with mild-to-moderate COPD and bronchitis ( = 15).

Quantitative Assessment of Mucociliary Clearance in Smokers with Mild-to-Moderate Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Chronic Bronchitis from Planar Radionuclide Imaging Using the Change in Penetration Index.

Mucociliary clearance (MCC) rate from the lung has been shown to be reduced in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This study compared the use of change in penetration index (PI) with conventional whole lung clearance in assessing MCC in mild-to-moderate disease. Measurement of lung MCC using planar gamma camera imaging was performed in three groups: (1) healthy nonsmoking controls ( = 9), (2) smoking controls who were current smokers with normal lung function ( = 10), and (3) current smokers with mild-to-moderate COPD and bronchitis ( = 15).

Evaluation of Antibody Properties and Clinically Relevant Immunogenicity, Anaphylaxis, and Hypersensitivity Reactions in Two Phase III Trials of Tralokinumab in Severe, Uncontrolled Asthma.

Introduction: Tralokinumab is a monoclonal antibody (mAb) that neutralizes interleukin (IL)-13, a cytokine involved in the pathogenesis of asthma.

Objective: The objectives of this study were to characterize the potential immunogenic properties of tralokinumab and report data for anti-drug antibodies (ADAs) and hypersensitivity reactions from two phase III clinical trials.

Methods: The oligosaccharide structure of tralokinumab, Fab-arm exchange, and ADAs were characterized by standard techniques.

Potential Risks Related to Modulating Interleukin-13 and Interleukin-4 Signalling: A Systematic Review.

Introduction: Interleukin-13 and interleukin-4 are type-II cytokines signalling through the shared type II interleukin-4 receptor. As a result of their structural similarity, interleukin-13 and interleukin-4 have overlapping functions in the mediation of type-II-driven diseases and are, therefore, promising targets of biologic drugs currently in development for the treatment of such diseases, including asthma and atopic dermatitis.

Objective: This systematic review was conducted to assess preclinical evidence of potential safety concerns related to blockade of interleukin-13 alone or interleukin-13 and interleukin-4 in combination.

Modeling Repeatedly Flaring δ Sunspots.

Active regions (ARs) appearing on the surface of the Sun are classified into α, β, γ, and δ by the rules of the Mount Wilson Observatory, California on the basis of their topological complexity. Amongst these, the δ sunspots are known to be superactive and produce the most x-ray flares. Here, we present results from a simulation of the Sun by mimicking the upper layers and the corona, but starting at a more primitive stage than any earlier treatment.

The role of partial ionization effects in the chromosphere.

The energy for the coronal heating must be provided from the convection zone. However, the amount and the method by which this energy is transferred into the corona depend on the properties of the lower atmosphere and the corona itself. We review: (i) how the energy could be built in the lower solar atmosphere, (ii) how this energy is transferred through the solar atmosphere, and (iii) how the energy is finally dissipated in the chromosphere and/or corona.

A novel IgE-neutralizing antibody for the treatment of severe uncontrolled asthma.

The critical role played by IgE in allergic asthma is well-documented and clinically precedented, but some patients in whom IgE neutralization may still offer clinical benefit are excluded from treatment with the existing anti-IgE therapy, omalizumab, due to high total IgE levels or body mass. In this study, we sought to generate a novel high affinity anti-IgE antibody (MEDI4212) with potential to treat a broad severe asthma patient population. Analysis of body mass, total and allergen-specific IgE levels in a cohort of severe asthmatics was used to support the rationale for development of a high affinity IgE-targeted antibody therapeutic.

PINT: a software for integration of peak volumes and extraction of relaxation rates.

We present the software Peak INTegration (PINT), designed to perform integration of peaks in NMR spectra. The program is very simple to run, yet powerful enough to handle complicated spectra. Peaks are integrated by fitting predefined line shapes to experimental data and the fitting can be customized to deal with, for instance, heavily overlapped peaks.

Alfvénic waves with sufficient energy to power the quiet solar corona and fast solar wind.

Energy is required to heat the outer solar atmosphere to millions of degrees (refs 1, 2) and to accelerate the solar wind to hundreds of kilometres per second (refs 2-6). Alfvén waves (travelling oscillations of ions and magnetic field) have been invoked as a possible mechanism to transport magneto-convective energy upwards along the Sun's magnetic field lines into the corona. Previous observations of Alfvénic waves in the corona revealed amplitudes far too small (0.

Numerical modelling of MHD waves in the solar chromosphere.

Acoustic waves are generated by the convective motions in the solar convection zone. When propagating upwards into the chromosphere they reach the height where the sound speed equals the Alfvén speed and they undergo mode conversion, refraction and reflection. We use numerical simulations to study these processes in realistic configurations where the wavelength of the waves is similar to the length scales of the magnetic field.

High-frequency acoustic waves are not sufficient to heat the solar chromosphere.

One of the main unanswered questions in solar physics is why the Sun's outer atmosphere is hotter than its surface. Theory predicts abundant production of high-frequency (10-50 mHz) acoustic waves in subsurface layers of the Sun, and such waves are believed by many to constitute the dominant heating mechanism of the chromosphere (the lower part of the outer solar atmosphere) in non-magnetic regions. Such high-frequency waves are difficult to detect because of high-frequency disturbances in Earth's atmosphere (seeing) and other factors.

Global gene expression analysis by combinatorial optimization.

Generally, there is a trade-off between methods of gene expression analysis that are precise but labor-intensive, e.g. RT-PCR, and methods that scale up to global coverage but are not quite as quantitative, e.