We report an event study of STEVE on 17 July 2018, with focus on the optical spectra and emission altitudes of STEVE. We find that the STEVE comprises two traces, one at a higher elevation angle and ...the other at a lower elevation angle. The two traces merge into one when viewed near the zenith. Spectrograph measurements show that both STEVE traces are characterized by enhancements over broadband wavelengths, that is, an airglow continuum, but they differ in their red‐line (630 nm) component: The higher‐elevation STEVE contains substantial red‐line enhancement over background, while the lower‐elevation STEVE does not. Based upon triangulation analyses using multiple optical instruments, we evaluate that the two STEVE traces are likely emitted from distinctly different altitudes: The higher‐elevation STEVE comes from ~250‐km altitude, while the lower‐elevation one is from ≤150‐km altitude. Our results impose implications and constraints on the possible underlying mechanisms of STEVE.
Plain Language Summary
The recently discovered STEVE nightglow is active at times of auroral activity but does not seem to be an aurora. It is located at lower latitudes than the usual aurora, and as photographed on the citizen science cameras which played a large role in drawing attention to it, it has a different color. In this study, using a combination of scientific optical instruments, especially the spectrograph recently deployed at Lucky Lake, Canada, by the University of Calgary, we investigate the optical spectral properties of STEVE and their emission altitudes. Two major spectral (color) components of STEVE are identified. One is characterized by a broadband enhancement over the entire visible wavelength range, contributing to the apparently “whitish” color of the STEVE, and the other is contributed by oxygen airglow concentrated at 630 nm, adding a “reddish” tint to the STEVE. In the event occurring on 17 July 2018, the STEVE is found to comprise two emission structures originating from different altitudes, one at ~250 km and the other at ≤150‐km altitude. Both STEVE structures contain the white component but only the higher‐altitude one shows a substantial red component. That red color is the same red as seen in auroras that come from high altitudes in the atmosphere, while the mechanism of the white component remains to be explored.
Key Points
The STEVE comprises two traces, one at higher elevation and the other at lower elevation angle, due to their difference in emission height
Both STEVE traces contain airglow continuum enhancement, but only the higher‐elevation STEVE contains substantial red‐line intensification
We evaluate that the higher-elevation STEVE centers at ~250‐km height, while the lower-elevation STEVE centers at ≤150‐km altitude
Glossopharyngeal neuralgia (GPN) is a condition that causes simultaneous headache and facial pain. The treatment for GPN is similar to the treatment for trigeminal neuralgia. Craniotomy microvascular ...decompression (MVD) or radiofrequency (RF) therapy is needed if conservative treatment with oral drugs fails. Therefore, the choice of radiofrequency therapy target is essential when treating GPN. However, finding the glossopharyngeal nerve simply by styloid process positioning is challenging.
Prospective, clinical research study.
Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medical Center, Jiaxing, China.
To compare the clinical effects of computed tomography (CT)-guided RF treatments on GPN when the triple localization of cervical CT, the transverse process of the atlas, and the styloid process is used to those achieved when the treatments are guided by the styloid process alone.
From August 2016 to December 2019, 19 cases of GPN neuralgia were treated by radiofrequency under the guidance of CT guided by the styloid process only. (These patients comprised the single localization (SL) of styloid process group, in whom the target of the RF treatments was the posterior medial side of half of the styloid process). From January 2020 to December 2022, 16 cases of GPN were treated by RF under the guidance of CT with cervical CTA (CT angiography), the transverse process of the atlas, and the styloid process. (These patients were placed in the TL group, in whom the target of RF therapy was the gap between the internal carotid artery and the internal jugular vein behind the horizontal styloid process at the lower edge of the transverse process of the atlas). Two percent lidocaine was injected subcutaneously at the needle insertion site, and a stylet with a 21-gauge blunt RF needle (model: 240100, manufacturer: Englander Medical Technology Co., Ltd.) was slowly advanced toward the target. After that, an RF probe was introduced, then low (2 Hz)- and high (50 Hz)-frequency currents of the RF instrument (model: PMG-230, Canada Baylis company) were applied to stimulate. A successful test was defined as a 0.5-1.0 mA current stimulation that could induce the original pain area in the pharynx, the inner ear, or both, without any abnormal irritation of the vagus or accessory nerves. If the first test was unsuccessful, then in the SL group, the needle tip's position was adjusted to the distal end of the styloid process, and in the triple localization (TL) group, the needle tip depth's was fine-tuned. A continuous RF treatment was given after a successful test. The RF temperature was 95ºC for 180 seconds. The time that the first puncture reached the target, the puncture paths, the success rate of the first test, the time that the glossopharyngeal nerve was found, the frequency of adjustments to the position of the RF needle, the incidence of intraoperative and postoperative complications, and the therapeutic effects were recorded.
There were no significant differences in demographic data such as age, medical history, lateral classification, and pain score between the groups, but the TL group had a higher proportion of women than did the SL group. All patients' puncture targets were identified according to the designed puncture path before the operation. There was no difference between the 2 groups in the time of the first puncture to the target (5.05 ± 1.22 vs. 5.82 ± 1.51, P = 0.18), and the designed puncture depth (3.65 ± 0.39 vs. 4.04 ± 0.44). The difference in puncture angles (13.48 ± 3.56 vs. 17.84 ± 3.98, P < 0.01) was statistically significant, and in 8 cases in the SL group, the glossopharyngeal nerve could not be found after 60 minutes of testing, so the RF treatment was terminated. Meanwhile, this problem occurred in only 2 cases in the TL group. There were 3 cervical hematoma cases and 2 cases of transient hoarseness and cough in the SL group, whereas the TL group had, respectively, 0 and one cases of those issues. There was no death in either group.
More clinical data should be collected in future studies.
When using RF as a treatment for GPN, the glossopharyngeal nerve is easier to find by using the triple positioning of the cervical CTA, the transverse process of the atlas and the styloid process as the target to determine the anterior medial edge of the internal carotid artery behind the styloid process at the level of the lower edge of the atlas transverse process. The glossopharyngeal nerve is more difficult to locate when only the posterior medial edge of the styloid process is targeted. The single-time effective rate of 180 seconds of RF ablation at 90ºC for GPN can reach 87.5% (14/16), suggesting the treatment's potential for clinical application.
Major rivers with high sediment or water discharge act as natural integrators of surficial processes, including human activities within their drainage basins, and they are also the primary sources of ...terrestrial materials entering the ocean. The river‐derived materials flux entering the coastal oceans, however, has been strongly affected by anthropogenic activities. Recent studies related to human impacts on river sediment flux have mainly focused on qualitative descriptions. Here we present a quantitative assessment of human impacts on decrease in sediment flux from nine major Chinese rivers entering the western Pacific Ocean, including Changjiang (Yangtze), Huanghe (Yellow), Zhujiang (Pearl), Songhuajiang, Liaohe, Haihe, Huaihe, Qiantangjiang, and Minjiang. During 1959–2007, dams and reservoirs, soil and water conservation programs, water consumption, as well as sand mining decreased the amount of sediment delivered to the ocean by 28, 11.5, 7.5 and 3 gigatons (Gt), respectively. If combined (50 Gt for the period 1959–2007), this reduction was close to the total decreased sediment flux (43 Gt) measured from these nine major rivers over the same period. Besides, the temporal variations in water and sediment fluxes into the ocean from these rivers generally during 1953–2007 were presented. These results are useful for further studies on Chinese and even global river‐derived material flux to the ocean and associated ecological risks.
We present a history‐dependent model of the equatorial plasma density of the inner magnetosphere using a feedforward neural network with two hidden layers. As the model inputs, we take locations and ...time series of SYM‐H, AL, and F10.7 indices. By considering not only the instantaneous values but also the past values of geomagnetic and solar indices, the model is history dependent on levels of geomagnetic and solar activity. The modeled electron density is continuous both spatially and temporally so that the evolution of the density can be studied (such as plasmaspheric refilling). The model is trained using the electron density inferred from the spacecraft potential from three THEMIS probes. The equatorial electron density is shown to be accurately reconstructed with a correlation coefficient of r ~ 0.953 between data and model target. Since the model is history dependent, it succeeds in reconstructing various density features and dynamic behaviors, such as the quiet time plasmasphere, erosion and recovery of the plasmasphere, as well as the plume formation during a storm on 4 February 2011. Our model may provide unprecedented insight into the behavior of the equatorial density at any time and location; as an example we show the inferred refilling rate from our model and compare it to previous estimates.
Key Points
We developed a history‐dependent plasma density model covering the inner magnetosphere using a neural network
The model successfully reconstructed the quiet time structure, erosion and refilling of the plasmasphere and plume formation
The model could be immensely useful for space weather and other applications
To explore whether hsa_circ_0000670 promotes the progression of gastric cancer by regulating the miR-515-5p/SIX1 molecular axis.
The gastric cancer and adjacent normal tissues of 35 gastric cancer ...patients admitted to Rugao Hospital Affiliated to Nantong University from 2014 to 2015 were collected. The expression levels of circ_0000670, miR-515-5p and Sine oculis homeobox 1 (SIX1) in gastric cancer tissues and cells were detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and western blot. The correlations between circ_0000670 and miR-515-5p, miR-515-5p and SIX1, circ_0000670 and SIX1 were analyzed by the Pearson method. Patients were divided into low circ_0000670 expression group (17 cases) and high circ_0000670 expression group (18 cases) based on the median of circ_0000670 expression level, and Kaplan-Meier was used to analyze the 5-year survival of patients. Cell proliferation was assessed via clone formation assay. Cell cycle and apoptosis were detected by flow cytometry. Wound healing
Enhanced precipitation of magnetospheric energetic electrons during substorms increases ionospheric electron density and conductance. Such enhancements, which have timescales of a few hours, are not ...reproduced by the existing ionospheric models. We use the linear prediction filter (LPF) method to reconstruct the substorm‐related response of electron densities and integral conductances from long‐term ionospheric observations made by the European Incoherent SCATer radar located at Tromsø. To characterize the intensity of substorm dipolarization at a 5 min time step, we use the midlatitude positive bay index. We build response functions (LP filters) as a function of substorm time between T0−1 h and T0 + 4 h (T0 is a substorm onset time) in different magnetic local time (MLT) sectors to estimate the magnitude and delays of the ionospheric density response at different altitudes. Systematic and large relative changes are mostly observed in the D‐ and E regions. The duration of the response is about 3 h. It starts and reaches maximum magnitude near midnight, propagating from there toward the east and decaying after passing into the noon‐evening sector. The reliability of LPF results is confirmed by the consistency of D‐region response with independently derived response of the auroral absorption. Whereas strong ionization increases are seen in both E‐ and D‐regions on the nightside, the D‐region response is stronger in the morning‐dayside sector. Such MLT variation corresponds to the drift motion and precipitation of the high‐energy electrons injected in the nightside magnetosphere during substorm dipolarization. The inferred ionization changes result in strong enhancements of integral Hall (and Pedersen) conductance in the nightside auroral zone, where intense auroral currents are known to occur during substorms
Key Points
Substorm‐related relative increase of electron density is small in F‐ and large in D and E regions, it mainly increases Hall conductance
The electron density and conductance response starts near midnight at substorm onset, propagates eastward and decays after passing noon
Strongest D‐region response in the pre‐noon MLT sector suggesting hard electron precipitation is observed
The magnetosphere‐ionosphere coupling between the high‐speed earthward flows and the north‐south oriented streamers in the ionosphere has been discussed for decades, but to date, no one has examined ...the formation of that coupling from the start of the streamer to the end. We investigate the formation and development of the magnetosphere‐ionosphere coupling using THEMIS observations of high‐speed earthward flows within the magnetotail, simultaneous auroral all‐sky images, and ionospheric equivalent current maps derived from ground magnetometer measurements. We show the formation of a downward field‐aligned current on the dawnside of the north‐south streamer and the upward current on the duskside, as well as the vortices within the equivalent currents around the field‐align‐like currents from the poleward boundary to the equatorward edge of the auroral oval for two substorm streamer events. By removing the background Birkeland current system, we can determine the current densities uniquely associated with the streamer current wedge and demonstrate that the downward and upward currents within the streamer are approximately balanced for one event. Furthermore, we find that the longitudinal size of the streamer current wedge is more transient and localized, and does not change, whereas the substorm current wedge is larger and expands during the first part of the substorm.
Key Points
We show the temporal and spatial development of the ionospheric current pattern for north‐south propagating streamer
We demonstrate magnetosphere ionospheric coupling between the north‐south streamer and high‐speed earthward flows
We show the streamer field‐aligned like ionospheric currents are approximately 26 equal in magnitude for one event, but not the other
Highlights • We performed a systematic screening of C-terminal motifs regulating ASIC1a trafficking. • Mutating two K/R rich motifs reduces surface trafficking and acid-activated current of ASIC1a. • ...Mutating the PDZ binding motif of ASIC1a has the opposite effect. • The mutants alter N -glycosylation, which may explain the changes in trafficking and channel properties of ASIC1a.
Recently, observational results on currents around the dipolarization fronts (DFs) of earthward flow bursts have attracted much research attention. These currents are found to have close association ...with substorm intensifications. This paper devotes to further study of the current system ahead and within the DFs with high‐resolution magnetic field measurements from Cluster constellation in 2003. The separation of four spacecraft is much smaller than the scales of spatial structures ahead and within the DF layer so that the currents can be reliably obtained. Based on features of the magnetic field variations prior to the fronts, we categorized the DFs into two types: DFs with magnetic dips immediate ahead of the fronts (type I) and DFs without magnetic dips (type II). For type I DFs, it is found that dawnward currents along the DFs exist in the dip region; duskward currents exist within the fronts. Furthermore, the dawnward currents in the dip region are found to be mainly parallel to the local magnetic field with a spatial scale of ~1000 km, whereas the duskward currents within the fronts have both significant parallel and perpendicular components. On the other hand, for type II DFs, only significant duskward and mainly perpendicular currents show up within the fronts; no dawnward currents exist ahead of DFs. The dawnward and mainly parallel current in the type I DFs is important in the current coupling process between magnetosphere and ionosphere and may lead to local current disruptions for substorm initiations.
Key Points
Current system around the DFs has been presented
Dawnward currents ahead of DFs coexist with magnetic dip
Dawnward currents ahead of DFs are field aligned
Determining the somatic mutations of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-pathway networks is the key to effective treatment for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with tyrosine kinase inhibitors ...(TKIs).The somatic mutation frequencies and their association with gender, smoking history and histology was analysed and reported in this study.
Five thousand one hundred and twenty-five NSCLC patients' pathology samples were collected, and EGFR, KRAS, BRAF and PIK3CA mutations were detected by multiplex testing. The mutation status of EGFR, KRAS, BRAF and PIK3CA and their association with gender, age, smoking history and histological type were evaluated by appropriate statistical analysis.
EGFR, KRAS, BRAF and PIK3CA mutation rates revealed 36.2%, 8.4%, 0.5% and 3.3%, respectively, across the 5125 pathology samples. For the first time, evidence of KRAS mutations were detected in two female, non-smoking patients, age 5 and 14, with NSCLC. Furthermore, we identified 153 double and coexisting mutations and 7 triple mutations. Interestingly, the second drug-resistant mutations, T790M or E545K, were found in 44 samples from patients who had never received TKI treatments.
EGFR exons 19, 20 and 21, and BRAF mutations tend to happen in females and non-smokers, whereas KRAS mutations were more inclined to males and smokers. Activating and resistant mutations to EGFR-TKI drugs can coexist and 'second drug-resistant mutations', T790M or E545K, may be primary mutations in some patients. These results will help oncologists to decide candidates for mutation testing and EGFR-TKI treatment.
PDF
