A Statistical Study on Photospheric Magnetic Nonpotentiality of Active Regions and Its Relationship with Flares during Solar Cycles 22-23

A statistical study is carried out on the photospheric magnetic nonpotentiality in solar active regions and its relationship with associated flares. We select 2173 photospheric vector magnetograms from 1106 active regions observed by the Solar Magnetic Field Telescope at Huairou Solar Observing Station, National Astronomical Observatories of China, in the period of 1988-2008, which covers most of the 22nd and 23rd solar cycles. We have computed the mean planar magnetic shear angle (\bar{\Delta\phi}), mean shear angle of the vector magnetic field (\bar{\Delta\psi}), mean absolute vertical current density (\bar{|J_{z}|}), mean absolute current helicity density (\bar{|h_{c}|}), absolute twist parameter (|\alpha_{av}|), mean free magnetic energy density (\bar{\rho_{free}}), effective distance of the longitudinal magnetic field (d_{E}), and modified effective distance (d_{Em}) of each photospheric vector magnetogram. Parameters \bar{|h_{c}|}, \bar{\rho_{free}}, and d_{Em} show higher correlation with the evolution of the solar cycle. The Pearson linear correlation coefficients between these three parameters and the yearly mean sunspot number are all larger than 0.59. Parameters \bar{\Delta\phi}, \bar{\Delta\psi}, \bar{|J_{z}|}, |\alpha_{av}|, and d_{E} show only weak correlations with the solar cycle, though the nonpotentiality and the complexity of active regions are greater in the activity maximum periods than in the minimum periods. All of the eight parameters show positive correlations with the flare productivity of active regions, and the combination of different nonpotentiality parameters may be effective in predicting the flaring probability of active regions.Comment: 20 pages, 5 figures, 4 tables, accepted for publication in Solar Physic

Comparison of endosperm amyloplast development and degradation in waxy and non-waxy wheat

The waxy wheat shows special starch quality due to high amylopectin content. However, little information is available concerning the development and degradation of amyloplast from waxy wheat endosperm. To address this problem, waxy wheat variety, Yangnuo 1, and a non-waxy wheat variety, Yangmai 13, were chosen to investigate the development and degradation of endosperm amyloplast during wheat caryopsis development and germination stage respectively using histochemical staining and light microscopy. Changes of morphology, the soluble sugar and total starch content were indistinguishable in the process of caryopsis development of two wheat varieties. The developing endosperm of non-waxy was stained blue-black by I2-KI while the endosperm of waxy wheat was stained reddish-brown, but the pericarp of waxy and non-waxy wheat was stained blue-black. In contrast to nonwaxy wheat, endosperm amyloplast of waxy wheat had better development status and higher proportion of small amyloplast. During seed germination many small dissolution pores appeared on the surface of endosperm amyloplast and the pores became bigger and deeper until amyloplast disintegrated. The rate of degradation of waxy wheat endosperm amyloplast was faster than non-waxy wheat. Our results may also be helpful to the use of waxy starch in food and nonfood industry

Lipidomic studies revealing serological markers associated with the occurrence of retinopathy in type 2 diabetes

Purpose The duration of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and blood glucose levels have a significant impact on the development of T2DM complications. However, currently known risk factors are not good predictors of the onset or progression of diabetic retinopathy (DR). Therefore, we aimed to investigate the differences in the serum lipid composition in patients with T2DM, without and with DR, and search for potential serological indicators associated with the development of DR. Methods A total of 622 patients with T2DM hospitalized in the Department of Endocrinology of the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an JiaoTong University were selected as the discovery set. One-to-one case–control matching was performed according to the traditional risk factors for DR (i.e., age, duration of diabetes, HbA1c level, and hypertension). All cases with comorbid chronic kidney disease were excluded to eliminate confounding factors. A total of 42 pairs were successfully matched. T2DM patients with DR (DR group) were the case group, and T2DM patients without DR (NDR group) served as control subjects. Ultra-performance liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) was used for untargeted lipidomics analysis on serum, and a partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) model was established to screen differential lipid molecules based on variable importance in the projection (VIP)>1. An additional 531 T2DM patients were selected as the validation set. Next, 1:1 propensity score matching (PSM) was performed for the traditional risk factors for DR, and a combined 95 pairings in the NDR and DR groups were successfully matched. The screened differential lipid molecules were validated by multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) quantification based on mass spectrometry. Results The discovery set showed no differences in traditional risk factors associated with the development of DR (i.e., age, disease duration, HbA1c, blood pressure, and glomerular filtration rate). In the DR group comparedMetabolic health: pathophysiological trajectories and therap

Corrosion protection of 316 L stainless steel by a TiO2 nanoparticle coating prepared by sol-gel method

A uniform and TiO2 nanoparticle coating on steels has been prepared using sol-gel method and hydrothermal post-treatments. The morphology and structure of the coatings were analysed using atomic force microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The anticorrosion performances of the coatings in dark and under ultraviolet illumination have been evaluated by using electrochemical techniques. The influences of coating thickness, pH and NaCl concentration on corrosion protection have been examined as well. The results indicate that the TiO2 nanoparticle coatings on steels exhibit an excellent corrosion resistance due to a ceramic protective barrier on metal surface in dark, and a photo-generated cathodic protection current under UV illumination. The electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements provide an explanation to the increased resistance of nano TiO2 particles coated 316 L stainless steel against corTosion. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved