Activity Cycle Research Articles

Using classification methods in forecasting the level of geomagnetic field disturbance based on the <i>Kp<i>-Index

The paper explores the possibilities of using data classification methods when forecasting time series of the geomagnetic Kp-index by machine learning methods. To classify categories of the Kp-index based on the degree of disturbance, linear and logistic regression, random forest, gradient boosting on top of decision trees, and artificial neural networks of various architectures are used. The results of these methods are compared with a trivial inertial forecast (the statistical indicators of which for problems of this type are always high) at horizons from 3 h to 1 day in 3-h increments. The problem of choosing a cross-validation scheme for selecting the model hyperparameters, ways to overcome the imbalance of categories, the relative importance of input features, as well as the dependence of the results on the test sample (beginning of the 25th solar activity cycle) on inclusion in the training sample of data from the 23rd and 24th cycles or only the 24th cycles are studied. Based on the results, conclusions are drawn about the preferred methods for classifying values of the Kp-index based on the level of geomagnetic disturbance. Ways for further research and possible improvement of the classification quality are outlined, including for determining the characteristic hidden states of Earth’s magnetosphere as a dynamic system in order to improve the quality of forecasting geomagnetic indices.

Comparison of long-term trends and interannual variations of the NO₂ content in the atmosphere according to satellite (OMI) and ground-based spectrometric measurements at NDACC stations

Results of analysis of long-term trends and interannual variations of the NO₂ content in the atmosphere according to measurements with the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) aboard the EOS-Aura satellite in 2004–2020 are compared to the results of a similar analysis of the NO₂ content derived from independent spectrometric twilight NO₂ measurements by zenith-scattered solar radiation at stations of the Network for the Detection of Atmospheric Composition Change (NDACC)). According to both the data, seasonally dependent estimates of linear NO₂ trends and variations of the NO₂ content under the influence of the 11-year cycle of solar activity and large-scale circulation factors such as the Arctic and Antarctic Oscillations, variations in ocean surface temperature in the Niño 3.4 zone, and the quasi-biennial oscillation in zonal wind in the equatorial stratosphere have been obtained. In general, a good qualitative and, in some cases, quantitative correspondence between estimates of interannual variations of NO₂ has been obtained. For interannual variations of stratospheric NO₂, not a bad correspondence between estimates based on satellite and ground-based data has been obtained on average for all stations, but the correspondence between trend estimates is noticeably worse. The best correspondence between the analysis results has been obtained for Zvenigorod station. For stratospheric NO₂, it was noted in 80–90% of cases, and the correspondence for tropospheric NO₂ is practically 100%.

Longitudinal changes in teaming dimensions from self- and peer-feedback in early year design courses

The ability to work effectively in a team environment is critical to engineering practice, and a required accreditation element of engineering programs in Canada. Developing this ability often involves repeated cycles of team activity, peer feedback, and self-reflection. This work describes an exploratory study of longitudinal changes in student self- and peer-evaluated teaming dimensions on engineering teams as students progress through a sequence of design and professional practice courses. The data shows a positive trend in self- and peer-evaluated teaming, and most encouragingly a more significant improvement among students with initially low scores on their first teaming evaluation.

Spatial–Temporal Reconstruction of Trajectories in Free Space Using Automatic Target Position Detection Data

The monitoring technology for targets such as aircraft and vehicles has rapidly developed in recent years and is widely used in national airspace security supervision, urban traffic supervision, and the tracking of special targets. However, the sparse trajectories of targets, primarily caused by the insufficient density of monitoring points, significantly reduce their usability. Therefore, it is important to reconstruct the target trajectories. Existing methods for the reconstruction of target trajectories often rely on topological data and convert trajectory reconstruction into a trajectory matching problem. Such methods heavily rely on topological data and cannot reconstruct trajectories in free space. To address this issue, we proposed a trajectory reconstruction method, named Prob-Attn, which does not rely on topological data and can accurately reconstruct target trajectories in free space. This method can be divided into two steps: first, a spatial trajectory construction module is proposed to determine the spatial trajectories of targets. Then, based on the reconstructed spatial trajectory of the target, this paper proposes a time series prediction model based on historical trajectories and an attention mechanism, which considers the impact of the target’s activity cycle and the surrounding status to predict the time series inside the trajectory. Finally, the proposed method is evaluated on real automatic vehicle detection datasets collected in Chongqing, China. The experimental results show that, compared with traditional methods, the proposed method can reconstruct the spatiotemporal trajectory of the target more accurately. The reconstructed trajectory data can be used for critical applications such as the intent and behavior analysis of key targets in national airspace and ground areas, providing valuable insights into security and safety.

Long-term Doppler imaging of the star XX Trianguli indicates chaotic non-periodic dynamo

Sunspots are the most well-known manifestations of solar magnetic fields and exhibit a range of phenomena related to the interior dynamo. Starspots are the direct analogs of sunspots on other stars but with the big observational restriction that we usually cannot resolve other star’s surfaces. In this paper we employ an indirect surface imaging technique called Doppler imaging and present 99 independent Doppler images of the star XX Trianguli. The star was selected because it had shown a gigantic star spot in a previous study and was thus well suited for a long-term monitoring effort. We combine the Doppler images into a movie visualizing the star’s surface spot evolution for the past 16 years. Stellar-disk photocenter displacements of up to 24 μas, or about 10% of the stellar disk radius, are reconstructed, but do not show the typical solar-like periodic behavior that could be interpreted as an activity cycle. It suggests a mostly chaotic, likely unperiodic, dynamo. These rotation-induced stellar photocenter variations pose an intrinsic limitation for astrometric exoplanet catches.

The Impact of Shear on Disk Galaxy Star Formation Rates

Abstract Determining the physical processes that control galactic-scale star formation rates is essential for an improved understanding of galaxy evolution. The role of orbital shear is currently unclear, with some models expecting reduced star formation rates and efficiencies with increasing shear, e.g., if shear stabilizes gas against gravitational collapse, while others predicting enhanced rates, e.g., if shear-driven collisions between giant molecular clouds trigger star formation. Expanding on the analysis of 16 galaxies by C. Suwannajak et al., we assess the shear dependence of star formation efficiency (SFE) per orbital time (ϵ orb) in 49 galaxies selected from the PHANGS-ALMA survey. In particular, we test a prediction of the shear-driven giant molecular cloud​​​​​​ (GMC) collision model that ϵ orb ∝ (1–0.7β), where β ≡ d ln v circ / d ln r , i.e., SFE per orbital time declines with decreasing shear. We fit the function ϵ orb = ϵ orb,0(1 − α CC β) finding α CC ≃ 0.76 ± 0.16; an alternative fit with ϵ orb normalized by the median value in each galaxy yields α CC * = 0.80 ± 0.15 . These results are in good agreement with the prediction of the shear-driven GMC collision theory. We also examine the impact of a galactic bar on ϵ orb finding a modest decrease in SFE in the presence of a bar, which can be attributed to lower rates of shear in these regions. We discuss the implications of our results for the GMC life cycle and environmental dependence of star formation activity.

Impact of different solar extreme ultraviolet (EUV) proxies and Ap index on hmF2 trend analysis

Abstract. Long-term trend estimation in the peak height of the F2 layer, hmF2, needs the previous filtering of much stronger natural variations such as those linked to the diurnal, seasonal, and solar activity cycles. If not filtered, they need to be included in the model used to estimate the trend. The same happens with the maximum ionospheric electron density that occurs in this layer, NmF2, which is usually analyzed through the F2 layer critical frequency, foF2. While diurnal and seasonal variations can be easily managed, filtering the effects of solar activity presents more challenges, as does the influence of geomagnetic activity. However, recent decades have shown that geomagnetic activity may not significantly impact trend assessments. On the other hand, the choice of solar activity proxies for filtering has been shown to influence trend values in foF2, potentially altering even the trend's sign. This study examines the impact of different solar activity proxies on hmF2 trend estimations using data updated to 2022, including the ascending phase of solar cycle 25, and explores the effect of including the Ap index as a filtering factor. The results obtained based on two mid-latitude stations are also comparatively analyzed to those obtained for foF2. The main findings indicate that the squared correlation coefficient, r2, between hmF2 and solar proxies, regardless of the model used or the inclusion of the Ap index, is consistently lower than in the corresponding foF2 cases. This lower r2 value in hmF2 suggests a greater amount of unexplained variance, indicating that there is significant room for improvement in these models. However, in terms of trend values, foF2 shows greater variability depending on the proxy used, whereas the inclusion or exclusion of the Ap index does not significantly affect these trends. This suggests that foF2 trends are more sensitive to the choice of solar activity proxy. In contrast, hmF2 trends, while generally negative, exhibit greater stability than foF2 trends.

Flare from the secondary star of an extreme period binary

Abstract Photometric observations were conducted on the short-period and highly active M dwarf BX Tri from 2016 to 2023. From ground-based observations and data from the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), a total of 196 sets of light curves were analyzed using Wilson–Devinney (W-D) method. The photometric analyses of BX Tri reveal a semidetached configuration, where the primary star accounts for a minimum of $80\%$ of the total luminosity in this binary system. The magnetic activity cycle of BX Tri was determined to be $9.4\:$yr, as indicated by the variability in spot longitudes. Three flares were detected by TESS. The long-lasting flare$_{1797}$ could originate from a polar region on the secondary star. Given the ongoing flare eruptions, BX Tri has the potential to merge into a single star through mergebursts.

CircRNA-RBAC induces cardiac repair by promoting ribosome biogenesis and cell cycle progression in cardiomyocytes

Ribosome biogenesis (RiBi) is an essential process that controls the protein synthesis rate, but its function in regulating endogenous cardiac regeneration remains unknown. Herein, we investigated the function and underlying mechanism of RiBi-associated circRNAs in cardiomyocyte (CM) proliferation and cardiac regeneration. We used high-throughput sequencing, quantitative PCR and in situ hybridization techniques to identify an adult downregulated circRNA, RiBi-associated circRNA (RBAC), in CMs. A functional study further revealed that RBAC overexpression increased ribosome biogenesis activity and cell cycle progression in CMs, while silencing RBAC decreased ribosome biogenesis activity and cell cycle progression. Moreover, RBAC overexpression induced adult CM proliferation and improved cardiac function after myocardial infarction in adult mice. Mechanistically, RBAC controlled ribosome biogenesis and cell proliferation by regulating the proteasome-dependent degradation of Ddx21, thereby altering the localization of Rps14 and reducing Rb expression. Our findings indicate that RBAC upregulation might be a plausible therapeutic strategy to induce endogenous cardiac regeneration.

Identification of Crosstalk Genes between Lung Adenocarcinoma and Periodontitis.

Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) represents a significant global health issue. Smoking contributes to the development of periodontitis and LUAD. The connections between the two are still ambiguous. Based on RNA expression data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in Periodontitis and LUAD were collected. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks were produced by mining genes intersecting with crossover DEGs. Genes in the subnetwork and the top 15 genes of the topology score were defined as the crosstalk gene. Feature selection and diagnostic model construction were conducted based on Recursive Feature Elimination (RFE) and support vector machines (SVM). Additionally, we analyzed the immune cells and signaling pathways influenced by the crosstalk gene. A total of 29 crossover DEGs between Periodontitis and LUAD were filtered, with 20 genes interacting with them in the PPI network. Five subnetworks with similar interaction patterns in the PPI network were detected. Based on the network topology analysis, genes ranking in the top 15 were used to take the intersection with those genes in the 5 subnetworks. Twelve intersecting genes were identified. Based on RFE and SVM algorithms, FKBP11 and MMP13 were considered as the Crosstalk genes for both Periodontitis and LUAD. The diagnostic model composed of FKBP11 and MMP13 showed excellent diagnostic potential. In addition, we found that FKBP11 and MMP13 influenced Macrophages, M1, T cells, CD8 activity, immune-related pathways, and cell cycle pathways. We identified the crosstalk genes (FKBP11 and MMP13) between periodontitis and LUAD. The two genes affected the comorbidity status between the two diseases through immune cell activity.

24‐hour activity cycle movement behaviours and brain volume in people with mild cognitive impairment: A compositional and isotemporal substitution analysis

24‐hour activity cycle movement behaviours and brain volume in people with mild cognitive impairment: A compositional and isotemporal substitution analysis

Statistical methods to study the relationship of stability of dynamics and fluctuations in winter wheat yields with solar activity

Subject. The article addresses the influence of solar activity cycles on the stability of dynamics and fluctuations of winter wheat yields, on the Orel Oblast case. Objectives. The purpose of the study is to explore the relationship of solar activity in Wolf numbers with fluctuations in winter wheat yield; provide a quantitative measure of the relationship. Methods. We employed statistical methods for measuring trends in dynamics, established indicators of stability and fluctuation of yields, used time series correlation, the M. Kendall's method by the number of turning points to determine the type of fluctuations, tabular and graphical methods. Results. We presented time series of winter wheat yields for 1954–2022 (for 69 years). They include six 11-year cycles of solar activity. Taking into account the historical, socio-economic, agrotechnological conditions of development and achievements of breeding, we examined the time series of winter wheat yields for several periods. For 1954–2022, winter wheat yields increased 3.8 times, the average annual absolute increase was 10 times. The coefficient of determination confirmed that 11.2% of fluctuations in winter wheat yield were due to the influence of solar activity. Conclusions. The study of the variability of winter wheat yields showed that for 22-year cycles of solar activity, only 2% of yield fluctuations were due to differences in deviations of annual Wolf number levels from the average annual level.

New 5, 6, 7, 8-Tetrahydro-Isoquinolines Bearing 2-Nitrophenyl Group Targeting RET Enzyme: Synthesis, Anticancer Activity, Apoptotic Induction and Cell Cycle Arrest.

In this work, we synthesized new 5, 6, 7, 8-tetrahydroisoquinolines and 6, 7, 8, 9-tetrahydrothieno[2, 3-c]isoquinolines derivatives, and the structures of these new compounds were confirmed with different spectroscopic techniques. Furthermore, the anticancer activities of these compounds were assessed against eight tumor cell lines and one normal human skin fibroblast cell line (HSF). Subsequently, IC50 values of the synthesized compounds were determined for two specific cancer cell lines. Compound 3 exhibited the most potent antiproliferative activity against the HEPG2 cell line, whereas compound 9c demonstrated superior efficacy against the HCT116 cell line. Moreover, the mechanism of action for compound 3 on HEPG2 cells using flow cytometry and Annexin V-FITC apoptosis analysis was studied. Compound 3 caused cell cycle arrest at the G2/M with a 50-fold increase in apoptosis of the HEPG2 cell line. Finally, a molecular docking study was conducted to assess the inhibitory potential of compounds 3 and 7 against the RET enzyme. Results indicated that compounds 3 and 7 bind to the RET enzyme with binding energies of -5.2 and -5.6kcal/mol, respectively. Although these values suggest inhibitory activity, they are less potent than the standard inhibitor, alectinib, which exhibits a binding energy of -7.2kcal/mol.

Reallocations of Time Between Sleep, Sedentary Behavior, and Physical Activity and their Associations with 24-Hour Blood Pressure.

The 24-hour activity cycle (sleep, sedentary behavior, light physical activity, moderate to vigorous physical activity) may have deleterious or beneficial associations with 24-hour blood pressure. Estimate the short-term associated changes in 24H-BP with acutely replacing 30min/d from one behavior of the 24H-ACT to other behaviors in employed adults. Participants (N=659) wore an ambulatory blood pressure monitor and two accelerometers (waist and wrist) to measure 24-hour blood pressure and the 24-hour activity cycle. Replacing 30 minutes of sedentary behavior with 30 minutes of sleep was associated with lower 24-hour mean systolic [ß=-0.32 mmHg per 0.5hr (95% CI: -0.58, 0.06)] and diastolic [ß=-0.31 mmHg per 0.5hr (95% CI: -0.50, -0.12)] blood pressure. Replacing 30 minutes of light physical activity with 30 minutes of sleep was associated with lower 24-hour mean systolic [ß=-0.30 mmHg per 0.5hr (95% CI: -0.62, 0.03,)] and diastolic blood pressure [ß=-0.34 mmHg per 0.5hr (95% CI: -0.58, -0.11,)]. No other time reallocations between 24-hour activity cycle behaviors were associated with changes in 24-hour blood pressure. Replacing time in sedentary behavior or light physical activity with sleep may provide small short-term reductions in that day's 24-hour blood pressure.

Lack of WDFY4 leads to impaired immune response and poor cancer prognosis.

WDFY4 plays an essential role in the immune system by regulating B-cell growth and development and participating in antigen processing during cross-presentation. WDFY4 is closely related to asthma and systemic lupus erythematosus; however, its role in cancer remains unclear. The purpose of this study is to use bioinformatics to determine whether abnormal expression of WDFY4 is a risk factor for cancer and to preliminarily analyze the ways in which WDFY4 affects cancer through experiments. R language packages and bioinformatic database were used to mine the potential carcinogenic effect of WDFY4 and analyze the differential WDFY4 expression in cancer, gene mutations, different tumor prognoses, immune cell infiltration, tumor microenvironment, and DNA methylation correlation. H1975 and A549 cell lines were infected with lentiviruses to overexpress WDFY4, and the effect of WDFY4 on the activity, proliferation, apoptosis, and cell cycle of lung cancer cells was analyzed. WDFY4 was differentially expressed in human tumors in unpaired and paired samples. The differential expression of WDFY4 in unpaired and paired or protein samples from the Clinical Proteome Tumor Analysis Consortium of eight cancers was consistent. WDFY4 methylation was downregulated in 17 cancer types and caused prognostic differences in different directions in some cancers. WDFY4 overexpression significantly inhibited the activity and proliferation of lung cancer cell lines, promoted apoptosis, and caused cell cycle arrest. Differential WDFY4 expression in cancers leads to differences in the prognosis of various cancers. WDFY4 can be an independent prognostic factor for glioma, KIRC, and LUSC.

Insights into the photoaging behavior of biodegradable and nondegradable microplastics: Spectroscopic and molecular characteristics of dissolved organic matter release

Biodegradable plastics are increasingly used as a potential alternative to nondegradable plastics to tackle plastic pollution. However, recent studies have raised concerns about the ecological risks posed by biodegradable microplastics (MPs), which mainly focused on the risks generated by MPs themselves, neglecting the risks associated with the MPs derived dissolved organic matter (DOM). Therefore, this study selected polylactic acid (PLA) MPs with 50 µm particle size and polystyrene (PS) MPs with 50 µm and 500 nm particle sizes as representatives of biodegradable and nondegradable MPs, respectively, to comparative investigate their photoaging behavior, particularly the differences in DOM release. The results showed that both PLA-MPs and PS-MPs exhibited considerable photoaging under ultraviolet irradiation, accompanied by different color changes (PS turned yellow and PLA turned grayish brown), which were attributed to the different functional groups produced on their surfaces after photoaging (PS-MPs: CO, PLA-MPs: terminal –COOH). Additionally, excitation-emission matrix characterization combined with parallel factor analysis revealed that 50 µm PLA-MPs (16–23 %) released more protein-like low molecular weight DOM during photoaging than that of both 50 µm PS-MPs (7–13 %) and 500 nm PS-MPs (8–18 %). Fourier transform-ion cyclotron resonance-mass spectrometry (FT-ICR-MS) further confirmed that PLA-MPs (41.4 %) produced more unstable DOM easily utilized by microorganisms than that of 50 µm PS-MPs (6.3 %) and 500 nm PS-MPs (7.9 %). These results together suggested that biodegradable MPs with small particle size derived DOM may have a greater impact on microbial activity and carbon cycle than that of nondegradable MPs.

Connected Platinum–Based Catalysts and Carbon-Free Cathode Catalyst Layers for High-Performance PEFCs

The improvement of the activity and durability of Pt-based electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is essential to realize the widespread uses of polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs). Our group has developed a carbon-free connected Pt1–Fe1 catalyst with a chemically ordered superlattice structure.1–7 This catalyst consists of a beaded nanonetwork (5–15 nm) by the connection of Pt1–Fe1 nanoparticles with high electrical conductivity, thus eliminating the need for a carbon support. The connected Pt1–Fe1 catalyst exhibits an ORR specific activity about 10 times higher than a commercial Pt/C catalyst. This catalyst with carbon-free and chemically ordered structures improves the durability against start/stop and load cycles.1,4 Furthermore, the carbon-free catalyst layer using the connected Pt1–Fe1 catalyst with a porous, hollow capsule structure has high porosity (> 80%) and thin thickness (~ 1 μm), which would be beneficial for oxygen transport.To advance connected nanoparticle catalysts, this study addressed structural control of connected Pt-based catalysts and carbon-free catalyst layers using the developed catalysts. Since Fe ions induce the Fenton reaction and accelerate the degradation of electrolyte polymers, carbon-free and iron-free connected Pt3–Co1 catalysts with chemically ordered structures (Figure 1a) were developed using our silica coating method.4 The investigation of the structural effects on ORR performances in 0.1 M HClO4 electrolyte solution indicated that higher ordered degrees of the connected Pt3–Co1 catalysts improved ORR specific activity and load cycle durability. The STEM-EDX line mapping results suggested that a highly ordered structure can greatly suppress metal leaching from the catalyst. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 1b, this study investigated the structural effects on fuel cell performances for the carbon-free cathode catalyst layers. Here, the connected Pt3–Co1 catalyst with a hollow capsule structure was used, and the structural parameters such as ionomer thickness on capsules, capsule size, etc. were controlled. This presentation will discuss the relationship between catalyst layer structures and fuel cell performances through electrochemical and oxygen transport analyses. The developed connected Pt-based catalysts and the findings obtained in this study will contribute greatly to the design of a carbon-free cathode catalyst layer to achieve enhanced PEFC performances. Acknowledgement: This presentation is based on results obtained from a project, JPNP20003, commissioned by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), Japan. References Kuroki, T. Yamaguchi et al., [1] Energy Environ. Sci., 8, 3545–3549 (2015). [2] J. Electrochem. Soc., 163, F927–F932 (2016). [3] ACS Appl. Energy Mater., 1, 324–330 (2018). [4] ACS Appl. Nano Mater., 3, 9912–9923 (2020). [5] ACS Appl. Energy Mater., 5, 13176–13188 (2022). [6] J. Chem. Eng. Jpn., 56, 2197946 (2023). [7] Jpn. J. Appl. Phys., 63, 048002 (2024). Figure 1

Peripheral antitussives affect temporal features of tracheobronchial coughing in cats.

The influence of peripheral antitussive drugs on spatiotemporal features of coughing have not been reported. We hypothesized that this class of compounds would alter the cough motor pattern, in part, by lengthening cough phases. Peripherally acting antitussives 3-Aminopropylphosphinic Acid (3APPi, 5mg/kg) and levodropropizine (Levo, 3mg/kg) were injected i.v. in anesthetized spontaneously breathing cats (13 males, 2 females; 4.38 ± 0.19 kg). Spatio-temporal analysis of cough induced by mechanical stimulation of the trachea showed significant reductions in cough number and expiratory cough efforts after administration of each drug. A significant reduction in inspiratory cough efforts occurred after Levo. Both drugs induced temporal changes in the cough motor pattern, including prolongations of inspiratory phase, inspiratory-expiratory transition, total cough diaphragm activity and total cough cycle duration. Levo also significantly lengthened the expiratory phase of cough. A shortening of the overlap between diaphragm and abdominal activity and cough abdominal EMG activity was observed after the administration of 3APPi. No significant changes in cardiorespiratory data were seen, with the exception of prolonged expiratory phase after 3APPi and lower blood pressure after Levo. Peripherally induced cough suppression is accompanied with changes in cough temporal characteristics that are not observed after administration of centrally acting antitussives. The motor output produced by the cough central pattern generator differs significantly when coughing is perturbed by peripherally and centrally acting antitussives.

Effects of chronodisruption and alcohol consumption on gene expression in reward-related brain areas in female rats.

Circadian dysfunction caused by exposure to aberrant light-dark conditions is associated with abnormal alcohol consumption in humans and animal models. Changes in drinking behavior have been linked to alterations in clock gene expression in reward-related brain areas, which could be attributed to either the effect of chronodisruption or alcohol. To date, however, the combinatory effect of circadian disruption and alcohol on brain functions is less understood. Moreover, despite known sex differences in alcohol drinking behavior, most research has been carried out on male subjects only, and therefore implications for females remain unclear. To address this gap, adult female rats housed under an 11 h/11 h light-dark cycle (LD22) or standard light conditions (LD24, 12 h/12 h light-dark) were given access to an intermittent alcohol drinking protocol (IA20%) to assess the impact on gene expression in brain areas implicated in alcohol consumption and reward: the prefrontal cortex (PFC), nucleus accumbens (NAc), and dorsal striatum (DS). mRNA expression of core clock genes (Bmal1, Clock, Per2), sex hormone receptors (ERβ, PR), glutamate receptors (mGluR5, GluN2B), a calcium-activated channel (Kcnn2), and an inflammatory cytokine (TNF-α) were measured at two-time points relative to the locomotor activity cycle. Housing under LD22 did not affect alcohol intake but significantly disrupted circadian activity rhythms and reduced locomotion. Significant changes in the expression of Bmal1, ERβ, and TNF-α were primarily related to the aberrant light conditions, whereas changes in Per2 and PR expression were associated with the effect of alcohol. Collectively, these results indicate that disruption of circadian rhythms and/or intermittent alcohol exposure have distinct effects on gene expression in the female brain, which may have implications for the regulation of alcohol drinking, addiction, and, ultimately, brain health.

The Solar Modulation Events of The 25th Solar Activity Cycle as Seen by Particle Detectors' Networks

The Solar Modulation Events of The 25th Solar Activity Cycle as Seen by Particle Detectors' Networks