Quantum cascade laser-based mid-infrared spectrochemical imaging of tissue and biofluids

Mid-infrared spectroscopic imaging is a rapidly emerging technique in biomedical research and clinical diagnostics that takes advantage of the unique molecular fingerprint of cells, tissue and biofluids to provide a rich biochemical image without the need for staining. Spectroscopic analysis allows for the objective classification of biological material at a molecular level.1 This “label free” molecular imaging technique has been applied to histology, cytology, surgical pathology, microbiology and stem cell research, and can be used to detect subtle changes to the genome, proteome and metabolome.2,3,4 The new wealth of biochemical information made available by this technique has the distinct potential to improve cancer patient outcome through the identification of earlier stages of disease, drug resistance, new disease states and high-risk populations.4 However, despite the maturity of this science, instrumentation that provide increased sample throughput, improved image quality, a small footprint, low maintenance and require minimal spectral expertise are essential for clinical translation

Hair Cortisol and Perceived Stress-Predictors for the Onset of Tics?:A European Longitudinal Study on High-Risk Children

Some retrospective studies suggest that psychosocial stressors trigger the onset of tics. This study examined prospective hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity and perceived stress prior to tic onset. In the present study, 259 children at high risk for developing tics were assessed for hair cortisol concentration (HCC) and parent-on-child-reported perceived stress four-monthly over a three-year period. We used (i) generalised additive modelling (GAM) to investigate the time effects on HCC (hair samples n = 765) and perceived stress (questionnaires n = 1019) prior to tic onset and (ii) binary logistic regression to predict tic onset in a smaller subsample with at least three consecutive assessments (six to nine months before, two to five months before, and at tic onset). GAM results indicated a non-linear increasing course of HCC in children who developed tics, and a steady HCC course in those without tics, as well as a linear-increasing course of perceived stress in both groups. Logistic regression showed that with a higher HCC in hair samples collected in a range of two to five months before tic onset (which refers to cortisol exposure in a range of four to eight months), the relative likelihood of tic onset rose. Our study suggests increased stress prior to tic onset, as evidenced by higher HCC several months before tic onset. </p

The RMS Survey: Distribution and properties of a sample of massive young stars

The Red MSX Source (RMS) survey has identified a large sample of massive young stellar objects (MYSOs) and ultra compact (UC) HII regions from a sample of ~2000 MSX and 2MASS colour selected sources. Using a recent catalogue of molecular clouds derived from the Boston University-Five College Radio Astronomy Observatory Galactic Ring Survey (GRS), and by applying a Galactic scaleheight cut off of 120 pc, we solve the distance ambiguity for RMS sources located within 18\degr 54\degr. These two steps yield kinematic distances to 291 sources out of a possible 326 located within the GRS longitude range. Combining distances and integrated fluxes derived from spectral energy distributions, we estimate luminosities to these sources and find that > 90% are indicative of the presence of a massive star. We find the completeness limit of our sample is ~10^4 Lsun, which corresponds to a zero age main sequence (ZAMS) star with a mass of ~12 Msun. Selecting only these sources, we construct a complete sample of 196 sources. Comparing the properties of the sample of young massive stars with the general population, we find the RMS-clouds are generally larger, more massive, and more turbulent. We examine the distribution of this sub-sample with respect to the location of the spiral arms and the Galactic bar and find them to be spatially correlated. We identify three significant peaks in the source surface density at Galactocentric radii of approximately 4, 6 and 8 kpc, which correspond to the proposed positions of the Scutum, Sagittarius and Perseus spiral arms, respectively. Fitting a scale height to the data we obtain an average value of ~29+-0.5 pc, which agrees well with other reported values in the literature, however, we note a dependence of the scale height on galactocentric radius with it increases from 30 pc to 45 pc between 2.5 and 8.5 kpc.Comment: Accepted for publication by MNRAS. Paper consists of 15 pages including 12 figures and four tables. Full versions of Tables 2 and 3 will only be available online. The resolution of Figure 9 has been reduced - a full resolution version of the paper can be download from here: http://www.ast.leeds.ac.uk/cgi-bin/RMS/RMS_PUBLICATIONS.cg

The Effects of Square-Stepping Exercise on Risk of Falling and Balance in Senior Adults

As people age, their body systems gradually deteriorate. Muscle function and the vestibular system slowly deteriorate leading to lower body instability. Older adults who struggle with dizziness and imbalance are more prone to falling. Dizziness and imbalance cause falls, and falls are the leading cause of hospitalization and accidental death in older adults (Shinichi & Tatsuya, 2015). It is possible to prevent and reduce the risk of falls through balance training. It is crucial that older adults take the steps needed to improve their balance and therefore reduce their risk of falling. PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of a 10-week Square-Stepping Exercise (SSE) program in older adults using the Biodex balance system. METHODS: Eleven adults over the age of 60 and involved in the Senior Jacket program at Cedarville University participated in this 10-week study (0 males, 11 females; mean age=76). Measurements taken prior to and after the intervention include Activities-specific Balance Confidence (ABC) Scale, Timed-Up-And-Go Test, 30-Second Chair Stand Test, Limits of Stability Test, and Fall Risk Test. A Repeated Measures ANOVA was used to determine changes in initial and final balance testing scores. RESULTS: The study revealed that significant differences were found for the functional fitness tests. SPSS indicated a significant difference in improvement from pretest to posttest for the Timed-Up-and-Go Test (P = .003) as well as the 30-Second Chair Stand Test (P = .043). For the Limits of Stability test, there was no significant change from pretest to posttest for the overall (P =0.162) or any of the 8 directions. The Fall Risk Test score also showed no significant change (P =0.831). The ABC Scale test did not show significant improvement either (P = 0.995). CONCLUSION: Overall, the results showed that the participants significantly benefited from the training program in areas of functional fitness. Unfortunately, there was no significant improvement with the Biodex balance system’s Fall Risk Test or Limits of Stability Test. Results may be due to the participants already having good balance as they were well below the normative data for risk of falling. It could also be because the training was not specific enough for improvements in the Fall Risk and Limits of Stability tests

The Bubbling Galactic Disk

A visual examination of the images from the Galactic Legacy Infrared Mid-Plane Survey Extraordinaire (GLIMPSE) has revealed 322 partial and closed rings that we propose represent partially or fully enclosed three-dimensional bubbles. We argue that the bubbles are primarily formed by hot young stars in massive star formation regions. We have found an average of about 1.5 bubbles per square degree. About 25% of the bubbles coincide with known radio H II regions, and about 13% enclose known star clusters. It appears that B4-B9 stars (too cool to produce detectable radio H II regions) probably produce about three-quarters of the bubbles in our sample, and the remainder are produced by young O-B3 stars that produce detectable radio H II regions. Some of the bubbles may be the outer edges of H II regions where PAH spectral features are excited and may not be dynamically formed by stellar winds. Only three of the bubbles are identified as known SNRs. No bubbles coincide with known planetary nebulae or W-R stars in the GLIMPSE survey area. The bubbles are small. The distribution of angular diameters peaks between 1' and 3' with over 98% having angular diameters less than 10' and 88% less than 4'. Almost 90% have shell thicknesses between 0.2 and 0.4 of their outer radii. Bubble shell thickness increases approximately linearly with shell radius. The eccentricities are rather large, peaking between 0.6 and 0.7; about 65% have eccentricities between 0.55 and 0.85

Star formation towards the Scutum tangent region and the effects of Galactic environment

By positional matching to the catalogue of Galactic Ring Survey molecular clouds, we have derived distances to 793 Bolocam Galactic Plane Survey (BGPS) sources out of a possible 806 located within the region defined by Galactic longitudes l = 28.5 degr to 31.5 degr and latitudes |b| < 1 degr. This section of the Galactic Plane contains several major features of Galactic structure at different distances, mainly mid-arm sections of the Perseus and Sagittarius spiral arms and the tangent of the Scutum-Centarus arm, which is coincident with the end of the Galactic Long Bar. By utilising the catalogued cloud distances plus new kinematic distance determinations, we are able to separate the dense BGPS clumps into these three main line-of-sight components to look for variations in star-formation properties that might be related to the different Galactic environments. We find no evidence of any difference in either the clump mass function or the average clump formation efficiency (CFE) between these components that might be attributed to environmental effects on scales comparable to Galactic-structure features. Despite having a very high star-formation rate, and containing at least one cloud with a very high CFE, the star formation associated with the Scutum-Centarus tangent does not appear to be in any way abnormal or different to that in the other two spiral-arm sections. Large variations in the CFE are found on the scale of individual clouds, however, which may be due to local triggering agents as opposed to the large-scale Galactic structure.Comment: 11 pages, 8 figures. Accepted for publication in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Societ

GLIMPSE: I. A SIRTF Legacy Project to Map the Inner Galaxy

GLIMPSE (Galactic Legacy Infrared Mid-Plane Survey Extraordinaire), a SIRTF Legacy Science Program, will be a fully sampled, confusion-limited infrared survey of the inner two-thirds of the Galactic disk with a pixel resolution of \~1.2" using the Infrared Array Camera (IRAC) at 3.6, 4.5, 5.8, and 8.0 microns. The survey will cover Galactic latitudes |b| <1 degree and longitudes |l|=10 to 65 degrees (both sides of the Galactic center). The survey area contains the outer ends of the Galactic bar, the Galactic molecular ring, and the inner spiral arms. The GLIMPSE team will process these data to produce a point source catalog, a point source data archive, and a set of mosaicked images. We summarize our observing strategy, give details of our data products, and summarize some of the principal science questions that will be addressed using GLIMPSE data. Up-to-date documentation, survey progress, and information on complementary datasets are available on the GLIMPSE web site: www.astro.wisc.edu/glimpse.Comment: Description of GLIMPSE, a SIRTF Legacy project (Aug 2003 PASP, in press). Paper with full res.color figures at http://www.astro.wisc.edu/glimpse/glimpsepubs.htm