The Infrared Array Camera (IRAC) for the Spitzer Space Telescope

The Infrared Array Camera (IRAC) is one of three focal plane instruments in the Spitzer Space Telescope. IRAC is a four-channel camera that obtains simultaneous broad-band images at 3.6, 4.5, 5.8, and 8.0 microns. Two nearly adjacent 5.2x5.2 arcmin fields of view in the focal plane are viewed by the four channels in pairs (3.6 and 5.8 microns; 4.5 and 8 microns). All four detector arrays in the camera are 256x256 pixels in size, with the two shorter wavelength channels using InSb and the two longer wavelength channels using Si:As IBC detectors. IRAC is a powerful survey instrument because of its high sensitivity, large field of view, and four-color imaging. This paper summarizes the in-flight scientific, technical, and operational performance of IRAC.Comment: 7 pages, 3 figures. Accepted for publication in the ApJS. A higher resolution version is at http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/irac/publication

Lying about the Valence of Affective Pictures: An fMRI Study

The neural correlates of lying about affective information were studied using a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) methodology. Specifically, 13 healthy right-handed Chinese men were instructed to lie about the valence, positive or negative, of pictures selected from the International Affective Picture System (IAPS) while their brain activity was scanned by a 3T Philip Achieva scanner. The key finding is that the neural activity associated with deception is valence-related. Comparing to telling the truth, deception about the valence of the affectively positive pictures was associated with activity in the inferior frontal, cingulate, inferior parietal, precuneus, and middle temporal regions. Lying about the valence of the affectively negative pictures, on the other hand, was associated with activity in the orbital and medial frontal regions. While a clear valence-related effect on deception was observed, common neural regions were also recruited for the process of deception about the valence of the affective pictures. These regions included the lateral prefrontal and inferior parietal regions. Activity in these regions has been widely reported in fMRI studies on deception using affectively-neutral stimuli. The findings of this study reveal the effect of valence on the neural activity associated with deception. Furthermore, the data also help to illustrate the complexity of the neural mechanisms underlying deception

Brain structural differences between 73- and 92-year olds matched for childhood intelligence, social background, and intracranial volume

Fully characterizing age differences in the brain is a key task for combating aging-related cognitive decline. Using propensity score matching on 2 independent, narrow-age cohorts, we used data on childhood cognitive ability, socioeconomic background, and intracranial volume to match participants at mean age of 92 years (n = 42) to very similar participants at mean age of 73 years (n = 126). Examining a variety of global and regional structural neuroimaging variables, there were large differences in gray and white matter volumes, cortical surface area, cortical thickness, and white matter hyperintensity volume and spatial extent. In a mediation analysis, the total volume of white matter hyperintensities and total cortical surface area jointly mediated 24.9% of the relation between age and general cognitive ability (tissue volumes and cortical thickness were not significant mediators in this analysis). These findings provide an unusual and valuable perspective on neurostructural aging, in which brains from the 8th and 10th decades of life differ widely despite the same cognitive, socioeconomic, and brain-volumetric starting points

Challenges and Opportunities in NUT Carcinoma Research

NUT carcinoma (NC) is a type of aggressive cancer driven by chromosome translocations. Fusion genes between a DNA-binding protein, such as bromodomain and extraterminal domain (BET) proteins, and the testis-specific protein NUTM1 generated by these translocations drive the formation of NC. NC can develop in very young children without significant accumulation of somatic mutations, presenting a relatively clean model to study the genetic etiology of oncogenesis. However, after 20 years of research, a few challenging questions still remain for understanding the mechanism and developing therapeutics for NC. In this short review, we first briefly summarize the current knowledge regarding the molecular mechanism and targeted therapy development of NC. We then raise three challenging questions: (1) What is the cell of origin of NC? (2) How does the germline analogous epigenetic reprogramming process driven by the BET-NUTM1 fusion proteins cause NC? and (3) How will BET-NUTM1 targeted therapies be developed? We propose that with the unprecedented technological advancements in genome editing, animal models, stem cell biology, organoids, and chemical biology, we have unique opportunities to address these challenges

Pengolahan Tepung Sagu dengan Fermentasi Aerobik Menggunakan Rhizopus SP.

Tepung sagu dapat digunakan sebagai salah satu alternatif untuk mensubsitusi kebutuhan tepung terigu di Indonesia. Hal ini didorong oleh kebutuhan tepung terigu yang semakin tinggi dalam industri pangan. Sementara itu, untuk memenuhi kebutuhan tersebut Indonesia harus mengimpor gandum yang tidak dapat diproduksi di dalam negeri. Sehingga menimbulkan ketergantungan komoditi pangan terhadap negara lain. Sagu dipilih karena Indonesia memiliki hutan sagu terluas di dunia yakni seluas 1,2 juta hektar (ha) atau setara dengan 52% dari areal sagu dunia. Berdasarkan hasil uji proksimat, kandungan protein tepung sagu adalah 1,11 %, sedangkan protein tepung sagu yang difermentasi meningkat sebanyak lima sampai delapan kali. Menurut SNI 3751:2009, komposisi proksimat tepung terigu memiliki kadar protein minimal 7,0%, kadar air maksimal 14,5%, dan kadar abu maksimal 0,6%. Sedangkan, proksimat sagu setelah fermentasi secara aerob memiliki kadar protein 8,0%, kadar air 13,41%, dan kadar abu 0,35%. Sehingga berdasarkan data komposisi proksimat tersebut, tepung sagu memiliki potensi untuk menjadi alternatif tepung terigu, baik sebagai bahan subsitusi maupun bahan yang digunakan bersamaan dengan tepung terigu dalam pembuatan berbagai macam pengolahan pangan. Pabrik sagu ini akan didirikan di Kabupaten Indragiri Hilir, Provinsi Riau. Riau merupakan daerah penghasil sagu terbanyak di Indonesia dengan angka produksi mencapai 246.000 ton per tahun. Proses pembuatan tepung sagu dengan proses fermentasi dibagi menjadi 3 tahapan, yaitu tahap pengolahan bahan baku, fermentasi, dan pengolahan produk. Pabrik pengolahan tepung sagu ini direncanakan beroperasi secara semi-kontinyu selama 24 jam dengan waktu produksi 330 hari/tahun. Berdasarkan analisa ekonomi yang telah dilakukan diperoleh internal rate of return sebesar 31% dengan pay out time selama 3,39 tahun dan break even point sebesar 21,54%. Ditinjau dari uraian di atas, maka secara teknis dan ekonomis, pabrik pengolahan tepung sagu layak untuk didirikan

7972 Enhancing Laparoscopic Education with Use of LaparAssist, a Hands-Free Device Designed to Direct Learners on a Laparoscopic Monitor

Study Objective: To determine if LaparAssist, a wireless foot-pedal activated glasses-mounted laser pointing device, is beneficial to medical trainees and performs non-inferiorly to standard pointing devices. Design: A prospective observational study was performed on academic personnel, with a comparative follow-up study utilizing OB/GYN residents. Two tasks were designed: a maze task to determine pointing accuracy, and a point task measuring time of completion. Setting: Participants stood 15˚ offset from perpendicular to a monitor that was 145 cm tall and 120 cm away while using the devices. Testing was performed in a prototyping lab and simulated operating room for academic personnel and residents, respectively. Patients or Participants: Twenty-three academic personnel volunteered for the initial study. The follow-up comparative study utilized 10 resident volunteers. Participants took approximately 15 minutes to complete both tasks. Follow-up surveys were conducted. Interventions: Participants were taken through a series of non-inferiority tests using LaparAssist, a laser pointer, and a computer mouse on a monitor. For the maze task, participants utilized each device to complete a simple maze. In the point task, participants pointed at randomly appearing dots. Measurements and Main Results: For the maze task, participants were timed, and errors were recorded. Analysis demonstrated no significant difference in errors by the residents between LaparAssist and the laser pointer (p=0.05). For the point task, subjects were timed. Analysis demonstrated no significant difference in time by the residents between LaparAssist and a handheld laser or mouse. Overall, the residents performed the tasks faster than academic personnel. Survey results indicated no significant difference between devices in comfort and perceived performance for both academic personnel and residents. Conclusion: LaparAssist allows laparoscopic surgeons to more clearly communicate with trainees without the use of occupied hands. Our data indicates LaparAssist can perform comparably to hand-controlled pointing devices

Implementation and evaluation of a community-based mindful walking randomized controlled trial to sustain cognitive health in older African Americans at risk for dementia

Abstract Background With an increasing proportion of older adults and the associated risk of Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD) around the globe, there is an urgent need to engage in ADRD risk reduction efforts. African American (AA) older adults in the U.S. are disproportionally impacted by ADRD compared to other races and ethnicities. Mindful walking integrates two potentially protective factors of ADRD by elevating mindfulness and physical activity (i.e., walking), resulting in a synergistic behavioral strategy that is feasible and safe for older adults. However, the efficacy of applying this intervention for cognitive health outcomes has not been evaluated using experimental designs. Methods This paper documents the goal and protocol of a community-based, mindful walking randomized controlled trial to examine the short- and longer-term efficacy on cognitive and other health-related outcomes in ADRD at-risk AA older adults. The study outcomes include various brain health determinants, including cognitive function, quality of life, psychological well-being, physical activity, mindfulness, sleep, and overall health status. In addition, the estimated costs of program implementation are also collected throughout the study period. This study will recruit 114 older adults (ages 60+ years) with elevated ADRD risk from the Midlands region of South Carolina. Older adults are randomly assigned to participate in 24 sessions of outdoor mindful walking over three months or a delayed mindful walking group (n=57 in each group). Participants in both groups follow identical measurement protocols at baseline, after 12 weeks, after 18 weeks, and after 24 weeks from baseline. The outcome measures are administered in the lab and in everyday settings. Costs per participant are calculated using micro-costing methods. The eliciting participant costs for mindful walking engagement with expected results are reported using the payer and the societal perspectives. Discussion This study will generate evidence regarding the efficacy of mindful walking on sustaining cognitive health in vulnerable older adults. The results can inform future large-scale effectiveness trials to support our study findings. If successful, this mindful walking program can be scaled up as a low-cost and viable lifestyle strategy to promote healthy cognitive aging in diverse older adult populations, including those at greatest risk. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov number NCT06085196 (retrospectively registered on 10/08/2023)