Spectroscopy of Ultra-diffuse Galaxies in the Coma Cluster

We present spectra of 5 ultra-diffuse galaxies (UDGs) in the vicinity of the Coma Cluster obtained with the Multi-Object Double Spectrograph on the Large Binocular Telescope. We confirm 4 of these as members of the cluster, quintupling the number of spectroscopically confirmed systems. Like the previously confirmed large (projected half light radius $>$ 4.6 kpc) UDG, DF44, the systems we targeted all have projected half light radii $> 2.9$ kpc. As such, we spectroscopically confirm a population of physically large UDGs in the Coma cluster. The remaining UDG is located in the field, about $45$ Mpc behind the cluster. We observe Balmer and Ca II H \& K absorption lines in all of our UDG spectra. By comparing the stacked UDG spectrum against stellar population synthesis models, we conclude that, on average, these UDGs are composed of metal-poor stars ([Fe/H] $\lesssim -1.5$). We also discover the first UDG with [OII] and [OIII] emission lines within a clustered environment, demonstrating that not all cluster UDGs are devoid of gas and sources of ionizing radiation.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure

Speech Perception and Word Retrieval in Alzheimer\u27s Disease (AD): A Pilot Study

This research pilot project investigated speech and language related deficiencies in participants with and without Alzheimer\u27s disease (AD). Information obtained from this study may lead to identification of early indicators of the disease that are not obtrusive. It was hypothesized that an individual with AD would still have storage of phonetic and lexical items, yet be unable to access them due to increased memory and processing demands (Bayles, Tomeoeda, & Trosset, 1992; Grossman & White, 1998). Participants consisted of one individual with Alzheimer\u27s disease and a matched control without the disease. Neither participant had a prior history of speech or language problems and both were within age-appropriate limits for vision and hearing. The Alzheimer\u27s disease was verified through use of the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the Arizona Battery of Communication Disorders in Dementia (ABCD) criteria. In addition, the participant with AD showed early stages of the disease according to her medical records. The control participant was matched for age, socio-economic status (SES), education, monolingual English speaking abilities, and cultural background. The study used the following tests and procedures: the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), the Boston Naming Test (BNT), portions of the Arizona Battery of Communication Disorders in Dementia (ABCD), and a speech-perception gating task (Grossjean, 1996). The data were analyzed and reported using two-tailed t-tests and descriptively by comparing means. Significant differences were found between the participants on the gating measures of speech perception. Qualitative differences were found for the language tests. The hypothesis of impaired retrieval difficulties was supported. Further investigations with a larger sample are recommended

Great Strides: A History of Henson Aviation During the 1980s

About the Author Jennifer Dennis is currently an undergraduate student at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Worldwide. She is a former student of The University of Maryland University College and is an active member of the National Society of Leadership and Success and Phi Theta Kappa. Her academic goal is to advance her career in the field of aviation and human resources management and to one day give back in honor of those who made higher education a reality for her

The use of single photon emission computed tomography in the investigation of parathyroid and thyroid disorders

Nuclear medicine is a functional imaging modality involving the administration of a radioactive material and the imaging of its distribution within the body. Planar nuclear medicine imaging has been used for many years in the evaluation of patients with disorders of the parathyroid and thyroid glands. Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) can also be carried out. This is a three-dimensional nuclear medicine imaging technique that gives both increased image contrast due to the separation of overlying structures and improved information on lesion localisation. Currently, there is no definitive procedure for parathyroid imaging, which is primarily used for localisation of adenomas or hyperplastic glands in patients with hyperparathyroidism. This information can be used to assist during surgery to remove the overactive glands. Some centres use a single-isotope, dual-phase technique with 99mTc-Sestamibi, whilst others use a dual-isotope subtraction technique with either 99mTc-pertechnetate or 123I-iodide to outline the thyroid. Single-isotope SPECT is used in some institutions but there is little information on the use of dual-isotope subtraction SPECT. Thyroid imaging with either 99mTc-pertechnetate or 123I-iodide is used to characterise thyroid disorders. The thyroid uptake can also be calculated using planar images, which can assist in clinical decision making for patients with hyper- or hypothyroidism. SPECT is not commonly used in thyroid imaging at present. This study was carried out in the Department of Nuclear Medicine, Glasgow Royal Infirmary (GRI) and was split into two distinct sections, the first being an assessment of the utility of dual-isotope subtraction SPECT for localisation of parathyroid adenomas and the second being an evaluation of the use of SPECT imaging for calculating thyroid uptake. A custom designed and built phantom was used to assess the feasibility of parathyroid and thyroid SPECT imaging and to establish suitable acquisition parameters. The results from the phantom work demonstrated that the techniques were viable and so patient SPECT data collection was commenced. A total of 32 patients with hyperparathyroidism underwent dual-isotope SPECT imaging in addition to routine planar imaging. The SPECT images were then reconstructed and a subtraction SPECT data set was produced. An observer study was then carried out with 5 experienced observers independently reviewing the images in 4 phases. In phase 1, only the dual-isotope subtraction planar images were available for review. Phase 2 was comprised of only dual-isotope subtraction SPECT images, whilst phase 3 involved review of single-isotope 99mTc-Sestamibi planar and SPECT images in the absence of 123I-iodide thyroid images. Finally, in phase 4, all of the acquired planar and SPECT images were available for review. The patients’ case notes were interrogated to obtain information on the surgical and histological reports of excised glands. A total of 17 of the 32 patients had surgery and the results were compared to the findings from the observer study to determine which type of images provided the most useful clinical information. The results of any ultrasound imaging were also obtained to compare with the surgical findings. The total number of lesions seen by the observers was higher when dual-isotope subtraction SPECT images were part of the review than when they were not, with totals in phases 1-4 of 89, 183, 89 and 155, respectively. The calculated sensitivities relative to the surgical gold standard for phases 1-4 were 49%, 77%, 45% & 64%, respectively, with ultrasound having a sensitivity of 72% for comparison. Dual-isotope subtraction SPECT therefore has a clear advantage over planar imaging for detection and localisation of parathyroid adenomas. The specificities for phases 1-4 were calculated as 61%, 31%, 29% & 27%, with the specificity for ultrasound being 33%. These specificities are, however, unreliable due to the fact that only 2 true negatives were recorded from surgery. This study showed a clear improvement in the sensitivity of dual-isotope subtraction SPECT imaging over planar imaging for the detection and localisation of parathyroid adenomas, as well as more detailed localisation information being available from the 3D images. As a result, clinical practice in the department has been changed and all patients now routinely undergo dual-isotope subtraction SPECT imaging. SPECT imaging with 99mTc-pertechnetate was carried out on 57 patients with thyroid disorders. The images were reconstructed with and without the inclusion of attenuation correction and the thyroid uptake was calculated by drawing a region of interest on each slice and summing the counts within each region. A standard acquisition was also carried out to allow accurate quantification to be performed. These uptake values were compared to those from planar imaging. Similar analysis was performed on images of a phantom to determine the accuracy of the patient uptake measurements. The various uptake values calculated from the phantom images were all similar and were slightly lower than the “true” uptake value. However, there were significant differences demonstrated between the SPECT and planar uptake values from the patient images with the SPECT uptake tending to be higher. The reasons for this are not immediately clear but are most likely related to the difference in time between injection and imaging for the planar and SPECT acquisitions at 24.5 ± 8.0 minutes (mean ± 1SD) and 71.5 ± 17.5 minutes respectively. Significant differences seen between the calculated uptake values from SPECT and planar images in the patient data sets were not evident in the phantom work, indicating that some physiological effect resulting in changing thyroid uptake over time was not taken into account. Further work could be undertaken to characterise this effect, but the method used to calculate the uptake from SPECT images is too cumbersome to be used routinely. Therefore, no change in clinical practice is anticipated for the calculation of thyroid uptake. This study has therefore resulted in a change of clinical practice for parathyroid imaging at GRI, with the introduction of dual-isotope subtraction SPECT routinely. Thyroid imaging remains unchanged, however, with the thyroid uptake being calculated from planar images

Induction and Patterning of Neural Crest Cells in the Developing Mouse Embryo: Roles for Gcnf and Hhat

Cranial neural crest cells are a multipotent, migratory cell population which is responsible for forming the majority of the bone, cartilage, nerves, and connective tissue of the head and face. Craniofacial abnormalities account for one third of all congenital birth defects, and are mainly attributed to defects in cranial neural crest cells. Because of their importance in craniofacial development, it is essential to understand the mechanisms underlying the formation and differentiation of this cell population. Therefore, my project involves examining the molecular signals necessary for the induction and patterning of the cranial neural crest in mice, in order to determine the mechanisms that regulate this cell type during development

Development of plant-produced African horse sickness vaccines

African horse sickness is a devastating disease that causes great suffering and many fatalities amongst horses in sub-Saharan Africa. It is caused by nine different serotypes of the orbivirus African horse sickness virus (AHSV) and it is spread by Culicoid midges. The disease has significant economic consequences for the equine industry both in southern Africa and increasingly further afield as the geographic distribution of the midge vector broadens with global warming and climate change. Live attenuated vaccines (LAV) have been used with relative success for many decades, but carry the risk of reversion to virulence and/or genetic re-assortment between outbreak and vaccine strains. Furthermore, the vaccines lack DIVA capacity, the ability to distinguish between vaccine-induced immunity and that induced by natural infection. These concerns have motivated interest in the development of new, more favourable recombinant vaccines, initially focusing on the use of insect and mammalian cell expression systems. More recently, several studies have demonstrated the potential for using plant expression systems for the production of virus-like particles (VLPs), which are excellent vaccine candidates, as they do not contain virus genetic material and are DIVA compliant. A vaccine alternative to the currently used live vaccine necessarily needs to provide protection against all nine serotypes of the virus. Cross-protection has been shown to exist between certain serotypes of the virus and as capsid protein VP2 is the protein responsible for AHSV serotype specificity, the idea of a plant-produced VLP vaccine containing a representative VP2 protein from each of the different serotype groups, was conceived. Such a vaccine would potentially provideprotection against all 9 serotypes of the virus and would have DIVA capability. Furthermore, it would address local concerns regarding the use of a live vaccine and would serve as a potentially acceptable prophylactic or rapid response antidote in the wider international context. This work describes two approaches in the development of VLP vaccines in plants. In the first part of this study, the ability of 2 different serotypes of plant-produced AHSV VLPs to safely stimulate an immune response in horses, was investigated. Co-infiltration of Nicotiana benthamiana plants with Agrobacterium constructs encoding the four AHSV serotype 5 structural proteins VP2, VP3, VP5 and VP7, was shown to result in assembly of complete VLPs. Furthermore, co-infiltration with the constructs, encoding VP3 and VP7, together with constructs encoding the two outer capsid proteins VP2 and VP5 of a second serotype, AHSV 4, resulted in assembly of complete AHSV 4 VLPs. Horses vaccinated with plant-produced AHSV 4 and 5 VLPs, all seroconverted after two doses of the vaccine and the virus neutralization titres indicated that the plant-produced VLP vaccines are likely to be at least as effective as the current LAV in protecting against AHSV 4 or AHSV 5. However, they have the added advantage of being free from any of the associated risks of a live vaccine, such as reversion to virulence or genetic re-assortment with field or vaccine strains. In the second part of the study, the use of the so-called SpyTag/SpyCatcher or bacterial “superglue” technology was investigated. This technology is based on the peptide SpyTag irreversibly coupling to the SpyCatcher protein, forming an isopeptide bond when the two are mixed together. The plant-based expression system was used to produce Spy VLPs consisting of either Acinetobacter phage (AP205) VLPs or tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) VLPs displaying a SpyTag or SpyCatcher peptide. In addition, AHSV 5 VP2 displaying SpyTag was expressed in plants and several coupling strategies were tested to determine whether AP205 particles displaying AHSV 5 VP2 could be formed as a result of binding between the SpyTag/SpyCatcher moieties of the recombinant proteins. Although it was not proven that coupling occurred, this research will pave the way towards developing a multivalent vaccine platform whereby VP2 of different AHSV serotypes can be displayed on the Spy VLP surface to allow optimal presentation of these proteins to the animal's immune system. Together, the results obtained in this study show that there is great potential for the production of novel, diverse, efficacious and economically viable AHSV VLP vaccines in plants

Medicaid and CHIP Strategies for Improving Child Health

Explains state programs' need for child health measures that focus on outcomes; are standardized across programs, agencies, and states; and reward performance through provider reimbursement. Points out opportunities for foundation and government support

Holding safely : guidance for residential child care practitioners and managers about physically restraining children and young people

Residential child care is intensive and at times very diffificult work. Staff in residential childcare, therefore, need training, advice, supervision and support in undertaking this demanding work, since they are often doing the hardest of social care jobs. This good practice guidance has been commissioned to assist practitioners in working out policies and practices for restraining children and young people where no other appropriate options are available

Systematically Measuring Ultra Diffuse Galaxies in HI: Results from the Pilot Survey

We present neutral hydrogen (HI) observations using the Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope (GBT) of 70 optically-detected UDG candidates in the Coma region from the Systematically Measuring Ultra-Diffuse Galaxies survey (SMUDGes). We detect HI in 18 targets, confirming 9 to be gas-rich UDGs and the remainder to be foreground dwarfs. None of our HI-detected UDGs are Coma Cluster members and all but one are in low-density environments. The HI-detected UDGs are bluer and have more irregular morphologies than the redder, smoother candidates not detected in HI, with the combination of optical color and morphology being a better predictor of gas richness than either parameter alone. There is little visual difference between the gas-rich UDGs and the foreground dwarfs in the SMUDGes imaging, and distances are needed to distinguish between them. We find that the gas richnesses of our HI-confirmed UDGs and those from other samples scale with their effective radii in two stellar mass bins, possibly providing clues to their formation. We attempt to place our UDGs on the baryonic Tully-Fisher relation (BTFR) using optical ellipticities and turbulence-corrected HI linewidths to estimate rotation velocities, but the potential systematics associated with fitting smooth $\mathrm{S\acute{e}rsic}$ profiles to clumpy, low-inclination low surface brightness disks precludes a meaningful analysis of potential BTFR offsets. These observations are a pilot for a large campaign now underway at the GBT to use the HI properties of gas-rich UDGs to quantitatively constrain how these galaxies form and evolve.Comment: Accepted by ApJ. Revisions include updated versions of Figures 3-9, new table 5, and expanded discussion. Conclusions unchanged. Figures 6-8 will be available in higher resolution in the published versio

NGOs, enterprise and rural development

Non-Government Welfare Organisations (NGOs) in rural areas have traditionally relied upon the state for a large part of their revenue which in turn provides the state with the capacity to impose strict monitoring and evaluation. However the tightening of state funding has either forced NGOs to stretch their own resource to the limit or to become more enterprising and innovative in their desire to provide people with access to an ever increasing range of community-based services and opportunities for connection with their local communities. The term that is often used for these new approaches is &lsquo;social enterprise&rsquo; that has been defined as a business with primarily social objectives whose surpluses are principally reinvested for that purpose in the business or the community, rather than being driven by the need to maximise profit for shareholders and owners&rsquo; . It is most often seen as an interface between public and private sector, being part of neither but engaging closely with both through partnerships, stakeholding and joint ventures as well as through complex trading and contracting relationships.Such broad definitions however do not give much guidance to how particular NGOs can shift to a social enterprise model and still remain within their chosen missions. It is the very processes of re-imagining and reforming their enterprise that is a vital element in moving to a successful social enterprise practice. Accordingly this project focuses on two NGOs in different parts of the world (Brophy Family and Youth Services in Warrnambool. Australia and Aberdeen Foyer in Aberdeen, Scotland) that have developed (and are developing) new ways of approaching their roles as service providers and early intervention agents for youth in their local areas. Since both organisations have faced (and are facing) issues associated with depleting state allocated resources they are attempting to break new ground in the ways in which they redevelop their work with youth. Both agencies are leading the way in developing a broader approach that draws together disparate element of a social enterprise model. The project analyses the processes used by these two agencies to develop as social enterprises and how likeminded agencies can use the model for capability enhancement.<br /