The Interstellar Environment of our Galaxy

We review the current knowledge and understanding of the interstellar medium of our galaxy. We first present each of the three basic constituents - ordinary matter, cosmic rays, and magnetic fields - of the interstellar medium, laying emphasis on their physical and chemical properties inferred from a broad range of observations. We then position the different interstellar constituents, both with respect to each other and with respect to stars, within the general galactic ecosystem.Comment: 39 pages, 12 figures (including 3 figures in 2 parts

The relationships between body composition and the systemic inflammatory response in patients with primary operable colorectal cancer.

BACKGROUND: Weight loss is recognised as a marker of poor prognosis in patients with cancer but the aetiology of cancer cachexia remains unclear. The aim of the present study was to examine the relationships between CT measured parameters of body composition and the systemic inflammatory response in patients with primary operable colorectal cancer. PATIENT AND METHODS: 174 patients with primary operable colorectal cancer who underwent resection with curative intent (2003-2010). Image analysis of CT scans was used to measure total fat index (cm(2)/m(2)), subcutaneous fat index (cm(2)/m(2)), visceral fat index (cm(2)/m(2)) and skeletal muscle index (cm(2)/m(2)). Systemic inflammatory response was measured by serum white cell count (WCC), neutrophil:lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and the Glasgow Prognostic Score (mGPS). RESULTS: There were no relationships between any parameter of body composition and serum WCC or NLR. There was a significant relationship between low skeletal muscle index and an elevated systemic inflammatory response, as measured by the mGPS (p = 0.001). This was confirmed by linear relationships between skeletal muscle index and both C-reactive protein (r = -0.21, p = 0.005) and albumin (r = 0.31, p<0.001). There was no association between skeletal muscle index and tumour stage. CONCLUSIONS: The present study highlights a direct relationship between low levels of skeletal muscle and the presence of a systemic inflammatory response in patients with primary operable colorectal cancer

Scatterplots of the associations between C-reactive protein, albumin and skeletal muscle index.

<p>Fit lines are shown for male (<b>^____</b>) and female (––-) patients. r = Pearsons correlation coefficient for all patients.</p

Systemic inflammation-based prognostic scores.

<p>Systemic inflammation-based prognostic scores.</p

Clinicopathological characteristics of patients with primary operable colorectal cancer.

*<p>Missing values: ASA (n = 29), anaemia (n = 1), smoking (n = 3), white cell count (n = 13), neutrophil:lymphocyte ratio (n = 22).</p

The relationship between skeletal muscle index and clinico-pathological characteristics in patients with primary operable colorectal cancer.

*<p><i>X</i>² linear-by-linear analysis.</p

The relationship between B.M.I. classification and skeletal muscle index in male (top panel) and female (bottom panel) patients with primary operable colorectal cancer.

<p>Dashed lines represent cutoff values of the sex-specific tertiles.</p