A milestone toward understanding PDR properties in the extreme environment of LMC-30Dor

More complete knowledge of galaxy evolution requires understanding the process of star formation and interaction between the interstellar radiation field and the interstellar medium in galactic environments traversing a wide range of physical parameter space. Here we focus on the impact of massive star formation on the surrounding low metallicity ISM in 30 Doradus in the Large Magellanic Cloud. A low metal abundance, as is the case of some galaxies of the early universe, results in less ultra-violet shielding for the formation of the molecular gas necessary for star formation to proceed. The half-solar metallicity gas in this region is strongly irradiated by the super star cluster R136, making it an ideal laboratory to study the structure of the ISM in an extreme environment. Our spatially resolved study investigates the gas heating and cooling mechanisms, particularly in the photo-dissociation regions where the chemistry and thermal balance are regulated by far-ultraviolet photons (6 eV< h\nu <13.6 eV). We present Herschel observations of far-infrared fine-structure lines obtained with PACS and SPIRE/FTS. We have combined atomic fine-structure lines from Herschel and Spitzer observations with ground-based CO data to provide diagnostics on the properties and the structure of the gas by modeling it with the Meudon PDR code. We derive the spatial distribution of the radiation field, the pressure, the size, and the filling factor of the photodissociated gas and molecular clouds. We find a range of pressure of ~ 10^5 - 1.7x10^6 cm^{-3} K and a range of incident radiation field G_UV ~ 10^2 - 2.5x10^4 through PDR modeling. Assuming a plane-parallel geometry and a uniform medium, we find a total extinction of 1-3 mag , which correspond to a PDR cloud size of 0.2 to 3pc, with small CO depth scale of 0.06 to 0.5pc. We also determine the three dimensional structure of the gas. (Abridged)Comment: 20 pages, 23 figures, accepted in A&

Ultracarbonaceous Antarctic micrometeorites recovered from snow at the Dome C - CONCORDIA station.

第6回極域科学シンポジウム[OA] 南極隕石11月17日（火）　国立国語研究所 2階 講

Parody of political correctness or allegory of “Immaterial Labour”? A second look at Francis Veber’s Le Placard (2001)

This article questions whether readings of Francis Veber’s Le Placard (2001) as simply a parody of political correctness have tended to overlook the allegorical significance of its depiction of a middle-aged executive forced to pretend to be gay, simulating libidinal investments he does not in fact possess, in order to protect his job. It argues that the film merits re-interpretation as being not only a parody of political correctness but also a powerful allegory for the increasing demands placed on employees to invest their most personal affects and aptitudes in their work. Drawing on the work of Yann Moulier Boutang, the article interprets such demands as symptomatic of a regime of ‘cognitive capitalism’, in which ‘immaterial’ forms of labour represent the primary source of surplus value. The article thus offers an alternative reading of the film’s treatment of questions of work, gender, sexuality, family, and nation, before situating Le Placard in the context of a broader range of recent French filmic representations of the contemporary workplace

Radiative and mechanical feedback into the molecular gas in the Large Magellanic Cloud: I. N159W

We present Herschel SPIRE Fourier Transform Spectrometer (FTS) observations of N159W, an active star-forming region in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). In our observations, a number of far-infrared cooling lines, including carbon monoxide (CO) J = 4 → 3 to J = 12 → 11, [CI] 609 μm and 370 μm, and [NII] 205 μm, are clearly detected. With an aim of investigating the physical conditions and excitation processes of molecular gas, we first construct CO spectral line energy distributions (SLEDs) on ~10 pc scales by combining the FTS CO transitions with ground-based low-J CO data and analyze the observed CO SLEDs using non-LTE (local thermodynamic equilibrium) radiative transfer models. We find that the CO-traced molecular gas in N159W is warm (kinetic temperature of 153-754 K) and moderately dense (H number density of (1.1-4.5) × 10 cm). To assess the impact of the energetic processes in the interstellar medium on the physical conditions of the CO-emitting gas, we then compare the observed CO line intensities with the models of photodissociation regions (PDRs) and shocks. We first constrain the properties of PDRs by modeling Herschel observations of [OI] 145 μm, [CII] 158 μm, and [CI] 370 μm fine-structure lines and find that the constrained PDR components emit very weak CO emission. X-rays and cosmic-rays are also found to provide a negligible contribution to the CO emission, essentially ruling out ionizing sources (ultraviolet photons, X-rays, and cosmic-rays) as the dominant heating source for CO in N159W. On the other hand, mechanical heating by low-velocity C-type shocks with ~10 km s appears sufficient enough to reproduce the observed warm CO.M.-Y.L. acknowledges support from the DIM ACAV of the Region Ile de France, the SYMPATICO grant (ANR-11-BS56-0023) of the French Agence Nationale de la Recherche, and the CNRS PCMI program. S.H. acknowledges financial support from DFG programme HO 5475/2-1

Molecular excitation in the Interstellar Medium: recent advances in collisional, radiative and chemical processes

We review the different excitation processes in the interstellar mediumComment: Accepted in Chem. Re

Procjena cito-/genotoksičnosti irinotekana u V79-stanicama primjenom komet-testa, mikronukleus-testa i testa kromosomskih aberacija

Irinotecan is a topoisomerase I interactive agent, widely used in the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer. The genotoxic effects of the maximum single dose (18 μg mL-1), recommended monotherapy dose (9 μg mL-1), and recommended combined therapy dose (4.5 μg mL-1) of irinotecan were studied on V79 cells using the comet assay, chromosome aberration assay, and micronucleus test. The cells were treated with irinotecan for 2 h or 24 h. The statistical signifi cance of the results was determined using the one-way ANOVA test and a nonparametric Mann Whitney U test. The comet assay did not show dose-dependent or time-dependent effects. The chromosome aberration analysis showed large DNA rearrangements, i.e., chromosome exchanges. Although the exposed cultures showed a signifi cant increase in micronucleated cells in respect to control, no dose-dependent relation was established among the treated cultures. Timedependent effect was also not observed.Irinotekan je citotoksični lijek koji inhibira enzim DNA-topoizomerazu I. U širokoj je primjeni u terapiji metastatskog karcinoma kolona i rektuma. U uvjetima in vitro primjenom komet-testa, analize kromosomskih aberacija i mikronukleus-testa na V79-stanicama istražili smo genotoksični učinak maksimalne pojedinačne doze (18 μg mL-1), preporučene monoterapijske doze (9 μg mL-1) i preporučene doze irinotekana za kombiniranu terapiju (4,5 μg mL-1). Kulture stanica bile su tretirane irinotekanom 2 h i 24 h. Statistička značajnost određivana je jednosmjernim ANOVA-testom i neparametrijskim Mann Whitneyevim U-testom. Komet-testom nije utvrđen učinak koncentracije i/ili vremena izloženosti. Analiza kromosomskih aberacija pokazala je prisutnost izmjena kromatida, tj. porast broja triradijusa i tetraradijusa. Iako je u kulturama stanica izloženi irinotekanu opažen značajan porast broja mikronukleusa u odnosu na kontrolu, nije uočena ovisnost o dozi lijeka ni o vremenu izloženosti u opisanim eksperimentalnim uvjetima. Dobiveni rezultati upućuju na genotoksičnost irinotekana za V79-stanice. Nijednom od primijenjenih metoda nije utvrđena ovisnost učinka irinotekana o vremenu ili dozi

How does study quality affect the results of a diagnostic meta-analysis?

Background: The use of systematic literature review to inform evidence based practice in diagnostics is rapidly expanding. Although the primary diagnostic literature is extensive, studies are often of low methodological quality or poorly reported. There has been no rigorously evaluated, evidence based tool to assess the methodological quality of diagnostic studies. The primary objective of this study was to determine the extent to which variations in the quality of primary studies impact the results of a diagnostic meta-analysis and whether this differs with diagnostic test type. A secondary objective was to contribute to the evaluation of QUADAS, an evidence-based tool for the assessment of quality in diagnostic accuracy studies. Methods: This study was conducted as part of large systematic review of tests used in the diagnosis and further investigation of urinary tract infection (UTI) in children. All studies included in this review were assessed using QUADAS, an evidence-based tool for the assessment of quality in systematic reviews of diagnostic accuracy studies. The impact of individual components of QUADAS on a summary measure of diagnostic accuracy was investigated using regression analysis. The review divided the diagnosis and further investigation of UTI into the following three clinical stages: diagnosis of UTI, localisation of infection, and further investigation of the UTI. Each stage used different types of diagnostic test, which were considered to involve different quality concerns. Results: Many of the studies included in our review were poorly reported. The proportion of QUADAS items fulfilled was similar for studies in different sections of the review. However, as might be expected, the individual items fulfilled differed between the three clinical stages. Regression analysis found that different items showed a strong association with test performance for the different tests evaluated. These differences were observed both within and between the three clinical stages assessed by the review. The results of regression analyses were also affected by whether or not a weighting (by sample size) was applied. Our analysis was severely limited by the completeness of reporting and the differences between the index tests evaluated and the reference standards used to confirm diagnoses in the primary studies. Few tests were evaluated by sufficient studies to allow meaningful use of meta-analytic pooling and investigation of heterogeneity. This meant that further analysis to investigate heterogeneity could only be undertaken using a subset of studies, and that the findings are open to various interpretations. Conclusion: Further work is needed to investigate the influence of methodological quality on the results of diagnostic meta-analyses. Large data sets of well-reported primary studies are needed to address this question. Without significant improvements in the completeness of reporting of primary studies, progress in this area will be limited

Gene expression profiling of gliomas: merging genomic and histopathological classification for personalised therapy

The development of DNA microarray technologies over the past decade has revolutionised translational cancer research. These technologies were originally hailed as more objective, comprehensive replacements for traditional histopathological cancer classification systems, based on microscopic morphology. Although DNA microarray-based gene expression profiling (GEP) remains unlikely in the near term to completely replace morphological classification of primary brain tumours, specifically the diffuse gliomas, GEP has confirmed that significant molecular heterogeneity exists within the various morphologically defined gliomas, particularly glioblastoma (GBM). Herein, we provide a 10-year progress report on human glioma GEP, with focus on development of clinical diagnostic tests to identify molecular subtypes, uniquely responsive to adjuvant therapies. Such progress may lead to a more precise classification system that accurately reflects the cellular, genetic, and molecular basis of gliomagenesis, a prerequisite for identifying subsets uniquely responsive to specific adjuvant therapies, and ultimately in achieving individualised clinical care of glioma patients

Improving the hyperpolarization of (31)p nuclei by synthetic design

Traditional (31)P NMR or MRI measurements suffer from low sensitivity relative to (1)H detection and consequently require longer scan times. We show here that hyperpolarization of (31)P nuclei through reversible interactions with parahydrogen can deliver substantial signal enhancements in a range of regioisomeric phosphonate esters containing a heteroaromatic motif which were synthesized in order to identify the optimum molecular scaffold for polarization transfer. A 3588-fold (31)P signal enhancement (2.34% polarization) was returned for a partially deuterated pyridyl substituted phosphonate ester. This hyperpolarization level is sufficient to allow single scan (31)P MR images of a phantom to be recorded at a 9.4 T observation field in seconds that have signal-to-noise ratios of up to 94.4 when the analyte concentration is 10 mM. In contrast, a 12 h 2048 scan measurement under standard conditions yields a signal-to-noise ratio of just 11.4. (31)P-hyperpolarized images are also reported from a 7 T preclinical scanner

The Composite Effect of Transgenic Plant Volatiles for Acquired Immunity to Herbivory Caused by Inter-Plant Communications

A blend of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted from plants induced by herbivory enables the priming of defensive responses in neighboring plants. These effects may provide insights useful for pest control achieved with transgenic-plant-emitted volatiles. We therefore investigated, under both laboratory and greenhouse conditions, the priming of defense responses in plants (lima bean and corn) by exposing them to transgenic-plant-volatiles (VOCos) including (E)-β-ocimene, emitted from transgenic tobacco plants (NtOS2) that were constitutively overexpressing (E)-β-ocimene synthase. When lima bean plants that had previously been placed downwind of NtOS2 in an open-flow tunnel were infested by spider mites, they were more defensive to spider mites and more attractive to predatory mites, in comparison to the infested plants that had been placed downwind of wild-type tobacco plants. This was similarly observed when the NtOS2-downwind maize plants were infested with Mythimna separata larvae, resulting in reduced larval growth and greater attraction of parasitic wasps (Cotesia kariyai). In a greenhouse experiment, we also found that lima bean plants (VOCos-receiver plants) placed near NtOS2 were more attractive when damaged by spider mites, in comparison to the infested plants that had been placed near the wild-type plants. More intriguingly, VOCs emitted from infested VOCos-receiver plants affected their conspecific neighboring plants to prime indirect defenses in response to herbivory. Altogether, these data suggest that transgenic-plant-emitted volatiles can enhance the ability to prime indirect defenses via both plant-plant and plant-plant-plant communications