Signatures in a Giant Radio Galaxy of a Cosmological Shock Wave at Intersecting Filaments of Galaxies

Sensitive images of low-level, Mpc-sized radio cocoons offer new opportunities to probe large scale intergalactic gas flows outside clusters of galaxies. New radio images of high surface brightness sensitivity at strategically chosen wavelengths of the giant radio galaxy NGC 315 (Mack et al. 1997,1998) reveal significant asymmetries and particularities in the morphology, radio spectrum and polarization of the ejected radio plasma. We argue that the combination of these signatures provides a sensitive probe of an environmental shock wave. Analysis of optical redshifts in NGC 315 vicinity confirms its location to be near, or at a site of large-scale flow collisions in the 100 Mpc sized Pisces-Perseus Supercluster region. NGC 315 resides at the intersection of several galaxy filaments, and its radio plasma serves there as a `weather station' (Burns 1998) probing the flow of the elusive and previously invisible IGM gas. If our interpretation is correct, this is the first indication for a shock wave in flows caused by the cosmological large scale structure formation, which is located in a filament of galaxies. The possibility that the putative shock wave is a source of gamma-rays and ultra high energy cosmic rays is briefly discussed.Comment: accepted by Astrophysical Journal Letters, 4 pages, 3 figures (incl. 2 color), uses emulateapj5.sty (included), aastex.sty (included) and psfig.st

Intent to use a web-based psychological intervention for partners of cancer patients:Associated factors and preferences

This study examined partners of cancer patients intention to use a web-based psychological intervention, their preferences regarding its preconditions, functionalities and topics, and factors related to their intention. One hundred and sixty-eight partners completed a questionnaire about these aspects. Forty-eight percent of the partners would (maybe) make use of a web-based intervention. Partners who intended to participate were significantly younger, used the Internet more often, and perceived more caregiver strain. Most partners preferred an intervention that takes less than 1 hour/week, lasts five weeks or more, and contains information and peer support. Half of the partners would like to receive online guidance

Web-based self-help intervention for partners of cancer patients based on acceptance and commitment therapy and self-compassion training:a randomized controlled trial with automated versus personal feedback

Purpose: To evaluate the effectiveness of two versions (personal or automated feedback) of a psychological Web-based self-help intervention targeting partners of cancer patients. The intervention was based on acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) and self-compassion training. Participants’ adherence and their satisfaction were also studied. Methods: Two hundred three partners of patients with heterogeneous entities of cancer were randomized into three conditions: personal feedback (PF) (n = 67), automated feedback (AF) (n = 70), or waiting list (WL) control (n = 66). Participants completed measures at baseline (T0) and post-intervention (T1; 3 months after baseline) to assess psychological distress (HADS; primary outcome), positive mental health, caregiver strain, general health (secondary outcomes), posttraumatic growth, resilience, self-compassion, psychological flexibility, sense of mastery, and relational communication style (process measures). Participants in the two experimental conditions also completed these measures at follow-up (T2; 6 months after baseline). Results: There was no significant difference in change in psychological distress, positive mental health, caregiver strain and general health from T0 to T1 for either of the experimental conditions compared with the WL-condition. However, when compared to a WL-condition, the PF-condition was effective in increasing psychological flexibility (effect size d = 0.49) and resilience (d = 0.12) and decreasing overprotection (d = 0.25), and the AF-condition was effective in reducing overprotection (d = 0.36) and improving protective buffering (d = 0.36). At follow-up, the PF-condition was more effective than the AF-condition for improving mental health (d = 0.36), psychological flexibility (d = 0.60), mastery (d = 0.48), and protective buffering (d = 0.24). Participants positively appreciated the intervention and 69% participants were adherent. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that a Web-based intervention based on ACT and self-compassion training with automated or personal feedback does not seem to improve psychological distress; however, it may have the potential to support partners of cancer patients to cope with the difficult situation they are facing. The condition with personal feedback seemed to be more beneficial

A genomic biomarker signature can predict skin sensitizers using a cell-based in vitro alternative to animal tests

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Allergic contact dermatitis is an inflammatory skin disease that affects a significant proportion of the population. This disease is caused by an adverse immune response towards chemical haptens, and leads to a substantial economic burden for society. Current test of sensitizing chemicals rely on animal experimentation. New legislations on the registration and use of chemicals within pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries have stimulated significant research efforts to develop alternative, human cell-based assays for the prediction of sensitization. The aim is to replace animal experiments with in vitro tests displaying a higher predictive power.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We have developed a novel cell-based assay for the prediction of sensitizing chemicals. By analyzing the transcriptome of the human cell line MUTZ-3 after 24 h stimulation, using 20 different sensitizing chemicals, 20 non-sensitizing chemicals and vehicle controls, we have identified a biomarker signature of 200 genes with potent discriminatory ability. Using a Support Vector Machine for supervised classification, the prediction performance of the assay revealed an area under the ROC curve of 0.98. In addition, categorizing the chemicals according to the LLNA assay, this gene signature could also predict sensitizing potency. The identified markers are involved in biological pathways with immunological relevant functions, which can shed light on the process of human sensitization.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>A gene signature predicting sensitization, using a human cell line in vitro, has been identified. This simple and robust cell-based assay has the potential to completely replace or drastically reduce the utilization of test systems based on experimental animals. Being based on human biology, the assay is proposed to be more accurate for predicting sensitization in humans, than the traditional animal-based tests.</p

Globular cluster luminosity function as distance indicator

Globular clusters are among the first objects used to establish the distance scale of the Universe. In the 1970-ies it has been recognized that the differential magnitude distribution of old globular clusters is very similar in different galaxies presenting a peak at M_V ~ -7.5. This peak magnitude of the so-called Globular Cluster Luminosity Function has been then established as a secondary distance indicator. The intrinsic accuracy of the method has been estimated to be of the order of ~0.2 mag, competitive with other distance determination methods. Lately the study of the Globular Cluster Systems has been used more as a tool for galaxy formation and evolution, and less so for distance determinations. Nevertheless, the collection of homogeneous and large datasets with the ACS on board HST presented new insights on the usefulness of the Globular Cluster Luminosity Function as distance indicator. I discuss here recent results based on observational and theoretical studies, which show that this distance indicator depends on complex physics of the cluster formation and dynamical evolution, and thus can have dependencies on Hubble type, environment and dynamical history of the host galaxy. While the corrections are often relatively small, they can amount to important systematic differences that make the Globular Cluster Luminosity Function a less accurate distance indicator with respect to some other standard candles.Comment: Accepted for publication in Astrophysics and Space Science. Review paper based on the invited talk at the conference "The Fundamental Cosmic Distance Scale: State of the Art and Gaia Perspective", Naples, May 2011. (13 pages, 8 figures

A Genome-Wide Association Study of Total Bilirubin and Cholelithiasis Risk in Sickle Cell Anemia

Serum bilirubin levels have been associated with polymorphisms in the UGT1A1 promoter in normal populations and in patients with hemolytic anemias, including sickle cell anemia. When hemolysis occurs circulating heme increases, leading to elevated bilirubin levels and an increased incidence of cholelithiasis. We performed the first genome-wide association study (GWAS) of bilirubin levels and cholelithiasis risk in a discovery cohort of 1,117 sickle cell anemia patients. We found 15 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with total bilirubin levels at the genome-wide significance level (p value <5×10−8). SNPs in UGT1A1, UGT1A3, UGT1A6, UGT1A8 and UGT1A10, different isoforms within the UGT1A locus, were identified (most significant rs887829, p = 9.08×10−25). All of these associations were validated in 4 independent sets of sickle cell anemia patients. We tested the association of the 15 SNPs with cholelithiasis in the discovery cohort and found a significant association (most significant p value 1.15×10−4). These results confirm that the UGT1A region is the major regulator of bilirubin metabolism in African Americans with sickle cell anemia, similar to what is observed in other ethnicities

Molecular Signatures of Prostate Stem Cells Reveal Novel Signaling Pathways and Provide Insights into Prostate Cancer

BACKGROUND:The global gene expression profiles of adult and fetal murine prostate stem cells were determined to define common and unique regulators whose misexpression might play a role in the development of prostate cancer. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS:A distinctive core of transcriptional regulators common to both fetal and adult primitive prostate cells was identified as well as molecules that are exclusive to each population. Elements common to fetal and adult prostate stem cells include expression profiles of Wnt, Shh and other pathways identified in stem cells of other organs, signatures of the aryl-hydrocarbon receptor, and up-regulation of components of the aldehyde dehydrogenase/retinoic acid receptor axis. There is also a significant lipid metabolism signature, marked by overexpression of lipid metabolizing enzymes and the presence of the binding motif for Srebp1. The fetal stem cell population, characterized by more rapid proliferation and self-renewal, expresses regulators of the cell cycle, such as E2f, Nfy, Tead2 and Ap2, at elevated levels, while adult stem cells show a signature in which TGF-beta has a prominent role. Finally, comparison of the signatures of primitive prostate cells with previously described profiles of human prostate tumors identified stem cell molecules and pathways with deregulated expression in prostate tumors including chromatin modifiers and the oncogene, Erg. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE:Our data indicate that adult prostate stem or progenitor cells may acquire characteristics of self-renewing primitive fetal prostate cells during oncogenesis and suggest that aberrant activation of components of prostate stem cell pathways may contribute to the development of prostate tumors