Fluxes in H\alpha and Ca II H and K for a sample of Southern stars

The main chromospheric activity indicator is the S index, which is esentially the ratio of the flux in the core of the Ca II H and K lines to the continuum nearby, and is well studied basically for stars from F to K. Another usual chromospheric proxy is the H\alpha line, which is beleived to be tightly correlated with the Ca II index. In this work we characterize both chromospheric activity indicators, one associated with the H and K Ca II lines and the other with H\alpha, for the whole range of late type stars, from F to M. We present periodical medium-resolution echelle observations covering the complete visual range, which were taken at the CASLEO Argentinean Observatory. These observations are distributed along 7 years. We use a total of 917 flux-calibrated spectra for 109 stars which range from F6 to M5. We statistically study these two indicators for stars of different activity levels and spectral types. We directly derive the conversion factor which translate the known S index to flux in the Ca II cores, and extend its calibration to a wider spectral range. We investigate the relation between the activity measurements in the calcium and hydrogen lines, and found that the usual correlation observed is basically the product of the dependence of each flux with stellar colour, and not the product of similar activity phenomena.Comment: 12 pages, including 11 figures and 2 tables. Accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysic

Cancer cells exploit an orphan RNA to drive metastatic progression.

Here we performed a systematic search to identify breast-cancer-specific small noncoding RNAs, which we have collectively termed orphan noncoding RNAs (oncRNAs). We subsequently discovered that one of these oncRNAs, which originates from the 3' end of TERC, acts as a regulator of gene expression and is a robust promoter of breast cancer metastasis. This oncRNA, which we have named T3p, exerts its prometastatic effects by acting as an inhibitor of RISC complex activity and increasing the expression of the prometastatic genes NUPR1 and PANX2. Furthermore, we have shown that oncRNAs are present in cancer-cell-derived extracellular vesicles, raising the possibility that these circulating oncRNAs may also have a role in non-cell autonomous disease pathogenesis. Additionally, these circulating oncRNAs present a novel avenue for cancer fingerprinting using liquid biopsies

EK Eridani: the tip of the iceberg of giants which have evolved from magnetic Ap stars

We observe the slowly-rotating, active, single giant, EK Eri, to study and infer the nature of its magnetic field directly. We used the spectropolarimeter NARVAL at the Telescope Bernard Lyot, Pic du Midi Observatory, and the Least Square Deconvolution method to create high signal-to-noise ratio Stokes V profiles. We fitted the Stokes V profiles with a model of the large-scale magnetic field. We studied the classical activity indicators, the CaII H and K lines, the CaII infrared triplet, and H\alpha line. We detected the Stokes V signal of EK Eri securely and measured the longitudinal magnetic field Bl for seven individual dates spanning 60% of the rotational period. The measured longitudinal magnetic field of EK Eri reached about 100 G and was as strong as fields observed in RSCVn or FK Com type stars: this was found to be extraordinary when compared with the weak fields observed at the surfaces of slowly-rotating MS stars or any single red giant previously observed with NARVAL. From our modeling, we infer that the mean surface magnetic field is about 270 G, and that the large scale magnetic field is dominated by a poloidal component. This is compatible with expectations for the descendant of a strongly magnetic Ap star.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figures. Accepted for publication in A&

The effect of magnetic activity saturation in chromospheric flux-flux relationships

We present a homogeneous study of chromospheric and coronal flux-flux relationships using a sample of 298 late-type dwarf active stars with spectral types F to M. The chromospheric lines were observed simultaneously in each star to avoid spread due to long term variability. Unlike other works, we subtract the basal chromospheric contribution in all the spectral lines studied. For the first time, we quantify the departure of dMe stars from the general relations. We show that dK and dKe stars also deviate from the general trend. Studying the flux-colour diagrams we demonstrate that the stars deviating from the general relations are those with saturated X-ray emission and that those stars also present saturation in the H$\alpha$ line. Using several age spectral indicators, we show that they are younger stars than those following the general relationships. The non-universality of flux-flux relationships found in this work should be taken into account when converting between fluxes in different chromospheric activity indicators.Comment: Accepted for publication in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Societ

Radiofrequency Treatment of Facet-related Pain: Evidence and Controversies

Pain originating from the lumbar facet joints is estimated to represent about 15% of all low back pain complaints. The diagnostic block is considered to be a valuable tool for confirming facetogenic pain. It was demonstrated that a block of the ramus medialis of the ramus dorsalis is preferred over an intra-articular injection. The outcome of the consequent radiofrequency treatment is not different in patients reporting over 80% pain relief after the diagnostic block than in those who have between 50% and 79% pain relief. There is one well-conducted comparative trial assessing the value of one or two controlled diagnostic blocks to none. The results of the seven randomized trials on the use of radiofrequency treatment of facet joint pain demonstrate that good patient selection is imperative for good clinical outcome. Therefore, we suggest one block of the ramus medialis of the ramus dorsalis before radiofrequency treatment

MiRNA Profile Associated with Replicative Senescence, Extended Cell Culture, and Ectopic Telomerase Expression in Human Foreskin Fibroblasts

Senescence is a highly regulated process that limits cellular replication by enforcing a G1 arrest in response to various stimuli. Replicative senescence occurs in response to telomeric DNA erosion, and telomerase expression can offset replicative senescence leading to immortalization of many human cells. Limited data exists regarding changes of microRNA (miRNA) expression during senescence in human cells and no reports correlate telomerase expression with regulation of senescence-related miRNAs. We used miRNA microarrays to provide a detailed account of miRNA profiles for early passage and senescent human foreskin (BJ) fibroblasts as well as early and late passage immortalized fibroblasts (BJ-hTERT) that stably express the human telomerase reverse transcriptase subunit hTERT. Selected miRNAs that were differentially expressed in senescence were assayed for expression in quiescent cells to identify miRNAs that are specifically associated with senescence-associated growth arrest. From this group of senescence-associated miRNAs, we confirmed the ability of miR-143 to induce growth arrest after ectopic expression in young fibroblasts. Remarkably, miR-143 failed to induce growth arrest in BJ-hTERT cells. Importantly, the comparison of late passage immortalized fibroblasts to senescent wild type fibroblasts reveals that miR-146a, a miRNA with a validated role in regulating the senescence associated secretory pathway, is also regulated during extended cell culture independently of senescence. The discovery that miRNA expression is impacted by expression of ectopic hTERT as well as extended passaging in immortalized fibroblasts contributes to a comprehensive understanding of the connections between telomerase expression, senescence and processes of cellular aging

Complications and pitfalls of lumbar interlaminar and transforaminal epidural injections

Lumbar interlaminar and transforaminal epidural injections are used in the treatment of lumbar radicular pain and other lumbar spinal pain syndromes. Complications from these procedures arise from needle placement and the administration of medication. Potential risks include infection, hematoma, intravascular injection of medication, direct nerve trauma, subdural injection of medication, air embolism, disc entry, urinary retention, radiation exposure, and hypersensitivity reactions. The objective of this article is to review the complications of lumbar interlaminar and transforaminal epidural injections and discuss the potential pitfalls related to these procedures. We performed a comprehensive literature review through a Medline search for relevant case reports, clinical trials, and review articles. Complications from lumbar epidural injections are extremely rare. Most if not all complications can be avoided by careful technique with accurate needle placement, sterile precautions, and a thorough understanding of the relevant anatomy and contrast patterns on fluoroscopic imaging

Helicobacter pylori, persistent infection burden and structural brain imaging markers

Persistent infections, whether viral, bacterial or parasitic, including Helicobacter pylori infection, have been implicated in non-communicable diseases, including dementia and other neurodegenerative diseases. In this cross-sectional study, data on 635 cognitively normal participants from the UK Biobank study (2006–21, age range: 40–70 years) were used to examine whether H. pylori seropositivity (e.g. presence of antibodies), serointensities of five H. pylori antigens and a measure of total persistent infection burden were associated with selected brain volumetric structural MRI (total, white, grey matter, frontal grey matter (left/right), white matter hyperintensity as percent intracranial volume and bi-lateral sub-cortical volumes) and diffusion-weighted MRI measures (global and tract-specific bi-lateral fractional anisotropy and mean diffusivity), after an average 9–10 years of lag time. Persistent infection burden was calculated as a cumulative score of seropositivity for over 20 different pathogens. Multivariable-adjusted linear regression analyses were conducted, whereby selected potential confounders (all measures) and intracranial volume (sub-cortical volumes) were adjusted, with stratification by Alzheimer’s disease polygenic risk score tertile when exposures were H. pylori antigen serointensities. Type I error was adjusted to 0.007. We report little evidence of an association between H. pylori seropositivity and persistent infection burden with various volumetric outcomes (P > 0.007, from multivariable regression models), unlike previously reported in past research. However, H. pylori antigen serointensities, particularly immunoglobulin G against the vacuolating cytotoxin A, GroEL and outer membrane protein antigens, were associated with poorer tract-specific white matter integrity (P < 0.007), with outer membrane protein serointensity linked to worse outcomes in cognition-related tracts such as the external capsule, the anterior limb of the internal capsule and the cingulum, specifically at low Alzheimer’s disease polygenic risk. Vacuolating cytotoxin A serointensity was associated with greater white matter hyperintensity volume among individuals with mid-level Alzheimer’s disease polygenic risk, while among individuals with the highest Alzheimer’s disease polygenic risk, the urease serointensity was consistently associated with reduced bi-lateral caudate volumes and the vacuolating cytotoxin A serointensity was linked to reduced right putamen volume (P < 0.007). Outer membrane protein and urease were associated with larger sub-cortical volumes (e.g. left putamen and right nucleus accumbens) at middle Alzheimer’s disease polygenic risk levels (P < 0.007). Our results shed light on the relationship between H. pylori seropositivity, H. pylori antigen levels and persistent infection burden with brain volumetric structural measures. These data are important given the links between infectious agents and neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease, and can be used for the development of drugs and preventive interventions that would reduce the burden of those diseases