Tau positron emission tomography in tauopathies: A narrative review

Aggregation of misfolded tau in the brain is a major pathological feature common in various neurodegenerative disorders known as tauopathies, including Alzheimer’s disease, progressive supranuclear palsy, corticobasal syndrome, and dementia with Lewy bodies. Tauopathies are collection of diseases with varied overlapping symptoms and complicated manifestations. Consequently, it is crucial to be able to assess tau deposits in vivo. Over the past decade, tau-specific radioligands for positron emission tomography (PET) have been developed and tested, including first-generation compounds (e.g., 18F-THK5317, 18F-THK5351, 18F-AV1451, and 11C-PBB3) and second-generation compounds (18F-MK-6240, 18F-RO-948, and 18F-PI-2620). With the recent advances of tau PET tracers, assessing the pattern of tau deposition in vivo is possible. These methods will allow accurate diagnosis of tauopathies and monitoring of disease progression. In this mini review, we summarize current findings from studies using tau PET tracers regarding neuropathological characteristics, clinical implications, and potential applications of tau PET. We also discuss methodological considerations for appropriate use of these technologies and discuss what has been learned from these findings

The mid-infrared view of red sequence galaxies in Abell 2218 with <i>AKARI</i>

We present the AKARI Infrared Camera (IRC) imaging observation of early-type galaxies (ETGs) in A2218 at z ~ 0.175. Mid-infrared (MIR) emission from ETGs traces circumstellar dust emission from asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars or/and residual star formation. Including the unique imaging capability at 11 and 15 μm, our AKARI data provide an effective way to investigate MIR properties of ETGs in the cluster environment. Among our flux-limited sample of 22 red sequence ETGs with precise dynamical and line strength measurements (less than 18 mag at 3 μm), we find that at least 41% have MIR-excess emission. The N3 – S11 versus N3 (3 and 11 μm) color-magnitude relation shows the expected blue sequence, but the MIR-excess galaxies add a red wing to the relation especially at the fainter end. A spectral energy distribution analysis reveals that the dust emission from AGB stars is the most likely cause of the MIR excess, with a low level of star formation being the next possible explanation. The MIR-excess galaxies show a wide spread of N3 – S11 colors, implying a significant spread (2-11 Gyr) in the estimated mean ages of stellar populations. We study the environmental dependence of MIR-excess ETGs over an area out to a half virial radius (~1 Mpc). We find that the MIR-excess ETGs are preferentially located in the outer region. From this evidence, we suggest that the fainter, MIR-excess ETGs have just joined the red sequence, possibly due to the infall and subsequent morphological/spectral transformation induced by the cluster environment

A pan-cancer analysis of the clinical and genetic portraits of somatostatin receptor expressing tumor as a potential target of peptide receptor imaging and therapy

Abstract Purpose Although somatostatin receptor (SST) is a promising theranostic target and is widely expressed in tumors of various organs, the indication for therapies targeting SST is limited to typical gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (NETs). Thus, broadening the scope of the current clinical application of peptide receptor radiotherapy (PRRT) can be supported by a better understanding of the landscape of SST-expressing tumors. Methods SST expression levels were assessed in data from The Cancer Genome Atlas across 10,701 subjects representing 32 cancer types. As the major target of PRRT is SST subtype 2 (SST2), correlation analyses between the pan-cancer profiles, including clinical and genetic features, and SST2 level were conducted. The median SST2 expression level of pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma (PCPG) samples was used as the threshold to define high-SST2 tumors. The prognostic value of SST2 in each cancer subtype was evaluated by using Cox proportional regression analysis. Results We constructed a resource of SST expression patterns associated with clinicopathologic features and genomic alterations. It provides an interactive tool to analyze SST expression patterns in various cancer types. As a result, eight of the 31 cancer subtypes other than PCPG had more than 5% of tumors with high-SST2 expression. Low-grade glioma (LGG) showed the highest proportion of high-SST2 tumors, followed by breast invasive carcinoma (BRCA). LGG showed different SST2 levels according to tumor grade and histology. IDH1 mutation was significantly associated with high-SST2 status. In BRCA, the SST2 level was different according to the hormone receptor status. High-SST2 status was significantly associated with good prognosis in LGG patients. High-SST2 status showed a trend for association with poor prognosis in triple-negative breast cancer subjects. Conclusion A broad range of SST2 expression was observed across diverse cancer subtypes. The SST2 expression level showed a significant association with genomic and clinical aspects across cancers, especially in LGG and BRCA. These findings extend our knowledge base to diversify the indications for PRRT as well as SST imaging

Characteristics of mid-infrared PAH emission from star-forming galaxies selected at 250 μm in the North Ecliptic Pole field

Evolutionary properties of infrared (IR) luminous galaxies are important keys to understand dust-obscured star formation history and galaxy evolution. Based on near- to mid-IR imaging with nine continuous filters of the AKARI space telescope, we present the characteristics of dusty star-forming (SF) galaxies showing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) features observed by the North Ecliptic Pole (NEP) wide field survey of AKARI and Herschel. All the sample galaxies from the AKARI/NEP-Wide data are selected based both on the Herschel/SPIRE 250 μm detection and optical spectroscopic redshift data. The physical modeling of spectral energy distribution (SED) using all available data points from u* to sub-mm 500 μm band, including WISE and PACS data where available, takes unique advantages of the continuous near- to mid-IR coverage, the reliable constraint on the far-IR peak, and spectroscopically determined accurate redshifts, as well as the energy balance principle by MAGPHYS. This enables us to derive physically meaningful and accurate total infrared luminosity and 8 μm (or PAH) luminosity consistently. Our sample galaxies are in the redshift range z < 1, and the majority of them appear to be normal SF/spiral populations showing PAH features near 8 μm. These SF galaxies showing PAHs in the mid-IR include various types, from quiescent to starbursts. Some of our sample show shortage of 8 μm luminosity compared to the total IR luminosity and this PAH deficit gets severe in more-luminous IR galaxies, suggesting PAH molecules in these galaxies are destroyed by a strong radiation field from the SF region or a large amount of cold dust in the interstellar medium. The specific SFR of our sample shows mass-dependent time evolution which is consistent with a downsizing evolutionary pattern

Factors associated with satisfaction with pediatric emergency department services in Korea: analysis of Korea Health Panel Data 2010 to 2012

Objective We aimed to investigate the factors related to satisfaction with the pediatric emergency department service in Korea. Methods This study examined data from the Korea Health Panel Data from 2010 to 2012. Pediatric patients who visited the emergency department at least once between 2010 and 2012 in Korea were included. Data were collected on patient satisfaction with the emergency department service, and factors related to the patient characteristics, emergency department service process, and medical institution. We compared the dissatisfied and satisfied groups, and calculated the odds ratios for satisfaction according to each variable. Results A total of 1,505 emergency department visits from 947 pediatric patients during the 3-year period were analyzed. We estimated that about 79.5% of patients in the population were satisfied. The odds of expressing satisfaction were higher among males than in females, and among patients who were hospitalized after emergency department treatment compared to those who were transferred to another hospital. Conversely, the odds of expressing satisfaction were lower among patients who had a chronic disease, a financial source other than National Health Insurance, experienced hospitalization within 1 year. Conclusion Our study results might be helpful for establishing a satisfactory pediatric emergency medical service system. In the future, further prospective studies evaluating the causal relationships between the relevant factors and patient satisfaction are warranted

Merging Galaxy Cluster A2255 in Mid-infrared

We present the mid-infrared (MIR) observation of a nearby galaxy cluster, A2255, by the AKARI space telescope. Using AKARI's continuous wavelength coverage between 3 and 24 μm and the wide field of view, we investigate the properties of cluster member galaxies to see how the infall of the galaxies, the cluster substructures, and the cluster-cluster merger influence their evolution. We show that the excess of MIR (~11 μm) flux is a good indicator for discriminating galaxies at different evolutionary stages and for dividing galaxies into three classes accordingly: strong MIR-excess (N3 – S11 > 0.2) galaxies that include both unobscured and obscured star-forming galaxies; weak MIR-excess (–2.0 5 Gyr) galaxies where the MIR emission arises mainly from the circumstellar dust around AGB stars; and intermediate MIR-excess (–1.2 < N3 – S11 < 0.2) galaxies in between the two classes that are less than a few Gyr old past the prime star formation activity. With the MIR-excess diagnostics, we investigate how local and cluster-scale environments affect the individual galaxies. We derive the total star formation rate (SFR) and the specific SFR of A2255 using the strong MIR-excess galaxies. The dust-free, total SFR of A2255 is ~130 M_⊙ yr^(–1), which is consistent with the SFRs of other clusters of galaxies at similar redshifts and with similar masses. We find no strong evidence that supports enhanced star formation either inside the cluster or in the substructure region, suggesting that the infall or the cluster merging activities tend to suppress star formation. The intermediate MIR-excess galaxies, representing galaxies in transition from star-forming galaxies to quiescent galaxies, are located preferentially at the medium density region or cluster substructures with higher surface density of galaxies. Our findings suggest that galaxies are being transformed from star-forming galaxies into red, quiescent galaxies from the infall region through near the core which can be explained well by ram-pressure stripping as previous simulation results suggest. We conclude that the cluster merging and the group/galaxy infall suppress star formation and transform galaxies from star-forming galaxies into quiescent galaxies, most likely due to ram-pressure stripping

NEPSC2, the North Ecliptic Pole SCUBA-2 survey: 850-<i>μ</i>m map and catalogue of 850-<i>μ</i>m selected sources over 2 deg²

Abstract We present an 850-μm mosaic map and extracted catalogue of submillimetre sources in the extended North Ecliptic Pole (NEP) region over about 2 deg2. The 850-μm map is constructed using newly obtained observations by SCUBA-2 at the East Asian Observatory’s James Clerk Maxwell Telescope, carried out using the observatory’s large programme opportunities. The recent 850-μm survey has extended the submillimetre data coverage by almost a factor of 4 compared to previous surveys, with a depth of σrms = 1.0–2.3 mJy beam−1. The catalogue contains 549 sources selected above a significance level of 4σ, where the false-detection rate is 10 per cent; a higher threshold of 4.5σ is required in order to achieve a false-detection rate below 3 per cent, which results in 342 sources being selected. Despite the large spatial variation of the noise, the deboosted flux density of sources is comparable to results from the SCUBA-2 Cosmology Legacy Survey (S2CLS), which covered the central 0.6 deg2 of our survey area with better sensitivity. We construct the source counts at 850 μm, finding results in agreement with other 850-μm surveys in cosmological blank fields over S850 = 4–15 mJy. We find a slight excess of bright galaxies (S850 > 15 mJy), which can be considered to be at ɀphot = 2–4. The 850-μm data adds valuable long-wavelength information to mid-infrared-selected sources from the AKARI NEP-deep and NEP-wide surveys, which will be helpful in preparing for future near-infrared to millimetre wavelength observations in the NEP region. Our 850-μm mosaic map and source catalogue will be made publicly available

The Influence of Pop Music in the Works of Three Contemporary American Composers: Steven Mackey, Julia Wolfe and Nico Muhly

There are two volumes in this dissertation: the first is a monograph, and the second a musical composition, both of which are described below.Volume IThese days, labels such as classical, rock and pop mean less and less since young musicians frequently blur boundaries between genres. These young musicians have built an alternative musical universe. I construct five different categories to explore this universe. They are 1) circuits of alternate concert venues, 2) cross-genre collaborations, 3) alternative modes of musical groups, 4) new compositional trends in classical chamber music, and 5) new ensembles and record labels.In this dissertation, I aim to explore these five categories, connecting them to recent cultural trends in New York. In addition to considering social, cultural, and institutional aspects, I also analyze two contemporary classical works, Steven Mackey's "Physical Property" and Julia Wolfe's "Believing," which exemplify alternative classical composers' attempts at exploring and crossing the divide between contemporary classical music and vernacular music styles, like rock and popular music. Through this set of examinations, I aim to show what it is like to be a classical composer in today's society, where popular culture has enormous prestige.Volume II The Arctic is inspired by the images of North Polar with its vast, giant and beautiful nature. It is for large orchestra: 3 flutes (2nd doubling Piccolo), 3 oboes (3rd doubling English Horn), 2 Clarinets, bass clarinet, 3 bassoons, 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 2 trombones, bass trombone, tuba, timpani, 3 percussionists, harp, piano, celesta and strings in about 15 minutes in duration. The first part is an exploration of a spinning melody of strings and often splashes of color from other instruments. The second part is more serenely scored, culminating in a kind of cosmic dance for the entire orchestra. The third part takes serious effort to build up momentum- as if desperately seeking final destination. The musical ideas reflect on the beauty of tonality

Studies and Optimization of All-Polymer Solar Cells based on Naphthalene Diimide-Biselenophene Copolymer Acceptors

Thesis (Master's)--University of Washington, 2018Enormous progress has been made in the field of organic photovoltaics (OPVs) for future energy applications in the last two decades. Studies and understanding of fullerene-based polymer solar cells have led to a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of over 12%. However, such fullerene-based OPVs are not stable in air, among other disadvantages. This thesis mainly focuses on studies all-polymer solar cells (all-PCSs) based on naphthalene diimide-biselenophene copolymer acceptors and aims to better understand the relationship between photovoltaic properties, blend morphology, and device processing variables. In this study, we found that optimal thermal annealing and use of a processing additive facilitated favorable blend morphology and enhanced photovoltaic properties in an active layer composed of a high molecular weight (Mn) acceptor polymer, PNDIBS, and a donor polymer, PBDB-T, with complementary absorption bands. We observed a PCE of over 9% in optimized PBDB-T:PNDIBS blend devices. In addition, all-PCSs based on donor PBDB-T and random copolymer acceptors, BSSx (x=10, 20, and 50), were found to have improved morphology, due to the fine tuned bulk crystallinity of the random copolymers. Finally, we explored solution-processed electron transport layers (ETLs) as a way to engineer the cathode interface of the all-PCSs and found that ETLs doped with alkali metal salt can also further enhance the device performance due to the better charge extraction at the cathode

무인기에서 연속간섭제거 기법을 이용한 주파수 자원 효율 증대 기법

Since wireless mobile communication has been used, the number of wireless communication devices is increasing. In addition, mobile communication terminals are demanding a large amount of communication resources in response to an increasingly high communication speed requirement. In this situation, users are currently experiencing a serious lack of communication resources. In order to solve this problem, various researches have been carried out for efficient use of communication resources, especially frequency resources. One of them is successive interference cancellation (SIC), which is the core technology of non-orthogonal multiple access. In this paper, we will apply the SIC technique to mobile base station, especially UAV which is used as base station. UAV is also often used as an alternative to communications in many extreme situations, such as disaster situations. In extreme situations, the supply of communication resources may not be smooth and it is difficult to guarantee QoS of communication due to various constraints. Therefore, to improve the efficiency of frequency bandwidth, which is one of communication resources, we apply SIC technology to UAV characteristics and propose scheduling algorithm. In order to simultaneously consider the channel capacity and fairness in the whole system, a proportional fairness algorithm is applied to the user pairing algorithm of SIC technology. The performance of this algorithm is compared with the previously proposed algorithms and simulation calculated. ⓒ 2017 DGISTopenⅠ. Introduction 1-- 1.1 Non-Orthogonal Multiple Access 1-- 1.1.1 Concept of Non-Orthogonal Multiple Access 1-- 1.1.2 Successive Interference Cancellation 3-- 1.2 UAV 8-- 1.3 Fairness 10-- 1.3.1 Jain’s index 10-- 1.3.2 Proportional Fairness 11-- II. Successive Interference Cancellation for UAV 13-- 2.1 System modeling 13-- 2.2 User pairing 14-- 2.3 Scheduling 15-- III. Simulation Results 18-- 3.1 System modeling parameters 18-- 3.2 Simulation Results 19-- IV. Discussion and Conclusion 25무선 이동통신이 사용되어진 이후, 무선 통신 기기들의 증가하고 있다. 게다가 이동통신 단말들이 점점 빠른 통신 속도의 요구로 많은 통신 자원을 요구하고있다. 이러한 현실에서 현재 심각한 통신 자원 부족을 겪고 있다. 이런 문제를 해결하기 위해서 통신 자원 특히 주파수 자원을 아끼기 위한 여러가지 연구들이 진행되어왔다. 그 중에 하나가 Non orthogonal multiple access 의 핵심기술인 Successive interference cancellation 이다. 본 논문에서는 위에 기술을 이용해서 모바일 베이스 스테이션 특히 UAV 에 적용해보려고 한다. UAV 역시도 재난상황 등여러 극단적인 상황에서 통신대체시설로 사용되는 경우가 많다. 극단적인 상황인 만큼 통신 자원의 공급이 원활하지 않을 수 있고 여러가지 제약조건들로 인해서 통신의 QoS 도 보장하기 어렵다. 따라서 본 논문에서는 통신 자원 중 하나인 주파수 대역폭의 효율을 향상시키기 위해 SIC 기술을 UAV 특성이 맞게 적용하고 또한 스케쥴링 알고리즘을 제안하였다. 전체 시스템에 채널 용량과 공평성을 동시에 고려하기 위해서 비례공정 알고리즘을 응용하여 연속간섭제어 기술 중 User Pairing 알고리즘에 변형 및 적용하였다. 또한 이 알고리즘의 성능 평가를 위해 기존에 제안되었던 알고리즘과 비교하고 수치적으로 계산하였다.MasterdCollectio