The brightest OH maser in the sky: a flare of emission in W75 N

A flare of maser radio emission in the OH-line 1665 MHz has been discovered in the star forming region W75 N in 2003, with the flux density of about 1000 Jy. At the time it was the strongest OH maser detected during the whole history of observations since the discovery of cosmic masers in 1965. The flare emission is linearly polarized with a degree of polarization near 100%. A weaker flare with a flux of 145 Jy was observed in this source in 2000 - 2001, which was probably a precursor of the powerful flare. Intensity of two other spectral features has decreased after beginning of the flare. Such variation of the intensity of maser condensation emission (increasing of one and decreasing of the other) can be explained by passing of the magneto hydrodynamic shock across regions of enhanced gas concentration.Comment: 9 pages with 2 figures, accepted for publication in Astronomy Letter

Implementing EEG hyperscanning setups.

Hyperscanning refers to obtaining simultaneous neural recordings from more than one person (Montage et al., 2002 [1]), that can be used to study interactive situations. In particular, hyperscanning with Electroencephalography (EEG) is becoming increasingly popular since it allows researchers to explore the interactive brain with a high temporal resolution. Notably, there is a 40-year gap between the first instance that simultaneous measurement of EEG activity was mentioned in the literature (Duane and Behrendt, 1965 [2]), and the first actual description of an EEG hyperscanning setup being implemented (Babiloni et al., 2006 [3]). To date, specific EEG hyperscanning devices have not yet been developed and EEG hyperscanning setups are not usually described with sufficient detail to be easily reproduced. Here, we offer a step-by-step description of solutions to many of these technological challenges. Specifically, we describe and provide customized implementations of EEG hyperscanning setups using hardware and software from different companies: Brain Products, ANT, EGI, and BioSemi. •Necessary details to set up a functioning EEG hyperscanning protocol are provided.•The setups allow independent measures and measures of synchronization between the signals of two different brains.•Individual electrical Ground and Reference is obtained in all discussed systems

Tumor Necrosis Factor Inhibitor Use Increases Birthweight in Pregnant Women With Rheumatoid Arthritis Independently of the Soluble Fms-Like Tyrosine Kinase-1/Placental Growth Factor Ratio

BACKGROUND: To study whether the use of TNF (tumor necrosis factor) inhibitors (TNFi) by pregnant women with rheumatoid arthritis affects sFlt-1 (soluble Fms-like tyrosine kinase-1), PlGF (placental growth factor), or their impact on birthweight. METHODS AND RESULTS: sFlt-1 and PlGF were measured in all trimesters of pregnancy in the Preconception Counseling in Active Rheumatoid Arthritis study and were compared according to the use of TNFi. The association of sFlt-1 and PlGF with birthweight in relation to TNFi was determined. The study included 158 women, of whom 52.5% used TNFi during pregnancy. Both sFlt-1 and PlGF increased during pregnancy, whereas their ratio declined. Taking into consideration the trimester-related variation in levels of sFlt-1 and PlGF, after correction for relevant confounders, the sFlt-1/PlGF ratio was not significantly different between patients who did or did not use TNFi (sFlt-1/PlGF ratio in the second trimester compared with the first trimester: estimated change 8.17 [95% CI, 2.54-26.29], P=0.79; sFlt-1/PlGF ratio in the third trimester compared with the first trimester: estimated change 6.25 [95% CI, 1.73-22.50], P=0.25). In women who did not use TNFi, birthweight was significantly lower (3180 versus 3302 g; P=0.03), and sFlt-1 displayed a negative correlation with birthweight (r=-0.462, P&lt;0.001) and birthweight percentile (r=-0.332, P=0.008). In TNFi users, these correlations were absent. CONCLUSIONS: TNF inhibitor use increases birthweight in pregnant women with rheumatoid arthritis independently of the sFlt-1/PlGF ratio. REGISTRATION: http://clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01345071.</p

Tumor Necrosis Factor Inhibitor Use Increases Birthweight in Pregnant Women With Rheumatoid Arthritis Independently of the Soluble Fms-Like Tyrosine Kinase-1/Placental Growth Factor Ratio

BACKGROUND: To study whether the use of TNF (tumor necrosis factor) inhibitors (TNFi) by pregnant women with rheumatoid arthritis affects sFlt-1 (soluble Fms-like tyrosine kinase-1), PlGF (placental growth factor), or their impact on birthweight. METHODS AND RESULTS: sFlt-1 and PlGF were measured in all trimesters of pregnancy in the Preconception Counseling in Active Rheumatoid Arthritis study and were compared according to the use of TNFi. The association of sFlt-1 and PlGF with birthweight in relation to TNFi was determined. The study included 158 women, of whom 52.5% used TNFi during pregnancy. Both sFlt-1 and PlGF increased during pregnancy, whereas their ratio declined. Taking into consideration the trimester-related variation in levels of sFlt-1 and PlGF, after correction for relevant confounders, the sFlt-1/PlGF ratio was not significantly different between patients who did or did not use TNFi (sFlt-1/PlGF ratio in the second trimester compared with the first trimester: estimated change 8.17 [95% CI, 2.54-26.29], P=0.79; sFlt-1/PlGF ratio in the third trimester compared with the first trimester: estimated change 6.25 [95% CI, 1.73-22.50], P=0.25). In women who did not use TNFi, birthweight was significantly lower (3180 versus 3302 g; P=0.03), and sFlt-1 displayed a negative correlation with birthweight (r=-0.462, P&lt;0.001) and birthweight percentile (r=-0.332, P=0.008). In TNFi users, these correlations were absent. CONCLUSIONS: TNF inhibitor use increases birthweight in pregnant women with rheumatoid arthritis independently of the sFlt-1/PlGF ratio. REGISTRATION: http://clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01345071.</p

Total linear polarization in the OH maser W75N: VLBA polarization structure

W75N is a star-forming region containing various ultracompact HII regions and OH, water, and methanol maser emission. Our VLBA map shows that the OH masers are located in a thin disk rotating around an O-star which is the exciting star of the ultracompact HII region VLA1. A separate set of maser spots is connected with the ultracompact HII region VLA2. The radial velocity of OH maser spots varies across the disk from 3.7 km/s to 10.9 km/s. The diameter of the disk is 4000 A.U. All maser spots are strongly polarized. This are the first OH masers showing nearly 100 per cent linear polarization in several spots. Two maser spots seem to be Zeeman pairs corresponding to a magnetic field of 5.2 mgauss and 7.7 mgauss, and in one case we tentatively found a Zeeman pair consisting of two linearly polarized components. The linearly polarized maser spots are shown to be sigma-components which is the case of the magnetic field being perpendicular to the line of sight. The direction of the magnetic field as determined from linearly polarized spots is perpendicular to the plane of the disk, although the galactic Faraday rotation may significantly affect this conclusion.Comment: 14 figures, 1 table, 27 pages. accepted for publication in ApJ, scheduled for v.564, N1, 200

Polarization Observations of 1720 MHz OH Masers toward the Three Supernova Remnants W28, W44, and IC443

(abridged) - We present arcsecond resolution observations from the VLA of the satellite line of the hydroxyl molecule (OH) at 1720.53 MHz toward three Galactic supernova remnants: W28, W44 and IC443. All of our observations are consistent with a model in which the OH(1720 MHz) is collisionally excited by H2 molecules in the postshock gas heated by a non-dissociative shock. Supernova remnants with OH(1720 MHz) maser emission may be promising candidates to conduct high energy searches for the sites of cosmic ray acceleration.Comment: ApJ Let (accepted). Hardcopies available from [email protected]

Observations of Massive Star Forming Regions with Water Masers: Mid-Infrared Imaging

We present here a mid-infrared imaging survey of 26 sites of water maser emission. Observations were obtained at the InfraRed Telescope Facility 3-m telescope with the University of Florida mid-infrared imager/spectrometer OSCIR, and the JPL mid-infrared camera MIRLIN. The main purpose of the survey was to explore the relationship between water masers and the massive star formation process. It is generally believed that water masers predominantly trace outflows and embedded massive stellar objects, but may also exist in circumstellar disks around young stars. We investigate each of these possibilities in light of our mid-infrared imaging. We find that mid-infrared emission seems to be more closely associated with water and OH maser emission than cm radio continuum emission from UC HII regions. We also find from the sample of sources in our survey that, like groups of methanol masers, both water and OH masers have a proclivity for grouping into linear or elongated distributions. We conclude that the vast majority of linearly distributed masers are not tracing circumstellar disks, but outflows and shocks instead.Comment: 49 pages; 23 figures; To appear in February 2005 ApJS; To download a version with better quality figures, go to http://www.ctio.noao.edu/~debuizer

Identifying Biomarkers in Lymph Node Metastases of Esophageal Adenocarcinoma for Tumor-Targeted Imaging

INTRODUCTION: Tumor-targeted imaging is a promising technique for the detection of lymph node metastases (LNM) and primary tumors. It remains unclear which biomarker is the most suitable target to distinguish malignant from healthy tissue in esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC). OBJECTIVE: We performed an immunohistochemistry study to identify viable tumor markers for tumor-targeted imaging of EAC. METHODS: We used samples from 72 patients with EAC to determine the immunohistochemical expression of ten potential tumor biomarkers for EAC (carbonic anhydrase IX [CA-IX], carcinoembryonic antigen [CEA], hepatic growth factor receptor, epidermal growth factor receptor, epithelial membrane antigen [EMA], epithelial cell adhesion molecule [EpCAM], human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 [HER-2], urokinase plasminogen activator receptor, vascular endothelial growth factor-A [VEGF-A], and VEGF receptor 2). Immunohistochemistry was performed on tissue microarrays of LNM (n = 48), primary EACs (n = 62), fibrotic tissues (n = 11), nonmalignant lymph nodes (n = 24), and normal esophageal and gastric tissues (n = 40). Tumor marker staining was scored on intensity and percentage of positive cells. RESULTS: EMA and EpCAM showed strong expression in LNM (> 95%) and primary EACs (> 95%). Significant expression was also observed for LNM and EAC using VEGF-A (85 and 92%), CEA (68 and 54%), and CA-IX (4 and 34%). The other tumor biomarkers showed expression of 0-15% for LNM and primary EAC. Except for VEGF-A, nonmalignant lymph node staining was scored as slight or absent. CONCLUSIONS: High expression rates and correlation between LNM in EAC combined with low expression rates in healthy lymph nodes and esophagus tissues were observed for EpCAM and CEA, meaning these are promising targets for tumor-targeted imaging approaches for lymph nodes in patients with EAC

Serially Measured Cytokines and Cytokine Receptors in Relation to Clinical Outcome in Patients With Stable Heart Failure

In this prospective cohort study of 250 stable heart failure patients with trimonthly blood sampling, we investigated associations of 17 repeatedly measured cytokines and cytokine receptors with clinical outcome during a median follow-up of 2.2 (25th-75th percentile, 1.4- 2.5) years. Sixty-six patients reached the primary end point (composite of cardiovascular mortality, heart failure hospitalization, heart transplantation, left ventricular assist device implantation). Repeatedly measured levels of 8 biomarkers correlated with clinical outcomes independent of clinical characteristics. Rates of change over time (slopes of biomarker evolutions) remained independently associated with outcome for 15 biomarkers. Thus, temporal patterns of cytokines and cytokine receptors, in particular tumour necrosis factor ligand superfamily member 13B and interleukin-1 receptor type 1, might contribute to personalized risk assessment

Full-Polarization Observations of OH Masers in Massive Star-Forming Regions: II. Maser Properties and the Interpretation of Polarization

We analyze full-polarization VLBA data of ground-state, main-line OH masers in 18 massive star-forming regions previously presented in a companion paper. The OH masers often arise in the shocked neutral gas surrounding ultracompact Hii regions. Magnetic fields as deduced from OH maser Zeeman splitting are highly ordered, both on the scale of a source as well as the maser clustering scale of ~10^15 cm. Results from our large sample show that this clustering scale appears to be universal to these masers. OH masers around ultracompact Hii regions live ~10^4 years and then turn off abruptly, rather than weakening gradually with time. These masers have a wide range of polarization properties. At one extreme (e.g., W75 N), pi-components are detected and the polarization position angles of maser spots show some organization. At the other extreme (e.g., W51 e1/e2), almost no linear polarization is detected and total polarization fractions can be substantially less than unity. A typical source has properties intermediate to these two extremes. In contrast to the well ordered magnetic field inferred from Zeeman splitting, there is generally no clear pattern in the distribution of polarization position angles. This can be explained if Faraday rotation in a typical OH maser source is large on a maser amplification length but small on a single (e-folding) gain length. Increasing or decreasing Faraday rotation by a factor of ~5 among different sources can explain the observed variation in polarization properties. We suggest that almost all pi-components acquire a signficant amount of circular polarization from low-gain stimulated emission of a sigma-component from OH appropriately shifted in velocity and lying along the propagation path.Comment: AASTeX, 57 pages including 2 tables and 21 figures (1 color), accepted for publication in ApJ