The chemistry and spatial distribution of small hydrocarbons in UV-irradiated molecular clouds: The Orion Bar PDR

[Context] Carbon chemistry plays a pivotal role in the interstellar medium (ISM) but even the synthesis of the simplest hydrocarbons and how they relate to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and grains is not well understood.[Aims] We study the spatial distribution and chemistry of small hydrocarbons in the Orion Bar photodissociation region (PDR), a prototypical environment in which to investigate molecular gas irradiated by strong UV fields.[Methods] We used the IRAM 30 m telescope to carry out a millimetre line survey towards the Orion Bar edge, complemented with ∼2′ × 2′ maps of the C2H and c-C3H2 emission. We analyse the excitation of the detected hydrocarbons and constrain the physical conditions of the emitting regions with non-LTE radiative transfer models. We compare the inferred column densities with updated gas-phase photochemical models including 13CCH and C13CH isotopomer fractionation.[Results] Approximately 40% of the lines in the survey arise from hydrocarbons (C2H, C4H, c-C3H2, c-C3H, C13CH, 13CCH, l-C3H, and l-H2C3 in decreasing order of abundance). We detect new lines from l-C3H+ and improve its rotational spectroscopic constants. Anions or deuterated hydrocarbons are not detected, but we provide accurate upper limit abundances: [C2D]/[C2H] < 0.2%, [C2H−]/[C2H] < 0.007%, and [C4H−]/[C4H] < 0.05%.[Conclusions] Our models can reasonably match the observed column densities of most hydrocarbons (within factors of <3). Since the observed spatial distribution of the C2H and c-C3H2 emission is similar but does not follow the PAH emission, we conclude that, in high UV-flux PDRs, photodestruction of PAHs is not a necessary requirement to explain the observed abundances of the smallest hydrocarbons. Instead, gas-phase endothermic reactions (or with barriers) between C+, radicals, and H2 enhance the formation of simple hydrocarbons. Observations and models suggest that the [C2H]/[c-C3H2] ratio (~32 at the PDR edge) decreases with the UV field attenuation. The observed low cyclic-to-linear C3H column density ratio (≤3) is consistent with a high electron abundance (xe) PDR environment. In fact, the poorly constrained xe gradient influences much of the hydrocarbon chemistry in the more UV-shielded gas. The inferred hot rotational temperatures for C4H and l-C3H+ also suggest that radiative IR pumping affects their excitation. We propose that reactions of C2H isotopologues with 13C+ and H atoms can explain the observed [C13CH]/[13CCH] = 1.4 ± 0.1 fractionation level.This work has been partially funded by MINECO grants (CSD2009-00038, AYA2009-07304, and AYA2012-32032). S.C. acknowledges support from FPI-INTA grant. P.P. acknowledges financial support from the Centre National d’Études Spatiales (CNES)

Breast cryoablation in patients with bone metastatic breast cancer

PURPOSE: To assess retrospectively the safety and feasibility of palliative breast cryoablation to treat primary breast tumors in patients with stage IV breast cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In 17 female patients (mean age ± SD, 59 y ± 13; range, 37-81 y) with 22 bone metastatic ductal invasive breast lesions (2.5 cm × 1.6 cm ± 1.4 × 1.1; range, 1.0 cm × 0.5 cm to 6.7 cm × 5.5 cm), 19 computed tomography (CT)-guided percutaneous cryoablation sessions were performed for treatment of primary breast tumors. All patients had radiologic evidence (contrast-enhanced CT or magnetic resonance imaging) of persistence or progression of the primary breast cancer despite systemic therapy. The radiologic outcome was evaluated with a mean follow-up period of 13 months (range, 3-31 mo). Treatment of skeletal metastases was unnecessary during the follow-up period. RESULTS: All of the cryoablation sessions were completed and well tolerated. Complete regression of the disease was achieved in 15 (88%) patients 2 months after the cryoablation. Two (12%) patients underwent a second cryoablation treatment because of a minimal persistence of viable tumor (residual disease). No relapse of primary tumors was observed on breast imaging during the follow-up period. One patient (6%) developed a new lesion localized to the contralateral breast. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that palliative cryoablation of primary advanced breast cancer is a well-tolerated, feasible, and effective treatment option. Given the palliative effects of breast cryoablation demonstrated in this series, larger studies replicating these results are warranted.</br

Wind and Turbulence Observations With the Mars Microphone on Perseverance

International audienceWe utilize SuperCam's Mars microphone to provide information on wind speed and turbulence at high frequencies on Mars. To do so, we first demonstrate the sensitivity of the microphone signal level to wind speed, yielding a power law dependence. We then show the relationship between the microphone signal level and pressure, air and ground temperatures. A calibration function is constructed using Gaussian process regression (a machine learning technique) taking the microphone signal and air temperature as inputs to produce an estimate of the wind speed. This provides a high rate wind speed estimate on Mars, with a sample every 0.01 s. As a result, we determine the fast fluctuations of the wind at Jezero crater which highlights the nature of wind gusts over the Martian day. To analyze the turbulent behavior of this wind speed estimate, we calculate its normalized standard deviation, known as gustiness. To characterize the behavior of this high frequency turbulent intensity at Jezero crater, correlations are shown between the evaluated gustiness statistic and pressure drop rates/sizes, temperature and energy fluxes. This has implications for future atmospheric models on Mars, taking into account turbulence at the finest scales

Validation of the Italian version of the Movement Disorder Society--Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale.

The Movement Disorder Society-sponsored revision of the Unified Parkinson\u2019s Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS) has been available in English since 2008. As part of this process, the MDS-UPDRS organizing team developed guidelines for development of official non-English translations. We present here the formal process for completing officially approved non-English versions of the MDS-UPDRS and specifically focus on the first of these versions in Italian. The MDS-UPDRS was translated into Italian and tested in 377 native-Italian speaking PD patients. Confirmatory and exploratory factor analyses determined whether the factor structure for the English-language MDS-UPDRS could be confirmed in data collected using the Italian translation. To be designated an \u2018Official MDS translation,\u2019 the Comparative Fit Index (CFI) had to be 650.90 relative to the English-language version. For all four parts of the Italian MDS-UPDRS, the CFI, in comparison with the English-language data, was 650.94. Exploratory factor analyses revealed some differences between the two datasets, however these differences were considered to be within an acceptable range. The Italian version of the MDS-UPDRS reaches the criterion to be designated as an Official Translation and is now available for use. This protocol will serve as outline for further validation of this in multiple languages