Rotation Curves of Spiral Galaxies

Rotation curves of spiral galaxies are the major tool for determining the distribution of mass in spiral galaxies. They provide fundamental information for understanding the dynamics, evolution and formation of spiral galaxies. We describe various methods to derive rotation curves, and review the results obtained. We discuss the basic characteristics of observed rotation curves in relation to various galaxy properties, such as Hubble type, structure, activity, and environment.Comment: 40 pages, 6 gif figures; Ann. Rev. Astron. Astrophys. Vol. 39, p.137, 200

A review of elliptical and disc galaxy structure, and modern scaling laws

A century ago, in 1911 and 1913, Plummer and then Reynolds introduced their models to describe the radial distribution of stars in `nebulae'. This article reviews the progress since then, providing both an historical perspective and a contemporary review of the stellar structure of bulges, discs and elliptical galaxies. The quantification of galaxy nuclei, such as central mass deficits and excess nuclear light, plus the structure of dark matter halos and cD galaxy envelopes, are discussed. Issues pertaining to spiral galaxies including dust, bulge-to-disc ratios, bulgeless galaxies, bars and the identification of pseudobulges are also reviewed. An array of modern scaling relations involving sizes, luminosities, surface brightnesses and stellar concentrations are presented, many of which are shown to be curved. These 'redshift zero' relations not only quantify the behavior and nature of galaxies in the Universe today, but are the modern benchmark for evolutionary studies of galaxies, whether based on observations, N-body-simulations or semi-analytical modelling. For example, it is shown that some of the recently discovered compact elliptical galaxies at 1.5 < z < 2.5 may be the bulges of modern disc galaxies.Comment: Condensed version (due to Contract) of an invited review article to appear in "Planets, Stars and Stellar Systems"(www.springer.com/astronomy/book/978-90-481-8818-5). 500+ references incl. many somewhat forgotten, pioneer papers. Original submission to Springer: 07-June-201

A Dutch guideline for the treatment of scoliosis in neuromuscular disorders

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Children with neuromuscular disorders with a progressive muscle weakness such as Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and Spinal Muscular Atrophy frequently develop a progressive scoliosis. A severe scoliosis compromises respiratory function and makes sitting more difficult. Spinal surgery is considered the primary treatment option for correcting severe scoliosis in neuromuscular disorders. Surgery in this population requires a multidisciplinary approach, careful planning, dedicated surgical procedures, and specialized after care.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The guideline is based on scientific evidence and expert opinions. A multidisciplinary working group representing experts from all relevant specialties performed the research. A literature search was conducted to collect scientific evidence in answer to specific questions posed by the working group. Literature was classified according to the level of evidence.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>For most aspects of the treatment scientific evidence is scarce and only low level cohort studies were found. Nevertheless, a high degree of consensus was reached about the management of patients with scoliosis in neuromuscular disorders. This was translated into a set of recommendations, which are now officially accepted as a general guideline in the Netherlands.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>In order to optimize the treatment for scoliosis in neuromuscular disorders a Dutch guideline has been composed. This evidence-based, multidisciplinary guideline addresses conservative treatment, the preoperative, perioperative, and postoperative care of scoliosis in neuromuscular disorders.</p

Capturing the cloud of diversity reveals complexity and heterogeneity of MRSA carriage, infection and transmission.

Genome sequencing is revolutionizing clinical microbiology and our understanding of infectious diseases. Previous studies have largely relied on the sequencing of a single isolate from each individual. However, it is not clear what degree of bacterial diversity exists within, and is transmitted between individuals. Understanding this 'cloud of diversity' is key to accurate identification of transmission pathways. Here, we report the deep sequencing of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus among staff and animal patients involved in a transmission network at a veterinary hospital. We demonstrate considerable within-host diversity and that within-host diversity may rise and fall over time. Isolates from invasive disease contained multiple mutations in the same genes, including inactivation of a global regulator of virulence and changes in phage copy number. This study highlights the need for sequencing of multiple isolates from individuals to gain an accurate picture of transmission networks and to further understand the basis of pathogenesis.Thanks to Dr Alex O’Neill, University of Leeds and Dr Matthew Ellington, Public Health England for provision of RN4220 and RN4200mutS. We thank the core sequencing and informatics team at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute for sequencing of the isolates described in this study. This work was supported by a Medical Research Council Partnership grant (G1001787/1) held between the Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge (M.A.H.), the School of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge (S.J.P.), the Moredun Research Institute, and the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute (J.P. and S.J.P). S.J.P. receives support from the NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre. M.T.G.H., S.R.H. and J.P. were funded by Wellcome Trust grant no. 098051. G.G.R.M. was funded by an MRC studentship.This is the final version of the article. It first appeared from Nature Publishing Group via http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/ncomms756

Weight outcomes audit in 1.3 million adults during their first 3 months' attendance in a commercial weight management programme

Background: Over sixty percent of adults in the UK are now overweight/obese. Weight management on a national scale requires behavioural and lifestyle solutions that are accessible to large numbers of people. Evidence suggests commercial weight management programmes help people manage their weight but there is little research examining those that pay to attend such programmes rather than being referred by primary care. The objective of this analysis was to evaluate the effectiveness of a UK commercial weight management programme in self-referred, fee-paying participants. Methods: Electronic weekly weight records were collated for self-referred, fee-paying participants of Slimming World groups joining between January 2010 and April 2012. This analysis reports weight outcomes in 1,356,105 adult, non-pregnant participants during their first 3 months’ attendance. Data were analysed by regression, ANOVA and for binomial outcomes, chi-squared tests using the R statistical program. Results: Mean (SD) age was 42.3 (13.6) years, height 1.65 m (0.08) and start weight was 88.4 kg (18.8). Mean start BMI was 32.6 kg/m² (6.3 kg/m²) and 5 % of participants were men. Mean weight change of all participants was −3.9 kg (3.6), percent weight change −4.4 (3.8), and BMI change was −1.4 kg/m² (1.3). Mean attendance was 7.8 (4.3) sessions in their first 3 months. For participants attending at least 75 % of possible weekly sessions (n = 478,772), mean BMI change was −2.5 kg/m² (1.3), weight change −6.8 kg (3.7) and percent weight change −7.5 % (3.5). Weight loss was greater in men than women absolutely (−6.5 (5.3) kg vs −3.8 (3.4) kg) and as a percentage (5.7 % (4.4) vs 4.3 % (3.7)), respectively. All comparisons were significant (p < 0.001). Level of attendance and percent weight loss in the first week of attendance together accounted for 55 % of the variability in weight lost during the study period. Conclusions: A large-scale commercial lifestyle-based weight management programme had a significant impact on weight loss outcomes over 3 months. Higher levels of attendance led to levels of weight loss known to be associated with significant clinical benefits, which on this scale may have an impact on public health

Current and prospective pharmacological targets in relation to antimigraine action

Migraine is a recurrent incapacitating neurovascular disorder characterized by unilateral and throbbing headaches associated with photophobia, phonophobia, nausea, and vomiting. Current specific drugs used in the acute treatment of migraine interact with vascular receptors, a fact that has raised concerns about their cardiovascular safety. In the past, α-adrenoceptor agonists (ergotamine, dihydroergotamine, isometheptene) were used. The last two decades have witnessed the advent of 5-HT1B/1D receptor agonists (sumatriptan and second-generation triptans), which have a well-established efficacy in the acute treatment of migraine. Moreover, current prophylactic treatments of migraine include 5-HT2 receptor antagonists, Ca2+ channel blockers, and β-adrenoceptor antagonists. Despite the progress in migraine research and in view of its complex etiology, this disease still remains underdiagnosed, and available therapies are underused. In this review, we have discussed pharmacological targets in migraine, with special emphasis on compounds acting on 5-HT (5-HT1-7), adrenergic (α1, α2, and β), calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP 1 and CGRP2), adenosine (A1, A2, and A3), glutamate (NMDA, AMPA, kainate, and metabotropic), dopamine, endothelin, and female hormone (estrogen and progesterone) receptors. In addition, we have considered some other targets, including gamma-aminobutyric acid, angiotensin, bradykinin, histamine, and ionotropic receptors, in relation to antimigraine therapy. Finally, the cardiovascular safety of current and prospective antimigraine therapies is touched upon

Expanding the diversity of mycobacteriophages: Insights into genome architecture and evolution

Mycobacteriophages are viruses that infect mycobacterial hosts such as Mycobacterium smegmatis and Mycobacterium tuberculosis. All mycobacteriophages characterized to date are dsDNA tailed phages, and have either siphoviral or myoviral morphotypes. However, their genetic diversity is considerable, and although sixty-two genomes have been sequenced and comparatively analyzed, these likely represent only a small portion of the diversity of the mycobacteriophage population at large. Here we report the isolation, sequencing and comparative genomic analysis of 18 new mycobacteriophages isolated from geographically distinct locations within the United States. Although no clear correlation between location and genome type can be discerned, these genomes expand our knowledge of mycobacteriophage diversity and enhance our understanding of the roles of mobile elements in viral evolution. Expansion of the number of mycobacteriophages grouped within Cluster A provides insights into the basis of immune specificity in these temperate phages, and we also describe a novel example of apparent immunity theft. The isolation and genomic analysis of bacteriophages by freshman college students provides an example of an authentic research experience for novice scientists. © 2011 Hatfull et al

Quantitative Muscle Magnetic Resonance Outcomes in Patients with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy: An Exploratory Analysis from the EMBARK Randomized Clinical Trial

\ua9 2025 Vandenborne K et al. JAMA Neurology.Importance: Delandistrogene moxeparvovec is a recombinant adeno-Associated virus rhesus isolate serotype 74 vector-based gene transfer therapy for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) in patients with a confirmed pathogenic variant of the DMD gene. In a subset of patients in the EMBARK (A Gene Transfer Therapy Study to Evaluate the Safety and Efficacy of Delandistrogene Moxeparvovec [SRP-9001] in Participants With DMD) randomized clinical trial, changes in muscle health and pathology were assessed to evaluate the therapeutic impact of the treatment on disease progression. Objective: To determine the effect of delandistrogene moxeparvovec on muscle quantitative magnetic resonance (QMR) measures of disease progression in patients in the EMBARK trial. Design, Setting, and Participants: This was a phase 3, double-blind, placebo-controlled (October 2021-September 2023; week 52 cutoff date: September 13, 2023), multicenter randomized clinical trial that included 131 patients. Patients were randomized, and 125 were treated with either delandistrogene moxeparvovec (n = 63) or placebo (n = 62). The current study focused on a subset of patients who underwent muscle QMR imaging. Intervention: Single-Administration intravenous delandistrogene moxeparvovec (1.33 7 1014 vector genome/kg) or placebo. Main Outcomes and Measures: Change from baseline to week 52 in muscle MR was a prespecified exploratory end point. Proton MR spectroscopy (MRS) and 8-point Dixon MR imaging (MRI) measured muscle fat fraction (FF); multislice spin echo MRI measured transverse relaxation time (T2). MRS FF was measured in the soleus and vastus lateralis. MRI FF and T2 were measured in 5 leg muscle locations important for ambulation. A post hoc global statistical test combining all muscles and modalities assessed overall treatment effect. Results: In this exploratory EMBARK analysis, 39 male participants (delandistrogene moxeparvovec, n = 19; placebo, n = 20; mean [SD] age, 6.10 [1.04] years; mean [SD] baseline North Star Ambulatory Assessment total score, 22.99 [3.71] points) underwent muscle MRI. Treated patients showed less disease progression vs placebo on MR measures. Across muscles and modalities, magnitudes of FF change favored delandistrogene moxeparvovec; between-group differences in least-squares mean change ranged from-1.01 (95% CI,-2.79 to 0.77; soleus) to-0.71 (95% CI,-3.21 to 1.80; vastus lateralis) for MRS FF and-3.09 (95% CI,-7.62 to 1.45; vastus lateralis) to-0.44 (95% CI,-4.01 to 3.12; hamstrings) for MRI FF. T2 reductions (improvements; 4 of 5 muscles) were observed in treated patients vs increases (worsening; all muscles) in placebo patients; within-group differences in least-squares mean change ranged from-1.06 (95% CI,-2.10 to-0.02; soleus) to 0.17 (95% CI,-1.76 to 2.10; biceps femoris) in the delandistrogene moxeparvovec group and from 1.12 (95% CI, 0.08-2.16; soleus) to 2.94 (95% CI, 0.84-5.03; quadriceps) in the placebo group. The global statistical test supported treatment benefit (P =.03). Conclusions and Relevance: Results reveal that QMR outcomes consistently favored delandistrogene moxeparvovec across muscle groups, with treatment leading to decreased fat accumulation and improved T2 vs placebo over 52 weeks. Consistent with treatment effects on functional outcomes observed in the EMBARK trial, these results suggest stabilization or less progression of muscle pathology with delandistrogene moxeparvovec-adding to the totality of evidence supporting disease stabilization or slowing of disease progression with delandistrogene moxeparvovec. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05096221

Anthropometric Variables Accurately Predict Dual Energy X-Ray Absorptiometric-Derived Body Composition and Can Be Used to Screen for Diabetes

The current world-wide epidemic of obesity has stimulated interest in developing simple screening methods to identify individuals with undiagnosed diabetes mellitus type 2 (DM2) or metabolic syndrome (MS). Prior work utilizing body composition obtained by sophisticated technology has shown that the ratio of abdominal fat to total fat is a good predictor for DM2 or MS. The goals of this study were to determine how well simple anthropometric variables predict the fat mass distribution as determined by dual energy x-ray absorptometry (DXA), and whether these are useful to screen for DM2 or MS within a population. To accomplish this, the body composition of 341 females spanning a wide range of body mass indices and with a 23% prevalence of DM2 and MS was determined using DXA. Stepwise linear regression models incorporating age, weight, height, waistline, and hipline predicted DXA body composition (i.e., fat mass, trunk fat, fat free mass, and total mass) with good accuracy. Using body composition as independent variables, nominal logistic regression was then performed to estimate the probability of DM2. The results show good discrimination with the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) having an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.78. The anthropometrically-derived body composition equations derived from the full DXA study group were then applied to a group of 1153 female patients selected from a general endocrinology practice. Similar to the smaller study group, the ROC from logistical regression using body composition had an AUC of 0.81 for the detection of DM2. These results are superior to screening based on questionnaires and compare favorably with published data derived from invasive testing, e.g., hemoglobin A1c. This anthropometric approach offers promise for the development of simple, inexpensive, non-invasive screening to identify individuals with metabolic dysfunction within large populations