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Objectives: To assess the reproducibility of 3D delayed gadolinium-enhanced MRI of cartilage (dGEMRIC) at 3 T in early stage knee osteoarthritis (OA) patients. Methods: In 20 patients, 3D dGEMRIC at 3 T was acquired twice within 7 days. To correct for patient motion during acquisition, all images were rigidly registered in 3D. Eight anatomical cartilage ROIs were analysed on both images of each patient. Capability of dGEMRIC to yield T1 maps that reproducibly distinguish spatial differences in cartilage quality was assessed in two ROIs within a single slice in each patient. Reproducibility was assessed using ICCs and Bland-Altman plots. Results: ICCs ranged from 0.87 to 0.95, indicating good reproducibility. T1 maps revealed reproducible spatial differences in cartilage quality (ICC 0.79). Based on the Bland-Altman plots, we defined a threshold of 95 ms to determine if a change in dGEMRIC outcome in longitudinal research was statistically significant. Conclusions: 3D knee dGEMRIC at 3 T combined with 3D image registration is a highly reproducible measure of cartilage quality in early stage OA. Therefore, dGEMRIC may be a valuable tool in the non-invasive evaluation of cartilage quality changes in longitudinal research in patients with early stage OA and focal cartilage defects. Key Points: • Delayed gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging of cartilage (dGEMRIC) can assess osteoarthritis • dGEMRIC yields highly reproducible T1 values in early stage osteoarthritic patients • A threshold was established to determine significant changes in dGEMRIC outcomes • dGEMRIC can be used to evaluate cartilage quality in longitudinal research [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Massive stars can determine the evolution of molecular clouds by eroding and photo-evaporating their surfaces with strong ultraviolet (UV) radiation fields. Moreover, UV radiation is relevant in setting the thermal gas pressure in star-forming clouds, whose influence can extend across various spatial scales, from the rims of molecular clouds to entire star-forming galaxies. Probing the fundamental structure of nearby molecular clouds is therefore crucial to understand how massive stars shape their surrounding medium and how fast molecular clouds are destroyed, specifically at their UV-illuminated edges, where models predict an intermediate zone of neutral atomic gas between the molecular cloud and the surrounding ionized gas whose size is directly related to the exposed physical conditions. We present the highest angular resolution (~0.″5, corresponding to 207 au) and velocity-resolved images of the molecular gas emission in the Horsehead nebula, using CO J = 3–2 and HCO+J = 4−3 observations with the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA). We find that CO and HCO+ are present at the edge of the cloud, very close to the ionization (H+/H) and dissociation fronts (H/H2), suggesting a very thin layer of neutral atomic gas (<650 au) and a small amount of CO-dark gas (AV = 0.006–0.26 mag) for stellar UV illumination conditions typical of molecular clouds in the Milky Way. The new ALMA observations reveal a web of molecular gas filaments with an estimated thermal gas pressure of Pth = (2.3 – 4.0) × 106 K cm−3, and the presence of a steep density gradient at the cloud edge that can be well explained by stationary isobaric photo-dissociation region (PDR) models with pressures consistent with our estimations. However, in the H II region and PDR interface, we find Pth,PDR > Pth,H II suggesting the gas is slightly compressed. Therefore, dynamical effects cannot be completely ruled out and even higher angular observations will be needed to unveil their role. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our previous study on dissociative recombination of ground state SH+ through 2Π states of SH is extended by taking into account the contribution of 4Π states recently explored by quantum chemistry methods. Multichannel quantum defect theory is employed for the computation of cross sections and rate coefficients for dissociative recombination, but also for vibrational excitation. Furthermore, we produce the atomic yields resulting from recombination, quantifying the generation of sulfur atoms in their ground (3P) and lowest excited (1D) states, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. Water photodissociation in the 114–143 nm UV range forms excited OH which emits at mid-infrared (MIR) wavelengths via highly excited rotational lines. These lines have only been detected with Spitzer in proto-planetary disks and shocks. Previous studies have shown that they are a unique diagnostic for water photodissociation. Thanks to its high sensitivity and angular resolution, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) could be able to detect them in other environments such as interstellar photodissociation regions (PDRs). Aims. Our goal is to predict OH MIR lines for a large range of thermal pressures and UV fields in PDRs. Methods. We use the Meudon PDR Code to compute the thermal and chemical structure of PDRs. In order to predict the emerging spectrum of OH, we amended the code to include prompt emission induced by H2O photodissociation between 114 and 143 nm. We performed a detailed study of the influence of thermal pressure (Pth/k = nHTK) and UV field strength on the integrated intensities and their detectability with the JWST. Results. OH MIR emission is predicted to originate very close to the H0/H2 transition and is directly proportional to the column density of water photodissociated in that layer. Because gas-phase neutral-neutral reactions forming water require relatively high temperatures (TK ≳ 300 K), the resulting OH MIR lines are primarily correlated with the temperature at this position, and are therefore brighter in regions with high pressure. This implies that these lines are predicted to be only detectable in strongly irradiated PDRs (G0incident > 103) with high thermal pressure (Pth/k ≳ 5x107 K cm–3). In the latter case, OH MIR lines are less dependent on the strength of the incident UV field. The detection of such lines in PDRs such as the Orion bar – which should be possible – is also investigated and we show that the line-to-continuum ratio could be a major limitation for detection because of instrumental limitations. Conclusions. OH MIR lines observable by JWST are a promising diagnostic for dense and strongly irradiated PDRs and proplyds. Their intensities are directly proportional to the amount of water photodissociated and they are therefore an indirect but sensitive probe of the gas temperature at the H0/H2 transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study explored group-wise quantitative measures of tract-specific white matter (WM) microstructure and functional default mode network (DMN) connectivity to establish an initial indication of their clinical applicability for early-stage and follow-up differential diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD).Methods: Eleven AD and 12 bvFTD early-stage patients and 18 controls underwent diffusion tensor imaging and resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging at 3 T. All AD and 6 bvFTD patients underwent the same protocol at 1-year follow-up. Functional connectivity measures of DMN and WM tract-specific diffusivity measures were determined for all groups. Exploratory analyses were performed to compare all measures between the three groups at baseline and between patients at follow-up. Additionally, the difference between baseline and follow-up diffusivity measures in AD and bvFTD patients was compared.Results: Functional connectivity of the DMN was not different between groups at baseline and at follow-up. Diffusion abnormalities were observed widely in bvFTD and regionally in the hippocampal cingulum in AD. The extent of the differences between bvFTD and AD was diminished at follow-up, yet abnormalities were still more pronounced in bvFTD. The rate of change was similar in bvFTD and AD.Conclusions: This study provides a tentative indication that quantitative tract-specific microstructural WM abnormalities, but not quantitative functional connectivity of the DMN, may aid early-stage and follow-up differential diagnosis of bvFTD and AD. Specifically, pronounced microstructural changes in anterior WM tracts may characterise bvFTD, whereas microstructural abnormalities of the hippocampal cingulum may characterise AD.Key Points: • The clinical applicability of quantitative brain imaging measures for early-stage and follow-up differential diagnosis of dementia subtypes was explored using a group-wise approach. • Quantitative tract-specific microstructural white matter abnormalities, but not quantitative functional connectivity of the default mode network, may aid early-stage and follow-up differential diagnosis of behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia and Alzheimer's disease. • Pronounced microstructural white matter (WM) changes in anterior WM tracts characterise behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia, whereas microstructural WM abnormalities of the hippocampal cingulum in the absence of other WM changes characterise Alzheimer's disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. L1630 in the Orion B molecular cloud, which includes the iconic Horsehead Nebula, illuminated by the star system σ Ori, is an example of a photodissociation region (PDR). In PDRs, stellar radiation impinges on the surface of dense material, often a molecular cloud, thereby inducing a complex network of chemical reactions and physical processes. Aims. Observations toward L1630 allow us to study the interplay between stellar radiation and a molecular cloud under relatively benign conditions, that is, intermediate densities and an intermediate UV radiation field. Contrary to the well-studied Orion Molecular Cloud 1 (OMC1), which hosts much harsher conditions, L1630 has little star formation. Our goal is to relate the [C ii] fine-structure line emission to the physical conditions predominant in L1630 and compare it to studies of OMC1. Methods. The [C ii] 158 μm line emission of L1630 around the Horsehead Nebula, an area of 12' × 17', was observed using the upgraded German Receiver for Astronomy at Terahertz Frequencies (upGREAT) onboard the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA). Results. Of the [C ii] emission from the mapped area 95%, 13 L☉, originates from the molecular cloud; the adjacent Hii region contributes only 5%, that is, 1 L☉. From comparison with other data (CO (1-0)-line emission, far-infrared (FIR) continuum studies, emission from polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)), we infer a gas density of the molecular cloud of nH ~ 3 × 103 cm-3, with surface layers, including the Horsehead Nebula, having a density of up to nH ~ 4 × 104 cm-3. The temperature of the surface gas is T ~ 100K. The average [C ii] cooling effciency within the molecular cloud is 1:3 × 10-2. The fraction of the mass of the molecular cloud within the studied area that is traced by [C ii] is only 8%. Our PDR models are able to reproduce the FIR-[C ii] correlations and also the CO(1-0)-[C ii] correlations. Finally, we compare our results on the heating effciency of the gas with theoretical studies of photoelectric heating by PAHs, clusters of PAHs, and very small grains, and find the heating effciency to be lower than theoretically predicted, a continuation of the trend set by other observations. Conclusions. In L1630 only a small fraction of the gas mass is traced by [C ii]. Most of the [C ii] emission in the mapped area stems from PDR surfaces. The layered edge-on structure of the molecular cloud and limitations in spatial resolution put constraints on our ability to relate different tracers to each other and to the physical conditions. From our study, we conclude that the relation between [C ii] emission and physical conditions is likely to be more complicated than often assumed. The theoretical heating effciency is higher than the one we calculate from the observed [C ii] emission in the L1630 molecular cloud. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]