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These data confirm the presence of increased oxidative stress and immune activation in ALS patients. HNE is also suggested as a possible biomarker of disease.

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New 3.3-3.6 µm spectra were obtained of nine young stellar objects embedded in molecular clouds. An absorption feature at ∼3.47 µm (2880 cm −1 ) with FWHM∼0.09 µm (80 cm −1 ), first identified by Allamandola et al. (1992), was definitively detected toward seven objects, and marginally in the other two. The feature is better correlated with H 2 O ice than with the silicate dust optical depth in the data obtained to date. Assuming the feature is due to a C-H stretch absorption, the abundance of the C-H bonds averaged along the lines of sight is closely related to that of H 2 O ice. We interpret the correlation with H 2 O ice as indicating that the C-H bonds form together with H 2 O ice on grain surfaces in the molecular clouds, though other formation mechanisms are not ruled out. A second absorption feature at 3.25 µm (3080 cm −1 ) was detected toward NGC7538/IRS 1 and S140/IRS 1; this feature was first detected in spectra of MonR2/IRS 3 (Sellgren, Smith, & Brooke 1994;Sellgren et al. 1995). There is as yet insufficient data to tell whether this feature is better correlated with H 2 O ice or silicates.

A marker of lipid peroxidation 4-hydroxynonenal (HNE) was elevated in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of a patient with sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (sALS) compared with that of most patients with other neurological diseases. Such elevations of HNE were sufficient to kill cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)-differentiated motor neuron hybrid cells in vitro, and anti-oxidants prevented this HNE-dependent cell death. These data suggest that oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation are associated with and may promote motor neuron degeneration in sALS.