Spleen findings in drowning

A retrospective study of spleen findings in 42 victims of drowning and a comparison group of 42 cases of asphyxiation due to other causes (hanging, ligature strangulation and manual strangulation), that were matched for sex, age, body weight and build, was performed. Significantly smaller spleen weights (P < 0.05), spleen weight:body weight ratios (P < 0.01) and spleen weight:liver weight ratios (P < 0.01) were found in the victims of drowning. The difference in weight was 18%. A significant negative correlation between spleen weight and blood alcohol concentration was found in the study group (r = −0.44; P < 0.01), but not in the control group. The possibility that the findings are due to a stress reaction caused by hypoxia in the presence of cooling and an influence of alcohol on reflex mechanisms is discussed

Strangulation as the primary mechanism for shutting down star formation in galaxies

Local galaxies are broadly divided into two main classes, star-forming (gas-rich) and quiescent (passive and gas-poor). The primary mechanism responsible for quenching star formation in galaxies and transforming them into quiescent and passive systems is still unclear. Sudden removal of gas through outflows or stripping is one of the mechanisms often proposed. An alternative mechanism is so-called "strangulation", in which the supply of cold gas to the galaxy is halted. Here we report that the difference between quiescent and star forming galaxies in terms of stellar metallicity (i.e. the fraction of metals heavier than helium in stellar atmospheres) can be used to discriminate efficiently between the two mechanisms. The analysis of the stellar metallicity in local galaxies, from 26,000 spectra, clearly reveals that strangulation is the primary mechanism responsible for quenching star formation, with a typical timescale of 4 billion years, at least for local galaxies with a stellar mass less than 10^11 solar masses. This result is further supported independently by the stellar age difference between quiescent and star-forming galaxies, which indicates that quiescent galaxies of less than 10^11 solar masses are on average observed four billion years after quenching due to strangulation.Comment: Published in Nature on 14 May 2015 ( http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nature14439

The roles of ram-pressure stripping and minor mergers in evolution of galaxies

We investigate environmental effects on evolution of bright cluster galaxies in a Lambda-dominated cold dark matter universe using a combination of dissipationless N-body simulations and a semi-analytic galaxy formation model. We incorporate effects of ram-pressure stripping (RPS) and minor merger-induced small starburst (minor burst) into our model. By considering minor burst, observed morphology-radius relation is successfully reproduced. When we do not consider minor burst, the RPS hardly increases the intermediate B/T population. In addition, the RPS and minor burst are not important for colours or star formation rates of galaxies in the cluster core if star formation time-scale is properly chosen, because the star formation is sufficiently suppressed by consumption of the cold gas. We also find that SF in bulge-dominated galaxies is mainly terminated by starburst induced by major mergers in all environments.Comment: To appear in the proceedings of IAU colloq. No. 195, "Outskirts of Galaxy Clusters: intense life in the suburbs", Torino, 12-16 March 2004, 5 pages, 2 figures, uses IAU macr

Properties of Galaxy Groups in the SDSS: II.- AGN Feedback and Star Formation Truncation

Successfully reproducing the galaxy luminosity function and the bimodality in the galaxy distribution requires a mechanism that can truncate star formation in massive haloes. Current models of galaxy formation consider two such truncation mechanisms: strangulation, which acts on satellite galaxies, and AGN feedback, which predominantly affects central galaxies. The efficiencies of these processes set the blue fraction of galaxies as function of galaxy luminosity and halo mass. In this paper we use a galaxy group catalogue extracted from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) to determine these fractions. To demonstrate the potential power of this data as a benchmark for galaxy formation models, we compare the results to the semi-analytical model for galaxy formation of Croton et al. (2006). Although this model accurately fits the global statistics of the galaxy population, as well as the shape of the conditional luminosity function, there are significant discrepancies when the blue fraction of galaxies as a function of mass and luminosity is compared between the observations and the model. In particular, the model predicts (i) too many faint satellite galaxies in massive haloes, (ii) a blue fraction of satellites that is much too low, and (iii) a blue fraction of centrals that is too high and with an inverted luminosity dependence. In the same order, we argue that these discrepancies owe to (i) the neglect of tidal stripping in the semi-analytical model, (ii) the oversimplified treatment of strangulation, and (iii) improper modeling of dust extinction and/or AGN feedback. The data presented here will prove useful to test and calibrate future models of galaxy formation and in particular to discriminate between various models for AGN feedback and other star formation truncation mechanisms.Comment: 16 pages, 5 figures, submitted to MNRA

Cluster induced quenching of galaxies in the massive cluster XMMXCSJ2215.9-1738 at z~1.5 traced by enhanced metallicities inside half R200

(Abridged) We explore the massive cluster XMMXCSJ2215.9-1738 at z~1.5 with KMOS spectroscopy of Halpha and [NII] covering a region that corresponds to about one virial radius. Using published spectroscopic redshifts of 108 galaxies in and around the cluster we computed the location of galaxies in the projected velocity vs. position phase-space to separate our cluster sample into a virialized region of objects accreted longer ago (roughly inside half R200) and a region of infalling galaxies. We measured oxygen abundances for ten cluster galaxies with detected [NII] lines in the individual galaxy spectra and compared the MZR of the galaxies inside half R200 with the infalling galaxies and a field sample at similar redshifts. We find that the oxygen abundances of individual z~1.5 star-forming cluster galaxies inside half R200 are comparable, at the respective stellar mass, to the higher local SDSS metallicity values. We find that the [NII]/Halpha line ratios inside half R200 are higher by 0.2 dex and that the resultant metallicities of the galaxies in the inner part of the cluster are higher by about 0.1 dex, at a given mass, than the metallicities of infalling galaxies and of field galaxies at z~1.5. The enhanced metallicities of cluster galaxies at z~1.5 inside half R200 indicate that the density of the ICM in this massive cluster becomes high enough toward the cluster center such that the ram pressure exceeds the restoring pressure of the hot gas reservoir of cluster galaxies. This can remove the gas reservoir initiating quenching; although the galaxies continue to form stars, albeit at slightly lower rates, using the available cold gas in the disk which is not stripped.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&

Trouble in Toyland: The 26th Annual Survey of Toy Safety

Presents findings on toys that may pose choking hazards, are excessively loud, or contain lead, phthalates, or other toxins. Outlines federal standards and makes recommendations for consumers, policy makers, and the Consumer Product Safety Commission

CLASH-VLT: Strangulation of cluster galaxies in MACSJ0416.1-2403 as seen from their chemical enrichment

(abridged) We explore the Frontier Fields cluster MACS J0416.1-2403 at z=0.3972 with VIMOS/VLT spectroscopy from the CLASH-VLT survey covering a region which corresponds to almost three virial radii. We measure fluxes of 5 emission lines of 76 cluster members enabling us to unambiguously derive O/H gas metallicities, and also SFRs from Halpha. For intermediate massses we find a similar distribution of cluster and field galaxies in the MZR and mass vs. sSFR diagrams. Bulge-dominated cluster galaxies have on average lower sSFRs and higher O/Hs compared to their disk-dominated counterparts. We use the location of galaxies in the projected velocity vs. position phase-space to separate our cluster sample into a region of objects accreted longer time ago and a region of recently accreted and infalling galaxies. We find a higher fraction of accreted metal-rich galaxies (63%) compared to the fraction of 28% of metal-rich galaxies in the infalling regions. Intermediate mass galaxies falling into the cluster for the first time are found to be in agreement with predictions of the fundamental metallicity relation. In contrast, for already accreted star-forming galaxies of similar masses, we find on average metallicities higher than predicted by the models. This trend is intensified for accreted cluster galaxies of the lowest mass bin, that display metallicities 2-3 times higher than predicted by models with primordial gas inflow. Environmental effects therefore strongly influence gas regulations and control gas metallicities of log(M/Msun)<10.2 (Salpeter IMF) cluster galaxies. We also investigate chemical evolutionary paths of model galaxies with and without inflow of gas showing that strangulation is needed to explain the higher metallicities of accreted cluster galaxies. Our results favor a strangulation scenario in which gas inflow stops for log(M/Msun)<10.2 galaxies when accreted by the cluster.Comment: Version better matched to the published version, including table with observed and derived quantities for the 76 cluster galaxie

Where do "red and dead" early-type void galaxies come from?

Void regions of the Universe offer a special environment for studying cosmology and galaxy formation, which may expose weaknesses in our understanding of these phenomena. Although galaxies in voids are observed to be predominately gas rich, star forming and blue, a sub-population of bright red void galaxies can also be found, whose star formation was shut down long ago. Are the same processes that quench star formation in denser regions of the Universe also at work in voids? We compare the luminosity function of void galaxies in the 2dF Galaxy Redshift Survey, to those from a galaxy formation model built on the Millennium Simulation. We show that a global star formation suppression mechanism in the form of low luminosity "radio mode" AGN heating is sufficient to reproduce the observed population of void early-types. Radio mode heating is environment independent other than its dependence on dark matter halo mass, where, above a critical mass threshold of approximately M_vir~10^12.5 M_sun, gas cooling onto the galaxy is suppressed and star formation subsequently fades. In the Millennium Simulation, the void halo mass function is shifted with respect to denser environments, but still maintains a high mass tail above this critical threshold. In such void halos, radio mode heating remains efficient and red galaxies are found; collectively these galaxies match the observed space density without any modification to the model. Consequently, galaxies living in vastly different large-scale environments but hosted by halos of similar mass are predicted to have similar properties, consistent with observations.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures, accepted MNRA

Descriptive Analysis of Sexual Assault Nurse Examinations in Anchorage: 1996-2004

This project examined the characteristics of 1,383 sexual assault victimizations recorded by sexual assault nurse examiners in Anchorage, Alaska from 1996 to 2004. The report documents the demographic characteristics of patients, pre-assault characteristics, assault characteristics, post-assault characteristics, exam characteristics and findings, suspect characteristics, and legal resolutions.National Institute of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. Grant No. 2004-WB-GX-0003Index of Tables and Figures / Acknowledgments \ Executive Summary Descriptive Analysis / Sexual Assaults in Anchorage: 1996-2004 / Sexual Assault Nurse Examinations / Purpose of this Study / Methodology / Sample and Data Limitations / Demographic Characteristics of Patients / Pre-Assault Characteristics / Assault Characteristics / Post-Assault Characteristics / Exam Characteristics and Findings / Suspect Characteristics / Legal Resolutions / Appendix A – Data Collection Instrumen

Intra-uterine fetal demise caused by amniotic band syndrome after standard amniocentesis

The amniotic band syndrome represents a prime example of exogenous disruption of an otherwise normal feta I development. It may be a sequel of invasive diagnostic procedures such as amniocentesis or fetal blood sampling. A 38-year-old gravida II, para II delivered a morphologically normal male stillborn at term. The pregnancy history had been unremarkable but for an early 2nd-trimester amniocentesis. Cause of the intra-uterine fetal demise was noted to be an amniotic band constricting the umbilical cord, An amniotic band is a rare but potentially fatal condition which may be induced by, e.g., invasive prenatal procedures. Such bands are not usually diagnosed prenatally; however, selected patients with augmented risk may profit from intensive ultrasound evaluation including Doppler studies. Copyright (C) 2000 S. Karger AG, Basel