A search for features in early-type galaxies

We have conducted a search for dust lanes, incipient stellar disks, bars, shells, and other deviations from elliptical symmetry in a sample of 159 early-type galaxies. The data are from the CCD surface-photometry survey of Djorgovski (1985a), for which the selection effects are well understood. The image-processing technique used is division by a purely elliptical model image, constructed from the surfacephotometry profiles for a given object (best-fit surface brightness, ellipticity, and position angle as functions of semimajor axis). Our sample contains 116 elliptical galaxies, 33 SO galaxies, and ten intermediate types. Some galaxies that might better be classified as “dusty ellipticals“ (in that they contain no obvious stellar disk) are included among the SOs. Forty-two of the ellipticals (36%) either definitely or very likely contain dust, either in patches or in well-defined lanes or rings. Five of the E/SO galaxies (50%) also show possible or definite dust, as do 15 (47%) of the SOs. Three of the elliptical galaxies definitely contain stellar disks, with several more possible candidates. Thus, approximately 50% of the elliptical galaxies show “features“ of some kind. The detection of features is dependent on the signal-to-noise ratio of the data, so these numbers represent lower limits. The presence of dust in the galaxies classified as ellipticals does not seem to depend on any intrinsic characteristic of the galaxy. The dusty ellipticals do seem to prefer low-density environments. The “elliptical“ galaxies with disks tend to have higher ellipticities and larger two-wave Fourier residuals, an effect also described by Carter ( 1987). These galaxies may be preferentially found in higher-density environments, and may be lower-luminosity systems, but these statements are based on very small-number statistics (ten galaxies out of a total of 116), and no strong conclusions may be drawn. However, our results clearly further blur the distinction between ellipticals and SOs

Postoperative sepsis in infants below 6 months of age

Background: Sepsis is a threatening postoperative complication especially in small infants. Regarding the advances in perinatal medicine, its incidence is unknown to date. We aimed to investigate the incidence, risk factors, laboratory findings and outcome of postoperative sepsis in infants younger than 6 months old. Methods: We examined postoperative sepsis in babies below 6 months of age during a 4-year period at a tertiary pediatric institution. Results: The rate of postoperative sepsis was 6.9%. Laparotomy with enterotomy, thoracotomy and diaphragmatic hernia repair (P<0.05, respectively) as well as low postnatal age and long operation time (P<0.001, respectively) were correlated with the incidence of sepsis. Significant independent predictors for the development of sepsis were the presence of a central venous catheter and perioperative antibiotic treatment (P<0.001, respectively). Coagulase negative Staphylococci were the major infecting organism associated with postoperative sepsis, accounting for 53% of monomicrobial infections. Complete blood counts with differential were not different between infants with sepsis and controls, who had undergone the same surgical procedures. Outcome was favorable in all cases; however, the length of hospital stay was significantly longer in sepsis patients (P<0.05). Conclusions: Postoperative sepsis syndrome is a frequent complication in infants below 6 months of age and causes significant prolongation of hospital stay. Adequate prevention and therapeutic strategies warrant further prospective investigation

A search for features in early-type galaxies

We have conducted a search for dust lanes, incipient stellar disks, bars, shells, and other deviations from elliptical symmetry in a sample of 159 early-type galaxies. The data are from the CCD surface-photometry survey of Djorgovski (1985a), for which the selection effects are well understood. The image-processing technique used is division by a purely elliptical model image, constructed from the surfacephotometry profiles for a given object (best-fit surface brightness, ellipticity, and position angle as functions of semimajor axis). Our sample contains 116 elliptical galaxies, 33 SO galaxies, and ten intermediate types. Some galaxies that might better be classified as “dusty ellipticals“ (in that they contain no obvious stellar disk) are included among the SOs. Forty-two of the ellipticals (36%) either definitely or very likely contain dust, either in patches or in well-defined lanes or rings. Five of the E/SO galaxies (50%) also show possible or definite dust, as do 15 (47%) of the SOs. Three of the elliptical galaxies definitely contain stellar disks, with several more possible candidates. Thus, approximately 50% of the elliptical galaxies show “features“ of some kind. The detection of features is dependent on the signal-to-noise ratio of the data, so these numbers represent lower limits. The presence of dust in the galaxies classified as ellipticals does not seem to depend on any intrinsic characteristic of the galaxy. The dusty ellipticals do seem to prefer low-density environments. The “elliptical“ galaxies with disks tend to have higher ellipticities and larger two-wave Fourier residuals, an effect also described by Carter ( 1987). These galaxies may be preferentially found in higher-density environments, and may be lower-luminosity systems, but these statements are based on very small-number statistics (ten galaxies out of a total of 116), and no strong conclusions may be drawn. However, our results clearly further blur the distinction between ellipticals and SOs

Postoperative sepsis in infants below 6 months of age

BACKGROUND: Sepsis is a threatening postoperative complication especially in small infants. Regarding the advances in perinatal medicine, its incidence is unknown to date. We aimed to investigate the incidence, risk factors, laboratory findings and outcome of postoperative sepsis in infants younger than 6 months old. METHODS: We examined postoperative sepsis in babies below 6 months of age during a 4-year period at a tertiary pediatric institution. RESULTS: The rate of postoperative sepsis was 6.9%. Laparotomy with enterotomy, thoracotomy and diaphragmatic hernia repair (P<0.05, respectively) as well as low postnatal age and long operation time (P<0.001, respectively) were correlated with the incidence of sepsis. Significant independent predictors for the development of sepsis were the presence of a central venous catheter and perioperative antibiotic treatment (P<0.001, respectively). Coagulase negative Staphylococci were the major infecting organism associated with postoperative sepsis, accounting for 53% of monomicrobial infections. Complete blood counts with differential were not different between infants with sepsis and controls, who had undergone the same surgical procedures. Outcome was favorable in all cases; however, the length of hospital stay was significantly longer in sepsis patients (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Postoperative sepsis syndrome is a frequent complication in infants below 6 months of age and causes significant prolongation of hospital stay. Adequate prevention and therapeutic strategies warrant further prospective investigations

The ATLAS(3D) project - XVI. Physical parameters and spectral line energy distributions of the molecular gas in gas-rich early-type galaxies

<p>We present a detailed study of the physical properties of the molecular gas in a sample of 18 molecular gas-rich early-type galaxies (ETGs) from the ATLAS(3D) sample. Our goal is to better understand the star formation processes occurring in those galaxies, starting here with the dense star-forming gas. We use existing integrated (CO)-C-12 (1-0, 2-1), (CO)-C-13 (1-0, 2-1), HCN (1-0) and HCO+ (1-0) observations and new (12) CO (3-2) single-dish data. From these, we derive for the first time the average kinetic temperature, H-2 volume density and column density of the emitting gas in a significant sample of ETGs, using a non-local thermodynamical equilibrium theoretical model. Since the CO lines trace different physical conditions than of those the HCN and HCO+ lines, the two sets of lines are treated separately. For most of the molecular gas-rich ETGs studied here, the CO transitions can be reproduced with kinetic temperatures of 10-20 K, H-2 volume densities of 10(3-4) cm(-3) and CO column densities of 10(18-20) cm(-2). The physical conditions corresponding to the HCN and HCO+ gas component have large uncertainties and must be considered as indicative only. We also compare for the first time the predicted CO spectral line energy distributions and gas properties of our molecular gas-rich ETGs with those of a sample of nearby well-studied disc galaxies. The gas excitation conditions in 13 of our 18 ETGs appear analogous to those in the centre of the Milky Way, hence the star formation activity driving these conditions is likely of a similar strength and nature. Such results have never been obtained before for ETGs and open a new window to explore further star-formation processes in the Universe. The conclusions drawn should nevertheless be considered carefully, as they are based on a limited number of observations and on a simple model. In the near future, with higher CO transition observations, it should be possible to better identify the various gas components present in ETGs, as well as more precisely determine their associated physical conditions. To achieve these goals, we show here from our theoretical study, that mid-J CO lines [such as the (CO)-C-12 (6-5) line] are particularly useful.</p>