610 research outputs found
The Kinematics of the Ionized and Molecular Hydrogen in the Starburst Galaxy NGC 253
Near-infrared H_2 1-0 S(1) and Br_gamma velocity curves along the major axis
of NGC 253 have revealed a central velocity gradient that is seven times
steeper than that shown by the optical velocity curve. This is interpreted as
an optical depth effect due to dust. Approximately 35 mag of visual extinction
in the center is required to match the SW side of the optical velocity curve.
The spatial variation of the ratio of these lines to the CO (J=1-0) line is
compared among starburst galaxies NGC 253, M82, and NGC 4945 to investigate the
excitation mechanism responsible for the H_2 1-0 S(1) line.Comment: Uuencoded postscript file, 10 pages (4 tables included), 8 figures
available on request to [email protected], Ap.J. (in press
VLA H92 Alpha and H53 Alpha Radio Recombination Line Observations of M82
We present high angular resolution (0.6'') observations made with the VLA of
the radio continuum at 8.3 and 43 GHz as well as H92 Alpha and H53 Alpha radio
recombination lines from the nearby (3 Mpc) starburst galaxy M82. In the
continuum we report 19 newly identified sources at 8.3 GHz and 5 at 43 GHz that
were unknown previously. The spatial distribution of the H92 Alpha line is
inhomogeneous; we identify 27 features. The line and continuum emission are
modeled using a collection of HII regions at different distances from the
nucleus assuming a single-density component and two-density components. The
high-density component has a density of 4 X 10^{4} cm^{-3}. However, the bulk
of the ionization is in regions with densities which are typically a factor 10
lower. The gas kinematics, using the H92 Alpha line, confirms the presence of
steep velocity gradient (26 km s^{-1} arcsec^{-1}) in the nuclear region. As
this steep gradient is observed not only on the major axis but also at large
distances along a band of PA of 150 degrees, the interpretation in terms of x2
orbits elongated along the minor axis of the bar, which would be observed at an
angle close to the inclination of the main disk, seems inadequate. Ad-hoc
radial motions must be introduced to reproduce the pattern of the velocity
field. Different families of orbits are indicated as we detect a signature in
the kinematics at the transition between the two plateaus observed in the NIR
light distribution. The H92 Alpha line also reveals the base of the outflow
where the injection towards the halo on the Northern side occurs. The
kinematical pattern suggests a connection between the gas flowing in the plane
of M82 towards the center; this behavior most likely originates due to the
presence of a bar and the outflow out of the plane.Comment: 45 pages, 11 figures and 6 tables. Accepted for publication in Ap
Multiple and Precessing Collimated Outflows in the Planetary Nebula IC 4634
With its remarkable double-S shape, IC 4634 is an archetype of
point-symmetric planetary nebulae (PN). In this paper, we present a detailed
study of this PN using archival HST WFPC2 and ground-based narrow-band images
to investigate its morphology, and long-slit spectroscopic observations to
determine its kinematics and to derive its physical conditions and excitation.
The data reveal new structural components, including a distant string of knots
distributed along an arc-like feature 40"-60" from the center of the nebula, a
skin of enhanced [O III]/H-alpha ratio enveloping the inner shell and the
double-S feature, and a triple-shell structure. The spatio-kinematical study
also finds an equatorial component of the main nebula that is kinematically
independent from the bright inner S-shaped arc. We have investigated in detail
the bow shock-like features in IC 4634 and found that their morphological,
kinematical and emission properties are consistent with the interaction of a
collimated outflow with surrounding material. Indeed, the morphology and
kinematics of some of these features can be interpreted using a 3D numerical
simulation of a collimated outflow precessing at a moderate, time-dependent
velocity. Apparently, IC 4634 has experienced several episodes of
point-symmetric ejections oriented at different directions with the outer
S-shaped feature being related to an earlier point-symmetric ejection and the
outermost arc-like string of knots being the relic of an even much earlier
point-symmetric ejection. There is tantalizing evidence that the action of
these collimated outflows has also taken part in the shaping of the innermost
shell and inner S-shaped arc of IC 4634.Comment: 16 pages, 11 figures, accepted for publication in The Astrophysical
Journa
Tau protein, A beta 42 and S-100B protein in cerebrospinal fluid of patients with dementia with Lewy bodies
The intra vitam diagnosis of dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) is still based on clinical grounds. So far no technical investigations have been available to support this diagnosis. As for tau protein and beta-amyloid((1-42)) (Abeta42), promising results for the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease ( AD) have been reported; we evaluated these markers and S-100B protein in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), using a set of commercially available assays, of 71 patients with DLB, 67 patients with AD and 41 nondemented controls (NDC) for their differential diagnostic relevance. Patients with DLB showed significantly lower tau protein values compared to AD but with a high overlap of values. More prominent differences were observed in the comparison of DLB patients with all three clinical core features and AD patients. Abeta42 levels were decreased in the DLB and AD groups versus NDC, without significant subgroup differences. S-100B levels were not significantly different between the groups. Tau protein levels in CSF may contribute to the clinical distinction between DLB and AD, but the value of the markers is still limited especially due to mixed pathology. We conclude that more specific markers have to be established for the differentiation of these diseases. Copyright (C) 2005 S. Karger AG, Basel
The Large-scale Bipolar Wind in the Galactic Center
During a 9-month campaign (1996--1997), the Midcourse Space Experiment (MSX)
satellite mapped the Galactic Plane at mid-infrared wavelengths (4.3--21.3um).
Here we report evidence for a spectacular limb- brightened, bipolar structure
at the Galactic Center extending more than a degree (170 pc at 8.0 kpc) on
either side of the plane. The 8.3um emission shows a tight correlation with the
3, 6 and 11 cm continuum structure over the same scales. Dense gas and dust are
being entrained in a large-scale bipolar wind powered by a central starburst.
The inferred energy injection at the source is ~10^54/kappa erg for which
\kappa is the covering fraction of the dusty shell (kappa <= 0.1).
There is observational evidence for a galactic wind on much larger scales,
presumably from the same central source which produced the bipolar shell seen
by MSX. Sofue has argued that the North Polar Spur -- a thermal x-ray/radio
loop which extends from the Galactic Plane to b = +80 deg -- was powered by a
nuclear explosion (1-30 x 10^55 erg) roughly 15 Myr ago. We demonstrate that an
open-ended bipolar wind (~10^55 erg), when viewed in near-field projection,
provides the most natural explanation for the observed loop structure. The
ROSAT 1.5 keV diffuse x-ray map over the inner 45 deg provides compelling
evidence for this interpretation. Since the faint bipolar emission would be
very difficult to detect beyond the Galaxy, the phenomenon of large-scale
galactic winds may be far more common than has been observed to date.Comment: 24 pages, 6 figures, aastex. High resolution figures are available at
ftp://www.aao.gov.au/pub/local/jbh/astro-ph/GC/. Astrophysical Journal,
accepte
Attention and fluctuating attention in patients with dementia with lewy bodies and alzheimer disease
Background: Attentional deficits are described in the consensus clinical criteria for the operationalized diagnosis of dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) as characteristic of the condition. In addition, preliminary studies have indicated that both attentional impairments and fluctuation of attentional impairments are more marked in patients with DLB than in patients with Alzheimer disease (AD), although neuropsychological function has not previously been examined in a large prospective cohort with confirmed diagnostic accuracy against postmortem diagnosis. Methods: A detailed evaluation of attention and fluctuating attention was undertaken in 155 patients with dementia (85 with DLB and 80 with AD) from a representative hospital dementia case register and 35 elderly controls using the Cognitive Drug Research Computerized Assessment System for Dementia Patients computerized neuropsychological battery. Operationalized clinical diagnosis was made using the consensus criteria for DLB and the National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke-Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Association criteria for AD. High levels of sensitivity and specificity have been achieved for the first 50 cases undergoing postmortem examination. Results: The groups were well matched for severity of cognitive impairments, bur the AD patients were older (mean age, 80 vs 78 years) and more likely to be female (55 vs 40). Patients with DLB were significantly more impaired than patients with AD on all measures of attention and fluctuating attention (for all comparisons, t � 2.5, P<.001), and patients from both dementia groups were significantly more impaired than elderly controls for all comparisons other than cognitive reaction time, which was significantly more impaired in DLB patients than controls but was comparable in controls and AD patients. There were, however, significant associations between the severity of cognitive impairment and the severity of both attentional deficits and fluctuations in attention. Conclusions: This large prospective study confirms that slowing of cognitive processing, attention, and fluctuations of attention are significantly more pronounced in DLB and AD patients, although fluctuating attention is common in patients with moderate-to-severe AD. Deficits of cognitive reaction rime appear to be specific to DLB, except in severe dementia. A detailed evaluation of attentional performance could make an important contribution to differential diagnosis, although the results need to be interpreted within the context of the overall severity of cognitive deficits
The Spectral Energy Distribution of CO lines in M82
We present an analysis of the excitation conditions of the molecular gas in
the streamers and the outflow of M82 based on observations obtained at the IRAM
30m telescope. Our analysis of J=1-0 and J=2-1 transitions of CO and 13CO and
the CO(3-2) line in 13 regions outside the central starburst disk shows that
the gas density within the streamer/outflow system is about an orderof
magnitude lower (n(H2) ~ 10^3 cm^-3) than in the central molecular disk. We
have used an LVG model and data from the literature to constrain the flux
density in each CO transition (the `CO line SED') arising from the
streamer/outflow system and the central starburst disk itself. Globally, we
find that the CO flux density up to the J=3-2 line is dominated by the diffuse
outer regions while lines above the J=5-4 transition are almost exclusively
emitted by the central starburst disk. We compare the CO line SED of M82 to CO
observations of galaxies at high redshift and suggest that small high-J/low-J
CO flux density ratios (observed in some of these sources) are not necessarily
caused by a different excitation of the central molecular gas concentration,
but may result from an additional, more extended and diffuse gas reservoir
around these systems, reminiscent of the situation in M82.Comment: 12 pages, 7 figures, accepted by A&
Molecular Gas in M82: Resolving the Outflow and Streamers
We present a high-resolution (3.6'', 70pc) CO(1-0) mosaic of the molecular
gas in M 82 covering an area of 2.5' x 3.5' (2.8kpc x 3.9kpc) obtained with the
OVRO millimeter interferometer. The observations reveal the presence of huge
amounts of molecular gas (> 70% of the total molecular mass, M_tot=1.3 x 10^9
M_sun) outside the central 1 kpc disk. Molecular streamers are detected in and
below M82's disk out to distances from the center of 1.7 kpc. Some of these
streamers are well correlated with optical absorption features; they form the
basis of some of the prominent tidal HI features around M 82. This provides
evidence that the molecular gas within M 82's optical disk is disrupted by the
interaction with M 81. Molecular gas is found in M 82's outflow/halo, reaching
distances up to 1.2 kpc below the plane; CO line-splitting has been detected
for the first time in the outflow. The maximum outflow velocity is 230 km/s; we
derive an opening angle of 55 deg for the molecular outflow cone. The total
amount of gas in the outflow is >3 x 10^8 M_sun and its kinetic energy is of
order 10^55 erg, about one percent of the estimated total mechanical energy
input of M 82's starburst. Our study implies that extreme starburst
environments can move significant amounts of molecular gas in to a galaxy's
halo (and even to the intergalactic medium).Comment: accepted for publication in the ApJ Letters full PS file @
http://www.aoc.nrao.edu/~fwalter/walter_m82.p
The Nature of Starburst Activity in M82
We present new evolutionary synthesis models of M82 based mainly on
observations consisting of near-infrared integral field spectroscopy and
mid-infrared spectroscopy. The models incorporate stellar evolution, spectral
synthesis, and photoionization modeling, and are optimized for 1-45 micron
observations of starburst galaxies. The data allow us to model the starburst
regions on scales as small as 25 pc. We investigate the initial mass function
(IMF) of the stars and constrain quantitatively the spatial and temporal
evolution of starburst activity in M82. We find a typical decay timescale for
individual burst sites of a few million years. The data are consistent with the
formation of very massive stars (> 50-100 Msun) and require a flattening of the
starburst IMF below a few solar masses assuming a Salpeter slope at higher
masses. Our results are well matched by a scenario in which the global
starburst activity in M82 occurred in two successive episodes each lasting a
few million years, peaking about 10 and 5 Myr ago. The first episode took place
throughout the central regions of M82 and was particularly intense at the
nucleus while the second episode occurred predominantly in a circumnuclear ring
and along the stellar bar. We interpret this sequence as resulting from the
gravitational interaction M82 and its neighbour M81, and subsequent bar-driven
evolution. The short burst duration on all spatial scales indicates strong
negative feedback effects of starburst activity, both locally and globally.
Simple energetics considerations suggest the collective mechanical energy
released by massive stars was able to rapidly inhibit star formation after the
onset of each episode.Comment: 48 pages, incl. 16 Postscript figures; accepted for publication in
the Astrophysical Journa
Serum heart-type fatty acid-binding protein and cerebrospinal fluid tau: Marker candidates for dementia with Lewy bodies
Background: The measurement of biomarkers in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) has gained increasing acceptance in establishing the diagnosis of some neurodegenerative diseases. Heart-type fatty acid-binding protein (H-FABP) was recently discovered in CSF and serum of patients with neurodegenerative diseases. Objective: We investigated H-FABP in CSF and serum alone and in combination with CSF tau protein to evaluate these as potential biomarkers for the differentiation between dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Methods: We established H-FABP and tau protein values in a set of 144 persons with DLB (n = 33), Parkinson disease with dementia (PDD; n = 25), AD (n = 35) and nonclemented neurological controls (NNC; n = 51). Additionally, serum H-FABP levels were analyzed in idiopathic Parkinson disease patients without evidence of cognitive decline (n = 45) using commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. We calculated absolute values of HFABP and tau protein in CSF and serum and established relative ratios between the two to obtain the best possible match for the clinical working diagnosis. Results: Serum HFABP levels were elevated in DLB and PDD patients compared with NNC and AD subjects. To better discriminate between DLB and AD, we calculated the ratio of serum H-FABP to CSF tau protein levels. At the arbitrary chosen cutoff ratio >= 8 this quotient reached a sensitivity of 91% and a specificity of 66%. Conclusion: Our results suggest that the measurement of CSF tau protein, together with H-FABP quantification in serum and CSF, and the ratio of serum H-FABP to CSF tau protein represent marker candidates for the differentiation between AD and DLB. Copyright (c) 2007 S. Karger AG, Basel
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