2,169 research outputs found
Long-term results in pancreatic transplantation with special emphasis on the use of prolamine
Our pancreatic transplantation programme was initiated in 1979. Since then a total of 102 pancreas transplantations have been performed, blocking exocrine secretion using the duct occlusion technique with prolamine. Early non-immunological complications are frequent. The long-term results (9 years) in combined pancreas and kidney transplanted patients are satisfying: the survival rate for pancreas is 38% and 54% for kidney. Patient survival rate in this period is 85%. Beyond the first year post-transplant the exocrine activity disappears whereas the endocrine function remains well preserved
Tidal disruption and ignition of white dwarfs by moderately massive black holes
We present a numerical investigation of the tidal disruption of white dwarfs
by moderately massive black holes, with particular reference to the centers of
dwarf galaxies and globular clusters. Special attention is given to the fate of
white dwarfs of all masses that approach the black hole close enough to be
disrupted and severely compressed to such extent that explosive nuclear burning
can be triggered. Consistent modeling of the gas dynamics together with the
nuclear reactions allows for a realistic determination of the explosive energy
release. In the most favorable cases, the nuclear energy release may be
comparable to that of typical type Ia supernovae. Although the explosion will
increase the mass fraction escaping on hyperbolic orbits, a good fraction of
the debris remains to be swallowed by the hole, causing a bright soft X-ray
flare lasting for about a year. Such transient signatures, if detected, would
be a compelling testimony for the presence of a moderately mass black hole
(below ).Comment: 38 pages, 19 figures, further simulations adde
A Multidimensional Rasch Analysis of the Functional Independence Measure Based on the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems National Database
A number of studies have evaluated the psychometric properties of the Functional Independence Measure (FIM™) using Rasch analysis, although none has done so using the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems National Database, a longitudinal database that captures demographic and outcome information on persons with moderate to severe traumatic brain injury across the United States. In the current study, we examine the psychometric properties of the FIM as represented by persons within this database and demonstrate that the FIM comprises three subscales representing cognitive, self-care, and mobility domains. These subscales were analyzed simultaneously using a multivariate Rasch model in combination with a time dependent concurrent calibration scheme with the goal of creating a raw score-to-logit transformation that can be used to improve the accuracy of parametric statistical analyses. The bowel and bladder function items were removed because of misfit with the motor and cognitive items. Some motor items exhibited step disorder, which was addressed by collapsing Categories 1-3 for Toileting, Stairs, Locomotion, Tub/Shower Transfers; Categories 1 and 2 for Toilet and Bed Transfers; and Categories 2 and 3 for Grooming. The strong correlations (r = 0.82-0.96) among the three subscales suggest they should be modeled together. Coefficient alpha of 0.98 indicates high internal consistency. Keyform maps are provided to enhance clinical interpretation and application of study results
The Demography of Massive Dark Objects in Galaxy Centres
We construct dynamical models for a sample of 36 nearby galaxies with Hubble
Space Telescope photometry and ground-based kinematics. The models assume that
each galaxy is axisymmetric, with a two-integral distribution function,
arbitrary inclination angle, a position-independent stellar mass-to-light ratio
Upsilon, and a central massive dark object (MDO) of arbitrary mass M_bh. They
provide acceptable fits to 32 of the galaxies for some value of M_bh and
Upsilon; the four galaxies that cannot be fit have kinematically decoupled
cores. The mass-to-light ratios inferred for the 32 well-fit galaxies are
consistent with the fundamental plane correlation Upsilon \propto L^0.2, where
L is galaxy luminosity. In all but six galaxies the models require at the 95%
confidence level an MDO of mass M_bh ~ 0.006 M_bulge = 0.006 Upsilon L. Five of
the six galaxies consistent with M_bh=0 are also consistent with this
correlation. The other (NGC 7332) has a much stronger upper limit on M_bh. We
consider various parameterizations for the probability distribution describing
the correlation of the masses of these MDOs with other galaxy properties. One
of the best models can be summarized thus: a fraction f ~0.97 of galaxies have
MDOs, whose masses are well described by a Gaussian distribution in log
(M_bh/M_bulge) of mean -2.27 and width ~0.07.Comment: 28 pages including 13 figures and 4 tables. Submitted to A
The Spin of M87 as measured from the Rotation of its Globular Clusters
We revisit the kinematical data for 204 globular clusters in the halo of M87.
Beyond 3 r_eff along the major axis of the galaxy light, these globular
clusters exhibit substantial rotation (~ 300 +/- 70 km/s) that translates into
an equally substantial spin (lambda ~ 0.18). The present appearance of M87 is
most likely the product of a single major merger, since this event is best able
to account for so sizable a spin. A rotation this large makes improbable any
significant accretion of material after this merger, since that would have
diluted the rotation signature. We see weak evidence for a difference between
the kinematics of the metal-poor and metal-rich population, in the sense that
the metal-poor globular clusters appear to dominate the rotation. If, as we
suspect, the last major merger event of M87 was mainly dissipationless and did
not trigger the formation of a large number of globular clusters, the kinematic
difference between the two could reflect their orbital properties in the
progenitor galaxies; these differences would be compatible with these
progenitors having formed in dissipational mergers. However, to put strong
kinematic constraints on the origin of the globular clusters themselves is
difficult, given the complex history of the galaxy and its last dominant merger
event.Comment: 20 pages (AAS two column style, including 1 table and 7 figures)
accepted in the AJ (November issue), also available at
http://www.ucolick.org/~mkissler
UBVI Surface Photometry of the Spiral Galaxy NGC 300 in the Sculptor Group
We present UBVI surface photometry for 20.'5 X 20.'5 area of a late-type
spiral galaxy NGC 300. In order to understand the morphological properties and
luminosity distribution characteristics of NGC 300, we have derived isophotal
maps, surface brightness profiles, ellipticity profiles, position angle
profiles, and color profiles. By merging the I-band data of our surface
brightness measurements with those of Boeker et al. (2002) based on Hubble
Space Telescope observations, we have made combined I-band surface brightness
profiles for the region of 0."02 < r < 500" and decomposed the profiles into
three components: a nucleus, a bulge, and an exponential disk.Comment: 16 pages(cjaa209.sty), Accepted by the Chinese J. Astron. Astrophys.,
Fig 2 and 8 are degraded to reduce spac
Evidence of a Supermassive Black Hole in the Galaxy NGC 1023 from the Nuclear Stellar Dynamics
We analyze the nuclear stellar dynamics of the SB0 galaxy NGC 1023, utilizing
observational data both from the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph aboard
the Hubble Space Telescope and from the ground. The stellar kinematics measured
from these long-slit spectra show rapid rotation (V = 70 km/s at a distance of
0.1 arcsec = 4.9 pc from the nucleus) and increasing velocity dispersion toward
the nucleus (where sigma = 295 +/- 30 km/s). We model the observed stellar
kinematics assuming an axisymmetric mass distribution with both two and three
integrals of motion. Both modeling techniques point to the presence of a
central dark compact mass (which presumably is a supermassive black hole) with
confidence > 99%. The isotropic two-integral models yield a best-fitting black
hole mass of (6.0 +/- 1.4) x 10^7 M_sun and mass-to-light ratio (M/L_V) of 5.38
+/- 0.08, and the goodness-of-fit (chi^2) is insensitive to reasonable values
for the galaxy's inclination. The three-integral models, which
non-parametrically fit the observed line-of-sight velocity distribution as a
function of position in the galaxy, suggest a black hole mass of (3.9 +/- 0.4)
x 10^7 M_sun and M/L_V of 5.56 +/- 0.02 (internal errors), and the edge-on
models are vastly superior fits over models at other inclinations. The internal
dynamics in NGC 1023 as suggested by our best-fit three-integral model shows
that the velocity distribution function at the nucleus is tangentially
anisotropic, suggesting the presence of a nuclear stellar disk. The nuclear
line of sight velocity distribution has enhanced wings at velocities >= 600
km/s from systemic, suggesting that perhaps we have detected a group of stars
very close to the central dark mass.Comment: 21 pages, 12 figures, accepted in the Astrophysical Journa
Effects of the magnetic moment interaction between nucleons on observables in the 3N continuum
The influence of the magnetic moment interaction of nucleons on
nucleon-deuteron elastic scattering and breakup cross sections and on elastic
scattering polarization observables has been studied. Among the numerous
elastic scattering observables only the vector analyzing powers were found to
show a significant effect, and of opposite sign for the proton-deuteron and
neutron-deuteron systems. This finding results in an even larger discrepancy
than the one previously established between neutron-deuteron data and
theoretical calculations. For the breakup reaction the largest effect was found
for the final-state-interaction cross sections. The consequences of this
observation on previous determinations of the ^1S_0 scattering lengths from
breakup data are discussed.Comment: 24 pages, 6 ps figures, 1 png figur
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