16,759 research outputs found
Estrogenic activity, race/ethnicity, and Indigenous American ancestry among San Francisco Bay Area women.
Estrogens play a significant role in breast cancer development and are not only produced endogenously, but are also mimicked by estrogen-like compounds from environmental exposures. We evaluated associations between estrogenic (E) activity, demographic factors and breast cancer risk factors in Non-Latina Black (NLB), Non-Latina White (NLW), and Latina women. We examined the association between E activity and Indigenous American (IA) ancestry in Latina women. Total E activity was measured with a bioassay in plasma samples of 503 women who served as controls in the San Francisco Bay Area Breast Cancer Study. In the univariate model that included all women with race/ethnicity as the independent predictor, Latinas had 13% lower E activity (p = 0.239) and NLBs had 35% higher activity (p = 0.04) compared to NLWs. In the multivariable model that adjusted for demographic factors, Latinas continued to show lower E activity levels (26%, p = 0.026), but the difference between NLBs and NLWs was no longer statistically significant (p = 0.431). An inverse association was observed between E activity and IA ancestry among Latina women (50% lower in 0% vs. 100% European ancestry, p = 0.027) consistent with our previously reported association between IA ancestry and breast cancer risk. These findings suggest that endogenous estrogens and exogenous estrogen-like compounds that act on the estrogen receptor and modulate E activity may partially explain racial/ethnic differences in breast cancer risk
The Herschel exploitation of local galaxy Andromeda (HELGA) V: Strengthening the case for substantial interstellar grain growth
In this paper we consider the implications of the distributions of dust and
metals in the disc of M31. We derive mean radial dust distributions using a
dust map created from Herschel images of M31 sampling the entire far-infrared
(FIR) peak. Modified blackbodies are fit to approximately 4000 pixels with a
varying, as well as a fixed, dust emissivity index (beta). An overall metal
distribution is also derived using data collected from the literature. We use a
simple analytical model of the evolution of the dust in a galaxy with dust
contributed by stellar sources and interstellar grain growth, and fit this
model to the radial dust-to-metals distribution across the galaxy. Our analysis
shows that the dust-to-gas gradient in M31 is steeper than the metallicity
gradient, suggesting interstellar dust growth is (or has been) important in
M31. We argue that M31 helps build a case for cosmic dust in galaxies being the
result of substantial interstellar grain growth, while the net dust production
from stars may be limited. We note, however, that the efficiency of dust
production in stars, e.g., in supernovae (SNe) ejecta and/or stellar
atmospheres, and grain destruction in the interstellar medium (ISM) may be
degenerate in our simple model. We can conclude that interstellar grain growth
by accretion is likely at least as important as stellar dust production
channels in building the cosmic dust component in M31.Comment: 12 pages, 7 figures. Published in MNRAS 444, 797. This version is
updated to match the published versio
Polarimetric Observations of 15 AGNs at High Frequencies
Original paper can be found at: http://www.astrosociety.org/pubs/cs/328.html--Copyright Astronomical Society of the PacificWe have obtained total and polarized intensity images of 15 AGNs with the VLBA at 7 mm at 17 epochs from 25/26 March 1998 to 14 April 2001. The VLBA observations are accompanied at many epochs by simultaneous mea- surements of polarization at 1.35/0.85 mm as well as less frequent simultaneous optical polarization measurements. We discuss the similarities and complexities of polarization behavior at different frequencies along with the VLBI properties
Optical and Radio Polarimetry of the M87 Jet at 0.2" Resolution
We discuss optical (HST/WFPC2 F555W) and radio (15 GHz VLA) polarimetry
observations of the M87 jet taken during 1994-1995. Many knot regions are very
highly polarized (, approaching the theoretical maximum for
optically thin synchrotron radiation), suggesting highly ordered magnetic
fields. High degrees of polarization are also observed in interknot regions.
While the optical and radio polarization maps share many similarities, we
observe significant differences between the radio and optical polarized
structures, particularly for bright knots in the inner jet, giving us important
insight into the jet's radial structure. Unlike in the radio, the optical
magnetic field position angle becomes perpendicular to the jet at the upstream
ends of knots HST-1, D, E and F. Moreover, the optical polarization decreases
markedly at the position of the flux maxima in these knots. In contrast, the
magnetic field position angle observed in the radio remains parallel to the jet
in most of these regions, and the decreases in radio polarization are smaller.
More minor differences are seen in other jet regions. Many of the differences
between optical and radio polarimetry results can be explained in terms of a
model whereby shocks occur in the jet interior, where higher-energy electrons
are concentrated and dominate both polarized and unpolarized emissions in the
optical, while the radio maps show strong contributions from lower-energy
electrons in regions with {\bf B} parallel, near the jet surface.Comment: 28 pages, 7 figures; accepted for publication in AJ (May 1999
A deep wide-field sub-mm survey of the Carina Nebula complex
The Great Nebula in Carina is a superb location in which to study the physics
of violent massive star-formation and the resulting feedback effects, including
cloud dispersal and triggered star-formation. In order to reveal the cold dusty
clouds in the Carina Nebula complex, we used the Large APEX Bolometer Camera
LABOCA at the APEX telescope to map a 1.25 deg x 1.25 deg (= 50 x 50 pc^2)
region at 870 micrometer. From a comparison to Halpha images we infer that
about 6% of the 870 micrometer flux in the observed area is likely free-free
emission from the HII region, while about 94% of the flux is very likely
thermal dust emission. The total (dust + gas) mass of all clouds for which our
map is sensitive is ~ 60 000 Msun, in good agreement with the mass of the
compact clouds in this region derived from 13CO line observations. We generally
find good agreement in the cloud morphology seen at 870 micrometer and the
Spitzer 8 micrometer emission maps, but also identify a prominent infrared dark
cloud. Finally, we construct a radiative transfer model for the Carina Nebula
complex that reproduces the observed integrated spectral energy distribution
reasonably well. Our analysis suggests a total gas + dust mass of about 200000
Msun in the investigated area; most of this material is in the form of
molecular clouds, but a widely distributed component of (partly) atomic gas,
containing up to ~ 50% of the total mass, may also be present. Currently, only
some 10% of the gas is in sufficiently dense clouds to be immediately available
for future star formation, but this fraction may increase with time owing to
the ongoing compression of the strongly irradiated clouds and the expected
shockwaves of the imminent supernova explosions.Comment: Accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysics; high-quality
pre-prints can be obtained from
http://www.usm.uni-muenchen.de/people/preibisch/publications.htm
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