Model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) exception for uncommon hepatic tumors

No abstract.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/55912/1/20970_ftp.pd

On the dependence of the spectral parameters on the observational conditions in homogeneous time dependent models of the TeV blazars

Most of current models of TeV blazars emission assume a Synchrotron Self-Compton mechanism where relativistic particles emit both synchrotron radiation and Inverse Compton photons. For sake of simplicity, these models usually consider only steady state emission. The spectral features are thus only related to the shape of the particle distribution, and do not depend on the timing of observations. In this letter, we study the effect of, firstly, the lag between the beginning of the injection of the fresh particles and the trigger of the observation, and secondly, of a finite injection duration. We illustrate these effects considering an analytical time-dependent model of the synchrotron emission by a monoenergetic distribution of leptons. We point out that the spectral shape can be in fact very dependent on observational conditions if the particle injection term is time-dependent, particularly taking into account the effect of the time averaging procedure on the final shape of the SED. Consequences on the acceleration process are also discussed.Comment: Letter to Editor, accepted for publication in A&

Reanalysis of Data Taken by the CANGAROO 3.8 Meter Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescope: PSR B1706-44, SN 1006, and Vela

We have reanalyzed data from observations of PSR B1706-44, SN 1006, and the Vela pulsar region made with the CANGAROO 3.8 m imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescope between 1993 and 1998 in response to the results reported for these sources by the H.E.S.S. collaboration. In our reanalysis, in which gamma-ray selection criteria have been determined exclusively using gamma-ray simulations and OFF-source data as background samples, no significant TeV gamma-ray signals have been detected from compact regions around PSR B1706-44 or within the northeast rim of SN 1006. We discuss reasons why the original analyses gave the source detections. The reanalysis did result in a TeV gamma-ray signal from the Vela pulsar region at the 4.5 sigma level using 1993, 1994, and 1995 data. The excess was located at the same position, 0.13 deg. to the southeast of the Vela pulsar, as that reported in the original analysis. We have investigated the effect of the acceptance distribution in the field of view of the 3.8 m telescope, which rapidly decreases toward the edge of the field of the camera, on the detected gamma-ray morphology. The expected excess distribution for the 3.8 m telescope has been obtained by reweighting the distribution of HESS J0835-455 measured by H.E.S.S. with the acceptance of the 3.8 m telescope. The result is morphologically comparable to the CANGAROO excess distribution, although the profile of the acceptance-reweighted H.E.S.S. distribution is more diffuse than that of CANGAROO. The integral gamma-ray flux from HESS J0835-455 has been estimated for the same region as defined by H.E.S.S. from the 1993-1995 data of CANGAROO to be F(> 4.0 +/- 1.6 TeV) = (3.28 +/- 0.92) x 10^{-12} photons cm^{-2} s^{-1}, which is statistically consistent with the integral flux obtained by H.E.S.S.Comment: Published in ApJ, minor improvement

A Spectacular VHE Gamma-Ray Outburst from PKS 2155-304 in 2006

Since 2002 the VHE (>100 GeV) gamma-ray flux of the high-frequency peaked BL Lac PKS 2155-304 has been monitored with the High Energy Stereoscopic System (HESS). An extreme gamma-ray outburst was detected in the early hours of July 28, 2006 (MJD 53944). The average flux above 200 GeV observed during this outburst is ~7 times the flux observed from the Crab Nebula above the same threshold. Peak fluxes are measured with one-minute time scale resolution at more than twice this average value. Variability is seen up to ~600 s in the Fourier power spectrum, and well-resolved bursts varying on time scales of ~200 seconds are observed. There are no strong indications for spectral variability within the data. Assuming the emission region has a size comparable to the Schwarzschild radius of a ~10^9 solar mass black hole, Doppler factors greater than 100 are required to accommodate the observed variability time scales.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures; To appear in the Proceedings of the 30th ICRC (Merida, Mexico

Beings in their own right? Exploring Children and young people's sibling and twin relationships in the Minority World

This paper examines the contributions that the sociological study of sibship and twinship in the Minority World can make to childhood studies. It argues that, in providing one forum within which to explore children and young people's social relationships, we can add to our understanding of children and young people's interdependence and develop a more nuanced understanding of agency. As emergent subjects, children, young people and adults are in a process of ‘becoming’. However, this does not mean that they can ‘become’ anything they choose to. The notion of negotiated interdependence (Punch 2002) is useful in helping us to grasp the contingent nature of children and young people's agency

BeppoSAX Observations of the TeV Blazar Mkn 421

The blazar Mkn 421 has been observed, as part of the AO1 Core Program, five times from 2 to 7 May 1997. In the LECS+MECS energy band the spectrum shows convex curvature, well represented by a broken power--law. Flux variability (more than a factor 2) has been detected over the entire 0.1--10 keV range, accompanying which the spectrum steepens with the decrease in intensity. Mkn 421 has also been detected with the PDS instrument. Our preliminary analysis indicates that the PDS spectrum lies significantly above the extrapolation from the MECS, suggesting a contribution from a flatter high energy component.Comment: 4 pages, 4 Postscript figures, uses espcrc2.sty and psfig.sty (both included). To appear in "The Active X-ray Sky: Results from BeppoSAX and Rossi-XTE", Rome, Italy, 21-24 October, 1997. Eds.: L. Scarsi, H. Bradt, P. Giommi and F. Fior

Sensitivity to point-like sources of the ALTO atmospheric particle detector array, designed for 200 GeV\rm 200\,GeV--50 TeV\rm 50\,TeV γ\gamma-ray astronomy

In the context of atmospheric shower arrays designed for $\gamma$-ray astronomy and in the context of the ALTO project, we present: a study of the impact of heavier nuclei in the cosmic-ray background on the estimated $\gamma$-ray detection performance on the basis of dedicated Monte Carlo simulations, a method to calculate the sensitivity to a point-like source, and finally the required observation times to reach a firm detection on a list of known point-like sources.Comment: 16 pages, 7 figures, accepted for publication in JHEAP (Journal of High-Energy Astrophysics

Between overt and covert research: concealment and disclosure in an ethnographic study of commercial hospitality

This article examines the ways in which problems of concealment emerged in an ethnographic study of a suburban bar and considers how disclosure of the research aims, the recruitment of informants, and elicitation of information was negotiated throughout the fieldwork. The case study demonstrates how the social context and the relationships with specific informants determined overtness or covertness in the research. It is argued that the existing literature on covert research and covert methods provides an inappropriate frame of reference with which to understand concealment in fieldwork. The article illustrates why concealment is sometimes necessary, and often unavoidable, and concludes that the criticisms leveled against covert methods should not stop the fieldworker from engaging in research that involves covertness

The new model of fitting the spectral energy distributions of Mkn 421 and Mkn 501

The spectral energy distribution (SED) of TeV blazars has a double-humped shape that is usually interpreted as Synchrotron Self Compton (SSC) model. The one zone SSC model is used broadly but cannot fit the high energy tail of SED very well. It need bulk Lorentz factor which is conflict with the observation. Furthermore one zone SSC model can not explain the entire spectrum. In the paper, we propose a new model that the high energy emission is produced by the accelerated protons in the blob with a small size and high magnetic field, the low energy radiation comes from the electrons in the expanded blob. Because the high and low energy photons are not produced at the same time, the requirement of large Doppler factor from pair production is relaxed. We present the fitting results of the SEDs for Mkn 501 during April 1997 and Mkn 421 during March 2001 respectively.Comment: 5 pages, 1 figures, 1table. accepted for publication in Sciences in China --

Plasma Wakefield Acceleration for Ultrahigh Energy Cosmic Rays

A cosmic acceleration mechanism is introduced which is based on the wakefields excited by the Alfven shocks in a relativistically flowing plasma, where the energy gain per distance of a test particle is Lorentz invariant. We show that there exists a threshold condition for transparency below which the accelerating particle is collision-free and suffers little energy loss in the plasma medium. The stochastic encounters of the random accelerating-decelerating phases results in a power-law energy spectrum: f(e) 1/e^2. The environment suitable for such plasma wakefield acceleration can be cosmically abundant. As an example, we discuss the possible production of super-GZK ultra high energy cosmic rays (UHECR) through this mechanism in the atmosphere of gamma ray bursts. We show that the acceleration gradient can be as high as G ~ 10^16 eV/cm. The estimated event rate in our model agrees with that from UHECR observations.Comment: 11 pages, 1 figure, submitted to Phys. Rev. Let