804 research outputs found
Are There Magnetars in High Mass X-ray Binaries? The Case of SuperGiant Fast X-Ray Transients
In this paper we survey the theory of wind accretion in high mass X-ray
binaries hosting a magnetic neutron star and a supergiant companion.
We concentrate on the different types of interaction between the inflowing
wind matter and the neutron star magnetosphere that are relevant when accretion
of matter onto the neutron star surface is largely inhibited; these include the
inhibition through the centrifugal and magnetic barriers. Expanding on earlier
work, we calculate the expected luminosity for each regime and derive the
conditions under which transition from one regime to another can take place. We
show that very large luminosity swings (~10^4 or more on time scales as short
as hours) can result from transitions across different regimes.
The activity displayed by supergiant fast X-ray transients, a recently
discovered class of high mass X-ray binaries in our galaxy, has often been
interpreted in terms of direct accretion onto a neutron star immersed in an
extremely clumpy stellar wind. We show here that the transitions across the
magnetic and/or centrifugal barriers can explain the variability properties of
these sources as a results of relatively modest variations in the stellar wind
velocity and/or density. According to this interpretation we expect that
supergiant fast X-ray transients which display very large luminosity swings and
host a slowly spinning neutron star are characterized by magnetar-like fields,
irrespective of whether the magnetic or the centrifugal barrier applies.
Supergiant fast X-ray transients might thus provide a new opportunity to
detect and study magnetars in binary systems.Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ. 16 pages, 6 figure
From Trees to the Forest: Genes to Genomics
Crick, Watson, and colleagues revealed the genetic code in 1953, and since that time, remarkable progress has been made in understanding what makes each of us who we are. Identification of single genes important in disease, and the development of a mechanistic understanding of genetic elements that regulate gene function, have cast light on the pathophysiology of many heritable and acquired disorders. In 1990, the human genome project commenced, with the goal of sequencing the entire human genome, and a “first draft” was published with astonishing speed in 2001. The first draft, although an extraordinary achievement, reported essentially an imaginary haploid mix of alleles rather than a true diploid genome. In the years since 2001, technology has further improved, and efforts have been focused on filling in the gaps in the initial genome and starting the huge task of looking at normal variation in the human genome. This work is the beginning of understanding human genetics in the context of the structure of the genome as a complete entity, and as more than simply the sum of a series of genes. We present 3 studies in this review that apply genomic approaches to leukemia and to transplantation to improve and extend therapies
The Gluon Propagator on a Large Volume, at
We present the results of a high statistics lattice study of the gluon
propagator, in the Landau gauge, at . As suggested by previous
studies, we find that, in momentum space, the propagator is well described by
the expression .
By comparing on different volumes, we obtain a precise determination
of the exponent , and verify that does not vanish in the
infinite volume limit. The behaviour of and in the continuum limit
is not known, and can only be studied by increasing the value of .Comment: 21 pages, uuencoded LATEX plus 5 postscript figures. ROME prep.
94/1042, SHEP prep. 93/94-3
Identifying Religious and/or Spiritual Perspectives of Adolescents and Young Adults Receiving Blood and Marrow Transplants: A Prospective Qualitative Study
AbstractThe potential benefits (or detriments) of religious beliefs in adolescent and young adults (AYA) are poorly understood. Moreover, the literature gives little guidance to health care teams or to chaplains about assessing and addressing the spiritual needs of AYA receiving hematopoietic stem cell transplants (HSCT). We used an institutional review board–approved, prospective, longitudinal study to explore the use of religion and/or spirituality (R/S) in AYA HSCT recipients and to assess changes in belief during the transplantation experience. We used the qualitative methodology, grounded theory, to gather and analyze data. Twelve AYA recipients were interviewed within 100 days of receiving HSCT and 6 participants were interviewed 1 year after HSCT; the other 6 participants died. Results from the first set of interviews identified 5 major themes: using R/S to address questions of “why me?” and “what will happen to me;” believing God has a reason; using faith practices; and benefitting from spiritual support people. The second set of interviews resulted in 4 major themes: believing God chose me; affirming that my life has a purpose; receiving spiritual encouragement; and experiencing strengthened faith. We learned that AYA patients were utilizing R/S far more than we suspected and that rather than losing faith in the process of HSCT, they reported using R/S to cope with illness and HSCT and to understand their lives as having special purpose. Our data, supported by findings of adult R/S studies, suggest that professionally prepared chaplains should be proactive in asking AYA patients about their understanding and use of faith, and the data can actively help members of the treatment team understand how AYA are using R/S to make meaning, address fear, and inform medical decisions
Young pre-Low-Mass X-ray Binaries in propeller phase : Nature of the 6.7-hour periodic X-ray source 1E 161348-5055 in RCW 103
Discovery of the 6.7-hour periodicity in the X-ray source 1E 161348-5055 in
RCW 103 has led to investigations of the nature of this periodicity. We explore
a model for 1E 161348-5055, wherein a fast-spinning neutron star with a
magnetic field G in a young pre-Low-Mass X-ray Binary (pre-LMXB)
with an eccentric orbit of period 6.7 hr operates in the "propeller" phase. The
6.7-hr light curve of 1E 161348-5055 can be quantitatively accounted by a model
of orbitally-modulated mass transfer through a viscous accretion disk and
subsequent propeller emission (both Illarionov-Sunyaev type and
Romanova-Lovelace et al type), and spectral and other properties are also in
agreement. Formation and evolution of model systems are shown to be in
accordance both with standard theories.Comment: 11 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in Astronomy and
Astrophysics on 23/08/200
Stochastic background of gravitational waves emitted by magnetars
Two classes of high energy sources in our galaxy are believed to host
magnetars, neutron stars whose emission results from the dissipation of their
magnetic field. The extremely high magnetic field of magnetars distorts their
shape, and causes the emission of a conspicuous gravitational waves signal if
rotation is fast and takes place around a different axis than the symmetry axis
of the magnetic distortion. Based on a numerical model of the cosmic star
formation history, we derive the cosmological background of gravitational waves
produced by magnetars, when they are very young and fast spinning. We adopt
different models for the configuration and strength of the internal magnetic
field (which determines the distortion) as well as different values of the
external dipole field strength (which governs the spin evolution of magnetars
over a wide range of parameters). We find that the expected gravitational wave
background differs considerably from one model to another. The strongest
signals are generated for magnetars with very intense toroidal internal fields
( G range) and external dipole fields of , as
envisaged in models aimed at explaining the properties of the Dec 2004 giant
flare from SGR 1806-20. Such signals should be easily detectable with third
generation ground based interferometers such as the Einstein Telescope.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA
X-ray and optical observations of the unique binary system HD49798/RXJ0648.0-4418
We report the results of XMM-Newton observations of HD49798/RXJ0648.0-4418,
the only known X-ray binary consisting of a hot sub-dwarf and a white dwarf.
The white dwarf rotates very rapidly (P=13.2 s) and has a dynamically measured
mass of 1.28+/-0.05 M_sun. Its X-ray emission consists of a strongly pulsed,
soft component, well fit by a blackbody with kT~40 eV, accounting for most of
the luminosity, and a fainter hard power-law component (photon index ~1.6). A
luminosity of ~10^{32} erg/s is produced by accretion onto the white dwarf of
the helium-rich matter from the wind of the companion, which is one of the few
hot sub-dwarfs showing evidence of mass-loss. A search for optical pulsations
at the South African Astronomical Observatory 1.9-m telescope gave negative
results. X-rays were detected also during the white dwarf eclipse. This
emission, with luminosity 2x10^{30} erg/s, can be attributed to HD 49798 and
represents the first detection of a hot sub-dwarf star in the X-ray band.
HD49798/RXJ0648.0-4418 is a post-common envelope binary which most likely
originated from a pair of stars with masses ~8-10 M_sun. After the current
He-burning phase, HD 49798 will expand and reach the Roche-lobe, causing a
higher accretion rate onto the white dwarf which can reach the Chandrasekhar
limit. Considering the fast spin of the white dwarf, this could lead to the
formation of a millisecond pulsar. Alternatively, this system could be a Type
Ia supernova progenitor with the appealing characteristic of a short time
delay, being the descendent of relatively massive stars.Comment: Accepted for publication on The Astrophysical Journa
Twenty Years of Unrelated Donor Bone Marrow Transplantation for Pediatric Acute Leukemia Facilitated by the National Marrow Donor Program
AbstractThe National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) has facilitated unrelated donor hematopoietic cell transplants for more than 20 years. In this time period, there have been many changes in clinical practice, including improvements in HLA typing and supportive care, and changes in the source of stem cells. Availability of banked unrelated donor cord blood (incorporated into the NMDP registry in 2000) as a source of stem cells has become an important option for children with leukemia, offering the advantages of immediate availability for children with high-risk disease, the need for a lesser degree of HLA match, and expanding access for those with infrequent HLA haplotypes. Overall survival (OS) in children with acute leukemia transplanted with unrelated donor bone marrow (BM) is markedly better in more recent years, largely attributable to less treatment-related mortality (TRM). Within this cohort, 2-year survival was markedly better for patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in first complete response (CR1) (74%) versus second complete response (CR2) (62%) or more advanced disease (33%). Similar findings are observed with patients with AML, suggesting earlier referral to bone marrow transplant (BMT) is optimal for survival. Notably, this improvement over time was not observed in unmodified peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) recipients, suggesting unmodified PBSC may not be the optimal stem cell source for children
Fast Spectral Variability from Cygnus X-1
We have developed an algorithm that, starting from the observed properties of
the X-ray spectrum and fast variability of an X-ray binary allows the
production of synthetic data reproducing observables such as power density
spectra and time lags, as well as their energy dependence. This allows to
reconstruct the variability of parameters of the energy spectrum and to reduce
substantially the effects of Poisson noise, allowing to study fast spectral
variations. We have applied the algorithm to Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer data
of the black-hole binary Cygnus X-1, fitting the energy spectrum with a
simplified power law model. We recovered the distribution of the power law
spectral indices on time-scales as low as 62 ms as being limited between 1.6
and 1.8. The index is positively correlated with the flux even on such
time-scales.Comment: 14 pages, 19 figures, accepted by MNRA
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