94 research outputs found
CANGAROO-III Search for Gamma Rays from SN 1987A and the Surrounding Field
Optical images of SN 1987A show a triple ring structure. The inner (dust)
ring has recently increased in brightness and in the number of hot spots
suggesting that the supernova shock wave has collided with the dense
pre-existing circumstellar medium, a scenario supported by radio and X-ray
observations. Such a shocked environment is widely expected to result in the
acceleration of charged particles, and the accompanying emission of very high
energy gamma-rays. Here, we report the results of observations made in 2004 and
2006 which yield upper limits on the TeV gamma-ray flux, which are compared
with a theoretical prediction. In addition, we set upper limits on the TeV flux
for four high energy objects which are located within the same field of view of
the observation: the super-bubble 30 Dor C, the Crab-like pulsar PSR
B054069, the X-ray binary LMC X-1, and the supernova remnant N157B.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figures, Accepted for publication in Ap
Observation of Very High Energy Gamma Rays from HESS J1804-216 with CANGAROO-III Telescopes
We observed the unidentified TeV gamma-ray source HESS J1804-216 with the
CANGAROO-III atmospheric Cerenkov telescopes from May to July in 2006. We
detected very high energy gamma rays above 600 GeV at the 10 sigma level in an
effective exposure of 76 hr. We obtained a differential flux of
(5.0+/-1.5_{stat}+/-1.6_{sys})\times 10^{-12}(E/1 TeV)^{-\alpha}
cm^{-2}s^{-1}TeV^{-1} with a photon index \alpha of 2.69 +/- 0.30_{stat} +/-
0.34_{sys}, which is consistent with that of the H.E.S.S. observation in 2004.
We also confirm the extended morphology of the source. By combining our result
with multi-wavelength observations, we discuss the possible counterparts of
HESS J1804-216 and the radiation mechanism based on leptonic and hadronic
processes for a supernova remnant and a pulsar wind nebula.Comment: 11 pages, 12 figures, Accepted in Ap
Observation of an extended VHE gamma-ray emission from MSH 15-52 with CANGAROO-III
We have observed the supernova remnant MSH 15-52 (G320.4-1.2), which contains
the gamma-ray pulsar PSR B1509-58, using the CANGAROO-III imaging atmospheric
Cherenkov telescope array from April to June in 2006. We detected gamma rays
above 810 GeV at the 7 sigma level during a total effective exposure of 48.4
hours. We obtained a differential gamma-ray flux at 2.35 TeV of
(7.9+/-1.5_{stat}+/-1.7_{sys}) \times 10^{-13} cm^{-2}s^{-1}TeV^{-1} with a
photon index of 2.21+/-0.39_{stat}+/-0.40_{sys}, which is compatible with that
of the H.E.S.S. observation in 2004. The morphology shows extended emission
compared to our Point Spread Function. We consider the plausible origin of the
high energy emission based on a multi-wavelength spectral analysis and
energetics arguments.Comment: 9 pages, 9 figures, Accepted in Ap
Autologous stem cell transplantation with low-dose cyclophosphamide to improve mucosal healing in adults with refractory Crohn's disease: the ASTIClite RCT
Some text in this abstract has been reproduced from Lindsay J, Din S, Hawkey C, Hind D, Irving P, Lobo A, et al. OFR-9 An RCT of autologous stem-cell transplantation in treatment refractory Crohnâs disease (low-intensity therapy evaluation): ASTIClite. Gut 2021;70(Suppl. 4):A4.
Background
Treatment-refractory Crohnâs disease is characterised by chronic symptoms, poor quality of life and high costs to the NHS, and through days of work lost by patients. A previous trial of autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) failed its end point of medication-free clinical remission for 3 months with no evidence of disease activity, and reported high toxicity. Subsequent studies suggest that HSCT achieves complete mucosal healing in 50% of patients, and that toxicity likely relates to the cyclophosphamide dose.
Objectives
The primary objective was to assess the efficacy of HSCTlite (HSCT with low-dose cyclophosphamide) compared with standard care for inducing regression of intestinal ulceration in patients with refractory Crohnâs disease at week 48. Secondary objectives included the assessment of disease activity, quality of life and regimen safety. Mechanistic objectives included immune reconstitution after HSCTlite.
Design
Two-arm, parallel-group randomised controlled trial with a 2â:â1 (interventionâ:âcontrol) allocation ratio.
Setting
Nine NHS trusts (eight trusts were recruitment sites; one trust was a treatment-only site).
Participants
Adults with treatment-refractory Crohnâs disease, for whom surgery was inappropriate or who had declined surgery.
Interventions
The intervention treatment was HSCTlite using cyclophosphamide, and the control was any current available treatment for Crohnâs disease, apart from stem cell transplantation.
Main outcomes
The primary outcome was treatment success at week 48 [mucosal healing (Simple Endoscopic Score for Crohnâs Disease ulcer subscore of 0) without surgery or death], assessed by central readers blinded to allocation and timing of assessment. Key secondary outcomes were clinical remission, Simple Endoscopic Score for Crohnâs Disease scores at week 48, change in Crohnâs Disease Activity Index scores and safety.
Results
The trial was halted owing to Suspected unexpected serious adverse events that took place after randomising 23 patients (HSCTlite arm, nâ=â13; usual-care arm, nâ=â10). Ten out of the 13 patients randomised to the HSCTlite arm received the intervention and nine (one death) reached the 48-week follow-up. In the usual-care arm 9 out of the 10 patients randomised reached the 48-week follow-up (one ineligible). The primary outcome was available for 7 out of 10 HSCTlite patients (including the patient who died) and six out of nine usual-care patients. Absence of endoscopic ulceration without surgery or death was reported in three out of seven (43%) HSCTlite patients, compared with zero out of six (0%) usual-care patients. Centrally read Simple Endoscopic Score for Crohnâs Disease scores [mean (standard deviation)] were 10.8 (6.3) and 10.0 (6.1) at baseline, compared with 2.8 (2.9) and 18.7 (9.1) at week 48, in the HSCT and usual-care arms, respectively. Clinical remission (Crohnâs Disease Activity Index scores of <â150) occurred in 57% and 17% of patients in the HSCTlite and usual-care arms, respectively, at week 48. Serious adverse events were more frequent in the HSCTlite arm [38 in 13 (100%) patients] than in the usual-care arm [16 in 4 (40%) patients]. Nine suspected unexpected serious adverse reactions were reported in six HSCTlite patients, including three cases of delayed renal failure due to proven thrombotic microangiopathy. Two HSCTlite patients died.
Conclusions
Within the limitations of reduced patient recruitment and numbers of patients assessed, HSCTlite meaningfully reduced endoscopic disease activity, with three patients experiencing resolution of ulceration. Suspected unexpected serious adverse reactions, particularly relating to thrombotic microangiopathy, make this regimen unsuitable for future clinical use.
Limitations
The early trial closure prevented complete recruitment, and the impact of the coronavirus pandemic prevented completion of some study investigations. Small participant numbers meant analysis could only be descriptive.
Future work
Owing to undetermined aetiology of thrombotic microangiopathy, further trials of HSCTlite in this population are not considered appropriate. Priorities should be to determine optimal treatment strategies for patients with refractory Crohnâs disease, including those with a stoma or multiple previous resections
CANGAROO-III Observation of TeV Gamma Rays from the vicinity of PSR B1 706-44
Observation by the CANGAROO-III stereoscopic system of the Imaging Cherenkov
Telescope has detected extended emission of TeV gamma rays in the vicinity of
the pulsar PSR B170644. The strength of the signal observed as
gamma-ray-like events varies when we apply different ways of emulating
background events. The reason for such uncertainties is argued in relevance to
gamma-rays embedded in the "off-source data", that is, unknown sources and
diffuse emission in the Galactic plane, namely, the existence of a complex
structure of TeV gamma-ray emission around PSR B170644.Comment: 10 pages, 13 figures, to be published in Ap
CANGAROO-III search for TeV Gamma-rays from two clusters of galaxies
Because accretion and merger shocks in clusters of galaxies may accelerate
particles to high energies, clusters are candidate sites for the origin of
ultra-high-energy (UHE) cosmic-rays. A prediction was presented for gamma-ray
emission from a cluster of galaxies at a detectable level with the current
generation of imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes. The gamma-ray emission
was produced via inverse Compton upscattering of cosmic microwave background
(CMB) photons by electron-positron pairs generated by collisions of UHE cosmic
rays in the cluster. We observed two clusters of galaxies, Abell 3667 and Abell
4038, searching for very-high-energy gamma-ray emission with the CANGAROO-III
atmospheric Cherenkov telescope system in 2006. The analysis showed no
significant excess around these clusters, yielding upper limits on the
gamma-ray emission. From a comparison of the upper limit for the north-west
radio relic region of Abell 3667 with a model prediction, we derive a lower
limit for the magnetic field of the region of ~0.1 micro G. This shows the
potential of gamma-ray observations in studies of the cluster environment. We
also discuss the flux upper limit from cluster center regions using a model of
gamma-ray emission from neutral pions produced in hadronic collisions of
cosmic-ray protons with the intra-cluster medium (ICM). The derived upper limit
of the cosmic-ray energy density within this framework is an order of magnitude
higher than that of our Galaxy.Comment: 7 pages, 6 figures, Accepted in Ap
Tracking Signals of Change in Mediterranean Fish Diversity Based on Local Ecological Knowledge
One of the expected effects of global change is increased variability in the abundance and distribution of living organisms, but information at the appropriate temporal and geographical scales is often lacking to observe these patterns. Here we use local knowledge as an alternative information source to study some emerging changes in Mediterranean fish diversity. A pilot study of thirty-two fishermen was conducted in 2009 from four Mediterranean locations along a south-north gradient. Semi-quantitative survey information on changes in species abundance was recorded by year and suggests that 59 fish species belonging to 35 families have experienced changes in their abundance. We distinguished species that increased from species that decreased or fluctuated. Multivariate analysis revealed significant differences between these three groups of species, as well as significant variation between the study locations. A trend for thermophilic taxa to increase was recorded at all the study locations. The Carangidae and the Sphyraenidae families typically were found to increase over time, while Scombridae and Clupeidae were generally identified as decreasing and Fistularidae and Scaridae appeared to fluctuate in abundance. Our initial findings strongly suggest the northward expansion of termophilic species whose occurrence in the northern Mediterranean has only been noted previously by occasional records in the scientific literature
Endocrine disruptors and spontaneous premature labor: a case control study
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Premature labor is a poorly understood condition. Estrogen is thought to play a key role and therefore the labor process may be affected by endocrine disruptors. We sought to determine whether or not an environmental toxicant, DDE, or dietary derived endocrine disruptors, daidzein and genistein, are associated with spontaneous preterm labor.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Cases were defined as primiparous patients having a preterm delivery at or before 35 weeks following the spontaneous onset of labor. Controls were defined as primiparous women who delivered on the same day as the cases but at term gestation.</p> <p>Over approximately 1 year, 26 cases and 52 controls were recruited. Subjects agreed to have blood tests on day one postpartum for DDE and for the phytoestrogens genistein and daidzein.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The mean concentration of DDE was similar in the case and control groups: 4.29 vs 4.32 ng/g lipid p = .85. In the case group, 13/26 had detectable levels of daidzein (range 0.20 â 1.56 ng/ml) compared to 25/52 controls (range 0.21 â 3.26 ng/ml). The mean concentration of daidzein was similar in cases compared to controls: 0.30 vs .34 ng/ml p = 0.91. Of the case group,14/26 had detectable levels of genistein (range 0.20 â 2.19 ng/ml) compared to 32/52 controls (range 0.21 â 2.55 ng/ml). The mean concentration of genistein was similar in cases compared to controls: 0.39 vs 0.31 ng/ml, p = 0.61.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The serum levels of DDE in this population were found to be low.</p> <p>There appears to be no relationship between serum concentrations of DDE, daidzein, and genistein and spontaneous preterm labor in our population. The inability to identify an effect may be related to the comparatively low concentrations of DDE in our population and the rapid and variable reduction of phytoestrogens from women in labor.</p
The unusual M-dwarf Warm Jupiter TOI-1899~b: Refinement of orbital and planetary parameters
TOI-1899~b is a rare exoplanet, a temperate Warm Jupiter orbiting an M-dwarf,
first discovered by \citet{Canas2020_toi1899} from a TESS single-transit event.
Using new radial velocities (RVs) from the precision RV spectrographs HPF and
NEID, along with additional TESS photometry and ground-based transit follow-up,
we are able to derive a much more precise orbital period of ~d, along with a radius of ~\unit{R_{J}}. We have also improved the constraints on planet
mass, ~\unit{M_{J}}, and eccentricity, which is consistent
with a circular orbit at 2 (). TOI-1899~b
occupies a unique region of parameter space as the coolest known ( 380~K) Jovian-sized transiting planet around an M-dwarf; we show that
it has great potential to provide clues regarding the formation and migration
mechanisms of these rare gas giants through transmission spectroscopy with JWST
as well as studies of tidal evolution.Comment: 19 pages, 7 figures, 3 tables, submitted to AJ (comments welcome
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