1,004 research outputs found
Optical/Near-Infrared Imaging of Infrared-Excess Palomar-Green QSOs
Ground-based high spatial-resolution (FWHM < 0.3-0.8") optical and
near-infrared imaging (0.4-2.2um) is presented for a complete sample of
optically selected Palomar-Green QSOs with far-infrared excesses at least as
great as those of "warm" AGN-like ultraluminous infrared galaxies
(L_ir/L_big-blue-bump > 0.46). In all cases, the host galaxies of the QSOs were
detected and most have discernable two-dimensional structure. The QSO host
galaxies and the QSO nuclei are similar in magnitude at H-band. H-band
luminosities of the hosts range from 0.5-7.5 L* with a mean of 2.3 L*, and are
consistent with those found in ULIGs. Both the QSO nuclei and the host galaxies
have near-infrared excesses, which may be the result of dust associated with
the nucleus and of recent dusty star formation in the host. These results
suggest that some, but not all, optically-selected QSOs may have evolved from
an infrared-active state triggered by the merger of two similarly-sized L*
galaxies, in a manner similar to that of the ultraluminous infrared galaxies.Comment: Aastex format, 38 pages, 4 tables, 10 figures. Higher quality figures
are available in JPG forma
Large-scale structure in a new deep IRAS galaxy redshift survey
We present here the first results from two recently completed, fully sampled redshift surveys comprising 3703 IRAS Faint Source Survey (FSS) galaxies. An unbiased counts-in-cells analysis finds a clustering strength in broad agreement with other recent redshift surveys and at odds with the standard cold dark matter model. We combine our data with those from the QDOT and 1.2 Jy surveys, producing a single estimate of the IRAS galaxy clustering strength. We compare the data with the power spectrum derived from a mixed dark matter universe. Direct comparison of the clustering strength seen in the IRAS samples with that seen in the APM-Stromlo survey suggests b_O/b_I=1.20+/-0.05 assuming a linear, scale independent biasing. We also perform a cell by cell comparison of our FSS-z sample with galaxies from the first CfA slice, testing the viability of a linear-biasing scheme linking the two. We are able to rule out models in which the FSS-z galaxies identically trace the CfA galaxies on scales 5-20h^{-1}Mpc. On scales of 5 and 10h^{-1}Mpc no linear-biasing model can be found relating the two samples. We argue that this result is expected since the CfA sample includes more elliptical galaxies which have different clustering properties from spirals. On scales of 20h^{-1}Mpc no linear-biasing model with b_O/b_I < 1.70 is acceptable. When comparing the FSS-z galaxies to the CfA spirals, however, the two populations trace the same structures within our uncertaintie
Cytotoxic T lymphocyte lysis of HTLV-1 infected cells is limited by weak HBZ protein expression, but non-specifically enhanced on induction of Tax expression
BACKGROUND: Immunogenetic evidence indicates that cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) specific for the weak CTL antigen HBZ limit HTLV-1 proviral load in vivo, whereas there is no clear relationship between the proviral load and the frequency of CTLs specific for the immunodominant antigen Tax. In vivo, circulating HTLV-1-infected cells express HBZ mRNA in contrast, Tax expression is typically low or undetectable. To elucidate the virus-suppressing potential of CTLs targeting HBZ, we compared the ability of HBZ- and Tax-specific CTLs to lyse naturally-infected cells, by co-incubating HBZ- and Tax-specific CTL clones with primary CD4(+) T cells from HLA-matched HTLV-1-infected donors. We quantified lysis of infected cells, and tested whether specific virus-induced host cell surface molecules determine the susceptibility of infected cells to CTL-mediated lysis. RESULTS: Primary infected cells upregulated HLA-A*02, ICAM-1, Fas and TRAIL-R1/2 in concert with Tax expression, forming efficient targets for both HTLV-1-specific CTLs and CTLs specific for an unrelated virus. We detected expression of HBZ mRNA (spliced isoform) in both Tax-expressing and non-expressing infected cells, and the HBZ(26–34) epitope was processed and presented by cells transfected with an HBZ expression plasmid. However, when coincubated with primary cells, a high-avidity HBZ-specific CTL clone killed significantly fewer infected cells than were killed by a Tax-specific CTL clone. Finally, incubation with Tax- or HBZ-specific CTLs resulted in a significant decrease in the frequency of cells expressing high levels of HLA-A*02. CONCLUSIONS: HTLV-1 gene expression in primary CD4(+) T cells non-specifically increases susceptibility to CTL lysis. Despite the presence of HBZ spliced-isoform mRNA, HBZ epitope presentation by primary cells is significantly less efficient than that of Tax. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12977-014-0116-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users
Nurse practitioner coverage is associated with a decrease in length of stay in a pediatric chronic ventilator dependent unit
AIM:
To hypothesize a dedicated critical care nurse practitioner (NP) is associated with a decreased length of stay (LOS) from a pediatric chronic ventilator dependent unit (PCVDU).
METHODS:
We retrospectively reviewed patients requiring care in the PCVDU from May 2001 through May 2011 comparing the 5 years prior to the 5 years post implementation of the critical care NP in 2005. LOS and room charges were obtained.
RESULTS:
The average LOS decreased from a median of 55 d [interquartile range (IQR): 9.8-108.3] to a median of 12 (IQR: 4.0-41.0) with the implementation of a dedicated critical care NP (P < 1.0001). Post implementation of a dedicated NP, a savings of 25738049 in room charges was noted over 5 years.
CONCLUSION:
Our data demonstrates a critical care NP coverage model in a PCVDU is associated with a significantly reduced LOS demonstrating that the NP is an efficient and likely cost-effective addition to a medically comprehensive service
A 610-MHz survey of the ELAIS-N1 field with the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope - Observations, data analysis and source catalogue
Observations of the ELAIS-N1 field taken at 610 MHz with the Giant Metrewave
Radio Telescope are presented. Nineteen pointings were observed, covering a
total area of 9 square degrees with a resolution of 6" x 5", PA +45 deg. Four
of the pointings were deep observations with an rms of 40 microJy before
primary beam correction, with the remaining fifteen pointings having an rms of
70 microJy. The techniques used for data reduction and production of a
mosaicked image of the region are described, and the final mosaic is presented,
along with a catalogue of 2500 sources detected above 6 sigma. This work
complements the large amount of optical and infrared data already available on
the region. We calculate 610-MHz source counts down to 270 microJy, and find
further evidence for the turnover in differential number counts below 1 mJy,
previously seen at both 610 MHz and 1.4 GHz.Comment: 12 pages, 18 figures, two tables. Table 1 can be found in full via
http://www.mrao.cam.ac.uk/surveys/ . Accepted for publication in MNRA
325-MHz observations of the ELAIS-N1 field using the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope
We present observations of the European Large-Area {\it ISO} Survey-North 1
(ELAIS-N1) at 325 MHz using the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT), with
the ultimate objective of identifying active galactic nuclei and starburst
galaxies and examining their evolution with cosmic epoch. After combining the
data from two different days we have achieved a median rms noise of Jy beam, which is the lowest that has been achieved at this
frequency. We detect 1286 sources with a total flux density above Jy. In this paper, we use our deep radio image to examine the spectral
indices of these sources by comparing our flux density estimates with those of
Garn et al. at 610 MHz with the GMRT, and surveys with the Very Large Array at
1400 MHz. We attempt to identify very steep spectrum sources which are likely
to be either relic sources or high-redshift objects as well as inverted-spectra
objects which could be Giga-Hertz Peaked Spectrum objects. We present the
source counts, and report the possibility of a flattening in the normalized
differential counts at low flux densities which has so far been reported at
higher radio frequencies.Comment: The paper contains 15 figures and 5 tables. Accepted for publication
in MNRA
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