2,727 research outputs found
Spitzer observations of Bow Shocks and Outflows in RCW 38
We report Spitzer observations of five newly identified bow shocks in the
massive star-forming region RCW 38. Four are visible at IRAC wavelengths, the
fifth is visible only at 24 microns. Chandra X-ray emission indicates that
winds from the central O5.5 binary, IRS~2, have caused an outflow to the NE and
SW of the central subcluster. The southern lobe of hot ionised gas is detected
in X-rays; shocked gas and heated dust from the shock-front are detected with
Spitzer at 4.5 and 24 microns. The northern outflow may have initiated the
present generation of star formation, based on the filamentary distribution of
the protostars in the central subcluster. Further, the bow-shock driving star,
YSO 129, is photo-evaporating a pillar of gas and dust. No point sources are
identified within this pillar at near- to mid-IR wavelengths.
We also report on IRAC 3.6 & 5.8 micron observations of the cluster
DBS2003-124, NE of RCW 38, where 33 candidate YSOs are identified. One star
associated with the cluster drives a parsec-scale jet. Two candidate HH objects
associated with the jet are visible at IRAC and MIPS wavelengths. The jet
extends over a distance of ~3 pc. Assuming a velocity of 100 km/s for the jet
material gives an age of about 30,000 years, indicating that the star (and
cluster) are likely to be very young, with a similar or possibly younger age
than RCW 38, and that star formation is ongoing in the extended RCW 38 region.Comment: 27 pages, 6 figures, accepted to Ap
The Structure of the Star-forming Cluster RCW 38
We present a study of the structure of the high mass star-forming region
RCW~38 and the spatial distribution of its young stellar population. Spitzer
IRAC photometry 3-8um are combined with 2MASS near-IR data to identify young
stellar objects by IR-excess emission from their circumstellar material.
Chandra X-ray data are used to identify class III pre-main sequence stars
lacking circumstellar material. We identify 624 YSOs: 23 class 0/I and 90 flat
spectrum protostars, 437 Class II stars, and 74 Class III stars. We also
identify 29 (27 new) O star candidates over the IRAC field. Seventy-two stars
exhibit IR-variability, including seven class 0/I and 12 flat spectrum YSOs. A
further 177 tentative candidates are identified by their location in the IRAC
[3.6] vs. [3.6]-[5.8] cmd. We find strong evidence of subclustering in the
region. Three subclusters were identified surrounding the central cluster, with
massive and variable stars in each subcluster. The central region shows
evidence of distinct spatial distributions of the protostars and pre-main
sequence stars. A previously detected IR cluster, DB2001_Obj36, has been
established as a subcluster of RCW 38. This suggests that star formation in RCW
38 occurs over a more extended area than previously thought. The gas to dust
ratio is examined using the X-ray derived hydrogen column density, N_H and the
K-band extinction, and found to be consistent with the diffuse ISM, in contrast
with Serpens & NGC1333. We posit that the high photoionising flux of massive
stars in RCW 38 affects the agglomeration of the dust grains.Comment: 98 pages, 15 figure
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Coffee and black tea consumption and breast cancer mortality in a cohort of Swedish women
Background: Coffee and black tea contain a mixture of compounds that have the potential to influence breast cancer risk and survival. However, epidemiologic data on the relation between coffee and black tea consumption and breast cancer survival are sparse. Methods: We investigated the association between coffee and black tea consumption and survival among 3243 women with invasive breast cancer in the Swedish Mammography Cohort. Intake was estimated using a food frequency questionnaire. Cox proportional hazard models were used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs). Results: From 1987 to 2010 there were 394 breast cancer-specific deaths and 973 total deaths. Coffee and black tea were not associated with breast cancer-specific or overall mortality. Women consuming 4+ cups of coffee per day had a covariate and clinical characteristics-adjusted HR (95% CI) of death from breast cancer of 1.14 (0.71â1.83; ptrend=0.81) compared with those consuming <1 cup per day. Women consuming 2+ cups of black tea per day had a covariate and clinical characteristics-adjusted HR (95% CI) of death from breast cancer of 1.02 (0.67â1.55; ptrend=0.94) compared with non-tea drinkers. Caffeine was also not associated with breast cancer-specific (HR for top to bottom quartile=1.06; 95% CI=0.79â1.44; ptrend=0.71) or overall mortality. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that coffee, black tea, and caffeine consumption before breast cancer diagnosis do not influence breast cancer-specific and overall survival
Aetiology and pathogenesis of hidradenitis suppurativa
Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic inflammatory disorder. Patients develop inflamed nodules and abscesses and, at later stages of disease, epithelialized tunnels and scars in skinfolds of axillary, inguinal, gluteal and perianal areas. Quality of life is affected due to severe pain, purulent secretion, restricted mobility and systemic involvement. Genetics and lifestyle factors including smoking and obesity contribute to the development of HS. These factors lead to microbiome alteration, subclinical inflammation around the terminal hair follicles, and infundibular hyperkeratosis, resulting in plugging and rupture of the follicles. Cell-damage-associated molecules and propagating bacteria trigger inflammation and lead to massive immune cell infiltration that clinically manifests as inflamed nodules and abscesses. The immune system plays a key role also in the progression and chronification of skin alterations. Innate proinflammatory cytokines (e.g. interleukin-1 beta and tumour necrosis factor-alpha), mediators of activated T helper (Th)1 and Th17 cells (e.g. interleukin-17 and interferon-gamma), and effector mechanisms of neutrophilic granulocytes, macrophages and plasma cells are involved. Simultaneously, skin lesions contain anti-inflammatory mediators (e.g. interleukin-10) and show limited activity of Th22 and regulatory T cells. The inflammatory vicious circle finally results in pain, purulence, tissue destruction and scarring. Chronic inflammation in patients with HS is also frequently detected in organs other than the skin, as indicated by their comorbidities. All these aspects represent a challenge for the development of therapeutic approaches, which are urgently needed for this debilitating disease. This scholarly review focuses on the causes and pathogenetic mechanisms of HS and the potential therapeutic value of this knowledge
X-Ray Determination of the Variable Rate of Mass Accretion onto TW Hydrae
Diagnostics of electron temperature (T_e), electron density (n_e), and
hydrogen column density (N_H) from the Chandra High Energy Transmission Grating
spectrum of He-like Ne IX in TW Hydrae (TW Hya), in conjunction with a
classical accretion model, allow us to infer the accretion rate onto the star
directly from measurements of the accreting material. The new method introduces
the use of the absorption of Ne IX lines as a measure of the column density of
the intervening, accreting material. On average, the derived mass accretion
rate for TW Hya is 1.5 x 10^{-9} M_{\odot} yr^{-1}, for a stellar magnetic
field strength of 600 Gauss and a filling factor of 3.5%. Three individual
Chandra exposures show statistically significant differences in the Ne IX line
ratios, indicating changes in N_H, T_e, and n_e by factors of 0.28, 1.6, and
1.3, respectively. In exposures separated by 2.7 days, the observations
reported here suggest a five-fold reduction in the accretion rate. This
powerful new technique promises to substantially improve our understanding of
the accretion process in young stars
High recovery of nitrogenase activity and of 55Fe-labeled nitrogenase in heterocysts isolated from Anabaena variabilis
Rotation periods of Post-T Tauri stars in Lindroos systems
We present a rotational study of Post-T Tauri stars (PTTSs) in Lindroos
systems, defined as binaries with early type primaries on the main-sequence
(MS) and late-type secondaries on the pre-main-sequence (PMS) phase. The
importance of this study in comparison with previous ones is that the Lindroos
sample is not X-ray selected so we avoid a possible bias towards fast rotators.
In this preliminary study we have monitored eleven stars in the UBVRI bands
during two campaigns of ten consecutive nights each. Eight of the observed
PTTSs show periodic modulations in their lightcurves and the derived periods
range from 1.9d to 8.0d. The comparison of these results with theoretical
rotational tracks based on disk-star locking theory shows that star-disk
decoupling times of 1-20 Myr could reproduce the rotational properties of the
targets, assuming an initial rotation period of ~8d and a mass of 1 Mo. We have
studied the rotation-activity relations of Lindroos PTTSs and compared them
with those found in other groups of PMS and zero-age main-sequence (ZAMS) ~1 Mo
stars. The Lindroos sample displays activity-rotation relations very similar to
those found in TTSs. It contains a mixture of very active stars, with Lx/Lbol
ratios close to the saturation level of -3, and less active (unsaturated)
stars. This could be the result of different star-disk decoupling times. Future
monitoring of a larger and unbiased sample of PTTS will be important to confirm
the significance of these results
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