463 research outputs found
Formation of the Galactic globular clusters with He-rich stars in low-mass halos virialized at high redshift
Recent observations have reported that the Galactic globular clusters (GCs)
with unusually extended horizontal-branch (EHB) morphologies show a
significantly lower velocity dispersion compared with that of the entire
Galactic GC system. We consider that the observed distinctive kinematics of GCs
with EHB has valuable information on the formation epochs of GCs and
accordingly discuss this observational result based on cosmological N-body
simulations with a model of GC formation. We assume that GCs in galaxies were
initially formed in low-mass halos at high redshifts and we investigate final
kinematics of GCs in their host halos at . We find that GCs formed in
halos virialized at z>10 show lower velocity dispersions on average than those
formed at z>6 for halos with GCs at z=0. We thus suggest that the origin of the
observed lower velocity dispersion for the Galactic GCs with EHBs is closely
associated with earlier formation epochs (z>10) of halos initially hosting the
GCs in the course of the Galaxy formation. Considering that the origin of EHBs
can be due to the presence of helium-enhanced second-generation stars in GCs,
we discuss the longstanding second parameter problem of GCs in the context of
different degrees of chemical pollution in GC-forming gas clouds within
low-mass halos virialized at different redshifts.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, accepted by MNRAS Letter
Dark energy constraints and correlations with systematics from CFHTLS weak lensing, SNLS supernovae Ia and WMAP5
We combine measurements of weak gravitational lensing from the CFHTLS-Wide
survey, supernovae Ia from CFHT SNLS and CMB anisotropies from WMAP5 to obtain
joint constraints on cosmological parameters, in particular, the dark energy
equation of state parameter w. We assess the influence of systematics in the
data on the results and look for possible correlations with cosmological
parameters.
We implement an MCMC algorithm to sample the parameter space of a flat CDM
model with a dark-energy component of constant w. Systematics in the data are
parametrised and included in the analysis. We determine the influence of
photometric calibration of SNIa data on cosmological results by calculating the
response of the distance modulus to photometric zero-point variations. The weak
lensing data set is tested for anomalous field-to-field variations and a
systematic shape measurement bias for high-z galaxies.
Ignoring photometric uncertainties for SNLS biases cosmological parameters by
at most 20% of the statistical errors, using supernovae only; the parameter
uncertainties are underestimated by 10%. The weak lensing field-to-field
variance pointings is 5%-15% higher than that predicted from N-body
simulations. We find no bias of the lensing signal at high redshift, within the
framework of a simple model. Assuming a systematic underestimation of the
lensing signal at high redshift, the normalisation sigma_8 increases by up to
8%. Combining all three probes we obtain -0.10<1+w<0.06 at 68% confidence
(-0.18<1+w<0.12 at 95%), including systematic errors. Systematics in the data
increase the error bars by up to 35%; the best-fit values change by less than
0.15sigma. [Abridged]Comment: 14 pages, 10 figures. Revised version, matches the one to be
published in A&A. Modifications have been made corresponding to the referee's
suggestions, including reordering of some section
Structural parts involved in activation and inactivation of the sodium channel.
Structureâfunction relationships of the sodium channel expressed inXenopus oocytes have been investigated by the combined use of siteâdirected mutagenesis and patch-clamp recording. This study provides evidence that the positive charges in segment S4 are involved in the voltageâsensing mechanism for activation of the channel and that the region between repeats III and IV is important for its inactivation
Numerical Galaxy Catalog -I. A Semi-analytic Model of Galaxy Formation with N-body simulations
We construct the Numerical Galaxy Catalog (GC), based on a semi-analytic
model of galaxy formation combined with high-resolution N-body simulations in a
-dominated flat cold dark matter (CDM) cosmological model.
The model includes several essential ingredients for galaxy formation, such as
merging histories of dark halos directly taken from N-body simulations,
radiative gas cooling, star formation, heating by supernova explosions
(supernova feedback), mergers of galaxies, population synthesis, and extinction
by internal dust and intervening HI clouds. As the first paper in a series
using this model, we focus on basic photometric, structural and kinematical
properties of galaxies at present and high redshifts. Two sets of model
parameters are examined, strong and weak supernova feedback models, which are
in good agreement with observational luminosity functions of local galaxies in
a range of observational uncertainty. Both models agree well with many
observations such as cold gas mass-to-stellar luminosity ratios of spiral
galaxies, HI mass functions, galaxy sizes, faint galaxy number counts and
photometric redshift distributions in optical pass-bands, isophotal angular
sizes, and cosmic star formation rates. In particular, the strong supernova
feedback model is in much better agreement with near-infrared (K'-band) faint
galaxy number counts and redshift distribution than the weak feedback model and
our previous semi-analytic models based on the extended Press-Schechter
formalism. (Abridged)Comment: 26 pages including 27 figures, accepted for publication in ApJ,
full-resolution version is available at
http://grape.astron.s.u-tokyo.ac.jp/~yahagi/nugc
An autopsy report on multiple system atrophy diagnosed immunohistochemically despite severe ischaemic damage: a new approach for investigation of medical practice associated deaths in Japan
A 60-year old man with a 10-year history of multiple system atrophy (MSA) was found in respiratory arrest. After 4 months of respiratory support with two episodes of septic shock, he died. Autopsy disclosed severe atrophy of the mesencephalon, brainstem, medulla oblongata and cerebellum. GallyasâBraak, α-synuclein and ubiquitin-positive inclusions in the cytoplasm of glial cells were evident, despite the severe ischaemic damage due to respiratory arrest and subsequent respiratory support for 4 months. The cause of respiratory arrest was not identified, but could be explained by the natural history of MSA. The bereaved family, who had suspected malpractice, was satisfied with the explanation based on the investigation performed by eight expert doctors, one expert nurse, two coordinator nurses and two lawyers in the model project promoted by the Japanese government
On the offset of Short Gamma-ray Bursts
Short Gamma-Ray Bursts (SGRBs) are expected to form from the coalescence of
compact binaries, either of primordial origin or from dynamical interactions in
globular clusters. In this paper, we investigate the possibility that the
offset and afterglow brightness of a SGRB can help revealing the origin of its
progenitor binary. We find that a SGRB is likely to result from the primordial
channel if it is observed within 10 kpc from the center of a massive galaxy and
shows a detectable afterglow. The same conclusion holds if it is 100 kpc away
from a small, isolated galaxy and shows a weak afterglow. On the other hand, a
dynamical origin is suggested for those SGRBs with observable afterglow either
at a large separation from a massive, isolated galaxy or with an offset of
10-100 kpc from a small, isolated galaxy. We discuss the possibility that SGRBs
from the dynamical channel are hosted in intra-cluster globular clusters and
find that GRB 061201 may fall within this scenario.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, MNRAS in pres
Internal properties of ultracompact dwarf galaxies in the Virgo cluster
We present new imaging and spectroscopic observations of six ultracompact dwarf (UCD) galaxies in the Virgo Cluster, along with reanalyzed data for five Fornax Cluster UCDs. These are the most luminous UCDs: -14 mag < M-V < -12 mag. Our Hubble Space Telescope imaging shows that most of the UCDs have shallow or steep cusps in their cores; only one UCD has a flat "King'' core. None of the UCDs show tidal cutoffs down to our limiting surface brightness. Spectroscopic analysis shows that Virgo UCDs are old ( older than 8 Gyr) and have metallicities in the range from [Z/H] = -1.35 to +0.35 dex. Five Virgo UCDs have supersolar [alpha/Fe] abundance ratios, and one Virgo UCD has a solar abundance ratio. The supersolar [alpha/Fe] abundances are typical of old stellar populations found in globular clusters and elliptical galaxies. We find that Virgo UCDs have structural and dynamical properties similar to Fornax UCDs. The Virgo and Fornax UCDs all have masses approximate to(2-9) x 10(7) M-circle dot and mass-to-light ratios approximate to(3-5) M-circle dot/L-circle dot,(V). The dynamical mass-to-light ratios for Virgo UCDs are consistent with simple stellar population model predictions: the Virgo UCDs do not require dark matter to explain their mass-to-light ratios. We conclude that the internal properties of Virgo UCDs are consistent with them being the high-mass/high-luminosity extreme of known globular cluster populations. We refrain from any firm conclusions on Fornax UCD origins until accurate age, metallicity, and alpha-abundance estimates are obtained for them. Some of our results, notably the fundamental plane projections, are consistent with the formation of UCDs by the simple removal of the halo from the nuclei of nucleated dwarf galaxies. However, the ages, metallicities, and abundances for Virgo UCDs are not consistent with this simple stripping model. It might be consistent with more sophisticated models of the stripping process that include the effects of gas removal on the chemical evolution of the nuclei
Transformation Pathways of Silica under High Pressure
Concurrent molecular dynamics simulations and ab initio calculations show
that densification of silica under pressure follows a ubiquitous two-stage
mechanism. First, anions form a close-packed sub-lattice, governed by the
strong repulsion between them. Next, cations redistribute onto the interstices.
In cristobalite silica, the first stage is manifest by the formation of a
metastable phase, which was observed experimentally a decade ago, but never
indexed due to ambiguous diffraction patterns. Our simulations conclusively
reveal its structure and its role in the densification of silica.Comment: 14 pages, 4 figure
Usefulness and safety of 0.4% sodium hyaluronate solution as a submucosal fluid "cushion" for endoscopic resection of colorectal mucosal neoplasms: A prospective multi-center open-label trial
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Sodium hyaluronate (SH) solution has been used for submucosal injection in endoscopic resection to create a long-lasting submucosal fluid "cushion". Recently, we proved the usefulness and safety of 0.4% SH solution in endoscopic resection for gastric mucosal tumors. To evaluate the usefulness of 0.4% SH as a submucosal injection solution for colorectal endoscopic resection, we conducted an open-label clinical trial on six referral hospitals in Japan.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A prospective multi-center open-label study was designed. A total of 41 patients with 5â20 mm neoplastic lesions localized in the colorectal mucosa at six referral hospitals in Japan in a single year period from December 2002 to November 2003 were enrolled and underwent endoscopic resection with SH. The usefulness of 0.4% SH was assessed by the <it>en bloc </it>complete resection and the formation and maintenance of mucosal lesion-lifting during endoscopic resection. Safety was evaluated by analyzing adverse events during the study period.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The usefulness rate was high (82.5%; 33/40). The following secondary outcome measures were noted: 1) steepness of mucosal lesion-lifting, 75.0% (30/40); 2) intraoperative complications, 10.0% (4/40); 3) time required for mucosal resection, 6.7 min; 4) volume of submucosal injection, 6.8 mL and 5) ease of mucosal resection, 87.5% (35/40). Two adverse events of bleeding potentially related to 0.4% SH were reported.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Using 0.4% SH solution enabled sufficient lifting of a colorectal intramucosal lesion during endoscopic resection, reducing the need for additional injections and the risk of perforation. Therefore, 0.4% SH may contribute to the reduction of complications and serve as a promising submucosal injection solution due to its potentially superior safety in comparison to normal saline solution.</p
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