Probing the Interstellar Medium in Early type galaxies with ISO observations

Four IRAS-detected early type galaxies were observed with ISO. With the exception of the 15 micron image of NGC1052, the mid-IR emission from NGC1052, NGC1155, NGC5866 and NGC6958 at 4.5, 7 and 15 microns show extended emission. Mid-IR emission from NGC1052, NGC1155, and NGC6958 follows a de Vaucouleurs profile. The ratio of 15/7 micron flux decreases with radius in these galaxies, approaching the values empirically observed for purely stellar systems. In NGC5866, the 7 and 15 micron emission is concentrated in the edge-on dust lane. All the galaxies are detected in the [CII] line, and the S0s NGC1155 and NGC5866 are detected in the [OI] line as well. The ISO-LWS observations of the [CII] line are more sensitive measures of cool, neutral ISM than HI and CO by about a factor of 10-100. Three of four early type galaxies, namely NGC1052, NGC6958 and NGC5866, have low ratio FIR/Blue and show a lower [CII]/FIR, which is due to a softer radiation field from old stellar populations. The low [CII]/CO ratio in NGC5866 ([CII]/CO(1-0) < 570) confirms this scenario. We estimate the UV radiation expected from the old stellar populations in these galaxies and compare it to that needed to heat the gas to account for the cooling observed [CII] and [OI] lines. In three out of four galaxies, NGC1052, NGC5866 and NGC6958, the predicted UV radiation falls short by a factor of 2-3. In view of the observed intrinsic scatter in the "UV-upturn" in elliptical galaxies and its great sensitivity to age and metallicity effects, this is not significant. However, the much larger difference (about a factor of 20) between the UV radiation from old stars and that needed to produce the FIR lines for NGC 1155 is strong evidence for the presence of young stars, in NGC1155.Comment: To appear in the Astrophysical Journal. Figure 1 appears as a separate jpg figur

Persistence of left atrial spontaneous echocardiographic contrast after percutaneous mitral valvulotomy: A study in the Turkish population

We evaluated the resolution of left atrial spontaneous echocardiographic contrast (SEC) using transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) and transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) one day before and three days after percutaneous mitral balloon valvulotomy (PMV) in 56 consecutive patients with mitral stenosis. SEC was present in 43 patients (77%) before the procedure. We associated the following parameters with pre-procedure SEC; decreased forward (p=0.043) and backward (p=0.044) left atrial appendage (LAA) peak flow velocities, increased left atrial dimension (p=0.05), decreased mitral valve area (p=0.001), presence of atrial fibrillation (p=0.031), and increased pulmonary systolic pressure (p=0.01). In multivariate analysis, decreased forward LAA peak flow velocity (p=0.0724), and decreased mitral valve area (p=0.0026) were the significant independent predictors for the presence of pre-procedure SEC. On post-PMV transesophageal echocardiography, SEC was present in seven patients (13%). Analysis of this subgroup of patients showed them to be in the lowest quintile of the preprocedure forward LAA peak flow velocities. They also showed smaller percentage and absolute increase in backward LAA peak flow velocities after PMV. We suggest continued left atrial muscular dysfunction as an explanation for the persistence of SEC, despite the excellent hemodynamic improvement. We explain the dramatic decrease in SEC after PMV, on the basis of the youth of our patient population, the high success rates attained with PMV, and the physiopathologic mechanisms that may be in play in rheumatic mitral stenosis seen in developing countries

The feasibility of using patent foramen ovale during mitral balloon valvuloplasty

This study was undertaken to examine the feasibility of searching and finding probe patency during mitral balloon valvuloplasty and whether the duration of procedure and/or the incidence and severity of iatrogenic atrial septal defect decreased in this patient population. Sixty consecutive patients treated with mitral balloon valvuloplasty (MBV) were studied; data from 55 patients were analyzed

The influence of the resolution of reciprocal ST segment changes on in-hospital complications of acute myocardial infarction after percutaneous coronary angioplasty

We studied 120 patients (M:F 105:15, mean age 57.5 +/- 10.1 years) with acute myocardial infarction (MI) successfully treated with percutaneous coronary angioplasty (PTCA) to analyze the influence of the resolution of the ST segment elevation and depression after intervention to 1 month composite endpoints of reinfarction or reocclusion, development of congestive heart failure (CF) and death. Sum of preintervention and postintervention ST segment elevation and depression and the rate of resolution of these ST segment elevations and depressions were recorded for every patient. A total of 17 (14.2 %) composite endpoint events (events group) were recorded (7 reocclusion or recurrent MI, 9 CF, and 1 death). On univariate analysis, events group patients were older (53.3 +/- 9.9 vs. 58.8 +/- 9.1 years, P = 0.032), had lesser resolution of ST segment elevations (85 +/- 24 % vs. 44 +/- 55%, P = 0.017) and depression (72 +/- 26% vs. 52 +/- 30%, P = 0.009), had greater preintervention ST segment elevation (17.49 +/- 12.95 mm vs. 28.38 +/- 20.41 mm, P = 0.045), had lower ejection fraction (59.3 +/- 10.2% vs. 43.6 +/- 9.4%, P < 0.001), and had more frequent multivessel disease (71% vs. 47%, P = 0.048) compared to the nonevents group. Time from angina to reperfusion, residual stenosis, sex, infarct location and infarct-related vessel distribution were similar. On multivariate analysis (logistic regression with backward likelihood ratio) only older age (P = 0.0752), lesser rate of resolution of ST segment depression (P = 0.0262) and lower ejection fractions (P = 0.0014) were retained as predictors of the composite endpoints. Relative risk conferred by less than 50% resolution of ST segment depressions for composite endpoints were 3.78 (95% CI 1.63-8.73). We conclude that the lack of resolution of the sum of reciprocal ST segment depressions identifies a subgroup of acute MI patients with greater morbidity after primary PTCA. Cathet Cardiovasc. Diagn. 45:240-245, 1998. (C) 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc

Genetic characterization of pea (Pisum sativum) germplasm from Turkey using morphological and SSR markers

The need for the conservation of plant genetic resources has been widely accepted. Germplasm characterization and evaluation yield information for more efficient utilization of these valuable resources. The aim of the present study was to characterize the pea germplasm conserved at the Aegean Agricultural Research Institute of Turkey using morphological and simple sequence repeat (SSR)-based molecular approaches. Genetic characterization of 30 pea genotypes collected from different regions of Turkey and 10 commercial pea cultivars was performed using the criteria of the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV) (TG 7/9 Pisum sativum), and with 10 SSR markers. We originally tested 15 SSR markers; 10 of these markers were selected on the basis of high polymorphism information content in the molecular assays. Sixty-one alleles were detected at the 10 loci. The number of alleles per SSR locus ranged from 3 (PVSBE2) to 12 (AB53), with a mean of 6.1 alleles. The most informative loci were AB53 (12 alleles), AA355 (9 alleles), AD270 (8 alleles), A9 (7 alleles), AD61 (7 alleles), and AB25 (6 alleles). The UPGMA dendrogram defined by SSR markers revealed genetic relatedness of the pea genotypes. These findings can be used to guide future breeding studies and germplasm management of these pea genotypes

The use of transesophageal echocardiography guidance of thrombolytic therapy in prosthetic mitral valve thrombosis

Background and aim of the study: The aim of the study was to assess the use of transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) to guide thrombolytic therapy in prosthetic mitral valve thrombosis