Polarized Diffuse Emission at 2.3 GHz in a High Galactic Latitude Area

Polarized diffuse emission observations at 2.3 GHz in a high Galactic latitude area are presented. The 2\degr X 2\degr field, centred in (\alpha=5^h,\delta=-49\degr), is located in the region observed by the BOOMERanG experiment. Our observations has been carried out with the Parkes Radio telescope and represent the highest frequency detection done to date in low emission areas. Because of a weaker Faraday rotation action, the high frequency allows an estimate of the Galactic synchrotron contamination of the Cosmic Microwave Background Polarization (CMBP) that is more reliable than that done at 1.4 GHz. We find that the angular power spectra of the E- and B-modes have slopes of \beta_E = -1.46 +/- 0.14 and \beta_B = -1.87 +/- 0.22, indicating a flattening with respect to 1.4 GHz. Extrapolated up to 32 GHz, the E-mode spectrum is about 3 orders of magnitude lower than that of the CMBP, allowing a clean detection even at this frequency. The best improvement concerns the B-mode, for which our single-dish observations provide the first estimate of the contamination on angular scales close to the CMBP peak (about 2 degrees). We find that the CMBP B-mode should be stronger than synchrotron contamination at 90 GHz for models with T/S > 0.01. This low level could move down to 60-70 GHz the optimal window for CMBP measures.Comment: 5 pages, 6 figures, accepted for publication in MNRAS Letter

Noise Correlations in a Coulomb Blockaded Quantum Dot

We report measurements of current noise auto- and cross-correlation in a tunable quantum dot with two or three leads. As the Coulomb blockade is lifted at finite source-drain bias, the auto-correlation evolves from super-Poissonian to sub-Poissonian in the two-lead case, and the cross-correlation evolves from positive to negative in the three-lead case, consistent with transport through multiple levels. Cross-correlations in the three-lead dot are found to be proportional to the noise in excess of the Poissonian value in the limit of weak output tunneling

Evaluation of critical congenital heart defects screening using pulse oximetry in the neonatal intensive care unit.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the implementation of early screening for critical congenital heart defects (CCHDs) in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and potential exclusion of sub-populations from universal screening.Study designProspective evaluation of CCHD screening at multiple time intervals was conducted in 21 NICUs across five states (n=4556 infants).ResultsOf the 4120 infants with complete screens, 92% did not have prenatal CHD diagnosis or echocardiography before screening, 72% were not receiving oxygen at 24 to 48 h and 56% were born ⩾2500 g. Thirty-seven infants failed screening (0.9%); none with an unsuspected CCHD. False positive rates were low for infants not receiving oxygen (0.5%) and those screened after weaning (0.6%), yet higher among infants born at <28 weeks (3.8%). Unnecessary echocardiograms were minimal (0.2%).ConclusionGiven the majority of NICU infants were ⩾2500 g, not on oxygen and not preidentified for CCHD, systematic screening at 24 to 48 h may be of benefit for early detection of CCHD with minimal burden

Successful small bowel allotransplantation in dogs with cyclosporine and prednisone

Twelve dogs had transplantation of almost the entire small intestine in the orthotopic location; immunosuppression was with cyclosporine and prednisone. Half the dogs had survival of at least one month, and a third lived for at least four months. Two of the animals are still living after 550 and 555 days. Maintenance of nutrition, and absorption of D-xylose and fat were better than in control animals with an iatrogenic short gut syndrome, but distinctly worse than that of normal dogs. © 1984 by The Williams and Wilkins Co

Active Specific Immunotherapy in the Management of Adenocarcinoma of the Pancreas

Active specific immunotherapy for pancreatic adenocarcinoma and subsequent immunohistochemical analysis of tumour tissue have not been previously reported. To date, the therapy of pancreatic adenocarcinoma has been largely unsuccessful. A patient treated with a therapeutic ‘cancer vaccine’ and the immunological impact on the primary tumour of this potential new therapy are described. To the authors’ knowledge, this is both the first patient to be treated with active specific immunotherapy for pancreatic adenocarcinoma and the first to be studied immunologically by flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry with an apparent positive clinical impact

Chlamydia trachomatis Pgp3 antibody persists and correlates with self-reported infection and behavioural risks in a blinded cohort study

Chlamydia trachomatis (Ct) serological studies in populations could help monitor changes in lifetime cumulative risk of infection. We developed a double-antigen sandwich ELISA based on the Ct-specific Pgp3 antigen, then tested blind stored sera from over 800 participants in a New Zealand birth cohort from Dunedin at ages 26, 32 and 38. The double-antigen sandwich ELISA was more sensitive than our previously characterised indirect Pgp3 ELISA. Pgp3 antibody was detected more often in women compared to men and correlated with increasing numbers of sexual partners, self-reported Ct, and younger age at sexual debut in both women and men. At age 26, 24.1% (99/411) of women were Pgp3 seropositive, as were 79.5% (35/44) of those reporting Ct infection; Pgp3 antibody persisted to age 38 in 96.5% (83/86). In men at age 26, the figures were 10.7% (47/442) and 25.0% (6/24), respectively, with high (83.9%) antibody persistence to age 38. At age 38, among those Pgp3 seropositive, 63.3% of women and 83.1% of men had not reported Ct infection. Thus, Ct-specific Pgp3 antibody was detected in most women reporting Ct infection and correlated with risk of infection in those who did not, with most infections remaining undetected. As this antibody persisted for at least twelve years in 96% of these women, serology could be used to evaluate Ct prevention programmes among women

Threshold electronic structure at the oxygen K edge of 3d transition metal oxides: a configuration interaction approach

It has been generally accepted that the threshold structure observed in the oxygen K edge X-ray absorption spectrum in 3d transition metal oxides represents the electronic structure of the 3d transition metal. There is, however, no consensus about the correct description. We present an interpretation, which includes both ground state hybridization and electron correlation. It is based on a configuration interaction cluster calculation using a MO6 cluster. The oxygen K edge spectrum is calculated by annihilating a ligand hole in the ground state and is compared to calculations representing inverse photoemission experiments in which a 3d transition metal electron is added. Clear differences are observed related to the amount of ligand hole created in the ground state. Two "rules" connected to this are discussed. Comparison with experimental data of some early transition metal compounds is made and shows that this simple cluster approach explains the experimental features quite well.Comment: 10 pages, submitted to Phys. Rev. B, tried to make a better PS file

The Galactic Distribution of Large HI Shells

We report the discovery of nineteen new HI shells in the Southern Galactic Plane Survey (SGPS). These shells, which range in radius from 40 pc to 1 kpc, were found in the low resolution Parkes portion of the SGPS dataset, covering Galactic longitudes l=253 deg to l=358 deg. Here we give the properties of individual shells, including positions, physical dimensions, energetics, masses, and possible associations. We also examine the distribution of these shells in the Milky Way and find that several of the shells are located between the spiral arms of the Galaxy. We offer possible explanations for this effect, in particular that the density gradient away from spiral arms, combined with the many generations of sequential star formation required to create large shells, could lead to a preferential placement of shells on the trailing edges of spiral arms. Spiral density wave theory is used in order to derive the magnitude of the density gradient behind spiral arms. We find that the density gradient away from spiral arms is comparable to that out of the Galactic plane and therefore suggest that this may lead to exaggerated shell expansion away from spiral arms and into interarm regions.Comment: 25 pages, 20 embedded EPS figures, uses emulateapj.sty, to appear in the Astrophysical Journa