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- Royer, P., et al.
(author)
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PACS and SPIRE spectroscopy of the red supergiant VY CMa
- 2010
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In: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 518, s. L145-
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- With a luminosity > 10(5) L-circle dot and a mass-loss rate of similar to 2 x 10(-4) M-circle dot yr(-1), the red supergiant VY CMa truly is a spectacular object. Because of its extreme evolutionary state, it could explode as supernova any time. Studying its circumstellar material, into which the supernova blast will run, provides interesting constraints on supernova explosions and on the rich chemistry taking place in such complex circumstellar envelopes. We have obtained spectroscopy of VY CMa over the full wavelength range offered by the PACS and SPIRE instruments of Herschel, i.e. 55-672 micron. The observations show the spectral fingerprints of more than 900 spectral lines, of which more than half belong to water. In total, we have identified 13 different molecules and some of their isotopologues. A first analysis shows that water is abundantly present, with an ortho-to-para ratio as low as similar to 1.3:1, and that chemical non-equilibrium processes determine the abundance fractions in the inner envelope.
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- Acke, B., et al.
(author)
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Herschel images of Fomalhaut An extrasolar Kuiper belt at the height of its dynamical activity
- 2012
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In: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 540, s. Article Number: A125 -
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Context. Fomalhaut is a young (2 +/- 1 x 10(8) years), nearby (7.7 pc), 2 M-circle dot star that is suspected to harbor an infant planetary system, interspersed with one or more belts of dusty debris. Aims. We present far-infrared images obtained with the Herschel Space Observatory with an angular resolution between 5.7 '' and 36.7 '' at wavelengths between 70 mu m and 500 mu m. The images show the main debris belt in great detail. Even at high spatial resolution, the belt appears smooth. The region in between the belt and the central star is not devoid of material; thermal emission is observed here as well. Also at the location of the star, excess emission is detected. We aim to construct a consistent image of the Fomalhaut system. Methods. We use a dynamical model together with radiative-transfer tools to derive the parameters of the debris disk. We include detailed models of the interaction of the dust grains with radiation, for both the radiation pressure and the temperature determination. Comparing these models to the spatially resolved temperature information contained in the images allows us to place strong constraints on the presence of grains that will be blown out of the system by radiation pressure. We use this to derive the dynamical parameters of the system. Results. The appearance of the belt points toward a remarkably active system in which dust grains are produced at a very high rate by a collisional cascade in a narrow region filled with dynamically excited planetesimals. Dust particles with sizes below the blow-out size are abundantly present. The equivalent of 2000 one-km-sized comets are destroyed every day, out of a cometary reservoir amounting to 110 Earth masses. From comparison of their scattering and thermal properties, we find evidence that the dust grains are fluffy aggregates, which indicates a cometary origin. The excess emission at the location of the star may be produced by hot dust with a range of temperatures, but may also be due to gaseous free-free emission from a stellar wind.
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- Bergquist, Annika, et al.
(author)
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Impact on follow-up strategies in patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis
- 2023
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In: Liver international (Print). - Chichester, United Kingdom : Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Inc.. - 1478-3223 .- 1478-3231. ; 43:1, s. 127-138
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND & AIMS: Evidence for the benefit of scheduled imaging for early detection of hepatobiliary malignancies in primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is limited. We aimed to compare different follow-up strategies in PSC with the hypothesis that regular imaging improves survival.METHODS: We collected retrospective data from 2,975 PSC patients from 27 centers. Patients were followed from the start of scheduled imaging or in case of clinical follow-up from January 1, 2000, until death or last clinical follow-up alive. The primary endpoint was all-cause mortality.RESULTS: A broad variety of different follow-up strategies were reported. All except one center used regular imaging, ultrasound (US) and/or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Two centers used scheduled ERCP in addition to imaging for surveillance purposes. The overall HR (CI95%) for death, adjusted for sex, age and start year of follow-up, were 0.61 (0.47-0.80) for scheduled imaging with and without ERCP; 0.64 (0.48-0.86) for US/MRI and 0.53 (0.37-0.75) for follow-up strategies including scheduled ERCP. The lower risk of death remained for scheduled imaging with and without ERCP after adjustment for cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) or high-grade dysplasia as a time-dependent covariate, HR 0.57 (0.44-0.75). Hepatobiliary malignancy was diagnosed in 175 (5.9%) of the patients at 7.9 years follow-up. Asymptomatic patients (25%) with CCA had better survival if scheduled imaging had been performed.CONCLUSIONS: Follow-up strategies vary considerably across centers. Scheduled imaging was associated with improved survival. Multiple factors may contribute to this result including early tumor detection and increased endoscopic treatment of asymptomatic benign biliary strictures.
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