1. |
- Feroci, M., et al.
(author)
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The large observatory for x-ray timing
- 2014
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In: Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering. - : SPIE. - 9780819496126
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The Large Observatory For x-ray Timing (LOFT) was studied within ESA M3 Cosmic Vision framework and participated in the final downselection for a launch slot in 2022-2024. Thanks to the unprecedented combination of effective area and spectral resolution of its main instrument, LOFT will study the behaviour of matter under extreme conditions, such as the strong gravitational field in the innermost regions of accretion flows close to black holes and neutron stars, and the supranuclear densities in the interior of neutron stars. The science payload is based on a Large Area Detector (LAD, 10 m2 effective area, 2-30 keV, 240 eV spectral resolution, 1° collimated field of view) and a Wide Field Monitor (WFM, 2-50 keV, 4 steradian field of view, 1 arcmin source location accuracy, 300 eV spectral resolution). The WFM is equipped with an on-board system for bright events (e.g. GRB) localization. The trigger time and position of these events are broadcast to the ground within 30 s from discovery. In this paper we present the status of the mission at the end of its Phase A study.
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2. |
- Feroci, M., et al.
(author)
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LOFT - The large observatory for x-ray timing
- 2012
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In: Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering. - : SPIE - International Society for Optical Engineering. - 9780819491442 ; , s. 84432D-
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The LOFT mission concept is one of four candidates selected by ESA for the M3 launch opportunity as Medium Size missions of the Cosmic Vision programme. The launch window is currently planned for between 2022 and 2024. LOFT is designed to exploit the diagnostics of rapid X-ray flux and spectral variability that directly probe the motion of matter down to distances very close to black holes and neutron stars, as well as the physical state of ultradense matter. These primary science goals will be addressed by a payload composed of a Large Area Detector (LAD) and a Wide Field Monitor (WFM). The LAD is a collimated (<1 degree field of view) experiment operating in the energy range 2-50 keV, with a 10 m2 peak effective area and an energy resolution of 260 eV at 6 keV. The WFM will operate in the same energy range as the LAD, enabling simultaneous monitoring of a few-steradian wide field of view, with an angular resolution of <5 arcmin. The LAD and WFM experiments will allow us to investigate variability from submillisecond QPO's to yearlong transient outbursts. In this paper we report the current status of the project.
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3. |
- Amanullah, Rahman, et al.
(author)
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Spectra and Hubble Space Telescope Light Curves of Six Type Ia Supernovae at 0.511 < z < 1.12 and the Union2 Compilation
- 2010
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In: Astrophysical Journal. - 0004-637X .- 1538-4357. ; 716, s. 712-738
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We report on work to increase the number of well-measured Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) at high redshifts. Light curves, including high signal-to-noise Hubble Space Telescope data, and spectra of six SNe Ia that were discovered during 2001, are presented. Additionally, for the two SNe with z > 1, we present ground-based J-band photometry from Gemini and the Very Large Telescope. These are among the most distant SNe Ia for which ground-based near-IR observations have been obtained. We add these six SNe Ia together with other data sets that have recently become available in the literature to the Union compilation. We have made a number of refinements to the Union analysis chain, the most important ones being the refitting of all light curves with the SALT2 fitter and an improved handling of systematic errors. We call this new compilation, consisting of 557 SNe, the Union2 compilation. The flat concordance ΛCDM model remains an excellent fit to the Union2 data with the best-fit constant equation-of-state parameter w = -0.997+0.050 -0.054(stat)+0.077 -0.082(stat + sys together) for a flat universe, or w = -1.038+0.056 -0.059(stat)+0.093 -0.097(stat + sys together) with curvature. We also present improved constraints on w(z). While no significant change in w with redshift is detected, there is still considerable room for evolution in w. The strength of the constraints depends strongly on redshift. In particular, at z >~ 1, the existence and nature of dark energy are only weakly constrained by the data. Based in part on observations made with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, obtained from the data archive at the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI). STScI is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA), Inc. under the NASA contract NAS 5-26555. The observations are associated with programs HST-GO-08585 and HST-GO-09075. Based, in part, on observations obtained at the ESO La Silla Paranal Observatory (ESO programs 67.A-0361 and 169.A-0382). Based, in part, on observations obtained at the Cerro-Tololo Inter-American Observatory (CTIO), National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO). Based on observations obtained at the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT). Based, in part, on observations obtained at the Gemini Observatory (Gemini programs GN-2001A-SV-19 and GN-2002A-Q-31). Based, in part on observations obtained at the Subaru Telescope. Based, in part, on data that were obtained at the W. M. Keck Observatory.
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4. |
- Suzuki, N., et al.
(author)
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THE HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE CLUSTER SUPERNOVA SURVEY. V. IMPROVING THE DARK- ENERGY CONSTRAINTS ABOVE z > 1 AND BUILDING AN EARLY-TYPE-HOSTED SUPERNOVA SAMPLE
- 2012
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In: Astrophysical Journal. - 0004-637X .- 1538-4357. ; 746:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We present Advanced Camera for Surveys, NICMOS, and Keck adaptive-optics-assisted photometry of 20 Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) from the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) Cluster Supernova Survey. The SNe Ia were discovered over the redshift interval 0.623 < z < 1.415. Of these SNe Ia, 14 pass our strict selection cuts and are used in combination with the world's sample of SNe Ia to derive the best current constraints on dark energy. Of our new SNe Ia, 10 are beyond redshift z = 1, thereby nearly doubling the statistical weight of HST-discovered SNe Ia beyond this redshift. Our detailed analysis corrects for the recently identified correlation between SN Ia luminosity and host galaxy mass and corrects the NICMOS zero point at the count rates appropriate for very distant SNe Ia. Adding these SNe improves the best combined constraint on dark-energy density,rho(DE)(z), at redshifts 1.0 < z < 1.6 by 18% (including systematic errors). For a flat. CDM universe, we find Omega(A) = 0.729 +/- 0.014 (68% confidence level (CL) including systematic errors). For a flat wCDM model, we measure a constant dark-energy equation-of-state parameter w = -1.013(-0.073)(+0.068) (68% CL). Curvature is constrained to similar to 0.7% in the owCDM model and to similar to 2% in a model in which dark energy is allowed to vary with parameters w(0) and w(a). Further tightening the constraints on the time evolution of dark energy will require several improvements, including high-quality multi-passband photometry of a sample of several dozenz > 1 SNe Ia. We describe how such a sample could be efficiently obtained by targeting cluster fields with WFC3 on board HST. The updated supernova Union2.1 compilation of 580 SNe is available at http://supernova.lbl.gov/Union.
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6. |
- Astier, P., et al.
(author)
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Extending the supernova Hubble diagram to z similar to 1.5 with the Euclid space mission
- 2014
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In: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 572, s. A80-
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We forecast dark energy constraints that could be obtained from a new large sample of Type Ia supernovae where those at high redshift are acquired with the Euclid space mission. We simulate a three-prong SN survey: a z < 0.35 nearby sample (8000 SNe), a 0.2 < z < 0.95 intermediate sample (8800 SNe), and a 0.75 < z < 1.55 high-z sample (1700 SNe). The nearby and intermediate surveys are assumed to be conducted from the ground, while the high-z is a joint ground-and space-based survey. This latter survey, the Dark Energy Supernova Infra-Red Experiment (DESIRE), is designed to fit within 6 months of Euclid observing time, with a dedicated observing programme. We simulate the SN events as they would be observed in rolling-search mode by the various instruments, and derive the quality of expected cosmological constraints. We account for known systematic uncertainties, in particular calibration uncertainties including their contribution through the training of the supernova model used to fit the supernovae light curves. Using conservative assumptions and a 1D geometric Planck prior, we find that the ensemble of surveys would yield competitive constraints: a constant equation of state parameter can be constrained to sigma(omega) = 0.022, and a Dark Energy Task Force figure of merit of 203 is found for a two-parameter equation of state. Our simulations thus indicate that Euclid can bring a significant contribution to a purely geometrical cosmology constraint by extending a high-quality SN Ia Hubble diagram to z similar to 1.5. We also present other science topics enabled by the DESIRE Euclid observations.
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7. |
- Gullbo, Joachim, et al.
(author)
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Phenotype-based drug screening in primary ovarian carcinoma cultures identifies intracellular iron depletion as a promising strategy for cancer treatment
- 2011
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In: Biochemical Pharmacology. - : Elsevier BV. - 0006-2952 .- 1356-1839 .- 1873-2968. ; 82:2, s. 139-147
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Primary cultures of patient tumor cells (PCPTC) have been used for prediction of diagnosis-specific activity and individual patient response to anticancer drugs, but have not been utilized as a model for identification of novel drugs in high throughput screening. In the present study, ovarian carcinoma cells from three patients were tested in response to a library of 3000 chemically diverse compounds. Eight hits were retrieved after counter screening using normal epithelial cells, and one of the two structurally related hit compounds was selected for further preclinical evaluation. This compound, designated VLX 50, demonstrated a broad spectrum of activity when tested in a panel of PCPTCs representing different forms of leukemia and solid tumors and displayed a high tumor to normal cell activity. VLX 50 induced delayed cell death with some features of classical apoptosis. Significant in vivo activity was confirmed on primary cultures of human ovarian carcinoma cells in mice using the hollow fiber model. Mechanistic exploration was performed using gene expression analysis of drug exposed tumor cells to generate a drug-specific signature. This query signature was analyzed using the Gene Set Enrichment Analysis and the Connectivity Map database. Strong connections to hypoxia inducible factor 1 and iron chelators were retrieved. The mechanistic hypothesis of intracellular iron depletion leading to hypoxia signaling was confirmed by a series of experiments. The results indicate the feasibility of using PCPTC for cancer drug screening and that intracellular iron depletion could be a potentially important strategy for cancer therapy.
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8. |
- Holgersson, G., et al.
(author)
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Molecular profiling using tissue microarrays as a tool to identify predictive biomarkers in laryngeal cancer treated with radiotherapy
- 2010
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In: Cancer Genomics & Proteomics. - 1109-6535 .- 1790-6245. ; 7:1, s. 1-7
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Aim: To explore the usefulness of the expression of five potential cancer biomarkers in predicting outcome in patients with laryngeal cancer. Materials and Methods: In the present study, the Swedish National Cancer Registry databases were used to identify patients with laryngeal cancer diagnosed during the years 1978-2004 in the Uppsala-Örebro region and treated with radiotherapy. The expression of Ki-67, MutS homolog 2, (MSH2), p53, B-cell CLL/lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) and cyclin D1 in the cancer cells was assessed immunohistochemically using tissue microarrays (TMAs) and its predictve value on survival and relapse was analyzed using Cox regression models. Results: A total of 39 patients were included in the present study. Nuclear MSH2 staining was statistically significantly correlated to Ki-67 expression (p=0.022). However, univariate and multivariate Cox analyses showed no statistically significant association between the expression of the investigated biomarkers and overall survival or relapse. Conclusion: The present exploratory study does not show any significant predictive value of the biomarkers examined with respect to survival or relapse. However, with larger patient cohorts, we believe that protein profiling using TMAs and immunohistochemistry is a feasible strategy for prognostic and predictive biomarker screening in laryngeal cancer.
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