Aims.We present results from deep γ-ray observations of the Galactic pulsar wind nebula HESS J1825–137 performed with the HESS array. Methods. Detailed morphological and spatially resolved spectral ...studies reveal the very high-energy (VHE) γ-ray aspects of this object with unprecedented precision. Results. We confirm previous results obtained in a survey of the Galactic Plane in 2004. The γ-ray emission extends asymmetrically to the south and south-west of the energetic pulsar PSR J1826–1334, that is thought to power the pulsar wind nebula. The differential γ-ray spectrum of the whole emission region is measured over more than two orders of magnitude, from 270 GeV to 35 TeV, and shows indications for a deviation from a pure power law. Spectra have also been determined for spatially separated regions of HESS J1825–137. The photon indices from a power-law fit in the different regions show a softening of the spectrum with increasing distance from the pulsar and therefore an energy dependent morphology. Conclusions. This is the first time that an energy dependent morphology has been detected in the VHE γ-ray regime. The VHE γ-ray emission of HESS J1825–137 is phenomenologically discussed in the scenario where the γ-rays are produced by VHE electrons via Inverse Compton scattering. The high γ-ray luminosity of the source cannot be explained on the basis of constant spin-down power of the pulsar and requires higher injection power in past.
Extensive population‐based studies are much needed to accurately establish epidemiology and disease course in patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). We aimed to obtain population‐based ...prevalence and incidence figures, insight in disease course with regard to survival, liver transplantation (LT), and occurrence of malignancies, as well as risk factors thereof. Four independent hospital databases were searched in 44 hospitals in a large geographically defined area of the Netherlands, comprising 50% of the population. In addition, all PSC patients in the three Dutch liver transplant centers and all inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients in the adherence area of a large district hospital were identified. All medical records were reviewed on‐site, verifying diagnosis. Five hundred and ninety PSC patients were identified, resulting in an incidence of 0.5 and a point prevalence of 6.0 per 100,000. Median follow up was 92 months. Estimated median survival from diagnosis until LT or PSC‐related death in the entire cohort was 21.3 years, as opposed to 13.2 years in the combined transplant centers cohort (n = 422; P < 0.0001). Colorectal carcinoma (CRC) risk was 10‐fold increased, as compared to ulcerative colitis controls, and developed at a much younger age (39 years; range, 26‐64), compared to IBD controls (59 years; range, 34‐73; P = 0.019). Colonoscopic surveillance was associated with significantly better outcome. Conclusion: This study exemplifies that, for relatively rare diseases, it is paramount to collect observational data from large, population‐based cohorts, because incidence and prevalence rates of PSC are markedly lower and survival much longer than previously reported. The selection of a bias‐free, population‐based cohort showed a significantly longer survival, compared to the tertiary referral cohort. CRC can develop at an early age, warranting surveillance from time of PSC diagnosis. (Hepatology 2013; 58:2045–2055)
Context. The blazar 1ES 1101-232 was observed with the High Energy Stereoscopic System (HESS) of Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescopes (ACT) in 2004 and 2005, for a live time of 43 h. VHE ( E > 10 ...super(11) eV) \gamma-rays were detected for the first time from this object. Aims. VHE observations of blazars are used to investigate the inner parts of the blazar jets, and also to study the extragalactic background light (EBL) in the near-infrared band. Methods. Observations in 2005 were conducted in a multiwavelength campaign, together with the RXTE satellite and optical observations. In 2004, simultaneous observations with XMM-Newton were obtained. Results. 1ES 1101-232 was detected with HESS with an excess of 649 photons, at a significance of 10\sigma. The measured VHE \gamma-ray flux amounts to {\rm d}N/{\rm d}E = (5.63 \pm 0.89) \times 10 super(-13) (E/{\rm TeV}) - (2.94\pm0.20) } cm super(-2) s super(-1) TeV super(-1), above a spectral energy threshold of 225 GeV. No significant variation of the VHE \gamma-ray flux on any time scale was found. 1ES 1101-232 exhibits a very hard spectrum, and at a redshift of z = 0.186, is the blazar with the highest confirmed redshift detected in VHE \gamma-rays so far. Conclusions. The data allow the construction of truly simultaneous spectral energy distributions of the source, from the optical to the VHE band. Using an EBL model with \nu F_{\nu} = 14 nWm super(-2) sr super(-1) at 1.5 similar to \mum as presented in Aharonian et al. (2006a) suggests an intrinsic VHE power output peak of the source at above 3 TeV.
Here, we study the processes e+e– → π+π–π0π0π0γ and π+π–π0π0ηγ in which an energetic photon is radiated from the initial state. The data are collected with the BABAR detector at SLAC. About 14 000 ...and 4700 events, respectively, are selected from a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 469 fb–1. The invariant mass of the hadronic final state defines the effective e+e– center-of-mass energy. From the mass spectra, the first precise measurement of the e+e– → π+π–π0π0π0 cross section and the first measurement ever of the e+e– → π+π–π0π0η cross section are performed. The center-of-mass energies range from threshold to 4.35 GeV. The systematic uncertainty is typically between 10% and 13%. The contributions from ωπ0π0, ηπ+π–, and other intermediate states are presented. We observe the J/ψ and ψ(2S) in most of these final states and measure the corresponding branching fractions, many of them for the first time.
The Vela supernova remnant (SNR) is a complex region containing a number of sources of non-thermal radiation. The inner section of this SNR, within 2 degrees of the pulsar PSR B0833-45, has been ...observed by the HESS γ-ray atmospheric Cherenkov detector in 2004 and 2005. A strong signal is seen from an extended region to the south of the pulsar, within an integration region of radius $0.8\ensuremath{^{\circ}}$ around the position ($\rm \alpha = 08^{h} 35^{m} 00^{s}$, $\delta = -45\ensuremath{^{\circ}}36\arcmin$ J2000.0). The excess coincides with a region of hard X-ray emission seen by the ROSAT and ASCA satellites. The observed energy spectrum of the source between 550 GeV and 65 TeV is well fit by a power law function with photon index $\Gamma = 1.45 \pm 0.09\ensuremath{_{{\rm stat}}}\ \pm 0.2\ensuremath{_{{\rm sys}}}$ and an exponential cutoff at an energy of $13.8 \pm 2.3\ensuremath{_{{\rm stat}}}\ \pm 4.1\ensuremath{_{{\rm sys}}}$ TeV. The integral flux above 1 TeV is $(1.28 \pm 0.17\ensuremath{_{{\rm stat}}}\ \pm 0.38\ensuremath{_{{\rm sys}}}) \times 10^{-11}\ \ensuremath{{\rm cm}^{-2}\,{\rm s}^{-1}}$. This result is the first clear measurement of a peak in the spectral energy distribution from a VHE γ-ray source, likely related to inverse Compton emission. A fit of an Inverse Compton model to the HESS spectral energy distribution gives a total energy in non-thermal electrons of ~$2 \times 10^{45}$ erg between 5 TeV and 100 TeV, assuming a distance of 290 parsec to the pulsar. The best fit electron power law index is 2.0, with a spectral break at 67 TeV.
The decay τ-→K-KSντ has been studied using 430×106 e+e-→τ+τ- events produced at a center-of-mass energy around 10.6 GeV at the PEP-II collider and studied with the BABAR detector. The mass spectrum ...of the K-KS system has been measured and the spectral function has been obtained. The measured branching fraction B(τ-→K-KSντ)=(0.739±0.011(stat)±0.020(syst))×10-3 is found to be in agreement with earlier measurements.
Aims. Results from γ-ray observations by the HESS telescope array in the direction of the young stellar cluster Westerlund 2 are presented. Methods. Stereoscopic imaging of Cherenkov light emission ...of γ-ray induced showers in the atmosphere is used to study the celestial region around the massive Wolf-Rayet (WR) binary WR 20a. Spectral and positional analysis is performed using standard event reconstruction techniques and parameter cuts. Results. The detection of a new γ-ray source is reported from HESS observations in 2006. HESS J1023–575 is found to be coincident with the young stellar cluster Westerlund 2 in the well-known HII complex RCW 49. The source is detected with a statistical significance of more than 9σ, and shows extension beyond a point-like object within the HESS point-spread function. The differential γ-ray spectrum of the emission region is measured over approximately two orders of magnitude in flux. Conclusions.The spatial coincidence between HESS J1023–575 and the young open cluster Westerlund 2, hosting e.g. the massive WR binary WR 20a, requires one to look into a variety of potential models to account for the observed very-high-energy (VHE) γ-ray emission. Considered emission scenarios include emission from the colliding wind zone of WR 20a, collective stellar winds from the extraordinary ensemble of hot and massive stars in the stellar cluster Westerlund 2, diffusive shock acceleration in the wind-blown bubble itself, and supersonic winds breaking out into the interstellar medium (ISM). The observed source extension argues against a single star origin of the observed VHE emission.
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