Aims. High-synchrotron peaked blazars (HSPs or HBLs) play a central role in very high-energy (VHE) γ-ray astronomy, and likely in neutrino astronomy. Currently, the largest compilation of HSP ...blazars, the 2WHSP sample, includes 1691 sources, but it is not complete in the radio or in the X-ray band. In order to provide a larger and more accurate set of HSP blazars that is useful for future statistical studies and to plan for VHE/TeV observations, we present the 3HSP catalogue, the largest sample of extreme and high-synchrotron peaked (EHSP; HSP) blazars and blazar candidates. Methods. We implemented several ways to improve the size and the completeness of the 2WHSP catalogue and reduced the selection biases to be taken into consideration in population studies. By discarding the IR constraint and relaxing the radio–IR and IR–X-ray slope criteria, we were able to select more sources with νpeak close to the 1015 Hz threshold and objects where the host galaxy dominates the flux. The selection of extra sources now commences with a cross-matching between radio and X-ray surveys, applying a simple flux ratio cut. We also considered Fermi-LAT catalogues to find reasonable HSP-candidates that are detected in the γ-ray band but are not included in X-ray or radio source catalogues. The new method, and the use of newly available multi-frequency data, allowed us to add 395 sources to the sample, to remove 73 2WHSP sources that were previously flagged as uncertain and could not be confirmed as genuine HSP blazars, and to update parameters obtained by fitting the synchrotron component. Results. The 3HSP catalogue includes 2013 sources, 88% of which with a redshift estimation, a much higher percentage than in any other list of HSP blazars. All new γ-ray detections are described in the First and Second Brazil ICRANet γ-ray blazar catalogues (1BIGB & 2BIGB) also taking into account the 4FGL list of γ-ray sources published by the Fermi Large Area Telescope (Fermi-LAT) team. Moreover, the cross-matching between the 2WHSP, 2FHL HSP, and IceCube neutrino positions suggests that HSPs are likely counterparts of neutrino events, which implies the 3HSP catalogue is also useful in that respect. The 3HSP catalogue shows improved completeness compared to its predecessors, the 1WHSP and 2WHSP catalogues, and follows the track of their increasing relevance for VHE astronomy.
ABSTRACT
Blazars research is one of the hot topics of contemporary extragalactic astrophysics. That is because these sources are the most abundant type of extragalactic γ-ray sources and are ...suspected to play a central role in multimessenger astrophysics. We have used Swift$\_$xrtproc, a tool to carry out an accurate spectral and photometric analysis of the Swift-XRT data of all blazars observed by Swift at least 50 times between December 2004 and the end of 2020. We present a database of X-ray spectra, best-fit parameter values, count rates and flux estimations in several energy bands of over 31 000 X-ray observations and single snapshots of 65 blazars. The results of the X-ray analysis have been combined with other multifrequency archival data to assemble the broad-band Spectral Energy Distributions (SEDs) and the long-term light curves of all sources in the sample. Our study shows that large X-ray luminosity variability on different time-scales is present in all objects. Spectral changes are also frequently observed with a ‘harder-when-brighter’ or ‘softer-when-brighter’ behaviour depending on the SED type of the blazars. The peak energy of the synchrotron component (νpeak) in the SED of HBL blazars, estimated from the log-parabolic shape of their X-ray spectra, also exhibits very large changes in the same source, spanning a range of over two orders of magnitude in Mrk421 and Mrk501, the objects with the best data sets in our sample.
The presence of an intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) in a cirrhotic liver is a contraindication for liver transplantation in most centers worldwide. Recent investigations have shown that “very ...early” iCCA (single tumors ≤2 cm) may have acceptable results after liver transplantation. This study further evaluates this finding in a larger international multicenter cohort. The study group was composed of those patients who were transplanted for hepatocellular carcinoma or decompensated cirrhosis and found to have an iCCA at explant pathology. Patients were divided into those with “very early” iCCA and those with “advanced” disease (single tumor >2 cm or multifocal disease). Between January 2000 and December 2013, 81 patients were found to have an iCCA at explant; 33 had separate nodules of iCCA and hepatocellular carcinoma, and 48 had only iCCA (study group). Within the study group, 15/48 (31%) constituted the “very early” iCCA group and 33/48 (69%) the “advanced” group. There were no significant differences between groups in preoperative characteristics. At explant, the median size of the largest tumor was larger in the “advanced” group (3.1 2.5‐4.4 versus 1.6 1.5‐1.8). After a median follow‐up of 35 (13.5‐76.4) months, the 1‐year, 3‐year, and 5‐year cumulative risks of recurrence were, respectively, 7%, 18%, and 18% in the very early iCCA group versus 30%, 47%, and 61% in the advanced iCCA group, P = 0.01. The 1‐year, 3‐year, and 5‐year actuarial survival rates were, respectively, 93%, 84%, and 65% in the very early iCCA group versus 79%, 50%, and 45% in the advanced iCCA group, P = 0.02. Conclusion: Patients with cirrhosis and very early iCCA may become candidates for liver transplantation; a prospective multicenter clinical trial is needed to further confirm these results. (Hepatology 2016;64:1178‐1188)
Objective: To examine the potential therapeutic effect of methotrexate 20 mg given weekly as subcutaneous injections to 20 patients with ankylosing spondylitis refractory to non-steriodal ...antirheumatic drugs. Patients and methods: 20 patients with ankylosing spondylitis, a mean Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) score of 5.6 (range 4–9.3) and predominantly axial manifestations were treated with weekly 15 mg methotrexate subcutaneously for 4 weeks, which was then increased to 20 mg subcutaneously for the next 12 weeks. Clinical outcome assessments included, among others, BASDAI score physical function, spinal mobility, patients’ and physicians’ global assessment (visual analogue scale), peripheral joint assessment, quality of life (Short Form 36) and C reactive protein. The primary end point of the study was a 20% improvement on the ASsessments in Ankylosing Spondylitis (ASAS 20) scale. Results: Using an intention-to-treat analysis, ASAS 20 was achieved in only 25% of patients. An ASAS 40 response was achieved in 10% of patients, and no patient reached an ASAS 70 response or the ASAS criteria for partial remission. For the mean BASDAI score, no change was observed between baseline and week 16 (baseline 5.6 v week 16, 5.6). No improvement was observed in any of the clinical parameters or C reactive protein, except a small but non-significant decrease in the number of swollen joints. Conclusions: In this open study, methotrexate did not show any benefit for axial manifestations in patients with active ankylosing spondylitis beyond the expected placebo response.
To examine clinical characteristics and outcome of patients with late diagnosis of community-acquired bacterial meningitis (CABM).
We conducted a chart review of all adults with proven CABM in three ...centres in Denmark from 1998 through to 2014. Patients were categorized as early diagnosis of CABM immediately on admission, or late diagnosis if CABM was not listed in referral or admission records and neither lumbar puncture nor antibiotic therapy for meningitis was considered immediately on admission. We used modified Poisson regression analysis to compute adjusted relative risks with 95% CIs for predictors of late diagnosis and in-hospital mortality.
A total of 113/358 (32%) patients were categorized as late diagnosis demonstrating a variety of tentative diagnoses of which 81/113 (72%) were non-infectious. We observed several statistically significant baseline differences (p <0.05) in patients with late versus early diagnosis including age >65 years (56/113, 50% versus 67/245, 27%), neck stiffness (35/97, 36% versus 183/234, 78%), concomitant pneumonia (26/113, 23% versus 26/245, 11%), and meningococcal meningitis (6/113, 5% versus 52/245, 21%). These variables remained statistically significant in multivariate analysis. Moreover, late diagnosis was associated with increased in-hospital mortality (41/113, 36% versus 43/245, 18%; adjusted relative risk 1.7, 95% CI 1.2–2.5).
Late diagnosis of CABM was common and patients were admitted with mostly non-infectious diagnoses. Absence of neck stiffness did not rule out CABM and special attention should be given to patients with pneumonia and the elderly. Late diagnosis was associated with incorrect patient management and increased mortality.
We study massive galaxies at z 6 1-3.5 using HST optical imaging, ground-based near-IR imaging, and Spitzer observations at 3-24 km. From K sub(s)-selected galaxies in the 130 arcmin super(2) GOODS-S ...field, we identify 153 distant red galaxies (DRGs) with (J-K sub(s)) sub(Vega) . 2.3. This sample is approximately complete in stellar mass for passively evolving galaxies above 10 super(11) M sub( )and z , 3. Roughly half of the DRGs are objects whose optical and near-IR rest-frame light is dominated by evolved stars combined with ongoing star formation (at z sub(med) 6 2.5), and the others are galaxies whose light is dominated by heavily reddened (A sub(1600) 4-6 mag) starbursts (at z sub(med) 6 1.7). Very few DRGs ( 10%) have no indication of current star formation. DRGs at z 6 1.5-3 with stellar masses .10 super(11) M sub( )have specific star formation rates (SFRs per unit mass) including the reradiated far-IR emission that range from 0.2 to 10 Gyr super(-1). Based on the X-ray luminosities and rest-frame near-IR colors, roughly one-quarter of the DRGs contain AGNs, implying that the growth of supermassive black holes coincides with the formation of massive galaxies. At 1.5 , z , 3, the DRGs with M. 10 super(11) M sub( )have an integrated specific SFR comparable to the global value of all galaxies. In contrast, galaxies at z 6 0.3-0.75 with M . 10 super(11) M sub( )have an integrated specific SFR less than the global value and more than an order of magnitude lower than that for massive DRGs. At z 1, lower mass galaxies dominate the overall cosmic mass assembly. This suggests that the bulk of star formation in massive galaxies occurs at early cosmic epochs and is largely complete by z 6 1.5. Further mass assembly in these galaxies takes place with low specific SFRs.
Context. Automated arc detection methods are needed to scan the ongoing and next-generation wide-field imaging surveys, which are expected to contain thousands of strong lensing systems. Arc finders ...are also required for a quantitative comparison between predictions and observations of arc abundance. Several algorithms have been proposed to this end, but machine learning methods have remained as a relatively unexplored step in the arc finding process. Aims. In this work we introduce a new arc finder based on pattern recognition, which uses a set of morphological measurements that are derived from the Mediatrix filamentation method as entries to an artificial neural network (ANN). We show a full example of the application of the arc finder, first training and validating the ANN on simulated arcs and then applying the code on four Hubble Space Telescope (HST) images of strong lensing systems. Methods. The simulated arcs use simple prescriptions for the lens and the source, while mimicking HST observational conditions. We also consider a sample of objects from HST images with no arcs in the training of the ANN classification. We use the training and validation process to determine a suitable set of ANN configurations, including the combination of inputs from the Mediatrix method, so as to maximize the completeness while keeping the false positives low. Results. In the simulations the method was able to achieve a completeness of about 90% with respect to the arcs that are input into the ANN after a preselection. However, this completeness drops to ~ 70% on the HST images. The false detections are on the order of 3% of the objects detected in these images. Conclusions. The combination of Mediatrix measurements with an ANN is a promising tool for the pattern-recognition phase of arc finding. More realistic simulations and a larger set of real systems are needed for a better training and assessment of the efficiency of the method.
OBJECTIVES:To determine the value of fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21), a recently discovered biomarker for mitochondrial disease, in predicting clinical disease severity and disease progression in ...adult carriers of the m.3243A>G mutation.
METHODS:In the context of a national inventory, the heteroplasmy levels of the m.3243A>G mutation were measured in leukocytes and urinary epithelial cells. The Newcastle Mitochondrial Disease Adult Scale score was determined and blood was drawn for measuring FGF21 concentration. Twenty-five of the included initial patients studied were then selected randomly for a follow-up study.
RESULTS:This prognostic study included 99 adult carriers of the m.3243A>G mutation. Our analysis revealed a moderate, significant correlation between FGF21 concentration and disease severity (r = 0.49; p = <0.001). No significant correlations were found between disease severity and the heteroplasmy percentage determined in urinary epithelial cells or the heteroplasmy percentage determined in leukocytes. Weak but significant correlations were also found between FGF21 concentration and the severity of the myopathy (r = 0.38; p = <0.001) and between the concentration of FGF21 and the severity of the encephalopathy (r = 0.30; p = <0.001). Repeated measurements following 25 subjects for 2 years revealed no significant correlation between FGF21 concentration and disease progression.
CONCLUSIONS:Measuring FGF21 concentration had little added value in monitoring and predicting the disease course in this specific patient group.
Data on risk factors for etiologic subtypes of ischemic stroke are still scant. The aim of this study was to characterize stroke subtypes regarding risk factor profile, outcome, and current treatment ...strategies.
We analyzed data from 5017 patients with acute ischemic stroke (42.4% women, aged 65.9+/-14.1 years) who were enrolled in a large multicenter hospital-based stroke data bank. Standardized data assessment and stroke subtype classification were used by all centers.
Sex and age distribution, major risk factors and comorbidities, recurrent stroke, treatment strategies, and outcome were all unevenly distributed among stroke subtypes (P<0.001, respectively). Cardioembolism, the most frequent etiology of stroke (25.6%), was particularly common in the elderly (those aged >70 years) and associated with an adverse outcome, a low rate of early stroke recurrence, and frequent use of thrombolytic therapy and intravenous anticoagulation. Large-artery atherosclerosis (20.9%), the most common cause of stroke in middle-aged patients (those aged 45 to 70 years), showed the highest male preponderance, highest rate of early stroke recurrence, and highest prevalence of previous transient ischemic attack, current smoking, and daily alcohol consumption among all subtypes. The highest prevalence of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hypercholesterolemia, and obesity was found in small-vessel disease (20.5%), which, in turn, was associated with the lowest stroke severity and mortality.
Our results foster the concept of ischemic stroke as a polyetiologic disease with marked differences between subtypes regarding risk factors and outcome. Therefore, studies involving risk factors of ischemic stroke should differentiate between etiologic stroke subtypes.
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