This study is a part of the Cosmicflows-4 project with the aim of measuring the distances of more than ∼10,000 spiral galaxies in the local universe up to ∼15,000 km s − 1 . New H i line width ...information has come primarily from the Arecibo Legacy Fast ALFA Survey. Photometry of our sample galaxies has been carried out in optical (SDSS u, g, r, i, and z) and infrared (WISE W1 and W2) bands. Inclinations have been determined using an online graphical interface accessible to a collaboration of citizen scientists. Galaxy distances are measured based on the correlation between the rotation rate of spirals and their absolute luminosity, known as the Tully-Fisher relation (TFR). In this study, we present the calibration of the TFR using a subsample of ∼600 spirals located in 20 galaxy clusters. Correlations among such observables as color, surface brightness, and relative H i content are explored in an attempt to reduce the scatter about the TFR with the goal of obtaining more accurate distances. A preliminary determination of the Hubble constant from the distances and velocities of the calibrator clusters is H0 = 76.0 1.1(stat.) 2.3(sys.) km s−1 Mpc−1.
•Gd3+ substituted NiFe2O4 spinel samples were synthesized via sol-gel method.•The magnetic and dielectric properties were examined.•The Scherrer and Williamson-Hall method were used to evaluate the ...crystallite sizes and lattice strain, respectively.•Ms values were achieved by using the “Law of Approach (LA) to Saturation magnetization” technique.•Dielectric constant and dielectric loss decrease with increase of applied frequency and increasing of Gd3+ doping.
Nanocrystalline powders of Gadolinium (Gd3+) substituted nickel ferrite spinel (NiGdxFe2−xO4: x = 0.00, 0.025, 0.050, 0.075 and 0.1) samples were synthesized via sol-gel method. Nickel nitrate hexahydrate and Ferric nitrate hexahydrate were used as the precursors and rare earth Gadolinium nitrate hexahydrate Gd(NO3)3·6H2O was used as the dopant. The structural, morphological, magnetic and dielectric properties of the synthesized nanoparticles were examined by XRD, FTIR, HRSEM, EDX, TEM, VSM and dielectric studies. The Scherrer method and Williamson-Hall (W-H) method were used to evaluate the crystallite sizes and lattice strain. The crystallite size of NiGdxFe2−xO4 samples were found to decrease from 25 nm to 11 nm with increase in Gd3+ content. Lattice parameters decrease and lattice strain increases with the increase in Gd3+ content in the sample. HRSEM images showed the spherical morphology and uniform size distribution. The elemental composition analysis confirms the stoichiometric presence of expected elements in the samples. The crystallite size and the particle size calculated from the XRD analysis and HRTEM monographs indicate the correlation of the data obtained from both the measurements. Magnetic studies of the samples were performed using vibrating Sample Magnetometer, in which magnetizations (Ms) decrease with increase in Gd3+ concentration from 36.51 emu/gm to 19.69 emu/gm. As the gadolinium content was gradually increased, coercivity and remnant magnetization were also decreased. Magnetic anisotropy of nickel ferrite was also found to decrease with increasing gadolinium content. The saturation magnetization values were achieved by using the “Law of Approach (LA) to Saturation magnetization” technique. Specific correlation between magnetic interaction and lattice strain was observed in Gd3+ substituted nickel ferrite. Dielectric parameters such as dielectric constant and dielectric loss of the prepared samples decrease with increase of applied frequency and increasing of Gd3+ doping concentration.
Background COPD is associated with significant morbidity primarily driven by acute exacerbations. Relative pulmonary artery (PA) enlargement, defined as a PA to ascending aorta (A) diameter ratio ...greater than one (PA:A > 1) identifies patients at increased risk for exacerbations. However, little is known about the correlation between PA:A, echocardiography, and invasive hemodynamics in COPD. Methods A retrospective observational study of patients with severe COPD being evaluated for lung transplantation at a single center between 2007 and 2011 was conducted. Clinical characteristics, CT scans, echocardiograms, and right-sided heart catheterizations were reviewed. The PA diameter at the bifurcation and A diameter from the same CT image were measured. Linear and logistic regression were used to examine the relationships between PA:A ratio by CT scan and PA systolic pressure (PASP) by echocardiogram with invasive hemodynamics. Receiver operating characteristic analysis assessed the usefulness of the PA:A ratio and PASP in predicting resting pulmonary hypertension (PH) (mean pulmonary artery pressure mPAP > 25 mm Hg). Results Sixty patients with a mean predicted FEV1 of 27% ± 12% were evaluated. CT scan-measured PA:A correlated linearly with mPAP after adjustment for multiple covariates ( r = 0.30, P = .03), a finding not observed with PASP. In a multivariate logistic model, mPAP was independently associated with PA:A > 1 (OR, 1.44; 95% CI, 1.02-2.04; P = .04). PA:A > 1 was 73% sensitive and 84% specific for identifying patients with resting PH (area under the curve, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.72-0.93; P < .001), whereas PASP was not useful. Conclusions A PA:A ratio > 1 on CT scan outperforms echocardiography for diagnosing resting PH in patients with severe COPD.
Patients with peripheral artery disease who have undergone lower-extremity revascularization are at high risk for major adverse limb and cardiovascular events. The efficacy and safety of rivaroxaban ...in this context are uncertain.
In a double-blind trial, patients with peripheral artery disease who had undergone revascularization were randomly assigned to receive rivaroxaban (2.5 mg twice daily) plus aspirin or placebo plus aspirin. The primary efficacy outcome was a composite of acute limb ischemia, major amputation for vascular causes, myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke, or death from cardiovascular causes. The principal safety outcome was major bleeding, defined according to the Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) classification; major bleeding as defined by the International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis (ISTH) was a secondary safety outcome.
A total of 6564 patients underwent randomization; 3286 were assigned to the rivaroxaban group, and 3278 were assigned to the placebo group. The primary efficacy outcome occurred in 508 patients in the rivaroxaban group and in 584 in the placebo group; the Kaplan-Meier estimates of the incidence at 3 years were 17.3% and 19.9%, respectively (hazard ratio, 0.85, 95% confidence interval CI, 0.76 to 0.96; P = 0.009). TIMI major bleeding occurred in 62 patients in the rivaroxaban group and in 44 patients in the placebo group (2.65% and 1.87%; hazard ratio, 1.43; 95% CI, 0.97 to 2.10; P = 0.07). ISTH major bleeding occurred in 140 patients in the rivaroxaban group, as compared with 100 patients in the placebo group (5.94% and 4.06%; hazard ratio, 1.42; 95% CI, 1.10 to 1.84; P = 0.007).
In patients with peripheral artery disease who had undergone lower-extremity revascularization, rivaroxaban at a dose of 2.5 mg twice daily plus aspirin was associated with a significantly lower incidence of the composite outcome of acute limb ischemia, major amputation for vascular causes, myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke, or death from cardiovascular causes than aspirin alone. The incidence of TIMI major bleeding did not differ significantly between the groups. The incidence of ISTH major bleeding was significantly higher with rivaroxaban and aspirin than with aspirin alone. (Funded by Bayer and Janssen Pharmaceuticals; VOYAGER PAD ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02504216.).
Pluripotent stem cells hold significant promise in regenerative medicine due to their unlimited capacity for self-renewal and potential to differentiate into any cell type of the body. In this study, ...we demonstrate that proper mitochondrial function is essential for proliferation of undifferentiated ESCs. Attenuating mitochondrial function under self-renewing conditions makes these cells more glycolytic-dependent, and it is associated with an increase in the mRNA reserves of Nanog, Oct4, and Sox2. In contrast, attenuating mitochondrial function during the first 7 days of differentiation results in normal repression of Oct4, Nanog, and Sox2. However, differentiation potential is compromised as revealed by abnormal transcription of multiple Hox genes. Furthermore, under differentiating conditions in which mitochondrial function is attenuated, tumorigenic cells continue to persist. Our results, therefore establish the importance of normal mitochondrial function in ESC proliferation, regulating differentiation, and preventing the emergence of tumorigenic cells during the process of differentiation.
The importance of material flow management for a profit-maximizing firm has been well articulated in the supply chain literature. We demonstrate in our analytical model that a firm must also actively ...manage information flows within the supply chain, which translates to controlling what it knows, as well as what its competitors and suppliers know. In our model of horizontal competition between an informed and an uninformed firm with a common upstream supplier, material and information flows intersect through leakage of demand (order) information to unintended recipients. As a result, the informed firm's drive to control information flows within the supply chain can trigger operational losses through material flow distortion. These losses can be so severe that the firm may prefer not to acquire information even when it is costless to do so. Our results underscore the importance of strategic information management—actively managing the supply chain's information flows, and making trade-offs with material flows where appropriate, to maximize profits .
Because transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) works by reducing central excitability and activating central inhibition pathways, we tested the hypothesis that TENS would reduce pain and ...fatigue and improve function and hyperalgesia in people with fibromyalgia who have enhanced central excitability and reduced inhibition. The current study used a double-blinded randomized, placebo-controlled cross-over design to test the effects of a single treatment of TENS with people with fibromyalgia. Three treatments were assessed in random order: active TENS, placebo TENS and no TENS. The following measures were assessed before and after each TENS treatment: pain and fatigue at rest and in movement; pressure pain thresholds, 6-m walk test, range of motion; 5-time sit-to-stand test, and single-leg stance. Conditioned pain modulation was completed at the end of testing. There was a significant decrease in pain and fatigue with movement for active TENS compared to placebo and no TENS. Pressure pain thresholds increased at the site of TENS (spine) and outside the site of TENS (leg) when compared to placebo TENS or no TENS. During active TENS, conditioned pain modulation was significantly stronger compared to placebo TENS and no TENS. No changes in functional tasks were observed with TENS. Thus, the current study suggests TENS has short-term efficacy in relieving symptoms of fibromyalgia while the stimulator is active. Future clinical trials should examine the effects of repeated daily delivery of TENS, similar to the way in which TENS is used clinically on pain, fatigue, function, and quality of life in individuals with fibromyalgia.
The angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitor sacubitril-valsartan led to a reduced risk of hospitalization for heart failure or death from cardiovascular causes among patients with heart failure and ...reduced ejection fraction. The effect of angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibition in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction is unclear.
We randomly assigned 4822 patients with New York Heart Association (NYHA) class II to IV heart failure, ejection fraction of 45% or higher, elevated level of natriuretic peptides, and structural heart disease to receive sacubitril-valsartan (target dose, 97 mg of sacubitril with 103 mg of valsartan twice daily) or valsartan (target dose, 160 mg twice daily). The primary outcome was a composite of total hospitalizations for heart failure and death from cardiovascular causes. Primary outcome components, secondary outcomes (including NYHA class change, worsening renal function, and change in Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire KCCQ clinical summary score scale, 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating fewer symptoms and physical limitations), and safety were also assessed.
There were 894 primary events in 526 patients in the sacubitril-valsartan group and 1009 primary events in 557 patients in the valsartan group (rate ratio, 0.87; 95% confidence interval CI, 0.75 to 1.01; P = 0.06). The incidence of death from cardiovascular causes was 8.5% in the sacubitril-valsartan group and 8.9% in the valsartan group (hazard ratio, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.79 to 1.16); there were 690 and 797 total hospitalizations for heart failure, respectively (rate ratio, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.72 to 1.00). NYHA class improved in 15.0% of the patients in the sacubitril-valsartan group and in 12.6% of those in the valsartan group (odds ratio, 1.45; 95% CI, 1.13 to 1.86); renal function worsened in 1.4% and 2.7%, respectively (hazard ratio, 0.50; 95% CI, 0.33 to 0.77). The mean change in the KCCQ clinical summary score at 8 months was 1.0 point (95% CI, 0.0 to 2.1) higher in the sacubitril-valsartan group. Patients in the sacubitril-valsartan group had a higher incidence of hypotension and angioedema and a lower incidence of hyperkalemia. Among 12 prespecified subgroups, there was suggestion of heterogeneity with possible benefit with sacubitril-valsartan in patients with lower ejection fraction and in women.
Sacubitril-valsartan did not result in a significantly lower rate of total hospitalizations for heart failure and death from cardiovascular causes among patients with heart failure and an ejection fraction of 45% or higher. (Funded by Novartis; PARAGON-HF ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01920711.).
In this paper, the artificial neural network technique using a multi-layer perceptron feed forward scheme was used to model and predict the mode-I fracture behaviour of particulate polymer composites ...when subjected to impact loading. A neural network consisting of three-layers was employed to develop the network. Artificial neural network was constructed using six input parameters such as shear wave speed (CS), density (D), elastic modulus (Ed), longitudinal wave speed (CL), volume fraction (Vf) and time (t). The influence of input parameters on the output stress intensity factor and crack-initiation fracture toughness were found to be in the order of t > CS > D > Ed > CL > Vf. The degree of accuracy of prediction was 92.7% for stress intensity factor. In this regard, artificial neural network can be used in the modelling and prediction of fracture behaviour of particulate polymer composites under impact loading.
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