Toward an internally consistent astronomical distance scale

Accurate astronomical distance determination is crucial for all fields in astrophysics, from Galactic to cosmological scales. Despite, or perhaps because of, significant efforts to determine accurate distances, using a wide range of methods, tracers, and techniques, an internally consistent astronomical distance framework has not yet been established. We review current efforts to homogenize the Local Group's distance framework, with particular emphasis on the potential of RR Lyrae stars as distance indicators, and attempt to extend this in an internally consistent manner to cosmological distances. Calibration based on Type Ia supernovae and distance determinations based on gravitational lensing represent particularly promising approaches. We provide a positive outlook to improvements to the status quo expected from future surveys, missions, and facilities. Astronomical distance determination has clearly reached maturity and near-consistency.Comment: Review article, 59 pages (4 figures); Space Science Reviews, in press (chapter 8 of a special collection resulting from the May 2016 ISSI-BJ workshop on Astronomical Distance Determination in the Space Age

Risk profiles and one-year outcomes of patients with newly diagnosed atrial fibrillation in India: Insights from the GARFIELD-AF Registry.

BACKGROUND: The Global Anticoagulant Registry in the FIELD-Atrial Fibrillation (GARFIELD-AF) is an ongoing prospective noninterventional registry, which is providing important information on the baseline characteristics, treatment patterns, and 1-year outcomes in patients with newly diagnosed non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF). This report describes data from Indian patients recruited in this registry. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 52,014 patients with newly diagnosed AF were enrolled globally; of these, 1388 patients were recruited from 26 sites within India (2012-2016). In India, the mean age was 65.8 years at diagnosis of NVAF. Hypertension was the most prevalent risk factor for AF, present in 68.5% of patients from India and in 76.3% of patients globally (P < 0.001). Diabetes and coronary artery disease (CAD) were prevalent in 36.2% and 28.1% of patients as compared with global prevalence of 22.2% and 21.6%, respectively (P < 0.001 for both). Antiplatelet therapy was the most common antithrombotic treatment in India. With increasing stroke risk, however, patients were more likely to receive oral anticoagulant therapy [mainly vitamin K antagonist (VKA)], but average international normalized ratio (INR) was lower among Indian patients [median INR value 1.6 (interquartile range {IQR}: 1.3-2.3) versus 2.3 (IQR 1.8-2.8) (P < 0.001)]. Compared with other countries, patients from India had markedly higher rates of all-cause mortality [7.68 per 100 person-years (95% confidence interval 6.32-9.35) vs 4.34 (4.16-4.53), P < 0.0001], while rates of stroke/systemic embolism and major bleeding were lower after 1 year of follow-up. CONCLUSION: Compared to previously published registries from India, the GARFIELD-AF registry describes clinical profiles and outcomes in Indian patients with AF of a different etiology. The registry data show that compared to the rest of the world, Indian AF patients are younger in age and have more diabetes and CAD. Patients with a higher stroke risk are more likely to receive anticoagulation therapy with VKA but are underdosed compared with the global average in the GARFIELD-AF. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION-URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01090362

Research Progress Report, No. 34

This study was designed to determine: 1) the effectiveness of surface application followed by “watering in” as a method of applying these two chemicals, 2) the depths to which each chemical is carried into the soil profile by one inch of irrigation water, 3) optimal rates of metam sodium and dasomet required with this method of application to eliminate weed seeds from the plow layer, and 4) phytotoxic effects of metam sodium and dasomet on potatoes and vegetables

Rifaximin treatment for reduction of risk of overt hepatic encephalopathy recurrence

Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is a common problem in patients with chronic liver disease and is characterized by diminished mentation and neuromuscular abnormalities. Symptoms range from subtle cognitive changes to coma and death. Gut-derived toxins such as ammonia are thought to play a central role in the pathogenesis of HE. Treatment strategies are directed at increased elimination or reduction of gut-derived ammonia in addition to correction of dynamic conditions that provoke bouts of HE. The standard of care for treatment of acute HE is lactulose, a nonabsorbable disaccharide that is thought to increase elimination and reduce absorption of ammonia. Although lactulose seems to work in the acute setting, the rate of recurrent HE on maintenance lactulose is high. Medications have been sought that reduce the rate of recurrent HE in patients at high risk for HE but none have been identified. Rifaximin is a poorly absorbed antibiotic that is thought to reduce ammonia production by eliminating ammonia-producing colonic bacteria. Many small studies have suggested that rifaximin is effective in treating acute HE and is extremely well tolerated. This led to a randomized, placebo-controlled, multicenter, multinational trial investigating the efficacy of rifaximin over a 6-month period in reducing the risk of recurrent HE in patients at baseline, but with a history of at least two bouts of acute HE in the previous 6 months prior to enrollment. Lactulose could be administered at the discretion of the investigator. A total of 299 patients were randomized to receive rifaximin or placebo; 91% of patients in each group received lactulose. Compared with placebo, patients at high risk for recurrent HE in the rifaximin group had highly statistically significant reductions in bouts of acute HE (58%) and reductions in hospitalizations related to HE (50%) over a 6-month period. The medication was well tolerated with a side-effect profile comparable to placebo. This led to the approval of rifaximin for reduction of risk of recurrent HE by the US Food and Drug Administration in March 2010. It is recommended that patients with a history of recurrent acute HE should be maintained on rifaximin with or without lactulose to reduce the risk of recurrent HE and related hospitalization