Finding AGN in Deep X-ray Flux States with Swift

We report on our ongoing project of finding Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) that go into deep X-ray flux states detected by Swift. Swift is performing an extensive study on the flux and spectral variability of AGN using Guest Investigator and team fill-in programs followed by triggering XMM_Newton for deeper follow-up observations. So far this program has been very successful and has led to a number of XMM-Newton follow up observations, including Mkn 335, PG 0844+349, and RX J2340.8-5329. Recent analysis of new Swift AGN observations reveal several AGN went into a very low X-ray flux state, particularly Narrow-Line Seyfert 1 galaxies. One of these is RX J2317-4422, which dropped by a factor of about 60 when compared to the ROSAT All-Sky Survey.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures, Proceedings of the "10 Years of Swift" Meeting held in Rome in December 2014. Submitted to Po

CIELO-RGS : a catalogue of soft X-ray ionized emission lines

High-resolution X-ray spectroscopy has advanced our understanding of the hot Universe by revealing physical properties like kinematics, temperature, and abundances of the astrophysical plasmas. Despite the technical and scientific achievements, the lack of scientific products at a level higher than count spectra is hampering full scientific exploitation of high-quality data. This paper introduces the Catalogue of Ionized Emission Lines Observed by the Reflection Grating Spectrometer (CIELO-RGS) onboard the XMM-Newton space observatory. The CIELO-RGS catalogue aims to facilitate the exploitation of emission features in the public RGS spectra archive, in particular, to perform the correlation between X-ray spectral diagnostics parameters with measurements at other wavelengths. This paper focuses on the methodology of catalogue generation, describing the automated line detection algorithm. A moderate sample (~2400 observations) of high-quality RGS spectra available at XMM-Newton Science Archive is used as our starting point. A list of potential emission lines is selected based on a multi-scale peak detection algorithm in a uniform and automated way without prior assumption on the underlying astrophysical model. The candidate line list is validated via spectral fitting with simple continuum and line profile models. We also compare the catalogue content with published literature results on a small number of exemplary sources. We generate a catalogue of emission lines ~12000 detected in ~1600 observations toward stars, X-ray binaries, supernovae remnants, active galactic nuclei, and groups and clusters of galaxies. For each line, we report the observed wavelength, broadening, energy and photon flux, and equivalent width, etc

Diagnostic Utility of Measuring Cerebral Atrophy in the Behavioral Variant of Frontotemporal Dementia and Association With Clinical Deterioration

Can widely available measures of atrophy on magnetic resonance imaging increase diagnostic certainty of underlying frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) and estimate clinical deterioration in the behavioral variant of frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD)? This diagnostic/prognostic study investigated the clinical utility of 5 validated visual atrophy scales (VAS) and the Magnetic Resonance Parkinsonism Index. When combined, VAS showed excellent diagnostic performance for differentiating between bvFTD with high and low confidence of FTLD and for the estimation of longitudinal clinical deterioration, whereas the Magnetic Resonance Parkinsonism Index was increased in bvFTD with underlying 4-repeat tauopathies. These findings suggest that, in bvFTD, VAS can be used to increase diagnostic certainty of underlying FTLD and estimate longitudinal clinical deterioration. This diagnostic/prognostic study assesses the utility of 6 visual atrophy scales and the Magnetic Resonance Parkinsonism Index in patients with behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia to distinguish those with high vs low confidence of frontotemporal lobar degeneration. The presence of atrophy on magnetic resonance imaging can support the diagnosis of the behavioral variant of frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD), but reproducible measurements are lacking. To assess the diagnostic and prognostic utility of 6 visual atrophy scales (VAS) and the Magnetic Resonance Parkinsonism Index (MRPI). In this diagnostic/prognostic study, data from 235 patients with bvFTD and 225 age- and magnetic resonance imaging-matched control individuals from 3 centers were collected from December 1, 1998, to September 30, 2019. One hundred twenty-one participants with bvFTD had high confidence of frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) (bvFTD-HC), and 19 had low confidence of FTLD (bvFTD-LC). Blinded clinicians applied 6 previously validated VAS, and the MRPI was calculated with a fully automated approach. Cortical thickness and subcortical volumes were also measured for comparison. Data were analyzed from February 1 to June 30, 2020. The main outcomes of this study were bvFTD-HC or a neuropathological diagnosis of 4-repeat (4R) tauopathy and the clinical deterioration rate (assessed by longitudinal measurements of Clinical Dementia Rating Sum of Boxes). Measures of cerebral atrophy included VAS scores, the bvFTD atrophy score (sum of VAS scores in orbitofrontal, anterior cingulate, anterior temporal, medial temporal lobe, and frontal insula regions), the MRPI, and other computerized quantifications of cortical and subcortical volumes. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) were calculated for the differentiation of participants with bvFTD-HC and bvFTD-LC and controls. Linear mixed models were used to evaluate the ability of atrophy measures to estimate longitudinal clinical deterioration. Of the 460 included participants, 296 (64.3%) were men, and the mean (SD) age was 62.6 (11.4) years. The accuracy of the bvFTD atrophy score for the differentiation of bvFTD-HC from controls (AUROC, 0.930; 95% CI, 0.903-0.957) and bvFTD-HC from bvFTD-LC (AUROC, 0.880; 95% CI, 0.787-0.972) was comparable to computerized measures (AUROC, 0.973 [95% CI, 0.954-0.993] and 0.898 [95% CI, 0.834-0.962], respectively). The MRPI was increased in patients with bvFTD and underlying 4R tauopathies compared with other FTLD subtypes (14.1 [2.0] vs 11.2 [2.6] points; P < .001). Higher bvFTD atrophy scores were associated with faster clinical deterioration in bvFTD (1.86-point change in Clinical Dementia Rating Sum of Boxes score per bvFTD atrophy score increase per year; 95% CI, 0.99-2.73; P < .001). Based on these study findings, in bvFTD, VAS increased the diagnostic certainty of underlying FTLD, and the MRPI showed potential for the detection of participants with underlying 4R tauopathies. These widely available measures of atrophy can also be useful to estimate longitudinal clinical deterioration

Purpose Trends Report (November 2023)

In this report, we want to synthesize the most relevant about corporate purpose published in November 2023. For this aim, we did a content search (using selected keywords) in Scopus and Google Scholar for academic publications; and diffusion magazines and other trusted sites for articles and reports. We selected relevant publications about organizational purpose, purpose alignment, and personal purpose. Also, we include successful cases that show how corporate purpose has been implemented. Bellow, we present statistics about the selected literature

Purpose Trends Report (January 2024)

In this report, we want to synthesize the most relevant about corporate purpose published in January 2024. For this aim, we did a content search (using selected keywords) in Scopus and Google Scholar for academic publications; and diffusion magazines and other trusted sites for articles and reports. We selected relevant publications about organizational purpose, purpose alignment, and personal purpose. Also, we include successful cases that show how corporate purpose has been implemented. Bellow, we present statistics about the selected literature

Purpose Trends Report (February 2024)

In this report, we want to synthesize the most relevant about corporate purpose published in February 2024. For this aim, we did a content search (using selected keywords) in Scopus and Google Scholar for academic publications; and diffusion magazines and other trusted sites for articles and reports. We selected relevant publications about organizational purpose, purpose alignment, and personal purpose. Also, we include successful cases that show how corporate purpose has been implemented. Bellow, we present statistics about the selected literature

Purpose Trends Report (December 2023)

In this report, we want to synthesize the most relevant about corporate purpose published in December 2023. For this aim, we did a content search (using selected keywords) in Scopus and Google Scholar for academic publications; and diffusion magazines and other trusted sites for articles and reports. We selected relevant publications about organizational purpose, purpose alignment, and personal purpose. Also, we include successful cases that show how corporate purpose has been implemented. Bellow, we present statistics about the selected literature

Purpose Trends Report (August 2023)

In this report, we want to synthesize the most relevant about corporate purpose published in August 2023. For this aim, we did a content search (using selected keywords) in Scopus and Google Scholar for academic publications; and diffusion magazines and other trusted sites for articles and reports. We selected relevant publications about organizational purpose, purpose alignment, and personal purpose. Also, we include successful cases that show how corporate purpose has been implemented. Bellow, we present statistics about the selected literature

Purpose Trends Report (September 2023)

In this report, we want to synthesize the most relevant about corporate purpose published in September 2023. For this aim, we did a content search (using selected keywords) in Scopus and Google Scholar for academic publications; and diffusion magazines and other trusted sites for articles and reports. We selected relevant publications about organizational purpose, purpose alignment, and personal purpose. Also, we include successful cases that show how corporate purpose has been implemented. Bellow, we present statistics about the selected literature

Purpose Trends Report (October 2023)

In this report, we want to synthesize the most relevant about corporate purpose published in October 2023. For this aim, we did a content search (using selected keywords) in Scopus and Google Scholar for academic publications; and diffusion magazines and other trusted sites for articles and reports. We selected relevant publications about organizational purpose, purpose alignment, and personal purpose. Also, we include successful cases that show how corporate purpose has been implemented. Bellow, we present statistics about the selected literature