707 research outputs found
Extragalactic jets on subpc and large scales
Jets can be probed in their innermost regions (d~0.1 pc) through the study of
the relativistically-boosted emission of blazars. On the other extreme of
spatial scales, the study of structure and dynamics of extragalactic
relativistic jets received renewed impulse after the discovery, made by
Chandra, of bright X-ray emission from regions at distances larger than
hundreds of kpc from the central engine. At both scales it is thus possible to
infer some of the basic parameters of the flow (speed, density, magnetic field
intensity, power). After a brief review of the available observational
evidence, I discuss how the comparison between the physical quantities
independently derived at the two scales can be used to shed light on the global
dynamics of the jet, from the innermost regions to the hundreds of kpc scale.Comment: Proceedings of the 5th Stromlo Symposium: Disks, Winds, and Jets -
from Planets to Quasars. Accepted, to be published in Astrophysics & Space
Scienc
Clinical activity of ipilimumab for metastatic uveal melanoma: a retrospective review of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, and University Hospital of Lausanne experience.
BACKGROUND: Uveal melanoma exhibits a high incidence of metastases; and, to date, there is no systemic therapy that clearly improves outcomes. The anticytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (anti-CTLA-4) antibody ipilimumab is a standard of care for metastatic melanoma; however, the clinical activity of CTLA-4 inhibition in patients with metastatic uveal melanoma is poorly defined.
METHODS: To assess ipilimumab in this setting, the authors performed a multicenter, retrospective analysis of 4 hospitals in the United States and Europe. Clinical characteristics, toxicities, and radiographic disease burden, as determined by central, blinded radiology review, were evaluated.
RESULTS: Thirty-nine patients with uveal melanoma were identified, including 34 patients who received 3 mg/kg ipilimumab and 5 who received 10 mg/kg ipilimumab. Immune-related response criteria and modified World Health Organization criteria were used to assess the response rate (RR) and the combined response plus stable disease (SD) rate after 12 weeks, after 23 weeks, and overall (median follow-up, 50.4 weeks [12.6 months]). At week 12, the RR was 2.6%, and the response plus SD rate was 46.%; at week 23, the RR was 2.6%, and the response plus SD rate was 28.2%. There was 1 complete response and 1 late partial response (at 100 weeks after initial SD) for an immune-related RR of 5.1%. Immune-related adverse events were observed in 28 patients (71.8%) and included 7 (17.9%) grade 3 and 4 events. Immune-related adverse events were more frequent in patients who received 10 mg/kg ipilimumab than in those who received 3 mg/kg ipilimumab. The median overall survival from the first dose of ipilimumab was 9.6 months (95% confidence interval, 6.3-13.4 months; range, 1.6-41.6 months). Performance status, lactate dehydrogenase level, and an absolute lymphocyte count â„ 1000 cells/ÎŒL at week 7 were associated significantly with survival.
CONCLUSIONS: In this multicenter, retrospective analysis of 4 hospitals in the United States and Europe of patients with uveal melanoma, durable responses to ipilimumab and manageable toxicity were observed
Configurations of mother-child and father-child attachment as predictors of internalizing and externalizing behavioral problems: An individual participant data (IPD) meta-analysis
An unsettled question in attachment theory and research is the extent to which children's attachment patterns with mothers and fathers jointly predict developmental outcomes. In this study, we used individual participant data (IPD) meta-analysis to assess whether early attachment networks with mothers and fathers are associated with children's internalizing and externalizing behavioral problems. Following a pre-registered protocol, data from 9 studies and 1,097 children (mean age: 28.67 months) with attachment classifications to both mothers and fathers were included in analyses. We used a linear mixed effects analysis to assess differences in children's internalizing and externalizing behavioral problems as assessed via the average of both maternal and paternal reports based on whether children had two, one, or no insecure (or disorganized) attachments. Results indicated that children with an insecure attachment relationship with one or both parents were at higher risk for elevated internalizing behavioral problems compared with children who were securely attached to both parents. Children whose attachment relationships with both parents were classified as disorganized had more externalizing behavioral problems compared to children with either one or no disorganized attachment relationship with their parents. Across attachment classification networks and behavioral problems, findings suggest (a) an increased vulnerability to behavioral problems when children have insecure or disorganized attachment to both parents, and (b) that mother-child and father-child attachment relationships may not differ in the roles they play in children's development of internalizing and externalizing behavioral problems
The Physics of turbulent and dynamically unstable Herbig-Haro jets
The overall properties of the Herbig-Haro objects such as centerline
velocity, transversal profile of velocity, flow of mass and energy are
explained adopting two models for the turbulent jet. The complex shapes of the
Herbig-Haro objects, such as the arc in HH34 can be explained introducing the
combination of different kinematic effects such as velocity behavior along the
main direction of the jet and the velocity of the star in the interstellar
medium. The behavior of the intensity or brightness of the line of emission is
explored in three different cases : transversal 1D cut, longitudinal 1D cut and
2D map. An analytical explanation for the enhancement in intensity or
brightness such as usually modeled by the bow shock is given by a careful
analysis of the geometrical properties of the torus.Comment: 17 pages, 10 figures. Accepted for publication in Astrophysics &
Spac
Detection of Borrelia-specific 16S rRNA sequence in total RNA extracted from Ixodes ricinus ticks
A reverse transcriptase - polymerase chain reaction based assay for Borrelia species detection in ticks was developed. The method was based on amplification of 552 nucleotide bases long sequence of 16S rRNA, targeted by Borrelia specific primers. In the present study, total RNA extracted from Ixodes ricinus ticks was used as template. The results showed higher sensitivity for Borrelia detection as compared to standard dark-field microscopy. Method specificity was confirmed by cloning and sequencing of obtained 552 base pairs long amplicons. Phylogenetic analysis of obtained sequences showed that they belong to B. lusitaniae and B. afzelii genospecies. RT-PCR based method presented in this paper could be very useful as a screening test for detecting pathogen presence, especially when in investigations is required extraction of total RNA from ticks
Magnetic Fields, Relativistic Particles, and Shock Waves in Cluster Outskirts
It is only now, with low-frequency radio telescopes, long exposures with
high-resolution X-ray satellites and gamma-ray telescopes, that we are
beginning to learn about the physics in the periphery of galaxy clusters. In
the coming years, Sunyaev-Zeldovich telescopes are going to deliver further
great insights into the plasma physics of these special regions in the
Universe. The last years have already shown tremendous progress with detections
of shocks, estimates of magnetic field strengths and constraints on the
particle acceleration efficiency. X-ray observations have revealed shock fronts
in cluster outskirts which have allowed inferences about the microphysical
structure of shocks fronts in such extreme environments. The best indications
for magnetic fields and relativistic particles in cluster outskirts come from
observations of so-called radio relics, which are megaparsec-sized regions of
radio emission from the edges of galaxy clusters. As these are difficult to
detect due to their low surface brightness, only few of these objects are
known. But they have provided unprecedented evidence for the acceleration of
relativistic particles at shock fronts and the existence of muG strength fields
as far out as the virial radius of clusters. In this review we summarise the
observational and theoretical state of our knowledge of magnetic fields,
relativistic particles and shocks in cluster outskirts.Comment: 34 pages, to be published in Space Science Review
Risk Categorization Using New American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Guidelines for Cholesterol Management and Its Relation to Alirocumab Treatment Following Acute Coronary Syndromes
BACKGROUND: The 2018 US cholesterol management guidelines recommend
additional lipid-lowering therapies for secondary prevention in patients with lowdensity lipoprotein cholesterol â„70 mg/dL or nonâhigh-density lipoprotein cholesterol
â„100 mg/dL despite maximum tolerated statin therapy. Such patients are considered
at very high risk (VHR) based on a history of >1 major atherosclerotic cardiovascular
disease (ASCVD) event or a single ASCVD event and multiple high-risk conditions.
We investigated the association of US guideline-defined risk categories with the
occurrence of ischemic events after acute coronary syndrome and reduction of
those events by alirocumab, a PCSK9 (proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9)
inhibitor.
METHODS: In the ODYSSEY OUTCOMES trial (Evaluation of Cardiovascular
Outcomes After an Acute Coronary Syndrome During Treatment With Alirocumab),
patients with recent acute coronary syndrome and residual dyslipidemia despite
optimal statin therapy were randomly assigned to alirocumab or placebo. The primary
trial outcome (major adverse cardiovascular events, ie, coronary heart disease death,
nonfatal myocardial infarction, is
The Intentional Use of Service Recovery Strategies to Influence Consumer Emotion, Cognition and Behaviour
Service recovery strategies have been identified as a critical factor in the success of. service organizations. This study develops a conceptual frame work to investigate how specific service recovery strategies influence the emotional, cognitive and negative behavioural responses of . consumers., as well as how emotion and cognition influence negative behavior. Understanding the impact of specific service recovery strategies will allow service providers' to more deliberately and intentionally engage in strategies that result in positive organizational outcomes. This study was conducted using a 2 x 2 between-subjects quasi-experimental design. The results suggest that service recovery has a significant impact on emotion, cognition and negative behavior. Similarly, satisfaction, negative emotion and positive emotion all influence negative behavior but distributive justice has no effect
Thermographic imaging in sports and exercise medicine: a Delphi study and consensus statement on the measurement of human skin temperature
The importance of using infrared thermography (IRT) to assess skin temperature (tsk) is increasing in clinical settings. Recently, its use has been increasing in sports and exercise medicine; however, no consensus guideline exists to address the methods for collecting data in such situations. The aim of this study was to develop a checklist for the collection of tsk using IRT in sports and exercise medicine. We carried out a Delphi study to set a checklist based on consensus agreement from leading experts in the field. Panelists (n = 24) representing the areas of sport science (n = 8; 33%), physiology (n = 7; 29%), physiotherapy (n = 3; 13%) and medicine (n = 6; 25%), from 13 different countries completed the Delphi process. An initial list of 16 points was proposed which was rated and commented on by panelists in three rounds of anonymous surveys following a standard Delphi procedure. The panel reached consensus on 15 items which encompassed the participantsâ demographic information, camera/room or environment setup and recording/analysis of tsk using IRT. The results of the Delphi produced the checklist entitled âThermographic Imaging in Sports and Exercise Medicine (TISEM)â which is a proposal to standardize the collection and analysis of tsk data using IRT. It is intended that the TISEM can also be applied to evaluate bias in thermographic studies and to guide practitioners in the use of this technique
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