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| 2. |
- Elhai, M, et al.
(författare)
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Outcomes of patients with systemic sclerosis treated with rituximab in contemporary practice: a prospective cohort study
- 2019
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Ingår i: Annals of the rheumatic diseases. - : BMJ. - 1468-2060 .- 0003-4967. ; 78:7, s. 979-987
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- To assess the safety and efficacy of rituximab in systemic sclerosis (SSc) in clinical practice.MethodsWe performed a prospective study including patients with SSc from the European Scleroderma Trials and Research (EUSTAR) network treated with rituximab and matched with untreated patients with SSc. The main outcomes measures were adverse events, skin fibrosis improvement, lung fibrosis worsening and steroids use among propensity score-matched patients treated or not with rituximab.Results254 patients were treated with rituximab, in 58% for lung and in 32% for skin involvement. After a median follow-up of 2 years, about 70% of the patients had no side effect. Comparison of treated patients with 9575 propensity-score matched patients showed that patients treated with rituximab were more likely to have skin fibrosis improvement (22.7 vs 14.03 events per 100 person-years; OR: 2.79 [1.47–5.32]; p=0.002). Treated patients did not have significantly different rates of decrease in forced vital capacity (FVC)>10% (OR: 1.03 [0.55–1.94]; p=0.93) nor in carbon monoxide diffusing capacity (DLCO) decrease. Patients having received rituximab were more prone to stop or decrease steroids (OR: 2.34 [1.56–3.53], p<0.0001). Patients treated concomitantly with mycophenolate mofetil had a trend for better outcomes as compared with patients receiving rituximab alone (delta FVC: 5.22 [0.83–9.62]; p=0.019 as compared with controls vs 3 [0.66–5.35]; p=0.012).ConclusionRituximab use was associated with a good safety profile in this large SSc-cohort. Significant change was observed on skin fibrosis, but not on lung. However, the limitation is the observational design. The potential stabilisation of lung fibrosis by rituximab has to be addressed by a randomised trial.
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| 3. |
- Becker, M, et al.
(författare)
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Predictors of disease worsening defined by progression of organ damage in diffuse systemic sclerosis: a European Scleroderma Trials and Research (EUSTAR) analysis
- 2019
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Ingår i: Annals of the rheumatic diseases. - : BMJ. - 1468-2060 .- 0003-4967. ; 78:9, s. 1242-1248
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Mortality and worsening of organ function are desirable endpoints for clinical trials in systemic sclerosis (SSc). The aim of this study was to identify factors that allow enrichment of patients with these endpoints, in a population of patients from the European Scleroderma Trials and Research group database.MethodsInclusion criteria were diagnosis of diffuse SSc and follow-up over 12±3 months. Disease worsening/organ progression was fulfilled if any of the following events occurred: new renal crisis; decrease of lung or heart function; new echocardiography-suspected pulmonary hypertension or death. In total, 42 clinical parameters were chosen as predictors for the analysis by using (1) imputation of missing data on the basis of multivariate imputation and (2) least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression.ResultsOf 1451 patients meeting the inclusion criteria, 706 had complete data on outcome parameters and were included in the analysis. Of the 42 outcome predictors, eight remained in the final regression model. There was substantial evidence for a strong association between disease progression and age, active digital ulcer (DU), lung fibrosis, muscle weakness and elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) level. Active DU, CRP elevation, lung fibrosis and muscle weakness were also associated with a significantly shorter time to disease progression. A bootstrap validation step with 10 000 repetitions successfully validated the model.ConclusionsThe use of the predictive factors presented here could enable cohort enrichment with patients at risk for overall disease worsening in SSc clinical trials.
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| 4. |
- Lebzelter, T., et al.
(författare)
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Comparative modelling of the spectra of cool giants
- 2012
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Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 547, s. A108-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Context. Our ability to extract information from the spectra of stars depends on reliable models of stellar atmospheres and appropriate techniques for spectral synthesis. Various model codes and strategies for the analysis of stellar spectra are available today. Aims. We aim to compare the results of deriving stellar parameters using different atmosphere models and different analysis strategies. The focus is set on high-resolution spectroscopy of cool giant stars. Methods. Spectra representing four cool giant stars were made available to various groups and individuals working in the area of spectral synthesis, asking them to derive stellar parameters from the data provided. The results were discussed at a workshop in Vienna in 2010. Most of the major codes currently used in the astronomical community for analyses of stellar spectra were included in this experiment. Results. We present the results from the different groups, as well as an additional experiment comparing the synthetic spectra produced by various codes for a given set of stellar parameters. Similarities and differences of the results are discussed. Conclusions. Several valid approaches to analyze a given spectrum of a star result in quite a wide range of solutions. The main causes for the differences in parameters derived by different groups seem to lie in the physical input data and in the details of the analysis method. This clearly shows how far from a definitive abundance analysis we still are.
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| 5. |
- Gasman, Danny, et al.
(författare)
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JWST MIRI/MRS in-flight absolute flux calibration and tailored fringe correction for unresolved sources
- 2023
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Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 673
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Context. The Medium Resolution Spectrometer (MRS) is one of the four observing modes of JWST/MIRI. Using JWST in-flight data of unresolved (point) sources, we can derive the MRS absolute spectral response function (ASRF) starting from raw data. Spectral fringing, caused by coherent reflections inside the detector arrays, plays a critical role in the derivation and interpretation of the MRS ASRF. The fringe corrections implemented in the current pipeline are not optimal for non-extended sources, and a high density of molecular features particularly inhibits an accurate correction. Aims. In this paper, we present an alternative way to calibrate the MIRI/MRS data. Firstly, we derive a fringe correction that accounts for the dependence of the fringe properties on the MIRI/MRS pupil illumination and detector pixel sampling of the point spread function. Secondly, we derive the MRS ASRF using an absolute flux calibrator observed across the full 5- 28 µm wavelength range of the MRS. Thirdly, we apply the new ASRF to the spectrum of a G dwarf and compare it with the output of the JWST/MIRI default data reduction pipeline. Finally, we examine the impact of the different fringe corrections on the detectability of molecular features in the G dwarf and K giant. Methods. The absolute flux calibrator HD 163466 (A-star) was used to derive tailored point source fringe flats at each of the default dither locations of the MRS. The fringe-corrected point source integrated spectrum of HD 163466 was used to derive the MRS ASRF using a theoretical model for the stellar continuum. A cross-correlation was run to quantify the uncertainty on the detection of CO, SiO, and OH in the K giant and CO in the G dwarf for different fringe corrections. Results. The point-source-tailored fringe correction and ASRF are found to perform at the same level as the current corrections, beating down the fringe contrast to the sub-percent level in the G dwarf in the longer wavelengths, whilst mitigating the alteration of real molecular features. The same tailored solutions can be applied to other MRS unresolved targets. Target acquisition is required to ensure the pointing is accurate enough to apply this method. A pointing repeatability issue in the MRS limits the effectiveness of the tailored fringe flats is at short wavelengths. Finally, resulting spectra require no scaling to make the sub-bands match, and a dichroic spectral leak at 12.2 µm is removed.
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| 6. |
- Höfner, Susanne, et al.
(författare)
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Dynamic Model Atmospheres of Cool Giants
- 2005
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Ingår i: High Resolution Infrared Spectroscopy in Astronomy. ; , s. 271-282
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Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Cool giant stars are highly dynamical objects, and complex micro-physical processes play an important role in their extended atmospheres and winds. The interpretation of observations, and in particular of high-resolution IR spectra, requires realistic self-consistent model atmospheres. Current dynamical models include rather detailed micro-physics, and the resulting synthetic spectra compare reasonably well with observations. A transition from qualitative to quantitative modelling is taking place at present. We give an overview of existing dynamical model atmospheres for AGB stars, discussing recent advances and current trends in modelling. When comparing synthetic spectra and other observable properties resulting from dynamical models with observations we focus on the near- and mid-IR wavelength range.
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| 7. |
- Planquart, L., et al.
(författare)
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An impressionist view of V Hydrae
- 2024
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Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 687
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Context. Asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars enrich the interstellar medium through their mass loss. The mechanism(s) shaping the circumstellar environment of mass-losing stars is not clearly understood so far.Aims. Our purpose is to study the effect of binary companions located within the first 10 stellar radii from the primary AGB star. In this work, we target the mass-losing carbon star V Hydrae (V Hya) and search for signatures of its companion in the dust-forming region of the atmosphere.Methods. The star was observed in the L and N bands with the VLTI/MATISSE instrument at low spectral resolution. We reconstructed images of the photosphere and surroundings of V Hya using the two bands and compared our interferometric observables with VLTI/MIDI and VISIR archival data. To constrain the dust properties, we used the 1D radiative transfer code DUSTY to model the spectral energy distribution.Results. The star is dominated by dust emission in the L- and N-bands. The MATISSE reconstructed images show asymmetric and elongated structures in both infrared bands. In the L band, we detected an elongated shape of approximately 15 mas that likely is of photospheric origin. In the N band, we found a 20 mas extension northeast from the star and perpendicular to the L-band elongated axis. The position angle and the size of the N-band extension match the prediction of the companion position at the MATISSE epoch. By comparing MATISSE N-band with MIDI data, we deduce that the elongation axis in the N-band has rotated since the previous interferometric measurements 13 yr ago, supporting the idea that the particle enhancement is related to the dusty clump moving along with the companion. The VISIR image confirms the presence of a large-scale dusty circumstellar envelope surrounding V Hya.Conclusions. The MATISSE images unveil the presence of a dust enhancement at the position of the companion. This opens new doors for further analyses of the binary interaction with an AGB component.
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| 8. |
- Planquart, L., et al.
(författare)
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An impressionist view of V Hydrae: When MATISSE paints asymmetric giant blobs
- 2024
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Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 687
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Context . Asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars enrich the interstellar medium through their mass loss. The mechanism(s) shaping the circumstellar environment of mass-losing stars is not clearly understood so far. Aims. Our purpose is to study the effect of binary companions located within the first 10 stellar radii from the primary AGB star. In this work, we target the mass-losing carbon star V Hydrae (V Hya) and search for signatures of its companion in the dust-forming region of the atmosphere. Methods . The star was observed in the L and N bands with the VLTI/MATISSE instrument at low spectral resolution. We reconstructed images of the photosphere and surroundings of V Hya using the two bands and compared our interferometric observables with VLTI/MIDI and VISIR archival data. To constrain the dust properties, we used the 1D radiative transfer code DUSTY to model the spectral energy distribution. Results . The star is dominated by dust emission in the L- and N-bands. The MATISSE reconstructed images show asymmetric and elongated structures in both infrared bands. In the L band, we detected an elongated shape of approximately 15 mas that likely is of photospheric origin. In the N band, we found a 20 mas extension northeast from the star and perpendicular to the L-band elongated axis. The position angle and the size of the N-band extension match the prediction of the companion position at the MATISSE epoch. By comparing MATISSE N-band with MIDI data, we deduce that the elongation axis in the N-band has rotated since the previous interferometric measurements 13 yr ago, supporting the idea that the particle enhancement is related to the dusty clump moving along with the companion. The VISIR image confirms the presence of a large-scale dusty circumstellar envelope surrounding V Hya. Conclusions . The MATISSE images unveil the presence of a dust enhancement at the position of the companion. This opens new doors for further analyses of the binary interaction with an AGB component.
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