Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
No Increase in Fractures After Stopping Hormone Therapy: Results From the Women’s Health Initiative

Context The Women's Health Initiative (WHI) hormone therapy (HT) trials showed protection against hip and total fractures, but a later observational report suggested loss of benefit and a rebound increased risk after cessation of HT. Objective The purpose of this study was to examine fractures after discontinuation of HT. Design and Setting Two placebo-controlled randomized trials served as the study setting. Patients Study patients included WHI participants (N = 15,187) who continued active HT or placebo through the intervention period and who did not take HT in the postintervention period. Interventions Trial interventions included conjugated equine estrogen (CEE) plus medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) in naturally menopausal women and CEE alone in women with prior hysterectomy. Main Outcome Measures Total fractures and hip fractures through 5 years after discontinuation of HT were recorded. Results Hip fractures were infrequent (∼2.5 per 1000 person-years); this finding was similar between trials and in former HT and placebo groups. There was no difference in total fractures in the CEE + MPA trial for former HT vs former placebo users (28.9 per 1000 person-years and 29.9 per 1000 person-years, respectively; hazard ratio [HR], 0.97; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.87 to 1.09; P = 0.63); however, in the CEE-alone trial, total fractures were higher in former placebo users (36.9 per 1000 person-years) compared with the former active group (31.1 per 1000 person-years), a finding that was suggestive of a residual benefit of CEE against total fractures (HR, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.73 to 0.98; P = 0.03). Conclusions We found no evidence for increased fracture risk, either sustained or transient, for former HT users compared with former placebo users after stopping HT. There was residual benefit for total fractures in former HT users from the CEE-alone study.
Relay Node Deployment Strategies in Heterogeneous Wireless Sensor Networks

In a heterogeneous wireless sensor network (WSN), relay nodes (RNs) are adopted to relay data packets from sensor nodes (SNs) to the base station (BS). The deployment of the RNs can have a significant impact on connectivity and lifetime of a WSN system. This paper studies the effects of random deployment strategies. We first discuss the biased energy consumption rate problem associated with uniform random deployment. This problem leads to insufficient energy utilization and shortened network lifetime. To overcome this problem, we propose two new random deployment strategies, namely, the lifetime-oriented deployment and hybrid deployment. The former solely aims at balancing the energy consumption rates of RNs across the network, thus extending the system lifetime. However, this deployment scheme may not provide sufficient connectivity to SNs when the given number of RNs is relatively small. The latter reconciles the concerns of connectivity and lifetime extension. Both single-hop and multihop communication models are considered in this paper. With a combination of theoretical analysis and simulated evaluation, this study explores the trade-off between connectivity and lifetime extension in the problem of RN deployment. It also provides a guideline for efficient deployment of RNs in a large-scale heterogeneous WSN.
Numerical calculations of main stress in the rock massif around salt cavern for compressed air storage

The article presents the results of numerical calculations of main stress around salt cavern for energy storage in compressed air. The calculations based on the operating installation - the Huntorf power plant - using the CAES technology (Compressed Air Energy Storage). This paper discusses the results of calculations for scenario of work the storage cavern where model including thermal effects - the influence of changes in the temperature of the rock massif around the cavern and without thermal effects - with a constant temperature distribution of the rock massif around the storage cavern.
Rosuvastatin increases vascular endothelial PPARgamma expression and corrects blood pressure variability in obese dyslipidaemic mice.

AIMS Statins improve atherosclerotic diseases through cholesterol-reducing effects. Whether the latter exclusively mediate similar benefits, e.g. on hypertension, in the metabolic syndrome is unclear. We examined the effects of rosuvastatin on the components of this syndrome, as reproduced in mice doubly deficient in LDL receptors and leptin (DKO). METHODS AND RESULTS DKO received rosuvastatin (10 mg/kg/day or 20 mg/kg/day) or saline for 12 weeks. Saline-treated DKO mice had elevated blood pressure (BP) and nitric oxide-sensitive BP variability recorded by telemetry. Compared with saline, rosuvastatin (20 mg/kg/day) had no effect on weight gain and a minor effect on plasma cholesterol. Despite incomplete correction of insulin sensitivity, rosuvastatin fully corrected BP and its variability (P = 0.01), in conjunction with upregulation of PPARgamma (but not PPARalpha) in the aortic arch. Rosuvastatin similarly increased PPARgamma (P = 0.002) and SOD1 (P = 0.01) expression in isolated endothelial cells. Both GW9662, a PPARgamma-specific antagonist, and siRNA raised against PPARgamma abrogated rosuvastatin's effect, which was reproduced in PPARgamma- (but not PPARalpha-) dependent transactivation assays. CONCLUSION Beyond partial improvement in insulin sensitivity, rosuvastatin normalized BP homeostasis in obese dyslipidaemic mice independently of changes in body weight or plasma cholesterol. Upregulation of PPARgamma and SOD1 in the endothelium may be involved as a unique vasculoprotective effect of statin treatment.
Evaluation of TTS Systems in Intelligibility and Comprehension Tasks: a Case Study of HTS-2008 and Multisyn Synthesizers

This paper explores the relationship between intelligibility and comprehensibility in speech synthesizers, and it designs an appropriate comprehension task for evaluating the speech synthesizers' comprehensibility. Previous studies have predicted that a speech synthesizer with higher intelligibility will have higher performance in comprehension. Also, since the two most popular speech synthesis methods are HMM-based and unit selection, this study tries to compare whether the HTS-2008 (HMM-based) or Multisyn (unit selection) speech synthesizer has better performance in application. Natural speech is applied in the experiment as a control group to the speech synthesizers. The results in the intelligibility test show that natural speech is better than HTS-2008, which, in turn, is much better than the Multisyn system. In the comprehension task, however, all three of the speech systems display minimal differences in the speech comprehension process. This is because the two speech synthesizers have reached the threshold of having enough intelligibility to provide high speech comprehension quality. Therefore, although there is equal comprehensible speech quality between the HTS-2008 and Multisyn systems, the HTS-2008 speech synthesizer is recommended due to its higher intelligibility.
An Interval Tree Approach to Predict Forest Fires using Meteorological Data

Interval prediction can be more useful than single value prediction in many continuous data streams. This paper introduces a novel Interval Prediction Tree IP3 algorithm for interval prediction of numerical target variables from temporal mean-variance aggregated continuous data. This algorithm characterized by: processing incoming meanvariance aggregated multivariate temporal data, splitting each of the continuous features of the input according to the best mean-variance and making stable interval predictions of a target numerical variable with a given degree of statistical confidence. As shown by empirical evaluations in forest fires data set the proposed method provides better performance than existing regression tree models. General Terms Data Mining, Regression Tree, Prediction Algorithms.
The prognostic role of pretreatment platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio as predictors in patients with colorectal cancer: a meta-analysis.

AIM This meta-analysis was designed to analyze and evaluate the prognostic role of preoperative or pretreatment platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). METHOD We searched PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database and WanFang Database up to April 2016. RESULTS A total of 16 studies (n = 5068 participants) were included for this meta-analysis. Elevated PLR has a close relationship with the poor overall survival of CRC, with the pooled hazard ratio being 1.88 (95% CI: 1.50, 2.36; p < 0.00001). CONCLUSION This meta-analysis indicated that pretreatment PLR may be a cost-effective and noninvasive serum biomarker for poor prognosis for patients with CRC.
Antigen-specific clonal expansion and cytolytic effector function of CD8+ T lymphocytes depend on the transcription factor Bcl11b

CD8+ T lymphocytes mediate the immune response to viruses, intracellular bacteria, protozoan parasites, and tumors. We provide evidence that the transcription factor Bcl11b/Ctip2 controls hallmark features of CD8+ T cell immunity, specifically antigen (Ag)-dependent clonal expansion and cytolytic activity. The reduced clonal expansion in the absence of Bcl11b was caused by altered proliferation during the expansion phase, with survival remaining unaffected. Two genes with critical roles in TCR signaling were deregulated in Bcl11b-deficient CD8+ T cells, CD8 coreceptor and Plcγ1, both of which may contribute to the impaired responsiveness. Bcl11b was found to bind the E8I, E8IV, and E8V, but not E8II or E8III, enhancers. Thus, Bcl11b is one of the transcription factors implicated in the maintenance of optimal CD8 coreceptor expression in peripheral CD8+ T cells through association with specific enhancers. Short-lived Klrg1hiCD127lo effector CD8+ T cells were formed during the course of infection in the absence of Bcl11b, albeit in smaller numbers, and their Ag-specific cytolytic activity on a per-cell basis was altered, which was associated with reduced granzyme B and perforin.
Effect of a Computer-Guided, Quality Improvement Program for Cardiovascular Disease Risk Management in Primary Health Care: The Treatment of Cardiovascular Risk Using Electronic Decision Support Cluster-Randomized Trial

Background— Despite effective treatments to reduce cardiovascular disease risk, their translation into practice is limited. Methods and Results— Using a parallel arm cluster-randomized controlled trial in 60 Australian primary healthcare centers, we tested whether a multifaceted quality improvement intervention comprising computerized decision support, audit/feedback tools, and staff training improved (1) guideline-indicated risk factor measurements and (2) guideline-indicated medications for those at high cardiovascular disease risk. Centers had to use a compatible software system, and eligible patients were regular attendees (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged ≥35 years and others aged ≥45 years). Patient-level analyses were conducted using generalized estimating equations to account for clustering. Median follow-up for 38 725 patients (mean age, 61.0 years; 42% men) was 17.5 months. Mean monthly staff support was <1 hour/site. For the coprimary outcomes, the intervention was associated with improved overall risk factor measurements (62.8% versus 53.4% risk ratio; 1.25; 95% confidence interval, 1.04–1.50; P=0.02), but there was no significant differences in recommended prescriptions for the high-risk cohort (n=10 308; 56.8% versus 51.2%; P=0.12). There were significant treatment escalations (new prescriptions or increased numbers of medicines) for antiplatelet (4.3% versus 2.7%; P=0.01), and BP lowering (18.2% versus 11.0%; P=0.02) but not lipid-lowering medications. Conclusions— In Australian primary healthcare settings, a computer-guided quality improvement intervention, requiring minimal support, improved cardiovascular disease risk measurement but did not increase prescription rates in the high-risk group. Computerized quality improvement tools offer an important, albeit partial, solution to improving primary healthcare system capacity for cardiovascular disease risk management. Clinical Trial Registration— URL: https://www.anzctr. org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx? id=336630. Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry No. 12611000478910.
Open Access Research Article Factors Associated with Initial Treatment and Survival for Clinically Localized Prostate Cancer: Results from the Cdc-npcr Patterns of Care Study (poc1)

Background: Despite the large number of men diagnosed with localized prostate cancer, there is as yet no consensus concerning appropriate treatment. The purpose of this study was to describe the initial treatment patterns for localized prostate cancer in a population-based sample and to determine the clinical and patient characteristics associated with initial treatment and overall survival. Methods: The analysis included 3,300 patients from seven states, diagnosed with clinically localized prostate cancer in 1997. We examined the association of sociodemographic and clinical characteristics with four treatment options: radical prostatectomy, radiation therapy, hormone therapy, and watchful waiting. Diagnostic and treatment information was abstracted from medical records. Socioeconomic measures were derived from the 2000 Census based on the patient's residence at time of diagnosis. Vital status through December 31, 2002, was obtained from medical records and linkages to state vital statistics files and the National Death Index. Multiple logistic regression analysis and Cox proportional hazards models identified factors associated with initial treatment and overall survival, respectively. Results: Patients with clinically localized prostate cancer received the following treatments: radical prostatectomy (39.7%), radiation therapy (31.4%), hormone therapy (10.3%), or watchful waiting (18.6%). After multivariable adjustment, the following variables were associated with conservative treatment (hormone therapy or watchful waiting): older age, black race, being unmarried, having public insurance, having non-screen detected cancer, having normal digital rectal exam results, PSA values above 20, low Gleason score (2-4), comorbidity, and state of residence. Among patients receiving definitive treatment (radical prostatectomy or radiation therapy), older age, being unmarried, PSA values above 10, unknown Gleason score, state of residence, as well as black race in patients under 60 years of age, were associated with receipt of radiation therapy. Overall survival was related to younger age, being married, Gleason score under 8, radical prostatectomy, and state of residence. Comorbidity was only associated with risk of death within the first three years of diagnosis. Conclusions: In the absence of clear-cut evidence favoring one treatment modality over another, it is important to understand the factors that inform treatment selection. Since state of residence was a significant predictor of both treatment as well as overall survival, true regional differences probably exist in how physicians and patients select treatment options. Factors affecting treatment choice and treatment effectiveness need to be further explored in future population-based studies. Background Despite the large number of men diagnosed with localized prostate cancer, there is as yet no consensus concerning …
Experimental and theoretical analysis of transport properties of core–shell wire light emitting diodes probed by electron beam induced current microscopy

We report a systematic experimental and theoretical investigation of core–shell InGaN/GaN single wire light-emitting diodes (LEDs) using electron beam induced current (EBIC) microscopy. The wires were grown by catalyst-free MOVPE and processed into single wire LEDs using electron beam lithography on dispersed wires. The influence of the acceleration voltage and of the applied bias on the EBIC maps was investigated. We show that the EBIC maps provide information both on the minority carrier effects (i.e. on the local p–n junction collection efficiency) and on the majority carrier effects (i.e. the transport efficiency from the excited region toward the contacts). Because of a finite core and shell resistance a non-negligible current redistribution into the p–n junction takes place during the majority carrier transport. A theoretical model for transport in a core–shell wire is developed, allowing to explain the dependence of the EBIC profiles on the experimental parameters (the electron beam acceleration voltage and the bias applied on the device) and on the structural parameters of the wire (core and shell resistance, shunt resistance, etc). Comparison between simulated and experimental profiles provides valuable information concerning the structure inhomogeneities and gives insight into the wire electrical parameters.
Automated diagnosis of knee pathology using sensory data

In order to early diagnosis and treatment of knee abnormalities, in this study an automated diagnosis system using wearable EMG and goniometer sensors is proposed. Eight different classification techniques are investigated with a set of time-domain features. The experiments are conducted with 22 subjects' data and the best accuracy of 97.17% is achieved based on the Bagged Decision Trees classifier. We have also evaluated the classifications quality with Fixed-size Overlapping Sliding Window (FOSW) segmentation technique where SVM and Bagged Decision Trees classifiers could obtain the accuracy of 100% in distinguishing healthy subjects from people with knee abnormality.
Abrogation of disease development in plants expressing animal antiapoptotic genes

An emerging topic in plant biology is whether plants display analogous elements of mammalian programmed cell death during development and defense against pathogen attack. In many plant–pathogen interactions, plant cell death occurs in both susceptible and resistant host responses. For example, specific recognition responses in plants trigger formation of the hypersensitive response and activation of host defense mechanisms, resulting in restriction of pathogen growth and disease development. Several studies indicate that cell death during hypersensitive response involves activation of a plant-encoded pathway for cell death. Many susceptible interactions also result in host cell death, although it is not clear how or if the host participates in this response. We have generated transgenic tobacco plants to express animal genes that negatively regulate apoptosis. Plants expressing human Bcl-2 and Bcl-xl, nematode CED-9, or baculovirus Op-IAP transgenes conferred heritable resistance to several necrotrophic fungal pathogens, suggesting that disease development required host–cell death pathways. In addition, the transgenic tobacco plants displayed resistance to a necrogenic virus. Transgenic tobacco harboring Bcl-xl with a loss-of-function mutation did not protect against pathogen challenge. We also show that discrete DNA fragmentation (laddering) occurred in susceptible tobacco during fungal infection, but does not occur in transgenic-resistant plants. Our data indicate that in compatible plant–pathogen interactions apoptosis-like programmed cell death occurs. Further, these animal antiapoptotic genes function in plants and should be useful to delineate resistance pathways. These genes also have the potential to generate effective disease resistance in economically important crops.
Valuing the Vote: the Redistribution of Voting Rights and State Funds Following the Voting Rights Act of 1965

The Voting Rights Act of 1965 (VRA) has been called one of the most effective pieces of civil rights legislation in U.S. history, having generated dramatic increases in black voter registration across the South. We show that the expansion of black voting rights in some southern states brought about by one requirement of the VRA - the elimination of literacy tests at voter registration - was accompanied by a shift in the distribution of state aid toward localities with higher proportions of black residents, a finding that is consistent with models of distributive politics. Our estimates imply an elasticity of state transfers to counties with respect to turnout in presidential elections - the closest available measure of enfranchisement - of roughly one.
THE POTENTIAL FOR MULTIPLE FECUNDITY OF MOOSE IN FINLAND

Multiple fecundity (i.e., >2 fetuses or calves per female) is a rare and poorly known phenomenon in moose (Alces alces). In this paper I: (1) report the frequency of multiple fecundity of moose in Finland; (2) study the frequencies of multiple fecundity in different years and areas; (3) discuss the viability of litters with different numbers of progeny; and (4) discuss the possible fecundity effects of selective harvest and the evolutionary aspects of multiple fecundity. The embryo numbers of harvested cows were counted during 1980-89 (n = 2,347) and the proportion of single, twin, and triplet calves were determined from the 1986-99 moose observation material recorded in the field by hunters during the hunting season (n = 585,149). The material includes 4 sets of quadruplet calves, 1 set of stillborn sextuplets, and a moose female with 5 sets of triplet calves; a total of 30 calves in 15 years. In Finland, 60.38 % of pregnant moose cows had one, 39.37% two, 0.21% three, and 0.04% four embryos. In the observation material, 61.79% of the cows had one calf, 38.18% twin calves, and 0.03% triplet calves. The proportion of multiple cases decreased from south to north. The viability of single and twin calves was found to be very high, but only 15% of the sets of triplet calves seemed to survive up to the first fall. Calf survival rate was clearly higher in 1980-99 than in 1963-66, possibly depending on the different age structures of the female populations. According to the literature, the frequency of multiple fecundity in moose appears to be lower in North American than European moose populations. ALCES VOL. 39: 89-107 (2003)