Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The effects of a low-dose gestodene-containing oral contraceptive on endometrial histology in healthy women.

OBJECTIVE In women who use oral contraceptives with low estrogen doses, a quiescent endometrium is frequently produced. Further reduction of the estrogen dose would not be expected to alter this effect. In this open-label study, the effects on the endometrium of a monophasic oral contraceptive containing 75 micrograms gestodene and 20 micrograms ethinylestradiol were assessed. METHOD Biopsies were performed on 25 women on therapy. The biopsies were performed during the late luteal phase (last 7 days) in the pretreatment cycle and during days 15-21 in cycle 6 for 13 subjects (Group A) and during days 15-21 in cycle 3 and during the late luteal phase (last 7 days) in the post-treatment cycle for 12 subjects (Group B). RESULTS All subjects completed six cycles of treatment. Nine of 13 subjects pretreatment and nine of 12 subjects at cycle 3 were characterized by the pathologist as having a secretory endometrium. Four of 13 subjects at cycle 6 and ten of 11 subjects post-treatment also demonstrated a secretory endometrium. Pre-decidual changes were seen in one, two, two and zero subjects at pretreatment, after three cycles, six cycles, and post-treatment, respectively. Six subjects had an atrophic endometrium at cycle 6. CONCLUSIONS With monophasic gestodene/ethinylestradiol 75 micrograms/20 micrograms, a secretory or inactive endometrium was present in most subjects. Thus, the effects on the endometrium of this oral contraceptive containing a reduced estrogen dose are consistent with those produced by other low-estrogen-dose combination oral contraceptives.
Aerobic and Anaerobic Swimming Force Evaluation in One Single Test Session for Young Swimmers

Abstract This study aims to propose and validate the tethered swimming lactate minimum test (TSLacmin) estimating aerobic and anaerobic capacity in one single test session, using force as measurement parameter. 6 male and 6 female young swimmers (age=15.7±1.1 years; height=173.3±9.5 cm; weight=66.1±9.5 kg) performed 4 sessions comprising i) an all-out 30 s test and incremental test (TSLacmin); ii) 30 min of tethered swimming at constant intensity (2 sessions); iii) free-swimming time trials used to calculate critical velocity. Tethered swimming sessions used an acquisition system enabling maximum (Fmax) and mean (Fmean) force measurement and intensity variation. The tethered all-out test lasting 30 s resulted in hyperlactatemia of 7.9±2.0 mmol·l−1. TSLacmin presented a 100% success applicability rate, which is equivalent to aerobic capacity in 75% of cases. TSLacmin intensity was 37.7±7.3 N, while maximum force in the all-out test was 105±27 N. Aerobic and anaerobic TSLacmin parameters were significantly related to free-swimming performance (r=−0.67 for 100 m and r=−0.80 for 200 m) and critical velocity (r=0.80). TSLacmin estimates aerobic capacity in most cases, and both aerobic and anaerobic force parameters are well related to critical velocity and free swimming performance.
Special Issue Endnote: Tourism and Worldmaking – Where Do We Go From Here?

Let us now conclude and reaffirm things. The collection of papers in this special issue of Tourism Geographies does not merely engage with the concept of worldmaking in tourism for the sake of any theoretical novelty, that is, to produce something which might be of esoteric concern for a limited number of (Tourism) Geographers. Rather the coverage of worldmaking which is offered speaks volubly to much larger matters. When seen in the context of the contemporary introduction of or cultivation of postdisciplinary social science persuasions (Sayer 1999) into/within Tourism Studies, the collection of papers here represents something of the consolidating shift towards a more mature (Airey 2008) and veracious critical inter/post-disciplinary field of Tourism Studies. The background of the contributors to this special issue openly illustrates the case in point: the commentators in this special issue variously inhabit the domains of history, heritage studies, sociology and development studies, social and cultural anthropology, cultural and economic geography, and cultural and postcolonial studies. Despite that varied mix of locations in the broader humanities, most of these authors teach either at business schools or Tourism/Leisure Studies programmes where tourism scholarship has been dominantly institutionalized by prescriptivist outlooks on the world (Airey 2004; 2008) and where their governing call has been the need to provide a predominantly ‘disciplinary’ (sometimes ‘interdisciplinary’! ) view of tourism phenomenona. In a similar vein to the work of Lew et al. (2004) – who have produced an impressive collection of 48 tourism-centred essays for the Blackwell Companion to Geography – the special issue contributors collectively reveal the paradox of ‘the growing institutional strength of tourism studies [today as
Quantifying the Informativeness of Similarity Measurements

In this paper, we describe an unsupervised measure for quantifying the 'informativeness' of correlation matrices formed from the pairwise similarities or relationships among data instances. The measure quantifies the heterogeneity of the correlations and is defined as the distance between a correlation matrix and the nearest correlation matrix with constant off-diagonal entries. This non-parametric notion generalizes existing test statistics for equality of correlation coefficients by allowing for alternative distance metrics, such as the Bures and other distances from quantum information theory. For several distance and dissimilarity metrics, we derive closed-form expressions of informativeness, which can be applied as objective functions for machine learning applications. Empirically, we demonstrate that informativeness is a useful criterion for selecting kernel parameters, choosing the dimension for kernel-based nonlinear dimensionality reduction, and identifying structured graphs. We also consider the problem of finding a maximally informative correlation matrix around a target matrix, and explore parameterizing the optimization in terms of the coordinates of the sample or through a lower-dimensional embedding. In the latter case, we find that maximizing the Bures-based informativeness measure, which is maximal for centered rank-1 correlation matrices, is equivalent to minimizing a specific matrix norm, and present an algorithm to solve the minimization problem using the norm's proximal operator. The proposed correlation denoising algorithm consistently improves spectral clustering. Overall, we find informativeness to be a novel and useful criterion for identifying non-trivial correlation structure.
The Endogenous Money Hypothesis – Empirical Evidence from the United States (1959-2008)

Standard economic textbooks portray the money supply as exogenous. Most of these use a money multiplier framework to demonstrate the causal role of the monetary base in determining commercial bank lending and overall economic activity. In contrast, endogenous money theories attribute the determination of commercial bank lending and overall economic activity to the demand for credit, not the supply of money. In these theories, the demand for credit determines the supply of money, which banks create ex nihilo. We use updated Granger-causality tests to analyze quarterly U.S. data from 1959 to 2008 and find evidence that changes in commercial bank lending cause changes in both the monetary base and nominal income. Our results provide further support for the endogenous money views that the money supply has always been endogenous and that credit plays an important role in the money supply process. Endogenous money theories therefore provide a strong foundation for analyzing how credit and monetary policy affect overall economic activity.
Dentin Matrix Protein 1 Immobilized on Type I Collagen Fibrils Facilitates Apatite Deposition in Vitro*

During bone and dentin mineralization, the crystal nucleation and growth processes are considered to be matrix regulated. Osteoblasts and odontoblasts synthesize a polymeric collagenous matrix, which forms a template for apatite initiation and elongation. Coordinated and controlled reaction between type I collagen and bone/dentin-specific noncollagenous proteins are necessary for well defined biogenic crystal formation. However, the process by which collagen surfaces become mineralized is not understood. Dentin matrix protein 1 (DMP1) is an acidic noncollagenous protein expressed during the initial stages of mineralized matrix formation in bone and dentin. Here we show that DMP1 bound specifically to type I collagen, with the binding region located at the N-telopeptide region of type I collagen. Peptide mapping identified two acidic clusters in DMP1 responsible for interacting with type I collagen. The collagen binding property of these domains was further confirmed by site-directed mutagenesis. Transmission electron microscopy analyses have localized DMP1 in the gap region of the collagen fibrils. Fibrillogenesis assays further demonstrated that DMP1 accelerated the assembly of the collagen fibrils in vitro and also increased the diameter of the reconstituted collagen fibrils. In vitro mineralization studies in the presence of calcium and phosphate ions demonstrated apatite deposition only at the collagen-bound DMP1 sites. Thus specific binding of DMP1 and possibly other noncollagenous proteins on the collagen fibril might be a key step in collagen matrix organization and mineralization.
Déterminants individuels de la composition du patrimoine : France 1980

﻿Determinants individuels de la composition du patrimoine : France 1980 ; ; On pose dans cet article les premiers elements d'un modele general de choix d'actifs dont on teste les principales predictions sur les donnees de l'enquete CREP 1980 effectuee aupres de trois mille menages. Le modele constitue une extension de l'hypothese du cycle de vie de Modigliani a la composition du patrimoine et s'appuie notamment sur les theories partielles existantes (theorie intertemporelle des choix de portefeuille de Merton, modele de cycle de vie generalise aux transmissions). Il suppose finalement que les comportements patrimoniaux des menages peuvent etre decrits par une procedure de choix sequentielle en trois etapes : 1) arbitrage consommation-epargne ; 2) a patrimoine donne, choix discret de la combinaison optimale d'actifs ; 3) a combinaison fixee, choix continu des demandes de chaque actif. L'analyse empirique, econometrique et statistique, qui traite a la fois du nombre d'actifs, indicateur de diversification, et de la composition de la richesse, met en evidence l'importance du niveau du patrimoine et de l'âge sur les demandes d'actifs et la predominance du choix discret par rapport au choix continu. Ces resultats apparaissent favorables a l'hypothese d'une allocation des ressources en trois etapes. L'etude des facteurs explicatifs de la detention et du montant des divers placements permet egalement d'elaborer une typologie des quatorze actifs distingues dans l'enquete.
Biology of alkali- and heat-treated titanium implants.

In cementless fixation systems, surface character is an important factor. Alkali and heat treatments of titanium metal have been shown to produce strong bonding to bone and a higher ongrowth rate. In this study we examined the effect of alkali and heat treatments on titanium rods in an intramedullary rabbit femur model, in regard to the cementless hip stem. The implant rods were 5 mm in diameter and 25 mm in length. Half of the implants were immersed in 5 mol/L sodium hydroxide solution and heated at 600 degrees C for 1 h (AH implants), and the other half were untreated (CL implants). The rods were implanted into the distal femur of the rabbits; AH implants into the left femur and CL implants into the right. The bone-implant interfaces were evaluated at 3, 6, and 12 weeks after implantation. Pull-out tests showed that the AH implants had a significantly higher bonding strength to bone than the CL implants at each time point. As postoperative time elapsed, histological examination revealed that new bone formed on the surface of both types of implants, but significantly more bone made direct contact with the surface of the AH implants. At 12 weeks, approximately 56% of the whole surface of the AH implants was covered with the bone. In conclusion, alkali- and heat-treated titanium offers strong bone bonding and a high affinity to bone as opposed to a conventional mechanical interlocking mechanism. Alkali and heat treatments of titanium may be suitable surface treatments for cementless joint replacement implants.
A Política Monetária Brasileira sob o Regime de Metas de Inflação

The paper analyzes the evolution of monetary policy since the implementation of inflation targets in the period 1999 to 2009 in order to assess whether there are differences in the conduct of monetary policy between managements of Arminio Fraga and Henrique Meirelles. A New Keynesian general equilibrium model is used to model the Brazilian economy and derives a Taylor rule to find the sufficient condition for inflation convergence. The process of empirical analysis is to estimate a VAR model whose parameters vary over time as well as innovations in the variance-covariance matrix. The empirical results show that (i) there aren’t significant differences in the conduct of monetary policy during the administrations Arminio Fraga and Henrique Meirelles; (ii) Since 2003, the interest rate remained above that needed for the convergence of inflation according with the stability condition; and (iii) Arminio Fraga management acted according to a Taylor rule in the crisis of 2002, and inflation remained above target because of the magnitude of exogenous shocks.
A 360 degree phase shifter for 60 GHz application in SiGe BiCMOS technology

This paper presents a voltage controlled phase shifter in a 0.25 um SiGe BiCMOS technology for 60 GHz applications. Vector combination technique is adopted in phase shifter core. Continuous 360 degree phase tuning from 40 GHz to 70 GHz has been measured. The insertion gain of the complete test circuits is 4.6 dB and that of the phase shifter core is 7.6 dB. The phase shifter is best suited for 60 GHz phased array systems. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first phase shifter of this type for 60 GHz applications.
Genetic manipulation in pigs

Purpose of reviewRecent developments in the field of genetic engineering have made it possible to add, delete or exchange genes from one species to another. This technology has special relevance to the field of xenotransplantation, in which the elimination of a species-specific disparity could make the difference between success and failure of an organ transplant. This review focuses on developments in both the techniques and applications of genetically modified animals. Recent findingsAdvances have been made using existing techniques for genetic modifications of swine and in the development of new, emerging technologies, including enzymatic engineering and the use of small interfering RNA. Applications of the modified animals have provided evidence that genetically modified swine have the potential to overcome both physiologic and immunologic barriers that have previously impeded this field. The use of alpha-1,3-galactosyltransferase gene-knockout animals as donors have shown marked improvements in xenograft survivals. SummaryTechniques for genetic engineering of swine have been directed toward avoiding naturally existing cellular and antibody responses to species-specific antigens. Organs from genetically engineered animals have enjoyed markedly improved survivals in nonhuman primates, especially in protocols directed toward the induction of tolerance, presumably by avoiding immunization to new antigens.
Clinical and bacteriological response to treatment of clinical mastitis with one of three intramammary antibiotics

Abstract AIM: To compare the proportions of clinical and bacteriological cure of glands of dairy cows diagnosed with clinical mastitis, following treatment with one of three different intramammary antibiotic preparations. METHODS: Cows from dairy cow herds (n=28) across New Zealand which were diagnosed with clinical mastitis in one or more glands at any stage of lactation were randomly assigned at the cow level within sequentially presented groups of three animals to be treated with one of three intramammary antibiotics. The treatments were 1 g procaine penicillin, 0.25 g cefuroxime, and a combination of 1 g procaine penicillin and 0.5 g dihydrostreptomycin (DHS). All treatments were infused on three occasions at 12-hourly intervals. Duplicate milk samples were collected for bacteriology before initial treatment, and 21–42 days later. Logistic regression or generalised linear mixed models were used to analyse the proportion of cows or quarters retreated for mastitis within 30 days of initial treatment (‘eclinical treatment failure’), and the proportion of glands from which bacteria were isolated initially but from which the same bacterial species was not re-isolated (‘bacteriological cure’). RESULTS: The annual herd average cumulative incidence rate of clinical mastitis was 12.7 cases/100 cows. The incidence rate was higher in young (2-year-old) and old (≥9-year-old) cows relative to 3- and 4-year-old cows, and was higher in Friesian than Jersey or crossbred cows. Streptococcus uberis was the pathogen most commonly isolated, and its relative prevalence declined with time postpartum. Cows treated with cefuroxime were more likely (p<0.01) to be re-treated for clinical mastitis in the 30 days after initial treatment than cows treated with procaine penicillin or procaine penicillin and DHS. Bacteriological cure occurred in 74% of treated glands and there was no difference in the proportion of cures among the treatments (p=0.4). The proportion of cures was lower when treatment occurred 28–72 days after calving (p<0.01) and if a major pathogen was isolated (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: There was no benefit in terms of clinical or bacteriological cure rate in treating clinical mastitis cases with the combination of procaine penicillin and DHS compared to treatment with procaine penicillin alone. The proportion of clinical mastitis cases re-treated differed among herds, and more cows treated with cefuroxime were retreated within 30 days of initial treatment. However, the bacteriological cure proportion was the same among the treatments. Cure proportions were lower in cows from which major mastitis pathogens were isolated and when treatment commenced 28–72 days after calving.
Collective action, governance structure and organizational trust in localized systems of production. The case of the AOC organization of small producers

The objective of this paper is to explore the collective organizational forms that prevail in localized systems of production. More precisely, in a study on the governance of groups of small agricultural producers, we found that a club-based organization with a strong internal governance structure presents great advantages. Collective action, contractual relations and organizational trust are important in this governance system. This paper contributes to the discussion on Appellation d’Origine Contrôlées (AOCs, Designation of Controlled Origin) and more particularly provides new elements that help to understand the forms of collective organization that prevail in these systems. The amount of research dedicated to AOCs has increased so much that it is no longer legitimate to claim that they are just an obsolete form of local production with no future, or a harking back to the past. Yet, they are still often considered as curiosities, and few studies in the field of economic organization have focused on the organizational methods that prevail in these localized groups of producers. Basing ourselves on a specific example – that of the Comté AOC – economic arguments are presented in terms of legitimacy. It is shown (1) that it is possible to analyse the methods of internal organization of an AOC, and (2) that this analysis should be centred on a common good – reputation – that justifies and requires this form of co-ordination and brings into play mechanisms of organizational trust.
The Efficacy of Preemptive Analgesia for Acute Postoperative Pain Management: A Meta-Analysis

Whether preemptive analgesic interventions are more effective than conventional regimens in managing acute postoperative pain remains controversial. We systematically searched for randomized controlled trials that specifically compared preoperative analgesic interventions with similar postoperative analgesic interventions via the same route. The retrieved reports were stratified according to five types of analgesic interventions: epidural analgesia, local anesthetic wound infiltration, systemic N-methyl-d-aspartic acid (NMDA) receptor antagonists, systemic nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and systemic opioids. The primary outcome measures analyzed were the pain intensity scores, supplemental analgesic consumption, and time to first analgesic consumption. Sixty-six studies with data from 3261 patients were analyzed. Data were combined by using a fixed-effect model, and the effect size index (ES) used was the standardized mean difference. When the data from all three outcome measures were combined, the ES was most pronounced for preemptive administration of epidural analgesia (ES, 0.38; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.28–0.47), local anesthetic wound infiltration (ES, 0.29; 95% CI, 0.17–0.40), and NSAID administration (ES, 0.39; 95% CI, 0.27–0.48). Whereas preemptive epidural analgesia resulted in consistent improvements in all three outcome variables, preemptive local anesthetic wound infiltration and NSAID administration improved analgesic consumption and time to first rescue analgesic request, but not postoperative pain scores. The least proof of efficacy was found in the case of systemic NMDA antagonist (ES, 0.09; 95% CI, −0.03 to 0.22) and opioid (ES, −0.10; 95% CI, −0.26 to 0.07) administration, and the results remain equivocal.
Trade and Income Convergence in Selected South Asian Countries and Their Trading Partners

This paper analyzes trade among and the convergence of per capita income for India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. The extent of trade and its relationship with the magnitude of income convergence is studied among these countries and their trading partners. We use intra-trade convergence and the difference-in-differences approach for the estimations. The results demonstrate that an increase in trade between the groups decreases the per capita income differential. Our results suggest that trade liberalization policies could be effective in achieving convergence. More importantly, we find that the per capita income of our source countries converged more rapidly under post-liberalization regimes than pre-liberalization regimes.
Analyzing Linking Practices: Candidate Sites in the 2002 US Electoral Web Sphere

This article offers preliminary insights and a possible empirical model for managing the conceptual, methodological, and technological challenges entailed in developmental analysis of link-mediated relations. We offer a “mid-range” approach to making sense of linking practices, midway between close rhetorical/ethnographic analysis of links and large-scale link mapping. We suggest that systematic human coding and interpretation of linked-to producer types affords a more concrete and specific basis for hypothesizing about linking strategies than machine mapping, while providing a more robust attempt to generalize across the universe of candidate Web sites than ethnographic analysis. To illustrate this two-pronged approach to link analysis, we examine the linking practices exhibited on Web sites produced by U.S. Congressional candidates during the 2002 campaign season, focusing on the extent and development of links from candidate Web sites to other types of political Web sites during the three months prior to the November, 2002 election.