Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Prescribing and adherence to bone protection medications following hip fracture in the United Kingdom: results from the World Hip Trauma Evaluation (WHiTE) cohort study.

AIMS Bone health assessment and the prescription of medication for secondary fracture prevention have become an integral part of the acute management of patients with hip fracture. However, there is little evidence regarding compliance with prescription guidelines and subsequent adherence to medication in this patient group. PATIENTS AND METHODS The World Hip Trauma Evaluation (WHiTE) is a multicentre, prospective cohort of hip fracture patients in NHS hospitals in England and Wales. Patients aged 60 years and older who received operative treatment for a hip fracture were eligible for inclusion in WHiTE. The prescription of bone protection medications was recorded from participants' discharge summaries, and participant-reported use of bone protection medications was recorded at 120 days following surgery. RESULTS Of 5456 recruited patients with baseline data, 2853 patients (52%) were prescribed bone protection medication at discharge, of which oral bisphosphonates were the most common, 4109 patients (75%) were prescribed vitamin D or calcium, and 606 patients (11%) were not prescribed anything. Of those prescribed a bone protection medication, only 932 patients (33%) reported still taking their medication 120 days later. CONCLUSION These data provide a reference for current prescription and adherence rates. Adherence with oral medication remains poor in patients with hip fracture. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2019;101-B:1402-1407.
Chemical Constituents of Stems and Leaves of Tagetespatula L. and Its Fingerprint

Tagetespatula L. is a widely cultivated herbal medicinal plant in China and other countries. In this study, two new 2, 3-dihydrobenzofuran glucosides (1, 2) and fourteen known metabolites (3–16) were isolated from the stems and leaves of T. patula (SLT). The chemical structures of the isolated compounds were characterized comprehensively based on one- and two-dimensional NMR spectroscopy and high resolution mass spectrometry. Absolute configurations of compounds 1 and 2 were determined by ECD calculations. Compounds 1 and 2 exhibited moderate in vitro inhibitory activities against human gastric cancer cell lines (AGS) with IC50 values of 41.20 μmol/L and 30.43 μmol/L, respectively. The fingerprint profiles of stems and leaves of T. patula with three color types of flowers (Janie Yellow Bright, Jinmen Orange, Shouyao Red and Yellow color) were established by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Ten different batches of stems and leaves were examined as follow: Shouyao Red and Yellow color (1, 2, 3), Janie Yellow Bright (4, 5, 6, 7) and Jinmen Orange (8, 9, 10). Twenty-two common peaks were identified with similarity values ranging from 0.910 to 0.977. Meanwhile, the average peak area of SLT in the three types of flowers was different and it was the highest in Janie Yellow Bright.
The Effect of Foreign Debt on the Economic Growth of Nigeria

Abstract This study examines the effect of foreign debt on the economic growth of Nigeria. Data for the study are collected from the World Bank and Central Bank of Nigeria Statistical Bulletin. The variables on which data are sourced include nominal gross domestic product, foreign debt stock, foreign debt servicing, inflation rate, and exchange rate. Nominal gross domestic product is the dependent variable while foreign debt stock and foreign debt servicing are the major explanatory variables. Inflation and exchange rates are used as the control variables. The scope of the study covers the period from 1997 to 2017 and data are analyzed using the ordinary least squares regression technique. The regression results indicate that foreign debt exerts a significant negative influence on economic growth while foreign debt servicing has a strong and significant positive impact on economic growth. The other factors are insignificant in explaining economic growth under this scenario. Thus, the study recommends a more purposeful borrowing pattern and revenue generation through profitable capital investments as the remedy for a foreign debt crisis in the country. The study also suggests a revival of abandoned industries as a more effective way of reducing foreign borrowing, creating employment opportunities and alleviating poverty in the country.
Neuroinflammation in heart failure: new insights for an old disease

Heart failure (HF) is a complex clinical syndrome affecting roughly 26 million people worldwide. Increased sympathetic drive is a hallmark of HF and is associated with disease progression and higher mortality risk. Several mechanisms contribute to enhanced sympathetic activity in HF, but these pathways are still incompletely understood. Previous work suggests that inflammation and activation of the renin–angiotensin system (RAS) increases sympathetic drive. Importantly, chronic inflammation in several brain regions is commonly observed in aged populations, and a growing body of evidence suggests neuroinflammation plays a crucial role in HF. In animal models of HF, central inhibition of RAS and pro‐inflammatory cytokines normalizes sympathetic drive and improves cardiac function. The precise molecular and cellular mechanisms that lead to neuroinflammation and its effect on HF progression remain undetermined. This review summarizes the most recent advances in the field of neuroinflammation and autonomic control in HF. In addition, it focuses on cellular and molecular mediators of neuroinflammation in HF and in particular on brain regions involved in sympathetic control. Finally, we will comment on what is known about neuroinflammation in the context of preserved vs. reduced ejection fraction HF.
A maximum likelihood approach to the destriping technique

The destriping technique is a viable tool for removing different kinds of systematic effects in CMB-related experi- ments. It has already been proven to work for gain instabilities that produce the so-called 1/ f noise and periodic fluctuations due to e.g. thermal instability. Both effects, when coupled to the observing strategy, result in stripes on the observed sky re- gion. Here we present a maximum-likelihood approach to this type of technique and provide also a useful generalization. As a working case we consider a data set similar to what the  satellite will produce in its Low Frequency Instrument (LFI). We compare our method to those presented in the literature and find some improvement in performance. Our approach is also more general and allows for different base functions to be used when fitting the systematic effect under consideration. We study the effect of increasing the number of these base functions on the quality of signal cleaning and reconstruction. This study is related to  LFI activities.
Violent Conflict and the Road Sector: Points of Interaction

Roads are vital in the stabilization and reconstruction of a conflict-affected country. These initiatives impact population groups and their relationship with one-another through infrastructure construction and maintenance, through processes of decision-making and participation, and most significantly through their outcomes. The impacts of roads sector initiatives are felt by large sections of the population and can have effects not only on those directly benefitting from the project but on economic growth, resource distribution, governance, and security. These wide-ranging effects can in turn impact conflict and a country's prospects for stability and resilience. This note is organized in the following way: section one presents the methodology of the study, including the selection of cases and sources of information. Section two presents the conflict context, including a description of some of the main characteristics of these contexts that could have profound implications for development initiatives. Section three discusses the tradeoffs that those working in the roads sector usually need to make in a conflict context. Section four looks at key areas of interaction between the roads sector and conflict, focusing on questions that need to be asked during design and implementation and regarding potential effects of roads sector projects on conflict. Finally, the author concludes with some recommendations for those working on the roads sector in transport settings.
Actuator Fault Detection and Fault-Tolerant Control for Hexacopter

In this paper, fault detection and fault-tolerant control strategies are proposed to handle the issues of both actuator faults and disturbances in a hexacopter. A dynamic model of a hexacopter is first derived to develop a model-based fault detection system. Secondly, the altitude control based on a sliding mode and disturbance observer is presented to tackle the disturbance issue. Then, a nonlinear Thau observer is applied to estimate the states of a hexacopter and to generate the residuals. Using a fault detection unit, the motor failure is isolated to address the one or two actuator faults. Finally, experimental results are tested on a DJI F550 hexacopter platform and Pixhawk2 flight controller to verify the effectiveness of the proposed approach. Unlike previous studies, this work can integrate fault detection and fault-tolerant control design as a single unit. Moreover, the developed fault detection and fault-tolerant control method can handle up to two actuator failures in presence of disturbances.
Effect of topical corticosteroid on yield of fungal culture and response to treatment: a prospective cohort study

Dermatophytosis is a superficial fungal infection caused by the fungi dermatophytes. In the past few years there has been a marked increase in the chronic, recurrent and difficult to treat cases of dermatophytosis in India. Many attribute it to misuse of oral antifungals and the use of topical corticosteroids. We have conducted a prospective study to assess the effect of topical corticosteroid in the culture yield and treatment outcomes in tinea.
Investigation of the Possible Pharmacologically Active Forms of the Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Agonist Anabaseine

Three major forms of the nicotinic agonist toxin anabaseine (cyclic iminium, cyclic imine and the monocationic open-chain ammonium-ketone) co-exist in almost equal concentrations at physiological pH. We asked the question: Which of these forms is pharmacologically active? First, we investigated the pH dependence of anabaseine inhibition of [3H]-methylcarbamylcholine binding at rat brain α4β2 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs). These experiments indicated that one or both monocationic forms interact with the orthosteric binding site for ACh. However, since they occur at equal concentrations near physiological pH, we employed another approach, preparing a stable analog of each form and examining its agonist activities and binding affinities at several vertebrate brain and neuromuscular nAChRs. Only 2-(3-pyridyl)-1,4,5,6-tetrahydropyrimidine monohydrogen chloride (PTHP), the cyclic iminium analog, displayed nAChR potencies and binding affinities similar to anabaseine. The cyclic imine analog 2,3′-bipyridyl and the open-chain ammonium-ketone analog 5-methylamino-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-pentanone (MAPP), displayed ≤1% of the activity predicted if the one form was solely active. The lower potency of weakly basic 2,3′-bipyridyl can be explained by the presence of a small concentration of its monocationic form. Since the open chain ammonium-ketone monocationic form of anabaseine has some structural similarity to the neurotransmitter GABA, we also tested the ability of anabaseine and its 1,2-dehydropyrrolidinyl analog myosmine to activate a mammalian GABAA receptor, but no activity was detected. We conclude that the monocationic cyclic iminium is the form which avidly binds and activates vertebrate nAChRs.
Soil properties and yields of winter wheat after long-term growing of this crop in two contrasting rotations

This study was based on a long-term field experiment established in 1967 in which winter wheat is grown in two rotations consisting of: potato-winter wheat-fodder crops-winter wheat (rotation A) and oat-winter wheat-winter rye-winter wheat (rotation B). In the years 2010–2013 selected soil properties and winter wheat yields as influenced by these rotations were analysed. The soils under winter wheat grown in crop rotations A and B contained similar amounts of total organic carbon (C) (0.76% and 0.80%, respectively) and did not differ significantly with respect to biological characteristics (contents of microbial biomass C and nitrogen (N), dehydrogenase and acid phosphatase activities). Averaged for 3 years, the highest grain yields were obtained for winter wheat grown after potato in rotation A (7.94 t/ha) and the lowest (6.0 t/ha) for wheat following winter rye in rotation B. The highest take-all index and the lowest numbers of ears/m2 were the main factors influencing poor performance of winter wheat following rye.
Warming of southeast Greenland shelf waters in 2016 takes large glacier to brink of runaway retreat

By the end of 2018 Kangerdluqssuaq Glacier in southeast Greenland had retreated further inland than at any time in the past 80 years and its terminus was approaching a region of retrograde bedslope from where further rapid retreat would have been inevitable. Here we show that the retreat occurred because the glacier failed to advance during the winters of 2016/17 and 2017/18 owing to a weakened proglacial mélange. This mixture of sea ice and icebergs is normally rigid enough to inhibit calving in winter but for two consecutive years it repeatedly collapsed allowing Kangerdlugssuaq Glacier to continue to calve 5 all year round. The mélange break-ups followed the establishment of anomalously warm surface water on the continental shelf during 2016 which likely penetrated the fjord. As calving continued uninterrupted from summer 2016 to the end of 2018 the glacier accelerated by 35% and thinned by 35 m. These observations demonstrate the importance of near-surface ocean temperatures on tidewater glacier stability, and show that it is not only deep-ocean warming that can lead to glacier retreat. During winter 2019 a persistent mélange reformed and the glacier readvanced by 3.5 km. 10
CONSIDERING EFFECTS OF CLIMATE EXTREMES ON PLANT FUNCTIONAL TRAITS BENEFITS THE PREDICTION OF ECOSYSTEM FUNCTIONING

Climate extremes are recognized as main drivers of ecosystem functioning in terrestrial biomes. So far impacts and underlying mechanisms of which climate extremes shape ecosystem processes are poorly understood. This gap impedes an understanding of how climatic extremes modulate long-term and large landscape provisions of ecosystem functions. Trait-based studies render a feasible avenue that links climate extremes and ecosystem functioning. Plant functional traits are considered as a sensitive probe in terms of the response to changes in climatic conditions. Approaches that account for effects of climate extremes on plant functional traits may close this gap. We develop a stepwise framework that relates the response of functional traits to climate extremes and resolves relationships between patterns of functional traits and ecosystem functioning by a process-based dynamic vegetation model. We introduce an ongoing case study to demonstrate how this framework permits an accurate evaluation of ecosystem functioning under various scenarios of climate extremes. Our proposed framework may benefit functioning programs by providing key functional traits sensitive to climate extremes or determinants of ecosystem functions. The practice will in turn improve the parameterization and the validation of the vegetation model, especially in regions paucity of field data.
The Potential Utility of Aripiprazole Augmentation for Major Depressive Disorder with Mixed Features Specifier: A Retrospective Study

Objective The present study aimed to observe potential benefit of aripiprazole augmentation in the treatment of major depressive disorder with mixed specifier (MDDM) in naturalistic treatment setting. Methods Data were collected from MDDM patients using a retrospective chart review for 8 weeks (week –8 and week 0) in routine practice. All patients were on current antidepressants upon starting of aripiprazole. Patients were treated without restriction of doses of aripiprazole. The primary endpoint was the mean change of Montgomery–Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) total scores along with various secondary endpoint measures. Results In total 38 patients were analyzed. The changes of MADRS, Clinical Global Impression (CGI)-severity, Young Mania Rating Scale, Sheehan Disability Scale, and CGI-clinical benefit total scores from baseline to the endpoint were −7.1, −0.8, −4.9, −4.1, and −3.6, respectively (all p < 0.0001). At the endpoint, the responder and remitter rates by MADRS score criteria were approximately 32% and 21%, respectively. Conclusion The present findings have clearly shown the effectiveness and tolerability of aripiprazole augmentation for MDDM patients in routine practice. The present study warrants subsequent, adequately-powered, well-controlled studies for generalizability near future.
Gabapentin–saccharin co-crystals with enhanced physicochemical properties and in vivo absorption formulated as oro-dispersible tablets

Abstract The physicochemical properties and in vivo absorption of a drug can be altered through cocrystallization with a suitable coformer. The aim of this study was to prepare and characterize Gabapentin (Gaba)–saccharine (sacch) sweet cocrystals for improvement of Gaba physicochemical properties, stability and in vivo absorption in addition to masking its taste. The prepared cocrystals were incorporated into oro-dispersible tablets as an attractive dosage form for pediatrics and adults. Gaba–sacch sweet cocrystals were prepared and characterized using FTIR, DSC, XRD and SEM analysis. They enhanced Gaba solubility and particle size distribution. Oro-dispersible tablets of the sweet cocrystals were prepared and evaluated in comparison to tablets prepared by Gaba–sacch physical mixture (PM). The tablets prepared by the cocrystals had lower wetting and disintegration time with enhanced drug release than those prepared with the physical mixture. The optimized formulation was evaluated for Gaba pharmacokinetics in rabbits in comparison to Gaba–sacch PM tablet and Gaba commercial oral capsules. This formulation had enhanced in vivo drug absorption through significant higher Cmax and AUC0–24 with shorter Tmax. The prepared Gaba–sacch sweet cocrystals oro-dispersible tablets, in addition to its enhanced in vitro and in vivo performance, can also enhance patient compliance through its palatable taste and ease of administration. Graphical Abstract
The use of Thiel embalmed human cadavers for retrograde injection and visualization of the lymphatic system

In order to provide an alternative for fresh frozen specimens to map the lymphatic system, the possibility of using Thiel embalmed specimens for this purpose was explored. The thoracic duct was used to investigate if retrograde injection of contrast agent was possible in Thiel embalmed specimens and to verify up to which diameter lymphatic vessels could be reconstructed and rendered in 3D, after CT scanning. 3D renderings were used for digital diameter measurement, to determine the smallest lymphatic diameter that could still be visualized on CT. Finally, the contrast agent concentration was adapted based on the findings during image reconstruction and 3D rendering. All Thiel embalmed specimens proved suitable for retrograde injection of contrast agent into the thoracic duct and all 3D renderings perfectly overlapped with the dissection pictures. The smallest diameter of contrast filled lymphatics that could be reconstructed and rendered in 3D was 0.23 mm. Increasing the concentration of barium sulfate from 10 to 50% reduced the postprocessing time needed to render a “clean” 3D structure, following automatic segmentation based on grey values, by 95%. The authors would recommend the use of Thiel embalmed specimens for mapping the lymphatic system, as these specimens do not show the rapid putrefaction that occurs in fresh frozen specimens, thus greatly facilitating experimental planning.
Domain of validity for pseudo-elliptical NFW lens models Mass distribution, mapping to elliptical models, and arc cross section

Context. Owing to their computational simplicity, models with elliptical potentials (pseudo-elliptical) are often used in gravitational lensing applications, in particular for mass modeling using arcs and for arc statistics. However, these models generally lead to negative mass distributions in some regions and to dumbbell-shaped surface density contours for high ellipticities. Aims. We revisit the physical limitations of the pseudo-elliptical Navarro-Frenk-White (PNFW) model, focusing on the behavior of the mass distribution close to the tangential critical curve, where tangential arcs are expected to be formed. We investigate the shape of the mass distribution on this region and the presence of negative convergence. We obtain a mapping from the PNFW to the NFW model with elliptical mass distribution (ENFW). We compare the arc cross section for both models, aiming to determine a domain of validity for the PNFW model in terms of its mass distribution and for the cross section. Methods. We defined a figure of merit to i) measure the deviation of the iso-convergence contours of the PNFW model to an elliptical shape, ii) assigned an ellipticity eΣ to these contours, iii) defined a corresponding iso-convergence contour for the ENFW model. We computed the arc cross section using the “infinitesimal circular source approximation”. Results. We extend previous work by investigating the shape of the mass distribution of the PNFW model for a broad range of the potential ellipticity parameter e and characteristic convergence κ ϕ . We show that the maximum value of e to avoid dumbbellshaped mass distributions is explicitly dependent on κ ϕ , with higher ellipticities (e � 0.5, i.e., eΣ � 0.65) allowed for small κ ϕ . W e determine a relation between the ellipticity of the mass distribution eΣ and e valid for any ellipticity. We also derive the relation of characteristic convergences, obtaining a complete mapping from PNFW to ENFW models, and provide fitting formulae for connecting the parameters of both models. Using this mapping, the cross sections for both models are compared, setting additional constraints on the parameter space of the PNFW model such that it reproduces the ENFW results. We also find that the negative convergence regions occur far from the arc formation region and should therefore not be a problem for studies with gravitational arcs. Conclusions. We conclude that the PNFW model is well-suited to model an elliptical mass distribution on a larger e–κ ϕ s parameter space than previously expected. However, if we require the PNFW model to reproduce the arc cross section of the ENFW well, the ellipticity is more restricted, particularly for low κ ϕ s . The determination of a domain of validity for the PNFW model and the mapping to ENFW models could have implications for the use of PNFW models for the inverse modeling of lenses and for fast arc simulations, for example.