Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A comparison of therapy continuation rates of different hormone replacement agents: a 9-month retrospective, longitudinal analysis of pharmacy claims among new users

Objective To estimate the rate of therapy continuation among women using six different hormone replacement therapies (HRTs). Design A retrospective, longitudinal analysis of pharmacy claims data was conducted for 7,120 women who were new users of six HRT regimens. Continuation rates of therapies were examined at the end of the 9-month period. In addition, the odds ratio of continuation for each product was determined using a logistic model, which controlled for the potential influence of a patient's age and a provider's age, gender, specialty, and geographical location. Results Treatment continuation rates at the end of the 9-month period were significantly higher among patients prescribed oral 1 mg norethindrone acetate/5 &mgr;g ethinyl estradiol (EE) (femhrt, Pfizer Inc, New York, NY, USA) compared with other HRT regimens. Patients prescribed 1 mg norethindrone acetate/5 &mgr;g EE were 52% more likely to continue therapy compared with patients prescribed 0.625 mg conjugated equine estrogens/2.5 mg or 5 mg medroxyprogesterone acetate (Prempro, Wyeth, Madison, NJ, USA). Significantly higher rates of therapy continuation were seen in women aged 55 years or older, those who did not switch HRT during the analysis, those who received care in the central and northeast regions of the United States, and those who were seen by obstetricians/gynecologists (v primary care physicians) or female (v male) providers. Conclusions The higher rates of treatment continuation seen with newer continuous combined HRTs, such as 1 mg norethindrone acetate/5 &mgr;g EE, may lead to improved long-term compliance and, therefore, better protection against osteoporosis in postmenopausal women.
Mechanical stability assessment of novel orthodontic mini-implant designs: Part 2.

OBJECTIVE To assess the mechanical stability of a newly revised orthodontic mini-implant design (N2) compared with a design introduced in Part 1 of the study (N1) and the most widely-used commercially-available design (CA). To evaluate the mean buccal bone thickness of maxillary and mandibular posterior teeth using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). MATERIALS AND METHODS From the CBCT scans of 20 patients, six tomographic cross-sections were generated for each tooth. Buccal bone thickness was measured from the most convex point on the bone to the root surface. CA (1.5 mm in diameter and 6 mm in length), N1, and N2 (shorter and narrower than N1) were inserted in simulated bone with cortical and trabecular bone layers. Mechanical stability was compared in vitro through torque and lateral displacement tests. RESULTS The bone thickness ranged from 2.26 to 3.88 mm. Maximum insertion torque was decreased significantly in N2 compared to N1. However, force levels for all displacement distances and torque ratio were the highest in N2, followed by N1 and CA (α = .05). CONCLUSIONS Both torque and lateral displacement tests highlighted the enhanced stability of N2 compared with CA. Design revisions to N1 effectively mitigated N1's high insertion torque and thus potentially reduced microdamage to the surrounding bone. The N2 design is promising as evidenced by enhanced stability and high mechanical efficiency. Moreover, N2 is not limited to placement in interradicular spaces and has the capacity to be placed in the buccal bone superficial to the root surface with diminished risk of endangering nearby anatomic structures during placement and treatment.
Phylogeography and population structure of the Atlantic and Mediterranean green turtle Chelonia mydas: a mitochondrial DNA control region sequence assessment

Mitochondrial (mt) DNA sequences were analysed to resolve the phylogeography and population genetic structure of Atlantic and Mediterranean populations of green turtles (Chelonia mydas). Analysis of sequence variation over 487 base pairs of the control (D‐loop) region identified 18 haplotypes among 147 individuals from nine nesting populations. Pairwise comparisons of haplotype frequencies distinguished most nesting colonies, indicating significant genetic differentiation among rookeries and a strong propensity for natal homing behaviour by nesting females. Comparison of control region sequence data to earlier restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) data for the same individuals demonstrates approximately a sixfold higher substitution rate in the 5′ end of the control region. The sequence data provide higher resolution both in terms of the number of mtDNA genotype variants and the phylogeographic relationships detected within the Atlantic region, and reveal a gene genealogy that distinguishes two groups of haplotypes corresponding to (i) the western Caribbean and Mediterranean, and (ii) eastern Caribbean, South Atlantic and West Africa. The data suggest that phylogeographic patterns in the Atlantic Ocean may be interpreted in terms of female nest site fidelity and episodic dispersal events. The distribution of mtDNA haplotypes within the region is thus explained by the geological and climatic alternations (glacial and interglacial) over the last million years.
Modelisation mathematique du fonctionnement hydrologique des bassins versants de la fecht et de la weiss (haut-rhin)

La modelisation du fonctionnement hydrologique d'un bassin versant a, dans le contexte actuel, trop souvent tendance a s'enfermer dans la seule modelisation des debits de l'exutoire d'un bassin versant. Cette tendance est, en general, liee au fait que seules ces donnees sont disponibles sur les secteurs etudies. La validation d'un modele ne s'effectue donc dans ce contexte qu'a partir des hydrogrammes. Nous avons essaye, dans le cadre de ce travail, d'aller plus loin dans la parametrisation et la validation des modeles testes. Ainsi, l'integralite des donnees disponibles sur les bassins versants etudies a ete utilisee, soit pour l'amelioration de la modelisation et de la prise en compte de certains processus, soit pour la parametrisation des modeles, soit pour la validation a plusieurs echelles spatiale des resultats, concernant aussi bien les debits que le stock d'eau disponible dans les sols et le manteau neigeux. Pour tenir compte de la double interaction terrain-modele, modele-terrain, et mener a bien nos objectifs, il nous a fallu choisir d'une part des bassins et d'autre part des modeles. En ce qui concerne les bassins, notre choix s'est porte sur le bassin versant de la fecht en amont de walbach (211 km#2), sur celui de la weiss en amont de freland (117 km#2), son principal affluent, ainsi que sur celui du russeau de soultzeren (12,5 km#2). En ce qui concerne le modele, notre choix s'est porte d'une part sur un modele conceptuel distribue: le modele couple, teste sur les bassins de la fecht et de la weiss et d'autre part, sur le modele topmodel, nous permettant de tenir compte de l'importance de la dynamique des surfaces saturees en eau sur le fonctionnement hydrologique d'un bassin versant de quelques kilometres carres. Notre travail s'organise en quatre parties: dans une premiere partie, nous presenterons le cadre physique des bassins etudies, les differents aspects du cycle de l'eau et les equipements disponibles sur le terrain. Dans une deuxieme partie, nous presenterons le modele couple et nous effectuerons une discretisation des bassins en fonction de criteres naturalistes ainsi qu'une parametrisation a base physique du modele. Apres une phase de calibration, nous presenterons les principaux resultats de la validation et de la transposition du modeles sur les bassins versants etudies. Dans une troisieme partie, nous presenterons la modelisation mathematique du fonctionnement hydrologique du bassin versant du ruisseau de soultzeren a partir de topmodel comprenant: une typologie et une etude du fonctionnement des surfaces saturees sur le bassins etudie, une presentation generale du modele, la discretisation du bassin et la parametrisation du modele et finalement les simulations et les resultats
Clustering of acoustic emission signals after evaluation via analog modulations of a hybrid neural network for the study of crack propagation

The acoustic emission (AE) technique is a non-destructive testing technique applied to pressurized rigid pipelines in order to identify metallurgical discontinuities. This study analyses the dynamic behavior of the propagation of discontinuities in cracks via AE, in the following propagation classes : no propagation (NP), stable propagation (SP), and unstable propagation (UP). The methodology involves applying the concept of modulation of analogue signals, which are used in signal transmission in telecommunications, for the development of a neural network in order to determine new parameters for the AE waveform. The classification of AE signals into propagation classes occurs, therefore, through the extraction of information related to the dynamics of AE signals, by means of the parameters of the analogue carriers of the modulations (in amplitude and in angle) that make up the AE signal. This set of parameters enables an efficient classification (average of 90%) through the identification of patterns from the AE signals in the classes for monitoring the state of the discontinuity, through the use of computational intelligence techniques (artificial neural networks and non-linear classification).
Prevalence of the Addictions: A Problem of the Majority or the Minority?

An increasing number of research studies over the last three decades suggest that a wide range of substance and process addictions may serve similar functions. The current article considers 11 such potential addictions (tobacco, alcohol, illicit drugs, eating, gambling, Internet, love, sex, exercise, work, and shopping), their prevalence, and co-occurrence, based on a systematic review of the literature. Data from 83 studies (each study n = at least 500 subjects) were presented and supplemented with small-scale data. Depending on which assumptions are made, overall 12-month prevalence of an addiction among U.S. adults varies from 15% to 61%. The authors assert that it is most plausible that 47% of the U.S. adult population suffers from maladaptive signs of an addictive disorder over a 12-month period and that it may be useful to think of addictions as due to problems of lifestyle as well as to person-level factors.
Burden of Serious Fungal Infections in Argentina

The number of fungal infections at any given time in Argentina is not known. Here we estimate the burden of serious fungal infections in Argentina for the first time. Specific population statistics were searched from multiple sources, local literature was identified, and estimates made. Some additional data were sourced from the Ministry of Health, the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) program, and national haematology and transplant societies. Argentina has a population of 43.8 million, with 25% of this total being children under 15 years. The predicted candidemia annual incidence is 2193 cases, with 50% occurring in the ICU. At a 6% prevalence rate, an estimated 593,695 women suffer from recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis. Invasive aspergillosis is relatively common because of high smoking and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) rates, with 268 cases in immunocompromised patients and another 1938 in the 168,000 COPD patients admitted to hospital. Asthma is also common, affecting 14% of adults, and so allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) and severe asthma with fungal sensitization (SAFS) are major problems. An estimated 432 cases of cryptococcal meningitis (CM)—90% of them in AIDS patients—and 1177 cases of Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP) occur each year. The estimated annual case number of disseminated histoplasmosis is 404 in AIDS patients, almost as frequent as CM. Paracoccidioidomycosis annual incidence is estimated at 219, and coccidioidomycosis at 16 cases. At least 881,023 people (>2.01%) in Argentina are affected by a serious fungal disease annually, with considerable morbidity and mortality.
Herpes simplex virus type 2 and syphilis infections with HIV: an evolving synergy in transmission and prevention

Purpose of reviewHerpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) and syphilis are associated with HIV infection. The purpose of this review is to summarize the advances in the relationship of HSV-2 and syphilis with HIV, highlighting intervention trials to prevent HIV acquisition and transmission. Recent findingsHIV acquisition has often been linked to genital ulcers due to HSV-2 and syphilis. The latest pathophysiological studies have continued to elucidate the relationship between HSV-2, syphilis and HIV, establishing that both syphilitic and HSV-2-infected tissue have increased numbers of chemokine receptor 5-expressing T cells, and several models have further emphasized the viral synergy between HSV-2 and HIV. In clinical trials, HSV suppressive therapy decreased HIV RNA levels that might affect transmission, but two trials have failed to prevent HIV acquisition. Male circumcision, however, prevents both HIV and HSV-2 acquisition. SummaryGenital ulcers from HSV-2 and syphilis are associated with HIV acquisition. The exact role for these HIV cofactors is still unknown and exemplified by the failure of HSV suppressive therapy to decrease HIV acquisition. Male circumcision, however, reduces HSV-2 acquisition. With several HSV suppressive trials to prevent HIV transmission and disease progression currently ongoing, the future promises to provide more critical information for the control of HIV infection.
Ergonomic workplace analysis (EWA).

UNLABELLED Work Related Musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSDs) create a significant financial burden to both employer and employee that includes the cost of treatment and lost work time. There is a growing demand to implement early identification and effective prevention strategies, aimed at early intervention in employees prior to possible absenteeism due to foreseen sickness or disability. A wide range of conditions may be considered as MSDs, including myofascial pain syndrome, fibromyalgia, peripheral entrapment neuropathies (carpal or cubital tunnel syndrome), tenosynovitis, epicondylitis, and others. Several multidisciplinary rehabilitation centres such as RECOUP have developed a comprehensive, systematic and thorough medical examination protocol for WRMSD patients. The aim is to obtain anatomically precise clinical findings as a guide to therapy. These assessment protocols typically includes Questionnaire data, Physical examination protocol, Special Examination tests and Laboratory tests. A methodical medical evaluation protocol produces a patient-specific list of symptoms and coordinated physical findings. Such protocols provide a sounder basis for developing a biomechanical and ergonomic explanation for the WRMSD patient's injuries and for planning and monitoring therapy. Importantly for the WRMSD patient, it also provides a detailed explanation of symptoms that are experienced and a logical plan for alleviating them. MWRSD patients should not be dismissed as having vague or non physiologic complaints without this type of evaluation. OBJECTIVES This paper will discuss methods of identification of ergonomic risk factors among the workers engaged in video display terminal use which is practised at our tertiary level rehabilitation centre.
Neisseria meningitidis induces platelet inhibition and increases vascular endothelial permeability via nitric oxide regulated pathways

Summary Despite antibiotic therapy, infections with Neisseria meningitidis still demonstrate a high rate of morbidity and mortality even in developed countries. The fulminant septicaemic course, named Waterhouse-Friderichsen syndrome, with massive haemorrhage into the adrenal glands and widespread petechial bleeding suggest pathophysiological inhibition of platelet function. Our data show that N. meningitidis produces the important physiological platelet inhibitor and cardiovascular signalling molecule nitric oxide (NO), also known as endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF). N. meningitidis-derived NO inhibited ADPinduced platelet aggregation through the activation of soluble guanylyl cyclase (sGC) followed by an increase in platelet cyclic nucleotide levels and subsequent activation of platelet cGMP- and cAMP- depend- ent protein kinases (PKG and PKA). Furthermore, direct measurement of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) passage through a vascular endothelial cell monolayer revealed that N. meningitidis significantly increased endothelial monolayer permeability. Immunfluorescence analysis demonstrated NO dependent disturbances in the structure of endothelial adherens junctions after co-incubation with N. meningitidis. In contrast to platelet inhibition, the NO effects on HBMEC were not mediated by cyclic nucleotides. Our study provides evidence that NO plays an essential role in the pathophysiology of septicaemic meningococcal infection.
Oligopolistic Price Competition with a Continuous Demand

Demand functions in two related models of oligopolistic price competition with homogeneous products are derived from a set of economically plausible axioms. These axioms represent weaker assumptions about consumer behavior compared to the classic Bertrand model. In both models, firms do not necessarily face a discontinuous demand at an equilibrium price level. Hence, firms may charge an equilibrium price that is above their marginal cost (earning a strictly positive profit). The equilibrium price is lower when there are more firms and/or consumers are more sensitive to price changes. In the limit, when consumers are highly sensitive to price changes, both models converge to the classic Bertrand model.
High resolution image reconstruction from projection of low resolution images differing in subpixel shifts

In this paper, we demonstrate simple algorithms that project low resolution (LR) images differing in subpixel shifts on a high resolution (HR) also called super resolution (SR) grid. The algorithms are very effective in accuracy as well as time efficiency. A number of spatial interpolation techniques using nearest neighbor, inverse-distance weighted averages, Radial Basis Functions (RBF) etc. are used in projection. For best accuracy of reconstructing SR image by a factor of two requires four LR images differing in four independent subpixel shifts. The algorithm has two steps: i) registration of low resolution images and (ii) shifting the low resolution images to align with reference image and projecting them on high resolution grid based on the shifts of each low resolution image using different interpolation techniques. Experiments are conducted by simulating low resolution images by subpixel shifts and subsampling of original high resolution image and the reconstructing the high resolution images from the simulated low resolution images. The results of accuracy of reconstruction are compared by using mean squared error measure between original high resolution image and reconstructed image. The algorithm was tested on remote sensing images and found to outperform previously proposed techniques such as Iterative Back Projection algorithm (IBP), Maximum Likelihood (ML) algorithms. The algorithms are robust and are not overly sensitive to the registration inaccuracies.
Expression of kisspeptins in the brain and pituitary of the european sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax)

Kisspeptins are now considered key players in the neuroendocrine control of puberty and reproduction, at least in mammals. Most teleosts have two kiss genes, kiss1 and kiss2, but their sites of expression are still poorly documented. As a first step in investigating the role of kisspeptins in the European sea bass, a perciform fish, we studied the distribution of kiss1 and kiss2‐expressing cells in the brain of males and females undergoing their first sexual maturation. Animals were examined at early and late in the reproductive season. We also examined the putative expression of estrogen receptors in kiss‐expressing cells and, finally, we investigated whether kisspeptins are expressed in the pituitary gland. We show that kiss1‐expressing cells were consistently detected in the habenula and, in mature males and females, in the rostral mediobasal hypothalamus. In both sexes, kiss2‐expressing cells were consistently detected at the level of the preoptic area, but the main kiss2 mRNA‐positive population was observed in the dorsal hypothalamus, above and under the lateral recess. No obvious sexual differences in kiss1 and kiss2 mRNA expression were detected. Additional studies based on confocal imaging clearly showed that most kiss1 mRNA‐containing cells of the mediobasal hypothalamus strongly express ERα and slightly express ERβ2. At the pituitary level, both sexes exhibited kiss1 mRNA expression in most FSHβ‐positive cells and never in LHβ‐positive cells. J. Comp. Neurol. 521:933–948, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Design and Analysis of a Three-Phase Wireless Charging System for Lightweight Autonomous Underwater Vehicles

Lightweight autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), powered by rechargeable batteries, are widely deployed in inshore surveying, environmental monitoring, and mine countermeasures. While providing valuable information in locations humans have difficulty accessing, limited battery capacity of such systems prevents extended mission times. In order to extend mission times, this paper proposes a three-phase wireless charging system that could be used in a field-deployable charging station capable of rapid, efficient, and convenient AUV recharging. Wireless charging should not, however, affect instrumentation located inside the AUV. Thus, a three-dimensional finite element analysis tool is employed to study the characteristics of magnetic fields inside the AUV during three-phase charging. Simulation results reveal that the magnetic field generated by the proposed three-phase coil structure is concentrated away from the center of the AUV, where instrumentation would nominally be located. Detailed circuit analysis and compensation method to achieve resonance on both transmitter's and receiver's sides are also given. To validate the proposed concept, a three-phase wireless charging system is developed. Experimental results demonstrate that the system is able to transfer 1.0 kW with a dc–dc efficiency of 92.41% at 465 kHz.
Neuropsychological and structural brain lesions in multiple sclerosis

Quantified lesion scores derived from MRI correlate significantly with neuropsychological testing in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Variables used to reflect disease severity include total lesion area (TLA), ventricular-brain ratio, and size of the corpus callosum. We used these general measures of cerebral lesion involvement as well as specific ratings of lesion involvement by frontal, temporal, and parieto-occipital regions to quantify the topographic distribution of lesions and consequent effects upon cognitive function. Lesions were heavily distributed in the parieto-occipital regions bilaterally. Neuropsychological tests were highly related to all generalized measures of cerebral involvement, with TLA being the best predictor of neuropsychological deficit. Mean TLA for the cognitively impaired group was 28.30 cm2 versus 7.41 cm2 for the cognitively intact group (p < 0.0001). Multiple regression analyses revealed that left frontal lobe involvement best predicted impaired abstract problem solving, memory, and word fluency. Left parieto-occipital lesion involvement best predicted deficits in verbal learning and complex visual-integrative skills. Analysis of regional cerebral lesion load may assist in understanding the particular pattern and course of cognitive deficits in MS.