Hormone replacement therapy and prevention of vertebral fractures: a meta-analysis of randomised trials

BACKGROUND: Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is often seen as the treatment of choice for preventing fractures in women. We undertook a recent meta-analysis of randomised trials which suggested that HRT reduced non-vertebral fractures by 30%. In this analysis we extend that analysis to vertebral fractures. METHODS: We searched the main electronic databases until the end of August 2001. We sought all randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of HRT where women had been randomised to at least 12 months of HRT or to no HRT. RESULTS: We found 13 RCTs. Overall there was a 33% reduction in vertebral factures (95% confidence interval (CI) 45% to 98%). CONCLUSIONS: This review and meta-analysis showed a significant reduction in vertebral fractures associated with HRT use

The JPL mechanically steered antenna

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory has designed and developed a mechanically steered antenna for tracking satellites in a mobile environment. This antenna was used to track an L-band beacon on the MARISAT satellite. A description of the antenna and the results of the satellite experiment are given

A study of the keles event in Ancient Greece : from the pre-classical period to the 1st century B.C.

SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre- DSC:D89246 / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo

J.S. Bell's Concept of Local Causality

John Stewart Bell's famous 1964 theorem is widely regarded as one of the most important developments in the foundations of physics. It has even been described as "the most profound discovery of science." Yet even as we approach the 50th anniversary of Bell's discovery, its meaning and implications remain controversial. Many textbooks and commentators report that Bell's theorem refutes the possibility (suggested especially by Einstein, Podolsky, and Rosen in 1935) of supplementing ordinary quantum theory with additional ("hidden") variables that might restore determinism and/or some notion of an observer-independent reality. On this view, Bell's theorem supports the orthodox Copenhagen interpretation. Bell's own view of his theorem, however, was quite different. He instead took the theorem as establishing an "essential conflict" between the now well-tested empirical predictions of quantum theory and relativistic \emph{local causality}. The goal of the present paper is, in general, to make Bell's own views more widely known and, in particular, to explain in detail Bell's little-known mathematical formulation of the concept of relativistic local causality on which his theorem rests. We thus collect and organize many of Bell's crucial statements on these topics, which are scattered throughout his writings, into a self-contained, pedagogical discussion including elaborations of the concepts "beable", "completeness", and "causality" which figure in the formulation. We also show how local causality (as formulated by Bell) can be used to derive an empirically testable Bell-type inequality, and how it can be used to recapitulate the EPR argument.Comment: 19 pages, 4 figure

Necessary and sufficient detection efficiency for the Mermin inequalities

We prove that the threshold detection efficiency for a loophole-free Bell experiment using an $n$-qubit Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger state and the correlations appearing in the $n$-partite Mermin inequality is $n/(2n-2)$. If the detection efficiency is equal to or lower than this value, there are local hidden variable models that can simulate all the quantum predictions. If the detection efficiency is above this value, there is no local hidden variable model that can simulate all the quantum predictions.Comment: REVTeX4, 5 pages, 1 figur

Systematic review of topical treatments for fungal infections of the skin and nails of the feet

OBJECTIVE: To identify and synthesise the evidence for efficacy and cost effectiveness of topical treatments for superficial fungal infections of the skin and nails of the feet. DESIGN: Systematic review. INTERVENTIONS: Topical treatments for superficial fungal infections. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Cure confirmed by culture and microscopy for skin and by culture for nails in patients with clinically diagnosed fungal infections. RESULTS: Of 126 trials identified in 121 papers, 72 (57.1%) met the inclusion criteria. Placebo controlled trials yielded pooled relative risks of failure to cure skin infections: allylamines (0.30, 95% confidence interval 0.24 to 0.38); azoles (0.54, 0.42 to 0.68); undecenoic acid (0.28, 0.11 to 0.74); and tolnaftate (0.46, 0.17 to 1.22). Although meta-analysis of 11 trials comparing allylamines and azoles showed a relative risk of failure to cure of 0.88 (0.78 to 0.99) in favour of allylamines, there was evidence of language bias. Seven reports in English favoured allylamines (0.79, 0.69 to 0.91), but four reports in foreign languages showed no difference between the two drugs (1.01, 0.90 to 1.13). Neither trial of nail infections showed significant differences between alternative topical treatments. CONCLUSIONS: Allylamines, azoles, and undecenoic acid were efficacious in placebo controlled trials. There are sufficient comparative trials to judge relative efficacy only between allylamines and azoles. Allylamines cure slightly more infections than azoles but are much more expensive than azoles. The most cost effective strategy is first to treat with azoles or undecenoic acid and to use allylamines only if that fails

Extragalactic archeology with the GHOSTS Survey I. - Age-resolved disk structure of nearby low-mass galaxies

We study the individual evolution histories of three nearby low-mass edge-on galaxies (IC 5052, NGC4244, and NGC5023). Using resolved stellar populations, we constructed star count density maps for populations of different ages and analyzed the change of structural parameters with stellar age within each galaxy. We do not detect a separate thick disk in any of the three galaxies, even though our observations cover a wider range in equivalent surface brightness than any integrated light study. While scale heights increase with age, each population can be well described by a single disk. Two of the galaxies contain a very weak additional component, which we identify as the faint halo. The mass of these faint halos is lower than 1% of the mass of the disk. The three galaxies show low vertical heating rates, which are much lower than the heating rate of the Milky Way. This indicates that heating agents, such as giant molecular clouds and spiral structure, are weak in low-mass galaxies. All populations in the three galaxies exhibit no or only little flaring. While this finding is consistent with previous integrated light studies, it poses strong constraints on galaxy simulations, where strong flaring is often found as a result of interactions or radial migration.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&

Anomalous flux event in the TESS Sector 43 light curve of the white dwarf photometric standard HZ 4 was caused by a passing asteroid

Frymire & Ardila (2023) reported an anomalous flux variation in the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) Sector 43 light curve of the white dwarf HZ 4. We show that this flux variation was caused by the main-belt asteroid 4382 Stravinsky traversing the nearby TESS pixels, and it is therefore not a cause for concern regarding the continued use of HZ 4 as a photometric standard star.Comment: Accepted for publication in Research Notes of the American Astronomical Societ

Near Their Thresholds for Detection, Shapes Are Discriminated by the Angular Separation of Their Corners

Observers make sense of scenes by parsing images on the retina into meaningful objects. This ability is retained for line drawings, demonstrating that critical information is concentrated at object boundaries. Information theoretic studies argue for further concentration at points of maximum curvature, or corners, on such boundaries [1]-[3] suggesting that the relative positions of such corners might be important in defining shape. In this study we use patterns subtly deformed from circular, by a sinusoidal modulation of radius, in order to measure threshold sensitivity to shape change. By examining the ability of observers to discriminate between patterns of different frequency and/or number of cycles of modulation in a 2x2 forced choice task we were able to show, psychophysically, that difference in a single cue, the periodicity of the corners (specifically the polar angle between two points of maximum curvature) was sufficient to allow discrimination of two patterns near their thresholds for detection. We conclude that patterns could be considered as labelled for this measure. These results suggest that a small number of such labels might be sufficient to identify an object.Funding came from Australian reserch council grants DP0666206, DP1097003 and DP110104553 to DRB and DP110101511 to JB, www.arc.gov.au. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscrip