Cost-effectiveness of strontium ranelate in the treatment of male osteoporosis.

in Osteoporosis international : a journal established as result of cooperation between the European Foundation for Osteoporosis and the National Osteoporosis Foundation of the USA (2013)

The results of this study suggest that, under the assumption of same relative risk reduction of fractures in men as for women, strontium ranelate could be considered a cost-effective strategy compared ... [more ▼]

The results of this study suggest that, under the assumption of same relative risk reduction of fractures in men as for women, strontium ranelate could be considered a cost-effective strategy compared with no treatment for the treatment of osteoporotic men from a Belgian healthcare payer perspective. INTRODUCTION: This study was conducted to estimate the cost-effectiveness of strontium ranelate in the treatment of osteoporotic men. METHODS: A previously validated Markov microsimulation model was adapted to estimate the cost (<euro>2,010) per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) gained of strontium ranelate compared with no treatment. Similar efficacy data on lumbar spine and femoral neck bone mineral density (BMD) between men with osteoporosis at high risk of fracture (MALEO Trial) and postmenopausal osteoporotic women (pivotal SOTI, TROPOS trials) supports the assumption, in the base-case analysis, of the same relative risk reduction of fractures in men as for women. Analyses were conducted, from a Belgian healthcare payer perspective, in the population from the MALEO Trial who is a men population with a mean age of 73 years, and BMD T-score </=-2.5 or prevalent vertebral fracture (PVF). RESULTS: In the MALEO population, strontium ranelate compared with no treatment was estimated at <euro>49,798 and <euro>25,584 per QALY gained using efficacy data from the intent-to-treat analysis and the per-protocol analysis including only adherent patients, respectively. In men with a BMD T-score </=-2.5 or with PVF, the cost per QALY gained of strontium ranelate fall below thresholds of <euro>45,000 and <euro>25,000 per QALY gained based on efficacy data from the entire population of the clinical trial and from the per-protocol analyses, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest that, under the assumption of same relative risk reduction of fractures in men as for women, strontium ranelate could be considered cost-effective compared with no treatment for male osteoporosis. [less ▲]

MOA-2010-BLG-523: "Failed Planet" = RS CVn Star

in Astrophysical Journal (2013), 763

The Galactic bulge source MOA-2010-BLG-523S exhibited short-term deviations from a standard microlensing light curve near the peak of an A [SUB]max[/SUB] ~ 265 high-magnification microlensing event. The ... [more ▼]

The Galactic bulge source MOA-2010-BLG-523S exhibited short-term deviations from a standard microlensing light curve near the peak of an A [SUB]max[/SUB] ~ 265 high-magnification microlensing event. The deviations originally seemed consistent with expectations for a planetary companion to the principal lens. We combine long-term photometric monitoring with a previously published high-resolution spectrum taken near peak to demonstrate that this is an RS CVn variable, so that planetary microlensing is not required to explain the light-curve deviations. This is the first spectroscopically confirmed RS CVn star discovered in the Galactic bulge. Based on observations made with the European Southern Observatory telescopes, Program ID 85.B-0399(I). [less ▲]

An interferometric study of the Fomalhaut inner debris disk II. Keck Nuller mid-infrared observations

in Astrophysical Journal (2013), 763

We report on high contrast mid-infrared observations of Fomalhaut obtained with the Keck Interferometer Nuller (KIN) showing a small resolved excess over the level expected from the stellar photosphere ... [more ▼]

We report on high contrast mid-infrared observations of Fomalhaut obtained with the Keck Interferometer Nuller (KIN) showing a small resolved excess over the level expected from the stellar photosphere. The measured null excess has a mean value of 0.35% +/- 0.10% between 8 and 11 microns and increases from 8 to 13 microns. Given the small field of view of the instrument, the source of this marginal excess must be contained within 2AU of Fomalhaut. This result is reminiscent of previous VLTI K-band observations, which implied the presence of a ~ 0.88% excess, and argued that thermal emission from hot dusty grains located within 6 AU from Fomalhaut was the most plausible explanation. Using a parametric 2D radiative transfer code and a Bayesian analysis, we examine different dust disk structures to reproduce both the near and mid-infrared data simultaneously. While not a definitive explanation of the hot excess of Fomalhaut, our model suggests that the most likely inner few AU disk geometry consists of a two-component structure, with two different and spatially distinct grain populations. The 2 to 11 microns data are consistent with an inner hot ring of very small (~ 10 to 300 nm) carbon-rich grains concentrating around 0.1AU. The second dust population consists of larger grains (size of a few microns to a few tens of microns) located further out in a colder region where regular astronomical silicates could survive, with an inner edge around 1AU. From a dynamical point of view, the presence of the inner concentration of sub-micron sized grains is surprising, as such grains should be expelled from the inner planetary system by radiation pressure within only a few years. This could either point to some inordinate replenishment rates (e.g. many grazing comets coming from an outer reservoir) or to the existence of some braking mechanism preventing the grains from moving out. [less ▲]

Accurate spectroscopic parameters of WASP planet host stars

in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society (2013), 428(4), 3164-3172

We have made a detailed spectral analysis of eleven Wide Angle Search for Planets (WASP) planet host stars using high signal-to-noise (S/N) HARPS spectra. Our line list was carefully selected from the ... [more ▼]

We have made a detailed spectral analysis of eleven Wide Angle Search for Planets (WASP) planet host stars using high signal-to-noise (S/N) HARPS spectra. Our line list was carefully selected from the spectra of the Sun and Procyon, and we made a critical evaluation of the atomic data. The spectral lines were measured using equivalent widths. The procedures were tested on the Sun and Procyon prior to be being used on the WASP stars. The effective temperature, surface gravity, microturbulent velocity and metallicity were determined for all the stars. We show that abundances derived from high S/N spectra are likely to be higher than those obtained from low S/N spectra, as noise can cause the equivalent width to be underestimated. We also show that there is a limit to the accuracy of stellar parameters that can be achieved, despite using high S/N spectra, and the average uncertainty in effective temperature, surface gravity, microturbulent velocity and metallicity is 83 K, 0.11 dex, 0.11 km/s and 0.10 dex respectively. [less ▲]

Flux and color variations of the doubly imaged quasar UM673

in Astronomy and Astrophysics (2013)

With the aim of characterizing the flux and color variations of the multiple components of the gravitationally lensed quasar UM673 as a function of time, we have performed multi-epoch and multi-band ... [more ▼]

With the aim of characterizing the flux and color variations of the multiple components of the gravitationally lensed quasar UM673 as a function of time, we have performed multi-epoch and multi-band photometric observations with the Danish 1.54m telescope at the La Silla Observatory. The observations were carried out in the VRi spectral bands during four seasons (2008--2011). We reduced the data using the PSF (Point Spread Function) photometric technique as well as aperture photometry. Our results show for the brightest lensed component some significant decrease in flux between the first two seasons (+0.09/+0.11/+0.05 mag) and a subsequent increase during the following ones (-0.11/-0.11/-0.10 mag) in the V/R/i spectral bands, respectively. Comparing our results with previous studies, we find smaller color variations between these seasons as compared with previous ones. We also separate the contribution of the lensing galaxy from that of the fainter and close lensed component. [less ▲]

A Detailed X-Ray Investigation of ζ Puppis. II. The Variability on Short and Long Timescales

in The Astrophysical Journal (2013), 763

Stellar winds are a crucial component of massive stars, but their exact properties still remain uncertain. To shed some light on this subject, we have analyzed an exceptional set of X-ray observations of ... [more ▼]

Stellar winds are a crucial component of massive stars, but their exact properties still remain uncertain. To shed some light on this subject, we have analyzed an exceptional set of X-ray observations of ζ Puppis, one of the closest and brightest massive stars. The sensitive light curves that were derived reveal two major results. On the one hand, a slow modulation of the X-ray flux (with a relative amplitude of up to 15% over 16 hr in the 0.3-4.0 keV band) is detected. Its characteristic timescale cannot be determined with precision, but amounts from one to several days. It could be related to corotating interaction regions, known to exist in ζ Puppis from UV observations. Hour-long changes, linked to flares or to the pulsation activity, are not observed in the last decade covered by the XMM observations; the 17 hr tentative period, previously reported in a ROSAT analysis, is not confirmed either and is thus transient, at best. On the other hand, short-term changes are surprisingly small (<1% relative amplitude for the total energy band). In fact, they are compatible solely with the presence of Poisson noise in the data. This surprisingly low level of short-term variability, in view of the embedded wind-shock origin, requires a very high fragmentation of the stellar wind, for both absorbing and emitting features (>10[SUP]5[/SUP] parcels, comparing with a two-dimensional wind model). This is the first time that constraints have been placed on the number of clumps in an O-type star wind and from X-ray observations. Based on observations collected with XMM-Newton, an ESA Science Mission with instruments and contributions directly funded by ESA Member States and the USA (NASA). [less ▲]

Validation methodologies of near infrared spectroscopy methods in pharmaceutical applications

in European Pharmaceutical Review (2013), 18(1), 3-6

As any analytical methods, a mandatory step at the end of the development of a near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) method is the validation. This step enables to give enough guarantees that each future ... [more ▼]

As any analytical methods, a mandatory step at the end of the development of a near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) method is the validation. This step enables to give enough guarantees that each future results coming from the application of the method in routine will be closed enough to the true value. However, from the literature, a minority of NIRS methods are thoroughly validated despite of the guidelines published by different group and regulatory authorities to help analyst to adequately decide if his method can be considered as valid. In this context, the aim of this review is to offer a critical overview of the different validation methodologies applied to assess the validity of quantitative methods using near infrared spectroscopy used in the field of pharmacy. [less ▲]

Robustness of steel building structures following a column loss

in IABSE Workshop Helsinki 2013 "Safety, Failures and Robustness of Large Structures" Report (2013, February)

La transition des territoires périurbains vers un modèle plus durable : perspectives pour le renouvellement périurbain.

in 1er Congrès interdisciplinaire du Développement Durable : Quelle transition pour nos sociétés ? Thème 3 : Logement et Aménagement du territoire. Recueil. (2013, February)

L’article aborde la question du recyclage des quartiers périurbains existants sous l'angle énergétique. Deux leviers d’actions sont mobilisés à cet effet : la forme urbaine, qui est étudiée en ... [more ▼]

L’article aborde la question du recyclage des quartiers périurbains existants sous l'angle énergétique. Deux leviers d’actions sont mobilisés à cet effet : la forme urbaine, qui est étudiée en complémentarité de l’échelle du bâtiment individuel, et la mobilité, car l’étalement urbain est entretenu et favorisé, en grande partie par la dépendance à la voiture individuelle. Deux indicateurs principaux (les besoins de chauffage de différents types de formes périurbaines et un indice de performance des déplacements) sont développés et discutés pour mettre en évidence les scénarios de renouvellement les plus adaptés et répondre à deux questions : « comment intervenir dans les quartiers périurbains existants ? » et « où intervenir ? ». Des pistes concrètes visant à l’opérationnalisation d’un « renouvellement périurbain » plus durable sont ensuite proposées. [less ▲]

Geometric minimization of highly symmetric potentials

in Journal of High Energy Physics [=JHEP] (2013), 2013

In non-minimal Higgs mechanisms, one often needs to minimize highly symmetric Higgs potentials. Here we propose a geometric way of doing it, which, surprisingly, is often much more efficient than the ... [more ▼]

In non-minimal Higgs mechanisms, one often needs to minimize highly symmetric Higgs potentials. Here we propose a geometric way of doing it, which, surprisingly, is often much more efficient than the usual method. By construction, it gives the global minimum for any set of free parameters of the potential, thus offering an intuitive understanding of how they affect the vacuum expectation values. For illustration, we apply this method to the S_4 and A_4-symmetric three-Higgs-doublet models. We find that at least three recent phenomenological analyses of the A_4-symmetric model used a local, not the global minimum. We discuss coexistence of minima of different types, and comment on the mathematical origin of geometrical CP-violation and on a new symmetry linking different minima. [less ▲]