Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The effect of metformin on anthropometrics and insulin resistance in patients receiving atypical antipsychotic agents: a meta-analysis.

CONTEXT In the Clinical Antipsychotic Trials of Intervention Effectiveness, atypical antipsychotics (AAPs) were found to be associated with weight gain and impairment of glucose metabolism. While metformin has been shown to attenuate weight gain and insulin resistance, not all studies have shown a benefit in the reduction of antipsychotic-induced weight gain and insulin resistance. OBJECTIVE To characterize metformin's impact on anthropometrics and insulin resistance in patients taking AAPs. DATA SOURCES A systematic literature search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane CENTRAL was conducted from the earliest possible date through December 31, 2008. The search was performed using the following Medical Subject Headings and text keywords: metformin, biguanide(s), in combination with neuroleptic(s), neuroleptic drug(s), antipsychotic(s), dopamine antagonist(s), atypical antipsychotic(s), psychotropic(s), risperidone, olanzapine, quetiapine, ziprasidone, sulpiride, clozapine, iloperidone, aripiprazole, paliperidone, melperone, bifeprunox, amisulpride, zotepine, and sertindole. STUDY SELECTION Six of 62 identified studies (N = 336 participants) met our inclusion criteria: randomized, placebo-controlled trials of metformin in patients taking AAPs with data on weight, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, insulin resistance (determined using the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance [HOMA-IR]), and/or a diagnosis of diabetes. DATA EXTRACTION Data were independently abstracted by 2 investigators; disagreements were resolved through discussion or by a third investigator using a standardized data abstraction tool. For continuous endpoints, the weighted mean difference (WMD) of the change from baseline with 95% CI was calculated as the difference between the mean in the metformin and placebo groups. For categorical endpoints, the pooled relative risk (RR) with 95% CI was calculated. A random-effects model was used for all analyses. DATA SYNTHESIS Compared to placebo, the metformin group had significantly reduced weight (WMD, 3.16 kg; P = .0002), BMI (WMD, 1.21 kg/m²; P = .0001), waist circumference (WMD, 1.99 cm; P = .005), and HOMA-IR (WMD, 1.71; P = .004). The reduction in risk of diabetes was not statistically significant (RR, 0.30; P = .13). CONCLUSIONS This analysis suggests that using metformin in patients treated with AAPs may reduce metabolic risks. Additional randomized controlled trials are needed, but available data support consideration of this intervention in clinical practice.
Validierung einer deutschsprachigen Version des Career Futures Inventory (CFI): Berufliche Anpassungsfähigkeit, beruflicher Optimismus, Arbeitsmarktwissen und Berufserfolg

Zusammenfassung. Das Career Futures Inventory (CFI; Rottingaus, Day & Borgen, 2005) erfasst die drei laufbahnbezogenen Zu- kunftsfaktoren career adaptability (Berufliche Anpassungsfahigkeit), career optimism (Beruflicher Optimismus) und knowledge of job market (Arbeitsmarktwissen). Die Ziele dieser Studie waren (a) eine deutschsprachige Version des CFIs zu konstruieren und (b) an zwei Stichproben mit Erwerbstatigen mittels (c) unterschiedlicher Indikatoren des Berufserfolgs und anhand von Personlichkeitseigenschaften zu validieren. Es konnte in beiden Stichproben (N1 = 153; N2 = 110) die 3-faktorielle Struktur des CFIs nachgewiesen werden. Zudem konnten Annahmen zur konvergenten und diskriminanten Validitat in beiden Stichproben bestatigt werden, da die CFI-Faktoren in erwarteter Richtung mit Berufserfolg (z. B. Beforderungen, Karrierezufriedenheit) bzw. Personlichkeitseigenschaften (d. h. Big Five) korrelierten bzw. nicht korrelierten. Eine Analyse der inkrementellen Validitat zeigte, dass Arbeitsmarktwissen zusatzliche Varianz beim Gehalt uber Kontrollvariablen und Personlichkeit hinaus erklarte. Hinsichtlich Karrierezufriedenheit war dies fur beruflichen Opti- mismus der Fall. Diese Validierungsstudie ermoglicht den Einsatz des CFIs im deutschsprachigen Raum. Schlusselworter: Berufliche Anpassungsfahigkeit, Beruflicher Optimismus, Arbeitsmarktwissen, Career Futures Inventory, Berufserfolg Validation of a German version of the Career Futures Inventory (CFI): Career adaptability, career optimism, job market knowledge, and career success Abstract. The Career Futures Inventory (CFI, Rottingaus, Day & Borgen, 2005) is a measure of career adaptability, career optimism, and knowledge of the job market. The goals of the present study were (a) to construct a German version of the CFI, (b) to validate the German version with working adults, and (c) to concider the construct of career success and personality traits. Analyses of two samples (N1 = 153; N2 = 110) revealed a 3-factorial structure of the German version. Furthermore, convergent and discriminant validity were demonstrated by expected correlations or non-correlations of all CFI factors with several indicators of both objective (e. g., salary and promotions) and subjective (e. g., job satisfaction, career satisfaction, external marketability, comparison judgement) career success, and personality traits (i. e., Big Five) in both samples. Finally, incremental validity was shown by demonstrating that knowledge of the job market explained variance of salary beyond other relevant career variables and personality. For career satisfaction, the same pattern was found for career optimism. The present study validates the German-speaking version of the CFI with two working samples and offers opportunities for the
Role of Helicobacter Species in Chinese Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease

ABSTRACT Based on 16S rRNA gene PCR, no significant difference was observed in rates of detection of Helicobacter species in intestinal biopsy specimens from 160 Chinese inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients (10%) and 80 controls (6.3%). By using a [13C]urea breath test, the H. pylori infection rate in 208 Chinese IBD patients (19.7%) was found to be significantly lower than that in 416 controls (48.8%).
Reading Instruction and Its Effects

Reading instruction and its effects were examined for 105 students in elementary classrooms for the learning-disabled. Extensive detailed observations of students, teachers, and instructional material were used to explore the plausibility of a causal model of the effects of reading behaviors and instruction on students' reading performance. The results indicate that 72 percent of the variance in posttest reading scores can be explained by a model that includes a pretest, three student reading behaviors, and instructional overlap; and that 59 percent of the variance in student time spent in reading can be explained by a model that includes pretest, teacher instructional behaviors, teacher affective behaviors, and instructional pacing. Using these results as a basis, mechanisms for increasing salient student reading activities in classrooms that serve students with reading problems are discussed.
Autoregulation of Single Nephron Filtration Rate in the Presence and the Absence of Flow to the Macula Densa

Flow of tubule fluid to the macula densa is part of a proposed feedback loop for autoregulation of glomerular filtration rate. In the present study, autoregulation of single nephron filtration rate was tested in the presence and the absence of flow to the macula densa in the rat. Filtration rates were measured at elevated arterial blood pressures caused by carotid occlusion and vagal section and at reduced renal perfusion pressures caused by partial aortic constriction. Measurements of single nephron filtration rate in the presence and the absence of flow to the macula densa were obtained by complete volume collections from the distal nephron beyond the macula densa and from the proximal tubule, respectively. Mean blood pressure was 130 ± 4 (SE) mm Hg for the initial collections, and renal perfusion pressure was 100 ± 1 mm Hg for the repeat collections (nine rats). Distal single nephron filtration rate was 42 ± 1 nliters/min at elevated perfusion pressure and 41 ± 1 nliters/min at reduced perfusion pressure; proximal single nephron filtration rate was 41 ± 1 nliters/min at elevated perfusion pressure and 41 ± 1 nliters/min at reduced perfusion pressure. Similarly, glomerular filtration rate was 4.6 ± 0.4 ml/min kg−1 body weight and 4.7 ± 0.3 ml/min kg−1 body weight at elevated and reduced perfusion pressures, respectively. Additional studies in seven dogs showed good correlation between autoregulation of single nephrons in the absence of flow to the macula densa and autoregulation of the micropunctured kidney. It is concluded that autoregulation of single nephron filtration rate is unaltered by interruption of tubule fluid flow to the macula densa.
Towards efficient search for activity trajectories

The advances in location positioning and wireless communication technologies have led to a myriad of spatial trajectories representing the mobility of a variety of moving objects. While processing trajectory data with the focus of spatio-temporal features has been widely studied in the last decade, recent proliferation in location-based web applications (e.g., Foursquare, Facebook) has given rise to large amounts of trajectories associated with activity information, called activity trajectory. In this paper, we study the problem of efficient similarity search on activity trajectory database. Given a sequence of query locations, each associated with a set of desired activities, an activity trajectory similarity query (ATSQ) returns k trajectories that cover the query activities and yield the shortest minimum match distance. An order-sensitive activity trajectory similarity query (OATSQ) is also proposed to take into account the order of the query locations. To process the queries efficiently, we firstly develop a novel hybrid grid index, GAT, to organize the trajectory segments and activities hierarchically, which enables us to prune the search space by location proximity and activity containment simultaneously. In addition, we propose algorithms for efficient computation of the minimum match distance and minimum order-sensitive match distance, respectively. The results of our extensive empirical studies based on real online check-in datasets demonstrate that our proposed index and methods are capable of achieving superior performance and good scalability.
Deontological Dilemma Response Tendencies and Sensorimotor Representations of Harm to Others

The dual process model of moral decision-making suggests that decisions to reject causing harm on moral dilemmas (where causing harm saves lives) reflect concern for others. Recently, some theorists have suggested such decisions actually reflect self-focused concern about causing harm, rather than witnessing others suffering. We examined brain activity while participants witnessed needles pierce another person’s hand, versus similar non-painful stimuli. More than a month later, participants completed moral dilemmas where causing harm either did or did not maximize outcomes. We employed process dissociation to independently assess harm-rejection (deontological) and outcome-maximization (utilitarian) response tendencies. Activity in the posterior inferior frontal cortex (pIFC) while participants witnessed others in pain predicted deontological, but not utilitarian, response tendencies. Previous brain stimulation studies have shown that the pIFC seems crucial for sensorimotor representations of observed harm. Hence, these findings suggest that deontological response tendencies reflect genuine other-oriented concern grounded in sensorimotor representations of harm.
What about Marcus Garvey? Race and the transformation of sovereignty debate

Post World War I, Marcus Garvey’s Pan-African movement managed to coalesce, however briefly and imperfectly, an extra-territorial sovereign authority in the form of the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA). Through the recollection of this project the article seeks to disturb the predominant uni-linear narrative in IR debates of the transformation of sovereignty that posit a recent shift from territorial exclusivity to multi-level governance encapsulated in the emergence of the European Union. By narrating a string of transformations of sovereignty that led to Garvey’s UNIA the case is made that such transformations have not directly followed one universal logic but have been multi-linear in character, and further, extra-territoriality has been a defining principle of sovereignty in the modern epoch and by no means peculiar to the contemporary European milieu. Through exploring the generative relationship between capitalist, nationalist and racialist forms of sovereignty the article contributes theoretically and empirically to a historical sociology adequate to capture the multiple, yet related, transformations of sovereignty in the modern epoch.
Limits in controlling the focus of attention

Abstract In a series of five experiments, we attempted to answer three questions concerning the flexibility of visuospatial attention: Is it possible to exert control on the shape of the attentional focus? Can attention be distributed not uniformly but in a gradient fashion within the focus? Does the way in which attentional resources are distributed within the focus affect the way in which they are distributed outside its borders? We provide evidence indicating that observers successfully allocated attention to the cued region. When the cued region was demarcated by a polygon, target detection was speeded up within the polygon. The results also show that the observers were unable to suppress information arising from an irrelevant location falling between two relevant locations (Experiments 1, 2, 3A and 3B). In accord with the zoom lens model, we interpret these results as suggesting that attention forms a unitary zone that may expand to encompass multiple relevant locations but must also include the area.
Fantasies of Leadership: Identity Work

This article explores middle managerial talk and practice connected to expectations of leadership in a planned corporate cultural change programme. Here we explore how a middle manager positions him or herself in relation to contemporary discourse on leadership. We discuss how managerial claims of leadership in practice seem inconsistent with the actual practice. Based on these findings we suggest that leadership ideas could be seen as a kind of fantasy related to identity work, rather than actual practice. We investigate this fantasy in terms of its various sources and relate the fantasy construction to management education and to the planned cultural change in particular.
Language practices and language management in a UK Yemeni community

Abstract Through observation, questionnaires and, particularly, ethnographic interviews with parents, pupils, teachers and community organisers associated with a Yemeni complementary school, this paper develops a portrait of language repertoires, practices and preferences in a Yemeni diasporic community in a northern English city. Also investigated are the language ideologies and the linguistic culture animating language management practices through which conservation of the heritage language and culture is pursued. One central finding is that despite strong affiliations to Arabic and active efforts to maintain Arabic skills in younger UK-born individuals of Yemeni heritage there appears to be a shift underway towards English-dominant bilingualism in this younger generation. There remains, however, considerable variability between individuals in language repertoires and Arabic language proficiency, and this significantly qualifies generalisations about language shift. The paper also comments on the secular and religious discourses found in discussions of the reasons for complementary school attendance, and on the efforts made by parents to secure the home as an Arabic-speaking space. The paper concludes with the observation that this study of a Yemeni community helps highlight a diversity within the UK Muslim population that popular discourses tend to overlook.
A Biosensor Based on Immobilization of Horseradish Peroxidase in Chitosan Matrix Cross-linked with Glyoxal for Amperometric Determination of Hydrogen Peroxide

An amperometric biosensor for hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) was developed via an easy and effective enzyme immobilization method with the “sandwich” configuration: ferrocene-chitosan: HRP: chitosan-glyoxal using a glassy carbon electrode as the basic electrode. In order to prevent the loss of immobilized HRP under optimized conditions, the biosensor surface was cross-linked with glyoxal. Ferrocene was selected and immobilized on the glassy carbon electrode surface as a mediator. The fabrication procedure was systematically optimized to improve the biosensor performance. The biosensor had a fast response of less than 10 s to H2O2, with a linear range of 3.5×10-5 to 1.1×10-3 M, and a detection limit of 8.0×10-6 M based on S/N = 3.
Effects of an Eight Week Military Training Program on Aerobic Indices and Psychomotor Function

This study assessed the effects of eight weeks of military training on aerobic fitness indices, military skills and neuropsychological function. Thirty five (n=35) male Irish Defence Forces personnel, divided into training (n=20) and control (n=15) subgroups, completed tests of military aptitude (Kim’s games, judging distance, fire order, map reading, weapon assembly) and neuropsychological function (Symbol digit modalities test (SDMT), Trail making test, Stroop test and grooved pegboard test) pre- and post-intervention. The repeated measures study design sought to account for any learning effect. Participants also completed a 10km route march, a two mile run and three by 20m shuttle run tests at both time points to quantify changes in fitness variables. The training sub-group significantly (P<0.001) improved mean 20m shuttle-run distance and consequently estimated VO2 max pre- to post-intervention (49.8±1.0 vs. 52.4±0.9 mL.kg-1.min-1). Two mile run time was not significantly improved. Mean %HRmax during the 10km route march was significantly higher in both training (P<0.001) and control (P<0.01) sub-groups post-intervention (71±1 and 83±1%) compared to pre-intervention (65±1 and 77±1%). However, the training sub-group conducted the route march at a significantly faster speed on the second occasion. Military training significantly improved performance in 3/18 neuropsychological test components and 2/12 military skills test components. Training significantly improved ability to estimate both short (error; 36±6 vs. 12±1%) and intermediate (error; 72±12 vs. 11±3%) distances post-intervention. The training sub-group significantly (P<0.01) improved SDMT score and mean Trail 1 time pre- to post-intervention (58.0±2.8 vs. 69.5±3.4; 18.1±0.8 vs. 14.4±0.8s, respectively). In Part 3 of the Stroop test, time mediated a significant (P<0.05) and selective improvement in the training sub-group (51.3±3.2 vs. 63.8±5.4). In conclusion, aerobic fitness and a minority of neuropsychological and military skills tests improved following 8 weeks of military training.
Functional Interactions between the Estrogen Receptor and DRIP205, a Subunit of the Heteromeric DRIP Coactivator Complex*

Nuclear receptors regulate transcription in direct response to their cognate hormonal ligands. Ligand binding leads to the dissociation of corepressors and the recruitment of coactivators. Many of these factors, acting in large complexes, have emerged as potential chromatin remodelers through intrinsic histone modifying activities. In addition, other ligand-recruited complexes appear to act more directly on the transcriptional apparatus. The DRIP complex is a 15-subunit complex required for nuclear receptor transcriptional activation in vitro. It is recruited to the receptor in response to ligand through specific interactions of one subunit, DRIP205. We present evidence that DRIP205 interacts with another member of the steroid receptor subfamily, estrogen receptor (ER). This interaction occurs in an agonist-stimulated fashion which in turn is inhibited by several ER antagonists. In vivo, a fragment of DRIP205 containing only its receptor interacting region acts to selectively inhibit ER's ability to activate transcription in response to estradiol. These observations suggest a key role for the DRIP coactivator complex in estrogen-ER signaling.
MiRmat: Mature microRNA Sequence Prediction

Background MicroRNAs are known to be generated from primary transcripts mainly through the sequential cleavages by two enzymes, Drosha and Dicer. The sequence of a mature microRNA, especially the ‘seeding sequence’, largely determines its binding ability and specificity to target mRNAs. Therefore, methods that predict mature microRNA sequences with high accuracy will benefit the identification and characterization of novel microRNAs and their targets, and contribute to inferring the post-transcriptional regulation network at a genome scale. Methodology/Principal Findings We have developed a method, MiRmat, to predict the mature microRNA sequence. MiRmat is essentially composed of two parts: the prediction of Drosha processing site and the identification of Dicer processing site. Based on the analysis of microRNAs from 12 species, we found that the patterns of free energy profiles are conserved among vertebrate microRNA hairpins. Therefore, we introduced in our method the free energy distribution pattern of the downstream part of pri-microRNA secondary structure and Random Forest algorithm to predict the mature microRNA sequence. Based on the evaluation on an independent test dataset from 10 vertebrates, MiRmat was shown to identify 77.8% of the Drosha processing sites and 92.8% of the Dicer sites within a deviation of 2 nt. In a more stringent evaluation by excluding the microRNAs sharing the same family between the training set and test set, MiRmat kept a rather well performance of 71.9% and 87.2% of the identification rate on the Drosha and Dicer site respectively, which represents the ability to deal with the novel microRNA family. MiRmat outperforms other state-of-the-art methods and has a high degree of efficacy for the prediction of mature microRNA sequences of vertebrates. Conclusion MiRmat was developed for identifying microRNA mature sequence(s) by introducing the free energy distribution of RNA stem-loop structure and the Random Forest algorithm. We prove that MiRmat has better performance than the existing tools and is applicable among vertebrates. MiRmat is freely available at http://mcube.nju. edu.cn/jwang/lab/soft/MiRmat/.
Use of a Group Contingency to Decrease Staff Absenteeism in a State Institution

The effects of a group contingency on amount of absences from work by institutional personnel were investigated. The contingency required staff on a unit shift to reduce and maintain their total number of absences below a criterion level. If the shift obtained the criterion during a 4-week work period, a new work schedule was implemented providing more frequent days off on weekends. The group contingency was implemented in multiple baseline fashion across six work shifts and was accompanied by reductions in absenteeism on five of the shifts. Additional analyses comparing the rates of the previous year supported the effectiveness of all six shifts. It appeared that the procedure was effective in reducing absenteeism by socially significant amounts when viewed in terms of person hours of work for resident services and in terms of economic cost.