Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Utilization of a Reminder Mailing to Improve Blood Glucose Log Reporting in an Outpatient Diabetes Clinic

Self-monitored blood glucose (SMBG) offers a strategy used to achieve glycemic control in diabetic patients. However, if SMBG readings are unavailable to clinicians, this strategy will have a limited effect. This study assessed the impact of a reminder mailing on response rates to requests for SMBG logs. Patients were asked to mail completed SMBG logs to the clinic in 2 weeks. For the intervention, a reminder mailing was sent to each patient 1 week before SMBG logs were to be returned. Compliance rates pre and postinterventions were compared. The primary outcome was the percentage of all SMBG logs returned on time. Secondary outcomes included the percentage of SMBG logs returned, percentage fulfilled, percentage of clinic appointments kept, percentage of SMBG logs brought to follow-up appointments, and number of interventions made to antidiabetic therapy. Twenty SMBG requests were made in the preintervention cohort versus 19 in postintervention cohort. A trend toward more on time and fulfilled SMBG requests was observed post vs. preintervention. Overall return rates were similar between groups. A nonsignificant increase in clinic appointments kept and a nonsignificant decrease in interventions made were observed postintervention. Receipt of a reminder mail was not a significant predictor of patients bringing an SMBG log to follow-up appointments. In conclusion, the use of a reminder mail was not associated with an increase in the return rate of SMBG logs, although there were nonsignificant trends toward more on time and fulfilled SMBG logs received during the postintervention period.
Tools for thought or thoughts for tools?

Bird and Emery report in this issue of PNAS (1) that rooks (Corvus frugilegus), corvids that do not habitually use tools in the wild, appear to possess tool-related capabilities hitherto known only in their tool-using relatives, the New Caledonian crows (Corvus moneduloides) (2–5). Their findings are striking in more than one respect, but it is of particular interest to evaluate their significance for theories about the influence of tool use in the evolution of intelligence, for recent arguments against the value of evolutionary thinking in relation to cognition (6) and for that old nugget, the use of metabehavioral concepts such as insight as causal explanations for behavior.
NMDA receptors are important for both mechanical and thermal allodynia from peripheral nerve injury in rats

PREVIOUS studies showed that heat-hyperalgesia and mechanical allodynia produced by chronic constrictive injury of the sciatic nerve were differentially sensitive to the NMDA receptor antagonist dextrorphan and to morphine and other opioid receptor agonists. These results support the hypothesis that different kinds of neuropathic pain symptoms are caused by different pathological mechanisms. In the present study we determined whether mechanical and thermal allodynia produced by unilateral transection of the ‘superior’ caudal trunk which innervates the tail in rats were differentially sensitive to the non-competitive NMDA receptor antagonist MK-801. Injection of MK-801 (0.3 mg/kg, i.p.) prior to nerve injury delayed the emergence of both types of allodynia; the antagonist-treated rats exhibited neither mechanical nor thermal allodynia at least for 4 days after the injury, whereas untreated control rats exhibited clear signs of allodynia from the first day after the injury. MK-801 injection on post-injury day 14, when the allodynia was near peak severity, suppressed temporarily both the mechanical and thermal allodynia. These results suggest that the mechanical and thermal allodynia from partial denervation of the tail are both dependent on NMDA receptors in their induction and maintenance. Thus, our results do not support the notion that different pathological mechanisms underlie different modalities of neuropathic pain from partial peripheral nerve injury.
Conserved water molecules in the specificity pocket of serine proteases and the molecular mechanism of Na+ binding

Conservation of clusters of buried water molecules is a structural motif present throughout the serine protease family. Frequently, these clusters are shaped as water channels forming extensive hydrogen‐bonding networks linked to the protein backbone. The most conspicuous example is the water channel present in the specificity pocket of trypsin and thrombin. In thrombin, other vitamin K‐dependent proteases, and some complement factors, Na+ binds in this water channel and enhances allosterically the catalytic activity of the enzyme, whereas digestive and fibrinolytic proteases are devoid of such regulation. A comparative analysis of proteases with and without Na+ binding capability reveals the role of the water channel in maintaining the structural organization of the specificity pocket and in Na+ coordination. This enables the formulation of a molecular mechanism for Na+ binding in thrombin and leads to the identification of the structural changes necessary to engineer a functional Na+ site and enhanced catalytic activity in trypsin and other proteases. Proteins 30:34–42, 1998. © 1998 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The Blame Frame: Media Attribution of Culpability About the MMR–Autism Vaccination Scare

Scholars have examined how news media frame events, including responsibility for causing and fixing problems, and how these frames inform public judgment. This study analyzed 281 newspaper articles about a controversial medical study linking the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccination with autism. Given criticism of the study and its potential negative impact on vaccination rates across multiple countries, the current study examined actors to whom news media attributed blame for the MMR–vaccine association, sources used to support those attributions, and what solutions (e.g., mobilizing information), if any, were offered. This study provides unique insight by examining the evolution of these attributions over the lifetime of the controversy. Findings emphasize how news media may attribute blame in health risk communication and how that ascription plays a potentially vital role in shaping public behavior. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
Regulation and Activity of the Human ABCA1 Gene in Transgenic Mice*

The ABCA1 transporter is one of the limiting steps in cellular cholesterol efflux. To study the expression and activity of the human ABCA1 gene in vivo we have examined mice containing two human BAC transgenes with different 5′ ends. Mice containing a 255-kilobase (kb) BAC transgene, including 70 kb upstream of the previously defined exon 1, demonstrated a pattern of tissue-specific expression mimicking that of the endogenous mouse gene. Compared with macrophages from control mice, macrophages from these transgenics had increases in apoA-I cholesterol efflux heightened in response to increases in cell cholesterol content. The observed increase in macrophage apoA-I-mediated cholesterol efflux was not accompanied by alterations in plasma high density lipoprotein in the transgenics. Although mice containing a smaller 171-kb human BAC transgene, lacking the previously described exon 1 andABCA1 promoter, did not express human ABCA1 in macrophages, they did express the human transgene in liver at levels comparable with those of the orthologous mouse gene. Analysis by 5′ rapid amplification of cDNA ends of liver mRNA from these animals revealed a new ABCA1 exon 1 (exon 1A) and a previously unrecognized promoter. Analysis of human tissue revealed that exon 1A containing transcripts accounted for a high proportion of the ABCA1 mRNAs present in human liver. This analysis of ABCA1 transgenics showed that the expression of human ABCA1 transgenes can result in increased cholesterol efflux from macrophages, unaccompanied by changes in plasma high density lipoprotein, and identified a new ABCA1promoter in humans.
Model predictive mean power control of PWM rectifier

This paper proposes a mean active power control for pulse-width modulation (PWM) rectifier based on model predictive direct power control (MPDPC). Conventional MPDPC can achieve good steady state performance and quick dynamic response by minimizing a cost function relating to power errors. However, in two-level PWM rectifier, there are only eight discrete voltage vectors, which restricts the performance improvement of conventional MPDPC. The sampling frequency has to be high to achieve good steady state performance. As zero vector produces relative small power variations, this paper tries to incorporate the zero vector during one control period to achieve further steady state performance improvement. Only a fraction of control period is allocated to the non-zero vector obtained from conventional MPDPC and the duration is determined based on the principle of equaling the active power to its reference value in one control period. The presented experimental results prove that the proposed method produces lower power ripples and less current harmonics, while the dynamic response of conventional MPDPC is reserved.
The market for football club investors: a review of theory and empirical evidence from professional European football

ABSTRACT Research objectives: The European market for football club investors is undergoing a significant transformation, with German clubs opening up for strategic investors, French clubs being taken over by private majority investors, and English top-league clubs experiencing an influx of foreign investors. Economic and legal politics have played an important role in the deregulation of closed member associations. Research methods: This paper aims to summarize the history and market situation of the ‘Big Five’ European leagues, review available theory and empirical evidence on incorporations and public and private investors, and suggest research gaps that deserve further attention. The authors have also constructed a unique database covering all owners in the two premium divisions in England, France, Germany, and Italy for the period from 2003 to 2014. Results and findings: The available articles in the growing research field of football club investors cover various theoretical areas, such as the application of property rights theory to European football clubs. In addition, several empirical papers analyze the financial and sporting impact of domestic and foreign private investors and public listings. All these studies highlight the increasing importance of club ownership in the rat race of European football. Implications: Nevertheless, some research gaps remain to be studied at an appropriate depth. First, further empirical studies should analyze the impact of incorporations in German football and the entry of private majority investors in France. Furthermore, future research may address the paradox of de-listings in England and additional listings in continental Europe. Finally, this article identifies the impact of foreign investors and multi-ownership synergies as promising research fields. In this respect, the article provides some managerial implications for football club owners, managers, and regulators.
An exploration of organisational readiness for change within a municipal utilities company

The research presented in this thesis is an exploration of readiness for change within a municipal energy supplier. The literature review revealed a particular gap of the concept of organisational readiness for change in the context of public sector companies with specific characteristics that may impede change. With a high rate and intensity of change due to radical changes within that industry, especially energy suppliers are under increasing pressure to adapt. Increasing forces for change combined with little change experience created an extreme context for the research presented. The concept of organisational readiness was chosen as the research focus with the aim to account for these characteristics and environmental specifics. The work of key authors in this field, including Armenakis and collaborating authors (Armenakis & Harris, 2009, 2002; Armenakis, Bernerth, Pitts & Walker, 2007; Armenakis & Bedeian, 1999; Armenakis & Fredenberger, 1997), Holt et al. (2007) and Mossholder et al. (2000) provided the main theoretical basis for the research. The research objectives were to gain a richer understanding of managers’ and other employees’ perceptions and beliefs concerning Stadtwerke Bielefeld’s readiness for change and key issues for successful change implementation. I adopted a constructivist paradigm with the focus on meanings and understanding using a qualitative approach and a local knowledge case study as the research design. The main element of the data collection was semi-structured interviews with a sample of senior managers identified as key informants, in order to interpret the phenomena in their unique setting. This was complemented by a questionnairebased survey of non-managerial employees’ assessments of readiness for change. The focuses of the applied content analysis were the context and the understanding of the situation as a whole. A striking finding among the management sample was a predominant focus on the rational side of leadership and a lack of acknowledgement of emotional aspects of change and its implementation. While in broad terms the non-management employees generally shared the managers’ confidence that change could successfully be implemented, there were significant and thus enriching differences at the detail level between the perceptions and beliefs of the two groups. The research makes a significant contribution to the understanding of change in public sector organisations. A methodology for change readiness assessment and analysis for these companies is proposed and successfully implemented during the research project. A notable finding was the very different and sometimes contradictory perspectives of managers and employees regarding readiness for change, which demonstrated the value of conducting research within two different groups of organisation members.
Putative nuclear localization signals (NLS) in protein transcription factors

We have recognized about ten distinct forms of strongly basic hexapeptides, containing at least four arginines and lysines, characteristic of nuclear proteins among all eukaryotic species, including yeast, plants, flies and mammals. These basic hexapeptides are considered to be different versions of a core nuclear localization signal, NLS. Core NLSs are present in nearly all nuclear proteins and absent from nearly all “nonassociated” cytoplasmic proteins that have been investigated. We suggest that the few (∼ 10%) protein factors lacking a typical NLS core peptide may enter the nucleus via their strong crosscomplexation with their protein factor partners that possess a core NLS. Those cytoplasmic proteins found to possess a NLS‐like peptide are either tightly associated with cell membrane proteins or are integral components of large cytoplasmic protein complexes. On the other hand, some versions of core NLSs are found in many cell membrane proteins and secreted proteins. It is hypothesized that in these cases the N‐terminal hydrophobic signal peptide of extracellular proteins and the internal hydrophobic domains of transmembrane proteins are stronger determinants for their subcellular localization. The position of core NLSs among homologous nuclear proteins may or may not be conserved; however, if lost from an homolgous site it appears elsewhere in the protein.
PKF: A communication cost reduction schema based on Kalman filter and data prediction for Wireless Sensor Networks

The implementation of a wireless sensor mote as a system on chip (SoC) enables the energy consumption to be decreased substantially by using dedicated hardware accelerators. This work combines an efficient prediction model with a Kalman filter (PKF) to reduce the communication cost in Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) with a guaranteed data quality. The hardware accelerator requires fewer resources than previous approaches, while achieving higher energy reductions. Exhaustive experimental results based on datasets from a real WSN application confirm the advantages of the proposed mechanism.
Women's Property Rights and Outreach of Microfinance Institutions Targeting Women

The right to legally own and control property is vital to the ability of an individual to receive credit. Women in developing countries often lack property rights and are therefore at a disadvantage when applying for loans. In addition, even where women have been granted equal or near-equal rights as men, there is often a disconnect between what is codified as law and what occurs in practice. Therefore, I seek to examine how women’s property rights, both as codified and in enforcement, affect outreach activities of Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) serving women. I initially hypothesized that in MFIs targeting women, the breadth of outreach to women would be positively affected by both the legal strength and enforcement of women’s property rights. Results of a Heckman selection model and a Seemingly Unrelated Regression model both contradict that initial hypothesis, instead showing that MFIs give a far greater portion of their loan funds to women clients in countries with more discriminatory women’s property rights, and that enforcement of property rights does not show any significant effect on the ability of MFIs to reach women borrowers.
Vitamin D and Calcium Supplementation to Prevent Fractures in Adults: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement

DESCRIPTION New U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommendation statement on vitamin D and calcium supplementation to prevent fractures in adults. METHODS The USPSTF commissioned 2 systematic evidence reviews and a meta-analysis on vitamin D supplementation with or without calcium to assess the effects of supplementation on bone health outcomes in community-dwelling adults, the association of vitamin D and calcium levels with bone health outcomes, and the adverse effects of supplementation. POPULATION These recommendations apply to noninstitutionalized or community-dwelling asymptomatic adults without a history of fractures. This recommendation does not apply to the treatment of persons with osteoporosis or vitamin D deficiency. RECOMMENDATION The USPSTF concludes that the current evidence is insufficient to assess the balance of the benefits and harms of combined vitamin D and calcium supplementation for the primary prevention of fractures in premenopausal women or in men. (I statement)The USPSTF concludes that the current evidence is insufficient to assess the balance of the benefits and harms of daily supplementation with greater than 400 IU of vitamin D3 and greater than 1000 mg of calcium for the primary prevention of fractures in noninstitutionalized postmenopausal women. (I statement)The USPSTF recommends against daily supplementation with 400 IU or less of vitamin D3 and 1000 mg or less of calcium for the primary prevention of fractures in noninstitutionalized postmenopausal women. (D recommendation).
Integrating gastrocnemius force–length properties, in vivo activation and operating lengths reveals how Anolis deal with ecological challenges

ABSTRACT A central question in biology is how animals successfully behave under complex natural conditions. Although changes in locomotor behaviour, motor control and force production in relation to incline are commonly examined, a wide range of other factors, including a range of perch diameters, pervades arboreal habitats. Moving on different substrate diameters requires considerable alteration of body and limb posture, probably causing significant shifts in the lengths of the muscle–tendon units powering locomotion. Thus, how substrate shape impacts in vivo muscle function remains an important but neglected question in ecophysiology. Here, we used high-speed videography, electromyography, in situ contractile experiments and morphology to examine gastrocnemius muscle function during arboreal locomotion in the Cuban knight anole, Anolis equestris. The gastrocnemius contributes more to the propulsive effort on broad surfaces than on narrow surfaces. Surprisingly, substrate inclination affected the relationship between the maximum potential force and fibre recruitment; the trade-off that was present between these variables on horizontal surfaces became a positive relationship on inclined surfaces. Finally, the biarticular nature of the gastrocnemius allows it to generate force isometrically, regardless of substrate diameter and incline, despite the fact that the tendons are incapable of stretching during cyclical locomotion. Our results emphasize the importance of considering ecology and muscle function together, and the necessity of examining both mechanical and physiological properties of muscles to understand how animals move in their environment. Summary: Integration of multiple techniques reveals that incline affects the relationship between muscle activity and potential force and perch diameter impacts the propulsive contribution of the gastrocnemius in Anolis equestris.
Upper airway changes in snorers and mild sleep apnea sufferers after uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP).

OBJECTIVES We used upper airway (UA) imaging in 20 patients to determine (1) whether an effective enlargement of the UA is obtained after uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP), and (2) whether UA modifications explain the results of such surgery. METHODS Cephalometric measurements were made to assess the posterior airway space, the length and width of the soft palate, and the distance between the hyoid bone and the mandibular plane. Pharyngeal CT measured the airway cross-sectional area (CSA) at each 10-mm slice from 10 mm above (-10) to 40 mm below (+40) the hard palate. Polysomnography was performed before and after surgery (10+/-10 [SD] months). Good responders were defined by an apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) of <10 postsurgery or, in patients in whom AHI was initially <10, a reduction of AHI >50% of the initial AHI. RESULTS Twenty patients (age=45+/-11 years) were studied. For the whole group, the mean body mass index (26+/-4 kg/m2) and AHI (14+/-13 vs 18+/-16/h) were unchanged after UPPP. The results of the surgery were mediocre with 7 good responders (35%) and 13 nonresponders (65%) defined by polysomnographic criteria. The only changes on UA imaging for the group as a whole after UPPP were decrease in length (40+/-6 vs 29+/-5 mm, p< or =0.0006) and increase in width of the soft palate (11.5+/-2.7 vs 13.6+/-3.5 mm, p< or =0.006). The increase or decrease in minimal CSA at the oropharyngeal (OP) level after UPPP was significantly correlated with the change in AHI (r=-0.54, p<0.02). Moreover, the changes in CSA obtained at the OP level were significant only in the patients who responded favorably to UPPP (7 vs 13 nonresponders). CONCLUSIONS Postoperative OP enlargement is associated with a good outcome of UPPP. Persistent narrowing in nonresponders could be due to the increase in soft palate width after surgery.