Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
[Maternal plasma leptin levels and their relationship to insulin and glucose in pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus and gestational impaired glucose tolerance].

OBJECTIVE To investigate the changes in leptin levels and the relationship between the substance and insulin and glucose in pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and gestational impaired glucose tolerance (GIGT). METHODS Radio immunoassay was used to measure the leptin levels at fasting and 3 h after oral glucose load (50 g) in 36 patients with GDM and GIGT, and also in 24 normal pregnant women. In each pregnant women, fasting serum insulin levels and glycosylated haemoglobin values were measured by electrochemiluminescent immunoassays and pressure liquid chromatography (LPLC) respectively, glucose levels 1 h after the administration of glucose by glucose oxidase method. RESULTS The serum leptin levels in pregnant women with GDM and GIGT and normal pregnant women were (14.9 +/- 4.3) micro g/L and (10.0 +/- 1.8) micro g/L, respectively, suggesting the serum leptin levels were significantly higher in pregnant women with GDM and GIGT than in normal controls. The levels of fasting serum insulin, glycosylated haemoglobin values and plasma glucose levels obtained 1h after oral administration of 50 g glucose were (12.9 +/- 4.3) mU/L, (6.1 +/- 1.1)%, (11.0 +/- 1.4) mmol/L, respectively, whereas the corresponding values in normal controls were (8.6 +/- 3.2) mU/L, (4.5 +/- 1.0)%, (7.8 +/- 1.2) mmol/L. A positive correlation was found between maternal serum leptin levels and fasting serum insulin levels in pregnant women with GDM and GIGT (r = 0.835, P < 0.01). A positive correlation was also found between maternal leptin concentrations and glycosylated haemoglobin values, as well as between leptin levels and plasma glucose levels obtained 1 h after the administration of 50g glucose in women with GDM and GIGT (r = 0.758, P < 0.01; r = 0.561, P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS Leptin levels are elevated in pregnant women with GDM and GIGT compared with healthy pregnant women, a positive and significant correlation was found between the maternal leptin levels and fasting insulin levels, as well as between the maternal leptin levels and plasma glucose levels obtained 1 h after the administration of 50 g glucose in women with GDM and GIGT.
Human foamy virus Bel1 transactivator contains a bipartite nuclear localization determinant which is sensitive to protein context and triple multimerization domains

The Bel1 protein of human foamy virus is a 300-amino-acid nuclear regulatory protein which transactivates the gene expression directed by the homologous long terminal repeat and the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 long terminal repeat. While previous reports suggested that the single basic domain of Bel1 from residues 211 to 222 and/or 209 to 226 is necessary and sufficient for efficient nuclear localization (L. K. Venkatesh, C. Yang, P. A. Theodorakis, and G. Chinnandurai, J. Virol. 67:161-169, 1993; F. He, J. D. Sun, E. D. Garrett, and B. R. Cullen, J. Virol. 67:1896-1904, 1993), our recent data showed that another basic domain, from amino acid residues 199 to 200, is also required for nuclear localization of Bel1 (C. W. Lee, C. Jun, K. J. Lee, and Y. C. Sung, J. Virol. 68:2708-2719, 1994). To clarify this discrepancy, we constructed various bel1-lacZ chimeric constructs and several linker insertion mutants and determined their subcellular localization. When the region of Bel1 containing basic domains was placed at an internal site of the lacZ gene, the nuclear localization signal (NLS) of Bel1 consisted of two discontinuous basic regions separated by an intervening sequence. Moreover, insertion of specific amino acids between two basic regions disrupted the activity of the Bel1 NLS. On the other hand, Bel1 residues 199 and 200 were not required to direct the Bel1-beta-galactosidase chimeric protein to the nucleus when the Bel1 NLS was appended to the amino terminus of beta-galactosidase. These results indicate that the function of the Bel1 NLS is sensitive to the protein context within which the sequence is present. In addition, we demonstrated that the Bel1 protein forms a multimeric complex in the nuclei of mammalian cells by using a sensitive in vivo protein-protein interaction assay. Mutational analyses revealed that the regions which mediate multimer formation map to three domains of Bel1, i.e., residues 1 to 31, 42 to 82, and 82 to 111. Furthermore, our results show that the region of Bel1 from residues 202 to 226 prevents Bel1 from forming a multimeric complex.
hy drivers use cell phones and support legislation to restrict this ractice

The use of cell phones while driving is ubiquitous, particularly in countries where the practice is legal. However, surveys indicate that most drivers favor legislation to limit the use of mobile devices during the operation of a vehicle. A study was conducted to understand this inconsistency between what drivers do and what they advocate for others. Participants completed a survey about their driving attitudes, abilities, and behaviors. Following previous research, drivers reported using cell phones for benefits such as getting work done. The hypocrisy of using cell phones while advocating restrictions appears to stem
Corporate reputation, stakeholders and the social performance-financial performance relationship

Purpose – To increase understanding of the role of reputation in the corporate social performance (CSP) and financial performance (FP) relationship, including contingencies.Design/methodology/approach – Stakeholder theory is drawn on to present a model of reputation's role in the contingent CSP‐FP relationship.Findings – CSP is affected by stakeholders' resource allocation to the organisation. This allocation is based on stakeholders' assessment of the organisation's reputation relative to stakeholders' particular expectations, which may be instrumentally and/or normatively framed. Reputation, therefore, plays a key role in the CSP‐FP relationship. Additionally, the authors propose that the equivocal results of previous research into the CSP‐FP relationship may be partly explained by organisational and market contingencies. Specifically, the authors contend that strategic fit, competitive intensity and reputation management capability moderate the CSP‐FP relationship.Research limitations/implications – Em.
IT GOVERNANCE DEPLOYMENT: A CASE IN THE BRAZILIAN FINANCIAL SECTOR

This research aims to analyze the process of implementing Information Technology Governance (ITG) in a Brazilian financial institution, where standards applied by the Brazilian Central Bank impose tighter controls on organizations. It describes a long process of ITG implementation with changes in management practices. The research is characterized as a qualitative and exploratory study, for which data collection was based on document analysis and participant observation. The research used the archetypes of IT governance for allocation of decision-making rights to describe the process of organizational change that took place during the implementation of the IT governance model in this institution, leading to an expressive change of the organization's structure. Key-words: IT governance; information technology; case study.
Partial Employees and Consumers

This analysis aims to highlight the impact of both ‘partial employees’ and ‘partial consumers’ on the service delivery process. Effective service delivery often requires the participation of the customer. Accordingly, the customer may be conceptualized as a partial employee. Further, service employees may ‘consume’ their roles and duties as providers of service. Although the services literature has developed the notion of the partial employee to some extent, the concept is not developed within a comprehensive, theoretical framework. And, the portrayal of service employees as consumers (i.e. partial consumers) is largely undeveloped. As an emergent cultural philosophy, postmodernism offers a basis for developing a framework incorporating the notion of the partial employee, as well as an understanding of the effects and contributions of other service participants (i.e. service providers) as partial consumers. The implications of treating the consumer as partial employee and the employee as partial consumer in the delivery of the service experience are many. For instance, this notion inspires an expanded view of service exchange as a productive (consumptive) moment, which, in turn, requires a shift in orientation from an emphasis that considers only managing the functional benefits that the service provides to managing both employees and consumer alike.
Water and proteins: a love-hate relationship.

It is widely appreciated that water molecules play an invaluable role in governing the structure, stability, dynamics, and function of biomolecules. The hydration forces are responsible for packing and stabilization of the protein structure. Particularly, water participates in many hydrogen bond networks and screening electrostatic interactions. However, the exact range of processes mediated by water is far from being understood, and it is only in the recent years that water has been quantitatively treated as an integral component of biomolecular systems. In this issue of PNAS, Papoian et al. (1) report a significant improvement in protein structure prediction by adding a water knowledge-based potential to an established Hamiltonian for protein structure prediction. “Wetting” the Hamiltonian improves the predicted structures, especially for large proteins, when long-range interactions between polar or charged groups are mediated by water molecules. There are a variety of experimental and theoretical studies acknowledging the active role of solvent in protein stability and dynamics. Experimentally, x-ray, neutron diffraction (2), NMR (3, 4), and femtosecond fluorescence (5) measurements reveal the binding sites, structure, and dynamics of water. Theoretically, molecular dynamics simulations offer a detailed atomic description of both the biomolecule and the solvent as well as the time dependency of their dynamics (6–9). These all-atom explicit–solvent simulations of proteins, however, do not appear to provide sufficient conformational coverage to tackle many equilibrium and long-time-scale kinetic properties. Thus, a complementary approach is to adopt simplified models that trade high structural resolution of the water molecule (10, 11) (e.g., generalized born model for the water) or of both the polypeptide and the solvent (e.g., structure-based models) for enhancing conformational sampling (12, 13). Desolvation during folding processes was studied by using a structure-based (Go) model for the Src homology 3 (SH3) …
Retrospective evaluation of fluid overload and relationship to outcome in critically ill dogs.

OBJECTIVE To determine if critically ill dogs have an increased risk of fluid overload (FO) during hospitalization compared to less ill dogs, and to determine if FO is associated with increased mortality during hospitalization. DESIGN Observational, case-control study. SETTING University teaching hospital. ANIMALS Thirty-four critically ill dogs and 15 comparatively healthy stable postoperative dogs with neuro-orthopedic disease. INTERVENTIONS None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS Data recorded included underlying disease, body weight, and APPLEfast score at admission, single-day and composite APPLEfull scores during hospitalization, total fluid volume administered (L), total fluid volume output (L), and outcome. Percent FO (%FO) was calculated using the equation 100 × ([fluid volume administered - fluid volume lost]/1000 mL/L) - (% dehydration at admission), with fluid volume expressed as mL/kg of baseline body weight. Critically ill dogs developed greater %FO during hospitalization compared to stable postoperative dogs (12.1 ± 11.7% vs 0.5 ± 5.2%, P = 0.001), and half (8 out of 16) of the dogs with %FO ≥ 12% died. Composite APPLEfull scores were weakly positively correlated with %FO, whereas APPLEfast and single-day APPLEfull scores recorded at admission were not. The odds ratio for death was 1.08 for every percent increase in FO during hospitalization (95% confidence limits 1.012-1.59, P = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS Critically ill dogs are at increased risk for FO during hospitalization, and a weak but significant association exists between %FO, illness severity, and mortality. Prospective studies are warranted to confirm the findings of this retrospective study.
Detection of BRAFV600E mutation on fine needle aspiration specimens of thyroid nodule refines cyto‐pathology diagnosis, especially in BRAFV600E mutation‐prevalent area

Background Between 10 and 30% of the fine needle aspiration biopsies (FNABs) of thyroid nodules are diagnosed as ‘indeterminate’. A molecular diagnostic method is needed to reduce unnecessary surgery in this group. In Korea, most thyroid cancer is the classic papillary type and the BRAFV600E mutation is highly prevalent.
Bandpass Filter With Tunable Bandwidth Using Quadruple-Mode Stub-Loaded Resonator

In this letter, a novel quadruple-mode resonator bandpass filter (BPF) with tunable bandwidth is proposed. By using two types of microwave varactors to tune the resonant frequencies and transmission zeros (TZs), the high-side edge of the passband and low-side edge of the passband can be separately varied. Therefore, the bandwidth could be tunable with reasonable adjust of the values of varactors. Theoretical expressions have been derived for the resonant frequencies and the TZs. The measured results of the BPF show that the fractional bandwidth can be tuned from 22% to 34% at a fixed centre frequency 2.0 GHz with a return loss better than dB. The tested results show good agreement with simulated results.
Interfirm Rivalry and Managerial Complexity: A Conceptual Framework of Alliance Failure

Empirical research indicates that more than half of strategic alliances fail, and the outcomes of alliance failure can be devastating. Despite the increased concern about managing strategic alliances, the field still lacks a theoretical framework to describe the conditions and dynamics leading to the failure of strategic alliances. This paper attempts to distill, derive, and integrate theories across different disciplines into a unified framework that offers a better understanding of alliance failure. The conceptual framework focuses on two primary sources of alliance failure: interfirm rivalry and managerial complexity. We propose that strategic alliances fail because of the opportunistic hazards as each partner tries to maximize its own individual interests instead of collaborative interests. Also, strategic alliances fail because of the difficulties in coordinating two independent firms (i.e., coordination costs), and in aligning operations at the alliance level with parent firms' long-term goals (i.e., agency costs). The paper extends the theoretical framework by looking into a process model of alliance development and failure.
PAPR Reduction in NC-OFDM Based Cognitive Radio System Using Signal Cancelation and Tone Reservation

: High data rate wireless access is demanded by many applications. It requires more bandwidth for higher data rate transmission in any of the system. With promising technology and ever-increasing wireless devices, the spectrum is becoming scarcer day by day. In this case, using noncontiguous orthogonal frequency division multiplexing(NC-OFDM) and cognitive radio(CR) for spectrally efficient transmission are an alternative solution. High peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR) and large spectrum sidelobe power are two main drawbacks of this system. In this paper, we propose a novel signal cancelation (SC) method followed by tone reservation for joint PAPR reduction and sidelobe suppression in NC-OFDM-based CR systems. The key idea of the proposed method is to dynamically extend part of the constellation points on the secondary user (SU) subcarriers and add several SC symbols on the primary user (PU) subcarriers to generate the appropriate cancelation signal for joint PAPR reduction and sidelobe suppression. The joint PAPR reduction and sidelobe suppression can be consider as quadratically constrained quadratic program (QCQP) in SC method to obtain its optimal cancelation signal. The main idea of tone reservation method is to keep a small set of tones for PAPR reduction
An algorithmic test generation method for crosstalk faults in synchronous sequential circuits

As VLSI circuits become high-speed and high-density, a crosstalk fault becomes an important problem. In a synchronous sequential circuit, since the crosstalk fault between a data line and a clock line is important, we described an algorithmic test generation technique for the fault. Some simulation results of our method for the ISCAS bench mark circuits are reported.
The Development and Comparison of Two Polarimetric Calibration Techniques for Ground-Based Circularly Polarized Radar System

Two techniques are described for the calibration of ground-based (GB) circularly polarized (CP) full polarimetric radars. The techniques are based on the point target calibration approach that uses various types of canonical reflectors with different orientations. Specifically, the calibration methods for linearly polarized (LP) radar proposed by Wiesbeck et al. and Gau et al. are selected and adapted to CP with suitable reflectors. The applicability of the techniques is examined through C-band scatterometric and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) measurements in an anechoic chamber. For the scatterometric mode, comparisons of calibrated channel imbalances with theoretical values show agreement within ±0.3 dB in amplitude and ±5◦ in phase. The crosstalk between the channels is also reduced by ∼ 5 to 30 dB after calibration. For the SAR mode, calibrated scattering matrix of a vertical wire target exhibits significant elimination of distortions between channel amplitudes and phases. The effect of calibration on target parameter retrieval is also investigated through the Cloud-Pottier eigenvector-based decomposition. Both calibration techniques are shown to yield improved accuracy of entropy-alpha (H-ᾱ) distributions and orientation angle (β̄) values.
The Effects of Financial Deregulation on Integration : An Australian Perspective

This paper uses the model developed by Jorion and Schwartz (1986) to test whether the Australian capital market is segmented from or integrated into the world capital market. Using industry portfolio data for the period 1974 to 1992, we examine whether the Australian market was segmented from the world financial markets in the first half of this period, when the domestic market was subjected to considerable regulatory controls.
An Assessment of Technological Capability Building in the Informal Nigerian Automobile Sector

The automobile industry has been one of the most prominent in Nigeria. This may be as a result of the fact that her economy moves on wheels. The auto-mechanic repairer has acquired a measure of capabilities as a result of learning by doing over the years. The study therefore examined technological capabilities in the auto-mechanic industry in Southwestern Nigeria with a view to determining the types of capabilities possessed by the auto-mechanics. A total of 385 copies of questionnaire were administered on master mechanics across three states by hand delivery. Two states comprising of cluster mechanics were purposively selected, while samples from the third state comprising of stand-alone mechanics were randomly selected. The following capabilities were observed in the industry: investment, marketing, linkage and minor change capabilities. The result showed that there was a significant (F=59.03, p<0.05) difference in the mean ratings of factors that show the abilities of master mechanics; and there was also a significant (F=547.17, p<0.05) difference in the mean ratings of linkages with different institutions.
Factors Affecting the Interstate Migration of Manufacturing Firms: Much to do about nothing?

Manufacturing recruitment remains an important part of most state and local governments' economic development portfolio. Using a panel (2000 to 2011) of firm interstate migration data for manufacturer across the lower 48 states we model how state and local government fiscal policies influence firm migration patterns. We find that very few manufacturing firms migrate across state lines in any given year. State and local governments are attempting to recruit from a very small number of relocating manufacturers. Indeed, most firms that do relocate across state lines tend to move to neighboring states. Fiscal policies have mixed and somewhat inconsistent influence of manufacturing interstate migration patterns.
An empirical investigation of consumers' procurement of pharmaceutical products via online retail channels

The procurement of pharmaceuticals from electronic channels is drawing widespread attention from marketing decisionmakers, public policy makers and the popular media. The focus on online retail channels for pharmaceuticals may be, in part, attributable to the potential risks and safety issues that underlie consumers' self-initiated pharmaceutical acquisition and consumption decisions. Clearly, there is an unprecedented number of consumers employing this non-traditional channel for procuring both over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription pharmaceuticals in the U.S. This study explores the potential impact of consumers’ cognitive characteristics on their decision-making as it relates to procuring pharmaceutical products via online retail channels.
Immunotherapy of primary moloney sarcoma‐virus‐induced tumors

Adult mice inoculated with MSV develop tumors, 90% of which undergo immunologically‐mediated regression. Sublethal cyclophosphamide (CY) administered to such tumor‐bearing mice prevented regression, so that 58/60 mice died with tumors. As hosts for immunotherapy, adult BALB/c mice bearing primary tumors and given CY were injected with BALB/c spleen cells. Cumulatively, 80/85 tumors treated with cells from mice immunized with MSV completely regressed, whereas only 6/92 tumors regressed after treatment with normal or non‐specifically immunized cells, or with non‐viable immune cells. The anti‐tumor effect of CY was not essential for the immunotherapeutic effect of cells. Similar experiments were performed with allogeneic spleen cells. DBA cells were effective only if specifically pre‐immunized with MSV or BALB/c Moloney sarcoma cells. Mice treated with cells from C57BI/6 donors immunized with MSV died tumor‐free with graft‐versus‐host disease, whereas mice given non‐immunized cells died of graft‐versus‐host disease with tumor. Studies with gamma‐globulin allotype as a marker for donor cells suggested that immune cells may have to persist in the host for some time in order to be effective against the tumor. Finally, specific serotherapy was only moderately effective as compared to cellular therapy.
An intradermal vaccine protocol against hepatitis B in a haemodialysis population.

p<0.05). In the intradermal group the relative risk of not achieving seroprotection with and without azathioprine was 1.9 and 1.5 times, respectively. Patients receiving the intradermal vaccine without azathioprine had a 9 times better chance of achieving seroprotection than those given intramuscular vaccine and azathioprine. There were no significant side-effects in both the groups. Thus, the seroprotection rate in the intradermal group was superior to that in the intramuscular group, and in the azathioprine-free group as compared to the azathioprine-treated group, regardless of the route of vaccination. The highest seroconversion rate was seen in the intradermal group without azathioprine (Table I). Patients on haemodialysis are poor vaccine responders' though repeated low-dose intradermal vaccine achieved complete seroconversion in 26 weeks,' the antigens presented by specific epidermal cells causing a macrophage-dependent T cell response. " This intradermal protocol is likely to work best in a milieu free from transfusions and immunosuppression, which is possible with erythropoietin.