Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Winery and wine exhibition visitors’ characteristics in the context of wine tourism development

EnglishWine tourists are a very heterogeneous segment of consumers with diverse socio demographic, psychographic features and different behaviour towards wine as a product and wine tourism as a selective form of tourism. This paper analyses the influence of socio-demographic features and the behaviour of wine tourists in Croatia. The survey showed that more winery visitors prefer dry wines compared to wine exhibition visitors. In both samples they spend up to € 20 per month, drink mostly dry white wines in 0.75 l bottles. Men and higher educated persons were the majority in both samples. Wine exhibition visitors were a bit younger than winery visitors. Winery visitors spend more money on wine and showed fewer preferences toward dry wines compared to wine exhibition visitors which are more likely to drink wine in places other than home or restaurant. Wine tourism in Istria should hold to existing wine roads and wine quality enhancing the numbers of visitors and volume of sales by implementing new attractive activities and events and by invol- ving cultural, historical and natural resources in the wine destination in Istria. francaisLes oenotouristes constituent un segment de consommateurs tres heterogenes qui se distinguent par des caracteristiques socio-demographiques et psycographiques tres variees et un comportement different a l’egard du vin comme produit et de l’oenotou- risme comme forme de tourisme selectif. Dans cet article, nous analysons l’influence des caracteristiques socio-demographiques et le comportement des oenotouristes en Croatie. L’enquete realisee a montre que les visiteurs des etablissements vinicoles pre- ferent beaucoup plus les vins secs que les visiteurs des salons des vins. En outre, nous avons observe que dans les deux echantillons, les visiteurs depensent jusqu’a 20 eu- ros par mois et boivent surtout des vins blancs secs en bouteilles de 0.75 L. Les deux echantillons se composent en majorite d’hommes et de personnes avec un haut niveau d’education. Les visiteurs des salons des vins sont un peu plus jeunes que les visiteurs des vignobles. Les visiteurs des domaines vinicoles depensent davanatage pour le vin et montrent moins de preference pour les vins secs par rappport aux visiteurs des sa- lons des vins qui, eux, tendent a boire du vin dans des endoroits autres que leur mai- son ou le restaurant. En Istrie, l’oenotourisme devrait tabler sur les routes des vins existantes et la qualite des vins presents et miser sur l’augmentation du nombre de vi- siteurs et du volume des ventes a travers l’organisation d’activites et d’evenements nouveaux, capables d’attirer le public et la valorisation du patrimoine culturel, histo- rique et naturel dans les destinations vitivinicoles.
Age-related differences in the distractor previewing effect with schematic faces of emotions

ABSTRACT Young and older adults searched for a unique face in a set of three schematic faces and identified a secondary feature of the target. The faces could be negative, positive, or neutral. Young adults were slower and less accurate in searching for a negative face among neutral faces when they had previewed a display of negative faces than when they had previewed neutral faces, indicating an emotional distractor previewing effect (DPE), but this effect was eliminated with inverted faces. The DPE is an index of inter-trial inhibition to keep attention away from previewed, non-target information. Older adults also showed such an emotional DPE, but it was present with both upright and inverted faces. These results show that, in general, both young and old participants are sensitive to trial history, yet the different patterns of results suggest that these two groups remember and use different types of perceptual information when searching through emotional faces.
Effects of dexmedetomidine on propofol and remifentanil infusion rates during total intravenous anesthesia for spine surgery in adolescents

Introduction: Total intravenous anesthesia with propofol and a synthetic opioid is a frequently chosen anesthetic technique for posterior spinal fusion. Despite its utility, adverse effects may occur with high or prolonged propofol dosing regimens including delayed awakening. The current study investigated the propofol‐sparing effects of the concomitant administration of the α2‐adrenergic agonist, dexmedetomidine, during spinal fusion surgery in adolescents.
Investigation of the molecular mechanisms underlying postoperative recurrence in prostate cancer by gene expression profiling

The present study aimed to identify potential genes associated with prostate cancer (PCa) recurrence following radical prostatectomy (RP) in order to improve the prediction of the prognosis of patients with PCa. The GSE25136 microarray dataset, including 39 recurrent and 40 non-recurrent PCa samples, was downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. Differentially-expressed genes (DEGs) were identified using limma packages, and the pheatmap package was used to present the DEGs screened using a hierarchical cluster analysis. Furthermore, gene ontology functional enrichment analysis was used to predict the potential functions of the DEGs. Subsequently, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analyses were performed to analyze pathway enrichment of DEGs in the regulatory network. Lastly, a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network of the DEGs was constructed using Cytoscape software to understand the interactions between these DEGs. A total of 708 DEGs were identified in the recurrent and non-recurrent PCa samples. Functional annotation revealed that these DEGs were primarily involved in cell adhesion, negative regulation of growth, and the cyclic adenosine monophosphate and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways. Furthermore, five key genes, including cluster of differentiation 22, insulin-like growth factor-1, inhibin β A subunit, MAPK kinase 5 and receptor tyrosine kinase like orphan receptor 1, were identified through PPI network analysis. The results of the present study have provided novel ideas for predicting the prognosis of patients with PCa following RP.
Designing a reconfigurable multimodal and collaborative supervisor for Virtual Environment

Virtual Reality (VR) systems cannot be promoted for complex applications (involving the interpretation of massive and intricate databases) without creating natural and ”transparent” user interfaces: intuitive interfaces are required to bring non-expert users to use VR technologies. Many studies have been carried out on multimodal and collaborative systems in VR. Although these two aspects are usually studied separately, they share interesting similarities. Our work focuses on the way to manage multimodal and collaborative interactions in a same process. We present here the similarities between these two processes and the main features of a reconfigurable multimodal and collaborative supervisor for Virtual Environments (VEs). The aim of such a system is to ensure the merge of pieces of information coming from VR devices (tracking, gestures, speech, haptics, etc.), to control immersive multi-user applications using the main communication and sensorimotor channels of humans. The framework's architecture of this supervisor wants to be generic, modular and reconfigurable (via an XML configuration file), in order to be applied to many different contexts.
The physiological and ventilatory responses to repeated 60 s sprints following sodium citrate ingestion.

This study examined the influence of sodium citrate on changes in selected blood, ventilatory and performance variables in response to intermittent sprint exercise. Eight moderately active male students completed three tests over a 6 day experimental period. The first test involved incremental exercise to determine VO2 max, while the second and third tests were identical in nature and involved five 60 s sprints cycling against 0.075 kg kg-1 body mass (BM); each of the five sprints was separated by 5 min passive seated recovery. Three days separated the VO2 max test and first interval test, while a further 3 days elapsed between the first and second interval tests. Ninety minutes prior to each interval test, the subjects consumed either a solution of sodium citrate (0.5 g kg-1 BM) or a placebo solution (1 g of calcium carbonate and 4 mg of sodium chloride). These were randomly administered in a double-blind crossover procedure so that every subject consumed each solution prior to the interval test over the 6 day period. Measures of work, VE, VO2, VCO2, post-exercise plasma lactate, and changes in both venous blood pH and venous blood bicarbonate (HCO3-) were measured during each interval test. Although analysis of variance failed to identify differences in performance between the two solutions, both exercise VCO2 and changes in venous blood HCO3- were higher in the citrate condition (P < 0.05). In addition, both peak post-exercise plasma lactate concentrations and post-exercise venous blood pH were significantly higher following citrate ingestion. Although these data are consistent with greater clearance of lactate and H+ from the active muscle cells following citrate ingestion, performance between the two trials was the same. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Surgical treatment of choledochal cyst in adults: results and long-term follow-up.

BACKGROUND/AIMS Results of the surgical management of 60 adults with choledochal cysts at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital Taipei are presented. PATIENTS AND METHODS All patients were diagnosed and surgically managed during the period between March 1979 and December 1992. There were 47 females and 13 males, with ages ranging from 16 to 81 years (mean age = 31.9 years). Of the total, there were 41 Type I, one Type II, 14 Type IV, and four Type V choledochal cysts classified according to Todani's classification system. The definite surgical procedures were cyst excision and hepatico-jejunostomy in 43 cases in type I and IV diseases, one cyst excision in type II disease, two hepatectomy for type V disease, cyst enterostomy in seven cases, and T-tube choledochocystostomy in seven cases. RESULTS The operative mortality rate was 3.3% and the complication rate related to the surgical procedure was 20%. Early postoperative complications include wound infection, leakage of anastomosis, acute pancreatitis, septic shock, left pleural effusion, and intra-abdominal abscessing. Reoperations were needed in the early postoperative days in two cases due to hepatico-jejunostomy leakage and intraabdominal abscess formation. Long-term surgical outcome, concerning recurrence of symptoms, was related to the following factors, excluding the factors of surgery: presence of bile duct lithiasis, common channel less than 22 mm, presence of preoperative pancreatitis and acute angle type pancreaticobiliary unions. Only common channel less than 22 mm is statistically significant. The percentage of recurrence of the symptoms after resectional surgery was 32.5% in the long term follow-up period. Most of the cases responded well to an antibiotics treatment. Three of the cases required a second operation or PTCD as well as dilatation to treat the recurrent cholangitis. CONCLUSION Although the recurrence of symptoms is not uncommon and satisfactory explanation of the analysed factors is still the treatment of choice for adult patients with choledochal cysts.
IDENTIFICATION OF INCOMPLETE INFORMATION GAMES WITH MULTIPLE EQUILIBRIA AND UNOBSERVED HETEROGENEITY

This dissertation mainly studies identification of finite action games with incomplete information. The essential contribution of this dissertation is to allow for the presence of multiple equilibria and/or unobserved market-level heterogeneity. Chapter 2 provides a novel methodology to nonparametrically identify static games with multiple equilibria. Exploiting the results in mis-classification error models, I show that the number of equilibria, the equilibrium selection mechanism and individual equilibrium strategies associated with all positively employed equilibria can be nonparametrically identified from the distributions of the game outcomes. Provide the equilibrium conditional choice probabilities, payoffs then can be identified nonparametrically with exclusion restrictions. A natural estimator is also proposed following the constructive identification procedure. The empirical application investigates the strategic interaction among radio stations when they choose commercial timings, which provides evidence that two equilibria exist. Chapter 3 extends chapter 2 to incorporate unobserved market-level heterogeneity. This chapter assumes that the market-level latent type is discrete and has a finite support. With the discrete feature, the presence of unobserved heterogeneity generates similar finite mixture feature as the presence of multiple equilibria. The combination of both payoff-
Proton pathways and H+/Cl− stoichiometry in bacterial chloride transporters

H+/Cl− antiport behavior has recently been observed in bacterial chloride channel homologs and eukaryotic CLC‐family proteins. The detailed molecular‐level mechanism driving the stoichiometric exchange is unknown. In the bacterial structure, experiments and modeling studies have identified two acidic residues, E148 and E203, as key sites along the proton pathway. The E148 residue is a major component of the fast gate, and it occupies a site crucial for both H+ and Cl− transport. E203 is located on the intracellular side of the protein; it is vital for H+, but not Cl−, transport. This suggests two independent ion transit pathways for H+ and Cl− on the intracellular side of the transporter. Previously, we utilized a new pore‐searching algorithm, TransPath, to predict Cl− and H+ ion pathways in the bacterial ClC channel homolog, focusing on proton access from the extracellular solution. Here we employ the TransPath method and molecular dynamics simulations to explore H+ pathways linking E148 and E203 in the presence of Cl− ions located at the experimentally observed binding sites in the pore. A conclusion is that Cl− ions are required at both the intracellular (Sint) and central (Scen) binding sites in order to create an electrostatically favorable H+ pathway linking E148 and E203; this electrostatic coupling is likely related to the observed 1H+/2Cl− stoichiometry of the antiporter. In addition, we suggest that a tyrosine residue side chain (Y445), located near the Cl− ion binding site at Scen, is involved in proton transport between E148 and E203. Proteins 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Predicting fraudulent financial reporting using artificial neural network

Purpose This paper aims to explore the effectiveness of an artificial neural network (ANN) in predicting fraudulent financial reporting in small market capitalization companies in Malaysia. Design/methodology/approach Based on the concepts of ANN, a mathematical model was developed to compare non-fraud and fraud companies selected from among small market capitalization companies in Malaysia; the fraud companies had already been charged by the Securities Commission for falsification of financial statements. Ten financial ratios are used as fraud risk indicators to predict fraudulent financial reporting using ANN. Findings The findings indicate that the proposed ANN methodology outperforms other statistical techniques widely used for predicting fraudulent financial reporting. Originality/value The study is one of few to adopt the ANN approach for the prediction of financial reporting fraud.
Evaluation of new anti-infective drugs for the treatment and prevention of infections caused by the Mycobacterium avium complex. Infectious Diseases Society of America and the Food and Drug Administration.

The bacteria of the Mycobacterium avium complex are ubiquitous; thus it is often difficult to distinguish environmental contamination from colonization or infection. Patients with either pulmonary or disseminated infection may be enrolled in clinical trials. Disseminated disease occurs mostly in patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus. In general, a randomized, active-control, double-blinded clinical trial is preferred; there should at least be a blinded evaluator. With regard to immunosuppressed populations, new antimycobacterial drugs need to be evaluated not only for the treatment but also for the prevention of disease. For trials of prophylaxis a placebo-controlled design is ethical until a drug is proven effective; then the use of an active-control regimen is appropriate. Since no regimen has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for treatment or prevention of disease caused by the M. avium complex, demonstration of the superiority of the study regimen to the control regimen should be the objective of the clinical trial.
Akt-induced endocrine therapy resistance is reversed by inhibition of mTOR signaling.

BACKGROUND Resistance to endocrine therapy is a major impediment in breast cancer therapeutics. The Phosphatidylinositol-3-OH kinase (PI3K)/Protein kinase B (Akt/PKB) kinase signaling pathway has been implicated in altering breast cancer response to multiple therapies. How Akt modulates response is an area of significant clinical relevance. METHODS We have used an in vitro model to discern the effects of robust Akt activity on breast cancer cellular response to endocrine therapies. RESULTS High levels of Akt activity confer resistance to the aromatase inhibitor Letrozole (Let) and the selective estrogen receptor (ER) down-regulator Fulvestrant (ICI). Akt-induced resistance is not due to failure of these endocrine agents to inhibit estrogen receptor alpha activity. Instead, resistance is characterized by altered cell cycle and apoptotic response. Cotreatment with low concentrations of the mTOR inhibitor RAD-001 and either Let or ICI restores response of the resistant cells to levels observed in the responsive cells treated with either Let or ICI as a single agent. CONCLUSIONS Our preliminary findings in experiments with RAD-001 indicate that cotreatment with mTOR inhibitors and either Let or ICI reverses the Akt-mediated resistance and restores responsiveness to antiestrogens. Concurrent ER and mTOR inhibition is therefore an effective strategy to overcome growth factor-induced resistance and bears significant implications for optimal clinical development of these agents in breast cancer treatment.
Montclair State University Digital Montclair State University Digital Commons Commons Self-Management Strategies Mediate Self-Efficacy and Physical Self-Management Strategies Mediate Self-Efficacy and Physical Activity Activity

Background: Self-efﬁcacy theory proposes that girls who have conﬁdence in their capability to be physically active will perceive fewer barriers to physical activity or be less inﬂuenced by them, be more likely to pursue perceived beneﬁts of being physically active, and be more likely to enjoy physical activity. Self-efﬁcacy is theorized also to inﬂuence physical activity through self-management strategies (e.g., thoughts, goals, plans, and acts) that support physical activity, but this idea has not been empirically tested. Methods: Conﬁrmatory factor analysis was used to test the factorial validity of a measure of self-management strategies for physical activity. Next, the construct validity of the measure was tested by examining whether self-management strategies mediated the relationship between self-efﬁcacy and self-reported physical activity, independently of several social-cognitive variables (i.e., perceived barriers, outcome expectancy value, and enjoyment), among cross-sectional samples of 6th grade ( n (cid:1) 309) and 8th grade ( n (cid:1) 296) girls tested between February 14 and March 17, 2002. Data were analyzed in 2004. Results: Consistent with theory, self-efﬁcacy had direct effects on the social-cognitive variables. The primary novel ﬁnding is that self-management strategies mediated the association of self-efﬁcacy with physical activity in both samples. Conclusions: The measure of self-management strategies for physical activity yields valid scores among adolescent girls and warrants experimental study as a mediator of the inﬂuence of efﬁcacy beliefs on physical activity. (Am J © 2005 American
Blood–Brain Barrier Pathology in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Disease: Implications for Drug Therapy

The blood–brain barrier (BBB) is a tightly regulated barrier in the central nervous system. Though the BBB is thought to be intact during neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD), recent evidence argues otherwise. Dysfunction of the BBB may be involved in disease progression, eliciting of peripheral immune response, and, most importantly, altered drug efficacy. In this review, we will give a brief overview of the BBB, its components, and their functions. We will critically evaluate the current literature in AD and PD BBB pathology resulting from insult, neuroinflammation, and neurodegeneration. Specifically, we will discuss alterations in tight junction, transport and endothelial cell surface proteins, and vascular density changes, all of which result in altered permeability. Finally, we will discuss the implications of BBB dysfunction in current and future therapeutics. Developing a better appreciation of BBB dysfunction in AD and PD may not only provide novel strategies in treatment, but will prove an interesting milestone in understanding neurodegenerative disease etiology and progression.
Epidermal Growth Factor Protects Prostate Cancer Cells from Apoptosis by Inducing BAD Phosphorylation via Redundant Signaling Pathways*

Protection from apoptosis by receptor tyrosine kinases, resistant to the inhibition of phosphatidylinositol 3 ′-kinase/Akt and Ras/MEK pathways, has been reported in several cell types, including fibroblasts and epithelial prostate cancer cells; however, mechanisms of this effect were not clear. Here we report that in prostate cancer cells, epidermal growth factor activates two antiapoptotic signaling pathways that impinge on the proapoptotic protein BAD. One signaling cascade operates via the Ras/MEK module and induces BAD phosphorylation on Ser112. Another pathway predominantly relies on Rac/PAK1 signaling that leads to BAD phosphorylation on Ser136. Each of these two pathways is sufficient to protect cells from apoptosis, and therefore both have to be inhibited simultaneously to block epidermal growth factor-dependent survival. Redundancy of antiapoptotic signaling pathways should be considered when therapies targeting antiapoptotic mechanisms are designed.
Breeding sheep in New Zealand that are less reliant on anthelmintics to maintain health and productivity

Abstract Breeding sheep that are less reliant on the use of anthelmintics to maintain acceptable health and productivity is one of several options that may assist farmers to manage the growing anthelmintic-resistance problem in New Zealand and meet consumer demands to minimise drug usage in livestock. Although it has been known for many years that genetic factors contribute to the ability of sheep to cope with roundworm challenge, attempts to selectively breed for such factors have occurred only recently. Two host traits, ‘resistance’ and ‘resilience’, are thought to be involved in limiting the deleterious effects of roundworms on the health and productivity of sheep, and the associated need for treatment with anthelmintics. Over the last decade, considerable advances have been made in our understanding of the feasibility and implications of breeding for these traits under practical conditions. The experimental breeding lines developed as part of this research are now proving to be a valuable resource for further work directed at identifying genes and/or genetic markers associated with host resistance and understanding the mechanisms of host immunity to nematode parasites in ruminants. This review provides an up-to-date summary of the results of research in this field, with particular reference to dual-purpose sheep in New Zealand, and describes how this information is being applied in practical breeding programmes.