Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Marketing channels for small wineries: a means – end chain approach.

The wine sector in Catalonia (Spain) is clearly dual: there are some big companies that contrast with the many small wineries that face difficulties to remain profitable. For these wineries, gaining access to the markets is of paramount importance. Our work explores the distributor’s main business motivations, and the possibilities to pursue these in their business relationships with the wineries. To tackle this issue we carried out a vertical differentiation of the service “wine supply” by means of the Means-End Chain approach. Results show that a trustful relationship with the winery is the main central issue for wine distributors, while wine quality is the winery’s key attribute. Furthermore, the winery’s own will to access the market and to develop marketing strategies is also of great importance for the wine distributor.
A modified AODV protocol to detect and prevent the wormhole usingh using hybrid technique

In Mobile Ad hoc Network (MANET), mobile node is responsible for the route establishment using a wireless link where each node behaves like both, as a host and a router. There are number of security threats in MANET possible because of its open untrusted environment with the little security arrangement. Among all of the security threat, a worm hole is considered to be a very serious security threat over MANET. In a worm hole, the two selfish nodes which are very far away to each other geographically, makes a tunnel between them to hide their actual location and try to believe that they are true neighbors and makes the conversation through the wormhole tunnel. Recently, the research will focus over wormhole detection and prevention, but an enhanced technique having lower network overhead and a lower battery power consumption in order to the longer survival of the network with fast response is needed. In this paper, the technique of dynamic wormhole detection and prevention AODVWWP has been proposed, which is based on a hybrid model that encapsulate the location, neighbor node and the hop count method.
Intracellular Localization Map of Human Herpesvirus 8 Proteins

ABSTRACT Human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) is the etiological agent of Kaposi's sarcoma. We present a localization map of 85 HHV-8-encoded proteins in mammalian cells. Viral open reading frames were cloned with a Myc tag in expression plasmids, confirmed by full-length sequencing, and expressed in HeLa cells. Protein localizations were analyzed by immunofluorescence microscopy. Fifty-one percent of all proteins were localized in the cytoplasm, 22% were in the nucleus, and 27% were found in both compartments. Surprisingly, we detected viral FLIP (v-FLIP) in the nucleus and in the cytoplasm, whereas cellular FLIPs are generally localized exclusively in the cytoplasm. This suggested that v-FLIP may exert additional or alternative functions compared to cellular FLIPs. In addition, it has been shown recently that the K10 protein can bind to at least 15 different HHV-8 proteins. We noticed that K10 and only five of its 15 putative binding factors were localized in the nucleus when the proteins were expressed in HeLa cells individually. Interestingly, in coexpression experiments K10 colocalized with 87% (13 of 15) of its putative binding partners. Colocalization was induced by translocation of either K10 alone or both proteins. These results indicate active intracellular translocation processes in virus-infected cells. Specifically in this framework, the localization map may provide a useful reference to further elucidate the function of HHV-8-encoded genes in human diseases.
An evaluation of a youth camp program's impact on parents' perceptions of sustainability and family engagement

Summer camp programs designed around community gardens are an excellent way of educating youth and adolescents on better health, nutrition, agriculture, and the importance of local food systems; yet, it is the parents of those youth that are making most of the nutritional, extracurricular, and household management decisions for the family. Engagement of adults with their children on issues related to nutrition, agriculture, the environment, sustainability, and local food was studied after a two-week garden summer camp program for youth. A sustainable living curriculum was designed and delivered throughout the camp program as a scrapbook that could be shared with parents following the end of the program. The scrapbooks were used as a tool by which a curriculum could be shared between youth and adults. A qualitative approach was utilized in evaluating the values of adults concerning sustainability and family engagement on learning.
Feature tendency based location prediction in LBSNs

The development of location-based social networks (LBSNs) has brought in massive users' mobility data, providing an unprecedented opportunity to study human mobile behavior. However, the existing location prediction methods suffer from incompleteness of mobility data and disability of selecting the effective feature. To better understand and describe mobile behavior, users' multi-features are induced and reorganized comprehensively in this paper. Meanwhile, we propose a novel location prediction model, Powerful Feature Tendency Based Selection (PFTS), which is universal for all datasets with diverse features. Furthermore, the proposed model can self-adaptively select the feature with the most powerful tendency by comparing variance of visiting probability distribution. Based on the chosen features, our model automatically employs corresponding method to predict locations for various scenes. Using two real-world LBSNs datasets, the experiment results validate that the PFTS significantly outperforms state-of-the-art approaches in terms of prediction accuracy. The results also suggest that the feature tendency is efficient to capture users' mobile behavior for boosting prediction performances.
On the effectiveness of elected male and female leaders and team coordination

We study the effect on coordination in a minimum-effort game of a leader’s gender depending on whether the leader is democratically elected or is randomly selected. Leaders use non-binding messages to try to convince followers to coordinate on the Pareto-efficient equilibrium. We find that teams with elected leaders coordinate on higher effort levels. Initially, the benefits of being elected are captured solely by male leaders. However, this gender difference disappears with repeated interaction because unsuccessful male leaders are reelected more often than unsuccessful female leaders.
Absence of TRIF Signaling in Lipopolysaccharide-Stimulated Murine Mast Cells

In macrophages, two signaling pathways, dependent on MyD88 or TIR domain-containing adaptor-inducing IFN-β (TRIF) signaling, emanate from the LPS receptor TLR4/MD-2. In this study, we show that in murine bone marrow-derived mast cells (BMMCs), only the MyD88-dependent pathway is activated by LPS. The TRIF signaling branch leading both to NF-κB activation and enhanced proinflammatory cytokine production, as well as to IRF3 activation and subsequent IFN-β production, is absent in LPS-stimulated BMMCs. IRF3 activation is also absent in peritoneal mast cells from LPS-injected mice. We observed strongly diminished TRAM expression in BMMCs, but overexpression of TRAM only moderately enhanced IL-6 and did not boost IFN-β responses to LPS in these cells. A combination of very low levels of TRAM and TLR4/MD-2 with the known absence of membrane-bound CD14 are expected to contribute to the defective TRIF signaling in mast cells. We also show that, unlike in macrophages, in BMMCs the TRIF-dependent and -independent IFN-αβ responses to other recognized IFN inducers (dsRNA, adenovirus, and B-DNA) are absent. These results show how the response to the same microbial ligand using the same receptor can be regulated in different cell types of the innate immune system.
Do women differ from men on Alcoholics Anonymous participation and abstinence? A multi-wave analysis of treatment seekers.

BACKGROUND Given the widespread use of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and other similar groups in the United States and the increasing membership of women, this study compares women with men on their meeting attendance and AA-prescribed behaviors, factors associated with that AA participation, and tests how these relate to women's and men's abstinence across time. METHODS All consecutive new admissions (age ≥ 18) from county-wide public and private treatment programs representing the larger population of treatment seekers were approached to be in the study at treatment entry. Those consenting at baseline (n = 926) were sought for follow-up interviews 1, 3, 5, and 7 years later. Generalized linear models were used to test whether various help-seeking factors were associated with AA participation differentially by gender and, controlling for AA and other confounders, whether women differ from men on abstinence. RESULTS At each follow-up interview, women and men attended AA at similar rates and similarly practiced specific AA behaviors, and they were alike on most factors associated with AA participation and abstention across time including abstinence goal, drink volume, negative consequences, prior treatment, and encouragement to reduce drinking. Relative to men, women with higher drug severity were less likely to participate in AA. Although higher AA participation was a predictor of abstinence for both genders, men were less likely to be abstinent across time. Men were also more likely to reduce their AA participation across time. CONCLUSIONS These findings add to an emerging literature on how women compare with men on factors related to AA participation and subsequent drinking outcomes across time. Findings have clinical implications for service providers referring clients to such groups.
The phenotypic profile of CD34‐positive peripheral blood stem cells in different mobilization regimens

The type of regimen used might result in mobilization of phenotypically and functionally different CD34+ cells. We compared the phenotype of CD34+ cells in leukapheresis products of three homogeneous groups: I, healthy individuals treated with granulocyte colony‐stimulating factor (G‐CSF) alone (n = 13); II, patients mobilized with G‐CSF following chemotherapy (n = 16); and III, patients mobilized with G‐CSF after high‐dose chemotherapeutic pretreatment (n = 24). Multiparameter flow cytometry was performed for CD34+ subpopulation analysis and focused on adhesion molecules, differentiation markers and megakaryocytic markers relevant for stem cell homing, with special reference to the importance of L‐selectin expression. Regimens I and II led to higher numbers of mobilized CD34+ cells (mean 468 × 106 and 491 × 106 CD34+ cells per leukapheresis procedure respectively) than regimen III (mean 41 × 106 CD34+ cells per leukapheresis procedure). Both the expression of L‐selectin and CD54 on CD34+ cells was significantly lower in group III, as was the percentage of megakaryocytic (CD41+) progenitors. A higher percentage of primitive (CD38− and/or HLA−DR−) CD34+ cells was found in group III, correlating with a higher clonogenicity of the CD34+ cells. However, when comparing the CD34+ subpopulations that were also positive for L‐selectin, there was no significant difference between the three regimens. A similar approach for the megakaryocytic CD34+ population resulted in an even worse quality of regimen III: 5·1% of CD34+ being CD41+/L‐selectin+ compared with 9·2% and 8·9% in regimens I and II respectively. We concluded that the phenotypes of the CD34+ cells in the G‐CSF (group I) and G‐CSF–chemotherapy (group II) regimens are similar, whereas the phenotype of the CD34+ cells mobilized in the high‐dose regimen (group III) displayed features that might negatively influence homing of the cells. Future studies will be directed towards regimens that will lead to the mobilization of a higher amount of CD34+ cells with a phenotypically favourable phenotype.
Determinants of Price Discovery: Dark Trading and Price Improvement

What role does dark trading play in price dynamics? The authors estimate the permanent information that dark trading contributes as well as the effect of the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada (IIROC) Notice 12-0130, which mandated price improvement on dark trades. The analysis provides context and a comparative perspective by assessing informational dynamics between Canadian and U.S. cross-listed securities. Dark trading contributes very little permanent information in Canada—only a 7.1% information leadership share. Post–IIROC Notice 12-0130, the authors find a reduction in the information content of dark trades after controlling for the effects of order book quality, informational asymmetry, and transactional efficiency.
2-D row-column CMUT arrays with an open-grid support structure

Fabrication and characterization of 64 + 64 2-D row-column addressed CMUT arrays with 250 μm element pitch and 4.4 MHz center frequency in air incorporating a new design approach is presented. The arrays are comprised of two wafer bonded, structured silicon-on-insulator wafers featuring an open-grid support structure on top of the CMUT plates, omitting the need for through wafer vias. A 5 mask process is used to produce 2-D row-column addressed CMUT arrays with 74 nm vacuum gaps, single crystalline silicon plates with optional lithographically defined mass loads, 120 V pull-in voltage, and high voltage insulation up to 310 V.
Wideband Bandpass Filter With Reconfigurable Bandwidth

This letter proposes a novel building block for developing tunable wideband bandpass filters. The proposed circuit block mainly consists of short circuit coupled lines and short circuit stubs with pin diodes as tuning elements. This work aims to demonstrate reconfigurable bandwidth of this type of filter. Two filters are designed and fabricated; one can be switched between a fractional bandwidth (FBW) of 16.3% and 35% at a center frequency of 1.9 GHz, and the other can be switched from a FBW of 27.8% to 37.4% at a center frequency of 1.9 GHz. The insertion loss and return loss in the first filter range from 4.17 dB to 0.4 dB and 27.54 dB to 19.04 dB. The second filter exhibits an insertion loss ranging from 0.73 dB to 0.43 dB and a return loss range from 31.1 dB to 27.7 dB. The tested filters show good agreement with EM simulations.
ArsH is an organoarsenical oxidase that confers resistance to trivalent forms of the herbicide monosodium methylarsenate and the poultry growth promoter roxarsone

Environmental organoarsenicals are produced by microorganisms and are introduced anthropogenically as herbicides and antimicrobial growth promoters for poultry and swine. Nearly every prokaryote has an ars (arsenic resistance) operon, and some have an arsH gene encoding an atypical flavodoxin. The role of ArsH in arsenic resistance has been unclear. Here we demonstrate that ArsH is an organoarsenical oxidase that detoxifies trivalent methylated and aromatic arsenicals by oxidation to pentavalent species. Escherichia coli, which does not have an arsH gene, is very sensitive to the trivalent forms of the herbicide monosodium methylarsenate [MSMA or MAs(V)] and antimicrobial growth promoter roxarsone [Rox(V)], as well as to phenylarsenite [PhAs(III), also called phenylarsine oxide or PAO]. Pseudomonas putida has two chromosomally encoded arsH genes and is highly resistant to the trivalent forms of these organoarsenicals. A derivative of P. putida with both arsH genes deleted is sensitive to MAs(III), PhAs(III) or Rox(III). P. putida arsH expressed in E. coli conferred resistance to each trivalent organoarsenical. Cells expressing PpArsH oxidized the trivalent organoarsenicals. PpArsH was purified, and the enzyme in vitro similarly oxidized the trivalent organoarsenicals. These results suggest that ArsH catalyzes a novel biotransformation that confers resistance to environmental methylated and aromatic arsenicals.
Position-dependent and neuron-specific splicing regulation by the CELF family RNA-binding protein UNC-75 in Caenorhabditis elegans

A large fraction of protein-coding genes in metazoans undergo alternative pre-mRNA splicing in tissue- or cell-type-specific manners. Recent genome-wide approaches have identified many putative-binding sites for some of tissue-specific trans-acting splicing regulators. However, the mechanisms of splicing regulation in vivo remain largely unknown. To elucidate the modes of splicing regulation by the neuron-specific CELF family RNA-binding protein UNC-75 in Caenorhabditis elegans, we performed deep sequencing of poly(A)+ RNAs from the unc-75(+)- and unc-75-mutant worms and identified more than 20 cassette and mutually exclusive exons repressed or activated by UNC-75. Motif searches revealed that (G/U)UGUUGUG stretches are enriched in the upstream and downstream introns of the UNC-75-repressed and -activated exons, respectively. Recombinant UNC-75 protein specifically binds to RNA fragments carrying the (G/U)UGUUGUG stretches in vitro. Bi-chromatic fluorescence alternative splicing reporters revealed that the UNC-75-target exons are regulated in tissue-specific and (G/U)UGUUGUG element-dependent manners in vivo. The unc-75 mutation affected the splicing reporter expression specifically in the nervous system. These results indicate that UNC-75 regulates alternative splicing of its target exons in neuron-specific and position-dependent manners through the (G/U)UGUUGUG elements in C. elegans. This study thus reveals the repertoire of target events for the CELF family in the living organism.
In Vivo and In Vitro Glioma Cell Killing Induced by An Adenovirus Expressing Both Cytosine Deaminase and Thymidine Kinase and Its Association with Interferon-α

An adenovirus, AdCDTK, expressing both bacterial cytosine deaminase (CD) and herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (HSVTK) was constructed and introduced into glioma cells. AdCDTK selectively rendered glioma cells sensitive to both 5-fluorocytosine (5-FCyt) and ganciclovir (GCV) (termed AdCDTK/5-FCyt-GCV). AdCDTK/5-FCyt-GCV not only potently mediated apoptosis and the arrest of glioma cell growth in vitro, but also significantly increased the survival time of glioma-bearing rats as compared with controls. The 90-day survival time was observed in 50% of rats. Interferon-α (IFN-α) further enhanced the tumor cell killing of AdCDTK/5-FCyt-GCV. In the group of AdCDTK/5-FCyt-GCV/IFN-α, the average survival time was significantly increased, and the average tumor size was smaller than that in the group of AdCDTK/5-FCyt-GCV. Ninety-day survival increased from 50% in the group of AdCDTK/5-FCyt-GCV to 75% in the group of AdCDTK/5-FCyt-GCV/IFN-ct. Complete tumor regression was observed in 50% of rats in the group of AdCDTK/5-FCyt-GCV/IFN-α. The data indicate that AdCDTK/5-FCyt-GCV induces glioma cell killing greater than that induced by either CD/5-FCyt or HSVTK/GCV alone. IFN-α synergistically enhances this effect by increasing apoptosis.
Assessing the Feasibility of a Web-Based Weight Loss Intervention for Low-Income Women of Reproductive Age: A Pilot Study

Background Low-income women of reproductive age are at increased risk for obesity and resulting increases in the risk of maternal/fetal complications and mortality and morbidity. Very few weight-loss interventions, however, have been targeted to this high-risk group. Based on the high prevalence of social media use among young and low-income individuals and previous successes using group formats for weight-loss interventions, the use of social media as a platform for weight-loss intervention delivery may benefit low-income women of reproductive age. Objective Examine the feasibility of delivering group-based weight-loss interventions to low-income women of reproductive age using face-to-face meetings and Web-based modalities including social media. Methods Participants attended a family planning clinic in eastern North Carolina and received a 5-month, group- and Web-based, face-to-face weight-loss intervention. Measures were assessed at baseline and 20 weeks. Results Forty participants enrolled, including 29 (73%) African American women. The mean body mass index of enrollees was 39 kg/m2. Among the 12 women who completed follow-up, mean weight change was -1.3 kg. Participation in the intervention was modest and retention at 5 months was 30%. Returnees suggested sending reminders to improve participation and adding activities to increase familiarity among participants. Conclusions Engagement with the intervention was limited and attrition was high. Additional formative work on the barriers and facilitators to participation may improve the intervention’s feasibility with low-income women of reproductive age.
The role of extraversion and agreeableness traits on Gen Y’s attitudes and willingness to pay for green hotels

This paper aims to examine the role of extraversion and agreeableness personality traits on Generation Y (Gen Y) consumers’ attitudes toward and willingness to pay for green hotels. Gen Y is a large and influential generational group, with a significant interest in green issues. There has been a lack of research on the consumer decision-making process toward green hotels. Specifically, the impact of personality on green attitudes and behavioral intentions is rarely investigated. ,A major survey consisting of 406 final respondents was conducted. The 29-item survey questionnaire comprises items for extraversion, agreeableness, attitudes toward green hotels and behavioral intention toward green hotels. Numerous statistical techniques, including structural equation modeling, were used to evaluate the data collected. ,The results show that extraversion and agreeableness personality traits are positively associated with respondents’ attitudes toward green hotels. Stronger and more positive attitudes toward green hotels lead to greater willingness to pay for green hotels. Moreover, attitudes toward green hotels mediate the relationship between the two personality traits and willingness to pay. These findings of Gen Y subsegments can be useful to hotel managers in identifying who are more likely to stay in and pay for environmentally friendly hotels. ,Gen Ys are an influential consumer age group in the service industry, and their general attitudes toward “green” products are important to modern hoteliers. However, few researchers have examined Gen Ys’ attitudes and behavioral intentions toward green issues. No research has examined the role of personality traits on consumers’ perceptions of green hotels. The present study found that the extraversion and agreeableness traits of Gen Y individuals are linked to their attitudes toward and willingness to pay for green hotels.
Tree-in-bud pattern: frequency and significance on thin section CT.

PURPOSE Our goal was to describe those diseases of the airways that manifest the tree-in-bud (TIB) pattern on CT scan and to establish a differential diagnosis for this CT scan finding. METHOD We prospectively collected cases with the TIB pattern on CT and reviewed the scans of patients with histories pertaining to small airway disease. CT scans were performed at 1 to 3 mm collimation. RESULTS Twenty-six of 27 cases with the TIB pattern had associated bronchiectasis or proximal airway wall thickening. One case with normal proximal airways had an acute aspiration. In addition, we reviewed 141 scans of patients with emphysema, respiratory bronchiolitis (RB), bronchiolitis obliterans (BO), bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia (BOOP), extrinsic allergic alveolitis (EAA), bronchiectasis, bronchitis, and pneumonia. Of the CT scans with bronchiectasis, 25.6% had TIB, and 17.6% of CT scans with acute infectious bronchitis or pneumonia had this pattern. None of the patients with emphysema, BO, BOOP, EAA, or RB had this pattern. CONCLUSION The TIB pattern on CT scan is mostly associated with pulmonary infections that commonly involve the large airways. This pattern was present in 17.6% of cases with acute bronchitis or pneumonia and 25.6% of cases with bronchiectasis.