Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Marriage, age at last birth and fertility in a traditional Moroccan population

Summary A sample of 842 rural women from Morocco (Amizmiz, Marrakech) was used to examine the relationship between a number of biosocial variables and fertility patterns. For women still in their reproductive years there were significant correlations between family size and woman's age, age at marriage and years of marriage. Among women with completed families, those with early age at marriage ceased childbearing about 10 years before reaching menopause, while women who married later continued to bear children until the end of their fertile life.
Satisfaction and zone of tolerance: the moderating roles of elaboration and loyalty programs

Purpose – This study seeks to understand how elaboration and loyalty programs affect the relative importance of satisfaction and the zone of tolerance (ZOT) in determining customer loyalty to an airline service provider.Design/methodology/approach – Hierarchical moderated regression analysis was used to test the hypotheses.Findings – Customers with high elaboration rely more heavily on satisfaction than the ZOT to maintain customer loyalty. In addition, loyalty programs can decrease the effect of satisfaction on customer loyalty, but cannot increase the strength of the relationship between the ZOT and customer loyalty.Originality/value – This study is a preliminary attempt to integrate the ZOT and satisfaction in determining customer loyalty in a simultaneous model. The findings suggest that there is a trade‐off between the effects of satisfaction and the ZOT on customer loyalty. Most importantly, the results provide new insights into the loyalty response with regard to dissatisfaction.
Equal Effectiveness of Older Traditional Antibiotics and Newer Broad-Spectrum Antibiotics in Treating Patients with Acute Exacerbations of Chronic Bronchitis

Background Choice of antibiotic therapy for acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis (AECB) is important because of cost and concerns about development of resistance. Methods A retrospective cohort study was conducted in outpatients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and documented AECB treated with antibiotics. Results We compared outcomes and costs of AECB treated with first-line antibiotics having partial coverage against organisms associated with AECB (eg, amoxicillin), first-line antibiotics with full coverage against organisms associated with AECB (eg, sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim), and newer broad-spectrum antibiotics (eg, azithromycin). There were no significant differences among the three antibiotic groups in failure rate, hospitalization rate, or time until subsequent AECB. Pharmacy costs were significantly less with first-line antibiotics ($3.18 ± 0.64, $3.00 ± 0.48, and $36.70 ± 16.29, respectively; P <0.0001), but there was no significant difference among all three groups with regard to total costs. Conclusion We found no difference in outcome between older traditional antibiotics with adequate coverage against organisms associated with AECB and newer broad-spectrum antibiotics.
Cost-Effectiveness of the Primary Prevention of Non-Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus

Non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) is a chronic disease, with increasing prevalence widely reported. NIDDM is associated with high rates of morbidity and premature mortality and is the cause of high health service use. There is clinical, epidemiological and scientific evidence that NIDDM is potentially preventable through weight loss, enhanced fitness and nutrition modification. The research question addressed in this article is whether the prevention of NIDDM is costeffective compared with other possible uses of our health care resources and whether some approaches to NIDDM prevention are more cost-effective than others. Program types analysed are surgery, group behavioural program, media campaign, general practitioner (family physician) lifestyle advice, and intensive diet and behavioural programs. Target groups include seriously obese persons, women with previous gestational diabetes, overweight men and all adults. Expected diabetes years and life years were modelled for hypothetical intervention and control cohorts and used, with information on program cost, to derive estimates of cost-effectiveness, expressed as cost per diabetes year avoided and cost per life year gained. Markov modelling was used to track states of normal glucose tolerance, impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and NIDDM for intervention and control cohorts. Expected life years were calculated through application of age and gender specific mortality vectors, adjusted for diabetic state and weight loss. Expected savings in health care costs from NIDDM prevention were based on estimated annual cost of NIDDM management and were used to derive net cost-effectiveness ratios. The group program for overweight men and media programs were identified as extremely worthwhile, generating estimated net savings in health care resources, while reducing diabetes incidence and extending life expectancy. The behavioural/diet programs for high risk groups were found to be highly cost-effective relative to other health care programs, at an estimated net cost per life year saved of between A$1000 (US$720) and A$2600 (US$1900). Surgery performed poorest, but still well at A$4600 (US$3300) net cost per life year saved, if targeted at persons with IGT. We conclude that the primary prevention of NIDDM can be highly cost-effective. The development and funding of pilot programs for NIDDM prevention is recommended to test these findings and address the increasing incidence of NIDDM.
The effects of tobacco use on oral health.

OBJECTIVE To review the effects of tobacco use on oral health, with particular emphasis on the effects of periodontal diseases, dental implant failures, and risk of development of oral cancers and precancers. DATA SOURCES Medline literature search (1977-2002). STUDY SELECTION Key words for the literature search were 'tobacco smoking', 'periodontal disease', 'dental implant', and 'oral cancers and precancers'. DATA EXTRACTION Evidence-based literature review. DATA SYNTHESIS The prevalence and severity of periodontal diseases in their various forms are higher among smokers than among non-smokers. The success of dental implant treatments is significantly influenced by addiction to tobacco smoking. The failure rate of implant osseointegration is considerably higher among smokers, and maintenance of oral hygiene around the implants and risk of peri-implantitis are adversely affected by smoking. The risks of developing oral cancers and precancers are greater in smokers. Betel nut chewing and smokeless tobacco produce similar risk to cancer incidence as tobacco smoking. Cessation of tobacco use has a beneficial effect on halting the progression of periodontal diseases and on the outcome of periodontal therapy. CONCLUSIONS Medical and dental teams should be aware of oral problems associated with tobacco use. Counselling on smoking cessation and smoking prevention programmes should be an integral component of medical and dental teaching and practice.
Iowa Consumer Motivations and Preferences for Agritourism Activities

The study reported here sought to ascertain the agritourism attraction preferences of Iowa consumers based on population category. Respondents were asked questions regarding their motivation and preferences related to participation in agritourism activities. The results revealed that individuals enjoy participating in agritourism activities to spend time with family and friends while supporting local farmers. They placed considerable importance on the availability of fresh produce, on-site restrooms, and a convenient location. The information regarding consumer motivation and preferences may be used by Extension educators, state organizations, and the agritourism owner/operator to create a consumer profile and target market prospective audiences.
Synthesis and characterization of leiurotoxin I analogs lacking one disulfide bridge: evidence that disulfide pairing 3-21 is not required for full toxin activity.

Leiurotoxin I (Lei-NH2), a toxin isolated from the venom of the scorpion Leiurus quinquestriatus hebraeus, is a blocker of the apamin-sensitive Ca(2+)-activated K+ channels. It is a 31-residue polypeptide cross-linked by three disulfide bridges which are presumably between Cys3-Cys21, Cys8-Cys26, and Cys12-Cys28. To investigate the role of these disulfides, analogs of Lei-NH2 lacking one disulfide bridge (i.e., [Abu3,21]Lei-NH2, [Abu8,26]Lei-NH2, and [Abu12,28]Lei-NH2) were chemically synthesized by selective replacement of each pair of half-cystines forming a bridge by two alpha-aminobutyrate (Abu) residues. The two disulfide pairings of the main folded form of the synthetic analogs were established by enzymatic proteolysis. They were as expected between Cys8-Cys26 and Cys12-Cys28 for [Abu3,21]Lei-NH2 but were unexpectedly between Cys3-Cys12 and Cys21-Cys28 for [Abu8,26]Lei-NH2 and between Cys3-Cys8 and Cys21-Cys26 for [Abu12,28]Lei-NH2. The synthetic peptides were tested in vitro for their capacity to compete with the binding of [125I]apamin to rat brain synaptosomes and in vivo for their neurotoxicity in mice. In both assays, [Abu3,21]Lei-NH2 exhibited full Lei-NH2-like activity whereas [Abu8,26]Lei-NH2 and [Abu12,28]-Lei-NH2 possessed only residual activities (< 2% native toxin activity). This suggests that disulfide bridge Cys3-Cys21 is not essential per se for high toxin activity. Circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy of the three analogs showed that only [Abu3,21]Lei-NH2 exhibited a CD spectrum similar to that of Lei-NH2, suggesting they both adopt closely related conformations, in agreement with the pharmacological data. Structural models of the analogs were constructed on the basis of the disulfide pairing assignment and compared with that of Lei-NH2.
The level of BLyS (BAFF) correlates with the titre of autoantibodies in human Sjögren’s syndrome

Background: Increased levels of B lymphocyte stimulator (BLyS) have been detected in serum from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis. Objective: To determine the level of BLyS in serum from patients with primary’s Sjögren’s syndrome (SS), another autoimmune disease in which B cell activation is high. Methods: Serum samples from 49 patients with primary SS according to the revised European criteria were assayed for BLyS, quantitative immunoglobulins, and autoantibody levels and compared with samples from 47 healthy control subjects. Results: The median level of BLyS was 5.99 ng/ml (25th-75th centile range 3.20–8.93 ng/ml) in SS v 2.49 ng/ml (25th-75th centile range 1.96–2.96 ng/ml) in healthy controls (p<0.001). More importantly, among patients with SS, the presence of anti-SSA antibodies was associated with significantly higher levels of BLyS (medians 7.90 ng/ml v 3.70 ng/ml; p=0.008) as was the presence of anti-SSB antibodies (medians 7.14 ng/ml v 3.70 ng/ml; p=0.02) and of rheumatoid factor (medians 7.70 ng/ml v 3.80 ng/ml; p=0.016). The level of BLyS in three patients with a monoclonal gammopathy was higher than in the other patients (medians 26.53 ng/ml v 5.92 ng/ml; p=0.13). Higher levels of BLyS were associated with higher levels of gammaglobulins and IgG. There was a strong correlation between BLyS and rheumatoid factor level (r=0.71, p<0.0001), anti-SSA IgG level (r=0.32, p=0.02) and anti-SSA IgM level (r=0.39, p=0.006). Conclusion: In human SS the level of BLyS correlates with the level of autoantibodies. Thus, BLyS may play a part in activating specific autoreactive B cells and modulating the level of production of autoantibodies which are the hallmark of the disease. These findings raise the possibility of a novel therapeutic approach in human SS.
The influence of prior experience and age on mature consumers' perceptions and intentions of internet apparel shopping

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to investigate mature consumers' perceived risks and benefits and purchase intentions in the context of online apparel shopping and the role of age and past experience in their perceptions and intentions.Design/methodology/approach – A national sample of 293 US male and female mature consumers (born in or before 1964) participated in a mail survey. Structural equation modeling was used to test the hypotheses regarding relationships among mature consumers' age, prior experiences, perceived risks and benefits, and purchase intentions.Findings – The study revealed that perceived benefits regarding product and price offerings and perceived financial risk were significant predictors of mature consumers' online apparel purchase intention. In addition, the level of past online shopping experience was a strong antecedent of the mature consumer's perceived risks and benefits of online shopping. Age and general internet experience showed limited influences on mature consumers'.
The Diagnostic and Prognostic Role of Interleukin 12B and Interleukin 6R Gene Polymorphism in Patients With Ankylosing Spondylitis

Objectives Interleukin 23 (IL-23) pathway and IL-1 cluster genes play prominent role in the etiopathology of ankylosing spondylitis (AS). The aim of this study was to investigate the diagnostic and prognostic role of 5 single-nucleotide polymorphisms related to IL-23 pathway and IL-1 cluster genes in AS patients. Methods Four hundred thirty-one patients with AS and 206 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were recruited in this prospective cohort study. Five potential single-nucleotide polymorphisms (IL-23R [rs11209026], IL-12B [rs6871626], TYK2 [rs6511701], IL-6R [rs4129267], and IL-1R2 [rs2192752]) related to IL-23 pathway and IL-1 cluster genes by analyzing previous studies were genotyped. Among 431 total AS patients, 198 active cases were treated and followed up for 24 weeks. Results Frequencies of IL-12B AA (rs6871626) and IL-6R TT (rs4129267) genotypes were increased in AS patients compared with healthy controls (both P < 0.001), and IL-12B A (rs6871626) as well as IL-6R T (rs4129267) allele increased the risk of AS independently (both P < 0.001). The Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index score was found to be elevated in AS patients with IL-12B AA (rs6871626) compared with patients with the CA and CC genotypes (P = 0.002 and P < 0.001, respectively), and the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index score was also increased in AS patents with IL-12B AA (rs6871626) than in those with the CA and CC genotypes (P = 0.001 and P < 0.001). In addition, IL-6R T (rs4129267) allele could predict a worse ASAS-20 (Assessment of SpondyloArthritis international Society) response at week 24 as an independent factor by multivariate logistic regression analysis with additive model (P = 0.011). Conclusions Interleukin 12B (rs6871626) and IL-6R (rs4129267) gene polymorphisms could serve as promising biomarkers for diagnosis and prognosis in AS patients.
THE EFFECT OF CHRONIC RESTRAINT STRESS ON SPATIAL LEARNING AND MEMORY: RELATION TO OXIDANT STRESS

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of chronic restraint stress (RS) on spatial learning and memory. Fifty healthy male Wistar rats, aged three months were used. They were equally divided into five groups—C: Control, W: Water Maze, CS-1: Restrained for 21 days (1 h/day) + water maze protocol following stress period, CS-2: Restrained for 28 days (1 h/day) + water maze protocol during last 7 days of stress period, CS-3: Restrained for 21 days and allowed to recovery for 7 days (1 h/day). Corticosterone levels were higher in all stress groups than in C and W groups. Nitrite levels of frontal cortex and hippocampus were found to be elevated in chronic stress groups with respect to C and W groups. Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) of both tissues were increased significantly in CS1 and CS2 groups compared with C, W, and CS3 groups. Escape latencies of CS1 and CS2 groups were longer than those of the W group on each day of acquisition. In transfer test, CS1 and CS2 groups stayed significantly shorter in target quadrant according to the W group. Significant correlations between corticosterone and either nitrite or TBARS of hippocampus and frontal cortex were found. Both acquisition and memory performances were negatively correlated with plasma corticosterone level, nitrite, and TBARS levels of hippocampus and frontal cortex. The results of this study suggest that stress-induced lipid peroxidation may affect the acquisition and memory performances.
Cultivating service brand equity

In packaged goods, the product is the primary brand. However, with services, the company is the primary brand. This article, based on primary research with 14 mature, high-performance service companies, makes a case for service branding as a cornerstone of services marketing for today and tomorrow. The article presents a service-branding model that underscores the salient role of customers' service experiences in brand formation. Four primary strategies that excellent service firms use to cultivate brand equity are discussed and illustrated. Branding is not just for tangible goods; it is a principal success driver for service organizations as well.
A Philosophical Analysis of Clinical Decision Making in Nursing.

BACKGROUND Clinical decision making is a fundamental aspect of nurses' clinical practice and has a direct impact on the health and well-being of each patient. METHOD An exploratory analysis of the concept of clinical decision making in nursing will be provided from the two predominant theoretical perspectives: the systematic-positivist model and the intuitive-humanistic model. The origin, aim, value, ontology and epistemology, assumptions, communicability, and context specificity of these two models are discussed. RESULTS As nurses work in ever-changing health care environments, either the positivist model or the intuitive model is adequate to describe the dynamic processes nurses use in clinical decision making. Therefore, it was suggested that the cognitive processes used in decision making were neither completely analytical nor completely intuitive. CONCLUSION Clinical decision making is complex. A combination of scientific evidence-based knowledge in conjunction with intuition and contextual factors could enable nurses to utilize excellent clinical decision making. [J Nurs Educ. 2018;57(2):73-78. ].
Pork production system and its development in mainland China

Livestock production and marketing have been driven by the growing consumer demand for high quality and low cost animal protein. As a result, intensive livestock industries have been rapidly developing globally. International trade, especially with China, creates new opportunities and challenges for the emerging international agriculture market. China provides an enormous market for international trade by stimulating its import and export activities. Pigs are the primary farm animals raised for human consumption in China, and the development of pork production systems in China will affect its trade globally. To meet the need for developing international animal agriculture and trade, this article describes the current status of the swine industry, its production in China and the factors that may affect its development. Urbanization, available farmland, grain production, water resources and management practices encompass some of these factors. In addition, the effects of the culture, religion and education of the populations on the development of swine sector in China are also discussed. Understanding the development of the swine production system and its associated factors is critical to assessing China’s impact and implication in the emerging international agricultural market. Key words: Animal agriculture, swine farm, pork production, international trade, China.
Biochemical and Pathological Study of Hydroalcoholic Extract of Achillea millefolium L. on Ethylene Glycol-Induced Nephrolithiasis in Laboratory Rats

Background: Nephrolithiasis is of the most prevalent urinary tract disease. It seems worthwhile to replace the conventional treatments with more beneficial and safer agents, particularly herbal medicines which are receiving an increasing interest nowadays. Aims: In this study, we investigated the protective and curative effects of Achillea millefolium L. on ethylene glycol (EG)-induced nephrolithiasis in rats. Materials and Methods: The extract of A. millefolium was prepared by soxhlet method. Forty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups (N = 8) as follows. The negative control (group A) received tap drinking water. Rats in sham (positive control group B), curative (group C and D), and preventive (group E) groups all received 1% EG in drinking water according to the experimental protocol for 30 days. In the curative groups, dosages of 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight (BW) of A. millefolium extract were administered orally from day 15 to the end of the experiment, group C and D, respectively. Group E received 200 mg/kg A. millefolium extract from the 1st day throughout the experiment. Urinary oxalate and citrate concentrations were measured by spectrophotometer on the first and 30th days. On day 31, the kidneys were removed and examined histopathologically for counting the calcium oxalate (CaOx) deposits in 50 microscopic fields. Results: In the curative and preventive groups, administration of A. millefolium extract showed significant reduction in urinary oxalate concentration (P < 0.05). Also, urinary citrate concentration was significantly increased in group C, D, and E. The CaOx deposits significantly decreased in group C to E compared with the group B. Conclusions: According to our results, A. millefolium extract had preventive and curative effects on EG-induced renal calculi.
Risk factors in Alzheimer's disease

We investigated potential risk factors for Alzheimer's disease (AD) in a clinicopathologic study of 407 patients with definite AD, 100 non-Alzheimer dementia patients, and 50 normal subjects. The AD patients had more first-degree relatives with dementia than the non-AD dementia group (odds ratio of 1.85, 95% confidence interval of 1.07–3.20) or the normal elderly (odds ratio of 3.60, 95% confidence interval of 1.50–8.64) but did not have significantly more head injuries, medical and psychiatric illnesses, or relatives with Down's syndrome. The AD patients with a family history of dementia had their dementia at a later age than those without an affected relative. These findings indicate a familial risk for AD that is greater than for other dementing illnesses and has age-related penetrance. This study does not support other putative risk factors for AD such as head trauma and familial Down's syndrome.
Loss of tuberin from cerebral tissues with tuberous sclerosis and astrocytoma

We studied the expression of tuberin, the TSC2 gene product, in cerebra with or without tuberous sclerosis. Tuberin was abundant in the gray matter of normal cerebra, but was undetectable in the subependymal astrocytomas from 3 patients with tuberous sclerosis. In 1 patient, cortical tubers and normally appearing cortical tissue also showed a marked loss of tuberin. These results indicate the critical role of tuberin in the neuropathology of tuberous sclerosis.