Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Delay in accessing definitive care for patients with microbial keratitis in Nepal

Background The aim of this study was to describe the health-seeking journey for patients with microbial keratitis (MK) in Nepal and identify factors associated with delay. Methods Prospective cohort study where MK patients attending a large, tertiary-referral eye hospital in south-eastern Nepal between June 2019 and November 2020 were recruited. We collected demographic details, clinical history, and examination findings. Care-seeking journey details were captured including places attended, number of journeys, time from symptom onset, and costs. We compared “direct” with “indirect” presenters, analyzing for predictors of delay. Results We enrolled 643 patients with MK. The majority (96%) self-referred. “Direct” attenders accounted for only 23.6% (152/643) of patients, the majority of “indirect” patients initially presented to a pharmacy (255/491). Over half (328/643) of all cases presented after at least 7 days. The total cost of care increased with increasing numbers of facilities visited (p < 0.001). Those living furthest away were least likely to present directly (p < 0.001). Factors independently associated with delayed presentation included distance >50 km from the eye hospital [aOR 5.760 (95% CI 1.829–18.14, p = 0.003)], previous antifungal use [aOR 4.706 (95% CI 3.139–5.360)], and two or more previous journeys [aOR 1.442 (95% CI 1.111–3.255)]. Conclusions Most patients visited at least one facility prior to our institution, with time to presentation and costs increasing with the number of prior journeys. Distance to the eye hospital is a significant barrier to prompt, direct presentation. Based on these findings, improving access to eye care services, strengthening referral networks and encouraging early appropriate treatment are recommended to reduce delay, ultimately improving clinical outcomes.
A teaching design of ecological class based on immersive virtual reality spatial fusion

This study investigated the effectiveness of the teaching design scheme called the Immersive Virtual Reality Teaching Model (IVRTM) on a small learner population at the researcher’s university. The study was based on one-term experimental teaching among the undergraduates. An ecological class was set up, extending classroom teaching to 3-layer teaching space, including a physical layer (classroom-based), an information layer (internet-based), and a virtual-reality layer (VR-based). The research aimed (1) to create an online-offline spatial ecological learning environment for higher learning efficiency with a series of learning activities, (2) to uncover the learning effectiveness of VR assistance in oral English, and (3) to acquire the students’ attitudes toward the IVRTM. The study approaches involved literature review, empirical method, questionnaire, interviews, and data analysis. The findings would have a positive significance for the promotion of new technology applications in SLA teaching and provide novel and preliminary references for teachers pursuing an effective teaching design of ecological classes based on IVR spatial fusion.
The Psychological Mechanisms Underlying Solomon’s Paradox: Impact of Mood and Self-Transcendence

Solomon’s paradox of wise reasoning, in which performance of wisdom differs when reasoning on an issue in one’s own life vs. another’s life, has been supported by robust evidence. However, the underlying psychological mechanism remains unclear. This asymmetry of wise reasoning may be explained by the different mindsets of self-transcendence when people reason about various conflicts (personal vs. others’), and mood should play a fundamental role. To explore this issue, three hundred ninety-nine participants were recruited to test a hypothesized model. The results supported the effect of Solomon’s paradox—that is, participants endorsed wise-reasoning strategies more strongly when resolving others’ social conflicts than their own. Further mediation analysis showed that the sequential mediation model was supported. Solomon’s paradox can be explained by the difference in positive affect and self-transcendence when reasoning about the two conflicts. This study directly verifies the mediating role of self-transcendence in Solomon’s paradox. At the same time, reasoning about personal affairs reduces individuals’ self-transcendence mindset, and positive affect can explain the differences. These results are helpful for understanding and effectively avoiding Solomon’s wisdom dilemma.
Metagenomic profiling of ocular surface microbiome changes in Demodex blepharitis patients

Purpose To compare the ocular surface and meibum microbial communities of humans with Demodex Blepharitis (DB) and healthy controls. Methods Conjunctival sac and meibum samples from 25 DB patients and 11 healthy controls were analyzed using metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS). Results The alpha-diversity of the conjunctival sac microbiome of the DB group (observed, Chao1, ACE) was lower than that of the control group, whereas all meibum diversity indicators were similar. In conjunctival samples, the relative abundance (RA) of the phylum Proteobacteria was significantly higher (p=0.023), and the RA of both phyla Actinobacteria and Firmicutes was significantly lower (p=0.002, 0.025, respectively) in the DB group than that in the control group. In meibum samples, the RA of the phyla Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria were similar, whereas that of the phylum Firmicutes was significantly lower in the DB group (p=0.019) than that in the control group. Linear discriminant analysis with effect size measurement of the conjunctival and meibum microbiomes showed that Sphingobium sp. YG1 and Acinetobacter guillouiae were enriched in the DB group. Sphingobium sp. YG1, Acinetobacter guillouiae and Pseudomonas putida in the DB group were related to more severe ocular surface clinical parameters. Discriminative genera’s principal coordinate analysis separated all control and DB microbiomes into two distinct clusters. Conclusions Proteobacteria’s increased prevalence may indicate ocular microbial community instability. The species Sphingobium sp. YG1 and Acinetobacter guillouiae are potentially pathogenic bacterial biomarkers in DB. Demodex infection mainly affects the ocular surface microbiome rather than penetrating deeper into the meibomian gland.
Leptin and adiponectin regulate the activity of nuclei involved in sleep-wake cycle in male rats

Epidemiological and experimental evidence recognize a relationship between sleep-wake cycles and adiposity levels, but the mechanisms that link both are not entirely understood. Adipose tissue secretes adiponectin and leptin hormones, mainly involved as indicators of adiposity levels and recently associated to sleep. To understand how two of the main adipose tissue hormones could influence sleep-wake regulation, we evaluated in male rats, the effect of direct administration of adiponectin or leptin in the ventrolateral preoptic nuclei (VLPO), a major area for sleep promotion. The presence of adiponectin (AdipoR1 and AdipoR2) and leptin receptors in VLPO were confirmed by immunohistochemistry. Adiponectin administration increased wakefulness during the rest phase, reduced delta power, and activated wake-promoting neurons, such as the locus coeruleus (LC), tuberomammillary nucleus (TMN) and hypocretin/orexin neurons (OX) within the lateral hypothalamus (LH) and perifornical area (PeF). Conversely, leptin promoted REM and NREM sleep, including increase of delta power during NREM sleep, and induced c-Fos expression in VLPO and melanin concentrating hormone expressing neurons (MCH). In addition, a reduction in wake-promoting neurons activity was found in the TMN, lateral hypothalamus (LH) and perifornical area (PeF), including in the OX neurons. Moreover, leptin administration reduced tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) immunoreactivity in the LC. Our data suggest that adiponectin and leptin act as hormonal mediators between the status of body energy and the regulation of the sleep-wake cycle.
The impact of intellectual property protection on the development of digital economy and regional entrepreneurial activity: Evidence from small and medium enterprises

Substantial intellectual property management (IPM) is vital in retaining competitive advantage and managing outbound open innovation (OI), which may enhance an organization’s commercialization and entrepreneurial performance. Thus, the objective of this study was to develop an understanding of the impact of intellectual property protection on the development of the digital economy, regional entrepreneurial activity, and explore how IPM can enhance the entrepreneurial performance (EP) through open innovation (OI) and commercialization performance (CP) in the context of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Mainland China. Our study also shows how open innovation model constraints (OIMC) and information communication technology (ICT) enhance the performance. Using the organizational performance theory, we developed our research framework and collected usable data from 530 respondents from the management of SMEs in Mainland China. Data analyses were performed using SPSS, and structural equation modeling was performed using Amos 24 to test the hypothesis. Our results highlighted the significant effect of IPM on OI, CP, and EP. This study suggests various conclusions, stressing the mediating function of CP in improving EP and the direct and indirect effects of OI and CP on EP. This study also emphasizes that business managers need to ensure collaboration among SMEs since it is the best strategy to use each other’s resources, including OI ideas, to improve the EP, and it should be done utilizing ICT.
Evaluating the Efficacy of Gum Arabic-Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Composite Coating on Shelf-Life Extension of Mandarins (cv. Kinnow)

Restricted postharvest application of synthetic fungicides in maintaining the quality of citrus fruits has led to a search for alternative postharvest treatments. This study evaluated the efficacy of gum arabic (GA) enriched with green synthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) in maintaining the postharvest quality of mandarin (cv. Kinnow). ZnO-NPs were synthesized using Bidens pilosa leaf extract and incorporated into GA (2% w/v) at 0, 0.25, 0.5, and 1% to form composite coatings: GA, GA + ZnO-NP 0.25%, GA + ZnO-NP 0.5% and GA + ZnO-NP 1%, respectively. Fruit were dipped for 3 min in the respective coatings, with untreated fruit used as control. Fruit were air-dried, packed in commercial cartons, and stored at 5 ± 1°C and 90 ± 5% relative humidity (RH) for 40 days and observed at 10 days intervals, plus 5 days at 20 ± 5°C and 65 ± 5% RH to determine the incidence of physiological disorders. GA + ZnO-NP showed promise as an alternative postharvest treatment for controlling postharvest physiological disorders associated with ‘Kinnow’ mandarin. For instance, GA + ZnO-NP 0.5% markedly minimized weight loss (9.2%), electrolyte leakage (43.8%) and chilling injury incidence (5.4%) compared to control (weight loss; 33.3%, electrolyte leakage; 90.3% and chilling injury incidence; 41.5%) at the end of the storage. GA + ZnO-NP 1% significantly alleviated rind pitting, with 13.2% incidence compared to 45.2% rind pitting incidence in the control fruit. This was due to significantly higher phytochemical and antioxidant capacity and reduced antioxidant enzyme degradation in coated fruit than in control. In conclusion, gum arabic coating enriched with ZnO-NPs at concentrations between 0.5 and 1% is recommended as a viable option to maintain the quality of ‘Kinnow’ mandarin fruit during cold storage.
Study on the negative effect of internal-control willingness on enterprise risk-taking

In the traditional cognition, the factors that affect the level of internal control are usually based on the objective factors such as corporate characteristics, financial status, and governance structure. However, the internal control defects of many famous companies expose the phenomenon of subjective manipulation, and this leads us to focus on the subjective factor of internal control, which we call internal-control willingness. We define “internal-control willingness” as the degrees of subjective initiative of the internal-control construction and execution activities. Additionally, we propose a method for measuring internal-control willingness, using text analysis and machine learning. Then, we examine the impact of internal-control willingness on enterprise risk-taking, through the internal-control, financial, and market data of China A-share main board enterprises in 2011–2018. The study found that (1) internal-control willingness has a significant positive impact on internal-control level, which can fairly achieve the measurement of internal-control subjective initiative. (2) It confirms that internal-control willingness lowers corporate risk-taking. (3) Further research finds that state-owned enterprises strengthen internal-control willingness and their risk-taking level is significantly lower than that of non-state-owned enterprises. This paper suggests that the regulatory authorities actively urge the board of directors to strengthen internal-control willingness.
You are simply not funny: Development and validation of a scale to measure failed humor in leadership

Research has recently established the notion that humor in leadership contributes to the development of a positive professional relationship between leaders and followers. This relationship has been supposed to be the core mechanism via which humor in leadership unfolds its effects on work attitudes and behaviors. However, research has neglected the option that humor used by leaders might fail to amuse their followers. In this study, we investigate the role of failed humor for the relationship between leader and follower. More concretely, we develop a new scale for measuring failed humor in leadership and demonstrate its factorial and criterion-related validity. Using an automated item selection algorithm, we optimized the newly developed scale and derived a well-fitting six-item scale out of a pool of 12 items. In a study based on a sample of 385 employees, we were able to show that our newly developed scale is factorially valid. Moreover, we showed a negative correlation between failed humor and leader-member exchange. Furthermore, we showed incremental validity of failed humor in that failed humor predicted variance in leader-member exchange beyond well-established humor constructs such as affiliative and aggressive humor. Our study contributes to the development of the field of humor in leadership and opens up new options for further inquiry. Moreover, our study demonstrates the use of automated item selection algorithms in the applied field.
Echocardiographic myocardial work in pre-adolescent male basketball players: a comparison with cardiopulmonary exercise test-derived aerobic capacity

Background: Pressure-strain loop (PSL) analysis provides a novel, less load-dependent non-invasive method to quantify myocardial work and demonstrates a significant correlation with the contractile reserve in adult athletes. We aim to validate PSL-derived markers in characterizing LV function in pre-adolescent basketball players by comparing results before and after the cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPX) and explore its association with CPX-derived aerobic capacity. Methods: Cardiac morphology and function in 20 pre-adolescent basketball players were assessed at 9.7 years old (9.7 ± 1.1 year) before and after cardiopulmonary exercise testing. Echocardiography was performed in all subjects, including two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography (STE). Simultaneous brachial-cuff-measured blood pressure was recorded to perform PSL analysis. Results: Nineteen subjects were included in the final analysis. Exercise training in pre-adolescent males was associated with lower global work index (GWI) and global work efficiency (GWE) at rest. GWE at stress was significantly correlated with VO2max and peak O2 pulse (p = 0.0122, r = 0.56; p = 0.00122, r = 0.69, respectively). When indexed by body mass, GWI and GWE both significantly correlated with relative VO2max (p = 0.0086 and 0.0011 respectively, r = 0.58 and 0.69 respectively); GWI and GWE at baseline and stress were all significantly correlated with peak O2 pulse (GWI at baseline, p < 0.0001, r = −0.90; GWE at baseline, p < 0.0001, r = −0.89; GWI at stress, p = 0.0289, r = −0.50; GWE at stress, p < 0.0001, r = −0.83). Conclusion: PSL-analysis-derived GWI and GWE at rest indexed by body mass are associated with cardiopulmonary exercise test-derived peak oxygen consumption and oxygen pulse in pre-adolescent athletes.
Abdominal massage alleviates functional diarrhea in immature rats via modulation of intestinal microbiota and tight junction protein

Functional diarrhea (FD) is a common type of chronic diarrhea in children. Recurrent diarrhea can negatively impact children's quality of life and raise healthcare costs significantly. However, conventional treatments are ineffective and limited. Moreover, children with chronic conditions have poor medication compliance. Therefore, non-pharmacological and complementary treatments are urgently needed. In China, abdominal massage is widely used to treat diarrhea in children. Numerous clinical studies have verified its usefulness in treating gastrointestinal disorders as well. Nevertheless, its intrinsic mechanisms are still unclear, and the impact of massage direction on treatment effects has received less attention. In our study, we found that FD was not associated with pathogen infection. A dysbiosis of the intestinal microbiota and disruption of the intestinal barrier are most likely to cause FD. Moreover, this study also substantiates that abdominal massage can mitigate functional diarrhea by altering the intestinal microbiota structure and decreasing the number of bacteria that damage intestinal mucosal barriers. The reduction of Ruminococcus_torques_group and Clostridium_innocuum_group at the genus level potentially mediated the beneficial effects of abdominal massage on alleviating diarrhea. Furthermore, massaging from two different directions, clockwise (CW) and counter-clockwise (CCW) massage, would not significantly influence the effect of the massage on intestinal microbiota or tight junction proteins. In summary, abdominal massage is an effective complementary therapy for children suffering from functional diarrhea.
Explaining Pre-service Teachers’ Intentions to Use Technology-Enabled Learning: An Extended Model of the Theory of Planned Behavior

This study proposed an extended theory of planned behavior (TPB) to examine the factors that influence pre-service teachers’ intention to use technology-enabled learning, using constructivist pedagogical beliefs (CPB) and information and communication technologies (ICT) competencies as antecedent variables for attitudes, subjective norms (SNs), and perceived behavioral control. An online study was conducted with a random sample of pre-service teachers from 7 universities in China, and 811 validated questionnaires were obtained. The results showed that the extended TPB model explained 75% of the variance in intention; attitude, SNs, and perceived behavioral control had a positive and significant effect on intention. Furthermore, SNs had a positive and significant effect on attitude and perceived behavioral control. CPB were the antecedent variables for attitude, SNs, perceived behavioral control, and ICT competencies. ICT competencies were the antecedent variable for SNs and perceived behavioral control. Additionally, through multi-group analysis, this study found significant differences in path relationships between the lower and higher-grade groups. The effect of perceived behavioral control on intention diminished with increased grade level. The effect of SNs on perceived behavioral control reduced. The effect of CPB on attitude and perceived behavioral control on intention diminished. The effect of SNs on attitude increased. This study verified that adding the relationship between antecedent variables of theoretical factors and theoretical factors is an effective way to expand TPB and provided a reference for future studies to focus on the related intention of pre-service teachers. Furthermore, it recommends that Chinese universities should eliminate the hindering influence of CPB, ICT competencies, attitudes, SNs, and perceived behavioral control in the process of preparing pre-service teachers. They should also pay attention to the individual differences of students in different grades and the problems that arise in the existing training.
Individuating multiple (not one) persons reduces implicit racial bias

Individuation training that helps humans see multiple other-race targets as distinct rather than as interchangeable can reduce children’s implicit racial bias in the form of more negative other-race associations than own-race associations. However, little is known about which aspects of these interventions are critical for their effectiveness. The present research examines whether children need to learn to differentiate among multiple other-race individuals for these interventions to reduce their level of implicit racial bias, or whether differentiating a single other-race individual is sufficient. We addressed this question among 4-to-6-year-old Chinese children (N = 66, 31 girls) who engaged in coordinated movement with Black instructors for 2 min. There were two between-subject conditions: in a differentiation condition, there were four different Black instructors, and children had to learn to tell them apart, and in a no-differentiation condition, there was only one Black instructor. Implicit bias was measured using the IRBT, an implicit association test that was developed based on the IAT but is appropriate for young children. We found a reduction in implicit bias against Black people after this interaction in the differentiation condition, but not in the no-differentiation condition. These findings suggest that learning to differentiate among multiple other-race individuals plays a critical role in reducing children’s implicit racial bias.