Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Exploring Heart Rate Variability as a Biomedical Diagnostic Tool for the Disympathetic Dimension of Eight-Constitution Medicine

Background Eight-Constitution Medicine (ECM), an extension of Traditional Korean Medicine, divides the population into eight groups based on their physiological characteristics. ECM divides these eight groups into two larger groups based on autonomic reactivity: the Sympathicotonic group and the Vagotonic group (herein referred to as the Disympathetic Dimension). Heart Rate Variability (HRV) is a widely used biomedical tool to assess cardiac autonomic function. This raises the question of the utility of using HRV to correctly diagnose ECM constitutions. Methods A systematic literature review was conducted to evaluate the correlation between HRV and constitutions in Korean Constitutional Medicine, including Eight-Constitution Medicine (ECM) and Sasang Constitution Medicine (SCM). The articles were obtained from both English (Scopus, PubMed, EMBASE, ProQuest, and Medline) and Korean databases (NDSL and RISS), in addition to Google Scholar, without date restriction. 20 studies met the inclusion criteria, and data were extracted against three aspects: (1) correlation between HRV and constitution, (2) HRV reporting and interpretation, and (3) extraneous factors that were controlled in the studies. Results 386 articles were initially identified, which was reduced to n = 20 studies which met the inclusion criteria. Of these, 19 were SCM studies and 1 was an ECM study. Sample sizes varied from 10 to 8498 men and women, with an age range of 10–80 years. SCM studies explored HRV differences by constitution, measuring HRV at resting, with controlled breathing, before and after acupuncture stimulation, and by other interventions. SCM studies reported either no significant differences (HRV at resting or with controlled breathing studies) or conflicting data (HRV with acupuncture stimulation studies). The single ECM study measured HRV at resting and after acupuncture stimulation but reported no significant differences between the two groups of Sympathicotonia and Vagotonia. Conclusions Due to inconsistencies in study design, study population, and measures of HRV, there was no consistency in the data to support the use of HRV as a biomedical determinant of ECM constitutions.
Sources, Occurrence and Characteristics of Fluorescent Biological Aerosol Particles Measured Over the Pristine Southern Ocean

In this study, we investigate the occurrence of primary biological aerosol particles (PBAP) over all sectors of the Southern Ocean (SO) based on a 90‐day data set collected during the Antarctic Circumnavigation Expedition (ACE) in austral summer 2016–2017. Super‐micrometer PBAP (1–16 µm diameter) were measured by a wide band integrated bioaerosol sensor (WIBS‐4). Low (3σ) and high (9σ) fluorescence thresholds are used to obtain statistics on fluorescent and hyper‐fluorescent PBAP, respectively. Our focus is on data obtained over the pristine ocean, that is, more than 200 km away from land. The results indicate that (hyper‐)fluorescent PBAP are correlated to atmospheric variables associated with sea spray aerosol (SSA) particles (wind speed, total super‐micrometer aerosol number concentration, chloride and sodium concentrations). This suggests that a main source of PBAP over the SO is SSA. The median percentage contribution of fluorescent and hyper‐fluorescent PBAP to super‐micrometer SSA was 1.6% and 0.13%, respectively. We demonstrate that the fraction of (hyper‐)fluorescent PBAP to total super‐micrometer particles positively correlates with concentrations of bacteria and several taxa of pythoplankton measured in seawater, indicating that marine biota concentrations modulate the PBAP source flux. We investigate the fluorescent properties of (hyper‐)fluorescent PBAP for several events that occurred near land masses. We find that the fluorescence signal characteristics of particles near land is much more variable than over the pristine ocean. We conclude that the source and concentration of fluorescent PBAP over the open ocean is similar across all sampled sectors of the SO.
Comparative phylogeography uncovers evolutionary past of Holarctic dragonflies

Here, we investigate the evolutionary history of five northern dragonfly species to evaluate what role the last glaciation period may have played in their current distributions. We look at the population structure and estimate divergence times for populations of the following species: Aeshna juncea (Linnaeus), Aeshna subarctica Walker, Sympetrum danae (Sulzer), Libellula quadrimaculata Linnaeus and Somatochlora sahlbergi Trybom across their Holarctic range. Our results suggest a common phylogeographic pattern across all species except for S. sahlbergi. First, we find that North American and European populations are genetically distinct and have perhaps been separated for more than 400,000 years. Second, our data suggests that, based on genetics, populations from the Greater Beringian region (Beringia, Japan and China) have haplotypes that cluster with North America or Europe depending on the species rather than having a shared geographic affinity. This is perhaps a result of fluctuating sea levels and ice sheet coverage during the Quaternary period that influenced dispersal routes and refugia. Indeed, glacial Beringia may have been as much a transit zone as a refugia for dragonflies. Somatochlora sahlbergi shows no genetic variation across its range and therefore does not share the geographic patterns found in the other circumboreal dragonflies studied here. Lastly, we discuss the taxonomic status of Sympetrum danae, which our results indicate is a species complex comprising two species, one found in Eurasia through Beringia, and the other in North America east and south of Beringia. Through this study we present a shared history among different species from different families of dragonflies, which are influenced by the climatic fluctuations of the past.
Is working from home the new workplace panacea? Lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic for the future world of work

Orientation The COVID-19 pandemic has forced millions of employees to work from home as governments implemented lockdowns. Research purpose This study examined the impact of working exclusively from home on employee engagement and experience, and determined beneficial and distracting factors. Motivation for the study Remote working trends have risen steeply since the onset of COVID-19 and are unlikely to taper off soon. Organisations need to understand the impact of remote work when reconsidering working arrangements. Research approach/design and method A dual-approach qualitative design was followed. The sample comprised 25 employees (N = 25) who were forced to work exclusively from home during COVID-19. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews. Main findings Working from home for protracted periods rendered paradoxical outcomes. Employees could work effectively with improved employee engagement and experience, but there were challenges rendering adverse effects. The experienced benefits of working from home created expectations that this practice would continue in future, along with some office work. Practical/managerial implications Organisations need to continue, though not exclusively, with work-from-home arrangements. The ideal ratio of remote work to office work was seen as two to three days per week. However, support and cultural practices would have to be put in place. Contribution/value-add The COVID-19 lockdown provided a unique environment to study remote work. For the first time, employees and organisations were placed in a situation where they could experience working from home in a stark and compulsory form, devoid of idealistic fantasies or romanticism.
Test anxiety and procrastination in physiotherapy students

BACKGROUND: Short-term academic procrastination may be accompanied by negative outcomes such as anxiety, stress, and depression. The current study aims to evaluate the two parameters of procrastination and test anxiety in physiotherapy students and explore whether a relationship exists between them. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A descriptive, cross-sectional survey with a prospective study design was carried out over a period of 6 months. The study used a two-staged cluster sampling method: 220 undergraduate and postgraduate physiotherapy students from colleges in Mumbai and Navi Mumbai participated in the study, ensuring participation of students from each year of the course. The Westside Test Anxiety Scale was administered to evaluate test anxiety, and the Academic Procrastination Scale was used to evaluate procrastination. To illustrate the basic demographics of the participants, descriptive statistics were used. A correlation matrix was used to analyze the correlation between the two parameters. RESULTS: The mean procrastination score of the physiotherapy students was 74.1. Amongst undergraduates, the highest procrastination was seen in the 3rd Bachelor of Physiotherapy students (mean = 76.7), whereas among postgraduates, the highest procrastination was seen in Master of Physiotherapy 1 students (mean = 75.7). The mean test anxiety score was 3, indicating moderately high test anxiety among students. There was a statistically significant, positive correlation between test anxiety score and procrastination score (P value = 0.000, Pearson's correlation co-efficient = 0.383). CONCLUSION: Both test anxiety and the tendency to procrastinate were present among undergraduate and postgraduate physiotherapy students, in varying degrees. There was a positive correlation between the two factors.
Improved Constraints on Global Methane Emissions and Sinks Using δ 13C‐CH4

We study the drivers behind the global atmospheric methane (CH4) increase observed after 2006. Candidate emission and sink scenarios are constructed based on proposed hypotheses in the literature. These scenarios are simulated in the TM5 tracer transport model for 1984–2016 to produce three‐dimensional fields of CH4 and δ13C‐CH4, which are compared with observations to test the competing hypotheses in the literature in one common model framework. We find that the fossil fuel (FF) CH4 emission trend from the Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research 4.3. 2 inventory does not agree with observed δ13C‐CH4. Increased FF CH4 emissions are unlikely to be the dominant driver for the post‐2006 global CH4 increase despite the possibility for a small FF emission increase. We also find that a significant decrease in the abundance of hydroxyl radicals (OH) cannot explain the post‐2006 global CH4 increase since it does not track the observed decrease in global mean δ13C‐CH4. Different CH4 sinks have different fractionation factors for δ13C‐CH4, thus we can investigate the uncertainty introduced by the reaction of CH4 with tropospheric chlorine (Cl), a CH4 sink whose abundance, spatial distribution, and temporal changes remain uncertain. Our results show that including or excluding tropospheric Cl as a 13 Tg/year CH4 sink in our model changes the magnitude of estimated fossil emissions by ∼20%. We also found that by using different wetland emissions based on a static versus a dynamic wetland area map, the partitioning between FF and microbial sources differs by 20 Tg/year, ∼12% of estimated fossil emissions.
The Effect of Controlled Diabetes and Hyperglycemia on Implant Placement with Simultaneous Horizontal Guided Bone Regeneration: A Clinical Retrospective Analysis

Diabetes represents a challenge in implant therapy because hyperglycemia may negatively affect bone regeneration, directly compromising clinical outcomes and increasing clinical failures. The aim of this retrospective study is to analyse the prognostic significance of HbA1c levels in patients undergoing implant placement associated with horizontal guided bone regeneration. Thirty-four patients were divided into 3 groups according to their HbA1c levels: nondiabetic normoglycemic patients (HbA1c < 5.7%), nondiabetic hyperglycemic patients (HbA1c < 6.5%), and controlled diabetic patients (HbA1c < 7%). Primary outcomes were dimensional changes in height (VDH) and width (DW) of the peri-implant defect. Secondary outcomes were evaluations of periodontal parameters of adjacent tooth sites, wound healing, marginal bone loss (MBL), and survival and success rates. At T1 (6 months), mean VDH values in groups 1, 2, and 3 were, respectively, 0.07, 0.5, and 0.25 mm. Mean DW values in those same groups were, respectively, 0.07, 0.38, and 0.33 mm. HbA1c levels were not statistically related to VDH and DW values at T1. No statistically significant differences were observed in MBL between groups (p = 0.230). Implant survival and success rates were, respectively, 98% and 96%. Simultaneous guided bone regeneration is a feasible procedure for the treatment of horizontal bone deficiencies in controlled diabetic patients.
Why do pharmacists leave the profession? A mixed-method exploratory study

Background: Recent New Zealand policy documents aim for pharmacists to be retained, and promote the provision of extended clinical pharmacy services. However, younger pharmacists have expressed dissatisfaction with the profession on informal social for a. Objectives: To explore the characteristics, and perspectives of pharmacy as a career, of recent Bachelor of Pharmacy (BPharm, four-year degree) graduates who have left, or are seriously considering leaving the New Zealand pharmacy profession in the near future and where they have gone, or plan to go. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study with a mixed-method explanatory sequential design. An anonymous online survey among those who completed their pharmacy undergraduate degree (BPharm or equivalent) in 2003 or later and who had left or who were seriously considering leaving the New Zealand pharmacy profession in the next five years, was open from 1st December 2018 to 1st February 2019. Recruitment occurred via University alumni databases, pharmacy professional organisations, pharmaceutical print media, social media and word-of-mouth. Ten semi-structured interviews were then conducted with a purposive sample of survey respondents. Descriptive statistics were generated from the quantitative data and qualitative data were analysed using manifest content analysis. Results: We received 327 analysable surveys of which 40.4% (n=132) were from those who had already left the New Zealand pharmacy sector at the time of the data collection and the rest (59.6% n=195) were those working within the sector, but seriously considering leaving the profession. Reasons most commonly reported for studying pharmacy were having an interest in health and wanting to work with people. The most common reasons for leaving, or wanting to leave, were dissatisfaction with the professional environment, including inadequate remuneration, and a perceived lack of career pathways or promotion opportunities. A wide range of career destinations were declared, with medicine being most frequently reported. Conclusions: Most of the reasons for leaving/considering leaving the profession reported relate to the values and features of the pharmacy profession such as the professional environment, remuneration and career pathways. These findings are consistent with other studies and may represent a barrier to achieving the aims of recent health policy documents.
Parkinsonism reversed from treatment of pineal non-germinomatous germ cell tumor

Background: Parkinsonism is a rare complication of non-germinomatous germ cell tumors (NGGCTs) arising from the pineal region. Case Description: We describe a 23-year-old man who presented with Parinaud syndrome, fatigue, and hypersomnia that were caused by a pineal region NGGCT with yolk sac component and an initial α-fetoprotein (AFP) of 1011.0 ng/ml. MRI revealed that the tumor was causing 10 mm of midline shift and compressing the cerebral aqueduct, the left thalamus, and the midbrain. Obstructive hydrocephalus was relieved by ventriculoperitoneal shunting. Six cycles of induction chemotherapy with ifosfamide, carboplatin, and etoposide reduced tumor size and decreased AFP levels in both serum and cerebrospinal fluid. Following the first cycle, the patient developed asymmetric, bilateral Parkinsonism consisting of bradykinesia, bradyphrenia, facial hypomimia, drooling, and dysphagia. Levodopa, amantadine, and methylphenidate were administered and resulted in symptom improvement. Second look neurosurgery revealed residual yolk sac tumor and a second induction regimen of gemcitabine, paclitaxel, and oxaliplatin was administered for rising AFP. The patient eventually received an autologous bone marrow transplant using a regimen of high-dose carboplatin, thiotepa, and etoposide with concomitant colony-stimulating factor and romiplostim support followed by consolidative proton craniospinal radiotherapy. Posttreatment head MRI showed that no evidence of tumor growth and serum AFP was within normal limits. His Parkinsonism eventually resolved and he was weaned off all dopaminergic drugs. Conclusion: Bilateral Parkinsonism from NGGCT in this patient is probably caused by pressure on nigrostriatal tracts, substantia nigra, or both. The Parkinsonian symptoms can be reversed by aggressive treatment of the tumor and administration of dopaminergic drugs.
The association between social support and medication adherence in patients with hypertension: A systematic review

Background: Medication adherence is a primary determinant of treatment success in hypertensive patients. One of the challenges for healthcare providers that has received little attention is the impact of patients’ social supports on medication adherence. Objective: This review evaluates the impact of patients’ social supports on medication adherence in hypertensive patients. Methods: A systematic review methodology was used. Pubmed, CINAHL, Embase, and PsycINFO databases were searched systematically for relevant articles. The outcome measure in the studies was medication adherence in hypertension. Results: From 1155 articles, 238 were retained for further assessment, and finally, 14 met the inclusion criteria. Statistically significant positive associations between medication adherence and social support were found in nine studies (p<0.05). Conclusions: This review evaluated the impact of social support on medication adherence and highlighted gaps in the literature regarding the impact of social support on adherence. Family members or peer support may promote better adherence in some patient groups. This review suggests that healthcare providers may need to consider whether patients have appropriate social supports in place which will assist them adhering to and benefiting from treatment recommendations.
Evaluation of the Genetic Association and Expressions of Notch-2 /Jagged-1 in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is the world’s most common cause of chronic kidney diseases (CKD), with approximately 1 in 4 adults with DM having CKD and 1 out of 10 to 20% of DM patients die from CKD. Objective: The current study aims to investigate the correlation between Notch-2 and Jag-1expressions and specific inflammation biomarkers IL-1β and IL-6 with different stages of diabetic nephropathy. Methods: From August 2018 to January 2019, three hundred subjects were recruited for this study. One hundred and fifty subjects were healthy and age-matched to the diabetic group and selected as a control group. Another 150 patients with an established diagnosis of type 2 diabetes (T2DM) according to the criteria of the American Diabetes Association (ADA) were also recruited. Blood specimens were eventually used to identify the expressions Notch-2 and Jagged-1 and the levels of inflammatory biomarkers IL-1β and IL-6. Result: The current study shows a significant increase in gene expression and inflammatory biomarkers in patients with moderate and severe diabetic nephropathy compared to the control group. However, there was no significant difference between healthy control and mild diabetic nephropathy patients. This study shows a close association between the increase in the levels of inflammatory biomarkers IL-1β and IL-6 as well as the gene expressions levels of both Notch-2 and Jag-1 with human diabetic nephropathy. Conclusion: According to our findings, we emphasize the use of Notch-2 and Jag-1 expressions and IL-1β and IL-6 levels as potential biomarkers for different stages of diabetic nephropathy.
Comparison of fruit morphology and nutrition metabolism in different cultivars of kiwifruit across developmental stages

Kiwifruit (Actinidia) is becoming increasingly popular worldwide due to its favorable flavour and high vitamin C content. However, quality parameters vary among cultivars. To determine the differences in quality and metabolic parameters of kiwifruit, we monitored the growth processes of ‘Kuilv’ (Actinidia arguta), ‘Hongyang’ (Actinidia chinensis) and ‘Hayward’ (Actinidia deliciosa). We found that ‘Kuilv’ required the shortest time for fruit development, while ‘Hayward’ needed the longest time to mature. The fruit size of ‘Hayward’ was the largest and that of ‘Kuilv’ was the smallest. Furthermore, ‘Hongyang’ showed a double-S shape of dry matter accumulation, whereas ‘Kuilv’ and ‘Hayward’ showed a linear or single-S shape pattern of dry matter accumulation during development. The three cultivars demonstrated the same trend for total soluble solids accumulation, which did not rise rapidly until 90–120 days after anthesis. However, the accumulation of organic acids and soluble sugars varied among the cultivars. During later fruit development, the content of glucose, fructose and quinic acid in ‘Kuilv’ fruit was far lower than that in ‘Hongyang’ and ‘Hayward’. On the contrary, ‘Kuilv’ had the highest sucrose content among the three cultivars. At maturity, the antioxidative enzymatic systems were significantly different among the three kiwifruit cultivars. ‘Hongyang’ showed higher activities of superoxide dismutase than the other cultivars, while the catalase content of ‘Hayward’ was significantly higher than that of ‘Hongyang’ and ‘Kuilv’. These results provided knowledge that could be implemented for the marketing, handling and post-harvest technologies of the different kiwifruit cultivars.