Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Parent Satisfaction With Outpatient Telemedicine Services During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Repeated Cross-Sectional Study

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the development of hospital-based telemedicine services had been slow and circumscribed in scope due to insurance and licensure restrictions. As these restrictions were eased during the COVID-19 pandemic to facilitate ongoing patient care, the public health emergency facilitated a rapid expansion and utilization of telemedicine services across the ambulatory service sector. Objectives The current quality improvement (QI) study utilized this unprecedented opportunity to evaluate the use of telemedicine services across a variety of clinical disciplines and patient groups. Methods Caregivers of patients (ages 0–21) who received care through an outpatient specialty center provided experience ratings of telemedicine services delivered during the initial pandemic months (March–June 2020; N = 1311) or during the national “winter surge” in late 2020 (November 2020–February 2021; N = 1395). Questionnaires were distributed electronically following the clinical visits, and ANCOVA was employed (with patient age as the covariate) to determine if caregiver responses differed based on patient demographic characteristics. Results Ratings of patient satisfaction with services were very strong at both time points; greater variability in scores was noted when caregivers were asked if they would use telemedicine services again. At both time points, younger patient age (i.e., age 0–5) was associated with decreased caregiver willingness to use telemedicine services in the future. Smaller effects were seen for certain “hands on” therapies (occupational, physical, and speech) during the initial months of the pandemic and for proximity to the hospital during the “winter surge. ” Conclusions These data suggest a very positive overall caregiver response to telemedicine-based services during the COVID-19 pandemic. Several areas of potential improvement/innovation were identified, including the delivery of telemedicine therapies (e.g., occupational, physical, and speech) services to young patients (i.e., aged 0–5).
Reliability and validity of sit-to-stand test protocols in patients with coronary artery disease

Background Sit-To-Stand (STS) tests are reported as feasible alternatives for the assessment of functional fitness but the reliability of these tests in people with coronary artery disease (CAD) has not been reported. This study explored the test-retest reliability, convergent and known-groups validity of the five times, 30-sec and 1-min sit-to-stand test (FTSTS test, 30-s STS test and 1-min STS test respectively) in patients with CAD. The feasibility of applying these tests to distinguish the level of risk for cardiovascular events in CAD patients was also investigated. Methods Patients with stable CAD performed a 6MWT and 3 STS tests in random order on the same day. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were conducted using STS test data to differentiate patients with low or high risk of cardiovascular events based on the risk level determined by distance covered in the 6MWT as > or ≤ 419 m. Thirty patients repeated the 3 STS tests on the following day. Results 112 subjects with diagnoses of atherosclerosis or post-percutaneous coronary intervention, or post-acute myocardial infarction (post-AMI) participated in the validity analysis. All 3 STS tests demonstrated moderate and significant correlation with the 6MWT (coefficient values r for the FTSTS, 30-s STS and 1-min STS tests were−0.53, 0.57 and 0.55 respectively). Correlations between left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and all STS tests and between 6MWT and LVEF were only weak (r values ranged from 0.27 to 0.31). Subgroup analysis showed participants in the post-AMI group performed worse in all tests compared to non-myocardial infarction (non-MI) group. The area under the curve (AUC) was 0.80 for FTSTS (sensitivity: 75.0%, specificity: 73.8%, optimal cut-off: >11.7 sec), and the AUC, sensitivity, specificity and optimal cut-off for 30-s STS and 1-min STS test were 0.83, 75.0%, 76.2%, ≤ 12 repetitions and 0.80, 71.4%, 73.8%, ≤ 23 repetitions respectively. The intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) for repeated measurements of the FTSTS, 30-s STS and 1-min STS tests were 0.96, 0.95 and 0.96 respectively, with the minimal detectable change (MDC95) computed to be 1.1 sec 1.8 repetitions and 3.9 repetitions respectively. Conclusions All STS tests demonstrated good test-retest reliability, convergent and known-groups validity. STS tests may discriminate low from high levels of risk for a cardiovascular event in patients with CAD.
Population genomics reveal deep divergence and strong geographical structure in gentians in the Hengduan Mountains

Understanding the evolutionary and ecological processes driving population differentiation and speciation can provide critical insights into the formation of biodiversity. Here, we examine the link between population genetic processes and biogeographic history underlying the generation of diversity in the Hengduan Mountains (HM), a region harboring a rich and dynamic flora. We used restriction site-associated DNA sequencing to generate 1,907 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and four-kb of plastid sequence in species of the Gentiana hexaphylla complex (Gentianaceae). We performed genetic clustering with spatial and non-spatial models, phylogenetic reconstructions, and ancestral range estimation, with the aim of addressing the processes influencing diversification of G. hexaphylla in the HM. We find the G. hexaphylla complex is characterized by geographic genetic structure with clusters corresponding to the South, North and the central HM. Phylogenetic reconstruction and pairwise FST analyses showed deep differentiation between Southern and Northern populations in the HM. The population in Mount Taibai exhibited the highest genetic similarity to the North HM. Ancestral range estimation indicated that the G. hexaphylla complex originated in the central HM and then diverged in the Pliocene and the Early Pleistocene, before dispersing widely, resulting in the current distinct lineages. Overall, we found deep genomic differentiation in the G. hexaphylla complex corresponds to geographic barriers to dispersal in the HM and highlights a critical role of the uplift of the Daxue Mountains and subsequent climatic fluctuations underlying diversification. The colonization of G. hexaphylla in the Mount Taibai region suggests directional dispersal between the alpine flora of the Qinling Mountains and the HM.
Concentration-response gene expression analysis in zebrafish reveals phenotypically-anchored transcriptional responses to retene

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are ubiquitous environmental contaminants and are associated with human disease. Canonically, many PAHs induce toxicity via activation of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) pathway. While the interaction between PAHs and the AHR is well-established, understanding which AHR-regulated transcriptional effects directly result in observable phenotypes and which are adaptive or benign is important to better understand PAH toxicity. Retene is a frequently detected PAH in environmental sampling and has been associated with AHR2-dependent developmental toxicity in zebrafish, though its mechanism of toxicity has not been fully elucidated. To interrogate transcriptional changes causally associated with retene toxicity, we conducted whole-animal RNA sequencing at 48 h post-fertilization after exposure to eight retene concentrations. We aimed to identify the most sensitive transcriptomic responses and to determine whether this approach could uncover gene sets uniquely differentially expressed at concentrations which induce a phenotype. We identified a concentration-response relationship for differential gene expression in both number of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and magnitude of expression change. Elevated expression of cyp1a at retene concentrations below the threshold for teratogenicity suggested that while cyp1a expression is a sensitive biomarker of AHR activation, it may be too sensitive to serve as a biomarker of teratogenicity. Genes differentially expressed at only non-teratogenic concentrations were enriched for transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling pathway disruption while DEGs identified at only teratogenic concentrations were significantly enriched for response to xenobiotic stimulus and reduction-oxidation reaction activity. DEGs which spanned both non-teratogenic and teratogenic concentrations showed similar disrupted biological processes to those unique to teratogenic concentrations, indicating these processes were disrupted at low exposure concentrations. Gene co-expression network analysis identified several gene modules, including those associated with PAHs and AHR2 activation. One, Module 7, was strongly enriched for AHR2-associated genes and contained the strongest responses to retene. Benchmark concentration (BMC) of Module seven genes identified a median BMC of 7.5 µM, nearly the highest retene concentration with no associated teratogenicity, supporting the hypothesis that Module seven genes are largely responsible for retene toxicity.
Sex Differences in Clinical Parameters, Pharmacological and Health-Resource Utilization in a Population With Hypertension Without a Diagnosis of COVID-19

Objectives: Determine the changes in clinical, pharmacological and healthcare resource use parameters, between the 6 months prior to the lockdown and the 6 months following its end, in a population with hypertension who did not have a diagnosis of COVID-19. Methods: Real world data observational study of 245,979 persons aged >16 years with hypertension in Aragon (Spain). Clinical (systolic-diastolic blood pressure, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), blood creatinine, cholesterol, triglycerides and anthropometric measures); pharmacological (diuretics, calcium channel antagonists, and ACE inhibitors); and utilization of healthcare resources were considered. We performed the Student’s T-test for matched samples (quantitative) and the Chi-squared test (qualitative) to analyze differences between periods. Results: SBP, DBP, parameters of renal function and triglycerides displayed a significant, albeit clinically irrelevant, worsening in women. In men only DBP and eGFR showed a worsening, although to a lesser extent than in women. Certain antihypertensive drugs and health-resource utilization remained below pre-pandemic levels across the 6 months post-lockdown. Conclusion: Changes in lifestyles, along with difficulties in access to routine care has not substantially compromised the health and quality of life of patients with hypertension.
The appraisal of tropical cyclones in the North Indian Ocean: An overview of different approaches and the involvement of Earth’s components

This study aims to provide a comprehensive and balanced assessment of recent scientific studies on the evolution, temporal variability and prediction of tropical cyclones (TCs), focusing on the North Indian Ocean (NIO). The involvement of earth’s components in TC genesis and intensification has been elaborated in a confined way. The advancement of multidisciplinary approaches for comprehending the TCs is highlighted after a brief description of the involvement of oceanic, atmospheric, and land surface processes. Only a few studies illustrate how land surface plays a role in TC intensification; however, the role of latent heat flow, moisture, and convection in cyclogenesis is well documented. Despite two to 3 decades of advancement and significant development in forecasting techniques and satellite products, the prediction of TC’s intensity, dissipation, track, and landfall remains a challenge. The most noticeable improvements in NIO TC’s prediction have been achieved in the last couple of decades when concord techniques are utilized, especially the data assimilation methods and dynamical coupled atmosphere-ocean regional models. Through diverse methodologies, algorithms, parameterization, in-situ observational data, data mining, boundary layer, and surface fluxes, significant research has been done to increase the skills of standalone atmospheric models and air-sea coupled models. However, some crucial issues still exist, and it is suggested that they should be addressed in future studies.
Enhancing Chinese preschoolers’ executive function via mindfulness training: An fNIRS study

Mindfulness training has been found to enable cognitive and emotional awareness and diminish emotional distraction and cognitive rigidity. However, the existing intervention studies have largely focused on school children, adolescents, and adults, leaving young children unexplored. This study examined the influence of mindfulness training on young children using the one-group pretest-posttest design. Altogether 31 Chinese preschoolers (Mage = 67.03 months, SD = 4.25) enrolled in a 5-week, twice-per-week mindfulness training. Their cognitive shifting, inhibitory control, and working memory were examined using a battery of executive function tasks. And their brain activations in the region of interest during the tasks were measured using fNIRS before and after the intervention. Results showed that their cognitive shifting and working memory tasks performance significantly improved, and their activation in the DLPFC significantly changed. Implications for this study were also included.
Marketing by live streaming: How to interact with consumers to increase their purchase intentions

Live streaming e-commerce, as a kind of new information technology-based business model, is currently the most popular marketing approach, especially in China. This research divides live streaming interactions into three dimensions, interactions for obtaining product information (IPI), interactions for grasping the purchase dynamics of others (IPD), and interactions for obtaining monetary incentives (IMI), and proposes a comprehensive framework to examine whether live streaming interactions with consumers promote both social presence and consumer conformity, and thereby enhance their purchase intentions. Covariance-based structural equation modeling (CB-SEM) with AMOS was conducted to analyze data collected from 576 Chinese consumers. The main findings are that, first, both IPI and IPD can exert a direct impact on social presence and consumer conformity; second, IMI has a positive impact only on social presence; third, among the three dimensions of interactions, both IPI and IPD tend to increase purchase intention through social presence and consumer conformity, while IMI increases purchase intention only via social presence. Furthermore, given the differences between experience and search products, the results of the multigroup analysis indicate inconsistent path coefficients between the two product groups. This study provides a novel perspective on live streaming e-commerce with evidence on how interactions matter in driving purchase intentions, enriches the content of live streaming e-commerce literature and explores the practical implications for marketing managers are looking for marketing by live streaming.
Feasibility of a Stochastic Collaborative Beamforming for Long Range Communications in Wireless Sensor Networks

Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) is a group of spatially dispersed autonomous sensor devices, named motes. These motes have a microcontroller, sensors, are powered by AA or AAA batteries, and mainly have the ability to communicate using the IEEE 802.15. 4 standard. The motes communicate between them inside the WSN exchanging packets using a multi-hop routing. They use a very low amount of power (below 100 mW). This limits the maximum communication distance between motes within the WSN. Usually, one mote acts as a gateway to other networks and this mote is also called sink or simply Base Station (BS), and the data collected by the sensors of each mote are sent to this mote. The maximum distance between the BS and the nearest mote is below 100 m because of the power limitations of the motes. If the WSN-BS distance is above this boundary, the communication will surely fail. We propose a new technique in order to achieve a long range communication from the WSN, for instance to communicate to a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite. Many proposals in the literature based on Collaborative Beamforming (CB), also known as Distributed or Cooperative Beamforming, for these long range communications are found, however the synchronization of clocks is an almost impossible task given the simplicity and cheapness of the architecture of the motes. To overcome this problem, we propose a new technique, named Stochastic Collaborative Beamforming (SCB), in which we take advantage of the synchronization errors of the clocks. In SCB, it is possible to obtain the adequate time delay that permits the interference or sufficient gain in the direction of the receiver. This gain is obtained from interfering independent signals coming from each mote of the WSN, using a repetition scheme. Although it does not get all the nominal gain that could be obtained in case of a perfect synchronization, it does get a sufficient gain to reach the BS with limited power consumption.
Pulmonary infection and baseline mRS scores predict poor prognosis in anti-GABABR encephalitis

Purpose Anti-gamma-aminobutyric-acid type B receptor (anti-GABABR) encephalitis is a rare autoimmune condition caused by the presence of GABABR antibodies in the limbic system. However, its clinical features and prognostic factors are poorly understood. In this study, we aimed to explore factors that affect the response to first-line treatment in patients with anti-GABABR encephalitis. Methods Thirty-four patients with an initial diagnosis of anti-GABABR encephalitis were retrospectively enrolled from December 2015 to June 2021. Clinical features and experimental data recorded within 24 h of admission were extracted from the patients’ medical records. The modified Rankin Scale (mRS) was utilized to assess disease severity at admission and functional recovery after immunotherapy. Independent prognostic factors were determined by ordinal logistic regression analysis. Results Of the 34 anti-GABABR encephalitis patients, 12 (35%) presented with cancer; all of these patients had lung cancer. According to multivariate regression analysis, the cancer group exhibited a decrease in the peripheral blood absolute lymphocyte count (ALC) (odds ratio [OR]: 0.063, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.006-0.639, P=0.019) and hyponatremia (OR: 9.268, 95% CI: 1.054-81.502, 0.045). In addition, the neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR), monocyte/lymphocyte ratio (MLR) and platelet/lymphocyte ratio (PLR) did not significantly differ according to mRS scores in patients receiving first-line treatment. No patients with mild or moderate mRS scores (0-2) at admission developed symptoms after treatment; in contrast, only 11 patients with a severe mRS scores (≥3, 11/18) experienced symptom alleviation. Ordinal regression analysis indicated that worse prognosis was associated with pulmonary infection (OR=9.885, 95% CI: 1.106-88.323, P=0.040) and baseline mRS scores (OR= 24.047, 95% CI: 3.294-175.739, P=0.002) in the adjusted model. Conclusion Our findings demonstrate that pulmonary infection and baseline mRS scores are independent risk factors for poor prognosis in patients with anti-GABABR encephalitis after first-line treatment. ALC and hyponatremia are potential biomarkers for anti-GABABR encephalitis cases accompanied by lung cancer.
Exploring teachers’ attitudes and self-efficacy beliefs for implementing student self-assessment of English as a foreign language writing

With the growing need to nurture students’ independent learning, English language teaching (ELT) practices should reflect student-centered assessment approaches, such as self-assessment, an ultimate goal of higher education. It has been pointed out that to conduct effective self-assessment, students need to be taught systematically, and that is where teachers are expected to step in. Prior to implementing such a change in ELT, it is important to conduct research on English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers’ attitudes toward, and self-efficacy beliefs about, implementing self-assessment to cultivate capable student self-assessors. Although the strong global endorsement of self-assessment over the past two decades has witnessed its classroom implementation in different disciplines, such studies are scant in relation to EFL writing classrooms. To address this gap, the present qualitative research examined five Chinese tertiary EFL writing teachers’ attitudes toward and self-efficacy beliefs about student self-assessment of writing, as well as possible reasons that discourage them from engaging students in self-assessment practices. Data collected from in-depth, semi-structured interviews indicated that self-assessment, a critical element of self-regulated learning, is surprisingly missing from the teachers’ knowledge base and previous practices. Additionally, the findings offer insights into the striking differences in teachers’ understanding of, attitudes toward, and low self-efficacy beliefs about self-assessment of writing. Reasons why teachers choose not to implement self-assessment of writing are also discussed. Findings from this study contribute to a deeper understanding of how EFL teachers’ attitudes and self-efficacy beliefs are enacted in relation to their classroom assessment practices in order to move forward discussions on the feasibility of implementing self-assessment of writing in tertiary EFL classrooms.
Research on the impact of digital inclusive finance on rural human capital accumulation: A case study of China

The accumulation of rural human capital is one of the important factors to realize the sustainable development of the rural economy. Digital inclusive finance eases the budget constraints of farmers and affects their willingness and ability to invest in education which improves human capital accumulation. The impact of digital inclusive finance on rural human capital accumulation is strong but complex to determine. Based on the data from 31 provinces of China from 2011 to 2020, this study uses the systematic Generalized Moment Method (GMM) to build an analytical framework to explore the impact mechanism and differences of digital inclusive finance over the rural human capital accumulation regional levels. The study found that with the development of digital inclusive finance and the expansion of the breadth of coverage, and usage of digital inclusive finance can significantly enhance the accumulation of rural human capital. In terms of regional differences, the boosting effect of digital inclusive finance on rural human capital accumulation is greater in the Northeast than that in the Central, Western and Eastern regions of China. The impact of the extent of digital inclusive finance coverage on rural human capital accumulation is significantly greater in Northeast and Eastern regions than in Central and Western regions; the impact of the depth of digital inclusive finance usage on rural human capital accumulation is limited in Central China. Its findings and results can help to further develop digital inclusive finance, particularly for human capital accumulation in rural areas.