Search

Premise: Quaternary climatic fluctuations and long‐distance seed dispersal across the sea are critical factors affecting the distribution of coastal plants, but the spatiotemporal nature of population expansion and distribution change of East Asian coastal plants during this period are rarely examined. To explore this process, we investigated the genome‐wide phylogenetic patterns of Euphorbia jolkinii Boiss. (Euphorbiaceae), which grows widely on littoral areas of Japan, Korea, and Taiwan. Methods: We used plastome sequences and genome‐wide single nucleotide polymorphisms in samples across the species range to reveal phylogeographic patterns and spatiotemporal distributional changes. We conducted ecological niche modeling for the present and the last glacial maximum (LGM). Results: Genetic differentiation was observed between the northern and southern populations of E. jolkinii, separated by the major biogeographic boundary, the Tokara Gap. These two groups of populations differentiated during the glacial period and subsequently intermingled in the intermorainic areas of the central Ryukyu Islands after the LGM. Ecological niche models suggested that the potential range of E. jolkinii was restricted to southern Kyushu; however, it was widespread in the southern Ryukyu Islands and Taiwan during the LGM. Conclusions: This study provides evidence of genetic differentiation among coastal plant populations separated by the prominent biogeographical boundary. Although coastal plants are typically expected to maintain population connectivity through sea‐drifted seed dispersal, our findings suggest that genetic differences may arise because of a combination of limited gene flow and changes in climate during the glacial period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Until a century ago, Korean medicine was based mainly on Oriental philosophies and ideas. From a religious perspective, Chinese Confucianism was prevalent in Korea at that time. Since Confucianists believe that it is against one's filial duty to harm his or her body, given to them by their parents, most Koreans did not donate their bodies or organs for education in the past. However, by the end of the 20th century, a unique fusion of Western and Oriental medicines were produced on the Korean Peninsula, revolutionizing traditional perspectives on the human body, mortality, and the relationship of medical science to society. Koreans began to think about others' lives as well as their own by realizing the importance of donating one's organs and bodies for scientific purposes. Since then, the number of people donating their bodies to Korean medical and dental schools for the purpose of improving academic learning has increased dramatically. In response, Korean medical schools have begun to hold various types of funeral ceremonies to honor body donors. We have compared such ceremonies performed in Korea with those performed in the United States of America and Taiwan. These ceremonies are viewed as a suitable way to pay proper respect to the dead and to promote knowledge about body donation programs in Korea. Overall, the transition of religions and social ethics in Korea has greatly facilitated body bequeathal programs, benefiting both medical education and the Korean public health administration. (Contains 4 figures.)

Objectives: Symptoms of depression and high risk of sarcopenia are common among the older population; however, the associations between these remain unclear. Thus, the present study identified whether depressive symptoms are associated with older adults' sarcopenia risks. Participants: This nationally representative study in Taiwan investigated the older adult population (≥ 65 years) using a telephone survey conducted between 2019 and 2020. Design: Self-reported data obtained included depressive symptoms (5-item from Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression scale), sarcopenia risks (SARC-F questionnaire), and individual characteristics. The generalized additive models were used to examine the nonlinear associations between depressive symptoms and the risk of sarcopenia. Results: A total of 1,068 older Taiwanese adults (72.15 ± 5.71 years; 52.7% women) participated in the survey. In the unadjusted model, the results showed a significant nonlinear association between high scores on the CES-D and sarcopenia scores (p <.001). Even after adjusting for covariates (sex, age, residential areas, education, marital status, working status, living status, smoking, drinking, and BMI), it still showed a significant non-linear association (p <.001). Conclusion: The results indicated that depressive symptoms were nonlinearly related to older adults' sarcopenia risks. Interventions or programs aiming to alleviate depression can be an effective strategy to prevent sarcopenia in the older adult population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A limited number of studies have used objective measures to examine the associations between the built environment and physical activity (PA) among older adults. This study aimed to examine geographic information systems-derived neighborhood walkability attributes and accelerometer measured PA in older adults. Data were collected from 124 older Taiwanese adults aged over 60 years (mean age: 69.9). Adjusted multiple linear regression was performed to explore the associations between five neighborhood walkability factors (population density, street connectivity, sidewalk availability, access to destinations, and public transportation) and five metrics of accelerometer-measured physical activity (total PA, moderate-to-vigorous PA, light PA, long moderate-to-vigorous PA bouts, and daily step counts). After adjusting for potential confounders, we found that greater sidewalk availability was positively associated with daily step counts in older adults (β = 0.165; 95% confidence interval: 0.006, 0.412; P = 0.043). No associations between other neighborhood environment attributes and PA metrics were observed. In conclusion, high sidewalk availability in the neighborhood may be supportive for older adults’ daily step counts. Further longitudinal research is needed to establish the causality between the built environment and objectively measured PA in older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined gender differences in the associations between perceived environmental factors and walking for recreation in Taiwanese adults. In 2014, a telephone-based, cross-sectional survey targeting Taiwanese adults (20–64 years) was conducted. Data on nine items about environmental perception, time spent in walking for recreation, and socio-demographic variables were obtained from 1,065 adults using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-long version and its environmental module. Adults who perceived good aesthetics (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.74; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.36–2.23) and reported seeing people being active (AOR = 1.58; 95% CI: 1.21–2.06) were more likely to perform 150 minutes of recreational walking per week. Furthermore, significant interactions regarding walking for recreation were observed between gender and five environmental correlates: access to shops (p =.046), the presence of sidewalks (p <.001), access to recreational facilities (p =.02), seeing people being active (p =.001), and aesthetics (p <.001). These five perceived environmental factors were positively associated with recreational walking in women but not in men. Gender is a potential modifier between perceived environment and walking for recreation in adults. Perceived environmental factors appear to be more critical for women in performing health-enhancing levels of recreational walking than they are for men. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]