Body Constitution Research Articles

An Observational Study to Evaluate the Relationship Between Prakriti andNutritional Status in Apparently Healthy Subjects

Background Prakriti denotes an individualrsquos natural body constitution. In our classics Agnibala Ayu comprehensive instructions on specific food and dietary schedules are explained according to onersquos Prakriti. The health of an individual is affected by the consumption and assimilation of nutrients and is called nutritional status. Currently there is a high prevalence of malnutrition. There is an urgency to establish nutrition assessment standards to evaluate the nutritional status and to provide appropriate nutrition education.Aims and Objectives This study aimed to study the relationship between Prakriti and nutritional status.Materials and Methods The research design that this study followed was Causal. The two variables studied here were Prakriti and nutritional status. Through convenience sampling a group of a homogenous population was selected and a validated tool was administered to assess Prakriti. Sixty apparently healthy subjects were selected based on Vata pradhana Pitta pradhana Kapha pradhana prakrithi 20 individuals per Prakriti and nutritional status assessments were carried out on the basis of dietary intake assessment anthropometric measurements and biochemical investigations.Results Based on appropriate statistical tests and observations all the three criteria used for assessing nourishment favoured Kapha prakriti.Conclusion Kapha prakriti individuals have a better nutritional status and they are endowed with the excellence of strength energy and longevity which is quoted as - Balavanta Vasumanta Ojaswina and Ayushmanta gunas attributed to Kapha prakriti.

Workers’ perception towards statutory labour welfare benefits with special reference to engineering sector

In classical economics, labour is one of the three factors of production, along with capital and land. The word welfare has historically been related to happiness and prosperity. Labour welfare implies the adoption of measures to promote the physical, social, psychological and general well-being of the working population. Welfare work in any industry aims, or should aim, at improving the working and living conditions of workers and their families. Adequate levels of earnings, safe and humane conditions of work and access to some minimum social security benefits are the major qualitative dimensions of employment which enhance quality of life of workers and their productivity. Constitution of India, national and internal labour bodies, labour laws, especially the factories act, 1948 and contract labour (Regulation and abolition) Act, 1970 strive to make the working conditions more humane with a view to make workers not only satisfied but also productive. The paper studies the statutory welfare facilities and the provision of leaves as enumerated under Factories Act and contract labour act and social security provisions under different acts. The study was conducted in engineering companies to know the perception of workers about the different dimensions of welfare i.e. statutory welfare measures, social security measures and leaves provided and also to know the impact of worker’s status (permanent/contractual) on such measures. The sample comprised of 97 workers employed with different engineering companies. These companies can be categorised as light and heavy engineering companies employing varying strength of workers. The results indicated that though significant workers were satisfied with the welfare facilities, some workers perceive welfare facilities to be inadequate and there is impact of worker’s status on the perception of workers. Keywords: Labour, Welfare, Engineering, Permanent worker, Contractual worker.

Effects of Placental Extract on Healthy Women’s Body Constitution in Traditional Chinese Medicine: an Open-label Clinical Trial

Effects of Placental Extract on Healthy Women’s Body Constitution in Traditional Chinese Medicine: an Open-label Clinical Trial

Body constitution of traditional Chinese medicine caused a significant effect on depression in adult women

Backgroundand purpose: Depression is a common mental disorder and reduces quality of life. As traditional Chinese medicine constitution (TCMC) has become an increasingly popular complementary and alternative approach for early detection and treatment of disease, this study investigated the relationship of female-related factors and constitution with depression. Materials and methodsThis cross-sectional study included 1423 women from the Taiwan Biobank. A questionnaire of 44 items was used covering a variety of factors and the Body Constitution Questionnaire. The constitution types were divided into Yang-deficiency, Yin-deficiency, and Phlegm stasis. ResultsYang (p = 0.022) or Yin (p = 0.017) deficiencies, being single (p = 0.027–0.033), previous use of women's health supplements (p = 0.005–0.008), and smoking (p = 0.033–0.036) were associated with a higher risk of depression. ConclusionIntegration of TCMC with Western medicine may be an alternative option towards depression prevention and alleviation.

Relationship between Age-Dependent Body Constitution and Temporomandibular Joint Sounds in Adolescents.

To date, risk factors for temporomandibular joint (TMJ) sounds are still not completely understood, and anatomical factors are suspected to influence their occurrence. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of body constitution on temporomandibular joint sounds of adolescents. 10- to 18-year-old participants of the LIFE Child Study were examined for TMJ sounds, and physical parameters such as body height, body weight, and general laxity of joints were measured. Odds ratios (OR) for associations of TMJ sounds and standard deviation scores (SDS) of body height and body weight were calculated by using binary logistic regression, including cofactors such as age and number of hypermobile joints. The OR for TMJ sounds and SDS of body height was 1.28 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.06; 1.56) in females when the age-adjusted height value was above 0. SDS of body weight indicated significant ORs for TMJ sounds in males with values of 0.81 (95% CI 0.70; 0.94). No correlation was detected for SDS values and TMJ crepitus. Tall female adolescents seem to be more prone to TMJ clicking sounds, while their occurrence seems less likely in male adolescents with higher body weight.

THE GENETIC CONDITIONALITY OF THE ECONOMICALLY USEFUL TRAITS OF THE COWS OF UKRAINIAN BLACK-AND-WHITE DAIRY BREED

The intensification of dairy cattle selection determines the need of the systematic evaluation of animals in herds and populations on the main economically useful traits. They have an integrated origin and are controlled by significant groups of factors (genetic, physiological, technological and environmental). In dairy herds, the influence of such genetic factors as belonging to the breed and intrabreed types, the conditional blood share of improving breeds, the linear belonging, the family belonging, the origin by father is realized in the phenotypic performance of economically useful traits of animals with the simultaneous significant influence of environmental conditions.
 Among the hereditary factors, that determine the level of intergroup differentiation by the main selected traits, are significant the origin by father and the linear belonging. In addition, the world gene pool of the Holstein breed has an impact on the heredity of the Ukrainian black-and-white dairy breed, which requires constant monitoring of breeding groups of animals in different herds.
 Based on this, the aim of our research was to study the genetic conditionality of the economically useful traits of the cows of Ukrainian black-and-white dairy breed, that is, the study of the influence of such genetic factors as the conditional blood share of Holstein breed, the origin by father and the linear belonging on these traits.
 The research was conducted in the herd of Ukrainian black-and-white dairy breed of the private agrarian firm «Yerchyky» Popilnia district Zhytomyr oblast during 2015–2019. The study was carried out on the materials of the breeding and productive use of 766 first-calf cows and 497 cows which were disposed from the herd on different reasons. The reasons for their disposal were determined according to veterinary disposal acts.
 The statistical data processing was done using the method of variational statistics. The power of influence of the conditional blood share of Holstein breed, origin by father and linear belonging on the phenotypic variability of economically useful traits of the cows was determined by One-Way-ANOVA.
 The results of the study of the influence of genetic factors on the economically useful traits of cows of Ukrainian black-and-white dairy breed are presented. It was found that the power of the influence of the conditional blood share of Holstein breed, origin by father and linear belonging on the phenotypic variability of live weight, measurements and indices of body constitution was 0.4–17.6%; indicators of milk productivity of cows – 0.3–20.8%; morphologo-functional characteristics of the udder – 0.5–21.9%; parameters of reproductive capacity – 2.3–9.3% and lifetime use – 0.1–12.6% (P < 0.05–0.001). The factors of the origin by father and the conditional blood share of Holstein breed had a more significant effect on mass-and-metric parameters and indices of body constitution, and the influence of the linear belonging on these indicators was the smallest. Among the studied genetic factors the origin by father had significant effect on the milk productivity and morphologo-functional characteristics of the udder, while the smallest influence of the linear belonging was on the indicators of milk productivity, and the conditional blood share of Holstein breed had the smallest effect on the characteristics of the udder. Regarding the indicators of reproduction and lifetime use of cows, the effect of the studied genetic factors on them was distributed without any trends.
 The prospect of further research is to study the influence of paratypic factors on economically useful traits of cows of the Ukrainian black-and-white dairy breed of the private agrarian firm «Yerchyky».

Disclosure of suboptimal health status through traditional Chinese medicine-based body constitution and pulse patterns

ObjectivesSuboptimal health status (SHS) is a dynamic state wherein people have not been diagnosed with a disease but tend to develop diseases. People with SHS often experience fatigue and other nonspecific symptoms, which are related to a deviated body constitution in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). However, the correlation between TCM constitution and SHS has not been adequately investigated. Furthermore, no study has explored the radial pulse analysis—an assistive objective indicator of TCM constitution—in healthy people and people with SHS. DesignA cross-sectional study. Settings/LocationCenter for Traditional Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taiwan. SubjectsSixty-six adults (27 healthy participants and 39 participants with SHS) who were aged 20–39 years. Outcome MeasuresThe body constitution questionnaire (BCQ) scores, suboptimal health status questionnaire-25 (SHSQ-25) scores, and radial pulse waves detected using sphygmography were recorded. Pulse wave analyses are presented as the ratio of frequency below 10 Hz to that above 10 Hz (SER10), which represent energy changes in organ blood flow. ResultsParticipants with SHS had significantly higher Yang-Xu, Yin-Xu, and stasis scores of BCQ compared with healthy participants. The SHSQ-25 scores of the participants with SHS were moderately correlated with their Yang-Xu, Yin-Xu, and stasis scores (r = 0.65, 0.66, and 0.72, respectively; all p < 0.001), but weak correlations were discovered for healthy participants. The participants with SHS had significantly higher SER10 at the left guan (the “liver” system in TCM) than did the healthy participants. ConclusionsSHS is moderately correlated with TCM-based constitution and those with SHS had increased SER10 at the leftguan of the radial pulse.

Personalized Body Constitution Inquiry Based on Machine Learning.

Background Body constitution (BC) is the abstract concept indicating the state of a person's health in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). The doctor identifies the body constitution of the patient through inspection and inquiry. Previous research simulates doctors to identify BC types according to a patient's objective physical indicators. However, the lack of subjective feeling information can reduce the accuracy of the machine to imitate the doctor's diagnosis. The Constitution in Chinese Medicine Questionnaire (CCMQ) is used to collect subjective information but suffers from low acquisition efficiency. Methods This paper presents a personalized body constitution inquiry method based on a machine learning technique. It employs a random generator, a feature extractor, and a classifier to simulate the doctor inquiry and generate a personalized questionnaire. Specifically, the feature extractor evaluates and sorts the question of the constitution in the CCMQ based on the recognition results of the tongue coating image of patients. The sorted questions and relevant BC label are inputted into the classifier; the best questions are screened out for patients. Results The experimental results show that our method can select personalized questions from the CCMQ for the patients, significantly reducing the time and the number of questions to answer. It also improves the accuracy of recognizing BC. Compared with the CCMQ, patients had 68.3% fewer questions to answer and the time occupied by answering is reduced by 80.3%. Conclusions The proposed method can simulate the doctor's inquiry and pick out personalized questions for patients. It can act as auxiliary diagnosis tools to collect subjective patient feelings and help make further judgments on the patient's BC types.

Аналіз зв’язків між показниками компонентного складу тіла і серцево-судинної системи молодих жінок з різними типами гемодинаміки

Representatives of different body constitutions have characteristic features of anthropometric indicators, body composition, endocrine and immune systems, circulatory system. It is important to study the relationship between hemodynamic parameters and the constitutional features of a healthy person, which in turn are due to the diversity of body components. The purpose of the study was to identify correlations between body composition components and cardiovascular parameters in women aged 18-22 with different types of hemodynamics. Material and methods. The study involved 90 healthy female students aged 18 to 22 years (M±m = 19.3±1.3). The women studied at Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, majoring in secondary education (various subject specializations), did not have any acute or chronic diseases, and were assigned to the main medical group. The method of bioelectrical impedance analysis was used in the work. The following heart rate parameters were analyzed: heart rate, blood pressure, minute blood volume, stroke volume, cardiac index, stroke index, total peripheral resistance, peripheral resistivity. The type of central hemodynamics was determined according to the modified scheme of N. I. Arinchin. Correlation analysis was performed according to Pearson. The samples were compared using a Student's t-test, differences at p &lt;0.05 were considered significant. Results and discussion. Eukinetic type of hemodynamics was found in 18.89% of women, hypokinetic in 81.11%. Indicators of the body composition of both groups did not differ (p &gt;0.05). Women with eukinetic type of hemodynamics had higher stroke volume (10.63 ml, p &lt;0.01), shock index (6.64 ml/ m2, p &lt;0.01), minute blood volume 1.87 l/ min, p &lt;0.001), heart rate (20 beats/ min, p &lt;0.05). Women with hypokinetic hemodynamic type had higher (p &lt;0.001) values of total and specific peripheral resistance (1.82 and 1.85 times, respectively). The value of muscle mass correlates with indicators of stroke volume (mean correlation – r = 0.565, p &lt;0.05), minute blood volume (r = 0.524, p &lt;0.05) and total peripheral resistance (r = -0.555, p &lt;0.01). Conclusion. The shock index of women with a hypokinetic type of hemodynamics was weakly related to body mass index (r = -0.238, p &lt;0.05), visceral fat content (r = -0.264, p &lt;0.05), the content of m muscle mass (r = 0.372, p &lt;0.01) and water content (r = 0.289; p &lt;0.05). There were also correlations of the average strength between the heart index and muscle mass content (average correlation – r = 0.425, p &lt;0.01), water content (weak correlation – r = 0.272, p &lt;0.05)

Ascending aorta: descending thoracic aorta ratio as an additional metric to early individually oriented diagnoses of abnormalities. A non-contrast enhanced cardiac CT study

Abstract Background Coronary artery calcium (CAC) detection is the established indication for a non-contrast enhanced cardiac computed tomography (NCE-CCT). Other information, beyond CAC, can be derived from the NCE-CCT. Amongst them, data regarding thoracic aorta and its abnormalities might be of interest. Aims We aimed at examination whether mutual proportion of ascending aorta and descending thoracic aorta diameters (AAD:DAD ratio) could be diagnostically relevant. Methods This retrospective study included 4372 patients out of 5905 subjects undergoing NC-CCT during the last decade, in whom the thoracic aorta and pulmonary artery trunk were within common limits (AAD≤40mm, DAD&amp;lt;30mm, PAD&amp;lt;30mm). 213 persons without CVD risk factors and CAC=0 were qualified into control group (1), and 4159 patients with CVD risk factor(s) ≥1 into examined group (2) of. The range of AAD/PAD ratio normality was referenced from the group 1. In addition body mass index and CAC score were accounted for. Results The AAD/PAD ratio in control group was 1.35±0.22 with the normal range between 1.12 and 1.57. The 90th percentile values for AAD have been established. In patients with CAC=0, amongst those with normal BMI the increased AAD:DAD ratio (&amp;gt;1.57), indicating high AAD, was found in 18 /43 cases with AAD&amp;gt;90 percentile (41.2%) and in 21/498 with normal AAD (4.2%). The respective proportions in overweight patients were 23/86 (26.7%) and 12/694 (1.7%), and in obese patients 13/67 (19.4%) and 5/397 (1.3%). In patients with CAC&amp;gt;0, and normal BMI the increased AAD:DAD ratio was found in 10/38 cases with AAD&amp;gt;90% (26.3%) and in 14/458 with normal ascending aorta size (3.1%). Proportions in overweight patients were 23/92 (25.0%) and 15/859 (1.75%), while in obese patients were 17/107 (15.9%) and 13/579 (2.2%), resp. Normal AAD:PAD ratio in patients with established AAD increase (&amp;gt;90 percentile), irrespective of BMI, might suggest accompanying increase in PAD. Lower AAD:PAD ratio indicated a relative increase of the DAD. Mean values of AAD and DAD in relation to BMI and CAC categories along with their ratio are presented in table 1. Conclusions Evaluation of thoracic aorta in NC-CCT enhanced diagnostic scope of NCE-CCT. The AAD/DAD ratio, being independent of age, gender and body constitution, does not require adjustment, should be considered as additional metric for early diagnoses of thoracic aorta abnormalities well before absolute values reach the arbitrary cut-off levels. Table 1 Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: None

Body care and health obligation: hexis and power in modernity.

The aim of this essay is to provide a brief reflection on the contemporary ethics imposed on the body, which points to a growing responsibility and obligation of the individual regarding healthy and correct ways of living. The central object of analysis is the body constitution in modernity, in a space of technical intervention, problematizing contemporary forms of body care, such as diets and physical exercises, which express taxonomies that come from the matrix of meanings in modernity.

Nomination vs. election: do they influence women\u2019s access to institutional decision-making bodies?

Portuguese higher education institutions (HEIs) are excellent case-studies of women representation in academia, considering their significant presence and rapid growth in HEIs. Nevertheless, and despite efforts to minimise gender gaps, women are still underrepresented in top management and leading positions, contributing to increment the phenomenon of vertical segregation. Based on the reality of the Portuguese academia, and focusing on an in-depth case study of a Portuguese university, this paper analyses if and how the way decision-making bodies are constituted, influence the gender balance of their members. Recently, within the New Public Management (NPM) context, HEIs have been subjected to external pressures to create a new organisational environment aiming at substituting the collegial model of governance with a managerial one. In this context, there has been a trend to replace the election by the nomination as the dominant process to occupy decision-making positions. The opening hypothesis of this study is that the way decision-making bodies are constituted, impacts on their gender balance. More specifically, it is argued that the nomination process tends to be more advantageous to women than the election. However, although it is possible to conclude that the gender balance decreases with the increasing importance of the decision-making body, it is not accurate to say that there is a direct relationship between the way actors are chosen to these bodies and their gender balance. In other words, the way actors are chosen can not be seen as the only factor influencing the gender constitution of decision-making bodies. The study provides a relevant contribution to the literature on mechanisms and strategies to improve gender equality in institutional decision-making processes and bodies.

Association between metabolic syndrome and body constitution of traditional Chinese medicine: A systematic review and meta-analysis

The constitution theory of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) states that body constitution and disease are associated; therefore, the identification of body constitution can provide reference for disease prevention and treatment. A series of clinical studies evaluating the association between TCM constitution and metabolic syndrome (MetS) have been conducted in recent years. The aim of this systematic review is to summarize and evaluate the clinical evidence of the relationship between constitution and MetS. The PubMed, Embase, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Chongqing VIP, and Wanfang Data electronic databases were searched from April 2009 to July 2020. The search terms included “metabolic syndrome,” “constitution,” and “Chinese medicine.” Observational studies evaluating the relationship between body constitution of TCM and MetS were included. The primary outcome included the distribution of constitutional types in the MetS population, and odds ratio (OR) or relative risk (RR) between constitution and MetS. Effect size was expressed as proportion or OR with 95% confidence interval (CI). Methodological quality of included studies was evaluated by the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale (NOS) or the American Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) criteria. Three case–control and 26 cross-sectional studies involving 30 435 cases were included. Phlegm-dampness, qi-deficiency, and damp-heat were the main constitution types in patients with MetS, accounting for 29% (22%–39%), 18% (13%–24%), and 12% (9%–17%) of the population, respectively; the risk of MetS in people with phlegm-dampness and qi-deficiency constitution was 1.74 [1.27, 2.38] and 1.29 [1.01, 1.65] times higher than that in those with other constitutions. There were sex- and age-related differences in the distribution of TCM constitution in patients with MetS. Phlegm-dampness and qi-deficiency were associated with the occurrence of MetS. Well-designed cohort and case–control studies are needed to provide evidence for the use of TCM to prevent and treat MetS.

O Caráter Essencial dos Corpos Homogêneos em Aristóteles

The present paper aims at examining the characteristics that determine the essential nature of the homogeneous bodies in Aristotle, from an analysis of Meteorology IV.12, which would at the same time establish a certain relationship with other treatises of natural philosophy and also in particular with books VII and VIII of Metaphysics. With this investigation, I will delineate a certain line of argument that goes against a reading perspective considered as traditional, with certain interpretive variants, according to which Aristotle would have adopted the idea of ​​a universal teleology, in the general sense that all natural bodies would be generated for a specific goal, or for a natural purpose. According to a certain view, linked to this perspective, the teleological character of functional type of vital activities, notably expressed by the compositional arrangement of the non-homogeneous parts in the living being's complexion, would be somehow involved in the constitution of the homogeneous bodies considered in themselves and for themselves. In contrast to such a view, I will examine, in a precise way, to what extent the homogeneous bodies would comprise a certain formal factor directly involved in the characterization of their constitutional particularities, taking into account a comparative examination with other kinds of natural compositions, namely, elemental aggregates and living organisms. Thus, through this examination, I will explore the question of whether, in function of this formal factor, such bodies could present some teleological character trait, distinct from the functional type, characteristic of organic-animate constitutions.

Comparative physiological and hygienic assessment of personal protective equipment properties in various configurations from power frequency electric field

Modern working conditions of employees can be characterized by the presence of harmful factors of the working environment, including physical factors that often have a complex effect on the human body during the working shift. One of the main harmful factors of the working environment for electrical personnel is the electric field of industrial frequency, which is protected by personal protective equipment (shielding kits), which exerts an additional thermal load on the body of personnel when working outdoors in the summer. The aim of the study was a comprehensive assessment of personal protective equipment of various configurations and their impact on the thermal state of a person in a heating environment to select the optimal configuration. The objects of study were screening suits consisted of overalls, jacket and trousers, jacket and semi-overall. For screening suits protective properties test the possible working conditions were simulated power frequency electric field levels from 5 to 80 kV/m (grounding) and 10-100 kV/m (on wire potential). The physiological and hygienic assessment of personal protective equipment involved 3 male volunteers. Their body constitution was selected according to typical differences of workers. Volunteers dressed in screening suit had physical activity at air temperature 34.8±0.3°C, relative humidity 48.0±3.0% and air mobility 0.15 m/s. Before and during the study parameters were recorded: skin temperature on 11 parts of body surface, clothes temperature, heart rate, body temperature in the ear canal, points of heat and moisture sensation and moisture loss was determined after the study. Before physical activity and after recovery period volunteers were measured blood pressure. Studies of the protective properties of three sets of personal protective equipment have shown that the best protective characteristics in comparison with the other sets have a jacket and half - overalls, the worst - a jacket and trousers. The results of the physiological and hygienic evaluation of screening kits showed individual differences in the thermoregulatory reactions of all volunteers when using different sets of personal protective equipment. At the same time, large amounts of heat accumulation in the body, a high heart rate and its change, as well as a higher moisture perception score were observed during the operation of the jumpsuit. As a result of research, the optimal configuration was chosen jacket and half-overalls, which has a moderate thermal load on the human body and has the best protective characteristics. From the point of view of the lowest voltage of thermoregulation reactions, it can be recommended to use a shielding kit as part of jacket and trousers.

A CONSTITUIÇÃO DO CORPO DO AUTISTA: DO DESAMPARO À INVENÇÃO

Este artigo busca a apreensão dos processos envolvidos na constituição do corpo do autista, para o qual não há o Outro de referência. À luz do testemunho de Daniel Tammet, escritor britânico e autista, será possível elucidar o lugar dos objetos para os autistas e como o interesse da pessoa autista pelo objeto fora do corpo permite a construção de sua borda, atuando como recurso protetor contra perturbações corporais, angústias e isolamento. Assim, o investimento nos objetos externos resulta na redução da incidência no corpo do gozo não interligado, abrindo possibilidade para o campo do Outro. Os objetivos pretendidos são examinar o conceito de corpo na psicanálise com relação ao autismo, investigar a constituição do corpo do autista com base na teoria psicanalítica e, por fim, identificar os efeitos, no corpo, do interesse pelos objetos autísticos.

Energy Consumption of Young Military Working Dogs in Pre-Training in Germany.

Simple SummaryAppropriate energy supply adjusted to the requirements of military working dogs at pre-training is a basic prerequisite for working dogs, so they are fully able to exercise. Therefore, twenty Belgian Shepherds var. Malinois were accompanied for four weeks during pre-training as military working dogs, and the amount of energy intake was evaluated. Changes in body constitution were assessed by measuring body weight and shoulder height, as well as thickness of subcutaneous fat tissue, and of Musculus sacrocaudalis dorsalis lateralis (MSCDL). Energy intake amounted to, on average, 244 kcal/kg body weight (BW)0.75 daily. Changes to body constitution (increases in body weight, shoulder height, and thickness of the MSCDL, as well as a reduction of the thickness of the subcutaneous fat tissue lying on the MSCDL) might be attributed to training-induced muscle growth and physiological growth in size. In addition to training intensity, influences of ambient temperature and physiological body growth seemed to be important contributing factors in the supply of energy for military working dogs (MWDs) during pre-training.Many factors have specific effects, in varying degrees of intensity, on the metabolic energy requirements of working dogs. Appropriate energy supply adjusted to the requirements of military working dogs at pre-training is a basic prerequisite for working dogs, so they are fully able to exercise. Therefore, more knowledge obtained under standardized conditions would be advantageous. Twenty intact Belgian Shepherds var. Malinois at the age of 12 months were accompanied for four weeks during pre-training (odour detection, obedience training, and protection work) as military working dogs (MWDs) in Germany (ambient temperature about 7.8 °C), and the amount of energy intake was evaluated. To assess changes in body constitution, body weight and shoulder height were measured, and the thickness of subcutaneous fat tissue (SCF), and of Musculus sacrocaudalis dorsalis lateralis (MSCDL), were recorded via ultrasound. Energy intake amounted to, on average, 244 ± 34 kcal/kg body weight (BW)0.75 daily. Increases in body weight, shoulder height, and thickness of the MSCDL, as well as a reduction of SCF thickness lying on the MSCDL, were observed. Changes of body constitution might be attributed to training-induced muscle growth and physiological growth in size. In addition to training intensity, influences of ambient temperature and physiological body growth seemed to be important contributing factors in the supply of energy for MWDs during pre-training.

Association between cancer-related fatigue and traditional Chinese medicine body constitution in female patients with breast cancer

BackgroundCancer-related fatigue (CRF) is a common psychosomatic problem in breast cancer patients. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been used to address symptoms in patients with CRF. Identification of the specific constitution in TCM is essential for personalized care. AimTo explore the relationship between fatigue and specific constitutions in breast cancer. Experimental procedureWe conducted a cross-sectional study in all breast cancer patients at Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital in Taiwan. The severity of fatigue was determined using the Brief Fatigue Inventory-Taiwanese (BFI-T) form. TCM patterns were determined using the Body Constitution Questionnaire (BCQ). The relationship between constitution and fatigue was analyzed using logistic regression. ResultsWe recruited 110 breast cancer patients with fatigue (mean age: 55 ± 11 years). The mean duration of breast cancer was 17.4 months. The major constitution among these patients with fatigue was Yang-Qi deficiency (50%). Phlegm-Stasis syndrome was correlated with a duration of breast cancer of more than 18 months (p = 0.02). Out of all participants, 42.7% (n = 47) reported clinically significant fatigue (BFI-T score ≥4). According to logistic regression, the score of Yang-Qi deficiency [odds ratio (OR): 3.5, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.49–8.21, p < 0.01] was also associated with clinically significant fatigue. ConclusionYang-Qi deficiency is associated with clinically significant fatigue in breast cancer patients. However, the association of Phlegm-Stasis syndrome and fatigue as disease duration increases cannot be ignored. Further studies are needed to determine whether treating both constitutions integrating TCM treatment can alleviate patients’ fatigue symptoms.

ROLE OF NASYA WITH KUMKUMADI TAILA IN IMPROVING DARK CIRCLES - A CASE STUDY

Skin is a type of Gyanendriya (Sparshna indriya) and largest sense organ in the body. It is result of healthy constitution of body as well as healthy mental state. Skin has great cosmetological importance. Due to sed-entary lifestyle, inappropriate diet habits and excessive stress, numerous skin aliments arise. Hence it is need for inculcating healthy skin care habits. One of the common worrying factors related to skin is Dark circles. It affects almost all age groups and is most commonly related to stress and anxiety. Drugs adminis-tered through nasal route acts on higher centers of the brain. It acts on neurological, endocrinal and circula-tory centers and regulates their functions. This study is aimed to evaluate the role of Nasya Karma with kumkumadi taila in Dark circles.

Response: Frailty assessment in the COVID-19 pandemic

Dear Editor, We would like to thank Ng Cheong Chung and colleagues for their important comment on our recent manuscript demonstrating the ability of the Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) to...