Search Results (312)

Background: Mothers’ health significantly affects their well-being and that of their families. The early years of motherhood can be tough and impact mental health. This study examined the associations between mothers’ self-compassion, social support, and self-care behaviors and their physical and mental well-being. Methods: In August 2023, an online cross-sectional survey was conducted among 514 Israeli mothers with children under three. Mothers’ physical and mental health was assessed using SF12. Self-compassion was measured by the Self-Compassion Scale (SCS). Social support was evaluated through the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), and self-care was assessed via the Pittsburgh Enjoyable Activities Test (PEAT). Results: Respondents’ average age was 31.5 years. Their self-reported physical health was relatively high, with a mean of 78.36 (SD = 21) on a 0–100 scale (n = 442). Mental health scores were lower, with a mean of 65.88 (SD = 20.28, n = 401). Perceived physical health was higher among Jewish mothers, younger mothers, and those with higher income levels. Additionally, greater social support and self-compassion correlated with better perceived physical health (Adj R² = 0.11, p < 0.001). For mental health, higher scores were observed among Jewish mothers, younger mothers, and full-time employed mothers. Furthermore, higher social support, self-compassion, and self-care practices were associated with improved perceptions of mental health (Adj R² = 0.39, p < 0.001). Conclusions: Promoting the well-being of mothers is crucial for their health, their children’s well-being, and the family unit. Health professionals working with mothers of young children should emphasize and help promote social support, self-compassion, and self-care activities. Full article

Background. Cognitive-behavioral theories suggest that obsessions in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) develop from maladaptive misinterpretations and coping strategies of unwanted intrusive thoughts (UITs). Models of Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) and Illness Anxiety Disorder (IAD) propose that these symptoms stem from similar misinterpretations of common UITs relating to perceived defects in appearance and illness. This study examines whether maladaptive misinterpretations and control strategies leading to the escalation of obsessional UITs to OCD symptoms also have a similar effect on the development of BDD and IAD. More specifically, we examined whether misinterpretations and neutralizing responses mediate the associations between the frequency of disorder-specific UITs and symptoms of these disorders. Method. A total of 625 non-clinical participants from four countries completed the Questionnaire of Unpleasant Intrusive Thoughts (QUIT) that assesses OCD, BDD and IAD-related UITs and their associated misinterpretations and neutralizing strategies, as well as self-report measures of OCD, BDD, and IAD symptoms. Parallel multiple mediation models were conducted. Results. The frequency of OCD, BDD and IAD-related UITs predicted symptoms of each disorder. Dysfunctional appraisals and neutralizing behaviors mediated the associations between disorder-specific UITs and symptoms in OCD and IAD. The IAD model accounted for a smaller proportion of variance than the OCD model. No mediating effects were found for BDD symptoms. Conclusions. Experiencing disturbing UITs is a transdiagnostic risk factor of OCD, BDD and IAD, and is associated with symptoms of these disorders. Maladaptive interpretation of UITs and neutralizing strategies should be specific targets in the assessment and treatment of OCD and IAD. The absence of mediation effects for BDD could be due to the limitations observed on the self-report used to assess BDD symptoms and/or the low relevance of the misinterpretations and control strategies assessed by the QUIT, which are more typically endorsed by individuals with OCD. Full article

The concept of a sustainable livelihood affords protection from crises and protects people, including future generations. Conceptually, this paper serves as a study protocol that extends the premises of decent work to include and integrate criteria that benefit people, planet, and prosperity. Existing measures of sustainability principally serve organisations and governments, not individual workers who are increasingly looking for ‘just transitions’ into sustainable livelihoods. Incorporating extant measurement standards from systems theory, vocational psychology, psychometrics, labour and management studies, we conceptualise a classification of livelihoods, criteria for their sustainability, forming a study protocol for indexing these livelihoods, a set of theory-based propositions, and a pilot test of this context-sensitive model. Full article

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is caused by autoimmune-mediated destruction of pancreatic β-cells, resulting in insulin deficiency. While islet transplantation presents a potential therapeutic approach, its clinical application is impeded by limited donor availability and the risk of immune rejection. This study proposes an innovative islet encapsulation strategy that utilizes decellularized porcine pancreatic extracellular matrix (pECM) as the sole biomaterial to engineer bioactive, immunoprotective microcapsules. Rat islets were encapsulated within pECM-based microcapsules using the electrospray technology and were compared to conventional alginate-based microcapsules in terms of viability, function, and response to hypoxic stress. The pECM microcapsules maintained a spherical morphology, demonstrating mechanical robustness, and preserving essential ECM components (collagen I/IV, laminin, fibronectin). Encapsulated islets exhibited sustained viability and superior insulin secretion over a two-week period compared to alginate controls. The expression of key β-cell transcription factors (PDX1, MAFA) and structural integrity were preserved. Under hypoxic conditions, pECM microcapsules significantly reduced islet apoptosis, improved structural retention, and promoted functional recovery, likely due to antioxidant and ECM-derived cues inherent to the pECM. In vivo transplantation in immunocompetent mice confirmed the biocompatibility of pECM microcapsules, with minimal immune responses, stable insulin/glucagon expression, and no adverse systemic effects. These findings position pECM-based microencapsulation as a promising strategy for creating immunoprotective, bioactive niches for xenogeneic islet transplantation, with the potential to overcome current limitations in cell-based diabetes therapy. Full article

Climate change and anthropogenic stressors are accelerating coral reef degradation, prompting urgent restoration strategies. This study evaluates the performance of two coral nursery types, floating mid-water nurseries (FNs) and bottom-attached table nurseries (TNs), at two contrasting reef environments in Mauritius: the degraded, high sedimentation site of Flic-en-Flac (FEF) and the more pristine Pointe aux Feuilles (PAF). Coral fragments from Millepora sp., Acropora muricata, Acropora selago, and Pocillopora damicornis were monitored over three years for survivorship, growth, and linear extension rate (LER). Survivorship exceeded 88% in all cases, with Millepora sp. in PAF–TN achieving the highest rate (99.8%) and P. damicornis in FEF–FN the lowest (88%). Growth was greatest at PAF–TN, where Millepora sp. reached a mean length of 27.25 cm and LER of 9.66 mm y⁻¹. In contrast, the same species in FEF–TN averaged only 3.64 cm in length and 3.44 mm y⁻¹ in LER. Environmental conditions including higher turbidity, nitrate, and phosphate at FEF, and higher phytoplankton density at PAF significantly influenced coral performance. We propose a site-specific nursery selection framework, including FNs for high-sediment areas and TNs for protected and biodiverse sites, to support more effective coral farming outcomes in island restoration programs. Full article

The Internet is not just used for communication, transactions, and cloud storage; it also serves as a massive knowledge store where both people and machines can create, analyze, and use data and information. The Semantic Web was designed to enable machines to interpret the meaning of data, facilitating more informed and autonomous decision-making. The foundation of the Semantic Web is the Resource Description Framework (RDF). The standard RDF is limited to representing simple binary relationships in the form of the $<subjectpredicateobject>$ triple. In this paper, we present a new data model called BiTemporal RDF (BiTRDF), which adds valid time and transaction time to the standard RDF. Our approach treats temporal information as references instead of attributes, simplifying the semantics while enhancing the model’s expressiveness and consistency. BiTRDF treats all resources and relationships as inherently bitemporal, enabling the representation and reasoning of complex temporal relationships in RDF. Illustrative examples demonstrate the model’s support for type propagation, domain-range inference, and transitive relationships in a temporal setting. While this work lays a theoretical foundation, future research will address implementation, query language support, and compatibility with RDF streams and legacy systems. Full article

This study presents a novel, two-stage algorithm that minimizes the number of machines and operators required to produce multiple product types repeatedly in cyclic scheduling. Our algorithm treats the problem of minimum machines as a bin packing problem (BPP), and the problem of determining the number of operators required is also modeled as the BPP, but with constraints. The BPP is NP-hard, but with suitable heuristic algorithms, the proposed model allocates multiple product types to machines and multiple machines to operators without overlapping setup times (machine interference). The production schedule on each machine is represented as a circle (donut). By using lower bounds, it is possible to assess whether the number of machines required by our model is optimal; if not, the optimality gap can be quantified. The algorithm has been validated using real-world data from an industrial facility producing 17 types of products. The results of our algorithm led to significant cost savings and improved scheduling performance. The outcomes demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm in optimizing resource utilization by reducing the number of machines and operators required. Although this study focuses on a manufacturing system, the model can also be applied to other contexts. Full article

WEE1 kinase is a crucial cell cycle regulatory protein that controls the timing of mitotic entry. WEE1, via inhibition of Cyclin-dependent Kinase 1 (CDK1) and Cyclin-dependent Kinase 2 (CDK2), governs the G2-M checkpoint by inhibiting entry into mitosis. The state of balance between WEE family kinases and CDC25C phosphatases restricts CDK1/CycB activity. The WEE kinase family consists of WEE1, PKMYT1, and WEE2 (WEE1B). WEE1 and PKMYT1 regulate entry into mitosis during cell cycle progression, whereas WEE2 governs cell cycle progression during meiosis. Recent studies have identified WEE1 as a potential therapeutic target in several cancers, including therapy-resistant triple-negative breast cancer. Adavosertib’s clinical promise was challenged by inter-individual variations in response and side effects. Because of these promising preclinical outcomes, other WEE1 kinase inhibitors (Azenosertib, SC0191, IMP7068, PD0407824, PD0166285, WEE1-IN-5, Zedoresertib, WEE1-IN-8, and ATRN-1051) are being developed, with several currently being evaluated in clinical trials or as an adjuvant to chemotherapies. Preclinical studies show WEE1 inhibitors induce MHC class 1 antigens and STING when given as combination therapies, suggesting potential additional therapeutic opportunities. Reliable predictors of clinical responses based on mechanistic insights remain an important unmet need. Herein, we review the role of WEE1 inhibition therapy in breast cancer. Full article

Background: Postpartum urinary retention (PPUR) typically resolves within the first three days following delivery. However, in rare instances, it may persist beyond 72 h and, in some cases, extend for several weeks. The current study aimed to evaluate long-term sequelae in women who endured PPUR following vaginal delivery. Methods: Between January 2013 and December 2019, 362 women who experienced PPUR following delivery at our institution were identified and subsequently invited to complete the UDI-6 questionnaire that serves to assess lower urinary tract symptoms. The questionnaires were filled out and returned by 242 women (66.8%). Results: Participants who had no urinary complaints (145/242; 60%) were assigned to Group 1. Of the 97 women allocated to Group 2 (97/242; 40%), 96 reported only mild urinary symptoms, while just 1 individual scored above the threshold of 33.3, suggesting elevated urinary distress. Risk factors known to be associated with PPUR were equally distributed among the two groups. A predominance of Caucasians was noted in Group 2 (p = 0.012). Voiding dysfunction (question 5 of UDI-6), taken separately, was proclaimed by 15 women from Group 2 (15/97 = 15.5%). When these were compared to the rest of the cohort (n = 227), an association with hypothyroidism was recognized (p = 0.036). Well-established risk factors for PPUR, such as nulliparity and epidural analgesia, were observed less frequently among women with persistent voiding dysfunction (p = 0.045 and p = 0.049, respectively), while postpartum uterine atony was more frequent (p = 0.047). Significant long-term effects after PPUR are uncommon. Conclusions: Hypothyroidism and postpartum uterine atony emerge as risk factors allied to long-term voiding dysfunction. Full article

In the rapidly evolving world of physical activity and sport science, researchers and practitioners alike are increasingly recognizing that the path to optimal performance and well-being is paved not just with physical conditioning and technical skill but also with emotional regulation and cognitive acuity (Lepers et al [...] Full article

For the discrete-time AWGN channel with a power constraint, we give an alternative derivation for the sphere-packing upper bound on the optimal block error exponent and an alternative derivation for the analogous lower bound on the optimal correct-decoding exponent. The derivations use the method of types with finite alphabets of sizes depending on the block length n and with the number of types sub-exponential in n. Full article

Despite the increasing importance of cognitive abilities in today’s workplaces and growing dissatisfaction with the status quo of cognitive ability assessment, the ways that cognitive abilities are conceptualized and measured in the workplace have changed very little over the past century (Scherbaum et al [...] Full article

In recent decades, wetlands have played a significant role in the global carbon cycle, making it essential to quantify their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions at regional, national, and international levels. This study examines three dammed water bodies (Dalpatsagar, Gangamunda, and Dudhawa lake–wetland complexes) in Chhattisgarh, India, to estimate their GHG emission potentials. Methane (CH₄) showed the highest emission rate, peaking at 167.24 mg m⁻² h⁻¹ at 29.4 °C in Dalpatsagar during the standard meteorological week of 21–27 May. As temperatures rose from 17 °C to 18 °C, CH₄ emissions ranged from 125–130 mg m⁻² h⁻¹. Despite slightly higher temperatures, Dudhawa showed lower emissions, likely due to its larger surface area and shallower depth. Carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions from Gangamunda increased sharply from 124.25 to 144.84 mg m⁻² h⁻¹ as temperatures rose from 12 °C to 25 °C, while Dudhawa recorded a peak CO₂ emission of 113.72 mg m⁻² h⁻¹ in April. Nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions peaked at 29.11 mg m⁻² h⁻¹ during the 8th meteorological week, with an average of approximately 10.0 mg m⁻² h⁻¹. These findings indicate that climate-induced changes in water quality may increase health risks. This study offers critical insights to inform policies and conservation strategies aimed at mitigating emissions and enhancing the carbon sequestration potential of wetlands. Full article

Background: Syringomyelia is a complex neurological disorder characterized by a fluid-filled cavity (syrinx) within the spinal cord, frequently resulting from altered cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) dynamics. While its clinical manifestations are diverse, orthopedic complications such as scoliosis, pes cavus, and Charcot arthropathy may represent early diagnostic clues yet are often under-recognized. Methods: This comprehensive review synthesizes the current literature on the pathophysiology, clinical presentation, diagnostic strategies, and management approaches of syringomyelia, with a specific emphasis on its orthopedic manifestations. Additionally, we present a detailed case of neuropathic shoulder arthropathy associated with advanced syringomyelia. Results: Orthopedic involvement in syringomyelia includes progressive spinal deformities and neurogenic joint destruction, particularly affecting the shoulder and elbow. Scoliosis is frequently observed, especially in association with Chiari malformations, and may precede neurologic diagnosis. Charcot joints result from impaired proprioception and protective sensation. The case presented illustrates the diagnostic challenges and therapeutic dilemmas in managing advanced neuro-orthopedic complications in syringomyelia. Conclusions: Syringomyelia should be considered in the differential diagnosis of atypical musculoskeletal presentations. Early recognition and multidisciplinary management are essential to prevent irreversible orthopedic sequelae. Conservative treatment remains the mainstay in stable cases, while surgery is reserved for progressive disease. Orthopedic assessment plays a pivotal role in the diagnostic pathway and long-term care of affected patients. Full article

Mind wandering is a common issue among schoolchildren and academic students, often undermining the quality of learning and teaching effectiveness. Current detection methods mainly rely on eye trackers and electrodermal activity (EDA) sensors, focusing on external indicators such as facial movements but neglecting voice detection. These methods are often cumbersome, uncomfortable for participants, and invasive, requiring specialized, expensive equipment that disrupts the natural learning environment. To overcome these challenges, a new algorithm has been developed to detect mind wandering during reading aloud. Based on external indicators like the blink rate, pitch frequency, and reading rate, the algorithm integrates these three criteria to ensure the accurate detection of mind wandering using only a standard computer camera and microphone, making it easy to implement and widely accessible. An experiment with ten participants validated this approach. Participants read aloud a text of 1304 words while the algorithm, incorporating the Viola–Jones model for face and eye detection and pitch-frequency analysis, monitored for signs of mind wandering. A voice activity detection (VAD) technique was also used to recognize human speech. The algorithm achieved 76% accuracy in predicting mind wandering during specific text segments, demonstrating the feasibility of using noninvasive physiological indicators. This method offers a practical, non-intrusive solution for detecting mind wandering through video and audio data, making it suitable for educational settings. Its ability to integrate seamlessly into classrooms holds promise for enhancing student concentration, improving the teacher–student dynamic, and boosting overall teaching effectiveness. By leveraging standard, accessible technology, this approach could pave the way for more personalized, technology-enhanced education systems. Full article