Search Results (174)

Prejudices, particularly those related to social biases, are shaped by various cognitive and sensory mechanisms. This study investigates the interaction between olfactory perception and propensity and implicit or explicit prejudices through three experimental protocols in a metaverse condition. Experiment 1 examines the impact of five different odors on proxemic behavior when interacting with individuals from stigmatized social groups. Experiment 2 integrates electroencephalography (EEG) to analyze the neural correlates of prejudice-related responses to olfactory stimuli. Experiment 3 explores implicit biases through the Implicit Association Test (IAT) in relation to different fragrances, without employing virtual reality. The proposed protocol is expected to demonstrate a significant relationship between olfactory cues, linked to social relationships, and implicit or explicit prejudices, with variations based on individual differences. These insights will contribute to psychological, neuroscientific, and social interventions, offering new perspectives on the unconscious mechanisms of bias formation. Additionally, this study highlights the potential of virtual reality and olfactory stimuli as innovative tools for studying and addressing social biases in controlled environments. Full article

Background: Medical education is considered one of the most academically and emotionally demanding training programs. Throughout their education, medical students are exposed to various factors that can lead to psychological distress, depression, and anxiety. The aim of this longitudinal study was to examine the changes in psychological distress, depression, anxiety levels and internet addiction among medical students throughout their six-year education and to identify the contributing factors. Methods: The study cohort consisted of 282 students who enrolled in the medical faculty in the 2017–2018 academic year. A questionnaire including sociodemographic characteristics, the General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), State–Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and Young Internet Addiction Test (IAT) was administered to the students during the first week of their education. The same questionnaire was readministered at the end of the third and sixth years. Friedman’s variance analysis was used to compare measurement data across the three time points, while Cochran’s Q Test was employed for categorical variables. Results: The median scores of the GHQ-12, BDI, S-Anxiety, and IAT significantly increased from the first to the sixth year (p < 0.05). The prevalence of depressive symptoms, S-Anxiety, and risky internet use significantly increased from the first to the final year, particularly between the third and sixth years. According to logistic regression analysis based on sixth-year data, students whose fathers were university graduates, who had been diagnosed with COVID-19, and who were dissatisfied with their social lives were found to be at increased risk for psychological distress and depression. Students with high parental expectations were found to be at risk of depression and S-anxiety. Those dissatisfied with their occupational choice were at risk for both psychological distress and S-anxiety. Conclusions: It was found that the mental health of medical students deteriorated during their education, especially during the clinical years. Given that these students will be responsible for protecting and improving public health in the future, it is essential to prioritize their own mental well-being. Interventions aimed at preserving the mental health of medical students should be planned. Full article

This study introduces an enhanced Intrusion Detection System (IDS) framework for Denial-of-Service (DoS) attacks, utilizing network traffic inter-arrival time (IAT) analysis. By examining the timing between packets and other statistical features, we detected patterns of malicious activity, allowing early and effective DoS threat mitigation. We generate real DoS traffic, including normal, Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP), Smurf attack, and Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) classes, and develop nine predictive algorithms, combining traditional machine learning and advanced deep learning techniques with optimization methods, including the synthetic minority sampling technique (SMOTE) and grid search (GS). Our findings reveal that while traditional machine learning achieved moderate accuracy, it struggled with imbalanced datasets. In contrast, Deep Neural Network (DNN) models showed significant improvements with optimization, with DNN combined with GS (DNN-GS) reaching 89% accuracy. However, we also used Recurrent Neural Networks (RNNs) combined with SMOTE and GS (RNN-SMOTE-GS), which emerged as the best-performing with a precision of 97%, demonstrating the effectiveness of combining SMOTE and GS and highlighting the critical role of advanced optimization techniques in enhancing the detection capabilities of IDS models for the accurate classification of various types of network traffic and attacks. Full article

Internet addiction among adolescents has emerged as a significant global health issue, contributing to social isolation, academic difficulties, and emotional disorders, with excessive use of social networks further intensifying these challenges. This study evaluated the effectiveness of an educational intervention grounded in the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) in reducing Internet addiction and enhancing academic performance among adolescent girls in southern Iran. A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 370 female students aged 15–16 years, selected through two-stage cluster random sampling and divided equally into intervention and control groups. The intervention group participated in a five-week TPB-based program, incorporating lectures, group discussions, and parent–teacher meetings, while the control group received unrelated health education. Data were collected using the Yang Internet Addiction Test (IAT), a TPB-based questionnaire, and academic performance scores (grade point average, GPA) before and after the intervention. A repeated measures ANOVA revealed significant improvements in attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and intentions to reduce Internet use (p < 0.001). Internet addiction scores significantly declined, and GPA improved in the intervention group compared to the control group (p < 0.001, Cohen’s d = 0.950). The findings support TPB-based interventions as effective tools for reducing Internet addiction and improving academic outcomes among adolescents. This study was registered with the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (IRCT20131014015015N18). Full article

Injury prevention and performance enhancement are key objectives in sports training. The FIFA 11+ program, originally developed to reduce injury risks, has gained attention for its potential benefits in improving physical performance and dynamic balance. This study aimed to examine the impact of an 8-week FIFA 11+ training program on vertical jump, Illinois Agility, and Y-Balance Test (YBT) performances in adult male handball players. Twenty-five players from two senior national male handball teams were recruited and randomly assigned to an experimental group (n = 13) or a control group (n = 11). Assessments were conducted before and after the intervention, including the countermovement jump (CMJ), the Illinois Agility Test (IAT), and the Y-Balance Test (YBT), which measured anterior (AT), posteromedial (PM), and posterolateral (PL) reach directions as well as a composite score (CS). The FIFA 11+ group showed significant improvements after the eight-week program, with increased CMJ (p = 0.013) and reduced IAT time (p < 0.001). Dynamic balance, as measured by the YBT, improved significantly in both lower limbs (p = 0.022–0.001), with enhanced postural stability across multiple directions (F = 6.92–20.23, p = 0.022–0.001, ηp² = 0.366–0.628, power = 0.68–0.98). In contrast, the control group exhibited minimal or no significant changes. While the results suggest that the FIFA 11+ program can improve specific performance outcomes in this population, the relatively small sample size and focus on a single sport and age group warrant caution in generalizing these findings. Further studies involving larger and more diverse cohorts are recommended. Full article

Background: The advanced access (AA) scheduling model in primary healthcare (PHC) may reduce unnecessary visits to the emergency department (ED). However, evidence of this effect remains uncertain and limited. Objective: To evaluate whether the adoption of AA models in PHC may reduce ED visits, when compared to the traditional model. Methods: A rapid review of the literature according to the World Health Organization’s guidelines was performed, using two databases (PubMed and Lilacs) with articles from 1980 to 2023. Results: A total of 1286 articles were found according to our search. Of them, 1245 were excluded based on their titles, most of them due to not evaluating advanced accesses as an intervention. Of the remaining 41 articles, many did not evaluate ED visits as an outcome, nor did they have the criteria of inclusion. Eight articles evaluated ED visits as an outcome and had inclusion criteria. Five articles were included and three found an association between the adoption of advanced access in PHC and a reduction in ED visits. Conclusion: This review shows that the adoption of AA in PHC may reduce ED visits. However, it is essential to carry out new studies to understand the relationship between the adoption of AA in PHC and its outcomes in universal healthcare systems. Full article

The artistic expression inherent in Chinese paintings serves as a conduit for the artists’ emotional and cognitive expression. However, current research lacks consensus regarding the distinct psychological mechanisms underlying the appreciation of Chinese painting genres (landscape vs. figure paintings). This study—employing a vocabulary generation task and the Implicit Association Test (IAT) to compare semantic representation and emotional awareness during participants’ viewing these two types of paintings—aims to elucidate potential disparities in aesthetic processing. In Experiment 1, although both types of paintings produced an abundance of content words, figure paintings elicited a greater number of emotional association words than landscape paintings. Meanwhile, Experiment 2 demonstrated faster response times for an incompatible joint task versus a compatible joint task. These findings collectively suggest that the aesthetic of paintings may engage automatic processes, with the effects on semantic representation and emotional awareness appearing to be independent of the type of paintings. The predominance of content processing over emotional response may be attributed to the temporal characteristics of emotional arousal. Full article

Remote sensing imaging technology is one of the safest and most effective tools for gas leakage monitoring in chemical parks, as it enables fast and accurate access to detailed information about the gas cloud (e.g., volume, distribution, diffusion, and location) in the case of gas leakage. While multi-spectral imaging systems are commonly used for hazardous gas leakage detection, efforts to realize the three-dimensional reconstruction of gas clouds through data obtained from multi-spectral imaging systems remain scarce. In this study, we propose a method for realizing the three-dimensional reconstruction of gas clouds with only two multi-spectral imaging systems; in particular, the two multi-spectral imaging systems are used to simultaneously observe the three-dimensional space with gas leakage and reconstruct gas cloud images in real time. A geometric method is used for the localization in the monitoring space and the construction of a three-dimensional spatial grid. The non-axisymmetric inverse Abel transform (IAT) is then applied to the extracted gas absorbance images in order to realize the reconstruction of each layer, and these are then stacked to form a 3D gas cloud. Through the above measurement, identification, and reconstruction processes, a 3D gas cloud with geometric information and concentration distribution characteristics is generated. The results of simulation experiments and external field tests prove that gas clouds can be localized under the premise that they are completely covered by the field of view of both scanning systems, and the 3D distribution of the leakage gas cloud can be reconstructed quickly and accurately with the proposed system. Full article

Introduction/objectives: Brain development changes during adolescence are directly linked to various cognitive and behavioral challenges characteristic of this stage. The main objective of this study is to investigate the risks associated with Internet use and its relationship with Executive Functions (EFs) and anxiety in a representative sample of Spanish secondary school students. Methods: The sample consisted of 1164 participants (48% males) aged 12 to 17 years (M age = 14.86; SD = 1.41) from five selected academic centers. Executive Functions were assessed using the Adolescent and Adult Executive Functioning Questionnaire (ADEXI), anxiety was measured with the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21), and Problematic Internet Use (PIU) was evaluated with the Internet Addiction Test (IAT). Results: Significant positive correlations were found between the PIU, EF, anxiety, and cyberbullying variables. Predictive models were developed to explain the different variables. Conclusions: The results emphasize the need to increase awareness of these issues and to develop effective intervention strategies. Programs that promote responsible Internet use, along with classroom activities addressing anxiety and Executive Functions, could provide clear benefits. Full article

The search for new alternatives for the revalorization of porcine blood is crucial due to the large quantities that are annually generated in slaughterhouses. In this study, a sequential enzymatic hydrolysis of pig blood was optimized using different combinations of the enzymes, namely, Alcalase 4.0 L and Protana™ Prime, Flavourzyme 1000 L, and Protamex^®, as a sustainable method for obtaining extracts rich in bioactive peptides. All the assayed hydrolysates exhibited different peptide profiles and showed in vitro antioxidant, hypoglycemic, and anti-inflammatory activity, although their values differed significantly depending on the type of hydrolysis in ABTS, FRAP, and ORAC assays, as well as in the determination of the inhibitory activity of DPP-IV, NEP, TACE, and MGL enzymes. The hydrolysate obtained by the combination of Alcalase 4.0 L, Flavourzyme 1000 L, and Protana™ Prime (AFPP) resulted in the highest hydrolysis degree (33.39 ± 0.98%), and its peptide profile reflected a higher amount of peptides < 3 kDa. This hydrolysate also obtained significantly higher values for ABTS and the inhibition of TACE and MGL. However, APP2 stood out in NEP inhibition (79.39 ± 3.91%), while APPP was notable for DPP-IV inhibition (43.02 ± 1.39%). The analysis of the hydrolysates using mass spectrometry in tandem allowed for the identification of those sequences that are potentially responsible for the biological activities determined, which were characterized using in silico bioinformatic tools. The results show the potential of using sequential enzymatic hydrolysis in porcine blood to obtain multifunctional peptides. Full article

Adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often have various psychiatric comorbidities, particularly depression. In recent years, gaming disorder (GD) and Internet addiction (IA) have been identified as common comorbidities of ASD. We administered three self-administered screening instruments to adolescents with ASD to assess the severity of depression, GD, and IA. The participants were 10–18-year-olds with ASD. They were asked to complete three questionnaires to assess depressive symptoms, GD, and IA: the Patient Health Questionnaire for Adolescents (PHQ-A), Ten-Item Internet Gaming Disorder Test (IGDT-10), and Internet Addiction Test (IAT). The total IGDT-10 score was calculated in two different ways: the original scoring version (IGDT-10-OV) and the modified version (IGDT-10-MV). Of the 74 respondents, 24.3% had moderate or severe depressive symptoms, 8.1% were identified as having possible GD according to the IGDT-10-OV, 39.2% were identified as having possible GD according to the IGDT-10-MV, and 27.0% were positive for IA according to the IAT. Two-group comparisons revealed that depressive symptoms were more strongly associated with IA than with GD. IA was associated with more depressive symptoms than GD. Since adolescents with ASD have difficulties with social communication, they are prone to isolation and feelings of loneliness. Longer screen times due to social isolation may be a risk factor for the development of GD/IA. Adolescents with ASD often exhibit a preference for visual processing but may struggle with verbal communication. Thus, they may find online spaces more comfortable for them to alleviate their feelings of loneliness. Full article

Vasomotor symptoms, such as hot flashes (HFs), commonly affect women during menopause, leading to a reduced quality of life. The current study evaluates the combined effect of active components Asparagus racemosus (AR) and Trigonella foenum-graecum (TFG) in a single oral formulation (IAT) for alleviating menopausal symptoms in ovariectomized rats. Following bilateral ovariectomy, the animals were randomly assigned to nine groups: (1) Control, (2) Ovariectomy (OVX), (3) OVX+TA1 (TA: Combination of Trigonella and Asparagus; TFG 30 mg/kg + AR 30 mg/kg), (4) OVX+TA2 (TFG 30 mg/kg + AR 15 mg/kg), (5) OVX+TA3 (TFG 15 mg/kg + AR 30 mg/kg), (6) OVX+TA4 (TFG 40 mg/kg + AR 30 mg/kg), (7) OVX+TA5 (TFG 30 mg/kg + AR 40 mg/kg), (8) OVX+IAT1 (IAT: Integrated Asparagus and Trigonella; TFG+AR integrated extract, 30 mg/kg), and (9) OVX+IAT2 (TFG+AR integrated extract, 60 mg/kg). On the 8th day of treatment, tail and skin temperatures were recorded every 30 min for 24 h. Ovariectomized rats exhibited menopausal symptoms, such as hormonal imbalances and elevated skin temperature. Administration of AR, TFG, and IAT significantly decreased serum follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), and cortisol while increasing estradiol, progesterone, and dopamine (p < 0.0001), effectively alleviating hot flash-like symptoms. Additionally, they mitigated ovariectomy-induced oxidative stress by lowering malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and restoring antioxidant enzyme activity. Ovariectomized rats exhibited increased expression of a proto-oncogene (c-FOS), gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), Kisspeptin, Neurokinin B (NKB), and Transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1), along with reduced expressing brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels, which were reversed by treatment, especially with the IAT2 combination. The AR and TFG combination, particularly in IAT formulations, showed strong potential in alleviating menopausal symptoms in ovariectomized rats. These findings suggest that the combination of AR and TFG extracts could be a natural alternative for managing postmenopausal symptoms by restoring reproductive hormone levels, regulating lipid profiles, and enhancing antioxidant defense systems. Full article

The use of plant-based lubricants is a sustainable alternative to petrochemical lubricants. Their main advantages include proven tribological performance, higher biodegradability in the environment, and the absence of health hazards when inhaled, ingested, or in contact with the skin. In this study, nine best-selling commercial lubricants were purchased and compared with two proposed sustainable alternatives derived from plant-based resources. The alternative wet lubricant that was developed demonstrated superior tribological performance compared to the selected commercial lubricants. Meanwhile, the alternative dry lubricant exhibited a greater load capacity and high wear resistance in the presence of micrometric Al₂O₃ particles at 20 N. The results indicated that a proper formulation of plant-based resources in lubricants can achieve the same or even better functional performance than conventional lubricants, which are currently classified as hazardous under European regulations. Full article

The significant microbiota variability represents a key feature that makes the full comprehension of the functional interaction between microbiota and the host an ongoing challenge. To overcome this limitation, in this study, fish intestinal microbiota was analyzed through a meta-analysis, identifying the core microbiota and constructing stochastic Bayesian network (BN) models with SAMBA. We combined three experiments performed with gilthead sea bream juveniles of the same hatchery batch, reared at the same season/location, and fed with diets enriched on processed animal proteins (PAP) and other alternative ingredients (NOPAP-PP, NOPAP-SCP). Microbiota data analysis disclosed a high individual taxonomic variability, a high functional homogeneity within trials and highlighted the importance of the core microbiota, clustering PAP and NOPAP fish microbiota composition. For both NOPAP and PAP BNs, >99% of the microbiota population were modelled, with a significant proportion of bacteria (55–69%) directly connected with the diet variable. Functional enrichment identified 11 relevant pathways expressed by different taxa across the different BNs, confirming the high metabolic plasticity and taxonomic heterogeneity. Altogether, these results reinforce the comprehension of the functional bacteria–host interactions and in the near future, allow the use of microbiota as a species-specific growth and welfare benchmark of livestock animals, and farmed fish in particular. Full article

Oxford Nanopore Technology (ONT) allows for the rapid profiling of aquaculture microbiomes. However, not all the experimental and downstream methodological possibilities have been benchmarked. Here, we aimed to offer novel insights into the use of different library preparation methods (standard-RAP and native barcoding-LIG), primers (V3–V4, V1–V3, and V1–V9), and basecalling models (fast-FAST, high-HAC, and super-accuracy-SUP) implemented in ONT to elucidate the microbiota associated with the aquatic environment and farmed fish, including faeces, skin, and intestinal mucus. Microbial DNA from water and faeces samples could be amplified regardless of the library–primer strategy, but only with LIG and V1–V3/V1–V9 primers in the case of skin and intestine mucus. Low taxonomic assignment levels were favoured by the use of full-length V1–V9 primers, though in silico hybridisation revealed a lower number of potential matching sequences in the SILVA database, especially evident with the increase in Actinobacteriota in real datasets. SUP execution allowed for a higher median Phred quality (24) than FAST (11) and HAC (17), but its execution time (6–8 h) was higher in comparison to the other models (0.6–7 h). Altogether, we optimised the use of ONT for water- and fish-related microbial analyses, validating, for the first time, the use of the LIG strategy. We consider that LIG–V1–V9-HAC is the optimal time/cost-effective option to amplify the microbial DNA from environmental samples. However, the use of V1–V3 could help to maximise the dataset microbiome diversity, representing an alternative when long amplicon sequences become compromised by microbial DNA quality and/or high host DNA loads interfere with the PCR amplification/sequencing procedures, especially in the case of gut mucus. Full article