Search Results (61)

Background: Rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD), the most common type of retinal detachment, requires prompt surgery to reattach the retina and avoid permanent vision loss. While surgical treatment is adapted to each individual case, one frequent option is pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) with silicone oil (SO) tamponade. Despite achieving anatomical success (complete retinal attachment), concerns persist regarding potential microvascular alterations in the retina and choroid, with a negative impact on visual function. Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) allows detailed, in-depth imaging of retinal and choroidal circulation, whereas microperimetry makes it possible to accurately assess macular function. This review aims to strengthen the existing evidence on vascular and functional alterations at the macular level after SO tamponade in cases of RRD. Methods: A narrative review was conducted using a structured approach, utilizing a PubMed search from January 2000 up to April 2025. Twenty-three studies on OCTA and microperimetry after SO tamponade for RRD were included. Data on vessel densities, choroidal vascular index (CVI), foveal avascular zone (FAZ) size, and retinal sensitivity were extracted and qualitatively analyzed. Results: Studies consistently reported a reduction in the vessel density within the superficial capillary plexus (SCP) under SO tamponade, with partial but incomplete reperfusion post-removal. Choroidal perfusion and CVI were also decreased, exhibiting a negative correlation with the duration of SO tamponade. Microperimetry demonstrated significant reductions in retinal sensitivity (~5–10 dB) during SO tamponade, which modestly improved (~1–2 dB) following removal but generally remaining below normal levels. Conclusions: SO tamponade causes substantial retinal and choroidal vascular impairment and measurable macular dysfunction, even after anatomical reattachment of the retina. It is recommended to perform early SO removal (~3–4 months) and implement routine monitoring by OCTA and microperimetry with the aim of optimizing patient outcomes. Future research should focus on investigating protective strategies and enhancing visual rehabilitation following RRD repair. Full article

Psychopathy in women remains understudied, particularly regarding the role of early relational experiences such as attachment. This systematic review aims to synthesize the current evidence on the association between attachment-related factors and psychopathic traits in women. A structured search following PRISMA guidelines across multidisciplinary databases (Scopus-Elsevier^®, ESBCO^®, Pubmed^®, Sage Publishing^®, B-On, and Web of Science-Core Collection^®) yielded 147 articles, of which eight met the inclusion criteria. The majority of the studies met three to four out of the five methodological quality criteria. Findings indicate that insecure attachment styles are differentially associated with psychopathy. Avoidant attachment is positively linked to callous-unemotional traits, whereas the role of anxious attachment appears more heterogeneous. Some studies associate it with higher levels of affective traits and secondary psychopathy, while others identify it as a negative predictor of callous-unemotional features in women. Avoidant attachment was also negatively correlated with empathy and positively related to maladaptive emotion regulation strategies, particularly among women with secondary psychopathic traits. Negative maternal parenting was associated with elevated psychopathic traits, whereas positive parental involvement acted as a protective factor. Additional predictors included early maladaptive schemas and childhood risk factors such as parental criminality and poor supervision. These findings highlight the relevance of early intervention and attachment-informed approaches in forensic risk assessment, trauma-informed care, and prevention programs targeting women with psychopathic traits. Full article

The Qinba Mountain Region in southern Shaanxi, China, is both a key ecological barrier and a repository of cultural heritage, yet its traditional villages remain highly vulnerable to natural disasters. Disaster-relocation policies have reduced direct exposure to hazards but also created challenges such as settlement hollowing and weakening of cultural continuity. However, systematic studies on the resilience mechanisms of these villages and a corresponding governance framework remain limited. This study applies social–ecological resilience theory to evaluate the resilience of 57 nationally recognized traditional villages. Using a combination of Morphological Spatial Pattern Analysis (MSPA), the entropy weight method, and the geographical detector model, we construct a three-dimensional evaluation framework encompassing terrain adaptability, hazard exposure, and ecological sensitivity. The results show that the Terrain Adaptability Index (TAI) is the dominant driver of resilience, with an explanatory power of q = 0.61, while the interaction of Hazard Exposure Index (HEI, q = 0.58) and Ecological Sensitivity Index (ESI, q = 0.49) produces a nonlinear enhancement effect, significantly increasing vulnerability. Approximately 83% of villages adopt a “peripheral attachment–core avoidance” strategy, and 57% of high-resilience villages (CRI ≥ 0.85) rely on traditional clan-based networks and drainage systems to offset ecological fragility. Based on these differentiated resilience characteristics, the study proposes a three-tiered governance framework of core protection areas–ecological restoration zones–cultural corridors. While this framework demonstrates broad applicability, its findings are context-specific to the Qinba Mountains. Future studies should apply the model to other mountainous regions and integrate dynamic simulation methods to assess climate change impacts, thereby expanding the generalizability of resilience governance strategies. Full article

Background: This systematic review aims to summarize the most recent data from the literature on the psychological aspects of parents of children prenatally diagnosed with congenital heart defects (CHDs). Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted to identify relevant studies on the psychological issues faced by parents of children prenatally diagnosed with CHD. Searches were performed in multiple scientific databases, including PubMed, Science direct, Embase, Scopus, Medline, Clarivate, to ensure the broad coverage of the literature. The search was limited to studies published up until February 2025. The search strategy included the following terms and combinations: “congenital heart defect” OR “CHD” AND “prenatal diagnosis” AND “psychological impact” OR “parental distress” OR “coping”. Results: Eighteen studies involving the 673 parents of fetuses diagnosed with congenital heart defects were included. Studies spanned four continents and employed both qualitative (n = 14) and quantitative (n = 4) designs. Key psychological outcomes reported were anxiety, depression, stress, post-traumatic stress, coping strategies, maternal–fetal attachment, and life satisfaction. Anxiety and depression were the most frequent issues, with maternal anxiety reaching 65% and depression up to 45.7%. Stress related to diagnostic uncertainty was common. While some parents used adaptive coping (social support, emotional regulation), others experienced maladaptive patterns such as avoidance. One study reported increased maternal–fetal attachment following prenatal CHD diagnosis. Predictors of psychological distress included time of diagnosis, parental gender, education level, social support, and severity of the defect. Recommended interventions included early psychological screening, empathetic communication, structured counseling, and long-term emotional support. Despite heterogeneity in design and moderate overall bias, findings highlight a consistent psychological burden among parents, underscoring the need for integrated psychosocial care following a prenatal CHD diagnosis. Conclusions: Parents whose children have been prenatally diagnosed with a congenital heart defect are at an increased risk for psychological distress. To improve the quality of care, a multidisciplinary team is needed to provide parents with the necessary information on diagnosis, interventions, and potential outcomes. Full article

In order to solve the problem of emergency collision avoidance of autonomous vehicles when the front vehicle is unstable and sliding under high-speed conditions, a research method for the state recognition of the front side-skid vehicle and the trajectory prediction of the front side-skid vehicle was proposed. By extracting the key features of the vehicle in front of the vehicle in danger of sliding to build a skidding recognition model of the vehicle in front, a skidding recognition strategy of the vehicle in front was designed based on the extracted skidding feature indexes to judge the skidding state of the vehicle in front. The state quantity of the sliding vehicle in front is selected, and the constant rotation rate and acceleration model (CTRA) is established to predict the trajectory of the sliding vehicle in front in a short time. Considering the simplified assumptions of the model and the noise in the process of sensor perception information, the Unscented Kalman Filter (UKF) is used to deal with the uncertainty in the trajectory prediction process, the possible position and covariance of the front sideslipping vehicle are calculated, and the possible future area of the front sideslipping vehicle is estimated under the condition of a probability of 0.9. Through the established Carsim and Simulink co-simulation platform, the effectiveness of the front vehicle skidding state recognition strategy and the accuracy of the trajectory prediction of the sliding vehicle are verified under the condition of high speed and low attachment. Full article

This study examines how attachment styles influence cognitive load during a dot counting task with varying difficulty levels and feedback types. From an initial pool of 96 participants, 27 were selected based on attachment classifications from the Experiences in Close Relationships-Revised (ECR-R) questionnaire. These participants completed the task while receiving personal and group-based feedback, and EEG recordings monitored cognitive load using the theta/beta ratio (TBR). Results show that negative personal feedback consistently elevated cognitive load across all attachment styles. Avoidant and fearful-avoidant individuals did not exhibit significant differences in cognitive load between positive and negative group feedback, suggesting a relatively stable response regardless of feedback valence. In contrast, securely attached individuals showed increased cognitive load under negative feedback conditions. Furthermore, individuals with higher attachment-related anxiety or avoidance experienced more pronounced increases in cognitive load as task difficulty increased. These findings suggest that attachment-related differences shape cognitive responses to feedback and task complexity level. The study highlights the role of adaptive feedback strategies in optimizing cognitive engagement across different attachment profiles. Full article

Adaptive movement in response to individual interactions represents a fundamental evolutionary solution found by both unicellular organisms and metazoans to avoid predators, search for resources or conspecifics for mating, and engage in other collaborative endeavors. Displacement processes are known to affect interspecific relationships, especially when linked to foraging strategies. Various displacement phenomena occur in marine plankton, ranging from the large-scale diel vertical migration of zooplankton to microscale interactions around microalgal cells. Among these symbiotic interactions, collaboration between the centric diatom Chaetoceros coarctatus and the peritrich ciliate Vorticella oceanica is widely known and has been recorded in several studies. Here, using 2D and 3D tracking records, we describe the movement patterns of the non-motile, chain-forming diatoms (C. coarctatus) carried by epibiotic ciliates (V. oceanica). The reported data on the Chaetoceros–Vorticella association illustrated the consortium’s ability to generate distinct motility patterns. We established that the currents generated by the attached ciliates, along with the variability in the contraction and relaxation of ciliate stalks in response to food concentration, resulted in three types of trajectories for the consortium. The characteristics of these distinct paths were determined using robust statistical methods, indicating that the different displacement behaviors allowed the consortium to adequately explore distributed resources and remain within the food-rich layers provided in the experimental containers. A simple mechanical–stochastic model was successfully applied to simulate the observed displacement patterns, further supporting the proposed mechanisms of collective response to the environment. Full article

The fouling of protein on the surface of reverse osmosis (RO) membranes is a surface phenomenon strongly dependent on the physical and chemical characteristics of both the membrane surface and the foulant molecule. Much of the focus on fouling mitigation is on the synthesis of more hydrophilic membrane materials. However, hydrophilicity is only one of several factors affecting foulant attachment. A more systematic and rationalized methodology is needed to screen the membrane materials for the synthesis of fouling-resistant materials, which will ensure the prevention of the accumulation of foulants on the membrane surfaces, avoiding the trial and error methodology used in most membrane synthesis in the literature. If a clear correlation is found between various membrane surface properties, in combination or singly, and the amount of fouling, this will facilitate the establishment of a systematic strategy of screening materials and enhance the selection of membrane materials and therefore will reflect on the efficiency of the membrane process. In this work, eight commercial reverse osmosis membranes were tested for bovine serum albumin (BSA) protein fouling. The work here focused on three surface membrane properties: the surface roughness, the water contact angle (hydrophilicity), and finally the Hansen solubility parameter (HSP) distance between the foulant understudy (BSA protein) and the membrane surface. The HSP distance was investigated as it represented the affinities of materials to each other, and therefore, it was believed to have an important contribution to the tendency of foulant to stick to the surface of the membrane. The results showed that the surface roughness and the HSP distance contributed to membrane fouling more than the hydrophilicity. We recommend taking into account the HSP distance between the membrane material and foulants when selecting membrane materials. Full article

We examined the associations between attachment anxiety, attachment avoidance, and attachment to group (to Israel) and mental health scores. The study used a community sample of 434 participants in response to the October 7th attack on Israel. Additionally, we explored the potential mechanisms linking these attachment patterns to mental health scores. We focused on emotion regulation strategies, such as task-focused, emotion-focused, and distance-focused strategies, as potential mediators. The results indicated that the negative direct association between attachment anxiety and mental health is fully mediated by a high emotion-focused strategy and a low task-focused strategy. Attachment avoidance did not have a significant direct association with mental health scores. However, it had significant negative indirect associations through a high emotion-focused strategy and a low task-focused strategy. Attachment to the group (to Israel) showed both direct and indirect positive associations with mental health through a low emotion-focused strategy and a high task-focused strategy. The discussion highlights the role of internal representations of insecure attachment, group attachment, and emotion regulation strategies (especially emotion- and task-focused strategies) in how highly stressful external situations affect mental health. Full article

Angiomyofibroblastoma (AMFB) is an exceedingly rare mesenchymal tumor of the lower genital tract. AMFB primarily affects the pelviperineal region, especially the vulvar in premenopausal women. Typically, AMFB is a benign disease and does not have the potential for metastasis or recurrence, requiring complete surgical excision. Its accurate differentiation from aggressive angiomyxoma is critical due to varying prognoses. A 51-year-old woman, diagnosed with mucinous carcinoma of the breast, presented with a 12 cm abdominopelvic mass identified during breast cancer staging. Imaging suggested an ovarian origin; however, surgical exploration revealed a stalk-attached cystic mass in the anterior body of the uterus. Histopathology confirmed AMFB. Immunohistochemical analysis showed positivity for estrogen and progesterone receptors and smooth muscle actin. The patient continued breast cancer treatment postoperatively without pelvic mass recurrence or complications for a postoperative follow-up period of one year. This case highlights AMFB’s potential uterine body origin, expending known tumor sites and complicating diagnosis due to overlapping features with other mesenchymal tumors. Accurate diagnosis using immunohistochemical markers and pathological features is essential to avoid unnecessary aggressive treatments. The uterine location in this case suggests a possible shared pathogenesis with uterine myomas, warranting further research into their connection. Reporting the first case of AMFB originating in the uterine body enhances understanding of this rare condition and underscores the importance of clinical awareness and precise diagnostic strategies to guide management and improve outcomes. Full article

There is evidence that anxiety and avoidance toward close relationships (i.e., insecure attachment orientations), as well as posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSSs), are linked to a poor quality of life. The current study aimed to investigate the potential mediating effects of PTSSs on the associations between insecure attachment orientations and domains of quality of life. A convenience sample of 497 adults (375 females, 75.5%), ranging in age between 18 and 65 years old (M = 32.48, SD = 13.26), was recruited. Participants were administered self-report instruments assessing attachment anxiety and avoidance, PTSSs, and domains of quality of life, including physical health, psychological status, social relationships, and environment. A series of mediation analyses were performed to test the mediating role of PTSSs in the relationships between attachment orientations and domains of quality of life. Results showed that attachment anxiety was related to decreased levels of quality of life in all domains, and that their associations were mediated by PTSSs. Also, attachment avoidance was related to a worse quality of psychological status and social relationships, and PTSSs were a significant mediating variable in these associations. Prevention programs and clinical interventions focused on promoting effective strategies for managing distress might be critical in reducing the impact of distressing events on the quality of life of individuals with insecure attachment. Full article

The development of sustainable food production requires reducing the strain from present production systems on the environment using novel/disruptive technologies, one of which is to use grass as an abundantly available raw material, either minimally processed grass or grass-derived ingredients. With grass supplies readily available and the potentially significant carbon footprint reduction that this technology offers, this is an opportunity for sustainable production of much-needed food ingredients for human consumption. This study investigates UK consumers’ acceptance of grass-derived ingredients and examines the factors influencing their willingness to adopt these innovations as part of their diets. This study was conducted through a cross-sectional study in the UK, in which the participants were divided into three groups based on meat avoidance, i.e., meat reducers, meat avoiders, and meat consumers. The key findings emphasise the importance of education on grass-derived products to enhance consumer awareness and confidence. Other factors—such as age, meat attachment, grass-derived ingredients’ characteristics, social norms, and attitudes—have influenced willingness to try (WTT)/accept grass-derived ingredients. The findings suggest that while grass-derived ingredients in human diets may struggle to gain positive perceptions, targeted product development and marketing strategies tailored to highlight grass-derived ingredients’ nutritional benefits and safety are key to reshaping perceptions and fostering consumer readiness for novel food technologies in the UK. Full article

(1) Background: To mitigate COVID-19 transmission, global public health interventions were swiftly implemented. However, a comprehensive understanding of individual variations in adhering to these recommendations remains elusive. Addressing this gap is crucial for effectively managing future epidemic and pandemic scenarios. This study aims to explore individual differences in attachment, emotion regulation, and risk for COVID-19 infection using virtual reality (VR). (2) Methods: The sample included 73 (88%) university students and 10 (12%) university staff. Participants completed questionnaires on sociodemographic information, the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale, the Experiences in Close Relationships—Relationship Structures Questionnaire, and the fear of COVID-19 Scale. Additionally, each participant engaged in five daily situations using a VR simulator to assess the risk of COVID-19 infection. (3) Results: Our study revealed that high levels of attachment anxiety, difficulties controlling impulsive behaviors, and limited access to emotion regulation strategies were strong predictors of elevated risk of COVID-19 infection. Conversely, high levels of fear of COVID-19 and attachment avoidance were associated with lower risk of COVID-19 infection. (4) Conclusions: We discuss the importance of policymakers and health professionals being aware of some psychological characteristics that make it difficult for some individuals to adhere to public health measures involving social distancing. Full article

As has been widely documented, minority stress affects the psychosocial well-being of gay and lesbian people. Recently, researchers have turned their attention to psychological factors that may influence the level of minority stress experienced, in order to explain individual differences in perceptions of proximal minority stressors. The present research aimed at assessing the effect of attachment avoidance and anxiety on levels of perceived stigma and internalized homonegativity. A total of 163 participants who self-identified as lesbian or gay (M_age = 32.56, SD = 10.87) were recruited and responded to the self-report questionnaires. Two multiple regression models were applied to assess the association between adult attachment and perceived stigma and internalized homonegativity. Results showed a positive association between attachment anxiety and avoidance and internalized homonegativity, as well as between attachment avoidance and perceived stigma. The emerging results demonstrate the impact of attachment anxiety and avoidance on proximal minority stressors and provide useful data for interventions addressing lesbian and gay people aimed at promoting security-based strategies of affect regulation and positive representations of self and others, which in turn may reduce the level of proximal minority stressors experienced and promote psychosocial well-being. Full article

Lower back pain, a common issue among pregnant women, often complicates daily activities like standing up from a chair. Therefore, research into the standing motion of pregnant women is important, and many research studies have already been conducted. However, many of these studies were conducted in highly controlled environments, overlooking everyday scenarios such as using a desk for support when standing up, and their effects have not been adequately tested. To address this gap, we measured multimodal signals for a sit-to-stand (STS) movement with hand assistance and verified the changes using a t-test. To avoid imposing strain on pregnant women, we used 10 non-diseased young adults who wore jackets designed to simulate pregnancy conditions, thus allowing for more comprehensive and rigorous experimentation. We attached surface electromyography (sEMG) sensors to the erector spinae muscles of participants and measured changes in muscle activity, skeletal positioning, and center of pressure both before and after wearing a Maternity-Simulation Jacket. Our analysis showed that the jacket successfully mimicked key aspects of the movement patterns typical in pregnant women. These results highlight the possibility of developing practical strategies that more accurately mirror the real-life scenarios met by pregnant women, enriching the current research on their STS movement. Full article