Search Results (5,106)

Achieving rapid and accurate obstacle avoidance in complex and dynamic environments remains a significant challenge for robots. To enhance the adaptability and flexibility of humanoid arms for obstacle avoidance, a brain-inspired multi-pathway motion decision-making method is proposed to modulate rational planning and habitual actions of humanoid arms. Firstly, a novel framework integrating both a slow and a fast pathway is designed for motion decision-making tasks. Imitating the rational planning function of the prefrontal cortex, the slow pathway employs an improved planning approach based on Real-Time Rapidly exploring Random Tree Star (RT-RRT${}^{*}$) to execute deliberate decisions, along with an improvement in planning via the Smart technique and the high-efficiency neighbor searching method. Meanwhile, mimicking the habitual responses governed by the striatum, the fast pathway utilizes an action model trained by Soft Actor-Critic to make quick and habitual motions. The model in the fast pathway is also used to guide the sampling strategy in the slow pathway. Moreover, to facilitate the integration and smooth transition between the two pathways, an emotional neural network is designed as the modulation module with inspiration from the structure and function of the amygdala. Based on body and obstacle information, the network generates emotional signals to modulate the involvement degree of the two pathways before each decision-making process. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed multi-pathway framework achieves a higher obstacle-avoidance success rate than existing methods while generating motion characteristics that are consistent with certain aspects of human obstacle-avoidance behavior. Full article

Background: Binge eating (BE) is frequently associated with negative emotional states, obesity, and physical inactivity. Although yoga may improve binge eating and emotional symptoms, its effects on physical fitness remain unclear. In contrast, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) has been demonstrated to effectively enhance physical fitness. This study compared the effects of low-volume HIIT (LV-HIIT), high-volume HIIT (HV-HIIT), and yoga on binge eating, negative emotional states, and physical fitness in female college students with binge eating. Methods: Fifty-five physically inactive female college students with binge eating (BES ≥ 18) were randomly assigned to LV-HIIT (n = 19), HV-HIIT (n = 18), or yoga (n = 18) for 8 weeks. The Binge Eating Scale (BES), Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21), body fat percentage, waist circumference, and maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) were assessed before and after the intervention. Data were analyzed using intention-to-treat linear mixed models, with per-protocol repeated-measures ANOVA as a supplementary analysis. Results: After 8 weeks of intervention, significant improvements over time were observed across all groups in binge eating, negative emotional states, and cardiorespiratory fitness (all p < 0.05). Waist circumference and body fat percentage did not change significantly in the ITT analysis. No significant time × group interaction effects were detected for any outcome (all p > 0.05), indicating that the improvements did not differ significantly among the LV-HIIT, HV-HIIT, and yoga groups. Conclusions: An 8-week intervention of LV-HIIT, HV-HIIT, and yoga was associated with improvements in binge eating behaviors, negative emotional states, and VO2max in inactive young women with binge eating, with no evidence of differential efficacy between interventions. LV-HIIT may be promising because of its shorter duration and higher adherence; however, this requires confirmation in larger trials. Full article

Background/Objectives: Alcohol consumption is a major public health concern among university students. However, less is known about how positive and negative alcohol-related perceptions are jointly associated with drinking contexts, motives, and risk behaviors in Brazilian college samples. This study examined positive and negative perceptions of alcohol use and their associations with high-risk drinking, drinking contexts, motivations, and risk behaviors among Brazilian college students. Methods: This cross-sectional online study included 367 Brazilian college students aged 18 to 30 years (M = 22.2; SD = 2.92). Alcohol use was assessed using the AUDIT-C, and perceptions were measured using the Scale of Perceptions about Alcohol Consumption in Higher Education Students. Analyses included descriptive statistics, Mann–Whitney U tests, chi-square tests, Spearman correlations, and age- and gender-adjusted logistic regression models. Results: High-risk alcohol use was identified in 55.6% of participants. Positive perceptions were associated with higher odds of high-risk alcohol use (aOR = 4.85), whereas negative perceptions were associated with lower odds (aOR = 0.50). Drinking in nightclubs/parties (aOR = 4.44) and bars (aOR = 3.91) was associated with higher odds of high-risk alcohol use. Driving after drinking showed the strongest association among risk behaviors (aOR = 5.25), and marijuana was the only other substance significantly associated with this outcome. Conclusions: High-risk drinking among Brazilian college students was associated with perceived alcohol benefits, social drinking contexts, drinking motives, and selected risk behaviors. Prevention strategies should address the perceived social and emotional rewards of drinking. Findings should be interpreted as associations within this cross-sectional convenience sample. Full article

Chronic pain is the leading cause of disability worldwide and frequently co-occurs with mild traumatic brain injury among Veterans (mTBI + CP), creating complex treatment challenges and a need for novel, non-pharmacological interventions. This study evaluated a pilot intervention combining intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS), a neuromodulatory approach, with the evidence-based LoveYourBrain Yoga program to enhance rehabilitation outcomes. In a six-week open-label trial, ten Veterans with mTBI + CP received weekly iTBS followed by yoga sessions. Pilot quantitative outcomes included quality of life (Traumatic Brain Injury Quality of Life [TBI-QoL]) and functional ability (Mayo Portland Adaptability Inventory-4 [MPAI-4]), assessed pre- and post-intervention, alongside qualitative semi-structured interviews and interdisciplinary clinical notes. Significant improvements were observed in TBI-QoL Fatigue (p = 0.021) and MPAI-4 Grief and Loss (p = 0.016), with clinically meaningful but non-significant gains in Ability and Adjustment. Qualitative findings revealed improved pain management and enhanced self-management, with participants describing better emotional regulation, more effective coping strategies, and stronger social connections. Some benefits were more evident in qualitative data than in standardized measures. These pilot findings suggest that combining iTBS with mind–body therapy may provide complementary tools for pain management and functional recovery in Veterans with mTBI + CP, supporting further investigation of integrated neuromodulation and behavioral interventions. Full article

Based on attachment theory, individuals develop relational schemas that shape cognitive-emotional social relationship expectations (e.g., others are a source of safety). Social relationships (e.g., intimate relationships or close friendships) are a source of long-term happiness. However, expectations that they will save someone from life’s challenges are a common fallacy (e.g., a shining prince/princess bringing lifelong happiness). This places illusionary expectations on others to not disappoint despite normal behavioral realities (e.g., relational misunderstandings and conflict). This project psychometrically developed the rescue fantasy beliefs (RFB) and expected relational disappointment (ERD) scales. Analysis of the scales demonstrated satisfactory reliability, discriminant validity, and convergent validity. Serial mediation analysis demonstrated that higher RFB is associated with higher shopping addiction. ERD and current relational satisfaction sequentially mediated this relationship. The results demonstrated a serial connection between RFB and lower ERD. This serial illusionary expectation gap in others is associated with lower current relational satisfaction and higher shopping addiction. Addictive shopping can function as a compensatory coping strategy to unmet social needs. Business marketing implications discuss how new offerings can encourage meaningful in-person social connections to better address underlying needs (for those with greater RFB). Full article

Population aging represents one of the major demographic challenges of the 21st century, driving the need for strategies that promote active aging and overall well-being. In this context, tourism has been identified as a potentially relevant activity associated with quality of life in older age, as it integrates physical, psychological, and social components. The aim of this systematic review was to synthesize the scientific evidence published between 2015 and 2026 on the relationship between tourism participation and active aging in older adults (≥60 years). Following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines, a systematic search was conducted in Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed, identifying 1187 records, of which 18 studies met the inclusion criteria. Overall, the evidence indicates associations between tourism participation and improvements in functional physical health, psychological well-being, and social participation, with no consistent evidence of adverse effects. As a theoretical contribution, the Tourism-Active Aging Multidimensional Model (TAMM) is proposed as a conceptual framework that integrates the key mechanisms identified in the literature into three interrelated dimensions, behavioral engagement, emotional processes, and social interaction, all of which are influenced by individual and contextual factors. The evidence obtained suggests potential of tourism as a complementary strategy to promote active aging. Full article

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is not reducible to a single neurotransmitter deficit. Current explanations commonly involve monoaminergic dysfunction, hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis dysregulation, immune-inflammatory activation, impaired neuroplasticity and synaptic dysfunction, together with metabolic and neurovascular abnormalities. Lipidomic studies have repeatedly identified glycerophospholipid abnormalities in MDD, but their mechanistic meaning remains unresolved because changes in bulk lipid abundance do not explain how altered lipid metabolism becomes a receptor-level neural signal. This review develops a testable interpretation of the lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC)–autotaxin (ATX)–lysophosphatidic acid (LPA)–LPA receptor (LPAR) axis in which LPC species generated during phospholipid turnover provide ATX substrates, ATX activity determines local LPA generation, LPA production and inactivation shape ligand availability, and LPAR signaling links the lipid product to neural output. This structure shifts the focus from total lipid abundance to matched assessment of lipid species, enzyme activity, anatomical site and receptor subtype. Human studies report lower serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) ATX in MDD, lower CSF LPA 22:6 in MDD and schizophrenia, and negative total LPA findings that caution against biomarker oversimplification. Depression-relevant and broader stress- or anxiety-related experimental studies show that ATX, LPA and LPAR perturbation can affect hippocampal function, synaptic physiology, emotional behavior and stress resilience. The key unresolved issue is whether brain-accessible LPC species, active ATX, locally generated LPA, LPA inactivation capacity and receptor-specific output can be demonstrated within the same MDD-relevant fluid, brain-interface site or neural circuit. Future work should therefore move from fluid-level association toward pathway closure through targeted and spatial lipidomics, anatomical ATX activity mapping, LPA inactivation assays, blood–brain barrier (BBB)/interface analysis, LPAR perturbation and matched circuit or behavioral readouts. Full article

Emotional intelligence and personality traits are key dimensions of individual differences contributing to developmental adjustment. This cross-sectional study investigated how trait emotional intelligence (trait EI), conceptualized as self-perceived dispositions closely embedded within personality hierarchies rather than a cognitive ability, is configured alongside the Big Five traits to influence socio-emotional functioning among preadolescents. Using a convenience sampling strategy, data were collected from 194 Greek preadolescents (aged 10–12) who completed self-report measures of trait EI, personality, and psychosocial adjustment via the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) identified three distinct individual configurations: Emotionally Resourceful (54.6%), Emotionally Vulnerable (14.9%), and Emotionally Resilient (30.4%). Distal outcome testing via the Bolck-Croon-Hagenaars (BCH) three-step approach revealed that the Emotionally Resilient profile exhibited the most favorable adjustment (higher prosocial behavior, lower emotional/behavioral difficulties), whereas the Emotionally Vulnerable group displayed the highest psychosocial risks. While the reliance on cross-sectional self-reports requires cautious interpretation regarding causality, the findings underscore that preadolescent adjustment is better understood through integrated dispositional configurations rather than isolated traits, clarifying the role of trait EI within the broader personality space. Full article

Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) are associated with impairments in communication, behavior, and social interaction, making accurate diagnosis clinically challenging. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), a major NDD, often exhibits atypical speech patterns characterized by altered prosody and reduced emotional expressiveness. The study proposes a hybrid dual-path framework for ASD detection from emotional speech using two strategies: PCA–GMM-based acoustic modeling and a CNN–BiLSTM–Attention architecture for spectral–temporal feature learning. The proposed framework captures probabilistic, spectral, and temporal speech characteristics for robust ASD classification. Acoustic analysis demonstrated clear separability between ASD and non-ASD speech, while the deep learning framework achieved stable and reliable performance across multiple emotional conditions. Experimental evaluation achieved 98.3% accuracy, AUC values ranging from 0.9699 to 0.9864, and F1-scores up to 0.9891. The findings highlight the potential of AI-driven speech analysis as a scalable and non-invasive tool for early ASD screening and predictive healthcare applications. Full article

Microgrid scheduling is a challenging optimization problem because renewable energy generation, energy storage behavior, load demand, and grid interaction must be coordinated under nonlinear and constrained operating conditions. To improve the search performance of the original Butterfly Optimization Algorithm (BOA), this paper proposes an Improved Butterfly Optimization Algorithm (IBOA) for global optimization and microgrid scheduling. Three strategies are embedded into the BOA framework. First, the Dance Synchronization Guidance Strategy uses both the current global best solution and the dominant-group center to reduce excessive dependence on a single leader and improve population cooperation. Second, the Dance Emotion Disturbance Strategy introduces an adaptive perturbation term into the local search process, which helps the algorithm escape stagnant regions. Third, the Exponential Fragrance Decay Strategy dynamically adjusts the sensory modality parameter, allowing the search process to gradually shift from global exploration to local refinement. The performance of IBOA is evaluated through the IEEE CEC2017 and CEC2022 benchmark suites under different dimensions. The Friedman ranking results show that IBOA achieves the best mean ranks on CEC2017 with values of 1.13, 1.23, and 1.87 for 30-, 50-, and 100-dimensional cases, respectively. On CEC2022, IBOA also ranks first, with mean ranks of 1.50 and 1.00 for 10- and 20-dimensional cases. In the microgrid scheduling case, IBOA obtains the lowest average operating cost of 1443.56 with a standard deviation of 69.61 over 30 independent runs. Compared with CCO, CBSO, and GWCA, the average cost is reduced by approximately 13.58%, 14.98%, and 15.39%, respectively. Moreover, compared with the original BOA, the average cost is reduced from 28,338.69 to 1443.56. These results indicate that IBOA provides a more stable and cost-effective optimization approach for both benchmark optimization and microgrid scheduling problems. Full article

Virtual tourism is a key emerging form of digital sustainable tourism that supports the sustainable transformation of the tourism industry. Although scholars have increasingly investigated how virtual tourism experiences influence on-site destination visit intentions, there is still a lack of systematic explanations for the underlying formation mechanism. Furthermore, research on the experience-behavior transformation mechanism of virtual tourism platforms remains inadequate. To fill these gaps, this study integrates the Stimulus-Organism-Response (SOR) framework, Technology Readiness Model (TR) and Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) to construct an emotional-technology psychology–cognition–behavior chain-mediated model. Using 683 valid questionnaires, the proposed model was examined via structural equation modeling and Bootstrap analysis. Results reveal that perceived enjoyment strengthens technology optimism and alleviates technology insecurity. Technology optimism positively predicts perceived usefulness and ease of use, while technology insecurity shows a negative effect on perceived usefulness. Perceived ease of use enhances perceived usefulness, which further promotes intention to use the platform’s virtual modules, thereby increasing real destination visit intentions. Perceived ease of use enhances intention to use the platform’s virtual modules, while increasing real destination visit intentions. Perceived ease of use enhances intention to use the platform’s virtual modules, and further promotes real destination visit intentions through chain-mediated pathways. Notably, perceived enjoyment exerts significant chain-mediating effects through three pathways: technology optimism → perceived usefulness → virtual module usage intention; technology optimism → perceived ease of use → virtual module usage intention; and technology optimism → perceived ease of use → perceived usefulness → virtual module usage intention. This study extends the application of the SOR framework to digital sustainable tourism contexts, clarifies micro-psychological transformation mechanisms, and provides practical implications for platform optimization, destination marketing and tourism development. Full article

The present study investigates the relationship between human perception, multisensory gastronomic experiences, and technological mediation within the context of gastrotourism. The research introduces the concept of G@strotourism as a perception-centered and digitally mediated experiential tourism framework, where tourist experiences are shaped through the interaction of sensory engagement, experiential memory, and digital technology. A quantitative methodology was employed, with data collected from 942 international tourists who had visited Greece at least once. EFA, CFA, and SEM analyses were conducted to examine the relationships among pre-trip perceptions, memorable food experiences, technologically enhanced memories, loyalty, and behavioral intention. The findings provide preliminary evidence that technologically enhanced gastronomic experiences influence memory formation, emotional attachment to destinations, and future tourist behavior. The study contributes to the literature on perception-centered tourism experiences by highlighting the roles of sensory perception, memory processes, and digital mediation in gastronomic tourism, and by discussing their implications for tourism experiences enhanced through digital technologies. Full article

Perseverative cognition—frequently expressed through obsessive–compulsive symptoms—is a recognized trans-diagnostic risk factor for psychopathology, with documented links to depression and suicidal ideation. While the literature suggests that altered autonomic arousal in depression may relate to suicidal risk, the conditional architecture linking these variables remains insufficiently explored. This study examined whether suicidal ideation mediates the association between depression and autonomic arousal and whether obsessive–compulsive symptoms moderate the initial pathways within this mechanism. A sample of 120 university students (61.8% female; M_age = 28.6, SD_age = 10.71) completed the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R), from which the depression, obsessive–compulsive, and suicidal ideation scores were derived; notably, the suicidal ideation score was calculated from specific items (15 and 59) embedded within the depression subscale. All participants underwent a psychophysiological evaluation to record baseline Electrodermal Activity (EDA) as an index of tonic autonomic arousal. Results indicated that depression significantly predicted suicidal ideation (B = 0.05, SE = 0.006, p < 0.001, 95% CI [0.03, 0.06]), which, in turn, was a significant predictor of autonomic arousal (B = 0.17, SE = 0.08, p = 0.03, 95% CI [0.02, 0.33]). Additionally, the mediation analysis revealed that depression showed an indirect statistical association with autonomic arousal through suicidal ideation (Bootstrapped 95% CI [0.01, 0.12]). Concurrently, obsessive–compulsive symptoms significantly moderated the psychological link between depression and suicidal ideation (B = 0.20, SE = 0.04, p < 0.001, 95% CI [0.04, 0.37]), accounting for 38.40% of the variance (F (4, 115) = 22.17, p < 0.001). Sensitivity analyses, conducted by re-calculating the models after excluding items 15 and 59 from the depression score, confirmed the robustness of these findings against potential psychometric overlap. However, the formal Index of Moderated Mediation was not statistically significant (0.0000 (95% Boot CI [−0.0001, 0.0001]), explicitly demonstrating that this psychological moderation did not translate into a significant conditional indirect effect on peripheral autonomic arousal. These findings suggest that while obsessive cognitive patterns significantly intensify the psychological burden of depression into thoughts of death, their concurrent association with peripheral physiological parameters remains strictly exploratory in non-clinical cohorts, underscoring a nuanced underscoring a nuanced ‘blocking’ effect—both emotional and behavioral—where obsessive rigidity functions as a mechanism of paralysis that, while generating profound subjective distress, fails to translate into a corresponding reactive physiological response of the autonomic nervous system. Full article

This systematic review, following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, analyzes scientific literature on bullying and cyberbullying among adolescents (aged 12–16) in educational settings, focusing on ICT, smartphone hyperconnectivity, and emotional education. An exhaustive search across Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, Dialnet, CSIC, SciELO, and Google Scholar identified 34 empirical studies. A narrative synthesis was performed due to methodological heterogeneity. The synthesized evidence suggests that cyberbullying frequently acts as a persistent extension of school violence, where continuous digital exposure makes it difficult for victims to emotionally disconnect. Empirical data indicate a concerning correlation between prolonged bullying and psychosocial distress, including self-harming behaviors and suicidal ideation. Furthermore, results highlight systemic gaps: heightened vulnerability is reported among girls and LGBTQ+ students, alongside disparities between public and state-subsidized schools regarding institutional involvement and emotional support resources. Educational implications suggest reactive protocols are insufficient. Evidence supports that systematic emotional education, enhancing socio-emotional skills like impulse control, empathy, self-esteem and emotional regulation, acts as a key protective factor. Consequently, fostering “digital emotional intelligence” emerges as a promising preventive educational strategy to protect adolescents’ well-being in hyperconnected environments. Full article

Background: Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is the most prevalent behavioral disorder in children. Physical activity (PA) and hypnosis-based mindfulness training (HBMT) have both been proposed as complementary approaches in the management of ADHD. The present study examined the effects of a combined PA and HBMT intervention on ADHD symptoms, perceptual-motor abilities, and balance in children with ADHD. Methods: The sample comprised 20 participants in the experimental group (EG) and 19 in the control group (CG). All participants were boys diagnosed with ADHD, aged 8–11 years. The intervention in the EG included PA and HBMT, whereas the CG received unsystematic education about emotions. The program was conducted twice weekly for 60 min over a period of three months. The severity of ADHD symptoms was assessed using the ASEBA TRF/6–18 questionnaires. Perceptual-motor abilities were evaluated using the Test of Perceptual-Motor Skills. Static balance was measured using a tensiometric force platform, and dynamic balance was assessed with the Biodex Balance System. For variables in which no statistically significant baseline differences between groups were observed, intervention effects were analyzed using a two-way repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA). For variables showing statistically significant baseline differences, analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was applied to examine the influence of initial intergroup differences on post-intervention outcomes, as well as on follow-up assessments conducted three and six months after the completion of the intervention. Results: Participants in the EG demonstrated significant short-term and long-term reductions in ADHD symptom severity. In addition, improvements were observed in perceptual-motor abilities and dynamic balance, while static balance improved immediately following the intervention. Conclusions: The findings suggest that a structured program combining physical activity and hypnosis-based mindfulness may represent a promising complementary intervention for children with ADHD. However, larger randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm these findings and further evaluate their long-term clinical relevance. Full article