Search Results (9,227)

This study explores the influence of congruence and incongruence in father‒mother co-parenting on adolescent depression, as well as the mediating effect of self-esteem. A total of 1389 adolescents completed questionnaires assessing their levels of depression and self-esteem, while their fathers and mothers correspondingly reported on their own co-parenting behaviors using the Parental Co-parenting Scale in this cross-sectional study. Dates were analyzed using LPA, RSA, and mediation consecutively. The results show that: (1) We identified three distinct co-parenting profiles: positive parental co-parenting, negative parental co-parenting, and mixed parental co-parenting. (2) In cases of congruent parental co-parenting, high positive parental co-parenting was associated with lower adolescent depression, whereas high negative parental co-parenting was linked to higher depression, and the difference manifests in different forms among boys and girls. Girls showed nonlinear changes in depression while boys exhibited linear trends. (3) In cases of incongruence in parental co-parenting, mothers’ co-parenting exerted a stronger influence on boys’ depression, while girls were not affected by mothers’ and fathers’ discrepancies. (4) Self-esteem mediated the relationship between parental co-parenting (in)congruence and depression across both genders. This study provides evidence for the mechanism through which parental coparenting influences adolescent depression and offers a basis for future interventions targeting adolescent depression. Full article

Background: Medical nutrition therapy (MNT) is crucial for diabetes management. This study evaluated a hands-on nutrition education program that incorporated cooking demonstrations for glycemic control, anthropometrics, and dietary behavior over a 2-month period. Methods: Nineteen type 2 diabetes patients (four males and 15 females; 79% female) participated. The median [IQR] age was 70.0 [65.5–73.0] years; the duration of diabetes was 12.0 [8.5–14.0] years; the body mass index (BMI) was 24.3 [21.05–27.90] kg/m², and the baseline HbA1c level was 6.90 [6.55–7.50%]. Approximately 20–25% of patients used injectable therapies. Pre- and post-treatment comparisons were performed via Wilcoxon signed-rank tests, while effect sizes were quantified via rank–biserial correlation (RBC). Results: In females (n = 15), carbohydrate intake decreased significantly (RBC = −0.583; p = 0.050). The protein levels per 1000 kcal exhibited a strong positive effect (RBC = 0.550; p = 0.065). HbA1c levels improved significantly (overall: RBC = −0.689 and p = 0.009; females: RBC = −0.725 and p = 0.014), and while body fat increased significantly (overall: RBC = 0.979 and p < 0.001; females: RBC = 0.983 and p < 0.001), the skeletal muscle index tended to decrease in females (RBC = −0.333; p = 0.268). Conclusions: Short-term hands-on nutrition education resulted in significant HbA1c improvement and dietary behavior changes but was accompanied by body composition deterioration. The findings of this study clarify the potential risks of nutritional interventions in elderly diabetic patients and provide important insights for improving future programs. Full article

Interventions aimed at reducing stress levels and sick leave have been implemented from different perspectives for workers. The aim of this study is to analyze the effectiveness of two interventions, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and strategies and workshops enhancing well-being (Well-being Route), on stress and sick leave levels. A quasi-experimental design was employed, with three conditions (control group, n = 41; Well-being Route group, n = 36; and Well-being Route + Cognitive Behavioral Therapy group, n = 17). A two-way MANCOVA with one within-subjects factor (intervention: 2 levels, pretest (Time 1), posttest (Time 2)), one between-subjects factor (group: 3 levels, CG, WBR, and WBR+CBT), and a covariate (job control) was used for analysis. Baseline differences among groups were found. The interaction between the intervention and the three conditions was statistically significant. The findings suggest that WBR+CBT within organizations can effectively mitigate stress and sick leave among workers, although sick leave was measured with a single item. Full article

Background: Adolescence represents a critical period for the adoption of lifestyle behaviors that may influence physical health, emotional well-being, and health-related behaviors later in life. However, limited evidence exists regarding the combined association of dietary habits and physical activity with motivation toward physical education, particularly among adolescent girls from different residential environments. Objective: This study aimed to examine the relationship between adherence to the Mediterranean diet, physical activity levels, and motivation toward physical education among adolescent girls from urban and rural settings. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out involving girls aged 12 to 14 years (n = 217; N_Urban = 108 and N_Rural = 109). Adherence to the Mediterranean diet, physical activity levels, and motivational dimensions toward PE were assessed using validated questionnaires. Differences between groups were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA), and an analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was performed controlling for physical activity levels. Effect sizes were calculated using partial eta squared (η²p). Results: Significant differences were observed in intrinsic motivation, identified regulation, introjected regulation, and amotivation according to adherence to the Mediterranean diet (p < 0.05), with small to moderate effect sizes (η²p = 0.029–0.040). Post hoc analyses indicated that girls with optimal adherence to the Mediterranean diet exhibited higher intrinsic motivation toward PE compared with those with low adherence. The ANCOVA revealed that higher physical activity levels were significantly associated with greater intrinsic motivation, particularly among girls from urban environments. No significant differences were found between urban and rural environments in overall physical activity levels or dietary adherence. Conclusions: Greater adherence to the Mediterranean diet and higher levels of physical activity are associated with more self-determined motivational profiles toward physical education in adolescent girls. These findings highlight the importance of integrated school-based interventions that promote healthy eating and active lifestyles to enhance motivation and engagement in PE among adolescent girls. Full article

Understanding the long-term impact of historical land system failures on rural elderly dietary habits is essential for enhancing rural well-being. Existing studies focus on physiological effects but often neglect the deep-seated psychological mechanisms and resource boundaries driving irrational late-life consumption. By integrating the Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) model and compensatory consumption theory, this study uses balanced panel data from the CLHLS and a Cohort-Difference-in-Differences framework to identify causal effects. The results show that: (1) Early-life famine exposure creates a rigid life-cycle consumption imprint. Adolescent exposure leads to significantly higher levels of compensatory food consumption in later life despite current improvements in material conditions. (2) Learned helplessness drives historical trauma into compensation. Mechanism analysis shows that individuals attempt to restore a sense of order and security by controlling micro-level food intake. (3) The behavioral impact of this trauma depends on resource boundary conditions. The compensatory drive is stronger in resource-scarce regions but weakens with individual economic self-reliance. Additionally, professional community counseling shows a reversal effect, surpassing informal family support which suffers from a “compliance paradox”. These results are robust after a series of validation tests. Our study supports shifting rural revitalization policies from material aid to professional psychological intervention. Full article

Online misinformation has grown significantly with the widespread use of the internet and the ease of sharing content through social media, often without rigorous fact-checking or scientific validation. In this context, we examined the effect of trust in scientists and conspiracy beliefs on online misinformation susceptibility and fake news detection. A cross-sectional study was carried out. We used valid questionnaires to collect our data. Trust in scientists was assessed using the Trust in Scientists Scale. Conspiracy beliefs were measured using the Conspiracy Mentality Questionnaire. Participants’ susceptibility to online misinformation was evaluated using the Online Misinformation Susceptibility Scale. Our multivariable analysis identified that lower trust in scientists is associated with higher online misinformation susceptibility. Participants who believed in conspiracy behaviors showed also higher levels of misinformation susceptibility. Our multivariable model showed that participants who believe in conspiracy beliefs had a lower ability to detect fake news. We found a positive association between trust in sciences and fake news detection. We identified a negative association between interest in politics and fake news detection. Our findings showed associations between trust in scientists, conspiracy beliefs, online misinformation susceptibility and fake news detection. Identification of predictors of these outcomes is crucial to define high-risk groups and develop appropriate interventions to confront these issues. Full article

People in midlife interact with several different environments during their daily life including employment, leisure, commuting, and various family responsibilities, a concept defined as activity space. However, little is known about how these activity spaces contribute to individuals’ daily health behavior choices. The Everyday Environments and Experiences (E3) study was conducted to explore these relationships. In this paper, we provide a reproducible GPS processing workflow to generate time-weighted exposure measures (activity spaces) inferred from 21 days of continuous GPS monitoring among 340 midlife adults in Cook County, Illinois (n = 340) from the E3 study. Data from waist-mounted GPS devices that recorded one-minute location epochs were aggregated after excluding time spent within an 800 m buffer around the home. For each epoch, we derived proximity and kernel density measures for eleven food and physical-activity-related location types (e.g., supermarkets, fitness facilities), along with twenty-six environmental context variables (e.g., land use, crime, population density). Time-weighted averages characterized each participant’s typical non-home environmental exposure. After adjustment for environmental context, age and gender were generally unrelated to activity-space measures. However, Black and Hispanic participants (as compared to White participants) spent less time near both food and physical-activity resources, suggesting systemic inequities in access beyond neighborhood composition. These findings highlight the need to move beyond static residential measures toward time-weighted, dynamic assessments of environmental exposure. They also indicate that racial and ethnic disparities in routine activity space may reflect structural inequities shaping daily physical activity and access to healthy food. Future research is needed to explore how these observed disparities translate into differences into disease risk, using longer exposure periods and different geographic settings to identify causal pathways and inform multi-level interventions. Full article

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of irreversible vision loss worldwide and is driven by complex pathophysiological processes, including oxidative stress, chronic inflammation, complement dysregulation, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-mediated neovascularization. Nutritional interventions—particularly supplementation with carotenoids, omega-3 fatty acids, polyphenols, and essential micronutrients—have demonstrated clinical benefits in slowing disease progression, as evidenced by landmark trials such as AREDS and AREDS2. However, many AMD-relevant bioactives exhibit poor aqueous solubility, low chemical stability, and limited gastrointestinal bioavailability, which significantly constrain their therapeutic efficacy. Food-grade microgels have emerged as versatile colloidal delivery platforms capable of addressing these limitations through rational structural and physicochemical design. This review provides a systematic roadmap for developing food-grade microgels, organized into: (1) the molecular design of protein- and polysaccharide-based networks; (2) advanced fabrication strategies such as microfluidics and atomization; (3) spatiotemporal release programming within the gastrointestinal tract; and (4) multi-nutrient synergy for retinal protection. This approach highlights how controlled crosslinking, interfacial assembly, and tunable network architectures enhance nutrient stabilization. Particular emphasis is placed on spatiotemporal release programming within the gastrointestinal tract, including diffusion-limited gastric retention, pH- and bile-responsive swelling in the small intestine, and microbiota-triggered degradation in the colon. These mechanisms collectively enable region-specific release, improved micellar incorporation, enhanced systemic absorption, and more consistent retinal delivery. Furthermore, we discuss co-encapsulation strategies that accommodate both hydrophilic and lipophilic bioactives, thereby minimizing antagonistic interactions and enabling synergistic nutritional modulation of oxidative and inflammatory pathways implicated in AMD. A central novelty of this review is the integration of the gut–eye axis, framing microgel-based oral delivery as a systemic pathway to modulate retinal health via the intestinal environment. By bridging retinal disease biology with food colloid science, this review proposes food-grade microgels as a translational platform for next-generation nutraceutical interventions. The integration of programmable release behavior with clinically validated nutrient regimens offers a promising pathway toward more effective and mechanistically informed dietary management of AMD. Full article

Background: Chronic insomnia disorder (CID) frequently coexists with diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D), a comorbidity characterized by gut–brain axis dysfunction and persistent inflammatory activation. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying this overlap remain incompletely understood, and effective multitarget interventions are lacking. Objectives: This study aimed to identify quercetin as a potential bioactive compound for IBS-D-associated insomnia and to investigate whether its protective effects are associated with modulation of the PI3K/AKT/NF-κB signaling pathway. Methods: CID- and IBS-D-related targets were collected from public databases. Candidate compounds were screened using bioinformatics and network pharmacology analyses, followed by molecular docking. Experimental validation was conducted in 36 male C57BL/6J mice assigned to control, CID+IBS-D model, quercetin-treated, and quercetin-plus-Recilisib-treated groups. Sleep-related behavior, EEG/EMG-derived sleep architecture, intestinal function, inflammatory markers, and pathway-related proteins were assessed. Results: Quercetin was identified as a core candidate compound. Network pharmacology revealed 43 shared targets among CID, IBS-D, and quercetin, with significant enrichment in PI3K/AKT-related signaling. In vivo, quercetin improved sleep-associated phenotypes and intestinal dysfunction; reduced visceral hypersensitivity; restored ZO-1 and Occludin expression; suppressed hypothalamic and colonic inflammatory responses; and was accompanied by reduced phosphorylation of PI3K, AKT, IκB, and NF-κB p65 in the hypothalamus. Quercetin also increased hypothalamic 5-HT1A and GABA_A Rα5 expression. These effects were partially reversed by Recilisib, supporting the involvement of PI3K/AKT-associated signaling in quercetin-mediated protection. Conclusions: Quercetin alleviated key sleep-related and IBS-D-like phenotypes in a composite murine model of gut–sleep comorbidity. The protective effects were associated with reduced inflammatory activation and modulation of PI3K/AKT/NF-κB-related signaling. These findings support quercetin as a promising candidate for gut–brain axis-related comorbid disorders, while further studies are needed to define pathway specificity, tissue exposure, and translational applicability. Full article

Mexico City’s Metro Line 7 is a critical north–south artery within one of the world’s largest metro systems, yet it suffers from persistent operational inefficiencies, including chronic overcrowding and extended passenger travel times. This research employed a data-driven discrete-event simulation model built in SIMIO to analyze the passenger dynamics of Line 7. The model was grounded in a comprehensive dataset of approximately 280,000 daily passengers over one year. Key innovations included modeling station-specific passenger arrivals as non-stationary Poisson processes with time-varying rates calculated at 15-min intervals and incorporating empirically derived walking times within stations. The simulation framework replicated the system’s operational logic, including train movements, passenger boarding and alighting, and complex transfer behaviors at interchange stations, while accounting for the influence of the broader metro network on Line 7’s passenger flows. The simulation results, derived from 100 replications, quantified severe systemic inefficiencies. The average total travel time for a passenger using Line 7 was 81.17 min. However, the ideal in-motion travel time was calculated to be only 53 min, revealing that passengers spend a disproportionate amount of time waiting. This yielded a travel time efficiency of just 65.3%. The model identified specific bottlenecks at key transfer stations like Tacubaya and San Pedro de Los Pinos, where platform utilization reaches full capacity, directly causing the excessive queuing times that degrade the overall passenger experience. This study demonstrated that the primary issue is not the speed of trains but the systemic inability to manage passenger flow during peak demand, leading to critical capacity shortfalls at specific stations. The simulation provides a quantitative tool for diagnosing these inefficiencies and offers a robust platform for prototyping and evaluating strategic interventions, such as optimized timetables and resource allocation, before costly real-world implementation. Full article

The subsurface injection of nanoparticles dispersed in stabilizing suspensions has emerged in the last 20 years as an effective and efficient remediation technique. The stabilizing suspensions used to avoid particle aggregation are shear-thinning—and hence non-Newtonian—fluids. In addition, the relatively high groundwater velocities and the high fluid viscosity do not allow for the application of the Darcy’s law, which must be replaced with the Forchheimer’s law. For these reasons, the calculation of the pressure drop in porous media has so far been performed numerically. In this article, a novel analytical formula is derived through a series of simplifying assumptions, using the Cross–Carreau formulation to describe the shear-thinning rheological behavior of the injected fluid. The validity of the formula was assessed using the numerical model MNMs. Comparison between the analytical predictions and the numerical results showed good agreement, with a substantial overlap of the results. For these reasons, the explicit formula is considered a useful tool to support the field-scale design of injection interventions. Full article

Traditional concert-hall evaluations primarily rely on ISO 3382-1 scalar parameters (e.g., C₅₀ and C₈₀), which summarize temporal energy behavior but provide limited insight into the directional composition of early reflections, particularly in geometrically shadowed seating zones. This paper presents a first-order Ambisonics (FOA)-based 3D acoustic sensing framework to diagnose under-balcony directional imbalance, with emphasis on early vertical-reflection deficiency. Scene-based FOA impulse responses (WXYZ) were measured at 11 audience positions (P1–P11) in the National Concert Hall (Taipei) and analyzed using intensity-based direction-of-arrival (DoA) proxies, axis-resolved directional energy build-up, and a distributional descriptor based on directional spatial entropy. Results are presented at three representative frequencies (125 Hz, 1 kHz, and 4 kHz) and analyzed within full (0–200 ms), early (0–80 ms), and late (80–200 ms) windows. While the magnitude proxy $\mid p^{meas}\left(f\right)\mid$ exhibits strong seat-to-seat variability and does not support a uniform attenuation assumption under the balcony, direction-resolved metrics reveal a consistent under-balcony signature. Specifically, the early–late vertical energy discrepancy $\Delta R_z={\displaystyle R_z^{early}}-{\displaystyle R_z^{late}}$ is persistently negative at under-balcony positions (P7–P11) across all three frequencies, indicating a selective reduction in early vertical contribution relative to the late field. Directional entropy analysis further shows predominantly negative $\Delta H_n={\displaystyle H_n^{early}}-{\displaystyle H_n^{late}}$, with more negative values in the under-balcony group, consistent with stronger early directional constraint in shadowed seats. Spatial trend maps are provided via Gaussian RBF interpolation within the audience domain for visualization only. The proposed FOA-based diagnostic framework provides a practical and physically interpretable approach to identify direction-specific early-reflection deficits that remain masked in conventional scalar evaluations, supporting mechanism-oriented assessment and targeted intervention in geometrically constrained listening areas. Full article

Background/Objectives: Driving cessation is associated with adverse health outcomes. Proactive support that extends safe driving while preparing for life after driving cessation has been emphasized, but empirical evidence remains limited. This study examined the effects of a proactive class for older drivers on awareness and behavior related to driving and mobility (Study 1) and on longitudinal changes in on-road driving behavior (Study 2). Methods: The proactive class was implemented as a municipal program, including information provision, training activities, group discussions, and optional on-road driving evaluations. Study 1 included 71 older drivers who attended the class at least five times annually and completed an anonymous questionnaire assessing perceived changes in awareness and behavior. Study 2 included 29 participants who completed standardized on-road driving evaluations at baseline and at a 1-year follow-up. Paired t-tests or Wilcoxon signed-rank tests with effect sizes were applied. Results: In Study 1, participants reported increased awareness of safe driving, greater confidence in continuing to drive, heightened risk perception, initiation of health-related behaviors, trial use of public transportation, and increased healthcare utilization, particularly ophthalmology visits. In Study 2, total scores on the on-road driving skill test improved significantly at follow-up (Cohen’s dz = 0.805). No significant changes were observed in individual on-road driving skill subitems, physical function, cognitive function, or daily functioning after correction for multiple comparisons, except for a reduction in driving simulator accidents. Conclusions: Participation in a proactive, continuous driving transition support class was associated with multidimensional behavioral changes and improved on-road driving performance among older drivers, potentially contributing to safer mobility and healthier aging. Full article

Land transition in China has led to the emergence of highly heterogeneous neighborhoods. This process challenges the social sustainability of public green spaces. This research investigates the driving mechanisms of place attachment within green space across diverse community typologies in Beijing. This study constructed a structural equation model (SEM) based on 626 valid questionnaires, using the Stimulus–Organism–Response (S-O-R) framework. The overall SEM results indicate that place identity significantly contributes to civic behavior (β = 0.439, p < 0.001). However, a persistent ‘value-action’ gap remains, with 65.81% of residents demonstrating high identity yet low participation. Furthermore, the multi-group analysis (MGA) reveals that place attachment logic diverges significantly across groups. Regarding user identity, public events promote visitors’ place identity, but this effect remains insignificant among residents (β = −0.064, p > 0.05). Regarding generational differences, the macro-spatial environment is significantly associated with place dependence for young people (β = 0.330, p < 0.001) but is insignificant for the elderly. Community heterogeneity reveals distinct failure modes. In commodity housing communities, a disconnect exists where daily usage fails to foster dependence (β = 0.026, p > 0.05). Conversely, urban–rural resettlement communities display an identity deficit where public events fail to translate into place identity (β = 0.131, p > 0.05). The study proposes differentiated renewal pathways tailored to three community types. For commercial housing communities, it advocates precise interventions that prioritize social engagement. Meanwhile, for urban–rural resettlement communities, the focus shifts to accessibility and culturally rooted activities to help reconnect displaced populations. Full article

In areas with frequent wildlife activity, coordinating biodiversity conservation with agricultural production is a critical issue for achieving agricultural sustainability. This study uses farm household survey data collected in 2022 from Asian elephant distribution areas in Yunnan Province, China. It systematically evaluates the effects of Human–Elephant Conflict (HEC) and the wildlife damage compensation policy on farm households’ farmland use behavior. Focusing on farmland adjustment behavior under the context of biodiversity conservation, we develop an analytical framework of “HEC–policy intervention–farm household farmland use behavior.” Using survey data from 1276 farm households, we examine the effects of HEC on farmland transfer-out and farmland abandonment. We also analyze the moderating role of the wildlife damage compensation policy. In addition, we explore the heterogeneity between areas inside and outside nature reserves. The results show that: (1) HEC significantly increase the likelihood of farmland transfer-out and farmland abandonment among farm households; (2) the wildlife damage compensation policy partially mitigates the positive effects of HEC on farmland transfer-out and farmland abandonment; and (3) the effects of HEC on farmland transfer-out and farmland abandonment are more pronounced for farm households outside nature reserves. The wildlife damage compensation policy shows a stronger inhibitory effect on farmland transfer-out inside nature reserves. In contrast, it has a stronger inhibitory effect on farmland abandonment outside nature reserves. From the perspective of farmland use, this study reveals how HEC and policy intervention influence farm households’ farmland allocation behavior. It also provides empirical evidence for improving wildlife damage compensation mechanisms. In addition, the findings help promote synergy between agricultural sustainability and biodiversity conservation. Full article