Search Results (394)

The Catholic view of suffering is fundamentally optimistic, rooted in the belief that God uses pain for a purposeful end. In this context, suffering refines character, builds endurance, and fosters hope. Rather than being meaningless, suffering is seen as both an ethical and metaphysical reality. The theology of the Cross provides the foundation for understanding suffering within Christian doctrine and practice. It shows that religious history centres on Christ, even when human expectations differ from the divine will. The Cross is viewed as the ultimate revelation of a God present in suffering, not in worldly power. This perspective challenges efforts to understand God solely through reason or merit and demonstrates that true wisdom may appear as folly to the world. The paradox of the Cross gains existential meaning by transforming an instrument of shame and death into a symbol of divine strength and victory in Christ. This paper argues that suffering serves a redemptive purpose, encourages spiritual growth, and reveals the divine will amid human experience, offering the promise of eternal victory. It also affirms the patristic tradition that suffering is inseparable from humanity’s fallen nature in Adam and from the redemption achieved through the Cross of Christ. Thus, the Cross represents the self-emptying of Christ, or kenosis, and stands as the purest expression of theology, which must remain undiluted. Full article

Background: Counterproductive work behaviors (CWBs) are voluntary employee behaviors that harm the organization or its members, ranging from minor incivility and withdrawal to overt acts of misconduct. CWBs among nurses are widespread and carry adverse consequences for patients, nurses, and healthcare organizations, often reflecting problematic working conditions rather than individual character flaws. Perceived supportive resources, comprising individual resources (personal strengths and overall health), work resources (staffing and professional development), and interpersonal work resources (supervisor support and participation in unit decisions), have been proposed as protective factors. Thriving at work has been proposed as a potential protective motivational state that may account for how these resources are associated with behavior. Aim: This study examines how individual resources, work resources, and interpersonal work resources are associated with CWBs, and whether thriving at work mediates these associations among nurses in Saudi Arabia. Methods: One hundred twenty-nine nurses participated in this cross-sectional study between February and March 2026. Data were collected using the Thriving in Nursing Questionnaire (THINQ) and the Individual Work Performance Questionnaire (IWPQ). Data were analyzed via correlation, multiple regression, and mediation with bootstrapping. Results: Individual resources (r = −0.363), work resources (r = −0.270), and interpersonal work resources (r = −0.338) were each negatively associated with CWBs (all p < 0.001), and each was positively associated with thriving (r = 0.699, 0.793, and 0.794, respectively; all p < 0.001). Thriving at work was negatively associated with CWBs (r = −0.408, p < 0.001), and the associations of individual resources (indirect $\beta$ = −0.212), work resources ($\beta$ = −0.416), and interpersonal work resources ($\beta$ = −0.301) with CWBs were fully accounted for by indirect effects through thriving, with all direct effects nonsignificant and the largest indirect effect for work resources (95% CI [−0.611, −0.217]). Conclusions: Thriving at work emerged as a key correlate through which individual, work, and interpersonal work resources were linked to CWBs among nurses. Enhancing thriving may help reduce CWBs, though longitudinal research is needed to confirm directionality. Full article

This study investigated the upgrading process of polymer fractions obtained from automotive waste by a three-stage flotation–sedimentation separation process. The separated automotive recycled blend (ARB) fraction was modified with a compatibiliser at contents of 5, 10 and 15 wt%, and the resulting blends were processed by extrusion and injection moulding. Multipoint FTIR analysis confirmed the multicomponent character of the ARB fraction and indicated the presence of, among others, polycarbonate (PC), acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS), high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and polystyrene (PS). The influence of compatibiliser addition on density, Shore D hardness, tensile properties, thermal behaviour and fracture-surface morphology was evaluated using gas pycnometry, static tensile testing, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results showed that increasing compatibiliser content gradually reduced the density of the blends, while hardness remained at a level comparable to that of the reference material. Tensile testing indicated that the addition of the compatibiliser reduced Young’s modulus, whereas ultimate tensile strength and tensile stress at break were maintained close to the unmodified blend. Among the modified blends, the most favourable balance of the evaluated properties was observed for the ARB/10C sample containing 10 wt% compatibiliser. This blend exhibited the highest tensile stress at break among the investigated blends and a comparatively compact fracture-surface morphology. DSC analysis showed similar principal thermal transition ranges for all blends. The results indicate that 10 wt% compatibiliser is an optimal addition for upgrading recycled automotive polymer fractions. Full article

Physical activity may be related to self-reported academic achievement among rural left-behind children, but the psychological processes associated with this relationship remain unclear. This cross-sectional study examined the association between physical activity and self-reported academic achievement and tested the indirect roles of character strengths and self-control. A total of 450 rural left-behind children completed the Physical Activity Rating Scale, the Character Strengths Scale for Chinese Elementary and Middle Schools, the Academic Achievement Self-Assessment Scale, and the Dual-System Scale for Adolescent Self-Control. Pearson correlation and serial mediation analyses were conducted. Physical activity, character strengths, self-control, and self-reported academic achievement were positively correlated. Physical activity was positively associated with self-reported academic achievement, and the indirect effects through character strengths and self-control were significant both separately and sequentially. These findings suggest that character strengths and self-control may help explain the association between physical activity and self-reported academic achievement. Because the data were cross-sectional and self-reported, causal and temporal conclusions cannot be drawn. Full article

This study examines the microstructural evolution and tensile response of a cold-rolled C17200 Cu–Be–Co alloy strip after short-time annealing at 550 and 610 °C. X-ray diffraction (XRD), electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), kernel average misorientation (KAM) analysis, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and room-temperature tensile testing were used to compare phase constitution, grain-boundary character, recrystallization behavior, texture evolution, dislocation substructure, and tensile properties. The results show that both annealed samples mainly consisted of an α-Cu matrix and a small amount of BeCu-related precipitates. After annealing at 550 °C, the alloy retained a recovery-dominated partially recrystallized microstructure, with an average grain size of 1.47 μm, a low-angle grain boundary fraction of 8.4%, a recrystallized fraction of 18.06%, and evident residual dislocation substructures. This condition exhibited a yield strength of 365.5 MPa. After annealing at 610 °C, recrystallization was substantially promoted, the average grain size increased to 1.92 μm, the high-angle grain boundary fraction increased to 97.5%, and the recrystallized fraction reached 82.76%. Meanwhile, the yield strength decreased to 276.6 MPa because of the reduced contribution from dislocation strengthening. These results indicate that, under the two investigated short-time annealing conditions, the strength difference in the alloy is mainly associated with the transition of microstructural evolution from recovery-dominated partial recrystallization to a recrystallization-dominated microstructure. Full article

Digital psychological interventions have emerged as accessible and scalable approaches for promoting mental well-being among university students. The present study evaluated the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of two interventions focused on self-compassion and character strengths among university students, a podcast-only intervention and a blended intervention combining podcasts with online group sessions, compared with a passive control group. Fifty-eight Italian university students were randomly assigned to a podcast intervention, a blended intervention, or a passive control group. Participants completed measures of self-compassion, perceived stress, and perfectionism at baseline, post-intervention, and one-month follow-up. Linear mixed models were used to examine changes over time and differences between groups. Results showed significant improvements in self-compassion in both intervention groups, with larger and more sustained effects in the blended condition. The blended intervention also produced significant reductions in perceived stress and maladaptive perfectionism standards, whereas the podcast-only intervention was associated with improvements primarily in self-compassion and delayed reductions in stress. No significant changes emerged in the control group. Descriptive data also revealed high levels of participants’ engagement and good acceptability of the intervention in both intervention groups, with marginally higher scores in the blended group. These findings suggest that podcast-based interventions may offer a feasible and accessible entry point to mental health support, while guided group activities may build on these initial gains to enhance well-being and reduce psychological distress. Full article

The poor moisture resistance of gypsum remains one of the main factors limiting its wider application in construction. This study investigates a novel approach to improving the moisture resistance of gypsum through the addition of soluble salts capable of reacting with dissolved calcium sulfate to form insoluble products within the gypsum matrix. The formation of insoluble reaction products was considered as one of the possible mechanisms contributing to this effect. Three salts were examined—trisodium phosphate dodecahydrate (TSP), potassium sodium tartrate tetrahydrate (PS), and sodium oxalate (SO)—each added at 2 wt.% of gypsum mass. The influence of the salts on phase composition, microstructure, setting behavior, density, porosity, mechanical properties, and water-vapor transport was evaluated. The reference gypsum exhibited compressive strengths of 5.18 MPa and 0.79 MPa and flexural strengths of 3.01 MPa and 0.57 MPa after storage in laboratory conditions and water, respectively. The results showed that salt chemistry strongly affected gypsum performance. TSP significantly altered crystal morphology, accelerated the initial setting time from 16.0 min to approximately 4.0 min, and delayed the final setting to the third day after mixing. Consequently, TSP exhibited the poorest mechanical performance, with compressive strengths of 2.77 MPa and 0.09 MPa and flexural strengths of 2.03 MPa and 0.27 MPa in dry and wet conditions, respectively. In contrast, the organic salts PS and SO preserved a gypsum crystal network similar to that of the reference material. PS achieved compressive strengths of 4.89 MPa and 0.79 MPa and flexural strengths of 2.84 MPa and 0.67 MPa, while SO reached 4.43 MPa and 0.34 MPa in compression and 2.59 MPa and 0.55 MPa in flexure. Moreover, PS and SO improved the flexural softening coefficient by 24% and 11%, respectively, whereas TSP reduced it by approximately 30%. Total porosity ranged from 53 to 61% for specimens stored in laboratory conditions and decreased to 35–39% after water storage. Water-vapor diffusion resistance was affected only marginally, and the vapor-open character typical of gypsum materials was preserved. Among the investigated admixtures, potassium sodium tartrate exhibited the most promising overall performance, maintaining compressive strength after water exposure at the same level as the reference gypsum while improving moisture resistance. The results indicate that the selected organic salts represent a promising route for improving the moisture resistance of gypsum-based materials. However, the present results suggest that the observed improvement cannot be attributed solely to the formation of insoluble reaction products, and further research is required to clarify the relative contribution of the underlying mechanisms. Full article

The technological performance of bentonite in foundry applications is strongly influenced by the nature of its exchangeable interlayer cations, with sodium bentonites generally exhibiting superior swelling, plasticity, and bonding properties compared with calcium bentonites. Given the limited availability of natural sodium bentonite, upgrading abundant calcium-rich bentonite resources holds significant industrial interest. In this study, a natural Ca-rich bentonite from the Bijelo Polje deposit (Bar, Montenegro) was upgraded by alkali activation using Na₂CO₃ and evaluated as a binder for green sand foundry molds. The raw bentonite was characterized by physicochemical, mineralogical, and structural analyses, confirming its Ca-type character and suitability for sodium activation. Activation was performed using 2–6 wt.% Na₂CO₃, with the optimum treatment achieved at 5 wt.% Na₂CO₃. The activated bentonite was subsequently characterized using structural, textural, thermal, and physicochemical methods. Alkali activation significantly improved the key technological properties of the material, increasing the free swelling capacity from 7 to 20 cm³, the specific surface area from 27.4 to 45.8 m² g⁻¹, the cation exchange capacity from 74.6 to 89.5 meq/100 g, and the plasticity index from 79.6% to 193.4%. XRD, ATR–FTIR, and thermal analyses confirmed successful sodium activation while preserving the fundamental montmorillonite structure. Evaluation of foundry-relevant properties, including refractoriness, methylene blue adsorption, gas permeability, thermal stability, and bonding strength, demonstrated that the activated bentonite satisfies the technological requirements for green sand molding of both ferrous and non-ferrous alloys. These findings demonstrate that Na₂CO₃ activation is an effective and resource-efficient approach for converting natural Ca-rich bentonite into a high-performance foundry binder. Full article

The Positive Youth Development (PYD) framework provides a strengths-based perspective, paying greater attention to positive indicators of youth health. This article aimed to examine the relationship between the 5Cs of PYD (i.e., Character, Competence, Confidence, Connection and Caring) and three indicators of alcohol consumption in youth (use, drunkenness and drunken driving). A cross-sectional design was employed with a convenience sample of 1779 undergraduates aged 18 to 29 years (Mean = 20.32, SD = 1.84), recruited from ten universities across Andalusia (Spain). Data was collected during Spring 2023 through an online self-report questionnaire composed of PYD-SF, three questions to assess alcohol consumption, and demographics. Results underlined the protective association of Character and the paradoxical associations of Competence and Connection with alcohol consumption. The higher alcohol consumption scores in men (especially in the indicator of drunken driving) were associated with their lower scores in Character and their higher perceived Competence. These results underlined the importance of promoting positive contexts for developing both Competence and Connection, and the need to foster Character to increase awareness about the risk of alcohol consumption. Full article

Agricultural waste materials can serve as functional constituents in cement-based composites through three pathways: (i) organic bio-aggregates that lower density and alter thermal behavior, (ii) lignocellulosic fibers that control cracking and improve post-cracking resistance, and (iii) agro-ash supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) that densify pore structure and reduce permeability when ash quality and curing are controlled. This review draws on 98 papers, with coconut shell aggregate and coir/coconut fibers as the core focus; agro-ash SCMs (notably palm oil fuel ash, POFA, and rice husk ash, RHA) enter where they clarify mechanisms or inform hybrid design. Rather than cataloging compressive-strength data, the synthesis is organized around controllable process inputs (feedstock conditioning, mix design, curing) and the interface-governed mechanisms that determine performance: interfacial transition zone (ITZ) character and pore connectivity. In coconut shell systems, density reductions come at a cost: elastic modulus drops and moisture sensitivity rises unless shell conditioning, particle packing, and matrix refinement are managed. In fiber systems, gains in toughness and residual capacity are bounded by mixing workability and by the long-term stability of the fiber–matrix bond under alkaline and wet–dry exposure. A mix must first meet strength, serviceability, and transport requirements before its embodied impact is compared with conventional alternatives. The contribution is to reframe these systems around controllable processing and interface mechanisms instead of tabulated strength values; preparation, treatment, and characterization data are consolidated into bounded design windows, an explicit core versus supporting evidence convention is applied, and sustainability is judged under functional equivalency rather than per-volume carbon. Full article

In protein solutions, an additive that increases protein–protein attractive interactions is expected to decrease protein crystal solubility and raise the temperature at which liquid–liquid phase separation (LLPS) occurs. In contrast, addition of 0.10 M 4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazineethanesulfonate (HEPES) to lysozyme–NaCl aqueous solutions at constant pH (7.4) and ionic strength (0.20 M) decreases solubility but lowers the LLPS temperature. This leads to the broadening of the LLPS metastability gap in the phase diagram and an enhancement of protein crystallization yield from LLPS. We theoretically examine the effect of HEPES on both solubility and LLPS boundaries using a colloid model. Under the hypothesis that HEPES stabilizes protein–protein contacts in the crystal lattice by physical cross-linking, we apply cell theory to describe the thermodynamic behavior of the crystalline phase and use solubility data to show that HEPES increases protein–protein attraction energy by 2.7%. Since an increase in attraction incorrectly predicts a rise in the LLPS temperature, we consider that HEPES also enhances the anisotropic character of protein–protein interactions. To describe the thermodynamic behavior of the solution phase, we start from Barker–Henderson second-order perturbation theory on the hard-sphere reference fluid with square-well potential and local-compressibility approximation. We modify this model so that it can reproduce the correct mathematical expression of the second virial coefficient. This also leads to better agreement with Monte Carlo simulations. We then approximately incorporate anisotropy by assuming that the square-well attraction energy is a temperature-dependent average over all the surface of a particle with a given fractional coverage of attractive spots. The attraction energy of the attractive spots is set to be the same as that of the protein–protein contacts in the crystal. Only fractional coverage (anisotropy) was varied to successfully fit the effect of HEPES on the LLPS boundary. Full article

Hemp–lime composites are bio-based building materials with carbon sequestration potential, yet their properties exhibit significant variability depending on manufacturing variables, and standardized production guidelines remain lacking. This study investigates the influence of water-to-binder ratio (W/B = 1.75, 1.95, 2.15) and compaction degree (CD = 150%, 170%, 190%) on the thermal conductivity and compressive strength of hemp–lime composites using a full 3 × 3 factorial design at a binder-to-shiv ratio of B/S = 1:1. Results were synthesized with previously published investigations from a systematic research programme, enabling a comparative assessment of four technological variables across an extended dataset spanning densities from 227 to 518 kg/m³. The binder-to-shiv ratio was identified as the dominant factor governing both properties, primarily through its effect on bulk density and the mechanical character of the composite. Compaction degree was the most effective parameter for adjusting properties within a fixed mix design, with the strongest gains observed at the transition from CD = 150% to CD = 170%. The water-to-binder ratio exerted only marginal influence on bulk density and thermal conductivity, while its effect on compressive strength remained inconclusive at B/S = 1:1. Hemp shive particle size had a limited effect on thermal conductivity and no detectable influence on compressive strength. Both properties exhibited strong positive linear relationships with bulk density across the extended dataset. The findings support the standardization of hemp–lime composite production and the development of practical design guidelines. Full article

Fused deposition modeling (FDM) of polylactic acid (PLA) produces parts whose weak interlayer bonding and low as-printed crystallinity limit their tensile performance. This work used a Taguchi L9 orthogonal array with five replicates per cell (n = 5; N = 45 annealed specimens plus five non-annealed controls) to study how annealing temperature (70, 80, and 90 °C) and holding time (40, 60, and 80 min) change the tensile response of a commercial PLA grade (eSUN PLA+) printed on a desktop FDM machine. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were used in parallel to measure total crystallinity, and XRD was deconvoluted to estimate the α′/α polymorph fractions; the DSC α′→α exothermic shoulder was used as an independent cross-check. Every annealed condition exceeded the non-annealed baseline ultimate tensile stress (UTS) of 39.75 ± 1.28 MPa. The optimum, 47.00 ± 0.97 MPa at 70 °C/60 min, gave an 18.2% gain. Total crystallinity rose from 8.6% (DSC baseline) to 41.8% (DSC, 90 °C/80 min), with DSC and XRD ranking the conditions consistently. ANOVA confirmed both temperature (30.0% contribution) and time (24.2%) as significant at α = 0.05. The new contribution is a combined strength–crystallinity–polymorph map for desktop FDM-printed PLA: the best-performing specimens are dominated by the disordered α′ form, while the stiffer but weaker high-temperature specimens shift toward α. A partial least squares regression on all 50 specimens supports the polymorph-composition role beyond what total crystallinity alone explains. The practical conclusion is that moderate annealing just above the glass transition gives the best balance of crystal content, polymorph character, and geometric stability for FDM-printed PLA. Full article

This research investigates the formation and behavior of sustainable crumb rubber-modified gypsum–cement–pozzolan (GCP) composites, with a view to their use in a broad concept for construction. GCP binders are gaining attention as a low-carbon replacement for Portland cement, and the addition of recycled rubber helps the achievement of circular economy goals and potentially increases durability. The present research evaluates the impact of crumb rubber (CR) on the mechanical strength, water absorption, dimensional stability, and freeze–thaw resistance of 3D-printed GCP-rubber composites. Composite blends of variable proportions of crumb rubber were prepared at constant binder ratios. Mechanical properties were defined by prism specimens (40 × 40 × 160 mm) by the flexural and compressive strengths, and deformation was determined by micrometers to measure longitudinal strain as a function of curing. Water absorption was determined prior to freeze–thaw cycling to define pore saturation. Durability was investigated using two approaches: (1) controlled freeze–thaw experiments on cube specimens, with XF1 grade performance achieved, and (2) ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV) testing of specimens 3D-printed for assessing internal structural change after long-term frost exposure. Results showed that compressive strength decreased moderately (10–20%) with increasing rubber content from 17% up to 50%, while flexural strength improved up to 15%, showing the elastomeric action of CR. Water absorption was reduced by 5–8% in the rubber-modified blends due to the hydrophobic character of rubber. Deformation tests also confirmed minimum length variation (<0.02%) during curing. Freeze–thaw durability was enormously improved, and test specimens retained more than 95% of initial strength. UPV measurements detected only a relatively modest velocity drop (~50 m/s) after 36 days cycling with subsequent stabilization up to 200 days, demonstrating long-term internal structure with minimal progressive damage. In summary, the findings demonstrate that GCP composites with crumb rubber incorporated are printable, dimensionally stable, and capable of freeze–thaw degradation resistance. Despite a moderate loss of compressive strength, the balance of introduced durability and sustainability suggests their competence as viable materials for additive manufacturing in construction. Full article

CO₂ adsorption on subnanometric metal clusters is highly sensitive to the computational protocol used to describe the potential energy surface, particularly when several low-lying geometries and spin states are accessible. In this work, CO₂ adsorption on Cu₄ and Sc₄ clusters was investigated using density functional theory (DFT) to evaluate how the choice of functional/basis-set protocol, spin multiplicity, initial geometry, and vibrational stability affects the predicted adsorption behavior. Four representative computational protocols (TPSSh, r²SCAN-3c, PBE-D4/def2-TZVP, and PBE0-SDD) were assessed for isolated clusters and cluster–CO₂ complexes. The lowest harmonic vibrational frequency, ω_min, was used as a diagnostic criterion to distinguish true minima from unstable or weakly defined stationary points. Selected cases were also cross-checked using the ORCA and Gaussian quantum-chemistry packages to assess whether comparable computational settings yielded consistent stationary-point character. The results show that Cu₄ generally exhibits weak CO₂ binding, whereas Sc₄ displays stronger but more protocol-dependent adsorption, consistent with its higher structural flexibility and more pronounced Lewis-acid character. Low-frequency and imaginary modes were found in several optimized structures, indicating that adsorption energies should not be interpreted without prior vibrational validation. The comparison also shows that variations in functional/basis-set treatment and spin multiplicity can alter both the optimized geometry and the predicted adsorption strength. Therefore, CO₂ adsorption on small metal clusters should be discussed using combined structural, vibrational, and energetic criteria rather than electronic adsorption energies alone. Overall, this study provides a protocol-oriented framework for evaluating the reliability of DFT predictions in CO₂ adsorption on Cu₄ and Sc₄ clusters. Full article