Search Results (793)

Energy thriftiness and metabolic adaptations have had a crucial role in the emergence and spreading of the Homo lineage in the world. A higher-energy demand was required not only for the growing body mass, encephalization and human proliferation, but also for the survival adaptations to the environmental stresses. Because lean body mass lacks the energy-storage capacity required to supply the body’s demands, dedicated fat-storing cells originated. To feed such fat stores, the hominid evolution developed “meat-adaptive” genes to detect, digest and metabolize higher fat diets, and body-fat stores can be affected by lifestyle through hormonal-controlled daily energy balance. In energy surplus conditions, hypertrophy and hyperplasia of adipocytes can occur, with hypertrophic adipocyte signaling both a neo-adipocyte differentiation (leading to hyperplasia) and a local macrophage density (resident + infiltrated macrophages) for fat surplus scavenging. Adiposity-induced inflammation is caused by fat-overstored (hypertrophied) adipocytes that may operate as an overactive endocrine organ secreting an array of pro-inflammatory adipokines that, in combination with resident-macrophage activity and infiltrated blood-recruited, monocyte-derived macrophages, amplify the inflammatory process by spurting pro-inflammatory cytokines into the bloodstream. From an evolutionary perspective, obese humans represent a natural selection overexpressing the “thrifty” genes evolved for efficient food collection and fat deposition intended to help in survival in prolonged periods of famine. However, genetically speaking, obesity is a polygenic multifactorial disorder. Considering the rapidity of obesity-epidemic growth worldwide, epigenetic sets forth the key assumption of the mismatch between our human genome molded over thousands of generations, coping with the unprecedented dietary and physical conditions. Consequently, obesity would be due to our evolutionary-adapted polygenic-charge expressed by a deteriorated lifestyle characterized by high energy-dense food intake coupled with a reduction in caloric expenditure stemming from new mobility-reducing technologies. As a model of lifestyle change (LiSM), our 28-year on-going longitudinal study (“Moving for Health”) has shown effectiveness in the reduction not only of obesity but especially of its comorbidities, in a (10 week to 3 year) length-dependent LiSM. However, a disappointing progressive decrease in compliance with the study has been observed and attributed to the resistance of people to change their actual “obesogenic” lifestyle, basically represented by the individuals’ demand for labor-saving technologies and convenient, affordable, palatable foods. Full article

Background: Quilombola communities, Afro-descendant Brazilian rural settlements with collectivistic culture, have suffered historical invasions and non-legalization of their territories, exposure to environmental degradation/hazards, and educational and health care deprivation by the government. Global climate changes have increased sea levels and the occurrence of floods. This study presents original empirical findings from ongoing qualitative fieldwork in Quilombola communities in Southern Brazil that were severely affected by the 2024 floods, focusing on post-disaster quality of life, health impacts, and community coping strategies. These dimensions remain underexamined in public health and environmental justice research. Methods: Guided by interdisciplinary frameworks of environmental racism, intersectionality, and critical disaster studies, flooding is analyzed not as a natural hazard, but as a socially produced risk shaped by racialized territorial exclusion, historical marginalization, and chronic governance failures. Data were generated by household testimonies, community observations, and assessments of governmental disaster responses. Results: Fragmented disaster management, unequal access to infrastructure, and limited participatory governance mechanisms intensified vulnerability, constrained adaptive capacity, and exacerbated health inequities among Quilombola populations. Despite these constraints, communities demonstrated strong resilience grounded in traditional knowledge, local solidarity networks, and collective agency. Conclusions: The study underscores the urgent need for equity-centered environmental governance and inclusive disaster risk reduction strategies to address healthy aging inequities. Full article

The study of resilience has long focused on understanding how individuals positively adapt to adversity, a process that directly influences emotional stability. Resilience, defined as the capacity to confront, overcome, and transform complex challenges constructively while strengthening oneself in the process, represents a transversal trait in human development. It also entails engaging in a personal growth trajectory that fosters self-awareness and internal coherence. Within the context of high abilities, this construct assumes particular significance, as students with high cognitive potential, but they are not immune to socio-emotional and educational vulnerabilities. These vulnerabilities may arise from asynchronies between intellectual and emotional development, among other factors, and influence specific coping strategies that, in turn, affect academic and social outcomes. Furthermore, high abilities students often have unique educational needs that may be insufficiently recognized or supported within their socio-cultural environments. Consequently, resilience in high abilities students should be understood as a dynamic process shaped not only by individual cognitive resources but also by contextual factors. A thorough analysis of the specific vulnerabilities of this population, and their interactions with environmental influences, is essential for fostering resilience and designing psychoeducational interventions that enhance academic achievement, promote inclusive practices, and support overall well-being. Full article

Background: Chronic non-cancer pain (CNCP) is an increasing global health concern and a multidimensional condition shaped by biological, psychological, social, and cultural factors, with impacts on functioning, quality of life, and healthcare. However, evidence remains fragmented, limiting integrated understanding and care. Objective: This study aimed to synthesize and critically analyze existing evidence on the biological, psychological, social, and cultural dimensions characterizing individuals with CNCP, and their impact on functionality, quality of life, and healthcare. Methodology: An integrative review was conducted following the Whittemore and Knafl framework. Searches were performed in Medline, Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Literature Complete (CINAHL), PsycINFO, Scopus, Web of Science, and grey literature in English and Spanish, without time restrictions. Studies were screened using predefined eligibility criteria and appraised with Joanna Briggs Institute tools. Data were systematically extracted and synthesized using thematic analysis to identify key attributes of people living with CNCP. Quantitative findings were summarized descriptively and mapped to thematic domains, while qualitative data were analyzed interpretively. Both evidence streams were integrated through convergent thematic synthesis. Results: Forty-four studies were included, predominantly cross-sectional and observational. Five themes emerged: biological aspects; functioning and quality of life; psychological and mental factors; social support and peer relationships; and social and gender determinants. CNCP was consistently associated with multimorbidity, sleep disturbance, psychological distress, and maladaptive coping, contributing to reduced functional capacity, greater disability, poorer quality of life, and increased healthcare utilization. Socioeconomic disadvantages and environmental constraints were linked to higher pain burden, whereas resilience and social support emerged as protective factors mitigating functional and psychosocial impact. Conclusions: Evidence largely concentrates on biomedical, functional, and psychological dimensions, whereas social determinants and healthcare quality remain comparatively underexplored. Broadening these perspectives is essential to inform public health strategies and support multidisciplinary, equitable care for individuals living with CNCP. Full article

Water systems are increasingly exposed to stress conditions that challenge their ability to maintain adequate service levels over time. In this context, resilience has emerged as a key concept for assessing system performance. This study proposes a quantitative framework to assess water supply system resilience under varying operating conditions by integrating hydraulic simulation results with system-level performance indicators. Unlike traditional approaches, resilience is not defined solely by topological redundancy or by the response to pipe failures, but by the capability of dendritic systems to cope with stress conditions caused by resource shortages and demand increases. The proposed indicators were applied to real-world water supply systems managed by Valle Umbra Servizi S.p.A. (VUS) in the Umbria region of Italy. The resilience indices are derived from mass and energy balances evaluated exclusively under feasible operating conditions, i.e., excluding the energy that cannot be mobilized due to pipe transfer capacity constraints; this prevents the inclusion of surplus terms that are not effectively usable for system operation. The significance of these indices was tested by analyzing system improvements and interconnections between two operating water supply systems managed by VUS. The interconnection along the Flaminia road results in a 36.8% increase in resilience compared with the interconnection along the Monti Martani, according to one of the proposed indices. The proposed approach is general and transferable and can support water utilities and decision-makers in identifying critical components and prioritizing interventions aimed at enhancing system resilience. Full article

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has become a major global public health challenge, and widely residual disinfectants in the environment are one of the key drivers of bacterial AMR development. This study aimed to investigate the inductive effects of three commonly used disinfectants—benzalkonium bromide (BAB), glutaraldehyde (GTA), and povidone-iodine (PVP-I)—on the resistance of Escherichia coli (E. coli), as well as the resultant bacterial phenotypic and genetic alterations. Three disinfectants frequently detected in clinical and environmental settings were selected as the research objects: first, their bactericidal efficacy against environmental bacteria was determined; subsequently, a concentration-increasing gradient approach was adopted to systematically explore the evolutionary patterns of E. coli resistance under the stress of sub-inhibitory concentrations (SICs). After induction, the bacterial resistance levels to disinfectants and various antibiotics, growth characteristics, and biofilm-forming ability were detected, and combined with whole-genome analysis to investigate genetic-level changes. The results showed that all three disinfectants could enhance E. coli resistance to themselves (12–48-fold) and antibiotics, and the induced antibiotic resistance exhibited favorable genetic stability. Among them, BAB induced the strongest resistance, with the most significant increase in resistance levels to multiple antibiotics (16–64-fold); GTA had the weakest inductive effect, only slightly enhancing bacterial resistance to a small number of antibiotics. Notably, all induced strains exhibited reduced growth rates yet markedly enhanced biofilm-forming capacity, alongside acquired genomic structural variations. Their gene functions displayed shared adaptive signatures in coping with environmental stress, while core pathogenicity-associated genes remained conserved. This study demonstrates that inducing E. coli using environmentally relevant low concentrations of disinfectant residues as initial induction doses drives the evolution of bacterial antimicrobial resistance (AMR), with distinct resistance induction risks among the three disinfectant types. These findings offer critical insights for standardizing disinfectant application, mitigating the transmission of bacterial AMR, and underscore the imperative of interdisciplinary collaboration to tackle the environmental risks posed by disinfectant residues. Full article

Orthohalarachne attenuata and O. diminuata mites are parasites of the respiratory system of Pinnipeds. During hosts’ dives, mites must cope with changing conditions of oxygen availability in the nasal cavity. Adults and nymphs live inside the host, but larvae are active and responsible for colonizing new hosts. Hence, larvae are also exposed to environmental conditions with variable temperature and pressure, as well as to dehydration and changes in salinity. Although both species live within the respiratory tract of hosts, adults attach to different sections. Also, larvae have differential thermal tolerances and locomotion capacities. In this study, we show the effect of hypoxia, humidity and salinity on survival of O. attenuata and O. diminuata mite larvae. We found that both species are highly tolerant to hypoxia and can withstand it for long periods. In turn, both species showed low survival when exposed to direct air. Finally, hyperosmotic solution was highly harmful for O. attenuata, but not for O. diminuata. Our results show that humidity rather than oxygen availability is a constraint for survival and a limitation for dispersal when searching for new hosts. The present study expands our knowledge of ecophysiology and adaptations to changing conditions experienced during the dispersal of these marine parasite species. Full article

This study developed and validated a Machine Learning (ML) ecosystem for the early screening of school victimization among Ecuadorian adolescents, a phenomenon that poses a critical barrier to educational equity. Addressing previous methodological limitations, this research intentionally eliminated circular reasoning by excluding all internal psychometric items from the feature set, focusing strictly on sixteen socio-environmental and demographic predictors. A quantitative study was conducted with 1413 students in the province of Tungurahua, utilizing the Synthetic Minority Over-sampling Technique (SMOTE) to correct class imbalance. Supervised classification algorithms, including SVM, Random Forest, and XGBoost, were compared. The results demonstrated that the Random Forest model achieved the most balanced performance, reaching an Accuracy of 60.3% and a Macro F1-score of 0.382. Feature importance analysis identified household structure (Living_With_Monoparental) and Family_Coping_Capacity as the most significant predictors of high-risk profiles. These findings provided a statistically honest and ecologically valid tool for Student Counseling Departments (DECE), enabling a transition toward proactive risk identification grounded in observable social vulnerability rather than reactive symptom reporting. Full article

Gilts have a lower capacity for voluntary feed intake and body reserves than multiparous sows, which limits their ability to cope with the needs of gestation and lactation. In this study, a nutritional supplement was formulated to support gilts during the peripartum period. Both control (C, n = 64) and treatment (T, n = 63) groups received standard commercial diets. Group T received 300gr of supplement per gilt and day for the last 35 days of gestation until the fifth day of lactation. This supplement contained calcium (Ca; 4.1%), sodium (Na; 4.0%), lysine (Lys; 1.96%), methionine (Met; 1.32%), vitamin B₁₂ (0.3 mg/kg), choline chloride (600 mg/kg), betaine (475 mg/kg), and L-carnitine (500 mg/kg). Supplementation significantly reduced (p < 0.050) stillbirth rate, neonatal diarrhea, postpartum hypophagia, and both β-hydroxybutyrate (BHBA) and creatinine (CREA) concentrations (effect sizes: 0.240–0.993). Also, supplementation significantly increased (p < 0.050) piglet weight at birth and at 15 days of lactation and maternal backfat thickness at 26 days of lactation (effect sizes: 0.491–0.719). The concentrations of BHBA and CREA showed significant and negative associations with several productive parameters (p < 0.05); the strength of the associations was low–medium. Targeted peripartum supplementation represents a feasible nutritional strategy for commercial herds characterized by large litter sizes and limited voluntary feed intake capacity. Full article

Urban flooding increasingly challenges rapidly expanding cities in developing countries. Migration, weak urban planning, and unregulated land use collectively intensify flood risk. Effective flood mitigation requires understanding the dynamic interactions between physical and social processes that shape urban vulnerability. This study examines how migrant households in flood-prone areas adapt over time to enhance resilience. The study applies a dynamic flood risk framework using settlement-duration cohorts from 560 peri-urban households in Phnom Penh. Findings show that rapid in-migration into flood-prone zones has increased physical exposure to flood hazards. Migrants’ adaptation and resilience, however, develop gradually, reducing vulnerability only over time. Newer migrants remain highly vulnerable due to insecure housing, limited renovation, and restricted access to flood information. Long-term migrants face structural and economic challenges, including low income, limited access to credit, and deteriorating housing conditions. Mid-term migrants demonstrate the strongest adaptive capacity, supported by stable income, housing investment, and access to flood information. Overall, the study contributes to more dynamic urban risk frameworks that incorporate demographic and socioeconomic transitions. These insights are relevant for other rapidly growing cities, particularly those in Southeast Asia. Full article

In order to cope with the challenge of large-scale integration of renewable energy to the balance of power supply and demand, and give full play to the potential of flexible regulation of iron and steel enterprises, a source load coordination optimization scheduling model considering the flexible coordination of iron and steel production and energy storage is proposed. Firstly, the multi-unit coupling adjustable capacity model of electric arc furnace (EAF), air separation unit (ASU), rolling mill and captive power plant is established, and the regulation characteristics and coupling relationship between different production units are clarified. Secondly, a day-ahead and intra-day two-stage scheduling framework is proposed. In the intra-day stage, the energy storage system is introduced to mitigate the fluctuation in wind power, and the mixed integer linear programming method is adopted to minimize the total operating cost of the system. Finally, an example is given to verify the effectiveness of the model. Case studies demonstrate that the proposed approach effectively reduces load variability and enhances operational stability. After the introduction of energy storage, the power standard deviation of EAFs and ASUs decreases by 29.6% and 28%, respectively, and the operational continuity of the rolling process is improved. Although the initial wind curtailment level in the test system is relatively low, the proposed strategy further mitigates peak curtailment and improves renewable accommodation capability. In addition, moderate operational cost savings are achieved. Full article

The Xinjiang wheat variety ‘Xindong 22’ was used as experimental material. Two soil moisture treatments were established: control (CK, 70–75% field capacity), drought (X1, 60–65%). The photosynthetic characteristics and resistance physiological indexes of wheat leaves under different stress levels were analyzed, and RNA-Seq technology was used to conduct transcriptome sequencing and analysis were performed on wheat leaves. The results showed that under drought stress, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity was significantly enhanced, while peroxidase (POD) activity decreased. Soluble sugar and proline contents also increased. These changes likely enhanced reactive oxygen species scavenging, thereby reducing the content of malondialdehyde in the leaves. Meanwhile, under the X1 treatment, stomatal conductance and transpiration rate of wheat leaves showed a slow decreasing trend, the intercellular CO₂ concentration decreased slightly, the decline in Fv/Fm was relatively small, and the value of the non-photochemical quenching coefficient gradually increased. Transcriptome analysis identified 1881 differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Notably, drought stress induced the up-regulation of key genes involved in the ABA signaling pathway (e.g., SnRK2 and ABF) and the MAPK cascade, suggesting their crucial roles in mediating drought responses in this wheat variety. In the jasmonic acid signaling pathway, MYC2 functions as a positive regulator by interacting with JAZ proteins. These findings demonstrate that Xinjiang wheat employs integrated physiological and molecular strategies to cope with drought stress. Full article

Background: Cancer-related health outcomes are shaped by the interplay of aging, complex treatment exposures, and individual psychological characteristics. Mitochondrial dysfunction has been implicated as an underlying biological process affecting cancer-related outcomes. This secondary, exploratory pilot analysis aimed to examine age- and treatment-related differences in fatigue, coping self-efficacy, resilience, and skeletal muscle mitochondrial oxidative capacity, measured via phosphorus-31 magnetic resonance spectroscopy (³¹P-MRS). Methods: Eleven cancer survivors (mean age 53.3 ± 12.7 years) were recruited from a larger symptom management trial. Participants underwent ³¹P-MRS to assess mitochondrial function via phosphocreatine recovery time constant (τPCr). Patient-reported outcome measures and physical function assessments were collected. Group comparisons and correlation analyses were conducted to evaluate differences and associations based on age (<65 vs. ≥65 years) and treatment. Because treatment categories were not mutually exclusive and the time since last treatment was not collected, treatment-related comparisons are descriptive only. Given the small available sample size, we conducted this study as exploratory and hypothesis-generating. Results: Older survivors (≥65) had longer τPCr (59.5 vs. 50.1 s), weaker grip strength, higher fatigue, and lower physical performance compared to younger participants, although differences were not statistically significant. Treatment-related patterns were descriptive; participants receiving multiple treatments had shorter τPCr but lower muscular strength, while immunotherapy recipients reported higher fatigue and lower physical activity. Among younger participants, a negative correlation was observed between τPCr and fatigue (ρ = −0.71), and positive correlations were observed with resilience (ρ = 0.61) and coping self-efficacy (ρ = 0.74), reflecting a pattern that warrants cautious interpretation in this small sample. Conclusions: These preliminary results suggest age- and treatment-related differences in fatigue, physical performance, psychological factors, and skeletal muscle mitochondrial bioenergetics. These signals warrant further testing in larger, adequately powered cohorts to clarify mechanisms and inform the development of personalized survivorship care strategies. Full article

Background: Due to communication problems, people with primary progressive aphasia (PwPPA) are often affected in their self-image and experience a reduced quality of life (QoL). Biographic-narrative therapy is an effective approach to improve QoL in post-stroke aphasia. This study describes how PwPPA experienced their participation in the biographic-narrative intervention called Cope PPA. Methods: The intervention comprised a combination of five individual and seven group therapy sessions as well as the use of music and art therapy elements. Inclusion criteria were a capacity to give consent and sufficient visual/auditory abilities of PwPPA. Exclusion criteria were the presence of severe depression (MADRS > 35) or severe cognitive deficits (MMST < 10). After the therapy, PwPPA and their family members took part in half-hour semi-structured interviews. Interviews were analysed according to the reflexive thematic analysis by Braun and Clarke. Results: The qualitative analysis was based on a data set of 34 interviews. A total of six themes were identified: (1) Participation required adherence; (2) Materials were considered remarkable; (3) Storytelling was conducted in an aphasia-free area; (4) Group participation created a sense of belonging; (5) Experiences encouraged self-reflection and (6) Coping is lengthy and ongoing. Conclusions: The findings of our reflexive thematic analysis suggest that PwPPA experienced the intervention as meaningful. Some PwPPA described the effects of our intervention on their self-image. Others emphasised that coping with their condition was an ongoing process requiring continuous support. Full article

(1) Background: With the increasing complexity of public safety duties, police officers are frequently exposed to high-pressure, high-risk environments. They face multiple stressors, including workload demands, societal expectations, supervisory pressure, and emergencies. Such factors can impair their mental health and emotional suppression capacity. (2) Methods: This preliminary qualitative investigation examines police officers’ perceptions of stress-related suppression processes through a literature review and semi-structured in-depth interviews with a small number of officers, employing qualitative content analysis. The research focuses on officers’ reported coping strategies, experiences with psychological counseling systems, and views on institutional mechanisms such as officer screening and emotional support structures. (3) Results: The findings reveal that participants reported generally lacking adequate emotional expression channels, leading to emotional dysregulation, outbursts, and burnout. Social support, supervisor attitudes, and flexible duty arrangements were perceived as key stress-mitigating resources. However, the utilization of current psychological counseling services remains low, primarily due to concerns regarding stigmatization and confidentiality. (4) Conclusions: This preliminary study recommends the development of a responsive mental health support framework for police agencies, emphasizing improvements in officer selection processes, mental health training, counseling accessibility, and organizational flexibility. Full article