Search Results (3,485)

Grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) is a major freshwater aquaculture species in China, but its growth is limited under intensive high-density farming. This study aimed to investigate the characteristics of plasma exosomes associated with distinct growth performance by isolating and characterizing exosomes from fast- and slow-growing grass carp after nine months of culture. Exosomes showed typical morphology and expressed characteristic markers (CD63, CD81, TSG101). Small RNA sequencing identified 3325 miRNAs, with 177 highly abundant miRNAs differentially expressed: immune-related miRNAs were upregulated, while development-inhibitory miRNAs were downregulated in fast-growing fish. Target gene enrichment highlighted pathways in neural and skeletal development and amino acid metabolism. Integrative analysis across tissues revealed 26 miRNAs with coordinated expression patterns between plasma exosomes and brain, liver, or muscle, validated by qPCR. DIA proteomics quantified 4203 proteins, identifying 843 differentially enriched proteins linked to immune response, energy metabolism, and endoplasmic reticulum stress. Notably, TYMP was upregulated in muscle and exosomes, while several proteins (e.g., GYG2, BHMT) showed coordinated downregulation across tissues and exosomes in large fish. These results provide comprehensive evidence of exosome-mediated cross-tissue communication in teleosts and suggest a potential role for plasma exosomal miRNAs and proteins as non-invasive biomarkers correlated with growth status in aquaculture. Full article

Introduction: Individuals aging with HIV face significant challenges that can negatively impact their long-term health, including biomedical complications, premature aging, and the influential role of aging-related stereotypes. Our study aimed to investigate whether a more positive self-perception of aging is associated with better health-related quality of life and less adverse impacts of premature aging on people living with HIV. Methods: We conducted a multicenter study combining a cross-sectional survey with a 2-year retrospective extraction of clinical data from medical records, involving 285 participants aged ≥ 50 years (77.9% male) living with HIV in Spain. Participants reported their health-related quality of life, self-perception of aging, and cultural age-related stereotypes. Additionally, two years of retrospective clinical health data were collected for eight areas: Metabolic, Neurological, Neoplastic, Bone, Hepatic, Renal, Cardiovascular, and Others. Results: As expected, worse physical health over the past two years had a negative impact on the self-perception of aging. Cultural age-related stereotypes of warmth and competence were found to predict their internalization into the self-concept. However, only self-perceived competence mediated the influence of the cultural age-related stereotype of the competence dimension on a more positive self-perception of aging. Furthermore, a positive self-perception of aging positively predicts all dimensions of health-related quality of life. Conclusions: Our data suggest two interrelated pathways that may influence the aging process: a clinical pathway, characterized by the negative impact of pre-existing comorbidities, and a psychosocial pathway, related to the internalization of cultural stereotypes. This study highlights the impact of cultural stereotypes on the self-perception of aging through their internalization in a sample of individuals experiencing premature aging. Full article

Ancient timber structures are important carriers of valuable cultural heritage, and their structural safety directly determines whether historic buildings can remain in safe service over time. Cracks represent one of the most widespread and important forms of damage in ancient timber structures. They can directly lead to cross-sectional weakening of structural members, degradation of load-bearing capacity, and the gradual development of overall structural safety risks. To address the limitations of existing crack assessment methods, such as strong subjectivity in weight determination, insufficient accuracy in grade boundary discrimination, and inadequate coupling with mechanical performance, this study proposes a crack safety assessment method for ancient timber structures based on an improved entropy–fuzzy matter-element model. A multi-dimensional evaluation index system is established, incorporating crack geometric characteristics, structural load-bearing capacity, and service time effects. A mechanically driven load-carrying capacity degradation index is introduced to quantitatively characterize the influence mechanism of crack propagation on structural performance deterioration. The entropy weight method is employed to objectively determine the weights of each indicator, and an asymmetric closeness degree is introduced to improve the traditional fuzzy matter-element model, thereby enhancing the stability and accuracy of safety grade classification. A case study of the Bawang Academy, Shenyang Jianzhu University, is conducted. Crack parameters are obtained using image recognition and three-dimensional laser scanning techniques, and a comprehensive structural safety assessment is performed. The results indicate that the proposed method can accurately reflect the actual damage distribution and deterioration level of the structure, providing a reliable theoretical basis and technical support for crack safety evaluation and preventive conservation of ancient timber structures. Full article

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to provide an integrative review of Positive Psychology in contemporary organizational contexts, examining how psychological resources such as Psychological Capital, Emotional Intelligence, Mindfulness, Psychological Safety, Self-Determination Theory, and Positive Leadership contribute to employee well-being, flourishing, and organizational effectiveness. Design/Methodology/Approach: This study adopts a narrative integrative literature review approach, synthesizing recent theoretical and empirical research in Positive Organizational Psychology, Organizational Behavior, and Human Resource Management. The review integrates foundational theories with contemporary empirical findings published in high-impact academic journals to develop a comprehensive conceptual framework. Findings: The findings indicate that Positive Psychological constructs are consistently associated with higher levels of employee engagement, job satisfaction, performance, resilience, and flourishing, while reducing burnout, stress, and turnover intentions. Psychological Capital emerges as a key malleable resource, while Mindfulness and Emotional Intelligence enhance self-regulation and interpersonal effectiveness. Originality: The paper integrates multiple streams of Positive Psychology into a unified conceptual model, combining individual-level psychological resources with motivational and organizational-contextual factors. Research limitations/implications: As a narrative review, the study does not include primary empirical data or statistical testing. Future research should empirically validate the proposed integrative framework using longitudinal and cross-cultural designs. Practical implications: Organizations can enhance employee well-being and performance by implementing Psychological Capital Interventions, mindfulness-based programs, strengths-based development, and psychologically safe leadership practices. Social implications: The findings highlight the broader societal value of fostering psychologically healthy workplaces that promote sustainable employment, mental health, and human flourishing. Full article

Background/Objectives: Chronic dermatological conditions increasingly require complex and patient-centered therapeutic management, including biologic therapies, injectable treatments, and multidisciplinary care. In this context, patient-reported experience measures (PREMs) may provide valuable insight into the quality and effectiveness of pharmacist-delivered care. This study aims to translate, culturally adapt, and evaluate the psychometric performance of the Patient Satisfaction with Pharmacist Services Questionnaire (PSPSQ 2.0) as a patient-reported experience measure in Romanian patients with chronic dermatological conditions. Methods: A cross-sectional validation study was conducted in community pharmacies across Romania (N = 220). The questionnaire was translated using a structured forward-translation and expert review process, in accordance with ISPOR and COSMIN recommendations. Internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha and item-level statistics. Construct validity was examined using exploratory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and bifactor modeling. Known-groups validity and floor and ceiling effects were also evaluated. Results: The Romanian PSPSQ 2.0 demonstrated excellent internal consistency (α = 0.978; subscales α = 0.961–0.969). EFA indicated a dominant single-factor structure, explaining 84.0% of the variance. In CFA, the original three-factor model showed excellent relative fit (CFI = 0.999, TLI = 0.999), although RMSEA indicated some model misfit (0.109). Bifactor analysis revealed a strong general satisfaction factor, with consistently high loadings (0.80–0.99), suggesting that most item variance is attributable to a global patient satisfaction construct. These findings support the use of the instrument as a global measure of patient experience within contemporary dermatologic care pathways. Conclusions: The Romanian version of the PSPSQ 2.0 demonstrates excellent reliability and acceptable construct validity as a PREM for assessing patient satisfaction with pharmacist services. The findings support the use of total scores as a robust indicator of patient experience, while domain-level interpretation should be approached with caution due to substantial overlap between dimensions. This instrument may support the integration of patient-reported measures into routine evaluation of pharmaceutical care. Full article

Large language models (LLMs) are increasingly deployed in multilingual settings, yet their safety behavior under Turkish harmful prompts and prompt injection attempts remains insufficiently characterized. This study evaluates the adversarial robustness of 55 open- and closed-source LLMs under paired Turkish and English harmful prompt conditions. We constructed a benchmark of 790 Turkish adversarial prompts, translated the prompts into English for cross-lingual comparison, and applied both prompt sets to the model pool. Model responses were labeled as harmful, harmless, or hallucinatory, and safety was analyzed using safety scores, Turkish–English ranking differences, and inter-rater reliability based on Fleiss’ kappa. The results reveal substantial variation across models. Closed-source systems generally achieved higher safety scores and stronger filtering behavior, whereas open-source and Turkish-oriented models showed a wider performance distribution. GPT-5.4 ranked first in the Turkish tests with a 99.37% safety score but decreased to 96.71% in the English tests, while Qwen3.5:27B ranked first in English with 97.47%. These differences suggest that safety mechanisms are not fully language-invariant. Hallucination also emerged as a distinct safety risk, particularly in Turkish evaluations. The findings indicate that Turkish LLM safety cannot be inferred from general model capability alone and should be assessed through language-specific, culturally aware, and continuously updated adversarial benchmarks. Full article

End-stage kidney disease (ESKD) is a growing public health concern in Oman, with an increasing number of adults requiring hemodialysis and facing complex dietary restrictions. Adequate nutrition knowledge and nutrition literacy are essential for effective dietary self-management, yet their relationship with dietary adherence in the Omani hemodialysis population remains underexplored. To determine the level of dialysis-specific nutrition literacy among Omani adults with end-stage kidney disease undergoing hemodialysis and to identify socio-demographic and clinical factors that predict acceptable nutrition literacy in this population. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 140 adults with ESKD receiving hemodialysis in Oman. Data were collected using a structured, self-administered questionnaire comprising socio-demographic and clinical items, the Dialysis-Specific Nutrition Literacy Scale (DSNLS), the Dialysis-Related Diet Knowledge Questionnaire (DDKQ), and adherence/health-belief subscales (perceived benefits, barriers, seriousness, susceptibility, and self-efficacy). Descriptive statistics summarized sample characteristics and scale scores. Correlation analyses assessed relationships between nutrition literacy, diet knowledge, and adherence-related perceptions. Multiple logistic regression identified independent predictors of acceptable nutrition literacy. Participants had a mean age of 48.19 years and a mean dialysis duration of 5.46 years. Overall, 60.7% had acceptable dialysis-specific nutrition literacy and 39.3% had limited literacy. Dialysis-related diet knowledge was low in 10.7%, moderate in 46.4%, and high in 42.9% of participants. Perceived benefits of dietary adherence were high, whereas perceived barriers, seriousness, and susceptibility were moderate and self-efficacy was relatively low. Nutrition literacy was positively correlated with perceived benefits, seriousness, susceptibility, and self-efficacy, while diet knowledge showed weaker associations with these beliefs. In the logistic regression model, living in the city (OR = 0.17, p = 0.01) and having diabetes mellitus as a comorbidity (OR = 0.17, p = 0.01) were associated with lower odds of acceptable nutrition literacy, whereas higher hemoglobin levels (OR = 1.51, p = 0.04) and self-rated “very good” overall health (OR = 5.80, p = 0.03) were associated with higher odds. Most Omani adults on hemodialysis demonstrated acceptable nutrition literacy and at least moderate renal-diet knowledge, but a substantial subgroup had limited literacy and low self-efficacy for dietary adherence. Nutrition literacy was more strongly linked to adherence-related beliefs than factual knowledge alone and was influenced by place of residence, comorbid diabetes, hemoglobin level, and perceived health. These findings highlight the need for culturally tailored, literacy-sensitive nutrition education in Omani dialysis units, with particular attention to urban patients and those with diabetes, to strengthen self-efficacy, address perceived barriers, and ultimately improve dietary adherence and clinical outcomes. Full article

Although digital media play an increasingly important role in young children’s home learning environment (HLE), validated tools that measure both traditional and digital aspects of the HLE are lacking. The present study examines the cross-cultural validity of the Greek Home Learning Environment Questionnaire (HLEQ) in Austrian and Hungarian contexts. A sample of N = 515 parents of preschool children (M_age = 62 months, SD = 13.2; 52% boys) was assessed. Confirmatory factor analyses supported the six-factor structure of the HLEQ across both countries, including digital learning activities as a distinct dimension. Reliability indices (Cronbach’s α, McDonald’s ω) indicated acceptable to good internal consistency across most scales. Multi-group analyses demonstrated configural and metric invariance, suggesting comparable factor structures and item–factor relations across countries. However, scalar invariance was not supported, indicating differences in item intercepts and limiting the comparability of latent mean levels. Descriptive findings revealed cross-national differences in most HLE dimensions. Overall, the results advance cross-cultural research on digital learning environments and support the structural validity of the HLEQ across cultural contexts while highlighting the importance of culturally sensitive interpretation when comparing HLE levels. Future research should examine how traditional and digital aspects of the HLE contribute to children’s development. Full article

This study investigates the ethnobiology of wild food plants in Arbëreshë (Albanian-speaking) and neighbouring Calabrian communities in north-eastern Calabria, inland southern Italy. It examines how traditional ecological knowledge, plant use patterns, and cultural perceptions are represented across two datasets, contributing to the understanding of biocultural dynamics in Mediterranean rural contexts. Fieldwork was conducted through forty-six semi-structured interviews in five villages in north-eastern Calabria, Southern Italy. Data were compared with an ethnobotanical dataset collected in the Vulture area (northern Lucania, southern Italy) during 2000–2001. The comparison is treated as cross-spatial and diachronic at the level of observed ethnobotanical records. Because the study areas differ in ecological and socio-economic conditions, comparisons are presented as descriptive contrasts rather than as direct temporal change. Taxa were classified by citation frequency, and comparisons were conducted at genus level to describe patterns of presence and variation in reported wild plant use. A total of 82 wild food taxa were documented. The dataset was dominated by vascular plants, with frequent representation of the families Asteraceae, Brassicaceae, Apiaceae, and Lamiaceae. Arbëreshë participants reported 60 genera, including seven genera not recorded in the comparative dataset (Asphodeline, Pimpinella, Hirschfeldia, Silene, Bellevalia, Leontodon, and Crocus). Calabrian participants reported 28 genera, including three not recorded among Arbëreshë participants (Clinopodium, Suillus, and Urospermum). Twenty-one genera were present in both datasets. Differences in citation frequency and genus composition are observed between datasets, with variation across groups and contexts. The results show a shared set of commonly reported wild food taxa across datasets, alongside variation in less frequently reported genera. The findings describe differences in ethnobotanical records across communities and time-separated datasets, reflecting combined influences of ecological context, sampling conditions, and local knowledge practices. Full article

Background: As a crucial transitional period from campus to society, providing comprehensive undergraduate health psychological care is essential for addressing Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD). Current global healthcare research is actively exploring innovative digital interventions, with a specific focus on leveraging Augmented Reality (AR) as a transformative auxiliary tool in clinical settings. Methods: This study investigates the factors influencing the acceptance of AR-assisted Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) within student healthcare frameworks by developing a research model based on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). The framework incorporates key clinical and behavioral constructs: self-efficacy (SE), facilitating conditions (FC), and social influence (SI). Results: SE, FC, and SI significantly and positively impact the willingness to adopt AR technology for mental health purposes. Based on these findings, practical recommendations are provided for healthcare technology developers, therapists, and university psychological care providers to enhance the integration of AR-assisted CBT. Conclusions: Strengthening these digital pathways is vital for improving healthcare outcomes and enabling students to navigate future social and professional environments effectively. Because the sample consisted solely of Chinese undergraduate students, the findings should be interpreted within this specific cultural and educational context and require further validation in cross-cultural and multi-regional samples. Full article

Spirituality and religiosity are increasingly recognized as important factors influencing mental health, particularly among women exposed to diverse vulnerabilities such as interpersonal violence, trauma, HIV infection, homelessness, and socioeconomic disadvantage. This systematic review aimed to synthesize evidence on the associations between spiritual or religious resources and mental health outcomes in these populations. A systematic search was conducted in Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science to identify studies examining the association between spirituality, religiosity, and mental health outcomes in vulnerable women. A total of 28 studies were identified, including cross-sectional, longitudinal, and mixed-methods designs, which measured spirituality and religiosity using validated instruments such as SWBS, DUREL, FACIT-Sp-12, and Brief RCOPE, alongside standardized mental health measures. Narrative synthesis revealed that the majority of studies (n = 15) reported that higher spiritual well-being, intrinsic religiosity, and adaptive religious coping were associated with lower depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress, and with higher resilience, quality of life, and post-traumatic growth. These associations appeared to be shaped by contextual factors, including the type and severity of trauma, cultural and religious frameworks, and the lived experiences of the populations studied. Negative associations were primarily linked to negative religious coping (n = 5 studies), rather than religiosity per se. Additional factors that attenuated or reversed the expected positive effects included higher trauma severity or ongoing adversity (n = 4), reactive patterns in which greater psychological distress was associated with increased use of religious coping (n = 3), maladaptive religious beliefs such as interpretations of trauma as divine punishment (n = 2), and cultural or contextual influences (n = 3). Overall, the evidence suggests that spirituality and specific dimensions of religiosity (e.g., intrinsic religiosity, religious coping) can support mental health among vulnerable women, though personal, cultural, and situational factors shape their impact. These findings suggest the potential value of integrating spiritual resources into interventions and the need for further longitudinal and culturally sensitive research. Full article

University students face dietary transitions shaped by time constraints, campus food environments, and intensive exposure to food-related content on social media, yet the mechanisms linking digital exposure to observable food choices and overall diet quality remain insufficiently modeled in Latin American contexts. This study examined whether social media-driven food norms (NI) and in-restaurant food choices (CD) sequentially mediate the effect of Instagram (IG) and TikTok (TK) exposure on overall diet quality (Y), while incorporating physical activity (PA) as an independent predictor. This is a quantitative cross-sectional study based on a paper questionnaire administered face-to-face to 615 university students (53.2% women; M = 21.7 years; 39.2% public, 60.8% private universities) eating in campus restaurants in La Libertad, northern Peru. Data were analyzed through PLS-SEM (SmartPLS 4) with 5000 bootstrap resamples and BCa 95% confidence intervals; Y was operationalized through a culturally adapted KIDMED index. All five structural hypotheses were supported: TK → NI (β = 0.479) exceeded IG → NI (β = 0.349); NI → CD (β = 0.473) and PA → CD (β = 0.216) operated as independent pathways; and CD → Y (β = 0.255) confirmed the distal link. NI fully mediated both digital pathways toward food choices. Diet quality in university restaurants is reconfigured primarily through normative, not informational, digital mechanisms, suggesting norm-based interventions over nutrition-information campaigns. Reflective measures showed adequate internal consistency for IG, TK, and NI (Cronbach’s α = 0.874–0.889; CR = 0.907–0.923) and convergent validity (AVE = 0.620–0.751); the structural model explained 55.5% of the variance in NI, 30.8% in CD, and 34.8% in overall diet quality. Full article

Background: Occupational moral injury is associated with nurses’ psychological well-being, yet evidence linking it to professional quality of life remains limited, and no validated Greek version of the Occupational Moral Injury Scale (OMIS) has been available. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 301 nurses from two public hospitals in Greece. Using convenience sampling, 350 questionnaires were distributed, yielding an 86.0% response rate. Participants completed the Occupational Moral Injury Scale (OMIS) and the Professional Quality of Life Scale Version 5 (ProQOL-V). The OMIS was translated and culturally adapted into Greek through a forward–backward translation process, and its validity and reliability were assessed using confirmatory factor analysis and internal consistency testing. Results: The Greek OMIS demonstrated excellent internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = 0.95). CFA provided preliminary support for the proposed factorial structure, although model fit indices indicated a marginal-to-moderate fit (CFI = 0.887, TLI = 0.866, SRMR = 0.070 and GFI 0.902). Participants reported relatively high compassion satisfaction (M = 37.30, SD = 7.35) and moderate levels of burnout (M = 23.36, SD = 5.06) and secondary traumatic stress (M = 22.13, SD = 7.28). Betrayal was negatively associated with compassion satisfaction (r = −0.151, p = 0.009) and positively associated with burnout (r = 0.427, p < 0.001) and secondary traumatic stress (r = 0.366, p < 0.001). Regression analyses showed that dimensions of moral injury were associated with burnout, secondary traumatic stress, and compassion satisfaction, with betrayal showing the strongest associations. Conclusions: Occupational moral injury was associated with poorer professional quality of life, underscoring the need for organizational support, ethical resources, and clinical supervision to promote healthcare professionals’ well-being and resilience. Full article

Purpose: This research intends to explore the relationships between digital risk management practices and the successful implementation of innovative banking services with the mediating effect of digital capabilities and the moderating effect of digital culture. Methodology Approach: In this study, the data was gathered using a quantitative approach and the cross-sectional survey method with responses from participants who were chosen as the unit of analysis of being investigated for the study. Islamic finance institutions in Jordan were used as the unit of analysis in this study. Responses of different Islamic finance institutions were surveyed in a structured manner to collect data with 281 valid responses. The current study then used structural equation modeling using SmartPLS3 to investigate the relationship between the variables. Findings: The results show that utilizing digital risk management, advanced analytics, artificial intelligence, and automated compliance systems is essential to fostering innovation while upholding Shariah compliance. The study also shows that efficient digital risk management boosts users’ confidence increases service effectiveness and facilitates the launch of cutting-edge Shariah-compliant products. The findings supported a significant meditating effect of the digital capabilities but did not support a moderating effect of the digital culture between digital risk management and innovative banking services respectively. Originality: By investigating digital risk management in the particular context of Islamic innovative banking services, this study provides novel insight. In contrast to earlier research that focuses on innovation in Islamic finance, this paper examines how digital risk management frameworks impact the sustainability of innovative banking services that adhere to Shariah. Moreover, building institutional capacity and resilience requires training programs that emphasize emerging technologies and digital risk awareness. Full article

Background/Objectives: Artificial intelligence (AI) holds significant potential to enhance diagnostic support and access to dermatological care; however, its adoption depends on public trust and acceptance. This study aimed to assess knowledge, attitudes, and acceptance of dermatological AI among Saudi adults, and to identify factors associated with adoption, trust, and preferred system characteristics. Methods: A nationwide cross-sectional online survey was conducted among 668 Saudi adults (≥18 years) between 21 May and 5 June 2025, using convenience and snowball sampling via social media platforms (WhatsApp, Snapchat, Twitter/X, and Telegram). The questionnaire captured demographics, attitudes toward AI (20-item Likert scale), and perceived importance of six AI system features. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, one-way ANOVA, and binary logistic regression. The study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of King Faisal University (Approval No. KFU-REC-2025-MAY-ETHICS3443, approval date 19 May 2025). Results: The mean overall AI attitude orientation score was 74.48 ± 10.20 (Cronbach’s α = 0.868), reflecting moderately positive but conditional attitudes toward dermatological AI. Participants strongly preferred physician-supervised AI over fully autonomous systems, with medical oversight receiving the highest agreement (mean 4.27 ± 0.87). Privacy protection and diagnostic accuracy were rated as the most important system features. Age was significantly associated with the overall AI attitude orientation score (p = 0.009), with younger participants demonstrating more favorable orientations. Interest in technology showed the strongest association with both AI attitude orientation and perceived importance (p < 0.001). No demographic variable independently predicted high intention to use AI in multivariate analysis. Conclusions: Saudi adults generally exhibit favorable yet cautious attitudes toward dermatological AI. Implementation strategies should prioritize physician oversight, transparency, data privacy, and culturally responsive design to support responsible integration into clinical practice. Full article