Search Results (19,296)

Background/Objectives: To determine whether adolescent (T1) mental health, quality of life, and adjustment to celiac disease (CeD) are associated with college-age (T2) perceived physical and mental health and gluten-free diet (GFD) adherence. Methods: In 2015, adolescents with CeD (n = 101, T1) completed standardized surveys assessing mental health (CSI-4), quality of life (PedsQL), and adjustment to CeD (CDDUX). Five years later, participants ≥18 years self-reported GFD adherence and physical and mental health perception in college (n = 59, T2). Patients who were current or recent college students that provided complete data at both time points were analyzed (n = 43) using Kendall’s tau to test: concurrent associations among T2 perceived physical/mental health and GFD adherence; and prospective associations between T1 measures and T2 perceived outcomes. Results: Higher T1 CSI-4 and PedsQL scores were negatively correlated with T2 perceived physical health (τ = −0.31, p = 0.02 and τ = −0.28, p = 0.04, respectively). There was trending association between T1 PedsQL and T2 mental health perception (τ = -0.23, p = 0.06). T2 physical and mental health perception were positively correlated (τ = 0.41, p = 0.001). No significant associations emerged between T1 measures and T2 GFD adherence, nor between T2 health perception and GFD adherence, although T2 physical health perception positively trended with GFD adherence (p = 0.78). Conclusions: Adolescents with CeD reporting more depressive symptoms or lower quality of life feel less physically and mentally healthy when in college. In college, feeling physically healthy aligns with feeling mentally healthy, although neither clearly predicts GFD adherence. Early mental health screening in adolescents with CeD may support transitions to independent dietary management. Full article

Objective: Virtual reality (VR) exercises may offer a comprehensive rehabilitation approach for many conditions. This study primarily aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of VR exercises compared with conventional exercise in reducing pain intensity in individuals with post-COVID-19 condition (PCC). Secondary analyses explored their effects on fatigue, functional capacity, mood, and quality of life. Materials and Methods: A single-center, randomized, assessor-blinded intervention study was conducted with 79 individuals between July 2021 and February 2022. The primary outcome was pain intensity measured using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Secondary outcomes included mood (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, HADS), fatigue (Fatigue Severity Scale, FSS), quality of life (SF-12), and functional exercise capacity (6-Minute Walk Test, 6 MWT). Participants completed supervised exercise sessions 3 times weekly for 30–45 min over 8 weeks. The conventional exercise program involved moderate-intensity aerobic, strength, stretching, and neuromuscular exercises. VR exercises were delivered semi-immersively using motion-controlled video games. Time × group interactions were analyzed using linear mixed-effects model. Results: In both groups, 6MWT, SF-12 physical and mental components increased, while VAS, FSS and HADS anxiety and depression scores decreased. Time-group interaction was observed in favor of VRG for VAS [F(1, 59.4) = 56.3, p = 0.001], as well as HADS-D [F(1, 54.6) = 7.40, p = 0.008] and FSS [F(1, 61.4) = 8.96, p = 0.004]. Conclusions: While structured exercise improves the physical and psychological conditions of individuals with PCC, virtual reality exercises stand out in pain, also fatigue, and depression. Full article

Chronic stress is a key risk factor for depression and metabolic dysfunction, widely mediated through oxidative stress and inflammatory pathways. Natural products such as honey are increasingly investigated for their potential to attenuate stress-induced pathophysiological changes. This study evaluated the protective effects of Malaysian Acacia honey (AH) on glucose regulation, oxidative damage, histopathological alterations, and pro-inflammatory cytokine expression in stress-induced rats. Male Sprague–Dawley rats (n = 42) were subjected to chronic unpredictable mild stress and supplemented with AH, amitriptyline (AMT), or their combination for 28 days. Blood glucose levels, erythrocyte hemolysis, histological changes in liver and kidney, and expression of IL-1β and TGF-β1 in ileum, caecum, and hypothalamus were assessed. Data were reported as mean and standard error of mean (SEM) after three or more independent experiments had been conducted. The data were analyzed using a paired-t-test or a one-way or two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and considered significant if p < 0.05. Stress markedly elevated glucose levels (7.97 ± 0.20 mmol/L), increased hemolysis (14.30% ± 2.96), and induced hepatic (cytoplasmic vacuolation, 1.40 ± 0.25; cell lining absent, 1.20 ± 0.37) and renal lesions (dilated intertubular capillaries, 1.40 ± 0.51; inflammation, 2.20 ± 0.20), accompanied by upregulation of IL-1β (1.27-fold ± 0.20) and TGF-β1 (1.00-fold ± 0.08). Supplementation with AH significantly reduced hyperglycemia, inhibited hemolysis, ameliorated tissue damage, and downregulated pro-inflammatory cytokines. Combination therapy with AH and AMT produced the most significant improvements near to normal level, suggesting synergistic benefits. These findings highlight the therapeutic potential of AH as a natural adjunct in managing stress-related metabolic and inflammatory disturbances. Full article

Millions worldwide are affected by Parkinson’s disease, with the World Health Organization highlighting its growing prevalence. Early neuromotor speech impairments make voice analysis a promising tool for detecting Parkinson’s, aided by advances in deep speech embeddings. However, existing approaches often rely on either handcrafted acoustic features or opaque deep representations, limiting diagnostic performance and interoperability. To address this, we propose a multi-modal decentralized hybrid learning framework that combines structured voice biomarkers from the UCI Parkinson’s dataset (195 sustained-phonation samples from 31 subjects) with contrastive speech embeddings derived from the DAIC-WOZ corpus (189 interview recordings originally collected for depression detection) using Wav2Vec 2.0. This system employs an early fusion strategy followed by a dense neural classifier optimized for binary classification. By integrating both clinically interpretable and semantically rich features, the model captures complementary phonatory and affective patterns relevant to early-stage Parkinson’s detection. Extensive evaluation demonstrates that the proposed method achieves an accuracy of 96.2% and an AUC of 97.1%, outperforming unimodal and baseline fusion models. SHAP-based analysis confirms that a subset of features have disproportionately high discriminative value, enhancing interpretability. Overall, the proposed framework establishes a promising pathway toward data-driven, non-invasive screening for neurodegenerative conditions through voice analysis. Full article

Treatment-resistant depression (TRD), defined as the failure to achieve adequate response to at least two antidepressant trials, affects 20–30% of patients with major depressive disorder and poses substantial personal and socioeconomic burdens. This review aimed to synthesize current knowledge on the genetic, epigenetic, and neurobiological underpinnings of TRD to understand its pathophysiology better and inform future treatment strategies. A systematic search identified relevant studies focusing on genetic predispositions, epigenetic modifications, structural and functional brain alterations, the role of chronic inflammation, and deficits in neuroplasticity and neurogenesis associated with TRD. Findings highlight the involvement of polymorphisms in genes regulating neurotransmission, neuroplasticity, and stress response, though replication across studies remains inconsistent. Genome-wide association studies suggest polygenic contributions but are limited by small sample sizes and heterogeneous definitions of TRD. Emerging evidence points to aberrant DNA methylation, histone modifications, and dysregulated non-coding RNAs as potential mediators of treatment resistance. Neuroimaging studies reveal TRD-specific patterns, particularly altered default mode network connectivity and white matter disruptions, supporting its distinction as a subtype of depression. Collectively, the evidence underscores TRD as a multifactorial condition shaped by genetic and neurobiological factors, while emphasizing the need for standardized definitions, larger cohorts, and longitudinal designs to advance the field. Full article

Background: Evidence-based complex psychological interventions have been widely applied and appear promising in improving emotional and behavioral disturbances such as depression and sleep problems. However, the effectiveness of these complex psychological interventions, particularly in comparison to active control groups, has yet to be confirmed. Objectives: To explore the effects of a complex set of intervention strategies on depression and sleep quality, two randomized controlled trials with active control conditions were conducted. Method: A total of 97 college students with depressive symptoms were enrolled in study 1 (Intervention = 48; Active control = 49) and participated in the intervention for depression. A total of 110 college students with sleep problems (intervention = 54; active control = 56) participated in the intervention for sleep quality in study 2. College students in the intervention group received a combination intervention program of cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness exercises, and positive psychology for depression or sleep quality, while participants in the active control group read popular science articles about mental health. The intervention lasted two weeks. Depression, sleep quality, and related factors were measured before, during, and after the interventions. Results: Although both the intervention and active control conditions effectively reduced depression and sleep problems, the trend of change over time was consistent between both groups. Overall, the effects of the intervention group were not better than those of the active control group. Conclusions: The effects of short-term, multi-strategy interventions on depression and sleep quality in our study were not better than simply reading articles about mental health. These findings suggest that simply combining evidence-based components does not necessarily produce superior outcomes. Full article

Background: Chronotype refers to an individual’s preferred timing of activity and rest within a 24-h period, reflecting behavioral manifestations of the endogenous circadian rhythm. Variations in circadian timing may contribute to the temporal characteristics and pathophysiology of tension-type headache (TTH). TTH is the most common primary headache disorder and can have a significant impact on quality of life. While chronotype has been shown to influence pain perception, mood, and sleep quality in various chronic pain conditions, its relationship to TTH remains insufficiently explored. Aim: We aimed to determine the distribution of chronotypes among patients with TTH and to assess their associations with pain characteristics, depression, sleep quality, and quality of life. Methods: This cross-sectional study involved 77 adult patients diagnosed with TTH according to the International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD)-III criteria. Patients were recruited from the neurology outpatient clinic at SANKO University Hospital between June 2021 and June 2022. Data were collected using the Morningness–Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ), the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and the Short Form-36 (SF-36). Chronotypes were categorized as morning, intermediate, or evening. Group differences were analyzed using ANOVA, Kruskal–Wallis and linear regression models. Results: The mean age of the study sample was 29.0 [24.0–35.0] years. Fifty-five participants (71.4%) had an intermediate chronotype, 14 (18.2%) had a morning chronotype, and 8 (10.4%) had an evening chronotype. Those with an evening chronotype had a significantly lower BMI than those with an intermediate chronotype (p = 0.035) and lower scores on the SF-36 Role Limitations due to Physical Problems domain than those with a morning chronotype (p = 0.039). Chronotype (as assessed by the MEQ) was negatively correlated with sleep quality, with evening chronotypes showing poorer PSQI scores. No significant differences were found in VAS (pain intensity) and HADS (depression) scores among chronotypes. Linear regression analyses indicated that chronotype significantly predicted SF-36 Bodily Pain scores, whereas sex significantly predicted VAS pain intensity (p = 0.001). Conclusions: Evening chronotype is associated with poorer sleep quality and greater role limitations due to physical problemsin patients with TTH, which can potentially exacerbate the disabilities associated with headaches. Tailored interventions targeting chronotype and sleep may improve quality of life in this population. Full article

Urological cancers are associated with reduced quality of life and high psychological burden, yet affected patients receive less psychosocial support than other cancer groups. Electronic health literacy (eHL) may facilitate independent access to resources, but its role for psychological outcomes and quality of life in this group is unclear. This study examined associations between eHL, psychological symptoms, and quality of life during transition from inpatient to outpatient care. A prospective, single-centre observational study was conducted. Eligible inpatients (urological cancer, Distress Thermometer ≥5 and/or request for psycho-oncological support) received an initial psycho-oncology consultation and completed surveys during inpatient treatment (T1) and three months later (T2). Measures included socio-demographics, PO-BADO, eHL (eHEALS), distress, depression (PHQ-2), anxiety (GAD-2), and quality of life (EORTC QLQ-C30). Of 108 patients completing T1, 71 completed T2. After controlling for age, eHL was not significantly associated with distress, depression, anxiety, or quality of life. Age did not moderate these relationships. In this sample, eHL showed no significant associations with psychological outcomes or quality of life. However, higher age was linked to lower eHL, suggesting that older patients may face barriers to digital health engagement. Age-related differences in eHL should be considered when designing digital support services for urological cancer patients. Full article

Mining activities are conducted to extract valuable minerals from the Earth, which are used to manufacture many objects. However, these operations generate landform alterations, such as deep excavations, artificial embankments, and landscape reshaping. In this study, landform changes were monitored in a mining area in Mazapil, Zacatecas, Mexico, using geomatic techniques. Multitemporal Landsat satellite images and digital elevation models (DEMs) from different years were used to detect and quantify landform alterations and estimate the volumes of removed material. The results show ground depressions greater than −333 m and waste material accumulations greater than +152 m, with an average standard deviation of ±3.6 m. A total excavation volume of 413.524 million m³ and a total fill volume of 431.194 million m³ were quantified, with an estimated standard deviation of ±810 m³. The proposed methodology proved effective for the remote quantification of large-scale relief disturbances in open-pit mining areas. It can also be used for environmental monitoring and hydrological risk assessment in active and inactive mining areas. Full article

Our understanding of Ghrelin, an endogenous ligand of the growth hormone secretagogue receptor 1a (GHSR1a), has expanded from considering it to be a “hunger hormone” to a pleiotropic regulator of whole-body physiology. This review synthesizes the current advances spanning ghrelin biogenesis, signaling, and systems biology. Physiologically, preproghrelin processing and O-acylation by ghrelin O-acyltransferase (GOAT) generate acyl-ghrelin, a high-potency GHSR1a agonist; des-acyl ghrelin predominates in circulation and exerts context-dependent, GHSR1a-independent, or low-potency effects, while truncated “mini-ghrelins” can act as competitive antagonists. The emergence of synthetic ligands, agonists, antagonists, and reverse-agonists has provided the necessary tools to decipher GHSR1a activity. Recent cryo-EM structures of GHSR1a with peptide and small-molecule ligands reveal a bipartite binding pocket and provide a framework for biased signaling, constitutive activity, and receptor partner selectivity. Beyond the regulation of feeding and growth-hormone release, ghrelin modulates glucose homeostasis, gastric secretion and motility, cardiovascular tone, bone remodeling, renal hemodynamics, and innate immunity. Ghrelin broadly dampens pro-inflammatory responses and promotes reparative macrophage phenotypes. In the emerging scholarship on ghrelin’s activity in the central nervous system, ghrelin has been found to influence neuroprotection, stress reactivity, and sleep architecture, and has also been implicated in depression, Alzheimer’s disease, and substance-abuse disorders. Practical and transitional aspects are also highlighted in the literature: approaches for ghrelin stabilization; recent GHSR1a agonists/antagonists and inverse agonists findings; LEAP-2-based strategies; and emerging GOAT inhibitors. Together, structural insights and pathway selectivity position the ghrelin system as a druggable axis for the management of inflammatory diseases, neuropsychiatric and addiction conditions, and for obesity treatment in the post-GLP-1 receptor agonist era. Full article

This study evaluated the structural, convergent, and discriminant validity, invariance, and internal consistency of the Generalized Anxiety Disorder—7 (GAD-7), Patient Health Questionnaire—9 (PHQ-9), Somatic Symptom Scale—8 (SSS-8), and Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) among 910 students at the National Autonomous University of Honduras. Mental health issues are common among university students, with anxiety, depression, and somatization often co-occurring from a transdiagnostic perspective. Life satisfaction, meanwhile, is recognized as a protective factor for mental well-being. In response to rising psychological distress among university students, reliable mental health screening tools are critical for early detection and intervention. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) supported the unidimensional structure of each scale, while multigroup CFA demonstrated gender invariance. Women reported higher anxiety, depression, and somatization scores, whereas men had higher life satisfaction. Internal consistency, measured by McDonald’s Omega (Ω) and composite reliability, was excellent for GAD-7 (Ω = 0.927), PHQ-9 (Ω = 0.919), and SSS-8 (Ω = 0.873). Convergent and discriminant validity were supported through significant correlations: GAD-7, PHQ-9, and SSS-8 were positively correlated with each other, and negatively correlated with SWLS. These findings confirm that the four scales are psychometrically sound instruments for evaluating mental health in Honduran university students. Full article

Background: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder with unclear pathogenic mechanisms. Dysregulated zinc metabolism contributes to AD pathology. This study aimed to identify zinc metabolism-related hub genes to provide potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets for AD. Methods: We performed an integrative analysis of multiple transcriptomic datasets from AD patients and normal controls. Differentially expressed genes and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) were combined to identify hub genes. We then conducted Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA), immune cell infiltration analysis (CIBERSORT), and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis to assess the hub gene’s biological function, immune context, and diagnostic performance. Drug-gene interactions were predicted using the DrugBank database. Results: We identified a single key zinc transporter–related hub gene, SLC30A3, which was significantly downregulated in AD and demonstrated potential diagnostic value (AUC 0.70–0.80). Lower SLC30A3 expression was strongly associated with impaired synaptic plasticity (long-term potentiation, long-term depression, calcium signaling pathway, and axon guidance), mitochondrial dysfunction (the citrate cycle and oxidative phosphorylation), and pathways common to major neurodegenerative diseases (Parkinson’s disease, AD, Huntington’s disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis). Furthermore, SLC30A3 expression correlated with specific immune infiltrates, particularly the microglia-related chemokine CX3CL1. Zinc chloride and zinc sulfate were identified as potential pharmacological modulators. Conclusions: Our study systematically identifies SLC30A3 as a novel biomarker in AD, linking zinc dyshomeostasis to synaptic failure, metabolic impairment, and neuroimmune dysregulation. These findings offer a new basis for developing targeted diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for AD. Full article

Objective: This study aimed to identify psychological characteristics associated with suicidal ideation among Palestinian university students in the West Bank during a period of escalating regional violence (October 2023), with data collected prior to the end of the war, a period marked by intensified political violence and collective trauma. The goal was to identify empirically derived psychological profiles of distress and coping using Latent Profile Analysis. Method: A cross-sectional survey of 900 students assessed depression, anxiety, self-efficacy, resilience, help-seeking attitudes, and suicidal ideation during the past 12 months. Latent Profile Analysis (LPA), logistic regression, and moderated mediation analysis were employed to investigate the relationships between distress, self-efficacy, resilience, and suicidal ideation. Results: Results indicate that depression and anxiety are associated with increased 12-month suicidal ideation, but greater self-efficacy appears to reduce this risk. The mediation analysis revealed that self-efficacy partially explains the relationship between distress and suicidal ideation; however, resilience did not have a significant moderating effect. The LPA identified three distinct psychological profiles, with the highest-risk group exhibiting significant distress and low self-efficacy. Conclusions: These results highlight the significant mental health burden faced by Palestinian youth and underscore the importance of internal psychological resources, particularly self-efficacy, that are associated with lower levels of suicidal ideation. Enhancing self-efficacy may offer a culturally relevant approach for prevention efforts in politically unstable environments. Full article

Objectives: Latinx Americans represent the largest ethnic minority group (nearly 19% of the U.S. population). Their behavioral health has received increasing attention as they exhibit elevated prevalence rates of anxiety (ANX), depression (DEP), and substance use disorders (SUDs). The National Latino and Asian American Study (NLAAS) is the first national population-based mental health study of Latinx Americans and is the most comprehensive resource for understanding their behavioral health. This systematic review aims to synthesize peer-reviewed publications using the NLAAS dataset to identify psychosocial determinants of the three key outcomes. Method: We followed PRISMA to search for English peer-reviewed articles published in EBSCO, Embase, PsycINFO, Web of Science, and PubMed. Inclusion criteria were as follows: (1) Latinx in the NLAAS database; (2) ANX, DEP, or SUD; (3) risk or protective factors; and (4) peer-reviewed publications in English. Search terms such as Latino, Latina, anxiety, depressive symptoms, substance abuse, and NLAAS were used to search for relevant articles. Two authors screened the articles independently and extracted data from each study. Results: Thirty-two studies published between 2007 and 2024 were included in our final review. Among them, 12 studies investigated ANX, and 17 studies examined DEP and SUD, respectively. Sixteen studies assessed protective factors. Thirteen articles assessed multiple key outcomes. All risk factors were grouped into three categories: Trauma and negative relationships (e.g., childhood maltreatment, negative family relationship, traumatic life experience), acculturation- and immigration-related factors (e.g., nativity, acculturation experience, English proficiency, discrimination), and sociodemographic and social participation factors (e.g., gender, education, income level). Protective factors such as family cohesion, religious activity, gender, and education were also identified. Conclusion: This first systematic review provided comprehensive NLAAS findings on multifaceted cultural, social, and intrapersonal factors that were either negatively or positively associated with three behavioral health outcomes within the U.S. Latinx population. Potential mechanisms by which risk and protective factors influence their mental health, as well as limitations of this review, were discussed. Findings of this review can inform culturally responsive prevention strategies and interventions to reduce behavioral health disparities and to improve mental health outcomes among Latinx Americans. Full article

Background: Nurses experience substantial anxiety and depression; robust, validated instruments are needed. We aimed to identify tools used to assess these conditions in nurses. Methods: A systematic review was conducted in December 2024 and registered in OSF and PROSPERO. MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, and PsycINFO were searched for quantitative studies (2014–2024) in English/Spanish that included nurses only and used standardized measures. Two reviewers screened and extracted the data; quality was appraised with JBI checklists, narrative synthesis only. Results: Twenty-two studies (n = 10,710 nurses) met the criteria. Most were cross-sectional with non-probability sampling; the overall risk of bias was moderate in 19 studies and high in 3. The most frequently used instruments were PHQ-9, GAD-7, GHQ-28, and BDI; across versions, PHQ (PHQ-2/PHQ-9) predominated. Heterogeneity precluded meta-analysis. Discussion: The available tools support routine screening in nursing populations, but reliance on self-reports and scarce formal cross-cultural validation in practicing nurses limit inference and generalizability. Conclusions: Screening programs in nursing should pair brief self-report instruments with objective indicators and standardized protocols; future studies should prioritize contextualized validation and robust longitudinal designs. Full article