Search Results (140)

Background/Objectives: Left/right discrimination (LRD) training is increasingly being used in the treatment of chronic low back pain (CLBP). However, it is unclear whether trunk LRD-performance is impaired in CLBP patients and whether clinical parameters are related to LRD-performance. Therefore, this cross-sectional study aimed to examine (1) whether LRD-performance differs between CLBP patients and pain-free individuals; (2) whether these differences depend on the low back pain (LBP) history in pain-free individuals; (3) if clinical factors are related to LRD-performance; (4) whether LRD-task difficulty influences these results. Methods: Participants included 150 pain-free persons (107 with no LBP-history; 43 with past LBP) and 150 patients with CLBP. All participants performed the LRD-task in a simple and complex condition. Outcomes were reaction time and accuracy. Results: CLBP patients were significantly slower (Cohen’s d = 0.47 to 0.50, p < 0.001) and less accurate (Cohen’s d = 0.30 to 0.55, p < 0.001) than pain-free individuals without LBP-history, but not compared to those with past LBP (Cohen’s d reaction time = 0.07 to 0.15, p = 0.55; Cohen’s d accuracy = 0.03 to 0.28, p-value = 0.28). All participant groups were slower and less accurate in the complex condition, but between-groups differences were independent of task difficulty. Linear mixed models showed that older age and lower education were independently associated with less accuracy. When controlling for demographics, pain intensity, disability, fear of movement, pain-related worry and pain duration were not related to LRD-performance in patients with CLBP. Conclusions: Patients with CLBP showed impaired trunk LRD-performance compared to pain-free persons without LBP history, but not compared to those with past LBP. When controlling for demographics, clinical parameters were not related to LRD-performance in patients with CLBP. Our findings indicate that LRD-performance may remain impaired after recovering from LBP. Full article

Background/Objectives: In an increasingly pervasive digital environment, trait boredom has been identified as a key psychological factor in the onset and maintenance of problematic digital technology use. This systematic review aims to investigate the role of trait boredom in digital behavioral addictions, including problematic smartphone use, Internet and social media overuse, and gaming addiction, through theoretical models such as the I-PACE model and the Compensatory Internet Use Theory (CIUT). Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted across multiple scientific databases (PsycINFO, Web of Science, PubMed, and Scopus), yielding a total of 4603 records. Following the PRISMA guidelines after duplicate removal and screening based on title and abstract, 152 articles were assessed for full-text eligibility, and 28 studies met the predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria and were included in the final review. Results: Findings reveal that trait boredom functions as both a direct and indirect factor in problematic technology use. It serves as a mediator and moderator in the relationship between psychological vulnerabilities (e.g., depression, alexithymia, vulnerable narcissism) and dysfunctional digital behaviors. Furthermore, as an independent variable, it has an influence on technological variables through Fear of Missing Out (FoMO), loneliness, low self-regulation, and dysfunctional metacognitions, while protective factors such as mindfulness and attentional control mitigate its impact. Conclusions: Boredom represents a central psychological lever for understanding behavioral addictions in the digital age and should be considered a key target in preventive and therapeutic interventions focused on enhancing self-regulation and meaningful engagement with free time. Full article

Background. Emotions are a crucial part of our human nature. The recognition of emotions is an essential component of our social and emotional skills. Facial expressions serve as a key element in discerning others’ emotions. Different databases of images of facial emotion expressions exist worldwide; however, most of them are limited to only adult faces and include only the six basic emotions, as well as neutral faces, ignoring more complex emotional expressions. Here, we present the Children’s Emotions Database (CED), a novel repository featuring both basic and complex facial expressions captured from preschool-aged children. The CED is one of the first databases to include complex emotional expressions in preschoolers. Our aim was to develop such a database that can be used further for research and applied purposes. Methods. Three 6-year-old children (one female) were photographed while showing different facial emotional expressions. The photos were taken under standardized conditions. The children were instructed to express each of the following basic emotions: happiness, pleasant surprise, sadness, fear, anger, disgust; a neutral face; and four complex emotions: pride, guilt, compassion, and shame; this resulted in a total of eleven expressions for each child. Two photos per child were reviewed and selected for validation. The photo validation was performed with a sample of 104 adult raters (94 females; aged 19–70 years; M = 29.9; SD = 11.40) and a limited sample of 32 children at preschool age (17 girls; aged 4–7 years; M = 6.5; SD = 0.81). The validation consisted of two tasks—free emotion labeling and emotion recognition (with predefined labels). Recognition accuracy for each expression was calculated. Results and Conclusions. While basic emotions and neutral expressions were recognized with high accuracy, complex emotions were less accurately identified, consistent with the existing literature on the developmental challenges in recognizing such emotions. The current work is a promising new database of preschoolers’ facial expressions consisting of both basic and complex emotions. This database offers a valuable resource for advancing research in emotional development, educational interventions, and clinical applications tailored to early childhood. Full article

The research into human–canine interactions (HCIs) has grown substantially, yet limited attention has focused on the welfare of canines involved, particularly pet dogs owned by volunteer participants. To address this gap, we conducted a secondary analysis of data from a randomized controlled trial, examining canine welfare during an acute human stress protocol. Our methodology incorporated evidence-based screening tools, environmental modifications, researchers trained in canine behavior assessments and safe interactions, and canine stress monitoring using the Fear Free™ Canine Fear, Anxiety, and Stress (FAS) Spectrum. Dogs’ stress levels showed a non-significant increase from the rest to stressor phase (0.80 to 1.00, p = 0.073) and a significant decrease during recovery (1.00 to 0.48, p < 0.001). Only two dogs (7.6%) required withdrawal due to elevated stress levels, though these levels remained within acceptable safety parameters. The peak stress remained within acceptable limits, with only 24% (6 of 25) reaching an FAS score of two during the TSST. By final recovery, 96% of dogs achieved FAS scores of zero to one (Green Zone), indicating relaxed states. Salivary collection proved challenging, highlighting limitations in low-invasive physiological measurement techniques. Based on our findings and literature review, we propose standardized guidelines for HCI research, including thorough pre-screening, environmental preparation, researcher training, stress-monitoring protocols, and informed consent procedures emphasizing withdrawal rights. These guidelines aim to establish ethical standards for this rapidly expanding field, protecting canine participant welfare while enabling valuable research to continue. Full article

Chemophobia—the irrational fear of chemicals—is a widespread phenomenon that challenges scientific literacy, public trust in chemistry, and the progress of innovation, especially in food science industries. Rooted in historical events, cultural influences, and psychological biases, chemophobia has been exacerbated by media sensationalism, misleading marketing, and insufficient education. In food advertising, the rise of terms like “chemical-free” or “100% natural” reflects and reinforces consumer fears, often exploiting misconceptions to drive sales. This article explores the historical and social underpinnings of chemophobia, its manifestations in consumer behavior, and its broader impact on science communication and policymaking. It also outlines actionable strategies for educators, scientists, journalists, lawmakers, and public engagement initiatives to address chemophobia effectively. A comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach is proposed to promote scientific literacy, improve public trust in chemistry, and counteract the cultural narratives that perpetuate chemophobia. Full article

Free-roaming cats and dogs impact biodiversity, public health, and the welfare of other animals. Attitudes towards free-roaming animals can influence their population dynamics and management success. We conducted an online survey to evaluate social perceptions and attitudes towards free-roaming animals among self-selected Portuguese residents aged 18 or older with internet access. The survey focused on responsible ownership, perceptions and attitudes, and management practices, and allowed the collection and analysis of 1083 responses (607 for dogs and 476 for cats). Our results identified needs for improvement in pet ownership: increasing pet cat identification, reducing unsupervised outdoor access, and promoting pet dog sterilization. In terms of management strategies, we found strong support for trap–neuter–release, sheltering, sanctions on abandonment, and educational campaigns. We also found limited support for lethal control methods and fear of culling and long-term caging as barriers to reporting free-roaming animals. While our findings are based on a self-selected online sample, they establish a foundation for future research while also offering valuable guidance for policymakers and stakeholders. Full article

Fear acquisition is an essential survival mechanism for humans; however, the role and mechanisms of mindfulness training in this process remain unclear. This study employed a discriminative fear conditioning paradigm to investigate the effects and mechanisms of short-term mindfulness training, exemplified by the breath-counting task, on fear acquisition. The experiment consisted of three consecutive phases: intervention, habituation, and acquisition. During the intervention phase, each participant was assigned to one of two conditions: the breath-counting task group (experimental group) or the free reading group (control group). The results indicated that the mindfulness group exhibited significantly lower expectancy ratings for shocks to the CS− compared to the control group, while no significant difference was found in the shock ratings for CS+. Regarding skin conductance responses, although the mindfulness group showed a significantly reduced fear response to CS relative to the free reading group, there was no significant difference in overall fear acquisition effects between the two groups. The above findings indicate that breath-counting tasks enhance sensitivity to the acquisition of conditioned fear by reducing exaggerated fear responses to safety signals. The conclusions of this study further elucidate the conflicting results regarding the effects of mindfulness training on fear acquisition and provide novel perspectives for the prevention of anxiety spectrum disorders. Full article

Background/Objectives: The objective of this study is to evaluate the evolution of Romanian legislation related to HAIs. The evolution of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs)’s definitions and surveillance frameworks in Romania reflects progressive advancement in diagnostic criteria, reporting, and prevention. Recent changes emphasize the need for accurate and centralized electronic reporting, inclusion of medico-social and palliative care institutions, and modernized hospital infrastructure standards. However, workforce deficits, insufficient infrastructure, and punitive sanctions remain barriers to effective implementation. Methods: This study analyzed publicly available Romanian legislative texts and their evolution, comparing definitions, diagnostic criteria, and surveillance structures. Key informant insights supplemented findings to contextualize legislative impacts. Legislative acts were reviewed sequentially to identify updates in regulatory frameworks and barriers to effective HAI management. Results: The legislative evolution demonstrates a shift from basic diagnostic criteria to a comprehensive surveillance framework aligned with European standards. However, challenges persist, including workforce capacity deficits, under-reporting due to fear of sanctions, and infrastructure inadequacies. The prevalence of HAIs remains largely under-reported (4.1%), with studies revealing rates well below the European average (7.1%). Manual and isolated reporting systems further hinder real-time surveillance and accuracy. Legislative advancements in Romania reflect progress in HAI management but highlight systemic barriers that impede effective implementation. Conclusions: Collaborative efforts across individual, organizational, and system levels are required to address workforce training, reduce under-reporting, and invest in infrastructure and electronic reporting systems. Promoting a blame-free organizational culture, combined with training, is essential to encourage behavior of accurate reporting and improve HAI prevention strategies. Full article

Background: Purring in cats can interfere with cardiac auscultation. If the produced noise is loud enough, purring makes it impossible to perform a meaningful auscultation as it is much louder than heart sounds and murmurs. Our study introduced and tested a new, simple, fear-free, cat-friendly method to stop purring during auscultation. Methods: The technique involves grasping the cat’s larynx from ventral with one hand, while simultaneously holding the stethoscope in the other hand to perform the auscultation. Results: The incidence of purring was evaluated in 582 cats, in a veterinary teaching hospital and in a cat-friendly private practice. Fifty-one (8.8%) cats were purring during their physical examination. The tested method had a success rate of 89% in terminating purring. A comparison between investigators (a veterinary student versus an experienced veterinary cardiology specialist) showed no significant difference in the effectiveness of the method (p = 0.57). The incidence of purring was not significantly different between the teaching hospital and the cat-friendly practice (p = 1.00). Sick and older cats purred more often than healthy and younger cats. Conclusions: This new, simple, easy-to-master method is an improvement over previously reported techniques and supports the need for stress-free, cat-friendly handling in veterinary practice. Full article

Dentist–patient communication is at the core of providing quality dental care. This study aims to review the importance, challenges, strategies, and training of dentist–patient communication. The World Dental Federation (FDI) emphasizes the importance of effective communication between oral healthcare providers and patients as a critical component of high-quality care. Effective dentist–patient communication allows dentists to accurately and effectively pass on essential medical information to patients. It improves the dentist’s efficiency, boosts self-confidence, reduces occupational stress, and minimizes the risks of complaint or litigation. Moreover, it alleviates dental anxiety and fear, helps build trust between dentists and patients, addresses patients’ needs and preferences, increases patients’ adherence to improved treatment outcomes, and ultimately leads to enhanced patient satisfaction. Nonetheless, it has been widely acknowledged that dentists universally encounter the repercussions arising from suboptimal communication strategies. Time constraints, difficulties in establishing rapport, the oral-health illiteracy of the patients, the poor communication skills of the dentists, dentists’ perceptions, and language barriers often hinder dentist–patient communication. Dentists should take the patient-centered approach as a premise and acquire verbal and non-verbal communication skills to overcome these communication barriers. The patient-centered approach comprises the understanding of patients’ illness, shared decision-making, and intervention with mindfulness of the patient’s own pace. Simple, succinct, and jargon-free language should be used in verbal communication. Proper body postures and gestures are fundamental for showing positive attitudes towards patients. Communication training for dental students should involve a structured pedagogical approach that includes didactic instruction, role-playing exercises, patient interviewing, and ongoing assessments. Key components of effective communication skills training in dental education include motivational interviewing, open-ended questioning, affirmations, reflective listening, and summaries to enhance patient engagement and adherence to treatment plans. Full article

The hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis responsivity is influenced by early life experience and also modified by the environment an individual experiences as an adult. Because laying hens are transferred from rearing to laying farms at 16–18 weeks of age, they are well suited to study the interaction effect between early (rearing) and adult (laying) environments on physiology and behaviour. In the European Union, there is a move towards cage-free systems for laying hens, but globally, the majority of layers are kept in conventional or furnished cages. Conventional cages have no enrichment, whereas furnished cages have little enrichment. Both cage types limit the movement of birds and the expression of highly motivated behaviours. Lack of enrichment may lead to under-stimulated birds that are more sensitive to stress and fear-inducing challenges later in life. Fearfulness has been linked to feather pecking, which has negative consequences for animal welfare and productivity. Previous research has shown that birds reared in cages are more fearful and perform more poorly in a test of spatial cognition than birds reared in aviaries when tested within five weeks after transition to adult housing. However, recent results suggest that these effects might not be long-lasting. We, therefore, tested the effect of the early (rearing) (aviary vs. cage) and adult (laying) environments (standard vs. additionally enriched furnished cages) on the corticosterone response to restraint in birds that were 35 weeks into lay (i.e., 52 weeks of age) and assessed their plumage condition. We hypothesised that a lower level of enrichment, both during rearing and adulthood, would represent a lower level of stimulation, resulting in a stronger corticosterone response to restraint and poorer feather cover. Both stressed (restrained) and control birds increased their corticosterone levels from the first (baseline) to second sample (p < 0.01 for both), but the increase in the restrained group was significantly higher than in the control group (F_{1, 111} = 9.51; p = 0.003). There was no effect of the early environment, but birds housed in standard furnished cages as adults had overall higher corticosterone levels than birds housed in enriched furnished cages regardless of their early life environment (F_{1, 51} = 4.12; p = 0.048). Neither early nor adult housing influenced the feather score except for on the belly, where birds housed in enriched cages as adults had a poorer feather score, contrary to our prediction. In conclusion, no effect of the early environment on HPA axis responsivity to an acute stressor could be detected at 52 weeks of age, but adult enrichment had a favourable effect on overall corticosterone levels. Full article

This study aimed to describe the experiences of healthcare personnel and patients in the organization of free surgical campaigns and care for trachomatous trichiasis in the health district of Siguiri in Guinea, including challenges experienced in providing surgical care. This was an explanatory qualitative study conducted in 2022 in the health district of Siguiri. A total of 20 participants were interviewed including patients (n = 7; 35%), community health workers (n = 4; 20%), health services managers, and healthcare providers (n = 8; 40%). Two main data collection technics were used: documentary review and in-depth individual interviews. All interviews were transcribed and manually coded using an Excel extraction spreadsheet. Data were analysed using inductive and deductive approaches. The results showed several organizational, structural, and community challenges that underlined the low surgical coverage of trachomatous trichiasis in the health district of Siguiri. Organizational challenges included the low involvement of local actors in planning activities, the limited timeframe of the campaigns, and the lack of logistics for activities supervision and patients’ transportation to surgery sites. Structural challenges included the inadequacy of health centres to provide surgical services, poor health infrastructures, and sanitation conditions in some areas. Individual challenges included remoteness of surgical sites and costs associated with services provision including medicines. Community challenges included fear of surgery and the coincidence of the campaigns with agricultural and mining activities. The results of the study call on the national neglected tropical disease program and its partners to adopt and promote micro-planning of trachomatous trichiasis surgical activities, with the effective participation of local stakeholders in endemic health districts. They should also envision integrating the management of surgical treatment including costs associated with care (transportation, food, rehabilitation support for patients who have undergone surgery) and complications of surgical procedures for an expansion of the trachomatous trichiasis free surgical care coverage in endemic health districts in Guinea. Full article

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is associated with food restriction and significantly low body weight, but the neurobiology of food avoidance in AN is unknown. Animal research suggests that food avoidance can be triggered by conditioned fear that engages the anterior cingulate and nucleus accumbens. We hypothesized that the neural activation during food avoidance in AN could be modeled based on aversive goal value processing. Nineteen females with AN and thirty healthy controls matched for age underwent functional magnetic resonance brain imaging while conducting a food avoidance task. During active control free-bid and computer-generated forced-bid trials, participants bid money to avoid eating food items. Brain activation was parametrically modulated with the trial-by-trial placed bids. During free-bid trials, the AN group engaged the caudate nucleus, nucleus accumbens, ventral anterior cingulate, and inferior and medial orbitofrontal cortex more than the control group. High- versus low-bid trials in the AN group were associated with higher caudate nucleus response. Emotion dysregulation and intolerance of uncertainty scores were inversely associated with nucleus accumbens free-bid trial brain response in AN. This study supports the idea that food avoidance behavior in AN involves aversive goal value computation in the nucleus accumbens, caudate nucleus, anterior cingulate, and orbitofrontal cortex. Full article

The aim of this article is to assess which elements of street design impact subjective well-being in the central area of a city in southern Chile, based on residents’ perceptions. Fifty-six semi-structured walking interviews were conducted to obtain records of pedestrians’ self-reported perceptions of their environment. To categorize the emotions reported in the interviews, the Circumplex Model of Affect was used to organize and classify the declared emotions. The results revealed that street design elements such as heritage buildings with well-maintained facades with intense colors in their coatings, spacious front gardens, wooden facades, low fences, wide sidewalks, soft or rubberized floors, and trees with colorful fruits and leaves promote a greater dominance of high-intensity positive emotions such as enjoyment, joy, happiness, liking, and pleasure. In contrast, neglected or abandoned building facades, blind fronts with graffiti or murals, high fences, tall buildings, treeless or vegetation-free sidewalks, untrimmed bushes, and narrow and poorly maintained sidewalks promote negative emotions of both high and low activation such as fear, anger, dislike, rage, unsafety, discomfort, and stress. The article concludes with the development of an emotional map of momentary experiences, identifying places of well-being and discomfort in public spaces. The value of this map is discussed as a tool to inform urban design in the promotion of healthier pedestrian environments in Latin American cities. Full article

The treatment paradigm of multiple myeloma (MM) has shifted in the past years, as continuous therapy is becoming the standard of care for both newly diagnosed and relapsed patients. Although it is indisputable that continuous therapy has added a great benefit on the progression-free as well as overall survival, it is still unclear what the patients’ perspective is on this therapeutic approach. Methods: This study included 155 adult MM patients from Fundeni Clinical Institute in Romania, receiving continuous therapy with daratumumab, proteasome inhibitors, immunomodulators, or bi-specific antibodies. The patients had varied economic, social, and educational backgrounds. We developed a questionnaire to interrogate the quantitative and qualitative effect of the therapy on the patients’ personal and professional life and to identify the side effects that had the strongest impact on their quality of life. Results: 74.83% of the patients reported that the treatment they received negatively impacted their quality of life. Among them, 40% considered that the most detrimental aspects of the therapy are the financial burden and the negative impact on their professional life. One-third of the patients reported that the therapy negatively impacted their personal life and that it had a deleterious effect on their relationship with their partner and family members. In terms of the side effects experienced, patients considered that tiredness was the main factor causing a decrease in their quality of life, followed by insomnia and bone pain. Despite this, almost none of the patients considered dropping the therapy, and almost half of the patients considered that the frequent visits to the hospital offered them psychological comfort. In addition, more than 70% of the patients declared that they were afraid to stop the therapy if given the choice, with the main concerns being the fear of an early relapse. Conclusions: Although continuous therapy is associated with a high financial burden and a negative impact on both professional and personal life, the frequent visits to the hospital appear to be reassuring. Moreover, the patients would not opt for treatment discontinuation and felt safer when monitored frequently. Full article