Search Results (608)

University professors’ emotional competencies are increasingly discussed as relevant dimensions of teaching professionalism that may shape students’ academic engagement, motivation, and psychological well-being. This qualitative study explores how university students perceive professors’ emotional and relational practices and how students perceived these practices as shaping their academic experience. Twenty-one semi-structured interviews were conducted with undergraduate and master’s students at an Italian university and analyzed through thematic analysis. Five interconnected themes were identified: (1) empathy and the humanization of the professor–student relationship; (2) relational and communicative styles shaping classroom climate and motivation; (3) emotional regulation in high-stress academic situations, particularly examinations; (4) perceived differences across teaching modalities and disciplinary contexts; (5) students’ expectations regarding balanced emotional openness and faculty development. Students described empathetic, approachable, and emotionally regulated professors as helping to reduce stress, strengthen academic confidence, foster engagement, and support a sense of belonging. Conversely, rigid, distant, or humiliating interactions were associated with anxiety, withdrawal, and disengagement. Rather than treating emotional competence as an individual disposition, the study proposes that it should be understood as a professional and institutional dimension of university teaching. It further develops the notion of student-perceived academic psychological safety as a relational mechanism through which professors’ emotional competencies may influence students’ well-being and participation. The findings highlight the need for faculty development initiatives and institutional policies that recognize the emotional and relational dimensions of teaching as integral to higher education quality. Full article

Background/Objectives: Scabies is a contagious dermatological infestation that can cause not only physical symptoms but also considerable psychosocial burden. This study aimed to investigate the relationships between fear of scabies, internalized stigma, and dermatology-related quality of life in patients with scabies. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 131 patients diagnosed with scabies in a dermatology outpatient clinic. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire including sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, the Fear of Scabies Scale (FSS), the Internalized Stigma Scale (ISS), and the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI). Correlation and regression analyses were conducted to examine the associations between fear of scabies, internalized stigma, and quality of life. Results: The mean DLQI score was 15.82 ± 5.69, indicating a considerable impairment in dermatology-related quality of life. Fear of scabies showed a weak but significant positive correlation with DLQI scores (r = 0.326, p < 0.001), whereas internalized stigma demonstrated a stronger correlation (r = 0.484, p < 0.001). Among the stigma subdimensions, social withdrawal showed the strongest association with impaired quality of life (r = 0.622, p < 0.001). Regression analyses revealed that internalized stigma explained 23% of the variance in DLQI scores (R² = 0.234), while fear of scabies explained 10% (R² = 0.106). In addition, longer symptom duration (β = 0.708, p < 0.001), nocturnal pruritus (β = 0.408, p = 0.009), and visible skin lesions (β = 0.263, p = 0.002) were associated with higher levels of fear of scabies. Conclusions: Internalized stigma and disease-related fear were associated with reduced quality of life, with stigma-related mechanisms appearing to play a particularly prominent role. These findings suggest that addressing stigma and providing psychosocial support may be important components of comprehensive scabies management. Full article

This paper examines the effectiveness of deposit insurance in reducing bank run risk using an agent-based model with heterogeneous depositor behavior, including random withdrawals, risk-based responses, and peer-driven contagion. The results reveal a nonlinear stability pattern with a narrow transition region separating solvency from collapse. Within this region, deposit insurance mainly improves stability by shifting the critical threshold and extending time-to-failure. Across all scenarios, behavioral and structural factors, including wealth inequality, risk aversion, depositor awareness, and contagion, systematically affect the location and sharpness of this transition without removing it. Fragility rises sharply beyond moderate inequality (Gini ≈ 0.5), while depositor awareness and peer effects act as coordination mechanisms that accelerate collapse. Overall, deposit insurance is a powerful but limited stabilization tool: it strengthens resilience but does not alter the underlying dynamics of systemic risk. These findings suggest that effective policy must also address the behavioral and informational drivers of bank runs. Full article

Self-limited focal epilepsies in childhood (SELFEs), formerly referred to as “benign epilepsies in childhood”, constitute a heterogeneous group of epileptic conditions with onset predominantly in the neonatal, infantile, and childhood periods. A defining feature of these syndromes is that seizures arise without underlying structural, metabolic, or other demonstrable cerebral pathology, and the overall clinical trajectory is expected to be favorable, with seizures resolving spontaneously over time. Current nosological frameworks divide SELFEs into two broad categories according to age at onset: (a) neonatal and infantile forms, encompassing self-limited familial and non-familial neonatal, neonatal-infantile, and infantile epilepsies, genetic epilepsy with febrile seizures plus (GEFS+), and myoclonic epilepsy of infancy (MEI); and (b) childhood-onset forms, including self-limited epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes (SeLECTS), self-limited epilepsy with autonomic seizures (SeLEAS), childhood occipital visual epilepsy (COVE), and photosensitive occipital lobe epilepsy (POLE). Despite their historically “benign” label, there is no general agreement to include GEFS + and MEI among the group of SELFEs as both these conditions have been not classified as focal epilepsy in general. Accumulating evidence shows that a subset of affected children subsequently develop additional seizure types, cognitive deterioration, and behavioral or neuropsychiatric difficulties—outcomes that the word “benign” does not adequately communicate. Advances in molecular genetics have identified pathogenic variants affecting ion channels, synaptic transmission, and neuronal excitability, reshaping current understanding of disease mechanisms and phenotypic variability across these syndromes. This review highlights clinically relevant challenges in the diagnosis and management of SELFEs, critically examines emerging genotype–phenotype correlations, and provides evidence-based recommendations for antiseizure medication initiation and withdrawal tailored to individual syndrome characteristics and risk profiles. Full article

Both genetic and epigenetic factors influence the development and pathology of alcohol use disorder (AUD), which is further associated with changes in learning, memory, and synaptic plasticity. Histone acetylation is an epigenetic mechanism that changes the chromatin architecture, influencing gene transcription, which may further impact neuronal signaling, cognition, and addiction-related behaviors. In this review, we summarize the existing literature on how alcohol exposure impacts histone acetylation and the expression and activity of histone acetyltransferases (HATs) and histone deacetylases (HDACs). Overall, alcohol appears to dynamically regulate histone acetylation and the expression and activity of HATs and HDACs in a brain region-, alcohol quantity-, exposure paradigm-, and sex-specific manner. While general patterns exist, more work is needed to elucidate the precise mechanisms through which alcohol changes histone marks across a variety of experimental and biological conditions, thus changing downstream gene expression. We suggest here that a more nuanced understanding of the relationship between histone acetylation and alcohol consumption is needed. Going forward, unbiased molecular techniques for profiling histone marks across the genome will allow for greater precision in determining the impact of alcohol on epigenetic regulation of transcription. However, these approaches must be performed with consideration to differences in mode and quantity of alcohol exposure, as well as withdrawal time and sex, in order for this research to uncover therapeutic targets for future treatment options. Overall, comprehensive, unbiased studies may yield novel insights into the regulatory role of alcohol-induced epigenetic modifications in the pathophysiology and neuropsychiatric correlates of AUD. Full article

Cross-laminated timber (CLT), an engineered timber product with distinctive features, has significantly broadened the applicability of timber structures. The self-tapping screws (STSs) with excellent anchorage performance have become one of the primary connectors used in CLT structures. However, the long-term withdrawal resistance is susceptible to environmental factors such as temperature and humidity fluctuations, which may lead to reduced CLT density and corrosion-induced degradation of the steel components. These effects represent a critical life-cycle challenge to the structural integrity and safety of timber connections. This study aims to investigate the withdrawal resistance of STSs in CLT under material aging effects. To achieve this, a two-step experimental program was designed. First, the effects of two artificial accelerated aging methods (ASTM D1037 and improved version of ASTM D1037) on the withdrawal resistance of STSs in glued laminated timber (glulam) were compared to validate the feasibility of the improved protocol. This comparison was necessary to ensure that the improved protocol produces a degradation pattern without altering the failure mechanism. Subsequently, a series of CLT specimens with embedded STSs were subjected to 0, 3 and 6 aging cycles to investigate the withdrawal behavior including aging characterization, failure modes, load–displacement curves, withdrawal capacity, and stiffness. The results indicate that the failure mode of CLT joint with STSs under the improved aging scheme was the consistent pull-out of STSs, identical to that observed in the glulam, confirming mechanistic consistency. After three and six aging cycles, the normalized withdrawal capacity retention rates were 104.98% and 95.36%, respectively. The stiffness is more significantly affected by aging. The corresponding normalized stiffness retention rates were 85.60% and 80.94%, respectively. As the number of aging cycles increased, the occurrence of wood fiber tearing became more pronounced and the ratio of the corresponding load to the peak load decreased. Furthermore, ensuring adequate distance from the vertical glue layer was found to lead to greater long-term resilience and withdrawal capacity. Full article

The rapid integration of artificial intelligence in higher education positively affects student satisfaction, engagement, and learning outcomes. However, students frequently report ethical unease, guilt, and concerns about dependency. The current literature offers a limited explanation for their coexistence, as both have been treated as parallel or independent outcomes. Hence, this review extends and integrates existing theories by reconceptualising cognitive and moral dissonance as a central psychological process that explains how student satisfaction with AI-mediated learning is produced, negotiated, and sustained. Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, we adopted a two-layer explanatory review design, synthesising 40 Scopus-indexed studies (Layer 1 = 15 studies; Layer 2 = 25 studies) from 2016 to 2025. Layer 1 studies explicitly define dissonance-related explanatory mechanisms that influence satisfaction and continued AI use across contexts such as dissertation writing, programming education, and problem-based learning. Layer 2 encompasses satisfaction-based studies that report ethical or affective concerns in parallel without theorising their interaction. The findings suggest a recurring satisfaction–dissonance paradox, in which students often experience genuine or conditional satisfaction from performance gains while simultaneously managing their psychological discomfort through one or more regulation mechanisms. Further, persistent and escalated dissonance leads to withdrawal or full or partial adaptive behaviour. We propose these dynamics as a testable Dual-Process Satisfaction–Dissonance Framework (DPSDF), which includes five dissonance triggers, five regulation strategies, three feedback loops, and four behavioural outcomes. Further, five domain experts’ suggestions have been taken to provide specific practical implications. This framework extends understanding of AI-mediated learning and provides foundations for future theory and policy development in higher education. Full article

Strand-based structural products offer an excellent alternative material for wood-based construction, which can be produced from low-quality raw materials. Indigenous poplar is becoming an increasingly important raw material, but its industrial utilization requires a new approach due to its unfavorable growth characteristics. The study introduced in this paper was aimed at developing Oriented Structural Lumber (OSL) from Hungarian poplar and comparing the potential of indigenous vs. hybrid poplar materials. Laboratory-scale (400 × 400 × 30 mm) OSL was produced, first to find viable manufacturing parameters for poplar OSL based on modulus of rupture (MOR), internal bond strength, and thickness swelling, and then to compare a wide range of mechanical and physical characteristics of OSL made of the two types of poplar. The first part of the study showed that a resin content of 3.4%, 650 kg/m³ target density, and 750 s of pressing time gave the best results for producing 30 mm thick OSL in laboratory conditions. The produced boards were comparable to softwood and bamboo OSL developed in earlier studies, and their performance was comparable to a higher grade of structural lumber (C35) in terms of density and MOR, as measured on small laboratory-scale specimens. There were only minor differences in in-plane and out-of-plane compression and tension between indigenous and hybrid poplar boards. Hybrid poplar performed better in terms of bending, but indigenous poplar had significantly higher screw withdrawal resistance, and lower thickness swelling and water absorption. Overall, poplar OSL is promising as a potential new product, and indigenous poplar can be used to replace hybrid poplar in this application without a decline in mechanical and physical performance. Full article

With the increased extraction thickness in fully mechanized top-coal caving faces in extra-thick coal seams, the caved gangue in the goaf is unable to effectively support the roof, resulting in aggravated deformation of the pre-driven withdrawal channel. Taking the No. 221304 working face in the No. 13 coal seam of Xiaojiawa Coal Mine as the engineering background, this study combined theoretical analysis, numerical simulation, and field measurement to investigate the effects of the top-coal caving stopping position, suspended roof length, and presplitting roof cutting on the stress and deformation of the rock surrounding the withdrawal channel. The results indicate that the convergence of the roof and floor and that of the two ribs of the withdrawal channel decrease in a staged manner with the increase in the top-coal caving stopping distance, but increase nonlinearly with the increase in the suspended roof length. With the increase in the presplitting roof-cutting height, the surrounding rock deformation first decreases significantly and then tends to level off. When the roof-cutting height is 30.5 m, the reductions in roof displacement and rib convergence reach 33.46% and 37.76%, respectively. When the roof-cutting height is further increased to 35.0 m, the improvement becomes insignificant. Therefore, the reasonable roof-cutting height for the No. 13 coal seam is determined to be 30.5 m. Field monitoring results show that the convergence of the roof and floor and that of the two ribs of the withdrawal channel are reduced by 41.2% and 36.8%, respectively, and the distance between the stopping line and the terminal mining line is shortened by 15 m. The research results provide a useful reference for determining the top-coal caving stopping position and roof-cutting height, and for improving the stability of the surrounding rock of the support withdrawal channel during the final mining stage of fully mechanized top-coal caving faces with thick and hard roofs in extra-thick coal seams. Full article

Plant-parasitic nematodes (PPNs) cause substantial yield losses across a wide range of economically important crops worldwide, and the progressive withdrawal of synthetic nematicides due to toxicological and environmental concerns has created an urgent need for safer alternatives. Botanical extracts, owing to their chemically diverse secondary metabolites and multi-target nematicidal activity, represent one of the most thoroughly studied options. The present work synthesizes and critically evaluates the current state of knowledge on botanical extracts as nematicidal agents, encompassing phytochemical diversity, extraction methodology, nematicidal mechanisms, advanced formulation strategies, and the principal constraints limiting field-scale applicability. Research coverage has been markedly uneven: most studies have concentrated on a small set of plant families, particularly Lamiaceae, Asteraceae, Brassicaceae, and Meliaceae, with Meloidogyne spp. as the predominant target, while many other taxa remain underexplored. Proposed nematicidal mechanisms include oxidative stress, cholinergic interference, disrupted intracellular pH regulation, impaired detoxification, and induction of cell death; yet mechanistic integration through multi-omics approaches remains limited. Activity under laboratory conditions often declines markedly in soil, largely due to compound instability or volatility, a limitation that encapsulation and nanoemulsion formulations are beginning to address. Future research should prioritize standardized mechanistic studies and replicated field trials to bridge the gap between laboratory promise and practical nematode management. Full article

Screw withdrawal force is a key mechanical property related to the load-bearing capacity and reliability of mechanically fastened timber structures. This study investigates the screw withdrawal performance of cross-laminated timber (CLT) manufactured from spruce, beech, and poplar, including both homogeneous and hybrid layups. The selected species represent materials with different densities and regional availability in Hungary. A one-component polyurethane adhesive was used for panel manufacturing. Screw withdrawal force was determined using two methods: a universal testing machine (UTM) and a manual portable device (MPD). The highest withdrawal forces were observed in beech-based configurations, while the lowest values were measured for spruce. Poplar-based configurations demonstrated intermediate but competitive performance, exceeding the reference spruce values. Statistical evaluation confirmed a significant effect of layup configuration on withdrawal resistance. The MPD measurements were on average approximately 9% higher than UTM results, indicating a consistent and quantifiable inter-method difference. The results demonstrate that hybrid CLT configurations can be optimized by combining species of different densities and that portable testing methods provide reliable estimates of withdrawal performance. These findings contribute to the understanding of connection behavior in hybrid CLT and support the practical application of semi-destructive testing methods for in-situ assessment. Full article

Spontaneous regression of metastatic renal cell carcinoma is a rare and incompletely understood phenomenon. We report the case of a 61-year-old man with biopsy-proven pulmonary metastases from clear cell renal cell carcinoma who experienced durable tumor regression without receiving any systemic therapy. The patient underwent cryoablation of a symptomatic iliac bone metastasis and discontinued methotrexate, previously prescribed for inflammatory polyarthritis. Serial imaging demonstrated initial slow progression followed by significant shrinkage of pulmonary and mediastinal lesions, leading to a sustained partial response according to RECIST 1.1 criteria. No disease progression has been observed after extended follow-up. Two non-mutually exclusive mechanisms may explain this observation: restoration of antitumor immunity following withdrawal of immunosuppressive therapy, and a systemic immune response triggered by local tumor destruction (abscopal effect). Although such events are exceptional, this case highlights the potential interplay between immune modulation and local therapies in renal cell carcinoma. Further investigation is warranted to better understand these mechanisms and their potential therapeutic implications. Full article

Background and Objectives: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) provides temporary respiratory or circulatory support when conventional therapies fail. Some patients do not recover and are not candidates for transplant or durable mechanical support. In these cases, continuing ECMO may no longer align with the patient’s goals. Compassionate ECMO discontinuation (CED) is the planned withdrawal of extracorporeal support with death anticipated. The term “compassionate” refers to the goal of minimizing suffering in the end-of-life process. This review proposes a reliability-oriented framework to standardize CED and reduce preventable distress for patients, families, and clinicians. Materials and Methods: We conducted a targeted narrative review of ethical analyses, consensus guidance, and empirical literature on planned ECMO withdrawal. The results of the narrative review were combined with our existing practical process for CED into this proposed reliability-oriented framework as a guide for clinicians. Recommendations were organized into a four-phase process model that emphasizes operational implementation, anticipatory guidance, and quality improvement. We included modality-specific considerations for veno-arterial (VA), veno-venous (VV) ECMO, and extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR). Results: The framework includes four phases. Phase I, Anticipation and Alignment, emphasizes structured shared decision-making, early expectation setting, time-limited trials, palliative care integration, and predefined pathways for managing disagreement. Phase II, Preparation, includes interdisciplinary role assignment, a pre-withdrawal time out, family coaching on expected physiological changes, and preemptive comfort medications that account for ECMO-altered pharmacokinetics. Phase III, Implementation, prioritizes comfort first, pacing with explicit pause points, environmental controls to reduce alarms and visual distress, and modality-tailored sequencing. Phase VI, Aftercare and Learning Capture, includes bereavement support, standardized documentation, structured team debriefing, and recommended process measures to guide improvement. Conclusions: Viewing CED as a low-frequency, high-stakes clinical process supported by scripts, checklists, and iterative feedback can improve goal-concordant end-of-life (EOL) care, reduce suffering and family trauma, support clinicians, and strengthen ECMO program learning systems. Full article

Venlafaxine, a serotonin–norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, shows analgesic effects in rodents, but its efficacy and pharmacological profile in acute stimulus-evoked nociception may depend on the nociceptive test used and the pharmacological context. The aim of this review was to identify the receptors implicated in venlafaxine antinociceptive effects and to examine which molecular processes most consistently explain its acute antinociceptive profile. We reviewed in vivo rodent studies testing venlafaxine in acute nociceptive assays (writhing, tail-flick, hot-plate, and other eligible acute tests) as monotherapy or associated with other pharmacologically active substances. PubMed/MEDLINE and Web of Science were searched from 1993 to 5 January 2026, and reference lists were also screened. Outcomes were synthesized and stratified by type of nociceptive test and interaction class. Fourteen studies were identified as relevant to the scope of this review. Venlafaxine produced dose-dependent antinociception across tests, reducing writhing and increasing thermal withdrawal latency. Central administration generally yielded effects at lower absolute doses than systemic routes. Interaction studies most consistently supported modulation of opioid receptors (e.g., leftward opioid dose–response shifts and attenuation of morphine tolerance in repeated-exposure designs), with convergent evidence implicating opioid and α₂-adrenergic mechanisms and context-dependent serotonergic contributions. Additional pathways were variably implicated, including nitric oxide—cyclic guanosine monophosphate (NO–cGMP) signaling and oxidative/mitochondrial processes in opioid tolerance paradigms. Preclinical evidence supports venlafaxine as a modulator of acute nociceptive control with notable opioid-interaction potential. Standardized pharmacodynamic reporting and translationally oriented studies are needed. Full article

Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) has emerged as an increasingly prevalent behavioral health concern among late adolescent university students, a vulnerable population with emotional distress due to the developmental changes and academic pressures. This research explored the direct correlations between IGD and Mental Health Disorder (MHD), such as depression, anxiety, and stress in Saudi Arabia (SA) with study discipline as a moderator. A total of 480 students participated in the developed self-structured questionnaire, and Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was employed to analyze the obtained data. The results showed that IGD can exert a positive and significant association with all three aspects of MHD. Moreover, the PLS-SEM slope analysis indicated that study discipline can significantly moderate the link from IGD to both anxiety and depression, with university students in health, science, and engineering fields displaying higher symptoms of depression and anxiety as compared to their peers in humanities and social sciences. However, study discipline failed to moderate the link from IGD to stress. These findings can be interpreted through maladaptive coping mechanisms and behavioral addiction, whereby extreme IG can contribute to social withdrawal, reduce sleep quality, and worsen stress regulation, specifically during the late adolescence period. The results extend current research on IGD by emphasizing the disciplinary differences in mental health vulnerability and offering more empirical evidence from a Middle Eastern context. The study highlighted the urgent need for discipline-oriented mental health screening and targeted proactive interventions to deal with unsettled IG attitude within a higher education context. Full article