Search Results (5,071)

Mental fatigue is an increasingly important concern among collegiate athletes whose academic–athletic roles require sustained cognitive effort, emotional regulation, and recovery across overlapping performance contexts. This structured narrative review synthesizes behavioral science, sport psychology, and athlete mental health literature to clarify how perceived stress, competitive anxiety, and psychological resilience may interact in the development and regulation of mental fatigue among collegiate athletes. Rather than treating mental fatigue as simple tiredness or an isolated performance symptom, this review conceptualizes it as a cognitive–emotional and psychobiological outcome shaped by stress appraisal, attentional load, effort regulation, and resource depletion. The main contribution of this review is to integrate previously separate lines of research into a collegiate-athlete-focused behavioral science framework in which perceived stress is positioned as an upstream appraisal-based condition, competitive anxiety as a proximal emotional mechanism, and psychological resilience as a dynamic regulatory resource that may buffer fatigue-related vulnerability. Tennis and Chinese/non-Western collegiate sport contexts are used as illustrative applications rather than exclusive empirical targets, highlighting how individual accountability, academic–athletic role demands, cultural expectations, and support structures may shape fatigue processes. This review also distinguishes established empirical evidence from theoretical inference and identifies key gaps in measurement heterogeneity, methodological transparency, longitudinal evidence, and culturally diverse collegiate athlete research. By refining the stress–anxiety–fatigue pathway and identifying resilience, recovery, and contextual support as important regulatory factors, this review provides a conceptual foundation for future empirical testing and for more targeted behavioral interventions to support collegiate athlete well-being and performance sustainability. Full article

The intensification of the urban heat island effect poses a critical threat to the preservation and habitability of compact historic districts. The Alameda de Hércules in Seville exemplifies this vulnerability, where the intersection of heritage protection and extreme Mediterranean summers limits conventional climate adaptation. This study conducts a multi-temporal evaluation of the square’s climate resilience, spanning from its configuration prior to major 21st-century renovations to its current state and future projections, proposing future interventions. By integrating advanced microclimatic simulation and high-fidelity energy modeling, the research assesses a dual-function strategy: the improvement of the thermal environment while implementing non-intrusive photovoltaic pavements (PVPs) for energy generation. Environmental parameters, including air temperature, mean radiant temperature (MRT), and the universal thermal climate index (UTCI), were analyzed alongside the renewable energy potential of the site’s mobility infrastructure. Four heritage-sensitive interventions were tested: PV-integrated bicycle lanes, shading canopies, reflective pavement, and permeable paved grass. The results demonstrate that the canopies and paved grass zones can lower surface temperature up to 3.7–4.3 °C, reduce UTCI stress up to 2.3–3.0 °C, and decline MRT up to 10.6 °C. These values correspond to the maximum reductions achieved in specific zones. However, the PVP can locally increase surface temperature by about 4.7 °C and the reflective pavements increase MRT by around 10.4 °C, while generating an estimated annual energy yield of 174.19 MWh. The analysis under future climate projections suggests that these strategies remain equally effective under future scenarios. These findings confirm that PV-integrated urban surfaces offer a viable, reversible, and replicable approach to retrofitting historic public spaces, harmonizing climate-adaptive cooling with decentralized energy production without compromising the site’s cultural significance. Full article

Heat stress (HS) is a major issue affecting productivity and physiological responses in dairy cattle. Advances in gene function research have made it possible to identify favorable genotypes for HS tolerance. This study evaluates the combined effects of temperature–humidity index (THI) and genomic load of favorable SNPs in the genes GRM8, SMAD3, and TLR4 on daily milk yield (DMY), rectal temperature (RT), and gene expression in Holstein cows (n = 160). Environmental conditions ranged from thermoneutral to severe HS, allowing the assessment of genotype by environment interactions. A subset of cows (n = 40) was selected based on genomic load to evaluate gene expression under opposite thermal conditions. Results showed that increasing THI was associated with reduced DMY and increased RT, with more pronounced effects in cows carrying fewer favorable genotypes. Slope analyses revealed that cows with higher genomic load exhibited a moderate decline in DMY and lower increase in RT, indicating enhanced resilience to HS. Significant THI × genomic load interactions were detected above a threshold of 79 units (p < 0.05). Gene expression analyses supported these findings, showing differential expressions of GRM8, SMAD3, and TLR4 under HS conditions. The functional and predictive value of these genes as markers of thermotolerance could help producers by supporting their application in genetic selection programs, thus providing another tool to combat HS and improve resilience and productivity in dairy systems. Full article

As climate change intensifies heat extremes, the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect amplifies local thermal stress. Assessing the UHI using robust observational data, whether ground- and/or satellite-based, is essential for climate risk assessment and evidence-based urban adaptation. Therefore, this study aims to provide a comprehensive climatological assessment of air temperature patterns and UHI intensity across the Lisbon Metropolitan Area (LMA) over a 26-year period (2000–2025). The methodology employs a dense, high-quality integrated network of in-situ weather stations from the Portuguese Institute for Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA) and the National Water Resources Information System (SNIRH). To bridge critical gaps in traditional climate assessments, this research implements a dual-perspective approach that combines the high temporal resolution of MSG-SEVIRI and the spatial precision of MODIS Land Surface Temperature (LST). This framework accurately captures the lag effects between surface heating and atmospheric response. Validation results demonstrate that satellite-derived LST is a robust proxy for monitoring the nocturnal UHI, with differences generally below 1 °C compared with near-surface air temperature observations (T2m). However, daytime LST significantly overestimates atmospheric temperatures, with deviations of 2–8 °C due to solar radiation and urban geometry. The selection of rural reference stations constitutes a critical methodological factor, as a baseline shift can alter perceived UHI intensities by more than 3 °C. Despite these sensitivities, the results unequivocally confirm a persistent and spatially heterogeneous UHI effect in Lisbon, which intensifies during extreme heat events by up to an additional 4 °C. Analysis of the 2003 and 2018 heatwaves reveals surface LST anomalies exceeding 10 °C and urban–rural thermal differentials reaching up to 7 °C under conditions of suppressed maritime breezes. These nocturnal anomalies are particularly pronounced in densely built-up areas, limiting thermal dissipation and preventing physiological recovery. Integrating multi-sensor satellite data with in-situ validation provides a new benchmark for climate risk assessments, delivering the reliable, reproducible data required to strengthen long-term urban resilience under increasingly frequent extreme heat events. 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

Chronic heat stress poses a major challenge to marine aquaculture, yet its sex-associated molecular basis remains poorly understood in Chinese tongue sole (Cynoglossus semilaevis). Juveniles were exposed to a control temperature (24 °C) or elevated temperature (30 °C) for two months, and liver samples from low-temperature females (LF), high-temperature females (HF), low-temperature males (LM), and high-temperature males (HM) were analyzed by RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) and whole-genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS). Principal component analysis indicated a strong temperature-associated separation, while sex-related separation under heat stress was smaller and was mainly observed along the second principal component. In high-temperature relative to low-temperature comparisons, females showed a broader set of differentially expressed genes (DEGs; LF vs. HF, 1968) than males (LM vs. HM, 506). Differential methylation analyses indicated that cytosine-guanine (CG) methylation was the predominant heat-associated epigenetic signal. Integrative analysis identified 624 overlapping genes between DEGs and CG-associated differentially methylated genes (CG-DMGs) in females and 177 in males, suggesting broader methylation-associated transcriptional remodeling in females. Functional enrichment associated the female overlap genes with immune response, inflammatory signaling, lipid metabolism, and detoxification, whereas male overlap genes were more closely associated with proteostasis, autophagy, and DNA replication/repair. Correlation analyses suggested modest methylation–expression coupling and highlighted candidate W-linked genes, including H2AZ2 and ANKRD13A. Overall, these results should be regarded as a preliminary baseline for understanding sex-associated molecular responses to chronic heat stress in tongue sole and as a source of candidate genes and pathways for future validation and heat-resilience breeding. Full article

This study explores how small business owners in the hospitality sector in Jordan cope with the threats from the adjacent Gaza-Israel conflict. While crisis research in tourism has focused mainly on macro-level indicators and managerial responses to events, less is known about the psychological processes used by small hospitality business owners to evaluate such geopolitical tensions and translate them into coping reactions. Using a transactional perspective on stress, appraisal, and coping, this study explores how business owners perceive threats and adopt coping mechanisms under unstable geopolitical conditions. Semi-structured interviews with small hospitality business owners in Jordan reveal that geopolitical conflict is not automatically perceived as a catastrophic threat. Rather, threat emerges through a person–environment transaction when owners interpret the conflict as harmful, uncertain, or beyond control within their business context. The findings further reveal that owners combine problem-focused coping, such as operational and marketing adjustments, with emotion-focused coping, such as pragmatic optimism, positive reappraisal, goal resetting, and the normalization of instability. By foregrounding cognitive appraisal and coping in this way, the study extends tourism and hospitality crisis research beyond macro-level outcomes and offers practical insights into strengthening the resilience of small hospitality businesses in geopolitically unstable tourism regions. Full article

This paper explores the development of authentic LGBTQ+ leadership through an identity-conscious leadership development programme for LGBTQ+ staff in UK higher education. Focus group data collected eighteen months after programme completion offered longitudinal perspectives into leadership outcomes and programme design. Reflexive data themes are synthesised into a conceptual framework that illustrates how LGBTQ+ authentic leadership developed. The framework shows that authentic mentoring relationships, supported by trust, hope, and positive emotions, reduced identity and minority stress whilst forming and sustaining leadership identities. Through these processes, participants enhanced their intrapersonal and interpersonal capabilities and constructed collective meaning, thereby enabling authentic LGBTQ+ leadership to flourish within the institution and the wider societal context. The findings underscore that authentic leadership for this minoritised group emerges through the dynamic interplay of individual, relational, organisational, and societal factors. The research emphasises the importance of identity-conscious leadership development programmes in supporting LGBTQ+ leaders, strengthening leadership capacity, and enhancing institutional effectiveness, resilience, and civic responsibility. Full article

Seasonal snowpack and snowmelt are critical regulators of forest ecosystem functioning in temperate, boreal, montane, and alpine regions. Snowpack acts as a temporary water and energy reservoir, while snowmelt determines the seasonal availability of water and influences ecosystem processes during the growing season. Climate change is altering snowfall patterns, snow accumulation, and melt timing, with consequences for forest productivity, resilience, and disturbance dynamics. This review synthesizes current knowledge on snow–forest interactions and identifies major research trends, methodological approaches, and remaining knowledge gaps. The study combines a bibliometric analysis and a qualitative literature review based on publications indexed in the Scopus and Web of Science databases. A total of 695 publications were included in the bibliometric dataset and analyzed to assess temporal trends, geographical patterns, research themes, and the ecological consequences of changing snow dynamics in forests. Representative studies from this dataset were subsequently synthesized to evaluate the influence of snowpack and snowmelt on forest ecosystem functioning, resilience, and sustainability. The reviewed literature shows that snowpack and snowmelt strongly regulate forest water availability, soil thermal conditions, nutrient cycling, vegetation responses, and carbon dynamics. Changes in snow regimes, particularly reduced snow accumulation and earlier melt, can increase the risk of soil freezing, modify moisture conditions, intensify water stress, and affect ecosystem carbon balance. However, the magnitude and direction of these effects depend on forest type, species composition, climate, and landscape characteristics. Forest structure also plays an important role in controlling snow interception, accumulation, persistence, and melt processes. The bibliometric analysis indicates a rapid increase in research interest in snow–forest interactions over the last two decades, with major contributions from the United States, Canada, China, and Northern Europe. Environmental sciences, hydrology, and ecology were the dominant research areas. Despite substantial progress, uncertainties remain regarding long-term ecosystem responses, species-specific vulnerabilities, and the interactions between declining snow cover and other climate-driven disturbances. This review emphasizes that understanding snowpack and snowmelt dynamics is essential for predicting forest ecosystem responses to climate change and for improving sustainable forest management and watershed conservation strategies in snow-dependent regions. Full article

Drought stress significantly constrains broccoli (Brassica oleracea L.) productivity by impairing growth, photosynthesis, and yield. Seed priming with ascorbic acid (AsA) has shown promise in enhancing early seedling performance; however, its effects on head development and yield under water deficit remain limited. This greenhouse pot experiment evaluated four seed treatments: non-primed control, water-primed control, 1 mg L⁻¹ AsA, and 10 mg L⁻¹ AsA under two irrigation regimes: 100% and 50% field capacity. Growth, physiological traits, biochemical responses, and yield were assessed. AsA priming significantly (p < 0.05) enhanced plant height, net photosynthesis, and chlorophyll content under both water regimes. Under 100% FC, water priming significantly increased canopy length, whereas under 50% FC, only AsA priming produced a significant increase relative to the non-primed control (p < 0.05). Biochemical responses further showed that 10 mg L⁻¹ AsA significantly (p < 0.05) increased chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b under 50% FC compared with the non-primed control. Proline accumulation was reduced by 10 mg L⁻¹ AsA, but this reduction was significant (p < 0.05) only under 100% FC. Under 100% FC, 10 mg L⁻¹ AsA significantly (p < 0.05) increased total phenolic content compared with the non-primed control. Total flavonoid content was significantly (p < 0.05) increased by 1 and 10 mg L⁻¹ AsA compared with the control, while both water priming and AsA priming significantly (p < 0.05) increased carotenoid content and reduced H₂O₂ accumulation relative to the non-primed control, irrespective of watering regime. Total yield per plant, measured on a fresh weight basis, significantly (p < 0.05) increased with increasing AsA concentration, with 10 mg L⁻¹ AsA enhancing yield by 37.8% relative to the water-primed control and by 70.5% relative to the non-primed control, independent of water regime. Percentage dry weight was unaffected by AsA treatment. Overall, AsA seed priming potentially enhanced physiological resilience and fresh yield of broccoli under water-limited conditions, indicating its potential as a low-cost strategy for drought mitigation. Full article

Climate change is increasingly altering the ecological dynamics of apple orchard ecosystems, creating new challenges for sustainable management of phytophagous mites. Rising temperatures, prolonged drought periods, and increasing climatic variability influence mite population dynamics, destabilize predator–prey interactions, and reduce the effectiveness of traditional pest management approaches. This review examines sustainable mite management in apple orchards through the interconnected perspectives of ecological stability, climatic stress, and resilience-oriented agroecosystem management. Particular attention is given to the ecological mechanisms underlying mite outbreaks, including climate-driven acceleration of reproduction, trophic destabilization, biodiversity loss, and disruption of biological regulation processes. The ecological limitations of both conventional chemical control and biological control strategies are critically analyzed, highlighting issues related to pesticide-induced ecological disturbance, resistance development, climatic sensitivity of natural enemies, and operational constraints. The review further explores resilience-oriented management frameworks based on ecological intensification, habitat diversification, conservation biological control, adaptive management, and system-oriented regulation. Current research gaps are identified, including the lack of long-term ecological studies, insufficient integration of climatic and ecological datasets, limited development of resilience indicators, and underrepresentation of continental and semi-arid orchard systems. The findings suggest that future sustainable mite management should move beyond reactive pest suppression toward ecosystem-based approaches that strengthen ecological resilience and adaptive capacity under increasing climatic uncertainty. Full article

Background/Objectives: Malignant melanoma is characterized by constitutive PI3K/Akt/mTOR and MAPK activation, driving aggressive behavior and therapeutic resistance. Alpha-lipoic acid (αLA), a naturally occurring dithiol compound with an established clinical safety profile, has shown anticancer potential; however, its integrated molecular mechanisms in melanoma remain poorly defined. This study aimed to comprehensively evaluate the cytotoxic and mechanistic effects of αLA in B16F10 murine melanoma cells. Methods: Antiproliferative effects were assessed by MTT assay at four concentrations (250, 500, 750, 1000 µM) over 48 h. Protein levels of apoptotic markers (Bax, Bcl-2, Caspase-3, AIF), kinase signaling components (p-Akt, p-mTOR, p-ERK, p-JNK), ER stress markers (GRP78, GADD153/CHOP), and cell cycle regulator Wee1 were quantified by ELISA at a specifically selected sub-lethal concentration of 750 µM (inducing ~38% growth inhibition). Results: αLA dose-dependently inhibited B16F10 proliferation. At 750 µM, it triggered robust intrinsic apoptotic signaling, evidenced by a nearly 10-fold shift in the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio and greater than 9-fold Caspase-3 activation. Elevated AIF suggested profound mitochondrial stress and the potential priming of concurrent caspase-independent cell death mechanisms. αLA suppressed survival signaling by reducing p-Akt (44%), p-mTOR, p-ERK, and p-JNK. Treatment triggered lethal ER stress via GRP78 and GADD153/CHOP upregulation and upregulated Wee1, suggesting the induction of stress-responsive checkpoint signaling. The simultaneous CHOP upregulation and p-Akt suppression highlight a concurrent dysregulation of stress and survival pathways, suggesting a potential pro-apoptotic interplay. Conclusions: αLA exerts potent multi-target anticancer effects by inducing a broad spectrum of associated molecular changes, including the suppression of PI3K/Akt/mTOR and MAPK networks, induction of ER stress, engagement of cell cycle checkpoints, and activation of the mitochondrial Bax/Bcl-2/Caspase-3 axis. Importantly, these correlative findings do not establish proven pathway dependencies. Nevertheless, this concurrent dysregulation positions αLA as a potential disruptor of inter-pathway resilience underlying drug resistance. Full article

Pregnancy involves profound metabolic, hormonal, and immunological adaptations essential for fetal development; however, disturbances may lead to complications such as preeclampsia (PE), pre-gestational diabetes, and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). These conditions are closely linked to oxidative stress, inflammation, endothelial dysfunction, impaired placentation, and metabolic dysregulation. Consequently, dietary strategies capable of modulating these pathways are of increasing interest. Edible and medicinal mushrooms are widely studied as functional food due to the content of bioactive compounds with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, and metabolic regulatory effects. This review summarizes the nutritional composition of mushrooms and highlights key bioactive constituents with antioxidant and metabolic regulatory properties. Among them, ergothioneine has emerged as a key molecule due to its potent redox-buffering capacity and its potential involvement in the activation of the Nrf2 signaling pathway, a master regulator of cellular antioxidant defense. Through modulation of Nrf2-dependent gene expression, mushroom-derived compounds may contribute to improved cellular resilience against oxidative damage relevant to PE and GDM pathophysiology. Mushroom consumption has additionally been associated with improved glycemic control and enhanced antioxidant defenses in experimental and limited clinical studies, although evidence regarding the prevention or management of hypertensive and metabolic pregnancy complications remains insufficient. Although preclinical findings are promising, clinical evidence remains limited. Further well-designed prospective studies and randomized controlled trials are required to determine efficacy, safety, optimal intake, and active compounds responsible for these effects. Nevertheless, current evidence supports the biological plausibility that edible and medicinal mushrooms are promising dietary modulators of the ergothioneine–Nrf2 axis with potential relevance for maternal–fetal health. Full article

Despite heightened physical risks during the COVID-19 pandemic, older adults often reported better mental health than younger adults, suggesting significant resilience. We used longitudinal qualitative data to examine how difficulties and positive experiences contributed to this resilience. Weekly COVID-related difficulties and positive experiences were collected using internet surveys over eight weeks from 247 respondents aged 51–95 (M = 71.1, SD = 7.3). Nearly all identified at least one difficulty, and 76% had problems three or more times. Longitudinal thematic analysis (LTA) revealed that most were consistent in how they described they difficulties, including problems with everyday protective activities, psychological distress, social isolation, and cultural divide (disagreements over public health policy). Although 78% identified at least one positive, less than half (42%) did so at three or more time pints. Positive experiences were more diverse across time, but some reported greater interpersonal connection by utilizing technology to increase social contacts. LTA revealed three stances towards positive experiences: active efforts, appreciative efforts (observation), and mixed efforts. While trait resilience was unrelated to the themes, the mixed approach towards positive experiences was associated with lower anxiety at the last assessment, emphasizing the importance of positive experiences during stress. Full article

Drought represents one of the major constraints limiting maize productivity in southeastern Europe, particularly under non-irrigated conditions. This study evaluated the effectiveness of foliar biostimulants derived from animal collagen and keratin hydrolysates in mitigating drought stress and improving maize performance in southern Romania during a six-year field experiment (2020–2025). During the screening phase (2020–2022), four formulations (FM1, FM2, KC, and K2) were applied at two rates (5 and 10 L ha⁻¹) and compared with an untreated control. Significant effects of biostimulant formulation and dose were identified for plant height and grain yield (p < 0.001). Duncan’s multiple range test showed that K2 applied at 10 L ha⁻¹ achieved the highest mean grain yield (87.71 q ha⁻¹), significantly exceeding the untreated control (70.94 q ha⁻¹). Based on these results, K2 was selected for long-term validation during 2023–2025 and subsequently evaluated across the entire six-year experimental period. Mean grain yield increased from 52.06 q ha⁻¹ in the untreated control to 58.74 and 64.91 q ha⁻¹ following K2 application at 5 and 10 L ha⁻¹, respectively. Yield improvements were particularly pronounced during years characterized by severe precipitation deficits, when relative yield increases reached up to 41.9%. Economic analysis demonstrated positive net returns in all experimental years, with average profits of 108.6 EUR ha⁻¹ and 206.9 EUR ha⁻¹ for the 5 and 10 L ha⁻¹ application rates, respectively. The results demonstrate that keratin-based biostimulants derived from industrial by-products can improve maize productivity, enhance drought resilience, and contribute to circular-economy approaches in sustainable agriculture. Full article