Search Results (2,852)

Background: The global aging population faces an increasing prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), often complicated by frailty, cognitive decline, and impaired manual dexterity. These factors make glucose self-monitoring particularly challenging. Minimally invasive glucose monitoring methods, particularly continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) as well as emerging non-invasive glucose monitoring technologies offer potential solutions, but remain insufficiently evaluated in older adults. Objective: To systematically review and synthesize available evidence on the advantages of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) and non-invasive glucose monitoring methods in older adults aged ≥65 years, focusing on clinical efficacy, usability, adherence, and existing knowledge gaps. Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted across PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science, including studies from 2020 to 2025. Eligible studies included participants aged ≥65 years and evaluated the clinical performance of CGM or other minimally invasive or non-invasive glucose monitoring technologies. The PRISMA framework guided screening and selection. Risk of bias was assessed using RoB 2 and ROBINS-I tools. Due to substantial heterogeneity among study designs and reported outcomes, a narrative synthesis approach was adopted. Results: A total of 426 records were identified, of which 13 met the predefined eligibility criteria after full-text screening. After risk of bias assessment, one study was excluded, resulting in 12 studies included in the final synthesis. No eligible studies evaluating completely non-invasive glucose monitoring technologies were identified, highlighting a significant research gap in this area specifically for older adults. CGM was associated with improved glycemic control, reduced hypoglycemia, and increased time in range among older adults. Usability was generally high, particularly with newer, user-friendly devices. Conclusions: CGM is associated with improved glycemic outcomes and favorable usability in adults aged ≥65 years. However, a significant gap exists in research on non-invasive glucose monitoring technologies in this population. Future studies should address the accuracy, feasibility, and usability of non-invasive glucose monitoring devices, while accounting for the physiological and behavioral complexities associated with aging. Full article

This narrative review synthesizes existing literature on outdoor physical activity and youth well-being, with mountain biking considered as an illustrative example of a high-engagement, nature-based activity. A comprehensive literature search was conducted across multiple academic databases, including Academic Search Complete, MEDLINE, APA PsycINFO, CINAHL Plus, SocINDEX, ERIC, and additional hand searches in Google Scholar and Web of Science. Seventeen studies met the inclusion criteria and were analyzed using an iterative thematic approach. Three primary themes emerged: resilience, mood and emotional well-being, and social connectedness. Across studies, outdoor physical activity was associated with improvements in self-efficacy, stress reduction, and peer relationships. However, most studies examined outdoor activity broadly, with limited evidence specific to mountain biking. While prior literature suggests that biological and psychosocial processes (e.g., engagement with nature, social interaction, and perceived competence) may underlie these associations, these mechanisms were not directly tested in most included studies. Findings should therefore be interpreted as indicative of associations rather than causal effects. Overall, outdoor physical activity represents a promising, accessible approach for supporting youth well-being. Future research should further examine activity-specific impacts, including mountain biking, and prioritize longitudinal and experimental designs to better understand mechanisms and long-term outcomes. Full article

In this paper, we investigate a new class of three-component nonlinear rational difference equations of the second order characterized by structured periodic interactions. Through a carefully designed algebraic transformation and the introduction of suitable auxiliary sequences, the original nonlinear model is converted into an equivalent periodic scheme of order six. This reformulation enables the complete determination of explicit solution formulas in closed form. We establish precise conditions under which the solutions remain well defined and analytically tractable. A series of illustrative numerical experiments reveals a wide spectrum of dynamical behaviors, ranging from oscillatory patterns to various modes of convergence. Full article

Background: Self-criticism is a transdiagnostic factor associated with psychological distress and poorer outcomes in traditional psychotherapy, yet recent evidence suggests it may facilitate change in preventive and low-intensity interventions. This study examined the role of self-criticism in adherence, working alliance, and outcomes within NoiBene, a guided self-help program designed to promote well-being and prevent psychological distress among non-clinical university students. Methods: A total of 455 participants (82% female; M = 23.5 years) completed measures of internalized and comparative self-criticism, and key psychological processes (e.g., emotional awareness, rumination, worry, perfectionism, psychological inflexibility, and assertiveness) were assessed before and after the intervention. Adherence and working alliance were measured only after the intervention. Results: Contrary to evidence from clinical settings, severe self-criticism was not associated with increased dropout or weaker alliance. Instead, individuals with severe self-criticism exhibited the greatest improvements across multiple domains, suggesting a higher potential for therapeutic gain. Moreover, participants with moderate levels of both internalized and comparative self-criticism showed higher dropout and lower adherence. Conclusions: These findings indicate that, in preventive guided self-help contexts, self-criticism does not necessarily hinder engagement and outcomes and may, under certain conditions, function as a catalyst for change. Implications for tailoring digital preventive interventions and addressing dropout risk are discussed. Full article

Oncology teams operate in highly demanding clinical environments marked by recurrent acute and chronic stressors that can impair optimal quality of care. Although the practice environment is known to influence team processes, the specific contribution of team resilience at work to team effectiveness remains insufficiently delineated in oncology. This cross-sectional study investigated whether team resilience at work mediates the associations between the teamwork practice environment and two core indicators of team effectiveness: team functioning and team cohesion. A total of 189 oncology team members in Québec (Canada) completed an e-questionnaire between February 2022 and June 2023. Structural equation modeling was conducted to assess an evidence-informed mediation model. The tested model revealed acceptable fit. Findings showed significant indirect effects consistent with a mediating role of team resilience at work in the relationships between the teamwork practice environment and team functioning and team cohesion. Some dimensions—resourcefulness, alignment, efforts to understand problems, wellness awareness and being proud to work in the team—loaded strongly on the resilience concept. These results highlight the relevance of reinforcing team resilience capacities to sustain high-quality care in oncology settings. Interventions aiming to enhance team effectiveness may benefit from explicitly integrating strategies designed to strengthen resilience-related dimensions within oncology teams. Full article

Generative artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly used in higher education as an interactive tutoring partner rather than a passive information tool. While AI offers opportunities to support learning, concerns remain regarding cognitive offloading, reduced engagement, and unreflective use. Although instructional scaffolding is a well-established design principle for supporting complex learning, its role in shaping cognitive and metacognitive processes in AI-supported settings remains underexplored. This quasi-experimental pre–post study examined how varying levels of scaffolding influence learning outcomes and motivational, cognitive and metacognitive processes during AI-tutored learning. A total of 175 first-semester students from two faculties and diverse academic backgrounds completed the same academic task within a four-hour university session under one of three conditions: (1) full scaffolding, including a structured prompting template based on the Goal–Context–Constraints (GCC) strategy, iterative refinement, and reflective guidance; (2) light scaffolding, including the GCC prompting template; or (3) no scaffolding template as the control condition. Measures included knowledge gain, motivation, cognitive load, critical thinking, and reflective use. Data were analysed using ANOVAs, ANCOVAs, regression models, and PROCESS moderation and mediation analyses. Across the conditions, students showed significant gains in knowledge, critical thinking, and reflective use, while motivation remained stable and intrinsic and extraneous cognitive load decreased; no significant differences between scaffolding conditions were observed. The scaffolding conditions did not produce significant interaction effects, although descriptive trends suggested higher gains in higher-order knowledge under scaffolded conditions. Overall, the findings suggest that short-term learning gains in AI-supported settings may not depend on scaffolding intensity alone, but rather on how learners engage with AI during the learning process. Full article

Background: Adventist spirituality has been identified as a relevant psychosocial resource for emotional well-being; however, evidence on its relationship with self-control and perceived stress in specific religious populations remains limited. Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the associations between Adventist spirituality, self-control, and perceived stress in a sample of adults belonging to the Seventh-day Adventist Church and residing in coastal regions of Peru. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between December 2025 and January 2026 with 506 Seventh-day Adventist adults who completed an online questionnaire. Adventist spirituality was assessed using the Mission Commitment Questionnaire, which captures religious–spiritual commitment through three dimensions: personal devotion, participation, and witnessing. Self-control and perceived stress were measured using standardized scales. Data were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling. Results: The constructs showed adequate internal consistency, with Cronbach’s alpha values ranging from 0.875 to 0.951 and composite reliability values ranging from 0.906 to 0.956. Adventist spirituality was positively associated with self-control (β = 0.479, p < 0.001) and negatively associated with perceived stress (β = −0.457, p < 0.001). Personal devotion showed the strongest contribution to the higher-order spirituality construct. The model explained 22.9% of the variance in self-control and 20.9% of the variance in perceived stress. Conclusions: Adventist spirituality, particularly personal devotion, was associated with higher self-control and lower perceived stress. Although the cross-sectional design does not allow causal inference, the findings support the relevance of Adventist spirituality as a psychosocial resource linked to emotional well-being in this religious population and justify future longitudinal studies. Full article

The accurate quantification of microplastics (MPs) in aquatic environments remains challenging due to the heterogeneous distribution of MPs in different environments, making representative sampling difficult, as well as methodological variabilities in sampling, sample processing, and detection. This study examined measurement fluctuations for MP analysis across four distinct water matrices: wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluent, tap water (TW), combined sewer overflow (CSO), and surface water (SW). Two sampling strategies were compared: grab sampling (0.5 L, n = 5) and large-volume filtration using a particle sampling unit (PSU; 100 L, 10 µm mesh, subsampled). Samples were processed through oxidative digestion, stained with fluorescent dye, and analyzed via fluorescence microscopy with automated particle counting. Recovery experiments using polyamide (PA) reference particles (357 ± 60 µm) were conducted to assess method accuracy. PSU sampling demonstrated higher precision (mean R.S.D. 41 ± 17%) compared to grab sampling (mean R.S.D. 64 ± 19%), despite additional variability introduced by subsampling. Recovery rates reached 93 ± 7% for grab samples and 88 ± 23% for PSU samples with complete filter analysis. Statistical modeling revealed that achieving a ±25% margin of error (95% CI) required 21 PSU samples versus 51 grab samples. The quadratic relationship between the margin of error and required sample size underscores the importance of methodological optimization for cost-effective monitoring. These findings provide practical guidance for designing MP monitoring campaigns and demonstrate that fluorescent labeling combined with large-volume sampling offers a reliable approach for MP quantification in diverse aquatic environments. Full article

This study investigated psychological burnout among special education teachers in Qatar and analyzed its associations with professional and social factors. Employing a descriptive–correlational design, 204 special education teachers (M age = 42.73 years, SD = 10.23) completed two instruments: an 18-item burnout scale measuring emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment, and a 20-item scale assessing administrative and institutional stressors, parent- and community-related pressures, and work–life balance difficulties. Descriptive statistics revealed a moderate overall level of burnout, with emotional exhaustion as the most prominent dimension, followed by reduced personal accomplishment; depersonalization was comparatively low. Professional and social factors were also rated at a moderate level, with work–life balance difficulties exhibiting the highest mean. Multivariate analyses identified significant differences in burnout dimensions by gender, whereas age, years of experience, educational qualification, and workplace setting were not significantly associated with burnout. Multiple regression analysis indicated that the three factors collectively explained a substantial proportion of variance in burnout, with work–life balance difficulties demonstrating the strongest unique association, followed by administrative and institutional stressors and parent- and community-related pressures. These results highlight the need for organizational and relational supports, as well as policies that protect teacher time and wellbeing, to sustain special education services in Qatar. Full article

Urban sustainability research has increasingly emphasized the role of environmental conditions in shaping the quality of life; however, the empirical evidence for intermediate cities in developing countries remains limited, particularly from the perspective of citizens’ perceptions. This study examines the relationship between the perceived severity of environmental problems and the perceived quality-of-life deterioration in Culiacán, Mexico, an intermediate city characterized by climatic vulnerability and institutional constraints. Based on 552 face-to-face surveys, of which 546 contained complete information for index construction, a cross-sectional and predominantly quantitative design was employed. The environmental perception and quality-of-life deterioration indices were constructed as simple arithmetic averages from Likert scale items, without assuming a single latent construct. The quality-of-life deterioration index captures the perceived negative conditions affecting well-being rather than the quality of life itself; therefore, higher values indicate a greater perceived deterioration. A bivariate ordinary least squares regression was used to assess the association between both indices. The results show a positive and statistically significant relationship (β = 0.486, p < 0.001), with R² = 0.220, indicating that a greater perceived environmental severity is associated with a greater perceived deterioration of well-being. The water-related issues, particularly drought and water contamination, emerge as the most critical concerns. These findings highlight the relevance of environmental perceptions in urban well-being assessments in intermediate cities. Full article

Dynamic muscular endurance, the ability to lift a submaximal load until task failure, is a common measure in both cross-sectional and training studies. However, the repeatability of low-load muscular endurance in the knee extensors has not been well established. Establishing reliability metrics is essential to ensure that observed differences reflect true physiological changes rather than measurement error. The purpose of this study was to quantify the repeatability of low-load dynamic knee extensions performed to task failure. Forty healthy adults completed three visits, each consisting of one set of knee extensions at 20%, 30%, and 40% of one repetition maximum (1RM) to assess relative muscular endurance, and three sets at 20% 1RM on the contralateral leg to assess the impact of fatigue within a single session (fatigue curve). Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs), standard error of the measurement, and smallest detectable difference (SDD) were calculated. Repeatability ranged from moderate to excellent across conditions (ICC = 0.77–0.94). Lower loads and later sets demonstrated reduced repeatability compared with heavier loads and earlier sets. These results indicate that researchers and practitioners should consider load and fatigue curve effects in protocol design and SDDs when interpreting the meaningfulness of individual changes in knee extension muscular endurance. Full article

To optimize container seedling cultivation of Chinese zelkova (Zelkova schneideriana Hand.-Mazz.), a three-factor completely randomized design was used to systematically evaluate the effects of container material, container size, and substrate composition on seedling growth, physiological traits, and root morphology. Different container materials, three container sizes, and multiple composite substrates were tested. Seedling height, biomass accumulation, photosynthetic characteristics, and root morphological indices were measured, and principal component analysis combined with comprehensive evaluation was applied to identify optimal treatments. The results showed that container size was one of the major factors affecting overall seedling quality, with large containers generally enhancing seedling height, biomass accumulation, photosynthetic capacity, and root development. Among container materials, B-type containers generally exhibited better overall performance under medium- and large-size conditions. Substrate composition showed a significant regulatory effect under appropriate container conditions, and the T₃ composite substrate, composed of yellow soil (40%), peat (10%), sphagnum peat (15%), vermiculite (10%), rice husk (15%), and corn cob (10%), achieved the highest comprehensive score. According to the PCA-based comprehensive evaluation, the T₃/A₃ treatment ranked first, followed by T₃/B₂. Overall, the combination of B-type containers, appropriate medium-to-large container size, and the T₃ substrate showed superior nursery performance. In particular, T₃/A₃ ranked first in the comprehensive evaluation, followed by T₃/B₂, indicating that both large black plastic containers and medium-sized B-type containers performed well under the T₃ substrate. Full article

Voluntary turnover represents a critical challenge in essential public services, where workforce attrition affects both employee well-being and service quality. The primary objective of this study was to identify the psychosocial predictors of well-being profiles and turnover intention among public transport workers, using the Job Demands–Resources model as a theoretical framework. A cross-sectional study design was employed, with 131 employees of an Italian public transport company completing a questionnaire assessing turnover intention and key psychosocial factors (job satisfaction, perceived work-related stress, work engagement, meaning of work, and perceived workplace safety). The analytical strategy integrated Latent Profile Analysis (LPA), logistic regression, and path analysis. LPA identified two distinct well-being profiles: a “low well-being profile,” with high perceived stress and low engagement and meaning of work; and a “high well-being profile,” with low stress and high engagement and work meaning. Logistic regression analyses showed that satisfaction with pay and the intrinsic nature of work tasks predicted membership in the high well-being profile. Path analysis indicated that profile membership significantly predicted turnover intention, with employees in the high well-being profile reporting lower turnover intention. Additionally, satisfaction with supervision, perceived workplace safety, and age showed direct effects on turnover intention. These findings highlight the organizational and psychological resources that can increase employee well-being and retention in the public transport sector, offering insights for preventive interventions and for promoting safer and more sustainable public transport systems. Full article

The service environment of the turbine blade–disk dovetail joint structure in aero-engines is complex. Uncertainties in material properties and geometry, as well as the failure correlations among multiple locations or components, make reliability assessment challenging. First, a probabilistic life modeling method based on linear heteroscedastic regression is proposed, and the Manson–Coffin probabilistic life models of DD6 and FGH96 alloys at 650 °C are established. Then, the Copula function is introduced to characterize the failure dependence structure, and the effectiveness of the method is verified through numerical examples. Fatigue-critical locations of the dovetail are identified, and a Kriging surrogate model is established to obtain the probabilistic stress distribution at the critical locations. Subsequently, the Copula method is employed to conduct reliability analysis of dovetail structures. The results show that the reliability of multiple dovetails considering correlation lies between that of a single dovetail and that under the assumption of complete independence. Moreover, the life of the entire disk dovetail structure is significantly influenced by the number of dovetails and the required reliability level. Finally, the study is extended to the blade–disk dovetail multi-component system. The results indicate that when correlation is considered, the reliability of both components decreases, and the overall structural life is dominated by the dovetail component with the lower life. The analytical method proposed in this paper provides theoretical support and engineering reference for the reliability design and life assessment of aero-engine rotor structures. Full article

Precision Livestock Farming (PLF) tools are increasingly used in dairy production, but their success depends on farmers’ perceptions, needs and investment capacity. This study explores the current use of digital technologies, satisfaction levels and future expectations among Italian dairy farmers. An online questionnaire with 19 questions collected 53 complete responses between May and November 2025. Most of the farms were free-stall Holstein dairy farms located in the Po Valley and managed by relatively young and well-educated farmers, many of whom had a background in animal production. The adoption of PLF tools was widespread: management software (73.6%), automated total mixed ration (TMR) preparation (66.0%), heat stress mitigation systems (62.3%) and collar sensors (52.8%) were the most adopted technologies. Satisfaction with current tools was high, although installation costs and poor system integration were consistently identified as major constraints. Farmers expressed clear priorities for future devices, particularly early diagnosis of health problems, calving, heat, lameness, and feeding and rumination functions. The results suggest that PLF in Italian dairy systems is moving from the adoption phase to that of consolidation. However, improvements in interoperability, affordability and farmer-centred design remain essential to support a wider and more equitable spread of the technology across the sector. Full article