Search Results (299)

Background: Childhood cancer survivors (CCSs) are at heightened risk of long-term neurocognitive and emotional difficulties that can affect educational attainment, social participation, and overall quality of life. These outcomes vary across developmental stages and are influenced by treatment modality, age at diagnosis, and central nervous system (CNS) involvement. Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, PsycINFO, and Web of Science for articles published between January 2000 and June 2024. Search terms included combinations of “childhood cancer survivors,” “neurocognitive outcomes,” “executive function,” “emotional regulation,” and related MeSH terms. Inclusion criteria required peer-reviewed studies assessing CCS using standardized neuropsychological or emotional measures. Results: Evidence indicates persistent deficits in processing speed, working memory, and higher-order executive functions, with additional challenges in attention and memory. Emotional difficulties, including anxiety, depression, and social withdrawal, were prevalent and often co-occurred with cognitive impairments. Developmental timing of cancer and treatment was a key determinant of outcome. Family functioning, school reintegration support, and broader social environments emerged as important moderators of resilience. Conclusions: CCSs face complex, interrelated cognitive and emotional challenges that warrant early identification and ongoing, developmentally tailored intervention. Integrated approaches combining cognitive remediation and psychosocial support appear most effective. Future research should prioritize longitudinal designs, multi-informant assessments, and culturally sensitive frameworks to inform targeted prevention and rehabilitation strategies. Our synthesis highlights that deficits in processing speed and working memory are most pronounced following CNS-directed therapies during early developmental stages, whereas emotional vulnerabilities such as anxiety and social withdrawal often emerge later in adolescence. Interventions combining cognitive remediation, targeted psychosocial support, and structured school reintegration show the strongest evidence for improving adaptive outcomes. Coordinated survivorship care across healthcare, educational, and family systems is essential to sustain developmental recovery. Full article

This research explores how coalitions of leaders who score high in the Dark Triad traits—narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy—rebuild moral architectures in organizations to consolidate power, suppress dissent, and secure their rule. Contrary to work that has focused predominantly on individual toxic leaders, this research examines the collective processes that emerge when multiple high-DT-scoring leaders coalesce and unify their moral leadership front. Adopting a qualitative, article-based document analysis methodology, this study synthesizes and critiques evidence from 55 peer-reviewed articles published between 2015 and 2025. Thematic analysis identified three fundamental dynamics through which Dark Triad leaders collectively exercise dominance. The first, the Ethics Cartel, involves the construction of a shared moral façade that legitimates power and shields wrongdoing. The second, Mutual Cover, outlines forms of mutual protection in which leaders shield one another from accountability and scrutiny. The third, Cultural Capture, outlines processes through which organizational culture is increasingly reconfigured such that “ethics” are structured to favor leadership over employees or wider stakeholders. This study illustrates how these coalitions cross over into individual transgressions, creating systemic risk that warps the fabric of organizational culture. Employees are confronted with a work culture that positions ethics as a means of developing survival adaptive mechanisms, such as silence, withdrawal, or compliance. These processes not only harm psychological safety and break trust but also disable accountability mechanisms established to maintain integrity. This study contributes to the study of leadership and organizational ethics by framing ethics not as merely an individual moral stance but as a collective instrument of power. It calls for more attention to the risks that follow collaboration among toxic leaders and for governance arrangements that address the organizational and systemic consequences of these unions. By situating these findings within the broader debate on power, people, and performance, this paper aligns with the focus of the Special Issue “Power, People, and Performance: Rethinking Organizational Leadership and Management” by showing how collective Dark Triad leadership distorts organizational performance outcomes while reshaping power relations in ways that undermine people’s trust and well-being. These insights extend Alowais & Suliman’s findings, highlighting the systemic feedback loops sustaining ethical distortion. Full article

Nitroguanidine-type energetic materials have broad application prospects in the propellant field, and their derivative structures are numerous, with intricate changes in macro-level properties. However, due to the unclear inherent evolution mechanisms of these macro-level properties, the structural optimization of compounds and the iteration of application systems face difficulties. This work systematically investigates the variations in density, thermal decomposition, and sensitivity among nitroguanidine (NQ), 1-amino-2-nitroguanidine (ANQ), and 1-amino-2-nitroguanidinium nitrate (ANGN). Hirshfeld surface and bond dissociation energy analyses reveal that strengthened electrostatic and inductive interactions enhance the hydrogen bonding network in ANGN, leading to its higher density compared to NQ. In contrast, weakened electrostatic interactions in ANQ result in a less robust hydrogen bonding network and a correspondingly lower density. The sensitivity trend is consistently explained from both molecular and crystalline perspectives: an increasingly inhomogeneous electrostatic potential distribution, coupled with a higher frequency of O···O contacts, provides a coherent explanation for the experimental observations. Furthermore, the electron-withdrawing -NH₃⁺ group in ANGN weakens the N–NO₂ bond, reducing its bond dissociation energy and leading to the most intense NO₂ mass spectral signal during thermal decomposition. ANQ exhibits the opposite behavior. A linear correlation (R² = 0.92) is observed between the N–NO₂ BDE and NO₂ mass spectral intensity across NQ, ANQ, and ANGN. This study provides unique insights into the intrinsic mechanisms governing variations in the properties of nitroguanidine derivatives. Full article

Chile’s National Electric System is one of the countries in South America with the greatest potential for the development of solar–wind generation, allowing for the acceleration of the energy transition with the definitive withdrawal of conventional fossil fuel thermal generation. However, the integration of the market of ancillary services requires security, stability, and quality of service to the electricity system. In this context, the primary frequency control (PFC) is considered as the first line of defense of an electric power system, due to its immediate action in severe frequency variations when they exceed ±0.7 Hz with respect to the nominal operating frequency of 50.00 Hz, allowing the safe and efficient integration of large blocks of solar–wind renewable generation in spite of the uncertainty or forecast errors that could cause its massive dispatch. The principal contribution of this work is the implementation of a technical-economic mathematical model that minimizes the total costs of real-time power reserve reallocations for primary frequency control, using the dynamic factors of stationarity in those conventional and renewable solar–wind generation plants. The validation of the model is consolidated through real scenarios, specifically the deficit of power reserves, which necessitates a dynamic response in primary frequency control over 10 s and 5 min. In terms of expected results, the proposed model contributes to the Supra-/Infra-Marginal methodology, reducing the total costs of power reallocation reserves for primary frequency control, compared to other inefficient methods, such as the Maximum Power Method, the Minimum Technical Method, and the Random Direct Instruction Method. Full article

Thiochromen-4-ones are known to possess useful optical properties and rich bioactivities, including antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anticancer properties. They are known to inhibit tumor cell growth, induce apoptosis, and have antiplatelet aggregation effects. Thiochromen-4-ones are also used as synthons and precursors in organic synthesis for bioactive agents. Although many synthetic approaches to oxygen-containing counterparts, chromones, have been reported, research on the synthesis of thiochromen-4-ones is scarce. The synthesis of thiochromen-4-ones can be challenging due to the inherent nature of sulfur, including its multiple oxidation states and tendency to form diverse bonding patterns. Here, we report the one-pot synthesis of thiochromen-4-ones, where two transformations of the starting material, 3-(arylthio)propanoic acid, are performed within a single reaction vessel, eliminating the need for an intermediate purification step. This one-pot reaction worked well with a variety of substrates with both electron-withdrawing and donating groups on the aromatic ring of 3-(arylthio)propanoic acids to give thiochromen-4-ones with good yields (up to 81%). This approach offers advantages like time and cost savings, increased efficiency, and reduced waste. This synthetic approach will allow access to a broader scope of thiochromen-4-ones due to the readily available thiophenols. Full article

Global warming has been altering the East Asian climate at an unprecedented rate since the 20th century. In order to evaluate the changes in the East Asian winter climate (EAWC) and support policy-making for climate mitigation and adaptation strategies, this paper utilizes the multimodel ensemble from the Couple Model Intercomparison Project 6 and a temperature threshold method to investigate the EAWC changes during the period 1979–2100. The results show that the EAWC has been undergoing widespread and robust changes in response to global warming. The winter length in East Asia has shortened and will continue shortening owing to later onsets and earlier withdrawals, leading to a drastic contraction in length from 100 days in 1979 to 43 days (27 days) in 2100 under SSP2-4.5 (SSP5-8.5). While most regions of the East Asian continent are projected to become warmer in winter, the Japan and marginal seas of northeastern Asia will face the risks from colder winters with more frequent extreme cold events, accompanied by less precipitation. Meanwhile, the Tibetan Plateau is very likely to have colder winters in the future, though its surface snow amounts will significantly decline. Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are found to be responsible for the EAWC changes. GHG traps heat inside the Earth’s atmosphere and notably increases the air temperature; moreover, its force modulates large-scale atmospheric circulation, facilitating an enhanced and northward-positioned Aleutian low together with a weakened Siberian high, East Asian trough, and East Asian jet stream. These two effects work together, resulting in a contracted winter with robust and uneven regional changes in the EAWC. This finding highlights the urgency of curbing GHG emissions and improving forecasts of the EAWC, which are crucial for mitigating their major ecological and social impacts. Full article

Insomnia is a common and complex disorder, rooted in the dysregulation of circadian rhythms, impaired neurotransmitter function, and disturbances in sleep–wake homeostasis. While conventional hypnotics such as benzodiazepines and Z-drugs are effective in the short term, their use is limited by a high potential for dependence, cognitive side effects, and withdrawal symptoms. In contrast, melatonergic receptor agonists—melatonin, ramelteon, tasimelteon, and agomelatine—represent a pharmacologically targeted alternative that modulates MT1 and MT2 receptors, which are pivotal to the regulation of circadian timing and sleep initiation. Clinical evidence supports the efficacy of these agents in reducing sleep onset latency, extending total sleep duration, and re-aligning disrupted circadian rhythms, particularly among older individuals and patients with non-24 h sleep–wake disorders. Notably, agomelatine offers additional antidepressant properties through selective antagonism of the 5-HT_2C receptor in micromolar concentrations. In contrast, its agonistic activity at melatonergic receptors is observed in the low sub-nanomolar range, which illustrates the complexity of this drug’s interactions with the human body. All compounds reviewed demonstrate a generally favorable safety and tolerability profile. Accumulating evidence highlights that selected medicinal plants, such as chamomilla, lemon balm, black cumin, valeriana, passionflower and lavender, may exert relevant hypnotic or anxiolytic effects, thus complementing melatonergic strategies in the management of insomnia. This structured narrative review presents a comprehensive analysis of the molecular pharmacology, receptor affinity, signaling pathways, and clinical outcomes associated with melatonergic agents. It also examines their functional interplay with serotonergic, GABAergic, dopaminergic, and orexinergic systems involved in arousal and sleep regulation. Through comparative synthesis of pharmacokinetics and neurochemical mechanisms, this work aims to inform the development of evidence-based strategies for the treatment of insomnia and circadian rhythm sleep–wake disorders. Full article

In the context of global modernization, both the United States and China faced major challenges in rural social development. In the early twentieth century, the American federal government launched the Country Life Movement, during which Christianity addressed the rural crisis through rural church reforms. Meanwhile, influenced by the American-led World Agricultural Mission Movement, the Christian churches applied the experiences and insights gained from the U.S. rural church reforms to China’s rural reconstruction movement. During the first half of the twentieth century, the Christian rural reconstruction models in China evolved to become increasingly comprehensive and targeted. In the early decades, Christian missions promoted the establishment of an agricultural education system to cultivate rural talents. By the 1920s, churches in China had developed a comprehensive rural social reform program. After the 1928 Jerusalem Meeting of the International Missionary Council (IMC), the concept of “Rural Community Parish” emerged as the guiding principle for the comprehensive rural reconstruction program in China. The Christian church further clarified its ultimate goal: to build a “Christian rural civilization in China.” Based on this, Christian rural work in China developed steadily until 1950, when the withdrawal of Christian forces brought an end to their rural influence in China. Full article

Endothelial hyperpermeability is a hallmark of diverse inflammatory and vascular pathologies, including sepsis, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), ischemia–reperfusion injury, and atherosclerosis. Traditionally considered a passive return to baseline following stimulus withdrawal, barrier recovery is now recognized as an active, endothelial-driven process. Earlier work identified individual components of this restorative phase, such as cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)/exchange protein directly activated by cAMP 1 (Epac1) signaling, Rap1/Rac1 activation, vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP) phosphorylation, and targeted cytoskeletal remodeling, as well as kinase pathways involving PKA, PKG, and Src. However, these were often regarded as discrete events lacking a unifying framework. Recent integrative analyses, combining mechanistic insights from multiple groups, reveal that nitric oxide (NO) generated early during hyperpermeability can initiate a delayed cAMP/Epac1 cascade. This axis coordinates Rap1/Rac1-mediated cortical actin polymerization, VASP-driven junctional anchoring, retro-translocation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) to caveolar domains, PP2A-dependent suppression of actomyosin tension, and Krüppel-like factor 2 (KLF2)-driven transcriptional programs that sustain endothelial quiescence. Together, these pathways form a temporally orchestrated, multi-tiered “inactivation” program capable of restoring barrier integrity even in the continued presence of inflammatory stimuli. This conceptual shift reframes NO from solely a barrier-disruptive mediator to the initiating trigger of a coordinated, pro-resolution mechanism. The unified framework integrates cytoskeletal dynamics, junctional reassembly, focal adhesion turnover, and redox/transcriptional control, providing multiple potential intervention points. Therapeutically, Epac1 activation, Rap1/Rac1 enhancement, RhoA/ROCK inhibition, PP2A activation, and KLF2 induction represent strategies to accelerate endothelial sealing in acute microvascular syndromes. Moreover, applying these mechanisms to arterial endothelium could limit low-density lipoprotein (LDL) entry and foam cell formation, offering a novel adjunctive approach for atherosclerosis prevention. In this review, we will discuss both the current understanding of endothelial hyperpermeability mechanisms and the emerging pathways of its active inactivation, integrating molecular, structural, and translational perspectives. Full article

Background/Objectives: Family is a key protective factor for firefighters’ mental health, yet the home-related challenges of firefighting’s occupational demands remain underexplored in South Korea. This study aimed to establish an initial understanding of these challenges by conducting in-depth interviews with male firefighters and analyzing their lived experiences using a phenomenological approach. Methods: Twenty-nine married male firefighters (mean age = 43.4 years, range = 31–55) affiliated with the Busan Fire Department participated in individual telephone interviews between April and July 2022 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were analyzed using Giorgi’s descriptive phenomenological method, with NVivo Pro 12.0 employed for coding and organization. Results: Six themes were identified: (1) acting as an emergency commander at home, (2) reinterpreting traumatic experiences after marriage, (3) physical and emotional exhaustion from irregular schedules, (4) being national heroes misunderstood by families, (5) guilt-ridden and indebted Superman, and (6) striving to be Superman at home as well. These themes reflected the overarching meaning of a “lonely breadwinner struggling to be Superman both at work and home.” Participants described hyperarousal, emotional withdrawal, strained relationships, guilt over missed family events, and compensatory overextension. Distress was often concealed to protect families, but this limited emotional support. Conclusions: Korean male firefighters face significant work–family conflict shaped by cultural and occupational factors. These findings highlight the need for family-centered counseling, psychoeducation, and organizational interventions. Policy measures such as guaranteed rest after shifts, couple-based communication programs, and resilience-building initiatives are recommended to strengthen families as vital sources of psychological resilience. Full article

The search for bioactive compounds with antioxidant properties is critical in combating oxidative stress-related diseases and advancing novel therapeutic agents. Azo dyes, traditionally used in textiles, food, and cosmetics, have recently attracted attention due to their emerging biological activities, including antioxidant potential. In this study, we synthesized and characterized 267 azo dyes derived from natural phenolic cores such as salicylic acid, syringol, and 5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-2-naphthol. Eighteen of these compounds are novel. Structural characterization was performed using NMR, UV-Vis, IR spectroscopy, and mass spectrometry. Antioxidant activity was assessed using in vitro assays with ABTS radical scavenging method. SAR analysis revealed that dyes derived from syringol and 5, 6, 7, 8-tetrahydro-2-naphthol showed the most consistent and potent antioxidant activity. Notably, azo dyes bearing fluoro and nitro substituents in the para position exhibited the lowest IC₅₀ values, highlighting the influence of electron-withdrawing groups and substitution patterns on antioxidant behavior. This work establishes a precedent for SAR-driven evaluation of azo dyes using ABTS and supports their further exploration as functional antioxidant agents in medicinal chemistry. Full article

This article examines how Afghan refugee resettlement in Muncie, Indiana challenges dominant narratives about both Midwestern homogeneity and refugee victimhood. Through research with Afghan refugees who arrived following the 2021 U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, I analyze how everyday encounters between refugees and longtime residents reveal complex imperial connections. Drawing on Critical Refugee Studies, I argue that Afghan presence in the American Midwest is not incidental but directly produced by decades of U.S. military intervention. Cultural narratives that portray the Midwest as predominantly white are not only misleading but also fuel dangerous ideologies like nativism and white supremacy, which lead to anti-refugee and immigrant policies and practices that have dire consequences. By centering Afghan refugees within longer histories of imperialism, racialization, and migration, I demonstrate how face-to-face interactions produce unexpected alliances that question previously held ideologies and challenge U.S. empire. This work contributes to understanding how refugee integration collapses boundaries between foreign and domestic, revealing how empire fundamentally shapes citizenship, belonging, and regional identity in America’s heartland. Full article

This article aims to analyze the conditions that contribute to the sustainability of violence against women in Bulgaria, an EU member state with high rates of this phenomenon. The analysis is based on data obtained through qualitative and quantitative methods, including in-depth interviews and focus groups with experts from state institutions (the police, prosecutors, courts, and social services), politicians, journalists, and from non-governmental organizations working with victims, as well as a nationwide sample survey of the adult population of Bulgaria. The qualitative data were analyzed through thematic analysis. The article demonstrates that cultural, ideological, and structural conditions in Bulgarian society facilitate the sustainability of violence against women. These include patriarchal norms prevailing in the family, specific characteristics of the popular culture, the neoliberal ideology of extreme individualism, the withdrawal of the state from its obligations, and ineffective institutional response. These conclusions point to the need to enhance the state’s capacity to counteract the phenomenon as well as the need to address ingrained cultural norms of conduct. Full article

This article examines the concept of ming 命 (mandate/command or fate/destiny) in the Analects, Mencius, and Zhuangzi, exploring its relationship to tian 天 (Heaven). Across these works, ming retains an intrinsic connection to tian—an inviolable cosmic force beyond human control. All three texts exhibit profound reverence and submission to tian, acknowledging the boundary between human control and cosmic inevitability, yet, at the same time, advocating active alignment with tian’s ordained patterns. In the Analects, a central tension emerges between tian’s teleological purpose—centered on preserving human culture and ethical cultivation—and the seemingly arbitrary fluctuations of individual fate, particularly regarding lifespan and personal fulfillment. This tension persists in the Mencius, articulated as a conflict between the political disorder of Mencius’ contemporary era and tian’s normative moral order. The Zhuangzi, by contrast, resolves this tension through advocating for withdrawal from the political life, as well as a radical reinterpretation of tian. Stripping tian off the Confucian moral–cultural imperatives, the text deconstructs dichotomies like life and death, championing inner equanimity via flowing with the cosmic transformation. Full article

The optical floating zone technique was utilized to purify chromium and a single-phase chromium–silicon alloy in this work. The impurity content (carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen) can be reduced by decreasing the withdrawal speed of samples during the zone refining process, and the coarsening of grains was also observed. The effect of the impurities on mechanical properties was determined by hardness measurements at room temperature, and the hardness of both chromium and the chromium–silicon alloy decreased with lower concentrations of nitrogen and oxygen. In contrast, brittle material behavior is observed in samples prepared by arc melting process with higher concentrations of impurities. To use chromium–silicon alloys for future high-temperature applications, their brittle behavior must be improved, which can be achieved by reducing their carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen concentrations. Full article