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Constantly shifting like a floating signifier, the interpretive life of "realness" has meant different things to global Hip-Hop adherents: staying true to oneself; reppin' one's hood; production styles such as boom bap; cadence, delivery, and flow; vivid storytelling; and underground resistance to forces of capitalist cooptation, among others. Yet to many others, realness means language – the artful capacity to rap, talk, and style oneself in ways that index one's cultural roots and identities. In this article, I consider the latter understanding of realness through the theoretical lens of decolonial meta-rap. In decolonial meta-rap, Nigerian emcees turn the reflexive apparatus of Hip-Hop back to itself, in the process raising questions about anglonormativity and colonial continuities in Nigeria. Focusing on the discourses of these emcees as well as their self-presentations in oral interviews and music videos, I argue that Nigerian emcees both popularize and continue the long decolonial struggle against cultural sites of colonial power in Africa. Di tin wey dem dey call realness for Hip-Hop dey mean different different tin to different different pipo wey dey follow Hip-Hop for everywhere. E fit mean say person no dey deceive imsef. Or e fit mean as rapper dey tell tori and how dem dey flow for dem music. E fit also mean di kain beat wey we dey hear for Hip-Hop music and how dem dey take make am. For oda pipo, realness dey mean say person dey proud to rap for im language and associate wit im culture. Dis my article dey observe dis last one. For dis article, I dey observe di way Naija rappers take dey use dem language and culture challenge colo-mentality for Nigeria. I tok say as dem dey rap, dem dey fight di kain brainwashing wey dey make person tink say oyinbo beta pass any language for Naija or Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thought control ability (TCA) plays an important role in individuals' health and happiness. Previous studies demonstrated that TCA was closely conceptually associated with happiness. However, empirical research supporting this relationship was limited. In addition, the neural basis underlying TCA and how this neural basis influences the relationship between TCA and happiness remain unexplored. In the present study, the voxel‐based morphometry (VBM) method was adopted to investigate the neuroanatomical basis of TCA in 314 healthy subjects. The behavioral results revealed a significant positive association between TCA and happiness. On the neural level, there was a significant negative correlation between TCA and the gray matter density (GMD) of the bilateral amygdala. Split‐half validation analysis revealed similar results, further confirming the stability of the VBM analysis findings. Furthermore, gray matter covariance network and graph theoretical analyses showed positive association between TCA and both the node degree and node strength of the amygdala. Moderation analysis revealed that the GMD of the amygdala moderated the relationship between TCA and happiness. Specifically, the positive association between TCA and self‐perceived happiness was stronger in subjects with a lower GMD of the amygdala. The present study indicated the neural basis underlying the association between TCA and happiness and offered a method of improving individual well‐being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Due to the complex nature of chronic pain, especially in older adults, a biopsychosocial approach is more effective than an isolated approach for its management. Furthermore, when patients are actively engaged in their pain management, they are more likely to be successful than relying totally on others. Objective: To analyze the self-management strategies currently used by older adults with chronic pain. Method: An integrative review was conducted through seven online databases, searching for scientific studies on this topic published in the last 10 years. Results and conclusion: Fifty-eight studies were included in the final sample. Research on chronic pain self-management for older adults has increased in recent years. Although a diversity of chronic physical painful conditions are being investigated, many conditions are still under-investigated. Online and in-person strategies are currently adopted, demonstrating similar results. Positive results are evidenced by strategies including health promotion, mind control, social participation and take-action fields. Major results come from a combination of strategies focusing on biopsychosocial aspects of pain management. Results include not only the reduction of pain itself, but increased self-efficacy, adoption of health behaviors and improvement of functionality, among others, i.e., improved QoL, despite pain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The present study attempted to explore the psychological experiences of experiential avoidance, thought suppression, meta‐cognition, self‐compassion and body‐checking during two stages of maternity (pregnancy and postpartum) among women embracing maternity for the first time. Methods: The study used a cross sectional correlational design and enrolled 306 women participants who were in their third trimester of pregnancy or of postpartum (pregnant = 154 [50.3%]; postpartum = 152 [49.7%]) with ages ranging between 20 and 35 years (M = 26.62; SD = 2.19). The data was collected using the Brief Experiential Avoidance Questionnaire (BEAQ); Thought Control Questionnaire (TCQ); Metacognitions Questionnaire (MCQ); Self‐Compassion Scale (SCS), and Body‐checking Questionnaire (BCQ). Data was subjected to statistical analysis using SPSS version 21. Results: A significant positive association was observed between experiential avoidance, thought suppression, meta‐cognition, and body‐checking while self‐compassion showed reverse association with these variables. The body‐checking outcome was significantly negatively predicted by self‐compassionate attitude and positively by thought suppression in both groups (i.e., pregnant and postpartum). The experiential avoidance positively predicted body‐checking among women in post‐partum group only. Moreover, a mediating association of experiential avoidance and a moderating effect of self‐compassion (self‐kindness and common humanity) and meta‐cognition (positive beliefs about worry and need to control thought) were also observed to moderate between thought suppression and body‐checking outcomes. Conclusion: The study concluded that experiential avoidance and thought suppression contribute in developing body‐checking behaviors among women who are pregnant or at postpartum stage of maternity. In addition, self‐compassion and meta‐cognition moderate this association with self‐compassion playing potential buffer. Synopsis: Psychological disturbance such as experiential avoidance and thought suppression lead to body‐checking among pregnant and postpartum women while self‐compassion and meta‐cognitions protect against mental outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A module has recently been developed within a mobile application (app) with the purpose of addressing dysfunctional beliefs associated with eating disorders (ED). The aim was to conduct a preliminary efficacy study by analyzing changes after use of the app in a general adult population. A quasi-experimental design was used in which 86 people completed a baseline assessment, and of them, 32 used the app daily for 3 minutes over a period of 15 days and completed the post-treatment assessment. Results before and after use of the app showed a decrease in mean scores for dysfunctional beliefs about perfectionism associated with physical appearance, vulnerability to weight gain, and the importance of thought control, as well as an increase in self-esteem. No significant reduction in eating symptomatology or depressive symptoms was observed. The results suggest that the app could be useful in reducing dysfunctional beliefs associated with ED. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: In the context of sleep disturbances, increasing evidence suggests a critical role of sleep‐related dysfunctional metacognitive activity, including metacognitive control of intrusive thoughts in the pre‐sleep period. Although the relationship between sleep‐related thought‐control strategies and poor sleep quality is well recognized, the possible contribution of general metacognitive functioning within this relation is still unclear. In this study, we performed a mediation analysis to examine the role of thought‐control strategies on the relationship between metacognitive abilities and sleep quality in individuals with different self‐reported sleep characteristics. Two‐hundred and forty‐five individuals participated in the study. Participants completed the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, the Thought Control Questionnaire Insomnia‐Revised, and the Metacognition Self‐Assessment Scale to evaluate sleep quality, thought‐control strategies and metacognitive functions, respectively. The results showed that worry strategy in the pre‐sleep period mediates the relationship between metacognitive functions and sleep quality. Particularly, the ability to understand one's mental states and mastery functions could be the two metacognitive domains primarily involved in the dysfunctional metacognitive thought‐control activity responsible for reduced sleep quality. The observed effect suggests that inadequate metacognitive functioning is associated with poor sleep quality in healthy subjects via the mediation of dysfunctional worry strategy. These findings suggest the potential relevance of clinical interventions to enhance specific metacognitive abilities, with the aim to promote more functional strategies for managing cognitive and emotional processes during the pre‐sleep period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the brain's waste removal mechanisms, focusing on the glymphatic and lymphatic systems, and how these processes could inform new therapeutic strategies for neurological diseases. It highlights how lymphatic drainage in the central nervous system (CNS) relies on the meningeal lymphatic vessels in the dura mater and the glymphatic system, responsible for cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) circulation and waste clearance.

Maintaining energy balance is essential for survival and health. This physiological function is controlled by the brain, which adapts food intake to energy needs. Indeed, the brain constantly receives a multitude of biological signals that are derived from digested foods or that originate from the gastrointestinal tract, energy stores (liver and adipose tissues) and other metabolically active organs (muscles). These signals, which include circulating nutrients, hormones and neuronal inputs from the periphery, collectively provide information on the overall energy status of the body. In the brain, several neuronal populations can specifically detect these signals. Nutrient‐sensing neurons are found in discrete brain areas and are highly enriched in the hypothalamus. In turn, specialized brain circuits coordinate homeostatic responses acting mainly on appetite, peripheral metabolism, activity and arousal. Accumulating evidence shows that hypothalamic microglial cells located at the vicinity of these circuits can influence the brain control of energy balance. However, microglial cells could have opposite effects on energy balance, that is homeostatic or detrimental, and the conditions for this shift are not totally understood yet. One hypothesis relies on the extent of microglial activation, and nutritional lipids can considerably change it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anti-feminist backlash has taken on a new form in the past decade with the rise of cyberattacks and the proliferation of Men's Rights Activist groups, yet scant literature exists on the nature of cyber-harassment against feminist academics. This article uses the authors' experience of cyber-harassment as a case study to explore the nature of online anti-feminist backlash against academic research. We identify three narrative forms of this backlash, which combines to create a "braided thread" of anti-feminist attacks. The academic setting presents a specific kind of cyber-hate that relies on the notion that progressive, critical researchers are "brainwashing" students. The attacks spread misinformation regarding methodological rigor in an effort to delegitimize and discredit feminist academics. Attackers also rely on tired claims of feminists as man-haters who seek to ruin men's lives. Finally, anti-feminist backlash often resorts to instances of cyber-hate—ad hominem attacks that objectify women's bodies and seek to humiliate and shame feminist scholars. These attacks are political and personal in nature, and spread misogynistic, white-supremacist, and heteronormative ideology in a vain attempt to silence feminist scholars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brain-computer interfaces have so far focused largely on enabling the control of a single effector, for example a single computer cursor or robotic arm. Restoring multi-effector motion could unlock greater functionality for people with paralysis (e.g., bimanual movement). However, it may prove challenging to decode the simultaneous motion of multiple effectors, as we recently found that a compositional neural code links movements across all limbs and that neural tuning changes nonlinearly during dual-effector motion. Here, we demonstrate the feasibility of high-quality bimanual control of two cursors via neural network (NN) decoders. Through simulations, we show that NNs leverage a neural 'laterality' dimension to distinguish between left and right-hand movements as neural tuning to both hands become increasingly correlated. In training recurrent neural networks (RNNs) for two-cursor control, we developed a method that alters the temporal structure of the training data by dilating/compressing it in time and re-ordering it, which we show helps RNNs successfully generalize to the online setting. With this method, we demonstrate that a person with paralysis can control two computer cursors simultaneously. Our results suggest that neural network decoders may be advantageous for multi-effector decoding, provided they are designed to transfer to the online setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In medieval India, the desire for "the unity of Brahman and Self" was present in the Vedānta tradition of Hinduism. Adi Śaṅkara, the master of Vedānta philosophy, proposed the six-fold sādhana: mind control, sense control, mental tranquility, endurance, potential faith, and concentration. These six-fold practices can help Vedānta followers realize unity with Brahman. In medieval Christianity, mysticism was regarded as an important path for Christians to seek a closer relationship with God. Pursuing "the unity of God and man" became the goal and direction of Christians at that time, which could be achieved through spirituality. Bonaventure, known as the Seraphic Doctor, was a representative figure of medieval Christian mysticism. He proposed six stages of spirituality: Sense, Imagination, Reason, Intelligence, Understanding, and Spark of Conscience, through which one can achieve unity with God. This article attempts to compare Bonaventure's theory of six stages of spirituality with Śaṅkara's idea of six-fold practice and discover the similarities and differences between Eastern and Western religious spirituality in the Middle Ages. Through this comparison, we can further explore the medieval religious believers' desire for ultimate reality and try to find the possibility of dialogue between Christianity and Advaita Vedānta. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Experiencing the Impossible: The Science of Magic" by Gustav Kuhn is a groundbreaking book that explores the psycho-neurological processes behind the experience of magic. It delves into the cognitive mechanisms and neurological mechanisms that underpin magical beliefs, offering insights into the mysteries of the human mind. The book discusses topics such as misdirection, magical thinking, the role of visual illusions as coping mechanisms, the coexistence of rational and magical proclivities, the subjective nature of conscious perception, the fallibility of human memory, and the phenomenon of mind control. It also examines the intersections between magic and hypnosis, magic and film, and magic and game design. This book is highly recommended for historians of science, psychologists, philosophers, graduate students, and general readers interested in the science of magic. [Extracted from the article]

Introduction: Brain metastases (BMs) are the most common intracranial tumors which occur in 24-45% of adult patients with systemic cancers each year. Although various primary extracranial tumors pose a risk for BMs, melanoma, lung, breast, colon, non - small cell lung cancers, and kidney malignancies are more likely to spread intracranially. BMs are a major contributor to morbidity and mortality in patients with systemic cancers. Currently, the management of BMs has become a great healthcare concern worldwide. Methods: A network meta-analysis (NMA) of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and a direct comparison of cohort studies were performed. Relevant literature regarding the effectiveness of SRS alone and in combination with wholebrain radiotherapy (WBRT) and surgery was retrieved using systematic database searches up to April 2019. The patterns of overall survival (OS), one-year OS, progression - free survival (PFS), one-year local brain control (LBC), one-year distant brain control (DBC), neurological death (ND), and complication rate were analyzed. A total of 18 RCTs and 37 cohorts were included in the meta - analysis. Results: Our data revealed that SRS carried a better OS than SRS+WBRT (P = 0.048) and WBRT (p = 0.041). Also, SRS+WBRT demonstrated a significantly improved PFS, LBC, and DBC compared to WBRT alone and SRS alone. Finally, SRS achieved the same LBC as high as surgery, but intracranial relapse occurred considerably more frequently in the absence of WBRT. However, there were not any significant differences in ND and toxicities between SRS and other groups. Conclusions: Therefore, SRS alone may be a better alternative since increased patient survival may outweigh the increased risk of brain tumor recurrence associated with it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The last few decades have seen major advances in neurobiology and uncovered novel genetic and cellular substrates involved in the control of physiological set points. In this Review, I discuss the limitations in the definition of homeostatic set points established by Walter B Canon and highlight evidence that two other physiological systems, namely rheostasis and allostasis provide distinct inputs to independently modify set-point levels. Using data collected over the past decade, the hypothalamic and genetic basis of regulated changes in set-point values by rheostatic mechanisms are described. Then, the role of higher-order brain regions, such as hippocampal circuits, for experience-dependent, allostatic induced changes in set-points are outlined. I propose that these systems provide a hierarchical organization of physiological stability that exists to maintain set-point values. The hierarchical organization of physiology has direct implications for basic and medical research, and clinical practice. • Multiple physiological systems exhibit variation beyond homeostatic control. • Regulated, rheostatic changes in physiological set-point enhance fitness. • A three-level hierarchical organization of physiological stability is proposed. • Homeostasis, rheostasis and allostasis have distinct genes, cells, and systems. • Computational modelling supports a multi-tiered level of physiological control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cognitive theories of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) suggest that dysfunctional beliefs influence symptoms. However, well-established belief domains do not fully explain OCD symptomatology, suggesting other cognitive mechanisms may be involved. An additional belief domain which may play a role in OCD is beliefs about losing control. Indeed, these beliefs have been found to be associated with OCD symptoms. However, the relationships between beliefs about losing control and other OCD phenomena, including other relevant dysfunctional beliefs, is unclear. The aim of this study was to examine the relationships between beliefs about losing control and appraisals hypothesized to be relevant to OCD. A total of 163 participants completed the experimental protocol, wherein they received false (positive or negative) feedback regarding the likelihood they may lose control and completed a vignette task asking them to read hypothetical scenarios relevant to OCD concerns (checking, and aggressive thoughts). Vignettes were followed by questions and prompts used to measure OCD-relevant appraisals. Based on MANOVAs, beliefs about losing control had a significant impact on appraisals in the checking, F (151) = 5.55, p =.001, and aggressive thoughts, F (151) = 2.898, p =.037, vignettes. However, planned comparison indicated that in the aggressive thoughts vignettes, this effect was in the opposite direction than was hypothesized. The losing control induction may have inadvertently influenced participants' beliefs about the utility of thought control. Findings provide preliminary evidence for an association between beliefs about losing control and OCD-relevant appraisals. • The causal role of beliefs about losing control on OCD-cognitions was investigated. • Beliefs about losing control were manipulated using false feedback. • Some evidence for associations between losing control and OCD-cognitions. • Findings were limited by issues with the experimental paradigm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although previous research on trait mindfulness has demonstrated that there are some mixed effects on various outcomes, it is unclear why mindfulness sometimes negatively relates to positive outcomes, contrary to expectations. To address this issue, we draw on ironic process theory to explain why there are distinct effects resulting from trait mindfulness. Specifically, the goals of this study were to reconfirm previous trait mindfulness profiles among Korean blue-collar workers via an ironic process theory framework and test the relationship between trait mindfulness profiles and various outcomes (i.e., work-related, physical and psychological well-being). Two blue-collar worker samples (434 fire fighters and 426 manufacturing workers) were collected. Employees reported their trait mindfulness, work-related variables, physical, and psychological well-being status. We identified four trait mindfulness profiles that represent distinct mind control processes, using latent profile analysis. Moreover, we also found that these profiles differentially predicted employee physical and psychological well-being, such that people using monitoring processes (i.e., those with a judgmentally observing profile) consistently showed a worse well-being status than people using operating processes (i.e., those with a non-judgmentally aware profile). Our study provided theoretical understanding of mindfulness profiling research as well as reconfirming its existence and consequence in Korean working contexts. • Review of the role of ironic process theory in trait mindfulness profiles • Four trait mindfulness profiles represent distinct mind control process. • Monitoring processes consistently showed worse wellness. • Operating processes showed better stress management with positive outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]