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Complex robotic systems, such as humanoid robot hands, soft robots, and walking robots, pose a challenging control problem due to their high dimensionality and heavy non-linearities. Conventional model-based feedback controllers demonstrate robustness and stability but struggle to cope with the escalating system design and tuning complexity accompanying larger dimensions. In contrast, data-driven methods such as artificial neural networks excel at representing high-dimensional data but lack robustness, generalization, and real-time adaptiveness. In response to these challenges, researchers are directing their focus to biological paradigms, drawing inspiration from the remarkable control capabilities inherent in the human body. This has motivated the exploration of new control methods aimed at closely emulating the motor functions of the brain given the current insights in neuroscience. Recent investigation into these Brain-Inspired control techniques have yielded promising results, notably in tasks involving trajectory tracking and robot locomotion. This paper presents a comprehensive review of the foremost trends in biomimetic brain-inspired controlmethods to tackle the intricacies associated with controlling complex robotic systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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]

Unwanted intrusive thoughts (UITs) have been studied in obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) but, despite the relationship between OCD and depression, there is a relative paucity of research investigating intrusive thoughts in patients with depression. The present study investigated intrusive thoughts in participants with OCD, major depressive disorder (MDD), and non-clinical participants. Participants with OCD (n = 50), MDD (n = 50), and non-clinical participants (n = 80) were assessed with the International Intrusive Thoughts Interview Schedule (IITIS), an interview protocol designed to assess UITs. Participants with OCD reported significantly more contamination thoughts but significantly fewer harm, religious/immoral, and other intrusive thoughts than those with MDD. Participants with OCD further endorsed greater frequency, distress, and importance of removing thoughts, and more difficulty removing intrusive thoughts of contamination compared to the MDD and non-clinical samples. The thought appraisal strategies of intolerance of uncertainty and thought-action fusion were reported more frequently in the OCD group compared to the MDD group. Thought control strategies, ritual checking and doing nothing were reported more in the OCD than the MDD group, whereas non-clinical participants reported utilizing more distraction compared to those with OCD and MDD. The results suggest that UITs are common across OCD, depressed patients and community sample. [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]

This study outlines a typology of dystopias and narrative allegories about Communist Romania, discussing three famous novels: The Black Church by A. E. Baconsky, The Second Messenger by Bujor Nedelcovici, and Farewell, Europe! by Ion D. Sîrbu. The three novels were prohibited from being published during the Communist regime of Nicolae Ceaușescu and became drawer manuscripts, seeing the light of print only after the fall of Communism, in 1990, 1991, and 1992-1993. Baconsky’s novel circulated in samizdat (between 1976-1977) and was made into a series by the Munich-based Radio Free Europe, which broadcast clandestinely inside Romania. Nedelcovici’s novel was translated into French in 1985, and was very successful. In Romanian literature, Ion D. Sîrbu’s novel is considered the most important “drawer” work. All three novels, as dystopias, allegories and parables, focus on three recurrent topics: the world of oppressors, the world of victims and the method of brainwashing.

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]

The peak prevalence of multiple sclerosis has shifted into older age groups, but co-occurring and possibly synergistic motoric and cognitive declines in this patient population are poorly understood. Dual-task-walking performance, subserved by the prefrontal cortex, and compromised in multiple sclerosis and aging, predicts health outcomes. Whether acute practice can improve dual-task walking performance and prefrontal cortex hemodynamic response efficiency in multiple sclerosis has not been reported. To address this gap in the literature, the current study examined task- and practice-related effects on dual-task-walking and associated brain activation in older adults with multiple sclerosis and controls. Multiple sclerosis (n = 94, mean age = 64.76 ± 4.19 years) and control (n = 104, mean age = 68.18 ± 7.01 years) participants were tested under three experimental conditions (dual-task-walk, single-task-walk, and single-task-alpha) administered over three repeated counterbalanced trials. Functional near-infrared-spectroscopy was used to evaluate task- and practice-related changes in prefrontal cortex oxygenated hemoglobin. Gait and cognitive performances declined, and prefrontal cortex oxygenated hemoglobin was higher in dual compared to both single task conditions in both groups. Gait and cognitive performances improved over trials in both groups. There were greater declines over trials in oxygenated hemoglobin in dual-task-walk compared to single-task-walk in both groups. Among controls, but not multiple sclerosis participants, declines over trials in oxygenated hemoglobin were greater in dual-task-walk compared to single-task-alpha. Dual-task walking and associated prefrontal cortex activation efficiency improved during a single session, but improvement in neural resource utilization, although significant, was attenuated in multiple sclerosis participants. These findings suggest encouraging brain adaptability in aging and neurological disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This study explores the emotional impact of virtual forest therapy delivered through audio-visual recordings shown to patients in the oncology waiting rooms, focusing on whether simulated forest walks can positively influence patients' emotional states compared to traditional waiting room stimuli. Methods: The study involved 117 participants from a diverse group of oncology patients in the outpatient clinic waiting room at the Masaryk Memorial Cancer Institute. Using a partially randomized controlled trial design, the study assessed basic emotional dimensions--valence and arousal--as well as specific psychological states such as thought control, sadness, anxiety, and pain. This assessment used the Self-Assessment Manikin and the modified Emotional Thermometer before and after participants watched three video types (forest, sea, news). Baseline stress levels were measured using the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K6). Results: Participants exposed to forest and sea videos reported significant improvements in emotional valence and reduced arousal, suggesting a calming and uplifting effect. No significant changes were observed in the control and news groups. Secondary outcomes related to anxiety, sadness, and pain showed no significant interaction effects, though small but significant main effects of time on these variables were noted. Discussion: The findings suggest that videos of forest and sea can be a beneficial intervention in the oncology waiting rooms by enhancing patients' emotional well-being. This pilot study underscores the potential for integrating virtual mental health support elements into healthcare settings to improve patient care experience. [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.

Conspiracy theories (CTs) are spectacular narratives, widely spread, that pose societal threats. We test whether CTs might be linguistically creative products, which would facilitate their transmission and thereby account for their widespread popularity. We analyzed nominal compounds (e.g., mind control, carbon dioxide; N = 1,713,568) from a large corpus of conspiracist and mainstream texts matched by topic. In conspiracist texts, compounds showed greater originality, divergence, and sophistication, but they were used with lower frequency and were more often repeated in different contexts. This pattern suggests a creative aspect in the generation of compounds, coupled with rigidity in their use. We interpret these findings as an effect of loosely defined conceptual boundaries among conspiracist writers, in conjunction with social functions like status or group signaling. Our findings not only contribute to the discourse on creativity in CTs but also provide insights into the communicative advantage of CTs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article, "Portrait of the Artist off His Onion," provides a review of Evelyn Waugh's novel, "The Ordeal of Gilbert Pinfold: A Conversation Piece." It discusses the different periods in Waugh's career and praises his ability to capture the essence of each era in his art. The article also highlights the comprehensive and scholarly nature of the Oxford University Press edition of the novel, which includes contextual notes and textual variants. It mentions an alternate ending to the novel and emphasizes Waugh's use of parody and allusion in his writing. The text explores how Waugh's personal experiences with mental illness influenced his work, citing specific incidents such as his delusion about a missing piece of a washstand and his disappointment while rewatching a Charlie Chaplin film. It also mentions Waugh's interactions with interviewers and his wife during his struggles with mental health. The article suggests that Waugh incorporated his own experiences into "The Ordeal of Gilbert Pinfold" and defends his use of confessional elements in his writing. [Extracted from the article]

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]

Copyright of International Journal of Sports Science & Arts - English is the property of Helwan University, Faculty of Physical Education for Girls and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

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]

This study outlines a typology of dystopias and narrative allegories about Communist Romania, discussing three famous novels: The Black Church by A. E. Baconsky, The Second Messenger by Bujor Nedelcovici, and Farewell, Europe! by Ion D. Sîrbu. The three novels were prohibited from being published during the Communist regime of Nicolae Ceaușescu and became drawer manuscripts, seeing the light of print only after the fall of Communism, in 1990, 1991, and 1992-1993. Baconsky's novel circulated in samizdat (between 1976-1977) and was made into a series by the Munich-based Radio Free Europe, which broadcast clandestinely inside Romania. Nedelcovici's novel was translated into French in 1985, and was very successful. In Romanian literature, Ion D. Sîrbu's novel is considered the most important "drawer" work. All three novels, as dystopias, allegories and parables, focus on three recurrent topics: the world of oppressors, the world of victims and the method of brainwashing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) is a complex condition with both mechanical and chemical effects, resulting in mortality rates of 50-80%. Recent reports advocate for neuroendoscopic treatment, particularly endoscopic brainwashing (EBW), but long-term functional outcomes remain insufficiently explored. This study aims to outline the step-by-step procedure of EBW as applied in our institution, providing results and comparing them with those of external ventricular drainage (EVD) alone. Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of adult patients with IVH who underwent EBW and patients submitted to EVD alone at our institution. All medical records were reviewed to describe clinical and radiological characteristics. Results: Although both groups had similar baseline factors, EBW patients exhibited a larger hemoventricle (median Graeb score 25 vs. 23 in EVD, P = 0.03) and a higher prevalence of chronic kidney disease and diabetes. Short-term mortality was lower in EBW (52% and 60% at 1 and 6 months) compared to EVD (80% for both), though not statistically significant (P = 0.06). At one month, 16% of EBW patients achieved a good outcome (Modified Rankin scale < 3) versus none in the EVD group (P = 0.1). In the long term, favorable outcomes were observed in 32% of EBW patients and 11% of EVD patients (P = 0.03), with no significant difference in shunt dependency. Conclusion: Comparing EBW and EVD, patients submitted to the former treatment have the highest modified Graeb scores and, at a long-term follow-up, have better outcomes, demonstrated by the improvement of the patients in the follow-up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A crucial gap in the medical history of the Korean War is the history of psychiatry during the Korean War. War puts those who participate in it through physical and mental extremes, inflicting not only physical injuries but also psychological trauma and damage. However, studies of the medical aspects of the Korean War have been limited to topics related to physical injuries and their treatment, and there are no studies that systematically summarize the traumatic effects on the human mind thrown into the midst of the war, the consequences of these effects, and the medical efforts made to deal with these problems. As the Korean War was fought only five years after the end of the Second World War, the experiences and achievements of the Second World War were used in the Korean War. In terms of personnel, many of the soldiers who fought in the Second World War also fought in the Korean War. This continuity with the Second World War had both positive and negative aspects. On the positive side, treatment and transport systems were quickly put in place to respond to the large numbers of soldiers with psychiatric problems on the front lines early in the war. This is an example of a positive use of the legacy of the Second World War. On the other hand, the negative side of the coin was the much higher frequency of psychiatric symptoms among veterans of the Second World War. This could be explained by the fact that the psychological trauma experienced on the battlefield during the Second World War remained latent and was reactivated in the Korean War as a kind of conditioned reflex. In addition, the brainwashing of prisoners of war and their subsequent psychological problems are also characteristic of the Korean War in the context of the Cold War. These psychiatric features of the Korean War will provide a useful historical example for understanding and helping those who are inevitably involved in war and suffer from mental distress.

The purpose of this study was to characterize changes in cortical activity and connectivity in stroke survivors when vibration is applied to the wrist flexor tendons during a visuomotor tracking task. Data were collected from 10 chronic stroke participants and 10 neurologically-intact controls while tracking a target through a figure-8 pattern in the horizontal plane. Electroencephalography (EEG) was used to measure cortical activity (beta band desynchronization) and connectivity (beta band task-based coherence) with movement kinematics and performance error also being recorded during the task. All participants came into our lab on two separate days and performed three blocks (16 trials each, 48 total trials) of tracking, with the middle block including vibration or sham applied at the wrist flexor tendons. The order of the sessions (Vibe vs. Sham) was counterbalanced across participants to prevent ordering effects. During the Sham session, cortical activity increased as the tracking task progressed (over blocks). This effect was reduced when vibration was applied to controls. In contrast, vibration increased cortical activity during the vibration period in participants with stroke. Cortical connectivity increased during vibration, with larger effect sizes in participants with stroke. Changes in tracking performance, standard deviation of hand speed, were observed in both control and stroke groups. Overall, EEG measures of brain activity and connectivity provided insight into effects of vibration on brain control of a visuomotor task. The increases in cortical activity and connectivity with vibration improved patterns of activity in people with stroke. These findings suggest that reactivation of normal cortical networks via tendon vibration may be useful during physical rehabilitation of stroke patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are an emerging tool in the treatment of brain metastases (BMs), Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), traditionally used for BMs, elicits an immune brain response and can act synergistically with ICIs. We aim to investigate the efficacy of ICI administered with SRS and determine the impact of timing on BM response. Methods: A systematical search was performed to identify potential studies concerning BMs managed with SRS alone or with SRS + ICI with relative timing administration (ICI concurrent with SRS, ICI noncon-current with SRS, SRS before ICI, SRS after ICI). The overall survival (OS), 12-month OS, local progression-free survival (LPFS), 12-month local brain control (LBC), distant progression-free survival (DPFS), 12-month distant brain control (DBC), and adverse events (intracranial hemorrhage, radionecrosis) were analyzed using the random-effects model. Results: A total of 16 retrospective studies with 1356 BM patients were included. Compared to noncon-current therapy, concurrent therapy revealed a significantly longer OS (HR= 1.43; p = 0.008) and 12-months LBC (HR = 1.91; p = 0.04), a similar 12-months DBC (HR = 1.12; p = 0.547) and higher complication rate (R = 0.77; p = 0.346). Concurrent therapy leads to a significantly higher OS compared to ICI before SRS (HR = 2.55; p = 0.0003). Conclusion: The combination of SRS with ICI improves patients' clinical and radiological outcomes. The effectiveness of the combination is subject to the identification of an optimal therapeutic window. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper analyses the susceptibility of the youths against political-religious polarisations as presented in the Indian (Hindi) superhero comic books. The focus will be on the character, Doga (Raj comics) as he appears in the comics from 1996 to 2019. This analysis will be carried out within the framework of deconstruction applied via political discourse analysis. The paper will read these titles - Doga Hindu Hai (Doga is Hindu) series, Doga ko Gado (Bury Doga) etc. These texts deal with political issues that are coloured with religious tones portraying situations in which youths usually go astray. However, the response of the protagonist to these challenges, channelises these discontents sometimes through his own example and sometimes through appeal and yet sometimes through use of force, into positive outcomes. These artistic responses offer both the wish fulfilment to mitigate the atmosphere of peril and incites alternate reactions to the quotidian (and generally political) answers. The paper is divided into the following sections – No country for the young, Comics and crisis, People and publication, Origins, Politics and youth delinquency, Poverty and delinquency, Catch 'em Young, Colours of riot, Dalit and Doga and conclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Literature & Humanities / Edebiyat ve Beşeri Bilimler Dergisi is the property of Ataturk University Coordinatorship of Scientific Journals and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The article aimed to identify the dominant brain control patterns among female students enrolled in the gymnastics training course and the difference in the level of skill performance of gymnastics and choreography skills among female students according to the pattern of brain control on a sample of 101 female students registered in the gymnastics training course. The researcher used the descriptive approach for its relevance to the subject and objectives of the study. The researcher used statistical treatments (t-test) for independent groups, percentages, and Cronbach's alpha. The study results concluded that the left pattern of brain control is predominant among students enrolled in the gymnastics training course. There are no significant differences in the level of skill performance among the female students enrolled in the gymnastics training course due to the variable of brain control pattern in both gymnastics skills and choreography skills, and the average difference in gymnastics skills in favor of the students with the right style at the expense of the students with the left style, and the average difference in the choreography skills in favor of the students with the left pattern, at the expense of the students with the right pattern. In the study of identifying the pattern of brain mastery among female students before the educational process, the teacher must choose the appropriate teaching methods for each pattern and conduct more studies on the pattern of brain control and its impact on the level of skill performance for the rest of the gymnastics equipment and conducting more studies on the pattern of brain control and its impact on the level of skill performance in other sports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Brain–Computer Interface (BCI) is a medium for communication between the human brain and computers, which does not rely on other human neural tissues, but only decodes Electroencephalography (EEG) signals and converts them into commands to control external devices. Motor Imagery (MI) is an important BCI paradigm that generates a spontaneous EEG signal without external stimulation by imagining limb movements to strengthen the brain's compensatory function, and it has a promising future in the field of computer-aided diagnosis and rehabilitation technology for brain diseases. However, there are a series of technical difficulties in the research of motor imagery-based brain–computer interface (MI-BCI) systems, such as: large individual differences in subjects and poor performance of the cross-subject classification model; a low signal-to-noise ratio of EEG signals and poor classification accuracy; and the poor online performance of the MI-BCI system. To address the above problems, this paper proposed a combined virtual electrode-based EEG Source Analysis (ESA) and Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) method for MI-EEG signal feature extraction and classification. The outcomes reveal that the online MI-BCI system developed based on this method can improve the decoding ability of multi-task MI-EEG after training, it can learn generalized features from multiple subjects in cross-subject experiments and has some adaptability to the individual differences of new subjects, and it can decode the EEG intent online and realize the brain control function of the intelligent cart, which provides a new idea for the research of an online MI-BCI system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Praxis der Rechtspsychologie is the property of Hogrefe Verlag GmbH & Co. KG and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

During the Korean War, it has been claimed that the Chinese People's Volunteer (CPV) army "brainwashed" the American prisoners of war (POWs) into automatons. Recently declassified Chinese documents shed new light on a racial perspective in this story. Although the CPV activated an ambitious communist indoctrination program for the POWs in early 1951, the anticipated ideological struggle did not take place. By June 1951, the Chinese commissars overseeing American POWs discovered that these Americans were not the "proletariat brothers" deceived by the Wall Street financial capitalists. Rather, many of them rallied around Ku Klux Klan organizations to disrupt camp order and to resist the Chinese indoctrination. After mid-1951, the CPV essentially abandoned the goal of ideological conversion and prioritized controlling the POWs through none ideological means of alienation, self-punishment, and self-policing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is a chronic and long-lasting illness affecting approximately 2% of the population. Up to 40%–60% of patients with OCD do not have satisfactory outcomes, thereby leading to disability in performing daily routine activities. Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) provides a substitute for old-fashioned psychotherapies, as it involves the client directly experiencing the problematic emotion, that is, anxiety and obsessions in the case of OCD. Aim: To observe the effect of ACT on patients with OCD and compare its effect on obsessive compulsive symptoms, thought control, thought and action fusion, acceptance and action, and depression. Materials and Methods: A total of 62 patients diagnosed with OCD as per Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) in the age range between 18 and 60 years, having duration of illness less than two years, both male and female, literate and illiterate, hailing from rural and urban background, were included in the study. For pre- and post-assessment Yale-Brown Obsessive and Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS), Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS), acceptance and commitment questionnaire, thought control questionnaire, and thought and action fusion questionnaire were used in this study, and ACT was used for management of OCD. Results: There is a significant difference between the groups treated with ACT and those treated as usual, on every domain of thought control questionnaire (TCQ) -- distraction (t = 9.07), social control (t = 11.13), worry (t = 11.93), punishment (t = 16.78), and re-appraisal (t = 16.47). Significance is also seen in the thought and action fusion in the moral domain (t = 16.22), the likelihood domain (t = 16.49), and others (t = 9.23). On Y-BOCS, HDRS, and acceptance and action questionnaire (AAQ) both groups show a significant difference between each other. Conclusion: The findings of the present study indicate that ACT is a productive method for patients with OCD as it encourages the patient to accept and integrate their lived experiences, challenges effective responses, and recognizes and eliminates the controlling dimensions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Focused-distraction strategies are commonly used for thought control, but their effectiveness in handling personal worries with different types of distractors has rarely been examined. To examine this issue, 101 undergraduate and graduate students whose depression levels fell below mild depression were recruited (64.4% female, Mage = 20.27) and were randomly assigned to one of the three strategy conditions: 34 participants for the focused-breathing strategy (FBS), 34 for the focused-positive-distractor strategy (FPS), and 33 for the focused-neutral-distractor strategy (FNS). After a short introduction and practice, they applied the assigned strategy during a 5-min worry control session to prevent thoughts regarding a recent worrying event. The number of worry intrusions was measured using an online self-caught method. Participants rated their emotional states before and after the worry control session. Their working memory capacities (WMCs) and depressive tendency were comparable across conditions. The results showed the FBS and FPS groups exhibited fewer worry intrusions than did the FNS group. Furthermore, worry intrusions were negatively related to WMC for the FNS group but independent of WMC for the other two. The above findings together indicate that the FBS and FPS are relatively effective and effortless methods for reducing worry intrusions. Negative emotions decreased after the worry control session for all groups. However, decoupling of negative emotions from worry intrusions was only observed for the FBS and FNS groups. Overall, FBS outperforms FPS and FNS in managing worries from the above aspects. Several theoretical and practical implications of the study were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article "For they know (not) what they do: German studies on mind control, targeted personality splitting and induced amnesias.: A reply to the critique by Schröder et al. (2023)" by Niehaus and Krause discusses the complexities of sex criminal proceedings and the potential for errors in determining the credibility of victims' statements and the existence of false memories. The authors criticize a research group led by Briken for proposing the existence of mind control, personality splitting, and induced amnesia in the context of organized ritual sexual abuse, arguing that there is no scientific evidence to support these claims. Schröder et al. respond to this critique, claiming that Niehaus and Krause have overlooked existing research and misinterpreted their own results. They argue that the research group's publications may have adverse implications in legal and therapeutic contexts. The text emphasizes the need for responsible behavior and a stronger scientific foundation to protect vulnerable individuals. [Extracted from the article]

Copyright of Symposium: Canadian Journal of Continental Philosophy / Revue Canadienne de Philosophie Continentale is the property of Canadian Society for Continental Philosophy and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

"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]