Elsevier最新文献

Introduction: Self-disclosure is a fundamental aspect of human communication, particularly important for adolescents. As adolescents navigate the gradual transition from parental reliance to individual autonomy, they increasingly turn to their peers as trusted confidants. Although self-disclosure has been associated with positive psychological outcomes among adolescents, research remains limited, inconsistent, and outdated, particularly in the Majority World.

Methods: This study examined the direct relations between self-disclosure and psychological well-being among 192 Chinese adolescents and explored the indirect associations via self-perception. Adolescents (M_age = 13.18 years, SD = 1.1, 57.3% girls) reported their self-disclosure behaviors with best friends, self-perception, and psychological well-being.

Results: Results showed that Chinese adolescents reported a medium to high level of disclosure with their best friends, with no significant sex differences. Adolescents disclosed the most on school-related topics and the least about boy-girl relationships, with girls perceiving certain topics as more intimate than boys. Consistent with existing literature, self-disclosure was positively associated with overall psychological well-being (particularly the subfactors of self-acceptance, positive relationships, and personal growth). The indirect relation between self-disclosure and psychological well-being via perceived social competence was significant.

Conclusions: These findings underscore the important role of self-disclosure in supporting to foster adolescents' mental well-being and reveal enhanced social competence as one potential pathway linking the two. Overall, the study confirms the links between self-disclosure and youth well-being and adds to our understanding of disclosure behaviors among Chinese adolescents.

Background: Primary aldosteronism (PA) is a common yet underdiagnosed cause of secondary hypertension, particularly in young patients presenting with severe disease.

Case summary: A 31-year-old woman presented with malignant hypertension (264/144 mm Hg), severe hypokalemia (K⁺ level 2.60 mmol/L), and acute pulmonary edema. Her initial work-up during nicardipine and furosemide infusion showed a normal aldosterone-to-renin ratio (ARR), leading to misdiagnosis as essential hypertension. Over a 3-year follow-up, she developed refractory hypertension during pregnancy and preeclampsia. She was readmitted with torsades de pointes triggered by severe hypokalemia (K⁺ level 1.90 mmol/L). Repeat testing revealed a markedly elevated ARR (667.26). Adrenal venous sampling confirmed right-sided PA. Right adrenalectomy confirmed a cortical adenoma, with subsequent normalization of blood pressure and potassium levels.

Discussion: This case report highlights the interference of common medications in PA diagnosis, delineates the complete pathophysiological cascade from aldosterone excess to life-threatening arrhythmia, and reveals the dynamic nature of PA-associated adrenal nodules.

Take-home messages: Clinicians must be vigilant about the confounding effects of common antihypertensive agents on ARR interpretation and should consider adrenal imaging as part of the dynamic management of PA. Adrenal venous sampling remains paramount for surgical planning.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a common neurodegenerative disorder wherein reactive oxygen species (ROS) and Amyloid-β-protein (Aβ) play critical roles. Inspired by traditional Chinese charcoal drug and the anti-inflammatory properties of some carbon dots, we developed Radix Isatidis derived carbon dots (RI-CDs) via a hydrothermal method. The RI-CDs can cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and were thus evaluated for AD therapy. In vitro, RI-CDs scavenged ROS, inhibited Aβ₄₂ aggregation, protected SH-SY5Y cells, and regulated inflammatory factors. In AD mice, the Morris water maze test and nesting experiment demonstrated that RI-CDs improved the learning and memory ability of mice and improved their nesting ability. Importantly, RI-CDs reduced ROS/Aβ₄₂ in the hippocampus of AD mice, downregulated NLRP3 pathway-related cellular inflammatory factors, and upregulated the expression of BDNF/SYN/PSD95, thereby restoring damaged neurons. These findings demonstrate the compelling neuroprotective efficacy of RI-CDs, highlighting their potential as a promising therapeutic agent for AD.

The spread of health wish rumors (misinformation promising unverified solutions to health threats) poses significant risks to public health decision-making. By integrating rumor typology and the Extended Parallel Process Model (EPPM), this study investigates how fear appeals amplify the Continued Influence Effect (CIE) of health wish rumors and their behavioral consequences. Through two experiments (N = 180), we demonstrate that health wish rumors under fear appeals sustain reliance on corrected falsehoods and increase purchase intentions by leveraging perceived efficacy. Experiment 1 (N = 54 undergraduates) employed a within-subjects design to compare inference scores and purchase intentions among three conditions: fear appeal misinformation correction, general appeal misinformation correction, and no-misinformation control. Linear mixed models revealed fear appeal misinformation corrections yielded significantly higher inference scores (b = 0.96, p < 0.001) and purchase intentions (b = 0.73, p < 0.001) than no-misinformation controls. Experiment 2 (N = 126 diverse adults) replicated these effects and identified perceived efficacy as the critical mediator (CIE: partial mediation, ab = 0.24, 95% CI [0.05, 0.46]; purchase intentions: full mediation, ab = 0.26, 95% CI [0.06, 0.51]), whereas perceived threat showed no mediating role. These findings challenge static rumor typology assumptions by showing that fear contexts override the reputed correctability of health wish rumors. This work reveals how health wish rumors can exploit the persuasiveness of fear appeal by inflating perceived efficacy. It also provides actionable insights for combating real-world health rumors, demonstrating that debunking efforts should prioritize reducing efficacy beliefs about health wish rumors.

Bromate, a possible carcinogenic byproduct of ozonation, is potentially removed by the ultraviolet (UV)/sulfite advanced reduction process (ARP), with hydrated electrons playing a major role. However, this process becomes less efficient under acidic to neutral pHs and remains limited to the use of conventional mercury UV lamps. To address these issues, a UV-light emitting diode (UV-LED)-based ARP was studied for bromate removal using thiosulfate as an alternative reducing agent and UV-LEDs emitting at 265 nm and 280 nm as a radiation source. The UV-LED₂₆₅/thiosulfate process effectively reduced 100 ± 0.0% of the initial bromate concentration (4.0 μM) at pH 6.4 ± 0.1, following the pseudo first-order rate constant of 1.3 × 10^-2 min^-1. Meanwhile, the UV-LED₂₆₅/sulfite process attained only 11.6 ± 1.4% bromate degradation efficiency. Results of electron paramagnetic resonance and scavenging experiments indicate that hydrated electrons and sulfite radicals derived from the UV-LED₂₆₅/thiosulfate process played a significant role in bromate degradation. The process demonstrated optimal performance within a pH range of 5.8-6.4, with higher thiosulfate doses accelerating the bromate removal efficiency. Furthermore, excessive chloride and bicarbonate concentrations interfered with the bromate removal. Comparable energy consumption (electrical energy per order of 27.4 kWh/m³) with UV/sulfite processes has demonstrated the potential of UV-LED₂₆₅/thiosulfate ARPs for effective bromate degradation, using a sustainable UV radiation source and compatible with acidic ozone-treated water.

Sandy soils present key limitations to sustainable agriculture due to low water retention, poor aggregation, and limited nutrient-holding capacity, motivating the use of amendments to overcome these constraints. This study evaluated zeolite, bentonite, and aluminum hydroxide (Al(OH)₃) at 2, 5, and 10 wt%, with and without biochar, on the physical, chemical, and gas-exchange properties of a sandy soil in addition to an agronomy implication under greenhouse conditions. Results showed that all clay minerals reduced soil bulk density, improved aggregation, and increased available water content (AWC), particularly with biochar (e.g., 10% bentonite + biochar gave the highest AWC, +172%; 10% Al(OH)₃ + biochar produced the lowest bulk density, -12%). Biochar's effects were not always additive, as it moderated chemical shifts by buffering pH and reducing EC. In gas exchange, Al(OH)₃ markedly increased CO₂ emissions (+1833%), and this effect further amplified with biochar (+2346%), while CH₄ fluxes remained negative (uptake). To verify agricultural relevance, millet was cultivated under identical greenhouse conditions. In soil only treatments, all minerals exceeded the control; the best response occurred at 5% Al(OH)₃ (+278%), followed by 5% bentonite (+160%). Increasing to 10% did not add benefit because EC with Al(OH)₃ and wilting point with bentonite rose significantly that inversely affect the plants growth. With biochar, responses increased overall, peaking at 5% bentonite + biochar (+315%) and 5% Al(OH)₃ + biochar (+312%). These results provide practical guidance for selecting amendment combinations to balance water retention, fertility, aeration, and greenhouse gas outcomes.