Digital nomadism is increasingly seen as an aspirational lifestyle, yet many face a psychological tension between freedom and loneliness. Drawing on self-determination theory (SDT), we conceptualise this freedom-loneliness paradox as an autonomy-relatedness trade-off, and use the sense of virtual community (SOVC) framework to theorise how community-based support can satisfy relatedness needs. This study examines how perceived freedom and anticipated loneliness shape digital nomad intentions. It also tests whether virtual companionship via AI or online communities can mitigate loneliness. In Study 1 (N = 350), a survey showed that perceived freedom positively predicted nomad intentions, whereas anticipated loneliness exerted a stronger negative effect, prior solo travel experience and social media use buffered the negative association between loneliness and intention. In Study 2 (final analytic N = 350), an experiment randomly assigned participants to a baseline information control condition or one of three interventions (AI companion, online community, or a hybrid condition combining both). All interventions reduced anticipated loneliness and increased digital nomad intentions relative to the control, with the hybrid condition yielding the strongest improvements. Moderation analyses further indicated that individuals with less prior solo travel experience benefited more from the interventions, and mediation analyses confirmed loneliness reduction partially mediated intervention effects. Findings highlight the potential of integrating AI- and community-based support to rebalance autonomy and relatedness needs in mobile work contexts, with implications for computer-mediated social support and practical guidance for designing digital well-being technologies for mobile professionals.
During liver injury, early pathological changes may go unnoticed, delaying the diagnosis until the disease has advanced to stages such as fibrosis, cirrhosis, or hepatocellular carcinoma. Hepatic fibrosis is a sign of long-term liver injury that leads toward permanent liver damage. It involves the buildup of too much extracellular matrix (ECM) and is activated by hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). The transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1)/SMAD pathway is central to this process, which shows great potential for therapeutic strategies. Therefore, we investigated the therapeutic potential of microRNA (miRNA)-mediated regulation of fibrogenesis by using zebrafish models. A group of fibrosis-related miRNAs was identified and used to generate transgenic zebrafish lines. Fibrosis was induced via doxycycline (DOX)-controlled overexpression of TGF-β1a, and the antifibrotic efficacy of miRNAs was evaluated. Quantitative real-time PCR showed a marked downregulation of the target miRNAs, accompanied by decreased expression of fibrotic markers. Next, we confirmed that TGF-β1a, GREM1, and α-SMA protein levels were decreasing. Histological staining revealed improved liver structure and diminished collagen deposition. These findings indicate that through manipulating the miRNA expressions, we can effectively disrupt TGF-β-induced fibrogenesis, inactivate HSC, inhibit ECM remodeling, and attenuate liver fibrosis, and highlight the potential of miRNA-based therapeutic strategies for early intervention in liver disease. MicroRNA-mediated modulation attenuates hepatic fibrosis by coordinately suppressing the TGF-β/SMAD signaling pathway, hepatic stellate cell activation, and extracellular matrix deposition. Protein-level validation confirms reduced phosphorylation of Smad2 and decreased expression of key fibrotic markers, including α-SMA, collagen I, and fibronectin. These findings highlight a multi-target regulatory mechanism through which miRNAs exert antifibrotic effects at the systems level.
The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of high ambient temperature and varying humidity levels on critical power (CP) and physiological variables in cyclists. Twelve male cyclists (age 36 ± 8 years, body height 172 ± 4 cm, body mass 72 ± 10 kg) performed incremental exercise tests (IET) and 3-min all-out tests (3MT) under three environmental conditions: high temperature with high relative humidity (Ht-wet), high temperature with low relative humidity (Ht-dry), and neutral temperature with low relative humidity (Nt-dry). Physiological responses, including maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) and ventilatory thresholds (VT1, VT2) were assessed relative to power output (wVO2max, wVT1, wVT2). End power (EP), anaerobic work capacity (WEP), and time to exhaustion were also measured. Results showed that VO2max and wVO2max did not differ among conditions, whereas VT2 and wVT1 were highest under the Nt-dry, intermediate under the Ht-dry, and lowest under the Ht-wet condition (p < 0.05). For VT1 and wVT2, values under the Ht-wet condition were significantly lower than under Nt-dry and Ht-dry conditions (p < 0.05). During the 3MT, EP, peak power, and average power were significantly higher under the Nt-dry than under Ht-dry and Ht-wet conditions (p < 0.05). In conclusion, high temperature reduced 3MT performance compared with the neutral condition, with no additional decline between Ht-wet and Ht-dry conditions. In contrast, VT and wVT were most reduced under the Ht-wet condition, indicating greater impairment of submaximal physiological responses under hot-humid conditions. These results suggest that humidity mainly affects threshold-related outcomes rather than 3MT performance. Environmental heat should therefore be considered when applying 3MT-derived variables for training prescription.
Efficient sweat evaporation during exercise or prolonged exertion is essential to maintain thermal comfort. Herein, we report a thermoresponsive polyester textile engineered by grafting N,N-diethylacrylamide (DEAA) onto a commercial PET/PEG copolyester (SRT) to produce poly(SRT-g-DEAA). The graft copolymer was melt-blended into masterbatch pellets, melt-spun into 75 D/72 F draw-textured yarns, and fabricated into single-jersey fabrics. Structural, thermal, and optical characterization confirmed successful grafting and revealed a lower critical solution temperature (LCST) of approximately 31 degrees C-32 degrees C, corresponding to a reversible transition from hydrophilic to hydrophobic behavior. Fabrics prepared from the optimized composition (p[SRT-g-DEAA]-1.5) exhibited substantially improved moisture management: drying time was reduced by 45.4% relative to commercial PET, and dynamic water-evaporation behavior was markedly enhanced. Unlike conventional approaches that rely on post-finish coatings, this methodology integrates the responsive moiety directly into the fiber matrix, preserving processability and thermal stability in masterbatch form. The resulting textiles demonstrate strong potential for smart sportswear and other functional apparel requiring adaptive temperature and humidity regulation.
In subtropical climates, hot and humid air results in significant electricity consumption for air-conditioning in residential and commercial buildings. This study aims to develop a high-efficiency hybrid air-conditioning system specifically designed for such climates. The proposed system integrates shallow geothermal energy, a desiccant wheel, and a ground-source heat pump, and separates the treatment of ventilation loads and indoor sensible heat loads, with multiple operating modes defined based on outdoor air conditions. Ventilation loads are managed through three distinct modes, selected according to the outdoor air humidity ratio. 65 test scenarios under varying ambient conditions were examined, showing that most supply air conditions remained within the thermal comfort zone. Indoor sensible heat loads were handled by a fan coil unit using chilled water, shallow geothermal groundwater, or hot water, depending on outdoor air temperature. Field experiments under subtropical climate conditions indicated that the proposed system reduced energy consumption by 34.3 % in a hot and humid summer and 18.7 % in mild spring and autumn periods. Annual operation analysis revealed that shallow geothermal groundwater alone could satisfy indoor sensible heat loads for approximately 39.5 % of the year; however, due to persistently high humidity, the desiccant wheel was required for about 49.7 % of operational hours. Full-scale field testing successfully demonstrated the system's feasibility under subtropical climate conditions. Economic analysis further indicated a discounted payback period of approximately 8 years.
