High sensitivity C-reactive protein in response to acute stress in healthy men and women.

Climate change will continue to increase the frequency and intensity of flood events in North Carolina for the foreseeable future. The extreme flooding in Western North Carolina caused by Tropical Storm Helene in September of 2024 is a recent and devastating example of this trend. Communities of color and low‐income populations are more likely to reside in flood‐prone areas due to structural factors, including residential racial segregation and economic inequality. As such, the adverse health and financial consequences of flood exposure overburden historically marginalized communities, which may have a more limited adaptive capacity to anticipate, respond to, and recover from flood events. Exposure to severe flooding further exacerbates chronic health conditions by impeding access to vital healthcare infrastructure and services. This study examines the spatial patterning of coastal and inland flood risk, neighborhood‐level structural determinants (i.e., racial and economic inequality), and flood‐sensitive health conditions in North Carolina using bivariate local indicators of spatial autocorrelation (LISA) statistics. High‐high clusters capture areas where neighborhoods with high racial or economic inequality surround elevated flood risks. These clusters are distinguished by select sociodemographic characteristics and concentrated in the eastern coastal and western mountainous regions of North Carolina. Cluster locations are priority areas for targeted resource allocation and interventions that strengthen the adaptive capacity of these communities in the context of climate change.

Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are a distinct group of illness that are primarily prevailing in the tropical regions. NTDs are caused by diverse pathogens including viruses, bacteria, parasites, fungi and toxins, resulting in adverse health, social and economic outcomes. Currently, more than one billion people globally are affected with NTDs, therefore, precise and rapid diagnostic mechanisms are integral for detection and control of NTDs. However, the NTDs programs are underinvested in the progression and enhancement of diagnostic tools. Due to this reason, WHO has released a new road map for NTD 2021–2030 and has pinpointed diagnostics as one of the precedence areas that require concrete action. In order to achieve the 2030 targets, WHO has also established Diagnostic Technical Advisory Group (DTAG) which will help in initiating collaboration among nations to drive advancement in this area. In this review, we explored the epidemiology and burden of NTDs, the challenges in their mitigation, and the available therapeutic interventions for managing these diseases. We have also highlighted the need to holistic approach like “One health” for an effective elimination of NTDs in affected areas. Elimination of NTDs will enhance the socioeconomic levels of the affected regions, thereby assisting in the accomplishment of few sustainable development goals. Thus, there is a need for worldwide commitment for funding to develop fast and safe therapeutic and diagnostic strategies for NTDs.

Statewide Universal School Meal Policies and Food Insecurity in Households With Children.

ABSTRACTExperiencing food insecurity in early childhood is associated with adverse health and nutrition outcomes. About 66% of Brazilian households with children are food insecure; however, interventions targeting early childhood have fallen short in addressing food insecurity due to a lack of funding and multisectoral coordination combined with the COVID‐19 pandemic. Therefore, protecting children from food insecurity is a complex task in Brazil and requires innovative approaches. We hypothesize that applying a Nurturing Care Framework (NCF) lens and systems thinking tools can indicate pragmatic pathways to reduce early childhood food insecurity. To examine this hypothesis, we used a participatory group model‐building approach to integrate the knowledge of twelve Brazilian experts working in different sectors into a qualitative causal loop diagram (CLD) underlying the dynamics of food insecurity in early childhood. By analyzing the CLD, we aimed (1) to assess whether the Brazilian food insecurity system includes the NCF components and identify how these systems affect young children, and (2) to qualitatively explore feedback loops, pivotal variables (i.e., variables with the most immediate causes and/or immediate causal consequences), and leverage points (i.e., specific variables to intervene to produce a change in the overall system) to reduce food insecurity in early childhood. The integrated CLD outlines a structure with 28 variables assigned across the NCF components. A deeper qualitative analysis of the direct and indirect links identified how food insecurity is experienced by young children. This included a description of two feedback loops reinforcing childhood food insecurity, such as Financial Hardships and Emotional Distress Spiral. Food quality emerged as the pivotal variable with the most proximate causes and/or consequences related to early childhood food insecurity. Positive parenting practices and participation in daycare emerged as direct links to address early childhood food insecurity. Expanding access to nurturing care through national and local policies can enhance the resilience of the systems underlying early childhood food insecurity to disruptions such as the COVID‐19 pandemic.

Unintended pregnancy is a public health challenge facing universities in South Africa. Although the phenomenon has attracted a fair amount of academic interest and previous studies provide a thematic view of the driving factors and effects of unintended pregnancy, there is a glaring lack of theorization, resulting in a relatively shallow exposition of the problem. This article explores the perceived drivers and effects of unintended pregnancy among female university students. It is based on a qualitative inquiry consisting of semistructured interviews with female students (N = 30) at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN). Interpreted through the lens of structure-agency and empowerment frameworks, the findings demonstrate that constrained agency underpins both the drivers and the consequences of unintended pregnancy among female university students. They are often unable to make safe and healthy choices because of the dire social and economic issues they experience both at home and at university. The findings show that individual behavioral factors (such as risk taking, substance abuse, and negligence), against the backdrop of structural (social, economic, and cultural) factors and systemic factors (asymmetries between clinics’ hours of operation and students’ need to attend lectures, unfriendly and judgmental healthcare workers), contribute to unintended pregnancy, which in turn often results in adverse health, academic, and socioeconomic outcomes. The findings call for the implementation of empowerment programs for female students to strengthen their agency and their freedom to make informed, safe, and healthy choices.

ABSTRACT As many as 15.3% of pregnancies do not end in a live birth meaning miscarriage is among the most common pregnancy complications. This experience is robustly evidenced to be associated with adverse health and well-being outcomes for mothers, however, much existing evidence focuses on psychopathology outcomes such as depression and anxiety disorders. Adopting a holistic approach inclusive of more nuanced mental health outcomes of pregnancy loss, this study sought to assess and compare distress among women experiencing miscarriage at home or in hospital. The current study applied Network Analysis to examine associations between indicators of psychological distress (e.g. feelings of loss, isolation, and devastation) in a sample of 839 women. Networks were assessed to identify the most influential indicators for the total sample of women who experienced miscarriage in the previous 5 years (N = 839), and for subsamples who reported experiencing management of their miscarriage at home (n = 493), or in hospital (n = 273). Results highlighted the most influential distress indicators in the network to be: ‘feelings of a person lost’, ‘destroyed zest for life’, and ‘feelings of isolation’. Comparison between subgroups, those who experienced miscarriage at home and in hospital, revealed similar network structures. Those who experienced miscarriage at home displayed greater global association between nodes in the network, i.e. stronger connections between distress indicators suggesting these have greater influence on each other a potentially exacerbate distress. The most influential distress indicators are highlighted as important targets for screening psychological distress, and as potentially viable intervention targets to promote greater well-being among women experiencing miscarriage, regardless of setting. These findings provide a novel understanding of psychological distress following miscarriage as a system of connected symptoms, further research is called for to examine broader influences of the impact of miscarriage network.

Background Only a small number of research have evaluated marital dissatisfaction and adverse health and psychosocial outcomes in lower-resourced countries. The aim of the study was to estimate the long-term associations of marital dissatisfaction with adverse health outcomes using four waves (7 years) of the national community-dwelling Health, Aging, and Retirement in Thailand (HART) study in people 45 years and older (also stratified by sex) from 2015 to 2022. Methods HART data from the 2015, 2017, 2020, and 2022 waves were analysed, including community-dwelling individuals aged 45 and above (average age 65.1 years) who indicated marital dissatisfaction (analytic pooled sample: n = 10790 observations). Marital dissatisfaction was measured using validated scales. The time-variant causes and outcomes were evaluated using linear fixed effects regression. To determine the hazard ratios (HRs) and evaluate the associations between marital discontent and 7-year mortality in the entire sample, a Cox proportional hazards regression model was applied. Results The average marital dissatisfaction score (0−10) was 1.8 (SD = 2.3). Fixed effects regressions showed that marital dissatisfaction was associated with low self-reported mental health, depressive symptoms, low quality of life, loneliness, functional limitations, poor self-rated physical health, low mastication, low exercise frequency, low meal skipping, and high subjective life expectancy. In addition, marital dissatisfaction was associated with all-cause mortality. Conclusions Our knowledge of the connection between marital discontent and negative health outcomes—four markers of physical and mental health, including mortality—is improved by this longitudinal study. Measures of marriage happiness and the health advantages of marital education programs for couples should be part of health promotion initiatives for the aging population as a whole.

ABSTRACTThe food supplement acetylcarnitine is marketed for use in neurological support; however, research on its bioavailability and metabolic fate has been limited. This study investigated the absorption, metabolism, and excretion of acetylcarnitine compared with those of carnitine.Healthy volunteers received either carnitine or an acetylcarnitine supplement (0.5 or 1.5 g). Plasma and urine samples were collected at baseline and at multiple time points (1–48 h) post intake and analyzed using LC‒MS/MS. Both carnitine and acetylcarnitine exhibited low intestinal absorption and renal reabsorption. The peak plasma concentrations increased over the baseline values by 48% (acetylcarnitine) and 43% (carnitine) following a 1.5 g dose. However, the increase in area under the curve (ΔAUC) from acetylcarnitine was 7.7‐fold lower than that from carnitine. Elevated plasma levels of carnitine and acetylcarnitine led to a 5‐fold increase in clearance, and a substantial portion of the supplements were excreted via urine. The acetylcarnitine supplement was mostly eliminated in the form of carnitine. Approximately 90% of both supplements were metabolized to TMAO, reaching 50 µM in plasma—levels previously found to be associated with adverse health outcomes.Acetylcarnitine has significantly lower bioavailability than carnitine. The intake of both supplements resulted in substantial TMAO production, raising potential health concerns.

Introduction: The elimination of organic dyes from industrial wastewater is vital due to their adverse health and environmental impacts. Rhodamine B, a toxic dye linked to cancer, exemplifies these concerns and has led to regulatory actions in India. Among perovskite family materials, barium titanate (BaTiO3) nanoparticles have demonstrated potential as oxide photocatalysts for degrading organic pollutants via advanced oxidation processes. Objective: This study aims to synthesize and evaluate pristine and iron (Fe)-doped BaTiO₃ nanoparticles for photocatalytic degradation of Rhodamine B. Methods: Pristine and Fe-doped BaTiO3 nanoparticles (1-3 mol% Fe) were synthesized using the sol-gel method. Structural and optical properties were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and UV-visible spectroscopy. Photocatalytic efficiency was assessed using Rhodamine B under UV irradiation. Results: XRD revealed cubic and tetragonal phases with particle sizes ranging from 23 to 29 nm. UV-visible spectroscopy showed a bandgap of 3.23 eV for pristine BaTiO3, which decreased with increasing Fe doping. Photocatalytic results indicated that Fe-doped samples exhibited enhanced degradation compared to pristine BaTiO₃. Performance improved with Fe doping up to 2 mol%, beyond which activity declined, likely due to recombination effects and possible secondary phase formation. Conclusion:: These findings highlight Fe-doped BaTiO3 nanoparticles as promising, ecofriendly photocatalysts for water purification applications.

ObjectivesThis study examined the association between daily long working hours (LWHs) and diverse health-related outcomes, using objective and subjective measures. It further evaluated the specific durations of daily LWHs that may be considered inappropriate in cases with adverse health effects.Methods98 employees participated in a 10-day observational study. Participants self-reported their daily working hours, subjective states and performed the measurement of blood pressure (BP) and psychomotor vigilance test (PVT) immediately on waking and before bedtime. Objective sleep was recorded nightly using actigraphy. Linear mixed model (LMM) analysis was performed.ResultsLWHs were significantly associated with higher systolic BP (β=0.65), greater fatigue (β=1.79) before bedtime, shorter total sleep time (TST; β=−0.09) and higher systolic BP (β=0.76) on waking (all p<0.05). Reduced TST was significantly linked to slower PVT reciprocal response time (β=0.03), higher lapse (β=−1.10) and greater sleepiness (β=−0.20) after waking (all p<0.05). Categorical LMM analysis revealed that working >12 hours was significantly associated with increased fatigue before bedtime, whereas working >13 hours significantly reduced TST compared to working ≤9 hours. Sleeping <6 hours caused significantly poorer PVT outcomes, and sleeping <5 hours caused significantly stronger sleepiness after waking than sleeping ≥7 hours.ConclusionsDaily LWHs and consequent reductions in sleep duration were associated with adverse outcomes. These findings underscore the importance of daily management of work hours and adequate sleep duration to prevent excessive workload and promote recovery from occupational demands.

Regionalization is a system by which neonates with congenital heart defects (CHDs) are directed to risk-appropriate levels of care. However, the role of prenatal care in delivery location remains unclear. To estimate associations between prenatal care adequacy and the likelihood of delivery at a pediatric cardiac center. This cross-sectional study examined retrospective data from the Illinois Department of Public Health's Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes Reporting System. Participants included neonates born with CHDs in Illinois from 2013 to 2021. Data were analyzed from November 2024 to May 2025. Two binary exposure variables: (1) prenatal care initiation-none vs inadequate prenatal care (initiated after the fourth month or less than 50% of recommended visits) and (2) prenatal visit frequency-intermediate (50% to 79% of recommended visits) vs adequate (80% to 109% of recommended visits) or adequate plus (110% or more of recommended visits) prenatal care. Delivery at a pediatric cardiac center was the main outcome. Multivariable linear probability models estimated associations between prenatal care and delivery hospital, controlling for demographic and clinical characteristics. Regressions were stratified by CHD severity (eg, mild, moderate, and severe), as severe defects require intervention at a cardiac center within the first week of life. Of 12 113 neonates with CHD, 3076 (25.4%) were born at a cardiac center and 1579 (13.0%) had severe CHD. Distribution for prenatal care initiation was: 272 (2.3%) had no prenatal care and 1617 (13.4%) had inadequate prenatal care. Distribution for prenatal visit frequency was: 1304 (10.8%) had intermediate prenatal care, 4217 (34.8%) had adequate prenatal care, and 4703 (38.8%) had adequate plus prenatal care. Prenatal care initiation was associated with a 10.5 (95% CI, 4.7 to 16.2) percentage point higher probability of delivery at a cardiac center for those with fetuses who had mild CHD and 30.2 (95% CI, 13.6 to 46.9) percentage point higher probability for severe CHD. For mild CHD, adequate plus prenatal care was associated with a lower probability of delivery at a cardiac center by 6.7 (95% CI, -4.0 to -9.4) percentage points compared with intermediate prenatal care. Prenatal visit frequency was not associated with delivery at a cardiac center for severe CHD. In this cross-sectional study, delayed prenatal care initiation was associated with higher probability of delivery at a cardiac center, especially for severe CHD. More prenatal visits may help appropriately direct mild cases to noncardiac centers. Operationalization of regionalized CHD care requires consideration of many factors, including prenatal events.

Childhood obesity is associated with adverse health and psychosocial outcomes, often persisting into adulthood. Hospital-based lifestyle interventions may provide intensive support, but evidence on long-term effectiveness is limited. To evaluate changes in Body Mass Index z-score (BMIz) among children and adolescents with overweight and obesity participating in a hospital-based intervention compared to matched controls. This matched prospective cohort study includes children and adolescents aged 5-15 years. The intervention consisted of a family-centered hospital-based lifestyle program focusing on diet, physical activity, sleep and screen time management. Controls were matched on age, sex, weight category, and calendar year. BMI trajectories were analyzed using mixed effects models with linear splines, adjusting for socioeconomic factors from national registries. A total sample size of 1897 children and adolescents was included (325 intervention, 1572 controls). The intervention group achieved a higher reduction in BMIz during the first 6 months (-0.74 SD/years, 95% CI: -0.89; -0.60) and up to 12 months (-0.31 SD/years, -0.45; -0.16), compared to controls. From 12 to 36 months, a rebound in BMIz occurred (0.14, SD/years, 0.10; 0.17), and continued to rise through 72 months. The intervention was associated with improvements in BMIz up to 12 months after the intervention. However, the effects were not sustained at 6 years of follow-up. Trial Registration: Clinicaltrials.Gov identifier: NCT05790174.

Poker-machines present a significant problem gambling risk in Australia, with adverse health, financial, and social outcomes. Previous research has demonstrated that gambling cues (e.g., poker-machine sounds) elicit an urge to gamble in poker-machine gamblers, with greater problem gambling severity predicting a stronger cue-reactive urge to gamble. However, the psychological mechanisms underlying this relationship remain largely unexplored. Consequently, the present study investigated whether cue-reactive state mindfulness mediates the relationship between problem gambling severity and cue-reactive urge to gamble. Seventy adults (67% male and 33% female) with an age range of 20 to 66years (M = 41.1, SD = 10.8) participated in an online, repeated-measures experiment. Participants completed the Problem Gambling Severity Index, then subsequently, at three time points (baseline, post-neutral cue, and post-gambling cue), a visual analogue scale measuring the strength of the urge to gamble, and the State Mindfulness Scale. The urge to gamble significantly increased from neutral cue to gambling cue, after controlling for baseline urge. Cue-reactive state mindfulness did not mediate the relationship between problem gambling severity and cue-reactive urge to gamble. Contrary to predictions, state mindfulness increased following exposure to the gambling cue. The present findings contribute to the body of research supporting cue-reactivity in problem gamblers.

Nylon-cotton blend (NYCO) fabric is widely used in military uniforms and work-wear due to its durability and comfort, but it is highly flammable. Since the currently available fire retardant coatings release toxic fumes causing adverse health and environmental effects, there is a pressing need for a bio-safe fire retardant for NYCO. One potential solution is struvite—magnesium ammonium phosphate hexahydrate (MgNH&lt;sub&gt;4&lt;/sub&gt;PO&lt;sub&gt;4&lt;/sub&gt; . 6H&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;O)—which can be recycled from wastewater. We investigated whether struvite, alone or combined with naturally occurring plant-based compounds, such as tannic acid (TA) and phytic acid (PA), could be developed as a sustainable and bio-safe fire retardant for NYCO. Using a simple dip-coating procedure, we treated the NYCO fabric with TA, PA, and/or struvite. We determined the surface functionalization of the treated NYCO fabrics utilizing gravimetry, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. We confirmed results from other studies that showed the fire-retardant properties of PA treatment on NYCO. We then demonstrated that NYCO fabric treated with struvite, alone or combined with TA, exhibited reduced flammability and a lower maximum temperature during burning, as assessed by a modified vertical flame test (as outlined by ASTM D-6413). Our study suggests that wastewater-recycled struvite, alone or combined with TA, may be an effective phosphorus-based bio-safe fire retardant for NYCO. Moreover, using struvite recycled from wastewater has an additional benefit of preventing residual phosphorous from reaching aquatic bodies; which in turn; may mitigate eutrophication.

Meat is a valuable source of energy since it contains protein and fat. It is also a source of key vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin B12, iron and zinc. However, high meat consumption can have adverse health and environmental effects. The objective of this paper is to discuss the global trends in consumption of meat and meat substitutes and understand their impacts on human health and the environment. It is accepted that the growing emphasis on sustainability underscores the importance of switching to alternatives, as the traditional meat production system faces substantial environmental and resource limits. Reducing meat consumption is vital in decreasing health and environmental impacts caused by meat production and consumption. Nevertheless, veganism may not be the best solution for all people because nutritious plant-based foods are not readily available particularly in low-income nations. Furthermore, livestock farming provides a significant source of earnings for many low-income households. Further research is required to encourage technical and behavioral improvements, while balancing the environment. Considering the above information, this study provides valuable insights into the consumption trend for meat and meat alternatives, encompassing their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.

Abstract The European Declaration on Alternatives to Surgical Castration of Pigs stipulated that from 2012, surgical castration could only be performed using anesthetics and/or analgesics, and that it would be completely abandoned by 2018. Many Member States disagreed with the conditions set out in the Declaration. The issue of surgical castration arouses serious controversy among consumers due to their concerns over animal welfare and rearing conditions. According to the Council Directive 2008/120/EC of 18 December 2008 laying down the minimum standards for the protection of pigs, surgical castration can be performed without anesthesia until the seventh day of a piglet’s life. Castration is considered painful and can have many adverse health and production consequences. Alternatives to surgical castration include immunocastration or the fattening of entire male pigs. However, these methods also evoke many emotions in both consumers and pork producers. The most common concerns relate to the presence of boar taint in pork, and the appearance of aggressive and sexual behavior within herds. Despite ample literature sources from recent decades, it is difficult to definitively determine whether it is possible to completely eliminate the surgical castration of male pigs. While the use of anesthesia and/or analgesics appears to meet the welfare requirements for pigs, it also poses practical and economic challenges to producers.

ABSTRACTBackground and Aim:Manchurian quails are valued in commercial poultry farming for their early meat maturity, rapid generational turnover, and high egg-laying potential. However, concerns over antibiotic use in feed have heightened interest in sustainable alternatives such as phytobiotics. Despite evidence supporting phytogenic feed additives, limited studies have examined their effects in Manchurian quails under multiphase feeding regimens. This study evaluated the effects of phytobiotic-enriched, extruded feeds (BioFeed-P) across three feeding phases (“Starter,” “Grower,” and “Layer”) on growth performance, egg productivity, and product quality in Manchurian quails.Materials and Methods:A total of 1600 1-day-old quails were randomly allocated into experimental group (EG) and control group (CG) at two commercial farms (JEBE; Zhailybayev Experimental Breeding Enterprise and ECO-KO; Ecological Cooperative Kazakhstan Organization)in Kazakhstan. EG received phytobiotic-enriched multiphase feeds, whereas CG was provided standard commercial diets. Growth rate, feed conversion ratio (FCR), survivability, and egg production were measured over a 90-day period. Product quality was assessed by analyzing egg morphology, chemical composition, and mineral profiles. Statistical analyses included the Student’s t-test, correlation analysis, and determination of effect size.Results:Quails in EG showed significantly higher body weight gain (186.3 g vs. 135.3 g; relative gain 415.5% vs. 297.5%; p = 0.003, Cohen’s d = 1.12) and improved FCR (2.05 vs. 2.45; p = 0.001). Egg-laying intensity was greater in EG at both ECO-KO (64.4% vs. 41.3%; p = 0.004) and JEBE (69.0% vs. 40.0%; p = 0.003). Egg morphology showed modest changes: Heavier albumen, reduced shell weight, and lighter yolk pigmentation. Chemical analyses revealed slight decreases in protein and fat fractions accompanied by minor increases in carbohydrate and ash content, while the mineral composition remained stable. Mortality was lower in EG (3.8% vs. 7.7%), with no adverse health effects.Conclusion:Phytobiotic-enriched multiphase feeds significantly enhance growth efficiency and reproductive output in Manchurian quails without compromising mineral egg quality. These findings support phytobiotics as sustainable alternatives to antibiotics in commercial quail farming. Future research should include long-term reproductive assessments, economic cost–benefit analyses, and molecular studies to elucidate the underlying mechanisms.

Insights into the lives of families of children with neurodisabilities who have sleep problems.

BackgroundSedentary work environments contribute to low physical activity (PA) levels, which are associated with adverse health and productivity outcomes. Workplace interventions such as step challenges offer a promising strategy to promote PA.AimThis study investigates the effects of a six-week, team-based step contest conducted at a German university and examines personal and work-related factors including the role of leaders influencing PA.MethodsA one-group pre-post design was used to assess daily step counts of 331 participants across 44 self-formed teams during baseline, intervention and follow-up periods. Step data were collected via a mobile app, and a survey captured various demographic, work-related and intervention-related factors.ResultsThe step challenge significantly increased daily step counts by 1,700 on average compared to baseline. However, this increase was not sustained during follow-up. Males and older participants exhibited greater improvements. Notable, individuals in leadership positions showed a relatively greater increase in step counts during the intervention. However, the presence of a leader within a team did not significantly impact team colleagues’ performance. Other work-related factors such as work location and commute mode correlated with participants’ step counts but did not impact the step challenge’s effectiveness.ConclusionOur findings suggest that team-based workplace interventions can effectively boost short-term PA but sustaining these improvements remains challenging and requires ongoing actions. Further, it is essential to take personal and work-related factors including the role of leaders into account to develop targeted strategies that enhance PA. Tailored strategies and organizational support are needed to promote long-term engagement. These insights may inform future workplace health initiatives aiming for sustainable impact.