Changes In Social Behavior Research Articles

An evaluation of interventions within a Growth Through Nutrition project aimed at enhancing optimal nutrition and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and nutrition practices among nutritionally most vulnerable households (MVHHs) in Ethiopia.

Despite a downward trend, Ethiopia still faces significant challenges with high rates of stunting and acute malnutrition in children. To tackle these issues, the Feed the Future Ethiopia Growth Through Nutrition Activity, a USAID-funded project aligned with Ethiopia's National Nutrition Program, was executed from 2016 to 2023. This initiative aimed to enhance nutrition for women and young children across six regions through multisectoral interventions. Annual surveys conducted in 2017, 2018, and 2020 evaluated the impact of livelihood support and Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH)-focused social behavior change communication (SBCC) on vulnerable households with children under two. The results showed significant improvements in child nutrition. Dietary diversity among children increased from 12% to 34% (p<0.001), and the percentage of children receiving a minimal acceptable diet rose from 12% to 30.7% (p<0.001). Women's dietary diversity also improved markedly, from 2% to 16% (p<0.001). Handwashing practices saw improvements, with the proportion of households having handwashing facilities rising from 14% to 31% (p<0.001), and the adherence to critical handwashing moments increased from 16% to 23%. However, challenges in water treatment and latrine use persisted, with less than 25% improvement. The findings suggest that integrating livelihood support with SBCC interventions can positively enhance nutritional outcomes. Continued focus on these strategies is recommended to further support vulnerable households.

Determinants of breast cancer screening behavior amongst Nigerian women using the transtheoretical model

Breast cancer is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality amongst women in developing and developed countries. Breast Self-Examination (BSE), mammography and clinical examination are amongst the most effective methods of early detection, however uptake remains low. The Transtheoretical Model (TTM) has been used in many other countries to characterize behavioral shifts related to enable the adoption of more focused tactics for improving breast cancer screening behaviors among Nigerian women. A cross-sectional research study was conducted to assess the level of knowledge and uptake of breast cancer screening practice based on the various stages of readiness and change predictors using the Transtheoretical Model (TTM). The model was applied to identify and characterise key behavioural determinants such as decision balance, stage of change, and process of change (POC) for breast cancer screening through breast self-examination and mammography. A total of 265 adult female respondents in Kaduna State, Northwest, Nigeria was sampled out of which ninety-one (91%) had no family history of breast cancer. Although 80.3% had knowledge of breast cancer disease, 68% of respondents knew how to conduct BSE and only 55% practiced it. In terms of BSE behaviour staging, 29.4% and 26.7% respondents are in the preparation and maintenance stages respectively. In terms of mammography adoption, most respondents (34%) are in the preparation stage. Review of process of change determinants show that breast cancer screening behaviour are driven more by experiential determinants as compared to behaviour determinants. Addressing the complex factors influencing BSE and mammography practice requires a comprehensive social behaviour change approach that may sustaining positive behaviour-driving factors and minimise inhibitive factors that can promote breast cancer screening.

Prey responses to direct and indirect predation risk cues reveal the importance of multiple information sources.

Prey can use several information sources (cues) to assess predation risk and avoid predation with a variety of behavioural responses (e.g., changes in activity, foraging, vigilance, social behaviour, space use, and reproductive behaviour). Direct cues produced by predators and indirect cues from environmental features or conspecific and heterospecific prey generally provide different types of information about predation risk. Despite widespread interest in understanding behavioural antipredator responses to direct and indirect cues, a clear general pattern of relative response strength across taxa and environments has yet to emerge. We conducted a meta-analysis of studies (N = 113 articles and 999 effect sizes taken from a search of over 7500 articles) testing behavioural responses to direct and indirect cues of predation risk, and their combination, across terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. We further contrasted if effects were moderated by ecosystem type (terrestrial, marine, or freshwater), cue source (predator, conspecific, heterospecific, or environmental feature), or sensory modality (visual, auditory, or chemosensory). Overall, there were strong effects of risk cues on prey behaviour. We found that prey responded more strongly when both types of cues were presented together compared with either cue in isolation, which was driven by changes in prey activity levels but not other behaviours. There was no general pattern in response strength to direct compared with indirect cues. Responses to these cues were moderated by interactions between environment, cue source, and cue sensory modality (e.g., visual cues elicited stronger responses than other modalities, and responses to conspecific chemosensory cues were stronger than those to predator chemosensory cues in aquatic systems). These results suggest that rather than a broad framework of direct and indirect cues, the specific context of the system should be considered in tests and predictions of how prey respond to risk to elucidate general patterns of antipredator responses.

Social and Behavioural Change Communication Challenges, Opportunities and Lessons from Past Public Health Emergencies and Disease Outbreaks: A Scoping Review.

Background: Documentation of social behavioural change communication (SBCC) regarding challenges, opportunities and lessons drawn from past public health emergencies is worthwhile to inform priorities for future response efforts. Aim: The aim of this review is to scope the evidence on social behavioural change communication regarding challenges, opportunities and lessons drawn from Ebola, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), monkeypox and cholera outbreaks from studies published before March 2024, and suggest priorities for future response efforts. Methods: A Boolean strategy was used to search electronic databases for relevant published articles, complemented by relevant studies identified from reference lists. Results: The challenges, opportunities, lessons learnt and priorities for SBCC were consistent across study contexts, showing marked variations over time. The significance of technology, infodemic management, and behavioural data generation emerged more frequently and became increasingly important over time. Identified challenges were uptake hesitancy, limited capacity to undertake infodemic management, inadequate funding and human resources for SBCC, competing priorities, parallel or conflicting interventions due to inadequate coordination, difficulties evaluating SBCC programmes and missed opportunities for integration into routine programmes. Existing supportive structures for SBCC, strong political will and participation, as well as rapid information exchange enabled by technological advancement, represented opportunities for enhancing the effectiveness of SBCC programmes. Key lessons were that a multisectoral approach and coordination, partnership and active collaboration amongst stakeholders; building/strengthening trust, target population segmentation and localization of interventions, are important for enhancing the effectiveness of SBCC programmes. Political will, involvement and participation represent the core of social behavioural change (communication) interventions during a public health emergency. Conclusion: SBCC programming for future response to public health emergencies and disease outbreaks should consider the diverse assortment of benefits, threats/challenges and opportunities brought about by technology, infodemics and behavioural data generation to be more effective.

Feasibility and Acceptability of a Self-Guided Digital Family Skills Management Intervention for Children Newly Diagnosed With Type 1 Diabetes: Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.

Family dynamics play an important role in determining the glycemic outcomes of type 1 diabetes (T1D) in children. The time interval immediately following T1D diagnosis is particularly stressful for families, and interventions to support families in adjusting their family practices to support adjustment to and management of T1D in the months following diagnosis may improve glycemic outcomes. Self-guided digital interventions offer a sustainable model for interventions to support caregivers in learning evidence-based family management skills for adjustment to and management of T1D. We hypothesized that a self-guided, web-based, family skills management program (addressing caregiver social support as well as family problem-solving, communication, and supportive behavior change strategies) initiated at the time of T1D diagnosis would improve glycemic outcomes in children with T1D. In this study, we report on the feasibility and acceptability of this program. We prospectively evaluated a sample of 37 children newly diagnosed with T1D recruited from a pediatric endocrinology clinic. Parent participants were asked to complete web-based modules addressing social support, family problem-solving, communication, and supportive behavior change strategies. Module completion was analyzed for percentage completion, patterns of completion, and differences in completion rates by coparenting status. Qualitative open-ended feedback was collected at the completion of each module. A total of 31 (84%) of the 37 participants initiated the web-based program. Of those 31 participants, 25 (81%) completed some content and 15 (48%) completed all 5 modules. Completion rates were higher when coparenting partners engaged in the intervention together (P=.04). Of the 18 participants given a choice about the spacing of content delivery, 15 (83%) chose to have all sessions delivered at once and 3 (17%) chose to space sessions out at 2-week intervals. Qualitative feedback supported the acceptability of the program for delivery soon after T1D diagnosis. Families reported on positive benefits, including requesting future access to the program and describing helpful changes in personal or family processes for managing T1D. In this study, we found that a self-guided digital family support intervention initiated at the time of a child's T1D diagnosis was largely feasible and acceptable. Overall, rates of participation and module completion were similar to or higher than other self-guided digital prevention interventions for mental and physical health outcomes. Self-guided digital programs addressing family management skills may help prevent challenges common with T1D management and can decrease cost, increase access, and add flexibility compared to traditional interventions. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03720912; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT03720912.

Lasting effects of adolescent social instability stress on dendritic morphology in the nucleus accumbens in female and male Long Evans rats

Social instability stress (SS) in adolescence in rats leads to long-lasting changes in social behaviour and reward-related behaviour relative to control rats. Given the role of the nucleus accumbens (NAc) in such behaviours, we investigated the morphology of medium spiny neurons (MSNs), which are most neurons in the NAc, in adult female and male rats exposed to SS in adolescence. Irrespective of sex, SS rats had increased number of dendritic spines in both the core and shell regions of the NAc (2.3 % and 18.1 % increase, respectively). In the core, SS rats had a 16 % reduction in the total dendritic lengths of MSNs, whereas in the shell, SS rats had a greater dendritic length closer to the soma, and particularly in SS female rats, whereas the opposite was found farther from the soma (SS 10.6 % > CTL overall). Although the extent to which such structural changes may underlie the enduring effects of SS in adolescence requires investigation, the results add to evidence that changes to the social environment in adolescence can determine adult neuronal structural.

Mild traumatic brain injury gives rise to chronic depression-like behavior and associated alterations in glutamatergic protein expression

Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is known to result in chronic somatic, cognitive, and emotional symptoms. Depression is commonly reported among individuals suffering from persistent concussion symptoms; however, the underlying mechanisms are not understood. The glutamatergic system has recently been linked with mTBI and depression due to reports of similar changes in expression of glutamatergic proteins. Using a closed-head controlled cortical impact (cCCI) model in adult male rats (n = 8/group), this study investigated the emergence of self-care deficits and changes in social interaction behaviors at four, eight and twelve weeks post-injury. Western blotting was used to assess associated changes in expression of glutamate transporters and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor subunits at twelve weeks. Splash test results revealed deficits in self-care behaviors beginning at eight weeks, which continued through twelve weeks in the injury group. Injured animals also exhibited decreased preference for social novelty at four weeks and loss of desire for social interaction as a whole by twelve weeks. GluN1 was increased in injured animals compared to shams in the frontal cortex and amygdala, while decreased GLT-1 was observed in the hippocampus. Linear regression was performed to evaluate relationships between behavioral and molecular variables; the results suggested that injury affects these relationships in a region-dependent manner. Together, these results suggest that the development of chronic depression-like behavior was associated with changes in glutamatergic protein expression. Deeper investigations into how injury influences glutamatergic synaptic protein expression are needed, as this has the potential to affect circuit-level neurotransmission that drives depression-like behavior following mTBI.

Potensi Atlet E-Sport Sebagai Olahraga Prestasi

The e-sport branch is very likely to produce professional athletes. The interests and talents and potential of the community need to be given space and place to match the development of changes in social behavior in the community. Understanding e-sport as an achievement sport needs to be emphasized in order to form positive social values in society. Video games with certain types of genres are now competing in national and international championship competitions. The results of community service socialization of e-sport as an achievement sport for the level of understanding of the youth community in Klampok village are 91.7%, the remaining 8.3% of the community do not know e-sport as an achievement sport. the percentage of people who play video games according to the type of genre competed in the regional / national level e-sport championship event is 32.4%, the remaining 67.7% of the community play video games that are not competed in the regional / national level e-sport competition. People who have participated in good e-sport competitions at the regional / national level are at 20.3%, for gadget specifications that are used adequately in playing e-sport there are 58.3%, social environmental support factors 65.5%, parental support factors 8.3%.

An Examination of Mental Health Rates in Children During the First Year of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Findings from the National Health Interview Survey 2019-2020.

The study objective was to examine the mental health of children during a time period that included the COVID-19 Lockdown. The sample included a cross-section of children aged 2 to 17 years (2019; n = 4, 194; 2020; n = 5,172), from the National Health Interview Survey. In multivariate models, survey years 2020 and 2019 were compared for significant changes in anxiety, depression, and social behaviors in children after adjustment for sociodemographic variables. Bivariate analysis also examined sociodemographic characteristics, health care utilization by anxiety, depression, and social behaviors, and examined differences in anxiety and depression from 2019 to 2020. In multivariate models, there was an increased risk of anxiety ((AOR = 1.3(1.0, 1.6)), depression ((AOR = 1.2 (1.0, 1.4)) and difficult social behaviors (AOR = 1.2 (1.0, 1.4) in children from 2019 to 2020. Girls were at increased risk compared to boys for anxiety and depression ((anxiety; AOR = 1.4 (1.2, 1.8), depression; AOR = 1.2 (1.0, 1.3)), however, girls were at decreased risk compared to boys for uncontrolled social behaviors (AOR = 0.51 (0.43, 0.61)). White children were at increased risk for anxiety and depression compared to all other race and ethnic groups. High rates of anxiety, depression and difficult social behaviors that preexisted the Covid-19 Lock Down, continued or increased during the Lockdown. Effective public health interventions could prevent further declines in mental health, and a potential trajectory into adulthood of poor physical and mental health.

Long-term effects of an early-life exposure of fathead minnows to sediments containing bitumen. Part II: Behaviour, reproduction, and gonad histopathology

The oil sands area of northern Alberta has river sediments that contain natural bitumen. Eggs and fish in these rivers may be exposed to bitumen-related chemicals early in life. This paper assesses a short embryo-larval fish exposure to oil sands sediment and follows the fish behaviour as they mature in clean water and examines their breeding success as adults (5 months afterwards). The three different oil sands river sediments tested were: a sediment collected outside of the bitumen deposit (tested at 3 g/L, Reference sediment from upstream Steepbank River site), and two sediments collected within the deposit (each tested at low (1 g/L) and high (3 g/L) concentrations). The sediments within the bitumen deposit were from the Ells and Steepbank (Stp) Rivers, and both contained significant total PAHs (>170 ng/g wet weight sediment) and alkylated PAHs (>4480 ng/g). Fish were exposed to these sediments for 21 days (as eggs and larval fish), and then transferred permanently to clean water to mature and breed. There was a significant decrease in the number of egg clutches produced by fish exposed early in life to Stp downstream high sediment (compared to Reference sediment). There was also a decrease in overall cumulative egg production, with fish from Stp downstream high sediment producing just over 1000 eggs in total while fish exposed to Ref sediment produced nearly 6900 eggs. The fish with reduced egg production were also less social than expected as they matured, and they had a lower % of early vitellogenic eggs in their ovaries. Overall, the exposure shows that a single, brief exposure during early life stages to natural bitumen can affect fish in adulthood. Naturally occurring bitumen-derived PAHs can reduce fish reproductive output by complex mechanisms, measurable as lower ovary maturity and changes in social behaviour.

Psychometric Testing of an Instrument Assessing Family Knowledge, Contemplation, Confidence and Readiness for Engaging in Early Mobilisation of Critically Ill Patients: A Multi-Site Cross-Sectional Design.

Early mobilisation is beneficial to support recovery among critically ill patients. The literature highlights the benefits of family engagement in early mobilisation, yet this practice remains underutilised. Effective implementation depends on understanding the key antecedents that influence family engagement in early mobilisation, specifically families' knowledge, contemplation, confidence and readiness. However, no measurement tools currently exist to assess these. Therefore, developing a psychometrically supported instrument is essential to understanding and enhancing families' factors influencing their engagement in early mobilisation. To develop and evaluate the psychometric properties of an instrument to assess families' knowledge, contemplation, confidence and readiness to engage in early mobilisation. A multi-site cross-sectional survey design. Based on established psychological theory (Social Cognitive Theories and Behaviour Change Theories), an item pool was developed to assess families' knowledge, contemplation, confidence and readiness to participate in early mobilisation. To psychometrically evaluate the new tool, a multi-site cross-sectional survey was undertaken from May 2020 to June 2022 across five intensive care units in Australia. Data from 370 families of critically ill patients were used to evaluate the structural, convergent and discriminant validity as well as the reliability of the new instrument. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated good model fit, supporting the proposed structure. All items displayed high standardised factor loadings except one, which improved upon freeing an error covariance. Positive inter-factor correlations were moderate to strong and were substantially lower than the square root of the average variance extracted, supporting both convergent and discriminant validity, respectively. Additionally, all subscales demonstrated well to excellent reliability. The findings provide preliminary support for the multiple types of validity evidence and the reliability of the instrument. This new instrument is suitable for use in clinical and research applications to assess families' knowledge, contemplation, confidence and readiness for their engagement in early mobilisation. Family engagement in early mobilisation activities may have multiple benefits but it is not commonly implemented in the ICU. Factors influencing family engagement in early mobilisation are poorly understood. Influential psychological theories highlight the likely importance of knowledge, contemplation, confidence and readiness. A readily available instrument designed to assess these constructs among family members is needed to deepen research understanding and guide clinical practice. The proposed instrument is designed to measure factors influencing family engagement in early mobilisation, which may support healthcare professionals and health services to identify and tailor strategies to support family engagement in early mobilisation. Recommendations for reporting the results of studies of instrument and scale development and testing was followed to report this study. Family members of adult critically ill patients participated in this study, and they provided the data through the survey.

Social behavior: Male and female lions age differently

Social aging- the change in social behavior across an individual's lifespan- has been found in many animals. A new study in African lions shows that female and male lions differ in their pattern of social aging.

Fgf17: A regulator of the mid/hind brain boundary in mammals

The Fibroblast growth factor (FGFs) family consists of at least 22 members that exert their function by binding and activating fibroblast growth factor receptors (FGFRs). The Fgf8/FgfD subfamily member, Fgf17, is located on human chromosome 8p21.3 and mouse chromosome 14 D2. In humans, FGF17 can be alternatively spliced to produce two isoforms (FGF17a and b) whereas three isoforms are present in mice (Fgf17a, b, and c), however, only Fgf17a and Fgf17b produce functional proteins. Fgf17 is a secreted protein with a cleavable N-terminal signal peptide and contains two binding domains, namely a conserved core region and a heparin binding site. Fgf17 mRNA is expressed in a wide range of different tissues during development, including the rostral patterning centre, midbrain-hindbrain boundary, tailbud mesoderm, olfactory placode, mammary glands, and smooth muscle precursors of major arteries. Given its broad expression pattern during development, it is surprising that adult Fgf17−/− mice displayed a rather mild phenotype; such that mutants only exhibited morphological changes in the frontal cortex and mid/hind brain boundary and changes in certain social behaviours. In humans, FGF17 mutations are implicated in several diseases, including Congenital Hypogonadotropic Hypogonadism and Kallmann Syndrome. FGF17 mutations contribute to CHH/KS in 1.1% of affected individuals, often presenting in conjunction with mutations in other FGF pathway genes like FGFR1 and FLRT3. FGF17 mutations were also identified in patients diagnosed with Dandy-Walker malformation and Pituitary Stalk Interruption Syndrome, however, it remains unclear how FGF17 is implicated in these diseases. Altered FGF17 expression has been observed in several cancers, including prostate cancer, hematopoietic cancers (acute myeloid leukemia and acute lymphoblastic leukemia), glioblastomas, perineural invasion in cervical cancer, and renal cell carcinomas. Furthermore, FGF17 has demonstrated neuroprotective effects, particularly during ischemic stroke, and has been shown to improve cognitive function in ageing mice.

Interwoven Lives: The Impact of Social Support and Behavioral Changes on Health Behaviors among the Chinese Residents

Objectives: It is found that there is a growing level of mortality among people with diabetic diseases. However, factors like social support and positive behavior change tend to play a substantial role in dealing with such mental worries. Methods: Based upon the given thoughts, this research examines the impact of social support and behavioral changes on health behavior in the form of diabetic health worries. For this purpose, the study will collect the sample using the survey questionnaire technique. A sample of 357 respondents has empirically been analyzed by applying advanced statistical techniques, such as testing for the reliability and validity of the latent constructs and relative items, discriminant validity, and structural equation modeling techniques. Results: The study findings confirm that the latent constructs are significantly represented by the latent items of social support, behavioral changes, and health behaviors, respectively. Moreover, the findings through structural equation modeling reveal a significant and productive impact of social support and behavioral changes in improving the health behaviors like low mental worries of and diabetes. Conclusion: The study provides some meaningful policy implications in determining how the role of social support and behavioral changes would be reflected in the form of low diabetic health worries. Besides, a few limitations have also been expressed.

EDUCAÇÃO SEXUAL PARA PESSOAS COM DEFICIÊNCIA INTELECTUAL

Intellectual disability can be understood as a set of limitations in adaptive behavioral and intellectual functioning, presented by practical, social and conceptual behavioral changes. All people go through sexual development, and people with intellectual disabilities are no exception because, like most people, they also have emotional problems, feelings, needs and sexual experiences. The relationship between inclusive education and sexuality has been the subject of much debate in the fields of psychology and education. The vast myths surrounding the sexuality of people with intellectual disabilities reinforce inequalities related to the sexuality of others. In this way, we intend to reflect and recognize the relevance of legitimate and effective sexual education for people with intellectual disabilities. Therefore, this study uses a literature review to organize the thinking of different authors and scholars on related topics, divided into three themes. In the first topic, we will briefly review the epidemiology, etiology and risk factors for people with intellectual disabilities. In the second part we will discuss aspects related to sexuality in people with intellectual disabilities. In the third point we will present the possibilities and strategies of sexual education for people with intellectual disabilities.

Re-evaluating the relationship between female social bonds and infant survival in wild baboons.

Over the past few decades studies have provided strong evidence that the robust links between the social environment, health, and survival found in humans also extend to non-human social animals. A number of these studies emphasize the early life origins of these effects. For example, in several social mammals, more socially engaged mothers have infants with higher rates of survival compared to less socially engaged mothers, suggesting that positive maternal social relationships causally improve offspring survival. Here we show that the relationship between infant survival and maternal sociality is confounded by previously underappreciated variation in female social behavior linked to changes in reproductive state and the presence of a live infant. Using data from a population of wild baboons living in the Amboseli basin of Kenya - a population where high levels of maternal sociality have previously been linked to improved infant survival - we find that infant- and reproductive state-dependent changes in female social behavior drive a statistically significant relationship between maternal sociality and infant survival. After accounting for these state-dependent changes in social behavior, maternal sociality is no longer positively associated with infant survival in this population. Our results emphasize the importance of considering multiple explanatory pathways-including third-variable effects-when studying the social determinants of health in natural populations.

Behavioral plasticity shapes population aging patterns in a long-lived avian scavenger

Studying the mechanisms shaping age-related changes in behavior ("behavioral aging") is important for understanding population dynamics in our changing world. Yet, studies that capture within-individual behavioral changes in wild populations of long-lived animals are still scarce. Here, we used a 15-y GPS-tracking dataset of a social obligate scavenger, the griffon vulture (Gyps fulvus), to investigate age-related changes in movement and social behaviors, and disentangle the role of behavioral plasticity and selective disappearance in shaping such patterns. We tracked 142 individuals for up to 12 y and found a nonlinear increase in site fidelity with age: a sharp increase in site fidelity before sexual maturity (<5 y old), stabilization during adulthood (6 to 15 y), and a further increase at old age (>15 y). This pattern resulted from individuals changing behavior throughout their life (behavioral plasticity) and not from selective disappearance. Mature vultures increased the predictability of their movement routines and spent more nights at the most popular roosting sites compared to younger individuals. Thus, adults likely have a competitive advantage over younger conspecifics. These changes in site fidelity and movement routines were mirrored in changes to social behavior. Older individuals interacted less with their associates (decreasing average strength with age), particularly during the breeding season. Our results reveal a variety of behavioral aging patterns in long-lived species and underscore the importance of behavioral plasticity in shaping such patterns. Comprehensive longitudinal studies are imperative for understanding how plasticity and selection shape the persistence of wild animal populations facing human-induced environmental changes.

Telehealth Intervention for Social Behavioral Change Communication Toward Enhanced Partner Conversations on Family Planning Among Men: A Qualitative Analysis of a Pilot Project in Uganda.

Background: Lack of credible sexual partner dialog and support regarding family planning (FP) and other sexual reproductive health issues is a major impediment to contraception service uptake and utilization. This study examined the feasibility and acceptability of attitudes toward using telehealth for remote education of couples through behavioral, motivational, and informational messaging on FP methods and its eventual impact on partner conversations around FP. Methods: The study was conducted in Kampala, Uganda, and involved recruiting 450 men from diverse settings. These men received regular SMS content on FP and sexual and reproductive health for a duration of 6 months. The content aimed to provide information and motivation while serving as a resource for discussions with their spouses. Following the main quantitative study, a qualitative follow-up study was conducted with a subset of 15 randomly selected men. In-depth interviews were conducted with these men to gain deeper insights into their experiences and perspectives. Results: The study revealed positive outcomes where men reported improved knowledge of FP methods such as child spacing, and types of contraception. The messaging prompted discussions with spouses on family size and spousal support. Couples reported a shift toward viewing FP as a joint responsibility, with some couples even taking concrete actions. The findings suggested that telehealth interventions can promote social and behavioral change and can improve couple communication and male involvement in FP decisions in Uganda. Conclusion: The study found that using telehealth messaging to educate men about FP in Uganda successfully improved communication between couples on the topic.

Sex-specific social aging in wild African lions

There is a growing interest in social behavior change with age,1,2,3,4,5 and the impacts of sociality on longevity,6,7,8 but current knowledge is broadly limited to primates, societies structured by dominance hierarchies, or single-sex studies. It is less clear how social aging patterns emerge in carnivores. The African lion (Panthera leo), a species that lives in egalitarian fission-fusion societies, presents an exceptional opportunity to examine social aging. Across felids, lions are unique in their dependence on conspecifics for many essential processes,9,10,11 and there is vast knowledge of lion behavioral ecology,10,11,12,13,14 including documented reproductive senescence in both sexes.14,15 Applying spatial-social network analyses across 30 years of data on the wild Serengeti lion population, we show that sex strongly modulates patterns of social aging and longevity. Group size increased with age for both sexes, but only males experienced significant changes in associate numbers (degree), specifically to females, which peaked in mid-life before declining. While aging females experienced declines in intra-sex connectivity (strength) and bond strength (mean strength), they peaked in both to males during mid-life. Male inter-sex strength also peaked in mid-life, while conversely their intra-sex strength and mean strength significantly dipped in mid-life. Although social associations were important for survival in both sexes, the investment diverged significantly: females' overall network connectivity was key for longevity, while the number of associates was important for males. These findings illustrate important potential effects of social aging in a wild carnivore and demonstrate how these diverge strongly between the sexes.

Transgenic Drosophila melanogaster Carrying a Human Full-Length DISC1 Construct (UAS-hflDISC1) Showing Effects on Social Interaction Networks.

Disrupted in Schizophrenia 1 (DISC1) is a scaffold protein implicated in major mental illnesses including schizophrenia, with a significant negative impact on social life. To investigate if DISC1 affects social interactions in Drosophila melanogaster, we created transgenic flies with second or third chromosome insertions of the human full-length DISC1 (hflDISC1) gene fused to a UAS promotor (UAS-hflDISC1). Initial characterization of the insertion lines showed unexpected endogenous expression of the DISC1 protein that led to various behavioral and neurochemical phenotypes. Social interaction network (SIN) analysis showed altered social dynamics and organizational structures. This was in agreement with the altered levels of the locomotor activity of individual flies monitored for 24 h. Together with a decreased ability to climb vertical surfaces, the observed phenotypes indicate altered motor functions that could be due to a change in the function of the motor neurons and/or central brain. The changes in social behavior and motor function suggest that the inserted hflDISC1 gene influences nervous system functioning that parallels symptoms of DISC1-related mental diseases in humans. Furthermore, neurochemical analyses of transgenic lines revealed increased levels of hydrogen peroxide and decreased levels of glutathione, indicating an impact of DISC1 on the dynamics of redox regulation, similar to that reported in transgenic mammals. Future studies are needed to address the localization of DISC1 expression and to address how the redox parameter changes correlate with the observed behavioral changes.