Behavior Of Components Research Articles

The Influence of a Scientific Investigation Workshop on In-service Biology Teachers’ Attitudes Towards Scientific Investigations

Biology teachers’ attitudes play a vital role in successful scientific investigations. Some biology teachers situated in the central part of South Africa experience challenges that include a lack of the necessary scientific knowledge and skills, which hinders the presentation of scientific investigations. These challenges adversely influence these biology teachers’ attitudes towards conducting scientific investigations. The result is that they conduct the minimum number of investigations with their learners, or don’t conduct them at all. Professional, in-service training workshops allow biology teachers to develop the necessary scientific knowledge and skills to successfully conduct scientific investigations. This study aimed to understand how a scientific investigation workshop affected biology teachers’ attitudes by measuring the ABC attitude model’s affective, cognitive and behavioural components. Likert-type, five-point scale items were used for the 20 pre-surveys and the same for the 20 post-surveys that were completed and collected for analysis. This research provided information on how vital in-service training programmes such as this scientific investigation workshop are in fostering positive attitudes toward scientific investigations amongst biology teachers. The findings that emerged from this study imply that implementing this scientific investigation workshop has developed biology teachers’ confidence in their science skills and knowledge to facilitate scientific investigations. The findings also indicate that this workshop caused a significant improvement in teachers’ intended behaviours in implementing scientific investigations in the science classrooms, as they gained valuable knowledge and skills regarding the science apparatus and the use thereof in conducting scientific investigations.

Effects Of Bilingualism On Emotional Intelligence & Cognition Of Pakistani ESL Learners

This study draws a comparison between emotional intelligence & cognitive abilities of bilingual and monolingual English Language Learners in Pakistan. The sample was young learners having monolingual and bilingual/multilingual background. The model highlighted three perspectives of cognition and IQ in bilingual children, i.e. social, psychological and societal. The model deals with the idea that bilingualism is greatly affected by the socio-cultural phenomena and the way society values a language. The emotional intelligence portion[1] of our questionnaire is based on Kids’ Empathetic Development Scale. It assesses cognitive and behavioral components of empathy in children. Moreover, the ability model is used for emotional intelligence. This model has four different abilities which are interrelated such as the ability to perceive emotions, reasoning with emotions, understanding and managing emotions. Children’s emotional development is also assessed using parental responses to the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), which screens for children’s antisocial behavior, hyperactivity (inattention), emotional symptoms, and peer relationship problems. Inductive approach thematic analysis was done to analyse data (Braun & Clarke, 2021). The results imply that bilingual children have higher IQ and EQ as compared to monolingual English Language Learners.

Adaptation of commodity purchase tasks to identify substitutable substance-free alternative activities for alcohol use.

Behavioral economic frameworks emphasize the importance of contextual influences on alcohol use; therefore, identifying relative demand for alcohol versus other commodities is of importance. Cross-commodity purchase tasks allow participants to make choices across multiple concurrently available commodities and can thereby pinpoint interactions among those commodities. These tasks may help identify relevant substance-free alternative activities to target in alcohol treatment by determining whether the activity functions as a substitute for alcohol use. While substance-free activity promotion is a promising behavioral component of alcohol interventions, no research to-date has used behavioral economic methods to assess the substitutability of alternative activities for alcohol use. The present studies were preliminary assessments of novel single- and cross-commodity purchase tasks of various alternative activities (e.g., exercise, hobbies, civic involvement). Participants in Study 1 recruited from Amazon's Mechanical Turk (n = 110) were administered a series of novel activity purchase tasks and an alcohol purchase task. Results showed excellent fit of the exponential demand equation to activity purchase task data and provided initial support for adaptation of purchase task methodology to alternative activity demand. In Study 2, participants recruited from Amazon's Mechanical Turk (n = 108) were administered both single-commodity and cross-commodity purchase tasks of alcohol and exercise. While most participants demonstrate independent consumption of alcohol and exercise, a subset of participants substituted exercise for alcohol as indicated by quantitative cross-price elasticity indices. These response patterns highlight the importance of individual differences and hold implications for recovery efforts that promote alternative activity engagement and public policy. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Psychological Determinants of Volunteerism in Context of Theory of Planned Behavior

Background. The present study was aimed at investigating the relationship among helping attitude, subjective norms of helping behavior, community related efficacy, and volunteerism among volunteers. Moreover, it also focused to ascertain the role of demographics (gender, education, duration of volunteering, monthly family income) across all study variables. Method. Measures of Helping Attitude Scale (Nickell, 1998), Subjective Norms of Helping Behavior Scale (Khattak, 2019), Community Related Efficacy Scale (Reeb et al., 1998), and Bales Volunteerism-Activism Scale (Bales, 1996), were used to assess the study variables. The sample consists of 350 male and female volunteers with the age range of 23 to 29 years. Results Results showed that helping attitude, subjective norms of helping behavior, and community related efficacy positively predicted volunteerism. Findings revealed that female volunteers were high on helping attitude, and subjective norms of helping behavior and low on volunteerism as compared to male volunteers. Moreover, significant differences were observed on education, monthly family income, type of volunteering, and duration of volunteering in relation to study variables. Implications. Implications of the study involve the significance of volunteerism as a component of prosocial behavior, drawing the attention of both academics and professionals. Limitations and suggestionsfor future researches had also been discussed. Keywords: Helping attitude, subjective norms, community related efficacy, volunteerism, theory of planned behavior

Antisocial Personality Disorder as a Form of Adaptive Strategy

Background: in contemporary domestic psychiatry the evolutionary explanations of antisocial personality disorder are practically lacking. The aim of study: the analysis of the significant concepts of the evolutionary approach to understanding the origins and typology of antisocial, or dissocial, personality disorder. Material and methods: a narrative review of contemporary English-language psychiatric and psychological literature using all available search engines using the keywords “antisocial psychopathy” and “evolutionary psychiatry and psychology”. Discussion and conclusion: in English-language psychiatric and psychological literature the affective component of antisocial traits, emphasized only in ICD-10, is called “primary psychopathy,” while the behavioral component of antisocial traits, associated with “sensation seeking” and “hyperactivation,” is called “secondary” psychopathy. Evolutionary and ecological approaches emphasize the adaptive role of aggressive and antisocial behavior, viewing such behavior as a “high-risk strategy” in social and sexual competition, as “costly” but potentially adaptive (rather than as “behavioral dysfunctions”). The understanding of persistent antisocial behavior as a social “trickster” strategy exploiting the trust and cooperative behavior of others is based on the R. Axelrod-W. Hamilton “iterated” prisoner’s dilemma. In the Prisoner’s Dilemma evolutionary model, the player’s payoff is determined by the effects on “fitness”: survival and fertility. Participating in several interactions with individuals, an antisocial “deceiver” with high mobility is able to exist, manifesting itself with a fairly low frequency in the population. Non-cooperative behavior in both animals and humans reduces the fitness of others and includes aggressive behavior, deception, betrayal, predation and social parasitism. From the point of view of the concept of “economic games,” people with subclinically expressed primary psychopathic traits (emotional coldness, manipulativeness, Machiavellianism) are represented as “strategists” with cooperation partners: they give with reciprocity to those partners whom they consider “highly valuable” (with the potential for great benefits in future), and only “take”, manipulating and deceiving, from those of “low value”. In a broad sense, evolutionary psychologists and psychiatrists find in the characteristics of antisocial individuals a predominance of a set of properties of “fast” life strategies, while the concept of “fast strategies” is also used to explain geographical differences in the prevalence of aggressive behavior.

Distribution and determinants of healthcare costs for self-care behaviours among patients with type 2 diabetes across low-resource communities in Nepal

BackgroundType 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a global public health problem, imposing significant financial burden on its’ management and care. Patients’ self-care behaviours can help to reduce the financial burden on healthcare resources. However, no studies have examined the distribution of healthcare costs related to self-care behaviours in low and lower middle-income countries. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the distribution and associated determinants of healthcare expenses incurred on self-care behaviours among patients with T2DM in low-resource communities in Nepal.MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional study, collecting data from 481 patients with T2DM across low-resource communities in the Kavrepalanchok and Nuwakot districts of Nepal. We applied micro-costing with a bottom-up approach to estimate the healthcare costs for 6 month periods. Self-care behaviours were assessed using a self-reported questionnaire. The relationship between healthcare expenses and self-care behaviours was modelled by using a generalised linear model with an identity-link function and 10,000 bootstrapping resampling techniques.ResultsThe average healthcare cost for managing T2DM is US $22.87 per patient for 6 months. Patients who engaged in footcare had the highest total expenses at US $71.98, followed by those who regularly conducted glucose monitoring (US $29.55), met physical activity recommendations (US $23.68), adhered to prescribed medication intake (US $23.59) and adhered to recommended dietary habits (US $22.98). Those patients who met the physical activity guidelines, regularly conducted glucose monitoring, and engaged in footcare had 18%, 32%, and 102% higher expenses respectively, compared to their counterparts.ConclusionsFootcare was the most expensive and least practised component of self-care behaviour for managing T2DM, followed by glucose monitoring and physical activity, underscoring the significance of making these behaviours affordable and accessible in diabetes management. This provides valuable insight for decision-makers to prioritise and ensure these behaviours are affordable for patients with diabetes.Graphical

Flexible oviposition behavior enabled the evolution of terrestrial reproduction

Among vertebrates, nearly all oviparous animals are considered to have either obligate aquatic or terrestrial oviposition, with eggs that are specialized for developing in those environments. The terrestrial environment has considerably more oxygen but is dry and thus presents both opportunities and challenges for developing embryos, particularly those adapted for aquatic development. Here, we present evidence from field experiments examining egg-laying behavior, egg size, and egg jelly function of 13 species of Central and South American treefrogs in the genus Dendropsophus, which demonstrates that flexible oviposition (individuals laying eggs both in and out of water) and eggs capable of both aquatic and terrestrial development are the likely factors which enable the transition from aquatic to terrestrial reproduction. Nearly half of the species we studied had previously undescribed degrees of flexible oviposition. Species with obligate terrestrial reproduction have larger eggs than species with aquatic reproduction, and species with flexible reproduction have eggs of intermediate sizes. Obligate terrestrial breeding frogs also have egg masses that absorb water more quickly than those with flexible oviposition. We also examined eight populations of a single species, Dendropsophus ebraccatus, and document substantial intraspecific variation in terrestrial oviposition; populations in rainy, stable climates lay fewer eggs in water than those in drier areas. However, no differences in egg size were found, supporting the idea that the behavioral component of oviposition evolves before other adaptations associated with obligate terrestrial reproduction. Collectively, these data demonstrate the key role that behavior can have in facilitating major evolutionary transitions.

Improving treatment fidelity: Factors that predict trauma‐focused cognitive behavioral therapy component use

AbstractThis study examined the utilization of trauma‐focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF‐CBT) treatment components, as well as factors that predicted therapist TF‐CBT component use. Participants were 264 TF‐CBT‐trained mental health therapists. The most frequently used components, as reported by therapists, were affect regulation, relaxation, and psychoeducation about trauma, while the least frequently used were in vivo exposure, conjoint sessions, and caregiver involvement. Results of a hierarchical linear regression indicated that therapist self‐efficacy and child trauma clinical beliefs (i.e., clinical structure and verbal capacity) positively predicted therapist TF‐CBT component use. Perceived barriers to TF‐CBT use negatively predicted therapist TF‐CBT component use. Implications for counseling practice and future research directions are included.

Feedback engagement as a multidimensional construct: a validation study

While the term feedback engagement has become a buzzword in higher education, the constructs of feedback engagement have remained inadequately investigated, and research on the conceptualization and instrumentation of feedback engagement in the literature is limited. This paper presents the development and validation of a feedback engagement scale that both reflects a prevalent multidimensional perspective of engagement in general education and is grounded in the prior empirical feedback research. Psychometric tests were conducted with a large disciplinarily diverse sample of university undergraduate students (N = 872). Findings of both confirmatory factor analysis and multi-group confirmatory factor analysis provide evidence of reliability, validity, and measurement invariance, for capturing the behavioural, cognitive, emotional, and social components of feedback engagement in higher education settings. The feedback engagement scale can be utilized both as a diagnostic tool for teachers to assess the level of student feedback engagement in academic learning and as a research tool for researchers to investigate the dynamic interplays between student feedback engagement and other learner/learning achievement variables.

When unethical practices harm relationship outcomes: testing the influence of consumer-perceived unethical behaviour on trust and satisfaction in the banking sector

PurposeThe study has two objectives: (1) expand our knowledge of the relationship between unethical behaviour and both trust and satisfaction and (2) demonstrate that unethical behaviour research should be examined multi-dimensionally.Design/methodology/approachData were collected by resorting to a mixed methods approach. First, individual interviews were performed with 31 bank consumers from six main commercial banks in Bukavu city in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Interview notes were submitted for content analysis to identify items and components that underpin the unethical practices construct. Second, a quantitative survey was conducted with 410 consumers from the same six banks. An aggregated-disaggregated structural equations modelling approach was used to test the impact of unethical practices on relationship outcomes through two studies. Study 1 tested a model that links unethical behaviour as a one-dimensional construct to trust and satisfaction. Study 2 tested a model that directly connects the four specific unethical behaviour components to both trust and satisfaction.FindingsResults from study 1 reveal that perceived unethical behaviour negatively influences consumer trust. Results also confirm that trust positively influences customer satisfaction. Results from study 2 confirm that unresponsive, disrespect and lying behaviours negatively influence both trust and satisfaction. Banks which are involving in those specific unethical behaviours can neither satisfy their consumers, nor maintain a sustainable and profitable relationship with them. Therefore, unethical behaviours harm the relationships outcomes in the banking sector.Research limitations/implicationsThe perceived unethical behaviour scale derives from a single data set and its reliability and validity need to be improved. Relationships between constructs are tested in a more direct way and ignore moderating variables. Perceived unethical behaviour is connected to relationship outcome variables while its impact on firms’ metrics have been ignored.Practical implicationsBanks have to understand customers’ perception of unethical behaviours and find a way to overcome them. Banks should recruit, motivate and retain employees who demonstrate an ethical inclination in the service encounter and create structures and mechanisms in order to monitor and manage unethical practices.Social implicationsBanks employees' unethical behaviour and practices not only damage the trust and reputation of banks but also can lead to frustration on the part of customers and damage their relationship with the institution. Our paper is a warning of this danger and might improve the social interactions between organisations (in general) and customers.Originality/valueUnethical behaviour is measured with a four-component scale in contrast to previous studies that have used bi-dimensional or one-dimensional scales. The study tests a disaggregated model that links four components of perceived unethical behaviour to relationship outcome variables. Perceived unethical behaviours are analysed from the customers’ perspective by resorting to mixed methods strategy.

Muscle Excitability Scale for the assessment of spastic reflexes in spinal cord injury: development and evaluation

Study designA psychometric study.ObjectivesTo introduce a novel simple tool designed to evaluate the intensity of the phasic (dynamic) component of spastic motor behavior in spinal cord injury (SCI) people and to assess its reliability and validity.SettingThe study was developed in the Spinal Cord Unit at University Hospital Motol and Paraple Centre in Prague, Czech Republic.MethodsThe Muscle Excitability Scale (MES) is designed to rate muscle motor response to exteroceptive and proprioceptive stimuli. The impairment rating ranges from zero muscle/muscle group spasm or clonus to generalized spastic response. The selected 0 to 4 scale allows for comparing the MES results with those of the Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS). After long-term use and repeated revisions, a psychometric analysis was conducted. According to the algorithm, two physiotherapists examined 50 individuals in the chronic stage after SCI.ResultsThe inter-rater reliability of MES for both legs showed κ = 0.52. The intra-rater reliability of MES for both legs showed κ = 0.50. The inter-rater reliability of simultaneously assessed MAS for both legs was higher, with κ = 0.69. The intra-rater reliability of MAS for both legs showed κ = 0.72. Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient between MES and spasm frequency of Penn Spasm Frequency Scale (PSFS) was low, while the correlation coefficient between MES and the severity part of PSFS was moderate.ConclusionsThe MES is a complementary tool for assessing the dynamic component of spastic motor behavior in SCI people. It allows a more comprehensive clinical characterization of spastic reflexes when used along with the MAS.

Модели восприятия амбивалентного Другого в условиях негативного пре-стимула

<p>The effects of framing with pre-stimulus information on the target object assessment were simulated in the perception of self-presentation video interview. Non-target personages of extremely positive and negative personal valence were presented as pre-stimuli. Two path models were built: the first one (Attitude Model) reproduced the structural logic of the attitude formation, and the second one (TraitsтModel) — the logic of dispositional traits perception. The sample consisted of 394 students from 17 to 27 years old (M = 20.06, SD = 1.24). It was found that the shifts in the target object's scores were occurred according to the contrast effect, however, this effect was triggered only by the negative pre-stimulus. In the Attitude Model, the primary “target” of the negative pre-stimulus is the cognitive component of the attitude. Slightly changing towards growth, it caused an avalanche-like positive shift in the emotional and behavioral components. In the Traits Model, the shift in the perception of personality traits was also occurred according to the principle of contrast. Negative pre-stimulus had a direct impact on the perception of Agreeableness and Extraversion, which, in turn, mediated the perception of Conscientiousness and Openness to experience. The results obtained could be used to create directed perceptual effects in the process of pedagogical, media or therapeutic influence.</p>

Formation of students’ value attitude towards health in physical education classes

The article poses the problem of educating students focused on preserving and strengthening health. The specificity of value as a relationship and as a value is revealed and the relationship between the concepts of «value» and «attitude» is revealed. It is substantiated that health, acquiring significance for the student, is thereby endowed with personal meaning, acquiring the status of value. The features of the value attitude towards health as a structural formation, the components of which have specific content, are revealed. The structure of students’ value attitude towards health is determined, including cognitive, motivational-value and behavioral components. The content of the components of students’ value attitude towards health is revealed: knowledge about human health, about a healthy lifestyle (cognitive component); the values of «health», «healthy lifestyle», «responsibility», «independence», which take the form of motives for the student’s activities to preserve and strengthen his own health (motivational-value component); actions and actions aimed at preserving and strengthening health – physical activity, proper nutrition, etc. (behavioral component). The possibilities of physical education classes at a university in forming a value-based attitude towards health among students are revealed. The choice of methods is substantiated to effectively form the cognitive component of students’ value attitude towards health (methods such as story, explanation, clarification), the motivational-value component (ethical dialogue, discussion, example, situation of value choice), and the behavioral component (exercise and training). Examples are given of the use of explanation, ethical dialogue, and situations of value choice in physical education classes at a university in order to form students’ value-based attitude to health.

Predictors of parent self-monitoring patterns in a family-based behavioral weight loss treatment program.

Self-monitoring dietary intake is a critical component of family-based intensive health behavior and lifestyle treatment for pediatric obesity, but adherence rates are often low. This study identifies predictors of parent self-monitoring rates during treatment. A secondary analysis of parent self-monitoring data from a randomized controlled trial involving 150 parent-child dyads. Patterns of self-monitoring were identified using a latent class mixed model approach. Logistic regression analyses evaluated predictors of self-monitoring patterns. Latent class models identified two trajectory groups: a high consistent self-monitoring group and a low-decreasing self-monitoring group. When compared to parents in the low group, parents in the high group lost more weight throughout treatment. Children in the high group had a similar trajectory for weight loss; however, the groups were not statistically different. Higher levels of family chaos and poorer family problem-solving skills were associated with higher odds of being in the low group. This study identified two patterns of rates of parent self-monitoring, which were associated with parent weight loss and were differentiated by family chaos and poor problem-solving. These findings suggest that families with high levels of chaos and poor problem-solving could benefit from early intervention to improve outcomes in pediatric obesity treatment programs. Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT01197443.

Optimising a digitally delivered behavioural weight loss programme: study protocol for a factorial cluster randomised controlled trial

BackgroundDigitally delivered weight loss programmes can provide a convenient, potentially cheaper, and scalable treatment option for people who may need to lose weight. However, outcomes are often inferior to in-person interventions in the long-term. This trial will use principles from the Multiphase Optimisation Strategy (MOST) framework to test whether it can enhance the effectiveness of a commercial digital behavioural weight loss programme. This trial aims to identify an optimised combination of four intervention components to enhance weight loss over a 24-week period. We will also explore which components contribute to improvements in participant retention and engagement with the programme.MethodsApproximately 1400 adults with a BMI > 21 kg/m2 will be enrolled and randomised to one of 16 experimental conditions in a 24 factorial cluster design. The trial will test four intervention components: an introductory video call with the health coach, drop-in webchat sessions with the health coach, goal setting statements, and food diary review and feedback. All participants will receive the core digital behavioural weight loss programme and up to four new intervention components. Participation in the trial will last for 24 weeks. The primary outcome will be weight change at 16 weeks. Other outcomes, measured at 4, 16, and 24 weeks, include programme drop-out and engagement (number of interactions with the three main app functions). Fidelity and acceptability will be assessed using data on component adherence and self-report questionnaires. Decision-making for the enhanced programme will be based on components that contribute to at least a minimal improvement in weight loss, defined as ≥ 0.75kg, alone or in combination with other components.DiscussionThe factorial design is an efficient way to test the efficacy of behavioural components alone, or in combination, to improve the effectiveness of digital weight loss programmes. This trial will test the implementation of the MOST framework in an industry setting, using routinely collected data, which may provide a better way to refine and evaluate these types of interventions in a model of continuous service improvement.Trial registrationTrial registration: ISRCTN, ISRCTN14407868. Registered 5 January 2024, 10.1186/ISRCTN14407868.

Психологическая структура дефекта как основание психологической помощи детям с отклонениями в развитии

<p>The concept of “psychological structure of a defect” is analyzed in the context of its use for designing psychological assistance for a child with developmental disabilities. The potential of this concept is revealed for identifying individual characteristics of abnormal mental development. The psychological structure of the defect is defined as a set of nuclear mental anomalies that serve as the basis for the emergence of the entire spectrum of particular manifestations of the child’s abnormal development, as well as the agent’s reaction to them. Two types of personality response are identified – objective and subjective. The first reveals changes in mental functions, the second reveals the subject’s experiences about the defect, including the attitude towards the defect, emotional-sensory and behavioral components. The agent's reaction to the defect reflects the cyclical nature of the formation of the structure of the defect. It can both support the existence of the nuclear defect, generate defects of a higher order (dysfunctional cycle) and facilitate overcoming them (evolutionary cycle).</p>

Comprehensive examination of regional railway passenger behavior and dwell time components: Insights from video-based observations in Victoria, Australia

In understudied regional railway operations, this study explores passenger boarding and alighting patterns and how station design impacts them, particularly dwell times. Despite extensive metropolitan and suburban train research, regional railways have been overlooked. This study investigates regional rail passenger flow and dwell time to bridge this gap. This article studies dwell times and passenger boarding and alighting at two regional stations in Victoria, Australia, using CCTV data. The objective is to identify insights that might improve regional railway services' efficiency and user experience and advocate for sector-specific solutions. Analysis indicates distinct station boarding and alighting features, highlighting the discovery of the ‘blinded phenomenon’ for train conductors particularly in the afternoon peak (PMP). The results of the study showed that PMP services, which prioritise alighting passengers, had higher dwell times than the morning peak (AMP) services, which emphasise boarding passengers. Obstructed views make it difficult for train conductors to monitor passenger alighting, prolonging dwell times. Better human resource strategies, artificial intelligence for crowd surveillance, and strategic CCTV system deployment to streamline operations and improve passenger experience on regional railways are proposed in the paper, laying the groundwork for future research and operational changes in this vital transportation sector.

Chemogenetic control of GABAergic activity within the interpeduncular nucleus reveals dissociable behavioral components of the nicotine withdrawal phenotype.

Chronic exposure to nicotine results in the development of a dependent state such that a withdrawal syndrome is elicited upon cessation of nicotine. The habenulo-interpeduncular (Hb-IPN) circuit contains a high concentration of nAChRs and has been identified as a main circuit involved in nicotine withdrawal. Here we investigated the contribution of two distinct subpopulations of IPN GABAergic neurons to nicotine withdrawal behaviors. Using a chemogenetic approach to specifically target Amigo1-expressing or Epyc-expressing neurons within the IPN, we found that activity of the Amigo1 and not the Epyc subpopulation of GABAergic neurons is critical for anxiety-like behaviors both in naïve mice and in those undergoing nicotine withdrawal. Moreover, data revealed that stimulation of Amigo1 neurons in nicotine-naïve mice elicits opposite effects on affective and somatic signs of withdrawal. Taken together, these results suggest that somatic and affective behaviors constitute dissociable components of the nicotine withdrawal phenotype and are likely supported by distinct subpopulations of neurons within the IPN.

Application of a welfare assessment protocol for Australian lot-fed cattle: The effect of time and frequency of assessment

Farm animal welfare assessment protocols enable the capture and reporting of information to address any concerns raised by the industry or the public alike. To underpin commercial protocols, research to address validity, repeatability, and practicality, including studies to determine appropriate sampling methodology, is needed. For protocols that adopt an animal outcome-based approach, including the proposed protocol for Australian lot-fed cattle, appropriate sampling is required to ensure validity of observations. The aim of this study was to determine optimal timing and frequency of pen-side assessments. The proposed welfare assessment protocol was applied at four time points for 208 sample pens at four feedlots during a seven-month period. To determine the effect of time of day, the number of behavioural measures were reduced using Principal Component (PC) analysis, and then a Generalized Linear Mixed Model applied to consider relevant resource and environmental factors. Three primary components of cattle behaviour and demeanour were identified. PC 1 (17.61 % of total variation in the observed cattle behaviour) related to activity and rest, with cattle most active at 08:00 h and 17:00 h, and least active at 14:00 h. PC 2 (10.15 % variation) related to engagement with environment and feeding. At 17:00 h more cattle were observed to express positive welfare outcomes, such as engagement and feeding behaviours. PC 3 (7.07 % variation) captured behaviour and demeanour that reflected cattle mental state, but minimal variation was identified related to time of day. PC 1–3 varied by feedlot and visit number, and PC 1 scores also differed by cattle feeding program. Results indicate that to capture variation in cattle activity and rest, repeated assessments at two key time points; early-morning and early afternoon, are required for accurate pen-side welfare assessments of lot-fed cattle. These findings suggest further refinement of the welfare assessment protocol for lot-fed cattle is recommended to facilitate commercial adoption.

Reallocating just 10 min to moderate-to-vigorous physical activity from other components of 24-hour movement behaviors improves cardiovascular health in adults

BackgroundAs components of a 24-hour day, sedentary behavior (SB), physical activity (PA), and sleep are all independently linked to cardiovascular health (CVH). However, insufficient understanding of components’ mutual exclusion limits the exploration of the associations between all movement behaviors and health outcomes. The aim of this study was to employ compositional data analysis (CoDA) approach to investigate the associations between 24-hour movement behaviors and overall CVH.MethodsData from 581 participants, including 230 women, were collected from the 2005–2006 wave of the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). This dataset included information on the duration of SB and PA, derived from ActiGraph accelerometers, as well as self-reported sleep duration. The assessment of CVH was conducted in accordance with the criteria outlined in Life’s Simple 7, encompassing the evaluation of both health behaviors and health factors. Compositional linear regression was utilized to examine the cross-sectional associations of 24-hour movement behaviors and each component with CVH score. Furthermore, the study predicted the potential differences in CVH score that would occur by reallocating 10 to 60 min among different movement behaviors.ResultsA significant association was observed between 24-hour movement behaviors and overall CVH (p < 0.001) after adjusting for potential confounders. Substituting moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) for other components was strongly associated with favorable differences in CVH score (p < 0.05), whether in one-for-one reallocations or one-for-remaining reallocations. Allocating time away from MVPA consistently resulted in larger negative differences in CVH score (p < 0.05). For instance, replacing 10 min of light physical activity (LPA) with MVPA was related to an increase of 0.21 in CVH score (95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.11 to 0.31). Conversely, when the same duration of MVPA was replaced with LPA, CVH score decreased by 0.67 (95% CI -0.99 to -0.35). No such significance was discovered for all duration reallocations involving only LPA, SB, and sleep (p > 0.05).ConclusionsMVPA seems to be as a pivotal determinant for enhancing CVH among general adult population, relative to other movement behaviors. Consequently, optimization of MVPA duration is an essential element in promoting overall health and well-being.