Domestic Settings Research Articles

Hands on Biofilm! Utilizing a public audience in a citizen science project to assess yield variability when culturing kombucha pellicle.

The pellicle biofilm generated during the Kombucha tea fermentation process has, when dried, textile-like properties that may have real-life applications. However, pellicle yield can vary depending on inoculation and incubation conditions, which affects research investigations on the properties of the pellicle. To generate data on variability to help define optimum pellicle growth conditions, as part of a public engagement event about biofilm, a citizen science activity was hosted whereby visitors to a science festival were invited to select incubation conditions and inoculate different media with liquid or solid (pellicle). More than 220 samples were inoculated (in excess of 1200 visitors, mainly in family groups). The most popular incubation conditions were coconut water or tea medium, 30°C/room temperature and liquid inoculum. The most productive/reproducible in terms of yield and variability were tea medium, 30°C, and liquid inoculum, which reflect some of the conditions most used in the domestic setting for kombucha culture. The event provided both useful research data and generated public interest in a research area of which many will have been unaware. Interest in the results of the activity, available several weeks after the activity, was sustained using email contact and FlickR for the dissemination of images and data.

Detection of Arthropod-Borne Bacteria and Assessment of MALDI-TOF MS for the Identification of Field-Collected Immature Bed Bugs from Mauritania.

Human infestations by bed bugs have upsurged globally in recent decades, including in African countries, where recent reports pointed out an increase in infestation. Sympatric dwelling has been described for two species of bed bug parasitizing humans: Cimex hemipterus (the tropical bed bug) and C. lectularius. Identification of these two species is based on morphological characteristics, and gene sequencing, and may also rely on Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization Time-Of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). The present work aimed to assess whether MALDI-TOF MS was applicable for species level identification of immature stages of Cimex. Arthropods were collected in domestic settings in Nouakchott, Mauritania. Identification used morphological keys and MALDI-TOF MS identification was assessed for immature stages. Quantitative PCR and sequencing assays were used to detect arthropod-associated bacteria in each specimen. A total of 92 arthropods were collected, all morphologically identified as C. hemipterus (32 males, 14 females and 45 immature stages). A total of 35/45 specimens produced good quality MALDI-TOF MS spectra. Analysis allowed species level identification of all immature C. hemipterus after their spectra were entered into our in-house MALDI-TOF MS arthropod spectra database. Molecular screening allowed detection of Wolbachia DNA in each specimen. These results suggested that MALDI-TOF MS is a reliable tool for species level identification of Cimex specimens, including immature specimens. Future studies should assess this approach on larger panels of immature specimens for different Cimex species and focus on the precise staging of their different immature developmental stages.

Development of a new ‘human cyber-resilience scale’

Abstract While there has been an upsurge in interest in cyber resilience in organizations, we know little about the resilience of individuals to cyber attacks. Cyber resilience in a domestic or non-work setting is important because we know that the majority of people will face cyber threats in their use of technology across a range of contexts, and the ability to resist a cyber attack, or quickly recover and learn from a successful attack, is as important for individuals’ wellbeing as it is for organizations. There is, unfortunately, a dearth of studies on the cyber resilience of people, in part because it is not clear how such a construct could be defined and then measured. In the present work, we present a series of five studies—with a total sample of n = 1503—that sought to develop and validate a theoretically based measure of cyber resilience for individuals. The final scale, comprising 16 items and 4 subscales (self-efficacy, learning and growth, social support, and helplessness), demonstrates good internal reliability and validity.

Home-made in Belfast: domesticity as creative practice in Northern Irish art and performance

ABSTRACT Domestic performance practices tend to be shaped by or to explicitly address feminist politics. In staging the very labour of homemaking as material of creative endeavour they expand, as this article explores, what counts as women’s writing. This article, a collaboration between a curator, Ciara Hickey, and theatre scholar, Trish McTighe, surveys a selection of domestic performances that have taken place in Belfast over the last several decades. By domestic performance, we mean aesthetic events or theatrical performances that are staged in a domestic setting, usually a private home. Taking three examples of this sort of work, Hickey’s domestic curation work up to 2012, The Wedding Community Play (1999), and Big Telly Theatre Company’s The House (2021), we engage with the nature of private space in a post-conflict society as well as the status of female creativity in that context.

Animal cruelty as an indicator of domestic violence

nimal abuse is a growing public health concern and an early indicator of domestic violence; therefore, this research paper investigates its relationship with domestic abuse. This research seeks to establish and examine the connection between animal cruelty and domestic violence, especially acts perpetrated against domestic pets, and incidents of victim-driven animal husbandry when animals become the targets of aggression in a home environment. We explore psychological, sociocultural, legal and victim-driven animal husbandry aspects as well as instances when domestic animals themselves become the targets for aggression in domestic settings. Study findings reveal an unexpected connection between animal abuse and domestic violence that could help law enforcement agencies, public organizations and professionals working in social support and psychology detect cases sooner. It would also allow victims to receive immediate assistance. This research holds great relevance for law enforcement officials as well as practitioners working within these fields of social support and psychology. Law enforcement, social services and public organizations may utilize the findings from this study to enhance procedures for detecting domestic violence as well as protecting animals from abuse.

Development of a novel integrated hopper briquette machine for sustainable production of pellet fuels

Water hyacinth (WH) is a rapidly growing seaweed and a potential renewable energy source. WH biomass can be processed and compressed to briquettes for use in cooking and heating coal power plants. Biomass is typically processed and compressed using conventional briquette machines (CBM). The inability of the CBM to produce the desired amount of briquette fuel within the time frame provided has necessitated the development of an innovative and versatile hopper briquette machine (HBM). This machine is capable of producing billets from abundant biomass in the tropics. HBM as an adaptable machine is employed for the sustainable production of solid fuel. For the first time, this study targeted the development of HBM to address the problem associated with CBM. The HBM's central components include a base frame, feed hopper, barrel, thrust bearing, dies, heating element, and others. The efficiency of the novel machine and production capacity were computed to be 85% and 120 kg/h, respectively. At the second run, the HBM produced 30 billets in 20 minutes. The basic properties of the briquette fuel and billet comply with those in the literature. The billet generated can be utilized as solid fuels in local bakeries, restaurants, domestic and industrial settings.

A study to explore the usefulness of a mobile health application to support people with mild cognitive and/or communication impairment due to dementia and their carers.

Mobile apps for health (mHealth) have the potential to support people living with dementia. However, dementia is a complex and progressive condition that imposes specific constraints on the introduction/use of mhealth. Few studies have explored mHealth adoption and use within the complexity of everyday domestic settings. This study used an existing App co-designed with people living with mild cognitive and communication impairment (PWMCCI) due to learning disabilities and examined the usefulness for PWMICCI due to dementia and their carers. A qualitative study of people with dementia and their carers. Data were collected in a phased approach to identify the potential need for, as well as the usability and utility of the app. Analysis employed the Domestication of Technology Model (DTM) to explore, in a novel way mHealth, in this user group(s). Most participants did not adopt the mHealth during the study period but some (n = 2) did routinely as it fulfilled a unique, unmet need. The use of DTM highlighted the complexities of dementia, pressure on carers and duplication of effort created barriers to app adoption and use in the long term. The ability of mHealth to support PWMCCI due to dementia and/or their carers may have potential. Users were motivated to try the technology but for any potential to be fully realised, the interplay between complexity of the condition including its progressive nature, demand on carers and nature of the technology needs to be more fully understood. Such issues place unique constraints around the size and window of opportunities for mHealth in this user group.

Flames of Time:

The manuscript as narrator in Icelandic children’s novel Bál tímans (2022) belongs to a literary tradition of sentient object narrators who document the domestic spaces in which they circulate. Bál tímans shifts the reader’s focus to normally invisible manuscript owners and users, including women and children, bringing attention to disparities in access created through archive-building activities. In domestic settings, Möðruvallabók is accessible to a broad segment of the Icelandic population through practices of social reading, women’s book ownership, and home education. In the archive, human-manuscript interactions are restricted to a narrow and initially male-only elite. While tensions between preservation and access are resolved when the codex is exhibited in a museum space where it can share its stories with a wider audience, Bál tímans examines what can be lost by bringing cultural objects into archival spaces.

Adverse impacts of Roundup on soil bacteria, soil chemistry and mycorrhizal fungi during restoration of a Colorado grassland

Glyphosate is a widely used herbicide in agricultural, domestic, and restoration settings to manage weeds and invasive plants and is the active ingredient in the herbicide formulation Roundup. Concurrently with its drastic increase in usage, concern over indirect ecosystem effects and effects on non-target species has grown. In restoration, glyphosate is often used to remove invasive plants so native plants may be re-introduced. However, successful reintroductions require soils and microbial communities that support native plant growth, and it is critical that glyphosate applications do not harm soil microbes such as mycorrhizal fungi. Despite previous studies investigating the effects of glyphosate on soils and microbial communities, comprehensive field experiments combining soil chemistry and next generation sequencing technologies to describe both bacterial and eukaryotic responses to glyphosate are limited, especially in the contexts of ecosystem restoration and soil health. We studied the effects of the glyphosate-based herbicide Roundup Promax at frequencies of 0, 2, 4, and 5 applications over the course of 12 months on soil biotic and abiotic soil health indicators in a Colorado prairie dominated by the invasive cool-season grass Bromus inermis. Here we report cascading effects on soil chemistry, with increases in nitrate and acidity and consequent decreases in calcium content and cation exchange capacity. Bacterial and archaeal communities were more affected by Roundup Promax than eukaryotic communities, with decreases in phylogenetic diversity and changes in community structure following Roundup Promax applications, particularly after five applications. More critically, the colonization of plant roots by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi decreased significantly in plots receiving even just two applications of Roundup Promax, and dark septate endophytes decreased after four applications. Our work shows that Roundup Promax had multiple negative effects on soil biota in this field study due to either direct effects or indirect effects mediated through plant removal. Our results suggest that repeated herbicide applications are especially damaging to soil health and microbe-plant associations. These effects in turn could severely hamper the ability of native plants to establish during ecosystem restoration projects.

Pattern and Variation in Jewellery Production Sequences

This study considers the production sequences of amber jewellery from Sārnate and Siliņupe, at the coast of present-day Latvia. Differences between the two sites in terms of the relative frequency of items discarded in various production stages may be related to the degree of integration into exchange networks. Within-assemblage variation in terms of the point within the processing sequence when perforation was performed indicates a strong element of heterodoxy with respect to amber processing within the communities, congruent with a domestic setting of production, even though the output consisted of a rather standardized range of forms.

A NEW STEP TO PREVENT ELDER ABUSE IN JAPAN

Abstract This paper first introduces major aspects of the Japanese Act on the Prevention of Elder Abuse, including trends in substantiated elder abuse cases in both institutional and domestic settings, definitions of elder abuse, and abusers and reporting systems. It then introduces the recent amendment of operational standards in institutional settings made by ministerial ordinance. The amendment includes a requirement to develop a committee to prevent occurrence and recurrence of elder abuse and to appoint a designated individual to establish guidelines and implement training. It is hoped to further prevent elder abuse in Japan.

WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO PREVENT ELDER ABUSE IN JAPAN?

Abstract This symposium first introduces the Japanese Act on the Prevention of Elder Abuse, including its elder abuse definitions and trends in elder abuse in both institutional and domestic settings. It then describes a recent amendment to operational standards made by ministerial ordinance, which aims to reduce elder abuse. Second, it presents analysis of elder abuse data (N=497) from Matsudo-City in Chiba prefecture, which found that only about 65% of reported elder abuse cases were deemed to meet the legal definition of elder abuse and the rest were excluded due to how the law defines abusers. Findings suggest the definitions in the Act be broadened to encompass a wider set of abuse situations. Third, it presents analysis using the same data, of characteristics of abusers. Findings indicate that about 24% of abusers were caregivers with disabilities, suggesting the importance of supporting caregiver health and welfare to help prevent abuse. The symposium concludes by presenting findings from a longitudinal survey of older adults aged 75+ (N=769) indicating that physical restraints use is associated with “having been diagnosed as intractable neurological diseases,” “unstable general condition or at the terminal stage,” “higher levels of care-need,” “having medical treatment,” and “family members’ long-term care burdens.”

Inactivation of Salmonella in nonintact beef during low-temperature sous vide cooking

Sous vide cooking is a method of food preparation in which food is vacuum sealed and cooked in a water bath that is set to a precise temperature and circulated by a sous vide device. Due to ease of use and affordability, this cooking method has grown increasingly popular in food service kitchens and domestic settings. However, low-temperature, long holding time sous vide cooking recommendations from manufacturers and chefs in popular press raise food safety concerns – specifically those for the preparation of nonintact beef products. The objective of this experiment was to address these concerns by validating a 5 log reduction of Salmonella spp. in sous vide cooked, nonintact beef steaks. Beef semitendinosus sliced into 2.54 cm steaks were internally inoculated to 7 log with Salmonella Typhimurium, Enteritidis, and Heidelberg via a needle inoculation pin pad. Steaks were individually vacuum sealed, and sous vide cooked at 46.1, 51.6, and 54.4°C. The minimum time measured for a 5 log reduction at 51.6 and 54.4°C was 150 and 64.5 min, respectively (P < 0.01). Additionally, a 7.28 log final reduction was achieved at 51.6°C after 322.5 min (P < 0.01). However, 46.1°C was only able to achieve a final reduction of 2.01 log (P < 0.01) after a holding time of 420 min. The results of this experiment validate in sous vide cooked products the time and temperature combinations provided in the USDA-FSIS Appendix A guidance for a 5 log reduction of Salmonella spp. in meat products. Moreover, more research is needed with other relevant foodborne pathogens to determine if sous vide cooking below Appendix A recommendations could lead to unsafe products.

Glutathione attenuated lambda-cyhalothrin-induced alteration of serum total cholesterol concentration and oxidative stress parameters in rats.

Lambda-cyhalothrin is a type II pyrethroid insecticide that is used for pest control in agricultural, domestic, and industrial settings. Glutathione is an antioxidant that has been reported to confer protection on biological systems against the adverse impacts of insecticides. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of glutathione on the serum lipid profile and oxidative stress parameters of rats exposed to lambda-cyhalothrin toxicity. Thirty-five rats were assigned into 5 groups each. Distilled water was given to the first group, whereas the second group received soya oil (1mL/kg). Lambda-cyhalothrin (25mg/kg) was administered to the third group. The fourth group was given lambda-cyhalothrin (25mg/kg) and glutathione (100mg/kg) successively, whereas the fifth group received lambda-cyhalothrin (25mg/kg) and glutathione (200mg/kg) consecutively. The treatments were administered once daily by oral gavage for 21days. The rats were sacrificed after the completion of the study. The serum lipid profile and oxidative stress parameters were assessed. A significant (P<0.05) increase was observed in the total cholesterol concentration of the lambda-cyhalothrin group. The serum malondialdehyde level was elevated (P<0.05) in the lambda-cyhalothrin group. The superoxide dismutase activity of the lambda-cyhalothrin+glutathione200 group was enhanced (P<0.05). The results revealed that lambda-cyhalothrin perturbed the total cholesterol concentration of the rats, whereas glutathione (particularly at 200mg/kg, indicating a dose-response effect) ameliorated the disruptive impacts of lambda-cyhalothrin. The advantageous effects of glutathione may be ascribed to its antioxidant property.

Fatal blast injuries in tyre blowouts: two autopsy case reports

BackgroundFatal blast injuries are generally reported as a consequence of explosions, mainly in terrorist events, work-related detonations, or domestic settings. Although quite rare, blast injuries of high kinetic energy can be seen in tyre blowouts and are very dangerous and potentially lethal because of their unpredictability. This phenomenon is rarely reported in the existing forensic literature.The aim of this study was to report two cases of fatal truck tyre bursts and to discuss the mechanisms leading to the burst and the pattern of injuries.Case presentationsCase 1 was of a 58-year-old truck driver man who was standing nearby a detached tyre that was being inflated in a repair shop when the burst occurred. The tyre struck him in the face and threw him. The medicolegal autopsy showed a right periorbital haematoma, a large wound of the left parietal scalp, a diffuse subarachnoid haemorrhage, an atlanto-occipital dislocation, a fracture of the hyoid bone, multiple rib fractures, and lacerations of the ascending aorta and the pulmonary arteries. Case 2 involved a young man of 24-year-old, a worker in a tyre repair shop, who was inflating a truck’s tyre when it burst violently. The injuries sustained included bleeding from the right ear, fractures of the facial bones, a left hemispheric subdural haematoma associated with the fracture of the skull base, a rib fracture, and diffuse areas of contusions to the lungs. Toxicological analyses were negative in both cases.ConclusionFatalities related to tyre blowout accidents are uncommon. The mechanisms leading to a blowout can be mechanical or chemical in origin, and the main danger of a burst often occurs when air enters the tyre during inflation. Internal damage caused by the pressure waves of the blast often exceeds what would be expected based on external signs alone.

Using of Visual Anthropology Methods in Researching of the Calendar Holidays. Family Photographs at Easter in RSSM

The article presents arguments for implementing the alternative research sources and manners, that of the visual methods ones, regarding the investigation of the holidays of spring-summer-autumn cycle. Discussions and examples are operated by interpreting family photos at the Easter celebration in the Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic (MSSR). Specifying the qualities of the photographic method used in visual anthropology and considering the content of the accumulated photographic materials, the author looks at them as techniques in field research, as well as documentary sources. The relevance of a dialogue between the researcher and the people eternalized in the images or of their owners is pointed out, in order to ensure a reflexive investigation via various optics. Pictures are estimated as visual testimonies and narratives, able to provide information for the certification, reconstruction, and understanding of the cultural and religious facts displayed in domestic settings

Usability of an exosuit in domestic and community environments

BackgroundExosuits have been shown to reduce metabolic cost of walking and to increase gait performance when used in clinical environment. Currently, these devices are transitioning to private use to facilitate independent training at home and in the community. However, their acceptance in unsupervised settings remains unclear. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate end-user perspectives and the adoption of an exosuit in domestic and community settings.MethodsWe conducted a mixed-method study to investigate the usability and user experience of an exosuit, the Myosuit. We leveraged on a cohort of seven expert users, who had the device available at home for at least 28 days. Each participant completed two standardized questionnaires (SUS and QUEST) and one personalized, custom questionnaire. Furthermore, a semi-structured interview with each participant was recorded, verbatim transcribed and analyzed using descriptive thematic analysis. Data collected from device sensors quantified the frequency of use.ResultsA mean SUS score of 75.4 out of 100 was reported. Five participants scored above the threshold for above-average usability. Participants also expressed high satisfaction with most of the technical features in the QUEST with an average score of 4.1 (3.86–4.71) out of 5. Participants used the Myosuit mainly for walking outside and exercising at home. However, the frequency of use did not meet the recommendations for physical activity established by the World Health Organization. Five participants used the Myosuit approximately once per week. The two other participants integrated the device in their daily life and used the Myosuit to a greater extent (approx. five times per week). Major factors that prevented an extensive use of the technology were: (i) difficulties in donning that led to (ii) lack of independence and (iii) lack of motivation in exercising.ConclusionsAlthough usable for various activities and well perceived, the adoption of the exosuit in domestic and community settings is yet limited. Use outside the clinic poses further challenges that should be considered when developing new wearable robots. Primarily, design should meet the users' claim for independence and increased adjustability of the device.

Veterans Health Administration Models of Community-Based Long-Term Care: State of the Science.

The complex care needs of older adults arising at the intersection of age-related illnesses, military service, and social barriers have presented challenges to the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for decades. In response, the VA has invested in centers that integrate research, education, and clinical innovation, using approaches aligned with a learning health care system, to create, evaluate, and implement new care models. This article presents an integrative review of 6 community care models developed within the VA to manage multimorbidity, complex social needs, and avoid institutional care, examining how these models address complex care needs among older adults. The models reviewed include Home Based Primary Care, Medical Foster Home, the VA Caregiver Support Program, the Resources Enhancing Alzheimer's Caregiver Health (REACH)-VA program, the Caregivers of Older Adults Cared for at Home (COACH) program, and Veteran Directed Care. Core components and evaluation outcomes for each model are summarized, along with implications for more widespread implementation and research. Each model promotes coordinated care, integrates behavioral health, and leverages interprofessional expertise. All models are cost-neutral or incur only modest cost increases to improve outcomes. Broader implementation will require interprofessional workforce development, payment model realignment, and infrastructure to evaluate outcomes in new settings. The VA provides a blueprint for infrastructure that could be adapted to other domestic and international settings. Care models successfully implemented within the VA's single-payer system hold promise to address persistent dilemmas in long-term care, such as management of multimorbidity and social drivers of health, integration and support of family caregivers, and mental health integration. These models also demonstrate the value of incorporating care approaches that have been developed or tested outside the United States and argue for greater cross-fertilization of ideas from different health systems.

Using Online Customer Reviews to Classify, Predict, and Learn About Domestic Robot Failures

There is a knowledge gap regarding which types of failures robots undergo in domestic settings and how these failures influence customer experience. We classified 10,072 customer reviews of small utilitarian domestic robots on Amazon by the robotic failures described in them, grouping failures into twelve types and three categories (Technical, Interaction, and Service). We identified sources and types of failures previously overlooked in the literature, combining them into an updated failure taxonomy. We analyzed their frequencies and relations to customer star ratings. Results indicate that for utilitarian domestic robots, Technical failures were more detrimental to customer experience than Interaction or Service failures. Issues with Task Completion and Robustness & Resilience were commonly reported and had the most significant negative impact. Future failure-prevention and response strategies should address the technical ability of the robot to meet functional goals, operate and maintain structural integrity over time. Usability and interaction design were less detrimental to customer experience, indicating that customers may be more forgiving of failures that impact these aspects for the robots and practical uses examined. Further, we developed a Natural Language Processing model capable of predicting whether a customer review contains content that describes a failure and the type of failure it describes. With this knowledge, designers and researchers of robotic systems can prioritize design and development efforts towards essential issues.

Physiological Assessment of the Health and Welfare of Domestic Cats-An Exploration of Factors Affecting Urinary Cortisol and Oxytocin.

Physiological samples are beneficial in assessing the health and welfare of cats. However, most studies have been conducted in specialized environments, such as shelters or laboratories, and have not focused on cats living in domestic settings. In addition, most studies have assessed physiological stress states in cats based on cortisol, and none have quantified positive indicators, such as oxytocin. Here, we collected urine samples from 49 domestic cats and quantified urinary cortisol, oxytocin, and creatinine using ELISA. To identify factors influencing hormone levels, owners responded to questionnaires regarding their housing environment, individual cat information, and the frequency of daily interactions with their cats. Using principal component analysis, principal component scores for daily interactions were extracted. These results showed that the frequency of tactile and auditory signal-based communication by owners was positively correlated with the mean concentration of oxytocin in the urine. Additionally, this communication was more frequent in younger cats or cats that had experienced a shorter length of cohabitation with the owner. However, no factors associated with urinary cortisol concentration were identified. Our study indicates that interactions and relationships with the owner influence the physiological status of cats and suggests that oxytocin is a valuable parameter for assessing their health and welfare.