Health Reasons Research Articles

Nutrition and Foods

“Why do you complain that you cannot afford meat? Why do you not just eat beans?”, by a well-meaning public figure to a gathering of people. It is ok if one is a vegetarian for whatever reason. You might be a vegetarian for religious or health reasons. You might even decide to eat a meatless diet on a whim. However, if your family is regular and not restricted in what they can eat, then suddenly fail to access a diverse diet, then one must think nutrition very seriously. Say a family has young children who have a good appetite and have been drinking milk, then all of a sudden milk is curtailed, advice cannot be “give them any other beverage”. Satiety-wise yes, but not nutrition-wise. So is meat a must in the diet? Yes, because of the unique essential nutrients it provides. And when we talk of meat we have to remember there are different types of meat. There is red meat from cattle, sheep, goats, and wild animals. Then there is white meat from poultry, fish, rabbits, and insects. Consumers delight in such meats for different reasons. Then the milk or eggs of these provide more or less the same nutrients. The human body requires certain essential nutrients, already determined scientifically as far as amounts needed. In most cases, it is a mixed diverse diet, which means both plant and animal sources. So, humans who consume only animal-source food, miss plant-source nutrients, and vice versa. For example, in Kenya, we have the Maasai who eat meat and drink blood and milk. But guess what? That is not all. They also take intestinal juices which help to digest the meat they consume, sometimes in raw form. We did some studies on Maasai eating patterns and found out that, their diet includes fruits, roots, and herbs from the wild. These provide vitamins and minerals to supplement what their meat-lacto diet provides. So, human beings need a mixed diet to be able to meet fully the body's nutritional requirements. Should you choose to, or find yourself eating only meats or vegetables, you will most likely suffer certain nutritional deficiencies. Where you can affordably access good supplements, you better get a doctor's advice to start taking these before you develop nutrient deficiency symptoms. Most cultures seem to have diets where foods complement each other. More studies are needed on this topic. Meantime, let us continue to research and learn more. All these nutrients our body needs work in unison and when you study them carefully, you find out that they are interdependent, in that if you take too much of one or some, the functioning of the others is affected, likely to lead to negative effects on your health.

Cannabidiol usage, efficacy, and side effects: analyzing the impact of health conditions, medications, and cannabis use in a cross-sectional online pilot study.

Products containing cannabidiol (CBD) are attracting attention because of their potential therapeutic benefits and positive impacts on well-being and mental health. Although additional research is needed to understand their effectiveness in treating mental disorders, cross-sectional studies may help identify the factors influencing CBD use patterns. This study examined the impact of variables such as health status, medication use, medical supervision, gender, age, and cannabis use on CBD consumption patterns. A self-selected sample (n =267) of current or former CBD users was recruited via social media and participated in an online survey designed to collect data on basic demographics, health status, cannabis use, and CBD usage patterns. The sample (n = 267) consisted of 68.5% women with an average age of 30.21 years, of which 25.8% reported diagnosed psychiatric disorders and 49.4% reported cannabis use. The top five reasons for using CBD were self-reported stress (65.3%), sleep problems (51.7%), overall improvement in well-being (52.5%), improved mood (44.9%), and anxiety relief (40.9%). Our findings suggest that individuals with psychiatric disorders and those taking psychotropic medications are more likely to use CBD to relieve stress and anxiety. Overall, nearly 70% of the individuals found CBD products to be effective. Sublingual administration was more popular among non-cannabis users, while cannabis users preferred smoking and vaping to CBD administration. Our results indicate that individuals using CBD for health and wellness reasons believe that it has potential health benefits. Further research using rigorous longitudinal designs is needed to delve deeper into the effectiveness of low-dose CBD and to better understand the therapeutic potential of CBD.

Fenomena Childfree Berdasarkan Perspektif Hukum Islam Progresif, Pancasila dan Hak Asasi Manusia (HAM)

The childfree phenomenon in normative legal studies is considered an aberration. Islamic law scholars refer to various considerations, ranging from being contrary to nature, not being in accordance with national culture and threatening human civilization. However, in certain cases childfree becomes an alternative because there is an element of unintentional doing it. Call it for health, psychological and other reasons. Strict restrictions on childfree practices when it is done intentionally and views having children as a burden. This research uses qualitative methods and is a library research type. Researchers use a normative legal approach in analyzing data. The analysis technique used is descriptive analytic. Data is taken from various literature such as books, journals, scientific works, official websites and related sources according to the research theme. The results of the research show that according to the progressive Islamic and Pancasila views, childfree is possible for health and psychological reasons. Apart from that, childfree is a person's private choice that cannot be interfered with by other people.

Strengthening laboratories in response to outbreaks in humanitarian emergencies and conflict settings: Results, challenges and lessons from expanding PCR diagnostic capacities for COVID-19 testing in Yemen.

When the COVID-19 pandemic was declared, Yemen, a country facing years of conflict had only one laboratory with PCR testing capacity. In this article, we describe the outcome of the implementation of molecular based diagnostics platform in Yemen and highlight the key milestones the country went through to increase access to testing for its populations residing in a geographically vast and politically divided country. A retrospective assessment of COVID-19 laboratory response activities was done detailing the needs assessment process, timelines, geographical coverage, and outcomes of the activities. Laboratory data was analyzed to construct the geographical locations of COVID-19 testing laboratories and the numbers of tests performed in each facility to highlight the demands of testing for travelers. Finally, we discuss the impact these activities had in enabling the movement of people across international borders for economic gains and in delivery of critical humanitarian aid. PCR testing capacities in Yemen significantly improved, from one laboratory in Sanaa in April 2020 to 18 facilities across the country by June 2022. In addition, the number of functional Real-Time PCR thermocyclers increased from one to 32, the PCR tests output per day improved from 192 to 6144 tests per day. Results from analysis of laboratory data showed there were four peaks of COVID-19 in Yemen as October 2022. The majority of laboratory tests were performed for travelers than for medical or public health reasons. Demand for laboratory testing in Yemen was generally low and waned over time as the perceived risk of COVID-19 declined, in parallel with rollout of the COVID-19 vaccines. The successful expansion of laboratory testing capacity was instrumental in the control and management of COVID-19 cases and critical in the implementation of public response strategies, including restrictions on gathering. Laboratory testing also facilitated the movement of humanitarian agencies and delivery of aid and enabled hundreds of thousands of Yemeni nationals to travel internationally. By virtue of these outcomes, the impact of laboratory strengthening activities was thus felt in the health sector and beyond.

Illicit Cannabis Use to Self-Treat Chronic Health Conditions in the United Kingdom: Cross-Sectional Study.

In 2019, it was estimated that approximately 1.4 million adults in the United Kingdom purchased illicit cannabis to self-treat chronic physical and mental health conditions. This analysis was conducted following the rescheduling of cannabis-based medicinal products (CBMPs) in the United Kingdom but before the first specialist clinics had started treating patients. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of illicit cannabis consumption to treat a medically diagnosed condition following the introduction of specialist clinics that could prescribe legal CBMPs in the United Kingdom. Adults older than 18 years in the United Kingdom were invited to participate in a cross-sectional survey through YouGov between September 22 and 29, 2022. A series of questions were asked about respondents' medical diagnoses, illicit cannabis use, the cost of purchasing illicit cannabis per month, and basic demographics. The responding sample was weighted to generate a sample representative of the adult population of the United Kingdom. Modeling of population size was conducted based on an adult (18 years or older) population of 53,369,083 according to 2021 national census data. There were 10,965 respondents to the questionnaire, to which weighting was applied. A total of 5700 (51.98%) respondents indicated that they were affected by a chronic health condition. The most reported condition was anxiety (n=1588, 14.48%). Of those enduring health conditions, 364 (6.38%) purchased illicit cannabis to self-treat health conditions. Based on survey responses, it was modeled that 1,770,627 (95% CI 1,073,791-2,467,001) individuals consume illicit cannabis for health conditions across the United Kingdom. In the multivariable logistic regression, the following were associated with an increased likelihood of reporting illicit cannabis use for health reasons-chronic pain, fibromyalgia, posttraumatic stress disorder, multiple sclerosis, other mental health disorders, male sex, younger age, living in London, being unemployed or not working for other reasons, and working part-time (P<.05). This study highlights the scale of illicit cannabis use for health reasons in the United Kingdom and the potential barriers to accessing legally prescribed CBMPs. This is an important step in developing harm reduction policies to transition these individuals, where appropriate, to CBMPs. Such policies are particularly important considering the potential risks from harmful contaminants of illicit cannabis and self-treating a medical condition without clinical oversight. Moreover, it emphasizes the need for further funding of randomized controlled trials and the use of novel methodologies to determine the efficacy of CBMPs and their use in common chronic conditions.

Eye-Tracking Analysis of Proposed Signage Design to Prevent Accidents Caused by the Abrupt Appearance of Dividers on Indian Roads

The road transport system is expanding considerably in developing countries. Villages are connecting to major cities for business, education, health, and many other reasons because of road development and smooth transportation. There has been a rise in the number of road accidents observed, caused by abruptly appearing dividers on roads and a lack of required signage systems. This paper discusses scenarios of accidents due to such abruptly appearing dividers and offers a strategy to design appropriate signage to avoid road accidents in the future. It has been observed that permanent or movable arbitrary fixtures, such as a barricade or a small partition block wall, are installed to separate lanes, in addition to white-colored stripes that are typically employed for lane separation on roads. These fixtures, although they are intended as lane-dividing solutions on roads, cause serious, and at times, fatal accidents, due their sudden, uninitiated appearance on the road. To address this problem, alternative signage designs were designed and tested on Indian roads, based on human cognitive responses and visual attention analysis on signage using an eye-tracking method. In addition, the semantic quality and legibility of alternate signage designs were evaluated using a questionnaire to judge their overall efficacy. Hence, the best signage design solution is proposed for implementation near or before occurrences of road dividers to avoid accidents.

Admissions to paediatric medical wards with a primary mental health diagnosis: a systematic review of the literature

ObjectiveTo systematically review the literature describing children and young people (CYP) admissions to paediatric general wards because of primary mental health (MH) reasons, particularly in MH crisis.DesignPubMed, Embase, PsycINFO, Web...

Assessment of Recreation Areas in Terms of Risk Groups in the Society

It is seen that the physical health of aged individuals, who constitute one of the very special and important groups in society, may have deteriorated, especially in the last moments of their lives. Individuals who have to leave the house less often may also be in a psychologically bad situation in parallel with this restriction. In this sense, the need for areas where especially older individuals can spend more quality time is quite high. In this context, the research aimed to evaluate recreation areas for older individuals, especially in a region such as Erzurum, where winter conditions are quite harsh. In the research conducted using the interview technique, one of the qualitative research methods, the data were collected with the general information form and interview form prepared by the researchers. The research was conducted between January 2023, and May 2023. As a result of the research, findings were found that older individuals generally go out for health reasons, they find the streets unsafe, and recreation areas are not suitable and need to be improved. According to the results obtained in the research, it can be recommended that recreation areas be developed for both summer and winter conditions and that necessary arrangements be made to enable older individuals to spend quality time in these areas. Keyword: Aged individuals, recreation areas, physical health, psychological health, quality time

Determinants of unmet needs for mental health services amongst adolescents in Shiraz, Iran: a cross-sectional study.

Mental disorders are increasingly prevalent among adolescents without appropriate response. There are a variety of reasons for unmet mental health needs, including attitudinal and structural barriers. Accordingly, we investigated perceived mental health needs, using mental health services, and their barriers in adolescents. This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2022 in Shiraz, Iran. Demographic characteristics, the Adolescent Unmet Needs Checklist, and the Young Schema Questionnaire were administered to 348 adolescents aged 13-19 years. Adolescents were classified as having no needs, fully met needs, partially met needs, or wholly unmet needs. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine factors associated with perceived unmet need and refer participants to healthcare centers. 193 (55.5%) adolescents reported perceived need for mental healthcare out of whom, 21.6% reported fully and 21.6% partially unmet needs. Noticeably, only 12.4% of needy participants reported met need. "Reluctance to seek mental healthcare" and "asked but not receiving help" were common barriers to using the services. The present study reveals unmet mental healthcare needs as a significant public health concern among the adolescents. To address this significant concern, reorientation of primary care, removing economic barriers from mental healthcare services, and improving health literacy in the community are recommended.

General practitioner consultations for mental health reasons prior to and following bereavement by suicide

PurposePrior research has shown that the majority of those bereaved by suicide express a need for mental health care services. However, there is a lack of knowledge about these individuals’ use of primary health care. The objective of our study was to estimate the association between suicide bereavement and general practitioner (GP) consultations for mental health reasons.MethodsA population-wide, register-based cohort study identifying 25,580 individuals bereaved by suicide. Estimations of increases in consultation rate were modeled through individual fixed-effects linear analyses adjusted for age and time-period.ResultsOverall, 35% of those bereaved by suicide had a GP consultation for mental health reasons during the first 1–2 months, and 53% after two years. In the month immediately after bereavement by suicide, there was a large increase in the consultation rate with a GP for mental health reasons. In the months that followed, the consultation rate gradually decreased. One year after bereavement, the consultation rate stabilized at a somewhat higher level than before the death. The increase in consultation rate was evident across all kinship groups, and the increase was greatest for partners and smallest for siblings. Women had more contact with the GP before the suicide and a greater increase in contact than men.ConclusionOur findings suggest that many of those bereaved by suicide seek assistance from primary health care, and that some are in need of prolonged follow-up from the GP. Health governments should be aware of this and seek to strengthen the GPs knowledge of the needs and challenges associated with this patient group. Measures should also be taken to remove barriers to contact the health care system, especially for men and bereaved siblings.

Oral Astringency in Plant Proteins: An Underestimated Issue in Formulating Next-Generation Plant-Based Foods.

Ensuring the supply of affordable, palatable, healthy, and sustainable nutrients to feed the growing population without transgressing the planetary boundaries remains a key challenge in the food science community. A dietary transition toward low-emission, plant-based foods, with less reliance on animal agriculture, is advocated for sustainability, health, and ethical reasons. A major hurdle for mainstream adoption of plant-based foods is their poor sensorial performance, such as nonjuicy and astringent textures as well as various off-flavors. This review presents the current understanding of astringency and oral friction of plant-based foods. It focuses on plant proteins and their application in plant-based meat and dairy analogs. In addition, the latest advances in the quantitative characterization of astringency using tribology, electrochemistry, and cellular tools are covered. Finally, we examine factors influencing astringency and propose easy-to-implement colloidal strategies that may mitigate astringency issues, thereby underpinning the design of the next generation of sustainable and pleasurable plant-based foods.

Advanced Maternal Age Affects the Cryosusceptibility of Ovulated but not In Vitro Matured Mouse Oocytes.

Oocyte cryopreservation is offered to women of various age groups for both health and social reasons. Oocytes derived from either controlled ovarian stimulation or in vitro maturation (IVM) are cryopreserved via vitrification. As maternal age is a significant determinant of oocyte quality, there is limited data on the age-related susceptibility of oocytes to the vitrification-warming procedure alone or in conjunction with IVM. In the present study, metaphase II oocytes obtained from 2, 6, 9, and 12month old Swiss albino mice either by superovulation or IVM were used. To understand the association between maternal age and oocyte cryotolerance, oocytes were subjected to vitrification-warming and compared to non vitrified sibling oocytes. Survived oocytes were evaluated for mitochondrial potential, spindle integrity, relative expression of spindle checkpoint protein transcripts, and DNA double-strand breaks. Maturation potential and vitrification-warming survival were significantly affected (p < 0.001 and p < 0.05, respectively) in ovulated oocytes from the advanced age group but not in IVM oocytes. Although vitrification-warming significantly increased spindle abnormalities in ovulated oocytes from advanced maternal age (p < 0.01), no significant changes were observed in IVM oocytes. Furthermore, Bub1 and Mad2 transcript levels were significantly higher in vitrified-warmed IVM oocytes (p < 0.05). In conclusion, advanced maternal age can have a negative impact on the cryosusceptibility of ovulated oocytes but not IVM oocytes in mice.

Development Status and Related Factors of Mental Reasoning Ability in Children with Hearing Impairment

Objectives: This research aims to determine the factors that contribute to improving mental reasoning ability in children with hearing impairment. To achieve this objective, 6 six factors were tested to determine their impact on the mental health reasoning of children. Methods: The research is based on quantitative data; a Likert scale questionnaire was used to collect data from a sample of 195 doctors. SPSS version 29 was used to calculate Pearson correlations and analysis of variance. Results: Age, health behavior, duration of the hearing, communication methods, educational support services, and hearing aids were significant factors influencing the mental reasoning ability of students. Conclusion: In proceeding with the theoretical contribution of this research and filling the gaps in knowledge, the study has some practical implications for improving the mental reasoning ability of children with hearing impairment

Challenges to the Provision of Services for Sexual and Intimate Partner Violence in Canada During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Results of a Nationwide Web-Based Survey.

The COVID-19 pandemic increased women's vulnerability to intimate partner and sexual violence (IPV/SV), as well as challenging organizations' ability to respond. This research is based on a 2021 nationwide survey about the impacts of COVID-19 on IPV/SV services across Canada. Nationwide, organizations adopted several measures to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission, including scaling back services, reducing or stopping their volunteers, and reducing the number of in-shelter clients. Organizations detailed several financial challenges including increased costs and cancelation of fundraising events. Organizations also reported many staffing challenges, from increased workloads to staff leaves of absence due to childcare responsibilities, mental health reasons, or contracting COVID-19. Policies ensuring adequate financial support to IPV/SV services in nonemergency times could help minimize disruption to service delivery during crisis situations.

Examining the Effects of Social Media on Mental Health Among Adolescents in Saudi Arabia.

Adolescents are immersed in a highly advanced technology setting, characterized by extensive availability of personal devices, the internet, and other social media platforms, which greatly impact their mental development. Concerns arise around potential negative consequences, including social isolation, internet addiction, exposure to improper content, depression, cyberbullying, and sleeping difficulty. The impact of social media on the mental well-being of adolescents has emerged as an escalating concern. The continuous exposure to carefully selected content, online harassment, and the expectation to comply with unrealistic standards all contribute to the development of depression and anxiety.This research aims to explore the impact of social media on the mental health of adolescents in the Saudi Arabian context. This online cross-sectional study was conducted on Saudis aged 10 to 24 years old who have social media accounts in Saudi Arabia between August and November 2023. Binary logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify factors that make the study participants more likely to be mentally affected by social media. A total of 2856 participants were involved in this study. The most commonly used social media platformby the study participants was Twitter (30.3%). The majority of the study participants (77.4%) reported that they have tried to reduce their social media usage for mental health reasons. The most commonly agreed-upon statements were that "they feel that excessive social media use has negatively affected their sleep patterns,""they often sleep late in the night because of social media usage,"and "they check their social media account before they sleep in the night," accounting for 71.0%, 66.1%, and 58.3%, respectively. Overall, the study participants showed a low level of being mentally affected due to social media with a mean score of 7.8 (SD: 3.9) out of 21, which is equal to 37.1%. Older participants (aged 16-24 years) were more prone to be mentally affected due to social media compared to younger ones (aged 10-15 years; p < 0.05). On the other hand, participants who were married, had a middle school education level, or lived in the northern, western, or eastern regions were less likely to be mentally affected due to social media compared to others (p < 0.05). The study participants showed a low level of being mentally affected due to social media. Individuals in the 16-24 years age group show a higher susceptibility to mental impacts resulting from social media usage. The primary duty for reducing the potential negative effects of social media should not rest only on parents and caregivers. Advocating for the creation of technology-free zones and fostering in-person friendships among teens could be a beneficial approach that policymakers should support.

Identification of the processes and the uses of Tanga: Dried ripe plantain (Musa paradisiaca) pulp produced in Côte d’Ivoire

The plantain banana is an excellent source of energy and nutrients and one of the main financial resources for many people in Côte d'Ivoire. Its losses due to rotting during storage make it impossible to ensure its availability. To fight against losses, northen population in the Gontougo region dry plantain pulp "Tanga" for many others uses. This study was undertaken to identify the drying process of "Tanga" and its main uses. Thus, a food consumption survey was made in the departments of Bondoukou, Koun-Fao and Transua with 135 households per zone. Data revealed that "Tanga" production is most carried out by women (76.05%). High percentage of producers and consumers were uneducated (74.32%), Ivorians (96.15%) and farmers (94.82%). To produce "Tanga", plantain bananas are dried to avoid losses (94.81%) in Koun-Fao and for cultural practice in Bondoukou and Transua (96.30% and 73.33% respectively). "Tanga" is consumed by rural populations to have strength, for health reasons and the eating habits. The production processes of "Tanga" vary according to the localities studied and eight (8) dishes based on "Tanga" were identified. The frequency of consumption varies from 1 to 3 times a month. The production pattern for "Tanga" is different in all three localities. Encouraging the full use of plantain by developing products from senescent plantain is a good step towards improving food sustainability.

N20 Sexual health in IBD can be brought up with help from tools

Abstract Background Sexual topics can be tabooed; both for patients with IBD and for the health care professionals (HCPs). Patients with IBD have more sexual problems than the background population. A considerable number of patients with IBD have other autoimmune diseases (Ads), which may exacerbate sexual problems. Based on patient reported data, we aimed to develop communication tools and models for talks about patients' sexual health. Furthermore, we aimed to generate informative patient leaflets for different ADs including one specific for patients with IBD. Methods A cross-sectional e-survey on sexual health among patients with IBD, dermatological- and/or rheumatologically diseases (both solely and in combination). Patients were invited consecutively as they tuned up in the out-patient clinics at our university hospital. Participation were anonymous and access were possible by using a QR-code. The questions were ad hoc designed and focused on 1) disease-related sexual problems, 2) partner-related sexual problems, and 3) the need (and current practise) for talks with HCPs about sexual health. In addition, the participants could add qualitative descriptions. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics. NVivo™ were used to code the qualitative data. Based on the survey results we developed and implemented communication tools in daily practise. Results 170 patients scanned the QR-code. 142 responded (61% females, 44% had IBD, 49% had a dermatologically disease, 40% had a rheumatologically disease, 33% had ≥ 2 AD). 51% of participants with only 1 AD reported disease-related sexual problems vs 71% for participants with ≥ 2 ADs. In IBD, the main reasons for impaired sexual health were: pain, fatigue, fistulas, incontinence and mental reasons. 86% responded that they didn't talk to HCPs about sexual issues (38% wish the HCPs to bring up the topic, 34% felt the topic to be a taboo, and 25% found it difficult to address problems). Based on the findings, specialist nurses with knowledge of all 3 ADs developed communication tools. The tools were tested and evaluated by both patients and reviewed by Clinic for Sexual Health and include: i) communication aid for nurses; ii) action card for nurses; iii) leaflets to patients with IBD. Conclusion Disease-related sexual problems are common for patients with IBD and ADs. Even more prevalent for patients with more than one AD. Sexual health is seldom a topic between patients and HCPs. Based on patient reported data, simple tools are developed and implemented. Figure 1: Typical levels of topics for the HCPs talks with patients about sexual health. HCPs will most often be able to help patients by focusing on the 2 lower levels.

Atendimento pedagógico domiciliar

This article is justified if, through the need for meaning, the functioning of home pedagogical assistance, considering its functioning, organization, teacher training and impact on family dynamics. The article aims to address the connected aspects such as demands that the APD (home pedagogical assistance) has before students, teachers and its importance in an inclusive perspective, placing historical and legislative aspects of a teaching modality that is often unknown by many educators. Home care is a teaching modality that is responsible for maintaining the educational process of the student who, due to health reasons, are unable to attend school regularly. This bibliographic, documentary and practical research based on the methodologies used with a student in the year 2019. Articles and books that address the functioning of this service dynamics and historical and legislative aspects on the topic are used.

Explaining the Correlates of Eating Outside-of-Home Behavior in a Nationally Representative US Sample Using the Multi-Theory Model of Health Behavior Change: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Eating outside-of-home (EOH) is one of the main changes in lifestyle that occurred worldwide in the past few decades. Given that EOH behavior is influenced by individual and contextual factors, the utilization of a theory seems to be suitable in analyzing this health behavior. The fourth-generation theory multi-theory model (MTM) is designed exclusively for health behavior change at the individual and community levels. Therefore, the purpose of this analytical cross-sectional study was to investigate EOH behavior by using the MTM among a nationally representative sample in the United States (US). Data for this study were collected from April-May 2023 via a 61-item psychometric valid, web-based, structured survey disseminated via Qualtrics. Chi-square/Fisher's exact tests were used to compare categorical data, whereas the independent-samples t-test was used to compare the mean scores of MTM constructs across groups. Pearson correlation analysis was performed for the intercorrelation matrix between the MTM constructs and hierarchical regression models were built to predict the variance in the initiation and sustenance by certain predictor variables beyond demographic characteristics. The p values in the multiple comparisons were calculated by using adjusted residuals. Among a total of 532 survey respondents, 397 (74.6%) indicated being engaged in EOH at least twice a week, whereas 135 (25.4%) reported not being engaged in EOH. People who were engaged in EOH were younger (mean age = 42.25 ± 17.78 years vs. 55.89 ± 19.43 years) African American, (15.9% vs. 6.7%, p = 0.01), single or never married, (34.0% vs. 23.0%, p = 0.02), had a graduate degree (9.6% vs. 3.7%, p = 0.03), and were employed (72.0% vs. 34.8%, p < 0.001) as opposed to those who reported not being engaged in eating outside the home. Among the MTM constructs of initiation, "behavioral confidence" and "changes in the physical environment" were the significant predictors of initiating a reduction in EOH behavior and explained 48% of the variance in initiation. Among the MTM constructs of sustenance, "emotional transformation" and "changes in the social environment" were the significant predictors of sustaining a reduction in EOH behavior and explained 50% of the variance in sustenance. This study highlights a need to design MTM-based educational interventions that promote in-home eating instead of frequent EOH for health, family bonding, economic, and other reasons.

Duplex droplet digital PCR detection of Streptococcus uberis and Streptococcus dysgalactiae, major etiological agents of bovine mastitis

Bovine mastitis is one of the most important diseases affecting dairy cattle worldwide, resulting in significant economic losses due to high costs mainly associated with decreased production, antimicrobial treatment, and early culling of animals. The genus Streptococcus is among the primary bacterial pathogens causing bovine mastitis worldwide. The correct and timely diagnosis of mastitis is critical for the dairy industry, not only from the point of view of milk hygiene but also for economic, public health, and animal welfare reasons. Herein, we developed a diagnostic test of bovine intramammary infection employing a duplex droplet digital PCR (dddPCR) to detect and quantify Streptococcus uberis and Streptococcus dysgalactiae in milk, which outperforms the gold standard culture-based technique and the endpoint PCR. Indeed the detection limit for cultures and mock samples for dddPCR was a hundred times lower than the endpoint PCR. Additionally, the CFU/mL estimated based on the number of copies/uL obtained through dddPCR exhibited a strong correlation with the observed CFU/mL from the culture (r^2 &amp;gt; 0.99, p-value &amp;lt; 0.001), indicating that dddPCR provides a dependable estimate of this parameter. Moreover, the sensitivity of endpoint PCR, determined from artificial samples, was 40% for S. uberis and 55.4% for S. dysgalactiae meanwhile, the sensitivity of dddPCR was 80% and 100% for S. uberis and S. dysgalactiae, respectively, while the specificity was 100% for both techniques and pathogens. In conclusion, we propose a robust and reliable technique standardized for detecting and quantifying two of the most important bacteria that cause bovine mastitis. This dddPCR method may be particularly suitable to detect pathogens in milk samples with low bacterial loads or intermittently shedding and should be further tested with a larger sample size in future research.