Home Preparation Research Articles

A Virtual Home Preparedness Intervention Centered on Children and Youth With Special Health Care Needs

ObjectiveChildren and youth with special health care needs (CYSHCN) require additional considerations for staying safe in emergencies. Our team of clinicians and preparedness professionals developed and tested a virtual home preparedness intervention (VHPI) in families with CYSHCN receiving care in a statewide medical home network. MethodsThe VHPI comprised 1) a pre/post interview covering fire safety, emergency evacuation, sheltering in place, and informing emergency responders of the child/youth’s care needs; 2) a resource packet containing emergency planning templates and information on local supports; and 3) individualized referrals coordinated through the medical home/community partners. Eligible CYSHCN had medical technology reliance, physical/mobility needs, communication/intellectual challenges, and/or vision/hearing loss. Preparedness was measured as pre/post affirmed rates of 19 items from the interview and as mean composite scores of these items; associations were evaluated using generalized estimating equations–based regression for repeated measures. ResultsThe pre- and post-VHPI interviews were completed by 170 and 148 participants, respectively. Significant individual-item gains included having a current Emergency Information Form for the child/youth (31% [pre] to 47% [post] affirmed) and assembling an evacuation kit (50% to 68%). The mean preparedness score was 13.33/19 items affirmed at baseline and increased to 14.96 post-VHPI (P < .01). In the adjusted regression model, the post-intervention preparedness score remained significantly higher than pre-VHPI, with mean increases of 1.22 preparedness steps affirmed for homeowners and 1.85 for renters. ConclusionsPreparedness scores improved post-VHPI in families with CYSHCN. Future work should address incorporating the VHPI into care visits in the medical home.

Knowledge, Attitude and Practices Regarding Food Safety and Its Effects on Human Health in Punjab, Pakistan

Food safety is ultimate human right for the survival of human life. Hundreds of millions of people worldwide are at the risk of risk of consuming contaminated food. Every year, millions of people become ill, and hundreds of thousands die due to underprivileged safety of food. Microbial, chemical, personal and environmental hygiene are all challenges for food from farm to fork/plate. The current study was conducted in Punjab province to investigate to assess peoples’ knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding food safety at domestic level, as well as potential health hazards due to insufficient food safety practices. Sample of 700 women in three districts in Pakistan's Punjab province: Hafizabad, Rawalpindi, and Multan were selected. For analyzing the quantitative data we utilized, bivariate analysis techniques. Specifically, we employed the Chi-square test to assess the degree of significance. Additionally, researcher used the Somers'd and Gamma tests to determine the strength of association. The major findings reveal a strong link between all socioeconomic and cultural variables (i.e. monthly income, education, food preparation at home, food management at home, consumption behavior, willingness to buy, risk perception, influence of media and health effects) and women's attitudes toward acquiring knowledge and practicing food safety to maintain their health. The public was concerned about food safety and handling standards. It was discovered that television could be effective tool for disseminating information about food safety to the general public. The frequency of food preparation at home also contributes to shaping attitudes, with more frequent home preparation leading to more favorable views on food safety practices.

Food selection and effect of home preparation procedure for antibiotic food mixtures on homogeneity, stability, and dissolution

Amoxicillin, doxycycline, and clindamycin are among the commonly used antibiotics to treat bacterial infections. However, dosage forms of antibiotics for pediatric patients may not be as readily available as the formulations for adult patients. As such, it is anticipated that during a public health emergency, special instruction may need to be provided on home preparation and administration procedures to dose pediatric patients using available stockpiles of oral tablet and capsule dosage forms. Mixing crushed tablets or capsule contents with soft- or liquid- foods is one of the most common home preparation procedures. To gain knowledge for safe and effective use of prepared drug product instead of the intended intact dosage form, the impact of manipulation of the dosage form was studied. Capsule opening, capsule content assay and uniformity, dissolution, homogeneity, and stability studies of drug mixed with various liquid and soft foods were carried out using intact capsules of amoxicillin, doxycycline, and clindamycin. Higher recovery of capsule contents was achieved when using hands or knives to open capsules compared to using scissors. The capsules of all three antibiotic products contained the labeled amount of active pharmaceutical ingredients (API). The peanut butter-drug mixtures failed both United States Pharmacopeia (USP) assay and dissolution criteria because the peanut butter significantly affected the solubility of the drugs, and hence it was omitted from further study. All drug-food mixtures of the three antibiotic products and 15 selected foods exhibited fast dissolution (e.g., >80 % in 60 min) in the tested medium, except for the amoxicillin-chocolate pudding mixture. Three household containers (cups, plates, and bowls) and four mixing times (0.5 min, 1 min, 2 min, and 5 min) were found to be suitable for preparation of homogeneous mixtures of the antibiotics and foods. For practical purposes, 1 to 2 min mixing time is sufficient to produce homogeneous mixtures. The results of this study provided product quality data on the interactions between the antibiotics and the foods and can potentially support future development of home preparation instructions of antibiotics for pediatric patients or patients with swallowing difficulties.

Fate characteristics and risk quantification of cyflumetofen from tomato cultivation to processing based on large–scale applications

Elucidating the fate characteristics of cyflumetofen and its main metabolite 2–TFMBA in tomato from cultivation to processing is crucial for safeguarding the environment and humans from hazardous effects. Cyflumetofen and 2-TFMBA could exist stably in tomato matrices for at least 343 days under frozen and dark conditions according to UHPLC–MS/MS, with a limit of quantitation of 0.001 mg/kg and retention time within 2.12 min. The occurrence, dissipation, and concentration variation of cyflumetofen were reflected by original depositions of 0.02–0.44 mg/kg, half–lives of 1.7–7.2 days, and terminal magnitudes of 0.005–0.30 mg/kg, respectively, with various influencing factors, e.g., climate conditions and tomato cultivars. Additionally, 13.5–59.3% of cyflumetofen was metabolized to 2-TFMBA, showing significant toxicological effects ranging from cultivation to processing. When the concentration decreased by 0.06 mg/kg, cyflumetofen was effectively removed by peeling, while washing was the recommended method for removing 2–TFMBA with a processing factor of 0.70. The comparative dietary risks of sum cyflumetofen were assessed for all life cycle populations using deterministic and probabilistic models. The risk quotients decreased to 1.3–4.8 times during the preparation of home canning tomato paste. Despite the low exposure risk, the potential health hazards of sum cyflumetofen should be considered, given its ubiquity and cumulative effects.

IT 및 전기･전자계열 특성화 고등학생의 가정 내 사회자본과 진로준비행동 간의 관계에서 강점활용과 진로결정자기효능감의 순차적 매개효과

The purpose of this study is to investigate the sequential mediating effects of strengths utilization and career decision self-efficacy in the relationship between social capital in the home and career preparation behavior of specialized high school students. For this purpose, tests on family social capital, use of strengths, career decision self-efficacy, and career preparation behavior were conducted on 287 students from A and B high schools located in Busan Metropolitan City. Descriptive statistical analysis, correlation analysis, and regression analysis were conducted using SPSS and Process Macro, and the significance of the mediation effect was verified using bootstrapping. The results of this study are as follows. First, there was a significant positive correlation between family social capital, use of strengths, career decision self-efficacy, and career preparation behavior. Second, the sequential mediating effects of strengths utilization and career decision self-efficacy were found to be significant in the relationship between social capital within the family and career preparation behavior. The significance of the results of this study is that it identifies the factors that contribute to the career preparation behavior of specialized high school students by social capital within the family and verifies that the use of strengths and career decision self-efficacy are sequentially mediating factors in the process. Based on the conclusions of this study, the need for follow-up research was suggested.

Designing a safe and inclusive housing environment for older adults: assessment of nursing home preparedness for post-COVID era

Designing a safe and inclusive housing environment for older adults: assessment of nursing home preparedness for post-COVID era

‘The last bridge’- How patients experience the CAR T-cell therapy. A qualitative study

PurposeCAR T-cell therapy gives patients new hope, who are diagnosed with relapsed or refractory B-cell lymphoma or B-cell leukaemia. To date, there is no scientific knowledge about the experiences of patients with CAR T-cell therapy, their process of treatment decision making or how they handle potential side effects. The study aims at deepening the understanding of the patient's experiences, indicating how to improve nursing care for this patient population. MethodA qualitative study was carried out. Episodic guideline-based interviews were conducted with 14 patients who had received CAR T-cell therapy. The data analysis was performed according to the Grounded Theory. The study took place at a German university hospital. ResultsData analysis showed five sequential phases including the following concepts: ‘living with cancer recurrence’, ‘deciding on CAR T-cell therapy’, ‘waiting for the reinfusion of the CAR T-cells’, ‘experiencing CAR T-cell therapy’ and ‘recovering and staying healthy’. The decision for CAR T-cell therapy was characterised by the lack of alternatives and uncertainty about the outcome and side effects. ConclusionsBefore, during and after CAR T-cell therapy, patients are faced with major challenges for which they need nursing support and guidance. These include preparation for CAR T-cell therapy, handling of side effects and preparation for discharge home.

ASSOCIATION OF ASSISTED LIVING HOMES PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSES TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC WITH RESIDENT LONELINESS

Abstract Loneliness has been an ongoing problem among Assisted living (AL) residents and has worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic. Loneliness is associated with an increased risk of mental and physical illness, cognitive decline, suicidal behavior, and all-cause mortality. However, the impact of the pandemic on AL residents’ loneliness is poorly understood. We surveyed 42 AL homes in Alberta to understand whether resident characteristics and homes’ pandemic preparedness and response to the pandemic were associated with resident loneliness. The surveys reflected pandemic waves 1 (Mar-Jul 2020) and 2 (Nov 2020-Feb 2021) and were linked to Resident Assessment Instrument (RAI) records of residents who lived in these homes during these periods. Using generalized estimating equation models, we assessed whether resident characteristics, residents’ social relationships, and home preparedness for and responses to the pandemic were associated with resident loneliness (measured as present or absent based on RAI items). Our sample included 1,828 residents (wave 1: 890, wave 2: 938). Almost 13% of the residents reported loneliness (wave 1: 11.2%, wave 2: 14.2%). Depressive symptoms (odds ratio [OR]=2.73, 95% CI, 1.9-3.9) daily/excruciating pain (OR=1.97, 95% CI, 1.4-2.8), and cognitive impairment (OR=0.38, 95% CI, 0.2-0.6) were significantly associated with loneliness. Caregiver availability, hours of caregiver help, and home preparedness were not associated with loneliness, but more communication with caregivers (OR=2.19, 95% CI, 1.1-4.2) and same or improved staff morale (OR=0.61, 95% CI, 0.4-0.9) were. Improving staff morale and communication with caregivers is crucial in addressing resident loneliness.

THE IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON RESIDENTS AND FAMILY/FRIEND CAREGIVERS IN ASSISTED LIVING HOMES

Abstract Healthcare reforms have neglected assisted living (AL) and nursing homes (NHs) for decades, setting them up for the excessive rates of death and suffering during COVID-19. Research before and during the pandemic has primarily focused on NHs, largely overlooking AL. AL is rapidly expanding, caring for people with similar vulnerabilities as those in NHs, yet is less regulated, offers fewer services, has lower staffing/skill mix levels and requires significant family/friend involvement in care. This symposium presents a program of research (COVCARES, COVID-19 and the Care of Assisted living Residents), aiming to understand how the pandemic has impacted AL resident, family/friend, and facility outcomes, and how resident outcomes compare between NHs and AL. Our research started over a decade ago with the first population-based cohort study comparing AL and NHs in Canada. Our current research includes repeated surveys (10/2020–04/2021 and 07/2021–09/2021) with family/friend caregivers and AL facilities, and population-based clinical and health administrative data (2017-2021) from AL and NH residents in Western Canada. Five presentations will report on the design/methods/goals of COVCARES (#1), the impact of the pandemic on family/friend involvement in AL resident care (#2), impacted of the pandemic on psychotropic drug prescriptions in AL (#3), and the association of AL home preparedness for and response to the pandemic on resident pain (#4) and loneliness (#5). Our discussant (Anna Beeber) will highlight similarities and differences between AL and NHs, similarities and differences in both settings between the US and Canada, and how policymakers can account for these differences.

FOOD SECURITY POST-PANDEMIC: A COMMUNICATION STRATEGIC OF CATALYST BUSINESS TRANSFORMATION AND INNOVATION

Food is a source of energy to all living beings, as food gives energy through chemical changes that produce ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate) and ADP (Adenosine Diphosphate). Food energy comes in different types of reactions, there are 3 main types of sources of energy carbohydrates, protein, and fat. Meat is one of the main food that many people feed on. This common meat mostly contains mainly protein and fat.&#x0D; This activity is an early step to introduce the scope of performance allocated to companies that will later be appointed to accompany the development of both product and marketing innovation.&#x0D; The product innovations from this activity are revolutionizing the steak industry through dry-aging and home preparation, igniting the grill: innovating the steak experience through T-bone grilling, elevating the burger experience: a novel approach to grilled dry-aged burgers, rediscovering the versatility of top round: a proposal for promoting roasted top round, the sous vide revolution - a twist on traditional boneless beef short ribs, spicy hanger steak pizzaiola; and the marketing strategic communication innovation resulting from this activity is the culinary revival: reimagining recipes with food tech students.

Quantitative microbial risk assessment of haemolytic uremic syndrome associated with Argentinean kosher beef consumption in Israel.

The aim of this study was to perform a quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli hemolytic uremic syndrome (STEC-HUS) linked to the consumption of Kosher beef produced in Argentina and consumed in Israel in children under 14 years. A probabilistic risk assessment model was developed to characterize STEC prevalence and contamination levels in the beef supply chain (cattle primary production, cattle transport, processing and storage in the abattoir, for export and at retail, and home preparation and consumption). The model was implemented in Microsoft Excel 2016 with the @Risk add-on package. Results of 302 surveys with data collected in Israel were as follows: 92.3% of people consumed beef, mostly at home, and 98.2% preferred levels of cooking that ensured STEC removal from the surface of beef cuts. The preferred degree of ground beef doneness was "well-done" (48.2%). Cooking preference ranged from red to "medium-well done" (51.8%). Median HUS probability from Argentinean beef cut and ground beef consumption in children under 14 years old was <10-15 and 8.57x10-10, respectively. The expected average annual number of HUS cases and deaths due to beef cut and ground beef consumption was zero. Risk of infection and HUS probability correlated with salting effect on E. coli count, processing raw beef before vegetables, ways of storage and refrigeration temperature at home, joint consumption of salad and beef cuts, degree of beef doneness and cutting board washing with detergent after each use with beef and vegetables. The STEC-HUS risk in Israel from consumption of bovine beef produced in Argentina was negligible. The current QMRA results were similar to those of previous beef cut consumption QMRA in Argentina and lower than any of the QMRA performed worldwide in other STEC-HUS linked to ground beef consumption. This study confirms the importance of QMRA to estimate and manage the risk of STEC-HUS from beef consumption. The impact variables identified in the sensitivity analysis allowed us to optimize resources and time management, to focus on accurate actions and to avoid taking measures that would not have an impact on the risk of STEC-HUS.

Leading Through Loss: Experiences of Nursing Home Administrators-in-Training During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

End-of-life care is a critical aspect of long-term care, yet there is limited understanding of nursing home staff's experiences and preparation in this area, particularly among facility administrators. To address this gap, two cohorts of Administrators-in-Training (2021 & 2022) were interviewed about their knowledge and practices regarding end-of-life care in skilled nursing facilities. Interviews focused on involvement in end-of-life discussions, coping strategies, grief support, and personal perspectives on death. The findings revealed a significant lack of training on death management and end-of-life care for Administrators-in-Training (AITs), with limited grief support mechanisms in place within skilled nursing facilities. Personal experiences with death influenced AITs' approach to end-of-life care, and various coping strategies were observed. The results highlight the need for comprehensive training programs and improved support for AITs to enhance end-of-life care delivery.

Assessment of Regional Nursing Home Preparedness for and Regulatory Responsiveness to Wildfire Risk in the Western US

It is uncertain whether emergency preparedness and regulatory oversight for US nursing homes are aligned with local wildfire risk. To evaluate the likelihood that nursing homes at elevated risk of wildfire exposure meet US Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) emergency preparedness standards and to compare the time to reinspection by exposure status. This cross-sectional study of nursing homes in the continental western US from January 1, 2017, through December 31, 2019, was conducted using cross-sectional and survival analyses. The prevalence of high-risk facilities within 5 km of areas at or exceeding the 85th percentile of nationalized wildfire risk across areas overseen by 4 CMS regional offices (New Mexico, Mountain West, Pacific/Southwest, and Pacific Northwest) was determined. Critical emergency preparedness deficiencies cited during CMS Life Safety Code Inspections were identified. Data analysis was performed from October 10 to December 12, 2022. The primary outcome classified whether facilities were cited for at least 1 critical emergency preparedness deficiency during the observation window. Regionally stratified generalized estimating equations were used to evaluate associations between risk status and the presence and number of deficiencies, adjusted for nursing home characteristics. For the subset of facilities with deficiencies, differences in restricted mean survival time to reinspection were evaluated. Of the 2218 nursing homes in this study, 1219 (55.0%) were exposed to elevated wildfire risk. The Pacific/Southwest had the highest percentage of both exposed (680 of 870 [78.2%]) and unexposed (359 of 486 [73.9%]) facilities with 1 or more deficiencies. The Mountain West had the largest difference in the percentage of exposed (87 of 215 [40.5%]) vs unexposed (47 of 193 [24.4%]) facilities with 1 or more deficiencies. Exposed facilities in the Pacific Northwest had the greatest mean (SD) number of deficiencies (4.3 [5.4]). Exposure was associated with the presence of deficiencies in the Mountain West (odds ratio [OR], 2.12 [95% CI, 1.50-3.01]) and the presence (OR, 1.84 [95% CI, 1.55-2.18]) and number (rate ratio, 1.39 [95% CI, 1.06-1.83]) of deficiencies in the Pacific Northwest. Exposed Mountain West facilities with deficiencies were reinspected later, on average, than unexposed facilities (adjusted restricted mean survival time difference, 91.2 days [95% CI, 30.6-151.8 days]). In this cross-sectional study, regional heterogeneity in nursing home emergency preparedness for and regulatory responsiveness to local wildfire risk was observed. These findings suggest that there may be opportunities to improve the responsiveness of nursing homes to and regulatory oversight of surrounding wildfire risk.

Determinants of Polish young adults' attitudes toward food safety

PurposeDetermine the elements of young adult consumers' attitudes toward food safety using a food safety attitude (FSA) questionnaire and identify the factors influencing them.Design/methodology/approachThis study adopts a descriptive and explanatory perspective to the research problem. Determination of students' attitudes was carried out by direct survey using a questionnaire. The ABC model of attitude was used to construct the statements in the questionnaire. The respondents' answers were analyzed using statistical methods.FindingsThe proposed questionnaire has proven to be a useful tool for assessing food safety attitudes and has identified important new elements in consumers' attitudes. Students' attitudes toward food safety are shaped by sociodemographic and psychosocial factors such as customer type, attitude toward risk, and how they make food purchasing decisions.Research limitations/implicationsInformation about students' attitudes was obtained only from surveys. The survey results provide valuable insights for business practice.Practical implicationsFindings can be used to increase the effectiveness of efforts by various organizations aimed at changing consumer attitudes and behavior and to help understand why consumers implement some food safety behaviors and not others.Social implicationsThe research results will help more effectively target efforts to change consumer attitudes, which could translate into a reduction in cases of illness caused by eating unsafe food or following proper practices when shopping and at the home preparation stage.Originality/valueDevelopment of a reliable tool for the study of attitudes. Identify the new elements of young adult consumers' attitudes and the factors that shape them.

Harvest Stage and Brewing Conditions Impact Mineral Content, Phenolic Compounds, and Antioxidant Capacity of Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis L.) Herbal Tea.

Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis L.) is commonly consumed as an herbal tea for its antioxidant health benefits. Young seedlings known as microgreens are popular for their distinct flavors and can contain higher mineral content on a dry weight basis compared to their adult counterparts. However, the use of microgreens for herbal teas has not been previously investigated. In this study, lemon balm was grown to adult and microgreen harvest stages and prepared as herbal teas by brewing with boiled (100°C) water for 5minutes and room temperature water (22°C) for 2hours. The effects of harvest time and brewing method on the mineral content, phenolic compounds, and antioxidant capacity of lemon balm herbal teas were assessed. Results showed that adult lemon balm tea contained higher total phenolics, total flavonoids, rosmarinic acid, and antioxidant capacity than microgreen teas, with hot preparations containing the highest amounts (p ≤ 0.05). In contrast, microgreen lemon balm teas contained higher amounts of minerals (p ≤ 0.05), including calcium, potassium, magnesium, sodium, phosphorus, copper, and zinc. In general, brewing conditions did not impact the content of most minerals. Overall, the results support the potential of using dried microgreens as herbal teas. Microgreen lemon balm teas prepared hot and cold offer antioxidant compounds and are richer sources of minerals than adult teas. The ease of growth for microgreens offers consumers the opportunity for home preparation of a novel herbal tea beverage.

지적장애 자매가 있는 초임 특수교사의 교육신념의 변화에 대한 자문화기술지

Objectives The purpose of this study was: (a) to find out the changes in the educational beliefs of a beginning special education teacher influenced by a sister with intellectual disability; (b) and to discuss its meanings.&#x0D; Methods An autoethnography is a form of qualitative research that draws self-reflection by understanding and analyzing personal experiences in a sociocultural context. To explore the issue by offering an autoethnography, in which the researcher observed the changes of educational beliefs formed through the interactions between the culture of a family member who has a sister with intellectual disability and the culture of a beginning special education teacher. The researcher collected the data from her teacher’s dairy blog, personal journal, memories, social networking service, and references. The qualitative data were analyzed by constant comparison method, based on methods of emotion coding and values coding. The results were as follows.&#x0D; Results First, through experiences from home, school days, and teacher preparation programs before becoming a special education teacher, the researcher formed beliefs that a special education teacher should be a diligent teacher who does one's best for her students. Second, after becoming a special education teacher and having work experiences with students, colleagues, and school culture, the researcher got perplexed with the educational beliefs she had before teaching students with disabilities. Third, through her life and teaching experiences, the researcher's educational beliefs have changed from being a diligent teacher to a competent teacher in subjects, teaching methods, guidance, and school tasks.&#x0D; Conclusions Based on the main results, the researcher suggested implications and directions for future studies on the educational beliefs of special education teachers in various life contexts.

Lime juice as a dietary alternative to mist potassium citrate for urine alkalinisation: A prospective, cross-over clinical trial.

Urinary citrate is a potent inhibitor of urinary crystallization that is freely filtered in the proximal tubule of the kidney. We aimed to investigate the effect of citrate supplementation with fresh lime juice on the urinary pH and calcium excretion level among healthy individuals compared with that of mist potassium citrate. In this prospective, cross-over single-centre study, 50 healthy medical student volunteers were randomly allocated to two treatment arms. One arm was prescribed with potassium citrate, while the other arm received citrate supplementation with a home preparation of fresh lime juice. The urinary pH and calcium-to-creatinine ratio (uCa/uCr) were measured at baseline and after 7 days of treatment. This was followed by a washout period of 2 weeks, after which each participant crossed over to the other treatment arm, and the urinary measurements were repeated. Potassium citrate significantly increased the urinary pH among all participants, while fresh lime juice did not. Both fresh lime juice and potassium citrate reduced the uCa/uCr, although this effect was not significant. Fresh lime juice is not as effective as potassium citrate in improving the urinary pH and calcium excretion level of healthy individuals. Therefore, it should be used as an adjunct rather than an alternative to potassium citrate.

Micronutrient Profile and Carbohydrate Microstructure of Commercially Prepared and Home Prepared Infant Fruit and Vegetable Purees.

Large variability exists in ingredient selection and preparation of home prepared infant purees and there is a lack of data on nutritional quality in comparison to commercially prepared purees. This work had two aims. Study 1 compared the nutritional value of commercially prepared and home prepared infant purees. Food profiles from national food composition databases were used as a proxy for home prepared puree and served as the benchmark for the commercially prepared infant purees. Study 2 focused on a subset of produce that underwent molecular weight analysis to determine differences in carbohydrate profiles. Eighty-eight percent of the measurable micronutrients fell within or above the home prepared norm range with micronutrients falling below the range explained by differences in soil and growing conditions. Physicochemical characterization showed similar carbohydrate profiles with >90% of the carbohydrate fraction in the water extract constituted by low molecular weight sugars for purees produced with home preparation and commercial preparation. The estimated glycemic load (eGL) showed comparable potential impact on blood sugar levels with all purees having a low eGL (<10 glucose equivalent). In conclusion, these data suggest that both preparations provide similar micronutrient density and carbohydrate profiles.

Social and communicative adaptation of first-year students at a medical university

Aim. The article is devoted to the analysis of social and communicative of first-year students at a medical university. The aim was to generalize and systematize scientific views on adaptation of first-year students, highlight the criteria for student adaptation, substantiate the prospects for further research.Material and methods. The use of methods for studying scientific and methodological literature, evaluating information obtained during theoretical analysis, comparison, grouping of data, generalization, made it possible to form the original questionnaire "Assessment of socio-communicative adaptation of first-year students in a medical university." The study involved 338 first-year full-time and part-time students of the Volgograd State Medical University.Results. The theoretical analysis of literature made it possible to identify the features of the functioning of a first-year student at a medical university, to substantiate the social and communicative adaptation of the individual as a necessary condition for the formation of a future specialist.The role of mental health of an individual in the process of achieving the necessary level of adaptation in the conditions of the educational process of the medical university is indicated. We have explicated the external and internal criteria for the adaptation of a university student, on the basis of which a questionnaire was compiled. The survey of students, the interpretation of the data obtained indicates both positive results and the fact that many first-year students question their academic success at the beginning of their studies and note their insufficient home preparation, as well as lack of time for various extracurricular activities.Conclusion. Socio-cultural adaptation of a first-year student is a long multifactorial process of changing the nature of connections, the student’s attitude to the content and organization of the educational process in a medical university. On the other hand, modern professional standards require a high level of communicative competence formation from a specialist. The relationship between the academic performance of a student and the degree of adaptation in the specific conditions of the pedagogical process at a medical university is revealed. We consider the development of a student community model with the involvement of professional psychologists to organize psychosocial assistance to maladjusted students as a prospect for the study.

Quantitative risk assessment-epidemic curve prediction model for leafy green outbreak investigation.

The objective of this study was to leverage quantitative risk assessment to investigate possible root cause(s) of foodborne illness outbreaks related to Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O157:H7 (STEC O157) infections in leafy greens in the United States. To this end, we developed the FDA leafy green quantitative risk assessment epidemic curve prediction model (FDA-LG QRA-EC) that simulated the lettuce supply chain. The model was used to predict the number of reported illnesses and the epidemic curve associated with lettuce contaminated with STEC O157 for a wide range of scenarios representing various contamination conditions and facility processing/sanitation practices. Model predictions were generated for fresh-cut and whole lettuce, quantifying the differing impacts of facility processing and home preparation on predicted illnesses. Our model revealed that the timespan (i.e., number of days with at least one reported illness) and the peak (i.e., day with the most predicted number of reported illnesses) of the epidemic curve of a STEC O157-lettuce outbreak were not strongly influenced by facility processing/sanitation practices and were indications of contamination pattern among incoming lettuce batches received by the facility or distribution center. Through comparisons with observed number of illnesses from recent STEC O157-lettuce outbreaks, the model identified contamination conditions on incoming lettuce heads that could result in an outbreak of similar size, which can be used to narrow down potential root cause hypotheses.