Search Results (395)

Background: The adoption of a healthy lifestyle and eating habits in children represents a major public health objective worldwide, with significant implications for the development of chronic non-communicable diseases in adulthood. In Italy, the “OKkio alla SALUTE” Surveillance System (National Institute of Health) has been in place since 2007 to periodically monitor the nutritional status and health-related behaviors of children aged 8 to 9 years old. Methods: Data were collected as part of the 2023 nutritional surveillance survey in the Tuscany Region through questionnaires completed by both children and their parents. A cluster sample design was adopted. The weight and height of children were directly measured. Logistic regression analysis was used to examine the association between measured variables (unhealthy eating habits and lifestyles) and overweight or obesity. Results: A total of 1427 children participated. In our sample, 17% of children were overweight, 5.7% were obese, and 1.3% were severely obese, totaling 24% of children classified as overweight. Tuscany’s rates are lower than the national average of 28.8%. Children whose parents had a low level of education were nearly twice as likely to consume sugary drinks daily (OR_adj = 1.97; 95% CI: 1.22–3.18) and to lead a sedentary lifestyle (OR_adj = 1.99; 95% CI: 1.33–2.97). Children from families reporting financial hardship were more likely to consume fruit and vegetables less than once a day (OR_adj = 2.35; 95% CI: 1.12–4.92) and to spend more time in sedentary activities (OR_adj = 3.30; 95% CI: 1.66–6.56). Regarding overweight, including obesity, children from economically challenged families had nearly double the risk of being overweight compared to those from financially stable households (OR_adj = 1.81; 95% CI: 1.09–2.98). Conclusions: The aim of our study was to evaluate which family factors are associated with unhealthy lifestyles in order to assess and, if appropriate, confirm the need for targeted and integrated interventions involving families, schools, and local communities to promote healthy lifestyles and effectively combat childhood obesity in Tuscany. Full article

Background: Price is the most authoritative constituent among the factors shaping consumer demand. Growing consciousness among global communities regarding environmental issues makes greenness one of the key factors controlling demand, along with time, which drives demand in markets. This paper addresses such issues associated with a retail purchase scenario. Methods: Consumer’s demand for products is hypothesized to be influenced by pricing, time and the green level of the product in the proposed model. Time-dependent inventory carrying cost and green level-induced purchasing cost are considered. The average cost during the decision cycle is the objective function that is analyzed in trade credit phenomena, involving delayed payment by the manufacturer to the supplier. The Convex optimization technique is used to find an optimal solution for the model. Results: Once a local optimal solution is found, sensitivity analysis is conducted to determine the optimal value of the objective function and decision variables for other impacting parameters. Results reveal that demand-boosting parameters, for instance, discounts on price and green activity, result in additional average costs. Conclusions: Discounts on price and green activity advocate a large supply capacity by boosting demand, creating opportunities for the retailer to earn more revenue. Full article

The real-time, cost-effective detection of marine toxins like tetrodotoxin (TTX) remains a significant challenge for the scientific community. Traditional methods, including cell-based assays (CBAs), high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and automated patch clamp (APC), are time-consuming, requiring expensive lab-based equipment and highly trained personnel. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs), lateral flow assays (LFAs), and immunosensors may not be suitable for toxin analogues. Thus, a simplified approach has been developed in this study, which involves the electrophysiological and electrochemical interrogation of N2a cells grown on ITO-coated glass electrodes by measuring extracellular field potentials (EFP) in conjunction with whole-cell patch clamp recordings and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements both before and after incubation with TTX. The ITO substrate proved biocompatible and non-toxic for N2a cells. TTX exposure caused 102% inhibition in EFP values at 300 nM, confirmed by sodium current inhibition of 93% at 300 nM and 22% at 1 nM in patch clamp studies (IC₅₀ = 6.7 nM). EIS measurements indicated concentration-dependent impedance changes in the range of 6–300 nM. This research aims to provide a proof-of-concept for integration of electrophysiological and electrochemical approaches to simplify toxin detection systems. Full article

European legislation defines cosmetics as substances or mixtures designed to contact external body parts for cleaning, protection, fragrance, maintenance, or appearance modification. Cosmetic regulation has become increasingly important in recent years, as the number of consumers continues to grow. One of the major challenges of the cosmetic industry is effectively communicating to consumers the critical need to avoid using expired products for several safety reasons, with microbial contamination being among the most significant concerns. A key research priority involves understanding how bacterial and fungal populations commonly proliferate within cosmetic formulations. Regulatory standards strictly prohibit specific microorganisms in finished cosmetic products, as specified in EMA guidelines, making microbiological assessment an essential component of product evaluation. This review examines the prevalence, risks, and control measures associated with microbial contamination in cosmetic products. Special attention is given to the most isolated microorganisms, factors contributing to contamination, and current preservation strategies in the cosmetic industry. Full article

The COVID-19 pandemic has inflicted unprecedented pressure on communities and healthcare systems around the world. An outstandingly broad and intensive investigation of possible therapeutic interventions is currently taking place to prevent similar future threats to the global population. Investigating the related mechanisms of action is often complex and time consuming. Moreover, research on biochemical interactions of new drugs involves a considerable amount of effort, consequently bearing inherent financial and operational risks for pharmaceutical companies. An interesting approach to counteract colonization and infection is the concept of antiseptic treatment in vivo. Antiseptics are cost-effective and globally accessible, due to their ease of production, transportation and handling. A broad spectrum of active agents with different properties is readily available. One of these substances is hypochlorous acid (HOCl), which is also a naturally occurring biocidal agent and as such part of the innate immune system. Its successful history of medical use in wound treatment, combined with low cytotoxicity and documented efficacy against various pathogens, suggests that HOCl might be an effective agent for treating the respiratory mucosa. This could potentially enable therapeutic inhalation for combating bacterial infections and viral pathogens such as human respiratory syncytial, influenza, and SARS-CoV-2 viruses, which will be discussed in the present article. Full article

Background: Research shows that experiences of sexual violence and the use of substances hurt mental health, predisposing individuals to the development of psychological symptoms of somatization, depression, and anxiety. Objective: The main objective of this study is to assess substance use, sexual violence, and psychological symptoms (BSI-18) in a community sample of Portuguese college students. Participants: 459 college students aged 18 to 50 years participated in this study (mean = 21.55; SD = 3.15). Methods: A survey was created online and disseminated via mailing lists and social networks, and the measurement instruments used were an informed consent form, a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Brief Symptom Inventory-18 (BSI-18), a Sexual Violence Questionnaire, and a Substance Use Questionnaire. Results: We found that men consume more substances, but women report more sexual victimization and psychological symptoms. Non-heterosexuals report significantly more sexual violence experiences and higher substance consumption and psychological symptoms than heterosexuals. Sexual victimization showed strong correlations with both substance use and psychological symptoms, while only some substances correlated with psychological symptoms. Age, gender, sexual orientation, sexual violence, and the substance “Hashish/Marijuana” were shown to be significant and strong predictors of psychological symptoms. Conclusions: As shown in previous studies, sexual and gender minorities are more at risk of experiencing sexual victimization and are more prone to consuming substances and developing psychological symptoms, except for men, who tend to consume more substances. Sexual violence and psychological symptoms are highly correlated, while the relation between substance use and psychological symptoms is not entirely clear. Our findings highlight the need for stronger educational and clinical interventions and increased mental health resources, with training on topics involving sexual violence, substance use, and addressing the specific challenges faced by minority groups, to create safer, inclusive, and more supportive Portuguese universities. Full article

Increasing demand for high-quality food is driving the development of biologized farming methods, which involve the use of microorganisms, including endophytes, to stimulate plant growth. However, research on the composition of endosphere microbiomes is limited. The study presents an analysis of the bacterial endophytic microbiome in lettuce seeds (Lactuca sativa L., cv. Ozornik) using high-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA amplicons. It evaluates the taxonomic composition and putative functional properties of seed endophytic bacteria. The microbial community exhibited low diversity (Shannon index ranged from 1.1 to 1.84, Simpson index from 0.57 to 0.83). The bacterial endophytic community of lettuce seeds was dominated by Pseudomonadota (83%), Actinomycetota (14%), and Bacillota (3%). The genera identified within the microbiome included Pantoea (32%), Rhodococcus (13%), Candidatus Profftella (13%), Janthinobacterium (7%), Pseudomonas (9%), Enterococcus (3%), and Alcaligenes (2%), which exhibit a broad spectrum of beneficial properties: plant growth promotion (PGPB), suppression of phytopathogens, enhanced stress tolerance, participation in contaminant biodegradation, and heavy metal detoxification. The structure and functional potential of the microbiome vary between samples, potentially due to differences in source material and cultivation conditions. The obtained results expand our understanding of the composition and functions of endophytic bacteria in lettuce seeds, which is important for the development of novel biocontrol agents for plants consumed by humans in an unprocessed form. Full article

This paper describes the ScratchJr Bots project aimed at helping young children develop maker literacies, which is the ability to design, program, and build technology-rich projects with developmentally appropriate tools to express themselves. Maker literacies can involve hands-on learning, collaborative experimentation, critical thinking, and problem-solving, as well as the development of socio-emotional skills. By engaging with the design process, children become active creators rather than passive consumers—brainstorming ideas, prototyping, testing, and making improvements toward sharing a final project. Maker literacies engage children in Positive Technological Development in the form of six behaviors—content creation, creativity, choices of conduct, communication, collaboration, and community building. Additionally, children develop character strengths, or virtues, such as patience, generosity, and forgiveness while making. This paper will first introduce the concept of maker literacies as it applies to early childhood and the theoretical background supporting this work. Then, it will introduce the ScratchJr Bots project developed by the DevTech Research Group, a new technology and curriculum that affords the development of maker literacies. Finally, by using design-based research as the methodological approach, two pilot projects are described, including children’s learning experiences, to illustrate the positive behaviors and character strengths that children can exhibit while engaging with ScratchJr Bots. Full article

Aged-care services are in crisis through a combination of rising demand and increasing costs. Quality of care is often reported to be insufficient. Medical science has increased lifespans but the overmedicalisation of aged care may affect the financial sustainability and quality of care. Person-centred care was developed as a solution and is generally interpreted as being concerned with consumer choice. This study presents a human rights-based approach to a code of conduct for aged-care consumers and workers to ensure autonomy and participation in aged-care communities, which are fundamental to person-centred care. A test–retest cohort study was used to investigate the impact of a training module about a human rights-based code of conduct on the perspectives of new aged-care workers (n = 11) on a case scenario involving conflicting care priorities. Qualitative content analysis was used to categorise and count the participants’ responses. The analysis found that prior to training the majority of participants were focused on a medical and risk reduction model of care. After the training participants had a more expansive understanding of care needs and recognised the importance of client empowerment to enable clients to participate in decisions affecting their care. The results support the implementation of a human rights-based approach to worker training and client care; such an approach is consistent with person-centred care. Full article

Background/Objectives: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder distinguished by an extensive range of symptoms, including reduced social interaction, communication difficulties and tiresome behaviors. Early detection of ASD is important because it allows for timely intervention, which significantly improves developmental, behavioral, and communicative outcomes in children. However, traditional diagnostic procedures for identifying autism spectrum disorder (ASD) typically involve lengthy clinical examinations, which can be both time-consuming and costly. This research proposes leveraging automated machine learning (AUTOML) to streamline the diagnostic process and enhance its accuracy. Methods: In this study, by collecting data from various rehabilitation centers across Pakistan, we applied a specific AUTOML tool known as Tree-based Pipeline Optimization Tool (TPOT) for ASD detection. Notably, this study marks one of the initial explorations into utilizing AUTOML for ASD detection. The experimentations indicate that the TPOT provided the best pipeline for the dataset, which was verified using a manual machine learning method. Results: The study contributes to the field of ASD diagnosis by using AUTOML to determine the likelihood of ASD in children at prompt stages of evolution. The study also provides an evaluation of precision, recall, and F1-score metrics to confirm the correctness of the diagnosis. The propose TPOT-based AUTOML framework attained an overall accuracy 78%, with a precision of 83%, a recall of 90%, and an F1-score of 86% for the autistic class. Conclusions: In summary, this research offers an encouraging approach to improve the detection of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in children, which could lead to better results for affected individuals and their families. Full article

Background: Sociodemographic status, dietary intake, and physical activity have been linked to body mass index (BMI) among adolescents. However, there is a scarcity of research investigating these factors in relation to BMI standard deviation score (BMI_SDS) in Saudi Arabia. Therefore, we examined the roles of sociodemographic status, dietary habits, and physical activity in relation to body mass index among Saudi female adolescents aged 11–18 years attending public and private schools in the city of Jeddah. Methods: This school-based cross-sectional study was performed between February and April 2019 in Jeddah. A total of 920 female adolescent students were recruited from both public and private schools. Data was collected using questionnaires conducted via interview as well as anthropometric measurements. Results: About 37.4% (n = 344) of the participants were overweight or obese. The majority of the participants (61.6%, n = 567) had a healthy dietary intake score. More than half of the participants (52.6%, n = 484) had a low physical activity and screen time score, with 36.5% (n = 336) never engaging in ≥60 min of physical activity per day and 61.4% (n = 565) reporting a daily screen time of >4 h. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that students aged over 16 years were less likely to have overweight/obesity compared to those aged <14 years (adjusted odds ratio “aOR” = 0.53; 95% CI: 0.35–0.79, p = 0.002). Participants enrolled in private schools were at higher risk of being overweight/obese compared to those enrolled in public schools (aOR = 1.55; 95% CI: 1.16–2.08, p = 0.003). Adolescent females with daily vegetable intake were less likely than those who never consumed vegetables to be overweight or obese (aOR = 0.47; 95% CI: 0.29–0.77, p = 0.002). However, no associations were found with the other sociodemographic, dietary intake, physical activity, and screen time exposure variables. Conclusions: This study shows a trend of elevated obesity prevalence among Saudi female adolescents in Jeddah, highlighting the need for gender-sensitive, school- and community-based interventions targeting diet, physical activity, and sedentary behavior. To obtain a more comprehensive understanding, studies involving nationally representative samples, encompassing all cities across Saudi Arabia and exploring broader aspects of nutrition and physical activity, are essential. Full article

Introduction. Atherosclerosis is the histopathological lesion underlying most cardiovascular diseases. Several scales assess the risk of developing atherosclerosis, with the most recognized being atherogenic dyslipidemia (AD) and atherogenic indices (AIs). The aim of this study is to assess the associations between shift work, sociodemographic variables, and lifestyle with atherogenic risk, as determined by atherogenic indices, atherogenic dyslipidemia, and the lipid triad. Material and Methods. This is a descriptive, cross-sectional study involving 53,053 workers (28,808 shift workers and 24,245 non-shift workers) from various autonomous communities in Spain and multiple occupational sectors. The association between sociodemographic variables such as age, sex, and socioeconomic status, health habits including tobacco and alcohol consumption, physical activity (PA), adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MD), and shift work with the presence of AD and high values of three AIs (Cholesterol/HDL-c, LDL-c/HDL-c, and Triglycerides/HDL-c) were assessed. Results. All variables analyzed were associated with AD and AIs values. Among the variables, the strongest associations were observed for physical activity, with odds ratios (ORs) ranging from 7.70 (95% CI: 6.86–8.55) for high LDL-c/HDL-c to 14.10 (95% CI: 9.05–14.16) for AD; adherence to the Mediterranean diet, with ORs ranging from 1.98 (95% CI: 1.60–2.37) for high LDL-c/HDL-c to 5.89 (95% CI: 4.92–6.86) for AD; and age, with ORs of 2.11 (95% CI: 1.84–2.38) for high Triglycerides/HDL-c and 4.66 (95% CI: 4.04–5.28) for high Total Cholesterol/HDL-c. Conclusions. The profile of a worker with the highest atherogenic risk in our study is a male, older in age, with low socioeconomic status, a smoker, a habitual alcohol consumer, physically inactive, with low adherence to the Mediterranean diet, and engaged in shift work. Full article

In recent years, wireless sensor networks (WSNs) have been employed across various domains, including military services, healthcare, disaster response, industrial automation, and smart infrastructure. Due to the absence of fixed communication infrastructure, WSNs rely on ad hoc connections between sensor nodes to transmit sensed data to target nodes. Within a WSN, a sensor node whose failure partitions the network into disconnected segments is referred to as a critical node or cut vertex. Identifying such nodes is a fundamental step toward ensuring the reliability of WSNs. The critical node detection problem (CNDP) focuses on determining the set of nodes whose removal most significantly affects the network’s connectivity, stability, functionality, robustness, and resilience. CNDP is a significant challenge in network analysis that involves identifying the nodes that have a significant influence on connectivity or centrality measures within a network. However, achieving an optimal solution for the CNDP is often hindered by its time-consuming and computationally intensive nature, especially when dealing with large-scale networks. In response to this challenge, we present a method based on particle swarm optimization (PSO) for the detection of critical nodes. We employ discrete PSO (DPSO) along with the modified position equation (MPE) to effectively solve the CNDP, making it applicable to various k-vertex variations of the problem. We examine the impact of population size on both execution time and result quality. Experimental analysisusing different neighborhood topologies—namely, the star topology and the dynamic topology—was conducted to analyze their impact on solution effectiveness and adaptability to diverse network configurations. We consistently observed better result quality with the dynamic topology compared to the star topology for the same population size, while the star topology exhibited better execution time. Our findings reveal the promising efficacy of the proposed solution in addressing the CNDP, achieving high-quality solutions compared to existing methods. Full article

Seaweeds represent a vital yet often understudied component of the diet and cultural heritage of many coastal communities globally. This study investigated seaweed consumption practices in coastal communities of Tawi-Tawi, Philippines, through one-to-one interviews (n = 280) and focus group discussions (n = 7). The study revealed that nearly all (99%) of the population consumes seaweeds, with women comprising the majority of consumers who have done so since childhood (68% female vs. 32% male). These consumers were predominantly married (79%), within the 21–40 age group (53%), with families of 5–7 members (43%), practicing Islam (97%), and belonging to the Sama tribe (71%). A significant portion (48%) had resided in the area for 21–30 years, attained elementary to high school education (66%), and had a monthly income ranging from 1000 to 10,000 Philippine pesos (72%). Seaweed consumption was a family-wide practice (88%), including children, who typically started around 4–8 years old (61%), driven by perceived nutritional benefits (43%), preferred flavor (80%), affordability (19%), ease of preparation (33%), and cultural integration (23%). The primary edible seaweeds identified were Kappaphycus alvarezii (63%), K. striatus (58%), Kappaphycus spp. (47%), Eucheuma denticulatum (57%), Caulerpa lentillifera (64%), Caulerpa spp. (51%), C. cf. macrodisca ecad corynephora (45%), C. racemosa (30%), and Solieria robusta (49%), with less frequent consumption of K. malesianus (8%), Chaetomorpha crassa (3%), Gracilaria spp. (0.72%), and Hydroclathrus clathratus (0.36%). Specific plant parts were preferred for certain species, and preparation predominantly involved raw (75%) or cooked (77%) salads with spices, primarily prepared by mothers (72%). Consumers generally avoided seaweeds showing signs of ice-ice disease (95%), pale coloration (91%), or epiphyte infestation (84%). Consumption frequency was typically 1–3 times per week (45%), with knowledge largely passed down through generations (95%). Seaweed salads were primarily consumed as a viand (92%) at home (97%), with locals perceiving seaweed consumption as contributing to a healthy diet (40%) and overall well-being [e.g., aiding hunger (76%), improving digestion (20%), preventing obesity (14%), and aiding brain development (3%)]. The study’s findings emphasize the significant yet often overlooked role of seaweeds in the food systems and cultural heritage of Tawi-Tawi’s coastal communities. Future efforts should prioritize the sustainable management of wild resources, explore the cultivation of diverse edible species, and enhance nutritional awareness. Further research into traditional seaweed knowledge holds broader value. Full article

Green advertising messages often face challenges of abstraction and outcome ambiguity. To address this, we apply the framing effect theory to explore how concrete versus abstract expressions in green advertising interact with consumer perceptions. Drawing on the Stereotype Content Model (SCM), we propose a congruence framework: concrete messages align with competence appeals, while abstract messages align with warmth appeals. Through two experiments, we demonstrate that such congruence significantly enhances green purchase intention. Experiment 1 establishes the interaction effect between message framing (concrete vs. abstract) and appeal type (competence vs. warmth), revealing that concrete–competence and abstract–warmth pairings outperform mismatched conditions. Experiment 2 further validates advertising attitudes as a mediator and product involvement as a moderator, clarifying boundary conditions. These findings advance the theoretical understanding of framing effects in sustainability communication and offer actionable strategies for marketers: aligning message specificity (concrete/abstract) with appeal dimensions (competence/warmth) can amplify consumer engagement, particularly when tailored to product contexts. Full article