Hasil untuk "Home economics"

Maryam Ahmadi-Khorram, Maryam Ahmadi-Khorram, Alireza Hatami et al.

ObjectiveMalnutrition negatively affects mental health by altering neurotransmitter function and increasing stress responses. The gut-brain axis is pivotal in this process, and probiotics may mitigate stress. The current study examined the effects of multi-strain probiotic supplementation on stress levels in underweight individuals using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS).MethodsA double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial involved 100 underweight participants were randomized to receive either a probiotic supplement (Lactobacillus acidophilus, L. casei, L. rhamnosus; 3 × 109 CFU) or placebo for 8 weeks. Stress levels, anthropometric measures, and inflammatory markers (ESR, CRP) evaluated at baseline and post-intervention.ResultsNinety participants (mean age: 26.22 ± 7.42 years) completed the study (probiotic: n = 47; placebo: n = 43). Baseline age (p = 0.051) and gender (p = 0.101) showed no significant differences. Post-intervention, the probiotic group exhibited significant weight increases (p = 0.005), waist circumference (p = 0.038), and hip circumference (p = 0.008), and a significant reduction in Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) scores (p < 0.001) in comparison to the placebo. Inflammatory markers (ESR, CRP) also decreased significantly in the probiotic group (p < 0.001). Within-group analysis revealed improvements in anthropometric measures and inflammatory markers in both groups (p < 0.05), but stress reduction was more pronounced in the probiotic group (34% vs. 9.3%, p = 0.017). A significant time-group interaction was observed for stress scores (p < 0.001).DiscussionThe findings suggest that probiotic supplementation reduces stress levels in underweight individuals, possibly through gut microbiota modulation and inflammation reduction. Further research with larger samples and microbiome analysis is warranted.ConclusionIn conclusion, administering probiotics to underweight patients positively impacts their mental health and exhibits anti-inflammatory effects.Clinical trial registrationhttps://irct.behdasht.gov.ir/trial/69130, identifier IRCT20230310057667N1.

Estelle D. Delos Santos, Edilberto Z. Andal, Allen E. Pasia

This study examined the connection between the academic achievement of sixth-grade home economics students in six General Mariano Alvarez elementary schools during the 2024–2025 school year and their home environments and healthy lifestyle choices. Emphasis was placed on motivation and self-efficacy as mediating factors. The Grade 6 pupils were given questionnaires to complete, which were subsequently evaluated using the mean and standard deviation. The findings showed strong relationships between self-efficacy, motivation, home economics achievement, home environment, and health habits. Pupils who followed healthy routines such as eating a balanced diet, getting enough sleep, and exercising frequently performed better academically and showed higher levels of motivation. The study also found that an effective home environment, characterized by parental participation, a well-organized study space, and acceptable socioeconomic circumstances, had a positive impact on performance. The performance was moderated by self-efficacy. Academic achievement, home environment, and healthy habits were influenced by motivation and the home environment. Even in less-than-perfect family environments, pupils who had higher levels of self-efficacy were more likely to succeed. These results underscore the importance of promoting health-conscious habits and creating wholesome living environments to enhance pupils’ self-esteem and motivation. Improving these elements would result in better academic achievement in home economics.

Mohamed Imam, Alesandros Glaros, Cheney Chen et al.

This paper explores the potential of Building-Integrated Agriculture (BIA) as a strategy to align urban agriculture systems with building lifecycle sustainability goals. BIA systems such as indoor vertical farms, rooftop greenhouses, and soil-based urban farms promise to bolster urban food security and resource circularity. However, their environmental impacts can be further optimized via integration with building resources and strategic design, which requires a standardized framework for evaluating life-cycle metrics. This study develops a cross-industry Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) framework that harmonizes agricultural and building performance indicators, using carbon as a unifying metric to evaluate operational and embodied impacts. The research combines a meta-analysis of existing LCA studies, detailed case study evaluations, and novel paired metrics to quantify energy use, water use, and greenhouse gas emissions within a case study. Key findings identify operational carbon hotspots, infrastructure inefficiencies, and embodied carbon challenges while highlighting opportunities for integrating resource recovery strategies, such as greywater reuse and waste heat recovery. The results reveal trade-offs between productivity and environmental impact, with vertical farms demonstrating high yields but significant energy intensity, while soil-based systems excel in resource efficiency but exhibit lower output. This work introduces a structured methodology for cross-industry data integration and offers actionable insights for designers, growers and developers. By redefining system boundaries and incorporating reciprocal benefits between BIA and host buildings, this framework provides a pathway toward more sustainable urban agricultural practices and resilient urban ecosystems.

Qianqian Wang, Wangfang Xu, Rongzhu Cheng

IntroductionThe global beef trade, as a critical component of the meat trade, plays an important role in balancing beef supply and demand worldwide. However, research on the evolution of its network patterns remains relatively limited. This article aims to explore the evolution of global beef trade network patterns and provide insights into its implications for sustainable development.MethodsUsing complex network theory, this paper constructs weighted and unweighted global beef trade networks based on international trade data and conducts an in-depth analysis of the evolution of global beef trade patterns from 2013 to 2022 across the overall, individual, and clustering levels.ResultsThe analysis reveals an increasing trend in connectivity, efficiency, and tightness within the global beef trade network. In the unweighted network, the core beef-importing countries are primarily concentrated in Germany, the United Arab Emirates, and the Netherlands. However, in the weighted network, the core importing countries shift to the United States, Japan, and China. Meanwhile, the core beef-exporting countries consistently remain Australia, Brazil, and New Zealand in both network types. Additionally, the analysis identifies clustering and regionalization characteristics within the global beef trade blocks.DiscussionThese findings highlight the evolving dynamics of global beef trade, emphasizing the roles of key countries and the structural shifts in the trade network. The study provides targeted recommendations for promoting sustainable development in the beef trade sector.

Brunella Arru, Federica Cisilino, Paola Sau et al.

Crop and livestock farms are central to achieving the 2030 Agenda goals and a sustainable agri-food system. However, the transition toward a sustainable agri-food system requires optimizing several economic and environmental farm targets that, interacting with one another, would lead to win-win opportunities, at least as desired by the European Union (EU) policies. Indeed, in recent years, the EU has fostered sustainable development in a logic of synergy between farms’ environmental and economic performances. This work fits into the agricultural sustainability assessment with the aim of improving our understanding of the existence of synergy or a trade-off between the economic and environmental dimensions at a crop and livestock field and farm scale. Specifically, using a set of appropriate agricultural economic and environmental indicators, two composite indexes were created and used to perform trade-off analysis on 7.891 farms that participated in 2019 and 2020 in the Italian Farm Accountancy Data Network. The findings showed a trade-off between economic and environmental dimensions in all livestock sub-sectors and the cereals sector, while a synergy in the horticulture sector. Considering the new European sustainability policies on agriculture and global scenarios, the study significantly contributes to policymakers, practitioners, and academic debate on sustainability in agriculture.

Lia Nurcahyani, Dyah Widiyastuti, Wiwit Estuti et al.

Background: Stunting leads to increased morbidity and mortality among children. To accelerate stunting reduction, family assistance teams support at-risk families, requiring engaging and accessible educational resources. However, existing educational media materials are fragmented and lack a comprehensive approach, resulting in gaps during family assistance sessions. To improve accessibility and efficacy, a comprehensive, technology-based educational tool is necessary. Objectives: To develop a Stunting Prevention Education Media Package (PaSti PenTing) based on technology and local wisdom. Methods: This study used a Research and Development approach conducted in Cirebon City. The stages included the formulation of basic concepts, and in-depth interviews with experts, namely the Chairman of the Central Board of the Indonesian Midwives Association, the Head of the Cirebon City Health Office, the Head of the Cirebon City Women's Empowerment, Child Protection, Population Control and Family Planning Office and lecturers with S3 backgrounds. These interviews provided input related to the materials used for designing the PaSti PenTing. The research instrument uses in-depth interview guidance and data analysis was carried out using content analysis. Results: Based on expert input, the PaSti PenTing design was developed. The main menu consists of an introduction and a menu for target groups (teenagers, brides-to-be, pregnant women, postpartum mothers, and toddlers). Each menu contains educational materials. Conclusions: PasTi PenTing is a comprehensive media that can be used by the assistance team and families at risk of stunting to improve knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors in stunting prevention.

Kasey Carlin, Michaela Fevold, Travis William Hoffman et al.

The objective of this study was to evaluate fresh and frozen storage of lamb longissimus lumborum (LL) and semimembranosus (SM). Wether lambs (n=12) were raised and harvested at North Dakota State University. After a 24-h chill, loins and legs were split in half and randomly assigned to fresh (FRSH) or frozen (FRZN) treatments. FRSH halves were stored at 3°C for 14 d while FRZN halves were stored at −18°C for 13 d+1 d to thaw at 3°C. Samples were collected to evaluate sensory attributes, Warner-Bratzler shear force, cook loss, drip loss, troponin-T (TnT) degradation, and lipid oxidation. Data were analyzed using PROC MIXED of SAS Studio®. Experimental units were loin or leg with means being separated with the PDIFF option and were considered significant when P<0.05. In FRSH-LL, sensory samples scored higher in overall like, tenderness, and juiciness (P≤0.03) compared with FRZN-LL samples. No differences in overall like,flavor, tenderness, or juiciness scores (P≥0.77) were observed between FRSH-SM and FRZN-SM. FRSH-LL and FRSH-SM had less drip loss compared with FRZN-LL and FRZN-SM (P<0.0001, P=0.0003, respectively). FRSH lamb LL and SM had greater degradation of TnT (P≤0.0008) compared with FRZN lamb. Malondialdehyde levels were not different (P>0.05) between treatments within each muscle. However, no other meat quality differences were observed (P≥0.10). Our results demonstrate that lamb legs may be frozen for 13 d without negative effects on palatability whereas lamb loins should be kept fresh to offer the greatest opportunity for consumer satisfaction.

Rosa Sá de Oliveira Neta, Severina Carla Vieira Cunha Lima, Maria Fernanda Araújo de Medeiros et al.

Abstract Background The EAT-Lancet diet is a diet aimed at promoting population and planetary health from the perspective of sustainable diets in terms of environmental and health aspects. This study aimed to assess the association between adherence to the EAT-Lancet diet and cardiometabolic risk factors among adults and elderly individuals in a capital city in the northeastern region of Brazil. Methods This is an analytical cross-sectional observational study from a population-based sample conducted between 2019 and 2020, involving 398 non-institutionalized adults and elderly people, of both sexes from “Brazilian Usual Consumption Assessment” study (Brazuca-Natal). There was a 38% response rate due to the suspension of data collection due to the covid-19 pandemic, but According to the comparative analysis of socioeconomic and demographic variables between the surveyed and non-surveyed sectors, losses were found to be random (p = 0.135, Little’s MCAR test). Socioeconomic and lifestyle data, anthropometric measurements, and dietary consumption were collected. We used the Planetary Health Diet Index (PHDI) and the Cardiovascular Health Diet Index (CHDI) for cardiovascular health to assess adherence to the diet’s sustainability. The evaluated cardiometabolic parameters included fasting blood glucose, triglycerides, total cholesterol, HDL-C, LDL-C, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure measurements. We also assessed the presence of type 2 diabetes mellitus, arterial hypertension, and dyslipidemia. For the data analyses, sample weights and the effect of the study design were taken into account. Pearson’s chi-square test was used to evaluate the statistical significance of frequencies. Multiple linear regression models assessed the associations between PHDI and CHDI and its components and the cardiometabolic parameters. Results The mean PHDI was 29.4 (95% CI 28.04:30.81), on a total score ranging from 0 to 150 points and the mean CHDI was 32.63 (95% CI 31.50:33.78), on a total score ranging from 0 to 110 points. PHDI showed a significant positive association with the final CHDI score and components of fruits, vegetables, and legumes, and a negative association with Ultra-processed Food (UPF) (p < 0.05). Notably, among the most consumed UPF, the following stand out: “packaged snacks, shoestring potatoes, and crackers” (16.94%), followed by margarine (14.14%). The PHDI exhibited a significant association with diabetes and dyslipidemia, as well as with systolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, and LDL-C. Conclusions The results suggest that adopting the EAT-Lancet diet is associated with the improvement of key cardiovascular health indicators.

Kaifei Hou, Zhongqi Shi, Xueli Ge et al.

ObjectivesThe purpose of the present study was to explore the influencing factors of hyperuricemia (HUA) in different populations in Shandong Province based on clinical biochemical indicators. A prediction model for HUA was constructed to aid in the early prevention and screening of HUA.MethodsIn total, 705 cases were collected from five hospitals, and the risk factors were analyzed by Pearson correlation analysis, binary logistic regression, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve in the gender and age groups. All data were divided into a training set and test set (7:3). The training set included age, gender, total protein (TP), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and 15 other indicators. The random forest (RF) and support vector machine (SVM) methods were used to build the HUA model, and model performances were evaluated through 10-fold cross-validation to select the optimal method. Finally, features were extracted, and the ROC curve of the test set was generated.ResultsTP, LDL-C, and glucose (GLU) were risk factors for HUA, and the area under the curve (AUC) value of the SVM validation set was 0.875.ConclusionThe SVM model based on clinical biochemical indicators has good predictive ability for HUA, thus providing a reference for the diagnosis of HUA and the development of an HUA prediction model.

EFSA Panel on Food Contact Materials, Enzymes and Processing Aids (CEP), Claude Lambré, José Manuel Barat Baviera et al.

Abstract The EFSA Panel on Food Contact Materials, Enzymes and Processing Aids (CEP) assessed the safety of the recycling process Reliance Industries (EU register number RECYC315), which uses the ProTec technology. The input material consists of washed and dried poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) flakes, mainly originating from collected post‐consumer PET containers, e.g. bottles, with no more than 5% PET from non‐food consumer applications. The flakes are extruded into pellets (step 1), crystallised (step 2) and treated in a solid‐state polycondensation (SSP) reactor (step 3). Having examined the challenge test provided, the Panel concluded that the extrusion and the decontamination in the ■■■■■ SSP reactor (steps 1 and 3) are critical in determining the decontamination efficiency of the process. The operating parameters to control the performance of these critical steps are temperature, pressure and residence time. It was demonstrated that this recycling process is able to ensure that the level of migration of potential unknown contaminants into food is below the conservatively modelled migration of 0.1 μg/kg food. Therefore, the Panel concluded that the recycled PET obtained from this process is not considered to be of safety concern, when used at up to 100% for the manufacture of materials and articles for contact with all types of foodstuffs, including drinking water, for long‐term storage at room temperature or below, with or without hotfill. The final articles made of this recycled PET are not intended to be used in microwave and conventional ovens and such uses are not covered by this evaluation.

Haihong Chen, Bing Xu, Yi Wang et al.

With changing dietary habits and increasing awareness of the nutraceutical role of dietary foods, the demand for natural plant proteins and interest in non-traditional protein sources in the food industry are increasing. Industrial hemp, belonging to the plant family Cannabaceae, is cultivated for its fibre and edible seeds. Due to its nutritional value, it has also been used in the food industry and medicine. In particular, hemp seed proteins have drawn considerable attention in both scientific and industrial fields because of their excellent nutraceutical values, superior digestibility, low allergenicity and diverse techno-functional properties. In this review, we provide a summary of the current research progress on the extraction and purification processes, physiochemical properties, nutraceutical functions, and applications of hemp seed proteins. Perspectives in the application of advanced technologies for hemp seed bioactive peptide mining are also discussed. This review provides up-to-date insights into the nutraceutical values, health benefits, and future applications of this emerging plant source protein.

Xiaoyu Chen, Hongyuan Zhao, Fanqiang Meng et al.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is associated with liver dysfunction and intestinal dysbiosis. Bioactive peptides (BAPs) have been reported to ameliorate T2DM by preventing oxidative damage to the liver. Bacillus amyloliquefaciens fmb50 produces the lipopeptide surfactin with a wide range of biological activities. The effects of surfactin on T2DM, on the other hand, have not been studied. In the present study, 80 mg/kg body weight surfactin supplementation lowered fasting blood glucose (FBG) levels by 21.05 % and insulin resistance (IR) by 18.18 % compared with those in the T2DM group, reduced inflammation, and increased antioxidant activity in mice with T2DM induced by a high-fat diet (HFD) and streptozotocin (STZ). According to further research, surfactin administration reduced Firmicutes-to-Bacteroidetes ratios while increasing Bifidobacterium abundance by 20 times and the level of the tight junction protein Occludin by 18.38 % and ZO-1 by 66.60 %. Furthermore, surfactin also improved hepatic glucose metabolism by activating the adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signalling pathway, increasing glycogen synthesis and glucose transporter 2 (GLUT2) protein expression while reducing glucose-6-phosphatase (G6Pase) protein expression. In addition, the increased Bifidobacterium abundance indirectly reduced the liver burden of the metabolic products indole, cresol and amine produced by saprophytic bacteria. All of these findings revealed that surfactin not only ameliorated HFD/STZ-induced gut dysbiosis and preserved intestinal barrier integrity but also enhanced hepatic glucose metabolism and detoxification function in T2DM mice. The gut microbiota appeared to be important in controlling glucose metabolism, IR, fat accumulation, inflammation and antioxidation, according to Spearman’s correlation coefficients. All data indicated that surfactin alleviated hyperglycaemia in mice with T2DM induced by HFD/STZ.

Md Khairul Islam, Ivan Lozada Lawag, Kathryn J. Green et al.

This study reports on the analysis of eleven Jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata) honeys, of which nearly half (n = 5) were re-classified as Blackbutt (E. patens) honey on the grounds of the predominant flower pollen identified by melissopalynology. Based on a comprehensive analysis of the honeys' physico- and phytochemical characteristics and antioxidant activity data, taking into account pH, electrical conductivity, refractive index and Brix values as well as moisture content, individual fructose and glucose content and derived fructose to glucose ratio alongside total phenolic content and antioxidant activity determined by the DPPH assay, no statistically significant difference was found amongst the eleven honeys classified by pollen analysis into two honey groups, ‘Jarrah’ or ‘Blackbutt’. This study therefore draws into question the value of melissopalynology as an analysis tool to authenticate Jarrah honey.

Damoon Ashtary-Larky, Reza Bagheri, Matin Ghanavati et al.

Purpose Previous studies have suggested that beta-alanine supplementation may benefit exercise performance, but current evidence regarding its effects on body composition remains unclear. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to investigate the effects of beta-alanine supplementation on body composition indices. Methods Online databases, including PubMed/Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, and Embase, were searched up to April 2021 to retrieve randomized controlled trials (RCTs), which examined the effect of beta-alanine supplementation on body composition indices. Meta-analyses were carried out using a random-effects model. The I2 index was used to assess the heterogeneity of RCTs. Results Among the initial 1413 studies that were identified from electronic databases search, 20 studies involving 492 participants were eligible. Pooled effect size from 20 studies indicated that beta-alanine supplementation has no effect on body mass (WMD: −0.15 kg; 95% CI: −0.78 to 0.47; p = 0.631, I2 = 0.0%, p = 0.998), fat mass (FM) (WMD: −0.24 kg; 95% CI: −1.16 to 0.68; p = 0.612, I2 = 0.0%, p = 0.969), body fat percentage (BFP) (WMD: −0.06%; 95% CI: −0.53 to 0.40; p = 0.782, I2 = 0.0%, p = 0.936), and fat-free mass (FFM) (WMD: 0.05 kg; 95% CI: −0.71 to 0.82; p = 0.889, I2 = 0.0%, p = 0.912). Subgroup analyses based on exercise type (resistance training [RT], endurance training [ET], and combined training [CT]), study duration (<8 and ≥8 weeks), and beta-alanine dosage (<6 and ≥6 g/d) demonstrated similar results. Certainty of evidence across outcomes ranged from low to moderate. Conclusions This meta-analysis study suggests that beta-alanine supplementation is unlikely to improve body composition indices regardless of supplementation dosage and its combination with exercise training. No studies have examined the effect of beta-alanine combined with both diet and exercise on body composition changes as the primary variable. Therefore, future studies examining the effect of the combination of beta-alanine supplementation with a hypocaloric diet and exercise programs are warranted.

Daniela Ponce, Cassiana Regina de Goes, Luis Gustavo Modelli de Andrade

Abstract Background The objective of this study was to develop a new predictive equation of resting energy expenditure (REE) for acute kidney injury patients (AKI) on dialysis. Materials and methods A cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out of 114 AKI patients, consecutively selected, on dialysis and mechanical ventilation, aged between 19 and 95 years. For construction of the predictive model, 80% of cases were randomly separated to training and 20% of unused cases to validation. Several machine learning models were tested in the training data: linear regression with stepwise, rpart, support vector machine with radial kernel, generalised boosting machine and random forest. The models were selected by ten-fold cross-validation and the performances evaluated by the root mean square error. Results There were 364 indirect calorimetry measurements in 114 patients, mean age of 60.65 ± 16.9 years and 68.4% were males. The average REE was 2081 ± 645 kcal. REE was positively correlated with C-reactive protein, minute volume (MV), expiratory positive airway pressure, serum urea, body mass index and inversely with age. The principal variables included in the selected model were age, body mass index, use of vasopressors, expiratory positive airway pressure, MV, C-reactive protein, temperature and serum urea. The final r-value in the validation set was 0.69. Conclusion We propose a new predictive equation for estimating the REE of AKI patients on dialysis that uses a non-linear approach with better performance than actual models.

İbrahim Kahramanoğlu, Muhammad Farrukh Nisar, Chuying Chen et al.

Solar light has fundamental roles in vast chemical, biochemical, and physical process in biosphere and hence been declared as “source of life.” Solar light is further classified into a broad range of electromagnetic waves, and each region in the solar spectrum bears its unique actions in the universe or biosphere. Since centuries, solar light is believed as a potent source of killing pathogens causing postharvest losses on food products as well as human skin diseases. Citrus fruit crops are widely produced and consumed across the world, but due to their higher juicy contents, Penicillium italicum (blue mold) and Penicillium digitatum (green mold) make their entry to decay fruits and cause approximately 80% and 30% fruit losses, respectively. Agrochemicals or synthetic fungicides are highly efficient to control these postharvest fungal pathogens but have certain health concerns due to toxic environmental residues. Therefore, the scientific community is ever looking for some physical ways to eradicate such postharvest fungal pathogens and reduce the yield losses along with maintaining the public health concerns. This review article presents and discusses existing available information about the positive and negative impacts of different spectrums of solar light exposure on the postharvest storage of citrus fruits, especially to check citrus postharvest rotting caused by Penicillium italicum (blue mold) and Penicillium digitatum (green mold). Moreover, a special focus shall be paid to blue light (390–500 nm), which efficiently reduces the decay of fruits, while keeping the host tissues/cells healthy with no known cytotoxicity, killing the fungal pathogen probably by ferroptosis, but indepth knowledge is scanty. The study defines how to develop commercial applications of light in the postharvest citrus industry.

Anne Cristine Fernandes Maia, Keli Fuckner Benevides, Iara Veloso Almeida et al.

Objetivo: Identificar a prevalência de insatisfação com a imagem corporal e fatores associados em clientes de uma loja de suplementos alimentares. Materiais e métodos: O estudo foi realizado entre os meses de agosto e setembro de 2018 com clientes de ambos os sexos de uma loja especializada em suplementos alimentares na cidade de Montes Claros, MG. O questionário contemplou questões descritivas e de múltipla escolha que abordavam os aspectos sociodemográficos, hábitos de vida, conhecimento sobre alimentação saudável, uso de suplementos alimentares, nível de atividade física e insatisfação com a imagem corporal. Resultados: Foram avaliados 61 indivíduos, com média de idade de 28,8±8,9 anos. 88,5% apresentaram ausência de insatisfação com a imagem corporal. Ao associar a insatisfação com a imagem com o perfil sociodemográfico e as características comportamentais, observou associação significativa com as variáveis escolaridade (p=0,045), conhecimento sobre alimentação saudável (p=0,027), atividade física praticada (p=0,041), número de vezes por semana que prática atividade física (p=0,030) e praticar mais de uma atividade física (0,022). Conclusão: Conclui-se que a prevalência de insatisfação corporal nessa população foi inferior ao relatado na literatura. Isso sugere que as pessoas estão cada vez mais preocupadas com a imagem corporal, sendo importante que os profissionais da nutrição estejam atentos a esse público e desenvolva planos de ação a fim de garantir os efeitos desejados preservando a saúde do indivíduo.

Ahmad Bazazan, Iman Dianat, Leila Rastgoo et al.

Background: Fatigue and psychological distress are fairly common among nursing personnel,but their relationship is not clearly understood.Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we investigated the relationships between dimensions of fatigue and psychological distress among 699 public hospital nurses in Iran. The Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory (MFI–20) and General Health Questionnaire (GHQ–12)were used for evaluation of fatigue and psychological distress, respectively.Results: The total fatigue score of the MFI–20 was 52.5 (SD = 11.8). The general fatigue (mean± SD = 13.2±3.1) and reduced motivation (mean ± SD = 9.2±2.7) were the fatigue dimensions with the highest and lowest mean scores, respectively. The percentage of psychological distress(e.g., those nurses scored above the cut-off point [GHQ–12 ≥ 4]) was 29.1%. Stepwise multiple linear regression analysis indicated that general (P<0.001), physical (P<0.001) and mental(P<0.001) aspects of fatigue were significantly related to the psychological distress, so that the scores of these fatigue dimensions were significantly higher for those nurses with a higher level of psychological distress (above the cut-off point) than those with a lower level of psychological distress (below the cut-off point).Conclusion: The results emphasize the need for multi-component interventions aimed at decreasing both mental and physical fatigue, and consequently reducing the psychological distress among this group of healthcare professionals.

EFSA Panel on Food Contact Materials, Enzymes, Flavourings and Processing Aids (CEF)

Abstract The Panel on Food Contact Materials, Enzymes, Flavourings and Processing Aids of the European Food Safety Authority was requested to evaluate 56 flavouring substances in the Flavouring Group Evaluation 21, Revision 2, using the Procedure in Commission Regulation (EC) No 1565/2000. Seven of the substances [Fl‐no: 15.060, 15.086, 15.090, 15.099, 15.114, 15.119 and 15.133] were considered to have genotoxic potential. The remaining 49 substances were evaluated through a stepwise approach (the Procedure) that integrates information on structure‐activity relationships, intake from current uses, toxicological threshold of concern, and available data on metabolism and toxicity. The Panel concluded that 26 substances FL‐no: 15.038, 15.039, 15.044, 15.050, 15.051, 15.052, 15.058, 15.061, 15.062, 15.063, 15.067, 15.068, 15.069, 15.071, 15.078, 15.080, 15.082, 15.084, 15.085, 15.087, 15.089, 15.098, 15.108, 15.115, 15.116 and 15.118] do not give rise to safety concerns at their levels of dietary intake, estimated on the basis of the MSDI approach. For the remaining 23 candidate substances [FL‐no: 15.037, 15.040, 15.042, 15.043, 15.045, 15.054, 15.055, 15.064, 15.070, 15.072, 15.074, 15.076, 15.077, 15.088, 15.091, 15.092, 15.093, 15.094, 15.096, 15.097, 15.106, 15.107 and 15.129], of the 49 substances evaluated through the Procedure, no appropriate NOAEL was available and additional data are required. Besides the safety assessment of these flavouring substances, the specifications for the materials of commerce have also been considered. For two substances are an identity test lacking and for one has the stereoisomeric composition to be specified.

C. B. Arny