Hasil untuk "Home economics"

Yanbing He, Chenjing Yin, Xiaohu Mao et al.

Assessing the performance level of human settlement improvement in traditional villages is significant in promoting the protection of traditional villages, but there is a lack of performance research on human settlement improvement from the perspective of corporate governance in previous studies. This paper selected 16 traditional villages as case villages and obtained a total of 345 questionnaires. By reference to the Balanced Scorecard (BSC) theory, a performance evaluation index system for human settlement improvement is constructed in this paper. In addition, the level of performance exhibited by traditional villages is evaluated and analyzed via the entropy weight Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) method and the obstacle degree analysis method. This study reveals the following findings: (1) The performance level of traditional villages in Jiaozuo city ranges between 0.28 and 0.64, with an average value of 0.49, thus indicating a medium level. (2) With respect to the subdimensions of human settlement improvement performance, the policy management dimension (0.88) exhibits the highest value, followed by the villagers dimension (0.48) and the learning and growth dimension (0.27), while the financial benefits dimension (0.10) exhibits the lowest value. (3) The obstacles affecting the performance level of human settlement improvement in different types of traditional villages are characterized by both similarities and differences. This study summarized the effects of traditional village human settlement improvement, and provided more scientific and reliable governance suggestions for future traditional village human settlement improvement, so as to better promote the protection of traditional villages and the sustainable development of the human settlement environment.

Ryan Joseph CALINAO, Ryan GAMOSO

The study explores the influence of vividness, content quality, and system quality in virtual reality (VR) experiences on guests’ behavioural intentions in the hotel industry in the National Capital Region. It specifically examines how these factors affect guests’ engagement and decision-making processes. Using the Partial Least Square with Hierarchical Component Model Analysis, the results highlight the importance of immersive and high-quality VR content in enhancing guest experiences and influencing their future behaviours, such as revisiting or recommending the hotels. Additionally, the study underscores the role of system quality in ensuring a seamless and engaging VR experience. The findings through the use of the mediating effect, suggest that investment in superior VR technology can be a strategic tool for hotels to differentiate themselves in a competitive market and align with evolving consumer preferences as well as the cognitive absorption of the hotel guests.

Xinyi Yu, Qilan Chen, Inmaculada Xu Lou

Background and objectiveHeart failure (HF) is a syndrome of increased intracardiac pressure or decreased cardiac output. There is a lack of conclusive evidence to recommend the regular use of any dietary supplement in patients with HF. However, certain studies have shown nutritional interventions to be beneficial for patients with HF. Therefore, the purpose of this systematic review was to understand and map the updates of dietary interventions and nutritional supplementation measures related to patients with HF over the past 5 years.Study designA systematic review.MethodsThe PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Cochrane Library databases were searched for randomized clinical trials on the association between dietary interventions and nutritional supplements and HF published between 2018 and 2023. A total of 1755 documents were retrieved, of which 19 were finalized for inclusion.ResultsThe findings suggest that individualized nutritional support reduces mortality and risk of major cardiovascular events in chronic heart failure inpatients at high nutritional risk. The Mediterranean diet improves functionality, quality of life, and cardiac function. Additionally, supplementation with thiamine, ubiquinol, D-ribose, and L-arginine enhances left ventricular ejection fraction. Probiotic yogurt may effectively improve the inflammatory and antioxidative status of chronic heart failure. Whey protein and melatonin have a positive effect on improving endothelial function in HF patients.ConclusionCertain dietary interventions and nutritional supplements may provide some benefit to patients with HF. However, there is no relevant definitive evidence on the impact of nutritional interventions on the prognosis of HF, and more high-quality clinical trials are needed for further in-depth studies.Systematic review registrationIdentifier, CRD42024510847

Guta Amante, Mulisa Wedajo

Climate change, driven by anthropogenic activities, has far-reaching consequences for our planet. Among its many impacts, changes in temperature, elevated carbon dioxide levels, and shifts in greenhouse gas concentrations significantly affect soil ecosystems. In particular, soil microbial communities play a pivotal role in nutrient cycling, organic matter decomposition, and overall soil health. Soil microbial communities respond differently to the effects of climate change, like elevated warming and precipitation. The change in climatic conditions is reported to be adversely affecting soil biological activity directly through either drying or wetting of soil or affecting their associated plants. This review delves into the intricate relationship between climate change and soil microbial abundance, diversity, and distribution. The paper also discusses climatic change pressure on soil enzymatic activity and microbial biomasses, as well as soil faunal activity, as they are key indicators of soil health in a changing climate. Soil microbial communities cope with climate change by changing their diversity and physiological characteristics and by changing their symbiotic plants, which indicates the role of soil microbes in withstanding the negative impact of climate change.

Paulo Duarte, Cristina Estevão, Ana María Campón-Cerro et al.

The hospitality and travel sector has been one of the most affected sectors by Covid-19, which has resulted in a significant increase in the literature addressing the impact of the health crisis on tourism activities and tourists’ perceptions and behaviours. Traditionally, socio-demographic variables have been instrumental in understanding consumers’ needs and desires. However, during the pandemic, it has been unveiled that social and economic profiles have started to influence how tourists make decisions. Since studies on the changes in hotel choice during and after Covid-19 are still scarce, this article aims to assess the influence of socio-demographic variables on hotel choice based on data collected during the peak phase of the Covid-19 pandemic. A quantitative study was conducted using an online questionnaire that reached an international sample of 1113 individuals. The ANOVA and the t-test analysis results point out that socio-demographic variables under study are responsible for several differences in the evaluation of hotels. These findings reinforce socio-demographic attributes’ capability to understand customers’ preferences and decision-making despite the context.

Jarosław Chwastowski, Katarzyna Wójcik, Henryk Kołoczek et al.

Tap water treated in air with low-temperature and low-pressure glow plasma of low frequency was tested for its either stimulation or inhibition of the growth of the selected microorganisms commonly colonizing human organism. The growth of chosen microorganisms was monitored by estimation of optical density of their colonies. The fairly linear growth against time of all microorganisms under study accelerated after 12 h from the beginning of the experiment. Colonies of E. coli and S. cerevisiae breed in the plasma treated water had an approximately 20% stimulation of the growth which was observed between 12 and 24 h. Neither stimulation nor inhibition of the growth could be noted for colonies of Aspergillus niger, Candida albicans, Yarrowia lipolytica, and Enterococcus faecalis, in whole period of observation. The plasma-treated water had no effect upon the growth of Mycobacteria. Independently of the water tested, M. tuberculosis started proliferating on the 14th day of the experiment, M. intercellulare and M. kansai after 9 days, and the growth of M. fortuitos could be observed after 3 days.

Hnin Wai Lwin Myo, Akiko S Hosler, Lawrence M Schell et al.

Abstract Objective: The Burmese population is one of the fast-growing refugee populations in the USA. This study investigated behavioural and environmental factors associated with fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption among Burmese refugees. Design: We conducted a cross-sectional interview survey in 2018–2019. The 24-h recall was used to assess dietary behaviour. Multivariable logistic regression models were constructed with meeting the daily FV consumption recommendation (two or more servings of fruits and three or more servings of vegetables) as the outcome variable. We selected socio-economics, nutritional knowledge, food shopping frequency, ethnicity of preferred food store owners, perceived neighbourhood food environment and network distance to preferred food stores as potential explanatory variables. Setting: Two Upstate New York counties. Participants: Burmese refugees (n 173) aged ≥18 years. Results: Forty-five percentage of respondents met the daily FV consumption recommendation, and nearly all respondents identified ethnic (Burmese, Chinese/pan-Asian, or South Asian/halal) stores as their preferred stores to purchase FV. In the best-fit model, age (OR 1·08, 95 % CI (1·04, 1·12)) and shopping frequency (OR 1·51, 95 % CI (1·01, 2·26)) were positively associated, and network distance to preferred stores in kilometres (OR 0·81, 95 % CI (0·73, 0·90)) was negatively associated with meeting the daily FV consumption recommendation. No significant effect modifications by car ownership, poverty, length of stay in the USA and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program participation were detected. Conclusions: The findings suggested that having Asian ethnic food stores within a short, walkable distance from home and shopping at these stores often can promote healthy dietary behaviour among Burmese refugees.

Amy Hui-Mei Lin, Andrea Gómez-Maqueo

Strengthening food security, in places where land and natural resources are limited or no longer available, is challenging. This is especially true for the production of staple food carbohydrates. Unlike some alternative foods, such as cultured meats, producing food carbohydrates using conventional agri-food approaches requires many natural resources, which are not available in some regions such as Singapore. Therefore, we must develop new, sustainable methods to enhance the quantity and nutritional quality of foods rich in carbohydrates. In this article, we review current developments in food security in the city-state of Singapore and emphasize the essential role of food carbohydrates in the food security plan. We discuss technology developments (i.e., indoor vertical farming, urban farming) used to enhance crop quality and production. We also make a few recommendations such as exploring underutilized and unconventional crops that are resilient and nutrient-dense, identifying hidden resources in local ecosystems (i.e., revalorizing agri-food processing by-products), and producing alternative carbohydrates (i.e., microbial and synthetic carbohydrates). Experience and approaches developed in Singapore provide an example to other regions and may inspire creativity in securing food availability.

Sen Zou, Jiangman Liu, Hongli Si et al.

BackgroundNutritional and food components reshape the peripheral clock and metabolism. However, whether food challenges affect the circadian clock and metabolism of meibomian glands (MGs) has not been fully explored. This study was designed to analyze alterations in the rhythmic transcriptome and metabolism of MGs of murine fed a balanced diet or a high-fat diet (HFD).MethodsMale C57BL/6J mice were maintained on a 12/12 h light/dark cycle and fed ad libitum on normal chow (NC) or HFD for 4 weeks. MGs were collected from sacrificed animals at 3-h intervals throughout a 24-h circadian cycle. The circadian transcriptome of MGs was analyzed via bioinformatics approaches using high-throughput RNA sequencing (RNA-seq). In addition, circadian oscillations of lipid components in MGs were analyzed.ResultsMeibomian glands displayed robust transcriptome rhythmicity. HFD feeding significantly altered the circadian transcriptome profile of MGs—including composition and phase—and spatiotemporally affected the enriched signaling pathways. In addition, HFD feeding significantly altered the normal rhythmic oscillations of lipid components in MGs.ConclusionOur data show that HFD significantly affects MGs’ rhythmicity, which reveals a high sensitivity of MGs’ clocks to lipid composition in food.

Cátia V. Almeida Santos, Catarina Pereira, Nuno Martins et al.

SO₂ is a preservative often used in the food industry, particularly in the wine industry. However, regulatory authorities and consumers have been strongly suggesting its reduction or even its replacement. In order to understand the impact of SO₂ on the profiles of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) as well as amino acids (AAs), the aging of two white wines (one being a varietal and another being a blend) under identical conditions and in the presence of different doses of total SO₂ was studied. After alcoholic fermentation (t = 0), either no SO₂ was added (0 mg/L), or 30, 60, 90, or 120 mg/L of SO₂ was applied. The samples under study were kept on fine lees for 3 months (t = 3). After 3 months (t = 6) and 9 months (t = 12), the wines were bottled and analyzed. For t = 0 and t = 3, the samples were submitted to HS-SPME-GC/MS for VOC analysis and LC-DAD for AA analysis. From the principal component analysis of the detected VOCs, it was observed that the blended wine in comparison with the varietal wine, was less impacted by the applied SO₂ doses and aging time. From the AA profile, it was also observed in this study that maturation on fine lees resulted in an increase in the total concentration of AAs as would be expected.

C. Badarinza, T. Ramadorai

What explains house price variation in global cities like London and New York? A widely-held view is that foreign demand, especially during crises, is part of the explanation, but the rarity of crises renders pure time-series methods ineffective at evaluating this explanation. Our new approach is based on the insight that foreigners exhibit “home bias abroad,”concentrating demand in particular areas within global cities. Using the approach on large databases of housing transactions in London over two decades, we find that foreign risk strongly affects house prices and transactions volumes. The effects are long-lasting but temporary, and vary interestingly across countries. ∗The previous version of this paper was circulated under the title "Preferred Habitats and SafeHaven Effects: Evidence from the London Housing Market". We gratefully acknowledge Nationwide Building Society and the Land Registry for providing us with access to the data, and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation for financial support. We thank John Campbell, Stefano Giglio, Cam Harvey, Ralph Koijen, Kevin Sheppard, Florencio Lopez-de-Silanes, John Muellbauer, Philipp Schnabl, seminar and conference participants at the Saïd Business School, the Oxford-Man Institute of Quantitative Finance, the Oxford Department of Economics, Goethe University, the MIT Sloan Finance Seminar, the Dutch National Bank, the Duisenberg Institute of Finance, Cass Business School, the IMF, Imperial College, Darden School of Business, the NBER Asset Pricing Program Meeting, and the Paul Woolley Centre Conference at the LSE for useful comments, and Job Boerma and Shuang Zheng for dedicated research assistance. †Badarinza: Saïd Business School and Oxford-Man Institute of Quantitative Finance, University of Oxford, Park End Street, Oxford OX1 1HP, UK. Email: cristian.badarinza@sbs.ox.ac.uk. Ramadorai: Saïd Business School, Oxford-Man Institute of Quantitative Finance, University of Oxford, Park End Street, Oxford OX1 1HP, UK, and CEPR. Email: tarun.ramadorai@sbs.ox.ac.uk.

Wenxuan Zheng, Ruiding Li, Yang Zhou et al.

In the protein nutrition strategy of middle-aged and elderly people, some believe that low protein is good for health, while others believe high protein is good for health. Facing the contradictory situation, the following hypothesis is proposed. There is a process of change from lower to higher ratio of protein nutritional requirements that are good for health in the human body after about 50 years of age, and the age at which the switch occurs is around 65 years of age. Hence, in this study, 50, 25-month-old male rats were randomly divided into five groups: Control (basal diet), LP (low-protein diet with a 30% decrease in protein content compared to the basal diet), HP (high-protein diet with a 30% increase in protein content compared to the basal diet), Model 1 (switched from LP to HP feed at week 4), and Model 2 (switched from LP to HP feed at week 7). After a total of 10 weeks intervention, the liver and serum samples were examined for aging-related indicators, and a newly comprehensive quantitative score was generated using principal component analysis (PCA). The effects of the five protein nutritional modalities were quantified in descending order: Model 1 > HP > LP > Control > Model 2. Furthermore, the differential metabolites in serum and feces were determined by orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis, and 15 differential metabolites, significantly associated with protein intake, were identified by Spearman’s correlation analysis (p < 0.05). Among the fecal metabolites, 10 were positively correlated and 3 were negatively correlated. In the serum, tyrosine and lactate levels were positively correlated, and acetate levels were negatively correlated. MetaboAnalyst analysis identified that the metabolic pathways influenced by protein intake were mainly related to amino acid and carbohydrate metabolism. The results of metabolomic analysis elucidate the mechanisms underlying the preceding effects to some degree. These efforts not only contribute to a unified protein nutrition strategy but also positively impact the building of a wiser approach to protein nutrition, thereby helping middle-aged and older populations achieve healthy aging.

Ainhoa Navarro-Abril, Javier Saurina, Sònia Sentellas

Biogenic amines (BAs) and free amino acids (AAs) are low-molecular nitrogenous compounds occurring in a wide range of foodstuffs, found in increased amount in different fermented foods, seafood, and wines. This study deals with the development of an analytical method based on liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry with precolumn derivatization with dansyl chloride for the determination of BAs and AAs in musts, wines, and sparkling wines. The resulting compositional profiles have been exploited as potential descriptors of quality and other oenological issues using chemometric methods including principal component analysis (PCA) and partial analysis of least squares-discriminants (PLS-DA). Proline is the most abundant compound, and other remarkable species are lysine, ethanolamine, tyramine, histamine, and putrescine. Fermented samples (wines and sparkling wines) are much richer in both BAs and free AAs than the initial musts. Significant differences have also been noticed in the quality, as the best products display, in general, lower levels. The dissimilarities in the content of the analytes between the two grape varieties studied (pinot noir and xarel·lo) and those dealing with quality aspects have made it possible to establish a tree to classify the samples based on these two features with excellent classification rates.

Qia Wang, Kai Dong, Yongyan Wu et al.

Irradiation's effects on quality, volatile compounds, and differential metabolites of yak meat were studied. Irradiation dose at 3 kGy had no effect on yak meat quality, however irradiation dose at 5 kGy resulted in yak meat quality deterioration as well as considerable irradiated off-flavors. And the level of the off-odor was strongly associated with the irradiation dose, and allyl methyl sulfide, octanal, nonanal, benzaldehyde, and 4-methylthiazole were all significant producers of off-odor. Meanwhile, with the increased of radiation dose, the amounts of cysteine, methionine, proline, linoleic acid, stearic acid changed obviously. The main generation pathway of irradiated off-flavors in yak meat were thought to be cysteine and methionine metabolism, and linoleic acid metabolism. The oxidative decomposition of sulfur-containing amino acids and unsaturated fatty acids may cause the off-flavor of irradiation yak meat. This research established a theoretical foundation for future control systems to prevent flavor quality alterations during irradiation preservation.

Joseph J. Knapik, Emily K. Farina, Victor L. Fulgoni et al.

Abstract Background This study examined incidence rates, temporal trends, and demographic factors associated with vitamin deficiencies/disorders in all United States military personnel from 1997 to 2015 (mean N = 1,382,266/year). Methods Employing an ecological study design, the Defense Medical Epidemiological Database and specific International Classification of Diseases codes were used to determine incidence rates for clinically-diagnosed vitamin deficiencies/disorders. Associations with demographic factors were examined. Results The overall incidence rate of vitamin deficiencies/disorders was 92.7 cases/100,000 person-years (p-yr). Highest rates were for vitamin D (53.7 cases/100,000 p-yr), other B-complex vitamins (20.2 cases, 100,000 p-yr), vitamin B12 anemia (7.6 cases/100,000 p-yr), deficiencies of “other vitamins” (5.9 cases/100,000 p-yr), and vitamin A (2.5 cases/100,000 p-yr). Thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pyridoxine, folate, vitamin C, and vitamin K deficiencies and hypervitaminoses A and D had < 1 case/100,000 p-yr. Rates for vitamin D, other B-complex, “other vitamin”, and thiamin deficiencies increased over time, while vitamin A and C deficiencies decreased. Women had higher incidence rates for all examined deficiencies/ disorders except niacin and vitamin C. Incidence rates rose with age in 8 of 15 deficiency/disorder categories and blacks had higher incidence rates in 9 of 15 deficiency/disorder categories. Conclusions The overall rate of clinically-diagnosed vitamin deficiencies and disorders was low but higher in women and minority subgroups. As for most illnesses, the diagnosed incidence of such disorders may be an underestimate of the actual incidence. These findings can guide clinical decision making with regard to testing for nutritional deficiencies and delivering public health information to at risk populations. Clinical trial registration (No. ISRCTN58987177 ). Registration date 9 October 2019.

Jeevan Prasain

Isabela Contel Poletti, Ana Paula Freitas da Silva Rodrigues, Beatriz Silva Dourado et al.

O cultivo alimentar em meio urbano é considerado um meio de resgate da soberania   alimentar, sendo promovido em Birigui (SP) pelo projeto “Hortas Comunitárias”. Objetivou-se realizar um levantamento sobre a presença de PANC (planta alimentícia não convencional), plantas medicinais, agrotóxicos e comercialização dos produtos, bem como comparar com o previsto na legislação municipal. Realizou-se análise quantitativa em 50% das hortas. Constatou-se presença significativa de PANC (39 espécies) e plantas medicinais (44 espécies), com maior frequência da Erva-de-santa-maria e Capim-limão. A comercialização se fez presente em 6,7% e o uso de agrotóxicos em 44%. Com os dados deste trabalho ações de intervenção podem ser traçadas para adequação à legislação municipal, estímulo ao consumo das plantas presentes nas hortas, e educação sobre malefícios do agrotóxico visando promoção de saúde.

Bernardo Corrado de Gennaro, Maria Bonaventura Forleo

Abstract Background The agricultural sector both needs to reduce its impacts and adapt its food production system to cope with environmental constraints and climate changes. This special issue includes three selected papers presented at the 53rd annual Conference of the Italian Society of Agricultural Economics discussing the future of agriculture. The fil rouge linking the three papers is the issue of sustainability that nowadays influences the functioning of the food supply chain and the behavior of all actors involved in it, from producers to consumers. Findings The selected papers investigate the theme of sustainability by exploring strategies for the adoption of sustainable innovation in the food supply chain, developing a model that assesses the effect of climate changes on farm production, as well as evaluating consumer attitudes to wine attributes, including those related to “carbon footprint” and “winescape esthetic.” Conclusions The reading of these papers provides a multifaceted light on different dimensions linking future perspectives of sustainable agriculture between globalization and local market. Papers discuss issues, propose approaches, and show empirical findings that can be useful to fuel the debate about future agricultural policies and stimulate the development of research agendas.

Н. М. Купріна, К. В. Апостолов, А. В. Шаталова et al.

В статті проведено дослідження підходів до класифікації фінансових результатів діяльності пі- дприємства в наукових працях та відповідно до НП(С)БО 1. Досліджено підходи до проведення еко- номічного аналізу фінансових результатів діяльності підприємства. Показано джерела для проведен- ня аналізу фінансових результатів: дані бухгалтерського обліку та фінансової звітності підприємства, порядок формування яких регламентують національні положення (стандарти) обліку. Проаналізовано особливості оцінки факторів, що впливають на зміну фінансових результатів підприємства, в дослі- дженні науковців. Запропонована методика економічного аналізу фінансових результатів та їх факто- рний аналіз з використанням адитивної моделі для проведення багаторівневого факторного аналізу фінансових результатів від звичайної діяльності з урахуванням сучасних напрямів та видів діяльності промислового підприємства, що підвищує якість його виконання та можливості визначення впливу значно більшої кількості факторів.

Nandita Sharma