Effects of Cannabis Use on Lifestyle Choices

This study explores the use of cannabis among young adults and its impact on health behavior

Motivations for Participation in Physical Activity Across the Lifespan

This investigation explored motivations for engaging in physical activity and how they varied across the lifespan. A total of 1,885 individuals completed a comprehensive questionnaire concerning personal style, activity interests, motives for exercising, and biosocial information as part of an initiative to improve physical activity advisement and programming. The first part of the research called for an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) of a 20-item measure of both intrinsic and extrinsic motivations related to participation in exercise, while the second was based in an analysis of differences on the EFA factor scores across five age groups: teens, 20s, 30s, 40s, and 50s+. EFA results suggested a four-factor (oblique rotation) solution that appeared to provide an adequate and generalizable map of intrinsic and extrinsic motivations for exercise. The factors were labeled as follows: mental toughness, toned and fit, fun and friends, and stress reduction. Not surprisingly, mean scores on toned and fit were the highest of the four factor means across all age groups. Univariate ANOVAs of age group differences were statistically significant for each of the four factors; moreover, all four factors showed statistically significant linear trends. Two factors, toned and fit and stress reduction, revealed higher motivation scores with increasing age, while the remaining two, mental toughness and fun and friends, exhibited declining scores with increasing age. These findings taken in the context of previous research on age-related motivational differences offered insights into current challenges for enhancing exercise participation, particularly for older individuals

Caffeine Consumption, Sleep Quality and Exercise Among College Students

Sleep plays an extremely important role in day to day functioning, contributing to improving cognitive, physical, and emotional health. Lifestyle choices such as caffeine intake and exercise frequency may influence sleep quality. This study intends to assess the relationship between caffeine consumption, sleep quality, and exercise. About 1360 individuals participated in an anonymous, self-reported survey including questions regarding sleep quality, caffeine consumption, and exercise. The questionnaire was generated on Google Forms and distributed via social media. Various negative correlations between caffeine consumption and quality sleep were detected. There are negative correlations between caffeine consumption with feeling refreshed after sleep and sleep duration (p\u3c0.01). Additionally, there was a positive correlation between satisfaction with current sleep pattern and average weekly exercise (p\u3c0.01). These findings suggest that increased caffeine consumption is associated with greater sleep disturbances and a reduction in exercise routine and performance.https://orb.binghamton.edu/research_days_posters_2024/1143/thumbnail.jp

Growth options and poverty reduction in Ethiopia

"This study assesses which agricultural subsectors have the strongest capacity to drive economic growth and poverty reduction in Ethiopia, and what kind of agricultural and nonagricultural growth is needed to achieve the millennium development goal of halving the 1990 poverty rate by 2015. A spatially disaggregated, economywide model was developed under the study, enabling the analysis of growth and poverty reduction linkages at national and regional levels using national household surveys, agricultural sample surveys, geographic information systems, and other national and regional data. The study reveals that agriculture has the potential to play a central role in decreasing poverty and increasing growth in Ethiopia, primarily through growth in staple crops and livestock. Agricultural growth also requires concurrent investments in roads and other market conditions. At the subnational level, similar rates of agricultural growth have different effects on poverty, necessitating regionally based strategies for growth and poverty reduction." Authors' AbstractPoverty alleviation ,Agricultural growth ,Millenium Development goal ,Spatial analysis (Statistics) ,Disaggregation ,Household surveys ,Ethiopia ,africa ,

Ethiopia: growth options and poverty reduction

Rural poor, Urban poor, Market access, Agricultural growth, Poverty reduction,

Planning the City in the New Economy: Plan Cincinnati

The City of Cincinnati, Ohio recently completed it first comprehensive plan in over 30 years. Developed through a highly collaborative community-driven process, Plan Cincinnati aims to “re-urbanize” the depopulated Rust Belt city and strengthen its economy. Alongside goals to increase industrial recruitment as well as homegrown small businesses, a key economic strategy of the plan is focusing investment geographically in the City’s established neighborhood centers

Individualism, collectivism, and emotion regulation: A cross-cultural examination among young adults from seven countries

Individualism and collectivism are dimensions of cultural variation thought to shape differences in emotion regulation tendencies, yet research to date has examined these cultural dimensions as country-level features, emphasizing variability across nations. The present study takes the approach of examining cultural differences within nations as predictors of emotion regulation strategies, shifting the perspective instead to individual differences. This present study aimed to address how individual endorsement of individualism-collectivism (i.e. prioritizing individual versus group goals) and vertical-horizontal attitudes (preference for hierarchy versus equality) are associated with use of emotion regulation strategies (i.e., reappraisal and suppression) among college students from seven countries (n=5,900; female=70.80%). Overall, we found that individual differences in individualism-collectivism and vertical-horizontal attitudes had strong connections with young adults’ emotion regulation styles. Results of our multivariate (i.e., all variables were simultaneously examined) regression model revealed: a) higher endorsement of horizontal individualism and horizontal collectivism were associated with higher use of reappraisal strategies; b) higher endorsement of horizontal individualism and vertical collectivism were associated with higher use of suppression strategies; while higher endorsement of horizontal collectivism was associated with lower use of suppression strategies. A multi-group model supported the generalizability of these associations across countries. These findings demonstrate the value of approaching cultural differences in emotion regulation from an individual differences framework, and not assuming country-level differences are representative of individuals’ affective experiences. Further work is needed examining models within-country to examine cultural variation in individualism vs collectivism compared to country-level norms.Fil: Klein, Neelamberi D.. Indiana University Bloomington; Estados UnidosFil: Bravo, Adrian J.. College Of William And Mary (w&m);Fil: Conway, Christopher C.. Fordham University; Estados UnidosFil: Keough, Matthew T.. York University; CanadáFil: Pilatti, Angelina. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones Psicológicas. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones Psicológicas; ArgentinaFil: Mezquita, Laura. Universitat Jaume I; España. Instituto de Salud Carlos III; EspañaFil: Henson, James M.. Cross-Cultural Addictions Study Team; Estados UnidosFil: Hogarth, Lee. Cross-Cultural Addictions Study Team; Estados UnidosFil: Ibáñez, Manuel I.. Cross-Cultural Addictions Study Team; Estados UnidosFil: Kaminer, Debra. Cross-Cultural Addictions Study Team; Estados UnidosFil: Ortet, Generós. Cross-Cultural Addictions Study Team; Estados UnidosFil: Pearson, Matthew R.. Cross-Cultural Addictions Study Team; Estados UnidosFil: Prince, Mark A.. Cross-Cultural Addictions Study Team; Estados UnidosFil: Read, Jennifer. Cross-Cultural Addictions Study Team; Estados UnidosFil: Roozen, Hendrik G.. Cross-Cultural Addictions Study Team; Estados UnidosFil: Ruiz, Paul. Cross-Cultural Addictions Study Team; Estados Unido

Efficacy of a novel online integrated treatment for problem gambling and tobacco smoking: Results of a randomized controlled trial

Background and aimsProblem gambling and tobacco use are highly comorbid among adults. However, there are few treatment frameworks that target both gambling and tobacco use simultaneously (i.e., an integrated approach), while also being accessible and evidence-based. The aim of this two-arm open label RCT was to examine the efficacy of an integrated online treatment for problem gambling and tobacco use.MethodsA sample of 209 participants (M$_{age}$ = 37.66, SD = 13.81; 62.2% female) from North America were randomized into one of two treatment conditions (integrated [n = 91] or gambling only [n = 118]) that lasted for eight weeks and consisted of seven online modules. Participants completed assessments at baseline, after treatment completion, and at 24-week follow-up.ResultsWhile a priori planned generalized linear mixed models showed no condition differences on primary (gambling days, money spent, time spent) and secondary outcomes, both conditions did appear to significantly reduce problem gambling and smoking behaviours over time. Post hoc analyses showed that reductions in smoking and gambling craving were correlated with reductions in days spent gambling, as well as with gambling disorder symptoms. Relatively high (versus low) nicotine replacement therapy use was associated with greater reductions in gambling behaviours in the integrated treatment condition.Discussion and conclusionsWhile our open label RCT does not support a clear benefit of integrated treatment, findings suggest that changes in smoking and gambling were correlated over time, regardless of treatment condition, suggesting that more research on mechanisms of smoking outcomes in the context of gambling treatment may be relevant

The trophic importance of epiphytic algae in a freshwater macrophyte system (Potamogeton perfoliatus L.): stable isotope and fatty acid analyses

Stable isotope and fatty acid analyses were used to study carbon sources for animals in a submerged plant bed. Epiphytes growing on Potamogeton perfoliatus, sand microflora, and alder leaves were the most important carbon sources. The most abundant macrophyte, P. perfoliatus was unimportant as a food source. Modelling (IsoSource) showed that epiphytes were the most important food source for the most abundant benthic invertebrates, the isopod Asellus aquaticus (annual mean contribution 64%), the amphipod Gammarus pulex (66%), and the gastropod Potamopyrgus antipodarum (83%). The mean annual contributions of sand microflora were, respectively, 21, 19, and 9%; and of alder leaves, 15, 15, and 8% for these three species. The relative importance of carbon sources varied seasonally. The relative contribution of epiphytes was lowest for all three grazer species in July: A. aquaticus 38%, G. pulex 43%, and P. antipodarum 42%. A decline in epiphyte biomass in summer may have caused this switch to less attractive food sources. P. perfoliatus provided habitat and shelter for consumers, but food was mainly supplied indirectly by providing space for attached epiphytes, which are fast-growing and provide a highly nutritious food source