Applying the COM-B behaviour change model to a pilot study delivering volatile pyrethroid spatial repellents and insecticide-treated clothing to forest-exposed populations in Mondulkiri Province, Cambodia

BACKGROUND

Southeast Asia is making tremendous progress towards their 2030 malaria elimination goal but needs new interventions to stop forest malaria. This study trials two new vector control tools, a volatile pyrethroid spatial repellent (VPSR) and insecticide-treated clothing (ITC), amongst forest-exposed populations in Mondulkiri Province Cambodia to inform their potential use for eliminating forest malaria.

METHODS

21 forest-exposed individuals were given a questionnaire on their perceptions of malaria and preventive practices used, after which they trialed two products sequentially. Clothes was treated with ITC by the study team. Mixed methods were used to understand their experience, attitudes, and preferences regarding the products trialed. Quantitative data was summarized and qualitative insights were analysed using thematic analysis, applying the Capability, Opportunity, and Motivation Behaviour Change (COM-B) model and Behaviour Change Wheel Framework to identify intervention functions to support tailored product rollout amongst these populations.

RESULTS

Study participants reported a need for protection from mosquito bites in outdoor and forest-exposed settings and perceived both products trialed to be effective for this purpose. The VPSR product was preferred when travel was not required, whereas ITC was preferred for ease of use when going to the forest, especially in rainy conditions. COM-B analysis identified that key enablers for use of both products included their perceived efficacy and ease of use, which required no skill or preparation. For barriers to use, the odour of ITC was sometimes perceived as being toxic, as well as its inability to protect uncovered skin from mosquito bites, while the perceived usefulness of the VPSR product trialed was limited by its water sensitivity in rainy forest settings. Intervention components to encourage appropriate and sustained use of these products include education about how to use these products and what to expect, persuasion to use them from community leaders and targeted channels, and enablement to facilitate convenient and affordable access.

CONCLUSION

The rollout of VPSRs and ITC amongst forest-exposed populations can be useful for eliminating malaria in Southeast Asia. Study findings can be applied to increase product uptake among forest exposed populations in Cambodia, while manufacturers can aim to develop products that are rainproof, easy to use in forest settings, and have favourable odour profiles to target users.

Applying the COM-B behavior model to inform the delivery of spatial repellents and insecticide-treated clothing among forest exposed populations in Mondulkiri Province, Cambodia

BACKGROUND

Southeast Asia is making tremendous progress towards their 2030 malaria elimination goal but needs new interventions to stop forest malaria. This study trials two new vector control tools, a volatile pyrethroid spatial repellent (VSPR) and insecticide-treated clothing (ITC), amongst forest-exposed populations in Mondulkiri Province Cambodia to inform their potential use for eliminating forest malaria.

METHODS

21 forest-exposed individuals were given a questionnaire on their perceptions of malaria and preventive practices used, after which they trialed two products sequentially. Mixed methods were used to understand their experience, attitudes, and preferences regarding the products trialed. Quantitative data was summarized and qualitative insights were analyzed using thematic analysis, applying the Capability, Opportunity, Motivation Behavior Change (COM-B) model and Behavior Change Wheel Framework to identify intervention functions to support tailored product rollout amongst these populations.

RESULTS

Study participants reported a need for protection from mosquito bites in outdoor and forest-exposed settings and perceived both products trialed to be effective for this purpose. The VPSR product was preferred when travel was not required, whereas ITC was preferred for ease of use when going to the forest, especially in rainy conditions. COM-B analysis identified that key enablers for use of both products included their perceived efficacy and ease of use, which required no skill or preparation. For barriers to use, the odor of ITC was sometimes perceived as being toxic, as well as its inability to protect uncovered skin from mosquito bites, while the perceived usefulness of the VPSR product trialed was limited by its water sensitivity in rainy forest settings. Intervention components to encourage appropriate and sustained use of these products include education about how to use these products and what to expect, persuasion to use them from community leaders and targeted ads, and enablement to guarantee access.

CONCLUSION

The rollout of VPSRs and ITC amongst forest-exposed populations can be useful for eliminating malaria in Southeast Asia. Study findings can be applied to increase product uptake in Cambodia, while research efforts can aim to develop products that are rainproof, easy to use in forest settings, and have favorable odor profiles to target users.

Deoxyribonucleic acid hybridization method for the detection of Listeria in dairy products, seafoods, and meats: collaborative study

The method is based on the hybridization of synthetic deoxyribonucleic acid probes to ribosomal ribonucleic acid sequences unique to Listeria. This method was compared to 2 culture methods: the U.S. Food and Drug Administration method for the detection of Listeria in dairy products and seafoods and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service method for Listeria in meats. Six food types with replicate samples containing various concentrations of Listeria were analyzed by the collaborating laboratories. Listeria was detected in 774 samples using the DNAH method and in 772 samples using a culture method. The DNAH and culture methods were in agreement for 668 samples containing Listeria and 306 samples without Listeria. The overall rate of agreement between methods was 82.3%. The method has been adopted first action by AOAC INTERNATIONAL.

Activated neutrophils impair rabbit heart recovery after hypothermic global ischemia

Cardiopulmonary bypass is known to cause neutrophil activation, and activated neutrophils appear to be of importance in myocardial reperfusion injury. This study examined the effect of a preischemic infusion of activated neutrophils on the recovery of myocardial function after 40 minutes of hypothermic global ischemia. Studies were carried out in three groups of Langendorff-perfused rabbit hearts: control, control (unactivated) neutrophil infusion, and phorbol myristate acetate-activated neutrophil infusion. The activated neutrophil group showed significant deterioration in function during the activated neutrophil infusion. All three groups demonstrated significant depression of function initially after reperfusion, but the two control groups subsequently recovered to baseline levels. The activated neutrophil group, however, showed a persistent significant depression in ventricular force, rate of ventricular tension development, and rate of ventricular relaxation as well as a significant increase in coronary vascular resistance. It is concluded that activated neutrophils depress myocardial function and contribute to impaired recovery of function after global hypothermic ischemia.

Activated neutrophils depress myocardial function in the perfused rabbit heart

OBJECTIVE

To examine the effect of activated neutrophils on myocardial function in the absence of ischemic and/or reperfusion injury.

DESIGN

Studies were carried out in five groups of Langendorff perfused rabbit hearts: control; nonactivated rabbit neutrophil infusion; phorbol myristate acetate-activated rabbit neutrophil infusion; nonactivated human neutrophil infusion; and phorbol myristate acetate-activated human neutrophil infusion.

RESULTS

Both groups receiving activated neutrophils showed significant deterioration in ventricular force, rate of ventricular force development (dF/dt) and rate of ventricular relaxation (-dF/dt), and significant increases in coronary vascular resistance. Myocardial lipid peroxidation was assessed but there was no significant difference among groups. Myocardial prostacyclin production was significantly increased in hearts receiving the phorbol myristate acetate-activated human neutrophil infusion.

CONCLUSION

It is concluded that myocardial perfusion with activated neutrophils results in depression of myocardial function and an increase in coronary vascular resistance even in the absence of ischemic/reperfusion injury.

Dry rehydratable film for enumeration of total coliforms and Escherichia coli in foods: collaborative study

Rehydratable dry-film plating methods for total coliforms and Escherichia coli in foods have been compared to the AOAC most probable number methods. Fourteen laboratories participated in the collaborative study. Three coliform and E. coli levels in 6 samples of 4 product types (flour, nuts, cheese, and beef with gravy) and in 3 samples of 2 product types (mushrooms and raw turkey) were tested in duplicate by the participants. The mean log counts for the 3 methods were comparable. In general, the repeatability and reproducibility variances of the plating methods were as good as or better than that of the MPN method. The method has been adopted official first action by AOAC.

A further test of Foulds' personality and personal illness differentiae in a psychiatric group

Test and retest scores on the Symptom Rating Test (SRT), Manifest Anxiety Scale (MAS) and Maudsley Personality Inventory (MPI) were obtained from 45 non-psychotic psychiatric in-patients. The change in scores and the score distributions were examined to assess the extent to which these tests meet Foulds' criteria for measures belonging respectively to the universes of personality and personal illness. MPI Extraversion emerged as a stable, normally distributed, personality trait in contrast to the SRT which showed the characteristics of a symptom-state measure. MPI Neuroticism and MAS scores could not be allocated definitively to either universe and seemed to be hybrids. It is suggested that more attention be paid to the 'purity' of scales if meaningful interpretation is to be made in treatment assessment.

Foulds' "general instability" and "psychopathy" 16PF scales and their relationship to psychiatric mood state

Previous research examined "general instability" and "psychopathy" scales, derived from the 16PF, in terms of Foulds' criteria of content, group differentiation, change over time, and score distributions. When the external criterion of a newly validated measure of psychiatric mood state (the DSSI/sAD) was used, it was confirmed in both a patient and a normal group that the "general instability" scale is related significantly to symptomatology, while the "psychopathy" scale is relatively independent of present state.