Association between Selenium in Soil and Diabetes in Chinese Residents Aged 35–74 Years:Results from the 2010 National Survey of Chronic Diseases and Behavioral Risk Factors Surveillance

Objective To explore the association between soil selenium levels and the risk of diabetes in Chinese adults aged 35–74 years.Methods Data for this study were derived from the China Chronic Diseases and Behavioral Risk Factors Surveillance 2010 survey.Selenium concentrations in soil were obtained from the Atlas of Soil Environmental Background Values in China.A two-level binary logistic regression model was used to determine the association between soil selenium concentrations and the risk of diabetes,with participants nested within districts/counties.Results A total of 69,332 participants aged 35–74 years,from 158 districts/counties were included in the analysis.Concentrations of selenium in soil varied greatly across the 158 districts/counties,with a median concentration of 0.219 mg/kg(IQR:0.185–0.248).The results showed that both Quartile 1(0.119–0.185 mg/kg)and Quartile 4(0.249–0.344 mg/kg)groups were positively associated with diabetes compared to a soil selenium concentration of 0.186–0.219 mg/kg(Quartile 2),crude odds ratios(ORs)(95%CI)were 1.227(1.003–1.502)and 1.280(1.048–1.563).The P values were 0.045 and 0.013,for Quartile 1 and Quartile 4 groups,respectively.After adjusting for all confounding factors of interest,the Quartile 1 group became non-significant,and the Quartile 4 group had an adjusted OR(95%CI)of 1.203(1.018–1.421)relative to the reference group(Quartile 2),the P values was 0.030.No significant results were seen for the Quartile 3 group(0.220–0.248 mg/kg)compared to the reference group.Conclusion Excessive selenium concentrations in soil could increase the risk of diabetes among Chinese adults aged 35–74 years.

Evidence for the Reliability and Validity of the Arabic Version of the Student Risk Screening Scale for Internalizing and Externalizing Behaviors (SRSS-IE)

School-based universal screening for behavioral/emotional risk is a necessary first step to providing services in an educational setting for students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBDs). Psychometric properties are critical to making decisions about choosing a screening instrument. The purpose of the present study was to examine the psychometric properties of the student risk screening scale for internalizing and externalizing behaviors (SRSS-IE). Participants included 3145 students and their teachers. Item-level analyses of the current sample supported the retention of all items. The internal consistency of the SRSS items ranged from 0.83 to 0.85. Convergent validity between the SRSS-IE and a well-established screening tool, the strength and difficulties questionnaire (SDQ), was found for the total score (r = 0.70). Additionally, the results of this study demonstrate strong social validity, suggesting the SRSS-IE to be a useful and functional screening tool. We conclude that the SRSS-IE is a valid and reliable instrument for assessing the level of emotional and behavioral difficulties among elementary students.

Diabetes Mellitus Type 2 Prevalence, Risk Factors and Complications in the Region of Kardzhali, Bulgaria

The present study was conducted within the CINDI program and covers 1,600 individuals, divided into four age groups. The aim of this study is to investigate the key biomedical and lifestyle factors for the development of type 2 diabetes as well as the cardiovascular diabetes complications in the population aged 25-64 from Kardzhali region, Bulgaria. The results of the study show the existence of behavioral and biological risk factors of health, as well as family history in the studied individuals who suffer from diabetes. The connection between diabetes and certain cardiovascular diseases such as ischemic heart disease, myocardial infarction and cardiovascular disease is confirmed. This requires the development and implementation of intervention activities among the population of Kardzhali, aimed at reducing the level of diabetes risk factors, early identification of risk groups and timely treatment of the diseased.

The Relationship between AIDS High Risk Behaviors and Childhood Status, Perception of Gender Orientation and Rare Experiences/Psychology among Chinese Gays

Objectives: To probe some more important factors affecting the HIV epidemic by surveying the relationshipbetween AIDS high risk behaviors and childhood status,attitude/perception to gender of male/sex orientation andrare experiences/Psy-chology among Chinese gays. Methods: Data were collected from 240 Chinese gays whowere attracted by their same gender. Results: The extent of sex among China's Mainland gays issimilar to that of industrialized countries, and behaviorsthat exacerbate the HIV epidemic are universal.Perceptions 'being a girl is better',' Dislike toys likeswords or pistols in early childhood were predictors topassive anal intercourse in adulthood. Those gay men whobegan sexual intercourse younger than 16 years old tendedto have more sex partners and suffered more pain. Thosedisliked gender of male or self-regarded as female tended tohave more passive anal intercourse and related to childhoodcross-gender experience/psychology while those were raised as girls by their parentsdid not take on e above characters. Individuals who experienced sex coercion and drug abuse were the twosubgroups with the greatest high-risk behaviors. Individualswho had sex with females had the greatest number of malesex partners and were more prone to group sex. Individualswith pedophilia or gerontophilia had more casual sexpartners. Psychological problems encountered by Chinese Conclusions: The prospect of an extensive AIDSepidemic among Chinese gays does exist and somesubgroups of gays play more important roles in theepidemic. Some high risk behaviors among adult gays canbe foreseen explicitly by the predictors taking on inchildhood, and closely relate to attitude/perception, togender of male, to some rare experience/psychology.

Image sequence-based risk behavior detection of power operation inspection personnel

A novel image sequence-based risk behavior detection method to achieve high-precision risk behavior detection for power maintenance personnel is proposed in this paper.In this method,the original image sequence data is first separated from the foreground and background.Then,the free anchor frame detection method is used in the foreground image to detect the personnel and correct their direction.Finally,human posture nodes are extracted from each frame of the image sequence,which are then used to identify the abnormal behavior of the human.Simulation experiment results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm has significant advantages in terms of the accuracy of human posture node detection and risk behavior identification.

Peer educator training program for enhancing knowledge on issues in the growth and development of adolescents and risk behavior problems in Indonesian context

Objective： This article aimed to evaluate the effects of an educational intervention programme on improving peer educator （PE） knowledge in issues around growth and development and its risk behavior problems of adolescents in Indonesia. Methods： The study was conducted in 31 of PEs to evaluate their knowledge in adolescents. The PEs received health education and were assessed by individual work during the structured three-week programme. Data were collected before and after the training programme as pre- and post-tests. Results： The PE demonstrated significant improvements in their knowledge after attending the three-week structured training programme. The post-test scores had significant effects on the dimensions of PE knowledge scores. The PE become knowledgeable to maintain and monitor adolescents health issues around growth and development and its risk behavior problems of adolescents. Conclusions： The PE become knowledgeable to respond to the adolescent problems and readiness to become PE during puberty.

Diagnostic value of ABCD2 and ABCD3-Ⅰ risk scoring systems in determining one-month risk of stroke in patients with transient ischemic attack: An observational study

Objective:To compare the diagnostic value of the ABCD2 and ABCD3-栺scoring systems in predicting the development of a 30-day neurological event in adult patients with transient ischemic attack(TIA)presenting to the emergency department.Methods:The study was observational and prospective and was conducted in a single center.The diagnostic values of the ABCD2 and ABCD3-栺scores in predicting a neurological event within one month were compared in patients diagnosed with TIA in the emergency department.Results:A statistically significant difference was observed between groups with or without stroke within one month in terms of both the ABCD2 and ABCD3-栺scores(P=0.044 and P=0.029,respectively).There was no statistically significant difference between the patients with and without a recurrent TIA within one month in relation to the ABCD2 score(P=0.934),but a statistically significant difference was found in the ABCD3-栺scores of these groups(P<0.001).Conclusions:Both the ABCD2 and ABCD3-栺scoring systems could predict ischemic stroke within 30 days of TIA,the ABCD3-栺score is more effective than the ABCD2 score in the prediction of TIA recurrence.

Relationship between Sexual Risk Behaviors and HIV Counseling and Testing (HCT) Uptake among Young People in Nigeria

This study examined the relationship between sexual risk behavior and HIV counselling and testing uptake among young people in Nigeria. Probability sampling technique was used to obtain a sample of 10,091 respondents (ages 15 to 24 years) for the study. The multistage cluster sampling was used to select suitable young people with known probability. Data were collected throughout Nigeria between September and December 2012 from 32,543 households (rural = 22,192;urban = 10,351) using structured and semi-structured questionnaires. The data were summed using descriptive statistics. Frequencies and percentages;measures of central tendencies were used to answer the research question while nonparametric test such as chi-square was used to analyze non-normally distributed data at 0.5 level of significance. Results of data analysis indicated that sexual risk behaviors comprised three variables: sex with multiple partners, intergenerational sex (sex with partners 10 years older), and transactional sex. The results of the chi-square test of association between sex with multiple partners and HCT uptake showed that there was no statistically significant relationship between sex with multiple partners and HCT uptake among young people ages 15 to 24 years in Nigeria. It was among others recommended that sexually active young people in Nigeria should use protection against HIV infection.

Epidemiology of Sexual Behaviour with Risk of Sexually Transmissible Infection (STI) among Students in Africa: The Case of the University of Ouagadougou

Objective: To study the sexual risk behaviors and their determining role in sexually transmissible infection (STI) and HIV among students of the University of Ouagadougou. Methodology: It was a descriptive and analytical single pass cross-sectional study from June 22 to July 21 2010 at the University of Ouagadougou. A cluster sampling in two stages was adopted to form a population of 762. Data were collected using a standardized written questionnaire completed by individual interview after informed consent. Results: The average age of students was 24.2 ± 2 years old for men and 23.7 ± 2 years old women. Singles represented 95.1% of students. The students were not scholarship grantees in 90.6% of the sample. Knowledge about STIs was average in 60.2% of cases. In total 33.65% of the students admitted to having had multiple sexual partners, 19.57% had sex with prostitutes, 34.62% had unprotected sex, 4% practiced sodomy without condoms and 3.1% of students had sex in group with one partner. In multivariate analysis, male gender was the determining factor associated with multiple sexual partner (OR = 3.30 95% CI = 2.19 to 4.95) and relations with prostitutes with an odds ratio of 16.13 (95 = 6.87% to 37.8%). The female gender was the determining factor associated with not using a condom with odds ratio of 1.5 (95% CI = 1.01 to 2.16). Conclusion: There are many risk behaviors for HIV transmission among students of the University of Ouagadougou. The urgent implementation of specific prevention programs to benefit this population is essential.

STUDY ON HIV/STDS KNOWLEDGE AND RISK BEHAVIORS RELATED FACTORS AMONG FEMALE SEX WORKERS IN SHANGHAI,CHINA

Objective To assess the HIV/STDs knowledge and risk behaviors related factors among female sex workers(FSWs)in Shanghai,China.Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted in 5 districts(including 3 suburbs and 2 urban districts).A total of 324 FSWs from 88 massage parlors and hair-beauty salons participated in the survey.An interviewer-administrated questionnaire was used to collect information.Results The average score of HIV/STDs knowledge was 15.2±3.9.Multivariate analyses indicated that limited education [odds ratio(OR):8.6,95% confidence interval(CI):2.9-25.6],coming from suburbs [odds ratio(OR):3.7,95% confidence interval(CI):2.0-6.8],monthly income less than 1500 RMB(220 US$)[odds ratio(OR):3.9,95% confidence interval(CI):1.9-8.1],without HIV/STDs-related education experience(OR:5.2,95% CI:2.8-9.5),and coming from provinces of low epidemic(OR:2.7,95% CI:1.1-6.6)were significant predictors of lower HIV/STDs knowledge.And 29.5% FSWs had sex without a condom when clients paid much more money,and 46.3% had the experience of condom broke or slipped during commercial sexual intercourse.Conclusion Health promotion should be conducted to enhance HIV/STDs knowledge and reduce risk behaviors among FSWs from suburbs with limited education in Shanghai especially.

Sports Participation and Depressive Symptoms in Youth:Demographic Differences

Background:Youth emerge as an essential period in forming lifelong health and well-being.During adolescence,physical activity(PA)improves cardiovascular health,fitness levels,and the prevention of chronic illnesses,and the positive effect is also extended to the mental realm,as PA reduces symptoms of anxiety and depression.Therefore,the current study aims to enhance our understanding of the correlation between sports participation and depressive symptoms.Additionally,it seeks to explore how demographics such as gender,age,and race can shape these connections.Methods:The research sample was established by utilising the U.S.Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance(YRBS)2019 cycle,and the eligible samples from this cycle were included in the current study.A self-administered survey evaluated sports participation,categorized as Zero,one,two,three,or more teams.This study included 16,104 participants and conducted self-reported questionnaires on gender,grade,race/ethnicity,and depressive symptoms.The study had a nationally representative population of American students in Grades 10 to 12(aged 14–17 years).Results:A total of 7843 females and 8261 males,distributed across age groups(14 years old,15 years old,16 years old,and 17 years old),with the numbers 3430,4445,4300,and 3929,respectively.Overall,there was a negative correlation between sports participation and feelings of sadness(a symptom of depression)among the subjects.This significant relationship between participating in sports teams and experiencing sadness was dose dependent.Conclusion:Youth with more team sports participation is likely to display lower depression symptoms,and differences in demographic factors such as gender,race,and age are detected.Physical activity research is responsible for attending to social equity issues and fostering inclusiveness,particularly concerning different gender and ethnic groups.

Symptomatic COVID-19 in University Students: A School-Wide Web-Based Questionnaire Survey during the Omicron Variant Outbreak

Aim: To detect risk and preventive factors associated with the Omicron variant infection in university students, a combination of a web-based survey and multivariate logistic regression analysis was introduced as the front-line initiatives by the school health practitioners. Design: Questionnaire survey. Methods: The school-wide web-based questionnaire survey was conducted among our university students as a part of the annual health check-up in April, 2023. The positive outcome was confined to the first symptomatic COVID-19 onset during the Omicron variant outbreak. Results: In this self-administered survey, risk or protective associations were merely estimated statistically in university students (n = 5406). In measured factors, karaoke and club/group activities could maintain the statistical significance in adjusted odds ratios (ORs) as relative risk factors, and science course, measles/ rubella (MR) vaccination, and COVID-19 vaccination remained as relative protective factors in adjusted OR analyses. Club/group activities with member gathering and karaoke sing-along sessions in university students may frequently have WHO’s three Cs. These risk factors are still important topics for the infection control of COVID-19 in university students. Together with some recent reports from other researchers, the significant protective role of MR vaccine in our survey warrants further clinical investigation. If the breakthrough infection continuously constitutes the majority of infection, real data in test-negative case-control or web-based questionnaire design continue to be important for statistical analysis to determine the minimal requirement of our strategies which may be equivalent to or replace COVID-19 vaccines.

Survey of HIV Infection among Injection Drug Users in Guangdong, China

Objective： To understand the prevalence and behavioral risk factors of HIV infection among injection drug users in the Pearl River Delta Region （PRDR） of Guangdong province, and to provide evidence for establishing effective intervention strategies. Methods： Face to face interviews were conducted and serum samples from injection drug users from detoxification centers and the community were collected for HIV screening. Results： 655 drug users were recruited and interviewed. The HIV seropositive rate was 29.0%. 99.5 % of subjects were injection drug users （IDUs）, of whom,75.4% reported sharing injection equipment. Conclusion： HIV prevalence among injection drug users is high in the PRDR of Guangdong. Injection drug use is the principal behavioral risk factor for HIV transmission. Pragmatic harm reduction programs should be implemented to prevent the spread of HIV infection.

Survey of AIDS Related KAB Among Immigrant Female Factory Workers in Dongguan City

Objective: To understand the HIV/AIDS-related knowledge, attitudes and behaviors (KAB) among immigrant female factory workers(IFFW). Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among IFFWs sampled from several joint- venture and private factories in Dongguan city. Results: Out of 175 sampled workers, 165 qualified for inclusion and the median age was 22. The results showed that the IFFWs had low levels of knowledge about HIV/AIDS, and held many misconceptions. Thirty three of 76 (43.4%) unmarried IFFWs had premarital sexual contact, and more than half of these contacts were one-night stands (54.5%) . More than one quarter of the women(25.9%) never used condoms, 49.4% sometimes used condoms and 24.7% used condoms every time. Twenty-eight women (31.8%) had an induced abortion because of an unexpected pregnancy. Fourteen (14.9%) had been infected with STDs, and four IFFWs(2.8%)had tried drugs before the interview. Conclusion: In order to empower the IFFWs in the city to protect themselves from HIV, and to contain the rapid spread of HIV in our province, targeted HIV/ AIDS health promotion programs should be urgently implemented among IFFWs in Dongguan city. The programs should be designed to improve the knowledge of HIV, to promote condom use, and to reduce risky behaviors.

Constructing Statistical Intervals for Small Area Estimates Based on Generalized Linear Mixed Model in Health Surveys

Generalized Linear Mixed Model (GLMM) has been widely used in small area estimation for health indicators. Bayesian estimation is usually used to construct statistical intervals, however, its computational intensity is a big challenge for large complex surveys. Frequentist approaches, such as bootstrapping, and Monte Carlo (MC) simulation, are also applied but not evaluated in terms of the interval magnitude, width, and the computational time consumed. The 2013 Florida Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data was used as a case study. County-level estimated prevalence of three health-related outcomes was obtained through a GLMM;and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were generated from bootstrapping and MC simulation. The intervals were compared to 95% credential intervals through a hierarchial Bayesian model. The results showed that 95% CIs for county-level estimates of each outcome by using MC simulation were similar to the 95% credible intervals generated by Bayesian estimation and were the most computationally efficient. It could be a viable option for constructing statistical intervals for small area estimation in public health practice.

Comparison of treatment outcomes between biliary plastic stent placements with and without endoscopic sphincterotomy for inoperable malignant common bile duct obstruction

AIM:Considerable controversy surrounds the adoption of endoscopic sphincterotomy(ES)to facilitate the placement of 10F plastic stents(PS)and to reduce the risk of pancreatitis The aim of the study was to assess the possible advantages of ES before PS placement. METHODS:From 3/1996 to 6/2001,172 consecutive patients, who underwent placement of a single 10F-polyethylene stent for inoperable malignant strictures of the common bile duct,were randomly assigned to 2 groups.In group A(96 patients),a ES was performed before PS placement In Group B,96 patients had PS directly.Early complications(within 30 d)and late effects(from 30 d to stent replacement)were assessed.Patency interval was defined as the period between PS placement and obstruction or death.The success of stent replacement in the 2 groups was evaluated. RESULTS:Stent insertion was successful in 95.8%(92/96) of the pts in group A and in 93.7%(90/96)of the patients in group B(P>0.05).Early complications were more frequent in patients who underwent ES(6.5% vs4.4%)but the data were not significant(P>0.05).In group A pancreatitis developed in two patients and bleeding in three;whereas pancreatitis occurred in 2 patients in group B.Complications were managed conservatively.No procedure related mortality occurred.All late complications were acute cholangitis due to stent occlusion.We performed a stent replacement in 87 patients that was successful in 84 cases without differences between groups. CONCLUSION:Sphincterotomy does not seem to be necessary for placement of 10F-PS in patients with malignant common bile duct obstruction.

Inflammatory bowel disease in adolescents:What problems does it pose?

Adolescents with inflammatory bowel disease face daily and long-term challenges that may be difficult for teenagers to manage. The developmental and psychosocial changes unique to this age group include becoming more autonomous and being more vulnerable to peer influence. These changes may lead to problems in medical management such as poor medication adherence and risky behavior. Being aware of these issues will help the medical team provide anticipatory guidance to address these concerns.

LBOs in Theory and Practice, Learning Outcomes of a Crisis

The purpose of this paper is to examine whether or not a financial crisis has an impact on the use of financial tools like MBO （management buy-outs）. For a long time LBO （leveraged buyout） has being considered as an easy and tax saving way to transfer the property rights of SMEs companies. Financial markets speculation on the same time used this tool in a non reasonable way and transformed it on a bubble increasing furthermore the financial crisis. In a certain extend this paper proves that what happened is a remake of what happened in the late 1990. From a theoretical point of view the article proves that the LBO＇s are just a partial answer to the agency problems very present to the literature.

Clustering of Risk Behaviors and their Social Determinants among Primary School Learners in Beijing, China：A Cross-sectional Study

Background：Studies in developed countries reveal that poor lifestyle choices triggering diseases typically cluster among children.However,there is insufficient evidence on the clustering of risk behaviors among children in developing countries.This study aimed to determine the clustering of risk behaviors and their social determinants among 4th-and 5th-grade learners in Beijing,China.Methods：The sample comprised of 967 learners from six primary schools enrolled migrant and resident learners by two-stage stratified cluster sampling.Prevalence denoted the risk behaviors and their clustering.A log-linear model was used to explore the clustering patterns.Ordinal logistic regression determined the influence of demographic characteristics,school environment,and family context on behavioral clustering.Results：The prevalence of none,one,two,and three or more risk factors was 61.2%,20.0%,10.8%,and 8.1% for infectious diseases and 46.0%,30.6%,15.4%,and 8.0% for chronic diseases,respectively.Some behaviors appeared dependent and were more likely to be observed together.The three most influential factors for infectious diseases were school type （odds ratio [OR] =4.47,95% confidence interval [CI] 3.00-6.66）,school located in an inner suburb （OR =0.27,95% CI 0.18-0.38）,and gender （OR =0.56,95% CI 0.42-0.74）.Regarding risk behaviors for chronic diseases,clustering was not associated with household registration status and number of appliances,but was significantly associated with school type （OR =5.36,95% CI 3.72-7.73）,school located in an inner suburb （OR =0.59,95% CI 0.43-0.81）,and gender （OR =0.61,95% CI 0.47-0.78）.School environment variables were the most significant contributor to the number of risk behaviors.Conclusions：The characteristics of schools enrolling migrants and residents influenced the number of risk behaviors.Therefore,improved school conditions and integrated behavioral interventions are particularly recommended for health promotion.

Sedentary lifestyle among adults in Jordan,2007

Objective:Sedentary lifestyle is a major risk factor for physical and mental problems,such as cardiovascular,musculoskeletal diseases,and psychological stress.About 60% of the world’s population is not sufficiently physically active in leisure time or during work and social activities.This study aimed to determine the prevalence of inactive Jordanian adults and describe their demo-graphic and behavioral characteristics.Methods:The study used data from the behavioral risk factors surveillance survey conducted in Jordan in 2007.The sample size was 3654.Respondents who were physically inactive for more than 240 min daily(sleep time not included)were considered to have a sedentary lifestyle.Data were analyzed with the program SPSS.Results:The prevalence of a sedentary lifestyle was 82.8%(2965 respondents),with a mean sedentary time of 587 min(95%confidence interval 581-594 min).Among the physically inactive adults,52.6% were men,one third of them aged 35-44 years.Sedentary lifestyle was reported by 30% of those with a secondary level of education or above.Of those with a sedentary lifestyle,37.6% were housewives and 37.5% were employees;66% of them were overweight and obese.Of the physically inactive people,2.5%had a history of heart failure and 1.3%had a history of cer-ebrovascular accidents;57.2% of them tried to engage more in physical activity and almost three quarters of them were interested in improving their dietary habits.Conclusion:Most Jordanian adults have a sedentary lifestyle,which emphasizes that there is a public health problem.Many of them are attempting to lead a healthier lifestyle.Therefore,there is an urgent need to launch an applicable national plan that enables people to practice a healthier lifestyle.