Prevalence of Hepatitis B and Associated Factors in the Garoua Central Prison, Cameroon: A Cross-Sectional Study

Introduction: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a major public health problem in Cameroon. Garoua city is the headquarters of the North Region of Cameroon, where the HBV prevalence is among the highest of the country. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of HBsAg carriage and associated factors among persons incarcerated in the Garoua Central Prison. Methods: It was a cross-sectional study conducted from July 1 to July 31, 2023 at the Garoua Central prison. We included all prisoners willing to participate in the study and who gave their verbal consent. We collected data using a pre-established data entry form and we used rapid test for blood screening for HBV surface antigen (HBs Ag) with ELISA confirmation. Data were analyzed using the R® software for Windows. After the univariate analysis, we selected associated variables to HBV infection with p-value p-value was set at 5%. Results: We included 1389 prisoners out of which 97.6% were male. The median age (IQR) of the study population was 28 (23 - 35) years. The median (IQR) duration of incarceration was 12 (6 - 26) months and the mean (±sd) number of incarcerations was 1.24 (±0.6). HBV prevalence was estimated at 14.8% (95% CI: 13.0 - 16.7). Upon uni- and multivariate analysis, no risk factor was significantly associated with viral hepatitis B infection in our study population. Conclusion: The prevalence of Hepatitis B was high in the Garoua Central Prison, but there were no additional risk factors for HBV infection. There is a need to include the Garoua Central Prison and by the way other prisons in the country in the chronic viral hepatitis care program.

Prevalence and features of SARS-CoV-2 infection in prisons in Tuscany

BACKGROUND Prisons can be a reservoir for infectious diseases,including severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2),due to the very intimate nature of the living spaces and the large number of people forced to share them.AIM To investigate the SARS-CoV-2 epidemiology in prisons,this study evaluated the infection incidence rate in prisoners who underwent nasopharyngeal swabs.METHODS This is an observational cohort study.Data collection included information on prisoners who underwent nasopharyngeal swab testing for SARS-CoV-2 and the results.Nasopharyngeal swab tests for SARS-CoV-2 were performed between 15 February 2021 and 31 May 2021 for prisoners with symptoms and all new arrivals to the facility.Another section included information on the diagnosis of the disease according to the International Classification of Diseases,Ninth Revision,and Clinical Modification.RESULTS Up until the 31 May 2021,79.2%of the prisoner cohort(n=1744)agreed to a nasopharyngeal swab test(n=1381).Of these,1288 were negative(93.3%)and 85 were positive(6.2%).A significant association[relative risk(RR)]was found only for the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection among foreigners compared to Italians[RR=2.4,95%confidence interval(CI):1.2-4.8].A positive association with SARS-CoV-2 infection was also found for inmates with at least one nervous system disorder(RR=4,95%CI:1.8-9.1).The SARS-CoV-2 incidence rate among prisoners is significantly lower than in the general population in Tuscany(standardized incidence ratio 0.7,95%CI:0.6-0.9).CONCLUSION In the prisoner cohort,screening and rapid access to health care for the immigrant population were critical to limiting virus transmission and subsequent morbidity and mortality in this vulnerable population.

Evolutionary prisoner’s dilemma on Newman-Watts social networks with an asymmetric payoff distribution mechanism

In this paper, we introduce an asymmetric payoff distribution mechanism into the evolutionary prisoner＇s dilemma game （PDG） on Newman Watts social networks, and study its effects on the evolution of cooperation. The asymmetric payoff distribution mechanism can be adjusted by the parameter α： if α〉 0, the rich will exploit the poor to get richer; if α 〈 0, the rich are forced to offer part of their income to the poor. Numerical results show that the cooperator frequency monotonously increases with c~ and is remarkably promoted when c~ 〉 0. The effects of updating order and self-interaction are also investigated. The co-action of random updating and self-interaction can induce the highest cooperation level. Moreover, we employ the Gini coefficient to investigate the effect of asymmetric payoff distribution on the the system＇s wealth distribution. This work may be helpful for understanding cooperative behaviour and wealth inequality in society.

Cooperation influenced by the correlation degree of two-layered complex networks in evolutionary prisoner’s dilemma games

An evolutionary prisoner＇s dilemma game is investigated on two-layered complex networks respectively representing interaction and learning networks in one and two dimensions. A parameter q is introduced to denote the correlation degree between the two-layered networks. Using Monte Carlo simulations we studied the effects of the correlation degree on cooperative behaviour and found that the cooperator density nontrivially changes with q for different payoff parameter values depending on the detailed strategy updating and network dimension. An explanation for the obtained results is provided.

Effects of Dimers on Cooperation in the Spatial Prisoner's Dilemma Game

We investigate the evolutionary prisoner＇s dilemma game in structured populations by introducing dimers, which are defined as that two players in each dimer always hold a same strategy. We find that influences of dimets on cooperation depend on the type of dimers and the population structure. For those dimers in which players interact with each other, the cooperation level increases with the number of dimers though the cooperation improvement level depends on the type of network structures. On the other hand, the dimers, in which there are not mutual interactions, will not do any good to the cooperation level in a single community, but interestingly, will improve the cooperation level in a population with two communities. We explore the relationship between dimers and self-interactions and find that the effects of dimers are similar to that of self-interactions. Also, we find that the dimers, which are established over two communities in a multi-community network, act as one type of interaction through which information between communities is communicated by the requirement that two players in a dimer hold a same strategy.

Knowledge of Female Prisoners in a City of Ceará, Brazil, about Sexually Transmitted Diseases

Exploratory study was conducted in the Crato Public Prison, State of Ceará, Brazil, aiming to understand the knowledge and experiences related to the preventive aspects of Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) in the prison context. The target population of the study consisted of 14 female inmates, 10 of whom agreed to participate. Data collection occurred in June 2012 through recorded semi-structured individual interviews. We investigated quantitative, socio-demographic and sexual variables. In qualitative data analysis, we applied the Meaning Interpretation Method. The female vulnerability was aggravated by the early onset of sexual activity, lack of knowledge about STDs, non-adoption of preventive measures and history of prostitution. The following categories emerged from the qualitative assessment: Knowledge about STD/AIDS versus Personal Experience;Use of contraception as STD/AIDS prevention within the Public Jail;Habits of inmates: alcohol and tobacco;and Characterization of the conjugal visit area.

Effect of Strategy-Homogeneity on the Prisoner’s Dilemma Game in a Square Lattice

We investigate the effect of strategy-homogeneity on the prisoner’s dilemma game in a square lattice. Strategy-homogeneity means that the population contains at least one connected group in which individuals maintain the same strategy at each iteration and may update according to updating rule at next iteration. The simulation results show that the introduction of strategy-homogeneity increases the cooperation in the evolutionary stable state. For any value of temptation to defect, the density of cooperators in equilibrium state increases firstly and then decreases as the level of strategy-homogeneity increases constantly, and there exists an appropriate level of strategy-homogeneity, maximizing the density of cooperators. The results may be favorable for comprehending cooperative behaviors in societies composed of connected groups with coherent strategy.

The Link between Facets of Impulsivity and Aggression in Extremely Violent Prisoners

Evidence is growing that aggressive behavior and impulsivity have subgroups. The subscales of the Urgency, Premeditation, Perseverance and Sensation seeking (UPPS) impulsivity scale and the Bryant and Smith shortened and refined version of the Aggression Questionnaire were used to describe and compare impulsive and aggressive behavior in extremely violent and aggressive male inmates and non-violent healthy male controls. The Mann-Whitney test showed that there was a significant difference (p < 0. 006) in the total UPPS impulsivity scale scores between the aggressive inmates and the controls. The subscales revealed that this difference was based mainly on the urgency score (p < 0. 003). On the aggression subscales, the inmates scored significantly higher for physical aggression than the controls (p < 0.001), but no significant difference was seen between inmates and controls for verbal aggression, anger and hostility, although the exact p-value was very close to statistical significance at 0.054. Regression analysis revealed a strong relationship between urgency and the aggression subscales hostility (p = 0.0004) and anger (p = 0.003) and that urgency was also linked to symptoms of anxiety (p = 0.008). Finally, a statistically significant link was found between both hostility (p = 0.0003) and anger (p = 0.002) and symptoms of anxiety. The highly selected subgroup of extremely violent criminals in this study were more physically aggressive than non-violent controls, with urgency as the driving feature in their impulsive behavior, and hostility, anger and symptoms of anxiety as underlying traits.

Computer Literacy for the Work Inclusion of the Former Prisoner.A Statistical Research in Italy

The research aims at analyzing an area of training for inmates in Italy,men and women(Italians and foreigners)that regards computer literacy as a tool to reintegrate into the job industry after having served their sentence.MathLab R2020b was used for the data collection and subsequent processing phases.The field of investigation covered only the year 2019,considering that the entire year 2020 saw the training offer plummet due to the Covid-19 pandemic.The data collection focused on the total number of inmates,on their age,on the differentiation based on sex,on the overall numerical participation in the courses by Italians and foreigners,and finally on the final results.The results showed that only a small percentage of inmates(mostly Italians)access professional IT training,while there is a significant interest in participation on behalf of foreign inmates.

Prisons of Learning——Human rights in the eye of a prisoner

On February 25, 2004, the United States issued its Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2003, distorting the human rights conditions in China, including human rights in Chinese prisons. As a prison inmate in Beijing, I have a say in the human rights conditions in prison based on my personal experience. 1 wrote an article titled "Human Rights in Chinese Prisons in the Eye of a Prison Inmate," which was published in the journal Human Rights (Issue No. 6,2003 of English Edition). Now I’d like to say something about the right to education in Chinese prisons.

Strengthen Theoretical Study of Prisoners' Human Rights

The following are excerpts of a speech made by Jin Jian, President of the China Penology Society and Vice-President of the China Society for Human Rights Studies at a seminar on prisoners' human rights organized by the China Penology Society and the China Society for Human Rights Studies.

Intentional ingestions of foreign objects among prisoners: A review

The intentional ingestion of foreign objects(IIFO) is described more commonly in prison populations than in the general population, with an estimated annual incidence of 1 in 1900 inmates in our state correctional facilities. Incidents often involve ingestion of small metal objects(e.g., paperclips, razor blades) or other commonly available items like pens or eating utensils. Despite ingestion of relatively sharp objects, most episodes can be clinically managed with either observation or endoscopy. Surgery should be reserved for those with signs or symptoms of gastrointestinal perforation or obstruction. For those with a history of IIFO, efforts should focus on prevention of recurrenceas subsequent episodes are associated with higher morbidity, significant healthcare and security costs. The pattern of IIFO is often repetitive, with escalation both in frequency of ingestions and in number of items ingested. Little is known about successful prevention strategies, but efforts to monitor patients and provide psychiatric care are potential best-practice strategies. This article aims to provide state-of-the art review on the topic, followed by a set of basic recommendations.

An Adaptive Strategy via Reinforcement Learning for the Prisoner＇s Dilemma Game

The iterated prisoner's dilemma(IPD) is an ideal model for analyzing interactions between agents in complex networks. It has attracted wide interest in the development of novel strategies since the success of tit-for-tat in Axelrod's tournament. This paper studies a new adaptive strategy of IPD in different complex networks, where agents can learn and adapt their strategies through reinforcement learning method. A temporal difference learning method is applied for designing the adaptive strategy to optimize the decision making process of the agents. Previous studies indicated that mutual cooperation is hard to emerge in the IPD. Therefore, three examples which based on square lattice network and scale-free network are provided to show two features of the adaptive strategy. First, the mutual cooperation can be achieved by the group with adaptive agents under scale-free network, and once evolution has converged mutual cooperation, it is unlikely to shift. Secondly, the adaptive strategy can earn a better payoff compared with other strategies in the square network. The analytical properties are discussed for verifying evolutionary stability of the adaptive strategy.

Hepatitis C virus infection and prisoners: Epidemiology, outcome and treatment

The studies on hepatitis C virus(HCV) infection in prison populations are few and mostly cross-sectional. We analyzed prevalently the articles appearing on Pub Med in the last ten years. HCV infection is frequent in prisoners, prevalences ranging from 3.1% to 38% according to the HCV endemicity in the geographical location of the prison and in the countries of origin of the foreign prisoners and to the prevalence of intravenous drug use, which is the most important risk factor for HCV infection, followed by an older age of prisoners and previous prison terms. HCV replication in anti-HCVpositive cases varies from 45% to 90% in different studies, and the most common HCV genotypes are generally 1 and 3. The response to antiviral treatment is similar in prisoners to that of the general population. Unfortunately, treatment is administered less frequently to prisoners because of the difficulties in management and follow-up. The new directly acting antivirals offer a good therapy option for inmates because of their good efficacy, short duration of treatment and low incidence of side effects. The efforts of the prison authorities and medical staff should be focused on reducing the spread of HCV infection in prisons by extending the possibility of follow-up and treatment to more prisoners with chronic hepatitis C.

Prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection and its related risk factors in drug abuser prisoners in Hamedan-Iran

AIM:Recent studies in Iran has shown that prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among Iranian prisoners is high, in spite of low HCV seroprevalence in general population. METHODS: This study was carried out in the central prison of Hamedan - Iran, in year 2002. Inmates were interviewed using a standard questionnaire including demographic, imprisonment history and HCV-related risk behaviors items. Thereafter, the sera drawn from the participants were tested for anti-HIV and anti-HCV antibodies. RESULTS: A total number of 427 drug abuser inmates participated in our study. Three hundred and ninety-seven (93%) were men and 30 (7%) were women. Total number of IV drug abusers (IDA) and non-IV drug abusers (NIDA) was 149 (34.9%) and 278 (65.1%), respectively. The overall rate of antibody positivity among inmates was 0.9% for HIV and 30% for HCV. Of all IDAs, 31.5% and of NIDAs, 29.1% had serological evidence of HCV infection. CONCLUSION: The seroprevalence of HCV infection among drug abuser prisoners in comparison with the general population in Iran, is very high (30% vs in italics 0.2%). Our results indicate the importance of policies to prevent transmission of HCV infection during and following incarceration.

An Exploration of the Relation between Hunting and Aggressiveness: Using Inmates Networks at Prison Secondary School as an Illustration

Aim of this research is to explore the relation of hunting with aggressiveness. For this purpose, two samples of prison inmates (who were students of the prison secondary school) were collected (class A = 23, class B = 12). The network indicators for superficial, idiosyncratic and strategic behavior (particularly, aggressiveness), applied in Bekiari and Hasanagas (2016), which were based on the primary network variables (outdegree, indegree, Katz status, pagerank, authority) were used. Non-network variables were also used for the criminal profile of the inmates. The data were sampled with questionnaire. Spearman test was conducted for detecting correlation between aggressiveness and hunting and Principal Component Analysis was used for formulating a typology. The following results were produced: The criminal profile seems hardly to be related with hunting experience or attitude. The relation of hunting experience and attitude with the superficial, idiosyncratic and strategic aggressiveness was examined. These three occasions of aggressiveness are expected to describe the incidental reaction, impulsive and adaptive reaction, respectively. The hunting is quite irrelevant to the incidental reaction. The impulsiveness seems to be more strongly correlated with hunting. In case of adaptiveness, there are many similarities with impulsiveness. The typology which is based on the existence (or not) of hunting experience seems to be more insightful, as it reveals a gradual involvement of aggressiveness dimensions, from incidentality to impulsiveness and further to adaptiveness. The following behavioral patterns of gradually enhanced aggressiveness appear: incidentally just provoking, impulsively being aggressive but without harming, and adaptively being aggressive and harming.

THE OPTIMAL CONTROL FOR PROMOTING THE COOPERATION IN EVOLUTION GAME GENERATED BY PRISONER'S DILEMMA

Natural selection opposes the evolution of cooperation unless specific mechanisms are at work in Prisoner＇s Dilemma. By taking advantage of the modern control theory, the controller design is discussed and the optimal control is designed for promoting cooperation based on the recent advances in mechanisms for the evolution of cooperation. Two con- trol strategies are proposed： compensation control strategy for the cooperator when playing against a defector and reward control strategy for cooperator when playing against a coop- erator. The feasibility and effectiveness of these control strategies for promoting cooperation in different stages are analyzed. The reward for cooperation can＇t prevent defection from being evolutionary stable strategy （ESS）. On the other hand, compensation for the coopera- tor can＇t prevent defection from emerging and sustaining. By considering the effect and the cost, an optimal control scheme with constraint on the admissible control set is put forward. By analyzing the special nonlinear system of replicator dynamics, the exact analytic solution of the optimal control scheme is obtained based on the maximum principle. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed method is illustrated by examples.

Prevalence,genotypes and factors associated with HCV infection among prisoners in Northeastern Brazil

AIM： To determine hepatitis C virus （HCV） seropreva- lence and its genotypes, and to identify the factors associated with HCV infection. METHODS： This cross-sectional study, conducted in two prisons （one male and one female） in the State of Ser- gipe, Brazil, comprised 422 subjects. All of the prisoners underwent a rapid test for the detection of HCV antibod- ies. Patient~ with a positive result were tested for anti- HCV by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay and for HCV RNA by qualitative polymerase chain reaction （PCR）. The virus genotype was defined in every serum sample that presented positive for PCR-HCV. In order to determine the factors independently associated with positive serol- ogy for HCV, multivariate logistic regression was used. RESULTS： HCV seroprevalence was 3.1%. Of the 13 subjects with positive anti-HCV, 11 had viremia confirmed by PCR. Of these, 90.9% had genotype 1. A total of 43 （10.2%） were injecting drug users, and HCV seroprevalence in this subgroup was 20.6%. The variable most strongly associated with positive serology for HCV was use of injecting drugs [odds ratio （OR）, 23.3; 95% confidence interval （CI）, 6.0-90.8]. Age over 30 years （OR, 5.5; 95%CI, 1.1-29.2）, history of syphilis （OR, 9.8; 95%CI, 1.7-55.2） and history of household contact with HCV positive individual （OR, 14.1; 95%CI, 2.3-85.4） were also independently associated with HCV infection. CONCLUSION： Most of the HCV transmissions result from parenteral exposure. However, there is evidence to suggest a role for sex and household contact with an infected subject in virus transmission.

Effects of Probability of Revelation of Defection and Penalty to Defection on Cooperative Behavior in 2-Person Prisoner＇s Dilemma Game

In our society, it is a major issue to enhance cooperative behaviors. Without this, our society fall into social dilemma situations, and gets worse and worse. Such a situation in an organization leads to violation of social or organizational rules, and at the worst case it suffers from serious accidents or scandals. Therefore, it is important for organizational managers to make efforts and take measures to enhance cooperative behaviors. Although there seem to be many ways to constantly elicit cooperative behaviors, the punishment is one of the most effective measures for enhancing cooperation. This study focused on the effects of penalty and probability of the revelation of defection on the cooperation, and getting insight into how punishment strategy should be used to get rid of social dilemmas and enhance cooperation. This study conducted a simulation experiment to find the proper penal regulations condition that can suppress violations （defective behavior） in a 2-person prisoner＇s dilemma situation. The effects of probability of the revelation of defection and penalty to revelation on the cooperative behavior were identified with the interactive effect of both experimental factors. The defection （uncooperative behavior） decreased when the penalty to the defection was heavy and the probability of the revelation of defection was low than that when the penalty to the defection was light and the probability of the revelation of the defection was high.

The Epidemiology of Self-Harm in the Romanian Juvenile Prison System: A Two-Year Cohort Study

Background: There is no extensive literature on social predictors of self-harm in the juvenile justice system, over the time of a prisoner’s sentence. Self-harm behavior displays a higher prevalence in prison, 11 to 14 times greater than in the general population. Our study extended the current research in self-harm by examining dynamic factors of self-harm in adolescents over their sentence in the Romanian juvenile prison system. Method: The present research examined longitudinal predictors of self-harm behaviors in 439 adolescent inmates (Mage = 16.21;5.2% female, 94.8% male), enrolled in prison during 2011-2012, following them for two years. A series of time-to-event analyses were applied to start from the time of the subject’s internment in the juvenile prison system. Results: Findings from the multivariate survival analyses show that adherence to self-harm conduct in prison was consistently influenced by family factors and prison contexts;although low ability to cope with frustration, sensitivity and emotion dysregulation also mattered. Keeping the other covariates invariant, serving a prison sentence in a closed regime reduces the probability of remaining free of self-harm events, increasing the monthly hazard of self-harm by a factor of 5.26 on average (HR = 5.26, 95% CI = 2.37 - 11.64) compared to the open regime. Conclusion: A greater focus on longitudinal studies may help improve the screening process and also follow the progress of each juvenile to warrant the efficacy of preventive programs in self-harm, according to their emerging needs.