Associations between forced non-consensual first-sex and HIV among sexually active women in the Kingdom of Eswatini.

Studies continue to underscore the profound impact of sexual violence on women's health. Yet, little is known about the impact, via a complex matrix of behavioural and social factors, of first intercourse, namely forced non-consensual on HIV status, particularly among sexually active women (SAW) in low-income countries where HIV prevalence remains high. Using a national sample from Eswatini, we employed multivariate logistic regression modelling to estimate the associations between forced first-sex (FFS), subsequent sexual behaviour and HIV status among 3555 SAW aged from 15 years to 49 years. The results found that women who experienced FFS had a greater number of sexual partners compared to those who had never experienced FFS (aOR = 2.79, p < .01), although there were no significant differences in condom use, early sexual debut and casual sex involvement between these two groups. FFS remained significantly associated with a higher risk of having HIV (aOR = 1.70, p < .05) even after controlling for risky sexual behaviours and various other factors. These findings further reinforce the relationship between FFS and HIV, and suggest that addressing sexual violence is a critical component of HIV prevention among women in low-income countries.

Adverse childhood experience and persistent insomnia during emerging adulthood: do positive childhood experiences matter?

BACKGROUND: Adverse childhood experiences (ACE) have been documented to have long-term impacts on sleep disturbances. However, less is known about how ACE co-occurs with positive childhood experiences (PCE) and modulate their effects on adult sleep disturbances, particularly in the context of persistent insomnia. Building on resilience theory, this study aims to examine the interplay between ACE and PCE and their effects on persistent insomnia during emerging adulthood. METHODS: A total of 2,841 emerging adults were recruited from the Taiwan Youth Project. Persistent insomnia during emerging adulthood was assessed using two adult surveys (mean age = 19.8 and 21.9). The ACE (10 items) and PCE (7 items) were obtained from the baseline survey (mean age = 13.8). A series of logistic regression analyses were conducted. RESULTS: Among the emerging adults, 29.22% had persistent insomnia. Consistent with the compensatory model, ACE and PCE exerted opposing effects on persistent insomnia during emerging adulthood. In line with the protective model, the negative effect of ACE is mitigated when individuals have high PCE. However, consistent with the challenge model, the protective effect of PCE on persistent insomnia was inhibited in individuals with four or more ACE. CONCLUSIONS: PCE serves as a protective factor, shielding emerging adults from the adverse effects of ACE on persistent insomnia. It is essential to prioritize positive experiences during early life to promote lifelong sleep health.

Identifying group metacognition associated with medical students' teamwork satisfaction in an online small group tutorial context.

BACKGROUND: Collaborative learning is an essential pedagogy in medical education, within which small group learning constitutes an integral component. Online small group teaching has been widely applied and blended with in-person sessions in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic. This study examined whether group metacognition was associated with teamwork satisfaction in an online small group teaching curriculum for medical students. METHODS: We enrolled medical students of the 2nd and 4th years during the 2021 fall semester after they participated in 3 consecutive sessions of online small group tutorials (SGTs), which have been implemented in our medical school for more than 20 years. The students completed a group metacognitive scale (GMS) and a teamwork satisfaction scale (TSS) after the sessions. We analyzed whether group metacognition in 4 dimensions (knowledge of cognition, planning, evaluating, and monitoring) could be connected with medical students' teamwork satisfaction using partial least squares-structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). RESULTS: A total of 263 medical students participated in this study. Both GMS and TSS exhibited good reliability and validity. Three of the 4 dimensions of group metacognition (cognition, planning, and evaluating) positively correlated with teamwork satisfaction (path coefficients 0.311, 0.279, and 0.21; p = 0.002, 0.002, and 0.043, respectively) following the online SGT curriculum, whereas the monitoring dimension did not (path coefficient 0.087; p = 0.357). The model achieved an adjusted R square of 0.683. CONCLUSION: We discovered that group metacognition correlated positively with better teamwork satisfaction, supporting the importance of group metacognitive competency for online collaborative learning.

Triggering Magnets for Wiegand Sensors: Electrodeposited and Origami-Magnetized CoNiP Micro-Magnets.

Miniature sensors are key components for applications in the Internet of Things (IoT), wireless sensor networks, autonomous vehicles, smart cities, and smart manufacturing. As a miniature and self-powered magnetic sensor, the Wiegand sensor possesses advantageous traits including changing-rate-independent output, low cost, and remarkable repeatability and reliability. A typical Wiegand sensor requires hard magnetic pole pieces that provide external fields for triggering voltage outputs that are called Wiegand pulses. However, the wire-shaped sensing element of Wiegand sensors is the critical issue that limits the design, selection, and adoption of the external triggering magnets. Currently, the widely used pole piece materials are rare-earth magnets. However, adopting rare-earth magnets brings strong stray fields, causing an electromagnetic interference (EMI) problem. In this study, patterned CoNiP hard magnets were electrodeposited on flexible substrates through microfabrication. Origami magnetization was utilized to control the resultant stray fields and thus the pole piece of CoNiP magnets can successfully trigger the output of the Wiegand pulse. In comparison, the output voltage of the triggered pulse acquired through the patterned CoNiP magnets is comparable to that acquired by using the rare-earth magnets. Furthermore, both the volume (and hence the weight) of the Wiegand sensor and the EMI issue can be significantly reduced and mitigated, respectively, by the CoNiP magnets.

Accelerated and outdoor weathering of silver nanowire transparent conductors under electrical stress in pseudo-modules.

In realistic applications, silver nanowires (AgNWs) are encapsulated in optoelectrical devices to function as transparent conductors and electrodes. Environmental stressors along with the essential electrical stress are inevitably harmful to the AgNWs inside the devices. Herein, to investigate the degradation behavior discrepancy between materials-level and device-level tests, we adopted pseudo-module to mimic the encapsulation. The pseudo-module allows the application of electrical stress and facilitates the interim specimen access for materials characterization through assembly-disassembly. Indoor accelerated and outdoor weathering tests with applied electrical stress to the pseudo-module encapsulated AgNW networks were performed. The impaired optoelectrical properties and morphological changes of AgNWs due to multiple or individual stressor(s) are investigated. Results indicate UVA exposure at elevated temperature coupled with electrical stress is responsible for the electrical failure of AgNW networks. Sulfidation that depresses optical transparency of AgNW networks is prone to occur at lower temperature. This work provides unambiguous degradation behaviors of AgNWs inside encapsulants, helping to improve the design of AgNWs related optoelectrical devices in the applications of solar irradiation environments.

Acute ischemic stroke induces magnetic resonance susceptibility signs dominated by endothelial nitric oxide synthase activation.

PURPOSE: Acute ischemic stroke induces deoxyhemoglobin accumulation around the ischemic region while activating endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) coupling and the subsequent release of nitric oxide (NO). Because deoxyhemoglobin is a natural NO spin trap, its interplay with NO could be prominent during acute stroke. Its interaction with NO has been shown to induce overt paramagnetic signals in vitro; our goal was to investigate whether this interplay can be detected using MRI. METHODS: To verify the in vivo image effects using the deoxyhemoglobin-NO interaction during acute stroke, eNOS states were manipulated in an animal model of acute ischemia, and the susceptibility signals, cerebral perfusion, and infarction were assessed noninvasively via MR susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI). RESULTS: Occlusion of the right middle cerebral artery increased eNOS coupling and susceptibility signals in the ischemic cortex while abolishing regional cerebral blood flow. Pharmacological eNOS blockage led to weakened susceptibility signals in the ischemic cortex as well as worsened tissue survival. Consistently, abolishment of eNOS coupling through genetic editing reduced the regional susceptibility signals in the ischemic cortex, causing large infarcts. CONCLUSION: Upregulation of eNOS during acute ischemia sustains tissue viability through the interaction between NO and deoxyhemoglobin. This interplay can be traced in vivo using SWI and can be considered a sensitive marker revealing the delicate oxygenation status of the ischemic tissue, therefore, guiding the management of acute stroke in clinical settings.

Associations Between Early Circumcision, Sexual and Protective Practices, and HIV Among a National Sample of Male Adults in Eswatini.

To reduce HIV incidence in countries such as Eswatini (Swaziland), UNAIDS has recommended male circumcision as one possible effective strategy. We analyzed the 2016s Swaziland HIV Incidence Measurement Survey to explore the association between early circumcision and HIV history among 2964 sexually active adult males aged 15 to 64 years old. Early circumcision was defined as circumcision practiced at an age of 15 years old or younger. Results from logistic regression and OLS regression found that male adults with early circumcision are more likely to have multiple sexual partners and to use condoms. Multiple partners and condom use at last sex encounter remained associated with a higher odds of being HIV positive after controlling for all factors. Nevertheless, early circumcision is significantly associated with a lower odds of being HIV positive (AOR 0.53, p < 0.01). These findings suggest that HIV prevention may benefit when early male circumcision is carried out.

RESUMEN: Con el objetivo de reducir la incidencia de VIH en países como Eswatini (Suazilandia), UNAIDS ha recomendado la práctica de la circuncisión como una estrategia efectiva con este fin. A partir del análisis de la Encuesta de Medición de la Incidencia del VIH en Suazilandia (SHIMS 2), la presente investigación tiene como objetivo explorar la asociación entre la circuncisión a edad temprana (practicada a la edad de 15 años o menos) y la infección por el VIH en 2,964 hombres adultos que son sexualmente activos con edades comprendidas entre 15 y 64 años. Mediante la regresión logística y de mínimos cuadrados ordinarios (ordinary least squares), se encontró que los hombres circuncidados a temprana edad tienden más a tener múltiples parejas sexuales y a usar preservativos. El uso de preservativos en la última relación sexual y el hecho de tener múltiples parejas sexuales permaneció asociado con la infección por el VIH tras ajustar por factores de confusión. La circuncisión a temprana edad se asoció con un menor riesgo de infección por el VIH (OR ajustado=0.53, p<0.01). Estos resultados sugieren que la circuncisión a edad temprana debería tenerse en cuenta como estrategia de prevención del VIH.

Loneliness in older parents: marital transitions, family and social connections, and separate bedrooms for sleep.

OBJECTIVES: This research innovatively analyzed the marital transitions (i.e., divorce and widowhood) of older Taiwanese parents, their sleep problems and spousal specific characteristics (i.e., separate bedrooms for sleep and marital relationships) as well as their social and family connections, all of which were simultaneously reflected in emotional and social domains of loneliness. METHODS: Data are from 1645 older parents from Northern Taiwan. Loneliness was assessed by a De Jong-Gierveld short scale with emotional and social domains. We conducted multivariate logistic regression to examine the associations of marital transitions and family/social connections regarding sleep problems and psychological well-being with loneliness in social and emotional domains. Besides sleep problems and individual socioeconomic status, we included data on couples' sleeping arrangements and marital relationships. RESULTS: Social loneliness was significantly associated with being divorced (AOR = 1.80, 95% CI 1.13-2.86) and living alone (AOR = 1.50, 95% CI 1.02-2.23). In contrast, strong family cohesion and frequent weekly contact with friends were associated with lower social loneliness. Married parents who slept in separate bedrooms were more likely than bed-sharing couples to feel emotional and social loneliness, despite adjusting for their sleep problems. Furthermore, satisfactory spousal relationships significantly decreased the magnitude of associations in the social domain. DISCUSSION: Our findings support significant associations between loneliness in later life and major marital transitions, family and social connections and sleep problems which differ in social and emotional domains. Independent of relationship satisfaction, separate bedrooms relate to higher risks of emotional loneliness in older adults.

Gender interactions between vertebral bone mineral density and fat content in the elderly: Assessment using fat-water MRI.

BACKGROUND: Adipose tissue is closely related to bone mass, bone quality, and bone fractures, but the connection between fat and bone is complex and gender-related. Fat-water magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and MR spectroscopy (MRS) are very useful tools for identifying tissue fat. PURPOSE: To assess gender interactions between bone mineral density (BMD), bone marrow fat, and body mass index (BMI) in the elderly using fat-water MRI and MRS. STUDY TYPE: Prospective/cohort. POPULATION: Sixty-six women and 38 men (mean age, 62.3 years; range, 50-75 years), Asian. FIELD STRENGTH: A 1.5T MR equipped with a body and spine array coil. STEAM MRS and T2 * Dixon were performed. ASSESSMENT: Vertebral bone marrow fat ratio (MFR), BMI, and BMD were measured. Correlations between these variables and differences in bone density in MFR were assessed between participants, divided into three groups based on bone density. STATISTICAL TESTS: Multiple regression; Pearson tests; analysis of covariance; analysis of variance. RESULTS: Multiple regression analysis identified gender, vertebral bone MFR, and BMI as significant predictors of vertebral BMD (P < 0.001). Among the women, vertebral BMD was negatively correlated with vertebral MFR (P = 0.011), but among the men, it was positively correlated with BMI (P = 0.048), although this relationship was confounded by age and MFR. Moreover, vertebral bone marrow fat and BMI were indeed statistically uncorrelated in the elderly (P = 0.357 in women; P = 0.961 in men). DATA CONCLUSION: We found gender interactions between fat and bone in the elderly. Higher bone marrow fat was correlated with lower trabecular BMD in older women but not in men. On the other hand, the positive correlation between BMI and BMD was more pronounced in men than in women. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 2 Technical Efficacy Stage: 2 J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2020;51:1382-1389.

Neuroimaging Spectrum at Pre-, Early, and Late Symptomatic Stages of SCA17 Mice.

Spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA) is a hereditary neurodegenerative disease. We have generated SCA17 transgenic mice bearing human TBP with 109 CAG repeats under the Purkinje cell-specific L7/pcp2 promoter. These mice recapitulate the patients' phenotypes and are suitable for the study of the SCA17 pathomechanism. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and immunostainings were performed to identify the neuroimaging spectrum during disease progression. The results indicate that despite an overall normal appearance at birth, postnatal brain damage takes place rapidly in SCA17. Cerebellar atrophy, fourth-ventricle enlargement, and reduced cerebellar N-acetylaspartate levels were detected at the presymptomatic stage, when the mice were juvenile. The aberrations, which included reductions in body weight; cerebral size; striatal size; and the mean, radial, and axial diffusivities of the cerebellum, became more salient as the disease progressed to the old, late-symptomatic stage. Phosphorylated H2A histone family, member X (γH2AX) immunostaining revealed that the cerebellum underwent severe cell senescence in the old stage while the striatum appeared relatively unaffected by aging. Morphometric analysis indicated that the cerebellar atrophy occurred in all subregions with aging. The data establish that the SCA17 mouse brain appears normal at birth but becomes aberrant at the presymptomatic/juvenile stage. More widespread deficits add to the pathological spectrum at the old stage. The study provides information for the expression and expansion of L7/pcp2 promoter and implies the disease progression of SCA17 patients.

Degradation problem in silver nanowire transparent electrodes caused by ultraviolet exposure.

Silver nanowire (AgNW) transparent electrode inevitably encounters ultraviolet (UV) irradiation from the environment, leading to stability and durability problems when in operation. Since UVA is the most abundant UV band and highly penetrating to AgNW related optoelectrical devices, it is crucial to understand the UVA damage caused to AgNWs. In this study, transparent electrodes composed of pristine AgNWs and glass substrates were manufactured with optimized processing parameters, and then used as model samples for aging tests. UVA exposure was conducted at elevated temperatures including 45 °C, 60 °C and 75 °C at 12 ± 5.5% relative humidity (RH) conditions. Comparative aging tests using conditions of damp heat (85 °C/85% RH) and 105 °C without UV (dark conditions) were also conducted. The relationship between optoelectrical property degradation, morphological changes and photo-corrosion was discussed. Under UVA exposure, the sheet resistance of electrodes increased gradually in an induction period before an abrupt change occurred. A nominal sheet resistance value of 200 Ω/sq was considered as a predestined failure of electrical property. It took 16, 24 and 60 h for UVA exposure at 75 °C, 60 °C and 45 °C, respectively, and 288 h by damp heat aging to degrade to the same status of predestined failure. Aging results of dark conditions indicated no degradation effect on AgNWs for 126 d aging. Moisture caused a different mechanism in damaging the capping agents on AgNWs. Nanocubes of silver chloride and sodium chloride were prone to precipitate at higher aging temperature such as 75 °C with UVA exposure. Sulfidation accounted for deterioration of optical transmittance, and occurred significantly at 45 °C with UVA irradiation and under damp heat conditions. The synergistic aging effect of UVA irradiance at elevated temperature on AgNW degradation has been unambiguously demonstrated. The results of this study provide guidelines for the design of optoelectronic devices when utilizing AgNW transparent electrodes.

Adoptive transfer of DMSO-induced regulatory T cells exhibits a similar preventive effect compared to an in vivo DMSO treatment for chemical-induced experimental encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis in mice.

Encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis (EPS) is a severe complication of peritoneal dialysis (PD). This disease leads to intestinal obstruction with or without peritonitis. The imbalance between the populations of Th17 and regulatory T (Treg) cells (higher Th17 cells and lower Treg cells) is part of the pathogenesis of EPS formation. We demonstrated that dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) effectively inhibited autoimmune diabetes recurrence in the islet transplantation of NOD mice via the induction of the differentiation of Treg cells. In this study, we investigated the therapeutic potential of DMSO in the inhibition of EPS formation by a mouse model. Under DMSO treatment, the thickening of the parietal and visceral peritoneum was significantly reduced. The populations of CD4, CD8, and IFN-γ-producing CD4 and CD8 T cells were decreased. The populations of IL-4-producing CD4 T lymphocytes, IL-10-producing CD4 T lymphocytes, CD4 CD69 T lymphocytes and Treg lymphocytes were increased. The expression levels of the cytokines IFN-γ, IL-17a, TNF-α and IL-23, in ascites, were significantly decreased following the DMSO treatment. Furthermore, the differentiation of Treg cells was induced by DMSO from naïve CD4 T cells in vitro, and these cells were adoptively transferred into the EPS mice and significantly prevented EPS formation, exhibiting a comparable effect to the in vivo DMSO treatment. We also demonstrated that the differentiation of Treg cells by DMSO occurred via the activation of STAT5 by its epigenetic effect, without altering the PI3K-AKT-mTOR or Raf-ERK pathways. Our results demonstrated, for the first time, that in vivo DMSO treatment suppresses EPS formation in a mouse model. Furthermore, the adoptive transfer of Treg cells that were differentiated from naïve CD4 T cells by an in vitro DMSO treatment exhibited a similar effect to the in vivo DMSO treatment for the prevention of EPS formation.

Is caregiving by baby boomer women related to the presence of depressive symptoms? Evidence from eight national surveys.

BACKGROUND: A common hypothesis is that caregiving is deleterious to women's mental health. International studies continue to emphasize the importance of mental health issues for women. Yet only a few researchers have used population-based surveys to explore the association between caregiving and depressive symptomatology in the context of the community, and even less is known about this aspect of Baby Boomer women in a global context. METHODS: The present study uses eight international surveys covering nineteen nations (N = 15,100) and uses multilevel logistic models to examine possible linkages between caregiving and the likelihood of depressive symptoms among Baby Boomer women, when taking individual-level and country-level social factors into consideration. RESULTS: The various analyses found a significant variation in the likelihood of depressive symptoms among these Boomer women across the nations investigated and across both individual-level and country-level characteristics. The significant association of caregiving by women and the likelihood of depressive symptoms is related to their social status in some nations (OR = 1.30; p < 0.001). Boomer women living in countries with high rates of female participation in managerial/professional work (OR = 1.04; p < 0.05) and living in countries where women are often in vulnerable employment (OR = 1.01; p < 0.05) are at greater risk of depressive symptomatology. CONCLUSIONS: These findings demonstrate that the depressive consequences of caregiving by women are, to some degree, contingent upon social context and structure. Policies aimed at promoting mental health among female Baby Boomers should therefore be context specific.

General cognitive status among Baby boomers and pre-boomers in Taiwan: the interplay between mid-life socioeconomic status and city residence.

BACKGROUND: This study seeks to assess the interaction between mid-life socioeconomic status (SES) and city residence on the cognitive status of Baby Boomers and pre-Boomers in Taiwan, a non-Western society with a distinct cultural and family context, taking apolipoprotein E (APOE) gene polymophism and life stressors into consideration. METHODS: The data used was from the Social Environment and Biomarkers of Aging Study (SEBAS) collected in Taiwan during 2006, this involved 1245 individuals from 23 communities and used multilevel regression. General cognitive status was assessed by ten questions via personal interviews. The questions were part of the Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire, a 10-item free-recall and immediate recall test. Mid-life SES was defined by education and major mid-life occupation of the participant and/or their partner. RESULTS: Mid-life SES was positively associated with cognitive status among both Baby Boomers and pre-Boomers, even after adjusting for APOE polymorphism and stressor covariates. For Baby Boomers, city residents were more likely than town residents to show better cognition (ß = 1.47, p < 0.01) and an interaction effect between mid-life SES and city residence was observed (ß = -2.12, p < 0.01). While both the Baby Boomer and pre-Boomer cohorts who lived with a partner were reported better cognition, the effects of depressive symptoms and ethnicity differed by cohort. CONCLUSIONS: Having a high level of mid-life SES and living with a partner are associated with better cognition for both cohort groups. An interplay effect between mid-life SES and place of residence on cognition was only found for Baby Boomers. On the other hand, being psychologically depressed was associated with poorer cognition among pre-Boomers. These results underscore the specific roles of mid-life SES, city residence, and life stressors with regard to the cognitive status of Baby Boomers and pre-Boomers in Taiwan.

Aberrant astrocytes impair vascular reactivity in Huntington disease.

OBJECTIVE: Huntington disease (HD) is an inherited neurodegenerative disease caused by the mutant huntingtin gene (mHTT), which harbors expanded CAG repeats. We previously reported that the brain vessel density is higher in mice and patients with HD than in controls. The present study determines whether vascular function is altered in HD and characterizes the underlying mechanism. METHODS: The brain vessel density and vascular reactivity (VR) to carbogen challenge of HD mice were monitored by 3D ΔR2 -mMRA and blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD)/flow-sensitive alternating inversion recovery (FAIR) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), respectively. The amount of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-A and the pericyte coverage were determined by immunohistochemistry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in human and mouse brain sections, primary mouse astrocytes and pericytes, and human astrocytes derived from induced pluripotent stem cells. RESULTS: Expression of mHTT in astrocytes and neurons is sufficient to increase the brain vessel density in HD mice. BOLD and FAIR MRI revealed gradually impaired VR to carbogen in HD mice. Astrocytes from HD mice and patients contained more VEGF-A, which triggers proliferation of endothelial cells and may be responsible for the augmented neurovascular changes. Moreover, an astrocytic inflammatory response, which reduces the survival of pericytes through an IκB kinase-dependent pathway, mediates the low pericyte coverage of blood vessels in HD brains. INTERPRETATION: Our findings suggest that the inflammation-prone HD astrocytes provide less pericyte coverage by promoting angiogenesis and reducing the number of pericytes and that these changes can explain the inferior VR in HD mice. The resultant impaired VR might hinder cerebral hemodynamics and increase brain atrophy during HD progression.

Mid-life socioeconomic status, depressive symptomatology and general cognitive status among older adults: inter-relationships and temporal effects.

BACKGROUND: Few longitudinal studies have analyzed how socioeconomic status (SES) influences both depressive and cognitive development over an individual's life course. This study investigates the change trajectories of both depressive symptomatology and general cognitive status, as well as their associations over time, focusing on the effects of mid-life SES. METHODS: Data were obtained from the Taiwan Longitudinal Study on Aging (1993-2007), a nationally representative cohort study of older adults in Taiwan. The short form of the Center of Epidemiological Studies-Depression (CES-D) scale that measures depressive symptomatology in two domains (negative affect and lack of positive affect) was used. General cognitive status was assessed using the brief Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire scale. Assessments of the subjects' mid-life SES included measurement of the participant's education and occupation. Analyses were conducted by the parallel latent growth curve modeling. RESULTS: The participants' initial levels of depressive symptomatology and general cognitive status were significantly and negatively correlated; furthermore, any changes in these two outcomes were also correlated over time. The initial assessment of general cognitive status significantly contributed to any advancement towards more severe depressive symptomatology over time, particularly when this occurred in a negative manner. Furthermore, a mid-life SES advantage resulted in a significant reduction in late-life depressive symptomatology and also produced a slower decline in general cognitive status during later life. In contrast, lower mid-life SES exacerbated depressive symptomatology during old age, both at the initial assessment and in terms of the change over time. In addition, female gender was significantly associated with lower general cognitive status and more severe depressive symptomatology in negative affect. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest a complex and longitudinal association between depressive symptomatology and general cognitive status in later life and this complicated relationship seems to be affected by mid-life SES over time.

A multilevel analysis of lifestyle variations in symptoms of acute respiratory infection among young children under five in Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Nigeria has the second highest estimated number of deaths due to acute respiratory infection (ARI) among children under five in the world. A common hypothesis is that the inequitable distribution of socioeconomic resources shapes individual lifestyles and health behaviors, which leads to poorer health, including symptoms of ARI. This study examined whether lifestyle factors are associated with ARI risk among Nigerian children aged less than 5 years, taking individual-level and contextual-level risk factors into consideration. METHODS: Data were obtained from the nationally representative 2013 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey. A total of 28,596 surviving children aged 5 years or younger living in 896 communities were analyzed. We employed two-level multilevel logistic regressions to model the relationship between lifestyle factors and ARI symptoms. RESULTS: The multivariate results from multilevel regressions indicated that the odds of having ARI symptoms were increased by a number of lifestyle factors such as in-house biomass cooking (OR = 2.30; p < 0.01) and no hand-washing (OR = 1.66; p < 0.001). An increased risk of ARI symptoms was also significantly associated with living in the North West region and the community with a high proportion of orphaned/vulnerable children (OR = 1.74; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings underscore the importance of Nigerian children's lifestyle within the neighborhoods where they reside above their individual characteristics. Program-based strategies that are aimed at reducing ARI symptoms should consider policies that embrace making available basic housing standards, providing improved cooking stoves and enhancing healthy behaviors.

Dimethyl sulfoxide inhibits spontaneous diabetes and autoimmune recurrence in non-obese diabetic mice by inducing differentiation of regulatory T cells.

Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1D) is caused by the destruction of insulin-producing ß cells in pancreatic islets by autoimmune T cells. Islet transplantation has been established as an effective therapeutic strategy for T1D. However, the survival of islet grafts can be disrupted by recurrent autoimmunity. Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) is a solvent for organic and inorganic substances and an organ-conserving agent used in solid organ transplantations. DMSO also exerts anti-inflammatory, reactive oxygen species scavenger and immunomodulatory effects and therefore exhibits therapeutic potential for the treatment of several human inflammatory diseases. In this study, we investigated the therapeutic potential of DMSO in the inhibition of autoimmunity. We treated an animal model of islet transplantation (NOD mice) with DMSO. The survival of the syngeneic islet grafts was significantly prolonged. The population numbers of CD8, DC and Th1 cells were decreased, and regulatory T (Treg) cell numbers were increased in recipients. The expression levels of IFN-γ and proliferation of T cells were also reduced following DMSO treatment. Furthermore, the differentiation of Treg cells from naive CD4 T cells was significantly increased in the in vitro study. Our results demonstrate for the first time that in vivo DMSO treatment suppresses spontaneous diabetes and autoimmune recurrence in NOD mice by inhibiting the Th1 immune response and inducing the differentiation of Treg cells.

Closing the health gap in a generation: exploring the association between household characteristics and schooling status among orphans and vulnerable children in Swaziland.

Swaziland has one of the highest HIV/AIDS prevalences in the world, which has contributed to many Swazi children being left as "orphans and vulnerable children" (OVC). In 2010, there were 78,000 AIDS orphans in the country and the number is expected to increase given the current HIV prevalence. The WHO aims to close the gap in a generation and eliminate health inequality; as a result the Swazi Government began in 2005 to provide financial support to the education of OVC. Prior research has indicated that household characteristics are some of the major determinants with respect to schooling status among children. We have examined the association between household characteristics and schooling status of OVC. Schooling status may vary by gender and by age, as well as by other sociodemographic factors, in sub-Saharan African societies, and therefore we have also included a comprehensive set of appropriate variables in all of our multivariate analyses. Using existing data from the Swaziland Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 2010, a total of 5890 children aged 7-18 years old were analyzed. The results from the multivariate logistic regressions showed that non-OVC were more likely than OVC to be in school (OR = 2.18, p < 0.001), even after taking other variables into considerations. The OVC in socioeconomically disadvantaged households, such as those with lower levels of household wealt, and those who resided in an urban area, were less likely to be in school. These findings suggest that education programs for OVC need to be household-appropriate.

The influence of early sexual debut and pubertal timing on psychological distress among Taiwanese adolescents.

This study examined the relative influence of early sexual debut (ESD) and pubertal timing on psychological distress from adolescence to young adulthood in Taiwan, a non-Western society with a distinct cultural and family context. Data were from a cohort sample of 15-year-olds (N = 2595) first interviewed in 2000, with four follow-ups during a 7-year period. Psychological distress was assessed by a reduced form of the Symptom Checklist-90 Revised. ESD was defined by first intercourse at age 15 or younger. Multivariate analyses via growth curve modeling found a greater increase in psychological distress over time in adolescents with ESD (ß = .28, p < .05). Early-pubertal adolescents were at greater risk for the onset of psychological distress (ß = .46, p < .05). Further, early pubertal adolescents with an ESD appeared to be especially likely to be distressed (ß = 3.39, p < .05). In addition, analyses showed a non-linear trajectory of psychological distress between the ages of 15 and 22, with distress escalating (ß = .45, p < .001) as age increased before tapering off as adolescents became young adults (ß = -.03, p < .001). Results suggest the contributing influence of both ESD and pubertal timing on distress trajectories, independent of parental and family characteristics.