Efficacy and Safety of High-Dose Vitamin D Supplementation vs Solifenacin or Standard Urotherapy for Overactive Bladder Dry in Children: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

PURPOSE: We investigated the efficacy and safety of high-dose vitamin D supplementation (VDS) plus standard urotherapy (SU) in managing overactive bladder dry in children. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A 3-arm, randomized clinical trial was performed at an academic center in China between January 2023 and June 2023. Eligible patients (n=303) were randomized to receive 8 weeks of high-dose VDS (vitamin D3 drops encapsulated as soft capsules, 2400 IU/d) plus SU (VDS + SU group; n=100), solifenacin (5-10 mg/d) plus SU (SOL + SU group; n=102), or SU alone (SU group; n=101). Reduction in voiding frequency was the primary outcome. Secondary outcomes encompassed improvement in urgency, nocturia, quality of life score, pediatric lower urinary tract symptom score, and participant satisfaction. Treatment-emergent adverse events were recorded within each group. RESULTS: Participants had a median age of 82.0 months and their baseline mean vitamin D level was 22.64 ng/mL. The VDS + SU group showed greater improvements in voids/d than the SOL + SU group (median difference 3.0; 95% CI, 2.0 to 3.5; P < .001) and the SU group (median difference 4.0; 95% CI, 3.0 to 5.0; P < .001) after intervention. The VDS + SU group also showed the greatest improvement in quality of life and pediatric lower urinary tract symptom scores. Patient satisfaction was similar between the SOL + SU and SU groups. The VDS + SU group did not exhibit a heightened risk of treatment-emergent adverse events compared to the other groups. CONCLUSIONS: High-dose VDS plus SU was effective and well-tolerated in managing overactive bladder dry in children, suggesting its potential as a novel therapeutic option for this population.

Comprehensive analysis of single cell and bulk RNA sequencing reveals the heterogeneity of melanoma tumor microenvironment and predicts the response of immunotherapy.

BACKGROUND: Tumor microenvironment (TME) heterogeneity is an important factor affecting the treatment response of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI). However, the TME heterogeneity of melanoma is still widely characterized. METHODS: We downloaded the single-cell sequencing data sets of two melanoma patients from the GEO database, and used the "Scissor" algorithm and the "BayesPrism" algorithm to comprehensively analyze the characteristics of microenvironment cells based on single-cell and bulk RNA-seq data. The prediction model of immunotherapy response was constructed by machine learning and verified in three cohorts of GEO database. RESULTS: We identified seven cell types. In the Scissor+ subtype cell population, the top three were T cells, B cells and melanoma cells. In the Scissor- subtype, there are more macrophages. By quantifying the characteristics of TME, significant differences in B cells between responders and non-responders were observed. The higher the proportion of B cells, the better the prognosis. At the same time, macrophages in the non-responsive group increased significantly. Finally, nine gene features for predicting ICI response were constructed, and their predictive performance was superior in three external validation groups. CONCLUSION: Our study revealed the heterogeneity of melanoma TME and found a new predictive biomarker, which provided theoretical support and new insights for precise immunotherapy of melanoma patients.

Causal effects of gut microbiome on HIV infection: a two-sample mendelian randomization analysis.

BACKGROUND: The causal association between gut microbiome and HIV infection remains to be elucidated. We conducted a two-sample mendelian randomization analysis to estimate the causality between gut microbiome and HIV infection. METHODS: Publicly released genome-wide association studies summary data were collected to perform the mendelian analysis. The GWAS summary data of gut microbiome was retrieved from the MiBioGen consortium, which contains 18 340 samples from 24 cohorts. GWAS summary data of HIV infection was collected from the R5 release of FinnGen consortium, including 357 HIV infected cases and 218 435 controls. The SNPs were selected as instrumental variables according to our selection rules. And SNPs with a F-statistics less than ten were regarded as weak instrumental variables and excluded. Mendelian randomization analysis was conducted by five methods, including inverse variance weighted (IVW), MR-Egger, weighted median, weighted mode, and simple mode. The Cochran's Q test and MR-Egger intercept test were performed to identify heterogeneity and pleiotropy. Leave-one-out analysis were used to test the sensitivity of the results. RESULTS: Fifteen gut microbiota taxa showed causal effects on HIV infection according to the MR methods. Four taxa were observed to increase the risk of HIV infection, including Ruminococcaceae (OR: 2.468[1.043, 5.842], P: 0.039), Ruminococcaceae UCG005 (OR: 2.051[1.048, 4.011], P: 0.036), Subdoligranulum (OR: 3.957[1.762, 8.887], P < 0.001) and Victivallis (OR: 1.605[1.012, 2.547], P=0.044). Erysipelotrichaceae was protective factor of HIV infection (OR: 0.278[0.106, 0.731], P < 0.001) and Methanobrevibacter was also found to be associated with reduced risk of HIV infection (OR: 0.509[0.265, 0.980], P=0.043). Horizontal pleiotropy was found for Fusicatenibacter (P<0.05) according to the MR-Egger regression intercept analysis. No heterogeneity was detected. CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrate significant causal effects of gut microbiome on HIV infection. These findings facilitate future studies to develop better strategies for HIV prophylaxis through gut microbiome regulation. Further explorations are also warranted to dissect the mechanism of how gut microbiome affects HIV susceptibility.

Using structural equation modeling to investigate students' satisfaction with an undergraduate tutorial system.

BACKGROUND: The undergraduate tutorial system (UTS) is a crucial measure in China for adhering to the principle of prioritizing foundational education, innovating the undergraduate talent training mode, and building a powerful country of higher education. This study investigated undergraduate students' satisfaction with UTS and the influencing factors, aiming to promote the healthy and sustainable development of UTS and provide practical implications and suggestions for universities. METHODS: Based on relevant theories, we conducted a survey study and leveraged structural equation modeling to assess students' satisfaction with UTS and explore the influencing factors. RESULTS: Our Pearson correlation analysis showed that students' satisfaction with mentors was positively correlated with dimensions such as humanistic care (r = 0.844, P < 0.05), mentor assistance (r = 0.906, P < 0.05), and mentor-student communication (r = 0.908, P < 0.05). Path analysis showed that mentor-student communication (ß = 0.486, P < 0.01), mentor assistance (ß = 0.228, P < 0.05), humanistic care (ß = 0.105, P < 0.05) were positive factors affecting students' satisfaction with mentors, while satisfaction with mentors (ß = 0.923, P < 0.01) had a positive impact on students' satisfaction with UTS. Students' satisfaction with mentors explained 73.4% of the variation in students' satisfaction with UTS, indicating that satisfaction with mentors was an important intermediary variable of UTS students. CONCLUSION: The sustainable implementation of UTS requires the effort to improve student satisfaction, and the breakthrough of strengthening the targeted mentorship in "transmitting wisdom, imparting knowledge, and resolving doubts" for students. Efforts should also be devoted to fostering students' comprehensive skills and better serving the cultivation of talents in the new era.

Factors Influencing Intention on Condom Use During Sexual Intercourse With Regular Female Partners Among Men Who Have Sex With Men in Western China: A Structural Equation Modeling Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Given the rapid rise in HIV infection among men who have sex with men (MSM) in China, they may be a potential bridge for HIV transmission to the general female population, and increasing condom use is an important protective measure. This study aimed to explore factors that influence the intention of condom use during sexual intercourse with regular female partners among MSM in Western China, based on the Health Action Process Approach model. METHODS: This study used a baseline sample from a cohort study of the National Science and Technology Major Project. A nonprobability sampling method was adopted to recruit MSM from western China. Information on sociodemographic characteristics, HIV-related characteristics, sexual behavior, and constructs of the Health Action Process Approach model was collected through structured questionnaires, and the data were analyzed using a structural equation model. RESULTS: Among 232 participants, 62.9% (146 of 232) intended to use condoms every time they had sex with their regular female partners during the following 3 months. The results of the structural equation model showed that self-efficacy had the greatest influence on behavioral intention (ß = 0.398, P < 0.001), followed by negative outcome expectancy (ß = -0.303, P < 0.05). In addition, risk perception (ß = 0.206, P < 0.05) and positive outcome expectancy (ß = 0.270, P < 0.01) had indirect effects on intention, whereas self-efficacy played a mediating role in these indirect influencing factors. CONCLUSIONS: Risk perception, outcome expectancy, and self-efficacy are predictors of condom use intention, with self-efficacy in particular serving as a significant medium for future interventions. These findings could provide a reference for future targeted interventions to reduce the likelihood of HIV transmission from MSM to the female population.

A structural equation modeling approach to investigate HIV testing willingness for men who have sex with men in China.

BACKGROUND: A substantial risk of contracting Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) exists among men who have sex with men (MSM), and HIV infection rates have been rising. This study aimed to analyze the factors influencing the Chinese MSM population's intention to test for HIV. METHODS: Nonprobability sampling techniques were employed in June 2022 to recruit MSM in Chongqing and Sichuan, China. The data were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM), which is based on the knowledge-attitude-behavior (KAB) theory. RESULTS: Among 1687 participants, 964 (57.1%) of the MSM were willing to have an HIV test. The results of the structural equation modeling (SEM) showed that knowledge, attitude, and behavior all influenced the testing intention, with attitude having the greatest impact (total effect of 0.22). CONCLUSION: HIV testing needs to be increased among MSM as they exhibit a moderate willingness to test. Improving education on HIV knowledge and risk behavior might enhance the willingness of MSM to test for HIV in China.

Digital contact tracing on hypergraphs.

The higher-order interactions emerging in the network topology affect the effectiveness of digital contact tracing (DCT). In this paper, we propose a mathematical model in which we use the hypergraph to describe the gathering events. In our model, the role of DCT is modeled as individuals carrying the app. When the individuals in the hyperedge all carry the app, epidemics cannot spread through this hyperedge. We develop a generalized percolation theory to investigate the epidemic outbreak size and threshold. We find that DCT can effectively suppress the epidemic spreading, i.e., decreasing the outbreak size and enlarging the threshold. DCT limits the spread of the epidemic to larger cardinality of hyperedges. On real-world networks, the inhibitory effect of DCT on the spread of epidemics is evident when the spread of epidemics is small.

Pathogen diversity in meta-population networks.

The pathogen diversity means that multiple strains coexist, and widely exist in the biology systems. The new mutation of SARS-CoV-2 leading to worldwide pathogen diversity is a typical example. What are the main factors of inducing the pathogen diversity? Previous studies indicated the pathogen mutation is the most important reason for inducing the pathogen diversity. The traffic network and gene network are crucial in shaping the dynamics of pathogen contagion, while their roles for the pathogen diversity still lacking a theoretical study. To this end, we propose a reaction-diffusion process of pathogens with mutations on meta-population networks, which includes population movement and strain mutation. We extend the Microscopic Markov Chain Approach (MMCA) to describe the model. Traffic networks make pathogen diversity more likely to occur in cities with lower infection densities. The likelihood of pathogen diversity is low in cities with short effective distances in the traffic network. Star-type gene network is more likely to lead to pathogen diversity than lattice-type and chain-type gene networks. When pathogen localization is present, infection is localized to strains that are at the endpoints of the gene network. Both the increased probability of movement and mutation promote pathogen diversity. The results also show that the population tends to move to cities with short effective distances, resulting in the infection density is high.

Identification of Molecular Subtypes and Prognostic Characteristics of Adrenocortical Carcinoma Based on Unsupervised Clustering.

Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a rare endocrine malignancy with a poor prognosis. Increasing evidence highlights the significant role of immune-related genes (IRGs) in ACC progression and immunotherapy, but the research is still limited. Based on the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database, immune-related molecular subtypes were identified by unsupervised consensus clustering. Univariate Cox analysis and Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) regression were employed to further establish immune-related gene signatures (IRGS). An evaluation of immune cell infiltration, biological function, tumor mutation burden (TMB), predicted immunotherapy response, and drug sensitivity in ACC patients was conducted to elucidate the applicative efficacy of IRGS in precision therapy. ACC patients were divided into two molecular subtypes through consistent clustering. Furthermore, the 3-gene signature (including PRKCA, LTBP1, and BIRC5) based on two molecular subtypes demonstrated consistent prognostic efficacy across the TCGA and GEO datasets and emerged as an independent prognostic factor. The low-risk group exhibited heightened immune cell infiltration, TMB, and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), associated with a favorable prognosis. Pathways associated with drug metabolism, hormone regulation, and metabolism were activated in the low-risk group. In conclusion, our findings suggest IRGS can be used as an independent prognostic biomarker, providing a foundation for shaping future ACC immunotherapy strategies.

Association between daytime napping and cognitive impairment among Chinese older population: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Both napping and nighttime sleep duration have been reported to be associated with cognitive function in older adults, whereas little is known about the association between daytime napping and cognitive impairment in different nighttime sleep duration subgroups. This study aimed to explore the correlation between daytime napping and cognitive impairment across nighttime sleep duration subgroups. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted by using the fourth survey of China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). We utilized the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scale to define cognitive impairment, and the daytime napping and nighttime sleep duration was self-reported by individuals. We applied the Restricted Cubic Spline (RCS) to analysis the dose-response relationships between daytime napping and cognitive impairment. And the multivariate Logistic Regression Model (LRM) was performed to evaluate the association of daytime napping and cognitive impairment. RESULTS: A total of 3,052 individuals were included, of which 769 were cognitive impairment. The RCS showed there were non-linear association between daytime napping and cognitive impairment in all participants group and longer nighttime sleep duration subgroup (PNon-linear < 0.05, PDaytime napping < 0.05). The LRM revealed no napping (OR = 1.62, 95%CI 1.14-2.30) and excessive napping (1.64 95%CI 1.09-2.48) were related to cognitive impairment in longer nighttime sleep duration subgroup. CONCLUSIONS: Daytime napping had nonlinear association with cognitive impairment in Chinese elderly population. No napping and excessive daytime napping (>90 minutes) were related to cognitive impairment in participants with 7 and more hours nighttime sleep duration.

Spatial metabolomics on liver cirrhosis to hepatocellular carcinoma progression.

BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the deadliest cancers and is mainly developed from chronic liver diseases such as hepatitis-B infection-associated liver cirrhosis (LC). The progression from LC to HCC makes the detection of diagnostic biomarkers to be challenging. Hence, there have been constant efforts to improve on identifying the critical and predictive changes accompanying the disease progression. METHODS: In this study, we looked to using the mass spectrometry mediated spatial metabolomics technique to simultaneous examine hundreds of metabolites in an untargeted fashion. Additionally, metabolic profiles were compared between six subregions within the HCC tissue to collect spatial information. RESULTS: Through those metabolites, altered metabolic pathways in LC and HCC were identified. Specifically, the amino acid metabolisms and the glycerophospholipid metabolisms experienced the most changes. Many of the altered metabolites and metabolic pathways were able to be connected through the urea cycle. CONCLUSIONS: The identification of the key metabolites and pathways can expand our knowledge on HCC metabolic reprogramming and help us exam potential biomarkers for earlier detection of the malignant disease progression.

PrEP risk perception and adherence among men who have sex with men: a prospective cohort study based on growth mixture model.

BACKGROUND: It can be considered that pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) risk perception is the negative experiences or concerns about taking PrEP. The aim of this study is to explore the longitudinal trajectory of PrEP risk perception among men who have sex with men (MSM) and its impact on adherence. METHODS: Data related to PrEP risk perception and adherence were derived from a prospective cohort study in Western China from 2013 to 2015. Subjects were categorized into the time-driven, event-driven and blank control groups. Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) was administered to subjects in the time-driven and event-driven groups, and all subjects were followed up every 12 weeks. The PrEP risk perception scale was constructed, and the growth mixture model (GMM) was used to classify longitudinal PrEP risk perception. The effect of different levels of PrEP risk perception on drug adherence was explored using generalized estimating equations (GEE) with relative risk (RR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). RESULTS: The PrEP risk perception scale consists of 4 dimensions and 16 items with Cronbach's alpha = 0.828 and a good model fit. According to the GMM analysis, the subjects' PrEP risk perceptions were separated into two groups: a "high-risk perception group" (n = 133) and a "low-risk perception group" (n = 493), where the proportion of high levels of drug adherence were 57.89% and 68.35%, respectively (p = 0.024). High levels of PrEP risk perception in the MSM population hinder drug adherence (RR = 0.71, 95% CI 0.50 to 0.99, p = 0.046). The results of this study were validated in the subsequent PrEP projects conducted in 2019 to 2021. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that high levels of PrEP risk perception in the MSM population are an obstacle to drug adherence, emphasizing the necessity of focusing on PrEP risk perception in this population and the value of its application in the current context.

Effect of a Reminder System on Pre-exposure Prophylaxis Adherence in Men Who Have Sex With Men: Prospective Cohort Study Based on WeChat Intervention.

BACKGROUND: The efficacy of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is highly dependent on adherence, and one of the main reasons for poor adherence is forgetfulness. Therefore, it is important to explore how to remind users to take their medicine on time. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to explore the effect of a reminder system on PrEP adherence in men who have sex with men (MSM) to improve adherence. The main function of the reminder system based on the WeChat social media app is to send daily messages to PrEP users reminding them to take their medicine. METHODS: An open-label, multicenter, prospective cohort study of PrEP in HIV-negative MSM was conducted from November 2019 to June 2021. Study participants who met the criteria were randomly divided into 2 groups: no-reminder group and reminder group. Both groups received daily oral PrEP with follow-up every 3 months. Adherence was measured on the basis of self-report and was defined as the percentage of medications taken on time. Participants in the reminder group scanned a WeChat QR code and received a reminder message every day. Participants in the no-reminder group took daily oral medicines without reminders. The longitudinal trajectories of adherence for both groups were displayed to compare the variability in adherence at each time point. The association between the changes in adherence (no change, improvement, decline) at each time point and the use of the reminder system was analyzed by multinomial logistic regression models to further explore the effectiveness of the system. RESULTS: A total of 716 MSM were included in the analysis, that is, 372 MSM in the no-reminder group and 344 MSM in the reminder group. Adherence in the no-reminder group fluctuated between 0.75 and 0.80 and that in the reminder group gradually increased over time from 0.76 to 0.88. Adherence at each time point was not statistically different between the 2 groups. Further analysis showed that an improvement in adherence in the early stage was associated with the use of the reminder system (odds ratio [OR] 1.65, 95% CI 1.01-2.70; P=.04). An improvement in average adherence compared to initial adherence was positively associated with the use of the reminder system (OR 1.82, 95% CI 1.10-3.01; P=.02). CONCLUSIONS: The effect of the reminder system on PrEP adherence in MSM was more significant in the early stage, which is related to the increased motivation of users and the development of medicine-taking habits. The reminder system is potentially effective for early-stage medicine management, encouraging users to develop healthy medicine-taking habits and to increase their adherence. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Chinese Clinical Trial ChiCTR190026414; http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=35077.

Cost-Effectiveness of Mobile Health-Based Integrated Care for Atrial Fibrillation: Model Development and Data Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Mobile health (mHealth) technology is increasingly used in disease management. Using mHealth tools to integrate and streamline care has improved clinical outcomes of patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the potential clinical and health economic outcomes of mHealth-based integrated care for AF from the perspective of a public health care provider in China. METHODS: A Markov model was designed to compare outcomes of mHealth-based care and usual care in a hypothetical cohort of patients with AF in China. The time horizon was 30 years with monthly cycles. Model outcomes measured were direct medical cost, quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), and incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER). Sensitivity analyses were performed to examine the robustness of the base-case results. RESULTS: In the base-case analysis, mHealth-based care gained higher QALYs of 0.0730 with an incurred cost of US $1090. Using US $33,438 per QALY (three times the gross domestic product) as the willingness-to-pay threshold, mHealth-based care was cost-effective, with an ICER of US $14,936 per QALY. In one-way sensitivity analysis, no influential factor with a threshold value was identified. In probabilistic sensitivity analysis, mHealth-based care was accepted as cost-effective in 92.33% of 10,000 iterations. CONCLUSIONS: This study assessed the expected cost-effectiveness of applying mHealth-based integrated care for AF according to a model-based health economic evaluation. The exploration suggested the potential cost-effective use of mHealth apps in streamlining and integrating care via the Atrial fibrillation Better Care (ABC) pathway for AF in China. Future economic evaluation alongside randomized clinical trials is highly warranted to verify the suggestion and investigate affecting factors such as geographical variations in patient characteristics, identification of subgroups, and constraints on local implementation.

Development of a Hallmark Pathway-Related Gene Signature Associated with Immune Response for Lower Grade Gliomas.

Although some biomarkers have been used to predict prognosis of lower-grade gliomas (LGGs), a pathway-related signature associated with immune response has not been developed. A key signaling pathway was determined according to the lowest adjusted p value among 50 hallmark pathways. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) and stepwise multivariate Cox analyses were performed to construct a pathway-related gene signature. Somatic mutation, drug sensitivity and prediction of immunotherapy analyses were conducted to reveal the value of this signature in targeted therapies. In this study, an allograft rejection (AR) pathway was considered as a crucial signaling pathway, and we constructed an AR-related five-gene signature, which can independently predict the prognosis of LGGs. High-AR LGG patients had higher tumor mutation burden (TMB), Immunophenscore (IPS), IMmuno-PREdictive Score (IMPRES), T cell-inflamed gene expression profile (GEP) score and MHC I association immunoscore (MIAS) than low-AR patients. Most importantly, our signature can be validated in four immunotherapy cohorts. Furthermore, IC50 values of the six classic chemotherapeutic drugs were significantly elevated in the low-AR group compared with the high-AR group. This signature might be regarded as an underlying biomarker in predicting prognosis for LGGs, possibly providing more therapeutic strategies for future clinical research.

Spatial and temporal variations of PM2.5 concentrations in Chinese cities during 2015-2019.

The study analyzed the current status and changing trends of PM2.5 pollution, and used Kriging spatial interpolation, spatial autocorrelation analysis, and scan statistics to explore the spatiotemporal characteristics and identify hotspots. The results showed that PM2.5 pollution during 2015-2019 displayed a downward trend year by year, with a pronounced seasonal difference of higher concentrations in winter and lower concentrations in summer. By 2019, there were still 110 cities (n = 194) failed to meet China's annual grade II air quality standard (35 µg/m3). The spatial distribution of PM2.5 was characterized by marked heterogeneity, with a significant spatial dependence and clustering characteristics. The pollution hotspots of PM2.5 were mainly concentrated in eastern and central China, especially in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and its surrounding area. The results of this study will assist Chinese authorities in developing strategies for preventing and controlling air pollution, especially in hotspot regions and during peak periods.

Factors influencing HIV testing and counselling services among men who have sex with men in Western China: a cross-sectional study based on Andersen's Behavioral Model.

BACKGROUND: Men who have sex with men (MSM), as a marginal population, has been largely ignored by health service projects. We assessed the utilization of HIV testing and counselling services and its influencing factors based on Andersen's Behavioral Model, so as to provide a theoretical basis for future infectious disease prevention and control strategies and health services policy formulation for these population. METHOD: This was a cross-sectional study. A sample survey was conducted in Western China, and an anonymous self-administered questionnaire survey was conducted among MSM. Based on Andersen's Behavioral Model, the questionnaire divided the influencing factors into predisposing factor, enabling factor and need factor. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to explore the factors influencing the utilization of HIV testing and counselling. RESULTS: There were 3184 valid questionnaires. In the survey of HIV health services, 82.85% MSM had HIV testing and 64.98% MSM had HIV counselling, respectively. Among the predisposing factor, age 25 years old and over was a facilitator of HIV testing and counselling, and ethnicity was a factor associated with HIV testing. Among the enabling factor, MSM living in urban were more likely to have access to testing and counselling services, and income was also linked to HIV testing. Among the need factor, a high level of HIV knowledge could promote testing and counselling, and a history of sexually transmitted diseases (STD) was a facilitator of testing. CONCLUSIONS: HIV testing is widespread in Western China and higher than counselling service. MSM with high-risk characteristics should be identified as a priority in the future public health services.

Cesarean delivery on maternal request and its influencing factors in Chongqing, China.

BACKGROUND: A high rate of cesarean delivery has become a cause of global concern. Although the rate of cesarean delivery has declined over recent years, it remains at a high level largely because of cesarean delivery on maternal request (CDMR). Unnecessary cesarean delivery has limited significance in benefiting maternal and infant physical health; in some ways, it might pose potential risks instead. With the implementation of the "Two-child Policy" in China, an increasing number of women plan to have a second child. Accordingly, how to handle the CDMR rate in China remains an important issue. METHODS: Data were collected from a longitudinal follow-up study conducted in Chongqing, China, from 2018 to 2019. A structured questionnaire was administered to subjects for data collection. Basic information, including demographic characteristics, living habits, medical history, and follow-up data of pregnant women, as well as their families and society, was collected. Additionally, delivery outcomes were recorded. Logistic regression was performed to analyze the factors influencing CDMR. RESULTS: The rate of cesarean delivery in Chongqing, China was 36.01 %, and the CDMR rate was 8.42 %. Maternal request (23.38 %), fetal distress (22.73 %), and pregnancy complications (9.96 %) were the top three indications for cesarean delivery. Logistic regression analysis showed that older age (OR = 4.292, 95 % CI: 1.984-9.283) and being a primiparous woman (OR = 6.792, 95 % CI: 3.230-14.281) were risk factors for CDMR. In addition, CDMR was also associated with factors such as the tendency to choose cesarean delivery during late pregnancy (OR = 5.525, 95 % CI: 2.116-14.431), frequent contact with mothers who had undergone vaginal deliveries (OR = 0.547, 95 % CI: 0.311-0.961), and the recommendation of cesarean delivery by doctors (OR = 4.071, 95 % CI: 1.007-16.455). CONCLUSIONS: "Maternal request" has become the primary indication for cesarean delivery. The occurrence of CDMR is related to both the personal factors of women during pregnancy and others. Medical institutions and obstetricians should continue popularizing delivery knowledge among pregnant women, enhancing their own professional knowledge about delivery, adhering to the standard indications for cesarean delivery, and providing pregnant women with adequate opportunities for attempting vaginal delivery.

Factors influencing protective behavior in the post-COVID-19 period in China: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: The study aimed to explore the factors influencing protective behavior and its association with factors during the post-COVID-19 period in China based on the risk perception emotion model and the protective action decision model (PADM). METHODS: A total of 2830 valid questionnaires were collected as data for empirical analysis via network sampling in China. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was performed to explore the relationships between the latent variables. RESULTS: SEM indicated that social emotion significantly positively affected protective behavior and intention. Protective behavioral intention had significant direct effects on protective behavior, and the direct effects were also the largest. Government trust did not have a significant effect on protective behavior but did have a significant indirect effect. Moreover, it was found that government trust had the greatest direct effect on social emotion. In addition, we found that excessive risk perception level may directly reduce people's intention and frequency of engaging in protective behavior, which was not conducive to positive, protective behavior. CONCLUSION: In the post-COVID-19 period, theoretical framework constructed in this study can be used to evaluate people's protective behavior. The government should strengthen its information-sharing and interaction with the public, enhance people's trust in the government, create a positive social mood, appropriately regulate people's risk perception, and, finally, maintain a positive attitude and intent of protection.