Associations between Unprotected Sex and Individual, Family and Extrafamilial Factors - A cross-sectional study of 17-18 year old Swedish students in upper secondary school

Background: A majority of sexually active adolescents in Sweden use contraception during sex, however STIs such as chlamydia has been seen to increase among 15-19 year olds. The overall aim of this study was to look into a wide set of factors that influence sexual risk-taking within individual, family and extrafamilial factors. A special focus was put on the influence of family factors on unprotected sex. Living with both parents has previously shown to be protective for general sexual risk behaviour, although researchers indicate that it is the relationships within the family that matters rather than the family structure. Methods: In this cross-sectional study 17-18 year old Swedish students from Uppsala County were recruited to participate in a health survey. The survey was self-administered and consisted of 108 questions, and the response rate was 69 percent. The sample comprised of 2127 respondents, and a majority went to school in the largest municipality in Uppsala County. Variables were identified with guidance from a multi-system framework and were analysed by using Pearson’s chi-squared test, a model was built and analysed using logistic regression. Results: Non-intact families showed patterns of having more unfavourable characteristics compared with two parent families. The final model showed evidence for family structure, peer drug use, school wellbeing and school working atmosphere being significant predictors for unprotected sex. Adolescents from non-intact families showed higher likelihood to engage in unprotected sex compared with teenagers living in two parent families, while controlling for possible confounders such as parenting factors. Conclusion: This study contributes to the literature of family and environmental factors associated with unprotected sex. The study shows the need for further investigation of school environment for sexual risk behaviour and indicates the need for more complex measurements for family process variables and school environment

Positioning in Indoor Mobile Systems

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Utilizing artificial neural networks for WLAN positioning

Short range wireless technologies such as WLAN, Bluetooth, RFID, ultrasound and IrDA can be used to supply location information in indoor areas in which their coverage is assured. With respect to outdoor techniques, these technologies are more accurate but with smaller covering areas. In this paper, we present the comparison of the existing location techniques in WLAN networks and a novel approach of utilizing artificial neural networks for positioning purposes. In addition to estimating WLAN client's position, neural networks have been employed to estimate the room and type of the room the client resides in. Extensive measurements were conducted to evaluate these approaches and the obtained results indicate performances sufficient for real case use

Social challenges and european integration of the Western Balkans

The article deals with international, foreign political and wider social implications of the Western Balkan countries, inclusion in the strategic concept of Euro integratio

Welfare practices for anaesthesiology trainees in Europe: A descriptive cross-sectional survey study.

BACKGROUND Current regulations of anaesthesiology training programmes may affect gender equity, female representation and leadership. OBJECTIVE To describe the work regulations of anaesthesiology training programs and working conditions during the early period of child-rearing in European countries. DESIGN Cross-sectional survey. SETTING National Anesthesiologists Societies Committee (NASC) representatives of the European Society of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care. PARTICIPANTS Thirty-eight NASC representatives. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Basic specialist training working conditions, gender-related data, return to work after childbirth and workplace policies against discrimination during anaesthesiology specialist training. INTERVENTIONS A 48-item questionnaire to explore the work patterns and conditions for trainees especially for new parents, professional development opportunities and work discrimination regulations in each representative country was distributed to NASC representatives of 44 European countries. RESULTS We collected the replies of each representative (38 representatives from 44 invited countries' representatives, 86% response rate). The median [IQR] proportion of female trainees was 60% [50 to 68]. There were no reported pay differences between sexes. In eight European countries, pregnant trainees worked fewer hours and were excused from night shifts. Women could not be laid off during pregnancy in all 38 countries (100%). The countries offered a median of 18 weeks of paid (total or partial) maternity leave (range, 13 to 60 weeks). Most countries (89%) accommodate paid paternity leaves. A significant proportion of parental leave was unpaid (n=18, 42%). Twenty-one (55%) countries allowed part-time work after delivery. The UK was the only country with clear recommendations to formally complain after harassment. CONCLUSION European countries have a wide variety of regulations. On paper, numerous countries have various paid maternal, paternal and parental leave; however, it remains to be determined if such leave takes place in practice. The practical consequences of these regulations on female trainees during the child-rearing period need to be explored further. TRIAL REGISTRATION None

Akutna toksičnost herbicida GAL-57 (bentazon + dikamba) za pacova

An acute oral toxicity study of the herbicide GAL-57 (Avalon), a mixture of bentazon and dicamba as active ingredients, was investigated on rats, using a new method that has been used in the past several years (2001). Clinical observations symptoms and mortality were performed for all animals in different time intervals after treatment, and gross necropsy was performed at the end of observation period. Clinical symptoms (decreased activity, prone position, abnormal limb position, decreased righting reflex, decreased grip and limb tone, decreased body and abdominal tone, dyspnoea) of marked degree were noted after administration of 2000 mg/kg, and animals were dead in the period of 30-60 minutes after the treatment. GAL-57 did not cause any clinical sings at single 300 mg/kg bw dose. The physical condition and behaviour of animals (males and females) were normal, and it is not differ in reaction to the control. According to the methodology used in the present study, it could be concluded that the acute oral LD-50 value of the GAL-57 proved to be between 300 and 2000 mg/kg body weight in rats, and the product was ranked into Poison group III according to Serbian criteria, category 4 of the Global Harmonized Classification System, and Category III of the EPA classification.Akutna oralna toksičnost herbicida (preparata) GAL-57 (Avalon), koji je mešavina dve aktivne materije, bentazon i dikamba, ispitivana je na pacovima primenom nove metode koja se koristi tek nekoliko godina (od 2001. godine). Praćeni su simptomi trovanja i smrtnost životinja u različitim intervalima nakon doziranja, a po završetku perioda opservacije obavljene su odgovarajuće patohistološke analize. Kod životinja koje su dobijale preparat GAL-57 u dozi od 2000 mg/kg, registrovana je pojava veoma izraženih simptoma trovanja kao što su: smanjena aktivnost, nekoordinirano kretanje, opušten položaj zadnjih nogu (koje vuku pri kretanju), smanjen refleks, smanjen tonus udova i čitavog tela, dispneja. Simptomi se postepeno intenziviraju, a životinje uginjavaju u periodu 30-60 minuta posle tretiranja. Kod životinja koje su dobijale preparat GAL-57 u dozi od 300 mg/kg nije bilo uginjavanja, niti su registrovane pojave kliničkih simptoma trovanja. Njihova fizička aktivnost i ponašanje (i kod mužjaka i kod ženki) nisu se značajnije razlikovali u odnosu na kontrolne životinje. Po metodologiji korišćenoj u ovim ispitivanjima može se zaključiti da se LD-50 herbicida GAL-57 kreće između 300 i 2000 mg/kg, pa prema tome preparat može biti razvrstan po našim kriterijumima u III grupu otrova, u kategoriju 4 po kriterijumima Globalno usaglašenog sistema klasifikacije (Globally Harmonized Classification System), odnosno u kategoriju III po klasifikaciji EPA (Environmental Protection Agency)