Sexual Knowledge, attitudes and behaviors among unmarried migrant female workers in China: a comparative analysis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In recent years, many studies have focused on adolescent's sex-related issues in China. However, there have been few studies of unmarried migrant females' sexual knowledge, attitudes and behaviors, which is important for sexual health education and promotion.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A sample of 5156 unmarried migrant female workers was selected from three manufacturing factories, two located in Shenzhen and one in Guangzhou, China. Demographic data, sexual knowledge, attitudes and behaviors were assessed by self-administered questionnaires. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to examine the factors associated with premarital sexual intercourse.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The average age of the unmarried female workers included in the sample was 20.2 years, and majority of them showed a low level of sex-related knowledge. Females from the west of China demonstrated a significant lower level of sex-related knowledge than those from the eastern or central provinces (<it>p </it>< 0.05). Approximately 13% of participants held a favorable attitude towards premarital sexual intercourse, and youths from the east/central were more likely to have favorable attitudes compared with those from the west (<it>p </it>< 0.05). About 17.0% of the unmarried female workers reported having engaged in premarital sexual intercourse, and females from the east/central were more likely to have experienced premarital sexual intercourse than those from the west (<it>p </it>< 0.05). Multivariate analysis revealed that age, education, current residential type, dating, sexual knowledge, attitudes, and pattern of communication were significantly associated with premarital sexual intercourse.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The unmarried migrant female workers lack sexual knowledge and a substantial proportion of them are engaged in premarital sexual behaviors. Interventions aimed at improving their sexual knowledge and related skills are needed.</p

Crucial Role for BAFF-BAFF-R Signaling in the Survival and Maintenance of Mature B Cells

Defects in the expression of either BAFF (B cell activating factor) or BAFF-R impairs B cell development beyond the immature, transitional type-1 stage and thus, prevents the formation of follicular and marginal zone B cells, whereas B-1 B cells remain unaffected. The expression of BAFF-R on all mature B cells might suggest a role for BAFF-R signaling also for their in vivo maintenance. Here, we show that, 14 days following a single injection of an anti-BAFF-R mAb that prevents BAFF binding, both follicular and marginal zone B cell numbers are drastically reduced, whereas B-1 cells are not affected. Injection of control, isotype-matched but non-blocking anti-BAFF-R mAbs does not result in B cell depletion. We also show that this depletion is neither due to antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity nor to complement-mediated lysis. Moreover, prevention of BAFF binding leads to a decrease in the size of the B cell follicles, an impairment of a T cell dependent humoral immune response and a reduction in the formation of memory B cells. Collectively, these results establish a central role for BAFF-BAFF-R signaling in the in vivo survival and maintenance of both follicular and marginal zone B cell pools

Global patient outcomes after elective surgery: prospective cohort study in 27 low-, middle- and high-income countries.

BACKGROUND: As global initiatives increase patient access to surgical treatments, there remains a need to understand the adverse effects of surgery and define appropriate levels of perioperative care. METHODS: We designed a prospective international 7-day cohort study of outcomes following elective adult inpatient surgery in 27 countries. The primary outcome was in-hospital complications. Secondary outcomes were death following a complication (failure to rescue) and death in hospital. Process measures were admission to critical care immediately after surgery or to treat a complication and duration of hospital stay. A single definition of critical care was used for all countries. RESULTS: A total of 474 hospitals in 19 high-, 7 middle- and 1 low-income country were included in the primary analysis. Data included 44 814 patients with a median hospital stay of 4 (range 2-7) days. A total of 7508 patients (16.8%) developed one or more postoperative complication and 207 died (0.5%). The overall mortality among patients who developed complications was 2.8%. Mortality following complications ranged from 2.4% for pulmonary embolism to 43.9% for cardiac arrest. A total of 4360 (9.7%) patients were admitted to a critical care unit as routine immediately after surgery, of whom 2198 (50.4%) developed a complication, with 105 (2.4%) deaths. A total of 1233 patients (16.4%) were admitted to a critical care unit to treat complications, with 119 (9.7%) deaths. Despite lower baseline risk, outcomes were similar in low- and middle-income compared with high-income countries. CONCLUSIONS: Poor patient outcomes are common after inpatient surgery. Global initiatives to increase access to surgical treatments should also address the need for safe perioperative care. STUDY REGISTRATION: ISRCTN5181700

Molecular dissection of Rauscher virus gp70 by using monoclonal antibodies: localization of acquired sequences of related envelope gene recombinants.

Using hybridoma-specific immune precipitations of fragments derived from Rauscher virus gp70, coupled with peptide patterns (fingerprinting) and partial amino acid sequence analyses, we have generated a linear map of Rauscher gp70. We used a panel of 56 hybridomas derived from the fusion of the drug-selected SP-2 myeloma line with spleen cells from either a 129 GIX+ or a GIX- mouse immunized with purified Rauscher virus gp70. The results showed that by "natural" breakdown, gp70 splits into predominant fragments, with Mr 45,000 (P45), 34,000 (P34), and 32,000 (P32). Peptide fingerprinting of these as well as overlapping fragments coupled with partial amino acid sequence analyses allowed us to align the fragments into the linear arrangement NH2-P45-P32-COOH, with P34 being an NH2-terminal degradation product of P45. Of the 56 hybridomas, 20 immunoprecipitated both P45 and P34; 18 immunoprecipitated only P45; and 18 immunoprecipitated only P32. The hybridomas thus define three domains of the molecule as NH2-P45/P34, P45 only, and P32-COOH. Allowing these hybridomas to react with two Rauscher-derived envelope gene recombinant viruses yielded the following results: (i) all 20 P45/34 reactors bound to the two Rauscher recombinants; (ii) of 18 P45-only hybridomas, 10 reacted; and (iii) only 1 of 18 P32 reactors bound to the Rauscher recombinants. This last hybridoma reacted with various murine retroviruses, indicating that it was directed at conserved determinants of gp70. Peptide fingerprinting of R-gp70, the recombinant gp70s, and their respective breakdown products confirmed the homologies and nonhomologies defined by the hybridomas. Furthermore, peptide patterns showed that these acquired sequences on the COOH-terminal portion of the recombinant gp70s are related to xenotropic virus gp70s