Brief advice and active referral for smoking cessation services among community smokers: a study protocol for randomized controlled trial

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Brief intervention to promote smoking cessation and improve glycemic control in smokers with type 2 diabetes: a randomized controlled trial

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Paternal smoking and maternal protective behaviors at home on infant’s saliva cotinine levels

BackgroundWe investigated the association between paternal smoking, avoidance behaviors and maternal protective actions and smoke-free home rules with infant's saliva cotinine in Hong Kong.MethodsSix hundred and seventy-five non-smoking mothers (mean age 32.6 years) who attended the maternal-child health clinics with their newborns aged ≤18 months completed a questionnaire about paternal smoking and avoidance behaviors, maternal protective actions, smoke-free rules at home, and infant's second-hand smoke (SHS) exposure. Three hundred and eighty-nine infants provided saliva sample and its cotinine was tested.ResultsThe geometric mean of infant's saliva cotinine was 1.07 ng/ml (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.98, 1.16). Infants living in smoking families with SHS exposure had significantly higher cotinine level than in non-smoking families (adjusted β=0.25, 95% CI: 0.16, 0.33). Paternal smoking near infants (within 1.5 m) was associated with higher cotinine level (adjusted β=0.60, 95% CI: 0.22, 0.98), which was not reduced by avoidance behaviors (e.g., smoking in kitchen or balcony). Even fathers smoking ≥3 m away from infants was associated with higher cotinine level than non-smoking families (adjusted β=0. 09, 95% CI: 0.01, 0.16). Maternal protective actions and smoke-free home rules were not significantly associated with reduced cotinine level.ConclusionPaternal smoking avoidance, maternal protective actions, and smoke-free policy at home did not reduce infant's saliva cotinine.Pediatric Research advance online publication, 13 December 2017; doi:10.1038/pr.2017.279

Association between employer’s knowledge and attitude towards smoking cessation and voluntary promotion in workplace: a survey study

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The Metagenome of an Anaerobic Microbial Community Decomposing Poplar Wood Chips

This study describes the composition and metabolic potential of a lignocellulosic biomass degrading community that decays poplar wood chips under anaerobic conditions. We examined the community that developed on poplar biomass in a non-aerated bioreactor over the course of a year, with no microbial inoculation other than the naturally occurring organisms on the woody material. The composition of this community contrasts in important ways with biomass-degrading communities associated with higher organisms, which have evolved over millions of years into a symbiotic relationship. Both mammalian and insect hosts provide partial size reduction, chemical treatments (low or high pH environments), and complex enzymatic ‘secretomes’ that improve microbial access to cell wall polymers. We hypothesized that in order to efficiently degrade coarse untreated biomass, a spontaneously assembled free-living community must both employ alternative strategies, such as enzymatic lignin depolymerization, for accessing hemicellulose and cellulose and have a much broader metabolic potential than host-associated communities. This would suggest that such a community would make a valuable resource for finding new catalytic functions involved in biomass decomposition and gaining new insight into the poorly understood process of anaerobic lignin depolymerization. Therefore, in addition to determining the major players in this community, our work specifically aimed at identifying functions potentially involved in the depolymerization of cellulose, hemicelluloses, and lignin, and to assign specific roles to the prevalent community members in the collaborative process of biomass decomposition. A bacterium similar to Magnetospirillum was identified among the dominant community members, which could play a key role in the anaerobic breakdown of aromatic compounds. We suggest that these compounds are released from the lignin fraction in poplar hardwood during the decay process, which would point to lignin-modification or depolymerization under anaerobic conditions

The Peritoneum Is Both a Source and Target of TGF-β in Women with Endometriosis

Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) is believed to play a major role in the aetiology of peritoneal endometriosis. We aimed to determine if the peritoneum is a source of TGF-β and if peritoneal TGF-β expression, reception or target genes are altered in women with endometriosis. Peritoneal fluid, peritoneal bushings and peritoneal biopsies were collected from women with and without endometriosis. TGF-β1, 2 and 3 protein concentrations were measured in the peritoneal fluid. TGF-β1 was measured in mesothelial cell conditioned media. Control peritoneum and peritoneum prone to endometriosis (within Pouch of Douglas) from women without disease (n = 16) and peritoneum distal and adjacent to endometriosis lesions in women with endometriosis (n = 15) and were analysed for TGF-β expression, reception and signalling by immunohistochemistry, qRT-PCR and a TGF-β signalling PCR array. TGF-β1 was increased in the peritoneal fluid of women with endometriosis compared to those without disease (P<0.05) and peritoneal mesothelial cells secrete TGF-β1 in-vitro. In women with endometriosis, peritoneum from sites adjacent to endometriosis lesions expressed higher levels of TGFB1 mRNA when compared to distal sites (P<0.05). The TGF-β-stimulated Smad 2/3 signalling pathway was active in the peritoneum and there were significant increases (P<0.05) in expression of genes associated with tumorigenesis (MAPK8, CDC6), epithelial-mesenchymal transition (NOTCH1), angiogenesis (ID1, ID3) and neurogenesis (CREB1) in the peritoneum of women with endometriosis. In conclusion, the peritoneum, and in particular, the peritoneal mesothelium, is a source of TGF-β1 and this is enhanced around endometriosis lesions. The expression of TGF-β-regulated genes is altered in the peritoneum of women with endometriosis and this may promote an environment favorable to lesion formation

Built environment and physical activity in Hong Kong pre-schoolers

Symposia (S25) - Environmental determinants of children’s physical activity: The IPEN-children study: no. S25.3PURPOSE: Hong Kong children have been identified as one of the most inactive populations worldwide. Attributes of the neigh bourhood environment are thought to be important modifiable factors for increasing pre-schoolers’ PA. Thus, the present study aims to identify neighbourhood environmental correlates of PA in Hong Kong pre-schoolers. METHODS: 116 Chinese-speaking parents/primary caregivers and their 3-5 year old pre-schooler were recruited from the Maternal and Child Health Centres (MCHC) of the Department of Health, kindergartens and the community in Hong Kong. Recruitment sites were stratified by area socio-economic status and dwelling density. Parents/caregivers were asked to complete a set of questionnaires (including one on perceived neighbourhood environment) and an activity monitor log for their child. Pre-schoolers’ moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) was measured via accelerometers for a week. Participants that had ≥4 days of valid accelerometry data (including a weekend day) were included in the analyses. RESULTS: Several perceived neighbourhood environmental attributes were associated with MVPA in Hong Kong pre-schoolers. Signs of physical disorder, perceived stranger danger and perceived traffic hazards were negatively related with average daily minutes of MVPA. Perceived traffic safety, availability of outdoor places for play and neighbourhood informal social control were positively associated with daily minutes of MVPA. These effects were not gender specific. CONCLUSIONS: Safety attributes of the neighbourhood environment and availability of outdoor places to play (perceived by parents) are important correlates of PA in Hong Kong pre-schoolers. Environmental interventions aimed at addressing these issues would likely result in increased levels of PA in Hong Kong pre-schoolers.link_to_OA_fulltex

Longitudinal changes and predictors of secondhand smoke exposure at home in mothers and young children in Hong Kong (poster and abstract)

Poster Session 4: no. POS4-1SIGNIFICANCE: We investigated the pattern and factors associated with 3-year changes in home SHS exposure among mothers and young children in Hong Kong, the most densely populated city in China but with one of the lowest smoking prevalence in the world. METHODS: 771 non-smoking mothers and their children aged ≤18 months were recruited in 4 of the 33 Maternal and Child Health Centers (MCHCs) in 2012 and the mothers were followed after 3 years through telephone interviews. SHS exposure at home, health conditions and family smoking and related behaviours were recorded. Out of the 260 families with a smoking father and no other smokers at baseline, we included 161 families (61.9%) which were successfully followed. Logistic regression yielded adjusted odds ratios (OR) for a reduction in home SHS exposure in relation to demographics and smoking related factors. RESULTS: Home SHS exposure was non-significantly reduced from 40.1% to 37.3% or 218.3 to 163.1 minutes per week in children; and from 47.8% to 42.2% or 247.8 to 215.1 minutes per week in mothers (effect size was small to medium). Prevalence of exposure was unchanged, increased and decreased in 67.1%, 14.9% and 18.0% of children, and 67.1%, 13.7% and 19.2% of mothers, respectively. Living in subsidized home ownership housing (OR: 5.66, 95% CI 1.51-21.22) (vs public rental housing), and maternal SHS avoidance behaviours (OR per 1 more behavior: 1.61, 95% CI 1.17-2.23) predicted a reduction in children’s SHS exposure at home. Similar associations were observed in mothers’ home SHS exposure and the corresponding ORs were 3.80 (1.12-12.73) and 1.42 (1.06-1.89). CONCLUSIONS: Mothers and children in Hong Kong had slight to moderate but non-significant reduction in SHS exposure at home during 2012 to 2015. Future interventions should target public rental housing, and promote home SHS avoidance behaviours