Correlates of School Children's Handwashing: A Study in Tibetan Primary Schools

Hand hygiene, including handwashing by children, has been reported to contribute to the prevention of various infectious conditions. This study aims to explore the correlates of handwashing behavior among 1690 fourth to sixth grade primary school students in 19 Tibetan primary schools (Golog, Qinghai, China). The theory of reasoned action (TRA) was applied. Data was collected by questionnaire. Structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis showed that students’ attitude (β = 0.22, 95% CI 0.13–0.31) and subjective norms in terms of compliance to teachers’, parents’ and peers’ suggestions to wash hands (β = 0.09, 95% CI 0.01–0.18) were directly associated with students’ handwashing behavior. Students’ knowledge (β = 0.04, 95% CI 0.03–0.07) had an indirect association with handwashing behavior, mediated by students’ attitudes and subjective norms. Subjective norms (β = 0.12, 95% CI 0.07–0.17) were also indirectly correlated with handwashing through students’ attitudes. Therefore, our study supported the theory of reasoned action through our findings that students’ attitude and knowledge, and also attitudes from teachers, parents and peers were correlated with student handwashing behavior. Students reported higher level of compliance to teachers than to their parents and classmates. Based on this information, we recommend teacher-involved participatory hygiene education to promote students’ handwashing behaviors in areas at high risk for infectious diseases that can be prevented by handwashing

Plane hybrid stress elements for 3D analysis of moderately thick solids subjected to loading symmetric to midsurface

Plane semi-analytical hybrid stress elements are formulated from the 3D Hellinger–Reissner principle for modelling moderately thick structural components with and without hollows subjected to loadings symmetric to the midsurface. These components possess symmetry in the thickness direction but could not be idealised as either plane stress or plane strain problems. 3D displacement and stress fields conforming to the exact plane stress solution are assumed and normal stresses on the surfaces parallel to the thickness direction are nullified. These 2D elements possess good convergence characteristics and simulate the 3D behaviour of solids whose stress free surfaces exhibit negligible out-of-plane distortion with good level of accuracy comparable to 3D analyses by ABAQUS

Influence of trimethylsilane flow on the microstructure, mechanical and tribological properties of CrSiCN coatings in water lubrication

CrSiCN coatings with different silicon and carbon contents were deposited on silicon wafers and 316L stainless steels using unbalanced magnetron sputtering via adjusting trimethylsilane (TMS) flow, and their microstructure and mechanical properties were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectrons spectroscopy (XPS) and nano-indenter, respectively. The tribological properties of CrSiCN coatings sliding against SiC balls in water were investigated using ball-on-disk tribometer. The results showed that the CrSiCN coatings had fine composite microstructure consisting of nanocrystallites of Cr(C, N) crystal and amorphous phases such as a-Si3N4 and a-C(a-CNx). The typical columnar structures changed from fine cluster to coarse ones when the Si content was beyond 3.4 at.%. With an increase in the TMS flow, the hardness and Young's modulus of Corsican coatings all first increased, and then rapidly decreased, but the compressive stress in the coatings varied in the range of 2.8–4.8 GPa. When the TMS flow was 10 sccm, the CrSiCN coatings exhibited the highest hardness of 21.3 GPa and the lowest friction coefficient (0.11) and wear rate (8.4 × 10-8 mm3/N m). But when the TMS flow was beyond 15 sccm, the tribological properties of CrSiCN coatings in water became poor

Significant association between lower pulse pressure and increasing levels of a novel type of phospholipid

The aim of this study was to analyze the association between pulse pressure and a novel type of phospholipid with solubility similar to that of lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), designated as AP, which was reported to be elevated during ischemia. In this cross-sectional study, 416 hypertensive patients and 252 controls aged between 35 and 70 years were enrolled consecutively. Fasting blood samples were extracted for assays of phospholipids and other biomarkers. Compared to controls, the hypertensive patients had higher levels of both LPA [odds ratio (OR) = 3.83] and AP (OR = 4.30). Changes in blood pressure did not affect the levels of LPA or AP. However AP, but not LPA, levels were significantly higher in patients with lower or higher pulse pressure (Pearson chi(2) = 11.239, P = 0.001). For patients whose pulse pressure was <= 60 mmHg, plasma levels of AP were significantly negatively correlated with pulse pressure. However, this was not observed for LPA and nine other biomarkers, including lipoproteins. Plasma levels of AP increased in hypertensive patients with higher or lower pulse pressure. Thus, attention should be paid to the possibility of cerebral ischemia in hypertensive patients when they have abnormal pulse pressure, especially for those with relatively low pulse pressure.Biochemistry & Molecular BiologyGenetics & HereditySCI(E)[email protected]