Biomarkers Predicting Progression of Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Related Disease

Biomarkers in predicting the progression of HIV infected individuals to a state of HIV disease (AIDS) are studied over more than a decade. Use of surrogate markers in the past for tracking clinical progression of the disease was limited, as little knowledge existed about the disease. The aim of this review was to address various changes in biomarker related studies taking place over the last five years, especially the trend towards use of newer biomarkers and experimentation with novel molecules in a quest for halting HIV disease progression. An open search of PUBMED database was made with search 'key words' such as 'Biomarkers' and 'AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome)'.The following were the inclusion criteria for articles: a) all articles published in English language, b) years of publication between 2002-2008 and c) articles limited to adult population. This yielded a total of 417 articles. The criteria used for further judging these studies considered a) type of research design, b) number of biomarkers studied, c) validity of the biomarkers, d) techniques to assess the biomarkers and the impact of the studies in furthering biomarker research, e) sample size for the studies and f) article title or abstracts having the following key words 'biomarker' or 'biomarkers' and 'predict progression to AIDS'. A total of 27 abstracts were reviewed and 12 studies met the above criteria. These 12 different studies consisted of three reviews, four cohort designs, three cross-sectional designs, one each of an observational, and an in-vitro design. The various biomarkers emerging as a results were primarily a mix of viral, neural, immunological, HLA (human leukocyte antigen) markers along with lymphocyte counts. Although there have been quite a few advancements in biomarker-related studies, majority of the novel biomarkers discovered need to be further evaluated and replicated in bigger, long-term efficacy trials. Efforts should also be made to discover newer genetic markers of disease progression. Biomarker feedback, a new concept, can be utilized in future studies addressing prevention of HIV infection or halting disease progression

Tobacco Prevention Interventions in Adolescents

Tobacco use is a major public health problem in our society. Tobacco addiction begins in adolescence and majority of smokers start using tobacco in the age group between 11-13 years. There are a number of tobacco prevention strategies targeted towards the youth such as school-based educational interventions, community-based interventions, advertising restrictions on tobacco use, youth access restrictions and public health education. The purpose of this article is to review smoking prevention educational interventions in adolescents conducted either in the school or community setting. In order to collect the materials for the study, a search of CINAHL, MEDLINE and ERIC databases was conducted for the time period 1985-2006. A total of 15 studies met the inclusion criteria. Eight out of the 15 interventions were targeted towards students in grades 6-7 which makes sense as majority of the adolescents start using tobacco in the age group 11-13 years. Nine out of 15 interventions reviewed did not use any behavioral theory. The six articles that used theory used social learning theory, community organizing theory, transactional and systems theory of environmental change and some constructs from transtheoretical model. There is need to explicitly reify behavioral theories by tobacco prevention interventions. Characteristics of the length of the intervention, personnel conducting the intervention, types of activities included in the interventions, and process evaluation results are discussed in the article. Recommendations for developing future educational interventions for preventing tobacco use in adolescents are discussed

Factors Affecting Condom Use Among College Students

The absence of consistent and correct usage of condoms increases the risk of STI\u27s and HIV/AIDS. However, most studies done to date across the nation indicate a low usage of condoms among college students. In fall of 2004, the National College Health Assessment was administered to a random sample of students at a state comprehensive university in south central Kentucky. Findings revealed that among the sexually active students, approximately half never used condoms during vaginal intercourse. Further among students engaging in anal sex, an alarmingly high proportion --95%- reported never using condom during this act. These findings along with differences noted in various subgroups (gender, Greek Status, housing, class standing) and other risk behaviors (alcohol, illicit drug use) will be presented and discussed

Growing Healthy Communities Initiative: Transforming the Built Environment to Combat Obesity

A contributing factor to the U.S. national obesity epidemic is the built environment-the physical aspects of a community in which we live, work and engage in our everyday activities. Therefore, modifying the built environment can be a solution to address the epidemic. Such an example is the Arkansas Coalition for Obesity Prevention (ArCOP) Growing Healthy Communities (GHC) initiative. The GHC initiative encourages community health workers, health education specialists, government officials and other stakeholders to embrace community collaboration in efforts to improve built environments by equipping them with resources that increase community access to healthy foods and physical activities to help combat obesity. ArCOP to date has funded 100+ GHC communities in Arkansas. One of the five communities being highlighted by the authors for their GHC efforts includes: the University of Arkansas at Little Rock University District community, in which the authors have contributed to implementing various GHC projects for the residents of this community. The GHC, a state initiative, has implications for national and global use, and it is emerging as an exemplary best practice model. It provides communities with effective strategies to help address the health inequities of obesity, through prevention and intervention measures to improve health behaviors

Developing A Scale for Measuring Perfection Quotient (PQ) to Predict Readiness to Health Behavior Change

The concept of perfection quotient (PQ) that imbibes the basics of intelligence quotient (IQ), emotional quotient (EQ), X quotient (XQ) and spiritual dimension has been proposed to measure readiness for individual-level health behavior change. PQ can be defined as a sum total of combined cognitive capacity, balanced emotions, desirable personality traits, and spiritual awareness to meet the best possible success of life goals. The present article reifies this concept into a practical scale that includes the concept of IQ implicitly by developing the scale at less than seventh-grade level. It explicitly operationalizes the concept of EQ through three constructs namely self-awareness, mood management, and self-motivation into a health emotional quotient (HEQ). It also operationalizes the concept of health X quotient (HXQ) through the constructs of cautiousness, independence, and competition with self.  Finally, it operationalizes the concept of health spiritual quotient (HSQ) through the constructs of self-love and love for others around oneself. The summation of HEQ, HXQ, and HSQ yields the PQ score which can range from 0-100 units. It is proposed that score of 0-25 units indicates needing improvement low perfection score; a score of 26-50 units indicates needing improvement small perfection score; a score of 51-75 units indicates moderate perfection score that can be better; a score of 76-100 units indicates high perfection score on the continuum and high readiness for health behavior change. The scale can be freely used by health behavior researchers while providing due credit

Vitamin D Deficiency—A Clinical Spectrum: Is There a Symptomatic Nonosteomalacic State?

Vitamin D deficiency is not uncommon even in the sunny land of India. Lack of sun exposure and inadequate oral intake are both responsible for vitamin D deficiency. This article provides a retrospective, examining the effects of Vitamin D deficiency in 71 patients. The study's inclusion criterion was low vitamin D level combined with musculoskeletal symptoms but without the presence of osteomalacia. All patients in this study were suspected to have vitamin D deficiency. The data were retrieved from the case-charts of patients seen between 1996 and 2001 at the rheumatology services of Hinduja Hospital, Mumbai, India. This study found no correlation between Vitamin D levels and symptoms, or between the severity of Vitamin D deficiency and the number of symptoms displayed. Subclinical vitamin D deficiency or preosteomalacic state was the term coined for individuals with vitamin D deficiency producing nonspecific musculoskeletal symptoms in the absence of clinical osteomalacia

COVID-19 and Mental Well-Being: Guidance on the Application of Behavioral and Positive Well-Being Strategies

The raging COVID-19 pandemic has been a great source of anxiety, distress, and stress among the population. Along with mandates for social distancing and infection control measures, the growing importance of managing and cultivating good mental well-being practices cannot be disregarded. The purpose of this commentary is to outline and discuss some research-proven positive well-being and stress reduction strategies to instill healthy coping mechanisms among individuals and community members. The authors anticipate that usage of these strategies at the individual and the community level should greatly benefit the mental well-being not only in the current COVID-19 pandemic but also in any future epidemics at the national level

Introspective Meditation before Seeking Pleasurable Activities as a Stress Reduction Tool among College Students: A Multi-Theory Model-Based Pilot Study

In the realm of behavioral interventions, a combined approach of yoga and a cognitive-behavioral strategy in the form of introspective meditation (manan-dhyana) may offer benefits as a stress management tool. This pilot study focuses on introspective meditation performed before seeking pleasurable activities, which is a self-reflection about whether to pursue a goal that will bring sensory pleasure in life. A non-probability sample of college students was recruited from a mid-sized Southern University of the United States using a 52-items web-based survey built in Qualtrics. Univariate, bivariate, and multivariate statistics were used to analyze data. Of total 65 students, only 21.5% students reported being engaged in the introspective meditation. The sample constituted predominantly females (75.4%), White (64.6%), and undergraduate students (87.7%). The proportions of anxiety, depression, and moderate/high stress were 50.8%, 40.0%, 86.1% respectively. In the hierarchical regression for initiation, the final model explained nearly 21.1% of variance in initiating introspective meditation among participants (n = 51) who had not been practicing it. With each unit increment in subscales of initiation (i.e., changes in physical environment), the conditional mean for initiating introspective meditation behavior increased by 0.373 units. In the hierarchical regression for sustenance, the final model explained nearly 50.5% of variance in sustaining introspective meditation behavior among participants (n = 51) who had not been practicing it. With each unit increment in subscales of sustenance (i.e., emotional transformation), the conditional mean for sustaining introspective meditation behavior increased by 0.330 units. This study can pave a way for designing interventions for college students to promote introspective meditation directed toward seeking pleasurable activities before engaging in them. This has implications for the reduction of stress as well as a preemptive measure for sexual risk-taking, indulgence in maladaptive behaviors such as smoking, vaping, alcohol, and substance use

Neighbourhood walkability as a moderator of the associations between older adults’ information technology use and social activity: A cross-sectional study with sensitivity analyses

Background Research to date suggests that information technology use by older adults can be positively associated with social activity, but whether neighbourhood walkability can play a role in this relationship has not been investigated. Aim To assess the associations between information technology use and social activity as well as the moderating influences of walkability in these associations. Methods This study adopted a cross-sectional design with sensitivity analyses as well as techniques against common methods bias. The study population was community-dwelling older residents of Accra aged 60 years or higher. A total of 890 older adults participated in this study. The hierarchical linear regression analysis was used to analyse the data. Results Information technology use was found to be positively associated with social activity. Among the three domains of information technology use, only packaged software use assessment was positively associated with social activity. Walkability was found to positively moderate the associations between social activity and information technology use as well as packaged software use assessment. Walkability strengthened the negative association between innovativeness attitude (another domain of information technology use) and social activity. Conclusions Information technology use can facilitate social activity, but experimentation with new information technologies can discourage social engagement, even in higher walkability. Packaged software use assessment, which measures the ability to use packaged software such as WhatsApp, can more significantly support social activity in higher walkability