Analyzing dependence in incidence of diabetes and heart problem using generalized bivariate geometric models with covariates

For analyzing incidence data on diabetes and health problems, the bivariate geometric probability distribution is a natural choice but remained unexplored largely due to lack of models linking covariates with the probabilities of bivariate incidence of correlated outcomes. In this paper, bivariate geometric models are proposed for two correlated incidence outcomes. The extended generalized linear models are developed to take into account covariate dependence of the bivariate probabilities of correlated incidence outcomes for diabetes and heart diseases for the elderly population. The estimation and test procedures are illustrated using the Health and Retirement Study data. Two models are shown in this paper, one based on conditional-marginal approach and the other one based on the joint probability distribution with an association parameter. The joint model with association parameter appears to be a very good choice for analyzing the covariate dependence of the joint incidence of diabetes and heart diseases. Bootstrapping is performed to measure the accuracy of estimates and the results indicate very small bias.     

自身免疫研究进展

自身免疫是一种述人和复杂的现象。自身耐受、自身免疫性疾病以及细胞凋亡，与自身免疫有着密切的关系。这以上各种机制正处于研究阶段，此文就该领域的一些进展作些报道。     

Vaginal Douching Practices Among Women Attending a University in the Southern United States

Abstract

The authors assessed the frequency, characteristics, and motivational antecedents of vaginal douching practices among 125 White and 155 Black female college students. Overall, 40% of the students had ever douched and half of those women currently douche. Black women were most likely to be encouraged to douche by their mothers, whereas White women were more influenced by television advertisements. Among the sexually active women, being Black, using oral contraceptives, using spermicides, and being encouraged to douche by their mothers or by the media were independently associated with ever having douched. These associations were present among both Black and White women and were stronger when current douching was compared with never having douched. Women who were discouraged from douching by a physician or nurse were more likely to have stopped the practice. Douching is common, even among educated young women; nurses' and physicians' advice to stop douching appears to have a salutary effect.     

Factors Influencing Condom Use and STD Acquisition Among African American College Women

Abstract

To identify factors that influence condom use and the risk of acquiring sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) among African American college women, the authors surveyed a sample of 123 sexually experienced undergraduate women at a state university. The college women who were older, had initiated sex earlier, or had more recent sexual partners were more likely than others in the study to report a history of an STD. The findings have implications for prevention and intervention programs for African American college women.     

Promoting the Health of Young Adults in Urban Public Universities: A Case Study From City University of New York

Abstract

Changing demographics of college students and new insights into the developmental trajectory of chronic diseases present universities with opportunities to improve population health and reduce health inequalities. The reciprocal relationships between better health and improved educational achievement also offer university health programs a chance to improve retention and graduation rates, a key objective for higher education. In 2007, City University of New York (CUNY), the nation's largest urban public university, launched Healthy CUNY, an initiative designed to offer life-time protection against chronic diseases and reduce health-related barriers to educational achievement. In its first 5 years, Healthy CUNY has shown that universities can mobilize students, faculty, and other constituencies to modify environments and policies that influence health. New policies on tobacco and campus food, enrollment of needy students in public food and housing assistance programs, and a dialogue on the role of health in academic achievement are first steps towards healthier universities.     

Our common future: a rapidly growing and rapidly aging humankind

Abstract

Physical inactivity, diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, smoking and obesity were associated with imbalance in oxidative stress, leading to endothelial dysfunction. Such dysfunction is present in both cardiovascular disease (CVD) and erectile dysfunction (ED). ED is the persistent inability to achieve or sustain an erection sufficient for satisfactory sexual performance and is one of the first manifestations of endothelial damage in men with CVD risk factors. The purpose of this article is to review the results of studies involving physical activity, CVD, endothelial dysfunction and ED in order to verify its applicability for improving the health and quality of life of men with such disorders. There is consistent evidence that endothelial damage is intimately linked to ED, and this manifestation seems to be associated with the appearance CVDs. On the other hand, physical activity has been pointed out as an important clinical strategy in the prevention and treatment of CVDs and ED mainly associated with improvement of endothelial function. However, further experimental and clinical prospective investigations are needed to test the role of physical exercises in the modulation of endothelial function and their implications on erectile function and the appearance of CVDs.     

Quantifying experts' uncertainty about the future cost of exotic diseases

Since the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak of 2001 in the United Kingdom, there has been debate about the sharing, between government and industry, both the costs of livestock disease outbreaks and responsibility for the decisions that give rise to them. As part of a consultation into the formation of a new body to manage livestock diseases, government veterinarians and economists produced estimates of the average annual costs for a number of exotic infectious diseases. In this article, we demonstrate how the government experts were helped to quantify their uncertainties about the cost estimates using formal expert elicitation techniques. This has enabled the decisionmakers to have a greater appreciation of government experts' uncertainty in this policy area.     

群发性职业病诊断鉴定的法律问题研究

职业病认定是职业病患者维权的关键。然而,我国法律对群发性职业病的认定未做任何规定,一旦有群发性职业病事件发生,患者只能按照现行相关法律单独进行职业病认定,导致患者得不到及时的职业病认定和补偿,而且也造成了资源的浪费。文章根据我国群发性职业病立法空白的现状以及实践中现行群发性职业病认定的做法,提出了一些建议,以期为相关部门破解群发性职业病“认定难”问题提供一些借鉴。     

试析我国高校教学及管理疾病的致病因素——我国传统教育对高校教学及管理的负面影响

我国高校教学及管理疾病很少为人们所关注 ,但作为一种社会现象 ,它确实存在 ,而且可以说自高等教育产生的那一天起 ,就已存在。本文就高校教学及管理疾病的类型与症状进行了描述 ,并试图从对中国古代教育思想的反思中探寻我国高校教学及管理疾病产生的原因     

新中国成立前后苏北区医疗卫生事业发展述略

新中国成立前后,苏北区作为省级行政单位,存在了3年多的时间。虽然时间不长,但在各方面都取得了辉煌的成就,为该地区以后各项事业的发展奠定了坚实的基础。本文尝试从医疗卫生事业方面入手,来展现苏北区所取得的伟大成就和所做出的历史贡献。