ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To gain an insight into the demographic characteristics and AIDS-related knowledge, attitudes and behaviors of men who have sex with men (MSM) in a Chinese city, and to offer a base for preventive measures against AIDS.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>We carried out a prevalence survey, using "snowball" methods to set up survey sites in the "comrade" community, the "comrades" looking for the respondents by various means.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Among 309 respondents, 265 (85.8%) were younger than 30 years, 187 (60.5%) received college education or above, 187 (60.5%) were government officials or employees, and 91 (29.4%) were students; 299 (96.8%) were willing or very willing to get knowledge about HIV prevention and treatment, 201 (65.1%) considered themselves as MSM, 76 (24.6%) admitted bisexuality, 117 (37.9%) had insertion sex with at least three men in the past six months, 61 (19.7%) had two or more regular male sexual partners, 140 (45.3%) used condoms on >80% occasions and 34 (11.0%) occasionally or never used them during vaginal sex in the past six months.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>MSM in the city showed the characteristics of younger age, higher education, stable employment and income, more than one sexual partner, high frequency of high-risk behavior, and negligence of condom-use, and most (96.8%) of them are willing or very willing to obtain AIDS prevention knowledge, which deserves particular attention from relevant institutions.</p>
Subject(s)
Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Young Adult , Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome , Asian People , Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice , Homosexuality, Male , Psychology , Sexual Behavior , Surveys and QuestionnairesABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the influencing factors on behavior related to HIV testing among female commercial sex workers under Structural Equation Model (SEM).Methods In Chongqing,Sichuan,Guangxi,Xinjiang provinces,1613 female commercial sex workers were participated in a questionnaire survey.Factors on behaviors related to HIV testing among female commercial sex workers were analyzed based on SEM.Results Influencing factors on behaviors related to HIV testing among female commercial sex workers would include social status,knowledge on AIDS,risk through self-evaluation,condom use,frequency of sexual services etc.GFI,AGFI,RMR were 0.9952,0.9898 and 0.0115 respectively.Conclusion Social status,knowledge on AIDS,risk through self-evaluation,condom use and frequency of sexual services were affecting the behaviors related to HIV testing among female commercial sex workers.
ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore Effects of marine collagen peptides (MCPs) on markers of metablic nuclear receptors, i.e peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPARs), liver X receptor (LXRs) and farnesoid X receptor (FXRs) in type 2 diabetic patients with/without hypertension. METHOD Study population consisted of 200 type 2 diabetic patients with/without hypertension and 50 healthy subjects, all of whom were randomly assigned to MCPs-treated diabetics (n = 50), placebo-treated diabetics (n = 50), MCPs-treated diabetics with hypertension (n=50), placebo-treated diabetics with hypertension (n = 50), and healthy controls (n = 50). MCPs or placebo (water-soluble starch) were given daily before breakfast and bedtime over three months. Levels of free fatty acid, cytochrome P450, leptin, resistin, adiponectin, bradykinin, NO, and Prostacyclin were determined before intervention, and 1.5 months, and 3 months after intervention. Hypoglycemia and the endpoint events during the study were recorded and compared among the study groups.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>At the end of the study period, MCPs-treated patients showed marked improvement compared with patients receiving placebo. The protection exerted by MCPs seemed more profound in diabetics than in diabetics with hypertension. In particular, after MCPs intervention, levels of free fatty acid, hs-CRP, resistin, Prostacyclin decreased significantly in diabetics and tended to decrease in diabetic and hypertensive patients whereas levels of cytochrome P450, leptin, NO tended to decrease in diabetics with/without hypertension. Meanwhile, levels of adiponectin and bradykinin rose markedly in diabetics following MCPs administration.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>MCPs could offer protection against diabetes and hypertension by affecting levels of molecules involved in diabetic and hypertensive pathogenesis. Regulation on metabolic nuclear receptors by MCPs may be the possible underlying mechanism for its observed effects in the study. Further study into its action may shed light on development of new drugs based on bioactive peptides from marine sources.</p>