Factors affecting depression in high school students with chronic illness: A nationwide cross-sectional study in South Korea.

Chronic illnesses have been associated with poor mental health and depression. Given the fact that a large number of adolescents are suffering from chronic illnesses in South Korea, it is important to identify factors that contribute to depression in this population so that appropriate interventions can be developed. In order to achieve this aim, a large-scale, nationwide, cross-sectional study was performed. The study used data obtained from the 2016 Korean Children and Youth Panel Survey which included first-year high school students diagnosed with one or more of the following chronic illnesses: asthma, allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis, obesity, heart disease, and diabetes. A multiple regression analysis revealed that female, poor school adjustment, social withdrawal, low subjective health status, low self-esteem, and a shorter duration of exercise during physical education classes were significant predictors of depression. Thus, depression in adolescents with chronic illness seems to be closely linked to social, physical, and academic factors. These findings may aid the development of appropriate intervention programs that specifically target these factors for this vulnerable population.

The effects of Assisted Reproductive Technologies on genomic imprinting in the placenta.

The placenta is a complex and poorly understood organ, which serves as the connection between the mother and the developing fetus. Genomic imprinting, defined as a regulatory process resulting in the expression of a gene in a parent-of-origin-specific manner, plays an important role in fetal development and placental function. Disturbances that occur during the establishment and maintenance of imprinting could compromise the placenta and fetus, and ultimately, offspring health. Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART) have been widely used to overcome infertility, however experimental studies have shown that ART procedures affect placentation and the expression of imprinted genes. Here we briefly review the role of imprinted genes in placental development and the evidence from mouse and human studies suggesting ART disrupts imprinted gene regulation in the placenta.

Parental HPV knowledge and perceptions of HPV vaccines among Korean American parents.

AIM: The purpose of this study was to examine Korean-Americans (KA) parents' level of knowledge and perceptions of the HPV vaccination, and to identify the differences in parental knowledge and perceptions of the HPV vaccine between KA parents who have vaccinated their children versus those who have not. BACKGROUND: While there are significant concerns about HPV infection, lower immunization rates, and higher cervical cancer risks facing KAs, limited attention has been paid to the specific concerns of KA parents and barriers that underlie parental reluctance to vaccinate their children. METHODS: A descriptive comparative design was used in a convenience sample of 74 KA parents. The study questionnaire consisted of demographic items, general knowledge of HPV, and parental perception regarding HPV vaccination. RESULTS: The level of general knowledge about HPV was very low with a mean score of 3.14 out of 10. Many participants reported negative perception toward HPV vaccination. HPV knowledge scores were not significantly different between parents who did vaccinate their children compared to parents who did not. However, scores for perceived benefits and perceived barriers to vaccination were found to be significantly different between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: A lack of knowledge about HPV and negative perception of the HPV vaccination play a key role in preventing many KA parents from seeking appropriate information and delaying vaccination. Development of a culturally grounded and sensitive HPV education program is critical to improve and implement preventive measures for HPV in this population.

The common marmoset monkey: avenues for exploring the prenatal, placental, and postnatal mechanisms in developmental programming of pediatric obesity.

Animal models have been critical in building evidence that the prenatal experience and intrauterine environment are capable of exerting profound and permanent effects on metabolic health through developmental programming of obesity. However, despite physiological and evolutionary similarities, nonhuman primate models are relatively rare. The common marmoset monkey ( Callithrix jacchus) is a New World monkey that has been used as a biomedical model for well more than 50 years and has recently been framed as an appropriate model for exploring early-life impacts on later health and disease. The spontaneous, multifactorial, and early-life development of obesity in the common marmoset make it a valuable research model for advancing our knowledge about the role of the prenatal and placental mechanisms involved in developmental programming of obesity. This paper provides a brief overview of obesity in the common marmoset, followed by a discussion of marmoset reproduction and placental characteristics. We then discuss the occurrence and utility of variable intrauterine environments in developmental programming in marmosets. Evidence of developmental programming of obesity will be given, and finally, we put forward future directions and innovations for including the placenta in developmental programming of obesity in the common marmoset.

Assisted Reproductive Technologies and the Placenta: Clinical, Morphological, and Molecular Outcomes.

As the biological bridge between mother and fetus, the placenta is not only important for the health of the mother and fetus during pregnancy but it also impacts the lifelong health of the fetus. Assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) involve procedures and exposures that are not characteristic of in vivo reproduction. Moreover, ART procedures occur when the gametes and embryos are undergoing extensive epigenetic reprogramming. Thus, the oxidative, thermal, and mechanical stress that ART procedures introduce can impact the biological processes of placental growth, development, and function with potentially long-lasting health effects for the offspring. Here, we focus on the placenta and summarize the clinical, morphological, and molecular outcomes of ART. This review highlights that ART procedures have additive effects on placental morphology as well as epigenetic disturbances and provides a foundation for reconceptualizing ART outcomes.

Factors related to sexual behaviors and sexual education programs for Asian-American adolescents.

AIM: To understand the influential factors related to sexual behaviors among Asian-American adolescents and to evaluate common factors across successful sexual education programs for this population. BACKGROUND: Despite a rapid increase in cases of STIs/HIV among Asian-American populations, there remains a need for a comprehensive understanding of the influential factors related to risky sexual behaviors for this population. METHODS: An integrative literature review was conducted. Peer-reviewed articles and government resources were analyzed. RESULTS: Five influential factors were identified: family-centered cultural values, parental relationship, acculturation, gender roles, and lack of knowledge and information about sex and STIs. Only two sexual educational programs met the inclusion criteria and provided evidence towards effectiveness: Safer Choices and Seattle Social Development Project. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study indicate an urgent need for culturally sensitive sexual education programs that incorporate the identified influential factors, especially cultural values in order to reduce risky sexual behaviors among Asian-American adolescents.