Synthetic Cannabinoids: Use and Predictors in a Community Sample of Young Adults

Background: Synthetic cannabinoids (SCs) are a class of drugs of abuse with deleterious consequences. Despite governmental regulations related to distribution and sale, SC variants are still available online. More research is needed to determine SC use prevalence and factors associated with SC use, especially among young adults. Methods: One thousand eighty individuals, 18–25 years old, were surveyed, between January 2012 and July 2013, during recruitment for a randomized controlled trial investigating health behaviors in young adults. Advertisements were placed online and in community locations seeking individuals “who had recently used marijuana or alcohol.” Respondents were queried about their use of alcohol and drugs, including SCs, in the last month. Results: Participants averaged 21.4 years old and were 53.4% male. Nearly 59% were non-Hispanic white, 15% were African American, 15% were Hispanic, and 11% identified as other. Approximately 9% reported SC use in the last month, a level higher than the reported use of opioids, cocaine, or hallucinogens. SC use was significantly associated with male gender, not being enrolled in school, and with use of cigarettes, binge alcohol drinking, daily and weekly marijuana use, and other drugs of abuse. There was a significant decrease in SC use after the federal ban in July 2012. Conclusions: SC use was common in the past month and often overlaps with other drug use, particularly marijuana use, and should be asked about during clinical encounters with young adults.     

Risk Estimation Modeling and Feasibility Testing for a Mobile eHealth Intervention for Binge Drinking Among Young People: The D-ARIANNA (Digital-Alcohol RIsk Alertness Notifying Network for Adolescents and young adults) Project

Background: Binge drinking is common among young people but often relevant risk factors are not recognized. eHealth apps, attractive for young people, may be useful to enhance awareness of this problem. We aimed at developing a current risk estimation model for binge drinking, incorporated into an eHealth app—D-ARIANNA (Digital-Alcohol RIsk Alertness Notifying Network for Adolescents and young adults)—for young people. Methods: A longitudinal approach with phase 1 (risk estimation), phase 2 (design), and phase 3 (feasibility) was followed. Risk/protective factors identified from the literature were used to develop a current risk estimation model for binge drinking. Relevant odds ratios were subsequently pooled through meta-analytic techniques with a random-effects model, deriving weighted estimates to be introduced in a final model. A set of questions, matching identified risk factors, were nested in a questionnaire and assessed for wording, content, and acceptability in focus groups involving 110 adolescents and young adults. Results: Ten risk factors (5 modifiable) and 2 protective factors showed significant associations with binge drinking and were included in the model. Their weighted coefficients ranged between ?0.71 (school proficiency) and 1.90 (cannabis use). The model, nested in an eHealth app questionnaire, provides in percent an overall current risk score, accompanied by appropriate images. Factors that mostly contribute are shown in summary messages. Minor changes have been realized after focus groups review. Most of the subjects (74%) regarded the eHealth app as helpful to assess binge drinking risk. Conclusions: We could produce an evidence-based eHealth app for young people, evaluating current risk for binge drinking. Its effectiveness will be tested in a large trial.     

Young carers in South Africa: tasks undertaken by children in households affected by HIV infection and other illness

‘Young carers’ are children who take on adult responsibility in response to familial illness. South Africa’s high disease burden, limited health care capacity and cultural notions of children’s familial duty suggest a large population of ‘young carers’ in this country. This study aims to explore the nature of responsibility among children affected by illness in deprived South African communities. A total of 349 children and adolescents aged 10–18 years in illness-affected households in the Western Cape province were recruited via community- and school-based convenience sampling. Data about their daily life, responsibilities and the impact of familial illness were collected via semi-structured interviews. Caring tasks involving intimate contact and medical treatments were relatively common among children in the sample, and nearly all children were engaged in some type of responsibility, from caring tasks to housework, childcare and earning money. Children frequently indicated their responsibilities constituted a substantial burden. Responses suggested a tension between duty to care and appropriateness of intimate contact between parents and children required for some caring responsibilities. Children often linked their tasks burden to familial illness, though further quantitative research is needed to identify the drivers of child responsibility.     

Pattern and risk factors of stroke in the young among stroke patients admitted in medical college hospital,Thiruvananthapuram

Background:

Stroke in the young is particularly tragic because of its potential to create a long-term burden on the victims, their families, and the community. There had been relatively few studies on young stroke in Kerala''s socio-economic setup, that too encapsulating the mentioned apparently relevant dimensions of stroke in the young.

Objective:

To study the prevalence, patterns and risk factors of young stroke.

Settings and Design:

A cross-sectional study with case control comparison at Government Medical College Hospital, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India.

Materials and and Methods:

Total 100 stroke patients were identified over a period of 2 months, and data were collected on the basis of questionnaire developed for the purpose.

Results:

Of 100 stroke patients, 15 had stroke in the young, among which 9 (60%) had ishaemic stroke. Hypertension was the most common risk factor. Smoking, alcohol, atrial fibrillation, and hyperlipidemia were found to be more common in cases (young stroke) when compared with controls. Alcohol use and atrial fibrillation were significantly higher among young stroke patients. Physical inactivity was significantly lesser in those with stroke in the young than elderly. Atrial fibrillation emerged as an independent risk factor of stroke in the young with adjusted odds ratio of 6.18 (1.31-29.21).

Conclusion:

In all, 15% of total stroke occurred in young adults <50 years. The proportion of hemorrhagic stroke in young adults is higher than in elderly. Atrial fibrillation is identified as an independent risk factor of stroke in the young. Compared with stroke in elderly alcohol use, smoking, hyperlipidemia, and cardiac diseases, which are known risk factors, are higher in young stroke.     

Sporadic late‐onset nemaline myopathy as a rare cause of slowly progressive muscle weakness with young adult onset

Introduction: Sporadic late‐onset nemaline myopathy (SLONM) is a rare intractable acquired myopathy characterized by progressive muscle weakness and atrophy, usually with middle to late adult onset. Autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (auto‐PBSCT) has been reported to be a promising treatment for SLONM. Methods: In this study we performed clinical characterization, muscle histopathological analysis, and muscle power monitoring after auto‐PBSCT in a 27‐year‐old HIV‐negative man with monoclonal gammopathy. Results: He showed improved muscle strength after treatment with high‐dose melphalan and auto‐PBSCT. Conclusions: Considering the recent reports of successful treatment of SLONM, early and correct diagnosis of this condition in association with monoclonal gammopathy is important. SLONM should be added to the list of diseases to consider in the differential diagnosis of progressive muscle weakness with young adult onset. Muscle Nerve 51 :772–774, 2015     

昆明医科大学青年教师科研动机及态度现状调查

目的对青年教师的科研动机和态度的现状调查,为学校科研文化建设发展提出建议.方法采用调查问卷对昆明医科大学年龄在45岁及以下的青年教师进行调查.结果从事科研的动机52.30%的青年高校教师是通过科研提高自身水平;对待有价值科研结果的处理68.00%和16.00%的青年教师再次核实、验证、分析后和成系统和体系后再发表;每天用在科研工作上的时间59.80%集中在1~3 h;经kendall’s tau-b分析科研水平自评水平与外语掌握程度(P<0.05)和科研技能掌握程度(P<0.01)相关;科研方法和技能掌握水平自评认为掌握的比较好的占34.48%,外语水平自评阅读娴熟,会话能力一般的占25.29%;82.70%的青年教师对本校科研现状表示满意;59.77%的青年教师认为科研管理中存在的主要问题是管理制度不完善;47.13%的青年教师认为学校科研工作的重点应该是科研队伍的建设.结论昆明医科大学青年教师的科研动机和态度比较端正,对个人能力的提升都有一定要求,但参考文献的评述频率和参加学术交流的积极性有待于进一步提高,并且希望学校在科研制度、经费投入和队伍建设上加大力度.