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Abstract Background Increasing evidence suggests that serum urea nitrogen may be a risk factor for prostate cancer (PCa) and influence serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) concentrations, but direct evidence of a relationship between PSA and serum urea nitrogen levels in the general population is still lacking. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the relationship between serum urea nitrogen levels and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and prostate cancer. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES, 2003–2010) database. We performed a multifactorial regression analysis of the association between serum urea nitrogen levels and PSA and PCa, followed by subgroup analyses. Results A total of 5256 subjects were included in this study, and after adjusting for demographic, biological, and immunologic variables, we found that there was a threshold for blood urea nitrogen concentration below which every 1 ng/mL increase in serum urea nitrogen was associated with a 0.0325 ng/mL increase in PSA concentration (log2 transformed) (95% CI: 0.0064, 0.0586), and the P trend was was less than 0.05 and the difference was statistically significant. Sensitivity analyses using the generalized additive model (GAM) showed a linear relationship between serum urea nitrogen and serum PSA concentrations when blood urea nitrogen concentrations ranged from 0 ng/ml to 6.78 ng/ml. Conclusion Serum urea nitrogen was independently and positively correlated with serum PSA concentration when the concentration of serum urea nitrogen ranged from 0 ng/ml to 6.78 ng/ml.

Abstract Purpose The albumin-globulin ratio (AGR) influences the development of prostate cancer; however, the relationship between AGR and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) has not been reported. Methods This cross-sectional investigation used comprehensive AGR versus PSA data from men with 40 years of age and older, who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2003 to 2010, spanning 4 investigation cycles, as only these cycles contained complete PSA data. To evaluate the nonlinear relationship between the ARG and PSA level, a regression utilizing smoothed curve fitting (penalized spline approach) and a generalized additive model (GAM) were employed. A two-segment linear regression model was used to conduct threshold effect evaluations. Lastly, subgroup analyses were carried out along with interaction tests. Results This study included 5,376 subjects, whose total serum PSA (mean ± standard deviation) was 1.83 ± 3.34, and its level decreased roughly with increasing quartiles of AGR. In the fully-adjusted model, AGR was negatively correlated with the likelihood of PSA, and this relationship persisted across subgroups (trend > 0.05). The PSA was characterized by an “L”-shaped curve with an inflection point. On the left side of the inflection point (K = 1.32), there was a negative relationship between AGR and PSA. Conclusion In the United States, among men over 40 years of age without prostate diseases, AGR demonstrated a nonlinear relationship with PSA, negatively correlating when AGR was below 1.32. Clinical trial number Not applicable.

Abstract Background Information on the influences of daily eating frequency (DEF) and nighttime fasting duration (NFD) on biological aging is minimal. Our study investigated the potential associations of DEF and NFD with accelerated aging. Methods Out of 24212 participants in NHANES 2003–2010 and 2015–2018, 4 predicted age metrics [homeostatic dysregulation (HD), Klemera–Doubal method (KDM), phenoAge (PA), and allostatic load (AL)] were computed based on 12 blood chemistry parameters. Utilizing 24-h dietary recall, DEF was measured by the frequency of eating occurrences, while NFD was determined by assessing the timing of the initial and final meals throughout the day. Weighted multivariate linear regression models and restricted cubic spline (RCS) were utilized to examine the associations. Results Compared to DEF of ≤ 3.0 times, subjects with DEF ≥ 4.6 times demonstrated lower KDM residual [β: -0.57, 95% confidence-interval (CI): (-0.97, -0.17)] and PA residual [β: -0.47, 95% CI: (-0.69, -0.25)]. In comparison to NFD between 10.1 and 12.0 h, individuals with NFD ≤ 10.0 h were at higher HD [β: 0.03, 95% CI: (0.01, 0.04)], KDM residual [β: 0.34, 95% CI: (0.05, 0.63)], and PA residual [β: 0.38, 95% CI: (0.18, 0.57)]. Likewise, those with NFD ≥ 14.1 h also had higher HD [β: 0.02, 95% CI: (0.01, 0.04)] and KDM residual [β: 0.33, 95% CI: (0.03, 0.62)]. The results were confirmed by the dose–response relationships of DEF and NFD with predicted age metrics. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and globulin (Glo) were acknowledged as implicated in and mediating the relationships. Conclusions DEF below 3.0 times and NFD less than 10.0 or more than 14.1 h were independently associated with higher predicted age metrics.

Background The relationship between monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (MLR) and prognosis in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) remains unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between MLR and both all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality in patients with CKD.Methods This study analyzed data from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2003-2010. This study included 11262 eligible subjects, and 3015 of them were with CKD. We first compared the differences in clinical characteristics between individuals with and without CKD, and then grouped the CKD population based on quartiles of MLR. The partial correlation analysis was conducted to assess the relationships between MLR and some important clinical features. Cox proportional hazards models were used to investigate the associations between MLR and mortality from all-cause and cardiovascular disease. Restricted cubic spline (RCS) was used to investigate the dose-response relationship between MLR and mortality, the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves is used to compare the efficacy of MLR with different clinical biological indicators in assessing the risk of death.Results During a median follow-up of 10.3 years in CKD population, 1398 (43%) all-cause deaths and 526 (16%) CVD deaths occurred. It has been found that individuals with CKD have higher MLR level. The partial correlation analysis results showed that even after adjusting for age, sex, and race, MLR is still correlated with blood glucose, lipid levels, and kidney function indicators. The results of the cox proportional hazards regression model and Kaplan-Meier curve shown after adjusting for covariates, higher MLR was significantly associated with an increased risk of mortality. Consistent results were also observed when MLR was examined as categorical variable (quartiles). The RCS demonstrated a positive association between MLR and the risk of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality. The ROC results indicate that the predictive efficacy of MLR for all-cause mortality risk is comparable to eGFR, higher than NLR and CRP. The predictive efficacy of MLR for cardiovascular mortality risk is higher than these three indicators.Conclusion Compared to non-CKD population, the CKD population has higher levels of MLR. In the CKD population, MLR is positively correlated with the risk of death. Furthermore, the predictive efficacy of MLR for mortality risk is higher than other clinical indicators. This suggests that MLR can serve as a simple and effective clinical indicator for predicting mortality risk in CKD patients.

Abstract Background Accumulating evidence suggests a pivotal role of vitamin B2 in the pathogenesis and progression of prostate cancer (PCa). Vitamin B2 intake has been postulated to modulate the screening rate for PCa by altering the concentration of prostate-specific antigen(PSA). However, the relationship between vitamin B2 and PSA remains indeterminate. Hence, we conducted a comprehensive evaluation of the association between vitamin B2 intake and PSA levels, utilizing data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database. Methods From a pool of 20,371 participants in the NHANES survey conducted between 2003 and 2010, a cohort of 2,323 participants was selected for the present study. The male participants were classified into four distinct groups based on their levels of vitamin B2 intake. We employed a multiple linear regression model and a non-parametric regression method to investigate the relationship between vitamin B2 and PSA levels. Results The study cohort comprised of 2,323 participants with a mean age of 54.95 years (± 11.73). Our findings revealed a statistically significant inverse correlation between vitamin B2 intake (mg) and PSA levels, with a reduction of 0.13 ng/ml PSA concentration for every unit increase in vitamin B2 intake. Furthermore, we employed a fully adjusted model to construct a smooth curve to explore the possible linear relationship between vitamin B2 intake and PSA concentration. Conclusions Our study in American men has unveiled a notable inverse association between vitamin B2 intake and PSA levels, potentially posing a challenge for the identification of asymptomatic prostate cancer. Specifically, our findings suggest that individuals with higher vitamin B2 intake may be at a greater risk of being diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer in the future, possibly indicating a detection bias. These results may offer a novel explanation for the observed positive correlation between vitamin B2 intake and prostate cancer.

Purpose: The albumin-globulin ratio (AGR) influences the development of prostate cancer; however, the relationship between AGR and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) has not been reported., Methods: This cross-sectional investigation used comprehensive AGR versus PSA data from men with 40 years of age and older, who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2003 to 2010, spanning 4 investigation cycles, as only these cycles contained complete PSA data. To evaluate the nonlinear relationship between the ARG and PSA level, a regression utilizing smoothed curve fitting (penalized spline approach) and a generalized additive model (GAM) were employed. A two-segment linear regression model was used to conduct threshold effect evaluations. Lastly, subgroup analyses were carried out along with interaction tests., Results: This study included 5,376 subjects, whose total serum PSA (mean ± standard deviation) was 1.83 ± 3.34, and its level decreased roughly with increasing quartiles of AGR. In the fully-adjusted model, AGR was negatively correlated with the likelihood of PSA, and this relationship persisted across subgroups (trend > 0.05). The PSA was characterized by an "L"-shaped curve with an inflection point. On the left side of the inflection point (K = 1.32), there was a negative relationship between AGR and PSA., Conclusion: In the United States, among men over 40 years of age without prostate diseases, AGR demonstrated a nonlinear relationship with PSA, negatively correlating when AGR was below 1.32., Clinical Trial Number: Not applicable., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: This study involving human participants were reviewed and approved by the Ethics Review Board of the National Center for Health Statistics. The patients/participants provided their written informed consent to participate in this study. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Statement of agree publication: All authors have read this manuscript and agree to publish this manuscript. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: The relationship between monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (MLR) and prognosis in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) remains unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between MLR and both all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality in patients with CKD., Methods: This study analyzed data from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2003-2010. This study included 11262 eligible subjects, and 3015 of them were with CKD. We first compared the differences in clinical characteristics between individuals with and without CKD, and then grouped the CKD population based on quartiles of MLR. The partial correlation analysis was conducted to assess the relationships between MLR and some important clinical features. Cox proportional hazards models were used to investigate the associations between MLR and mortality from all-cause and cardiovascular disease. Restricted cubic spline (RCS) was used to investigate the dose-response relationship between MLR and mortality, the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves is used to compare the efficacy of MLR with different clinical biological indicators in assessing the risk of death., Results: During a median follow-up of 10.3 years in CKD population, 1398 (43%) all-cause deaths and 526 (16%) CVD deaths occurred. It has been found that individuals with CKD have higher MLR level. The partial correlation analysis results showed that even after adjusting for age, sex, and race, MLR is still correlated with blood glucose, lipid levels, and kidney function indicators. The results of the cox proportional hazards regression model and Kaplan-Meier curve shown after adjusting for covariates, higher MLR was significantly associated with an increased risk of mortality. Consistent results were also observed when MLR was examined as categorical variable (quartiles). The RCS demonstrated a positive association between MLR and the risk of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality. The ROC results indicate that the predictive efficacy of MLR for all-cause mortality risk is comparable to eGFR, higher than NLR and CRP. The predictive efficacy of MLR for cardiovascular mortality risk is higher than these three indicators., Conclusion: Compared to non-CKD population, the CKD population has higher levels of MLR. In the CKD population, MLR is positively correlated with the risk of death. Furthermore, the predictive efficacy of MLR for mortality risk is higher than other clinical indicators. This suggests that MLR can serve as a simple and effective clinical indicator for predicting mortality risk in CKD patients.

Background: The association between ultra-processed food (UPF) intake and markers of biological ageing has been scarcely investigated, despite the evident adverse health effects associated with UPF. This study aimed to test the association between UPF intake and biological ageing, and evaluate how much of this association is accounted for by overall diet quality., Methods: This cross-sectional study assessed 16 055 participants aged 20-79 years (51% women, 46 ± 0.3 years) from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2003-2010. Dietary UPF intake was assessed using the Nova system. Values were expressed as % of total energy intake and were denominated as a continuous variable and in quintiles. Diet quality was assessed with the American Heart Association 2020 and the Healthy Eating Index 2015. Biological ageing was assessed using the PhenoAge algorithm., Results: For each 10% of energy intake accounted for by UPF, participants were 0.21 (95%CI 0.16-0.26) years biologically older in terms of PhenoAge. As compared to participants in the lowest UPF quintile (≤39%), those in the highest UPF quintile (68-100%) were 0.86 (95% CI 0.55, 1.16) years older (P-for-trend across quintiles ≤0.001). Adherence to a healthy diet moderately attenuated the relationship between UPF and PhenoAge (adjusted β = 0.14 per 10% increment of UPF)., Conclusions: Adults with higher UPF tended to be biologically older. This association is partly independent of diet quality, suggesting that food processing may contribute to biological ageing acceleration. Our findings point to a compelling reason to target UPF consumption to promote healthier ageing., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Geriatrics Society.)

Purpose: Current research has not extensively explored the correlation between Systemic Inflammatory Index (SII) and prostate-specific antibody (PSA) levels. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the SII and PSA levels in American males aged > 40 years without prostate cancer., Methods: Data were obtained from the 2003-2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Patients without complete SII or PSA data were excluded. Multiple linear regression models were used to investigate the possibility of a linear association between the SII and PSA levels. Fitted smoothed curves and threshold effect analyses were used to characterize the nonlinear relationships., Results: The study included 5982 male participants over the age of 40 years from the United States. The average SII (mean ± standard deviation) was 562.78 ± 355.60. The mean value of PSA was 1.85 ± 3.24. The results showed that SII exhibited a positive correlation with PSA (β = 0.0005, 95% CI: (0.0002, 0.0007)), and an interaction test indicated that the effects of age, body mass index, hypertension, and diabetes were not significant for this positive correlation between SII and PSA (all P > 0.05). We discovered an inverted U-shaped connection between the SII and PSA with a turning point (K) of 1168.18 by using a two-segment linear regression model. To the left of the turning point, there was a positive connection between SII and PSA (β = 0.0009,95% CI: (0.0006, 0.0012); P < 0.0001)., Conclusion: In the population of men over 40 years old without prostate cancer, SII and PSA exhibited a non-linear relationship. Specifically, there was a positive correlation between SII and PSA levels when the SII value was < 1168.18., Competing Interests: NO authors have competing interests., (Copyright: © 2024 Tang et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

A partir de 2003, el paradigma neoliberal dio paso a prácticas neodesarrollistas en el gobierno de Lula da Silva. La pregunta central es: ¿en qué medida la estrategia neo­desarrollista brasileña, concebida durante los gobiernos de Lula da Silva (2003-2010), ha afectado las relaciones del país con Co­lombia y Venezuela? El objetivo general es analizar las relaciones entre Brasil y estos dos países para entender la postura del go­bierno brasileño frente a dos vertientes ideo­lógicas distintas, como son las de Uribe y Chávez. Se trata de una investigación con enfoque cualitativo, basada en documentos oficiales y apoyada en la literatura académica especializada. Los resultados de este estu­dio indican que, en gran medida, la política exterior brasileña ha sido pragmática, pero que en algunos casos ha habido interacción y rechazo de ambos modelos. La estrategia neodesarrollista brasileña tuvo relativo éxito cuando se utilizó con sus vecinos sudameri­canos, especialmente Colombia y Venezuela.

Since 2003, the neoliberal paradigm has given way to neodevelopmentalist practices under the Lula da Silva administrations. The central question is: to what extent has Brazil's neo-developmentalist strategy, conceived during the Lula da Silva administrations (2003-2010), affected the country's relations with Colombia and Venezuela? The main objective is to analyze the relations between Brazil and these two countries in order to understand the Brazilian government's stance towards two different ideologies, those of Colombian President Uribe and Venezuelan President Chávez. This is a qualitative study, based on official documents and supported by specialized academic literature. The results of this study indicate that, to a large extent, Brazil's foreign policy has been largely pragmatic, but that in some cases there has been coordination and rejection of both models. Brazil's neo-developmentalist strategy has been relatively successful when applied to its South American neighbors, particularly Colombia and Venezuela. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background To explore the association of low-level lead exposure with all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality among hypertensive patients. Methods This cohort study enrolled 6453 adults with hypertension from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2003–2010 and followed mortality information through December 31, 2019. The baseline population were divided into four groups based on quartiles of blood lead levels (Q1:

Recent studies have introduced the weight-adjusted waist circumference index (WWI) as a viable obesity indicator that may better reflect centripetal obesity and its associated risks. In examining the connection between WWI and prostate-specific antigen (PSA), this study leveraged data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2003-2010, including 5732 participants. Our initial analysis indicated a significant positive association between WWI and PSA levels. However, subsequent models that adjusted for covariates such as age, race, and a range of metabolic and cardiovascular health-related factors revealed that the strength and significance of this relationship were attenuated. Model 1 showed a highly significant correlation (p < 0.0001). Yet, in Model 2, which accounted for age and race, the association softened (p = 0.0520). Moreover, when a full spectrum of health covariates was included in Model 3, the association was no longer significant (p = 0.9775). These findings suggest that while an unadjusted correlation exists, its potential use as a diagnostic predictor is limited without considering the broader health context. Therefore, it is crucial to review such data with multiple considerations in mind, and extensive attention should be paid to the evaluation of covariates., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

A proposta deste trabalho é analisar a política externa de Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (2003-2010) por meio do conceito de enfoque paradigmático. Compreendemos que a política externa brasileira, ao longo de sua história republicana, manteve-se constante em relação a seus principais objetivos: o desenvolvimento do país e a busca da autonomia política no cenário internacional. Todavia, as estratégias implementadas para alcançar tais objetivos variaram de acordo com a ideologia dos governos e com a conjuntura internacional que, não raro, provocaram mudanças de paradigma. No caso da política externa de Lula da Silva, consideramos que alguns aspectos ideológicos de seu governo influenciaram seu planejamento e a tomada final de decisões, de tal forma que auxiliaram a superar obstáculos conjunturais que se apresentaram no período. Para amparar nossa análise, utilizamos como fonte os discursos presidenciais e ministeriais proferidos ao longo do governo Lula e das administrações que o precederam, em especial a de Fernando Henrique Cardoso.

PurposeCurrent research has not extensively explored the correlation between Systemic Inflammatory Index (SII) and prostate-specific antibody (PSA) levels. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the SII and PSA levels in American males aged > 40 years without prostate cancer.MethodsData were obtained from the 2003-2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Patients without complete SII or PSA data were excluded. Multiple linear regression models were used to investigate the possibility of a linear association between the SII and PSA levels. Fitted smoothed curves and threshold effect analyses were used to characterize the nonlinear relationships.ResultsThe study included 5982 male participants over the age of 40 years from the United States. The average SII (mean ± standard deviation) was 562.78 ± 355.60. The mean value of PSA was 1.85 ± 3.24. The results showed that SII exhibited a positive correlation with PSA (β = 0.0005, 95% CI: (0.0002, 0.0007)), and an interaction test indicated that the effects of age, body mass index, hypertension, and diabetes were not significant for this positive correlation between SII and PSA (all P > 0.05). We discovered an inverted U-shaped connection between the SII and PSA with a turning point (K) of 1168.18 by using a two-segment linear regression model. To the left of the turning point, there was a positive connection between SII and PSA (β = 0.0009,95% CI: (0.0006, 0.0012); P < 0.0001).ConclusionIn the population of men over 40 years old without prostate cancer, SII and PSA exhibited a non-linear relationship. Specifically, there was a positive correlation between SII and PSA levels when the SII value was < 1168.18.

Este artigo tem como objetivo compreender as identidades internacionais do Brasil constituídas e representadas por meio dos discursos de política externa brasileira, durante os governos Lula (2003–2010). Trata-se de uma pesquisa qualitativa-interpretativa, que se pautou na aplicação de uma análise do discurso a partir da temática da paz e segurança no Oriente Médio. O método escolhido combinou na operacionalização de categorias linguístico-discursivas extraídas de Dominique Maingueneau (2016) com sua Semântica Global. Por meio da aplicação do dispositivo analítico, identificou-se um sistema de significação operado pelos discursos que deslocaram textualmente as posições do Estado no espaço discursivo, ao passo que relações de diferenças foram representadas. Reconhece-se um conjunto de práticas representacionais, como a aproximação e diferenciação de espacialidades, a mobilização de afetos, a instauração de polêmica, a utilização de nomes próprios, o estabelecimento de ligações intertextuais com cenas temporais, entre outras. Concluiu-se que, as identidades internacionais do Brasil, de pacífico e de interlocutor entre povos, conduziram e justificaram o Estado no sistema internacional através de posições de poder.

A política externa dos governos Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (2003-2010) apresentou uma ampliação de relações com a sociedade civil e a opinião pública? Tradicionalmente, esta relação, bem como o papel da opinião pública, ocupou um espaço reduzido nos debates em Relações Internacionais e Ciência Política no Brasil. Entretanto, a partir da redemocratização dos anos 1990, novos atores têm demandado participação nos assuntos externos, desafiando a concepção tradicional de insulamento do Ministério das Relações Exteriores (MRE). Partindo da definição de política externa como também uma política pública, este artigo busca, com o uso de técnicas de análise bibliográfica e documental, verificar se a relação da política externa com a opinião pública e a sociedade civil apresentou mudanças durante os governos Lula. Além da introdução e da conclusão, este artigo se divide em quatro seções: uma discussão teórica sobre a relação entre política externa e opinião pública; uma breve descrição histórica desta relação no Brasil; os desafios enfrentados pelo MRE a partir da abertura política e econômica do Brasil nos anos 1990 e, por fim, a análise sobre o período dos governos Lula.

BackgroundPrevious studies have shown that serum albumin is associated with prostate cancer (PCa), but not with prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels in populations without PCa history. Therefore, we analyzed secondary data provided by the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) (2003–2010).MethodsIn total, 5,469 participants were selected from the NHANES database (2003–2010). Serum albumin and PSA levels were serially considered independent and dependent variables, serially. A number of covariates were included in this study, including demographic, dietary, physical examination, and comorbidity data. Using weighted linear regression model and smooth curve fitting, the linear and non-linear relationship between serum albumin and PSA was investigated.ResultsAfter modulating underlying interference factors, the weighted multivariate linear regression analysis revealed that serum albumin did not independently predict PSA levels (β = −0.009 95%CI: −0.020, 0.002). Nevertheless, a non-linear relationship was found between serum albumin and PSA, with a point of 41 g/L. Left of the inflection point, the effect size, 95%CI, and P-value were 0.019 (log2 transformation) (−0.006, 0.043) and 0.1335, respectively. We found a negative association between serum albumin and PSA on the right side of the inflection point, with effect size, 95%CI, and a P-value of −0.022 (log2 transformation) (−0.037, −0.007), 0.0036.ConclusionIn summary, serum albumin and PSA levels are not linearly related. When serum albumin levels exceed 41 g, serum albumin levels are negatively associated with PSA levels.

This paper discusses the challenges and experiences which social science students in Africa undergo to complete the PhD program. Focusing on Mbarara University of Science and Technology, the paper present that many students who register on the PhD program in Africa, are unable to complete the program in the stipulated time. The paper identifies that the challenges which students face can be divided into two categories; institutional and individual students and the supervisors. At the institutional level it involves the nature and the context of the program. This involves lack of resources to support an overall learning environment. At the individual level, the challenges include student and supervisor challenges which they face at individual levels and how they affect completion. To get to discuss these issues, I held one focus group discussion with 7 students enrolled for the PhD program and 1 fresh graduate of PhD at the Faculty of development studies Mbarara University of science and Technology, critical literature review and a review of some of the external supervisors reports for the PhD students who have made an attempt to submit their final dissertations. Basing on the data from the sources identified above, the paper concludes that for students to complete the PhD program, the above challenges need to be addressed especially by establishing training programs in the region and creation of a better learning environment for the PhD students. The issues discussed in this paper and solutions provided provides a basis for improving the training programs in Universities. It is argued in this paper that solutions to completing PhD programs especially in the social sciences will depend on strengthening foundational courses especially in Methodology and theories and most importantly critical thinking.

BackgroundBisphenol-A (BPA) is a ubiquitous chemical and recognized endocrine disruptor associated with obesity and related disorders. We explored the association between BPA levels and suspected non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).MethodsUnweighted analyses were used to study the relationship between urinary BPA levels and suspected NAFLD (alanine aminotransferase (ALT). > 30 U/L, body mass index (BMI) Z-score > 1.064 and evidence of insulin resistance) using National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data (2003-2010) on 12-19 year olds. Unweighted and weighted analyses were used to evaluate the risk with only elevated ALT.ResultsWe included 944 adolescents with urinary BPA and fasting laboratory tests from a total of 7168 adolescents. Risk of suspected NAFLD was increased in the second quartile of BPA levels (1.4-2.7 ng/mL) when compared to the first (

Methodological reviews, reviews that concentrate on research methods rather than research outcomes, have been used in a variety of fields to improve research practice, inform debate, and identify islands of practice. In this article, we report on the results of a methodological review of all of the articles published in "Georgia Educational Researcher" from 2003-2010. We examined the methodological characteristics, authorial characteristics, and methodological quality of those articles using quantitative content analysis. The major findings were that (a) the proportions of the type and traditions of articles published in "Georgia Educational Researcher" were similar to the proportions in education research articles in general, (b) case study research and correlational research were most prominent, (c) a few universities accounted for most of the articles published, (d) male and female authors' articles were published in equitable proportions, and (e) there were no statistically significant differences in methodological quality between genders, university affiliations, types of research, or years of publication. We end with a few suggestions for improving the quality of qualitative research articles in the "Georgia Educational Researcher".