Abstract The effect of alcohol intake on the pathophysiology of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease is controversial, especially with respect to heavy alcohol intake. The pathobiology behind atherosclerosis is a complex and multiparametric phenomenon, therefore a self-organizing map (SOM), an unsupervised learning based artificial neural network technique, was applied in the present work. This study was carried out to investigate the effect of heavy alcohol intake on the pathophysiology of atherosclerosis, including several lipoproteins and adiponectin, an adipocyte-derived cytokine that may ameliorate atherosclerosis. Firstly, the effect of heavy alcohol intake on the capacity of HDL and its subclasses (HDL2 and HDL3) to mediate cholesterol efflux from macrophages was studied. Secondly, data of ultracentrifugally isolated lipoproteins were fed into SOM analysis to investigate whether this method can find diverse lipoprotein phenotypes from the heterogeneous lipoprotein data. Thirdly, the aforementioned method was applied to multivariate data of alcohol drinkers to study whether distinct metabolic profiles are associated to heavy alcohol consumption. The results revealed that HDL2, not HDL3, of heavy alcohol drinkers had an enhanced capacity to remove cholesterol from macrophages when compared with control persons. SOM analysis enhanced the ultracentrifugally based lipoprotein data and depicted several novel lipoprotein phenotypes. In addition, lipoprotein-based SOM analysis found two distinct metabolic profiles in heavy alcohol drinkers: an anti-atherogenic and a metabolic syndrome-like profile with opposite metabolic features, such as characteristics of lipoproteins, plasma concentration of adiponectin and prevalence of metabolic syndrome. These profiles also tended to differ in their CV risk. In conclusion, the enhanced cholesterol efflux capacity of HDL2 in heavy drinkers is an anti-atherogenic change linked to alcohol drinking. However, clinically it may be important to be aware that although heavy alcohol drinkers have a low LDL-C level, they differ in their other lipoprotein measures, forming distinct phenotypes with potentially different CV risks. Finally, SOM analysis of ultracentrifugally based lipoprotein data generates in silico classification of lipoprotein particles and thereby offers a new tool for lipoprotein research. / Tiivistelmä Alkoholinkäytön vaikutus ateroskleroottisen sydän- ja verisuonitaudin patofysiologiaan on kiistanalainen, etenkin runsaan alkoholinkäytön kohdalla. Koska patobiologia ateroskleroosin taustalla on monimutkainen ilmiö, tässä työssä sovellettiin menetelmänä itseorganisoituvaa karttaa, joka on ohjaamattomaan oppimiseen perustuva neuroverkkomalli. Tutkimuksen tavoitteena oli selvittää runsaan alkoholinkäytön vaikutusta ateroskleroosin patofysiologisiin merkkiaineisiin, mukaan lukien useita lipoproteiineja sekä adiponektiini, rasvasoluperäinen sytokiini, joka voi lievittää ateroskleroosia. Ensimmäisessä osatyössä tutkittiin runsaan alkoholinkäytön vaikutusta HDL:n ja sen alafraktioiden (HDL2 ja HDL3) kykyyn poistaa kolesterolia makrofageista. Toisessa osatyössä ultrasentrifuugaukseen perustuva lipoproteiiniaineisto syötettiin itseorganisoituvaan karttaan. Työssä selvitettiin löytäisikö menetelmä erilaisia lipoproteiinifenotyyppejä heterogeenisestä aineistosta. Kolmannessa osatyössä em. menetelmää sovellettiin monimuuttuja-aineistoon, joka koostui runsaasti alkoholia käyttävistä ja verrokeista. Tutkittiin, liittyykö runsaaseen alkoholinkäyttöön erilaisia metabolisia profiileja. Tulokset osoittivat, että suurkuluttajien HDL2-hiukkasen kolesterolinpoistokyky makrofageista oli suurempi kuin verrokeilla. Itseorganisoituvaan karttaan perustuva lipoproteiinien luokittelumenetelmä löysi useita uusia lipoproteiinifenotyyppejä. Lisäksi, em. menetelmä löysi suurkuluttajilta kaksi erilaista metabolista profiilia: anti-aterogeeninen ja metabolisen syndrooman kaltainen. Näillä oli vastakkaiset metaboliset piirteet, kuten lipoproteiinien ominaisuudet, adiponektiinin pitoisuus plasmassa ja metabolisen syndrooman esiintyvyys. Profiileihin liittyi mahdollisesti myös erilainen sydän- ja verisuonitautiriski. Tutkimus osoittaa, että alkoholin suurkuluttajilla havaittu parempi HDL2:n kyky poistaa kolesterolia soluista on anti-aterogeeninen muutos, joka liittyy alkoholin käyttöön. Kliinisesti voi olla merkittävää, että vaikka alkoholin suurkuluttajilla oli pieni LDL-C pitoisuus, he jakaantuivat muiden lipoproteiiniperäisten muuttujien perusteella kahteen eri fenotyyppiryhmään, joihin liittyi erilainen sydäntautiriski. Lisäksi itseorganisoituva kartta loi ultrasentrifugoinnilla eristetyille lipoproteiineille in silico -luokittelun, joten se tarjoaa uuden työkalun lipoproteiinitutkimukseen.

The AIM of the study from which the empirical data were obtained for this thesis, was the collection of basic demographic information and selected health related data from a group of adolescents at high-school in Cape Town. 1.2 The OBJECTIVES were Description of the demographic features of the pupils in Standards 8, 9 and 10 at a specific co-educational high school in Cape Town; Determination of the prevalence of smoking, and the attitudes to, and knowledge of the health risks of smoking; Determination of the prevalence of alcohol use, and the attitudes to, and knowledge of the health risks of consuming alcohol; Determination of the prevalence of habit-forming drug use, and the attitudes to, and knowledge of the health risks of using drugs; Determination of the sexual experience of the pupils, attitudes to and knowledge of the health risks of sexual activity, and knowledge of contraception and venereal disease; Examination of whether the above habits correlated within individuals i.e. whether those who smoked were more likely to use drugs or be sexually active, and vice versa.

BACKGROUND: Alcohol use disorders (AUDs) affect 15 million people nationwide, 4% of which are adolescents (ages 12-17) and adolescents who binge drink significantly increase their likelihood of suffering from an AUD in adulthood. Research shows that cues (i.e. flavors) paired with alcohol (EtOH) produce significant cue-induced alcohol craving and contribute to relapse in adolescent and adult populations. However, there is a lack of research focused on how cues that accompany EtOH drinking during adolescence, affect EtOH craving later in life. The current study sought to examine the sex- and developmental-dependent effects of adolescent exposure to flavor cues associated with EtOH on operant-lick behavior and cue-induced dopamine (DA) levels within the nucleus accumbens shell (AcbSh; reward structure) in adulthood. METHODS: Adolescent alcohol-preferring (P) rats were randomly assigned to one of 4 groups and received 24 hr. access to three bottles on their home cage: Paired: 0.1% blueberry flavor extract (BB) + 15% v/v EtOH and 2 water bottles; Unpaired: 0.1% BB, 15% v/v EtOH, and water; 15% EtOH alone, and 2 water bottles; BB alone and 2 water bottles. Home cage fluid consumption was measured for 2-weeks. On the third week bottles were removed and all animals underwent 9 days of operant training using an operant sipper paradigm. This consisted of two sipper spouts connected to the computer by a lickometer, which registered tongue contacts with the sipper tube (Paired: BB+EtOH or water; Unpaired BB or EtOH; EtOH alone: EtOH or water; BB alone: BB or water). When the fixed ratio (FR) requirement for number of licks/tongue contacts was met, a liquid delivery solenoid dispensed 0.05 ml of fluid into the sipper tube. Following the final operant session all rats remained in their home-cage for approximately 40 days until adulthood at which point they were returned to the operant chambers and tested for appetitive and consummatory behavior in response to the flavor cue (all rats: BB or water; NO EtOH). Two weeks after the final operant session all rats underwent microdialysis testing to examine cue-induced DA levels in the AcbSh. RESULTS: Data indicated that animals in the paired group exhibited a significantly greater level of licking at the BB sipper and a significantly greater level of DA release in response to the flavor cue compared to the other groups. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, the data suggest that cues paired with EtOH during adolescence may produce persistent changes to the behavioral and neurobiological mechanisms that contribute to an increased risk of developing an AUD later in life.

No description available.

<p dir="ltr">A loss of a job or relationship are a few examples of unexpected reward loss. Life events such as these can induce negative emotional reactions (e.g., anxiety and stress) which have been associated with increased drinking and in turn, an increased risk of developing an alcohol use disorder (AUD). The present study used a consummatory successive negative contrast (SNC) procedure to demonstrate unexpected reward loss reactivity in two lines selectively bred to consume high amounts of ethanol, alcohol preferring (P) and high alcohol drinking (HAD) rats. Following this reward loss, animals were given free access to ethanol to determine if ethanol consumption would increase to negate any negative emotional reaction provoked by this loss. P rats demonstrated a longer contrast effect than HAD rats, indicated by a longer recovery time following the downshift in reward. Conversely, HAD males did not demonstrate a contrast effect following this downshift in reward. Surprisingly, P rats who experienced a loss of reward consumed significantly less ethanol than animals who did not. Lastly, an individual measure of contrast size, or shift ratio, was significantly associated with greater ethanol consumption in HAD males only, who did not display a contrast effect. These data indicate different reactivity to SNC between these two lines and sexes, suggesting different genetic and sex-related mechanisms underlying sensitivity to an unexpected loss of reward.</p>

INTRODUÇÃO: A violência sexual é um importante problema de saúde pública. Em São Paulo, cerca de 5% dos apenados estão cumprindo pena por crimes sexuais violentos. No Brasil e em outros países, muitos agressores sexuais retornarão à sociedade sem quaisquer intervenções psicossociais para prevenir a reincidência criminal. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar o consumo de álcool e de outras drogas e a impulsividade sexual entre agressores sexuais. MÉTODOS: Trata-se de estudo observacional, retrospectivo e seccional realizado na Penitenciária de Sorocaba – São Paulo. Entre julho de 2004 e setembro de 2005, todos os 218 sentenciados apenas por crimes sexuais violentos foram entrevistados, avaliando o consumo de álcool e de outras drogas, impulsividade, dependência de sexo e risco de reincidência criminal, além dos seus prontuários jurídicos revisados. 20 (9,17%) sentenciados foram excluídos da amostra. Os agressores sexuais foram divididos em três grupos: molestadores de crianças (n = 101), agressores sexuais de adolescentes (n = 56) e agressores sexuais de adultos (n = 41). Além disso, os apenados foram também divididos em outros três grupos, de acordo com o número de vítimas envolvidas: agressores sexuais de uma vítima (n = 149), agressores sexuais de duas vítimas (n = 25) e agressores sexuais de três ou mais vítimas (n = 24). RESULTADOS: 1) Agressores sexuais de adultos foram mais jovens do que os outros dois grupos de agressores sexuais (p < 0,01); 2) Agressores sexuais de adultos mostraram mais problemas com o uso de drogas do que os outros dois grupos comparados (p < 0,01); 3) Molestadores de crianças mostraram significativamente maior gravidade de dependência de álcool do que os outros dois grupos (p < 0,01); 4) Molestadores de crianças do sexo masculino mostraram maior gravidade de dependência de álcool do que os molestadores de crianças do sexo feminino (p < 0,01); 5) Agressores sexuais seriais apresentaram significativamente maior nível de impulsividade do que os agressores não seriais (p < 0,01); 6) Agressores sexuais seriais registraram mais freqüentemente história de abuso sexual na infância do que os agressores sexuais de uma vítima (p < 0,01). CONCLUSÕES: O consumo de substâncias psicoativas pode ser um dos fatores de distinção entre molestadores de crianças e agressores sexuais de adultos. História de abuso sexual e altos níveis de impulsividade podem estar associados com a repetição do comportamento sexualmente agressivo. / INTRODUCTION: Sexual violence is an important public health problem. In São Paulo, about 5% of male prison inmates are serving a sentence for a serious sexual offense. In Brazil and other countries, many sexual offenders will return home without any psychosocial interventions to prevent recidivism. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of alcohol and drug consumption and the sexual impulsivity level among sexual offenders. METHODS: It was an observational, retrospective and cross-sectional study carried out inside the Penitentiary of Sorocaba – São Paulo. From July 2004 to September 2005, all 218 convicts sentenced only for sexual crimes were evaluated with reference to alcohol and drug use, impulsivity, sexual addiction, recidivism risk and their juridical reports were reviewed. 20 (9.17%) recruited convicts were excluded from the sample. The sexual offenders were divided in three groups, such as children molesters (n= 101), sexual aggressors against adolescents (n = 56) and sexual offenders against adults (n = 41). Moreover, the sexual offenders were also divided in three groups with reference to the number of involved victims, such as sexual aggressors against one victim (n = 149), sexual offenders against two victims (n = 25) and sexual offenders against three or more victims (n = 24). RESULTS: 1) Sexual offenders against adults were found to be significantly younger than children molesters and sexual offenders against adolescents (p < 0.01); 2) Sexual offenders against adults had more difficulties with drug use than the comparison groups (p < 0.01); 3) Children molesters showed significantly higher severity of alcohol dependence than the comparison groups (p < 0.01); 4) Children molesters against boys showed significantly higher severity of alcohol dependence than children molesters against girls (p < 0.01); 5) Serial sexual offenders had significantly higher impulsivity level than nonserial sexual offenders (p < 0.01); 6) Serial sexual offenders reported significantly more personal history of being sexually abused than nonserial sexual offenders (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Substance use may be one of the distinguishing factors between offenders who target children and those who target adults. History of sexual abuse and high impulsivity levels may be associated with the repetition of sexual aggression.

Objetivo: Avaliar a influência de sintomas de ansiedade e depressão, nível de estresse, consumo de álcool e drogas e repertório de habilidades sociais na prática de sexo sem preservativo em uma amostra representativa de indivíduos com HIV/AIDS em tratamento ambulatorial na cidade de São Paulo. Métodos: Participaram da pesquisa 667 pacientes, 383 (57,4%) homens e 284 (42,6%) mulheres, portadores do vírus HIV em tratamento na Casa da AIDS, Emílio Ribas, CRT Santa Cruz, SAE DST/AIDS Campos Elíseos, SAE DST/AIDS Cidade Líder II, CR DST/AIDS Nossa Senhora do Ó, AE Vila Prudente e CR DST/AIDS Santo Amaro. Para a coleta de dados foram utilizados os seguintes instrumentos: Mini Exame do Estado Mental, questionário sociodemográfico, Escalas de Avaliação de Ansiedade e Depressão de Beck, Inventário de Sintomas de Estresse, Escala de assertividade de Rathus, questionário sobre uso de álcool, tabaco e outras drogas, AUDIT, Questionário sobre Comportamento Sexual na Vida e a Escala de Avaliação de Comportamento Sexual de Risco - SERBAS. Os pacientes foram entrevistados nos locais onde faziam seu tratamento. Resultados: A análise múltipla mostrou que ter algum parceiro soropositivo e ter feito uso de maconha antes do sexo foram associados negativamente ao uso do preservativo. Ter dois ou mais parceiros sexuais nos últimos três meses foi associado a ter trabalho regular, ter feito sexo em grupo, contaminação anterior por alguma outra doença sexualmente transmissível, parceiro soropositivo, não residir com o parceiro, sexo em troca de álcool, droga, abrigo/comida alguma vez na vida, orientação homossexual, prática de sexo anal, CD4 acima de 350 cels/mm3 e uso de cocaína antes do sexo. Sintomas de ansiedade e depressão, nível de estresse e falta de habilidades sociais afetaram significativamente a vida sexual dessa população diminuindo as chances de fazer sexo nos três meses anteriores à entrevista, mas não mostraram associação com o uso de preservativo e múltiplos parceiros. Conclusão: Pessoas com HIV que fazem sexo sem preservativo apresentam características diferentes daquelas que tem múltiplos parceiros. A sorologia do parceiro foi uma variável importante para a prática de sexo sem preservativo. A orientação homo e bissexual, prática de sexo anal e o sexo masculino foram mais associadas a ter mais parceiros sexuais. O consumo de álcool e outras drogas esteve presente nos dois comportamentos de risco. Identificar os fatores associados a esses comportamentos de risco e as diferenças encontradas no perfil das pessoas que fizeram sexo sem preservativo e daquelas que tiveram múltiplos parceiros são pontos importantes para programas de prevenção. Tais características podem servir como marcadores que auxiliam os profissionais de saúde a detectar possíveis comportamentos de risco e planejar estratégias de prevenção / Introduction: The AIDS epidemic is a major public health problem. It is estimated that, even after becoming aware of their serostatus, one in three people with HIV continues to have sex without a condom, regardless of the partner\'s serostatus. Purpose: To evaluated the influence of symptoms of anxiety and depression, stress level, alcohol and drug use and the range of social skills on having sex without a condom in a representative sample of individuals living with HIV/AIDS and receiving outpatient treatment in the city of São Paulo. Methods: 667 patients - 383 (57.4%) men and 284 (42.6%) women - with HIV and being treated at Casa da AIDS, Emílio Ribas, CRT Santa Cruz, SAE DST/AIDS Campos Elíseos, SAE DST/AIDS Cidade Líder II, CR DST/AIDS Nossa Senhora do Ó, AE Vila Prudente and CR DST/AIDS Santo Amaro participated in the study. The following tools were used to collect data: Mini-Mental State Examination, social and demographic survey, Beck Anxiety and Depression Inventories, Stress Symptom Inventory, Rathus Assertiveness Schedule, alcohol, tobacco and other drugs use survey, Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), Sexual Behavior Survey, and Sexual Risk Behavior Assessment (SERBAS). Patients were interviewed at the places where they were being treated. Results: The multiple analysis has shown that having an HIV-positive partner and using marijuana before sex were negatively associated with condom use. Having two or more partners over the past three months was been associated with having regular job, have done group sex, previous infection with other sexually transmitted infections, an HIV-positive partner, not living with the partner, sex in exchange for alcohol, drug, shelter/food at least once in their lives, homosexuality, engagement in anal sex, CD4 cells/mm3 count above 350, and use of cocaine before sex. Anxiety and depression symptoms, stress level and lack of social skills significantly affected the sexual lives of that population, making them less likely to have sex in the three months before the interview, but they were not associated with the use of a condom and multiple partners. Conclusion: The characteristics of HIV-positive individuals who have unprotected sex are different from those who have multiple partners. The partners\' serostatus was an important variable for engaging in unprotected sex. Homosexuality and bisexuality, anal sex and male gender were more associated in individuals who had more sexual partners. Use of alcohol and other drugs was present in both risk behaviors. Identifying the factors associated with those risk behaviors and the differences between the profiles of the individuals who had sex without a condom and those who had multiple partners is critical for prevention programs. Such characteristics can serve as markers to help health care professionals identify possible risk behaviors and plan prevention strategies ____________________________

Utilizou-se de um inquérito domiciliar de saúde, realizado em dois distritos administrativos de São Paulo (compreendendo uma população de 190 mil habitantes) em 2001, para se analisar o possível impacto do \"Programa de Saúde da Família\" (PSF) - QUALIS na morbidade referida e estilo de vida dos maiores de 14 anos. Utilizando-se de análise uni e multivariada, com diversas variáveis sócio-econômicas, mostrou-se que há diferenças na morbidade crônica entre as populações cobertas ou não pelo PSF. Esse fato deve-se, possivelmente, a um maior acesso à Atenção Primária por parte das populações cobertas por essa nova estratégia. Praticamente não houve diferenças em relação a estilo de vida. / A health survey, held in 2001 in two administrative districts of the city of Sao Paulo (inhabited by 190,000 people) was used to measure the impact of the \"Family Health Program\" - QUALIS in referred morbidity and lifestyle for those 15 and older. Through univariate and multivariate analysis, using several socioeconomic measures, we came to the conclusion that there are differences in chronicle morbidity between the populations attended or not by the program. It is so, possibly, due to a larger access to Primary Health System with this new strategy. There is basically no difference concerning lifestyle.

INTRODUÇÃO: A violência sexual é um importante problema de saúde pública. Em São Paulo, cerca de 5% dos apenados estão cumprindo pena por crimes sexuais violentos. No Brasil e em outros países, muitos agressores sexuais retornarão à sociedade sem quaisquer intervenções psicossociais para prevenir a reincidência criminal. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar o consumo de álcool e de outras drogas e a impulsividade sexual entre agressores sexuais. MÉTODOS: Trata-se de estudo observacional, retrospectivo e seccional realizado na Penitenciária de Sorocaba – São Paulo. Entre julho de 2004 e setembro de 2005, todos os 218 sentenciados apenas por crimes sexuais violentos foram entrevistados, avaliando o consumo de álcool e de outras drogas, impulsividade, dependência de sexo e risco de reincidência criminal, além dos seus prontuários jurídicos revisados. 20 (9,17%) sentenciados foram excluídos da amostra. Os agressores sexuais foram divididos em três grupos: molestadores de crianças (n = 101), agressores sexuais de adolescentes (n = 56) e agressores sexuais de adultos (n = 41). Além disso, os apenados foram também divididos em outros três grupos, de acordo com o número de vítimas envolvidas: agressores sexuais de uma vítima (n = 149), agressores sexuais de duas vítimas (n = 25) e agressores sexuais de três ou mais vítimas (n = 24). RESULTADOS: 1) Agressores sexuais de adultos foram mais jovens do que os outros dois grupos de agressores sexuais (p < 0,01); 2) Agressores sexuais de adultos mostraram mais problemas com o uso de drogas do que os outros dois grupos comparados (p < 0,01); 3) Molestadores de crianças mostraram significativamente maior gravidade de dependência de álcool do que os outros dois grupos (p < 0,01); 4) Molestadores de crianças do sexo masculino mostraram maior gravidade de dependência de álcool do que os molestadores de crianças do sexo feminino (p < 0,01); 5) Agressores sexuais seriais apresentaram significativamente maior nível de impulsividade do que os agressores não seriais (p < 0,01); 6) Agressores sexuais seriais registraram mais freqüentemente história de abuso sexual na infância do que os agressores sexuais de uma vítima (p < 0,01). CONCLUSÕES: O consumo de substâncias psicoativas pode ser um dos fatores de distinção entre molestadores de crianças e agressores sexuais de adultos. História de abuso sexual e altos níveis de impulsividade podem estar associados com a repetição do comportamento sexualmente agressivo. / INTRODUCTION: Sexual violence is an important public health problem. In São Paulo, about 5% of male prison inmates are serving a sentence for a serious sexual offense. In Brazil and other countries, many sexual offenders will return home without any psychosocial interventions to prevent recidivism. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of alcohol and drug consumption and the sexual impulsivity level among sexual offenders. METHODS: It was an observational, retrospective and cross-sectional study carried out inside the Penitentiary of Sorocaba – São Paulo. From July 2004 to September 2005, all 218 convicts sentenced only for sexual crimes were evaluated with reference to alcohol and drug use, impulsivity, sexual addiction, recidivism risk and their juridical reports were reviewed. 20 (9.17%) recruited convicts were excluded from the sample. The sexual offenders were divided in three groups, such as children molesters (n= 101), sexual aggressors against adolescents (n = 56) and sexual offenders against adults (n = 41). Moreover, the sexual offenders were also divided in three groups with reference to the number of involved victims, such as sexual aggressors against one victim (n = 149), sexual offenders against two victims (n = 25) and sexual offenders against three or more victims (n = 24). RESULTS: 1) Sexual offenders against adults were found to be significantly younger than children molesters and sexual offenders against adolescents (p < 0.01); 2) Sexual offenders against adults had more difficulties with drug use than the comparison groups (p < 0.01); 3) Children molesters showed significantly higher severity of alcohol dependence than the comparison groups (p < 0.01); 4) Children molesters against boys showed significantly higher severity of alcohol dependence than children molesters against girls (p < 0.01); 5) Serial sexual offenders had significantly higher impulsivity level than nonserial sexual offenders (p < 0.01); 6) Serial sexual offenders reported significantly more personal history of being sexually abused than nonserial sexual offenders (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Substance use may be one of the distinguishing factors between offenders who target children and those who target adults. History of sexual abuse and high impulsivity levels may be associated with the repetition of sexual aggression.

As international travel is rapidly increasing, more people are being exposed to potentially more antibiotic resistant bacteria, a changed infectious disease epidemiology, and an increased risk of accidents and crime. Research-based advice is needed to adequately inform travellers about these risks. We studied travellers who sought advice from the Travel Medicine Clinic at the Department of Infectious Diseases, Umeå University Hospital, as well as university students from Umeå, Stockholm, and Gothenburg travelling abroad for study, research, and clinical exchange programs. From retrospective data at the Travel Medicine Clinic, we found that pre-existing health problems were rare among travellers from Umeå seeking pre- travel health advice and vaccinations. In addition, we found that the travel destination and the sex of the traveller affected vaccination levels. Although hepatitis A is endemic to both Thailand and Turkey, compared to travellers to Thailand few travellers to Turkey visited the clinic for hepatitis A vaccination. The data also revealed that more women than men were vaccinated against Japanese encephalitis despite comparable trips. A prospective survey study showed that travellers felt that the pre-travel health advice they received was helpful. Two-thirds of the travellers followed the advice given although they still fell ill to the same extent as those who were not compliant with the advice. Factors outside the control of travellers likely affect the travel-related morbidity. Compared to older travellers, younger travellers were less compliant with advice, fell ill to a greater extent, and took greater risks during travel. In a prospective survey study, we found that healthcare students had higher illness rates and risk exposure when abroad compared to students from other disciplines. This difference was mainly due to the fact that healthcare students more often travelled to developing regions during their study period abroad. When abroad, half of all students increased their alcohol consumption and this was linked to an increased risk of theft and higher likelihood of meeting a new sex partner. The healthcare students participating in the survey study also submitted stool samples before and after travel. These samples were tested for the presence of antibiotic resistance, both by selective culturing for ESBL-PE (Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamase Producing Enterobacteriaceae) as well as by metagenomic sequencing. About one-third (35%) of the students became colonised by ESBL-PE following their study abroad. The strongest risk factor for colonisation was travel destination; for example, 70% of students who had travelled to India became colonised. Antibiotic treatment during travel was also a significant risk factor for colonisation. The stool samples from a subset of study subjects were analysed using metagenomic sequencing. From this we learned that although the majority of resistance genes in the gut microbiome remained unchanged following travel, several clinically important resistance genes increased, most prominently genes encoding resistance to sulphonamide, trimethoprim, and beta-lactams. Overall, taxonomic changes associated with travel were small but the proportion of Proteobacteria, which includes several clinically important bacteria (e.g., Enterobacteriaceae), increased in a majority of the study subjects. Clearly, there are risks associated with international travel and these risks include outside factors as well as the personal behaviour of travellers. We believe our results can be used to develop better pre-travel advice for tourists as well as university students studying abroad resulting in safer travel.