BMC Research Notes最新文献

Objectives: The significance of performing tongue brushing is uncertain and lacks sufficient clinical evidence. This study was conducted to assess the existing practices on tongue brushing among school children and their parents and its effect on optimal levels of salt and sugar concentration, the development of dental caries and body mass index among children.

Results: Of 191 students (52.9% male), 178 responded; 134 (57.3%) reported tongue brushing. Among 313 parents, 54.5% were female and 283 (91.6%) brushed. Initiation was mainly maternal (68.4%) or paternal (12.0%); only 3.3% of parents cited professional advice. Salt taste thresholds were identical between groups (median 1.5 g/200 mL); means were slightly higher in brushers (3.14 vs. 3.00; p = 0.389). Sugar thresholds were also equivalent (means 3.25 vs. 3.09; NS). BMI correlated weakly with brushing score (r = 0.143, p > 0.05). Sugar taste concentration showed a negative, non-significant correlation (r = - 0.112, p = 0.150). CPITN scores were higher in non-brushers, without significance.

Conclusion: Tongue brushing is a widely practiced habit, primarily adopted through parental influence rather than clinical advice. However, no significant associations were observed with sugar/salt taste thresholds, BMI, dental caries, or periodontal health. While tongue brushing may reduce halitosis and contribute to oral comfort. It should be promoted as an adjunctive, not primary, oral hygiene practice. Further longitudinal and interventional studies are warranted.

Objective: To examine perceived and objective knowledge of advance directives (AD), attitudes toward end-of-life care, and factors associated with intention to prepare AD among Thai gynecologic cancer patients and their family members attending a tertiary hospital in Bangkok.​ RESULTS DESCRIPTION: A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 101 patients and 105 accompanying family members recruited between August 2017 and January 2018. Over 60% of both groups had never heard of AD and mean objective knowledge scores were low (3.4/8 for patients and 3.7/8 for family members), with common misconceptions including equating AD with euthanasia. Most participants preferred a natural death without life-prolonging measures. Yet only 6% of patients and 1% of family members had completed an AD, while 22% and 27%, respectively, reported an intention to prepare one. Multiple regression showed that perceived knowledge was the only significant predictor of intention to prepare an AD for both patients (B = 0.339, p < 0.001) and family members (B = 0.246, p < 0.001), suggesting that interventions that enhance perceived understanding may strengthen engagement in advance care planning.

Objective: Bloodstream infections (BSIs) are a common complication in hospitalized patients, but their incidence following open-heart surgery with delayed sternal closure (DSC) in infants with congenital heart disease (CHD) remain underexplored. This study aimed to determine the incidence of nosocomial BSIs in pediatrics undergoing open-heart surgery with DSC. A retrospective observational study was conducted using medical records of 178 infants with CHD who underwent open-heart surgery with DSC at Children's Medical Center Hospital in Iran between 2018 and 2021. Data on demographic characteristics, surgical variables, and blood culture results were collected. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 24, with a significance level of 0.05.

Results: The incidence of nosocomial BSIs was 11.8% (21 of 178 infants). Among the positive cultures, Klebsiella was the most frequent pathogen, accounting for 47.6% of isolates (10 out of 21). Among the positive cultures, Klebsiella was the most frequent pathogen, accounting for 10 (47.6%) of isolates. Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that younger age (adjusted OR 0.97 per day; 95% CI 0.94-0.99; P = 0.03) and longer cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) duration (adjusted OR 1.008 per minute; 95% CI 1.000-1.016; P = 0.04) were independently associated with the occurrence of BSI. These findings suggest that younger age and prolonged cardiopulmonary bypass duration are independent risk factors for the development of BSIs bloodstream infections in pediatric patients undergoing open-heart surgery with DSC. Further research is warranted to validate these findings and to identify effective infection prevention strategies for this high-risk population.

Objectives: Pediatric cancer survivors are at increased risk for vaccine-preventable diseases due to treatment-related immunosuppression. This study aimed to assess serological status for measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) following chemotherapy and identify factors associated with antibody loss.

Results: Fifty-four pediatric cancer survivors (mean age 12.5 years) were evaluated at a median of 2.5 years (IQR 1.2, 5.4) after completing chemotherapy. All participants had received at least one MMR dose before their cancer diagnosis and had completed treatment at least six months prior. Overall, 43 patients (79.6%) were seronegative for at least one MMR component. Seronegativity was highest for measles (64.8%), followed by mumps (55.6%) and rubella (35.2%). Measles seronegativity was significantly associated with a longer interval since chemotherapy (> 5 years; p = 0.04) and older age at receipt of the second MMR dose (mean 86.4 vs. 44.9 months; p = 0.002). No significant associations were observed for mumps or rubella seronegativity. These findings indicate a substantial decline in MMR immunity after chemotherapy and support the incorporation of routine post-chemotherapy revaccination into survivorship care, especially in settings where serologic testing is not readily available.

Objective: This study explored hospital managers' lived experiences with peer learning as a constructivist educational approach in healthcare management. It aimed to elucidate how peer learning contributes to managerial development and to identify contextual factors that either facilitate or hinder its effectiveness in healthcare organizations.

Results description: Peer learning significantly improved decision-making, managerial performance, inter-organizational interactions, and continuous updating of specialized knowledge. Exchanging real-world experiences enhanced critical thinking, professional attitudes, and self-efficacy among managers. Facilitating factors included strong organizational support, sharing successful practices, and benchmarking against high-performing hospitals. However, effectiveness was limited by weak teamwork culture, the absence of systematic management development strategies, restricted structured interactions, and organizational/structural barriers. Additional obstacles included limited managerial authority, deficiencies in succession planning, and inadequate coordination of directors' assemblies by upstream institutions. Overall, peer learning proved highly valuable for developing managerial competencies, yet realizing its full potential requires eliminating structural obstacles and implementing targeted participatory policies and mechanisms (e.g., learning communities and succession planning programs).

Objective: Rotavirus is known for its pathogenicity in children under the age of five, causing severe gastroenteritis with concerning mortality and morbidity rates in endemic regions. The complex, three-layered capsid of this pathogen is a substantial field of study, and deepening our understanding, particularly of double-layered particles (DLPs), is crucial for advancing various rotavirology areas, such as vaccine development, pathogenesis, host-virus interactions, and diagnostic research. In this pilot study, we designed and evaluated three immunostimulation regimens to generate the highest level of anti-VP6 antibody in vivo for a range of downstream applications, which may require these antibodies as a starting point for further investigation.

Results: This study indicated that immune stimulation can vary based on the combination of antigens and the order in which they are introduced into the host. According to our findings, a heterologous regimen composed of recombinant VP6 protein with complete Freund's adjuvant as the priming shot and rotavirus particles with incomplete Freund's adjuvant as the booster shot could elicit an antibody response at least two-fold stronger than the other homologous regimens applied in the present study. This preliminary observation suggests a high-yielding yet cost-effective protocol to access abundant anti-VP6 polyclonal antibodies as a base for different DLP-relying research.