Children's Beds Research Articles

Retrospective analysis of diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis in designated medical institutions in China from 2017 to 2022

Objective: To understand the status of tuberculosis diagnosis and treatment capacity and the development and changes of tuberculosis diagnosis and treatment in provincial and municipal designated medical institutions in China from 2017 to 2022, so as to provide a basis for the formulation of relevant policies for the improvement and development of designated medical institutions for tuberculosis and the tuberculosis prevention and treatment service system, and to provide reasonable support for further strengthening the capacity of designated medical institutions for tuberculosis. Methods: This study was initiated and carried out by Beijing Chest Hospital affiliated to Capital Medical University/Clinical Center for Tuberculosis Prevention and Control of China CDC (hereinafter referred to as "Clinical Center") by means of questionnaire survey, and the investigation was carried out from March to November 2023. During this period, the clinical center distributed questionnaires to the hospital member units of "Beijing Tuberculosis Diagnosis and Treatment Technology Innovation Alliance", retrospectively collected their tuberculosis-related diagnosis and treatment data from 2017 to 2022, and used descriptive statistical methods to analyze the number of tuberculosis beds, outpatients and hospitalizations in medical institutions. The results were expressed in absolute numbers (percentages), and three-line tables, bar charts and line charts were drawn to describe the analysis results and changing trends. Results: The 54 medical institutions surveyed in this survey included 21 provincial-level designated medical institutions and 33 prefecture-level designated medical institutions. Most medical institutions have set up clinical departments, auxiliary departments and functional departments to undertake public health tasks of infectious diseases. The tuberculosis laboratory in the hospital has a comprehensive ability and has the detection technology needed for most tuberculosis diagnosis; The number of tuberculosis beds, children's tuberculosis beds and ICU beds all showed an increasing trend from 2017 to 2022. The proportion of tuberculosis beds in the hospital decreased slightly, from 39.31% in 2017 to 34.76% in 2022, showing a slight downward trend. Compared with the hospital surveyed, the number of tuberculosis outpatients in 2019 was 562 029, and the number of outpatients in 2020-2022 was 462 328, 519 630 and 424 069 respectively, which was significantly lower than that in 2019. The number of tuberculosis outpatients in medical institutions decreased significantly from 2020 to 2022. By analyzing the proportion of patients with different types of tuberculosis, the proportion of sensitive tuberculosis outpatients in 2017-2022 decreased from 84.49% in 2017 to 78.05% in 2022, showing a downward trend year by year. The proportion of patients with multidrug-resistant/ rifampin-resistant tuberculosis increased from 2.03% in 2017 to 7.18% in 2022. From 2017 to 2019, the total number of inpatients with tuberculosis showed an upward trend. Compared with 2019, the number of inpatients in 2020, 2021 and 2022 showed a downward trend, and the decline in 2020 was large (down 14.94% compared with 2019). Among the inpatients, the absolute number and proportion of patients with sensitive pulmonary tuberculosis remained relatively stable, and the number and proportion of inpatients with multidrug-resistant/rifampin-resistant pulmonary tuberculosis increased year by year. Conclusions: Most medical institutions have the capacity to carry out routine diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis, but the public health function needs to be strengthened. The transformation of medical institutions requires proper guidance and adequate support. During 2019-2022, most medical institutions were affected by the COVID-19 epidemic, and their tuberculosis diagnosis and treatment work also changed to varying degrees. During this period, hospitals took various measures to overcome difficulties and tried their best to maintain the normal development of tuberculosis diagnosis and treatment, and the tuberculosis diagnosis and treatment work of various institutions gradually resumed in 2022.

Evidence of the Zoonotic Transmission of Cryptosporidium among Children and Pets.

We investigated the zoonotic transmission of Cryptosporidium among the children (n = 188), dogs (n = 133), and cats (n = 55) living in 188 households. Fecal samples were examined using ELISA and confirmed via nested PCR. Coproantigens oocysts were detected in 3.7% of children, 8.3% of dogs, and 5.5% of cats. We found strong evidence of two cases of the zoonotic transmission of Cryptosporidium canis between children and dogs. Furthermore, four children and their respective pets (one dog and three cats) were infected with Cryptosporidium parvum, but we cannot exclude the hypotheses that the oocysts were transmitted from children to animals or that both hosts were infected by a shared source, such as contaminated water or food. The presence of an infected animal elevated the risk of zoonotic transmission by 129.7-fold (95% CI: 13.92-1209.68). Furthermore, sharing a bed with pets was identified as a risk factor for infection in children (OR: 9.9, 95% CI: 1.37-71.2). In conclusion, the zoonotic transmission of Cryptosporidium among children and pets cohabiting in the same household may be quite common, especially when infected animals lie or sleep on children's beds. These findings unequivocally highlight the public health concern surrounding C. canis.

ANALYSIS OF FURNITURE DESIGN FOR GROWING CHILDREN BASED ON PHYSIOLOGICAL CHANGES IN CHILDREN

The aim of this study is to determine the design needs and methods of children's furniture for growth from the perspective of children's physiology. Due to the current advocacy of sustainable design concepts, new structures and accessories can also meet the requirements of children's furniture design. At this stage, research on the design of growthable children's furniture is very important and timely. The study used the analysis of literature sources on the design of furniture, Comparative research method. Case analysis method, structural-functional analysis, synthesis of research results, etc. are used. Analyzing the design elements of growable furniture from the perspective of children's physiology, the types of furniture that can grow children are divided into three categories: children's desks and chairs, children's beds, and children's storage furniture. According to the requirements of children's human-machine ratio, it is determined that the height of children's desks and chairs can be adjusted, and the angle between the desktop and the back of the children's chair can also be adjusted. From an ergonomic point of view, these requirements are determined based on the child's height, weight and developmental characteristics. It is determined that through the standardized design, the children's bed can be disassembled or installed, the height of the bed can be changed, and the combination of the bed and other functions can also be satisfied. Determine the category of children's storage type furniture storage items, classify according to different items, and put forward requirements for the storage of different types of items. We explore the impact of children's physiological changes on children's furniture, meet the requirements of children of different ages for the use of furniture, at the same time, provide specific design ideas. The practical significance of the obtained results lies in the possibility of their application for designers and manufacturers in the design of children furniture.

DESIGN FOR PREMISES OF PROTECTIVE STRUCTURES IN PRESCHOOL EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS

Problem statement. The article highlights one of the most urgent problems in today's protection of children in educational institutions. The authors examined the main requirements of the current legislative and regulatory documentation regarding the protection of children in preschool education institutions during hostilities, the recommendations of the State Emergency Service, the main provisions of the concept of safety of educational institutions, as well as norms. The purpose of this study is to develop proposals for the design of protected spaces in children's preschool institutions that will ensure the maximum possible safety, physical and psychological comfort of staying in a protected space. The main aspects regarding the design of premises in children's preschool institutions are considered in detail. One of the most important tasks of arranging a shelter in a children's preschool is to ensure visual comfort, taking into account factors that can reduce stress and feelings of anxiety in children. The main room of the shelter should have a rest area with children's beds, a play area with a carpet filled with toys, and an area for classes with tables and chairs. The comfort of staying in a protected space should be provided by means of interior design, through the use of appropriate colors, soft lighting, and appropriate decor. In our opinion, one of the main elements of shelter design should be wall painting, which should encourage and divert attention from a stressful situation. Proposals for designing protected spaces in children's preschool institutions have been made. These proposals will make sure that children are as safe, comfortable, and as safe as they can be. Recommendations regarding the equipment and options for wall painting in the main rooms of the shelter in children's preschool institutions are offered. In particular, murals with an unpainted part for multiple uses as coloring with colored chalk or markers, and a mural as a walled playground. Research results can be used in practice when setting up a shelter in children's preschool institutions.

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES FOR CONTROLLING THE INFLUENCE OF TECHNOGENIC FACTORS ON THE SECURITY OF THE POPULATION WITHIN THE URBOSYSTEM

Purpose. Determining the levels of environmental pollution by electromagnetic sources and providing recommendations on how to prevent the impact of negative factors on human health. Design/methodology/approach. Particular attention is paid to the spread of electromagnetic fields within the urban system of Kremenchuk, namely from household sources, which include cellular communications and WiFi wireless communications. These products have recently become extremely widespread, without taking into account their total impact on the environment and human health. Therefore, the authors tried to conduct experiments both in the homes of city residents and in their leisure cities. Determination of levels of pollution by electromagnetic sources is carried out using numerical values of energy flux density in μW/cm2, for this purpose is carried out using direct instrumental measurement with the device ATT-2592. This device is designed to determine the level of the electromagnetic background, the principle of which is based on the isotropic method of measurement. Conclusions. An algorithm for organizing observations of the level of background characteristics of the electromagnetic field (EMF) within the urban system is proposed. Limitations/consequences of research. The proposed algorithm is universal and can be used in various fields of production and management to determine the levels of environmental pollution by electromagnetic sources. Practical consequences. An algorithm for determining the levels of environmental pollution by electromagnetic sources within the urban system has been developed. Originality/meaning. According to the study, there is no acute negative impact on the health of residents of a certain group in the urban system, however, the issues of chronic negative impact remain relevant due to the fact that 8% of families surveyed WiFi router is located at a distance of 1 m from the child's bed.

Analysis of Maternal and Infant Health Indicators in Kazakhstan: 2003–2018

AbstractBACKGROUND: The health status of women and children is the first and foremost priority for all countries in the world. In the first decade of Kazakhstan's independence, the country's population decreased by over 1million, or 9.7%. Since 2003, the population of Kazakhstan has been growing steadily and is projected to be 18.9 million people in 2021. The focus on maternal and child health, an increase in the birth rate and a decrease in child and maternal mortality rates are the most important directions for state policy to improve the health and demographic situation in the country. The main purpose of the article is to analyze the main indicators of maternal and neonatal health in Kazakhstan before and after the implementation of the state health development programs "Densaulyk" and "Salamatty Kazakhstan”. METHODS: A retrospective study was carried out in two main databases of the Ministry of Health of Kazakhstan (Medinfo Database and www.stat gov kz).RESULTS: According to the official statistics in Medinfo database, almost all 12 maternal health and 11 infant health indicators had a positive tendency after implementing state programs (2011-2018). Notable exceptions among maternal and infant indicators included: rate of C-section increased to 81.3%, provision of care by obstetrician-gynecologists decreased to 16% and the number of hospital beds for pregnant women, women in labor and parturient women dropped to 37.9%, service provision by pediatricians (including neonatologists) decreased to 27.8% with provision of children's hospital beds dropping to 24.9%. CONCLUSIONS: Health indicators related to mother, pregnancy and children under 1 year old showed favorable results after implementing the state programs "Densaulyk" and "Salamatty Kazakhstan. However, high mortality rates among premature and low birth weight babies point to the need for changes in prevention and education systems in general.

АНАЛИЗ СТРУКТУРНО-ОРГАНИЗАЦИОННОЙ ПЕРЕСТРОЙКИ МЕДИЦИНСКОЙ ПОМОЩИ ДЕТСКОЙ ЧЕЛЮСТНО-ЛИЦЕВОЙ ХИРУРГИИ В ПЕНЗЕНСКОМ РЕГИОНЕ В 2021 ГОДУ

The annual increase in patients and increased requirements for the quality of medical care lead to the reorganization of the work of various departments of medical hospitals. In order to improve the quality and accessibility of specialized medical care in the profile "maxillofacial surgery" in the territory of the Penza Region, in 2020, the structure of the Center for Maxillofacial Surgery of the Penza Regional Clinical Hospital named after N. N. Burdenko will be reorganized, which allows solving a number of existing problems. An important direction in the modernization of the Center was the structural and organizational restructuring. The purpose of the study: to analyze the quality and effectiveness of providing care to children with pathology of the maxillofacial region by doctors of the Center for Maxillofacial Surgery of the Penza Regional Clinical Hospital named after N. N. Burdenko. Materials and methods. A comprehensive assessment of the quality of care for children with maxillofacial pathology from 2018-2020 in the Penza region and in the period from November 2020 to July 2021 was carried out. Center of Maxillofacial Surgery of the N. N. Burdenko State Medical University. Results and discussion. Having analyzed the existing shortcomings and problems, established connections, the growth of patients in need of treatment by a maxillofacial surgeon contributed to the opening of the Maxillofacial Surgery Center in the N. N. Burdenko State Medical University, which included 10 specialized children's beds; 2 ultra-short stay beds; an outpatient office; a rehabilitation room; material and technical equipment, tools, medicines for children; maxillofacial surgeon, pediatrician, pediatric dentist, general dentist, clinical nurses, speech therapist. Conclusion. The opening of the Maxillofacial Surgery Center in the Penza region has shown high efficiency. The economic effect in obtaining specialized treatment due to the work of an outpatient office and a rehabilitation office based on a patient-oriented model is noted. In order to achieve maximum efficiency and fully meet the need for providing medical care to the children's population of the Penza region in the profile "maxillofacial surgery", it is necessary to open a department of pediatric maxillofacial surgery due to the projected workload of open beds.

Pediatric endocrinological service in the Russian Federation: current state and development prospects

The article provides brief data on the prevalence of endocrine diseases in children in the Russian Federation, provides the main normative documents regulating the provision of medical care in the field of «pediatric endocrinology», data on the state of the bed fund (children's endocrinological beds), the number of specialized children's departments in the Russian Federation, the number of children's endocrinologists.

The Relationship Between Parental Accommodation and Sleep-Related Problems in Children with Anxiety.

Sleep-related problems, defined as sleep patterns atypical for the child's developmental stage, are common in children with elevated anxiety symptoms and linked to significant mental and physical health consequences. Despite the consequences of sleep-related problems, it remains unclear how these problems are initiated and maintained in children with elevated anxiety symptoms. The current study examines the relationship between sleep-related problems and parental accommodation (e.g., co-sleeping) to determine whether higher levels of accommodation are associated with more frequent sleep-related problems in a sample of children with elevated anxiety symptoms. Participants were 122 children aged 8 to 17 years old (M = 11.97, SD = 2.68; 57% female) and their parents who presented to a university-based anxiety specialty clinic for assessment and treatment. Children completed the Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children, and their parents completed the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire and Family Accommodation Checklist and Interference Scale. Multiple regression analyses were performed to examine variance in sleep-related problems explained by parental accommodation. Parental accommodation accounted for a significant amount of variance in sleep-related problems over and above child anxiety and age for both mother report (19%) and father report (15%). When individual accommodation items were examined, parental sleep accommodations (e.g., slept in my child's bed) and nonsleep accommodations (e.g., came home early) were significant predictors for mother-reported sleep-related problems, but only sleep accommodations (e.g., let my child sleep with the lights on) were significant for father-reported sleep-related problems. Parents of children with elevated anxiety symptoms and sleep-related problems engage in accommodation related to their child's sleep (e.g., co-sleeping). Future research elucidating the potential bidirectional and causal links between parental accommodation and sleep-related problems is a necessary step in adapting sleep treatments for this population.

The outcome of newborn admitted in neonatal care unit, center teaching hospital of pediatric , Baghdad Al-krakh, 2015

Background: Neonatal period is a very vulnerable period of life due to many problems, In spite of advances in perinatal and neonatal care still, the mortality rate of neonate high especially in developing country The World Health Organization estimates that globally four million neonatal deaths per year, Developing countries account for around 99% of the neonatal mortality in the world, In Iraq. Neonatal mortality rate about 19 per 1000 live births which represent 56% of child death below 5 years age in 2012. The hospital in the study represents the larger pediatric hospital in Iraq. It contains 400 children's beds and 24 neonatal incubators.
 Aims of the study: are to determine the institutional new-born case fatality rate and the cause of death in the neonatal care unit.
 Method; The study is cross-section study of the population sample of neonatal care unit of central teaching hospital of pediatric in Baghdad Al-krakh health directorate
 Result: Study appear total neonate admission during 2015 was 1977 neonates mortality rate 9% Four main causes of death were Respiratory related condition, Bacterial sepsis, Disorder related to short gestational and low birth weight not relayed to elsewhere classification and congenital malformation 37.5%, 33.3%, 7.1% and 7.1% respectively while the main primary cause of morbidity were Neonatal jaundice, Respiratory related condition, Bacterial sepsis and 37.5%, 35.2%. 14.1% respectively Conclusions: The majority of morbidity and mortality can prevent by appropriate intervention

Evaluation of the children's neurosurgical beds in regions of the Russian Federation

Organization of rendering neurosurgical care for children refers to the one out of main stages of the reduction ofpreventable health loss from traumatic brain injury (TBI) in children. The most important link in its provision is a material-technical base ofinstitutions. The aim ofthis study was the analysis ofthe activity ofthe children's neurosurgical hospital beds fund neededfor the development of measures for the optimization of the provision of medical care for TBI children. The study was performed according to the data of the statistical reports for 2003-2012 in Russia in total, as well as in federal districts and subjects. There was evaluated the work of the children's neurosurgical beds. Also, there was made the modeling of the necessary number of children's neurosurgical beds for the provision of neurosurgical care for children with brain injury in two ways: with taking into account the level of morbidity rate and with bearing in mind the standards for the requirement.The study showed that in 2003-2012, there was a gain in the prosperity ofthe child population with children's neurosurgical beds in Russia and regions. There most assured were the cities of Moscow and Saint Petersburg, and the least - Urals Federal District and the Far East Federal District. The happening increase of the prosperity index to a greater extent was associated with a reduction in the child population than with an increase in the number of beds themselves. The gain in indices of turnover of beds and rate of hospitalization in reducing the average length ofstay, taking place against the backdrop of increasing the number of beds, testify to the intensification of the use of children's neurosurgical hospital bedfund in Russia and in the regions and its probable failure. According to overall results of the modeling there is revealed the deficiency of Russian children's neurosurgical hospital bed fund and the need to increase it, especially in such federal districts, as the Urals and the Far East.

Effects of Air Pollution and Land Use Characteristics on Development and Respiratory Health among Children in the Greater Taipei Area

Indoor and outdoor air pollution poses an important health threat to children. Exposure to air pollution may cause various acute and chronic respiratory diseases, and affect neurodevelopment and cognitive functions in children. To evaluate the impact of air pollution on children's health, we conduct a study to examine the effect of prenatal and early childhood exposure to air pollution on development and respiratory health in the first 3 years of life among a birth cohort in the Greater Taipei area. We will recruit 500 cohort children, and evaluate their development and respiratory diseases using standardized questionnaires and Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development. One hundred children will be selected to conduct indoor and outdoor environmental samplings of their residences. Four hundred and fifty-six cohort children have been recruited so far, and environmental measurements have been implemented in 40 homes. According to our analyses, most ambient pollutant concentrations near participants' homes were lower than Taiwan National Ambient Air Quality Standard, expect PM2.5, which exceeded the annual average level (15µg/m3). A few households had elevated indoor pollution levels due to a low ventilation rate or recent remodeling. Several children's bed dust samples contained dust mite allergen levels > 2 µg/g, which may increase the risk of child sensitization to dust mites. According to multiple regression analyses, a high level of nitrogen oxides during first trimester near residence as well as living near gas stations, social welfare facilities, or high ways had adverse effects on children's health; living near green parks was beneficial to children's neurodevelopment. Overall, residential environments, such as air quality and land use type nearby, may significantly influence children's health and neurodevelopment.

The World Will Be a Quiet Affair

The World Will Be a Quiet Affair Arin Vasquez (bio) when la llorona slept in a grave of riverside pebblesthe world was a quiet affair.the men forgot how to weepand the women forgot how to be,children sweeping down the river, siempre perdidos.the world set the gods of destruction loose from their cagerunning rampant in a mask that said paz in dripping redand pandora opened her pithos again and againalways keeping Hope tucked in the bottom of the jar. and when Quetzalcoatl curled scales around Teotihuacan and blessed el sol y la luna juntosthe world burned crimson joyand every bird plucked a single feather to decorate his back with, until he was as jeweled as la madre tierray la lengua fue formada, y el mundo totál cantóthis was the beginning of story. millennia later, under the street-lamp light of citiesa father would tell his two small children the tales of his mami and papi late into the nightand later, in the children's beds, their abuelito and abuelita sit, putting the lightest of pressure around small shouldersrosada plumas sitting one each in their hair. [End Page 26] and millennia later, the echoes of humans will sit soft in the warm dirtdown by the riverside in pebbled gravestheir children sitting around fires and trees, whispering the stories of their family up to the starsand la llorona will cease her crying and gather sus hijos closeQuetzalcoatl draping each set of spindly shoulders with cloaks of plumasand the world will be a quiet affair. [End Page 27] Arin Vasquez Arin Vasquez is a seventeen-year-old Latinx growing up in San Francisco. They were raised on bedtime stories about the antics of their grandparents, who they never met but still feel a connection to. They recently graduated from the creative writing department at Ruth Asawa School of the Arts and look forward to traveling and learning writing techniques in Spanish. Copyright © 2018 University of Wisconsin Board of Regents

Harry Stein, 1925 - 2014

The career of Harry Stein, who died at 89 on 31 December 2014, touched the lives of countless babies at Baragwanath Hospital in some of South Africa's darkest years during apartheid. In a career spanning 37 years, Harry became Head of Neonatology and later Head of Paediatrics at Baragwanath Hospital and Professor of Paediatrics at the University of the Witwatersrand until he retired in 1987. Baragwanath (now Chris Hani Baragwanath) was a national referral centre and the only hospital serving Soweto at the time, then with a population estimated to be in excess of 1.5 million people. Running paediatrics was a formidable task. Baragwanath had 400 children's beds and treated 100 000 child outpatients a year; 17 000 babies were delivered each year. There were very high rates of low birth weight and premature delivery, with over 3 000 babies a year weighing less than 2 500 g at birth and often premature.

Dermatitis by Tropical Rat Mite, Ornithonyssus bacoti (Mesostigmata, Macronyssidae) in Italian city‐dwellers: a diagnostic challenge

Editor Mesostigmata (Gamasida) is a suborder of mites within the order Parasitiformes.1 Some species can bite humans, typically causing pruritic, non-specific skin lesions. The mesostigmatic mites most commonly associated with cases of dermatitis are from the Macronyssidae and Dermanyssidae families.1 All are haematophagous non-burrowing mites of very similar size and shape, and can be seen with the naked eyed as they range from 0.5 to 1.5 mm in size.1 Adults are able to survive several weeks without a blood meal.1 The tropical rat mite, Ornithonyssus bacoti, Hirst (Macronyssidae) is one of these species. It can occur worldwide mostly as an ectoparasite of wild rats and mice,2, 3 but also pet and laboratory rodents may occasionally be the source of the mite.2, 4-6 As a nest parasite, it only visits its host to feed, mainly during the night; and then returns to its nearby hiding place during the day. In the absence of its natural host, human beings may become subject to mite infestation. Outbreaks of tropical rat mite (TRM) dermatitis have been reported in humans in urban areas in Europe, because of wild/pet rodent infestation of flats2-4 but also due to occupational exposure,5 including a single record from Italy.6 These scattered cases show that parasitization by the TRM is not obvious and skin lesions are usually misdiagnosed, unless the mite is discovered and correctly identified. To confirm this, we report an urban outbreak of TRM dermatitis diagnosed by identifying the parasite. In November 2013, veterinary entomologists from the Zooprofilactic Institute (IZSPB), Foggia were contacted to inspect a house for mites. Owner referred that her 2-year-old daughter suffered from multiple erythematous papules over a 9-month period. Cutaneous lesions were generalized but predominantly located in groups on the neck and body areas covered by clothes (trunk, upper extremities and abdomen) (Fig. 1). Her 71-year-old grandmother had also experienced the same symptoms after spending a single night in the child's home. Bites by arthropods/non-burrowing mites/wood-mite and Streptococcus spp. infection respectively, were diagnosed after two paediatric and two dermatological consultations. Symptomatic relief was also unsuccessful. Mites were detected in dust samples and in child's bedding, after careful investigation of the patient's living quarters by IZSPB staff. All of the parasites were identified as Ornithonyss bacoti based on morphological keys1 (Fig. 2). The source of the mites was a previously eliminated rats' nest in the living-room. Medical texts and parasitology manuals rarely mention mesostigmatic mites in association with human parasitization; detection and correct identification of these ectoparasites is also difficult. This makes it a challenge for physicians, including dermatologists, to recognize epizoonotic mite-associated dermatitis, including skin disorders caused by O. bacoti. This inevitably leads to failures in treatment. In addition to O. bacoti, mestostigmatic avian mites such as Ornithonyssus sylviarum and Ornithonyssus bursa (Macronyssidae), and more frequently Dermanyssus gallinae (Dermanyssidae) can be associated with urban dermatitis in Europe,2, 7, 8 including Italy.9 When unexplained pseudoscabious eruptions occur on patients in urban areas, investigation for mesostigmatic mites should always be undertaken. If small rodents are held as pets, animals and their bedding should be carefully examined by a veterinarian. Diagnosis and treatment of these infestations require accurate anamnesis, detection and identification of the parasite, removal of the source and disinfestation. As studies suggest that the rat mite may be a reservoir of various zoonotic pathogens and a vector of Bartonella henselae,10 its early diagnosis remains crucial. Dermatitis by mesostigmatic mites, including the TRM dermatitis, are without doubt more frequent than one might expect. Increased physicians awareness of the possible role of these ectoparasites in urban infestations of humans, and applying the One Health approach will be essential for diagnosis, treatment and prevention.

SETIL: Italian multicentric epidemiological case-control study on risk factors for childhood leukaemia, non hodgkin lymphoma and neuroblastoma: study population and prevalence of risk factors in Italy.

BackgroundAetiology of childhood leukaemia and childhood neoplasm is poorly understood. Information on the prevalence of risk factors in the childhood population is limited. SETIL is a population based case–control study on childhood leukaemia, conducted with two companion studies on non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL) and neuroblastoma. The study relies on questionnaire interviews and 50 Hz magnetic field (ELF-MF) indoor measurements. This paper discusses the SETIL study design and includes descriptive information.MethodsThe study was carried out in 14 Italian regions (78.3% of Italian population aged 0–10). It included leukaemia, NHL and neuroblastoma cases incident in 0–10 year olds in 1998–2001, registered by the Italian Association of Paediatric Haematology and Oncology (AIEOP) (accrual over 95% of estimated incidence). Two controls for each leukaemia case were randomly sampled from the Local Health Authorities rolls, matched by gender, birthdate and residence. The same controls were used in NHL and neuroblastoma studies. Parents were interviewed at home on: physical agents (ELF-MF and ionizing radiation), chemicals (smoking, solvents, traffic, insecticides), occupation, medical and personal history of children and parents, infectious diseases, immunizations and associated factors. Occupational exposure was collected using job specific modules. ELF-MF was measured in the main rooms (spot measurement) and close to child’s bed (48 hours measurement).ResultsThe study included: 683 leukaemia cases (87% ALL, 13% AnLL), 97 NHL, 155 neuroblastomas, and 1044 controls.ELF-MF long term measurements were obtained for 61.1% of controls and 81.6% of leukaemia cases; 8.8% of controls were exposed at over 0.1 microTesla (μT), 3.5% and 2.1% at respectively over 0.2 and 0.3 μT. 25% of controls’ fathers had smoked over 10 cigarettes/day during the year of conception, varying according to education and region. Maternal smoking was less common (71.4% did not smoke in pregnancy). Maternal passive smoking during pregnancy was reported by 31.2% of controls; the child’s passive smoking for 28.6%.Occupational exposure to solvents was estimated in 18.3% of controls’ fathers and 7.7% of mothers. Contact with public was more frequent among mothers (36.1%) than fathers (23.4%).ConclusionsSETIL represents a data source on exposure of Italian children to a broad array of potential carcinogenic factors.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13052-014-0103-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

¿Mordida de bruja o enfermedad? Las muertes de niños en un pueblo tlaxcalteca, 1917-1922

Supported in their prehispanic and colonial beliefs, the people of San Bernardino Contla believed in the evil intentions of the witch, especially with newborns. Immersed in their own world view, this research will explain why the deaths of children resulting from the bite of a witch were backed by the civil authority, and conversely, the position of the Catholic priest in arguing the presence of childhood diseases, such as: epilepsy and fever. Thanks to the parents report of night attacks of the witch, the myth gains a fantasy, legendary and at the same time fearful sense. Alternatively, to prevent the witch attack protection rituals were performed. In order to feel confident, at the beginning of the night, parents placed a mirror in the child's bed and scissors behind the door of the house, a crucifix and a bucket of water. Regarding the physical traces of the dead two possibilities arise: one associated with a disease and the other with suffocation. In addition, the Tlaxcalteca legislation that allowed the registration of deaths related to mythical causes will be released.

Childhood sleep duration and lifelong mortality risk.

Sleep duration is known to significantly affect health in adults and children, but little is understood about long-term associations. This prospective cohort study is the first to examine whether childhood sleep duration is associated with lifelong mortality risk. Data from childhood were refined and mortality data collected for 1,145 participants from the Terman Life Cycle Study. Participants were born between 1904 and 1915, lived to at least 1940, and had complete age, bedtime, and waketime data at initial data collection (1917-1926). Homogeneity of the cohort sample (intelligent, mostly White) limits generality but provides natural control of common confounds. Through 2009, 1,039 participants had confirmed deaths. Sleep duration was calculated as the difference between each child's bed and wake times. Age-adjusted sleep (deviation from that predicted by age) was computed. Cox proportional hazards survival models evaluated childhood sleep duration as a predictor of mortality separately by sex, controlling for baseline age. For males, a quadratic relation emerged: Male children who underslept or overslept compared with peers were at increased risk of lifelong all-cause mortality (HR = 1.15, CIs [1.05, 1.27]). Effect sizes were smaller and nonsignificant in females (HR = 1.02, CIs [0.91, 1.14]). Male children with shorter or longer sleep durations than expected for their age were at increased risk of death at any given age in adulthood. The findings suggest that sleep may be a core biobehavioral trait, with implications for new models of sleep and health throughout the entire life span.

Nighttime Sleep Duration and Externalizing Behaviors of Preschool Children

To examine how many hours preschool children in the United States sleep at night and to test the hypothesis that children with shorter nighttime sleep duration are more likely to exhibit externalizing behaviors. The Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Birth Cohort is a nationally representative longitudinal cohort study that followed children born in 2001 through kindergarten. This cross-sectional study examines the preschool wave (n = ∼8950). We estimated nighttime sleep duration from parent's reports of their 4-year-old child's typical weekday bed and wake times. Parents rated their child on 6 different externalizing behaviors (overactivity, anger, aggression, impulsivity, tantrums, and annoying behaviors) on a scale from 1 through 5 using the Preschool and Kindergarten Behavior Scale-second edition. Multivariable regression analyses were used to examine the association between sleep duration and behavior scores and to control for possible confounders. Results are weighted to total United States population, ∼3,895,100 children born in 2001. Mean sleep duration was 10.47 hours. Mean bedtime was 8:39 PM and wake time was 7:13 AM. The adjusted odds ratios for children sleeping <9.44 hours (1 standard deviation below the mean) versus those sleeping ≥9.44 hours for 6 different externalizing behavior outcomes were as follows: overactivity = 1.30 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.03-1.65); anger = 1.40 (95% CI, 1.15-1.71); aggression = 1.81 (95% CI, 1.36-2.41); impulsivity = 1.44 (95% CI, 1.12-1.86); tantrums = 1.46 (95% CI, 1.16-1.85); and annoying behaviors = 1.40 (95% CI, 0.97-1.87). Shorter nighttime sleep duration in preschool children is associated with higher likelihood of externalizing behavioral symptoms based on parental report.

Community Capacity as Means to Improved Health Practices and An End in Itself: Evidence from a Multi-Stage Study

This three-phase study characterized, validated, and applied community capacity domains in a health communication project evaluation in Zambia. Phase I explored community capacity domains from community members' perspectives (16 focus groups, 14 in-depth interviews, 4 sites. These were validated in Phase II with 720 randomly selected adults. The validated domains were incorporated into a program evaluation survey (2,462 adult women, 2,354 adult men; October 2009). The results indicated that the intervention had direct effects on community capacity; enhanced capacity was then associated with having taken community action for health. Finally, community capacity mediated by community action and controlling for confounders, had a significant effect on women's contraceptive use, children's bed net use, and HIV testing. The results indicate that building community capacity served as a means to an end-improved health behaviors and reported collective action for health-and an end-in-itself, both of which are essential to overall wellbeing.