BackgroundBreath odor is a nuisance problem for many people around the world. Bad breath affects social interactions of people in daily life by causing personal discomfort and emotional stress. There are chemical and mechanical methods for controlling oral malodor. Many studies of various mouth rinse applications and tongue cleaning procedures have been conducted. However, few studies have compared the effect of simultaneous chemical and mechanical procedures on the reduction of volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs) in subjects with oral malodor. The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of different oral hygiene procedures on reduction of VSCs in subjects with oral malodor.MethodsThirty male volunteers who matched with study criteria were divided randomly into two groups. Both groups performed tooth brushing, mouth washing with chlorine dioxide, tongue cleaning and combination of those in different sequence for five weeks. Total VSCs of subjects were measured with a Breathtron®, and oral health status was also examined. Quantitative analyses were performed using the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS 16.0).ResultsThere were no significant differences in oral health status between the two groups at the baseline. No significant decrease in oral malodor was detected after one week of tooth brushing. Significant reductions in VSCs were shown by adding mouthwash or tongue cleaning to tooth brushing from the second week to fourth week (P <0.01). The greatest reduction in VSCs was found at the fifth week after the practice of all three oral hygiene regimens.ConclusionsTooth brushing alone does not significantly reduce oral malodor. Mouth washing and tongue cleaning significantly reduce oral malodor, but combining tooth brushing, mouth washing and tongue cleaning regimens is most effective for oral malodor reduction. The results of this study could contribute to the formulation of appropriate preventive strategies against oral malodor not only for the general public but also for dental professionals serving as oral malodor-related service providers.Trial registrationRegistration number - ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02113137. Registration date – April 7th, 2014.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13063-015-0549-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

The impact of modern agriculture on the evolutionary trajectory of plant pathogens is a central question for crop sustainability. The Green Revolution replaced traditional rice landraces with high-yielding varieties, creating a uniform selection pressure that allows measuring the effect of such intervention. In this study, we analyzed a unique historical pathogen record to assess the impact of a major resistance gene, Xa4, in the population structure of Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo) collected in the Philippines in a span of 40 years. After the deployment of Xa4 in the early 1960s, the emergence of virulent pathogen groups was associated with the increasing adoption of rice varieties carrying Xa4, which reached 80% of the total planted area. Whole genomes analysis of a representative sample suggested six major pathogen groups with distinctive signatures of selection in genes related to secretion system, cell-wall degradation, lipopolysaccharide production, and detoxification of host defense components. Association genetics also suggested that each population might evolve different mechanisms to adapt to Xa4. Interestingly, we found evidence of strong selective sweep affecting several populations in the mid-1980s, suggesting a major bottleneck that coincides with the peak of Xa4 deployment in the archipelago. Our study highlights how modern agricultural practices facilitate the adaptation of pathogens to overcome the effects of standard crop improvement efforts.

BackgroundPreventing adolescent pregnancy and childbirth is one of the targets of Sustainable Development Goals. Measuring the burden pregnancy and childbirth places on adolescents is required to convince society and decision makers that this is an important goal.ObjectiveThis study aimed to estimate (1) the years of healthy life lost due to adolescent pregnancy and childbirth in terms of disability adjusted life years (DALYs), (2) the contribution of adolescent pregnancy and childbirth to the total DALYs lost from all reproductive ages, and (3) the magnitude of the burden due to five main direct obstetric causes and sequelae in adolescent mothers in Thailand in 2014.MethodsData were retrieved from a national in-patient registered database and a vital registration database. Health consequences of five main direct obstetric causes were extracted from the Global Burden of Diseases (GBD) 2000 study. The DALYs were calculated by the combination of Years of Life Lost (YLL) due to premature death and Years Lived with Disability (YLD) due to adverse pregnancy and childbirth in adolescent mothers.ResultsThere were a total of 2599 years of DALYs lost from the consequences of adolescent pregnancy and childbirth, and unsafe abortion resulted in the highest burden. Mortality was the primary driver for the total DALYs lost with 1704 years, and maternal hemorrhage dominated in the total YLL. Unsafe abortion contributed the highest burden to nonfatal morbidity. Obstructed labor commonly occurred in adolescent pregnancies.ConclusionAmong the DALYs lost due to pregnancy and childbirth for all reproductive aged women, 15.4% were attributed to adolescents. The five main obstetric causes of mortality and morbidity are all preventable conditions. Increased efforts from all stakeholders are essential to implement appropriate interventions to minimize adverse health outcomes in adolescent mothers.

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Objective: The objective of this study was to access the relationship of halitosis concern with oral health behaviors and knowledge among Myanmar people. Methods: This survey was conducted on 257 samples (93 males and 164 females) with the age range from 16 to 65 years old, in Yangon, Myanmar. All the participants filled a questionnaire focusing on halitosis concern, oral health behaviors, and oral health related knowledge. The correlation between halitosis concern and demographic factors, oral health behaviors, and knowledge were analyzed. Results: 91.8% (n=236) of the sample population with the average age of 32-year-old expressed concern about halitosis, and 65.4% have encountered another person’s bad breath. The participants that reported a concern about halitosis were married people (p<0.05). There is a significant relationship between halitosis concern and oral hygiene practice such as regular toothbrushing, use of toothbrush and toothpaste, less use of any form of tobacco and high oral health knowledge (p<0.05). Conclusion: This study showed that a person who concerns halitosis had better oral hygiene behaviors and oral health knowledge than those who do not a concern. The prevalence of halitosis concern was high, and there is a need to recommend taking proper halitosis measurements by professionals and to improve public knowledge about halitosis. It is essential to support best practices and empowerment for effective self-care.