This study examines the prevalence of depression, anxiety and symptoms of stress among baccalaureate nursing students in Hong Kong. Recent epidemiological data suggest that the prevalence of mild to severe depression, anxiety and stress among qualified nurses in Hong Kong stands at 35.8%, 37.3% and 41.1%, respectively. A total of 661 nursing students were recruited to participate in our cross-sectional mental health survey using the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale 21. Multiple logistic regression was used to determine significant relationships between variables. Working in general medicine, being in financial difficulty, having sleep problems, not having leisure activity and perceiving oneself in poor mental health were significant correlates of past-week depression, anxiety and stress. Year of study, physical inactivity and family crisis in the past year correlated significantly with depression. Imbalanced diets significantly correlated with anxiety. Stress was significantly associated with a lack of alone time. This is the first study to confirm empirically that clinical specialty, financial difficulties and lifestyle factors can increase nursing students’ levels of depression and anxiety and symptoms of stress. Prevention, including the early detection and treatment of mental disorder, promises to reduce the prevalence of these indicators among this group.

The biomechanical properties of plantar tissues were investigated for four older neuropathic diabetic patients and four normal younger subjects. Indentation tests were performed at four high pressure areas with three postures in each subject. The tissue thickness and effective Young's modulus were measured by an ultrasound indentation system. The system comprised a pen-size probe having an ultrasound transducer at the tip and a load cell connected in series with it. Results showed that the plantar soft tissues of the elderly diabetic patients were significantly stiffer and thinner when compared with the normal young subjects.For the diabetic subjects tested, the Young's modulus at the 1st metatarsal head was significantly larger than those at the other three sites. This site dependence was not observed in the normal young subjects. The plantar tissue became significantly stiffer in the normal young subjects as a result of posture changes. This posture dependence of the Young's modulus was not established for the elderly diabetic group.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effectiveness of educational poster on improving secondary school students' knowledge of emergency management of dental trauma.MethodsA cluster randomised controlled trial was conducted. 16 schools with total 671 secondary students who can read Chinese or English were randomised into intervention (poster, 8 schools, 364 students) and control groups (8 schools, 305 students) at the school level. Baseline knowledge of dental trauma was obtained by a questionnaire. Poster containing information of dental trauma management was displayed in a classroom for 2 weeks in each school in the intervention group whereas in the control group there was no display of such posters. Students of both groups completed the same questionnarie after 2 weeks.ResultsTwo-week display of posters improved the knowledge score by 1.25 (p-value = 0.0407) on average.ConclusionEducational poster on dental trauma management significantly improved the level of knowledge of secondary school students in Hong Kong.Trial Registration HKClinicalTrial.com HKCTR-1343 ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01809457

We report the use of continuous arteriovenous hemodiafiltration (CAVHD) in a neonate with severe hyperammonemia due to a urea cycle disorder. We compared the ammonia clearance (C(NH3)) for peritoneal dialysis (PD) and CAVHD. C(NH3) for CAVHD was 7.45 ml/min per m2 at a dialysate flow of 300 ml/h and was 10.55 ml/min per m2 at a dialysate flow rate of 600 ml/h. The mean PD clearance was 2.15 ml/min per m2. Our data suggest that CAVHD is superior to PD for the removal of plasma ammonia. We conclude that CAVHD should be considered a reasonable alternative in the treatment of neonatal hyperammonemia in urea cycle disorders when medical treatment fails.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effectiveness of educational posters in improving the knowledge level of primary and secondary school teachers regarding emergency management of dental trauma.MethodsA cluster randomised controlled trial was conducted. 32 schools with a total of 515 teachers were randomised into intervention (poster) and control groups at the school level. Teachers’ baseline levels of knowledge about dental trauma were obtained by using a questionnaire. Posters containing information on dental trauma management were displayed in the school medical room, the common room used by staff, and on a notice board for 2 weeks in each school of the intervention group; in the control group, no posters were displayed. Teachers in both groups completed the questionnaire after 2 weeks.ResultsThe teachers in the intervention schools (where posters were displayed for 2 weeks) showed statistically significant improvement in scores in cases where they had not previously learned about dental emergencies from sources other than first aid training, with an average score increase of 2.6656 (score range of questionnaire, −13 to 9; p-value <0.0001).ConclusionEducational posters on the management of dental trauma can significantly improve the level of knowledge of primary and secondary school teachers in Hong Kong. KClinicalTrials.com HKCTR-1307ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01707355