Significant increase of oral bacteria in the early pregnancy period in Japanese women.

Aim: Oral microflora during pregnancy is critical to oral health care in the mother and her child. We examined the changes in the oral microbiota between pregnancy and nonpregnancy periods.

Methods: The study was performed using 132 healthy pregnant women enrolled from Hiroshima City Asa Citizens Hospital and 51 healthy nonpregnant women as control.

Patient advocacy: Japanese psychiatric nurses recognizing necessity for intervention.

Background: Advocacy is an important role of psychiatric nurses because their patients are ethically, socially, and legally vulnerable. This study of Japanese expert psychiatric nurses' judgments of interventions for patient advocacy will show effective strategies for ethical nursing practice and their relationship with Japanese culture.

Objectives: This article explores Japanese psychiatric nurses' decision to intervene as a patient advocate and examine their ethical, cultural, and social implications.

Factors involved in the feelings related to school avoidance among high school students in Nagano Prefecture, Japan.

Aim: The present study aimed to identify the factors that are involved in the feelings related to school avoidance of high school students in order to develop a support method and a strategy for preventing school maladjustment.

Method: A total of 1756 students from three public high schools in Nagano Prefecture in Japan agreed to participate in the study. They were asked to complete the Feelings of School Avoidance (FSA) Scale, as well as information relating to their demographic details, living environment, lifestyle, and psychosocial factors.

Factors affecting turnover of Japanese novice nurses in university hospitals in early and later periods of employment.

Aim: To explore the factors affecting turnover of novice nurses during the 10th-15th months of employment in comparison with those during the preceding 6 months.

Background: The early turnover of novice nurses is a serious issue. Our previous study showed that 4.

Relationship between assertiveness and burnout among nurse managers.

Aim: We aimed to clarify the relationship between assertiveness and burnout among nurse managers at university hospitals.

Methods: The directors at three university hospitals agreed to cooperate with our study. During a one-month period from May to June 2007, a self-administered questionnaire was distributed to 203 nurse managers (head and sub-head nurses).