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Background: Peripheral intravenous injection is a common clinical procedure. According to U.S. Centers for Disease Control guidelines, there is no need to replace peripheral catheters routinely every three days. However, local evidence-based research is needed to determine whether these guidelines are appropriate for Taiwan's island climate. Purpose: This study explores the effects of routine replacement of peripheral intravenous catheters every 96 hours versus every 72 hours, attempting to provide evidence-based information on optimal timing for replacing peripheral intravenous catheters. Methods: A randomized controlled trial design was adopted. Using convenience sampling, surgical otolaryngology inpatients of a medical center in southern Taiwan were recruited. A randomized block design assigned 71 participants to the 96-hour group and to the 72-hour group, respectively. A chi-square test and independent t test were used to compare the differences in the incidence of phlebitis, injection site infections, bloodstream infections, and catheter occlusion as well as the materials costs and nursing hours per patient day between the two groups. Results: There were no significant differences between the groups with respect to the incidence of phlebitis, injection site infections, bloodstream infections, or catheter occlusion (p > .05). The 96-hour group had a significant NT$ 152.72/person reduction in medical material costs (p < .0001) and a significant 174.23 seconds/person reduction in nursing hours per patient day (p < .0001). Conclusions / Implications for Practice: The results of this study suggest that for cases in which no infection signs at the intravenous injection sites are detected by routine assessment for more than three shifts during one day, the optimal replacement interval for peripheral intravenous catheters is 96 hours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Anterior displacement of the anus has been reported to be a cause of chronic constipation amongst young children. However, the normal position of the anus has not been studied in Taiwan. Patients and Methods: Normal anal positioning was studied in 200 neonates (100 males and 100 females). All of these individuals were non-constipated. The position of the anus was numerically defined by the anal position index (API), which is the distance from the center of the anus to the vagina or scrotum divided by the distance between the vagina or scrotum and the coccyx. Thirty non-constipated infants aged between 5 and 19 months (15 males and 15 females) were included in the study to compare the index between neonates and older infants. Results: The API values were 0.54±0.03 (95% CI, 0.48–0.60) for newborn males and 0.40±0.04 (95% CI, 0.32–0.47) for newborn females, 0.53±0.02 (95% CI, 0.49–0.57) for young boys and 0.39±0.06 (95% CI, 0.28–0.51) for young girls. The difference in indices between males and females was significant, but there was no significant difference in the indices between newborns and older infants. Conclusions: The API is independent of age, and provides a constant and reliable parameter for determining the position of the anus. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Presents a comparative study of consumer attitudes toward advertising in China, Taiwan, South Korea and the United States. Overview of the advertising industry in the Asian region; Account of related studies; Issues to consider for marketers and cross-cultural researchers.