Post-operative aspirin use and colorectal cancer-specific survival in patients with stage I-III colorectal cancer.

Background: Recent observational studies suggest that postoperative aspirin use may improve Colorectal cancer (CRC)-specific survival and overall survival (OS). In this study, we aimed to assess the effects of aspirin use on outcomes in a predominantly Asian cohort of patients with CRC.

Patients And Methods: Case records of patients undergoing curative resection for stage I-III CRC were retrieved for clinical data and patterns of aspirin use and vital data were determined from hospital electronic prescription records, hospital pharmacy dispensing records, national clinical and prescription databases.

KIF5B transports BNIP-2 to regulate p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase activation and myoblast differentiation.

The Cdo-p38MAPK (p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase) signaling pathway plays important roles in regulating skeletal myogenesis. During myogenic differentiation, the cell surface receptor Cdo bridges scaffold proteins BNIP-2 and JLP and activates p38MAPK, but the spatial-temporal regulation of this process is largely unknown. We here report that KIF5B, the heavy chain of kinesin-1 motor, is a novel interacting partner of BNIP-2.

Singapore Chapter of Rheumatologists Consensus Statement on the Eligibility for Government Subsidy of Biologic Disease Modifying Antirheumatic Agents for Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA).

Introduction: Up to 30% of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) respond inadequately to conventional non-biologic disease modifying antirheumatic drugs (nbDMARDs), and may benefit from therapy with biologic DMARDs (bDMARDs). However, the high cost of bDMARDs limits their widespread use. The Chapter of Rheumatologists, College of Physicians, Academy of Medicine, Singapore aims to define clinical eligibility for government-assisted funding of bDMARDs for local RA patients.

Epidemiology of Culture-positive Infection in Adult Patients with Haematological Malignancies in Sarawak.

No abstract available.

Near disappearance of childhood invasive Haemophilus influenzae type b disease in Singapore.

Background: Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) conjugate vaccines have significantly limited Hib's disease impact in every country where it was introduced. We previously estimated invasive Hib disease incidence in Singapore at ∼4.4 per 100,000 children <5 years (from 1994 to 2003, period 1), but the vaccine was not included in the national childhood immunization schedule until May 2013 (although it was available privately).

Use of magnetic resonance imaging in detecting subclinical synovitis in rheumatoid arthritis and correlation of imaging findings with interleukin-18 levels.

Aim: We studied the usefulness of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in detecting subclinical inflammation in patients with asymptomatic RA and tested the hypothesis of interleukin (IL)-18 as a marker of disease activity.

Methods: Thirteen RA patients with Disease Activity Score of 28 joints (DAS28) < 2.6 were evaluated.

Alzheimer's disease--a panorama glimpse.

The single-mutation of genes associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD) increases the production of Aβ peptides. An elevated concentration of Aβ peptides is prone to aggregation into oligomers and further deposition as plaque. Aβ plaques and neurofibrillary tangles are two hallmarks of AD.

Detection of multiple potentially pathogenic bacteria in Matang mangrove estuaries, Malaysia.

The deltaic estuarine system of the Matang Mangrove Forest Reserve of Malaysia is a site where several human settlements and brackish water aquaculture have been established. Here, we evaluated the level of fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) and the presence of potentially pathogenic bacteria in the surface water and sediments. Higher levels of FIB were detected at downstream sampling sites from the fishing village, indicating it as a possible source of anthropogenic pollution to the estuary.

Trajectory and risk factors for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in Asian patients with head and neck cancer.

Background: The purpose of this study was to analyze the trajectory of and risk factors for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in Asian patients with head and neck cancer.

Methods: Adult patients with head and neck cancer scheduled to receive cisplatin-based chemotherapy were recruited for the study. Clinical events were collated from standardized diaries.

Can prevalence expectations drive radiologists' behavior?

Rationale And Objectives: To measure the effect of explicit prevalence expectation on the performance of experienced radiologists during image interpretation of pulmonary lesions on chest radiographs.

Materials And Methods: Each of 22 experienced radiologists was allocated to one of three groups to interpret a set of 30 (15 abnormal) posteroanterior chest images on two occasions to decide if pulmonary lesions were present. Before each viewing, the radiologists were told that the images contained a specific number of abnormal images: group 1, 9 versus 15; group 2, 22 versus 15; and group 3, not told versus 15, respectively.

Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty of transplant renal artery stenosis.

Introduction: This study aimed to assess the outcome of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) as the primary treatment for transplant renal artery stenosis (TxRAS).

Materials And Methods: A retrospective review of PTA of TxRAS from April 1999 to December 2008 was performed. Twenty-seven patients (17 males (M):10 females (F)) with the mean age of 49.

Structural biology of the macroautophagy machinery.

Macroautophagy is a conserved degradative process mediated through formation of a unique double-membrane structure, the autophagosome. The discovery of autophagy-related (Atg) genes required for autophagosome formation has led to the characterization of approximately 20 genes mediating this process. Recent structural studies of the Atg proteins have provided the molecular basis for their function.

Short-term forecasting of Taiwanese earthquakes using a universal model of fusion-fission processes.

Predicting how large an earthquake can be, where and when it will strike remains an elusive goal in spite of the ever-increasing volume of data collected by earth scientists. In this paper, we introduce a universal model of fusion-fission processes that can be used to predict earthquakes starting from catalog data. We show how the equilibrium dynamics of this model very naturally explains the Gutenberg-Richter law.

Achieving consensus in ultrasonography synovitis scoring in rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective: Ultrasonography is sensitive for synovitis detection but interobserver variation in both acquisition and image interpretation is still a concern. The objective was to assess if a short collegiate consensus would improve inter-observer reliability in scoring of synovitis.

Methods: Eight rheumatologists (Singapore) participated in a 1-day consensus meeting divided into: (i) still-image interpretation and consensus followed by; (ii) image acquisition and interpretation, according to definitions and synovitis scoring rules endorsed by Outcome Measures in Rheumatology (OMERACT) and TUI (Targeted Ultrasound Initiative).

Securing and sustaining employment: concerns of HIV patients in Singapore.

Employment sustainability is one of the most pressing issues inflicting people living with HIV (PLHIV). A qualitative approach was used to elucidate the perceived challenges in sustaining their employment and the perceived barriers in re-entering the workforce for HIV patients. In-depth interviews were conducted with 16 patients from an acute hospital in Singapore.

The role of Atg29 phosphorylation in PAS assembly.

Macroautophagy (hereafter autophagy) initiates at the phagophore assembly site (PAS), where most of the AuTophaGy-related (Atg) proteins are at least transiently localized. As the first protein complex targeted to the PAS, the Atg17-Atg31-Atg29 complex serves as the scaffold for other Atg proteins and plays a critical role for the organization of the PAS, and in autophagy initiation. We recently showed that this complex is constitutively formed and activated by the phosphorylation of Atg29 when autophagy is induced.

Bistability and chaos at low levels of quanta.

We study nonlinear phenomena of bistability and chaos at a level of few quanta. For this purpose, we consider a single-mode dissipative oscillator with strong Kerr nonlinearity with respect to the dissipation rate driven by a monochromatic force as well as by a train of Gaussian pulses. The quantum effects and decoherence in the oscillatory mode are investigated in the framework of the purity of states and the Wigner functions calculated from the master equation.

Disease patterns of rheumatology outpatients seen in a tertiary hospital serving a multi-ethnic, urban Asian population in Singapore.

Aims: To describe the spectrum of diseases seen in an outpatient setting in the Singapore General Hospital, the largest tertiary referral centre in Singapore.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, medical records of patients scheduled for an appointment at the rheumatology specialist outpatient clinics over a 4-month period (10 August 2010-31 December 2010) were reviewed. Primary diagnoses documented by the attending physician at the latest visit were recorded.

Structural characterization of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae autophagy regulatory complex Atg17-Atg31-Atg29.

Atg17, in complex with Atg29 and Atg31, constitutes a key module of the Atg1 kinase signaling complex and functions as an important organizer of the phagophore assembly site in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We have determined the three-dimensional reconstruction of the full S. cerevisiae Atg17-Atg31-Atg29 complex by single-particle electron microscopy.

SOX17 is expressed in regenerating oligodendrocytes in experimental models of demyelination and in multiple sclerosis.

We have previously demonstrated that Sox17 expression is prominent at developmental stages corresponding to oligodendrocyte progenitor cell (OPC) cycle exit and onset of differentiation, and that Sox17 promotes initiation of OPC differentiation. In this study, we examined Sox17 expression and regulation under pathological conditions, particularly in two animal models of demyelination/remyelination and in post-mortem multiple sclerosis (MS) brain lesions. We found that the number of Sox17 expressing cells was significantly increased in lysolecithin (LPC)-induced lesions of the mouse spinal cord between 7 and 30 days post-injection, as compared with controls.

Fast-food consumers in Singapore: demographic profile, diet quality and weight status.

Objective: To determine the demographic profile of fast-food consumers among adult Singapore residents and ascertain whether fast-food consumption frequency is associated with diet quality and weight status.

Design: A nationally representative cross-sectional survey including an FFQ and anthropometric measures. Participants were grouped based on their fast-food consumption frequency as non-consumer, occasional consumer or regular consumer, with regular defined as at least once per week.