Publications by authors named "Kai Lee"

Background: Reproductive efficiency is paramount in the dairy industry, where early pregnancy detection of dairy cows will allow to detect the non-pregnant animals early, thus enabling to re-synchronize them and getting them pregnant leading to decrease in calving interval, which, in turn, is critical for maximizing productivity and economic gain. The objective of this study was to evaluate the colour Doppler ultrasonography (CDUS) and peripheral blood leukocytes (PBLs)-based pregnancy-associated biomarker mRNAs expression for the earliest detection of pregnancy status in the dairy cows at post insemination. Intensively managed animals were ovulation synchronized and subjected to timed artificial insemination (TAI).

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  • * The study identified key risk factors for peripheral neuropathy, including diabetes, age over 50, low education level, male gender, and hypertension.
  • * Researchers emphasize the importance of proactive screening for peripheral neuropathy among healthcare providers to avoid complications, especially in those at higher risk.
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  • The study aimed to explore how cocaine and opioid use affects facial trauma, examining patient demographics, injury causes, and healthcare management from data collected between 2004 and 2014.
  • Analysis of 54,613 cases revealed that drug users were significantly more likely to sustain facial fractures from interpersonal violence and had a higher number of fractures, including midface and skull injuries.
  • Findings indicated that while surgical management needs were similar, drug-related patients experienced longer hospital stays and increased healthcare resource usage, highlighting a connection between illicit drug use and more severe injuries.
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This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of Electronic Screening and Brief Intervention (e-SBI) in changing or reducing alcohol consumption and/or related risk behaviours among trauma patients compared to standard of care. Following Cochrane Collaboration's guidelines and PRISMA recommendations, a search of electronic databases (MEDLINE via PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus and Web of Science) and grey literature (Google Scholar) was conducted. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) from 1995 to 2023 were included, focusing on e-SBI for alcohol misuse in trauma patients.

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Patients with peripheral neuropathy could have damaged peripheral nerves, which leads to sensory and motor dysfunction. Diabetes, infections, and trauma are the major causes of peripheral neuropathy. Vibratory perception threshold (VPT) tools are commonly used to detect peripheral neuropathy.

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  • Anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) encephalitis is a serious autoimmune disorder caused by the immune system attacking NMDA receptors in the brain, and there has been a lack of comprehensive studies on its prevalence and associated factors.
  • This study aimed to assess how common anti-NMDAR encephalitis is among patients with certain medical conditions and identify risk factors associated with it.
  • The results revealed that about 7% of patients with related medical conditions were affected, with those experiencing a first episode of psychosis or schizophrenia being significantly more at risk.
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Following mass vaccinations for the control of the COVID-19 epidemic, a spectrum of cardiac and neurological disorders was reported among vaccinated individuals. This study examined the range of complications documented and factors related to their occurrence. Three electronic databases were searched for case reports and case series with descriptions of cardiac and/or neurological complications in COVID-19 vaccine recipients.

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Wet granulation, a particle size enlargement process, can significantly enhance the critical quality attributes of powders and improve the ability to form tablets in pharmaceutical manufacturing. In this study, a mechanistic-based population balance model is applied to twin screw wet granulation. This model incorporated a recently developed breakage kernel specifically designed for twin screw granulation, along with nucleation, layering, and consolidation.

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Introduction: This study explored the behaviours of people living with HIV in Singapore and Hong Kong in terms of achieving and maintaining their physical and psychological wellbeing in relation to HIV, to identify the challenges and support needed in HIV care.

Methods: This qualitative study involved 90-minute interviews among Singapore and Hong Kong people living with HIV aged ≥18 years to explore health-related quality of life perceptions and gaps in patient empowerment in HIV care during February-May 2022. The COM-B (C: Capability; O: Opportunity; M: Motivation; B: Behaviour) framework was used during data analysis to identify behaviour facilitators and barriers for people living with HIV to achieve and maintain their wellbeing.

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The elderly are considered a high-risk group for severe outcomes and death from COVID-19 infection. Given the emergence of new COVID variants and the immunity provided by vaccines waning over time, booster doses of the vaccine have been advocated for those at risk to stay protected. This study aimed to determine the factors associated with hesitancy toward the second booster of the COVID-19 vaccine among the elderly residing in residential care homes.

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Objectives: This study aims to deliver a novel web-app-based electronic Screening and Brief Intervention to patients with alcohol-related facial trauma and assess changes in at-risk drinking behaviors and attitudes toward their drinking and alcohol-related trauma.

Study Design, Setting, And Sample: This was a 2-arm parallel randomized controlled trial. Participants who had sustained alcohol-related facial injuries were recruited from 3 Australian hospitals.

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Background: The effectiveness of somatic neoantigen-based immunotherapy is often hindered by the limited number of mutations in tumors with low to moderate mutation burden. Focusing on microsatellite-stable colorectal cancer (CRC), this study investigates the potential of tumor-associated circular RNAs (circRNAs) as an alternative source of neoepitopes in CRC.

Methods: Tumor-associated circRNAs in CRC were identified using the MiOncoCirc database and ribo-depletion RNA sequencing of paired clinical normal and tumor samples.

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Gravimetry is a versatile metrological approach in geophysics to accurately map subterranean mass and density anomalies. There is a broad diversification regarding the working principle of gravimeters, wherein atomic gravimeters are one of the most technologically progressive class of gravimeters which can monitor gravity at an absolute scale with a high-repetition without exhibiting drift. Despite the apparent utility for geophysical surveys, atomic gravimeters are (currently) laboratory-bound devices due to the vexatious task of transportation.

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  • This study aimed to assess how common group B Streptococcus (GBS) is among pregnant women and their newborns, as well as the risk of passing it from mother to child.
  • Researchers analyzed 54 studies involving nearly 356,000 women and infants from 30 countries, finding a GBS colonization rate of 17.1% in pregnant women and 1.0% in newborns, with a 4.5% rate of vertical transmission.
  • The study recommends giving antibiotics during labor to all women who test positive for GBS and those at risk of transmitting it to their infants, regardless of their GBS status.
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A woman with severe type III osteogenesis imperfecta spontaneously conceived a monochorionic, diamniotic twin pregnancy. Due to the severity of her condition, her pregnancy required close follow-up involving a multidisciplinary team, including high-risk obstetricians, anaesthetists, pulmonologists and respiratory therapists. Eventually, the twins were delivered via caesarean section at 26 weeks' gestation.

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Introduction: Malaysia is one of the hardest-hit countries by COVID-19 in Asia. The rapidly rising number of cases had sparked fear among healthcare providers. This study aimed to assess the determinants of fear towards COVID-19 among healthcare providers in primary care settings.

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  • * Data was collected from 116 patients over four years, revealing that those diagnosed with hypercapnic respiratory failure had specific characteristics, such as higher body mass index and a greater likelihood of having insulin-dependent diabetes.
  • * Follow-up results showed that nearly half of the patients adhered to their prescribed positive airway pressure therapy, indicating a need for improved compliance strategies among this population.
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  • A study was conducted to evaluate the factors contributing to burnout among healthcare providers in primary care settings in Selangor, Malaysia, involving 1280 participants and using the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory.
  • Findings revealed that personal burnout affected 41.7% of participants, work-related burnout 32.2%, and client-related burnout 14.5%, with various determinants identified for each type of burnout, such as age, occupation, stress levels, and sleep quality.
  • The study emphasizes the importance of addressing the mental and emotional health of healthcare workers, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, to mitigate burnout risks.
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In South East Asia, ST283 causes sepsis in healthy adults. Raw freshwater fish consumption is the only known risk factor. These two case reports are the first from Malaysia.

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Purpose: Facial trauma is a frequent presentation to the emergency department following alcohol-related injuries. Brief alcohol intervention (BAI) is a form of a motivational interview which is implemented in the postinjury phase to educate patients on the detrimental effects of their alcohol drinking behavior and reduce their future consumption. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to assess the impact of BAI on alcohol drinking behavior in the emergency department setting.

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  • Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a significant health concern, particularly for individuals with hypertension, as over 50% of hypertensive patients are affected by it, yet there’s limited research on this relationship.
  • This study conducted in Sarawak screened 410 hypertensive patients using the STOP-Bang questionnaire and found a prevalence of 54.4% for probable OSA, highlighting the need for awareness among healthcare providers.
  • Factors such as smoking, being a retiree, and belonging to the Chinese ethnicity were found to significantly increase the likelihood of having probable OSA, suggesting targeted interventions may be necessary to manage this risk in hypertensive patients.
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The Seneca Valley virus (SVV) is an oncolytic virus from the picornavirus family, characterized by a 7.3-kilobase RNA genome encoding for all the structural and functional viral proteins. Directed evolution by serial passaging has been employed for oncolytic virus adaptation to increase the killing efficacy towards certain types of tumors.

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Background: The initial cardiac rhythm in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) portends different prognoses and affects treatment decisions. Initial shockable rhythms are associated with good survival and neurological outcomes but there is conflicting evidence for those who initially present with non-shockable rhythms. The aim of this study is to evaluate if OHCA with conversion from non-shockable (i.

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Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is one of the most common mental disorders in Malaysia. Psychometrically sound measurements are urgently needed to assess anxiety symptoms. The extensively used Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7) is a promising candidate.

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