S-Nitrosylation-Mediated Reduction of Ca1.2 Surface Expression and Open Probability Underlies Attenuated Vasoconstriction Induced by Nitric Oxide.

Background: L-type Ca1.2 calcium channel, the primary gateway for Ca influx in smooth muscles, is widely regulated by multiple posttranslational modifications, such as protein kinase-mediated phosphorylation and nitric oxide-induced S-nitrosylation. However, the effect of S-nitrosylation on Ca1.

Performance of the coronary calcium score in an outpatient chest pain clinic and strategies for risk stratification.

Background: Coronary artery calcium score (CAC) is an objective marker of atherosclerosis. The primary aim is to assess CAC as a risk classifier in stable coronary artery disease (CAD).

Hypothesis: CAC improves CAD risk prediction, compared to conventional risk scoring, even in the absence of cardiovascular risk factor inputs.

Immediate effects of valgus bracing on knee joint moments during walking in knee-healthy individuals: Potential modifying effects of body height.

Background: The goal of valgus knee brace treatment is to reduce medial knee joint loading during walking, often indicated by external knee adduction moment (KAM) measures. However, existing healthy-subjects studies have been equivocal in demonstrating KAM reduction with valgus knee bracing.

Research Question: What are the immediate effects of valgus bracing at different tension levels on KAM during walking at a controlled speed and does body height modify the brace-KAM associations?

Methods: Data from 32 knee-healthy participants were analysed in this randomized crossover trial.

Test-retest reliability and variability of knee adduction moment peak, impulse and loading rate during walking.

Background: Previous studies have reported good test-retest reliability for peak knee adduction moment (KAM) during walking. However, reliability of other KAM measurements has not been established.

Research Question: What is the test-retest reliability of peak KAM, KAM impulse, and KAM loading rate measurements during walking in knee-healthy individuals?

Methods: Data from 32 knee-healthy participants were analysed in this test-retest reliability study.

Molecular characterization, light-dependent expression, and cellular localization of a host vacuolar-type H-ATPase (VHA) subunit A in the giant clam, Tridacna squamosa, indicate the involvement of the host VHA in the uptake of inorganic carbon and its supply to the symbiotic zooxanthellae.

The giant clam, Tridacna squamosa, represents a clam-zooxanthellae association. In light, the host clam and the symbiotic zooxanthellae conduct light-enhanced calcification and photosynthesis, respectively. We had cloned the cDNA coding sequence of a Vacuolar-type Proton ATPase (VHA) subunit A, ATP6V1A, from T.

Whole-genome sequencing analysis of phenotypic heterogeneity and anticipation in Li-Fraumeni cancer predisposition syndrome.

The Li-Fraumeni syndrome (LFS) and its variant form (LFL) is a familial predisposition to multiple forms of childhood, adolescent, and adult cancers associated with germ-line mutation in the TP53 tumor suppressor gene. Individual disparities in tumor patterns are compounded by acceleration of cancer onset with successive generations. It has been suggested that this apparent anticipation pattern may result from germ-line genomic instability in TP53 mutation carriers, causing increased DNA copy-number variations (CNVs) with successive generations.

Ankle-brachial index, cognitive impairment and cerebrovascular disease in a Chinese population.

Background: Previous studies have assessed the association between ankle-brachial index (ABI) and cognition, mainly using brief cognitive tests. We investigated whether ABI was associated with cognition independent of neuroimaging markers of cerebrovascular disease.

Methods: Chinese subjects (n = 278, aged ≥60 years) were recruited from the ongoing Epidemiology of Dementia in Singapore (EDIS) Study.

Cholangitis in children with biliary atresia: health-care resource utilisation.

Aim: Cholangitis is a well-known complication that contributes to morbidity, mortality, as well as health-care utilisation in children with biliary atresia who have undergone the Kasai portoenterostomy. The aim of the study was to determine the common causative organisms for cholangitis and characterise its burden, health-care resource and service utilisation and cost.

Methods: This was a retrospective chart review of children who underwent Kasai portoenterostomy in our institution from 1988 to 2011.

Prevalence of cognitive impairment in Chinese: epidemiology of dementia in Singapore study.

Objective: To study the prevalence of and associated factors for cognitive impairment and dementia in community dwelling Chinese from Singapore.

Methods: This study includes Chinese subjects from the Epidemiology of Dementia in Singapore (EDIS) study, aged ≥60 years, who underwent comprehensive examinations, including cognitive screening with the locally validated Abbreviated Mental Test and Progressive Forgetfulness Questionnaire. Screen positive participants subsequently underwent extensive neuropsychological testing and cerebral MRI.

The informant AD8 is superior to participant AD8 in detecting cognitive impairment in a memory clinic setting.

The informant AD8 has good discriminatory indices in detecting questionable dementia. However, studies on participant AD8 yielded inconsistent results. This study aims to investigate the discriminatory ability of the AD8 in detecting cognitive impairment at a memory clinic by comparing the informant AD8, participant AD8, Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE).