A virtual reality cognitive screening tool based on the six cognitive domains.

Introduction: Early detection of cognitive impairment enables interventions to slow cognitive decline. Existing neuropsychological paper-and-pencil tests may not adequately assess cognition in real-life environments. A fully-immersive and automated virtual reality (VR) system-Cognitive Assessment using VIrtual REality (CAVIRE)-was developed to assess all six cognitive domains.

Evaluation of an On-Site Disaster Medical Management Course in Nepal.

The great 2015 Nepal earthquake of magnitude 7.6 killed about 9000 people. To better ensure a more coordinated disaster response, a Basic On-Site Disaster Medical Support (BOS-DMS) course was designed in 2017.

Observable Atrial and Ventricular Fibrillation Episode Durations Are Conformant With a Power Law Based on System Size and Spatial Synchronization.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) and ventricular fibrillation (VF) episodes exhibit varying durations, with some spontaneously ending quickly while others persist. A quantitative framework to explain episode durations remains elusive. We hypothesized that observable self-terminating AF and VF episode lengths, whereby durations are known, would conform with a power law based on the ratio of system size and correlation length ([Formula: see text].

Singapore tuberculosis (TB) clinical management guidelines 2024: A modified Delphi adaptation of international guidelines for drug-susceptible TB infection and pulmonary disease.

Introduction: Tuberculosis (TB) remains endemic in Singapore. Singapore's clinical practice guidelines for the management of tuberculosis were first published in 2016. Since then, there have been major new advances in the clinical management of TB, ranging from diagnostics to new drugs and treatment regimens.

Synthesis, crystal and electronic structures, linear and nonlinear optical properties, and photocurrent response of oxyhalides CeHaVIO (Ha = Cl, Br; VI = Mo, W).

Four heteroanionic oxyhalides, CeClMoO, CeBrMoO, CeClWO, and CeBrWO, have been studied as multifunctional materials, which show a combination of good second harmonic generation (SHG) response and photocurrent signals. Millimeter-sized CeHaVIO (Ha = Cl, Br; VI = Mo, W) crystals were grown by halide salt flux. The crystal structure of CeHaVIO crystals was accurately determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction.

Proximal ejecta of the Bolaven extraterrestrial impact, southern Laos.

Sediments in southern Laos and eastern Thailand confirm that the Australasian tektite strewn field came from an extraterrestrial impact crater on the Bolaven Plateau of southern Laos. The principal evidence is the Bolaven diamicton, a pebbly to bouldery breccia that is thickest and coarsest on the plateau. Tektites, the melted target material strewn widely by the forces of the impact 789.

Validation of the Hospital Frailty Risk Score in older adults hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia.

Aim: Frailty results from age-associated declines in physiological reserve and function and is prevalent in older people. Our aim is to examine the association of the Hospital Frailty Risk Score (HFRS) with adverse events in older patients hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and hypothesise that frailty is a comparable predictor of outcomes in CAP versus traditional severity indices such as CURB-65.

Methods: Retrospective review of electronic medical records in patients ≥65 years with CAP admitted to a tertiary hospital from 1 January to 30 April 2021.

Investigating the determinants of iridolenticular contact area: a novel parameter for angle closure.

Background/aims: To identify ocular determinants of iridolenticular contact area (ILCA), a recently introduced swept-source optical coherence tomography (SSOCT) derived parameter, and assess the association between ILCA and angle closure.

Methods: In this population-based cross-sectional study, right eyes of 464 subjects underwent SSOCT (SS-1000, CASIA, Tomey Corporation, Nagoya, Japan) imaging in the dark. Eight out of 128 cross-sectional images (evenly spaced 22.

Failure of diltiazem to prevent 1:1 conduction of atrial flutter: a case report.

Background: Atrial flutter with 1:1 conduction to the ventricles is a dangerous cardiac arrhythmia. Contemporary guidelines recommend atrioventricular nodal blocking agents should be co-administered with class 1C anti-arrhythmics, as prophylaxis against 1:1 flutter. No guidance is provided on the type or strength of atrioventricular nodal blockade required, and in practice, these agents are frequently prescribed at low dose, or even omitted, due to their side effect profile.

Markov modeling of phase singularity interaction effects in human atrial and ventricular fibrillation.

Atrial and ventricular fibrillation (AF/VF) are characterized by the repetitive regeneration of topological defects known as phase singularities (PSs). The effect of PS interactions has not been previously studied in human AF and VF. We hypothesized that PS population size would influence the rate of PS formation and destruction in human AF and VF, due to increased inter-defect interaction.

Role of Alternative Medical Systems in Adult Chronic Kidney Disease Patients: A Systematic Review of Literature.

There is a growing interest in the use of alternative medical systems (AMS), such as traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), ayurveda, homeopathy, and naturopathy, among chronic kidney disease patients. This review summarizes the efficacy and safety of AMS interventions in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. A systematic review was conducted in MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, CINAHL, CENTRAL, and PsycINFO in line with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) and Synthesis without meta-analysis (SWiM) guidelines.

The inspection paradox: An important consideration in the evaluation of rotor lifetimes in cardiac fibrillation.

Renewal theory is a statistical approach to model the formation and destruction of phase singularities (PS), which occur at the pivots of spiral waves. A common issue arising during observation of renewal processes is an inspection paradox, due to oversampling of longer events. The objective of this study was to characterise the effect of a potential inspection paradox on the perception of PS lifetimes in cardiac fibrillation.

Role of interatrial conduction in atrial fibrillation: Mechanistic insights from renewal theory-based fibrillatory dynamic analysis.

Background: Interatrial conduction has been postulated to play an important role in atrial fibrillation (AF). The pathways involved in interatrial conduction during AF remain incompletely defined.

Objective: We recently showed physiological assessment of fibrillatory dynamics could be performed using renewal theory, which determines rates of phase singularity formation (λ) and destruction (λ).

Toward a Better Understanding of Muscle Microvascular Perfusion During Exercise in Patients With Peripheral Artery Disease: The Effect of Lower-Limb Revascularization.

Purpose: Leg muscle microvascular blood flow (perfusion) is impaired in response to maximal exercise in patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD); however, during submaximal exercise, microvascular perfusion is maintained due to a greater increase in microvascular blood volume compared with that seen in healthy adults. It is unclear whether this submaximal exercise response reflects a microvascular impairment, or whether it is a compensatory response for the limited conduit artery flow in PAD. Therefore, to clarify the role of conduit artery blood flow, we compared whole-limb blood flow and skeletal muscle microvascular perfusion responses with exercise in patients with PAD (n=9; 60±7 years) prior to, and following, lower-limb endovascular revascularization.

Manipulative and body-based methods in chronic kidney disease patients: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials.

Background: and purpose: Among chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients, manipulative and body-based methods (MBM) have demonstrated efficacy in improving symptoms such as fatigue. This review aims to summarize the efficacy and safety of MBM among CKD patients.

Methods: A systematic review was performed in PubMed, Embase, Scopus, CINAHL, CENTRAL and PsycInfo.

Implementing a community-based shared care breast cancer survivorship model in Singapore: a qualitative study among primary care practitioners.

Background: The adaptability of existing recommendations on shared care implementation to Asian settings is unknown. This qualitative study aims to elicit public- and private-sectors primary care practitioners' (PCPs) perspectives on the sustainable implementation of a shared care model among breast cancer survivors in Singapore.

Methods: Purposive sampling was employed to engage 70 PCPs from SingHealth Polyclinics, National University Polyclinics, National Healthcare Group Polyclinics, and private practice.

Understanding the origins of the basic equations of statistical fibrillatory dynamics.

The mechanisms governing cardiac fibrillation remain unclear; however, it most likely represents a form of spatiotemporal chaos with conservative system dynamics. Renewal theory has recently been suggested as a statistical formulation with governing equations to quantify the formation and destruction of wavelets and rotors in fibrillatory dynamics. In this perspective Review, we aim to explain the origin of the renewal theory paradigm in spatiotemporal chaos.

Age-Related Performance in Using a Fully Immersive and Automated Virtual Reality System to Assess Cognitive Function.

Introduction: Cognition generally declines gradually over time due to progressive degeneration of the brain, leading to dementia and eventual loss of independent functions. The rate of regression varies among the six cognitive domains (perceptual motor, executive function, complex attention, learning and memory, social cognition and language). Current modality of cognitive assessment using neuropsychological paper-and-pencil screening tools for cognitive impairment such as the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) has limitations and is influenced by age.

Angle closure extent, anterior segment dimensions and intraocular pressure.

Aim: To investigate the association between the extent of iridotrabecular contact and other quantitative anterior segment dimensions measured by swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT; CASIA SS-1000, Tomey, Nagoya, Japan) with intraocular pressure (IOP).

Methods: Cross-sectional study. All subjects who were ≥50 years with no history of glaucoma, ocular surgery or trauma, underwent SS-OCT imaging (eight equally spaced radial scans), Goldman applanation tonometry and gonioscopy on the same day.

Vomiting, electrolyte disturbance, and medications; the perfect storm for acquired long QT syndrome and cardiac arrest: a case report.

Background: Acquired long QT syndrome is an important and preventable cause of cardiac arrest. Certain medications and electrolyte disturbance are common contributors, and often coexist. In this case, we report five contributors to cardiac arrest.

Comparison of Time Taken to Assess Cognitive Function Using a Fully Immersive and Automated Virtual Reality System vs. the Montreal Cognitive Assessment.

Dementia is increasingly prevalent globally. Existing questionnaire-based cognitive assessment tools may not comprehensively assess cognitive function and real-time task-performance across all cognitive domains. CAVIRE (Cognitive Assessment by VIrtual REality), a fully immersive virtual reality system incorporating automated audio-visual instructions and a scoring matrix was developed to assess the six cognitive domains, with potential to maintain consistency in execution of the testing environment and possibly time-saving in busy primary care practice.

WITHDRAWN: Impact of Racial Differences on the Epidemiology and Clinical Outcomes of Atrial Fibrillation.

Unlabelled: Since the authors are not responding to the editor’s requests to fulfill the editorial requirement, therefore, the article has been withdrawn by the publisher. Bentham Science apologizes to the readers of the journal for any inconvenience this may have caused. The Bentham Editorial Policy on Article Withdrawal can be found at https://benthamscience.

Electrogram analysis to detect cathodal and anodal capture in left ventricular cardiac resynchronization pacing leads.

Aims: Our study analyzed cardiac electrograms (EGMs) to identify characteristics for detecting cathodal, anodal, or cathodal-anodal (simultaneous) capture in left ventricular (LV) quadripolar pacing leads of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) patients. The relationship between these EGM characteristics and the electrocardiogram (ECG) was also examined.

Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of 54 bipolar pacing configurations across nine patients with implanted CRT devices and quadripolar leads who had undergone a 12 lead ECG optimization.