Publications by authors named "Sim A"
Article Synopsis
- The study examines the link between liver disease type (alcohol-related vs non-alcohol-related) and 6-week mortality following acute variceal bleeding (AVB) in patients with cirrhosis.
- Researchers analyzed data from two large cohorts in the U.S. and Singapore, including 1,349 patients, and found that non-ALD patients had a significantly higher risk of mortality compared to ALD patients.
- Incorporating the etiology of cirrhosis into existing mortality prediction models improved accuracy, highlighting the importance of considering the type of liver disease for patient care.
Article Synopsis
- The NOTCH2NLC gene is linked to several neurological disorders through expansions of GGC repeats in its 5' untranslated region, which can lead to conditions like Parkinson's, dementia, and tremors.
- The study used cellular models and CRISPR-Cas9 engineered mice with specific GGC repeat variations to investigate the effects of these repeats, particularly focusing on those with serine insertions.
- Results showed that a specific intermediate repeat with serine insertion caused mitochondrial dysfunction and neurotoxicity, leading to PD-like symptoms in mice, including neuronal loss and behavioral impairments.
Purpose: To evaluate the acceptability and feasibility of a consumer co-designed telehealth intervention which aimed to reduce claimant distress by providing pain management strategies, informational and social support to people who had made a compensation claim following road traffic musculoskeletal injury.
Methods: Eleven claimant participants who were at risk of a poor outcome completed the intervention in a one-on-one setting with the same clinician delivering the program across all sessions.They were interviewed about their experience (acceptability and feasibility including the use of telehealth).
Wernicke encephalopathy is an acute neuropsychiatry syndrome resulting from thiamine deficiency associated with significant morbidity and mortality. We reported a case of a 25-year-old woman with a history of abdomen pain, nausea, vomiting, weight loss, and sore throat who presented with acute neurological symptoms, including binocular diplopia, hearing loss, vision loss, and difficulty ambulating. Examination revealed bilateral vision loss with perception only to light, ophthalmoplegia, hearing loss, gait ataxia, and areflexia.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAn HCV elimination program aims to diagnose more than 90% of Chronic HCV cases. We critically evaluated the performance of a point-of-care test (POCT) using an HCV Rapid Antibody Test. PWID from 4 Halfway Houses (HWH) in Singapore were recruited from March 2022 to April 2023.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: Recovering from compensable injuries can be influenced by a variety of factors including the claimant's experience of distress during the claims process. In order to develop cross-scheme, nation-wide strategies to improve claimants' interactions with the compensation system, reduce claimant distress, and improve claimant outcomes, it is important to understand sources of claims-related distress from the perspective of both claimants and clinicians.
Methods: An exploratory qualitative design was undertaken using semi-structured interviews with 13 claimants and 26 clinicians from four injury compensation schemes in five Australian states.
Article Synopsis
- Delayed excretion of high-dose methotrexate (HD-MTX) in pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patients can lead to serious health issues, prompting an examination of how laxative use for constipation affects this process.
- A study analyzed data from 533 pediatric patients who received 1875 HD-MTX infusions, finding that delayed excretion occurred in 42.7% of infusions and was notably linked to the use of two or more laxative doses.
- The results indicate that patients using multiple laxative doses were about 60% more likely to experience delayed drug excretion, suggesting a need for further research to better understand constipation's impact on methotrexate elimination.
Article Synopsis
- Gabapentinoids, widely prescribed for pain, have been linked to misuse and dependence, prompting a systematic review of qualitative research on this issue.* -
- The review analyzed 26 high-quality studies, revealing motives for misuse such as seeking euphoria, self-medicating, and dealing with withdrawal symptoms, along with symptoms of dependence including tolerance and severe withdrawal effects.* -
- Findings indicate significant public health concerns regarding gabapentinoid use, as misuse can lead to harmful effects like overdose and psychiatric issues, highlighting the need for careful prescribing practices.*
Article Synopsis
- Neuroendocrine carcinoma of the bladder (NEC-bladder) is a rare and aggressive cancer, and the study focused on patients treated between 2001-2021 to assess treatment outcomes.
- The research found that most patients received neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC), and higher rates of pathologic complete response (pCR) and downstaging were associated with improved progression-free and overall survival (PFS and OS).
- Key findings indicated that achieving ypN0 status (negative nodes post-treatment) correlated with better long-term survival, while the presence of nodal involvement (pN+) was linked to poorer outcomes.
Article Synopsis
- The study aimed to evaluate whether examining the vasa deferentia tissues (after a vasectomy) is helpful when many patients don't follow up with post-vasectomy semen analysis (PVSA).
- It analyzed data from 388 patients who underwent vasectomy, comparing PVSA results for different histological categories of the vasa (completely divided vs. incomplete).
- The findings indicate that the histological examination of the vasa can be beneficial in cases of low PVSA compliance, as incomplete divisions don't negatively affect semen analysis results.
Coccidioidomycosis is endemic in the southwestern United States, Central America, and South America. Coccidioidomycosis has a variety of clinical presentations. Coccoidal meningitis is a feared form of disseminated coccidioidomycosis with high mortality and mobility rates.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFExogenous nitrate ingestion can improve exercise performance. This study investigated whether an isotonic beetroot drink could improve jump and sprint performance in active individuals. Twenty-three physically active participants (17 males, 6 females) (mean ± SD; age: 26 ± 4 years; body mass index: 22.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- Prisons in Victoria, Australia, have implemented a statewide nurse-led model of care since 2015 to enhance hepatitis C testing and treatment among inmates, crucial for elimination efforts.
- From 2015 to 2021, 3,133 DAA treatment courses were prescribed to 2,768 inmates, with a significant increase in prescriptions over the years and a median age of treated individuals being 39.
- The program achieved a 93% success rate in sustained viral response (SVR12), demonstrating the effectiveness of decentralized, nurse-led initiatives in tackling hepatitis C in high-prevalence settings like prisons.
Article Synopsis
- The USMLE is a crucial exam for allopathic physicians in the US, with its content developed by the NBME, but the specialties of the taskforce members contributing to the exam have not been well-documented.
- An analysis of the 2021 USMLE and NBME taskforce revealed significant differences in the primary specialties of test writers compared to the overall population of active physicians in the US, with only nineteen specialties represented among USMLE writers.
- Internal Medicine was the most represented specialty among USMLE test writers, highlighting a potential imbalance that could affect the fairness and comprehensiveness of the exam content, suggesting the need for further research.
Article Synopsis
- The study investigates the experiences of clinicians in Australia who provide care to patients with compensable injuries, highlighting the challenges they face in this stressful environment.* -
- Through interviews with 26 clinicians, it was found that they deal with high patient distress and administrative burdens, leading to feelings of emotional exhaustion in some while others find meaning and purpose in their work.* -
- Positive coping strategies, such as mentoring and continuous education, enhance clinician well-being and improve patient care, stressing the importance of a supportive workplace culture.*
Article Synopsis
- The CHAMPP4KIDS study looked at how early childhood providers in Canada feel about a universal parenting resource called the Parenting for Lifelong Health tip sheets.
- Providers thought the tip sheets were helpful and relevant to parents, but they weren't sure about just giving them out without extra support.
- They suggested making improvements to the tip sheets to be easier to read and more culturally relevant so that more families could benefit from them.
Objectives: Staff at violence against women (VAW) organizations provide essential services for survivors of violence. The increase in VAW during the COVID-19 pandemic placed additional pressures on VAW staff. We investigated the impacts of the pandemic on the mental health of VAW staff in the Greater Toronto Area to inform recommendations for policy and practice.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Musculoskeletal injuries can cause distress, and distress is associated with delayed recovery. Numerous interventions have been developed to facilitate recovery from injury, and several systematic reviews evaluate the efficacy of these interventions for reducing psychological distress.
Objectives: This scoping review aims to map the synthesised evidence for the relationship between treatment interventions and distress-related outcomes following acute injury.
Introduction: Early childhood is a critical period for growth and development. Adopting healthy lifestyle behaviours during this period forms the foundation for future well-being and offers the best protection against non-communicable diseases. Singapore studies have shown that many young children are not achieving the recommendations on physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- * They generated over 427 million long-read sequences and found that longer, more accurate sequences yield better transcript detection, while increased read depth enhances quantification.
- * The study suggests that using reference-based tools works best for well-annotated genomes and recommends incorporating extra data to better identify rare transcripts, providing a benchmark for improving transcriptome analysis techniques in the future.
Background: Current standard of care treatment for patients with ≥15 brain metastases (BM) is whole brain radiation therapy (WBRT), despite poor neurocognitive outcomes. We analyzed our institutional experience of treating these patients with stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), with the aim of evaluating safety, cognitive outcomes, and survival metrics.
Methods: Patients who received SRS for ≥15 BMs in 1 to 5 fractions from 2014 to 2022 were included.
Background: Definitive local therapy with stereotactic ablative radiation therapy (SABR) for ultracentral lung lesions is associated with a high risk of toxicity, including treatment related death. Stereotactic MR-guided adaptive radiation therapy (SMART) can overcome many of the challenges associated with SABR treatment of ultracentral lesions.
Methods: We retrospectively identified 14 consecutive patients who received SMART to ultracentral lung lesions from 10/2019 to 01/2021.