Structural equation models of health behaviour, psychological well-being, symptom severity and quality of life in abdominal bloating.

Background: The objective of this study was to investigate the inter-relationship between psychosocial variables and their impact on symptom severity and quality of life (QoL) concerning abdominal bloating.

Methods: The study adopted a cross-sectional design with purposive sampling. Participants who consented and met the criteria for bloating based on the Rome IV classification completed designated questionnaires.

The Milan score: A novel manometric tool for a more efficient diagnosis of gastro-esophageal reflux disease.

Objective: A definitive diagnosis of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) depends on endoscopic and/or pH-study criteria. However, high resolution manometry (HRM) can identify factors predicting GERD, such as ineffective esophageal motility (IEM), esophago-gastric junction contractile integral (EGJ-CI), evaluating esophagogastric junction (EGJ) type and straight leg raise (SLR) maneuver response. We aimed to build and externally validate a manometric score (Milan Score) to stratify the risk and severity of the disease in patients undergoing HRM for suspected GERD.

Implementation of Chatbot Technology in Health Care: Protocol for a Bibliometric Analysis.

Background: Chatbots have the potential to increase people's access to quality health care. However, the implementation of chatbot technology in the health care system is unclear due to the scarce analysis of publications on the adoption of chatbot in health and medical settings.

Objective: This paper presents a protocol of a bibliometric analysis aimed at offering the public insights into the current state and emerging trends in research related to the use of chatbot technology for promoting health.

Efficacy and safety of nab-paclitaxel in metastatic gastric cancer: a meta-analysis.

Nab-paclitaxel is formulated to address several limitations of paclitaxel. A systematic review was done of several databases and a meta-analysis with a random-effects model was conducted to assess the efficacy and safety of nab-paclitaxel in metastatic gastric cancer (MGC). Included studies revealed that nab-paclitaxel provides a 30.

Climate Change and the Esophagus: Speculations on Changing Disease Patterns as the World Warms.

Purpose Of Review: Esophageal disorders, including gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE), and esophageal cancer, may be affected by climate change. Our review describes the impact of climate change on risk factors associated with esophageal diseases and speculates how these climate-related factors impacted esophageal disorders and their management.

Recent Findings: Climate change is responsible for extreme weather conditions (shifts in rainfall, floods, droughts, and forest fires) and global warming.

Role of silymarin in the management of deranged liver function in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis: a case report.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is one of the main causes of elevated liver enzymes and chronic liver disease worldwide. It ranges from steatosis to steatohepatitis, leading to cirrhosis and related liver dysfunction. Silymarin is a herbal medicine, mostly used for liver disorders owing to its supposed hepatoprotective action.

Hepatoprotective effects of silymarin in management of liver injury caused by tuberculosis treatment.

Tuberculosis (TB) is a chronic infection of global-health concern because of its high incidence, costly medical treatment, drug resistance and risk of co-infections. Anti-TB treatment involves a combination of drugs with high degree of liver toxicity, leading to drug-induced liver injury in 2-28% of patients who receive anti-TB treatment. In this case report, a patient with TB experienced drug-induced liver injury, and the initiation of treatment with silymarin 140 mg three-times daily resulted in a significant hepatoprotective effects as shown by the decreased liver enzyme activity.

A prospective comparison of UK and Malaysian patients with irritable bowel syndrome in secondary care.

Background: The prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is now known to be similar in various geographical regions, but there has been no study directly comparing characteristics of patients with IBS between populations.

Aims: To evaluate clinical and psychological differences between adults with IBS seen in secondary care in the United Kingdom (UK) and Malaysia.

Methods: Age- and sex-matched patients with IBS from a single centre in the UK (Leeds) and two centres in Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur and Kota Bharu), who fulfilled Rome III criteria, were recruited prospectively.

Management of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease incidentally detected during other medical assessments.

Elevated liver enzyme levels are a frequent incidental finding in primary care, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is the main cause of incidental elevation of liver enzymes worldwide. The features of the disease vary from simple steatosis, characterized by a benign prognosis, to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis and cirrhosis, increasing morbidity and mortality. In this case report, abnormal liver activity was incidentally detected during other medical assessments.

Formative Evaluation of the Acceptance of HIV Prevention Artificial Intelligence Chatbots By Men Who Have Sex With Men in Malaysia: Focus Group Study.

Background: Mobile technologies are being increasingly developed to support the practice of medicine, nursing, and public health, including HIV testing and prevention. Chatbots using artificial intelligence (AI) are novel mobile health strategies that can promote HIV testing and prevention among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Malaysia, a hard-to-reach population at elevated risk of HIV, yet little is known about the features that are important to this key population.

Objective: The aim of this study was to identify the barriers to and facilitators of Malaysian MSM's acceptance of an AI chatbot designed to assist in HIV testing and prevention in relation to its perceived benefits, limitations, and preferred features among potential users.

Development and validation of audio-based guided imagery and progressive muscle relaxation tools for functional bloating.

Mind-body techniques, including Guided Imagery (GI) or Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR), may effectively manage bloating. The current study aimed to develop and validate (psychometric and psychological responses) audio-based GI and PMR techniques for bloating. Audio scripts were first developed from literature reviews and in-depth interviews of participants with bloating diagnosed based on the Rome IV criteria.

Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Validation of the Malay Version of Sports Motivation Scale-II.

The 18-item Sport Motivation Scale (SMS-II) is one of the most-utilised scales measuring athletes' motivation and its psychometric properties. However, we found no Malay version used to examine the Malaysian multi-ethnic population. Thus, the study aimed to translate and validate the SMS-II into the Malay version using confirmatory factor analysis.