Building capacity and capability for quality improvement: insights from a nascent regional health system.

Objectives: Quality improvement (QI) is critical in facilitating advancements in patient outcomes, system efficiency and professional growth. This paper aimed to elucidate the underlying rationale and framework guiding JurongHealth Campus (JHC), a nascent Regional Health System, in developing its QI capacity and capability at all levels of the organisation.

Methods: An exhaustive analysis of high-performance management systems and effective improvement frameworks was conducted, and the principles were customised to suit the local context.

The etiology of pediatric hydrocephalus across Asia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: Despite the high prevalence and significant implications of pediatric hydrocephalus, the etiological distribution of pediatric hydrocephalus across the diverse Asian demographic is poorly understood. This study aimed to inform clinical guidelines and public health decisions by identifying the etiological distribution of pediatric hydrocephalus across Asia.

Methods: In this systematic review and meta-analysis, the authors searched EMBASE, MEDLINE, CENTRAL, Global Health, Global Index Medicus, and Scopus, with no language restriction, from inception to January 27, 2023.

A case of intussusception secondary to a metastatic malignant melanoma from the nasal cavity.

About 5% of all intussusception are found in adults, up to 90% of these have an anatomical lesion with ~50% of them are malignant. Malignant melanoma commonly metastasizes to the small bowel; however, melanoma causing intussusception is rare. We describe a 57-year-old lady with a history of surgically treated malignant melanoma in her nasal cavity who came with an ambiguous intestinal obstruction.

Recent advances and discoveries of microbial-based glycolipids: Prospective alternative for remediation activities.

Surfactants have always been a prominent chemical that is useful in various sectors (e.g., cleaning agent production industry, textile industry and painting industry).

A case of acute motor sensory axonal neuropathy variant of Guillain Barre syndrome and anaphylaxis reaction as a complication from hyaluronic acid breast enhancement from an unlicensed beautician.

Guillain Barre syndrome (GBS) as a complication of hyaluronic acid (HA) exposure is an extremely rare occurrence. We report a case of GBS, acute motor sensory axonal neuropathy (AMSAN) variant, after a HA breast enhancement procedure. A 41-year-old lady underwent a HA breast enhancement procedure from an unlicensed beautician and developed anaphylaxis followed by bilateral breast abscess and neurological deficits involving both motor and sensory components.

The Conceptual Development of a Multifunctional Stepladder for Older People and Caregivers.

Stepladders are compact, foldable ladders with flat steps and a platform. Despite all the research and design efforts, there are still limitations in terms of the multifunctionality, usability and simplicity of stepladders and related variants. By combining ideas, features and functions from patent literature, existing products and scientific journals, this study aims to conceptualise a multifunctional stepladder for improved usability.

Wearable technology for early detection of COVID-19: A systematic scoping review.

Wearable technology is an emerging method for the early detection of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection. This scoping review explored the types, mechanisms, and accuracy of wearable technology for the early detection of COVID-19. This review was conducted according to the five-step framework of Arksey and O'Malley.

Prevalence and Risk Factors for Endocrine Disorders in Childhood Brain Tumors From a Single Tertiary Center in Malaysia.

Patients with childhood brain tumors are at risk of endocrine disorders. The prevalence of endocrine disorders varies across the world but is unknown in Malaysia. This study's objectives were to determine the prevalence of endocrine disorders among children with brain tumors in Malaysia and to identify endocrinopathy-associated risk factors.

Recent advances of biosurfactant for waste and pollution bioremediation: Substitutions of petroleum-based surfactants.

Biosurfactant is one of the emerging compounds in the industrial sector that behaves similarly with their synthetic counterparts, as they can reduce surface and interfacial tension between two fluids. Their unique properties also enable biosurfactant molecules to be able to clump together to form micelles that can capture targeted molecules within a solution. Biosurfactants are compared with synthetic surfactants on various applications for which the results shows that biosurfactants are fully capable of replacing synthetic surfactants in applications including enhanced oil recovery and wastewater treatment applications.

Application of an adapted FMEA framework for robot-inclusivity of built environments.

Mobile robots are deployed in the built environment at increasing rates. However, lack of considerations for a robot-inclusive planning has led to physical spaces that would potentially pose hazards to robots, and contribute to an overall productivity decline for mobile service robots. This research proposes the use of an adapted Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) as a structured tool to evaluate a building's level of robot-inclusivity and safety for service robot deployments.

Sustainable smart photobioreactor for continuous cultivation of microalgae embedded with Internet of Things.

This research work aims to fabricate an optimized up-scaled photobioreactor and extraction tank which incorporates the Internet of Things (IoT) for remote monitoring of selected parameters without being present in the lab as the industry is gradually moving towards the direction of remote operation. Several design factors were considered where modelling using ANSYS was carried out before the finalised design is drawn using AutoCAD. To monitor critical parameters that include liquid level, temperature, and pH condition during the operation of the tanks, water-proof sensors are implemented with the aid of Arduino NodeMCU board and the sensors are linked with Blynk, a smartphone application that allows remote monitoring via Wi-Fi connection.

A comprehensive review on the techniques for coconut oil extraction and its application.

Virgin coconut oil is a useful substance in our daily life. It contains a high percentage of lauric acid which has many health benefits. The current industry has developed several methods to extract the oil out from the coconut fruit.

ALICE: a hybrid AI paradigm with enhanced connectivity and cybersecurity for a serendipitous encounter with circulating hybrid cells.

A fully automated and accurate assay of rare cell phenotypes in densely-packed fluorescently-labeled liquid biopsy images remains elusive. Employing a hybrid artificial intelligence (AI) paradigm that combines traditional rule-based morphological manipulations with modern statistical machine learning, we deployed a next generation software, ALICE (Automated Liquid Biopsy Cell Enumerator) to identify and enumerate minute amounts of tumor cell phenotypes bestrewed in massive populations of leukocytes. As a code designed for futurity, ALICE is armed with internet of things (IOT) connectivity to promote pedagogy and continuing education and also, an advanced cybersecurity system to safeguard against digital attacks from malicious data tampering.

Amplification of 1q21 and other abnormalities in multiple myeloma patients from a tertiary hospital in singapore.

Much effort has been made to stratify multiple myeloma patients for targeted therapy. However, responses have been varied and improved patient stratifications are needed. Forty-five diagnostic samples from multiple myeloma patients (median age 65 years) were stratified cytogenetically as 15 having non-hyperdiploidy, 20 having hyperdiploidy and 10 having a normal karyotype.

BARP suppresses voltage-gated calcium channel activity and Ca2+-evoked exocytosis.

Voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCCs) are key regulators of cell signaling and Ca(2+)-dependent release of neurotransmitters and hormones. Understanding the mechanisms that inactivate VGCCs to prevent intracellular Ca(2+) overload and govern their specific subcellular localization is of critical importance. We report the identification and functional characterization of VGCC β-anchoring and -regulatory protein (BARP), a previously uncharacterized integral membrane glycoprotein expressed in neuroendocrine cells and neurons.

Cytogenetic and molecular aberrations of multiple myeloma patients: a single-center study in Singapore.

Background: Much is known about the cytogenetic lesions that characterize multiple myeloma (MM) patients from the USA, Europe, and East Asia. However, little has been published about the disease among Southeast Asians. The aim of this study was to determine the chromosomal abnormalities of MM patients in our Singapore population.

Nanoengineering a biocompatible inorganic scaffold for skin wound healing.

Tissue engineering is a multidisciplinary field that can directly benefit from advancements in nanotechnology and nanoscience. This article reviews a representative selection of commercially available procedures and techniques used to treat different degrees of skin burns. It also explores the emerging novel biocompatible inorganic nano-engineered alumina membrane in terms of skin wound healing.

Defluoridation behavior of nanostructured hydroxyapatite synthesized through an ultrasonic and microwave combined technique.

The absorption performance of a nano-structured hydroxyapatite produced from a combined ultrasonic and microwave technique was examined for the removal of fluoride from contaminated water. The effect of physical and chemical parameters such as initial pH, contact time, initial fluoride concentration and temperature were investigated. The results indicated that the equilibrium adsorption data followed both the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms, with a maximum monolayer adsorption capacity of 5.

Fine-tuning of catalytic tin nanoparticles by the reverse micelle method for direct deposition of silicon nanowires by a plasma-enhanced chemical vapour technique.

The reverse micelle method was used for the reduction of a tin (Sn) salt solution to produce metallic Sn nanoparticles ranging from 85 nm to 140 nm in diameter. The reverse micellar system used in this process was hexane-butanol-cetyl trimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). The diameters of the Sn nanoparticles were proportional to the concentration of the aqueous Sn salt solution.

Use of Osteoplug polycaprolactone implants as novel burr-hole covers.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcome of Osteoplug, a novel biodegradable polymer burr-hole cover implant, used in patients with burr holes done for drainage of chronic subdural haematoma.

Methods: 12 patients with chronic subdural haematoma had Osteoplug implants inserted into their burr holes after evacuation of the haematoma. Osteoplug is a biodegradable polycaprolactone implant with a mushroom-button shape, designed specifically to fit into a 14-mm diameter burr hole.

Pre-admission therapy for childhood acute diarrhoea--a hospital-based study.

Acute gastroenteritis (AGE) is a common illness among infants and children contributing to significant mortality and morbidity. As such, appropriate treatment received prior to hospital admission is of utmost importance. This retrospective observational study aimed to determine preadmission management in paediatric patients prior to hospital admission.