Real-World Evaluation of Point-of-Care Testing for Hepatitis C Antibodies: Navigating Hepatitis C Elimination Effort.

An 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.

Liver diseases and hepatocellular carcinoma in the Asia-Pacific region: burden, trends, challenges and future directions.

Globally, nearly half of deaths from cirrhosis and chronic liver diseases (CLD) and three-quarters of deaths from hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) occur in the Asia-Pacific region. Chronic hepatitis B is responsible for the vast majority of liver-related deaths in the region. Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is the most common form of CLD, affecting an estimated 30% of the adult population.

Development of a pharmacy educational environment questionnaire.

Introduction: A robust instrument for measuring the educational environment in a pharmacy patient care setting is currently lacking. The authors aimed to develop a person-reported outcome measure to gauge trainee pharmacists' perceptions of their clinical workplace-based educational environment. This paper reports the various sources of validity evidence.

Abduction causes increased strain gradient compared to forward flexion: Evidence from a cadaver model of simultaneous strain study of the rotator cuff tendons.

Background: Various strain studies of the supraspinatus have been done in isolation. Given that rotator cuff muscles function as a group, it may be physiologically representative to measure strain behaviour with the glenohumeral joint intact. Here, we explored a novel method in measuring simultaneous strain behaviour of the rotator cuff tendons and investigated the effect of full-thickness anterior tear of the supraspinatus on the infraspinatus and subscapularis tendons.

Assessing the impact of direct-acting antivirals on hepatitis C complications: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Direct-acting antivirals (DAA) have become the treatment of choice for hepatitis C. Nevertheless, efficacy of DAA in preventing hepatitis C complications remains uncertain. We evaluated the impact of DAA on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) occurrence and recurrence, all-cause mortality, liver decompensation and liver transplantation as compared to non-DAA treated hepatitis C and the association to baseline liver status.

In-Sensor Computing Realization Using Fully CMOS-Compatible TiN/HfO-Based Neuristor Array.

With the evolution of artificial intelligence, the explosive growth of data from sensory terminals gives rise to severe energy-efficiency bottleneck issues due to cumbersome data interactions among sensory, memory, and computing modules. Heterogeneous integration methods such as chiplet technology can significantly reduce unnecessary data movement; however, they fail to address the fundamental issue of the substantial time and energy overheads resulting from the physical separation of computing and sensory components. Brain-inspired in-sensor neuromorphic computing (ISNC) has plenty of room for such data-intensive applications.

Does size matter for resection of giant versus non-giant hepatocellular carcinoma? A meta-analysis.

Background: Research on long-term survival after resection of giant (≥ 10 cm) and non-giant hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) (< 10 cm) has produced conflicting results.

Aim: This study aimed to investigate whether oncological outcomes and safety profiles of resection differ between giant and non-giant HCC.

Methods: PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases were searched.

Minimal Clinically Important Differences for Oxford, Constant, and University of California Los Angeles Shoulder Scores After Reverse Shoulder Arthroplasty to Allow Interpretation of Patient-Reported Outcome Measures and Future Statistical Power Analyses.

Purpose: To determine the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) for the Constant-Murley Score (CMS), University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) Shoulder Score, and Oxford Shoulder Score (OSS) after reverse shoulder arthroplasty.

Methods: Patients were prospectively followed up between January 2011 and February 2020. Inclusion criteria was that of patients who underwent reverse shoulder arthroplasty for massive irreparable cuff tear, cuff tear arthropathy, and fractures, with and without previous cuff repair, by a fellowship-trained surgeon.

Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and Hypermobility Spectrum Disorders.

Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) and hypermobility spectrum disorders are the most common symptomatic joint hypermobility conditions seen in clinical practice. The 2017 International Classification of the Ehlers-Danlos syndromes replaced previous terms for symptomatic joint hypermobility with hypermobile EDS and introduced the term hypermobility spectrum disorders for patients not meeting diagnostic criteria for hypermobile EDS. Both are diagnosed by applying the 2017 diagnostic criteria, which also excludes other less common conditions presenting with joint hypermobility such as other forms of EDS and heritable connective tissue disorders.

State-of-the-art IoV trust management a meta-synthesis systematic literature review (SLR).

In the near future, the Internet of Vehicles (IoV) is foreseen to become an inviolable part of smart cities. The integration of vehicular ad hoc networks (VANETs) into the IoV is being driven by the advent of the Internet of Things (IoT) and high-speed communication. However, both the technological and non-technical elements of IoV need to be standardized prior to deployment on the road.

Implementation of Simple but Powerful Trilayer Oxide-Based Artificial Synapses with a Tailored Bio-Synapse-Like Structure.

The ultimate aim of artificial synaptic devices is to mimic the features of biological synapses as closely as possible, in particular, its ability of self-adjusting the synaptic weight responding to the external stimulus. In this work, memristors, based on trilayer oxides with a stack structure of TiN/TiON/HfO/HfO/TiN, are designed to function as the artificial synapses where intrinsically designed oxygen-deficient HfO layer, less oxygen-deficient HfO layer, and TiON layer, imitating the corresponding biological functionality of the pre-synapse, synaptic cleft, and post-synapse, respectively, resemble the features of bio-synapses most closely. Thus, diverse bio-synaptic functions and plasticity, including long-term potentiation and depression, spike-rate-dependent plasticity, spike-timing-dependent plasticity, and metaplasticity, are fulfilled in these devices.

Safety and effectiveness of the self-aPposing, bAlloon-delivered, siRolimus-eluting stent for the Treatment of the coronary Artery disease: SPARTA, a multicenter experience.

Aims: To assess the long-term outcomes of patients treated with sirolimus-eluting Stentys stent in a real-life setting.

Background: Few data regarding the safety and effectiveness of self-apposing sirolimus-eluting Stentys stent are available.

Methods: 278 patients (30% stable coronary artery disease, 70% acute coronary syndromes, and 54% on unprotected left main) treated with sirolimus eluting Stentys stent were retrospectively included in the self-aPposing, bAlloon-delivered, siRolimus-eluting stent for the Treatment of the coronary Artery disease multicenter registry.

Microvascular endothelial function and primary open angle glaucoma.

Purpose: To determine the role of microvascular endothelial dysfunction as risk factor for primary open angle glaucoma.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 114 Malay patients with POAG seen at the eye clinic of Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia. Patients aged between 40 and 80 years who were diagnosed with other types of glaucoma, previous glaucoma filtering surgery or other surgeries except uncomplicated cataract surgery and pterygium surgery were excluded.

Strain behavior of native and reconstructed medial patellofemoral ligaments during dynamic knee flexion - a cadaveric study.

Background: Surgical reconstruction of the Medial Patello-Femoral Ligament (MPFL) has been recognized as an effective treatment for patients with instability despite conservative treatment. The purpose of this cadaveric study is to compare the strain patterns within the native and reconstructed single and double-bundle MPFL. This will help ascertain if the native biomechanics are restored with the reconstructions.

Lateral versus central tendon-splitting approach to insertional Achilles tendinopathy: a retrospective study.

Introduction: This study aimed to compare operative outcomes between the lateral approach (LA) and the central approach (CA) to insertional Achilles tendinopathy (IAT).

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed patients who underwent surgical treatment for IAT using the LA or CA. Patients' demographic data, postoperative complications and satisfaction rate were reviewed.

Self-expandable sirolimus-eluting stents compared to second-generation drug-eluting stents for the treatment of the left main: A propensity score analysis from the SPARTA and the FAILS-2 registries.

Objectives: To compare the effectiveness and safety of self-expandable, sirolimus-eluting Stentys stents (SES) and second-generation drug-eluting stents (DES-II) for the treatment of the unprotected left main (ULM).

Background: SES may provide a valuable option to treat distal ULM, particularly when significant caliber gaps with side branches are observed.

Methods: Patients from the multicenter SPARTA (clinicaltrials.

Smile attractiveness related to buccal corridor space in 3 different facial types: A perception of 3 ethnic groups of Malaysians.

Statement Of Problem: Buccal corridor space and its variations greatly influence smile attractiveness. Facial types are different for different ethnic populations, and so is smile attractiveness. The subjective perception of smile attractiveness of different populations may vary in regard to different buccal corridor spaces and facial patterns.

Late presentation of ALCAPA syndrome in an elderly Asian lady.

Coronary artery anomalies are often discovered incidentally during cardiac catheterization or computed tomography coronary angiography and may involve the affected coronary artery origin and its course. Coronary artery anomalies are associated with congenital heart disease. The affected coronary arteries may have an unusual high take off origin, origin from contralateral or non-coronary sinus, origin from the pulmonary artery, single coronary system or coronary artery fistula.