Use of the Consumer Health Literacy Quotient to Quantify and Explore Self-Care Readiness Among Consumers in Four Asia-Pacific Countries.

Background/objectives: Self-care has great potential to benefit consumers and health systems, but its mainstream adoption is hindered by a systemic lack of consumer health literacy (HL). Published data on consumer awareness of self-care and HL are limited for regions in Asia, and are needed to develop interventions to enhance HL and self-care for diverse populations in this region. The aim of this research was to describe and analyze patterns of HL and awareness of self-care among consumers in Asia.

Isolated unilateral absence of pulmonary artery (IUAPA) in adults: A case series and review of literature.

Unilateral Absence of Pulmonary Artery (UAPA) is a rare congenital malformation that is usually associated with cardiac anomalies. When there is no congenital cardiac abnormality it is rarer still and is termed isolated unilateral absence of pulmonary artery (IUAPA) (4). IUAPA may remain undetected until adulthood and frequently found incidentally on imaging for other indications.

IADT 2020 Guidelines: What should the dental professional know?

Traumatic dental injuries are a common occurrence among children. Effective acute and long-term management of traumatic dental injuries can improve patient outcomes, especially in the paediatric patient. It is important that all dental professionals follow up-to-date, evidence-based guidance when treating patients.

Improved Glycemic Control and Variability: Application of Healthy Ingredients in Asian Staples.

A reduction in carbohydrate intake and low-carbohydrate diets are often advocated to prevent and manage diabetes. However, limiting or eliminating carbohydrates may not be a long-term sustainable and maintainable approach for everyone. Alternatively, diet strategies to modulate glycemia can focus on the glycemic index (GI) of foods and glycemic load (GL) of meals.

Positive predictive value of optic disc haemorrhages for open angle glaucoma.

Objectives: To determine the positive predictive value (PPV) of disc haemorrhages (DHs) for the diagnosis of open angle glaucoma (OAG).

Methods: A retrospective review of 618 consecutive new referrals by community optometrists to a hospital glaucoma service, including 54 patients with DHs. All patients had a comprehensive eye examination.

Relationships between adiponectin and bone: Sex difference.

Objectives: Despite being secreted exclusively by adipocytes, circulating adiponectin (ApN) is negatively associated with obesity. Moreover, obesity is traditionally viewed as leading to increased bone mass and density. Therefore, ApN may play a biological role in regulating fat and bone metabolism.

Does circulating leptin play a role in energy expenditure?

Objectives: It has been demonstrated that leptin influences the energy balance by regulating appetite and increasing energy expenditure (EE). However, the relationship between circulating leptin and EE is confounded owing to variations in body composition. The aim of this study was to determine the role of circulating leptin in energy regulation and to examine whether the leptin-mediated changes in EE are associated with adiposity among healthy adults living in Singapore.

Android fat as a determinant of metabolic syndrome: Sex differences.

Objectives: Regional fat accumulation may play an important role in the pathogenesis of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and cardiovascular diseases, yet the results are controversial. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between regional fat accumulation and MetS as well as the underlying mechanism in Chinese adults.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 428 Chinese adults (166 men and 262 women).

Obesity is an independent determinant of elevated C-reactive protein in healthy women but not men.

Background And Aims: High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs CRP) has emerged as an inflammatory biomarker to predict metabolic syndrome. Here, we investigate the association of hs CRP with metabolic variables and determine the risks for elevated hs CRP levels in healthy Singaporean adults.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 225 participants (104 men).

Ultrasound measurement of intraabdominal fat thickness as a predictor of insulin resistance and low HDL cholesterol in Asians.

Objectives: Insulin resistance (IR) is important in the pathogenesis of diabetes, the prevalence of which has become a major public health threat in Asia. The aim of this study was to use ultrasound measurements of abdominal fat thickness to predict IR and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels among Singaporean adults.

Methods: A total of 399 healthy Singaporeans (mean age 36.

Body Fat Measurements in Singaporean Adults Using Four Methods.

Few studies have been conducted to measure body composition in Asian populations. In this study, we determined the percent body fat (PBF) by using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA), air-displacement plethysmography (ADP or BOD POD), bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) and skinfold (SKF) in 445 healthy Singaporean adults. We observed that the BOD POD, BIA and SKF estimates of PBF were highly correlated with that from DEXA (as a reference method) among Singaporean adults.

Consumption of Dietary Resistant Starch Partially Corrected the Growth Pattern Despite Hyperglycemia and Compromised Kidney Function in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats.

We previously demonstrated that feeding of dietary resistant starch (RS) prior to the induction of diabetes delayed the progression of diabetic nephropathy and maintained vitamin D balance in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced type 1 diabetic (T1D) rats. Here, we examined the impact of RS on kidney function and vitamin D homeostasis following STZ injection. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were administered STZ and fed a standard diet containing cornstarch or 20, 10, or 5% RS for 4 weeks.

Correlation of adiposity indices with cardiovascular disease risk factors in healthy adults of Singapore: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Obesity has long been highlighted for its association with increased incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Nonetheless, the best adiposity indices to evaluate the CVD risk factors remain contentious and few studies have been performed in Asian populations. In the present study, we compared the association strength of percent body fat (PBF) to indirect anthropometric measures of general adiposity (body mass index (BMI) and body adiposity index (BAI)) and central adiposity (waist circumference (WC), and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR)) for the prediction of CVD risk factors in healthy men and women living in Singapore.

Dietary resistant starch prevents urinary excretion of vitamin D metabolites and maintains circulating 25-hydroxycholecalciferol concentrations in Zucker diabetic fatty rats.

Background: Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is the leading cause of nephropathy in the United States. Renal complications of T2D include proteinuria and suboptimal serum 25-hydroxycholecalciferol (25D) concentrations. 25D is the major circulating form of vitamin D and renal reabsorption of the 25D-vitamin D-binding protein (DBP) complex via megalin-mediated endocytosis is believed to determine whether 25D can be activated to 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol (1,25D) or returned to circulation.

Routine chest computed tomography as a preoperative work-up for primary colorectal cancer: is there any benefit in short-term outcome?

Purpose: The aim of this study was to assess the role of pre-operative chest computed tomography (CT) compared with abdominopelvic CT (AP-CT) and chest radiography (CXR) for detecting pulmonary metastasis in patients with primary colorectal cancer (CRC).

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the data of 619 patients with primary CRC who simultaneously received a preoperative chest CT (chest CT group), AP-CT with hilar extension, and CXR (CXR group).

Results: In the chest CT group, there were 297 (48.

Transvaginal endoscopic cholecystectomy using a simple magnetic traction system.

Natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) is still at an early stage of clinical development. The development of new instruments is required to overcome some of the current limitations of NOTES. We thus performed transvaginal endoscopic cholecystectomies to determine the feasibility of using a magnetic traction system.

Nicotine-induced osteonecrosis. A case report.

Unlabelled: This paper describes a previously unpublished side-effect of nicotine replacement chewing gum and presents useful information about the effects of nicotine on the oral environment. It is important to consider this when diagnosing an area of ulceration.

Clinical Relevance: Patients who use nicotine chewing gum should be advised that prolonged contact with the alveolar mucosa should be avoided.