Viral reactivation and clinical outcomes in Drug Reaction with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms (DRESS).

Drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS) is a rare severe cutaneous adverse drug reaction associated with multi-organ involvement and long-term sequelae. Human herpesviridae species reactivation has been observed, however, risk factors for reactivation and its impact on the clinical course and outcomes is unclear. We aimed to explore the impact of viral reactivation on DRESS on clinical outcomes and to identify potential risk factors for reactivation.

Dopamine neurons that inform Drosophila olfactory memory have distinct, acute functions driving attraction and aversion.

The brain must guide immediate responses to beneficial and harmful stimuli while simultaneously writing memories for future reference. While both immediate actions and reinforcement learning are instructed by dopamine, how dopaminergic systems maintain coherence between these 2 reward functions is unknown. Through optogenetic activation experiments, we showed that the dopamine neurons that inform olfactory memory in Drosophila have a distinct, parallel function driving attraction and aversion (valence).

Black-white hole pattern: an investigation on the automated chronic neuropathic pain detection using EEG signals.

Electroencephalography (EEG) signals provide information about the brain activities, this study bridges neuroscience and machine learning by introducing an astronomy-inspired feature extraction model. In this work, we developed a novel feature extraction function, black-white hole pattern (BWHPat) which dynamically selects the most suitable pattern from 14 options. We developed BWHPat in a four-phase feature engineering model, involving multileveled feature extraction, feature selection, classification, and cortex map generation.

Disruption of bioenergetics enhances the radio-sensitivity of patient-derived glioblastoma tumorspheres.

Background: Despite available treatment approaches, including surgical resection along with chemotherapy and radiotherapy, glioblastoma (GBM), the most prevalent primary brain tumor, remains associated with a grim prognosis. Although radiotherapy is central to GBM treatment, its combination with bioenergetics regulators has not been validated in clinical practice. Here, we hypothesized that bioenergetics regulators can enhance the radio-sensitivity of GBM tumorspheres (TSs).

Prospective prediction of childhood body mass index trajectories using multi-task Gaussian processes.

Background: Body mass index (BMI) trajectories have been used to assess the growth of children with respect to their peers, and to anticipate future obesity and disease risk. While retrospective BMI trajectories have been actively studied, models to prospectively predict continuous BMI trajectories have not been investigated.

Materials And Methods: Using longitudinal BMI measurements between birth and age 10 y from a mother-offspring cohort, we leveraged a multi-task Gaussian process approach to develop and evaluate a unified framework for modeling, clustering, and prospective prediction of BMI trajectories.

A Longitudinal Study of the Association of Awareness of Disease Incurability with Patient-Reported Outcomes in Heart Failure.

Objectives: To examine awareness of disease incurability among patients with heart failure over 24 mo and its associations with patient characteristics and patient-reported outcomes (distress, emotional, and spiritual well-being).

Methods: This study analyzed 24-mo data from a prospective cohort study of 251 patients with heart failure (New York Heart Association class III/IV) recruited from inpatient wards in Singapore General Hospital and National Heart Centre Singapore. Patients were asked to report if their doctor told them they were receiving treatment to cure their condition.

Spatiotemporal control of subcellular O-GlcNAc signaling using Opto-OGT.

The post-translational modification of intracellular proteins through O-linked β-N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) is a conserved regulatory mechanism in multicellular organisms. Catalyzed by O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT), this dynamic modification has an essential role in signal transduction, gene expression, organelle function and systemic physiology. Here, we present Opto-OGT, an optogenetic probe that allows for precise spatiotemporal control of OGT activity through light stimulation.

Real-world outcomes of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma treated with frontline R-CHOP(-like) regimens in an Asian multi-ethnic population.

Background: Recent breakthrough advances in the treatment of DLBCL, such as the antibody-drug conjugate polatuzumab vedotin, have yielded clinical survival benefit over rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisolone (R-CHOP) for the first time in 20 years since the advent of the rituximab era. We thus examine the outcomes of standard immunochemotherapy for DLBCL in our multi-ethnic Asian population, so as to determine the real-world clinical need to adopt new therapeutics in this disease entity.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective study involving patients (n = 1071) diagnosed with DLBCL at the National Cancer Centre Singapore from 2010 to 2022, and treated with first-line rituximab-based regimens.

General practitioner professional identity formation: Much needed, (still) oft forgotten.

Background: Professional identity formation (PIF) as a general practitioner (GP) enhances the experience of meaning at work, reduces burnout, promotes patient-centred decision making and strengthens advocacy for the unique role of family medicine within the healthcare system. Unfortunately, there is insufficient emphasis on PIF in GP residency programs; it often remains a hidden curriculum. External factors limiting GP trainees' exposure to their own general practice community of practice further impede PIF.

The prospective associations of fetal growth-related pregnancy complications with subsequent breastfeeding duration and markers of human milk production.

Background: The development of the breast for lactation occurs throughout pregnancy. It is unknown whether pregnancy complications resulting in poor fetal growth can affect breastfeeding (BF) success.

Objectives: We examined whether fetal growth-related pregnancy complications were associated with earlier BF cessation and changes in the concentrations of human milk biomarkers of low milk production.

Initial experience with pump controlled retrograde trial-off (PCRTO) veno-arterial extra corporeal membrane oxygenation in children.

Pump Controlled Retrograde Trial Off (PCRTO) is a relatively new technique in trialing-off Veno-Arterial Extra Corporeal Membrane Oxygenation (VA-ECMO). Literature on the use of PCRTO in children remains scarce. We describe our centre's initial experience with PCRTO in a neonate and an older child and review its potential advantages and disadvantages compared to traditional weaning methods.

Rapid Disease Progression of Myelodysplastic Syndrome is Reflected in Transcriptomic and Functional Abnormalities of Bone Marrow MSCs.

Bone marrow (BM) mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are important regulators of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs). When transformed to a dysplastic phenotype, MSCs contribute to hematopoietic diseases such as myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), but it remains unclear if there are specific properties in MDS-MSCs that contribute to the disease course. To understand this, we investigated MDS-MSCs from fast (MDSfast) vs slow (MDSslow) progressing disease groups and discovered differences between these groups.

Serial OCT Imaging of Spontaneous Closure of a Pediatric Traumatic Macular Hole.

To describe a case of spontaneous closure of a pediatric traumatic macular hole (MH) using serial optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging. A single case was evaluated. An 8-year-old girl developed a full-thickness MH in the right eye after sustaining blunt trauma from a bungee cord.