Examining the moderation of the relationship between socio-economic status and consumption intentions by food information labels.

Front-of-package-labelling needs to portray health and/or sustainability information effectively to all consumers in a way that is both effective and equitable. There is mixed evidence for the effectiveness of such labels based on socioeconomic status (SES). Framing health consequences in an intuitive manner could help to reduce disparities in label comprehension across SES.

DVPT: Dynamic Visual Prompt Tuning of large pre-trained models for medical image analysis.

Pre-training and fine-tuning have become popular due to the rich representations embedded in large pre-trained models, which can be leveraged for downstream medical tasks. However, existing methods typically either fine-tune all parameters or only task-specific layers of pre-trained models, overlooking the variability in input medical images. As a result, these approaches may lack efficiency or effectiveness.

A conceptual framework to assess the health, socioeconomic and environmental burden of chronic kidney disease.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a global health challenge that affects patients, caregivers, healthcare systems, the environment and national economies. Despite its far-reaching impact, there is no framework to systematically evaluate national CKD prevention and management programmes or evaluate the societal burden of disease. This paper has two objectives: first, to introduce a comprehensive framework to assess national programmes, which recognises gaps and weaknesses and identifies feasible policy interventions to reduce overall CKD burden; second, to present some key challenges and success stories in delivering CKD services delivered in eight different country settings.

Cost-effectiveness of robotic mastectomy vs. conventional mastectomy: A long-term economic evaluation from a Singapore healthcare perspective.

Importance: Breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer among women globally, and Singapore is no exception. Surgical intervention, especially mastectomy, is a cornerstone of breast cancer treatment. While conventional mastectomy (CM) has been the gold standard, robotic mastectomy (RM) has emerged as a promising alternative due to its minimally invasive nature.

A two-dimensional liquid chromatography approach for simultaneous separation and quantification of structural and chiral amino acids in oolong tea.

Oolong tea contains diverse isomers, such as amino acids. D-amino acids, compared with their L-enantiomers, exhibit distinct properties, influencing both the flavor and bioactivity of the tea. However, the analysis of these isomers remains challenging, especially the simultaneous determination of structural and chiral isomers.

Real-time isolation of physiological tremor using recursive singular spectrum analysis and random vector functional link for surgical robotics.

Hand-held robotic instruments enhance precision in microsurgery by mitigating physiological tremor in real time. Current tremor filtering algorithms in these instruments often employ nonlinear phase prefilters to isolate the tremor signal. However, these filters introduce phase distortion in the filtered tremor, compromising accuracy.

Appendicectomy versus antibiotics for acute uncomplicated appendicitis in children: an open-label, international, multicentre, randomised, non-inferiority trial.

Background: Support for the treatment of uncomplicated appendicitis with non-operative management rather than surgery has been increasing in the literature. We aimed to investigate whether treatment of uncomplicated appendicitis with antibiotics in children is inferior to appendicectomy by comparing failure rates for the two treatments.

Methods: In this pragmatic, multicentre, parallel-group, unmasked, randomised, non-inferiority trial, children aged 5-16 years with suspected non-perforated appendicitis (based on clinical diagnosis with or without radiological diagnosis) were recruited from 11 children's hospitals in Canada, the USA, Finland, Sweden, and Singapore.

Comparison of Piperacillin-tazobactam and Vancomycin (TZP-VAN) with Piperacillin-tazobactam and Teicoplanin (TZP-TEI) for the risk of Acute Kidney Injury (CONCOMITANT): A prospective observational, multinational, multi-centre cohort study.

Objectives: Both vancomycin (VAN) and teicoplanin (TEI) augment the risk of acute kidney injury (AKI) when combined with piperacillin-tazobactam (TZP). We aimed to compare the risk of AKI among patients receiving TZP-VAN versus TZP-TEI.

Methods: This was a prospective, multinational, multicentre cohort study conducted in 12 centres from Turkiye, Italy and Spain between June 1, 2022, and December 31, 2023.

Pembrolizumab with or without bevacizumab in platinum-resistant recurrent or metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma: a randomised, open-label, phase 2 trial.

Background: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is overexpressed in nasopharyngeal carcinoma and suppresses the anti-tumour immune response. Previous studies have shown that adding anti-VEGF treatment to PD-1 inhibition treatment strategies improves tumour response. We aimed to compare the efficacy of pembrolizumab, a PD-1 inhibitor, with or without bevacizumab, a VEGF inhibitor, in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Targeted therapy for older patients with an oncogene driven non-small cell lung cancer: Recommendations from a SIOG expert group.

Lung cancer is mostly a disease of aging with approximately half of newly diagnosed patients being 70 years or older. Treatment decisions in this population pose unique challenges because of their heterogeneity with regards to daily functioning, cognition, organ function, comorbidities and polypharmacy, their underrepresentation in clinical trials and the impact of treatment on patient-centered outcomes, particularly in frail patients. The advent of targeted therapies and immunotherapy has revolutionized the management of advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Bone regeneration: The influence of composite HA/TCP scaffolds and electrical stimulation on TGF/BMP and RANK/RANKL/OPG pathways.

The repair of critical-sized bone defects represents significant clinical challenge. An alternative approach is the use of 3D composite scaffolds to support bone regeneration. Hydroxyapatite (HA) and tri-calcium phosphate (β-TCP), combined with polycaprolactone (PCL), offer promising mechanical resistance and biocompatibility.

Treating genetic blood disorders in the era of CRISPR-mediated genome editing.

In the setting of monogenic disease, advances made in genome editing technologies can, in principle, be deployed as a therapeutic strategy to precisely correct a specific gene mutation in an affected cell type and restore functionality. Using the β-hemoglobinopathies and hemophilia as exemplars, we review recent experimental breakthroughs utilizing CRISPR-derived genome editing technology that have translated to significant improvements in the management of inherited hematologic disorders. Yet there are also challenges facing the use of CRISPR mediated genome editing in these patients and we discuss possible ways to obviate those issues for furtherance of clinical benefit.

Optical signatures of lattice strain in chemically doped colloidal quantum wells.

Lattice strain plays a vital role in tailoring the optoelectronic performance of colloidal nanocrystals (NCs) with exotic geometries. Although optical identifications of lattice strain in irregular-shaped NCs or hetero-structured NCs have been well documented, less is known about optical signatures of the sparsely distributed lattice mismatch in chemically-doped NCs. Here, we show that coherent acoustic phonons (CAPs) following bandgap optical excitations in Cu-doped CdSe colloidal quantum wells (CQWs) offer a unique platform for indirectly measuring the dopant-induced lattice strain.

Core-shell structured BN/SiO nanofiber membrane featuring with dual-effect thermal management and flame retardancy for extreme space thermal protection.

With the rapid progress of aerospace frontier engineering, the extreme space thermal environment has brought severe challenges to astronauts' space suits, putting forward higher requirements for thermal protection materials. On this basis, a unique core-shell structured hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN)/silicon dioxide (SiO) nanofiber membrane (HS) was prepared using the coaxial electrospinning method, of which both the thermal insulation SiO nanofiber cortex and the passive radiation cooling (PRC) h-BN nanofiber core make it a promising dual-effect thermal management material. Especially, when the amount of h-BN is 0.

Assessment of Outcomes & Anatomical Changes in the Upper Urinary Tract following Flexible Ureteroscopy with a Flexible and Navigable Suction Ureteral Access Sheath (FANS): 3-Month Results from a Multicenter Study.

Objectives: To study the long-term outcomes of the flexible and navigable suction ureteral access sheath (FANS) in flexible ureteroscopy (FURS). FANS has well-established efficiency and 30-day perioperative safety; however, its influence on pelvicalyceal and ureteric anatomy remains to be investigated.

Methods: This was a prospective study of patients with normal renal anatomy who underwent FURS with FANS for renal stones from April 2023 to August 2024 in 16 centers worldwide.

Nation-wide surveillance of tick (Acari: Ixodidae) infestations of humans in Singapore.

Ticks are an increasingly important threat to public health in Southeast Asia, due to the role of many tick species as parasites of humans and as vectors of zoonotic pathogens. Singapore is a densely populated Southeast Asian nation with a rich tick fauna and a significant mosaic of city and greenspace. However, apart from occasional case reports, the human-biting ticks in Singapore have received little attention from researchers.

Sit is not lit: Examining the impact of message framing, modality, and peer influence on attitudes and intentions to reduce sedentary behavior.

This study examines the effects of gain-loss framing, messaging modality, peer influence, and individual factors such as social norms and self-efficacy on the attitudes and intentions to reduce sedentary behaviors among university students, specifically through (a) taking breaks and (b) taking 10,000 steps daily. We conducted a two-week health campaign field experiment on Instagram in January 2022, delivering ten posts with tailored messages to 284 university students in Singapore (valid N = 249). The participants were predominantly female (70.

Situating the salience and parietal memory networks in the context of multiple parallel distributed networks using precision functional mapping.

Brain networks serving higher cognitive functions are widely distributed across frontal and posterior association zones. Two exceptions have been the parietal memory network (PMN) and salience network (SAL), which are typically restricted to posterior (e.g.

Magnetic resonance imaging safety in Asia-Oceania: call for action.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) safety is a critical concern in the Asia-Oceania region, as it is elsewhere in the world, due to the unique and complex MRI environment that demands attention. This call-for-action outlines ten critical steps to enhance MRI safety and promote a culture of responsibility and accountability in the Asia-Oceania region. Key focus areas include strengthening education and expertise, improving quality assurance, fostering collaboration, increasing public awareness, and establishing national safety boards.

Palmitate potentiates the SMAD3-PAI-1 pathway by reducing nuclear GDF15 levels.

Nuclear growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15) reduces the binding of the mothers' against decapentaplegic homolog (SMAD) complex to its DNA-binding elements. However, the stimuli that control this process are unknown. Here, we examined whether saturated fatty acids (FA), particularly palmitate, regulate nuclear GDF15 levels and the activation of the SMAD3 pathway in human skeletal myotubes and mouse skeletal muscle, where most insulin-stimulated glucose use occurs in the whole organism.

Case management in Emergency Care: Impact Evaluation of the CARED Program.

Background: Hospitals face mounting pressure to reduce unplanned utilization amid rising healthcare demands from an aging population. The Case management for At-Risk patients in the Emergency Department (CARED) program is among the first ED transitional care strategies to focus on both frail older adults and Emergency Department (ED) re-attenders to reduce acute hospital utilization. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the CARED program in reducing hospital (re)admissions and ED re-attendances within 30- and 60-days post-discharge.

Efficient Nitrate to Ammonia Conversion on Bifunctional IrCu Alloy Nanoparticles.

Electrochemical nitrate reduction (NORR) to ammonia presents a promising alternative strategy to the traditional Haber-Bosch process. However, the competitive hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) reduces the Faradaic efficiency toward ammonia, while the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) increases the energy consumption. This study designs IrCu alloy nanoparticles as a bifunctional catalyst to achieve efficient NORR and OER while suppressing the unwanted HER.

Data-Driven Discovery of High-Performance Heterobilayer Transition Metal Dichalcogenide-Based Sliding Ferroelectrics.

The development of efficient sliding ferroelectric (FE) materials is crucial for advancing next-generation low-power nanodevices. Currently, most efforts focus on homobilayer two-dimensional materials, except for the experimentally reported heterobilayer sliding FE, MoS/WS. Here, we first screened 870 transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) bilayer heterostructures derived from experimentally characterized monolayer TMDs and systematically investigated their sliding ferroelectric behavior across various stacking configurations using high-throughput calculations.

Towards a Theory of Compassion Fatigue in Palliative Care and Oncology: A Systematic Scoping Review.

Background: In their care of terminally ill patients, palliative care physicians and oncologists are increasingly predisposed to physical and emotional exhaustion, or compassion fatigue (CF). Challenges faced by physicians include complex care needs; changing practice demands, and sociocultural contextual factors. Efforts to better understand CF have, however, been limited.

A pharmacovigilance study on the safety of faricimab in real-world scenario using FDA adverse event reporting system database.

Background: Faricimab is predominantlyprescribed for conditions such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD),diabetic macular edema (DME), and macular edema related to retinal veinocclusion (RVO-ME). Currently, a notable absence of large-scale, real-worldstudies focusing on the adverse reactions of faricimab exists.

Methods: Thisstudy assesses the side effects of faricimab by analyzing reports of adverseevents (AEs) from the FDA's AEReporting System (FAERS) database.