Beyond the limits: identifying the high-frequency detectors in the anuran ear.

Despite the predominance of low-frequency hearing in anuran amphibians, a few frog species have evolved high-frequency communication within certain environmental contexts. is the most remarkable anuran with regard to upper frequency limits; it is the first frog species known to emit exclusively ultrasonic signals. Characteristics of the Distortion Product Otoacoustic Emissions from the amphibian papilla and the basilar papilla were analysed to gain insight into the structures responsible for high-frequency/ultrasound sensitivity.

, a new species of Cyclophoridae (Gastropoda: Caenogastropoda), discovered and described on a field course to Kuala Belalong rainforest, Brunei.

Background: Terrestrial Caenogastropoda form an important but threatened component of the Borneo tropical rainforest malacofauna, where the group is nearly as rich in species as the Stylommatophora. They are, however, more sensitive to drought, temperature extremes and forest degradation.

New Information: On a field course at Kuala Belalong Field Studies Centre in Brunei Darussalam (Borneo), a new caenogastropod species, belonging to the genus , was discovered by the course participants.

Size tunable mesoporous carbon microspheres using Pluronic F127 and gelatin as co-template for removal of ibuprofen.

Size tunable mesoporous carbon microspheres, MCMs were obtained using Pluronic F127 and gelatin in co-templating method via hydrothermal and pyrolysis treatments. The presence of gelatin increased the mechanical strength of Pluronic F127 which can sustain the uniform microspherical structure of carbon following pyrolysis at 950 °C. The diameter of MCMs were controlled by variation of weight ratios between Pluronic F127 to gelatin from 1:0.

Patients' feedback on the Changi General Hospital tinnitus counselling protocol.

Introduction: Many tinnitus service providers advocate counselling as an initial and important approach for the management of tinnitus. Our tinnitus counselling clinic (TCC) developed a counselling protocol to deliver information and educate patients on self-help strategies. We aimed to obtain feedback on the components of the initial session and the self-help choices made by patients who returned for follow-up.

Psychometric Evaluation of the Brunei-Malay SF-36 version 2 Health Survey.

Objectives: To culturally adapt the Short Form Health-36 version 2 (SF-36v2) into the Brunei-Malay context and determine its reliability and validity for measuring health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in healthy individuals and patients with chronic kidney disease in Brunei Darussalam. Methods: An iterative multistep strategy involving setting up a bilingual expert panel, pretesting, text revision and back translation was used to prepare the Brunei-Malay SF-36v2 as an adaptation from the Malaysian-Malay SF-36v2. The Brunei-Malay SF-36v2 was then self-administered to a sample of healthy individuals (n=95) and predialysis chronic kidney disease outpatients (n=95) resident in Brunei.

An Abstinence and Safer Sex Intervention for Adolescents Attending the Public Sexually Transmitted Infection Clinic in Singapore.

Purpose: The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a behavioral intervention in increasing secondary abstinence and safer sex among heterosexually active adolescents aged 16-19 years.

Methods: This was a randomized controlled trial conducted at the only national sexually transmitted infection clinic in Singapore. The intervention focused on information giving, motivation, and skills building to abstain or practice safer sex.

What Enables and Constrains the Inclusion of the Social Determinants of Health Inequities in Government Policy Agendas? A Narrative Review.

Background: Despite decades of evidence gathering and calls for action, few countries have systematically attenuated health inequities (HI) through action on the social determinants of health (SDH). This is at least partly because doing so presents a significant political and policy challenge. This paper explores this challenge through a review of the empirical literature, asking: what factors have enabled and constrained the inclusion of the social determinants of health inequities (SDHI) in government policy agendas?

Methods: A narrative review method was adopted involving three steps: first, drawing upon political science theories on agenda-setting, an integrated theoretical framework was developed to guide the review; second, a systematic search of scholarly databases for relevant literature; and third, qualitative analysis of the data and thematic synthesis of the results.

Application of Discrete-Choice Experiment Methods in Tobacco Control: A Systematic Review.

Background: Economic evidence relating to tobacco control is generally derived from the cost effectiveness of smoking-cessation programs or the economic impact of tobacco-induced disease, based on revealed-preference data. However, empirical estimates from stated-preference data on tobacco users' preferences, smoking behaviour and smoking cessation aids using analytical techniques such as discrete-choice experiments (DCEs) could be important for policy decision making in tobacco control.

Objectives: Our objective was to review the practice and utility of DCE methodology across nicotine- and tobacco-related issues, particularly smoking and smoking-cessation behaviour, anti-smoking policies and preferences for smoking-cessation aids.

Stabilization of a bat-pitcher plant mutualism.

Despite the long persistence of many mutualisms, it is largely unknown which mechanisms stabilize these interactions. This is especially true if only one mutualism partner can choose alternative partners while the other cannot, resulting in a power asymmetry. According to biological market theory the choosing partner should prefer the more dependent partner if the latter offers commodities of higher quality than its competitors.

Assessment of content, quality and compliance of the STaR mobile application for smoking cessation.

Introduction: Smoking cessation support with smartphone applications is widely practised, however, quality and novel content is yet to be established. This study examined content, quality and compliance of the STaR (Sihat Tanpa Rokok - Healthy Without Smoking) smartphone application to smoking cessation clinical practice guidelines.

Methods: Mobile Application Rating Scale (MARS) was applied to assess the quality of the mobile application.

Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles as a Carrier Platform for Intracellular Delivery of Nucleic Acids.

Virus-mediated gene delivery has been, to date, the most successful and efficient method for gene therapy. However, this method has been challenged because of serious safety concerns. Over the past decade, mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) have attracted much attention for intracellular delivery of nucleic acids.

Effectiveness of Mobile Apps for Smoking Cessation: A Review.

Introduction: Smartphone-based smoking cessation interventions are increasingly used around the world. However, the effects of smartphone applications on applicability and efficacy on cessation rate and prevention of relapses are not often evaluated. Therefore, this review aims to assess the evidence on effectiveness of smartphone applications as an intervention tool for smoking cessation support.

Bacterial Diversity and Community Structure in Two Bornean Nepenthes Species with Differences in Nitrogen Acquisition Strategies.

Carnivorous plants of the genus Nepenthes have been studied for over a century, but surprisingly little is known about associations with microorganisms. The two species Nepenthes rafflesiana and Nepenthes hemsleyana differ in their pitcher-mediated nutrient sources, sequestering nitrogen from arthropod prey and arthropods as well as bat faeces, respectively. We expected bacterial communities living in the pitchers to resemble this diet difference.

The Impact of Different Permissible Exposure Limits on Hearing Threshold Levels Beyond 25 dBA.

Background: Development of noise-induced hearing loss is reliant on a few factors such as frequency, intensity, and duration of noise exposure. The occurrence of this occupational malady has doubled from 120 million to 250 million in a decade. Countries such as Malaysia, India, and the US have adopted 90 dBA as the permissible exposure limit.

Behaviour of transplanted tumours and role of matching in rejection.

Background: Tumour transfer/development is one of the more serious risks associated with transplantation. The behaviour of a tumour can be unpredictable in immunosuppressed recipients. We report a highly sensitive method to monitor tumour behaviour in real time in a rodent tumour transplant model.

Multiple pathways are responsible for anti-inflammatory and cardiovascular activities of Hordeum vulgare L.

Background: Hordeum vulgare L. (HV or barley) is used by traditional healers to treat various inflammatory and cardiovascular diseases, without the knowledge of pharmacologic rationale behind its actions. This study was designed to explore the potential scientific mechanism(s) that could explain the use of Hordeum vulgare in traditional medicine as a treatment for various inflammatory and cardiovascular diseases.

Historical distribution of Sundaland's Dipterocarp rainforests at Quaternary glacial maxima.

The extent of Dipterocarp rainforests on the emergent Sundaland landmass in Southeast Asia during Quaternary glaciations remains a key question. A better understanding of the biogeographic history of Sundaland could help explain current patterns of biodiversity and support the development of effective forest conservation strategies. Dipterocarpaceae trees dominate the rainforests of Sundaland, and their distributions serve as a proxy for rainforest extent.

Anti-inflammatory and antiplatelet activities of plasma are conserved across twelve mammalian species.

Human plasma inhibits arachidonic acid metabolism and platelet aggregation. This helps human form a haemostatic control system that prevents the progress of certain aggregatory or inflammatory reactions. Whether this property of plasma is unique to human or extends to other species is not well known.

Cyclooxygenase-2 inhibition improves antioxidative defense during experimental hypercholesterolemia.

Scientific literature shows that inflammation and oxidative stress contribute in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. The oxidative stress is the consequence of an imbalance between the free radical generation and elimination. One source of free oxygen radicals is cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 and, therefore, inhibiting the activity of this enzyme is likely to reduce oxidative stress.

Factors and trade-offs with rehabilitation effectiveness and efficiency in newly disabled older persons.

Objective: To determine the factors for rehabilitation effectiveness (REs) and rehabilitation efficiency (REy) among newly disabled older persons and if there is any trade-off between REs and REy.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Setting: Rehabilitation hospitals.

Poisoned blood, ghaa, and the infected body: lay understandings of arsenicosis in rural Bangladesh.

This article draws on ethnographic data from rural Bangladesh to examine how community members affected by arsenicosis understand, explain, and experience this deadly illness. Biomedically, arsenicosis has been described as a disease caused by drinking arsenic-contaminated water, and it is manifested through physiological complications such as symmetric hyperkeratosis of the palms and soles, cancer of the skin, kidney and lungs, and diseases of the blood vessels. This article goes beyond such biomedical discourse and illustrates how arsenicosis has been vernacularized as ghaa in practice.

An international view of surgically assisted conception and surrogacy tourism.

Modern medicine, specifically assisted reproductive technology (ART), has overtaken the law in many jurisdictions around the world. New technologies and practices open a Pandora's Box of ethical, religious, social and legal questions, and may present a variety of significant legal problems to the courts and legislators. Surrogate motherhood and pregnancy through ART have both attracted controversy.

A novel resource-service mutualism between bats and pitcher plants.

Mutualistic relationships between vertebrates and plants apart from the pollen and seed-dispersal syndromes are rare. At first view, carnivorous pitcher plants of the genus Nepenthes seem to be highly unlikely candidates for mutualistic interactions with animals, as they form dimorphic terrestrial and aerial pitchers that trap arthropods and small vertebrates. Surprisingly, however, the aerial pitchers of Nepenthes rafflesiana variety elongata are poor insect traps, with low amounts of insect-attractive volatile compounds and low amounts of digestive fluid.