Vaping among young adults in Singapore: a qualitative study of motivations, challenges and antivaping intervention perceptions.

Introduction: The increasing use of electronic cigarettes among young adults in Southeast Asia is concerning. This study explores the motivations and challenges faced by young adults in quitting vaping and their perceptions of current public health messages and interventions in Singapore, which has stringent antivaping laws and active public health campaigns.

Methods: A qualitative descriptive study was conducted involving in-depth interviews with 15 participants aged 18-35.

Characterizing Cardiac Adipose Tissue in Post-AMI Patients via CT Imaging: A Comparative Cross-sectional Study.

Aims: To identify differences in CT-derived perivascular (PVAT) and epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) characteristics that may indicate inflammatory status differences between post-treatment acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and stable coronary artery disease (CAD) patients.

Methods And Results: A cohort of 205 post-AMI patients (age 59.8±9.

Maternal mental disorders, psychotropic drugs, socioeconomic status, and offspring congenital anomalies.

Objective: To evaluate whether there is an association between maternal mental health, purchase of psychotropic drugs, socioeconomic status and major congenital anomalies in offspring.

Methods: A register-based cohort study of 6189 Finnish primiparous women who had a singleton delivery between 2009 and 2015. Data on pregnancy and delivery outcomes, psychiatric diagnosis, prescription drug purchases and offspring congenital anomalies were obtained from Finnish national registers.

Utilizing deep learning to predict Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment with optical coherence tomography.

Introduction: Diagnostic performance of optical coherence tomography (OCT) to detect Alzheimer's disease (AD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) remains limited. We aimed to develop a deep-learning algorithm using OCT to detect AD and MCI.

Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study involving 228 Asian participants (173 cases/55 controls) for model development and testing on 68 Asian (52 cases/16 controls) and 85 White (39 cases/46 controls) participants.

Cardiac-targeted delivery of a novel Drp1 inhibitor for acute cardioprotection.

Dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1) is a mitochondrial fission protein and a viable target for cardioprotection against myocardial ischaemia-reperfusion injury. Here, we reported a novel Drp1 inhibitor (DRP1i1), delivered using a cardiac-targeted nanoparticle drug delivery system, as a more effective approach for achieving acute cardioprotection. DRP1i1 was encapsulated in cubosome nanoparticles with conjugated cardiac-homing peptides (NanoDRP1i1) and the encapsulation efficiency was 99.

Ancestry-specific gene expression in peripheral monocytes mediates risk of neurodegenerative disease.

It is hypothesised that peripheral immune states responding to regional environmental triggers contribute to central neurodegeneration. Region-specific genetic selection pressures require this hypothesis to be assessed in an ancestry specific manner. Here we utilise genome-wide association studies and expression quantitative trait loci from African, East Asian and European ancestries to show that genes causing neurodegeneration are preferentially expressed in innate rather than adaptive immune cells, and that expression of these genes mediates the risk of neurodegenerative disease in monocytes in an ancestry-specific manner.

Targeted Cx43 therapeutics reduce NLRP3 inflammasome activation in rat burn injury.

Burns are dynamic injuries characterized by an initial zone of necrosis that progresses to compromise surrounding tissue. Acute inflammation and cell death are two main factors contributing to burn progression. These processes are modulated by Connexin43 (Cx43) hemichannels and gap junctions in burns and chronic wounds.

Development and Pragmatic Randomized Controlled Trial of Healthy Ketogenic Diet Versus Energy-Restricted Diet on Weight Loss in Adults with Obesity.

: The ketogenic diet (KD) is widely used for weight management by reducing appetite, enhancing fat oxidation, and facilitating weight loss. However, the high content of total and saturated fats in a conventional KD may elevate low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol levels, a known risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, highlighting the need for healthier alternatives. This study aimed to investigate the effect of a newly developed Healthy Ketogenic Diet (HKD) versus an Energy-Restricted Diet (ERD) on weight loss and metabolic outcomes among adults with obesity.

Neuroprotective Effects of Functionalized Hydrophilic Carbon Clusters: Targeted Therapy of Traumatic Brain Injury in an Open Blast Rat Model.

Unlabelled: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) causes multiple cerebrovascular disruptions and oxidative stress. These pathological mechanisms are often accompanied by serious impairment of cerebral blood flow autoregulation and neuronal and glial degeneration.

Background/objectives: Multiple biochemical cascades are triggered by brain damage, resulting in reactive oxygen species production alongside blood loss and hypoxia.

Impacts of Black Soldier Fly () Larval Meal on Intestinal Histopathology and Microbiome Responses in Hybrid Grouper ( ♀ × ♂): A Comprehensive Analysis.

This study examined the diversity and responses of intestinal microbiota in hybrid grouper ( ♀ × ♂) fed diets with varying levels of fishmeal replaced by black soldier fly larvae (BSFL). The 10% BSFL substitution (BSFL10) group showed the highest levels of trypsin and amylase. Substituting fishmeal with 30% and 50% BSFL weakened the intestinal wall, resulting in vacuoles, sparse striatal boundaries, and fewer villi.

Establishing clinical research networks for future infectious disease outbreak responses in Southeast Asia: Report of a workshop on challenges and opportunities.

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the critical need for well-established clinical research networks capable of rapid response during infectious disease outbreaks. In Southeast Asia, the absence of active research networks at the onset of the COVID-19 contributed to gaps in regional preparedness. This manuscript discusses the challenges and opportunities identified during a regional workshop held in Singapore (February 26 to March 1, 2024), which brought together 130 stakeholders from across the region.

Genetic susceptibility of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: a meta genome-wide association study in Asian population.

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is an aggressive malignancy and the most common form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) that occurs worldwide. To discover risk factors and pathogenesis of DLBCL, we performed the largest GWAS of DLBCL to date in samples of East Asian ancestry, consisting of 2,888 patients with DLBCL and 12,458 controls. The meta-analysis identified three novel loci, rs2233434 on 6p21.

Big data analysis: examination of the relationship between candidates' sociodemographic characteristics and performance in the UK's Membership of the Royal College of Physicians Part 1 examination.

Big datasets and data analytics enable granular analyses examining group differences in performance. Our focus is on differential attainment (DA) in postgraduate College (Board) examinations. We asked: Are candidates' sociodemographic characteristics associated with performance on the UK's Membership of the Royal College of Physicians (MRCP) Part 1 after adjusting for medical school performance (MSP) and type of medical programme? This was a retrospective longitudinal cohort study of 6040 medical graduates with linked sociodemographic data in the UK Medical Education Database qualifying from a UK medical school (2012-2014) and sitting MRCP Part 1 before October 2019.

Protocol for feeding strategy and proteomics analysis of zebrafish Danio rerio using S-trap and iTRAQ techniques.

Yeast serves as a functional alternative and sustainable protein source in aquaculture. This protocol outlines feeding strategy and intestinal proteome analysis of zebrafish (Danio rerio), using S-trap for digestion, iTRAQ, and mass spectrometry for protein quantification. Additionally, it details the analysis of chemical components in feed and functional assessments via Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), Eukaryotic Orthologous Group (KOG), and Gene Ontology (GO).

Co-creation and community engagement in implementation research with vulnerable populations: a co-creation process in China.

Background Top-down implementation strategies led by researchers often generate limited or tokenistic community engagement. Co-creation, a community engagement methodology, aims to create a shared leadership role of program beneficiaries in the development and implementation of programs, and encourages early and deep involvement of community members. We describe our experience using a four-stage co-creation approach to adapt and implement a sexually transmitted diseases (STD) testing intervention among men who have sex with men (MSM) in China.

The novel quinoline derivative SKA-346 as a K3.1 channel selective activator.

The calcium-activated K3.1 channel plays a crucial role in T-cell immune response. Genetic manipulation of T-cells to upregulate the expression of K channels has been shown to boost T-cell cytotoxicity in cancer.

Exome Sequencing of Chinese Patients With Anticitrullinated Protein Antibody-Positive Rheumatoid Arthritis in Singapore.

Objective: More than 130 susceptibility loci for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have been identified with genome-wide association studies. To investigate the genetic predisposition of Chinese patients to anticitrullinated protein antibody (ACPA)-positive RA, we carried out an exome sequencing study.

Methods: Patients were recruited from 3 major public hospitals in Singapore: Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH), Singapore General Hospital, and the National University Hospital.

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.

Brief Magnetic Field Exposure Stimulates Doxorubicin Uptake into Breast Cancer Cells in Association with TRPC1 Expression: A Precision Oncology Methodology to Enhance Chemotherapeutic Outcome.

: Doxorubicin (DOX) is commonly used as a chemotherapeutic agent for the treatment of breast cancer. Nonetheless, its systemic delivery via intravenous injection and toxicity towards healthy tissues commonly result in a broad range of detrimental side effects. Breast cancer severity was previously shown to be correlated with TRPC1 channel expression that conferred upon it enhanced vulnerability to pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) therapy.

The bile acid chenodeoxycholic acid associates with reduced stroke in humans and mice.

Bile acids are liver-derived signaling molecules that can be found in the brain, but their role there remains largely unknown. We found increased brain chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA) in mice with absent 12α-hydroxylase (Cyp8b1), a bile acid synthesis enzyme. In these Cyp8b1, and in Wt mice administered CDCA, stroke infarct area was reduced.