Clinic ; Hospitals

Home care is an integral part of primary community care. It is a multi-disciplinary holistic service providing personalised care to patients who are homebound. This encompasses both the medical and psychosocial aspects and allows patients to be treated in the comfort of their home, with reliable support from healthcare professionals, the community and caregiver. This article seeks to explore and discuss the provision of home care in Singapore.

Pancytopenia can rarely complicate Grave's disease. It can be due to uncontrolled thyrotoxicosis or as a result of rare side effect of antithyroid medication. Pernicious anemia leading to Vitamin B12 deficiency is another rare associated cause. We report a case of a patient with Grave's disease and undiagnosed pernicious anemia whom was assumed to have antithyroid drug induced pancytopenia. Failure to recognize this rare association of pernicious anemia as a cause of pancytopenia had resulted in delay in treatment and neurological complication in our patient.

Personal failure ; Sabah ; Therapeutic procedure ; Fansidar ; Malaria

Introduction: Colonoscopy is an investigation for the evaluation of lower gastrointestinal symptoms. Just like any other conditions, it is important to be aware of the spectrum of findings so that appropriate referral and decisions can be made. Materials and Methods: Patients (mean age 52.3 ± 15.3 years old with almost equal proportion of genders) referred for colonoscopy in RIPAS Hospital over a five year period (January 2003 to December 2007) were retrospectively identified and studied. Results: The most common indication for colonoscopy was bleeding per rectum (22.9%), followed by evaluation of abdominal pain (18.6%), anaemia (11.7%), colorectal cancer screening (11.7%), evaluation of constipation (5.9%) and altered bowel habits (3.8%). A large proportion (58.4%) colonoscopy was normal. The most common positive finding was haemorrhoids (30.3%), majority of which were categorised as grade I. This was followed by colonic polyps (17.6%), diverticular disease (12.1%), non-specific colitis (4.0%), colorectal cancers (4.0%) and ulcers (3.6%), melanosis coli (0.4%) and telangiectasia (0.1%). Colorectal cancer was most common among the Malays (4.4%), followed by the Chinese (4.0%), the indigenous (2.8%) and the others (1.2%). Conclusions: Our study showed that the most common indication was for the evaluation of bleeding per rectum. Majority had normal colonoscopy and the most common positive finding was haemorrhoids. Importantly colorectal neoplasms accounted for one fifth of procedures with colorectal cancers accounting for four percent.
Diabetic Complications ; Diabetic Foot ; Microbiology ; Bacteriology

Objective To study the effects of propofol on cognitive function and expression of BDNF in the cerebral cortex after the traumatic brain injury (TBI).Methods Forty-eight SD rats treated with the Morris water maze were randomly divided into 3 groups with 16 rats in each group.Rats in the sham group were subjected to the operative procedure but prevented from traumatic brain injury.Rats in the control group and the propofol group were subjected to the traumatic brain injury named Feeney.After the operation,rats in the propofol group were injected propofol for 6 hours.The neurological functional status and the cognitive function of rats were assessed with NSS scores and Morris water maze tests on 3d and 14d post operation.RT-PCR and Westeron Blot were used to detect the expressional changes of BDNF in the injured cerebral cortex.Results Compared with the sham group,NSS scores and the latencies of escape among rats in the control group were increased and times of crossing platform were decreased at 3d and 14 d post operation (P ＜0.01),and the mRNA and protein levels of BDNF were decreased at 3d post operation (P ＜0.01).Compared with the control group,the mRNA and protein levels of BDNF in the propofol treated rats were increased at 3d and 14d post operation (P ＜0.01),NSS scores were lower at 14d (P ＜0.01),the latencies were shorter and the times were increased (P ＜0.01).Conclusion Propofol improves the the expression of BDNF in the injured cerebral cortex and facilitates the recovery of the neurological and cognitive function in rats with traumatic brain.

MRI has become important for the detection of prostate cancer. MRI-guided biopsy is superior to conventional systematic biopsy in patients suspected with prostate cancer. MRI is also increasingly used for monitoring patients with low-risk prostate cancer during active surveillance. It improves patient selection for active surveillance at diagnosis, although its role during follow-up is unclear. We aim to review existing evidence and propose a practical approach for incorporating MRI into active surveillance protocols.

MRI has become important for the detection of prostate cancer. MRI-guided biopsy is superior to conventional systematic biopsy in patients suspected with prostate cancer. MRI is also increasingly used for monitoring patients with low-risk prostate cancer during active surveillance. It improves patient selection for active surveillance at diagnosis, although its role during follow-up is unclear. We aim to review existing evidence and propose a practical approach for incorporating MRI into active surveillance protocols.

Aged ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Female ; Humans ; Liver ; blood supply ; pathology ; Multiple Myeloma ; diagnostic imaging ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Neovascularization, Pathologic ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Objective To evaluate the gene therapeutic effects of guinea pigs model with immune -mediated inner ear disease(IMIED)after locally injection of bone -marrow mesenchymal stem cells(BMSCs) decorated by in-terleukin-4 gene .Methods Guinea pigs were immunized with keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) and caused 55 animal models ,divided into five groups ,each group with 11 animals :groupA(BMSCs carrier) ,group B(BMSCs emp-ty -carrier control group) ,group C(recombinent lentivirus IL -4 gene) ,group D(lentivirus empty -carrier control group) ,group E(simulation operation control group) .Groups were all injected with the corresponding suspension (20 μl)[includs BMSCs ceas of (1 .5~2 .0) × 106 ,the concentration of (entivirus) is 0 .5 × 108 pfu] by the scala tympani window into the inner ear .The fluorography immunohistochemistry test and enzyme immunohistochemistry test for the situation of IL -4 gene express and productive protein distribution in inner ear .Auditory functions and the KLH level of guinea pigs blood were monitored respectively by auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) and ELISA test .Results The threshold of ABR wave Ⅲ decreased in group A ,group B and group C .The result were more significant in group A and group B than that in group C ,but results in group A was more prominent (P<0 .05) . The results of immunohistochemistry test showed that fluorescence positive BMSCs mainly scattered in scala tymani and scala vestibule .The microscope results showed that for the group A ,B and C ,there were only few foccule and red and white blood cells in scala tympani floc ,but for group D and group E ,with different levels of labyrinthine hy-drops and some mononuclear cells around the spiral ganglion and small blood vessels .Conclusion Restructuring lentiviral vector with IL -4 gene can be successfully transfected into BMSCs in vitro ,compared to inplangting into inner ear in scala tympani approach ,the cells can migrate and generate gene product of IL -4 ,to significantly im-prove the auditory functions and inflammatory reaction of inner ear disease ,and BMSCs can be used as a carrier to migrate to the damaged part with therapeutic gene .