Brain cancer remains among the most lethal malignancies worldwide, with approximately 321,476 new cases and 248,305 deaths reported globally in 2022. The treatment of malignant brain tumors presents substantial clinical challenges, primarily due to their resistance to standard therapeutic approaches. Despite decades of intensive research, effective treatment strategies for brain cancer are still lacking. Nuclear receptors (NRs), a superfamily of ligand-activated transcription factors, regulate a broad range of physiological processes including metabolism, immunity, stress response, reproduction, and cellular differentiation. Increasing evidence highlights the involvement of NRs in oncogenesis, with several members demonstrating altered expression and function in brain tumors. Aberrations in NR signaling, encompassing receptors such as androgen receptors, estrogen receptors, estrogen-related receptors, glucocorticoid receptors, NR subfamily 4 group A, NR subfamily 1 group D member 2, NR subfamily 5 group A member 2, NR subfamily 2 group C member 2, liver X receptors, peroxisome-proliferator activated receptors, progesterone receptors, retinoic acid receptors, NR subfamily 2 group E member 1, thyroid hormone receptors, vitamin D receptors, and retinoid X receptors, have been implicated in promoting hallmark malignant phenotypes, including enhanced survival, proliferation, invasion, migration, metastasis, and resistance to therapy. This review aims to explore the roles of key NRs in brain cancer, with an emphasis on their prognostic significance, and to evaluate the therapeutic potential of targeting these receptors using selective agonists or antagonists.
Humans ; Brain Neoplasms/drug therapy* ; Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear/metabolism* ; Animals ; Signal Transduction/physiology*

INTRODUCTION: The NCR had amassed 752,668 cases of COVID-19 as of September 2021, the highest among the regions in the Philippines. This study aimed to determine the correlation between population, population density, age, and sex with the number of cases among local government units (LGU) in the National Capital Region (NCR). METHODS: The data for population, population density, age, and sex distribution of the LGUs of NCR were retrieved from the 2015 Philippine census while the data for cases were from DOH’s COVID-19 Tracker. Pearson correlation coefficient was computed to determine the correlation between population, population density and cases. Phi and Cramer’s V statistic were computed to determine associations between sex, age groups, and cases. RESULTS: There was little or no correlation between population density and number of cases (r = 0.236) but was good (r = 0.905) when Quezon City was excluded for being an outlier. There was good correlation between population and number of cases (r = 964, p < 0.001). There was very weak to no association between sex and number of COVID-19 cases. There was a statistically significant moderate association between age and COVID-19 cases (f = 0.145, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION The study has shown that population density and population have a good correlation with the number of COVID-19 after Quezon City was removed as a data point. There is a moderate association between age and number of COVID-19 cases. There is a very weak to no association between sex and COVID-19 cases.

Humans ; Pharmaceutical Preparations ; Singapore

Background/Aims: Data on treatment efficacy and safety of glecaprevir/pibrentasvir (GLE/PIB) for chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in Asian patients with severe renal impairment are limited. This study aimed to study the treatment and side effects of GLE/PIB in these patients infected with non-1 genotype (GT) HCV. Methods: We prospectively recruited patients with Child’s A cirrhosis and eGFR <30 mL/min/1.73 m2 in Hong Kong and Taiwan during 2017–2018 to receive GLE/PIB treatment. Results: Twenty-one patients (GT2, n=7; GT3, n=6; and GT6, n=8) received GLE/PIB for 11.2±1.8 weeks. All except one were treatment-naïve. GLE/PIB was initiated in 16 patients while on dialysis (seven on peritoneal dialysis [PD] and nine on hemodialysis) and in five patients before dialysis. One patient died of PD-related peritonitis during treatment and two were lost to follow up. The SVR12 rate in the remaining 18 patients was 100%. All patients achieved undetectable levels at 4-, 12-, 24- and 48-week after treatment. Patients with deranged alanine aminotransferase showed normalization after 4 weeks and the response was sustained for 48 weeks. No significant adverse event was observed. Conclusions GLE/PIB treatment was associated with high efficacy and tolerability in HCV-infected patients with severe renal impairment.

INTRODUCTIONThe aim of the study is to investigate the effect of using Automated External Defibrillator (AED) audiovisual feedback on the quality of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in a manikin training setting.

MATERIALS AND METHODSFive cycles of 30 chest compressions were performed on a manikin without CPR prompts. After an interval of at least 5 minutes, the participants performed another 5 cycles with the use of real time audiovisual feedback via the ZOLL E-Series defibrillator. Performance data were obtained and analysed.

RESULTSA total of 209 dialysis centre staff participated in the study. Using a feedback system resulted in a statistically significant improvement from 39.57% to 46.94% (P=0.009) of the participants being within the target compression depth of 4 cm to 5 cm and a reduction in those below target from 16.45% to 11.05% (P=0.004). The use of feedback also produced a significant improvement in achieving the target for rate of chest compression (90 to 110 compressions per minute) from 41.27% to 53.49%; (P<0.001). The mean depth of chest compressions was 4.85 cm (SD=0.79) without audiovisual feedback and 4.91 (SD=0.69) with feedback. For rate of chest compressions, it was 104.89 (SD=13.74) vs 101.65 (SD=10.21) respectively. The mean depth of chest compression was less in males than in females (4.61 cm vs 4.93 cm, P=0.011), and this trend was reversed with the use of feedback.

CONCLUSIONIn conclusion, the use of feedback devices helps to improve the quality of CPR during training. However more studies involving cardiac arrest patients requiring CPR need to be done to determine if these devices improve survival.

Adult ; Audiovisual Aids ; Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation ; instrumentation ; methods ; Defibrillators ; Feedback ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Manikins ; Middle Aged ; Pressure ; Prospective Studies ; Thorax ; Young Adult

The aim of this study was to evaluate the management and clinical outcome of transfusion-dependent thalassaemia children receiving care in the Paediatric Ambulatory Care Centre, Hospital Tuanku Ja'afar Seremban in comparison to The Malaysian Clinical Practice Guidelines. The demography, management and clinical outcome of the patients were documented using a checklist. Information on compliance to chelation agents was obtained through interview. There were twenty-six patients recruited in this study out of thirty seven patients registered in the centre. This study showed that more effort and vigilance should be given to ensure that the management of these patients adheres to the guidelines and clinical outcome of these patients monitored closely.

INTRODUCTIONPrompt recognition of cardiac arrest and initiation of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and defibrillation is necessary for good outcomes from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). This study aims to describe the recognition and treatment of OHCA in patients conveyed by non-emergency ambulance services (EAS) in Singapore.

MATERIALS AND METHODSThis is a multi-centre, retrospective chart review, of cases presenting to public emergency departments (EDs), conveyed by non-EAS and found to be in cardiac arrest upon ED arrival. The study was from October 2002 to August 2009. The following variables were examined: ability to recognise cardiac arrest, whether CPR was carried out by the ambulance crew and whether an automated external defibrillator (AED) was applied.

RESULTSEighty-six patients were conveyed by non-EAS and found to be in cardiac arrest upon ED arrival. Mean age was 63 years (SD 21.8), 70.9% were males. A total of 53.5% of arrests occurred in the ambulance while 70.9% were found to be asystolic upon ED arrival. Seven patients had a known terminal illness. Survival to discharge was 3.5%. Cardiac arrest went unrecognised by the ambulance crew in 38 patients (44.2%). CPR was performed in 35 patients (40.7%) of the 86 patients and AED was applied in only 10 patients (11.6%).

CONCLUSIONWe found inadequate recognition and delayed initiation of treatment for OHCA. Possible reasons include a lack of training in patient monitoring and detection of cardiac arrest, lack of CPR training, lack of confidence in performing CPR, lack of AEDs on ambulances and lack of training in their use.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Ambulances ; Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation ; standards ; Electric Countershock ; standards ; Emergency Medical Services ; standards ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Retrospective Studies ; Singapore ; Transportation of Patients ; standards

INTRODUCTIONWe aimed to develop and implement a short tandem repeat (STR) polymerase chain reaction alternative to fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) for the preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) of chromosomal translocations.

METHODSSelected informative STRs located on translocated arms of relevant chromosomes were used to discriminate between normal and unbalanced chromosome states in each embryo.

RESULTSPGD cycles were performed on five couples where one spouse carried a balanced translocation. 27 embryos were analysed, of which 12 were normal/balanced, 12 were abnormal/unbalanced and three were indeterminate. Four PGD cycles proceeded to embryo transfer, of which two led to pregnancy. The first pregnancy showed a normal male karyotype, and a healthy baby was delivered at term. A second pregnancy unexpectedly miscarried in the second trimester from unknown causes.

CONCLUSIONSTR analysis is a simple and suitable alternative to FISH for detecting unbalanced chromosomal states in preimplantation embryos.

Female ; Fertilization in Vitro ; Humans ; Male ; Microsatellite Repeats ; genetics ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; genetics ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Outcome ; Preimplantation Diagnosis ; methods ; Translocation, Genetic ; genetics

Aged ; Antitubercular Agents ; therapeutic use ; Cholangiocarcinoma ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Tuberculosis, Hepatic ; diagnosis ; drug therapy ; pathology

INTRODUCTIONPre-hospital ambulance calls are not random events, but occur in patterns and trends that are related to movement patterns of people, as well as the geographical epidemiology of the population. This study describes the geographic-time epidemiology of ambulance calls in a large urban city and conducts a time demand analysis. This will facilitate a Systems Status Plan for the deployment of ambulances based on the most cost effective deployment strategy.

MATERIALS AND METHODSAn observational prospective study looking at the geographic-time epidemiology of all ambulance calls in Singapore. Locations of ambulance calls were spot mapped using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology. Ambulance response times were mapped and a demand analysis conducted by postal districts.

RESULTSBetween 1 January 2006 and 31 May 2006, 31,896 patients were enrolled into the study. Mean age of patients was 51.6 years (S.D. 23.0) with 60.0% male. Race distribution was 62.5% Chinese, 19.4% Malay, 12.9% Indian and 5.2% others. Trauma consisted 31.2% of calls and medical 68.8%. 9.7% of cases were priority 1 (most severe) and 70.1% priority 2 (moderate severity). Mean call receipt to arrival at scene was 8.0 min (S.D. 4.8). Call volumes in the day were almost twice those at night, with the most calls on Mondays. We found a definite geographical distribution pattern with heavier call volumes in the suburban town centres in the Eastern and Southern part of the country. We characterised the top 35 districts with the highest call volumes by time periods, which will form the basis for ambulance deployment plans.

CONCLUSIONWe found a definite geographical distribution pattern of ambulance calls. This study demonstrates the utility of GIS with despatch demand analysis and has implications for maximising the effectiveness of ambulance deployment.

Ambulances ; utilization ; Geographic Information Systems ; Singapore