INTRODUCTION: Adolescent depression is prevalent, and teen suicide rates are on the rise locally. A systemic review to understand associated risk and protective factors is important to strengthen measures for the prevention and early detection of adolescent depression and suicide in Singapore. This systematic review aims to identify the factors associated with adolescent depression in Singapore. METHODS: A systematic search on the following databases was performed on 21 May 2020: PubMed, EMBASE and PsycINFO. Full texts were reviewed for eligibility, and the included studies were appraised for quality using the Newcastle Ottawa Scale. Narrative synthesis of the finalised articles was performed through thematic analysis. RESULTS: In total, eight studies were included in this review. The four factors associated with adolescent depression identified were: (1) sociodemographic factors (gender, ethnicity); (2) psychological factors, including childhood maltreatment exposure and psychological constructs (hope, optimism); (3) coexisting chronic medical conditions (asthma); and (4) lifestyle factors (sleep inadequacy, excessive internet use and pathological gaming). CONCLUSION The identified factors were largely similar to those reported in the global literature, except for sleep inadequacy along with conspicuously absent factors such as academic stress and strict parenting, which should prompt further research in these areas. Further research should focus on current and prospective interventions to improve mental health literacy, targeting sleep duration, internet use and gaming, and mitigating the risk of depression in patients with chronic disease in the primary care and community setting.
Humans ; Singapore/epidemiology* ; Adolescent ; Risk Factors ; Depression/etiology* ; Protective Factors ; Male ; Female ; Life Style ; Suicide

Hospitals worldwide recognise the importance of data and digital transformation in healthcare. We traced a smart hospital's data-driven journey to build an artificial intelligence and digital ecosystem (AIDE) to achieve healthcare excellence. We measured the impact of data and digital transformation on patient care and hospital operations, identifying key success factors, challenges, and opportunities. The use of data analytics and data science, robotic process automation, AI, cloud computing, Medical Internet of Things and robotics were stand-out areas for a hospital's data-driven journey. In the future, the adoption of a robust AI governance framework, enterprise risk management system, AI assurance and AI literacy are critical for success. Hospitals must adopt a digital-ready, digital-first strategy to build a thriving healthcare system and innovate care for tomorrow.
Artificial Intelligence ; Humans ; Delivery of Health Care ; Hospitals ; Cloud Computing ; Robotics ; Internet of Things ; Data Science

Background: Findings are conflicting regarding the effect of zinc supplementation on disease severity in children with acute gastroenteritis.Purpose: To examine the effects of probiotics and zinc on the clinical outcomes of infants and children with acute infectious diarrhea. Methods: In this randomized controlled trial, children with mild or moderate to severe acute gastroenteritis in the Kurdistan Region from November 2021 to June 2022 were diagnosed clinically and randomly assigned to the experimental or control group. The experimental group (n=50) received probiotics and zinc, whereas the control group (n=51) received probiotics alone for 1 week. The product contained live Bifidobacterium infantis, Lactobacillus paracasei, and Lactobacillus rhamnosus (10×106 colony-forming units/day for 7 days). Zinc syrup was administered to the probiotic plus zinc group. Each 5 mL of syrup contained 15 mg of zinc sulfate. Dehydration and disease severity in both groups were measured using the Clinical Dehydration Scale and the Modified Vesikari Scale, respectively. An illness episode was defined as an episode of gastroenteritis with a total score of ≥9 on the Modified Vesikari Scale (range, 0–20). Results: The probiotic and probiotic plus zinc groups were similar in age (1.79 years vs. 1.69 years, respectively; P= 0.645), sex (male/female ratio: 1.43 and 1.0, respectively; P=0.373), and medical characteristics. The groups had similar mean dehydration and disease severity scores and a similar incidence of dehydration recovery (some dehydration, 3.92% and 4.00%, respectively; P=1.000), and recovery from mild gastroenteritis (0.0% and 2.0%, respectively; P=0.495) at 2 weeks. Significant decreases in mean dehydration severity and disease severity score (1.80 to 0 and 6.66 to 0, respectively; P<0.001) and the development of dehydration (some dehydration, from 94.0% to 4.0%; P<0.001) from baseline to 2 weeks were noted in the probiotics plus zinc group. The probiotics group responded similarly. The development of mild gastroenteritis was significantly reduced from baseline to 2 weeks (90.2% to 0% and 78.0% to 2.0% in the probiotics and probiotics plus zinc groups, respectively; P<0.0001). The probiotics plus zinc group had a shorter mean recovery time (1.34 days vs. 2.00 days, respectively; P<0.001). Conclusion Taking probiotics plus zinc did not significantly affect disease severity in children with gastroenteritis at 2 weeks. However, the probiotics plus zinc group recovered more quickly than the probiotics group.

Background: Findings are conflicting regarding the effect of zinc supplementation on disease severity in children with acute gastroenteritis.Purpose: To examine the effects of probiotics and zinc on the clinical outcomes of infants and children with acute infectious diarrhea. Methods: In this randomized controlled trial, children with mild or moderate to severe acute gastroenteritis in the Kurdistan Region from November 2021 to June 2022 were diagnosed clinically and randomly assigned to the experimental or control group. The experimental group (n=50) received probiotics and zinc, whereas the control group (n=51) received probiotics alone for 1 week. The product contained live Bifidobacterium infantis, Lactobacillus paracasei, and Lactobacillus rhamnosus (10×106 colony-forming units/day for 7 days). Zinc syrup was administered to the probiotic plus zinc group. Each 5 mL of syrup contained 15 mg of zinc sulfate. Dehydration and disease severity in both groups were measured using the Clinical Dehydration Scale and the Modified Vesikari Scale, respectively. An illness episode was defined as an episode of gastroenteritis with a total score of ≥9 on the Modified Vesikari Scale (range, 0–20). Results: The probiotic and probiotic plus zinc groups were similar in age (1.79 years vs. 1.69 years, respectively; P= 0.645), sex (male/female ratio: 1.43 and 1.0, respectively; P=0.373), and medical characteristics. The groups had similar mean dehydration and disease severity scores and a similar incidence of dehydration recovery (some dehydration, 3.92% and 4.00%, respectively; P=1.000), and recovery from mild gastroenteritis (0.0% and 2.0%, respectively; P=0.495) at 2 weeks. Significant decreases in mean dehydration severity and disease severity score (1.80 to 0 and 6.66 to 0, respectively; P<0.001) and the development of dehydration (some dehydration, from 94.0% to 4.0%; P<0.001) from baseline to 2 weeks were noted in the probiotics plus zinc group. The probiotics group responded similarly. The development of mild gastroenteritis was significantly reduced from baseline to 2 weeks (90.2% to 0% and 78.0% to 2.0% in the probiotics and probiotics plus zinc groups, respectively; P<0.0001). The probiotics plus zinc group had a shorter mean recovery time (1.34 days vs. 2.00 days, respectively; P<0.001). Conclusion Taking probiotics plus zinc did not significantly affect disease severity in children with gastroenteritis at 2 weeks. However, the probiotics plus zinc group recovered more quickly than the probiotics group.

Background: Findings are conflicting regarding the effect of zinc supplementation on disease severity in children with acute gastroenteritis.Purpose: To examine the effects of probiotics and zinc on the clinical outcomes of infants and children with acute infectious diarrhea. Methods: In this randomized controlled trial, children with mild or moderate to severe acute gastroenteritis in the Kurdistan Region from November 2021 to June 2022 were diagnosed clinically and randomly assigned to the experimental or control group. The experimental group (n=50) received probiotics and zinc, whereas the control group (n=51) received probiotics alone for 1 week. The product contained live Bifidobacterium infantis, Lactobacillus paracasei, and Lactobacillus rhamnosus (10×106 colony-forming units/day for 7 days). Zinc syrup was administered to the probiotic plus zinc group. Each 5 mL of syrup contained 15 mg of zinc sulfate. Dehydration and disease severity in both groups were measured using the Clinical Dehydration Scale and the Modified Vesikari Scale, respectively. An illness episode was defined as an episode of gastroenteritis with a total score of ≥9 on the Modified Vesikari Scale (range, 0–20). Results: The probiotic and probiotic plus zinc groups were similar in age (1.79 years vs. 1.69 years, respectively; P= 0.645), sex (male/female ratio: 1.43 and 1.0, respectively; P=0.373), and medical characteristics. The groups had similar mean dehydration and disease severity scores and a similar incidence of dehydration recovery (some dehydration, 3.92% and 4.00%, respectively; P=1.000), and recovery from mild gastroenteritis (0.0% and 2.0%, respectively; P=0.495) at 2 weeks. Significant decreases in mean dehydration severity and disease severity score (1.80 to 0 and 6.66 to 0, respectively; P<0.001) and the development of dehydration (some dehydration, from 94.0% to 4.0%; P<0.001) from baseline to 2 weeks were noted in the probiotics plus zinc group. The probiotics group responded similarly. The development of mild gastroenteritis was significantly reduced from baseline to 2 weeks (90.2% to 0% and 78.0% to 2.0% in the probiotics and probiotics plus zinc groups, respectively; P<0.0001). The probiotics plus zinc group had a shorter mean recovery time (1.34 days vs. 2.00 days, respectively; P<0.001). Conclusion Taking probiotics plus zinc did not significantly affect disease severity in children with gastroenteritis at 2 weeks. However, the probiotics plus zinc group recovered more quickly than the probiotics group.

Background: Findings are conflicting regarding the effect of zinc supplementation on disease severity in children with acute gastroenteritis.Purpose: To examine the effects of probiotics and zinc on the clinical outcomes of infants and children with acute infectious diarrhea. Methods: In this randomized controlled trial, children with mild or moderate to severe acute gastroenteritis in the Kurdistan Region from November 2021 to June 2022 were diagnosed clinically and randomly assigned to the experimental or control group. The experimental group (n=50) received probiotics and zinc, whereas the control group (n=51) received probiotics alone for 1 week. The product contained live Bifidobacterium infantis, Lactobacillus paracasei, and Lactobacillus rhamnosus (10×106 colony-forming units/day for 7 days). Zinc syrup was administered to the probiotic plus zinc group. Each 5 mL of syrup contained 15 mg of zinc sulfate. Dehydration and disease severity in both groups were measured using the Clinical Dehydration Scale and the Modified Vesikari Scale, respectively. An illness episode was defined as an episode of gastroenteritis with a total score of ≥9 on the Modified Vesikari Scale (range, 0–20). Results: The probiotic and probiotic plus zinc groups were similar in age (1.79 years vs. 1.69 years, respectively; P= 0.645), sex (male/female ratio: 1.43 and 1.0, respectively; P=0.373), and medical characteristics. The groups had similar mean dehydration and disease severity scores and a similar incidence of dehydration recovery (some dehydration, 3.92% and 4.00%, respectively; P=1.000), and recovery from mild gastroenteritis (0.0% and 2.0%, respectively; P=0.495) at 2 weeks. Significant decreases in mean dehydration severity and disease severity score (1.80 to 0 and 6.66 to 0, respectively; P<0.001) and the development of dehydration (some dehydration, from 94.0% to 4.0%; P<0.001) from baseline to 2 weeks were noted in the probiotics plus zinc group. The probiotics group responded similarly. The development of mild gastroenteritis was significantly reduced from baseline to 2 weeks (90.2% to 0% and 78.0% to 2.0% in the probiotics and probiotics plus zinc groups, respectively; P<0.0001). The probiotics plus zinc group had a shorter mean recovery time (1.34 days vs. 2.00 days, respectively; P<0.001). Conclusion Taking probiotics plus zinc did not significantly affect disease severity in children with gastroenteritis at 2 weeks. However, the probiotics plus zinc group recovered more quickly than the probiotics group.

Mullerian agenesis or Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser Syndrome (MRKH) Type-II is a congenital defect in the Mullerian duct that results in the absence of a uterus in women. The aetiology of this syndrome is unknown and has been considered a sporadic genetic disease. MRKH, together with anorectal anomaly, is an extremely rare condition and has only been reported in a few cases without any information on genetic analysis. This study investigated the mutational profile of a girl diagnosed with MRKH and anorectal anomalies with rectovaginal fistula. The whole exome sequencing (WES) trio-genetic analysis of a 5-year-old Malaysian girl diagnosed with MRKH (having anorectal anomaly with rectovaginal fistula) was performed together with her normal parents, using the Ion AmpliSeq Exome RDY kit (ThermoFisher Scientific, USA). Data were analysed using Torrent Suite v.5.0.4 and annotated using ANNOVAR. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with an allele frequency >0.01 were excluded, and the remaining variants were filtered based on de novo mutations, autosomal recessive, and autosomal recessive genetic traits. Related genes were analysed by biological pathway analysis (g:Profiler) and protein-protein interaction (HIPPIE v.2.3, STRING v.11.5, dan GeneMANIA). A total of 36 mutations were identified, and two of them, the LHX5 (p.P358Q), inherited from the father, and CFTR (p.R1158X), inherited from the mother. There were 28 de-novo mutations from 28 genes. All genes were involved in 27 biological processes that connected with 23 interactions, and are likely to cause MRKH syndrome in this patient.

Aims: Jambu batu (Psidium guajava Linn.) is a phytotherapic plant used in folk medicine that has active components to treat various diseases. An earlier study has reported on the analysis of its pharmacological properties and was found to possess antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity. The present study aimed to determine the antibacterial activities of P. guajava Linn. leaves extracts on the vegetative cells of Bacillus cereus ATCC33019, Bacillus megaterium ATCC14581, Bacillus pumilus ATCC14884 and Bacillus subtilis ATCC6633 and to evaluate its effects of different temperatures and pHs on antibacterial activity. Methodology and results: The susceptibility test used to determine the bacterial growth inhibition were well diffusion assay (WDA), minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) and time-kill curve assay. The effects of various parameters on temperatures at 10 °C, 28 °C, 30 °C, 50 °C and 80 °C and pH at 3.0, 5.0, 6.7, 7.0 and 11.0 were investigated. WDA assay of the extracts resulted in 13.75 ± 0.95 and 16.25 ± 0.95 mm of inhibition zone on B. subtilis and B. cereus, respectively. The extracts can inhibit the growth with MICs value range of 0.195 to 0.781 mg/mL for B. megaterium and B. pumilus, respectively, and can kill all tested Bacillus spp. with MBCs values of 0.781 mg/mL. The killing time analyses showed that Bacillus spp. can be killed completely within 4 h at 4× MIC (0.781 to 3.124 mg/mL). The extracts remained stable under a wide range of temperatures and pHs, as there was no significant difference in the MIC and MBC values. Conclusion, significance and impact of study Psidium guajava Linn. ethanolic leaves extract yielded good antibacterial activities, suggesting that the extract can be utilised or explored as a potential anti-Bacillus agent in food applications.

Background: Cardiovascular disease continues to be a leading cause of death among young people globally. This cross-sectional study was designed to assess the health behaviors, knowledge, and attitudes regarding cardiovascular disease risk factors among young adults in Erbil, Iraq. Methods: Data were collected using the WHO STEPS Instrument for Chronic Disease Risk Factor Surveillance and the Heart Disease Fact Questions. Results: Ninety percent of participants demonstrated moderate to high knowledge and exhibited a positive attitude. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that while a history of smoking, a lack of knowledge, and the absence of formal education negatively impacted knowledge levels, being aged 38 to 45 years, recognizing the importance of consuming less salt, walking for at least 10 minutes on 5 or more days per week, and regularly checking blood sugar levels positively contributed to knowledge. Unwillingness to change lifestyle had the most significant negative influence on knowledge. Conclusions Establishing effective educational interventions may increase knowledge and promote more positive attitudes.