Interventions for undergraduate and postgraduate medical learners with academic difficulties: A BEME systematic review update: BEME Guide No. 85.

BACKGROUND: Clinical teachers often struggle to record trainee underperformance due to lacking evidence-based remediation options. OBJECTIVES: To provide updated evidence-based recommendations for addressing academic difficulties among undergraduate and postgraduate medical learners. METHODS: A systematic review searched databases including MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE, ERIC, Education Source, and PsycINFO (2016-2021), replicating the original Best Evidence Medical Education 56 review strategy. Original research/innovation reports describing intervention(s) for medical learners with academic difficulties were included. Data extraction used Michie's Behaviour Change Techniques (BCT) Taxonomy and program evaluation models from Stufflebeam and Kirkpatrick. Quality appraised used the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT). Authors synthesized extracted evidence by adapting GRADE approach to formulate recommendations. RESULTS: Eighteen articles met the inclusion criteria, primarily addressing knowledge (66.7%), skills (66.7%), attitudinal problems (50%) and learner's personal challenges (27.8%). Feedback and monitoring was the most frequently employed BCT. Study quality varied (MMAT 0-100%). We identified nineteen interventions (UG: n = 9, PG: n = 12), introducing twelve new thematic content. Newly thematic content addressed contemporary learning challenges such as academic procrastination, and use of technology-enhanced learning resources. Combined with previous interventions, the review offers a total dataset of 121 interventions. CONCLUSION: This review offers additional evidence-based interventions for learners with academic difficulties, supporting teaching, learning, faculty development, and research efforts.

Medico-legal issues related to emergency physicians' documentation in Canadian emergency departments.

OBJECTIVES: Physician documentation plays a central role in the delivery of safe patient care. It describes a physician's clinical decision-making and supports essential communication between healthcare providers within the patient's circle of care. Good documentation can potentially also decrease a physician's medico-legal risk. This study provides examples of documentation issues attributed to physicians practicing emergency medicine as identified by peer experts in civil legal actions, regulatory authority complaints (College) and hospital complaints (collectively, medico-legal cases) in Canada. METHODS: We conducted a descriptive study and content analysis of medico-legal cases involving emergency department physicians from a national repository at the Canadian Medical Protective Association. Cases with peer expert criticism of an emergency physician's documentation, which were closed between 2016 and 2020, and occurred in an emergency department were included in our analysis. RESULTS: Of the 1628 cases involving emergency medicine, our inclusion criteria identified that absent or insufficiently detailed documentation was present in 24% of cases (391/1,628). A detailed review of 20% of the cases (79/391), selected randomly, found that documentation issues were most often associated with the assessment and investigation stage of care. This pertained to documenting details of the clinical examination, relevant medical history, diagnosis, and differential diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: For physicians practicing emergency medicine, criticism of documentation was frequently observed in medico-legal cases. Based on the findings of this study and the expert criticism related to documentation, emergency medicine physicians may consider reflecting upon their documentation of the care provided to determine if their documentation provides a clear and accurate chronicle of the care and the rationale for their clinical decisions.

RéSUMé: OBJECTIFS: La tenue des dossiers joue un rôle crucial dans la prestation de soins sécuritaires. Elle témoigne des décisions cliniques des médecins et favorise une bonne communication entre les membres des différentes professions de la santé faisant partie du cercle de soins. Une bonne tenue des dossiers peut également réduire les risques médico-légaux auxquels les médecins sont exposés. Cette étude présente certains des problèmes relevés par les médecins experts dans la tenue des dossiers de médecins d'urgence. Elle a été réalisée à partir de dossiers d'action civile, de plaintes auprès d'organismes de réglementation de la médecine (Collège) et de plaintes auprès d'hôpitaux (dossiers médico-légaux) au Canada. MéTHODES: Nous avons réalisé une étude descriptive et une analyse du contenu des dossiers médico-légaux ciblant des médecins d'urgence de la base de données nationale de l'Association canadienne de protection médicale. L'analyse incluait les dossiers conclus entre 2016 et 2020 dans lesquels les expertes et experts consultés avaient émis des critiques à l'égard de la tenue des dossiers de médecins d'urgence. RéSULTATS: D'après nos critères d'inclusion, la tenue des dossiers avait été omise ou était insuffisante dans 391 (24%) des 1 628 dossiers ciblant des médecins d'urgence. Une analyse approfondie de 20% des dossiers (79/391), choisis au hasard, a révélé que les problèmes dans la tenue des dossiers étaient le plus souvent associés aux stades d'évaluation et d'investigation des soins. Plus précisément, les renseignements concernant les examens cliniques, les antécédents médicaux, le diagnostic et le diagnostic différentiel n'avaient pas été versés aux dossiers. CONCLUSIONS: Dans les dossiers médico-légaux, les critiques formulées à l'encontre des médecins d'urgence concernaient souvent la tenue des dossiers. À la lumière des résultats de cette étude et des critiques formulées par les médecins experts quant à la tenue des dossiers, les médecins d'urgence devraient porter attention à la consignation des soins qui sont prodigués et se demander si la tenue de leurs dossiers illustre, de façon claire et précise, la chronologie des soins ainsi que les raisons motivant leurs décisions cliniques.

Navigating gaps in practice: consensus recommendations for educational and support structures for emergency physicians returning from gaps in practice.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to identify the learning needs of emergency physicians returning to Emergency Medicine (EM) practice after clinical leaves of less than 2 years, summarize existing return to practice programs, and propose recommendations regarding ideal educational and support structures for these physicians both during their practice gaps and upon return to EM. METHODS: A multiple-phased study was conducted to establish recommendations regarding ideal educational and support structures for emergency physicians returning from practice gaps of less than 2 years. The overall design involved an initial environmental scan of existing and exemplar programs and regulatory body positions, followed by interviews with EM Department Heads from across Canada, and then subsequent content analysis and recommendation derivation by EM medical education expert group consensus. These summary recommendations were further revised by consensus at the 2022 CAEP conference academic symposium to derive a final set of consensus recommendations. CONCLUSIONS: We have developed a set of recommendations regarding ideal educational and support structures for physicians experiencing gaps in practice of less than 2 years. This set of recommendations was informed by review of existing and exemplar programs, policies and experience of regulatory bodies, interviews with EM Department Heads across Canada, and a subsequent process of consensus at the 2022 CAEP conference academic symposium. It is hoped that this set of recommendations will inform discussions and potential strategies employed by departments to facilitate the smooth and effective return to EM practice for individuals experiencing gaps.

ABSTRAIT: OBJECTIFS: Le but de cette étude était de déterminer les besoins d'apprentissage des médecins d'urgence qui retournent à la pratique de la médecine d'urgence (ME) après des congés cliniques de moins de deux ans, de résumer les programmes de retour à la pratique existants. et de proposer des recommandations concernant les structures de formation et de soutien idéales pour ces médecins, à la fois pendant leurs lacunes dans la pratique et à leur retour à la GU. MéTHODES: Une étude en plusieurs phases a été menée afin d'établir des recommandations concernant les structures de formation et de soutien idéales pour les médecins d'urgence qui reviennent de lacunes de moins de deux ans. La conception globale comprenait une première analyse de l'environnement des programmes existants et exemplaires et des postes d'organismes de réglementation, suivie d'entrevues avec les chefs des services de GU de partout au Canada. et ensuite l'analyse du contenu et la formulation de recommandations par consensus du groupe d'experts en éducation médicale de la SE. Ces recommandations résumées ont été révisées par consensus lors du symposium universitaire de la conférence 2022 de l'ACMU afin d'en arriver à une série finale de recommandations consensuelles. CONCLUSION: Nous avons élaboré une série de recommandations concernant les structures de formation et de soutien idéales pour les médecins qui connaissent des lacunes dans la pratique depuis moins de deux ans. Cette série de recommandations a été éclairée par l'examen des programmes, des politiques et de l'expérience des organismes de réglementation existants et exemplaires, des entrevues avec les chefs des services de GU partout au Canada et un processus subséquent de consensus au symposium universitaire de la conférence 2022 de la CAEP. On espère que cette série de recommandations éclairera les discussions et les stratégies potentielles employées par les ministères pour faciliter le retour en douceur et efficace à la pratique de GU pour les personnes qui connaissent des lacunes.

Survival of cervical cancer patients in Brunei Darussalam: 2002-2017.

Objective: Cervical cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer deaths among Bruneian women. This study aims to investigate the survival rate of cervical cancer patients in Brunei Darussalam between 2002 and 2017, to compare survival of cervical cancer patients between two periods: 2002-2009 and 2010-2017 and to identify prognostic factors of cervical cancer. Methods: A retrospective cohort study on cervical cancer patients registered in Brunei Darussalam Cancer Registry between 2002 and 2017. De-identified data from the registry was extracted and survival analysis was performed using Kaplan-Meier estimator, log-rank test and multiple Cox regression analysis. Results: The 1-, 3- and 5-year survival rates of cervical cancer patients in Brunei Darussalam were 87.3%, 77.4% and 72.5% respectively from 2002 to 2017. The 5-year survival rate for 2002-2009 and 2010-2017 were 77.3% and 69.1% respectively. The risk of mortality was significantly higher in 2010-2017 compared to 2002-2009 after adjusting for variables (Adjusted HR = 1.59; 95% CI: 1.08, 2.40; p = 0.019). Patients with distant cancer (Adjusted HR = 11.21; 95% CI: 6.18, 20.30; p < 0.001) had the highest risk of mortality. Conclusion: The 5-year survival rate of cervical cancer patients in Brunei Darussalam was 72.5%, which ranks relatively high globally. However, increased mortality among elderly patients, and patients diagnosed with cervical cancers at the later stages, calls for public health efforts to raise awareness, early detection, and disease management.

The c-Abl inhibitor IkT-148009 suppresses neurodegeneration in mouse models of heritable and sporadic Parkinson's disease.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most prevalent neurodegenerative disease of the central nervous system, with an estimated 5,000,000 cases worldwide. PD pathology is characterized by the accumulation of misfolded α-synuclein, which is thought to play a critical role in the pathogenesis of the disease. Animal models of PD suggest that activation of Abelson tyrosine kinase (c-Abl) plays an essential role in the initiation and progression of α-synuclein pathology and initiates processes leading to degeneration of dopaminergic and nondopaminergic neurons. Given the potential role of c-Abl in PD, a c-Abl inhibitor library was developed to identify orally bioavailable c-Abl inhibitors capable of crossing the blood-brain barrier based on predefined characteristics, leading to the discovery of IkT-148009. IkT-148009, a brain-penetrant c-Abl inhibitor with a favorable toxicology profile, was analyzed for therapeutic potential in animal models of slowly progressive, α-synuclein-dependent PD. In mouse models of both inherited and sporadic PD, IkT-148009 suppressed c-Abl activation to baseline and substantially protected dopaminergic neurons from degeneration when administered therapeutically by once daily oral gavage beginning 4 weeks after disease initiation. Recovery of motor function in PD mice occurred within 8 weeks of initiating treatment concomitantly with a reduction in α-synuclein pathology in the mouse brain. These findings suggest that IkT-148009 may have potential as a disease-modifying therapy in PD.

Point-of-care ultrasound for evaluation of vaginal bleeding or abdominal pain in early pregnancy: Use by family physicians following focused training and certification.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the use of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) for the assessment of patients experiencing first-trimester bleeding or abdominal pain by family physicians working in family medicine clinics following first-trimester POCUS training and certification. DESIGN: Multisite, retrospective chart review. SETTING: Two hospital-affiliated academic family medicine clinics in Toronto, Ont. PARTICIPANTS: Twelve family physicians who completed a first-trimester POCUS training and certification course. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome was the proportion of family physicians using POCUS during their evaluations of patients in the first trimester of pregnancy in the 6 months following the FPs' successful completion of the Family Medicine Obstetrical Ultrasound (FaMOUS) course. Secondary outcomes included indications for POCUS use, diagnostic accuracy of POCUS compared with radiologist-interpreted ultrasound, pregnancy outcomes, and emergency department visits within 10 days of the index family medicine clinic visit. RESULTS: Of the 12 certified family physicians, 7 (58.3%) used POCUS during their assessments of first-trimester patients during the study period. The FPs used POCUS with 56 patients for the following indications: 11 (19.6%) had only vaginal bleeding, 5 (8.9%) had only abdominal pain, and 8 (14.3%) had both vaginal bleeding and abdominal pain; the indication for 32 patients (57.1%) was unclear. Forty-six patients (82.1%) underwent a subsequent radiologist-interpreted ultrasound within 10 days of the index POCUS test. Compared with radiologist-interpreted ultrasound, POCUS had a sensitivity of 91.3% (95% CI 79.2% to 97.6%) for documenting intrauterine pregnancy and a sensitivity of 81.4% (95% CI 66.6% to 91.6%) for documenting the presence of fetal cardiac activity. CONCLUSION: Following a first-trimester POCUS certification course, family physicians used POCUS for the assessment of first-trimester patients with varying frequency and for indications other than vaginal bleeding or abdominal pain. Further study is needed to assess the clinical impact of office-based POCUS, unforeseen barriers and facilitators to its use, and patient and provider preferences.

Patterns and trends among physicians-in-training named in civil legal cases: a retrospective analysis of Canadian Medical Protective Association data from 1993 to 2017.

BACKGROUND: Medico-legal data show opportunities to improve safe medical care; little is published on the experience of physicians-in-training with medical malpractice. The purpose of this study was to examine closed civil legal cases involving physicians-in-training over time and provide novel insights on case and physicians characteristics. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective descriptive study of closed civil legal cases at the Canadian Medical Protective Association (CMPA), a mutual medico-legal defence organization for more than 105 000 physicians, representing an estimated 95% of physicians in Canada. Eligible cases involved at least 1 physician-in-training and were closed between 1993 and 2017 (for time trends) or 2008 and 2017 (for descriptive analyses). We analyzed case rates over time using Poisson regression and the annualized change rate. Descriptive analyses addressed case duration, medico-legal outcome and patient harm. We explored physician specialties and practice characteristics in a subset of cases. RESULTS: Over a 25-year period (1993-2017), 4921 physicians-in-training were named in 2951 closed civil legal cases, and case rates decreased significantly (ß = -0.04, 95% confidence interval -0.05 to -0.03, where ß was the 1-year difference in log case rates). The annualized change rate was -1.1% per year. Between 2008 and 2017, 1901 (4.1%) of 45 967 physicians-in-training were named in 1107 civil legal cases. Cases with physicians-in-training generally involved more severe patient harm than cases without physicians-in-training. In a subgroup with available information (n = 951), surgical specialties were named most often (n = 531, 55.8%). INTERPRETATION: The rate of civil legal cases involving physicians-in-training has diminished over time, but more recent cases featured severe patient harm and death. Efforts to promote patient safety may enhance medical care and reduce the frequency and severity of malpractice issues for physicians-in-training.

Neuronal hyperactivity-induced oxidant stress promotes in vivo α-synuclein brain spreading.

Interneuronal transfer and brain spreading of pathogenic proteins are features of neurodegenerative diseases. Pathophysiological conditions and mechanisms affecting this spreading remain poorly understood. This study investigated the relationship between neuronal activity and interneuronal transfer of α-synuclein, a Parkinson-associated protein, and elucidated mechanisms underlying this relationship. In a mouse model of α-synuclein brain spreading, hyperactivity augmented and hypoactivity attenuated protein transfer. Important features of neuronal hyperactivity reported here were an exacerbation of oxidative and nitrative reactions, pronounced accumulation of nitrated α-synuclein, and increased protein aggregation. Data also pointed to mitochondria as key targets and likely sources of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species within hyperactive neurons. Rescue experiments designed to counteract the increased burden of reactive oxygen species reversed hyperactivity-induced α-synuclein nitration, aggregation, and interneuronal transfer, providing first evidence of a causal link between these pathological effects of neuronal stimulation and indicating a mechanistic role of oxidant stress in hyperactivity-induced α-synuclein spreading.

Sound evoked fos-like immunoreactivity in the big brown bat.

Most bat species have highly developed audio-vocal systems, which allow them to adjust the features of echolocation calls that are optimized for different sonar tasks, such as detecting, localizing, discriminating and tracking targets. Furthermore, bats can also produce a wide array of social calls to communicate with conspecifics. The acoustic properties of some social calls differ only subtly from echolocation calls, yet bats have the ability to distinguish them and reliably produce appropriate behavioral responses. Little is known about the underlying neural processes that enable the correct classification of bat social communication sounds. One approach to this question is to identify the brain regions that are involved in the processing of sounds that carry behavioral relevance. Here, we present preliminary data on neuronal activation, as measured by c-fos expression, in big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus) exposed to either social calls, echolocation calls or kept in silence. We focused our investigation on five relevant brain areas; three within the canonical auditory pathway (auditory cortex, inferior colliculus and medial geniculate body) and two that are involved in the processing of emotive stimulus content (amygdala and nucleus accumbens). In this manuscript we report c-fos staining of the areas of interest after exposure to conspecific calls. We discuss future work designed to overcome experimental limitations and explore whether c-fos staining reveals anatomical segregation of neurons activated by echolocation and social call categories.

The Use of Probiotic Therapy in Metabolic and Neurological Diseases.

The human gut is home to trillions of microbes that interact with host cells to influence and contribute to body functions. The number of scientific studies focusing on the gut microbiome has exponentially increased in recent years. Studies investigating factors that may potentially affect the gut microbiome and may be used for therapeutic purposes in diseases where dysbioses in the gut microbiome have been shown are of particular interest. This review compiles current evidence available in the scientific literature on the use of probiotics to treat metabolic diseases and autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) to analyze the efficacy of probiotics in these diseases. To do this, we must first define the healthy gut microbiome before looking at the interplay between the gut microbiome and diseases, and how probiotics affect this interaction. In metabolic diseases, such as obesity and diabetes, probiotic supplementation positively impacts pathological parameters. Conversely, the gut-brain axis significantly impacts neurodevelopmental disorders such as ASDs. However, manipulating the gut microbiome and disease symptoms using probiotics has less pronounced effects on neurodevelopmental diseases. This may be due to a more complex interplay between genetics and the environment in these diseases. In conclusion, the use of microbe-based probiotic therapy may potentially have beneficial effects in ameliorating the pathology of various diseases. Validation of available data for the development of personalized treatment regimens for affected patients is still required.

Central Nervous System Demyelination Following COVID-19 mRNA-Based Vaccination: Two Case Reports and Literature Review.

As the world embarks on mass vaccination against SARS-CoV2 to alleviate the spread of this highly contagious novel coronavirus, there are growing anecdotal reports on immune-related neurological complications following immunisation. Similarly, we encountered 2 cases of central nervous system demyelination at our centre with Comirnaty (BNT162b2), a mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccine. Our first patient had typical clinical-radiological manifestations of acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) after his COVID-19 vaccination. This was the sixth reported case to date. Our second patient presented with an unusual complaint of trigeminal neuralgia, with an identifiable demyelinating lesion observed in the pons on neuroimaging. Both cases responded well to immunotherapy. However, larger prospective controlled studies and formal registries are much needed to ascertain a possible relationship between COVID-19 vaccines and acute central nervous system demyelination.

Reasons for non-attendance to cervical cancer screening and acceptability of HPV self-sampling among Bruneian women: A cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: Uptake for cervical cancer screening remains well below the 80% target as recommended by Brunei's National Cervical Cancer Prevention and Control plan. We conducted a pilot study to determine the reasons for non-attendance and explore their acceptance of human papillomavirus (HPV) self-sampling as an alternative to the Pap test. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted at a primary healthcare center in Brunei, from January to December 2019. We recruited screening non-attendees, defined as women who were eligible for Pap test but who either never, or did not have one within the recommended screening interval of 3 years. This recruitment was done conveniently among women attending outpatient care and/or child health services at the primary healthcare center. Participants were first asked to complete a self-administered paper-based questionnaire on their reasons for screening non-attendance, and then invited for HPV self-sampling. Among those who agreed to participate in HPV self-sampling, they were asked to complete a second questionnaire on the self-sampling procedure and their samples were tested for high-risk HPV (hr-HPV). Results were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. RESULT: We enrolled 174 screening non-attendees, out of which 97 (55.7%) also participated in HPV self-sampling. The main reasons for not attending Pap test screening were fear of bad results (16.1%, n = 28); embarrassment (14.9%, n = 26) and lack of time due to home commitments (10.3%, n = 18). When compared to those who agreed to participate in HPV self-sampling, those who declined were significantly older (p = 0.002) and less likely to agree that they are susceptible to cervical cancer (p = 0.023). They preferred to receive Pap test-related information from healthcare workers (59.0%, n = 155), social messaging platforms (28.7%, n = 51) and social media (26.4%, n = 47). HPV self-sampling kits were positively received among the 97 participants, where > 90% agreed on its ease and convenience. Nine (9.3%) tested positive for hr-HPV, out of which eight were non-16/18 HPV genotypes. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that promoting awareness on cervical cancer, clarifying any misconceptions of Pap test results, and highlighting that the disease is preventable and that early detection through screening can facilitate successful treatment would help increase screening uptake among Bruneian non-attendees. Response to HPV self-sampling was highly positive, suggesting the possibility of implementing this strategy in the local setting. Our high detection of non-16/18 HPV genotypes suggest high prevalence of other hr-HPV genotypes in Brunei. Larger studies should be conducted to further validate our findings.

Incidence, Survival and Prognostic Factors of Oesophagogastric Cancer.

INTRODUCTION: Oesophagogastric cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer death worldwide due to its aggressive nature. Despite the high mortality rate, there is limited information regarding this cancer in Brunei. AIM: To estimate the incidence and survival duration of oesophagogastric cancer patients, to identify prognostic factors of oesophagogastric cancer and associated factors for late-stage oesophagogastric cancer detection. METHODS: A retrospective study on all oesophagogastric cancer patients registered in the population-based national cancer registry in Brunei from January 2010 to December 2018. Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazard regression survival analyses and multiple logistic regression were applied. RESULTS: Sixty-eight oesophagogastric cancer patients' data were retrieved from the registry. The incidence was 2.75 cases per 100,000 adults per year. Median survival time was 1.18 years (95% CI: 0.77, 1.80) and the 3-year survival rate was 26.3%. Age (61-70 years) (adjusted HR = 0.38; 95% CI: 0.17, 0.89; p = 0.025) and those who have undergone chemotherapy (adj. HR = 0.40; 95% CI: 0.18, 0.90; p = 0.026) have a significantly lower mortality risk. Obesity (adj. HR = 11.94; 95% CI: 1.94, 73.36; p = 0.007), and stage 4 (advanced stage) cancer (adj. HR=4.11; 95% CI: 1.97, 8.58; p< 0.001) have a significantly higher mortality risk. Females have 3-time odds (adj. OR = 3.05; 95% CI: 1.09, 9.02; p = 0.038) of presenting with stage 4 cancer. Smokers have 13-time odds (Adj. OR=12.99; 95% CI: 1.92, 262.0; p = 0.025) of presenting with stage 4 cancer. CONCLUSION: Prognosis of oesophagogastric cancer remains poor. Addressing late detection and improve endoscopic surveillance and awareness of symptoms may help improve prognosis and mortality.

High incidence of NMDAR encephalitis among Austronesians: A population-based study in Sabah, Malaysia.

NMDAR encephalitis may be more common among non-Caucasians. A population-based study was conducted to estimate its incidence in Sabah, Malaysia, where the population consists predominantly of Austronesians (84%), and with a Chinese minority. Registries of NMDAR encephalitis at neurology referral centers were reviewed for case ascertainment. The annual incidence was 2.29/million (Austronesians: 2.56/million, Chinese: 1.31/million). Among pediatric population, the incidence was: Austronesians: 3.63/million, Chinese: 2.59/million. Our study demonstrated a higher incidence of NMDAR encephalitis among Austronesians than the predominantly Caucasian populations in Europe (0.5-0.9/million; pediatric: 0.7-1.5/million). Racial and genetic factors may contribute to risks of developing NMDAR encephalitis.

Survival of colorectal cancer patients in Brunei Darussalam: comparison between 2002-09 and 2010-17.

BACKGROUND: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a major cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. It is the second leading cause of cancer death in men and women in Brunei Darussalam in 2017, posing a major burden on society. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study (n = 1035 patients diagnosed with CRC in Brunei Darussalam from 1st January 2002 until 31st December 2017) aims to compare the overall survival rates of CRC patients (2002-2017), to compare survival rates between two study periods (2002-2009 and 2010-2017) and to identify prognostic factors of CRC. Kaplan-Meier estimator and log-rank tests were performed to analyse the overall survival rates of CRC patients. Multiple Cox regression was performed to determine the prognostic factors of CRC with adjusted hazard ratios (Adj. HRs) reported. RESULTS: The 1-, 3- and 5-year survival rates of CRC patients are 78.6, 62.5, and 56.0% respectively from 2002 to 2017. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates of CRC patients for 2002-2009 are 82.2, 69.6, and 64.7%; 77.0, 59.1, and 51.3% for 2010-2017 respectively. A significant difference in CRC patients' survival rate was observed between the two study periods, age groups, ethnic groups, cancer stages, and sites of cancer (p < 0.05). The Adjusted Hazard Ratios (Adj. HRs) were significantly higher in the 2010-17 period (Adj. HR = 1.78, p < 0.001), older age group ( ≥ 60 years) (Adj. HR = 1.93, p = 0.005), distant cancer (Adj. HR = 4.69, p < 0.010), tumor at transverse colon and splenic flexure of colon (Adj. HR = 2.44, p = 0.009), and lower in the Chinese(Adj. HR = 0.63, p = 0.003). CONCLUSION: This study highlights the lower survival rates of CRC patients in 2010-2017, Malays, older patients, distant cancer, and tumors located at the latter half of the proximal colon (transverse colon), and predominantly LCRC (splenic flexure, descending colon, sigmoid colon, overlapping lesion colon and colon (NOS), as well as the rectosigmoid junction and rectum (NOS)). Age, ethnicity, cancer stage, and tumor location are significant prognostic factors for CRC. These findings underscore the importance of public health policies and programmes to enhance awareness on CRC from screening to developing strategies for early detection and management, to reduce CRC-associated mortality.

Basilar invagination: A mimicker of bulbar-onset amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is characterized by progressive onset motor deficits with heterogenous presentations ranging from dysarthria to foot drop. Approximately 20% of the patients present with focal bulbar symptoms, in which some may remain restricted to bulbar region (isolated bulbar palsy), and the remaining eventually spreads to involve other body regions (classical ALS). Without accompanying upper and lower motor neurons signs elsewhere, differential diagnoses for isolated bulbar symptoms are extensive, include ALS variants as well as potentially treatable mimics. Therefore, it is important to take heed on every possible aetiology that may disrupt the hypoglossal nucleus, nerve, or lingual muscle itself. Herein, we illustrated a rare presentation of Group A basilar invagination, which mimicked bulbar-onset ALS.

2D:4D Ratio and Autism Spectrum Disorder in Brunei Darussalam.

BACKGROUND: Despite the global increase in the prevalence of autism spectrum disorders (ASD), relevant research studies are lacking in Brunei Darussalam. Various studies have shown a significant association between a lowered 2D:4D ratio (ratio of second digit/index finger to the fourth digit/ring finger) and ASD, making it one of the potential phenotypic biomarkers for early detection of autism, which is important for early intervention and management. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to explore the association between 2D:4D ratio and ASD in Brunei Darussalam, as a potential tool to complement early ASD diagnosis. METHODS: We conducted a case-control study comprising 28 ASD and 62 typically developing (TD) children in the case and control group, respectively (age range: 3-11 years old; median age: 6 years old). Median 2D:4D ratios were measured, compared and analysed between the two groups. Logistic regression models were used to explore potential associations between the median 2D:4D ratio and ASD in respective gender, for both left and right hands, independently. RESULTS: Our study shows that the median 2D:4D ratio of left hand in ASD males is significantly lower than those in TD males, after adjusting for ethnicity and age [Odds Ratio (OR) = 0.57 (95% Confidence Interval (CI): 0.31-0.96); p = 0.044]. For females, there is no association of ASD with the median left hand 2D:4D ratio [OR = 3.09 (95% CI: 0.98-19.86); p = 0.144] or the median right hand 2D:4D ratio [OR = 1.23 (95% CI: 0.42-3.88); p = 0.702]. Our study also shows a significant positive correlation and/or a reduced asymmetry between the average 2D:4D ratio of left hands and right hands in ASD males (Pearson's correlation (r) = 0.48; 95% CI: 0.076-0.75, p = 0.023). CONCLUSIONS: There is significant association between a lowered median 2D:4D ratio of the left hand (in males only) and ASD diagnosis. Once validated in a larger sample size, a lowered median 2D:4D ratio on the left hand may be a potential tool to complement ASD diagnosis for males in our study population. There is no association between the median 2D:4D ratio (left or right hands) and ASD in females, which could be due to the small female sample size and/or the possibility of different aetiology for ASD in females. Reduced asymmetry between the average 2D:4D ratio of left and right hands observed in ASD males only (not in ASD females) also suggests the importance of considering gender-specific biomarkers for ASD diagnosis.

Consensus recommendation on the use of therapeutic plasma exchange for adult neurological diseases in Southeast Asia from the Southeast Asia therapeutic plasma exchange consortium.

Therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) is an effective and affordable treatment option in most parts of Southeast Asia (SEA). In 2018, the SEA TPE Consortium (SEATPEC) was established, consisting of regional neurologists working to improve outcome of various autoimmune neurological diseases. We proposed an immunotherapeutic guideline prioritizing TPE for this region. We reviewed disease burden, evidence-based treatment options, and major guidelines for common autoimmune neurological disorders seen in SEA. A modified treatment algorithm based on consensus agreement by key-opinion leaders was proposed. Autoimmune antibody diagnostic testing through collaboration with accredited laboratories was established. Choice of first-line immunotherapies (IVIg/corticosteroid/TPE) is based on available evidence, clinicians' experience, contraindications, local availability, and affordability. TPE could be chosen as first-line therapy for GBS, CIDP, MG (acute/short term), IgG, A paraproteinemic neuropathy, and NMDAR encephalitis. Treatment is stopped for acute monophasic conditions such as GBS and ADEM following satisfactory outcome. For chronic immune disorders, a therapy taper or long-term maintenance therapy is recommended depending on the defined clinical state. TPE as second-line treatment is indicated for IVIg or corticosteroids refractory cases of ADEM, NMOSD (acute), MG, and NMDAR/LGI1/CASPR2/Hashimoto's encephalitis. With better diagnosis, treatment initiation with TPE is a sustainable and effective immunotherapy for autoimmune neurological diseases in SEA.

The medico-legal helpline: A content analysis of postgraduate medical trainee advice calls.

CONTEXT: Available literature exploring medical liability and postgraduate medical education consistently posits that postgraduate trainees worry about their exposure to medico-legal liability. This assumption has formed the basis for research and curriculum development. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to describe the encounters that lead physicians-in-training to seek external medico-legal guidance. We sought to provide empirical evidence on trends and themes related to medico-legal advice requests from physicians-in-training. METHODS: Our primary dataset consisted of records of calls from physicians-in-training to the medico-legal helpline of the Canadian Medical Protective Association (CMPA), a national mutual defence organisation providing medico-legal advice and liability protection for over 95% of Canada's physicians. We conducted a trend analysis of the frequency of calls for advice over 10 years from physician-in-training compared with non-trainee physicians. Furthermore, we performed a content analysis of calls made over the most recent 2 years (2016-2017) to elucidate the concerns that led to trainees seeking medico-legal advice. RESULTS: The 10-year trend analysis revealed that the annual growth in the number of physician-in-training advice calls (8.8%) exceeded other CMPA physician groups and was in excess of trainee population growth over the same period. The content analysis identified four core themes: managing confidential information, complex care situations, academic matters and patient safety incidents. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that trainees are asking questions about their medico-legal liability with increasing frequency. This study contributes new evidence on the issues that lead to trainees seeking help. We believe that understanding trainees' medico-legal advice requests will support medical educators to tailor quality improvement education to learners' needs.