Singap Med J
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A physiological profiling study was conducted to evaluate thermal strain as well as fluid and electrolyte balances on heat-acclimatised men performing a 72-km route march in a field setting. ⋯ Our study found low thermal strain heat-acclimatised individuals during a 72-km route march. However, there was an overall decrease in serum sodium levels, even when the participants were allowed to drink ad libitum. Challenges of exercise-associated hyponatraemia during prolonged activities remain to be addressed.
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Oropharyngeal swabs for diagnosis of COVID-19 often induce violent coughing, which can disperse infectious droplets onto providers. Incorrectly doffing personal protective equipment (PPE) increases the risk of transmission. A cheap, single-use variation of the face shield invented by a Singaporean team, SG Shield, aims to reduce this risk. This manikin study aimed to study the efficacy of the SG Shield in combination with standard PPE. ⋯ The manikin study showed that the SG Shield significantly reduces droplet dispersion to the swab provider's face and chest.
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There is worldwide concern over the psycho-emotional impact of COVID-19 on healthcare workers (HCWs). This study aimed to elicit HCWs' perceptions of the adequacy of protective measures in high-risk clinical areas and the factors associated with these perceptions. ⋯ Overall, there was high confidence in the adequacy of COVID-19 protective measures to prevent healthcare transmission in Singapore. The pandemic had a lower degree of psycho-emotional impact on HCWs here as compared to other countries.
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H. pylori eradication reduces the risk of gastric malignancies and peptic ulcer disease. First-line therapies include 14-day PAC (proton pump inhibitor [PPI], amoxicillin, clarithromycin) and PBMT (PPI, bismuth, metronidazole, tetracycline). Second-line therapies include 14-day PBMT and PAL (PPI, amoxicillin, levofloxacin). This clinical audit examined current treatment outcomes in Singapore. ⋯ First-line empirical treatment using PAC, PBMT and PBAC for 14 days had similar efficacy. Success rates for second-line PBMT and PAL were similar.