METHODS: Serum samples from asymptomatic children tested for H. pylori seropositivity using an ELISA test.

RESULTS: Five hundred and fourteen healthy urban Malaysian children aged 0.5 to 17 (mean 5.9) years from three different racial groups had their blood tested for H. pylori antibodies. The overall prevalence was 10.3%. There was no significant difference in the prevalence of infection between boys and girls, but a significant rise was noted with increasing age (P = 0.009). Seropositivity was most common in the Indians and lowest in the Malays (P = 0.001). Father's level of education did not affect the child's rate of H. pylori seropositivity.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the value of uvulo-palatoglossal junctional (UPJ) ulcers as an early clinical sign of exanthem subitum (ES) due to human herpesvirus 6 (HHV 6) infection.

STUDY DESIGN: A case-control study of 20 febrile children with UPJ ulcers versus 26 febrile children without UPJ ulcers. These children were followed up for any development of ES and investigated for human herpesvirus 6 (HHV 6) as the causative agents of the febrile episodes.

RESULTS: In this study, 20 out of 46 febrile children aged 3 months to 3 years with UPJ ulcers were virologically and/or serologically confirmed to be due to primary HHV 6 infection. The rest of the 26 children without ulcers did not have HHV 6 infection. Of the 20 children with UPJ ulcers, only 17 of the 19 children with adequate follow-up till subsidence of fever developed ES. None of the 26 children without UPJ ulcers developed ES.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study is a quasi-experimental approach in which a non-equivalent control group was used in a post-test design. A comparison was carried out with two separate semester cohort students representing the control and intervention groups which had 24 and 30 students, respectively. This study included first-year nursing students that enrolled in a course called "Anatomy and Physiology" course of nursing education at a private university. The control group received all their teaching face-to-face, and the intervention group used information technology and prescribed activities in their online e-book. The self-directed learning readiness (SDLR) tool measures the learners' readiness in self-directed learning in both groups. This scale comprises three subscales which are "self-management," "desire for learning," and "self-control." An independent-samples t-test was conducted to compare self-directed learning readiness in the control and intervention groups. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics 25 software to measure the independent t-test.

RESULTS: The self-directed readiness scores were significantly higher in the intervention group with P = 0.019. The intervention group showed a higher mean value on the subscales of self-management and self-control, which demonstrated a significant difference with P values of 0.018 and 0.028, respectively. The subscale desire for learning was insignificant with a P value of 0.166.

METHODS: Cross sectional study. Adult patients diagnosed with HIV infection and had at least one medical encounter in a primary healthcare setting during three years prior to diagnosis were included. We collected data on sociodemographic characteristics, patient characteristics at diagnosis, HIV-related conditions and whether they were subjected to risk assessment and offered HIV testing during the three years prior to HIV diagnosis.

RESULTS: 65 newly HIV-diagnosed patients (male: 92.3%; Malays: 52.4%; single: 66.7%; heterosexual: 41%; homosexual 24.6%; CD4 <350 at diagnosis: 63%). 93.8% were unaware of their HIV status at diagnosis. Up to 56.9% had presented with HIV-related conditions at a primary healthcare facility during the three years prior to diagnosis. Slightly more than half were had risk assessment done and only 33.8% were offered HIV-testing.

OBJECTIVE: Anterior-alone surgery has gained wider reception for subaxial cervical spine facets dislocation. Questions remain on its efficacy and safety as a stand-alone entity within the contexts of concurrent facet fractures, unilateral versus bilateral dislocations, anterior open reduction, and old dislocation.

METHODS: A systematic review was performed with search strategy using translatable MESH terms across MEDLINE, EMBASE, VHL Regional Portal, and CENTRAL databases on patients with subaxial cervical dislocation intervened via anterior-alone approach. Two reviewers independently screened for eligible studies. PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis) flow chart was adhered to. Nine retrospective studies were included. Narrative synthesis was performed to determine primary outcomes on spinal fusion and revisions and secondary outcomes on new occurrence or deterioration of neurology and infection rate.

RESULTS: Nonunion was not encountered across all contexts. A total of 0.86% of unilateral facet dislocation (1 out of 116) with inadequate reduction due to facet fragments between the facet joints removed its malpositioned plate following fusion. No new neurological deficit was observed. Cases that underwent anterior open reduction did not encounter failure that require subsequent posterior reduction surgery. One study (N = 52) on old dislocation incorporated partial corpectomy in their approach and limited anterior-alone approach to cases with persistent instability.