Displaying publications 1 - 20 of 27 in total

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  1. Tiew PY, Dicker AJ, Keir HR, Poh ME, Pang SL, Mac Aogáin M, et al.
    Eur Respir J, 2021 Mar;57(3).
    PMID: 32972986 DOI: 10.1183/13993003.02050-2020
    INTRODUCTION: The chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) bacteriome associates with disease severity, exacerbations and mortality. While COPD patients are susceptible to fungal sensitisation, the role of the fungal mycobiome remains uncertain.

    METHODS: We report the largest multicentre evaluation of the COPD airway mycobiome to date, including participants from Asia (Singapore and Malaysia) and the UK (Scotland) when stable (n=337) and during exacerbations (n=66) as well as nondiseased (healthy) controls (n=47). Longitudinal mycobiome analysis was performed during and following COPD exacerbations (n=34), and examined in terms of exacerbation frequency, 2-year mortality and occurrence of serum specific IgE (sIgE) against selected fungi.

    RESULTS: A distinct mycobiome profile is observed in COPD compared with controls as evidenced by increased α-diversity (Shannon index; p<0.001). Significant airway mycobiome differences, including greater interfungal interaction (by co-occurrence), characterise very frequent COPD exacerbators (three or more exacerbations per year) (permutational multivariate ANOVA; adjusted p<0.001). Longitudinal analyses during exacerbations and following treatment with antibiotics and corticosteroids did not reveal any significant change in airway mycobiome profile. Unsupervised clustering resulted in two clinically distinct COPD groups: one with increased symptoms (COPD Assessment Test score) and Saccharomyces dominance, and another with very frequent exacerbations and higher mortality characterised by Aspergillus, Curvularia and Penicillium with a concomitant increase in serum sIgE levels against the same fungi. During acute exacerbations of COPD, lower fungal diversity associates with higher 2-year mortality.

    CONCLUSION: The airway mycobiome in COPD is characterised by specific fungal genera associated with exacerbations and increased mortality.

    Matched MeSH terms: Scotland
  2. Johnston WS, Munro D, Reilly WJ, Sharp JC
    J Hyg (Lond), 1981 Dec;87(3):525-8.
    PMID: 7310130
    In August, 1980 a rare serotype S. zanzibar was isolated in the North of Scotland from a man home on leave from Malaysia, whence he returned in November having been bacteriologically negative 2 months previously. In December however, S. zanzibar was isolated from a bulk milk sample taken at a nearby dairy farm. No illness occurred among milking cows which had been brought inside from pasture in mid-October. Since 1972 a variety of different salmonella serotypes had been identified in cattle, milk and other samples at this farm, with seagulls being implicated as the vector transmitting infection from the sewage of a local town on to farmland and an adjacent loch. Although water from this source has not been used in recent years for drinking by cattle, it is utilized for washing floors within the dairy premises. Since 1979, following an outbreak affecting consumers, all milk produced at the farm has been pasteurized.
    Matched MeSH terms: Scotland
  3. Mazlan-Kepli W, Dawson J, Berry C, Walters M
    Heart, 2019 01;105(1):67-74.
    PMID: 30030335 DOI: 10.1136/heartjnl-2018-313148
    OBJECTIVE: To assess whether cardiovascular events are increased after cessation of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) following acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and to explore predictors for recurrent events after DAPT cessation during long-term follow-up.

    METHODS: We did a retrospective observational cohort study. We included consecutive people with ACS who were discharged from Scottish hospitals between January 2008 and December 2013 and who received DAPT after discharge followed by antiplatelet monotherapy. The rates of cardiovascular events were assessed during each 90-day period of DAPT treatment and 90-day period after stopping DAPT. Cardiovascular events were defined as a composite of death, ACS, transient ischaemic attack or stroke. Cox regression was used to identify predictors of cardiovascular events following DAPT cessation.

    RESULTS: 1340 patients were included (62% male, mean age 64.9 (13.0) years). Cardiovascular events occurred in 15.7% (n=211) during the DAPT period (mean DAPT duration 175.1 (155.3) days) and in 16.7% (n=188) following DAPT cessation (mean of 2.7 years follow-up). Independent predictors for a cardiovascular event following DAPT cessation were age (HR 1.07; 95% CI 1.05 to 1.08; p<0.001), DAPT duration (HR 0.997; 95% CI 0.995 to 0.998; p<0.001) and having revascularisation therapy during the index admission (HR 0.58; 95% CI 0.39 to 0.85; p=0.005).

    CONCLUSIONS: The rate of cardiovascular events was not significantly increased in the early period post-DAPT cessation compared with later periods in this ACS population. Increasing age, DAPT duration and lack of revascularisation therapy were associated with increased risk of cardiovascular events during long-term follow-up after DAPT cessation.

    Matched MeSH terms: Scotland/epidemiology
  4. Arumugam K, Templeton AA
    Aust N Z J Obstet Gynaecol, 1992 May;32(2):164-5.
    PMID: 1520204
    The pelvic findings of 202 infertile women undergoing diagnostic laparoscopy in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia were compared to that of 464 infertile women undergoing diagnostic laparoscopy in Aberdeen, United Kingdom. Endometriosis was significantly more common in the women from Kuala Lumpur (51% against 22%, p less than 0.001). There was however no significant difference seen in the severity of the disease (AFS Classification, 1985). These findings confirm our clinical impression that endometriosis is more common in Asian women when compared to Caucasian women.
    Matched MeSH terms: Scotland/epidemiology
  5. Jamil NA, Yew MH, Noor Hafizah Y, Gray SR, Poh BK, Macdonald HM
    Public Health Nutr, 2018 Dec;21(17):3118-3124.
    PMID: 30176950 DOI: 10.1017/S1368980018002057
    OBJECTIVE: To compare the contributions of UVB exposure and diet to total vitamin D among Asians living in Kuala Lumpur (KL) and Aberdeen (AB).

    DESIGN: Longitudinal study.

    SETTING: UVB exposure (using polysulfone film badges) and skin colour and dietary vitamin D intake (by web-based questionnaire) were measured at each season in AB and during south-west (SWM) and north-east monsoons (NEM) in KL.

    SUBJECTS: One hundred and fifteen Asians in KL and eighty-five Asians in AB aged 20-50 years.

    RESULTS: Median summer UVB exposure of Asians in AB (0·25 SED/d) was higher than UVB exposure for the KL participants (SWM=0·20 SED/d, P=0·02; NEM= 0·14 SED/d, P<0·01). UVB exposure was the major source of vitamin D in KL year-round (60%) but only during summer in AB (59%). Median dietary vitamin D intake was higher in AB (3·50 µg/d (140 IU/d)), year-round, than in KL (SWM=2·05 µg/d (82 IU/d); NEM=1·83 µg/d (73 IU/d), P<0·01). Median total vitamin D (UVB plus diet) was higher in AB only during summer (8·45 µg/d (338 IU/d)) compared with KL (SWM=6·03 µg/d (241 IU/d), P=0·04; NEM=5·35 µg/d (214 IU/d), P<0·01), with a comparable intake across the full year (AB=5·75 µg/d (230 IU/d); KL=6·15 µg/d (246 IU/d), P=0·78).

    CONCLUSIONS: UVB exposure among Asians in their home country is low. For Asians residing at the northerly latitude of Scotland, acquiring vitamin D needs from UVB exposure alone (except in summer) may be challenging due to low ambient UVB in AB (available only from April to October).

    Matched MeSH terms: Scotland
  6. SINNATHURAY TA
    Med J Malaysia, 1964 Mar;18:205-11.
    PMID: 14157187
    Matched MeSH terms: Scotland
  7. Kling J
    Nat Biotechnol, 2012 Feb;30(2):128-31.
    PMID: 22318024 DOI: 10.1038/nbt.2111
    Matched MeSH terms: Scotland
  8. Pakianathan MR, Kamarulzaman A, Ismail R, McMillan A, Scott GR
    AIDS, 1999 Sep 10;13(13):1787-8.
    PMID: 10509585
    Matched MeSH terms: Scotland
  9. Stear A, Ali AOA, Brujeni GN, Buitkamp J, Donskow-Łysoniewska K, Fairlie-Clarke K, et al.
    Int J Parasitol, 2019 09;49(10):797-804.
    PMID: 31306661 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2019.05.003
    Lambs with the Major Histocompatibility Complex DRB1*1101 allele have been shown to produce fewer nematode eggs following natural and deliberate infection. These sheep also possess fewer adult Teladorsagia circumcincta than sheep with alternative alleles at the DRB1 locus. However, it is unclear if this allele is responsible for the reduced egg counts or merely acts as a marker for a linked gene. This study defined the MHC haplotypes in a population of naturally infected Scottish Blackface sheep by PCR amplification and sequencing, and examined the associations between MHC haplotypes and faecal egg counts by generalised linear mixed modelling. The DRB1*1101 allele occurred predominately on one haplotype and a comparison of haplotypes indicated that the causal mutation or mutations occurred in or around this locus. Additional comparisons with another resistant haplotype indicated that mutations in or around the DQB2*GU191460 allele were also responsible for resistance to nematode infections. Further analyses identified six amino acid substitutions in the antigen binding site of DRB1*1101 that were significantly associated with reductions in the numbers of adult T. circumcincta.
    Matched MeSH terms: Scotland
  10. Poh TY, Tiew PY, Lim AYH, Thng KX, Binte Mohamed Ali NA, Narayana JK, et al.
    Chest, 2020 08;158(2):512-522.
    PMID: 32184111 DOI: 10.1016/j.chest.2020.02.048
    BACKGROUND: Chitinase activity is an important innate immune defence mechanism against infection that includes fungi. The 2 human chitinases: chitotriosidase (CHIT1) and acidic mammalian chitinase are associated to allergy, asthma, and COPD; however, their role in bronchiectasis and bronchiectasis-COPD overlap (BCO) is unknown.

    RESEARCH QUESTION: What is the association between chitinase activity, airway fungi and clinical outcomes in bronchiectasis and bronchiectasis-COPD overlap?

    STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: A prospective cohort of 463 individuals were recruited across five hospital sites in three countries (Singapore, Malaysia, and Scotland) including individuals who were not diseased (n = 35) and who had severe asthma (n = 54), COPD (n = 90), bronchiectasis (n = 241) and BCO (n = 43). Systemic chitinase levels were assessed for bronchiectasis and BCO and related to clinical outcomes, airway Aspergillus status, and underlying pulmonary mycobiome profiles.

    RESULTS: Systemic chitinase activity is elevated significantly in bronchiectasis and BCO and exceed the activity in other airway diseases. CHIT1 activity strongly predicts bronchiectasis exacerbations and is associated with the presence of at least one Aspergillus species in the airway and frequent exacerbations (≥3 exacerbations/y). Subgroup analysis reveals an association between CHIT1 activity and the "frequent exacerbator" phenotype in South-East Asian patients whose airway mycobiome profiles indicate the presence of novel fungal taxa that include Macroventuria, Curvularia and Sarocladium. These taxa, enriched in frequently exacerbating South-East Asian patients with high CHIT1 may have potential roles in bronchiectasis exacerbations.

    INTERPRETATION: Systemic CHIT1 activity may represent a useful clinical tool for the identification of fungal-driven "frequent exacerbators" with bronchiectasis in South-East Asian populations.

    Matched MeSH terms: Scotland
  11. Mohd Khairuddin AN, Bernabé E, Delgado-Angulo EK
    Health Qual Life Outcomes, 2021 Apr 07;19(1):115.
    PMID: 33827591 DOI: 10.1186/s12955-021-01757-1
    BACKGROUND: Most studies on social mobility and oral health have focused on movement between generations (intergenerational mobility) rather than movement within an individual's own lifetime (intragenerational mobility). The aim of this study was to investigate the association between intragenerational social mobility from early to middle adulthood and self-rated oral health.

    METHODS: This study used data from 6524 participants of the 1970 British Birth Cohort Study, an ongoing population-based birth cohort of individuals born in England, Scotland and Wales. Participants' socioeconomic position was indicated by occupational social class at age 26 and 46 years (the first and latest adult waves, respectively). Self-rated oral health was measured at age 46 years. The association between social mobility and adult oral health was assessed using conventional regression models and diagonal reference models, adjusting for gender, ethnicity, country of residence and residence area.

    RESULTS: Over a fifth of participants (22.2%) reported poor self-rated oral health at age 46 years. In conventional regression analysis, the odds ratios for social mobility varied depending on whether they were adjusted for social class of origin or destination. In addition, all social trajectories had greater odds of reporting poor oral health than non-mobile adults in class I/II. In diagonal reference models, both upward (Odds Ratio 0.79; 95% CI 0.63-0.99) and downward mobility (0.90; 95% CI 0.71-1.13) were inversely associated with poor self-rated oral health. The origin weight was 0.48 (95% CI 0.33-0.63), suggesting that social class of origin was as important as social class of destination.

    CONCLUSION: This longitudinal analysis showed that intragenerational social mobility from young to middle adulthood was associated with self-rated oral health, independent of previous and current social class.

    Matched MeSH terms: Scotland
  12. Field JW
    Br Med J, 1950;1:908.
    Among the losses sustained by the Institute for Medical Research in Malaya during the Japanese occupation were the portraits of several of the former directors. The loss is unfortunate, as we had hoped to make use of a fifty-year series of portraits for a historical rne'noir planned for the Institute's half-centenary this year. The missing portraits are those of Dr. Hamilton-Wright, M.D. (McGill), and Dr. Henry Fraser, M.D., M.R.C.P. Dr. Wright retired to America after leaving Malaya in 1903 and died in Washington, D.C., in 1917. Dr. Fraser was born, I believe, in Aberdeen. He retired from Malaya in 1916 to live in Scotland, where he died in 1930. I would be grateful to any of your readers who could put me in touch with surviving relatives.
    Matched MeSH terms: Scotland
  13. Leporowski A, Godman B, Kurdi A, MacBride-Stewart S, Ryan M, Hurding S, et al.
    Expert Rev Pharmacoecon Outcomes Res, 2018 Dec;18(6):655-666.
    PMID: 30014725 DOI: 10.1080/14737167.2018.1501558
    BACKGROUND: Prescribing of lipid-lowering agents (LLAs) has increased worldwide including in Scotland with increasing prevalence of coronary heart disease, and higher dose statins have been advocated in recent years. There have also been initiatives to encourage prescribing of generic versus patented statins to save costs without compromising care. There is a need to document these initiatives and outcomes to provide future direction.

    METHOD: Assessment of utilization (items dispensed) and expenditure of key LLAs (mainly statins) between 2001 and 2015 in Scotland alongside initiatives.

    RESULTS: Multiple interventions over the years have increased international nonproprietary name prescribing (99% for statins) and preferential prescribing of generic versus patented statins, and reduced inappropriate prescribing of ezetimibe. This resulted in a 50% reduction in expenditure of LLAs between 2001 and 2015 despite a 412% increase in utilization, increased prescribing of higher dose statins (71% in 2015) especially atorvastatin following generic availability, and reduced prescribing of ezetimibe (reduced by 72% between 2010 and 2015). As a result, the quality of prescribing has improved.

    CONCLUSION: Generic availability coupled with multiple measures has resulted in appreciable shifts in statin prescribing behavior and reduced ezetimibe prescribing, resulting in improvements in both the quality and efficiency of prescribing.

    Matched MeSH terms: Scotland
  14. Sheffield J, Hussain A, Coleshill P
    J Manag Med, 1999;13(4-5):263-4.
    PMID: 10787497
    The NHS faces a crisis in terms of staffing and recruitment. Many of the ethnic minority GPs in inner city areas throughout the UK are coming up to retirement age, and there is an insufficient supply of trainees to fill estimated vacancies. Over 2,000 nursing vacancies exist across the UK, and recruitment to the profession and retention within the profession are poor. Nurses have been recruited from overseas for the past 40 years, and are currently being recruited from Finland, Malaysia, and the West Indies, whilst doctors are being sought in India, Pakistan and Africa. Overseas recruitment is not a new phenomenon, and numerous studies have been carried out to examine equal opportunities and racial discrimination within the NHS. The aim of this paper was to examine ethnicity and equal opportunities within the Scottish NHS and record the levels of organisational awareness of ethnicity and equal opportunities' issues. The paper also examines the link between health service delivery to ethnic minorities and internal cultural attitudes to staff.
    Matched MeSH terms: Scotland
  15. Freeman MA, Sommerville C
    Parasit Vectors, 2011;4:231.
    PMID: 22166354 DOI: 10.1186/1756-3305-4-231
    A microsporidian hyperparasite, Desmozoon lepeophtherii, of the parasitic copepod Lepeophtheirus salmonis (salmon louse), infecting farmed Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar), was first discovered in the west of Scotland in 2000. Heavily infected salmon lice are easily recognised as they have large opaque inclusions distributed throughout the body. The prevalence of salmon lice with visible signs of microsporidiosis can be up to 10% of the population from certain farm sites. The microsporidian was also isolated from the host Atlantic salmon suggesting it may have a two host life cycle. The authors believe that the infection in immunocompetent salmon may be latent, becoming acute during periods of infection with another pathogen or during sexual maturation. Since its first discovery in Scotland, Desmozoon lepeophtherii has been subsequently reported from Norway, and more recently from the Pacific coast of North America.
    Matched MeSH terms: Scotland
  16. Santiago C, Stansfield J
    Int J Lang Commun Disord, 1998;33 Suppl:102-7.
    PMID: 10343674
    This study investigates how prioritisation in health services have influenced speech and language therapy (SLT) services in Scotland in prioritising their caseload. Additionally, it evaluates how current prioritisation systems may contribute towards the development of the SLT service in Malaysia. Health, education and social agencies in Malaysia were contacted and a literature review was conducted. Information on prioritisation systems used in Malaysia was unavailable. Prioritisation systems from seven SLT departments within Scotland were investigated, of which three SLT managers took part in semi-structured interviews. The findings show that prioritisation is influenced by a combination of factors and that the principles could only be applied to the Malaysian SLT service if consideration is given to the political, economical, social, geographical and cultural factors.
    Matched MeSH terms: Scotland
  17. Baruah DR
    Med J Malaysia, 1983 Sep;38(3):228-31.
    PMID: 6672566
    Gall stone is responsible for about 1% of total small bowel obstruction, 1.2 and recurrent gall stone ileus is even more unusual. 3 Gall stone ileus is caused by the impaction of the stone in bowel lumen. It was first described in a patient examined at autopsy by Bartholin in 1654. This paper based on unusual recurrent intestinal obstructions by a gall stone. The patient presented with large bowel obstruction and it was due to a large gall stone impacted in the pelvic colon. Four months later the same patient presented with small bowel obstruction due to large gall stone impacted in the terminal part of the ileum at 61 cms from the ileo-caecal valve. Gall stone obstruction of the colon is one of the rare complications. This rare complication usually occurs in elderly females' in whom there is frequently an underlying pathological condition at the site of obstruction in the colon. The calculus usually migrates through a cholecysto-colonic fistula in case of large bowel obstruction. In case of a small bowel obstruction the calculus usually migrates through a cholecysto-duodenal fistula. Diagnosis can be established by plain X-rays of the abdomen where there is gas shadow in the biliary system, sometimes the gall stone can be seen if it is radio opague (10-16% gall stone is radio opaque) at the site of obstruction. Otherwise diagnosis is always
    made at laparotomy.
    Matched MeSH terms: Scotland
  18. Thompson B, Baird D
    J Obstet Gynaecol Br Commonw, 1967 Jun;74(3):329-38.
    PMID: 6026612
    Matched MeSH terms: Scotland
  19. Thompson B, Baird D
    J Obstet Gynaecol Br Commonw, 1967 Aug;74(4):510-22.
    PMID: 6033271
    Matched MeSH terms: Scotland
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