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Biomedical subjects

C H Chew

Publications and source records attributed to C H Chew.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Postgraduate medical education and specialist training in Singapore.

The Singapore Medical School celebrates its Centenary in 2005. This historical review is presented on Singapore's postgraduate medical education and specialist training programmes. The special informal role of the Alumni Association and its members during the early years and soon after World War II is highlighted. Postgraduate education and specialist training was more formalised only during the challenging years when Singapore became more autonomous and politically independent with the establishment of the Academy of Medicine, the School's postgraduate medical studies, the Singapore Medical Association, specialist societies and, more recently, the College of Family Physicians. Specialist training programmes and the process of specialist accreditation are also outlined. While Singapore has gone far towards developing a comprehensive programme of postgraduate medical education and specialist training, the process is still evolving and can be improved upon. As long as we keep pace with relevant and realistic strategies, the future for postgraduate medical training and specialist training should be assured.

Education, Medical, Graduate↗

Processing of hydroxyapatite via microemulsion and emulsion routes.

Hydroxyapatite powders have been prepared by reacting CaCl2 and (NH4)2HPO4 in bicontinuous microemulsion, inverse microemulsion and emulsion, which have the same components as cyclohexane, non-ionic surfactant (NP5 + NP9) and aqueous solution. The characteristics of the resulting hydroxyapatite powders, such as the particle size, particle size distribution, chemical homogeneity and the degree of particle agglomeration, are strongly affected by the structure of the reaction medium. Both bicontinuous and inverse microemulsions led to the formation of much finer hydroxyapatite powders than that prepared from the emulsion composition. The two fine hydroxyapatite powders are sintered to a relative density of >95% theoretical density at 1000 degrees C, compared with a relative density of <73% theoretical density for the emulsion-derived one. The two microemulsion-derived hydroxyapatites also exhibit a higher sintered density and are more refined in grain size than that of the emulsion-derived one when sintered at 1200 degrees C for 2h.

Ceramics↗

Behavioral inhibition and electrodermal activity during deception.

We tested the assumption that the act of inhibiting ongoing behavior requires physiological work. In a guilty knowledge test (GKT) paradigm, subjects were induced to attempt to deceive the experimenter on two separate occasions while electrodermal activity was measured. For 20 of the 30 subjects, overt behaviors (changes in eye movement and facial expression) were recorded during the second GKT. Results indicated that the incidence of behaviors decreased during their deceptive responses. This behavioral inhibition coincided with increases in skin conductance level. In addition to suggesting nonverbal correlates of deception, the results indicate that long-term behavioral inhibition may be a factor in psychosomatic disease.

Arousal↗

Tuberculosis chemotherapy--developments in Singapore from 1957-1982.

The last 25 years have seen many important developments in tuberculosis chemotherapy in Singapore. Beginning in the 1950s, chemotherapy consisting of streptomycin (S), isoniazid (H) and p-aminosalicylic acid (PAS) was introduced at first with 2-drug and later 3-drug combinations (i.e., SPH/PH for a total of 18 to 24 months). In the 1960s, 2 early studies showed that thiacetazone (T) could not be substituted for PAS in standard chemotherapy as it was a more toxic and less potent drug. Routine tuberculosis treatment achieved good results for patients followed up for 5 years after completing treatment. A fully supervised regimen of streptomycin and isoniazid (S2H2) given twice weekly proved to be as effective as a largely self administered regimen of PAS/INH. Ethambutol (EMB) was shown to be effective in the initial treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis when combined with isoniazid. In the 1970s, rifampicin (R) was first investigated starting with an intermittent regimen of isoniazid and rifampicin given once or twice weekly. The success of this regimen led to 2 short course studies of 6-month regimens. Rifampicin was given daily for the full duration of 6 months (2SHRZ/HR; 2SHRZ/HRZ; Z = pyrazinamide) or intermittently 3 times a week in the continuation phase (2SHRZ/H3R3; 2HRZ/H3R3; 1SHRZ/H3R3). All the 6 months regimens were highly effective.

Antitubercular Agents↗

A tuberculosis treatment survey in Singapore: results at five-years.

A National Tuberculosis Treatment Survey was instituted in the Republic of Singapore in 1969 with the aim of evaluating the Tuberculosis Treatment Services in Singapore. This five-year follow-up study of the 1969 survey was based on the assessment of the first 1000 consecutive patients who were registered for treatment during the year. Two hundred and forty-six cases were excluded for various reasons, leaving 754 cases for analysis. At the end of 5 years, only 2 (0.3%) were culture positive, 677 (89.8%) were culture negative, 48 cases (6.4%) had died from tuberculosis and 27 cases (3.6%) were lost. The most notable factor which influenced bacteriological positivity was lack of co-operation leading to interruption of chemotherapy. It is concluded that with an efficient organisation highly satisfactory results can be achieved by routine treatment services and prolonged observation of adequately treated patient is not necessary.

Adult↗