Transplanting Chapter 11 of the US Bankruptcy Code into Singapore’s restructuring and insolvency laws: opportunities and challenges

In 2017, Singapore introduced wide-ranging reforms to its insolvency and restructuring laws with a view to enhancing its attractiveness as an international centre for debt restructuring. Central to these reforms is the transplantation (with modification) of certain provisions from Chapter 11 of the US Bankruptcy Code including the automatic moratorium, cross-creditor cram-down, rescue financing and prepacks. Drawing upon the US experience and similar reform proposals in the EU (including the UK), we critically evaluate the impact of the new Singapore law. We argue that there remain challenges in ensuring that the transplantation works well and highlight the possible unintended consequences of such transplantatio

Trajectory Pathways for Depressive Symptoms and Their Associated Factors in a Chinese Primary Care Cohort by Growth Mixture Modelling

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Derivative chromosome 9 deletions in chronic myeloid leukaemia: Interpretation of atypical D-FISH pattern

Background/Aims: New molecular cytogenetic techniques are increasingly applied as a routine investigative tool in haematological malignancies, both at diagnosis and subsequent monitoring. This report describes the interpretation of atypical signal patterns encountered using BCR-ABL dual colour dual fusion fluorescence in situ hybridisation (D-FISH) translocation probes in chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML). Methods: Interphase FISH experiments were carried out using BCR-ABL D-FISH probes in 46 patients with CML at diagnosis and during subsequent disease monitoring. Atypical hybridisation signal patterns were characterised by molecular cytogenetic techniques and correlated with conventional karyotyping. Results: Two patients showed atypical interphase D-FISH patterns with one orange, one green, and one fusion (1O1G1F) signal. The presence of BCR-ABL gene fusion was documented by a dual colour single fusion (S-FISH) probe. The submicroscopic deletion of the ABL-BCR fusion gene on the derivative chromosome 9 in these cases was subsequently characterised by metaphase FISH on relocated G banded metaphases. Conclusions: Atypical interphase D-FISH patterns should not be interpreted in isolation and should be considered in conjunction with other cytogenetic or molecular genetic investigations.published_or_final_versio

Evaluation of the internal and external responsiveness of the Pressure Ulcer Scale for Healing (PUSH) tool for assessing acute and chronic wounds

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Association of Hemoglobin A1c Levels With Cardiovascular Disease and Mortality in Chinese Patients With Diabetes

LettersAmong diabetic patients, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) is an important indicator of glycemic control and, together with blood pressure and cholesterol, is an indicator for risk of complications, including cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mortality. At present, there is no universal consensus on the optimal HbA1c level. Despite this, most international guidelines include a recommended HbA1c target range or level as a treatment goal. Several studies have identified a J-shaped curvilinear relationship between HbA1c and CVD incidence and all-cause mortality, but such a relationship has not yet been confirmed in a Chinese population. There are substantial differences in disease risks across racial and ethnic groups due to genetic and environmental factors including life-style and health behaviors, and thus, previous results from Western studies may not be transferable to a Chinese population. We sought to examine the association among mean HbA1c, CVD events, and mortality among Chinese primary care patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in Hong Kong.postprin

12-Month naturalistic outcomes of depressive disorders in Hong Kong's primary care

Open Access Journalpublished_or_final_versio

Help-seeking intentions and subsequent 12-month mental health service use in Chinese primary care patients with depressive symptoms

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Implementing Strategies for the Model Law on Cross-Border Insolvency: The Divergence in Asia-Pacific and Lessons for UNCITRAL

The UNCITRAL Model Law on Cross-Border Insolvency (“Model Law”) was conceived with the aim of providing a framework for states to obtain consistency in the recognition of foreign insolvency proceedings and granting relief in aid of the foreign courts. The Model Law has achieved moderate success internationally and four states in the Asia-Pacific, namely Australia, Singapore, Japan, and Korea, have enacted legislation based on the Model Law. Scholars agree on the importance of consistent implementation of the Model Law in managing cross-border insolvency to achieve quick, certain, and predictable outcomes. However, the Model Law’s aims have not been completely met and existing accounts point to two reasons for why there is a lack of complete harmonization. First, states have not fully implemented the Model Law in their domestic law. Second, states’ judiciaries have not consistently interpreted their legislation enacting the Model Law. This lack of harmony is reflected in the fact that UNCITRAL recently felt the need to promulgate a supplemental Model Law on Recognition and Enforcement of Insolvency-Related Judgments. In this Article, we examine the divergent implementation strategies of the Model Law in Australia, Singapore, Japan, and Korea, and explain the reasons for the divergence. In the case of Japan and Korea, legal origins have been put forward as a reason for the divergence; as these two jurisdictions are not based on common law, they require greater local modification to assure the Model Law will fit into their legal systems. However, we argue legal origins are insufficient reasons for the lack of uniformity. Instead, we argue that where states, like Australia and Singapore, are shifting from a moderately territorialist approach with cross-border insolvency to the modified universalist approach as envisaged by the Model Law, they are more likely to fully implement the Model Law. Where States start from an exclusively territorialist approach (such as in Japan and Korea), they are likely to recognize foreign insolvency proceedings as a broad signal of their international commitment towards adopting global norms, but would demand changes to allow for some room to depart from all of the consequences of recognition of foreign proceedings, even in situations where there may be no real impediment for the implementation of Model Law. However, in Korea, there are signs that judicial attitudes are changing as the judiciary sees the benefits of the Model Law in cooperation and communication, and there may be a greater chance of implementation. Our study illustrates the limitations of achieving the objectives of the Model Law. We argue that when determining the strategies for uniform implementation of UNCITRAL, in the context of “soft law,” we should take into account the importance of the signaling effect and path dependency of the countries, which will have implications for other jurisdictions considering the adoption of the Model Law or the supplementary Model Law on insolvency-related judgments

Tetramethylpyrazine attenuates oleic acid-induced acute lung injury/acute respiratory distress syndrome through the downregulation of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kB) activation in rats

The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-inflammatory activities of tetramethylpyrazine (TMP) in the mice model of acute lung injury/acute respiratory distress syndrome (ALI/ARDS) induced by oleic acid (0.15 ml/kg, intravenous (i.v.)). We report here that TMP (given at 160 mg/kg intraperitoneal (i.p.)) exerts potent anti-inflammatory effects in this model. After 4, 8 and 12 h, animal model reaction was observed and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid was obtained to measure proinflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor α, interleukin 1β) and proteins by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and bicinchoninic acid protein assay kit, respectively. The protein expression of NF-kB in the lung was measured by immunohistochemistry and Western blotting. The results showed an increase in tumor necrosis factor α and interleukin 1β in the ALI/ARDS rat models. The activation of NF-kB was suppressed by TMP in the ALI/ARDS rats. The suppression of those molecules is controlled by NF-kB. These findings support the hypothesis that TMP inhibits the inflammatory process in the lung tissue through the suppression of NF-kB activation. Nevertheless, further investigations are required to determine the potential clinical usefulness of TMP in the adjunctive therapy for ARDS.Key words: Tetramethylpyrazine, acute lung injury/acute respiratory distress syndrome, inflammatory factors, NF-kB

Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Nurse-Led Continence Care Treatments for Chinese Primary Care Patients with Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms

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