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Introduction: This paper presents the results of a community survey on urinary abnormalities which covered 1/80th of the population of Singapore in 1975. These findings were compared with the data from the Singapore National Service Registrants in 1974 as well as data from a recent survey in Singapore and that of other Asian and Western countries. Materials and Methods: The study covered 18,000 persons aged 15 years and above, representing a sampling fraction of 1/80th of the population. A total of 16,808 respondents attended the fi eld examination centres, of whom 16,497 had their urine sample tested representing 92.7% of the sample population. Results: In the dipstick urine testing at the fi eld examination centres, 769 subjects (4.6%) were found to have urinary abnormalities. Two hundred and eighty-two (36.7%) of these 769 subjects were found to have urinary abnormalities based on urine microscopy constituting a prevalence of 1.71%. The prevalence of proteinuria was 0.63% and for both haematuria and proteinuria was 0.73%. The prevalence for hypertension was 0.43% and renal insufficiency was 0.1%. Discussion: The consensus is that routine screening for chronic kidney disease (CKD) in the general population is not cost effective as the yield is too low. Whilst, most studies showed that screening of the general population was not cost effective, it has been suggested that screening for targeted groups of subjects could help to identify certain risk groups who may benefit from early intervention to prevent or retard the progression of CKD. Conclusion: The prevalence of urinary abnormalities in Singapore has remained the same, now and three decades ago. Key words: Chronic kidney disease, Proteinuria, Screening

Translational research (TR) can be defined as research where a discovery made in the laboratory (bench) can be applied in the diagnosis, treatment or prevention of a disease. Examples of medical discoveries contributing to translational medicine (TM) include the isolation of insulin by Banting (Nobel Laureate, 1923), the discovery of penicillin by Alexander Fleming (Nobel Laureate, 1945) and recently the discovery of the role of bacterium Helicobacter pylori in the causation of gastritis and peptic ulcer by Marshall and Warren (Nobel Laureates, 2005). Clinical research (CR) would be a more appropriate term for the bulk of research work undertaken by doctors. CR embraces both clinical based and laboratory-based research. The terminology “bedside to bench” applies more to CR as opposed to “bench to bedside” in the case of TR. But regardless of who does it, as long as the discovery can be translated to the bedside and results in improvement in patient care it can be considered a contribution to TM. Our work spans a 30-year period, involving laboratory-based research, clinical trials and genomics of IgA nephritis (Nx). This is a series of work to elucidate the pathogensis and therapy of IgANx. Plasma beta-thromboglobulin (BTG) an in-vivo index of platelet aggregation and anti-thrombin III increase due to a constant thrombogenecity resulting from platelet degranulation formed the basis for anti-platelet and low-dose warfarin therapy. A study of the natural history of IgANx revealed 2 courses, a slowly progressive course with end-stage renal failure (ESRF) at 7.7 years and a more rapid course at 3.3 years. Triple therapy (cyclophosphamide, persantin and low-dose warfarin) delayed progression to ESRF by about 8 years and for some patients up to 20 years. Documentation of abnormal suppressor T cell function provided the basis for immune therapy. Four patterns of proteinuria were present in IgANx and it is the quality and not so much the quantity of proteinuria which determined the prognosis. Low molecular weight proteinuria was a bad prognostic marker. A controlled therapeutic trial using ACEI/ATRA showed that therapy decreases proteinuria, improves renal function and converts non-selective to selective proteinuria. Subsequent work confirmed that it was the ATRA, not the ACEI which contributed to improved renal function. Individual anti proteinuria response to ATRA varies depending on ACE gene polymorphism. We found that the II genotype of the ACE gene was renoprotective and patients with this genotype had significantly reduced incidence of ESRF compared to those with the DD genotype. Patients responsive to ATRA therapy can retard progression to ESRF by up to 32 years. Mild renal failure can be reversed with possible regression of glomerulosclerosis because of glomerular remodelling by ATRA. Key words: Genomics, Glomerulonephritis, History, Therapy, Translational medicine

This paper identifies the prolific authors at the International Asian Conference on Digital Libraries (ICADL) from 2002 to 2006. To provide a holistic picture, three methods of counting were used, namely whole counting, fractional counting, and first author counting.

Studies in 156 young men at the Renal Unit, University of Singapore Department of Medicine, Singapore, for asymptomatic proteinuria and hematuria showed that patients with microscopic hematuria had a significantly higher prevalence of abnormal renal histological findings, raised erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and total urinary protein excretion of more than 500 mg/day. Within the group of patients with hematuria, there was also a significantly larger number of patients with abnormal renal histological findings who were excreting an abnormal quantity of urinary protein as compared with those having a normal renal histological appearance. All subjects with isolated orthostatic proteinuria and all but four patients with persistent proteinuria had normal renal histological findings. In patients with hematuria, the presence of raised sedimentation rate and an abnormal quantity of urinary protein excretion indicate underlying renal parenchymal disease, while patients with isolated orthostatic proteinuria or persistent proteinuria have relatively normal results in renal biopsy studies.