METHODS: The study adopted a quantitative, cross-sectional approach with 468 recently unemployed office workers in 2023. The participants ranged from ages 22 to 49 years and worked in different fields including technology, finance, consumer services, and infrastructure services.
RESULT: The results indicated severe to extremely severe mental health symptoms, with 54.5%, 50.9%, and 38.9% of respondents reporting symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress, respectively. Our results have shown that psychological capital can significantly predict mental health issues including depression, anxiety, stress, and suicidal ideation. Self-esteem was found to play a moderating role in the relation between psychological capital and stress, depression, and suicidal ideation but not anxiety.
CONCLUSIONS: Businesses or government agencies should provide mental health support for unemployed workers. Employees should realize that they must improve their psychological capital and self-esteem to propose mental well-being in the post-pandemic period.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: A mixed-method approach was employed among undergraduate dental technology students in Malaysia. The Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21) was adapted and modified for dental technology students. The content of the questionnaire was validated by two experienced faculty experts. Construct validity and internal consistency were measured. An online survey was created using Google Forms and disseminated to 10 Bachelor of Dental Technology (BDT) students. Meanwhile, qualitative data were obtained through one-on-one semi-structured interviews, employing a phenomenology approach and thematic analysis to explore students' experiences in the new educational landscape.
RESULTS: All students answered the survey, predominantly females. Prevalence of depression (60% normal, 10% mild, 30% moderate), anxiety (30% normal, 30% mild, 10% moderate, 10% severe, 20% extremely severe), and stress (70% normal, 10% mild, 10% moderate, 10% severe) was reported. Qualitatively, three major themes emerged: "Problems with adaptations", "Anxious about returning to campus", and "Concern about the future". The first theme included sub-themes: "Difficulties in transitioning to hybrid learning" and "Disruption in study-life balance". The second theme had four sub-themes: "Fear of being infected", "Fear of being stigmatized", "Increased vigilance in personal safety measures", and "Confusion about standard operating procedure". The third theme included sub-themes: "Fear of another lockdown" and "Concerns about timely completion of academic requirements".
CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the complex mental health challenges dental technology students faced post-pandemic, underscoring the need for flexible academic policies, global collaborations, and targeted strategies to support their resilience and well-being.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: An injectable silane-based antimicrobial aimed to modulate macrophage polarisation was manufactured. Experimental analysis included colorimetric cell migration assays on gingival fibroblasts, macrophage phagocytosis characterisation, immunofluorescence staining, triacylglycerol accumulation within macrophages by LCMS, cellular metabolic/proliferation assays, macrophage exposure quantification with morphology assessment using FE-SEM, Raman spectral analysis, RNA isolation for relative gene expression and animal study model to morphometrically and microscopically analyse partial thickness burn wound healing under QAS/K21.
RESULTS: M1 and M2 polarisation both appeared exaggerated under QAS/K21 treatment. The wounds treated with K21 had depicted accelerated healing as compared to control (P < .05) in dorsal skin of rabbits. Relative gene expression results demonstrate reduced cytokine and anti-inflammatory response under the influence of K21. While M1 expression, TG accumulation, and associated characterisations demonstrate the programmed inflammatory potential of K21.
CONCLUSION: the antimicrobial and reparative efficacy of K21 silane aids in programmed inflammation for enhanced tissue healing and repair.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a retrospective case series of all patients implanted with iStent inject® in OAG. Primary outcomes included intraocular pressure (IOP) and the reduction of antiglaucoma medications. Safety outcomes comprised adverse complications, additional surgeries, and postoperative best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA).
RESULTS: Eight eyes from eight patients were included in this series. The mean age was 56.3 ± 17.5 years. Six eyes had primary OAG and two eyes had secondary OAG. The majority of eyes (75%) had mild-to-moderate glaucoma. Five eyes underwent combined surgery, whereas the remaining three eyes underwent a standalone procedure. The mean baseline IOP was 22.9 ± 8.2 mmHg, and the mean IOP at 2 years after the procedure was 13.6 ± 2.8 mmHg. There was a 44.5% (10.2 ± 2.5 mmHg; P = 0.002) IOP reduction over 2 years. There was also a reduction in medication burden from a baseline mean of 3.4 ± 0.7 to 2.0 ± 1.2 (P = 0.17). There was no documented intraoperative adverse complication, whereas one patient required trabeculectomy post iStent for IOP control.
CONCLUSION: iStent inject implantation safely reduced IOP and medication burden up to 24 months postoperative.
METHODOLOGY: Studies were identified by searching the SCOPUS, SPORTDiscus, PubMed, Web of Science, and CNKI databases up to May 13, 2024, using the following inclusion criteria: (a) healthy population; (b) comparison of LL-BFR vs HLR training; (c) pre- and post-training assessment of muscle strength (dynamic, isometric, and isokinetic), muscle power, jump, or speed performance; (d) PEDro scale score ≥4. The methodological quality of the included studies was assessed using the PEDro tool and the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach, with meta-analyses conducted using the R program.
RESULTS: A total of 41 studies, involving 853 subjects, were included in the meta-analysis. Based on the PEDro scores and GRADE assessment, the overall quality of the included studies was assessed as moderate. LL-BFR training showed a slightly smaller effect on maximal strength compared to HLR training (ES = -0.19, 95% CI [-0.31 to -0.06], p < 0.01). There were no significant differences between LL-BFR and HLR training for muscle power (ES = -0.04, 95% CI [-0.33 to 0.24], p > 0.05), jump performance (ES = -0.08, 95% CI [-0.30 to 0.15], p > 0.05), and speed (ES = -0.28, 95% CI [-0.71 to 0.15], p > 0.05). Additionally, individual characteristics (i.e., age, gender, and training status) and training parameters (i.e., training duration, frequency, cuff pressure, and cuff width) did not significantly moderate the training effect.
CONCLUSIONS: LL-BFR training showed slightly less improvement in maximal strength compared to HLR training but demonstrated comparable effects on muscle power, jump performance, and speed in healthy individuals in healthy individuals. These findings suggest that LL-BFR may be a practical and effective alternative for individuals seeking performance improvements with lower training loads.
PATIENTS AND METHODS: Literature data was sourced from the Web of Science Core Collection database (WoSCC). A total of 373 relevant articles published between January 1, 2000, and September 30, 2024, were included. CiteSpace and VOSviewer analyzed the literature from perspectives including authorship, country of origin, institutions, journals, references, and keywords.
RESULTS: Annual publication output has steadily increased, reaching a peak in 2023 (55 articles). Vranceanu Ana-Maria emerged as the most productive author with eight publications. The United States led in research output (98 articles) and centrality (0.32), with Harvard University being the leading institution (24 articles). "Disability and Rehabilitation" was the most productive journal (12 articles), while "Stroke" was the most co-cited journal (241 times). Recent research trends emphasized meta-analysis (strength=3.6), assessment tool validation (strength=3.49), and acceptance-based interventions (strength=2.89), mainly focusing on psychological resilience cultivation and well-being promotion.
CONCLUSION: This bibliometric analysis reveals the increasing scholarly interest in psychological interventions for stroke survivors, particularly in resilience and psychological well-being research. The field has evolved from focusing on disease-related factors to systematic intervention research, with a growing emphasis on methodological standardization and individualized interventions. These findings provide significant theoretical and practical implications for improving psychological health services for stroke survivors. Future research should strengthen high-quality empirical studies, refine assessment tools, and innovate intervention strategies to better address the complex psychological needs of stroke survivors and enhance their resilience and psychological well-being, ultimately improving rehabilitation outcomes and quality of life for stroke survivors.
NEW INFORMATION: A fish survey was conducted at 19 sites in the Masai River Basin, which is an urbanised watershed, focusing on river channels that have been straightened or converted into concrete-lined waterways. Additionally, fish surveys were conducted at eight sites in non-urbanised areas for comparison. The survey resulted in the collection of nine orders, 15 families, 28 genera, 32 species and a total of 3,007 individuals. In the urbanised sites, the proportion of native species in the total catch was extremely low, averaging only 10.4% across all sites, with invasive species making up the majority of the individuals captured. This indicates the significant shift in species composition due to urbanisation and the dominance of non-native species in these environments. On the other hand, in the non-urbanised areas, the proportion of native species was high at 88.7%, highlighting the significant impact of urbanisation on the invasion of non-native species. Particularly in the downstream areas of the urbanised watershed, species such as Poeciliasphenops, Mayaherosurophthalmus and Poeciliareticulata were frequently captured. In contrast, at sites in the upstream areas where forested habitats remained intact, native species listed on the IUCN Red List, such as Parambassissiamensis and Clariasbatrachus, were captured. The study revealed that urbanisation and development in the targeted watershed are progressing rapidly, underscoring the urgent need for the conservation and restoration of habitats for these native species.
METHODS: This prospective study involved 154 consecutive patients undergoing wide-awake local anesthesia no tourniquet surgery at 3 hand surgery centers (January-April 2024). Patients objectively scored pain events during injection and rated pain intensity (0-10 Likert scale), intraoperative pain, anxiety, and overall experience.
RESULTS: During local anesthesia injection, 61 (40%) patients reported no pain, 92 (59.7%) reported 1 pain event, and 1 (0.7%) patient reported 2 events. Among the 93 patients who felt pain, 90 reported only mild discomfort (1-2 of 10), whereas 3 reported moderate pain (3-5 of 10). Anxiety levels during anesthesia and surgery were 3 of 10 or less for 147 (95.5%) patients.
CONCLUSIONS: Real-time patient feedback improved surgeons' ability to administer tumescent local anesthesia with minimal pain. As a result, most patients experienced no pain or only 1 minor event during local anesthesia injection for wide-awake local anesthesia no tourniquet surgery.
METHODS: A qualitative research approach was employed, utilizing semi-structured interviews with 15 stakeholders from diverse ethnic, religious, and social backgrounds. Participants, represented various religious groups and geographic areas. Their roles included local leaders, government officials, NGO workers, and community members, providing insights into how sociocultural factors influence disaster response and policy.
RESULTS: Religious beliefs serve as both a source of resilience and a potential barrier, shaping community attitudes toward disaster preparedness. Community cohesion, particularly through gotong-royong (mutual aid), plays a crucial role in mobilizing resources and support, though it often excludes marginalized groups. Gender roles significantly influence disaster response, with women taking on caregiving responsibilities yet remaining underrepresented in decision-making processes. Traditional knowledge remains valuable, particularly in rural communities, but faces challenges as younger generations increasingly rely on modern technologies.
CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the need for culturally sensitive, gender-inclusive, and community-driven disaster management policies in Malaysia.Integrating sociocultural dimensions into formal frameworks can foster more adaptive and inclusive strategies. Enhancing community participation and gender inclusivity will be key to improving disaster resilience in Malaysia.