Displaying publications 1 - 20 of 29 in total

Abstract:
Sort:
  1. External quality assurance in Malaysia
    Nawawi H, Lim HH, Zakiah I
    Southeast Asian J. Trop. Med. Public Health, 1999;30 Suppl 3:39-45.
    PMID: 10926257
    An activity supportive of the MOH QA Programme, the National EQAS for clinical chemistry monitors for analytical performance in core routine biochemical testing by the pathology laboratories, with unsatisfactory performance scores serving to alert against deficiencies or problems and the scores in subsequent challenges providing the feedback of effectiveness of remedial actions taken. While unacceptable individual analyte performance score (variance index score, VIS) indicated problems in instruments, reagent and calibrators, or the use of inherently poorer methods, repeated occurrence of unsatisfactory OMRVIS was traceable to generally poor laboratory management of usually inadequately-equipment small laboratories. The outcome has been one of slow but gradual improvement in the overall performance of participating laboratories, with a move towards methods upgrading and standardization to achieve greater concordance of results. Presently, the programme is limited to 61 government and 4 private hospital laboratories in the country for 12 commonly assayed clinical biochemistry analytes. It is hoped that the NEQAS could be extended to the other private laboratories and that of academic institutions. However, this is dependent to a large extent on the manpower and financial support obtainable by the organizing body of the programme in the future. Belk and Sunderman, 1947 demonstrated that laboratories participating in an quality assessment scheme could rapidly and dramatically improve their analytical performance. In some countries, participation has become mandatory, and acceptable performance is a requirement in laboratory accreditation. The need and value of the NEQAP is, therefore, evident. While there may be limitations in the national programme. efforts are being made at improving the programme within the means and resources of the organising body. The goals of the NEQAP are not just to monitor performance but also to educate. On this, matters related to and supportive of these goals have also been pursued. The annual workshop/forum on quality controls had allowed exchange of information between representatives of participating laboratories and the organising body. Recently in the 1997 MOH Quality Improvement evaluation, Quality Control has been evaluated together with the other 17 such activities. The study on knowledge, attitude and practice has provided the necessary feedback and will be used for future planning in making efforts at increasing the effectiveness and benefits of the all QC activities including this NEQAP for clinical chemistry. In addition, there is a need to look into areas such as selection of methods and test systems, and improvement of continuing education, training as well as research in quality improvement as suggested by the Quality Improvement evaluation.
    Matched MeSH terms: Peer Review/methods*
  2. Fulltext The h-index in Elsevier’s Scopus as an indicator of research achievement for young Malaysian scientists
    Yap, C.K.
    Pertanika Journal of Science & Technology, 2012;20(2):197-203.
    MyJurnal
    If we were given a questionnaire of “How do we measure a researcher as a true scientist? with optional answers like (a) Having a good number of publications, (b) having attending numerous conferences, (c) with a high popularity as always appeared in mass media, and (d) good international networking and good public relations. Options (c) and (d) always come later after option (a) has been achieved, while option (b) can be simply achieved or abstract be accepted for presentation in any conference. Hitherto, publishing in any peer-reviewed journals carry a certain quality since they are highly subjected to peer review evaluation before the paper can be accepted for publication in a journal. Needless to say, those constructive comments given by the reviewers are very crucial in shaping our scientific understanding in our subject area rather than rejection experience (Yap, 2009). Having said so, option (a) will definitely be the best answer. The fact is that option (a) should not be argued whatsoever as the best answer [since publications speaks louder than anything else] and options (a), (b) and (c) are supplementary criteria to option (a) but they are not as vital as option (a). When we are asked ‘What is your scientific research performance or research output?’, the answer could always be ‘Having a good number of publications.’ Then, the next question forwarded is that ‘What is the quality and impact of your published papers to the scientific community?’ Of course, good and high impact factor journals always accept papers with high novelty in the subject area. Therefore, papers published in good journals are always highly cited and subsequently resulting in high impact (or citations) of the research done to the scientific community. However, the last question is sometimes very subjective and difficult to answer until h-index is introduced and discussed among the researchers. This paper aimed to discuss the h-index based on Elsevier’s Scopus database as an indicator of research achievement for young Malaysian scientists.
    Matched MeSH terms: Peer Review
  3. Reflections on a decade of research by ASEAN dental faculties: analysis of publications from ISI-WOS databases from 2000 to 2009
    Sirisinha S, Koontongkaew S, Phantumvanit P, Wittayawuttikul R
    J Investig Clin Dent, 2011 May;2(2):72-80.
    PMID: 25426599 DOI: 10.1111/j.2041-1626.2011.00048.x
    This communication analyzed research publications in dentistry in the Institute of Scientific Information Web of Science databases of 10 dental faculties in the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) from 2000 to 2009. The term used for the "all-document types" search was "Faculty of Dentistry/College of Dentistry." Abstracts presented at regional meetings were also included in the analysis. The Times Higher Education System QS World University Rankings showed that universities in the region fare poorly in world university rankings. Only the National University of Singapore and Nanyang Technological University appeared in the top 100 in 2009; 19 universities in the region, including Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand, appeared in the top 500. Data from the databases showed that research publications by dental institutes in the region fall short of their Asian counterparts. Singapore and Thailand are the most active in dental research of the ASEAN countries.
    Matched MeSH terms: Peer Review, Research
  4. Fulltext Responding to extremes: managing urban water scarcity in the late nineteenth-century Straits Settlements
    Williamson F
    Water Hist, 2020 Oct 29.
    PMID: 33144897 DOI: 10.1007/s12685-020-00260-6
    In 1877, the major towns of the Straits Settlements-Singapore, George Town, Penang Island and Malacca-suffered a drought of exceptional magnitude. The drought's natural instigator was the El Niño phase of the El Niño Southern Oscillation, a climatic phenomenon then not understood by contemporary observers. The 1877 event has been explored in some depth for countries including India, China and Australia. Its impact on Southeast Asia however is less well-known and the story of how the event unfolded in Singapore and Malaysia has not been told. This paper explores how the contemporary British government responded to the drought, arguing that its impact on hydraulic management was at best minimal yet, it did have impact on other areas, such as forest reservation with the hope of preserving future rainfall. It also highlights how, in contrast to studies on urban water plans in other British Asian colonies, the colonial authorities in the Straits Settlements had a far less coherent and meaningful relationship with water in their town planning schemes. As this paper is part of a special issue, Water History in the time of COVID-19, it has undergone modified peer review.
    Matched MeSH terms: Peer Review
  5. Fulltext Claw Trimming as a Lameness Management Practice and the Association with Welfare and Production in Dairy Cows
    Sadiq MB, Ramanoon SZ, Mansor R, Syed-Hussain SS, Shaik Mossadeq WM
    Animals (Basel), 2020 Aug 27;10(9).
    PMID: 32867064 DOI: 10.3390/ani10091515
    Lameness resulting from claw lesions remains a pressing welfare issue in dairy cows. Claw trimming (CT) is a common practice for prevention and management of clinically lame cows. This review summarizes the results of studies that have investigated various claw trimming (CT) methods, their application in lameness management, and associations with the welfare and production of dairy cows. The papers included in this review fulfilled the following inclusion criteria: published in peer review journal or book chapter within the last 20 years (1999-2019), written in English, and focused on the application of CT for lameness management and the association with either welfare or production variables. Databases used included Google scholar, Web of Science and PubMed. A total of 748 records were assessed and 61 papers were eligible for inclusion and the main objectives and results were used to categorize the results under six topics: CT techniques, association between CT and claw overgrowth/specific claw lesions, timing and frequency of CT, association between CT and behavioral variables, association between CT and physiological parameters, and association between CT and production. The literature findings showed the existence of various CT methods with the common types including the Dutch Five-step, White Line, White Line Atlas, and Kansas techniques. There is data paucity on the efficacy of these techniques in lameness management; however, the slight procedural difference yields varying sole thicknesses and presentations which may influence their prophylactic use. Results regarding the impact of CT on welfare and production were discussed in relation to potential short and long-term benefits. Depending on the lesion type and severity level, CT may induce immediate painful sensation, stress, changes in lying down activities and reduction in milk yield, but the positive impacts were more evident at later stages of lactation following improvement in locomotion score. The majority of the reviewed studies were lacking a detailed description of CT techniques and claw health of the studied animals; thus, reducing the strength of demonstrating CT-related benefits. However, electronic recording of claw health data during every CT visit provides the basis for monitoring hoof health and could assist in curtailing some of these challenges. To elucidate CT-related benefits, certain areas requiring further research were highlighted such as ascertaining the appropriate timing for preventive CT and identifying cows that will benefit more from such intervention during lactation.
    Matched MeSH terms: Peer Review
  6. Fulltext The Perils of Predatory Journals and Conferences
    Ibrahim S, Saw A
    Malays Orthop J, 2020 Jul;14(2):1-6.
    PMID: 32983372 DOI: 10.5704/MOJ.2007.003
    Predatory journals and conferences have little or no peer review. Their raison d'être is for making money through the article processing charges and the conference registration fees. Without a critical evaluation, predatory journals publishing flawed results and conclusions would cloud the existing scientific literature. Predatory conferences are the offshoots of predatory publishing. The conferences are not organised by learned societies, but by profit-making event organisers. There is a need for awareness among researchers and clinicians regarding predatory publishing. The scourge of predatory publishing and conferencing should be more often highlighted during scientific meetings and publication courses.
    Matched MeSH terms: Peer Review
  7. British Journal of Biomedical Science in 2020. What have we learned?
    Brown NW, Orchard G, Rhodes A
    Br J Biomed Sci, 2020 Oct;77(4):159-167.
    PMID: 33252323 DOI: 10.1080/09674845.2020.1827578
    Each year the British Journal of Biomedical Science publishes a 'What have we learned' editorial designed to introduce readers within the major disciplines of laboratory medicine to developments outside their immediate area. In addition it is designed to inform a wider readership of the advances in the diagnosis and treatment of disease. To this end, in 2020 the journal published 39 articles covering the disciplines within Biomedical Science in the 4 issues comprising volume 77. These included a review of COVID-19 in this issue, 27 original articles, 6 Biomedical Science 'In Brief' and 4 case histories. 27 of the articles involved molecular techniques, with one of these comparing results with a mass spectrometry based method. The preponderance of molecular genetic studies gives us a good idea of the likely future direction of the disciplines.
    Matched MeSH terms: Peer Review, Research/trends*
  8. Palliative Care Research in the Asia Pacific Region: A Systematic Review and Bibliometric Analysis of Peer-Reviewed Publications
    Cheong WL, Mohan D, Warren N, Reidpath DD
    J Palliat Med, 2019 May;22(5):545-552.
    PMID: 30570416 DOI: 10.1089/jpm.2018.0447
    Background:
    The state of palliative care research is closely linked to the development of palliative care services in a country or region.
    Objective:
    To systematically review the current state of palliative care research in the Asia Pacific region and analyze its relationship with the performance of each country in the region on the Economist Intelligence Unit's 2015 Quality of Death Index.
    Design:
    Systematic review and bibliographic analysis in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis Protocol 2015 (PRISMA-P).
    Data Sources:
    The PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, SCOPUS, CINAHL, and PsychiNFO databases were searched on February 4, 2018.
    Results:
    One thousand six hundred sixty-seven articles were reviewed. Eighteen out of 32 countries in the region published research. Around 74.15% (1236) of the articles were produced by high-income countries. Research output (articles per 1 m population) was closely linked to country performance on the Economist Intelligence Unit's 2015 Quality of Death Index (adjusted R2= 0.85). Palliative care research in the region is overwhelmingly focused on cancer (80.13% of articles reviewed). The most common themes of research were "palliative care service (24.45%)" and "clinical" (15.38%).
    Conclusions:
    Palliative care research in the region is growing but remains largely centered on the high-income countries, with many low- and middle-income countries having little published research output. Much work is required to drive research in these countries to generate the evidence required for the development of palliative care services. The emphasis on cancer in research also indicates that the needs of patients suffering from noncancer-related diseases may be neglected.
    Matched MeSH terms: Peer Review, Research*
  9. Fulltext Peer review and publication delay
    Fernandez-Llimos F, Pharmacy Practice 2018 peer reviewers
    Pharm Pract (Granada), 2019 03 21;17(1):1502.
    PMID: 31015883 DOI: 10.18549/PharmPract.2019.1.1502
    Selecting peer reviewers is a crucial stage of the editorial process that ensures the quality of scholarly publications. An alternative to selecting peer reviewers from data bases created with expressions of interest of volunteers consists in systematically searching PubMed for similar articles and inviting their authors to act as peer reviewers. Although this process might identify more appropriate peers, it also can increase the time of the editorial process. In 2018, Pharmacy Practice had to invite 4.70 (SE=0.33) potential reviewers per one accepting. The time from the first reviewer invitation to the last reviewer report received was 61 days (SE=2.1). These figures confirm the existence of a peer review crisis which is significantly increasing the publication delay.
    Matched MeSH terms: Peer Review
  10. Perspectives on double-blind peer review from collectivist cultural contexts
    Lapeña JFF, Munk PL, Saw A, Peh WC
    Med J Aust, 2019 05;210(8):347-348.e1.
    PMID: 30945753 DOI: 10.5694/mja2.50131
    Matched MeSH terms: Peer Review*
  11. Fulltext Exploring new frontiers of electronic publishing in biomedical science
    Ng KH
    Singapore Med J, 2009 Mar;50(3):230-4.
    PMID: 19352562
    Publishing is a hallmark of good scientific research. The aim of publishing is to disseminate new research knowledge and findings as widely as possible in a timely and efficient manner. Scientific publishing has evolved over the years with the advent of new technologies and demands. This paper presents a brief discussion on the history and status of electronic publishing. The Open Access Initiative was created with the aim of overcoming various limitations faced by traditional publishing access models. Innovations have opened up possibilities for electronic publishing to increase the accessibility, visibility, interactivity and usability of research. A glimpse of the future publishing landscape has revealed that scientific communication and research will not remain the same. The internet and advances in information technology will have an impact on the research landscape, scholarly publishing, research policy and funding, dissemination of knowledge, and the progress of science as a whole.
    Matched MeSH terms: Peer Review, Research
  12. Fulltext MJMS at the Dawn of Its Electronic Era
    Dewiputri WI, Mohamad I
    Malays J Med Sci, 2011 Jan;18(1):1-5.
    PMID: 22135566 MyJurnal
    This special editorial assessed the recent developments in Malaysian Journal of Medical Sciences (MJMS) and examined the characteristics of the submission, peer review, and publication processes for MJMS. This retrospective analysis used information about the manuscripts submitted to MJMS during the one-year period (from 1 June 2010 to 31 May 2010) since the start of current online submission and review system (ScholarOne(™) Manuscripts, Thomson Reuters). In addition, we also discussed the future directions of MJMS. Finally, we would like to recommend an annual internal audit for MJMS, which is very useful to monitor the growth of this journal progressively.
    Matched MeSH terms: Peer Review
  13. Fulltext Comment on "Poorly known aspects of flattening the curve of COVID-19″
    Mat Daud AA
    Technol Forecast Soc Change, 2021 Jun;167:120674.
    PMID: 33612869 DOI: 10.1016/j.techfore.2021.120674
    This short research note describes and summarizes several recent peer-reviewed and non-peer-reviewed studies on the concept of flattening-the-curve (FTC) in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. This note also highlights contradictory findings of these studies in terms of the effect of FTC on the total number of infections (the final epidemic size), and poses a research problem for future studies.
    Matched MeSH terms: Peer Review
  14. Proceedings in a disciplinary action at the Malaysian Medical Council
    Mahmud MN
    Med J Malaysia, 2005 Aug;60 Suppl D:32-4.
    PMID: 16315621
    Members of the medical profession are expected to be well aware and abide by the revised code of ethics adopted by the Malaysian Medical Council on 9th December 1986. Under the Act Council may, in the exercise of its disciplinary jurisdiction, impose punishments related to misconduct or malpractices. When a complaint or information is made against any practitioner, the President shall forward such complaint to the Chairman of the Preliminary Investigation Committee. The procedure of the disciplinary inquiry is not exactly like those in the court of law but the same principle of justice is adhered to and all evidence used to make a decision must only be those that are admissible in accordance with the rule of evidence.
    Matched MeSH terms: Peer Review, Health Care/methods
  15. Fulltext Methodologies for measuring sustainability of product/process: a review
    Pezhman Ghadimi, Noordin Mohd Yusof, Muhamad Zameri Mat Saman, Mahmood Asadi
    Pertanika Journal of Science & Technology, 2013;21(2):303-326.
    MyJurnal
    Academic and corporate interest in sustainable product and process development has risen considerably
    in recent years. This can be seen by the number of papers published and in particular by special issued of journals. This paper reports the results of a review of published peer-reviewed literature from 1987 to 2012 to provide an up-to-date picture of sustainability and sustainable assessment. A structured methodology is followed to narrow down the search from around 3500 papers to 111. A variety of different sustainability assessment methodologies are reviewed in two classified research areas: product sustainability assessment and process sustainability assessment. In presenting a detailed taxonomy of product and process sustainability assessment methods, the paper also outlines the advantages and weaknesses of the sustainability assessment methods. The review sheds light on the weak points of current research in this area. The paper also highlights several key issues which have to be taken into account in attempting to develop a product or process sustainability assessment research paradigm for future applications in manufacturing systems.
    Matched MeSH terms: Peer Review
  16. Fulltext Knowledge On Writing A Good Scientific Paper
    Low, W.Y.
    Malaysian Journal of Psychiatry, 2009;18(2):1-5.
    MyJurnal
    Research publication is an essential part of scientific research process. Writing is a means of communication of scientific work, a means to disseminate the research findings to the public and also to their peers. A scientific paper is a written and published report describing original research results. Getting a paper published in a well-respected peer-reviewed journal is an important goal for any researcher. It is an indication of research success. There are many reasons why people write and this ranged from pure altruism to pleasure to intellectual pursuits to contribute to the scientific knowledge, to improve patient care and to benefit the community and mankind. Reasons to write vary from one individual to another individual. Writing can be difficult and it is seen as a chore, such as, fulfilling a minimum requirement of an organization to get a job, a job confirmation or a promotion, and career development.
    Matched MeSH terms: Peer Review
  17. Preferred Reporting Items for study Designs in Endodontology (PRIDE): guiding authors to identify and correct reporting deficiencies in their manuscripts prior to peer review
    Nagendrababu V, Kishen A, Chong BS, Priya E, Duncan HF, Rôças IN, et al.
    Int Endod J, 2020 May;53(5):589-590.
    PMID: 32277771 DOI: 10.1111/iej.13276
    Matched MeSH terms: Peer Review*
  18. Fulltext Spinal fusion for chronic low back pain: A 'magic bullet' or wishful thinking?
    Dhillon KS
    Malays Orthop J, 2016 Mar;10(1):61-68.
    PMID: 28435551
    Chronic low back pain is a common, disabling and costly health problem. The treatment of chronic low back is difficult and is often ineffective. For treatment to be effective the cause of the pain has to be established but unfortunately in 80% to 95% of the patients the cause cannot be determined despite the existence of modern imaging techniques. A pathoanatomical diagnosis which fits into a classical disease model where successful treatment can be carried out, can only be made in 5% to 7% of the patients. The back pain in the rest of the patients where no pathoanatomical diagnosis can be made is often labelled, unscientifically, as chronic low back pain. Despite the existence of sophisticated imaging techniques and a plethora of diagnostic test the source of pain in patients with nonspecific back pain cannot be established. There exist no causal relationship between imaging findings of degenerated disc, lumbar facet arthritis, spondylosis, spondylolysis and spondylolisthesis, to the pain in these patients. Surgical treatment of non-specific back pain where no pathoanatomical diagnosis has been established is bound to fail. Therefore the outcome of spinal fusion in these patients can be no better than nonsurgical treatment. Spinal fusion is a major surgery which can be associated with significant morbidity and occasionally with mortality. Yet there is rapid rise in the rates of spinal fusion. There is a growing tension between ethics and conflicts of interest for surgeons. The spine, unfortunately, has been labelled as a profit centre and there are allegations of conflicts of interest in the relationship of doctors with the multi-billion dollar spinal devices industry. The devices industry has a significant influence on not only research publications in peer review journals but also on decisions made by doctors which can have a detrimental effect on the welfare of the patient.
    Matched MeSH terms: Peer Review
  19. Fulltext Conflicts of interest in orthopaedic surgery: The intertwining of orthopaedic surgery, peer review publications and corporate sponsorship
    Dhillon KS
    Malays Orthop J, 2015;9(1):47-59.
    MyJurnal
    Conflicts of interest in medicine has created deep concerns about the integrity of medicine and raised doubts about the trustworthiness of the medical professional. New stories of conflict of interest in medicine have become a commonplace. The interactions between the medical professional and the biomedical device as well as the pharmaceutical industry has become so pervasive that the primary interest of the medical professional in protecting and promoting the welfare of the patient has been compromised. The professional judgement and actions have been influenced by secondary interests, the major fungible and quantifiable being financial interest. The industry influence not only affects the way we practice orthopaedics but also affects medical education and peer review publications. Peer review publications have been shown to exaggerate benefits of the industry products while at the same time downplaying the risks. These conflicts of interest in orthopaedic surgery are particularly common in spinal and joint replacement surgery where joint replacement has been described as a ‘fashion trade’. The introduction of new products appears to be an uncontrolled experiment which has been hijacked by large corporations. This article explores the unhealthy pervasive interaction between the orthopaedic surgeon and the medical devices as well as the pharmaceutical industry. It highlights how the biomedical and the pharmaceutical industry dominate all aspects of the healthcare system. With its wealth and political clout, its influence is present everywhere, from the use of devices and drugs, research, publications, trials, education and even formulation of CGPs.
    Matched MeSH terms: Peer Review, Research
  20. Fulltext The characteristics and extent of food industry involvement in peer-reviewed research articles from 10 leading nutrition-related journals in 2018
    Sacks G, Riesenberg D, Mialon M, Dean S, Cameron AJ
    PLoS One, 2020;15(12):e0243144.
    PMID: 33326431 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0243144
    INTRODUCTION: There is emerging evidence that food industry involvement in nutrition research may bias research findings and/or research agendas. However, the extent of food industry involvement in nutrition research has not been systematically explored. This study aimed to identify the extent of food industry involvement in peer-reviewed articles from a sample of leading nutrition-related journals, and to examine the extent to which findings from research involving the food industry support industry interests.

    METHODS: All original research articles published in 2018 in the top 10 most-cited nutrition- and dietetics-related journals were analysed. We evaluated the proportion of articles that disclosed involvement from the food industry, including through author affiliations, funding sources, declarations of interest or other acknowledgments. Principal research findings from articles with food industry involvement, and a random sample of articles without food industry involvement, were categorised according to the extent to which they supported relevant food industry interests.

    RESULTS: 196/1,461 (13.4%) articles reported food industry involvement. The extent of food industry involvement varied by journal, with The Journal of Nutrition (28.3%) having the highest and Paediatric Obesity (3.8%) having the lowest proportion of industry involvement. Processed food manufacturers were involved in the most articles (77/196, 39.3%). Of articles with food industry involvement, 55.6% reported findings favourable to relevant food industry interests, compared to 9.7% of articles without food industry involvement.

    CONCLUSION: Food industry involvement in peer-reviewed research in leading nutrition-related journals is commonplace. In line with previous literature, this study has shown that a greater proportion of peer-reviewed studies involving the food industry have results that favour relevant food industry interests than peer-reviewed studies without food industry involvement. Given the potential competing interests of the food industry, it is important to explore mechanisms that can safeguard the integrity and public relevance of nutrition research.

    Matched MeSH terms: Peer Review
Related Terms
Filters
Contact Us

Please provide feedback to Administrator (afdal@afpm.org.my)

External Links