Displaying publications 1 - 20 of 41 in total

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  1. Soe HHK, Than NN, Lwin H, Phyu KL, Htay MNN, Moe S, et al.
    J Family Med Prim Care, 2018 9 21;7(4):756-761.
    PMID: 30234049 DOI: 10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_300_17
    Background: Disease surveillance is one of the major components to combat against infectious diseases. As health-care professionals are indispensable to mandatory notifiable disease surveillance, their knowledge and attitudes toward infectious disease notification played an important role for timely and effective reporting to the surveillance system. Therefore, we aimed to determine the knowledge of mandatory notifiable infectious diseases in Malaysia and attitude towards infectious disease reporting among final year medical students.

    Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from May to June 2017 in the private medical college in Malaysia.

    Materials and Methods: We purposively selected the final year (semester 10) medical students and a total of 124 students participated in this study. We collected data using a self-administered, structured questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent t-test, and one-way analysis of variance.

    Results: Among the final year medical students, 47.5% had moderate knowledge but 4.2% had good knowledge of mandatory infectious disease notification. Only 3.2% of the students correctly answered all the notifiable diseases listed in the questionnaire. Most of the students had positive attitude toward communicable diseases reporting, rewards, and penalty for notification. There was no significant relationship between sociodemographic characteristics and knowledge and attitude of infectious disease notification.

    Conclusions: The majority of the final year medical students had moderate level of knowledge and positive attitude of infectious disease notification; however, there were some deficiencies. Better instruction and training on infectious disease notification procedures of Malaysia should be provided to the final year medical students which could not only reduce underreporting but also improve timely and effective reporting in future.

    Matched MeSH terms: Reward
  2. Chin WC, Zaidi Isa, Abu Hassan Shaari Mohd Nor
    This study investigates the value-at-risk (VaR) using nonlinear time-varying volatility (ARCH model) and extreme-value-theory (EVT) methodologies. Similar VaR estimation and prediction are observes under the EVT and heavy-tailed long-memory ARCH approaches. The empirical results evidence the EVT-based VaR are more accurate but only at higher quantiles. It is also found that EVT approach is able to provide a convenient framework for asymmetric properties in both the lower and upper tails which implies that the risk and reward are not equally likely for the short- and long-trading positions in Malaysian stock market.
    Matched MeSH terms: Reward
  3. Rakesh, S., Hazli, Z., Ahmad Nabil, M.R.
    MyJurnal
    Objective: Individuals with ADHD are known to have more risk of developing substance use disorder (SUD). However the underlying mechanisms behind it are not straightforward. Method: We report a case of an adult with ADHD, who has a long standing history of polysubstance use, since the age of 10. He had multiple relapses, even after numerous efforts undertaken to keep him drug-free. Result: ADHD symptoms were not optimally treated during admission. He had preference towards opioid-based and amphetamine-type substances in order to attain euphoria. Conclusion: Taking into account the biological and psycho-social condition of this man, we discussed the role of ADHD from the perspective of dysfunctional rewards system and other possible factors in explaining his drug-craving behavior.
    Matched MeSH terms: Reward
  4. Sharifa Ezat, A., Aljunid, S.M.
    MyJurnal
    A cross·sectional study was done to determine the capacity of Public Health Inspectors in Selangor using a seh administered questionnaire and universal sampling, to determine the enforcement of public health legislation and its influencing factors. A total of 99 respondents from the District Health Offices and 100 respondents from the Local Health Departments participated. The level of enforcement is generally low in all the units except for the Food Unit and Sanitary and Hygiene Units. Factors influencing enforcement of Public Health Legislations are the unit where the respondents worlc and the length of service with the unit. Further analysis using multiple logistic regression, found that respondents from the Food Unit (OR ZZ; 95% C1: 7 .9-58.9 ) , being in the
    U8 category (OR 5; 95% C1: l.4» 17.6), service offour years and above in the same unit (OR 6; 95% C1: 2.2»13.8) , received service rewards (OR 3; 95% C1 : 1.2· 6.9); low exposure to bribery (OR 46; 95% C1: 2.3·100.0) and offered bribes while on the field (OR 3; 95% C1: 1.02» 4.8) have higher kvel enforcement performance. Attention must be given to the enforcement organization with respect to duration of service, service awards and monitoring of bribes exposure to help develop the enforcement of public health legislations.
    Matched MeSH terms: Reward
  5. Masum AK, Azad MA, Hoque KE, Beh LS, Wanke P, Arslan Ö
    PeerJ, 2016;4:e1896.
    PMID: 27168960 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.1896
    The aim of this study was to identify the facets influencing job satisfaction and intention to quit of nurses employed in Turkey. Using a non-probability sampling technique, 417 nurses from six large private hospitals were surveyed from March 2014 to June 2014. The nurses' demographic data, their job-related satisfaction and turnover intentions were recorded through a self-administered questionnaire. In this study, descriptive and bivariate analyses were used to explore data, and multivariate analysis was performed using logistic regression. Nurses' job satisfaction was found at a moderate level with 61% of the nurses intended to quit. Nevertheless, nurses reported a high satisfaction level with work environment, supervisor support, and co-workers among the selected nine facets of job satisfaction. They also reported a low satisfaction level with contingent reward, fringe benefits, and pay. The impact of demographic characteristics on job satisfaction and intention to quit was also examined. The study revealed a negative relationship between job satisfaction and intention to quit the existing employment. Moreover, satisfaction with supervisor support was the only facet that significantly explained turnover intent when controlling for gender, age, marital status, education, and experience. The implications for nurse management were also described for increasing nurses' job satisfaction and retention. This study is beneficial for hospital management to ensure proper nursing care that would lead to a better quality healthcare service.
    Matched MeSH terms: Reward
  6. Shekhawat KS, Chauhan A
    Indian J Dent Res, 2019 3 23;30(1):125-126.
    PMID: 30900670 DOI: 10.4103/ijdr.IJDR_27_17
    Counting citations have been the usual norm to determine the impact of any research and/or scholar. However, with majority of the scholarly activities happening on the World Wide Web, traditional counting of citations is now being termed "slower." The recent explosion of online data storage for many articles may serve as a pool which uses social media sites to navigate. Altmetrics has been proposed as the new entity which aims to change the focus of the scholarly reward system to value and encourage web-native scholarship. This paper makes an attempt to understand altmetrics.
    Matched MeSH terms: Reward
  7. Rakhshani F, Moghaddam AA, Shahraki-Sanavi F, Mohammadi M, Fakhrerahimi S
    Malays J Med Sci, 2018 Mar;25(2):82-94.
    PMID: 30918458 DOI: 10.21315/mjms2018.25.2.9
    Background: This study was carried out on Iranian female adolescents to understand health needs for the purpose of designing health promoting intervention in schools.

    Methods: In this exploratory qualitative study, two focus group discussion (15 teachers) and 30 individual in-depth interviews were conducted among female adolescents in the eighth grade in Zahedan, Iran. Qualitative content analysis was used for data evaluation.

    Results: The views of students and teachers demonstrated nine of needs including: informing students about the schools' health project aims, education and training all dimensions of health with an emphasis on mental health, use of experts in various fields for education from other organisations, employing capable and trusted counselors in schools, utilisation of a variety of teaching methods, activating reward systems for encouraging students' participation in group activities, teaching communication and the ability to establish good relationships with parents and strategies for resolving family conflict, teaching parents and students high-risk behaviours and strategies for handling them as well as reforming wrong attitudes and indigenous sub-culture.

    Conclusion: This study found the different needs of Iranian female students compared to other cultures about a health promoting school programme. Therefore, their contribution can provide an insight for formulating policies and intervention in schools.

    Matched MeSH terms: Reward
  8. Salim MA, van der Veen FM, van Dongen JD, Franken IH
    Biol Psychol, 2015 Sep;110:50-8.
    PMID: 26188154 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2015.07.001
    Psychopathy has been associated with behavioral adaptation deficits, which might be associated with problems in feedback and reward processing. In the present study, we examined the relation between psychopathic traits and reward processing in a passive gambling task. A total of 39 male participants who scored high (HP) and 39 male participants who scored low (LP) on the Triarchic Psychopathy Measure (TriPM), total score were tested. Feedback-related Event-Related Potentials (ERPs; i.e., P2, FRN, and P3) on predicted and unpredicted rewards and reward omissions were compared between both groups. It was found that in HP individuals, the P2 was enhanced for predicted rewards and reward omissions, but not for unpredicted stimuli. Moreover, HP individuals as compared to the LP individuals demonstrated a generally reduced P3 amplitude. The FRN amplitude, however, did not differ between the two groups. In addition, HP individuals showed enhanced reward sensitivity on the self-report level. Taken together, these findings suggest that HP individuals show enhanced sensitivity to early and reduced sensitivity to later markers of processing reinforcement learning signals, which points in the direction of compromised behavioral adaptation.
    Matched MeSH terms: Reward*
  9. Sahak MK, Mohamed AM, Hashim NH, Hasan Adli DS
    PMID: 24454487 DOI: 10.1155/2013/180598
    Nigella sativa, an established historical and religion-based remedy for a wide range of health problems, is a herbal medicine known to have antioxidant and neuroprotective effects. This present study investigated the effect of Nigella sativa oil (NSO) administration on the spatial memory performance (SMP) of male adult rats using eight-arm radial arm maze (RAM). Twelve Sprague Dawley rats (7-9 weeks old) were force-fed daily with 6.0  μ L/100 g body weight of Nigella sativa oil (NSO group; n = 6) or 0.1 mL/100 g body weight of corn oil (control) (CO group; n = 6) for a period of 20 consecutive weeks. For each weekly evaluation of SMP, one day food-deprived rats were tested by allowing each of them 3 minutes to explore the RAM for food as their rewards. Similar to the control group, the SMP of the treated group was not hindered, as indicated by the establishment of the reference and working memory components of the spatial memory. The results demonstrated that lesser mean numbers of error were observed for the NSO-treated group in both parameters as compared to the CO-treated group. NSO could therefore enhance the learning and memory abilities of the rats; there was a significant decrease in the overall mean number of working memory error (WME) in the NSO-treated group.
    Matched MeSH terms: Reward
  10. Effendy MA, Yunusa S, Zain ZM, Hassan Z
    Neurosci Lett, 2021 10 15;763:136183.
    PMID: 34418508 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2021.136183
    BACKGROUND: Mitragynine, the major indole alkaloid from Mitragyna speciosa has been reported previously to possess abuse liability. However, there are insufficient data suggesting the mechanism through which this pharmacological agent causes addiction.

    AIMS: In this study, we investigated the effects of mitragynine on dopamine (DA) level and dopamine transporter (DAT) expression from the rat's frontal cortex.

    METHODS: DA level was recorded in the brain samples of animals treated with acute or repeated exposure for 4 consecutive days with either vehicle or mitragynine (1 and 30 mg/kg) using electrochemical sensor. Animals were then decapitated and the brain regions were removed, snap-frozen in liquid nitrogen and immediately stored at -80 °C. DA level was quantified using Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits and DAT gene expression was determined using quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR).

    RESULTS/OUTCOME: Mitragynine (1 and 30 mg/kg) did not increase DA release following acute treatment, however, after repeated exposure at day 4, mitragynine significantly and dose dependently increased DA release in the frontal cortex. In this study, we also observed a significant increase in DAT mRNA expression at day 4 in group treated with mitragynine (30 mg/kg).

    CONCLUSION/INTERPRETATION: Data from this study indicates that mitragynine significantly increased DA release when administered repeatedly, increased in DAT mRNA expression with the highest tested dose (30 mg/kg). Therefore, the rewarding effects observed after mitragynine administration could be due to its ability to increase DA content in certain areas of the brain especially the frontal cortex.

    Matched MeSH terms: Reward*
  11. Loganathan K, Ho ETW
    Addict Behav, 2021 05;116:106816.
    PMID: 33453587 DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2021.106816
    Over the years, various models have been proposed to explain the psychology and biology of drug addiction, built primarily around the habit and compulsion models. Recent research indicates drug addiction may be goal-directed, motivated by excessive valuation of drugs. Drug consumption may initially occur for the sake of pleasure but may transition to a means of escaping withdrawal, stress and negative emotions. In this hypothetical paper, we propose a value-based neurobiological model for drug addiction. We posit that during dependency, the value-based decision-making system in the brain is not inactive but has instead prioritized drugs as the reward of choice. In support of this model, we consider the role of valuation in choice, its influence on pleasure and punishment, and how valuation is contrasted in impulsive and compulsive behaviours. We then discuss the neurobiology of value, beginning with the dopaminergic system and its relationship with incentive salience before moving to brain-wide networks involved in valuation, control and prospection. These value-based neurobiological components are then integrated into the cycle of addiction as we consider the development of drug dependency from a valuation perspective. We conclude with a discussion of cognitive interventions utilizing value-based decision-making, highlighting not just advances in recalibrating the valuation system to focus on non-drug rewards, but also areas for improvement in refining this approach.
    Matched MeSH terms: Reward
  12. Sakai S, Inoue T
    Am J Bot, 1999 Jan;86(1):56-61.
    PMID: 21680345
    Lowiaceae, a family of the Zingiberales, comprise 11 species in the single genus Orchidantha. Here we present the first report on the pollination of Lowiaceae and describe a new system of dung-beetle pollination from Sarawak, Borneo. Orchidantha inouei has a zygomorphic flower located just above the ground. Observations revealed that the plant is visited frequently and is pollinated by scarabaeid dung beetles, mainly members of the genus Onthophagus. All four species of Onthophagus collected on O. inouei have also been caught using traps baited with dung or carrion in Borneo. Onthophagus was presumably attracted to the dung-like odor of the flower. Pollination of O. inouei is different from other examples of beetle pollination in that its flower provides neither reward nor protected space. Dung beetles are excellent at following a particular dung scent. Orchidantha is the only genus that includes species lacking floral nectar. It is interesting that this deception pollination using dung beetles was found in Zingiberales, in which all known species have mutual and specialized relationships with their long-distance, but costly, pollinators-bees, birds, and bats.
    Matched MeSH terms: Reward
  13. Sakai S, Momose K, Yumoto T, Kato M, Inoue T
    Am J Bot, 1999 Jan;86(1):62-9.
    PMID: 21680346
    Pollination ecology of an emergent tree species, Shorea (section Mutica) parvifolia (Dipterocarpaceae), was studied using the canopy observation system in a lowland dipterocarp forest in Sarawak, Malaysia, during a general flowering period in 1996. Although the species has been reported to be pollinated by thrips in Peninsular Malaysia, our observations of flower visitors and pollination experiments indicated that beetles (Chrysomelidae and Curculionidae, Coleoptera) contributed to pollination of S. parvifolia in Sarawak. Beetles accounted for 74% of the flower visitors collected by net-sweeping, and 30% of the beetles carried pollen, while thrips accounted for 16% of the visitors, and 12% of the thrips carried pollen. The apical parts of the petals and pollen served as a reward for the beetles. Thrips stayed inside the flower almost continuously after arrival, and movements among flowers were rare. Fruit set was significantly increased by introduction of beetles to bagged flowers, but not by introduction of thrips. Hand-pollination experiments and comparison of fruit set in untreated, bagged, and open flowers suggested that S. parvifolia was mainly outbreeding.
    Matched MeSH terms: Reward
  14. Momose K, Yumoto T, Nagamitsu T, Kato M, Nagamasu H, Sakai S, et al.
    Am J Bot, 1998 Oct;85(10):1477-501.
    PMID: 21684899
    Flowerings and flower visitors were observed continuously in alowland dipterocarp forest in Sarawak, Malaysia, for 53 mo in1992-1996. Flower visitors of 270 plant species were observed orcollected, and pollinators were assessed by observing body contact tostigmas and anthers. We recognized 12 categories of pollination systems.Among them, plants pollinated by social bees included the largest numberof species (32%) and were followed by beetle-pollinated species(20%). Pollination systems were significantly related with somefloral characters (flowering time of day, reward, and floral shape), butnot with floral color. Based on the relationships between pollinatorsand floral characters, we described pollination syndromes found in alowland dipterocarp forest. The dominance of social bees and beetlesamong pollinators is discussed in relation to the general floweringobserved in dipterocarp forests of West Malesia. In spite of high plantspecies diversity and consequent low population densities of lowlanddipterocarp forests, long-distance-specific pollinators were uncommoncompared with theNeotropics.
    Matched MeSH terms: Reward
  15. Kanwal N, Isha ASN
    Front Public Health, 2022;10:805733.
    PMID: 35372179 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.805733
    BACKGROUND: Social media activities affect every aspect of human life, be it personal, social or professional. Previous studies have confirmed the role of social media in affecting health in terms of releasing stress and providing social support. Increased occupational health disorders and increased time spent on social media activities motivate us to investigate this phenomenon in the context of occupational health. Therefore, the objective of this study is to measure the effects of social media activities related to personal and social life as well as work-life on health and wellbeing of office employees, on their job efforts and job rewards, and in moderating the effect of effort-reward imbalance on health and wellbeing.

    METHODS: Initially, to develop constructs related to social media activities, web-based structured interviews were conducted with five office employees working in the oil and gas industry for the last 5 years. Then, using an online questionnaire survey, data was collected from 424 office employees working in the oil and gas industry in Malaysia. Using statistical software for social science (SPSS) and Smart PLS, exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis were conducted to identify reliability and validity (discriminant validity, convergent validity and composite validity) of the constructs. Following this, path analysis was conducted and the moderating effects were identified.

    RESULTS: Social media activities related to work-life decrease health and wellbeing by 11% and weaken the negative effect of effort-reward-imbalance on health and wellbeing by 17.6% at a 1% level of significance. The results of social media activities related to personal and social life strengthen the negative effect of effort-reward imbalance on health and wellbeing by 12% and negatively affects health and wellbeing and job rewards by 13, 55%, respectively. The direct effect of effort-reward imbalance and job efforts is significantly negative on health and wellbeing by 59 and 10%, respectively.

    CONCLUSION: It is concluded that social media activities of the office employees significantly moderate the effect of effort-reward imbalance on health and wellbeing and intervene in job rewards in the organizations. Hence, the effect of social media activities reduces the health and wellbeing of office employees.

    Matched MeSH terms: Reward
  16. Krigolson OE, Hassall CD, Satel J, Klein RM
    Brain Res, 2015 Nov 19;1627:225-32.
    PMID: 26431993 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2015.09.028
    The neural systems that afford our ability to evaluate rewards and punishments are impacted by a variety of external factors. Here, we demonstrate that increased cognitive load reduces the functional efficacy of a reward processing system within the human medial-frontal cortex. In our paradigm, two groups of participants used performance feedback to estimate the exact duration of one second while electroencephalographic (EEG) data was recorded. Prior to performing the time estimation task, both groups were instructed to keep their eyes still and avoid blinking in line with well established EEG protocol. However, during performance of the time-estimation task, one of the two groups was provided with trial-to-trial-feedback about their performance on the time-estimation task and their eye movements to induce a higher level of cognitive load relative to participants in the other group who were solely provided with feedback about the accuracy of their temporal estimates. In line with previous work, we found that the higher level of cognitive load reduced the amplitude of the feedback-related negativity, a component of the human event-related brain potential associated with reward evaluation within the medial-frontal cortex. Importantly, our results provide further support that increased cognitive load reduces the functional efficacy of a neural system associated with reward processing.
    Matched MeSH terms: Reward
  17. Tan SB, Lee YL, Tan SN, Ng TY, Teo YT, Lim PK, et al.
    J Hosp Palliat Nurs, 2020 10;22(5):407-414.
    PMID: 32898385 DOI: 10.1097/NJH.0000000000000678
    Palliative care providers find meaning in their work, even though stress, burnout, and compassion fatigue can be a concern. In this study, we aimed to explore the experiences of well-being of palliative care providers in Malaysia. Data collected using semistructured interviews were thematically analyzed. Eighteen palliative care providers participated: 9 doctors and 9 nurses. Five subthemes were generated: (1) values and strengths, (2) coping and work-life balance, (3) social support and spirituality, (4) passion and satisfaction, and (5) learning, growth, and transformation. These subthemes were further categorized into 2 themes: resilience and reward. The results may inform the development of interventions in the promotion and sustenance of well-being of palliative care providers.
    Matched MeSH terms: Reward
  18. Cheng KS, Lee JX, Lee PF
    Int J Occup Saf Ergon, 2021 Mar;27(1):258-266.
    PMID: 29658406 DOI: 10.1080/10803548.2018.1459348
    Purpose. Work performance is closely related to one's attention level. In this study, a brain-computer interface (BCI) device suitable for office usage was chosen to quantify the individual's attention levels. Methods. A BCI system was adopted to interface brainwave signals to a coffee maker via three ascending levels of laser detectors. The preliminary test with this prototype was to characterize the attention level through the collected coffee amount. Here, the preliminary testing was comparing the correlation between the attention level and the participants' cumulative grade point average (CGPA) and scores from the 21-item depression, anxiety, and stress scale (DASS-21) and the attentional control scale (ACS) using ordinal regression. It was assumed that a greater CGPA would generate a greater attention level. Result. The generated coffee amount from the BCI system had a significant positive correlation with the CGPA (p = 0.004), mild depression (p = 0.019) and mild and extremely severe anxiety (p = 0.044 and p = 0.019, respectively) and a negative correlation with the ACS score (p = 0.042). Conclusion. This simple and cost-effective prototype has the potential to enable everyone to know their immediate attention level and predict the possible correlation to their mental state.
    Matched MeSH terms: Reward
  19. Sirageldin, Abubakr, Baharum Baharudin, Low, Tang Jung
    MyJurnal
    Developing a trust management scheme in mobile computing environment is increasingly important,
    and the effective trust management model is a challenging task. Business, education, military, and
    entertainment have motivated the growth of ubiquitous and pervasive computing environments, which are always available due to the widespread of portable and embedded devices. Wireless and mobile computing are good example of ubiquitous and pervasive computing environments. Due to the uncertainty and mobility in such environments, the issue of trust has been regarded as an important security problem. Malicious nodes are a major threat to these networks; the trust system can monitor the behaviour of nodes and accordingly rewards well-behaved nodes and punishes misbehaving ones. At present, there are a lot of endeavours on the trust model of the pervasive computing environment. In this paper, a trust management framework for mobile computing is presented. The hybrid framework is based on a fusion of the support vector machine (SVM) and fuzzy logic system. From the results, it can be stated that the framework is effective, dynamic, lightweight, and applicable.
    Matched MeSH terms: Reward
  20. Shaiful Ehsan Shalihin, Mohd Aznan MA, Mohamad Haniki NM
    MyJurnal
    Number of active smokers in Malaysia is increasing despite availability of stop smoking clinics and smoking cessation medications. Thus, the practice of the healthcare professionals involved in providing smoking cessation intervention using evidence-based guidelines needs to be assessed using validated assessment tool. Newly invented reliable and valid questionnaire locally is needed. This study aimed to develop and validate a newly modified questionnaire to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice of medical doctors based on national smoking cessation guidelines and factors contributing to the score. The 22 items consists of true/false questions and Likert scaling response based on domain of 5A’s (ask, assess, advice, assist, arrange) and 5R’s (relevant, risks, rewards, roadblocks, repetitions) of the national stop-smoking guideline. Sample size is calculated based on five respondents to one item ratio. The questionnaires were distributed to 131 primary care doctors. Reliability was determined using Cronbach’s alpha for internal consistency while construct validity was assessed using factor analysis. A high degree of internal consistency was observed (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.87), with good knowledge subscale (0.72), attitude subscale (0.58) and practice subscale (0.92). Factor analysis showed three meaningful finalized components (knowledge, attitude and practice) which represent the smoking cessation framework. This study indicates that this revised questionnaire is more reliable and valid tool to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice on stop smoking guidelines compared to previous questionnaire.
    Matched MeSH terms: Reward
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