Displaying publications 21 - 40 of 85 in total

Abstract:
Sort:
  1. Sharifah Maimunah SM, Hashim HA
    Percept Mot Skills, 2016 Feb;122(1):227-37.
    PMID: 27420318 DOI: 10.1177/0031512515625383
    This study compares two versions of progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) training (7 and 16 muscle groups) on oxygen consumption (VO2), heart rates, rating of perceived exertion and choice reaction time. Football (soccer) players (N = 26; M age = 13.4 yr., SD = 0.5) were randomly assigned to either 7 muscle groups PMR, 16 muscle groups PMR, or a control group. PMR training requires the participants to tense a muscle, hold the muscle contraction, and then relax it. Measurement was conducted prior to and after the completion of 12 sessions of PMR. The dependent variables were measured following four bouts of intermittent exercise consisting of 12 min. of running at 60% VO2max for 10 min. followed by running at 90% VO2max for 2 min. with a 3-min. rest for each bout. Lower VO2, heart rate, perceived exertion, and quicker reaction time were expected in both relaxation groups compared to the control group. The results revealed a significant reduction in heart rates and choice reaction time for both relaxation groups, but the longer version produced significantly quicker choice reaction time.
  2. Amin L, Hashim H, Mahadi Z, Ismail K
    BMC Med Res Methodol, 2018 12 05;18(1):163.
    PMID: 30518344 DOI: 10.1186/s12874-018-0619-2
    BACKGROUND: The demand in biobanking for the collection and maintenance of biological specimens and personal data from civilians to improve the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases has increased notably. Despite the advancement, certain issues, specifically those related to privacy and data protection, have been critically discussed. The purposes of this study are to assess the willingness of stakeholders to participate in biobanking and to determine its predictors.

    METHODS: A survey of 469 respondents from various stakeholder groups in the Klang Valley region of Malaysia was carried out. Based on previous research, a multi-dimensional instrument measuring willingness to participate in biobanking, and its predictors, was constructed and validated. A single step Structural Equation Modelling was performed to analyse the measurements and structural model using the International Business Machines Corporation Software Package for Social Sciences, Analysis of Moment Structures (IBM SPSS Amos) version 20 with a maximum likelihood function.

    RESULTS: Malaysian stakeholders in the Klang Valley were found to be cautious of biobanks. Although they perceived the biobanks as moderately beneficial (mean score of 4.65) and were moderately willing to participate in biobanking (mean score of 4.10), they professed moderate concern about data and specimen protection issues (mean score of 4.33). Willingness to participate in biobanking was predominantly determined by four direct predictors: specific application-linked perceptions of their benefits (β = 0.35, p 
  3. Hashim H, Maruyama H, Akita Y, Arai F
    Sensors (Basel), 2019 Nov 29;19(23).
    PMID: 31795304 DOI: 10.3390/s19235247
    This work describes a hydrogel fluorescence microsensor for prolonged stable temperature measurements. Temperature measurement using microsensors has the potential to provide information about cells, tissues, and the culture environment, with optical measurement using a fluorescent dye being a promising microsensing approach. However, it is challenging to achieve stable measurements over prolonged periods with conventional measurement methods based on the fluorescence intensity of fluorescent dye because the excited fluorescent dye molecules are bleached by the exposure to light. The decrease in fluorescence intensity induced by photobleaching causes measurement errors. In this work, a photobleaching compensation method based on the diffusion of fluorescent dye inside a hydrogel microsensor is proposed. The factors that influence compensation in the hydrogel microsensor system are the interval time between measurements, material, concentration of photo initiator, and the composition of the fluorescence microsensor. These factors were evaluated by comparing a polystyrene fluorescence microsensor and a hydrogel fluorescence microsensor, both with diameters of 20 µm. The hydrogel fluorescence microsensor made from 9% poly (ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) 575 and 2% photo initiator showed excellent fluorescence intensity stability after exposure (standard deviation of difference from initial fluorescence after 100 measurement repetitions: within 1%). The effect of microsensor size on the stability of the fluorescence intensity was also evaluated. The hydrogel fluorescence microsensors, with sizes greater than the measurement area determined by the axial resolution of the confocal microscope, showed a small decrease in fluorescence intensity, within 3%, after 900 measurement repetitions. The temperature of deionized water in a microchamber was measured for 5400 s using both a thermopile and the hydrogel fluorescence microsensor. The results showed that the maximum error and standard deviation of error between these two sensors were 0.5 °C and 0.3 °C, respectively, confirming the effectiveness of the proposed method.
  4. Saleh MA, Hanapiah FA, Hashim H
    Disabil Rehabil Assist Technol, 2021 08;16(6):580-602.
    PMID: 32706602 DOI: 10.1080/17483107.2019.1685016
    PURPOSE: Technological advances in robotics have brought about exciting developments in different areas such as education, training, and therapy. Recent research has suggested that the robot can be even more effective in rehabilitation, therapy, and education for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). In this paper, a comprehensive review of robotic technology for children with ASD is presented wherein a large number of journals and conference proceedings in science and engineering search engines' databases were implicated.

    MATERIALS AND METHODS: A search for related literature was conducted in three search engines' databases, Web of Science, Scopus, and IEEE Xplore. Thematic keywords were used to identify articles in the recent ten years in titles, keywords, and abstracts. The retrieved articles were filtered, analysed, and evaluated based on specific inclusion and exclusion criteria.

    RESULTS: A total of 208 studies were retrieved, while 166 met the inclusion criteria. The selected studies were reviewed according to the type of robot, the participants, objectives, and methods. 68 robots were used in all studies, NAO robot was used in 30.5% of those studies. The total number of participants in all studies was 1671. The highest percentage of the studies reviewed were dedicated to augmenting the learning skills.

    CONCLUSIONS: Robots and the associated schemes were used to determine their feasibility and validity for augmenting the learning skills of autistic children. Most of the studies reviewed were focused on improving the social communication skills of autistic children and measuring the extent of robot mitigation of stereotyped autistic behaviours.Implications for rehabilitationSocial robots are not considered as promising tools to be utilized for rehabilitation of autistic children only, but also has been used for children and young people with severe intellectual disability.Rehabilitation for individuals with ASD using robots can augment their cognitive and social skills, but further studies should be conducted to clarify its effectiveness based on other factors such as sex, age and IQ of the participates.Robotic-based rehabilitation is not limited to the physical robots only, but virtual robots have been used also, whereas each of which can be used individually or simultaneously. However, further study is required to assess the extent of its efficiency and effectiveness for both cases.

  5. Hashim H, Maruyama H, Masuda T, Arai F
    Sensors (Basel), 2016 Dec 01;16(12).
    PMID: 27916931
    Manipulation and injection of single nanosensors with high cell viability is an emerging field in cell analysis. We propose a new method using fluorescence nanosensors with a glass nanoprobe and optical control of the zeta potential. The nanosensor is fabricated by encapsulating a fluorescence polystyrene nanobead into a lipid layer with 1,3,3-trimethylindolino-6'-nitrobenzopyrylospiran (SP), which is a photochromic material. The nanobead contains iron oxide nanoparticles and a temperature-sensitive fluorescent dye, Rhodamine B. The zeta potential of the nanosensor switches between negative and positive by photo-isomerization of SP with ultraviolet irradiation. The positively-charged nanosensor easily adheres to a negatively-charged glass nanoprobe, is transported to a target cell, and then adheres to the negatively-charged cell membrane. The nanosensor is then injected into the cytoplasm by heating with a near-infrared (NIR) laser. As a demonstration, a single 750 nm nanosensor was picked-up using a glass nanoprobe with optical control of the zeta potential. Then, the nanosensor was transported and immobilized onto a target cell membrane. Finally, it was injected into the cytoplasm using a NIR laser. The success rates of pick-up and cell immobilization of the nanosensor were 75% and 64%, respectively. Cell injection and cell survival rates were 80% and 100%, respectively.
  6. Awang NA, Abdullah L, Hashim H
    J Ambient Intell Humaniz Comput, 2023;14(6):6919-6946.
    PMID: 34721710 DOI: 10.1007/s12652-021-03550-w
    Bonferroni mean (BM) operators have been established as a powerful tool for handling the interrelationship between the input arguments under various decision-making information. However, the existing BM operators do not take into account the overall interaction among decision makers or criteria. To overcome this limitation, this study considers the Shapley fuzzy measure (SFM) with the normalized weighted BM (NWBM) operator under a neutrosophic environment. In addition, the current research ignores the bipolarity and hesitancy during decision elicitations, resulting in the imprecise decision results. In this paper, the hesitant bipolar-valued neutrosophic set (HBNS) which is the extension of hesitant fuzzy set and bipolar neutrosophic set is employed. The main focus of this paper is in the development of an aggregation operator for HBNS. Based on the literature review, we would like to fill in the gaps by developing a hesitant bipolar-valued neutrosophic Shapley NWBM (HBN-SNWBM) operator where the overall interaction among decision makers can be considered. Besides that, a three-phase decision making framework is also proposed to show the applicability of the proposed aggregation operator to the real-world decision problems. The HBN-SNWBM operator and the decision making framework are applied to two examples of investment selection where evaluations are implemented using the proposed aggregations that based upon hesitant bipolar-valued neutrosophic sets. In the first example, it is found that a weapon company is the best alternative for investment followed by a food company. Sensitivity of parameters of the aggregation operator is also analysed and it is found that the ranking results are consistent despite of different parameter values used. This verifies the insensitivity of p,q parameters in the developed aggregation operator. The proposed decision making framework and hesitant bipolar-valued neutrosophic sets would be a great significance for the practical implementation of the aggregation operators.
  7. Lin GSS, Tan WW, Hashim H
    Br Dent J, 2024 Mar 15.
    PMID: 38491204 DOI: 10.1038/s41415-024-7184-3
    Aim The present study aimed to explore the perceptions of dental students regarding the ethical considerations associated with the use of artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms in clinical decision-making.Methods All the undergraduate clinical-year dental students were invited to take part in the study. A validated online questionnaire which consisted of 21 closed-ended questions (five-point Likert scales) was distributed to the students to evaluate their perceptions on the topic. Mean perception scores of the students from different years were analysed using a one-way ANOVA test, while independent t-tests were used to compare the scores between sexes.Results In total, 165 students participated in the present study. The mean age of the respondents was 23.3 (± 1.38) years and the majority were female, Chinese students. Respondents showed positive perceptions throughout all three domains. Uniform and comparable perceptions were seen across various academic years and sexes, with female respondents expressing stronger agreement regarding patient consent and privacy prioritisation.Conclusion Undergraduate clinical dental students generally showed positive perceptions regarding the ethical considerations associated with the integration of AI algorithms in clinical decision-making. It is essential to address these ethical considerations to ensure that AI benefits patient outcomes while upholding fundamental ethical principles and patient-centred care.
  8. Hashim H, Rahmat K, Abdul Aziz YF, Chandran PA
    Ear Nose Throat J, 2014 Jun;93(6):E20-3.
    PMID: 24932824
    We report the case of a 30-year-old woman who was referred to us for evaluation of a 2-week history of fever, headache, vomiting, bilateral ptosis, and blurred vision. Imaging obtained by the referring institution had identified a sphenoid sinus mass and diffuse meningeal infiltration, which was thought to represent an infective process. We subsequently identified the mass as a metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The patient was placed under palliative care, and she died 1 month later. Metastases to the sphenoid sinus from any primary source are very rare, and they are generally not considered in the radiologic differential diagnosis. HCC is known to metastasize to the lung, lymph nodes, and musculoskeletal system; again, reported cases of metastasis to the sphenoid sinus are rare. Indeed, our review of the English-language literature found only 6 previously reported cases of sinonasal metastasis of a primary HCC. A diagnosis of a sinonasal metastasis is more difficult in a patient who has no previous diagnosis of a primary malignancy. In presenting this case, our aim is to remind readers of this possibility.
  9. Hashim HA, Jawis MN, Wahat A, Grove JR
    Psychol Health Med, 2014;19(3):335-43.
    PMID: 23796233 DOI: 10.1080/13548506.2013.808751
    The moderating effect of exercise habit strength and specific habit processes within the theory of planned behavior (TPB) was tested in children.
  10. Hashim H, Mughrabi FF, Ameen M, Khaledi H, Ali HM
    Molecules, 2012 Aug 03;17(8):9306-20.
    PMID: 22864239 DOI: 10.3390/molecules17089306
    Indolic compounds have attracted a lot of attention due to their interesting biological properties. The present study was performed to evaluate the subacute toxicity and anti-ulcer activity of BClHC against ethanol-induced gastric ulcers. Experimental animal groups were orally pre-treated with different doses of BClHC (50, 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg) in 10% Tween 20 solution (vehicle). Blank and ulcer control groups were pre-treated with vehicle. The positive group was orally pretreated with 20 mg/kg omeprazole. After one hour, all groups received absolute ethanol (5 mL/kg) to generate gastric mucosal injury except the blank control group which was administered the vehicle solution. After an additional hour, all rats were sacrificed, and the ulcer areas of the gastric walls determined. Grossly, the ulcer control group exhibited severe mucosal injury, whereas pre-treatment with either derivative or omeprazole resulted in significant protection of gastric mucosal injury. Flattening of gastric mucosal folds was also observed in rats pretreated with BClHC. Histological studies of the gastric wall of ulcer control group revealed severe damage of gastric mucosa, along with edema and leucocytes infiltration of the submucosal layer compared to rats pre-treated with either BClHC or omeprazole where there were marked gastric protection along with reduction or absence of edema and leucocytes infiltration of the submucosal layer. Subacute toxicity study with a higher dose of derivative (5 g/kg) did not manifest any toxicological signs in rats. In conclusions, the present finding suggests that benzyl N'-(5-chloroindol-3-ylmethylidene)hydrazinecarbodithioate promotes ulcer protection as ascertained by the comparative decreases in ulcer areas, reduction of edema and leucocytes infiltration of the submucosal layer.
  11. Sudaryanto A, Kunisue T, Tanabe S, Niida M, Hashim H
    Arch Environ Contam Toxicol, 2005 Oct;49(3):429-37.
    PMID: 16132420
    This study determined the concentrations of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), organochlorine (OC) pesticides, and tris(4-chlorophenyl) methane (TCPMe) in human breast milk samples collected in 2003 from primipara mothers living in Penang, Malaysia. OCs were detected in all the samples analyzed with DDTs, hexachlorocyclohexane isomers (HCHs), and PCBs as the major contaminants followed by chlordane compounds (CHLs), hexachlorobenzene (HCB), and TCPMe. The residue levels of DDTs, HCHs, and CHLs were comparable to or higher than those in general populations of other countries, whereas PCBs and HCB were relatively low. In addition, dioxins and related compounds were also detected with a range of dioxin equivalent concentrations from 3.4 to 24 pg-TEQs/g lipid wt. Levels of toxic equivalents (TEQs) were slightly higher than those in other developing countries but still much lower than those of industrialized nations. One donor mother contained a high TEQs level, equal to the mean value in human breast milk from Japan, implying that some of the residents in Malaysia may be exposed to specific pollution sources of dioxins and related compounds. No association was observed between OCs concentrations and maternal characteristics, which might be related to a limited number of samples, narrow range of age of the donor mothers, and/or other external factors. The recently identified endocrine disrupter, TCPMe, was also detected in all human breast milk samples of this study. A significant positive correlation was observed between TCPMe and DDTs, suggesting that technical DDT might be a source of TCPMe in Malaysia. The present study provides a useful baseline for future studies on the accumulations of OCs in the general population of Malaysia.
  12. Hashim H, Sahari NS, Sazlly Lim SM, Hoo FK
    Iran Red Crescent Med J, 2015 Oct;17(10):e19546.
    PMID: 26568856 DOI: 10.5812/ircmj.19546
    INTRODUCTION: The introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), in 1996, has resulted in marked reductions in the rate of illness and death, due to HIV infection. The HAART has transformed HIV infection into a manageable chronic disease. However, although many regimens lower plasma viral load, to below the limit of detection, in most patients, maintaining viral load suppression remains challenging, because of adverse effects and toxicity in the long term, which can lead to non-adherence, virologic failure and drug resistance. Although rare, lactic acidosis often develops fatal complications, as reported in several human immunodeficiency virus infected patients treated with nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs). The purpose of this paper is to report a case of tenofovir induced lactic acidosis and review the literature.

    CASE PRESENTATION: A 52-year-old Malay gentleman, with hepatitis C virus and HIV infection was admitted to the intensive care unit for severe lactic acidosis, with concurrent Escherichia coli bacteremia with multiorgan dysfunction. The patient was started on highly active antiretroviral therapy, which included tenofovir, 5 weeks before presentation. Antimicrobial therapy, continuous veno-venous hemofiltration, and other supportive treatments were instituted. However, the patient eventually succumbed to his illness.

    CONCLUSIONS: It is essential for clinicians to be able to recognize the signs and symptoms of lactic acidosis in NRTIs treated HIV patients, as an early diagnosis is important to institute treatment.

  13. Hoo PY, Hashim H, Ho WS, Yunus NA
    J Environ Manage, 2019 Jul 01;241:603-611.
    PMID: 30616893 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2018.11.092
    Energy is widely used in industry for heating and cooling, with natural gas (NG) being the largest primary energy source in Malaysia, closely followed by coal. Renewable energy, such as biogas upgrading to biomethane, could cut the use of fossil fuels by supplementing NG usage due to their similar physicochemical and thermochemical characteristics. Biogas production plants in Malaysia are more commonly seen in waste-to-energy scenarios, with the technology anaerobic digestion, and their deployment is supported via feed-in tariffs (FiT) for power generation. Other potential applications such as the conversion of biogas into biomethane, injection into the natural gas grid or transportation through a virtual pipeline may still need further technical development. This paper presents spatial techno economic optimisation modelling using BeWhere to determine decentralised biomethane production plants using feedstock from multiple sources of biogas, including palm oil mill effluent (POME), food waste, cattle manure and chicken manure. This model considered potential configurations and sizes of the biomethane plants, the transportation of biomethane using a virtual pipeline (at 250 psig) and demand in one of the states in Malaysia, namely Johor. It was found that two to four biomethane plants with capacities ranging between 125 and 700 m3/h were located in densely populated areas or heavier industrial consumers when the carbon tax was implemented at 167.71 EUR/tCO2 (800 MYR/tCO2). Sensitivity analysis suggested that biomethane production increases with the increasing country renewable energy share target to beyond 2080 MW. It is recommended that specific policy regulations and Feed-in Tariff (FiT) mechanisms are used to expand the biomethane market share in the country.
  14. Mohamed-Yassin MS, Baharudin N, Ramli AS, Hashim H
    Malays Fam Physician, 2019;14(1):47-52.
    PMID: 31289633
    It remains a challenge to diagnose aortic dissection in primary care, as classic clinical features are not always present. This case describes an atypical presentation of aortic dissection, in which the patient walked in with pleuritic central chest pain associated with a fever and elevated C-reactive protein. Classic features of tearing pain, pulse differentials, and a widened mediastinum on chest X-ray were absent. This unusual presentation highlights the need for a heightened level of clinical suspicion for aortic dissection in the absence of classic features. The case is discussed with reference to the literature on the sensitivity and specificity of the classic signs and symptoms of aortic dissection. A combination of the aortic dissection detection risk score (ADD-RS) and D-dimer test is helpful in ruling out this frequently lethal condition.
  15. Yee A, Loh HS, Hisham Hashim HM, Ng CG
    Int J Impot Res, 2014 Sep-Oct;26(5):161-6.
    PMID: 24990199 DOI: 10.1038/ijir.2014.18
    Methadone maintenance treatment is proven to be effective treatment for opioid dependence. Of the many adverse events reported, sexual dysfunction is one of the most common side effects. However, there may be other clinical factors that are associated with sexual dysfunction among methadone users. We conducted a meta-analysis to examine the clinical factors associated with sexual dysfunction among male patients on methadone and buprenorphine treatments, of which eligible studies were selected using prior defined criteria. A total of 2619 participants from 16 eligible studies, published from inception till December 2012, were identified from the PubMed, OVID and EMBASE databases. The included studies provided prevalence estimates for sexual dysfunction among methadone users with a meta-analytical pooled prevalence of 52% (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.39-0.65). Only four studies compared sexual dysfunction between the two groups, with a significantly higher combined odds ratio in the methadone group (odds ratio=4.01, 95% CI, 1.52-10.55, P=0.0049). Our study shows that eight clinical factors are associated with sexual dysfunction among men receiving opioid substitution treatment, namely age, hormone assays, duration of treatment, methadone dose, medical status, psychiatric illness, other current substance use and familial status, and methadone versus buprenorphine treatment. Despite the methodological limitations, the findings of this meta-analysis study may offer better insights to clinicians in dealing with both sexual dysfunction and its related problems.
  16. Miptah HN, Ramli AS, Mohamad M, Hashim H, Tharek Z
    BMC Fam Pract, 2020 11 20;21(1):238.
    PMID: 33218301 DOI: 10.1186/s12875-020-01306-7
    BACKGROUND: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is an emerging novel cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factor. It's prevalence is increasing globally. However, there is paucity in the evidence showing the association between NAFLD and CVD risk in primary care setting. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence and factors associated with NAFLD among patients with ≥1 risk factor for NAFLD or CVD attending primary care clinics.

    METHODOLOGY: A cross sectional study was conducted in two clinics at a university primary care centre. Patients aged ≥18 years with ≥1 risk factor for NAFLD or CVD were recruited. Participants with history of established liver disease or chronic alcohol use were excluded. Socio-demographics, clinical related data, anthropometric measurements and blood investigation results were recorded in a proforma. Diagnosis of NAFLD was made using abdominal ultrasound. The 10-year CVD risk was calculated using the general Framingham Risk Score (FRS). Multiple logistic regression (MLogR) was performed to identify independent factors associated with NAFLD.

    RESULTS: A total of 263 participants were recruited. The mean age was 52.3 ± 14.7 years old. Male and female were equally distributed. Majority of the participants were Malays (79.8%). The overall prevalence of NAFLD was 54.4% (95%CI 48,60%). Participants in the high FRS category have higher prevalence of NAFLD (65.5%), followed by those in the moderate category (55.4%) and the low category (46.3%), p = 0.025. From MLogR, independent factors associated with NAFLD were being employed (OR = 2.44, 95%CI 1.26,4.70, p = 0.008), obesity with BMI ≥27.5 (OR = 2.89, 95%CI 1.21,6.91, p = 0.017), elevated fasting glucose ≥5.6 mmol/L (OR = 2.79, 95%CI 1.44,5.43, p = 0.002), ALT ≥34 U/L (OR = 3.70, 95%CI 1.85,7.44, p 

  17. Amin L, Hashim H, Mahadi Z, Che Ngah A, Ismail K
    Xenotransplantation, 2018 11;25(6):e12430.
    PMID: 29932474 DOI: 10.1111/xen.12430
    BACKGROUND: Advances in xenotransplantation have the potential to resolve the issue of organ shortages. Despite this, the procedure is expected to meet with a degree of resistance from the public. The purpose of this study was to identify the relevant factors influencing stakeholders' attitudes towards xenotransplantation.

    METHODS: A multidimensional survey instrument measuring attitudes to xenotransplantation, including the factors that predict such attitudes, was developed based on earlier studies and validated. It was then completed by 469 respondents who were stratified in accordance with stakeholder groups in Malaysia. A single-step SEM analysis was then conducted to estimate the measurement and create a structural model using IBM SPSS Amos version 20 with a maximum-likelihood function.

    RESULTS: The attitudes of Malaysian stakeholders towards xenotransplantation were moderately positive (mean score of 4.20). The most important direct predictor of attitude to xenotransplantation was perceived benefit (β = 0.59, P 

  18. Hashim H, Ng JS, Ngo JX, Ng YZ, Aravindkumar B
    Sleep Sci, 2022;15(4):399-406.
    PMID: 36419820 DOI: 10.5935/1984-0063.20220070
    OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to look into the associations between lifestyle factors, gender, clinical level, and sleep quality among undergraduate dental students at a private university in Malaysia.

    MATERIAL AND METHODS: A self-administered Pittsburg sleep quality index (PSQI) scale and the lifestyle and habits questionnaire-brief (LHQ-B) were used in this cross-sectional study. A global PSQI score of greater than 5 indicates poor sleep quality. All university dental students were invited to take part. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression analyses were used to analyze the data.

    RESULTS: A total of 338 students took part in the study, with a response rate of 90.4%. The proportion of females was higher (68.3 %) and more than half of the respondents (56.7 %) were in their clinical years. The prevalence of poor sleep quality was 36.7%. At multivariable level, poor sleep quality was associated with being male (OR=1.72 [95% confidence interval (1.05, 2.83)] and engaging in an unhealthy lifestyle for psychological health (OR=2.64 [95% confidence interval (1.34, 5.21)] and nutrition (OR=2.48 [95% confidence interval (1.028, 4.82)].

    CONCLUSION: The prevalence of poor sleep quality among undergraduate dental students in our study was comparable to that found in other studies. Male students were more likely to have poor sleep quality than female students. Our findings indicate that poor sleep quality (PSQI score >5) may be linked to unhealthy lifestyle habits related to psychological health and nutrition. Health education that emphasizes these domains is essential for improving their lifestyle habits and sleep quality.

  19. Amin L, Hashim H, Mahadi Z, Ibrahim M, Ismail K
    Biotechnol Biofuels, 2017;10:219.
    PMID: 28932261 DOI: 10.1186/s13068-017-0908-8
    BACKGROUND: Concern about the inevitable depletion of global energy resources is rising and many countries are shifting their focus to renewable energy. Biodiesel is one promising energy source that has garnered much public attention in recent years. Many believe that this alternative source of energy will be able to sustain the need for increased energy security while at the same time being friendly to the environment. Public opinion, as well as proactive measures by key players in industry, may play a decisive role in steering the direction of biodiesel development throughout the world. Past studies have suggested that public acceptance of biofuels could be shaped by critical consideration of the risk-benefit perceptions of the product, in addition to the impact on the economy and environment.

    RESULTS: The purpose of this study was to identify the relevant factors influencing stakeholders' attitudes towards biodiesel derived from crops such as palm oil for vehicle use, as well as to analyse the interrelationships of these factors in an attitude model. A survey of 509 respondents, consisting of various stakeholder groups in the Klang Valley region of Malaysia, was undertaken. The results of the study have substantiated the premise that the most important direct predictor of attitude to biodiesel is the perceived benefits (β = 0.80, p 

Related Terms
Filters
Contact Us

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

External Links