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Fulltext Amalan perancang keluarga dan faktor hubungkait bagi penduduk wanita daerah Hulu Langat, Selangor

Jamsiah, M., Rahmah, M.A., Sh Ezat, W.P., Shamsul, A.S.

Malaysian Journal of Community Health, 2009;15(1):57-63.
MyJurnal

Background : Family planning is a method to control family size and to increase the intervals between chidbirths using multiple methods of contraceptives.
Objectives : This study aims to determine the pravelance of family planning practice among married women (wife less than 55 years old) and its related factors and also to determine the husbands knowledge on family planning and their support.
Methodology : This is a cross sectional study done through direct interviews amongst 118 married couples in Kampung Sesapan Batu Mingkabau, Hulu Langat Selangor.
Results : On family planning practise, 43.2% of couples is currently practising, 22.0% have practiced but stopped and 34.8% have never used any types of family planning methods. As high as 75% of wives received support from their husband to pratice family planning. There is a significant association between family planning practice and wife’s age, husband’s age, wife’s occupation, wife’s education, wife’s knowledge and husband’s support. Husband’s knowledge , number of live children and husband’s education have no significant assocation in influencing family planning practice.
Conclusion : To achieve better knowledge and family planning practises, husband’s involvement and support must be encouraged to ensure the correct informations and support are delivered to both couples. Approach through husbands is regarded as one of the key factors to the success of rural women family planning practice.

Matched MeSH terms: Family Characteristics
An application of the theory of planned behaviour to study the influencing factors of participation in source separation of food waste

Karim Ghani WA, Rusli IF, Biak DR, Idris A

Waste Manag, 2013 May;33(5):1276-81.
PMID: 23415709 DOI: 10.1016/j.wasman.2012.09.019

Tremendous increases in biodegradable (food waste) generation significantly impact the local authorities, who are responsible to manage, treat and dispose of this waste. The process of separation of food waste at its generation source is identified as effective means in reducing the amount food waste sent to landfill and can be reused as feedstock to downstream treatment processes namely composting or anaerobic digestion. However, these efforts will only succeed with positive attitudes and highly participations rate by the public towards the scheme. Thus, the social survey (using questionnaires) to analyse public's view and influencing factors towards participation in source separation of food waste in households based on the theory of planned behaviour technique (TPB) was performed in June and July 2011 among selected staff in Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor. The survey demonstrates that the public has positive intention in participating provided the opportunities, facilities and knowledge on waste separation at source are adequately prepared by the respective local authorities. Furthermore, good moral values and situational factors such as storage convenience and collection times are also encouraged public's involvement and consequently, the participations rate. The findings from this study may provide useful indicator to the waste management authorities in Malaysia in identifying mechanisms for future development and implementation of food waste source separation activities in household programmes and communication campaign which advocate the use of these programmes.

Matched MeSH terms: Family Characteristics
Fulltext Analysing the Predictors of Financial Stress and Financial Well-Being among the Bottom 40 Percent (B40) Households in Malaysia

Mansor M, Sabri MF, Mansur M, Ithnin M, Magli AS, Husniyah AR, et al.

Int J Environ Res Public Health, 2022 Sep 30;19(19).
PMID: 36231802 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph191912490

This paper aims to analyse factors affecting financial stress among the Bottom 40 Percent (B40) group of Malaysian households, reflecting overall financial well-being. Data were collected through questionnaires from 1008 respondents across five major regions in Malaysia. The data were analysed using Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). This study provides evidence that financial behaviour, financial vulnerability (debt and income), and locus of control (luck and self-confidence) significantly affect financial stress among B40 households. The results show a significantly positive relationship between financial stress with financial vulnerability (debt and income) and locus of control (self-confidence). On the contrary, financial behaviour and locus of control (luck) show a significant negative relationship with financial stress. The result also indicates that financial stress affects financial well-being. Overall, the findings indicate that policy-makers should invent more effective and substantial stimulus packages or other measures to reduce the financial burden on B40 households. The findings could eventually provide insights for future research to delve into the social impact of financial stress. This study also has established a valid and reliable instrument to measure financial stress involving B40 households in Malaysia that eventually reflects the financial well-being of this group of people.

Matched MeSH terms: Family Characteristics*
Fulltext Anti-High Mobility Group Box-1 Monoclonal Antibody Attenuates Seizure-Induced Cognitive Decline by Suppressing Neuroinflammation in an Adult Zebrafish Model

Paudel YN, Othman I, Shaikh MF

Front Pharmacol, 2020;11:613009.
PMID: 33732146 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2020.613009

Epilepsy is a chronic brain disease afflicting around 70 million global population and is characterized by persisting predisposition to generate epileptic seizures. The precise understanding of the etiopathology of seizure generation is still elusive, however, brain inflammation is considered as a major contributor to epileptogenesis. HMGB1 protein being an initiator and crucial contributor of inflammation is known to contribute significantly to seizure generation via activating its principal receptors namely RAGE and TLR4 reflecting a potential therapeutic target. Herein, we evaluated an anti-seizure and memory ameliorating potential of an anti-HMGB1 monoclonal antibody (mAb) (1, 2.5 and 5 mg/kg, I.P.) in a second hit Pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) (80 mg/kg, I.P.) induced seizure model earlier stimulated with Pilocarpine (400 mg/kg, I.P.) in adult zebrafish. Pre-treatment with anti-HMGB1 mAb dose-dependently lowered the second hit PTZ-induced seizure but does not alter the disease progression. Moreover, anti-HMGB1 mAb also attenuated the second hit Pentylenetetrazol induced memory impairment in adult zebrafish as evidenced by an increased inflection ration at 3 and 24 h trail in T-maze test. Besides, decreased level of GABA and an upregulated Glutamate level was observed in the second hit PTZ induced group, which was modulated by pre-treatment with anti-HMGB1 mAb. Inflammatory responses occurred during the progression of seizures as evidenced by upregulated mRNA expression of HMGB1, TLR4, NF-κB, and TNF-α, in a second hit PTZ group, which was in-turn downregulated upon pre-treatment with anti-HMGB1 mAb reflecting its anti-inflammatory potential. Anti-HMGB1 mAb modulates second hit PTZ induced changes in mRNA expression of CREB-1 and NPY. Our findings indicates anti-HMGB1 mAb attenuates second hit PTZ-induced seizures, ameliorates related memory impairment, and downregulates the seizure induced upregulation of inflammatory markers to possibly protect the zebrafish from the incidence of further seizures through via modulation of neuroinflammatory pathway.

Matched MeSH terms: Family Characteristics
Are economic selection indices always superior to a desired gains index?

Yamada Y

Theor Appl Genet, 1995 Sep;91(4):655-8.
PMID: 24169894 DOI: 10.1007/BF00223293

CONCLUSIONS: The comparison of different selection indices is justified only if the indices are constrated to achieve the same profit function, even when each index is not optimized with respect to that profit function.When a profit function is known and is non-linear, the desired gains index may be more efficient than the economic index. The optimum desired gains index should be determined by iterative techniques over several generations to compare the genetic progress with the economic index, because gains by the economic index are not linear and the changes observed in the initial generations of selection are not the same rates in future generations, although those changes are linear in the case of the desired gains index.

Matched MeSH terms: Family Characteristics
Fulltext Arene diazonium saccharin intermediates: a greener and cost-effective alternative method for the preparation of aryl iodide

Zaharani L, Ghaffari Khaligh N, Shahnavaz Z, Rafie Johan M

Turk J Chem, 2020;44(3):535-542.
PMID: 33488175 DOI: 10.3906/kim-2002-26

In the current protocol, the arene diazonium saccharin derivatives were initially produced from various substituted aromatic amines; subsequently, these intermediates were treated with a greener organic iodide for the preparation of the aryl iodide. We tried to choose low-cost, commercially available, biodegradable, recoverable, ecofriendly, and safe reagents and solvents. The arene diazonium saccharin intermediates could be stored in the liquid phase into a refrigerator for a long time with no significant loss activity. The outstanding merits of the current protocol (a) included the partial recovering of saccharin and tetraethylammonium salt, (b) reduce the use of solvents and the reaction steps due to eliminating separation and purification of intermediates, (c) good yield of the sterically hindered substrates, and (d) avoid the generation of heavy metal or corrosive waste.

Matched MeSH terms: Family Characteristics
Fulltext Assessment of DSM Based on Radiometric Transformation of UAV Data

Chaudhry MH, Ahmad A, Gulzar Q, Farid MS, Shahabi H, Al-Ansari N

Sensors (Basel), 2021 Feb 27;21(5).
PMID: 33673425 DOI: 10.3390/s21051649

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) is one of the latest technologies for high spatial resolution 3D modeling of the Earth. The objectives of this study are to assess low-cost UAV data using image radiometric transformation techniques and investigate its effects on global and local accuracy of the Digital Surface Model (DSM). This research uses UAV Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) data from 80 meters and UAV Drone data from 300 and 500 meters flying height. RAW UAV images acquired from 500 meters flying height are radiometrically transformed in Matrix Laboratory (MATLAB). UAV images from 300 meters flying height are processed for the generation of 3D point cloud and DSM in Pix4D Mapper. UAV LIDAR data are used for the acquisition of Ground Control Points (GCP) and accuracy assessment of UAV Image data products. Accuracy of enhanced DSM with DSM generated from 300 meters flight height were analyzed for point cloud number, density and distribution. Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) value of Z is enhanced from ±2.15 meters to 0.11 meters. For local accuracy assessment of DSM, four different types of land covers are statistically compared with UAV LIDAR resulting in compatibility of enhancement technique with UAV LIDAR accuracy.

Matched MeSH terms: Family Characteristics
Association between household food access insecurity and nutritional status indicators among children aged <5 years in Nepal: results from a national, cross-sectional household survey

Sreeramareddy CT, Ramakrishnareddy N, Subramaniam M

Public Health Nutr, 2015 Nov;18(16):2906-14.
PMID: 25435296 DOI: 10.1017/S1368980014002729

OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between household food insecurity score and Z-scores of childhood nutritional status indicators.
DESIGN: Population-based, cross-sectional survey, Nepal Demographic and Health Survey 2011.
SETTING: A nationally representative sample of 11 085 households selected by a two-stage, stratified cluster sampling design to interview eligible men and women.
SUBJECTS: Children (n 2591) aged 0-60 months in a sub-sample of households selected for men's interview.
RESULTS: Prevalence of moderate and severe household food insecurity was 23·2% and 19·0%, respectively, for children aged 0-60 months. Weighted prevalence rates for stunting (height-for-age Z-score (HAZ)

Matched MeSH terms: Family Characteristics*
Associations of occupational, transportation, household and leisure-time physical activity patterns with metabolic risk factors among middle-aged adults in a middle-income country

Chu AH, Moy FM

Prev Med, 2013;57 Suppl:S14-7.
PMID: 23276774 DOI: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2012.12.011

This study investigates physical activity in different domains and its association with metabolic risk factors among middle-aged adults.

Matched MeSH terms: Family Characteristics*
Fulltext Asymptomatic and Submicroscopic Carriage of Plasmodium knowlesi Malaria in Household and Community Members of Clinical Cases in Sabah, Malaysia

Fornace KM, Nuin NA, Betson M, Grigg MJ, William T, Anstey NM, et al.

J Infect Dis, 2016 Mar 01;213(5):784-7.
PMID: 26433222 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiv475

Although asymptomatic carriage of human malaria species has been widely reported, the extent of asymptomatic, submicroscopic Plasmodium knowlesi parasitemia is unknown. In this study, samples were obtained from individuals residing in households or villages of symptomatic malaria cases with the aim of detecting submicroscopic P. knowlesi in this population. Four published molecular assays were used to confirm the presence of P. knowlesi. Latent class analysis revealed that the estimated proportion of asymptomatic individuals was 6.9% (95% confidence interval, 5.6%-8.4%). This study confirms the presence of a substantial number of asymptomatic monoinfections across all age groups; further work is needed to estimate prevalence in the wider community.

Matched MeSH terms: Family Characteristics
Attendance at a child health clinic in Malaysia

Chen PC

J Trop Med Hyg, 1975 Jan;78(1):6-12.
PMID: 1121041

One hundred and ninety-nine children brought by 181 adults to a child health clinic based in a rural health sub-centre in Peninsular Malaysia are studied. It is noted that the families from which they come are relatively poor, with a large number of children, and that they are fairly highly motivated. Forty-four per cent of children attending the clinic at the time of the study are symptomatic indicating the need to organise the child health clinic on a "preventive-curative" basis. It is also noted that the young child is initially seen in early infancy but is lost to the clinic when he is older making it judicious to formulate immunization schedules that take this into account.

Matched MeSH terms: Family Characteristics
Autonomy for whom? A perspective from the Orient

Ng LF, Shumacher A, Goh CB

Palliat Med, 2000 Mar;14(2):163-4.
PMID: 10829153 DOI: 10.1191/026921600669696020
Matched MeSH terms: Family Characteristics
Availability and affordability of cardiovascular disease medicines and their effect on use in high-income, middle-income, and low-income countries: an analysis of the PURE study data

Khatib R, McKee M, Shannon H, Chow C, Rangarajan S, Teo K, et al.

Lancet, 2016 Jan 2;387(10013):61-9.
PMID: 26498706 DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(15)00469-9

BACKGROUND: WHO has targeted that medicines to prevent recurrent cardiovascular disease be available in 80% of communities and used by 50% of eligible individuals by 2025. We have previously reported that use of these medicines is very low, but now aim to assess how such low use relates to their lack of availability or poor affordability.
METHODS: We analysed information about availability and costs of cardiovascular disease medicines (aspirin, β blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, and statins) in pharmacies gathered from 596 communities in 18 countries participating in the Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiology (PURE) study. Medicines were considered available if present at the pharmacy when surveyed, and affordable if their combined cost was less than 20% of household capacity-to-pay. We compared results from high-income, upper middle-income, lower middle-income, and low-income countries. Data from India were presented separately given its large, generic pharmaceutical industry.
FINDINGS: Communities were recruited between Jan 1, 2003, and Dec 31, 2013. All four cardiovascular disease medicines were available in 61 (95%) of 64 urban and 27 (90%) of 30 rural communities in high-income countries, 53 (80%) of 66 urban and 43 (73%) of 59 rural communities in upper middle-income countries, 69 (62%) of 111 urban and 42 (37%) of 114 rural communities in lower middle-income countries, eight (25%) of 32 urban and one (3%) of 30 rural communities in low-income countries (excluding India), and 34 (89%) of 38 urban and 42 (81%) of 52 rural communities in India. The four cardiovascular disease medicines were potentially unaffordable for 0·14% of households in high-income countries (14 of 9934 households), 25% of upper middle-income countries (6299 of 24,776), 33% of lower middle-income countries (13,253 of 40,023), 60% of low-income countries (excluding India; 1976 of 3312), and 59% households in India (9939 of 16,874). In low-income and middle-income countries, patients with previous cardiovascular disease were less likely to use all four medicines if fewer than four were available (odds ratio [OR] 0·16, 95% CI 0·04-0·57). In communities in which all four medicines were available, patients were less likely to use medicines if the household potentially could not afford them (0·16, 0·04-0·55).
INTERPRETATION: Secondary prevention medicines are unavailable and unaffordable for a large proportion of communities and households in upper middle-income, lower middle-income, and low-income countries, which have very low use of these medicines. Improvements to the availability and affordability of key medicines is likely to enhance their use and help towards achieving WHO's targets of 50% use of key medicines by 2025.
FUNDING: Population Health Research Institute, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario, AstraZeneca (Canada), Sanofi-Aventis (France and Canada), Boehringer Ingelheim (Germany and Canada), Servier, GlaxoSmithKline, Novartis, King Pharma, and national or local organisations in participating countries.

Matched MeSH terms: Family Characteristics
Fulltext Availability, affordability, and consumption of fruits and vegetables in 18 countries across income levels: findings from the Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiology (PURE) study

Miller V, Yusuf S, Chow CK, Dehghan M, Corsi DJ, Lock K, et al.

Lancet Glob Health, 2016 10;4(10):e695-703.
PMID: 27567348 DOI: 10.1016/S2214-109X(16)30186-3

BACKGROUND: Several international guidelines recommend the consumption of two servings of fruits and three servings of vegetables per day, but their intake is thought to be low worldwide. We aimed to determine the extent to which such low intake is related to availability and affordability.
METHODS: We assessed fruit and vegetable consumption using data from country-specific, validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaires in the Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiology (PURE) study, which enrolled participants from communities in 18 countries between Jan 1, 2003, and Dec 31, 2013. We documented household income data from participants in these communities; we also recorded the diversity and non-sale prices of fruits and vegetables from grocery stores and market places between Jan 1, 2009, and Dec 31, 2013. We determined the cost of fruits and vegetables relative to income per household member. Linear random effects models, adjusting for the clustering of households within communities, were used to assess mean fruit and vegetable intake by their relative cost.
FINDINGS: Of 143 305 participants who reported plausible energy intake in the food frequency questionnaire, mean fruit and vegetable intake was 3·76 servings (95% CI 3·66-3·86) per day. Mean daily consumption was 2·14 servings (1·93-2·36) in low-income countries (LICs), 3·17 servings (2·99-3·35) in lower-middle-income countries (LMICs), 4·31 servings (4·09-4·53) in upper-middle-income countries (UMICs), and 5·42 servings (5·13-5·71) in high-income countries (HICs). In 130 402 participants who had household income data available, the cost of two servings of fruits and three servings of vegetables per day per individual accounted for 51·97% (95% CI 46·06-57·88) of household income in LICs, 18·10% (14·53-21·68) in LMICs, 15·87% (11·51-20·23) in UMICs, and 1·85% (-3·90 to 7·59) in HICs (ptrend=0·0001). In all regions, a higher percentage of income to meet the guidelines was required in rural areas than in urban areas (p<0·0001 for each pairwise comparison). Fruit and vegetable consumption among individuals decreased as the relative cost increased (ptrend=0·00040).
INTERPRETATION: The consumption of fruit and vegetables is low worldwide, particularly in LICs, and this is associated with low affordability. Policies worldwide should enhance the availability and affordability of fruits and vegetables.
FUNDING: Population Health Research Institute, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario, AstraZeneca (Canada), Sanofi-Aventis (France and Canada), Boehringer Ingelheim (Germany and Canada), Servier, GlaxoSmithKline, Novartis, King Pharma, and national or local organisations in participating countries.

Matched MeSH terms: Family Characteristics
Fulltext Bacterial Larvicide, Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis Strain AM 65-52 Water Dispersible Granule Formulation Impacts Both Dengue Vector, Aedes aegypti (L.) Population Density and Disease Transmission in Cambodia

Setha T, Chantha N, Benjamin S, Socheat D

PLoS Negl Trop Dis, 2016 09;10(9):e0004973.
PMID: 27627758 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0004973

A multi-phased study was conducted in Cambodia from 2005-2011 to measure the impact of larviciding with the bacterial larvicide, Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti), a water dispersible granule (WG) formulation on the vector, Aedes aegypti (L.) and the epidemiology. In our studies, all in-use containers were treated at 8 g/1000 L, including smaller containers and animal feeders which were found to contribute 23% of Ae aegypti pupae. The treated waters were subjected to routine water exchange activities. Pupal production was suppressed by an average 91% for 8 weeks. Pupal numbers continued to remain significantly lower than the untreated commune (UTC) for 13 weeks post treatment in the peak dengue vector season (p<0.05). Suppression of pupal production was supported by very low adult numbers in the treated commune. An average 70% of the household harbored 0-5 Ae aegypti mosquitoes per home for 8 weeks post treatment, but in the same period of time >50% of the household in the UTC harbored ≥11 mosquitoes per home. The adult population continued to remain at significantly much lower numbers in the Bti treated commune than in the UTC for 10-12 weeks post treatment (p<0.05). In 2011, a pilot operational program was evaluated in Kandal Province, a temephos resistant site. It was concluded that 2 cycles of Bti treatment in the 6 months monsoon season with complete coverage of the target districts achieved an overall dengue case reduction of 48% in the 6 treated districts compared to the previous year, 2010. Five untreated districts in the same province had an overwhelming increase of 352% of dengue cases during the same period of time. The larvicide efficacy, treatment of all in-use containers at the start of the monsoon season, together with treatment coverage of entire districts interrupted disease transmission in the temephos resistant province.

Matched MeSH terms: Family Characteristics
Fulltext Becoming a Mother and the Impact of Ill Health on Children

Manveen, K.

Malaysian Journal of Psychiatry, 2011;20(1):1-3.
MyJurnal

Depression is usually discussed as an adult problem; however there is a need to recognize it being a significant problem for children. Rarely is depression focused on how it affects parenting and child outcomes, particularly for young children.Often women are victims of violence, and the devastating effects of depression are significant in such households. However one must not ignore, the effect depression has on parenting, where in these contexts, women themselves, become the perpetrators of violence. When mothers are not well-2 central parental functions are threatened: the ability to foster healthy relationships and to carry out the practical functions of parenting2.When this is not carried out, one sees obvious reductions in young children’s behavioral, cognitive, and social and emotional functioning. Neuroscience is clearly evident that the primary ingredient for healthy early brain development is the quality of the earliest relationships from a baby’s primary caregiver.

Matched MeSH terms: Family Characteristics
Behavioural modification framework to address wastage in household electricity consumption

Cheah SKA, Yeow PHP, Nair SR, Tan FB

Ergonomics, 2018 May;61(5):627-643.
PMID: 29092687 DOI: 10.1080/00140139.2017.1397200

Household electricity wastage poses a sustainability issue. Ergonomic interventions that prevent wastage through technological innovations are expensive and complex, making consumers unwilling to adopt them. The study aimed to investigate the motivations and impediments in avoiding electricity wastage. Thirteen Repertory Grid interviews were conducted on household electricity users relating to the behaviour of those living with them. The key motivational themes found were altruistic and egoistic reasons while the impediments were perceived behavioural control, hedonism and self-efficacy. Based on the research findings, a behavioural modification framework was developed to encourage consumers to adopt a higher level of responsible electricity practice through the following suggested interventions - (1) reframing sustainability from 'future-for-others' to 'present-for-us', (2) clarifying responsible consumption and (3) performance feedback. The research identified the key motivations and impediments of being a responsible household electricity user and provided a framework to encourage a higher responsibility level. Practitioner Summary: Household electricity wastage poses sustainability issue: excess CO2 & high costs. We developed a mindset changing behavioural modification framework. We investigated HFE issues: motivations & impediments of avoiding the wastage, i.e. altruistic, egoistic, behavioural control, hedonism & self-efficacy. The framework provides governments insights into strategies to address the wastage.

Matched MeSH terms: Family Characteristics*
Fulltext Big Data acquired by Internet of Things-enabled industrial multichannel wireless sensors networks for active monitoring and control in the smart grid Industry 4.0

Faheem M, Fizza G, Ashraf MW, Butt RA, Ngadi MA, Gungor VC

Data Brief, 2021 Apr;35:106854.
PMID: 33659599 DOI: 10.1016/j.dib.2021.106854

Smart Grid Industry 4.0 (SGI4.0) defines a new paradigm to provide high-quality electricity at a low cost by reacting quickly and effectively to changing energy demands in the highly volatile global markets. However, in SGI4.0, the reliable and efficient gathering and transmission of the observed information from the Internet of Things (IoT)-enabled Cyber-physical systems, such as sensors located in remote places to the control center is the biggest challenge for the Industrial Multichannel Wireless Sensors Networks (IMWSNs). This is due to the harsh nature of the smart grid environment that causes high noise, signal fading, multipath effects, heat, and electromagnetic interference, which reduces the transmission quality and trigger errors in the IMWSNs. Thus, an efficient monitoring and real-time control of unexpected changes in the power generation and distribution processes is essential to guarantee the quality of service (QoS) requirements in the smart grid. In this context, this paper describes the dataset contains measurements acquired by the IMWSNs during events monitoring and control in the smart grid. This work provides an updated detail comparison of our proposed work, including channel detection, channel assignment, and packets forwarding algorithms, collectively called CARP [1] with existing G-RPL [2] and EQSHC [3] schemes in the smart grid. The experimental outcomes show that the dataset and is useful for the design, development, testing, and validation of algorithms for real-time events monitoring and control applications in the smart grid.

Matched MeSH terms: Family Characteristics
Fulltext CRISPR Gene-Editing Models Geared Toward Therapy for Hereditary and Developmental Neurological Disorders

Wong PK, Cheah FC, Syafruddin SE, Mohtar MA, Azmi N, Ng PY, et al.

Front Pediatr, 2021;9:592571.
PMID: 33791256 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2021.592571

Hereditary or developmental neurological disorders (HNDs or DNDs) affect the quality of life and contribute to the high mortality rates among neonates. Most HNDs are incurable, and the search for new and effective treatments is hampered by challenges peculiar to the human brain, which is guarded by the near-impervious blood-brain barrier. Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeat (CRISPR), a gene-editing tool repurposed from bacterial defense systems against viruses, has been touted by some as a panacea for genetic diseases. CRISPR has expedited the research into HNDs, enabling the generation of in vitro and in vivo models to simulate the changes in human physiology caused by genetic variation. In this review, we describe the basic principles and workings of CRISPR and the modifications that have been made to broaden its applications. Then, we review important CRISPR-based studies that have opened new doors to the treatment of HNDs such as fragile X syndrome and Down syndrome. We also discuss how CRISPR can be used to generate research models to examine the effects of genetic variation and caffeine therapy on the developing brain. Several drawbacks of CRISPR may preclude its use at the clinics, particularly the vulnerability of neuronal cells to the adverse effect of gene editing, and the inefficiency of CRISPR delivery into the brain. In concluding the review, we offer some suggestions for enhancing the gene-editing efficacy of CRISPR and how it may be morphed into safe and effective therapy for HNDs and other brain disorders.

Matched MeSH terms: Family Characteristics
Can dental home visits really reduce caries incidence in pre-school children?

Baughan S, Rodd H

Evid Based Dent, 2022 06;23(2):64-65.
PMID: 35750730 DOI: 10.1038/s41432-022-0268-5

Design This was a non-blinded multiple-site randomised controlled clinical trial.Case selection Children, aged 5-6 years, were recruited from 11 government-funded kindergartens (pre-schools) in Selangor, Malaysia. The kindergartens were randomly allocated to either the Intervention Group (n = 185 children) or the Control Group (n = 142 children). A clinical examination was conducted to determine the participants' baseline caries experience. Over a 24-month period (commencing in 2015), the Intervention Group received six -monthly dental home visits (DHVs) to provide the families with oral hygiene and dietary instruction, along with educational leaflets. The Control Group received only the educational leaflets. Caries incidence was measured in terms of both the proportion of children who developed new carious lesions, and the number of primary molars in which new carious lesions were seen at 24 months.Data analysis A chi-squared test was used to compare baseline socioeconomic characteristics as well as the proportion of children in each arm who developed new carious lesions. A t-test was used to compare the mean number of primary molars that developed new caries in each group. In addition, the number needed to treat (NNT) was determined.Results There was a 70% (n = 132) and 71% (n = 100) completion rate for participants in the Intervention and Control Groups, respectively. At 24 months, the key finding was that significantly fewer children in the Intervention Group (14.4%; n = 19) had developed new caries lesions compared to the Control Group (60%; n = 60) (p = 0.001). The NNT was calculated as 2.2, to prevent new caries in one child. After controlling for parental education level and household crowding, children in the Control Group were 8.2 times more likely to develop caries in their primary molars than those in the Intervention Group.Conclusions The authors concluded that in a middle-income country such as Malaysia, six -monthly dental home visits are an effective caries prevention strategy for children aged 5-6 years old from low-income families.

Matched MeSH terms: Family Characteristics

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