OBJECTIVES: To summarize and synthesize evidence on the utility and methodological quality of cognitive-based interventions on cognitive performance and associated secondary outcomes among healthy older adults in Asia, as well as novel, culture-specific components of cognitive interventions across the region.
DATA SOURCES: The PubMed/Medline, Web of Science, Scopus, and ScienceDirect databases were searched through May 2020.
ELIGIBILITY: Studies including individuals aged 60 years and above, who had no previous history of physical and/or mental illness. Few restrictions placed on intervention design, duration and mode of delivery, provided that participants were randomized to study conditions, and intervention included components addressing at least one cognitive domain.
RESULTS: A total of 17 studies from six countries met the eligibility criteria and were included in the final review. Evidence from those studies indicated that cognitive interventions may be most effective when the design and aims were directed towards improvement in specific cognitive domains, but evidence regarding long-term effectiveness in preventing progression to clinical-level cognitive deficits is still unclear. Several studies highlighted culture-specific activities as components of their interventions, though these will need to be further outlined and standardized clearly in future research.
METHOD: Underpinned by the self-efficacy theory, we argue that high-quality safety leadership enhances nurses' safety knowledge and motivation and subsequently, improves their safety behavior (safety compliance and safety participation). A total of 332 questionnaire responses were gathered and analyzed using SmartPLS Version 3.2.9, revealing the direct effect of safety leadership on both safety knowledge and safety motivation.
RESULTS: Safety knowledge and safety motivation were found to directly and significantly predict nurses' safety behavior. Notably, safety knowledge and safety motivation were established as important mediators in the relationship between safety leadership and nurses' safety compliance and participation.
PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: The findings of this study offer key guidance for safety researchers and hospital practitioners in identifying mechanisms to enhance safety behavior among nurses.
METHODS: A validated, bilingual, self-administered questionnaire comprising fifteen questions across the domains of Knowledge, Attitude and Practice was used and responses were assessed with 3 responses; one correct, one incorrect and one reflecting uncertainty. 507 patients from five orthodontic centres participated in this study. Data was analysed using SPSS. Continuous data was summarised as mean and standard deviation or median and inter-quartile range, as appropriate. Categorical data was summarised as frequency and percentage, then univariable analysis was carried out with Pearson's chi-square test or Fisher's exact test, as appropriate.
RESULTS: The mean age of respondents was 22.5 years (SD ± 2.8). A majority of respondents were female (64.1%) and from the lowest income bracket or B40 group (71%). Overall, for the knowledge domain, a majority of the respondents got all questions correct. 69.4% of patients were aware that incomplete treatment could lead to worsening of their malocclusion. 80.9% of respondents were aware of the need for a retainer upon completion of their orthodontic treatment. For the attitude section, 64.7% felt that they had to wait a very long time to see the orthodontist. In the Practice domain, the majority only got two of the five questions correct. Only 39.8% of respondents made an effort to alter dietary habits all of the time. In general, females and those with tertiary education fared better for all three domains.
CONCLUSIONS: The orthodontic patients in the Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya possess good knowledge about their treatment however their attitude and orthodontic related practices need to be improved.
METHODOLOGY: A systematic literature search was conducted on PubMed, Cochrane library, World Health Organization database-Index Medicus for South-East Asia Region (WHO-IMSEAR), and Google Scholar databases. The search period was from 1st January 1990 until 12th May 2022. The prevalence of HAIs and subgroups were calculated using MetaXL software.
RESULTS: The database search retrieved 3879 non-duplicate articles. After applying exclusion criteria, 31 articles with a total number of 47666 subjects were included and a total of 7658 cases of HAIs were recorded. The overall prevalence of HAIs in Southeast Asia was 21.6 % (95% CI: 15.5 - 29.1%) with heterogeneity statistics of I2 = 100%. Indonesia had the highest prevalence rate of 30.4% whereas Singapore had the lowest prevalence rate at 8.4%.
CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed that the overall prevalence of HAIs was relatively high and the prevalence rate of each country was associated with socioeconomic status. Measures should be taken to examine and control the rates of HAIs in countries with high HAI prevalence.
METHODS: The visuals were analyzed by employing the Visual Discourses of Disability (ViDD) framework that juxtaposes the "perspectivizing-personizing" cline with the "enabling-disabling" continuum. The data studied comprise a total of 432 images sourced from three domains, namely (1) The Star, a Malaysian mainstream English newspaper (2012-2021); (2) Alzheimer's Disease Foundation Malaysia (ADFM) website (2019-2021); and (3) the Ministry of Health Malaysia (2019-2021) website. Findings from the visual analyses were corroborated by four representatives of ADFM in a group interview.
RESULTS: There is a predominance of stigmatized images, constructing dementia as a loss and deficit, thus depicting individuals in distanced suffering. Generic representations of people through stock images, a unique focus on the hands, representations of brain degeneration through abstractions and missing puzzle pieces are also prevalent. Despite these, the interview data confirmed that the perspectivizing aspect may be necessary to educate the public on what dementia entails. While personizing images that depict personhood and actual persons living with dementia are ideal, the use of stock images may be necessary if there is a need to maintain confidentiality and observe sensitivities. Similarly, images with positive emotions are encouraged but disabling ones are equally important to reflect reality and inculcate empathy.
CONCLUSION: When capturing, selecting and publishing images of dementia, organizations should deliberate on different visual elements which evoke empowerment, advocacy, handicapping and othering implications as outlined in the ViDD framework. Any decision should only be made after considering the purposes of publications and implications such images have on the intended audiences.
METHODS: In this study, A. triangularis amoebas were treated with a sublethal dose of curcumin under nutrient starvation and nutrient-rich condition and the surviving amoebas was investigated. Cysts formation and vacuolization were examined by microscopy and transcriptional expression of autophagy-related genes and other encystation-related genes were evaluated by real-time PCR.
RESULTS: A. triangularis cysts were formed under nutrient starvation. However, in the presence of the autophagy inhibitor, 3-methyladenine (3-MA), the percentage of cysts was significantly reduced. Interestingly, in the presence of curcumin, most of the parasites remained in the trophozoite stage in both the starvation and nutrient-rich condition. In vacuolization analysis, the percentage of amoebas with enlarged vacuole was increased upon starvation. However, the percentage was significantly declined in the presence of curcumin and 3-MA. Molecular analysis of A. triangularis autophagy-related (ATG) genes showed that the mRNA expression of the ATG genes, ATG3, ATG8b, ATG12, ATG16, under the starvation with curcumin was at a basal level along the treatment. The results were similar to those of the curcumin-treated amoebas under a nutrient-rich condition, except AcATG16 which increased later. On the other hand, mRNA expression of encystation-related genes, cellulose synthase and serine proteinase, remained unchanged during the first 18 h, but significantly increased at 24 h post treatment.
CONCLUSION: Curcumin inhibits cyst formation in surviving trophozoites, which may result from its effect on mRNA expression of key Acanthamoeba ATG-related genes. However, further investigation into the mechanism of curcumin in A. triangularis trophozoites arrest and its association with autophagy or other encystation-related pathways is needed to support the future use of curcumin.
OBJECTIVES: Our study aimed to determine Malaysian hospital pharmacists' perspectives on biosimilars and to identify factors influencing the successful promotion of biosimilars to prescribers.
METHODS: This was a cross-sectional, web-based survey of hospital pharmacists across Malaysia. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with pharmacists successfully promoting biosimilar use.
RESULTS: Of the 913 responses, over 60% of pharmacists believed that patients may safely be switched from the originator product to a biosimilar and would have the same clinical outcome. Many lacked training in biosimilars (62.8%); yet most (80.6%) perceived pharmacists to play a critical role in promoting biosimilar prescribing. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the strongest factor associated with pharmacists' successful promotion of biosimilars to prescribers was having confidence (odds ratio [OR], 3.33; 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.10-5.26). Respondents who had prior experience handling biosimilars were more likely to be successful in promoting biosimilar use than those without (OR, 1.76; 95% CI 1.16-2.66). The pharmacists' top perceived barrier to promote biosimilars in clinical practice was efficacy concerns.
CONCLUSION: Although Malaysian pharmacists are in favour of biosimilars, they lack training to promote biosimilar use. Among the factors associated with successful promotion of biosimilars to prescribers are pharmacist confidence, their previous experience handling biosimilars, and prior biosimilar training.