A positive association between metabolic syndrome (MetS) and osteoporosis has been demonstrated in previous animal studies. The mechanisms of MetS in orchestrating the bone remodelling process have traditionally focused on the interactions between mature osteoblasts and osteoclasts, while the role of osteocytes is unexplored. Our earlier studies demonstrated the bone-promoting effects of tocotrienol using a rat model of osteoporosis induced by MetS. This study aimed to investigate the expression of osteocyte-derived peptides in the bone of rats with MetS-induced osteoporosis treated with tocotrienol. Age-matched male Wistar rats (12-week-old; n = 42) were divided into seven experimental groups. Two groups served as the baseline and normal group, respectively. The other five groups were fed with a high-carbohydrate high-fat (HCHF) diet to induce MetS. The five groups of HCHF animals were treated with tocopherol-stripped corn oil (vehicle), annatto tocotrienol (60 and 100 mg/kg), and palm tocotrienol (60 and 100 mg/kg) starting from week 8. At the end of the study, the rats were sacrificed and their right tibias were harvested. Protein was extracted from the metaphyseal region of the proximal right tibia and levels of bone peptides, including osteoprotegerin (OPG), soluble receptor activator of nuclear factor-kappa B ligand (sRANKL), sclerostin (SOST), Dickkopf-related protein 1 (DKK-1), fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF-23), and parathyroid hormone (PTH), were measured. The vehicle-treated animals displayed higher levels of sRANKL, SOST, DKK-1, FGF-23, and PTH as compared to the normal animals. Oral supplementation of annatto and palm tocotrienol (60 and 100 mg/kg) reduced the levels of sRANKL and FGF-23 in the HCHF animals. Only 100 mg/kg annatto and palm tocotrienol lowered SOST and DKK-1 levels in the HCHF animals. In conclusion, tocotrienol exerts potential skeletal-promoting benefit by modulating the levels of osteocytes-derived bone-related peptides.
Diesel acts as a main energy source to complement human activities in Antarctica. However, the increased expedition in Antarctica has threatened the environment as well as its living organisms. While more efforts on the use of renewable energy are being done, most activities in Antarctica still depend heavily on the use of diesel. Diesel contaminants in their natural state are known to be persistent, complex and toxic. The low temperature in Antarctica worsens these issues, making pollutants more significantly toxic to their environment and indigenous organisms. A bibliometric analysis had demonstrated a gradual increase in the number of studies on the microbial hydrocarbon remediation in Antarctica over the year. It was also found that these studies were dominated by those that used bacteria as remediating agents, whereas very little focus was given on fungi and microalgae. This review presents a summary of the collective and past understanding to the current findings of Antarctic microbial enzymatic degradation of hydrocarbons as well as its genotypic adaptation to the extreme low temperature.
(1) Background: The assessment of vaccine effectiveness against the Omicron variant is vital in the fight against COVID-19, but research on booster vaccine efficacy using nationwide data was lacking at the time of writing. This study investigates the effectiveness of booster doses on the Omicron wave in Malaysia against COVID-19 infections and deaths; (2) Methods: This study uses nationally representative data on COVID-19 from 1 January to 31 March 2022, when the Omicron variant was predominant in Malaysia. Daily new infections, deaths, ICU utilization and Rt values were compared. A screening method was used to predict the vaccine effectiveness against COVID-19 infections, whereas logistic regression was used to estimate vaccine effectiveness against COVID-19-related deaths, with efficacy comparison between AZD1222, BNT162b2 and CoronaVac; (3) Results: Malaysia's Omicron wave started at the end of January 2022, peaking on 5 March 2022. At the time of writing, statistics for daily new deaths, ICU utilization, and effective reproductive values (Rt) were showing a downtrend. Boosted vaccination is 95.4% (95% CI: 95.4, 95.4) effective in curbing COVID-19 infection, compared to non-boosted vaccination, which is 87.2% (95% CI: 87.2, 87.2). For symptomatic infection, boosted vaccination is 97.4% (95% CI: 97.4, 97.4) effective, and a non-boosted vaccination is 90.9% (95% CI: 90.9, 90.9). Against COVID-19-related death, boosted vaccination yields a vaccine effectiveness (VE) of 91.7 (95% CI: 90.6, 92.7) and full vaccination yields a VE of 65.7% (95% CI: 61.9, 69.1). Looking into the different vaccines as boosters, AZD1222 is 95.2% (CI 95%: 92.7, 96.8) effective, BNT162b2 is 91.8% (CI 95%: 90.7, 92.8) effective and CoronaVac is 88.8% (CI 95%: 84.9, 91.7) effective against COVID-19 deaths. (4) Conclusions: Boosters are effective in increasing protection against COVID-19, including the Omicron variant. Given that the VE observed was lower, CoronaVac recipients are encouraged to take boosters due to its lower VE.
Despite its popularity, shisha smoking practices, reasons for its use, attitudes, detrimental health effects and intention to quit among shisha users in Malaysia have never been investigated. A total of 503 shisha users responded to a cross-sectional study conducted between July 2015 and March 2016. The majority of users were young people aged 21-30; a small minority were underage. The reasons for shisha use were its growing popularity as a favourite pastime activity and the perception of shisha use as cool and trendy. Just over half (57.3%) agree that shisha use exposes the smoker to large amounts of smoke and the majority were unsure about the health risks of shisha smoking compared to tobacco smoking. The three most common detrimental health effects reported by the study respondents were dry throat, headache and nausea. Regular shisha users have significantly higher detrimental health effects compared to no-regular shisha users. Shisha users with a duration of smoking of 6-12 months (odds ratio (OR) 3.212; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.651-6.248) and 6 months and below (OR 2.601; 95% CI 1.475-4.584) were significantly more likely to have a higher proportion who intend quitting smoking than shisha users of more than 12 months duration.
Perceptions about illnesses may influence self-care and preventive health behaviours. Illness perceptions of the Zika virus (ZIKV) infection were investigated under the framework of the Self-Regulation Model of Illness. Illness perception differences between ZIKV and dengue fever were also examined. Lastly, associations between illness perceptions of ZIKV with mosquito prevention practices were studied. Samples were drawn from landline telephone numbers using computer-assisted telephone interviewing in Malaysia. A total of 567 respondents completed the survey between February 2015 and May 2016. The median and interquartile range (IQR) for the total six dimensions of illness perceptions score was higher for dengue (23.0 (IQR 17.0-28.0)) than ZIKV (20.0 (IRQ 11.0-28.0)), p < 0.001. Respondents who planned to have children (OR 1.670, 95% CI 1.035-2.694 vs. no intention to have children) and had friends or acquaintances who died of dengue (OR 2.372, 95% CI 1.300-4.327 vs. no friends who died of dengue) were more likely to have a higher total score for six illness perceptions for ZIKV compared to dengue. Multivariate analysis indicated that the best predictors for mosquito control practices after the ZIKV outbreak was declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, in descending order, were causes, control, timeline, and consequences dimensions of illness perception. Understanding the context in which a person perceives ZIKV may contribute to developing interventions that influence prevention behaviours.
Today's workers are struggling to achieve a balance between their work and personal life roles because of both specific needs and limited resources. This study explored the socioecological factors that influence work-life balance (WLB) and how they operate. The relationships between WLB, subjective wellbeing, employee wellbeing and quality time allocation were examined. A total of 1063 responses were received, using an online survey. The results show that relational, community and societal factors directly influenced the individual factors and were indirectly associated with perceived WLB. Individual factors (i.e., personal feelings, behaviours and health) were found to be the crucial determinants of an individual's perceived WLB. It was found that WLB positively correlated with employee wellbeing and quality and quantity of personal life-time. Subjective wellbeing was found to be a significant moderator in the relationship between WLB and its outcomes. This study demonstrated the process of how workers determine their own WLB by applying the socioecological framework for categorising the determinants and suggested new avenues that improve the whole wellbeing of workers and also foster long-term development of organisations.
The impacts of the work-life balance arrangement on organisational performance is a growing concern amongst researchers and practitioners. This study synthesised 202 records from 58 published papers to evaluate the relationship between the work-life balance arrangement and organisational performance by means of a meta-analysis. The organisational performance was measured based on six perspectives, including career motivation, employee attendance, employee recruitment, employee retention, organisational commitment, and productivity. The results showed a positive relationship between the work-life balance arrangement and organisational performance (OR: 1.181, 95% CI: 1.125-1.240, p < 0.001). Of the six perspectives, only career motivation, employee attendance, employee recruitment, and employee retention were significantly associated with the work-life balance arrangement. The moderators affecting the relationship between the work-life balance arrangement and organisational performance were gender, sector, and employee hierarchy. The results provide theoretical suggestions on the effectiveness of the work-life balance arrangement in terms of the six perspectives related to organisational performance.
Hyperreflective dots (HRD) are activated retinal microglial cells induced by retinal inflammation in diabetic patients. This study was conducted to compare the HRD count of normal and diabetic subjects; to determine the correlation between hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels and HRD count; to determine HbA1c cut-off levels for the appearance of HRD in diabetic patients. A cross-sectional study was conducted among normal and diabetic patients. Fundus photos, SD-OCT images and HbA1c levels were taken. A total of 25 normal subjects, 32 diabetics without retinopathy and 26 mild-to-moderate nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) diabetics were recruited. There was a statistically significant difference between the mean count of HRD among the normal group, the diabetic without retinopathy group and the mild-to-moderate NPRD group. The mean HRD count in the inner retina layer was significantly higher compared to the outer retina layer. There was a significant linear relationship between the HbA1c levels and HRD count. Using the receiver operating curve, the HbA1c level of 5.4% was chosen as the cut-off point for the appearance of HRD. The positive linear correlation between the HbA1c levels and the appearance of HRD may indicate that hyperglycemia could activate retina microglial cells in diabetic patients.
The Movement Control Order (MCO) enacted during the COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly altered the social life and behaviour of the Malaysian population. Because the society is facing huge social and economic challenges that need individuals to work together to solve, prosocial behaviour is regarded as one of the most important social determinants. Because it is related with individual and societal benefits, participating in prosocial activities may be a major protective factor during times of global crisis. Rather than focusing only on medical and psychiatric paradigms, perhaps all that is necessary to overcome the COVID-19 risks is for individuals to make personal sacrifices for the sake of others. In reality, a large number of initiatives proven to be beneficial in decreasing viral transmission include a trade-off between individual and collective interests. Given its crucial importance, the purpose of this concept paper is to provide some insight into prosocial behaviour during the COVID-19 period. Understanding prosocial behaviour during the COVID-19 pandemic is crucial because it may assist in the establishment of a post-COVID society and provide useful strategies for coping with future crises.
Participant engagement is an important consideration in mHealth interventions and there are no standardised measurements available to guide researchers. This paper describes the engagement index customised for the Milk Man app, a mobile app designed to engage fathers with breastfeeding and parenting information. Participants were recruited from maternity hospitals in Perth, Western Australia. An engagement index with scores ranging from 0 to 100 was calculated. Kaplan Meier survival analysis was used to determine difference in duration of exclusive breastfeeding, and Pearson's chi square analysis was conducted to investigate the association of engagement level with demographic characteristics and exclusive breastfeeding at 6 weeks. While overall, partners of participants who installed Milk Man were less likely to have ceased exclusive breastfeeding at any time point from birth to six weeks postpartum, this result was modest and of borderline significance (log rank test p = 0.052; Breslow p = 0.046; Tarone-Ware p = 0.049). The mean engagement score was 29.7% (range 1-80%), median 27.6%. Engagement level had no impact on duration of exclusive breastfeeding and demographic factors were not associated with engagement level. This research demonstrates a range of metrics that can be used to quantify participant engagement. However, more research is needed to identify ways of measuring effective engagement.
Enterococci are commonly found in humans, animals and environments. Their highly adaptive mechanisms are related to several virulent determinants and their ability to resist antibiotics. Data on the relationship between the esp gene, biofilm formation and antibiotic susceptibility profiles may differ between countries. This cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the proportion of esp gene and biofilm formation among Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium clinical isolates. We also investigated the possible association between the esp gene with antibiotic susceptibility patterns and biofilm formation. The isolates were collected from clinical samples and identified using biochemical tests and 16SRNA. Antibiotic susceptibility patterns and a biofilm assay were conducted according to the established guidelines. Molecular detection by PCR was used to identify the esp gene using established primers. In total, 52 and 28 of E. faecalis and E. faecium were identified, respectively. E. faecium exhibited higher resistance rates compared to E. faecalis as follows: piperacillin/tazobactam (100% versus 1.9%), ampicillin (92.8% versus 1.9%), high-level gentamicin resistance (HLGR) (89.3% versus 25.0%) and penicillin (82.1% versus 7.7%). E. faecium produced more biofilms than E. faecalis (59.3% versus 49.0%). E. faecium acquired the esp gene more frequently than E. faecalis (78.6% versus 46.2%). Interestingly, the associations between ampicillin and tazobactam/piperacillin resistance with the esp gene were statistically significant (X2 = 4.581, p = 0.027; and X2 = 6.276, p = 0.012, respectively). Our results demonstrate that E. faecium exhibits high rates of antimicrobial resistance, esp gene acquisition and biofilm formation. These peculiar traits of E. faecium may have implications for the management of enterococcal infections in hospitals. Thus, concerted efforts by all parties in establishing appropriate treatment and effective control measures are warranted in future.
Viral epidemics have surfaced frequently over the past quarter-century, with multiple manifestations of psychological distress. This study sought to establish the psychometric properties of the Malay version of SAVE-9 among healthcare workers. A total of 203 healthcare workers across Malaysia participated in the research. The Malay version of SAVE-9 was translated and back-translated using the WHO instrument validation protocols. Classical Test Theory (CTT) and Rasch analysis were used to assess the validity and reliability of the Malay version of the SAVE-9 scale. The analysis was run using IBM SPSS 26.0 and JAPS. Cronbach's alpha was used to measure the internal consistency of SAVE-9, which was found to be satisfactory (Cronbach's α = 0.795). The correlations between the SAVE-9 and other measured scales (GAD-7 and PHQ-9) were statistically significant. A score of 22 was defined as a cut-off point with good sensitivity (0.578) and specificity (0.165). The Malay version of the Stress and Anxiety to Viral Epidemics-9 (SAVE-9) scale is valid and reliable after testing among healthcare workers. It is psychometrically suitable to be used in assessing healthcare workers' stress and anxiety specific to viral epidemics.
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the lifestyles and training of elite athletes around the world. The detrimental effects of lockdown periods may vary among individuals, as well as among sports and sexes. This study investigated the changes in dietary habits, and the predictors of perceived stress during lockdown and a "bubble" training camp. This cross-sectional, online survey involved 76 elite and world-class athletes from six able-bodied sports and nine parasports, all of whom were involved in a 30-day "bubble" training camp. Questions were asked on socio-demographics, training routines and wellbeing, perceived stress, and dietary habits, pertaining to "normal" training (prelockdown), lockdown training, and "bubble" camp training periods. Changes in perceived stress were trivial to small during lockdown compared to "normal" training, and trivial to moderate during a "bubble" camp, compared to lockdown. Para-athletes, males, older athletes, less experienced athletes, married individuals, and specific ethnicities appeared to be more detrimentally affected (increased perceived stress) by lockdown. These negative experiences, however, were largely reversed during "bubble" camps. During lockdown, more athletes reported increased evening snack consumption (+8%), later meal-times (+6%), decreased fluid intake (-6%), and no breakfast (+7%). These changes were reversed during "bubble" camps (12-18% improvements). Sport classification accounted for 16% of the increased perceived stress (p = 0.001) during lockdown. Overall, socio-demographic factors, improvements in training routines, well-being, and dietary habits explained 28% of the decreased perceived stress during a "bubble" camp. In conclusion, better dietary habits, training routines and well-being have implications for reduced perceived stress. During lockdown, "bubble" camps may be beneficial, but this observation may be a case-by-case consideration, and short split "bubble" periods are recommended.
Aflatoxins (AFs) are secondary metabolites toxic to humans as well as animals. The environmental conditions, conventional agricultural practices, and illiteracy are the main factors which favor the production of AFs in food and feed. In the current study 744 samples of vegetable seeds and oils (soybean, sunflower, canola, olive, corn, and mustard) were collected and tested for the presence of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and total AFs. Liquid-liquid extraction was employed for the extraction of AFs from seeds and oil samples. Reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography equipped with fluorescence detection was used for the analysis. The results have shown that 92 (56.7%) samples of imported and 108 (57.0%) samples of local edible seeds were observed to be contaminated with AFs. All samples of edible seeds have AFB1 levels greater than the proposed limit set by the European Union (EU, 2 µg/kg) and 12 (7.40%) samples of imported seeds and 14 (7.40%) samples of local seeds were found in the range ≥ 50 µg/kg. About 78 (43.3%) samples of imported edible oil and 103 (48.3%) sample of local edible oil were observed to be positive for AFs. Furthermore, 16 (8.88%) and six (3.33%) samples of imported vegetable oil have levels of total AFs in a range (21-50 µg/kg) and greater than 50 µg/kg, respectively. The findings indicate significant differences in AFs levels between imported and local vegetable oil samples (t = 22.27 and p = 0.009) at α = 0.05 and a significant difference in AFs levels were found between vegetable seeds and oil samples (t = -17.75, p = 0.009) at α = 0.05. The highest dietary intake was found for a local sunflower oil sample (0.90 µg/kg/day) in female individuals (16-22 age group). The results have shown considerably high levels of AFB1 and total AFs in seeds and oil samples and emphasise the need to monitor carefully the levels of these toxic substances in food and feed on regular basis.
After a decade of research and development, 3D printing is now an established technique in the construction sector, complete with its own set of accepted standards. The use of 3D printing in construction might potentially improve the outcome of the project as a whole. However, traditional strategies are often used in the residential construction industry in Malaysia, which causes serious public safety and health issues along with a negative impact on the environment. In the context of project management, overall project success (OPS) has five dimensions, such as cost, time, quality, safety, and environment. Understanding the role of 3D printing in relation to OPS dimensions in Malaysian residential construction projects would allow construction professionals to adopt 3D printing more easily. The aim of the study was to find the impact of 3D construction printing on OPS while considering the implications for all five dimensions. Fifteen professionals were interviewed to first evaluate and summarise the impact factors of 3D printing using the current literature. Then, a pilot survey was conducted, and the results were checked using exploratory factor analysis (EFA). The feasibility of 3D printing in the building sector was investigated by surveying industry experts. Partial least squares structural equation modelling was used to investigate and validate the fundamental structure and linkages between 3D printing and OPS (PLS-SEM). A strong correlation was found between 3D printing in residential projects and OPS. Highly positive implications are indicated by the environmental and safety dimensions of OPS. Malaysian decision-makers may look to the outcomes of introducing 3D printing into the residential construction industry as a modern method for increasing environmental sustainability, public health and safety, reducing cost and time, and increasing the quality of construction work. With this study's findings in hand, construction engineering management in Malaysia's residential building sector might benefit from a deeper understanding of how 3D printing is used for improving environmental compliance, public health and safety, and project scope.
As one of the largest payment platforms in China, Alipay, launched a green behavior project called Ant Forest. The purpose of taking this initiative by Alipay is to make the world greener. This mobile application has motivated many users to plant millions of trees. However, minimal studies have been conducted to empirically disclose the factors that motivate Alipay users to participate in Ant Forest. A mixed-method approach is used to examine the factors influencing Alipay users to participate in Ant Forest and the level of satisfaction they got from it. The qualitative method was carried out through a structured questionnaire from 400 Alipay users and qualitative data from 20 users who have applied to Ant Forest and successfully planted trees. Additionally, alongside the mixed method employed to rationalize the relationship highlighted, a multiple regression model was employed to predict the value of a dependent variable (level of satisfaction) based on the value of several independent variables (namely, number of years engaged with Ant Forest activities, age, gender, profession, and education). The empirical results show that intrinsic motivations (enjoyment, social interaction, fulfilment, altruism) and extrinsic motivations (external rewards, competition) influence Alipay users to participate in the Ant Forest project. Further insights are presented in the concluding section for all stakeholders for environmental sustainability among the users of Alipay.
Early childhood nutritional deficiency has detrimental consequences on physical and cognitive development. We conducted a single-center, single-blind, two-arm pilot randomized no-treatment controlled trial (the Child of Urban Poverty Iron Project (CUPIP); NCT03819530) in a people’s housing project locale in Selangor, Malaysia, between September 2019 and February 2020, to assess the trial’s general feasibility and preliminary benefits of daily micronutrient supplementation for iron storage and anthropometric outcomes in under-5 children. Those with history of premature births, congenital abnormalities, or baseline hemoglobin <70 g/L were excluded. Participants received baseline deworming and were simply randomized in a 1:1 ratio to either micronutrient (4-month daily micronutrient packets) or control (no micronutrient supplementation) groups. Information on anthropometric, erythrocytic, and iron storage endpoints were collected. Overall, 45 (25 micronutrient and 20 controls) participants were enrolled and completed 4-month endpoint assessments. Micronutrient recipients demonstrated higher median mean corpuscular volume, serum ferritin level with no significant differences in all anthropometric endpoints. In conclusion, this pilot trial was implementable, demonstrating that micronutrient supplementation significantly improved hematological, but not anthropometric, endpoints, of under-5-year-old children living in an underprivileged environment. A definitive well-designed trial with larger sample sizes and greater attrition control should be contemplated in the future.
Tobacco and nicotine derivatives uses are multiple in nature. These include conventional cigarettes (CCs), heated tobacco products (HTPs), and electronic cigarettes (ECs). This study aims to determine the practices, nicotine dependency profile, association with exhaled carbon monoxide (eCO) level, and pulmonary function (PF) among adult product users and non-smokers. This cross-sectional study involved smokers, nicotine users, and non-smokers from two public health facilities in Kuala Lumpur from December 2021 to April 2022. Data on socio-demography, smoking profile, nicotine dependency level, anthropometry, eCO monitor, and spirometer measurements were recorded. Out of 657 respondents, 52.1% were non-smokers, 48.3% were CC only smokers, poly-users (PUs) (27.3%), EC-only users (20.9%), and HTP-only users (3.5%). EC use was prevalent among the younger aged, tertiary educated, and females; HTP use was prevalent among those of an older age and CC users was common among lower educated males. The highest median eCO (in ppm) seen were as follows: in CC users only (13.00), PUs (7.00), EC users (2.00), HTP users (2.00), and the least was observed among non-smokers (1.00), which is significantly different across the groups (p <0.001). Comparison of practice between the different product users showed significant differences in age of product initiation (p <0.001, youngest in CC users in PUs), duration of product use (p <0.001, longest in exclusive CC users), cost per month (p <0.001, highest in exclusive HTP users) and attempt to quit product (p <0.001, CC use in PUs had the highest attempt to quit), while there is no significant difference in Fagerström score across the groups. Among EC users, 68.2% successfully switched from smoking CCs to ECs. The findings suggest that EC and HTP users are exhaling less CO. The use of these products in a targeted approach may manage nicotine addiction. Switching practice was higher among current EC users (from using CCs), hence emphasizing the need of switching encouragement and total nicotine abstinence later on. Lower eCO levels in the PU group, (as compared to CC-only users) and high quit attempt rate among in CC use in PUs may indicate attempt of PUs in reducing CC use through alternative modalities such as ECs and HTPs.
(1) This study aimed to generate a simplified form of the Malaysian psychosocial impact of dental aesthetics questionnaire (PIDAQ[M]) and validate its use in the sociodental approach for estimating orthodontic treatment need. (2) Two eight-item forms were derived: an impact simplified PIDAQ[M] (ISP8), comprising the most impactful items as rated by 35 participants, and a regression simplified PIDAQ[M] (RSP8), derived from regression analysis of 590 participants’ data from the PIDAQ[M] validation study. Their psychometric performances were assessed for internal consistency, validity (criterion and construct), reproducibility (reliability and agreement), and responsiveness to change. The sociodental estimates were based on 204 orthodontic patients’ data who were assessed for normative need, impact-related need, and propensity-related need. McNemar analysis compared the sociodental estimates when both simplified PIDAQ[M] forms and the original PIDAQ[M] were used to measure impact-related need. (3) Both simplified PIDAQ[M] forms were valid, reproducible, and responsive. The sociodental estimates when using the ISP8 (38.2%) were similar to when the PIDAQ[M] (35.8%) was used (p > 0.05) but overestimated by 3.4% (p < 0.05) when the RSP8 (39.2%) was used as the assessment tool. (4) The simplified PIDAQ[M] can replace the original PIDAQ[M] in the sociodental approach to estimate the orthodontic treatment needs of the Malaysian population.