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Fulltext Predictors of Post-traumatic Stress Symptoms (PTSS), Depression, and Anxiety among Caregivers of Children with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (ALL)

Chong ASS, Ahmad M, Mohd Harizan NB, Alias H, Iqbal Hussain R, Lateh A, et al.

Asian Pac J Cancer Prev, 2023 Jun 01;24(6):1923-1929.
PMID: 37378920 DOI: 10.31557/APJCP.2023.24.6.1923

OBJECTIVE: The caregivers of children diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) are believed to experience post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS), depression and anxiety. This present study endeavoured to explore the prevalence and predictors of PTSS, depression, and anxiety among the caregivers of children with ALL.
METHODS: Purposive sampling was used to select the 73 caregivers of children with ALL who participated in this cross-sectional study. The Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) were used to measure psychological distress.
RESULT: There was a low prevalence (11%) of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among the participants. Although all the criteria for PTSD were not met, a few post-traumatic symptoms remained, suggesting that PTSS was likely present. Most of the participants reported minimal symptoms of depression (79.5%) and anxiety (65.8%). Anxiety, depression, and ethnicity predicted the PTSS scores (R2 = .77, p =.000). Subsequently, depression predicted the PTSS scores (R2 = 0.42, p =0.000). Participants of 'Other' or 'Indigenous' ethnicity had lower PTSS scores and higher anxiety scores (R2 = 0.75, p =0.000) than participants of Malay ethnicity.
CONCLUSION: The caregivers of children with ALL experience post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS), depression, and anxiety. These variables co-exist and may have different trajectories in different ethnic groups. Therefore, healthcare providers should take ethnicity and psychological distress into consideration when providing paediatric oncology treatment and care.
Fulltext Preventing Re-Emergence of COVID-19: A National Survey of Public Risk Perceptions and Behavioural Intentions Concerning Travel Plan Among Taiwanese

Wong LP, Chiu CJ, Alias H, Lee TS, Hu Z, Lin Y

Front Public Health, 2021;9:710508.
PMID: 34497793 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2021.710508

Background: The objectives of this study were to investigate risk perceptions and travel intention among the general public in Taiwan during the COVID-19 outbreak. Methods: This study used a cross-sectional online survey to collect data. The questionnaire was disseminated via the social media platform (LINE and Facebook) to the general public. Results: A total of 3,237 complete responses were received, of whom 5.8% (95% CI 5.1-6.7) of the participants reported intent to travel to overseas countries with an apparent community spread and 5.5% (95% CI 4.7-6.3) reported intent to travel to other overseas countries in the next 1 month. A relatively higher proportion (46.5%; 95% CI 44.7-48.2) reported intention for domestic travelling. Participants who viewed travelling to only be risky for older adults or those with medical conditions (OR = 2.19; 95% CI 1.38-3.47) and who perceived that one will not get infected if one takes recommended precautionary measures (OR = 3.12; 95% CI 1.85-5.27) reported higher travelling intention to overseas countries with an apparent community spread. Conclusions: Overall, the findings suggest that risk perceptions were depicted as a strong influence of travel intentions.
Psychological Consequences of the Delay in the Silent Mentor Programme During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Perspectives From Family Members of Silent Mentors

Wong LP, Tan SL, Alias H, Sia TE, Saw A

Omega (Westport), 2023 Mar;86(4):1176-1189.
PMID: 33818157 DOI: 10.1177/00302228211000952

The COVID-19 pandemic has put a hold on the Silent Mentor Programme (SMP); this pause has not only caused unprecedented challenges for the delivery of medical education but has forced changes in the programme ceremony sessions. We aimed to describe the psychological impact and experiences of family members of silent mentors during the COVID-19 pandemic using qualitative interviews. Many expressed feelings of remorse and unrest about the unprecedented delay of the SMP. The delay increased negative emotions particularly among some elderly family members; however, there was no prominent negative effect on their functional health and well-being. Several participants relayed the belief that the soul cannot rest until the body receives a proper burial while some worried about the deterioration of the physical condition of the mentors. In conclusion, findings provide insights into the importance of not overlooking the mental health implications of delaying the SMP in future outbreaks or crises.
Fulltext Psychological distress among cancer survivors during implementation of a nationwide Movement Control Order over the COVID-19 pandemic

Wong LP, Lai LL, See MH, Alias H, Danaee M, Ting CY, et al.

Support Care Cancer, 2021 Oct;29(10):6087-6097.
PMID: 33796935 DOI: 10.1007/s00520-021-06182-0

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the psychological distress and its associated factors among cancer survivors in Malaysia during the COVID-19 pandemic.
METHODS: An anonymous Internet-based study was conducted between 23 April and 26 June 2020. During the study period, the country underwent phase 3 and phase 4 of the Movement Control Order (MCO), Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO), and Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO). Psychological distress was measured using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), which is a 14-item self-assessment scale for measuring distress (total HADS score; HADS-T) with two subscales, namely, anxiety (HADS-A) and depression (HADS-D). Perceived threat of infection was measured based on the health belief model.
RESULTS: From a total of 631 responses received, the proportion of participants with anxiety and depression symptoms (above threshold score of 8 on HADS-A and HADS-D) was 29.0 and 20.9%, respectively. Psychological distress (HADS-T > 16) was reported in 22.3% of the respondents. A total of 16.5% had combined anxiety and depression symptoms. The highest HADS-A (6.10; 95% CI 5.64-6.56), HADS-D (5.61; 95% CI 5.14-6.08), and HADS-T (11.71; 95% CI 10.84-12.58) scores were reported among respondents during phase 4 of the MCO. Partial least square-based structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) revealed that self-perceived health status, perceived susceptibility, and severity of COVID-19 have the greatest effect, leading to higher HADS-A, HADS-D, and HADS-T scores.
CONCLUSION: Heightened psychological distress was evident in cancer survivors particularly during the enforcement of the MCO over COVID-19. Providing support to address cancer survivors' psychological and emotional needs during the COVID-19 pandemic is essential.
Fulltext Quarantine for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Wuhan city: Support, understanding, compliance and psychological impact among lay public

Lin Y, Hu Z, Alias H, Wong LP

J Psychosom Res, 2021 05;144:110420.
PMID: 33770568 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2021.110420

OBJECTIVE: Wuhan, the epicentre of the coronavirus diseases (COVID-19) outbreak, has been locked down on January 23, 2020. We conducted a study among the lay public in Wuhan to access their support, understanding of, compliance with, and the psychological impacts of the quarantine.
METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional, online-based survey study between January 28, 2020, and February 2, 2020 among the adult lay public in Wuhan to access their support, understanding of, compliance with, and the psychological impacts of the quarantine. Multivariable logistic analysis was used to identify factors associated with psychological impacts.
RESULTS: Among the 4100 participants investigated, a total of 15.9% were compliant with all the five household prevention measures, whereas 74.4% were compliant with all the three community prevention measures investigated. By demographics, participants of younger age, higher income, residing in an urban area, knowing neighbors infected with COVID-19 reported significantly higher psychological impact score. Participants with a lower level of support for quarantine were more likely to have a higher psychological impact score (OR = 1.45, 95% CI 1.07-1.96). Participants with a lower level of compliance with preventive measures (score of 0-19) reported higher psychological impact (OR = 1.40, 95% CI 1.22-1.60 vs. score 20-24). Participants who had been out of house socializing and attended public events expressed higher psychological impact.
CONCLUSIONS: Support, understanding of the rationale for quarantine are essential in ensuring appropriate psychological well-being during the quarantine. Improvements in compliance with preventive measures are highly warranted and may bring about a reduction in psychological distress.
Fulltext RNA-seq data from different developmental stages of Rafflesia cantleyi floral buds

Amini S, Alias H, Aizat-Juhari MA, Mat-Isa MN, Adam JH, Goh HH, et al.

Genom Data, 2017 Dec;14:5-6.
PMID: 28761813 DOI: 10.1016/j.gdata.2017.07.008

Rafflesia cantleyi, known as one of the world's largest flowers, is a specialised holoparasite due to dramatic morphological modifications. It possesses highly reduced vegetative structure and only appears as a flower for sexual reproduction. Moreover, it has an unusual life cycle in that its floral bud development takes up to nine months. In order to fully understand the highly modified floral organ structure and long life cycle of R. cantleyi, we used Illumina sequencing technology (HiSeq) for sequence generation followed by de novo assembly of sequence reads. We obtained the RNA-seq data from three different stages of floral bud, representing the early, mid and advanced developmental stages. These data are available via BioProject accession number PRJNA378435. More than 10.3 Gb raw sequence data were generated, corresponding to 102,203,042 raw reads. Following removal of low-quality reads and trimming of adapter sequences, a total of 91,638,836 reads were obtained. De novo assembly of these sequences using Trinity resulted in 89,690 unique transcripts with an N50 of 1653 bp. The obtained transcriptomic data will be useful for further study to understand the molecular interactions that result in R. cantleyi floral development.
Reasons for using electronic cigarettes and intentions to quit among electronic cigarette users in Malaysia

Wong LP, Mohamad Shakir SM, Alias H, Aghamohammadi N, Hoe VC

J Community Health, 2016 Dec;41(6):1101-1109.
PMID: 27147418 DOI: 10.1007/s10900-016-0196-4

The rapidly increasing uptake of e-cigarettes in Malaysia as of late demands a study to identify factors leading to its increased popularity and user intentions to quit smoking e-cigarettes. A convenience sample of e-cigarette smokers visiting e-cigarette retail shops in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur was recruited. The majority of e-cigarette smokers were youth in colleges or universities (39 %), and young professionals and managers (36 %). The main reasons for using e-cigarettes were to help the user quit tobacco cigarettes (88 %), the perception that e-cigarettes are not as intrusive as tobacco cigarettes (85 %) and can be used in public areas (70 %), the perception that e-cigarettes are healthier than tobacco cigarettes (85 %), and its relatively lower cost compared to tobacco cigarettes (65 %). A total of 65.3 % of respondents expressed intentions to quit e-cigarettes. In a multivariate analysis, the respondents who earned monthly income of RM1000 or less were significantly more likely to intend to quit smoking e-cigarettes [OR 1.551; 95 % CI 1.022-2.355; p = 0.015] compared to the respondents who earned a monthly income of more than RM2000. The respondents who disagreed with the statement 'Smoking e-cigs is relatively cheaper compared to tobacco cigarettes' were significantly more likely to intend to quit smoking e-cigarettes [OR 1.548; 95 % CI 1.045-2.293; p = 0.027] compared to respondents who did not agree. e-cigarette preventive interventions should target areas related to the identified main reasons for using e-cigarettes, namely as an aid for quitting tobacco cigarettes, the perception that e-cigarettes are not as intrusive as tobacco cigarettes and can be used in public areas, the idea that e-cigarettes are healthier than tobacco cigarettes, and its relatively lower cost compared to tobacco cigarettes.
Fulltext Relation between Conventional and Starch-Assisted ASP Injection and Impact of Crystallinity on Flood Formation

Al-Jaber HA, Arsad A, Bandyopadhyay S, Jaafar MZ, Tahir M, Nuhma MJ, et al.

Molecules, 2023 Sep 18;28(18).
PMID: 37764461 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28186685

Alkaline-surfactant-polymer (ASP) flooding, a recognized method for oil recovery, encounters limited use due to its expense. In addition, ASP's best composition and injection sequence still remains uncertain today. This study explores conventional ASP flooding using PT SPR Langgak's special surfactants, simulating Langgak oilfield conditions in Sumatra, Indonesia. By comparing the outcomes of this flooding technique with that of starch-assisted ASP performed in another study, the benefits of adding starch nanoparticles to flooding are evident. Nano-starch ASP increased oil recovery by 18.37%, 10.76%, and 10.37% for the three configurations investigated in this study. Water flooding preceded ASP flooding, and flooding operations were carried out at 60 °C. This study employed sodium hydroxide (NaOH), sodium carbonate (Na2CO3), and specialized surfactants from PT SPR. The adopted polymer is solely hydrolyzed polyacrylamide (HPAM) at 2000 ppm. Starch nanoparticles underwent comprehensive characterization and focused more on charge stability. Purple yam nanoparticles (PYNPs) exhibited remarkable stability at -36.33 mV, unlike cassava starch nanoparticles (CSNPs') at -10.68 mV and HPAM's at -27.13 mV. Surface properties affect interactions with fluids and rocks. Crystallinity, a crucial characterization, was assessed using Origin software 2019b. CSNPs showed 24.15% crystallinity, surpassing PYNPs' 20.68%. Higher crystallinity benefits CSNPs' thermal stability. The amorphous behavior found in PYNPs makes them less suitable if applied in harsh reservoirs. This research correlated with prior findings, reinforcing starch nanoparticles' role in enhancing oil recovery. In summary, this study highlighted conventional ASP flooding using HPAM as the sole polymer and compared it with three formations that used two starch nanoparticles included with HPAM, assessing their impact on charge stability, crystallinity, and recovery rate to emphasize their importance in the oil recovery industry. Starch nanoparticles' benefits and limitations guided further investigation in this study.
Fulltext Screening of different growth conditions of Bacillus subtilis isolated from membrane-less microbial fuel cell toward antimicrobial activity profiling

Sreedharan DK, Alias H, Makhtar MMZ, Shun TJ, Mokhtar AMA, Shukor H, et al.

Open Life Sci, 2024;19(1):20220809.
PMID: 38283116 DOI: 10.1515/biol-2022-0809

Bacteriocins produced by Bacillus subtilis have gained recognition for their safe use in humans. In this study, we aimed to assess the inhibitory activity of an antimicrobial peptide synthesized by the wild-type strain of B. subtilis against the notorious pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Our investigation employed the broth microdilution method to evaluate the inhibitory potential of this peptide. Among the four different pathogen strains tested, P. aeruginosa exhibited the highest susceptibility, with an inhibition rate of 29.62%. In parallel, we explored the cultivation conditions of B. subtilis, recognizing the potential of this versatile bacterium for applications beyond antimicrobial production. The highest inhibitory activity was achieved at pH 8, with an inhibition rate of 20.18%, indicating the potential for optimizing pH conditions for enhanced antimicrobial peptide production. For the kinetics of peptide production, the study explored different incubation periods and agitation levels. Remarkably, the highest activity of B. subtilis was observed at 24 h of incubation, with an inhibition rate of 44.93%. Finally, the study focused on the isolation of the antimicrobial peptide from the cell-free supernatant of B. subtilis using ammonium sulfate precipitation at various concentrations. The highest recorded activity was an impressive 89.72% achieved at an 80% concentration.
Fulltext Secondary Sea-Blue Histiocytosis in a Patient with Transfusion Dependent HbE-Beta Thalassaemia and Osteosarcoma

Saad Eldeen Bakheet O, Yusof N, Raja Zahratul A, Ithnin A, Abdul Aziz S, Alias H

Indian J Hematol Blood Transfus, 2016 Jun;32(Suppl 1):262-6.
PMID: 27408409 DOI: 10.1007/s12288-015-0582-6

Secondary sea-blue histiocytosis occurs more frequently than the primary form and occurs consequent to a wide range of metabolic and haematologic disorders including thalassaemia. We report an 18-year-old Chinese boy with transfusion-dependent HbE-beta thalassaemia who complained of pain and swelling at the left iliac crest region for 2 months duration. Physical examination revealed pallor with hepatosplenomegaly. Local examination revealed a huge swelling 12 cm × 12 cm in diameter, firm in consistency and tender. Histopathological examination of the mass revealed an osteosarcoma. His bone marrow aspirate showed numerous sea-blue histiocytes, the cytoplasm of which was closely packed with fine granules that stained blue with May-Grunwald-Giemsa. The nuclei were centrally located in some cells and displaced towards the periphery in other cells. There was no malignant cell infiltration in the marrow. The case is reported due to the co-incidental dual pathology in our patient (HbE-beta thalassaemia and osteosarcoma) and the unusual bone marrow finding of numerous sea-blue histiocytes.
Self-perceived burden and its associations with health-related quality of life among urologic cancer patients

Ting CY, Teh GC, Yu KL, Alias H, Tan HM, Wong LP

Eur J Cancer Care (Engl), 2020 Jul;29(4):e13248.
PMID: 32495472 DOI: 10.1111/ecc.13248

OBJECTIVE: This study examined the prevalence of self-perceived burden (SPB) and its association with health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among urologic cancer patients.
METHODS: This was a prospective, cross-sectional study. A total of 429 respondents diagnosed with urologic cancers (prostate, bladder and renal cancer) from Sarawak General Hospital and Subang Jaya Medical Centre in Malaysia were interviewed by using a structured questionnaire. SPB and HRQoL were measured by the Self-perceived Burden Scale and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General 7 Item Scale respectively.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Self-perceived burden was experienced by 73.2% of the respondents. Respondents who had a lower education level, a monthly household income
Fulltext Shisha Smoking Practices, Use Reasons, Attitudes, Health Effects and Intentions to Quit among Shisha Smokers in Malaysia

Wong LP, Alias H, Aghamohammadi N, Aghazadeh S, Hoe VC

Int J Environ Res Public Health, 2016 07 19;13(7).
PMID: 27447655 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph13070726

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.
Siriraj I Gγ(Aγδβ)0-thalassaemia causing severe thalassaemia intermedia in compound heterozygous state with IVS1-1(G→T) mutation

Wong YY, Alauddin H, Raja Sabudin RZA, Ithnin A, Jalil N, Abdul Latiff Z, et al.

Malays J Pathol, 2021 Apr;43(1):95-100.
PMID: 33903312

The Siriraj I Gγ(Aγδβ)0-thalassaemia is a novel mutation involving a 118kb deletion of the β-globin gene cluster. It was first reported in 2012 in two unrelated families from the southern part of Thailand. The carriers in the heterozygous state are clinically asymptomatic. Nonetheless, its complex interaction with other β-thalassaemia could give rise to different clinical phenotypes, ranging from mild thalassaemia intermedia to thalassaemia major. We report here a case of a six-year-old Malay boy, presented with pallor, growth failure and hepatosplenomegaly. His haemoglobin at presentation was 9.2g/dL with a mean cell haemoglobin of 22.6pg and a mean cell volume of 69.9fl. His peripheral blood smear showed features of thalassaemia intermedia. Haemoglobin (Hb) analysis revealed markedly raised Hb F (83%), normal HbA2 levels and absent HbA. Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) analysis showed compound heterozygous IVS1-1 (G→T) β-globin gene mutation and Siriraj I Gγ(Aγδβ)0-deletion (genotype βIVS1-1/ β Siriraj I deletion). Both his father and elder sister are carriers of Siriraj I Gγ(Aγδβ)0-thalassaemia while his mother carries IVS1-1 (G→T) gene mutation. Clinically, the patient is transfusion dependent on six weekly regime. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case in Malaysia involving unique Siriraj I Gγ(Aγδβ)0-thalassaemia and IVS1-1 (G→T) in a compound heterozygous state. In summary, detection of Siriraj I Gγ(Aγδβ)0-thalassaemia is essential as this deletion can lead to severe disease upon interaction with a β-thalassemia point mutation as demonstrated in our case. The establishment of effective carrier screening and genetic counselling is important to prevent its adverse consequences.
Fulltext Spatial distribution of malaria in Peninsular Malaysia from 2000 to 2009

Alias H, Surin J, Mahmud R, Shafie A, Mohd Zin J, Mohamad Nor M, et al.

Parasit Vectors, 2014;7:186.
PMID: 24735583 DOI: 10.1186/1756-3305-7-186

Malaria is still an endemic disease of public health importance in Malaysia. Populations at risk of contracting malaria includes indigenous people, traditional villagers, mobile ethnic groups and land scheme settlers, immigrants from malaria endemic countries as well as jungle workers and loggers. The predominant species are Plasmodium falciparum and P. vivax. An increasing number of P. knowlesi infections have also been encountered. The principal vectors in Peninsular Malaysia are Anopheles maculatus and An. cracens. This study aims to determine the changes in spatial distribution of malaria in Peninsular Malaysia from year 2000-2009.
Spiritual Coping Among Families of Children With Cancer: A Qualitative Study

Chong ASS, Ahmad MB, Alias H, Iqbal Hussain RB, Lateh AB, Chan CMH

Asia Pac J Public Health, 2023 Sep;35(6-7):408-412.
PMID: 37515530 DOI: 10.1177/10105395231190830

The impact of a childhood cancer diagnosis precipitates caregiver's engagement in spiritual coping. This study aimed to explore spirituality among Malaysian Muslim caregivers of children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. A total of 13 eligible caregivers participated in this qualitative semi-structured interview via purposive sampling. Each interview was audio recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using NVivo 12 via thematic analysis. Three main themes revolved around hope through the act of praying and recitation (du'ā' and dhikr), acceptance of God's will (redha), and faith toward God as the Provider of sustenance (rezeki). The findings of this study contribute to a holistic supportive care system in pediatric oncology as it informs health care providers the role of spirituality in mitigating the emotional impact of a cancer diagnosis and promoting psychological adaptation. As a multicultural country, future studies may explore spirituality in other cultures and religion in the country.
Synergistic Effect of Nickel Nanoparticles Dispersed on MOF-Derived Defective Co3O4 In Situ Grown over TiO2 Nanowires toward UV and Visible Light Driven Photothermal CO2 Methanation

Fan WK, Tahir M, Alias H

ACS Appl Mater Interfaces, 2023 Nov 29;15(47):54353-54372.
PMID: 37963084 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c10022

Catalytic CO2 hydrogenation is an effective approach to producing clean fuels, but this process is expensive, in addition to the low efficiency of catalysts. Thus, photothermal CO2 hydrogenation can effectively utilize solar energy for CH4 production. Metal-organic framework (MOF) derived materials with a controlled structure and morphology are promising to give a high number of active sites and photostability in thermal catalytic reactions. For the first time, a novel heterostructure catalyst was synthesized using a facile approach to in situ grow MOF-derived 0D Co3O4 over 1D TiO2 nanowires (NWs). The original 3D dodecahedral structure of the MOF is engineered into novel 0D Co3O4 nanospheres, which were uniformly embedded over Ni-dispersed 1D TiO2 NWs. In situ prepared 10Ni-7Co3O4@TiO2 NWs-I achieved an excellent photothermal CH4 evolution rate of 8.28 mmol/h at 250 °C under low-intensity visible light, whereas UV light treatment further increased activity by 1.2-fold. UV irradiations promoted high CH4 production while improving the susceptibility of the catalyst to visible light irradiation. The photothermal effect is prominent at lower temperatures, due to the harmonization of both solar and thermal energy. By paralleling with mechanically assembled 10Ni-7Co3O4/TiO2 NWs-M, the catalytic performance of the in situ approach is far superior, attributing to the morphological transformation of 0D Co3O4, which induced intimate interfacial interactions, formation of oxygen vacancies and boosted photo-to-thermal effects. The co-existence of metallic/metal oxide Ni-Co provided beneficial synergies, enhanced photo-to-thermal effects, and improved charge transfer kinetics of the composite. This work uncovers a facile approach to engineering the morphology of MOF derivatives for efficient photothermal CO2 methanation.
Fulltext Temporal changes in psychobehavioural responses during the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia

Wong LP, Alias H

J Behav Med, 2021 Feb;44(1):18-28.
PMID: 32757088 DOI: 10.1007/s10865-020-00172-z

Monitoring public psychological and behavioural responses during the early phase of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak is important for the management and control of infection. This study aims to investigate the temporal trend in (1) avoidance and protective behaviors, (2) fear, (3) socio-economic impact, and (4) anxiety levels during the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a high level of anxiety may have a detrimental impact during an infectious disease outbreak, factors associated with anxiety were also explored. The survey was carried out for 10 weeks and the responses were divided into three periods of around 3 weeks: 25 January-21 February, 22 February-17 March and 18 March-3 April (the period the Malaysian Government issued Movement Control Order). Findings revealed that most of the pyschobehavioural variables showed small increases during first (25 January-21 February) and second (22 February-17 March) periods, and high psychobehavioral responses were reported during the third period. A total of 72.1% (95%CI = 69.2-75.0) reported moderate to severe anxiety as measured by the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Factor influencing moderate to severe anxiety is a high perception of severity (OR = 2.09; 95%CI = 1.48-2.94), high perceived susceptibility (OR = 1.71; 95%CI = 1.17-2.50), high impact score (OR = 1.63; 95%CI = 1.17-2.26) and high fear score (OR = 1.47; 95%CI = 1.01-2.14). In conclusion, the psychological and behavioural responses were found to increase with the progression of the outbreak. High anxiety levels found in this study warrant provision of mental health intervention during the early phase of COVID-19 outbreak.
The Association Between E-Cigarette Use Behaviors and Saliva Cotinine Concentration Among Healthy E-Cigarette Users in Malaysia

Wong LP, Mohd Salim SN, Alias H, Aghamohammadi N, Hoe VCW, Isahak M, et al.

J Addict Nurs, 2020 6 4;31(2):102-109.
PMID: 32487936 DOI: 10.1097/JAN.0000000000000335

Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) have rapidly increased in popularity within the last 2 years in Malaysia. The study aims to understand the association between e-cigarette use behaviors and salivary cotinine (a CYP2AA metabolite of nicotine) concentration to inform the development of future e-cigarette control policies. A convenience sample of saliva from 144 e-cigarette users was obtained between November and December 2015. The study participants used refill liquid containing between 0 and 12 mg/ml of nicotine. The overall median cotinine concentration of the study participants was 81.1 ng/ml (interquartile range = 8.5-195.8). Among the zero-nicotine and single e-cigarette users, the median cotinine level was 51.1 (interquartile range = 8.20-125.35) ng/ml. Factors significantly associated with a higher salivary cotinine concentration were dual use of e-cigarettes and tobacco cigarettes, regular and daily e-cigarette use, a longer duration of e-cigarette use, using a higher amount of e-liquid, and a shorter duration to finish a refill. Multivariate analysis revealed that e-cigarette use of 1-6 and 6-12 months (but not 1 month and below) was significantly associated with a higher cotinine concentration. Cotinine found in zero-nicotine e-liquids implies the importance of stringent regulatory governance for the consistency of labeled nicotine content of e-cigarette liquid in the market. Zero-nicotine e-cigarette users should also be informed of the likelihood of environmental exposure to tobacco smoke. Future studies conducted on larger samples are warranted to validate the association between duration of e-cigarette use and salivary cotinine concentration as well as to investigate underlying mechanisms.
Fulltext The Glaciozyma antarctica genome reveals an array of systems that provide sustained responses towards temperature variations in a persistently cold habitat

Firdaus-Raih M, Hashim NHF, Bharudin I, Abu Bakar MF, Huang KK, Alias H, et al.

PLoS One, 2018;13(1):e0189947.
PMID: 29385175 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0189947

Extremely low temperatures present various challenges to life that include ice formation and effects on metabolic capacity. Psyhcrophilic microorganisms typically have an array of mechanisms to enable survival in cold temperatures. In this study, we sequenced and analysed the genome of a psychrophilic yeast isolated in the Antarctic region, Glaciozyma antarctica. The genome annotation identified 7857 protein coding sequences. From the genome sequence analysis we were able to identify genes that encoded for proteins known to be associated with cold survival, in addition to annotating genes that are unique to G. antarctica. For genes that are known to be involved in cold adaptation such as anti-freeze proteins (AFPs), our gene expression analysis revealed that they were differentially transcribed over time and in response to different temperatures. This indicated the presence of an array of adaptation systems that can respond to a changing but persistent cold environment. We were also able to validate the activity of all the AFPs annotated where the recombinant AFPs demonstrated anti-freeze capacity. This work is an important foundation for further collective exploration into psychrophilic microbiology where among other potential, the genes unique to this species may represent a pool of novel mechanisms for cold survival.
The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Future Nursing Career Turnover Intention Among Nursing Students

Lin Y, Hu Z, Danaee M, Alias H, Wong LP

Risk Manag Healthc Policy, 2021;14:3605-3615.
PMID: 34475792 DOI: 10.2147/RMHP.S322764

Introduction: A shortage of nurses has been a major global concern, particularly during pandemics. Nursing students turning away from the nursing profession upon graduation may exacerbate nursing workforce shortfalls. The main objective of this study was to assess perceived occupational turnover intention among nursing students and associated factors (fear of COVID-19 and life satisfaction). Students were also asked to provide suggestions that could enhance their intention to join the nursing profession.
Methods: An online survey was sent to all registered undergraduate nursing students at Fujian Medical University, China. The partial least squares structural equation model (PLS-SEM) was used to investigate key factors influencing turnover intention.
Results: A total of 1020 complete responses were received (response rate: 86.2%). Nearly half (49.1%) reported that they would choose not to be on a nursing course if given a choice, 45.4% often think of not going into the nursing profession in the future, and 23.7% would consider entering a healthcare industry that has zero contact with patients. The total turnover intention score range was 3 to 15, and the mean ± standard deviation (SD) was 9.2 (SD ± 2.5). PLS-SEM path analysis revealed that fear of COVID-19 (β = 0.226, p < 0.001) had a positive effect on turnover intention. Satisfaction with life (β = -0.212, p < 0.001) had a negative effect on turnover intention. Analysis of open-ended survey data on students' perspectives on how to encourage nursing students to enter the nursing workforce revealed five central themes: 1) professional role, respect, and recognition; 2) higher wages; 3) reduce workload; 4) enhance occupational health and safety; and 5) career advancement opportunities.
Conclusion: Factors influencing turnover intention and suggestions to reduce students' apprehension towards joining the nursing profession found in this study should be seriously taken into consideration in initiatives to address the nurse shortages.

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