Displaying publications 81 - 85 of 85 in total

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  1. Chang FY, Chuang YC, Veeraraghavan B, Apisarnthanarak A, Tayzon MF, Kwa AL, et al.
    JAC Antimicrob Resist, 2022 Dec;4(6):dlac117.
    PMID: 36439993 DOI: 10.1093/jacamr/dlac117
    OBJECTIVES: To determine antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) programme practices in Asian secondary- and tertiary-care hospitals.

    METHODS: AMS programme team members within 349 hospitals from 10 countries (Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam) completed a questionnaire via a web-based survey link. The survey contained questions as to whether 12 core components deemed essential for AMS programmes were implemented.

    RESULTS: Overall, 47 (13.5%) hospitals fulfilled all core AMS programme components. There was a mean positive response rate (PRR) of 85.6% for the responding countries in relation to a formal hospital leadership statement of support for AMS activities, but this was not matched by budgeted financial support for AMS activities (mean PRR 57.1%). Mean PRRs were ≥80.0% for the core AMS team comprising a physician or other leader responsible for AMS activities, a pharmacist and infection control and microbiology personnel. Most hospitals had access to a timely and reliable microbiology service (mean PRR 90.4%). Facility-specific antibiotic treatment guidelines for common infections (mean PRR 78.7%) were in place more often than pre-authorization and/or prospective audit and feedback systems (mean PRR 66.5%). In terms of AMS monitoring and reporting, PRRs of monitoring specific antibiotic use, regularly publishing AMS outcome measures, and the existence of a hospital antibiogram were 75.1%, 64.4% and 77.9%, respectively.

    CONCLUSIONS: Most hospitals participating in this survey did not have AMS programmes fulfilling the requirements for gold standard AMS programmes in hospital settings. Urgent action is required to address AMS funding and resourcing deficits.

  2. Tahir AA, Mohd Barnoh NF, Yusof N, Mohd Said NN, Utsumi M, Yen AM, et al.
    Microbes Environ, 2019 Jun 27;34(2):161-168.
    PMID: 31019143 DOI: 10.1264/jsme2.ME18117
    Oil palm empty fruit bunches (OPEFB) are the most abundant, inexpensive, and environmentally friendly lignocellulosic biomass in Malaysia. Investigations on the microbial diversity of decaying OPEFB may reveal microbes with complex enzymes that have the potential to enhance the conversion of lignocellulose into second-generation biofuels as well as the production of other value-added products. In the present study, fungal and bacterial diversities in decaying OPEFB were identified using Illumina MiSeq sequencing of the V3 region of the 16S rRNA gene and V4 region of the 18S rRNA gene. Fungal diversity in decaying OPEFB was dominated by the phylum Ascomycota (14.43%), while most of the bacterial sequences retrieved belonged to Proteobacteria (76.71%). Three bacterial strains isolated from decaying OPEFB, designated as S18, S20, and S36, appeared to grow with extracted OPEFB-lignin and Kraft lignin (KL) as the sole carbon source. 16S rRNA gene sequencing identified the 3 isolates as Paenibacillus sp.. The molecular weight distribution of KL before and after degradation showed significant depolymerization when treated with bacterial strains S18, S20, and S36. The presence of low-molecular-weight lignin-related compounds, such as vanillin and 2-methoxyphenol derivatives, which were detected by a GC-MS analysis, confirmed the KL-degrading activities of isolated Paenibacillus strains.
  3. Ngah NF, Muhamad NA, Mohamed SO, Abdul Aziz RA, Ma'amor NH, Ahmad Tarmidzi NA, et al.
    Int J Ophthalmol, 2023;16(5):712-720.
    PMID: 37206185 DOI: 10.18240/ijo.2023.05.07
    AIM: To derive a Malaysia guideline and consensus as part of the Malaysia Retina Group's efforts for diagnosis, treatment, and best practices of diabetic macular edema (DME). The experts' panel suggests that the treatment algorithm to be divided into groups according to involvement the central macula. The purpose of DME therapy is to improve edema and achieve the best visual results with the least amount of treatment load.

    METHODS: On two different occasions, a panel of 14 retinal specialists from Malaysia, together with an external expert, responded to a questionnaire on management of DME. A consensus was sought by voting after compiling, analyzing and discussion on first-phase replies on the round table discussion. A recommendation was deemed to have attained consensus when 12 out of the 14 panellists (85%) agreed with it.

    RESULTS: The terms target response, adequate response, nonresponse, and inadequate response were developed when the DME patients' treatment responses were first characterized. The panelists reached agreement on a number of DME treatment-related issues, including the need to classify patients prior to treatment, first-line treatment options, the right time to switch between treatment modalities, and side effects associated with steroids. From this agreement, recommendations were derived and a treatment algorithm was created.

    CONCLUSION: A detail and comprehensive treatment algorithm by Malaysia Retina Group for the Malaysian population provides guidance for treatment allocation of patients with DME.

  4. Sathasivam HP, Davan SP, Chua SM, Rohaizat RF, Japar R, Zakaria Z, et al.
    Infect Agent Cancer, 2023 Nov 28;18(1):74.
    PMID: 38017493 DOI: 10.1186/s13027-023-00557-0
    BACKGROUND: In addition to the conventional aetiologic agents of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) such as tobacco usage, alcohol consumption and betel quid usage, it has been established that a proportion of OPSCC are driven by persistent oncogenic human papillomavirus (HPV) infections. Currently, there is a lack of data on the burden of HPV- associated OPSCC in Asian countries including Malaysia.

    METHODS: A cross-sectional multicentre study with tissue analysis of Malaysian patients diagnosed with primary OPSCC within a five-year period, from 2015 to 2019 between 01/01/2015 to 31/12/2019 was undertaken. Determination of HPV status was carried out using p16INK4a immunohistochemistry on tissue microarrays constructed from archived formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue.

    RESULTS: From the cases identified, 184 cases had sufficient tissue material for analysis. Overall, median age at diagnosis was 63.0 years (IQR = 15) and 76.1% of patients were males. In our cohort, 35.3% of patients were Indian, 34.2% were Chinese, 21.2% were Malay and 9.2% were from other ethnicities. The estimated prevalence of HPV-associated OPSCC in our cohort was 31.0% (CI 24.4-38.2%). The median age for the HPV-associated OPSCC sub-group of patients was not significantly lower than the median age of patients with HPV-independent OPSCC. More than half of HPV-associated OPSCC was seen in patients of Chinese ethnicity (54.4%). Patients with HPV-associated OPSCC had a much better overall survival than patients with HPV-independent OPSCC (Log rank test; p 

  5. Gewirtz-Meydan A, Koós M, Nagy L, Kraus SW, Demetrovics Z, Potenza MN, et al.
    Public Health, 2024 Apr;229:13-23.
    PMID: 38382177 DOI: 10.1016/j.puhe.2023.12.031
    OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to examine the psychometric properties of the P4 suicide screener in a multinational sample. The primary goal was to evaluate the reliability and validity of the scale and investigate its convergent validity by analyzing its correlation with depression, anxiety, and substance use.

    STUDY DESIGN: The study design is a cross-sectional self-report study conducted across 42 countries.

    METHODS: A cross-sectional, self-report study was conducted in 42 countries, with a total of 82,243 participants included in the final data set.

    RESULTS: The study provides an overview of suicide ideation rates across 42 countries and confirms the structural validity of the P4 screener. The findings indicated that sexual and gender minority individuals exhibited higher rates of suicidal ideation. The P4 screener showed adequate reliability, convergence, and discriminant validity, and a cutoff score of 1 is recommended to identify individuals at risk of suicidal behavior.

    CONCLUSIONS: The study supports the reliability and validity of the P4 suicide screener across 42 diverse countries, highlighting the importance of using a cross-cultural suicide risk assessment to standardize the identification of high-risk individuals and tailoring culturally sensitive suicide prevention strategies.

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