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  1. Md Gowdh NF, Sivasampu S, Lim TO, Abdullah NH
    Citation: Md Gowdh NF, Sivasampu S, Lim TO, Abdullah NH. National healthcare establishments and workforce statistics (primary care) 2008-2009. Kuala Lumpur: Clinical Research Centre, Ministry of Health, Malaysia
  2. Shaari IH, Abu Osman NA, Shasmin HN
    Proc Inst Mech Eng H, 2020 Aug;234(8):884-894.
    PMID: 32459140 DOI: 10.1177/0954411920923541
    Many studies have shown that medical compression products produce different levels of interface pressure during the usage of the products. However, limited studies have explored the pattern of interface pressure exerted by orthotic garments. This case study aimed to investigate the pattern of interface pressure exerted by two types of orthotic garments on a child with cerebral palsy. A 13-year-old child diagnosed with ataxic spastic diplegia cerebral palsy has difficulty to perform sit-to-stand motion even with a walking frame due to his truncal ataxia. A TheraTogsTM orthosis and a Dynamic Lycra® Fabric Orthosis (DLFO) were prepared for the child. The child's sit-to-stand ability without and with the usage of orthoses was recorded using five sit-to-stand tests. The garments' interface pressure was measured using F-scan (9811E) and F-scan 6.5.1 version software. The pressure was recorded when the child was in sitting position and performing sit-to-stand-to-sit motion. Overall, the child completed the five sit-to-stand test duration within 2.53 ± 0.04 s and 2.51 ± 0.09 s with the usage of TheraTogsTM orthosis and DLFO, respectively. Higher pressure was exerted by Dynamic Lycra Fabric Orthosis (axillary = 122 mmHg) in contrast to TheraTogsTM orthosis (77 mmHg) when the child was in a sitting position. Lower pressure was exerted by DLFO (7 mmHg), over xiphoid level and for TheraTogsTM orthosis is 1.2 mmHg over axillary level when the child was performing sit-to-stand motion. The largest range of pressure was exerted by TheraTogsTM orthosis with a minimum pressure of 5 mmHg and a maximum pressure of 155 mmHg during sit-to-stand motion. Overall, the DLFO exerted higher mean interface pressure on the child in comparison to TheraTogsTM orthosis when the child's body was in a sitting position wearing both upper garment and pants. Both TheraTogsTM orthosis and DLFO presented a different range of interface pressure over different body segments and activities.
  3. Moghavvemi S, Jaafar NI, Sulaiman A, Parveen Tajudeen F
    PLoS One, 2020;15(6):e0234602.
    PMID: 32584847 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0234602
    The adoption of energy-efficient lighting systems such as light-emitting diode (LED) lights is an effective strategy to address global warming and climate change. The adoption of LED light usage is largely shaped by consumer behavior. Understanding the factors that influence consumers' awareness of the advantages of using LED lights and consumers' eventual buying behavior is critical to industry players and policy-makers. The objective of this study is to investigate the significant factors that affect consumer intention to use LED lights among Malaysian households. A survey questionnaire of 1,075 potential consumers was employed and the partial least squares technique was applied in data analysis. The results show that consumer awareness creates responsibility and influences consumers' personal norms and attitudes, and their ultimate intention to buy LED lights. Feelings of guilt about contributing to air pollution and an awareness of the advantages of using LED lights both activate individual personal norms and attitudes, and influence the intention to buy LED lights. Awareness of the advantages of using LED lights, and of the negative consequences of not using them, prompts consumers to have feelings of guilt. The findings point to the importance of creating awareness among consumers.
  4. Yahya NFS, Teng NIMF, Shafiee N, Juliana N
    PMID: 34682652 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph182010915
    Breastfeeding is the best form of feeding for premature infants. However, mothers with premature delivery are frequently reported to be depressed, and this has been especially the case during the Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. We aimed to measure the level of breastfeeding attitude and its association with postpartum depression among mothers with premature infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) during the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 248 mothers with a premature infant were observed in this cross-sectional study from the chosen NICUs of government hospitals in Selangor, Malaysia. The Iowa Infant Feeding Attitude Score (IIFAS) and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, along with sociodemographic questionnaires, were used to obtain information on the mothers' attitudes towards breastfeeding and the risk of postpartum depression. A higher percentage of mothers had a positive attitude towards breastfeeding (64.9%), with a mean IIFAS score of 66.30 ± 6.92. Meanwhile, about 27% of mothers with premature infants were reported to have high risk of depressive symptoms. Mothers with a high risk of depression were less likely to have a positive attitude towards breastfeeding (OR 0.37, 95% CI 0.199, 0.675) as compared to mothers with a low risk of depression (p < 0.01). We found that there is an association between the risk of depression and the attitude towards breastfeeding. Early identification of maternal mental health problems should be addressed to ensure the willingness of mothers to continue breastfeeding.
  5. Teh WB, Kuharajan R, Shafika AHN, Azhani IGN
    Case Rep Orthop, 2021;2021:5587325.
    PMID: 34707912 DOI: 10.1155/2021/5587325
    Migration of femoral Kuntscher intramedullary nail (K-nail) proximally or distally within the femoral medullary cavity is a well-known documented complication, but spontaneous extrusion of a distally migrated K-nail is a rare complication. This is a case report of a 33-year-old lady who complained of sudden onset left knee pain and presented with spontaneous extrusion of a Kuntscher nail 12 years postinsertion. She underwent a successful K-nail removal surgery and showed a good clinical outcome after 6 months of outpatient follow-up.
  6. Rahman MT, Regenstein JM, Abu Kassim NL, Karim MM
    Account Res, 2021 11;28(8):492-516.
    PMID: 33290665 DOI: 10.1080/08989621.2020.1860764
    Despite the widely used author contribution criteria, unethical authorship practices such as guest, ghost, and honorary authorship remain largely unsolved. We have identified six major reasons by analyzing 78 published papers addressing unethical authorship practice. Those are lack of: (i) awareness about and (ii) compliance with authorship criteria, (iii) universal definition and scope for determining authorship, (iv) common mechanisms for positioning an author in the list, (v) quantitative measures of intellectual contribution; and (vi) pressure to publish. As a  measure to control unethical practice, we have evaluated the possibility to adopt an author categorization scheme - proposed according to the common understanding of how first-, co-, principal-, or corresponding- author is perceived. Based on an online opinion survey, the scheme was supported by ~80% of the respondents (n=370). The impact of the proposed categorization was then evaluated using a novel mathematical tool to measure "Author Performance Index (API)" that can be higher for those who might have authored more papers as primary and/or principal authors than those as coauthors. Hence, if adopted, the proposed author categorization scheme together with the API would provide a better way to evaluate the credit of an individual as a primary and principal author.
  7. Haque N, Widera D, Govindasamy V, Soesilawati P, Abu Kasim NH
    Curr Mol Med, 2022;22(2):120-131.
    PMID: 33550972 DOI: 10.2174/1566524021666210125114828
    Cell-based regenerative therapies involving stem or progenitor cells are considered as possible therapeutic modalities to treat non-communicable and degenerative diseases. Recently, regenerative outcomes of cell-based therapies have been linked to paracrine factors and extracellular vesicles [EVs] released by the transplanted cells rather than the transplanted cells themselves. EVs contain a cargo that includes microRNAs [miRNAs], mRNAs, as well as proteins. Their role in mediating intercellular communication has been acknowledged in several studies. However, the regenerative potential of the miRNAs, mRNAs, and proteins that are present in EVs is a matter of ongoing scientific debate. In this review, we discuss EVs as an alternative to stem cell-based therapy to treat some of the non-communicable and degenerative diseases. Moreover, we also propose that pre-treatment of the cells could help to produce EVs enriched with particular miRNAs, mRNAs, and/or proteins that could support the successful regeneration of a targeted organ.
  8. Yew CK, Mat Johar SFN, Lim WY
    Cureus, 2022 Jan;14(1):e21179.
    PMID: 35165627 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.21179
    Extravasation injury is a common iatrogenic injury, especially in neonates. Intravenous access is essential in neonatal care, but neonatal extravasation injury is associated with severe morbidity. We present three cases of neonatal extravasation injuries with varying presentations, etiological agents, and timing of management. It shows that extravasation injuries treated with the saline flush-out technique and timely intervention have a superior outcome with almost immediate resolution and subsequent healing with no scars. This is in stark contrast with the lesions treated conservatively with dressings that took more time to heal. We are reminded to be vigilant with infusion therapies and the importance of early detection and prompt treatment in neonatal extravasation injuries.
  9. Issa MR, Awanis Muslim N, Mat Sharif Z
    SAGE Open Nurs, 2021 12 09;7:23779608211065213.
    PMID: 35155775 DOI: 10.1177/23779608211065213
    Background: All hospitals are required to provide high-quality pain management; one of the most critical issues in achieving high-quality pain management is that the hospitals have a clear plan to manage the patients' pain and improve the nurses' awareness of pain management during the COVID 19 pandemic. However, there is a significant gap in the literature that this study can cover.

    Aim: This study aimed to investigate the mediating effect of model-based learning on nurses' attitudes toward nurses' pain management awareness during the COVID 19 pandemic in Saudi Arabia government hospitals.

    Method: The Heath Beliefs Model was used, with a quasi-experimental design, with per experimental one group pre-test post-test design, and a quantitative approach using self-administered questionnaires obtained from 330 nurses working with patients suffering from pain. IBM SPSS V23 and Analysis of Moment Structures (AMOS)V23 were applied to analyze the causal relationships between the variables.

    Results: A two-step approach to analyze the study: the first step was to test the measurement models' constructs' reliability and validity. The second step was to test research hypotheses in the structural models. The results show a significant positive relationship between model-based learning and pain management awareness among nurses during COVID 19 pandemic. Furthermore, model-based learning fully mediated the relationship between nurses' attitudes and pain management awareness.

    Conclusions: The study successfully improved nurses' attitudes toward pain management awareness among nurses during COVID 19 pandemic. These findings will help strengthen the debate in the existing literature, and this is a new development window in the pain management area.

  10. Mohd Ridzuan MA, Sow A, Noor Rain A, Mohd Ilham A, Zakiah I
    Trop Biomed, 2007 Jun;24(1):111-8.
    PMID: 17568384 MyJurnal
    Eurycoma longifolia, locally known as 'Tongkat Ali' is a popular local medicinal plant that possess a lot of medicinal properties as claimed traditionally, especially in the treatment of malaria. The claims have been proven scientifically on isolated compounds from the plant. The present study is to investigate the anti malaria properties of Eurycoma longifolia standardized extract (root) (TA164) alone and in combination with artemisinin in vivo. Combination treatment of the standardized extract (TA164) with artemisinin suppressed P. yoelii infection in the experimental mice. The 4 day suppressive test showed that TA164 suppressed the parasitemia of P. yoelii-infected mice as dose dependent manner (10, 30 and 60 mg/kg BW) by oral and subcutaneous treatment. By oral administration, combination of TA164 at 10, 30 and 60 mg/kg BW each with artemisinin respectively showed a significant increase in the parasitemia suppression to 63, 67 and 80 percent as compared to artemisinin single treatment (31%). Using subcutaneous administration, at 10 mg/kg BW of TA164 in combination with 1.7 mg/kg BW of artemisinin gave a suppression of 80% of infection. This study showed that combination treatment of TA164 with artemisinin gives a promising potential anti malaria candidate using both oral and subcutaneous route, the later being the most potent.
  11. Chan KL, Choo CY, Abdullah NR, Ismail Z
    J Ethnopharmacol, 2004 Jun;92(2-3):223-7.
    PMID: 15138004 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2004.02.025
    The roots of Eurycoma longifolia Jack have been used as traditional medicine to treat malaria. A systematic bioactivity-guided fractionation of this plant was conducted involving the determination of the effect of its various extracts and their chemical constituents on the lactate dehydrogenase activity of in vitro chloroquine-resistant Gombak A isolate and chloroquine-sensitive D10 strain of Plasmodium falciparum parasites. Their antiplasmodial activity was also compared with their known in vitro cytotoxicity against KB cells. Four quassinoids, eurycomanone (1), 13,21-dihydroeurycomanone (3), 13 alpha(21)-epoxyeurycomanone (4), eurycomalactone (6) and an alkaloid, 9-methoxycanthin-6-one (7), displayed higher antiplasmodial activity against Gombak A isolate but were less active against the D10 strain when compared with chloroquine. Amongst the compounds tested, 1 and 3 showed higher selectivity indices obtained for the cytotoxicity to antiplasmodial activity ratio than 14,15 beta-dihydroxyklaineanone (2), eurycomanol (5), 6 and 7.
  12. Md Alwi N, Muhamad R, Ishak A, Wan Abdullah WNH
    Malays Fam Physician, 2021 Nov 30;16(3):104-107.
    PMID: 34938399 DOI: 10.51866/cr1275
    Yaws is a rare skin disease endemic to tropical countries caused by Treponema pertenue. It is highly infectious and spreads through physical contact. In Malaysia, it was presumably eradicated during the 1960s, with the last reported case published in 1985. Due to its rarity, the disease often goes unrecognised and misdiagnosed. Here, we report the case of a 5-year-old aboriginal boy diagnosed with secondary yaws who presented with fever and an incidental finding of chronic painless ulcerated nodules and plaques on his lower limbs and gluteal region. His diagnosis was confirmed serologically with a venereal disease research laboratory lab test and he was successfully treated with a single dose of intramuscular benzathine penicillin G. Primary care physicians should not ignore this disease since its early recognition and appropriate treatment is vital to its eradication, especially in high-risk communities.
  13. Ong WF, Musa AT, Ooi LW, Karim NKA
    J Taibah Univ Med Sci, 2021 Dec;16(6):943-947.
    PMID: 34899138 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtumed.2021.07.007
    Primary osteosarcomas involving the base of the skull in middle-aged patients are rare. We describe the case of a 59-year-old Asian woman presenting with lethargy, epistaxis, left maxillary and mandibular pain, and headache. Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a large left greater sphenoid wing tumour with extensive local infiltration and intracranial extension. The tumour was diagnosed as osteosarcoma based on histological examination. In this report, we discuss the clinical presentations, radiological features, and imaging differential diagnoses of this case.
  14. Rosli NA, Mazapuspavina MY, Mohd Nor NS
    Clin Pract, 2021 Nov 17;11(4):870-877.
    PMID: 34842633 DOI: 10.3390/clinpract11040102
    Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH) is a genetic disorder that leads to cortisol deficiency. However, prolonged neonatal jaundice is a rare presentation of CAH. The pathophysiology of hyperbilirubinemia in CAH is still ill-defined. Plausible causes are related to the synthesis of bile, maturity of the liver and adrenal function. This case reported a neonate who presented with severe prolonged jaundice that lasted for more than a month. A short Synacthen test confirmed diagnosis of CAH. He was started on steroid replacement. He had regular follow-up under paediatric endocrinologist and primary care physician for long-term monitoring and overall health care. This case demonstrates the importance of recognizing the clinical and biochemical features of CAH for early detection and referral. Long-term follow-up and monitoring is necessary due to the risk of complications and side effects of medications. This is the first case of CAH presented with persistent hyperbilirubinemia to be reported from Malaysia. The case describes the difficult workup that has been encountered in the patient's care and management.
  15. Mohd Fisall UF, Ismail NZ, Adebayo IA, Arsad H
    Mol Biol Rep, 2021 May;48(5):4465-4475.
    PMID: 34086162 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-021-06466-y
    Moringa oleifera is a well-known medicinal plant which has anti-cancer and other biological activities. This research aims to determine the cytotoxic and apoptotic effect of M. oleifera leave extract on the breast cancer (MCF7) cells. The extracts were prepared using hexane, dichloromethane, chloroform and n-butanol by fractionating the crude 80% methanol extract of the plant leaves. The cytotoxic effect of the extracts on MCF7 cells were determined using CellTiter 96® AQueous One Solution Cell Proliferation (MTS) assay. The apoptosis study was conducted using Annexin V-FITC analysis and confirmed by Western blotting using selected proteins, which are p53, Bax, cytochrome c and caspase 8. Our results showed that the dichloromethane (DF-CME-MOL) extract was selectively cytotoxic to MCF7 cells (5 μg/mL) without significantly inhibiting the non-cancerous breast (MCF 10A) cells. It had the highest selectivity index (SI) value of 9.5 among the tested extracts. It also induced early apoptosis and increased the expressions of pro-apoptotic proteins Bax, caspase 8 and p53 in MCF7 cells. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis (GC-MS) analysis showed that the major compounds found in DF-CME-MOL were benzeneacetonitrile, 4-hydroxy- and benzeneacetic acid, 4-hydroxy-, methyl ester among others that were detected. Thus, DF-CME-MOL extract was found to inhibit the proliferation of MCF7 cells by apoptosis induction, which is likely due to the activities of the detected phytochemical compounds of the extract.
  16. Rosli NA, Karamanlioglu M, Kargarzadeh H, Ahmad I
    Int J Biol Macromol, 2021 Sep 30;187:732-741.
    PMID: 34358596 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2021.07.196
    Poly(lactic acid) (PLA), a bio-based polyester, has been extensively investigated in the recent past owing to its excellent mechanical properties. Several studies have been conducted on PLA blends, with a focus on improving the brittleness of PLA to ensure its suitability for various applications. However, the increasing use of PLA has increased the contamination of PLA-based products in the environment because PLA remains intact even after three years at sea or in soil. This review focuses on analyzing studies that have worked on improving the degradation properties of PLA blends and studies how other additives affect degradation by considering different degradation media. Factors affecting the degradation properties, such as surface morphology, water uptake, and crystallinity of PLA blends, are highlighted. In natural, biotic, and abiotic media, water uptake plays a crucial role in determining biodegradation rates. Immiscible blends of PLA with other polymer matrices cause phase separation, increasing the water absorption. The susceptibility of PLA to hydrolytic and enzymatic degradation is high in the amorphous region because it can be easily penetrated by water. It is essential to study the morphology, water absorption, and structural properties of PLA blends to predict the biodegradation properties of PLA in the blends.
  17. Zakaria NA, Ab-Murat N, Che Musa MF
    Int J Dent Hyg, 2021 Dec 24.
    PMID: 34951747 DOI: 10.1111/idh.12571
    OBJECTIVE: To assess Malaysian dental therapists' job satisfaction, motivation, turnover intention and perceived future roles, following recent changes in the regulations that allow them to provide dental care within their scope of practice in the private sector.

    METHODS: A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to public dental therapists who were selected using a stratified random sampling technique. Questions included items on social structure, job satisfaction and motivation (based on the Warr-Cook-Wall scale), turnover intention (based on four cognitive processes) and perceived future roles. Multiple logistic regression was used to assess the predictors of dental therapists' turnover intention.

    RESULTS: Overall, a majority (>90%) of the participants had high job satisfaction and job motivation, with total mean scores of 45.70 ± 6.86 and 21.16 ± 2.63, respectively. A total of 8.3% intended to leave the public sector to work in a different organization. Of those who chose to remain as a dental therapist in the next five years, only 7% considered working in the private sector. The significant predictors for turnover intention were educational attainment, years of working experience, job satisfaction level and future preferred working sector.

    CONCLUSION: Although the newly introduced Dental Act allows dental therapists to expand their roles to the private setting, very few intended to do so. This could be related to them having a high level of job satisfaction and job motivation while serving in the public sector.

  18. Norhayati MN, Fatin Imtithal A, Nor Akma Y
    BMC Pregnancy Childbirth, 2021 Oct 22;21(1):711.
    PMID: 34686139 DOI: 10.1186/s12884-021-04184-8
    BACKGROUND: Maternal satisfaction must be assessed in order to reflect the quality of care, which is considered an outcome of healthcare services. It can also be used to contrast and compare satisfaction with various care models or service configuration or to assess overtime changes. The purpose of this study was to investigate the psychometric properties of the Malay version Women's Views of Birth Postnatal Satisfaction Questionnaire (WOMBPNSQ) based on the Rasch scale model of labour satisfaction.

    METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study. Postpartum women were identified from a tertiary hospital and evaluated at 1-month postnatal period using WOMBLSQ. The Rasch model was used to investigate the reliability, unidimensionality, item and person misfits and distribution map.

    RESULTS: A total of 195 women were involved. The Rasch analysis revealed that the 30 items had a high level of reliability at 0.99 and item separation at 9.02. It has a low level of reliability at 0.45 and persons separation at 0.90. All the items are considered fit. Five people have most misfitting response strings based on item IPS_Q15, 'I was given little advice on contraception following the birth of my baby', but extremely trivial differences were found in the parameter estimates after refitting the model. The more difficult item to endorse satisfaction is item CA_Q17 'I was given little advice on contraception following the birth of my baby'.

    CONCLUSIONS: The WOMBLSQ tested in postpartum women proved to have high item reliability index but with an adequate sample. The analysis shows that the 30 items target the right form of respondents, have similar latent characteristics of postpartum women and a shared sense of satisfaction. For future improvement, more difficult items endorsing satisfaction should be created, and the common items in which satisfaction is expected should be reduced.

  19. Ismail NA, Leong Abdullah MFI, Hami R, Ahmad Yusof H
    Growth Factors, 2021 01 11;38(3-4):210-225.
    PMID: 33427532 DOI: 10.1080/08977194.2020.1864347
    Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a neurotrophin that is highly expressed in the brain. It influences neuronal survival, growth and acts as a control centre for neurotransmitters. It also plays a crucial role in learning and memory. Current evidence indicates that BDNF may be a possible neurotrophic factor that controls cognitive functions under normal and neuropathological conditions. Recent findings indicate a reduction in cognitive performance in individuals with Alzheimer's disease (AD). This relationship between cognitive performance and AD is important for investigating both the time they overlap and the pathophysiological mechanism in each case. Therefore, this study reviewed the existing knowledge about BDNF and cognitive performance in the AD population. The findings support the idea that this tropic factor may be a potential biomarker for evaluating the changes in cognitive performance in AD.
  20. Law KB, M Peariasamy K, Mohd Ibrahim H, Abdullah NH
    Sci Rep, 2021 10 18;11(1):20574.
    PMID: 34663839 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-00013-2
    The conventional susceptible-infectious-recovered (SIR) model tends to magnify the transmission dynamics of infectious diseases, and thus the estimated total infections and immunized population may be higher than the threshold required for infection control and eradication. The study developed a new SIR framework that allows the transmission rate of infectious diseases to decline along with the reduced risk of contact infection to overcome the limitations of the conventional SIR model. Two new SIR models were formulated to mimic the declining transmission rate of infectious diseases at different stages of transmission. Model A utilized the declining transmission rate along with the reduced risk of contact infection following infection, while Model B incorporated the declining transmission rate following recovery. Both new models and the conventional SIR model were then used to simulate an infectious disease with a basic reproduction number (r0) of 3.0 and a herd immunity threshold (HIT) of 0.667 with and without vaccination. Outcomes of simulations were assessed at the time when the total immunized population reached the level predicted by the HIT, and at the end of simulations. Further, all three models were used to simulate the transmission dynamics of seasonal influenza in the United States and disease burdens were projected and compared with estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For the simulated infectious disease, in the initial phase of the outbreak, all three models performed expectedly when the sizes of infectious and recovered populations were relatively small. As the infectious population increased, the conventional SIR model appeared to overestimate the infections even when the HIT was achieved in all scenarios with and without vaccination. For the same scenario, Model A appeared to attain the level predicted by the HIT and in comparison, Model B projected the infectious disease to be controlled at the level predicted by the HIT only at high vaccination rates. For infectious diseases with high r0, and at low vaccination rates, the level at which the infectious disease was controlled cannot be accurately predicted by the current theorem. Transmission dynamics of infectious diseases with herd immunity can be accurately modelled by allowing the transmission rate of infectious diseases to decline along with the reduction of contact infection risk after recovery or vaccination. Model B provides a credible framework for modelling infectious diseases with herd immunity in a randomly mixed population.
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