METHOD: In this prospective, cross-over single-centre study, 50 healthy medical student volunteers were randomly allocated to two treatment arms. One arm was prescribed with potassium citrate, while the other arm received citrate supplementation with a home preparation of fresh lime juice. The urinary pH and calcium-to-creatinine ratio (uCa/uCr) were measured at baseline and after 7 days of treatment. This was followed by a washout period of 2 weeks, after which each participant crossed over to the other treatment arm, and the urinary measurements were repeated.
RESULTS: Potassium citrate significantly increased the urinary pH among all participants, while fresh lime juice did not. Both fresh lime juice and potassium citrate reduced the uCa/uCr, although this effect was not significant.
CONCLUSION: Fresh lime juice is not as effective as potassium citrate in improving the urinary pH and calcium excretion level of healthy individuals. Therefore, it should be used as an adjunct rather than an alternative to potassium citrate.
OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to empirically analyze the deviant workplace behavior and its antecedents among Malaysian nurses in public hospitals.
METHODS: A cross-sectional design was employed in this study. The survey questionnaires were distributed proportionately to staff nurses in six government hospitals in 2020, with a total of 387 nurses selected using a simple random sampling. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was used for data analysis.
RESULTS: Trait anger triggered deviant workplace behavior in Malaysian nurses, thus supporting the argument that the personality trait could increase deviant behavior (β = 0.245, p = 0.000). At the same time, there was no evidence that negative affectivity could influence deviant behavior in the workplace among nurses in selected public hospitals in Malaysia (β = 0.074, p = 0.064).
CONCLUSION: The Malaysian nurses had positive affectivity, related to positive emotions like happiness, work interest, and attentiveness. On the other hand, the nurses were suffering from high levels of emotional tiredness. Further research should highlight a deeper understanding of Malaysian nurses' work experiences and workplace stress affecting their physical and mental health.