PMSM Rotor Speed and Position Estimator

Estimation techniques have been developed for flux observer, rotor position, and speed. The techniques have a common problem of the offset in voltage-sensor and current-sensor outputs increasing during integration, causing instability. This paper describes an attempt to overcome the problem through estimations of rotor position and speed of a permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) by three methods: with cascaded low pass filter (LPF), with adaptive sensorless rotor flux observer, and with sliding mode observer (SMO). Simulation on Matlab/Simulink validated the proposed method. The advantages and drawbacks of each implementation are discussed

STARZ-DRP: A STRUCTURED FRAMEWORK FOR TEACHING COMMUNITY PHARMACISTS TO COUNSEL SELF-CARE CUSTOMERS

Objective: Aim of this study is to take a look at the community pharmacists' (CPs) self-rating confidence of advocating self-care customers using before and after attending a STARZ-DRP training workshop.Methods: CPs (n=231) in the state of Penang had been invited via e-mail to engage in a STARZ-DRP training workshop. CPs had been trained to assess individual features and analyse the facts and figures before formulating a triage action plan. A self-administered questionnaire to evaluate CPs' self-confidence to performing self-care counselling had been handed out before and after the workshop.Results: Twenty CPs (8.7%) had responded to the invitation via e-mail. It was noted that CPs' self-rating confidence to performing self-care counselling making use of STARZ-DRP as a framework were improved in all domains reflected in the questionnaire. Among significant improvements (p<0.05) noted were making triage decision, consistently assessing individual features, and identifying actual or potential origins of the medical problem.Conclusion: CPs' self-confidence to performing self-care counselling making use of STARZ-DRP as a framework to advocate self-care customers is enhanced after turning up at the training workshop. It reflects the future use of STARZ-DRP as a potential framework to help out CPs to formulate a triage action plan for self-care customers

ACTUAL OR POTENTIAL EXTENDED SERVICES PERFORMED BY MALAYSIAN COMMUNITY PHARMACISTS, PERCEPTIONS AND BARRIERS TOWARDS IT'S PERFORMANCE: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

Objective: Aims of this review were to identify actual or potential extended services performed in community pharmacy settings, perceptions among community pharmacists (CPs), general practitioners (GPs), consumers and policymakers of these extended services and barriers towards its performance.Methods: A literature review was conducted, using Google Scholar and PubMed as a searching engine.Results: Identifying eight quality full texts to review which fulfil the inclusion searching criteria, revealing a wide range of actual or potential extended services performed by CPs such as counselling on asthma, cardiovascular disease, breast cancer, diabetes, smoking cessation and self-medication. GPs' perceptions towards these extended services were varied, not or in favour of CPs to perform some actual or potential extended services. Customers were in favour of CPs to perform these actual or potential extended services whereas CPs indicated a few barriers towards the performance of these actual or potential extended services.Conclusion: As a conclusion, CPs in Malaysia were in the right position to perform the actual or potential extended services, collaborating with GPs to promote better medication use and enhance patients' quality of life. Some barriers towards these extended services must be intervened in order to enhance the quality of the services

Generic Medicines: the big picture

Outline: * BACKGROUND & INTRODUCTION * HEALTHCARE EXPENDITURE * ROLE OF GENERIC- MEDICINES IN HEALTH - CARE SYSTEM * GLOBAL SCENARIO * MALAYSIAN SCENARI

STARZ-DRP AS A TRIAGING TOOL FOR COMMUNITY PHARMACISTS: PERSPECTIVES AND EXPECTATIONS OF STAKEHOLDERS

Objective:  To investigate perspectives and expectations of stakeholders of community pharmacists' (CPs) roles and the use of STARZ-DRP as a structured and systematic framework to help CPs to extend their role to make an accurate triage decision in community pharmacy settings.Methods: Individuals who were in high positions in the Ministry of Health (MOH), pharmacy, medical and consumer associations and individuals who were a private medical practitioner and retail pharmacist were invited via mail to participate in the face to face interview. The interviews were audio-taped and transcribed verbatim to identify themes as many as possible.Results: Eight stakeholders had responded to the invitation. Mean (± standard deviation) age (years) of stakeholders was 56.50 ± 11.82. Five themes were noted which were: (i) CPs are focusing more on business-oriented, (ii) CPs should perform patient-oriented services, (iii) responsibilities to triage customers, (iv) a systematic approach for triaging activities, (v) STARZ-DRP as a systematic approach to making triage decision.Conclusion: CPs are paying particular attention on business-oriented than patient-oriented services. All stakeholders point out that CPs should intensify their current practice and all of them have the same opinion that CPs should take the responsibilities to make an accurate triage decision for self-care customers. Almost all stakeholders agree that STARZ-DRP is an ideal framework to help CPs to make an accurate triage decision in community pharmacy settings.Â

Readiness of Malaysian public sector employees in moving towards accrual accounting for improve accountability: The case of Ministry of Education (MOE)

In recent years, there has been increasing number of debates between adoptions of cash accounting versus accrual accounting in government accounting in the Malaysian public sector.This issue arises due to the government needs to determine either to stay on cash accounting or move to accrual accounting.The objective of the study is to determine the readiness of Malaysian public sector employees in the Ministry of Education (MOE) for the implementation of accrual accounting, major concerns together with challenges in moving towards accrual accounting.Finding from this study shows that accounting employees are ready for the implementation of accrual accounting and are willing to move to accrual accounting

Community Pharmacy Marketing in the New Era: A Global Picture of Extended Community Pharmacy Services

The community pharmacists (CPs) are legally responsible to hand out a wide range of ready-made prescription medications to patients. Additionally, CPs are also involving in advocating customers who determine to self-medicate. Interestingly, it is also noted that CPs in developed countries like the United Kingdom, Germany, and Canada have performed more than these services. What are the extended community pharmacy services available? What are the barriers and perceptions of these extended services? It is rationale to explore such issues globally since it might have potential to give some possible course of action to CPs to incorporate more values to the contemporary services

Teachers’ experience of autonomy through their engagement with FrogAsia’s advocate programme

In 2016, FrogAsia set up the Advocate Programme to promote the usage of Frog VLE among teachers in the classroom across Malaysia. In an environment where most teacher professional development (PD) programmes are compulsory and linked to the government, the Advocate Programme somehow managed to gather teachers to maintain a learning community of teacher advocates without obvious enforcement by any authority figure. Grounded by the Self-Determination Theory, this study sought to explore the autonomy support the teachers’ experience in their engagement with the Advocate Programme. A case study was conducted, where one-on-one semi-structured interviews were carried out with six Gold Advocate teachers to explore their experience of choices within their activities. Twelve supports were identified from the responses of the Gold Advocates. Of those, seven were considered to satisfy their autonomy needs. These seven supports were inferred to be the important factors behind the Gold Advocates’ voluntary engagement with the programme. Teachers’ experiences of autonomy are important for their motivation to engage in PD. Environments that support such experiences should be considered in the development and implementation of PD programmes

STARZ-DRP: Improving Efficiency of Patient Care in Community Pharmacies

Customers are always becoming the center of interest among the physicians, dentists, and pharmacists in the healthcare system. However, they are always having favorable feeling with the community pharmacists (CPs) as the first spot to seek advice. For that reason, it is essential to determine the character, behavior, and habit of customers toward the CPs and their extended pharmacy services. In addition, it is critical to determine the possible factors, which might have an effect on their characters, behaviors, and habits. The outcome of the analysis might help the CPs to understand the scenario in a particular way. Afterward, a structured and systematic approach known as “STARZ-DRP” is instigated as a basic skill to ensure whether each pharmacist has the self-confidence and self-competence to interact with the customers. The entire course of action shall empower the strength of personality among the CPs in the healthcare system

Antibiotics dispensing for URTIs by community pharmacists and general medical practitioners in Penang, Malaysia: A comparative study using simulated patients

Background: In Malaysia, doctors in private clinics (often called dispensing doctors) are permitted to dispense medicines. This potentially may compromise rational dispensing of medicines in general and antibiotics in particular. Aim: This study explored, assessed and compared dispensing of antibiotics between Community Pharmacist (CP) and General Practitioners (GPs) regarding symptomatic diagnosis, antibiotic categories, adherence to therapeutic doses and promotion of generic antibiotics. Method: The study used trained Simulated Patients (SPs), who used a scenario of common cold symptoms at GP private clinics and community pharmacies to observe and explore the practice of antibiotics dispensing. The study was conducted within the period of May to September 2011 in Penang, Malaysia. The data was analysed using descriptive statistics, Chi-square and Fisher’s Exact Tests at alpha level of 0.05. Results: GPs dispensed more antibiotics than CPs (p= 0.001) for common cold symptoms. They dispensed more Amoxicillin (n = 14, 35%) than CPs (n = 11, 11%) (p < 0.001) and more Tetracycline (n = 3, 7.5%) while no CP dispensed this category (p = 0.022). On the other hand, CPs (n = 11, 11%) suggested brand antibiotics where as GPs dispensed only generic antibiotics (p < 0.001). Generally GPs comply better with the symptomatic diagnosis standard e.g. when asking SPs about the symptoms they had, all GPs (n = 40, 100%) complied better with this standard. Despite that, they dispensed more antibiotics (n = 26, 65%) than CPs (n = 29, 29%) (p = 0.001). GPs (n = 22, 55%) also are better than CPs (n = 16, 16%) in adherence to therapeutic doses (p< 0.001). Conclusion: Findings showed poor adherence to rational dispensing of antibiotics by both providers. Although, GPs adhere better to symptomatic diagnosis and therapeutic dosing of antibiotics than CPs, they unnecessarily prescribe and dispense more antibiotics for Upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) symptoms. Establishing prescription guidance and regulatory actions, especially for URTIs treatment, and separating of medication dispensing are seemed to be crucial steps for the reform.Scopu