Microbiological profile of oral cavity of and occurrence of Salmonella spp. in sugar gliders

Sugar gliders (Petaurus breviceps) are popular pockets pets in Japan, Canada and United States and now gaining popularity in Malaysia. The close relationship between humans and pets may lead to possible health hazards if the animals are infected with zoonotic pathogens. To date, not much is known about the potential health hazard of keeping sugar gliders as pet. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the microbiological profile of oral mucosa in sugar gliders, to determine the occurrence of Salmonella spp. in sugar gliders and to determine the antibiotic resistance of the isolates against six types of antibiotics namely enrofloxacin, trimethoprim-sulfamethazole, tetracycline, ceftiofur, penicillin G and neomycin. Thirty-seven oral swabs and 37 faecal samples were collected from 18 individual owners and a breeder. Nine species of bacteria isolated were Acinetobacter calcoaceticus, Enterococcus faecalis, Enterococcus faecium, Escherichia coli, Pasteurella spp., Staphylococcus spp., Klebsiella pneumonia, Staphylococcus delphini and Streptococcus viridans. Most of the isolates were normal microflora in other pet animals, such as cats, dogs, and parrots. Eight (22.9%) faecal samples were positive for Salmonella spp of which only 1 (12.5%) was from individual owner, while the other seven (87.5%) were from the breeder. Two serovars of Salmonella spp. isolated were Salmonella Albany (62.5%) and Salmonella London (37.5%). The high occurrence of Salmonella in the animals suggested that they are of potential risk in disease transmission to humans. All the Salmonella spp. isolates were susceptible to three types of antibiotic, Enrofloxacin, Trimethoprim-Sulfamethazole, and Tetracycline. Of these isolates, 33.3% were sensitive to Ceftiofur and the rest were intermediately sensitive. However, all were resistant to Penicillin G and Neomycin. The presence of Salmonella spp. in these pet animals poses a health risk to the owners. Owners are advised to their wash their hands thoroughly after handling these animals, clean the cages frequently, bring these animals for regular veterinarian check-ups, and for immunocompromised people, to avoid handling these animals

Creative Leading Corporation / Farhana Aini Hailin...[et al.]

Umbrella is a primarily a device to keep people dry in rain and shade a person from the sun. Mostly, it can be seen that umbrella is used by women. In the market, there is abundance of designs, colours and functions that can be choose. The improvement in our design may lead umbrella to a better user friendly and easy to carry to anywhere. Basically, the new invention that we apply to our umbrella is that it can expand from the small size to a larger size just by clicking the button provided in the umbrella's handle. One of the reasons that we come out with this idea is that we notice most of the students carry their own umbrella to the class which the size of the umbrella usually is small and fit for 1 person only. By the time of raining, they cannot share the umbrella with their friends and we found out, the umbrella's owner also may get wet because of the small umbrella. Therefore, our group come with the idea of a helping-hand solution by having an expand umbrella. As we gather the information that is heeded, we eventually come out with some of the fantastic ideas that never had been explored by the other designers out there. Our new invention idea is that by having just 1 umbrella, you can share it with your friends. The canopy for our umbrella can be enlarged at 2 times. Basically, the size will be small that fit for 1 person. Then it can enlarged to the medium size that fit for 2 or persons, and again, the canopy can enlarged to the large size that will be fit for 4 or 5 persons. Other than that, this umbrella can also be a table umbrella. The umbrella's weight is not heavy although it has added the canopy enlargement which it is easy to be carried to everywhere

Job burnout: does it influence employees to leave? / Roseamilda Mansor... [et al.]

The aim of this study was to study the relationship between job burnout and employee’s intention to leave. The study was conducted at a company in northern Malaysia to determine the most dominant factor that contributes to the employees’ intention to leave. Job burnout derives from three key dimensions; emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and lack of accomplishment. Burnout will lead employees’ tendency to absent then reduced productivity and increased turnover. Probability sampling method was used in this study and a survey questionnaire was adopted. The questionnaire was developed using five point Likert scales and distributed to non-executive level. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) was used for data analysis based on 108 completed and usable questionnaires. Descriptive analysis used to investigate users’ demographic information. The results showed that emotional exhaustion and lack of accomplishment to be positively significant with employees’ intention to leave. Thus, employees responded negatively that they will leave the organization even they are suffering from depersonalization

Oral microbes of pet sugar gliders and detection of Salmonella in their faeces

Clinically healthy pets may carry zoonotic pathogens and shed them, thus act as potential public health threat. Small, exotic animals are gaining popularity as pets which include iguanas, turtles and sugar gliders. Salmonellosis is an important disease affecting human and animal populations worldwide. It is reported that sugar gliders are becoming popular pets among young Malaysians, not only are they cute and adorable but are easily carried around. Of 35 pet sugar gliders and 17 from a breeder, 15% were positive for salmonellae and the serovars identified were Salmonella enterica serovar Albany (62.5%) and Salmonella enterica serovar London (37.5%). Staphylococcus spp. (41.0%) were most frequently identified from oral mucosae, followed by Enterococcus faecalis (17%), Streptococcus viridians (15.0%), Acinetobacter calcoaceticus (13.0%) and Enterococcus faecium, Pasteurella spp., Staphylococcus delphini and Escherichia coli (2.0–4.0%). The close interaction between infected pet sugar gliders and their owners poses public health risk. Breeders with infected animals present direct risk to pet shops and pet owners

Enhancement of fenton process using high entropy alloy powder as catalyst

The Fenton process is one of the chemical oxidation degradation processes widely used in wastewater management due to being environmentally safe. The Fenton process is a reaction in which iron-catalyzed hydrogen peroxide to generate hydroxyl radical. Even though the Fenton process can degrade the azo dye solution, there are still substantial limitations, such as high sludge production and limited catalytic activity. This study focus on improving the azo dye degradation process in the Fenton process. Thus, a novel alloy material known as High Entropy Alloy (HEA) powder has been proposed for use as a catalytic material in the Fenton process. Mechanical alloying method was used to produce HEA powder, which is expected to considerably improve its efficiency in the degradation of azo dyes. The result shows the presence of HEA as catalyst improves the Fenton reaction by providing additional actives sites. This research contributed to the development of an appealing, low-cost, and efficient approach for HEA functional applications in wastewater management

Simulation of COVID-19 Trend in Selangor via SIR Model of Infectious Disease

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) was initially reported in December 2019 in Wuhan City, China, as a result of a respiratory pandemic. Since then, the infection has spread rapidly and uncontrollably around the globe, prompting the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare it a pandemic. The study's overall objective is to imitate the COVID-19 infectious trend in Selangor. The SIR model is used to forecast infection and the course of COVID-19 diffusion and estimate the fraction of the population infected. As a result, the Susceptible, Infectious, and Recovered (SIR) model was used to accomplish the study's aims. From March 23, 2020, to June 30, 2020, 100 days of COVID-19 data were extracted from a database on the Malaysian Ministry of Health's website.  The RStudio software was used to analyse data on infectious trends in this study. The SIR model is used to predict the basic reproduction ratio, , based on actual and simulated infectious trends for comparison. The value of the basic reproduction ratio for simulating the infectious trend is 2.0, and the basic reproduction ratio for modelling the infectious trend with the entire population of Selangor is 1.15429. According to the findings of this study, the reproduction ratio would affect the number of infected individuals by reducing the number of recovered individuals. The effectiveness of lockdown in preventing COVID-19 disease in Selangor was demonstrated by a significant reduction in the basic reproduction ratio,

Factors influencing students' performance at Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Kelantan branch / Mas Ayu Diana Mohd Fauzi ...[et al.]

In thenew Era of fourth Industrial Revolution (IR 4.0), high qualityof education is crucial in as much as it can benefit students when they embark on career paths. Thus, academic performance is an important measurement for employersto choose their future employees. Ones who are academically successfulwill have better chances to earn higher salaries and less dependent on social assistance. Studentperformancemeasurementhasreceivedconsiderableattentioninpreviousresearch,itisoneofthechallengingaspectsofacademicliterature,andstudentperformanceisinfluencedbyfriends,self-motivationandfamilyfactors.In the light of this issue, this research is carried outto discover the performance of the diploma students in the Faculty of Business and Management, Universiti Teknologi MARA KelantanBranch (UiTMCK), Malaysia. Furthermore, this study is to determine the relationship between factorsinfluencing students’ performance and their resultsin UiTMCK. Data were collected from 35 students of Diploma inBusiness Studies through a question survey. The data were analyses using SmartPLS 3.2.1 software. The analysis shows both self-motivation and family have strong direct relationships with the students’ performance butfriendswerenot significantly related to students’ performance. Thus, the hypothesis 2 and 3 was accepte

Assessment of Academic Resilience and its associated factors among Pharmacy Students in Twelve Countries

Objective Academic resilience, a critical determinant of academic achievement, is affected by various factors. There is a paucity of large-scale international assessments of academic resilience among pharmacy students. Therefore, this study aimed to assess academic resilience among pharmacy students in 12 countries and to evaluate factors associated with their academic resilience levels. Methods A cross-sectional online survey-based study was conducted among randomly selected pharmacy students in 12 countries: Egypt, Türkiye, Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Iraq, Jordan, Nigeria, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, and the United Arab Emirates. After pilot testing, the validated 30-item academic resilience scale (ARS) was used for the assessment. The data were collected between November 1, 2022 and April 15, 2023. Descriptive and inferential statistics were performed, as appropriate. Results A total of 3950 were received from the 12 participating countries. The mean age was 21.68 ± 2.62 years. About two-thirds of the responses were from female participants and those studying for Bachelor of Pharmacy degrees. Overall, the findings show moderate academic resilience, which varied across countries. The median (IQR) of the total ARS-30 was 114 (103−124). Females exhibited lower negative affective and emotional response subscale levels than males. There were significant cross-country variations in the ARS-30 and all subscales. The highest overall levels were reported for Sudan, Pakistan, and Nigeria and the lowest were reported for Indonesia and Türkiye. Students in private universities tended to have higher overall ARS levels than public university students. Higher academic performance was significantly associated with ARS levels, whereas those with excellent performance exhibited the highest ARS levels. Students with exercise routines had higher ARS levels than those without exercise routines. Finally, students who were engaged in extracurricular activities had higher ARS levels than those who did not participate in these activities. Conclusion The study offers insights into the factors affecting academic resilience in pharmacy students across several countries. The findings could guide interventions and support activities to improve resilience and academic outcomes

Antimicrobial resistance among migrants in Europe: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: Rates of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) are rising globally and there is concern that increased migration is contributing to the burden of antibiotic resistance in Europe. However, the effect of migration on the burden of AMR in Europe has not yet been comprehensively examined. Therefore, we did a systematic review and meta-analysis to identify and synthesise data for AMR carriage or infection in migrants to Europe to examine differences in patterns of AMR across migrant groups and in different settings. METHODS: For this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched MEDLINE, Embase, PubMed, and Scopus with no language restrictions from Jan 1, 2000, to Jan 18, 2017, for primary data from observational studies reporting antibacterial resistance in common bacterial pathogens among migrants to 21 European Union-15 and European Economic Area countries. To be eligible for inclusion, studies had to report data on carriage or infection with laboratory-confirmed antibiotic-resistant organisms in migrant populations. We extracted data from eligible studies and assessed quality using piloted, standardised forms. We did not examine drug resistance in tuberculosis and excluded articles solely reporting on this parameter. We also excluded articles in which migrant status was determined by ethnicity, country of birth of participants' parents, or was not defined, and articles in which data were not disaggregated by migrant status. Outcomes were carriage of or infection with antibiotic-resistant organisms. We used random-effects models to calculate the pooled prevalence of each outcome. The study protocol is registered with PROSPERO, number CRD42016043681. FINDINGS: We identified 2274 articles, of which 23 observational studies reporting on antibiotic resistance in 2319 migrants were included. The pooled prevalence of any AMR carriage or AMR infection in migrants was 25·4% (95% CI 19·1-31·8; I2 =98%), including meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (7·8%, 4·8-10·7; I2 =92%) and antibiotic-resistant Gram-negative bacteria (27·2%, 17·6-36·8; I2 =94%). The pooled prevalence of any AMR carriage or infection was higher in refugees and asylum seekers (33·0%, 18·3-47·6; I2 =98%) than in other migrant groups (6·6%, 1·8-11·3; I2 =92%). The pooled prevalence of antibiotic-resistant organisms was slightly higher in high-migrant community settings (33·1%, 11·1-55·1; I2 =96%) than in migrants in hospitals (24·3%, 16·1-32·6; I2 =98%). We did not find evidence of high rates of transmission of AMR from migrant to host populations. INTERPRETATION: Migrants are exposed to conditions favouring the emergence of drug resistance during transit and in host countries in Europe. Increased antibiotic resistance among refugees and asylum seekers and in high-migrant community settings (such as refugee camps and detention facilities) highlights the need for improved living conditions, access to health care, and initiatives to facilitate detection of and appropriate high-quality treatment for antibiotic-resistant infections during transit and in host countries. Protocols for the prevention and control of infection and for antibiotic surveillance need to be integrated in all aspects of health care, which should be accessible for all migrant groups, and should target determinants of AMR before, during, and after migration. FUNDING: UK National Institute for Health Research Imperial Biomedical Research Centre, Imperial College Healthcare Charity, the Wellcome Trust, and UK National Institute for Health Research Health Protection Research Unit in Healthcare-associated Infections and Antimictobial Resistance at Imperial College London

Measuring routine childhood vaccination coverage in 204 countries and territories, 1980-2019 : a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2020, Release 1

Background Measuring routine childhood vaccination is crucial to inform global vaccine policies and programme implementation, and to track progress towards targets set by the Global Vaccine Action Plan (GVAP) and Immunization Agenda 2030. Robust estimates of routine vaccine coverage are needed to identify past successes and persistent vulnerabilities. Drawing from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2020, Release 1, we did a systematic analysis of global, regional, and national vaccine coverage trends using a statistical framework, by vaccine and over time. Methods For this analysis we collated 55 326 country-specific, cohort-specific, year-specific, vaccine-specific, and dosespecific observations of routine childhood vaccination coverage between 1980 and 2019. Using spatiotemporal Gaussian process regression, we produced location-specific and year-specific estimates of 11 routine childhood vaccine coverage indicators for 204 countries and territories from 1980 to 2019, adjusting for biases in countryreported data and reflecting reported stockouts and supply disruptions. We analysed global and regional trends in coverage and numbers of zero-dose children (defined as those who never received a diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis [DTP] vaccine dose), progress towards GVAP targets, and the relationship between vaccine coverage and sociodemographic development. Findings By 2019, global coverage of third-dose DTP (DTP3; 81.6% [95% uncertainty interval 80.4-82 .7]) more than doubled from levels estimated in 1980 (39.9% [37.5-42.1]), as did global coverage of the first-dose measles-containing vaccine (MCV1; from 38.5% [35.4-41.3] in 1980 to 83.6% [82.3-84.8] in 2019). Third- dose polio vaccine (Pol3) coverage also increased, from 42.6% (41.4-44.1) in 1980 to 79.8% (78.4-81.1) in 2019, and global coverage of newer vaccines increased rapidly between 2000 and 2019. The global number of zero-dose children fell by nearly 75% between 1980 and 2019, from 56.8 million (52.6-60. 9) to 14.5 million (13.4-15.9). However, over the past decade, global vaccine coverage broadly plateaued; 94 countries and territories recorded decreasing DTP3 coverage since 2010. Only 11 countries and territories were estimated to have reached the national GVAP target of at least 90% coverage for all assessed vaccines in 2019. Interpretation After achieving large gains in childhood vaccine coverage worldwide, in much of the world this progress was stalled or reversed from 2010 to 2019. These findings underscore the importance of revisiting routine immunisation strategies and programmatic approaches, recentring service delivery around equity and underserved populations. Strengthening vaccine data and monitoring systems is crucial to these pursuits, now and through to 2030, to ensure that all children have access to, and can benefit from, lifesaving vaccines. Copyright (C) 2021 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.Peer reviewe