Erectile dysfunction among diabetic patients in Kota Bharu Kelantan

A cross sectional study was conducted among diabetic patients in Kelantan, Malaysia to determine the prevalence of erectile dysfunction (ED),characteristics of diabetic patients with ED and patient's knowledge, attitude and practice towards ED. A total of 156 patients from Diabetic Clinic, Klinik Kesihatan Bandar, Kota Bharu and Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Kubang Kerian were selected into the study by using the availability sampling technique. Respondent were given self-administered questionnaire. ED was determined by using the International Index Of Erectile Function (IIEF-5). Statistical Program for Social Science (SPSS) version 9.0 was used for analyzing the data. The mean age was 53.2 ± 9.18 year. Majority of patients were Type 2 diabetes (97.6%). The overall prevalence of ED was 77.8% in which the prevalence of severe ED was 36.7%. There was significant correlation between age, duration of diabetes, history of smoking and retinopathy with ED (p0.05). Majority of patients (86%) had poor knowledge regarding ED.On comfort discussing about ED with the health provider, 18.2 % felt very comfortable, 32.5% felt comfortable, 15.9% felt quiet comfortable, 15.1% felt between comfortable and uncomfortable, 15.9% felt uncomfortable and 2.4% felt very uncomfortable. Regarding seeking treatment, 57.1% would do so. This study showed a high prevalence of ED in diabetic patients. The main factors associated with ED were age, duration of diabetes, history of smoking and retinopathy. Patients also considered the information on nature of ED and possible treatment were scant and generally inadequate

Current developments of microwave filters for wideband applications

This paper presents a compilation of important review in the development of microwave filters for wideband technology used in previous years. The major research work for each year is reviewed. Several wideband filters based on the planar and non-planar circuits are compared and examined in order to propose a new topology of wideband filter using Suspended Stripline Structure (SSS). More importantly, this new proposed structure will be integrated with the Defects Ground Structure (DGS) to form an advanced hybrid system for wideband applications. This system will produce the band-pass and band-stop responses simultaneously in order to discriminate between the desired and undesired signals in the wideband spectrum. The proposed system outlined in this paper, featuring new innovation in hybrid structure as well as providing an insight of the direction of future research works. The contribution of this study is useful for applications where the reduction of physical volume is very important, while maintaining its good performance such as Ultra-Wideband (UWB), commercial radar as well as the wideband warfare receiver. As for future works, integration techniques between the UWB filter and DGS will be designed and analyzed to form an advanced new microwave device in order to produce bandpass and bandreject response in the same structure simultaneously

Nigella sativa

Nigella sativa seeds (NS) has been used traditionally for various illnesses. The most abundant and active component of NS is thymoquinone (TQ). Animal studies have shown that NS and TQ may be used for the treatment of diabetes-induced osteoporosis and for the promotion of fracture healing. The mechanism involved is unclear, but it was postulated that the antioxidative, and anti-inflammatory activities may play some roles in the treatment of osteoporosis as this bone disease has been linked to oxidative stress and inflammation. This paper highlights studies on the antiosteoporotic effects of NS and TQ, the mechanisms behind these effects and their safety profiles. NS and TQ were shown to inhibit inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-1 and 6 and the transcription factor, nuclear factor κB. NS and TQ were found to be safe at the current dosage for supplementation in human with precautions in children and pregnant women. Both NS and TQ have shown potential as antiosteoporotic agent but more animal and clinical studies are required to further assess their antiosteoporotic efficacies

The influence of financial knowledge, financial socialization, financial behaviour and financial strain on young adults' financial well-being

Financial well-being refers to one’s overall satisfaction with their current financial condition, and it plays a significant part in young adults’ overall success as well as their ability to overcome psychological health concerns. It has become a crucial concern for individuals, households, societies, and countries in recent years, yet research on the subject is sparse and dispersed among fields. As a result, the current research assessed an empirical financial wellbeing model based on Malaysian young adults’ financial knowledge, financial socialization, financial behavior and financial strain. A multi stage random sampling method was performed to draw a representative sample of Malaysian young adults, and 651 duly filled responses were received through the self-administered questionnaire. As stated by the multiple regression results, 16.1% of the total variance of financial well-being was clarified by the model. All four financial well-being determinants examined (financial knowledge, financial socialization, financial behavior, financial strain) were revealed significant, and only financial strain had a negative relationship with financial well-being. Therefore, current study has both the theoretical and practical contributions, and offers experts with actionable insights regarding the determinants of young adults’ financial well-being when designing policies to uplift their financial well-being over time

Is Grandmultiparity A Significant Risk Factor in This New Millennium?

The aim of the study was to assess the outcomes of grandmultiparous women receiving the current obstetric care in Maternity Hospital Kuala Lumpur. Recent data regarding some of the complications are conflicting and the significance of grandmultiparity is now in question. Therefore, a retrospective cohort study of 237 grandmultiparous and 254 multiparous women were undertaken. Chi-squared and t test were used (P<0.05) where appropriate. The results revealed that grandmultiparous women tend to be Malays, age above 35, have late antenatal booking and suffered from anemia and non-proteinuric hypertension. There was no significant difference in diabetes and glucose intolerance, ante partum and post partum hemorrhage. There was a significantly lower risk of first and second-degree perineal tear, and prolonged first stage of labor. There was a significant increased in induction of labor but there was no uterine rupture and no increased in Cesarean Section. There was an increased in meconium stain liquor but there was no increased risk of fetal distress. The fetal outcome was good and there was no tendency to macrosomic infants or shoulder dystocia. With adequate care, the maternal fetal outcome of grandmutiparous women is good and comparable to the multiparous women. Anemia is still common and patient education is important to overcome this problem

Technology acceptance in learning history subject using augmented reality towards smart mobile learning environment : case in Malaysia

In alignment with smart city initiatives, Malaysia is shifting its educational landscape to a smart learning environment. The Ministry of Education (MoE) has made History a mandatory subject for passing the Malaysian Certificate of Education to grow awareness and instil patriotism among Malaysian students. However, History has been known as one of the difficult subjects to study for many students. On the other hand, the Malaysian Government Education Blueprint 2013-2025 seeks to “leverage ICT scale up quality learning” across the country. Therefore, this study aims to identify the factors that influence the intention to use Augmented Reality (AR) for mobile learning in learning History subject among secondary school students in Malaysia. Quantitative approach has been chosen as the research method for this study. A direct survey was conducted on 400 secondary school students in one of the smart cities in Malaysia as the target respondents. The collected data are analysed through descriptive statistics and Multiple Linear Regression analysis by using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences. Based on the results, the identified factors that influence the intention to use AR for mobile learning in learning History subject are Gender, Perceived Usefulness, Perceived Enjoyment, and Attitude Towards Use. The identified factors can be a good reference for schools and teachers to strategize their teaching and learning methods in pertaining to History subject among secondary school students in Malaysia. Future studies may include the study of various types of schools in Malaysia and explore more moderating effects of demographic factors

Simulation And Experimentation Of Water Hydraulics Technology For Automatic Traditional Cookies Production

This study proposes a low-cost water hydraulics food processor for a traditional cookies production. The objective of this project is to introduce the design and the working principle of the water hydraulics-driven food processor, and to simulate production process performances and capabilities. The basic design is similar to that of a traditional food processor. It consists of an electrical motor, an inverter, a triplex pump, two directional control valves and cylinders. Simulation software is used to design and simulate the movement of the machine. Electro-mechanical relays and timers are used in the machine development, to balance the requirement for a low cost and modern machine automation. PLC is used in the testing of the machine. Water is used as the pressure medium for the system. Cartesian robotics movement is applied for the system, with one cylinder controlling the batches of the cookies, and the other handling the cookies extrusion system. The system is simulated with respective flow and pressure

Integrated Characterization of MicroRNA and mRNA Transcriptome in Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma

The incidence rate of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) has rapidly increased in the recent decades, and the microRNA (miRNA) is one of the potential biomarkers in this cancer. Despite good prognosis, certain features such as lymph node metastasis (LNM) and BRAF V600E mutation are associated with a poor outcome. More than 50% of PTC patients present with LNM and BRAF V600E is the most common mutation identified in this cancer. The molecular mechanisms underlying these features are yet to be elucidated. This study aims to elucidate miRNA–genes interaction networks in PTC with or without LNM and to determine the association of BRAF V600E mutation with miRNAs and genes expression profiles. Next generation sequencing was performed to characterize miRNA and gene expression profiles in 20 fresh frozen tumor and the normal adjacent tissues of PTC with LNM positive (PTC LNM-P) and PTC without LNM (PTC LNN). BRAF V600E was genotyped using Sanger sequencing. Bioinformatics integration and pathway analysis were performed to determine the regulatory networks involved. Based on network analysis, we then investigated the association between miRNA and gene biomarkers, and pathway enrichment analysis was performed to study the role of candidate biomarkers. We identified 138 and 43 significantly deregulated miRNAs (adjusted p value &lt; 0.05; log2 fold change ≤ −1.0 or ≥1.0) in PTC LNM-P and PTC LNN compared to adjacent normal tissues, respectively. Ninety-six miRNAs had significant expression ratios of 3p-to-5p in PTC LNM-P as compared to PTC LNN. In addition, ribosomal RNA-reduced RNA sequencing analysis revealed 699 significantly deregulated genes in PTC LNM-P versus normal adjacent tissues, 1,362 genes in PTC LNN versus normal adjacent tissue, and 1,576 genes in PTC LNM-P versus PTC LNN. We provide the evidence of miRNA and gene interactions, which are involved in LNM of papillary thyroid cancer. These findings may lead to better understanding of carcinogenesis and metastasis processes. This study also complements the existing knowledge about deregulated miRNAs in papillary thyroid carcinoma development