Knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding cholera among non-academic staff of International Islamic University Malaysia Kuantan Medical Campus

Background: Cholera is a water and food-borne infectious disease caused by Vibrio cholerae. Cholera usually causes fatality in the case of severe infections. Furthermore, cholera outbreaks are still recurring over time, especially in many developing countries. Cholera outbreak may be due to lack of basic knowledge, awareness and preventive attitude among public. The objectives of this study are to evaluate the knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) regarding cholera among non-academic staff of IIUM Kuantan community, to find the related factors of KAP regarding cholera and to find the association between KAP regarding cholera. Methods: This was a questionnaire-based cross-sectional study. This study used convenience sampling. The sample size for this study is 100 and was analyzed by using SPSS software using various tests. Those tests were independent t-test, Mann-Whitney test, Kruskal Wallis test and correlation test. There are six independent variables affecting knowledge, attitude and practice regarding cholera which are genders, marital statuses, and categories of occupation, different faculties, age-groups and level of education. Results: Categories of occupations showed no significant difference between administrative and clinical staff knowledge (p=0.360) and practice (p=0.437) level. Respondent’s attitude however showed significant difference (p=0.034) between clerk and clinical staff. As for other sociodemographic variables, the results showed no significant difference for knowledge, attitude and practice level. The results showed low positive correlation between knowledge and practice regarding cholera (r=0.338), between attitude and practice regarding cholera (r=0.331) and between knowledge and attitude (r=0.233). Conclusions: KAP practice scores were at an acceptable level

Physical properties of kelulut honey emulsions with different oil types and emulsifier concentrations

Kelulut honey (KH) is a honey produced by stingless bee species, known for its high nutritional content and health benefits. Even though it is very healthy, some people cannot consume it directly. Therefore, incorporating this type of honey into an emulsion system is a good strategy to increase its consumption. Emulsion technology is one of the alternative technologies nowadays which combines two or more immiscible liquids to form a solution. In this study, KHemulsions were emulsified with glyceryl monostearate (GMS) and stabilised by xanthan gum. There were two stages involvedto determine the effects of variations in oil types and emulsifier concentrations on the physical properties of KH emulsions. In the first stage, three types of oil were used as the dispersed phase, which were palm oil, canola oil, and sunflower oil. Then in the second stage, different concentrations of GMS (0.25, 0.5, 0.75 and 1%) were applied. From the droplet size analysis, the emulsion with sunflower oil and the highest concentration of GMS gave the smallest diameter of 0.78 ± 0.01µm and the lowest polydispersity index (pdI) of 16.2±2.03 %. Meanwhile, the texture analysis shows that emulsion with palm oil has the highest firmness (45.16±2.83 g) and consistency (305.44±14.91 g.sec) values. The foaming index on the other hand depicts that emulsion with palm oil and that with the lowest concentration of GMS gave the highest foam stability. From this study, a physically stable oil-in-water KH emulsion was produced, which should undergo further chemical, sensory and storage studies for commercial production in the future

Tensile performance of half-lap timber nailed joint strengthened using CFRP sheet / Nurain Rosdi … [et al.]

The strength of timber structure will slightly reduce due to long service life or constantly sustained under excessive load. Some of the structural member may need to be replaced or rectified. This paper presents findings on the half-lap timber joint strengthened using carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP). The selected timber species are from Malaysian tropical timber, namely Kelampayan (SG7) and Kempas (SG2). The size of each specimen was 41x100x600mm. Six (6) specimens were tested without and with CFRP sheet. Epoxy glue was used as the bonding agent. The behaviour of the specimen was studied through their load-deformation characteristic upon loading and compared to European Yield Model (EYM). Results show that the strengthened specimens performed better than without CFRP. For Kelampayan, the maximum loads for without and with CFRP were 6.33kN and 14.0 kN respectively. The tensile strength of the nailed connection with CFRP for Kelampayan has been increased by 121% compared to without CFRP. As for Kempas, the maximum loads for without and with CFRP are 15.8 kN and 25.0 kN respectively and the connection strength with CFRP has been increased by 58% compared to without CFRP. Both Kelampayan and Kempas failure mode have found failed in mode b for the with CFRP sheet while failure in mode c for the without CFRP sheet. Therefore, it is proven that the use of CFRP sheet has significantly increased the tensile strength of half-lap timber nailed joint for the two-selected species

Hubungan antara penagihan dadah dengan keganasan rumah tangga

Pertubuhan Kesihatan Sedunia (WHO) dan negara-negara anggotanya melalui Resolusi Perhimpunan Kesihatan Sedunia 49.25 telah mengakui bahawa keganasan adalah masalah awam yang serius dan juga merupakan suatu pencabulan hak asasi manusia. Di Malaysia, istilah “keganasan rumah tangga” merujuk kepada keganasan yang dilakukan oleh pasangan terhadap isteri atau orang yang disayangi. Statistik menunjukkan bahawa kes penagihan dadah meningkat seiring dengan peningkatan jumlah kes keganasan rumah tangga. Objektif kajian ini ialah untuk mengkaji perspektif responden berkenaan keganasan rumah tangga terutamanya dalam kalangan pengguna-pengguna opiat di Malaysia khususnya di Terengganu seterusnya kesan penagihan dadah terhadap keharmonian rumah tangga. Kaedah pengajian prospektif telah dijalankan dalam tempoh enam bulan ke atas 30 orang penagih opiat yang sedang menerima rawatan Terapi Gantian Metadon (TGM) di sekitar Kuala Terengganu dengan menggunakan borang kaji selidik. Analisis deskriptif digunakan untuk menganalisis data dalam kajian kuantitatif. Kajian ini menggunakan perisian SPSS versi 22.0%.Hasil kajian memfokuskan hubungan kekeluargaan, perlakuan, tingkah laku serta emosi di antara respondan dan pasangan. Keputusan menunjukkan bahawa hampir 80.0% responden tidak mempunyai sejarah penderaan sebelum ini dan tidak melakukan keganasan rumah tangga terhadap pasangan mereka. Sebanyak 39.4% responden sangat bersetuju bahawa keganasan rumah tangga adalah jenayah, berbanding 7.1% responden yang tidak bersetuju. Seterusnya, data menunjukkan bahawa 36.0% responden bersetuju bahawa layanan mereka terhadap pasangan berubah setelah mengambil dadah. Data juga membuktikan bahawa sebanyak 22.0% responden merasakan pasangan mereka berasa risau dan takut apabila bersama mereka. Hasil daripada analisis data menunjukkan bahawa kebanyakan responden merupakan individu yang mampu menjalani kehidupan normal sebelum pengambilan dadah. Walau bagaimanapun, setelah pengambilan dadah, perubahan pada tingkah laku dan emosi responden menyebabkan berlakunya keganasan dalam rumah tangga dan terhadap keluarga. Hal ini seterusnya menyebabkan pasangan berasa tidak selamat apabila bersama responden

Quantile Normalization for High Throughput Circulating MicroRNA Expression Study using TaqMan® Low Density Array Panels: Supporting Evidence

In searching for new biomarkers, high throughput technique has been widely used by researchers, including for gene expression study. However, the reliability and accuracy of results from high throughput study critically depends on appropriate data management, including normalization methods. Data driven normalization has been introduced as a normalization method for high throughput gene expression study. Thus, this study was conducted to evaluate the performance of various data driven and reference genes normalization methods using a high throughput circulating microRNA expression dataset. A quantification cycle (Cq)  dataset generated from a high throughput circulating microRNA study was used to test the normalization methods using HTqPCR package in R software. The normalized Cq generated from different methods were compared descriptively using box plot analysis and coefficient of variance. The box plot analysis showed that quantile normalization produced more homogenous Cq distribution, lesser outliers and reduced coefficient of variance as compared to other normalization methods in screening and validation phases. The overview on quantile normalized Cq showed consistency in its level of expression before and after 2-∆∆Cq calculation indicating the reliability of quantile normalized Cq. Quantile normalization is suggested to be used in high throughput miRNA expression study due to its performance in homogenizing the data, reduce outliers and coefficient of variance

Impact of primary kidney disease on the effects of empagliflozin in patients with chronic kidney disease: secondary analyses of the EMPA-KIDNEY trial

Background: The EMPA KIDNEY trial showed that empagliflozin reduced the risk of the primary composite outcome of kidney disease progression or cardiovascular death in patients with chronic kidney disease mainly through slowing progression. We aimed to assess how effects of empagliflozin might differ by primary kidney disease across its broad population. Methods: EMPA-KIDNEY, a randomised, controlled, phase 3 trial, was conducted at 241 centres in eight countries (Canada, China, Germany, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, the UK, and the USA). Patients were eligible if their estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was 20 to less than 45 mL/min per 1·73 m2, or 45 to less than 90 mL/min per 1·73 m2 with a urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (uACR) of 200 mg/g or higher at screening. They were randomly assigned (1:1) to 10 mg oral empagliflozin once daily or matching placebo. Effects on kidney disease progression (defined as a sustained ≥40% eGFR decline from randomisation, end-stage kidney disease, a sustained eGFR below 10 mL/min per 1·73 m2, or death from kidney failure) were assessed using prespecified Cox models, and eGFR slope analyses used shared parameter models. Subgroup comparisons were performed by including relevant interaction terms in models. EMPA-KIDNEY is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03594110. Findings: Between May 15, 2019, and April 16, 2021, 6609 participants were randomly assigned and followed up for a median of 2·0 years (IQR 1·5–2·4). Prespecified subgroupings by primary kidney disease included 2057 (31·1%) participants with diabetic kidney disease, 1669 (25·3%) with glomerular disease, 1445 (21·9%) with hypertensive or renovascular disease, and 1438 (21·8%) with other or unknown causes. Kidney disease progression occurred in 384 (11·6%) of 3304 patients in the empagliflozin group and 504 (15·2%) of 3305 patients in the placebo group (hazard ratio 0·71 [95% CI 0·62–0·81]), with no evidence that the relative effect size varied significantly by primary kidney disease (pheterogeneity=0·62). The between-group difference in chronic eGFR slopes (ie, from 2 months to final follow-up) was 1·37 mL/min per 1·73 m2 per year (95% CI 1·16–1·59), representing a 50% (42–58) reduction in the rate of chronic eGFR decline. This relative effect of empagliflozin on chronic eGFR slope was similar in analyses by different primary kidney diseases, including in explorations by type of glomerular disease and diabetes (p values for heterogeneity all >0·1). Interpretation: In a broad range of patients with chronic kidney disease at risk of progression, including a wide range of non-diabetic causes of chronic kidney disease, empagliflozin reduced risk of kidney disease progression. Relative effect sizes were broadly similar irrespective of the cause of primary kidney disease, suggesting that SGLT2 inhibitors should be part of a standard of care to minimise risk of kidney failure in chronic kidney disease. Funding: Boehringer Ingelheim, Eli Lilly, and UK Medical Research Council

Re-evaluation on assumptions in Islamic economics: a preliminary study

This paper is intended for a preliminary study in re-evaluating Islamic economics assumptions. The assumptions were based on the two common assumptions in economic system which includes scarcity of resources and humans unlimited wants. This paper analyses how far these assumptions in Islamic economics placed tawheed as their axis and aligned with tasawwur Islam. The analysis was done by studying opinions and views of several Islamic economists. Content analysis and literature review were utilized to reach this objective. From this preliminary study, it was found that the current assumptions in Islamic economics were not favouring towards the true concept of tawheed and tasawwur Islam. It implies the needs for a more comprehensive study to be done in order to come up with a new resolution on the real assumptions of Islamic economics