Displaying publications 281 - 300 of 533 in total

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  1. Fulltext Advancements of data anomaly detection research in wireless sensor networks: a survey and open issues
    Rassam MA, Zainal A, Maarof MA
    Sensors (Basel), 2013;13(8):10087-122.
    PMID: 23966182 DOI: 10.3390/s130810087
    Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) are important and necessary platforms for the future as the concept "Internet of Things" has emerged lately. They are used for monitoring, tracking, or controlling of many applications in industry, health care, habitat, and military. However, the quality of data collected by sensor nodes is affected by anomalies that occur due to various reasons, such as node failures, reading errors, unusual events, and malicious attacks. Therefore, anomaly detection is a necessary process to ensure the quality of sensor data before it is utilized for making decisions. In this review, we present the challenges of anomaly detection in WSNs and state the requirements to design efficient and effective anomaly detection models. We then review the latest advancements of data anomaly detection research in WSNs and classify current detection approaches in five main classes based on the detection methods used to design these approaches. Varieties of the state-of-the-art models for each class are covered and their limitations are highlighted to provide ideas for potential future works. Furthermore, the reviewed approaches are compared and evaluated based on how well they meet the stated requirements. Finally, the general limitations of current approaches are mentioned and further research opportunities are suggested and discussed.
    Matched MeSH terms: Computer Communication Networks/instrumentation*
  2. Communication competencies of oncology nurses in Malaysia
    Maskor NA, Krauss SE, Muhamad M, Nik Mahmood NH
    Asian Pac J Cancer Prev, 2013;14(1):153-8.
    PMID: 23534716
    This paper reports on part of a large study to identify competencies of oncology nurses in Malaysia. It focuses on oncology nurses' communications-related competency. As an important cancer care team member, oncology nurses need to communicate effectively with cancer patients. Literature shows that poor communication can make patients feel anxious, uncertain and generally not satisfied with their nurses' care. This paper deliberates on the importance of effective communication by oncology nurses in the context of a public hospital. Four focus group discussions were used in this study with 17 oncology/cancer care nurses from Malaysian public hospitals. The main inclusion criterion was that the nurses had to have undergone a post-basic course in oncology, or have work experience as a cancer care nurse. The findings indicated that nurses do communicate with their patients, patients' families and doctors to provide information about the disease, cancer treatment, disease recurrence and side effects. Nurses should have good communication skills in order to build relationships as well as to provide quality services to their patients. The paper concludes by recommending how oncology nursing competencies can be improved.
    Matched MeSH terms: Communication*
  3. Preferences of Malaysian cancer patients in communication of bad news
    Eng TC, Yaakup H, Shah SA, Jaffar A, Omar K
    Asian Pac J Cancer Prev, 2012;13(6):2749-52.
    PMID: 22938453
    BACKGROUND: Breaking bad news to cancer patients is a delicate and challenging task for most doctors. Better understanding of patients' preferences in breaking bad news can guide doctors in performing this task.

    OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to describe the preferences of Malaysian cancer patients regarding the communication of bad news.

    METHODOLOGY: This was a cross-sectional study conducted in the Oncology clinic of a tertiary teaching hospital. Two hundred adult cancer patients were recruited via purposive quota sampling. They were required to complete the Malay language version of the Measure of Patients' Preferences (MPP-BM) with minimal researcher assistance. Their responses were analysed using descriptive statistics. Association between demographic characteristics and domain scores were tested using non-parametric statistical tests.

    RESULTS: Nine items were rated by the patients as essential: "Doctor is honest about the severity of my condition", "Doctor describing my treatment options in detail", "Doctor telling me best treatment options", Doctor letting me know all of the different treatment options", "Doctor being up to date on research on my type of cancer", "Doctor telling me news directly", "Being given detailed info about results of medical tests", "Being told in person", and "Having doctor offer hope about my condition". All these items had median scores of 5/5 (IQR:4-5). The median scores for the three domains were: "Content and Facilitation" 74/85, "Emotional Support" 23/30 and "Structural and Informational Support" 31/40. Ethnicity was found to be significantly associated with scores for "Content and Facilitation" and "Emotional Support". Educational status was significantly associated with scores for "Structural and Informational Support".

    CONCLUSION: Malaysian cancer patients appreciate the ability of the doctor to provide adequate information using good communication skills during the process of breaking bad news. Provision of emotional support, structural support and informational support were also highly appreciated.

    Matched MeSH terms: Health Communication*
  4. Health warning messages on tobacco products: a review
    Hammond D
    Tob Control, 2011 Sep;20(5):327-37.
    PMID: 21606180 DOI: 10.1136/tc.2010.037630
    OBJECTIVE: To review evidence on the impact of health warning messages on tobacco packages.
    DATA SOURCES: Articles were identified through electronic databases of published articles, as well as relevant 'grey' literature using the following keywords: health warning, health message, health communication, label and labelling in conjunction with at least one of the following terms: smoking, tobacco, cigarette, product, package and pack.
    STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION: Relevant articles available prior to January 2011 were screened for six methodological criteria. A total of 94 original original articles met inclusion criteria, including 72 quantitative studies, 16 qualitative studies, 5 studies with both qualitative and qualitative components, and 1 review paper: Canada (n=35), USA (n=29) Australia (n=16), UK (n=13), The Netherlands (n=3), France (n=3), New Zealand (n=3), Mexico (n=3), Brazil (n=2), Belgium (n=1), other European countries (n=10), Norway (n=1), Malaysia (n=1) and China (n=1).
    RESULTS: The evidence indicates that the impact of health warnings depends upon their size and
    DESIGN: whereas obscure text-only warnings appear to have little impact, prominent health warnings on the face of packages serve as a prominent source of health information for smokers and non-smokers, can increase health knowledge and perceptions of risk and can promote smoking cessation. The evidence also indicates that comprehensive warnings are effective among youth and may help to prevent smoking initiation. Pictorial health warnings that elicit strong emotional reactions are significantly more effective.
    CONCLUSIONS: Health warnings on packages are among the most direct and prominent means of communicating with smokers. Larger warnings with pictures are significantly more effective than smaller, text-only messages.
    Matched MeSH terms: Health Communication/methods*
  5. University of Malaya dental students' attitudes towards communication skills learning: implications for dental education
    Nor NA, Yusof ZY, Shahidan MN
    J Dent Educ, 2011 Dec;75(12):1611-9.
    PMID: 22184601
    The Ministry of Higher Education in Malaysia has called for the implementation of a soft skills module in all public universities in Malaysia. In response to this and as part of curriculum development efforts for a new integrated program for 2011, a study was undertaken to improve the University of Malaya (UM) Faculty of Dentistry's communication skills course. One of the study objectives was to investigate dental students' attitudes towards communication skills learning and the association between their attitudes and demographic and education-related characteristics. A cross-sectional survey--using a self-administered twenty-four-item adapted Communication Skills Attitude Scale (CSAS) that contained both positive (PAS) and negative (NAS) attitude subscales--was carried out targeting all final-year dental students at the UM and the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM). A total of 148 students completed the survey, yielding a response rate of 88.1 percent. Overall, UKM students had significantly more positive attitudes towards communication skills learning (PAS score: mean=48.69, SD=4.48, p<0.001) than UM students (mean=46.03, SD=4.22). There was no statistically significant difference in negative attitudes between the two groups. UKM students with more positive attitudes tended to be female (p<0.05). UM students with more negative attitudes perceived themselves as poor communicators (p<0.05), and UKM students with more negative attitudes tended to have poor English proficiency (p<0.05). This study found that both UM and UKM final-year dental students have positive and negative attitudes towards learning communication skills. These attitudes were significantly associated with certain background and education-related attributes. Outcomes of this study served as a valuable guide in strengthening the communication skills course for the UM's new, integrated dental curriculum.
    Matched MeSH terms: Communication*
  6. A novel strategy for load balancing of distributed medical applications
    Logeswaran R, Chen LC
    J Med Syst, 2012 Apr;36(2):483-90.
    PMID: 20703702 DOI: 10.1007/s10916-010-9493-0
    Current trends in medicine, specifically in the electronic handling of medical applications, ranging from digital imaging, paperless hospital administration and electronic medical records, telemedicine, to computer-aided diagnosis, creates a burden on the network. Distributed Service Architectures, such as Intelligent Network (IN), Telecommunication Information Networking Architecture (TINA) and Open Service Access (OSA), are able to meet this new challenge. Distribution enables computational tasks to be spread among multiple processors; hence, performance is an important issue. This paper proposes a novel approach in load balancing, the Random Sender Initiated Algorithm, for distribution of tasks among several nodes sharing the same computational object (CO) instances in Distributed Service Architectures. Simulations illustrate that the proposed algorithm produces better network performance than the benchmark load balancing algorithms-the Random Node Selection Algorithm and the Shortest Queue Algorithm, especially under medium and heavily loaded conditions.
    Matched MeSH terms: Computer Communication Networks/organization & administration
  7. The use of objective structured self-assessment and peer-feedback (OSSP) for learning communication skills: evaluation using a controlled trial
    Perera J, Mohamadou G, Kaur S
    Adv Health Sci Educ Theory Pract, 2010 May;15(2):185-93.
    PMID: 19757129 DOI: 10.1007/s10459-009-9191-1
    Feedback is essential to guide students towards expected performance goals. The usefulness of teacher feedback on improving communication skills (CS) has been well documented. It has been proposed that self-assessment and peer-feedback has an equally important role to play in enhancing learning. This is the focus of this study. Objectively structured self-assessment and peer feedback (OSSP) was incorporated into small group CS teaching sessions of a group of semester one medical students who were learning CS for the first time, to minimise the influence of previous educational interventions. A control group matched for academic performance, gender and age was used to enable parallel evaluation of the innovation. A reflective log containing closed and open ended questions was used for OSSP. Facilitators and simulated patients provided feedback to students in both groups during CS learning as per routine practice. Student perceptions on OSSP and acceptability as a learning method were explored using a questionnaire. CS were assessed in both groups using objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) as per routine practice and assessors were blinded as to which group the student belonged. Mean total score and scores for specific areas of interview skills were significantly higher in the experimental group. Analysis of the questionnaire data showed that students gained fresh insights into specific areas such as empathy, addressing patients' concerns and interview style during OSSP which clearly corroborated the specific differences in scores. The free text comments were highly encouraging as to acceptability of OSSP, in spite of 67% being never exposed to formal self- and peer-assessment during pre-university studies. OSSP promotes effective CS learning and learner acceptability is high.
    Matched MeSH terms: Communication*
  8. Developing a Web 2.0 telemedical education system: the AJAX-Cocoon portal
    Mohammed S, Orabi A, Fiaidhi J, Orabi M, R. Benlamri
    Int J Electron Healthc, 2008;4(1):24-42.
    PMID: 18583294
    Web 2.0 technologies such as wikis, podcasts/vodcasting, blogs and semantic portals could be quite effective tools in e-learning for health professionals. If effectively deployed, such tools can offer a way to enhance students', clinicians' and patients' learning experiences, and deepens levels of learners' engagement and collaboration within medical learning environments. However, Web 2.0 requires simplicity of use as well as integration with modern web technologies. This article presents a Web 2.0 telemedical portal, which provides a social community-learning paradigm from the desk of the physician, the student, the hospital administrator, or the insurer. The presented portal utilises RESTful web services and techniques like content syndication, mushups and Asynchronous JavaScript API and XML (AJAX). The designed portal is based on the Apache Cocoon RESTful framework for sharing Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) medical case studies. Central to this article is the integration between Cocoon and AJAX. The proposed AJAX-Cocoon portal utilises a JSP portlet architecture, which manages the interaction dynamics and overcomes the shortcomings of the JSR 168 and WSRP 1.0 standards.
    Matched MeSH terms: Computer Communication Networks/organization & administration
  9. Fulltext Evaluating IMU communication skills training programme: assessment tool development
    Yeap R, Beevi Z, Lukman H
    Med J Malaysia, 2008 Aug;63(3):244-6.
    PMID: 19248699
    This article describes the development of four assessment tools designed to evaluate the communication skills training (CST) programme at the International Medical University (IMU). The tools measure pre-clinical students' 1) perceived competency in basic interpersonal skills, 2) attitude towards patient-centred communication, 3) conceptual knowledge on doctor-patient communication, and 4) acceptance of the CST programme.
    Matched MeSH terms: Communication*
  10. Utilization of debate as an educational tool to learn health economics for dental students in Malaysia
    Khan SA, Omar H, Babar MG, Toh CG
    J Dent Educ, 2012 Dec;76(12):1675-83.
    PMID: 23225687
    Health economics, a special branch of science applying economic principles to the health delivery system, is a relatively young subdiscipline. The literature is scanty about teaching health economics in the medical and dental fields. Delivery methods of this topic vary from one university to another, with lectures, seminars, and independent learning reported as teaching/learning tools used for the topic. Ideally, debates should foster the development of logical reasoning and communication skills. Health economics in dentistry is taught under the community oral health module that constitutes part of an outcome-based dental curriculum in a private dental school in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. For this study, the students were divided into two groups: active participants (active debaters) and supporting participants (nonactive debaters). The debate style chosen for this activity was parliamentary style. Active and nonactive debaters' perceptions were evaluated before and after the activity through a structured questionnaire using a five-point rating scale addressing the topic and perceptions about debate as an educational tool. Cronbach's alpha coefficient was used as a measure of internal consistency for the questionnaire items. Among a total of eighty-two third-year dental students of two successive cohorts (thirty-eight students and forty-four students), seventy-three completed the questionnaire, yielding a response rate of 89 percent. Students' responses to the questionnaire were analyzed with the Kruskal-Wallis analysis of variance test. Results revealed that the students felt that their interest in debate, knowledge of the topic, and reinforcement of the previous knowledge had improved following participation in the debate. Within the limitations of this study, it can be concluded that debate was a useful tool in teaching health economics to dental students.
    Matched MeSH terms: Persuasive Communication*
  11. Telemedicine in the Malaysian Multimedia Super Corridor: towards personalized lifetime health plans
    Abidi SS, Yusoff Z
    Stud Health Technol Inform, 1999;68:283-8.
    PMID: 10724889
    The Malaysian Telemedicine initiative advocates a paradigm shift in healthcare delivery patterns by way of implementing a person-centred and wellness-focused healthcare system. This paper introduces the Malaysian Telemedicine vision, its functionality and associated operational conditions. In particular, we focus on the conceptualisation of one key Telemedicine component i.e. the Lifetime Health Plan (LHP) system--a distributed multimodule application for the periodic monitoring and generation of health-care advisories for all Malaysians. In line with the LHP project, we present an innovative healthcare delivery info-structure--LifePlan--that aims to provide life-long, pro-active, personalised, wellness-oriented healthcare services to assist individuals to manage and interpret their health needs. Functionally, LifePlan based healthcare services are delivered over the WWW, packaged as Personalised Lifetime Health Plans that allow individuals to both monitor their health status and to guide them in healthcare planning.
    Matched MeSH terms: Computer Communication Networks/trends
  12. Malaysia's 21st century goal: IT-based health gains for one and all
    Spohr MH
    Healthc Inform, 2000 Apr;17(4):49-52, 54.
    PMID: 11066568
    Matched MeSH terms: Computer Communication Networks/organization & administration*
  13. Fulltext Teaching medical students how to take a sexual history and discuss sexual health issues
    Ng CJ, McCarthy SA
    Med J Malaysia, 2002 Dec;57 Suppl E:44-51.
    PMID: 12733193
    BACKGROUND: Taking a sexual history and discussing sexual health issues with patients form an important part of a medical consultation. These specific communication skills can be acquired through various teaching methods.
    OBJECTIVE: This paper describes the communication skill workshops conducted for undergraduate medical students on how to talk to patients about sex.
    METHODOLOGY: 198 medical students participated in a series of workshops conducted in the University of Malaya in 2001-2002. Pre- and post-workshop evaluations of the programme were carried out to find out the students' difficulties and to assess the usefulness of the workshop. The workshop consisted of a short lecture, role-plays and discussion.
    RESULTS: Only 34% of the participants had received some informal training during their clinical years. The main barriers encountered were gender and age differences, language and choice of words, patients and doctors feeling shy, and cultural differences. The workshop was felt to be useful (mean score 4.38, maximum 5.0), most students felt comfortable during the workshop (mean score 4.10, maximum 5.0) and there was significant improvement in the "comfort level" when talking to patients about sex after attending the workshop (P < 0.001).
    CONCLUSION: Gender, language and cultural differences were the main barriers in taking a sexual history and discussing sexual health issues among the medical students. Communication workshop was felt to be a useful and comfortable method of learning these specific.
    Matched MeSH terms: Communication*
  14. Unesco in Asia and the Pacific: 40 years on
    UNESCO. Regional Office for Education in Asia and the Pacific
    Bull Unesco Reg Off Educ Asia Pac, 1986 Nov.
    PMID: 12342774
    Matched MeSH terms: Communication*
  15. Conditioned media derived from mesenchymal stem cell cultures: The next generation for regenerative medicine
    Gunawardena TNA, Rahman MT, Abdullah BJJ, Abu Kasim NH
    J Tissue Eng Regen Med, 2019 04;13(4):569-586.
    PMID: 30644175 DOI: 10.1002/term.2806
    Recent studies suggest that the main driving force behind the therapeutic activity observed in mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are the paracrine factors secreted by these cells. These biomolecules also trigger antiapoptotic events to prevent further degeneration of the diseased organ through paracrine signalling mechanisms. In comparison with the normal physiological conditions, an increased paracrine gradient is observed within the peripheral system of diseased organs that enhances the migration of tissue-specific MSCs towards the site of infection or injury to promote healing. Thus, upon administration of conditioned media derived from mesenchymal stem cell cultures (MSC-CM) could contribute in maintaining the increased paracrine factor gradient between the diseased organ and the stem cell niche in order to speed up the process of recovery. Based on the principle of the paracrine signalling mechanism, MSC-CM, also referred as the secretome of the MSCs, is a rich source of the paracrine factors and are being studied extensively for a wide range of regenerative therapies such as myocardial infarction, stroke, bone regeneration, hair growth, and wound healing. This article highlights the current technological applications and advances of MSC-CM with the aim to appraise its future potential as a regenerative therapeutic agent.
    Matched MeSH terms: Paracrine Communication/drug effects
  16. Space, repetition and collective interlocution: Psychiatric interviews in a Borneo longhouse
    Barrett RJ
    Commun Med, 2004;1(1):25-34.
    PMID: 16808686
    An analysis is presented of psychiatric research interviews conducted among the Iban, a longhouse dwelling people of Sarawak, Malaysia. It draws on transcripts of interviews recorded in the course of carrying out research into schizophrenia in this group. The article examines three different interview spaces within the longhouse--public, family, and private--in order to explore the interplay between ethnographic context and interview conversation. The public setting is notable for the number of relatives who join in and transform the communication from dyadic to collective interlocution; the role of repetition in recruiting them into the conversation is explored. Indirect contrast is the private space, which allows for a level of confidentiality commensurate with Western psychiatric research practice. Intermediate between the two is the family space. The communicative forms that correspond to these settings influence the way symptoms of schizophrenia are experienced and expressed in the Iban. Implications for the practice of psychiatry cross-culturally are examined.
    Matched MeSH terms: Communication*
  17. How IRBs make decisions: should we worry if they disagree?
    Kaur S
    J Med Ethics, 2013 Apr;39(4):230.
    PMID: 23077337 DOI: 10.1136/medethics-2012-100965
    Matched MeSH terms: Persuasive Communication*
  18. Interpersonal communication and the diffusion of family planning in West Malaysia
    Palmore JA, Hirsch PM, Ariffin Bin Marzuki
    Demography, 1971 Aug;8(3):411-25.
    PMID: 4950540 DOI: 10.2307/2060629
    Matched MeSH terms: Communication*
  19. Communication problems with psychiatric patients in the multilingual society of Sarawak
    Schmidt KE
    Psychiatry, 1965 Aug;28:229-33.
    PMID: 14318932 DOI: 10.1080/00332747.1965.11023430
    Matched MeSH terms: Communication*
  20. Fulltext Using a patient decision aid for insulin initiation in patients with type 2 diabetes: a qualitative analysis of doctor-patient conversations in primary care consultations in Malaysia
    Syed A, Mohd Don Z, Ng CJ, Lee YK, Khoo EM, Lee PY, et al.
    BMJ Open, 2017 05 09;7(5):e014260.
    PMID: 28490553 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2016-014260
    OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether the use of apatient decision aid (PDA) for insulin initiation fulfils its purpose of facilitating patient-centred decision-making through identifying how doctors and patients interact when using the PDA during primary care consultations.
    DESIGN: Conversation analysis of seven single cases of audio-recorded/video-recorded consultations between doctors and patients with type 2 diabetes, using a PDA on starting insulin.
    SETTING: Primary care in three healthcare settings: (1) one private clinic; (2) two public community clinics and (3) one primary care clinic in a public university hospital, in Negeri Sembilan and the Klang Valley in Malaysia.
    PARTICIPANTS: Clinicians and seven patients with type 2 diabetes to whom insulin had been recommended. Purposive sampling was used to select a sample high in variance across healthcare settings, participant demographics and perspectives on insulin.
    PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Interaction between doctors and patients in a clinical consultation involving the use of a PDA about starting insulin.
    RESULTS: Doctors brought the PDA into the conversation mainly by asking information-focused 'yes/no' questions, and used the PDA for information exchange only if patients said they had not read it. While their contributions were limited by doctors' questions, some patients disclosed issues or concerns. Although doctors' PDA-related questions acted as a presequence to deliberation on starting insulin, their interactional practices raised questions on whether patients were informed and their preferences prioritised.
    CONCLUSIONS: Interactional practices can hinder effective PDA implementation, with habits from ordinary conversation potentially influencing doctors' practices and complicating their implementation of patient-centred decision-making. Effective interaction should therefore be emphasised in the design and delivery of PDAs and in training clinicians to use them.
    Matched MeSH terms: Communication*
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