This paper describes the analysis of the written professional examinations administered at the Medical School, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), during the academic year 1979-80. It is a product of a collaborative activity involving medical teachers and two short-term consultants of the World Health Organization. The examination papers were analysed in order to identify content areas disproportionately emphasized in the examinations; to determine the quality and appropriateness of the examination items used; and to review the extent of continuity and integration across departments and courses. This paper is intended to introduce an approach to curriculum review which is based on analysis of the examination system. The procedures and sample outcomes are described and the implications for curriculum development and evaluation are discussed.
Nipponophloeostiba thayeri Shavrin, sp.n. from Borneo Island, Sabah (Malaysia) is described, illustrated and compared with Japanese N. verrucifera Watanabe, 1962.
The first representative of the genus Cerapus in Malaysian waters, Cerapus bumbumiensis sp. nov. is described from specimens sampled from Pulau Bum Bum, Sabah (east Malaysia). The main identifying characteristics of this new amphipod species are: pereonites 1, 2 with constriction; male gnathopod 2 carpochelate, carpus large with long defining posterior tooth and well-developed anterodistal tooth; pereopod 6 coxa with fine hair/fringe setae ventrally; and telson with deep cleft. An updated identification key for the 23 known species in the genus is also presented.
Acanthamoeba spp. merupakan ameba hidup bebas yang tersebar luas di persekitaran. Ameba ini menyebabkan penyakit
keratitis terutamanya kepada individu yang memakai kanta sentuh terkontaminasi atau mempunyai sejarah trauma
pada mata. Tujuh puluh empat sampel kikisan kornea pesakit keratitis daripada 4 buah hospital di sekitar Lembah
Kelang telah dikultur untuk menemukan Acanthamoeba spp. Keputusan kajian mendapati Acanthamoeba spp. berjaya
dipencilkan daripada 14.87% sampel kikisan kornea pesakit keratitis. Berdasarkan kajian ini, kesemua pesakit keratitis
Acanthamoeba adalah merupakan pemakai kanta sentuh yang majoritinya (90.9%) terdiri daripada kaum wanita. Kanta
sentuh lembut terlibat dalam 90.9% kes manakala jenis kanta separa keras cuma satu kes 9.1%. Kesemua 11 pencilan
Acanthamoeba yang dipencilkan adalah daripada kumpulan polyphagids yang biasanya patogenik kepada manusia dan
menyebabkan jangkitan ini. Kegagalan pengguna kanta sentuh mengamalkan tahap kebersihan kanta sentuh yang baik
merupakan faktor risiko yang penting dalam kejadian keratitis Acanthamoeba di Malaysia.
INTRODUCTION: This single-group, open-label, prospective, noncomparative, multicenter, Phase IV study explored the efficacy and tolerability of paliperidone palmitate (PP) in hospitalized patients with acute exacerbation of schizophrenia.
METHODS: Asian patients of either sex, between 18 and 65 years of age, diagnosed with schizophrenia (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition) with acute exacerbations within the previous 4 weeks, were enrolled. Intramuscular PP was initiated at doses of 150 milligram equivalent (mg eq) (day 1) and 100 mg eq (day 8), followed by a monthly maintenance dose between 75 mg eq and 150 mg eq (days 36 and 64). Primary efficacy endpoint was the change from baseline in the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) total score (last-observation-carried-forward) at week 13.
RESULTS: Of the 212 enrolled patients, 152 (71.7%) completed the 13-week treatment; withdrawal of consent (24 [11.3%] patients) was the most common reason for study discontinuation. Mean (standard deviation) PANSS total score from baseline (90.0 [17.41]) improved significantly at day 4 (-6.1 [9.27]; 95% confidence interval: -7.38, -4.85; P<0.001) and week 13 endpoint (-23.9 [23.24]; 95% confidence interval: -27.10, -20.78; P<0.001). Similarly, the secondary endpoints (Clinical Global Impression-Severity, Physical and Social Performance, each PANSS subscale, and Marder factor scores) improved significantly from baseline to week 13 endpoint (P<0.001 for all). At week 13, 112/210 (53.3%) patients had a 40% improvement in the PANSS total score (responder rate), and 133/212 (62.7%) patients were ready for hospital discharge. Overall, 139 (65.6%) patients experienced at least one treatment-emergent adverse event (TEAE). Most common (>5%) TEAEs were hyperprolactinemia, constipation, nasopharyngitis, insomnia, increased weight, and tremor. Worsening of schizophrenia (3.3%) and sinus bradycardia (2.0%) were serious TEAEs; no deaths were reported.
CONCLUSION: PP was generally tolerable and efficacious in a hospital setting for the treatment of acute exacerbated schizophrenia with significant improvements in psychotic symptoms, social functioning, and severity of illness.
Psychosocial risks are considered as a burning issue in the Asia-Pacific region. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of psychosocial work environment factors on health of petrochemical industry workers of Malaysia. In lieu to job demands-resources theory, significant positive associations were found between quantitative demands, work-family conflict, and job insecurity with stress, while a significant negative association of role clarity as a resource factor with stress was detected. We also found that quantitative demands were significantly associated with the mean arterial pressure (MAP). Multistage sampling procedure was used to collect study sample. Structural Equation Modeling was used to identify relationship between the endogenous and exogenous variables. Finally, the empirically tested psychosocial work environment model will further help in providing a better risk assessment in different industries and enterprises.