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  1. Fulltext Investment in pneumonia and pneumococcal research
    Head MG, Fitchett JR, Newell ML, Scott JAG, Clarke SC, Atun R
    Lancet Infect Dis, 2014 Nov;14(11):1037-1038.
    PMID: 25444398 DOI: 10.1016/S1473-3099(14)70949-1
    Matched MeSH terms: Biomedical Research/economics*; Biomedical Research/trends*
  2. Fulltext The utilization of small non-mammals in traumatic brain injury research: A systematic review
    Zulazmi NA, Arulsamy A, Ali I, Zainal Abidin SA, Othman I, Shaikh MF
    CNS Neurosci Ther, 2021 Apr;27(4):381-402.
    PMID: 33539662 DOI: 10.1111/cns.13590
    Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the leading cause of death and disability worldwide and has complicated underlying pathophysiology. Numerous TBI animal models have been developed over the past decade to effectively mimic the human TBI pathophysiology. These models are of mostly mammalian origin including rodents and non-human primates. However, the mammalian models demanded higher costs and have lower throughput often limiting the progress in TBI research. Thus, this systematic review aims to discuss the potential benefits of non-mammalian TBI models in terms of their face validity in resembling human TBI. Three databases were searched as follows: PubMed, Scopus, and Embase, for original articles relating to non-mammalian TBI models, published between January 2010 and December 2019. A total of 29 articles were selected based on PRISMA model for critical appraisal. Zebrafish, both larvae and adult, was found to be the most utilized non-mammalian TBI model in the current literature, followed by the fruit fly and roundworm. In conclusion, non-mammalian TBI models have advantages over mammalian models especially for rapid, cost-effective, and reproducible screening of effective treatment strategies and provide an opportunity to expedite the advancement of TBI research.
    Matched MeSH terms: Biomedical Research/methods*; Biomedical Research/trends
  3. Fulltext Study protocol of EMPOWER participatory action research (EMPOWER-PAR): a pragmatic cluster randomised controlled trial of multifaceted chronic disease management strategies to improve diabetes and hypertension outcomes in primary care
    Ramli AS, Lakshmanan S, Haniff J, Selvarajah S, Tong SF, Bujang MA, et al.
    BMC Fam Pract, 2014;15:151.
    PMID: 25218689 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2296-15-151
    Chronic disease management presents enormous challenges to the primary care workforce because of the rising epidemic of cardiovascular risk factors. The chronic care model was proven effective in improving chronic disease outcomes in developed countries, but there is little evidence of its effectiveness in developing countries. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the EMPOWER-PAR intervention (multifaceted chronic disease management strategies based on the chronic care model) in improving outcomes for type 2 diabetes mellitus and hypertension using readily available resources in the Malaysian public primary care setting. This paper presents the study protocol.
    Matched MeSH terms: Health Services Research*; Community-Based Participatory Research
  4. Socio-ethical education in nanotechnology engineering programmes: a case study in Malaysia
    Balakrishnan B, Er PH, Visvanathan P
    Sci Eng Ethics, 2013 Sep;19(3):1341-55.
    PMID: 23149672 DOI: 10.1007/s11948-012-9418-z
    The unique properties of nanotechnology have made nanotechnology education and its related subjects increasingly important not only for students but for mankind at large. This particular technology brings educators to work together to prepare and produce competent engineers and scientists for this field. One of the key challenges in nanotechnology engineering is to produce graduate students who are not only competent in technical knowledge but possess the necessary attitude and awareness toward the social and ethical issues related to nanotechnology. In this paper, a research model has been developed to assess Malaysian nanotechnology engineering students' attitudes and whether their perspectives have attained the necessary objectives of ethical education throughout their programme of study. The findings from this investigation show that socio ethical education has a strong influence on the students' knowledge, skills and attitudes pertaining to socio ethical issues related to nanotechnology.
    Matched MeSH terms: Research Design; Ethics, Research/education
  5. Responding to the call of home
    Dolgin E
    Nature, 2019 02;566(7742):143-145.
    PMID: 30723358 DOI: 10.1038/d41586-019-00448-8
    Matched MeSH terms: Research Personnel/psychology; Research Personnel/supply & distribution*
  6. Platelet function studies in women on oral contraceptive pills
    Ishak R, Mohamed AB, Hassan K
    Malays J Reprod Health, 1990 Jun;8(1):1-4.
    PMID: 12316339
    A study was conducted on a total of 100 women attending the Family Planning Clinic in Kuala Lumpur. 50 took combined low-dose estrogen and progesterone pills for a year or more and the other 50 used different methods of birth control. Platelet aggregation, ATP release, Thromboxane B2, and 6-keto-prostaglandin F1alpha estimations were made to evaluate the effect of oral contraceptives (OCs) on platelet function and prostanoid production. The results showed no significant differences in the parameters measured in the 2 groups investigated. These findings are comparable to those reported by other studies, suggesting relatively low risk, if any, of thrombosis in OC users.
    Matched MeSH terms: Research; Research Design*
  7. Age of biological maturity of Malaysian girls by ethnicity
    Noor Laily Abu Bakar, Prasanta K Majumdar, Tan Boon Ann
    Malays J Reprod Health, 1983 Jan;1(1):1-10.
    PMID: 12279885
    Matched MeSH terms: Research; Research Design*
  8. Tocotrienols for bone health: a translational approach
    Shen CL, Klein A, Chin KY, Mo H, Tsai P, Yang RS, et al.
    Ann N Y Acad Sci, 2017 Aug;1401(1):150-165.
    PMID: 28891093 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.13449
    Osteoporosis, a degenerative bone disease, is characterized by low bone mass and microstructural deterioration of bone tissue resulting in aggravated bone fragility and susceptibility to fractures. The trend of extended life expectancy is accompanied by a rise in the prevalence of osteoporosis and concomitant complications in the elderly population. Epidemiological evidence has shown an association between vitamin E consumption and the prevention of age-related bone loss in elderly women and men. Animal studies show that ingestion of vitamin E, especially tocotrienols, may benefit bone health in terms of maintaining higher bone mineral density and improving bone microstructure and quality. The beneficial effects of tocotrienols on bone health appear to be mediated via antioxidant/anti-inflammatory pathways and/or 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A mechanisms. We discuss (1) an overview of the prevalence and etiology of osteoporosis, (2) types of vitamin E (tocopherols versus tocotrienols), (3) findings of tocotrienols and bone health from published in vitro and animal studies, (4) possible mechanisms involved in bone protection, and (5) challenges and future direction for research.
    Matched MeSH terms: Translational Medical Research/methods*; Translational Medical Research/trends
  9. Fulltext Development and analysis of acceptance of a nutrition education package among a rural elderly population: an action research study
    Shahar S, Adznam SN, Rahman SA, Yusoff NA, Yassin Z, Arshad F, et al.
    BMC Geriatr, 2012 Jun 07;12:24.
    PMID: 22676577 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2318-12-24
    BACKGROUND: It is well known that older adults are often vulnerable to malnutrition. This action research was conducted to develop a nutrition education package for promoting healthy ageing and reducing risk of chronic diseases among older adults in a rural area of Malaysia.

    METHODS: This study was designed and conducted in three stages, including needs assessment, development of the package and analysis of acceptance among 33 older adults aged 60 years and over in rural communities, and 14 health staff members at rural health clinics. Subjects completed a questionnaire including sociodemographic factors and acceptance evaluation of the nutrition education package with respect to content, graphics and design. Data were analysed descriptively using numbers and percentages.

    RESULTS: A nutrition education package comprising a booklet, flipchart and placemats was developed. A total of 42.4% of the older adults expressed that the sentences in the flipchart needed to be simplified and medical terms explained. Terminology (60%), illustrations (20%) and nutrition recommendations (20%) were the aspects that prevented elderly subjects from fully understanding the booklet. Information on the placemats was easily understood by subjects.

    CONCLUSIONS: A well accepted nutrition education package for promoting healthy ageing and reducing risk of chronic diseases was developed that incorporated modifications based on feedback from older adult subjects and health clinic staff in a rural area. It is a tool that can effectively be used for health education in this population.

    Matched MeSH terms: Health Services Research/methods*; Health Services Research/trends
  10. Fulltext Preserve a Voucher Specimen! The Critical Need for Integrating Natural History Collections in Infectious Disease Studies
    Thompson CW, Phelps KL, Allard MW, Cook JA, Dunnum JL, Ferguson AW, et al.
    mBio, 2021 Jan 12;12(1).
    PMID: 33436435 DOI: 10.1128/mBio.02698-20
    Despite being nearly 10 months into the COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic, the definitive animal host for SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2), the causal agent of COVID-19, remains unknown. Unfortunately, similar problems exist for other betacoronaviruses, and no vouchered specimens exist to corroborate host species identification for most of these pathogens. This most basic information is critical to the full understanding and mitigation of emerging zoonotic diseases. To overcome this hurdle, we recommend that host-pathogen researchers adopt vouchering practices and collaborate with natural history collections to permanently archive microbiological samples and host specimens. Vouchered specimens and associated samples provide both repeatability and extension to host-pathogen studies, and using them mobilizes a large workforce (i.e., biodiversity scientists) to assist in pandemic preparedness. We review several well-known examples that successfully integrate host-pathogen research with natural history collections (e.g., yellow fever, hantaviruses, helminths). However, vouchering remains an underutilized practice in such studies. Using an online survey, we assessed vouchering practices used by microbiologists (e.g., bacteriologists, parasitologists, virologists) in host-pathogen research. A much greater number of respondents permanently archive microbiological samples than archive host specimens, and less than half of respondents voucher host specimens from which microbiological samples were lethally collected. To foster collaborations between microbiologists and natural history collections, we provide recommendations for integrating vouchering techniques and archiving of microbiological samples into host-pathogen studies. This integrative approach exemplifies the premise underlying One Health initiatives, providing critical infrastructure for addressing related issues ranging from public health to global climate change and the biodiversity crisis.
    Matched MeSH terms: Biomedical Research/standards*; Biomedical Research/trends
  11. Fulltext The globalization of addiction research: capacity-building mechanisms and selected examples
    Rawson RA, Woody G, Kresina TF, Gust S
    Harv Rev Psychiatry, 2015;23(2):147-56.
    PMID: 25747927 DOI: 10.1097/HRP.0000000000000067
    Over the past decade, the amount and variety of addiction research around the world has increased substantially. Researchers in Australia, Canada, United Kingdom, United States, and western Europe have significantly contributed to knowledge about addiction and its treatment. However, the nature and context of substance use disorders and the populations using drugs are far more diverse than is reflected in studies done in Western cultures. To stimulate new research from a diverse set of cultural perspectives, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has promoted the development of addiction research capacity and skills around the world for over 25 years. This review will describe the programs NIDA has developed to sponsor international research and research fellows and will provide some examples of the work NIDA has supported. NIDA fellowships have allowed 496 individuals from 96 countries to be trained in addiction research. The United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia have recently developed funding to support addiction research to study, with advice from NIDA, the substance use disorder problems that affect their societies. Examples from Malaysia, Tanzania, Brazil, Russian Federation, Ukraine, Republic of Georgia, Iceland, China, and Vietnam are used to illustrate research being conducted with NIDA support. Health services research, collaboratively funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health and Department of State, addresses a range of addiction service development questions in low- and middle-income countries. Findings have expanded the understanding of addiction and its treatment, and are enhancing the ability of practitioners and policy makers to address substance use disorders.
    Matched MeSH terms: Health Services Research; Biomedical Research/trends*
  12. Fulltext A review of malaria research in Malaysia
    William T, Menon J
    Med J Malaysia, 2014 Aug;69 Suppl A:82-7.
    PMID: 25417955 MyJurnal
    One hundred and thirteen articles related to Malaria were found in a search through a database dedicated to indexing all original data relevant to medicine published in Malaysia between the years 2000-2013. Thirty eight articles were selected and reviewed on the basis of clinical relevance and future research implications. The epidemiology of malaria has undergone a significant change over the last decade with P. knowlesi, formerly a relatively unknown simian parasite rapidly becoming the most predominant malaria species to infect humans in Malaysia. The epidemiology, clinical features, diagnostic methods and treatment for P. knowlesi infection are described in these studies. In Malaysia, imported malaria from foreigners also poses a challenge. In view of these changes, new strategies on malaria control need to be devised and implemented, and treatment regimens need to be redefined to help Malaysia achieve the goal of malaria elimination by the year 2020.
    Matched MeSH terms: Research
  13. Fulltext A qualitative study on hypertensive care behavior in primary health care settings in Malaysia
    Shima R, Farizah MH, Majid HA
    Patient Prefer Adherence, 2014;8:1597-609.
    PMID: 25484577 DOI: 10.2147/PPA.S69680
    PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to explore patients' experiences with their illnesses and the reasons which influenced them in not following hypertensive care recommendations (antihypertensive medication intake, physical activity, and diet changes) in primary health clinic settings.
    PATIENTS AND METHODS: A qualitative methodology was applied. The data were gathered from in-depth interviews with 25 hypertensive patients attending follow-up in nine government primary health clinics in two districts (Hulu Langat and Klang) in the state of Selangor, Malaysia. The transcribed data were analyzed using thematic analysis.
    RESULTS: There was evidence of lack of patient self-empowerment and community support in Malaysian society. Most of the participants did not take their antihypertensive medication or change their physical activity and diet after diagnosis. There was an agreement between the patients and the health care professionals before starting the treatment recommendation, but there lacked further counseling and monitoring. Most of the reasons given for not taking antihypertensive medication, not doing physical activity and not following diet recommendations were due to side effects or fear of the side effects of antihypertensive medication, patients' attitudes, lack of information from health care professionals and insufficient social support from their surrounding environment. We also observed the differences on these reasons for nonadherence among the three ethnic groups.
    CONCLUSION: Health care professionals should move toward supporting adherence in the management of hypertensive patients by maintaining a dialogue. Patients need to be given time to enable them to overcome their inhibition of asking questions and to accept the recommendations. A self-management approach must be responsive to the needs of individuals, ethnicities, and communities.
    KEYWORDS: adherence; hypertension; in-depth interview; qualitative research
    Study site: Klinik kesihatan, Selangor, Malaysia
    Matched MeSH terms: Qualitative Research
  14. Fulltext A qualitative exploration of Malaysian doctors' perceptions towards complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) [Abstract]
    Farooqui M, Othman CN, Hassali AA, Saleem F, Ul Haq N, Sadeeqa S
    Value Health, 2014 Nov;17(7):A789.
    PMID: 27202944 DOI: 10.1016/j.jval.2014.08.425
    Objectives: The study aims to assess doctors’ perceptions towards Complementary and Alternative Medicines (CAM) in their medical practice, factors that affect the referral of CAM and suggestions to improve CAM in medical practice.
    Methods: A qualitative research approach was adopted to gain a better understanding of the current perceptions and practice held by doctors’ within their medical professions. In order to gain a wide perspective of the issue, eleven doctors were purposively selected who were working in academics, hospitals and in the community health clinics. Participants were interviewed using a semi-structured interview guide. A saturation point was reached after the 10th interview, and no new information emerged with the subsequent interviews. All interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed by means of a standard content analysis framework.
    Results: The doctors expressed a range of views on CAM that can be divided into two major themes: doctors’ knowledge and understanding towards CAM and doctors’ viewpoint on CAM in their professional practice. A key factor which affected doctor’s perspectives on CAM was the lack of scientific evidences. The attitudes on CAM were basically shaped based on their personal CAM use rather than knowledge gained during an academic course. Lack of knowledge on CAM was also attributing to the doctors’ reluctance in CAM discussion with their patients. Though addition of CAM courses into the medical curriculum was proposed by some of the doctors; the practical implication was criticized as some found medical curriculum heavily packed with the biomedical courses.
    Conclusions: Majority of the doctors in this study were skeptical and uncertain about CAM due to lack of scientific evidence. Doctor-patient communication on CAM can only be improved when doctors’ knowledge on CAM can be improved by providing necessary training on CAM.
    Matched MeSH terms: Qualitative Research
  15. Bringing new HIV infections to zero - opportunities and challenges offered by antiretroviral-based prevention in Asia, the Pacific and beyond: An overview of this special issue
    Zablotska IB, Whittaker B, de Wit J, Kamarulzaman A, Ananworanich J, Wright E, et al.
    Sex Health, 2014 Jul;11(2):97-100.
    PMID: 25017549 DOI: 10.1071/SH14071
    This editorial to the special issue of Sexual Health on antiretroviral-based prevention of HIV infection is dedicated to showcasing research and practice in this area. It aims to promote debate regarding the potential of new antiretroviral-based prevention approaches and the challenges encountered in moving prevention innovations into the community. This special issue covers the breadth of innovative HIV prevention research, including that undertaken in the fields of epidemiology, clinical research, social and behavioural science, public health and policy analysis, and with special emphasis on Asia and the Pacific region. Most importantly, it provides an indication of how the region is progressing towards embracing new prevention approaches to combat HIV epidemics across the region.
    Matched MeSH terms: Research
  16. Fulltext Luminescent measurement systems for the investigation of a scramjet inlet-isolator
    Idris AC, Saad MR, Zare-Behtash H, Kontis K
    Sensors (Basel), 2014;14(4):6606-32.
    PMID: 24721773 DOI: 10.3390/s140406606
    Scramjets have become a main focus of study for many researchers, due to their application as propulsive devices in hypersonic flight. This entails a detailed understanding of the fluid mechanics involved to be able to design and operate these engines with maximum efficiency even at their off-design conditions. It is the objective of the present cold-flow investigation to study and analyse experimentally the mechanics of the fluid structures encountered within a generic scramjet inlet at M = 5. Traditionally, researchers have to rely on stream-thrust analysis, which requires the complex setup of a mass flow meter, a force balance and a heat transducer in order to measure inlet-isolator performance. Alternatively, the pitot rake could be positioned at inlet-isolator exit plane, but this method is intrusive to the flow, and the number of pitot tubes is limited by the model size constraint. Thus, this urgent need for a better flow diagnostics method is addressed in this paper. Pressure-sensitive paint (PSP) has been applied to investigate the flow characteristics on the compression ramp, isolator surface and isolator sidewall. Numerous shock-shock interactions, corner and shoulder separation regions, as well as shock trains were captured by the luminescent system. The performance of the scramjet inlet-isolator has been shown to improve when operated in a modest angle of attack.
    Matched MeSH terms: Research Personnel
  17. Fulltext Viral Aetiology of Acute Flaccid Paralysis Surveillance Cases, before and after Vaccine Policy Change from Oral Polio Vaccine to Inactivated Polio Vaccine
    Saraswathy Subramaniam TS, Apandi MA, Jahis R, Samsudin MS, Saat Z
    J Trop Med, 2014;2014:814908.
    PMID: 24772175 DOI: 10.1155/2014/814908
    Since 1992, surveillance for acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) cases was introduced in Malaysia along with the establishment of the National Poliovirus Laboratory at the Institute for Medical Research. In 2008, the Ministry of Health, Malaysia, approved a vaccine policy change from oral polio vaccine to inactivated polio vaccine (IPV). Eight states started using IPV in the Expanded Immunization Programme, followed by the remaining states in January 2010. The objective of this study was to determine the viral aetiology of AFP cases below 15 years of age, before and after vaccine policy change from oral polio vaccine to inactivated polio vaccine. One hundred and seventy-nine enteroviruses were isolated from the 3394 stool specimens investigated between 1992 and December 2012. Fifty-six out of 107 virus isolates were polioviruses and the remaining were non-polio enteroviruses. Since 2009 after the sequential introduction of IPV in the childhood immunization programme, no Sabin polioviruses were isolated from AFP cases. In 2012, the laboratory AFP surveillance was supplemented with environmental surveillance with sewage sampling. Thirteen Sabin polioviruses were also isolated from sewage in the same year, but no vaccine-derived poliovirus was detected during this period.
    Matched MeSH terms: Biomedical Research
  18. Preparation and quantification of radioactive particles for tracking hydrodynamic behavior in multiphase reactors
    Yunos MA, Hussain SA, Yusoff HM, Abdullah J
    Appl Radiat Isot, 2014 Sep;91:57-61.
    PMID: 24907683 DOI: 10.1016/j.apradiso.2014.05.015
    Radioactive particle tracking (RPT) has emerged as a promising and versatile technique that can provide rich information about a variety of multiphase flow systems. However, RPT is not an off-the-shelf technique, and thus, users must customize RPT for their applications. This paper presents a simple procedure for preparing radioactive tracer particles created via irradiation with neutrons from the TRIGA Mark II research reactor. The present study focuses on the performance evaluation of encapsulated gold and scandium particles for applications as individual radioactive tracer particles using qualitative and quantitative neutron activation analysis (NAA) and an X-ray microcomputed tomography (X-ray Micro-CT) scanner installed at the Malaysian Nuclear Agency.
    Matched MeSH terms: Research
  19. Optimization of headspace solid-phase microextraction technique for extraction of volatile smokeless powder compounds in forensic applications
    Chang KH, Yew CH, Abdullah AF
    J Forensic Sci, 2014 Jul;59(4):1100-8.
    PMID: 24611488 DOI: 10.1111/1556-4029.12440
    Smokeless powders are low explosives and are potentially found in cases involving firearms and improvised explosive devices. Apart from inorganic compound analysis, forensic determination of organic components of these materials appears as a promising alternative, especially the chromatographic techniques. This work describes the optimization of a solid-phase microextraction technique using an 85 μm polyacrylate fiber followed by gas chromatography-flame ionization detection for smokeless powder. A multivariate experimental design was performed to optimize extraction-influencing parameters. A 2(4) factorial first-order design revealed that sample temperature and extraction time were the major influencing parameters. Doehlert matrix design has subsequently selected 66°C and 21 min as the compromised conditions for the two predetermined parameters. This extraction technique has successfully detected the headspace compounds of smokeless powders from different ammunition types and allowed for their differentiation. The novel technique allows more rapid sample preparation for chromatographic detection of smokeless powders.
    Matched MeSH terms: Research Design
  20. Fulltext Eco-friendly synthesis for MCM-41 nanoporous materials using the non-reacted reagents in mother liquor
    Ng EP, Goh JY, Ling TC, Mukti RR
    Nanoscale Res Lett, 2013;8(1):120.
    PMID: 23497184 DOI: 10.1186/1556-276X-8-120
    Nanoporous materials such as Mobil composite material number 41 (MCM-41) are attractive for applications such as catalysis, adsorption, supports, and carriers. Green synthesis of MCM-41 is particularly appealing because the chemical reagents are useful and valuable. We report on the eco-friendly synthesis of MCM-41 nanoporous materials via multi-cycle approach by re-using the non-reacted reagents in supernatant as mother liquor after separating the solid product. This approach was achieved via minimal requirement of chemical compensation where additional fresh reactants were added into the mother liquor followed by pH adjustment after each cycle of synthesis. The solid product of each successive batch was collected and characterized while the non-reacted reagents in supernatant can be recovered and re-used to produce subsequent cycle of MCM-41. The multi-cycle synthesis is demonstrated up to three times in this research. This approach suggests a low cost and eco-friendly synthesis of nanoporous material since less waste is discarded after the product has been collected, and in addition, product yield can be maintained at the high level.
    Matched MeSH terms: Research
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