Method: The proposed recommender system (ResComS) suggests the most suitable setting necessary to optimally improve patients' rehabilitation performances. In the course of developing the recommender system, three methods are proposed and compared: ReComS (K-nearest neighbours and collaborative filtering algorithms), ReComS+ (k-means, K-nearest neighbours, and collaborative filtering algorithms) and ReComS++ (bacterial foraging optimisation, k-means, K-nearest neighbours, and collaborative filtering algorithms). The experimental datasets are collected using the Medical Interactive Recovery Assistant (MIRA) software platform.
Result: Experimental results, validated by the patients' exergame performances, reveal that the ReComS++ approach predicts the best exergame settings for patients with 85.76% accuracy.
Methodology: We searched PubMed, Science Direct, and Scopus using MeSH terms and text keywords "Giardia duodenalis OR Giardia intestinalis OR Giardia lamblia OR intestinal protozoa AND Malaysia". Information was collected from all giardiasis reports published between 2000 and 2020.
Results: Giardiasis in Malaysia is more prevalent among the poorest segments of the population, namely the indigenous communities and people living in densely populated areas such as slums and prisons, due to low standard of personal hygiene, unsafe water resources, and improper sanitation. While the prevalence data is hugely dependent on microscopic fecal examination in epidemiological studies of giardiasis, current studies mostly focused on species identification and genotype distribution by multilocus genotyping. Thus far, the outbreak of giardiasis has not been reported in the country, but the disease was found to be significantly associated with stunting, wasting, and malnutrition among children of the indigenous communities. Surveillance studies also discovered the simultaneous presence of Giardia in the animal-environments, including wild animals, ruminants, and treated and untreated water. The data collected here will be a useful addition to the literature body on giardiasis in Malaysia, which can be exploited in efforts to prevent and control the impact of giardiasis in the country.
Conclusions: The last 10 years have shown that the overall mean rate of giardiasis in Malaysia is quite encouraging at 13.7%. While this figure appears to be declining, there has been a slight increase in the prevalence of underweight, stunting, and wasting among rural children in 2019. The fact that giardiasis is linked to long-term childhood developmental problems, indicates that addressing and providing better disease control against giardiasis should be a priority in supporting the national agenda to achieve Malaysia Global Nutrition Targets by 2025.
CASE REPORT: A boy from non-consanguineous parents presented with history of 'abnormal movements' from 7 months of age. At one year of age, video electroencephalogram (EEG) monitoring demonstrated the 'abnormal movements' to be clonic seizures. Valproate, lamotrigine and clobazam combination were only partially effective at reducing the seizures. Repeat EEG at 1 year 8 months old revealed a continuous spikes-and-waves during slow sleep (CSWS) pattern, prompting a trial of sulthiame. After 2 weeks of sulthiame, seizures ceased completely. The clonic seizures recurred at age 4 years when sulthiame supply was interrupted, but the seizures promptly remitted following sulthiame's resumption. Subtle choreiform movements appeared from age one year and later became more prominent. Whole exome sequencing (WES) identified a homozygous novel variant (nonsense) in the FRRS1L gene (NM_014334.3: c.670C>T:p.Gln224*). He has been seizure free since 4 years of age but remained profoundly delayed.
CONCLUSION: Sulthiame may have a role in the early treatment of seizures in children with refractory epilepsy due to FRRS1L mutation.
METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 391 Malaysians aged ≥18 years. A validated online self-administered questionnaire disseminated via Google Forms was used to evaluate the knowledge and attitude towards and prevalence of ivermectin use as COVID-19 treatment. The socio-demographic characteristics and knowledge and attitude towards and prevalence of ivermectin use among the respondents were evaluated through descriptive analysis. The chi-square test was used to identify the association between the variables.
RESULTS: The respondents had moderate levels of knowledge and attitude towards ivermectin use, while the prevalence of ivermectin use was 3.58%. The respondents' sex (P=0.014), age (P=0.012) and monthly income (P=0.049) were significantly associated with their level of knowledge. The respondents' sex (P=0.04) was significantly associated with their level of attitude. Conversely, no socio-demographic characteristics were significantly associated with the prevalence of ivermectin use as COVID-19 treatment.
CONCLUSION: The majority of Malaysians have moderate levels of knowledge and attitude towards ivermectin use as COVID-19 treatment, with a low prevalence of actual use.