METHODS: The original English version of GPPAQ was translated forward and backward into Malay version by experts. The final version of the Malay-translated GPPAQ was then tested for validity and reliability. A cross-sectional study design was performed and systematic random sampling was used to select respondents. Construct validity and internal consistency of the Malay-translated version were tested using exploratory factor analysis and Cronbach's alpha respectively.
RESULTS: Sixty-two male shipyard workers participated in this study. The GPPAQ showed good factor loading values for all items (0.608-0.834). The exploratory principal component factor analysis delineates all seven items into two factors with variance of 41.65%. The Cronbach's alpha value was good with 0.81, 0.84 and 0.76 for total scale, factor 1 and factor 2 respectively.
CONCLUSION: The Malay-translated version of GPPAQ has high psychometric properties. Therefore, it is a valid instrument to assess physical activity among Malaysian working population, particularly in male shipyard workers.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was undertaken in 45 public, teaching, and private hospitals in Malaysia that provide ≥ 10 beds in their ICUs. Knowledge, perceived barriers, facilitators, and practice of early mobilization were assessed using a previously validated mobility survey questionnaire.
RESULTS: Only 35% of ICU physiotherapists reported receiving training/courses on early mobilization in the ICU. 100 (86%) physiotherapists underestimated the incidence of ICU-acquired weakness, and 88 (75%) were unfamiliar with the current literature on early mobilization in the ICU. The need for physician orders before mobilization, medical instability, excessive sedation, and risk of dislodgement of devices or lines were the most common barriers to early mobilization. Nearly half (49 [42%]) of the respondents reported physiotherapist as early mobilization clinical champion in their setting, but the most common physiotherapy treatment techniques in the ICU reported by the respondents' were still chest physiotherapy, range of motion exercises, and bed mobility.
CONCLUSION: We observed strong enthusiasm for early mobilization among Malaysian physiotherapists. Most respondents believed that early mobilization is important and beneficial to ICU patients. However, there is still a big gap in knowledge and training of early mobilization in ICU patients among Malaysian physiotherapists.
Methods: The initial part of this study is a descriptive cross-sectional study involving data collection from all requests sent for group, screen, and hold (GSH) and group and cross match (GXM) tests from 2011 to 2017. The association between sociodemographic, workplace, and experience factors with near-miss events amongst HO was analyzed with a case-control study using logistic regression.
Results: We reported 83 near-miss events with a prevalence of 0.034% (95% confidence interval 0.027-0.042). The rate of near-miss events was one in every 2916 requests. The mean reporting rate was 11.9 events per year. Clinical near miss predominated at 89.2% compared to 10.8% laboratory near miss. Mislabeled events (33.7%) were more than miscollected events (10.8%). HO were implicated with most events (83.1%). Most events were predominantly in the medical and obstetrics and gynecology wards amounting to 31.3% each. We found a significant association between the ages of HO with near-miss events.
Conclusions: The prevalence of near-miss events in our hospital was relatively low. Our study has shown areas for improvement include improving sampling practices in clinical areas, adequate training of laboratory technicians, and providing proper transfusion education. Interventions such as encouraging compliance to guidelines and training in clinical and laboratory areas to minimize the risk of mistransfusion should be considered.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from November 10, 2015, to April 18, 2018, recruiting 165 healthy neonates with normal TSH in their 1st week of life, from a single center in Northwest Malaysia. Ultrasound thyroid was done by a single ultrasonographer (κ = 0.86, percent agreement = 92.4), and the thyroid volume (TV) was calculated using the Brunn formula.
Results: All measurements showed skewed distribution with no significant difference between the right and left lobes. The local normative values for neonatal total TV was 0.61 (interquartile range [IQR] = 0.230) cm3, 0.31 (IQR = 0.150) cm3 for right TV, and 0.28 (IQR = 0.110) cm3 for left TV. There was a strong correlation between the right and left TVs, r = 0.767, P < 0.001. There were also no differences in the total TV across different genders and races.
Conclusion: The normative values for TV determined in our study may be used accordingly in clinical practice to evaluate thyroid hypoplasia or goiter by other Asian countries due to the similarly shared biodemography.
METHODS: The blends were prepared in a volume ratio of 10:90, 20:80, 40:60, and 60:40 (RBO:SO). The changes in the oxidative parameters and fatty acid composition of the samples during heating at frying temperature (170°C) were determined using analytical and instrumental methods. Oxidative alteration was also monitored by recording FTIR spectra of oil samples.
RESULTS: The increase in oxidative parameters (free fatty acid, color, specific extinctions, peroxide value, p-anisidine value, and thiobarbituric acid value) was greater in pure SO as compared to RBO or blend oils during heating. This indicates that the SO samples incorporated with RBO have the least degradation, while pure SO has the highest. Blending resulted in a lower level of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) with a higher level of saturated fatty acids (SFA) and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA). During heating, the relative content of PUFA decreased and that of SFA increased. However, the presence of RBO in SO slowed down the oxidative deterioration of PUFA. In FTIR, the peak intensities in SO were markedly changed in comparison with blend oils during heating. The reduction in the formation of oxidative products in SO during thermal treatment increased as the concentration of the RBO in SO increased; however, the levels of the protective effect of RBO did not increase steadily with an increase in its concentration.
CONCLUSIONS: During thermal treatment, the generation of hydroperoxides, their degradation and formation of secondary oxidative products as evaluated by oxidative indices, fatty acids and IR absorbances were lower in blend oils compared to pure SO. In conclusion, RBO can significantly retard the process of lipid peroxidation in SO during heating at frying temperature.
Materials and Methods: This study included pre-weaning kids aged 1 month, as well as post-weaning kids aged 3-6 months. 10 pre-weaning purebred Saanen kids (n = 5 male and n = 5 female) and 20 post-weaning Saanen kids (n = 10 male and n = 10 female) were employed in this investigation. Pre-and post-weaning kids' live weights were assessed weekly on a weighing scale, and BCS was calculated based on their body frame. In the data analysis, the two-sample t-test with Minitab Software was utilized.
Results: The findings revealed that pre-weaning Saanen kids gained weight steadily from week 1 to week 6, with males being heavier than females. The p-value, on the other hand, suggested that there was no difference in live weight between pre-weaning male and female Saanen kids. Over 6 weeks of sampling, the male had a larger proportion of live weight gain (80%) than the female (75%). Meanwhile, the BCS of pre-weaning Saanen kids grew from week 1 to week 6. It is critical to account for the development of muscle mass while still evaluating the fat cover to determine whether the kids are maintaining an adequate BCS. However, the live weight of post-weaning kids was inconsequential because they were still in the growing phase. As a result, from the 1st to 6th week, post-weaning kids' body weight and BCS increased as their growth progressed. After 6 weeks of sampling, females had a higher percentage of live weight than males. This is because the kids raised on the farm do not have complete control over the environmental effects. Over 6 weeks of sampling, female post-weaning Saanen kids grew a slightly higher percentage of live weight (88%) than males (85%).
Conclusion: This study conducted a direct assessment study, which monitored and determined the live weight and BCS of pre-and post-weaning Saanen kids. Pre-weaning kids' average values of live weight were calculated as insignificant at the age of 1 month. The mean live weight is most affected by milk consumption from its mothers, the management of the farm, and the environment. For the post-weaning Saanen kids, the females have a slightly higher average live weight gained for 6 weeks than the males (p > 0.05). In conclusion, the live weight changes of Saanen kids during the weaning stages are independent of the BCS.