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Fulltext Association between Platescapes, Foodscapes, and Meal Energy Intake in Government Employees from Muar, Johor, Malaysia

Lim YJ, Jamaluddin R, Er YT

Nutrients, 2018 Jun 25;10(7).
PMID: 29941848 DOI: 10.3390/nu10070819

A microscale built environment was the focus in this cross-sectional study which aimed to investigate the associations between platescapes, foodscapes, and meal energy intake among subjects. A total of 133 subjects (54 male, 79 female) with mean age 36.8 ± 7.3 years completed a self-administered questionnaire on sociodemographic characteristics, platescapes, and foodscape preferences. For platescapes, a plate mapping method was used, where subjects were required to place various sizes of food models on two different sized plates (23 cm and 28 cm) based on their preferences. For foodscape preferences, subjects were given a 23-cm plate and various food models differentiated by shapes and colours. Then, 24-h daily recalls (for one weekday and one weekend day) were obtained using interviews. Significant differences were observed in meal energy intake (p < 0.05) between males (1741 ± 339 kcal) and females (1625 ± 247 kcal) and also between age groups (p < 0.05). There was a significant difference (p < 0.0001) in terms of subjects’ meal energy intake when comparing 23-cm plates (419 ± 124 kcal) and 28-cm plates (561 ± 143 kcal). The bigger plate (28 cm) (p < 0.01) was significantly associated with subjects’ meal energy intakes, but this was not so for the 23-cm plate. There were significant differences in subjects’ meal energy when comparing white rice and multicoloured rice (p < 0.0001), unicoloured and multicoloured proteins (p < 0.0001), and unicoloured and multicoloured vegetables (p < 0.0001). There was a significant difference found between round- and cube-shaped proteins (p < 0.05). The colours of rice (p < 0.01), protein (p < 0.05), and vegetables (p < 0.05) were significantly associated with subjects’ meal energy. Only the shape of carrots in vegetables (p = 0.01) was significantly associated with subjects’ meal energy. Subconsciously, platescapes and foodscapes affect an individual’s energy intake, and thus these elements should be considered in assessing one’s dietary consumption.
Fulltext Effects of Synbiotics among Constipated Adults in Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia-A Randomised, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial

Lim YJ, Jamaluddin R, Hazizi AS, Chieng JY

Nutrients, 2018 Jun 26;10(7).
PMID: 29949873 DOI: 10.3390/nu10070824

Synbiotics approach complementarily and synergistically toward the balance of gastrointestinal microbiota and improvement in bowel functions. A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was conducted to examine the effects of a synbiotics supplement among constipated adults. A total of 85 constipated adults, diagnosed by Rome III criteria for functional constipation were randomised to receive either synbiotics (n = 43) or placebo (n = 42) once daily (2.5 g) in the morning for 12 weeks. Eight times of follow-up was conducted every fortnightly with treatment response based on a questionnaire that included a record of evacuation (stool frequency, stool type according to Bristol Stool Form Scale), Patients Assessment on Constipation Symptoms (PAC-SYM), and Patients Assessment on Constipation Quality of Life (PAC-QOL). There were no significant differences in stool evacuation, but defecation frequency and stool type in treatment group were improved tremendously than in placebo group. While the treatment group was reported to have higher reduction in severity of functional constipation symptoms, the differences were not statistically significant. Dietary supplementation of synbiotics in this study suggested that the combination of probiotics and prebiotics improved the functional constipation symptoms and quality of life although not significant. This was due to the high placebo effect which synbiotics failed to demonstrate benefit over the controls.
Fulltext The Prevalence and Symptoms Characteristic of Functional Constipation Using Rome III Diagnostic Criteria among Tertiary Education Students

Lim YJ, Rosita J, Chieng JY, Hazizi AS

PLoS One, 2016;11(12):e0167243.
PMID: 27997551 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0167243

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Functional constipation is very common with heterogeneous symptoms that have substantial impact on patient quality of life as well as medical resources which are rarely reported as life-threatening. The aim of this study is to examine the prevalence and symptoms characteristic of functional constipation (FC) by using Rome III diagnostic criteria among tertiary education students with an intention to introduce treatment in the future.
METHODS: Demographic, socio-economics characteristics and symptoms of FC using the Rome III criteria were sought using a questionnaire administered to Malaysian students in a tertiary education setting. Other data obtained were the general health status, lifestyle factors and anthropometric measurements. Using a simple random sampling method, a total of 1662 students were recruited in the study with a response rate of 95.0%. Sampled data are presented as frequency and percentage and stratified accordingly into categories for Chi-square analysis.
RESULTS: The prevalence of functional constipation among the students was 16.2%, with a significantly higher prevalence among women (17.4%) than men (12.5%). Hard or lumpy stool, incomplete evacuation, anorectal obstruction and straining were reported as the commonest symptoms experienced. Type 3 was the most frequent stool consistency experienced among the constipated individuals (35.2%). Only 4.4% of individuals reported having less than three defecations per week. Using univariable analysis, FC was significantly associated with sex (odds ratio: 1.48, 95% CI: 1.06-2.06) and age group (odds ratio: 1.34, 95% CI: 1.01-1.79) with P value < 0.05 significance level. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, only sex was found significantly associated with FC (adjusted odds ratio: 1.53, 95% CI: 1.08-2.17, P < 0.05).
CONCLUSIONS: Based on the prevalence rate, constipation is a common problem among tertiary education students (16.2%), with significantly more prevalence among the female respondents. Early detection of symptoms and further intervention studies focusing on treatment recommendation in improving the symptoms are essential.
Fulltext Unveiling the Performance of Cu-Water Nanofluid Flow with Melting Heat Transfer, MHD, and Thermal Radiation over a Stretching/Shrinking Sheet

Hyder A, Lim YJ, Khan I, Shafie S

ACS Omega, 2023 Aug 15;8(32):29424-29436.
PMID: 37599919 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c02949

The use of melting heat transfer (MHT) and nanofluids for electronics cooling and energy storage efficiency has gained the attention of numerous researchers. This study investigates the effects of MHD, mixed convection, thermal radiation, stretching, and shrinking on the heat transfer characteristics of a Cu-water-based nanofluid over a stretching/shrinking sheet with MHT effects. The governing equations are transformed into nonlinear ordinary differential equations and solved numerically using the Keller Box method. To the best of our knowledge, this comprehensive analysis, encompassing all of these factors, including the utilization of a robust numerical method, in a single study, has not been previously reported in the literature. Our findings demonstrate that an increase in the melting parameter leads to an enhanced rate of heat transfer, while an increase in the stretching/shrinking parameter results in a decrease in the rate of heat transfer. Additionally, we present a comprehensive analysis of the influences of all of the mentioned driving parameters. The results are presented through graphical and tabulated representations and compared with existing literature.
The effectiveness of group music reminiscence therapy for people thriving with dementia: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials

Wong ARK, Ng LTE, Lee MH, Yeow JLH, Lim YJ, Yap KH

Aging Med (Milton), 2024 Aug;7(4):528-534.
PMID: 39234199 DOI: 10.1002/agm2.12344

Dementia is characterized by a progressive decline in cognition, behavioral and psychological symptoms (BPSD), and quality of life (QoL). The lack of curative therapies has led to a psychosocial discourse prioritizing QoL of people thriving with dementia (PTD). Group reminiscence therapy (RT) is a relatively inexpensive intervention, with music prompts being a preferred choice, owing to robust musical memory in the early disease stage. However, a synthesis of current evidence is needed to inform research and clinical use of group music RT in dementia care. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review on PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL, APA PsycInfo, and APA PsycArticles to critically appraise published randomized controlled trials examining group music RT to improve cognition, BPSD, and QoL in PTD. Of 14,725 articles, two RCTs involving 102 PTD were included. All studies used prerecorded music for group music RT. All studies were deemed of good quality, adhering to intention-to-treat analysis and assessor blinding. Based on the American Academy of Neurology guidelines, we assigned a Level C recommendation for group music RT for cognition and Level B recommendations for BPSD and QoL (ineffective). In conclusion, group music RT may be useful for symptomatic management in PTD. However, heterogeneous study designs, disease severity, dementia subtype, and outcome measures are likely barriers to meaningful clinical translation. Therefore, the rating of recommendations only serves as a point of reference. Future avenues include live performances as prompts for group music RT.
Fulltext The Satisfaction with Life Scale in Adolescent Samples: Measurement Invariance across 24 Countries and Regions, Age, and Gender

Jovanović V, Rudnev M, Arslan G, Buzea C, Dimitrova R, Góngora V, et al.

Appl Res Qual Life, 2022 Jan 24.
PMID: 35096193 DOI: 10.1007/s11482-021-10024-w

Measurement of adolescent life satisfaction across cultures has not received much attention in previous empirical research. The present study evaluated measurement invariance of the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) among adolescents in 24 countries and regions (N = 22,710; age range = 13-19 years; 53% female). A single-factor model with residual covariance between a pair of items tapping past life satisfaction fitted well in 19 countries and regions and showed a partial metric invariance. In a subset of nine countries and regions, partial scalar invariance was supported. Partial metric invariance across all 24 countries and regions was achieved when custom model modifications in five countries and regions were included. Three SWLS items showed evidence of noninvariance across cultures. The measurement model was found to operate similarly across gender and age. Our findings suggest that caution is needed when using the SWLS for measuring life satisfaction among adolescents from different cultures.
Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11482-021-10024-w.