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Purpose: The study aims to examine the influence of soft skill integration on the interpersonal soft skill levels of diploma business students in the private higher education institutions based in the northern region of Peninsular Malaysia. Research Methods: The study was guided by the Soft Skill Development Model (2006) and the Soft Skill Integration method, according to Devadason, Subramaniam and Daniel (2010). This paper applied a descriptive quantitative survey method to assess the levels and relationships between the variables. A set of self-administered questionnaires were adapted based on Devadason, Subramaniam and Daniel's (2010) instruments. The questionnaires were distributed through a proportionate stratified random sampling method to 429 respondents from 12 private higher learning institutions in three northern states of Peninsular Malaysia. Descriptive analysis, correlation, and regression analyses were applied in the findings. Findings: The results revealed a significant influence of the overall soft skill integration towards communication and teamwork levels. The study also advocated the significant impact of soft skill integration in problem-solving and critical thinking on all of the four essential soft skills elements. Implications for Research and Practice: Despite decades of emphasis on soft skill development, soft skill integration in Malaysia is still not at an optimal level. Embedding soft skills would lead to more real-life experiences, and they will horn students' skills, especially their problem-solving ability. The empirical evidence of soft skill integration contributes towards innovative teaching and learning experiences, social innovation, and the impact on school policies to develop what is required in the industry.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of soft skill integration in the curriculum on quality of college life of diploma business students in Malaysian private higher educational institutions. Design/methodology/approach: Descriptive quantitative survey research was used to assess the views and relationship between variables from 429 business students in Peninsular Malaysia. The adapted self-administered questionnaires were distributed through stratified random sampling method. Descriptive analysis, correlation and regression analysis were used in the findings. Findings: The results advocated significant influence from soft skill integration on quality of college life. Soft skill integration in critical thinking and problem solving especially has significant positive influence on quality of college life in all the aspects from academic, social and also facilities. Research limitations/implications: Generalizability of the research as it was conducted in the northern region of Peninsular Malaysia only. It was also limited by subjectivity bias of the students who responded to the questionnaire. Practical implications: The implication of this study was that it serves as an evidence-based information of soft skill integration and effects on college quality. In this way, it provides an empirical reference to the authorities for better guidelines, evaluation, control and development in the curriculum, delivery approaches, co-curriculum, campus environment or facilities. Social implications: Local education in particular is closely linked to the neighboring community and also dependent on the socio-economic needs of the state or region. According to Kayrooz and Parker (2010), greater engagement with local issues and higher local autonomy for spending could lead to greater effectiveness and efficiencies. Originality/value: The study was a pioneering research in the context of Malaysian private higher education, guided by Devadason et al.'s (2010) soft skill integration study in Malaysian public higher education, plus Sirgy et al.'s (2007) study on quality of college life.

Purpose: This study intends to examine the relationships between external knowledge sourcing (EKS), organizational ambidexterity (OA), and manufacturing performance (MP) in the context of large manufacturing firms within a dynamic environment setting. The research framework and derived hypotheses are grounded in the knowledge-based view (KBV) and dynamic capability (DC) theories. Design/methodology/approach: A self-administered online survey was used in this study to gather data. Respondents were the operation leaders representing large manufacturing firms. The collected data were screened for invalid responses, and hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling. Findings: The study reveals that OA and EKS play key roles in achieving a better MP. Likewise, OA also mediates the relationship between EKS and MP. Research limitations/implications: Cross-sectional data were collected from large manufacturing firms within five focus sectors in Malaysia. A similar study can be conducted with more sectors of different contexts to confirm the findings. Practical implications: Knowledge is critical for the firm to react to environmental dynamism, and the ability to manage it ambidextrously will enable the firm to enhance its performance. Originality/value: This study offers empirical insights from the perspective of the large manufacturing firms in Malaysia, which are undergoing an Industrial Revolution 4.0 (IR4.0) transformation. This study bridges the knowledge gap by revealing the value that EKS can facilitate MP, exploring OA as the prevalent factor and demonstrating how KBV and DC can be applied in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sarawak has one of the highest diversity of fruit bats species (family Pteropodidae) in Malaysia, with 19 species described. Most coronavirus (CoV) studies have mainly focused on insectivorous bats, resulting in a lack of information on CoVs present in frugivorous bats. In addition, bat CoV surveillance activities are lacking in Malaysia. Objectives: Our study focuses on determining the presence of bat CoVs in dusky fruit bat (Penthetor lucasi). Methods: Guano samples belonging to P. lucasi were collected from Wind Cave Nature Reserve. The samples were screened for the presence of CoVs using validated hemi‐nested consensus RNA‐dependent RNA polymerase consensus primers. Results: The bat CoV positivity rate was 38.5% (n = 15/39), with the viruses belonging to two subgenera: Alphacoronavirus (α‐CoV) and Betacoronavirus (β‐CoV). Phylogenetic analysis revealed that CoVs from 14 samples of P. lucasi belong to the genus α‐CoV and may represent previously described genetic lineages in insectivorous bats in Wind Cave. However, only one sample of P. lucasi was detected with β‐CoV which is closely related to subgenus Nobecovirus, which is commonly seen in frugivorous bats. Conclusions: This study provides the first available data on CoVs circulating in P. lucasi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SARS-CoV-2 is a zoonotic betacoronavirus that was first reported at the dawn of 2019 in Wuhan, China and has since spread globally, causing an ongoing pandemic. Anthroponotic transmission was reported early, with confirmed infections reported in 26 species to date, including dogs and cats. However, there is a paucity of reports on the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 to companion animals, and thus, we aimed to estimate the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in dogs and cats in Sarawak, Malaysia. From August 2022 to 2023, we screened plasma samples of 172 companion animals in Sarawak, Malaysia, using a species-independent surrogate virus neutralization test. Our findings revealed the presence of neutralizing antibodies of SARS-CoV-2 in 24.5% (27/110) of dogs and 24.2% (15/62) of cats. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in companion animals in Malaysia. Our findings emphasize the need for pet owners to distance themselves from their pets when unwell, and a strategy must be in place to monitor SARS-CoV-2 in companion animals to assess the potential impact of the virus on companion animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rotavirus is the leading causative viral agent of pediatric acute gastroenteritis globally, infecting mostly children 5 years old and below. Data on rotavirus prevalence in Malaysia is scarce, despite the WHO's recommendation for continuous rotavirus surveillance, and has underestimated the need for national rotavirus vaccination. Characteristics of the current rotavirus strains in Malaysia have to be determined to understand the rotavirus epidemiology and vaccine compatibility. This study sought to determine the genetic relatedness of Sarawak rotavirus strains with global strains and to determine the antigenic coverage and epitope compatibility of Rotarix and RotaTeq vaccines with the Sarawak rotavirus strains via in silico analysis. A total of 89 stool samples were collected from pediatric patients (<5 years old) with acute gastroenteritis at private hospitals in Kuching, Sarawak. Rotavirus was detected using reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction. Positive amplicons were analyzed using nucleotide sequencing before phylogenetic analyses and assessment of epitope compatibility. Genotyping revealed G1P[8] (1/13; 7.7%), G3P[8] (3/13; 23%), G9P[4] (1/13; 7.7%), and G9P[8] (3/13; 23%), G9P[X] (1/13; 7.7%), GXP[4] (1/13; 7.7%), and GXP[8] (3/13; 23%) in samples. All wild‐type Sarawak rotavirus strains, with the exception of G1, showed variations in their phylogenetic and antigenic epitope characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Digital transformation (DT) in the semiconductor industry goes beyond traditional business operations and supply chain management (OSCM) to the digital world. Despite significant developments in recent years, blockchain implementations for OSCM remain relatively underdeveloped in the semiconductor industry. Therefore, this research aims to examine the relationships between blockchain visibility, supply chain integration (SCI) and supply chain performance (SCP) in the era of DT in Malaysia's semiconductor industry to shed light on this emerging area. Design/methodology/approach: A convenience sampling of 71 operations and supply chain managers attached to semiconductor manufacturing firms in Malaysia were invited to participate in a survey. In assessing blockchain visibility within the industry, key terms namely business intelligence gathering, information exchange, information technology (IT) and knowledge of asset status, were conceptualised from the literature review. The questionnaires developed to collect data were validated by industry and academic experts. Findings: The results from the analysis confirmed that SCI mediates the link between blockchain visibility (information exchange, business intelligence gathering and knowledge asset status) and SCP. Likewise, the importance-performance matrix analysis (IPMA) outcomes revealed that IT played a minor role. The results suggested that semiconductor manufacturers should pay less attention to IT since this was identified as having the least priority towards improvement. Practical implications: The outcomes from this research enable policymakers to strategise and integrate blockchain technology in the era of DT to ensure sustainable SCM in the semiconductor industry in Malaysia. Originality/value: The research bridge the knowledge gap by revealing the value that blockchain visibility can facilitate SCP and explore SCI as the prevailing factor and demonstrates how Resource-Based Theory and Network Theory can be applied in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several vaccines have been fast-tracked through clinical trials to mitigate the progression of the SARS‑CoV‑2 pandemic. We analyzed sequential blood samples from 314 recipients of Comirnaty and CoronaVac in East Malaysia for the spike-binding IgG (IgG-S), nucleocapsid-binding IgG (IgG-N), spike-binding IgM (IgM-S) and serum vitamin D (VitD). A subset of samples was analyzed for the neutralizing antibodies (Ig-RBD). Results showed that IgG-S due to Comirnaty was significantly higher than CoronaVac. IgM-S was detected in 80.0% Comirnaty and 69.5% CoronaVac recipients, while IgG-N was detected in 58.1% CoronaVac but not in Comirnaty recipients. All IgG-S-positive vaccines possessed detectable Ig-RBD after the second dose but with a weak to moderate correlation. The serum VitD levels did not influence the antibody magnitude in both vaccines. In essence, SARS-CoV-2 vaccination is an IgG-S-dominant event, Comirnaty was more effective than CoronaVac in mounting IgG-S and Ig-RBD responses, independent of the patient's VitD level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research aims to determine how organizational performance is increased when soft TQM, agility, and knowledge management are aligned. It employs a model constructed from a literature review, and an empirical study conducted amongst electrical and electronics manufacturers in Malaysia. Soft TQM was found to have no significant direct relationship with organizational performance, but had a strong relationship when mediated by knowledge management. This relationship was further strengthened by the mediation of both agility and knowledge management. The empirical findings validate recent conceptual models of enablers of organizational performance, as well as contributing to the body of knowledge concerning the knowledge‐based view of the firm, and the view of the firm as an epistemic community. In addition, the study identifies factors that should be considered when implementing soft TQM, agile practices, and knowledge management in an organization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Half of the world's population is at risk of arthropod‐borne virus (arbovirus) infections. Several arbovirus infections have been associated with Guillain‐Barré syndrome (GBS). We investigated whether arboviruses are driving GBS beyond epidemic phases of transmission and studied the antibody response to glycolipids. The protocol of the International Guillain‐Barré syndrome Outcome Study (IGOS), an observational prospective cohort study, was adapted to a case‐control design. Serum samples were tested for a recent infection with Zika virus (ZIKV), dengue virus (DENV), chikungunya (CHIKV) virus, hepatitis E virus, Epstein‐Barr virus (EBV), cytomegalovirus (CMV), Campylobacter jejuni, and Mycoplasma pneumoniae, and for antibodies to glycolipids. Forty‐nine patients were included from Brazil (63%), Argentina (14%), and Malaysia (22%). Evidence of a recent infection was found in 27/49 (55%) patients: C jejuni (n = 15, 31%), M pneumoniae (n = 5, 10%), CHIKV (n = 2, 4%), EBV (n = 1, 2%), C jejuni and M pneumoniae (n = 2, 4%), CMV and DENV (n = 1, 2%), and C jejuni and DENV (n = 1, 2%). In 22 patients, 35 paired controls were collected. Odds ratio for recent infections did not significantly differ between cases and controls. No typical anti‐ganglioside antibody binding was associated with recent arbovirus infection. We conclude that arbovirus infections occur in GBS patients outside of epidemic viral transmission, although not significantly more than in controls. Broad infection and anti‐ganglioside antibody serology are important to establish the most likely pathogenic trigger in GBS patients. Larger studies are necessary to determine the association between arboviruses and GBS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motivation is exceptionally crucial in influencing the quality of health care work outcomes. In view of the mounting challenges and stressful work environment faced by nurses, social support has been identified as an essential resource that helps promote their work motivation. The central aim of this study is to explore three forms of social support (perceived organizational support, perceived supervisory support, and perceived peer support) on nurses' motivation. Cross-sectional data were collected via questionnaires from a sample of 354 nurses working in Malaysian public hospitals. The hypothesized model was tested using partial least squares method. Our results disclosed that all forms of social support have positive effects on motivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to examine the effects of high-performance work practices (HPWPs) (participation, training and compensation) on nurses' job performance (task and contextual) through the mediating role of job satisfaction. As nurses form the bulk of health-care professionals, their performance at work is crucial in determining patient satisfaction regarding care quality. HPWPs have been recognized as having the ability to affect employees' work attitudes and behaviours positively. Specifically, these practices foster job performance. Design/methodology/approach: Self-administered questionnaires were used to collect the survey data on 639 staff nurses working in large private hospitals in Malaysia. Data were subsequently analysed using the partial least squares method. Findings: The findings indicate that job satisfaction serves to mediate the relationships between the three HPWPs (participation, training and compensation) and the two dimensions of job performance (task performance and contextual performance). Research limitations/implications: First, as all variables were measured using self-reports, a common-method bias could exist (Podsakoff et al., 2003). Hence, future researchers may want to combine self-assessments and supervisory or peer assessment to improve the validity of the outcomes. Second, the cross-sectional nature of this study limits our ability to make causal inferences. Bias could happen because the study examined both exogenous and endogenous variables at the same time. Thus, a longitudinal approach taken in the future could cross-validate the current findings and provide additional support regarding the causality of the HPWPs-job performance relationship. Third, the data were collected from staff nurses working in large private hospitals in Peninsular Malaysia. Thus, one should be careful to generalize the findings to different health-care professional groups and organizations. Practical implications: From the practical perspective, it is evident from the findings that as job satisfaction is able to enhance job performance and given the need for nurses to provide quality health-care services, private hospital authorities concerned with encouraging greater job performance among their nursing workforce need to provide adequate support to their employees. This could be achieved through the implementation of HPWPs. Perceptions of the extent of a hospital's HPWPs in terms of participation, training and compensation, have significant and positive effects on nurses' level of job satisfaction. Therefore, it would be worthwhile for private hospitals to encourage more opportunities for nurses to participate in decision-making regarding their work. In addition, frequent training activities will be able to enhance nurses' knowledge, skills and abilities, resulting in greater satisfaction Originality/value: To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first attempt to investigate the effects of HPWPs on nurses' job performance in the Malaysian private health-care context. As studies using Eastern samples are relatively limited, the findings from this study would serve to expand the extant literature from a cross-cultural perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed to evaluate the key diagnostic features of Guillain‐Barré syndrome (GBS) in Malaysian patients and validate the Brighton criteria. This was a retrospective study of patients presenting with GBS and Miller Fisher syndrome (MFS) between 2010 and 2019. The sensitivity of the Brighton criteria was evaluated. A total of 128 patients (95 GBS, 33 MFS) were included. In the GBS cohort, 92 (97%) patients presented with symmetrical limb weakness. Reflexes were depressed or absent in 90 (95%) patients. Almost all patients (94, 99%) followed a monophasic disease course, with 5 (5%) patients experiencing treatment‐related fluctuations. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) albuminocytological dissociation was seen in 62/84 (73%) patients. Nerve conduction study (NCS) revealed neuropathy in 90/94 (96%) patients. In GBS patients with complete dataset (84), 56 (67%) patients reached level 1 of the Brighton criteria, 21 (25%) reached level 2, 3 (4%) reached level 3, and 4 (5%) reached level 4. In MFS, the clinical triad was present in 25 (76%) patients. All patients had a monophasic course. CSF albuminocytological dissociation was present in 10/25 (40%) patients. NCS was normal or showed sensory neuropathy in 25/33 (76%) patients. In MFS patients with complete dataset (25), 5 (20%) patients reached level 1 of the Brighton criteria, 14 (56%) reached level 2, 2 (8%) reached level 3, and 4 (16%) reached level 4. Inclusion of antiganglioside antibodies improved the sensitivity of the Brighton criteria in both cohorts. In the Malaysian cohort, the Brighton criteria showed a moderate to high sensitivity in reaching the highest diagnostic certainty of GBS, but the sensitivity was lower in MFS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Globally, ~500 000 people with severe dengue (SD) require hospitalization yearly; ~12 500 (2.5%) die. Secondary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (sHLH) is a potentially fatal hyperinflammatory condition for which HLH-directed therapy (as etoposide and dexamethasone) can be life-saving. Prompted by the high mortality in SD and the increasing awareness that patients with SD may develop sHLH, our objectives were to (1) determine the frequency of dengue-HLH in SD, (2) describe clinical features of dengue-HLH, (3) assess mortality rate in SD and dengue-HLH, and (4) identify mortality-associated risk factors in SD. Methods A 5-year retrospective single-center study in all adult patients with SD admitted to a tertiary intensive care unit in Malaysia. Results Thirty-nine of 180 (22%) patients with SD died. Twenty-one of 180 (12%) had HLH defined as an HLH probability ≥70% according to histo score (HScore); 9 (43%) died. Similarly, 12 of 31 (39%) fulfilling ≥4 and 7 of 9 (78%) fulfilling ≥5 HLH-2004 diagnostic criteria died. Peak values of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase, and creatinine correlated to fatality (odds ratios [ORs], 2.9, 3.4, 5.8, and 31.9; all P <.0001), as did peak ferritin (OR, 2.5; P =.0028), nadir platelets (OR, 1.9; P =.00068), hepatomegaly (OR, 2.9; P =.012), and increasing age (OR, 1.2; P =.0043). Multivariable logistic regression revealed peak AST (OR, 2.8; P =.0019), peak creatinine (OR, 7.3; P =.0065), and SOFA (Sequential Organ Failure Assessment) score (OR, 1.4; P =.0051) as independent risk factors of death. Conclusions Be observant of dengue-HLH due to its high mortality. A prospective study is suggested on prompt HLH-directed therapy in SD patients with hyperinflammation and evolving multiorgan failure at risk of developing dengue-HLH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Guillain‐Barré syndrome (GBS) is an acute immune‐mediated neuropathy that has variable disease course and outcome. The Erasmus GBS outcome score (EGOS), modified EGOS (mEGOS), and Erasmus GBS respiratory insufficiency score (EGRIS) are prognostic models designed to predict the functional outcome of GBS patients at 6 months (EGOS and mEGOS) and the need for mechanical ventilation within a week of admission (EGRIS). The models were primarily developed in the Dutch GBS population, and thus the usefulness of these models in other GBS cohorts is less clear. In the current study, we aimed to validate mEGOS, EGOS, and EGRIS in Malaysian GBS patients. A total of 107 patients with GBS and its variants were consecutively recruited. Patients with GBS and Miller Fisher syndrome (MFS) were analysed separately. In the GBS cohort, high mEGOS and EGOS scores were significantly correlated with poor outcome at 6 months (mEGOS on admission: r = .381, P = .005; mEGOS at day 7 of admission: r = .507, P < .001; EGOS: r = .484, P < .001). However, there were no significant correlations between mEGOS or EGOS and outcome in patients with MFS (mEGOS on admission: r = .152, P = .523; mEGOS at day 7 of admission: r = .008, P = .973; EGOS: r = .110; P = .644). The score of EGRIS for GBS patients with mechanical ventilation was significantly higher than those patients without mechanical ventilation (4 ± 2 vs 3 ± 1; P < .001). We conclude that mEGOS and EGOS are clinically useful and relevant to the Malaysian GBS population but not in patients with classic MFS. EGRIS could be used to predict the need for mechanical ventilation in our local GBS patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Faced with the rapid growth of digital games, the traditional toy industry is facing stiff competition. For many years, Southeast Asian countries have been attractive to manufacturers because of their low labor costs. To continue competing in this evolving market, they now need to become more efficient. This makes it essential to identify inefficiencies that contribute to defects and implement procedures to eliminate them. For one Malaysian manufacturer of toy cars that was losing more than MYR 1 million ($245,000) a year in scrap, a careful analysis of current processes highlighted several opportunities for improvement. Future strategies for reducing waste include the implementation of lean production techniques, such as 5S, kanban, and failure mode and effects analysis, along with upgrades in technology to reduce the likelihood of human error. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose this study is to examine the effect of organizational creative climate on product innovation. Organizational creative climate is conceptualized as comprising of challenge, freedom, idea support, trust/openness, dynamism/liveliness, playfulness/humour, debate, conflict, risk taking and idea time. A total of 163 large manufacturing firms in Malaysia were sampled. Ten hypotheses were tested using regression analyses. Our results showed that of the eight dimensions of organizational creative climate (risk taking & idea time, playfulness/ humour & dynamism/liveliness, absence of conflicts, trust/openness, debates, challenge, idea support, freedom), only challenge, debate, and idea support were found to have significant positive effects on product innovation. Implications and limitations of the study are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To ascertain the relationship among early (first 48 h) deep sedation, time to extubation, delirium and long-term mortality. Methods: We conducted a multicentre prospective longitudinal cohort study in 11 Malaysian hospitals including medical/surgical patients ( n = 259) who were sedated and ventilated ≥24 h. Patients were followed from ICU admission up to 28 days in ICU with 4-hourly sedation and daily delirium assessments and 180-day mortality. Deep sedation was defined as Richmond Agitation Sedation Score (RASS) ≤−3. Results: The cohort had a mean (SD) age of 53.1 (15.9) years and APACHE II score of 21.3 (8.2) with hospital and 180-day mortality of 82 (31.7 %) and 110/237 (46.4 %). Patients were followed for 2,657 ICU days and underwent 13,836 RASS assessments. Midazolam prescription was predominant compared to propofol, given to 241 (93 %) versus 72 (28 %) patients ( P < 0.0001) for 966 (39.6 %) versus 183 (7.5 %) study days respectively. Deep sedation occurred in (182/257) 71 % patients at first assessment and in 159 (61 %) patients and 1,658 (59 %) of all RASS assessments at 48 h. Multivariable Cox proportional hazard regression analysis adjusting for a priori assigned covariates including sedative agents, diagnosis, age, APACHE II score, operative, elective, vasopressors and dialysis showed that early deep sedation was independently associated with longer time to extubation [hazard ratio (HR) 0.93, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 0.89-0.97, P = 0.003], hospital death (HR 1.11, 95 % CI 1.05-1.18, P < 0.001) and 180-day mortality (HR 1.09, 95 % CI 1.04-1.15, P = 0.002), but not time to delirium (HR 0.98, P = 0.23). Delirium occurred in 114 (44 %) of patients. Conclusion: Irrespective of sedative choice, early deep sedation was independently associated with delayed extubation and higher mortality, and thus was a potentially modifiable risk in interventional trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In Malaysia, the predominant air pollutants are suspended particulate matter (SPM) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2). This research is on PM10 as they may trigger harm to human health as well as environment. Six distributions, namely Weibull, log-normal, gamma, Rayleigh, Gumbel and Frechet were chosen to model the PM10 observations at the chosen industrial area i.e. Shah Alam. One-year period hourly average data for 2006 and 2007 were used for this research. For parameters estimation, method of maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) was selected. Four performance indicators that are mean absolute error (MAE), root mean squared error (RMSE), coefficient of determination (R2) and prediction accuracy (PA), were applied to determine the goodness-of-fit criteria of the distributions. The best distribution that fits with the PM10 observations in Shah Alamwas found to be log-normal distribution. The probabilities of the exceedences concentration were calculated and the return period for the coming year was predicted from the cumulative density function (cdf) obtained from the best-fit distributions. For the 2006 data, Shah Alam was predicted to exceed 150μg/m3 for 5.9 days in 2007 with a return period of one occurrence per 62 days. For 2007, the studied area does not exceed the MAAQG of 150μg/m3 [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The purpose this study is to examine the direct effect of knowledge management effectiveness on administrative innovation. Knowledge management effectiveness is conceptualised as comprising of knowledge acquisition effectiveness, knowledge sharing effectiveness, and knowledge application effectiveness. Three hypothesised relationships were tested using a sample of 171 large manufacturing firms in Malaysia. The results derived from the regression analyses showed that of the three dimensions of knowledge management effectiveness (knowledge acquisition effectiveness, knowledge sharing effectiveness, and knowledge application effectiveness), only knowledge acquisition effectiveness was found to have a significant positive effect on administrative innovation. The implications of the study as well as suggestions for future studies are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis was seen in all major malaysian ethnic groups. • Ala97Ser was the commonest mutation and found exclusively in Chinese Malaysians. • Patients present with late-onset polyneuropathy and variable autonomic dysfunction. • Cardiac involvement was common but often asymptomatic. We report the clinical and genetic characteristics of hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis in the multi-ethnic Malaysian population. Subjects with genetically confirmed transthyretin amyloidosis seen between 2001 till August 2020 were included. There were 30 patients and 14 asymptomatic carriers, of which 26 (59.1%) were men. The majority (86.7%) were ethnic Chinese while two (6.7%) each were Malay and Sri Lankan Tamil ethnicity respectively. Among patients, mean age of symptom-onset was 55.9 ± 9.8 years with mean duration from symptom-onset to diagnosis of 3.2 ± 2.5 years. Common presenting symptoms were sensory symptoms of upper limbs (43.3%), symmetric sensory symptoms of both lower limbs (16.7%) and autonomic symptoms (16.7%). Nerve conduction studies showed sensorimotor polyneuropathy in 25 (83.3%) patients (22, axonal). Abnormal echocardiograms were seen in 24 (80%) patients, although 15 were asymptomatic. Of six different TTR mutations found, Ala97Ser was the commonest, and found exclusively in 84.6% of Chinese patients. Other mutations among Chinese patients were Val30Met, Ala25Thr and Asp39Val. Our Malay and Tamil patients had Glu54Lys and Gly47Val mutations respectively. In conclusion, TTR Ala97Ser is the commonest mutation among ethnic Chinese Malaysians which presented with late-onset progressive sensorimotor polyneuropathy, autonomic dysfunction and subclinical cardiac involvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: SARS-CoV-2 is believed to have originated from a spillover event, where the virus jumped from bats to humans, leading to an epidemic that quickly escalated into a pandemic by early 2020. Despite the implementation of various public health measures, such as lockdowns and widespread vaccination efforts, the virus continues to spread. This is primarily attributed to the rapid emergence of immune escape variants and the inadequacy of protection against reinfection. Spillback events were reported early in animals with frequent contact with humans, especially companion, captive, and farmed animals. Unfortunately, surveillance of spillback events is generally lacking in Malaysia. Therefore, this study aims to address this gap by investigating the presence of SARS-CoV-2 neutralising antibodies in wild rodents in Sarawak, Malaysia., Results: We analysed 208 archived plasma from rodents collected between from 2018 to 2022 to detect neutralising antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 using a surrogate virus neutralisation test, and discovered two seropositive rodents (Sundamys muelleri and Rattus rattus), which were sampled in 2021 and 2022, respectively., Conclusion: Our findings suggest that Sundamys muelleri and Rattus rattus may be susceptible to natural SARS-CoV-2 infections. However, there is currently no evidence supporting sustainable rodent-to-rodent transmission., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Plasmodium, Haemoproteus and Leucocytozoon are three mainly studied blood parasites known to cause malarial and pseudomalarial infections in avian worldwide. Although Sarawak is a biodiversity hotspot, molecular data on blood parasite diversity in birds are absent. The objective of the study is to determine the prevalence of blood parasite in Asian Glossy Starlings (AGS), an urban bird with high population density in Sarawak and to elucidate the phylogenetic relationship with other blood parasite., Methods: Twenty-nine carcasses of juvenile AGS that were succumbed to death due to window collision were collected around the vicinity of Universiti Malaysia Sarawak. Nested-multiplex and nested PCR targeting the Cytochrome B gene were used to detect Plasmodium and Haemoproteus, and Leucocytozoon respectively. Two primer sets were used for Haemoproteus detection to increase detection sensitivity, with one being a genus-specific primer., Results: Fourteen samples (prevalence rate: 48.28%) were found positive for avian Plasmodium. Phylogenetic analysis divided our sequences into five lineages, pFANTAIL01, pCOLL4, pACCBAD01, pALPSIS01 and pALPSIS02, with two lineages being novel. No Haemoproteus and Leucocytozoon was found in this study. However, Haemoproteus-specific primer used amplified our Plasmodium samples, making the primer non-specific to Haemoproteus only., Conclusion: This is the first blood parasite detection study on AGS using carcasses and blood clot as sample source in Sarawak. Due to the scarcity of longer sequences from regions with high genetic plasticity, usage of genus-specific primers should be validated with sequencing to ensure correct prevalence interpretation., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Objective: Coronaviruses (CoVs) are natural commensals of bats. Two subgenera, namely Sarbecoviruses and Merbecoviruses have a high zoonotic potential and have been associated with three separate spillover events in the past 2 decades, making surveillance of bat-CoVs crucial for the prevention of the next epidemic. The study was aimed to elucidate the presence of coronavirus in fresh bat guano sampled from Wind Cave Nature Reserve (WCNR) in Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo. Samples collected were placed into viral transport medium, transported on ice within the collection day, and preserved at - 80 °C. Nucleic acid was extracted using the column method and screened using consensus PCR primers targeting the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) gene. Amplicons were sequenced bidirectionally using the Sanger method. Phylogenetic tree with maximum-likelihood bootstrap and Bayesian posterior probability were constructed., Results: CoV-RNA was detected in ten specimens (47.6%, n  = 21). Six alphacoronavirus and four betacoronaviruses were identified. The bat-CoVs can be phylogenetically grouped into four novel clades which are closely related to Decacovirus-1 and Decacovirus-2, Sarbecovirus, and an unclassified CoV. CoVs lineages unique to the Island of Borneo were discovered in Sarawak, Malaysia, with one of them closely related to Sarbecovirus. All of them are distant from currently known human coronaviruses., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Objective: We aimed to develop a model that can predict the probabilities of acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (AIDP) based on nerve conduction studies (NCS) done within eight weeks., Methods: The derivation cohort included 90 Malaysian GBS patients with two sets of NCS performed early (1-20days) and late (3-8 weeks). Potential predictors of AIDP were considered in univariate and multivariate logistic regression models to develop a predictive model. The model was externally validated in 102 Japanese GBS patients., Results: Median motor conduction velocity (MCV), ulnar distal motor latency (DML) and abnormal ulnar/normal sural pattern were independently associated with AIDP at both timepoints (median MCV: p = 0.038, p = 0.014; ulnar DML: p = 0.002, p = 0.003; sural sparing: p = 0.033, p = 0.009). There was good discrimination of AIDP (area under the curve (AUC) 0.86-0.89) and this was valid in the validation cohort (AUC 0.74-0.94). Scores ranged from 0 to 6, and corresponded to AIDP probabilities of 15-98% at early NCS and 6-100% at late NCS., Conclusion: The probabilities of AIDP could be reliably predicted based on median MCV, ulnar DML and ulnar/sural sparing pattern that were determined at early and late stages of GBS., Significance: A simple and valid model was developed which can accurately predict the probability of AIDP., (Copyright © 2019 International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Aims: To describe the clinical characteristics of trigeminal neuralgia (TN) in a multi-ethnic Malaysian population and to relate them to standardized measures of pain severity, anxiety, depression, and quality of life (QoL)., Methods: Patients fulfilling the International Headache Society (IHS) criteria for TN were prospectively interviewed for their demographic and clinical data. Pain intensity was rated with a visual analog scale (VAS), anxiety and depression were determined by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and QoL was assessed by the Short-Form 36 (SF-36) questionnaire. Chi-square, Mann-Whitney U, and Spearman correlation tests were used to test for differences considering a significance level of P < .05., Results: Of the 75 included patients, 52 (69.3%) were women with a mean ± standard deviation (SD) onset age of 52.0 ± 12.7 years, and 57.3% were Chinese, 24.0% Malay, and 18.7% Indian. Pain was more common on the right side (69.3%) and in the maxillary and mandibular divisions. VAS scores for pain at its worst were higher in anxious/borderline anxious patients compared to non-anxious patients (89.5 ± 15.9 vs 80.9 ± 17.2, respectively; P < .05), and VAS scores for pain at its least were higher in depressed/borderline depressed subjects compared to non-depressed subjects (38.4 ± 25.8 vs 23.0 ± 19.2, respectively; P < .05). Chinese patients had lower VAS scores for pain at its least compared to Indian patients (19.7 ± 16.1 vs 39.9 ± 24.7; P < .01). TN patients scored lower in all eight domains of the SF-36 compared to the general population. Indian patients had lower scores in role limitations due to physical health (8.9 ± 23.2 vs 49.4 ± 43.8; P < .01) and social function (56.3 ± 13.6 vs 76.5 ± 23.6; P < .01) than Chinese patients, and Malay patients had lower mental health scores compared to Chinese patients (59.1 ± 19.5 vs 73.0 ± 21.0; P < .01)., Conclusion: Clinical characteristics of TN patients were similar to those of other populations. There were differences in pain ratings and QoL between TN patients of different ethnicities, as well as between those with anxiety and depression.

Introduction: Intensive care unit (ICU) prognostic models are predominantly used in more developed nations such as the United States, Europe and Australia. These are not that popular in Southeast Asian countries due to costs and technology considerations. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the suitability of the acute physiology and chronic health evaluation (APACHE) IV model in a single centre Malaysian ICU., Materials and Methods: A prospective study was conducted at the single centre ICU in Hospital Sultanah Aminah (HSA) Malaysia. External validation of APACHE IV involved a cohort of 916 patients who were admitted in 2009. Model performance was assessed through its calibration and discrimination abilities. A first-level customisation using logistic regression approach was also applied to improve model calibration., Results: APACHE IV exhibited good discrimination, with an area under receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of 0.78. However, the model's overall fit was observed to be poor, as indicated by the Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test (Ĉ = 113, P <0.001). Predicted in-ICU mortality rate (28.1%) was significantly higher than the actual in-ICU mortality rate (18.8%). Model calibration was improved after applying first-level customisation (Ĉ = 6.39, P = 0.78) although discrimination was not affected., Conclusion: APACHE IV is not suitable for application in HSA ICU, without further customisation. The model's lack of fit in the Malaysian study is attributed to differences in the baseline characteristics between HSA ICU and APACHE IV datasets. Other possible factors could be due to differences in clinical practice, quality and services of health care systems between Malaysia and the United States.