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The ignorance of the role of middle leaders as a 'key broker' between school principals and teachers in the literature has motivated this study to investigate the effects of middle leaders' learning-centred leadership on teacher professional learning through teacher mastery goals and their self-efficacy with the moderating effect of the quality of communication between middle leaders and teachers. A total of 453 data were collected from 24 primary and secondary school teachers in six districts in Kedah. This study employed partial least squares structural equation modelling approach. Findings revealed that learning-centred leadership has a significant and positive effect on teacher professional learning. Teacher mastery goals and teacher self-efficacy have significant mediating effects on teacher professional learning. The effect of learning-centred leadership on teacher professional learning is stronger when the levels of quality of communication between leaders and teachers are higher compared to their counterparts. Hence, future principal preparation programmes should equip future principals with the knowledge of learning-centred leadership that could facilitate teacher learning happening and flourishing.

Background/purpose: Research on teaching entrepreneurship which concentrates on the lecturers' perspective has been underexplored. This study aims to report on an explanatory sequential mixed-methods study that was conducted with a quantitative survey of the influence of mindfulness on Malaysian polytechnic lecturers' commitment to teaching entrepreneurship through readiness for change as a mediator. It also aims to report on the qualitative reasons behind the quantitative results. Materials/methods: Survey data were collected from 171 lecturers teaching entrepreneurship or subjects embedded with the elements of entrepreneurial skills. This explanatory sequential mixed-methods study employed Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling to analyze the quantitative data, followed by nine semi-structured interviews which were then thematically analysed. Results: Findings revealed that mindfulness did not directly influence the commitment to teaching entrepreneurship. Nevertheless, readiness for change mediated the relationship between mindfulness and commitment to teaching entrepreneurship. Conclusion: The qualitative interview data provided insight that lecturers' working attitude is an important factor to enhancing the quality of teaching entrepreneurship. Implications and recommendations for future studies are also presented.

This paper presents a research agenda for a funded research project on knowledge sharing among academics in Malaysia. One of the main objectives is to develop validate and measure of knowledge sharing which is suitable for academicians. Previous studies on knowledge sharing have used standard measurement items which do not cater for the multiple roles held by academics such as teaching, mentoring, supervising, publishing, networking etc. We will present the proposed methodology of achieving the objectives stated and round it up with the expected outcomes.

The world's health, economic, and social systems have been adversely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. With lockdown measures being a common response strategy in most countries, many individuals were faced with financial and mental health challenges. The current study explored the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the psychological well-being, perception of risk factors and coping strategies of two vulnerable groups in Malaysia, namely women and older adults from low-income households (USD592). A purposive sample of 30 women and 30 older adults was interviewed via telephone during Malaysia's Movement Control Order (MCO) regarding the challenges they faced throughout the pandemic. Thematic analysis was subsequently conducted to identify key themes. The themes identified from the thematic analysis indicated a degree of overlap between both groups. For women, seven themes emerged: 1) Psychological challenges due to COVID-19 pandemic, 2) Family violence, 3) Finance and employment related stress and anxiety, 4) Women's inequality and prejudice, 5) Coping strategies, 6) Professional support, and 7) Women's empowerment. Similarly, there were six themes for the older adults: 1) Adverse emotional experiences from COVID-19, 2) Threats to health security, 3) Loss of social connections, 4) Government aid to improve older adults' psychological well-being, 5) Psychological support from family members and pets, and 6) Self-reliance, religion, and spirituality. The findings provide valuable information on the specific burdens faced by these groups, and support psychological interventions and mitigations that would be appropriate to improve well-being during the recovery phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Universities are expected to be places where knowledge is shared freely among academicians. However, the reality shows that knowledge sharing is barely present within universities these days. As Malaysia shifts towards building a knowledge-based society, academic institutions, particularly the public universities, now face ever-growing faculty demands for sharing quality resources and expertise. As a result, knowledge sharing in academia has become a rising concern. The purpose of this study, then, is to uncover the factors that propel knowledge sharing among academicians in higher learning institutions of Malaysia. Using the Theory of Reasoned Action as the basis for this study's research framework, data was gathered from 447 academicians in 10 public universities scattered throughout the country. Findings from the Partial Least Squares analysis revealed that extrinsic motivation, reciprocal relationships, sense of self-worth and subjective norm are vital determinants of an academician's attitude towards knowledge sharing. In turn, this attitude that is formed will largely determine whether the academician engages in knowledge sharing behaviors or not. Besides having a positive effect on attitude, sense of self-worth also exhibited a positive impact on the subjective norm to share knowledge. Consequently, this subjective norm will have an impact upon knowledge sharing behavior. In addition, perceived behavioral control and organizational climate were discovered to have a direct influence on knowledge sharing behaviors. Implications, limitations as well as suggestions for future research are accordingly discussed in this paper.

This study examines whether there is a positive relationship between Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) disclosure and financial performance, as measured by Tobin's Q. Using a sample of 59 listed firms under the FTSE4Good Bursa Malaysia (F4GBM) Index from 2014 to 2021, our panel regression analyses show: First, ESG has a significant positive impact on company performance. Second, Social Disclosure (SOC) positively impacts financial performance. As a policy suggestion, the government must have a complete mechanism to monitor and promote the ESG blueprint. In addition, the government should develop programmes that are pro-ESG by giving tax exemption to firms that implement ESG strategies, for example, increasing the publicity of the Green Investment Tax Credit (GITA) to promote the development of green technology in Malaysia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Retirement Fund Incorporated (KWAP) manages the civil servant pension fund. It is a statutory body governed by the Ministry of Finance to manage Malaysia's civil employees' pension scheme. In order to examine the fund's long-term sustainability, this study simulates 560 scenarios to examine the required rate of return needed to fund this defined benefit pension based on four parameters, namely contribution rate, years of service, retirement age and life expectancy. Our results show: First, the minimum years of service for pension eligibility should be increased to 20 years. Second, a contribution rate of at least 13 percent per worker to KWAP is needed. Third, there are no significant changes in the required rate of return even though the retirement age is extended from 55 to 60. Fourth, this study shows that the contribution period is more crucial than the post-retirement period for the sustainability of the pension fund. As a policy suggestion, there is a need for the authority to set a minimum funding ratio for the KWAP pension fund to ensure its long-term sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examined whether burnout, depression, anxiety, stress, lifetime suicidal ideation, self-efficacy in preventing suicide and demographic factors predicted the understanding of and willingness to help suicidal patients among hospital healthcare workers. A total of 368 healthcare workers from the major surgical and medical departments in a general hospital setting were recruited. Participants responded to the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale-21, Self-efficacy in Suicide Prevention, and Understanding Suicide Attempt Patient Scale. Those from the psychiatric department, with higher suicide prevention self-efficacy, and lower personal accomplishment indicated more understanding and helpful attitudes; doctors, depressed and anxious healthcare workers reported less understanding and helpful attitudes. Suicide prevention efforts must be conducted in tandem with equipping and supporting the healthcare workers who manage suicidal patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowledge sharing can enhance learning and help to build the knowledge workforce. This paper reports on a study of knowledge sharing behaviour among undergraduate students in Malaysia. Knowledge sharing was found to be influenced by the mechanisms used, various barriers to communication and the motivations behind knowledge sharing. The mechanisms include online communication, social interaction, off-campus activities and learning activities. It was found that problems with information and communications technology (ICT), lack of self confidence, external constraints, self-centredness and social attributes can create barriers to knowledge exchange. It is concluded that the motivation to share knowledge appears to be affected by relationships, rewards and the level of satisfaction with knowledge sharing activities. (Contains 1 note and 4 tables.)

INTRODUCTION: Acceptable maxillary growth in bilateral cleft lip and palate (BCLP) is difficult to achieve. Pre-surgical orthopedic treatment aims at the reduction of cleft size by guiding growth and functional rehabilitation. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of Pre-surgical Orthopedics Appliances (PSOAs) on facial growth in BCLP. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Consented subjects were patients who were treated in Hospital Universiti Sains, Malaysia, and Hospital Raja Perempuan Zainab II. Ages of patients ranged from 7 to 21 years of age with non-syndromic cleft and no associated anomalies. A lateral cephalogram was taken and data collected was analyzed to compare the facial growth of BCLP with and without PSOA and between active and passive PSOA. RESULTS: The study sample comprised of 52 BCLP patients with 26 having PSOA and 26 did not having PSOA. Among these patients, those who had PSOA had significant shorter length of PNS-ANS (3.69 mm; p= 0.04) and Co-A (8.38 mm; p=0.04) compared to those who did not have PSOA. However, there were no significant difference in the length measurements between passive and active PSOA users. CONCLUSION: The usage of PSOA gives a shorter maxillary length in the facial growth of bilateral cleft patients. This study proved the effectiveness of PSOA on facial growth of cleft patients in local population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction/Main Objectives: This paper examines the relationship between financial leverage and board independence for firms listed on the Malaysian stock exchange. Research Methods: This research is conducted using sample of 265 non-financial firms listed on Bursa Malaysia from 2014 to 2018. Finding/Results: Our results show: first, board independence is essential in reducing firm leverage. However, board independence does not affect all firms equally. In particular, board independence has insignificant influences on the financial leverage of young or small firms. In contrast, the financial leverage of old or large firms is negatively associated with board independence. Second, the financial leverage of firms with low profitability is adversely affected by the presence of independent directors. However, the negative impact diminishes as the firms' profitability increases. Conclusion: These results indicate the importance of having independent directors for old, large, or low-profitability firms to reduce their financial leverage. These findings contribute to the stylised facts of the nexus between financial leverage and board independence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Sustainable development concern, coupled with changes in the talent landscape, has led to a heightened focus on green human resource management (GHRM). Drawing on attribution theory and conservation of resources theory, this study examined GHRM, leader–member exchange (LMX) and core self-evaluations (CSE) in relation to work engagement together with human resource management (HRM) performance attributions as a mediator. Design/methodology/approach: Partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) was used to analyse the data collected from 110 respondents working in ISO 14001 certified organisations in Malaysia. Findings: Results revealed that GHRM and LMX were positively related to HRM performance attributions that were intended to improve employee performance. However, CSE was not found to be related to HRM performance attributions. Consequently, HRM performance attributions were positively related to work engagement. Furthermore, GHRM and LMX had positive indirect effects on work engagement through HRM performance attributions as a mediator. Research limitations/implications: Since the data collected were from Malaysia only, it limits the generalisability of the results to other regions. Practical implications: The findings suggest that organisations should adopt GHRM and train its leaders to forge stronger social bonds with their subordinates to elicit higher work engagement by positively influencing employee attributions on the motives of HRM practices. Originality/value: This study contributes to the acknowledged gap on GHRM and HRM attributions by examining the non-green employee outcomes of GHRM and the antecedents of HRM performance attributions. This study also contributes by integrating attribution theory with conservation of resources theory to provide the mediation mechanism in linking GHRM and LMX towards higher work engagement through HRM performance attributions as a mediator; thus empirically illustrating the resource gain spirals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: COVID-19 related knowledge, attitude and practice plays a major role in determining the readiness of the community to adopt the behavioural change towards recommended preventive measures outlined by public health officials. This study aims to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding COVID-19 among university students as well as its associated factors. Design and methods: This is a cross sectional study that was conducted among students in a public university during the early phase of COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia. An online validated self-administered questionnaire was used to collect the data. Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal Wallis test was used to determine the association between independent variables with knowledge, attitude, and practice score. Results: Overall response rate of this study was 92.9 (n=524). Median score of knowledge domain was 78.0 (IQR= ±12.0), median attitude score of 49.0 (IQR= ±5.0), and median practice score of 80.0 (IQR= ±11.0). The mean knowledge, attitude and practice score were significantly higher among diploma holder (vs degree holder, p<0.05), residing in main Kota Kinabalu campus (vs non-KK campus, p<0.001), studying in medical faculty (vs non-medical faculty, p<0.001), and attended COVID-19 education (vs non-attendance; p<0.05). Conclusion: COVID-19 related knowledge and attitude were below satisfactory level during earlier phase of the pandemic. However, majority of respondents have positive behaviour towards COVID-19 prevention. This highlights the importance of accurate and tailored health education to improve the level of knowledge, attitude and practice of recommended measures to prevent COVID-19 spread. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Of late, disruptive innovation in financial services is driving the tremendous growth of cryptocurrency, with Bitcoin being the most popular virtual currency of interest among investors. Notwithstanding the volatility of the cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin preserves a core group of committed users. Despite concerns over security threats of digital transactions, little is known about Bitcoin users' perceived security and trust in the Bitcoin system. As such, this paper aims to examine the underlying security features that lead to users' perceived security and trust, and the role of perceived security and trust in explaining Bitcoin use. Structural equation modelling was used to analyse self-report questionnaires from 109 Bitcoin users. Technical protections, transaction procedures and security statements are the determinants of perceived security and trust towards Bitcoin. Nonetheless, findings of the importance-performance map analysis (IPMA) indicated that perceived security, perceived trust and technical protections are the areas of focus for increasing Bitcoin use. This paper offers several fruitful implications which could ultimately lead to the discussion on sustainability of cryptocurrency in financial markets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To assess the effectiveness of training stop smoking services providers in Malaysia to deliver support for smoking cessation based on the UK National Centre for Smoking Cessation and Training (NCSCT) standard treatment programme compared with usual care. Design Two‐arm cluster‐randomized controlled effectiveness trial across 19 sites with follow‐up at 4‐week, 3‐month, and 6‐month. Setting: Stop smoking services operating in public hospitals in Malaysia. Participants: Five hundred and two smokers [mean ± standard deviation (SD), age 45.6 (13.4) years; 97.4% male] attending stop smoking services in hospital settings in Malaysia: 330 in 10 hospitals in the intervention condition and 172 in nine hospitals in the control condition. Intervention and comparator: The intervention consisted of training stop‐smoking practitioners to deliver support and follow‐up according to the NCSCT Standard Treatment Programme. The comparator was usual care (brief support and follow‐up). Measurements: The primary outcome was continuous tobacco smoking abstinence up to 6 months in smokers who received smoking cessation treatment, verified by expired‐air carbon monoxide (CO) concentration. Secondary outcomes were continuous CO‐verified tobacco smoking abstinence up to 4 weeks and 3 months. Results: Follow‐up rates at 4 weeks, 3 months and 6 months were 80.0, 70.6 and 53.3%, respectively, in the intervention group and 48.8, 30.8 and 23.3%, respectively, in the control group. At 6‐month follow‐up, 93 participants in the intervention group and 19 participants in the control group were abstinent from smoking, representing 28.2 versus 11.0% in an intention‐to‐treat (ITT) analysis assuming that participants with missing data had resumed smoking, and 52.8 versus 47.5% in a follow‐up‐only (FUO) analysis. Unadjusted odds ratios (accounting for clustering) were 5.04, (95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.22–20.77, P = 0.025) and 1.70, (95% CI = 0.25–11.53, P = 0.589) in the ITT and FUO analyses, respectively. Abstinence rates at 4 week and 3 month follow‐ups were significantly higher in the intervention versus control group in the ITT but not the FUO analysis. Conclusions: On an intention‐to‐treat analysis with missing‐equals‐smoking imputation, training Malaysian stop smoking service providers in the UK National Centre for Smoking Cessation and Training standard treatment programme appeared to increase 6 month continuous abstinence rates in smokers seeking help with stopping compared with usual care. However, the effect may have been due to increasing follow‐up rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of vertebral fractures (VF) in a selected urban population in Malaysia and to explore possible variables associated with VF in the study population. Methods: A cross-sectional study involving community-living, healthy subjects aged between 45–90 years from the state of Selangor, Malaysia, were invited to attend a bone health check-up. Subjects with diseases known to affect bone metabolism or were on treatment for osteoporosis (OP) were excluded. Bone mineral density (BMD) was measured using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Lateral and antero-posterior view lumbar spine x-rays were performed and VF was determined by the semi-quantitative Genant method. Results: A total of 386 subjects were studied. Asymptomatic morphometric VF were found in 44 (11.4%) subjects. T12 was the most common vertebrae to be fractured. The prevalence of VF was significantly higher in menopausal women (12.4%) compared to non-menopausal women, in those above the age of 60 (18.5%), in those of Chinese ethnicity (16.5%), in those with a low body fat percentage (17.1%) and among those with OP (27.0%). The mean (standard deviation) 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] levels were significantly higher in those with VF compared to those without VF, 67.64 (23.50) and 57.47 (21.71) nmol/L, respectively. However, after multiple regression analysis, age over 60 years and OP on DXA BMD measurement were the only significant associated factors for VF. Conclusion: Overall, 11.4% of a selected Malaysian urban population had asymptomatic morphometric VF. Age over 60 years and OP on DXA BMD measurement, but not 25(OH)D levels, were associated with VF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to identify the key variables which determine intentions to visit coffee/tea tourism plantations particularly those adopting sustainable practices. Also, this study ascertained the perception of risk in travelling due to the fear of Covid-19 on travel intentions to such coffee/tea tourism destinations. Design/methodology/approach: Using the theory of planned behaviour as a basis for this study's framework, data was gathered from 302 eco-conscious Generation Y and Z consumers via an online survey. Partial least squares were then applied to analyse the data. Findings: Learning and relaxation motives were important in determining consumers' attitudes towards sustainable coffee/tea tourism. The intention to engage in sustainable coffee/tea tourism is most strongly affected by the risk of travelling, followed by attitude. Research limitations/implications: The addition of contemporary variables was given to the theory of planned behaviour's core constructs to better reflect consumers' attitude and behaviour towards a growing form of tourism under unprecedented times. Practical implications: Travel or tourism operators will have first-hand insights on the factors that drive intentions to visit sustainable coffee and tea destinations, thus enabling more strategic action to be undertaken to reach the targeted young consumers. Originality/value: This study examines young, environmental-conscious consumers' perspectives on novel travel destinations which adopt sustainable practices. Risk in travelling was assessed which is necessary given Covid-19 has severely disrupted consumers' travel patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The 2013 Malaysian Clinical Practice Guidelines on the Management of Osteoarthritis (OA) recommend a linear step-up approach to manage knee OA. However, patients with knee OA often require a multimodal approach to address OA-related pain symptoms and functional limitations. This consensus aimed to provide doctors with an updated set of evidence-based, clinical experience-guided recommendations to manage knee OA.Methods: A multi-speciality expert panel consisting of nine Malaysian physicians from different healthcare settings who manage a diverse OA patient population was convened. Using a combination of the ADAPTE process and modified Delphi method, the panel reviewed current evidence on the management of knee OA and synthesised a set of nine recommendations on the management of knee OA, supported by an algorithm that summarises the consensus' core messages.Results: A multimodal intervention strategy is the mainstay of OA management and the choice of any single or multimodal intervention may vary over the course of the disease. Overall, a non-pharmacological core treatment set of patient education, weight loss and exercise is recommended for all patients. When pharmacotherapy is indicated, symptomatic slow-acting drugs for osteoarthritis are recommended at the early stage of disease, and they can be paired with physical therapy as background treatment. Concurrent advanced pharmacotherapy that includes non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, intraarticular injections and short-term weak opioids can be considered if patients do not respond sufficiently to background treatment. Patients with severe symptomatic knee OA should be considered for knee replacement surgery. Management should begin with specific treatments with the least systemic exposure or toxicity, and the choice of treatment should be determined as a shared decision between patients and their team of healthcare providers.Conclusions: This consensus presents nine recommendations that advocate an algorithmic approach in the management of patients living with knee OA. They are applicable to patients receiving treatment from primary to tertiary care providers in Malaysia as well as other countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genus Pleurotus spp. contains many edible fungi with high nutritional value, medicinal value, and ease of growth. Cultivation of Pleurotus faces many problems including poor quality of mushroom spawn, low biological efficiency, and slow growth. In this study, we performed species identification using ITS marker and antioxidant capacity evaluation on 27 Pleurotus mycelia strains from MARDI's mushroom bank. Furthermore, important characteristics such as biological efficiency, complete growth, and antioxidant capacity were evaluated for 10 selected fruiting bodies of Pleurotus pulmonarius. Strain MP34 was the most suitable strain for commercial production, whereas mycelial strain MP42, MP52, and MP28 were suitable for the extraction of biologically active compounds. Our findings contributed and identified high‐quality strains for the local Malaysian mushroom farmers. Future studies will focus on parameters such as substrate and supplements selection and bag preparation for the improvement of Pleurotus cultivation. Novelty impact statement: This study evaluated the potential of using ITS markers and antioxidant profiling to identify high‐quality Pleurotus strain, which can be subsequently used for the quality control of Pleurotus mycelia culture in the mushroom bank and even by the farmer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic low back pain, defined as back pain lasting for more than three months, can be divided into mechanical or inflammatory back pain (IBP). IBP typically starts in patients below the age of 40, is improved with activity and worsens with rest. IBP is strongly associated with axial spondyloarthritis. Early recognition of IBP among primary care physicians is essential for timely diagnosis and intervention to ensure the best outcomes for patients with axial spondyloarthritis. This paper describes the Malaysian Society of Rheumatology's recently developed Inflammatory Back Pain Referral Algorithm for primary care physicians, which aims to facilitate the early identification and referral of IBP patients to rheumatologists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Phyllanthus tenellus Roxb. has been traditionally used to treat inflammation and liver diseases and its medicinal property may be due to the presence of relatively high levels of hydrosable tannins. Recent report revealed that pressurized hot water extraction of P. tenellus significantly increased the concentration of hydrolysable tannins and its catabolites. Thus, this study was aimed to evaluate the in vivo toxicity and antioxidant capacity of pressurized hot water extraction of P. tenellus on healthy mice. Methods: Pressurized hot water extraction P. tenellus was carried out and standardized to 7.9% hydrosable tannins. In vitro toxicity of the extract was tested on NIH 3 T3 cell by MTT assay. The cellular antioxidant level was quantified by measuring cellular level of glutathione. Oral sub-chronic toxicity (200, 1000 and 3000 mg/kg body weight) of P. tenellus extract were evaluated on healthy mice. Liver and kidney antioxidant level was quantified by measuring levels of Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Potential (FRAP), superoxide dismutase, glutathione. Results: The P. tenellus extract did not induce cytotoxicity on murine NIH 3 T3 cells up to 200 μg/mL for 48 h. Besides, level of glutathione was higher in the extract treated NIH 3 T3 cells. P. tenellus extract did not cause mortality at all tested concentration. When treated with 1000 mg/kg of the extract, serum liver enzymes (ALP and ALT) and LDH were lower than normal control and mice treated with 200 mg/kg of extract. Moreover, SOD, FRAP and glutathione levels of liver of the mice treated with 200 and 1000 mg/kg of extract were higher than the normal control mice. On the other hand, when treated with 3000 mg/kg of extract, serum liver enzymes (ALP and ALT) and LDH were higher than normal mice without changing the liver SOD and glutathione level, which may contribute to the histological sign of ballooning hepatocyte. Conclusion: P. tenellus extract standardized with 7.9% hydrosable tannins and their catabolites increased the antioxidant levels while reducing the nitric oxide levels in both liver and kidney without causing any acute and sub-chronic toxicity in the mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study assesses the prevalence of musculoskeletal (MSK) pain in patients attending primary care clinics in a medium-sized town in Malaysia and examines the interventions given for the symptoms and the level of the associated disabilities. Method: This investigation comprises a cross-sectional descriptive study of all patients visiting two primary care clinics aged 18 years and above. Patients presenting with joint pain answered a questionnaire assessing demographic data, disabilities (measured by the Stanford HAQ-DI), and treatment options. Results: Of 1,074 patients surveyed, 202 (18.8%) had MSK complaints. The mean age of those with MSK pain was 56.1 years. Incidence increased with age, reaching 78.8% of those over 48 years of age. The knee was the most common site of MSK pain (52.2%), with 20.3% requiring referral for specialist assessment. The median HAQ score was 0.375 and 89.6% of those surveyed had mild disability. Conclusion: MSK pain is a common problem among patients visiting primary care clinics. The most common site of MSK pain was the knee. On formal assessment, the majority of these patients exhibited mild disability. A significant proportion of patients still required specialist referral. This finding would suggest a need for further training on the management of MSK disease at the primary care level to avoid over-burdening the secondary care services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The novelty of this paper is to ascertain a nonlinear relationship between housing supply and house price. This study is conducted based on panel dataset of four different types of houses in Malaysia from 2002Q3 through 2016Q4. Although housing supply has been theoretically assumed to be positively and linearly related to house price, we observed that the number of new houses build in Malaysia has declined despite the increasing house prices. Hence, we posit that housing supply and house price are nonlinearly related. The results from pooled mean group estimation show the existence of inverted U-shaped housing supply curve. The threshold level of house price index is found at 186.92 where the effect of house price on housing starts will become negative after this point. We also find that the marginal effects of house price evaluated at the minimum and maximum levels are positive and negative, respectively, and statistically significant. This paper suggests that the squared term of house price should be included in estimating housing supply in Malaysia. The evidence of inverted U-shaped housing supply curve in Malaysia shows that housing authorities have taken steps to overcome the challenges of oversupply by reducing the approvals for housing development projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper empirically examines the relationship between energy efficiency, CO2 emissions, foreign direct investment, exports, and real gross domestic product at both aggregate and disaggregate levels in Malaysia based on an autoregressive distributed lag approach. The annual data for the period of 1971–2013 are employed. The results indicate that energy efficiency Granger causes economic growth at the aggregate level, but not in each of the three main sectors (primary, secondary, and tertiary) of the economy. Another important finding of the study is that the export-led growth hypothesis is found to be valid in Malaysia at both the aggregate and disaggregate levels. The results of our study also confirm the fact that CO2 emissions do affect the overall economic performance and growth in all sectors, except for the primary sector. This finding implies that pollution from both secondary and tertiary sectors has led to economic growth in Malaysia. Moreover, it is also discovered that foreign direct investment does not have a significant impact on economic growth in Malaysia. The results of this study are essential for policymakers of Malaysia in designing appropriate policies in each sector that can lead to robust growth in the country. In addition to focusing on enhancing energy efficiency and promoting foreign direct investment, the policymakers should also start to look for alternative strategies to ensure long-term economic growth in the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Past research on work engagement has focused almost exclusively on either psychological or work-related factors in almost wholly separate literature. There is therefore a need to examine how these factors collectively influence work engagement. Aims To determine levels of work engagement and to identify psychological and work-related characteristics predicting work engagement in employees in Malaysia. Methods We recruited 5235 employees from 47 public and private organizations in Malaysia who responded to an online health survey. We assessed work engagement with the 9-item Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES-9) and psychological distress using the 6-item Kessler scale. We performed multiple linear regression to determine predictors of work engagement. Results Employee mean age was 33.8 years (standard deviation [SD] ± 8.8). The mean work engagement score on the UWES-9 was 3.53 (SD ± 0.94). Eleven of 18 variables on multiple regression predicted work engagement, F (18, 4925) = 69.02, P < 0.001, R 2 = 0.201. Factors that predicted higher work engagement were age, marital status, education level, job type, job permanency, longer sleep duration, lower psychological distress and no history of workplace bullying. Conclusions Key factors associated with poorer work engagement in Malaysian employees include inadequate sleep, psychological distress and a history of workplace bullying. These are modifiable factors that individuals and employers can target to improve work engagement, ideally tailored according to occupational type. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Malaysia is a developing country in the South-East Asian region with a significant burden of disability from musculoskeletal disease. Rheumatology in Malaysia is a relatively young speciality. Currently, there is approximately 1 rheumatologist per 390,000 population, mostly concentrated in the urban areas. This article aims to give a brief overview of the research in rheumatology, the healthcare system, and rheumatology training and education in Malaysia. From 1950 until mid-2019, there were 547 publications about rheumatological conditions from Malaysia, with a 27-fold increase in the numbers from the period before 1980 compared to 2010–2019. Although there is universal access to healthcare through the public (government funded) hospitals and clinics, as well as a system of private healthcare, funding for expensive biological therapies remain patchy and scarce, leading to significant under-utilization of such treatments in rheumatology patients. Training in rheumatology in Malaysia is well established with a formalised training curriculum introduced in 2004, followed by the introduction of training in musculoskeletal ultrasound in 2006. To improve care for patients with musculoskeletal conditions, there has been regular continuing educational meetings and courses, not just for rheumatologists, but also for other medical professionals, as not all areas in Malaysia have easy access to rheumatology services. Thus overall, despite the small number of rheumatologists, rheumatology in Malaysia has made encouraging progress over the past 2 decades, but improvements in patient care, training, education and research need to continue in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To assess the content, authorship and study design of rheumatological publications written by Malaysian authors or about rheumatological conditions in Malaysia. Methods: The Malaysian Medical Repository (MyMedR), a web-based database of Malaysian health and medical publications, and Scopus were searched to retrieve rheumatological publications from Malaysia, for the period 1950 until 30 June 2019. The type and number of publications in each rheumatological subject area and the overall trend of publication numbers and citations were analysed. Results: 547 publications were found for the time period studied. There was a 27-fold increase in the number of publications from the period up to 1980 compared to 2010-2019. The median number of citations per paper was 5, but unlike the number of publications, there was only a slight increase in the number of citations with time. 84.5% of the papers were cited at least once. The top 3 conditions generating the most publications were systemic lupus erythematosus, 36.7%, followed by rheumatoid arthritis, 17.0%, and osteoporosis, 13.9%. Conclusions: The number of rheumatological publications in Malaysia have increased over time, especially in the last decade. However, the average number of citations per publications remains low and the majority of publications are in journals with low impact factors. Thus, the quality of rheumatological publications from Malaysia can be further improved. Key Points • There have been only a limited number of bibliometric analysis of rheumatology publications from Asia. • In Malaysia, the number of rheumatology publications has increased over time. • However, there is still room for improvement in terms of the quality of the publications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With its detrimental impacts, climate change is one of the most pressing challenges of human civilisation. To hold businesses accountable for climate change performance, corporate climate change disclosure has increased substantially over the last decade. Despite the importance of corporate governance, its impact on climate change disclosure remains under researched. Hence, this paper examines the impact of board attributes on climate change disclosure and attempts to explore the mediation effect of strategic corporate social responsibility (CSR) on such relationships. The results reveal that the extent of climate change disclosure increases with the presence of more female and independent directors. Enhanced insights into strategic CSR are expected to be valuable for board members seeking to internalise CSR strategically despite the insignificant indirect effect. Overall, these findings embrace worldwide initiatives to promote independence and gender diversity in the boardroom while demonstrating corporate transparency in climate change business impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The concept of "buy now pay later" leads Malaysian Generation Y (Gen Y) to excessively use their credit cards for spending. To gauge the extent of this worrisome scenario, the purpose of this paper is to attempt to investigate the factors, including credit attitudes, knowledge on credit card, materialism, social norm and self-efficacy, that influence credit card misuse amongst Gen Y in Malaysia. Design/methodology/approach: The authors have collected responses from a total of 501 respondents in two urban areas in Malaysia and estimated six multiple regression models to test five hypotheses. Findings: The results suggest that credit card knowledge and self-efficacy are negatively related to credit card misuse amongst Gen Y in Malaysia. In contrast, positive relationships were found to exist between credit card attitudes, materialism and social norm and the dependent variable. Research limitations/implications: In this study, the authors limit the data collection to the two biggest urban areas in Malaysia, namely, Klang Valley and Ipoh. Practical implications: For the regulator's perspective, the results can be used to understand the alarming indebtedness behaviour amongst working members of Gen Y and outline appropriate and effective policies to reduce their serious indebtedness. Financial service providers, however, can collaborate with regulators to curb credit card misuse amongst Gen Y, so that the latter can avoid high bad debt from line of credit facilities and bankruptcy. Originality/value: The study's findings will further enrich the existing literature on the factors affecting the credit card misuse, especially for the unique Gen Y cohort in Malaysia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Organization productivity is strongly linked to employees' socioeconomic characteristics and health which is marked by absenteeism and presenteeism. This study aims to identify anteceding factors predicting employees' absenteeism and presenteeism by income, physical and mental health.Methods: An online health survey was conducted between May to July 2017 among employees from 47 private companies located in urban Malaysia. A total of 5235 respondents completed the 20-min online employee health survey on a voluntary basis. Chi-Square or Fisher's exact tests were used to determine association between income with demographic and categorical factors of absenteeism and presenteeism. Multivariate linear regression was used to identify factors predicting absenteeism and presenteeism.Results: More than one third of respondents' monthly income were less than RM4,000 (35.4%), 29.6% between RM4,000-RM7,999 and 35.0% earned RM8,000 and above. The mean age was 33.8 years (sd ± 8.8) and 49.1% were married. A majority were degree holders (74.4%) and 43.6% were very concerned about their financial status. Mean years of working was 6.2 years (sd ± 6.9) with 68.9% satisfied with their job. More than half reported good general physical health (54.5%) (p = 0.065) and mental health (53.5%) (p = 0.019). The mean hours of sleep were 6.4 h (sd ± 1.1) with 63.2% reporting being unwell due to stress for the past 12 months. Mean work time missed due to ill-health (absenteeism) was 3.1% (sd ± 9.1), 2.8% (sd ± 9.1) and 1.8% (sd ± 6.5) among employees whose monthly income was less than RM4,000, RM4,000-RM7,999 and over RM8,000 respectively (p = 0.0066). Mean impairment while working due to ill-health (presenteeism) was 28.2% (sd ± 25.3), 24.9% (sd ± 25.5) and 20.3% (sd ± 22.9) among employees whose monthly income was less than RM4,000, RM4,000-RM7,999 and over RM8,000 respectively (p < 0.0001). Factors that predict both absenteeism and presenteeism were income, general physical health, sleep length and being unwell due to stress.Conclusions: A combination of socioeconomic, physical and mental health factors predicted absenteeism and presenteeism with different strengths. Having insufficient income may lead to second jobs or working more hours which may affect their sleep, subjecting them to stressful condition and poor physical health. These findings demand holistic interventions from organizations and the government. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: 1Little is known of the extent of workplace bullying in Malaysia, despite its growing recognition worldwide as a serious public health issue in the workplace. Workplace bullying is linked to stress-related health issues, as well as socioeconomic consequences which may include absenteeism due to sick days and unemployment. We sought to examine the prevalence of workplace bullying and its association with socioeconomic factors and psychological distress in a large observational study of Malaysian employees.Methods: This study employed cross-sectional, self-reported survey methodology. We used the 6-item Kessler screening scale (K6) to assess psychological distress (cutoff score ≥ 13, range 0-24, with higher scores indicating greater psychological distress). Participants self-reported their perceptions of whether they had been bullied at work and how frequently this occurred. A multivariate logistic regression was conducted with ever bullying and never bullying as dichotomous categories.Results: There were a total of 5235 participants (62.3% female). Participant ages ranged from 18 to 85, mean ± standard deviation (M ± SD): 33.88 ± 8.83. A total of 2045 (39.1%) participants reported ever being bullied. Of these, 731 (14.0%) reported being subject to at least occasional bullying, while another 194 (3.7%) reported it as a common occurrence. Across all income strata, mean scores for psychological distress were significantly higher for ever bullied employees (M ± SD: 8.69 ± 4.83) compared to those never bullied (M ± SD: 5.75 ± 4.49). Regression analysis indicated significant associations (p < 0.001) between workplace bullying with being female (Adjusted OR (aOR) = 1.27, 95% CI 1.12-1.44), higher individual income levels of between RM4,000 to RM7,999 (aOR =1.24, 95% CI 1.06-1.45) and RM8,000 and above (aOR = 1.31, 95% CI 1.10-1.56), and psychological distress (aOR = 1.15, 95% CI 1.13-1.16).Conclusions: More than one in three employees reported having experienced workplace bullying, which was found to be specifically associated with being female, drawing a higher income, and greater psychological distress. In general, low individual income was associated with greater psychological distress. However, higher income employees were far more likely to report experiencing workplace bullying. Findings from this study offer relevant insight into the associations between socioeconomic status and psychological distress in workplace bullying. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using the aggregate and disaggregate dataset of various types of housing loan, this study examines the dynamic relationship between residential property prices, housing loan, construction output, and interest rate. Focusing on the aggregate data, it is noted that housing loan, construction output, and interest rate have significant and positive elasticities towards house prices in both short and longterm. The aggregate loan model indicates that about nine quarters or two years are required for full adjustment of house prices after experiencing a shock. Across the loan categories, first, the empirical analysis indicates that there is still a strong demand and potential opportunities for affordable properties. Second, homebuyers who purchase high-end properties will still borrow. Third, there is a significant and positive impact of interest rate on house prices in both short- and long-run, however, albeit a low percentage. The results of the error correction model imply the house prices for low-end housing loans take a longer period (8 to 10 percent quarterly) to return to equilibrium following a shock, compared to house prices for high-end housing loans (11 to 15 percent quarterly). The policymakers should review the housing policies by focusing more on low and the medium housing which is more affordable for the population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: There is a lack of suicide-related training in the nonpsychiatric health professional's basic education. We suggest that a continuing education through a brief gatekeeper suicide training program could be a suitable platform to improve suicide-related knowledge, self-efficacy, and attitudes. This study aimed at examining the effectiveness of the Question, Persuade, Refer gatekeeper program on improving the knowledge, self-efficacy in suicide prevention, and understanding of/willingness to help suicidal patients of Malaysian hospital health professionals. Methods: The Question, Persuade, Refer program materials were translated and adapted for implementation in the hospital setting for nonpsychiatric health professionals. There were 159 (mean age = 35.75 years; SD = 12.26) participants in this study. Most participants were female (84.9%), staff/community nurses (52.2%), who worked in the general medical department (30.2%) and had no experience managing suicidal patients (64.2%). Intervention participants (n = 53) completed a survey questionnaire at pretraining, immediately after training, and after three months. Control participants (n = 106) were not exposed to the training program and completed the same questionnaire at baseline and three months later. Results: Significant improvement occurred among intervention participants in terms of perceived knowledge, self-efficacy, and understanding of/willingness to help suicidal patients immediately after training and when compared with the control participants 3 months later. Improvements in declarative knowledge were not maintained at the 3-month follow-up. Discussion: This study confirmed the short-term effectiveness of the gatekeeper training program. Gatekeeper suicide training is recommended for implementation for nonpsychiatric health professionals nationwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Infectious bronchitis viruses (IBVs) circulating in Malaysia are classified into two groups as Malaysian QX-like and variant strains. In this study, the pathogenicity of IBS130/2015 (QX-like) and IBS037A/2014 (variant) IBVs in 1-day-old and 30-day-old specific pathogen free (SPF) chickens was characterized. Both strains caused respiratory and kidney infections based on immunohistochemistry (IHC), real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and a ciliostasis study; however, the results showed that the QX-like strain was more pathogenic, caused higher mortality and showed higher tissue tropism for the kidney than the variant strain. In contrast, despite causing low or no mortality depending on the age of the infected chickens, the Malaysian variant strain showed high tissue tropism for the respiratory tract compared with the QX-like strain. IHC and qPCR indicated the presence of both IBV strains in the epithelial lining of villi in the jejunum and the caecal tonsil; however, no pathological changes were detected in these organs. Both the Malaysian QX-like and variant IBV strains are able to infect the respiratory tract and kidney of chickens irrespective of age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Durian (Durio zibethinus) is one of the most popular tropical fruits in Asia. To date, 126 durian types have been registered with the Department of Agriculture in Malaysia based on phenotypic characteristics. Classification based on morphology is convenient, easy, and fast but it suffers from phenotypic plasticity as a direct result of environmental factors and age. To overcome the limitation of morphological classification, there is a need to carry out genetic characterization of the various durian types. Such data is important for the evaluation and management of durian genetic resources in producing countries. In this study, simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers were used to study the genetic variation in 27 durian types from the germplasm collection of Universiti Putra Malaysia. Based on DNA sequences deposited in Genbank, seven pairs of primers were successfully designed to amplify SSR regions in the durian DNA samples. High levels of variation among the 27 durian types were observed (expected heterozygosity, HE=0.35). The DNA fingerprinting power of SSR markers revealed by the combined probability of identity (PI) of all loci was 2.3×10-3. Unique DNA fingerprints were generated for 21 out of 27 durian types using five polymorphic SSR markers (the other two SSR markers were monomorphic). We further tested the utility of these markers by evaluating the clonal status of shared durian types from different germplasm collection sites, and found that some were not clones. The findings in this preliminary study not only shows the feasibility of using SSR markers for DNA fingerprinting of durian types, but also challenges the current classification of durian types, e.g., on whether the different types should be called "clones", "varieties", or "cultivars". Such matters have a direct impact on the regulation and management of durian genetic resources in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the high-low intraday Performance of Initial Public Offering (IPO) during Global Financial Crisis (GFC) from January 2006 to December 2011. Models comprise of hierarchical and dummy variable regressions are evaluated. Our results show: Firstly, it can be observed that intraday IPOs performance are generally lower due to the GFC; Secondly, investors receive 7 to 30 percent IPO intraday returns on average in the first trading day of pre-GFC, -5 to 11 percent during GFC, and -4 to 14 percent in the post-GFC; and thirdly, the GFC does not act as a moderator that worsens the relationship between intraday IPO performance and oversubscription ratio. As for implication, this study dispels the notion that investors should totally shun IPO during GFC period as there are still positive intraday returns among the IPOs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Molecular analysis, particularly sub-genotype classification, and study on the relationship of recent Malaysian NDVs with other isolates from around the world are lacking. Therefore, in the present study, a molecular epidemiological investigation was conducted to characterise six Newcastle disease viruses (NDV) isolated between 2014 and 2015 from vaccinated commercial poultry flocks. Partial Fusion (F) and Hemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN) genes were amplified from IBS046/2014, IBS060/2014, IBS061/2014, IBS074/2014, IBS160/2015, and IBS162A/2015 isolates using one-step reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), sequenced and phylogenetically analysed. Sequence and phylogenetic analysis revealed that all the recently isolated strains of NDV belonged to sub-genotype VIIa and lineage 5a. Moreover, deduced amino acid sequence at the F protein cleavage site of the isolates revealed either 112RRQKRF117 or 112KRRKRF117 consistent with the motif found in velogenic pathotypes. The study concluded that the genotype VIIa was the causative agent of recent ND outbreaks in vaccinated broiler flocks from Malaysia. Interestingly, five out of the six isolates characterised in this study had a unique F0 protein cleavage site (112KRRKRF117). Further studies are required to determine the role of these motifs on the virulent potential of the isolates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the asymmetric inflation hedging properties of housing in Malaysia. We decompose both consumer inflation and energy inflation into positive and negative changes. We analyze the short-run and long-run hedge against inflation of housing by using Nonlinear Autoregressive Distributed Lags (NADRL) approach. Based on the aggregate and four major types of houses, we find that house prices respond to both consumer and energy prices symmetrically in the long-run. However, only investment in terraced house hedge against consumer inflation in the long-run and the investment in all types of houses do not hedge against energy inflation. Nevertheless, house prices react to both consumer and energy inflation asymmetrically in the short-run. But housing asset investment cannot hedge against consumer inflation as well as the energy inflation in the short-run. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Barbiturate coma therapy (BCT) is a treatment option that is used for refractory intracranial hypertension after all other options have been exhausted. Although BCT is a brain protection treatment, it also has several side effects such as hypotension, hepatic dysfunction, renal dysfunction, respiratory complications and electrolyte imbalances. One less concerning but potentially life-threatening complication of BCT is dyskalaemia. This complication could present as severe refractory hypokalaemia during the therapy with subsequent rebound hyperkalaemia after cessation of the therapy. Judicious potassium replacement during severe refractory hypokalaemia and gradual cessation of the therapy to prevent rebound hyperkalaemia are recommended strategies to deal with this complication, based on previous case series and reports. In this case report, we show that these strategies were applicable in improving severe hypokalaemia and preventing sudden, life-threatening rebound hyperkalaemia. However, even with use of these strategies, BCT patients could still present with mild, asymptomatic hyperkalaemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper was to test a theoretical model of Facebook usage among university students in Malaysia using a confirmatory analysis. The theoretical model used to underpin the model was the parsimonius Technology Acceptance Model (Davis et al., 1989). We collected data from 600 undergraduate students of six public universities from Peninsular Malaysia using a structured questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SmartPLS 3.2.6 and instead of using the usual exploratory modeling analysis we used the more recent confirmatory analysis which is now available in SmartPLS called consistent PLS. Consistent PLS gives fit values that can be used to assess the model fit. The Standardized Root Mean Square Residual (SRMR = 0.03) was lower than 0.08 and the Normed Fit Index (NFI = 0.939) was higher than 0.90 thus we can conclude that the data fits the model well. The results show that ease of use influenced enjoyment but did not influence usage directly while usefulness influenced both enjoyment and usage directly and enjoyment also influenced usage directly. The R² was 0.702 for enjoyment and 0.609 for usage. Implications of the findings are further discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study analyzes the beta-return characteristic, considering the asymmetric beta behavior in the up market versus the down market for the Bursa Malaysia (BM). This study uses a sample period from 2001-2015 with two dual-beta models, the capital asset pricing model (CAPM), and the Fama- French, three-factor (FF3F) model, to examine 60 stocks listed on the bourse. The estimated return and beta indicate that most stocks have experienced an increasing (decreasing) beta in the downtrend (uptrend) period. It is inferred that investors are rewarded with a positive risk premium for holding an asset in the down market, while the upside beta carries a negative premium. If news asymmetry captures a significant part of investors' risk perception in the market, there is evidence that a conditional FF3F model is more useful than a conditional CAPM, which is likened to both the dual-beta FF3F and the CAPM in an unconditional context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: In order for speech-language pathologists to work better together with CBR workers, there is a necessity to understand what they perceive as their training needs for people with communication disability (PWCD). Method: In 2013, a cross-sectional written survey was conducted with 421 Malaysian workers, using convenient sampling and a mixed-method approach. Results: In-depth information on training needs from descriptive analysis of quantitative data and content analysis of qualitative data were obtained and discussed. Conclusion: This study, although not generalizable, builds up the literature on worker training needs in developing countries, and would be of benefit for speech-language pathologists and worker trainers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aglaia oligophylla Miq. is a shrub of approximately 25 meters tall under the Meliaceae family which possess distinct pharmacological properties including insecticides, anti-inflammatory and anticancer. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the antioxidant capacity of the trunks and stem of Aglaia oligophylla plant extracts and to isolate their chemical constituents. The antioxidant activity was evaluated as the reducing antioxidant capacity includes of cupric reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays. In CUPRAC assay, ethyl acetate extract of the trunks part exhibited the strongest reducing capacity with the value of 1543 mg Trolox equivalent (TE)/g and for the stem part, methanol extract showed the strongest reducing antioxidant capacity with the value of 1059 mg TE/g. In FRAP assay, the methanol extracts of both trunks and stem of the plant showed the strongest reducing power with the values of 1269 mg TE/g and 1084 mg TE/g respectively. Repeated column chromatographic separation on chloroform extract of the trunks part afforded one triterpenes which was suggested to be stigmasterol (1) whilst the separation on methanol extract of the trunks obtained a triterpene, β-sitosterol (2). In the stem of A. oligophylla, the column chromatographic separation on petroleum ether extract afforded a new triterpene, namely oligophyllic acid (3) while the separation on chloroform and ethyl acetate extracts gave compound 2. All the chemical constituents were elucidated by comparison with literature review reported previously. Based on the value of CUPRAC and FRAP antioxidant assays of the plant extracts, A. oligophylla, shows great potential for the possibility of discovery and development of health promoting supplement from the extracts and chemical constituents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Each year an estimated 390 million dengue infections occur worldwide. In Malaysia, dengue is a growing public health concern but estimate of its disease burden remains uncertain. We compared the urban-rural difference of dengue seroprevalence and determined age-specific dengue seroprevalence in Malaysia.Methods: We undertook analysis on 11,821 subjects from six seroprevalence surveys conducted in Malaysia between 2001 and 2013, which composed of five urban and two rural series.Results: Prevalence of dengue increased with age in both urban and rural locations in Malaysia, which exceeded 90 % among those aged 70 years or beyond. The age-specific rates of the 5 urban surveys overlapped without clear separation among them, while prevalence was lower in younger subjects in rural series than in urban series, the trend reversed in older subjects. There were no differences in the seroprevalence by gender, ethnicity or region. Poisson regression model confirmed the prevalence have not changed in urban areas since 2001 but in rural areas, there was a significant positive time trend such that by year 2008, rural prevalence was as high as in urban areas.Conclusion: Dengue seroprevalence has stabilized but persisted at a high level in urban areas since 2001, and is fast stabilizing in rural areas at the same high urban levels by 2008. The cumulative seroprevalence of dengue exceeds 90 % by the age of 70 years, which translates into 16.5 million people or 55 % of the total population in Malaysia, being infected by dengue by 2013. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Newcastle disease virus (NDV) isolate designated IBS002 was isolated from a commercial broiler farm in Malaysia. The virus was characterised as a virulent strain based on the multiple basic amino acid motif of the fusion (F) cleavage site 112RRRKGF117 and length of the C-terminus extension of the hemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN) gene. Furthermore, IBS002 was classified as a velogenic NDV with mean death time (MDT) of 51.2 h and intracerebral pathogenicity index (ICPI) of 1.76. A genetic distance analysis based on the full-length F and HN genes showed that both velogenic viruses used in this study, genotype VII NDV isolate IBS002 and genotype VIII NDV isolate AF2240-I, had high genetic variations with genotype II LaSota vaccine. In this study, the protection efficacy of the recombinant genotype VII NDV inactivated vaccine was also evaluated when added to an existing commercial vaccination program against challenge with velogenic NDV IBS002 and NDV AF2240-I in commercial broilers. The results indicated that both LaSota and recombinant genotype VII vaccines offered full protection against challenge with AF2240-I. However, the LaSota vaccine only conferred partial protection against IBS002. In addition, significantly reduced viral shedding was observed in the recombinant genotype VII-vaccinated chickens compared to LaSota-vaccinated chickens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Engineers form an important part of our technical workforce to successfully transform Malaysia into a fully developed nation as envisaged in the Vision 2020 document. Thus, it is essential for higher learning institutions in Malaysia to produce effective and competent graduates who are able to contribute to the current needs and rapid changes in the engineering industry. However, a key challenge faced by engineering programmes is to address the misalignment in the graduates produced and the industry needs. To address this, industrial training in universities plays an important role in bridging academia and industry where students are able to experience real-life problems as opposed to only classroom challenges. In addition, it is also important that engineering students in universities are well equipped with critical thinking skills and strong technical knowledge toface current and future challenges in industries. In this study, feedback and evaluation forms from industries were analysed to explore the working competency of engineering students in a new engineering programme. It identifies aspects that call for improvement to successfully help engineering students' competency at workplace. This paper also offers a few suggestions on Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) based on the Plan- Do-Check-Act (PDCA) model to improve strategies prior to, during and post industrial training for the betterment of this new engineering programme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]