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The association between body mass index (bmi) status and dietary intake pattern with menstrual irregularities of undergraduate students in school of Health Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM)
Get PDFThis study aimed to identify the association between body mass index (BMI)
status and dietary intake patterns with irregular menstrual cycle among undergraduate
students in School of Health Sciences, USM. A total of 179 undergraduate students
aged between 19 and 25 years from all programs available in Health Campus were
involved in this study. The study was conducted using a cross-sectional design and
used convenience random sampling method. The data for this study was obtained
through a set of online questionnaires to collect socio-demographic, anthropometric,
dietary intake patterns and menstrual cycle information. The weight and height of each
participant in this study were measured using a scale and stadiometer before they
started to answer a set of questionnaires. The dietary information of the subjects was
collected using the Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) which adapted from five
previous studies. The results of the study showed that 62% of the subjects with majority
were 22 years old recorded having irregular menstrual cycles and the remaining 38%
recorded having regular menstrual cycles. The study found that students with irregular
menstrual cycles frequently consumed alcoholic beverages (n=1), caffeinated
beverages (60.6%) and snacks (59.4%). In addition, students with these problems also
ate less vegetables (62%), fruits (60.7%) and dairy products (61.8%). In addition, the
study also did not find a significant association between weight status and dietary
intake patterns with irregular menstrual cycle problems among undergraduate students
in School of Health Science, Universiti Sains Malaysia. Therefore, further studies are needed to get a clearer picture of the link between body mass index (BMI) status and
dietary intake patterns with irregular menstrual cycle problems
The development and validation of digital medical education environment (digimee) instrument in measuring online learning environment for undergraduate medical students
Get PDFGiven the acknowledged role of technology-enhanced learning in medical education, there is a need for a focused evaluation approach for online learning environments specific to this field. The current lack of dedicated evaluation methods underscores the necessity for identifying key components in online learning environments for medical education. In response to this pressing need, this study seeks to develop and validate the Digital Medical Education Environment (Digi-MEE) Instrument, recognizing its pivotal role in addressing the existing gap and enhancing the quality of online learning experiences in medical education. The study was designed as a multi-phase mixed- methods research project conducted in online settings involving a diverse group of experts, teachers, and instructional designers and multiple medical colleges in Pakistan ( Phase 2 and 3), spanning 18 months. In Phase 1, experts in medical education and technology-enhanced learning identified and validated components of online learning environments through a scoping review and a modified e-Delphi study. Phase 2 involved undergraduate medical students and faculty members for content validation, response process validation, and refinement of Digi-MEE instrument versions v.1.0 and v.2.0. Content validity of the questionnaire items as assessed through expert reviews (S-CVI/Ave: 0.98), and response process validity through participant feedback, (S-FVI/Ave: 0.87). EFA of Digi-MEE v.3.0 revealed 9 components with 46 items, explaining 57.18% of the variance, with high internal consistency. The number of items per component were as follows: Cognitive Enhancement (5 items), Content Curation (6 items), Cybergogical Practices (6 items), Learner Characteristics (7 items), Digital Capability (4 items), Platform Usability (4 items), Facilitation Dynamics (5 items), Social Interactions (4 items), and Institutional Support (5 items). The internal consistency for these components was high, with a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.952. Factor loadings ranged from 0.404 to 0.721 for each component, indicating strong associations within each factor.CFA of the final 28-item Digi-MEE instrument showed good model fit indices, excellent internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha: 0.952), and acceptable composite reliability (0.7). Key indices include a chi-square/df ratio of 2.4, RMR of 0.03, and GFI of 0.902. CFI and TLI are strong at 0.926 and 0.91, respectively, while RMSEA is 0.057, indicating a close fit. In Phase 3, a usability study involving a cross-sectional survey and phenomenology study validated the practical utility of the Digi-MEE instrument. In Phase 3 of the study, the usability of the Digi-MEE instrument was evaluated using a cross-sectional survey and phenomenological study, validating its practical utility. In Phase 3, the usability of the Digi-MEE instrument was validated through a survey and phenomenology study, with participants rating their online learning environment at 2.95 ± 0.84 out of 4. Findings highlighted issues with content quality, engagement, and interactivity. Recommendations included improving digital skills training, personalized feedback, and platform communication, alongside better self-regulation support and more effective applications.These insights led to a list of recommendations for the university. The findings confirmed that the Digi-MEE instrument is a useful and straightforward tool for evaluating online learning environments in medical education, guiding improvements in various components based on the results
The association between dietary intake, lipid and glucose profile, and cognitive function among older adults with possible sarcopenia and sarcopenia in kelantan: a cross-sectional study
Get PDFSarcopenia is the age-related progressive loss of muscle mass and strength. Dietary
intake, glucose and lipid profile are extremely related to the cognitive function among older
adults with possible sarcopenia and sarcopenia. The aim of this study was to explore the
association between dietary intake, lipid and glucose profile and cognitive function among
older adults with possible sarcopenia and sarcopenia in Kelantan. A cross-sectional study was
conducted among 92 older adults using convenience sampling technique in several districts in
Kelantan including Tumpat, Pasir Mas, and Kota Bharu aged 60 years old and above. Out of
92 subjects (51 males and 41 females), it was discovered that 9 females (22.0%) and 3 males
(5.9%) were having dementia while 13 females (31.7%) and 13 males (25.5%) had mild
cognitive impairment (MCI). Socio-demographic background, medical history, and dietary
intake pattern were included during the interview session. Diet History Questionnaire (DHQ)
was used to assess the dietary intake, Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) was used to
detect cognitive dysfunction and early signs of dementia while Hand Grip Strength (HGS),
Skeletal Muscle Index (SMI), and Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) were used to
see the muscle strength and physical performance. However, there are no significant
associations between dietary intake, glucose profile and lipid profile except high density
lipoprotein (HDL). The findings of this study demonstrated that cognitive status alone was
significant among the participants (p=0.015). The blood glucose results show that the median
is 5.60 mmol for males, while it is 5.30 mmol for females which (p=0.546). For the lipid profile, only HDL is significant with (p=0.001), where the median is 1.23 mmol for males and 1.50
mmol for females. Other lipid profile results include as triglycerides, low-density lipoproteins
(LDL), and total cholesterol are not significant. In addition, all macronutrients and
micronutrients are not significant at all for dietary intakes results. Nevertheless, it is
recommended that further studies be conducted to provide a clearer understanding of the
relationship between dietary intake, lipid, and glucose profiles with cognitive function, as these
factors are directly linked to cognitive function status
Attitudes and subjective norms towards social media influencers with behavioural intent on food choices among undergraduate Students In School Of Health Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Health Campus, Kubang Kerian, Kelantan
Get PDFThis study investigates the influence of social media influencers (SMIs) on the dietary
choices of undergraduate Health Sciences students at USM Health Campus. It
examines the relationship between students' attitudes, subjective norms towards SMIs,
and their behavioral intent regarding food choices. Using correlation and regression
analyses, 90 respondents participated in the study. The majority of respondents were
female (77.8%), aged 21-23 (76.7%), and Malay (80%). While a positive correlation was
found between attitude and behavioral intent, regression analysis showed no significant
relationship (β = 0.056, p = 0.504). Subjective norms demonstrated a significant
relationship with behavioral intent (β = 0.680, p < 0.001), indicating social pressure
plays a greater role in dietary choices than personal attitudes. The study's strengths
include a focused sample and validated instruments, with future recommendations
suggesting a broader sample and longitudinal design
Determination of morphological features and elemental profiles on bullet holes for forensic firearm investigation
Get PDFA comprehensive scene reconstruction of firearm-related case requires forensic
investigators to examine the bullet holes left on various surfaces to confirm if it was
produced by a projectile and to subsequently determine if it was made by a specific
ammunition. Evolvement of the design and technology of ammunition could have also
led to the variation in bullet hole, particularly from non-conventional ammunition. This
study was aimed to characterise bullet impact holes caused by various .38 and 9 mm
calibre ammunition through physical and chemical means. Morphological features on
the six commonly encountered surfaces such as Perspex, Plywood, Formica Board,
metal sheet (cabinet), gypsum dan metal sheet (car door) within a firing scene due to
the impacts of projectiles were examined. Later, sample recovered from the inner
circumferences of bullet holes were examined by inductively coupled plasma-mass
spectrometry (ICP-MS) and atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) to determine the
elemental profiles and compared among the bullet holes caused by the eight different
ammunition types, namely Winchester .38 SPL, CBC .38 SPL, SME .38 SPL, SME 9
mm, GECO 9 mm, Advance Rotation Extreme (ARX) 9 mm, Ruag Ammotech 9 mm,
and Sellier & Bellot 9 × 19. Through physical examination, perfect circular holes were
observed with orthogonal angle impact, except for bullet holes impacted by the
projectiles from ARX and GECO with the production of flower-like petalling effect at
the edge of crater. On the other hand, full metal jacket (FMJ) and jacketed deform projectile (JDP) tends to transfer their materials onto the inner circumference of bullet
holes, forming metallic rings. Stubbing procedure was found effective in recovering
trace residues from bullet holes. Through ICP-MS detection, lead was found to be the
major composition in six types of projectiles, except in ARX and GECO where copper
dominated the elemental composition. Antimony, arsenic, bismuth, iron, silver, tin, and
zinc were detected as minor composition. However, from the samples recovered from
bullet holes, only four elements, namely antimony, copper, lead, and zinc, were
successfully detected. Decomposition by principal component analysis (PCA) formed
six clusters in the score plots in which impact marks of similar elemental profiles tend
to cluster closely. The developed PCA score-linear discriminant analysis (LDA) model
had also achieved an overall correct classification up to 85.4% in predicting the
projectiles that impact a surface. To conclude, a thorough physical examination and
chemical analysis aided in distinguishing the bullet impact holes made by different
ammunition. Such important information possesses great potential in forensic
investigation, especially in shooting cases
The effect of group cognitive behavior hypnotherapy (gcbh) on neuroendocrine and somatic symptoms in patients with anxiety disorders in Nanjing, China
Get PDFThe prevalence of anxiety disorder is increasing and has a significant impact on quality of life. This study aims to determine the effects of group cognitive behavior hypnotherapy on somatic symptoms and neuroendocrine levels in patients with anxiety disorder. This study utilized a randomized control trial design. A total of 84 patients who met the inclusion criteria were randomly selected and assigned to either the intervention group (42 participants) or the control group (42 participants) using computer randomization. After completing psychological measurement scales (Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA), Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), and Somatic Symptom Self-Rating Scale (SSS)) and blood tests (Cortisol (COR), Serum triiodothyronine (T3), Thyroxine (T4), Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone (TSH) and Adrenocorticotropic Hormone (ACTH)), the intervention group received group cognitive behavior hypnotherapy once a week for six consecutive weeks. The control group only received routine treatment and care. After six weeks, both groups completed the psychological measurement scales (HAMA, SAS, SSS) and blood tests (COR, ACTH, TSH, T3, T4) again. Data was analyzed using a chi-square test and t-test to compare differences between the two groups. The results showed that after group cognitive behavior hypnotherapy, the HAMA score in the experimental group decreased from 24.79±5.479 to 7.52±3.194 (P<0.01), SAS decreased from 59.07±3.047 to 28.14±3.00 , and SSS decreased from 56.12±3.262 to 27.50±1.82 (P<0.001) . The blood test results for COR (581.66±78.241 vs 343.05±50.378 nmol/L), ACTH (14.37±1.481 vs 12.66±0.775 pmol/L), TSH (3.53±0.657 vs 2.83±0.758 mIU/L), T3 (1.22±0.081 vs 0.93±0.041 ng/ml), and T4 (8.32±0.711 vs 6.73±0.638 ng/ml) were all lower than before treatment, with statistical significance (P<0.001). At the same time, the control group showed significant decreases in HAMA (26.88±4.763 VS 19.21±2.464) and SAS(59.07±3.047 VS 28.14±3.000) full scores compared with 6 weeks earlier (P ＜0.001). This study found that group cognitive behavior hypnotherapy can alleviate physical symptoms in patients with anxiety disorders and improve their neuroendocrine levels
Development And Characterisation Of Nutraceutical Herbal Tea From Polyalthia Longifolia Leaves
Get PDFThe development of nutraceutical herbal tea from native medicinal plants has gained popularity due to its numerous health benefits. Polyalthia longifolia is well documented for its valuable ethnomedicinal properties, but no commercial products are available based on this plant. Therefore, the new MyAyush® nutraceutical tea was developed in this study from P. longifolia leaves. Initially, to establish the standards for the P. longifolia leaves, which can be used to correctly identify the plant in the future and ensure the quality of MyAyush® tea, the evaluation of proximate, phytochemical, FTIR and heavy metals analyses were conducted. Subsequently, the sensory evaluation, in vitro antioxidant, anticancer, and antitumorigenic activities of the MyAyush® tea were also assessed. The proximate, phytochemical, and heavy metals analyses revealed the presence of crucial proximate composition (6.9% ash, 25% crude fibre, 4.5% crude fat, 18.9% crude protein, 6.6% moisture, and 63.1% carbohydrates), 32 phytochemicals, as well as the presence of, mercury, cadmium, lead and arsenic in low quantities and within the permissible limit. The standardization of MyAyush® tea was performed by quantifying the rutin chemical marker, which was found in a concentration of 1.2 μg/mL (0.12%). Besides, the FTIR analysis showed the presence of ten peaks' areas in the range of 3500 to 400 cm-1 for various specific functional groups. The sensory evaluation results indicated that the average general acceptance level of MyAyush® tea (6.6) was close to the acceptance level (7) of the commercially available tea
The association between physical fitness level with anthropometric indicator and body compositions among older adults with possible sarcopenia and sarcopenia in Kelantan
Get PDFThe aging process involves changes in physiological systems, such as the loss of lean body mass (mainly muscle) and decreased muscular strength and function known as sarcopenia, a new geriatric syndrome. Sarcopenia significantly impacts healthcare by leading to decreased bone mineral density, increased fall risk, reduced functional ability, greater physical dependence, and higher mortality rates in older adults. The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between physical fitness level (gait speed and chair sit-and-reach test) with anthropometric indicator (waist circumferences, hip circumferences, mid-upper arm circumferences, waist-to-hip-ratio, body-mass index and calf circumference) and body composition (fat mass, visceral fat and skeletal muscle) among older adults with possible sarcopenia and sarcopenia. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 92 elderly aged 60 years old and above using convenience sampling technique in Kelantan. Short physical performance, handgrip strength and skeletal mass index were used to determine sarcopenia status during interview session. Socio-demographic background, anthropometric indicator, body composition and physical fitness level were also included during the interview. Among the physical fitness measures, only gait speed (p-value= 0.007) showed a significant relationship with elderly with sarcopenia and possible sarcopenia while the chair sit-and-reach test (p-value= 0.841) did not. Anthropometric indicator did not show a significant relationship with chair sit-and-reach test. Regarding body composition, fat mass showed a positive and moderate relationship with gait speed (r= 0.354, p-value= 0.001). Nonetheless, it is suggested future intervention studies should be carried out to determine the effectiveness of structured exercise programme for sarcopenia