Children who are born in a community with insufficient micronutrients, particularly iodine in remote rural areas are associated with low intellectual functions and mental retardation. The aim of this cross-sectional study is to determine the mental performance of the schoolchildren in Bario, a highland settlement of the Kelabit people in the district of Baram, Sarawak and to determine its correlation with the availability of iodine in the environment, as well as other micronutrients such as selenium, copper and manganese. A total of 25 schoolchildren in Bario age ranging from 7 to 12 years old participated in the study. Mental performance of the schoolchildren were tested using TONI-2 (Test of Nonverbal Intelligence--second edition), a cognitive ability measures with a response format which eliminates language and reduces motoric and cultural factors. The iodine levels from several wells, soils and salt found in Bario were determined using HPLC (software version 3.05.01) whilst serum levels of selenium, copper and manganese were measured using Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (GFAAS). The results showed that the median and mode scores of intelligence quotient for Bario were 82 and 75, respectively, whilst median and mode scores of intelligence percentile were 11.0 and 5.0, respectively. The maximum score achieved were at the average level with the quotient score between 90-110. It was found that salt produced from one of the wells in Bario contained high quantity of iodine. Based on standards established by the Trace Elements Laboratory, Roben Institute, University of Surrey, United Kingdom, schoolchildren in Bario are having sufficient blood levels of copper and a high selenium and manganese levels. Despite the remoteness of the study area, the schoolchildren in Bario, Sarawak showed higher mental performance compared to other isolated areas. This is probably correlated with the high micronutrients availability, particularly iodine, found naturally in Bario.
Cross-Sectional Studies ; Iodine/*blood ; Malaysia ; *Mental Processes ; Micronutrients/*blood ; Soil/*analysis ; Water/*analysis

Long working hours with video display unit without appropriate breaks could drain the eyes. This study intends to investigate the efficiency of eye rest-break application to reduce dried eye symptoms by increasing blink rates. Blink rates and dried eye symptoms score among laboratory workers before and after the implementation of eye rest-break application were compared. The numbers of blink rates were recorded using a webcam for 5 minutes without the subjects aware when the recording starts or ends. Then, the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) was used to measure the dried eye symptoms. For eyes rest-break, EyeLeo© application was used. It is computer application that gives reminders to video display unit (VDU) users to take short breaks for their eyes. Six laboratory workers who are constantly working with VDU were selected as subjects. Data was analysed using Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test, to test the comparison between variables before and after intervention by reporting its median (inter quartile range, IQR). The findings showed that the median after intervention (39.5, 10) is significantly higher (p-value = 0.028) than the median before intervention (7.3, 3). As for dried eye symptoms, median for Ocular Surface Disease Index after intervention (27.9, 8.9) is significantly lower (p-value = 0.027) than the median before intervention (36.5, 9.4). As a conclusion, application such as EyeLeo© eye rest-break is a potential intervention and may be used to increase blink rates and reducing dried eye symptoms among visual display unit workers.

Objective: To explore the association between socialsupport and stress levels in preclinical and clinical dentalstudents in Malaysia. Method: A cross sectional surveyof dental undergraduate students was conducted at theFaculty of Dentistry, University of Malaya, UniversitiKebangsaan Malaysia and Universiti Sains Malaysia.Stress was measured using the Dental Environment Stress(DES) questionnaire. A DES-32 item was used to measurestress for the clinical students and DES-16 item for thepreclinical students. Four questions were used to measuresocial support. The total stress scores were standardizedfor comparison purposes. Results: A total of 357 (79.7%)preclinical and 417 (71.8%) clinical undergraduate dentalstudents responded to the questionnaires. The clinicalstudents experienced higher stress [mean standardizedDES score = 72.63, SD = 10.64] than preclinical students[mean standardized DES score = 70.19, SD=12.01]. Thetwo most stressful items reported by preclinical studentswere “fear of failing” and “examination and grades”.Among clinical students, the two most stressful items relatedto academic were “completing course requirement” and“fear of failing course” and items related to clinical sessionwere “fear of being barred due to the clinical schedule”and “patients late or absent”. Multiple regression analysesrevealed that low stress levels among preclinical studentswere significantly associated to a lot of contact withstudents of the same course. Conclusion: To some extent,social support does play a role in explaining differences inperceived stress, in particular among preclinical students.