Despite publishing and securing research grants being obligatory in research universities, the literature on the factors influencing academic productivity is relatively scarce. Thus, in this study, we aimed to determine the personal and behavioural-related factors that influence the culture of publishing and securing research grants among academicians with lower research-related performance. This cross-sectional study was conducted among 49 academic staff members of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM). A self-administered questionnaire consisting of personal, attitude and behavioural (barriers, perceived stress scale, work extrinsic and intrinsic motivation scale, psychological well-being scale, and basic needs satisfaction scale) questions were distributed during a workshop and online. Simple linear regression (SLR) analyses were performed for each variable, followed by multiple linear regression (MLR) to identify the associated factors of research output. After adjusting for covariates, having a doctoral degree (β=0.396, 95% CI=0.221-2.146, p<0.05) and integrated regulation (β=0.574, 95% CI=0.036-3.612, p<0.05) were found to be associated with research grant acquisition (R2=0.273). Moreover, increasing age (β=0.426, 95% CI=0.088-0.397, p<0.05), living alone (β=0.331, 95% CI=0.944-6.626, p<0.05), having a doctoral degree (β=0.248, 95% CI=0.174-6.747, p<0.05), environmental mastery (β=0.318, 95% CI=0.013-0.347, p<0.05), self-acceptance (β=0.284, 95% CI=0.010-0.242, p<0.05), satisfaction incompetence (β=0.273, 95% CI=0.001-0.200, p<0.05) and relatedness (β=0.280, 95% CI=0.001-0.116, p<0.05) were found to be the factors that influence the publications produced among participants (R2 =0.423). The findings of this study could be used by management to formulate effective strategies to increase the productivity of academics in their research-related performance.

Parenting children with autism spectrum disorder comes with challenges that impact parenting stress and quality of life, with social support being an influencing factor. The cultural context appears to influence associations between parenting stress, social support, and quality of life. There is a lack of reviews examining these associations in Asia. Thus, this review aims to provide an overview of the relationship between parenting stress, QOL and social support specific to the population in Asian countries. Systematic searches based on PRISMA guidelines were conducted on Medline, Web of Science, and Scopus, which found 26 eligible studies to be included in the review. Findings from the studies demonstrated social support, parenting stress, and quality of life to be significantly associated with each other directly and indirectly. They are also related to multiple variables like coping strategies and self-efficacy. In the future, data from a wider scope of Asian countries will be beneficial since most literature originated from China. Furthermore, more studies on potential moderator and mediator variables could be conducted.

Introduction: Breastfeeding is vital for child survival and development, yet its practices are influenced by cultural, social, and informational factors. There is inadequate data concerning breastfeeding knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) among the Orang Asli in Malaysia. This study aims to assess the KAP related to breastfeeding among Orang Asli in Peninsular Malaysia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out between July 2022 and November 2023 among Orang Asli women aged 18 years and older with at least one child. Respondents were selected from sub-ethnic groups across three main indigenous categories. Data were gathered through a structured questionnaire, administered by interviewers which covered socio-demographics, knowledge, attitudes, and practices. Descriptive statistics were used for analysis. Results: One hundred respondents participated in the study. The majority (89%) had practiced exclusive breastfeeding, and 90% intended to continue in the future. About 98% correctly recognized that adequate breastfeeding helps infants sleep better, and 94% knew that complementary feeding should begin at six months. But several cultural or misinformation-related beliefs persisted. For example, 42% believed colostrum should be discarded, and 49% thought breastfeeding should be stopped if the mother had cracked nipples. Overall, respondents demonstrated positive attitudes and consistent breastfeeding practices. Although 58% found exclusive breastfeeding tiring for the mother. Conclusion: Despite high breastfeeding rates and positive intentions, mixed feeding practices and misconceptions persist among Orang Asli mothers. Culturally sensitive, community-based education is needed to reinforce accurate breastfeeding knowledge and support exclusive breastfeeding practices.

Objectives: This study aimed to develop and test a comprehensive model analyzing direct and indirect relationships among workload, demographic factors, fatigue, work stress, and quality of life among aircraft maintenance personnel (AMP). Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at the maintenance, repair, and overhaul facility at Sultan Hasanuddin Airport, Makassar. Data collection combined structured interviews, standardized questionnaires (the NASA Task Load Index, Work Fatigue Feeling Measurement Questionnaire, Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21, and World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF), and objective measures (a Cocoro Meter for stress and an oximeter for physical workload). The model was examined using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM), which is well-suited to complex models with latent variables and non-normally distributed data. Results: In the PLS-SEM analysis, physical workload (β=0.229, p=0.018) and work experience (β=0.277, p=0.007) were significantly and directly associated with fatigue. Age significantly predicted work stress (β=0.371, p=0.001). Crucially, fatigue (β=−0.344, p=0.002) and work stress (β=−0.385, p<0.001) had significant negative direct effects on quality of life and were central mediators. No direct effects of exogenous variables on quality of life were observed. Cross-tabulation supported these findings; subgroups with higher physical demands, longer tenure, and older age reported greater fatigue, higher stress, and lower quality of life. Conclusions Fatigue and work stress are pivotal mediators that are significantly associated with reduced quality of life among AMP. Interventions to reduce physical workload and provide targeted support for more experienced and older workers may improve well-being and safety in the aviation maintenance industry.

Purpose: This study aimed to explore various educator-led reflective practice methods implemented in pharmacy education, along with their outcomes and impacts on students. Methods: A PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) systematic review method was used, and articles from the year 2003 to 2024 were obtained from three databases, namely PubMed, SCOPUS, and ERIC with keywords defined according to the study objective. Results: A total of 298 articles were identified from the databases with a total of 25 included for review. Studies generally showed moderate quality, with an average MERSQI (Medical Education Research Study Quality Instrument) score of 10.56. The literatures revealed that reflective practice has significantly increased during the past few decades, employing various methods, including written, non-written, and digital approaches. Reflective practice gave impact to several outcomes such as improvement in students’ academic performance, critical thinking skills, clinical reasoning and decision-making abilities, metacognitive skills, deep-information processing skills, professional attitude, self-awareness, as well as collaborative skills. Conclusion Reflective practice in pharmacy education has evolved, integrating diverse methods that yield significant benefits in learning and teaching process. Although positive outcomes were seen in the studies, methodological limitations suggest a need for more rigorous research. Structured and efficient educator-led reflective practice in pharmacy education is crucial for preparing students to meet the growing demands in healthcare system.

Continuous exposure to cigarette smoke causes oxidative stress, leading to diseases in the respiratory tract. Secang (Caesalpinia sappan L.) wood is a popular herbal drink in Indonesia due to its antioxidant properties. To date, the protective effects of Secang on the respiratory system have not been widely studied.Ethanolic extract of Secang was prepared by maceration. An in vivo experiment was conducted on 24 male Wistar rats divided into four groups: Control (K), Negative control (KN), low-dose treatment of the extract (P1, 300 mg/kg), and a high-dose one (P2, 600 mg/kg) for 30 days of treatment. After finishing treatments, rats were sacrificed for histological analysis. Rats' average bodyweight showed a consistent increase, indicating tolerable toxicity of the extract, which does not interfere with rats' general health. Serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT) and serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT) depicted consistent results, where P1 and P2 groups significantly decreased (p < 0.001) compared to KN, indicating hepatoprotective activity of Secang.Histologically, tracheal lumen diameter in P2 significantly (p < 0.05) increased compared to KN, suggesting Secang’s potent antioxidant activity. The number of goblet cells increased in KN compared to K, indicating irritation and inflammatory conditions from cigarette smoke. Secang-treated groups exhibited improvement in the lumen diameter, goblet cells, and ciliated epithelium. The findings suggest protective potential of Secang against cigarette smoke-induced tracheal damage.

Objective: This study aims to describe histological manifestations and characterise the CDV strain in the tiger to determine its molecular epidemiology and postulate viral pathogenicity. Methods: Histopathology characterisation of the infected tissues were performed through haematoxylin and eosin and immunohistochemistry staining, respectively. We conducted virus isolation and titration in Chinese hamster ovarian expressing the dog signalling lymphocytic activation molecule (CHO-SLAM) cells. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction was performed to confirm the presence of CDV RNA, nucleotide and amino acid sequence analyses for comprehensive characterisation of the CDV strain. Results: Notable histopathological changes were observed primarily in the brain, lung, liver, kidney, spleen, and stomach, with viral antigens localised in the lung, liver, kidney, and stomach tissues. CDV-induced cell cytopathic effects yielding 4.27 × 10 6 TCID 50 /mL were observed at 48 h post-inoculation in CHO-SLAM cells. Phylogenetic analysis suggested that the virus originated from the Asia-1 clade. Notably, 549H and 519I mutations in the hemagglutinin protein were observed, indicating adaptation to a non-canid wildlife species. Conclusions and Relevance: Overall, this study enhances our understanding of the molecular characterisation and evolutionary dynamics of the CDV strain present in the Malayan tiger and serves as a benchmark for developing effective preventative measures to protect Malayan tigers and mitigate their risk of extinction.

Introduction: Sleep quality has become a public health concern due to serious impacts on individual’s health outcomes. Thus, this cross-sectional study aimed to determine the sleep quality and its associated factors among adults living in the province of Terengganu, Malaysia. Materials and Methods: Socio-demographic information was self-reported whilst anthropometric measurements were measured by trained researchers. Sleep quality was assessed using the validated Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) whilst eating behavior was measured using the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire (DEBQ). Descriptive statistics and multivariable linear regression models were employed using IBM SPSS version 25.0. Results: A total of 580 participants were enrolled (mean age = 29.1 ± 10.0 years; 51.2% female), of which 74.7% (n = 433) had poor sleep quality (PSQI global score > 5) with a total sleep duration per night of 6.2 ± 1.6 hours. Gender (p-value=0.044), educational level (p-value=0.001), emotional level (p-value=0.005) and external eating (p-value=0.026) were significantly associated with poorer sleep quality. Conclusion: This study underscored the high prevalence of poor sleep quality among adults living in Terengganu, Malaysia. The findings could serve as a basis for developing sleep education strategies that are tailored to improve sleep quality among adults.

Background: Frailty is a health condition preceding impairment and disease, resulting in vulnerability and risk of poor outcomes. Frailty is a multidimensional geriatric syndrome encompassing physical, psychological and cognitive components. Psychological frailty refers to reduced emotional resilience, mood stability, and coping capacity. This paper aims to review the current literature on psychological frailty and mental health outcomes among older adults. Methodology : Four electronic databases, PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct and Web of science were used to systematically search for studies published between January 2019 and December 2023, that examined the effect of psychological frailty on mental health outcomes in older adults, including depression, anxiety, and overall well -being. Results: There were 154 articles screened, with 7 studies meeting inclusion criteria. All included studies assessed psychological frailty using the Tilburg Frailty Indicator (TFI), a multidimensional frailty tool with a psychological domain. Psychological frailty, as measured using the TFI, was consistently associated with depressive symptoms, anxiety, and reduced quality of life. The psychological domain of the TFI demonstrated moderate internal consistency (Cronbach ’s α = 0.712 -0.797). Conclusion: Psychological frailty is a potential risk factor for the development of adverse mental health outcomes in older adults. The use of validated measures, such as the TFI may improve the identification of psychological frailty for early intervention strategies in both community and medical settings to protect older adults ’ mental health

Dental prosthesis ingestion in adults is uncommon, and delayed presentation may complicate diagnosis and management. We report a 39 -year-old woman with epilepsy who accidentally ingested a broken dental prosthesis during sleep. She initially presented with a foreign body sensation and underwent laryngoscopy and oesophagogastroduodenoscopy 24 hours after ingestion and these were unremarkable with no foreign body identified. Four days later, she developed dyspnoea, chest pain, and sepsis. Clinical and radiological assessments revealed a massive left pleural effusion, pneumomediastinum, and contrast leakage from the distal oesophagus, consistent with an oesophageal perforation. The patient was referred urgently for surgical intervention and was successfully treated. This case illustrates the diagnostic challenges of radiolucent dental prostheses and the potential for mucosal injury that may not be immediately evident, which can lead to delayed diagnosis or misdiagnosis resulting in severe complications. Awareness and early recognition, appropriate imaging with computed tomography or contrast studies, and high clinical suspicion are critical, particularly in neurologically compromised patients. Prompt diagnosis and intervention are essential to prevent serious complications such as mediastinitis, sepsis, and respiratory failure