Since the introduction of monoamine oxidase and monoamine neurotransmitter reuptake inhibitors for the treatment of major depression in the 1950s, their strengths and limitations have been fully and accurately determined. Therefore, the development of novel drugs for the treatment of depression has become a priority for researchers who aim to address treatment resistance and improve patient outcomes. Panax ginseng C. A. Mey (P. ginseng, Ren Shen) is a Chinese medicine used to treat neurological and psychiatric disorders. Numerous studies have shown that ginsenosides, the primary active constituents of P. ginseng, exert a wide range of effects on the central nervous system. Recent studies have demonstrated that ginsenosides possess significant antidepressant properties in animal models. Ginsenosides, such as Rb1 and Rg1, are steroidal molecules, and steroid derivatives have been successfully used in anesthesia, epilepsy, and more recently, postpartum depression treatment. Based on these findings, ginsenosides are promising candidates for the treatment of depression. This raises the following question: What are the prospects of using ginsenosides to treat depression? To gain a clearer understanding, this review provides a comprehensive analysis of recent research on the antidepressant potential of ginsenosides, along with insights and suggestions for future development in this field.

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a significant surge in glove usage, as recommended by the World Health Organization. Despite efforts to ensure the quality and safety of gloves, glove-associated skin diseases such as hand dermatitis have become ubiquitous, particularly among health care workers. This review discusses the prevalence, causes, and risk factors of hand dermatitis, as well as research efforts in medical gloves in the past decade to overcome glove-related hand dermatitis. Research papers from 2013 to 2022 were reviewed, selecting only 49 relevant papers from the Ovid, PubMed, and Scopus databases. The average prevalence of hand dermatitis among health care workers increased from 21.08% to 37.24% upon the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The cases are likely due to allergies to latex proteins, rubber additives, and accelerators commonly found in gloves. Using alternatives to latex gloves, such as accelerator-free and latex-free glove options, can help reduce allergy-induced hand dermatitis. Strict hand hygiene practices, such as frequent hand washing and the use of sanitizers, are also contributing factors in contracting hand dermatitis. Over the past decade, glove research advancements have focused mainly on reducing or immobilizing latex proteins. These include the use of biodegradable dialdehyde, sodium alginate, arctigenin, bromelain, papain, UV-LED, prototype photoreactors, and structure-modified nanosilica with silane A174. Two effective hand dermatitis preventive measures, i.e. an additional layer of glove liners and the use of gentle alcohol-based hand sanitizer, were recommended. These advancements represent promising steps towards mitigating hand dermatitis risks associated with glove usage.

Atrial Fibrillation/surgery* ; Catheter Ablation/adverse effects* ; Heart Septal Defects, Atrial/surgery* ; Humans ; Iatrogenic Disease ; Treatment Outcome

In the 80’s, in Spain, there was a very significant increase in the population addicted to heroin use. The behaviour patterns of use and abuse of this substance also caused many drug addicts to be linked to the associated consumption of multiple toxic substances, favouring the appearance of politoxicomania. The origin of the change of model in drug use began in mid- 1987 and in the following years, ecstasy and the so-called designer drugs began to spread throughout the festival scene in the United Kingdom, Western Europe and the Iberian Peninsul. In the 90’s, new substances were introduced into society that had little to do with heroin use, shifting the link to toxic substances to these better accepted and less questioned substances, avoiding the possible problems associated with consumption in marginal environments. The normalization of the consumption of substances of abuse began to have a greater social tolerance, breaking the stigma that led to the alarm raised by heroin consumption in the 80’s. In this sense, drugs were no longer associated with marginalization, and were seen in environments considered festive and, therefore, “normal”. ASEAN Journal of Psychiatry, Vol. 22(5): July 2021: 1-4.

Background: Physical examination in nursing practice is a systematic process of checking patients from head to toe using inspection, palpation, percussion, and auscultation techniques. This is part of a process to assist nurses in determining nursing diagnoses for patients’ care needs. A trained nurse with competent assessment skills can monitor treatment outcome and rapidly detect early signs of deterioration in patients. Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the perceived personal competence, the frequency of use of physical examination techniques, the factors that influenced physical examination practices and to identify training needs on physical examination skills among the registered nurses (RNs) in a selected private hospital in Malaysia. Methods: This is a cross-sectional descriptive study. A self-reporting questionnaire was adapted with permission and pilot tested to ensure its suitability for use in this local study. A total of 154 registered nurses (RNs) from various clinical areas responded to this survey. Results: The regularly used physical examination techniques by the RNs were mostly inspection and vital signs assessment. The frequency of physical examination skills used was higher among RNs with 4-5 years of working experience. Lack of time, role boundaries/scope of practice and ward culture were some of the factors identified that influenced nurses’ physical examination practices. Physical examinations of the cardiovascular, neurological and respiratory systems were the top three skills asserted as training needs by the RNs. Conclusions Inspection technique and vital signs checking are commonly practiced at ease by the RNs, but they perceived that they were least competent with palpation, percussion and auscultation techniques. Physical examination training is vital to ensure that the RNs keep their skills current in their nursing practice.

Background: Psychosocial care remains an important component in holistic care nursing and is crucial for patients’ recovery outcomes. Objective: The purpose of the study was to determine nurses’ perception towards their role in psychosocial care. Methodology: The research design was descriptive and cross-sectional. Nurses’ Role in Psychosocial Care Questionnaire (NRPCQ) was used for data collection and approximately 110 registered nurses (response rate = 52.38%) participated in the study via convenience sampling. Descriptive and inferential statistics, Mann-Whitney U test were used for data analysis. Results: In general, nurses’ perception towards their role in providing psychosocial care was positive (M = 73.71, SD ± 12.20). Items on “demonstrating warmth and friendliness by smiling” (M = 3.92, SD ± 0.28); and “explaining nursing procedures or interventions to the patient” (M = 3.88, SD ± 0.32) were rated most positive. Nevertheless, items on “referring patients to other health care team members” (M = 3.32, SD ± 0.83), and “discussing with patient and patient’s family regarding planned care” (M = 3.44, SD ± 0.69) were rated the least positive. The Mann-Whitney U test analysis revealed significant association between nurses’ age and perception towards their role in psychosocial care (p = 0.025), in which the older nurses have a more positive perception towards their role in psychosocial care than the younger nurses. Conclusion: The findings highlighted some important gaps in the practice of psychosocial care among the registered nurses. The information serves as a baseline for the planning and implementing of relevant strategies in enhancing nurses’ role in psychosocial care provision.
Perception ; Role ; Psychiatric Rehabilitation ; Nurses ; Hospitals

Background and Objective: There is a great challenge to establish a level 4 epilepsy care offeringcomplete evaluation for epilepsy surgery including invasive monitoring in a resource-limited country.This study aimed to report the setup of a level 4 comprehensive epilepsy program in Malaysia and theoutcome of epilepsy surgery over the past 4 years. Methods: This is a retrospective study analyzingcases with intractable epilepsy in a comprehensive epilepsy program in University Malaya MedicalCenter (UMMC), Kuala Lumpur, from January 2012 to August 2016. Results: A total of 92 caseshad comprehensive epilepsy evaluation from January 2012 till August 2016. The mean age was 35.57years old (range 15-59) and 54 (58.7%) were male. There were 17 cases having epilepsy surgeryafter stage-1 evaluation. Eleven cases had mesial temporal sclerosis and 81% achieved Engel classI surgical outcome. Six cases had lesionectomy and 60% had Engel class I outcome. A total of 16surgeries were performed after stage-2 evaluation, including invasive EEG monitoring in 9 cases.Among those with surgery performed more than 12 months from the time of data collection, 5/10(50%) achieved Engel I outcome, whereas 2 (20%) had worthwhile improvement (Engel class III)with 75% and 90% seizure reduction.Conclusion: Level 4 epilepsy care has an important role and is possible with joint multidisciplinaryeffort in a middle-income country like Malaysia despite resource limitation.

Nurses are the highest numbered healthcare professionals who work in a knowledgedriven environment, where accurate and updated information is needed when delivering care to clients. Information literacy has therefore become one of the criteria in determining nurses’ readiness for evidencebased practice in recent years. In the actual day-to-day care practice, are nurses ready for this? Objective: To determine the information literacy competency in readiness for evidence-based practice among clinical practicing registered nurses in a private hospital in Penang, Malaysia
Evidence-Based Practice ; Nurses ; Education, Nursing

The results of this study highlighted the respondents’ views to the management on the importance to align the approach of sponsoring CPD courses according to the nurses’ needs in order to meet their context of practice. The management also ought to take into consideration the identified challenges encountered by the nurses to participate in CPD upon achieving their mandatory CPD points specified by MNB.
Education, Nursing

Functional mobility among the older population is an important element for a meaningful quality of life. The implementation of functional mobility assessments among the older people is vital to ensure appropriate steps can be taken in order to detect changes in functional mobility. There are varieties of functional mobility assessments available however most of the reliability test are based on Western countries. Therefore this study was to determine the reliability of three types of functional mobility status assessment of physical activity, especially among the older person. Sixty older respondents with the average age of 76.32 years and standard deviation of 8.66 participated in this study performed three types of functional assessments; Six-Minute Walk Test (6MWT), Timed Up and Go Test (TUG), Sit-to-Stand Test (STS). Two measurements were carried out with a week gap from the first measurement. Intraclass Correlation (ICC), Limits of Agreement (LOA) and Standard Error of Measurement (SEM) statistical tests followed by the combination of the three statistical analysis measurements were used for data analysis. The results showed all functional measurement tools using ICC, LOA, SEM and combination of three types analysis were highy reliable. The ICC value was exceeded 0.90 (ICC=0.94-0.99). The LOA graph for all activity measurement tools showed some degree of reliability while the SEM percentage recorded a value of less than 10% (SEM%=0.95%-9.95%). In conclusion, all three functional measurement tools are highly reliable and can be used as one of the functional test among the older people in Malaysia.
Health Services for the Aged ; Quality of Life