Introduction: Early identification of patients at risk for severe multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) is essential for favourable clinical outcomes. This study aims to identify the clinical characteristics, factors and outcomes associated with severe MIS-C. Materials and methods: In this retrospective cohort study involving 14 major hospitals in Malaysia, children <15 years who met the United States Centres for Disease Control and Prevention case definition for MIS-C were included. Severe MIS-C was defined as children who required inotropic support, ventilatory support (invasive or non-invasive ventilation), or left ventricular ejection fraction of <55%. The factors investigated for severe MIS-C were demographic characteristics, the presence of comorbidities, clinical characteristics, and laboratory measures. Multivariable logistic regression was used to compute the adjusted odds ratio (aORs) of factors associated with severe MIS-C. Results: Among the 155 patients, 91 (58.7%) presented with severe MIS-C. Severe MIS-C was more likely in patients aged ≥5 years old (aOR 2.13, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.08-4.21), with dehydration (aOR 3.80, 95% CI 1.53-9.45), lethargy (aOR 2.02, 95% CI 0.97-4.18), tachycardia (aOR 8.33, 95% CI 3.27-21.22), albumin <30g/L (aOR 3.36, 95% CI 1.58-7.13), creatine kinase >200U/L (aOR 3.68, 95% CI 1.57-8.64), D-dimer >3.0µg/mL (aOR 2.11, 95% CI 1.08-4.13), ferritin >500ng/mL (aOR 3.77, 95% CI 1.88-7.55), prothrombin time >12.7 seconds (aOR 3.22, 95% CI 1.61-6.43), and urea >6mmol/L (aOR 5.09, 95% CI 2.04-12.71). Conclusion: Identification of these associated factors of severity in MIS-C could aid in early recognition and prompt escalation of care, leading to better outcomes.

Introduction: The disregard for hip flexion force when designing foot-operated equipment poses a potential threat to non-compliance with ergonomics principles, ultimately impacting occupational health. Nevertheless, there is a noticeable lack of studies focusing on the hip flexion strength of Malaysian adults in a standing position. This paper aimed to measure the maximum force of hip flexion strength and formulate a regression model for Malaysian young adults in a standing posture. Materials and methods: The experiment invited sixty Malaysian adults aged 20 to 26 years old. A digital force gauge (Mark-10, USA) was used to measure the hip flexion force. A regression model was developed to determine the influence of gender, body mass, body height, thigh length, and thigh circumference on the hip flexion force. Results: The results of this study found that the means of hip flexion force for the male and female participants were 192.8 N and 126.0 N, respectively. The regression model concluded that gender is the most significant factor influencing hip flexion force (p<0.01). The body mass, body height, thigh length, and thigh circumference positively correlate to hip flexion force. However, these correlations were not statistically significant (p>0.05). Conclusion: This study concluded that the relationship between anthropometric parameters and hip flexion force is not always straightforward and can be influenced by various factors. To gain a more comprehensive picture of hip flexion, it is essential to consider other potential factors such as muscle mass, neuromuscular control, and joint mechanics.

Introduction: The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) construct is recommended by the World Health Organization to assess intention for vaccination; however, there is yet a validated instrument in the context of booster dose Covid-19 vaccination in Malaysia. The purpose of the present study is to translate and investigate the factorial validity and internal reliability of the TPB construct for booster dose Covid-19 vaccination (TPB-BDV) questionnaire in Malaysia. Materials and methods: In the pre-testing of the study, five experts and 40 Malaysian adults respectively rated the content and validity index of all 11 items of the translated questionnaire in Malay version. Next, 160 Malaysian adults completed the Malay version of Theory of Planned Behavior- Booster Dose Vaccination (TPB-BDV) questionnaire via online. Results: In the pre-testing phase, Content Validity and Face Validity Index for 10 items in Malay version of TPB-BDV achieved cutoff mean score >3.0 for relevancy, clarity, ambiguity, and simplicity. Meanwhile, Item 8 scored low on relevancy. In the main study, exploratory factor analysis suggested three factors consisting of a final 10 items (without Item 8) which accounted for 74.0% of the total variance. The three factors were Attitude (5 items), Subjective Norms (3 items), and Perceived Behavioral Control (2 items). The internal reliability ranged from a = 0.83 to a = 0.93, with an overall value of a = 0.90. Conclusion: The findings suggest that the 10-items Malay version of TPB-BDV is valid and reliable to measure the individual decision in taking the Covid-19 booster-dose vaccine among Malaysian adult population.

Introduction: Paediatric asthma, a prevalent chronic disease among children in Malaysia, can have its morbidity reduced through effective education. This study aims to assess the knowledge and perceptions of childhood asthma in the Malaysian general population. Materials and methods: A prospective study was conducted among visitors attending paediatric wards and clinics at the Institute of Paediatric Hospital Kuala Lumpur. Participants, who gave their consent, completed validated questionnaires in written form that evaluated their knowledge of asthma symptoms, triggering factors, medication, prevention, and myth perception. A higher score indicated a deeper understanding of asthma. Results: The study included 200 participants, predominantly female (88%), with a median age of 35.5 years. Among them, 12% were asthmatics, and 36% had a family member with asthma. The primary source of asthma information was electronic media (82%). The average score for knowledge of asthma symptoms, triggering factors, medication prevention and myth was 62.13% (SD 17.6). 62.88% (SD 16.3), 56.7% (SD 16.5), 82% (SD 15.1) and 57.8% (SD 15.4) respectively. Asthma myth perception and source of asthma information from family members were strongly related (p-value of 0.042). Conclusion: The general population exhibits an average understanding of asthma, comparable to findings from previous studies in other countries. This highlights the need for targeted educational interventions to dispel myths and enhance asthma knowledge.

A series of comprehensive focus group discussions with active firefighters revealed that inconsistencies in incorporating a rigorous physical training program during work hours contributed significantly to the challenges of maintaining functional fitness, particularly strength. This article outlines a process for identifying the specific exercises required to enhance strength, drawing on the expertise and experience of physical trainers. Modified nominal group technique (mNGT) sessions were conducted to identify and rank exercises for five functional strengths (i.e., pushing, pulling, lifting, carrying, and dragging). A total of six physical trainers from the firefighter academy were interviewed to 1) identify the skeletal muscles involved in the functional movements using a visual aid; 2) generate ideas for exercises via brainstorming; 3) privately rank the displayed list of exercises for each muscle group involved in each functional movement; and 4) design a physical training programme for beginner, intermediate and advanced levels by manipulating loads. Males dominated the expert group (66.7%) and had a mean of 11.50 (SD 5.20) years of experience in physical training. The mNGTs yielded three top-ranking exercises for each functional strength: 1) Pushing: the push-up, sit-up, and jumping jack; 2) pulling: the push-up, jumping jack, and sit-up; 3) lifting: the jumping jack, push-up, and jumping squat; 4) carrying: the push-up, plank, and sit -up; and 5) dragging: the jumping jack, sit-up, and jumping squat. Then each exercise was designed for the beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels by manipulating loads (i.e. additional weight or number of repetitions). This study demonstrated that mNGT is an effective tool for identifying the three top-ranking exercises that address firefighter recruits’ functional strength. The experts chose multi-joint exercises targeting agonist and antagonist skeletal muscle groups and mimicking movements of daily work life. The exercises, corroborated by previous empirical evidence, provide opportunities for common skeletal muscle groupings to be targeted simultaneously to increase cardiovascular adaptations over a shorter period. The physical exercise is now ready to be implemented for piloting purposes among firefighter recruits.

Garlic is one of the herbs used as a flavor in food. But it is also known as traditional medicine among the Malay community. However, the scientific observation about the benefits of garlic, especially from the Islamic perspective has not been fully documented. Thus, in this research, we aim to unravel the remedies of garlic and its uniqueness from the Islamic perspective and explain the efficacy and uses of garlic in treating diseases practiced by the Malay community. The findings show that garlic as a traditional medicine has been used since time immemorial and has been proven to bring many good effects in curing diseases such as helping to lower body pressure, reduce the risk of cancer, eliminate bad breath and many more. The findings also show different beliefs, races, and cultures are among the factors in different ways of using garlic as a medicine. However, this study will focus more on Malay practitioners. In this research, descriptive analysis is used and involves many types of text such as Al-Qur’an, Hadith Nabawi, and selected Malay manuscripts on Malay traditional medicine to study the remedies of garlic and its practice among Malay practitioners. This study is important to increase the understanding and knowledge about the benefit of garlic in medicine as a cure rather than just using it as a flavor in food.

Introduction: The consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) among young adults in Malaysia has witnessed a notable increase in recent years, giving rise to concerns regarding the potential adverse health effects, including obesity and diabetes. Despite the urgent need for targeted interventions, there is a dearth of research examining the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) related to SSBs among Malaysian young adults. To address this research gap, the present study aims to assess the level of KAP concerning SSB intake and its associated factors in this specific population. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 408 Malaysian young adults aged between 15 and 29 years. Respondents completed an online questionnaire survey, which encompassed the assessment of socio-demographic characteristics and KAP regarding SSB consumption. The collected data were analyzed using IBM’s Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22.0. Spearman correlation tests were performed at a significance level of 0.05. Results: The majority of respondents demonstrated moderate knowledge (60%) and practices (60%), while exhibiting a high positive attitude (100%) towards reducing SSB consumption. Significant correlations were observed between knowledge and attitude (p = 0.003, rs = 0.148) and between knowledge and practice (p = 0.005, rs = 0.138). Moreover, the attitude scores were found to be significantly associated with gender (χ2 (1, N = 408) = 10.421, p = 0.001) and locality (χ2 (1, N = 408) = 4.106, p = 0.043), while the practice scores exhibited a significant association with ethnicity (p = 0.006). Conclusion: This study provides valuable insights into the relationship between KAP related to SSB consumption and socio-demographic factors among Malaysian young adults. The findings underscore the importance of utilizing these insights to develop strategic interventions that aim to curtail SSB consumption and promote a healthy lifestyle, ultimately contributing to the reduction of non-communicable diseases. Health authorities are encouraged to capitalize on these findings to design targeted interventions tailored to the unique needs and circumstances of this population.

Dengue is a mosquito-transmitted infection endemic in tropical and subtropical locations of the world where nearly half of the world’s population resides. The disease may present as mild febrile illness to severe and can even be fatal if untreated. There are four genetically related but antigenically distinct dengue virus (DENV) serotypes. Immune responses to DENV infection are in general protective but under certain conditions, they can also aggravate the disease. The importance of the cellular immune responses and the antibody responses involving IgG and IgM has been well-studied. In contrast, not much has been described on the potential role of hypersensitivity reactions involving IgE in dengue. Several studies have shown elevated levels of IgE in patients with dengue fever, but its involvement in the immune response against the virus and disease is unknown. Activation of mast cells (MCs) and basophils mediated through dengue-specific IgE could result in the release of mediators affecting dengue virus infection. The present review explores the relationships between the induction of IgE in dengue virus infection, and the potential role of MCs and basophils, exploring both protective and pathogenic aspects, including antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) of infection in dengue.

Staphylococcus aureus is a common bacterial pathogen known to cause various kinds of infections due to its repertoire of virulence factors. This study aimed to investigate the distribution of 19 types of virulence genes among clinical isolates of methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) using the polymerase chain reaction. A total of 109 MSSA isolates, i.e., 63 hospital-associated (HA) and 46 community-associated (CA) were collected from Hospital Sultanah Nur Zahirah, the main tertiary hospital in Terengganu, Malaysia, from July 2016 to June 2017. The most frequent virulence genes detected were hla (78.9%, n=86) and hld (78.0%, n=85) encoding hemolysins, lukED (56.9%, n=62) encoding leukotoxin ED, followed by seb (26.6%, n=29) and sea (24.8%, n=27) encoding enterotoxins. Among 34 (31.2%) isolates carrying six or more virulence genes, only five were multidrug resistant (MDR) while the remaining isolates were susceptible. Significant associations were discovered between the hld gene with CA-MSSA (p=0.016) and the seo gene with HA-MSSA (p=0.023). However, there is no significant association between virulence genes among the different types of infection. The clinical MSSA isolates in Terengganu showed high prevalence and high diversity of virulence gene carriage.

Islam places significant emphasis on mental health, urging Muslims to approach it holistically. Until now, this characterization serves as a starting point for discussing the definition and scope of Islamic spiritual care. This research aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of al-Balkhi's contributions to Islamic psychology and their relevance to modern mental health practice. The methodology utilized in this research is a literature review that synthesized information from scientific texts, research reports, and historical accounts related to alBalkhi's work. This review synthesizes Abu Zayd al-Balkhi's pioneering contributions to Islamic mental health principles, focusing on his seminal work Masalih al-Abdan Wa al-Anfus (Sustenance of the Body and Soul). This review highlights the enduring relevance of al-Balkhi's insights in mental health care, advocating for a holistic approach rooted in Islamic principles. His classifications of depressive states and therapeutic methods, like exposure-based treatments, still influence modern psychotherapy. Al-Balkhi's holistic view emphasizes the link between spiritual and physical well-being. Analyzing his theories alongside current knowledge aids in diagnosing consistently and guiding therapy effectively. Integrating historical perspectives can enhance culturally sensitive mental health interventions within Muslim communities, respecting diverse cultural contexts.