Repository@USM
Welcome to closed access digital repository of Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM).
This repository contains multiple types of scholarly materials, especially USM theses and exam papers.
“Any doctoral thesis or academic work owned by Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) that is downloaded through its official platforms shall not be shared, distributed, printed, or reproduced in any form to third parties without explicit written permission from USM. Any breach of this condition constitutes a violation of institutional intellectual property rights and may result in disciplinary action, legal proceedings, or revocation of academic credentials, depending on the severity of the offence.”
To access the full text, please log in with your USM email account.
Research outputs
7871
Projects
0
People
0
Recent Additions
- PublicationBilastine for the treatment of allergic rhinitis: A systematic review and meta-analysis(2021)Objective: Bilastine is a non-sedating second generation H1 oral antihistamine (OAH) for treating allergic rhinitis (AR) patients. The aim of this review was to determine the efficacy and safety of bilastine in treating AR. Methods: We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials CENTRAL (2020, issue 2) and MEDLINE (1966 to November 2020) and Web of Science (1985 to November 2020). Randomized controlled trials comparing bilastine with placebo and standard pharmacotherapy were included. The included studies must have diagnosis of AR established by clinicians and the outcomes must have a minimum of two weeks of follow-up period. The primary outcomes assessed were total symptom score (TSS), nasal symptom score (NSS) and non-nasal symptom score (NNSS). The secondary outcomes were discomfort due to rhinitis, quality of life (QOL) and adverse events. The risk of bias and quality of evidence for all studies were appraised. The meta-analysis was done using Review Manager 5.3 software based on the random-effects model. This study is registered with PROSPERO CRD 42019125401). Result: The search identified 135 records after removal of duplicates. Following screening and review of the records, fifteen full-text articles were assessed for eligibility. Five trials involving 3,329 patients met the inclusion criteria. Bilastine was superior to placebo in improving TSS, NSS, NNSS, rhinitis discomfort score and QOL but has comparable efficacy with other OAHs in TSS, NSS, NNS, rhinitis discomfort score and QOL. There was no difference in adverse effects when bilastine was compared against placebo and other OAHs except for somnolence. Bilastine has fewer incidence of somnolence compared to cetirizine. The overall quality of evidence ranged from low to high quality. Conclusion: Bilastine is effective and safe in treating the overall symptoms of AR with comparable efficacy and safety with other OAHs except it has less somnolence than cetirizine.
- PublicationThe effect of a brown-rice diet on glycemic control and metabolic parameters in prediabetes and type 2 diabetes mellitus: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials and controlled clinical trials(2021)Background. Brown rice is a whole-grain food that is often assumed to have a lower glycemic index compared to white rice. A few studies have objectively confirmed the effect of a brown-rice diet on glycemic control and metabolic parameters compared to a white-rice diet. The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of brown rice on glycemic control and metabolic parameters in prediabetes and type 2 diabetes. The researchers conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials and controlled clinical trials. Methods: PRISMA guidelines were used as the basis of this systematic review. Relevant studies were identified by searching the following databases: Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE (PubMed), as well as Epistemonikos for randomized controlled trials and controlled clinical trials published not later than January 2021 involving adults with prediabetes and type 2 diabetes mellitus who were consuming brown rice compared with those consuming white rice. The primary outcomes measured were glycated hemoglobin and fasting blood glucose levels. The secondary outcomes were body weight, waist circumference, systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. The mean differences with 95% confidence intervals between brown and white-rice-diet groups were calculated using a random-effects model. Results: Seven trials involving 417 adults with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes were included in this study. Brown-rice diet did not improve the glycemic control because it had no effect on the glycated hemoglobin level (p = 0.150) and the fasting blood glucose level (p = 0.950) compared to the white-rice diet. Brown-rice diet reduced body weight (p < 0.001; MD -2.2 kg; 95% CI: -3.13 to -1.26; I2 = 0%). However, it had no effect on the waist circumference (p = 0.090), systolic blood pressure (p = 0.600) and diastolic blood pressure level (p = 0.400). HDL-cholesterol level is increased in brown-rice diet (p = 0.010; MD 0.10, 95% CI 0.02 to 0.17; I2 = 44%), but it had no effect on the LDL-cholesterol level (p = 0.810). Conclusions: The available evidence indicated that consuming brown rice as a substitute for white rice does not affect glycemic control in pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes patients. Brown rice, however, may be used as an alternative to white rice in such patients because it was found to reduce body weight and increase HDL-cholesterol levels. The benefits of a brown-rice diet on glycemic control may not be detected in short-term studies. The obtained evidence in this meta-analysis ranged from low to moderate quality. Thus, more high-quality trials with larger sample size and a longer follow-up duration are needed to further investigate the effects of a brown-rice diet on diabetes glycemic control with stronger evidence.
- PublicationPredictors and outcomes of meropenem treatment failure among patients with septic shock in the intensive care unit(2021)Background Recently, the inappropriate used of meropenem in critically ill patient were increased. Thus, increased development of drug resistance bacteria towards meropenem. Therefore, this study evaluated the appropriate use of meropenem and determined the predictors of meropenem treatment failure as well as the patient outcomes. Methods This was a retrospective, cohort study, involving patients who were admitted to medical and surgical ICU HUSM since 1st January 2016 until 1st June 2019 and were diagnosed as septic shock, then started on IV meropenem The cases were divided into 2 groups. Treatment success is defined as resolved fever, reduced total white cell (TWC), reduced c-reactive protein (CRP) and subsequent culture and sensitivity sampling negative Results A total of 354 patients were recruited. Most patient were male. A 50 patient were not responded to treatment. The mean age was 54.7 (SD = 17.87). Among all the studied factors, only APCHE mean 25.22 (SD = 6.85) and SOFA 8.74 (SD = 4.82) were found to be independently associated with treatment failure. The higher risk of mortality was observed among patients with higher APACHE, SOFA score and with antibiotics >72 hours (adjusted OR = 1.21; 95% CI: 1.12, 1.30; P<0.001), (adjusted OR = 1.23; 95% CI: 1.08, 1.41; P<0.001), and (adjusted OR = 6.38; 95% CI: 1.67, 24.50; P=0.007). Besides that, treatment failure chances were equal to 1 for those who received meropenem less than 5 days Conclusion A total of 50 (14.12%) patient had a treatment failure with meropenem. The predictors of meropenem failure were higher APACHE and SOFA score.
- PublicationNon-compliance and its associated factors to iron chelation therapy among transfusion dependent thalassaemia patients in Kelantan and Terengganu(2021)Title: Non-compliance and its associated factors to iron chelation therapy among transfusion dependent thalassaemia patients in Kelantan and Terengganu. Introduction: Patients with transfusion dependent thalassaemia (TDT) require regular blood transfusion for life unless receiving haemopoietic stem cell transplant. Iron overload is a common complication of it, and effective iron chelation therapy improves survival. Despite the availability of variable of iron chelating agents, there is limited data on compliance with them. Aim: To determine the proportion of non-compliance to iron chelation therapy (ICT) and its associated factors amongst patients with transfusion-dependent thalassaemia in Malaysia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted amongst patients with TDT aged 9 years old and above, who were on iron chelation treatment, attending three tertiary hospitals in Kelantan and Terengganu. The socio-demographic, clinical and chelator history of patients were obtained. The compliance of patients to chelators was assessed using the Medication Compliance Questionnaire (MCQ). Social support was assessed using the Medical Outcome Study–Social Support Survey (MOS). Associated factors with non-compliance were analysed using simple and multiple logistic regression, while the association between MRI result and serum ferritin with compliance status was explored by using either Chi-square or Fisher’s exact test. Results: The proportion of non-compliance to ICT was 24.7% (95% CI:18.7, 30.8). Age [OR (95% CI): 1.05 (1.00, 1.09)], perceived restriction of activity: [OR: 2.34 (1.08, 5.12)] and latest serum ferritin level of ≥1000 μg/L: [OR: 3.59 (1.30, 10.00)] were significantly associated with non-compliance to ICT. Significant association was observed between non-compliance and MRI liver (p=0.036), but not with MRI cardiac result (p-0.908). Conclusion: The non-compliance to ICT amongst patients with TDT in Kelantan and Terengganu is high. Providing motivational interview, enhanced self-empowerment of patients and psychological support are recommended to improve the non-compliance aspect amongst patients on ICT.
Most viewed
- PublicationCorrelating rock mass quality with tbm performance in pahang-selangor raw water transfer tunnel(2023-08-01)The rock mass classification system and the numerical modelling are the two main design tools widely used in tunnel stability investigations. Subjective uncertainties is a major challenge with the use of rock classification systems, thus the need for data-driven classifiers. Also, ignoring uncertainties in the post-peak rock mass strength parameters in numerical modelling may lead to underestimation of probability of failure. The purpose of this study is to account for the uncertainties in these two tunnel design tools. To address the subjectivity in the classification system specifically the JH system, four machine learning models: Support Vector Machine (SVM), K-nearest neighborhood (KNN), Random forest (RF), and extremely randomized trees (ERT) were used to develop data-driven rock mass classifiers for the Pahang-Selangor Raw Water Tunnel (PSRWT) in Malaysia. The entire database used for this research consists of 180 rock mass data and 79,813 TBM operating data points. This dataset represents 11.6 km of the tunnel from chainage 6.85 km to chainage 18.59 km. Nine (9) Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) operating parameters; rate of penetration, cutterhead torque, cutterhead thrust force, cutterhead revolution per minute, stroke speed, boring pressure, pitching, and motor amps were used as input variables. The results indicate that ERT has the potential to correctly identify rock masses and also has a good generalization ability . To also address the uncertainties in the numerical techniques, the point estimate method (PEM) incorporated in RS2 was used to model two case scenarios. In case 1, uncertainties in both peak and post-peak rock mass strength parameters were considered whereas in case 2, only uncertainties in the peak parameters were considered. A comparison of the two cases revealed that the probability of failure was significantly underestimated when the uncertainties in the post-peak rock mass strength parameters were ignored.
- PublicationAssessment Of Water Resources Vulnerability Using Geographic Information Systems (Gis) And Analytic Hierarchy Process (Ahp) In Al-Karak, Jordan(2025-03)Climate change and global population growth have exacerbated water scarcity, highlighting the urgent need for comprehensive vulnerability assessments in the water sector. While extensive research has addressed the impacts of climate change on water resources, a critical gap remains in developing a comprehensive framework with sufficient indicators tailored specifically for water resource vulnerability. Jordan, ranked as one of the world’s most water-poor countries, faces compounded challenges due to its arid climate and the growing pressure on resources from an influx of refugees. With projections indicating a decline in the country’s annual per capita water share from 145 m³ in optimal years to less than 90 m³ by 2025, this crisis underscores the need for sustainable water management to ensure long-term development and resilience. This study focuses on assessing water resource vulnerability in al-karak, jordan, over a 36-year period (1987–2020). By integrating remote sensing (rs), geographic information systems (gis), and the analytical hierarchy process (ahp), a gis-based model was developed to evaluate the long-term impacts of climate change and identify areas most vulnerable to water scarcity in this semi-arid region. The research identified key spatial variables influencing water vulnerability, including precipitation, temperature, soil type, land cover, population density, water demand, groundwater recharge, topography, and groundwater quality.
- PublicationDynamic hand gesture recognition using deep learning technique(2023-08)Nowadays, the traditional input devices such as mouse, keyboards and remotes are gradually replaced by alternative methods due to the lack of flexibility. Typically, the popular ways for humans to interact with computers include voice commands and body language which are commonly used in commercial electronic products. Hand gestures are the most effective methods of meaningful expression compared to gestures of other body parts. However, there are limitations in detection due to background complexity, illumination variation and occlusion in a vision-based hand gesture recognition system. Complex articulated shape of the hand increases difficulty in modelling the appearance of the hand. In some cases, sub-gesture problem occurs when a gesture is same as a sub-part of a longer gesture. Apart than that, the differentiation between the meaningful and meaningless motion trajectory is a challenging issue for dynamic hand gesture recognition. Hence, a real-time hand tracking and gesture recognition system is proposed. In this project, a real-time hand tracking and landmarks estimation is implemented in PyCharm with the aid of OpenCV and MediaPipe. Then, hand gesture recognition is performed using basic CNN algorithm. The network is built and trained using Keras.
- ItemParathyroid gland volume as one of the indicators for parathyroidectomy in secondary hyperparathyroidism(Pusat Pengajian Sains Perubatan, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 2018-05)Background Secondary hyperparathyroidism occurs as a result of the failure of the kidneys to provide adequate calcium and phosphate homeostasis in chronic kidney disease. In the long run, there are other associated disorders of bone metabolism that follows, leading to incapacitating disabilities. Treatment of secondary hyperparathyroidism is centered around the control of hyperphosphatemia and hypocalcemia, and this can be achieved by medical therapy or surgery to remove the parathyroid glands. This study aims to determine the volume of the parathyroid gland in relation to its degree of hyperplasia, and subsequently to use the volume of the parathyroid gland as an indicator for parathyroidectomy. Methods This is a case control study conducted in Hospital Queen Elizabeth II, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. It involves patients with end stage renal disease on dialysis, who have undergone parathyroidectomy for secondary hyperparathyroidism from 1st January 2012 until 31st December 2017. The study includes all patients who have undergone parathyroidectomy in the study period, and excludes patients with primary hyperparathyroidism, patients with incomplete biochemical markers prior to surgery, and those with incomplete documentation of histopathological results. The data is thenanalyzed and results generated using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 24 . Results 56 patients who had undergone parathyroidectomy for secondary hyperparathyroidism were studied. We noted poor results with ultrasonography on detection of parathyroid glands in our setting. There was no significant relationship between the actual volume of the parathyroid gland as seen on histopathological examination, or the volume on ultrasound with the degree of hyperplasia of the gland. There was also no significant relationship between the preoperative iPTH levels an the size of the gland nor the degree of hyperplasia of the gland. Conclusion The volume of the parathyroid gland should not be used as the sole indicator of parathyroidectomy. While ultrasound is useful as a non-invasive assessment of the response to medical therapy, we failed to demonstrate the significance of the volume of the gland with the degree of hyperplasia, which reflects on its response to medical therapy. Therefore we suggest that other parameters such as preoperative iPTH levels and symptoms of mineral bone disorders should be taken into consideration prior to parathyroidectomy.
- ItemKajian analisa kandungan akhbar terhadap aspek laporan pemberitaan penyiasatan keatas empat akhbar harian dan mingguan yang te(Universiti Sains Malaysia, 1983)Penyelidikan ke atas tajuk ini berkaitan dengan konsep kebebasan akhbar di Malaysia.Satu topik yang menjadi kegemaran dan perhatian pihak pemerintah dan pihak akhbar sendiri.