Clinical severity of Omicron and Delta SARS-CoV-2 infections in children.

Background: We aimed to compare the clinical features and severity of the Omicron and Delta variant infections among children hospitalized for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Methods: Children 12 years old or less hospitalized for COVID-19 across five hospitals between January 1, 2021 and March 31, 2022 were identified using the state's pediatric COVID-19 registry. Delta and Omicron-infected patients without previous COVID-19 infection, COVID-19 vaccination, or co-infections were propensity-score matched 1:1 to control for differences in baseline characteristics.

Epidemiology, clinical characteristics and outcomes of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children.

Background: We describe the epidemiology, clinical characteristics, and outcomes of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) among children from Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia.

Methods: A retrospective, multicentre, observational study was performed among children ≤15 years old who were hospitalized for MIS-C between January 18, 2021 and June 30, 2023. The incidence of MIS-C was estimated using reported SARS-CoV-2 cases and census population data.

A techno-economic investigation of conventional and innovative desiccant solutions based on moisture sorption analysis.

Liquid desiccant technology is an energy-efficient substitute for technologies that are conventionally applied for temperature and humidity control; however, innovative desiccant solutions have not been extensively explored in terms of their performance and feasibility. This work aimed to investigate desiccant solutions with moisture sorption analysis technically and economically. Various conditions of temperature and humidity were tested in a climatic chamber and the moisture absorption and desorption capacity, thermo-chemical energy storage capacity, and cost of conventional and innovative desiccant solutions were assessed by experiment.

Clinical characteristics of COVID-19 in hospitalized young infants and risk factors for disease severity.

Background: This study aimed to describe the clinical characteristics and severity of young infants hospitalized with COVID-19 and study the relationship between breastfeeding and maternal COVID-19 vaccination on the severity of COVID-19.

Methods: A retrospective, observational study was performed among infants aged 6 months and below hospitalized for COVID-19 in a tertiary state hospital in Malaysia between February 1 and April 30, 2022. The primary outcome was "serious disease," defined as pneumonia requiring respiratory support or dehydration with warning signs.

Risk factors for disease severity among children with Covid-19: a clinical prediction model.

Background: Children account for a significant proportion of COVID-19 hospitalizations, but data on the predictors of disease severity in children are limited. We aimed to identify risk factors associated with moderate/severe COVID-19 and develop a nomogram for predicting children with moderate/severe COVID-19.

Methods: We identified children ≤ 12 years old hospitalized for COVID-19 across five hospitals in Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia, from 1 January 2021 to 31 December 2021 from the state's pediatric COVID-19 case registration system.

Comparison of Severe Viral Pneumonia Caused by SARS-CoV-2 and Other Respiratory Viruses Among Malaysian Children During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Objectives: We described the etiology of severe pneumonia in children during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia and compared the clinical features of severe SARS-CoV-2 to other respiratory viruses.

Methods: This retrospective study included all children aged 12 years and below hospitalized with severe pneumonia in Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia, between 1 April 2021 and 31 October 2021. We extracted demographic and clinical data and used logistic regression to examine risk factors associated with severe SARS-CoV-2 or other viral pneumonia.

Whole-Genome Sequencing of Streptomycin-Resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis Strain SBH145 from Sabah, Malaysia.

This paper reports on the whole-genome sequencing of a streptomycin-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis strain that was isolated from a patient with pulmonary tuberculosis in Sabah state of Malaysian Borneo. The strain belongs to the EAI2-Manila family of lineage 1 and is clustered with M. tuberculosis strains from the Philippines, India, and Taiwan.

Recent advances in halal food authentication: Challenges and strategies.

Increasing public awareness of food quality and safety has prompted a rapid increase in food authentication of halal food, which covers the production method, technical processing, identification of undeclared components, and species substitution in halal food products. This urges for extensive research into analytical methods to obtain accurate and reliable results for monitoring and controlling the authenticity of halal food. Nonetheless, authentication of halal food is often challenging because of the complex nature of food and the increasing number of food adulterants that cause detection difficulties.

An overview of solutions for airborne viral transmission reduction related to HVAC systems including liquid desiccant air-scrubbing.

The spread of the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 affects the health of people and the economy worldwide. As air transmits the virus, heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems in buildings, enclosed spaces and public transport play a significant role in limiting the transmission of airborne pathogens at the expenses of increased energy consumption and possibly reduced thermal comfort. On the other hand, liquid desiccant technology could be adopted as an air scrubber to increase indoor air quality and inactivate pathogens through temperature and humidity control, making them less favourable to the growth, proliferation and infectivity of microorganisms.

Risk factors associated with household transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia.

Aim: Households are a significant venue for the transmission of SARS-CoV-2. We conducted a study to characterise the transmission dynamics and identify risk factors for household transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia.

Methods: This retrospective observational study included 185 families of paediatric COVID-19 cases from 1 February 2020 to 31 December 2020.

Clinical and epidemiological characteristics of children with COVID-19 in Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia.

Objectives: To describe the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of children with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the state of Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia in the setting of mandatory hospital isolation and quarantine for all confirmed cases.

Methods: A multi-centre, retrospective observational study was performed among children aged ≤12 years with laboratory-proven COVID-19 between 1 February and 31 December 2020.

Results: In total, 261 children (48.

COVID-19 in a premature infant.

We report a case of COVID-19 in a 29-week preterm infant. This child is the youngest reported case of SARS-CoV-2 infection in Malaysia, and to the best of our knowledge, one of the youngest documented cases of established vertical transmission of SARS-CoV-2 reported in literature. Our report highlights the clinical course, timelines of viral shedding by real-time reverse transcription-PCR and antibody seroconversion in a premature infant infected with SARS-CoV-2.

The whole genome sequence data analyses of a strain SBH321 isolated in Sabah, Malaysia, belongs to Ural family of Lineage 4.

In 2019, 10 million new cases of tuberculosis have been reported worldwide. Our data reports genetic analyses of a strain SBH321 isolated from a 31-year-old female with pulmonary tuberculosis. The genomic DNA of the strain was extracted from pure culture and subjected to sequencing using Illumina platform.

Identification and Characterization of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Beijing Genotype Strain SBH163, Isolated in Sabah, Malaysia.

This is a report on the whole-genome sequence of strain SBH163, which was isolated from a patient in the Malaysian Borneo state of Sabah. This report provides insight into the molecular characteristics of an Beijing genotype strain related to strains from Russia and South Africa.

Whole genome sequencing data and analysis of a rifampicin-resistant strain SBH162 from Sabah, Malaysia.

A strain SBH162 was isolated from a 49-year-old male with pulmonary tuberculosis. GeneXpert MDR/RIF identified the strain as rifampicin-resistant . The whole genome sequencing was performed using Illumina HiSeq 4000 system to further investigate and verify the mutation sites of the strain through genetic analyses namely variant calling using bioinformatics tools.

Improving Health Screening Uptake in Men: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Context: Globally, uptake of health screening in men remains low and the effectiveness of interventions to promote screening uptake in men is not well established. This review aimed to determine the effectiveness of interventions in improving men's uptake of and intention to undergo screening, including interventions using information and communication technology and a male-sensitive approach.

Evidence Acquisition: Studies were sourced from five electronic databases (October 2015), experts, and references of included studies.

Performance of photocatalytic reactors using immobilized TiO2 film for the degradation of phenol and methylene blue dye present in water stream.

TiO2 thin film photocatalyst was successfully synthesized and immobilized on glass reactor tube using sol-gel method. The synthesized TiO2 coating was transparent, which enabled the penetration of ultra-violet (UV) light to the catalyst surface. Two photocatalytic reactors with different operating modes were tested: (a) tubular photocatalytic reactor with re-circulation mode and (b) batch photocatalytic reactor.