Perception and practices of public hospital pharmacists towards the antimicrobial stewardship programme in the State of Selangor, Malaysia.

Objective: The increase in antimicrobial resistance and the lack of new antimicrobial agents in drug discovery pipelines have called for global attention to mitigate the problem of antimicrobial misuse. While an antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) programme has been implemented in Malaysia, the perception and practices of public hospital pharmacists remain unknown. The aim of this study was to determine the perception and practices of Malaysian public hospital pharmacists towards the AMS programme in the state of Selangor, Malaysia.

The Economic Burden of Candidemia and Invasive Candidiasis: A Systematic Review.

Background: Candidemia or invasive candidiasis (IC) is an increasingly common fungal infection and has been associated with high mortality, particularly among the immunocompromised and critically ill. Although several studies have been conducted to estimate the cost of managing candidemia and IC, quality assessment on the methodological aspects of these cost studies was not performed. To date, no systematic review focusing on the economic burden of candidemia and IC has ever been conducted.

Cost-Effectiveness of Adjuvant Trastuzumab Therapy for Early Breast Cancer in Asia: A Systematic Review.

Objectives: To systematically review and assess the quality of the economic evidence of adjuvant trastuzumab usage in early breast cancer in Asian countries.

Methods: Literature search was performed using 6 electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus, Ovid MEDLINE, EconLit, National Health Service Economic Evaluation Database, and ISI Web of Knowledge). The final search was performed in October 2018.

Self-Care and Self-Management Among Adolescent T2DM Patients: A Review.

Uncontrolled hyperglycaemia can lead to macro- and microvascular complications. Adolescents with T2DM develop similar complications as in adults, including cardiovascular disease, stroke, myocardial infarction, renal insufficiency, and chronic renal failure. Although regular medical follow-up is essential to avoid long-term complications, patients with diabetes mellitus need to perform holistic self-care activities such as opting for a healthy diet, physical activity, self-monitoring, and proper medication.

Economic Evaluations on Antimicrobial Stewardship Programme: A Systematic Review.

Purpose: To systematically review studies on cost-effectiveness of implementing Antimicrobial stewardship programmes (ASP) in the hospital setting.

Methods: A systematic literature search was performed using electronic databases, such as EMBASE, PubMed/Medline, CINAHL, NHS and CEA Registry from 2000 until 2017. The quality of each included study was assessed using Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist for Economic Evaluations and Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards Statement checklist.

Knowledge on Alzheimer's Disease among Public Hospitals and Health Clinics Pharmacists in the State of Selangor, Malaysia.

The prevalence of Alzheimer's disease (AD) has increased with the fast growing of aging population, thereby posing great challenges to provision of care for AD patients. Pharmacists play a vital role in the management of AD; this includes recognizing early symptoms of AD, providing medication counseling to AD patients and their caretakers, and identifying potential adverse drug reactions. A comprehensive understanding of the disease progression, as well as the pharmacological therapy, is essential to provide effective care to AD patients.

Nitric oxide is required for the insulin sensitizing effects of contraction in mouse skeletal muscle.

Key Points: People with insulin resistance or type 2 diabetes can substantially increase their skeletal muscle glucose uptake during exercise and insulin sensitivity after exercise. Skeletal muscle nitric oxide (NO) is important for glucose uptake during exercise, although how prior exercise increases insulin sensitivity is unclear. In the present study, we examined whether NO is necessary for normal increases in skeletal muscle insulin sensitivity after contraction ex vivo in mouse muscle.

Reliable Quantification of the Potential for Equations Based on Spot Urine Samples to Estimate Population Salt Intake: Protocol for a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Methods based on spot urine samples (a single sample at one time-point) have been identified as a possible alternative approach to 24-hour urine samples for determining mean population salt intake.

Objective: The aim of this study is to identify a reliable method for estimating mean population salt intake from spot urine samples. This will be done by comparing the performance of existing equations against one other and against estimates derived from 24-hour urine samples.

Skeletal muscle glucose uptake during treadmill exercise in neuronal nitric oxide synthase-μ knockout mice.

Nitric oxide influences intramuscular signaling that affects skeletal muscle glucose uptake during exercise. The role of the main NO-producing enzyme isoform activated during skeletal muscle contraction, neuronal nitric oxide synthase-μ (nNOSμ), in modulating glucose uptake has not been investigated in a physiological exercise model. In this study, conscious and unrestrained chronically catheterized nNOSμ(+/+) and nNOSμ(-/-) mice either remained at rest or ran on a treadmill at 17 m/min for 30 min.

Medication Errors in the Southeast Asian Countries: A Systematic Review.

Background: Medication error (ME) is a worldwide issue, but most studies on ME have been undertaken in developed countries and very little is known about ME in Southeast Asian countries. This study aimed systematically to identify and review research done on ME in Southeast Asian countries in order to identify common types of ME and estimate its prevalence in this region.

Methods: The literature relating to MEs in Southeast Asian countries was systematically reviewed in December 2014 by using; Embase, Medline, Pubmed, ProQuest Central and the CINAHL.

No effect of NOS inhibition on skeletal muscle glucose uptake during in situ hindlimb contraction in healthy and diabetic Sprague-Dawley rats.

Nitric oxide (NO) has been shown to be involved in skeletal muscle glucose uptake during contraction/exercise, especially in individuals with Type 2 diabetes (T2D). To examine the potential mechanisms, we examined the effect of local NO synthase (NOS) inhibition on muscle glucose uptake and muscle capillary blood flow during contraction in healthy and T2D rats. T2D was induced in Sprague-Dawley rats using a combined high-fat diet (23% fat wt/wt for 4 wk) and low-dose streptozotocin injections (35 mg/kg).

Glucose uptake during contraction in isolated skeletal muscles from neuronal nitric oxide synthase μ knockout mice.

Inhibition of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) significantly attenuates the increase in skeletal muscle glucose uptake during contraction/exercise, and a greater attenuation is observed in individuals with Type 2 diabetes compared with healthy individuals. Therefore, NO appears to play an important role in mediating muscle glucose uptake during contraction. In this study, we investigated the involvement of neuronal NOSμ (nNOSμ), the main NOS isoform activated during contraction, on skeletal muscle glucose uptake during ex vivo contraction.

Role of nitric oxide in skeletal muscle glucose uptake during exercise.

Nitric oxide is produced within skeletal muscle fibres and has various functions in skeletal muscle. There is evidence that NO may be essential for normal increases in skeletal muscle glucose uptake during contraction/exercise. Although there have been some discrepant results, it has been consistently demonstrated that inhibition of NO synthase (NOS) attenuates the increase in skeletal muscle glucose uptake during contraction in mouse and rat muscle ex vivo, during in situ contraction in rats and during exercise in humans.

Urinary metabolic evaluation of stone formers-a Malaysian perspective.

Objective: To investigate the urinary metabolic excretion pattern among local stone formers given the great differences in the intrinsic and extrinsic risk factors as well as the urinary metabolic excretions compared with other populations.

Methods: Thirty urinary stone formers out of an initial 62 recruited provided a complete 24-hour urine sample for metabolic evaluation. Student's t-test and Pearson correlation test were used for the statistical analysis.

Twenty-four hour and spot urine metabolic evaluations: correlations versus agreements.

Objectives: To investigate the correlations and agreements between the solute/creatinine ratios from the 24-hour and early morning spot urine samples for metabolic evaluation in stone-formers given the various pitfalls with the 24-hour urinary metabolic evaluation in stone-formers.

Methods: 30 urinary stone-formers out of an initial 62 recruited provided a complete 24-hour urine and early morning spot urine samples for metabolic evaluation. Pearson correlation and Bland and Altman Test were used to assess the correlations and agreements.