Introduction: Methanol poisoning usually occurs in a cluster and initial diagnosis can be challenging. Mortality is high without immediate interventions. This paper describes a methanol poisoning outbreak and difficulties in managing a large number of patients with limited resources. Methodology: A retrospective analysis of a methanol poisoning outbreak in September 2018 was performed, describing patients who presented to a major tertiary referral centre. Result: A total of 31 patients were received over the period of 9 days. Thirty of them were males with a mean age of 32 years old. They were mostly foreigners. From the 31 patients, 19.3% were dead on arrival, 3.2% died in the emergency department and 38.7% survived and discharged. The overall mortality rate was 61.3%. Out of the 12 patients who survived, two patients had toxic optic neuropathy, and one patient had uveitis. The rest of the survivors did not have any long-term complications. Osmolar gap and lactate had strong correlations with patient's mortality. Serum pH, bicarbonate, lactate, potassium, anion gap, osmolar gap and measured serum osmolarity between the alive and dead patients were significant. Post-mortem findings of the brain were unremarkable. Conclusion: The mortality rate was higher, and the morbidity includes permanent visual impairment and severe neurological sequelae. Language barrier, severity of illness, late presentation, unavailability of intravenous ethanol and fomipezole and delayed dialysis may have been the contributing factors. Patient was managed based on clinical presentation. Laboratory parameters showed difference in median between group that survived and succumbed for pH, serum bicarbonate, lactate, potassium and osmolar and anion gap. Management of methanol toxicity outbreak in resource-limited area will benefit from a well-designed guideline that is adaptable to the locality.

No abstract

The adoption of Big Data (BD) in higher education is still in its initial stages compared to other sectors. This has led to numerous frameworks for BD adoption in higher education, as different studies cover different scopes and objectives. This study aims to explore the readiness of University Teknologi MARA Cawangan Pahang (UiTM Pahang) towards BD adoption. Diffusion of Innovation and Technology, Environment, and Organization Theories will be used to explore the organization's readiness, while Unified Theory and Use of Technology elements will explore individual acceptance of BD. According to the findings, 25.7% of respondents are aware of the term "big data" but lack the skills to apply it in their workplace, and the majority (80%) of UiTM Pahang staff agree that adopting big data will increase their productivity. In the context of the use of technology, 70% of the respondents agreed that UiTM Pahang would support the use of big data in the organization. Approximately 80% of respondents believe that using big data will assist UiTM Pahang improve student performance, the teaching process, decision-making, and knowledge of future trends, thereby assisting in changing the academic curriculum. Hence, to increase the awareness and readiness of the staff toward BD adoption at UiTM Pahang, the top management can impart BD training and motivational support. The positive outlook of the overall state would lead to the ongoing improvement of the education system with continuous aid from both management and staff.

Working from home during pandemic has become a new practice after Covid-19 pandemic spreads globally. Education sectors are closed temporarily where academicians are required to conduct online learning session. Working at home has been challenging with less or no ergonomic elements especially on the teaching and learning facilities. The impact of less or zero ergonomics elements at workstation may contribute to short and long-term effects to physical and mental health. Spending long hours at work areas in front of the computer for getting the video and notes ready, composing records and meeting students on computer, sitting on regular seat that existed at home, feeling tense due to computer and technology illiteracy, as well as enduring body torments and stress are among the impacts of working at home during this pandemic. Nonetheless, this new normal needs to be adjusted and adapted immediately. This research aims to investigate the four factors of workstation ergonomic aspects; body position, health level, teaching and learning tools and chair seating that contribute to their body conditions level at early Covid-19 pandemic. Besides, this research focuses to examine the relationship between the four factors and complaints concerning body conditions among academicians in Universiti Teknologi MARA, Pahang Branch when working at home. It was discovered that body posture was the most important aspect of workstation ergonomics despite having a minor impact on academicians' overall body health. Next, academicians' health level played a minor role in workstation ergonomics although it has a significant impact on academicians' complaints about their bodies.