bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Live Streaming Meets Online Shopping in the Connected World
Authors: Ho Ree C. , Rajadurai Kanesh Gopal
Published: July 2019

With the increased usage of live stream video, this chapter examined consumer product learning process in using it as a platform to shop online. Live stream video has been utilized to show and demonstrate product specifications and information. By depending on it, the prospective consumer uses the interactive videos to help them make purchase decision. However, the extent of the social live video in promoting the product knowledge is not examined yet. Hence, there is a need to examine the power of social live video in enhancing customer learning during the shopping. The main objective is to understand how the act of live streaming may change the viewer impression towards a brand or product. Secondly, the authors also investigate the subsequent knowledge gained by watching the live stream footage and how could it exert influence on product purchase. This study developed an integrative framework by combining the theories of relative advantage and absorptive capacity to examine the underlying factors in the use of social live stream video.
A Systematic Review of Digital Marketing in South Africa
Authors: Nsahlai Vera , Khoase Refiloe , Ndayizigamiye Patrick , Dube Shopee M.
Published: July 2019

This chapter investigates the extent of digital marketing usage in South Africa, its perceived impact, and factors that influence its adoption in the South African context. The methodology adopted is the systematic review using the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) framework. The results show that digital platforms currently used include mobile marketing (SMS) and social media platforms. The findings suggest that SMS-based marketing may be appealing to other market segments but not to young adults. The findings further suggest that social media marketing has had a significant influence on the purchase intentions among South African millennials (Generation Y). Moreover, the findings suggest that marketers, in their quest to influence customer purchasing decisions, should consider the knowledge that social media followers have regarding a subject matter (such as a product), and make an effort to educate those followers on the subject (or product) before suggesting a purchase.
Flood Vulnerability, Risk, and Susceptibility Assessment
Authors: Anees Mohd Talha , Abu Bakar Ahmad Farid Bin , San Lim Hwee , Abdullah Khiruddin , Nordin Mohd Nawawi Mohd , Rahman Nik Norulaini Nik Ab , Ishak Muhammad Izzuddin Syakir , Kadir Mohd Omar Abdul
Published: July 2019

Flood can be assessed through flood vulnerability, risk, and susceptibility analysis using remote sensing, geographic information system, and hydrological modelling. In this chapter, different stages, complexities, and processes of flood vulnerability, risk, and susceptibility assessment were discussed. The study reveals that flood vulnerability should be assessed based on four aspects: physical, social, economic, and environmental. Flood risk should be assessed by three stages: risk analysis, disaster relief, and preparedness, whereas flood susceptibility assessment involves three processes. Overall, it was found that the responsible factors vary as per the local conditions, which need to be carefully analyzed and selected. Furthermore, the role of remote sensing and geographic information system in flood risk management were found important especially in flood risk mapping and in the selection of responsible flooding factors.
Hydraulic Modeling of Oued El Jawaher Using HEC-RAS Model for Flood Protection
Authors: Maroua Himedi , Zineb Moumen , Abderahim Lahrach
Published: July 2019

Flooding has a wide range of impacts on societies and natural environments. In this sense, the city of Fez suffers from these problems reflected by the overflow of Oued El Jawaher during the rainy periods. This situation led the authors to compare between the current situation and the situation developed by the thresholds of Oued El Jawaher. HEC-RAS hydraulic model consists of 31 cross-sections, which will be used in the course of this study. The simulations will concern the current state and the developed state for flows of different frequencies. The result of the simulations confirms that the capacity of the proposed hydraulic structures is insufficient to transit and should be considered. To conclude, the development of the channel by thresholds, which serves for the creation of water plan, magnifies the risk of an overflow of the banks of the canal by the water line along with the longitudinal profile.
Predicting Search Intent Based on In-Search Context for Exploratory Search
Authors: Singh Vikram
Published: July 2019

Modern information systems are expected to assist users with diverse goals, via exploiting the topical dimension (‘what' the user is searching for) of information needs. However, the intent dimension (‘why' the user is searching) has preferred relatively lesser for the same intention. Traditionally, the intent is an ‘immediate reason, purpose, or goal' that motivates the user search, and captured in search contexts (Pre-search, In-search, Pro-Search), an ideal information system would be able to use. This article proposes a novel intent estimation strategy; based on the intuition that captured intent, and proactively extracts likely results. The captured ‘Pre-search' context adapts query term proximities within matched results beside document-term statistics and pseudo-relevance feedback with user-relevance feedback for In-search. The assessment asserts the superior performance of the proposed strategy over the equivalent on tradeoffs, e.g., novelty, diversity (coverage, topicality), retrieval (precision, recall, F-measure) and exploitation vs exploration.
A Study on Developing Cardiac Signals Recording Framework (CARDIF) Using a Reconfigurable Real-Time Embedded Processor
Authors: Arun Uma , Sriraam Natarajan
Published: July 2019

Due to recent developments in technology, there is a significant growth in healthcare monitoring systems. The most widely monitored human physiological parameters is electrocardiogram (ECG) which is useful for inferring the physiological state of humans. Most of the existing multi-channel ECG acquisition systems were not accessible in resource-constrained settings. This research study proposes a cardiac signal recording framework (CARDIF) using a reconfigurable input-output real-time embedded processor by employing a virtual instrumentation platform. The signal acquisition was configured using Lab VIEW virtual instrumentation block sets. A graphical user interface (GUI) was developed for real-time data acquisition and visualization. The time domain heart rate variability (HRV) statistics were calculated using CARDIF, and the same were compared with a clinical grade 12-channel ECG system. The quality of the acquired signals obtained from the proposed and standard systems was measured and compared by calculating signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). The proposed CARDIF was evaluated qualitatively by visual inspection by a clinician and quantitatively by fidelity measures and vital parameters estimation. The results are quite promising and can be extended for clinical validations.
Recordings of Impedance and Communication Between Defibrillator and Pacemaker Electrodes
Authors: Jarløv Anders , Jarløv Anne Elisabeth , Jensen Tim Toftgaard
Published: July 2019

External defibrillation involves short electric shocks of several thousand volts applied to the chest of patients suffering from heart stop. The shock coordinates disorganized muscle fibers of the heart which then can resume normal activity. Implanted pacemakers monitor the natural electrical activity of the heart via electrodes mounted permanently on the inside of the heart. If this activity is insufficient, the pacemaker stimulates the heart muscle by applying a short electrical impulse of a few volts. During the period of defibrillation, voltage differences arise simultaneously between various locations of the body preventing recordings of the heart's natural activity. In order to quantify parameters determining voltage and current in a conductive medium or in a myocardium when defibrillator and pacemaker electrodes are present simultaneously, impedances between electrodes positioned on conductive materials were recorded in laboratory set ups, and the methods were tested using a porcine heart in vitro.
Impact of E-Learning Strategies to Design E-Portfolio on Achievement Motivation and Product Quality
Authors: Ismaeel Dina Ahmed , Al Mulhim Ensaf Nasser
Published: July 2019

This article focuses on comparing two e-learning strategies (cooperative versus collaborative) in terms of developing preservice teachers' skills in designing one of the modern Web 2.0 assessment tools (i.e., e-portfolio) and their effects on product quality and achievement motivation towards designing e-portfolio. After the experiment involving 80 students from the third level at the faculty of education, King Faisal University in Saudi Arabia, during the first semester of the school year 2017/2018, a questionnaire on achievement motivation and a product quality assessment card were used. The results show no significant difference between the two e-learning strategies regarding students' achievement motivation. On the other hand, there is a significant difference in product quality in favor of cooperative e-learning. The study highlights social-network based e-learning strategies of developing preservice teachers' teaching and evaluating skills that they need to apply in the new digital era.
Software Reusability Metrics Estimation From the Social Media by Using Evolutionary Algorithms
Authors: Panigrahi Rasmita , Padhy Neelamdhab , Satapathy Suresh Chandra
Published: July 2019

Software expansion is rising with the help of the standard paradigm in the 21st century. The maximum contribution of software growth focuses mainly on object-oriented development methodologies. This paradigm helps the developer to develop code quickly and makes sure that the platform assists in producing a quality product. The software reusability metrics play a crucial role for software development. To overcome the scalability issues, researchers and developers both adopt a CK metrics suite to extract the software metrics to extract the features from the repositories. The main objective of this article is to extract the set of metrics from social media by using novel evolutionary techniques. Dissimilar features within this area are examined with a suitable research query that discovers the potential and extent.
What If We Can't Apply What We Have Learned?
Authors: Rudge Lucila T. , Gyde Althea M.
Published: July 2019

This study examines the experience of an IB science teacher candidate enrolled in the IB Educator Certificate Program, who completed her student teaching in an IB public school in the U.S. Using critical reflection as a method of inquiry, this study examines her expectations for student teaching, explore her assumptions as an IB teacher candidate, describes her experience, and discusses the implications of her student teaching experience. This study addresses the inconsistency of student teaching placements in IB schools.
A Phenomenological Study of Pre-Service Teachers' Perceptions of Completing ESOL Field Placements
Authors: Torres Kelly M. , Arrastia-Chisholm Meagan C. , Tackett Samantha
Published: July 2019

Over the last several decades, the number of English language learners (ELLs) has grown significantly and has created a change in the K-12 educational settings. In order to effectively educate this population of learners, teacher education programs often incorporate opportunities for their teacher candidates to observe techniques and practice implementation with ELLs. These observations and hands-on learning experiences provide pre-service teachers the opportunity to implement the strategies and accommodations they are learning in their coursework. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to investigate teacher candidates' experiences with diverse field placements (school-based and community-based) and the influence that placements may have on preparing pre-service teachers to instruct ELLs. Pre-service teachers enrolled in a Florida public university completed reflective journals, which were coded for themes. In addition, semi-structured interviews were conducted, transcribed, and analyzed. The findings from these data sources suggest that the experiences differed greatly based on field placements. For example, pre-service teachers who participated in community settings engaged in more interactions; whereas, those who participated in classrooms observed more examples of learner supports. Overall, after their field experiences, the pre-service teachers did not feel prepared to tackle classroom management in general. Implications for improving ESOL field experiences are discussed.
TEP production under oxidative stress of the picocyanobacterium Synechococcus
Authors: Callieri Cristiana , Sathicq María B. , Cabello-Yeves Pedro J. , Eckert Ester M. , Hernández-Avilés Justo Salvador
Published: July 2019

Transparent exopolymer particles (TEP) are mainly acidic polysaccharides directly or indirectly formed by phytoplankton and bacteria. These particles are often colonized by picoplankton and considered a hot spot for microbial activity. Recent studies suggested an important role of Synechococcus in TEP production found in lakes and prompted us to further investigate this issue using monoclonal xenic cultures of Synechococcus. We tested TEP production under oxidative stress in two treatments, one with hydrogen peroxide and another treated with ultraviolet radiation (UVR) and high photosynthetic active radiation (PAR), compared with an unstressed control. Our results showed a cell-normalized TEP production, ranging from 12 to 238 ng C cell-1 among strains, not only under stress but also in the control with non-limiting nutrients. Our data prove that freshwater communities of Synechococcus and their associated heterotrophic microflora, are capable of producing TEP even during growth phase. The oxidative stress induced extra production of TEP up to 400 ng C cell-1 in one of our phycocyanin-type (PC) strain. The phycoerythrin-type (PE) strains increased TEP production, particularly under UV-PAR stress, whereas the PC strains did it under H2O2 stress. This study provides new perspectives on the potential role of freshwater Synechococcus in TEP production.
Job stress, sense of coherence and work wellness in an electricity supply organisation
Authors: Rothmann S. , Steyn L. J. , Mostert K.
Published: July 2019

The objective of this study was to test a causal model of work wellness for engineers, technicians and electricians in an electricity supply organisation. An ex post facto correlational design was used. The participants included 38 engineers, 86 technicians and 91 electricians in an electricity supply organisation. The Maslach Burnout Inventory – General Survey, the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale, the Job Stress Inventory and the Orientation to Life Questionnaire were administered. The results showed that job stress, because of job demands and a lack of support, leads to burnout. A strong sense of coherence mediated the relationship between job stress and work wellness (consisting of low burnout and high work engagement).The material described in this article is based upon work supported by the National Research Foundation under Grant number 2053344.
Corporate governance criteria as applied in private equity investments
Authors: Millson R. , Ward M.
Published: July 2019

Ineffective governance has often formed a backdrop to corporate failure with the resultant negative impact on stakeholders. In the field of private equity, investors have consistently received financial returns that outperform those of listed equities. This research investigates the relationship that private equity principals seek with their agents.The “agent-principal” relationship in private equity investments was investigated through a literature review and a survey of experienced private equity practitioners identified the key characteristics associated with this relationship. A conjoint analytical technique was used to measure the relative importance of the various attributes and the degree of preference or utility value for these attributes amongst a sample of 27 experts.The field research established that private equity investments are characterised by, inter alia, proactive agent-principal relationships; a relatively high level of shareholder activism; insistence on transparency; non-executive influence; and active performance management. While the implementation of these lessons may be a subject for future research, the current research has identified and prioritised corporate governance mechanisms that may be more generally applied.
Promoting ethical follower behaviour through leadership of ethics: The development of the ethical leadership inventory (ELI)
Authors: Spangenberg H. , Theron C. C.
Published: July 2019

The Centre of Leadership Studies developed a model that defines and describes leadership behaviour required for creating an ethical and high performing organisation. Purposefully building an ethical organisational environment is a prerequisite for ethical organisational behaviour. To be an ethical high performance leader, a person must be both an effective leader and a leader of ethics. The purpose of this study is to develop a 360° instrument that can be used to assess the quality of ethical leadership of middle, senior and executive managers in public, private and not-for-profit organisations. The results reported here provide reasonable support for the use of the ELI. The possibility of causal influences existing amongst specific first-order leadership dimensions, however, needs to be investigated.
Eight years on: An extended model of online consumer behaviour
Authors: Moore R. , Shaw J. , Chipp K.
Published: July 2019

It has been eight years since the seminal work of Hoffman and Novak (1996). The current article seeks to take Hoffman and Novak’s core ideas, namely the construct of flow in the Internet environment, and extended the model with the research that has been undertaken since. The proposed model discusses flow and considers it in relation to the perceptions, motivations and activities of Internet users. The authors also discuss the behavioural controls or the barriers that prevent users from reaching and maintaining a flow state. Furthermore, the model shows the effects of flow on the different session types i.e. surfing, searching and shopping. The article concludes with suggestions for future research.
The utilisation of the Internet to market small tourism businesses
Authors: Elliott R. , Boshoff C.
Published: July 2019

The tourism sector has been identified as an industry that has the potential to make a substantial contribution to the growth of the South African economy. The majority of tourism ventures are, however, small businesses, which differ from their larger counterparts not only in terms of size, but also in regard to access to resources and marketing expertise. Not surprisingly, one of the issues identified as preventing this sector from reaching its full potential is access to markets. The Internet has been identified as tool which may assist small businesses in both their global and domestic marketing.The focus of this study was to identify the factors specific to the Internet (rather than the technology per se or organisational factors) driving the success of the use of the Internet for marketing purposes in small businesses operating in the tourism sector in South Africa. If these factors can be identified and their relative influence on Internet marketing success be determined, it will allow small tourism businesses utilise the capabilities of the Internet more effectively.The results indicate that having a product champion in the business, having a network of effective alliances, a high level of owner-manager involvement in the Internet marketing strategy as well as a clear owner-manager vision are important to the successful use of the Internet for the marketing of small tourism businesses in South Africa.
Outcomes research shifting the dominant research paradigm in physical therapy
Authors: Jette Alan M.
Published: July 2019

This article discusses outcomes research in physical therapy and places its conceptual roots within the work on quality-of-care assessment. An argument is advanced that the outcomes research movement in medicine has stimulated clinical researchers in physical therapy to address disability outcomes in addition to traditional impairment outcomes. If physical therapy clinical research moves beyond this broadening of clinical outcomes to investigate explicitly the hypothesized relationship between impairment and disability, outcomes research will have stimulated a shift in the dominant research paradigm in the profession. The development and testing of theory regarding the pathogenesis of disability will be needed to guide the direction of this type of physical therapy research. Such a shift in the dominant research paradigm in physical therapy could produce dramatic findings that have direct impact on clinical practice.
Vision‐based garbage dumping action detection for real‐world surveillance platform
Authors: Yun Kimin , Kwon Yongjin , Oh Sungchan , Moon Jinyoung , Park Jongyoul
Published: July 2019

In this paper, we propose a new framework for detecting the unauthorized dumping of garbage in real‐world surveillance camera. Although several action/behavior recognition methods have been investigated, these studies are hardly applicable to real‐world scenarios because they are mainly focused on well‐refined datasets. Because the dumping actions in the real‐world take a variety of forms, building a new method to disclose the actions instead of exploiting previous approaches is a better strategy. We detected the dumping action by the change in relation between a person and the object being held by them. To find the person‐held object of indefinite form, we used a background subtraction algorithm and human joint estimation. The person‐held object was then tracked and the relation model between the joints and objects was built. Finally, the dumping action was detected through the voting‐based decision module. In the experiments, we show the effectiveness of the proposed method by testing on real‐world videos containing various dumping actions. In addition, the proposed framework is implemented in a real‐time monitoring system through a fast online algorithm.
Florística e estrutura vegetal em áreas de Caatinga sob diferentes sistemas de manejo
Authors: Aguiar Maria Ivanilda De , Fialho Jamili Silva , Campanha Mônica Matoso , Oliveira Teógenes Senna
Published: July 2019

Objetivou-se analisar a composição florística e caracterizar a estrutura da vegetação em áreas sob dois sistemas agroflorestais (AGP e SILV), em plantio tradicional (TRAD0), em pousios de seis (TRAD6) e nove (TRAD9) anos e em Caatinga conservada (MATA). Adotou-se o método de parcelas, sendo determinadas densidades e frequências absolutas de todas as espécies e distribuição diamétrica dos indivíduos arbóreos/arbustivos. Observou-se que, no estrato herbáceo, as espécies com maior frequência e densidade foram Alternanthera ficoidea em AGP, Amaranthus em SILV e TRAD0 e Commelina virginica em AGP, TRAD6, TRAD9 e MATA. No estrato arbóreo/arbustivo, as espécies com maior densidade e frequência foram Cordia oncocalyx em AGP, MATA e SILV e Mimosa caesalpiniifolia e Croton blachetianus em TRAD6 e TRAD9, respectivamente. SILV apresentou menor número de espécies arbóreas e maior número de espécies herbáceas, em relação à MATA e às áreas em pousio. Nas áreas em pousio por seis e nove anos ocorreu recuperação da vegetação quanto à composição florística, porém observou-se mais indivíduos com menores diâmetros, quando comparado à MATA.
Management of Extremity Injuries by Residents: Can We improve Quality and Efficiency through a Simple Checklist?
Authors: Hamid Kamran S , Nwachukwu Benedict U , Dutta Sayon , Nicks Bret A , Carroll Eben A
Published: July 2019

Introduction

Variation in practice among resident physicians is a barrier to providing consistent, high-quality care to patients with musculoskeletal injuries.

Materials and methods

A multidisciplinary group at an academic center developed a checklist for managing suspected extremity injuries in adults. Simulation testing was conducted in which 17 Emergency Medicine residents were randomized by year of training into cohorts of 8 “checklist” residents and 9 “no checklist” residents. Each resident performed 2 case simulations and was evaluated based on adherence to 12 predefined critical process measures.

Results

Usage of the checklist resulted in a decrease in delay of care events (8.3 vs 27.3%, p < 0.01) and decrease in potential medical errors (5.7 vs 22.2%, p < 0.01). All levels of training demonstrated improvements, and first-year residents using the checklist performed significantly better than third-year residents without the checklist, demonstrating decrease in delay of care events (8.3 vs 26.4%, p < 0.05) and decrease in potential medical errors (5.6 vs 18.1%, p < 0.05).

Conclusion

Implementation of a simple checklist can reduce delays in care and potential medical errors in the management of extremity injuries by resident physicians.

Hamid KS, Nwachukwu BU, Nicks BA, Dutta S, Carroll EA. Management of Extremity Injuries by Residents: Can We improve Quality and Efficiency through a Simple Checklist? The Duke Orthop J 2016;6(1):7-11.

IRB statement

This simulation was undertaken as part of an institutional quality improvement project and was granted Institutional Review Board exemption.
Unusual Location of a Second Mesiobuccal Canal in the Maxillary First Molar managed with the Aid of Cone-beam Computed Tomography
Authors: Velmurugan N , Randhya R , Sundar Sathish , Kowsky Dinesh , Arul Buvaneshwari
Published: July 2019

Introduction

The purpose of this article was to emphasize the importance of understanding root canal anatomy and its variations for successful endodontic treatment.

Methods

This case report presents the detection and endodontic management of eccentrically placed second mesiobuccal (MB) canal in maxillary first molar with the help of dental operating microscope and cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scanning.

Results

Cone-beam computed tomography images showed broad MB root with second MB canal located closer to palatal orifice.

Conclusion

This report describes a variation in canal location and complex anatomy of maxillary first molar with posttreatment apical periodontitis which was managed successfully with the aid of dental operating microscope and CBCT.

How to cite this article

Randhya R, Sundar S, Kowsky D, Velmurugan N, Arul B. Unusual Location of a Second Mesiobuccal Canal in the Maxillary First Molar managed with the Aid of Cone-beam Computed Tomography. J Oper Dent Endod 2016;1(1):35-38.
Current Trends in Irrigation Practice during Endodontic Treatment among Dental Practitioners in Nellore Urban Area: A Survey
Authors: Koppolu Madhusudhana , Paramesh Yelloji , Suneelkumar Chinni , Lavanya Anumula
Published: July 2019

Aim

The purpose of this study was to determine the current trends in irrigation practice among the practicing dentists in Nellore urban area of Andhra Pradesh, India.

Materials and methods

A self-prepared questionnaire comprising 20 questions was given to 150 dentists practicing in Nellore urban area. The information gathered was the individual irrigant selection, irrigant concentration, smear layer removal, and use of adjuncts to irrigation, gauge of needle, tip design of needle, depth of needle penetration, volume of the syringe used, volume of irrigant used, duration of irrigation, choice of irrigant in vital teeth, teeth with radiographic evidence of periapical lesion, and retreatment cases.

Results

Our data indicated that majority of respondents (55.6%) are using saline as primary irrigant at a concentration of 0.9% whereas 44.4% of respondents primarily use sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl), with 51.4% of them using it at a concentration of 2.6 to 4%. Twenty-six gauge needle with single-beveled tip design being most preferred for syringe irrigation. Only 59.7% of respondents aimed to remove the smear layer during endodontic treatment with only 11.9% using an adjunct to irrigation.

Conclusion

Regardless of the critical nature of the irrigation step in the endodontic therapy, the results from the study were not satisfying, especially when it comes to the use of primary irrigant, adjuncts, or newer irrigating systems. Thus there is a need to regularly update and check the practices adopted by dental practitioners.

How to cite this article

Koppolu M, Paramesh Y, Suneelkumar C, Lavanya A. Current Trends in Irrigation Practice during Endodontic Treatment among Dental Practitioners in Nellore Urban Area: A Survey. J Oper Dent Endod 2016;1(2):47-55.
Comparative Evaluation of Antibacterial Efficacy of Four Toothpastes and Mouthwashes against Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus: An in vivo Study
Authors: Sam Jonathan E , Benin Paulaian , Beaulah Ruth H , LNU Gnanaseelan , Krishna Lal , Raja Jacob
Published: July 2019

Background

Cariogenic microorganisms are the most important cause for occurrence of dental caries. Dentifrices and mouthwashes containing antimicrobial substances are proven to be effective in the eradication of these pathogens from the oral cavity.

Aim

To evaluate the antimicrobial efficacy of fluoride, chlorhexidine (CHX), herbal, and xylitol containing toothpastes and mouthwashes againstStreptococcus mutans(S. mutans) andLactobacillus(LB) in subjects within the age group of 18 to 22 years at time intervals of 1, 3, and 6 months.

Materials and methods

One hundred subjects were randomly divided into four groups. Group I: fluoride, group II: chlorhexidine, group III: herbal, group IV: xylitol and instructed to use toothpastes and mouthwashes containing the specific agents. Salivary samples were collected to evaluate the levels ofS. mutansandLBat baseline, 1, 3, and 6 months. Bacterial levels were evaluated using caries risk test (CRT) kit. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance andpost hoctest.

Results

During intragroup comparison,S. mutanslevels in group I showed statistically significant difference among the four time intervals. On intergroup comparison,S. mutanslevels after 6 months for groups I, II, III, and IV were 1.12, 1.16, 1.28, and 1.4 respectively.

Conclusion

It can be concluded that fluoride, CHX, and xylitol showed a significant reduction inS. mutansandLBcount after a time period of 6 months while herbal group did not show a significant reduction inS. mutansandLBcount at any intervals.

How to cite this article

Sam JE, Benin P, Beaulah RH, Gnanaseelan, Krishna L, Raja J. Comparative Evaluation of Antibacterial Efficacy of Four Toothpastes and Mouthwashes againstStreptococcus mutansandLactobacillus: Anin vivoStudy. J Oper Dent Endod 2016;1(2):60-65.
Apical Debris Extrusion during Root Canal Preparation with ProTaper Next and Mani Silk Rotary Systems: An in vitro Study
Authors: Koppolu Madhusudhana , Suneelkumar Chinni , Lavanya Anumula , Basam Ram
Published: July 2019

Aim

To evaluate the amount of apically extruded debris after the preparation of root canals in extracted human single-rooted teeth using ProTaper Next and Mani Silk rotary systems.

Materials and methods

A total of 40 freshly extracted human single-rooted teeth with mature apices and straight root canal were selected and similar length were instrumented with ProTaper Next and Mani Silk rotary systems. Debris and irrigant extruded during instrumentation were collected into preweighed Eppendorf tubes. The Eppendorf tubes were then stored in an incubator at 68°C for 5 days. The weight of the extruded debris was determined by subtracting the initial weight from the final weight.

Statistical analysis

Data analysis was carried out using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20. Postweights were compared with an independent t test for 2 groups.

Results

Both instruments were associated with apical debris extrusion. There was no significant difference between the ProTaper Next and Mani Silk instruments in terms of mean weight of apically extruded debris.

Conclusion

There was no significant difference among the groups in terms of mean weight of apically extruded debris.

How to cite this article

Koppolu M, Basam R, Suneelkumar C, Lavanya A. Apical Debris Extrusion during Root Canal Preparation with ProTaper Next and Mani Silk Rotary Systems: An in vitro Study. J Oper Dent Endod 2016;1(2):66-69.
Cold Atmospheric Plasma in Dentistry
Authors: Nair Rajesh S , Babu Betty , Mushtaq Eeshan
Published: July 2019

Introduction

Plasma is the fourth state of matter and others are liquid, gas, and solid. Plasma occurs as a natural phenomenon in the universe and appears in the form of fire, in the polar aurora borealis and in the nuclear fusion reactions of the sun. It can be produced artificially which has gained importance in the fields of plasma screens or light sources. Plasma is of two types: Thermal and nonthermal or cold atmospheric plasma (CAP). Thermal plasma has electrons and heavy particles (ions and neutral) at the same temperature. Cold atmospheric plasma is said to be nonthermal as it has electron at a hotter temperature than the heavy particles that are at room temperature. Cold atmospheric plasma is a specific type of plasma, i.e., <104°F at the point of application. It could become a new and painless method to prepare cavities for restoration with improved longevity. Also it is capable of bacterial inactivation and noninflammatory tissue alteration, which makes it an attractive tool for the treatment of dental caries and for composite restorations. Plasma can also be used for tooth whitening. This review focuses on some dental application of plasma.

How to cite this article

Nair RS, Babu B, Mushtaq E. Cold Atmospheric Plasma in Dentistry. J Oper Dent Endod 2016;1(2):82-86.
Alterations in Urinary Microalbumin and Serum Antioxidants in Sickle Cell Disease
Authors: Patra PK , Khodiar PK , Sahu D , Sahu GK
Published: July 2019

Changes in the level of various biochemical parameters play a significant role in the physiopathology of sickle cell disease (SCD). The aim of this study is to determine the level of urinary micoalbumin and plasma level of ascorbic acid and uric acid in subjects suffering from sickle cell anemia. A total of 30 subjects consisting of both males and females whose age range varied from 10 to 30 years were included in the study. The urinary albumin/creatinine ratio invariably increased in all studied subjects as compared with the control subjects. The level of ascorbic acid in the plasma significantly declined in SCD subjects when compared with that of control subjects (p < 0.05). Also, the decrease in level of uric acid in plasma of SCD patients was significant as compared with the control subjects. Significant changes in these biochemical parameters thus could be used as reliable markers in nephropathy in sickle cell patients and thus in the management of the disease.

How to cite this article

Patra PK, Khodiar PK, Sahu D, Sahu GK. Alterations in Urinary Microalbumin and Serum Antioxidants in Sickle Cell Disease. Indian J Med Biochem 2016;20(1):1-5.
Evaluation of Nested Polymerase Chain Reaction targeting hsp65 of Mycobacterium tuberculosis for the Detection of Organism in the Sputum Samples
Authors: Varadaiah Yogaraje GC , Chinnappa Raghu K , Nagaraj Rakshitha M , NA Thejashwini , Samuel Robinson K , Devegowda Devananda
Published: July 2019

Introduction

The poor sensitivity of conventional smear microscopy and the delay in obtaining Mycobacterium culture results prevent the early diagnosis of Myobacterium tuberculosis (MTB). By using nucleic acid amplification techniques like polymerase chain reaction (PCR), one may be able to diagnose the disease on the day of arrival of specimen in the laboratory. The present study aimed to evaluate the applicability of the nested-PCR (nPCR) technique as a rapid and direct molecular method for the diagnosis of M. tuberculosis in sputum specimens of patients whose sputum smear was acid-fast bacilli (AFB) negative using heat shock protein (hsp65) as the gene target.

Materials and methods

Early morning sputum samples were collected in sterile containers respectively from about 40 suspected patients of pulmonary tuberculosis, attending the outpatient units of JSS Medical College and PKTB Hospital, Mysore and from 20 age and sex-matched healthy controls. Sputum samples were decontaminated by modified Petroff's method and DNA was isolated using QIAGEN DNA extraction kit. The nPCR was carried out for the detection of MTB using the target gene hsp65.

Results

Nested-PCR showed specific amplification (165bp) of M. tuberculosis in 18 out of 20 sputum AFB positive samples and 9 out of 20 AFB negative samples. None of the healthy controls showed any amplification with nPCR. The nPCR when compared to that of Ziehl-Neelsen staining had a sensitivity of 90%, specificity of 77.5%, positive predictive value (PPV) of 66.6%, and negative predictive value (NPV) of 93.9%. The percentage of false positive was 33.3% and percentage of false negative was 6.1%.

Conclusion

The detection of M. tuberculosis with nPCR in smear negative patients provides the bacteriological data 4 to 8 weeks earlier. A molecular approach, based on the amplification of hsp65 gene by nPCR, showed that there is high probability of the disease being absent when the test is negative because of the high negative predictive value (NPV).

How to cite this article

Varadaiah YGC, Prashant A, Chinnappa RK, Nagaraj RM, Thejashwini, Samuel RK, Devegowda D, Vishwanath P. Evaluation of Nested Polymerase Chain Reaction targeting hsp65 of Mycobacterium tuberculosis for the Detection of Organism in the Sputum Samples. Indian J Med Biochem 2016;1(1):28-33.
Sleep Patterns of Urban and Rural School-going Adolescents
Authors: Trivedi Nitin , Kakkar Munish Kumar , Bohra Divya , Gupta Jitendra , Saini Yashu
Published: July 2019

Objective

To analyze the variance in sleep habits of adolescents (10—18 years) in urban and rural Rajasthan. Design: Cross-sectional questionnaire-based study.

Setting: Community based school survey in an urban and a rural setting.

Subjects: School-going adolescents 10 to 18 years.

Materials and methods

A total of 565 adolescents aged 10 to 18 years were included. The questionnaire contained questions related to sleep habits. Each question was explained to the participants and their responses were noted. Outcome parameters were total sleep time.

Results

Out of 585 adolescents, 285 were residing in urban areas while 280 from rural areas. Total 43.3% adolescent were using bedroom for sleep only without any significant difference in rural and urban area. Alcohol consumption was seen in urban area only (n = 6) and mainly by 10 to 15 year age group. Urban adolescents on week days spend 7.15 hours of sleep while on week ends they spend 9.2 hours while In rural area week days sleep was 6.34 hours while at week ends it was 6.64 hours. So surprisingly sleep deprivation was more in rural area and there was not much variation in total sleep time in rural area on weekdays or weekend.

How to cite this article

Kakkar MK, Bohra D, Trivedi N, Gupta J, Saini Y. Sleep Patterns of Urban and Rural School- going Adolescents. J Mahatma Gandhi Univ Med Sci Tech 2016;1(1):20-23.
Bilateral Hypodontia of Mandibular Second Premolars and Lateral Incisors in a Nonsyndromic Patient: A Rare Case Report
Authors: Kanjani Shakun
Published: July 2019

Hypodontia is the term used to describe the developmental absence of one or more primary or permanent teeth, excluding the third molars. It is the most commonly occurring developmental dental anomaly and can be a challenge to manage clinically. Hypodontia can occur in association with syndrome or it may occur in nonsyndromic patient. Bilateral occurrence is common but it is very rare to see two bilateral congenital missing teeth in a nonsyndromic patient. This case report presents a rare occurrence of congenital bilateral missing mandibular second premolars and mandibular lateral incisors in a nonsyndromic patient.

How to cite this article

Agarwal N, Chaturvedy S, Marwah N, Mishra P, Kanjani S. Bilateral Hypodontia of Mandibular Second Premolars and Lateral Incisors in a Nonsyndromic Patient: A Rare Case Report. J Mahatma Gandhi Univ Med Sci Tech 2016;1(1):24-26.
Poor Knowledge, Attitude and Practices of Pharmacovigilance among Health Care Professionals: A Cross-sectional Study
Authors: Vohra Rajaat , Vohra Anusha , Verma Meghna
Published: July 2019

Background

As the number of drugs available in the market are increasing, there arises a need to detect their adverse drug reactions and report them on time so that further harm can be avoided. The level of underreporting of adverse drug reactions is very high. Therefore, present study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) of pharmacovigilance among the various health care professionals and suggest ways to improve them.

Materials and methods

A cross-sectional survey was done on 215 health care personnels working in a medical college in Jaipur. They were subjected to KAP questionnaire consisted of knowledge, attitude and practice based questions, designed specifically to assess the awareness about pharmacovigilance.

Results and conclusion

The mean KAP scores of physicians were found to be 5.75, 4.44 and 1.75 respectively. The KAP score of postgraduate students was 5.5, 4.25 and 1.5 respectively. The KAP score of final year MBBS students was 5, 3.4, and 1.4 respectively, and that of interns was 4, 4.2 and 1.4 respectively. The KAP score of pharmacists was 3.5, 2 and 1 respectively, and that of nurses was 2.75, 2.25 and 0.8 respectively. It was found that mean score of physicians and postgraduate students was higher than interns and final year MBBS and much higher than nurses and pharmacists. Still they all fall under the poor score range to unsatisfactory score range which suggest that there is an urgent need for ongoing educational programs to train health care professionals about pharmacovigilance.

How to cite this article

Vohra A, Vohra R, Verma M. Poor Knowledge, Attitude and Practices of Pharmacovigilance among Health Care Professionals: A Cross-sectional Study. J Mahatma Gandhi Univ Med Sci Tech 2016;1(2):42-46.
A Study to evaluate the Effectiveness of Planned Teaching Program regarding Prevention of Renal Calculi in Terms of Knowledge and Dietary Pattern of Primary School Teachers of Moodabidri, Dakshina Kannada District
Authors: Soni Giriraj Prasad
Published: July 2019

Introduction

A renal calculus is a painful condition. Renal calculi occur in up to 15% population. The incidence of calculi is 100 to 400 out of 1,00,000 people from a renal calculi every year. Dietary practice of the individuals has a direct influence over the stone formation. Change in dietary habits and lifestyle are suggested to contribute markedly to the rise in the prevalence and incidence of urolithiasis.

Materials and methods

An evaluative approach with one group pretest design was adopted in order to evaluate effectiveness of planned teaching program on prevention of renal calculi and dietary practice among primary school teachers in Moodbidri. The conceptual framework adopted for the study was based on modified Rosen stocks health belief model. Convenient sampling was used to select the sample for the study. Data collected from the sample were analyzed by descriptive and inferential statistics. The final sample size was 70.

Results

Majority of samples belonged to age group 20 to 30 years (54.28%), female (62.85%), D. Ed. students (64.28%), married (60%), hindu background (62.85%), teaching experience below 10 years (65.71%), source of health-related information by books (48.57%) and mixed diet (61.42%).

There was significant difference between pretest and post- test knowledge scores (t69 = 36.46, p < 0.05 significant)

There was no significant association between pretest knowledge and selected demographic variables age (x2 = 1.33, p > 0.05), sex (x2 = 0.568, p > 0.05), religion (x2 = 0.843, p > 0.05), diet (x2 = 0.003, p > 0.05).

There was a significant difference between pretest and posttest dietary practice scores (t69 = 32.27, p < 0.05, significant).

Conclusion

The findings of the study show that the planned teaching program was effective in all the areas in improving the knowledge and dietary practice of primary school teachers and, thus, reduced complication. It also helped them to take self responsibility for their own health.

How to cite this article

Soni GP. A Study to Evaluate the Effectiveness of Planned Teaching Program Regarding Prevention of Renal Calculi in Terms of Knowledge and Dietary Pattern of Primary School Teachers of Moodabidri, Dakshina Kannada District. J Mahatma Gandhi Univ Med Sci Tech 2016;1(2):55-57.
An Insight into the Surface of Dental Implants
Authors: Kausher Hina , Chonkkar Devendra PS
Published: July 2019

Osseointegration, the direct contact between living bone and the surface of load-carrying implant, is imperative for the long-term success of dental implants. There is no distinct relationship between osseointegration and defined surface characteristics, since a great number of different surfaces achieve osseointegration. However, the rate, extent, and the strength of this connection may be dependent on the surface characteristics of the implant. The aim of this article was to review the literature on the various approaches available to modify the bone–implant interface.

How to cite this article

Kausher H, Padiyar N, Kaurani P, Meena S, Chonkkar DPS. An Insight into the Surface of Dental Implants. J Mahatma Gandhi Univ Med Sci Tech 2017;2(1):23-28.
Differentiation of some Pramenka sheep breeds based on morphometric characteristics
Authors: Marković Božidarka , Dovč Peter , Marković Milan , Radonjić Dušica , Adakalić Mirjana , Simčič Mojca
Published: July 2019

Abstract. For the purpose of the morphometric characterization and differentiation of local sheep breeds that belong to the group of breeds called Pramenka or Zackel, two Slovenian (Bela Krajina and Istrian Pramenka) and four Montenegrin sheep breeds (Bardoka, Sjenička, Pivska Pramenka, and Zeta Žuja) were studied. The variation of morphometric measures and nine morphometric indices were analysed. Principal component analysis (PCA) was applied in order to provide an easier description of body size and shape. Regarding body size, the Sjenička breed was one of the largest breeds (body weight 76.4 kg, wither height 72.7 cm, chest circumference 100.3 cm), while Zeta Žuja had the smallest body size (37.1 kg, 64.8, and 81.9 cm). On the other hand, Slovenian Istrian Pramenka had the largest body length, chest depth, chest width, and rump width among all included breeds (79.4, 33.6, 22.7, and 21.2 cm). Bela Krajina, Istrian Pramenka, and the Sjenička breed, according to the index of body frame (IBF) value (107–114), have a rectangular body frame, Bardoka and Pivska Pramenka have a square body frame (99.3–100), and Zeta Žuja has a short body frame (91.8). The PCA of all morphometric parameters extracted three components accounting for 96.6 % of the cumulative variance. An unweighted pair–group method with arithmetic mean (UPGMA) cluster analysis by Euclidian distance shows diversity among the studied breeds, through it grouped Pivska Pramenka with Sjenička and Istrian with Bela Krajina Pramenka in two clusters, while Bardoka and Zeta Žuja were clustered separately.