bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Transformational Leadership Research in the Field of Hospitality
Authors: Gürlek Mert , Kılıç İlker
Published: February 2023

Although transformational leadership is a fundamental research area of leadership literature, it has also spread to other disciplines. Transformational leadership has been a remarkable topic for the hospitality field in terms of the effects that the leader has on his/her followers. For this reason, there has been an important accumulation of knowledge about transformational leadership in the hospitality literature. However, there is no research in the literature that addresses the progress of transformational leadership research in hospitality to help researchers develop theoretical perspectives and guide practitioners' decisions. Therefore, this research aims to systematically review transformational leadership research in the hospitality field. The review included 36 studies from seven key hospitality journals. The findings basically indicate that that research on transformational leadership in the field of hospitality has not experienced sufficient development. There is a need to develop theoretical perspectives specific to the field in the field of hospitality.
Servant Leadership in the Hospitality Industry
Authors: Bayraktaroglu Engin
Published: February 2023

Servant leadership is a mindset structured on the leaders' desire to serve their followers. Servant leadership is not just a type of leadership; it is a paradigm, a way of life, and an ontological stance that determines the behaviour patterns of leaders. For this reason, when examining servant leadership, it is not enough to talk only about the benefits of leadership. In this study, servant leadership in service industries was evaluated. As a result of this study, which can be considered a non-systematic literature review, theoretical suggestions were made for the future of servant leadership research.
Feeding and Drinking Behaviour of Lactating Dairy Cows Fed on Total Mixed Ration Briquettes
Authors: Karunanayaka R. H. W. M. , Nayananjalie W. A. D. , Kumari M. A. A. P. , Somasiri S. C. , Adikari A. M. J. B. , Weerasingha W. V. V. R.
Published: February 2023

The objective of the study was to examine the feeding and drinking behaviour of lactating dairy cows when they were introduced to the Total Mixed Ration (TMR) briquettes. Nine, Jersey x Sahiwal crossbred cows with an average live weight of 275±33 kg in the second week of lactation were randomly assigned to three treatments in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with a 14-day adaptation period and 14-d preliminary period. The behaviour observation was conducted during the 7 days of the collection period. The treatments were CTL: guinea grass with commercial feed and two TMR recipe briquettes selected from a previous trial TMR1 and TMR2. The behaviour of the cows was recorded for 2 hrs after offering the feed at 8.00 a.m. and analysed using Behavioural Observation Research Interactive Software. The feeding behaviour did not show any significant difference (p≥ 0·05) among the treatments. The total number of occurrences of feeding behaviour recorded for CTL, TMR1 and TMR2 were 18.87±8.51, 22.67±8.51 and 42.60±8.51, respectively while the percentage total length of 2 h feeding was 65.97±4.33, 59.00±4.33 and 61.22±4.33%, respectively. There was no significant difference (p≥ 0·05) in drinking behaviour among the treatments except for total number of occurrences. Total drinking duration was 30.64±55.98, 64.73±55.98 and 206.26±55.98 seconds for CTL, TMR1 and TMR2, respectively. The study revealed that the feeding of chopped forage with concentrate or total mixed ration briquettes does not affect feeding behaviour of lactating dairy cows but may influence their drinking behaviour.
Investigation of the Potential to Introduce Internet of Things (Iot) Based Micro-Climate Controlling System for Salad Cucumber (Cucumis Sativus) in Conventional Protected Houses
Authors: Jayathilaka M. S. , Adikaram K. K. L. B. , Kumarasinghe H. K. M. S. , Jayasinghe G. Y.
Published: February 2023

Protected agriculture seeks to maximize productivity by manipulating climatic factors such as temperature to create the most favorable environmental conditions for the growth of animals and plants. This study aims to (a) identify the status of middle and small-scale protected house farmers using a questionnaire survey and (b) assess the impact of an IoT-based automation system to address identified issues of middle and small-scale protected house farmers. During the survey, the farmers revealed their inability to leave the polytunnel for at least one day without supervision and the higher labour cost as issues related to crop management. Decreased fruit quality and increased mite attacks, inability to achieve optimum crop yield were the main issues discovered which reduces the crop yield. The experiment was carried out in two protected houses where one house is under an IoT-based micro-climate controlling system and the conventional management in the other. Digital Temperature & Humidity Sensors (DHT21) were used to monitor relative humidity (RH) and temperature, and foggers and exhaust fans were used to control RH and temperature. Capacitance sensors were used to monitor substrate moisture, and a drip irrigation system was used to control it. Salad cucumber plants were grown in grow bags in each protected house. The inside day temperature was reduced by 1.55°C to 4.42°C in the IoT-based protected house and optimum inside day RH conditions were maintained. The maintained micro-climatic conditions showed a positive effect on yield and growth parameters of salad cucumber grown in IoT based protected house. In comparison to a conventional house, the IoT-based protected house had a 41.6% yield increment per vine.
Effect of Plant Growth Regulators on Growth of Wallapatta (Gyrinops walla Gaertn.) Seedlings
Authors: Arunakumara K. K. I. U. , Ketipearachchi K. G. , Walpola B. C.
Published: February 2023

Gyrinops walla Gaertn belongs to family Thymelaeaceae is the only agarwood producing plant species naturally found in Sri Lanka. With the recognition of its ability to produce highly valuable agarwood, the species is under threat due to illegal harvesting from the natural habitats. Commercial cultivation of the species is yet to be started due to lack of information on relevant cultural practices. The present study was therefore aimed at evaluating the effect of Plant Growth Regulators (PGRs) on growth of G. walla seedlings. The experiment was conducted at the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Ruhuna from August 2019 to May 2020. Different combinations of Gibberellic acid (GA3) and 6-Benzylaminopurine (6-BAP) were tested as foliar applications in an experiment arranged in Randomized Complete Block Design with 3 replicates. Stem height, stem diameter, fresh and dry weight of shoot and root were measured as growth parameters. The combination treatment of GA3 and 6-BAP at 50 ppm and 100 ppm respectively resulted in significantly (p<0.05) higher stem height, stem diameter, leaf area, fresh and dry weight of shoots and roots compared to those of the control which did not receive any growth regulator. Furthermore the treatment significantly (p<0.05) increased the shoot: root ratio also compared to the control. Based on the results, foliar application of GA3 (50 ppm) along with 6-BAP (100 ppm) can be recommended to enhance the seedling growth of G. walla.
Effect of Soil Moisture on Ammonia Volatilization from Urea Applied Alfisol in the Dry Zone of Sri Lanka
Authors: Weerarathna W. , Rathnayake R. A. A. S. , Duminda D. M. S. , Wijayaraja W. G. I. , Rathnayake A. , Piyarathne M. , Geekiyanage N.
Published: February 2023

Soil moisture is one of the major factors that determines volatilization of urea. In this study, we investigated the effect of soil moisture on urea volatilization from an Alfisol (Reddish Brown Earth soil). A bulk soil sample was collected from the research field of the Faculty of Agriculture, Rajarata University of Sri Lanka. A pot experiment was arranged under completely randomized design with four replicates per treatment. Soil moisture levels were maintained at 0 kPa (volumetric water content (VWC): 33%), 33 kPa (VWC: 16%), 44 kPa (VWC: 8%), and 54 kPa (VWC: 2%) as the treatments. A 50% overhead shade net was hung at 1.8 m aboveground covering the treatment pots. Urea was applied to each pot at a rate of 1,276.5 mg kg-1 and emitted NH3 was collected using the enclosure method. Soil NO3−-N, NH4+-N, pH, and EC were determined at six times at two-day intervals. The effect of soil moisture, time, and their interaction effect on NH3 volatilization was analyzed using repeated measure ANOVA with post-hoc Tukey HSD test for mean comparison. The NH3 volatilization significantly decreased with time (p < 0.05). Time and treatment interactions effect were significant for volatilized NH3 and other soil parameters measured except for soil NO3−-N (p < 0.05). A decreasing trend was observed for NH3 volatilization at 0 kPa, 33 kPa, 44 kPa & 54 kPa metric suctions as 6.3 g m-2 day-1, 4.9 g m-2 day-1, 4.7 g m-2 day-1, and 0.065 g m-2 day-1 respectively. Soil NH4+-N and EC fluctuated significantly among the treatments. Maintaining the soil moisture at 33 kPa during urea application is recommended for achieving high fertilizer use efficiency.
Biological Control of Two-Spotted Spider Mite Using Phytoseiulus persimilis (Athias-Henriot) and Neoseiulus californicus (McGregor)
Authors: Perera M. T. M. D. R. , Senanayake N.
Published: February 2023

Two-spotted spider mite (TSSM), Tetranichus urticae Koch is a major pest wherever strawberry plants are grown in Sri Lanka. This pest was not controlled by the Department of Agriculture recommended synthetic insecticide Abamectin in many instances. Use of biological agents for the control of TSSM is globally a common practice and thus Phytoseiulus persimilis (Athias-Henriot) and Neoseiulus californicus (McGregor) were imported from Koppert biological systems, Netherlands. An experiment was conducted to investigate the possibility of using and N. californicus (McGregor) and P. persimilis (Athias-Henriot) in combination and N. californicus (McGregor) alone to control TSSM under laboratory conditions. The results indicated that the use of N. californicus alone was not effective in controlling the TSSM, though the TSSM population was maintained at low levels. However, the combination of biological agents was very effective by controlling the TSSM population with an 85% reduction. There was no population growth of biological agents after introduction and their population was reduced over the time. Further, there was a significant redcution in TSSM population after fifth week when the biocontrol agents were applied in combination. It was concluded that the application of P. persimilis and N. californicus was effective in controlling T. urticae rather than applying N. californicus alone. The biological control can be proposed as an alternative to insecticide, Abamectin.
A Flourishing or Faltering Economy: Unemployment Impacting Sri Lankan Economic Growth
Authors: Atigala P. , Maduwanthi T. , Gunathilake V. , Sathsarani S. , Jayathilaka Ruwan
Published: February 2023

The primary goal of any economy is to achieve long-term economic growth while maintaining a stable rate of unemployment, which is a macroeconomic factor. Moreover, when unemployment rises, real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) falls short of potential GDP. Accordingly, the purpose of this study is to examine the impact of unemployment on the economic growth of Sri Lanka. By using data from the first quarter (Q1) of 2000 to the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2021 and Vector Error Correction Model (VECM) and Granger Causality are applied to analyse the impact of unemployment on economic growth. The findings indicates that there is a unidirectional causality between unemployment and economic growth, and that there is a long run relationship between these two variables, with both long-term and short-term negative impacts on economic growth in Sri Lanka. Macroeconomic policies need to be formulated to sustain the unemployment rate in line with the current economic realities of Sri Lanka for sustainable economic growth and significant contribution to the creation of new jobs and the expansion of existing employment in Sri Lanka.
Total Factor Productivity Growth in the Food Crop Sector of Sri Lanka From 1990-2017
Authors: Wickramasinghe W.
Published: February 2023

The study estimated the Total Factor Productivity (TFP) growth in the Sri Lankan food crop sector from 1990- 2017 using the Tornqvist-Theil index assuming translog production technology and a competitive market. TFP growth of paddy, maize, potato, big onion, chilli and soybean has increased after 2000. The highest TFP growth is recorded for maize from 2011 -2015 that contributed to about 68% of the maize sector growth. The costless advances in applied technology, managerial efficiency, and industrial organization that brought TFP growth in the food crop sector in Sri Lanka are discussed. The diffusion of new technology to the food crop sector has considerably varied by crop. Although the maize sector benefited through technology spillovers, new technology in terms of new varieties with higher yields, adaptability was slow to diffuse to other food crop sectors. Mechanization has largely substituted labour in many crop sectors due to the rising wage rate. The contract grower system is a credible institutional innovation in the food crop sector. Technological capital is a prerequisite for TFP and cost reduction growth. Hence the long-term commitment to agricultural research and development investments from Sri Lankan governments and aid agencies is required.
Jagged-1 Reduces Th2 Inflammation and Memory Cell Expansion in Allergic Airway Disease
Authors: Kimura Soichiro , Dupee Zadia , Lima Felipe , Allen Ronald , Kazmi Soha , Diodati Nickolas , Lukacs Nicholas W , Kunkel Steven L , Schaller Matthew
Published: February 2023

Notch ligands present during interactions between T cells and dendritic cells (DCs) dictate cell phenotype through a myriad of effects including the induction of T cell regulation, survival, and cytokine response. The presence of Notch ligands on DCs varies with the context of the inflammatory response; Jagged-1 is constitutively expressed, whereas Delta-like 1 and Delta-like 4 are induced in response to pathogen exposure. Although Delta-like and Jagged ligands send different signals through the same Notch receptor, the role of these two ligands in peripheral T cell immunity is not clear. The goal of our studies was to determine the role of Jagged-1 in the pathogen-free inflammation induced by OVA during allergic airway disease in mice. Our studies show that a deletion in DC-expressed Jagged-1 causes a significant increase in cytokine production, resulting in increased mucus production and increased eosinophilia in the lungs of mice sensitized and challenged with OVA. We also observed that a reduction of Jagged-1 expression is correlated with increased expression of the Notch 1 receptor on the surface of CD4+ T cells in both the lung and lymph node. Through transfer studies using OT-II transgenic T cells, we demonstrate that Jagged-1 represses the expansion of CD44+CD62L+CCR7+ memory cells and promotes the expansion of CD44+CD62L− effector cells, but it has no effect on the expansion of naive cells during allergic airway disease. These data suggest that Jagged-1 may have different roles in Ag-specific T cell responses, depending on the maturity of the stimulated T cell.
Hydrologic performance assessment of nature-based solutions: a case study in North-eastern Italy
Authors: Baggio Tommaso , Bettella Francesco , Bortolini Lucia , D'Agostino Vincenzo
Published: February 2023

The consequences of climate change are exacerbated by land-use changes, which influence the rainfall-runoff relations and consequently the flood risk. Effectively, urbanization is steadily contributing to the increase of impervious areas and reducing the time-to-peak. The effect of Nature Based Solutions (NBSs) on the mitigation of these phenomena is recognized. Nevertheless, these kinds of sustainable infrastructures are still barely known and scarcely adopted in many parts of the European Countries. The LIFE BEWARE project aims to enhance hydraulic safety and spread good practices in rainwater management by promoting and facilitating the adoption of NBSs in the Altovicentino area (Northern Vicenza Province, Veneto Region, Italy). To support the dissemination activities, some full-scale NBSs have been created within the municipality areas involved in the project. The hydrological impact of the structures is continuously monitored thanks to the installation of devices measuring inlet and outlet runoff, and rainfall pattern. This study aims to analyse the monitoring data of the first two years of the built NBSs. Results show that the structures managed almost all the water runoff through processes of infiltration and retention, providing additional insights into understanding the real behaviour of NBSs exposed to the specific environmental conditions of a very rainy foothills area. In particular, mean rain intensity and rainfall duration are the variables that mostly affected the structure performance, especially for events prolonged over time (2-3 days) with mean rainfall intensity in the range of 2-3 mm/h. Therefore, the overall outcomes from this analysis resulted as being useful to improve the design of NBSs and further promote their installation in urban areas.
Spontaneous large volume hemothorax managed with a small-bore chest tube
Authors: Salahuddin Moiz , Ayub Samia
Published: February 2023

A 67-year-old male with metastatic lung cancer presented with acute shortness of breath and increasing oxygen requirements. He had a decreasing hemoglobin for which he required red blood cell transfusions. His chest x-ray showed near complete white-out of the left lung. Bedside ultrasound (Handheld Sonostar C4PL) showed a large pleural effusion with swirling echogenic material suggestive of plankton sign. The pleural effusion was aspirated and showed frank blood, after which a small-bore chest tube (SBCT) was inserted. A total of 3200ml of blood was drained with the SBCT. There was complete clearance of the pleural space, and no further blood product transfusions were needed. This case highlights that conservative management can be considered in patients with spontaneous hemothorax due to metastatic disease.
Efficacy of Hydroxychloroquine in Pre-Exposure Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Prophylaxis Among High-Risk Healthcare Workers: A Multicenter Study
Authors: Nasri Elahe , Fakhim Hamed , Salahi Mehrdad , Ghafel Safiyeh , Pourajam Samane , Darakhshandeh Ali , Kassaian Nazila , Sadeghi Somayeh , Ataei Behrooz , Javanmard Shaghayegh Haghjooy , Vaezi Afsane
Published: February 2023

Background:

Prophylaxis could be an established strategy to potentially prevent and control infectious diseases and should be considered in the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The present study aimed to assess the effectiveness of hydroxychloroquine as a prophylaxis treatment strategy in the reduction of the risk of COVID-19 among health professionals.

Materials and Methods:

The health professionals were randomly assigned (1:1) to the control group without receiving any hydroxychloroquine as prophylaxis and the hydroxychloroquine group receiving a weekly hydroxychloroquine dose of 400 mg up to 12 weeks.

Results:

A total of 146 health professionals were randomly enrolled in this study between August 11 and November 11 in 2020. Among the screened health professionals, 21 (14.6%) were infected with COVID-19 during the 12 weeks, and 14 (66.6%) out of the 21 health professionals were in the control group. Most participants with COVID-19 had mild symptoms (62%). In addition, 9.5% (n = 2) of the participants suffered from moderate disease and 28.5% were diagnosed with severe symptoms. In the hydroxychloroquine group, 5 (7.1%) and 2 (2.8%) participants were reported with mild and moderate symptoms of COVID-19, respectively, and 2 participants had moderate, 8 (10.9%) participants had mild symptoms, and 6 (8.2%) participants had severe symptoms in the control group, within 3 months. Severe symptoms of COVID-19 were not observed in the hydroxychloroquine group.

Conclusion:

This study addressed the effect and benefit of hydroxychloroquine administration for the prevention of COVID-19 among health professionals. The improved perception of prophylaxis might highlight its important role in future COVID-19 outbreaks to prevent hospital transmission, which is a major route of spread.
Therapeutic Utilization of Zinc Supplementation Concurrent with Ozone Therapy Ameliorates Diabetic Foot Ulcer and Attenuates Serum Level of C-Reactive Protein- A Case Report Study
Authors: Dadfar Reza , Khorsandi Layasadat , Goujani Reza , Mousavi Seyyed Farid , Aslani Zahra
Published: February 2023

Non-healing diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) is one of the main complications in diabetic patients. This case reported a 65-year-old male with a neuropathic ulcer in the right foot came to Ahwaz Wound Clinic after the wound had not healed with routine treatments. In addition to the routine treatment program, we used tropical ozone therapy and autohemotherapy (blood ozone therapy) for 2 months. Zinc supplementation (50 mg) was also administered daily during the treatment. The DFU was clearly healed with diminishing inflammation and wound closing, and there were no side effects. Additionally, the C-reactive protein level was obviously decreased during the treatment indicating effective suppression of infection. This way indicates a helpful new intervention approach to the treatment of DFU.
Quality of Professional Life and Its Association with Emotional Well-Being Among COVID-19 Physicians and Nurses
Authors: Azizkhani Reza , Azimi Meibody Azita , Sadeghi Ahmad , Meibody-Tabar Gloria , Flechon-Meibody Fleuria , Ataei Behrooz , Kouhestani Soheila
Published: February 2023

Background:

The present study was to compare the professional quality of life (ProQOL) and its association with the emotional well-being among the physicians and nurses in contact with COVID-19 patients in Iran and France.

Materials and Methods:

The study was performed on 903 nurses and physicians in contact with COVID-19 patients in Iran and France.he subjects completed their demographics online and then answered questions addressing their job stress and emotion associated with their contact with COVID-19 patients and ProQOL. Finally, the collected data were analyzed using the SPSS software (ver. 25).

Results:

According to the results of the present study, the degree of contact with COVID-19 patients had a significant role in compassion satisfaction, burnout, and compassion fatigue, with the coefficient effects of 0.459, 0.688, and 0.433, respectively (P < 0.05). The emotional well-being had a significant role in increasing compassion satisfaction (B = 0.505, P < 0.05).

Conclusion:

According to the results of the present study, factors such as contact with a COVID-19 patient, emotional well-being, gender, and marital status had a significant effect on dimensions of ProQOL in both Iran and France. Considering that the entire focus of the physicians and nurses is on the health of COVID-19 patients and they have no concentration on improving their emotional state, it seems that supporting them in terms of psychological self-care and considering its indirect impact on the quality of professional performance are of particular significance.
Cytomegalovirus Specific Cell-Mediated Immunity Status in Women with Preeclampsia: A Case-Control Study
Authors: Sherkat Roya , Shahshahan Zahra , Kalatehjari Maryam , Yaran Majid , Nasirian Maryam , Najafi Somayeh , Zangeneh Neda Pari , Montazerin Sahar Memar
Published: February 2023

Background:

Preeclampsia, a pregnancy-specific complication, has been associated with cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection in observational studies. CMV-specific T cell response plays a major role in viremia clearance. We explored whether CMV-specific cell-mediated immunity (CMI) status is associated with preeclampsia in pregnant women.

Materials and Methods:

CMV-specific CMI was assessed using CMV-QuantiFERON (QF-CMV) assay in plasma serum of 35 women with preeclampsia as well as 35 normal pregnant controls, retrospectively. Participants were matched for gestational age in a 1:1 ratio. The proportion of reactive results, the mean value of interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) level produced in mitogen and antigen tubes were compared between the cases and controls through Chi-square and Wilcoxon rank-sum tests, respectively. The odds ratio and confidence interval were calculated as well.

Results:

No significant differences observed between demographic characteristics of the case and control groups. The QF-CMV assay turned reactive (QF-CMV [+]) Women with preeclampsia had lower mean IFN-γ levels in antigen tube compared with normal pregnant controls. There were no statistically significant differences in the value of mitogen tube between case and controls women with suppressed CMV-CMI were 6.3 times more likely to have preeclampsia. This result even strengthened after adjustment for age, gestational age, and gravidity.

Conclusions:

Our findings support an association between suppressed CMV-specific CMI and preeclampsia.
Magnesium Supplementation May Not Be Protective Against Carboplatin-Induced Nephrotoxicity But May Be Beneficial for Children Suffering Malignancies: A Randomized Clinical Trial
Authors: Alizadeh Hadadhania Marzie , Ghaffari Kazem , Absalan Abdorrahim , Eghbali Aygin , Rahimi Afzal Roghayeh , Ghasemi Ali , Eghbali Aziz
Published: February 2023

Background:

Magnesium oxide may be effective in renal insufficiency prevention after carboplatin therapy. We have evaluated magnesium oxide impression on the serum creatinine (Cr) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels plus glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in cancerous children.

Materials and Methods:

A group of children with different cancers (n = 18) was treated with 250 mg/day magnesium oxide supplementation (MOS) and compared with a matched placebo-treated group (n = 18). After 2 weeks, carboplatin chemotherapy started. We compared serum Cr, BUN, and GFR values before and 3 and 7 days post intervention.

Results:

Serum Cr and BUN were increased significantly 3 and 7 days after intervention in both the groups. Serum Cr and BUN were not statistically different between the MOS and placebo groups before the intervention and 3 or 7 days after carboplatin administration (P > 0.05). Three days after the intervention, the GFR reduced from 101.38 ± 14.67 to 90.11 ± 10.52 mL/min/1.73 m2 in the MOS group. Furthermore, in the placebo group, 3 days after the intervention, the GFR was reduced from 97.5 ± 9.71 to 92.33 ± 10.61 mL/min/1.73 m2. Further, in the MOS group, after 7 days of the intervention, the GFR was reduced to 84.11 ± 12.47 mL/min/1.73 m2. In the placebo group, after 7 days of the intervention, the GFR was diminished to 85.38 ± 10.66 mL/min/1.73 m2 (P = 0.371).

Conclusion:

The current study suggests that magnesium supplementation does not prevent carboplatin-induced nephrotoxicity in children with malignancies. Anyway, we propose magnesium oxide supplementation for this group of pediatrics because magnesium is an essential element for cell and tissue growth, maintenance, and metabolism.
Does Opioid Addiction Influence Clinical and Angiographic Outcomes in STEMI Patients Undergoing Emergency PCI?
Authors: Amirpour Afshin , Kermani-Alghoraishi Mohammad , Sattar Fereshteh , Roohafza Hamidreza , Shahabi Javad , Zavar Reihaneh , Sadeghi Masoumeh
Published: February 2023

Background:

Despite recognizing the traditional coronary artery disease (CAD) risk factors, some secondary factors, such as opioid substance abuse, have to be considered. We aimed to assess the relationship between opioid consumption and emergency percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) revascularization results, according to Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) flow and in-hospital survival outcomes in ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients.

Materials and Methods:

This case–control study was conducted on 186 patients (93 patients in each group) with acute STEMI, who were referred to Chamran Heart Center, Isfahan, Iran. Opioid addiction was diagnosed by patients' records and confirmed by conducting an interview based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition (DSM-IV) criteria. Patients in both groups were evaluated and compared for angioplasty results based on the TIMI flow grade and in-hospital cardiovascular events and complications.

Results:

Ninety-one patients (97.84%) of each group were male, and opioid-addicted patients were younger than the non-opioid users (52.95 9.91 vs. 57.90 12.17, P = 0.003). Among the CAD risk factors, prevalence of dyslipidemia was significantly higher in non-opioid users, whereas cigarette smoking was higher in opioid-addicted patients (P < 0.050). There was no significant difference between the two groups regarding pre- and post-procedural myocardial infarction complications as well as mortality rate (P > 0.050). Also, there were no significant differences between the opioid and non-opioid users regarding TIMI flow grading, and successful PCI rate based on achieving TIMI III was 60.21% versus 59.1% in opiate-dependent and non-opioid users, respectively (P = 0.621).

Conclusion:

Opioid addiction has no effects on post-PCI angiographic results and in-hospital survival outcomes in STEMI patients which undergoing emergency PCI.
Quality Assessment of Computed Tomography Images Using a Channelized Hoteling Observer: Optimization of Protocols in Clinical Practice
Authors: Choopani Mohammad Reza , Abedi Iraj , Dalvand Fatemeh
Published: February 2023

Background:

This study investigated the feasibility of channelized hoteling observer (CHO) model in computed tomography (CT) protocol optimization regarding the image quality and patient exposure. While the utility of using model observers such as to optimize the clinical protocol is evident, the pitfalls associated with the use of this method in practice require investigation.

Materials and Methods:

This study was performed using variable tube current and adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction (ASIR) level (ASIR 10% to ASIR 100%). Various criteria including noise, high-contrast spatial resolution, CHOs model were used to compare image quality at different captured levels. For the implementation of CHO, we first tuned the model in a restricted dataset and then it to the evaluation of a large dataset of images obtained with different reconstruction ASIR and filtered back projection (FBP) levels.

Results:

The results were promising in terms of CHO use for the stated purposes. Comparisons of the noise of reconstructed images with 30% ASIR and higher levels of noise in rebuilding images using the FBP approach showed a significant difference (P < 0.05). The spatial resolution obtained using various ASIR levels and tube currents were 0.8 pairs of lines per millimeter, which did not differ significantly from the FBP method (P > 0.05).

Conclusions:

Based on the results, using 80% ASIR can reduce the radiation dose on lungs, abdomen, and pelvis CT scans while maintaining image quality. Furthermore using ASIR 60% only for the reconstruction of lungs, abdomen, and pelvis images at standard radiation dose leads to optimal image quality.
A Comparative Study of the Effect of Low-Dose Epinephrine and Ketamine on Rapid-Sequence Endotracheal Intubation by the Priming Dose Method of Cisatracurium in Patients Under General Anesthesia
Authors: Hajigholam Saryazdi Hamid , Honarmand Azim , Nazemroaya Behzad , Naderi Afshar Pouyan
Published: February 2023

Background:

Low-dose ephedrine and ketamine may accelerate the onset time of action of neuromuscular blocking agents. We studied the effect of ephedrine and ketamine and cisatracurium priming on endotracheal intubation conditions and the onset time of action of cisatracurium.

Materials and Methods:

The study was a double-blind clinical trial performed on American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) class 1 and 2 patients, who were candidates for general anesthesia. In total, 120 patients were entered into the study and were divided into 4 groups, E, K, E + K, and N. The first group was given 70 mcg/kg ephedrine (E group), the second group was given 0.5 ml/kg ketamine (K group), the third group was given the same amount of ketamine plus ephedrine (E + K group), and the fourth group was given the same volume of normal saline (control group); a single dose of 0.1 mg/kg cisatracurium was given, and intubating conditions were evaluated at 60 seconds after cisatracurium administration.

Results:

The mean Cooper score based on the response to laryngoscopy, the position of the vocal cords, and the movement of the diaphragm of patients in the control group with a mean of 2.53 ± 1.07 was significantly lower than in the three groups of E, K, and E + K with the means of 4.47. 1.17, 4.53 ± 1.14, and 7.63 ± 1.42, respectively (P value < 0.001). In the (E + K) group, it was significantly higher than in the two other drugs alone (P value < 0.001). The two groups of E and K alone were not significantly different from each other (P value = 0.997). The means of hemodynamic parameters were not significantly different in any of the groups (P value > 0.05).

Conclusion:

According to the results of the present study, the use of low-dose ephedrine and ketamine alone can improve intubation conditions. In addition, the combined use of these drugs not only had any Positive effect on patients' hemodynamic parameters but also greatly improved intubation conditions.
Application and validation of a novel inflammatory score in the clinical grading of infectious endophthalmitis: The endophthalmitis management study – Report 2
Authors: Dave Vivek Pravin , Belenje Akash , Dogra Avantika , Das Taraprasad ,   on behalf of the EMS working group
Published: February 2023

Purpose:

This study was conducted to describe and validate a novel inflammatory score (IS) system in the management of infectious endophthalmitis.

Methods:

This was a prospective comparative non-interventional observational study. The study included the patients with clinical signs and symptoms of acute post-cataract surgery endophthalmitis (surgery within 6 weeks) with visual acuity from 6/18 to light perception. IS was scored by the clinical picture at two-levels of four ocular tissues on a scale of 0 (normal) to 4 (severe). Four masked graders of different levels of experience evaluated slit-lamp photographs. The concordance correlation coefficient was assessed between the slit-lamp clinical grading and photographic grading. We measured the concordance correlation coefficient, Pearson’s correlation (indicating precision), and the bias correction factor (indicating the accuracy).

Results:

The study included 43 eyes of 43 patients. The concordance correlation coefficient was 0.99 (95% CI 0.995 to 0.998). Both Pearson’s correlation coefficient and the bias correction were 0.99. The interclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was measured. The intra-rater ICC was 0.833 with good agreement (95% CI, 0.711 to 0.906; P < 0.001). Inter-rater ICC for consistency was 0.92 (95% CI 0.87 to 0.95). Inter-rater ICC for absolute agreement was 0.86 (95% CI 0.66 to 0.93).

Conclusion:

Currently used IS scoring in the study is a reliable, reproducible, and easy-to-apply scale to measure inflammation severity in endophthalmitis. We propose that it can have applications in decision-making for primary treatment and monitoring progression in acute infectious endophthalmitis.
Eye banking and keratoplasty trend analysis during the COVID-19 pandemic: A South Indian observational study
Authors: Madkaiker Aditee , Venugopal Anitha , Ghorpade Aditya , Ravindran Meenakshi , Ragappa Ramakrishnan , Sithiq Mohammed Uduman
Published: February 2023

Purpose:

To analyze the impact on eye donation and corneal transplantation during the COVID-19 pandemic in a tertiary eye hospital in south India.

Methods:

A retrospective analysis of the donor and recipient records during the study period from January 2020 to May 2021 was conducted and tabulated in Microsoft Excel 2013. Demographic details of the donor, utility rate, cause of death, culture characteristics, storage methods, wet lab usage, and the surgical donor outcomes were evaluated. Additionally, the postoperative workup of the recipients, diagnosis, graft infection and rejection episodes, development of COVID-19 postoperatively, and outcome in terms of visual acuity at one, three, and six months were also noted.

Results:

A total of 466 eyes from 249 donors were received during the study period. The mean age of the donor population was 62.43 years (20.9). The corneal transplantation utility rate was 36.4% (n = 170). Fifty-one percent of the total transplant surgeries were for therapeutic purposes. This was followed by penetrating optical keratoplasty (34%), Descemet’s stripping endothelial keratoplasty (9%), and patch grafts (3%). Seventeen (10%) graft rejection episodes were noted and nine (53%) had complete resolution after medical treatment.

Conclusion:

Proper preventive measures are key to carrying out safe and efficient eye banking activities even during a deadly pandemic, as COVID-19 transmission via transplantation is rare.
Evaluating perspective and quality of life of glaucoma patients during the COVID-19 pandemic in India: Results of a telephone survey
Authors: Roy Avik K , Rao Aparna , Pal Anindita , Mohapatra Shreya , Swain Rubina
Published: February 2023

Purpose:

The past few years have been difficult in the lives of most glaucoma patients in view of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our aim was to find out patients’ perspective and disruption of their quality of life during the COVID-19 pandemic by conducting a telephone survey among glaucoma patients.

Methods:

This was a cross-sectional study involving the glaucoma patients of a tertiary eye care hospital in India. Patients who had completed at least five years of follow-up before 2020 were randomized by a random number generator. A validated (forward–backward translation and completed pilot analysis) set of 14 questionnaires was administered to the patients, the latter of whom were telephonically interviewed by one of the investigators in February 2022. The entire data was audio-recorded. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26 was used.

Results:

Out of 1141 patients with >5 years of follow-up, 103 were selected by randomization. A large group of 46 patients (44.6%) admitted to glaucoma affecting their daily activities. Only 12 (11.6%) admitted to being irregular with their drops. Thirty-four (33%) patients felt that their glaucoma was deteriorating and 31 (30.1%) had fear of blindness. Ninety-five patients (92.7%) felt that they were safe under the care of the treating doctor. There were 46 (44.6%) out of 103 patients who did not turn up for follow-up for six months or more. Lockdown (36.2%) and travel-expenses (27.6%) were the two most common reasons for the loss to follow-up visits.

Conclusion:

Nearly half of the long-term glaucoma patients were lost to follow-up during the COVID-19 pandemic. Glaucoma affecting daily lives and fear of losing vision turned out to be significant observations in the telephone survey. This fear seemed to be ameliorated by the majority still feeling safe by being in touch with their doctor for continued care even during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Clinical features and visual outcomes of pediatric optic neuritis in the Indian population: A prospective study
Authors: Kowsalya Akkayasamy , Ramalingam Uma , Chaudhary Sameer , Kumar Mahesh
Published: February 2023

Purpose:

Optic neuritis, defined as inflammation of the optic nerve, is the most common optic neuropathy affecting adults. Various studies in Southeast Asia have shown that the clinical profile of optic neuritis might differ in these regions from that reported in the western literature. Through this study, we evaluate the clinical profile of pediatric optic neuritis (PON) in the Indian population.

Methods:

This was a hospital-based prospective observational study. Patients with optic neuritis younger than 16 years who attended the neuro-ophthalmology clinic from May 2016 to April 2017 were included in the study.

Results:

This study included 54 eyes of 38 patients. The mean age of presentation was 10.6 years. Unilateral disease (58%) was found to be more common, and a slight female preponderance (58%) was noted. The most common feature was visual loss (96.3%). Pupillary light reflex abnormality was seen in most patients. Fundus examination revealed disk edema (77.7%) to be the most common feature. Neuroimaging was performed in 34 patients, and multiple sclerosis was diagnosed in four patients. At 3 months follow-up after treatment, 89% of eyes had best correct visual acuity of 6/9 or better (P < 0.001).

Conclusion:

In our study, we found the clinical profile of PON to be similar to that seen in western studies as well as those done previously in the Indian population, although with a few differences.
Comparison of the effect of audiovisual and verbal instructions on patient performance while performing automated Humphrey visual field testing
Authors: Maheshwari Devendra , Nair Aditi , Tara Techi Dodum , Pawar Neelam , Ramakrishnan Rengappa , Selvi D Ranitha Guna , Uduman Mohammed Sithiq
Published: February 2023

Purpose:

To compare the effect of audiovisual and verbal instructions on patient performance while performing automated Humphrey visual field testing.

Methods:

This was a prospective study. A total 120 patients divided into groups of 40 each were recruited from the glaucoma outpatient department (OPD). All patients were aged 35–75 years with no previous experience of performing HFA. Patients with hearing impairment, any other cognitive impairment, and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) ≤6/36 on Snellen’s visual acuity were excluded. The first two groups were given strict (conservative) and lenient (liberal) verbal instructions. The instructions were adapted from those listed in the manufacturer’s instruction. and the third group was shown a standard video depicting in detail how perimetry was to be performed. A questionnaire was given to each patient before and after the test to assess the patient’s performance.

Results:

Patients diagnosed with glaucoma during testing in each group were 29 (72.50%), 30 (75.0%), and 33 (82.5%) in the video instructed, strictly verbal, and leniently verbal groups, respectively. The overall mean deviation (MD) in the right eye (RE) was of − 3.38 (−4.9 to 1.9) and in the left eye (LE) was − 3.96 (−6.4 to − 1.9). Reliable field was slightly higher for the video instructed group (47.5%) and lowest for the strictly verbal group (22.5%) (P = 0.033). A higher number of patients were very motivated in the video instructed group (27%) (P = 0.041). Post-test questionnaires showed that 40% of patients felt they have performed the test with 100% accuracy in video group with less guessing. A higher number of patients in the video instructed group (85%) felt instruction was helpful in performing the test (P = 0.001).

Conclusion:

The video groups were more motivated and had better confidence to perform the test with less anxiety and stress and with probably better understanding of the procedure due to visual effects enhancing their understanding.
An evaluation of the accuracy of toric intraocular lens power calculation based on measured total corneal refractive power
Authors: Yang Zhi , Zhou Yanwen , Jin Tianru , Li Jingjing
Published: February 2023

Purpose:

To evaluate a method using measured values of total corneal refractive power (TCRP) for a manufacturer’s online calculator by comparing it with the Barrett toric calculator (BTC) and Kane toric calculator (KTC) combined with simulated keratometry values (SimK).

Methods:

This was a retrospective case series. Patient records were reviewed to identify the patients who had biometry with the IOL Master 700 and Pentacam recorded before toric IOL implantation and refractive follow-up data after implantation. The predicted error in residual astigmatism was calculated by vector analysis according to the calculation methods and the measurements used.

Results:

A total of 70 eyes of 56 patients were included. The mean absolute astigmatism prediction errors were 0.6 ± 0.32, 0.59 ± 0.35, and 0.61 ± 0.35 D for the ATCTCRP, BTCSimK, and KTCSimK calculators, respectively (P = 0.934), and the centroid of the prediction errors were 0.3 D @ 178°, 0.11 D @ 102°, and 0.09 D @ 147°, respectively (P = 0.23). In the with-the-rule subgroup, the centroid of the prediction error was 0.34 D @ 176° for ATCTCRP and was the highest among the three calculation methods (P = 0.046).

Conclusion:

The ATCTCRP, BTCSimK, and KTCSimK calculators had similar performance with regards to their astigmatism prediction accuracy. The ATCTCRP calculator combined with 4.0-mm apex/ring readings of TCRP was slightly intended to result in against-the-rule residual astigmatism.
Role of polymerase chain reaction–based viral detection in pterygia
Authors: Krishnan Janani Madhuravasal , Rajagopal Rama , Lakshmipathy Dhanurekha , Agarwal Shweta , Anand AR , Therese Lily , Thangam Aishwarya , Madhavan Hajib Narahari Rao
Published: February 2023

Purpose:

Pterygium is a fibrovascular disease that originates in the conjunctiva and commonly spreads to the corneal surface, thereby posing a threat to eyesight. Despite intensive research, the pathophysiology of this disease remains unclear. Recent research suggests that oncogenic viruses, such as human papillomavirus (HPV), cytomegalovirus, and Epstein–Barr virus (EBV), may play a role in pterygia development. Although there are questions concerning the function of oncogenic viruses in pterygium pathogenesis, existing research shows a lack of consensus on the subject, demonstrating the heterogeneity of pterygium pathophysiology. Therefore, we aimed to simultaneously detect the three common viral pathogens that have been reported in pterygium tissue obtained after excision.

Methods:

Thirty-five tissue specimens of pterygium from patients undergoing pterygium surgery (as cases) were analyzed for evidence of viral infection with multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and virus-specific real-time quantitative PCR was used for the samples that were detected positive by multiplex PCR.

Results:

Of the 35 patients, one sample was positive for EBV and two samples were positive for HPV. Further PCR-based DNA sequencing of the HPV PCR-positive product showed identity with HPV-16. Real-time quantitative PCR on samples that showed EBV or HPV positivity did not yield any detectable copy number.

Conclusion:

Our study results confirmed that PCR positivity could be due to transient flora, but it was not quantitatively significant to conclude as the causative factor of pterygium pathogenesis. However, additional studies with larger sample populations are warranted to fully determine the role of the virus in pterygium.