bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Enhancing Crop Resilience in the Face of a Changing Climate
Authors: Azeem Asad , Ul-Allah Sami , Khan Sana , Draz Dullu Muhammad Umar , Azeem Sonia , Zaman Muhammad Sikandar , Haq Muhammad Zia Ul
Published: December 2023

Crops can adapt to shifting environmental conditions due to the diversity of traits and characteristics that genetic diversity gives. The capacity to adapt is a fundamental component of crop resilience. Breeding and natural selection are necessary for developing hardy crop types. Breeders can create more resilient crops by subjecting them to various stresses and identifying individuals with favorable features. Agroecological approaches and sustainable farming can improve crop resilience. Crop rotation, intercropping, and agroforestry increase agroecosystem resilience and promote biodiversity. Developing crop varieties with improved resilience to extreme weather events, such as droughts, floods, and heat waves, is essential to addressing the difficulties posed by climate change. Crop resilience can be improved by utilizing agroecological methods, genetic variety, and adaptive ability. The productivity and adaptability of our agricultural systems in the face of shifting environmental conditions can be increased by creating resilient crop types.
The Missing Component
Authors: Kassout Jalal , Kadaoui Khalil , Hmimsa Younes , El Fatehi Salama , Chakkour Soufian , Houssni Mhammad , Oulbi Sara , Azenzem Rachid , Sahli Abdelouahab , Ater Mohammed
Published: December 2023

Plants contend with a myriad of environmental stressors that exert constraints on their performances, posing considerable concerns regarding the enduring persistence and resilience of plant populations over the long term. This apprehension is especially pertinent for Mediterranean species, exemplified by the wild olive and the carob tree. Nevertheless, a multitude of studies have illustrated that plant species exhibit the capability to endure adverse environmental conditions through the deployment of various morpho-physiological and biochemical traits that support physiological processes. Given the pivotal role of wild fruit trees as invaluable genetic resources, a comprehensive understanding of their potential responses to evolving environmental conditions becomes imperative for the development of apt strategies for resource preservation and breeding programs. In the context of this chapter, our hypothesis posits that intraspecific trait variability emerges as a central player in augmenting the resilience of these emblematic wild fruit trees in the face of climate change.
Sustainable Integrated Farming in Agriculture
Authors: Poddar Sandeep
Published: December 2023

Advancement of human civilization has resulted in depletion of resources and the deterioration of living conditions in certain regions of the world. Human activity on Earth has taken a hostile turn that threatens the existence of species and mankind. Circular agriculture focuses primarily on using minimal external input, closing nutrient cycles, regenerating soils, and minimizing environmental impact. Agriculture chains must be efficient in order to maximize the use of resources and return nutrients to the soil for a sustainable future. AI technology will lead to substantial changes in agricultural practices. The current discussion was explicitly related to United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 2: Zero Hunger, as well as other UNSDGs. To generate synergies and effectively manage trade-offs between agriculture, water, energy, land use, and climate change, the international community is urged to increase the number of integrated national and regional decision-making processes.
Embracing Neurodiversity
Authors: Efthymiou Efthymia
Published: December 2023

In a world that celebrates diversity, the realm of autism support is undergoing a shift — one guided by the principles of neurodiversity. This manuscript presents a compelling argument for embracing neurodiversity as the cornerstone of a new era in autism support. Through a meticulous exploration of evidence-based practices and innovative strategies, it underlines the fundamental role of personalized and inclusive interventions, the development of assistive technologies, the integration of mindfulness, and the significance of self-directed learning in nurturing the empowerment of autistic individuals. Drawing from a wealth of research, this manuscript establishes the profound impact of neurodiversity on academic achievement, socio-emotional well-being, and overall quality of life for autistic individuals. It calls upon teachers, caregivers, and society at large to actively embrace neurodiversity and advocate for inclusive support systems, ultimately redefining autism support and fostering empowerment among a diverse and exceptional community.
Systemic Conditions Affecting the Elderly
Authors: Jaber Mohamed A. , Elameen Essra M.
Published: December 2023

This chapter will provide valuable insights and practical guidance to dental students, practitioners, and researchers seeking a comprehensive understanding of the systemic conditions affecting the elderly and the role of modern technology in addressing their dental needs. The elderly population is growing worldwide, and with it comes an increased prevalence of systemic conditions that can affect oral health. Managing dental treatment for elderly patients with systemic conditions poses unique challenges. To address these challenges and provide the best possible care, modern technology has been integrated into dental practice. This integration includes a range of digital tools and innovations, from digital imaging and teledentistry to electronic health records (EHRs) and artificial intelligence (AI). In this comprehensive chapter, the authors explore the significance of modern technology in managing dental treatment for elderly patients with systemic conditions, its impact on patient care, the challenges and considerations, and the future of technology in geriatric dentistry.
Artificial Intelligence - A Way to Feel?
Authors: Scribano Adrian
Published: December 2023

Artificial intelligence is one of the most widespread and discussed mechanisms of the current post-globalization situation. AI has impacted medicine, sports, education, and more. With the proposal to discuss what it means to feel in the era of digital experiences managed through AI, this chapter intends to briefly analyze three practices of feeling that find in artificial intelligence a mechanism that generates “mirror experiences.” Firstly, the chapter reviews different approaches to the connection between AI and emotions, and secondly, what we will call experiences of sexualization will be examined through an exploratory observation of The Rrrealist on Instagram and Twitter. This experience implies a set of emotional ecologies that make up a geometry of enjoyment, pleasure, and jouissance in terms of a sociology of the virtual/mobile/digital world with important consequences for the structuring of society and its politics of sensibilities.
Voice and Speech Recognition Application in Emotion Detection
Authors: Anand Tushar , Panwar Sarthak , Sharma Shubham Kumar , Rastogi Rohit , Gupta Mayank
Published: December 2023

Emotion detection from voice signals is needed for human-computer interaction (HCI), which is a difficult challenge. In the literature on speech emotion recognition, various well known speech analysis and classification methods have been used to extract emotions from signals. Deep learning strategies have recently been proposed as a workable alternative to conventional methods and discuss several recent studies have employed these methods to identify speech-based emotions. The review examines the databases used, the emotions collected, and the contributions to speech emotion recognition. The speech emotion recognition project was created by the research team, which recognizes human speech emotions. The research team developed this project using Python 3.6. The RAVDEESS dataset was also used since it contained eight distinct emotions expressed by all speakers. The RAVDESS dataset, Python programming languages, and Pycharm as an IDE were all used by the author team.
Job Crafting and Intention to Stay in an Organization
Authors: Jatav Sunita , Dixit Aparna , Kuriakose Vijay
Published: December 2023

This study examined job crafting, work satisfaction, and service sector employee retention. Job designing affected job satisfaction and retention in service sector organizations. Task crafting, relational crafting, and cognitive crafting were found to motivate and engage employees with job crafting as the most important. Job crafting, job happiness, and employee retention are linked by research. This study used 150 form fillers picked randomly. T-tests were utilized to examine job crafting, work satisfaction, and employee retention. The results revealed a significant and robust positive association between job crafting and job satisfaction, indicating that individuals who engaged in job crafting reported higher levels of work satisfaction. Additionally, a positive relationship was observed between job satisfaction and the intention to remain within the organization. Job satisfaction was also linked to company loyalty. The study found that job crafting affected employee retention. Job creation was linked to job happiness and loyalty.
The Impact of Job Satisfaction on Employee Retention in the Power Sector
Authors: Nghilalulwa Jesaya Mutileni , Shihomeka Sadrag Panduleni
Published: December 2023

The main subject of this research was to explore the impact of job satisfaction on employee retention in Oshakati Premier Electric. Forty-four respondents were selected for this research by employing a simple random sampling strategy. A self-administered survey questionnaire was designed to collect data from the respondents. The key findings from this research were that of extrinsic and intrinsic factors that impact employee job satisfaction on employee retention. Furthermore, the research reveals that factors such as training and developmental opportunities, employee benefits, rewards and salaries, conducive working environment, a good relationship with co-employees, and fair treatment from management and supervisors were ranked as the utmost important factors that led to employee job satisfaction and employee retention. It is recommended that management should afford an atmosphere for the attainment of high sensation of employee job satisfaction with the main responsibility of employee retention in the long-term period of the organization.
Evaluating Thermal Performance and Environmental Impact of Compressed Earth Blocks with Cocos and Canarium Aggregates: A Study in Douala, Cameroon
Authors: Ganou Koungang Bernard Morino , Courard Luc , Tatchum Defo Ulrich , Ndapeu Dieunedort , Njeugna Ebénézer , Attia Shady
Published: December 2023

A novel low-cost earthen construction system integrating biosourced aggregates is proposed for houses’ erection of low-income households. This study is based on in-situ measurements on two representative test cells constructed in Douala, with a typical hot and humid climate. One of these buildings is made with a hollow cement block as a reference, and the other with biosourced earth bricks modified with Cocos nucifera and Canarium schweinfurthii aggregates. Dynamic thermal simulations of the two test cells were performed using the EnergyPlus building performance simulation program. The results are based on measuring air temperature and humidity, and the simulation leads to defining the discomfort hours and the annual energy consumption. The adaptive ASHRAE 55 thermal comfort model was used to evaluate the comfort conditions. The results show that air conditioning systems provide the best comfort systems with minimums of about 95% for plastered and unplastered wall construction systems. Biosourced compressed earth brick constructions offered the best thermal performance with comfort ranges of around 96% and 44% for air conditioning and natural ventilation, respectively. In terms of energy consumed, there was a gain of about 100 kWh over the year. Energy consumption is lower in the biosourced compressed earth brick building than in the hollowed cement block building: this one offered the lowest comfort range of about 40% in natural ventilation. The construction provisions were considered for the life cycle assessment, and two scenarios describing the origin of the cement raw materials were considered. It can be seen that cement accounts for more than 95% of the impacts for both construction systems, as well as for the scenarios of its origin. In all situations, the hollowed cement block construction presented the highest impact on the global warming potential: 66 KgCO2eq and 89 KgCO2eq, respectively, without plaster and with plaster. It can also be seen that the plastered layer had a carbon footprint (in terms of Green House Gas Emissions (GHG emissions)) of almost 40% on the overall functional unit. Canarium Schweinfurthii and Cocos Nucifera materials accounted for only 1% of the overall impact.
A Machine Learning Scheme for Speed Prediction in Intelligent Transportation Systems Using a Bi-LSTM Based Model
Authors: Njoya Arouna Ndam , Wachira Alice Wangui , Abba Ari Ado Adamou , Rockefeller Rockefeller , Gueroui Abdelhak Mourad , Thron Christopher , Kallel Sondes Khemiri , Abdou Wahabou , Tonye Emmanuel
Published: December 2023

Congestion has become a big issue in major cities throughout the world. Numerous transportation activities have been affected, and travel times have increased as a result of many travelers spending lengthy hours on the road. To overcome these challenges, the Intelligent Transportation System (ITS), which provides efficient traffic service and management, has sparked widespread attention. Collection and analysis of traffic data has been made possible by the algorithms implemented by the ITS. Huge volumes of data are produced by the vast wide range of sensors used in the Internet of Things (IoT), enabling the collection of a variety of traffic information. Development of short-term traffic speed prediction, has been made possible using deep learning models such as Long Short Term Memory (LSTM) and Bidirectional LSTM. Numerous variables, including the weather, the state of the roads, and traffic congestion, can have long-term dependencies and influence traffic speed. The bidirectional architecture of Bi-LSTMs enables them to handle long-term dependencies in sequences and efficiently capture both past and future context in a sequence, which is crucial for producing accurate forecasts of traffic speed. In this paper, the upstream and downstream flow of traffic speed on various pathways has been investigated using a traffic path planning algorithm based on Bi-LSTM models. The algorithm considers the factors affecting the flow of traffic at different seasons and time of the day and tries to predict the average speed associated to that path several timeslots ahead. The experimental results demonstrated that the Bi-LSTM model has the benefit of predicting speed for various timeslots while retaining a high level of accuracy.
Model-Based Approach for Leak Detection and Localization in Water Distribution Networks: A Literature Survey
Authors: Shabangu Thabane H. , Hamam Yskandar , Jordaan Jaco A. , Adedeji Kazeem B.
Published: December 2023

Water loss poses a significant problem for water utilities and has received a lot of attention. To fulfill the increasing global demand for water, water supply system operations must be streamlined, making leak detection and location crucial. Water utilities have developed a number of techniques over time for finding leaks in water distribution networks (WDNs). These methodologies range from simple visual inspection to the use of hardware systems and now software using models and algorithms. Data from flow or pressure measurements, which are required for the analysis of water networks, is becoming more readily available with the introduction of intelligent sensor devices. Along with the introduction of geographic information systems (GIS) and supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) in the water sector, the deployment of model-driven methodologies for leak detection and localization has found extensive use. This paper aims to provide a concise introductory reference for early researchers in the development of a model-based approach for leak detection in WDNs. Thus, a survey of model-based approaches is presented, along with current research trends and applications of model-driven methodologies for leak detection in water supply networks. Several model-driven approaches and research studies for each case are discussed. Some challenges and research gaps are also discussed.
Voltage Impact on Oil Pipelines from High Voltage Underground Cables: Relocation of Overhead Lines at Kelanitissa
Authors: Lucas J. R. , Samarasinghe Rasara , Kankanamge Navodana , Abeysinghe Guvanthi
Published: December 2023

When a large-scale urban construction project requires the relocation of an electrical overhead transmission line, going underground becomes the only feasible solution. However, due consideration must be given to the interaction with underground steel pipelines already laid as the life of metallic pipelines is highly susceptible to corrosion when buried underground. Corrosion occurs because of an electrochemical reaction, with Impressed Current Cathodic protection, with an impressed negative dc voltage of the order of 850 mV, usually employed in many metal pipelines to mitigate the deterioration of the surface. This paper scrutinizes the impact of high voltage underground cables on the cathodic protection of buried metal pipelines. The induced voltage due to the addition of high voltage underground cables crossing the pipelines perpendicularly has been analysed using Ansys Maxwell’s electromagnetic software using actual dimensions and parameters. The introduction of two 220 kV underground cables from Biyagama - Kelanitissa line and two 132 kV underground cable circuits from Kelanitissa - Kolonnawa running perpendicular to six underground petroleum carrying steel pipelines has been investigated to study its influence on existing impressed current cathodic protection. The study has shown that the maximum induced voltage is less than 1.5 mV which has no adverse effect on any existing impressed current cathodic protection. The high voltage cables have been in fact installed and no adverse effects have been detected.
Overlaying DAQ Systems on Existing Control Systems for Modernizing Power Plants to Realize Industry 4.0
Authors: Samarakoon S. M. K. B.
Published: December 2023

In Industry 4.0, digital technologies are integrated with control systems to use enterprise applications and data analytics to improve the efficiency and productivity of industrial processes. However, power plants in Sri Lanka are yet to get such applications primarily due to lack of data acquisition capabilities, high cost of control systems supplied with data analytic applications and lack of awareness about the capabilities of such applications.Though data analytic applications can be developed locally, obtaining data from power plants cannot be done without changing the existing control systems. This paper proposes a model to overlay a Data Acquisition System (DAQ) on top of the existing plant control system without replacing it. The acquired data can be used for Industry 4.0 applications. Due to the loose coupling of the control systems, DAQ and data analytic applications, each can be updated independently preserving each system’s investment.To demonstrate the model, an implementation of DAQ in hydropower plants in Sri Lanka in the 2000s - at a time when data analytics was not considered a part of the power plant control systems and data communication was not readily available- is discussed. Many faults were detected by these DAQs. The local development saved about Rs. 30 million for the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB). Early fault detection would have saved billions of rupees for the CEB and Sri Lanka. This development shows the ingenuity of the engineers of the CEB at a juncture where the services and the financial operation of the CEB are questioned.Due to the availability of Internet access and the advancement of cloud systems at present, data analytics and AI applications are within the reach of power plants in Sri Lanka. By implementing the proposed model to collect data from existing control systems, the Sri Lankan Power Utility (CEB) can consider implementing Industry 4.0 applications locally without spending an excessive amount of foreign currency.
Stance-Based Fake News Identification on Social Media with Hybrid CNN and RNN-LSTM Models
Authors: Goonathilake M. D. P. P. , Kumara P. P. N. V.
Published: December 2023

Today, fake news can be readily generated and disseminated via social media platforms. Misinformation and hoaxes propagated via online social media or traditional news media are commonly referred to as fake news. Stance-based fake news is based on the opinions of an audience rather than providing correct facts. This study presents a hybrid model focusing on the CNN model and RNN-LSTM model to identify fake news. A balanced dataset of 216k news items called ‘SherLock-FakeNewsNet’ is explored throughout the study resulting in the proposed hybrid model. The NLTK toolkit is utilized to perform some noise reduction. After that, the Keras tokenizer and pre-processor are used for the tokenization and pre-processing steps. Next, the text data is fitted and represented using pre-trained GloVe word embeddings. CNN model is applied with Conv1D layers and MaxPooling layers to extract higher-level features of the text. Following this, to detect the longer context of the given text and to capture interdependencies among word sequences LSTM units are employed in the RNN model. Dropout layers are carefully chosen to reduce overfitting in the final hybrid model. The proposed hybrid model achieves the highest accuracy rate of 92% by outperforming most of the conventional models today with an average Precision of 91%, Recall of 91%, and F1-Score of 91% using an Adam optimizer and a Binary Cross-Entropy loss function. Based on the five experiments performed in the study, we have presented the results by comparing our proposed hybrid model with five related datasets.
Antibacterial efficacy and phytochemical properties of the bark extract of Connarus monocarpus (Fam: Connaraceae)
Authors: Aththanayaka A. M. M. T. B. , Beddewela B. G. L. K. , Dayananda B. S. W. M. T. B. , Bandara R. H. M. L. D. , Nawanjana K. N. , Jayathunga K. M. S. S. , Aadhila M. I. B. , Pushpakumara M. A. D. , Perera E. H. L. , Ranasinghe H. A. K.
Published: December 2023

The Connaraceae family encompasses various plant species known for their antimicrobial properties found in their bark, leaves, and roots. Therefore, the present study was conducted to investigate the antimicrobial properties of Connarus monocarpus (L), a member of the Connaraceae family found in Sri Lanka which is traditionally used for therapeutic wound healing. The active phytochemicals were extracted from the barks, using the reflux method employed in an aqueous medium. The antimicrobial properties of plant extract were assessed using the disk (well) diffusion agar method against four common pathogens; Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus mirabilis and Enterococcus. Controls were run with double distilled water. All procedures were performed in accordance with aseptic methods. The diameter of inhibition zones was observed after the incubation period and statistical analysis was performed using SPSS software package. The independent t-test revealed a significant difference between the mean values of the control and bark extraction for Staphylococcus aureus (p≤0.001), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (p≤0.001), Proteus mirabilis (p≤0.001), Enterococcus (p≤0.001); revealing the antibacterial activity of the plant extract. Additionally, there was a statistically significant difference in antimicrobial activity among the four microbes according to the One-Way ANOVA test (p≤0.0001). The Connarus monocarpus plant’s antibacterial activity is supported by the presence of phytochemicals such as alkaloids, steroids, flavonoids, phenol and tannins, which showed combination effects. The present findings highlight the potential of Connarus monocarpus bark extract as a valuable source of antimicrobial agents, warranting further investigation to elucidate its specific mechanisms of action and potential applications in the field of microbial control.
Tim-3 Is Not Required for Establishment of CD8+ T Cell Memory to Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Virus
Authors: Manandhar Priyanka , Szymczak-Workman Andrea L , Kane Lawrence P
Published: December 2023

Tim-3 is a transmembrane protein that is best known for being highly expressed on terminally exhausted CD8+ T cells associated with chronic infection and tumors, although its expression is not limited to those settings. Tim-3 is also expressed by CD8+ T cells during acute infection and by multiple other immune cell types, including CD4+ Th1 and regulatory T cells, dendritic cells, and mast cells. In this study, we investigated the role of Tim-3 signaling on CD8+ T cell memory using a Tim-3 conditional knockout mouse model and mice lacking the signaling portion of the Tim-3 cytoplasmic domain. Together, our results indicate that Tim-3 has at most a modest effect on the formation and function of CD8+ memory T cells.
Acute choreiform movements in the feet: A case report
Authors: Rajmohan Ravi , Rabbani Reha , Kuoy Edward , Attaripour Sanaz
Published: December 2023

A 48-year-old man presented to a tertiary care center with a 1.5-year history of sudden-onset choreiform movements in both feet. The movements were greater in the left foot, with a preceding 1-month history of cocaine and amphetamine/dextroamphetamine use. His symptoms persisted even after discontinuing the use of these substances; the movements were present while awake and absent while asleep and caused extreme discomfort while wearing shoes. Numerous trials of medications did not alleviate his symptoms, except for transient improvement with risperidone. His examination was notable for writhing movements of the toes, which was worse in the left foot than the right foot. The movements occasionally spread to the left knee, and he had length-dependent decreased temperature and vibration sensation in the lower extremities and an unsteady gait. Brain magnetic resonance imaging without contrast obtained 1 year after symptom onset demonstrated T2/fluid-attenuated inversion recovery hyperintense signal with a rim of hypointensity in the bilateral globus pallidi. Magnetic resonance imaging 1 year later displayed stable findings of bilaterally symmetric diffuse hypointensities in the globus pallidi. The patient was diagnosed with chorea, presumed secondary to his cocaine use. He was started on multiagent treatment with clonazepam, tetrabenazine, and onabotulinum toxin A. A thorough history and analysis of his risk factors was essential to determine the underlying cause of his symptoms to guide effective treatment; however, to the best of our knowledge, no effective long-term treatments for chorea in patients such as that in our study have been documented to date. This case of cocaine-induced chorea adds to the growing documentation of scenarios, in which cocaine use can lead to chronic movement disorders.
Hemichorea after internal carotid artery bifurcation aneurysm clipping
Authors: Gopal Suraj , HV Easwer , Sudhir Jayanand B , Nair Prakash , Krishnan Syam
Published: December 2023

Involuntary movements following aneurysm surgery are rare. Here, we report the case of a patient who developed left hemichorea following surgical clipping of a right internal carotid artery bifurcation aneurysm. The movement disorder resulted from an acute infarct involving the head of the caudate nucleus. The patient responded well to symptomatic treatment, with complete resolution of chorea. The occurrence of new-onset involuntary movements following aneurysm surgery should raise the suspicion of infarcts involving basal ganglia structures.
Hereditary spastic paraplegia-like presentation with the unique “ear of lynx” sign in dyskeratosis congenita
Authors: Cherian Ajith , Jose K Jithu , RM Aswin , S Anju , KP Divya
Published: December 2023

Dyskeratosis congenita (DC) is a rare inherited syndrome with an incidence of less than one in a million. It is characterized by reticular skin pigmentation, dystrophic nails, oral leukoplakia, and later bone marrow failure. Neurological manifestations in DC are rare, and our patient who fulfilled criteria for DC had a hereditary spastic paraplegia-like presentation with the unique “ear of lynx” sign on brain magnetic resonance imaging; this is an unreported phenotype to date. Callosal thinning, cerebellar atrophy, enlarged diploic marrow space of the skull bones, and spine magnetic resonance imaging showing high signals on T1- and T2-weighted images affecting the vertebrae, suggesting pathological fatty replacement of the bone marrow, are other diagnostic clues. DC is a disease caused by defective telomere maintenance. Affected patients have premature telomere shortening and subsequent replicative senescence, leading to premature stem cell exhaustion and bone marrow failure. Awareness is the key to identify such unique presentations of rare diseases as patients require follow-up due to their predisposition to cancer.
Comparison of pupil size in patients of migraine with photophobia versus normal subjects and correlation of the pupil size to severity of headache
Authors: Moharana Ruby , Bhandari Kiran B
Published: December 2023

Purpose:

To compare the pupil size of patients having migraine with photophobia versus normal subjects and to correlate the pupil size to the severity of headache.

Methods:

This was a prospective case–control study. One hundred eyes of 50 patients who had migraine with photophobia were compared with same number of control subjects who had no history of headache. Pupil size was measured using the IOL Master 700 in all cases. Severity of headache was evaluated by the Migraine Disability Assessment (MIDAS) test questionnaire, and MIDAS grades from 1 to 4 ranging from minimal disability to severe disability were obtained in all cases. The pupil sizes in all grades were compared.

Results:

The mean pupil size was 4.89 ± 0.9 mm (95% confidence interval [CI]) in patients of migraine with photophobia compared to 3.8 ± 0.49 mm (95% CI) in normal subjects, with a P value of <0.0001, which was statistically significant. Among the 50 patients with migraine, according to MIDAS grades, 20 had Grade 4 or severe disability, 15 had Grade 3 or moderate disability, 10 had Grade 2 or mild disability, and five had Grade 1 or minimal disability. Pupil size in Grade 4 category was the largest with a mean value of 5.6 ± 0.79 mm (95% CI).

Conclusion:

The pupil size in patients of migraine with photophobia is larger than in normal subjects and could be a trigger for the migraine attacks. The larger the pupil size, the more severe is the migraine disability.
Impact of soft and rigid gas-permeable contact lenses on visual performance in mesopic conditions
Authors: Krolo Iva , Bećirević Aida Kasumović , Radman Ivana , Sabol Ivan , Ravlić Maja Malenica , Ratković Mirko , Belovari Mirna
Published: December 2023

Context:

Evaluation of visual quality in soft and rigid gas-permeable contact lens wearers, with an emphasis on twilight vision.

Purpose:

To assess the visual acuity and visual performance at dusk before and after soft and rigid gas-permeable contact lens (CL) correction in healthy subjects.

Settings and Design:

This prospective study was conducted in a tertiary eye-care center.

Methods:

Sixty eyes corrected with soft contact lenses (SCLs) and 30 eyes with rigid gas-permeable contact lenses (RGPCLs) were enrolled in this study. Patients underwent corrected distance visual acuity with spectacles (CDVAs), corrected distance visual acuity with contact lenses (CDVAcl), and twilight vision (TV) testing (Vista Vision Far-Pola, DMD MedTech charts). Parameters were evaluated before and after the CL fitting and repeated 3 months after the baseline visit.

Statistical Analysis Used:

MedCalc for Windows, version 11.4 (MedCalc Software, Ostend, Belgium).

Results:

Rigid gas-permeable CL wear showed significant improvement in CDVAcl compared to wearing spectacles on both visits (P = 0.0039 and P = 0.0003, respectively). TV with CLs was significantly better in both groups compared to the TV with spectacles at the baseline visit (P = 0.0011 in SCL group; P = 0.0001 in RGPCL group), and at the follow-up visit, this significance was proven for the RGPCL group (P = 0.001). Also, spectacle TV showed a significant improvement on the follow-up visit (P = 0.0022 in SCL group; P = 0.0269 in RGPCL group).

Conclusion:

Contact lens wear improves visual performance compared to spectacles. TV results showed superiority of CLs compared to the spectacles, without a statistical difference regarding the CL type.
A case of Stevens-Johnson syndrome treated with oral cyclosporine
Authors: Griffith Victoria , Ramnot Amanda , Resnik Sydney R. , Resnik Barry I.
Published: December 2023

Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) can occur at any age and are commonly caused by adverse drug events. Rapid diagnosis of SJS/TEN is imperative, followed by immediate cessation of offending agent and induction of appropriate treatment. Cyclosporine, a calcineurin inhibitor, has been reported to have a promising therapeutic effect in SJS/TEN patients with few side effects. Diagnosis of SJS/TEN in children is especially challenging as many of the symptoms mimic that of an upper respiratory infection, or other viral entities such as cocksackie A, roseola, or herpes simplex virus. We recommend initiating cyclosporine modified treatment, especially in children, upon any suspicion of SJS/TEN in a patient in order to halt the disease progression as early as possible.
A comparative study on COVID-19 disease severity and outcome among patients admitted before and after vaccination at tertiary care hospital
Authors: Mood Narayan , Darivemula Surendra Babu , Shravani Sreeram , Kavyasri Kotte , Kiran J Ravi
Published: December 2023

Background:

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a novel infectious disease caused by SARS CoV-2 that emerged in Wuhan, China, and has rapidly spread worldwide. The mortality rate of critically ill COVID-19 patients is high. The objective of the study was to assess the COVID-19 disease severity and outcome among COVID-19 positive patients admitted before and after vaccination.

Methodology:

A prospective observational study conducted among all patients aged more than 18 years were included in the study. The patients who were positive before vaccination and received at least one dose of vaccine and positive after receiving two doses of vaccination included in the study. Disease severity was assessed in terms of high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) score, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, SpO2 maintained, oxygen, plasma exchange, steroids received and on mechanical ventilation, and outcome was assessed on prognosis and stabilized/discharged to home.

Results:

A total of 172 were participated in the study with 101 (58.7%) males and 71 (41.3) females, respectively. Amongst them, 92 were affected before vaccination and 80 were affected before vaccination. The patients admitted in the ICU were 56 (32.6%) and 116 (67.4%) were not admitted in the ICU; among the patient admitted in ICU 42 (45.7%) before vaccination, and 14 (17.5%) were after vaccination, and difference was statistically significant with P- value <0.001. SPO2, steroids given, plasma exchange, oxygen >10 litres given and mechanical ventilation were positively associated with the vaccine received and disease severity with P- value <0.05.

Conclusion:

The severe COVID-19 had the worst outcome in the unvaccinated patients in terms of severity. Most partially vaccinated patients got infected before developing immunity; receiving at least one vaccination dose significantly reduced illness severity.
Evaluation and comparison of mineral trioxide aggregate and cold ceramic in primary tooth pulpotomy: Clinical and radiographic study
Authors: Rasteh Bita , Basir Leila , Taravati Shirin , Khataminia Masoumeh
Published: December 2023

Aim:

In recent years, many studies have been conducted on different materials for covering the pulp in pulpotomy. Recently, some materials such as Coldceram have been introduced that have the ability to regenerate the pulp. In this study, our aim was to compare the clinical and radiographic success of the pulpotomy of milk molars using MTA and Coldceram over 3-, 6-, and 9-month follow-ups.

Methods:

In this clinical trial, 42 children aged 4-9 years old who fulfilled the inclusion criteria of the study were selected. Finally, pulpotomy was conducted on 42 teeth using MTA and another 42 teeth using Coldceram in these children. Simultaneously, all teeth were permanently repaired using glass ionomer and metal veneers in the same treatment session. Then, clinical and radiographic evaluation was conducted in 3-, 6-, and 9-month follow-up periods.

Results:

None of the teeth showed clinical symptoms at the specified 3-, 6-, and 9-month follow-up times, and clinical success was 100% in both groups. In radiographic evaluation, the numbers of successful treatments were 42/42 (100%) and 41/42 (97%) for the teeth treated with MTA and Coldceram, respectively.

Conclusion:

According to this research, both materials were proven to have a 100% clinical success rate, but in the radiographic evaluation, MTA attained a higher success rate compared with Coldceram; however, this difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.36). It is recommended to consider longer follow-ups and larger sample sizes in future studies.
Antepartum hemorrhage and its maternal and perinatal outcome: An experience at a hospital in North India
Authors: Agarwal Sakshi , Ranjan Mamta , Sachan Shikha , Kumar Lalit
Published: December 2023

Introduction and Aim:

Antepartum hemorrhage (APH) is one of the deadliest complications in obstetrics. It can complicate about 2–5% of pregnancies. It contributes significantly to maternal and perinatal mortality and morbidity during pregnancy and childbearing worldwide. The aim of this study was to determine maternal and fetal outcomes in patients presenting with APH.

Materials and Methods:

This was a retrospective study. Pregnant women with >28 weeks gestation reporting to the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology from May 2021 to April 2022 were included in the study. Ethical approval from the institutional ethical committee was taken.

Result:

This study included 76 patients of APH. Most patients in the analysis were found to be second gravida (30%). Anemia was the most common associated morbidity (51.31%). 58% of these patients were of placenta previa, 14% were of abruption, and 10% were of accreta. Among all patients, 94.74% recovered well. 2.63% of cases could not be saved and resulted in maternal mortality. The proportions of babies alive, intra-uterine death (IUD), and intubated were 86.84%, 11.84%, and 1.32%, respectively. 17.1% of patients required a lifesaving cesarean hysterectomy.

Conclusion:

APH is an obstetrical emergency that requires timely diagnosis and early intervention. Swift management is required to improve maternal and fetal outcomes.
COVID-19 and tuberculosis coinfection: A case–control study from a tertiary care center in South India
Authors: Hazra Druti , Siddalingaiah Nayana , Gupta Nitin , Chawla Kiran , Prabhu A Ravindra , Datta Divya , Khader Nisha , Swaminathan Shilna Muttickal
Published: December 2023

Context:

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and tuberculosis (TB), are presently the major infectious diseases imposing a consequential public health threat and their coinfection has a significant impact on the outcome.

Aims:

To evaluate the clinical features and outcomes of COVID-19-TB coinfected cases compared to solely COVID-19-infected cases.

Settings and Design:

A retrospective observational study was conducted between August 1, 2020, to February 28, 2022, at a tertiary care hospital.

Materials and Methods:

In this case-control study, an equal number of gender-age-matched COVID-19 and TB coinfected patients and COVID-19 cases without TB were included using simple random sampling.

Statistical Analysis Used:

The data was analyzed using SPSS v 26. Categorical variables were compared using the Chi-square test, and an independent t-test or Mann-Whitney U test was applied for the quantitative variables in the univariate analysis. A P-value of less than 0.05 was considered significant.

Results:

A total of 27 patients were included in each group. Upper lobe involvement (44%) and pleural effusion (22%) were significantly more common in TB-COVID-19 cases when compared to the control group (7% and 4%, respectively; P < 0.05). Moreover, median levels of C-reactive protein and ferritin were significantly higher in TB-COVID-19 coinfection.

Conclusions:

Chest radiology and a higher level of certain biomarkers like C-reactive protein and ferritin can help to suspect TB in COVID-19 patients and vice-versa.
A comparative study on perception and use of generic drugs between public and private health practitioners
Authors: Priyadarsini R. , Maheswari Y. Nisha , Prabha M. Lakshmi , Ramya J. Ezhil
Published: December 2023

Context:

The perception of generic drugs may vary significantly between government and private doctors because physicians in the private sector have more prescribing choices and flexibility. Hence, this study was undertaken to analyse the knowledge, attitude and perception (KAP) of government and private physicians on generic drugs.

Materials and Methods:

This was a questionnaire-based cross-sectional study conducted among physicians working in public and private health sectors. The questionnaire had 25 closed-ended questions related to the KAP of generic medicine. The overall scores were categorised using Bloom's cut-off point. The Chi-square or Mann–Whitney U-test was used to compare the differences between the two groups.

Results:

About 80% of the participants in both groups agreed that generic medicines contain the same active ingredients as brand-name drugs, are less expensive and are available in the Indian market. Nearly 84% of government physicians and only 64% of private physicians believed that generic medicines are just as effective and secure as branded medicines (P - 0.003). The majority of physicians from both groups concurred that there is a lack of quality check in generic drug manufacturing, and they require more information about bioequivalence studies. In both categories, about 75% of participants preferred generic medications for their patients. However, in both groups, more than 50% of physicians were concerned about therapeutic failure and expressed reluctance to prescribe generic medications in life-threatening situations.

Conclusions:

Knowledge and acceptance of generic drugs regarding efficacy, safety, bioequivalence and therapeutic failure are low among both government and private physicians.
Comparison of the analgesic efficacy of two different fascial blocks in patients undergoing laparoscopic inguinal hernia surgery: A randomized control trial
Authors: Ahuja Vanita , Mahajan Aastika , Thapa Deepak , Mitra Sukanya , Gupta Deepika , Gupta Sanjay , Sharma Rajeev , Singh Simrandeep
Published: December 2023

Background and Aims:

Moderate-to-severe intensity pain is reported on the first day following lower abdominal surgery. No study has compared transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block with retrolaminar block (RLB) in laparoscopic inguinal hernia surgery for postoperative pain relief.

Material and Methods:

In this prospective, randomized trial, 42 male patients of American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status I and II, aged 18–65 years, and having a BMI <40 kg/m2 received TAP or RLB following laparoscopic inguinal hernia surgery. A standard general anesthetic technique was performed. Patients were randomized into two groups: single-shot TAP block (group I) (n = 21) or the RLB (group II) (n = 21) with bilateral 20 ml of 0.375% ropivacaine. Postoperatively, IV paracetamol 1 g was administered as rescue analgesia. Postoperative cumulative Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) score 24 hours after surgery was considered as the primary outcome.

Results:

Postoperative cumulative VAS score at rest at 24 h, represented as mean ± S.D (95% CI), in the TAP block group was 3.54 ± 3.04 (2.16–4.93) and in the RLB group was 6.09 ± 4.83 (3.89–8.29). P value was 0.112 and VAS on movement was 7.95 ± 3.41 (6.39–9.50 [2.5–15.0]) in TAP block group, whereas P value was 0.110 and VAS on movement was 10.83 ± 5.51 (8.32–13.34) in the RLB group.

Conclusion:

Similar postoperative cumulative pain score on movement at 24 h was present in patients receiving TAP block or RLB. However, VAS score at rest and on movement was reduced in patients receiving TAP block at 18 and 24 h postoperatively.
Demographic characterization and pattern of injury in patients with ocular trauma at the San Ignacio University Hospital in Bogotá, Colombia, during the period 2017–2021
Authors: Pérez Sara Margarita Pérez , Martínez Camilo Eduardo , Moreno Paula , Quintero Laura , Escobar Gabriela , Cruz Jacobo , Hernández Juliana
Published: December 2023

Introduction:

Ocular trauma is an important and preventable cause of decreased vision or blindness. There are just a few studies in Colombia describing the prevalence of ocular trauma in the country. The characterization of these events may lead to the development of preventive strategies, effective treatment, and efficient allocation of economic resources.

Methods:

Descriptive, retrospective, cross-sectional observational study.

Results:

Data from 1.373 patients who were evaluated by an ophthalmologist at the Hospital Universitario San Ignacio in Bogotá, Colombia, were collected. Most of the patients were men with a mean age of 36 years. The most prevalent context of trauma was domestic injuries; and the most frequent mechanism was blunt trauma with a classification of 5 on the ocular trauma score.

Discussion:

The collected data showed similar results compared to the literature. The prevalence of ocular trauma is higher in men in all the scenarios. On the other hand, it is of extreme concern the lack of consciousness as to why use of ocular protection is key.