World Health Organization "School Mental Health Manual"-based training for school teachers in Urban Lahore, Pakistan: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Abstract Background The teacher’s role in school mental health initiatives cannot be overemphasized. Despite global evidence of educational interventions in improving teachers’ knowledge and attitudes regarding mental health, this area remains under researched in Pakistan. This paper presents a study protocol of a pilot randomized controlled trial to examine the effectiveness of a teacher training intervention for improving mental health literacy and self-efficacy among school teachers in urban Lahore, Pakistan. Methods The randomized controlled trial will follow the CONSORT guidelines. Participants will be allocated to the Intervention group (receiving the World Health Organization, Eastern Mediterranean Region (WHO-EMRO) School Mental Health Manual-based intervention in three 6-h, face-to-face sessions) or a waitlist control group (not receiving training during the study period). Participants will be teachers of private schools with similar broad demographic characteristics in an inner city area of Lahore. The primary outcome measures for the trial is teachers’ mental health literacy. It will be assessed by using the previously applied (during WHO training of Master Trainers) self-administered questionnaire in both groups pre and post training and at 3 months’ follow-up. Secondary outcomes include: for teachers: Teachers’ self-efficacy (assessed by the Teachers’ Sense of Self Efficacy Scale (TSES) short form.); for students (11–16 years): socio-emotional skills and psychological problems measured by the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (assessed at baseline and 3 months post intervention); for schools: the WHO School Psychosocial Profile Questionnaire (baseline and 3 months post intervention). Discussion Given the high prevalence of child mental health problems, stigma and lack of services, it is important to consider alternate avenues for promoting positive mental health among youth. This pilot study should establish the effectiveness of the WHO-EMRO School Mental Health Manual-based Intervention improving teacher’s mental health literacy and helping them to learn practical steps that can be implemented at low cost in school settings. It will also provide information regarding intervention implementation and sustainability. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov, ID: NCT02937714. Registered on 18 October 2016

Analysis of Motivation Level of L2 Learners in Enhancing Speaking Skill

The present study focuses on the second language (L2) learners’ motivation as a substantial factor for enhancing speaking skills at the graduate level. Motivation in L2 learning is a complex phenomenon that had gained the attention of researchers and theorists for many decades. Motivation to learn English as a second language have been described and categorized in several ways. However, the emerging trend of English language learning at a high rate calls forth to answer the question such as why learners are so ambitious to learn this language in the presence of a national language. Secondly, if they are learning the English language, what is the kind of motivation urging them to learn it. At the present scenario, the English language has become a compulsion in both academic and professional career of L2 learners; though, the L2 learners should be reinforced to speak in English inside and outside of the classroom. The hegemony of the English language cannot be refuted at any cost because it has been employed in the domains of power-administration, military, education, and commerce since the making of Pakistan. A random sample of hundred graduate students from University of Management and Technology and hundred from University of Education, Lahore were selected. The close-ended questionnaire was used and total numbers of items were 21. The data were analyzed quantitatively using the content analysis method which suggested that the majority of respondents agreed with the notion that learners motivate them to speak in the target language and they were well- known about the significance of English in Pakistan, despite the fact that English is used as a subject in the ESL context rather than as a language. At last, it can be ensured that the study might be utilized for both the L2 learners and in the same sociological conditions. The study ends with the suggestion that English language teaching curricula and teaching strategies should be designed keeping in view the type of motivation (instrumental motivation) which is driving the Pakistani learners

Comparison of Bupivacaine and Dexmedetomidine versus Bupivacaine Alone in Transversus Abdominis Plane Block for Post-Operative Analgesia

Objective: To study the effects of adding dexmedetomidine to bupivacaine in transverses abdominis plane block in comparison with using bupivacaine alone. Materials and Methods: This was a prospective comparative study that was conducted in the Anaesthesia Department, CMH, Lahore over a period of six months from 1st June 2020 to 30th November 2020. Fifty patients of the American Society of Anesthesiologist Class I and II with an age range between 40 to 60 years were divided into two groups. Group B received 20ml of 0.25% bupivacaine with 2ml of normal saline on each side in the transversus abdominis plane block while group BD was given 20ml of 0.25% bupivacaine with dexmedetomidine 0.5mcg/kg on each side (in a volume of 2ml). Post-operative pain was assessed with a visual analogue scale. Rescue analgesia was given when a score of greater than 3 was observed using this scale. Time to first rescue analgesia was noted. Total opioid consumption in the first 24 hours was also recorded. Patients were observed for postoperative hypotension and bradycardia.Results: The mean-time for the first dose of analgesia for group B and BD was 302.92 ± 24.01 and 419.28 ± 31.97 minutes respectively with a p-value of 0.001. The mean of the total consumption of opioids in 24 hours post-operatively for group B and BD was 14.20±2.36 and 10.40±1.38 mg respectively with a p-value of 0.001. Hypotension was not seen in any patient in either group. Only one patient developed bradycardia and he belonged to group BD. P-value was 0.327.Conclusion: The addition of dexmedetomidine to bupivacaine for transversus abdominis plane block for postoperative analgesia significantly prolongs the duration of analgesia and reduces the postoperative opioid requirements

FREQUENCY OF FUNGAL MYCOFLORA ON RICE

Introduction: Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is the second best essential cereal crop of the world as well as of Pakistan. There are various fungal pathogens that attack on rice and cause various rice diseases. Methods: Therefore, the present experiments were done to isolated different fungi associated with seeds, stems, and leaves of commercially grown rice varieties and of mainly isolated species. Results: Several fungi, namely, Magnaporthe oryzae, Curvularia lunata, Helminthosporium oryzae, Fusarium moniliforme, Alternaria alternata, Nigrospora oryzae, and Aspergillus niger were isolated from seeds, stems, and affected leaves of rice. Conclusion: In our research, the frequency of fungal mycoflora on rice has been calculated and the maximum isolates of Fusarium spp. have been found