Do Employees Snooze or Strike Back to Injustice?

This study aims to investigate the relationship between the perceptions of injustice and revengeful intentions among first- person (revengeful intention by the victim), second-person (revengeful intention for the sake of a close friend), and third- person (revengeful intention for the sake of an acquaintance). A questionnaire survey was used to collect data from 154 respondents. The findings showed that interactional injustice is associated positively with first-person revenge, whereas distributive and procedural injustice lead to second-person and third-person revengeful intentions. This study offers important insights about the broader impact of injustice which goes beyond the victim and explains how it ignites negative feelings among the non-victim as well

Individual Compassion Leading to Employees’ Performance: An Empirical Study from Pakistan

In social sciences “compassion” is considered as an impactful attribute of employees’ satisfaction and wellbeing. People demonstrate compassion for others in socially interacting environments like an organization. As organizational people interact with each other therefore they show compassion towards each other. In such a manner compassion becomes an attribute of organizational culture if organizations themselves promote and support compassion at workplace. Compassion being a source of employee satisfaction may increase his/her performance or may divert employee’s attention from task accomplishment. This possibility has inspired this study to empirically test the effect of compassion at workplace on employees’ performance. Moreover, an indirect effect of compassion through intrinsic motivation on performance is also tested in this study to elaborate how compassion at workplace intrinsically motivates employees to enhance their performance. To test these relationships, data from 94 respondents have been analyzed quantitatively. The findings of the study supported that compassion enhances employee-performance, specifically the contextualperformance. Moreover, intrinsic motivation also moderates compassion-performance relationship. Compassion at workplace even enhances employees’ task-performance when moderated by intrinsic motivation. This study provided empirical evidence that compassion at workplace can enhance employee-performance; contextual as well as task-performance

Prevalence of refractive errors and their association with socio demographic characteristics in pediatric patients attending tertiary eye care centre

Background: Uncorrected refractive errors are one of the major culprits of visual impairment among children in our country. Children included in school going age groups i.e., 6-16 years, represent 25% of population in developing countries. They fall in the category of preventable age group for correction of refractive errors. This paper describes the salient features and results of the cross-sectional study conducted to determine the prevalence of refractive errors and their association with socio demographic characteristics in pediatric population objective were to study the prevalence of refractive errors and their association with socio demographic characteristics in pediatric patients attending tertiary eye care centre.Methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted for a period of one year among children in 0-16 years age group and a total of 444 patients were included. All children were examined by ophthalmologists and refraction was done by optometrists. Data was analysed using web-based software open epi version 3.01.Results: Prevalence of refractive errors was found to be 29.5%. Amongst the socio demographic factors, there was a significant association of age and literacy with refractive errors whereas gender and residence were not found to be significant.Conclusions: Refractive errors are an important preventable cause of childhood ocular morbidity. Schools are an excellent platform to educate children and their parents regarding eye care and signs of ocular morbidity due to refractive errors. Health education activities in schools need to be intensified

Mechanistic insights into strigolactone biosynthesis, signaling and regulation during plant growth and development

Strigolactones (SLs) constitute a group of carotenoid-derived phytohormones with butenolide moieties. These hormones are involved in various functions, including regulation of secondary growth, shoot branching and hypocotyl elongation, and stimulation of seed germination. SLs also control hyphal branching of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, and mediate responses to both abiotic and biotic cues. Most of these functions stem from the interplay of SLs with other hormones, enabling plants to appropriately respond to changing environmental conditions. This dynamic interplay provides opportunities for phytohormones to modulate and augment one another. In this article, we review our current mechanistic understanding of SL biosynthesis, receptors and signaling. We also highlight recent advances regarding the interaction of SLs with other hormones during developmental processes and stress conditions

A comparative analysis of toluidine blue with frozen section in oral squamous cell carcinoma

Background:Surgical excision of the primary tumor with safe margins remains the mainstay of treatment for oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). The standard of care for assessment of intraoperative margins is frozen section histopathology. Unfortunately the facility is not available at most centers in limited resource countries. Toluidine blue, a metachromatic dye, has been well described in clinical identification of malignant and premalignant lesion in the oral cavity. Considering this we decided to explore intraoperative use of toluidine blue staining, in comparison with frozen sections, for the assessment of tumor-free margins. Methods: After obtaining clearance from the in-house ethical review committee, a prospective study was conducted at Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, from August 15, 2009 to March 14, 2010. A sample of 56 consenting Patients with biopsy-proven OSCC were included in the study, giving us 280 tumor margins. Margins were analyzed using toluidine blue staining and frozen section histopathology. A receiver operator curve (ROC) was then applied to compare assessment of margin status by toluidine blue and frozen section. Results: Of the 280 examined margins 11 stained positive with toluidine blue, three were positive on frozen section biopsy, and three were positive on final histopathology. Toluidine blue staining had sensitivity and specificity of 100% and 97%, respectively. The diagnostic accuracy of toluidine blue was found to be 97.1% with a positive predictive value (PPV) of 27.2% and a negative predictive value (NPV) of 100%. Conclusions: Toluidine blue can be used as an effective screening modality for the assessment of intraoperative margins in resource limited environments and reducing the number of frozen section biopsies performed. Further by providing real-time clinical information within minutes it can reduce indirect costs such as operating room time. It may also be used as an ad hoc for frozen section biopsies where frozen section facilities are available

Global age-sex-specific mortality, life expectancy, and population estimates in 204 countries and territories and 811 subnational locations, 1950–2021, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic: a comprehensive demographic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021

Background: Estimates of demographic metrics are crucial to assess levels and trends of population health outcomes. The profound impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on populations worldwide has underscored the need for timely estimates to understand this unprecedented event within the context of long-term population health trends. The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2021 provides new demographic estimates for 204 countries and territories and 811 additional subnational locations from 1950 to 2021, with a particular emphasis on changes in mortality and life expectancy that occurred during the 2020–21 COVID-19 pandemic period. Methods: 22 223 data sources from vital registration, sample registration, surveys, censuses, and other sources were used to estimate mortality, with a subset of these sources used exclusively to estimate excess mortality due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 2026 data sources were used for population estimation. Additional sources were used to estimate migration; the effects of the HIV epidemic; and demographic discontinuities due to conflicts, famines, natural disasters, and pandemics, which are used as inputs for estimating mortality and population. Spatiotemporal Gaussian process regression (ST-GPR) was used to generate under-5 mortality rates, which synthesised 30 763 location-years of vital registration and sample registration data, 1365 surveys and censuses, and 80 other sources. ST-GPR was also used to estimate adult mortality (between ages 15 and 59 years) based on information from 31 642 location-years of vital registration and sample registration data, 355 surveys and censuses, and 24 other sources. Estimates of child and adult mortality rates were then used to generate life tables with a relational model life table system. For countries with large HIV epidemics, life tables were adjusted using independent estimates of HIV-specific mortality generated via an epidemiological analysis of HIV prevalence surveys, antenatal clinic serosurveillance, and other data sources. Excess mortality due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021 was determined by subtracting observed all-cause mortality (adjusted for late registration and mortality anomalies) from the mortality expected in the absence of the pandemic. Expected mortality was calculated based on historical trends using an ensemble of models. In location-years where all-cause mortality data were unavailable, we estimated excess mortality rates using a regression model with covariates pertaining to the pandemic. Population size was computed using a Bayesian hierarchical cohort component model. Life expectancy was calculated using age-specific mortality rates and standard demographic methods. Uncertainty intervals (UIs) were calculated for every metric using the 25th and 975th ordered values from a 1000-draw posterior distribution. Findings: Global all-cause mortality followed two distinct patterns over the study period: age-standardised mortality rates declined between 1950 and 2019 (a 62·8% [95% UI 60·5–65·1] decline), and increased during the COVID-19 pandemic period (2020–21; 5·1% [0·9–9·6] increase). In contrast with the overall reverse in mortality trends during the pandemic period, child mortality continued to decline, with 4·66 million (3·98–5·50) global deaths in children younger than 5 years in 2021 compared with 5·21 million (4·50–6·01) in 2019. An estimated 131 million (126–137) people died globally from all causes in 2020 and 2021 combined, of which 15·9 million (14·7–17·2) were due to the COVID-19 pandemic (measured by excess mortality, which includes deaths directly due to SARS-CoV-2 infection and those indirectly due to other social, economic, or behavioural changes associated with the pandemic). Excess mortality rates exceeded 150 deaths per 100 000 population during at least one year of the pandemic in 80 countries and territories, whereas 20 nations had a negative excess mortality rate in 2020 or 2021, indicating that all-cause mortality in these countries was lower during the pandemic than expected based on historical trends. Between 1950 and 2021, global life expectancy at birth increased by 22·7 years (20·8–24·8), from 49·0 years (46·7–51·3) to 71·7 years (70·9–72·5). Global life expectancy at birth declined by 1·6 years (1·0–2·2) between 2019 and 2021, reversing historical trends. An increase in life expectancy was only observed in 32 (15·7%) of 204 countries and territories between 2019 and 2021. The global population reached 7·89 billion (7·67–8·13) people in 2021, by which time 56 of 204 countries and territories had peaked and subsequently populations have declined. The largest proportion of population growth between 2020 and 2021 was in sub-Saharan Africa (39·5% [28·4–52·7]) and south Asia (26·3% [9·0–44·7]). From 2000 to 2021, the ratio of the population aged 65 years and older to the population aged younger than 15 years increased in 188 (92·2%) of 204 nations. Interpretation: Global adult mortality rates markedly increased during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021, reversing past decreasing trends, while child mortality rates continued to decline, albeit more slowly than in earlier years. Although COVID-19 had a substantial impact on many demographic indicators during the first 2 years of the pandemic, overall global health progress over the 72 years evaluated has been profound, with considerable improvements in mortality and life expectancy. Additionally, we observed a deceleration of global population growth since 2017, despite steady or increasing growth in lower-income countries, combined with a continued global shift of population age structures towards older ages. These demographic changes will likely present future challenges to health systems, economies, and societies. The comprehensive demographic estimates reported here will enable researchers, policy makers, health practitioners, and other key stakeholders to better understand and address the profound changes that have occurred in the global health landscape following the first 2 years of the COVID-19 pandemic, and longer-term trends beyond the pandemic

Perspective of Learners’ in Open Distance Learning Mode: Problems and Prospectives

In recent times, ODL system is providing opportunities to more and more people to pursue higher education. The ODL system is now emerging as the imperative learning need because it bears the potential to supplement educational demands of the fast-changing technological era. ODL system is now rapidly spreading its framework into E-Learning. It became very crucial in the scenario when ODL is going to transform the educational scenario of this technological era to seriously review the perspectives of ODL from the end users. It is very important step to improve the quality of ODL system to dig out the learners’ perspectives. This paper reveals the problems faced by the learners’ of ODL and the possible solutions for their problems. The survey was conducted with the thematic questions of perspectives, problems and prospective to seek the qualitative data from the learners of ODL system. The prospective of these problems were analyzed accordingly. The participants were the students of ODL university including male and females. The results show that open distance learners have been facing many problems and these problems have the prospective. This study is significant in the way that it may provide the base line to improve the quality of rapid transformation of ODL system

Comparative study of 21st Century Skills of Science Teachers and Students of Formal and Non-Formal Educational Institutes

It is very essential for teachers to practice 21st century teaching and learning skills while teaching in order to foster these skills in 21st century learners. The focus of this study was to explore the skills of science teachers regarding 21st century skills. For this purpose, an online survey was conducted to assess the 21st century skills of science teachers. The survey questionnaire was comprised of different subscales regarding 21st century skills namely as critical thinking, collaboration, communication and creativity. The questionnaire consisted of 5-point Likert scale. The overall results of the study reflected that science students possess more 21st   century skills than their teachers. It was recommended for science teachers of formal educational setup to practice 21st century teaching and learning skills more often as possible to inculcate 21st century skills among the students. It is also recommended that teachers of formal educational setup must enhance critical thinking and increase collaboration with students. This study is significant in the way that it reveals the current scenario of the skills of the teachers that will readily be imparted to the 21st century learners

Crystal structure of (3S*,4S*,4aS*,5R*,6R*,6aS*,7R*,11aS*,11bR*)-5,6-bis(benzoyloxy)-3,4a-dihydroxy-4,7,11b-trimethyl-1,2,3,4,4a,5,6,6a,7,11,11a,11b-dodecahydrophenanthro[3,2-b]furan-4-carboxylic acid methanol monosolvate

The title compound, C34H36O9·CH3OH, is a diterpenoid isolated from the roots of Caesalpinia pulcherrima (L.) Swartz. The three trans-fused six-membered rings are in chair, chair and half-chair conformations. The mean plane of this fused-ring system makes dihedral angles of 67.95 (15) and 83.72 (14)° with the two phenyl rings of the benzoyloxy groups. An intramolecular C—H...O hydrogen bond is observed. In the crystal, molecules are linked via O—H...O hydrogen bonds, forming an infinite chain along the b-axis direction