A Pilot study on Burnout Syndrome: Its existence, causes and coping strategies practiced by medical professionals in Colombo South Teaching Hospital, Sri Lanka

Burnout syndrome among doctors causes increased turnover, decreased job satisfaction, depression, anxiety, frequent medical errors and patient death. Main aim of this paper is to identify existence of the burnout syndrome, underlying causes and analyze the coping strategies practiced by medical professionals of the Teaching Hospital, Colombo South (CSTH). The review of definitions elaborated the most accepted definition of the syndrome as one consisting of three dimensions namely emotional exhaustion (EE), depersonalization (DP) and reduced personal accomplishment (PA). Individuals scoring positive on EE and/ or DP dimension regardless of scoring positive on all three dimensions of the syndrome are considered as undergoing burnout syndrome related to work. Method used for investigating burnout syndrome was a deductive approach with a quantitative survey strategy. The survey hosted three questionnaires. First questionnaire was self – administered and validated by the authors and attempted to identify the causative factors of the syndrome. Instrument 2 - MBI – HSS validated by Samaranayake and Seneviratne (2010) was used to assess the prevalence of the syndrome among medical professionals practicing at CSTH. Coping strategies questionnaire developed and validated by Ellawala (2010) was used to measure the strategies currently practiced among medical professionals. Data collection through surveys was conducted among a sample of randomly selected 100 medical professionals. Findings illustrate that workload depicted in terms of private practice; gender and high personal contact nature of the work are not associated causes of the burnout syndrome. Long work hours, heavy work load, marital status, having less time to spend with family / friends, unpleasant work environment, unpleasant relationships with colleagues, having low autonomy at work and risk of major failure or patient death were recognized as associated causes of the burnout syndrome. Proportion of the syndrome was 53%. Of the study sample, 30% individuals scored positive on EE dimension, 24% scored positive on DP dimension and 24% scored positive on PA dimension. When considering the most popular coping strategies practiced in stressful situations, it was reported that listening to music, obtaining emotional support from family / friends and seeking comfort in the religion respectively. Another finding that contrasts from the major studies illustrated that 92% of the medical professionals in the sample never practiced harmful coping strategy of substance abuse for mitigating stress.Key Words: Burnout syndrome, Emotional exhaustion, Depersonalization, Reduced personal accomplishment, Medical professionals, Occupational stress, Coping strategie

Validation of a functional screening instrument for dementia in an elderly sri lankan population: comparison of modified bristol and blessed activities of daily living scales

Abstract Background Cognitive tests have been used in population surveys as first stage screens for dementia but are biased by education. However functional ability scales are less biased by education than the cognitive scale and thus can be used in screening for dementia. Objective To validate Activities of Daily Living (ADL) scale appropriate for use in assessing the presence of dementia in an elderly population living in care homes in Sri Lanka. Method Sinhalese version of the modified Bristol and Blessed scale was administered to subjects aged 55 years and above residing in 14 randomly selected elders' homes. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) was used to determine the cut-off scores of both the scales. Results Based on the ROC analysis, optimal cut off score of the modified Bristol scale was 20 with a sensitivity of 100%, specificity of 74.2% and the area under the curve 0.933(95% CI: 0.871-0.995) while the optimal cut off score of the modified Blessed scale was 10.5 with a sensitivity of 100%, specificity of 71% and the area under the curve 0.892 (95% CI: 0.816-0.967). Conclusion The findings confirm that both the scales can be used in screening for dementia in the elderly living in care homes in Sri Lanka.</p

Gelechiidae Moths Are Capable of Chemically Dissolving the Pollen of Their Host Plants: First Documented Sporopollenin Breakdown by an Animal

Background: Many insects feed on pollen surface lipids and contents accessible through the germination pores. Pollen walls, however, are not broken down because they consist of sporopollenin and are highly resistant to physical and enzymatic damage. Here we report that certain Microlepidoptera chemically dissolve pollen grains with exudates from their mouthparts. Methodology/Principal Findings: Field observations and experiments in tropical China revealed that two species of Deltophora (Gelechioidea) are the exclusive pollinators of two species of Phyllanthus (Phyllanthaceae) on which their larvae develop and from which the adults take pollen and nectar. DNA sequences placed the moths and plants phylogenetically and confirmed that larvae were those of the pollinating moths; molecular clock dating suggests that the moth clade is younger than the plant clade. Captive moths with pollen on their mouthparts after 2-3 days of starvation no longer carried intact grains, and SEM photographs showed exine fragments on their proboscises. GC-MS revealed cis-b-ocimene as the dominant volatile in leaves and flowers, but GC-MS analyses of proboscis extracts failed to reveal an obvious sporopollenindissolving compound. A candidate is ethanolamine, which occurs in insect hemolymphs and is used to dissolve sporopollenin by palynologists. Conclusions/Significance: This is the first report of any insect and indeed any animal chemically dissolving pollen

Genomic insights into rapid speciation within the world's largest tree genus Syzygium

The relative importance of the mechanisms underlying species radiation remains unclear. Here, the authors combine reference genome assembly and population genetics analyses to show that neutral forces have contributed to the radiation of the most species-rich tree genus Syzygium. Species radiations, despite immense phenotypic variation, can be difficult to resolve phylogenetically when genetic change poorly matches the rapidity of diversification. Genomic potential furnished by palaeopolyploidy, and relative roles for adaptation, random drift and hybridisation in the apportionment of genetic variation, remain poorly understood factors. Here, we study these aspects in a model radiation, Syzygium, the most species-rich tree genus worldwide. Genomes of 182 distinct species and 58 unidentified taxa are compared against a chromosome-level reference genome of the sea apple, Syzygium grande. We show that while Syzygium shares an ancient genome doubling event with other Myrtales, little evidence exists for recent polyploidy events. Phylogenomics confirms that Syzygium originated in Australia-New Guinea and diversified in multiple migrations, eastward to the Pacific and westward to India and Africa, in bursts of speciation visible as poorly resolved branches on phylogenies. Furthermore, some sublineages demonstrate genomic clines that recapitulate cladogenetic events, suggesting that stepwise geographic speciation, a neutral process, has been important in Syzygium diversification.Peer reviewe

Genomic insights into rapid speciation within the world's largest tree genus Syzygium

Acknowledgements Y.W.L. was supported by a postgraduate scholarship research grant from the Ministry of National Development, Singapore awarded through the National Parks Board, Singapore (NParks; NParks’ Garden City Fund). Principal research funding from NParks and the School of Biological Sciences (SBS), Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore, is acknowledged. We thank Peter Preiser, Associate Vice President for Biomedical and Life Sciences, for facilitating NTU support, and Kenneth Er, CEO of NParks, for facilitating research funding through that organisation. V.A.A. and C.L. were funded by SBS, NTU for a one-year research leave. V.A.A. and C.L. also acknowledge support from the United States National Science Foundation (grants 2030871 and 1854550, respectively). S.R. was supported by a postdoctoral research fellowship under the NTU Strategic Plant Programme. S.R. and N.R.W.C. acknowledge funding from NTU start-up and the Academy of Finland (decisions 318288, 319947) grants to J.S. Fieldwork conducted by Y.W.L. was supported by an Indonesian Government RISTEK research permit (Application ID: 1517217008) and an Access License from the Sabah State government [JKM/MBS.1000-2/2JLD.7(84)]. T.N.C.V. is grateful to the Assemblée de la Province Nord and Assemblée de la Province Sud (New Caledonia) for facilitating relevant collection permits. A.N. was partly supported by the Research Project Promotion Grant (Strategic Research Grant No. 17SP01302) from the University of the Ryukyus, and partly by the Environment Research and Technology Development Fund (JPMEERF20204003) from the Environmental Restoration and Conservation Agency of Japan. Fieldwork in Fiji conducted by R.B. was hosted and facilitated by Elina Nabubuniyaka-Young (The Pacific Community’s Centre for Pacific Crops and Trees, Fiji). We thank the NTU-Smithsonian Partnership for tree data obtained for the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve (BTNR) long-term forest dynamics plots. Administrative support provided by Mui Hwang Khoo-Woon and Peter Ang at the molecular laboratory of the Singapore Botanic Gardens (SBG) is acknowledged. Rosie Woods and Imalka Kahandawala (DNA and Tissue Bank, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew) facilitated additional DNA samples. Daniel Thomas (SBG) and Yan Yu (Sichuan University) commented on biogeographical analyses. NovogeneAIT in Singapore is acknowledged for personalised sequencing service.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Genomic insights into rapid speciation within the world’s largest tree genus Syzygium

Species radiations, despite immense phenotypic variation, can be difficult to resolve phylogenetically when genetic change poorly matches the rapidity of diversification. Genomic potential furnished by palaeopolyploidy, and relative roles for adaptation, random drift and hybridisation in the apportionment of genetic variation, remain poorly understood factors. Here, we study these aspects in a model radiation, Syzygium, the most species-rich tree genus worldwide. Genomes of 182 distinct species and 58 unidentified taxa are compared against a chromosome-level reference genome of the sea apple, Syzygium grande. We show that while Syzygium shares an ancient genome doubling event with other Myrtales, little evidence exists for recent polyploidy events. Phylogenomics confirms that Syzygium originated in Australia-New Guinea and diversified in multiple migrations, eastward to the Pacific and westward to India and Africa, in bursts of speciation visible as poorly resolved branches on phylogenies. Furthermore, some sublineages demonstrate genomic clines that recapitulate cladogenetic events, suggesting that stepwise geographic speciation, a neutral process, has been important in Syzygium diversification

A pilot study on burnout syndrome: its existence, causes and coping strategies practiced by medical professionals in Colombo South Teaching Hospital, Sri Lanka

Burnout syndrome among doctors causes increased turnover, decreased job satisfaction, depression, anxiety, frequent medical errors and patient death. Main aim of this paper is to identify existence of the burnout syndrome, underlying causes and analyze the coping strategies practiced by medical professionals of the Teaching Hospital, Colombo South (CSTH). The review of definitions elaborated the most accepted definition of the syndrome as one consisting of three dimensions namely emotional exhaustion (EE), depersonalization (DP) and reduced personal accomplishment (PA). Individuals scoring positive on EE and/ or DP dimension regardless of scoring positive on all three dimensions of the syndrome are considered as undergoing burnout syndrome related to work. Method used for investigating burnout syndrome was a deductive approach with a quantitative survey strategy. The survey hosted three questionnaires. First questionnaire was self – administered and validated by the authors and attempted to identify the causative factors of the syndrome. Instrument 2 - MBI – HSS validated by Samaranayake and Seneviratne (2010) was used to assess the prevalence of the syndrome among medical professionals practicing at CSTH. Coping strategies questionnaire developed and validated by Ellawala (2010) was used to measure the strategies currently practiced among medical professionals. Data collection through surveys was conducted among a sample of randomly selected 100 medical professionals. Findings illustrate that workload depicted in terms of private practice; gender and high personal contact nature of the work are not associated causes of the burnout syndrome. Long work hours, heavy work load, marital status, having less time to spend with family / friends, unpleasant work environment, unpleasant relationships with colleagues, having low autonomy at work and risk of major failure or patient death were recognized as associated causes of the burnout syndrome. Proportion of the syndrome was 53%. Of the study sample, 30% individuals scored positive on EE dimension, 24% scored positive on DP dimension and 24% scored positive on PA dimension. When considering the most popular coping strategies practiced in stressful situations, it was reported that listening to music, obtaining emotional support from family / friends and seeking comfort in the religion respectively. Another finding that contrasts from the major studies illustrated that 92% of the medical professionals in the sample never practiced harmful coping strategy of substance abuse for mitigating stress.Key Words: Burnout syndrome, Emotional exhaustion, Depersonalization, Reduced personal accomplishment, Medical professionals, Occupational stress, Coping strategie

What happens when the nuclear species is absent? Observations of mixed-species bird flocks in the Hiyare Forest Reserve, Galle, Sri Lanka

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