VARIABILITY OF EMOTIONAL QUOTIENT AMONG MALE AND FEMALE MEDICAL STUDENTS OF PUNJAB: A COMPARATIVE CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Introduction: Emotional Quotient (E.Q) is the capacity of the individuals to concede their own emotions, discriminate between various feelings and label them, make use of emotional information to guide thinking and attune the emotions to adopt environment. All researches proved the difference of EQ between males and females. Females are considered cooperative and expressive. Meanwhile, males are considered independent and instrumental. Material & Methods: A comparative cross-sectional study was directed on 566 students of different medical colleges of Punjab, Pakistan. The data was collected through a validated questionnaire containing sections of consent, demographic data and the questions for E.Q based on emotional intelligence scale (EIS). This questionnaire was shared in the google form among medical students out of which 566 completed their form and came under the inclusion criteria of our study. The data analysis was done by using SPSS v22.0. Results were recorded through independent T test. Results: On result analysis, we found that males scored higher in most variables of EQ than females. Males had more self-awareness, empathy, emotional stability, self-motivation and can manage relation well with p-value of 0.011, 0.004, 0.01, 0.365 and 0.205 respectively. Females were on higher side concerning integrity and value orientation with p-value of 0.483 and 0.395 respectively which was not statistically significant. Females also prevailed in altruistic behaviour and fulfilling commitment with p-value of 0.008 and 0.036 respectively. Conclusion: Males were having higher emotional quotient than females

Translation and validation of the Urdu version of the European organization for research and treatment of cancer core quality of life questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30) and brain module (QLQ-BN20) in primary brain tumor patients

Introduction: This study translated and validated the Urdu version of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life (QoL) Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30) and Brain Module (QLQ-BN20) amongst patients with primary brain tumors (PBT) in Pakistan, and assessed the correlation of QoL with resilience, depression, and anxiety.Methods: Translation of the EORTC QLQ-C30 and QLQ-BN20 was performed as per EORTC guidelines. A survey comprising of Urdu translations of EORTC QLQ-C30, QLQ-BN20, Wagnild and Young Resilience Scale (RS-14) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale was administered to patients with PBT at a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan. Reliability (via Cronbach alpha), content validity index (CVI) scores, construct validity, and inter-scale correlations were assessed.Results: Our sample consisted of 250 patients with PBT, most commonly glioma (46.8%) and meningioma (21.2%). All patients were able to understand the Urdu translations. The Cronbach alphas for the QLQ-C30 and the QLQ-BN20 were 0.860 and 0.880, respectively. The CVI scores for clarity and relevance were high for both the EORTC QLQ-C30 (0.98 and 0.96, respectively) and the QLQ-BN20 tool (0.81 and 0.95, respectively). The global QoL domain (EORTC QLQ-C30) showed significant positive correlations with resilience (r = 0.422), and significant negative correlations with depression (r = - 0.541) and anxiety (r = - 0.502). Strong inter-scale correlations were observed between physical functioning and insomnia (r = - 0.690) and role functioning and insomnia (r = - 0.641).Conclusion: Our study confirms the Urdu versions of the EORTC QLQ-C30 and QLQ-BN20 as valid clinical tools for the measurement of QoL in primary brain tumors patients within the cultural and socioeconomic context of Pakistan

Comparison of Semi-Automated Versus Manual Quantitative Right Ventricular Assessment in Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome

Quantitative echocardiographic evaluation is important for systemic right ventricles, but its asymmetric shape makes this challenging and time consuming when performed manually. Semi-automated software could make these quantitative measures easier to accomplish in the clinical setting. We hypothesized that semi-automated software would approximate manual measures of right ventricular size and function. Children with hypoplastic left heart who had echocardiograms were prospectively identified. These measurements were performed using manual and semi-automated techniques: end-diastolic and end-systolic area, fractional area change (FAC), dimensions (longitudinal, basal and mid-cavitary diameters), and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE). Agreement between measures was evaluated. Sixty-three echocardiograms were analyzed. Intra- and inter-observer reliability was acceptable and similar between methods except that inter-observer reliability for the manual method was superior for TAPSE. Correlation between methods was high (r \u3e 0.9, p \u3c 0.001) for most of the measures. Correlation for FAC was r = 0.79, and for TAPSE the correlation was r = 0.61 (both p \u3c 0.001). The percent relative difference between manual and semi-automated methods was less than 6% for most measures. End-systolic area and FAC had a relative difference of 10% and 11% respectively. The only measure with substantial bias between the manual and semi-automated methods was TAPSE which had a relative difference of 52%. EchoInsight® semi-automated software provides similar measures of right ventricular dimensions and FAC in patients with hypoplastic left heart compared to manual measures. Measures of TAPSE do not correlate well between manual and semi-automated methods. Further research is warranted on the use of semi-automated analyses in this patient population

Optimizing efficacy of turnip growth through foliar application of glutamic acid under saline conditions

Salinity is assumed to be a distressing abiotic factor that mainly disrupts crop quality and yield by impairing plant cell mechanisms. Due to ion accumulation, salinity stress results in lowering growth rate and water uptake. This issue is being solved by the use of several plant growth regulators. Plant growth regulators have been proven to increase plants' ability to withstand against stress. In this study, turnip (purple top cultivar) was subjected to four distinct levels of salt (0, 4, 8, and 12 dS/m), as well as one level of gibberellic acid, in order to assess the function of exogenously applied plant growth regulator glutamic acid (GA) (10 mM). Results revealed that salt stress slowed plant growth and decreased the amount of chlorophyll in turnip leaves. Application of salt alone resulted in a considerable decline in biochemical characteristics. However, in salt-stressed conditions, exogenous application of GA improved the antioxidant activity, chlorophyll contents and plant growth in the turnip leaves. Moreover, results depict that under salt stress vitamin C decreased; however, exogenous application of GA enhanced the Vit. C in turnip plants. Further, the uptake of salt content in turnip roots and leaves was significantly lowered by the application of GA. Additionally, under salt stress; GA dramatically controlled the quantity of phenolic compounds in turnip.Keywords: Brassica rapa, Salinity, Glutamic acid, Morphological and biochemical assay, Reducing and non-reducing suga

Optimizing efficacy of turnip growth through foliar application of glutamic acid under saline conditions

Salinity is assumed to be a distressing abiotic factor that mainly disrupts crop quality and yield by impairing plant cell mechanisms. Due to ion accumulation, salinity stress results in lowering growth rate and water uptake. This issue is being solved by the use of several plant growth regulators. Plant growth regulators have been proven to increase plants' ability to withstand against stress. In this study, turnip (purple top cultivar) was subjected to four distinct levels of salt (0, 4, 8, and 12 dS/m), as well as one level of gibberellic acid, in order to assess the function of exogenously applied plant growth regulator glutamic acid (GA) (10 mM). Results revealed that salt stress slowed plant growth and decreased the amount of chlorophyll in turnip leaves. Application of salt alone resulted in a considerable decline in biochemical characteristics. However, in salt-stressed conditions, exogenous application of GA improved the antioxidant activity, chlorophyll contents and plant growth in the turnip leaves. Moreover, results depict that under salt stress vitamin C decreased; however, exogenous application of GA enhanced the Vit. C in turnip plants. Further, the uptake of salt content in turnip roots and leaves was significantly lowered by the application of GA. Additionally, under salt stress; GA dramatically controlled the quantity of phenolic compounds in turnip.Keywords: Brassica rapa, Salinity, Glutamic acid, Morphological and biochemical assay, Reducing and non-reducing suga

Resilience and its associated factors in brain tumor patients in Karachi, Pakistan: An analytical cross-sectional study

Objectives: This study assessed resilience in brain tumor patients at a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan (a lower middle-income country; LMIC) and explored its relationship with patients\u27 sociodemographic factors, clinical characteristics, social support, and mental health.Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted amongst adult (≥18 years) patients with brain tumor at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Pakistan. Resilience was assessed by Wagnild and Young\u27s Resilience Scale, and patients\u27 psychosocial characteristics by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and the Enriched Social Support Instrument.Results: A total of 250 patients were included (mean age: 44 years; 68% males), with majority (97.6%) having high social support and only 4.4% and 2% having symptomatic depression and anxiety, respectively. On multivariable linear regression adjusted for covariates, lower resilience was associated with not being involved in household decision-making (Adjusted Beta Coefficient: 4.58 [95% Confidence Interval:-7.59, -1.56]), not currently working (-2.80 [-4.61, -0.99]), undergoing multiple neurosurgical interventions such as tumor biopsies or resections (-8.64 [-13.11, -4.16]), receiving chemotherapy (-5.17 [-9.51, -0.83]) or combination adjuvant therapy (-2.91 [-5.14, -0.67]), low social support (-7.77 [-13.73, 1.81]), mild depression (-13.00 [-17.00,-8.99]) or symptomatic depression (-19.79 [-24.69, -14.89]), and mild anxiety (-4.24 [-7.98, -0.50]).Conclusion: Our study highlights the function of familial/household role and working status in mediating resilience, and demonstrates the well-known protective effect of resilience for mental health in brain tumor patients in Pakistan, a South-Asian LMIC. These findings are of clinical relevance with regards to the development of culture-specific evidence-based resilience-building interventions that may help patients with brain tumors to cope with the psychological distress of cancer

Psychosocial factors influencing quality of life in patients with primary brain tumors in Pakistan: an analytical cross-sectional study

Abstract Objective Despite quality of life (QoL) being recognized as an important outcome in neuro-oncology, there is a lack of research from Pakistan where sociocultural differences may influence QoL. This study aimed to measure the QoL in patients with primary brain tumors (PBTs) and assess its association with mental health outcomes and social support. Results Our study included a total of 250 patients, with a median age of 42 years (range 33–54 years). The commonest brain tumors were glioma (46.8%) and meningioma (21.2). The mean global QoL of the sample was 75.73 ± 14.9. The majority of patients had high social support (97.6%) and were not depressed (90%) or anxious (91.6%). On multivariable linear regression, global QoL was inversely associated with no or low income (beta coefficients: −8.75 to −11.84), having hypertension (−5.53), currently using a urine catheter (−13.55), having low social support (−28.16) suffering from mild (−15.31) or symptomatic (−23.84) depression, or mild anxiety (−13.22)

Analysis of Outcomes in Ischemic vs Nonischemic Cardiomyopathy in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation A Report From the GARFIELD-AF Registry

IMPORTANCE Congestive heart failure (CHF) is commonly associated with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (AF), and their combination may affect treatment strategies and outcomes