Search

Purpose: The present study aimed to find out the relationship of public service motivation (PSM) with other positive aspects, that is workplace spirituality and employee well-being among academic staff of public sector higher education institutions. Design/methodology/approach: In order to capture the full picture of the institutional factors that may be responsible for initiating and improving public service motivation among employees, 23 interviews were carried out with employees placed in leadership positions in the public sector universities. The data were qualitatively analyzed through NVivo 12 to gain institutional perspective regarding various organizational factors that could influence PSM. Findings: The finding of this study elaborates that, although PSM is a personal attribute of the individual, there are many other organizational factors that exert a substantial effect in promoting PSM. The results of qualitative data also affirmed a significant relationship between PSM and workplace spirituality (a type of organizational culture) and the influence of employee well-being in improving the motivation of public employees towards service provision. Research limitations/implications: The data were collected from the specific population that is academic staff of public sector universities which limits the generalizability of the results. Practical implications: PSM is a vital concept in public organizations where individuals must understand and focus on public concerns to improve the quality of public service. Therefore, public sector organizations faced the challenge of nurturing an organizational culture in which selfless public service becomes the norm and individuals are driven by the effective accomplishments of their services. Therefore, an organization that is highly oriented towards spirituality likely to improve employee well-being, which is a challenging and important concept in organizations in promoting PSM among employees. Originality/value: This study is unique in terms of identifying workplace spirituality and employee well-being as organizational influencers in promoting PSM among employees.

Objective: One key factor in determining endodontic treatment outcome is the clinicians’ comprehension of tooth anatomy, as missed canals may harbor bacteria ultimately leading to apical periodontitis. The study aimed to investigate the prevalence of middle mesial canal (MMC) in Mandibular first molars (MFMs) of Saudi subpopulation. Methods: The cross-sectional retrospective study was conducted at Qassim University Dental College from June to August 2023. Overall, 302 CBCT images with 604 bilateral lower first molars were examined by two calibrated assessors. The existence of MMC was noted. The data were coded, and analysis was done in SPPS-24. The reliability of interevaluator and intra-evaluator agreement for detecting MMC were estimated using Cohen’s kappa. Results: The patients’ average age was 30.95±11.61years. The sample’s female to male ratio was 1:1.75. The overall frequency of MMC was 14.2%. The differences in the frequency of MMC on the basis of gender, quadrants and age groups were found to be insignificant. Inter-evaluator and intra-evaluator reliability was noted to be 0.78 and 0.74, depicting acceptable reliability. Conclusions: The MMC is an uncommon occurrence with rare bilateral presentation in MFMs of Saudi population. Endodontists performing endodontic treatment in such subjects should mindfully investigate inter mesiobuccalmesiolingual canals area for locating, negotiating, and managing any present MMC’s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the current research is to analyze the set of conditions under which narcissism highly affects counterproductive work behavior. Specifically, the study analyzes the role of work stressors to establish the strong relationship between narcissism and counterproductive work behavior. Using sample data from administrative staff of public and private sector universities, the study found support that narcissism has a significant impact on counterproductive work behavior directly and in the presence of work stressors. It is also evident that the work stressors partially mediate the relationship between narcissism and counterproductive work behavior. Counterproductive work behavior is a most painful situation for today's workplace, and the results of this study heslp managers in understanding employees' behavior in the presence of work stressors. On the basis of the findings, managers will be able to craft administrative policies to avoid work stressors that induce negative emotions and consequently counterproductive work behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to compare the the effectiveness of plaque removal between manual and powered toothbrushes in hearing impaired children. Maintaining a good quality of life requires optimal levels of oral hygiene. In differently abled subjects, manual dexterity may be slightly compromised, which is why powered toothbrushes were initially designed to help overcome the slight deficit. METHODOLOGY: A parallel arm, randomized study was conducted. Twenty two congenitally hearing-impaired participants aged eighteen to twenty two of age were recruited from National Special Education Centre for Hearing Impaired Children, Islamabad. They were randomly divided into two groups of eleven participants. Plaque levels were evaluated on the first day and plaque removal effectiveness of powered toothbrushes compared with manual toothbrush was checked on the eighth day. Plaque scores were evaluated using the simplified Oral Hygiene Index and Turesky's Modification of Quigley Hein Plaque Index. RESULTS: No significant difference of Mean score in effectiveness of plaque removal between manual and powered toothbrushes was seen. CONCLUSIONS: Manual and powered toothbrushes are equally effective at plaque. More studies highlighting cost effectiveness and patient's perception regarding ease of use are required to confirm results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study has attempted to contribute to the ongoing debate in the extant literature regarding the universality /context specificity of the concept of Public Service Motivation (PSM) and purported to validate the most frequently used PSM scale developed by Perry (1996) in the context of a nonwestern, developing country, Pakistan, being very different from the context in which the scale was initially developed. Perry (1996) has developed a scale for Public Service Motivation as a “global measure” but as scholarship on public service motivation has expanded, the cross-cultural studies on the subject have also flourished creating a debate about the universality/cultural specificity of the construct of public service motivation. Since, then various studies have been conducted to establish the validity of public service motivation across countries and cultures. The present study has also attempted to contribute in this regard by establishing the validity of the Public Service Motivation scale by Perry (1996) in the context of Pakistan, a developing country with a non-western culture. Data was collected from academic staff of six general public sector universities located in different regions of Punjab, Pakistan. The results show that, in general, Perry’s (1996) Public Service Motivation tool proved to be valid in the Pakistani context. Although some items had to be excluded from the scale due to low factor loading, the scale retained enough items to be valid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this research is to study the governance of primary education in Lahore, Punjab, in view of curriculum development and teacher training. The study seeks to explain the system of primary education, the characteristics of the institution involved and how they relate to the curriculum development and teachers‟ training of the primary schools. The research aims to study the formal structures of these institutions and the relationships that guide and influence them. The study seeks to find the key factors affecting the governance of primary education, namely curriculum development and teacher training; to bring to light the changes in the governance policies and their effect on the curriculum development and revision; to help analyze the supervision and monitoring mechanism developed by the government of Punjab to check teaching quality and training. For this purpose, qualitative research methodology was used. Data was collected through structured interviews with officials of the School Education Department. An interpretive approach was used to analyze data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to compare the efficacy of dentifrices containing potassium nitrate and strontium chloride in reducing dentinal sensitivity pain. METHODOLOGY: A pilot study was conducted in Islamic International Dental Hospital Islamabad, Pakistan (Duration two weeks). Forty participants were selected, aged between 18-40 years, having dentin hypersensitivity with the minimum score of 4 on Visual Analog Scale. Participants were randomly allocated with dentifrices containing 5% w/w potassium nitrate and 10 % w/w strontium chloride and were asked to use it for 2 weeks and come back for follow up. Statistically significant correlations were found using the Man Whitney test. A pre-designed proforma was used to acquire information about the patient. Sensitivity was determined with the aid of the Visual Analog Scale. RESULTS: There was greater reduction in moderate pain from 85.8% to 71.4% with strontium chloride and from 84.2% to 79% with potassium nitrate. CONCLUSION: 10 % w/w strontium chloride is more effective than the 5% w/w potassium nitrate for the management of dentin hypersensitivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Plastic toothbrushes have long been recognized as effective tools for maintaining oral and gingival health, but their use comes at the cost of environmental degradation. In contrast, Miswak, an organic alternative, not only promotes oral and gingival health but also provides environmental protection. Objectives: To compare the effectiveness of Miswak, an environmentally friendly option, with plastic toothbrushes in maintaining gingival health. Method: This cross-sectional comparative analysis was carried over a period of 6 months. A pre-validated questionnaire was circulated online and filled by sixty individuals who were divided into three groups with 20 participants each: Group A: Toothbrush users, Group B: Miswak users and Group C: Both. The questionnaire included questions pertaining to their gingival health status. The collected data was analyzed using SPSS. Chi-squared test was performed to compare the gingival health of participants. Results: Results showed no significant difference in the gingival health status of all three groups, with a p-value of 0.898. Conclusion: Toothbrush and miswak are equally effective in the maintenance of oral health. Thus, miswak can serve as an effective alternative to conventional toothbrushes with positive implications on the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Retinal vasculitis is a sight-threatening condition that can occur as an isolated ocular disorder or in association with a number of systemic diseases. Parry-Romberg syndrome, also known as progressive hemifacial atrophy (PHA), is a rare disorder of unknown etiology characterized by unilateral facial atrophy and is associated with multiple ophthalmologic and neurologic manifestations. Here we report the case of a 17-year-old man with no prior diagnosis of PHA, who presented with a sudden onset of floaters and decreased vision in the right eye; he was found to have retinal vasculitis and uveitis in the right eye. Routine workup did not reveal the cause of retinal vasculitis. However, thorough physical examination demonstrated features of PHA overlapping with linear scleroderma en coup de sabre. The patient was started on treatment with systemic steroids with a later addition of methotrexate; he responded to treatment with considerable improvement in his symptoms and ophthalmologic examination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]