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This study aims to explore the role of social cohesion, media, higher education, empowerment, and interfaith harmony in good governance of the public universities in Pakistan. Primary data was collected from the public sector universities in Pakistan. Data analysis was conducted by using SPSS and Mplus 8software. Results confirm that social cohesion, media, higher education, empowerment, and interfaith harmony have a significant influence on good governance in public universities in Pakistan. Data was collected from public sector universities in Pakistan. Hence, the findings of this study cannot be generalized to universities in other countries. The inclusion of civil society, social cohesion, media, higher education, empowerment, and interfaith harmony in university structures and functions can resolve issues in the higher education sector. This can be done through building awareness and monitoring university's activities and performance for good governance in higher education sector. The article extends stakeholder theory of corporate governance by inquiring important stakeholders such as civil society and cohesion, media, higher education, gender empowerment and interfaith harmony and their role in improving university governance. Policies can be revised in this context to maximize sustainability by achieving a harmonious balance among these factors. The study also highlights that key variables ensure good corporate governance as per stakeholder's approach in the context of higher education sector. [The pagination cited (p1-25) on the .pdf is incorrect. The correct pagination is p1-22.]

Benefits of co-curricular activities (CA) are numerous, including self-confidence, communication skills and good physical health. So far, little importance has been given to study the relationship of co-curricular activities and exam performance in Pakistan. Consequently students are living in an environment where they have little idea of how co-curricular activities affect their exam performance or grades. They only give importance to their studies in order to achieve higher grades in exam. This research study examined the role of co-curricular activities and exam performance of students at different levels of class attendance. Secondary data (co-curricular participation data, attendance of 10th class and grades in 10th class board exams) of 636 students through multistage purposive sampling was collected from thirty high schools of Lahore. Multiple regression analysis demonstrated that co-curricular activities have positive impact on student's exam performance. Sobel test of mediation showed that attendance partially mediated the association of involvement in cocurricular or non-classroom activities with exam performance. Participation in co-curricular activities improves class attendance of students which then play an important role in achieving high grades in exams. "Independent sample t-test" showed that students who were involved in co-curricular or nonclass room activities had better grades or exam performance from those students who were not part of these activities. When both male and female students participated in non-classroom activities then female students had higher average exam grades.

Objective: To detect the frequency of anti-HCV antibodies in hemodialysis patients. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Virology, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Rawalpindi Pakistan, from Jul to Dec 2021. Methodology: One hundred and fifteen patients were selected from the Hemodialysis Centre. Blood samples were taken from patients undergoing hemodialysis to detect anti-HCV by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The samples were spun up and checked for anti-HCV antibodies using the Bio-Rad Monolisa anti-HCV version 3 kit and a 3rd generation ELISA. Results: A total of 115 patients were tested for anti-HCV. The anti-HCVs in this study were detected in 34(29.56%) patients. The mean duration of hemodialysis was 2.3±1.4 years. Out of 115 patients, 81(70.4%) had no significant history. Of the 34 positive patients, 15(44.2%) had a history of intravascular exposures, 12(35%) had a history of blood transfusion, 3(8.8%) had a history of tooth extraction surgery during the dialysis period, and 4(11%) had a history of minor surgery during dialysis. Conclusion: The study emphasizes the significant frequency of HCV infection in hemodialysis patients, particularly those with a history of intravenous exposure and blood transfusions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess the frequency of molecular markers along with serological markers of Hepatitis B virus, Hepatitis C virus and Human Immunodeficiency Virus among multi-transfused beta-thalassemia patients. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Armed Forces Institute of Transfusion, Rawalpindi Pakistan, from Apr to Jul 2020. Methodology: A total of 105 beta-thalassemia patients were included in this study. Demographic information and frequency of transfusion was noted. Serological markers were detected using chemiluminescence microparticle immunoassay while molecular markers were identified using real-time polymerase chain reaction. Results: Among 105 beta-thalassemia patients, 61(58.1%) were males and 44(41.9%) were females. The age range was from 2-34 years with a mean age of 11.8±6.4 years. Seropositivity and Nucleic Acid Testing reactivity was observed in 29(27.6%) and 16(15.2%) patients respectively. The frequency of hepatitis C Virus (HCV) antibodies and Ribonucleic Acid (RNA) was highest among infected patients while none of the patient was found to be reactive for anti-HIV and HIV-RNA. Viremia was detected in 12(11.4%) out of 29 seropositive patients and in 4(3.8%) out of 76 seronegative patients. Conclusion: Hepatitis C Virus was the most prevalent in beta-thalassemia patients folowed by Hepatitis B Virus and Human Immunodeficiency Virus. The serology should be augmented with NAT to detect viremia in seronegative cases as wel as seropositive cases. The NAT wil also help in early identification and treatment of infected patients and improve quality of life of these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) progression is often influenced by biomechanical factors. Biomechanical interventions, such as Trunk stabilization exercise (TSE) and Mulligan joint mobilization (MWM), may offer relief from KOA symptoms and potentially slow disease progression. However, the comparative efficacy of these therapies remains uncertain. This study aimed to compare the efficacy of TSE, Mulligan joint mobilization, and isometric knee strengthening (KSE) on disability, pain severity, and aerobic exercise capacity in patients with KOA. Methodology: A randomized controlled trial (RCT) with three intervention groups was conducted between September 2020 to February 2021. The study enrolled adults aged between 40 and 60 years with a confirmed KOA diagnosis recruited from the physical therapy clinic of the Sindh Institute of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Pakistan. Participants were randomly assigned to receive 24 sessions of either TSE, MWM, or KSE. The knee's functionality was assessed using the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS), pain on a visual analogue scale (VAS), and two objective functional tests—the 6-minute walk test (6MWT) and the 11-stair climb test (SCT). These assessments were conducted at baseline, the third week, and the sixth week. Changes in outcome measures were analyzed using a mixed-design ANOVA with Bonferroni post-hoc analysis, with statistical significance set at a p-value < 0.05. Result: Of the 60 participants, 22 (36.7%) were females, and 38 (63.3%) were males. Within-group analysis revealed a significant improvement in all outcome measures at the third week (p < 0.05) and sixth week (p < 0.05). Notably, the TSE group exhibited a greater reduction in mean difference (M.D) in VAS scores than the MWM and KSE groups across various measures in the third week. At rest, during stair ascent, and descent, the TSE group showed significant improvements in VAS scores: MWM (-2.05; -1.94; -1.94), TSE (-2.38; -2.5; -2.5), KSE (-1.05; -0.63; -0.63). Additionally, during sub-maximal exercise capacity assessment, the TSE group showed greater improvement (MWM 12.89; TSE 22.68; KSE 7.89), as well as in Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score for activities of daily living (KOOS-ADL) (MWM 20.84; TSE 28.84; KSE 12.68), and KOOS-pain (MWM 24.84; TSE 27.77; KSE 5.77) at the third-week assessment (p < 0.05). The TSE group demonstrated significant improvements (p < 0.05) across various measures in the sixth week. Specifically, improvements were observed in VAS scores at rest (MWM − 4.15; TSE − 4.42; KSE − 3.78), during stair ascent (MWM − 3.89; TSE − 4.88; KSE − 3.56) and descent (MWM − 3.78; TSE − 4.05; KSE − 2.94). Furthermore, significant improvements were noted in the stair climb test (MWM − 7.05; TSE − 7.16; KSE − 4.21), 6-minute walk test (6MWT) (MWM 22.42; TSE 37.6; KSE 13.84), KOOS-pain (MWM 41.47; TSE 49.11; KSE 28.73), and KOOS-ADL (MWM 40.31; TSE 50.57; KSE 26.05). Conclusion: In this study in patients with KOA, TSE had greater efficacy compared to MWM and KSE in enhancing functional levels, reducing pain, improving sub-maximal exercise capacity, and performance on the stair climb test. Importantly, mean scores between the groups, particularly in the TSE group, reached the minimally important level, particularly in key areas such as pain, functional levels, sub-maximal exercise capacity, and stair climb performance. Clinicians should consider the significant pain reduction, improved functionality, and enhanced exercise capacity demonstrated by TSE, indicating its potential as a valuable therapeutic choice for individuals with KOA. Trial no: ClinicalTrials.gov = NCT04099017 23/9/2019. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Application of innovative teaching techniques and methods has been in regular use to develop vocabulary of English language learners around the globe. In Pakistan, the learners are taught English by using traditional teaching methodologies. Major objective of the current study is to develop functional vocabulary of the students through the use of English podcasts shared on Facebook. In this respect, 20 students from the department of Computer Sciences at University of Kotli AJK were selected as sample. Pre-test strategy was used to determine the existing level of the students in terms of vocabulary. The students engaged themselves to gather the required vocabulary as advised and were tested by giving them the conversational dialogues on every 6th day during the whole month. The data was collected as a result of 05 post-tests which were marked and graded. The data were analyzed through simple statistical tools. The results of the study showed that in every test the students improved gradually and their marks increased approximately up to 20% in 30 days than the pre-test results. The study recommends to use Facebook as well as other social media platforms to improve their functional vocabulary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Antibiotic resistance is mostly brought about through antibiotic self-medication, which is a common issue in impoverished countries. The most at-risk group is children, while there is no protection evidence released for them. Due to a lack of proper knowledge, parents often inappropriately administer antibiotics to their children. Objectives. The current study aims to evaluate the parents' knowledge of antibiotic use and their knowledge of the medical conditions for which self-medication is used. Material and methods. A cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out in parents. Parents' direct interviews and self-administered questionnaires were used to gather the data. Descriptive analysis and chi-square tests were performed to determine the significance of these findings using IBM SPSS Statistics version 22. Results. There were 1,034 individuals who self-medicated their children in total. Male participants outnumbered female participants by a small margin. In the past 12 months, 88.6% of parents gave antibiotics to their children. Pharmacy advice and past prescriptions were the main causes of this behaviour, whilst cough, fever and tooth discomfort were the conditions for which antibiotics were prescribed. Throughout the course, 45.5% of patients changed antibiotics on their own. Conclusions. The findings of this study underscore the urgent need to address the issue of self-medication of antibiotics in children, emphasising the potential harm it can cause. Parents often resort to self-medication without a proper understanding of the underlying causes of their children's illnesses, relying on antibiotics as a panacea. To mitigate this practice and protect the well-being of children, it is imperative to implement a multifaceted approach involving regulatory measures and educational initiatives beyond the scope of pharmacist interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of wellness incorporates many domains, including mental, physical, social, and integrated well-being. However, it is not well understood in most lower middle-income countries (LMIC). The significance of practicing wellness during residency, focusing on the context of LMIC, is described here. Based on the authors' experiences of working in LMIC, the challenges faced during residency and the importance of prioritizing self-care and well-being is highlighted. Physician burnout is a global concern having a negative impact on patient care quality, patient satisfaction, and professionalism. Interventions to address wellness can be individual and organization-based. Individual interventions include mindfulness training, behavioral interventions, self-care practices, and support networks. Organizational interventions involve the establishment of wellness committees, introduction of wellness curricula, optimization of workflows, and creation of shared social spaces. There is a need for implementing wellness practices within residency programs in LMIC. By focusing on wellness, physicians can mitigate burnout, enhance their well-being, and improve patient care outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Around 118.5 million blood donations are collected annually to save precious lives. The donated blood may also be associated with blood-borne infections. With around 247 million population, Pakistan is an endemic country for viral hepatitis, and there is a high risk of having asymptomatic blood donors among healthy donors. Viral hepatitis is 2.5% prevalent in the general population, and blood donation and its screening have become grave health concerns for Pakistani health authorities. Asymptomatic viral hepatitis needs screening to rule out subliminally diseased individuals, as recommended by the World Health Organization. Knowing the prevalence of the transfusion transmissible infectious (TTIs) agents in healthy blood donors helps assess the disease burden in any population, boosts treatment rates, and precludes dreaded complications in the affected people. The objective of the current study was to determine the prevalence and trends of significant TTIs among blood donors visiting the Armed Forces Institute of Transfusion (AFIT), Rawalpindi, Pakistan. A total of 15,405 blood donors were screened for HBV, HCV, HIV, malaria, and syphilis during this cross-sectional descriptive study. Most donors had an O-positive blood group; AB-negative donors were only 0.7%. Out of the study population, we reported 1.06% HBV, 0.54% HCV, 0.19% HIV, and 0.31% syphilis-positive asymptomatic blood donors. However, no blood donor was found positive for malaria. The Punjab province was reported as the most burdened for TTIs, and youngsters aged 18–27 years were mainly positive, indicating the need to conduct national-level awareness campaigns about TTIs. The stakeholders need to strengthen the blood collection guidelines, and effective performance should be strictly monitored through internal and external audits considering the aim of reaching non-infectious blood products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Modern medical education has flourished with an emergent interest in a variety of assessment approaches that entails direct observation of performance and provision of feedback. Workplace-based assessment (WPBA) has been embraced into specialty training in the United Kingdom (UK) within National Health Service (NHS). In Pakistan, this educational framework is incorporated to gauge the clinical proficiency of trainees at the postgraduate and undergraduate levels. The present study was done to identify how WPBA is perceived by dental field postgraduate trainees in Pakistan. OBJECTIVE: The study explored and ascertained trainees' perceptions, attitudes, and preferences considering their experiences with the systematic organization and execution of WPBA in dental educational settings. METHODS: This cross-sectional study design involved the clinical trainees of various cadres in a tertiary care hospital in Multan. A structured and validated questionnaire previously used for another analysis was administered among 90 trainees at the institute. The results were analyzed and tabulated using SPSS-21. Influential statistics (Pearson's Chi-Square Test) was performed and the confidence interval was set at 95% (P≤0.05). RESULTS: The response rate was 88%. Opinions were more positive compared to the former surveys. The majority of the respondents (65.8%) have shown a positive attitude towards WPBA and preferred it to be a valuable assessment system as it fosters reflective practices in educational settings. In addition, it was shown that WPBA has the potential to improve clinical training (72.2%) and aid in the effective implementation of clinical practice (68.4%). As the system of digital education has been introduced ever since the pandemic, the highest percentage of participants (56%) preferred a combination of on-paper and online assessment systems. CONCLUSION: The study reported that WPBA proposes the opportunity to associate teaching, learning, and assessment. The faculty training program is a significant input to upholding the quality of WPBA. Empirical research on WPBA is essential to be carried out to overcome the inadequacies thus endorsing its application universally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study examines the link between children's number of older siblings and their cognitive development, as measured by executive function (EFs) skills and verbal skills (VIQ) in a sample of 1,302 4-year-old children (54% boys) living in rural Pakistan. Specifically, we investigate whether the links between the number of older siblings and preschoolers' EFs and VIQ are moderated by preschoolers' quality of home stimulation and gender. Multivariate regressions revealed that the number of older siblings was positively associated with EFs for boys in homes with both higher and lower levels of stimulation, and for girls in homes with lower levels of stimulation (p <.05). However, the number of older siblings was negatively associated with EFs for girls from homes with higher levels of stimulation (p =.03). Further, the number of older siblings was positively associated with VIQ in homes with lower stimulation (p <.05), but not for higher stimulation homes. Gender was not a statistically significant moderator of the association between the number of older siblings and VIQ. Findings suggest that living with more older siblings may promote emerging EFs and VIQ among boys and girls with fewer opportunities for cognitive stimulation. However, more older siblings may hinder EF development for girls in the context of adequate home stimulation, perhaps due to inequitable allocation of resources among boys and girls in more affluent, larger families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To identify the existing system of janitorial services in the army hospitals, and to give recommendations for standardized policy formulation in military hospitals. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Tertiary Care Hospitals, namely Hospital A, B and C, at Rawalpindi Pakistan, from Oct 2019 Jan 2020. Methodology: Responses from 401 Healthcare Administrators (HCAs), Nurses and Janitorial staff were collected through a validated questionnaire, and hospitals' documents/ SOPs, cleaning audit reports, feedback process documents, communication mechanisms and training schedules were reviewed. Results: Out of 401 respondents, the majority were females (54.4%, 5 were HCAs, 143 were Nurses, and 70 were Janitorial staff). The availability of SOPs was associated with cleaning functional areas of hospitals (p=0.001). Awareness of the risk of infection among healthcare workers was associated with Hepatitis B vaccination (p=0.03). Knowledge of hospital areas regarding cleanliness among hospital workers was linked to providing cleanliness training according to job requirements (p=0.001). Conclusion: Hospital A performed admirably in most areas but was found to need more human resources, with staff shortages, high turnover, and a lack of adherence to SOPs. To achieve optimum performance, existing and emerging technology must be integrated with sanitary worker preparation and career development; costs must be reduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic inflammatory disorder that can cause destructive joint disease, significant disability, and increased mortality. RA is the most frequent of all chronic inflammatory joint diseases, and its prevalence frequency in Pakistan is 1.6 per thousand people. Different cytokines and receptors were involved in the triggering of RA, including interleukin-6 (ILR-6), major histocompatibility complex (MHC) antigen human leukocyte (HLA-DR) receptor, and CD20. Several studies illustrated RA as an inherent immune response and triggered due to the "shared epitope." Therefore, the involvement of all these receptors (IL-6, HLA-DR, and CD20) leads to the neurological, ocular, respiratory, cardiac, skin, and hematological manifestations that have been considered a potential therapeutic target for drug design. Various herbal, natural, and synthetic source inhibitors of interleukin-6 (IL-6), human leukocyte (HLA-DR), and CD20 were studied and reported previously. Reported inhibitors are compared to elucidate the best inhibitor for clinical trials, leading to the orally active drug. In this study, a computer-aided drug designing approach disclosed the potential inhibitors for all receptors based on their distinct binding affinity. Moreover, drug suitability was carried out using Lipinski's rule by considering the adsorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) of ligands. Results elucidated "calycosin 7-O-glucoside" and "angeliferulate" as putative ligands for IL-6 and HLA-DR, respectively. However, the pharmacokinetic properties (ADMET) revealed angeliferulate as an effete ligand for the biological system compared to calycosin 7-O-glucoside. Based on docking, drug toxicity profiling or pharmacokinetics, and MD simulation stability, this study highlights orally active therapeutic inhibitors to inhibit the activity of pivotal receptors (IL6, HLA-DR, and CD20) of RA in humans. After clinical trials, the resultant inhibitors could be potential therapeutic agents in the drug development against RA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To analyze internal quality control of blood components, including red cell concentrates, fresh frozen plasma, cryoprecipitate and random donor platelets, to measure our blood bank performance. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Armed Forces Institute of Transfusion (AFIT), Rawalpindi Pakistan from Jul to Dec 2021. Methodology: Whole blood units were separated into red cell concentrates, fresh frozen plasma and random platelets by the platelet-rich plasma method. Cryoprecipitates were prepared from FFPs. Quality control was done on representative components. For red cell concentrates, hematocrit was measured. For platelet concentrates, pH and platelet yield were measured. For fresh frozen plasma, Factor-VIII assay and for cryoprecipitate, Factor VIII and fibrinogen assays were done. The blood components were also tested for bacterial cultures. Results: A total of 1130 units were analyzed for quality control, including 360 red cell concentrates, fresh frozen plasma, random donor platelets each and 50 cryoprecipitates. Red cell concentrates had a mean hematocrit of 68.5±3.7%. Random donor platelets had a yield of 10.1±1.4* 1010 / unit and a mean pH of 6.7±0.2. Fresh frozen plasma had a Factor VIII level of 2.2±0.98 IU/ml. Cryoprecipitate had a mean fibrinogen level of 202.8±27.8 mg/unit and Factor VIII132.5±54.1IU/unit. All blood components met internal quality control standards. Blood cultures were negative in 99.2% of random donor platelets tested. Conclusion: The internal quality control of blood products was in concordance with the national and international standards for quality control in blood banks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine the plateletpheresis procedure adverse reactions as described by donors in a regional blood transfusion centre. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Armed Forces Institute of Transfusion (AFIT), Rawalpindi Pakistan, from Oct to Dec 2018. Methodology: The data of 300 plateletpheresis donors, who underwent the procedure, was collected from the donor record of AFIT. All these donors were contacted through cell phone for interviews. The donors willing to participate were interviewed as per the structured questions. Results: Out of the 300 plateletpheresis donors contacted, only one was female (0.3%). The 166 (55%) male donors responded and showed willingness for inclusion in the study. The overall experience was described as very good by 89 (54%), good by 52 (31%), satisfactory by 23 (14%) and unpleasant by 2 (1%) donors. No adverse effects were observed in 144 (87%) donors, while 22 (13%) had mild adverse reactions. The 152 (91%) blood donors were willing to donate blood again in future. Conclusion: Plateletpheresis was considered, by donors, a very safe and pleasant procedure if appropriately performed, taking all necessary precautions. However, chances of adverse reactions exist as in all procedures related to blood donation. Our study shows that the minor common adverse reactions do not limit the donors from future blood donations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess the clinical spectrum and various etiological factors of idiopathic intracranial hypertension in Pakistani patients. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Place and Duration: Neuro-Ophthalmology Clinic, Armed Forces Institute of Ophthalmology, Rawalpindi Pakistan, from Jan 2017 to Jul 2018. Methodology: A total of 64 individuals with intracranial hypertension (IH) were screened. On the basis of inclusion criteria 32 patients were selected for the study. The demographics, clinical features and etiologies were recorded for each patient. Results: High frequency was noted among females, affecting 26 (84.37%) as compared to males who were 6 (18.75%) in number. Half of the patients had body weight lying in range of overweight, 16 (50%), however, only 5 (15.6%) patients fell into the category of obesity. Among clinical features, headache was the most prominent symptom seen in 17 (53.12%) patients and severe disc swelling seen in 19 (59.3%) was the most common sign. Most prevalent systematic association was anemia, 11 (34.3%), and the most prominent etiology was idiopathic intracranial hypertension, being 26 (81.25%). Conclusion: There was high frequency of intracranial hypertension in the females with obesity, pregnancy and in the age group of 20-30 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine the prevalence of A1 and A2 subgroups of blood group A in healthy blood donors of northern Pakistan. Study Design: Cross sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Armed Forces Institute of Transfusion, Rawalpindi Pakistan, from Sep to Dec 2017. Methodology: The blood samples of donors reported during the study period at Armed Forces Institute of Transfusion were collected. ABO typing was performed and those in group A and AB were further subtyped using anti-A1 lectin and thus the individuals were labelled as A1 (and A1B) or A2 (and A2B). The serum of individuals with groups A2 and A2B was tested for anti-A1 based on the reaction with A1 red cells. Results: Out of total 4485 donors, 1116 (24.88%) were of blood group A and 422 (9.41%) individuals were of AB group. Out of 146 (13.08%) individuals among 1116 blood group A donors were of subgroup A2. While out of 422 of blood group AB, 80 (18.95%) were A2B. 21 (14.38%) out of 146 individuals of A2 blood group, had anti-A1 antibody while among 80 individuals with A2B blood group only 2 (2.50%) had anti-A1 antibody in their serum. Conclusion: Blood group A2 is quite prevalent in our population. Although anti-A1 is present in significant fraction of A2 blood group individuals, the routine testing is not needed to identify the A2 group and cross match compatibility is the only requirement as anti-A1 is rarely active at 37° C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identification of fracture zone is a challenging task without the image log data. There are many brownfields around the world where the image log has not been acquired; therefore, there must be an alternative way of fracture identification. In this paper, a conventional log response technique for fracture delineation has been discussed. The study area lies in the Upper Indus Basin of Pakistan, which is sub-divided into the Kohat and Potwar basins. Minwal-X-1 of Joya Mair area, which lies in the Potwar Basin, is selected for this purpose. Eocene limestone units are formed due to fracture porosity. The objective of the current research is to interpret the subsurface structure and to identify the fractured zones with the help of conventional well log responses. Subsurface seismic interpretation reveals that the area has a triangular zone structure formed as a result of compressional tectonics. Well log responses indicate the presence of the fracture zones in the Chorgali Formation and Sakesar Limestone of Eocene age in Minwal-X-1 well. Few zones, which can be possible fractured zones, in these formations were marked by analyzing the conventional log responses and secondary porosity index (SPI). All the conventional log responses and cross plots support the presence of fracturing in Eocene limestones. The technique of identifying fractured zones with the help of conventional log responses is beneficial for researchers as FMI, and core data are very expensive and not available to everyone. Therefore, the convention log-based approach can be helpful where image log data (FMI) is not available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study analyzed the published research on gout and hyperuricemia in the national biomedical journals with an aim to highlight the research gaps in the management of gout and hyperuricemia in Pakistan. Methods: An online literature survey on global databases (Medline and Google Scholar) and local Pakistani database PakMedinet was conducted from January to March 2018. Different keywords on gout and hyperuricemia in Pakistan were combined using Boolean operators. We included all kinds of manuscripts reporting work specifically related to gout or hyperuricemia from Pakistan and having the corresponding author or at least one author with an affiliation from a Pakistani institution. We also considered manuscript published on this topic in Pakistani journals by authors affiliated with other countries. Results: Thirty-four manuscripts were selected for review and analysis. Thirty-one manuscripts were written by local authors affiliated with institutions located in different cities of Pakistan. Five manuscripts had foreign authors, out of which two were authored by all Turkish authors, but others had Pakistani co- authors too. Most of the Manuscripts were published in the category of original research article. None of them was a randomized clinical trial (RCT). Conclusion: The number and quality of studies published on gout and hyper-uricemia from Pakistan is low. There is a need to conduct more epidemiological and interventional studies to know the actual burden of gout in the country and RCTs to compare different drug treatments for managing gout in the local population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To ascertain the immunogenicity and short-term safety of inactivated SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine (Vero Cell), BBIBPCorV (Sinopharm) in our setup. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Combined Military Hospital Sialkot Pakistan, from Feb to Apr 2021. Methodology: A total of 227 health care workers (HCWs) between 18 to 59 years of age were included in the study. Two doses of Inactivated SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine (Vero Cell), BBIBP-CorV were administered to all individuals 21 days apart and they were monitored for any vaccine-related adverse reactions for 7 days after each dose. Neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) in study subjects were detected in three samples i.e. before 1st dose of vaccine, 21 days after 1st dose and 14 days after 2nd dose by Elecsys Anti- SARS-CoV-2 S (Roche Diagnostics). Results: Mean age of individuals in the study was 36.70 ± 18.08 years and most individuals were in the 31-45 years age group. Fatigue and drowsiness were the most common adverse effects experienced by study subjects after 1st and 2nd dose of the vaccine followed by malaise and headache. Only 42 (39%) individuals developed positive neutralizing antibody titers in a sample taken 21 days after 1st dose while all individuals except one (99%) developed positive neutralizing antibody titers in a sample taken 2 weeks after 2nd vaccine dose. Conclusion: Inactivated SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine (Vero Cell), BBIBP-CorV is safe and well-tolerated with very few adverse reactions. Immunogenicity was well achieved as the seroconversion rate was 99% two weeks after 2nd dose of the vaccine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: In rapidly changing global village, individuals, organizations and the society are faced with various unforeseen challenges every day, and these challenges continuously trigger and test the instincts for survival, and higher education is of no exception. In the context of today's most critical uncertainty, i.e. COVID-19, the purpose of this study is to highlight the significance of two leadership styles, i.e. adaptive and academic leadership, and assessing readiness for change among higher education institutions (HEIs) of Punjab, Pakistan. Design/methodology/approach: An online survey was conducted to collect data from 404 permanent faculty members in the public sector universities identified using stratified random sampling. The hypotheses developed were tested using co-variance-based structural equation modeling. Findings: As per the findings, both leadership styles as exogenous constructs and the presence of organizational learning capability as mediators contributed positively in crafting organizational readiness for change (ORC) among HEIs in the course of unpredictable circumstances. Practical implications: The COVID-19 episode globally has reiterated the importance of change, and the role of leadership in this regard cannot be undermined. This study, for that matter, stresses on the importance and benefits of academic and adaptive leadership dealing with uncertainties or change and the readiness of HEIs for change. Several institutions faced challenges in doing so, and the transition was not smooth, except for institutions where leaders were the differentiating factor. On top of it, institutions that had timely invested in digital systems and had enhanced organizations learning capacity survived in these turbulent times. Originality/value: COVID-19 has placed tremendous challenges on HEIs to adapt with the rapidly changing conditions. Hence, this study is unique in understanding the academic and adaptive leadership styles in context of ORC. This study further helps in understanding that how public sector universities that are already influenced by stringent bureaucratic structures react to change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Indus Basin is considered as prolific hydrocarbon-bearing province of Pakistan. The study area is located in the Middle Indus Basin. Two wells (Bagh-X-01 and Budhuana-01) were drilled in the vicinity of the study area to determine the hydrocarbon potential of the area. Both wells show no hydrocarbon reserves and are thus abandoned. The present study emphasizes two-dimensional subsurface seismic interpretation and rock physics evaluation to estimate reservoir properties of the Jurassic Samana Suk Formation. Data from nine 2-D seismic lines and two wells have been utilized to evaluate the potential. The time contour maps indicate the existence of subsurface structural features in the study area. With the help of the 3-D geological model, the faults are marked in the Samana Suk Formation and the structure is identified as a monocline. The 3-D geological modeling results also reveal that Samana Suk Formation tends to become thin in the northeast, and thick in the southwest. The petrophysical interpretation was performed to find the hydrocarbon potential of the Formation. The cross plot between P-impedance and VpNs ratio shows that the lithology cannot be differentiated by the logs. Rock physics parameters such as Poisson's ratio, bulk modulus, shear modulus, shear wave velocity, primary wave velocity, Vp/Vs ratio, and density indicate that there are no considerable hydrocarbon reserves in the Samana Suk Formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess the rate of positivity of Toxoplasma gondii, Rubella, Cytomegalovirus, Herpes simplex (TORCH) pathogens in patients suffering from congenital cataract in Pakistan. Study Design: Cross sectional comparative study. Place and Duration of Study: Armed Forces Institute of Ophthalmology, Rawalpindi, from Jun 2017 to Mar 2018. Methodology: Cataract group included sixty children already diagnosed with congenital cataract and control group included 60 children not suffering from congenital cataract. Serum samples of all children were collected to test against IgG and IgM antibodies of Toxoplasma gondii, Rubella, Cytomegalo, Herpes simplex pathogens using enzyme linked immune essay (ELISA) technique. Data were analyzed observe in difference between unilateral and bilateral cataract and between cataract and control group. Results: Out of 60 children in cataract group, 29 were tested positive for Toxoplasma gondii, Rubella, Cytomegalo (CMV), Herpes simplex infections. CMV IgG antibodies were identified in 21 (35%) children followed by Rubella IgG 13 (21.7%), Toxoplasmosis IgG 8 (13.3%), CMV IgM 7 (11.7%), HSV I IgG 5 (8.3%), HSV II IgG 2 (3.3%) and HSV I IgM 1 (1.7%) antibodies. None of the children was positive for Toxoplasmosis, Rubella and HSV II IgM antibodies. There was no statistical difference in rate of positivity of Toxoplasma gondii, Rubella, Cytomegalovirus, Herpes simplex pathogens between unilateral and bilateral cataracts and between cataract and control group. Conclusion: Toxoplasma gondii, Rubella, Cytomegalovirus, Herpes simplex pathogens are an important cause of congenital cataract with Cytomegalovirus and Rubella virus being most common respectively. In order to prevent paediatric complications, we need to increase awareness among pregnant women and treating physicians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To share our large scale SARS CoV-2 PCR test experience in Northern Pakistan. Study Design: Prospective observational study. Place and Duration of Study: Virology Department, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Rawalpindi, from Feb to Dec 2020. Methodology: All the patients reporting to COVID-19 desk both indoor and outdoor were included in study. Nasopharyngeal swab specimen was taken from the patients arriving at reception. For hospitalized patient's samples were received at reception placed in viral transport medium maintaining cold chain. Results: Among 193656 samples tested for SARS CoV-2 RNA by RT-PCR, 24338 (12.6%) were found positive and 169318 (87.4%) were negative. Mean age of patients was 38.25 ± 16.73 (1-110 years). 138781 (71.7%) were males and 54875 (28.3%) were females. 109765 (56.7%) samples were received from in patient department and 83891 (43.3%) samples were received from outpatient department. Highest number of cases (n=6224) seen during month of June followed by 5813 cases during May and 4786 cases during November (p-value <0.001). Most of the positive cases were in age group 21-40 years; 11122 (6%), followed by age group 41-60 years; 8133 (4.2%). More positive samples 14890 (7.7%) were received from in patient department and males 17928 (9.3%) were affected more than females. Conclusion: The two peaks of COVID-19 pandemic in Pakistan were observed during the months of May to July and again during October to December. Most positive patients in our setup were males in age group 21-40 years as this age group is more exposed to external environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To highlight the significance of Dengue anti-IgM and Dengue NS1 antigen in diagnosing Acute Dengue infection. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Virology Department, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Rawalpindi Pakistan, from Sep to Nov 2021. Methodology: One hundred and fifty Dengue NS1-positive patients of either gender with age≥5 years were included. ELISA tested patients for detection of Dengue anti-IgM antibody. A questionnaire was used to collect demographic and personal data of each patient. Results: Out of 150 dengue NS1 positive samples, 26(17%) were positive for dengue anti-IgM. In collected samples, Dengue serological markers (NS1 and anti-IgM) positivity was observed based on 'the day of onset of symptoms. On days 1 and 2, 54 and 44 NS1 positive samples were collected, respectively, but no one was found positive for anti-IgM. Anti-IgM was detected on day-3 and onwards. 27% Dengue anti-IgM positivity was found on day-3, which increased gradually as the time of infection increased. On day four, it was 53%; on day 5, it was 55%; on day-6, it was 60%; on day 7, it was 75%; and on day 8, it was 100%. Conclusions: The findings of present study suggested that anti-Dengue IgM antibodies are less significant than the Dengue NS1 antigen in diagnosing acute dengue infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To describe an audit of COVID-19 related mortality in the largest Navy hospitals in Pakistan and identify the risk factors associated with in-hospital death in these patients. Study Design: Retrospective chart review. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Medicine, PNS Shifa Hospital, Karachi, from 1st Apr to 30th May 2020. Methodology: All patients who died in the Intensive care unit (ICU) of PNS Shifa Hospital, Karachi during study period, and having PCR positive COVID-19 infection were included. The data recorded included basic demographics (age, gender and length of stay in hospital), documentation of co-morbidities (e.g. diabetes mellitus [DM], ischemic heart disease [IHD] and other medical and surgical problems), need for mechanical ventilation and most probably cause or contributory factor to the death of the patient. Descriptive statistics were used for calculating mean and frequencies. Chi-square test was used to determine the association between variables of the study. Results: A total of 22 cases were included. There were 21 males. The mean age was 65.7 years. Most 12 (56.5%) of the patients were more than 65 years of age. DM was the most common risk factor in 15 (69%) patients followed by hypertension 13 (59%) and IHD in 10 (45%). The hospital admission ranged from 1 to 19 days with a mean of 7.13 days. Conclusion: We identified length of stay, mechanical ventilation, age >65 years, pneumonia and DIC are the potential risk factors for in-hospital mortality in severely ill COVID-19 patients. This audit can guide the clinicians working in resource constrained areas, in making decision regarding hospital admission for the highrisk cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CPEC has been declared as one of the key projects under the One Belt One Road plan of China. Estimates reflect that this project would aid in the economic growth of the entire region, affecting a population of over 4 billion across more than 60 countries. In the context of Pakistan, opportunities linked with CPEC are estimated to be up to $62 billion. CPEC is likely to result in a high number of employment opportunities ranging from 600,000 to 1,000,000 between 2015 and 2030. In order to cater to the needs associated with these projects, a well-equipped and skilled workforce is required. For that matter, major attention is required to address issues related to Human Resource Development (HRD) that must be in line with the historical perspective of HRD. Nevertheless, not just CPEC, a national level HRD policy that covers the analysis of current and required workforce and the knowledge, skills, and abilities they require is of great significance. A policy that integrates the HRD with national development goals is of dire significance. Moreover, this study contributes to highlighting and addressing challenges and opportunities related to HRD in the light of historical perspective of CPEC and HRD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies the formal and actual human resource management (HRM) autonomy, financial and policy autonomy of the state owned enterprises (SOEs) of Pakistan and points out the differences that exist between them. It identifies the reasons behind the lack of autonomy of SOEs and proposes multiple recommendations though which this gap can be bridged. Both quantitative and qualitative data was collected to carry out this study. Quantitative data was collected from 40 randomly selected SOEs using a close-ended questionnaire while 20 semi-structured interviews were carried out to collect qualitative data. Descriptive statistics was used to see the number of SOEs having different levels of HRM, financial and policy autonomy. It was found that a very less number of SOEs were completely autonomous in different aspects of HRM, financial management, policy formulation and its implementation. Excessive political intervention, dependence on government for resources and poor performance of SOEs along with numerous other reasons were identified as causes behind this lack of autonomy. Multiple recommendations have also been proposed to overcome this issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To find out the prevalence of surgical disease in rural areas of Pakistan. Place and Duration: All the surgical cases registered in Foundation Hospital Rajana District Toba Tek Singh in 2012-2013. Methods: The whole data is analyzed by SSPS and compared with the other studies of Pakistan and world. Results and Conclusion: Male and female are equal in number in Total 7788 cases excluding non-surgical cases between 1 day to above 70 years age. Majority of the cases were between 21-50 years age group. Common cause was Trauma, commonest disease was L.B.A and commonest operation was for Hernia and Gallbladder stones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine the frequency of Kell blood group antigens (K and k) in blood donors from northern Pakistan. Study Design: Cross sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: The study was carried out at immunohaematology department of Armed Forces Institute of Transfusion (AFIT) Rawalpindi, Pakistan, from 1st Nov 2017 to 31st Dec 2017. Methodology: After approval of Ethical Committee of Armed Forces Institute of Transfusion (AFIT) Rawalpindi, the blood samples of 2000 blood donors were collected. Samples were selected by non-probability consecutive sampling technique. After preliminary blood grouping for ABO and Rh D, these samples were phenotyped for K (kelleher) and k (celleno) antigens. Typing was performed on Biorad® automated blood grouping system by column agglutination technique (CAT), strictly following manufacturer's instructions. Results: Out of 2000 blood donors, typed for K and k antigens, 1966 were males (98.30%) and 34 were females (1.70%). The frequency of K was 4.05% (81/2000) and that of k was 98.90% (1978/2000). The phenotype K-k+ (95.15%) was most prevalent followed by K+k+ (3.75%), K-k- (0.80%) and K+,k- (0.30%). Conclusion: K antigen frequency is lower than as reported in Caucasions and Saudi Arabia but higher than Indian and African blood donors. This study confirmed that the k (celleno) blood group antigen was highly prevalent antigen in Pakistani population while the K (kelleher) antigen was present in a relatively lower frequency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Workforce Diversity is an undeniable challenge in the field of public administration. It is vital to do a systematic literature review to identify the gaps in context of South Asia, notably Pakistan. The current research reviews 83 research articles of last 45 years by addressing the following question: How research on workforce diversity has developed over time in the field of public administration? The two studies are noted from South Asia: Pakistan and India. The researchers tried to examine the dimensions, antecedents and consequences of workforce diversity in context of public administration. Moreover, the relationship of workforce diversity with other variables: mediators and moderators used in the researches are also studied. The aim of the study is to identify the trends of workforce diversity worldwide and by following the foot prints of developed countries, how South Asia can benefit by supporting equality and accepting differences. The current research has valuable implications for public organizations in South Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the age of globalization and technology, service sector is the engine for growth as it contributes two-third to global economies. Service sector plays a vital role for economic progress, contributing 59.6 % in Pakistan's Gross domestic product (GDP). This study focuses on the factors affecting service sector's contribution to GDP in Pakistan. For this purpose, Auto-Regressive Distributed Lag method has been used for data analysis. This paper has taken time series data for dependent and independent variables for the time period of 1990-2017. Factors like, foreign direct investment, trade in services effects the service sector's contribution (% GDP) significantly and positively whereas, employment in services and population growth shows a negative effect. Household consumption and Government expenditure depicts insignificant effects for long-run. Pakistan's dependency structure has been increasing over the last few years, more and more people are getting employed for low-skilled jobs. Trade barriers and small export base is a hindrance for growth in services. Policy makers need to address issues and reform policies that could increase the contribution of service sector. There is a progressive scope for this sector to grow and bring benefits to the whole economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Globally, estimated 20 million cases and 70,000 deaths occur annually. A "cluster" was reported from Amankot Swat, during February 2013. Outbreak was investigated to find cases, identify risk factors, infection source and recommend control measures. Methods: Study design adopted was descriptive followed by case control study. A case was defined as "A person resident of Amankot, with jaundice & any of the following symptoms; malaise, anorexia, abdominal pain, fever, vomiting and dark urine during February-March 2013." Adopting case-control study design, cases and controls were enrolled assuming sampling was independent of exposure. We collected information through a structured questionnaire and data was analyzed through Epiinfo-7. Collected blood samples were tested by ELISA. Results: Out of 800 surveyed individuals, 299 were found jaundiced. Cases were predominantly male, n=232 (77%) and most afiected age group was 16-30 years, n=173 (58%). Apart from jaundice the most frequent symptoms included abdominal discomfort n=247 (82%), malaise n=240 (39%), fever n=197 (32%), anorexia n=266 (37%), and nausea/vomiting n=266 (37%). Identified risk factors included poor sanitation (exposed 274, OR29, 95% CI 17-46.6), consumption of municipal water supply (OR 12.3, 95% CI 7.7-19.8), old pipeline network (exposed 268, OR 8.7, 95%CI 5.6-13.6), and patient contact (exposed 68, OR 6.7, 95% CI 3.6-12.4). Water samples were contaminated with fecal coliforms. Conclusion: Densely populated area with mostly old and rusted pipelines network running alongside sewerage lines, low water flow period (winter) and negative pressure within the pipes probably sucked the sewage which resulted in contamination of water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lack of ethics, values, morality and integrity of leadership has always been an issue for corporate world. Keeping in view the disastrous effects of lack of leadership character; this study aims to determine the impact of authentic leadership on job satisfaction of healthcare staff with the mediating effect of affective organizational commitment. This is a cross-sectional hypothesis testing research based on primary data collected from 332 respondents from five healhcare institutions based in Karachi. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), reliability analysis and regression analysis were performed to measure the initial validity of constrsuct and to test proposed hypotheses. The results supported the proposed hypotheses suggesting that there is a significant impact of authentic leadership on job satisfaction with complete mediation of affective organizational commitment. Implying that a committed, satisfied and engaged employee is an asset for any organizations; it will be a loss for any organization to loose such an employee. Senior management of healthcare organizations should aim to focus on training of leaders and managers so they can equip themselves with the skills and traits of authentic leadership; this will not only help organizations to retain quality human resource but will also help to enhance the positive work environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hepatitis-A has an estimated global disease burden of 1.4 million/ year. Poor sanitation leads to children getting infected before the age of 10. A cluster of 10 Hepatitis-A patients was reported from Dhok-Kanety, Islamabad (approx. population 225) and an outbreak investigation was conducted from February 09 -15, 2014. Methods: A case control study was conducted during 9-10 February 2014 in Dhoke Kanety, District Islamabad, Pakistan. A total of 24 cases and 72 Age and gender matched controls were selected from the study area. A case definition for Hepatitis A developed by World Health Organization was used to identify the suspected and confirmed cases. The cases and controls were interviewed and information was collected using a questionnaire including basic epidemiologic information, symptoms, time of onset, medical care, previous history of Jaundice, drinking water sources, consumption of raw vegetables and salad, and sanitation facilities. Samples of blood and water collected for laboratory analysis. Blood samples were tested through 3rd generation ELISA technique and water samples were analyzed through Physiochemical and Microbiological techniques at National Institute of Health Islamabad. Descriptive and inferential methods were used including person chi square test of independence and odd ratios for association. Data was analyzed through Epi-info soft ware and SPSS. Results: The average age of the respondents remained 8 years (range of 3-13 years). Half of the respondents were female. Overall attack rate was 27%. Among cases, 19 consumed well water (OR 14.4; 95% CI 7.5-18.7; p <0.05); 17 had open-drain toilets (OR 4.5.; 95% CI 2.2-6.2; p <0.05) and 17 had a contact with a case (OR 19; 95% CI 7-27; p <0.05). Moreover, boiling water (6/24; OR 0.1; 95% CI 0.04-0.3; p <0.05) and chlorination (5/24; OR 0.14; 95% CI 0.04-0.4; p <0.05) showed a protective effect. Results from water samples showed presence of fecal coliforms. Municipal water supply was disrupted due to civil works and a well was used as the source of water. Conclusion: Contaminated well water was identified as the source of infection. Health education was imparted on hygiene/sanitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To study trends in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) seroprevalence in blood donors in northern Pakistan. Study design: Analysis of annual data from blood transfusion centre. Place and duration of study: Data records from people who had donated blood at the Armed Forces Institute of Transfusion (AFIT) between 1998 and 2013 were retrieved and analysed. Methods: All blood donations were tested for the presence of HIV antibodies using Abbott Inc's AxSYM from 1998 to 2006, and Abbott Inc's Architect 2000i with chemiluminescence microplate immunoassay from 2007 to 2013. Results: Over the 16-year study period, 66 donors tested positive for HIV antibodies out of 626,413 donations (0.01%, i.e. 10 per 100,000 donations). From 1998 to 2006, 16 HIV-positive cases were detected out of 280,245 donations (0.0057%, i.e. 5.7 per 100,000 donations). However, from 2007 to 2013, 50 HIV-positive cases were detected out of 346,168 donations (0.0144%, i.e. 14 per 100,000 donations). The difference in HIV positivity between the two groups was found to be significant (0.0057% vs 0.0144%, χ² = 10.4, P = 0.008). Conclusion: A gradual and persistent increase in the number of HIV-positive cases among blood donors in northern Pakistan was seen over the study period. The HIV-positive cases reported one or more high-risk activities in the past which predisposed them to HIV infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To study the outbreak of chickenpox in a military training center in Northern Pakistan. Study Design: Cross sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Combined Military Hospital (CMH) Attock from 1st Nov 2007 to 30th Jan 2008. Material and Methods: Patients with clinical suspicion of chickenpox during the outbreak were confirmed by laboratory tests including complement fixation test using commercial antigen of Virion/Serion of Germany and Immunoglobulin M for Varicella zoster virus by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay of Vircell, Spain. Moreover, direct immunofluorescence using BioRad kit was also done in patients with active lesions. Results: A total of 102 cases occurred in the present outbreak. The age of the patients ranged from 16 to 35 years with a mean of 21.16 + 4.47 years. From a total of 102 patients, 60 (58.8%) were positive for antibodies against Varicella zoster virus by complement fixation test, 30 (29.4 %) were positive by ELISA and 12 (11.7%) were positive on Immunofluorescence testing. None of the admitted cases developed any complication and their hospital stay remained uneventful. Conclusion: This outbreak of chickenpox in a military training center affected a considerable number of military recruits, led to a number of hospital admissions and had an adverse effect on training activities. There is a need to formulate a policy to offer vaccination against Varicella zoster virus to all unimmunized individuals before induction in the military to avoid unnecessary interruption in training and academic activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Puerperal sepsis is considered as the leading cause of maternal morbidity and mortality in Pakistan. Hence, it is ranked in top five causes of maternal deaths in country which can be averted through preventive measures. The objective of this study was to determine the patterns and outcomes of puerperal sepsis cases admitted to a major tertiary care hospital of Sindh Pakistan. Methods: This cross sectional study was carried out in Liaquat University of Medical & Health Sciences Hospital over a period of Six months. All patients admitted with diagnosis of puerperal sepsis were evaluated with thorough details of history and examination to determine their demographic details, obstetrical profiles, presenting features, state of infectious morbidity, need for intervention and mortality related to puerperal sepsis. However, severe cases with complication and other diseases were excluded from the study. Data was collected on pre-tested, piloted, validated tool after taking the written consent. Results: Nearly half of the patients were between 15-25 years of age group and two thirds of them belong to poor families and about half of the woman had completed only primary education. Majority (65.7%) of the patients in our study has delivered in a local private or public sector hospital in their place of residence. More than half of the deliveries were 57.2% were normal vaginal deliveries, 36% took place normally but has required some assistance including episiotomy to deliver and 15% had delivered through caesarean section. Conclusion: Study concluded that puerperal infections occur at very high rate in young women. Most of such women had normal vaginal delivery mainly at home or in a health private or public health facility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine the prevalence of myopia among medical students and to assess the perception about the accompanying risk factors. Study Design: Descriptive Cross Sectional. Place and Duration of Study: Study was conducted among medical students of Rawalpindi Pakistan, over a time span of 6 months, from Dec 2021 to May 2022. Methodology: Students participating in this study were belonging to both the genders with ages between 17-25 years. Students having history of LASIK surgery were excluded. A Pre-tested structured questionnaire was used for data collection and was distributed among students via Google Forms through various social media platforms. Analysis was done on SPSS version 26. Results: A total of 300 students participated in this study, including 211(67%) females and 99(33%) males. About 150(50%) of the participants had myopia and 35(11.7%) of these had myopia since childhood. Among the myopes, 39(26%) were the ones whose parents had myopia and 98(65%) were the ones whose siblings had myopia too. Only 60(21%) students were aware of the risk factors such as increased mobile usage, reading in dim light, not wearing recommended glasses, sitting too close to TV screen. No statistically significant association was found between myopia and time spent on screen (p=0.333). Conclusion: Myopia is widespread among medical students. Family history and genetics are linked to myopia. Time spent outdoors is very much less as compared to the time spent in front of screens by the students. A substantial proportion of students do not appear to be aware of current concepts and the actual risk factors leading to myopia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess willingness to receive COVID-19 vaccine in Pakistan and to understand the reasons causing hesitation towards vaccine administration. Study Design: A cross-sectional study was done through an online survey that was created using google forms. Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted online from Mar to Aug 2021 in different cities of Pakistan employing nonprobability convenience sampling technique. The link to the questionnaire was shared on different social media platforms such as WhatsApp and Facebook. Methodology: Any individual over the age of 16 and willing to fill the questionnaire was enrolled. Questionnaire used were standardized Oxford COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy scale to assess intent and Oxford general vaccine hesitancy scale to assess attitude towards vaccinations in general. SPSS v25 was used for data analysis. Results: A total of 589 valid responses were finally analyzed. Among the respondents, 24%(141) showed at least some hesitancy regarding COIVD-19 vaccination and 9%(53) of the respondents showed extreme hesitancy. The Pearson correlation coefficient indicated a significant positive correlation (p<0.000) between hesitancy to childhood vaccines and COVID vaccine hesitancy. There was also a significant correlation (p<0.000) between belief in conspiracy's related to COVID-19 virus and refusal to get vaccinated. Conclusion: Vaccine hesitancy is present in roughly 1/4th of the study population. Conspiracy theories and low vaccine acceptance among the general public pose a severe danger to COVID-19 vaccination success. Public vaccine education programs should be started to educate the public regarding their fear of vaccination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To find the percentage of body dysmorphism in university students, and the association between body dysmorphism and generalized-anxiety. Study Design: Descriptive cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Universities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad Pakistan, from Nov 2021 to May 2022. Methodology: A total of 300 participants were recruited using convenience sampling technique. The questionnaire was provided online via google forms and had three parts. The first part included demographics, the second included a total of 19 questions, and the third part was the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) which consisted of 21 items and measures the severity of anxiety. Frequency and percentages were calculated for descriptive analysis and chi square test of significance was applied to find association between body dysmorphism and general anxiety. Analysis was done via IBM SPSS v 25. Results: Out of 300 participants, body dysmorphia was detected in 35(11.7%), 16(45.7%) were males, and 19(54.3%) were females. Amongst the 35 participants with dysmorphism, 13(37.1%) had low anxiety, 10(28.5%) had moderate anxiety, and 12(34.3%) had potentially concerning levels of anxiety. There was a significant association between body dysmorphism and anxiety (p-value< 0.00). The frequency of body dysmorphism was greater among participants who were single, undergraduate and had 3-7 hours of phone usage daily. Conclusion: A significant proportion of students (11.7%) were suffering from body dysmorphia. There was no association between body dysmorphism and gender however male was found to be as much concerned about their bodies as females. Anxiety and Body dysmorphism were strongly associated however it can't be assessed which precedes which. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globalization as the greatest influential prodigy of the present time is extensively arguable for its constructive and detrimental outcomes. This study differentiate between economic, cultural and political globalization and contends that process of globalization is mostly directed and acknowledged by the developed nations to achieve their desired goals, whereby South Asian nations are precipitated into this process. The case of Pakistan has been taken to study the impact of globalization on education policies by using dependency paradigm. By using content analysis, the study asserts that various international organizations demonstrate the globalization process complicated the education policy formation process. Given this context, the study tries to explain the courses through which globalization influences the educational policies in Pakistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Background and Objective: Pandemics like COVID-19 adversely affect children's behavior and psychological development by disrupting routine life activities. Children of healthcare workers are exposed additionally due to the fear of parental exposure to the virus. The objective of this study was to assess the perception of frontline healthcare workers (HCWs) regarding the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their children. We also sought to identify the difference of the psychological impact on children of the male and female healthcare workers. Methods: A survey questionnaire was developed comprising 10 questions about the perception of HCWs regarding the psychological impact of COVID-19 on their children. It was distributed both online and face to face among 150 healthcare professionals, working in training and non-training posts in 4 public and 5 nongovernment hospitals of Pakistan. The mean and standard deviation were calculated for each survey item using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences 26.0. Results: The response rate was 71.3% and majority (64.2%) of the healthcare professionals were ≥30 years of age. Ninety-two HCWs (85.98%) either agreed or strongly agreed that the parental separation from their kids for long hours during the pandemic had a negative psychological impact on their children. There was a significant difference in perceived psychological impact of COVID-19 on the children of male and female HCWs, with a mean survey score of 2.29 ± 1.82 and 1.69 ± 0.79, respectively (t = 2.29, p-value = 0.024). Conclusion: Children of the healthcare workers experience more stress and anxiety because of long duty hours and working in high-risk settings. Continuous psychological support and counseling services may be adopted formally to prevent unforeseen adverse events or any long-term negative impact on their physical and mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes a unique field experiment on Severe Thunderstorm Observations and Regional Modeling (STORM) jointly undertaken by eight South Asian countries. Several pilot field experiments have been conducted so far, and the results are analyzed. The field experiments will continue through 2016. The STORM program was originally conceived for understanding the severe thunderstorms known as nor'westers that affect West Bengal and the northeastern parts of India during the pre-monsoon season. The nor'westers cause loss of human lives and damage to properties worth millions of dollars annually. Since the neighboring South Asian countries are also affected by thunderstorms, the STORM program is expanded to cover the South Asian countries under the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). It covers all the SAARC countries (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka) in three phases. Some of the science plans (monitoring the life cycle of nor'westers/severe thunderstorms and their three-dimensional structure) designed to understand the interrelationship among dynamics, cloud microphysics, and electrical properties in the thunderstorm environment are new to severe weather research. This paper describes the general setting of the field experiment and discusses preliminary results based on the pilot field data. Typical lengths and the intensity of squall lines, the speed of movements, and cloud-top temperatures and their heights are discussed based on the pilot field data. The SAARC STORM program will complement the Severe Weather Forecast Demonstration Project (SWFDP) of the WMO. It should also generate large-scale interest for fueling research among the scientific community and broaden the perspectives of operational meteorologists and researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extensive export quality reserves of granite, dolerite and marbles which are used for interior decorations as wall facing, paving floors, kitchen counter tops, etc., are available in Azad Kashmir. Since these stones contain radium in trace amounts, therefore, its use as a building material may be a potential source of indoor radon. In order to assess health hazards due to the use of these stones as a building material, samples were collected from different mining sites. After processing, these samples were placed in plastic containers and box type radon detectors were installed in it at the height of 25 cm above the surface of the samples. The containers were then hermetically sealed. After 60 days of exposure to radon, CR-39 detectors were etched in 6 M NaOH at 70 °C for 9 h and measured track densities were related to radon concentration. Radon exhalation rate form the studied granites, marble and dolerite samples varied from 87 ± 26 to 353 ± 36 mBq mh, 79 ± 25 to 650 ± 42 mBq mh and 90 ± 26 to 324 ± 36 mBq mh, respectively. These decorative stones are therefore used in buildings and for export purposes as the observed radon exhalation values are smaller than that of the EPA recommended-action level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study design:Narrative literature review.Objectives:To (1) summarize epidemiological and scientific research on spinal cord injury (SCI) populations from three severe earthquakes (EQs) in rehabilitation resource-scarce settings; (2) summarize SCI rehabilitation services by local and foreign providers in response to these EQs and (3) provide implications including research gaps for a supporting global scientific research agenda.Setting:International.Methods:A literature review was conducted using PubMed to identify epidemiological studies reporting data on SCI survivors of the 2005 Kashmir EQ in Pakistan, the Sichuan EQ of 2008 in China and the 2010 Haiti EQ. A follow-up review on the SCI rehabilitation services provided by local and foreign providers in response to these EQs was also performed.Results:Review of the scientific literature revealed the qualitative trends in focused EQ victim epidemiological data, including SCI classification and types of medical complications. Selected EQ country narratives showed that post-disaster SCI rehabilitation services were expanded by adapting local resources with international assistance to manage the significant numbers of SCI survivors. The resulting SCI research was limited.Conclusion:A global disaster research agenda for SCI in EQs in rehabilitation resource-scarce settings is needed to strengthen the evidence base for improvement of clinical management and outcomes for SCI EQ survivors. Expansion of this limited narrative review into a systematic review to identify additional research gaps is a proposed next step. Effective disaster setting data management and research collaborations of foreign and local SCI disability and rehabilitation stakeholders will be required for agenda implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The aim of the present study was to quantify phenolic acids and flavonoids from Citrullus colocynthis roots (CCR), leaves (CCL) fruits (CCF) and compare the antioxidant and free radical scavenging activities of their extracts and major compounds. Reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography method was developed and validated for the simultaneous quantification of phenolic acids and flavonoids from ethanol and hexane extracts of CCR, CCL and CCF. The antioxidant activity of CCR, CCL and CCF extracts was investigated by measuring total phenolics, total flavonoids contents, DPPH free radical scavenging activity, inhibition of linoleic acid peroxidation and reducing power. The RP-HPLC analysis of C. colocynthis extracts revealed the presence of ferulic acid, vanillic acid, p-coumeric acid, gallic acid, p-hydroxy benzoic acid and chlorogenic acid being the major phenolic acids and quercetin, myricetin and catechin being the most prominent flavonoids compounds. The amounts of TP (3.07–18.6mg/g of dry plant material, measured as gallic acid equivalent) and TF (0.51–13.9mg/g of dry plant material, measured as catechin equivalent) were higher in ethanol extracts of CCL, followed by CCR and CCF. Ethanol extract of CCL exhibited the highest antioxidant and DPPH radical scavenging activities followed by ethanol extracts of CCR and CCF. However, only hexane extract of CCF showed considerable DPPH radical scavenging activity. The results suggested that CCR, CCL and CCF extracts showed a wide variability of their phenolic acids and flavonoids composition and antioxidant activity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article focuses on the medical education and institutions in Pakistan. Topics discussed include larger number of female students than male students in the institutions, huge population in Karachi, Pakistan and Lahore, Pakistan contributes to high number of medical colleges, rules and regulations of Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) including certain number of teaching staff and PMDC's visit four times annually.

Study design:Descriptive case series.Objectives:Describe the unusual etiology and pattern of spinal cord injury due to terrorist suicide bombings in Pakistan.Settings:Spinal Rehabilitation Unit, Armed Forces Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine, Rawalpindi, Pakistan.Methods:Hundreds of suicide attacks on civil and military forces have occurred over the last 6 years in Pakistan. These have resulted in thousands of death and many more injured. Six victims of terrorist suicide bombings were admitted over the years 2006 to 2009, who had a spinal cord injury (SCI). This is the first case series of SCI, secondary to terrorist suicide blast.Results:All patients were males. The mean age was 30±11 years. Most (five) were injured directly due to splinters from the blast. On admission to rehabilitation, all patients had thoracic complete paraplegia and their SCI was managed conservatively for their spinal injuries. Associated injuries included intestinal perforations, fracture metatarsals, humerus and brachial plexus injury. Pressure ulcer was the commonest complication (3 patients). Two patients had neurological improvement at 1-year follow-up.Conclusion:Suicide bombing is an effective weapon of terrorists in the modern world of today. The resulting injuries can be diverse and devastating. Spinal cord injury is an uncommon sequel of suicide bombing, which should be kept in mind while dealing with victims of suicide bombing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]