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Urban sprawl is a particular pattern of the street network and land use. The relationship between street networks and sprawl has been discussed by urban scholars in developed and high-income countries. Nevertheless, there is a lack of research on the relationships between street connectivity and urban travel behavior, particularly among emerging markets. This paper aims to study correlations between urban mobility and street-length density as an indicator for assessing the compactness of an area by developing two hierarchical regression models and controlling for socioeconomic variables in two large Pakistani cities: Lahore and Rawalpindi. Moreover, this paper defines optimal cutoff values for street-length density and active transport. Finally, three chi-square tests were conducted to assess the differences between using different mode choices by people living in sprawled neighborhoods versus compact neighborhoods. Our findings confirm the use of different transport modes depending on the purpose of the trip (commuting or non-commuting), length of trip (within or outside the neighborhood), and starting point (sprawled neighborhood or compact area). We also find a positive correlation between street-length density around homes and commuting distance, the frequency of public transport use, and the use of private motor vehicles in commuting trips in the two cities. Street-length density around workplaces is correlated with commuting distance, the frequency of public transport use, and the use of private motor vehicles when socioeconomic variables (including age, daily activity, and monthly income) are controlled for in the two models. The behavior of Pakistani residents changes with a street-length density of 137 and 144.7 m/m2 for homes and workplaces, respectively, in terms of using active mobility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article focuses on the lived experiences of Pathan girls living in the slum areas of Rawalpindi and Islamabad along with their families. These girls work in the informal economy of Pakistan. The aim of this paper is to analyse the daily lives of Pathan girls in general and the role of family in particular through social relations approach and concept of patriarchal bargain. It is argued that there are a number of intersecting factors including family traditions and norms that limit the lives of these young girls. These factors hinder the young girls from gaining access and completing education while involved in the formal economy. This paper concludes that Pathan girls have been controlled by men through their cultural traditions and norms for centuries. It is suggested that the subordinate position of girls in the family needs to be addressed by involving men of the family at the household level and in the society overall. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research expounds on the question of how the micro-foundations of power are constituted and manifested in middle class trader families? In the pursuit of answering this question, the present study aims to focus on the domestic sphere of traders who primarily belong to Nirankari Bazaar1 in Rawalpindi, historically a mercantilist city2. This work is based on my ethnographic study and observation of the community norms and practices within the homes of the traders. This work will explore how relationships in the domestic sphere are made, contested and befriended so as to know how the intra-group dynamics unfold in traders' families. The underlying focus of this is to understand the significance of women of traders in the making of the families, formulating or breaking linkages to consolidate or disintegrate the economic position of the trader. In this regard, we look at the institution of marriage as the basic unit of intra-group dynamics and relationships whereby 'new' relatives are designated as instrumental drivers of the family and house. The central argument in this study is how the new woman after being included in the trader household is expected to connect or disconnect family unity and property which is a marker of significance for the trader. The paper draws semblance with literature on domestic relationships in Punjab from the historic, economic and social context. Further, the paper is based on the theoretical foundation from Levi-Strauss's structural analysis within anthropology that explains, society as like language is based on rules and patterns that constitute the deeply embedded structures within. The embedded or unconscious3 structure in this case of marriage determines the subsequent conscious4 social relations and practices of making and unmaking alliances in the trader household. This purpose of the research is to elucidate the role of new women in contouring family dynamics despite the dominance of men in the traders families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The paper focuses on the challenging task of locating, rescuing and restoring the abducted Sikh and Hindu women from Rawalpindi that started immediately after the March rioting and became a strenuous and systematic task after August given the unprecedented scale of violence accompanying the Punjab's partition. In December 1947, the Governments of India and Pakistan embarked on recovery work after preparing necessary legislation to restore non-Muslim women to East Punjab and Muslim women to West Punjab. Between 1947 and 1955, due to the collaborative efforts of the two governments, the statistical data revealed that 2372 non-Muslim women were recovered from the six districts of the Rawalpindi division. This paper highlights that although the problems of political and administrative nature entangled the recovery work and made it a laborious task what was more difficult was to create social acceptance for recovered women, stigmatised as "impure", in a society where they were to start their lives again. Besides dealing with unreceptive social attitudes, the struggle to cope at an emotional level with the trauma of abduction and the ensuing untold miseries shaping their identities and memories also characterised the new beginnings for the recovered women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is a common practice to improve the punctuality of a railway service by the addition of time margins during the planning process of a timetable. Due to the capacity constraints of the railway network, a limited amount of time margins can be inserted. The paper presents a model and heuristic technique to find the better position for the limited amount of time margins (headway buffers and running time supplements) in a train timetable. The aim of reallocating the time margins is to adjust an existing timetable to minimize the sum of train delays at the event of the operational disturbances. The model consists of two basic parts. Firstly, the paper treats the train timetable as a Directed Arc Graph (DAG) with the aggregation concept and proposes a heuristic technique known as Critical Time Margins Allocation (CTMA), which is based on the critical path method (CPM), to reallocate the time margins. Secondly, the paper evaluates the original and modified timetable under different disturbed situations. The case study is developed on a hypothetical small railway network and a practical timetable of single-line train timetable for the track segment of Rawalpindi to Lalamusa, Pakistan. The results show that the timetable modified with the CTMA reduces the total delay time by an average of 3.25% for the small railway network and 5.18% for the large dataset. It suggests that adding the time supplements to the proper positions in a timetable can reduce the delay propagation and increase the robustness of the timetable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: With the rise in the number of published papers in the biomedical field, plagiarism has become a major ethical concern as it has a direct effect on the quality of these papers. The objective of this research was to determine the perceptions of medical students towards plagiarism, the reasons students engage in plagiarism, the types of plagiarism, the consequences of plagiarism, and solutions to the problem of plagiarism. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study conducted in two medical colleges in Rawalpindi, Pakistan from June to September, 2018, using self-administered structured questionnaires. Results: Of the 1100 participants, up to 86.91% (n=956) were not aware of the existence of plagiarism, but the majority, i.e. 71.18% (n=783) have plagiarised the work of others before. Copying from colleagues or senior students is the most common type of plagiarism that medical students engage in owing to the ease with which fellow students' work can be shared and copied. However, a lack of institutional awareness of the extent to which plagiarism exists, poor vigilance in detecting it, and the absence of clear policies to deal with plagiarism are mostly to blame. Conclusion: Plagiarism is common among medical students in developing countries, and it is necessary to create awareness about the consequences of engaging in this unethical practice both in the academic field and in the larger medical research society, in order to reduce its prevalence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Billboards are a source of immediate, on spot and permanent means of advertising. They do not require much linguistic proficiency for understanding; and the pictures and images accompanying the text correspond with the language to create meanings. The current study explores the visual literacy practices as exhibited on the billboards of auto-mechanic workshops in Pakistan. The study is based on the data collected from three localities of Rawalpindi and the surrounding areas within 100 kilometers radius including: 1) Rawalpindi City 2) Murree City, Company Bagh, Murree Expressway 3) and Dinna, and Gujjar Khan. The sample is collected from two social classes, the middle-middle class and the lowermiddle class, in the form of pictures of billboards with a focus on the non-linguistic (visual) images. The model adapted for the research incorporates the theoretical approach of Critical Visual Analysis by Wang (2014) derived from Critical Discourse Analysis developed by Fairclough (1989, 1995) which is further merged with Visual Grammar framework as proposed by Kress and Van Leeuwen (2006). When it comes to the Pakistani Auto-mobile mechanic workshops the visual literacy practices operate as a means to persuade the customers. The aim of the current research is to examine the nature of non-linguistic visual literacy practices employed in designing the billboards of auto-mobile workshops in Pakistan, and to analyse the social and cultural implications of these non-linguistic visual literacies. These visual literacy practices reveal social class identities and professional affiliations. Symbolically the images on the billboards are the vectors to communicate the social and cultural meanings. From the perspective of 'interactive dimension' of Visual Grammar it is examined how modality serves as a marker of the degree of reality in the representation of images as a visual literacy practice as exhibited on the billboards of these workshops. The study explores the markers of modality or the factors that define modality of an image including color, reality by dominant society standards, sharpness, brightness, contrast, saturation and image background etc. Thus, the paper throws light on how and why the description and interpretation of these visual literacies need to be viewed in a larger social and cultural context to reveal the possible ways in which they affect the perceptions of viewers and potential customers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bovine ephemeral fever (BEF) is a vector-borne viral disease caused by the RNA virus which belongs to the genus Ephemerovirus and the family Rhabdoviridae. To evaluate the effect of the risk factors like the breed of cattle and buffaloes, age, sex, lactation, housing and region on the bovine ephemeral fever virus (BEFV) prevalence, ELISA and virus neutralisation (VN) tests (n = 600) were performed for the BEFV prevalence. The seroprevalence in cattle was 45.6% and 42% by ELISA and VN, respectively (P = 0.001). The breed-wise seropositive ratio was (55-64%) in cattle and (22.5-18.3%) in buffaloes by VN and ELISA. The sex-wise prevalence was (40-49.4%) in females and (35.8-46%) in males by VN and ELISA in cattle and a similar prevalence was reported in buffaloes. The age-wise prevalence in bovines by ELISA was 5.33, 22.66 and 17.66% in the age group < 1 year, 1-3 years and > 3 years, respectively. The disease prevalence was higher in the age group of 1-3 years. The prevalence was higher during the 3rd lactation in bovines. The region-wise prevalence was higher in the 07 districts while lower (18-21%) in Rawalpindi District by VN and ELISA, respectively (P = 0.001). Commercial dairy farms of cattle showed a higher disease prevalence (52% and 44%) than non-commercial farms (38% and 36%) by ELISA and VN, respectively (P = 0.227). Exotic cows showed higher disease prevalence (76.67% and 70%) by ELISA and VN. The mortality in bovines was 5% (7.7% and 2.3%) in the cattle and buffaloes. The case fatality of BEFV in bovines was 12.25%. There was a significant effect of the risk factors like the breed, age, sex, lactation, housing and region on the BEFV prevalence. This is the first comprehensive study of BEFV in Pakistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Diverse factors influence the career choice of medical students. This study was carried out to identify career preferences and factors influencing specialty selection among undergraduate medical students of Gujranwala Medical College which has students from multiple cities including Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Faisalabad to name a few. Hence this study will be valuable for the medical education sector because understanding career uncertainty at Gujranwala Medical College will also provide ways of developing better tools and counseling programs to help medical students throughout Pakistan prepare for their future. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among students of Gujranwala medical college. As the sample size for this study was not too large and the targeted audience had close physical proximity, a structured paper questionnaire was used containing multiple-choice questions, dichotomous questions as well as scaling questions with content ranging from their career preferences after MBBS to assessing possible factors that may have influenced their choice of specialty. All information gathered was on a volunteer basis. Anonymity and confidentiality were maintained. The study was approved by the college ethical review committee. A pilot study was done on 20 participants and no discrepancies were found. Results: Out of 218 students, 85 (36%) were male and 133 (61%) were female. Out of the 85 male students, 74 students were undecided about career preference. Out of the 133 female students, 94 students were undecided about career preference. Regarding factors influencing career choice, year/level of study was proven to have a significant association with career choice (p value-value: 0.001). 2nd Year students reported the highest uncertainty (89%), 4th Year students reported the second-highest uncertainty (85%), 5th Year students reported the lowest uncertainty (51%). Career uncertainty also had a significant association with how often students thought about changing their career (p-value: 0.002). The ones who often or always thought about changing careers reported the highest uncertainty (100%), while the ones who never thought about changing careers reported the lowest uncertainty (57%). Conclusion: Study The study has shown that a significant number of medical students are uncertain about their career intentions. Year of study, gender, and general satisfaction with the medical field was proven to be major factors in causing such uncertainty about career choice after MBBS. Final year students were most certain about career intentions along with those who never thought about changing careers. While results were consistent with several national and international studies, variability in said results across different studies was also noted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

So far, little work has been done on the economically significant families of terrestrial heteroptera in Pakistan's Pothwar region. The taxonomy of the Pentatomidae family of the suborder Heteroptera was primarily the subject of previous work. In the present research, the author conducted surveys of different heteropteran families from different altitudes for the exploration of fauna. Meschia pugnax, a phytophagous species, belonging to newly recorded family Meschiidae and an obligatory predator, Stethoconus praefectus belonging to plant bug family Miridae have been recorded for the first time from Pakistan. Urentius hystricellus, pest of Brinjal crop, belonging to family Tingidae has been recorded as new country record. Meschia pugnax Distant and Stethoconus praefectus Distant were first recorded from the Pothwar area of Pakistan during the collection of terrestrial heteroptera. An obligatory predator, Stethoconus praefectus, is found to predate the species of lace bugs Urentius hystricellus Richter and Corythauma ayyari Drake. Lace bug species, Urentius hystricellus is reported as a new Pakistani record. Collected specimens have been sent to the Biosystematics Laboratory, Department of Entomology, PMAS-Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi. This paper has given the distribution of reported species along with body measurements and illustrations. A lot of work must be done to investigate the fauna of different heteropteran families, as the work done in previous years is scarce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigated the impact of performance related rewards, decision making and communication as three key drivers of employee engagement. It also examined the impact of these drivers on job satisfaction and turnover intentions. As the latter two are potential outcomes of employee engagement, hence, the paper also tested the mediating role of employee engagement in the relationship between the three drivers and the two outcomes. A survey of 135 employees was carried out in five organizations based in Islamabad and Rawalpindi. The data were analyzed through structural equation modeling. Results indicated that all three HR practices were significant predictors of employee engagement. They also indicated that performance related rewards extensively contribute towards job satisfaction and lower turnover intentions. As far as outcomes were concerned, low turnover intention was a significant outcome of employee engagement. Furthermore, it was found that employee engagement was a partial mediator between the drivers and outcomes. Thus, special focus and effort is required by the HR strategists to foster a culture where employees are well-rewarded and empowered to enhance their satisfaction and retention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: To compare the first-year medical undergraduates' perceptions regarding their institutional educational environment in traditional and integrated medical curricula by using the Dundee Ready Educational Environment Measure (DREEM) inventory. METHODS: This cross-sectional comparative study was conducted in 2017-18 at two medical institutions of Rawalpindi and Islamabad labeled as Institution A (with integrated curriculum) and B (with traditional curriculum). After seeking written informed consent, paper format DREEM questionnaire was administered to 100 first year MBBS students. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 24. Descriptive and inferential statistics were applied. RESULTS: Mean global DREEM score for institution A was 131.09±19.94 with minimum score of 87 and maximum score of 175. Mean global DREEM score for institution B was 117.11±21.02 with minimum score of 65 and maximum score of 167. These scores reveal a "more positive" environment (scores of 101-150), with no statistically significant difference (p-value >0.05) between them. DREEM subscales scores for both institutions indicated room for improvement at both institutions in all five domains. CONCLUSION: We concluded that there were no statistically significant differences between first year medical students' perceptions of their respective institutional educational environment in integrated versus traditional medical curriculum by using DREEM. However, students in integrated medical curriculum perceived their educational environment more positively than their counterparts in traditional medical curriculum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between the customer knowledge management capability (CKMC) on project performance through strategic agility in the context project based software companies of Pakistan. The aim of the paper is to find out whether and how is customer knowledge beneficial for project performance and recognized as the important source of advancement of the knowledge management (KM) theory and the essential subject in practical ground. Design/methodology/approach: In this study, non-probability, simple random sampling method was used to collect the data because it excludes bias from the data collection process. Although, the population of this research includes 307 employees working in different 30 public and private projects based software firms, operating in twin cities Rawalpindi, Islamabad. The respondents are project supervisors, team members, customers working on these different projects. Because of time limitation data has been collected within four months (i.e. November 2018 to February 2019) for this study, it is not time-lagged study and the data were collected at one time, so the design is cross-sectional in nature. The analysis was established using partial least squares-structural equation modeling (Smart PLS-SEM v.3.2.8) software to test hypotheses. Findings: The results revealed the structural equation modeling that the components creating, transferring, integrate and influence ensure the most significant job in clarifying the customer knowledge and enhancing the capability to understand the customer needs and want which lead to decrease project delay, over consumption of the budget and directly lead to increase the project performance. The analyzed results also successfully justified the gap of this research study by showing the significant relationship between CKMC and project performance, also the indirect effect of CKMC through strategic agility on project performance more than its direct effect. So, the strategic agility plays positive and significant mediating role between CKMC and project performance, therefore the all sub-hypothesis and primary hypothesis were accepted. Originality/value: This study sets the context with a brief summary of the key characteristics of the CKMC to improve the new product performance, enhance product/service quality, also reduce costs and enhance the competitiveness of organizations. Organization ought to acknowledge how to use KM to generate their revenues and achieve their goals. However, available techniques and methodology to measure the sufficiency are dissatisfying and consistent need for assessments and evaluations of this issue are felt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analyzes the state of quality engineering practices being exercised in the software industry of Pakistan. Statistics have been collected and analyzed to access important aspects of quality engineering including quality policy, review mechanism, quality assurance activities and practices, quality standards and models, and quality management systems. For this purpose, an elaborated questionnaire was prepared to pertain to various aspects of quality management and more than 30 software houses and software development organizations were surveyed in Islamabad and Rawalpindi. The survey results and a description of the concluding remarks are reported in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Our purpose to write this paper is to analyze how VRIO mediates the relationship between transformational leadership and project performance by examining the direct and mediated relationships on project performance outcomes. This study combined the two dynamic concepts: project management and strategic management with the support of both literatures. Design/methodology/approach: The resource-based view is operationalized to analyze the effect of project management assets and characteristics to gain a competitive edge in the industry and market as whole. The parallel mediation has been analyzed applying VRIO framework between transformational leadership and project performance, moreover its impact on firm-based performance is supported by the literature. Finding: Transformational leadership scientifically predicts project performance. Results demonstrated two mediations to be accepted (Rare resources and Valuable Resources) however, both got rejected in the Pakistani context. Research Limitations: The sample size considered for our study was only 256 and data were gathered from comparatively small software companies due to the fact that software companies in Islamabad and Rawalpindi are small comparatively in India or USA. Practical Implication: The research contributions are quite interesting; these would be followed by the transformational leaders in software industry to attain competitive edge in market using project assets characteristics. Originality/value: A useful combination of transformational leadership and resource-based view theory is used to reach project potential and improvements to sustain in competition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To study the mental and psychological impact of 'COVID-19' Fear in Pakistani population. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Tertiary Care Institute, Rawalpindi, from Feb 2020 to Apr 2020. Methodology: This study constituted of a paper-based and web-based questionnaire. A pilot study carried out at 15-20 participants for questionnaire validation and reviewed by independent experts for face validity, a final questionnaire comprised of 10 questions in addition to demographic profile. The minimum sample size required for the study was 359, where the prevalence of anxiety and depression related to disease was considered to be 63%. Results: A total of 1500 participants participated in the study and data extracted from their responses. Age range 24-61 years of sample was with mean age was 36.66 ± 9.0 years. 1125 (75%) participants were males whereas 375 (25%) were females. In reply of are you depressed of self-isolation and social distancing 855 (57%) said yes whereas 645 (43%) disagreed (p-value <0.001). In response to children behaviour during pandemic lockdown condition 255 (17%) participants stated no change, 315 (21%) said scared and 930 (62%) replied aggressive/ irritable (p-value 0.021). Conclusion: It is frightening for the general population to be amid a worldwide pandemic, therefore focused attention on reassurance should be paid as most of the patients recover without hospitalization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate practices regarding prevention of factors compromising patient safety such as drug errors, never events and critical incidence reporting. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Armed Forces Institute of Ophthalmology, Rawalpindi, from Dec 2019 to Apr 2020. Methodology: Methodology constituted of a paper-based and web-based questionnaire. A pilot study carried out at 15-20 participants for questionnaire validation and reviewed by independent experts for face validity, a final questionnaire comprised of 26 multiple-choice questions. The minimum sample size required for the study was 383, where the prevalence of medical errors related to surgery and anaesthesia was considered to be 48%. Results: Total 1470 participants participated in the study and data was extracted from their responses. Out of 1470, 814 (55.4%) were anaesthesiologists while 656 (44.6%) were surgeons. Majority of the participants 1308 (89.0%), declared that critical incident reporting will improve patient safety standards, and 650 (44.2%) participants said that the most common reason for committing drug errors is a heavy workload and long working hours. The most common reason for not reporting the critical incidents was identified by 650 (44.2%) participants to be related to fear of medico-legal issue, followed by an unwillingness to reveal the details 328 (22.3%), fear of judgment by colleagues 246 (16.7%) and lastly lack of clarity regarding reporting channel 246 (16.7%). 100% identified close loop communication will mitigate preventable errors. Conclusion: Effective communication among team members will prevent drug errors and never events, therefore ultimately improving patient safety. Critical incidence reporting will effectively mitigate their harmful effects on patients and healthcare workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present research paper aims to explore that weather women are empowered through their familial right of inheritance in Rawalpindi District. What are various dimensions and recent trends in the region in this regard? The data collected for the research study through qualitative means. The researcher by law and gender experts for data collection took semi-structured interviews. The data was analyzed by using thematic technique. The result shows although states law and Shariah law have clearly mentioned inheritance share of women. However, in reality women are not getting their familial inheritance right in the region. They are not granted their due share due to strong patriarchal values, cultural customs deeply embedded in social system of the region, complicated legal system and bad governance of government institutions with reference to implementation of laws. Even if women wants to empower herself, through this familial right, these constraints, are producing hurdles in her way in the region. Education, awareness, along with implementation of laws and policies is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Past research demonstrated a link between homelessness and the increased risk of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). However, ways to reduce young people's risk of homelessness and sexual health risks have not been adequately addressed. This paper, based on the first detailed sociological exploration into the lived experiences of homeless young people, argues for the adoption of a holistic and integrated approach to health promotion that goes beyond the health sector. Methods: In-depth interviews were conducted with twenty-nine homeless young people, aged 16-25-year-old, from Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Results: A combination of socio-structural and interpersonal forces shaped participants' pathways to homelessness and their experiences of street life -- notably regarding sex work -- and produce contexts of competing risks where HIV/STIs prevention became a secondary concern. Participants had a reasonable knowledge regarding nature, transmission, prevention, and to some extent, treatment of HIV/STIs. Nevertheless, this knowledge did not help them much, as most of the participants used condoms inconsistently with clients and intimate partners. Financial considerations, fear of violence from clients, and social obligations in intimate partnerships contributed to participants inconsistent condom use, increasing their risk of HIV/STIs. Conclusion: The results indicate the importance of the Ottawa Charter of health promotion, which suggests that conventional health promotion approaches are potentially suboptimal in shaping health behaviours supportive of good health. Notably, building healthy public policies, creating supportive environments, strengthening community actions, developing personal skills, and reorienting health services can help to improve young people's socioeconomic status, which is inextricably linked with sexual health behaviour and status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water quality is a significant determinant of ecosystem health and human well-being particularly in cities undergoing rapid industrialization and population growth. This review highlights data from studies conducted between 2004 and 2024 to assess the water quality of surface and groundwater sources in Islamabad and Rawalpindi. The results indicate severe microbial contamination with high levels of total coliform, fecal coliform, and E. coli in both cities, with a potential risk of waterborne diseases. Heavy metal contamination exists, especially As and Pb, which is significantly higher in Rawalpindi due to the industries. Physicochemical parameters, such as turbidity and residual microbial contamination remain in treated water, implying inefficiency in the water treatment process. The contamination also shows seasonal fluctuation, increasing during monsoon due to sewage overflows and agricultural runoff. Both cities also have conventional water treatment infrastructure that causes widespread contamination in the distribution system. Public health impact is prevalent, and outbreaks of diseases from waterborne diseases including Hepatitis E reported both in urban and peri-urban areas quite frequently. A gap is critical in applying the Advanced Oxidation Process (AOP) and other emerging technologies for degrading persistent contaminants, most notably heavy metals and microbial pollutants in the AOPs. This review focuses on the urgency of upgrading infrastructure, strengthening the implementation of water quality standards, and using more advanced treatment technologies and offers recommendations to policymakers and stakeholders and technology solutions for tackling critical challenges in water quality management, and emphasizes the importance of continuous monitoring and the enforcement of regulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present position paper explores to examine cultural clash in Tariq Rahman's short story "Charity" taken from "The Legacy and Other Short Stories" (1989). Cultural confrontation is one of the essential features of postcolonial discourse that surfaces when two or more cultures happen to live together. In a post-colonial environment, the clash emerges when the social elites and upstarts impose their appropriated exotic values on the impoverished indigenous natives. That further aggravates the relationship between the cultures and seeps down to the upcoming generations when it goes without timely negotiation and reconciliation. That intergenerational conflict causes irreparable damage to the cultural roots and historical moorings of the participating cultures. The storyline of the "Charity" resonates the encounters between the East (Pakistani indigenous culture) and West (Western-styled Pakistani elite culture) in the sprawling street of Raja Bazaar, Rawalpindi, Pakistan. While analysing the cultural clash and conflict, the paper employs postcolonial theory as a conceptual framework and a reader-response technique as a methodological tool. It is inferred from the analysis of the text that socio-cultural fusion and mutual coexistence are imminent, that ultimately leads to the cultural collision in the post-colonial society. Though the plot of the story had a promising start; however, the fluctuating events led to the secession of the two converging cultures--the dominant and the dominated--in the Pakistani post-colonial setting and scenario. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to predict the effects of Product Quality, Brand Innovativeness, Brand Credibility and Brand Intimacy on Brand Love, while factoring in the mediating role of Brand Uniqueness and moderating impact of Product Involvement. The Triangular Theory of Interpersonal Love and the Experiential Approach form the basis of the framework for this study. A survey was conducted, by distributing selfadministered questionnaires among 500 respondents of the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi. Data Analysis was done on SPSS, using correlation and regression analysis with the help of Andrew Hayes PROCESS. The results revealed that the association between antecedents of Brand Love was partially mediated by Brand Uniqueness, whereas, the predicted moderating role of Product Involvement remained negligible and varied with each independent variable. The study shall be useful for brand managers, marketers and practitioners, as the results highlight importance consumers place on various brand attributes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & Aims: Transcatheter Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) device closure is considered as safe and first line of treatment in patients who are technically suitable for procedure. This paper is sharing of our experience of percutaneous device closure of PDAs in grown up patients (more than eighteen years of age) with review of efficacy and immediate complications encountered during PDA device closure at our setup. Study Design: Case series, retrospective study. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Paediatric cardiology, Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology and National Institute of Heart Diseases (AFIC-NIHD), Rawalpindi from June 2016 to Dec 2017. Materials and methods: Consecutive twenty five patients (age more than eighteen years), who underwent attempted PDA device closure was included in the study. Results: Total 25 patients (15 females & 10 males) were attempted PDA device closure with mean age of 29 years. In all cases PDA was successfully occluded with appropriate size devices and the mean diameter of PDA was 07 mm. Mean procedural & fluoroscopy times were 41 and 11.6 minutes respectively. There was no mortality, device embolization or residual leak in the study population. Conclusion: Transcatheter device occlusion of PDA by various Occluder devices is safe and effective therapeutic option with high success rate and little morbidity in the hands of skilled operators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract. The objective of this paper is to examine online brand relationships, and the con-nection between satisfaction, trust, and loyalty on the online level. The website is considered to be an extension of the parent brand. It also seeks to explore the effects of offline experiences on online level experiences. Methodology employed included a survey through distributing close-ended questionnaires individually to people of Rawalpindi. The sample size for this study was 200. Responses of questionnaires were analyzed through SPSS statistics by perform-ing Regression and Correlation analysis. The results confirm the results of previous studies, indicating that satisfaction and trust at the site level is a determining factor in the retention of online businesses. However, they also show that brand-level experiences can vary depending on online satisfaction, trust and loyalty, depending on the relationship between the consumer and the brand. Interestingly, in this case, the duration of the user 's history and the registration of the website have a negative impact on online trust. This article combines the literature on the satisfaction and reputation of online brand loyalty. The findings of the study are based on large-scale surveys that provide researchers and practitioners with valuable insights into how the brand experience is related to clients' attitudes and commitments to health. 'Inter-net. The context of the study, the magazine publishing industry, has drawn less attention from researchers, although several publishers have expanded their brands online. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract. The objective of this paper is to examine online brand relationships, and the connection between satisfaction, trust, and loyalty on the online level. The website is considered to be an extension of the parent brand. It also seeks to explore the effects of offline experiences on online level experiences. Methodology employed included a survey through distributing close-ended questionnaires individually to people of Rawalpindi. The sample size for this study was 200. Responses of questionnaires were analyzed through SPSS statistics by performing Regression and Correlation analysis. The results confirm the results of previous studies, indicating that satisfaction and trust at the site level is a determining factor in the retention of online businesses. However, they also show that brand-level experiences can vary depending on online satisfaction, trust and loyalty, depending on the relationship between the consumer and the brand. Interestingly, in this case, the duration of the user 's history and the registration of the website have a negative impact on online trust. This article combines the literature on the satisfaction and reputation of online brand loyalty. The findings of the study are based on large-scale surveys that provide researchers and practitioners with valuable insights into how the brand experience is related to clients' attitudes and commitments to health. 'Internet. The context of the study, the magazine publishing industry, has drawn less attention from researchers, although several publishers have expanded their brands online. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rainfall-Runoff modeling is among the classical applications of hydrology. This paper examines the results of 3 hydrologic approaches, particularly Clark Model, Nash Model, and Geomorphic Instantaneous Unit Hydrograph Model. Assumptions are forwarded for the long run use of the Rawalpindi Division, Pakistan's Small Dam Organization. The catchment of Shahpur Dam was an area under consideration for the study. The Digital elevation model (DEM) was implicated to measure the Nash and Clark model's geomorphic parameters. Using ArcGIS, catchment satellite imagery was processed to estimate geomorphological parameters. The models have been applied to multiple storm cases. Geographic Instantaneous Unit Hydrograph (GIUH) model gave direct surface runoff hydrograph, whereas, on measured precipitation excess rainfall hyetograph was obtained. Four types of statistical parameters, namely efficiency of the model (EFF), percentage defect in time to attain peak (PETP), percent defect in attained peak Q (PEP), percentage defect in runoff rate (PEV) are used to check model's efficiency. The comparison is done between the findings of Clark and Nash GIUH models and the original Clark and Nash models. It was observed that GIUH models are equally good even when optimization is done for Clark and Nash model's parameters. Since the results obtained from these models are more credible, so, these models can be used in ungauged catchments to estimate the hydrographs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents a critical debate over the issue of projecting women body in the entertainment world. Media, a strong mode of promoting the element of change, not only project the distinct spheres of women body within a dominant culture but also represent it to intra-cultures. Representation of women body and its exploitation is a harsh reality of modern setup in which women's body being used as an object to entertain and attract the attention of costumers. This study is based on first hand data and discusses the projection of women through cinemas in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. With the help of qualitative tools, the research was conducted in a cluster of five different cinemas of Rawalpindi. The researchers interviewed the cinema authorities, viewers and visitors and also conducted the Focus Group Discussions by adding in the quality through Participant Observation. The modes of advertisement was closely observed and studied with the help of In-depth Interviews from Painters, technicians and other advertisement staff were also conducted. The conclusion of paper presents critical debate and analysis of this research and opens up new discussion discourses for future researches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of good governance seeks to establish a representative, accountable, transparent and participatory system of institutions and procedures for public decision-making. This necessitates devolution of authority and responsibility to the local level with the purpose to improve governance and ease the burden on the federal or provincial authorities. The Local Government Ordinance 2001 devolved certain powers and responsibilities to the lower tiers of government. Several evaluative studies reported Pakistan's devolution experience a success but findings and recommendations of such studies were ignored altogether and Punjab Local Government Act 2013 (PLGA 2013) was passed on 21 August 2015 which struck down the LGO 2001. Based on the existing literature on the subject plus material gained from informal verbal intercourse with local councilors belonging to four districts of Rawalpindi Division, this study argues that the Punjab Local Government Act 2013 is an unjustified annulment of the LGO 2001. Three reasons have been elaborated. First, a number of studies conducted on the functioning of the LGO 2001 in Pakistan during 2001-2008 indicated improvement in social service delivery. Secondly, where some studies are critical of the functioning of the LGO 2001, their criticism is constructive; they find space for criticism because robust relevant provisions of the LGO 2001 had not been implemented in the first place. Thirdly, and most importantly, the provisions of the PLGA 2013 have minimized the participation of people in decision-making. Instead, it has reintroduced bureaucratic supervision, minimizing the desirable features of good governance in local affairs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Paper seeks to explore significant injury severity risk factors in 3-WMR collisions. • Correlated random parameter modeling framework is adopted to address the unobserved heterogeneity. • Importance of considering unobserved heterogeneity is demonstrated. • Study provides useful insights and policy implications to improve the safety of 3-WMR riders. Traffic crashes involving three-wheeler motorized rickshaw (3-WMR) are alarming public health and socioeconomic concerns in developing countries. While most of the earlier studies have dealt with safety analysis of four- and two-wheelers, there is a noticeable gap in understanding the safety dynamics, especially the risk factors affecting the crashes involving 3-WMR. The present study aims to address this gap by exploring potential risk factors influencing 3-WMR crashes, utilizing a correlated random parameters multinomial logit model with heterogeneity in means (CRPMNLMHM). This modeling framework advances the classic random parameters model by capturing associations among random parameters, providing a more comprehensive understanding of crash risks associated with 3-WMR. The empirical analysis draws on three years of traffic crash records (2017–2019) maintained by RESCUE 1122 in Rawalpindi city, Pakistan. A comparative assessment between the modeling frameworks demonstrated that CRPMNLMHM outperformed its counterparts. Model assessment for heterogeneity in the means identifies two significant variables, i.e., young age and nighttime, which yield statistically significant random parameters. In addition, the model's results suggest that fatal and severe injury outcomes in 3-WMR crashes are affected by several attributes related to temporal characteristics (weekend, nighttime, and off-peak indicators), driver profiles (young, older aged, and speeding), posted speed limits (>70 kmph), weather conditions (raining), and crash characteristics (collision with pedestrians, trucks, or 3-WMR overturning). The present study's findings offer invaluable insights, emphasizing the significance of considering for unobserved heterogeneity in variables contributing to the injury severity of 3-WMR crashes. Moreover, in light of the findings, a set of policy implications are suggested, which will guide safety practitioners to develop more effective countermeasures to address safety issues associated with 3-WMRs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine the diagnostic accuracy of real-time Shear Wave Elastography (SWE) in detecting liver cirrhosis among patients suffering from diseases predisposing to it, keeping histopathology as the reference standard. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Armed Forces Institute of Radiology and Imaging, Rawalpindi, from Jan 2018 to Jul 2018. Methodology: A total of 114 patients were recruited, and relevant history taken from patientsreal-time shear wave elastography (SWE) of the liver was performed, followed by USG guided liver biopsy. Patients having clinically suspected diseases predisposing to hepatic fibrosis were sent to the Radiology department for ultrasound or ultrasound-guided liver biopsy. Elasticity values using sheer waves of 14.9 kPa (2.23m/s) or more was taken as suggestive of cirrhosis. Elastography findings were compared with histopathology findings. Results: Real-time SWE showed high diagnostic accuracy for detecting liver cirrhosis with sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and diagnostic accuracy of 92.86%, 89.66%, 89.66%, 92.86% and 91.23%, respectively. Conclusion: This study concluded that the diagnostic accuracy of RTSW elastography in detecting liver cirrhosis is relatively high. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to explore the stress among crop farmers, focusing on the causes and types of stress. Farming has always played a crucial role in Pakistan's economy. However, it can be a stressful occupation, with farmers facing various stressors. The data was collected from the crop farmers of the District Rawalpindi. The sample size consisted of 60 crop farmers with an age range of 35 to 55 years. All participants were male, owned some cultivated land and were personally involved in farming. Interviews were based on open-ended questions to check the prevalence of stress among crop farmers. The result of the study indicated that small-scale crop farmers faced more stress than largescale crop farmers. The major stressor reported by crop farmers was inclement weather conditions, and they often used a talking coping strategy. The study suggests implementing stress management programs and revising agricultural support policies to reduce stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To explore content experts' experiences with item vetting during item bank development at a public sector medical university of Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Methods: An exploratory study was carried out from December 2022 to February 2023 at a public sector medical college of Rawalpindi. A purposive sampling technique was employed to collect data from all content experts of the study institute who participated in item vetting activity during pre-exam moderation in the university. A pilot-tested semi-structured interview guide was utilized, interviews were audio recorded and later transcribed. Participants' anonymity was ensured. Various quality assurance strategies were employed to ensure the trustworthiness of the findings. Thematic analysis was performed on the transcribed data and themes were finalized by achieving consensus among all authors. Results: Six themes overarching the fourteen subthemes emerged from the data. Participants expressed a profound sense of satisfaction and valued their experience in refining expertise in constructing multiple-choice questions (MCQs). It was widely acknowledged that such activities not only contribute to the enhancement of item development skills but also improve quality of items. Conclusions: The consistent implementation of item vetting routines, in conjunction with diligent adherence to item writing protocols, contributes to quality assurance measures in assessment. Item bank development for fair and transparent assessment ensures production of competent healthcare professionals filtering incompetent ones hence improving health care services in the community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To analyze the role of ASA status in carrying out laparoscopic cholecystectomies by evaluating the perioperative findings of patients. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Combined Military Hospital, Rawalpindi Pakistan, from Jan 2019 to Jan 2021. Methodology: Laparoscopic cholecystectomies were performed on 385 patients with symptomatic galstones. The inclusion criteria comprised of symptomatic cholelithiasis, acute cholecystitis and chronic cholecystitis. Data for the perioperative findings such as galbladder grades, bile, cystic duct, cystic artery and Common Bile Duct were recorded during the study. Results: The study included 226(59%) female patients and 159(41%) males. The mean age was 48.15±15.5 years. There were 145(37.66%) patients in American Society of Anesthesiologists Classification ASA-I, 174(45.20%) patients in ASA-I and 66(17.14%) in ASA-II. Results showed that the abnormalities of cystic duct were 34(23.4%) in ASA-I, 68(39.1%) in ASA-I and 43(65.2%) in ASA-II. For CBD, they were 7(4.8%) in ASA-I, 49(28.2%) in ASA-I and 44(66.2%) in ASA-II. The complications of cystic artery and bile were 34(23.4%) in ASA-I, 60(34.5%) in ASA-I, 46(69.7%) in ASA-II and 82(56.6%) in ASA-I, 119(68.4%) in ASA-I, 50(75.8%) in ASA-II respectively. The galbladder grades I were 27(18.6%) in ASA-I and (4.5%) in ASA-II whereas, grades V were 7(4.8%) in ASA-I and 20(30.3%) in ASA-II. Conclusion: Peri-operative morbidity increased with increasing ASA status, therefore, there is a significant relationship between ASA Status and peri-operative findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The animals held captive in zoos often face health and well-being issues. Parasitic infections can lead to health problems in wildlife animals by affecting their gastrointestinal tract. Therefore, the present study aimed to identify and evaluate the population of the various Gastrointestinal (GIT) parasites of wild animals enclosed in different zoological gardens in Pakistan. The fresh fecal samples (n = 960) of 20 captive wildlife animals were collected from Marghzar Zoo, Islamabad (n = 340), Ayub National Park, Rawalpindi (n = 221), Lohi Bher Wildlife Park, Rawalpindi (n = 296), and Bansra Galli Wildlife Park, Rawalpindi (n = 103). The samples were obtained from wildlife mammals, including urial (n = 95), blue bull (n = 106), chinkara gazelle (n = 77), zebra (n = 77), hog deer (n = 75), spotted deer (n = 43), blackbuck (n = 58), barking deer (n = 52), red deer (n = 104), yak (n = 44), grey goral (n = 40), lion (n = 37), mouflon sheep (n = 46), red fox (n = 12), bear (n = 37), grey wolf (n = 12), jackal (n = 12), vervet monkey (n = 12), rhesus monkey (n = 12), and langoor (n = 12). Various methods, such as direct smear examination, standard sedimentation, and floatation techniques were applied to detect and identify the endoparasites in the fecal sample. The detailed routine parasitological analysis identified approximately 52 endoparasites in the fecal samples, including Haemonchus contortus, Eimeria bovis, Ostertagia curcumcincta, Strongyloides papillosus, Strogylus equinus, Oxyuris equi, Chabertia ovina, Protostrongylus, and Trichostrongylus vitrines. The obtained results indicated that Lohi Bher Wildlife Park (46.35%) had a higher prevalence of GIT parasites, compared to Marghzar Zoo (33.23%), Bansra Galli Wildlife Park (33.02%), and Ayub National Park (19.45%). The study reports mild to moderate parasitic infection in captive wild animals and that could affect the survivability of the animals in captivity. The findings of the study can be used to formulate a proper health protocol and sanitation management in captive wild animals to control parasitic infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to focus on the dual outcomes and consequences of gritty leadership, including how it encourages followers to engage proactively and, as a result, succeed in their careers. On the other hand, the way it causes job stress in employees affects the overall work-life balance. Design/methodology/approach: The snowball sampling method was used to gather data to test the dual outcomes of gritty leadership. Mid-level project employees in Rawalpindi and Islamabad provided the data. Findings: The findings of the study indicate that gritty leadership comes with both advantages and disadvantages and adds to the development of individuals. Positive spillover effects (career success) may be created by grit leaders, and vice versa (poor work-life balance). On the bright side, gritty leadership promotes career success favorably through a proactive personality. Contrarily, gritty leadership causes job stress, which has a detrimental impact on work-life balance. Originality/value: Thus, this study offers the explanatory mechanism by which the advantages and disadvantages of gritty leadership are manifested. The study is unique because it examines the results of gritty leadership and gives practitioners a realistic notion of the direction they should go. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the effect of relational compensation on employee retention in hospitality industry. For this purpose, a quantitative study was done, for which data was collected from five-star hotels of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, Pakistan and a sample of 260 respondents was selected from a population of 800 employees through nonprobability sampling technique. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation and regression analysis. The results showed that there is a strong relationship between relational compensation and employee retention. The regression results indicate that responsibility and autonomy are more influential in retention and recognition and respect were found to be insignificant. The results provide directions to management of hotels that they should focus on relational aspect in addition to providing monetary benefits. Future directions are also provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to study the public educational institution towards job rewards and job satisfaction of the teachers. This study attempts to evaluate the impact of job rewards on satisfaction level of teachers in different schools. It focuses on the relative importance of job rewards factors and their impact on job satisfaction and organizational commitment of employees (teachers). The result shows that there is an indirect relationship between job rewards and job performance and are negatively co-related. The school teachers are at negative level of intrinsic rewards overall. The nature of business operation, the work culture and the level of job satisfaction have undergone great change for the schools. The data was collected from public schools of Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Total samples of 2 schools were selected randomly. The questionnaire was used as a data gathering technique. The questionnaire includes 49 items. The questionnaire encompasses of four parts; job rewards, intrinsic rewards, extrinsic rewards, job satisfaction and organizational commitments. The data was analyzed by using statistical procedures and represented in the form of tables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research paper is a kind of a case study of a residential building almost 200 years old, which has not been documented. Such building complexes were not only used for residential purpose, but also for some kind of religious or social significance in Subcontinent. They are commonly known as Havelies, a Sanskrit word for a Residential palace like structure for the Elite of the area. It has been discussed in detail that these kinds of buildings (Havelies) commonly had other structures attached to the residence in the same boundary, like stables, guard rooms, worship areas and sometimes graveyards. This specific Haveli or Mansion is so rich and fascinating in its architectural style and art of Mural painting that it not only tells us about the religious stories from Hindu Epics, but also of Sikh Gurus and stories from the life of the Maharajas (kings) of India. The wood work in the building is also very intricate especially doors and windows are carved with floral and geometrical designs. The architectural style used in this Havelies is a combination of Hindu and Mughal building style. The technique used in Murals is Fresco. The general condition is deteriorating. The main objective to document this Haveli is to take the attention of the authorities for the restoration and preservation of such buildings, which are dying or vanishing with the passage of time and because of the negligence of the Archaeology Department and Ministry of Culture and Heritage. This building is commonly known as Bedi Mehal (Bedi Palace), which has been a place of social and religious gathering and was used as a center for the Sikh people of the area of Kaller Sayedan at the time of partition, when they moved to Indian side. And present condition of the building is pathetic, which needs attention of the tourists also. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Objective: Objective: Considerable variations exist in geometry of proximal femur across populations, which play an important role in total hip replacement surgeries. However, a rigorous characterization of femoral geometry across different geographical localities in Pakistan has not been performed. We aimed to assess the variations of the proximal femoral geometry in dry human femur bones from two different regions of Pakistan. Study type settings & duration: A descriptive study was carried out at Islamic International Medical College, Rawalpindi and at three different Medical Colleges in Peshawar from October 2018 to July 2019. Methodology: After obtaining ethical approvals, complete, fully ossified bones without additional paint or visible pathology from Rawalpindi (N = 98) and Peshawar (N = 112) were included for measurements of neck shaft angle (NSA), vertical head diameter and femoral neck length. NSA was measured from sketches of bones by using goniometer placed parallel to the shaft axis, while regular scale was used for measuring vertical head diameter and neck length. Unpaired T test was performed to compare the variations of femoral geometry in a side- and region-specific manner from Rawalpindi and Peshawar regions of Pakistan. Results: Means and SD values of NSA, vertical diameter of head and neck length of all bones were 125.85°± 7.35, 42.17±4.25 mm and 54.2±6mm, respectively. Significant differences (p value <0.001) were observed for NSA, vertical diameter of head and neck length between bones from the two regions. The femoral geometry was similar between right and left side bones, except for NSA in Peshawar which was differed significantly. Conclusion: Significant differences exist in the proximal femoral geometry between the Peshawar and Rawalpindi regions with higher values of NSA, femoral head diameter and femur neck length recorded in Peshawar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper investigates higher secondary schools school managers' competence and practices in the contexts of Instructional Leadership (IL). This study was descriptive and survey research method was used for data collection. Population of the study consisted of school managers of higher secondary schools located in Rawalpindi (Pakistan). Researchers used "Instructional Leadership Inventory" (ILI) for data collection from respondents. The findings of the study detected significant differences among school mangers with certain variations, regarding IL competence. Male school managers were found better than female school mangers in IL competence. No gender differences were found among school leaders regarding practices of IL. Public and rural sector school managers were found more competent in IL competence than private and urban sector school managers, but in practice of IL, all school managers were found similar. It was concluded that school managers have instructional leadership competence with certain variations, but in IL practices there were found similar. There are implication of instructional leadership in the changing paradigm of education towards the effective role of heads as an instructional leader. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aimed to investigate the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Chatbots on academic self-efficacy and self-regulation among university students. To test the moderating effect of self-regulation on the association between AI Chatbots and academic self-efficacy. In addition, the research aligns with highlighted social debates surrounding ethical quandaries surrounding AI adoption in education. Using purposive sampling technique data was collected from universities students (N = 350) based in Rawalpindi and Islamabad. Along with demographic information, data was collected on the measures of the Human-Computer Trust Scale, Academic Self-Efficacy Scale, and Short-Form Self-Regulation Questionnaire to assess study variables. Results showed that AI Chatbots and Self-Regulation positively predict academic self-efficacy. AI Chatbots help in growing educational technologies and provide the education sector and policymakers for enhancing the level of education by adding tools for performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aimed to investigate the predictive role of family functioning on relapse tendency while also exploring the mediating role of drug abstinence self-efficacy between study variables. The research utilized the cognitive social learning theory and relapse prevention model to explore these influences. The research used a correlational research design; and the data were obtained from 300 men with substance use from drug-rehabilitation centres in Rawalpindi and Islamabad, Pakistan. Findings showed that poor family functioning and low drug abstinence self-efficacy significantly increased relapse tendencies among individuals with substance use disorder. Findings further revealed that drug abstinence self-efficacy mediates the relationship between poor family functioning and relapse tendency. Based on the present findings, it is recommended to integrate family-based therapy and self-efficacy training into substance use treatment programs to effectively reduce relapse rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The goal of this research was to learn how psychological contracts influence workers' innovative work behavior in Pakistan's information technology industry. Design/methodology/approach: Employees from several software companies in Rawalpindi, Islamabad, participated in the study. Standardized scales were used to obtain data from 234 workers via questionnaires. Findings: The study's findings showed a favorable correlation between innovative work behavior and the presence of psychological contracts (both transactional and relational). Originality/value: There remained uncertainty and little study was done on the mediation function of work engagement in the relationship between Psychological Contract and Innovative Work Behavior despite decades of research on the subject. Thus, work engagement was employed as a mediator in this research, and the findings demonstrated that work engagement mediates the relationship between innovative work behavior and the psychological contract in a positive and meaningful way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Employees of Pakistani public sector organizations feel thwarted toward their goal attainment because of strict adherence to rules and regulations and tall hierarchies existing in this region. Therefore, keeping in view the harmful effects of perceived organizational obstruction, the aim of the current study was to investigate the perceived organizational obstruction as an attribution that triggers job neglect through perceived organizational frustration. Harvey's expanded attribution-emotion model of workplace aggression and an attributional perspective on workplace aggression provide the theoretical justification. Moreover, the moderating role of self-control was proposed to mitigate the indirect effect of organizational obstruction on job neglect through perceived organizational frustration. Design/methodology/approach: A three-wave data collection was done by using a close-ended questionnaire distributed to a total of 600 administrative employees of public sector organizations operating in Rawalpindi/Islamabad (Pakistan). However, matching three times and discarding the incomplete questionnaires led to a sample of 375 on which the analysis was done. Findings: Perceived organizational obstruction positively predicted job neglect. Likewise, organizational frustration mediated the aforementioned link. Moreover, the higher level of self-control weakens this underlying process by suppressing job neglect behavior. Originality/value: The current study added to the limited literature on public sector organizations that has taken perceived organizational obstruction as a predictor variable. Moreover, this study explains how this phenomenon translates into non-hostile behavior that is difficult to identify and punish in public sector organizations. Moreover, the trait of self-control is added to the literature of non-hostile behaviors that dampen the impulsivity to indulge in job neglect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. The objectives were to assess the impact of dental caries on the daily living of the geriatric population and determine the factors that influence the relationship between dental health and the daily living of the geriatric population. Methods. A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out over six months at Rawalpindi's public and private dental hospitals. Participants aged = 60 years, both male and female, were selected. The calculated sample size was 281. Desired sample from one of the dental hospitals was collected using a non-probability consecutive sampling strategy. Data about sociodemographic characteristics and the DMFT index were collected. Adapted validated tool dental impact on daily living (DIDL) was used to assess the impact of dental health on daily living. Results. Chi-squared test of association showed a positive association between the DIDL and sociodemographic variables, including age (P = 0.001), gender (P = 0.001), education (P = 0.001), income (P = 0.001), occupation (P = 0.029), marital status (P = 0.001), living arrangement (P = 0.001), and history of chronic illnesses (P = 0.001). The association between the DMFT index and DIDL also showed statistically significant results (P = 0.001). Binary logistic regression analysis indicated that gender (OR = 6.98, P = 0.005) and the individual's dental health (OR = 6.43, P = 0.001) were the strongest predictors of the impact experienced in daily life activities. The overall model was statistically significant (?2 = 51.24, P = 0.001), and the variables were responsible for 32.4% of the variance in the outcome variable. Conclusion. The study provides strong evidence that sociodemographic factors, DMFT index, gender, and individual dental health significantly contribute to the impact of dental health on daily living. Gender and individual dental health emerge as particularly influential predictors. These findings emphasize the need for targeted interventions and awareness programs, especially for groups with a higher risk of experiencing a significant impact on daily life due to dental issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main objectives of the study were to investigate the problems of examination system at Secondary School Level in Rawalpindi city and to suggest remedial measures on the basis of the findings of the study. Over past few years particularly our examination system at secondary level has been under heavy fire from all sect ions of people, the public, the teachers, the press and government. Various steps/measures have been proposed and discussed for the improvement of examination system at secondary level, but so far no headway in this respect has been made. This study was descriptive by nature and survey method was used to collect the data. The sample was selected randomly from Boys Secondary Schools of Rawalpindi City, 120 Secondary School Teachers and 300 Students of 10th grade Data were collected personally with the help of Questionnaires. The collected data were scored and converted from qualitative form to quantitative form. Main findings of the study were: the appointments of the supervisory staff were not made on merit, not well trained to perform such a serious and committed national duty, they are not fair, there was lack of friendly dealing of the supervisory staff with the candidates at the examination centres, the examination centres are allotted far away from the candidate's residence and institutions. The malpractices especially the use of unfair means and impersonation are still common in the board examinations, the payment of the remuneration to the Supervisory Staff was delayed by the Boards. The Papers are not constructed by the teachers who are actually teaching at that level. The tests and the examinations are failed to measure the affective domain of objectives. It confirms the observation on prevailing system of examination and paper setting shortfall that just focus on simple recall, rote memorization and cognitive development of the learners 'the question papers were not free of errors, paper leakage is a common practice in BISEs examinations. The marking procedure of the BISEs, the answer scripts are not evaluated carefully, the results are not declared in time, there are a number of errors in the result cards/certificates issued by the concerned board. It was recommended that; supervisory staff may be appointed on merit, there should be prescribed criteria for the appointment of invigilation staff and after their appointment there may be a one day mandatory training for them, the malpractices, impersonation, undue favour and unfair means may be discouraged and laws as well as forces against such practices should be made active, paper setting may be done by the expert, relevant and most concerned teachers, due weightage should be given to all domains of objectives and error free question papers should be brought before the students, examination centres may be allotted at those places where the approach and access of candidates is easy, and there be a quick paym. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Work-related musculoskeletal problems are common in many occupations and these musculoskeletal problems can decrease an individual's quality of life by affecting their daily living activities. The objective of this research was to evaluate the level of exposure to musculoskeletal symptoms risk among employees working in banks. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in Rawalpindi and Islamabad, Pakistan from January 2018 to June 2018. 620 bank employees of both genders, with the age of 25-45 years were included in this study, and employees with musculoskeletal and neurological disorders, amputee or prosthetic limb, and any trauma were excluded from this study. Rapid office strain assessment (ROSA) and quick exposure check (QEC) scales were used to assess the risk and prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms. Data were analyzed by using SPSS 21. Results: According to the scoring of QEC scales 92.2% of participants fall in the acceptable ergonomics category, 6% fall into investigate further and 1.1% fall into investigate and change soon, with the highest symptoms among low back (17.7%). And the mean ROSA final score (5.51) indicates that most of the participants have a high risk of musculoskeletal symptoms. Conclusion: Regarding the scoring of ROSA and QEC scale musculoskeletal symptoms has a high prevalence among bank employees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]