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In the modern business world, manufacturing entities seek the modern way of production, which can help them to minimize the wastage of material. To minimize the wastage of materials in manufacturing entities, use different modern techniques, and one of the modern techniques is lean manufacturing. This study aims to explore the relationship between lean manufacturing and the sustainable performance (SP) of the firm. For this purpose, data were collected from SMEs working in Pakistan. Results elaborate that four lean manufacturing practices, that is, process and equipment, product design, supplier relationship, and customer relationship have a positive and significant impact on SP, but the impact of planning and control and HR practices could not be verified. Moreover, green supply chain management (GSCM) found a mediator between HR practices, product design, supplier relationships, customer relationships, and SP. Outcomes of this study provide the higher management of SMEs with a way forward to implement modern techniques within their organizations to minimize the wastage of material during the manufacturing process. Furthermore, this study will cover the deficiency in the literature about the mediating role of GSCM between lean manufacturing and sustainable performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mixed polymer brushes coating based on poly (2-methyl-2-oxazoline)/ poly(4-vinyl pyridine) (PMOXA/P4VP) was prepared by simultaneously grafting amine-terminated PMOXA and thiolterminated P4VP onto poly(dopamine) (PDA)-modified substrates in this work. The coatings were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, ellipsometry, zeta potential measurements, and the static water contact angle tests. The results indicated that it is feasible to control the components of the coating by adjusting the feed ratio of PMOXA to P4VP. Moreover, the zeta potential and the water contact angle of mixed brushes modified surfaces could be tuned by changing the environmental pH value and surface compositions. Finally, fluorescein isothiocyanate-labelled pepsin assay and surface plasmon resonance were performed to investigate the responsive adsorption/desorption of pepsin by PMOXA/P4VP mixed brushes. The results showed that by adjusting the fraction of PMOXA or P4VP, the PMOXA/P4VP mixed brushes coated surfaces could adsorb a high amount of pepsin at pH=3, and achieve a desorption efficiency of over 92% at pH=7. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cobalt, from industrial waste and nuclear laundry, possess health risk to human beings, animals and plants. Number of methods, other than adsorption, have been reported in literature for Co removal from waste water. In this research walnut shell powder after modification has been utilized for Co adsorption. First step of modification involved chemical treatment by four different organic acids for 72 h. Samples were collected at 24, 48 and 72 h. Second step involved thermal treatment of 72 h samples. Unmodified and modified particles have been analyzed by chemical methods and instruments i.e. UV spectrometer, FTIR, cyclic voltammetry (CV) and microscopic imaging. Thermally treated samples have shown augmented Co adsorption. CV analysis showed thermally treated samples with better capacitance. Particles modified by oxalic acid presented better Co adsorption. Oxalic acid treated particles activated for 72 h with thermal treatment provided maximum adsorption capacity 1327 ± 20.6 mg/g against Co(II) at pH 7, stirring 200 rpm, initial concentration 20 ml, adsorbent dosage (5 mg) and contact time 240 min at room temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patients with chronic kidney diseases (CKD) are susceptible to the toxic drug effects if given unadjusted doses. Although Pakistan harbors a high burden of CKD patients, there is limited information available on the frequency, pattern and factors associated with unadjusted drug doses among CKD patients. Methods: This cross-sectional study conducted at Sandeman Provincial Hospital, Quetta included 303 non-dialysis ambulatory CKD patients (glomerular filtration rate < 60 ml/min/1.73m2). The patients' data were collected through a purpose designed data collection form. The appropriateness of doses was checked against the renal drug handbook-2018, Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes guidelines, British National Formulary-2022, and manufacturer leaflets. Data were analysed by SPSS 23 and multiple binary logistic regression analysis was used to assess the factors associated with receiving inappropriate high doses. A p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The patients received a total of 2265 prescription lines, with a median of eight different drugs per patient (interquartile range: 6–9 drugs). A total of 34.5% (783/2265) drugs required dose adjustment. Of these, doses were not adjusted for 56.1% (440) drugs in 162 (53.4%) patients. The most common pharmacological class of drugs requiring dose adjustment were antibiotics (79.1%), followed by antidiabetics (59.2%), diuretics (57.0%), angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (56.9%), beta blockers (56.9%), analgesics (56.0%), angiotensin receptor blockers (55.2%), domperidone (53.9%) and antihyperlipidmics (46.1%). Patient's age of 41–60 (OR = 5.76) and > 60 years (OR = 9.49), hypertension (OR = 2.68), diabetes mellitus (OR = 3.47) and cardiovascular diseases (OR = 2.82) had statistically significant association (p-value < 0.05) with inappropriate high doses. Conclusion: The high frequency of inappropriate high doses suggests an important quality gap in medication dosing for patients with ND-CKD at the study site. Special attention should be paid to the drugs and patients with identified risk factors for receiving inappropriate high doses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pollution reduction is one of the important challenges confronting contemporary business and society. Firms are largely responsible for undertaking sustainable business practices and initiatives as they are major contributors to global pollution. This study empirically examines how sustainable investment influences firm energy and carbon performance. Using a sample of 23,501 firm‐year observations from 2440 unique firms over the period of 2002 to 2018 in G‐6 countries (Canada, France, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States), we demonstrate that sustainable investment leads to better energy and carbon performance without compromising financial return. Our findings are robust to alternative variables, sub‐samples, and different estimation techniques. This study contributes to the global discussion on sustainability and a low‐carbon economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]