Search

Zia Ul Mustafa,1,2 Muhammad Salman,3 Amer Hayat Khan,1 Sabariah Noor Harun,1 Johanna C Meyer,4,5 Brian Godman4,6 1Discipline of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Gelugor, Penang, 11800, Malaysia; 2Department of Pharmacy Services, District Headquarter (DHQ) Hospital, Pakpattan, 57400, Pakistan; 3Institute of Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical and Allied Health Sciences, Lahore College for Women University, Lahore, 54000, Pakistan; 4Department of Public Health Pharmacy and Management, School of Pharmacy, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Pretoria, 0208, South Africa; 5South African Vaccination and Immunisation Centre, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Pretoria, 0208, South Africa; 6Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Science (SIPBS), University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, G4 0RE, UKCorrespondence: Brian Godman, Email brian.godman@strath.ac.ukPurpose: Antimicrobial resistance is a global health crisis exacerbated by excessive and inappropriate use of antibiotics, especially among low- and middle-income countries including Pakistan. The paediatric population is a key area in view of their vulnerability and excessive prescribing of antibiotics in Pakistan. Consequently, there is an urgent need to robustly assess antimicrobial use among hospitalized neonates and children in tertiary hospitals in Pakistan as they are generally the training centres for new physicians subsequently treating children.Patients and Methods: A point prevalence survey (PPS) was conducted in the children’s wards of 14 tertiary care hospitals in Punjab Province, covering over 50% of the population of Pakistan. This builds on a previous PPS among tertiary care hospitals treating exclusively neonates and children.Results: A total of 1811 neonates and children were surveyed with 1744 patients prescribed antibiotics, a prevalence of 96.3%. A total of 2747 antibiotics were prescribed to these 1744 neonates and children, averaging 1.57 antibiotics per patient. Overall, 57.7% of the patients were prescribed one antibiotic and 27.2% two antibiotics, with 85.6% of antibiotics administered parenterally. Over a third (34.4%) of the antibiotics were prescribed prophylactically, with 44.7% of them for surgical procedures. Among those prescribed antibiotics for surgical procedures, 75.2% were prescribed for more than one day. Overall, 92.2% of antibiotics were prescribed empirically, with 86.2% prescribed without mentioning the rationale for their choice in the notes, with 77.6% having no stop date. Respiratory tract infections were the most common indication (43.4%). Staphylococcus species (36.0%) were the most common pathogen with limited Culture and Sensitivity Testing performed. Three quarters (75.2%) of antibiotics were from the Watch list, and 24.4% were Access antibiotics.Conclusion: A very high prevalence of antibiotic use among neonates and children in tertiary hospitals in Pakistan, including Watch antibiotics, mirroring previous studies. Consequently, initiatives including antimicrobial stewardship programmes are urgently needed to address current inappropriate prescribing.Keywords: point prevalence survey, tertiary hospitals, children, neonates, antibiotics, AWaRe classification, Pakistan

Globalization has resulted in more women participating in the workforce, but it has also led to an alarming increase in human rights violations. A persistent issue in the modern workplace is harassment. Workplace harassment takes many forms, including verbal abuse, physical assault, discrimination, and sexual misconduct. It creates hostile and offensive experiences for individuals and groups, despite being illegal in many places. This not only hampers productivity and job satisfaction but also harms employees’ mental and physical health. Organizations have a moral and legal duty to address workplace harassment. Organizations should promote awareness of the legal and ethical consequences of sexual harassment through dialogue, leadership support, and accessible resources. Key strategies to combat workplace harassment include clear policies, training, inclusive culture, strong legal frameworks, victim support, monitoring, and collaboration. Implementing these strategies creates safe and thriving workplaces. This article focuses on workplace harassment, particularly sexual harassment against women. It highlights the prevalence of harassment, its various forms, and the challenges women face in addressing it. The article emphasizes the need for societal and governmental recognition to effectively combat workplace harassment. It also explores global and regional prevalence of workplace harassment, its consequences, and strategies for prevention.

Background: Passive exposure to environmental tobacco smoke in the home and other places, and active smoking throughout later childhood all have an impact on the respiratory health of children. Parental smoking has been associated with respiratory symptoms and deteriorated lung function in children. Objective: This study aims to determine the prevalence of respiratory symptoms among children and their association with passive smoking and respiratory symptoms among children aged up to 12 years in selected tertiary care hospitals in Sindh. Methods: This study was a cross-sectional study, conducted in two tertiary care hospitals from where 217 children aged up to 12 years were selected who attended the pediatric OPD for a routine checkup. Children suffering from malignancies and other health issues such as chest infection and congenital pulmonary airway malformation were excluded. Results: A total of 217 children with a mean age of 6.4 years (±5.0) years participated in this study. Approximately 73.6 % of children between 0-6 years and 85% between 7-12 years had cough respectively. The results show a significant association between the smoking status of parents and respiratory health among children (0.049), according to the analysis symptoms like coughing, shortness of breath while running/walking, and getting tired p-values 0.038, 0.035, and 0.003 easily show statistically significant association whereas phlegm production shows non-significant (p-value 0.380) association with passive smoking exposure among children up to 12 years of age, experienced in last 30 days for more than 2 times/week. Conclusion: Children’s health experts should discuss the negative effects of smoking and the necessity of reducing exposure to secondhand smoke; parents should be informed about these issues and advised not to smoke in front of children.

High-resolution poverty mapping supports evidence-based policy and research, yet about half of countries lack the requisite survey data to generate useful poverty maps. To overcome this challenge, new non-traditional data sources and deep learning techniques are increasingly used to create small-area estimates of poverty in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) trained on satellite imagery are one of the most popular and effective approaches in this literature. However, the spatial resolution of poverty estimates has remained quite coarse, particularly in rural areas which are critical for governments to support. To resolve this, we use an ensemble transfer learning approach involving three CNN models to predict chronic poverty at a finer 1 km2 scale in rural Sindh, Pakistan. We train the model with spatially noisy georeferenced household survey containing poverty scores for 1.9 million anonymized households in Sindh Province using publicly available inputs, including daytime and nighttime satellite imagery and accessibility data. Results from rigorous cross-validation and ground-truthing of predictions with an original survey suggest the model performs well in identifying the chronic poor in both arid and non-arid regions, outperforming previous studies in key accuracy metrics. Our inexpensive and scalable approach could be used to improve poverty targeting in low- and middle-income countries.

The population density of Grey Francolin (Franclinus Pondicrianus L.) is distributed throughout the Baluchistan, KKPK, Punjab, and Indus plains of Sindh Province, Pakistan. The grey francolin is a prime game bird of our country. This species has been declared threatened worldwide according to the Red Data Book, also published by the International Union for Conservation of Nature in 2018. There is no information available regarding the density of the population of Grey francolin in different populations in the district of Tando Allahyar, Sindh, Pakistan. Keeping this in mind, the present study was carried out to find the density population of Grey francolin birds in the habitat area to observe the conservation measurements. The study was conducted through direct sighting with the help of local residents of the particular areas using the Visual Encounter Method." The observations were recorded at three fixed transects, with a length of 300 to 350 m and a width of 30 to 60 m laid down at every site for recording the birds by nearest line. In Tando Allahyar, Sindh, Pakistan, the population density of Grey francolin varies significantly based on breeding practices and habitat characteristics. The observed densities were 0.90 birds per hectare in cultivated open land and 0.16 birds per hectare in wetland and associated natural vegetation. This suggests a notable influence of habitat and breeding practices on Grey francolin populations.

Nida Salman Yazdani,1 Kaniz Amna Haider,2 Amna Khan,2 Syed Ali Jaffar Zaidi,2 Akbar Rajani,1 Imran Nisar,2 Fyezah Jehan,2 Zahra Hoodbhoy2 1Research and Programs, VITAL Pakistan Trust, Karachi, Pakistan; 2Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, the Aga Khan University, Karachi, PakistanCorrespondence: Zahra Hoodbhoy, Aga Khan University, Stadium Road PO Box 3500, Karachi, 74800, Pakistan, Tel +92-3343481179, Email zahra.hoodbhoy@aku.eduPurpose: To understand pregnant women’s experience with midwifery-led antenatal care services using the Respectful Maternity Care charter in primary health centers in Karachi, Pakistan.Methods: This cross-sectional study was at Rehri Goth and Ibrahim Hyderi, two peri-urban communities in Karachi, Pakistan, where women receive antenatal care services. All pregnant women in their third trimester who consented during the study period were included. The participants were asked about access to care, antenatal care experience, person-centered approach, and general satisfaction with the facility using a pre-designed questionnaire. These themes were mapped onto the universal Respectful Maternity Care charter. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the findings in each of these themes. Multivariable logistic regression techniques to determine the relationship between the dependent and independent variables.Results: There were 904 women who agreed to participate in this study during January to December 2021. Majority of the women (94%, n=854) were satisfied with the operating hours and cleanliness. More than 90% of the women reported positive experiences regarding privacy, respectful treatment by midwives, and non-discriminatory care. However, 40% (n=362) of the women reported not receiving adequate information and informed consent before a medical procedure, while 65% (n=587) reported poor counseling for birth preparedness. Maternal age, women’s occupation, women’s education, and parity were found to be significantly associated with respect provided, satisfaction with counseling and the consent process.Conclusion: This study reported satisfaction of pregnant women with the facility’s ambiance, respect, and care; however, poor communication skills regarding consent and antenatal counseling were reported. The findings suggest the need for more efficient strategies, such as regular respectful maternity care and technical training to strengthen midwife-patient interactions and enhance overall satisfaction, thus improving maternal and newborn outcomes.Keywords: antenatal care, patient satisfaction, Respectful Maternity Care, Pakistan

The study is an attempt to observe the earning differences between male and female of the public and private sector in Pakistan by employing nationally representative Pakistan Labor Force Survey (PLFS) data for the period 2006 - 2021. In order to perform a detailed comparative analysis of the earning difference, the private sector is further segregated into formal and informal sectors. Empirical evidences acquired by employing Pseudo panel technique, ascertain that earning differences in the public sector are low compared to the private sector. Public sector is performing a fair role in reducing gender earning difference in Pakistan. It is concluded that the female employees of informal sector are more exploited compared to the formal sector in both public and private sector because of the female vulnerability. Migration from rural to urban areas contributes significantly in reducing wage differential across genders.

Ficus benjamina commonly known as weeping fig is an ornamental that planted alongside the road to increase the aesthetic value. Leaf eating caterpillar, Trilocha varians was observed on Ficus benjamina and many other ornamental plants in the surrounding area of Muhammad Nawaz Shareef University. Large larval population was recorded on fig plants with 100 % defoliation. The rearing of Trilocha varians on F. benjamina was carried out under controlled conditions and parasitism of Trichogramma chilonis on eggs were checked. Incubation period was 5-6 days while single female laid 150-210 eggs in her whole life period. With five larval instars, duration period of 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th was 2.0 days, 3-5 days, 2-4 days, 3-6 days and 3-7 days, respectively. Pupa was obtect in nature. Mated and unmated female were long lived as compared to male, 7.50 and 9.25 % egg parasitization was recorded at 16 and 24 hours of exposure, respectively. The coefficient variations were 89.50, 55.92, 42.21 and 29.59 at 12, 16, 20 and 24 h. To determine the larval damage, five different host plants belonging to moraceae family were used. The moderate damage of larvae was observed on Ficus religiosa. The severe feeding damage was observed on F. benjamina and F. virens, while M. alba and F. elastica were found not favorable hosts of T. varians. The study concluded that Trichogramma chilonis was recorded the most suitable parasitoid of T. varians and further need to record the natural enemies of the pest in the country.

Purpose. Food insecurity maps reveal the spatial variability of relevant indicators in relevant units in geographically disaggregated levels. This study is based on a systematic analysis of the least studied areas related to food insecurity in Pakistan, such as district-level Small Area Estimation (SAE) analysis of food insecurity by integrating several well-established datasets, including PSLM 2014–2015 and HIES 2015–2016. Methodology / approach. We investigate the food insecurity situation at the district level in Pakistan by applying the household level technique of SAE method. The geographically disaggregated indicators of welfare are estimated by using SAE that integrates the census and survey datasets. This study estimates incidence and density indictors at the district level of food insecurity. The accessibility aspect of food security is taking into account by calculating monthly equivalent food expenditure per adult. In addition, the food insecurity headcount ratio is calculated to identify the food insecurity incidence at district level, and density are visualized using ‘spmap’ in STATA 14. Results. The results of this study indicate that the districts with low food insecurity incidence are dense in terms of food insecure people. The second least food insecure district, according to food insecurity incidence estimates, has become the most food insecure in terms of food insecurity density. However, the most food insecure district with respect to food insecurity incidence has been identified as one of the least food insecure districts in terms of food insecure people. For instance, Washuk district in Balochistan, has been identified as the most food insecure district with almost 93 % food insecurity incidence. However, Washuk has only 0.17 million food insecure people according to food insecurity density estimates. Originality / scientific novelty. The study highlighted the importance of food insecurity density estimates in addition to the food insecurity incidence for targeted policy interventions. In this study we have integrated a large and relatively smaller data set that covers most of the districts from all provinces of Pakistan for addressing the small sample issue which have been identified in previous studies. The variables that are common to both data sets are included after a screening process that include Variance Inflation Factor for multicollinearity, forward – backward selection criterion with model adjustment criterion either adjusted R2, Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) or Bayesian Information Criterion (BIC), least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO). Practical value / implications. The results of the study indicate that the policy makers should consider both the density and incidence of food insecurity for targeted policy interventions. This is because several districts with low food insecurity incidence are found to be dense with food insecure people. Moreover, the obtained results can be complemented by the results of the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) which is based on relatively very small samples from few districts of three provinces. This can be useful in efficient implementation of food security policy and programs in targeted areas. Furthermore, the results highlight that the efforts reduce food insecurity should be targeted at district level in Pakistan.

Toshi Shasha Community Game Reserve Chitral is located in dry temperate forest of Hindu Kush Mountains. Among the key parameters for assessing habitat effectiveness include plant abundance, density and frequency. Resultantly, plant abundance, densities and frequencies of woody plants were estimated. A total of 50 sampling plots 10 m X 10 m were laid down covering different altitudes. The Toshi Shasha community game reserve Chitral is well known for its diverse flora and fauna that harboring the near threatened markhor (Capar falconeri falconeri). We found occurrence of 11 woody plant species with abundance 165 over an area of 0.5 hectare in the elevation ranged between 1554 to 2614 m. Out of the 11 species occurred Sophora mollis was the dominant species with abundance 93. The density of this species was recorded as 180 per hectare and the frequency observed was 242. The second dominant species was Pistacia integerrima with abundance 13, density 26, and frequency 34. The third dominant species was Artemisia brevifolia with abundance 11, density 22, and frequency 29. However, the abundance of the remaining 8 species ranged between 3 to 5, density 8 to 20, and frequency 9 to 26. The basic data will be used in future interventions for habitat maintenance in the reserve.

The study attempts to explore the determinants of government investment (public investment, including general government investment) in Pakistan using the autoregressive distributed lags (ARDL) estimation technique over the period 1964 to 2015. Both theoretical and empirical content available in the literature is employed to develop an econometric model to analyse the government investment behaviour in the case of a developing country like Pakistan. The findings of empirical estimation indicate that budget deficit, output growth and foreign capital in-flow boost government investment while domestic borrowing, military regimes and inflation discourage government/public sector’s investment activity.

Weeping fig, Ficus benjamina, belongs to Moraceae family is planted alongside the roads as decorative plant and landscape purposes. Fig plants were seen infested with Trilocha varians for three years ago in University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Punjab Pakistan. The complete defoliation, even death of whole plant was observed caused by larvae. The complete metamorphosis was recorded with five larval instars. The fecundity of female was recorded very high (180-300) during its whole life period. The results showed that male was long lived than female. Further studies on current pest biology, host range, biological fauna and management associated with it are necessary to avoid future outbreak in Pakistan.

Background: Urolithiasis is the third common disease of the urinary tract after UTIs and pathological diseases of the prostate. The objective of this study was to compare the efficacy of doxazosin versus tamsulosin in lower ureteric stone expulsion in adult population of District Dera Ismail Khan, Pakistan. Materials Methods: This non-randomized control trial was conducted in the Department of Urology, Gomal Medical College, Dera Ismail Khan, Pakistan from February 2020 to December 2020. The 252 patients included in our study were divided in to two groups. The patients in experimental group received Tab. doxazosin 4 mg daily for 4 weeks and Tab. diclofenac sodium 50 mg B.D for 5 days and then on need basis. The patients in control group received Cap. tamsulosin 0.4 mg daily for 4 weeks and similarly Tab. diclofenac sodium 50 mg as in experimental group. All the patients were followed regularly for expulsion of ureteric stones for four weeks. Sex, age and stone size were matching, while stone expulsion was a research variable. Hypothesis was verified by McNemar chi-square test. Results: Out of 252 patients, 113 (89.68%) patients in experimental group, while 77 (61.11%) patients in control group passed the stones. There was statistically significant difference in efficacy in doxazosin group as compared to tamsulosin group (p-value=.0001). Conclusion: The use of doxazosin as the medical expulsion therapy for the lower ureteric stone proved to be more effective as compared to tamsulosin as demonstrated by our results.

Background: Urinary stone disease is one of the commonest urological diseases worldwide. The objective of this study was to compare the efficacy of alfuzosin versus control group in upper ureteric stone expulsion in adult population of district Lahore, Pakistan. Materials Methods: This trial was conducted in Department of Urology, Sheikh Zayed Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan form January 2017 to June 2017. All adult patients with upper ureteric stone size 5-10 mm were eligible. Those with multiple stones, having fever, severe pain, history of surgery in past two weeks and growth on urine culture or pyuria were excluded. Experimental and control groups each had 30 patients. Experimental group received Tab. alfuzosin 10 mg daily for four weeks and Tab. diclofenac sodium 50 mg SOS for acute pain. The control group received Tab. diclofenac sodium 50 mg SOS for acute pain. We followed all patients for four weeks for expulsion of ureteric stones by X-ray KUB or CT KUB. Sex, age and stone size were matching variables. Stone expulsion (yes, no) was research variable. We compared count of stone expulsion between two groups by using McNemar chi-square test at alpha 0.5 using GraphPad. Results: Out of 30 patients in experimental group, 23 (76.67%) were men and seven (23.33%) women and out of 30 in control group, 20 (66.67%) were men and 10 (33.33%) women, almost similar in both groups. Mean age in experimental group was 39.45±10.33 years and in control group it was 37.38±8.28 years, almost similar in both groups. Mean stone size was 7.45±1.47 (5-10) mm in the experimental and 7.28±1.68 (5-10) mm in control group, being comparable in both the groups. In experimental group, stone expulsion was achieved in 23 (76.67%) cases and not in seven (23.33%) cases and in control group, it was achieved in 16 (53.33%) cases and not in 14 (46.67%) cases. There was statistically no significant difference in efficacy of alfuzosin versus control group (p=.1213). Conclusion: Our study showed no difference in efficacy of alfuzosin versus control group for upper ureteric stone expulsion in adult population of district Lahore, Pakistan.

Introduction: A landscaped area is always appealing when designed according to a certain theme and purpose, as is the case with the sculptures in the Greater Iqbal Park. Purpose of the study: We aimed to analyze the influence of ornamental sculptures on people visiting the Greater Iqbal Park situated in Lahore, Pakistan. The objective was to evaluate the importance of the sculptures’ presence in the park, to review the visitors’ opinions on the subject, and to analyze how the sculptures blend in with other elements of the park. Methods: An important aspect of the study is the combination of data collected through observations, pictures, and questionnaires. Results and discussion: 65% of visitors to the park are satisfied with the sculptures’ placement and the lighting around them. The sculptures depicting a bent tree, birds, musical instruments, and a peacock are aesthetically pleasing and alluring for the visitors. The reliefs reference art from the Mughal era, and the material is durable, tough, and weather-resistant. Conclusions: The visitors like to have sculptures in the park, which increases the park’s appeal, especially for children, who can learn visual lessons about shapes and history. The study will help designers with creating variety and inspiring interest through sculptures, especially those related to historical events and complementing their surroundings.

Background: Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is therapeutic option for many blood diseases. It has increased risk of complications with incompatible pair. The objective of this study was to determine the frequency of complications in ABO-incompatible HSCT in Pakistan. Materials Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at Armed Forces Bone Marrow Transplant Centre , Rawalpindi, Pakistan from 11th August 2018 till 15th March 2021. A sample of 73 ABO-incompatible HSCT patients was selected. Variables were sex, age groups, acute delayed hemolysis, pure red cell aplasia and acute GvHD. All variables being categorical were described by count and percentage with 80%CI. Complications in sample vs. population were compared through chi-square goodness of fit test. RESULTS: Seventy three patients with ABO-incompatible HSCT included 52 (71.23%) men 21 (28.77%) women, and 49 (67.12%) in age group ≤14 years 24 (32.88%) in ≥15 years. Out of 73 patients, eight (10.96%) had acute hemolysis, 26 (35.62%) had delayed hemolysis, four (5.84%) had pure red cell aplasia and 34 (46.58%) had acute GvHD. The observed prevalence in sample was similar to population for acute (p=.46893) and delayed hemolysis (p=.30759) and acute GvHD (p=.55841), while it was different for pure red cell aplasia (p=.00006). CONCLUSION: Most common complication in our study was acute GvHD, followed by delayed hemolysis, acute hemolysis pure red cell aplasia. The observed prevalence in sample was similar to population for acute delayed hemolysis and acute GvHD, while it was different for pure red cell aplasia.

Background: Significant morbidity and mortality is caused by untreated hepatitis B virus infection through cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. The objectives of our study were to determine distribution of hepatitis B infected population by sex and age groups in District D.I.Khan, Pakistan. Materials Methods: This cross-sectional study was done at District Health Office, D.I.Khan, Pakistan from January 30, 2021 to February 15, 2021. Data was collected for period from March 14, 2013 to January 28, 2021 for 2368 hepatitis B infected cases from population at risk consecutively. Sex and age groups were demographic variables. Data type was nominal for sex and ordinal for age groups. Distribution was analyzed by count, percentage and confidence intervals for proportion for population. Hypotheses for distribution were substantiated by chi-square goodness-of-fit test. Results: Out of 2368 hepatitis B infected population, 1670 (70.52%) were men 698(29.48%) women, and 562 (23.73%) were in age group 0-20 years, 1266 (53.46%) in 21-40 years, 462 (19.51%) in 41-60 years 78 (3.30%) in 60 years. Our distribution by sex (p.00001) and age groups (p.00001) were different than expected respectively. Conclusion: In our study, hepatitis B infection was more common in men than women and most common in age group 21-40 years, followed by 0-20 years, 41-60 years and 60 years. Our observed prevalence of hepatitis B infection in men was higher than expected in women it was lower than expected. Our observed prevalence in the four age groups was not similar to expected.

Background: Untreated hepatitis C virus infection is major cause of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma causing significant morbidity and mortality. Our objectives were to determine distribution of active hepatitis C infected population by sex and age groups in District D.I.Khan, Pakistan. Materials Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at District Health Office, D.I.Khan, Pakistan from 25 April 2021 to 12 May 2021. Data was collected for period from 11 February 2017 to 22 April 2021. 1062 active hepatitis C infected cases were selected from population at risk consecutively. Sex (nominal) and age groups (ordinal) were variables. Distribution was analyzed by count, percentage and confidence intervals for proportion for population. Hypotheses for distribution were substantiated by chi-square goodness-of-fit test. Results: Out of 1062 active hepatitis C infected population, 569 (53.58%) were men 493 (46.42%) women, and 51 (4.80%) in age group 0-20 years, 433 (40.77%) in 21-40, 476 (44.82%) in 41-60 102 (9.61%) in 60 years. Our distribution by sex (p.00001) and age groups (p.00001) was different than expected. Conclusion: In our study, active hepatitis C infection was more common in men than women and most common in age group 41-60 years, followed by 21-40, 60 0-20 years. Our observed prevalence of active hepatitis C infection in men was lower than expected in women it was higher than expected. Our observed prevalence of active hepatitis C infection in the four age groups was not similar to expected.

Background: For organizations, conducting work in a safe environment has become mandatory under the provisions and guidelines provided by international and local laws. Occupational health and safety (OHS) standards have become a requisite in almost every industry these days; however, many organizations in developing countries are negligent at adhering to the safety measures, and there is also an absence of proper monitoring. Objective: Our objective was to determine the occupational health and safety standards that are prevailing in the food manufacturing sector of Pakistan. For this, we approached several food manufacturing companies and conducted interviews with quality assurance managers and health and safety executives to evaluate and analyze the workplace conditions to understand their OHS practices. Methods: We conducted 7 interviews with quality assurance managers in the food manufacturing and services companies of Pakistan. The interview guide was used for eliciting responses and a coding method was used to arrive at the themes of the data gathered. Results: The interviews conducted with quality assurance managers and those working to ensure that safety measures are practiced in their company, showed that the export-oriented food manufacturing companies in Pakistan are following OHS standards, as it has become a necessity, with numerous benefits such as ensuring worker safety, maintaining company reputation. However, the extent to which these measures are implemented and strictly followed varies, as there are certain issues that arise when companies try to follow and implement OHS practices The problems vary from company to company however, most of them relate to worker adaptability, costs, and training needs. OHS situation in local firms is concerning. Most of them do not have HSE officers, not the concept of toolbox talk, no preventive and safety measures. These poor practices make the situation unsafe, which lead to fatalities Conclusion: By establishing a national framework for policies and legislations as per the conventions of ILO for a better workplace environment along with proper law enforcement improvement in occupational health and safety domain can be achieved.

Background: The safety of medications is of utmost concern for public health. In developed countries, adverse drug reaction reporting systems are well established, but in low-income and middle-income countries such as Pakistan, these are under-developed and ignored. The objective of this qualitative survey was to explore the adverse drug reaction reporting practices by health care professionals of Karachi, Pakistan. Materials Methods: Fifteen health care professionals (HCPs), including physicians, nurses and pharmacists from public, semi-private and private tertiary care hospitals were selected using purposive and snowball sampling for semi-structured interviews. Interviews were digitally recorded, transcribed verbatim, and were analyzed using Thematic Analysis. Results: The results showed that almost all HCPs have a good understanding of ADR, but did not know the procedures of ADR reporting to the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP). Usually, the ADR was manually reported, with few hospitals having an electronic ADR reporting system. Barriers to the ADR reporting included a large influx of illiterate patients, over-burdened staff, lack of financial and technological resources, and ineffective administration. Facilitator to ADR reporting was electronic ADR system. Conclusion: These findings would help the policymakers and health administrators to revise existing policies and devise new ones for the adoption of adverse drugs reporting (ADR) systems in hospitals.

Irfan Ullah,1 Assad Ullah,2 Sher Ali,3 Petra Poulova,4 Ahsan Akbar,5 Muhammad Haroon Shah,6 Alam Rehman,7 Muhammad Zeeshan,8 Fakhr E Alam Afridi3 1Reading Academy, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China; 2School of Economics, Henan University, Kaifeng, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Economics, Islamia College Peshawar, Peshawar, Pakistan; 4Department of Informatics and Quantitative Methods, Faculty of Informatics and Management, University of Hradec Kralove, Hradec Kralove, 500 03, Czech Republic; 5International Business School, Guangzhou City University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510080, People’s Republic of China; 6College of International Students, Wuxi University, Wuxi 214105, Jiangsu, People’s Republic of China; 7Faculty of Management Sciences, National University of Modern Languages, Islamabad, Pakistan; 8College of Business Administration, Liaoning Technical University, XingCheng, Liaoning Province, 125105, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Ahsan AkbarInternational Business School, Guangzhou City University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510080, People’s Republic of ChinaEmail akbar@gcu.edu.cnObjective: The provision of healthcare facilities remains high on the manifesto of various political parties in Pakistan and healthcare spending has witnessed a significant surge in the last two decades that is expected to positively influence health outcomes in the country. Therefore, this research aims to explore the effects of healthcare expenditures on the actual health status of the masses in Pakistan for the period 1995Q1 to 2017Q1.Methods: We apply the Quantile Autoregressive Distributed Lag (QARDL) approach for estimation purposes. This is the most recent and emerging estimation technique in time series analysis.Results: Our findings confirm that public healthcare spending significantly impacts health outcomes in Pakistan both in the short-run and long-run. Public healthcare spending improves life expectancy and reduces death rate and infant mortality.Conclusion: The study concludes that public healthcare is the main focus of the current regime. It is noticed that spending on healthcare significantly contributes to the health outcomes in Pakistan. These efforts by the government significantly promote life expectancy and drop down the mortality ratio in the country. Based on these notable facts, the government should allocate sufficient resources towards the latest healthcare technologies and equipment to optimize health outcomes in the country.Keywords: healthcare spending, health outcomes, healthcare technologies, Quantile cointegration, QARDL, Pakistan

This study aims to analyze the impact of the China-Pakistan Regional Trade Agreement on Pakistan’s exports. We applied the gravity trade model using the Poisson Pseudo Maximum Likelihood (PPML) estimator for export data for a period of 16 years from 2003 to 2018. For the sake of a comprehensive analysis, ten products at the HS-4 level are studied. The estimates show expected signs for all traditional variables of the gravity equation, including GDP, bilateral distance, colonial relationship, language commonality and landlocked importing countries. The results show a consistent and significant positive impact of the RTA on Pakistan exports.

Thirteen Early Paleogene Pakistanian smaller Miliolid and eight Lagenid benthic foraminiferal species and subspecies from the Ranikot and Laki Formations of the Nammal Gorge, Salt and Sor Ranges, Punjab of Northern Pakistan have been studied. The modern taxonomic consideration and systematic description of the species is based on the diagnostic morphology, and provides a list of synonyms, short remarks about morphological features of the taxa and some annotations about taxa with problematic generic status. Two species of them belong to the genus Spiroloculina(haquei, pakistanica), four of Quinqueloculina (inflata, pseudosimplex, pseudovata, ranikotensis), two of Triloculina (psudoenoplostoma, sarahae), two of Agglutinella (reinemundi, sori) and three of Dentostomina (ammobicarinata, ammoirregularis, gapperi). One species of the Lagenid belongs to the genus Frondicularia (nammalensis), one of Lenticulina (reussi), one subspecies of Palmula (woodi nammalensis), one of Astacolus (vomeriformis), one of Vaginulinopsis (nammalensis), one of Lagena (reticulatostriata), one of Galawayella (nammalensis) and one of Parafissurina (pakistanica). The two species of the Miliolids: Spiroloculina (haquei, pakistanica) and one Lagenid Parafissurina (pakistanica) are believed to be new. Some of these species are recorded outside of Pakistan in Northern Tethys (France): Astacolus vomeriformis and Vaginulinopsis nammalensis. The high abundance of pelagic Pakistanian foraminiferal assemblage indicate open connection to the Tethys, which represents middle-outer neritic environment (100-200 m depth) and shows an affinity with ‘Midway-Type Fauna’.

Objective: To determine the long-term outcome of children with steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome at a single center in Pakistan. Study Design: Retrospective, observational study. Place and Duration of Study: Pediatric Nephrology Department, Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation, Karachi, Pakistan from July 2008 to June 2014. Methodology: The study included 153 children aged 4 months-12 years with steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome. We collected data at the time of diagnosis and the last follow-up. The data was entered and analyzed by SPSS version 20. Results: Among 153 children, 84(55%) were males and 69(45%) females. At the time of diagnosis, 118(77%) were hypertensive and 65 (42.5%) had microscopic hematuria. Histopathological spectrum included focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, 63(41%); minimal change disease, 33(22%); IgM nephropathy, 9 (6%); mesangioproliferative glomerulonephritis, 26(17%), membranous glomerulonephritis, 13(8%) and membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis, 9(6%). Complete remission with cyclosporine was seen in 53(34.6%), partial remission in 36(23.5%), while 53(35%) developed chronic kidney disease, of which 26(78.8%) needed renal replacement therapy. Mortality was 21(13.7 %) and 11(7.2%) were lost to follow-up. Calcineurin inhibitors' toxicity was seen in 52(34%). One patient received renal transplant but lost the graft 6 years post-transplant due to disease recurrence. Conclusion: Steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome has significant long-term morbidity and mortality. Recurrence of disease in transplanted kidney is common and can result in graft loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine the association of various aspects of antimicrobial resistance awareness and socio-demographic determinants among residents of Rawalpindi. Study Design: Cross-sectional analytical study. Place and Duration of Study: Rawalpindi Cantonment, Pakistan, from Jan to Dec 2021. Methodology: A validated (World Health Organization) multi-country questionnaire was completed by a total of 400 participants, aged 16 years and older, by using two-stage sampling technique. The relationship between social and dependent variables was analyzed using chi-square test of significance. Results: Study results showed that 53.8% of participants were aware of the term 'antibiotic resistance' whereas only 29.5% understood what antimicrobial resistance meant. In comparison to males, more females (65.3%) knew the term antibiotic resistance. Antibiotic resistance awareness was higher among young adults aged 16-24 years (67.8%) than among older age groups (p=0.001). Antibiotic resistance awareness in relation to gender (p<0.001), education level (p<0.001), occupation (p<0.001) and monthly household income (p<0.001) was found statistically significant. Antibiotic resistance, according to nearly one-third of respondents (31.8%), was a problem in other countries but not in Pakistan. Conclusion: Awareness and level of understanding regarding spread of antimicrobial resistance and antibiotic resistance itself were found to be low. The study findings revealed that older adults, those with lower education and lower socioeconomic status had the least knowledge and attitudes regarding antibiotic resistance and antimicrobial resistance as compared to other groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The objective of this retrospective cross-sectional research was to examine the musculoskeletal problems associated with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) at a tertiary care hospital located in Peshawar, Pakistan, during the period spanning from March 2022 to March 2023. Methods: The study included the collection and analysis of data from patients with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) who were undergoing treatment at the hospital. Descriptive statistics, subgroup analyses, and Fisher's Exact test were used to investigate potential connections between JIA and musculoskeletal problems. Results: The analysis revealed a range of demographic features, with a significant proportion of patients (52.9%) falling between the age range of 11-15 years. The most common subtype of JIA was Polyarticular RF Negative, accounting for 44.1% of cases. This subtype was characterized by high levels of Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR) (64.7%) and Creactive protein (CRP) (47.1%), which are indicative of inflammation. The study revealed statistically significant correlations between substantial joint involvement, swelling, and discomfort in individuals with musculoskeletal conditions (p < 0.05). Nevertheless, the health evaluations conducted by patients and parents did not reveal any significant association with musculoskeletal issues. Significant correlations were seen between a positive family history of JIA or other RMDS and musculoskeletal disorders (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The present research emphasizes the need to conduct a thorough medical history and physical tests for diagnosing Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA), with a special focus on children who have distinct symptoms. Providing healthcare personnel with knowledge about musculoskeletal complaints may assist in promptly identifying and treating them, therefore enhancing patient results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was descriptive research conducted to identify enrollment trends and gaps in the Pakistan education system over five years and compare gender and sector-wise differences. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used from the enrollment records as per the academic years 2021-2022 to aid in data analysis. Descriptive analysis offered information regarding enrollment alterations according to the educational stage, independent sample t-tests utilized to compare students' enrolment between genders. The study showed variations and inequity in enrolment in concerned education stages throughout the given year, while males dominated the enrollment with females. The results also indicated that the academic years inclined more males than females towards public sector enrollment in the overall mean sense, though it also applies to private sectors. However, the statistical tests also established little difference in the overall enrollment or by gender. Therefore, measures that promote the quality and availability of education should be given focus systematically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the beginning of the 1990s, Pakistan's foreign reserves have increased extremely quickly. The impact of Pakistan's foreign indebtedness on currency rates has yet to get much focus in the scientific literature despite the media spotlight accompanying those obligations. This research examines the impact and relation of foreign debt and foreign exchange reserves on the monetary rate in Pakistan. The data in this research is taken for 14 years (2008-2022). Ordinary Least Square (OLS) indicates that foreign debt has a negative significant impact on the monetary rate in Pakistan (p<0.05). At the same time, foreign exchange reserves have a positive significant impact on the monetary rate in Pakistan (p<0.05). In the future, the government should not rely on debt more and more as it affects the economy negatively because of the monetary rate increase. Apart from that, the State Bank of Pakistan should also focus on fewer reserves because it reduces the interest rate, which can cause more inflation in the economy of Pakistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was carried out to record the biodiversity of arthropods associated with ruminants from the vicinity area of Tolipir National Park Azad, Kashmir, Pakistan. The survey was conducted from March to October 2018, on arthropods of ruminants and their infestation in dairy form and domestic cows. A total of 500 ruminants (cows and buffalos) were observed from ten study sites: Ghorimar, Noor Kot, Kotari, Darak, Alisojal, Kahoo Kot, Dhahol Dhok, Hussain Kot, Pir Kot, and Panjal. We recorded two lice species (Pediculus sp. and Bovicola bovis), four tick species (Hyalomma anatolicum, Rhipicephalus microplus, Boophilus microplus, Haemaphysalis salcata), one flea species (Ctenocephalus canis) and one unidentified lice species. The supportive data of large ruminants such as age, sex, nutrition condition and breed were also recorded. Among five hundred cows, 297 (59.4 %) animals were infected with insects and 40% (203) animals were infected with ticks, lice, and flea. As a results of seasonal variation, insect infestation was higher in the summer season than in the winter. The present study provides baseline data for insects, ticks, lice, and flea infestation for further management of arthropods associated with ruminants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aimed to explore the actual situation of information accessibility for university students with visual impairment at higher academic institutions of Lahore, Pakistan. This research adopted a qualitative research design using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) to investigate the proposed phenomenon. The participants were recruited with purposive sampling from higher academic institutions for data collection. Face to face interview of 15 visually impaired students was conducted using an interview guide. The participants were debriefed for data authentication and verification at the end. Each interview was transcribed and analyzed carefully using IPA. The results indicated that these students utilized interpersonal relationships as the primary source of their academic information. The other available facilities for information access included the internet, disability resources center (if available at the institution), and the university library. The major barriers in accessing needed information included: format barriers, navigational barriers, technical barriers, ICTs illiteracy, and financial barriers. The university administration, especially libraries, should consider students with various disabilities while designing information infrastructure for its community. This research can be used as a guide by library staff in designing need-based information services for students with visual imprisonment. This research would be a worthy contribution to the existing literature as only a few studies were conducted in Pakistan.

Family law in Pakistan underwent a fundamental change when the Family Courts Act, 1964 was enacted and family matters were entrusted to family courts instead of ordinary civil courts. Since then the family courts have been administering family law to provide ‘better remedies’ to women and children. This paper aims to highlight the objectives of enacting Family Courts Act 1964 and how does it regulate its own proceedings under the judicial structure. It is significant to examine that the provisions of (Civil Procedure Code, 1908) CPC are generally not applicable to the trials before family courts, however usually proceedings are more or less the same; yet, family courts have special powers to discover the possibilities of amicable settlement of family disputes. This paper investigates various procedures in several family issues like a suit for maintenance, dissolution of marriage, a suit for dower and other dowry articles, inheritance and custody of children. It also interrogates that how far the objectives of the said law are achieved and stresses that the milieu of the courts should also be affable for the visit of the child in the best interest and welfare of children and women.

Purpose ―Current paper assesses the impact of macroeconomic variables on Pakistan's economic growth. Method ― This study analyzed the data using the Markov Regime switching (MS) model using monthly data for 1981-2020. Firstly, BDS and CUSUM square tests were applied to detect the non-linearity of the model. Results ―The model is non-linear, so the Markov regime-switching model is used for analysis. Each regime's mean and variance are highly significant and show a high growth regime with high volatility and a low growth regime with low volatility. Furthermore, the results show that inflation, interest rate, and trade openness negatively impact while real effective exchange rates positively affect development in both regimes. The negative effect of interest rate, exchange rate, inflation, and trade openness become more pronounced in low growth regimes. Implication ― This study suggests that policymakers should consider the non-linear behaviour of macroeconomics. This will help to formulate better policies for the economy's economic growth. Originality ―The current research adds to the existing literature by identifying the non-linear effect of growth indicators on economic growth, which was previously neglected in the case of Pakistan.

OBJECTIVE: COVID-19 is a novel viral disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 which has rapidly spread throughout the world. We determined the clinical course and outcome of COVID-19 disease in Pakistani children with chronic kidney disease (CKD) on maintenance hemodialysis during the first wave of the pandemic. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study was conducted in the hemodialysis unit at the University of Child Health Sciences and Children’s Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan. Patients of both sexes below 18 years of age on maintenance hemodialysis with COVID-19 disease confirmed by PCR were included. Data were collected regarding underlying etiology of CKD as well as symptomatology, treatment received and outcome of COVID-19 disease. RESULTS: 9 patients were confirmed as COVID-19 positive by PCR – 56% were males with a median age of 11 years. The most common underlying etiology of chronic kidney disease was obstructive uropathy (22.2%) with fever and cough reported to be the most common presenting symptoms. Only 6% of the children had neutropenia while all others had normal white cell count. Radiological findings revealed diffuse inflammatory infiltration of lungs in all the participants with ground-glass haze in 11% of the subjects. The patients were managed with supportive treatment, antimicrobial coverage, and systemic steroids along with oxygen supplementation while mechanical ventilation with inotropic support was required in almost a quarter and bi-level positive airway pressure in 11% of the children. CONCLUSIONS: Our study showed that even children in the advanced stages of CKD were at low risk of developing COVID-19 disease. More than 50% of the patients were discharged uneventfully while 20% of the subjects expired due to severe COVID disease.

As an institution, the Pakistan Army has been playing a significant role in dealing with emergencies and disasters facing the nation. The novel coronavirus disease, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) COVID-19, was wreaking havoc around the world. The pandemic is a threat to health and has caused severe damage across most aspects of the society. The situation forced the formation of a unique series of civil–military inter-agency relationships to be formed, in order to curb the spread of the pandemic. The Pakistan Army that was neither trained nor equipped to undertake any such health disaster management operation played a significant role in preventing disease and overcoming the disaster. Civil–military cooperation (CIMIC) was the key to the successful response of Pakistan towards COVID-19. The research was based on qualitative interviews that analysed the phenomenon of COVID-19 pandemic, that is, ‘health disaster’, to elucidate the disaster management practices performed through the framework of CIMIC in Pakistan. With regard to this, the article argued that formulating a comprehensive guideline or framework was necessary to maintain an effective and cooperative relationship between civil and military components. It further demonstrated the need to recognise the constitutive factors that influenced the functionalisation and institutionalisation of CIMIC to manage the highly complex health-related emergencies.

In Pakistan, Sahiwal and Cholistani cattle are considered as dairy breeds with traits of disease resistance, heat tolerance, and adaptability to high temperature. These breeds are considered two different breeds although Sahiwal is considered an off shoot of Cholistani cattle. However, these breeds have never been characterized genotypically using SNP data. Moreover, information on genotypic differentiation is unavailable for other subcontinent red colored breeds i.e., Gir, Brahman and Red Sindhi. Thus, present study was meant to investigate distinctive genetic architect if any of these red color breeds of same region of the world. Genotype data of 50K SNP Bead chip was retrieved online from Dryad database. Quality control measures were performed in Plink 1.9 software. Admixture, Principal component analysis and Multidimensional scaling were used for breeds distinction while genetic diversity was estimated using linkage disequilibrium. The genetic structure of these breeds clearly differentiated them from each other performed by admixture analysis from K =2 to K =5. Similarly, all breeds principally differentially scattered in PCA and MDS results. The study revealed different genetic structure for Cholistani and Sahiwal indicating as distinct breeds while Brahman had mixed genetic architect of other Bos indicus subcontinent breeds. The findings of the current study stress for separate genetic improvement program of Sahiwal and Cholistani cattle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main goal of this article is to depict the role of postcolonial theory of neo-colonialism in the development of the security situation in Afghanistan. The introductory part is devoted to defining the postcolonial approach. This part is followed by a definition of neo-colonialism as a modern form of continuation of colonialism. The next part is focused on the role of neo-colonialism itself in Afghanistan, in relation to the influence and interests of the USA. In addition, the paper outlines the main security implications as well as the distortions of Afghanistan's regional actors (Pakistan and India) as a result of US engagement in the region. The final part summarizes the essential information in the context of the theoretical requirements and signs of neo-colonialism in relation to the activities of the US and other state actors in Afghanistan and the region.

This research is focused on press-government relationship on the issue of ‘War on Terrorism’ (WoT) during the dictatorial regime led by the then military ruler General Pervez Musharraf who remained in power till 2008 in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Global war against terrorism, generally known as ‘war on terror’ was actually started by the United States of America in the aftermath of 9/11 episode in 2001. Pakistan, on US demand, had not only become an important ally of the grand alliance formed under the umbrella of the United States but had also adopted the role of a frontline state just to fight the war against terrorism (WoT) alongside the war allies. Generally mass media have the potential to influence public opinion and help reshape the states’ policies on different issues. Likewise, mass media of Pakistan also took an active part in the war either by going alongside the then dictatorial government or against it. This research is based on examining the way the Urdu language elite press, the most popular mass media of Pakistan, covered the dictatorial regime of President General Pervez Musharraf with regard to its policy on the issue of ‘WoT’. Main purpose of this study is to know the nature of relationship between the Urdu-language elite press and the dictatorial government of Gen Musharraf in Pakistan with regard to their policy positions on ‘WoT’ from 2001 to 2008. Three newspapers including daily Jang, daily Nawa-I-Waqt, and daily Pakistan, considered to be representatives of the Urdu-language elite press of Pakistan, were selected for this study. The method used to measure the phenomenon is called framing where contents of the selected dailies were measured both quantitatively and qualitatively. Data were collected through systematic sampling method, while coding sheet was used as a tool for data collection. Unsigned main editorials of the selected newspapers were analyzed to examine the nature of relationship existed between the two entities i.e. the Urdu-language elite press, and the dictatorial government of Gen Pervez Musharraf, on the issue of ‘WoT’ in Pakistan. The results revealed that the selected elite newspapers, in general, remained critical to the dictatorial regime on the issue of ‘WoT’. The findings also revealed that daily Nawa-I-Waqt remained highly critical to the government as compared to its other contemporaries i.e. daily Jang, and daily Pakistan. It was also revealed that the Urdu-language elite press while framing the ‘War on Terror’ remained somewhat supportive and rarely neutral to the dictatorial regime on it policy on ‘WoT’.

The marine Oligocene deposits of Pakistan are exposed in the Baluchistan and Lower Indus Basins. The Baluchistan Basin deposits are referred to the Khojak Formation of Makran Group. They represent three planktic foraminiferal zones, the Globigerina ampliapertura Zone, G. ciperoensis Zone and Globorotalia kugleri Zone, corresponding to Early, Middle and Late Oligocene. The Lower Indus Basin deposits of Sind include the Kirthar and Nari Formations. On the basis of the larger Foraminifera these deposits are divided into Nummulites fichteli Zone (Early Oligocene), N. fichteli/Lepidocyclina (E.) dilatata Zone (Mid. Oligocene), and L. dilatata Zone (Late Oligocene). The Oligocene deposits are absent in the Upper Indus Basin due to the orogenic movement which took place at the end of the Eocene and continued in the Oligocene.

Measuring perceived or objective cyclability or bikeability has drawn less attention compared to walkability, particularly in developing countries like those in South Asia and the Middle East. This paper presents the results of a survey about cyclability in Lahore, Pakistan, focusing on human perceptions rather than the built environment. The overall sample included a total of 379 respondents from three socio-economic classes: those from lower socio-economic backgrounds accessing traditional/older bazaars, respondents from the middle socio-economic class accessing uptown bazaars, and respondents of higher socio-economic status accessing pedestrian shopping malls. The exploratory data collection was conducted in spring 2018 in Lahore by means of a short standard questionnaire with 19 questions, resulting in 17 categorical/dummy variables, two open-ended variables, and two continuous variables targeting socio-economics, bike trip characteristics, biking barriers, and preferred travel specifications. The results showed that the middle socio-economic group was more inclined, flexible, and willing to bike compared to the lower and higher socio-economic-groups. The lower socio-economic group used the bicycle more frequently than the middle socio-economic group. Around half of the middle socio-economic group commutes via bike compared to the lower socio-economic group. There was little to no representation of 55-64 and 65+ age groups in the data. The descriptive findings of this survey indicate some preliminary signs of differences of decisions and perceptions about biking compared to high-income and European countries. These differences need to be tested in future statistical analyses.

The study aimed to explore the Research Data Management (RDM) practices of university faculty members through qualitative research design. The data was collected through semi-structured, in-depth interviews from purposely selected ten faculty members from the University of Punjab (PU). The study discovered some significant factors including RDM and curation practices, the amount of research data produced, the support needed for data curation and their willingness to share it. In addition, the study explored issues the researchers face with regards to RDM. The findings reveal that respondents need assistance regarding storage and security of data, improving the quality of backup, support for storage and preservation. They agreed with a need for a central repository of the University.

The present study has assessed the preliminary placer LREEs resource potential of mid-Siwalik Group Dhok Pathan Formation from Surghar-Shingar Range of NW Himalayan foreland Fold-and-Thrust-Belt and regarded them as indicative resources only. The analytical results of bulk samples of sandstone did not show any anomalous concentration of REEs. However, the ICP-MS results of heavy minerals laminations (black sands) revealed high concentrations (ppm) of LREEs (La: 975, Ce: 2831, Pr: 193, Nd: 746, Sm: 127, Gd: 98.70). We identified monazite-(Ce) [Ce, La, Nd]PO4 as the primary LREEs-bearing mineral through Electron Probe Micro Analysis (EPMA). The representative quantitative micro-mineral analysis of monazite confirmed promising concentration of Rare Earth Oxides (REOs) maximum (in weight %) - La2O3: 16.20, Ce2O3: 37.82, Pr2O3: 4.77, Nd2O3: 21.72, Sm2O3: 5.23, Gd2O3: 4.88. Considering the thickness, lateral extension and depositional setting of host sediments along-with anomalously high concentrations of LREEs, it has been concluded that these Siwalik sediments host good indicative placer resource potential for low-cost recovery of LREEs.

Students' engagement of Social Networking Sites (SNS) has substantially influenced their social, personal, and academic lives. However whether students in Pakistani universities are aware of its roles and its respective influence has rarely been investigated. The aim of this study is to evaluate students' behavioral attitude (perceptions, gratification, awareness, usage patterns etc.) towards SNS. Using self-administered survey questionnaires, data were collected from a sample of postgraduate students at the University of Peshawar, Pakistan. The findings revealed a significant level of awareness of the role of SNS, of which YouTube, Facebook, and Flicker are widely used sites by the study participants. However, generalized use of SNS specifically, Wiki, RSS, Twitter, and MySpace is not considered academic or for research purposes, but for sheer gratification, and sociability. Further, laptops and smart phones were found to be the primary tools of access to SNS at university and/or homes. Additionally, entertainment and friendship were specified as the foremost prompts for using SNS. A primary obstacle indicated by participants is power failure. This study has manifold implications such as: a) social implications- parents and teachers should educate students about the inventive, academic, and safe use of SNS. This will impede the ills of SNS that have resulted in the reduction of learning and research capabilities; b) practical implications- authorities should make more precise policies for the use of SNS in the universities. To this end class orientations are suggested to inform students about the academic use of SNS and; c) theoretical implications- as students' intention of using SNS are gratification, sociability etc., thus the theory of Uses and Gratification is supported.

Aflatoxins are highly toxic, carcinogenic compounds, widely prevalent worldwide, secreted by various fungal strains especially from genus Aspergillus including Aspergillus parasiticus and Aspergillus flavus. Brown rice having more than 17% moisture contents is considered as favorable substrates for fungal growth causing aflatoxins production. The objective of current study was to examine seasonal and geographical impact on production of aflatoxins including aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), aflatoxin B2 (AFB2), aflatoxin G1 (AFG1) and aflatoxin G2 (AFG2) in different brown rice varieties procured from two districts of Punjab. High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) equipped with fluorescence detector was used to detect aflatoxins in samples including Super Kernel Basmati Rice (SK), Kainat (KN), and Supri (SP). Among aflatoxins, AFB1 was the most common toxin detected in three varieties of brown rice especially in SK. AFG1 and AFG2 in the present study were not detected. A total of 200 samples were taken out of which 125 samples were positive. Among 125 samples, 100(80%) samples had greater AFB1 content than permissible limit (2 µg/kg). In addition, 94(75%) samples had higher total aflatoxin contents than allowable limit (4 µg/kg). Aflatoxins contents in brown rice were dependent on rice varieties, regions, and months. The highest moisture and aflatoxins contents were observed in SK in the month of March collected from Gujranwala and lowest were observed in SP in the month of May collected from Multan. The seasonal comparison for aflatoxins concentrations in brown rice showed higher aflatoxins levels in the samples collected during the month of March than those procured in other months (November, January and May). Furthermore, a strong correlation between moisture contents and aflatoxins was also observed. The results of current study revealed that moisture management during storage is very significant to control aflatoxins production in brown rice varieties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]