Search

This study investigates evolving corporate governance mechanisms within the context of an emerging economy. Addressing a literature gap, this study analyses the influence of corporate governance and earnings quality on idiosyncratic risk in an emerging economy. In particular, this research explores the impact of corporate governance practices and earnings quality on idiosyncratic risk. For this purpose, this research utilises a sample of 75 non-financial firms listed on the Pakistani equity market over nine years from 2010 to 2018. Employing the generalised method of moments, the findings of our empirical analysis reveal that firms with robust governance mechanisms and higher earnings quality experience minimal idiosyncratic risk. These outcomes provide valuable insights for standard setters, regulatory authorities, policymakers, and other stakeholders, emphasising the importance of governance mechanisms and earnings management in mitigating idiosyncratic return volatility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The poultry market is troubled by Salmonellosis infections which has a large negative impact due to morbidity and decreased productivity. Salmonella pullorum causes a disease named Salmonellosis which affects the poultry industries and has long been a significant obstacle to the development of nations. Due to the occurrence of resistance to most of the antibiotics in the poultry, treatment of infection now becomes difficult and challenging. So, alternative therapy is needed to reduce the burden of bacterial load and to treat the infection. The main objectives of this study were to isolate Salmonella pullorum from the layer poultry birds with to check antibiotic resistance of Salmonella pullorum and to isolate lytic phages against Salmonella pullorum. Poultry fecal samples were collected from poultry farms in different areas. For isolation and purification of Salmonella pullorum, Salmonella Shigella agar (SS-agar) was used. Black centered colonies were observed on SS agar and non-lactose fermenter on MacConkey's agar. For the confirmation of bacterial isolates, gram staining yielded pink-red rods as observed microscopically. For citrate utilization isolates also +ve test, catalase production and methyl red reaction and negative for VP and indole reaction. The disk diffusion method on Mueller Hinton was performed to check the susceptibility pattern of Salmonella pullorum. Bacterium showed resistance to amoxicillin followed by tetracycline and ceftazidime, while sensitive to chloramphenicol and kanamycin. Sewage water was collected for the isolation of phages from different sewage lines of poultry farms. Bacteriophages against Salmonella pullorum were isolated through agar overlay method. Clear plaques were observed on petri plates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growing ubiquity of Internet of Things (IoT) devices within smart homes demands the use of advanced strategies in IoT implementation, with an emphasis on energy efficiency and security. The incorporation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) within the IoT framework improves the overall efficiency of the network. An inefficient mechanism of parent selection at the network layer of IoT causes energy drain in the nodes, particularly near the sink node. As a result, nodes die earlier, causing network holes that further increase the control message overhead as well as the energy consumption of the network, compromising network security. This research introduces an AI‐based approach to parent selection of the Routing Protocol for Low Power and Lossy networks (RPL) at the network layer of IoT to enhance security and energy efficiency. A novel objective function, named Energy and Parent Load Objective Function (EA‐EPL), is also proposed that considers the composite metrics, including energy and parent load. Extensive experiments are conducted to assess EA‐EPL against OF0 and MRHOF algorithms. Experimental results show that EA‐EPL outperformed these algorithms in improving energy efficiency, network stability, and packet delivery ratio. The results also demonstrate a significant enhancement in the overall efficiency of IoT networks and increased security in smart home environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Lactococcus contains Lactic acid bacteria within the family Streptococcaceae. These bacteria are micro aerophilic, homo fermentative, Gram-positive that ferment hexoses to produce lactic acid. They are generally recognized as safe (GRAS) and used in dairy fermented products like yogurt and cheese. The objective of the study was to assess the probiotic ability of Lactococcus species that help reduce cholesterol. Garlic and Ginger were collected from the local market. De Man Rogosa agar was used for isolation of Lactococcus lactis cream to white colonies were showed on MRS agar Gram positive cocci- shaped bacteria were found under the microscope after microscopic investigation. The bacteria were further confirmed by biochemical and carbohydrate fermentation tests. All the biochemical tests were negative for Lactococcus except Methyl Red which was positive. Then the antibiotic susceptibility was determined using Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method. It exhibited an intermediate range towards Amoxicillin Clavulanic Acid, Piperacillin / Tazobactam, Clindamycin, and Kanamycin while sensitive toward Chloramphenicol, Ofloxacin, Ciprofloxacin, and Levofloxacin. The cholesterol reduction potential of Lactococcus lactis was determined by spectrophotometer at 620nm. The cholesterol degradation results were recorded by the percentage of cholesterol that has assimilated. The results showed that the Lactococcus lactis isolated from garlic has degraded more cholesterol 12.97% at concentration of 600μg/ml as compared to ginger which showed 7.62% at the same concentration. The present study showed that the cholesterol degrading potential of Lactococcus lactis sp. Isolated from garlic could be utilized in the field of synthetic medicines in treating cardiovascular diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The field of Hadith terminology has undergone a developmental journey similar to that of other sciences. What is intriguing is that this journey of compilation has spanned centuries. Initially, the principles of Hadith and the methods for verifying Hadith and its narrators were expounded in Hadith books and books of the sciences of Hadith. Subsequently, some of its topics were integrated into the books of the principles of jurisprudence. Later, the practice of writing treatises and books on its topics led to its establishment as a subject of permanent literature. The noteworthy aspect is that, much like the entirety of knowledge, the terminology of Hadith and its usage have also undergone progress. Initially, Hadith terminology used vague meanings for many terms. Over time, scholars refined and developed its usage, making them more specific and focused. Some later scholars, however, criticized their use and called for restriction to specific perspectives. This article identifies these terms so that practitioners in the field can quote the sayings of the scholars of the knowledge without encountering any misunderstandings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to analyse the effects of the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) on the investment activities of the Pakistani insurance sector. First, we analyse the impact of GATS on the overall and company-wise return on investment of the insurance sector of Pakistan. In a panel data setting, the traditional fixed and random effect models are unsuitable for dealing with the possible issues, including endogeneity, unobserved heterogeneity, profit persistency, and the correlation between lagged dependent variables and independent variables. Therefore, we apply the Generalised Method of Moments (GMM) system estimator to the panel data from 1984 to 2018. In the Arellano-Bond framework, the estimated results indicate that the overall investment returns of the Pakistani insurance sector have increased after the GATS membership. However, company-wise analysis reveals mixed evidence. The average returns of IGI Insurance Limited and EFU General Insurance Limited have increased significantly after the GATS membership. These results support one of our empirical conjectures that a rising tide lifts some boats more than it does others. Then, we apply Markowitz's Portfolio Theory to estimate the portfolio returns and the associated risk using the financial statements data from 1984 to 2018. The estimates of portfolio analysis reveal that the portfolio returns of the Pakistani insurance sector improve by 6.70 percentage points after the membership. However, the associated portfolio risk also increases by 11.13 percentage points, 7.40 times higher than the Pre-GATS risk. Despite the better returns, there is an intensive increase in investment volatility after GATS membership. This study provides a valuable reference for insurance managers and the Ministry of Finance and Securities & Exchange Commission of Pakistan to control and improve the insurance sector's performance in Pakistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The World Health Organization has warned about the spread of communicable and non-communicable diseases especially in the developing countries. The COVID-19 has also emerged as one of the most challengeable pandemics of the whole world. In current medical emergency, the virtual health education is much vital for handling alerts and outbreaks of diseases for a community of users. The Information and Communication Technology provide an opportunity to deal with the challenges related to handling alerts and outbreaks of diseases. The technology infrastructure in the developing countries is surging rise and can be used to develop Technology Enabled Learning Solutions for the basic health issues. This paper presents a technology model for virtual education of the masses during the recent era of pandemic diseases like COVID-19. The paper focuses on the health issues both in the developed and the developing countries. It also examines the technology options available for basic health education. Based on the literature review, opinion of health professionals and survey results on ICT accessibility, this paper presents a model of virtual online education on basic health issues for a rural community of users. A pragmatic approach (from literature) has been employed with constructivism theory in order to build the model. We have restricted our study to the geographical location of District Swat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and suggested sampling level of basic health education to address the research problems. A prototype with basic health education modules was also developed to demonstrate and test the model. The feedback has been found encouraging to develop a complete basic health education portal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Psychiatric disorders are the most substantial contributions to global disease burden, yet psychiatric patients and mental health professionals remain subjected to deep-seated stigma. These negative attitudes are also imbedded in the medical community which has implications for the future of mental health globally. Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted at Aziz Fatimah Medical & Dental College, Faisalabad over a period of two months in 2019. The students enrolled in the M.B.B.S program were included in the study. Demographic details were collected using a specially designed proforma. A modified version of the Attitude Towards Psychiatry questionnaire (ATP-30) was used to assess the attitude and perception towards psychiatry. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 23 and chi-square test was applied to assess significant associations. Results: A total of 413 students participated in the study. Most of the students displayed a positive outlook towards psychiatry. 80.4% (n=332) considered psychiatry to be a respected branch of medicine and94.7% (n=391) thought that psychiatric illnesses deserve as much attention as physical illnesses. Students with a first-degree relative suffering from a psychiatric illness were more likely to score higher on the ATP-30 and displayed more positive outlook. Conclusion: Most medical students have a favourable attitude towards mental illness and psychiatry; however, some areas of concern remain. Understanding these perceptions can inform future educational initiatives targeted at both medical students and the general public. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]