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Abstract Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease that is now considered a global epidemic. Chronic diabetes conditions include type 1 and type 2 diabetes, both of which are normally irreversible. As a result of long‐term uncontrolled high levels of glucose, diabetes can progress to hyperglycaemic pathologies, such as cardiovascular diseases, retinopathy, nephropathy and neuropathy, among many other complications. The complete mechanism underlying diabetes remains unclear due to its complexity. In this scenario, zebrafish (Danio rerio) have arisen as a versatile and promising animal model due to their good reproducibility, simplicity, and time‐ and cost‐effectiveness. The Zebrafish model allows us to make progress in the investigation and comprehension of the root cause of diabetes, which in turn would aid in the development of pharmacological and surgical approaches for its management. The current review provides valuable reference information on zebrafish models, from the first zebrafish diabetes models using genetic, disease induction and chemical approaches, to the newest ones that further allow for drug screening and testing. This review aims to update our knowledge related to diabetes mellitus by gathering the most authoritative studies on zebrafish as a chemical, dietary and insulin induction, and genetic model for diabetes research.

Machining processes hold a pivotal place in the sphere of modern manufacturing. Thus, constant advancements to enhance their efficiency and sustainability are warranted. This review paper discusses the recent advancements in machining with Minimum Quantity Lubrication and a combination of Nano-Fluids with Minimum quantity lubrication (Nano-Fluid MQL). Recent developments are assessed with particular emphasis on critical parameters such as cutting temperatures, tool wear, and surface quality. In addition, the environmental and economic aspects of using MQL in combination with nano-fluids are discussed. This combinatory approach is evaluated as a sustainable solution in machining. This paper also presents the literature survey of nano-fluids and the application of nano-fluids in MQL.

The presence of COVID-19 has transformed the business sector’s paradigm and prompted a speedy consumption of mobile payment software systems of diverse ranges. Corporate sectors and businesses across the globe brought a shift to offer mobile payment methods; consequently, consumers were urged to maximize the use of mobile payment throughout the pandemic. The present research aims to investigate the factors that might influence consumers' intent to accept mobile payments and their relationships during COVID-19. The technology adoption model and the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology were employed in this proposed mobile payment adoption framework. A quantitative research approach was identified as a suitable method for this research. An online survey was administered, and 304 participants responded to the questionnaire. The results of the data analysis revealed statistically significant relationships and a positive impact of the factors perceived performance, social influence, consumers’ satisfaction, and perceived usefulness on consumers’ usage continuation intention. However, the results identified that factors such as transaction risk didn’t affect perceived usefulness, and financial transaction transparency didn’t affect consumers’ usage intention. This study makes a substantial contribution to the consumers’ technology acceptance literature in terms of validating a proposed theoretical framework that highlights the factors that influence consumers’ mobile payment usage intentions. As this study was conducted at a later stage of the COVID-19 pandemic, it adds value to the existing literature by providing insights to business managers on the factors influencing mobile payment usage. Considering the practical perspective, this study offers evidence of the essential elements that mobile payment service designers and marketers should consider. Doi: 10.28991/ESJ-2023-07-05-07 Full Text: PDF

Fritillaria ussuriensis Maxim. (F.M.) has been widely used in both food and medication for more than 2000 years. In order to achieve its comprehensive utilization and investigate the structural characterization and biology activity, response surface methodology (RSM) was used to optimize the ultrasound-assisted extraction conditions of F.M. polysaccharides. The optimal extraction conditions were ultrasonic power of 174.2 W, ratio of liquid to material of 40.7 mL/g and ultrasonic time of 82.0 min. In addition, a neutral polysaccharide F-1 was obtained, and its structure characterization, antioxidant and immunological activity were evaluated. The structural properties of the polysaccharide were characterized by UV, IR, GC-MS, NMR and AFM. Monosaccharide composition of F-1 (MW 18.11 kDa) was rhamnose, arabinose, glucosamine hydrochloride, galactose, and glucose which under the ratio of 0.9: 3.8: 0.2: 2.9: 92.2. The fractions of F-1 were mainly linked by → 6)-α-D-Glcp-(1 → with branch chain α-D-Glcp-(1 → 4)-α-D-Glcp-(1 → and 4,6)-α-D-Glcp-(1 → residues. Moreover, F-1 has a significant scavenging activity, which can clear hydroxyl radicals, superoxide anion, DPPH and ABTS. In addition, the immunological activity showed that F-1 had an effect on macrophage phagocytic activity. And it can increase the release of inflammatory factors including TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6. F-1 is a novel polysaccharide with significant activity in antioxidant and immunological activity, which has great potential for antioxidant and immunizer in food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. The study can provide a methodological basis for polysaccharide research and theoretical basis for the industrialized production and practical application.

Dihydropyridines (DHPs) exhibit a wide range of pharmacological properties especially against cancer. In this context, a new series of 1,4-dihydropyridines were meticulously designed employing scaffold hybridization technique targeting the EGFR/HER2 receptors. The parallel synthesis of the designed dihydropyridines was achieved using the Hantzsch multiple component reactions. Following the synthesis, rigorous purification methods were carried out and elucidation of their chemical structures through comprehensive analytical techniques such as IR, NMR, and Mass Spectrometry. The initial synthetic step of acetoacetanilide formation was of less product yield contrasting with the satisfactory yields achieved for final multicomponent reactions. The synthesized ligands were subjected to screening against MCF-7 breast cancer and normal Vero cells to evaluate their potential anti-cancer activity. This assessment was carried out by quantifying cytotoxicity levels and structure activity relationships. Among them, compounds 6 and 14 exhibited the good inhibitory effects on the proliferation of MCF-7 cells with an IC50 value of 14.44 and 14.38 μM, respectively, which was quite closer to that of Lapatinib. Furthermore, the influence of ligands on target proteins expressions were assessed via flow cytometry experiments against EGFR & HER2. Computational studies were also performed to correlate the experimental results.

Quinone compounds have emerged as promising candidates for the development of anticancer drugs. Their unique chemical properties and their ability to participate in redox process make them attractive candidates for cancer therapy. Quinone compounds exhibit multiple mechanisms of action, and cause cytotoxicity and apoptosis in cancer cells by targeting multiple cellular components in biochemical pathways. This review provides an overview of the potentials of quinones as anti-inflammatory agents, focusing on their redox potentials and clinical applications in cancer treatment. This review begins with an introduction to quinones and their properties with emphasis on their redox activity. It explores redox cycle processes, including the conversion of quinones and semiquinones and the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Reactive oxygen species (ROS) production via the quinone redox cycle plays an important role in the anti-inflammatory effects. In addition, this review examines the mechanism of action of quinones in cancer treatment. These mechanisms include induction of oxidative stress, DNA damage, inhibition of topoisomerases, modulation of signaling pathways, and proteasome inhibition. Each concept is discussed in detail to clarify the purpose and role of quinones in cancer cells. This review also highlights the importance of structure activity relationships in the development of effective quinone-based anticancer drugs. This review also provides insights into the issues related to development and future directions of quinones as cancer treatments. These include overcoming resistance, increasing the treatment efficiency, and exploring drug combinations. In conclusion, quinones are promising anticancer agents because of their ability to reverse activation and selective generation of ROS in cancer cells. Understanding their mechanisms of action is the need of the hour for exploring their therapeutic potentials.

Enhancing the capacity of a luxury brand to stir a deep connection with customers has always been the focus of practitioners in the luxury industry. This study explores the potential role of social media in converting attachment with a luxury brand into desirable marketing outcomes. The relationships between “luxury brand attachment,” “motivation,” “social media usage,” “word-of-mouth,” and “purchase intention” are examined to understand the drivers and outcomes of luxury brand attachment in social media. A questionnaire was administered to a sample of 341 social media users on various platforms. Data were analyzed using SPSS and Amos. The results revealed that the most important attribute generating luxury attachment in social media is the capacity of a luxury brand to show prestige and status. The direct relationship between luxury brand attachment and purchase intentions is nonsignificant. A stronger attachment to a luxury brand does not entice direct intention to purchase it unless certain motives drive consumers’ luxury engagement in social media. These insights can guide marketing managers in creating effective strategies for their luxury products.

This paper introduces a novel approach to measure deformations in geomaterials using the recently developed ‘Smart Pebble’ sensors. Smart Pebbles were included in triaxial test specimens of unbound aggregates stabilized with geogrids. The sensors are equipped with an aggregate particle/position tracking algorithm that can manage uncertainty arising due to signal noise and random walk effects. Two Smart Pebbles were placed in each test specimen, one at specimen’s mid-height, where a geogrid was installed in the mechanically stabilized specimen, and one towards the top of the specimen. Even with simple raw data processing, the trends on linear vertical acceleration indicated the ability of Smart Pebbles to assess the geomaterial configuration and applied stress states. Employing a Kalman filter-based algorithm, the Smart Pebble position coordinates were tracked during testing. The specimen’s resilient deformations were simultaneously recorded. bender element shear wave transducer pairs were also installed on the specimens to further validate the Smart Pebble small-strain responses. The results indicate a close agreement between the BE sensors and Smart Pebbles estimates towards local stiffness enhancement quantification in the geogrid specimen. The study findings confirm the viability of using the Smart Pebbles in describing the resilient behavior of an aggregate material under repeated loading.

Inflammation contributes to many chronic conditions. It is often associated with circulating pro-inflammatory cytokines and immune cells. GLP-1 levels correlate with disease severity. They are often elevated and can serve as markers of inflammation. Previous studies have shown that oxytocin, hCG, ghrelin, alpha-MSH and ACTH have receptor-mediated anti-inflammatory properties that can rescue cells from damage and death. These peptides have been studied well in the past century. In contrast, GLP-1 and its anti-inflammatory properties have been recognized only recently. GLP-1 has been proven to be a useful adjuvant therapy in type-2 diabetes mellitus, metabolic syndrome, and hyperglycemia. It also lowers HbA1C and protects cells of the cardiovascular and nervous systems by reducing inflammation and apoptosis. In this review we have explored the link between GLP-1, inflammation, and sepsis.

Severe sepsis is cognate with life threatening multi-organ dysfunction. There is a disturbance in endocrine functions with alterations in several hormonal pathways. It has frequently been linked with dysfunction in the hypothalamic pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA). Increased cortisol or cortisolemia is evident throughout the acute phase, along with changes in the hypothalamic pituitary thyroid (HPT) axis, growth hormone-IGF-1 axis, insulin-glucose axis, leptin, catecholamines, renin angiotensin aldosterone axis, ghrelin, glucagon, hypothalamic pituitary gonadal (HGA) axis, and fibroblast growth factor-21. These changes and metabolic alterations constitute the overall response to infection in sepsis. Further research is essential to look into the hormonal changes that occur during sepsis, not only to understand their potential relevance in therapy but also because they may serve as prognostic indicators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To analyze the efficacy of K-line in surgical planning of approach selection for ossification of posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) and outcomes assessment by Nurick grading and Modified Japanese Orthopaedic Association (mJOA) scores. Methods: This is a retrospective case series study conducted at the Departments of Neurosurgery, Punjab Institute of Neurosciences, Lahore in the months of January and February 2024. Patients with complete records were considered. Google Form was used for data. Nurick grading and Modified Japanese Orthopaedic Association (mJOA) scores were calculated for each patient pre- and post-operatively. K-line assessment was done on computerized tomography (CT). Data analysis was performed using Microsoft excel in terms of frequency and percentages. Results: This study included ten patients with the mean age at presentation was 48.20 ± 9.37 years. Preoperative Nurick grading in our patients was Grade-V (five patients), Grade-IV (two patients) and Grade-III (three patients) with mean of 4.2 ± 0.91 SD whereas six months follow-up Nurick grading was Grade-V (three patients), Grade-IV (three patients) and Grade-III (four patients) with the mean of 3.90 ± 0.87 SD, which indicates neurological improvement. Types of OPLL present in our patients were segmental (4, 40%), continuous (3, 30%), mixed (2, 20%) and localized/ others (1, 10%). There were 2 (20%) K-line (+) and 8 (80%) K-line (-) cases. Anterior approach was used in 2 (20%) cases whereas posterior approach was used for the rest of 8 (80%) cases. Mean preoperative mJOA was 10.30 ± 2.45 and mean postoperative mJOA was12.40 ± 2.01 at 6-month follow up, which indicates improvement in our cases. Conclusion: K-line is a useful radiological indicator in selecting anterior versus posterior approach for patients with cervical OPLL in terms of Nurick grading and mJOA scores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: The consequences of climate change, including alterations in snow and glacier patterns and rising temperatures, pose a risk of glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs), which can have cross-border impacts, leading to the loss of life and property downstream. Aims: This research focused on the assessment of changes in snow cover within Chitral district imposed by temperature increase. Methods: ArcGIS and Origin programs were used in this research to study the glacier pattern of Chitral. Results: Therer was a significant increase of 266.7% in urban development and an expansion of 135.9 km2 in agricultural areas within this remote mountainous region. The findings of the study show that in the year 2000, >51.6% of Chitral district's total land was covered by snow during early winter. However, this coverage drastically declined to ~6.8% by 2008. Across the initial two 4-year periods, ~44.7% (5694.6 km2) of the glaciated area transitioned to barren rock, whereas the overall reduction in snow-covered areas accounted for ~43.3% (5514.6 km2). Conclusion: Owing to the increasing stress on freshwater resources, it is essential to conduct thorough analyses and monitoring of snow patterns to ensure sustainable freshwater availability and effective environmental risk management. Implications: This study emphasises the critical consequences of climate-driven glacial retreat, waning snow cover and increased risks of glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) for the management of water resources with the rise in global CO2 and temperatures levels. These changes threaten the timing and availability of water supply, with impacts on agriculture, ecosystem and hydropower. Effective adaptation measures and sustainable management practices are crucial to alleviate these risks and ensure water security in a warming world. Glacier melting as a result of climate change poses a significant threat to global freshwater reserves. As glaciers retreat, regions dependent on glacier-fed rivers face risks of water scarcity, altered river flows and increased vulnerability to natural disasters. This study has highlighted the urgent need for climate-mitigation strategies to preserve freshwater resources and prevent widespread environmental and societal impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most research on mass murderers to date has focused on perpetrators of male sex, while research on perpetrators of female sex has been relegated to case reports and series. We aimed to more fully examine the phenomenon of female‐perpetrated mass murder. We analyzed 1715 worldwide incidents of personal‐cause mass murder from 1900 to 2019, identifying 105 (6%) events perpetrated by females. We defined mass murder as any event involving at least three fatalities, not including the perpetrator, using any method. We identified cases of mass murder from English‐language databases of mass murder or murder in print or online. There were no significant differences in age and race between female and male perpetrators. Relative to males, female perpetrators were significantly less likely to employ firearms in their mass murders, using them in less than half of cases, compared to over 70% for males. The prevalence of psychotic signs and symptoms among female mass murderers was more than double that among males (25.7% vs. 12.5%, p < 0.01), while the rate of nonpsychotic psychiatric or neurological conditions was also much greater among female perpetrators (29.5% vs. 17.1%, p < 0.01). Over half of female perpetrators took or attempted to take their own lives. More than three‐quarters of mass murders by females involved at least one family member as a victim. This study underscores sex‐specific differences in the perpetration of mass murder and the need for further research to understand how insights about such dynamics might lead to the development of more effective and informed intervention policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Due to the eruption of the COVID-19 pandemic, many universities were forced to shift from the traditional learning practices to digital learning. Hence, the purpose of this study is to evaluate the factors that affect the university student's adoption of mobile technologies for mobile learning (m-learning) in their learning process. Design/methodology/approach: Technology acceptance model (TAM) is incorporated to study the adoption of mobile learning by university students. Quantitative research technique is used as core research approach in this study. Structural equation modelling (SEM), which is a part of quantitative research method, was employed on the congregated data via a set of questionnaire from 268 University students. SEM is used to explore the relationships among the hypothesized constructs. SPSS and AMOS software were used for the analysis of data. Findings: This study validated the updated TAM model and assessed the students' adoption of mobile technologies for m-learning during COVID-19. All the constructs of proposed model were found to be significant with more than 50% average variance extracted. It was found that two external constructs mobile system efficacy and mobile service efficacy appended in technology acceptance model show the direct positive effect on perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use constructs. However, hypothesized relationships were found to be unsupported among perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use. Furthermore, perceived usefulness and ease of use during m-learning impact the students' usage attitude which consequently impact the students' adoption behaviour towards adoption of mobile technology. Research limitations/implications: Six constructs were considered for this study; however, mobile information quality for mobile learning was not included which could affect students' adoption criteria. Additionally, this study is limited to a country where future study needs validation of propose constructs in different demographic settings. Originality/value: No study allied to the students' adoption of mobile technology for m-learning has accomplished in the context of India during COVID-19. Furthermore, TAM model has been updated with regard to the students' adoption of mobile learning during COVID-19 in Indian higher education setting.

BACKGROUND: There is emerging evidence that COVID-19 can trigger thrombosis because of a hypercoagulable state, including large-vessel occlusion ischemic strokes. Bihemispheric ischemic stroke is uncommon and is thought to indicate an embolic source. Here, we examine the findings and outcomes of patients with bihemispheric stroke in the setting of COVID-19. METHODS: We performed a retrospective cohort study at a quaternary academic medical center between March 1, 2020, and April 30, 2020. We identified all patients with laboratory-confirmed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection who presented with simultaneous bihemispheric ischemic strokes. RESULTS: Of 637 COVID-19 admissions during the 2-month period, 13 had a diagnosis of acute ischemic stroke, including 5 who developed bihemispheric cerebral infarction. Three of those 5 (60%) were female, median age was 54 (range 41–67), and all five were being managed for severe COVID-19-related pneumonia complicated by acute kidney injury and liver failure before the diagnosis of cerebral infarction was established. Five presented with elevated ferritin, lactate dehydrogenase, and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels, and four had lymphopenia and elevated D-dimer levels. All patients underwent neuroimaging with computed tomography for persistent depressed mentation, with or without a focal neurologic deficit, demonstrating multifocal ischemic strokes with bihemispheric involvement. Outcome was poor in all patients: two were discharged to a rehabilitation facility with moderate-to-severe disability and three (60%) patients died. CONCLUSIONS: Stroke is implicated in SARS-CoV-2 infection. Although causality cannot be established, we present the imaging and clinical findings of patients with COVID-19 and simultaneous bihemispheric ischemic strokes. Multifocal ischemic strokes with bihemispheric involvement should be considered in COVID-19 patients with severe infection and poor neurologic status and may be associated with poor outcomes.

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to analyze the existence of information pollution in the banking sector of Pakistan. Worldwide unlimited and without restrictions information production and dissemination have resulted in an information-dense society and information-polluted environment. Methodology: An empirical study of 155 employees in the banking sector was undertaken. The influence of information quality and information quantity has caused information pollution. Eight factors of information quality were taken as independent variables. Decision-making is the key function of leaders and managers in the organization. Therefore, Decision making was taken as a dependent variable to gauge the influence of information pollution in organizations. Findings: The reliability and validity of data have been checked and results show that information influences a positive 37% influence on decision-making. According to the result, information pollution exists in the banking sector of Pakistan. Implications: It is further suggested to investigate the impact of information pollution on the work performance and productivity of organizations.

This study presents a novel deep-learning framework designed to efficiently generate high-fidelity three-dimensional (3D) point clouds of rail fasteners. The proposed method overcomes limitations associated with traditional light detection and ranging (LiDAR) technology, including high cost and incomplete data acquisition. The framework utilizes transformers and Bayesian neural networks for self-supervised contrastive learning, enabling real-time 3D point cloud generation from depth and grayscale images. This approach fosters automation and efficiency in maintenance tasks by producing accurate geometric reconstructions of rail fasteners. Beyond 3D generation, the framework learns latent representations of two-dimensional (2D) data, potentially impacting downstream tasks. This research contributes significantly to the development of digital twins in infrastructure monitoring by providing a cost-effective and efficient pathway for real-time 3D data generation. The proposed methodology holds promise for enhancing safety, reliability, and cost-effectiveness across a broad spectrum of infrastructure applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has transformed the paradigm of the higher education sector and has instigated a speedy consumption of a diverse range of mobile learning software systems. Many universities were adhering to online modes of education during the pandemic; however, some of the universities are now following hybrid modes of learning, termed h-learning. Higher education students spent two years of taking their classes online during the COVID-19 pandemic and have experienced various challenges. Simultaneously, the main challenge for higher education institutions remains how to consistently offer the best quality of students’ perceived m-learning and maintain continuance for the new shift towards hybrid learning. Hence, it becomes essential to determine the m-learning quality factors that would contribute to maintaining superior m-learning quality in higher education during the COVID-19 pandemic and afterwards via a hybrid mode of learning. Thus, the m-learning quality (MLQual) framework was conceptualized through an extensive review of the literature, and by employing survey-based quantitative research methods, MLQual was validated via structural equation modeling (SEM) techniques. The outcome of this research yielded the MLQual framework used to evaluate the students’ perceived m-learning quality and will offer higher education practitioners the chance to upgrade their higher education policies for h-learning accordingly. With the preceding discussion, it is evident that evaluation of the students’ perceived m-learning quality factors in higher education is always a question that should be researched adequately. Determination of such m-learning quality factors is essential in order to offer significant directions to the higher education practitioners for improving both the quality and delivery of m-learning and h-learning. Consequently, the present study embraces two key objectives: First, to identify and evaluate the m-learning quality factors which could be employed to improve the quality of m-learning. Second, to propose the MLQual framework for the evaluation of students’ perceived m-learning quality.

The main objective of this research was to develop novel compounds from readily accessed natural products especially eugenol with potential biological activity. Eugenol, the principal chemical constituent of clove (Eugenia caryophyllata) from the family Myrtaceae is renowned for its pharmacological properties, which include analgesic, antidiabetic, antioxidant, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory effects. According to reports, PPARγ regulates inflammatory reactions. The synthesized compounds were structurally analyzed using FT-IR, 1HNMR, 13CNMR, and mass spectroscopy techniques. Molecular docking was performed to analyze binding free energy and important amino acids involved in the interaction between synthesized derivatives and the target protein. The development of the structure–activity relationship is based on computational studies. Additionally, the stability of the best-docked protein–ligand complexes was assessed using molecular dynamic modeling. The in-vitro PPARγ competitive binding Lanthascreen TR-FRET assay was used to confirm the affinity of compounds to the target protein. All the synthesized derivatives were evaluated for an in vitro anti-inflammatory activity using an albumin denaturation assay and HRBC membrane stabilization at varying concentrations from 6.25 to 400 µM. In this background, with the aid of computational research, we were able to design six novel derivatives of eugenol synthesized, analyzed, and utilized TR-FRET competitive binding assay to screen them for their ability to bind PPARγ. Anti-inflammatory activity evaluation through in vitro albumin denaturation and HRBC method revealed that 1f exhibits maximum inhibition of heat-induced albumin denaturation at 50% and 85% protection against HRBC lysis at 200 and 400 µM, respectively. Overall, we found novel derivatives of eugenol that could potentially reduce inflammation by PPARγ agonism.

This research conducts an empirical investigation to identify the relationship between institutional quality and inclusive growth. For this purpose, it first examines the existing situation of inclusive growth and institutional quality of 86 countries. Later, it constructs indices of inclusive growth using social welfare function and institutional quality by apply principal component methodology on worldwide governance indicators. The fixed effect results suggest that Institutional quality is a major driver for achieving growth inclusiveness. A deep underpinning of the institutional variable indicates that inclusive growth is positively affected by the quality of economic and political institutions, while the effect of legal institutions was found insignificant. Furthermore, cross country evaluation of inclusive growth presented few thoughtful insights such as; in low income and lower income economies inclusive growth can be achieved by increasing the overall opportunities. Whereas, middle and high income economies need to enhance the equity prospects of opportunities to attain growth inclusiveness. This study by highlighting the role of institutional quality majorly contributes in existing set of literature of growth inclusiveness. It suggests that improved quality of institutions (rule of law, reduced corruption, regulatory quality, securing property rights and effective governance) can help in extending the opportunities to the unprivileged segment of the society, ensuring long term growth.

Background: The recent pandemic condition developed from the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak, have a profound effect on almost all the aspects of society. This outbreak has greatly compromised both the mental and physical health of the frontline healthcare workers and supporting hospital staff since they are responsible for the diagnosis and treatment of infected individuals with COVID-19. This study aimed to investigate the psychological impacts and factors causing stress among the healthcare workers & supporting hospital staff during the COVID-19 outbreak and also to identify the preferred coping strategies. Methodology: This cross-sectional survey-based study was conducted from 1st to 30th February 2020. The sample comprised of frontline healthcare workers & hospital staff providing supporting services like laboratory personnel & administrative workers. The data was collected using a structured self-administered online questionnaire focusing on the impacts of COVID-19, factors causing stress and the coping strategies used by frontline medical workers to deal with the psychological impacts of such pandemics. Results: A total of 127 frontline medical workers completed the survey. The findings from the present study suggested that frontline healthcare workers & hospital staff experience both psychological as well as emotional impacts due to COVID-19. The mean Impact of Event Scale (IES) score was 24.44±19.41 indicating partial PTSD or at least a few symptoms of PTSD. The major factor causing stress among these health workers was their fear of inflicting COVID-19 on family (33.1%). Among the coping strategies, emotion-focused coping techniques and positive thinking were found to be the most preferred strategies among the frontline medical workers and hospital staff in coping stress associated with the COVID-19 outbreak. Conclusion: The current study emphasizes the significance of the psychological impacts of COVID-19 among healthcare workers and the importance of psychiatric help for these long-term traumatic influences.

The objective of this paper is to investigate the impact of inflation targeting strategy on monetary policy transmission mechanism by estimating the impact of deposit rate on consumption to GDP ratio in emerging market economies. The study considers sixteen years of annual data from 2001 to 2016 comprising of thirty-six emerging market economies (EMEs) including 16 inflation targeting countries and 20 non-inflation targeting countries. This study implies Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) for empirical investigation. The evaluation of transmission mechanism in the presence of inflation targeting strategy by estimating the impact of rate of interest on one of the significant components of aggregate demand, i.e., household consumption instead of output is the major contribution of this research. The study found a significant impact of inflation targeting on monetary policy transmission mechanism.

The remittance inflows are the major source of financial transfers received by households to maintain their livelihood. However, the formal inflows can play an immense role in improving the indigenous economy by affecting household welfare, these flows further strengthen the economy at micro and macro levels. Previously, various studies found a determinant relationship between supply-side factors and financial inclusion. Whereas, this paper emphasizes a sweltering issue of formal financial inflows in Pakistan especially focusing on the demand side factors on the household level. The analysis uses Heckman Selection Technique to assess the demand for formal financial inclusion which can only be realized for the households receiving remittances, where the determinants for both depend upon the distinctive demographic, individuals and household characteristics. The study appraises household survey data from the Household Integrated Economic Survey (HIES) for the period 2013–2014. The results demonstrate the strong effects of households’ demand-side factors on financial inclusion. The demographic features such as education and the highest earner’s age are found to have a positive and significant impact on financial inclusion. Whereas, the household characteristics such as household living conditions, asset accumulation, household savings, and borrowings also strongly affect the formal financial inclusive decision. It is therefore suggested to employ a comprehensive policy regarding the enhancement of households’ awareness by the spread of formal and financial literacy.

Sepsis is a potentially life-threatening systemic inflammatory syndrome characterized by dysregulated host immunological responses to infection. Uncontrolled immune cell activation and exponential elevation in circulating cytokines can lead to sepsis, septic shock, multiple organ dysfunction syndrome, and death. Sepsis is associated with high re-hospitalization and recovery may be incomplete, with long term sequelae including post-sepsis syndrome. Consequently, sepsis continues to be a leading cause of morbidity and mortality across the world. In our recent review of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), we noted that its major properties including promotion of fertility, parturition, and lactation were described over a century ago. By contrast, the anti-inflammatory properties of this hormone have been recognized only more recently. Vasopressin, a hormone best known for its anti-diuretic effect, also has anti-inflammatory actions. Surprisingly, vasopressin’s close cousin, oxytocin, has broader and more potent anti-inflammatory effects than vasopressin and a larger number of pre-clinical studies supporting its potential role in limiting sepsis-associated organ damage. This review explores possible links between oxytocin and related octapeptide hormones and sepsis-related modulation of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory activities.