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The existence of a gap between educational research and practice, resulting in research that makes only a limited contribution to the improvement of professional practices in education, has been a topic of much discussion. There is widespread agreement among researchers that practice in education should be informed by research evidence. At the same time, other authors have voiced concerns about giving evidence-based practice too prominent a place in educational settings. In this article, we assess the views of expert researchers in the field of education regarding the linking of research and practice in education. Individual, semi-structured interviews were undertaken with twelve experts from Pakistan and the UK, contrasting countries where the issue of the utility of research for educational practice has been much debated. In both countries, there was a strong consensus among the researchers that there are important gaps between research and practice in education. The interviewees made a range of suggestions as to how these gaps might be filled, and we examine these suggestions.

This study investigated in Math and Classroom Learning Environment (CLE) through quantitative approach Public Schools of Punjab were the population of the study. Using random sampling, 997 respondents (Boys = 489, Girls = 508) from two districts (conveniently) were selected. The scale (Fraser, 2007). Self measured students' self scale developed by the researchers was used. CLE and Retention in Math, similar perception regarding these variables with respect to their male counterparts. Findings revealed no significant relationship between CLE and SR of students for the whole sample as well; further, relationship between it was significant for females as compared to males. This study should be conducted at large scale and in varied setting for further implications. Abstract This study investigated relationship of self-regulation (SR) with retention in Math and Classroom Learning Environment (CLE) through quantitative approach based on survey method. 10 th grade students from Public Schools of Punjab were the population of the study. Using random sampling, 997 respondents (Boys = 489, Girls = 508) from two districts (conveniently) were selected. The CLE was explored by using (Fraser, 2007). Self-Regulation scale (Zimmerman, 2008) measured students' self-regulation while for retention in mathematics, a scale developed by the researchers was used. For the whole sample, SR, CLE and Retention in Math, were positive and female students had similar perception regarding these variables with respect to their male Findings revealed no significant relationship between CLE and SR of students for the whole sample as well; further, no significant relationship between CLE and students' retention in Math was found but it was significant for females as compared to males. This study should be conducted at large scale and in varied setting for further implications.

This research was conducted to determine the effects of activity-based teaching on student motivation and academic achievement. Pretest and post-test control group design of experimental research was employed for this study. Two MCQ achievement tests were used as research tools for the data collection as pre-test and post-test. The first step in this project was to gather information about what motivates students to learn. Pre-test was conducted from both groups and results were tabulated. The second step of the project was to examine the effect of hands-on activities on student motivation and for analysis MCQ achievement test was used along with specially designed work sheets from both groups. T-test was used to analyze the data. The results of this study showed that a majority of students' scores increased in experimental group as compared to the control group. The mean value indicated that participants from experimental group showed more achievement in post-test 15.6, while the control group students scored 10.7. The post-lesson survey showed that the majority students found the activity based teaching to be more interesting than lecture based teaching.

The study explores the impact of critical reflection on visual communication design teaching for undergraduate programs in Pakistan. Critical reflection is a self-initiated thinking tool with practical implications to improve teaching and professional practices. The qualitative phenomenological research included teachers and practitioners from the private and public sector, art and design institutions to learn about reflective practices in their lived experiences. Participants shared their teaching processes, experiences, critical incidents, and personal and social influences to analyze the significance of the critically reflective practice. Four significant themes emerged from the data; participants' perception of critically reflective practice, its methods, significance and challenges. Critically reflective practice is a collective process and the insights gained from this process help teachers and professionals to transform and break routinized practices. It is not limited in its process and methods, for most of the participants, a suitable time for reflection is between semesters. Students' assessment and design project evaluation is also a good time to reflect on teaching and learning. Though challenges in critically reflective practice are multifaceted external factors play a vital role in the development of critically reflective practice culture in academic institutions. Within the given research settings the study holds ample opportunities to explore critical reflection in visual communication design education.

This study adopts a qualitative approach to explore the gaps between the proposed curriculum objectives and the assessment instruments used for evaluation of revised teacher training programs in the universities as well as their affiliated colleges in the Punjab province. Specifically it seeks to examine the alignment between the proposed curriculum objectives and the content and cognitive traits being assessed by mid-term and final-term examinations. Bloom's taxonomy was taken as standard for comparison in evaluation of assessment tools and intended learning outcomes of each unit of the selected sample courses. For the purpose of data collection, all the cities where the institutions (Universities and affiliated colleges) are located were visited. The final and mid-term assessment papers and the respective course guides of the selected sample courses were collected and analyzed with the help of Bloom's Taxonomy, and then a comparison was being made between both types of documents. The document analysis presented a lack of alignment between the proposed curriculum objectives and the content and cognitive traits being assessed through formal assessment practices of revised teacher training programs.

Google ranked Pakistan among the most pornographic searching content countries in the world. At same time, Pakistanis feel uncomfortable while discussing sex and pornography publicly considering this subject as a taboo. On other hand, there is an increase in cases of rape, child abuse, and sexual harassment in the country indicating an alarming threat. This study explores possible relationship between X-rated content consumption and its relation with sexual abuse cases in particular context. The theoretical framework of social learning theory (Bandura, 1977) & cultivation theory (Gerbner, 1969) was employed. Data for this qualitative study is collected through the interview guide method using instrument of semi-structured interviews. The research population comprises the rape convicts currently under jail term in District Jail of Kasur (n=20 convicts). Thematic analysis of the study reveals that the consumption of X-rated content at an early age stimulated the rape convicts to commit the rape. Other factors involved in committing rape are the socio-economic conditions and psychographics of rape convicts. The study recommends that the PTA should increase and ensure its filters with the strict checks upon the online traffic and trends of the search-on-search engines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has emerged as a significant event of the current century, introducing substantial transformations in economic and social activities worldwide. The primary objective of this study is to investigate the relationship between daily COVID-19 cases and Pakistan stock market (PSX) return volatility. To assess the relationship between daily COVID-19 cases and the PSX return volatility, we collected secondary data from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the PSX website, specifically focusing on the PSX 100 index, spanning from March 15, 2020, to March 31, 2021. We used the GARCH family models for measuring the volatility and the COVID-19 impact on the stock market performance. Our E-GARCH findings show that there is long-term persistence in the return volatility of the stock market of Pakistan in the period of the COVID-19 timeline because ARCH alpha (ω1) and GARCH beta (ω2) are significant. Moreover, is asymmetrical effect is found in the stock market of Pakistan during the COVID-19 period due to Gamma (ѱ) being significant for PSX. Our DCC-GARCH results show that the COVID-19 active cases have a long-term spillover impact on the Pakistan stock market. Therefore, the need of strong planning and alternative platform should be needed in the distress period to promote the stock market and investor should advised to make diversified international portfolio by investing in high and low volatility stock market to save their income. This study advocated the implications for investors to invest in low volatility stock especially during the period of pandemics to protect their return on investment. Moreover, policy makers and the regulators can make effective policies to maintain financial stability during pandemics that is very important for the country's economic development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Antibiotic resistance is mostly brought about through antibiotic self-medication, which is a common issue in impoverished countries. The most at-risk group is children, while there is no protection evidence released for them. Due to a lack of proper knowledge, parents often inappropriately administer antibiotics to their children. Objectives. The current study aims to evaluate the parents' knowledge of antibiotic use and their knowledge of the medical conditions for which self-medication is used. Material and methods. A cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out in parents. Parents' direct interviews and self-administered questionnaires were used to gather the data. Descriptive analysis and chi-square tests were performed to determine the significance of these findings using IBM SPSS Statistics version 22. Results. There were 1,034 individuals who self-medicated their children in total. Male participants outnumbered female participants by a small margin. In the past 12 months, 88.6% of parents gave antibiotics to their children. Pharmacy advice and past prescriptions were the main causes of this behaviour, whilst cough, fever and tooth discomfort were the conditions for which antibiotics were prescribed. Throughout the course, 45.5% of patients changed antibiotics on their own. Conclusions. The findings of this study underscore the urgent need to address the issue of self-medication of antibiotics in children, emphasising the potential harm it can cause. Parents often resort to self-medication without a proper understanding of the underlying causes of their children's illnesses, relying on antibiotics as a panacea. To mitigate this practice and protect the well-being of children, it is imperative to implement a multifaceted approach involving regulatory measures and educational initiatives beyond the scope of pharmacist interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine the health-related quality of life among patients suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Study Design: Cross sectional analytical study. Place and Duration of study: Medicine/pulmonology department of Pak Emirates Military Hospital, Rawalpindi Pakistan, from Jan 2019 to Jan 2020. Methodology: Two hundred and fifty patients of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease diagnosed for more than one year by a consultant medical specialist or pulmonologist were included in the study. Health related quality of life was assessed by using the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Assessment Test (CAT). Socio-demographic factors in the study were correlated independently with the decline in quality of life by using the binary logistic regression. Results: Out of 250 patients of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, 122(48.8%) had normal health related quality of life while 128(51.2%) had compromised quality of life. Mean age of the study participants was 50.71±2.26 years. Advancing age of the patients and long duration of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease had statistically significant association with compromised health related quality of life (p-value<0.05) when binary logistic regression was applied. Conclusion: Health related quality of life was found compromised among more than half of the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients in our study. Patients who were elderly or those who were having symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease for more than five years had more chances of having compromised health related quality of life as compared to patients with lesser age and short duration of illness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Significant advances have been made in the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) since the turn of the new millennium. However, most clinical trials were done in developed countries where minority ethnicities were underrepresented. Materials and Methods: To gauge the quality of research in CLL being done in Pakistan, we conducted a comprehensive literature search using PubMed, Clinicaltrials.gov, and Google Scholar on 14 January 2022 following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) recommendations. Results: A total of 16 studies met the inclusion criteria. The most common study design was cross-sectional. Eight studies evaluated the clinicohematological profile of CLL patients and the effect of various cytogenic abnormalities through fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) technique on disease progression and prognosis. Five studies discussed the prevalence of abnormalities such as autoimmune cytopenias and other serum chemistry derangements. Only two studies evaluated treatment outcomes, among which one study reported a 2-year overall survival of 65% among patients with 17p deletion. None of the studies had patients on novel targeted agents. No pharmaceutical sponsored or funded clinical trials were found. Conclusions: Our review suggests that although small clinical studies continue to be performed across the country, multiple financial and logistical barriers need to be addressed for larger, more impactful clinical trials to be conducted that will help answer demographic-specific questions and decrease reliance on foreign studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to investigate the reasons and effects of code-switching (CS) when used by a lecturer in instructing his/her students through interaction in English classes at BS level. This study was carried out at Khushal Khan Khattak University, Karak (KKKUK), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. This qualitative and quantitative study used a pragmatic research approach to know the reasons of code-switching and its effects on the KKKUK English department students. The study used a total sample size of (N=125) teachers and students. Purposive sampling techniques were used for the data-collection methodologies and processes, including survey questionnaires, interviews were employed. A closed ended questionnaire was designed to gather data. SPSS was used to analyze the collected data. The acquired data was examined using descriptive statistics, such as percentages, means, and standard deviation, to interpret and discuss findings. According to data analysis, code-switching in the English language classroom was employed to promote interactions during English learning. The findings demonstrated that using CS in the classroom facilitates the teaching and learning process. It should be utilized to facilitate the teaching and learning of English language. Furthermore, it should be used to engage pupils in classroom activities. Seminars and pieces of training should be organized to encourage the usage of CS in the English classroom. The findings of this study are intended to be valuable, particularly for language instructors, in understanding the role and efficacy of codeswitching in the classroom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Modern medical education has flourished with an emergent interest in a variety of assessment approaches that entails direct observation of performance and provision of feedback. Workplace-based assessment (WPBA) has been embraced into specialty training in the United Kingdom (UK) within National Health Service (NHS). In Pakistan, this educational framework is incorporated to gauge the clinical proficiency of trainees at the postgraduate and undergraduate levels. The present study was done to identify how WPBA is perceived by dental field postgraduate trainees in Pakistan. OBJECTIVE: The study explored and ascertained trainees' perceptions, attitudes, and preferences considering their experiences with the systematic organization and execution of WPBA in dental educational settings. METHODS: This cross-sectional study design involved the clinical trainees of various cadres in a tertiary care hospital in Multan. A structured and validated questionnaire previously used for another analysis was administered among 90 trainees at the institute. The results were analyzed and tabulated using SPSS-21. Influential statistics (Pearson's Chi-Square Test) was performed and the confidence interval was set at 95% (P≤0.05). RESULTS: The response rate was 88%. Opinions were more positive compared to the former surveys. The majority of the respondents (65.8%) have shown a positive attitude towards WPBA and preferred it to be a valuable assessment system as it fosters reflective practices in educational settings. In addition, it was shown that WPBA has the potential to improve clinical training (72.2%) and aid in the effective implementation of clinical practice (68.4%). As the system of digital education has been introduced ever since the pandemic, the highest percentage of participants (56%) preferred a combination of on-paper and online assessment systems. CONCLUSION: The study reported that WPBA proposes the opportunity to associate teaching, learning, and assessment. The faculty training program is a significant input to upholding the quality of WPBA. Empirical research on WPBA is essential to be carried out to overcome the inadequacies thus endorsing its application universally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research looks at the connections between FDI, renewable and nonrenewable energy, human capital, and the environment in Pakistan. Using data collected from 1998 to 2020, this study uses the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) method to quantify the interdependencies between various conceptual frameworks. All variables tested had a significant impact on FDI in the long run. The environment coefficient is significantly negative. In addition, there is a positive indication of significance for the coefficients of renewable energy, nonrenewable energy, and human capital acquired through formal education. Based on the findings of this research, it is recommended that national governments take steps to attract more FDI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To find out the effectiveness of short message service (SMS) on glycaemic control among patients with diabetes at a tertiary care hospital in Rawalpindi. Study Design: Quasi-experimental study. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Endocrinology, Pak Emirates Military Hospital, Rawalpindi Pakistan, from Jan to Jul 2020. Methodology: A total of 218 patients with diabetes were included in the study. Patients were randomized into two groups by lottery method. Group-A received a tailored SMS package daily for six months along with printed dietary instructions, while Group-B was given only printed dietary instructions. After six months, HbA1c levels and other sociodemographic factors were compared among the two Groups A and B. Results: In Group-A (SMS-Group) mean HbA1c levels reduced from 9.3±2.0 to 7.0±0.4 compared to Group-B (non-SMS-Group) with mean HbA1c levels from 9.7±1.8 to 8.8 ±1.4. Before SMS intervention, all variables, including HbA1c levels between the two groups, were insignificant. However, the use of structured SMS-based intervention in Group-A showed a statistically significant reduction in HbA1c levels compared to Group-B (p-value <0.05). The mean difference was 1.77(95% CI: -2.44 to -1.10). Conclusion: This study showed Short Message Service (SMS) effectiveness by significantly reducing glycaemic levels (HbA1c) among people with diabetes compared to conventional methods of diabetic education for glycaemic control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pollen morphology of weeds was investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). A morpho-palynological investigation of 18 species of weeds that belongs to 16 angiosperms families was performed using SEM to document distinguishable microscopic features. The main objective of the present study was to provide basic knowledge about morpho-palynological features of weed species that helps delimit the weed flora of the Potohar Plateau. The results show diversity among the qualitative and quantitative characteristics of pollen shape, equatorial and polar axis diameter, the exine's thickness, and the exine's surface ornamentation. The pollen grains were spherical, prolate-spheroidal, oblate-spheroidal, and sub-oblate. The exine ornamentation in most species was reticulate, scarbate, aerolate, faveolate, reticulate-perforate, and reticulate-scabrate. All the species described possessed tricolpate pollen. The variations found in the thickness of the exine and other characters were helpful at the genus and species-specific levels. In accordance with these variations, a taxonomic key was prepared using these characteristics to identify and differentiate weed plant species. SEM images of pollen grains can help delimit the taxa to the species level. This study provides baseline information to distinguish the species of weeds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although climate change has been recognized as a “threat multiplier,” its specific effects on conflict-affected areas remain underexplored. This study investigates the nexus between climate change and violent conflict within the “fragile geography” of Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest province. Balochistan’s increasingly fragmented security landscape and recurring natural disasters, notably the 2022 floods, provide a pertinent background for examining the interplay between climate change and violent conflict. A qualitative approach was employed, whereby interviews and group discussions were conducted in two Balochistan districts. The analysis revealed that weak institutional capacity, deep-rooted socioeconomic and political inequalities, and notably, “migration patterns” are critical variables influencing the dynamic interplay between climate change and violent conflict in the region. By analyzing the vulnerabilities inherent in Balochistan’s diverse physiography, this study illuminates how climate change exacerbates violent conflict in a region already beset by instability, highlighting the urgent need for a more nuanced understanding to address these complex challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic inflammatory disorder that can cause destructive joint disease, significant disability, and increased mortality. RA is the most frequent of all chronic inflammatory joint diseases, and its prevalence frequency in Pakistan is 1.6 per thousand people. Different cytokines and receptors were involved in the triggering of RA, including interleukin-6 (ILR-6), major histocompatibility complex (MHC) antigen human leukocyte (HLA-DR) receptor, and CD20. Several studies illustrated RA as an inherent immune response and triggered due to the "shared epitope." Therefore, the involvement of all these receptors (IL-6, HLA-DR, and CD20) leads to the neurological, ocular, respiratory, cardiac, skin, and hematological manifestations that have been considered a potential therapeutic target for drug design. Various herbal, natural, and synthetic source inhibitors of interleukin-6 (IL-6), human leukocyte (HLA-DR), and CD20 were studied and reported previously. Reported inhibitors are compared to elucidate the best inhibitor for clinical trials, leading to the orally active drug. In this study, a computer-aided drug designing approach disclosed the potential inhibitors for all receptors based on their distinct binding affinity. Moreover, drug suitability was carried out using Lipinski's rule by considering the adsorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) of ligands. Results elucidated "calycosin 7-O-glucoside" and "angeliferulate" as putative ligands for IL-6 and HLA-DR, respectively. However, the pharmacokinetic properties (ADMET) revealed angeliferulate as an effete ligand for the biological system compared to calycosin 7-O-glucoside. Based on docking, drug toxicity profiling or pharmacokinetics, and MD simulation stability, this study highlights orally active therapeutic inhibitors to inhibit the activity of pivotal receptors (IL6, HLA-DR, and CD20) of RA in humans. After clinical trials, the resultant inhibitors could be potential therapeutic agents in the drug development against RA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To study the effect of patient understanding of diabetes self-care on glycemic control. Study Design: Hospital-based cross-sectional analytical study. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Medicine, Pak Emirates Military Hospital, Rawalpindi Pakistan, from Jan to Jul 2019. Methodology: A standardized questionnaire comprising nine questions to gauge understanding of diabetes self-care was applied to 216 patients with Diabetes Mellitus (DM) at Pak Emirates Military Hospital, Rawalpindi. Linear regression analysis was conducted to examine the effect of diabetes-related self-care understanding on glycemic control. Results: 138 patients were males (64%) and 78 females (36%) with a mean age of 40 ± 8 years (range: 18-68 years). The mean duration of having diabetes mellitus was 12 ± 2 years. Patients with a high score on the self-care understanding questionnaire had better average glycemic control than those with lower scores. Conclusion: Patients' understanding of self-care for diabetes has a significant impact on their glycemic control. This asks physicians to educate patients about their role in disease management for better clinical outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) ST22 is considered a clinically important clone because an epidemic strain EMRSA-15 belongs to ST22, and several outbreaks of this clone have been documented worldwide. We performed genomic analysis of an S. aureus strain Lr2 ST22 from Pakistan and determined comparative analysis with other ST22 strains. The genomic data show that Lr2 belongs to spa-type t2986 and harbors staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) type IVa(2B), one complete plasmid, and seven prophages or prophage-like elements. The strain harbors several prophage-associated virulence factors, including Panton–Valentine leukocidin (PVL) and toxic shock syndrome toxin (TSST). The single nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs)-based phylogenetic relationship inferred from whole genome and core genome revealed that strain Lr2 exhibits the nearest identities to a South African community-acquired methicillin-resistant S. aureus (CA-MRSA) ST22 strain and makes a separate clade with an Indian CA-MRSA ST22 strain. Although most ST22 strains carry blaZ, mecA, and mutations in gyrA, the Lr2 strain does not have the blaZ gene but, unlike other ST22 strains, carries the antibiotic resistance genes erm(C) and aac(6′)-Ie-aph(2″)-Ia. Among ST22 strains analyzed, only the strain Lr2 possesses both PVL and TSST genes. The functional annotation of genes unique to Lr2 revealed that mobilome is the third-largest Cluster of Orthologous Genes (COGs) category, which encodes genes associated with prophages and transposons. This possibly makes methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) Lr2 ST22 strain highly virulent, and this study would improve the knowledge of MRSA ST22 strains in Pakistan. However, further studies are needed on a large collection of MRSA to comprehend the genomic epidemiology and evolution of this clone in Pakistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Diabetes is among the top ten most prevalent diseases in Pakistan, and the availability of medicines to treat the disease is vital for a great percentage of the country's population. Insulin was discovered a century ago; however, its access in several parts of the globe remains an issue. This study aims to evaluate prices, availability, and affordability (access components) of insulin and five comparator medicine access in Pakistan. Methods: A nationwide cross-sectional survey was conducted to evaluate the access to insulin and some comparator medicines in eight cities of Pakistan, using a modified WHO/HAI methodology. The survey included 80 medicine outlets, i.e., 40 private pharmacies and 40 public hospitals. Data for every unique insulin product available in the Pakistani market were obtained, including five comparator medicines. Percentage availability, median unit prices (MUPs), and affordability (the number of days' wages (NDWs) required for a month's course by the lowest-paid unskilled government worker) of all products were calculated, including originator brands (OBs) and biosimilar (BS) products. Results: Of all insulin products surveyed (n = 320), 87.5% were manufactured by foreign multinational companies (MNCs). None of the insulin products had an ideal availability of 80% in any of the surveyed health facilities. In the public sector, none of the insulin products had an availability of more than 50%. In the public sector, the overall availability of human insulin was 70% (including OB and BS). While in the private sector, the overall availability of human insulin was 90% and that of analog insulin was 62.5%. The analog insulin products were 72.8% costlier than the human insulin products. The median prices of BS insulin were 25.4% lower than the OB products, indicating that almost one-fourth of the cost could be saved by switching to BS human insulin from OB human insulin. All oral anti-diabetic medicines were found to be affordable, whereas none of the insulin was affordable. The NDWs for human and analog insulin were 1.38 and 5.06. Conclusion: In Pakistan, the insulin availability falls short of the WHO's benchmark of 80%. Insulin continues to be unaffordable in both private and government sectors. To increase insulin access, the government should optimize insulin procurement at all levels, promote local production, enforce biosimilar prescribing, and provide financial subsidies for these products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to find empirical evidence on whether work from home or residential emissions reduces office emissions. Based on existing research the study supports that there are short-term effects on office emissions, i.e., carbon emissions do not outshine the long-term effects. The shift from offices to working from home due to COVID-19 regulations meant more people operating from home as maintaining their position in the market was crucial. The potential research area is to understand how this would affect energy usage and carbon emissions. This study has used a before and after mixed approach to collect data from 301 working-from-home employees and 348 top managers who are responsible for monitoring the employees in a work from home setting. Convenience sampling helped collect responses in a timely manner as offices were not allowing visitors and collecting data in person was difficult, so online surveys were conducted. Work from home reduced usage of office equipment, transportation, pollution, etc. The air quality improved considerably but our findings show that the low emissions were only short-lived. This was not a long-term scenario as organizations kept practicing their operations even at home and the emissions stayed in the environment. Future suggestions and implications are also provided. The results give new insights to researchers in the field of sustainability and the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Evidence for Better Lives Study Foundational Research (EBLS-FR) is a preliminary endeavor to establish the feasibility of a global birth cohort, and within this feasibility study, piloting the research instrument, with participants from eight lower middle-income countries across the globe. It aims to investigate mediators and moderators of child development and wellbeing; it envisages informing policy and practice change to promote child health and wellbeing globally. Pakistan is one of the resource poor lower middle-income country (LMIC) taking part in this global birth cohort; we report the feasibility of establishing such a birth cohort in Pakistan. Method: From March 2019 to July 2019, 153 third trimester pregnant women were identified, using community health worker registers, and approached for baseline demographics and a number of maternal wellbeing, mental health, support-related information, and stress-related biomarkers from bio-samples in a peri-urban area of Islamabad Capital Territory. One hundred fifty of these women gave consent and participated in the study. From October 2019 to December 2019, we re-contacted and were able to follow 121 of these women in the 8–24 weeks postnatal period. All interviews were done after obtaining informed consent and data were collected electronically. Results: One hundred fifty (98.0%) third trimester pregnant women consented and were successfully interviewed, 111 (74.0%) provided bio-samples and 121 (80.6%) were followed up postnatally. Their mean age and years of schooling was 27.29 (SD = 5.18) and 7.77 (SD = 4.79) respectively. A majority (82.3%) of the participants were housewives. Nearly a tenth were first time mothers. Ninety-two (61.3%) of the women reported current pregnancy to have been unplanned. Overall wellbeing and mental health were reported to be poor (WHO-5 mean scores 49.41 (SD = 32.20) and PHQ-9 mean scores 8.23 (SD = 7.0)). Thirty-eight (21.8%) of the women reported four or more adverse childhood experiences; 46 (31.3%) reported intimate partner violence during their current pregnancy. During the postnatal follow up visits, 72 (58.0%) of the women reported breastfeeding their infants. Conclusion: The foundational research demonstrated that Pakistan site could identify, approach, interview, and follow up women and children postnatally, with a high response rates for both the follow up visits and bio-samples. Therefore, a future larger-scale pregnancy birth cohort study in Pakistan is feasible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Capital Budgeting (CB) is a dynamic process deployed by organizations to identify financially appealing and profitable projects usually from an array of options. Capital Budgeting (CB) practices in Pakistan are under-explored and especially the role of non-financial factors in CB decisions is yet unclear. The purpose of this research is to explore the capital budgeting process in the manufacturing firms focusing on the obstacles these firms face and the nonfinancial factors firms used in their decision making. In this quantitative research data was collected from 52 manufacturing companies listed on the Pakistan Stock Exchange through a survey questionnaire adapted from previous studies. The survey was limited to the listed firms only which tend to be more organized hence the results might not reflect the reality of non-listed firms. Data were analyzed using simple statistical measures like mean, median, and standard deviation. The results show that payback period and net present value are the two most frequently deployed CBTs; whereas the newer technique like real options is seldom used. Firms perceive data forecasting as the main obstacle in deploying the CBT and consider the strategic importance of the project in its capital budgeting decisions. Our findings can help the firms in improving the quality of their CB decision-making by incorporating the non-financial factors. This research provides the initial results on which future researchers can build. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The objectives of the study were to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice of dentists towards providing oral health care to pregnant women and to identify barriers and predictors of periodontal and caries related perinatal oral healthcare practices. Methods: A cross-sectional analytical survey was conducted on dentists by using a random sampling technique, and a pre-validated questionnaire was delivered to 350 dentists from May 2018 to October 2018. Data were analyzed by utilizing SPSS software. Frequencies and percentages were recorded for descriptive variables. Binary logistic regression was used to analyze the probability of predicting group membership to the dependent variable using different independent variables determined from contingency tables. Results: Overall response rate was 41%. The mean knowledge score of respondents was 15.86 ± 3.34. The lowest correct responses were noted in the questions related to periodontal health. It was found that the advice to delay dental visits until after pregnancy was eight times more likely to be observed among dentists who lacked the knowledge of importance of oral health during pregnancy (P = 0.04, OR = 8.75). Dentists were more likely to consult obstetricians regarding dental procedures when they fear a risk of labor in the dental practice (P < 0.05, OR = 3.72). Dentists who had the knowledge of periodontal disease association with preterm delivery were about four times more likely to treat periodontal disease during pregnancy (P = 0.01, OR = 3.95). Dentists knowing the association between maternal oral health and childhood decay were more likely to counsel pregnant patients regarding caries prevention (P > 0.05, OR = 3.75). Conclusions: Collectively the results indicated few gaps in knowledge among some dentists and a need to improve existing attitudes towards perinatal oral health. Dentists failing to recognize the importance of perinatal oral health are more likely to be hesitant in treating pregnant patients. Failing to recognize the link between periodontal disease and obstetric complications increases the possibility of hesitance to counsel pregnant patients regarding the same. The appreciation of the evidence for poor perinatal oral health and risk of early childhood caries increases the likelihood of counseling by dentists on caries prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Children under-five constitute 11.9% (n = 20,447,628) of the total population of Pakistan. Poor water and sanitation in Pakistan cause 97,900 deaths annually, 54,000 of whom are children under-five. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study calculates an index for water and sanitation risk for children under-5 in Pakistan to give a detailed understanding and insight into the prevalent risks. Data from Pakistan Integrated Household Survey 2011–12 are used. Stata 15.0 was used for data analysis. A risk index was created by integrating hazard and vulnerability factors including toilet facilities, water source, mother's education, and the number of children in the household. Children were ranked according to their risk score in three categories: low risk, medium risk, and high risk. For each level of risk, profiles of children are created at the national, regional (urban, rural), and provincial levels. RESULTS: Out of 20.5 million children under-five in Pakistan, 71.6% live in rural areas. About 24.9% of children benefit from pipe-borne drinking water; 15.5% of children have toilets connected to the public sewerage system; 62.6% of the children have mothers who had no education; and 50.5% of children live in households with three or more children. It appeared that 57.5% of children are at high risk of poor water and sanitation as compared to merely 1.3% of children at low risk. Around 69.9% of children living in rural areas are at high risk compared to 24.6% of children in urban areas. In Balochistan, 77.9% of children are at high risk, the highest of all provinces. CONCLUSION: The majority of children under-five in Pakistan are at high risk owing to poor water and sanitation. A comprehensive public health program is needed to address the key indicators related to child health risk identified in this research such as safe drinking water, improved sanitation, education and mothers' awareness, and population growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess the frequency, variants, clinical profile and outcome of patients admitted with the diagnosis of GuillianBarre Syndrome at neurology unit of a tertiary care teaching hospital of Pakistan. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Neurology department, Pak Emirates Military Hospital Rawalpindi, from Jan to Dec 2018. Methodology: This study was conducted on 42 patients of Guillian-Barre Syndrome admitted in hospital. Demographic profile included age, gender, and the symptoms with which the patient presented. Medical and neurological complications were also documented among the target population. Outcomes included recovery, shifting to intensive care unit and death. Results: Out of 42 patients included in the final analysis 25 were male and 17 were female. Most of the patients presented with lower limb weakness followed by numbness. Acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy was the commonest while cranial nerve variant was least reported. Motor deficit were the commonest complication faced by the patients followed by respiratory involvement. Out of 42 patients, 34 (80.9%) recovered, 4 (9.5%) were shifted to the intensive care unit and 4 (9.5%) died. Conclusion: This study gives an insight into the pattern of a fairly common neurological illness which if diagnosed and managed in time has a good outcome in our set up. Management of critically ill Guillian-Barre Syndrome patients involves a multidisciplinary team with a need of intensive care unit during the course of management. Variety of types and presentations should be part of training of neurology doctors as well as internal medicine doctors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research in hand is aimed at exploring how ideologies are articulated by BBC discourse practices; how rhetorical ramifications are deployed in the BBC's representation of Pakistan. Based on the theoretical framework of Van Dijk's socio-cognitive approach (2006) and Van Dijk’s Ideological Square (1998) and which is the most suitable for analysing media discourse, the data was evaluated qualitatively with a particular emphasis on rhetorical implicature. The approach used in current studies is critical discourse analysis. The study centered on reflection Pakistan's socio-political events in the BBC from the viewpoint of the global problem of the post- September Global War on Terrorism (GWOT). The research is designed to exploring whether and how the BBC used rhetorical implications to represent Pakistan's worldview in the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conserving energy efficiently is becoming a challenging problem around the globe, specifically in developing countries. One main reason is the lack of awareness of end users (or consumers) about the usage of new and emerging techniques and technologies [e.g., Internet-of-things (IoT)], which can be helpful in mitigating the aforementioned problem. This paper will present the state-of-the-art technologies that have been proposed in the literature related to IoT-enabled solutions for energy conservation. This paper also highlights the details of infrastructure and communication models used in the literature for implementing such IoT-enabled applications. Based on the existing literature, this paper mentions areas that need more attention and can serve as open issues or gaps for future research. In the end, this paper presents our proposed model (i.e., IoT-enabled smart socket), which can be useful to serve the needs of consumers from developing countries like Pakistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Crimean Congo Haemorrhagic Fever (CCHF), a tropically neglected infectious disease caused by Nairovirus, is endemic in low middle-income countries like Pakistan. Emergency health care professionals (HCPs) are at risk of contracting nosocomial transmission of CCHF. We, therefore, aim to analyze the knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions (KAP) of at-risk physicians, nurses, and pharmacists in Pakistan and the factors associated with good KAP.Method: A validated questionnaire (Cronbach's alpha 0.71) was used to collect data from HCPs in two CCHF endemic metropolitan cities of Pakistan by employing a cross-sectional study design. For data analysis percentages, chi-square test and Spearman correlation were applied by using SPSS version 22.Results: Of the 478 participants, 56% (n = 268) were physicians, 37.4% (n = 179) were nurses, and 6.5% (n = 31) were pharmacists. The proportion of HCPs with good knowledge, attitude, and perception scores was 54.3%, 81, and 69%, respectively. Being a physician, having more work experience, having a higher age, working in tertiary care settings, were key factors for higher knowledge (p < 0.001). The correlation coefficient showed significant positive correlation between attitude- perception (r = 0.560, p < 0.001).Conclusion: We have observed average knowledge of HCPs. Therefore, we recommend time to time education campaigns and workshops in highly endemic CCHF regions to be launched by health ministries and HCPs, in particular nurses, encouraged to follow authentic academic sources of information to prevent nosocomial transmission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this project is to examine the commercials of beauty creams in Pakistan. In order to find the ideology of the beauty advertisements in Pakistan, three renowned beauty commercials were taken for analysis of their discourse. The three beauty creams that are made a part of the critical discourse are Golden Pearl Beauty Cream, Fresh White Beauty Cream and Faiza Beauty Cream. The analysis of discourse was done critically with adoption of Fairclough's model (1989). The model is well acknowledged in the field of CDA to have an analysis of the employment of specific features in discourse for manipulation of particular ideology within certain class of individuals. It is perceived through beauty cream advertisements to buy the beauty products. The data was collected from the YouTube commercials. The research paradigm was qualitative to highlight the marketing based lingual elements that have been cleverly devised in beauty commercials. The results have revealed that the Pakistani beauty commercials are made to attract the minds of Pakistani women. The findings will help to develop a proper understanding in Pakistani consumers with facilitation in their decision power to buy the products without exploitation of media commercials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), one of the largest logistics and transportation infrastructures to date, has focused on much work in the economics and political sciences. However, little research has been done on how BRI can affect supply chain management on the whole. Since BRI is a large-scale logistics infrastructure-building project, it is clear that it will have several implications for supply chains. This study aimed to fill this gap in supply chain management literature within the context of the BRI. In particular, this paper aimed to unveil the potential challenges and threats that BRI may bring to supply chain management. Using 20 semistructured interviews with supply chain managers located on the BRI lane in South Asian countries (Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, etc.), this study posed six distinct implications of BRI for logistics and supply chain management. This article concludes by articulating its contributions to theory and practice and, finally, limitations and future research directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The blood transfusion (BT) system in Pakistan is fragmented, demand-driven and depends on weakly regulated transfusion practices. There is a considerable possibility that transfusion-transmissible infections (TTIs) are contributing to the current epidemic of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) (affecting 7.4% of the general population) in the country. To study this issue, we conducted a systematic review to identify articles related to TTIs and transfusion safety in Pakistan from January 1, 2010 to January 31, 2020. A review of 33 articles met the final criteria for qualitative synthesis. Analysis of these studies showed a cumulative frequency of HBV 2.04%, HCV 2.44%, HIV 0.038%, syphilis 1.1% and malaria 0.11%. The frequency of coinfections among blood donors varied from 0.0099% to 0.35%. The highest number of coinfections were HCV and syphilis, followed by HCV and HBV infections. Syphilis and malaria were tested in only 38% and 46% of all the blood donations in one study. The rate of voluntary non-remunerated donations (VNRDs) was less than 13%, and male donors were 95% to 100% in these studies. There was a significant difference in the frequency of HBV and HCV in VNRDs (0.48%) as compared to replacement donors (RDs) (4.15%). In short, this review shows a high frequency of TTIs, especially HBV, HCV and syphilis in the blood donor population in Pakistan. There is a high dependency on RDs, minimal use of healthy voluntary blood donation practices, inadequate screening of high-risk donors, repeated collections of the blood from RDs, poor quality of screening methods and limited knowledge of donor health. Without standardized safe transfusion practices, there will be an ongoing increase in transmission of TTIs, especially HBV, HCV, syphilis, and HIV leading to a significant adverse public health impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shadow education stands for those for-profit activities which are to improve students’ academic learning in school-taught subjects. Shadow teaching is a subcategory of shadow education which stands for paid private supplementary tutoring. It is assumed that such activities cause disparities as those students who do not receive them, might be a disadvantage. This paper investigates disparities caused by shadow teaching through the lenses of actual disparity. Actual disparity occurs when one stays away from advantage or facility due to unfavourable circumstances and feels deprived for not having it. Data was collected from grade 9 students belonging to eight schools in Multan, Pakistan. 394 questionnaires were analyzed. Additionally, 5 one-to-one and 6 focused-group interviews were conducted from 35 of those students who had not received shadow teaching. The findings show that out of 394, 117 students did not receive shadow teaching. Out of those 117, only 40 cited unfavourable circumstances. Others claimed to have stayed away by their own accord. During interviews, most of them said that they did not have any sense of deprivation for not receiving it. Many pointed out various strategies which they had been using instead of shadow teaching. They claimed that those strategies were more beneficial in their learning than shadow teaching. As a result, in most cases, shadow teaching did not cause actual disparity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Violence against children (VAC) is a serious problem with many millions of children being affected globally with serious health, social, and economic consequences. WHO has published an evidence-based framework (INSPIRE: Seven strategies to end Violence against Children), suggesting that prevention and effective response to VAC can be achieved through strategies directed at changing and modulating certain determinants. INSPIRE identifies 1) implementation of laws, 2) changing norms & values, 3) safe environments, 4) parent and caregiver support, 5) income and economic strengthening, 6) response and support services, and 7) education & life skills as areas where efforts can yield maximum impact. Our objective was to review the literature on available resources in the capital of Pakistan (Islamabad Capital City) to establish current state of affairs in terms of prevention and response to VAC. Resources for prevention and response to VAC according to the INSPIRE framework are discussed. We have found that laws are mostly ambiguous, implementation is rare; norms promote early and arranged marriages for girls, allow corporal punishment and child labor, shun all dialogue around sex and sexuality, and overtly prefer male offspring; many children live and work on the street; no large-scale programmes for parent and caregiver support to improve prevention and response to VAC were found; some income support programmes exist but they are unlikely to be organized or integrated with other services; some response and support services were found from both the public and private sectors, yet their effectiveness has not been established; life skill programmes are announced but even among the expensive private schools, only a few teach life skills. Although estimated to be high, there is no official data available on VAC, therefore the quantum of the problem cannot be ascertained. All relevant sectors will have to collaborate to bring about meaningful progress in child protection, prevention of VAC, and wellbeing of children. Preventive interventions and trauma-informed care by the health-sector are urgent needs. Formation of a central body for children's affairs can ensure exclusive budget allocation to address child-specific issues, co-operation and collaboration from all concerned, and community and stakeholder participation. A comprehensive information system, effective large-scale interventions, and context-specific research are required to improve the state of available resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Pakistan has a population of over 200 million with only 75 trained rheumatologists. To address the needs of rheumatology care, it is of paramount importance to train the primary care physician as a first line of defense. Methods: The project "Empowering Family Physicians; fighting disability" was the recipient of a 2018 ILAR grant. This project began with development of an evidence-based curriculum using ACR Rheum2learn modules along with guidelines from international societies. A blended learning approach was chosen with nine online learning modules sandwiched between two face-to-face sessions. Participants' assessment entailed quizzes, clinical scenarios, and portfolio development all completed online, while face-to-face sessions relied upon power-point presentations and an objective structured clinical examination. Course impact was assessed with pre-course and post-course questionnaires. Overall perception of the training was evaluated through candidate feedback. Results: Participants were enrolled from across the country totaling 48 health care providers (44 family physicians and 4 allied health professionals). The adherence to face-to-face sessions was 82.5% and 63.6% for the online component. The mean score for post-course assessment (mean = 2.369, SD = 0.3425) was significantly higher than for the pre-course assessment (mean = 1.792, SD = 0.4838) with statistically significant difference of, t (12) = − 7.756, p < 0.0001 (confidence interval: − 0.7390 to − 0.4149). The perception of the strategy was positive with 80% strongly satisfied with the workshops and presentations. Conclusion: Empowering family physicians by training them in rheumatology care can be an effective tool to fight unmet needs in access to musculoskeletal health care. We plan to offer a shortened version of the course at regular intervals. Key Points • Pakistan has a huge shortage of rheumatology care with only 75 rheumatologists caring for a population of over 200 million. • To improve access to rheumatology care,the "Empowering Family Physicians; Fighting disability" course was launched in 2018 with the help of anILAR grant. • A blended learning approach comprising of 9 online modules sandwiched between two face-to-face sessions was chosen. • A statistically significant difference between pre- and post-courseself-assessment of participantssuggests that the courseis an effective tool for teaching Family Physicians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the asymmetric impact of oil price shocks on trade deficit for Pakistan economy, using NonLinear ARDL analysis, over the period of 1990QI-2016QIV. The estimation results confirm the presence of nonlinearity in the series. The bound testing approach also establishes the existence of asymmetric relationship between trade deficit and oil price movements. We find that increase (decrease) in oil prices and wholesale prices and decrease (increase) in industrial product results in a significant increase (decrease) in trade deficit. The adjustment pattern, using dynamic multipliers, reveals that the new long-run equilibrium for oil prices can be archived after 1 year and 2 months, wholesale prices by 3 years and 8 months and for industrial growth in 6 years and 6 months. This paper has important policy implications for Pakistani decision-makers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine the relationship between plasma osmolarity and within-hospital mortality in patients with acute pulmonary embolism. Study Design: Cross-sectional analytical study. Place and Duration of Study: Pak-Emirates Military Hospital, Rawalpindi Pakistan, Jan 2019 to Jan 2020. Methodology: The sample population consisted of 210 patients diagnosed with pulmonary embolism and admitted to the pulmonology unit at our hospital during the study period. Patients underwent all routine investigations, including plasma osmolarity, and were followed up until discharge or death. Results: Out of 210 patients with pulmonary embolism admitted to the pulmonology unit during the study period, 194 (92.4%) were discharged as they had complete recovery, while 16(7.6%) died during their stay at the hospital despite vigorous management. After applying the inferential statistics, it was found that patients with high plasma osmolarity and low systolic blood pressure (SBP) at presentation had a significant association with in-hospital mortality among the patients suffering from pulmonary embolism. Conclusion: Pulmonary embolism emerged as a condition with considerable in-hospital mortality in our study. Increased plasma osmolarity and low systolic blood pressure (SBP) at presentation emerged as strong factors associated with increased mortality among our study participants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine the pattern of musculoskeletal injuries incurred by physical training in patients and training personnel as assessed by Magnetic Resonance Imaging. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Combined Military Hospital, Abbottabad Pakistan, from Sep 2021 to Jun 2022. Methodology: Patients from local institutes with rigorous training schedules for their students referred to the Radiology Department of Combined Military Hospital, Abbottabad for musculoskeletal Magnetic Resonance Imaging were included in the study. Data regarding duration of symptoms, and Magnetic Resonance Imaging I findings, site, nature and grading of injury, laterality, and associated features, were recorded for each patient. The nature of injuries, their grading, frequency, and relationship among different types of injuries were assessed. Results: Stress fracture of the lower limbs was the most common injury associated with physical training, with 28.6% (n=38/105) presenting mostly in the second half of training. Maximum patients presented with the highest grade of stress fractures; it was more common in females, seen in 90% at the time of presentation (n=9/10). Anterior cruciate ligament injury of the knee was the second most common injury (20%-n=21/105). Most patients with meniscal injuries had anterior cruciate ligament injury. Conclusion: Stress fractures and knee ligamentous injuries are the most common physical training-related injuries. The majority of female patients had stress fractures at their first presentation. Although less common, meniscal injuries were significantly associated with anterior cruciate ligament injury of the knee. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reports on the first occurrence of Geotrichum candidum causing rose blight disease in Pakistan. The study was conducted in the nurseries of Bahawalpur, Pakistan, where rose plants exhibiting blight symptoms were collected. The pathogen was isolated and identified as G. candidum through morphological and genetic analysis. Pathogenicity tests confirmed that G. candidum was responsible for the leaf and flower blight of roses. This finding is significant as it provides important knowledge for the development of control measures to mitigate the problem. The study was funded by the Department of Plant Pathology, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Pakistan. [Extracted from the article]

Punjab is considered one of the most blessed provinces of Pakistan because of its fertile soil. It is also most populated province of Pakistan. Majority of the people rely on their livelihood on agriculture and livestock. Women are also participating equally to perform different activities related to farming. Their contribution is remarkable and significant in this sector, but they are facing many problems while performing agricultural activities like health issues, lack of access to use of new farming technologies, access to market, transport problem, work burden, domestic chores related problems and many others. The study was carried out to highlight the issues of females in performing agricultural activities in the Department of Sociology, G.C.University Faisalabad during 2019. Data was collected from four hundred women of three districts of Punjab i.e. Multan, Rawalpindi and Chiniot. Research revealed that illiteracy, health issues, unsafe practises of faming, transport issues, inadequate wages and many other hurdles were stumbling block in the way of women participation in farming system. It is considered male profession, and this attitude of society restricts the women excess to market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of farming, Punjab is bestowed with fertile land. It is a land of five rivers and friendly atmosphere for agriculture as well as for livestock. Majority of its population lives in rural areas and its major source of income is based on agriculture. Women are contributing a significant share in the field of farming. This study was carried out to investigate the effects of socio-economic factors on the living conditions of those women who are involved in any farming activities. The nature of study was quantitative. 400 women were selected through multiple sampling techniques from three different geographical zones of Punjab. The tool for data collection was interview schedule. Statistical Package of Social Science (SPSS) was used for quantitative analysis for enhancing the scope and validity of research. Bi-variate analysis was carried out for showing the relationship between variables. The study revealed positive as well as negative impacts on living conditions of women in this sector. This study shed a light on women participation as a farmer and its impact on their lives. The major suggestions were made after conducting the research that there should be proper training for women in agriculture sector. Proper health and education facilities should be provided to them and their children. Government should make policies to facilitate the women in farming system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Every year in Pakistan the Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) severely damages tomato crops, but little is known about the epidemiology of this disease. Tomato fields with a high incidence of CMV were tested to determine the range of potential natural alternative weed hosts of CMV. A total of 553 symptomatic leaf samples from 36 plant species representing 19 families were analysed for the presence of CMV subgroup-I and subgroup-II using triple antibody sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay (TAS-ELISA) and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). CMV subgroup-I was detected for the first time in nine plant species: Chenopodium album, Calotropis procera, Heliotropium indicum, Cornopus didymus, Convolvulus arvensis, Melilotus indica, Galium aparine, Nicotiana plumbaginifolia and Withania somnifera. Back indexing with leaf extracts of naturally infected TAS-ELISA- and RT-PCR-positive plants of all of these weed species produced severe symptoms in tomato plants of the susceptible variety Nagina. Grow-out testing proved the absence of seed transmission of CMV subgroup-I in TAS-ELISA- and RT-PCR-positive weed species. This information is useful for reducing early CMV infection by eradicating these weed species, thereby reducing virus reservoirs and the vector aphid population. However, the TAS-ELISA and RT-PCR tests proved the absence of CMV subgroup-II in the tested samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to determine the dental caries experience and the frequency of the associated factors causing dental caries. METHODOLOGY: This was a cross-sectional study conducted in Islamabad Dental Hospital among adults for duration of 3 months. A sample size of 349 patients was selected using convenience sampling. Informed consent was obtained from each patient and associated factors were recorded in a proforma. Clinical examination of each patient was carried out and decayed, missing and filled teeth were recorded in a DMFT chart. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 22.0 and was presented in the form of percentages. RESULTS: Results showed that the percentage of patients having decayed teeth was 89.4%. Mean DMFT index was 3.56. It was also observed that 61.6% of the patients cleaned their teeth daily, among which 58.8% cleaned their teeth once a day and only 10.2% cleaned twice a day. Tooth brush was used by 78.4% of the patients, whereas majority of the patients did not use any cleaning aid such as tooth pick or floss. It was also observed that 72.2% of the patients consumed sweets once a day, while 90.8% didn't brush their teeth after sweet intake. CONCLUSION: Poor oral hygiene practices and improper dietary habits are observed among majority of the participants in the study. Oral health education programs could be used to educate the masses regarding oral hygiene practices and dietary controls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The role of a pharmacist in primary health care settings of Pakistan is still obscure. Thus, we aimed to demonstrate the pharmacist-led improvements in glycemic, blood pressure and lipid controls in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients of Lahore, Pakistan.Methods: The first open label, randomized control trial conducted at a primary health care facility of Lahore, Pakistan by enrolling 244 uncontrolled type 2 diabetes (hemoglobin A1 c, (HbA1c); 10.85 ± 1.74) patients. The pharmacological intervention included identification of drug related problems, drug interactions, change in dose, frequency and therapy switches in collaboration with physician, while non-pharmacological intervention consisted of diet, lifestyle and behavior counseling. Outcome measures were glycemic (HbA1c), blood pressure and lipid controls.Results: In intra-group comparison, compared to control arm (C, n = 52), subjects in the intervention arm (I, n = 83) demonstrated significant differences in process outcome measures; baseline vs final, such as HbA1c (C; 10.3 ± 1.3 vs 9.7 ± 1.3, p <  0.001, I; 10.9 ± 1.7 vs 7.7 ± 0.9, p <  0.0001), systolic blood pressure (SBP) (C; 129.9 ± 13.9 vs 136 ± 7.1, p = 0.0001, I; 145 ± 20.4 vs 123.9 ± 9.9 mmHg, p <  0.0001), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (C; + 4, p = 0.03, I; - 7 mmHg, p <  0.0001), cholesterol (C; 235.8 ± 57.7 vs 220.9 ± 53.2, p = 0.15, I; 224 ± 55.2 vs 153 ± 25.9 mg/dL, p < 0.0001), triglycerides (C; 213.2 ± 86.6 vs 172.4 ± 48.7, p = 0.001, I; 273 ± 119.4 vs 143 ± 31.6 mg/dL, p < 0.0001) and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) (C; 77.5 ± 18.6 vs 76 ± 14.2, p = 0.5, I; 69.4 ± 21.3 vs 93.8 ± 15.2 ml/min/1.73m2, p < 0.0001). Likewise, inter-group improvements were more significant in the subjects of intervention group at final follow up in comparison to control for various process outcome measures; HbA1c (p < 0.001), SBP (p < 0.0001), DBP (p = 0.02), cholesterol (p < 0.0001), triglycerides (p < 0.0001), SCr (p < 0.001), eGFR (p < 0.001). Moreover, both male and female subjects exhibited similar responses towards intervention with similar improvements in outcome measures.Conclusion: These data suggested that pharmacist intervention in collaboration with physician in primary health care settings may result in significant improvements in glycemic, blood pressure and lipid controls in Pakistani population.Trial Registration: The trial was registered retrospectively with International Standard Registered Clinical/soCial sTudy Number (ISRCTN) registry on July 26, 2017 under nutritional, metabolic, endocrine category with assigned registration # ISRCTN22657497 and can be assessed at https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN22657497. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long-term data of local bird communities have shown changes over the past few decades due to anthropogenic pressures, especially in temperate regions. However, we lack information on bird community change in many parts of the world, including hot and dry, desert areas that are also exposed to human activities. We analysed unique time series data of wetland bird abundance spanning over 26 years (1987–2012) collected at an important stopover for long-distance migratory birds, Taunsa Barrage Wildlife Sanctuary, a Ramsar Site in Pakistan. During the monitoring period, species richness of the community had increased over time, but there had also been community turnover. Many species (25/58) had increased in abundance while a few had decreased (4/58). We also found that winter and spring temperatures were positively associated with abundance changes at a community-level, suggesting that some species might have benefited from increasingly warmer temperatures. We assessed whether species attributes such as body size, diet preferences, habitat preference, temperature niche, and range size explained intraspecific variation in species' population trends. However, most of the species attributes were not important. There was some indication that larger-bodied species had increased more than smaller-bodied species but there was no evidence of a community shift to more generalist species. Given anthropogenic change in this region, our findings suggest that many species are able to persist at this site but on-going monitoring and management of this wetland is essential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]