Influence of the Supervision Related Background Variables on the Supervisees’ Supervision Experiences at Postgraduate Level

This research aims to investigate the influence of some supervision related background variables on the supervisees’ supervision experiences during their research at postgraduate level. We conducted a survey from (N= 422) supervisees using Supervisor-Supervisee. Relationship Questionnaire (SSRQ, 65 items) scored on six point scale. The items of SSRQ were developed on six supervision aspects to find the supervision related experiences in addition to the selected background variables. The subscale wise content validity and reliability of the SSRQ was ensured. Inferential statistics were applied to achieve the main objectives of the research. The findings of the research highlighted the importance of supervisors’ expertise and research skills in the supervisees’ area of research. The supervisees who were not given choice for the selection of the supervisor have reported negative supervision experiences. Giving choice to the selection of a supervisor can improve the supervision experiences of supervisees and can minimize the potential personality and research interest related anomalies. Supervisees from the social sciences disciplines reported the problem of workload management during the supervision process. On the basis of findings it is suggested that supervision allotment procedure, alignment between supervisors’ area of specialization and supervisee research topic and discipline specific supervision trainings may be initiated

Assessing the Quality of Supervision Experiences in the Different Research Stages at Postgraduate Level

The nature of supervisory relationship is dynamic that changes over the course of candidacy. Subsequently, the supervision demands of supervisees also change to help them in performing certain tasks at specific research stages. In this context, this research is proposed to investigate the supervision experiences of supervisees in four different research stages (i.e. Stage 1: developing synopsis, Stage 2: collecting data, Stage 3: writing thesis and Stage 4: submitted thesis). In the light of six supervision aspects (i.e. Project management, Intellectual support, pertinent research skills, Inter-personal communication skills, Workload management and Supportive skills) the quality of supervision was assessed from supervisees’ perspective. Cross-sectional survey design was used to assess the supervision experiences of (N=422) supervisees in four distinct stages of research supervision. The data were collected from 12 public and private universities of the Punjab. For this study, a multi-sectioned, self-constructed Supervisor-Supervisee Relationship Questionnaire (Saleem, 2014) was used. The findings of the study highlighted the need to train the supervisors to manage their time not just in terms of teaching and supervision of research students, but also keeping the stages of their research in mind. By addressing the stage specific needs of supervisees the quality of supervision could be improved.Keywords: quality of supervision, research stages, supervision dynamics, supervision experience

An Empirical Investigation of Supervisory Management Styles and Associated Factors for Postgraduate Level Research Supervision

Based on the dynamic model of supervisory management styles this research focused on the empirical verification of the preferred supervisory management styles and their associated baseline characteristics of supervisors and supervisees. The study used a mixed-methods research approach and conducted in two phases. In the first phase, semi-structured interviews were conducted from 30 supervisors from different disciplines to get an overview of the context specific supervision problems faced by supervisors and their approaches to solve them during the different research stages. These interviews helped to develop items of supervisory management styles questionnaire (SMSQ). This questionnaire was based on 12 different situations. In the second phase, supervisors and supervisees from the 13 different universities of Punjab were selected purposively to respond the supervisory management styles questionnaire. The chi-square tests were performed to analyze the preferred supervisory management styles and their association with personal, academic and institutional characteristics of supervisors and supervisees. The results showed significant influence of the supervisees’ background profile characteristics and supervisors’ administrative position on the adoption of a particular supervisory management style at postgraduate level. The study identified the baseline characteristics associated with different supervision styles that may help to resolve possible supervisory alignment conflict

Dietary habits and physical activity patterns in relation to nutritional status among school-aged children in Pakistan: A cross-sectional study

Background: Childhood malnutrition remains a significant public health problem impacting the physical and mental growth if school aged children, particularly in limited-resource countries. Objective: The study objective was to assess levels of physical activity, patterns of screen time (S.T.), the relationship between physical activity and screen time patterns, and how these factors affect growth status (adjusting for socioeconomic status). Methodology: A cross-sectional study included 3,834 children between 6–14 years attending pre-selected schools. Teachers, students, and parents were invited to fill out a standardized questionnaire, and Body Mass Index (BMI) was calculated using Center for disease control (CDC) centile charts. A Chi-square was performed to see the possible association between any height and weight abnormalities and all possible risk factors. Multivariate logistic regression was applied to see the effect of variables significantly associated with univariate analysis. Results: Approximately 2,447 (63.8%) children were between 11–14 years old and 1,387 (36.2%) were between 4–10 years old. The mean height was 143.71 ± 16.51 centimetres, the mean weight was 36.5 ± 12.9 kilogram, and the mean BMI was 17.16 ± 3.52. Multivariate logistic regression status and junk food combined affected stunting socioeconomic status was significantly associated with being underweight p = 0.001. Conclusion: Childhood obesity and stunting remain significant problems in Pakistani school-going children. These are significantly associated with poverty, a lack of physical activity opportunities, and available food quality

Openness in Education as a Praxis: From Individual Testimonials to Collective Voices

Why is Openness in Education important, and why is it critically needed at this moment? As manifested in our guiding question, the significance of Openness in Education and its immediate necessity form the heart of this collaborative editorial piece. This rather straightforward, yet nuanced query has sparked this collective endeavour by using individual testimonies, which may also be taken as living narratives, to reveal the value of Openness in Education as a praxis. Such testimonies serve as rich, personal narratives, critical introspections, and experience-based accounts that function as sources of data. The data gleaned from these narratives points to the understanding of Openness in Education as a complex, multilayered concept intricately woven into an array of values. These range from aspects such as sharing, access, flexibility, affordability, enlightenment, barrier-removal, empowerment, care, individual agency, trust, innovation, sustainability, collaboration, co-creation, social justice, equity, transparency, inclusivity, decolonization, democratisation, participation, liberty, and respect for diversity. This editorial, as a product of collective endeavour, invites its readers to independently engage with individual narratives, fostering the creation of unique interpretations. This call stems from the distinctive character of each narrative as they voice individual researchers’ perspectives from around the globe, articulating their insights within their unique situational contexts

Openness in Education as a Praxis: From Individual Testimonials to Collective Voices

Why is Openness in Education important, and why is it critically needed at this moment? As manifested in our guiding question, the significance of Openness in Education and its immediate necessity form the heart of this collaborative editorial piece. This rather straightforward, yet nuanced query has sparked this collective endeavour by using individual testimonies, which may also be taken as living narratives, to reveal the value of Openness in Education as a praxis. Such testimonies serve as rich, personal narratives, critical introspections, and experience-based accounts that function as sources of data. The data gleaned from these narratives points to the understanding of Openness in Education as a complex, multilayered concept intricately woven into an array of values. These range from aspects such as sharing, access, flexibility, affordability, enlightenment, barrier-removal, empowerment, care, individual agency, trust, innovation, sustainability, collaboration, co-creation, social justice, equity, transparency, inclusivity, decolonization, democratisation, participation, liberty, and respect for diversity. This editorial, as a product of collective endeavour, invites its readers to independently engage with individual narratives, fostering the creation of unique interpretations. This call stems from the distinctive character of each narrative as they voice individual researchers’ perspectives from around the globe, articulating their insights within their unique situational contexts

Openness in Education as a Praxis: From Individual Testimonials to Collective Voices

Why is Openness in Education important, and why is it critically needed at this moment? As manifested in our guiding question, the significance of Openness in Education and its immediate necessity form the heart of this collaborative editorial piece. This rather straightforward, yet nuanced query has sparked this collective endeavour by using individual testimonies, which may also be taken as living narratives, to reveal the value of Openness in Education as a praxis. Such testimonies serve as rich, personal narratives, critical introspections, and experience-based accounts that function as sources of data. The data gleaned from these narratives points to the understanding of Openness in Education as a complex, multilayered concept intricately woven into an array of values. These range from aspects such as sharing, access, flexibility, affordability, enlightenment, barrier-removal, empowerment, care, individual agency, trust, innovation, sustainability, collaboration, co-creation, social justice, equity, transparency, inclusivity, decolonization, democratisation, participation, liberty, and respect for diversity. This editorial, as a product of collective endeavour, invites its readers to independently engage with individual narratives, fostering the creation of unique interpretations. This call stems from the distinctive character of each narrative as they voice individual researchers’ perspectives from around the globe, articulating their insights within their unique situational contexts

Hematoma Block Verses General Anesthesia For Close Reduction And Percutaneous Pinning Of Distal Radius Fractures In Elderly Patients

Objective: The objective of our study is to compare two techniques used for analgesia, hematoma block and general anaesthesia, in patients presented with a fracture of the distal radius in the trauma centre of Aziz Bhatti Shaheed Hospital Gujrat. Methods: Our study was conducted at the Trauma Centre of Aziz Bhatti Shaheed Hospital Gujrat from January 2021 to April 2023. All the patients having distal radius fractures who met the inclusion criteria were included in our study. The patients were placed into two groups, A and B. All the patients were treated by close reduction and percutaneous pinning. The analgesia method used in group A was Hematoma block while in group B was general anesthesia. Data was analyzed using SPSS. Results: 156 patients met the inclusion criteria. The mean age was 61.3 ± 6.6 years. These patients were placed in two groups, A and B, of 78 patients each. There was significantly less pain intensity at 2 and 6 hours after the procedure in the hematoma block group (P < 0.001). Duration for manipulation did not differ significantly between the two groups. Duration for surgery was significantly shorter for the hematoma block group (P 0.02). In 100 per cent of cases, anatomical reduction was achieved in both groups. Conclusion: Hematoma block used as analgesia for the management of fractures of the distal radius in elderly patients is a more effective and safe method than general anaesthesia in emergency trauma centres. Keywords: Hematoma block, distal radius fracture, elderly

Prevalence of Mental Disorders Among Patients with Multimorbidity Visiting Primary Care Settings in Slums of Karachi, Pakistan

Background: Anxiety and depression often exacerbate multimorbidity conditions, leading to increased disability rates among affected individuals. Objective: The study aimed to assess the mental health status of individuals with multimorbidity belonging to the marginalized population of Karachi, Pakistan. Specifically, the prevalence of anxiety and depression was investigated. Methods: A multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted between July 2022 and June 2023 in 10 primary healthcare clinics located in 4 peri-urban areas of Karachi. A total of 9331 participants were included in the study. The Patient Health Questionnaire 4 (PHQ-4), Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7 (GAD-7), and Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9) were used to assess symptoms of anxiety and depression. The data collected were analyzed using the statistical analysis system (SAS) version 9.4. Results: Among the study participants, 2894 (31%) were men and 5534 (59.3%) were women. The prevalence of moderate to severe anxiety was 31% among men and 59.3% among women. The age group between 41 and 60 years exhibited the highest rates of moderate to severe anxiety, 19.3% as evaluated by GAD-7 and 34.6% by PHQ-9. The Pathan ethnic group had the highest prevalence of anxiety (11%) and depression (28.3%) in the neighborhoods. Unemployed participants showed moderate to severe anxiety in 21.3% of the cases and moderate to severe depression in 25.5% of the cases. Conclusion: The study revealed a significant cooccurrence of anxiety and depression among individuals with multimorbidity in the marginalized population of Karachi, Pakistan. Furthermore, the presence of anxiety symptoms in multimorbidity patients with depression indicates a more unfavorable health state. It is essential to explore the implementation of screening measures and therapeutic interventions for comorbid anxiety and depression in this population to improve clinical outcomes

Microplastic contamination from surface waters and commercially valuable fishes of Karachi Coast, Pakistan

Microplastic (MPs) pollution is a major concern due to extensive human plastic dependency that is deteriorating ecological health of the world’s oceans. This study was conducted to observe MPs contamination in surface water samples and gastrointestinal tracts of 127 fishes attributed to 15 species from Karachi coast, the busiest port of Pakistan. Total of 6319 MPs/m3 were recorded during this study from water samples where 73% MPs recorded from Manora channel (Karachi harbor) and 27% from open ocean. The most dominant MPs were fibers (42%), pellets (27%), and fragments (20%) respectively. MPs abundance differed significantly among species and ranged between 20.833 ± 2.522– 76.400 ± 7.869 item ind.−1 . Fibers were the most dominant type in all samples (53.39–90.0 %) followed by pellets (4.88–20.22 %) and blue (21.60–66.23 %) was the most common color. The mean size of MPs ranged between 0.34 mm (Otolithus ruber) to 2.1 mm (Terapon jarbua). The mean highest number of MPs were recorded from shallow coastal fishes (440 item ind.−1 ) followed by estuarine and shallow coastal fishes (385 item ind.−1 ). MPs abundance differed significantly among species from different habitat type (Kruskal–Wallis Test, P < 0.0001) with negative correlation between MPs abundance in GITs of fishes and their habitat (Spearman’s rho, r = -0.143) whereas MPs abundance was not significantly correlated with body weight (F = 0.002, p = 0.963), suggesting that MPs ingestion is independent of body weight. There is a need to work about origin, composition, interaction of MPs with biota and impacts of consuming fishes contaminated with high levels of MPs on human health. This is the preliminary study from the Karachi coast and will be a gateway for future studies in this are