Determinants of social and institutional beliefs about internet acceptance within developing country’s context: A structural evaluation of higher education systems in Pakistan

This study aims to extend a model of technology acceptance to suit in developing country’s context. The model attempts to identify relationship between social and institutional factors over behavioural intention and usage. Recently, ‘acceptance and adoption of information technology (IT) in multicultural setting’ is becoming topic of interest for IS researchers. In this line, numerous theories and models are proposed to contribute in examining factors of IT acceptance and reluctance. It is argued that the models in published literature are found culturally biased, which successfully present results in only American and European context, however, their validity became questionable when they were tested in south Asian countries context. Additionally, lack of research is observed to predict individual’s cognitive behaviour of acceptance, which are influenced by social factors (i.e. peer influence and superior influence, voluntariness, experience) and institutional factors (i.e. local institutional management influence and top-level governmental policies influence). This study used Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) based on Partial Least Square (PLS) method to analyse the data. The results reveal that the proposed conceptual model achieves acceptable fit and the hypothesised paths are valid

Studying acceptance of online banking information system: A structural equation model

This thesis was submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy and awarded by Brunel University.Acceptance of information technology (IT) has remained a topic of interest for a last few decades. Several theories, specifically over the conceptualisation of the technology acceptance model (TAM) have emerged and they have been applied in different contexts to investigate new insights into the acceptance behaviour at individual and organisational levels. However, despite TAM’s maturity and validity in different contexts, very little published literature strives to extend its capability to predict individuals’ acceptance behaviour about an online banking information system (OBIS). A possible rational for this gap may be conceptualisation of the TAM under which individuals’ acceptance behaviour can only be predicted with two beliefs: perceived ease of use (PEOU) and perceived usefulness (PU). The evidence in literature shows that PU and PEOU beliefs are not sufficient; hence, they may not explain individuals’ acceptance behaviour in emerging contexts, such as online banking information systems, especially in developing economies such as Pakistan. There is therefore a need for inclusion of any additional factor that can enhance prediction of acceptance of online banking information system by potential users. Extending research on the TAM, this study developed and tested a model of OBIS acceptance. The proposed model integrated key constructs from the information systems acceptance research stream into the theoretical frame of the TAM and other theories from social psychology, such as the theory of reasoned action (TRA), theory of planned behaviour (TPB) and the TAM2. According to the proposed conceptual model, OBIS acceptance was determined by eight main factors, which included perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, trust, technological self-efficacy, response time, output quality, accessibility, and terminology clarity. In this model, PU was hypothesised to be affected by PEOU, trust, technological self-efficacy (TSE), output quality (OQ) and response time (RT). In addition, PEOU was hypothesised to be determined by three external factors: TSE, accessibility and terminology clarity (TC). The model was tested on a sample of 353 Internet banking users in Pakistan. Using structural equation modelling with Analysis of Moment Structures (AMOS) software, data analysis showed considerable support for the extended hypothesised model. The result indicated that, in order of importance, PU, PEOU and trust explained 45.7 % of the variance in the acceptance behaviour. The trust and the TSE predicted 28.1 % of the variance in the PU. However, the hypothesised relationships between the PU and the PEOU, OQ and RT were found to be not significant. While in the PEOU, 21.8 % of the variance was predicted by the TSE, accessibility and TC. TSE was found to be a more influential determinant of the PEOU than the PU. The consideration of factors that have a significant influence on the acceptance of OBIS, as identified in this research, is important for the managers in the banking sector, especially in developing countries, in order to increase wider acceptance and use of these systems, which provide benefits to both the customers and the service providers.University of Sind

COMPARISON OF FA WAG AND SWAG AS AN EFFECTNE ENHANCED OIL RECOVERY METHOD

At present petroleum engineering has become economic based field hence all efforts are being made to make sure that we squeeze out the last drop of oil from the reservoir Pl. Reservoirs start to deplete with time hence secondary recovery methods are applied. When such methods are also failed, Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) techniques remain the only solution for the production of well hence with EOR techniques 30-60 % of oil can be recovered. In EOR techniques we inject gas and/or water to provide energy (driving force) to the reservoir to produce. Currently Simultaneous Water Alternating Gas (SWAG) along with other techniques tends to improve oil recovery by improving reservoir fluids mobility and providing driving force rzJ. Foam can also be added in water alternating gas technique to improve the sweeping mechanism and cut off the gas production and we term such method as Foam Assisted Water-Alternating Gas (FA WAG). In this study, a comparison has been made between FA WAG & SWAG in order to come up with the effective method of EOR, having better oil recovery. Core flooding is to be carried out for the evaluation of both techniques. Hence from previous experiences it has been predicted that SWAG tends to address all recovery related problems economically, where as foam has been seen to address the problems by assisting other Enhanced Oil Recovery Techniques and proved that foam assistance has given better recovery

Surface phosphatase activities on roots of Pakistani wheat cultivars

A study of the surface phosphatase activity of different wheat cuhivar roots was carried out, using two substrates, p-nitrophenyl phosphate (pNPP) and 4- methylumbellferyl phosphate (4-MUP), and different pH values ranging from 3 to 10.0. Seedlings of the wheat cultivars, Indus-66, Jauhar-78 and Pavan, were grown in Hoagland solution under P-sufficient and P-limited conditions, each for 5, 10 and 15-days. The optimum pH for phosphatase activity differed in the different cultivars, but was always acidic, ranging from pH 4.0 to 6.0.P-limited plants showed greater phosphatase activity than P-suflficient ones with both substrates. Phosphatase activity increased within the first 5-day interval of the plants being deprived of phosphorus, and reached a peak by the 10-day age. In 5-day old plants, cv Pavan showed highest PMEase activity (0.06 µmol mg d.wt(^-1) h(^-1) at pH 5.0); however in cv Indus-66 (0.08 µmol mg d. wt (^-1) h(^-1)) and cv Jauhar-78 (0.07 µmol mg d. wt(^-1) h(^-1)) the highest activity was in 10-day old plants at pH 4.5 and 6.0, respectively. This occurred with both substrates. The pH optima of P-sufficient and P- limited plants were similar. As root surface phosphatase activity is an adaptive response, this could be used to distinguish cultivars suitable for growing in low inorganic phosphate fertility situations

Asset Remaining Life Cycle Assessment (ARLCA)

Asset Remaining Life Cycle Assessment is a practical and cost effective system for calculating the remaining life of the Assets. It also gives the graphical representation of that calculated value of the equipment. The remaining life is calculated based on certain formula. It provides semi-quantitative analysis. Applications include piping, static equipment, rotating equipment, relief valves and control valves. It has integrated Task Master Technology that allows the user to easily develop an inspection work program based on the asset assessment results. It requires a serious commitment of resources to implement and maintain and also require a large amount of data. It meets all the requirements of API RP 580 for an effective program. But it is much faster, easier and cheaper to implement. This application is hope to benefit for Inspectors in order for them to inspect the equipments and to find the remaining life of the equipments

Breaking the pain cycle successfully in a child with severe pain due to recurrent pancreatitis: A case report

Abdominal pain, due to pancreatic diseases like idiopathic recurrent pancreatitis and chronic pancreatitis, is difficult to manage with medications alone in some patients. The Coeliac plexus innervates abdominal organs including the liver, gallbladder, pancreas, etc. We are presenting a case of the successful pain man-agement of a 13-year-old boy with recurrent pancreatitis, by the application of coeliac plexus block. The patient was admitted to the hospital with severe abdominal pain in August 2019. Multimodal analgesia was provided to manage his pain, but he continued to have moderate to severe pain in the abdomen. So, he was scheduled for coeliac plexus block under fluoroscopy in the operating room. Block Procedure was performed with standard monitoring and under conscious sedation bilaterally, via paramedian technique at the level of L1 using 22G Chiba needle. The injection Ropivicaine 0.25% with dexamethasone was injected on each side. After the procedure, his pain was significantly reduced and he was discharged on oral medications after two days

Finite Difference Method with Dirichlet Problems of 2D Laplace’s Equation in Elliptic Domain

In this study finite difference method (FDM) is used with Dirichlet boundary conditions on rectangular domain to solve the 2D Laplace equation. The chosen body is elliptical, which is discretized into square grids. The finite difference method is applied for numerical differentiation of the observed example of rectangular domain with Dirichlet boundary conditions. The obtained numerical results arecompared with analytical solution. The obtained results show the efficiency of the FDM and settled with the obtained exact solution. The study objective is to check the accuracy of FDM for the numerical solutions of elliptical bodies of 2D Laplace equations. The study contributes to find the heat (temperature) distribution inside a regular rectangular elliptical discretized body

Strengthening the Performance of SMEs Through Knowledge Management, Market Orientation and Competitive Environment

This study aims to proposes a framework for strengthening performance of SMEs. It was identified that knowledge management, market orientation, competitive environment and access to finance as an effective response of SMEs to the large firms for their survival. A model was developed with the help of extensive literature search and four propositions were exhibited with a graphical model.  The framework of this study proposes Knowledge Management and Market Orientation have strong association with SMEs Performance. The model further proposes that Access to Finance and Competitive Environment serve as a contingency between the Knowledge Management and Market Orientation with SMEs Performance. This study significantly adds into the entrepreneurship literature and proposes a framework not tested before. The theoretical model has a wider applicability, and it can be used in any cultural context in general but specifically in the emerging economies.  &nbsp

Frequency of early postoperative adverse events (AEs) in adult patients undergoing elective neurosurgical intervention at tertiary care center in Pakistan

Objective: The postoperative period is critical in neurosurgical patients, where the incidence of postoperative AEs is significantly high. Most of events occurs during recovery phase and has got relation to anaesthetic management. The objective of study was to determine frequency of early AEs in elective neurosurgical patients.Methods: This cross sectional study was conducted at our tertiary care center. The duration of study was one year, from August 2017-July 2018. The data was collected using predesigned proforma. The assessment was done on arrival in recovery room (T1) and then at forty five minutes (T2), twenty-fourth hour (T3) and forty-eighth hour (T4) postoperatively.Results: Total ninety-five patients were included. Overall, five hundred and forty AEs were recorded at T1, T2, T3 and T4. Anaesthesia related events like pain, postoperative sore throat, hoarseness, shivering and hypothermia were the commonest (73%). There was a gradual decline in incidence of these events over period of 48 hours. There was no effect of age, sex, BMI and blood loss on incidence of AEs.Conclusions: Postoperative pain, PONV and shivering were frequently reported AEs. We did not identify the impact of age, sex, BMI, comorbid or type of surgery in terms of having these events