Examining the Impact of Financial Inclusion, Tourism and Renewable Energy on Environmental Sustainability: Evidence from NARDL Approach

This paper aims at examining the effects of financial inclusion, renewable energy, tourism and economic growth on the environmental stability in Pakistan. It uses the Nonlinear Autoregressive Distributed Lag (NARDL) and Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis. The goal of the study to uncover the non-linear relationship and long-run co-movement between such variables which spans through 2000-2023. Financial inclusion emerges as a critical factor, consistently reducing emissions in both the short and long run, with negative shocks having a more pronounced effect. The findings highlight the EKC pattern, where economic growth initially increases emissions, but beyond a certain point, further growth reduces them, signaling a transition toward environmental improvement. Renewable energy consumption plays a crucial role in lowering emissions, while tourism slightly increases them. The findings of this study can be useful for policy makers as this study also emphasized the fact that for the sustainability in Pakistan there is need to encourage financial commensurate with the need for green economy through sustainable tourism and renewable energy for the improved environmental sustainability

Guillian-Barre syndrome after COVID-19 infection: a case report

Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) is an auto-immune disorder characterized by ascending motor weakness with hypo-reflexia or areflexia. In GBS molecular mimicry leads to the targeting of peripheral nerves. The treatment of GBS is mainly supportive, however, the definitive management of GBS includes IVIGs (intravenous immunoglobulins) and plasma exchange (plasmapheresis). We reported a case of 42 year old man who presented with weakness of both lower limbs associated with pain and numbness after recovering from COVID-19 infection. Clinical examination, radiological findings and lab results confirmed the diagnosis of GBS. He was admitted in the hospital and treated with intravenous immunoglobulins along with periodic cardiac, respiratory and neurological assessment. The patient showed a substantial response to intravenous immunoglobulins and resulted in a remarkable recovery with no residual motor or sensory deficit

Gall stones: a fundamental clinical review

Formation of stones in the gall bladder is known as cholelithiasis. About 10% to 20% of Western population are suffering from gall stones and this percentage is increasing day by day. Biochemically gall stones are classified into black pigment stones, brown pigment stones and cholesterol stones. Gall stones can be anatomically located at two possible sites; in the gall bladder known as cholelithiasis and in the common bile duct known as choledocholithiasis. Gall stones may present with symptoms known as symptomatic gallstones or without symptoms known as asymptomatic gallstones. The major causes of gallstones are high cholesterol diet, low bile salt levels, decreased gall bladder motility etc. Obesity, female gender, family history, rapid weight loss and vitamin B12 or folic acid deficiency are considered as important risk factors in the development of gall stones. The clinical presentations include acute cholecystitis and febrile illness with pain and tenderness in the right upper quadrant (Murphy sign). Generalized body weakness and weight loss are considered as generalized symptoms of gallstones. The complications include cholangitis, empyema of gall bladder, pancreatitis, abscess formation, porcelain gall bladder and gall bladder perforation. The differential diagnosis of gall stones is carried out based on endoscopy, ALT and AST serum levels. Non-surgical treatment for gall stones is oral dissolution therapy. The standard surgical treatment for gall stones is cholecystectomy

Jaundice: a basic review

Jaundice is a complex disease. Jaundice is actually the high bilirubin level in the body. Yellowing of skin, mucous membranes and skin are common presentations of jaundice. Jaundice has various variants including pre-hepatic jaundice (due to hemolysis of red blood cells), hepatic jaundice (due to defect in capture, conjugation and excretion of bilirubin by liver) and post hepatic jaundice (due to the obstruction of extra hepatobiliary system). The causes of various variants of Jaundice is either acquired or congenital. High plasma bilirubin level can cause various manifestations involving satiety, gastrointestinal bleeding, diarrhea, anemia, edema, weight-loss and can be fatal because it can cause psychosis, lethargy, seizures, coma or even death. High bilirubin level can help in the diagnosis of Jaundice. Differential diagnosis of various variants of Jaundice can be carried out on the basis of bilirubin level (conjugated and unconjugated), ultrasonography and other radiological techniques. The proper management of Jaundice is high water intake and low fat diet. The primary effective treatment for pre-hepatic jaundice and neonatal physiological jaundice is phototherapy. Infusion of immunoglobulins is also used for treatment of pre-hepatic jaundice. Proper nutrition, steroids and immunosuppressant are used for treatment of hepatic jaundice. The treatment for post hepatic jaundice is decompression and surgery

Impact of Political and Economic Institutions on FDI Inflows: evidence from South Asian countries

The current study examines the effects of political and economic institutions on the FDI inflows for the selected 4 South Asian countries including Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.  For this, Panel data is employed for the period 1984--2020. Panel unit root test, Pedroni Cointegration test, Dynamic OLS (DOLS), and Panel Error Correction Model (PECM) methods have been used to extract the results. The empirical findings revealed the significant and positive effect of economic institutions on the inward FDI of South Asian countries. However, political institutions are found to be insignificant for inward FDI. The outcomes of the VECM and the panel cointegration approach confirmed the presence of a cointegrated relationship among the variables. The short-run effects are found to be insignificant.  Therefore, Policymakers should make certain policies by taking into account the heterogeneity between economic and political institutions. They need to pay attention to the steps through which the institutions can be made stronger and more effective so that they can make the environment more favorable to attract the maximum number of FDI projects into a specific region

Exploring Subjective Knowledge Towards Organic Food Construct: Analyzing Interest of Pakistani Consumers Towards Organic Food

Urban water and air pollutions have made people around the globe more conscious regarding environmental issues. One of the major causes among others is the farm practices of synthetic chemical means to get more crop yields. Organic food is the solution, which is free of synthetic chemicals. People have started to claim organic food at grocery shops due to its health, good taste, and environmental benefits, which consequently boosted the demand of organic food in Pakistan. For this purpose, a descriptive analysis of 250 consumer responses; by using the mall intercept data collection method; was conducted by evaluating the mean values of subjective knowledge items through SPSS. Result outcomes showed that Pakistani consumers possessed subjective knowledge of organic food. This study outcomes would be beneficial for the organic food marketers to know the knowledge base of organic food among consumers and for policy makers who wish set in policy in the country regardin

Genetic diversity of bacterial wilt caused by <i>Ralstonia solanacearum</i> as assessed by PCR

The current research was conducted to investigate genetic diversity of Ralstonia solanacearum for comparison of different strains that were collected mainly from Netherlands as well as from Bangladesh, Brazil, Kenya, Egypt, Pakistan and Palma. Forty six strains were included in contemporary studies whereas main biovars for these strains included biovar-2 except GMI1000 that belonged to biovar 3. Genetic diversity of bacterial wilt disease caused by R. solancearum was assessed by focusing mainly on three genes i.e. mutL, cbhA and dps. All the genes seem to be conserved but in case of mutL some strains showed divergence. Multi Locus Sequence Typing (MLST) scheme was used in this contemporary research. It was concluded that polymerized chain reaction (PCR) is the most imperative and appropriate modern tool of molecular biology to find genetic diversity in Ralstonia solanacearum causing bacterial wilt

Diabetes insipidus: the basic and clinical review

Diabetes insipidus (DI) is a complex disease. DI is inability of the body to conserve water. Polydipsia and polyuria are the major manifestations of DI. DI has various variants including central diabetes insipidus (due to defect in ADH secretion), nephrogenic diabetes insipidus (due to defect in ADH receptors or urea receptors), gestational diabetes insipidus (due to catabolism of ADH by placental vasopressinase) and primary polydipsia (due to massive fluid intake). The cause of various variants of DI is either acquired or congenital. High plasma osmolality due to hypotonic urine excretion can be fatal because it can cause psychosis, lethargy, seizures, coma or even death. Polyuria and polydipsia help in the diagnosis of DI. Differential diagnosis of various variants of DI can be carried out on the basis of water deprivation test, MRI and other radiological techniques. The proper management of DI is the replenishment of water loss and correction of clinical presentations produced as a result of DI, major is hypernatremia. The best management for primary polydipsia is fluid restriction while fluid intake is used for adipsic diabetes insipidus. ADH replacement therapy is widely used to treat DI. DDAVP or desmopressin is mostly preferred ADH analogue because it has less side effects and resistant to placental vasoprssinase