Effective Supplier Management in Automobile Industry in Pakistan

ABSTRACT Vendor management is a discipline that enables organizations to control costs, drive service excellence and mitigate risks to gain increased value from their vendors throughout the deal life cycle. The term vendor management is usually used within the context of business operations, but individuals may also need to manage vendors from time to time. The purpose of this paper is to provide an explanation about how the buyer and supplier management can be effective in growing industry of automobile of Pakistan. This paper highlights the PESTAL effect on the Buyer and Supplier relationship. Data collected through structured interview questionnaire (based on external and internal factors). The most significant recommendation for practitioners concerns the need to how managers can design the buyer & supplier relationship strategy so that targets can be achieved. The basic contribution of this paper is that it examines the need to develop buyer & supplier relationship for getting maximum gain for achieving production target and meet the market need

Vitamin D deficiency and low hemoglobin level as risk factors for severity of acute lower respiratory tract infections in Egyptian children: A case-control study

AbstractObjectiveAcute lower respiratory tract infection (ALRTI) is an important cause of morbidity in the developed world, and both morbidity and mortality in the developing world. Vitamin D has a major role in both acquired and innate immunity. Anemic children have less oxygen carrying capacity of blood. This study was done to determine the relation between vitamin D deficiency, anemia and the severity of ALRTIs in hospitalized children.MethodsThis study included 96 hospitalized infants with ALRTI, 48 diagnosed with pneumonia and 48 with bronchiolitis. Mean age was 10.67±3.143months. Matched age and sex infants with no respiratory illness were included. Serum 25 hydroxy vitamin D was measured in all cases and controls by Radio-immune assay. Hemoglobin level was measured by Coulter.ResultsVitamin D deficiency and low hemoglobin level were positively correlated with the severity of ALRTIs (r=0.798 and P=0.001) and (r=0.708, P=0.028), respectively. Low vitamin D level was significantly correlated with low hemoglobin level (r=0.708, P=0.028).ConclusionVitamin D deficiency was associated with severity of ALRTIs. Low hemoglobin level was more prevalent in those children. Improving the nutritional status in children by preventing vitamin D deficiency and low hemoglobin might influence the outcome of children with ALRTI

Antidiarrheal Activity of Three Medicinal Plants in Swiss Albino Mice

Background: Different parts of Allamanda neriifolia (AN), Crinum latifolium (CL), and Bruguiera cylindrical (BC) are used in folk medicine to treat diarrhea. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate and compare possible antidiarrheal activity of methanol extracts from barks, stems, and roots of AL, CL, and BC in Swiss albino mice. Methods: Antidiarrheal activities of extracts were evaluated at three doses (100mg/kg, 200 mg/kg and 400mg/kg) and compared with Loperamide in a castor oil-induced diarrhea and charcoal meal test model in the Swiss albino mice. Results: The aqueous extract of CL and BC administered at doses of 100, 200 and 400mg/kg showed 0%, 24.5%, 62.26% and 5.66%, 37.11%, and 62.26% diarrhea inhibition, respectively (Table 2). This reduction in diarrheal episodes is significant, and maximum effect was observed at the dose of 400mg/kg similarly in the alcohol extracts of both CL and BC. AN administered at the dose of 100, 200 and 400mg/kg showed 55.97%, 74.84% and 74.84% diarrhea inhibition, respectively. Conclusion: The antidiarrheal effect of the AN extract, in contrast to CL and BC, against the castor oil-induced diarrhea model prove its efficacy in an extensive range of diarrheal conditions

Promoting workplace retention during global crises: An international survey of the preventive role of psychological support among victims of social discrimination in long-term care facilities

This international cross-sectional survey examined the potential role of organizational psychological support in mitigating the association between experiencing social discrimination against long-term care (LTC) facilities’ healthcare professionals (HCPs) and their intention to stay in the current workplace during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants included a convenience sample of 2,143 HCPs (nurses [21.5 %], nurse aids or residential care workers [40.1 %], social workers [12.1 %], and others [26.4 %]) working at 223 LTC facilities in 13 countries/regions. About 37.5 % of the participants reported experiencing social discrimination, and the percentage ranged from 15.3 % to 77.9 % across countries/regions. Controlling for socio-demographic and work-related variables, experiencing social discrimination was significantly associated with a lower intention to stay, whereas receiving psychological support showed a statistically significant positive association (p-value=0.015 and <0.001, respectively). The interaction term between social discrimination and psychological support showed a statistically significant positive association with the intention to stay, indicating a moderating role of the psychological support

Long‐term care facilities' response to the COVID ‐19 pandemic: An international, cross‐sectional survey

Aims To (i) assess the adherence of long‐term care (LTC) facilities to the COVID‐19 prevention and control recommendations, (ii) identify predictors of this adherence and (iii) examine the association between the adherence level and the impact of the pandemic on selected unfavourable conditions. Design Cross‐sectional survey. Methods Managers (n = 212) and staff (n = 2143) of LTC facilities (n = 223) in 13 countries/regions (Brazil, Egypt, England, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Norway, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Spain, Thailand and Turkey) evaluated the adherence of LTC facilities to COVID‐19 prevention and control recommendations and the impact of the pandemic on unfavourable conditions related to staff, residents and residents' families. The characteristics of participants and LTC facilities were also gathered. Data were collected from April to October 2021. The study was reported following the STROBE guidelines. Results The adherence was significantly higher among facilities with more pre‐pandemic in‐service education on infection control and easier access to information early in the pandemic. Residents' feelings of loneliness and feeling down were the most affected conditions by the pandemic. More psychological support to residents was associated with fewer residents' aggressive behaviours, and more psychological support to staff was associated with less work–life imbalance. Conclusions Pre‐pandemic preparedness significantly shaped LTC facilities' response to the pandemic. Adequate psychological support to residents and staff might help mitigate the negative impacts of infection outbreaks. Impact This is the first study to comprehensively examine the adherence of LTC facilities to COVID‐19 prevention and control recommendations. The results demonstrated that the adherence level was significantly related to pre‐pandemic preparedness and that adequate psychological support to staff and residents was significantly associated with less negative impacts of the pandemic on LTC facilities' staff and residents. The results would help LTC facilities prepare for and respond to future infection outbreaks. Patient or public contribution No Patient or Public Contribution

A new procedure of initial boundary value problems using homotopy perturbation method

In this paper, , a new procedure is applied to treatment of initial boundary value problems by mixed initial and boundary conditions together  to obtain a new initial solution at every iteration using homotopy perturbation method. The structure of a new successive initial solutions can give a more accurate solution. Some examples (linear and nonlinear, homogeneous and nonhomogeneous problems) are given in this paper to illustrate the effectiveness and convenience of a new procedure

Eagle syndrome an overlooked cause of internal carotid artery dissection, Case series

Background: Eagle syndrome is a rare condition with a prevalence estimated at 4%, with 0.16% exhibiting symptoms of Eagle’s syndrome resulting from an elongated styloid process or a calcified stylohyoid ligament, compressing over nearby vessels and nerves. Symptoms range from simple headache, neck pain, and odynophagia to cerebral ischemia. Since it can be an incidental finding, management is controversial and ranges from conservative treatment to surgical intervention, including internal carotid stenting and styloidectomy. Clinical presentation: We report two cases of Eagle’s syndrome. Case one (Vascular variant): 44 years old presented with left-sided weakness with Magnetic Resonance Imaging and an angiogram of the brain showing a right middle cerebral artery hemispheric infarct with a right internal carotid artery (ICA) dissection and elongated styloid processes more on the left. The patient’s condition improved with supportive care. He was treated with aspirin, atorvastatin, and an intensive 16-week rehabilitation program. Case two (Classic variant): 41 years old presented with refractory occipital headache and neck pain without vascular insult. Magnetic resonance of both patients showed a long styloid process. Conclusions: Eagle’s Syndrome is a rare entity and perhaps overlooked as an anatomical variant that ought to be considered a possible etiology in atraumatic ICA dissection in patients with no discernable risk factors. As observed in case one, with atraumatic ICA dissection and unremarkable connective tissue disease work-up, highlighting anatomical variant, as an etiology to his ischemic stroke. Styloidectomy should be considered to avert risk of recurrent IC dissections in such patients with atraumatic IC dissection and classic eagle’s syndrome with refractory orofacial pain syndromes exacerbated by head movement or yawning

Pattern of peripheral neuropathy in systemic lupus erythematosus: clinical, electrophysiological, and laboratory properties and their association with disease activity

Aim To study clinical, electrophysiological, and laboratory properties of peripheral neuropathy (PN) in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and their association with disease activity. Patients and methods A total of 30 patients who met the American College of Rheumatology case definition criteria for SLE-PN and 30 age-matched and sex-matched patients with SLE without PN were selected from the Main Alexandria University Hospital Physical Medicine, Rheumatology and Rehabilitation clinic. Demographic data, SLE-related clinical, laboratory data, Systemic Lupus Activity Measure (SLAM) index, and nerve conduction studies were done. This case–control study compared clinical and SLE-related features, laboratory, and SLAM index in patients with SLE with PN versus those without neuropathy. Results The results showed that the most common PN subtype was sensorimotor polyneuropathy which occurred in 18 (60%) patients; the most common PN pathology was axonal degeneration, which occurred 19 (63.3%) patients; and the most common associated nerve entrapment was carpal tunnel syndrome in 10 (33.3%) patients. In comparison between group I (SLE with PN) and group II (SLE without PN), there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups regarding demographic data, disease duration, and lupus clinical features, except malar rash and lupus nephritis, which showed significant increase in patients with SLE with PN compared with patients with SLE without PN (P=0.003 and P<0.001, respectively). There was no statistically significant difference among PN subtype groups regarding sex, age, and immunological markers. Regarding diseases activity, SLAM index showed a significant increase in patients with SLE with PN compared with patients with SLE without PN (P=0.006). Conclusion The pattern of neuropathy in SLE is mainly axonal. Moreover, the most common PN subtype is sensorimotor polyneuropathy. The study suggests significant association of PN in patients with SLE with nephritis, malar rash, and SLAM index

Serum matrix metalloproteinase-9 level in systemic lupus erythematosus with peripheral neuropathy

Objective To evaluate whether serum matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) is associated with peripheral neuropathy (PN) in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and to determine the relationship between MMP-9 serum level and SLE disease activity, lupus manifestations, and laboratory markers. Patients and methods A total of 30 patients with SLE with PN, 30 patients with SLE without PN, and 20 healthy controls were included in this study. SLE clinical manifestations, Systemic Lupus Activity Measure (SLAM) index, and laboratory markers were evaluated. All the data were compared and correlated with serum MMP-9 level. Results MMP-9 showed a significant increase in frequency in SLE with PN group compared with SLE without PN group (P1=0.037), SLE with PN group compared with control group (P2<0.001), and SLE without PN group compared with control group (P3<0.001). In comparison between SLE with normal MMP-9 group versus SLE with high MMP-9 group, it showed no statistically significant difference between the two groups regarding demographic data, SLAM index, Erythrocytes sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), Antinuclear antibodies (ANA), Antiphospholipid antibodies (APL), C3, C4, anti-double-stranded DNA, and lupus clinical features, except malar rash and lupus nephritis, which showed significant increase in SLE with high MMP-9 group compared with SLE with normal MMP-9 group (P=0.042 for each). A significant positive correlation was detected between MMP-9 serum level and SLAM index (P=0.037), whereas anti-double-stranded DNA did not show significant correlation. There was a significant relation between increasing the risk of PN and MMP-9 (odds ratio=4.031). Conclusion Significant elevation of serum MMP-9 may increase the risk of PN in patients with SLE, and it may correlate with disease activity, lupus nephritis, and skin involvement