THE INTERCONNECTIONS OF GREEN MOTIVES AND CORPORATE SOCIAL PERFORMANCE: THE MEDIATING ROLE OF GREEN PRACTICES

This research aims to explore the impact of green motives (GM) on Corporate Social Performance (CSP) through green practices (GP) in the hotel industry. Data was collected from the 250 executives and other members of senior management who were involved in the management decision making directly or indirectly. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) technique was applied through Smart-PLS version 3.2.8. Subsequently, results proved that green motives have a positive association with green practices and CSP. Green practices mediated the relationship between green motive and CSP.  This research isolates itself from the previous ones in this area by integrating the literature of green motives and corporate social performance that how green practices intercede this relationship in the context of the hotel industry. In the hotel industry, owners/managers should focus on green motives and must consider them to keep their stakeholders interested and motivated. This study guides management in practice that how to satisfy their customers timely through the green process and build a strong foundation for CSP. This is quantitative research based on cross-sectional data and has been conducted in Pakistan

Clinical Characteristics and Outcome Assessment of Brain Abscess in Children and Adolescents; a 2 Years Neurosurgical Perspective

Background: Brain abscess is a serious infective disorder of the central nervous system with high rates of prolonged morbidity and mortality. Effective neurosurgical management is the key to lower morbidity and death rates due to this disease.Material and Methods: This study was conducted prospectively at the Department of Neurosurgery, Hayatabad Medical Complex Peshawar from January 2013 to December 2014. Presenting clinical features, radiological characteristics and surgical findings were recorded. Emphasis was placed to test the effectiveness of prompt surgery, good antibiotic coverage and the use of drainage tubes in reducing recurrence rates and lowering mor-bidity and mortality. The patients were followed for one month postoperatively and their functional outcome plus radiological resolution recorded.Results: 48 cases were included in the study with 33 (68.8%) males and 15 (31.3%) females and mean age of 9.7 years (SD ± 4.5). Median GCS on presentation was 12 (SD ± 3.1) and mean diameter of the abscess cavity was 4.8 cm (SD ± 1.3). The mean of length of stay was 6.6 days (SD ± 2.7) while median GOS at discharge was found to be 4 (SD ± 1.2). Eighteen of the 48 patients were lost to follow up. Overall mortality was 14.6% (7 patients). There was a significant correlation between admission GCS and GOS at discharge (r = 0.87 and p = < 0.001).Conclusion: The paediatric age group is more susceptible to central nervous system infections and cerebral abscess development. Moreover, the higher prevalence of congenital heart diseases, pulmonary disorders and head trauma leads to higher incidence, prolonged morbidity and increased mortality. Surgical interventions for brain abscess have good outcome. However, early diagnosis is the key to saving lives

The cross-sectional study of anxiety levels and ratio of severity of thirteen symptoms of anxiety among medical students

Background: Anxiety is defined as physical, behavioral, social and psychological response to treat self-concept characterized by subjective, consciously perceived feelings of tension. Nowadays anxiety is most commonly found among medical students. This study was conducted to find out the anxiety levels and ratio of severity of thirteen symptoms of anxiety.Methods: A questionnaire based study was conducted among 178 medical students which tests the level of anxiety and severity of symptoms of anxiety. The questionnaire used was hamilton anxiety rating scale (HAM-A).Results: Out of 178 students, 80 (44.94%) students scored mild anxiety levels, 63 (35.39%) students scored moderate anxiety levels and 35 (19.66%) students scored severe anxiety levels.Conclusions: Mild form of anxiety is much more common among medical students and majority of these medical students are females. Moreover, the symptoms of anxiety including tension, anxious mood, depressed mood, insomnia, fear and CVS symptoms appear with moderate severity in majority of medical students while on the other hand some symptoms including general somatic muscular and sensory symptoms, difficulties in concentration and memory, genitor-urinary symptoms, respiratory symptoms, GIT symptoms and other autonomic symptoms appear with least severity among majority of medical students

Figurations of displacement in and beyond Pakistan: empirical findings and reflections on protracted displacement and translocal connections of Afghans

Pakistan currently hosts up to three million Afghans, a number that is likely to increase due to the Taliban's recent return to power in Afghanistan. This working paper is based on empirical research on the experience of Afghan displacement in Pakistan from 2019 until early 2021 as part of the European Union funded TRAFIG project. Findings show that Afghans' protracted displacement is classed. Many low-skilled, low-income and largely non-educated Afghans experience barriers to upward social mobility, particularly leading the Afghan youth to consider migrating to Europe. First-generation Afghan refugees who migrated mainly in the 1980s and 1990s prefer to stay in Pakistan; only few would return if the conditions allowed it. While aiming to incentivise return, Pakistani government policies hamper the opportunity for Afghans to move around within and beyond Pakistan and remain connected to their translocal and transnational networks. Many Afghan refugees have family members who live in other parts of Pakistan or in other countries, but the potential of these networks to lift those in Pakistan out of protracted displacement is limited. We also found that social cohesion between Afghan refugees and the Pakistani host society has been decreasing. Local networks are highly significant in day-to-day life, but intergroup relations do not yield any emancipatory potential for Afghans. Afghans' presence in Pakistan needs to be reconsidered by all actors, namely the country of origin, host and donor countries. The current approach of 'administering Afghans' keeps them in protracted displacement without the opportunity to integrate legally or sustainably. It needs to be replaced with a new narrative and operational approach - one that acknowledges Afghans' contributions to Pakistan's economy, society and culture, and that secures their right to remain in Pakistan. Such an approach is particularly important today given the looming prospect of more Afghans entering Pakistan to escape from living under a government headed by the Taliban

Design and implementation of Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference system for the control of an uncertain Ball on Beam Apparatus

Controlling an uncertain mechatronic system is challenging and crucial for its automation. In this regard, several control-strategies are developed to handle such systems. However, these control-strategies are complex to design, and require in-depth knowledge of the system and its dynamics. In this study, we are testing the performance of a rather simple control-strategy (Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System) using an uncertain Ball and Beam System. The custom-designed apparatus utilizes image processing technique to acquire the position of the ball on the beam. Then, desired position is achieved by controlling the beam angle using Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy and PID control. We are showing that adaptive neuro-fuzzy control can effectively handle the system uncertainties, which traditional controllers (i.e., PID) cannot handle

ASSOCIATION BETWEEN THE BASELINE GENE EXPRESSION PROFILE IN PERIAPICAL GRANULOMA AND PERIAPICAL WOUND HEALING AFTER SURGICAL ENDODONTIC TREATMENT

In this study, we have investigated the association between the baseline gene expression profile in periapical granuloma and periapical wound healing after surgical endodontic treatment. Twenty-seven patients aged between 15 and 57 years underwent periapical surgery. The retrieved periapical tissue sample was used for mRNA expression analysis of COL1A1, VTN, ITGA5, IL-4, TNF, ANGPT, VEGFA, and CTGF. All patients were recalled after 6 and 12 months for periapical healing evaluation. Healing was then correlated with baseline gene expression. Healing was observed in 15 patients at the end of 6 months, which increased to 21 patients after 12 months. Six patients showed no healing even after 12 months. Analysis of baseline expression levels of the tested genes with healing status showed the mean relative expression of VTN, VEGFA, ANGPT, TNF, and CTGF to be significantly different (p < 0.05) between the healing group (6 and 12 months) (72.99%) and the non-healing (94.42%) group. Periapical Index scores 3–5 exhibited a positive correlation with ITGA-5 expression. Overexpression of ANGPT and a strong positive correlation between ITGA5 and PAI scores in the non-healing group of patients may suggest these genes to be a potential prognostic biomarker for periapical wound non-healing after surgical endodontic treatment

Discovery of varlaxins, new aeruginosin-type inhibitors of human trypsins

Low-molecular weight natural products display vast structural diversity and have played a key role in the development of novel therapeutics. Here we report the discovery of novel members of the aeruginosin family of natural products, which we named varlaxins. The chemical structures of varlaxins 1046A and 1022A were determined using a combination of mass spectrometry, analysis of one- and two-dimensional NMR spectra, and HPLC analysis of Marfey's derivatives. These analyses revealed that varlaxins 1046A and 1022A are composed of the following moieties: 2-O-methylglyceric acid 3-O-sulfate, isoleucine, 2-carboxy-6-hydroxyoctahydroindole (Choi), and a terminal arginine derivative. Varlaxins 1046A and 1022A differ in the cyclization of this arginine moiety. Interestingly, an unusual alpha-d-glucopyranose moiety derivatized with two 4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid residues was bound to Choi, a structure not previously reported for other members of the aeruginosin family. We sequenced the complete genome of Nostoc sp. UHCC 0870 and identified the putative 36 kb varlaxin biosynthetic gene cluster. Bioinformatics analysis confirmed that varlaxins belong to the aeruginosin family of natural products. Varlaxins 1046A and 1022A strongly inhibited the three human trypsin isoenzymes with IC50 of 0.62-3.6 nM and 97-230 nM, respectively, including a prometastatic trypsin-3, which is a therapeutically relevant target in several types of cancer. These results substantially broaden the genetic and chemical diversity of the aeruginosin family and provide evidence that the aeruginosin family is a source of strong inhibitors of human serine proteases.Peer reviewe

The Merging of Two Dynasties—Identification of an African Cotton Leaf Curl Disease-Associated Begomovirus with Cotton in Pakistan

Cotton leaf curl disease (CLCuD) is a severe disease of cotton that occurs in Africa and Pakistan/northwestern India. The disease is caused by begomoviruses in association with specific betasatellites that differ between Africa and Asia. During survey of symptomatic cotton in Sindh (southern Pakistan) Cotton leaf curl Gezira virus (CLCuGV), the begomovirus associated with CLCuD in Africa, was identified. However, the cognate African betasatellite (Cotton leaf curl Gezira betasatellite) was not found. Instead, two Asian betasatellites, the CLCuD-associated Cotton leaf curl Multan betasatellite (CLCuMB) and Chilli leaf curl betasatellite (ChLCB) were identified. Inoculation of the experimental plant species Nicotiana benthamiana showed that CLCuGV was competent to maintain both CLCuMB and ChLCB. Interestingly, the enations typical of CLCuD were only induced by CLCuGV in the presence of CLCuMB. Also in infections involving both CLCuMB and ChLCB the enations typical of CLCuMB were less evident. This is the first time an African begomovirus has been identified on the Indian sub-continent, highlight the growing threat of begomoviruses and particularly the threat of CLCuD causing viruses to cotton cultivation in the rest of the world

Time to endoscopy for acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding: results from a prospective multicentre trainee-led audit

Background: Endoscopy within 24 hours of admission (early endoscopy) is a quality standard in acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding (AUGIB). We aimed to audit time to endoscopy outcomes and identify factors affecting delayed endoscopy (>24h of admission).Methods: This prospective multicentre audit enrolled patients admitted with AUGIB who underwent inpatient endoscopy between Nov-Dec 2017. Analyses were performed to identify factorsassociated with delayed endoscopy, and to compare patient outcomes, including length of stay and mortality rates, between early and delayed endoscopy groups.Results: Across 348 patients from 20 centres, the median time to endoscopy was 21.2h (IQR 12.0- 35.7), comprising median admission to referral and referral to endoscopy times of 8.1h (IQR 3.7- 18.1) and 6.7h (IQR 3.0-23.1) respectively. Early endoscopy was achieved in 58.9%, although this varied by centre (range: 31.0% - 87.5%, p=0.002). On multivariable analysis, lower Glasgow-Blatchford score, delayed referral, admissions between 7am-7pm or via the Emergency Department were independent predictors of delayed endoscopy. Early endoscopy was associated with reduced length of stay (median difference 1d; p= 0.004), but not 30-day mortality (p=0.344).Conclusions: The majority of centres did not meet national standards for time to endoscopy. Strategic initiatives involving acute care services may be necessary to improve this outcome