Impact of Financial Risk Management Practices on Islamic Banks Performance in Pakistan

In current era, an effective risk management process is the basic requirement to perform better financial performances. Once the risk has been recognized, then organizing the risk is one of the main objectives to be done. The relationship between risk and return is associated with each other. In Islamic finance, reward cannot be obtained without risks i.e., more risks more rewards and vice versa. The key objective of the current study is to investigate the impact of the financial risk management practices (RMPs) on the Islamic banks (IBs) financial performance in Pakistan. To achieve the main objectives, this research measures the existing RMPs of the IBs and associate these RMPs with the IBs financial performance. This is a dynamic study that has researched both primary and secondary data. To proxy the IBs financial performance, return on assets (ROA) stood average for six years (2014-2019). An adapted questionnaire is distributing among the IBs risk managers for measuring the financial risk management practices of IBs. The methodology of this study comprises on the analysis of data using the analysis of multiple regression and correlation analysis. The results are display in tabulated form and mathematical regression equations. The current study identifies that practices of IBs in Pakistan indicates better financial risk management, resultantly these RMPs discloses the optimistic relationship with IBs financial performance. The study on financial performance recommends that IBs should plan and attempt the advanced techniques and process of risk measurement in IBs. To mitigate the financial risk, the current study proposes to trained the IBs managers with modern techniques which will be very useful and valuable for the IBs financial performance. Keywords: Risk Management, Islamic Banks, Financial Risk, Financial Performance DOI: 10.7176/RJFA/12-14-02 Publication date:July 31st 202

Reversible Dementia in victims of Chronic Subdural Hematomas

Objective: The objective of this joint study was to offer the prompt surgical treatment to all diagnosed victims of Reversible dementia with chronic subdural hematomas in our population. Evaluation was based upon comparison of their Pre and Postoperative MMS scoring and HDS-R grading.Materials and Methods: This study started in June 2013 and is currently ongoing at the Services Institute of Medical Sciences with its allied Services Hospital, Lahore as a joint venture principally between the departments of Neurosurgery and Neurology. We included 30 cases in this study.Results: Out of 30 cases there were 25 (83.3%) males and 05 (16.66%) females patients. Twenty five out of 30 victims (83.3%) were suffering from dementia pre operatively. Twenty out of these patients (80%) recovered fully and three patients (10%) partially. 02 patients (6.6%) neither improved nor deteriorated. Twenty eight out of 30 victims underwent surgical evacuation by burr holes with closed drainage system under general anesthesia (91.1%) and 2 under went under local anesthesia (6.6%) due to their co-morbid conditions.Complications: There was no noticeable mortality. One patient complained of post operative pyrexia with convulsions (%) and was managed satisfactorily by conservative treatment. Another patient complained of head-ache for 3 days which was also managed conservatively pie diagram – II. There was no intracranial wound infection in our study.Conclusion: It was concluded that there was marked post operative improvement in patient’s memory, behavior and neurological status. This was established by proper recording, documentation and comparison of their pre and post operative MMS scoring and HDS-R grading system. It is recommended that the victims of chronic subdural hematomas should be offered prompt evacuation to improve their neurological status

Clinical Outcome of Cortical Venous Thrombosis in Stroke Patients at a Tertiary Care Hospital of Southern Punjab

Objective:  This study was determined to find out the clinical Outcome of Cortical Venous Thrombosis (CVT) in Stroke patients at a Tertiary Care Hospital of Southern Punjab. Material & Methods:  A total of 100 patients with cortical venous thrombosis were included in this descriptive case series study, which was conducted at Department of Neurology, Nishtar Hospital Multan. Outcome of patients in terms of partial recovery or complete recovery, any recurrence, any complication, indication for Surgery and any disability in terms of focal deficit, prolonged hospital stay and Mortality was followed. Results:  Our study included a total of 100 patients with cortical venous thrombosis (CVT), 35 (35%) were male and 65 (65%) were female patients with their mean age was 37.69 ± 16.52 years, ranging from 20 – 83 years (51.37 ± 17.44 in males versus 30.32 ± 10.15 years for females). Headache was noted in 80%, focal deficit in 57%, nerve palsy in 30%, coma in 22% and disability was noted in 35%. Partial recovery was noted in 65%, whereas complete recovery was noted in 35% while, complications were noted in 12 (12%) of these patients with CVT. Conclusion:  Cortical venous thrombosis was more prevalent in females in their younger age groups and it was associated with poor prognosis as high frequency of partial recovery was noted in our study. Keywords:  Cortical venous thrombosis, Stroke, headache, recovery, outcome

Solar Technology in Agriculture

Promotion of sustainable agriculture is one of the most priority development goal set by United Nations for achieving the food security to meet the ever-increasing global population food demand. Because of extreme importance of agriculture sector, significant technological developments have been made that played pivotal role for sustainable agriculture by value addition in agricultural products and meeting energy demands for machinery and irrigation. These developments include improved cultivation practices, processing units for agricultural products and operation of machinery and irrigation systems based on solar energy. Moreover, the emergence of new technologies and climate smart solutions with reduced carbon footprints have significantly addressed the ever-increasing fuel costs and changing climate needs. PV based solar irrigation pumps and agricultural machinery is typical example of this. Because, awareness of these technological development is essential to overcome energy issues, availability of energy to perform agricultural activities for sustainable agriculture at farm level and socioeconomic uplift of farming community to meet food requirements needs in the future. Therefore, this chapter attempts at providing the introduction of technologies for direct and indirect use of solar energy in the agriculture sector. The typical examples of direct use of solar energy like greenhouses or tunnel farming for cultivation of crops and vegetables and use of solar dryers for drying agricultural products have been comprehensively discussed. Similarly, the solar powered tubewells, tractors, and lights, etc. are few important examples of indirect use of solar energy and have also been discussed in this chapter. The indirect use is made possible by converting solar energy into electrical energy with the help of photovoltaic devices, called “solar cells”. Also radio frequency (RF)-controlled seed sowing and spreading machines are discussed, which provide an eco-friendly method. Moreover, comprehensive discussion is made on solar based technologies in general as well regional context in view of their potential to scale-up and to address anticipated issues. The use of photovoltaics in agriculture is expected to be significant contribution in the near future that require urgent planning for the potential benefits and efficient use at the farm level. Therefore, the co-existence of “agrovoltaics” will be essential for the developments of agriculture and agroindustry

Zoonotic and Reverse Zoonotic Events of SARS-CoV-2 and their Impact on Global Health

Coronaviruses (CoVs) are enveloped, positive sense, single-stranded RNA viruses. The viruses have adapted to infect a large number of animal species, ranging from bats to camels. At present, seven CoVs infect humans, of which Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is responsible for causing the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in humans. Since its emergence in late 2019, SARS-CoV-2 has spread rapidly across the globe. Healthcare systems around the globe have been stretched beyond their limits posing new challenges to emergency healthcare services and critical care. The outbreak continues to jeopardize human health, social life and economy. All known human CoVs have zoonotic origins. Recent detection of SARS-CoV-2 in pet, zoo and certain farm animals has highlighted its potential for reverse zoonosis. This scenario is particularly alarming, since these animals could be potential reservoirs for secondary zoonotic infections. In this article, we highlight interspecies SARS-CoV-2 infections and focus on the reverse zoonotic potential of this virus. We also emphasize the importance of potential secondary zoonotic events and the One-Health and One-World approach to tackle such future pandemics

Hydrogen sulphide and nitric oxide mitigate the negative impacts of waterlogging stress on wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Nitric oxide (NO) and hydrogen sulphide (H2S) are important gaseous signalling molecules that regulate key physiochemical mechanisms of plants under environmental stresses. A number of attempts have been made to improve waterlogging tolerance in plants, but with limited success. Having said that, NO and H2S are vital signalling molecules, but their role in mitigating waterlogging effects on crop plants is not well established. We investigated the efficacy of exogenous NO and H2S to alleviate waterlogging effects in two wheat cultivars (Galaxy-2013 and FSD-2008). Waterlogging produced a noticeable reduction in plant growth, yield, chlorophyll, soluble sugars and free amino acids. Besides, waterlogging induced severe oxidative damage seen as higher cellular TBARS and H2O2 content. Antioxidant enzyme activity increased together with a notable rise in Fe2+ and Mn2+ content. Proline content was higher in waterlogged plants compared with non-waterlogged plants. In contrast, waterlogging caused a substantial decline in endogenous levels of essential nutrients (K+, Ca2+ and Mg2+). Waterlogged conditions led to Fe2+ and Mn2+ toxicity due to rapid reduction of Fe3+ and Mn3+ in the soil. Exogenous NO and H2S significantly protected plants from waterlogging effects by enhancing the oxidative defence and regulating nutritional status. Besides, the protective effects of exogenous NO were more prominent as compared with effects of H2S. Further, we did not study the effect of H2S and NO on photosynthetic attributes and expression of stress-related genes. Therefore, future studies should examine the effects of H2S and NO on wheat physiology and gene expression under waterlogging

Genotoxic and cytotoxic potential of whole plant extracts of Kalanchoe laciniata by Ames and MTT assay

Lack of data on safety of herbal medicines have endangered human health and life. The present study evaluated the genotoxic and mutagenic effect of Kalanchoe laciniata to access the safety and usefulness of the medicinal plant. Aqua-methanolic and n-hexane extracts of K. laciniata were evaluated for the genotoxic potential using Ames assay and cytotoxicity was evaluated using MTT assay. Ames assay was conducted using two strains of Salmonella typhimurium TA-100 and TA-102 whereas MTT assay was performed on baby hamster kidney cell line BHK-21. Aqua-methanolic extract of K. laciniata exhibited significant mutagenicity when exposed to TA- 102 strain with a mutagenic index of 50.66 and 54.74 at maximum dose 150 mg/plate. The extract was also muta- genic to TA-100 strain but to a lesser extent. M.I of n-hexane extract was 12.15 and 15.51 for TA-100 and TA- 102 respectively. n-hexane extract was mutagenic but little difference was observed between results of two strains. Both extracts were found to be cytotoxic with an IC50 of 321.9 and 638.5 µg/mL for aqua-methanolic and n-hexane extracts respectively. On the basis of results it was concluded that aqua-methanolic and n-hexane extracts of K. mutagenic and cytotoxic potential. It is suggested to explore the plant further to evaluate its safety in rodents and other species

ANTI-INFLAMMATORY, ANTI-NOCICEPTIVE AND ANTIPYRETIC POTENTIAL OF TERMINALIA CITRINA FRUIT EXTRACTS

Background: Plants and herbs have long been used as remedies without scientific evidences. The objective of the present study was to explore the anti-inflammatory, anti-nociceptive and antipyretic potential of ethanolic and aqueous extracts of Terminalia citrina fruits in mice. Materials and Methods: Extracts of Terminalia citrina fruits were evaluated at doses of 200mg/kg, 400mg/kg and 600mg/kg in albino mice for preventive effect in inflammatory edema, peripheral pain sensation and pyrexia. Carrageenan induced paw edema method was utilized to evaluate anti-inflammatory activity. Analgesic appraisal of extracts was demonstrated using acetic acid induced writhing model of pain. Antipyretic potential was determined by brewer’s yeast induced pyrexia model. Statistical analysis was conducted by ANOVA following post hoc test. Results: Both extracts exhibited significant and dose-dependent anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antipyretic activities. The ethanolic extract was more effective in reducing inflammatory edema, pyrexia and pain sensation than aqueous extracts in all tested doses. Conclusion: It can be concluded that fruit extracts of Terminalia citrina may be effective in reducing inflammation, pyrexia and pain sensation in animals

Effects of a high-dose 24-h infusion of tranexamic acid on death and thromboembolic events in patients with acute gastrointestinal bleeding (HALT-IT): an international randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

Background: Tranexamic acid reduces surgical bleeding and reduces death due to bleeding in patients with trauma. Meta-analyses of small trials show that tranexamic acid might decrease deaths from gastrointestinal bleeding. We aimed to assess the effects of tranexamic acid in patients with gastrointestinal bleeding. Methods: We did an international, multicentre, randomised, placebo-controlled trial in 164 hospitals in 15 countries. Patients were enrolled if the responsible clinician was uncertain whether to use tranexamic acid, were aged above the minimum age considered an adult in their country (either aged 16 years and older or aged 18 years and older), and had significant (defined as at risk of bleeding to death) upper or lower gastrointestinal bleeding. Patients were randomly assigned by selection of a numbered treatment pack from a box containing eight packs that were identical apart from the pack number. Patients received either a loading dose of 1 g tranexamic acid, which was added to 100 mL infusion bag of 0·9% sodium chloride and infused by slow intravenous injection over 10 min, followed by a maintenance dose of 3 g tranexamic acid added to 1 L of any isotonic intravenous solution and infused at 125 mg/h for 24 h, or placebo (sodium chloride 0·9%). Patients, caregivers, and those assessing outcomes were masked to allocation. The primary outcome was death due to bleeding within 5 days of randomisation; analysis excluded patients who received neither dose of the allocated treatment and those for whom outcome data on death were unavailable. This trial was registered with Current Controlled Trials, ISRCTN11225767, and ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01658124. Findings: Between July 4, 2013, and June 21, 2019, we randomly allocated 12 009 patients to receive tranexamic acid (5994, 49·9%) or matching placebo (6015, 50·1%), of whom 11 952 (99·5%) received the first dose of the allocated treatment. Death due to bleeding within 5 days of randomisation occurred in 222 (4%) of 5956 patients in the tranexamic acid group and in 226 (4%) of 5981 patients in the placebo group (risk ratio [RR] 0·99, 95% CI 0·82–1·18). Arterial thromboembolic events (myocardial infarction or stroke) were similar in the tranexamic acid group and placebo group (42 [0·7%] of 5952 vs 46 [0·8%] of 5977; 0·92; 0·60 to 1·39). Venous thromboembolic events (deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism) were higher in tranexamic acid group than in the placebo group (48 [0·8%] of 5952 vs 26 [0·4%] of 5977; RR 1·85; 95% CI 1·15 to 2·98). Interpretation: We found that tranexamic acid did not reduce death from gastrointestinal bleeding. On the basis of our results, tranexamic acid should not be used for the treatment of gastrointestinal bleeding outside the context of a randomised trial