Bitcoin and the World of Digital Currencies

A peer-to-peer system of blockchain, originally started for a cryptocurrency Bitcoin, has caused major disruptions in the stock market. It has affected many businesses if not all, but its significance in the financial world is magnanimous. Historical data (daily rates) for the past 23 months are analyzed to understand the market size, market capitalization and price volatility for Bitcoin. Time series data and financial model are applied to realize the shocks. Monte Carlo simulation is applied to assess the dynamic structure of Bitcoin. With greater volume and activity, the banks and financial intermediaries may become outdated, and the middleman will have no place. It seems like a distant thought, but the facts are pointing toward its reality

Functional Echocardiography (FNECHO): Experience in NICU of A Tertiary Care Hospital

Objective: To describe the observational findings of functional echocardiography (FnEcho) in neonatal intensive care unit of a tertiary care hospital by evaluating its frequency of use, characteristics of patients and distribution of heart diseases. Methodology: This Prospective descriptive observational study was done in a tertiary neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in Rawalpindi, from July 2017 to June 2018. A total of two hundred and twelve neonates admitted to the NICU undergoing echocardiographic assessment were included in the study. Qualitative variables like gender, mode of delivery, and diagnostic findings were represented in terms of frequency and percentages. Quantitative data like age, birth weight and gestational age were highlighted as mean and standard deviation. Results: Out of a total of 212 neonates, 111 (52.4%) were male. The mode of delivery was noted to be lower segment cesarean section among 126 (60.0%) neonates. The mean gestational age was found to be 36.47+2.3 weeks, ranging from 28 to 41 weeks, whereas the mean birth weight was 2.56+0.68 kg, ranging from 1.1 to 4.2 kg. A total of 75 neonates were found to have functional heart disease in the form of pulmonary hypertension 37 (17.4%), hemodynamically significant patent ductus arteriosus 24(11.3%), hypoxic ischemic cardiomyopathy 4(1.9%), and systemic hypotension 10 (17.4%). Conclusion: FnEcho was found to be an effective tool for identifying different kinds of functional and structural heart defects. VSD was found to be the most common type of congenital heart disease, followed by PDA. Timely intervention in PPHN was also rewarding with good outcome

Impact of Virtual Reality Goggles as a Distraction Technique on the Pain Perception and Heart Rate of Pediatric Dental Patients

Objective: To assess the impact of virtual reality (VR) glasses on pain perception and heart rate during inferior alveolar nerve block in pediatric patients. Methods: This quasi-experimental investigation was conducted at a dental hospital (University College of Dentistry), Lahore, Pakistan from June to February 2022. The study included healthy children aged four to twelve years who needed dental treatment involving an inferior alveolar nerve block. The distraction was done using VR glasses. Participants were arbitrarily divided into two groups, one with VR and the other without VR. The patients' behavior was recorded during the nerve block using the face, legs, activity, cry, and consolability (FLACC) behavioral pain assessment scale. The Pulse rate was monitored before, during, and after the procedure. Results:Of the total 68 participants, the median age was 8 (7 – 9) years. There were 36 (52.9%) patients in the nonVR group and 32 (47.1%) patients in the VR group. The median FLAACC score was found to be significantly lower in the VR group as compared to the non-VR group i.e., 1.0 (1.0 - 2.0) vs. 5.0 (4.0 - 5.0) (p-value <0.001) respectively. Both groups showed significant median differences in face (p-value 0.008), legs (p-value <0.001), activity (p-value <0.001), crying (p-value <0.001), and consolability (p-value <0.001) scores. During treatment, the heart rate of VR participants was found to be significantly lower than the non-VR group i.e., 93.0 (90.0 – 96.0) vs. 100.0 (87.7 – 104.0) (p-value 0.044) respectively. Conclusion: The study revealed that the use of VR goggles as a distraction method demonstrated a significant reduction in pain perception and heart rate

The Effectiveness of the ‘Extended Sick Neonatal Score in Predicting Mortality in a ResourceConstrained Neonatal Care Uni

Objectives: To determine the diagnostic accuracy of the extended sick neonatal score (ESNS) in neonates admitted in a resource-limited neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at Peshawar. Study Design: Cross-sectional analytical study Place and Duration of Study: Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, CMH Peshawar Pakistan, from Mar to May 2020. Methodology: Primary data was collected from 60 neonates admitted to NICU after taking consent from the parents. The receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) was plotted to determine the clinical score (ESNS) cut-off value in predicting mortality. Result: The sensitivity and specificity of the Extended sick neonatal score to predict mortality among neonates was 93.3% and 97%, respectively, for a cut-off of 12.5. The area under the ROC curve was 0.990 (95% CI: 0.971–1.000). This was statistically significant with a p-value of <0.001 Conclusion: Extended Sick Neonatal score is an important tool that helps predict the risk of mortality of a neonate without the help of any invasive diagnostic procedure, thus enhancing the prioritization of health care to the most deserving neonates

Impact of Virtual Reality Goggles as a Distraction Technique on the Pain Perception and Heart Rate of Pediatric Dental Patients

Objectives: To assess the impact of virtual reality (VR) glasses on pain perception and heart rate during inferior alveolar nerve block in pediatric patients. Methods: This quasi-experimental investigation was conducted at a dental hospital (University College of Dentistry), Lahore, Pakistan from June to February 2022. The study included healthy children aged four to twelve years who needed dental treatment involving an inferior alveolar nerve block. The distraction was done using VR glasses. Participants were arbitrarily divided into two groups, one with VR and the other without VR. The patients' behavior was recorded during the nerve block using the face, legs, activity, cry, and consolability (FLACC) behavioral pain assessment scale. The Pulse rate was monitored before, during, and after the procedure. Results: Of the total 68 participants, the median age was 8 (7 – 9) years. There were 36 (52.9%) patients in the non-VR group and 32 (47.1%) patients in the VR group. The median FLAACC score was found to be significantly lower in the VR group as compared to non-VR group i.e., 1.0 (1.0 - 2.0) vs. 5.0 (4.0 - 5.0) (p-value <0.001) respectively. Both groups showed significant median differences in face (p-value 0.008), legs (p-value <0.001), activity (p-value <0.001), crying (p-value <0.001), and consolability (p-value <0.001) scores. During treatment, the heart rate of VR participants was found to be significantly lower than the non-VR group i.e., 93.0 (90.0 – 96.0) vs. 100.0 (87.7 – 104.0) (p-value 0.044) respectively

Impact of Virtual Reality Goggles as a Distraction Technique on the Pain Perception and Heart Rate of Pediatric Dental Patients

Objective: To assess the impact of virtual reality (VR) glasses on pain perception and heart rate during inferior alveolar nerve block in pediatric patients. Methods: This quasi-experimental investigation was conducted at a dental hospital (University College of Dentistry), Lahore, Pakistan from June to February 2022. The study included healthy children aged four to twelve years who needed dental treatment involving an inferior alveolar nerve block. The distraction was done using VR glasses. Participants were arbitrarily divided into two groups, one with VR and the other without VR. The patients' behavior was recorded during the nerve block using the face, legs, activity, cry, and consolability (FLACC) behavioral pain assessment scale. The Pulse rate was monitored before, during, and after the procedure. Results:Of the total 68 participants, the median age was 8 (7 – 9) years. There were 36 (52.9%) patients in the nonVR group and 32 (47.1%) patients in the VR group. The median FLAACC score was found to be significantly lower in the VR group as compared to the non-VR group i.e., 1.0 (1.0 - 2.0) vs. 5.0 (4.0 - 5.0) (p-value <0.001) respectively. Both groups showed significant median differences in face (p-value 0.008), legs (p-value <0.001), activity (p-value <0.001), crying (p-value <0.001), and consolability (p-value <0.001) scores. During treatment, the heart rate of VR participants was found to be significantly lower than the non-VR group i.e., 93.0 (90.0 – 96.0) vs. 100.0 (87.7 – 104.0) (p-value 0.044) respectively. Conclusion: The study revealed that the use of VR goggles as a distraction method demonstrated a significant reduction in pain perception and heart rate

Dual Political Role of Art: A Critical Discourse Analysis of Faiz Ahmed Faiz’s “National, Art and Culture”

Every culture has its own customs and values so when an artist produces any kind of cultural work, he must be influenced by the norms of society. This study investigates how art explores the “mystical capabilities” or “power” that originates with for. It also discloses how the power of art plays a significant part in creating a multi-cultural society. Gee’s “Seven Building Tasks”, A popular model for showing seven realms of reality, serves as a theoretical foundation for this study. The main points of this model are i. significance, ii. practices (activities), iii. identities, iv. relationships, v. politics (the distribution of social goods), vi. Connections, vii. sign systems and knowledge (Gee, 1999, p.8). The results of this study indicate that art is important to culture, and both are interconnected to each other. This study of art and culture is used to express some moral standards, ethnicity, racial differences as well as religious groups. So, the study recommends that the social groundwork should be created on communal stories, ethics, and principles. There should be an addition of cultural texts to our study to promote art and culture

Accounting from a Cross-Cultural Perspective

Accounting is both an art and science, which governs the communication and processing of the financial information in an organization. Technological advancement is helping the accountants to monitor financial performance in real time. This presents both opportunities and challenges for the current day organizations and accounting professionals alike. This book shows many different aspects to the same accounting principles but from a cross-cultural perspective. The diversity of the authors who contributed to this book signify the importance of accounting from various dimensions while ensuring that standards are adhered to, and principles are followed and applied. This book intends to feature the journey from the double-entry bookkeeping developed in medieval Europe to the changing dynamics of accounting. It is divided into five main sections: The Matching Principle, Ethics in Accounting, Insurance Contracts, Green Accounting, and Financial Instruments

Blockchain and Cryptocurrencies

Finance is the language of business and as technological disruption accelerates, a fundamental change is under way. This presents both opportunities and challenges for current-day organizations and finance professionals alike. Money makes the world go around, they say; but digital money not only makes the world go around, it does it in a decentralized fashion. Because the currencies are decentralized, with the right mix of technology the opportunities that emerge are noteworthy and emerge as a game changer for financial institutions. This book shows many different aspects, examples, and regulations of cryptocurrencies through its underpinning technology of blockchain in the present-day digital era. The diversity of the authors who sum up this book signify the importance of implementation in the digitized economy. It is divided into four main sections, with topics on Bitcoin, blockchain and digital returns, impact of cryptocurrencies in gaming, and cryptocurrency exchanges

Dual Political Role of Art: A Critical Discourse Analysis of Faiz Ahmed Faiz’s “National, Art and Culture”

Every culture has its own customs and values so when an artist produces any kind of cultural work, he must be influenced by the norms of society. This study investigates how art explores the “mystical capabilities” or “power” that originates with for. It also discloses how the power of art plays a significant part in creating a multi-cultural society. Gee’s “Seven Building Tasks”, A popular model for showing seven realms of reality, serves as a theoretical foundation for this study. The main points of this model are i. significance, ii. practices (activities), iii. identities, iv. relationships, v. politics (the distribution of social goods), vi. Connections, vii. sign systems and knowledge (Gee, 1999, p.8). The results of this study indicate that art is important to culture, and both are interconnected to each other. This study of art and culture is used to express some moral standards, ethnicity, racial differences as well as religious groups. So, the study recommends that the social groundwork should be created on communal stories, ethics, and principles. There should be an addition of cultural texts to our study to promote art and culture