Fiscal Performance and External Public Debt Sustainability: A Case Study of Pakistan

The present study analyzes the impact of fiscal performance on external debt sustainability for Pakistan using the time series data for the period 1976 to 2013. The objective of the study is to find out whether fiscal performance, segregated into tax revenue, non-tax revenue and government expenditures, strengthens or weakens the external debt sustainability indicators.  To find the long run relation among the variables, Johansen Co-integration technique is applied. Vector Error Correction Model and parameter stability tests are also applied to examine the short-run relationship. The empirical results from this study show that enhancing the pool of government resource through tax revenue, non-tax revenue, and worker’s remittances reduces the debt burden and contributes towards debt sustainability. On the other hand, increase in the total government expenditures flames the fire of debt burden and weaken the debt sustainability condition. The VECM and CUSUM test shows that parameters remain stable during the period of study. In the view of empirical findings, the study recommends that fiscal consolidation is required for improvement in external debt sustainability. Keywords: external debt sustainability, debt carrying capacity, fiscal performanc

The Effect of New Hydantoin Derivative (Compound) on Acinetobacter baumannii Biofilm Formation Isolated from Clinical Sources

تضمنت هذه الدراسة حوالي 538 عينة سريرية من الدم, الجروح, الحروق, القشع والادرار وقد جمعت في اربع مستشفيات. تم عزل وتشخيص (52) عزلة من الــ Acinetobacter baumannii وكانت 36.54% من عينات الدم, بينما شكلت عينات الجروح 23.08%, عينات الحروق 17.31%, عينات القشع 13.46% واقل نسبة ظهرت كانت في عينات الادرار 9.62%. جميع العزلات البكتيرية شخصت بواسطة القحوصات الكيموحيوية, الخصائص الميكروبية والزرعية واكدت بواسطة نظام الفايتك. وجد ان جميع العزلات البكتيرية (100%) كانت مقاومة لمضادي amoxicillin-clavulanic acid وCefepime, بينما كانت مضادات Imipenem و Meropenemالاكثر فعالية. اظهرت العزلات القابلية على انتاج الغشاء الحيوي بواسطة استخدام طريقة اطباق العايرة الدقيقة Microtiter plate (M.T.P) , كان العدد الكلي للعزلات المنتجة للغشاء الحيوي بقوة (15) عزلة 45.46% والمتوسطة (18) عزلة 54.54% بينما كانت (19) عزلة 36.53% ضعيفة او غير منتجة للغشاء الحيوي. تم اجراء اختبار التركيز المثبط الادنى (MIC) لمشتقات الهدنيتوينات الجديدة ضد (15) عزلة وكانت قيمة MIC لتسعة عزلات من A. baumannii.  مساوية 250mg/ml, بينما كانت ستة عزلات قيمة الــ MIC لها 125mg/ml. اظهرت النتائج التأثير المثبط لمركب الهدنيتوينات على (10) عزلة بكتيرية منتجة للغشاء الحيوي المستخدمة في هذه الدراسة مع معدل تاثير تثبيطي متغاير على العزلات البكتيرية تراوح من 79.72% الى  98.85%, اعلى نسبة تأثير تثبيطي كانت98.85 %.Completely 538 clinical specimens of blood, wounds, burns, sputum, and urine were included in this study which was carried out in 4 hospitals. The isolation and diagnosis of fifty-two Acinetobacter baumannii isolate 36.54% from blood specimens, whereas wounds specimens constituted 23.08%, burns specimens achieved 17.31%, sputum specimens formed 13.46% and a low percentage was in urine specimens which accomplished 9.62 %. Totally isolates of bacteria were identified via the biochemical, cultural and microbial characteristics and confirmed via VITEK 2 Compact system. It was found that all (100%) of bacteria isolates were resistant to amoxicillin-clavulanic acid and Cefepime, while Imipenem and Meropenem were the most effective antibiotics. The isolates showed the ability of biofilm production by Microtitration plates method (M.T.P), from the total number (52) isolate tested for biofilm formation,(33) were producers,  as strong biofilm producers were (15) 45.46 % and (18)54.54% moderate while (19) 36.53% isolates were measured as none or weak producers of biofilm. MIC for new hydantoin derivative (C11H11N3O2S) was determined against fifteen isolates were active in MIC values equal to 250mg/ml gave (9) A. baumannii isolates, while in MIC, values equal to 125mg/ml gave (6) isolates.  The results showed the inhibitory effect of the hydantoin compound on biofilm formation for 15 bacterial isolates used in this study with a variable inhibitory effect on bacterial isolates ranged from 79.72% to 98.85%. The highest inhibitory effect percentage is (98.85%). &nbsp

Impact of opioid-free analgesia on pain severity and patient satisfaction after discharge from surgery: multispecialty, prospective cohort study in 25 countries

Background: Balancing opioid stewardship and the need for adequate analgesia following discharge after surgery is challenging. This study aimed to compare the outcomes for patients discharged with opioid versus opioid-free analgesia after common surgical procedures.Methods: This international, multicentre, prospective cohort study collected data from patients undergoing common acute and elective general surgical, urological, gynaecological, and orthopaedic procedures. The primary outcomes were patient-reported time in severe pain measured on a numerical analogue scale from 0 to 100% and patient-reported satisfaction with pain relief during the first week following discharge. Data were collected by in-hospital chart review and patient telephone interview 1 week after discharge.Results: The study recruited 4273 patients from 144 centres in 25 countries; 1311 patients (30.7%) were prescribed opioid analgesia at discharge. Patients reported being in severe pain for 10 (i.q.r. 1-30)% of the first week after discharge and rated satisfaction with analgesia as 90 (i.q.r. 80-100) of 100. After adjustment for confounders, opioid analgesia on discharge was independently associated with increased pain severity (risk ratio 1.52, 95% c.i. 1.31 to 1.76; P < 0.001) and re-presentation to healthcare providers owing to side-effects of medication (OR 2.38, 95% c.i. 1.36 to 4.17; P = 0.004), but not with satisfaction with analgesia (beta coefficient 0.92, 95% c.i. -1.52 to 3.36; P = 0.468) compared with opioid-free analgesia. Although opioid prescribing varied greatly between high-income and low- and middle-income countries, patient-reported outcomes did not.Conclusion: Opioid analgesia prescription on surgical discharge is associated with a higher risk of re-presentation owing to side-effects of medication and increased patient-reported pain, but not with changes in patient-reported satisfaction. Opioid-free discharge analgesia should be adopted routinely

Empowering change: The role of gender diversity in steering ESG integration into executive compensation

This study investigates the influence of boardroom gender diversity (BGD) on the adoption of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) metrics in executive compensation, a concept emerging from the stakeholderism debate. Prior research has focused on the impact of BGD on traditional compensation metrics, but the role of BGD in ESG-linked compensation remains underexplored. Our research fills this gap by examining whether BGD contributes to the incorporation of ESG considerations in executive pay structures. Additionally, we analyze how board members\u27 external affiliations might moderate this relationship, considering that these affiliations can provide diverse perspectives and insights into ESG issues. Using data from 14 countries, our findings reveal a positive and significant association between BGD and ESG metrics in executive compensation, suggesting that women directors significantly influence the integration of sustainability and ethical considerations in corporate strategic planning. Moreover, the impact of BGD on ESG-linked compensation is found to be more pronounced with higher levels of board members\u27 affiliations. Our results are robust to alternate estimation techniques such as propensity score matching (PSM) and generalized methods of moments (GMM). Our study contributes to the existing literature on gender diversity, corporate governance, and sustainability, offering insights for policymakers and corporate boards on aligning corporate strategies with ESG goals

Impact of excise tax on consumption, brand loyalty and health awareness: Evidence from the United Arab Emirates

AbstractThe main purpose of this paper is to empirically analyze the impact of excise tax on excisable goods consumption, brand loyalty and health awareness in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) market. The research is conducted based on the self-administered questionnaire collected from the residents of the UAE. The snow-ball sampling technique is used to collect the data set during 2022. A total of 559 usable questionnaires were analyzed. This paper uses the multiple regression analysis model (OLS) to test the study hypothesis. The findings of the research show that implementation of excise tax has no significant impact on the consumption of excisable goods. The findings show a positive relation between implementation of excise tax and customers’ brand loyalty. Likewise, the excise tax implementation has a positive impact on the health awareness among the residents of the UAE for the consumption of excisable goods. The findings of this paper would provide insights to the policymakers for formulating the future excise tax policies and extending the scope of excise tax to the other unhealthy products in the emerging market (UAE). This paper provides evidence supporting the impact of implementation of excise tax on the consumption, brand loyalty and health awareness of the individual consumers in the emerging economy. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to research and test the consumption behavior of individuals through the collection of primary data set since the excise tax is implemented in the Gulf Cooperation Council specially in the UAE economy which includes the excisable products, i.e., tobacco, carbonated drinks, energy drinks, sweetened beverages and electronic smoking devices

Teachers’ Perceptions about Continuous Professional Development and its Impact on Teaching Competencies

Continuous professional development (CPD) is a key component in enhancing teachers' competencies and knowledge. The study explores teachers' perspectives on continuous professional development (CPD) and its impact on teaching competencies in Pakistan's secondary school system. It emphasizes the importance of effective CPD initiatives to improve teaching competencies and address practical issues faced by teachers, emphasizing the need for continuous professional development to enhance teaching effectiveness. A descriptive survey research design was used to gather data from 419 secondary school teachers using questionnaires. The results show that continuous professional development positively impacts teaching competencies such as lesson planning, instructional practices, classroom management, assessment, and student progress evaluation. This indicates that continuous professional development is beneficial for teachers. It reveals that teachers strongly believe that continuous professional development programs enhance their teaching competencies. It emphasizes the importance of understanding teacher views to customize CPD programs to individual needs

A Prospective Study of Altered Inflammatory Response and Its Clinical Outcome Following Laparoscopic and Open Cholecystectomy

Background: Inflammatory response following surgical trauma has long been a matter of study. Results, however, have been varied. We sought to assess changes in the levels of proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines in patients undergoing laparoscopic and open cholecystectomy and their impact on the clinical outcome of patients concerning the postoperative pain score. Methods: The study involved 90 cholecystectomies (55 laparoscopic and 35 open) for chronic cholecystitis. Blood samples were collected 2 hours preoperatively and at 4 and 24 hours post surgery. Sera were evaluated for the levels of interleukin-1β, interleukin-10, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha. The independent sample t-test was used to compare the means of a variable between the 2 groups. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS, version 17. Results: The rise in the levels of interleukin-1β, interleukin-10, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha was significantly more in the open cholecystectomy group at 4 hours (P<0.00). At the 24th postoperative hour, the levels of all 3 cytokines were also higher in the open cholecystectomy group (P<0.001 for interleukin-1β, P=0.185 for interleukin-10, and P<0.001 for tumor necrosis factor-alpha). At the 4th postoperative hour, the patients in the laparoscopic cholecystectomy group had a significantly lower pain score (P<0.001) than the open group. Conclusion: Both laparoscopic and open cholecystectomy procedures altered the inflammatory milieu of our patients in the postoperative period. Inflammation caused by the laparoscopic procedure was significantly less. More research is needed to target specific inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines to reduce surgical stress and improve patient outcomes

Cunninghamella blakesleeana -mediated biotransformation of a contraceptive drug, desogestrel, and anti-MDR- Staphylococcus aureus activity of its metabolites

International audienceStaphylococcus aureus is one of the most infectious agents among staphylococcal bacteria. Currently many strains of S. aureus have developed resistance against available antibiotics. Therefore, the treatment of infections caused by them is a major challenge. During current study, desogestrel (1), a contraceptive drug, was found to be a potent growth inhibitor of drug resistant strains of S. aureus. Therefore, in search of new and effective agents against multi-drug resistant S. aureus strains, whole-cell bio-catalytic conversion of desogestrel (1) by Cunninghamella blakesleeana ATCC 8688A at pH 7.0 and 25 °C was carried out, yielding three new metabolites, 13-ethyl-11-methylene-18,19-dinor-17α-pregn-4-en-20-yn-6β,15β,17β-triol (2), 13-ethyl-11-methylene-18,19-dinor-17α-pregn-4-en-20-yn-3β,6β,17β-triol (3), and 13-ethyl-11-methylene-18,19-dinor-17α-pregn-20-yn-3α,5α,6β,17β-tetraol (4), along with a known metabolite, 13-ethyl-11-methylene-18,19-dinor-17α-pregn-4-en-20-yn-6β,17β-dihydroxy-3-one (5). Among them, compounds 1–2 showed a potent activity against S. aureus EMRSA-17, S. aureus NCTC 13277 (MRSA-252), and S. aureus NCTC 13143, and clinically isolated Pakistani strain of S. aureus in an in vitro Microplate Alamar Blue Assay (MABA). Vancomycin was used as the standard drug in this assay. In addition, compound 1 also showed a significant activity against vancomycin-resistant S. aureus (VRSA) ATCC 700699. Compounds 1–5 were also evaluated against 3T3 normal cell line (mouse fibroblast) where they all were identified as non-cytotoxic. The present study thus provides new leads for the development of anti-bacterial drugs against MDR S. aureus

Risk Factors Associated with Prostate Cancer

Globally prostate cancer is the second most familiar and fifth-most hostile neoplasm among male individuals. One of the emerging issues in men is prostate cancer. The Prostate is a ductal small walnut-shaped gland situated in men below the urinary bladder that produces the seminal fluid for sperms provision and transportation. The risk of emerging prostate cancer during the man’s lifetime is one out of seven. According to the epidemiological studies, different environmental and genetic factors are associated with the progression of abnormal prostate cell growth which ultimately causes the development of cancerous cells. The chances of prostate cancer occurrence are more in those patients with familial member’s history, and it can be more by two to three-folds associated with first-rank relatives to get prostate cancer. In the current review different risk factors which are associated with the development of prostate cancer, are discussed. Keywords: Prostate cancer, Risk factors, Male, BRCA1, BRAC2