The Impact of Economic Integration and Economic Growth on Environmental Degradation in Five Asian Countries

Economic integration has been acclaimed as a way to increase world output grounded on the economies of scale and the exchange of technology, ideas and information. However, it is of great concern that the impact of integration may have on the increase in threats to the environment, natural resources and human health, due to the implicit improvement in economic growth. Two main channels through which integration contributes to the growth of the literature have been identified as foreign direct investment and trade. This study explores the effects of economic integration and economic growth on environmental degradation in the years 1995 to 2015. This study was conducted using the panel data. We apply panel unit root, co-integration tests, and Pooled mean group model to examine the short and long-run relationships among economic integration, economic growth, and the environment in five Asians countries named Pakistan, India, Sri-Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal The results of the Pooled Mean Group Model found that there is a long-term relationship among the projected variables for the whole sample. Long run results of Pooled Mean Group model showed that economic growth and foreign direct investment have substantial and positive effect on environmental degradation while trade openness has negative but significant influence on environmental degradatio

Impact of Entrepreneurship Education on Intention and Desire for Venture Creation: An Empirical Study of Entrepreneurs and Non Entrepreneur Graduates

Study Objectives: The scope of entrepreneurship education is increasing round the globe but in Pakistan, entrepreneurship education is being neglected because of unawareness of its paybacks. Realizing the significance of entrepreneurship education, this research aims at investigating the scope of entrepreneurial education in developing and designing creative ideas and implementing them innovatively. This research focuses on the impact of entrepreneurship education on intention and desire for venture creation among university students of Pakistan. The study describes the main effects found in the literature by explaining that how this education can contribute to develop, design new ideas and finally to implement them.Research Design/Methodology: This study uses positivism paradigm. A survey was conducted from 160 respondents from private and public sector educational institutes by using close ended questionnaires. For explanation, this study used a five point Likert scale questionnaire. The students, who have taken entrepreneurship education and who have not, were the respondent’s category to explain the results. Statistical Package of Social Sciences (SPSS) software was used to analyze the results. Results and analyses were derived by independent sample t-tests with the help of SPSS software to measure the significance and difference of two groups. Research Limitations: This study is focused only on the students studying in Lahore and Faisalabad with the sample size of 160 participants. The sample size is narrow which can hinder the generalization of results of study. The financial implication of new venture creation is missing which may change the effect of the study. Further studies can accommodate these limitations for more effective results.  Practical Implications: The study proposes that education has strong impact on venture creation. The candidates, who hold an entrepreneurship degree, grow exponentially by exploiting opportunity, situation and ability (O-S-A). Knowledge of venture creation and confidence to venture has more impact on the establishment and growth of the venture.Originality/Value: Literature recognizes that entrepreneurship education and research on its importance is minute. So, this study will suggest avant-garde techniques for graduates to start new ventures. The results of this study will help graduates to make the economy stronger and independent by adopting new businesses. This study will open gate for new researchers to invent more creative techniques.   Keywords: Entrepreneurship Education, Venture Creation, Overseas, Team Building, Trust, Intention and Desire

ROLE OF REWARDS TO FOSTER KNOWLEDGE SHARING PRACTICES: MEDIATING ROLE OF PSYCHOLOGICAL COMMITMENT

We investigate how rewards can foster knowledge sharingpractices in the education sector. This study also aims to determinewhether psychological commitment mediates in the relationshipbetween rewards and KS practices. To get the objectives of this study,data have been collected from 363 employees of private universities.The results exhibit a strong positive relationship of intrinsic, extrinsicrewards and psychological commitment with KS practices. Theintrinsic reward has been proved a stronger predictor of KS practices.Moreover, the current study exhibited that intrinsic rewards are ofprior importance to people than extrinsic rewards. The resultssuggested that in order to foster KS culture in organizations, it isnecessary for strategic managers to devise such environment andpolices where employees are given commitment and rewards ofintrinsic nature so that they are motivated to get involved in KSpractices and can provide competitive edge to the organization

Impact of Preschool Attendance on Grade-I students’ Academic Achievement at Public and Private Sectors in District Lahore

The current quantitative study examined the effects of preschool attendance on academic achievement of grade one students at public and private schools in Lahore. It gives an overview that schooling has direct influence on students’ educational achievement and beneficial in building basic skills that enhance intellectual abilities for the individual to excel in his/her practical life. Early childhood education has benefits for the child’s development at early age and for whole life. It provides a basis for the formation of academic development. The data were collected from 45 schools (23 public and 22 private sectors) where the sample comprised on 502 Grade I students including 251 (168 P & 83 non-p) from public and 251(210 p & 41 non-p) from private schools in the district Lahore. For data collection purpose, a self-developed achievement test, which items based on three core subjects English, mathematics and science, was conducted from 502 students. Descriptive statistics was applied to explain the frequency of the data and inferential statistics comprised Independent sample ttest, ANOVA and Post hoc was applied to find the differences between the students who had preschool education and those who had not. The findings of the Ilyas, Siddiqua, & Saeed 59 PJERE study indicated that students with preschool experience significantly performed better in academic tests in all three subjects English, mathematics & science, verified by the study. This study concluded by observing that preschool attendance prepares students with pre-requisite knowledge and skills which make their learning durable. Sidrah Ilyas is a Ph.D scholar at the Institute of Education and Research, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan. Her areas of interest include educational administration and educationa

Colonizer to Drug Resistant isolate, What is Happening to our Staphylococcus Aureus?

Objective: To evaluate resistant trend of multiple antimicrobial agents against Staphylococcus aureus isolates along with its prevalence.  Material and Methods: This prospective descriptive study was carried out in the department of microbiology Allama Iqbal Medical College Lahore from 1st January 2015 to 25 may 2016. Simple random technique was used, and 4570 clinical samples (Pus, blood, pleural fluid, tracheal aspirate, urine, sputum, HVS) were received from ICU, Surgical Unit, Medical Unit and OPD for culture sensitivity testing, antimicrobial resistant trend was tested according to CLSI guidelines  Results: Maximum isolates were recovered from surgical unit 31.9%, sample-wise maximum isolates were recovered from pus samples 26.8%. age group and genderbased distribution showed among male’s high isolation rate was observed in 21-40 years while in females 41-60-year age group. Every isolate was (100%) susceptible to linezolid, vancomycin and teicoplanin, cotrimoxazole also showed very low rate of drug resistance only 8.3%, while penicillin Doxycycline, Ciprofloxacin, Erythromycin showed 95.9%,69.8%55.4% and 48.2% drug resistance respectively, 43-45% drugresistant rate observed in case of Co-amoxiclave, Methicillin, Gentamicin, Fusidic Acid, Amikacin, and Clindamycin  Conclusion: Linezolid, Vancomycin, and Teicoplanin are best therapeutic Choices against Staphylococcus aureus associated infections

Effect of Different Preparations of Fluoride Gel on Salivary pH of Albino Rats

Objective: To evaluate the effect of different preparations of fluoride gels on the salivary pH of albino rats. Material and Methods: This experimental study consisted of 40 Albino rats randomly divided into four equal groups. Group A was the control group and received no intervention. Experimental group B received a topical application of 0.2% sodium fluoride gel. Experimental group C received topical application of stannous fluoride gel 0.4%. Experimental group D received topical application of APF gel (1.23% acidulated phosphate fluoride gel). The different preparations of the gels were applied once daily for 4 minutes on the occlusal surface of the right maxillary molars for 14 days. Salivary pH values were recorded immediately after the application of gels with the help of pH paper on day 1 and day 14. Results: There was a significant difference in the pH level of groups B, C and D after 14 days of fluoride application (p < 0.05). The non-parametric Kruskal Wallis test was applied for the comparison between the groups. Conclusion: This study concluded that all the fluoride gels after administration caused the acidic pH of saliva with the most acidic effect produced by APF gel

Evaluation of anti-nociceptive, anti-inflammatory and hepatoprotective effects of methanol extract of Mazus pumilus (Burm. f.) Steenis (Mazaceae) herb

Purpose: This study was designed to investigate the anti-nociceptive, anti-inflammatory and hepatoprotective activities of the methanol extract of Mazus pumilus (Mazaceae) herb. Methods: Anti-nociceptive activity was determined using hot plate, tail flick and acetic acid-induced writing methods. Carrageenan-induced rat paw edema (0.1 mL of 1 %) model was used for the assessment of anti-inflammatory activity. The methanol extract was administered orally at three different doses (150, 300 and 600 mg/kg) to three separate groups in all the experiments. Diclofenac sodium (50 mg/kg) was used as standard drug while control group received DMSO (1 %, 10 mL/kg). The hepatocurative effect of methanol extract of M. pumilus (400 mg/kg) was determined in isoniazid (50 mg/kg) and rifampicin (100 mg/kg) induced liver injury. Silymarin (100 mg/kg) was used as standard drug for comparison. The control group received distilled water (10 mL/kg). Preliminary phytochemical screening was also carried out. Results: The methanol extract of M. pumilus significantly (p < 0.05) augmented latency time and reduced the number of writhes in the pain models at all doses used for the assessment of antinociceptive actions. The anti-inflammatory activity of different doses of extract was evaluated by measuring the reduction in the size of the paw. A significant (p < 0.05) hepatocurative effect was observed when administered after anti-tuberculosis drugs. Histopathological analysis of the liver tissues also revealed restored hepatocellular architecture. Conclusion: The results demonstrate the anti-nociceptive, anti-inflammatory and hepatoprotective effects of the methanol extract of M. pumilus, thus substantiating the ethnomedical claims associated with the herb

1,4-Bis(chloro­meth­yl)naphthalene

In the title mol­ecule, C12H10Cl2, the torsion angles Cr—Cr—Cm—Cl around the Cm—Cr bonds have values of −104.1 (4) and −101.9 (4)°, where Cm is a methylene and Cr is a ring C atom. The mol­ecules related by translation along the b axis are arranged into stacks by π–π inter­actions between unsubstituted and substituted aromatic rings of the naphthalene ring system (centroid–centroid distance = 3.940 Å)

PLASMA DONATION AND PERCEPTION, ATTITUDE, BEHAVIOR OF COVID-19 PATIENTS: A CROSS SECTIONAL STUDY

BACKGROUND: Current study aims to identify the perception, attitude and behavior about Covid and plasma donation in the Covid cases. METHODOLOGY: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted ---removed for blind review---Adult COVID-19/post-Covid patients were included by consecutive sampling. The critically ill, mechanically ventilated cases were excluded. Special questionnaire was developed including the demographic variables, mode of transmission, personal hygiene, prevention, post covid immunity, re-infection, psychosocial factors, financial reservations and post covid life. Willingness for plasma donation, laboratory diagnostics and blood groups inquired. Data was collected by direct interview by researcher and analyzed by SPSS V.20. RESULTS: Mean age was 39.8+15 years; 122(54%) females and 104(46%) males. Total 163(73%) participants said Covid has impact on health, economy, social, mental and psychological state. 188(83%) considered Covid a threat to human life. 142(63%) had a close Covid contact and 15(6.6%) had recently travelled. 131(58%) said they could have prevented getting infected. 171(75.7%) considered handwashing and 208(92%) cleanliness and158(77%) considered natural, herbal remedies as preventive. 191(84.5%) wore mask for most/all of the time. 130(57.5%) said they will be immune to Covid post-recovery. 179(79.2%) were aware of re-infection. 169(74.8%) considered smoking as a risk for Covid and137(60.6%) aimed to quit smoking. 204(93%) committed to hand washing and 210(92.9%) to wearing masks post-Covid. 127(56%) were concerned about their food, 78(34.5%) about finances, 103(45.6%) about their family getting infected. 213(94%) expected life to normalize post-Covid. Most frequent blood group was B+ 67(29.6%) followed by A+ 42(18.6%) and O+ 41(18.1%). 128(66.6%) participants showed willingness to donate their plasma after recovery. 24(10.6%) refused the donation. 134(59.3%) agreed that plasma donation won’t reduce their immunity. 186(82.3%) were clinically recovered at the time of interview. CONCLUSION: Our Covid patients had a positive approach towards plasma donation. They expected normalization of life post Covid and showed commitment toward continuation of preventive habits and smoking cessation. However, there were significant concerns about finances, safety of loved ones and mental health.

Factors Responsible for Resistance in Okra against Aphid, Aphis Gossiypii Glover (Homoptera: Aphididae)

Aphids are herbivores that feed on plant’s sap and are widespread throughout the globe. To assess the factors affecting the infestation of Aphis gossypii (Glover) and to use antixenosis a trial was conducted using 5 okra genotypes (Sabz Pari, Advanta, Durga, Kaveri, and Shandar) during spring, 2017 at “Agriculture Research Institute” (ARI) Tarnab, under Random Complete Block Design (RCBD) in field and Completely Randomized Design (CRD) in lab with 3 and 8 replications, respectively. Weekly data gathering for mean percent infestation of A. gossypii on each genotype to note variation among genotypes. The aphid infestations (2.5 Aphid leaf-1) recorded on Shandar was higher than others and lowest (2.0 Aphids leaf-1) was recorded on Durga. Initially the infestation was lesser (0.5) but with time it reaches to peak (3.62) on 1st May and then gradually declined to least (2.0 aphid leaf-1) in the 10th week. A statistically significant negative relationship existed between aphid abundance and crop yield. In the antixenosis trial, the Durga variety showed significant antixenosis resistance towards aphids after 12, 24, and 48 hours. Furthermore, the maximum yield of Durga variety (8.3 Tons (t)/ha) and the least yield (5.2 tons/ha) Shandar was obtained. Relating to aphid infestation and yield, the Durga variety performed exceptionally well. It is concluded from the results that the varieties showing antixenosis resistance towards insects must be recommended to not only reduce insect attacks but also to enhance yield