ROLE OF MARITIME STRATEGY IN RUSSIAN FOREIGN POLICY: A CASE STUDY OF BLACK SEA

Russia is using the Black Sea as a diplomatic tool in its foreign policy to achieve its maritime and foreign policy objectives, which are also linked with the country's strategic culture. This research investigates the significance of the Black Sea in Russia's Maritime Strategy for achieving its foreign policy objectives by using the balance of interest theory. This research employs two conceptual schemas. Firstly, with the help of maritime diplomacy, it analyses a tool to achieve foreign policy objectives in the waters. Secondly, the research uses the concept of strategic culture, which helps explore the diplomatic importance of the Black Sea in Russian foreign policy through the perspective of history and attitudes of decision-makers. This research highlights the case of the Black Sea for Russian maritime strategy, which also has a great economic significance for the region and world. It also highlights the importance of the Black Sea in the Russian maritime doctrine (2022) and links between maritime strategic culture and foreign policy objectives. It concludes that Russia is successfully pursuing its cooperative, coercive, and persuasive maritime diplomacy in the Black Sea region by providing humanitarian assistance, blocking Ukrainian access, and operating a stronghold at Sevastopol port as its naval base. In conclusion, this paper argues that strategic culture plays a vital role in employing the three diplomatic dimensions for achieving maritime objectives in the Black Sea.   Bibliography Entry Fatima Sherazi, Anees. 2023. "Role of Maritime Strategy in Russian Foreign Policy: A Case Study of Black Sea." Margalla Papers 27 (2): 115-124

Psychological complications of polycystic ovarian syndrome and women’s health

Background: Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) affects approximately 5-10% females of reproductive age worldwide. Recent research shows that this syndrome is associated with psychological upset and devastating effects on women′s mental health and wellbeing.  Lack of clinicians′ awareness of adverse psychological effects is a major concern in developing countries to provide standard care and to improve overall health outcomes.Purpose of study was to determine the frequency of anxiety and depression among women with PCOS in order to promote awareness among clinicians about psychological complications of disease.Methods: Present study was conducted in the department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology/ University Medical and Dental College, from October 2018 to March 2019. Sixty patients with diagnosis of PCOD and sixty participants without this disease were included in the study. Participants having other endocrine or metabolic disorders were excluded from study. Hospital anxiety and depression scale was used to detect anxiety and depression among both groups. SPSS version 16 was used for data analysis. Chi- square test was applied to compare prevalence of anxiety and depression in both groups, p-value ˂0.05 was taken as statistically significant.Results: Women having PCOD exhibited statistically significant prevalence of anxiety (78.3% vs 35%) and depression (60% vs 30%) with p value of 0.0001 and 0.001 respectively.Conclusions: It is highly recommended that initial evaluation of these patients should include assessment of psychological domain of disease to provide more comprehensive treatment to improve overall health related quality of life

ROLE OF MARITIME STRATEGY IN RUSSIAN FOREIGN POLICY: A CASE STUDY OF BLACK SEA

Russia is using the Black Sea as a diplomatic tool in its foreign policy to achieve its maritime and foreign policy objectives, which are also linked with the country's strategic culture. This research investigates the significance of the Black Sea in Russia's Maritime Strategy for achieving its foreign policy objectives by using the balance of interest theory. This research employs two conceptual schemas. Firstly, with the help of maritime diplomacy, it analyses a tool to achieve foreign policy objectives in the waters. Secondly, the research uses the concept of strategic culture, which helps explore the diplomatic importance of the Black Sea in Russian foreign policy through the perspective of history and attitudes of decision-makers. This research highlights the case of the Black Sea for Russian maritime strategy, which also has a great economic significance for the region and world. It also highlights the importance of the Black Sea in the Russian maritime doctrine (2022) and links between maritime strategic culture and foreign policy objectives. It concludes that Russia is successfully pursuing its cooperative, coercive, and persuasive maritime diplomacy in the Black Sea region by providing humanitarian assistance, blocking Ukrainian access, and operating a stronghold at Sevastopol port as its naval base. In conclusion, this paper argues that strategic culture plays a vital role in employing the three diplomatic dimensions for achieving maritime objectives in the Black Sea.   Bibliography Entry Fatima Sherazi, Anees. 2023. "Role of Maritime Strategy in Russian Foreign Policy: A Case Study of Black Sea." Margalla Papers 27 (2): 115-124

Acute phase reactants and lipid profile in acute chest pain presentations: a multimarker approach

Background: Cardiovascular diseases cause more deaths and disability and incur greater economic cost than any other illness in the world. Our objective is to study the biological activity and evaluate the diagnostic and prognostic values of acute phase reactants, high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and ferritin in association with traditional lipid profile, in screening subjects who developed chest pain due to cardiac event as indicated by a positive cardiac troponin I (cTnI) test.Methods: In this hospital-based prospective study, a total of 150 cases (n=150), presented consecutively to the emergency department with symptoms of cardiac ischemia and tested positive for troponin I (enzyme-linked flourescent assay), were compared with an equal number of age and gender matched healthy controls (n=150) for hsCRP (immunoturbidimetric assay), ferritin (immunoturbidimetric assay) and lipid profile (enzymatic colorimetric assay).Results: Median serum hsCRP levels were 2.12 mg/L)±1.79 mg/L) than controls (2.82±significantly elevated in cases (3.57 (p0.05) different between the two groups.Conclusions: hsCRP and ferritin are independent novel predictors for cardiovascular risks and events. Lipid profile demonstrates low specificity in such cases.

Oral versus intravenous maternal hydration in isolated third trimester oligohydramnios

Background: To study the effect of oral and intravenous maternal hydration in patients with isolated oligohydramnios in terms of mean change in amniotic fluid.Methods: A total number of 38 patients included in the study which fulfill the selection criteria.  Patients were randomly divided in two groups. Amniotic fluid index (AFI) of all patients was measured before the hydration therapy according to the method of Phelan et al.  In maternal oral hydration (Group A), every patient was instructed to drink two liters of water over two hours daily for 1 week. In intravenous hydration (Group B), every woman infused two liters of 0.9% normal saline in two hour daily for 1 week. After 48 hours and 1 week of oral and intravenous hydration, the AFI was reassessed by the same observer. Patients were monitored closely for sign and symptoms of fluid overload. Data was stratified for mean difference in improvement in amniotic fluid index.Results: After oral hydration therapy AFI was 5.926±0.4593 after 48 hours and 8.286±0.6000 after 7 days in Group A. In Group B AFI was 5.784±0.4622 after 48 hours and 7.868±0.2810 after 7 days of intravenous hydration. P value after 48 hours is 0.348 and p=0.014 after 7 days means oral hydration therapy significantly increase amniotic fluid index.Conclusions: Oral maternal hydration significantly increase the amniotic fluid index in patients with isolated oligohydramnios. It is simple, safe and non-invasive method

Vitamin D supplementation reduces the risk of preeclampsia in high-risk pregnant females

Background: Maternal vitamin D insufficiency has been linked with increased risk of preeclampsia. Despite this, the evidence regarding the efficacy of vitamin D supplementation in preventing preeclampsia is controversial. The aim of study was to collate the incidence of preeclampsia in high-risk females with vitamin D supplementation versus placebo.Methods: The present study was a randomized controlled trial. The study was conducted in the department of obstetrics and gynecology, Madinah Teaching Hospital affiliated with University Medical and Dental College Faisalabad. The study was collected over one year from July 2019 to June 2020. Patients were randomly assigned to two groups. Patients in group-A were given vitamin D supplementation of 600 IU daily. The control group (group-B) was given placebo. If blood pressure (BP) ≥140/90 mmHg and proteinuria found positive in urine, then preeclampsia was labeled (as per operational definition). Both groups were compared for preeclampsia by using Chi–square test. P value <0.05 was taken as significant.Results: The incidence of preeclampsia was 4% (n=2/150) in group A and 8% (n=6/150) in group B developed preeclampsia. The difference was (p value=0.3) insignificant difference.Conclusions: Vitamin D addition in pregnancy did not demonstrate a statistically significant effect of vitamin D on the prevention of preeclampsia

Antibacterial activity of the venom of Heterometrus xanthopus

Heterometrus xanthopus (Scorpion) is one of the most venomous and ancient arthropods. Its venom contains anti-microbial peptides like hadrurin, scorpine, Pandinin 1, and Pandinin 2 that are able to effectively kill multidrug-resistant pathogens. The present study was conducted to evaluate the anti-bacterial activity of H. xanthopus venom. Six Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains were tested against 1/100, 1/10, and 1/1 fractions of distilled water diluted and crude venom. 1/100 and 1/10 dilutions were not successful in any of the six bacterial strains studied while the 1/1 dilution was effective on Bacillus subtilis ATCC 6633, Salmonella typhimurium ATCC 14028, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853 with highest zone of inhibition were obtained on B. subtilis. Crude venom was effective against Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 14506, B. subtilis, S. typhimurium, and P. aeruginosa. The most effective results were observed on B. subtilis

Variation in carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity, augmentation pressure and augmentation index during different phases of menstrual cycle: Indicators of arterial stiffness during phases of menstrual cycle

Physiological variation of estrogen and progesterone during menstrual cycle is well known.  They not only have an effect on blood pressure control, but also seem to have a role in regulating arterial compliance. This study was done to find out whether there are any changes in central arterial parameters during different phases of menstrual cycle. Thirty female  subjects  in the  age  group  of  18-22  years  with  normal,  regular menstrual  cycles  participated in this prospective observational study at our teaching hospital. Anthropometric parameters were recorded.  Blood pressure in all 4 limbs was recorded using cardiovascular risk analyzer-Periscope™ on Day 3rd to 5th (follicular phase), Day 12th to 14th (ovulation phase), Day 22nd to 24th (luteal phase) of their menstrual cycle. We collected blood samples during these three phases for estimation of estradiol and progesterone by ELISA technique. Analysis of variance and correlation statistics were done using SPSS 17.0 statistical software. No significant statistical changes were observed in systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, mean arterial pressure, pulse pressure, aortic systolic pressure, aortic diastolic pressure, aortic augmentation pressure, aortic index and pulse wave velocity during the three recorded phases of the menstrual cycle. There are many studies which correlate changes in peripheral artery blood pressure with different phases of menstrual cycle. But there is scarcity in data available which correlates central arterial pressures and arterial stiffness with natural hormonal variations in different phases of menstrual cycle. However, our results show that although there are subtle changes in blood pressure parameters along with estrogen and progesterone levels throughout the menstrual cycle, yet these were not statistically significant

Self-Reflections in a Personal Space: Investigating the Process of Self-Portrait Painting by Academic Research

The purpose of this practice-based paper is to investigate the artistic reflections and self-aesthetics into the process of artwork making. Every stage of this process represents a particular significance from the initial stage to the finishing stage. Furthermore, this exploration aims to develop the employment of practical research in the field of Visual Arts on personal, communal and institutional levels. In this exploration, the methodology is the vehicle that transforms the research into reality. Making the artwork itself is the methodology, and this process is the primary reference of the present research. Therefore, the author presents the synthesis of the artwork making rather than the analysis of its aftermath, the focus in this context is the construction of the artwork. This is the result of this research, the artwork itself. Regarding the employability aspects of this approach, it involves the practitioners and researchers in the fields of the visual arts toward further realizations of the actual creative process. This employability takes place into the signs of progress on different levels through academic and artistic practices in schools, universities as well as higher learning and teaching institutions. The present practical paper is significant because it investigates reflections of the cultural identity as well as the narratives of personal memory into academic research. In the multicultural present temporality, research-oriented artists highlight the diversity of their societies and represent significantly personal aesthetics as themes in their artworks. This approach would elevate the mutual understanding among people from different aesthetical backgrounds; people's trends enhance multicultural perceptions, harmony, and coexistence. In addition, artists in this regard illustrate such an approach in their visual art when they compose practice and research with the symbolic content, which reflects social motives. Artists practice such art to critique the violent content in communication media and educate people that media may fake reality to create more audience and viewers. This study focused on the significance of subjective representations in contemporary arts, and the impact of such representations on the mutual understanding among people of multicultural societies. Keywords: Contemporary Art Practice, Studio-Based Methodology, Practice-Based Research, Hybrid Painting Techniques, Multimedia, Mixed media, Photography. DOI: 10.7176/JEP/11-12-18 Publication date: April 30th 202