Role of Pakistani Universities in Interfaith Dialogue, Harmony and Relations An Index and Bibliometric of Produced Academic Dissertations

Interfaith dialogue has become one of the most significant and interesting activities in contemporary socio-political and socio-religious global scenario due to its crucial role in the peace process and peaceful interfaith relations. Many groups of scholars, institutes, organizations, and even governments are promoting the activities regarding interfaith relations. Meanwhile, it is also assumed that Pakistan is one of the countries where interfaith dialogue activities are arranged officially on the state level. In this study, efforts are made to review statistically and to index the literature produced by Pakistani scholars and universities. A mixed-method research methodology is adopted for this study with a bibliometric approach to find out results. Almost 136 theses & dissertations have been produced by scholars in a wide range of Pakistani Universities on interfaith Dialogue, religious debates, harmony, and relations. The research produced by male scholars was 71 (52.21 %) and most 49 (36%) productive era was from 2011 to 2015. The majority of the research was for Master (38%) and MS/M.Phil (34%) level degrees and about one-fifth of the theses were on the theme of “Interfaith Dialogue in Pakistani context”. Therefore, it is suggested that the course on interfaith dialogue, harmony, and relations should be taught at M. Phil and Ph.D. Level in the discipline of Islamic studies and social sciences

Contributions to the Field of Library and Information Sciences in Pakistan: A Bio Bibliometric Study of Dr. Saeed Ullah Jan

Abstract Purpose- This paper presents the bio-bibliometric analysis of Dr. Saeed Ullah Jan\u27s contributions to the Library and Information Science (LIS) field in Pakistan. This study includes the following: the year-wise distribution of research produced; authors\u27 collaboration; publications by type; language; geographical preference for research; and coverage of different subject areas. Methodology/Design- The data for this retrospective study was requested through email from Dr. Saeed Ullah Jan with advance ethical permission and further verified from Scholar Google, the official university website, and departments where required. Findings- The results of the study indicate that Dr. Saeed Ullah Jan is a prolific writer and supervisor in LIS in Pakistan. He contributed 178 items, including 76 articles, two books, 86 theses, and fourteen conference papers, and secured eleven research grants until June 30, 2022. His most significant contribution is establishing two LIS departments with two postgraduate LIS education (MPhil and PhD) programs for the first time in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He has the honor of launching the first LIS Higher Education Commission (HEC) recognized research journal from the fertile land of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Research work by Dr. Saeed Ullah Jan has received worldwide recognition and has been accepted in leading journals in the United Kingdom, Canada, Japan, and the United States of America. He used the English language to publish the majority of his research work. He believes in teamwork, and about 98% of his research work was done in collaboration. He is also an HEC recognized and approved Ph.D. supervisor. Originality- This study is a unique biobibliometric study that systematically combined the research productivity of Dr. Saeed Ullah Jan and provided a holistic sketch of the literature produced on various themes of LIS during 2011–2022. Research limitations- Due to the limited area of biobibliometrics of a single author, the results were not generalized

An Analytical Study of Library & Information Sciences Journals Published in Pakistan

This descriptive study was conducted in Pakistan in February 2021. The main objective was to identify and discuss the various aspects of the research journals of Library & Information Sciences (LIS) published form Pakistan till date. Documentary analysis was made for acquiring the basic and desired information about these journals. The scrutiny of the available record revealed that seven LIS journals are being published in Pakistan. Out of seven, three were Higher Education Commission (HEC) recognized. Two LIS journals are charging publication fee from authors. Five journals were started publishing in last decade by LIS schools or organizations working for LIS professionals in Pakistan. Amazing is to note that none of the Journals has Impact Factor and the oldest journal Pakistan Library Information Science Journal (PLISJ) has been de recognized after journey of 52 years. The LIS community of Pakistan needs to improve the quality of research journals to meet the international standards in the field of Library & Information Studies

Identification of a biomarker panel for improvement of prostate cancer diagnosis by volatile metabolic profiling of urine

Background: The lack of sensitive and specific biomarkers for the early detection of prostate cancer (PCa) is a major hurdle to improve patient management. Methods: A metabolomics approach based on GC-MS was used to investigate the performance of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in general and, more specifically, volatile carbonyl compounds (VCCs) present in urine as potential markers for PCa detection. Results: Results showed that PCa patients (n = 40) can be differentiated from cancer-free subjects (n = 42) based on their urinary volatile profile in both VOCs and VCCs models, unveiling significant differences in the levels of several metabolites. The models constructed were further validated using an external validation set (n = 18 PCa and n = 18 controls) to evaluate sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of the urinary volatile profile to discriminate PCa from controls. The VOCs model disclosed 78% sensitivity, 94% specificity and 86% accuracy, whereas the VCCs model achieved the same sensitivity, a specificity of 100% and an accuracy of 89%. Our findings unveil a panel of 6 volatile compounds significantly altered in PCa patients' urine samples that was able to identify PCa, with a sensitivity of 89%, specificity of 83%, and accuracy of 86%. Conclusions: It is disclosed a biomarker panel with potential to be used as a non-invasive diagnostic tool for PCa.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Electronic Theses: Why Pakistan is lagging behind

Purpose The paper aimed to extract and analyze the work of Pakistan Research Repository (A theses portal of Higher Education Commission, Pakistan. Quantitative research has been carried out to describe the purpose and scope of the Pakistan Research Repository and its contribution to the research arena. A center measurement has also been brought into use to make it more effective and efficient to inquire about the contents being shown to the researchers of Pakistan and abroad. Design/methodology/approach The article focuses on quantitative and critical analysis of Pakistan Research Repository. A multi-tier research design was used to know about PRR. The material for this paper was drawn from the official website of Higher Education Commission HEC, Pakistan and Pakistan Research Repository (PRR). Information was also gathered from the experts who contributed relevant papers to the subject. Findings The result of the paper shows that Pakistan Research Repository has projected a total of 15279 Theses & Dissertations on its website from different institutions of Pakistan. The collected data was organized in one place, and free access has been granted to researchers in Pakistan and abroad. This study has further elaborated the valuable insight about the current status of PRR. It has been observed that the creation of this project was a landmark for the research community in Pakistan and abroad. The study also highlights that how researchers, faculty, and students benefited from the Pakistan Research Repository. Research limitations/implications The researcher has only highlighted the research repository of Higher Education of Pakistan and has not been extended to other similar projects in the country. This study has encouraged researchers to highlight Repository projects throughout the country. The article is a case study and focuses on PRR only. Researchers in the library field are encouraged to shed light on a similar project for projection in Pakistan. The study is generally helpful for the researchers in Pakistan and particularly for the stakeholders of HEC to further refurbish the project for the extension of scholarly works being produced in Pakistan. Social implications The paper will help manage PRR and enhance a better scope for the researchers in Pakistan to portray a better image of their research output in Pakistan. Originality/value The paper provided a critical review on the research repository in Pakistan and will enhance a policy input among researchers in Pakistan and stakeholders of HEC to make it further refurbish by showcasing research in different institutions of Pakistan. Keywords: Electronic Theses; Theses & dissertations; Scholarly works; Academia; Pakistan Research Repositor