Globalization and Management Education in Developing Countries

The globalization process is significantly affecting the economic and commercial life of nations. With increasing global competition and the rapidly advancing technologies, the business organizations and business models as well as management systems and practices are undergoing continuous change. To cope up with these changes, the management education is also being restructured and refocused. For one thing, the leading business schools in the more economically advanced countries are moving from producing ‘functionally skilled’ managers to ‘business leaders’ capable of operating in the competitive global environment. The trend is to make the management education more flexible and broad based in both content and approach. The situation in the developing countries is substantially different. Although most of the developing countries are being integrated into the Global economy to various degrees, yet the relative share of local businesses and the public sector/non-profit organizations is very significant. Judging by the market demand, the need to prepare managers for specialized jobs is still great. But, at the same time, the imperatives of globalization require the managers of the twenty-first century to cope up with the new developments, which are taking place in global business and related management techniques and practices. The purpose of this paper is to identify some of the elements of globalization, which affect business and management strategies and practices, and to examine the extent to which management education needs to be restructured in developing countries. Some suggestions are made in the context of MBA education in Malaysia.Globalization; management education; developing countries

Modelling the structure of full-length Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen 1

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a clinically important human virus associated with several cancers and is the etiologic agent of infectious mononucleosis. The viral nuclear antigen-1 (EBNA1) is central to the replication and propagation of the viral genome and likely contributes to tumourigenesis. We have compared EBNA1 homologues from other primate lymphocryptoviruses (LCV) and found that the central glycine/alanine repeat (GAr) domain, as well as predicted cellular protein (USP7 and CK2) binding sites are present in homologues in the Old World primates, but not the marmoset; suggesting that these motifs may have co-evolved. Using the resolved structure of the C-terminal one third of EBNA1 (homodimerisation and DNA binding domain), we have gone on to develop monomeric and dimeric models in silico of the full length protein. The C-terminal domain is predicted to be structurally highly similar between homologues, indicating conserved function. Zinc could be stably incorporated into the model, bonding with two N-terminal cysteines predicted to facilitate multimerisation. The GAr contains secondary structural elements in the models, while the protein binding regions are unstructured, irrespective of the prediction approach used and sequence origin. These intrinsically disordered regions may facilitate the diversity observed in partner interactions. We hypothsise that the structured GAr could mask the disordered regions, thereby protecting the protein from default degradation. In the dimer conformation, the C-terminal tails of each monomer wrap around a proline-rich protruding loop of the partner monomer, providing dimer stability, a feature which could be exploited in therapeutic design

An Empirical Investigation on Behavioral Determinants of Perceived Investment Performance; Evidence from Karachi Stock Exchange

The study aims to explore behavioral determinants of perceived investment performance from Karachi Stock Exchange. Risk perception is mediating the process while financial literacy has moderation role in this study. Data are collected from the sample of 150 perceived investors of Karachi Stock Exchange. For the purpose of data collection study uses adopted questionnaire. Results are indicating that both framing and herding effects have a positive significant relationship with perceived investment performance. Mediation is not established and financial literacy shows moderating relationship with framing effect and perceived investment performance. Keywords: Behavioral determinants, Risk Perception, Financial Literacy, Perceived Investment Performance, Pakista

Prospects of Wheat and Sugar Trade between India and Pakistan : A Simple Welfare Analysis

This paper asks how opening up of wheat and sugar trade between two nuclear neighbours, India and Pakistan, would affect welfare in the two countries. We conduct a partial equilibrium analysis to simulate welfare implications of trade between the two countries under three alternative trade regimes : a) under an FTA between India and Pakistan, b) under SAFTA, and c) under a grant of mostfavoured nation (MFN) to India by Pakistan. We conduct simple welfare analysis for wheat, on the basis of real world data of FY2005, and for sugar, based on data for FY 2000-01. In both these years, India had a net surplus and Pakistan had a net deficit for both wheat and sugar. We show that among other things, favourable weather conditions play a critical role in generating these surpluses, which are most likely to get reversed in years when weather conditions become more favourable to Pakistan. While we find there would be net gains to both countries, in case trade happens, the highest welfare gains accrue to both countries under free trade agreement. Further analysis reveals that if subsidies to Indian wheat farmers are removed, their competitive edge disappears in favour of wheat farmers in Pakistan.wheat, sugar, trade, weather conditions, Pakistan, India, subsidies

Validity of E-Flow Colour Doppler Indices in Differentiating Benign and Malignant Ovarian Tumours

To determine the validity of Pulsatility and Resistive index of trans-abdominal Doppler ultrasound(e-flow) in distinguishing between benign and malignant adnexal masses keeping histopathology as gold standard.Methods: In this cross sectional study patients scheduled for elective surgery due to adenaxal masses were included. All patients were sonographically evaluated for Pulsatility and Resistance indices aided with colour e-flow Doppler before the elective surgery of lesions. The performing radiologist had no information on the patients, to differentiate between benign and malignant adnexal masses based on Doppler indices. The final diagnoses were based on pathological and operative findings, keeping histopathology as gold standard.Results: Two hundred and twenty-nine patients were recruited out of which 18 were excluded, since the masses were finally not proven to be adnexal. Of the remaining 211 cases available for analysis, 163 were benign and 48 were malignant. The sensitivity and specificity of the Pulsatility index for distinction were 89.57% and 85.42% and values for the Resistance index were 89.57% and 89.58% respectively.Conclusions: Pulsatility and resistance indices with trans-abdominal Doppler ultrasound (e-flow) have high accuracy in differentiating between benign and malignant adnexal masses

Impact of Turmoil on Tourism of Kashmir

In the present study an attempt has been made to analyze the impact of turmoil on tourism ofKashmir and the sectors associated with tourism industry. More emphasis has been laid oncombining and comparing the ups and downs of both the issues of turmoil and tourism in Kashmir.Besides secondary data information has been collected from house boat owners, shikhara ownersand hotel owners with the help of interview schedules. Our analysis reveals that there has been anegative impact of turmoil on the sectors associated with tourism industry. Turmoil in the State,particularly of last two decades, hindered the smooth growth of the tourism and had discouragedmost of the travelers from visiting India's most popular tourist destination. Add to this it alsoaffected not only tourism but also indirectly the economic activities related to tourism.Key words: Turmoil, tourism, houseboat owners, Kashmir, poverty, unemployment

HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE AND DEPRESSION AMONG PATIENTS OF LIVER CIRRHOSIS IN PAKISTAN

Objective: The present study was designed to assess HRQoL and depression among patients of liver cirrhosis in Pakistan. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study design was used to assess health-related quality of life and depression among liver cirrhosis patients in Pakistan. Two pre-validated questionnaires i.e. SF 36 and HADS were self-administered to a sample of 382 cirrhotic patient’s selected using convenience sampling technique for measuring HRQoL and depression, respectively. After data collection, data was cleaned, coded and analyzed using in SPSS version 21. Results: The results highlighted that lowest scores for HRQoL were observed in the domain of role physical (40.02,±24.01) followed by role emotional (41.93,±26.99) whereas the highest scores were observed in the domain of physical functioning (51.87,±15.22). Conclusion: The results of the present study concluded that liver cirrhosis patients in Pakistan had poor HRQoL across all domains along with mild to moderate depression. While all domains were affected, the greatest impact was on role limitation due to physical as well as emotional problems. The most affected group among patients were females and patients having age greater than 60 y. Besides this severity and advanced stage of cirrhosis had a negative effect on all domains of HRQoL. Presence of complications further reduced HRQoL and increased depressive symptoms among liver cirrhosis patients

Phylogenomic and structure-function relationship studies of proteins involved in EBV associated oncogenesis

This study covers the investigation of evolutionary and structure-function relationship aspects of several cancer related proteins. One part of the study deals with the investigation of a critical protein of Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) the Nuclear Antigen 1 (EBNA1), and its interactions with different host proteins. One of these host proteins is a member of a large gene family, encoding ubiquitin specific proteases (USP), known as USP7. The second section of the thesis deals with the molecular evolution of the USP gene family. Another set of cellular proteins deregulated during EBV associated oncogenesis are members of the glycoside hydrolase (GH18) family. Their phylogenetic relationships and protein structures were investigated in the third section of this thesis. EBNA1 is the only EBV protein that consistently expressed in all latent forms of the EBV infections. The protein is involved in the genome maintenance and a substantial body of evidence suggests that it has a role in EBV associated oncogenesis. In this study, full length molecular models of the EBNA1 protein were generated using the programmes, I-TASSER, MOE and Modeller. The best models were selected on the basis of plausibility in structural and thermodynamical parameters and from this models of EBNA1 homologues of primates lymphocryptoviruses (LCVs) were generated. The C-terminal DNA binding and homodimerisation domain was predicted to be structurally similar between different LCV EBNA1 homologues, indicative of functional conservation. The central glycine alanine repeat (GAr) domain was predicted to be primarily composed of α helices, while almost all of the protein interaction region was found to be unstructured, irrespective of the prediction approach used and sequence origin. Predicted USP7 and Casein kinase 2 (CK2) binding sites and GAr were observed in the EBNA1 homologues of Old World primate LCVs, but not in the marmoset homologue suggesting the co-evolution of both these sites. Dimer conformations of the EBNA1 monomer models were constructed using SymmDock, where the C-terminal tail was predicted to wrap around the proline rich loop of another monomer, possibly contributing to dimer stability. This feature could be exploited in therapeutic design, hence an inhibitor peptide was designed and a preliminary evaluation was conducted to explore its ability to inhibit EBNA1 function in cell survival. The peptide array libraries of EBNA1 were used to investigate the binding regions and critical contact points between EBNA1 and partner proteins. Human EBP2 and USP7 proteins were expressed in bacteria and probed on the EBNA1 array. The data confirm the previously known binding region for EBNA1-EBP2 and EBNA1-USP7 interactions. In addition further information was gained regarding the critical contact residues and the potential role of phosphorylation of serine residues of EBNA1 in its binding with EBP2 and USP7. The human genome encodes nearly 100 USPs which contribute to regulate the turnover of cellular proteins. These homologues are divided into 16 paralogous groups, all sharing a characteristic peptidase C19 domain. Evolutionary relationships between these homologues were explored by datamining and the phylogenetic reconstruction of peptidase C19 domain sequences. The data reveal an ancient relationship between the genes, with expansion occurring throughout the course of evolution, but particularly at the base of the vertebrates, at the time of the two whole genome duplications. A comparison between the phylogenetic architecture and protein interaction networks suggests the parallel emergence of many molecular pathways and the associated USPs. The GH18 gene family includes chitinases and related non catalytic proteins. Most mammals encode at least three chitinases (CHIT1, CHIA/AMCase and CTBS), as well as several homologues encoding catalytically inactive chitinase-like proteins or chilectins. Phylogenomic analysis shows that the family has undergone extensive expansion, initiating with a duplication event at the root of the vertebrate tree, resulting in the origin of the ancestors of CHIT1 and CHIA. Two further duplications of ancestral CHIA predate the divergence of bony fishes, one leading to a newly identified paralogous group (we have termed CHIO). In tetrapods, additional CHIA duplications predate and postdate the amphibian/mammalian split and relics of some exist as pseudogenes in the human genome. Homology modelling of structurally unresolved GH18 homologues in mouse and human was conducted using Modeller and I-TASSER. All resolved and predicted structures share a TIM barrel (β/α)8 and α+β domain. A central ligand binding cavity was also found in all GH18 homologues. The variation in size and shape of different paralogous proteins, indicate the difference in their ligands specificity and in turn potential functions

Verrucous Squamous Cell Cancer of the Esophagus: A Case Report

Verrucous Cancer of the esophagus is basically a type of squamous cell carcinoma and is associated with a chronic inflammatory process in the lower esophagus usually secondary to gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD). Mostly it is a local disease process but sometimes it can invade distant structures also. We report a case is a 62-year-old female patient who presented with marked weight loss, anorexia, and difficulty to take solid food. On Upper GI endoscopy there was a warty appearing irregular mass at the mid to distal esophagus. Superficial multiple biopsies were taken but turned negative for malignancy and re-endoscopy after a few days with deep multiple biopsies revealed the diagnosis of verrucous carcinoma on histopathology. The patient was having multiple co-morbid conditions like hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and early nephropathy along with infiltration of malignancy in surrounding structures on CT scan chest. Therefore a decision was taken to place an esophageal stent by upper GI endoscopy followed by chemotherapy and radiotherapy by the oncology department. Patient symptoms were much relieved after 4 months of chemotherapy and radiotherapy and the patient is still on regular follow-up in medical OPD. Chronic inflammation due to gastritis and esophagitis is the main risk factor for verrucous carcinoma of the esophagus. Although surgery is the treatment of the choice for the local and early disease but as in our case disease was already spread palliative stenting followed by chemo-radiation is the best possible option that can be offered

Magnetite (Fe3O4) - Synthesis, Functionalization and its Application

Nanoparticles are smaller than 100nm. Size of particle depends upon the method that is used for synthesis of nanoparticles. Magnetic nanoparticles consist of iron, cobalt and nickel and their chemical compounds. Their safety or toxicity is major concern for use in food. Magnetite, hematite and meghemite are types of magnetic nanoparticles. Magnetite (Fe3O4) common among the magnetic iron oxide nanoparticle that is used in food industry. Magnetite is getting popular due to its super paramagnetic properties and lack of toxicity to humans. Different methods are used to synthesize magnetic nanoparticles. Upon contact with air these particles loses magnetism and mono-dispersibility. To overcome this problem these nanoparticles are coated with natural or synthetic polymers, metals, organic and inorganic substances to create stable and hydrophilic nanostructures. Due to easy separation with magnet these magnetic nanoparticles are used as an affinity probe to remove bacteria from different food samples and have food related applications e.g, protein purification, enzyme immobilization and food analysis. These magnetic nanoparticles also used for removal of heavy metals and used in medical field