Impact of Brand Extension and Brand Image on Brand Equity

The purpose of this study was to find out factors influencing on the brand equity. How the brand image and line extension impact on brand equity.  The study statistical population was including different commercial market, Education sector and industrial sector. For the response of such research we distributed 150 questionnaires with the 25 different questions. By use of the SPSS the correlation and regression tests were applied for interpreting the result.  The research results identified that there is positive significant relationship between the dependent and independent variables. The regression result showed that the model is fit and can predict future results of the research. The research will helpful for the commercial markets, related industries and specially for the managers to review their business strategies in order to attract maximum potential customers. Keywords: brand extension, images, brand equit

CTLA-4 blockade: therapeutic potential in cancer treatments

Enhancing or prolonging T-cell activation by monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) blocking negative signaling receptors such as CTLA4 is one approach to overcoming tumor-induced immune tolerance. Ipilimumab and tremelimumab inhibit CTLA4, prolonging antitumor immune responses and leading to durable anti-tumor effects. Treatment with these mAbs has demonstrated clinically important and durable tumor responses and disease control rates in patients with unresectable advanced melanoma. Durable objective responses have been reported across a spectrum of doses and schedules, with relative safety in this patient population. Although the phase III tremelimumab melanoma study was closed for “futility”, the 1-year survival rate of >50% for tremelimumab and the median survival of 11.7 months (compared with 10.7 months for chemotherapy) are notable. Results of the phase III studies testing CTLA4-blockade with ipilimumab are eagerly anticipated. The further development of these agents includes testing in the neoadjuvant melanoma setting (ipilimumab) as well the adjuvant high-risk melanoma setting (ipilimumab). Future progress with CTLA-4 blockade therapy will also likely come from the use of combinations of agents that target several critical regulatory pathways of the immune system and modulate the immune response in the host in a synergistic and controlled fashion

Frequency of poor quality of life and predictors of health related quality of life in cirrhosis at a tertiary care hospital Pakistan

Background Cirrhosis produces variety of symptoms which eventually lead to a negative impact on Health Related Quality of Life (HRQOL). The general aim of this study was to evaluate the magnitude of poor HRQOL and to assess factors related with HRQOL in patients with CLD in Pakistan. Findings This was a cross sectional study conducted in gastroenterology outpatient clinics of Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi on adult patients with cirrhosis. In this study chronic liver disease questionnaire (CLDQ) was used to assess HRQOL of these patients and CLDQ score was used as an outcome measure to determine factors related with HRQOL. 273 participants were recruited in the study; 155 (57%) were males. Mean age of participants was 49 ± 11 years. The most common cause for cirrhosis was viral infection 247(91.5%). Mean Model for End Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score was 12.6 ± 6.8 and 2/3 of patients 209 (76.6%) had advanced cirrhosis in Child Turcot Pugh (CTP) B or C stage. Poor HRQOL was seen in 187(69%; 95% C.I.: 63%, 74%) of the participants. Mean CLDQ score was 4.36 ±1.1. Amongst all of the domains, fatigue domain had lower CLDQ score. Hemoglobin (β = 0.09 [SE = 0.04]), Albumin (β = 0.32[SE = 0.09]), Diastolic Blood Pressure (DBP) (β = 0.01[0.005) prior history of decompensation (β = 0.98[SE = 0.39] were significant factors associated with HRQOL in patients with liver cirrhosis. Conclusion Frequency of poor health related quality of life determined by CLDQ score is high in patients with liver cirrhosis. Hemoglobin, serum albumen, prior history of decompensation (like encephalopathy and upper gastro intestinal bleed), are associated with health related quality of life

Urdu Translation and Validation of Academic Resilience Scale in Pakistani School Students

The present study was conducted to translate and validate the Academic Resilience Scale (Martin & Marsh 2006) in Urdu on Pakistani school students. For this purpose forward and backward translation method (Brislin, 1976) was utilized to translate original English version into Urdu. Urdu version had high test-retest reliability coefficient i.e. r=.903**. For validation, a sample of 340 students was selected conveniently from different schools Multan, Pakistan. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was performed to measure the factor structure of scale and it was discovered to be one-dimensional. ARS – Urdu version had significantly good reliability coefficient (α = .843). The scale validity and reliability were found to be satisfactory. Therefore, its findings demonstrated that it is appropriate for measuring academic resilience of school students

Insecticidal potential of some indigenous weeds extracts of Bahawalpur Pakistan againstdusky cotton bug (Oxycarenus hyalinipennis) (Costa) (Hemiptera: Lygaidae) under laboratory conditions

Owing to large scale use of chemical insecticides there is always need to find new alternatives to chemical insecticides. This study evaluated the aqueous extracts of three weeds namely Datura alba (Nees), Withania somnifera (Linnaeus) and Chenopodium album (Linnaeus) for insecticidal potential against Oxycarenus hyalinipennis (Costa) (Hemiptera: Lygaeidae) under laboratory conditions. Extracts were prepared from three plant parts e.g., leaves, stems and roots and applied at five concentrations ranging from 1 to 20 %. To check the mortality not because of weed extracts control treatment (water only) was also included as sixth treatment. Mortality of pest insects was assessed after three exposure periods e.g., 24h, 48 hand 72 h. Among the three weeds tested, mortality was more due to extract of D. alba weed which thus proved more toxic compared to other two weeds. Among plant parts, root extracts were more potent than leaves and stem extracts and the more concentration of 20 per cent usually resulted in maximum mortality. Maximum mortality of insects was after 72 h period followed by 48 h and minimum was after 24 h period. However maximum mortality of 60 % in case of D. alba warrants attention towards the options of either increasing concentration (> 20 %) of this extract or to evaluate other extraction type e.g., ethanolic extract to gain maximum mortality against this notorious pest

Pengembangan Bahan Ajar Akidah Akhlak Berbasis Metode Visual, Auditory, Reading/Write And Khinesthetic (VARK) di Madrasah Ibtidaiyah

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui, 1) Gambaran bahan ajar Aqidah Akhlak Kelas 1 yang digunakan pada saat ini, 2) Menghasilkan bahan ajar Aqidah Akhlak yang valid, 3) Menghasilkan bahan ajar Aqidah Akhlak yang praktis, dan 4) Menghasilkan bahan ajar yang Aqidah Akhlak yang efektif. Dengan prosedur penelitian model Borg and Gall, yang telah disederhanakan menjadi empat langkah yaitu terdiri dari tahap analisis kebutuhan, tahap mendesain, tahap pengembangan dan tahap uji coba produk. Hasil dari penelitian ini adalah bahan ajar yang berupa buku teks Akidah Akhlak berbasis VARK dengan hasil uji validitas, diperoleh skor penilaian 92 dari skor maksimal 104 dengan tingkat persentase kevalidan 88,5%, dari validator pertama. Hasil ini diperoleh dari empat aspek penilaian yaitu isi, kebahasaan,penyajian, dan kegrafikan, dengan indikator penilaian sebanyak 26 butir pernyataan. Adapun hasil validasi dari validator kedua dengan skor perolehan 101 dari jumlah skor maksimal 104, dengan persentase tingkat kevalidan 96,2%, dengan nilai rata-rata penilaian adalah 96,5. Sehingga buku produk dinyatakan sangat valid. Selanjutnya uji kepraktisan dengan skor perolehan 71 dari skor maksimal 76 terhitung dari 19 butir pernyataan, dengan persentase tingkat kepraktisan adalah 93,5% yang diperoleh dari praktisi. Sedangkan hasil yang diperoleh dari uji kepraktisan peserta didik adalah skor 1.472 dari skor maksimal 1.620, persentase tingkat kepraktisan 91% dengan nilai rata-rata 90. Sehingga produk buku teks dinyatakan memenuhi kriteria kepraktisan. Terkhir hasil uji keefektifan, yang memperoleh hasil dari 22 peserta didik yang diberikan soal post tes, sebanyak 15 orang peserta didik memperoleh hasil yang sangat tinggi dengan persentase 69%, sedangkan 6 orang memperoleh nilai tinggi dengan persentase 27% , dan 1 diantaranya memperoleh nilai sedang dengan persentase 4%

Criminal Thinking Styles and Criminal Social Identity Among Juvenile Delinquents: Moderating Role of Parenting Styles

Parenting is considered imperative in the development of juvenile\u27s cognitions, and beliefs. The parent-child relationship might significantly influence juvenile’s thought patterns and social communications. Different parenting styles perhaps indicate criminal involvement of juveniles, resultantly turns them into delinquent. The present study was done to discover whether parental authority styles moderate the path that links criminal thinking styles to criminal social identity amongst juvenile delinquents. Participants of the study were 211 juvenile delinquents who responded on Juvenile Criminal Thinking Styles’ Inventory (Sana & Rafiq, 2019), Measure of Criminal Social Identity (Boduszek, et al., 2012), Parental Authority Questionnaire (Babree, 1997) and approached through purposive sampling technique. Association among variables was measured by using the Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient whereas moderating effects of parental authority styles in linking criminal thinking styles to criminal social identity were assessed through hierarchical regression. The results show a positive relationship of criminal thinking styles with criminal social identity, authoritarian and permissive parenting styles while a negative relationship with authoritative parenting style. Moreover, it is evident that strict (authoritarian) and liberal (permissive) parenting moderates the interrelationship of criminal thinking styles and criminal social identity of juvenile delinquents as compared to reliable and trustworthy (authoritative) parenting. Results suggest working to develop intervention as well as prevention programs for juveniles that need appropriate attention and affection from parents, which resultantly persuade distorted thought patterns and criminal peer associations

Determinants of capital structure : an empirical study of KSE listed MNCs in Pakistan

Multinational Corporations (MNCs) are generally financed with a mixture of internal debt and equity from the parent corporation. Yet, financial theory has relatively little to say regarding the capital structure and its determinants in an international setting. This research empirically examines the major determinants of capital structure decisions of Multinational Corporations listed on the Karachi Stock Exchange for the period 2005-2017. The data was studied using panel data regression analysis. Results suggest that apart from traditional determinants such as profitability, tangibility, size, Non Debt Tax Shield (NDTS) etc., specific international factors such as political risk, exchange rate risk, agency costs and bankruptcy costs are relevant to the multinational capital structure decision. The results are broadly consistent with theory. It is therefore recommended that the management of listed MNCs in Pakistan should always consider their positions using these capital structure determinants as important inputs before embarking on debt financing decision.peer-reviewe

Nitrofurantoin and Fosfomycin, effective oral empirical treatment options against multidrug resistant Escherichia coli

ObjectiveThe present study is designed to monitor antibiotic susceptibility pattern of Escherichia coli to assist in forecasting empirical therapy of urinary tract infection.MethodologyIt is a retrospective cross sectional study. It was carried out at Dow Diagnostic Research and Reference Laboratory for a period of 3 months from February 2017 to April 2017. A data of total 5000 urine culture and sensitivity test reports was taken from the medical record. The data was analyzed by SPSS version 16.ResultsOut of 5000 urine samples processed, 1565 showed significant bacterial growth. Escherichia coli was the most common pathogen isolated. Meropenem, Amikacin, Fosfomycin and Nitrofurantoin respectively were found to be the most sensitive antibiotics against Escherichia coli.Conclusion Fosfomycin and Nitrofurantoin are effective oral antibiotics against Escherichia coli causing urinary tract infection. The present study may help clinicians in making rational choice of empirical treatment of the patients

A Qualitative Account of The Nature and Use of Self-Regulated Learning (SRL) Strategies Employed by University Students

Students\u27 conceptions of how they initiate, plan, implement and monitor self-regulated learning (SRL) strategies have practical implications for teaching and learning. This study explores the nature and use of SRL strategies employed by university students as it occurs in naturalistic settings, for example, studying in non-classroom environments. Framed within the social cognitive perspective, it focuses on a group of students from an under-researched population. Focus group interviews were used to elicit information about the nature of SRL strategies and contexts for their use. The findings reveal that students employ a range of SRL strategies, from shallow to cognitively rich and deep processing. Furthermore, the use of SRL strategies alters under different contextual influences such as personal goals, SRL phase specific conditions, semester and academic capabilities