GREEN SPACES AND MENTAL HEALTH: DOES FREQUENCY OF USE OR PROXIMITY AFFECT SUBJECTIVE WELLBEING AND PERCEIVED STRESS?

Urbanization is essential for economic growth; however, it has a negative effect on the environment and the psychological health of the population. Urban green spaces help in the reduction of air and noise pollution while increasing people’s wellbeing through social interactions and creating an outdoor space for physical activity. Due to the rapid urbanization of the United Arab Emirates, the research on green spaces in this region is fundamental. The study included two hypotheses: 1) Greater proximity and frequency of use results in lower perceived stress and 2) Greater proximity and frequency of use leads to greater wellbeing. The results yielded non-significant for proximity to green spaces and stress and wellbeing. However, frequency of use showed a significant correlation. Additionally, the researchers explored the most common uses of green spaces and suggestions that would increase the frequency of use through open-ended questions. The results could be a manifestation of the Attention Restoration Theory and Biophilia Theory

Diagnostic Accuracy of Trans-Abdominal Ultrasonography in Urolithiasis, keeping CT KUB as Gold Standard

Objective: To determine the diagnostic accuracy of trans-abdominal ultrasonography in urolithiasis, keeping CT KUB as gold standard.Material and Methods: This cross-sectional validation study was conducted at Armed Forces Institute of Radiology and Imaging, Military Hospital (MH) Rawalpindi from 15 July 2015 to 14 July 2016. In total 115 patients with expected urolithiasis were evaluated with transabdominal ultrasonography and the findings were documented. CT KUB of these patients was carried out. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and diagnostic accuracy of transabdominal ultrasonography were calculated, keeping findings of CT KUB as gold standard.Results: Among total of 115 patients, 54.78% (n=63) were males and 45.22% (n=52) were females. Mean age was 35.69 ± 5.91 years. Frequency of urolithiasis on CT KUB was recorded in 62.61% (n=72). The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and diagnostic accuracy of transabdominal ultrasonography in urolithiasis was calculated as 65.27%, 72.09%, 79.66%, 55.36% and 67.83% respectively.Conclusion: The diagnostic accuracy of trans-abdominal ultrasonography in urolithiasis is acceptable for diagnosing urolithiasis and hence it may serve as an alternative in case of unavailability or contraindication to CT scan

Relationship between Financial Leverage and Financial Performance: Evidence from Fuel & Energy Sector of Pakistan

Fuel and energy sector serves as the backbone of the economy. The segment provides support, not only for the economic development of the country by showing positive trends towards the sectoral growth, but also serves as a steering wheel for the growth of manufacturing, trading and service sector. It provides significant inputs for production, trade and service. A general concept prevails that the financial leverage is helpful to enhance the financial performance of the companies. For measuring the impact of financial leverage on the financial health of the companies, it is essential to know whether a positive relationship exists between the financial leverage and financial performance or not? So, this study is intended to test the hypothesis and to measure a relationship between the financial leverage and the financial performance of the fuel and energy sector in Pakistan. The paper also examines the generalization that firms with higher profitability may choose high leverage by using various statistical tools. The findings of the study show a positive relationship between the financial leverage and the financial performance of the companies by accepting the alternate hypothesis H1 and Ho is rejected. The results of the study confirm that the firms having higher profitability may improve their financial performance by having high levels of financial leverage. The study provides evidence by evaluating different facts. It reveals that the players of the fuel and energy in Pakistan can improve at their financial performance by employing the financial leverage and can arrive at a sustainable future growth by making vital decisions about the choice of their optimal capital structure.   Key Words: Financial leverage, Firms’ Performance, Key Indicators- Financial Ratios, Fuel and Energy Sector in Pakistan

Alarming frequency and after effects of maternal anemia in Pakistan

Anemia is caused due to usually iron based nutritional deficiency in blood. Its severity varies from mild to fatal. Recent reported data of Pakistan indicates that anemia cannot be ignored as it may affect fetus or maternal health or may cause death of any of them. The frequent symptoms are poor fetal growth, gastrointestinal bleeding, spontaneous abortion, low infant weight, less placental size and fetal or sometimes maternal death. Moreover, current data highlights that maternal anemia is common among females of province Sindh up to alarming level than in other provinces of Pakistan. As its diagnosis is usually delayed. People ignore the symptoms and still there is lack of awareness among masses. It should be controlled by government and concerned authorities by spreading general public awareness related to preventive measures, handling and cure of maternal anemia and to ensure the lives and health of both mother and developing fetus

Determining the Influences of the Employee’s Loyalty in the Organizational Setting

The aim of the following research is to provide a brief insight into employee loyalty towards their organization and its effects on working conditions, working environment, and bonus and incentives. As employees are considered to be key strategic assets of every organization so it is essential for the organization to study the factors which produce a profound effect on loyalty. Loyalty is said to be a unique composition of employee attributes depicting a higher quality which is difficult to find significantly affecting the prevailing organization succession. For the progression of the research findings, the precedent research followed a T-test, F-test, ANOVA, multiple regressions, Factor analysis, Durbin Watson, correlation as the methodology. The following methodology aid inevaluating the crucial elements of the organization significantly affecting the employee loyalty. Moreover, in the research working condition, working environment and bonus and incentives served as the dependent variable, while employee loyalty as the independent variable. The researcher has employed the calculation of the observation from self-design 100 questionnaires which were filled by Muslim commercial bank employees in all over Karachi, all result have significant impact at 5% alpha.  On the basis of data, it can be concluded that the determinants of the independent variable of the current dissertation have a significant impact on employee loyalty. Moreover, all of the three independent variables have been accepted. Therefore, it is feasible to suggest that the organization should focus on the prevailing variables for enhancing the performance of the organization and driving the optimal outcome for securing the leading position in the industry

Seeing COVID-19 through a Health care professional’s eye

Background: The world is in a state of war. The health care professionals are the front line soldiers who are fighting this war against COVID-19. The modification in human behavior to a specific stimulus (say the Corona epidemic) is the single most important determinant of the fate of that stimulus.  On 26th February 2020, Pakistan reported its first corona positive cases. Till Mid-March, the number raised to a significantly critical level. As the outbreak was unexpected in Pakistan, the situation created chaos and panic among the public as well as among health care workers. The current study analyzed COVID-19 thorough a healthcare professional's eye. There has been no previous study according to the PubMed database. Using the keywords, "Coronavirus, Health care professionals, Pakistan, COVID-19", for any sort of previous cases reported or literature reported relating to coronavirus, our team could not find any article, case report or publication of any sort. So this study is the first from Pakistan Methods: In this cross-sectional study, a self-administrated online questionnaire was circulated through emails and social media to the whole country. The questionnaire comprised of assessing knowledge about the cause and symptoms of COVID-19. A total of 146 responses were scrutinized to include in the survey, in the time period of 1 week (March 23-30, 2020). The participants belonged to private and government institutions from all provinces of Pakistan. Results: The mean values of all items depicted that all health care professionals were well aware of the knowledge, symptoms and transmissibility of COVID-19. Conclusion:  The study concluded that the healthcare professionals were fully aware of the transmission of COVID-19 and its symptoms. However, it is recommended that the government should provide full support to health care professionals, who are at the front line. &nbsp

Comparison between Right and Left Hemisphere Lesion of Stroke Patients for Functional Gait Assessment

Objective: To compared the functional gait among left and right hemisphere lesion patients of stroke. Methods: This cross sectional comparative study included 126 patients with right and left sided hemispheric lesion. The study was conducted from December 2019 to March 2020. Patients were selected consecutively from different hospitals and rehabilitation centers of Lahore, Pakistan on the basis of inclusion & exclusion criteria. Functional gait assessment (FGA) scale was used to measure functional gait performance and disturbance related to balance in stroke patients. Independent sample t-test was used for comparison of functional gait between left and right hemispheric lesions. A p-value ≤ .05 was taken statistically significant. Results: A total of 126 patients of stroke with right and left sided hemisphere lesion were assessed for functional gait assessment. The mean age of patients in group A and B was 54.19±8.54 years and 51.46±8.57 years, respectively. The mean weight of patients in group A and B was 61.95±8.82 kg and 58.67±5.83 kg, respectively. Functional gait assessment mean score in group A was 12.56±2.60 and in group B was 15.59±4.17 points with p-value of 0.001. There was a significant difference of FGA scores present between the two groups. Conclusions: The study concluded that ambulatory functions differ with respect to site of hemisphere lesion. The site of hemisphere lesion impact on patient's functional gait has statistically significant

Genomic analysis of tyrosine hydroxylase gene sequence variations and its association with D-9- tetrahydrocannabinol dependence in addicts

Purpose: To elucidate the genetic basis of drug addiction by conducting a genetic analysis of TH (tyrosine hydroxylase) gene and the novel polymorphisms that might help in understanding addiction and its molecular basis. Methods: Forty-two subjects were recruited into three groups for this study. DNA was isolated from the individuals. PCR amplification of TH gene was carried out and amplicons were sequenced. Genomic characterization of TH gene provided five polymorphic loci – TH 1, TH 2, TH 3, TH 4 and TH 5 which were found among all the groups. Results: According to Shannon’s diversity index, the studied population was between 0.0762 and 0.6032. Heterozygosity index depicted that TH 1 locus was less heterozygous (0.3288), followed by TH 5 (0.3152). TH 1 (0.1462) was the least heterozygous. Genotypic analysis predicted that among these five loci, TH 4 (p = 0.039898) and TH 2 (p = 0.851716) were non-significant (p > 0.05) and obeyed Hardy Weinberg Equilibrium (HWE) law. There are few genetic changes in the studied population that can statistically be associated with drug addiction. Still, their genotypic distribution in the gene pool was very low. Conclusion: On the basis of these findings, drug addiction in the studied population is more likely a social issue rather than a genetic one. Keywords: Tyrosine hydroxylase, SNP, Drug dependenc