China-India counterbalancing measures through international corridors and ports: the focus on Chabahar and Gwadar ports

Beijing and New Delhi, as new world emerging powers, despite border skirmishes, have not considered themselves arch-rivals. Still, the necessities of real politics have forced India to take counter-measures towards China's grand connectivity strategy in the framework of BRI and the Maritime Silk Road. This article assumes that China's grand connectivity strategy has not targeted India in particular, but unavoidably it has affected India's strategic interests in the Indian Ocean and Eurasia. In a qualitative and case study methodology, this research explains China's grand connectivity strategy and how it affects Indian strategic interests. It also elaborates on India's counter-measures vis-à-vis China policy. It concluded that the Chinese connectivity strategy has affected Indian strategic interests in the Indian Ocean and Eurasia. Therefore, Chabahar, Gwadar ports, and Malacca Strait are centers of gravity in these great connectivity rivalries

Addressing the Brain Drain Crisis among Healthcare Professionals

Many of our healthcare professionals are growing increasingly frustrated and experiencing various psychological conditions, leading to feelings of depression and stress within our society. This editorial will explore the reasons behind the brain draining of healthcare professionals in Pakistan

Association between circulating adiponectin levels and polycystic ovarian syndrome

Background: Low adiponectin levels in polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) have been largely attributed to obesity which is common among these patients. In addition, evidence also suggests that low adiponectin in PCOS may be related to insulin resistance (IR) in these women. However, studies on the role of adiponectin in younger and lean patients are limited. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to examine the association of adiponectin levels in young and lean women with PCOS.<p></p> Methods: A case–control study was conducted at the Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Pakistan. Cases were 75 patients of PCOS with Body Mass Index (BMI) &23 aged 16–35 years and 75 healthy age and BMI matched controls were selected from family and friends of the cases. Demographic details, family history and past medical history were obtained through interview by a physician. Anthropometric measurements included weight and height of the participants. Fasting glucose, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), insulin, adiponectin, and androgen levels were determined. IR was calculated using homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). Logistic regression models were used to assess the association between adiponectin and PCOS after adjusting for co-variates.<p></p> Results: On multivariable analysis, PCOS cases were 3.2 times more likely to have low adiponectin level (OR = 3.2, 95% CI 1.49-6.90, p-value 0.003) compared to the controls after adjustment for age, BMI, family history, marital status, total cholesterol, HDL level and IR. Females with a family history of PCOS were significantly more likely to have lower adiponectin (OR = 3.32, 95% CI 1.27-8.67, p-value 0.014) compared to those who did not have a family history of PCOS. The associations of IR and family history with low adiponectin level also remained statistically significant after adjustments for covariates.<p></p> Conclusion: Serum adiponectin levels are independently associated with PCOS and are only partly explained by IR. Adiponectin level may serve as a potential independent biomarker for diagnosis of PCOS in young and lean women with fewer symptoms, or women with a family history of PCOS

Frequency Of Depression In Patients With Vitamin B12 Deficiency

Objective: To determine the frequency of depression in patients with vitamin B12 deficiency. Methodology: This cross-sectional study was carried out from January 2020 to March 2021 on a total sample size of n=100 patients (age 49.84 ± 0.91 years) using a simple random sampling technique, visiting the medical department of the federal government polyclinic hospital, in Islamabad. Patients presenting with macrocytic anaemia secondary to vitamin B12 deficiency were included while the patients with previously diagnosed depression were excluded from the study. Serum vitamin B12 levels were measured through the ELISA technique. Patient Healthcare Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) was designed and presented to patients with vitamin B12 deficiency for depression assessment. Patients with PHQ-9 score ≤5 were rated as having no depression and the patients with score ≥5 were rated as having depression. Data were analyzed using GraphPad Prism and the correlation coefficient was measured through non-linear fit and linear regression curves while ordinary ANOVA (non-parametric) was applied for study variables. Results: The average level of vitamin B12 in the serum and PHQ-9 score were recorded as 158 ± 4.94 (pg/uL) and 5.85 ± 0.30, respectively. Vitamin B12 levels and PHQ-9 score depicted an inverse correlation, however, no association was found between gender and PHQ-9 score. Conclusion: Data depicted that the patients presenting low levels of vitamin B12 in their serum have shown corresponding high PHQ-9 scores which is an indicator of depression. However, depression prevails in all age groups without any discrimination of gender

Rice Seedling Characteristics of Various Genotypes Influenced by Different Sowing Dates in Swat-Pakistan

To study the effect of different sowing dates on rice nursery rising and to evaluate their effect on yield and yield components of rice genotypes, an experiment was conducted at Agriculture Research Institute (N) Mingora Swat, Pakistan, during summer 2011. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design with four replications. Seven genotypes (PARC 403, OM5627,IR64,IR8225-9-3-2-3, CIBOGO,GA-5015, and FakhreMalakand) and 5 sowing dates (D1= 25th April, D2= 10th May, D3= 25th May, D4= 9th June, and D5= 24th June) were used. Each genotype was sown in six rows in dry bed nursery. The germination percentage was above 90%. The nursery reached its optimum size up to 30 days and was ready for transplantation.Sowing on either D5 (24th June) or D4(9th June)gave maximum leaf area(9.6 and 9.1 cm2) followed by D3 (7.2 cm2), maximum leaves seedling-1 produced by D3 (5.3) followed by D2 (5.0). Maximum seedling height was gave by sowing on D5 (23.5 cm) followed by D4 (19.9 cm), maximum biomass gave by sowing on D4 (15.3 gm) and D5 (13.8 gm) followed by D2 and D3 (12.8 and 12.2 gm), highest root number gave by D4 (13.0) followed by D2 and D3 (11.3 and 11.5) and highest root length gave by D1 and D2 (10.7 and 10.7 cm) followed by D3 (9.6 cm). Among the rice genotypes FakhreMalakand produced highest seedling height (21.9 cm), highest biomass (14.0 gm), highest root length (12.9 cm) followed by GA-5015 while maximum leaf area gave by genotype PARC 403 (9.8 cm2) and number of leaves (4.9) followed by FakhreMalakand (8.3 cm2 and 4.6) respectively. Later data showed that highest paddy yield (6.49 t ha-1) was produced by FakhreMalakand sown on either D2 or D3 while the other genotypes were at par valued in this order. On the basis of the above results, it is recommended that rice nursery rising should be either D2 or D3May10th or 25th in the agro-ecological conditions of swat valley. Keywords: Rice (Oryza sativa L.), genotypes, sowing dates, biomass, seedlin

Effect of Ascorbic Acid on the Wilting and Resistance of Capsicum Annum L. Plant

The change from reversible to permanent wilting in whole red pepper(Capsicum annum) followed by a very harsh salt stress of root exposure to 200 mM  solution of NaCl.It was noticed that a seed or seedling present in saline soil was wilted very quickly, but if replaced to non-saline soil within 6 hours then seed start recovery however if the duration is increase and it reaches to 9 hour, then the salt stress make it plastic i-e remained wilt and died but the addition of antioxidant (0.5mM ascorbic acid) to the root medium and during at the time when the plant is in salt stress condition, it recover the stress almost 50% of wilted seedling others solution which containing organic solution they does not effective like anti-oxidants (vitamin C), The salt severely damage the root, stem and leaves by accumulation in them. Keywords: Red pepper, ascorbic acid,wilting

The Effect of Entrepreneurial Orientation and Organisational Culture on Firm Performance: The Mediating Role of Innovation

This study is concerned with conceptual model development, which examines the innovation influence on the relationship of organisational culture, entrepreneurial orientation and performance of large manufacturing firms in Pakistan. A total of 399 questionnaires were distributed to large manufacturing firms in Pakistan to assess the relationships between organisational culture, entrepreneurial orientation, innovation, and firm performance. The findings reveal that entrepreneurial orientation significantly influences the performance of large manufacturing firms in Pakistan. Meanwhile, the results also indicated that other factors such as organisational culture do not significantly relate to the manufacturing firm’s performance. Interestingly, the results had shown that the factor of innovation significantly mediated the relationships between organisational culture, entrepreneurial orientation and firm performance. Based on the results, it can be summarised that the mechanism used to enhance the innovative culture in the organisation will also contribute to the introduction, adoption and diffusion of innovations. Additionally, these factors would contribute to increased performance and achievement in the near future. Indeed, this statement is supported by numerous current and past studies conducted in Pakistan, where scholars found that innovation is the primary impetus of firm performance. However, there exists a very limited number of studies regarding the impact of innovation on organisational culture and entrepreneurial orientation in manufacturing firms in Pakistan. This study would lead to a significant contribution to the prevailing literature by empirically examining the relationship between organisational culture, entrepreneurial orientation, innovation and firm performance