Measuring the Impact of Industrialization and Financial Development on Water Resources: A Case Study of Pakistan

The objective of the study examines the impact of industrialization and financial development on water resources, in the specific context of Pakistan. Data set from 1975-2009 are taken for time series analysis. The result reveals that economic growth positively linked with the water resource, as water plays a pivotal role in the economic development of a country. Thus limiting this resource would affect the process of economic growth. Industrial processes have a negative environmental impact which causing water pollution. Financial development has an indirect effect on water consumption, as it shows that private firms finds more funding opportunities in a country, therefore, avoid dirty industry game.Economics growth, financial development, industrialization, water resource, cointegration, bonds test, Pakistan.

Exchange Rate Misalignment in Pakistan: Evidence from Purchasing Power Parity Theory

This paper examines the validity of the purchasing power parity to evaluate whether the Pakrupee vis-à-vis the US-dollar has been overvalued since the introduction of managed floating exchange rate. The Johansen multivariate cointegration technique is applied for the period 1982Q2-2002Q4. A single cointegrating vector is identified whose coefficients conform in broad terms to the restriction implied by the PPP theory, lending support to the interpretation of the model as describing a long-run relationship. This support is reinforced by the results derived from the adjustment coefficient, which is identifies clear short-run tendency for the exchange rate to revert to the equilibrium value defined by the estimated long-run model. Furthermore, exchange rate misalignment is also calculated using the estimated long-run relationship to evaluate whether the Pak-rupee vis-à-vis the US-dollar was undervalued or overvalued since the inception of managed floating exchange rate system. Calculated misalignment shows a substantial undervaluation of the Pak-rupee vis-à-vis the US dollar.Exchange Rate, Pakistan

Structural Investigation of Service Quality in Conventional and Islamic Banking in Pakistan

The objective of the study examines the determinants of expected service quality in conventional and Islamic banking in Pakistan. A convenient sample of eight hundred customers from eighty branches of five conventional and five Islamic Banks in Khyber Pakhtoonkhawa (KPK) province of Pakistan participated in the study. A self designed questionnaire was used for data collection. Total of five hundred and thirteen filled out questionnaires were returned, of which 38% were filled out by female customers and 62% by male customers, forming a rate of 64% of total distributed questionnaires. The result indicates that there is a significant relationship between expected service quality and three of their determinants i.e., bank tangibles, responsiveness and assurance, while there is a weak relationship has been observed from reliability and empathy over service quality in commercial banks. On the other hand, there is a significant relationship between expected service quality and its determinants i.e., tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, assurance and empathy in case of Islamic banks. The results of the study are of value to both academics and policy makers. Keywords: Islamic banks; Non Islamic banks; Expected service quality; Bank's tangible; Reliability; Pakistan

Anthelmintic Activity of a Herbal Formulation Against Gastrointestinal Nematodes of Sheep

This study was carried out to evaluate the anthelmintic activity of a herbal formulation (HF) based on aqueous extracts of leaves of Azadirachta indica and Nicotiana tabacum, flowers of Calotropis procera and seeds of Trachyspermum ammi. In vitro, eggs and adult Haemonchus contortus were exposed to different concentrations of HF following the standard procedures of egg hatch test (EHT; 50 to 0.024414 mg ml-1) and adult motility assay (AMA; 200-0.1953125mg ml-1), respectively. The reference drugs used in the study were oxfendazole (0.0056704 to 0.0000027 mg ml-1) and levamisole (1.50 mg ml-1) for EHT and AMA, respectively. In vivo, pre and post-treatment (4 mg, 2 mg and 500 µg kg-1 body weight) fecal egg counts were determined following standard fecal egg count reduction test in sheep naturally parasitized with mixed species of gastrointestinal nematodes. In EHT, LC50 values of HF and oxfendazole (reference drug) were 275.1 and 0.016 µg ml-1, respectively. In AMA, 100% mortality of H. contortus was observed 6 hr post-exposure to 3.125-200 mg ml-1 concentrations of HF and 2 hr post-exposure to levamisole. In vivo, maximum (96.2%) fecal egg count (EPG) reduction was recorded in sheep treated with HF @ 4 mg kg-1 body weight; whereas, 89.3% reduction in EPG was recorded in sheep treated with levamisole @ 7.5 mg kg-1 body weight. A graded dose response was noted in all the tests used in the present study to evaluate the anthelmintic activity of HF. Therefore, HF seems to be promising as an anthelmintic for animals. Large scale trials on efficacy and safety, however, are recommended before the HF is considered for commercialization in crude form

Exchange Rate Misalignment in Pakistan: Evidence from Purchasing Power Parity Theory

Exchange rate provides a key link between the domestic and world markets for goods and assets. Therefore, a proper and detailed analysis of the behaviour of exchange rate is required. There is also growing agreement that prolonged and substantial exchange rate misalignment can create severe macroeconomic disequilibria and the correction of external balance will require both exchange rate devaluation and demand management policies. Thus the policy-makers have used PPP theory as a guide to represent the external competitiveness of a country, and as a benchmark against which floating exchange rates are judged to be misaligned. Developments in 1990s and 2000s show that cost associated with exchange rate misalignment is very high. Hence, the analysis of exchange rate determination in the presence of exchange rate misalignment is crucial for the policy purpose because of its role as a component of an early warning system [Berg, et al. (2000)]

Association of hyperglycaemia at admission with in-hospital mortality and severity of illness among patients with COVID-19.

Objectives The association between hyperglycemia at admission and COVID-19 severity and in-hospital mortality is an area of active medical research. Our study aims to explore this association across diabetics and hyperglycemic patients while keeping normoglycemic patients as control. Methods This retrospective cohort study involved a total of 90 patients with confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 infection. Patients were divided into three equal groups based on their history and BSR levels (diabetics, hyperglycemic, normoglycemic). Various laboratory parameters and inflammatory markers were compared across the study groups using Kruskal Wallis test. Finally, chi-square test was use to assess the association of severity and mortality across the study groups. Results Out of 90 patients, 38 (42.2%) were males with a mean age of 57.1 ± 14.7 years. Serum ferritin, LDH and lymphocyte levels were significantly higher in diabetics and hyperglycemic patients than in normal COVID-19 patients (p<0.05). hyperglycemia at admission was significantly associated with disease severity (p=0.03) but not with in-hospital morality (p=0.07).   Conclusion Patients with diabetes and stress hyperglycemia have increased levels of inflammatory markers than normoglycemic patients. Hyperglycemia at admission is associated with poor COVID-19 severity. More studies a required to validate and further explore this relationship

Urease Inhibitor Application Stages and Nitrogen Levels Influenced on Morpo-Phenological Traits of Wheat Cultivars

A field trial was carried out at New Developmental Farm of The University Agriculture, Peshawar, Pakistan during winter 2012-13, in order to study the urease inhibitor application stages and nitrogen levels influenced on morpo-phenological traits of wheat cultivars. Therefore the field experiment was conducted in randomized complete block design with split plot arrangement having four replications.  Nitrogen levels (60, 120 and 150 kg ha-1) and urease inhibitor  stages (100% sowing stage, 50% sowing stage + 50% booting stage and 100% booting stage) were allotted to main plots, while  wheat cultivars (Siran and Atta Habib)  were allotted to sub plots.  Plots treated with 120 kg N ha-1 took maximum days to booting (128), improved plant height (97.9 cm), leaf area tiller-1 (117.8 cm2), spike length (11.3 cm) and biological yield (10382 kg ha-1) but maximum (185) days to maturity  was observed when plots treated with 150 kg N ha-1 as compared with control plots. Application of urease inhibitor 100% at sowing stage took maximum booting (133) days, maturity (186) days, improved plant height (102 cm), leaf area tiller-1 (128 cm2), spike length (11.6 cm) and biological yield (11386 kg ha-1) as compared with urease application 100% at booting stage. Wheat cultivar Siran had significantly took maximum booting (123) days, maturity (178) days, plant height (94.5 cm), leaf area tiller-1 (97.6 cm2), spike length (10.3 cm) and biological yield (9331 kg ha-1) as compared to Atta Habib. Hence cultivar Siran treated with 120 kg N ha-1 and coated urease inhibitor 100% at sowing stage produced the best results in terms of plant height, leaf area tiller-1, physiological maturity and biological yield. Keywords: Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), urease inhibitor application stages, nitrogen levels, wheat cultivars, phenology, morpholog

Association of bipolar I disorder with conversion disorder and syncope- a retrospective clinical study from Pakistan

Bipolar I disorder (BD I) is a chronic mood disorder that begins in early adulthood. Its association with conversion disorder and syncope has not been widely studied, especially in Pakistani population