Analysis of Factors Influencing the Benefits of Microcredit in Farm Production: A Welfare Economic Perspective from Punjab Province of Pakistan

Microcredit seems to be the dire need of small farmers and believed to be an appropriate tool for facilitating small enterprises. This study examined the effects of farmers’ certain internal and external factors on microcredit major benefits i.e. farm production and income. The study was confined to the four districts of Punjab Province of Pakistan. Data was randomly collected from 118 small farmers who had borrowed microcredit from different microfinance institutions (MFIs). Data analysis was performed in such a way that influence of specific variables under six categories of internal and external factors was estimated by employing logit model.  Most influencing variable observed from each logit model was selected for overall multiple regression analysis.  Findings from data analysis revealed that farmers’ education and their saving habit were positively influencing farm production and income. Number of livestock animals and more off-farm income sources reduced the changes of credit money to be used on non-income generation activities. These results were significant at 1% significance level. Inter-cropping had positive relationship for crop productivity. Suitable weather conditions was taken as environmental factor and its influence was positive for microcredit benefits. Farmers’ long distance from major agricultural market and strict repayment plan of MFIs were negative influencing microcredit benefits and were significant at 1% significance level. Multiple regression model overall 54.81% explained the impacts of six important variables on microcredit benefits. Econometric models also showed that many of the variables were inter-related and inter-dependent to each other and were affecting farm production and income on varying degree. Keywords: microcredit benefit, farm production, impact assessment, inter-dependence, Punjab

Prevalence of active hepatitis C virus infections among general public of Lahore, Pakistan

BACKGROUND: To find out the prevalence of active hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections among general public in Lahore city, since data concerning the prevalence of active HCV in this city is currently unavailable. METHODS: Blood samples were collected randomly from individuals visiting different clinical laboratories in Lahore. Serum was separated and processed by nested PCR qualitative assay for the detection of HCV RNA. The samples were categorized into different age groups on the basis of pre-test questionnaires in order to record the age-wise differences regarding the prevalence of active HCV. Data were analyzed statistically using Chi-Square test. RESULTS: Out of the 4246 blood samples analyzed in this study, 210 were confirmed to be positive for active HCV infection. Gender-wise active HCV prevalence revealed no significant difference [OR = 1.10 CI = (0.83-1.46), p > 0.05]. However, among the age groups the highest prevalence was observed in the age groups 20–29 (7.7%) and 30–39 years (6.4%) with odds of prevalence of 14.8% (OR = 2.48, CI = (1.40-4.38), p < 0.05) and 10.3% (OR = 2.03, CI = (1.10-3.71), respectively. In age groups above 40 years (40–49, 50–59 and >59 years), a decrease in levels of active HCV prevalence was observed. CONCLUSIONS: Among tested samples, 4.9% of the subjects were confirmed to harbour active HCV infections and the “middle aged” population in Lahore was found to be at a higher risk of the HCV ailments compared to both their younger and older peers

Economic Freedom and Indian Outward Foreign Direct Investment: An Empirical Analysis

This study examines the role economic freedom plays in attracting Indian outward foreign direct investment to various countries. Investments by Indian multinationals to various continents are studied along with aggregate investment outflows. Results show that Indian outward FDI do appear to prefer economically free economies. Government size, ease of foreign trade, and market regulations are the aspects of economic freedom Indian investors appear to cherish, while legal structure does not seem to influence the volume of investments by Indian multinationals

Economic Freedom and Indian Outward Foreign Direct Investment: An Empirical Analysis

This study examines the role economic freedom plays in attracting Indian outward foreign direct investment to various countries. Investments by Indian multinationals to various continents are studied along with aggregate investment outflows. Results show that Indian outward FDI do appear to prefer economically free economies. Government size, ease of foreign trade, and market regulations are the aspects of economic freedom Indian investors appear to cherish, while legal structure does not seem to influence the volume of investments by Indian multinationals

Why do Russian firms invest abroad? A firm level analysis

This study examines the motives for Russian outward foreign direct investments (OFDI) around the world. Using firm-level data for Russian firms, home and host country economic, geographical, cultural and institutional drivers of Russian OFDI are analyzed. Findings show that Russian OFDI seems to be motivated by both the push and the pull factors. Results suggest market-seeking to be the main motive behind Russian outward foreign direct investments, followed by resource and technology acquisition, while efficiency-seeking does not appear to be a major objective. Compared with the pre-crisis period, Russian firms have been seeking more foreign investments since 2008. The study helps better understand the economic, geographical, cultural and institutional factors that Russian transnational corporations consider while planning investments abroad

Why do Russian firms invest abroad? A firm level analysis

This study examines the motives for Russian outward foreign direct investments (OFDI) around the world. Using firm-level data for Russian firms, home and host country economic, geographical, cultural and institutional drivers of Russian OFDI are analyzed. Findings show that Russian OFDI seems to be motivated by both the push and the pull factors. Results suggest market-seeking to be the main motive behind Russian outward foreign direct investments, followed by resource and technology acquisition, while efficiency-seeking does not appear to be a major objective. Compared with the pre-crisis period, Russian firms have been seeking more foreign investments since 2008. The study helps better understand the economic, geographical, cultural and institutional factors that Russian transnational corporations consider while planning investments abroad

Outcome of Acute Peritonitis Related To Cause and Duration Of Presentation

Objective: To determine the outcome of acute cause-related peritonitis correlated with the duration of inflammation within 24, 24-48, and after 48 hours of hospital admission. Methodology: This quasi experimental study was conducted at Surgical Ward #3, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre from September 2019 to March 2021. Patients over 12 years old were included in this study. The duration, cause, and outcomes of peritonitis were noted. All complications were recorded and treated accordingly. Results: 136 patients between the ages of 13 to 80 years old were included, 104 were males (76.8%) and 32 females (23.18%). 37 patients (28.2%) were aged 13–20 years, 61 (44.2%) were aged 21–40, 33 (23.91%) were aged 41–60, and 5 (3.6%) were aged over 60 years. Mortality showed 2 patients (1.47%) expired in 24–48 hours, and 6 (4.4%) in 48 hours.  The cause of peritonitis included typhoid ileal perforation (41%), duodenal perforation (33%), ruptured appendix (28%), intestinal tuberculous (14%), gangrenous gut (7%), tumour perforation (6%), liver abscess (3%), and gastric perforation and rectal tear (1%). Notably, 2.4% of patients with typhoid peritonitis, 3.0% with duodenal perforation, 3.5% with ruptured appendix, 14.2% with tuberculous intestine, 33.3% with tumour perforation, and 100% with liver abscess perforation passed. Paralytic ileus (8%) and burst abdomen (8%), were the most common complications. Conclusion: Typhoid ileal perforation was the major cause of peritonitis, and paralytic ileus and burst abdomen were the most common complications contributing to the mortality rate

REVERSE ENGINEERING IN MODELING OF AIRCRAFT PROPELLER BLADE - FIRST STEP TO PRODUCT OPTIMIZATION

ABSTRACT: Propeller aircrafts have had many ups and downs throughout their use in the aviation history. Due to the current economic recession and price hikes in fuels, propeller aircrafts may yet again be a choice for aerial transport and has thus re-emerged as an active area for research. On modern propeller aircrafts old aluminum propellers are being replaced with fiber reinforced composite propellers. However, owing to their reliability, strength, and integrity, aluminum propellers are still used in military aircrafts. One of the challenges that engineers of these aircraft-type have had to deal with is the non-availability of engineering drawings of these propellers. It is practically impossible to carry out any study, research or modification on such propellers in the absence of correct CAD data. This article proposes a methodology wherein a CAD model of a C-130 aircraft propeller blade can be constructed using reverse engineering techniques. Such a model would help in future aerodynamic as well as structural analyses which includes investigation on structural integrity and the fluid dynamics characteristics of propeller blades. Different steps involved in this process are discussed; starting from laser scanning to obtain the cloud of points data and subsequently generating a CAD model in a commercial CAD software. The model is then imported into an analysis software where quality surface meshes are generated using tetrahedral elements. The purpose is to prepare a meshed model for future computational analysis including CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) and FE (Finite Element) analysis. ABSTRAK: Pesawat bebaling mempunyai tempoh pasang surutnya sepanjang penggunaanya dalam sejarah penerbangan. Kini disebabkan oleh kemelesetan ekonomi dan kenaikan harga minyak, pesawat bebaling mungkin akan merupakan pengangkutan udara pilihan dan seterusnya muncul semula sebagai ruangan aktif penyelidikan. Pada pesawat bebaling moden, bebaling aluminium yang lama digantikan dengan bebaling komposit yang diperkuatkan gentian. Namun, disebabkan oleh keupayaan, kekuatan dan integritinya, bebaling aluminium masih diguna pakai bagi pesawat tentera. Salah satu cabaran jurutera bagi pesawat jenis ini, adalah apabila berhadapan dengan tidak adanya lukisan kejuruteraan bagi bebaling ini. Agak mustahil untuk menjalankan sebarang ujian, kajian atau modifkasi terhadap bebaling jenis ini kerana tidak adanya data yang tepat daripada Reka Bentuk Berbantukan Komputer (CAD). Artikel ini mencadangkan metodologi di mana model Reka Bentuk Berbantukan Komputer (CAD) bagi kipas bebaling pesawat C-130 boleh dibina menggunakan teknik kejuruteraan balikan. Model sebegini akan bakal dapat membantu bidang aerodinamik di masa hadapan. Begitu juga dengan analisis struktur yang melibatkan penyelidikan terhadap integriti struktur dan ciri-ciri dinamik bendalir kipas bebaling.  Beberapa proses berbeza diperbincangkan; bermula dengan imbasan laser untuk memperolehi poin kumpulan data dan seterusnya menjanakan model Reka Bentuk Berbantukan Komputer (CAD) dengan menggunakan pengaturcara komersil. Model kemudiannya diimport ke dalam pengaturcara analisis di mana jejaring permukaan dijanakan dengan menggunakan unsur tetrahedron. Ini bertujuan bagi menyediakan model jejaring untuk analisis berkomputer di masa hadapan, termasuklah analisis CFD (Gambar Rajah Aliran Kawalan) dan FE (Unsur Terhingga). KEYWORDS: reverse engineering; cloud data; laser scanning; CAD modeling; propeller blad

State-of-the-art authentication and verification schemes in VANETs:A survey

Vehicular Ad-Hoc Networks (VANETs), a subset of Mobile Ad-Hoc Networks (MANETs), are wireless networks formed around moving vehicles, enabling communication between vehicles, roadside infrastructure, and servers. With the rise of autonomous and connected vehicles, security concerns surrounding VANETs have grown. VANETs still face challenges related to privacy with full-scale deployment due to a lack of user trust. Critical factors shaping VANETs include their dynamic topology and high mobility characteristics. Authentication protocols emerge as the cornerstone of enabling the secure transmission of entities within a VANET. Despite concerted efforts, there remains a need to incorporate verification approaches for refining authentication protocols. Formal verification constitutes a mathematical approach enabling developers to validate protocols and rectify design errors with precision. Therefore, this review focuses on authentication protocols as a pivotal element for securing entity transmission within VANETs. It presents a comparative analysis of existing protocols, identifies research gaps, and introduces a novel framework that incorporates formal verification and threat modeling. The review considers key factors influencing security, sheds light on ongoing challenges, and emphasises the significance of user trust. The proposed framework not only enhances VANET security but also contributes to the growing field of formal verification in the automotive domain. As the outcomes of this study, several research gaps, challenges, and future research directions are identified. These insights would offer valuable guidance for researchers to establish secure authentication communication within VANETs

Graphene oxide's regenerative acidity and its effects on the hydration of type II Portland cement.

Incorporation of graphene oxide (GO) has been found to considerably improve the hydration process, strength and durability of Portland cement. However, the exact nature of its chemical interactions with the cement are unclear. In this study, GO of varying amounts of hydroxyl groups were synthesized to investigate the effects of these interactions on the hydration of an environment-friendly Type II Portland Cement. XPS, Raman, and FTIR analysis verified the functional group differences between the GO types, and SEM and AFM observations illustrated the existence of a hydronium layer coating the high-hydroxyl GO (HGO). The hydronium layer neutralizes small base additions as measured through titration, and regenerates via protonation of resulting water by HGO's hydroxyl groups, confirmed via zeta potential analysis. In cement, HGO shows accelerated and greater early-age hydration, measured via heat of hydration and XRD. Finer microstructural density of HGO-cement was also observed from BET and microCT analysis. On the other hand, low-hydroxyl GO (XGO) cement ‘locks’ C-S-H on the GO sheet, preventing its propagation in the cement microstructure, as observed by Si-O bond changes during hydration. Lastly, HGO-concrete showed significantly improved workability (>40%), 28-day compressive strength (29%), and 28-day flexural strength (24%) with respect to control. Conversely, XGO-concrete showed reduced workability (−40%), and smaller 28-day strength improvements (compressive by 5%, and flexural by 8%). This research leads to new understandings of how GO may improve the strength, workability, and durability of concrete, with potentially less overall cement consumption and superplasticizer use