Fear Destroys the Ability to Trust: Impact on Employee Engagement during Structural Change in Telecommunication Sector of Pakistan

Due to economic downturns and structural pressures, the telecommunication sector have frequently had to go through structural change to remain competitive. This could distract telecommunication sector away from focusing on trusting relationships leading towards failure in managing change. Present research fill this gap and aims to examine the effect of trust in leadership on employee’s engagement during structural change. To provide additional insight, the present study used fear of change as a moderator between relationship of trust in leadership and employee engagement. Drawn from cross-sectional research design, a web-based survey was used to collect data from employees of telecommunication sector across all provinces of Pakistan that experienced structural change within their organization. A total of 447 responses were received. The study findings indicate that employee level of trust in leadership in change helped them to foster their engagement in change process. Additionally it was also supported that decrease in employee’s fear of change enhances the effect of trust in leadership on employee’s engagement during change.&nbsp

A novel automated demand response control using fuzzy logic for islanded battery‐operated rural microgrids

Islanded rural microgrid require continuous resource monitoring. Demand response schemes have been phenomenal in managing loads. However, urban demand response schemes are well equipped with market prices and peak time penalties to control deferrable loads. In rural microrids, regular loads such as fans, lights and water pumps are normally used that do not fall under category of deferrable loads. In addition, full liberty of utilizing regular load at any time, lack of awareness and no information of storage reserves make task of load management more complex. In this research fully automated two layered demand response scheme is designed for regular operating loads. The first layer control is load mode control. The mode of operation is decided on the state of charge (SoC) of battery. In second layer, fuzzy controller is designed on the consumer's routines, SoC and ambient temperature as membership function. Results are assessed in terms of consumers comfort and availablity of SoC. The load operation in automated demand response remained indentical to actual rutine operation as per consumer's desire with 5 to 7% deviation. In all modes of operation SoC levels remained 15% higher and heavy load operated 13.5% more compare to relevant study

The Karachi intracranial stenosis study (KISS) Protocol: an urban multicenter case-control investigation reporting the clinical, radiologic and biochemical associations of intracranial stenosis in Pakistan.

Background: Intracranial stenosis is the most common cause of stroke among Asians. It has a poor prognosis with a high rate of recurrence. No effective medical or surgical treatment modality has been developed for the treatment of stroke due to intracranial stenosis. We aim to identify risk factors and biomarkers for intracranial stenosis and to develop techniques such as use of transcranial doppler to help diagnose intracranial stenosis in a cost-effective manner. Methods/Design: The Karachi Intracranial Stenosis Study (KISS) is a prospective, observational, case-control study to describe the clinical features and determine the risk factors of patients with stroke due to intracranial stenosis and compare them to those with stroke due to other etiologies as well as to unaffected individuals. We plan to recruit 200 patients with stroke due to intracranial stenosis and two control groups each of 150 matched individuals. The first set of controls will include patients with ischemic stroke that is due to other atherosclerotic mechanisms specifically lacunar and cardioembolic strokes. The second group will consist of stroke free individuals. Standardized interviews will be conducted to determine demographic, medical, social, and behavioral variables along with baseline medications. Mandatory procedures for inclusion in the study are clinical confirmation of stroke by a healthcare professional within 72 hours of onset, 12 lead electrocardiogram, and neuroimaging. In addition, lipid profile, serum glucose, creatinine and HbA1C will be measured in all participants. Ancillary tests will include carotid ultrasound, transcranial doppler and magnetic resonance or computed tomography angiogram to rule out concurrent carotid disease. Echocardiogram and other additional investigations will be performed at these centers at the discretion of the regional physicians. Discussion: The results of this study will help inform locally relevant clinical guidelines and effective public health and individual interventions

Feasibility Assessment of Rural Hybrid Microgrid Using Canal-Based Microhydel Resources: A Case Study of Renala Khurd Pakistan

Water canal networks that are widely used for irrigation are an equally good source of micropower generation to be fed to the nearby areas. A practical example of such a system is the micro-hydro generation at Renala Khurd Pakistan integrated with the national grid known as hydro–grid configuration. Apart from the rare Renala Khurd hydro generation example, solar photovoltaic generation integrated with a mainstream network, i.e., solar PV-Grid configuration, is widely used. The integrated operation of combinations of primary distributed generation sources has different operational attributes in terms of economics and reliability that are needed to be quantified before installation. So far, various combinations of primary distributed generation sources have been simulated and their accumulative impact on project economics and reliability have been reported. A detailed economic and reliability assessment of various configurations is needed for sustainable and cost-effective configuration selection. This study proposes a trigeneration combination of solar–hydro–grid with an optimal sizing scheme to reduce the solar system sizing and grid operational cost. A genetic algorithm based optimal sizing formulation is developed using fixed hydro and variable solar and grid systems with a number of pre-defined constraints. The hydro–grid, solar–grid, and grid–hydro–solar configurations are simulated in HOMER Pro software to analyze the economic impact, and to undertake reliability assessments under various configurations of the project. Finally, optimal values of the genetic algorithm are provided to the HOMER Pro software search space for simulating the grid–hydro–solar configuration. It was revealed that the net present cost (NPC) of hydro-to-grid configuration was 23% lower than the grid–hydro–solar configuration, whereas the NPC of grid–hydro–solar without optimal sizing was 40% lower than the solar–grid configuration, and the NPC of grid–solar–hydro with the genetic algorithm was 36% lower than the hydro–grid configuration, 50.90% lower than solar–grid–hydro without the genetic algorithm, and 17.1% lower than the grid–solar configuration, thus proving utilization of trigeneration sources integration to be a feasible solution for areas where canal hydropower is available

Feasibility Assessment of Rural Hybrid Microgrid Using Canal-Based Microhydel Resources: A Case Study of Renala Khurd Pakistan

Water canal networks that are widely used for irrigation are an equally good source of micropower generation to be fed to the nearby areas. A practical example of such a system is the micro-hydro generation at Renala Khurd Pakistan integrated with the national grid known as hydro–grid configuration. Apart from the rare Renala Khurd hydro generation example, solar photovoltaic generation integrated with a mainstream network, i.e., solar PV-Grid configuration, is widely used. The integrated operation of combinations of primary distributed generation sources has different operational attributes in terms of economics and reliability that are needed to be quantified before installation. So far, various combinations of primary distributed generation sources have been simulated and their accumulative impact on project economics and reliability have been reported. A detailed economic and reliability assessment of various configurations is needed for sustainable and cost-effective configuration selection. This study proposes a trigeneration combination of solar–hydro–grid with an optimal sizing scheme to reduce the solar system sizing and grid operational cost. A genetic algorithm based optimal sizing formulation is developed using fixed hydro and variable solar and grid systems with a number of pre-defined constraints. The hydro–grid, solar–grid, and grid–hydro–solar configurations are simulated in HOMER Pro software to analyze the economic impact, and to undertake reliability assessments under various configurations of the project. Finally, optimal values of the genetic algorithm are provided to the HOMER Pro software search space for simulating the grid–hydro–solar configuration. It was revealed that the net present cost (NPC) of hydro-to-grid configuration was 23% lower than the grid–hydro–solar configuration, whereas the NPC of grid–hydro–solar without optimal sizing was 40% lower than the solar–grid configuration, and the NPC of grid–solar–hydro with the genetic algorithm was 36% lower than the hydro–grid configuration, 50.90% lower than solar–grid–hydro without the genetic algorithm, and 17.1% lower than the grid–solar configuration, thus proving utilization of trigeneration sources integration to be a feasible solution for areas where canal hydropower is available

Assessment of psychiatric comorbidities and serotonergic or noradrenergic medication use on blood pressure using 24‐hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring

Abstract In this study, the authors aimed to assess both nighttime and daytime blood pressure (BP) variability using 24‐hour ambulatory BP monitoring (ABPM) in persons with and without psychiatric conditions and with or without selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) or serotonin‐norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) treatment. In this retrospective study, patients who underwent psychiatric evaluation and ABPM within 6 months of each other between January 1, 2012 and December 31, 2017 were identified using billing data. Participants were divided into three groups—participants with no psychiatric diagnosis and no psychiatric medicine (−Diagnosis/−Medication), those with psychiatric diagnosis and on SSRIs/SNRIs (+Diagnosis/+Medication), and psychiatric diagnosis but no psychiatric medications (+Diagnosis/−Medication). Day and nighttime systolic and diastolic BPs were compared between groups controlling for relevant variables using multivariable linear regression models. A total of 475 participants met inclusion criteria including 135 in the −Diagnosis/−Medication group, 232 in the +Diagnosis/+Medication group, and 108 in the +Diagnosis/−Medication group. In adjusted multivariable analysis, the +Diagnosis/+Medication group had higher nighttime systolic BP (median 120 vs 110 mm (Hg); p = .01) and nighttime diastolic BP (median 68 vs 63 mm (Hg); p = .006) as compared to −Diagnosis/−Medication. No statistically significant differences in BPs between the −Diagnosis/−Medication and +Diagnosis/−Medication groups were observed, after adjustment. Use of SSRIs/SNRIs was associated with significantly higher nocturnal systolic and diastolic BP among patients with psychiatric diagnosis using SSRIs/SNRIs but not associated with psychiatric diagnosis without SSRI/SNRI use. SSRIs/SNRIs use may be associated with higher BP levels and this merits future prospective studies using ABPM to assess day and nighttime BP changes with SSRIs/SNRIs use

Online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic: Applying the self-determination theory in the ‘new normal'

The COVID-19 pandemic has introduced the notion of the “new normal” in daily life through profoundly influencing the way we used to live, study and work. During these unprecedented times, the rapid transition from traditional face-to-face learning to online learning has been viewed as a paradigm shift in higher education. Drawing impetus from the self-determination theoretical framework, the present study aims to examine the impact of the online learning climate on student’s engagement. It also hypothesizes the mediating role of basic psychological needs on the nexus between online learning and students’ engagement. Total 689 students taking online classes in ten (five publics and five private) universities of Pakistan responded to the web-based survey. The present study findings do not support the direct influence of the online learning climate on student engagement, nevertheless, this relationship was mediated by students’ perceptions concerning the extent to which their basic psychological needs were satisfied/ dissatisfied. This study theoretically and empirically contributes to both the psychology and higher education literature, pertaining to the developing field of online learning. The practical implications from this study inform policy-makers in academia to reflect on the students’ psychological needs within virtual teaching environment

Revista de psicodidáctica

Resumen basado en el de la publicaciónTítulo, resumen y palabras clave, en español y en inglésLa pandemia de COVID-19 ha introducido la noción de la ‘nueva normalidad’ en la vida diaria al influir profundamente en la forma en que solíamos vivir, estudiar y trabajar. Durante estos tiempos sin precedentes, la rápida transición del aprendizaje presencial tradicional al aprendizaje digital se observa como un cambio de paradigma en la educación superior. Inspirándose en el marco teórico de la autodeterminación, se examina el impacto del aprendizaje digital en la motivación de los estudiantes. También plantea la hipótesis del papel mediador, de las necesidades psicológicas básicas, en el nexo entre el aprendizaje digital y la motivación de los estudiantes. 689 estudiantes que asistieron a clases digitales en diez universidades (cinco públicas y cinco privadas) de Pakistán respondieron a la encuesta preparada en la web. Los resultados de esta investigación no confirman la relación directa entre el aprendizaje digital y la motivación de los estudiantes, sin embargo, esta relación sí está mediatizada por las percepciones de los estudiantes sobre el grado en que sus necesidades psicológicas básicas estaban satisfechas / insatisfechas. Las implicaciones prácticas de este estudio informan a los responsables de la formulación de políticas en el ámbito académico para que reflexionen sobre las necesidades psicológicas de los estudiantes dentro del entorno de la enseñanza virtual.ES

Mental well-being during COVID-19 pandemic: the role of fear, social isolation and psychological resilience

Emergence of any pandemic raises serious concerns toward the psychological well-being of an individual and overall society. Although, the magnitude and intensity of the novelwellb coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic are not precisely known yet, however, this pandemic has predominantly reshaped the global scenario. Scholars have begun to unfold the reality of this traumatic situation, but empirical research that focuses on the identification of key factors that could have a notable impact on mental wellbeing of the general population is limited. To fill this gap, this research endeavors to analyze the impact of fear of getting infected and social isolation on mental well-being during the pandemic. In addition, psychological resilience is used as a moderator between social isolation and mental well-being. A total of 714 responses were received through an online survey from university students across all provinces of Pakistan. The findings demonstrate that people who fear of being infected tend to engage in social isolation, and social isolation brings negative repercussions toward mental well-being. Interestingly, the study findings reveal that psychological resilience could mitigate the negative impact of social isolation on mental well-being. This study calls for creating and promoting awareness concerning psychological resilience in order to cope with the psychological challenges during this COVID-19 pandemic

Violence against health care providers: a mixed-methods study from Karachi, Pakistan

Background: Violence against health care providers (HCPs) remains a significant public health problem in developing countries, affecting their performance and motivation.Objectives: To report the quantity and perceived causes of violence committed upon HCPs and identify strategies intended to prevent and de-escalate it. Methods: This was a mixed-methods concurrent study design (QUAN-QUAL). A structured questionnaire was filled in on-site by trained data collectors for quantitative study. Sites were tertiary care hospitals, local nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) providing health services, and ambulance services. Qualitative data were collected through in-depth interviews and focus group discussions at these same sites, as well as with other stakeholders including media and law enforcement agencies.Results: One-third of the participants had experienced some form of violence in the last 12 months. Verbal violence was experienced more frequently (30.5%) than physical violence (14.6%). Persons who accompanied patients (58.1%) were found to be the chief perpetrators. Security staff and ambulance staff were significantly more likely to report physical violence (p = 0.001). Private hospitals and local NGOs providing health services were significantly less likely to report physical violence (p = 0.002). HCPs complained about poor facilities, heavy workload, and lack of preparedness to deal with violence. The deficiencies highlighted predominantly included inadequate security and lack of training to respond effectively to violence. Most stakeholders thought that poor quality of services and low capacity of HCPs contributed significantly to violent incidents. Conclusion: There is a great need to design interventions that can help in addressing the behavioral, institutional, and sociopolitical factors promoting violence against HCPs. Future projects should focus on designing interventions to prevent and mitigate violence at multiple levels