Post- Operative Recovery Profile after Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy: Comparing Inhalational Versus Intravenous Anaesthetic Regimen

Background: To compare inhalational anaesthetic regimen with intravenous regimen with regard to post operative recovery after laparoscopic cholecystectomy Methods: In this comparative study 166 patients were selected by lottery and assigned into two groups. Induction was done with sevoflurane 8% in 50% nitrous oxide in oxygen (group-A) and propofol 2mg/kg (group-B).All patients had volume controlled ventilation and standard monitoring.Before shifting Fast Track criteria was used inside operating room and Post Anaesthesia Discharge score employed in recovery area. Spearman’s Rank correlation was used to check interdependence between the two recovery scores i.e.Fast-Track criteria and Post Anaesthesia Discharge score in both groups. Results: Fast track criteria and post op anaesthesia scores were equal in both groups.Inhalation induction(group-A) was slightly slower as compared to intravenous induction with propofol (group-B) but a higher incidence of un-expected movement/cough was noted during propofol induction as compared to sevoflurane. ASA physical status classes of both groups are identical. Though different anaesthesia techniques were used in both groups while standardizing anaesthetic maintenance factors and per-operative medications, no clinical superiority in recovery times was noted in ambulatory laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The value of correlation co-efficient(r) was .372 and .556 respectively in both groups and significant at 0.01 level

Optical Spectroscopy and Imaging: An Emerging Method of Cancer Detection

Optical Spectroscopy and Imaging: An Emerging Method of Cancer Detectio

Spinal Anesthesia in General Surgical Patients: Comparison of 0.75% and 0.5% Hyperbaric Bupivacaine

Objective: To appraise clinical effects of 0.5% and 0.75% hyperbaric bupivacaine in general surgical patients undertaking procedure in spinal anesthesia employing crystalloid fluid preload / co-load. Place and Duration: Islam Teaching Hospital, Islam Medical College, Sialkot and Rawal General and Dental Hospital, Rawal Institute of Health Sciences, Islamabad from 03-4-2012 to 18-9-2012 and from 19-9-2017 to 30-5-2018. Methodology:  The study consisted of one hundred and twenty-four cases which were divided by lottery into two equal components i.e group-1 and group-2 using 0.5% and 0.75% hyperbaric bupivacaine respectively for intrathecal block in general surgical patients. After spinal block hemodynamic monitoring continued at one-minute interval for fifteen minutes than at 5 minutes interval. Intravascular fluids colloids/crystalloid were given as preload and coload. After the procedure, monitoring continued in post-anesthesia care unit. Statistical analysis was done by SPSS version 19. Results: In group-1 in two cases (3.22%) and in group-2 in thirteen cases(20.96%) required vasopressors. The mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure(mmHg) in group-1 being 135.70(with SD of 26.37) and 78.70(with SD of 32.5), similar readings in group-2 being 131.78( SD of 26.25) and 79.36(SD of 32.50) respectively. Pearson’s Chi-square test, comparing two quantitative variables i.e. systolic blood pressure readings between both groups was performed p-value came out to be <0.05 and considered statistically significant. Conclusion: There was no significant statistical hemodynamic difference between the two groups however in 0.5% hyperbaric solution, vasopressor and atropine need was significantly less with more stable hemodynamic profile in the study

Institutional credit and agricultural production nexus

Credit plays an important role in the development of agriculture sector. It capitalizes farmers to adopt new technologies. It helps smooth consumption by providing Working capital and reduces poverty in the process. Both formal and informal lenders are active in rural credit market of Pakistan. There is a need to highlight the relationship between institutional agricultural credit and agricultural production. Time series data for the period of 1973-2009 was used. The study utilized Johansen and Juselius (JJ) cointegration approach and Granger causality test to explore the long-run equilibrium relationship and the possible direction of causality between availability of institutional agricultural credit, labor force availability, cropping intensity, water availability and agricultural production. Result shows the long run relationship among variables. Granger causality test shows the uni-directional causality among institutional agricultural credit and agricultural production and among water availability and agricultural production. The bi-directional causality was found among availability of labor force & cropping intensity and among water availability & cropping intensity.Institutional credit, Agricultural credit, Pakistan

Intense Red Catho- and Photoluminescence from 200 nm Thick Samarium Doped Amorphous AlN Thin Films

Samarium (Sm) doped aluminum nitride (AlN) thin films are deposited on silicon (100) substrates at 77 K by rf magnetron sputtering method. Thick films of 200 nm are grown at 100–200 watts RF power and 5–8 m Torr nitrogen, using a metal target of Al with Sm. X-ray diffraction results show that films are amorphous. Cathodoluminescence (CL) studies are performed and four peaks are observed in Sm at 564, 600, 648, and 707 nm as a result of4G5/2 → 6H5/2,4G5/2 → 6H7/2,4G5/2 → 6H9/2, and4G5/2 → 6H11/2transitions. Photoluminescence (PL) provides dominant peaks at 600 and 707 nm while CL gives the intense peaks at 600 nm and 648 nm, respectively. Films are thermally activated at 1,200 K for half an hour in a nitrogen atmosphere. Thermal activation enhances the intensity of luminescence

Role of Institutional Credit on Agricultural Production: A Time Series Analysis of Pakistan

In our predominant and cash-strapped agrarian sector, adequate credit provision is a definite buttress to implant technological advancements, achieve technical efficiency and hire efficient inputs to uplift agriculture output/income collectively and eradicate poverty eventually. In the midst of beleaguered informal credit sector and recent spurt in banking services in last decade diverted the attention to envisage the formal sector’s optimum potential. In this backdrop, this study is going to explore the role of institutional credit in agricultural production using the time series data for the period of 1972 to 2008. Cobb-Douglas production function is estimated using OLS and all the variables are transformed to per cultivated hectare. Results show that agricultural credit, availability of water, cropping intensity and agricultural labor force are positively significantly related to agricultural production.Agricultural Credit, Time series analysis, Pakistan

Nitrous Oxide in Oxygen and Air in Oxygen for Perioperative Analgesia : A Comparative study

Background: To determine that additional dose of nalbuphine is required while using medical air instead of nitrous oxide in oxygen to maintain anaesthesia so that inadequate intra-operative analgesia could be avoided. Methods: This quasi experimental study was carried out in the Department of Anaesthesia, Holy Family Hospital, Rawalpindi, from October 2007 to March 2008. One hundred patients were selected by non probability convenient sampling. Patients between 20 to 40 years of age were included, belonging to ASA Class-I and II. They were divided into two groups (A and B) scheduled for different elective surgical procedures under general anaesthesia. Group A comprised of fifty patients who received medical air in oxygen. Group B comprised of fifty patients who received nitrous oxide in oxygen. The conduct of anaesthesia was kept same in both the groups. Patients heart rate, mean arterial pressure, pulse oximetry, ECG were monitored and requirement of additional dose of nalbuphine in both the groups was noted. Intra-operative tachycardia and hypertension indicated additional dose of nalbuphine. Average value of heart rate and blood pressure of each case was determined and the data compared and analyzed by SPSS-10. Results: Forty patients in group A did not require intra-operative additional nalbuphine while the remaining ten patients required it. Forty eight patients in group B did not require additional intra-operative nalbuphine and only two patients required it. Conclusion: The use of nitrous oxide significantly reduces the intra-operative narcotic analgesia requirement

Measuring the Market Efficiency of Potato Supply Chain in Punjab, Pakistan

Potato is a popular vegetable crop in Pakistan, both for consumers and growers. It is the most extensively consumed staple meal after wheat and rice, and comes in a variety of forms, including cooked, boiled, fries, chips, and snacks. A supply chain is the network of all the individuals, organizations, resources, activities and technology involved in the creation and sale of a product. Potato supply chain in Pakistan includes farm suppliers, producers, village dealers, commission agents, processors, exporters, and retailers, just like other agricultural products. This specific study was aimed to characterize and map the potato supply chain linkages between actors, processes and activities moreover, to calculate marketing efficiency at different level(s) of supply chain. The findings revealed the difference in potato supply chain among various chain actors. There was a lack of information among supply chain actors, consumers desire is not fulfilled by the supply chain actors. Potato supply chain actors faced problem because of no information sharing system. Farmers should use agricultural management techniques like crop rotation that increase crop productivity. Select a quality seed, and each actor in the supply chain must share information. Supply chain actors upgrade their practices for more profit to farmers and desired quality to consumers. &nbsp