Nutritional problems in Pakistan

The nutritional problems in Pakistan are discussed. Malnutrition is prevalent among people in Pakistan. Particularly, malnutrition in infants, leading to high infant mortality, is caused by poverty, inadequate hygienic conditions, poor maternal nutrition and lack of understanding of proper weaning diet on the part of mothers. Therefore, the improvement of educational opportunities for women is of utmost importance to combat malnutrition in Pakistan.パキスタンの栄養問題を概説した。多数のパキスタン国民、特に乳幼児の高死亡率を齎す栄養不足は貧困および不完全な衛生状態などに起因するが、とりわけ文盲率60％以上とされる教育の貧困が基本にある。乳幼児の低栄養は、妊娠中の母親の低栄養、出産後の離乳食に対する理解不足などが原因と思われる。これらの問題を解決するためには、食糧供給の改善、貧困の克服、衛生設備および知識の普及に加えて教育、特に女性教育の普及が急務である

Analysis of Protein by Spectrophotometric and Computer Colour Based Intensity Method from Stem of Pea (Pisum sativum) at Different Stages

In this study proteins were analyzed from pea plants at three different growth stages of stem by spectrophotometric i.e Lowry and Bradford quantitative methods and computer colour intensity based method. Though Spectrophotometric methods are regarded as classical methods, we report an alternate computer based method which gave comparable results. Computer software was developed the for protein analysis which is easier, time and money saving method as compared to the classical methods

Assessing the Potential of ICT Education at Secondary Schools in Pakistan: A Comparative Study

This paper corresponds to the assessment of potential of ICT education at secondary schools in Pakistan. In this esteem, paper has twofold objectives. The first and foremost objective is to assess and cross compare the students’ potential towards learning ICT in public and private sector schools. In doing so, employing a variant of survey methodology comprised of orientation classes and subsequent objective type tests, the study elucidates that whilst the students at both sites demonstrate much potential and enthusiasm towards learning ICT, the potential of students of public schools is relatively much lower than the students of private schools. Accordingly, the second objective of this study is to determine the possible causes of lower potential for ICT education at public schools. In this regard, through expert interviews with the heads of schools, the study reveals several financial, human, physical, and information related factors that ground the lower potential for ICT education. As a conclusion, the study aids the government, school administration, and other education policy makers in understanding the needs of schools regarding ICT education, and provides the basis for envisaging the improvement plans and new initiatives for enhancing the ICT adoption, implementation, learning, and management at all secondary schools. &nbsp

Impact of Total Quality Management (TQM) practices on Sustainability and Organisational Performance

[EN] Total quality management (TQM) has been identified as a key driver of organizational performance in public and private organizations. Organizational culture, along with TQM and sustainability has been investigated to understand its contributions to organizational performance. TQM has become a crucial pillar for growth and development due to the growing expansion of manufacturing sectors of the world. TQM practices, which may differ in manufacturing firms, are said to be important for effective TQM adoption. However, it was found that organizational performance can be achieved if TQM practices in manufacturing businesses are well managed. Therefore, this study is carried out and the purpose of the study is to propose a conceptual model to investigate the relationship between TQM practices, sustainability, and organizational performance and to demonstrate the impact on organizational performance. The data underlying this study was collected by using a questionnaire survey in the manufacturing industries. The tool of analysis was used for the study through Factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The findings of the study revealed that total quality management and sustainability are the most important approaches to the success of the performance of manufacturing industries. The results show that TQM and sustainability have a positive impact on organizational performance. In the radiance of these outcomes, a framework was created in view of relationship between significant practices of TQM, sustaibanility and organistaional performance. Generally, it is accepted that total quality management can produce a sustainable competitive benefits in organisational performance.Wassan, AN.; Memon, MS.; Mari, SI.; Kalwar, MA. (2022). Impact of Total Quality Management (TQM) practices on Sustainability and Organisational Performance. Journal of Applied Research in Technology & Engineering. 3(2):93-102. https://doi.org/10.4995/jarte.2022.17408931023

Comparison of Outcome of Bipolar Electrocautery versus Harmonic Scalpel in the Management of Third and Fourth Degree Hemorrhoids

Objective: To compare the outcome of bipolar electrocautery versus harmonic scalpel in the management of third degree hemorrhoids. Methodology: This is a comparative study performed at Different Private Clinics of Karachi from the duration of January 2020 to June 2020. Patients with symptomatic grade III hemorrhoids and grade IV hemorrhoids were randomly divided into two groups. . Either group had 64 patients. One group underwent hemorrhoidectomy using bipolar electrocautery (Group A), other group underwent hemorrhoidectomy using harmonic scalpel hemorrhoidectomy (Group B). Results: The total number of patients was 128 with 64 in either group. The mean operating time in group A was 22 ± 4.7 minutes, while that in group B was 35 ± 2.2 minutes. The mean duration of hospital stay among group A was 1.7 ± 0.5 days while among group B patients was 2.1 ± 1.2 days. Mean VAS score for pain at first post-operative day in group A patients was 7 ± 0.6 days while mean VAS score for pain among group B patients was 8.5 ± .2 days. Conclusion: Our study concludes that harmonic scalpel hemorrhoidectomy offers better post-operative patient satisfaction score as compared to bipolar diathermy. No significant difference in hospital stay was found. The number of patients with post-operative urinary retention were more in harmonic scalpel group while in diathermy group, more patients had post-operative hemorrhage

CASUAL COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF INCIDENCE & EXTENT OF ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION AMONG SMOKERS & NON-SMOKERS PRESENTING AT A MALE SEXUAL HEALTH CLINIC IN HYDERABAD

Background: The term ‘‘erectile dysfunction’’ (ED) is defined as the inability to achieve and maintain an erection sufficient for satisfactory sexual performance. ED affects millions of men throughout the world, with a strong negative effect on the quality of life and well-being of men and couples. The etiology of ED once was considered to be mainly psychogenic. However, because of advances in the understanding of the physiology of erection and the development of modern diagnostic techniques, it is now generally agreed that the etiology of ED is often multifactorial, with psychological, neurological, endocrine, vascular, traumatic or iatrogenic causes.Objective: Smoking, among many other causes, is believed to be associated with smoking. This study hopes to compare the incidence and extent of erectile dysfunction (ED) among smokers and non-smokers presenting at a male sexual health clinic in an attempt to further understand the association. Methodology: This casual-comparative analysis was conducted upon a total of 64 male patients presenting with erectile dysfunction at a sexual health clinic. Inquiries regarding the habit of smoking were made using a structured interview based questionnaire and extent of erectile dysfunction was investigated using the “International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) Questionnaire”. The data obtained was analyzed using MS. Excel 2017 and SPSS v. 21.0. Results: Smokers showed a markedly high incidence when compared to non-smokers. The extent of erectile dysfunction too was observed to be significantly high among smokers in comparison to non-smokers. Ex-smokers too showed a more worrisome IIEF-5 score, when compared to non-smokers. Conclusion: The results obtained, make it abundantly clear that, the association between the incidence and extent of erectile dysfunction and smoking is strong. Although, the research does not attempt to control co-founding variables, the results can be regarded as reliable due to the sheer difference in incidence and extent of erectile dysfunction between smokers and non-smokers. Keywords: Erectile Dysfunction, Smoking, The International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) Questionnaire, Sexual Health & Sex Related Quality of Life

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF ASTHMA SEVERITY & CONTROL AMONG PATIENTS PRESENTING WITH & WITHOUT CO-MORBID RHINITIS

Objective: This study hopes to compare the severity and control of asthma among patients presenting with and without co-morbid rhinitis. Methodology:This retrospective, comparative analysis was conducted upon a total of 377 asthmatic patients, presenting at the medical out-patient department with and without co-morbid rhinitis. The data was collected using a structured interview based questionnaire (after taking written informed consent) which included in-depth inquiries regarding the asthma severity and control for the past 4 week. The data obtained was analyzed using SPSS v. 21. 0. Results: Among the 377 subjects, 200 were males while 177 were females. Mean age of the subjects was 36 years. 172 asthmatic patients in the sample suffered from the co-morbid rhinitis, while the remaining did not have the said comorbidity. Asthmatic patients with co-morbid rhinitis experienced more frequent asthmatic attacks. The incidence of visits to the emergency room and frequency of hospital admissions too was high among asthmatic patients with co-morbid rhinitis. Conclusion: The results reveal that, all attempts to draw a comparison of asthma severity and control among patients with and without comorbid rhinitis yield clear and unidirectional results, leading to a transparent conclusion i.e. the asthma severity and control is considerably poorer in asthmatics with co-morbid rhinitis. Keywords: Asthma, Severity, Control, Rhinitis and Co-morbidity

Characteristics of micro-propagated banana (Musa spp.) cultures stressed with NaCl and polyethylene glycol

The effect of NaCl and PEG was assessed on plant micro-propagation rate in banana (Musa spp.) cv., Basrai. Well micro-propagated plantlets were cultured on four different stresses of NaCl and PEG-4000 including control level: MS2b (MS0 + 3.0 mg l-1 BAP), MS2c (MS0 + 100 mol m-3 NaCl), MS2d (MS0 + 5% PEG) and MS2e (MS0 + 100 mol m-3 NaCl + 5 % PEG) for 6-weeks. Efficiency of plant micro-propagation was reduced significantly among the stressed cultures. Similarly, photosynthetic pigments like chl a was decreased non-significantly but chl b, chl ab were decreased significantly. Total carotenoids were increased in the saline as well as PEG stressed cultures. Cell size of epidermis and aerenchyma was increased (p < 0.05), while parenchyma decreased. Proline and glycinebetain contents were increased (p < 0.05) in each stressed culture but were high in MS2 than in MS3 and MS4 cultures. Meanwhile, proteins, sugars, phenolics and nitrates were observed to be in the reversed (p < 0.05) phenomena. In conclusion, NaCl treatment was observed to be most toxic than the PEG or PEG with NaCl on the banana micro-propagation.Key words: Musa spp., micro-propagation, NaCl (sodium chloride), PEG (polyethylene glycol), chlorophyll contents, proline, reducing sugars

CASUAL COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF SPEED OF INITIAL ATROPINIZATION AND RATE OF SYMPTOM RESOLUTION AMONG PATIENTS OF ACCIDENTAL ORGANOPHOSPHATE POISONING

Objective: This study hopes to compare the rate of symptom resolution achieved with different recommended speeds of initial atropinization as part of treatment of patients presenting with accidental organophosphate insecticide poisoning. Methodology: The casual-comparative analysis was conducted at the department of medicine, Liaquat university hospital, upon a total of 117 patients from October 2016 to July 2017. Informed consent was acquired from each patient before administering each of the recommended dosage regimens. Results: The best performing regimen was administration of a beginning bolus of one to two milligrams of atropine, seconded shortly (five minutes) by a doubled dose of atropine. This practice of administering a doubled dose after 5 minutes is followed till complete atropinization is obtained. Among the many up sides of our most successful regimen, most notable were the facts that, administration of a mean dose (25 mg) required not more than twenty minutes, it worked well even for rare cases that required rather large quantities of atropine, allowing 75 mg of atropine to be administered in no more than 25–30 minutes, and finally, it even catered to the needs of patients that require small doses owing to the fact that the beginning bolus can be a mere 1 mg. Conclusion: After careful consideration and deliberation on the obtained results, the use of a dosage regimen with the high pace of initial atropinization to halt the adverse effects seems to be the best choice. It shall help to considerably decrease the mortality owing to organophosphate poisoning. It addition to that, the use of a simple and easy to follow dosage regimen is more likely to be followed correctly. Keywords: Atropinization, Organophosphate Poisoning, Accidental Poising, Symptom Resolution, Treatment Speed and Modality Speed Comparison

Inherited bleeding disorders-experience of a not-for-profit organization in Pakistan

Patient registry is a powerful tool for planning health care and setting groundwork for research. This survey reports a detailed registry of inherited bleeding disorders (IBD) and their management at a not-for-profit organization in a developing country to form the basis for planning development and research. We reviewed medical records of patients with IBD from 8 hemophilia treatment centers of Fatimid Foundation located in various cities. Information collected included sociodemographic data, diagnostic tests, severity of hemophilia A and B, number of bleeding episodes per year, site and frequency of hemarthrosis, and seropositivity for viral diseases. We analyzed 1497 patients from November 1, 2015, to April 30, 2016. There were 1296 (87%) males and 201 (13%) females with a mean age of 24.5 (11) years (range, 6 months to 65 years). Hemophilia A constituted the bulk of IBD (848, 57%) followed by von Willebrand disease (172, 11%), hemophilia B (144, 10%), platelet function defect (106, 7%), and rare bleeding disorders (70, 5%). Mucocutaneous bleeding (1144, 76%) and hemarthrosis (1035 patients, 69%) were the main complications. There were 1026 (69%) patients who received only blood components for treatment of any bleeding episode while the remaining 464 (31%) were on combination therapy (blood components and factor concentrate). Seroreactivity for hepatitis C was frequent (28%), while hepatitis B (1%) and human immunodeficiency virus (0.01%) were less commonly seen. This study was an important step toward a patient registry in a hemophilia treatment center in Pakistan. Hemophilia A is the most common bleeding disorder and hepatitis C is the most frequent treatment-related complicatio