Productivity and Efficiency Analysis of Pakistani Textile Industry using Malmquist Productivity Index Approach

The key purpose of this study is to evaluate the total factor productivity of the textile sector by using DEA (Data Envelopment Analysis) and also identifying the components which play a significant role in the growth of productivity. This paper examines productivity performance of the Pakistan’s textile manufacturing industry using firm-level panel data of a total of 64 firms for the period 2011-2015. Moreover, the sources of expansion and compression in output are recognized for the whole textile industry as well as for the three sub sectors comprising of 35 firms from spinning, 21 from composite and 8 from weaving textile sector. Empirical results suggest that total factor productivity growth of composite, spinning and weaving textile sectors are not presenting skewed distribution. Moreover, the component of technological change had a negative impact on spinning textile sector. Technical efficiency and technological change, both, had a positive impact on the productivity of composite and weaving textile sectors. Overall, the spinning textile sector has no contribution in the productivity growth. A critical evaluation of the production factors is necessary for the maintenance of the performance of the organization. This paper provides information to the decision makers and policy makers about the allocation, acquisition and anticipation of the resources. To eradicate the industry’s pitfalls, textile sector in combination of subsectors has been selected providing a comparative analysis of the efficiencies adding to the existing body of literature by detecting the primary zones for improving productivity performance in Pakistani textile manufacturing as the pure efficiency component. &nbsp

Earning Management Leverage and Firm Performance: Empirical Evidence from Pakistan

Using the regression analysis by taking year and industry impact, we conducted the study to see how debt can be used to mitigate the negative impact of earning management on the performance of the company. We take the sample of non-financial firms from Pakistan between year 2009 to 2015. Our results conclude that firms which are engage in earning management activities by AEM or REM both impacts negatively on the performance of the company. The role of debt has a positive impact on the performance of the company and it can be used by the shareholders to monitor the activities of managers and attenuate the negative impact of earning management activities. We emphasis that company managers are involve in earning management activities in the context of Pakistan and role of debt is important to mitigate its negative impact on firm performance. Keywords: Profitability, Leverage, Earning Management, Pakista

Outcome and cost effectiveness of autobiographically guided surgical clip placement for tumor localization in patients undergoing neo-adjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer.

Abstract BACKGROUND: To determine the outcome and cost saving by placing ultrasound guided surgical clips for tumor localization in patientsundergoing neo-adjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective cross sectional analytical study was conducted at the Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan from January to December 2014. A sample of 25 women fulfilling our selection criteria was taken. All patients came to our department for ultrasound guided core biopsy of suspicious breast lesions and clip placement in the index lesion prior to neo-adjuvant chemotherapy. All the selected patients had biopsy proven breast cancer. RESULTS: The mean age was 45 ± 11.6 years. There were no complications seen after clip placement in terms of clip migration or hemorrhage. The cost of commercially available markers was approximately PKR 9,000 (US$90) and that of the surgical clip was PKR 900 (US$ 9). The cost of surgical clips in 25 patients was PKR 22,500 (US$225), when compared to the commercially available markers which may have incurred a cost of PKR 225,000 (US$ 2,250). The total cost saving for 25 patients was PKR 202,500 (US$2, 025), making it PKR 8100 (US$ 81) per patient. CONCLUSIONS: The results of our study show that ultrasound guided surgical clip placement in index lesions prior to neo-adjuvant therapy is a safe and cost effective method to identify tumor bed and response to treatment for further management

Pistacia chinensis: A Potent Ameliorator of CCl4 Induced Lung and Thyroid Toxicity in Rat Model

In the current study protective effect of ethanol extract of Pistacia chinensis bark (PCEB) was investigated in rats against CCl4 induced lung and thyroid injuries. PCEB dose dependently inhibited the rise of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances, hydrogen peroxide, nitrite, and protein content and restored the levels of antioxidant enzymes, that is, catalase, peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione-S-transferase, glutathione reductase, glutathione peroxidase, γ-glutamyl transpeptidase, and quinone reductase in both lung and thyroid tissues of CCl4 treated rats. Decrease in number of leukocytes, neutrophils, and hemoglobin and T3 and T4 content as well as increase in monocytes, eosinophils, and lymphocytes count with CCl4 were restored to normal level with PCEB treatment. Histological study of CCl4 treated rats showed various lung injuries like rupture of alveolar walls and bronchioles, aggregation of fibroblasts, and disorganized Clara cells. Similarly, histology of CCl4 treated thyroid tissues displayed damaged thyroid follicles, hypertrophy, and colloidal depletion. However, PCEB exhibited protective behaviour for lungs and thyroid, with improved histological structure in a dose dependant manner. Presence of three known phenolic compounds, that is, rutin, tannin, and gallic acid, and three unknown compounds was verified in thin layer chromatographic assessment of PCEB. In conclusion, P. chinensis exhibited antioxidant activity by the presence of free radical quenching constituents

Calendar anomalies and market volatility in selected cryptocurrencies

AbstractThis study examines the day-of-the-week and January effects on the top performing cryptocurrencies with the highest capitalization during the sample period. The study uses the daily closing returns of selected currencies for 7 August 2015 to 20 August 2020. The day-of-the-week results indicate that the Monday effect in the daily analysis generated a positive and significant coefficient for all five currencies and this anomaly is present in the cryptocurrency market. However, for all currencies, the December returns showed a significantly higher pattern as compared to January. This tendency indicates some prospects of lucrative trading. However, the evidence of negative Monday returns in this period is somewhat consistent with the relevant empirical literature. The study has some implications for investors, in that they can formulate strategies to produce abnormal returns. Investors and market analysts can form diverse portfolios by combining various cryptocurrencies using the intraday price statistics, and can devise strategies based on the intraday patterns using a similar analysis as that in this study

The racial disparity among post transcatheter aortic valve replacement outcomes: A meta-analysis

Background: Racial disparities have been well described in cardiovascular disease. However, the impact of race on the outcomes post - Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) remains unknown. Objective: We aim to evaluate the disparity among the race (black and white) post - TAVR. Methods: We systematically searched all electronic databases from inception until September 26, 2022. The primary outcome was in-hospital all-cause mortality, and secondary outcomes was myocardial infarction (MI), acute kidney injury (AKI), permanent pacemaker implantation (PPI) or ICD, stroke, vascular complications, and major bleeding. Results: A total of three studies with 1,02,009 patients were included in the final analysis. The mean age of patients with white and black patients was 82.65 and 80.45 years, respectively. The likelihood of in-hospital all-cause mortality (OR, 1.01(95 %CI: 0.86–1.19), P = 0.93), stroke (OR, 0.83(95 %CI:0.61–1.13), P = 0.23, I2 = 46.57 %], major bleeding [OR, 1.05(95 %CI:0.92–1.20), P = 0.46), and vascular complications [OR, 0.92(95 %CI:0.81–1.06), P = 0.26), was comparable between white and black patients. However, patients with white race have lower odds of MI (OR, 0.65(95 %CI:0.50–0.84), P < 0.001), and AKI (OR, 0.84(95 %CI:0.74–0.95), P = 0.01) and higher odds of PPI or ICD (OR, 1.16(95 %CI: 1.06–1.27), P < 0.001, I2 = 0 %) compared with black race patients. Conclusion: Our findings suggest disparity post - TAVR outcomes existed, and black patients are at higher risk of MI and AKI than white patients.Key Clinical Message: • What is already known on this topic: Disparity has been witnessed among patients with cardiovascular disease. However, no studies have drawn a significant association among post-TAVR patients' outcomes • What this study adds: Among patients who underwent TAVR, there is a difference in the adverse outcomes between black and white race patients. White patients have a lower risk of post-procedure MI and AKI compared with Black patients. • How this study might affect research, practice, or policy: These disparities need to be addressed, and proper guidelines need to be made along with engaging patients with better medical infrastructure and treatment options.

sj-docx-1-imj-10.1177_10815589231164777 – Supplemental material for Association between nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and atrial fibrillation and other clinical outcomes: a meta-analysis

Supplemental material, sj-docx-1-imj-10.1177_10815589231164777 for Association between nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and atrial fibrillation and other clinical outcomes: a meta-analysis by Vikash Jaiswal, Song Peng Ang, Helen Huang, Navroop Kaur Momi, Maha Hameed, Sidra Naz, Nitya Batra, Angela Ishak, Neel Doshi, Asmita Gera, Medha Sharath, Madeeha Subhan Waleed, Nishchita Raj and Victor Hugo Aguilera Alvarez in Journal of Investigative Medicine</p