mm-CUR: A Novel Ubiquitous, Contact-free, and Location-aware Counterfeit Currency Detection in Bundles Using Millimeter-Wave Sensor

Target material sensing in non-invasive and ubiquitous contexts plays an important role in various applications. Recently, a few wireless sensing systems have been proposed for material identification. In this paper, we introduce mm-CUR, A Novel Ubiquitous, Contact-free, and Location-aware Counterfeit Currency Detection in Bundles using a Millimeter-Wave Sensor. This system eliminates the need for individual note inspection and pinpoints the location of counterfeit notes within the bundle. We use Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) radar sensors to classify different counterfeit currency bundles on a tabletop setup. To extract informative features for currency detection from FMCW signals, we construct a Radio Frequency Snapshot (RFS) and build signal scalogram representations that capture the distinct patterns of currency received from different currency bundles. We refine the RFS by eliminating multi-path interference, and noise cancellation and apply high pass filters for mitigating the smearing effect with the continuous wavelet transform (CWT). To broaden the usage of mm-CUR, we built a transferable learning model that yields robust detection results in different scenarios. The classification results demonstrated that the proposed counterfeit currency detection system can detect counterfeit notes in 100-note bundles with an accuracy greater than 93%. Compared to the standard CNN and DNN methods, the proposed mm-CUR model showed superior performance in distinguishing each bundle data, even for a limited-size dataset

Decomposing the links between oil price shocks and macroeconomic indicators: Evidence from SAARC region

This study examines the impact of oil price shocks on key macroeconomic variables (i.e., real GDP, interest rate, inflation and exchange rate) for five SAARC countries (i.e., India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Bhutan). For this purpose, we adopt contemporary macroeconomic policy modeling tool called impulse response function (IRF) and forecast error variance decomposition method (FEVDM) in the structural vector autorepression (SVAR) setting using time series data over the extended period from 1982 to 2014. In addition, Johansen and Juselius (1990) cointegration method is applied for long-run relationship. The results of cointegration test confirms the long-run equilibrium relationship between all the underlying variables. However, the empirical findings of IRF explained significant variation among all underlying macroeconomic variables in response to exogenous oil price shocks at different time horizons. It means the macroeconomic factors are sensitive to even small oil price shocks and possess various socio-economic implications in the region. The results of FEVDM evidence that each country in a study group responds differently to oil price shocks, it corresponds their independent policies, macroeconomic fundamentals, sector constructions and heterogeneity across the countries. The findings help governments to reform public policies in the region by controlling macroeconomic fluctuations due to oil price shocks

JOB STRESS AND JOB SATISFACTION AMONG HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS

Background: Health care professionals comprise an important group of individuals who are affected by emotional states and stress because of their unique work environment. The employee’s stress level and satisfaction with his/her job are primary factors that influence the quality of work and individual productivity. Objective: To measure the prevalence of job stress and job satisfaction among healthcare professionals and to identify their predictors. Research Design: A multi-center cross-sectional survey. Subjects: Physicians, residents, nurses, and radiologists. Measures: Job stress and satisfaction were measured using 25 specific questions about sources of work-related stress and 17 questions about sources of workrelated satisfaction. Results: A total of 626 (54%) participants completed the survey. The sample was comprised of 19.5% Saudi nationals, and the remainder, foreign workers of a wide range of nationalities. The overall prevalence of job stress and job satisfaction was 66.2% and 97.0%, respectively. The use of a multivariate logistic regression model identified statistically significant independent predictors of stress (e.g., working on weekends, feeling under pressure to meet deadlines, being of Saudi nationality, and being exposed to a stressful event outside of work within a year. Conclusion:The overall prevalence of job stress is moderately higher than reported in other published studies, yet there was a very high rate of job satisfaction; one that was much higher than reported in other studies. We recommend that future research focus on methods of stress reduction and investigate the impact of high stress on staff performance

JOB STRESS AND JOB SATISFACTION AMONG HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS

Background: Health care professionals comprise an important group of individuals who are affected by emotional states and stress because of their unique work environment. The employee’s stress level and satisfaction with his/her job are primary factors that influence the quality of work and individual productivity. Objective: To measure the prevalence of job stress and job satisfaction among healthcare professionals and to identify their predictors. Research Design: A multi-center cross-sectional survey. Subjects: Physicians, residents, nurses, and radiologists. Measures: Job stress and satisfaction were measured using 25 specific questions about sources of work-related stress and 17 questions about sources of workrelated satisfaction. Results: A total of 626 (54%) participants completed the survey. The sample was comprised of 19.5% Saudi nationals, and the remainder, foreign workers of a wide range of nationalities. The overall prevalence of job stress and job satisfaction was 66.2% and 97.0%, respectively. The use of a multivariate logistic regression model identified statistically significant independent predictors of stress (e.g., working on weekends, feeling under pressure to meet deadlines, being of Saudi nationality, and being exposed to a stressful event outside of work within a year. Conclusion:The overall prevalence of job stress is moderately higher than reported in other published studies, yet there was a very high rate of job satisfaction; one that was much higher than reported in other studies. We recommend that future research focus on methods of stress reduction and investigate the impact of high stress on staff performance

SINGLE BLIND PLACEBO-BASED STUDY ON PREVENTION OF CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE (CAD) BY INJEER AND ISPAGHULA

Introduction: Injeer and Ispaghula are frequently/successfully used for treatment of both primary and secondary Hyperlipidemia. Major cardiac diseases are directly or indirectly linked with high levels of lipids in systemic circulation.  Various medicinal herbs can normalize lipid profile of patients suffering from primary or secondary hyperlipidemia with or without metabolic syndrome. Place of research work: It was conducted at Jinnah hospital Lahore-Pakistan from January to May 2016. One hundred hyperlipidemic patients were enrolled for the research work. Type of research study: This research work was single blind placebo-controlled. Criteria for inclusion and exclusion: Primary or secondary hyperlipidemic patients of both gender, age range from 20 to 65 years were included in research. Patients suffering from any major organ disease like renal, hepatic, pulmonary diseases and already on drugs for major cardiac disease were excluded from the study. Grouping of participants: Patients were divided in four groups, 25 patients in each group. Group-I was on Injeer, Group-II was on Ispaghula, Group-III was on combination of these two herbal medicines, and Group-IV was considered as control group. Determination of TC, TG, LDL-C and HDL-C: Base line lipid profile was measured in Pathology Laboratory of JINNAH HOSPITAL. Result compilation and biostatistical analysis: After three months therapy, their lipid profile was determined and mean values with ±SEM were compared before and after treatment. When analyzed statistically and compared with placebo effects, all patients’ LDL-cholesterol was reduced significantly. HDL-cholesterol was increased in all groups of patient. Conclusion: Final conclusion of research work was that at specific concentration and period of ingestion of herbs like psyllium husk, and figs can reduce risk of hyperlipidemia leading to development of cardiac diseases, especially coronary artery disease

NEW SLANT ON HYPERLIPIDEMIA: PREVENTION BY VITAMIN B-3 AND COMMON FRUIT ZIZIPHUS JUJUBA

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is complication of primary or secondary hyperlipidemia. Etiological factors for hyperlipidemia include inherited genetic defects in low density lipoproteins (LDLs), persons accustomed to sit for prolong time, cigarette smoking, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension. This research work’s aim was to compare hypolipidemic features of an allopathic agent vitamin B-3 and another medicinal plant Z. Jujuba. Study was conducted from January 2016 to June 2016 at Jinnah Hospital Lahore, Pakistan. 60 male and female hyperlipidemic patients age range from 20 to 70 years were selected from the hospital. Written and explained consent was taken from all patients. They were divided in two groups. Group-I was advised to take two grams vitamin B-3 in divided doses for the period of two months. Group-II was advised to take 500 grams of fruit Z. Jujuba daily for 60 days per their convenience. Their initial LDL and HDL cholesterol was determined by Friedwald’s formula. After 60 days therapy, their post treatment lipid profile was measured and mean values with ± SD were analyzed biostatistically by using SPSS version 2; 2010. Group-I which was on vitamin B-3 their LDL cholesterol decreased significantly and HDL cholesterol was increased significantly. In group-II patients LDL cholesterol was decreased significantly but HDL increase was not significant with p-value of >0.05. It was concluded from the research study that vitamin B-3 is potent hypolipidemic agent as compared to medicinal plant Z. Jujuba