Stock prices’ variability around earnings announcement dates at Karachi Stock Exchange

The purpose of this study is to investigate how earnings announcement event affects stock returns at Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE). For this purpose we use the KSE-100 Index as our sample. We use the CAR Analysis to analyze the impact of earnings announcement over the stock returns around announcement dates. Our results suggest that KSE experiences abnormal stock returns around earnings announcement dates for the overall market and for different categories which indicate that efficient market hypothesis does not hold in Pakistani market and point out the presence of informational dissemination inefficiencies in the marke

Mela Jaloos,(Festival Procession)

Mela Jaloos (Translation: Festival Procession, in Urdu) is a 13-minute film that embarks upon a speculative queer Muslim journey of celebration, resistance and protest. Taking a performance-based approach, the film uses poetic, hybrid and dramatic means to present a kaleidoscope of influences that are rooted in Sufi histories, queerness, and life in Lahore, Pakistan. The narrative of the film is centred around a conversation between Mela, Jaloos, and the river Ravi. The three characters come together to discuss and respond to the end of the world, collapsed timelines, and its subsequent impact on the present. What unfolds is a journey and dance of spiritual transgression, opening a cosmos of queer Muslim potentialities and sexuality

Improving quality of service through road side back-bone network in VANET

The vehicular ad hoc Networks (VANETs) are expected to support a large spectrum of traffic alert, dynamic route planning, file sharing, safety and infotainment applications to improve traffic management. User satisfaction plus in time delivery of real-time messages is the most significant quality evaluation criterion for vehicular applications. High mobility and rapidly changing topologies always lead to intermittent quality of services, higher delay and packet dropping issues in network. To improve the quality of services for multi-hop and dynamic environment, different types of solutions have been proposed. The article introduces multi-protocol label switching based on roadside backbone network to provide widespread, scalable, high-speed, robust quality of services and improve network efficiency. The simulation results showed that proposed model improves data transmission and routing performance in terms of data delivery, throughput, end-to-end delay and achieve adequate utilization of resources

Wireless Body Area Networks for Healthcare Applications: An Overview

Healthcare systems have been facing various new challenges due to increasing and rising aging population in healthcare. Advance information and communication technologies have introduced Wireless Body Area Networks (WBANs) for healthcare systems. WBANs provide different monitoring services in healthcare sector for monitoring their patients with more convenience. WBANs are economical solutions and non-invasive technology for healthcare applications. This review paper provides a comprehensive review on WBANs applications, services and recent challenges

Role of contrast enhanced computed tomography in assessing cervical lymph node metastases in oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma

Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of contrast-enhanced computed tomography scan in detecting cervical nodal metastasis in oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma.Methods: The retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted at Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan. and comprised records from January 1, 2015, to October 31, 2016, of patients diagnosed with oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma and who underwent surgical resection of primary tumour along with neck dissection after having a contrast-enhanced computed tomography scan of head and neck. Diagnostic accuracy of the scans was calculated using final histopathology as the gold standard. All scans were reviewed by a consultant radiologist. Data was analysed using SPSS 23.Results: Of the 100 patients whose records were reviewed, 70(70%) were female, 55(55%) had buccal and 32(32%) had tongue cancer.. The scans had sensitivity 83%, specificity 61.7%, positive predictive value 70.9%, negative predictive value 76.3% and overall diagnostic accuracy 73%.Conclusions: Computed tomography scan was found to be a useful tool for preoperative staging of oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma. However, due to low specificity and negative predictive value, elective neck dissection should still be done in a negative scan for cervical lymph node metastases

Benzodiazepine use in medical out-patient clinics: a study from a developing country

Objective: To estimate the prevalence of Benzodiazepine use in the outpatient setting of general medicine clinics at a single tertiary care centre. Methods: The prospective prevalence study was conducted in the outpatient setting of Internal Medicine Clinics at Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, from November to December 2009. All subjects were interviewed after informed consent and variables were recorded on a specially-designed proforma. Apart from basic demographics and comorbid conditions, duration, frequency and route of benzodiazepine use, as well as the reason and who initiated it was noted. Chi-square test and t test was applied to see the association of socio demographic or clinical factors with the use of benzodiazepine. Results: Of the 355 patients, 129 (36.33%) reported using the drug. The majority (n=86; 24.2%) were taking it on a daily basis. The highest numbers of patients using the drug were suffering from cardiovascular problems, 32 (25%) followed by 22 (17%) from endocrinology. Diazepam equivalent dose was around 7.04+4, with a inter-quartile range of 3-96 weeks. Alprazolam (9%) was the most frequently prescribed Benzodiazepine. CONCLUSION: Benzodiazepine use is alarmingly high in the outpatient clinics of General Internal Medicine Department. There is no implementation of law to prevent its hazardous sale. In this regard all concerned should work collectively for awareness and irrational drug sale and use

Analysis of Human Gait Cycle with Body Equilibrium based on leg Orientation

Gait analysis identifies the posture during movement in order to provide the correct actions for a normal gait. A person\u27s gait may differ from others and can be recognized by specific patterns. Healthy individuals exhibit normal gait patterns, while lower limb amputees exhibit abnormal gait patterns. To better understand the pitfalls of gait, it is imperative to develop systems capable of capturing the gait patterns of healthy individuals. The main objective of this research was to introduce a new concept in gait analysis by computing the static and dynamic equilibrium in a real-world environment. A relationship was also presented among the parameters stated as static \& dynamic equilibrium, speed, and body states. A sensing unit was installed on the designed metal-based leg mounting assembly on the lateral side of the leg. An algorithm was proposed based on two variables: the position of the leg in space and the angle of the knee joint measured by an IMU sensor and a rotary encoder. It was acceptable to satisfy the static conditions when the body was in a fixed position and orientation, whether lying down or standing. While walking and running, the orientation is determined by the position and knee angle variables, which fulfill the dynamic condition. High speed reveals a rapid change in orientation, while slow speed reveals a slow change in orientation. The proposed encoder-based feedback system successfully determined the flexion at 47$^\circ$, extension at 153$^\circ$, and all seven gait cycle phases were recognized within this range of motion. Body equilibrium facilitates individuals when they are at risk of falling or slipping

Impact of China Pakistan Economic Corridor on Local Economy and Tourism Development: Case of Hunza, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan

This study is aimed to analyze the role of tourism in affecting the local economy of Hunza. The Structural Equation Modeling was applied for knowing the local people perception about CPEC projects and their effect on tourism economy development. In addition, descriptive statistics tools using STAT 12 have been used for the data analysis and prior to analysis, Cronbach’s alpha test was used to check reliability of various items of the questionnaire. The data werecollected from students, retailers, hotel owners, tour operators and travel agents. Results reveal that according to the respondents, CPEC is a game changer for the economy. In addition, there is significant effect of CPEC projects on the tourism development in Hunza. Results of the study also revealed that CPEC projects have negative effect on environment and local culture

Understanding biological mechanisms underlying adverse birth outcomes in developing countries: Protocol for a prospective cohort (AMANHI bio-banking) study

Objectives: The AMANHI study aims to seek for biomarkers as predictors of important pregnancy-related outcomes, and establish a biobank in developing countries for future research as new methods and technologies become available.Methods: AMANHI is using harmonised protocols to enrol 3000 women in early pregnancies (8-19 weeks of gestation) for population-based follow-up in pregnancy up to 42 days postpartum in Bangladesh, Pakistan and Tanzania, with collection taking place between August 2014 and June 2016. Urine pregnancy tests will be used to confirm reported or suspected pregnancies for screening ultrasound by trained sonographers to accurately date the pregnancy. Trained study field workers will collect very detailed phenotypic and epidemiological data from the pregnant woman and her family at scheduled home visits during pregnancy (enrolment, 24-28 weeks, 32-36 weeks & 38+ weeks) and postpartum (days 0-6 or 42-60). Trained phlebotomists will collect maternal and umbilical blood samples, centrifuge and obtain aliquots of serum, plasma and the buffy coat for storage. They will also measure HbA1C and collect a dried spot sample of whole blood. Maternal urine samples will also be collected and stored, alongside placenta, umbilical cord tissue and membrane samples, which will both be frozen and prepared for histology examination. Maternal and newborn stool (for microbiota) as well as paternal and newborn saliva samples (for DNA extraction) will also be collected. All samples will be stored at -80°C in the biobank in each of the three sites. These samples will be linked to numerous epidemiological and phenotypic data with unique study identification numbers.Importance of the study: AMANHI biobank proves that biobanking is feasible to implement in LMICs, but recognises that biobank creation is only the first step in addressing current global challenges