China Pakistan Ties: Challenges and Implications for the region (2013-2018)

China’s active role in South Asia is based on a “win-win” approach which is also beneficial for the economic progress of the regional states. China’s rapid economic integration represents its intention to maintain peace and stability in its vicinity. To hold its presence in the Indian Ocean region it is developing strong economic and trade ties with South Asian states. This region has become a center of attention where the interests of major powers China, India and the United States intersects. The joint venture of “China-Pakistan Economic Corridor” strategically holds huge significance for China, Pakistan and major powers like India and the US being rival to China. This corridor will enhance the economic conditions of not only China and Pakistan but also the other developing and the landlocked states of CARs and Afghanistan

Critical points in the pathway of antibiotic prescribing in a children’s hospital:the Antibiotic Mapping of Prescribing (ABMAP) study

Background The WHO has identified Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) as one of the most significant global risks facing modern medicine. Interventions to improve antibiotic prescribing have so far had limited impact. Aim To understand the barriers to effective antibiotic prescribing. Methods Mixed methodologies were used to investigate prescribing behaviours to identify the critical points in the antibiotic prescribing pathway for hospital inpatients. We assessed knowledge, experience or empowerment of prescribers, organisational factors and use of the laboratory. Phase 1 was an online survey to map barriers and facilitators to antibiotic prescribing (56 participants). Phase 2 consisted of focus groups and interviews to gain more understanding of prescribing behaviours (10 participants). Phase 3 was an online survey to obtain opinions on possible solutions (22 participants). Results Barriers to prescribing were: laboratory factors 71.6%, resource issues 40%, time constraints 17.5%, pressure from others 52%. Ninety-three percent of prescribers were concerned about AMR. In three scenarios only 9% were confident not to prescribe antibiotics for a patient without bacterial infection; 53% would prescribe unnecessarily broad spectrum antibiotics for pneumonia. Only 5% would de-escalate antibiotics in a microbiologically-confirmed bacteraemia. Despite concerns about AMR, prescribers did not perceive continuing antibiotics for individual patients might promote resistance. Prescribers were unwilling to change antibiotics out of hours and reported they preferred professional support for antibiotic prescribing. Conclusions There was a marked disparity between prescribers self-reporting of prescribing behaviour and responses to clinical scenarios. It was not clear whether training alone would change behaviours. Prescribers desired a directive mechanism to support antibiotic prescribing and stewardship

IMPACT OF FDI ON ECONOMY GROWTH: A COMPARISON OF SOUTH ASIAN STATES & CHINA

This paper makes a comparison of the impact of Foreign Direct investment on the economies of South Asian states including Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka with China. The paper attempts to investigate that what are the differences between the economies of South Asia region and China. For study purpose annual data are used. The variables selected are FDI, External Debt, and Remittances. Analytical tools of OLS test and granger causality test are used to analyze the data. The result confirmed the fast growing economic development of China as compared with states of South Asia. The results confirmed that China is much faster growing economy than South Asia region. In order to attract direct investment into the of South Asian states, there is a need to develop infrastructure, stabilized political environment, law and order situation, healthy economic environment, curtailing on external debt, tax exemption. If these countries give due attention to FDI role in economic development FDI can facilitate human capital formation, domestic investment and technology transfer in the region and they can also develop their economies much like that of China

Channeling Local Culture into Sustainable Microfinance Solutions by Akhuwat: From Borrowers to Donors

This study is carried out to analyze the factors that results in conversion of borrowers into donors. The findings assist the microfinance institutions in coming up with the most appropriate measures to apply in order to eliminate not only defaults but also gain some financial sustainability by improving its donor profile. The study establishes that religious education and organizational religious philosophy influence borrower’s prosocial behaviors. Through religious teaching Akhuwat inculcate sense of responsibility, feeling of gratitude and psychological attachment, along with spiritual satisfaction to motivate borrowers to become donors. Being faith inspired organization; Akhuwat culture and its brand image depict strong association with Islamic value. The study recommends that the MFIs in order to enjoy a cordial relationship need to align their business philosophy with the local culture

Channeling Local Culture into Sustainable Microfinance Solutions by Akhuwat: From Borrowers to Donors

This study is carried out to analyze the factors that results in conversion of borrowers into donors. The findings assist the microfinance institutions in coming up with the most appropriate measures to apply in order to eliminate not only defaults but also gain some financial sustainability by improving its donor profile. The study establishes that religious education and organizational religious philosophy influence borrower’s prosocial behaviors. Through religious teaching Akhuwat inculcate sense of responsibility, feeling of gratitude and psychological attachment, along with spiritual satisfaction to motivate borrowers to become donors. Being faith inspired organization; Akhuwat culture and its brand image depict strong association with Islamic value. The study recommends that the MFIs in order to enjoy a cordial relationship need to align their business philosophy with the local culture

STUDENTS' INTELLECTUAL-HUMILITY AND COGNITIVE-FLEXIBILITY: THE ROLE OF MINDFULNESS AS A MEDIATOR

The primary objective of this study was to explore the inter-connections among mindfulness, cognitive flexibility, and intellectual humility in adult’s population. Additionally, the research aimed to investigate the mediating role of mindfulness in this association between cognitive flexibility and intellectual humility with different demographic differences (age, gender, and culture). Sample of 800 students selected from Hazara University, Mansehra (HU), and the University of AJK. The study employed a convenient sampling method. The results indicated a significant association between the study as well as demographics differences exists among study variables. In conclusion, this study contributes to our understanding of the connections between mindfulness, cognitive flexibility, and intellectual humility in a student context. The findings suggest that cultivating mindfulness may enhance cognitive flexibility and intellectual humility, with demographic factors playing a role in shaping these psychological attributes. This study has practical implications for enhanced academic performance, effective stress management, improved decision-making, life-long learning, personal well-being, critical thinking skills, adaptability in changing environments and positive interpersonal relationships

Comparative analysis of optimal power flow in renewable energy sources based microgrids

Adaptation of renewable energy is inevitable. The idea of microgrid offers integration of renewable energy sources with conventional power generation sources. In this research, an operative approach was proposed for microgrids comprising of four different power generation sources. The microgrid is a way that mixes energy locally and empowers the end-users to add useful power to the network. IEEE-14 bus system-based microgrid was developed in MATLAB/Simulink to demonstrate the optimal power flow. Two cases of battery charging and discharging were also simulated to evaluate its realization. The solution of power flow analysis was obtained from the Newton–Raphson method and particle swarm optimization method. A comparison was drawn between these methods for the proposed model of the microgrid on the basis of transmission line losses and voltage profile. Transmission line losses are reduced to about 17% in the case of battery charging and 19 to 20% in the case of battery discharging when system was analyzed with the particle swarm optimization. Particle swarm optimization was found more promising for the deliverance of optimal power flow in the renewable energy sources-based microgrid

New Approaches to Selecting Resistance or Tolerance to SDS and Fusarium Root Rot

Fusarial rots are a significant problem worldwide affecting roots (and sometimes fruits) of most major crops including soybean, maize and wheat. Cultivar variation in partial resistance or tolerance is widespread and significant. Different cultivars of the soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] have both resistance/tolerance to the leaf scorch known as Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS) and to the infection and root rot by the causal organism, Fusarium virguliforme (ex. F. solani f. sp glycines) hence the syndrome is composed of two diseases (1-3). Thirteen loci have been identified from analysis of 7 different crosses (2). Using new strains and new methods resistance loci in ‘Hartwig’ and ‘Forrest’, resistant cultivars clearly showed two loci underlie root resistance (lower LG G and D2) and four to eleven loci underlie leaf scorch resistance, depending on the cross made(eg, C2, F, I and upper G in ExF). Transcript abundance analysis of roots in response to F. virguliforme shows an orthologous set of transcripts accumulate during infection of resistant soybean cultivars and Arabidopsis thaliana that include the pathways leading to phenylpropanoid metabolism and its control, guanyl cylase a common second messenger and several transcription factors. Guanyl cyclase is also implicated in resistance in maize. In root disease resistance the genes implicated were known to be stress related. Therefore, A. thaliana is partially resistant and can be used to test both transgenes and mutants in candidate genes. Trangenics show fine maps to BACs have isolated some genes. For example, by fine mapping in NILs candidate genes underlying the controlling loci programming root resistance was a multi-stress resistance protein (lower G; Rfs1). For leaf scorch (Rfs4) an ascorbate peroxidase (C2) has been targeted. Also, Rfs2, a receptor like kinase (G) has been used to generate stable transgenic soybeans. Identification of the genes and loci conferring SDS resistance has provided options to breed improved cultivars with resistance to SDS

A Study on Association of XRCC3 Gene Polymorphism in Gastric cancer risk

Gastric Cancer (GC) is among the common and fatal cancer in the world. DNA repair plays a critical role in protecting the genome of the cell from insults of cancer-causing agents. Inherited polymorphisms of DNA repair genes may contribute to variations in DNA Repair capacity (DRC) and genetic susceptibility to different c ancers. Mammalian cells are constantly exposed to a wide variety of genotoxic a gents from both endogenous and exogenous sources. In human beings, 70 genes are involve d in the five major DNA repair pathways: direct repair, NER, BER, mismatch repa ir and double-strand break repair. The X-ray repair complementing defective repa ir in Chinese hamster cells 3 (XRCC3) gene is a member of the RAD51 gene fami ly. It encodes an important protein that functions in the homologous rec ombination repair of DNA double-strand break. The Kashmir valley has an eleva ted incidence of GC and its etiology is not understood fully yet, though, we are ethni cally and demographically different from the other states of the country and world. The aim of this study was to determine whether single nucleotide poly morphism (SNP) of XRCC3 gene (Thr241Met) of exon7, can influence the risk of gastric cancer in Kashmiri population. About 80 histopathologically confirmed GC case s and 70 healthy controls, age ,gender, ethnicity matched for known genotypes of XRCC3 exon7 were analyzed. Patients medical history and dietary habits were taken for the study as well. The ge notype for this variant was determined using polymerase chain reaction- restriction fra gment length polymorphisms (PCR-RFLP) in 80 histologically confirmed GC patients and 70 frequency-matched healthy controls in Department of Biochemistr y, Government Medical College srinagar. The XRCC3 genotype and allele frequencies were not significantly different between cases and controls (P= 0.92 for ge notype; P= 0:72 for allele). The XRCC3 241Met allele frequency (6.6%) was signifi cantly lower in healthy Kashmiri controls than previously reported healthy US Caucasian controls (38.9%). Compared with the XRCC3241Thr/Thr genoty pe, the variant XRCC3241Thr/Met and Met/Met genotypes were not associated with an increased risk of gastric cancer (adjusted odds ratio (ORa), 1.19; 95% confiden ce interval (CI), 0.44-3.18). These finding s suggest that polymorphisms of XRCC3 Thr241Met may not play a role in the etiology of GC. Further studies with a larger number of subjects and simultaneous measurement of different pol ymorphisms in DNA repair genes in the same pathway are needed