Abraham Accord and its Implications: A Case Study of Bahrain

The research is a practical one that contributes towards the area of new developments being made in the region of Middle East such as normalization of ties between Jews and Arabs. These developments have been new which needed to be addressed and understood at grassroots. The significance of the study is to make awareness about the current shifts made in Persian Gulf which is a very important region. However, we need to see what implications might there be due to Abraham Accord specifically in Bahrain. The study aims to evaluate the peace agreement signed between four Arab states and Israel under the supervision of US. Questions like how Bahrain can turn out to be a major player towards peace process in Middle East? What causes states like Bahrain to join Abraham accord and how it would help Arab states to progress? However, qualitative research method has been adopted for carrying out the research in which non probability sampling method has been used. The idea of building good relations with Israel which today has a very powerful economy seems really attractive to most of the Arab states. These states are less concerned when it comes towards Palestinian cause as they have begun to go after their own national interests

An Empirical Analysis of the Relationship between Human Capital and Organizational Performance in Hospitality Sector in Pakistan

Human capital is professed as a critical factor and a special resource that can elevate the firm’s performance, generally, in most of the organizations, and specifically, in labor-intensive organizations. It is considered a special resource in the hotel industry where employees have direct interaction with customers. Although a lot of research has been done, however, the question of how much and what type of human capital is required by the organization to fight in the recent rivalry is still unanswered. This study is an effort to answer the aforesaid question about human capital in the hospitality sector in Pakistan (involving five stars, four-star, and three-star hotels separately). A theoretical framework and a research conceptual model is developed on the bases of in-depth literature. A cross-sectional field survey was conducted through an adopted and valid research instrument. Questionnaires were administered to 300 respondents selected by stratified random sampling, 275 were received and 250 were perfect for further use in SPSS version 22. Statistical analysis shows the results which clearly identify the strong and significant relationship between human capital and organizational performance. Moreover, microanalysis of components of human capital depicts that innovation and creation have the most significant impact among all of the three components, on organizational performance in all types of hotels in Pakistan. Theoretically, the current study added knowledge to the literature about the constructs of human capital, organizational performance, and organization success. Practically, in the hotel industry, it contributes to strategic decision making such as employees’ training, human capital investment, regulatory decisions, developing mechanisms in order to develop human capital as a unique and valuable resource that leads to the competitive advantage of the organizations. The current study is limited to five stars, four-star and three-star hotels in Lahore, Pakistan. It an important and initial step towards establishing a measurable and empirical value of human capital for organizations in the hospitality sector. However, It opens new vistas for researchers to further investigate the phenomenon

Awareness to Handle Research and Healthcare Waste (RHCW) in teaching and research institutes; a comprehensive review

Environmental pollution has become the major challenge not only for developing countries but also for developed ones Worldwide. The major goal of this comprehensive review is to compile the reference data regarding the different types of waste generated in teaching, research, and healthcare institutes and specific strategy to manage such wastes. In addition to the pharmaceutical, leather, chemicals, food, and paper industries, teaching, research, and healthcare institutions are also significant sources of different types of Non-hazardous as well as hazardous wastes. Therefore, a simple and implementable guideline for cleaning and waste disposal services in such institutions requires strict adherence to applicable policies and procedures. Research and healthcare waste (RHCW) management is a joint effort among Research Laboratory Personnel, Healthcare facilitators, Building Services Personnel, and Local Environmental Health and Safety Personnel. As Pakistan is among the developing countries situated in South Asia, most of the institutes, including teaching, research, and healthcare, try to follow the WHO guidance or manage hazardous and non-hazardous wastes with self-planned strategies. Although most of the local Governing bodies and Institutional bodies are trying to handle the wastes at their levels by following different protocols, introducing a protocol at the National level is the need of the current era to fight against environmental pollutants.

Association of STAT4 rs7574865 with sysceptibility to juvenile onset systemic lupus erythematous in Pakistani population

Association of STAT4 (signal transducer and activator of transcription4) haplotype tagged by single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs7574865 with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) was reported in different populations. This study was aimed to investigate a genetic association between STAT4 single nucleotide polymorphism (rs7574865) with susceptibility and clinical features of systemic lupus erythematosus in Pakistani population. A total of 75 clinically diagnosed individuals affected with SLE were enrolled from Children’s Hospital and Institute of Child Health Lahore. Sixty-eight healthy individuals of same ethnicity were also enrolled for this study. Clinical assessment of patients was done with the help of clinical features suggestive for SLE and some diagnostic tests specific for the disease were performed. SNP rs7574865 was genotyped by allele specific tetra ARMS PCR assay to check and compare the genotypic allele frequencies between SLE patients and healthy controls. Different statistical analysis ChiSquare, Fisher’s exact tests and binary Logistic Regression is performed to determine association of risk alleles with SLE in Pakistani population. p value less than >0.05 consider significant. This study showed the frequency of GG (28%), TT (12%), and GT alleles (60%) in SLE patients while controls showed allele frequencies of GG (5%), TT (29%) and GT (64%), respectively. The results showed that GG genotype and G allele in STAT4 rs7574865 was the risk allele for SLE while T allele proved to be the protective one for disease susceptibility when compared with healthy controls genotypic frequencies. This study suggests the strong association of SNP rs7574865 in STAT4 with the risk of SLE in Pakistani population. However, G allele showed no association with organ damage and immune disorder of SLE

Uptake and clearance analysis of Technetium(99m) labelled iron oxide nanoparticles in a rabbit brain

Nanoparticles as solid colloidal particles are extensively studied and used as anticancer drug delivery agents because of their physical properties. This current research aims to prepare water base suspension of uncoated iron oxide nanoparticles and their biodistribution study to different organs, especially the brain, by using a single photon emission computed tomography gamma camera. The water-based suspension of iron oxide nanoparticles was synthesised by a reformed version of the co-precipitation method and labelled with Tc99m for intravenous injection. The nanoparticles were injected without surface modification. X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) techniques were used for characterisation. Peaks of XRD and EDS indicate that the particles are magnetite and exist in aqueous suspension. The average diameter of iron oxide nanoparticles without any surface coating determined by TEM is 10 nm. These particles are capable of evading the reticuloendothelial system and can cross the blood-brain barrier in the rabbit. The labelling efficiency of iron oxide nanoparticles labelled with Tc99m is 85%, which is good for the biodistribution study. The sufficient amount of iron oxide nanoparticles concentration in the brain as compared with the surrounding soft tissues and their long blood retention time indicates that the water-based suspension of iron oxide nanoparticles may be an option for drug delivery into the brain

Dissemination of Bt cotton in cotton growing belt of Pakistan

AbstractBackground: Adoptability of biotech crops has climbed up dramatically in the world from 1.7 million hectares in its introductory period in 1996 to 170 million hectare in 2012. Area planted to biotech crop increased to over one-fourth of the world total in 2005-06. The data collected also demonstrates that developing countries like Pakistan are making tremendous development in production of Biotech crops especially cotton.Methodology: Random samples have been collected and received from different cotton growing areas of Pakistan from 2007 to date for Bt gene confirmation and expression. Genomic DNA was isolated and analyzed through internal reference primers from SadI gene of cotton genome. Samples were analyzed by PCR for detection of Bt genes including CEMB Cry1Ac+2A double Bt gene. ELISA was done for confirmation of Bt protein by using Envirologix Quantiplate ELISA kit Cry1Ab/Ac Cat # AP003 and Quantiplate ELISA kit Cry2A Cat # AP005 according to manufacturer instruction.Results: Development of Bt Cotton in Pakistan is as old as in advanced countries of the world. Pakistan has become the fourth country of the world for production of indigenous Bt cotton by utilizing their local cotton varieties for genetic modifications. The support of various documentary proofs like research articles, patents, projects, Ph. D and M.Phil studies generated by Centre of Excellence in Molecular Biology (CEMB) greatly strengthen the data of Bt cotton development in Pakistan. Pakistan Central Cotton Committee (PCCC)declared locally developed Bt cotton as the best performing of all over Pakistan among other international product.Conclusion: Progress made in development of indigenous Bt cotton variety by CEMB Pakistan and their excellent performance in field determined their increased adoptability ratio in farmers. The formal approval process which is going to be completed in near future will open the doors for farmers and breeders to utilize this material for better economy of Pakistan

A Sociological Study about the Adoption of Contraception Methods and Their Effects on the Married Females’ Health in Rural Areas of Tehsil Dera Ghazi Khan-Pakistan

Population is growing rapidly & adoption of FP has been neglected by Govt. of Pakistan due to lack of services, awareness and education, traditional believes, employment & misconception. Mostly people think that the use of contraception methods is against the nature and Islam and is also harmful for health. So present study was designed in rural areas of Tehsil Dera Ghazi Khan in 2013 to investigate the knowledge level, adoption of contraception as well as to perceived positive and negative effects of contraception methods on the health of married females in rural community. 160 rural married females were interviewed to find out their demographic features; utilization of contraception and its side effects on their health in tehsil Dera Ghazi Khan. The data was analyzed by using Uni-variate (frequency distribution and percentage) and Bi-variate analysis (Chi square and Gamma Statistics) was carried out. Predominating age categories were <15 and 16-20 years, 45.6% were illiterate, and 55.6% had good mutual understandings. More than one fifth (26.2%) had 1-2 pregnancies, 59.4% had sometimes heard about contraceptive methods while 84.4% had favorable attitude towards adoption of contraception methods. Whereas 58.1% had sometimes used contraceptive methods, 31.9% got information about contraceptive methods from relatives. In adoption of different contraception methods during the life span, respondents reported both types i.e. modern injections (60.6%), spermicides (50.6%), and in traditional methods i.e. withdrawal (6.2%); adoption of herbs (5.7%) and 44.4% had faced positive effects while 19.4% faced negative effects whereas 36.2% of the respondents had both type of effects (positive/ negative) on their health after the adoption of FP methods during reproductive span. Bi-variate analysis showed positive relationship between desired of family size and utilization of contraception, Freedom of decision making vs utilization of contraception methods and mutual understanding of spouse vs adoption of contraception method. There was a need to bring positive change in societal attitude for the utilization of family planning. Keywords: FP Methods, Contraception adoption, effects, Religious opinion, Decision making, Rural Females, Socio-economic statu

Hepatitis C Treatment: current and future perspectives

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a member of Flaviviridae family and one of the major causes of liver disease. There are about 175 million HCV infected patients worldwide that constitute 3% of world's population. The main route of HCV transmission is parental however 90% intravenous drug users are at highest risk. Standard interferon and ribavirin remained a gold standard of chronic HCV treatment having 38-43% sustained virological response rates. Currently the standard therapy for HCV is pegylated interferon (PEG-INF) with ribavirin. This therapy achieves 50% sustained virological response (SVR) for genotype 1 and 80% for genotype 2 & 3. As pegylated interferon is expensive, standard interferon is still the main therapy for HCV treatment in under developed countries. On the other hand, studies showed that pegylated IFN and RBV therapy has severe side effects like hematological complications. Herbal medicines (laccase, proanthocyandin, Rhodiola kirilowii) are also being in use as a natural and alternative way for treatment of HCV but there is not a single significant report documented yet. Best SVR indicators are genotype 3 and 2, < 0.2 million IU/mL pretreatment viral load, rapid virological response (RVR) rate and age <40 years. New therapeutic approaches are under study like interferon related systems, modified forms of ribavirin, internal ribosome entry site (HCV IRES) inhibitors, NS3 and NS5a inhibitors, novel immunomodulators and specifically targeted anti-viral therapy for hepatitis C compounds. More remedial therapies include caspase inhibitors, anti-fibrotic agents, antibody treatment and vaccines

Functional Foods and Human Health: An Overview

Functional food is a whole ingredient or a part of food that used as food for specific therapeutic purposes. It is divided into two wide categories: Conventional and modified functional foods. Conventional functional Foods are composed of natural or whole-food ingredients that provide functional substances while modified functional is food or food products in which add additional ingredients for specific health purposes. Plant-based food such as fruits, vegetables, herbs, cereals, nuts and beans contain vitamins, minerals, fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants and phenolic compounds that play a functional role in the human body against chronic diseases including cancer, cardiovascular and GIT-related disease. Some other foods or food products like juices, dairy products, fortified eggs and seafood are composed of functional components. Fish contain omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA) that are played a functional role in heart health and brain development