Influence of Coopetition on Firm Financial Performance: Mediating Role of Open Innovation Performance

It is essential for a firm to take advantage of the rising phenomenon of coopetition across multiple firms and marketplaces in today's highly competitive climate to enhance its financial performance. Hence, this study contributes to the existing body of literature by probing the link between coopetition and the success of open innovation initiatives in Pakistani SMEs. The failure of Pakistani SMEs to establish a controlled method of coopetition has had a deleterious effect on financial performance. The current research is conducted to identify the low open innovation problem in Pakistani small and medium enterprises (SMEs), which has a negative effect on financial performance. It aims to investigate the impact of coopetition on financial performance and the mediating function of the firm’s open innovation performance in it. To achieve this objective, a survey employing a cross-sectional research design was conducted. The respondents were selected from SMEs operating in the service sector in the cities of Bahawalpur, Multan, and Lodhran in Pakistan. A total of 155 questionnaires were distributed among managerial employees of the above SMEs. The data collected from the responses to the questionnaires was analyzed through Partial Least Square-Structure Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). It was found that coopetition has a strong role in boosting financial performance. The importance of trust and dependence in crafting an effective coopetition strategy is also emphasized in this research

Assessment of urinary tract infection and their resistance to antibiotics in diabetic and non-diabetic patients

Diabetic patients are more susceptible to urinary tract infections (UTIs) than non-diabetic patients and due to the development of multidrug resistant uropathogenic strains, the choice of antibacterial agents is being limited. The study was undertaken to determine the influence of diabetes mellitus on the uropathogens and antibiotic sensitivity pattern among patients with UTIs. A cross-sectional study was conducted in which total of 400 patients were studied out of which 150 were diabetics and 250 were non-diabetics. Patients with negative urine culture (n = 240) were excluded from the study and 160 patients with positive culture of UTIs of which 80 were diabetics and 80 were non-diabetics, included in this study. Clinical data were obtained from individual study participant with informed written consent using pre-tested questionnaire. According to the clean-catch procedure, midstream urine samples were collected and cultured for the diagnosis and susceptibility of bacteriuria. Out of 160 uropathogenic isolates, E. coli was found as a leading pathogen i.e. 46.25% followed by Candida spp. 30.62%, S. Faecalis 15.62%, P. aeruginosa 3.13%, Pneumococcus. 1.25%, MSSA 1.25%, MRSA 0.63%, Proteus spp. 0.63% and Vancomycin resistant enterococcus spp. 0.63%. The results indicated that prevalence of UTIs was significantly higher in diabetic patients than in non-diabetic subjects. E. coli was found to be the most common isolate. It was observed that UTIs in diabetic patients was more in female diabetic patients than in male patients. Investigation of bacteriuria in diabetic patients for UTIs is an important tool for the treatment and prevention of renal complications

Recent Advances and Innovation in Meat with Reference to Processing Technologies

This chapter discusses the recent advance in meat. Meat is usually a rich source of protein and is also composed of fats, vitamins, and minerals. The composition of these nutrients is different depending on the type of meat. Meat is basically divided into two categories: red and white. Due to high protein and fat content, the chances of oxidation are increased. The oxidation process causes meat spoilage. To protect the meat from spoilage, recent technologies and natural antioxidants are being used. Non-thermal processing techniques including gamma irradiation, e-beam irradiation, high-pressure processing, and pulsed electric field produce safe and quality meat because in recent technologies, conditions can be controlled. Conclusively, recent advances in meat and meat products play a role in improving product life and human health

Vitamin D deficiency (VDD) and susceptibility towards severe Dengue fever:a prospective cross-sectional study of hospitalized Dengue fever patients from Lahore, Pakistan

Dengue is a mosquito-borne flaviviral serious febrile illness, most common in the tropical and subtropical regions including Pakistan. Vitamin D is a strong immunomodulator affecting both the innate and adaptive immune responses and plays a pivotal role in pathogen-defense mechanisms. There has been considerable interest in the possible role of vitamin D in dengue viral (DENV) infection. In the present prospective cross-sectional study, we assessed a possible association between serum vitamin D deficiency (VDD) and susceptibility towards severe dengue fever (DF) illness. Serum vitamin D levels were measured at the time of hospitalization in 97 patients diagnosed with dengue fever (DF), dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) or dengue shock syndrome (DSS) at Mayo Hospital, King Edward Medical University, Lahore, PK, from 16 November 2021 to 15 January 2022. In terms of disease severity, 37 (38.1%) patients were DF, 52 (53.6%) were DHF grade 1 and 2, and 8 (8.2%) were DSS. The results revealed that most patients (75 (77.3%)) were vitamin-D-deficient (i.e., serum level &lt; 20 ng/mL), including 27 (73.0%) in DF, 41 (78.8%) in DHF grade 1 and 2, and 7 (87.5%) in DSS. The degree of VDD was somewhat higher in DSS patients as compared to DF and DHF grade 1 and 2 patients. Overall, serum vitamin D levels ranged from 4.2 to 109.7 ng/mL, and the median (IQR) was in the VDD range, i.e., 12.2 (9.1, 17.8) ng/mL. Our results suggest that there may be a possible association between VDD and susceptibility towards severe dengue illness. Hence, maintaining sufficient vitamin D levels in the body either through diet or supplementation may help provide adequate immune protection against severe dengue fever illness. Further research is warranted.</p

Incidence and Risk Factors of Post-Thyroidectomy Stridor

Background: Thyroidectomy is a common procedure performed by the general surgeons. Stridor is an airway sign caused by a variety of post-thyroidectomy complications. Objective: To determine the incidence of post-thyroidectomy stridor and the risk factors associated with its occurrence. Patients and Methods: The study included 280 adult patients who had total or partial thyroidectomy performed by various surgeons. Patients were followed up for 6 months after they were discharged from the hospital. Data collected included demographic information, type of thyroid disease, duration of illness before surgery, type of surgery, number of intubation attempts, and the presence of hoarseness and hematoma post-operatively. Results: Only eighteen patients (6.43%) who underwent thyroidectomy developed stridor during the follow-up period. They were compared to 25 other patients who were chosen from the original sample based regular visit of patients during the follow up. Higher body mass index (BMI), bilateral thyroidectomy, presence of concomitant hoarseness and hematoma, and more than one attempt at intubation were all associated with an increased risk of post-thyroidectomy stridor. Conclusion: Stridor affects only a small percentage of patients undergoing thyroidectomy. Increased BMI, bilateral thyroidectomy, presence of concomitant hoarseness and hematoma, and frequent tracheal intubation are the most common risk factors for post-thyroidectomy stridor

Characterisation of drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis mutations and transmission in Pakistan

Tuberculosis, caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, is a high-burden disease in Pakistan, with multi-drug (MDR) and extensive-drug (XDR) resistance, complicating infection control. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) of M. tuberculosis is being used to infer lineages (strain-types), drug resistance mutations, and transmission patterns-all informing infection control and clinical decision making. Here we analyse WGS data on 535 M. tuberculosis isolates sourced across Pakistan between years 2003 and 2020, to understand the circulating strain-types and mutations related to 12 anti-TB drugs, as well as identify transmission clusters. Most isolates belonged to lineage 3 (n = 397; 74.2%) strain-types, and were MDR (n = 328; 61.3%) and (pre-)XDR (n = 113; 21.1%). By inferring close genomic relatedness between isolates (\u3c 10-SNPs difference), there was evidence of M. tuberculosis transmission, with 55 clusters formed consisting of a total of 169 isolates. Three clusters consist of M. tuberculosis that are similar to isolates found outside of Pakistan. A genome-wide association analysis comparing \u27transmitted\u27 and \u27non-transmitted\u27 isolate groups, revealed the nusG gene as most significantly associated with a potential transmissible phenotype (P = 5.8 × 10-10). Overall, our study provides important insights into M. tuberculosis genetic diversity and transmission in Pakistan, including providing information on circulating drug resistance mutations for monitoring activities and clinical decision making

Synthesis of new 2-{2,3-dihydro-1,4-benzodioxin-6- yl[(4-methylphenyl) sulfonyl]amino}-N-(un/substituted-phenyl) acetamides as α-glucosidase and acetylcholinesterase inhibitors and their in silico study

The aim of the present research work was to investigate the enzyme inhibitory potential of some new sulfonamides having benzodioxane and acetamide moieties. The synthesis was started by the reaction of N-2,3-dihydrobenzo[1,4]-dioxin-6-amine (1) with 4-methylbenzenesulfonyl chloride (2) in the presence of 10% aqueous Na2CO3 to yield N-(2,3-dihydrobenzo[1,4]-dioxin-6-yl)-4-methylbenzenesulfonamide (3), which was then reacted with 2-bromo-N-(un/substituted-phenyl)acetamides (6a-l) in DMF and lithium hydride as a base to afford various 2-{2,3-dihydro-1,4-benzodioxin-6-yl[(4-methylphenyl)sulfonyl] amino}-N-(un/substituted-phenyl)acetamides (7a-l). All the synthesized compounds were characterized by their IR and 1 H-NMR spectral data along with CHN analysis data. The enzyme inhibitory activities of these compounds were tested against -glucosidase and acetylcholinesterase (AChE). Most of the compounds exhibited substantial inhibitory activity against yeast -glucosidase and weak against AChE. The in silico molecular docking results were also consistent with in vitro enzyme inhibition data

Nano Titania Applications in Cancer Theranostics

Titanium is one of the most abundantly utilized nanomaterials for human consumption. Biomedical applications of nano titania include sunscreens, drug delivery, prosthetic implants, bioimaging probes, and antimicrobial and antirheumatic agents for various treatment of diseases, including autoimmune disease, neurogenerative diseases, cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, and cancer. Its applications as a drug delivery vehicle and photosensitizer in cancer therapy and diagnosis are highly appreciated, especially for skin and natural cavities applications. The reactive oxygen species (i.e., H2O2, OH., OH2, 1O2, etc.) generation properties of nano titania after activation with light or ultrasound make it ideal for apoptosis induction in neoplastic cells. In addition, the singlet oxygen (1O2) generating properties make it suitable for bioimaging deep-seated and superficial tumors after activation. Nano titania is highly biocompatible with negligible adverse effects. In this chapter, we will focus on the anticancer effects of nano titania on various types of cancers by employing it as a drug delivery vehicle and sensitizer for external source-activated modalities viz. photodynamic and sonodynamic therapy

Sex differences in colon cancer metabolism reveal a novel subphenotype

Women have a lower incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC) than men, however, they have a higher incidence of right-sided colon cancer (RCC). This is of concern as patients with RCC have the poorest clinical outcomes among all CRC patients. Aberrant metabolism is a known hallmark and therapeutic target for cancer. We propose that metabolic subphenotypes exist between CRCs due to intertumoral molecular and genomic variation, and differences in environmental milieu of the colon which vary between the sexes. Metabolomics analysis of patient colon tumors (n = 197) and normal tissues (n = 39) revealed sex-specific metabolic subphenotypes dependent on anatomic location. Tumors from women with RCC were nutrient-deplete, showing enhanced energy production to fuel asparagine synthesis and amino acid uptake. The clinical importance of our findings were further investigated in an independent data set from The Cancer Genomic Atlas, and demonstrated that high asparagine synthetase (ASNS) expression correlated with poorer survival for women. This is the first study to show a unique, nutrient-deplete metabolic subphenotype in women with RCC, with implications for tumor progression and outcomes in CRC patients