The Adoption of Management Accounting Practices (Maps) in Small and Medium Enterprises (SME's) of Pakistan

The practices of Management Accounting have not been highly adopted in developing countries. But with increased importance of these practices, firms of developing countries are motivated to adopt MAPs. In this research, MAPs align with increased importance of SMEs have been studied and provide understanding to enhance adoption of MAPs in SMEs. This study outlines the usage of MAPs in Pakistani SMEs; identify the contextual factors that affect the adoption of MAPs by SMEs and lastly explore perceived benefits and problems in adoption of these practices.  A mixed methodology was used to collect data. A questionnaire with five categories of MAPs was used to examine the extent of use of MAPs by 100 SMEs of Multan from textile sector. Eight interviews were conducted to identify the factors, benefits and problems. However, the results shows that majority of respondent firms adopt traditional MAPs and other medium sized firms do more focus on contemporary MAPs. The findings of current study can be helpful and informative for practitioners and policy makers in the development of contemporary MAPs as well as provide deep insight for SMEs to enhance their business by adopting these practices

Effect of farm yard manure and planting densities on growth, yield and quality of okra under natural farming

A field study was conducted to investigate the effect of farm yard manure and planting densities (P x P 10, 15, 20 and 25 cm and R x R 60 cm) under natural farming condition at National Agricultural Research Centre, Islamabad during 2016. The land was incorporated with well rotten farm yard manure (FYM) @ 25 t ha-1 in respective plots (4 x 8 meter) one week before bed preparation and mixed thoroughly in the soil. Seeds of okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L., var. Pusa Green) were sown according to the plan following split plot design with four replications. The crop was allowed to stand till maturity and data on growth traits were recorded. Among plant densities, 10 and 15 cm P x P and FYM incorporation @ 25 t ha-1 produced comparable fresh pod yield (11.22 and 10.97 t ha-1, respectively) which was 25 and 24 % higher than that of without FYM application. Dense populated crop i.e., 10 and 15 cm P x P performed better than rest of planting densities through improved fresh pod yield with comparatively improved quality. Dense populated treatment (P x P 10 cm) and FYM application @ 25 t ha-1 produced better quality fruits with less crude fiber content (9.89 %) and higher moisture content (79.14%) as compared to without FYM application (10.93 and 77.49 %) respectively that indicates more accumulation of dry matter content in fruits

Knowledge Regarding Common Risk Factors of Oral Cancer at Liaquat University Hospital Hyderabad

Background: Oral cancer is one of the most life-threatening condition in world early diagnosis of oral cancer can increase the chances of survival rates. The present study was carried out to see the knowledge of common risk factor of oral cancer among adult patients visiting Liaquat university hospital Hyderabad.Objective: The aim of this study was to assess knowledge and awareness of common risk factors of oral cancer among population of Hyderabad City.Material and Methods: Self administered proforma containing 10 questions were distributed into 150 patients age group 18 to 25 years to obtain the information. The question included the information about patient’s age, gender, habits and risk factor of oral cancer.Result: A total 150 patients participated in this study out of which male were 110 and female were 40. This study showed adult populations of Hyderabad have good knowledge regarding risk factor of oral cancer.Conclusion: Despite of having good knowledge regarding risk factors of oral cancer, a big amount of adult population is used to it. Government should take steps in order to ban these harmful products in the region where they are extensively used

أثر استخدام تطبيقي جوجل ومايكروسوفت في تنمية مهارات التعليم عن بُعد لدى معلمي المدارس الخاصة في مأدبا

هدف المقال إلى استقصاء الاحتياجات التدريبية اللازمة لتنمية مهارات المعلمين في التعليم عن بُعد، وتلبيتها من خلال دورات متخصصة على تطبيقي جوجل ومايكروسوفت. وقد تكونت عينة الدراسة من (31) معلمًا ومعلمة من المدارس الخاصة من مدينة مأدبا، تم اختيارهم بالطريقة القصدية، واعتمدت الدراسة على تصميم مكون من مجموعتين تجريبيتين مستقلتين، حيث تضمن ذلك تطبيق بطاقة الملاحظة أداة للقياس (القبلي والبعدي)، وتم عقد دورة تدريبية للمعلمين لتنمية مهارات التعليم عن بُعد، باستخدام تطبيقات جوجل للمجموعة الأولى، وتطبيقات مايكروسوفت للمجموعة الثانية. وأظهرت النتائج أن هنالك أثراً واضحاً للستخدام تطبيقي جوجل ومايكروسوفت لتنمية مهارات التعليم عن بُعد لدى عينة الدراسة، وعدم وجود فروق دالة إحصائياً (0.05 = α) في تنمية مهارات التعليم عن بُعد يعزى لاستخدام أي من التطبيقين في التعليم عن بُعد. وأوصت الدراسة بضرورة الاهتمام بتحديد الاحتياجات التدريبية للمعلمين في مجال التعليم عن بُعد، من خلال إعداد دورات تدريبية لتنمية وتطوير مهاراتهم. The article aimed to investigate the necessary training needs to develop teachers’ skills in distance education, through specialized courses based on Google and Microsoft applications. The study sample consisted of (31) male and female teachers from private schools in Madaba, They were chosen by the intentional method, and the study relied on a design consisting of two independent experimental groups. Which includes an observation card as a measurement tool for both pre and post. A training course was performed for teachers to develop their skills in distance education for the first group via Google applications, and for the second group via Microsoft applications. The results showed that there is a clear effect of using Google and Microsoft applications to develop distance education skills among the study sample, and there are no statistically significant differences (α = 0.05) in developing distance education skills, due to the use of both applications.The study recommends the importance of identifying the training needs of teachers in the field of distance education, through preparing training courses to develop and enhance their skills

Pharmacological evaluation of the hypoglycemic and anti- Alzheimer’s activities of aerial parts of Breynia distachia (Phyllanthaceae)

Purpose: To determine the cytotoxic, bronchorelaxant, spasmolytic, antidiabetic, α-glucosidase, acetylcholinesterase, butyrylcholinesterase, α-chymotrypsin and lipoxygenase inhibitory attributes of methanol and dichloromethane extracts of the aerial parts of Breynia distachia.Methods: The dichloromethane and methanol extracts of the aerial parts of the plant were prepared by maceration. Various ex vivo assays were employed, such as the brine shrimp lethality assay, lipoxygenase inhibitory activity assay, α-glucosidase inhibitory assay and α-chymotrypsin assay, as well as assays to assess the spasmolytic and bronchorelaxant activity. Meanwhile, the hypoglycaemic effect were analysed using an alloxan-induced diabetic model in Wistar albino rats.Results: The methanol extract (aerial) showed significant (p ≤ 0.05) cytotoxicity towards brine shrimp larvae at concentrations of 10, 100 and 1,000 μg/mL, respectively, whereas the dichloromethane extract (aerial) of the plant showed non-significant (p ≥ 0.05) results. The methanol extract (aerial parts) also demonstrated significant (p ≤ 0.05) α-glucosidase inhibitory activity and lipoxygenase inhibitory activity, with IC50 (half-maximal inhibitory concentration) values of 40.37 ± 5.29 μg/mL and 132.9 ± 0.33 μg/mL, respectively, while the dichloromethane extract exhibited significant (p ≤ 0.05) α-glucosidase inhibitory activity, with an IC50 value of 135.43 ± 8.29 μg/mL. An in vivo antidiabetic model showed that the administration of 150 and 300 mg/kg methanol extract of the aerial parts significantly (p ≤ 0.05) lowered the blood glucose level in alloxan-induced diabetic rats compared to control (treated with water).Conclusion: Data from different in vitro and in vivo models suggest that the methanol extract (aerial parts) of B. distachia shows significant cytotoxic, bronchorelaxant, spasmolytic, antidiabetic and anti-Alzheimer’s activity Hence, these findings validate the folkloric use of B. distachia and highlight the need to further explore its medicinal potential and the phytoconstituents responsible for its pharmacological actions