VAIC and Firm Performance: Banking Sector Of Pakistan

Objective of this study is to examine the efficiency of the commercial banks of Pakistan in utilizing intellectual capital and capital employed to run the organization. For this purpose Ante Pulic’s VAIC tool was used to measure the intellectual capital efficiency and capital employed efficiency. The regression results have also proven that there is significant relationship between the intellectual capital and organizational performance. But public owned banks are not utilizing their intellectual capital optimally. Results has shown that for Govt. owned banks VAIC has positive impact over profitability (ROA and ROE) but no relationship between VAIC and productivity (ATO). At the same time for the Private owned banks VAIC has significant relationship and impact on both profitability and productivity. Keywords: Comparison of Public and Private Banks of Pakistan, Value Added intellectual capital, Intellectual capital Efficiency, Capital employed efficiency

Factors Influencing the Success of E-Learning Implementation: A Study of Afghan-Postgraduate Students at UTM-Malaysia

Comprehending and utilizing information technology and online platforms are the dire need of todays’ educational era. Current research aims at investigating the factors influencing the successful implementation of e-learning use among Afghan-postgraduate student at University Technologi Malaysia. Particularly, centered on identifying students’ characteristics, design and content, and technological factors that affect E-learning environment. At total of seventy-two (n=72) postgraduate students from the faculty of education, engineering, science and management at Universiti Technologi Malaysia (UTM) participated in survey questionnaire. The findings resulted that most of the students have positive perception about the E-learning environment. In addition, the most influential factors are (1) students’ characteristics that contained motivation, computer skills and attitudes, (2) design & content with professed use of IT and quality of content, while (3) technology with effectiveness of IT and quality of technology have been graded as the lowest influential factors hindered the successful implementation of E-learning use. Specifically, students’ motivation, encouragement, and satisfaction are the key elements toward the successful implementation of E-learning and accomplished their learning activities better and easily than the traditional method. However, most of the learners revealed that before initiating into the E-learning environment, they need more assistance and training in E-learning environment than the traditional methods. Besides, using E-learning is more complicated during learning and teaching process. Finally, it is suggested that university authority and policymakers put into their curriculum to initiate some special workshops and seminars to the international students who are newly admitted to their desired field of studies at UTM Malaysia

An efficient color LED driver based on self-configuration current mirror circuit

The string channel of Color LED driver with precise current balancing is proposed. It is noted that to drive a multiple LEDs string is by using a proper current source, due to the level of the brightness LED depends on the quantity of the current flows. In the production of LEDs, the variation in the forward voltage for each LED has been found significantly high. This variation causes different levels of brightness in LEDs. Then, controlling load current of LED by using a resistor to limit the LED current flowing is considered by associated with the forward voltage, instantly. Current sources have been designed to become immune to the above problem since it regulates the current, and not the voltage which flows through the LEDs. Hence, constant current source is the essential requirement to drive the LEDs. Besides, it is complex for color LEDs, dependent on the number of control nodes and dimming configuration. To arrange an accurate load current for the different sets of string color LEDs, the efficient LED driver is required, in which the current sharing is complement to each LED strings. Therefore, this paper suggests a color LED driver with self-configuration of enhanced current mirrors in multiple LED strings. The load currents have been efficiently balanced among the identical loads and unequal loads. The comparable efficiency of the string color LEDs losses has been shown thoroughly

Absorption of foliar-applied lead (Pb) in rice (Oryza sativa L.): A hydroponic experiment

Metallic particulate matter has been released into the environment that can be deposited on aerial parts of vegetation in terrestrial ecosystems. Foliar transfer of metals and their fate in plant leaves is still unclear although it is contributor to the transfer of metals into plant body. The study was conducted with the objective of investigating the possible effects of various concentration levels (0, 10, 20, and 30 mg L-1) of foliar-applied Pb on rice (Oryza sativa L.) grown in half strength Johnson's nutrient solution. The results showed that increasing levels of lead application decreased fresh and dry weights of rice compared with control. Lead concentrations in roots increased with increasing rate of application. The overall results indicated bioaccumulation of foliar applied lead in rice plants. © by PSP

Application of Well Log Analysis to Assess the Petrophysical Parameters of the Early Eocene Sui Main Limestone (SML) in Kharnhak-1 Well, Middle Indus Basin, Pakistan

The petrophysical analysis of the early Eocene Sui Main Limestone (SML) has been conducted in Kharnhak-1 well for the prospect of the hydrocarbon exploration of the Khairpur-Jacobabad High, Middle Indus Basin, Pakistan. The petrophysical analysis of SML is carried out on the basis of well logs including gamma ray, spontaneous potential, resistivity, neutron, and density logs. These analyses lead to interpreting the vertical distribution of porosity and permeability in order to measure the reservoir potential of the SML. The Archie equation was used to assess the petrophysical characteristics. The SML has good porosity and poor permeability with positive correlation coefficient between the two parameters. The average volume of shale is 18%. The log signature of SML shows dominance of carbonates (limestone). The reservoir quality of the SML in Kharnhak-1 well is such that it is 77% water saturated. The porosity (x) varies inversely with formation resistivity factor (F) and compressional wave velocity (Vp). However, F and Vp are directly related with each other. Thus, the electric and elastic properties of the carbonate rocks can be influenced by postdepositional alterations, which include porosity enhancement and reduction processes respectively

Biomonitoring of fluoride pollution with gladiolus in the vicinity of a brick kiln field in Lahore, Pakistan

Although there are thousands of small-scale, poorly regulated brick kilns in rural areas of South Asia their impact on local agricultural crops is largely unknown. The impact of fluoride on crops in a brick kiln area in the Northern Punjab Region of Pakistan was investigated. Fluoride accumulation, leaf necrosis, and reduced corm diameter and weight were found in the brick kiln area in two cultivars of Gladiolus that have been widely used as biomonitors in Europe. The rate of increase in leaf injury of the sensitive Gladiolus cultivar was greatest at all sites when the temperature was lower and there was a high relative humidity of 60–75%. The necrotic leaf tip lengths of the indicator plants correlated very well with their fluoride concentrations. The fluoride accumulation was directly proportional to the Fluoride Injury Index, although a higher injury index was observed with the fluoride-sensitive cultivar Lavendell Puff compared to the fluoride-tolerant cultivar Flower Song. These results suggest that injury to sensitive crops from fluoride may occur in other brick kiln areas in South Asia, and that Gladiolus plants could be used as a cost-effective biomonitor for further investigation in this region.</p

Biomonitoring of fluoride pollution with gladiolus in the vicinity of a brick kiln field in Lahore, Pakistan

Although there are thousands of small-scale, poorly regulated brick kilns in rural areas of South Asia their impact on local agricultural crops is largely unknown. The impact of fluoride on crops in a brick kiln area in the Northern Punjab Region of Pakistan was investigated. Fluoride accumulation, leaf necrosis, and reduced corm diameter and weight were found in the brick kiln area in two cultivars of Gladiolus that have been widely used as biomonitors in Europe. The rate of increase in leaf injury of the sensitive Gladiolus cultivar was greatest at all sites when the temperature was lower and there was a high relative humidity of 60–75%. The necrotic leaf tip lengths of the indicator plants correlated very well with their fluoride concentrations. The fluoride accumulation was directly proportional to the Fluoride Injury Index, although a higher injury index was observed with the fluoride-sensitive cultivar Lavendell Puff compared to the fluoride-tolerant cultivar Flower Song. These results suggest that injury to sensitive crops from fluoride may occur in other brick kiln areas in South Asia, and that Gladiolus plants could be used as a cost-effective biomonitor for further investigation in this region.</p

Hospital preparedness for disaster and mass casualty management in Pakistan: A cross-sectional evaluation study

Background: World Health Organization has advocated preemptive readiness of health systems to manage disastrous events. Pakistan is known to be highly susceptible to disasters on the one hand and significantly lacking in coping ability on the other. Preparedness of health facilities in such locales is especially important, despite which there is little published evidence regarding hospitals’ response capacity in Pakistan.Methods: From 12 most disaster prone districts of the country, a purposive sample of 20 hospitals was assessed using 51 indicators, scored as fully (2), partially (1), or not prepared (0). Two domains, disaster preparedness and mass casualty management, and five subdomains, networking, planning, staff-readiness, materials, and safety, were evaluated. Proportions of maximum possible scores achieved by an entity were categorized as acceptable (≥66 percent), partial (35-65 percent), or inadequate (<35 percent).Results: Out of the 20 hospitals, 14 (70 percent) were secondary and 3 tertiary level facilities (30 percent). Overall, hospitals were partially prepared with a score of 54.0 percent, 95 percent confidence interval [52.3 percent, 54.7 percent]. Disaster preparedness, 55.2 percent [54.0, 57.0], was significantly better prepared than mass casualty management, 49.2 percent [46.8, 51.6], p < 0.001. Overall, facility safety was the least prepared among the subdomains, 38.3 percent [31.8, 44.8], while materials were the best, 75.9 percent [72.6, 79.3]. The least prepared subdomains were staff-readiness in Punjab, 52.1 percent [47.5, 56.8], and facility safety in KP, 29.2 percent [22.1, 36.4].Conclusions: Hospitals’ preparedness for disaster and mass casualty management is deficient in these most vulnerable districts of Pakistan. Improvement initiatives commensurate with locale vulnerabilities should be instituted