Financial Leverage Decision in Cement Sector of Pakistan

This paper attempts to understand the behaviour of firms in cement sector of Pakistan regarding its financial structure decision. A typical firm will consider various factors before it adopts a specific blend of liability and equity in its capital structure. This paper uses four factors named as tangibility, profitability, size and growth. Panel data analysis is adopted to check the relationship of these factors with financial leverage for the period of 1999 to 2014. The results are explained considering existing but competing theories. It is observed that profitability and tangibility have significant relation with capital structure decision. These relationships can be explained with the existing theories, however, there was not enough evidence to consider any of the theories as superior

Financial Leverage Decision in Cement Sector of Pakistan

This paper attempts to understand the behaviour of firms in cement sector of Pakistan regarding its financial structure decision. A typical firm will consider various factors before it adopts a specific blend of liability and equity in its capital structure. This paper uses four factors named as tangibility, profitability, size and growth. Panel data analysis is adopted to check the relationship of these factors with financial leverage for the period of 1999 to 2014. The results are explained considering existing but competing theories. It is observed that profitability and tangibility have significant relation with capital structure decision. These relationships can be explained with the existing theories, however, there was not enough evidence to consider any of the theories as superior

Weighted Complex Network Analysis of Pakistan Highways

The structure and properties of public transportation networks have great implications in urban planning, public policies, and infectious disease control. This study contributes a weighted complex network analysis of travel routes on the national highway network of Pakistan. The network is responsible for handling 75 percent of the road traffic yet is largely inadequate, poor, and unreliable. The highway network displays small world properties and is assortative in nature. Based on the betweenness centrality of the nodes, the most important cities are identified as this could help in identifying the potential congestion points in the network. Keeping in view the strategic location of Pakistan, such a study is of practical importance and could provide opportunities for policy makers to improve the performance of the highway network

Detecting Cyber Attacks at Data Dribble

This research article proposes a new technique for detecting unauthorized network intrusions, based on a traffic flow model and Cisco NetFlow protocol application [1,2]. This technique allows us to detect the most common types of network attack (DDoS and port scanning) and most importantly make a list of IP-addresses of trespassers. So, the technique can be used in intrusion detection systems, and in those systems which can track and lock these IP-addresses. Keywords: Network Attacks, Intrusion Detection, IP Address of Trespassers, DDoS attack, Cisco NetFlow, flow traffic model

Lamento antecipado e norma moral na intenção dos consumidores de selecionar restaurantes de trabalho infantil: aumentando a teoria do comportamento planejado

Child labor is very severe social obstacle of the world of under develop nations like Pakistan. Still most of the young children are working in different sectors for the livelihood of their homes. This study explore the anticipated regret and moral norm in consumers’ intention to select child labor restaurants with the uses of augmenting the theory of planned behavior. Present study carried out in the five districts of south Punjab, Pakistan. There are three hundred questionnaires is filled from the owners of the restaurants from the selected regions. SPSS is used for the analysis of the data and multiple regression is used for testing the hypothesis. The results showed that theory of planned behavior constructs are significantly influence the intention of the child. Many owners took child as a labor because its cheap. While augmenting version of the planned behavior theory also good predictor of the child labor intentions. Government and NGOs take some actions to eliminate the child labor and sent into the schools.El trabajo infantil es un obstáculo social muy severo en el mundo de las naciones subdesarrolladas como Pakistán. Aún así, la mayoría de los niños pequeños están trabajando en diferentes sectores para el sustento de sus hogares. Este estudio explora el arrepentimiento anticipado y la norma moral en la intención de los consumidores de seleccionar restaurantes de trabajo infantil con el fin de aumentar la teoría del comportamiento planificado. Estudio actual realizado en los cinco distritos del sur de Punjab, Pakistán. Hay trescientos cuestionarios llenados por los propietarios de los restaurantes de las regiones seleccionadas. SPSS se utiliza para el análisis de los datos y la regresión múltiple se utiliza para probar la hipótesis. Los resultados mostraron que la teoría de los comportamientos planificados influye significativamente en la intención del niño. Muchos dueños tomaron al niño como mano de obra porque es barato. Si bien la versión aumentada de la teoría de la conducta planificada también es un buen predictor de las intenciones del trabajo infantil. El gobierno y las ONG toman algunas medidas para eliminar el trabajo infantil y las envían a las escuelas.O trabalho infantil é um obstáculo social muito grave do mundo dos países em desenvolvimento, como o Paquistão. Ainda a maioria das crianças jovens estão trabalhando em diferentes setores para o sustento de suas casas. Este estudo explora o lamento antecipado e a norma moral na intenção dos consumidores de selecionar restaurantes de trabalho infantil com o objetivo de aumentar a teoria do comportamento planejado. Presente estudo realizado nos cinco distritos do sul de Punjab, Paquistão. Existem trezentos questionários preenchidos pelos proprietários dos restaurantes das regiões selecionadas. O SPSS é usado para a análise dos dados e a regressão múltipla é usada para testar a hipótese. Os resultados mostraram que a teoria dos construtos de comportamento planejados influencia significativamente a intenção da criança. Muitos proprietários levaram criança como um trabalho de parto porque é barato. Enquanto aumenta a versão da teoria do comportamento planejado também bom preditor das intenções de trabalho infantil. O governo e as ONGs tomam algumas medidas para eliminar o trabalho infantil e enviá-las para as escolas

Conceptos erróneos comunes sobre COVID-19 entre los profesionales de la salud: una encuesta transversal global en línea.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has taken the world by storm, with cases continuously increasing by the hour and with a shortage of information regarding the virus available to the general public. Despite the availability of trusted online sources, there are still misconceptions relating to the virus floating around. This study aimed to find out the level of misconceptions among healthcare professionals (HCPs) worldwide about the ensuing COVID-19 pandemic. Materials and Methods: A descriptive cross sectional study was conducted through a global online survey. The self-administered questionnaire was designed and registered at an online website (Kwiksurveys). A total of 652 participants from 35 different countries across the world responded. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 23. Socio-demographic and discipline characteristics were compared with the help of the chi-square test and univariate and multivariate logistic regression to find significant relationships. Results: Among all HCPs, general physicians (61.2%) were the most common respondents. The responses from females (63.3%) almost doubled those of men, and nearly half of the participants were working in private institutes (49.2%). Additionally, the major source of information used by HCPs about COVID-19 was social media (55.4%). Regarding misconception assessment, 71.6% of participants had correct concepts regarding COVID-19. However, 28.4% had incorrect information. Female HCPs were 1.49 times more likely to have correct concepts compared to males (OR=1.49, 95% CI=1.04-2.14). Conclusions: The majority of the HCPs were keeping themselves up-to-date with current information concerning the knowledge, prevention, and hygiene practices of COVID-19 infection. However, some misconceptions are deeply rooted in the mindsets of HCPs worldwide and need to be addressed by the continuous professional development of HCPs. The availability of reliable sources of information on the pandemic should be encouraged, with adequate explanations also available to the general public in simple terms.Antecedentes: la pandemia de COVID-19 ha asolado al mundo, con casos que aumentan continuamente  y con una escasez de información sobre el virus disponible para el público en general. A pesar de la disponibilidad de fuentes confiables en línea, todavía hay conceptos erróneos relacionados con el virus. Este estudio tuvo como objetivo dilucidar el nivel de ideas erróneas entre los profesionales de la salud (PS) en todo el mundo sobre la pandemia de COVID-19. Material y Métodos: Se realizó un estudio descriptivo de corte transversal a través de una encuesta global en línea. El cuestionario autoadministrado fue diseñado y registrado en un sitio web en línea (Kwiksurveys). Respondieron un total de 652 participantes de 35 países. El análisis estadístico se realizó con el programa SPSS versión 23. Las características sociodemográficas y disciplinarias se compararon con la ayuda de la la prueba de chi-cuadrado y la regresión logística univariada y multivariada para encontrar relaciones significativas. Resultado: Entre todos los profesionales de la salud, los médicos generales (61,2%) fueron los que más respondieron. Las respuestas de las mujeres (63,3%) casi duplicaron las de los hombres, y casi la mitad de los participantes trabajaban en institutos privados (49,2%). Además, la principal fuente de información utilizada por los profesionales de la salud sobre COVID-19 fueron las redes sociales (55,4%). En cuanto a los conceptos erróneos, el 71,6% de los participantes tenían conceptos correctos con respecto a COVID-19. Sin embargo, el 28.4% poseía información incorrecta. Los profesionales de la salud mujeres tenían 1.49 veces más probabilidades de tener conceptos correctos en comparación con los hombres (OR = 1.49, IC 95% = 1.04-2.14). Conclusion: La mayoría de los profesionales de la salud se mantuvieron actualizados con la información actual sobre el conocimiento, la prevención y las prácticas de higiene de la infección por COVID-19. Sin embargo, algunos conceptos erróneos están profundamente arraigados en la mentalidad de los PS en todo el mundoy deben abordarse mediante el continuo desarrollo profesional de los PS. Se debe alentar la disponibilidad de fuentes confiables de información sobre la pandemia, con explicaciones adecuadas también disponibles para el público en general en términos simples

Murine Typhus Presenting with Acute Psychosis and Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation: A Case Report

Murine typhus is an endemic infectious disease caused by Rickettsia typhi and is transmitted by fleas. It typically causes a mild illness with symptoms of fever, rash, headache, chills, and non-specific gastrointestinal complaints. However, there have been no reported cases in the literature of murine typhus infection causing symptoms of acute psychosis and disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). A 30-year-old female with a history of gastric bypass and chronic pain syndrome presented to the emergency department with altered mental state and fever. She developed vivid visual hallucinations, DIC, and hypoxia with pulmonary opacities, ultimately requiring intubation. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed leptomeningeal enhancement with unremarkable cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) studies. Serum murine typhus serology came back positive. Doxycycline therapy was initiated, which resulted in complete patient recovery. This case shows that murine typhus infection may present with acute psychosis and can mimic DIC, leading to diagnostic confusion. MRI sequences may show leptomeningeal enhancement, which has never been reported before in patients with typhus. Early neurological imaging using advanced MRI sequences for patients presenting with altered sensorium, visual hallucinations, and symptoms similar to thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) may help with early diagnosis, decreased hospital stay, and better prognosis

Utilizing Steel Slag in the Removal of Suspended Solids from Dewatered Construction Water

Construction dewatering is an operation used to remove shallow groundwater that infiltrates construction sites. After recovering this water from the construction sites, the water is either discharged to the sea, injected in deep groundwater aquifers, or treated and reused in some other applications. However, municipal and industrial application of this water is unfeasible due to its poor quality. Thus, in this study, dewatered construction water is being treated utilizing waste steel slag in order to improve the quality of the water. The pH of the dewatered construction water used for this study was 7.59 and the average diameter of steel slag used was 425 nm. For coagulation, the impact of the mass of steel slag and the contact time on the quality of dewatered construction water were studied. By using 5gm/L of steel slag, more than 85% of the total suspended solids and turbidity were removed within 30 minutes.The authors would like to thank Qatar University for the financial support. In addition, the authors would like to thank Qatar Steel for the supply of the steel slag sample