Вызовы перед малыми и средними предприятиями Пакистана, вызванные пандемией COVID-19

Received June 7, 2020; accepted September 1, 2020.Дата поступления 7 июня 2020 г.; дата принятия к печати 1 сентября 2020 г.Relevance. Human health is essential to economic activity and social development. The rapid spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) all around the world can be particularly disastrous for low-income persons, which means that the pandemic poses a severe threat for developing countries. In Pakistan, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) were hit especially hard by the pandemic and lockdown restrictions. This research focuses on the economic challenges faced by Pakistan in combatting the impacts of the pandemic. Research objective. The purpose of the article is to identify the difficulties faced by SMEs as a result of the coronavirus infection. Data and methods. The methodological approach presents an of statistical data to show the main problems of the SME sector during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study used the data from the statistical report of the Ministry of Health of the Government of Pakistan (GOP), as well as the data from previous studies on the effects of COVID-19 pandemic. Results. The study identified problems for SMEs during COVID-19, such as the lack of capital and the lack of satisfactory business plans. Moreover, poverty is one of the most serious problems in Pakistan, which is why SMEs cannot afford prolonged isolation during the Covid-19 pandemic and individual entrepreneurs have to risk their lives for their families. The government of Pakistan has adapted steps to control the epidemic, however, so far there is no policy for small business investors. The authorities are still working on the policies for small business units. Conclusions. Although Pakistan has adopted many protective measures, the situation regarding measures to support SMEs still leaves much to be desired. The lack of state support contributes to the general economic crisis the country has faced due to the pandemic.Актуальность. Здоровье населения крайне важно для экономической активности и социального развития. Быстрое развитие коронавирусной инфекции по всему миру может быть болезненной для малоимущего населения, что означает, что пандемия представляет серьезную угрозу для развивающихся стран. В Пакистане малые и средние предприятия особенно пострадали из-за пандемии и ограничений. Это исследование фокусируется на экономических вызовах, встреченных Пакистаном в борьбе с последствиями пандемии. Цель исследования. Исследование нацелено на идентификацию сложностей, встреченных малыми и средними предприятиями в результате эпидемии коронавируса. Данные и методы. Методологический подход заключается в анализе статистических данных с целью демонстрации основных проблем малого и среднего бизнеса во время пандемии. Исследование использует данные статистических отчeтов Министерства здравоохранения Пакистана, а также данные уже существующих научных работ про эффекты пандемии. Результаты. Исследование обнаружило проблемы малых и средних предприятий во время пандемии коронавируса, такие как недостаток капитала и несовершенство бизнес-планов. Более того, бедность – одна из самых серьезных проблем в Пакистане, и она стала причиной того, что малые и средние предприятия не могли позволить себе длительный период запрета на работу и их работники должны были рисковать своими жизнями, чтобы обеспечить свое существование. Правительство Пакистана предпринимало попытки контроля эпидемии, однако не предпринимало никаких шагов по поддержке малого бизнеса. Власти страны до сих пор работают над разработкой соответствующей политики. Заключение. Хотя Пакистан и предпринял ряд мер по защите населения, ситуация касательно поддержки малых и средних предприятий гораздо хуже желаемой. Слабая их поддержка государством стала частью общего экономического кризиса страны, вызванного пандемией

Knee menisci segmentation and relaxometry of 3D ultrashort echo time cones MR imaging using attention U-Net with transfer learning.

PurposeTo develop a deep learning-based method for knee menisci segmentation in 3D ultrashort echo time (UTE) cones MR imaging, and to automatically determine MR relaxation times, namely the T1, T1ρ , and T2∗ parameters, which can be used to assess knee osteoarthritis (OA).MethodsWhole knee joint imaging was performed using 3D UTE cones sequences to collect data from 61 human subjects. Regions of interest (ROIs) were outlined by 2 experienced radiologists based on subtracted T1ρ -weighted MR images. Transfer learning was applied to develop 2D attention U-Net convolutional neural networks for the menisci segmentation based on each radiologist's ROIs separately. Dice scores were calculated to assess segmentation performance. Next, the T1, T1ρ , T2∗ relaxations, and ROI areas were determined for the manual and automatic segmentations, then compared.ResultsThe models developed using ROIs provided by 2 radiologists achieved high Dice scores of 0.860 and 0.833, while the radiologists' manual segmentations achieved a Dice score of 0.820. Linear correlation coefficients for the T1, T1ρ , and T2∗ relaxations calculated using the automatic and manual segmentations ranged between 0.90 and 0.97, and there were no associated differences between the estimated average meniscal relaxation parameters. The deep learning models achieved segmentation performance equivalent to the inter-observer variability of 2 radiologists.ConclusionThe proposed deep learning-based approach can be used to efficiently generate automatic segmentations and determine meniscal relaxations times. The method has the potential to help radiologists with the assessment of meniscal diseases, such as OA

Влияние акционерного капитала на востребованность торгового кредита: исследование нефинансовых компаний в Пакистане

Received November 14, 2020; accepted March 9, 2021.Дата поступления 14 ноября 2020 г.; дата принятия к печати 9 марта 2021 г.Relevance. Most small-sized firms have little or no access to credit markets, which is why they prefer equity financing and usually pay higher dividends on this equity. When paying higher dividends, these small-sized debt-free firms continue to build a reputation in the markets. Research objective. The analysis focuses on the trade payables that impact shareholder equity. In Pakistan, most of the businesses are small and middle-sized. Most of the Pakistani SMEs have a low capital structure and these enterprises depend on their daily business needs, so equity financing is their primary source of funding. Data and Methods. The data source for our study is the financial statements of non-financial firms (in total, 156 firms) from the balance Sheet Analysis (BSA) and the Financial Statement Analysis (FSA) published by The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP). The financial statements also provide the data listed by the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX). The data cover the period from 2001 to 2017. This study primarily relies on the panel data model. The study applied the methods of descriptive analysis, correlation matrix, common regression model, fixed effect model, random effect model and then the Hausman test was performed to choose the best model. Results. The results of the study indicate a positive and significant relationship between shareholder equity and trade credit demand. Conclusion. Many investors require trade credit as a suitable tool for the growth of shareholders of the company. It is also used in many types of business schemes as the shareholder equity factor plays a role in profit generation through the use of trade credit transactions.Актуальность. Большинство малых фирм практически не имеют доступа к кредитным рынкам, поэтому они предпочитают акционерное финансирование и обычно выплачивают более высокие дивиденды. Выплачивая более высокие дивиденды, эти небольшие фирмы, не имеющие долгов, продолжают укреплять репутацию на рынках. Цель исследования. Анализ сосредоточен на торговой кредиторской задолженности, которая влияет на акционерный капитал. В Пакистане большинство предприятий малые и средние. Большинство пакистанских МСП имеют низкую структуру капитала, и эти предприятия зависят от своих повседневных деловых потребностей, поэтому акционерное финансирование является их основным источником финансирования. Данные и методы. Источником данных для нашего исследования является финансовая отчетность нефинансовых фирм (всего 156 фирм) из анализа баланса (BSA) и анализа финансовой отчетности (FSA), опубликованных Государственным банком Пакистана (SBP). Финансовая отчетность также содержит данные с Пакистанской фондовой биржи (PSX). Данные охватывают период с 2001 по 2017 г. Это исследование в первую очередь опирается на модель панельных данных. В исследовании применялись методы описательного анализа, корреляционный анализ, общая регрессионная модель, модель с фиксированными эффектами, модель со случайными эффектами, а затем был проведен тест Хаусмана для выбора между ними. Результаты. Результаты исследования указывают на положительную и значимую взаимосвязь между акционерным капиталом и спросом на торговые кредиты. Выводы. Многим инвесторам требуется торговый кредит как подходящий инструмент для роста акционеров компании. Он также используется во многих типах бизнессхем, поскольку фактор акционерного капитала играет роль в получении прибыли за счет использования торговых кредитных операций

THE USE OF GOOGLE CLASSROOM AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHERS

Background and Purpose: The use of technology in school classrooms and other innovations in teaching has become very crucial in the education field. Google Classroom is one of the technology innovations which has been developed to allow teachers and learners to meet up virtually to promote an interesting teaching and learning experience. In this present study, this paper outlines the results of a survey which was carried out to identify the factors the intention to use Google Classroom among secondary schools’ teachers in Kinta Selatan District in Perak. The study investigated the different parameter which contribute directly to teachers’ intention to use Google Classroom which are technical support, attitude, perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, and technological knowledge.   Methodology: The sample consisted 216 government secondary schools in Kinta Selatan District. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to the participants with the assistance of the principals of the schools.   Findings: The result of the study revealed that the variables of attitude, perceived usefulness and technological knowledge have a significant effect in the intention to use Google Classroom. As far as technical support and perceived ease of use are concerned, the relationship with intention to use Google Classroom was found negative.   Contributions: This study contributes to the area of Google Classroom use for education since it may be used to do future research into how to improve teachers' abilities to teach more effectively using Google Classroom.   Keywords: Google Classroom, secondary schools, teachers, technology, classroom.   Cite as: Devi Piaralal, S., Mohd Tahir, M. H., Mohd Adnan, A. H., Mohamad Shah, D. S., & Ya Shak, M. S. (2023). The use of Google Classroom among secondary school teachers. Journal of Nusantara Studies, 8(1), 310-332. http://dx.doi.org/10.24200/jonus.vol8iss1pp310-33

Google Classroom as Perceived by Educators: An Overview

Learning Management System (LMS) is gaining prominence in how education is delivered today due to the increased popularity of remote and online distance learning and the unimaginable COVID-19 pandemic that stuns the world. One of the more popular LMSs in the world is Google Classroom (GC). Due to its popularity, it is essential for the perception of its users particularly educators to be gauged as it is believed that their perception could determine what they do in their teaching and learning sessions. This paper reviewed eleven selected past studies about educators’ perception on the use of GC. The content of these studies was analyzed and coded into themes and specific categories by using the Atlas.ti Software. In general, educators seem to hold a positive perception on the use of GC with their students. However, some reservations about the use of GC have also been expressed. Several recommendations about how GC could be improved were also offered by the participants in the studies. The gaps in the past studies might provide some ideas on how the educators’ perception of GC could be better ascertained in future

Explicit vocabulary instruction: Effects of vocabulary learning on Form Two ESL learners

Per its English curriculum, vocabulary instruction is only integrated indirectly in the teaching of reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills in Malaysian schools. ESL learners then may overlook the variety of meanings that a word and its spelling can offer. This research aims to describe the effects of the explicit approach of vocabulary instruction on 30 Form Two (eighth grade) students from a suburban school in Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia. A descriptive style was adopted, and specific vocabulary lessons were used to help students learn the target words. Using descriptive statistics, vocabulary pre- and post-test scores were analysed and compared to determine the impact of this approach. The frequency counts, percentages, mean scores, and standard deviation of the students’ evaluation form responses were analysed. Content analysis was used to transcribe, classify, and categorise qualitative data from the interview session. According to the data, the students’ vocabulary scores increased dramatically in the post-test, with a mean gap of 21.9. The students were also enthusiastic about the teacher’s instructions (M=4.48, SD=0.64) and vocabulary lessons (M=4.34, SD=0.59). It is suggested that the explicit approach of vocabulary instruction, which engages students in exciting vocabulary learning techniques as employed by this study could enhance their vocabulary knowledge.

Numerical modelling of blood cells distribution in flow through cerebral artery aneurysm

Recent aneurysm studies have focused on the correlation between different parameters and rupture risk; however, there have been conflicting findings. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) allows for better visualization but idealized aneurysm models may neglect important variables such as aneurysm shape and blood flow conditions. In this paper, one case of an aneurysm was studied with CFD using a non-Newtonian Power Law Model to investigate the correlation between wall shear stress and blood cells distribution. Results show that velocity of blood flow decreased as it entered the aneurysm and the neck of the aneurysm experienced a greater magnitude of wall shear stress than the remainder of the cerebral artery. Besides, the blood cells generally begin at low velocities and increase after the first curve of the artery. Findings and further studies with larger cases of patients will improve treatment and prevention of aneurysm ruptures

Analysing practice for prosthetic restoration among Major lower Limb Amputees with diabetes:from Northern Borneo Perspective

Diabetes is high in the agenda of public health issues with significant prevalence of diabetic-related amputations. Prosthetic restoration post-amputation is imperative to reduce disability, but its success is influenced by several factors. This study analysed the practice, and the determining factors affecting prosthetic restoration among major lower limb amputees with diabetes in Sabah. Methods: Retrospective cross-sectional study among 65 major lower limb amputees with diabetes referred for rehabilitation medicine services at Queen Elizabeth Hospital from0 1st January 2015 to 31st December 2017. Demographics data, pre-morbid diseases, levels of amputation and practice on prosthetic restoration (suitability for restoration, duration from prosthetic application to restoration, funding issue) are primary evaluated factors. Results: Forty-nine, fifteen and one amputees had below knee amputation, above knee amputation and hip disarticulation respectively. Forty-three amputees (66.2%) were deemed suitable for prosthetic restoration but only 27 were prosthetically restored, with mean duration from prosthetic application to restoration of 5.92±2.189 months. Having additional pre-morbid diseases did not reduced the likelihood of suitability for prosthetic restoration compared to those only with diabetes (p=0.082). Funding issue is the key factor affecting prosthetic restoration with higher likelihood for restoration among those eligible through governmental agencies funding (p=0.027). Conclusion: In Sabah, low rate of suitability for prosthetic restoration is observed among major lower limb amputees with diabetes. A larger study is warranted to investigate causes of such low rate of suitability for prosthetic restoration among this specific population in the effort to reduce public health burden from major lower limb amputation-related disability

Assessment of molecular markers for anti-malarial drug resistance after the introduction and scale-up of malaria control interventions in western Kenya

Background Although it is well known that drug pressure selects for drug-resistant parasites, the role of transmission reduction by insecticide-treated bed nets (ITNs) on drug resistance remains unclear. In this study, the drug resistance profile of current and previous first-line anti-malarials in Kenya was assessed within the context of drug policy change and scale-up of ITNs. National first-line treatment changed from chloroquine (CQ) to sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) in 1998 and to artemether-lumefantrine (AL) in 2004. ITN use was scaled-up in the Asembo, Gem and Karemo areas of western Kenya in 1997, 1999 and 2006, respectively. Methods Smear-positive samples (N = 253) collected from a 2007 cross-sectional survey among children in Asembo, Gem and Karemo were genotyped for mutations in pfcrt and pfmdr1 (CQ), dhfr and dhps (SP), and at pfmdr-N86 and the gene copy number in pfmdr1 (lumefantrine). Results were compared among the three geographic areas in 2007 and to retrospective molecular data from children in Asembo in 2001. Results In 2007, 69 and 85% of samples harboured the pfmdr1-86Y mutation and dhfr/dhps quintuple mutant, respectively, with no significant differences by study area. However, the prevalence of the pfcrt-76T mutation differed significantly among areas (p <0.02), between 76 and 94%, with the highest prevalence in Asembo. Several 2007 samples carried mutations at dhfr-164L, dhps-436A, or dhps-613T. From 2001 to 2007, there were significant increases in the pfcrt-76T mutation from 82 to 94% (p <0.03), dhfr/dhps quintuple mutant from 62 to 82% (p <0.03), and an increase in the septuple CQ and SP combined mutant haplotype, K 76 Y 86 I 51 R 59 N 108 G 437 E 540 , from 28 to 39%. The prevalence of the pfmdr1-86Y mutation remained unchanged. All samples were single copy for pfmdr1. Conclusions Molecular markers associated with lumefantrine resistance were not detected in 2007. More recent samples will be needed to detect any selective effects by AL. The prevalence of CQ and SP resistance markers increased from 2001 to 2007 in the absence of changes in transmission intensity. In 2007, only the prevalence of pfcrt-76T mutation differed among study areas of varying transmission intensity. Resistant parasites were most likely selected by sustained drug pressure from the continued use of CQ, SP, and mechanistically similar drugs, such as amodiaquine and cotrimoxazole. There was no clear evidence that differences in transmission intensity, as a result of ITN scale-up, influenced the prevalence of drug resistance molecular markers