Oncogenic potential of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and its relation with cervical cancer

Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common cause of cervical cancer. Cervical cancer being the second most common cancer after lung cancer, affecting women of different age groups; has a prevalence of about 20% in young sexually active women. Among different types of HPV, HPV16 the major strain causing this cancer and is sexually transmitted had been unnoticed for decades. Keeping in mind the multiple risk factors related with cervical cancer such as early age sexual activities, teenage pregnancies, smoking, use of oral contraceptives, having multiple sex partners, hormone replacement therapies and various other unknown factors lead to the onset of the disease. Awareness for various diagnostic procedures such as Pap smears screening prove to be an effective way in eradicating the oncogenic potential of HPV

In-vitro Production of Cabbage and Cauliflower

Background: An efficient method of artificial mass propagation was optimized for two very nutritious vegetables of Pakistan, the cabbage and cauliflower. Being an agrarian economy, Pakistan’s more than half of the population depends directly or indirectly on agricultural products.Methodology: Hypocotyls of germinating of seeds (5-7 days old seedlings) were used as explants. Murashige and Skoog basal medium was supplemented with different concentrations of auxin (2,4 Dichlorophenoxy acetic  acid) and cytokinin (benzyl amino purine) in combination to study the callus forming tendency of cabbage and cauliflower; and found better if used in ratio of 2:1 (at least) respectively.Results: For evaluation of regeneration potential Kinetin, Zeatin, Gibrellic acid-3, and Indole acetic acid were found good in combination with benzyl amino purine. Higher (than auxin) concentration of cytokinin was found essential to obtain good regeneration response of callus.Conclusion:  Effectively concluded that these techniques can be used to raise the disease free stock of cabbage and cauliflower for genetic improvement of in-vitro bulk of varieties on commercial scale in a very brief time span

Translation of Human Resource into a Human Capital

Abstract The process of understanding the model of conversion of human resource into human capital in strategic business terms has just begun. Human Capital is the strategic and coherent approach to the management of an organisation's most valued assetsthe people working there who individually and collectively contribute to the achievement of the objectives of the business and this human resource is totally dependent on the behaviors of all the managers and organizational development practitioners because individual and collective behaviors are the creators of an organization's culture and structure. Research on human capital as followed several trajectories; the extent of conversion of human resource into human capital, conversion process of human resource in to human capital and factors contributing to human capital theory. This research uses the cases of conversion process of human resource in to human capital with its affecting factors. This research has the edge of authenticity and reliability of all of its contents as it is done by questioning 98 top level managers of human resource intensive organization of Pakistan. The researchers find that the organizations need a series of interventions in the process of conversion of human resource in to human capital for prosperity

Trackable CEMB-Klean Cotton Transgenic Technology: Affordable Climate Neutral Agri-biotech Industrialization for Developing Countries

Background: Transgenic technology reflects the incorporation of novel useful traits in crop plants like cotton for economic benefits by overcoming the problems including insects’ pests and weeds in special. The present study is the success story of the continuous effort of CEMB team started back in the 1990s.Methods: This study includes characterization of a large number of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) strains taken from local soil and subjected to direct transformation of isolated BT genes into local cotton cultivars. Protocols for transformation into cotton plants were optimized and validated by the development of double gene codon optimized (Cry1Ac and Cry2A) transgenic cotton varieties.Results: The resulting GMOs in the form of CEMB-33, CA-12, CEMB-66 have been approved by Punjab Seed Council in 2013 and 2016 respectively. Double Bt and weedicide resistant cotton harboring CEMB-Modified and codon optimized cp4EPSPS (GTGene). These varieties can tolerate glyphosate spray @ 1900ml per acre without the appearance of necrotic spots/shedding and complete removal of all surrounding weeds in the cotton field is a significant advance to boost cotton production without spending much on insecticides and herbicides.Conclusion: In the current report, two unique sets of primers which amplify 1.1 Kb for CEMB-double Bt genes and 660 bp product for CEMB-Modified cp4EPSPS (GTGene) were tested. CEMB cotton variety CKC-01 is specially designed as low cost and easy to use by local farmer’s technology has the potential to revolutionize the cotton growing culture of the country.Keywords: Event detection; Bt Cotton; CEMB transgenic technology; GTGen

Burnout among surgeons before and during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: an international survey

Background: SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has had many significant impacts within the surgical realm, and surgeons have been obligated to reconsider almost every aspect of daily clinical practice. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study reported in compliance with the CHERRIES guidelines and conducted through an online platform from June 14th to July 15th, 2020. The primary outcome was the burden of burnout during the pandemic indicated by the validated Shirom-Melamed Burnout Measure. Results: Nine hundred fifty-four surgeons completed the survey. The median length of practice was 10 years; 78.2% included were male with a median age of 37 years old, 39.5% were consultants, 68.9% were general surgeons, and 55.7% were affiliated with an academic institution. Overall, there was a significant increase in the mean burnout score during the pandemic; longer years of practice and older age were significantly associated with less burnout. There were significant reductions in the median number of outpatient visits, operated cases, on-call hours, emergency visits, and research work, so, 48.2% of respondents felt that the training resources were insufficient. The majority (81.3%) of respondents reported that their hospitals were included in the management of COVID-19, 66.5% felt their roles had been minimized; 41% were asked to assist in non-surgical medical practices, and 37.6% of respondents were included in COVID-19 management. Conclusions: There was a significant burnout among trainees. Almost all aspects of clinical and research activities were affected with a significant reduction in the volume of research, outpatient clinic visits, surgical procedures, on-call hours, and emergency cases hindering the training. Trial registration: The study was registered on clicaltrials.gov "NCT04433286" on 16/06/2020

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Abstract Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

Exchange rate volatility and oil prices shocks and its impact on economic sustainability

Impact of exchange rate volatility has received a great attention from the last century, its importance is certain in all sectors of the economy and it affects welfare as well as social life of the economy. Exchange rate between two currencies tells the value of one currency in terms of others one. Depreciation/Appreciation of exchange rate affects economic growth in terms of trade and shifts income to/from exporting countries from/to importing countries. The factors affecting exchange rate are inflation, interest rate, foreign direct investment, government consumption expenditure and balance of trade. This research study examines the impact of oil prices and exchange rate volatility on economic growth in Germany based on 40-year annual data. Cointegration technique is applied to check the impact of macroeconomic variables on exchange rate in the long run and short run. It is estimated that imports, exports, inflation, interest rate, government consumption expenditure and foreign direct investment had significant impacts on real effective exchange rate in the long run and short run. Sin addition, Engle Granger results indicate that relationship was significant for the long run and its error correction adjustment mechanism (ECM) in short a run is significant and correctly signed for Germany

A comparative study of United States and China exchange rate behavior: A co integration analysis

Exchange rates always affect the prices of the imports and export of products and services in which countries are trading with other parts of the world. Therefore, exchange rate calculation is one of the essential issues for making appropriate policies. This research investigates the determinants of trade, i.e. import, export, industrial growth, consumption level and oil prices fluctuation, which bring changes in exchange rate and their influence eventually on balance of payments. Data of defined variables was collected on yearly basis for China and USA for thirty one years. By applying cointegration, it is estimated that there existed a long run relationship in both countries. USA and China had significant and correct signs on the short run dynamic and some of the factors did not. Exchange rate did not granger cause balance of payment and balance of payment did not granger cause exchange rate. In conclusion, we found that determinants of balance of trade could affect the exchange rates, also, these rates had considerable effect (positive or negative) on balance of payments. In this twofold study, we found relationship of exchange rate with selected determinants of trade, and also examined their bilateral effect, and then made contrast of both countries

Perceived parenting styles and primary attachment styles of single and children living with both parents

Objective: The study investigates the association between perceived primary parenting styles and attachment styles between single parent children and children living with both parents. Methods: A correlational research study was carried out on a sample of 200 children, 100single parent children (Boys=50; Girls=50) taken from single parent families living in child protection and welfare bureau and 100 children living with both parents (Boys=50; Girls=50) enrolled in different grades taken from a private school of Lahore, through purposive sampling strategy. The study was carried out at Lahore Garrison University from September 2017 to march 2017.After obtaining permission from authorities, children were given Parental Authority Questionnaireand the Urdu version of Inventory of Parental and Peer attachment. Results:The results showed that there was a significant negative correlation between permissive parenting styles with mother’scommunication (*p<.05); authoritarian parenting style has negative correlation with parental communication, and trust(***p<.001). Authoritative parenting has significant positive relationship with trust (***p<.001), and communication with parents (***p<.001), negative relationship between authoritative parenting with feeling alienated from parents (*p<.01). The resultsof t-test also revealed that single parent children perceive their parents as authoritarian (***p<.001) and had more alienated attachment with parents (***p<.001), whereas children living with both parents had more trust (***p<.001) and had better communication with their parents (***p<.001). Conclusion: Current research is insightful in understanding the role of parents and different parenting styles in building up strong parent child attachment. Continuous..