Diluted Federalism, the Cause of Spoiled Nationalism: a study of historical facts of weak federalism in Pakistan

The study covers the issues that Pakistan faced and is facing owing to the absence of federalism. This absence is becoming the cause of nonappearance of nationalism among the people of small provinces. The reasons for the obvious segmentation of the society have been explored. People are disintegrated and are indulged in pursing their regional status and goals. Their preference is tobe recognized by their region rather by their country. The study has also discovered the major causes of tremulous federalism in Pakistan and how they affected the community as a whole. The role of the regional/local politicians has also been observed throughout the study especially with reference to Balochistan. Some recommendations to bring federalism back in the country have been put forth. The terms ‘federal system’ and ‘federalism’ have been used interchangeably

Road traffic injuries in Rawalpindi city, Pakistan.

Data on road traffic accident (RTA) injuries and their outcome are scarce in Pakistan. This study assessed patterns of RTA injuries reported in Rawalpindi city using standard surveillance methods. All RTA injury patients presenting to emergency departments of 3 tertiary care facilities from July 2007 to June 2008 were included. RTA injuries (n = 19 828) accounted for 31.7% of all injuries. Among children aged 0-14 years females suffered twice as many RTA injuries as males (21.3% versus 11.4%), whereas this trend reversed for the age group 15-24 years (41.9% versus 21.7%). One-fifth of injuries were either fractures or concussion. Severity and outcome of injuries were worse for the age group 45 years and older. For every road traffic death in Rawalpindi city, 29 more people were hospitalized and 177 more received emergency department care. These results suggest the need for better RTA injury surveillance to identify preventive and control measures for the increasingly high road disease burden in this city

Strategic Management Model with Lens of Knowledge Management and Competitive Intelligence: A Review Approach

Purpose: First purpose of this study is to discuss the synergic and separate use of knowledge and intelligence, via knowledge management and competitive intelligence, in each stage of strategic management process. Second purpose is to discuss the implications of each stage of strategic management process for knowledge management and competitive intelligence and vice versa. Methodology/Design/Approach: A systematic literature review was performed within timeframe of 2000 to 2016. Extracted information from reviewed studies was synthesized and integrated in strategic management model of Fred David. Findings: A strategic management model with lens of knowledge management and competitive intelligence is proposed. Each stage of knowledge management process has implications for knowledge management and competitive intelligence and vice versa. In addition, synergic and separate use of knowledge and intelligence results in effective decision making leading to competitive advantage. Research Limitations: Learning curve of knowledge management and competitive intelligence and being limited to use of Fred David model are among key limitations. Practical Implications: Experts of knowledge management, competitive intelligence, and strategic management can use this study to gain competitive advantage based on knowledge and information resources. Organizations should have knowledge management function as well as competitive intelligence to support the strategy formulation, implementation and evaluation. Social Implications: Readers can take a view that how they can manage their knowledge and information resources from a strategic perspective? Originality/Value:. This study proposes a strategic management model with lens of knowledge management and competitive intelligence. Model discusses the ways for synergic and separate use of knowledge and intelligence in each stage of strategic management, leading to competitive advantage. In addition it discusses the holistic and integrated implications of knowledge management and competitive intelligence for each stage of strategic management process and vice vers

Standred interferon therapy and its Response rates in Chronic HCV Patients in District Mardan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

To eradicate the Hepatitis C Virus from the bodies of the infected individuals Interferon and Ribavirin based therapy is used. HCV is highly prevalent in District Mardan Khyber Pakhtunkhwa that is why it is important to determine the response of standard interferon based therapy in Chronic HCV patients of this region. A total of 215 patients were selected for interferon based therapy. The patients were selected from three different Tehsil of District Mardan. After confirmation of active HCV infection by q-PCR, standard interferon with Ribavirin was given to patients for 6 months. After completion of therapy, end of treatment virologic response (ETR) was calculated. After completion of the 6 months long therapy, the results obtained were as. Out of total 215 patients, 168 (78.13%) were negative for HCV RNA and showing end of treatment response (ETR) while 47 (21.86%) were positive for HCV RNA and did not show ETR. In Tehsil Mardan, out of 102 patients who had completed therapy, 76 patients (74.51%) showed ETR and 26 (25.49%) did not show the ETR. In Tehsil Kattlang, we found that out of total 51 patients who had taken 6 months therapy, 41 (80.39%) were negative for HCV RNA and 10 (19.61%) were resistant to therapy while in Tehsil Tkhatbhai, out of 62, 50 (80.64%) were negative and 12 (19.35%) were positive. The above discussion shows that antiviral therapy against HCV infection in chronic HCV patients of District Mardan KPK province is 78.13%. The high response rate may be due to the prevalence of genotypes 2 and 3

Measuring routine childhood vaccination coverage in 204 countries and territories, 1980-2019 : a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2020, Release 1

Background Measuring routine childhood vaccination is crucial to inform global vaccine policies and programme implementation, and to track progress towards targets set by the Global Vaccine Action Plan (GVAP) and Immunization Agenda 2030. Robust estimates of routine vaccine coverage are needed to identify past successes and persistent vulnerabilities. Drawing from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2020, Release 1, we did a systematic analysis of global, regional, and national vaccine coverage trends using a statistical framework, by vaccine and over time. Methods For this analysis we collated 55 326 country-specific, cohort-specific, year-specific, vaccine-specific, and dosespecific observations of routine childhood vaccination coverage between 1980 and 2019. Using spatiotemporal Gaussian process regression, we produced location-specific and year-specific estimates of 11 routine childhood vaccine coverage indicators for 204 countries and territories from 1980 to 2019, adjusting for biases in countryreported data and reflecting reported stockouts and supply disruptions. We analysed global and regional trends in coverage and numbers of zero-dose children (defined as those who never received a diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis [DTP] vaccine dose), progress towards GVAP targets, and the relationship between vaccine coverage and sociodemographic development. Findings By 2019, global coverage of third-dose DTP (DTP3; 81.6% [95% uncertainty interval 80.4-82 .7]) more than doubled from levels estimated in 1980 (39.9% [37.5-42.1]), as did global coverage of the first-dose measles-containing vaccine (MCV1; from 38.5% [35.4-41.3] in 1980 to 83.6% [82.3-84.8] in 2019). Third- dose polio vaccine (Pol3) coverage also increased, from 42.6% (41.4-44.1) in 1980 to 79.8% (78.4-81.1) in 2019, and global coverage of newer vaccines increased rapidly between 2000 and 2019. The global number of zero-dose children fell by nearly 75% between 1980 and 2019, from 56.8 million (52.6-60. 9) to 14.5 million (13.4-15.9). However, over the past decade, global vaccine coverage broadly plateaued; 94 countries and territories recorded decreasing DTP3 coverage since 2010. Only 11 countries and territories were estimated to have reached the national GVAP target of at least 90% coverage for all assessed vaccines in 2019. Interpretation After achieving large gains in childhood vaccine coverage worldwide, in much of the world this progress was stalled or reversed from 2010 to 2019. These findings underscore the importance of revisiting routine immunisation strategies and programmatic approaches, recentring service delivery around equity and underserved populations. Strengthening vaccine data and monitoring systems is crucial to these pursuits, now and through to 2030, to ensure that all children have access to, and can benefit from, lifesaving vaccines. Copyright (C) 2021 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.Peer reviewe

Correlation Between the Maturation Stages of Mandibular Third Molars and Chronological Age in Patients Visiting Sardar Begum Dental College, Peshawar

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to determine the correlation of chronological age with the maturation stages of mandibular third molar. METHODOLOGY: This descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted at Sardar Begum Dental College, Gandhara University Peshawar on 384 patients from January 2018 to June 2018 and included patients having age 11-26 years with good quality Orthopantomogram showing mandibular third molar tooth germs bilaterally. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 22. p ≤ 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. RESULTS: Females 286 (74.5%) were predominant than males 98 (25.5%) with mean age presentation of 18.12±3.03 years. The most frequent stage of Demirjian’s stages of mandibular third molar was stage F (24.7%). Pearson correlation showed that maturation stages of mandibular third molars were significantly related to the chronological age ( r=0.446, p value=0.00). CONCLUSION: A correlation between maturation stages of mandibular third molars and chronological age existed

Investigating the Behavior of Waste Alumina Powder and Nylon Fibers for Eco-Friendly Production of Self-Compacting Concrete

Self-compacting concrete (SCC) incorporating secondary raw materials has been extensively used around the globe due to its improved fresh, mechanical and durability properties. This study was planned to evaluate the suitability of locally available waste alumina powder (AP) and nylon textile fibers (NF) as a partial replacement for fine and coarse aggregates with the ultimate goal to locally produce SCC with desired properties. The used AP was acquired from a local market and NF was collected from a local textile factory. Various dosages of AP (10%, 20%, 30%, 40% and 50% by volume of fine aggregates) and NF (1% and 2% by volume of coarse aggregates) were studied. Tests including slump flow, V-funnel and J-ring tests were performed for examining the fresh properties of developed SCC. Results showed that the addition of AP has an insignificant effect on the superplasticizer dosage for maintaining a constant flow of 70 cm. However, a higher dosage of superplasticizer was required for a mixture with increasing dosages of NF to sustain a constant flow. Similarly, slump flow time (for a spread of 50 cm) and V-funnel time increased for mixtures with higher dosages of AP and NF. Tested SCC mixtures incorporating 40% and 50% of AP with 1% and 2% of NF showed an extreme blocking assessment due to their increased interparticle friction, the higher water absorption capacity of used AP and NF leading to increased flow resistance and hence, showed lower passing ability. The compressive strength was 16% higher for specimens incorporating 40% of AP due to the filling effect of AP which fills the micro-pores, leading to a more dense and compact internal micro-structure, confirmed through scanning electron microscopy analysis. An ultrasonic pulse velocity test conducted on hardened specimens verified the findings of the compressive strength results. Moreover, it was observed that NF has an insignificant effect on the compressive strength; however, flexural strength was increased due to the incorporation of NF, especially at higher dosages of AP

In-Vitro Efficacy of Crude Extract of Zizipus Jujuba against Selected Bacterial Strains

Abstract- The research was assessed to evaluate the efficacy of crude extract of Zizipus jujuba against selected bacterial strains. The extract of Zizipus jujuba leaves was obtained by three different methods and the inhibition zones obtained through disc diffusion method. A decent antibacterial activity of Zizipus jujuba leaves crude extract of cold water and ethanol was found against Salmonella typhimurium and Staphylococcus aereus. Maximum zone of inhibition through cold water extract was obtained by Enterococcus feacalis (32mm) followed by Staphylococcus aureus (28mm), Salmonella typhimurium (27.52), Klebsilla pneumonia (19mm) and Escherichia coli (19mm). Similarly maximum zone of inhibition through ethanol extract was obtained by Staphylococcus aureus (28mm) followed by Salmonella typhimurium (27.52). The bacterial species showed no sensitivity against hot water extract due to the degradation of alkaloids in hot water. Mean observation taken was that these bacterial species can be inhibited by Zizipus jujuba plant. The study showed that Zizipus jujuba plant can be used to obtained antibiotics having less or no side effect, especially against Salmonella and staphylococcus aureus infections. Index Terms- Efficacy, Zizipus jujuba, Antibacterial activity, Cold water extract, zone of Inhibition

Burden of chronic kidney disease in an urban city of Pakistan, a cross-sectional study

Objective: To estimate the prevalence of Chronic Kidney Disease in an urban city and to assess the risk factors associated with the condition.Methods: The cross-sectional study was carried out from June to December 2012 by arranging health camps for asymptomatic population in Karachi at busy shopping areas frequented by people of all socioeconomic classes. The camps provided free screening tests for the general public. Serum creatinine was checked and estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate was calculated using the Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration equation. SPSS 17 was used for statistical analysis.Results: Of the 301 subjects who came to the camps, 293(97%) had their serum creatinine checked. The age range was 30-80 years. Chronic Kidney Disease was found in 75(25.60%)subjects. A significant relationship was found between the disease and Diabetes Mellitus and Hypertension (p=0.006). There was also a significant relationship between Hypertension and Diabetes with mean Glomerular Filtration Rate (p\u3c0.001).CONCLUSIONS: In view of the prevalence rate of Chronic Kidney Disease, early screening and risk factor stratification is recommended