The small and medium enterprises Act as catalyst for economic growth and development in Pakistan: Economic growth and development perspective

This paper explores the value of small and medium enterprises for the economic growth and development especially in Pakistan. Moreover, it assesses the usage of information technology in SMEs sector of Pakistan. According to the recent Census of Establishments conducted by the Federal Bureau of Statistics (FBS) there are about 3.2 million economic establishments in Pakistan. Out of these Small & Medium sized enterprises (SMEs) (with employment base up to 99) constitute 90% of all private enterprises employing approximately 78% of non-agriculture labor force1. SMEs contributed over 30% to GDP, 25% in export earnings besides sharing 35% in manufacturing value addition2. The paper suggests that SMEs act as a catalyst to economical growth and development where IT embedded in their operations, planning and decisions like Hong Kong, Denmark and USA. Many other societies also place great value on the small and medium enterprises and encourage their activity. In fact, wealth and a high majority of jobs are created by small & medium businesses in the world. As a result, many experienced business people, political leaders, economists, and educators believe that fostering a robust small and medium business culture will maximize individual and collective economic and social success on a local, national, and global scale. It is recommended that SMEs may be offered access to inexpensive capital, tax exemptions and management advice & experiences and IT infrastructure which further leads toward the economical growth & development. The economical growth and development in a country can brings happiness and prosperity to its nation

Violence Against Healthcare Professionals in Nishtar Medical University Hospital Multan, Pakistan: A Descriptive Cross-Sectional Study

Objective This study aims to identify the risk factors of physical violence against healthcare professionals in Nishtar Hospital Multan Pakistan. Study design Descriptive cross-sectional study Place and duration of study Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Nishtar Medical University Multan, Pakistan. The time span of study was from January 2016 to December 2017. Method A non-probabilistic strategy was used to select 200 healthcare professionalswho were serving at Nishtar hospital Multan Pakistan. We first obtained lists of all healthcare workers employed at our university hospital from hospital management and human resource department. We combined these lists, assigned a number to the name of each worker, and selected an average of 200 personnel from our university hospital. The study samples included doctors, nurses, and paramedical staff (e.g., medical technicians and administrative staff). All the members of study population were well informed of the purposes and methods of the study. Then we distributed the questionnaire. All the healthcare professionals responded as per their opinion and experiences and submitted it to a specified box. The dara were retrieved and analyzed by using computer program SPSS 20 version. Results Out of total study population a total of eighty six (43%) healthcare professionals reported that they were physically attacked in their hospital in the previous 12 months. Most of the time this illegal action was performed by the relatives of the patients (88 %), followed by the patient (12%); 73.6% of perpetrators young aged between 20 to 40 years of age. Pertaining to physical violence incidents, approximately 91% (n = 182) resulted in a physical injury, and 55.4% of respondents took two or three days of sick leave after sustaining that physical injury. Surprisingly, the reporting of workplace violence in hospitals to law enforcing agencies and higher authorities of hospital administration was considerably low (12.4%). Most of the healthcare professionals (87%) did not receive training on how to avoid workplace violence (n=174). The study showed that general nurses, aged 35 years or younger, were more likely to experience physical violence. Healthcare professionals with direct physical contact (washing, turning, lifting) with patients had a higher risk of physical violence compared to other health care workers. The lengthy and cumbersome legal and administrative delays in the procedures for reporting workplace violence were a major cause for physical violence. At work place, the reporting of incidence after psychological violence was protective than to waiting until an instance of physical violence takes palce. Conclusions Physical violence in hospitals is an occupational hazard for public health concern. Policy makers and higher authorities should introduce legal procedures and intervention to cope with this serious issue

Posterior Fossa Reconstruction for Chiari Malformation Type I: Experience with 17 Cases

Objective: To assess the results of posterior fossa reconstruction in patients with Chiari I malformation.Material and Methods: This observational study was conducted at the department of Neurosurgery, medical and teaching institute (MTI), Lady Reading Hospital Peshawar from July 2013 to June 2015. A total of 17 consecutive patients with Chiari I malformation who undergone posterior fossa reconstruction and fulfilled inclusion criteria were included in the study irrespective of their age and gender. The patients were assessed postoperatively for clinical and radiological (syringomyelia) improvement and post operative complications for a period of 6 months.Results: We had total 17 patients who underwent posterior fossa reconstruction for Chiari I malformation. There were 41.2% males and 58.8% females. Age of the patients ranged from 10 – 52 years with the mean age of 31 years. The most common clinical features were headache (64.7%) and sensory impairment (58.8%). We had syringomyelia in 70.1% and scoliosis in 47.1% cases. After surgery headache improved in 81.1% patients, sensations in 70% cases and syringomyelia in 91.1% cases. The overall morbidity in the form of complications was in almost 47% cases. One patient (5.9%) died after surgery.Conclusions: We conclude that posterior fossa reconstruction is a safe and effective procedure for the manage-ment of Chiari I malformation. This results in improvement in patients symptoms with acceptable complications. These complications respond to conservative treatment most of tim

Allelochemical root-growth inhibitors in low-molecular-weight cress-seed exudate

Background and aims. Cress seeds release allelochemicals that overstimulate the elongation of neighbouring (potentially competing) seedlings’ hypocotyls and inhibit their root growth. The hypocotyl promoter is potassium, but the root inhibitor was unidentified; its nature is investigated here.Methods. Low-molecular-weight cress-seed exudate (LCSE) from imbibed Lepidium sativum seeds was fractionated by phase partitioning, paper chromatography, high-voltage electrophoresis and gel-permeation chromatography (on Bio-Gel P-2). Fractions, compared with pure potassium salts, were bioassayed for effects on Amaranthus caudatus seedling growth in the dark for 4 days.Key results. LCSE robustly promoted amaranth hypocotyl elongation and inhibited root growth. The hypocotyl inhibitor was non-volatile, hot-acid-stable, hydrophilic, and resistant to incineration — as expected for K+. The root inhibitor(s) had similar properties but were organic (activity lost on incineration). The root inhibitor(s) remained in the aqueous phase (at pH 2.0, 6.5 and 9.0) when partitioned against butan-1-ol or toluene, and were thus hydrophilic. Activity was diminished after electrophoresis, but the remaining root-inhibitors were neutral. They became undetectable after paper chromatography; therefore, they probably comprised multiple compounds, which partially separated from each other during fractionation. On gel-permeation chromatography, the root inhibitor co-eluted with hexoses. Conclusions. Cress-seed allelochemicals inhibiting root growth are different from the agent (K+) that over-stimulates hypocotyl elongation, and probably comprise a mixture of small, non-volatile, hydrophilic, organic substances. Abundant components identified chromatographically and by electrophoresis in cress-seed exudate fitting this description include glucose, fructose, sucrose and galacturonic acid. However, none of these sugars co-chromatographed and co-electrophoresed with the root-inhibitory principle of LCSE, and none of them (in pure form at naturally occurring concentrations) inhibited root growth. We conclude that the root-inhibiting allelochemicals of cress seed exudate remain unidentified. <br/

Prevalence and Evaluation of Multidrug Resistance Pattern of Pseudomonas Aeruginosa among Critical and Non-Critical Areas at a Tertiary Care hospital of Multan

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an extremely wide spread microorganism linked to nosocomial illnesses. Effective inspection of variations in antimicrobial resistance patterns of P. aeruginosa is vital for selecting suitable antimicrobial drugs for pragmatic treatment. The current research has been performed for assessing antimicrobial sensitivity profile of P. aeruginosa isolated as of a variety of medical specimens collected from critical and non-critical admitted patients of Nishtar Hospital, Multan. The isolates were detected utilizing standard lab practices, as well as the sensitivity was examined employing Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method corresponding to Clinical and Laboratory Standard Institute (CLSI) recommendations 2019. Out of 373 samples, 110 (29.49 %) P. aeruginosa isolates were from admitted patients in different wards. 82 (74.5 %) came from non-critical units along with 28 (25.4 %) belonged to critical units. Prevalence of P. aeruginosafrom the non-critical units was detected from surgical ward 35 (42.6 %) followed by medical ward 25 (30.48 %), gynecology 15 (18.29 %) and orthopedics 7 (8.5 %). The highest prevalence of P. aeruginosa among critical areas were from Medicine Intensive Care Unit 14 (50 %) followed by Surgery Intensive Care Unit 9 (32.14 %) and Respiratory Intensive Care Unit 5 (17.85 %). All were observed as multidrug-resistant against different antibiotics. The current research facilitates estimating the occurrence of MDR strains in intensive care units. Therefore, routine investigation of antibiotic sensitivity patterns is crucial for lowering the healthcare-linked infection levels as well as antimicrobial resistance

CHARACTERIZATION OF SOFT B SEPARATION AXIOMS IN SOFT BI-TOPOLOGICAL SPACES

The main aim of this article is to introduce Soft b separation axioms in soft bi topological spaces. We discuss soft b separation axioms in soft bi topological spaces with respect to ordinary point and soft points. Further study the behavior of soft regular b T3 and soft normal b T4 spaces at different angles with respect to ordinary points as well as with respect to soft points. Hereditary properties are also discussed

Necessitating Human Resource Management Model in South Asia: A Rationale Perspective

This retrospective study glimpses in the literature to understand the development of indigenous HRM models based on cultural and geographical differences, and ends up with identifying the need of a &bdquo;South Asian HRM model‟. Such model is needed due to increasing share of this part of world and future potentials. Development of such model will not only pave the way towards indigenization of practices focusing local demands and cultural values, but will also pay to the investing firm. Such model may also be a guideline for firms investing huge funds in this part of the worl

Short Term Complications of Myelomeningocele Repair. An Experience in Neurosurgery Department Lady Reading Hospital Peshawar

Objective: To determine the short term complications of Myelomeningocele repair.Material and Methods: This cross sectional study was conducted at Neurosurgery Department, PGMI Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar from January 2014 to June 2014 with total 6 months duration. All patients having age from 1 to 6 months with either gender who were operated for myelomeningocele were included and those patients having MMC with a prior VP shunt, moribund patients who do not survive for 30 days were excluded from the study. Patients age, gender and short term complications of surgery were documented on pre designed proforma. Minimum one month follow up was done. Data was analyzed by SPSS version 17 and expressed in the form of tables and charts.Results: In this study 58% children were in age range 1 – 2 months and 42% children were in age range 3 – 6 months. Mean age was 2 months with SD ± 1.26. Fifty five percent children were male and 45% children were female. VP Shunt was put in 12% children, CSF Leak was found in 15% and infection was found in 23% of cases.Conclusion: Wound site infection and CSF leak are the most common short term complications of myelo-meningocele repair

Splicing inhibition induces gene expression through canonical NF-κB pathway and extracellular signal-related kinase activation

AbstractSplicing, a process for mRNA maturation, is essential for correct gene expression after transcription. However, recent studies also suggest that splicing affects transcription, but its mechanism remains elusive. We previously reported that treatment with spliceostatin A (SSA), a specific splicing inhibitor targeting the splicing factor SF3b, leads to transcriptional activation of a small subset of genes. To investigate the underlying mechanism we utilized luciferase reporters driven by the Interleukin 8 (IL-8) and cytomegalovirus (CMV) promoters, as both recruit a similar set of transcription factors. We also found that SSA treatment led to increased extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK) activity and that chemical inhibition of ERK also led to decreased promoter activation. Systematic deletion studies suggested that NF-κB activation is mainly responsible for SSA-induced promoters activation

Operative Findings during Microvascular Decompression in Patients with Idiopathic Trigeminal Neuralgia

Objective:&nbsp;To know about operative findings during microvascular decompression for idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia.&nbsp; Material and Methods:&nbsp;This prospective observational study was carried out on 108 patients who had idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia at Neurosurgery Department of PGMI, Lady Reading Hospital Peshawar from Jan 2010 to dec 2012 with total 2 year duration. All patients who underwent micro vascular decompression for idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia with both gender and having age from 2nd – 8 th decades were included in the study. Patients’ operative findings were noted during MVD and were documented on predesigned Proforma. Data was analyzed by SPSS version 17 and represented in the form of graphs and charts.&nbsp; Results:&nbsp;108 patients were operated for trigeminal neuralgia. Males were 64 (59.25%) and females were 44 (40.74%). Age ranged from 18 – 70 years, mean age was 44 ± 5 years. Right side was involved in 75 (70%) cases. In 106 patients (98%), a neurovascular conflict was found, the superior cerebellar artery (SCA) being the most common cause of compression in 86 (80%) patients. Regarding branches mandibular division (V3) was most commonly involved having 64 (59.25%) patients followed by maxillary (V2) 32 (29.62%) and ophthalmic (V1) division 8 (7.40%). After surgery complete pain relief was noted in 97 (90%) patients. Post operatively, nausea, vomiting and dizziness was noted in 18 (16.66%) cases, diplopia in 5 (4.62%), slight deafness in 4 (3.70%) cerebellum infarct 2 (1.85%), CSF leakage in 6 (5.55%), facial palsy in 8 (7.40%), and wound infection in 5 (4.62%) one of which subsequently died.&nbsp; Conclusion:&nbsp;Vascular compression of trigeminal nerve is most common cause of Idiopathic neuralgia. Superior cerebellar artery is the most common compressing vessel, found during Microvascular decompression