Consumer Attitude towards Counterfeit Products: With Reference to Pakistani Consumers

The main purpose of this research is to develop and test a model that shows the main predictors of consumer’s attitude toward counterfeit products and to help companies to realize the main factors that are influencing consumer attitude towards counterfeit products and build successful anti-piracy policy. Population was all the students of the Bahawalpur District. Sample unit was the students of Islamia University of Bahawalpur as regular or private students. Sample frame was all the students of DMS which are at the level of Bachelor, Master and MS. We have used the convenience and non-probability sampling techniques in this study.  Sample size140 for this study conducted in Bahawalpur district. The main part of the paper is to show that consumer buy counterfeited products are dependent on the attitudes they have toward counterfeit products, which is influenced by price-quality inference, perceived risk, subjective norm, integrity, and personal gratification

Post Thrombolytic St-Segment Resolution Outcome in Acute Myocardial Infarction Patients

OBJECTIVES: The main objective of this study was to assess post thrombolytic resolution of ST-segment and its outcome in patients with acute myocardial infarction. METHODOLOGY: This Prospective Comparative Study was carried out at the Cardiology Unit of Ayub Teaching Hospital, Abbottabad. All patients irrespective of gender and age with ST-Segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), having no immediate access to angioplasty and thrombolysed with streptokinase, were included in this study. ECG was taken at the beginning and 90 minutes after the administration of streptokinase. Based on ST-segment resolution on ECG taken at 90 minutes these patients were classified into group A and B. Group A included patients with ST-segment resolution while group B showed no resolution of ST-segment after streptokinase administration. These patients were followed during their hospital stay for complications such as arrhythmias, cardiogenic shock, acquired ventricular septal defects (VSD) aneurysm and death. RESULTS: Among 115 patients, 94 were male and 21 female. Group A included 102 (89%) patients and group B included 13 (11%). In group A, only 1 (0.98 %) patient developed complications and in group B, 13 patients (100%) developed complications. Arrhythmias were the most common complication among MI patients in group A while cardiogenic shock was the commonest complication in group B. CONCLUSION: ST-segment resolution is a practical and applicable indicator of successful thrombolysis and has a significant correlation with clinical outcome in acute myocardial patients after thrombolysis with streptokinase

The Significance of Androgen Receptor in Oncogenesis and Cancer Treatment: Emphasis on Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

The androgen receptor (AR) is a transcription factor that is dependent upon ligand activation and is a member of the nuclear receptor superfamily. AR has been found to have a role in cancers of the prostate, breast, ovarian, nasal cavity, and lung. It has been seen that AR plays a significant role in both the early and later stages of prostate cancer as AR is expressed in almost every primary prostate cancer. An evolving prognostic and therapeutic role of AR also exists in breast cancer as increased expression of AR has been linked to improved survival. In the case of OSCC, the role of hormonal therapy as a prognostic marker remains to be explored. Some reports have failed to identify the expression of AR in oral cavity cancers or any significant associations, while others have predicted AR-expressing tumours to have a worse prognosis. This review narrates the current research on AR and how it can be applied in future research

SOLID PHASE MICROBIAL FERMENTATION OF ANABOLIC STEROID, DIHYDROTESTOSTERONE WITH ASCOMYCETE FUNGUS FUSARIUM OXYSPORUM

Objective: Microbial catalysis is used in the commercial production of many bioactive steroids. Solid phase microbial fermentation of anabolic steroid, dihydrotestosterone (DHT, 1), was carried out with ascomycete fungal strain Fusarium oxysporum (NRRL-1392).Methods: Sabouraud-4% glucose-agar was used to cultivate the fungal cultures as solid phase medium. Substrate 1 was incubated with Fusarium oxysporum (NRRL-1392) for 8 days. Microbial transformed metabolites were purified by using column chromatographic technique. Results: Ascomycete fungal strain Fusarium oxysporum (NRRL-1392), transformed dihydrotestosterone (1) to four oxidative metabolites 2-5  using solid phase microbial transformation metod. During biotransformation process the hydroxy group was incorporated in inactivated methine carbon atoms at C-7 and C-11 positions. Their structures were elucidated by means of a homo and heteronuclear 2D NMR and by HREI-MS techniques as 17b-hydroxyandrosta-1, 4-dien-3-one 2, androsta-1, 4-diene-3, 17-dione 3, 7a, 17b-dihydroxyandrosta-1, 4-dien-3-one (4), and 11a-hydroxyandrosta-1, 4-diene-3, 17-dione 5. The relative stereochemistry of newly incorporated hydroxy groups were deduced by 2D NOESY experiment.Conclusion: In conclusion, microbial biocatalysis is an attractive alternative tool for the preparation of new bioactive steroids, which might be difficult to prepare by conventional chemical routes. Furthermore, microbial-catalyzed biotransformations can produce commercially valuable steroidal pharmaceuticals for the pharmaceutical industry.Â

SOLID PHASE MICROBIAL REACTIONS OF SEX HORMONE, TRANS-ANDROSTERONE WITH FILAMENTOUS FUNGI

Objective: A microbial biotransformation study was performed on trans-androsterone (1) using solid phase medium. In the present context, trans-androsterone (1), a sex hormone was fermented with two filamentous fungi, Rhizopus stolonifer (black bread mold) and Fusarium lini.Methods: Sabouraud-4% glucose-agar were used to cultivate the fungal cultures as solid phase medium. Substrate 1 was incubated with R. stolonifer (ATCC 10404) and F. lini (NRRL 68751) for 8 days. Microbial transformed metabolites were purified by using column chromatographic technique. Results: The metabolism study of 1 revealed that various metabolites were detected when incubated with filamentous fungi. A total of 3 transformed products were obtained. The reactions occurred that exhibited diversity; including selective hydroxylation at C-6 and C-7 along with oxidation occurs at C-3 positions. Their structure and identified on the basis of extensive spectroscopic data (NMR, HREIMS, IR and UV) as 3b,7b-dihydroxy-5a-androstan-17-one 2 in a good yield (58%), 6b-hydroxy-5a-androstan-3,17-dione 3, and 3b,6b-dihydroxy-5a-androstan-17-one 4.Conclusion: Solid phase microbial transformation method can successfully be used for the development of new steroidal drugs. The modified steroidal molecules could favor when compared to their natural counterparts due to several medicinal advantages.Â

The Relationship between Ethical Leadership and Whistle-Blowing: The Moderating Effects of Job Security and Affective Commitment

The present study examines the positive impact of ethical leadership on whistleblowing. The study further investigates the role of job security and affective commitment as moderators on the relationship between ethical leadership and whistleblowing. This study examined the fundamental moderating mechanism, which is unique because no such mechanism has been investigated in previous research. A cross-sectional representative sample of 285 Federal Government employees from various Ministries/Divisions and the Benazir Income Support Programme, a corporate body and a renowned social safety net under the Federal Government of Pakistan, was collected. Of the 285 questionnaires, only 241 were deemed useable and were analyzed. A statistical analysis was carried out through correlation, descriptive, and moderated regression analysis. The results supported the first three hypotheses that ethical leadership and whistleblowing had a positive relationship. Furthermore, job security moderated the positive relationship between ethical leadership and whistleblowing, such that the relationship is stronger for employees with high job security and weaker for employees with low job security. Affective commitment also moderated the relationship directly meaning that the relationship is stronger when the affective commitment is strong and weaker when it is weak. Discussion, implications, limitations, and future directions have been suggested in accordance with the results of the study

A DuPont Analysis on Insurance Sector of South Asian Region

This research is to examine that most of the time investors do not prefer to highly profitable companies. We investigate the DuPont equation on insurance sector of South Asian region. Through DuPont analysis we see which types of companies are most fruitful for investor. We are using two method of ranking, first one is base on profit (Net income) and second one is base on DuPont equation. After that we see impact of independent variables (Return on asset & financial leverage) on dependent variable (return on equity) by regression analysis. The result shows that the ranking according to DuPont method are more reliable for investors as compare to profit (net income). The finding of this paper is that investor should work on effort method as judge against to effect method

Treatment options for Primary CNS Lymphoma

Primary CNS lymphoma (PCNSL) is a rare and aggressive brain tumour that is uniformly fatal. The rarity of the disease and the poor response to treatment makes it difficult to reach a consensus with regards to treatment options. In this review, the authors have discussed different treatment modalities used in the management of PCNSL including chemotherapy, surgery and radiation, as well as the results of recent clinical trials on treatment options for PCNSL