Supervisory Support on the Organizational Commitment: Role of Power Distance in the Manufacturing Sector of Pakistan

Supervisor’s support for the employees is an important factor which ensures employee retention. A good supervisor enables employees to achieve their personal as well as organizational goals. Supervisors are the front side of the organization. The purpose of this investigation was to find out the impact of supervisory support on organizational commitment in the presence of power distance. The data was collected from the manufacturing sector. A sum of 500 questionnaires were distributed and among them 395 were returned back. 340 out of 395 were correctly filled and were considered for analysis. Reliability scores against each variable were calculated which were in acceptable range. Descriptive and inferential statistics have been used to investigate the impact of supervisory support on organizational commitment under mediating effect of power distance. Limitations and future directions are also discussed. Keywords: Supervisory support, Power distance, Organizational commitment, Descriptive statistics, inferential statistic

An artificial intelligence and NLP based Islamic FinTech model combining Zakat and Qardh-Al-Hasan for countering the adverse impact of COVID 19 on SMEs and individuals

Pursose: The ongoing Corona virus (COVID 19) pandemic has already impacted almost everyone across the globe. The focus has now shifted from spread of the disease to the economic consequences it will bring to the society. The shortage of production will result into the shortage of supply and consequently will end as loss of jobs and employment for millions of people around the world. Two of the most important section of our society i.e., daily wage laborers and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) will have to bear the major burnt of this crisis. The proposed integrated Artificial Intelligence and NLP based Islamic FinTech Model combining Zakat (Islamic tax) and Qardh-Al-Hasan (benevolent loan) can help the economy to minimize the adverse impact of COVID 19 on individuals and SMEs. Design/Methodology/Approach: The present study explores the possibility of Zakat and Qardh-Al-Hasan as a financing method to fight the adverse impact of Corona virus on poor individuls and SMEs. It provides the solution by proposing an Artificial Intelligence and NLP based Islamic FinTech Model combining Zakat and Qardh-Al-Hasan. Findings: The findings of the study reveals that Islamic finance has immense potential to fight any kind of situation/pandemic. Zakat and Qardh-Al-Hasan, if combined together can prove to be a deadly combination to fight the adverse effect of COVID 19. Practical Implications: To be used as an effective way to support individuals and SMEs in the period during and after the pandemic of COVID 19. Originality/value: There is no study combining Zakat and Qardh Al-Hasan to fight the adverse effect of poor individuals and SMEs. The study will contribute massively to the existing literature and will help the government and civil societies in fighting the economic impact of COVID 19 on individuals and SMEs.peer-reviewe

Effect of Thiazolidinediones on the Erythropoeitic and Germinal Cells in the Male Wistar Rats

Hyperglycemia is the main determinant of long term diabetic complications mainly through induction of oxidative stress responsible for secondary defects including cancer, infertility etc. Thiazolidinediones (TZDs) are known to posses the antioxidant potential against the reactive oxygen species. The ability of clinically used TZDs like Rosiglitazone (RSG) and Pioglitazone (PIO) in diabetic complications is still need to be studied extensively in the literature. In this study, the role of RSG and PIO on the frequency of nuclear and germinal cell damage was studied using bone marrow micronucleus (MN) test, sperm shape abnormality and sperm count in normal animals. The drugs were tested in the three doses (1, 10 and 100 mg/kg) after acute (48 hrs and 72 hrs) and chronic (4 weeks) treatment. The results indicated that RSG has produced significant (p < 0.01) decrease in P/N (polychromatic and normochromatic erythrocytes) ratio at 10 and 100 mg/kg without affecting the frequency of micronucleated erythrocytes, sperm shape morphology and sperm count. PIO in the tested doses did not induce any change in P/N ratio and sperm count but the higher dose (100 mg/kg) showed suppression of MN in normochromatic erythrocytes and % sperm shape abnormality compared to the control group

An overview of diagnostic criteria for identification of cryptococcal meningitis with special emphasis on AIDS

Fungi are common in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive patients but HIV predisposes patients to several viral and bacterial infections that can result in meningitis. Understanding the burden of cryptococcal disease is particularly important for public health officials to adequately plan and prioritize needed resources for disease prevention and control. Cryptococcal meningitis, a fungal infection caused by Cryptococcus spp. is the second most common cause of opportunistic fungal infection in patients with  acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). It is important to define the burden of cryptococcal meningitis, as it relates to other important diseases, and to understand the need for public health attention to this infection. Frequently, HIV infection weakens the body's ability to fight disease. Infections which are rarely seen in those with normal immune systems are life-threatening to those with HIV. It is time to expand this global focus on HIV to include one of its most serious consequences, cryptococcosis. Few, if any, complications of advanced HIV disease have a greater influence on morbidity and mortality. We are likely to see little real progress in the outcome for these patients until there is a global commitment to invest in more drug availability, better access to easily used diagnostics and therapeutic devices, and more innovative clinical researches.Key words: Cryptococcal meningitis, immune system, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), serotrypes

DEPRESSION IN PREGNANCY - CONSEQUENCES AND TREATMENT MODALITIES

Depression is a mood disorder which can affect 1 in every 4 women at some point of life even during pregnancy. Depression is most often not properly diagnosed during pregnancy as it is assumed by people to be just another type of imbalance in hormones. But this assumption can be very dangerous to the mother and the fetus. The health care professionals are very cautious about the treatment for depression in pregnancy as both uses of antidepressant and untreated depression in pregnancy can lead to risks for the unborn baby. This review focuses on the complications associated with both treated and untreated depression during pregnancy. In addition, if the treatment is inevitable, then factors such as teratogenesis, withdrawal symptoms, neurobehavioral effects, risk of untreated and risk of discontinuing the medication need to be considered before selecting the suitable therapy.Keywords: Pregnancy, Depression, Drug-therapy, Fetal toxicit

TO STUDY THE ROLE OF EXERCISE AND DIETARY MANIPULATION IN OBESE RATS TREATED WITH ORLISTAT

Objective: The present study was undertaken to evaluate the role of exercise and dietary manipulation in obese rats treated with Orlistat.Methods: The study was conducted for 16 weeks. High-fat diet (HFD) was used to induce obesity, and once these animals were obese (eight week), manipulation in the diet, exercise, Orlistat and low dose of Orlistat were tested for 8 more weeks. During the treatment period, animals were continued with HFD except for the groups where the low-calorie diet (LCD) was used. The various manipulative options studied to include swimming test (physical exercise), Orlistat (200 mg/kg), low dose Orlistat (65 mg/kg) and low-calorie diet. The parameters were evaluated including Body weight was measured on weekly two days. Biochemical parameters such as HDL, LDL, VLDL, Triglycerides and total cholesterol were measured using diagnostic kits. Blood-glucose level was measured. On 16th week, the animals were sacrificed and their organ weights were measured. Organ weights included the Liver, Left and Right kidney and fat pad weights such as Mesenteric fat, Epididymis fat. Results: There was a significant reduction in body weight, Triglycerides, total cholesterol, LDL, VLDL, Blood-glucose level organ weights included the Liver, Left kidney and Right kidney and fat pad weights such as Mesenteric fat, Epididymis fat and increased in HDL level of the animals treated with exercise and dietary manipulation and Orlistat.Conclusion: The present study revealed that [HFD+Orlistat (low dose)+Exercise+LCD] group showed more potential effective than rest of all treatment groups.Â

Prevalence of obesity among adults in Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates

Background: There is an increasing prevalence of obesity globally which is associated with Non Communicable Diseases. As this trend continues even in UAE we decided to focus on determining the prevalence of obesity among adults in Ras Al Khaimah (RAK), UAE.Methods: This was a retrospective observational study done in adults between the age group of 18 to 77 years using convenience sampling technique in 544 subjects. Anthropometric, bio chemical, clinical and demographic data was collected by direct interview for four consecutive years, i.e. from 2013 to 2016. Body Mass Index (BMI) was analyzed to classify individuals as overweight (BMI 25.0-29.9kg/m²), Obese grade I (BMI 30.0-34.9kg/m²), Obese grade II (BMI 35.0-39.9kg/m²) and obese grade III (BMI > 40.0kg/m²).Results: Data was obtained from 544 subjects and considered for analysis. Our results showed that the mean age of the study population was 39.29±13.43 years, the mean weight was 75.35±15.65 kilograms and the mean BMI was 27.62±5.43kg/m2. A total of 67.6% of the study population was either overweight or obese. The prevalence of overweight is 36.2% followed by obesity prevalence of 31.4% of which 22.8% were categorized as Grade I obese, 5.5% Grade II obese and 3.1% Grade III obese. We found that higher proportions of males were in overweight and obese category compared to females.Conclusions: The results derived from our study shows that obesity and overweight are widespread among Ras al khaimah population with the obesity prevalence of 31.4%. Hence, policy makers should focus on preparing national nutritional strategies and implement protocols to overcome this burden by giving practical solutions

Renovascular hypertension: factors affecting the outcome following surgical revascularisation

This study was conducted at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan to evaluate factors that affect outcome following revascularisation in patients with renovascular hypertension. We included all the patients diagnosed to have renovascular hypertension, confirmed by renal angiography, between July 1997 and September 2000. Of the total 15 patients, nine were males and six were females. Eleven patients received venous grafts, three received polytetraflouroethyline (PTFE) grafts while one patient underwent angioplasty and stenting. All were followed-up for a period of nine months (median) with the range from 2 to 84 months. A total of 33.3% of the study patients were completely cured, as they became normotensive without anti-hypertensive therapy after operation, while 27% showed marked improvement in blood pressure control post-operatively. Thus, extended cure or improvement of renovascular hypertension was achieved in 60% of patients. Normal pre-operative serum creatinine level, high pre-operative unstimulated peripheral renin levels and renal vein renin ratio of at least 1.75:1 were the most significant predictive factors for favorable outcome (p \u3c 0.012). The pre-operative severity and duration of hypertension as well as degree of disparity in kidney sizes did not predict the post-operative improvement in renal function and blood pressure control

Using SERVQUAL for assessing and improving patient satisfaction at a rural health facility in Pakistan.

A cross-sectional study of Patient satisfaction with care was conducted over a period of 1 year from March 2004 to March 2005 in a secondary-level hospital in a peri-urban area of Karachi, Pakistan. Using the SERVQUAL tool and exit interviews, data were collected quarterly from a total of 1533 Patients. Results sharing and capacity-building workshops were arranged during the 4 phases of the survey to sensitize the staff of the hospital to work towards improving Patient satisfaction. The level of satisfaction of the Patients with the outPatient health services provided showed a gradual increase from 34.4% to 82.0% over the 1-year period