Microbial dynamics during various activities in residential areas of Lahore, Pakistan

Bioaerosols are ubiquitous in the atmosphere with their levels affected by a variety of environmental factors as well as type of activities being carried out at any specific time. The present study investigated how indoor activities influence bioaerosol concentrations in five residential houses of Lahore. Agar coated petri plates were exposed face upwards for twenty minutes in kitchens and living rooms during activity and non-activity periods. The temperature and relative humidity levels were noted as well. The bioaerosol concentrations in kitchens during the activity time ranged between 1022 to 4481 cfu/m3 and in living rooms from 1179 to 3183 cfu/m3 . Lower values were observed during non-activity periods. A paired-t test revealed a significant difference in bacterial loads during activity and non-activity times in both micro-environments (p = 0.038 in kitchen and p = 0.021 in living room). The predominant species identified were Micrococcus spp., Staphylococcus spp., and Bacillus spp. which are a common constituent of the indoor environment and are known to be opportunistic pathogens as well

Measurement of NO2 indoor and outdoor concentrations in selected public schools of Lahore using passive sampler

Higher levels of NO2 are a danger to human health especially for children. A seven day study was carried to find out the ambient concentrations of NO2in 27 schools of Lahore with the help of passive samplers. In each school three sites were selected, viz: laboratory, corridor and outdoors. After 7 days exposure the tubes were subjected to spectrophotometric analysis. Results showed that the maximum values measured in laboratory, outdoor and corridors were 376µg/m3 , 222µg/m3 and 77µg/m3 . Minimum values for laboratory, outdoor and corridors were 10µg/m3 , 20µg/m3 and 8µg/m3 . Factors affecting these values were laboratory activities and proximity to main roads. These values were significantly higher than the standard values defined by EPA. Therefore children in schools were at risk of developing health complications

The Transmission of Monetary Policy through Conventional and Islamic Banks

We investigate the differences in banks’ responses to monetary policy shocks across bank size, liquidity, and type, i.e., conventional versus Islamic, in Pakistan between 2002:II to 2010:I. We find that following a monetary contraction, small banks with liquid balance sheets cut their lending less than other small banks. In contrast large banks maintain their lending irrespective of their liquidity positions. Islamic banks, though similar in size to small banks, respond to monetary policy shocks as large banks. Hence ceteris paribus the credit channel of monetary policy may weaken when Islamic banking grows in relative importance.

Myxoid Neurothekeoma: A Rare Soft Tissue Tumor of Hand in a Male Toddler

Neurothekeomas are rare benign neoplasms, typically occurring in young patients with a remarkable predilection for the female population. Patients usually present with a small nodule in different anatomical sites, commonly  involving the face and the upper limb. We report a case of a three.year.old  boy, who presented with a nontender nodule on the left thumb. Surgical biopsy and immunostaining confirmed the diagnosis as myxoid neurothekeoma. The rarity of this unusual skin tumor in a toddler prompted the following report.Keywords: Neurothekeoma, soft tissue tumor, toddle

Spin texture on the Fermi surface of tensile strained HgTe

We present ab initio and k.p calculations of the spin texture on the Fermi surface of tensile strained HgTe, which is obtained by stretching the zincblende lattice along the (111) axis. Tensile strained HgTe is a semimetal with pointlike accidental degeneracies between a mirror symmetry protected twofold degenerate band and two nondegenerate bands near the Fermi level. The Fermi surface consists of two ellipsoids which contact at the point where the Fermi level crosses the twofold degenerate band along the (111) axis. However, the spin texture of occupied states indicates that neither ellipsoid carries a compensating Chern number. Consequently, the spin texture is locked in the plane perpendicular to the (111) axis, exhibits a nonzero winding number in that plane, and changes winding number from one end of the Fermi ellipsoids to the other. The change in the winding of the spin texture suggests the existence of singular points. An ordered alloy of HgTe with ZnTe has the same effect as stretching the zincblende lattice in the (111) direction. We present ab initio calculations of ordered Hg_xZn_1-xTe that confirm the existence of a spin texture locked in a 2D plane on the Fermi surface with different winding numbers on either end.Comment: 8 pages, 8 figure

Exposure to NO2 in occupational built environments in urban centre in Lahore

Increased economic growth, urbanisation and substantial rise in automobile vehicles has contributed towards the elevated levels of air pollution in major cities in Pakistan. Aone week study was conducted by using passive samplers to assess NO2 concentration in occupational built environments at two most congested and populated sites of Lahore. Both sites were locatedon the busy roads of Lahore. At Site-I the highest concentration was in outdoors followed by corridor and indoor. While at Site II all the sampling location wereindoors and level were comparable to that of outdoor levelsat Site I. The results suggest the likely contribution of ambient sources in exposure to indoor NO2 in educational and other occupational built environments in urban centres

A K-Chart based implementation framework to attain lean & agile manufacturing

[EN] Lean manufacturing has always ensured production optimization by eliminating wastes, and its implementation has helped in improving the operational performance of the organization since it eliminates the bottlenecks from the processes, thus making them efficient. In lean scenarios, the focus is on “waste” elimination, but in agile manufacturing, the focus is on the ability of comprehension of changing market dynamics and the resilience. One of the major factors in the combined implementation of lean and agile approaches is inadequate planning, monitoring and lack of awareness regarding changing market trends, and this can be countered by utilizing the effective tool of K-Chart. Through a systematic literature review, the authors establish the requirement of effective planning and monitoring in the implementation of integrated lean and agile approach, concluding that K-Chart is a handy tool to adopt for their effective implementation. The result provides a new vision of lean implementation through K-Chart, whereas it provides clarity to practitioners by presenting a K-chart based implementation framework for achieving favourable results. Being a literature review the research work can be validated through a case study approach in future through a comparative analysis between various implementation techniques and K-Chart.Zaheer, S.; Amjad, M.; Rafique, M.; Khan, M. (2020). A K-Chart based implementation framework to attain lean & agile manufacturing. International Journal of Production Management and Engineering. 8(2):123-135. https://doi.org/10.4995/ijpme.2020.12935OJS12313582Abdullah, M. K., Mohd Suradi, N., Jamaluddin, N., Mokhtar, A. S., Abu Talib, A., & Zainuddin, M. F. (2006). K-chart: a tool for research planning and monitoring. J. of Quality Management And Analysis, 2(1), 123-130.Abdullah, M. K., Suradi, N. R. M., Jamaluddin, N., Mokhtar, S., Talib, A. R. A., & Zainuddin, M. F. 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Defining pharmacy and its practice: a conceptual model for an international audience

Background: There is much fragmentation and little consensus in the use of descriptors for the different disciplines that make up the pharmacy sector. Globalization, reprofessionalization and the influx of other disciplines means there is a requirement for a greater degree of standardization. This has not been well addressed in the pharmacy practice research and education literature. Objectives: To identify and define the various subdisciplines of the pharmacy sector and integrate them into an internationally relevant conceptual model based on narrative synthesis of the literature. Methods: A literature review was undertaken to understand the fragmentation in dialogue surrounding definitions relating to concepts and practices in the context of the pharmacy sector. From a synthesis of this literature, the need for this model was justified. Key assumptions of the model were identified, and an organic process of development took place with the three authors engaging in a process of sense-making to theorize the model. Results: The model is “fit for purpose” across multiple countries and includes two components making up the umbrella term “pharmaceutical practice”. The first component is the four conceptual dimensions, which outline the disciplines including social and administrative sciences, community pharmacy, clinical pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences. The second component of the model describes the “acts of practice”: teaching, research and professional advocacy; service and academic enterprise. Conclusions: This model aims to expose issues relating to defining pharmacy and its practice and to create dialogue. No model is perfect, but there are implications for what is posited in the areas of policy, education and practice and future research. The main point is the need for increased clarity, or at least beginning the discussion to increase the clarity of definition and consistency of meaning in-and-across the pharmacy sector locally, nationally and internationall