Impacts of economic crises and reform on the informal textile industry in Karachi

"To date, no empirical research has examined the local impacts of economic crises and reform on cities in Pakistan, including Karachi. This study addresses this gap by examining how the textile industry – as one of Pakistan’s most productive economic sectors – has been impacted, with a focus on the informal power loom sub-sector. The factors that have contributed to the decline of the textile industry and the repercussions for this sub-sector, including one of the settlements in which it operates, are discussed. The conclusions contemplate the challenges of formulating urban policy responses to an economic problem that is shaped simultaneously by local, regional and global pressures.

Impacts of economic crises and reform on the informal textile industry in Karachi

"To date, no empirical research has examined the local impacts of economic crises and reform on cities in Pakistan, including Karachi. This study addresses this gap by examining how the textile industry – as one of Pakistan’s most productive economic sectors – has been impacted, with a focus on the informal power loom sub-sector. The factors that have contributed to the decline of the textile industry and the repercussions for this sub-sector, including one of the settlements in which it operates, are discussed. The conclusions contemplate the challenges of formulating urban policy responses to an economic problem that is shaped simultaneously by local, regional and global pressures.

To Know the Effectiveness of Disc Excision in the Treatment of Herniated Lumbar Intervertebral Disc

OBJECTIVES To evaluate the effectiveness of disc excision in the treatment of herniated lumbar intervertebral disc.METHODOLOGY METHODOLGY This study was conducted in the Department of Neurosurgery, Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar. A total of 62 patients had moderate to severe radicular pain due to Prolapsed intervertebral disc at L4/5 or L5/S1. All the enrolled patients were subjected to disc excision surgery. Postoperatively the patients were kept for 48 hours for observation and then discharged. All the patients were advised to come after 2 weeks for the follow-up to check effectiveness. RESULTS The mean age of patients was 34.59± 7.49 years. There were 64.5% male and 35.5% female. 53.2% of patients had L4-L5, 33.9% of patients had L5-S1 and 12.9% of patients had both L4–L5 and L5–S1 level disc herniation. 85.5% of patients had no pain, 8.1% had mild pain and 04.8% had moderate pain. Postoperatively 79.0% of patients were satisfied. CONCLUSION As compared to conservative care limited disc excision is safe, effective, and reliable in terms of pain. Disc excision technique provides immediate relief from radicular pain

Source of Bleeding and Per-Operative Findings in Extradural Hematoma (Edh): A Three-Year Experience in Lady Reading Hospital Peshawar

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to analyze the main source of bleeding and operative findings in an extradural hematoma (EDH).   METHODOLOGY: This study was conducted in the Department of Neurosurgery, Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar. The sample size of the study was analyzed through WHO sample size calculator and 300 diagnosed patients were recruited by purposive sampling technique. Ethical approval was taken from the College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan (CPSP) and the hospital’s ethical committee. By using the SPSS version 23.0, all the collected data were analyzed. RESULTS: The mean age of enrolled patients was 27.96±12.71 years. There were 65.7% male and 34.3% female. The most common age group was 21–30 years followed by 31 to 40 years and 11 to 20 years with the most common source of bleeding was middle meningeal artery, 39.7% of patients fall in the temporal parietal category. CONCLUSION: Middle meningeal artery is the most common source of bleeding in EDH. Therefore, proper management of this vessel is significant to avoid the chances of re-bleed and re-do surgeries.

The response of sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L) genotypes to callus induction, regeneration and different concentrations of the selective agent (geneticin -418)

Two commercial cultivars (CPF-245 and CPF-237) and three advanced lines (CSSG-668, S-2003US633, S-2003US114) of sugarcane (Saccharum officinarium) grown in Punjab, Pakistan were evaluated for their potential to induce callus, embryogenic callus and regeneration. Cultivar CSSG-668 was found to be the best genotype yielding maximum embryogenic callus and regeneration whereas cultivar CPF- 245 exhibited lowest callus induction frequency. Five different concentrations (0, 20, 40, 60, and 80mg/L) of the selective agent (geneticin-418) were used to optimize selection conditions with nontransformed embryogenic calli. The geneticin concentration 60 mg/L was found to be the optimal dose to select the embryogenic calli of genotypes CSSG-668, CPF-245 and S-2003US63, while 35 mg/L geneticin was found to be the best concentration for S-2003US-114. Similarly, 60 mg/L geneticin was optimum dose to select regenerated plantlets of the cultivars CSSG-668 and CPF-245 while it was 40, 25 mg/L for the cultivars S-2003US-114 and S-2003US-633, respectively. It is concluded from the present study that geneticin concentration in the range of 25 to 60 mg/L can be effectively used for the selection of transformed embryogenic calli and regenerants of different sugarcane cultivars.Keywords: Callus induction, embryogenic callus, regeneration, Saccharum officinarum L., selection, geneticin

Outcome Comparison of Endoscopic (Endonasal Trans-Sphenoidal) Repairs of CSF Leak vs. Transcranial Approach

OBJECTIVES: To compare the effectiveness of Endoscopic (endonasal transsphenoidal) repair of CSF leak with transcranial approach in terms of post-operative complications.  METHODOLOGY:   This study was conducted in the Department of Neurosurgery, Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar. Total of 40 patients diagnosed according to inclusion criteria were enrolled and were divided into two groups. One group was treated with endonasal trans-sphenoidal repair, and another was treated with a trans-cranial approach. All patients were followed for 1 year.  RESULTS:  The mean age of enrolled patients was 35.4±11.6 years. There were 62.5% male and 37.5% female. In the endoscopic group the recurrence rate was observed in 3 (15%) of the patients while in the trans-cranial group the recurrence rate was observed in 2 (10%) of the patients. The overall recurrence and success rate was 8% and 92% respectively. About 4 patients developed an infection, which was treated successfully.  CONCLUSION:  It is concluded that the endoscopic approach is safe and effective. The endoscopic approach should be considered as standard procedure for treatment

Efficiency of higher education in the presence of shared inputs using data envelopment analysis

This study measures the efficiency of higher education institutions with respect to teaching activity, research activity, and overall activities and also provides a direction for low-performing institutions to improve their performance. In many instances, the efficiency of the institution is a sum up of the efficiency of its activities. However, when the activities consume some resources in common, it requires the allocation of shared resources among the activities. Since sums up the efficiency of each activity does not give the institution’s overall efficiency, we use a joint data envelopment analysis that takes into account the institution’s internal operations to measure the teaching efficiency, research efficiency, and overall efficiency of the institutions. The empirical results indicate that the institutions that execute both activities simultaneously become more productive rather than adopt a single activity. Hence, this study suggests a useful and measurable action to improve the institution’s performance