• Asian Journal of Business Environment
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• 제3권2호
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• pp.5-15
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• 2013

Purpose - This pilot study explores the gap between venture capitalists and young business graduates in Pakistan. Though the young graduates remain enthusiastic about choosing entrepreneurship as a profession, their success is subject to financial constraints. Research design, data, methodology - We administered a Likert-scale based questionnaire to 200 business graduates from June to July 2012, and interviewed ten venture capitalists from Islamabad and Lahore-two highly business oriented cities of Pakistan-to collect the data. The survey participation was on a voluntary basis without any financial sponsorship. Findings- There is a communication gap between the two parties (venture capitalists and business graduates), and a lack of trust in the entrepreneurial education and training offered in the educational institutions in Pakistan. The study, however, reveals the leading role of the Government in reducing this gap through certain measures. Conclusions - Some measures that can reduce the gap between venture capitalists and young graduates are: association of business schools with industry; financial institutions'initiatives to financially support the small and medium level projects of the economics and business students during their studies; establishment of placement bureaus in the business schools; and organization of regular open houses in the universities.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• 제7권8호
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• pp.95-102
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• 2020

The purpose of this study is to test both the alignment theory and entertainment theory on family firms listed on the Pakistan Stock Exchange. To achieve these goals, we collected secondary data from 164 non-financial family firms in various sectors during 2014-18. These family firms are classified into two categories: family control firms and family owned firms. We take the audit fee and the audit quality as dependent variables while family control firms, family-owned firms, and family CEOs as independent variables. In addition, the study uses leverage, profit and export as control variables. To test the effect of the explanatory variables on the output variables, we use two econometric models, Ordinary Least Square and the Probit regression model. In addition, Huber Sandwich test is used to check the non-normality and heteroscedasticity of panel data. Contrary to the alignment effect, the study supports the entrenchment effect and advocates that family-controlled firms as well as family-owned firms are not conscientious regarding the selection of external auditors during their contracts with audit firms. They are less likely to pay high audit fees for good quality audit in Pakistan. Furthermore, the study shows a statistically significant and positive relationship between audit quality and audit fees.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제17권2호
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• pp.563-568
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• 2016

Background: Breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer in women worldwide and its frequency is increasing gradually in many countries. Over the last three decades an increase in the breast cancer has been witnessed in the earlier low-risk Asian countries including Pakistan. Purpose: The objective of the current study was to assess the prevalence of known risk factors like early menarche, late menopause, socio economic, reproductive and demographic factors, among women diagnosed with breast cancer at INMOL hospital, Lahore, Punjab, as little information exists in this regard. Materials and Methods: A survey study was conducted on 200 women diagnosed with breast cancer who were seen at Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Oncology (INMOL) hospital, Lahore. A structured questionnaire was administered to these patients regarding the known risk factors through face to face interviews after obtaining appropriate consent. Results: Regarding non-modifiable risk factors, our study showed that majority of the breast cancer patients were diagnosed at 35-45 years (32.5%) or at older age (${\leq}46$) and experienced menarche at 12 years or older (66 %). Likewise, a large number of patients reached menopause at the age of 45 years (60%), had no family and personal history of breast cancer (80%) and hence fell in a low risk category. Regarding modifiable risk factors in women diagnosed with breast cancer, most of the patients fell in low risk strata as the majority were married (98%) at young age, breastfed their children for 12 months or more (88%) and bore two to three children (80%). Considering income criteria, the majority of the patients had a low risk profile as they belonged to middle class (70%), urban area (60%) and were house wives (80%). However, it was noted that a considerable number of women (34%) diagnosed with breast cancer experienced menarche at an early age (<12) and reached menopause after the age of 45 years. This situation is further augmented by environmental changes and dietary habits and places them in a high risk category.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제13권9호
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• pp.4581-4585
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• 2012

Fms-like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3) performs a vital role in the pathogenesis of hematopoietic malignancies. Therefore in recent times, the focus of several studies was on use of FLT3 as a prognostic marker. The present study investigated the molecular characterization and incidence of FLT3 mutations in acute leukemia patients in Pakistan. A total of 55 patients were studied, of which 25 were suffering from acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and 30 were suffering from acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The polymerase chain reaction demonstrated FLT3/ITD mutations in 1 (4%) of 25 ALL patients, a male with the L2 subtype. In AML cases the rate was 4 (13.3%) of 30, three males and one female. The AML-M4 subtype was found in three and the AML M2 subtype in the other. In the AML cases, a statistically significant (p=0.009) relationship was found between WBC (109/L) and FLT3/ITD positivity. However, no significant relationship was found with other clinical parameters (p>0.05). In acute myeloid leukemia (AML) $FLT3/ITD^+$ mutation was more prevalent in elderly patients 31-40 age groups, 21-30 and 51-60 age groups respectively. In acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) statistically no significant relationship was found between clinical features and FLT3/ITD positivity (p>0.05). However, in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) $FLT3/ITD^+$ mutation was more commonly found in age groups of 21-30.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제13권2호
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• pp.693-698
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• 2012

Breast cancer is the most frequent cancer of women worldwide, with considerable geographic and racial/ethnic variation. Data are generally derived from population based cancer registries in the developed countries but hospital data are the most reliable source in the developing countries. Ten years data from 1st Jan 2000 to 31st Dec 2009 of a cancer hospital in Pakistan were here analyzed by descriptive statistics to evaluate the clinicopathologic profile of local breast cancer patients. Among 28,740 cancer patients, 6,718 were registered as breast cancer. The female to male ratio was 100:2. Breast cancer accounted for 23% of all and 41% of female cancers. Some 46% were residents of Lahore, with a mean age of $47{\pm}12$ years. Less than 1% were at Stage 0 and 10%, 32%, 35% and 23% were at Stage I, II, III and IV respectively. Histopathology was unknown in 4% while 91%, 2% and 1% had invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC), invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) and mucinous carcinoma respectively. Rare carcinomas accounted for the rest. Tumor grade 1, 2 and 3 was 11%, 55% and 34% among the known. Profile of breast cancer patients in Pakistan follows a pattern similar to that of other developing countries with earlier peak age and advanced disease stage at presentation. The male breast cancer accounts for higher proportion in the local population. Local women have higher frequency of IDC and lower frequency of ILC and DCIS, owing probably to a different risk profile. Use of hospital information systems and establishment of population based cancer registry is required to have accurate and detailed local data. Promotion of breast health awareness and better health care system is required to decrease the burden of advanced disease.

• Advances in Energy Research
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• 제8권2호
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• pp.95-110
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• 2022

Wind energy can be utilized for the generation of electricity, due to significant wind potential at different parts of the world, some countries have already been generating of electricity through wind. Pakistan is still well behind and has not yet made any appreciable effort for the same. The objective of this work was to add some new strategies to calculate Weibull parameters and assess wind energy potential. A new approach calculates Weibull parameters; we also developed an alternate formula to calculate shape parameters instead of the gamma function. We obtained k (shape parameter) and c (scale parameter) for two-parameter Weibull distribution using five statistical methods for five different cities in Pakistan. Maximum likelihood method, Modified Maximum likelihood Method, Method of Moment, Energy Pattern Method, Empirical Method, and have been to calculate and differentiate the values of (shape parameter) k and (scale parameter) c. The performance of these five methods is estimated using the Goodness-of-Fit Test, including root mean square error, mean absolute bias error, mean absolute percentage error, and chi-square error. The daily 10-minute average values of wind speed data (obtained from energydata.info) of different cities of Pakistan for the year 2016 are used to estimate the Weibull parameters. The study finds that Hyderabad city has the largest wind potential than Karachi, Quetta, Lahore, and Peshawar. Hyderabad and Karachi are two possible sites where wind turbines can produce reasonable electricity.

• Journal of Electrical Engineering and Technology
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• 제13권1호
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• pp.521-531
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• 2018

This paper presents a procedure for field measurements which provides a generalized Narrowband Power Line Communications (NB-PLC) channel model for low voltage (LV) access network in order to deploy advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) within Lahore, Pakistan. The measurements of allocated sites were performed in the residential (urban and rural), industrial and commercial electricity consumers for the NB-PLC channel modeling of overhead transmission lines (TLs). On the basis of extensive field measurement results, the average attenuation profile and transfer functions are presented. The results obtained from field measurements are validated by comparing them with a proposed Simulink model. A close agreement in the measured and simulated transfer function (TF) results is observed. The proposed Simulink model is an effort to model the NB-PLC channels in an effective way, especially in South Asian countries.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• 제22권3호
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• pp.227-236
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• 2020

Expansive soils are renowned for their swelling-shrinkage property and these volumetric changes resultantly cause huge damage to civil infrastructures. Likewise, subgrades consisting of expansive soils instigate serviceability failures in pavements across various regions of Pakistan and worldwide. This study presents the use of polypropylene fibers to improve the engineering properties of a local swelling soil. The moisture-density relationship, unconfined compressive strength (UCS) and elastic modulus (E₅₀), California bearing ratio (CBR) and one-dimensional consolidation behavior of the soil treated with 0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6 and 0.8% fibers have been investigated in this study. It is found that the maximum dry density of reinforced soil slightly decreased by 2.8% due to replacement of heavier soil particles by light-weight fibers and the optimum moisture content remained almost unaffected due to non-absorbent nature of the fibers. A significant improvement has been observed in UCS (an increase of 279%), E₅₀ (an increase of 113.6%) and CBR value (an increase of 94.4% under unsoaked and an increase of 55.6% under soaked conditions) of the soil reinforced with 0.4% fibers, thereby providing a better quality subgrade for the construction of pavements on such soils. Free swell and swell pressure of the soil also significantly reduced (94.4% and 87.9%, respectively) with the addition of 0.8% fibers and eventually converting the medium swelling soil to a low swelling class. Similarly, the compression and rebound indices also reduced by 69.9% and 88%, respectively with fiber inclusion of 0.8%. From the experimental evaluations, it emerges that polypropylene fiber has great potential as a low cost and sustainable stabilizing material for widespread swelling soils.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제17권11호
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• pp.5037-5040
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• 2016

Objectives: To determine the frequency of delayed diagnosis of oral squamous cell carcinoma in our setup; highlighting factors responsible for any delay and their possible relevance to demographic and diagnostic features. Methods: This cross sectional study of six months duration was conducted in the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Department of the Armed Forces Institute of Dentistry, Rawalpindi, Pakistan. A total of 246 patients, both male and female, having a biopsy proven definitive diagnosis of OSCC were included using a consecutive sampling technique. Delay in diagnosis was assessed from the stated period of time from when the patient first noticed symptoms of disease until a definitive diagnosis was made. We concluded delayed diagnosis if this was more than 40 days. Results: The ages of patients ranged from 27 to 60 years with a mean of $46.7{\pm}10.2$ years and a marked male predominance (3.7:1). Delayed diagnosis was observed in 91.5% of cases. However, statistically no significant differences were found with age, gender, marital, education status, household income and time of biopsy. Conclusion: Our primary finding of delayed diagnosis with no prior contact with any health care professional clearly reflects a need of taking urgent measures to avoid serious impacts on morbidity and mortality associated with OSCC.

• 유통과학연구
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• 제20권12호
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• pp.23-33
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• 2022

Purpose: The objective of the study is to examine the role of approval goals, subjective norm, internal motivation, external motivation, attitude towards behavior, and perceived behavioral control on retail consumer's intention to consume fortified food in Pakistan. Research design, data, and methodology: The study was quantitative in nature. That is why the data were collected from 384 respondents approaching retail stores of Lahore, Gujranwala, and Faisalabad using mall intercept survey. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to analyze the data. Results: The results show that approval goals significantly influence subjective norms. Secondly, subjective norms positively influence internal and external motivation. Thirdly, attitude towards behavior and internal motivation significantly impacted on intention. However, the findings of the study show, non-significant relationship of external motivation and perceived behavioral control with intention to consume fortified food. Conclusion: Theory of reasoned goal pursuit was used to investigate consumer intention to consume fortified food in Pakistan. This study is helpful for the marketers to create a word-of-mouth strategy to enhance positive word of mouth for the company, which ultimately beneficial to develop the distribution strategy of the firm. Fortified food is full of health enriched ingredients which is beneficial for society at large.