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Aims: Bangladeshi population (20-45 age) presents early loss of tooth without any history of systemic disease. Low serum vitamin D level is one of the factors of early tooth loss. The aim of the study is to assess the significance of low or insufficient serum vitamin D level as a factor of early tooth loss in Bangladesh perspective. Materials and Methods: An observational study was performed in dental unit of TMSS Medical College from January 2021 to December 2022 after ethical clearance of IRB of this institute. Total number of patients was 70 selected by non-random sampling (judgment sampling) who fulfilled the inclusion and exclusion criteria. We assessed the variable like gingivitis, periodontal pocket & tooth mobility clinically. The depth of the periodontal pocket & gingivitis was assessed by the periodontal probe & the mobility by using a blunt instrument & feel with the fingers before & after Vit D supplementation.  Data were processed and analyzed using computer software SPSS version 26.0. Results: Deficiency of low serum vit D level has significant effect on periodontal bone resorption and after correction of serum vit D level resulted clinical improvement on periodontal health. Conclusion: Vitamin D deficiency may place subject at risk of developing chronic periodontitis. J Bangladesh Coll Phys Surg 2024; 42: 363-367

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of corporate governance index (PAKCGI) on firm financial distress for a sample of 152 non-financial firms listed at Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) over the period from 2003 to 2017. Design/methodology/approach To examine the impact of PAKCGI on financial distress (Altman Z-Score), random effect model is applied. The PAKCGI is a self-constructed index based on the five important factors of corporate governance practices, i.e. board of directors, audit committees, right of shareholders, disclosures and risk management. The binary coding approach is adopted for the construction of PAKCGI. Altman Z-Score model is used as a proxy for financial distress indicator. The absolute value of Altman Z-score has been taken as financial distress indicator. Findings The outcomes of the study indicate a positive impact of PAKCGI on risk of firms’ financial distress. The positive coefficient of PAKCGI implies that the good corporate practices work as catalyst to reduce risk of financial distress in Pakistan. A significant negative impact of block holders on financial distress suggests that the concentrated block ownership take monopolistic decision to protect their interests. It has also been observed that significant positive impact of institutional ownership on financial distress exists in the Pakistani listed firms. Furthermore, this study also reveals that significant negative association between board size, CEO duality and financial distress indicator. Research limitations/implications The findings may encourage the Pakistani listed companies to follow and implement good corporate governance practices, which would lead to increase the confidence of investors, regulators and stakeholders. Originality/value The current study extends the corporate governance literature by examining the relationship between the corporate governance attributes and the financial distress status of Pakistani listed companies. From the academic perspective, this paper adds to the knowledge concerning the association between corporate governance practices and risk of financial distress in emerging markets.

According to the latest data, the financial literacy index in Indonesia stood at 38%. This figure was definitely an improvement compared to previous years, but was still considerably behind compared to the global standard. Taking into account gender disparity in Indonesia, this figure becomes even more abysmal as the financial literacy index for women is substantially lower than men. To solve this problem, a social media knowledge management framework is proposed to structure and disseminate financial knowledge with the purpose of improving the financial literacy index, especially for women, in Indonesia. This knowledge management platform is supported by a financial education program that has been developed based on the characteristics and needs of typical women in Indonesia. To further substantiate the findings of this study, a series of in-depth interviews were conducted with the aim to acquire a better understanding of various aspects of financial literacy from the perspective of women. In total, 13 women who lived in Bandung were chosen as the main subject of this study based on a judgment sampling technique. Encouragingly, more than three-quarter of the respondents were considered to be well-literate. Digging deeper into the data, however, presents a much more nuanced and complicated insight regarding the behavior of the respondents as most of the respondents simultaneously exhibit a very wide range behavior ranging from discipline to carelessness when managing their money.

Social Affinity Flow Theory (SAFT) is a new theoretical framework based upon Constructal Law (Bejan & Zane, 2012) and explains how this law uniquely operates within human social systems, whether within small groups, non-profits, multinational corporations, or societies. We investigate the relationship between SAFT, systems thinking, and the two archetypes of Tragedy of the Commons and Escalation, two frameworks that have proven useful to leaders and decision-makers. SAFT expands the applicability of the two archetypes and uncovers new insights with implications for multiple domains of human activity, including the practice of management.

The consumption of agricultural products provides tremendous advantages. The consumers’ attitude towards environmentally friendly food purchasing including rice has recently developed. The higher increase in income the higher need for the quality of rice will be. The objective of the study is to describe the consumers’ attitudes toward purchase decisions on environmentally friendly rice in Toboali Bangka Selatan. Judgment sampling was applied as the sampling collection method. Questionnaires using a face-to-face approach, observation, and focus group discussion were employed as the data collection technique. Quantitative descriptive analysis was used in data processing. The study found that the majority of the respondents were female, as a housewife 24-40 years old, graduated from high school, with Rp. 1.500.000 – Rp.2.500.000 as the monthly income. The majority of farmers purchased environmentally friendly rice for daily consumption at a rice mill owned by Mr. Imam because the price was cheaper compared to other stores around Rias village, the packaging size and the rice itself were considered new. In general, the environmentally friendly consumers gained a positive attitude toward rice bought in Inpari 36 as a type of rice.

Job performance is the ability to complete work according to predetermined standards. Stressful conditions at work can make job performance worse. An individual’s intrinsic religiosity can weaken these stressful conditions. This study aims to empirically prove the influence of challenge and hindrance stressors on job performance and examine whether intrinsic religiosity can moderate this influence. This paper uses the method of administering online questionnaire surveys by distributing Google Form links to the eligible respondents without conducting the interview. It employs a non-probability sampling design with a purposive sampling method, in this case, judgment sampling. The criteria for selecting respondents are individuals who have the status of full-time employees and work in state-owned and private-owned organizations in the cities of Indonesia. This study proved all hypotheses. Higher challenge stressors result in higher job performance. At the same time, higher hindrance stressors result in lower job performance. Further, intrinsic religiosity weakens the positive influence of challenge stressors on job performance. Individuals who are always attached to God will use work as a means to please God. The characteristics of these individuals are having a positive mental attitude so that they are always ready and calm in facing various work situations and view work as a calling. Also, this study proves that the negative influence of hindrance stressors on job performance is weaker in people with intrinsic religiosity. Ambiguous job descriptions, conflicts, or excessive work are no longer burdensome. AcknowledgmentThis study is funded by the Faculty of Economics and Business, Pelita Harapan University, award number 023/P-ORP-FEB/I/2024.

Malaria is one of the leading causes of morbidity in the world. It is a significant health concern in most developing countries, including Ghana. Even though there are several orthodox medications used for decades in treating malaria effectively, a substantial number of individuals in developing countries are resorting to the use of herbs in the treatment of malaria. The study aim at exploring the practices of herbal management of malaria among trading mothers in Shai Osudoku District, Accra. A qualitative approach with an exploratory, descriptive design was adopted in analyzing the research problem. Purposive sampling technique was used to select twenty (20) participants to partake in a face-face interview, guided by a semi-structured interview guide. The data were transcribed verbatim and analysed by adopting content analysis. Two significant themes and seven subthemes were generated following the analysis of this study. The main themes were; preferences for herbal malaria treatment and the practices and effectiveness of herbal medicine used for malaria treatment. It was worth noting that the women's cultural beliefs did not influence their preference for herbal malaria treatment. The main challenge associated with the herbal malaria treatment was inappropriate dosage specification. This study discovered that several factors influenced participants' preferences for malaria treatment. Participants further listed some traditional ways of treating malaria which implies that there is herbal malaria practice. However, literature in this area is inadequate, and most herbs lack specifications for use. It is therefore recommended that future research focus on scientific herbal malaria treatment. Also, regulating bodies should ensure that quality herbal drugs are sold for consumption.

Pharmacists play a crucial role in healthcare and are expected to uphold high ethical standards. Establishing a code of ethics for pharmacists is essential as it supports improved patient outcomes and increases trust in the healthcare system. Regulatory organizations worldwide have recognized the significance of such codes in guiding professional behaviour and ensuring quality care. However, a national code of ethics for pharmacists in Kuwait has not yet been published. The aim of this study was to propose a national code of ethics for pharmacists in Kuwait, using insights from a survey of practicing pharmacists and a modified Delphi study involving expert consensus. A mixed methodology was employed comprising a survey of practicing pharmacists to gather their views on the clarity and acceptance of the 14 FIP standards and a modified Delphi study involving a group of experts to finalize and formulate the national code of ethics for pharmacists in Kuwait. For the survey, all registered pharmacists practicing in Kuwait were invited to participate through the Kuwait Pharmaceutical Association. Data collection occurred between February and May 2019 via an electronic questionnaire. The Delphi study participants were recruited through purposive and snowball sampling, with data collection taking place between March and June 2023. The Delphi study required a 90% consensus threshold for standard inclusion. A total of 304 pharmacists (7.6% response rate) participated in the survey. The median age was 32 years, with a gender distribution of 56.6% female. The majority (85%) reported Arabic as their first language, and 75% held a BPharm degree. Most participants found the standards clear and acceptable, with clarity percentages generally above 88% and acceptance percentages similarly high. Standards 3 (patient autonomy) and 11 (competency of support staff) had slightly lower ratings, indicating potential areas for improvement. Comments highlighted issues such as patient knowledge and the clarity of support staff roles. In the Delphi study, 30 experts participated in the first round, with standards needing a 90% consensus for inclusion. Seven standards reached consensus in the first round, four in the second, and four in the third. Standard 11 failed to achieve consensus and was removed. The iterative process ensured thorough evaluation and refinement of each standard based on expert feedback. This study proposed a national code of ethics for pharmacists in Kuwait based on a comprehensive mixed-methods approach. The survey indicated high clarity and acceptance of most FIP standards among pharmacists, though areas for improvement were identified. The Delphi study achieved consensus on 13 out of 14 standards. This proposal provides a foundation for regulators to establish a formal code of ethics, aiming to enhance professionalism and patient trust in the healthcare system.

Technology has always played a great role in transforming economy. From computers to Internet of Things, the technology has not only supported the business and allied areas but also has revived the economy from time to time. The current economic slowdown has raised the eyebrows of all the industry experts and economics. There has been a major impact on GDP, export growth rate and many other aspects of the economy. The slowdown has come into phases, which may be considered as the result of GST (Goods and Services Tax), Demonetization and/or the current pandemic situation. The experts have observed that there are many factors that indicate about the problem in the economy. Now consumption and demand has decreased because people want to keep more money with themselves (cash or bank) so that they can meet the sudden and urgent requirements and they are not interested much in spending the money. The decreased consumption has de-motivated the industry and as a result the production has also gone down. The study also finds that how technology can play a role in the helping the economy. It was found that technology can help in cheaper products, providing best services to the customers at affordable prices and provide economical business operations. The sample size of the present study is 244 (122 economists and 144 industry experts). The sampling method was judgment sampling and data analysis tools were weighted mean and multidimensional scaling.

Sensuality, an essential component of sexuality, is the enjoyment, expression, or pursuit of physical and sexual pleasure or satisfaction. Sensuality expression of women over 50 is under-researched and often ignored, making it difficult to have a scientific basis to develop age-appropriate healthy-ageing programmes for this group in Nigeria. An exploratory study was conducted to explore the lived experiences of the expression of sensuality of Nigerian women over 50 and the meaning they attach thereto. An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis approach was used to collect and analyze data from 17 female teachers from three public secondary schools in Osun state, Nigeria, to represent a homogenous group of professional women over the age of 50. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to obtain qualitative data that was thematically analyzed. Four superordinate themes emerged: 'Self-reinvention to camouflage ageing realities for sensuality expression'; 'Embracing own sensuality'; 'Yearning for old self'; and 'Loss of interest in romantic relationships', with various subordinate themes. These finding provide the basis to develop age-appropriate healthy-ageing programmes for this group, and a baseline for further sexual health research among this group of women in Nigeria, who are often overlooked or considered asexual due to their being beyond the reproductive age.