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The purpose of this paper to ensure the rapid developments in the radio frequency wireless technology, the synthesis of frequencies for pervasive wireless applications is crucial by implementing the design of low voltage and low power Fractional-N phase locked loop (PLL) for controlling medical devices to monitor remotely patients.

The developments urge a technique reliable to phase noise in designing fractional-N PLL with a new eight transistor phase frequency detector and a good linearized charge pump (CP) for speed of operation with minimum mismatches.

In applications for portable wireless devices, by proposing a new phase-frequency detector with the removal of dead, blind zones and a modified CP to minimize the mismatch of currents.

The results are simulated in 45 nm complementary metal oxide semiconductor generic process design kit (GPDK) technology in cadence virtuoso. The phase noise of the proposed Fractiona-N phase locked loop has–93.18, –101.4 and –117 dBc/Hz at 10 kHz, 100 kHz and 1 MHz frequency offsets, respectively, and consumes 3.3 mW from a 0.45 V supply.

The purpose of this study is to improve the mechanical properties and reduce the stiffness/harshness of fabric associated with the pigment dyeing of textiles.

The fabric was pigment dyed with the addition of three different softeners and binders. The fabric was then analyzed to have improved textile properties by measuring tear strength, bending length, crocking and washing fastness tests.

The conventional route of pigment dyeing (without any softener) imparted poor mechanical and rubbing fastness. The softener-added recipe provided better mechanical, rubbing and washing fastness, and the stiffness values were oppressed as well.

Because of reduced stiffness, increased fastness and mechanical properties, the use of softener with pigment dyeing can improve the market values and satisfaction of the dyed fabrics. The finished product would also have better life and endurance. The process can be modified easily to have a better end-product with a negligible cost addition in industrial process, as softeners are cheap and used in low (10-20 g/l) in industrial settings without affecting the required shades.

This is the first report, to the best of the author’s knowledge, on the optimization of pigment dyeing of PC fabric with the addition of Helizarin and perapret softeners in dyeing bath.

Country of origin is a well-studied topic for developed countries that have a favourable image. However, how country of origin image affects the consumers of an emerging country on a frontier market with high uncertainty avoidance still needs to be shed light. Therefore, this study investigated the relationship of country of origin image with consumer purchase intention through consumer uncertainty. The study further explored the conditional effect of brand image between country of origin and consumer uncertainty.

The data for this study was collected from 400 Pakistani consumers. As this study assessed purchase intentions and consumer uncertainty related to high technology products of China, therefore, the consumers of the Huawei brand were selected.

The findings revealed a negative influence of country of origin image on consumer purchase intentions both directly and indirectly through consumer uncertainty. Furthermore, the positive brand image of high tech products was found to moderate the effect of country of origin image on consumer uncertainty.

This study is the first of its kind that explores the intervening role of consumer uncertainty between country of origin image and consumer purchase intention in an emerging market. In addition, the study highlights the importance of strong brand image as it buffers consumer uncertainty because of stereotypes.

The purpose of this study is to elaborate mixed convection impact in stratified nanofluid flow by convectively heated moving surface. Rheological relations of second-grade fluid are used for formulation. Magnetic field, heat absorption/generation and convective conditions are considered for modeling.

Convergent solutions are achieved using homotopy procedure.

The authors found opposing behavior for radiation and thermal stratification variables against thermal field.

No such analysis has yet been reported.

The main purpose of this study is to identify the socioeconomic determinants of dropout from primary schools and to give policy suggestions to address the issue.

A total of 600 dropout and enrolled respondents were selected from 60 government primary schools of district Chiniot. School heads and parents of dropout children were taken as samples. The results were obtained by employing the Probit regression model.

Numbers of family members, age of the family head, exchange marriage and poverty status have positive relationship with dropout from primary schools. The findings revealed a higher rate of dropout among girls, which is a major cause of concern.

Education is regarded as a basic human right and a valuable human capital. It is included in Millennium Development Goals to achieve universal primary education and in Sustainable Development Goals as quality education. Underdeveloped countries are facing the problems of high dropout and lack of quality education, especially in Pakistan. These problems need to be addressed to keep pace with developed nations and to meet development goals.

It is recommended that government should create employment opportunities, family planning programs, legislature measures on exchange marriage and child labor. The involvement in co-curricular activities in learning and usage of audio-visual aids in the teaching process can improve the enrollment in the primary schools.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the barriers inhibiting the adoption of green building and measures to promote this approach in Pakistan.

Barriers and measures were identified and examined by using a combination of research methods, including literature review, questionnaire survey, and in-depth interviews with the construction industry-related practitioners working in Pakistan. Ranking technique and factor analysis were used to identify the significant issues associated with the adoption of green building practices.

As per the survey results, the most critical barrier is “lack of awareness among people about the importance and advantages of adopting green building practices,” followed by “lack of incentives from government” and “lack of green building codes and regulations,” respectively. The results also indicate that most important measure to promote the adoption of green buildings is “creation of public awareness toward green initiatives through seminars, workshops, and discussions,” followed by “availability of green building codes and regulations (mandatory to apply)” and “financial incentives and penalties by the government (e.g. soft loan, tax) for promoting green building practices,” respectively.

Research limitation is that its findings, other than Pakistan, cannot be generalized to other developing countries.

Findings of the research will be helpful in sensitizing the regulatory agencies, the policy makers, and the building construction practitioners about the barriers to adoption of green building practices. The suggested measures will help in devising policies and economic measures to promote the construction of green and environment-friendly buildings.

This research will help the common people to know about the importance of green buildings that may lead to a deviation from the practice of traditional buildings to a widespread trend of building green buildings. This will lead to drastic reduction in demand for energy and considerable monetary savings for the common people.

The findings of this study are expected to contribute valuable information to decision makers for the better understanding of key issues that call for more attention in the promotion of efforts of green building practices in Pakistan. The results are based on the perception of local stakeholders, but might also be helpful for policy makers in other countries.

Muslim investors must comply with the ethical injunctions prescribed for them while making financial investments. As per Islamic principles, the use of Riba (interest), Maysir (gambling) and Gharar (uncertain or contingent payoff contracts) is prohibited. This chapter provides some recent post great financial crisis evidence on the comparative performance of Islamic and conventional market indices. Islamic indices outperformed conventional market indices in terms of annualized returns except for emerging markets. In the overall period of 2007-16, it is found that Islamic indices have a lower coefficient of variation and hence higher reward to variability ratio. This suggests that Islamic indices are superior to conventional market indices adjusting for variability in returns. In most comparable Islamic and conventional indices, a strong co-movement and long-term co-integrating relationship is found. The results also highlighted causality running from conventional indices to the Islamic indices in most of the market groups, except for the S&P Global.

The aim of this chapter is to investigate factors affecting four of the gaps encompassed in the GAP model, which then results in Gap 5, the so-called customer gap, related to the variance between customer expectations and the perception of service quality (SQ). Four predictors were selected based on the literature review – marketing research orientation (MRO), service specification design (SSD), integrated technology (ITC) and integrated communication (ICO) – to examine their relationship with the customer gap. A valid and reliable questionnaire, developed for the purpose of the study, was used to collect data from a sample consisting of 600 employees from six hotels located in Amman, Jordan. The findings show that MRO, SSD, ITC and ICO significantly predict the four gaps in SQ on the provider side, which in turn significantly predict the customer gap. For companies, more attention should be paid to the four gaps that induce the customer gap.

This study investigates the relationship between self-compassion and life satisfaction, and there is a significant statistical correlation between some dimensions of the self-compassion scale (family, self-kindness, common human feelings and mental alertness).

The researcher used the Self-Compassion scale prepared by Neff (2003) translated by the researchers, in a sample of 150 students in Egypt, and Multidimensional Student’s Life Satisfaction Scale, developed by Huebner et al. (1998) translated by the researchers.

The results of the study showed that self-compassion is high in university students. The study also showed a negative correlation with the dimension of psychological self-judgment and life satisfaction, as it indicated the possibility of predicting life satisfaction through the dimensions of self-compassion, except for the dimensions of isolation and autism, and excessive communication with the self. It also indicated that there are no differences between males and females as far as the variable of self-compassion, as well as the absence of differences between males and females as far as the variable of satisfaction with life is concerned. However, the family dimension showed a difference in favor of males.

The inclusion of extension programs to develop self-compassion for various segments of society in light of the continuing corona pandemic, and paying attention to religious counseling programs that support the use of spiritual values in self-strengthening which is reflected in the strengthening of psychological resilience and thus a sense of satisfaction with life.