CORRELATION OF MYOFASCIAL TRIGGER POINTS WITH UPPER LIMB DISABILITY IN POST MASTECTOMY FEMALES IN PAKISTAN

Aims of Study: The objective was to correlate myofascial trigger points and upper limb disability in post-mastectomy females. Methodology: This six-month duration study included 45 participants aged 18 or older, using non-probability convenience sampling, who had undergone mastectomy at least six months prior. Numeric pain rating scale, Simon’s trigger point criteria and a disability questionnaire were used to assess disease complications. Results: A study involving 45 female participants (mean age 42.8±6.754) found that 33.3% had mild pain, 55.6% had moderate pain, and 11.1% had severe pain. Additionally, 46.7% had mild disability and 53.3% had moderate disability. There was a significant correlation between myofascial trigger points and upper extremity disability. Limitations and Future Implication: The limitations include the small sample size used in study and limited generalization of findings due to cultural and contextual factors. Further research is needed to explore interventions and understand the long-term impact of myofascial trigger points on upper limb function. Originality: This research is original in its focus on the correlation between myofascial trigger points and post-mastectomy upper limb disability. Conclusion: This study concluded that there is a highly significant relation between trigger points in muscles and disability of upper extremity in female patients after mastectomy.

Examining Tunneling Behavior in Business Groups: An Empirical Evidence from Listed Firms in Pakistan Stock Exchange

In emerging economies, tunneling is a commonly examined feature of business groups because their pyramidal organizational structures allow an apex firm’s dominant shareholders to control affiliates. This study used both direct and indirect methods of examining tunneling behavior and its causes and consequences in firms listed in the Pakistan Stock Exchange belonging to different business groups. For this purpose, the data of167 nonfinancial firms that recorded RPTs in their annual reports from 2006 to 2013 used for analysis. The empirical results of different regression models suggested that board size, board independence, CEO compensation, institutional, and foreign ownership have a significant negative effect on the related party transactions, whereas ownership of the associated firms, CEO duality, and managerial ownership have a positive effect on the RPTs. Moreover, bank loans, multiple bank relationships, and audit quality have a significant and negative effect on the RPTs. The performance models show that RPTs have a negative effect on accounting based measures such as return on assets, return on equity, earning per share and market-based performance such as Tobin’s Q. Further, this study applied the indirect empirical technique developed by Bertrand, Mehta, and Mullainathan (2002) for measuring tunneling in business groups. For this purpose, a sample of 396 firms for a period of 2006 to 2015 considered for the estimation of regression models. The results suggested that group firms are more sensitive to industry shocks as compared to standalone-firms. Furthermore, group-firms with a higher level of managerial ownership and associated ownership are less sensitive to industry shocks. The overall results are consistent with the conflict of interest hypothesis and the tunneling behavior of the controlling shareholders in Pakistani business groups.