PurposeOrganizations are facing several challenges in the current challenging business environment. The current study explores how counterproductive work behavior (CWB) affects bio-medical companies' firm performance in Pakistan. The study considers the mediating role of organizational culture and its impact on CWB and a firm's performance.Design/methodology/approachData were collected through a self-administered questionnaire. For data collection, 300 questionnaires were distributed among employees working in biomedical companies. Statistical analysis such as descriptive statistics, Pearson moment correlation and structural equation modeling (SEM) techniques was used to analyze the study variable's relationship and its effect on the firm's performance.FindingsThe study results revealed that CWB and organizational culture significantly influence firm performance directly and indirectly. Moreover, organizational culture partially mediates the relationship between CWB and companies' performance.Originality/valueThe current study plays a significant role in the firm's policy directions. There are limited research and information accessible to biomedical firms in Pakistan. Counterproductive job habits wind up becoming something that significantly affects the firm performance. This research adds to human resource management, corporate management and the business strategy literature.

Aflatoxins are the most deleterious fungal metabolites in humans, animals and plants. Recently, more attention has been paid to the occurrence and growth of Aspergillus spp. In this study, the effects of pH, light, relative humidity (RH) and temperature on the growth of Aspergillus spp. were investigated using broth medium. Results revealed highest mean of dried mycelial weight (365.67mg) at pH 4.0. The highest spores per ml (8.243 × 107) at pH 5.0. Similarly, growth during darkness was higher on first day of incubation in A. candidus and A. niger, while A. flavus and A. fumigatus showed the highest growth under continuous light. Lower RH% (32.5%) favored only the growth of A. niger. However, the growth in other Aspergillus species was significantly increased by RH% (50.5%, 85.0% and 100%). At 40ºC, only A. fumigatus and A. flavus showed significant (P less than 0.05) growth. There were significant differences in all the treatments (P less than 0.05). This proposes that these interacting environmental conditions impact significant effect on Aspergillus growth

Contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP) is an important infectious disease of respiratory system of cattle, caused by Mycoplasma mycoides subspecies mycoides. A cross sectional study was conducted in Lahore, Kasur and Jhang districts of Punjab to determine the prevalence of CBPP. A total of 560 serum samples were examined for the specific antibodies against M. mycoides subspecies mycoides, using a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Associated risk factors that were evaluated include age, gender and breed. In this study, the overall seroprevalence was 8.75%. The seroprevalence of CBPP in Lahore, Kasur and Jhang were 8.26, 8.20 and 10.06%, respectively, but no significance difference (P less than 0.05) was observed. Among the assessed potential predisposing factors, gender and breed were not significantly associated with the serological status of the animal (P greater than 0.05), in which the age affected significantly the positivity to CBPP (P less than 0.05). The highest seropositivity was observed in animals of more than 7 years of age (32.08%) followed by in 4-7 years of age (8.16%) and lowest in animals of less than 4 years old (0.79%). This study confirms the presence of CBPP in the state which could be a threat to livestock export market and warrants the implementation of control measures to mitigate the economic losses associated with the disease.

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Avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) induces colibacillosis, an acute and systemic disease, resulting in substantial economic losses in the poultry sector. This study aimed to investigate the antibiotic resistance pattern associated with frequent virulence gene distribution in APEC O78:K80 that may cause pathological alterations in chickens. The antibiogram profile showed high resistance to erythromycin, chloramphenicol, tetracycline, ampicillin, and co-trimoxazole, followed by intermediate resistance to ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, enrofloxacin, norfloxacin, nitrofurantoin, and doxycycline hydrochloride, and sensitive to amikacin, streptomycin, gentamicin, and colistin. Virulence gene distribution identifies eight (irp-2, iutA, ompT, iss, iucD, astA, hlyF, iroN) genes through a conventional polymerase chain reaction. APEC O78:K80 caused significantly high liver enzyme concentrations, serum interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha levels in experimental birds. Also, infected birds have hypoproteinemia, hypoalbuminemia, and hyperglobulinemia. Necropsy examination revealed fibrinous perihepatitis and pericarditis, congested lungs, intestinal ecchymotic hemorrhages and necrotizing granulomatosis of the spleen. Histopathological examination depicted hepatocellular degeneration, myocardial necrosis, interstitial nephritis, intestinal hemorrhages and lymphopenia in the spleen. This study is the first evidence to assess the antibiotic resistance profile linked with virulence genes and clinicopathological potential of APEC O78:K80 in chickens in Pakistan, which could be a useful and rapid approach to prevent and control the disease by developing the control strategies.

Present research was planned to evaluate the breeding and feeding behaviour of Indian peafowl reared in captivity at Zoological Gardens of Government and Private Sector. For feeding behaviour, a total of fifty pairs (n=100) of Pavo cristatus at both Government Zoological Gardens (n=25pairs) and Private Sectors (n=25pairs) were observed on daily basis. The breeding season of Indian peafowl is not fixed but mostly it breeds in rainy season from April to August. It was observed that most of birds at Government Zoological Gardens breed in month of May, while most of birds at Private Sectors breed in the month of August. For feeding behaviour a total of 200 faecal samples per week were collected for six weeks, out of which 100 samples per week were randomly selected for further analysis. Faecal analysis technique showed that dietary components of Indian peafowl were covered by plant contents following by animal sources. Among the plants components grass seeds were predominant followed by dicotyledon and fruits with least portion of monocotyledons. Among animal components, ants, grasshopper, earthworms, spider and unidentified bones were present. Faecal analysis indicated the presence of some non-food items such as sand and gravel.

Pollution is the main cause that effects the environment in a degradable condition. For the presence of heavy metals in the atmosphere birds are considered as tremendous bio indicator. Blue pigeon and domestic pigeon (Coloumba livia) of Faisalabad are selected to examine the level of heavy metals including Manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), Cobalt (Co), lead (Pb) cadmium (Cd) and Copper (Cu) in several tissues such as (heart, lungs, bones, muscles and feathers. Six adult birds were collected rural, urban and residential and traffic areas of Faisalabad. After collection of sample fresh weight will be measured of each sample, then digestion of sample was done by conventional acid digestion method and digested samples were analyzed in the lab by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer for the determination of heavy metals.  It was concluded that accumulation of heavy metals in the birds depends upon the environmental conditions. Our result showed that concentration of heavy metals more in rock pigeon as compared to domestic pigeon which may be due to more exposure of industrial waste to rock pigeon. It has inferred from our study that high concentration of heavy metals in the excreta of rock pigeon was due to its high trophic level in food chain.

The objective of the study was to determine the effect of dietary aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) in growing male buffaloes in terms of feed intake, hematological and serum biochemical parameters. Thirty six bovine growing male buffaloes between 6 months to 12 months of age were divided into four groups to receive diet having no AFB1, 0.6mg/kg, 0.8mg/kg and 1.0mg/kg AFB1 of feed per animal per day for 28 days. The results indicate that the average daily feed intake of AFB1-treated growing male buffaloes significantly declined (P > 0.05) compared with the control. Serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and creatinine were significantly increased (P > 0.05) in response to AFB1, However change in blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels was non-significant values of all hematological parameters decreased significantly (P > 0.05) in1.0mg/kg AFB1 group as compared to other groups after day 14 onward.