If String.IsNullOrEmpty(editTransactionRow.pay_id.ToString()) = False Then
    stTransactionPaymentID = editTransactionRow.pay_id 'Check for null value
End If

If Not ediTransactionRow.Ispay_id1Null Then
    'Do processing here'
End If

Public Property pay_Id1 Then
   Get
     return DirectCast(me.GetValue("pay_Id1", short)
   End Get
   'Abbreaviated for clarity'
End Property

If editTransactionRow.pay_id IsNot Nothing Then
    stTransactionPaymentID = editTransactionRow.pay_id
End If

If editTransactionRow.pay_id <> DbNull.Value Then
    ...
End If

If String.IsNullOrEmpty(editTransactionRow.pay_id) = False Then
    stTransactionPaymentID = editTransactionRow.pay_id 'Check for null value
End If

If editTransactionRow.pay_id IsNot Nothing Then
    stTransactionPaymentID = editTransactionRow.pay_id 'Check for null value
End If

If Not IsDBNull(editTransactionRow.pay_id) Then
...

IF Not IsDBNull(dr(0)) Then
use dr(0)
End IF

If Not editTransactionRow.pay_id Is Nothing

If String.IsNullOrEmpty(editTransactionRow.pay_id.ToString()) = False Then
    stTransactionPaymentID = editTransactionRow.pay_id 'Check for null value
End If

If Not editTransactionRow.pay_id AndAlso String.IsNullOrEmpty(editTransactionRow.pay_id.ToString()) = False Then
    stTransactionPaymentID = editTransactionRow.pay_id 'Check for null value
End If

If Short.TryParse(editTransactionRow.pay_id, New Short) Then editTransactionRow.pay_id.ToString()