scholarly journals TVET Programs in Nepal: Issue of Access and Relevancy

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. 16-28
Author(s):  
Manoj Sharma Neupane

Equitable access of market relevant TVET (Technical and Vocational Education and Training) programs is the first and foremost pre-condition to get the desired outcomes from TVET. The access and relevancy of TVET programs in Nepal are usually questionable. The major objectives of this paper is to analyze the access and relevancy of presently available long term TVET programs and identify its gap with the market demand. The analytical approach adopted for this paper is mainly quantitative and is based on the analysis of micro data of TVET institutes affiliated with Council for Technical Education and Vocational Training (CTEVT) and Central for Education and Human Resource Development (CEHRD) with corresponding information of their location, programs and enrolment capacity. Likewise, review of various other literatures including, journal articles, workshops proceedings, research reports etc. are also taken into reference. Significant variation is found between the ratio of district level enrolment capacity of long-term TVET programs to corresponding number of SEE graduates of the districts which raises question on the equitable access of TVET programs in terms of geography. Based on the analysis made in this paper, health related programs are justified as over accessed programs whereas a clear gap can be observed in the supply mechanism of TVET regarding tourism and agriculture sector. Attention is therefore needed to promote TVET programs in agriculture and tourism related sectors both in quality and quantity in order to mitigate existing mismatch between demand and supply.

Author(s):  
Giuseppe Lassandro ◽  
Valentina Palladino ◽  
Giovanni Carlo Del Vecchioa ◽  
Viviana Valeria Palmieri ◽  
Paola Carmela Corallo ◽  
...  

Background and Objective: Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is a common bleeding disorder in childhood. The management of ITP in children is controversial, requiring personalized assessment of patients and therapeutic choices. Thrombopoietin receptor agonists (TPO-RAs), eltrombopag and romiplostim, have been shown to be safety and effective for the treatment of pediatric ITP. The aim of our research is defining the role of thrombopoietin receptor agonists in the management of pediatric ITP. Method: This review focuses on the use of TPO-RAs in pediatric ITP, in randomized trials and in clinical routine, highlighting their key role in management of the disease. Results: Eltrombopag and romiplostim appear effective treatment options for children with ITP. Several clinical studies have assessed that the use of TPO-RAs increases platelet count, decreases bleeding symptoms and improves health-related quality of life. Moreover, TPO-RAs are well tolerated with minor side effects. Conclusion: Although TPO-RAs long term efficacy and safety still require further investigations, their use is gradually expanding in clinical practice of children with ITP.


Author(s):  
Florian Ielpo

This chapter covers the economic fundamentals of commodity markets (i.e., what shapes the evolution of the price of raw materials) in three steps. First, it covers the theories explaining why the futures curve can be upward or downward sloping, an essential element for commodity producing companies. The evolution of inventories and hedging pressures are the two dominant sources of explanation. Second, the chapter reviews the fundamentals of commodity spot prices: technologies, supply, demand, and speculation. Production costs draw the long-term evolution of prices, but demand and supply shocks can trigger substantial variations in commodity prices. Third, the chapter presents how commodity prices interact with the business cycle. Commodities are influenced by the world activity but can also have a material impact on it.


2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mads G. Jørgensen ◽  
Navid M. Toyserkani ◽  
Frederik G. Hansen ◽  
Anette Bygum ◽  
Jens A. Sørensen

AbstractThe impact of breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) on long-term quality of life is unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of BCRL on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) up to 10 years after breast cancer treatment. This regional population-based study enrolled patients treated for breast cancer with axillary lymph node dissection between January 1st 2007 and December 31th 2017. Follow up and assessments of the included patients were conducted between January 2019 and May 2020. The study outcome was HRQoL, evaluated with the Lymphedema Functioning, Disability and Health Questionnaire, the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand Questionnaire and the Short Form (36) Health Survey Questionnaire. Multivariate linear logistic regression models adjusted for confounders provided mean score differences (MDs) with 95% confidence intervals in each HRQoL scale and item. This study enrolled 244 patients with BCRL and 823 patients without BCRL. Patients with BCRL had significantly poorer HRQoL than patients without BCRL in 16 out of 18 HRQoL subscales, for example, in physical function (MDs 27, 95%CI: 24; 30), mental health (MDs 24, 95%CI: 21; 27) and social role functioning (MDs 20, 95%CI: 17; 23). Age, BMI, BCRL severity, hand and dominant arm affection had only minor impact on HRQoL (MDs < 5), suggesting a high degree of inter-individual variation in coping with lymphedema. This study showed that BCRL is associated with long-term impairments in HRQoL, especially affecting the physical and psychosocial domains. Surprisingly, BCRL diagnosis rather than clinical severity drove the largest impairments in HRQoL.


2020 ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Dorothee Horstkötter ◽  
Kay Deckers ◽  
Sebastian Köhler

Dementia poses important medical and societal challenges, and of all health risks people face in life, dementia is one of the most feared. Recent research indicates that up to about 40% of all cases of dementia might be preventable. A series of environmental, social, and medical risk-factors have been identified and that should be targeted from midlife onwards when people are still cognitively healthy. At first glance, this seems not merely advisable, but even imperative. However, these new developments trigger a series of new ethical questions and concerns which have hardly been addressed to date. Pro-active ethical reflection, however, is crucial to ensure that the interests and well-being of those affected, ultimately all of us, are adequately respected. This is the goal of the current contribution. Against the background of a concrete case in primary dementia prevention, it provides a systematic overview of the current ethical literature and sketches an ethical research agenda. First, possible benefits of increased well-being must be balanced with the burdens of being engaged in particularly long-term interventions for which it is unclear whether they will ever pay out on a personal level. Second, while knowledge about one’s options to maintain brain health might empower people, it might also undermine autonomy, put high social pressure on people, medicalize healthy adults, and stigmatize those who still develop dementia. Third, while synergistic effects might occur, the ideals of dementia prevention might also conflict with other health and non-health related values people hold in life.


Author(s):  
Darren Haywood ◽  
Blake J. Lawrence ◽  
Frank D. Baughman ◽  
Barbara A. Mullan

Living with obesity is related to numerous negative health outcomes, including various cancers, type II diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Although much is known about the factors associated with obesity, and a range of weight loss interventions have been established, changing health-related behaviours to positively affect obesity outcomes has proven difficult. In this paper, we first draw together major factors that have emerged within the literature on weight loss to describe a new conceptual framework of long-term weight loss maintenance. Key to this framework is the suggestion that increased positive social support influences a reduction in psychosocial stress, and that this has the effect of promoting better executive functioning which in turn facilitates the development of healthy habits and the breaking of unhealthy habits, leading to improved ongoing maintenance of weight loss. We then outline how the use of computational approaches are an essential next step, to more rigorously test conceptual frameworks, such as the one we propose, and the benefits that a mixture of conceptual, empirical and computational approaches offer to the field of health psychology.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-6
Author(s):  
Cihat Uzunköprü ◽  
Yesim Beckmann ◽  
Sabiha Türe

<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> The primary aim of the present study was to evaluate the long-term efficacy of fingolimod in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS); secondary aims were to describe the safety of fingolimod with the evaluation of treatment satisfaction and impact on the quality of life in real life. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> We collected clinical, demographical, neuroradiological, and treatment data, including pre- and posttreatment status health-related quality of life from 286 MS patients consecutively treated with fingolimod. Clinical assessment was based on the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), and quality of life assessment was performed with MS-related quality of life inventory (MSQOLI). The data were recorded at baseline and every 6 months for 2 years. <b><i>Results:</i></b> One hundred and fourteen males and 172 females were enrolled. The annualized relapse rate and EDSS showed a statistically significant reduction during the observation period (<i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.001). The patients also demonstrated substantial improvements in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) outcomes (<i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.001). Health-related quality of life scores improved significantly between baseline and 24-month visit (<i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.001). No serious adverse events occurred. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> In our cohort, fingolimod treatment was associated with reduced relapse, MRI activity, and improved EDSS and MSQOLI scores. Additionally, fingolimod has been able to maintain its effectiveness over a considerable long period of treatment.


BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. e049292
Author(s):  
Edward Baker ◽  
Ceri Battle ◽  
Abhishek Banjeri ◽  
Edward Carlton ◽  
Christine Dixon ◽  
...  

ObjectiveThis study aimed to examine the long-term outcomes and health-related quality of life in patients with blunt thoracic injuries over 6 months from hospital discharge and develop models to predict long-term patient-reported outcomes.DesignA prospective observational study using longitudinal survey design.SettingThe study recruitment was undertaken at 12 UK hospitals which represented diverse geographical locations and covered urban, suburban and rural areas across England and Wales.Participants337 patients admitted to hospital with blunt thoracic injuries were recruited between June 2018–October 2020.MethodsParticipants completed a bank of two quality of life surveys (Short Form-12 (SF-12) and EuroQol 5-Dimensions 5-Levels) and two pain questionnaires (Brief Pain Inventory and painDETECT Questionnaire) at four time points over the first 6 months after discharge from hospital. A total of 211 (63%) participants completed the outcomes data at 6 months after hospital discharge.Outcomes measuresThree outcomes were measured using pre-existing and validated patient-reported outcome measures. Outcomes included: Poor physical function (SF-12 Physical Component Score); chronic pain (Brief Pain Inventory Pain Severity Score); and neuropathic pain (painDETECT Questionnaire).ResultsDespite a trend towards improving physical functional and pain at 6 months, outcomes did not return to participants perceived baseline level of function. At 6 months after hospital discharge, 37% (n=77) of participants reported poor physical function; 36.5% (n=77) reported a chronic pain state; and 22% (n=47) reported pain with a neuropathic component. Predictive models were developed for each outcome highlighting important data collection requirements for predicting long-term outcomes in this population. Model diagnostics including calibration and discrimination statistics suggested good model fit in this development cohort.ConclusionsThis study identified the recovery trajectories for patients with blunt thoracic injuries over the first 6 months after hospital discharge and present prognostic models for three important outcomes which after external validation could be used as clinical risk stratification scores.


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