Factors related to the quality of life in family carers of people with dementia: a meta- analysis

Objectives: This meta-analysis aimed to (1) quantitatively synthesize evidence of factors related to the quality of life (QoL) of family carers of people with dementia and (2) explore moderating factors that may influence the strength of the relationship between such potential predictive factors and carer QoL.  Methods: Studies that investigated correlations between patient/carer factors and QoL in unpaid family carers of people with dementia and were published in English, Spanish, Portuguese, or Japanese were included.  Results: Thirty-three studies were identified. The pooled correlations with carer QoL (effect size) were significantly large for depression (−0.58), significantly moderate for subjective burden (−0.47), and significantly small for people with dementia’s neuropsychiatric symptoms (−0.24). These results indicated to be robust in the context of publication bias. The results of subgroup analyses demonstrated the social and economic development status of the country where study participants resided did not moderate these effects.  Conclusion: Carer depression, subjective burden, and people with dementia’s neuropsychiatric symptoms may play a critical role in maintaining QoL of family carers regardless of the social and economic circumstances

HOW AGRICULTURE IS PERCEIVED FROM THE BANKS OPERATING IN ALBANIA

This paper is oriented in trying to analyze the overall opinion or perception that Albanian banks have toward agriculture sector in general, and agriculture lending in particular. To get a full picture of the situation, different statistical parameters regarding banking activity in Albania are presented, such as the banking sector expansion in Albanian territory to understand how rural and urban areas are covered from the banking presence; their electronic products offered to understand the ease of contact from the client with the banks etc. A survey was realized (which included ten of the biggest banks operating in Albania). The survey tries to gain knowledge about the future expectations of the banks as per agriculture lending; their perception as per client orientation behavior; the banks future decision as what share of their portfolio will be dedicated to agriculture etc. The survey gives answers to question like, what part of loan portfolio is dedicated to agriculture and growth expectations in the future; how are loan standards being applied and expectations in the future; main factors affecting loan demand etc. At the end, this paper concluded about the future expectations of loan portfolio structure of banking institutions

The New School Texts-Innovation or Challenge?

The purpose of this article is to take a critical look at the new school texts developed based on the new competence-based curriculum applied as an innovation in the elementary 9-year  and pre-University education.  These texts play quite an important role in the social development of the students, whose knowledge of literature (narration, description, argumentation, and information) and language are intertwined to build their communication skills. Being newly introduced, its review requires special care and attention to see how the new teaching programs are translated into texts, i.e. the students' learning tools. The article looks into how topics and are treated in the new texts of the Albanian language and literature in terms of efficiency and usefulness for the students. The texts were reviewed on the basis of certain indicators, such as: level of adaptation to the students' needs, interests, and skills, relevance of the texts to the program content and objectives, clarity of presentation on the computer pages, number of pictures, graphs, maps, external characteristics of texts, clarity of objectives, elaboration of the chapters, the methods used, the explanatory language and its relevance to the students' needs, etc. The study focused on the school books of the Albanian Language used from the 10th to the 12th grade in 2018-2019 in one of the most well-known high schools of the capital, “Petro Nini Luarasi”.  Taking into account the young age of these texts and the challenges that they will have to overcome with time, it is deemed reasonable to have this study contributing to ensuring perfect development in the future. The texts of Albanian Language and Literature are the only texts compiled by national authors, and based on modern models and on their authors' views, didactic choices, preferred conceptual treatments, and their subjectivity translated into a physical object, i.e. a text produced by the printing house. It is, however, still early to talk about consolidated texts, given that they were only introduced with the competence-based curriculum in 2016-2017 only, for the subject of Albanian Language for the 10th grade. Some of the issues related with this text could be addressed by including specialized teachers in evaluating such texts, collecting feedback from teachers and reflecting their comments and suggestions in the improved editions, and establishing an observation mechanism for school texts, i.e. a good practice applied in developed countries. The quality of the curriculum is key to ensuring successful education, cultivating students’ skills and values, and it therefore requires continued research and constructive attention.Keywords:  innovation, new school texts, the competence-based curriculum, language and literature

LAW ON AGRICULTURAL COOPERATIVE COMPANIES IN ALBANIA; A REVIEW

This paper is oriented to thoroughly examine the provisions of the Law no. 38/2012, dated 05.04.2012 “On Agricultural Cooperative Companies”. In the first part of the paper it is analyzed how the cooperative company is established, the object of activity and quality of its members. Further, the paper deals with the organization structure of the agricultural cooperative companies by detailing its governing and managerial bodies, namely the general assembly and the administrator(s). In the second part of the paper it is conducted a brief comparison of the Albanian law on agricultural cooperative companies versus EU the like legislation having regard especially to the combination of financial and social aspects of various laws

ANALYSIS OF PUBLIC EXPENDITURES IN SUPPORT OF AGRICULTURE DEVELOPMENT IN ALBANIA

Albania is considered an advantegous country for agriculture (possesing a rich land and water resources), but still its contribution to national GDP is relatively low compared to other sectors, thus implying a low relevance given from the government. This paper tries to analyse the budgetary expenditures in support to agriculture sector in Albania and its aim is to provide a preliminary assessment of these expenditures. For this reason, a first analysis of actual agriculture conditions is realized, related also to reforms undertaken from the government in agriculture support. Furthermore, trends are observed regarding budget funds allocated to agriculture in total and also in terms of composition (six main programmes are analyzed such as planification and management, food safety, rural development etc.). Some key parameters analyzed in the case of Albania are then compared to EU budget practices to reach a comparison with best practices and to signal some directions as where the budget expenditures could move to. This paper gives some conclusions on actions to be taken from the government in increasing efficiency and optimizing agriculture production (not only on the agriculture funds allocation but also on the level of public information access – on budget drafting and realization; advice offered to farm holders and better transparency on steps to follow in benefiting from concessional financing)

FOOD SAFETY AND VETERINARY LEGISLATION COMPARISON WITH ACQUIS

This paper discusses food safety and veterinary service legislation in Albania and their degree of the approximation with the EU legislation. This paper also covers a description of the competent authorities in Albania, empowered with inspections and monitoring duties of the market but also with tools for providing adequate response to eventual emergencies. The paper underlines the outcome of the latest Progress Report on Albania, especially with regard to the building capacity of the competent authorities and further approximation of the domestic legislation with the acquis communautaire obligations of the Republic of Albania in view of the provisions of the Stabilization and Association Agreement. At the end, the paper gives conclusion as per the deficiencies that are observed in the enforcement of the provisions of the legislation

AGRICULTURE LENDING FROM THE BANKING SECTOR (ALBANIA CASE)

Agriculture is one of the main sectors in Albanian economy, were most of rural population is engaged in (according to 2013 official data, 52% of total employees is engaged in agriculture). Regardless of this, agriculture contribution to domestic GDP is around 18.9% (according to 2012 official data). There are 16 banks operating in Albanian financial market, which dedicate to agriculture no more than 2-5% of their lending portfolio, mainly because of creditworthiness of farm units. Lack of agriculture lending constitutes a limiting factor for agriculture development. As such, in our study we tried to find solutions on how to increase farm units’ creditworthiness, firstly by understanding the banks perception on agriculture lending. A survey, among 10 banks in Albania was made, to identify factors which might be taken in consideration when analyzing agriculture lending expansion (such as future expectations for agriculture lending, performance of loan portfolio). Secondly, a linear regression model was build which links the seasonality of agricultural products prices with loans granted to agriculture. While the model showed some positive results, variables used are selected in terms of limited quantitative data and short time series. The goal of this paper is to contribute to discussion of the possible ways of increasing agriculture lending from banking sector through the seasonality of agriculture products prices, based on the actual conditions of farm unit, by providing a comprehensive overview of the performance of banking sector in Albania

Eneida Larti in a Faculty Recital

This is the program for the faculty recital featuring pianist Eneida Larti. This recital took place on September 19, 2011, in the W. Francis McBeth Recital Hall

HOW AGRICULTURE IS PERCEIVED FROM THE BANKS OPERATING IN ALBANIA

This paper is oriented in trying to analyze the overall opinion or perception that Albanian banks have toward agriculture sector in general, and agriculture lending in particular. To get a full picture of the situation, different statistical parameters regarding banking activity in Albania are presented, such as the banking sector expansion in Albanian territory to understand how rural and urban areas are covered from the banking presence; their electronic products offered to understand the ease of contact from the client with the banks etc. A survey was realized (which included ten of the biggest banks operating in Albania). The survey tries to gain knowledge about the future expectations of the banks as per agriculture lending; their perception as per client orientation behavior; the banks future decision as what share of their portfolio will be dedicated to agriculture etc. The survey gives answers to question like, what part of loan portfolio is dedicated to agriculture and growth expectations in the future; how are loan standards being applied and expectations in the future; main factors affecting loan demand etc. At the end, this paper concluded about the future expectations of loan portfolio structure of banking institutions

LAW ON AGRICULTURAL COOPERATIVE COMPANIES IN ALBANIA; A REVIEW

This paper is oriented to thoroughly examine the provisions of the Law no. 38/2012, dated 05.04.2012 “On Agricultural Cooperative Companies”. In the first part of the paper it is analyzed how the cooperative company is established, the object of activity and quality of its members. Further, the paper deals with the organization structure of the agricultural cooperative companies by detailing its governing and managerial bodies, namely the general assembly and the administrator(s). In the second part of the paper it is conducted a brief comparison of the Albanian law on agricultural cooperative companies versus EU the like legislation having regard especially to the combination of financial and social aspects of various laws