Identifying Requirements for Vocational Information and Communication Technology Curricula in Afghanistan

This paper examines how ICT (Information & Communication Technology) is taught in vocational institutions in developing countries. If the world is truly flat, ICT education in Afghanistan and Namibia would. In the highly-standardized domain of ICT, the vocational education curricula should be similar to what you might find in Estonia and other developed nations. We focus specifically on what ICT with the consideration to the labour market needs, is the focus of this study. Such comparisons are demanding, because of the multiplicity of educational systems. Yet, there are some lessons we can learn from the international experience. CurrentICT qualification standards in Europe. The paper explores also current challenges in Afghanistan’s ICT Technical Vocational Education curricula, technical vocational institutes which influence the delivery of teaching and learning in ICT domain, as well as potential mismatch between the supply and demand of ICT-skilled workforce in Afghanistan

Visualization of microprocessor execution in computer architecture courses: a case study at Kabul University

Magister Scientiae - MScComputer architecture and assembly language programming microprocessor execution are basic courses taught in every computer science department. Generally, however, students have difficulties in mastering many of the concepts in the courses, particularly students whose first language is not English. In addition to their difficulties in understanding the purpose of given instructions, students struggle to mentally visualize the data movement, control and processing operations. To address this problem, this research proposed a graphical visualization approach and investigated the visual illustrations of such concepts and instruction execution by implementing a graphical visualization simulator as a teaching aid. The graphical simulator developed during the course of this research was applied in a computer architecture course at Kabul University, Afghanistan. Results obtained from student evaluation of the simulator show significant levels of success using the visual simulation teaching aid. The results showed that improved learning was achieved, suggesting that this approach could be useful in other computer science departments in Afghanistan, and elsewhere where similar challenges are experienced.South Afric

An efficient hp spectral collocation method for nonsmooth optimal control problems

summary:One of the most challenging problems in the optimal control theory consists of solving the nonsmooth optimal control problems where several discontinuities may be present in the control variable and derivative of the state variable. Recently some extended spectral collocation methods have been introduced for solving such problems, and a matrix of differentiation is usually used to discretize and to approximate the derivative of the state variable in the particular collocation points. In such methods, there is typically no condition for the continuity of the state variable at the switching points. In this article, we propose an efficient hp spectral collocation method for the general form of nonsmooth optimal control problems based on the operational integration matrix. The time interval of the problem is first partitioned into several variable subintervals, and the problem is then discretized by considering the Legendre-Gauss-Lobatto collocation points. Here, the switching points are unknown parameters, and having solved the final discretized problem, we achieve some approximations for the optimal solutions and the switching points. We solve some comparative numerical test problems to support of the performance of the suggested approach

Silver nanoparticle functionalized by glutamine and conjugated with thiosemicarbazide induces apoptosis in colon cancer cell line

Abstract The high mortality rate of colon cancer indicates the insufficient efficacy of current chemotherapy. Thus, the discussion on engineered metal nanoparticles in the treatment of the disease has been considered. In this study, silver nanoparticles were functionalized with glutamine and conjugated with thiosemiccarbazide. Then, anticancer mechanism of Ag@Gln-TSC NPs in a colon cancer cell line (SW480) was investigated. Characterizing Ag@Gln-TSC NPs by FT-IR, XRD, EDS-mapping, DLS, zeta potential, and SEM and TEM microscopy revealed that the Ag@Gln-TSC NPs were correctly synthesized, the particles were spherical, with surface charge of − 27.3 mV, high thermal stability and low agglomeration level. Using MTT assay we found that Ag@Gln-TSC NPs were significantly more toxic for colon cancer cells than normal fibroblast cells with IC50 of 88 and 186 µg/mL, respectively. Flow cytometry analysis showed that treating colon cancer cells with Ag@Gln-TSC NPs leads to a considerable increase in the frequency of apoptotic cells (85.9% of the cells) and increased cell cycle arrest at the S phase. Also, several apoptotic features, including hyperactivity of caspase-3 (5.15 folds), increased expression of CASP8 gene (3.8 folds), and apoptotic nuclear alterations were noticed in the nanoparticle treated cells. Furthermore, treating colon cancer cells with Ag@Gln-TSC NPs caused significant down-regulation of the HULC Lnc-RNA and PPFIA4 oncogene by 0.3 and 0.6 folds, respectively. Overall, this work showed that Ag@Gln-TSC NPs can effectively inhibit colon cancer cells through the activation of apoptotic pathways, a feature that can be considered more in studies in the field of colon cancer treatment

Burden of diarrhea in the eastern mediterranean region, 1990-2013: Findings from the global burden of disease study 2013

Diarrheal diseases (DD) are leading causes of disease burden, death, and disability, especially in children in low-income settings. DD can also impact a child's potential livelihood through stunted physical growth, cognitive impairment, and other sequelae. As part of the Global Burden of Disease Study, we estimated DD burden, and the burden attributable to specific risk factors and particular etiologies, in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) between 1990 and 2013. For both sexes and all ages, we calculated disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), which are the sum of years of life lost and years lived with disability. We estimate that over 125,000 deaths (3.6% of total deaths) were due to DD in the EMR in 2013, with a greater burden of DD in low-and middle-income countries. Diarrhea deaths per 100,000 children under 5 years of age ranged from one (95% uncertainty interval [UI] = 0-1) in Bahrain and Oman to 471 (95% UI = 245-763) in Somalia. The pattern for diarrhea DALYs among those under 5 years of age closely followed that for diarrheal deaths. DALYs per 100,000 ranged from 739 (95% UI = 520-989) in Syria to 40,869 (95% UI = 21,540-65,823) in Somalia. Our results highlighted a highly inequitable burden of DD in EMR, mainly driven by the lack of access to proper resources such as water and sanitation. Our findings will guide preventive and treatment interventions which are based on evidence and which follow the ultimate goal of reducing the DD burden.</p

Burden of lower respiratory infections in the Eastern Mediterranean Region between 1990 and 2015: findings from the Global Burden of Disease 2015 study

Mokdad AH, Moradi-Lakeh M, El Bcheraoui C, et al. Burden of lower respiratory infections in the Eastern Mediterranean Region between 1990 and 2015: findings from the Global Burden of Disease 2015 study. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH. 2018;63(Suppl. 1):97-108.We used data from the Global Burden of Disease 2015 study (GBD) to calculate the burden of lower respiratory infections (LRIs) in the 22 countries of the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) from 1990 to 2015. We conducted a systematic analysis of mortality and morbidity data for LRI and its specific etiologic factors, including pneumococcus, Haemophilus influenzae type b, Respiratory syncytial virus, and influenza virus. We used modeling methods to estimate incidence, deaths, and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs). We calculated burden attributable to known risk factors for LRI. In 2015, LRIs were the fourth-leading cause of DALYs, causing 11,098,243 (95% UI 9,857,095-12,396,566) DALYs and 191,114 (95% UI 170,934-210,705) deaths. The LRI DALY rates were higher than global estimates in 2015. The highest and lowest age-standardized rates of DALYs were observed in Somalia and Lebanon, respectively. Undernutrition in childhood and ambient particulate matter air pollution in the elderly were the main risk factors. Our findings call for public health strategies to reduce the level of risk factors in each age group, especially vulnerable child and elderly populations

Health in times of uncertainty in the eastern Mediterranean region, 1990–2013: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2013

Background: The eastern Mediterranean region is comprised of 22 countries: Afghanistan, Bahrain, Djibouti, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. Since our Global Burden of Disease Study 2010 (GBD 2010), the region has faced unrest as a result of revolutions, wars, and the so-called Arab uprisings. The objective of this study was to present the burden of diseases, injuries, and risk factors in the eastern Mediterranean region as of 2013. Methods: GBD 2013 includes an annual assessment covering 188 countries from 1990 to 2013. The study covers 306 diseases and injuries, 1233 sequelae, and 79 risk factors. Our GBD 2013 analyses included the addition of new data through updated systematic reviews and through the contribution of unpublished data sources from collaborators, an updated version of modelling software, and several improvements in our methods. In this systematic analysis, we use data from GBD 2013 to analyse the burden of disease and injuries in the eastern Mediterranean region specifically. Findings: The leading cause of death in the region in 2013 was ischaemic heart disease (90·3 deaths per 100 000 people), which increased by 17·2% since 1990. However, diarrhoeal diseases were the leading cause of death in Somalia (186·7 deaths per 100 000 people) in 2013, which decreased by 26·9% since 1990. The leading cause of disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) was ischaemic heart disease for males and lower respiratory infection for females. High blood pressure was the leading risk factor for DALYs in 2013, with an increase of 83·3% since 1990. Risk factors for DALYs varied by country. In low-income countries, childhood wasting was the leading cause of DALYs in Afghanistan, Somalia, and Yemen, whereas unsafe sex was the leading cause in Djibouti. Non-communicable risk factors were the leading cause of DALYs in high-income and middle-income countries in the region. DALY risk factors varied by age, with child and maternal malnutrition affecting the younger age groups (aged 28 days to 4 years), whereas high bodyweight and systolic blood pressure affected older people (aged 60–80 years). The proportion of DALYs attributed to high body-mass index increased from 3·7% to 7·5% between 1990 and 2013. Burden of mental health problems and drug use increased. Most increases in DALYs, especially from non-communicable diseases, were due to population growth. The crises in Egypt, Yemen, Libya, and Syria have resulted in a reduction in life expectancy; life expectancy in Syria would have been 5 years higher than that recorded for females and 6 years higher for males had the crisis not occurred. Interpretation: Our study shows that the eastern Mediterranean region is going through a crucial health phase. The Arab uprisings and the wars that followed, coupled with ageing and population growth, will have a major impact on the region's health and resources. The region has historically seen improvements in life expectancy and other health indicators, even under stress. However, the current situation will cause deteriorating health conditions for many countries and for many years and will have an impact on the region and the rest of the world. Based on our findings, we call for increased investment in health in the region in addition to reducing the conflicts. Funding: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Global, regional, and national disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) for 306 diseases and injuries and healthy life expectancy (HALE) for 188 countries, 1990-2013: quantifying the epidemiological transition.

International audienceThe Global Burden of Disease Study 2013 (GBD 2013) aims to bring together all available epidemiological data using a coherent measurement framework, standardised estimation methods, and transparent data sources to enable comparisons of health loss over time and across causes, age-sex groups, and countries. The GBD can be used to generate summary measures such as disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) and healthy life expectancy (HALE) that make possible comparative assessments of broad epidemiological patterns across countries and time. These summary measures can also be used to quantify the component of variation in epidemiology that is related to sociodemographic development. We used the published GBD 2013 data for age-specific mortality, years of life lost due to premature mortality (YLLs), and years lived with disability (YLDs) to calculate DALYs and HALE for 1990, 1995, 2000, 2005, 2010, and 2013 for 188 countries. We calculated HALE using the Sullivan method; 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs) represent uncertainty in age-specific death rates and YLDs per person for each country, age, sex, and year. We estimated DALYs for 306 causes for each country as the sum of YLLs and YLDs; 95% UIs represent uncertainty in YLL and YLD rates. We quantified patterns of the epidemiological transition with a composite indicator of sociodemographic status, which we constructed from income per person, average years of schooling after age 15 years, and the total fertility rate and mean age of the population. We applied hierarchical regression to DALY rates by cause across countries to decompose variance related to the sociodemographic status variable, country, and time. Worldwide, from 1990 to 2013, life expectancy at birth rose by 6·2 years (95% UI 5·6-6·6), from 65·3 years (65·0-65·6) in 1990 to 71·5 years (71·0-71·9) in 2013, HALE at birth rose by 5·4 years (4·9-5·8), from 56·9 years (54·5-59·1) to 62·3 years (59·7-64·8), total DALYs fell by 3·6% (0·3-7·4), and age-standardised DALY rates per 100 000 people fell by 26·7% (24·6-29·1). For communicable, maternal, neonatal, and nutritional disorders, global DALY numbers, crude rates, and age-standardised rates have all declined between 1990 and 2013, whereas for non-communicable diseases, global DALYs have been increasing, DALY rates have remained nearly constant, and age-standardised DALY rates declined during the same period. From 2005 to 2013, the number of DALYs increased for most specific non-communicable diseases, including cardiovascular diseases and neoplasms, in addition to dengue, food-borne trematodes, and leishmaniasis; DALYs decreased for nearly all other causes. By 2013, the five leading causes of DALYs were ischaemic heart disease, lower respiratory infections, cerebrovascular disease, low back and neck pain, and road injuries. Sociodemographic status explained more than 50% of the variance between countries and over time for diarrhoea, lower respiratory infections, and other common infectious diseases; maternal disorders; neonatal disorders; nutritional deficiencies; other communicable, maternal, neonatal, and nutritional diseases; musculoskeletal disorders; and other non-communicable diseases. However, sociodemographic status explained less than 10% of the variance in DALY rates for cardiovascular diseases; chronic respiratory diseases; cirrhosis; diabetes, urogenital, blood, and endocrine diseases; unintentional injuries; and self-harm and interpersonal violence. Predictably, increased sociodemographic status was associated with a shift in burden from YLLs to YLDs, driven by declines in YLLs and increases in YLDs from musculoskeletal disorders, neurological disorders, and mental and substance use disorders. In most country-specific estimates, the increase in life expectancy was greater than that in HALE. Leading causes of DALYs are highly variable across countries. Global health is improving. Population growth and ageing have driven up numbers of DALYs, but crude rates have remained relatively constant, showing that progress in health does not mean fewer demands on health systems. The notion of an epidemiological transition--in which increasing sociodemographic status brings structured change in disease burden--is useful, but there is tremendous variation in burden of disease that is not associated with sociodemographic status. This further underscores the need for country-specific assessments of DALYs and HALE to appropriately inform health policy decisions and attendant actions. Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation