Educational politics in Thailand: A case of the 1999 National Education Act

The purpose of this study was to understand educational policy-making and politics in Thailand. The researcher sought to answer the questions “What is the nature of Thai politics?” and “What is the nature of educational policy-making in Thailand?” The study followed an institutional approach to political research adopted by sociohistorical theorists (Kato, 1996; Scott, 1995). The research design was based on the qualitative, case-study strategy. The study consists of two parts: (a) an investigation into the historical development of Thai politics, society, and education and (b) the case study of the bill on the establishment of the council of teachers and educational personnel. The case study is an examination of the political conflicts occurring during the development and consideration of the bill. The conceptual framework and categories used in this study were derived from institutional theories (Scott, 1995) and the concepts of legitimacy of authority (Weber, 1924/1968), citizenship (Marshall, 1969), and political conflict (Schattschneider, 1975). The data-collection methods of document review and interviewing were used. The interviews were conducted individually with seven participants who were senior civil servants and elite political officials. The trustworthiness of the research findings was achieved by applying the constructivist criteria for evaluating qualitative research (Lincoln & Guba, 1985). The research findings suggested that the Thai political system is an exclusive system. The development of Thai politics was based on an authoritarian tradition vested in the institution of the absolute monarchy. In the past, the masses were excluded from politics by the legal system, social structure, and religious beliefs. The social structure and processes constituted the normative and cultural frameworks that constrained the choices of political participation by the masses. Similar to Thai politics, educational policy-making in Thailand is an elite system controlled by senior civil servants in the Office of the National Education Commission, by the Ministry of Education, and by members of the Cabinet. The authorities decides who could get involved in the process and at what points in the process. The public was allowed to participate only in the process of drafting policies through public hearings that were organized, for the most part, to support the authorities’ agendas

Quantitative assessment of the pharmacotherapy of biopolar disorder and schizophrenia

The work present in this thesis was aimed at assessing the efficacy of lithium in the acute treatment of mania and for the prophylaxis of bipolar disorder, and investigating the value of plasma haloperidol concentration for predicting response to treatment in schizophrenia. The pharmacogenetics of psychotropic drugs is critically appraised to provide insights into interindividual variability in response to pharmacotherapy, In clinical trials of acute mania, a number of measures have been used to assess the severity of illness and its response to treatment. Rating instruments need to be validated in order for a clinical study to provide reliable and meaningful estimates of treatment effects, Eight symptom-rating scales were identified and critically assessed, The Mania Rating Scale (MRS) was the most commonly used for assessing treatment response, The advantage of the MRS is that there is a relatively extensive database of studies based on it and this will no doubt ensure that it remains a gold standard for the foreseeable future. Other useful rating scales are available for measuring mania but further cross-validation and validation against clinically meaningful global changes are required. A total of 658 patients from 12 trials were included in an evaluation of the efficacy of lithium in the treatment of acute mania. Treatment periods ranged from 3 to 4 weeks. Efficacy was estimated using (i) the differences in the reduction in mania severity scores, and (ii) the ratio and difference in improvement response rates. The response rate ratio for lithium against placebo was 1.95 (95% CI 1.17 to 3.23). The mean number needed to treat was 5 (95% CI 3 to 20). Patients were twice as likely to obtain remission with lithium than with chlorpromazine (rate ratio = 1.96, 95% CI 1.02 to 3.77). The mean number needed to treat (NNT) was 4 (95% CI 3 to 9). Neither carbamazepine nor valproate was more effective than lithium. The response rate ratios were 1.01 (95% CI 0.54 to 1.88) for lithium compared to carbarnazepine and 1.22 (95% CI 0.91 to 1.64) for lithium against valproate. Haloperidol was no better than lithium on the basis of improvement based on assessment of global severity. The differences in effects between lithium and risperidone were -2.79 (95% CI -4.22 to -1.36) in favour of risperidone with respect to symptom severity improvement and -0.76 (95% CI -1.11 to -0,41) on the basis of reduction in global severity of disease. Symptom and global severity was at least as well controlIed with lithium as with verapamil. Lithium caused more side-effects than placebo and verapamil, but no more than carbamazepine or valproate. A total of 554 patients from 13 trials were included in the statistical analysis of lithium's efficacy in the prophylaxis of bipolar disorder. The mean follow-up period was 5-34 months. The relapse risk ratio for lithium versus placebo was 0.47 (95% CI 0.26 to 0.86) and the NNT was 3 (95% CI 2 to 7). The relapse risk ratio for lithium versus imipramine was 0.62 (95% CI 0.46 to 0.84) and the NNT was 4 (951% Cl 3 to 7), The combination of lithium and imipramine was no more effective than lithium alone. The risk of relapse was greater with lithium alone than with the lithium-divalproate combination. A risk difference of 0.60 (95% CI 0.21 to 0.99) and an NNT of 2 (95% CI 1 to 5) were obtained. Lithium was as effective as carbamazepine. Based on individual data concerning plasma haloperidol concentration and percent improvement in psychotic symptoms, our results suggest an acceptable concentration range of 11.20-30.30 ng/mL A minimum of 2 weeks should be allowed before evaluating therapeutic response. Monitoring of drug plasma levels seems not to be necessary unless behavioural toxicity or noncompliance is suspected. Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, which are mainly determined by genetic factors, contribute to interindividual and interethnic variations in clinical response to drugs. These variations are primarily due to differences in drug metabolism. Variability in pharmacokinetics of a number of drugs is associated with oxidation polymorphism. Debrisoquine/sparteine hydroxylase (CYP2D6) and the S-mephenytoin hydroxylase (CYP2C19) are polymorphic P450 enzymes with particular importance in psychopharmacotherapy. The enzymes are responsible for the metabolism of many commonly used antipsychotic and antidepressant drugs. The incidence of poor metabolisers of debrisoquine and S-mephenytoin varies widely among populations. Ethnic variations in polymorphic isoenzymes may, at least in part, explain ethnic differences in response to pharmacotherapy of antipsychotics and antidepressant drugs

Investigating the Evidence of the Real-Life Impact of Acute Hyperglycaemia

Poorly controlled diabetes mellitus (DM) is associated with the development of long-term micro- and macro-vascular complications. The predominant focus of anti-diabetic therapy has been on lowering glycosylated haemoglobin levels, with a strong emphasis on fasting plasma glucose (particularly in Type 2 DM). There is considerable evidence indicating that post-meal hyperglycaemic levels are independently associated with higher risks of macro-vascular disease. Although some have identified mechanisms which may account for these observations, interventions which have specifically targeted postprandial glucose rises showed little or no effect in reducing cardiovascular risk. Clinical experience and some recent studies suggest acute hyperglycaemia affects cognition and other indicators of performance, equivalent to impairment seen during hypoglycaemia. In this brief report, we evaluated the published studies and argue that acute hyperglycaemia is worth investigating in relation to the real-life implications. In summary, evidence exists suggesting that acute hyperglycaemia may lead to impaired cognitive performance and productivity, but the relationship between these effects and daily activities remains poorly understood. Further research is required to enhance our understanding of acute hyperglycaemia in daily life. A better appreciation of clinically relevant effects of acute hyperglycaemia will allow us to determine whether it needs to be addressed by specific treatment

Efficacy of Various Antidiabetic Agents as Add-On Treatments to Metformin in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background and Aim. Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease that has a great impact on patients and society. Metformin monotherapy is capable of maintaining a target glycemic control only for a short term. The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of combination therapy of metformin with any antidiabetic agents in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients. Methods. Reports of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of combination therapy of metformin with various antidiabetic agents in T2DM failing metformin alone were identified. Results. Eight studies were identified in our paper. Thiazolidinediones (TZDs) were as effective as dipeptidyl peptidase IV inhibitors (DPP IV inhs) in reducing HbA1c value (pooled mean difference −0.03%; 95% CI −0.16 to 0.10%). In comparison between TZDs and sulphonylureas (SUs), TZDs reduced fasting plasma insulin (FPI) more effectively than SUs (pool mean difference −5.72 μU/mL; 95% CI −8.21 to −3.22 μU/mL, P < 0.00001), but no significant differences were detected in the effects on HbA1c and fasting plasma glucose (FPG) (pooled mean difference −2.19 mg/dL; 95% CI −11.32 to 6.94 mg/dL, P = 0.64). Conclusions. Our study showed that TZDs reduced FPG better than did DPP IV inhs and decreased FPI more than did SUs

The impact of self-monitoring in chronic illness on healthcare utilisation: a systematic review of reviews

Background: Self-management interventions have been found to reduce healthcare utilisation in people with long-term conditions, but further work is needed to identify which components of these interventions are most effective. Self-monitoring is one such component and is associated with significant clinical benefits. The aim of this systematic review of reviews is to assess the impact of self-monitoring interventions on healthcare utilisation across a range of chronic illnesses. Methods: An overview of published systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Multiple databases were searched (MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, EMBASE, AMED, EBM and HMIC) along with the reference lists of included reviews. A narrative synthesis was performed, accompanied by calculation of the Corrected Cover Area to understand the impact of overlapping primary research papers. Results: A total of 17 systematic reviews and meta-analyses across three chronic conditions, heart failure, hypertension and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, were included. Self-monitoring was associated with significant reductions in hospitalisation and re-admissions to hospital. Conclusions: Self-monitoring has the potential to reduce the pressure placed on secondary care services, but this may lead to increase in services elsewhere in the system. Further work is needed to determine how these findings affect healthcare costs

Systematic review and meta-analysis of the effectiveness of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) on glucose control in diabetes

AbstractDiabetes mellitus is a chronic disease that necessitates continuing treatment and patient self-care education. Monitoring of blood glucose to near normal level without hypoglycemia becomes a challenge in the management of diabetes. Although self monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) can provide daily monitoring of blood glucose level and help to adjust therapy, it cannot detect hypoglycemic unawareness and nocturnal hypoglycemia which occurred mostly in T1DM pediatrics. Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) offers continuous glucose data every 5 minutes to adjust insulin therapy especially for T1DM patients and to monitor lifestyle intervention especially for T2DM patients by care providers or even patients themselves. The main objective of this study was to assess the effects of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) on glycemic control in Type 1 diabetic pediatrics and Type 2 diabetic adults by collecting randomized controlled trials from MEDLINE (pubmed), SCOPUS, CINAHL, Web of Science and The Cochrane Library up to May 2013 and historical search through the reference lists of relevant articles. There are two types of CGM device: real-time CGM and retrospective CGM and both types of the device were included in the analysis. In T1DM pediatrics, CGM use was no more effective than SMBG in reducing HbA1c [mean difference – 0.13% (95% CI -0.38% to 0.11%,]. This effect was independent of HbA1c level at baseline. Subgroup analysis indicated that retrospective CGM was not superior to SMBG [mean difference -0.05% (95% CI -0.46% to 0.35%)]. In contrast, real-time CGM revealed better effect in lowering HbA1c level compared with SMBG [mean difference -0.18% (95% CI -0.35% to -0.02%, p = 0.02)]. In T2DM adults, significant reduction in HbA1c level was detected with CGM compared with SMBG [mean difference – 0.31% (95% CI -0.6% to -0.02%, p = 0.04)].This systematic review and meta-analysis suggested that real-time CGM can be more effective than SMBG in T1DM pediatrics, though retrospective CGM was not. CGM provided better glycemic control in T2DM adults compared with SMBG.</jats:p

On-line aptamer affinity solid-phase extraction capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry for the determination of SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is responsible for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which has sparked a significant global health crisis in recent years. Among its structural proteins, the nucleocapsid protein (N protein) stands out as one of the most abundant. Despite being well-recognized as an immunodominant antigen in host immune responses and a promising diagnostic biomarker, further insight into this protein with novel analytical methods is crucial for understanding the disease mechanisms. This study focuses on the development of an aptamer affinity sorbent for the purification, preconcentration, separation, characterization, and quantification of the N protein using on-line aptamer affinity solid-phase extraction capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry (AA-SPE-CE-MS). Microcartridges packed with a sorbent composed of magnetic bead (MB) particles modified with an aptamer against the N protein were utilized. A rigorous optimization of several method parameters resulted in the use of a lab-made hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC)-coated capillary to prevent protein adsorption and a neutral background electrolyte (BGE) of 10 mM ammonium acetate (pH 7.0) for the separation. The sample was loaded in the BGE, and the retained protein was subsequently eluted with 1 M acetic acid (pH 2.3). The developed method demonstrated repeatability in terms of migration times and peak areas, exhibited linearity between 2.5 and 25 μg mL 1, and achieved a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.5 μg mL 1, providing a sensitivity enhancement of 500 times compared to CE-MS. It was finally applied to the analysis of the N protein in human saliva, pointing out its potential for establishing accurate SARS-CoV-2 complementary analytical methods

Characteristics of drug-related problems and pharmacist’s interventions in hospitalized patients in Thailand: a prospective observational study

Drug-related problems (DRPs) are a major health concern. A better understanding of the characteristics of DRPs throughout the hospital stay may help to tailor pharmaceutical care services (PCS). This study aims to describe the characteristics of DRPs and to compare DRP pattern in different stages of hospital stay. DRPs were identified by clinical pharmacists as part of their routine services. Pharmacist assessed causality, severity and preventability of DRP. A total of 316 preventable DRPs occurred in 257 patients with the median of 1 (rang 1–3) DRPs per patient. 46.8% of DRPs occurred at discharge than at other stages. The most frequent cause of DRP was no drug treatment in spite of existing indication, accounting for 32.3% of all DRPs. No drug treatment with existing indication was detected frequently at discharge (56.1%) compared with other stages (p-value < 0.001). The common intervention to physician was starting a drug (34.0%) and the acceptance rate was 95.8%. DRPs in hospitalized patients occur at any stage of the hospital stay. Systematic identification of DRP characteristics enables pharmacists to tailor optimal type of PCS required and hence improve patient safety.The Royal Golden Jubilee (RGJ) Ph.D. Program (Grant No. PHD/0214/2559)

Poly[μ3-β-alanine-aqua-μ4-sulfato-dilithium]

The title compound, [Li2(SO4)(C3H7NO2)(H2O)]n, is a coordination polymer in which the β-alanine residues remain in the zwitterionic form. The crystal structure consists of corrugated sheets of [LiO4] and [SO4] tetra­hedra parallel to (010) with the β-alanine mol­ecules located between the sheets. The two independent Li+ cations are four-coordinated by O atoms in a distorted tetra­hedral geometry. The crystal structure is formed by stacking of alternate organic and inorganic layers along the a axis. The crystal structure is further stabilized by N—H⋯O hydrogen bonds