Justice Delayed, Safety Denied: Why Women Still Fear Reporting Violence

In the United States, the growing shift from traditional cigarettes to e-cigarettes and other nicotine products could potentially lead to a decline in cancer rates in the future. A new study published in JNCI Cancer Spectrum analyzed data from US federal health surveys collected between 2015 and 2023. According to the study, traditional cigarette smoking declined significantly across almost all age groups during this period with the decline being particularly noticeable among people aged 18 to 34. In contrast, the number of people using only alternative nicotine products particularly e-cigarettes, increased. The study’s lead researcher, Professor Kenneth Michael Cummings of the Medical University of South Carolina said the trend suggests that many smokers are completely switching to vaping rather than using both products simultaneously. The study found that the proportion of people who used both cigarettes and e-cigarettes remained around 2% to 3% throughout the study period. Scientists also developed a Population Harm Reduction Index to compare traditional cigarette smoking with the use of non-combustible nicotine products. According to the researchers, an increase in the index indicates that more people are using alternatives to traditional cigarettes that may expose them to lower levels of potentially cancer-causing chemicals. The study found that people aged 55 and above were much less likely than younger people to quit smoking and switch to alternative products even though older adults could gain significant immediate health benefits from quitting smoking. According to the study, vaping has now become more common than cigarette smoking among young people aged 18 to 24. Professor Cummings said the greatest concern is that older people who have smoked for many years are not switching to lower-risk, non-combustible nicotine products as quickly. This is the group that could potentially gain the greatest immediate health benefits from quitting smoking. According to the report, the study was funded by the US National Cancer Institute and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) while the vaping industry provided no financial support.

A new study has found that children who consume high amounts of sugar at an early age may face a higher risk of developing dementia later in life. The study suggests that pregnant women who avoid sweets, chocolates and other sugary foods may help reduce their child’s risk of developing the disease by up to 20 percent. The research published in the medical journal Neurology also found that consuming very small amounts of sugar during early life may provide protection against dementia. The study’s lead author, Professor Jiazheng Zheng said the findings suggest that limiting sugar intake during the early stages of life could have long-term benefits for brain health. He further said the findings highlight the potential importance of early-life nutrition in reducing the risk of dementia decades later. Researchers from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology compared the health of 64,737 people who were born before and after sugar rationing was introduced in Britain during World War II. The participants were divided into groups based on the timing of sugar rationing: those who experienced limited access to sugar before birth and during their first year of life, those who experienced it before birth and until the age of two and those who were not exposed to sugar rationing. When the participants reached an average age of 55, the research team began analyzing their medical records to determine which individuals were diagnosed with dementia during the following 15 years. Among the 15,256 people who had limited access to sugar before birth and during their first two years of life, only 2 percent were later diagnosed with dementia. Although researchers say the findings do not conclusively prove that eating less sugar directly prevents dementia, experts believe the results are consistent with growing evidence that sugar can affect brain function. Experts also say that the brain is highly sensitive to fluctuations in blood sugar levels. Other research has found that people with high blood sugar levels may face up to a 69 percent higher risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

By Prof. Engr. Dr. Khuram Pervez Amber The persistent weaker linkage between industries and universities in Pakistan requires strategic interventions from all stakeholders. Pakistan cannot expect systemic industrial growth while its higher education institutions and industrial sectors operate in silos. Number of universities in Pakistan has dramatically increased over the past two decades. At current, there are nearly 280 universities in Pakistan which are producing thousands of graduates every year. But the concerns of industries remain valid that the graduates lack the necessary technical knowledge and skills which are required in the industries. These concerns of industries are particularly reported in disciplines such as engineering, computer science and the applied sciences, where employers frequently report a mismatch between academic preparation and industrial requirements. Although there are some valuable initiatives by the HEC, PEC, and NTC which include mandatory industrial internships of six to eight weeks for the engineering and technology students, the impact of such initiatives is limited due to multiple factors. Another initiative of HEC to strengthen university academia linkage is the establishment of the Office of Research, Innovation, and Commercialization (ORICs) in universities. However, the effectiveness of this initiative has not been successful at the desired level as in many universities, ORICs operate with limited staff and resources, while directors of ORICs are usually on additional charges. Expecting a small office alone to build industrial linkages for an entire university is unrealistic. Currently, out of nearly 260 universities, only 95 universities have established ORICs. In the recent ORIC ranking of HEC, only seven of 95 universities achieved the top category, i.e. “W” category. One of the major unexplored reasons behind this fragile linkage between industry and academia is the limited or no industrial exposure of university teachers. Most university teachers move directly from their bachelor’s degrees into master’s and PhD programs. Through this route, such individuals may become academically qualified teachers, but this route does not make them professionals having knowledge of industrial practices, industrial standards, and industry-oriented innovations. In many cases, a teacher teaches an industrial system which he/she has never experienced. This approach may clear theoretical concepts of students, but such students will certainly struggle when they would face real- life industrial problems after their induction in industry. So why do our university teachers require industrial exposure in their field of research? The answer is simple. A teacher with industrial exposure brings his industrial experience into the classrooms, laboratories, projects, and discussions on daily basis. Industrial experience of such teachers would not only improve the technical understanding of students about various industrial systems but also enhance students’ problem-solving skills. It would further help students to understand industrial expectations. So how could universities help their faculty members to get industrial experience? This could be achieved through implementation of structured industrial placement/professional development programs under ORICs for university teachers particularly working in engineering, technology and applied sciences faculties. Under this program, university teachers can spend six months to twelve months in an industry related to their field of interest/research on a turn-by-turn basis. During this period, such faculty members will keep receiving their monthly salaries as usual. So, what will be the major benefits of this model? There will be significant improvement in the pedagogical skills of faculty members as they will be teaching with practical examples, industrial case studies and real-world problem-solving approaches. During their placement in the industry, faculty members would make connections with the industrial experts/managers/engineers which would help them in future to supervise industry-relevant research, secure collaborative projects and contribute to technology transfer. They would identify operational challenges requiring research-based solutions. Upon returning to universities, they can transform these challenges into student projects, postgraduate research topics and consultancy opportunities. This would help create a healthier research culture focused on solving local industrial problems. University graduates will have problem solving skills that are required by industry. Over time, this model would help bridge the trust deficit that exists between academia and industry. Admittedly, implementing such a policy would not be easy. Challenges such as shortage of faculty, and increased teaching workloads are genuine challenges. There are also cultural barriers within academia, where industrial experience is often valued less than traditional academic achievements. However, these barriers are manageable. HEC and professional bodies such as PEC, and universities can jointly develop and implement structured industrial placement programs for faculty members. The industrial experience can be recognized within promotion criteria of faculty members, accreditation frameworks and quality assurance standards. In the nutshell, to produce industry ready graduates, the industrial exposure of university faculty members is indispensable. Their industrial experience will result in a stronger academia-industry linkage which is essential for economic growth, innovation and technological progress. Until universities and industries begin working together more meaningfully, Pakistan will continue producing degrees faster than opportunities. Prof. Engr. Dr. Khuram Pervez Amber (CEng, MEI, PE, FHEA) The writer is serving as Director QEC at Mirpur University of Science and Technology, AJ&K.