title: Reducing the external environmental costs of pastoral farming in New Zealand: experiences from the Te Arawa lakes, Rotorua

authors: Abell, Jonathan Michael

subjects: agriculture

abstract: Decades of nutrient pollution have caused water quality to decline in the nationally iconic Te Arawa (Rotorua) lakes in New Zealand. Pastoral agriculture is a major nutrient source, and therefore this degradation represents an external environmental cost to intensive farming. This cost is borne by the wider community, and a major publically funded remediation programme is now under way. This article describes the range of actions being taken to reduce nutrient loads from internal (lake bed sediments) and external (primarily diffuse) sources in the lake catchments. The high economic cost and uncertain efficacy of engineering-based actions to reduce internal nutrient loads is highlighted. Major changes to land management practices to control diffuse nutrient pollution are required throughout New Zealand if the need for costly and lengthy remediation programmes elsewhere is to be avoided. More action to educate farmers and the public about eutrophication issues, development and enforcement of environmental standards, and further consideration of the use of market-based instruments are proposed as ways to correct the current market failure.

text: Reducing the external environmental costs of pastoral farming in New Zealand: experiences from the Te Arawa lakes, Rotorua Decades of nutrient pollution have caused water quality to decline in the nationally iconic Te Arawa (Rotorua) lakes in New Zealand. Pastoral agriculture is a major nutrient source, and therefore this degradation represents an external environmental cost to intensive farming. This cost is borne by the wider community, and a major publically funded remediation programme is now under way. This article describes the range of actions being taken to reduce nutrient loads from internal (lake bed sediments) and external (primarily diffuse) sources in the lake catchments. The high economic cost and uncertain efficacy of engineering-based actions to reduce internal nutrient loads is highlighted. Major changes to land management practices to control diffuse nutrient pollution are required throughout New Zealand if the need for costly and lengthy remediation programmes elsewhere is to be avoided. More action to educate farmers and the public about eutrophication issues, development and enforcement of environmental standards, and further consideration of the use of market-based instruments are proposed as ways to correct the current market failure.

year: 2011

title: Implementation of Nepal’s Education Policy in ICT: Examining current practice through an Ecological Model

authors: Rana, Karna

abstract: Educational policy implementation can be conceptualised in terms of an ecological model that explores roles and relationships within a complex evolving environment. This article draws on an ecological model to examine Nepal's implementation of its policy for information and communication technology in education. The policy is developed by government and mandated to schools, but government does not commit funding to resource infrastructures or train teachers in information and communication technology (ICT) use. Instead, nongovernment organisations (NGOs) have stepped in and provided resources and training. Thus, two separate systems have evolved. This article examines their actions and interactions as components within an ecology. It utilises a methodological approach that involves qualitative case studies of particular rural schools, analysed through interpretive phenomenological analysis and the lens of an ecology model. It reports findings of how a largely symbiotic relationship has evolved that is somewhat successful in meeting immediate needs and examines changes that are developing in the ecology and that may impact on the future of ICT implementation in Nepal. The study contributes to practical understanding of the potentially symbiotic roles of NGOs and government in ICT provision to rural schools in Nepal. It further contributes to ways policy implementation in developing countries may be theorised.

text: Implementation of Nepal’s Education Policy in ICT: Examining current practice through an Ecological Model Educational policy implementation can be conceptualised in terms of an ecological model that explores roles and relationships within a complex evolving environment. This article draws on an ecological model to examine Nepal's implementation of its policy for information and communication technology in education. The policy is developed by government and mandated to schools, but government does not commit funding to resource infrastructures or train teachers in information and communication technology (ICT) use. Instead, nongovernment organisations (NGOs) have stepped in and provided resources and training. Thus, two separate systems have evolved. This article examines their actions and interactions as components within an ecology. It utilises a methodological approach that involves qualitative case studies of particular rural schools, analysed through interpretive phenomenological analysis and the lens of an ecology model. It reports findings of how a largely symbiotic relationship has evolved that is somewhat successful in meeting immediate needs and examines changes that are developing in the ecology and that may impact on the future of ICT implementation in Nepal. The study contributes to practical understanding of the potentially symbiotic roles of NGOs and government in ICT provision to rural schools in Nepal. It further contributes to ways policy implementation in developing countries may be theorised.

year: 2019

title: Management of patients with early stage lung cancer - why do some patients not receive treatment with curative intent?

authors: Lawrenson, Ross

subjects: Lung cancer

abstract: BACKGROUNDS: This study aims to understand the factors that influence whether patients receive potentially curative treatment for early stage lung cancer. A key question was whether indigenous Māori patients were less likely to receive treatment. 
METHODS: Patients included those diagnosed with early stage lung cancer in 2011-2018 and resident in the New Zealand Midland Cancer Network region. Logistic regression model was used to estimate the odds ratios of having curative surgery/ treatment. The Kaplan Meier method was used to examine the all-cause survival and Cox proportional hazard model was used to estimate the hazard ratio of death. 
RESULTS: In total 419/583 (71.9%) of patients with Stage I and II disease were treated with curative intent - 272 (46.7%) patients had curative surgery. Patients not receiving potentially curative treatment were older, were less likely to have non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), had poorer lung function and were more likely to have an ECOG performance status of 2+. Current smokers were less likely to be treated with surgery and more likely to receive treatment with radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Those who were treated with surgery had a 2-year survival of 87.8% (95% CI: 83.8-91.8%) and 5-year survival of 69.6% (95% CI: 63.2-76.0%). Stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy (SABR) has equivalent effect on survival compared to curative surgery (hazard ratio: 0.77, 95% CI: 0.37-1.61). After adjustment we could find no difference in treatment and survival between Māori and non-Māori. 
CONCLUSIONS: The majority of patients with stage I and II lung cancer are managed with potentially curative treatment - mainly surgery and increasingly with SABR. The outcomes of those being diagnosed with stage I and II disease and receiving treatment is positive with 70% surviving 5 years.

text: Management of patients with early stage lung cancer - why do some patients not receive treatment with curative intent? BACKGROUNDS: This study aims to understand the factors that influence whether patients receive potentially curative treatment for early stage lung cancer. A key question was whether indigenous Māori patients were less likely to receive treatment. 
METHODS: Patients included those diagnosed with early stage lung cancer in 2011-2018 and resident in the New Zealand Midland Cancer Network region. Logistic regression model was used to estimate the odds ratios of having curative surgery/ treatment. The Kaplan Meier method was used to examine the all-cause survival and Cox proportional hazard model was used to estimate the hazard ratio of death. 
RESULTS: In total 419/583 (71.9%) of patients with Stage I and II disease were treated with curative intent - 272 (46.7%) patients had curative surgery. Patients not receiving potentially curative treatment were older, were less likely to have non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), had poorer lung function and were more likely to have an ECOG performance status of 2+. Current smokers were less likely to be treated with surgery and more likely to receive treatment with radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Those who were treated with surgery had a 2-year survival of 87.8% (95% CI: 83.8-91.8%) and 5-year survival of 69.6% (95% CI: 63.2-76.0%). Stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy (SABR) has equivalent effect on survival compared to curative surgery (hazard ratio: 0.77, 95% CI: 0.37-1.61). After adjustment we could find no difference in treatment and survival between Māori and non-Māori. 
CONCLUSIONS: The majority of patients with stage I and II lung cancer are managed with potentially curative treatment - mainly surgery and increasingly with SABR. The outcomes of those being diagnosed with stage I and II disease and receiving treatment is positive with 70% surviving 5 years.

year: 2020