Does Proximity of Schools Matter? Choice Behavior of High School Leavers Concerning Academic or Professional Training

Several studies are concerned with the choice behavior of high school leavers. Researchers consider increasingly broader sets of choices within a multinomial choice framework by including transitions to work and to other levels of education. The present paper follows from this literature and identifies the factors behind individual decision-making in the transition from high school to post-secondary education in The Netherlands, in 2000. Given the binary structure of the Dutch higher education system high school leavers follow a hierarchical decision-making process. Initially, they decide whether they want to continue education. Subsequently, the subset that wants to continue education has to make a choice between professional college and the university. We address the determinants of both types of decision in the current paper. Particular attention is given to accessibility aspects, including the geographic location of higher education institutions. The main hypothesis is that individuals who live in closer proximity to a higher education institution are more likely to continue studying after high school, and they are more likely to choose that type of institution. In order to test these hypotheses, we apply mixed discrete choice models to individual-level data on post-secondary education choices. Several institutional characteristics for both professional colleges and universities are considered together with variables controlling for the student?s socio-economic background and residential location.

Impact of a simulation-based interprofessional workshop (LINKS) on Portuguese healthcare students’ perception of roles and competencies: a quasi-experimental pilot study

Introduction There is a scarcity of simulation-based interprofessional (IP) programs in Portugal, with a notorious absence in undergraduate education. This paper describes the first step towards the development of an interprofessional education (IPE) undergraduate program, namely the implementation and preliminary assessment of the workshop LINKS – Lifting INterprofessional Knowledge through Simulation. The aim of this pilot study was to assess the educational effect of LINKS, in medical and nursing undergraduate students’ attitudes towards IP teamwork and collaborative practices, and their perception of roles and competencies within an IP team. Methods A total of 23 final-year students participated in the workshop. Teams of three or four elements (medical and nursing students) were exposed to two critical patient management simulation scenarios. To assess the impact of the workshop on students’ perception of IP collaborative practice, two surveys (ATTITUDES and IPEC) were applied before and after the workshop. Additionally, students’ opinion/satisfaction towards the workshop and its curricular integration was explored. Results Students’ awareness of the relevancy of IP learning and self-competency in IP practice improved. For all subdomains and overall scores, statistically significant differences were found when comparing the pre- and post-scores, for both medical and nursing students, in both surveys. All students agreed that the workshop added educational value to their training, and recommended its integration in the formal curriculum, with a first round in the penultimate year and repeated in the last year. Discussion Considering the pre–post test results and anecdotal comments shared during the session, we may infer that this single IPE event contributed to a clearer understanding of the team dynamic and individual role definition, increased the motivation to engage in collaborative practice between physicians and nurses and potentially challenged pre-existent stereotypes of each professional group. These findings corroborate the need for sustainable simulation-based IP programs, integrated in the undergraduate curricula, promoting early clinical interactions of different professional groups. We envision that the results of this study can help to inform future curriculum planning and provide useful insights that can be used within and between Portuguese institutions to develop a common IP undergraduate program.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Burkholderia cepacia complex species differ in the frequency of variation of the lipopolysaccharide O-antigen expression during cystic fibrosis chronic respiratory infection

Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc) bacteria can adapt to the lung environment of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients resulting in the emergence of a very difficult to eradicate heterogeneous population leading to chronic infections associated with rapid lung function loss and increased mortality. Among the important phenotypic modifications is the variation of the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) structure at level of the 0-antigen (OAg) presence, influencing adherence, colonization and the ability to evade the host defense mechanisms. The present study was performed to understand whether the loss of OAg expression during CF infection can be considered a general phenomenon in different Bcc species favoring its chronicity. In fact, it is still not clear why different Bcc species/strains differ in their ability to persist in the CF lung and pathogenic potential. The systematic two-decade-retrospective-longitudinal-screening conducted covered 357 isolates retrieved from 19 chronically infected patients receiving care at a central hospital in Lisbon. The study involved 21 Bcc strains of six/seven Bcc species/lineages, frequently or rarely isolated from CF patients worldwide. Different strains/clonal variants obtained during infection gave rise to characteristic OAg-banding patterns. The two most prevalent and feared species, B. cenocepacia and B. multivorans, showed a tendency to lose the OAg along chronic infection. B. cenocepacia recA lineage IIIA strains known to lead to particularly destructive infections exhibit the most frequent OAg loss, compared with lineage IIIB. The switch frequency increased with the duration of infection and the level of lung function deterioration. For the first time, it is shown that the rarely found B. cepacia and B. contaminans, whose representation in the cohort of patients examined is abnormally high, keep the OAg even during 10- or 15-year infections. Data from co-infections with different Bcc species reinforced these conclusions. Concerning the two other rarely found species examined, B. stabilis exhibited a stable OAg expression phenotype over the infection period while for the single clone of the more distantly related B. dolosa species, the OAg-chain was absent from the beginning of the 5.5-year infection until the patient dead. This work reinforces the relevance attributed to the OAg-expression switch suggesting marked differences in the various Bcc species

Vitamin C partially attenuates male reproductive deficits in hyperglycemic rats

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Hyperglycemia can impair the male reproductive system in experimental animals and in men during reproductive age. Studies have shown that vitamin C has some good effects on male reproductive system, and therefore vitamin C treatment could attenuate the dysfunctions in this system caused by hyperglycemia. Thus, the objective of this work was to evaluate whether vitamin C treatment could attenuate reproductive dysfunctions in hyperglycemic male rats.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Adult male rats were divided into 3 groups: a normoglycemic (n = 10) and two hyperglycemic (that received a single dose of streptozotocin - 40 mg/kg BW). The two last groups (n = 10 per group) were divided into: hyperglycemic control (Hy) and hyperglycemic + 150 mg of vitamin C (HyC), by gavage during 30 consecutive days. The normoglycemic and hyperglycemic control groups received the vehicle (water). The first day after the treatment, the rats were anesthetized and killed to evaluate oxidative stress biomarkers (TBARS, SOD, GSHt and GSH-Px) in the erythrocytes, body and reproductive organ weights, sperm parameters, plasma hormone levels (FSH, LH and testosterone), testicular and epididymal histo-morphometry and histopathology.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Compared with the normoglycemic animals, hyperglycemic control rats showed reduced weight of the body and reproductive organ but testis weight was maintained. It was also observed reduction of testosterone and LH levels, seminiferous tubular diameter, sperm motility and sperm counts in the epididymis. In addition, there was an increase in morphological abnormalities on spermatozoa as well as in oxidative stress level. Vitamin C reduced the oxidative stress level, diminished the number of abnormal sperm, and increased testosterone and LH levels and seminiferous tubular diameter but did not show improvement of sperm motility in relation to the hyperglycemic control group. Hyperglycemia caused a rearrangement in the epididymal tissue components (stroma, ephitelium and lumen) as demonstrated by the stereological analysis results. However, this alteration was partially prevented by vitamin C treatment.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>We conclude that vitamin C partially attenuated some male reproductive system dysfunctions in hyperglycemic rats.</p

Adaptation and survival of Burkholderia cepacia and B. contaminans during long-term Incubation in saline solutions containing benzalkonium chloride

TheBurkholderia cepaciacomplex (Bcc) is a group of opportunistic pathogenic bacteria with a remarkable metabolic capacity and broad genotypic/phenotypic plasticity, allowing their adaptation to hostile conditions, including nutrient depleted solutions containing antimicrobial agents. Bcc bacteria are feared contaminants in pharmaceutical industries and cause nosocomial outbreaks, posing health threats to immunocompromised individuals and cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. In this study, the adaptation and survival ofB. cepaciaandB. contaminansisolates was investigated after long-term incubation in nutrient depleted saline solutions supplemented with increasing concentrations of the biocidal preservative benzalkonium chloride (BZK), recreating the storage conditions of pharmaceutical products. These epidemiologically related isolates were recovered from intrinsically contaminated saline solutions for nasal application and from two CF patients. Long-term incubation in saline solutions containing BZK led to the development of bacterial sub-populations that survived for at least 16 months, despite an initial 2-3 log decrease in viability, displaying a progressive dose-dependent decrease of colony and cell size, including the appearance of small colony variants (SCVs). Bacterial colonies lost pigmentation, changed the morphotype from rough to smooth and produced more spherical cells during extended incubation with BZK. The development of macroscopically visible cellular aggregates, rich in polysaccharide and harboring viable cells in their interior was triggered by BZK. The existence of a metabolic pathway for BZK degradation was confirmed through genome analysis. This study reveals mechanisms underlying the prevalence of Bcc bacteria as contaminants of pharmaceutical products containing BZK, which often lead to false-negative results during quality control and routine testing

Writing a research abstract for a conference: 12 tips to excel in your work

No abstract available

PREVALENCE of PARACOCCIDIOIDOMYCOSIS INFECTION BY INTRADERMAL REACTION in RURAL AREAS in ALFENAS, MINAS GERAIS, BRAZIL

This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of paracoccidioidal infection by intradermal reaction (Delayed-Type Hypersensitivity, DTH) to Paracoccidioides brasiliensis in rural areas in Alfenas, Southern Minas Gerais (MG) State, Brazil, and to assess risk factors (gender, occupation, age, alcohol intake and smoking) associated with infection. We conducted a population-based cross-sectional study using intradermal tests with gp 43 paracoccidioidin in 542 participants, who were previously contacted by local health agents and so spontaneously attended the test. Participants underwent an interview by filling out a registration form with epidemiological data and were tested with an intradermal administration of 0.1 mL of paracoccidioidin in the left forearm. the test was read 48 hours after injection and was considered positive if induration was greater than or equal to 5 mm. Out of 542 participants, 46.67% were positive to the skin test. Prevalence increased in accordance with an increase of age. There was statistical significance only for males. Occupation, alcohol intake and smoking habits were not significantly associated with the risk of paracoccidioidomycosis infection. There is relevance of paracoccidioidomycosis infection in such rural areas, which suggests that further epidemiological and clinical studies on this mycosis should be done in the southern part of Minas Gerais State.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais (FAPEMIG)Univ Fed Alfenas, Inst Ciencias Biomed, Alfenas, MG, BrazilUniv Fed Alfenas, Fac Nutr, Alfenas, MG, BrazilUniv Fed Alfenas, Inst Ciencias Exatas, Alfenas, MG, BrazilUniv Fed Alfenas, Fac Ciencias Farmaceut, Alfenas, MG, BrazilUniv Fed Estado São Paulo, Dept Biol Celular, São Paulo, BrazilUniv Fed Espirito Santo, Dept Clin Odontol, Vitoria, ES, BrazilUniv Fed Estado São Paulo, Dept Biol Celular, São Paulo, BrazilFAPEMIG: APQ-01125-11Web of Scienc

Temporal Trends and Predictors of Modern Contraceptive Use in Lusaka, Zambia, 2004-2011.

INTRODUCTION: Although increasing access to family planning has been an important part of the global development agenda, millions of women continue to face unmet need for contraception. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analyzed data from a repeated cross-sectional community survey conducted in Lusaka, Zambia, over an eight-year period. We described prevalence of modern contraceptive use, including long-acting reversible contraception (LARC), among female heads of household aged 16-50 years. We also identified predictors of LARC versus short-term contraceptive use among women using modern methods. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Twelve survey rounds were completed between November 2004 and September 2011. Among 29,476 eligible respondents, 17,605 (60%) reported using modern contraception. Oral contraceptive pills remained the most popular method over time, but use of LARC increased significantly, from less than 1% in 2004 to 9% by 2011 (p < 0.001). Younger women (OR: 0.46, 95% CI: 0.34, 0.61) and women with lower levels of education (OR: 0.70, 95% CI: 0.56, 0.89) were less likely to report LARC use compared to women using short-term modern methods. CONCLUSIONS: Population-based assessments of contraceptive use over time can guide programs and policies. To achieve reproductive health equity and reduce unmet contraceptive need, future efforts to increase LARC use should focus on young women and those with less education

Herbivoria e características foliares em seis espécies de plantas da Caatinga do nordeste brasileiro

We evaluated the herbivory intensity on species Handroanthus spongiosus, Tabebuia roseoalba, Dalbergia cearensis, Pterocarpus ternatus, Eugenia pistaciifolia, and Eugenia rigida occurring in the semi-arid Caatinga vegetation of Southwestern Bahia State, Northeastern Brazil. Additionally, we investigated leaf traits that can protect plants against herbivores, such as secondary compounds (presence/absence of alkaloids, saponins, and flavonoids), physical defenses (leaf hardness and presence/absence of trichomes and thorns), and leaf longevity. From January to May 2013, leaves from 20 individuals of each species were collected and their respective herbivory intensities were measured using Dirzo & Dominguez’s herbivory index. The same individuals were also followed monthly for determination of leaf longevity, and species were then classified as deciduous or perennial. Herbivory intensity and leaf hardness were significantly different among species. Herbivory intensity was higher in P. ternatus. The highest leaf hardness values and the lowest herbivory intensity values were found in E. pistaciifolia and E. rigida. Both Eugenia species were classified as perennial, while the other four species were classified as deciduous. Alkaloids and saponins were found in all studied species. Our results indicate that the presence of mechanic defenses is more effective against herbivores than the presence of chemical ones. The herbivory intensity in deciduous species from the Brazilian Caatinga is similar to that which is reported to other dry forests in the world.Neste estudo, nós avaliamos a intensidade de herbivoria nas espécies Handroanthus spongiosus, Tabebuia roseoalba, Dalbergia cearensis, Pterocarpus ternatus, Eugenia pistaciifolia e Eugenia rigida em áreas de Caatinga no sudoeste da Bahia, nordeste brasileiro. Adicionalmente, nós identificamos características foliares das seis espécies que podem ser utilizadas como defesa contra herbívoros, como a presença de compostos secundários (presença e ausência de alcaloides, saponinas e flavonoides), defesas físicas (dureza foliar, presença e ausência de tricomas e espinhos) e o padrão de longevidade foliar. A herbivoria foi avaliada de janeiro a maio de 2013 em folhas de 20 indivíduos de cada espécie com o uso do índice de Dirzo & Dominguez. Todos os indivíduos também foram acompanhados durante 12 meses para a identificação da longevidade foliar, sendo as espécies posteriormente classificadas como decíduas ou perenes. Houve diferença entre a intensidade de herbivoria e dureza foliar entre as espécies. A intensidade de herbivoria foi maior em P. ternatus. Eugenia pistaciifolia e E. rigida apresentaram os maiores valores de dureza foliar e os menores de intensidade de herbivoria. As espécies de Eugenia foram classificadas como perenes, enquanto as demais espécies foram classificadas como decíduas. A análise de compostos secundários detectou a presença de alcaloides e saponinas em todas as espécies estudadas. Nossos resultados indicam que a presença de defesas mecânicas parece ser mais efetiva contra herbivoria do que a de defesas químicas, e que a intensidade de herbivoria em espécies decíduas é semelhante ao descrito para outras florestas secas no mundo