Student attitudes to entrepreneurship

This study on Student Attitudes to Entrepreneurship investigates the image which university students have of entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship. It is an initial exploratory/empirical study, which looks at the situation in Germany, Romania, Latvia, Italy and Austria. The study, based on questionnaires, shows that there are significant differences but also common features to the image of entrepreneurship and attitudes to it in the five countries. It is interesting to note that the students polled in connection with the study tended to have a neutral to positive/very positive image of entrepreneurs.attitude, attributes, entrepreneurs, entrepreneurship, opinion.

Characterization of Vitamin B12 Supplementation and Correlation with Clinical Outcomes in a Large Longitudinal Study of Early Parkinson's Disease.

ObjectiveIn Parkinson's disease (PD), vitamin B12 levels are lower, and comorbid B12 deficiency has been associated with the development of neuropathy and early gait instability. Because little is known about B12 supplement use in PD, we sought to evaluate its use in a large PD cohort and, as an exploratory analysis, to determine whether baseline characteristics or disease progression differed according to B12 supplementation.MethodsWe utilized data collected as part of the National Institutes of Health Exploratory Trials in PD (NET-PD) Long-term Study (LS-1), a longitudinal study of 1,741 participants. We stratified subjects into 4 groups according to daily supplement use: no B12, multivitamin (MVI) containing < 100 μg B12, B12 ≥ 100 μg, and MVI + B12 ≥ 100 μg. Clinical outcomes were assessed at 3 years for each group using the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS), its subscores, and selected individual questions.ResultsOf the 1,147 participants who completed the 3-year visit, 41% took an MVI, 2% took B12, 3% took MVI + B12, and 54% reported taking no supplements. At 3 years, no significant differences in clinical outcomes were observed. However, there was a trend toward lower hazard ratios for developing sensory symptoms (UPDRS Item 17) in the MVI (p = 0.08) and B12 + MVI (p = 0.08) groups compared to that in the no supplement group.ConclusionThese results show that supplementation with vitamin B12 ≥ 100 μg is uncommon in early PD. The finding of a trend toward a lower hazard ratio for the development of sensory symptoms in those taking an MVI or B12 + MVI warrants further study

Assessing the role of arsenite in disrupting the EGFR signaling axis.

The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a receptor tyrosine kinase localized on the cell surface. Overexpression of EGFR has been used as biomarkers for many different types of cancers, including lung cancer. There is a strong association between arsenic and lung cancer development, although the mechanism is unclear. We hypothesize that chronic exposure of “a physiologically relevant” level of arsenite disrupts the EGFR endocytic trafficking. The goal of this project is to identify molecular mechanisms and roles of chronic arsenite-induced EGFR overexpression in lung cancer development. A non-malignant human bronchial epithelial cell line, Beas-2B cells were exposed to 100 nM sodium arsenite for 24 weeks. The chronic arsenite-treated cells had increased EGFR protein expression levels and activity, increased transcription levels of TGFα, and altered the distribution of the EGFR. In conclusion, the impact of chronic arsenite exposure on the EGFR signaling axis can explain arsenite-induced overexpression of the EGFR

Preparing Medical Students for Transition Into OB/Gyn Residency

PROBLEM:: There is increased focus on supporting medical students’ transitions to internships to improve basic knowledge, efficiency and quality of care. Providing pre-residency education may help improve knowledge, clinical skills, and confidence. INTERVENTION:: A 2-day preparatory course for OB/Gyn-matched MS4s reviewed topics in the OB/Gyn ACGME Milestone 1 curriculum. The course used lectures, videos, and “hands-on” skills workshops. CONTEXT:: OB/Gyn-matched MS4s were invited to attend. Students took the APGO Prep for Res knowledge test (scored as percent correct) and completed a survey assessing confidence in Milestone 1 topics (Likert scale, 1=strongly disagree, 5=strongly agree) before and after the course. Students were sent a follow-up survey two months into internship assessing how the course impacted skills and inviting feedback. OUTCOME/LESSONS LEARNED:: Nine students attended. All 9 completed the pre-test, 7 the post-test, and 8 completed both surveys. The average test score before the course was 73%, and after 79% (p=0.24). No student had lower knowledge score after the course. Average confidence skills were 3.03 before and 4.47 after (p<0.05). Confidence improved most for these skills: applying fetal scalp electrode, repairing a perineal laceration, c-section steps. The least improvement noted for knot tying/suturing, and managing common outpatient gynecologic problems. Post-course confidence was highest for interpreting FHR, managing postpartum hemorrhage and repairing perineal lacerations, and lowest for biopsy skills and labor management. Interns reported the course to be “very helpful” to their transition. Suggestions for the future include: induction of labor, pre-eclampsia, hysteroscopy, contraceptive implant certification, and including students entering family medicine

Signifying the Nation: Gabriel Dumont, Harry Robinson, and the Canadian Captivity Narrative

Gabriel Dumont's Gabriel Dumont Speaks and Harry Robinson's "Captive in an English Circus" are two very different Native-authored texts that counter the dominant narrative of nineteenth-century Canadian nationhood by offering alternative perspectives on the Northwest Rebellions. Locating these texts within the conventions of captivity narratives raises questions about the social significance of the genre by invoking both the politics of form and the form of politics. The two works critically distance the reader from the containment strategies of the captivity genre and reveal its complicity with the imperial expansionist project

Assessing the role of chronic arsenite exposure in disrupting the EGFR signaling axis.

Chronic arsenic exposure is a risk factor for the development of pulmonary diseases, including lung cancer, but the exact mechanism is not yet fully understood. Many previous studies have relied on acute arsenic exposure (i.e. 1-10 uM arsenic for 24 hours) to study arsenic toxicological effects. However, acute exposure does not reflect the levels or duration of arsenic associated with environmental exposure, or drinking of contaminated well water. This dissertation differentiates the effects of acute versus chronic arsenic exposures on the EGFR signaling axis and suggests possible mechanisms for chronic arsenic-induced pulmonary diseases. The EGFR is a receptor tyrosine kinase localized on the cell surface. Overexpression of the EGFR has been used as biomarkers for many different types of cancers, including lung cancer. There is a strong association between arsenic and lung cancer development, although the clear mechanism is still elusive. I hypothesized that chronic exposure of an environmentally relevant level of arsenic disrupts the EGFR signaling axis. To test this, a non-malignant human bronchial epithelial cell line (BEAS-2B) was exposed to 100 nM arsenite for 24 weeks. I first differentiated the impact of acute versus chronic arsenic exposure on the EGFR signaling axis. Both acute and chronic arsenic exposure increased EGFR protein expression level, but only chronic exposure increased EGFR activity, increased transcription and protein levels of TGFα. Next, I assessed the functional effects of chronic arsenic exposure in BEAS-2B cells and measured EGFR dependency in chronic arsenic exposure-induced increased cell migratory ability, which may contribute to identifying a novel therapeutic target for arsenic-induced lung carcinogenesis. The dissertation proposes novel roles of acute and chronic arsenic on the EGFR signaling axis and potential mechanisms of chronic arsenic-induced lung diseases, such as lung cancer. It concludes that acute and chronic arsenic exposure impact the EGFR signaling axis in different mechanistic pathways, and chronic arsenic exposure increases cell migration in both EGFR-dependent and independent mechanisms