The Precarious State of Family Balance Sheets

This report seeks to develop a clear picture of the current state of household financial security. It begins by exploring three components of family balance sheets -- income, expenditures, and wealth -- and how they have changed over the past several decades, and concludes with an examination of how these pieces interrelate and why understanding family finances requires that they be examined holistically. The data tell a powerful story about the state of household economic security and opportunity: Despite the national recovery, most families feel vulnerable and stressed, and could not withstand a serious financial emergency. This reality must begin to change if the American Dream is to remain alive and well for future generations

Neighborhood Poverty and Household Financial Security

In a previous study, The Pew Charitable Trusts examined the effects of neighborhood context on American families' economic mobility. That analysis found that neighborhood poverty is associated with downward mobility, reinforcing other research that has shown a link between high-poverty neighborhoods and unemployment, poorer performing schools, and increased violence, all of which pose risks to residents' economic security.This chartbook draws on data from the Survey of American Family Finances, commissioned by Pew in November 2014, to illustrate the health of family balance sheets in high- and low-poverty communities across the United States and to examine how neighborhood context influences people's attitudes toward the economy

Formación de maestros de matemáticas (inicial y continua) relatoría foro No. 2

En el foro se resume que la formación del maestro de matemáticas no termina con la formación regulada: pregrado, especialización, maestría o doctorado, es un proceso continuo que debe de darse a partir del contexto y del tipo de alumnos con los cuales se trabaja. El profesor debe de ser un investigador de su propia forma de trabajo y del contexto en el que desarrolla su hacer

Peer and team assessment: Strategies and applications in engineering courses

Teamwork is one of the competencies that more often are referred has required to professional practice in Engineering. Working in teams in the learning process has been referred to be an effective way to promote the development of technical competencies while promoting the development of teamwork competencies. The students identify teamwork as motivating for their self-learning. In a teamwork environment student can deal with self-knowledge, critical analysis, knowledge of the others, individual and group performances, feedback, resilience, synergy, decision making, commitment, participation, self-esteem, leadership, and entrepreneurship. All these characteristics come from the understanding that a team is formed by individuals with different experiences, origins and individual profiles. But what are the criteria for peer or teamwork assessment? Which methods give fair rewards for different contributions to the team and its peers? There are several peer assessments studies where many experiences are described, but there are not many studies that compare the strategies of peer assessments between them. For example, when the criteria have different weights or when the scores given by the peers are anonymous or when the scores are decided by the group, and so on. The objective of this work is to describe several strategies of peer and team assessment, considering the categorization and organization carried out in order to assumptions and/or purposes of each strategy. Thus, a contribution will be made for increasing peer and teamwork assessment in Engineering courses.FCT - Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (UIDCEC003192019

Sensitivity of hypogean and epigean freshwater copepods (Crustacea Copepoda) to agricultural pollutants: single toxicants and mixtures

Widespread pollution from agriculture is one of the major causes of poor freshwater quality currently observed across Europeand worldwide. Nutrient loads (nitrogen and phosphorous) from fertilizers and pesticides are known to adversely impact freshwater ecosystems, both surface- and ground water. The Crustacea Copepoda are by far the most abundant and species-rich taxon in ground water and they are consistently represented in ecotonal environments also, as in the hyporheic zone. The direct impact of agricultural pollutants on freshwater biota has been addressed in several studies by means of laboratory bioassays. However, the ecotoxicological research concerning freshwater copepods is scarce for epigean species and almost non-existent for the hypogean ones. Moreover, when available, ecotoxicological studies have been performed considering the effect of toxicants taken individually. Actually, this approach does not reflect the conditions in the field high concentrations of both N-fertilizers and pesticides co-occur. In this study we assessed the acute (at 96h) sensitivity of adults of a hypogean and an epigean species, both belonging to the Crustacea, Copepoda, Cyclopoida, Cyclopidae, to two agricultural toxicants: the ammonium nitrate and the herbicides Imazamox. Both chemicals are widely used for cereal agriculture inEurope. We tested the sensitivity considering the LC50 with mortality endpoints for individual and combined (a mixture solution of ammonium nitrate and Imazamox) toxicant concentrations. The hypogean species was more sensitive than the epigean one to both chemicals and their mixture. Ionized ammonia proved to be more toxic than the herbicide Imazamox for both species. However, the LC50 of both chemicals were lower than the actual standard law limits for good freshwater quality status defined by the Water Framework Directive (2000/60/CE). The effect of the mixture, of the two toxicants was fairly synergic. Concerning ionized ammonia, the LC50-96h in the mixture was higher than the law limits for both species. According to these results, the actual law limits for the good quality of freshwater bodies should be revised accordingly by authorities in charge of water management

Early Detection and Management of Lamanema chavezi infection in a llama (Lama glama) in Switzerland.

Lamanema chavezi is an entero-hepatic strongylid parasite specific to South American camelids. It has been reported only on few occasions outside South America. Due to its hepatic migration, it can cause extensive liver damage, leading to granulomatous and fibrotic hepatitis and manifesting with lethargy, anorexia, and even death. We are reporting the second case of L. chavezi infection in Europe and the first in Switzerland. The patient was a three-year old neutered male llama (Lama glama). Clinical examination revealed bloody mucous discharge from the anus. Fecal sedimentation/flotation revealed strongylid eggs consistent with L. chavezi, which were molecularly confirmed by a PCR targeting the ITS2 plus 5.8S and 28S rDNA flanking regions and amplicon sequencing. Eighteen weeks after administration of a single dose of eprinomectin (0.2 mg/kg i.m.), no further L. chavezi eggs were detected in the feces. The source of infection could not be traced back. The entire herd consisted of llamas bred in Switzerland. L. chavezi has been rarely reported outside South America, but its potential for pathogenicity and establishment should not be underestimated. Fecal sedimentation/flotation techniques should be routinely performed to ensure early detection of the parasite

Malacological survey and geographical distribution of vector snails for schistosomiasis within informal settlements of Kisumu City, western Kenya

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Although schistosomiasis is generally considered a rural phenomenon, infections have been reported within urban settings. Based on observations of high prevalence of <it>Schistosoma mansoni </it>infection in schools within the informal settlements of Kisumu City, a follow-up malacological survey incorporating 81 sites within 6 informal settlements of the City was conducted to determine the presence of intermediate host snails and ascertain whether active transmission was occurring within these areas.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Surveyed sites were mapped using a geographical information system. Cercaria shedding was determined from snails and species of snails identified based on shell morphology. Vegetation cover and presence of algal mass at the sites was recorded, and the physico-chemical characteristics of the water including pH and temperature were determined using a pH meter with a glass electrode and a temperature probe.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Out of 1,059 snails collected, 407 (38.4%) were putatively identified as <it>Biomphalaria sudanica</it>, 425 (40.1%) as <it>Biomphalaria pfeifferi </it>and 227 (21.5%) as <it>Bulinus globosus</it>. The spatial distribution of snails was clustered, with few sites accounting for most of the snails. The highest snail abundance was recorded in Nyamasaria (543 snails) followed by Nyalenda B (313 snails). As expected, the mean snail abundance was higher along the lakeshore (18 ± 12 snails) compared to inland sites (dams, rivers and springs) (11 ± 32 snails) (F_{1, 79}= 38.8, P < 0.0001). Overall, 19 (1.8%) of the snails collected shed schistosome cercariae. Interestingly, the proportion of infected <it>Biomphalaria </it>snails was higher in the inland (2.7%) compared to the lakeshore sites (0.3%) (P = 0.0109). <it>B. sudanica </it>was more abundant in sites along the lakeshore whereas <it>B. pfeifferi </it>and <it>B. globosus </it>were more abundant in the inland sites. <it>Biomphalaria </it>and <it>Bulinus </it>snails were found at 16 and 11 out of the 56 inland sites, respectively.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The high abundance of <it>Biomphalaria </it>and <it>Bulinus </it>spp. as well as observation of field-caught snails shedding cercariae confirmed that besides Lake Victoria, the local risk for schistosomiasis transmission exists within the informal settlements of Kisumu City. Prospective control interventions in these areas need to incorporate focal snail control to complement chemotherapy in reducing transmission.</p

Diagnosis of Sarcocystis cruzi, Neospora caninum, and Toxoplasma gondii infections in cattle

The aim of the study was to diagnose Sarcocystis sp. infections in cattle and to detect coinfections by Toxoplasma gondii and/or Neospora caninum. Blood, diaphragm, esophagus, and myocardium from 90 beef cattle from Argentina were collected. Histopathological, immunohistochemical, polymerase chain reaction assays, and direct microscopical examination were carried out. Sarcocysts from myocardium were measured and counted. Indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) for the three protozoans was performed. Sarcocystis cruzi sarcocysts were found in 100% of myocardium samples. Sarcocysts per gram ranged from 8 to 380 with higher values found in adult cattle (p < 0.001). T. gondii and N. caninum were not detected by immunohistochemistry. T. gondii DNA was found in myocardium of 2/20 seropositive animals, while N. caninum DNA was not found. Antibodies against S. cruzi were detected in all samples, those against N. caninum in 73% and against T. gondii in 91% of the samples (IFAT titer ≥25). It is concluded that serology by IFAT is a suitable method to diagnose these protozoan infections due to its specific IgG detection; therefore, IFAT may be a useful tool to evaluate the impact of each protozoan infection in coinfected animals.Facultad de Ciencias Veterinaria