Learning through mentoring. Mentors as bearers of a model of learning for an integrated society

Cada any, al voltant de noranta estudiants universitaris participen en el programa de mentoria de la Universitat de Malmö, Nightingale -Rossinyol-. Com a mentor, l’alumne o alumna universitària es troba amb un infant d’escola de primària d’un barri desfavorit de la ciutat durant vuit mesos. Aquest article es basa en el treball de tesi en Ciències de l’Educació en el que vaig explorar l’aprenentatge que tenien els mentors i mentores que participaven en aquest tipus de programa. L’estudi es centra en l’aprenentatge des de dues perspectives diferents: primer, l’observació de quin tipus d’aprenentatge es dóna; i segon, el coneixement que van acumulant els mentors al llarg de l’experiència. Per a l’anàlisi dels resultats, he emprat teories de l’aprenentatge, l’exclusió social i les competències interculturals. Per això, s’han emprat tant tècniques quantitatives com qualitatives. Vaig entrevistar a vint-i-cuatre mentors i vaig portar a terme una enquesta amb tots els seixanta vuit que participaren en el curs 2008/2009. Els resultats demostren que existeix un aprenentatge extensiu en el programa i que els mentors desenvolupen un coneixement important de les condicions de vida dels infants en risc d’exclusió social, compromís social i inclusió. També aprenen habilitats interculturals que són necessàries per acabar amb les barreres existents entre exclusió i inclusió social.Anualmente, cerca de unos noventa estudiantes universitarios participan en el programa de mentoría de la Universidad de Malmö, Nightingale -Ruiseñor-. Como mentores, los alumnos y alumnas universitarias quedan una vez por semana con un niño o niña de una escuela de primaria de un barrio de la ciudad durante ocho meses. Este artículo se basa en el trabajo de tesis en Ciencias de la Educación en el que exploré el aprendizaje que tenían los mentores y mentoras que participaban en este tipo de programa. El estudio se centra en el aprendizaje des de dos perspectivas diferenciadas: primero, des de la observación de qué tipo de aprendizaje se lleva a cabo; y segundo, sobre el conocimiento que el alumnado universitarios va acumulando a lo largo de la experiencia. Para el análisis de los resultados, he utilizado algunas teorías del aprendizaje, la exclusión social y las competencias interculturales. Por ellos, se han utilizado técnicas cuantitativas y cualitativas entrevistando a veinticuatro mentores y llevando a cabo una encuesta con todos los sesenta y ocho mentores que participaron durante el curso 2008/2009. Los resultados demuestran que existe un aprendizaje extensivo en el programa y que los mentores desarrollan un conocimiento importante de las condiciones de vida de los niños y niñas en riesgo de exclusión social, compromiso social e inclusión. También aprenden habilidades que son necesarias para acabar con las barreras existentes entre la exclusión y la inclusión social.Every year, about ninety university students go through Malmö University’s mentoring programme The Nightingale. As a mentor, the student meets with a child from an elementary school in a deprived area of the city for eight months. This article is based on my master’s thesis in educational science, in which I examined the learning among the mentors. The study focuses on learning from two different perspectives: first, what type of learning takes place; and second, the actual knowledge the mentors are developing. In order to analyze my results, I have used theories of learning, social exclusion, societal inclusion and intercultural competence. Both quantitative and qualitative methods have been used. I interviewed twenty four mentors and conducted a survey of all sixty eight mentors in The Nightingale Mentoring Programme in 2008/2009. My results suggest that there is extensive learning in the programme. Mentors develop knowledge about children’s living conditions, social exclusion and social inclusion. Furthermore, they develop intercultural skills that are necessary to decrease the boundaries between exclusion and inclusion

Left ventricular rotation: a neglected aspect of the cardiac cycle

Purpose: To describe the mechanics and possible clinical importance of left ventricular (LV) rotation, exemplify techniques to quantify LV rotation and illustrate the temporal relationship of cardiac pressures, electrocardiogram and LV rotation. Materials and methods: Review of the literature combined with selected examples of echocardiographic measurements. Results: Rotation of the left ventricle around its longitudinal axis is an important but thus far neglected aspect of the cardiac cycle. LV rotation during systole maximizes intracavitary pressures, increases stroke volume, and minimizes myocardial oxygen demand. Shearing and restoring forces accumulated during systolic twisting are released during early diastole and result in diastolic LV untwisting or recoil promoting early LV filling. LV twist and untwist are disturbed in a number of cardiac diseases and can be influenced by several therapeutic interventions by altering preload, afterload, contractility, heart rate, and/or sympathetic tone. Conclusions: The concept of LV twisting and untwisting closely linking LV systolic and diastolic function may carry potential diagnostic and therapeutic importance for the management of critically ill patients. Future clinical studies need to address the feasibility of assessing LV twist and untwist as well as the relevance of its therapeutic modulation in critically ill patient

Modelagem da partida de máquinas síncronas de pólos salientes maciços

Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro Tecnológico. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Engenharia Elétrica.O objetivo deste trabalho é modelar a partida das máquinas síncronas de pólos salientes maciços (MSPSM) a fim de calcular o torque, a corrente e o aquecimento gerado nas sapatas polares. A metodologia desenvolvida está baseada na determinação dos parâmetros de eixo direto (d) e de quadratura (q) a partir de simulações de ensaios em freqüência da máquina com rotor travado. As simulações dos ensaios são realizadas utilizando o método de elementos finitos (programa EFCAD) e os resultados são modelados por curvas de tendência. De posse das equações das indutâncias de eixo direto e de quadratura e utilizando-se equações em regime quase permanente da máquina síncrona, calculam-se o torque eletromagnético médio, a envoltória da parte oscilante do torque eletromagnético (torque oscilante) e a corrente eficaz do estator em função da velocidade. Com a corrente do estator, calculam-se as perdas por pólo no rotor também através de elementos finitos (EFCAD). Todo o processo de simulação é realizado através de um programa composto por diversos módulos computacionais encadeados apropriadamente para facilitar a utilização por parte do usuário

A regulamentação da prostituição no Brasil a partir da leitura crítica do projeto de Lei “Gabriela Leite”, PL Nº 4.211/2012, sob enfoque das teorias feministas

Trabalho de Conclusão de Curso, apresentado para obtenção do grau de Bacharel no curso de Direito da Universidade do Extremo Sul Catarinense, UNESC.A prostituição é uma prática bastante antiga, no entanto ainda hoje é cercada de tabus e exclusão social, o que promove diversos déficits de direitos para as mulheres trabalhadoras do sexo. Assim, o objetivo geral dessa pesquisa foi realizar uma breve leitura dos feminismos sobre a regulamentação da prostituição, a partir da legislação penal e trabalhista brasileiras e sobre o Projeto de Lei nº 4.211/2012, chamado de Projeto de Lei Gabriela Leite. Para cumprir com o objetivo proposto, a monografia está dividida em três partes. No primeiro capítulo, o objetivo foi examinar a categoria teórica de gênero, o papel do patriarcado no contexto social de discriminação de direitos para as mulheres e a atuação dos movimentos feministas na busca do avanço dos direitos das mulheres no Brasil. Já no segundo capítulo foi apresentado um breve delineamento da história da prostituição no Brasil, a visão sociológica referente a esta profissão e as posições teóricas feministas sobre ela. Na derradeira etapa, a meta foi investigar a prostituição no Brasil, desde o século XIX até os dias atuais, no que tange aos direitos previstos para a profissional do sexo no âmbito da esfera penal e trabalhista. Estudou-se também o Projeto de Lei Gabriela Leite, bem como os possíveis benefícios e infortúnios da regulamentação da prostituição, tal como a implantação de políticas públicas respaldadas na autodeterminação das prostitutas. O método de pesquisa empregado foi o dedutivo, em pesquisa do tipo teórica e qualitativa, com emprego de material bibliográfico. Os resultados obtidos apontam para a necessidade de se desconstruir os modelos patriarcais para se efetivar a igualdade de gênero. Nota-se que para a efetivação de uma vida digna às prostitutas, todos os direitos essenciais devem ser promovidos. E é somente através da promoção de políticas públicas em todos os âmbitos bem como a educação para essas profissionais que será possível quebrar com o estigma e com a subalternidade imposta a essas mulheres e garantir os direitos humanos

The association between body-mass index and patient outcome in septic shock: a retrospective cohort study

Zusammenfassung: HINTERGRUND: Es bestehen keine Daten über die Assoziation zwischen dem Body Mass Index (BMI) bzw. BMI Kategorien und der Mortalität von septischen Schock-patienten. METHODEN: Die Datenbank einer interdisziplinären Intensivstation wurde retrospektiv nach erwachsenen Patienten mit septischem Schock durchsucht. Von allen Patienten wurde der BMI, demographische, klinische und laborchemische Parameter gemeinsam mit Outcomevariabeln dokumentiert. Die Studienpatienten wurden wie folgt anhand des BMI kategorisiert: BMI 30 kg/m2, Fettleibigkeit. Bivariate und multivariate logistische Regressionsmodelle wurden verwendet, um den Zusammenhang zwischen dem BMI und Outcome-variabeln zu untersuchen. RESULTATE: 301 septische Schockpatienten wurden identifiziert. Der BMI war bivariat mit der Mortalität auf der Intensivstation assoziiert (OR, 0,91; 95% CI, 0,86-0,98; p = 0,007). Es gab keine signifikante Assoziation zwischen dem BMI und der Mortalität auf der Intensivstation. Allerdings waren höhere BMI Werte trendmässig mit einer niedrigeren Intensivstations-mortalität assoziiert (OR, 0,93; 95% CI, 0,86-1,01; p = 0,09). Während übergewichtige (OR, 0,43; 95% CI, 0,19-0,98; p = 0,04) und fettleibige (OR, 0,28; 95% CI, 0,08-0,93; p = 0,04) Patienten ein unabhängig niedrigeres Risiko auf der Intensivstation zu versterben hatten als normalgewichtige Patienten, gab es keinen Unterschied im Sterberisiko zwischen normal- und untergewichtigen Patienten (p = 0,22). Ein hoher BMI war unabhängig mit einer geringen Häufigkeit eines akutem Deliriums (p = 0,04) und einer geringeren Intensivwieder-aufnahmerate (p = 0,001), aber mit mehr Harnwegsinfektionen (p = 0,02) assoziiert. SCHLUSSFOLGERUNG: Bis zu einem BMI von 50 kg/m2 scheint keine Assoziation zwischen BMI und schlechterem Überleben auf der Intensivstation oder im Krankenhaus bei septischen Schockpatienten zu bestehen. Im Gegenteil, hohe BMI Werte könnten sogar das Risiko am septischen Schock zu versterben reduziere

Comparing two different arginine vasopressin doses in advanced vasodilatory shock: a randomized, controlled, open-label trial

Purpose: To compare the effects of two arginine vasopressin (AVP) dose regimens on the hemodynamic response, catecholamine requirements, AVP plasma concentrations, organ function and adverse events in advanced vasodilatory shock. Methods: In this prospective, controlled, open-label trial, patients with vasodilatory shock due to sepsis, systemic inflammatory response syndrome or after cardiac surgery requiring norepinephrine >0.6μg/kg/min were randomized to receive a supplementary AVP infusion either at 0.033IU/min (n=25) or 0.067IU/min (n=25). The hemodynamic response, catecholamine doses, laboratory and organ function variables as well as adverse events (decrease in cardiac index or platelet count, increase in liver enzymes or bilirubin) were recorded before, 1, 12, 24 and 48h after randomization. A linear mixed effects model was used for statistical analysis in order to account for drop-outs during the observation period. Results: Heart rate and norepinephrine requirements decreased while MAP increased in both groups. Patients receiving AVP at 0.067IU/min required less norepinephrine (P=0.006) than those infused with AVP at 0.033IU/min. Arterial lactate and base deficit decreased while arterial pH increased in both groups. During the observation period, AVP plasma levels increased in both groups (both P<0.001), but were higher in the 0.067IU/min group (P<0.001) and in patients on concomitant hydrocortisone. The rate of adverse events and intensive care unit mortality was comparable between groups (0.033IU/min, 52%; 0.067IU/min, 52%; P=1). Conclusions: A supplementary AVP infusion of 0.067IU/min restores cardiovascular function in patients with advanced vasodilatory shock more effectively than AVP at 0.033IU/mi

Structural glass on a lattice in the limit of infinite dimensions

We construct a mean field theory for the lattice model of a structural glass and solve it using the replica method and one step replica symmetry breaking ansatz; this theory becomes exact in the limit of infinite dimensions. Analyzing stability of this solution we conclude that the metastable states remain uncorrelated in a finite temperature range below the transition, but become correlated at sufficiently low temperature. We find dynamic and thermodynamic transition temperatures as functions of the density and construct a full thermodynamic description of a typical physical process in which the system gets trapped in one metastable state when cooled below vitrification temperature. We find that for such physical process the entropy and pressure at the glass transition are continuous across the transition while their temperature derivatives have jumps.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figure

Proteome Coverage after Simultaneous Proteo-Metabolome Liquid-Liquid Extraction

Proteomics and metabolomics are essential in systems biology, and simultaneous proteo-metabolome liquid-liquid extraction (SPM-LLE) allows isolation of the metabolome and proteome from the same sample. Since the proteome is present as a pellet in SPM-LLE, it must be solubilized for quantitative proteomics. Solubilization and proteome extraction are critical factors in the information obtained at the proteome level. In this study, we investigated the performance of two surfactants (sodium deoxycholate (SDC), sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)) and urea in terms of proteome coverage and extraction efficiency of an interphase proteome pellet generated by methanol-chloroform based SPM-LLE. We also investigated how the performance differs when the proteome is extracted from the interphase pellet or by direct cell lysis. We quantified 12 lipids covering triglycerides and various phospholipid classes, and 25 polar metabolites covering central energy metabolism in chloroform and methanol extracts. Our study reveals that the proteome coverages between the two surfactants and urea for the SPM-LLE interphase pellet were similar, but the extraction efficiencies differed significantly. While SDS led to enrichment of basic proteins, which were mainly ribosomal and ribonuclear proteins, urea was the most efficient extraction agent for simultaneous proteo-metabolome analysis. The results of our study also show that the performance of surfactants for quantitative proteomics is better when the proteome is extracted through direct cell lysis rather than an interphase pellet. In contrast, the performance of urea for quantitative proteomics was significantly better when the proteome was extracted from an interphase pellet than by direct cell lysis. We demonstrated that urea is superior to surfactants for proteome extraction from SPM-LLE interphase pellets, with a particularly good performance for the extraction of proteins associated with metabolic pathways. Data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD027338.</p

STAT3 differential scanning fluorimetry and differential scanning light scattering assays: Addressing a missing link in the characterization of STAT3 inhibitor interactions

STAT3 protein is an established target for the development of new cancer therapeutic agents. Despite lacking a traditional binding site for small molecule inhibitors, many STAT3 inhibitors have been identified and explored for their anti-cancer activity. Because STAT3 signaling is mediated by protein-protein interactions, indirect methods are often employed to determine if proposed STAT3 inhibitors bind to STAT3 protein. While established STAT3 inhibition assays (such as the fluorescence polarization assay, electrophoretic mobility shift assay and ELISAs) have been used to identify novel inhibitors of STAT3 signaling, methods that directly assess STAT3 protein-inhibitor interactions could facilitate the development of novel inhibitors. In this context, we herein report new STAT3 binding assays based on differential scanning fluorimetry (DSF) and differential scanning light scattering (DSLS) to characterize interactions between STAT3 protein and inhibitors. Several peptide and small molecule STAT3 inhibitors have been evaluated, and new insight into how these compounds may interact with STAT3 is provided