Professional Development Needs of Student Affairs Professionals Within the North Dakota University System

Higher education is challenged with the changing culture of their institutions as they respond to societal trends and internal and external forces. Because of the continued change in environments, literature suggests that a well-managed institution must employ effective managers at every level in order to accomplish institutional goals and missions. The importance of professional development in higher education has increased because of the perceived link with performance and quality that leads to organizations being effective as they respond to internal and external pressures. This study surveyed 316 student affairs professionals (new professionals, mid-managers, and senior student affairs officers) within the North Dakota University System to assess perceptions regarding their attainment of various skills in ten competency categories and the methods they use to gain competence. The instrument was an online survey consisting of three sections of questions: demographics; skill areas; and methods of learning. Competencies were analyzed in ten categories: leadership; student contact; communication; human resources management; fiscal management; professional development; research, evaluation, and assessment; legal issues; technology; and diversity. Significant differences between the administrative levels on their need for skill development were found in eight of the ten categories. The exceptions were in the areas of technology and diversity. Overall, the competency categories indicating the greatest need for continued development were fiscal management, human resources management, legal issues, and research, evaluation, and assessment. All administrative levels indicated high mastery in technology. Significant differences were found with the variables, number of years in current position and highest academic degree obtained, on perceived need for development. No differences were found by type of institution (two-year or four-year). Student affairs professionals use a variety of methods to gain competence. The three most preferred professional development activities were workshops, conferences, and discussions with colleagues. No significant differences were found between new professionals, mid-managers, and senior student affairs officers in preferred type of professional development. Significant differences were found in preference of professional development activity by years in current position and by the variable highest academic degree obtained

Comportamento alimentar de ratos adultos submetidos à restrição protéica cujas mães sofreram desnutrição durante a lactação Feeding behavior of adult rats submitted to protein malnutrition whose mothers received protein restricted diets during lactation

Foi avaliado o consumo alimentar de animais adultos submetidos à restrição protéica, cujas mães receberam dieta hipoprotéica ou hipocalórica na lactação: controle (C) ração normal com 23% de proteína; restrição protéica (RP) 8% de proteína; restrição energética (RE) 23% de proteína, em quantidade restrita à ingerida pelo grupo restrição protéica. Após o desmame todos os filhotes receberam ração normal até 60 dias e nesta época foram submetidos, por 21 dias, ao seguinte tratamento: (C/C)-filhotes de mães C recebendo ração normal; (restrição protéica/controle)-filhotes de mães Controle, recebendo ração hipoprotéica; (C/RP)-filhotes de mães RP recebendo ração normal; (RP/RP)-filhotes de mães RP recebendo ração hipoprotéica; (C/RE)-filhotes de mães RE recebendo ração normal; (RP/RE)-filhotes de mães RE recebendo ração hipoprotéica. Os filhotes de mães RP consumiram menos ração até 57 dias (p<0,01), enquanto os filhotes de mães RE normalizaram a ingestão aos 37 dias. Aos 81 dias, os animais submetidos à restrição protéica consumiram menos ração (p<0,01). A dieta materna na lactação modificou o consumo alimentar e o peso corporal da prole na vida adulta, estando, possivelmente, a restrição protéica associada a uma alteração permanente no controle hipotalâmico da seleção de nutrientes da prole.<br>This study evaluated food intake of adult animals whose mothers received protein- or energy-restricted diets during lactation as follows: control (C)- 23% of protein; protein-restricted (PR) - 8% of protein; energy-restricted (ER) - 23% of protein, restricted in quantity. After weaning all pups received the control diet until 60 days, when they were separated into groups, with free access to the following diets during 21 days: (C/C)- pups of control dams fed control diet; (PR/C)-pups of control dams fed protein-restricted diet; (C/PR)- pups of protein-restricted dams fed control diet; (PR/PR)-pups of protein-restricted dams fed protein-restricted diet; (C/ER)-pups of energy-restricted dams fed control diet; (PR/ER)-pups of energy-restricted dams fed protein-restricted diet. Pups of protein-restricted dams consumed less food until day 57 (p<0.01), while pups of energy-restricted dams normalized their ingestion at 37 days. At 81 days, all malnourished animals consumed less food than the control (p<0.01). The kind of diet consumed in the lactation period changed the food intake and the body weight of the offspring in the adulthood. So, the protein restriction can possibly be associated with a permanent alteration in the hypothalamic control of nutrients selection of the offspring

In vitro model of postoncosphere development, and in vivo infection abilities of Taenia solium and Taenia saginata

Taenia solium is known to cause human cysticercosis while T. saginata does not. Comparative in vitro and in vivo studies on the oncosphere and the postoncospheral (PO) forms of T. solium and T. saginata may help to elucidate why cysticercosis can occur from one and not the other. The aim of this study was to use in vitro culture assays and in vivo models to study the differences in the development of the T. solium and T. saginata oncosphere. Furthermore, this study aimed to evaluate the expression of cytokines and metalloproteinases (MMPs) in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), which were stimulated by these oncospheres and PO antigens. T. solium and T. saginata activated oncospheres (AO) were cultured in INT-407 and HCT-8 intestinal cells for 180 days. The T. solium began to die while the T. saginata grew for 180 days and developed to cysticerci in INT-407 cells. Rats were inoculated intracranially with AO and PO forms of either T. saginata or T. solium. Rats infected with T. solium AO and PO forms developed neurocysticercosis (NCC), while those infected with the T. saginata did not. Human PMBCs were stimulated with antigens of AO and PO forms of both species, and the production of cytokines and metalloproteinases (MMPs) was measured. The T. solium AO antigen stimulated a higher production of IL-4, IL-5, IL-13, IFN-γ, and IL-2 cytokines compared to T. saginata AO. In the PO form, the T. saginata PO antigen increased the production of IL-4, IL-5, IL-13, IFN-γ, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α and IL-12 cytokines compared to T. solium, suggesting that this global immune response stimulated by different forms could permit survival or destruction of the parasite depending of their life-cycle stage. Regarding MMPs, T. solium AO antigen stimulated a higher production of MMP-9 compared to T. saginata AO antigen, which may be responsible for altering the permeability of intestinal cells and facilitating breakdown of the blood-brain barrier during the process of invasion of host tissue