Szenarien und Strategien für die berufliche Aus- und Weiterbildung in Europa: ein Projekt von CEDEFOP/ ETF ; deutscher Bericht

Der Forschungsbericht zu der zweiten Phase des länderübergreifenden Projekts 'Szenarien und Strategien für Berufliche Aus- und Weiterbildung in Europa', das vom CEDEFOP in Thessaloniki und der ETF (European Training Foundation) in Turin gemeinsam begleitet wird, stellt in einem ersten Teilabschnitt die Ergebnisse der deutschen Teilstudie vor. Sie umfassen die Auswertungen von jeweils rund 20 Experteninterviews auf Bundesebene und aus den beiden Bundesländern Brandenburg und Nordrhein-Westfalen. Den Ausführungen vorangestellt sind die Ergebnisse der ersten Projektphase als Ausgangspunkt und ein Überblick über die Dimensionen der deutschen Szenarien für berufliche Aus- und Weiterbildung: (1) Verhältnis von allgemeiner und beruflicher Bildung, (2) Verhältnis von beruflicher Aus- und Weiterbildung, (3) Beruf, Arbeitsmarkt und Beschäftigung, (4) Institutionen, Trägerschaft (öffentlich/privat) und Finanzierung beruflicher Aus- und Weiterbildung. Thematisiert werden auf dieser Grundlage die folgenden Aspekte bzw. Szenarien: (1) die wachsende Bedeutung des regionalen Übergangsmanagement als politisches Handlungsfeld, (2) die aktuellen Trends der dualen Berufsausbildung in Form von Differenzierung, Individualisierung und Flexibilisierung, (3) die mögliche Pluralisierung der Lernformen und der Lernorte, also der Wandel vom dualen zum Mischsystem, (4) der Trend der Arbeits- und Geschäftsprozessorientierung beim berufsfeldübergreifenden Lernen, (5) der Stellenwert des Berufskollegs sowie (6) das Verhältnis öffentlicher und privater Bildungsverantwortung. Im zweiten Teilabschnitt finden sich englischsprachig die Erläuterungen über die gesamte Szenario-Methode und die Vorgehensweise für die zweite Phase. (ICG2

Transposon-Based Reporter Marking Provides Functional Evidence for Intercellular Bridges in the Male Germline of Rabbits

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A discussion as educational approach: The way of teachers of an institution of higher education

Embora a discussão encerre potencialidades na promoção de competências de literacia científica indispensáveis a uma cidadania responsável, verifica-se que esta metodologia é pouco utilizada em contexto educativo. Assim, importa compreender os factores que condicionam a realização deste tipo de actividade pelos professores. O presente estudo procura identificar as concepções dos professores de uma escola superior de educação portuguesa relativamente às vantagens e limitações da utilização da discussão como abordagem educativa. Para tal, foi construído um questionário online destinado a todos os seus professores. Os resultados obtidos mostram que os professores valorizam consideravelmente as actividades de discussão como metodologia educativa nas diversas áreas disciplinares. Contudo, os resultados revelam ainda alguns aspectos negativos associados às actividades de discussão, nomeadamente, as dificuldades na sua avaliação e a elevada quantidade de tempo que requerem. Esta investigação sugere diversos elementos que poderão auxiliar os professores, nomeadamente os da área de ciências, na integração efectiva de actividades de discussão nas suas práticas lectivas. - Although the discussion shut down potential in promoting scientific literacy skills essential for responsible citizenship, notes that this methodology is widely used in educational settings. It is therefore important to understand the factors that influence the performance of this type of activity by teachers. This study seeks to identify teachers' conceptions of a college education Portuguese against the advantages and limitations of the use of discussion as an educational approach. To this end, it was built for an online questionnaire to all their teachers. The results show that teachers value greatly discussion activities as educational methodology in the various subject areas. However, the results also reveal some negative aspects associated with the activities of discussion, namely, the difficulties in its evaluation and the high amount of time they require. This research suggests several elements that can help teachers, including the sciences, in the effective integration of activities in their discussion llective practices

Insulin resistance and glycemic abnormalities are associated with deterioration of left ventricular diastolic function: a cross-sectional study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) is considered a precursor of diabetic cardiomyopathy, while insulin resistance (IR) is a precursor of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and independently predicts heart failure (HF). We assessed whether IR and abnormalities of the glucose metabolism are related to LVDD.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We included 208 patients with normal ejection fraction, 57 (27%) of whom had T2DM before inclusion. In subjects without T2DM, an oral glucose tolerance test (oGTT) was performed. IR was assessed using the Homeostasis Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR). The lower limit of the top quartile of the HOMA-IR distribution (3.217) was chosen as threshold for IR. LVDD was verified according to current guidelines.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>IR was diagnosed in 38 (18%) patients without a history of diabetes. The prevalence of LVDD was 92% in subjects with IR vs. 72% in patients without IR (n = 113), respectively (p = 0.013). In the IR group, the early diastolic mitral inflow velocity (E) in relation to the early diastolic tissue Doppler velocity (averaged from the septal and lateral mitral annulus, E'av) ratio (E/E'av) was significantly higher compared to those without IR (9.8 [8.3-11.5] vs. 8.1 [6.6-11.0], p = 0.011). This finding remains significant when patients with IR and concomitant T2DM based on oGTT results were excluded (E/E'av ratio 9.8 [8.2-11.1)] in IR vs. 7.9 [6.5-10.5] in those without both IR and T2DM, p = 0.014). There were significant differences among patients with and without LVDD regarding the HOMA-IR (1.71 [1.04-3.88] vs. 1.09 [0.43-2.2], p = 0.003). The HOMA-IR was independently associated with LVDD on multivariate logistic regression analysis, a 1-unit increase in HOMA-IR value was associated with an odds ratio for prevalent LVDD of 2.1 (95% CI 1.3-3.1, p = 0.001). Furthermore, the E/E'av ratio increases along the glucose metabolism status from normal glucose metabolism (7.6 [6.2-10.1]) to impaired glucose tolerance (8.8 [7.4-11.0]) and T2DM (10.5 [8.1-13.2]), respectively (p < 0.001).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Insulin resistance is independently associated with LVDD in subjects without overt T2DM. Patients with IR and glucose metabolism disorders might represent a target population to prevent the development of HF. Screening programs for glucose metabolism disturbances should address the assessment of diastolic function and probably IR.</p

Genotype-Independent Transmission of Transgenic Fluorophore Protein by Boar Spermatozoa

Recently, we generated transposon-transgenic boars (Sus scrofa), which carry three monomeric copies of a fluorophore marker gene. Amazingly, a ubiquitous fluorophore expression in somatic, as well as in germ cells was found. Here, we characterized the prominent fluorophore load in mature spermatozoa of these animals. Sperm samples were analyzed for general fertility parameters, sorted according to X and Y chromosome-bearing sperm fractions, assessed for potential detrimental effects of the reporter, and used for inseminations into estrous sows. Independent of their genotype, all spermatozoa were uniformly fluorescent with a subcellular compartmentalization of the fluorophore protein in postacrosomal sheath, mid piece and tail. Transmission of the fluorophore protein to fertilized oocytes was shown by confocal microscopic analysis of zygotes. The monomeric copies of the transgene segregated during meiosis, rendering a certain fraction of the spermatozoa non-transgenic (about 10% based on analysis of 74 F1 offspring). The genotype-independent transmission of the fluorophore protein by spermatozoa to oocytes represents a non-genetic contribution to the mammalian embryo

Avaliação da área valvar aórtica combinando ecocardiografia e ressonância magnética

FUNDAMENTO: A ecocardiografia transtorácica (ETT) é rotineiramente utilizada para calcular a área da valva aórtica (AVA) pela equação de continuidade (EC). No entanto, a medida exata das vias de saída do ventrículo esquerdo (VSVE) pode ser difícil e a aceleração do fluxo no VSVE pode levar a erro de cálculo da AVA. OBJETIVO: O objetivo do nosso estudo foi comparar as medições da AVA por ETT padrão, ressonância magnética cardíaca (RM) e uma abordagem híbrida que combina as duas técnicas. MÉTODOS: A AVA foi calculada em 38 pacientes (idade 73 ± 9 anos) com a ETT padrão, planimetria cine-RM e uma abordagem híbrida: Método híbrido 1: a medição da VSVE derivada pelo ETT no numerador CE foi substituída pela avaliação de ressonância magnética da VSVE e a AVA foi calculada: (VSVE RM/*VSVE-VTI ETT)/transaórtico-VTI ETT; Método 2: Substituímos o VS no numerador pelo VS derivado pela RM e calculamos a AVA = VS RM/transaórtico-VTI ETT. RESULTADOS: Amédia de AVAobtida pela ETTfoi 0,86 cm² ± 0,23 cm² e 0,83 cm² ± 0,3 cm² pela RM-planimetria, respectivamente. A diferença média absoluta da AVA foi de 0,03 cm² para a RM versus planimetria-ressonância magnética. A AVA calculada com o método 1 e o método 2 foi de 1,23 cm² ± 0,4 cm² e 0,92cm² ± 0,32 cm², respectivamente. A diferença média absoluta entre a ETT e os métodos 1 e 2 foi de 0,37 cm² e 0,06 cm², respectivamente (p < 0,001). CONCLUSÃO: A RM-planimetria da AVA e o método híbrido 2 são precisos e demonstraram boa consistência com as medições padrão obtidas pela ETT. Portanto, o método híbrido 2 é uma alternativa razoável na eventualidade de janelas acústicas ruins ou em caso de acelerações de fluxo VSVE que limitem a precisão da ETT, particularmente em pacientes com alto risco de um estudo hemodinâmico invasivo

Phase-locking of a 2.7-THz quantum cascade laser to a mode-locked erbium-doped fibre laser

We demonstrate phase-locking of a 2.7-THz metalmetal waveguide quantum cascade laser (QCL) to an external microwave signal. The reference is the 15th harmonic, generated by a semiconductor superlattice nonlinear device, of a signal at 182 GHz, which itself is generated by a multiplier-chain (x2x3x2) from a microwave synthesizer at 15 GHz. Both laser and reference radiations are coupled into a hot electron bolometer mixer, resulting in a beat signal, which is fed into a phase-lock loop. Spectral analysis of the beat signal (see fig. 1) confirms that the QCL is phase locked. This result opens the possibility to extend heterodyne interferometers into the far-infrared range

A glimpse at Ethology in Latin America

The state of the art of Ethology in five Latin America countries is briefly presented here. The overall outlook regarding research laboratories and themes is promising: the community is numerous, active and there are topics addressing all aspects of animal behavior, especially in large countries like Brazil and Argentina. Ethology as an undergraduate discipline is generally a subcategory of Biology, being taught mainly at Zoology/ Psychology/ Ecology/ Agriculture Courses and at Medical Veterinary Schools, often as an eligible discipline. Ethology as a formal major Graduate Program is rare and mainly restricted to Brazil.Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Muse

Follow the sign! Top-down contingent attentional capture of masked arrow cues

Arrow cues and other overlearned spatial symbols automatically orient attention according to their spatial meaning. This renders them similar to exogenous cues that occur at stimulus location. Exogenous cues trigger shifts of attention even when they are presented subliminally. Here, we investigate to what extent the mechanisms underlying the orienting of attention by exogenous cues and by arrow cues are comparable by analyzing the effects of visible and masked arrow cues on attention. In Experiment 1, we presented arrow cues with overall 50% validity. Visible cues, but not masked cues, lead to shifts of attention. In Experiment 2, the arrow cues had an overall validity of 80%. Now both visible and masked arrows lead to shifts of attention. This is in line with findings that subliminal exogenous cues capture attention only in a top-down contingent manner, that is, when the cues fit the observer’s intentions