A socio-ecological model of agency: The role of structure and agency in shaping education and employment transitions in England

This study examines the role of structural and agentic resources in shaping school-to-work transitions in England. We ask to what extent are young people able to steer the course of their lives despite the constraining forces of social structure, and how satisfied are they with their lives following the completion of compulsory schooling. Drawing on data from the Longitudinal Study of Young People in England we use sequence analysis of monthly activity data to identify differences in the timing and sequencing of education and employment transitions. We identified six distinct pathways, differentiating between an academic track, three pathways involving further education and training, as well as a work-focused transition and a group of young people who were over a long period not in education or training (NEET). The findings suggest that not all young people are inclined to follow an academic track and instead select into pathways involving vocational training or further education, enabling them to experience competence and life satisfaction. For others (about one in 10), however, the lack of socioeconomic and psycho-social resources is too overwhelming and they encounter long-term experience of NEET or are not able to transform their educational credentials into employment opportunities. The findings highlight that in addition to considering structural constraints it is important to conceptualise the role of the agent for a better understanding of variations in youth transitions

Microwave properties of DyBa_2Cu_3O_(7-x) monodomains and related compounds in magnetic fields

We present a microwave characterization of a DyBa$_{2}$Cu$_{3}$O$_{7-x}$ single domain, grown by the top-seeded melt-textured technique. We report the (a,b) plane field-induced surface resistance, $\Delta R_s(H)$, at 48.3 GHz, measured by means of a cylindrical metal cavity in the end-wall-replacement configuration. Changes in the cavity quality factor Q against the applied magnetic field yield $\Delta R_s(H)$ at fixed temperatures. The temperature range [70 K ; T_c] was explored. The magnetic field $\mu_0 H <$ 0.8 T was applied along the c axis. The field dependence of $\Delta R_s(H)$ does not exhibit the steep, step-like increase at low fields typical of weak-links. This result indicates the single-domain character of the sample under investigation. $\Delta R_s(H)$ exhibits a nearly square-root dependence on H, as expected for fluxon motion. From the analysis of the data in terms of motion of Abrikosov vortices we estimate the temperature dependences of the London penetration depth $\lambda$ and the vortex viscosity $\eta$, and their zero-temperature values $\lambda(0)=$165 nm and $\eta(0)=$ 3 10$^{-7}$ Nsm$^{-2}$, which are found in excellent agreement with reported data in YBa$_{2}$Cu$_{3}$O$_{7-x}$ single crystals. Comparison of microwave properties with those of related samples indicate the need for reporting data as a function of T/T_c in order to obtain universal laws.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures, LaTeX, submitted to Journal of Applied Physic

Prevention of Pyelonephritis Due to Escherichia coli in Rats with Gentamicin Stored in Kidney Tissue

Although gentamicin is known to accumulate and persist in the kidneys after systemic administration, its antibacterial activity at this site has not been determined. In the present study the accumulation of gentamicin in rat kidneys before infection prevented obstructive pyelonephritis due to Escherichia coli despite heavy urinary tract infection in the obstructed pelvis; thus the kidneys were protected against infection in the absence of effective levels of gentamicin in the urine. Stored gentamicin also protected pyelonephritic rats from relapse after complete obstruction of the kidneys. The level of antimicrobial activity of gentamicin in whole kidney tissue was 95% less than that anticipated on the basis of levels measured after dilution of kidney tissue homogenates; this low level of activity apparently was due in part to high concentrations of solutes. In view of these results in rats, the possibility must be considered that despite reduced activity, gentamicin storage might be useful in the prophylaxis of kidney infection in patients with abnormalities of the urinary tract. In the treatment of established kidney infection, the dose of gentamicin could be reduced and the interval of its administration increased for minimal toxicit

Synergism of Ampicillin and Gentamicin against Obstructive Pyelonephritis Due to Escherichia coli in Rats

Rats with obstructive pyelonephritis due to Escherichia coli were treated for different intervals with ampicillin and gentamicin either alone or in combination. The combination of ampicillin and gentamicin was synergistic in vitro and significantly more effective in vivo than was either drug alone. After treatment for 10 days, the combination of ampicillin and gentamicin was the only regimen that sterilized all of the pyelonephritic kidneys. The importance of achieving sterility was illustrated by the observation that severe infection and acute pyelonephritis recurred after religation of the ureter in 12 (71%) of 17 ampicillin-treated animals that had harbored as few as 46 organisms per kidney before ligation. A synergistic combination of antibiotics rapidly sterilizes obstructed pyelonephritic kidneys. In view of the particular risk of renal infection in the presence of urinary obstruction in humans, synergistic antibiotic combinations may be useful in the treatment of obstructive pyelonephritis in human

Phase Transitions on Nonamenable Graphs

We survey known results about phase transitions in various models of statistical physics when the underlying space is a nonamenable graph. Most attention is devoted to transitive graphs and trees

Efficacy of an Immune Modulator in Experimental Chlamydia trachomatis Infection of the Female Genital Tract

Objective. The aim of this study was to determine if vaginal application of the immune response modifier imiquimod (Aldara cream, 3M Pharmaceuticals, St Paul, Minn) would alter the course and/or outcome of female genital tract infection with a human isolate of Chlamydia trachomatis in a murine model. Methods. Groups of CF-1 mice were treated with Aldara on three different schedules: (1) ongoing beginning 5 days prior to and continuing through day 5 of infection; (2) a single prophylactic dose 2 hours prior to infection; and (3) therapeutic from day 4 to day 14 of infection. Mice were infected vaginally with a serovar D strain of C trachomatis, and monitored by culture to determine the level of shedding and duration of infection. Results. We observed a significant reduction in both duration of infection and the level of shedding during the acute phase in mice treated on an ongoing basis commencing 5 days prior to infection. There was no effect with respect to the other regimens. Conclusion. These results demonstrate that ongoing Aldara treatment has efficacy and may enhance local innate immunity which reduces the duration of subsequent infection with human isolates of C trachomatis in a murine model of female genital tract infection