Competing for Public Resources: Higher Education and Academic Research in Europe. A Cross-Sectoral Perspective

The chapter focuses on the increasing cross-sectoral competition for public resources between various types of public sector institutions in Europe and its implications for future public funding for both higher education and academic research. It views the major models of the institution of the modern (Continental) university and the major types of the modern institution of the state, and of the welfare state in particular, as traditionally closely linked (following Kogan et al., 2000; Kogan and Hanney, 2000; Becher and Kogan, 1992). Historically, in the post-war period in Europe, the unprecedented growth of welfare states and state-funded public services was paralleled by the unprecedented growth of public universities. The massification and universalization of higher education in Europe coincided with the growth of the welfare state in general. Currently, both processes in higher education are in full swing across Europe while welfare states are under the most far-reaching restructuring in their postwar history. The major implication is the fierce competition for public resources, studied in this chapter from a cross-sectoral perspective, in which the future levels of public funding for higher education in tax-based European systems are highly dependent on social attitudes towards what higher education brings to society and the economy, relative to what other claimants to the public purse can bring to them

Maternal–Fetal Microtransfusions and HIV-1 Mother-to-Child Transmission in Malawi

Background: Between 25% and 35% of infants born to HIV-infected mothers become HIV-1 infected. One potential route of mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) could be through a breakdown in the placental barrier (i.e., maternal–fetal microtransfusions). Methods and Findings: Placental alkaline phosphatase (PLAP) is a 130-kD maternal enzyme that cannot cross the intact placental barrier. We measured PLAP activity in umbilical vein serum as an indicator of maternal–fetal microtransfusion, and related this to the risk of HIV-1 MTCT. A case-cohort study was conducted of 149 women randomly selected from a cohort of HIV-1-infected pregnant Malawians; these women served as a reference group for 36 cases of in utero MTCT and 43 cases of intrapartum (IP) MTCT. Cord PLAP activity was measured with an immunocatalytic assay. Infant HIV status was determined by real-time PCR. The association between cord PLAP activity and HIV-1 MTCT was measured with logistic regression using generalized estimating equations. Among vaginal deliveries, PLAP was associated with IP MTCT (risk ratio, 2.25 per $log_{10}$ ng/ml PLAP; 95% confidence interval, 0.95–5.32) but not in utero MTCT. In a multivariable model adjusted for HIV-1 RNA load, chorioamnionitis, and self-reported fever, the risk of IP MTCT almost tripled for every $log_{10}$ increase in cord PLAP activity (risk ratio, 2.87; 95% confidence interval, 1.05–7.83). Conclusion: These results suggest that during vaginal deliveries, placental microtransfusions are a risk factor for IP HIV-1 MTCT. Future studies are needed to identify factors that increase the risk for microtransfusions in order to prevent IP HIV-1 MTCT

Academic careers and the valuation of academics. A discursive perspective on status categories and academic salaries in France as compared to the U.S., Germany and Great Britain

Academic careers are social processes which involve many members of large populations over long periods of time. This paper outlines a discursive perspective which looks into how academics are categorized in academic systems. From a discursive view, academic careers are organized by categories which can define who academics are (subjectivation) and what they are worth (valuation). The question of this paper is what institutional categorizations such as status and salaries can tell us about academic subject positions and their valuation. By comparing formal status systems and salary scales in France with those in the U.S., Great Britain and Germany, this paper reveals the constraints of institutional categorization systems on academic careers. Special attention is given to the French system of status categories which is relatively homogeneous and restricts the competitive valuation of academics between institutions. The comparison shows that academic systems such as the U.S. which are characterized by a high level of heterogeneity typically present more negotiation opportunities for the valuation of academics. From a discursive perspective, institutional categories, therefore, can reflect the ways in which academics are valuated in the inter-institutional job market, by national bureaucracies or in professional oligarchies

STUDI DESKRIPTIF LEVEL BERPIKIR GEOMETRI VAN HIELE SISWA DI SMP NEGERI PERCONTOHAN DI LEMBANG

Geometri sekolah mempunyai peluang besar untuk dipahami oleh siswa dibandingkan dengan cabang ilmu matematika yang lainnya. Hal ini dikarenakan pengenalan konsep dasar geometri sudah dikenal oleh siswa sejak usia dini, seperti mengenal bangun-bangun geometri. Namun beberapa penelitian menunjukkan bahwa masih banyak siswa yang mengalami kesulitan dalam belajar geeometri, khususnya pada tingkat SMP. Oleh karena itu diperlukan penelitian terhadap level berpikir geometri siswa. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui: (1) level berpikir geometri siswa di SMP Negeri percontohan di Lembang, dan (2) menelaah apakah pembelajaran geometri yang berlangsung di sekolah menerapkan tahapan pembelajaran Van Hiele atau tidak. Metode dalam penelitian ini merupakan studi deskriptif dengan subjek penelitian adalah siswa kelas IX dari dua sekolah menengah pertama di Lembang. Instrumen dalam penelitian ini terdiri dari: (1) instrumen tes, yaitu tes level berpikir geometri Van Hiele pada materi bangun datar. Hasil dari tes ini dianalisis dengan kategori level berpikir sebagai berikut: level 0 adalah tahap pengenalan; level 1 adalah tahap analisis; level 2 adalah tahap pengurutan; level 3 adalah tahap deduksi formal; dan level 4 adalah tahap akurasi. (2) Instrumen non tes, yaitu berupa wawancara terhadap guru dan murid. Berdasarkan hasil penelitian diperoleh kesimpulan bahwa: (1) secara keseluruhan siswa SMP telah memasuki tahap berpikir geometri Van Hiele. Sebagian besar siswa berada pada tahap pengenalan (level 0) yaitu 81,16%, sedangkan sisanya telah memasuki tahap analisis (level 1) sebesar 17,39% dan tahap pengurutan (level 2) sebesar 1,45%. (2) Pembelajaran geometri di sekolah kurang memperhatikan tahapan pembelajaran geometri Van Hiele---------- Student has a big opportunity to understand geometry because the basic concept has early familiar, such as know the geometry’s objects. However, some of the research were show that many student difficult to learn geometry, specifically for junior high school. Because of that, it necessary to research about the geometry level thinking. The goal of the research are to know: (1) student geometry level thinking at the model of junior high school in Lembang, and (2) observe the lesson geometry at school by use the phase of Van Hiele geometry learning. The method is descriptive study with the subject are the student from IX class of two junior high school in Lembang. The instrument is: (1) test instrument, is Van Hiele geometry level test. The result will be analysis by categories of Van Hiele: level 0 is visualization; level 1 is analysis; level 2 is informal deduction; level 3 is deduction; and level 4 is rigor. (2) Non-test instrument, is interview to the teacher and student. Base of the research, the conclusion are: (1) by and large the student has include the Van Hiele geometry level. Student at level 0 is 81, 16%, at level 1 is 17,3% and at level 2 is 1,45%. (2) School did’nt use the phase of Van Hiele geometry learning

Customer Focus in European Higher Education Systems

This article looks at the idea and practice of “customer focus” in higher education. As a global trend with origins in the business and corporate world, customer focus has come to increasingly shape public services worldwide. Influenced by business thinking, terminology, and practices, governmental organizations across policy areas have used customer focus to reform public services in order to bring them closer to the demands and expectations of their users. The paper particularly analyzes changes in customer focus understanding and its implications for the European higher education policies. The aim of the article is to contribute to a better conceptualization and policy understanding of this growing approach to higher education reform.fi=vertaisarvioitu|en=peerReviewed

A Randomized Controlled Pilot Trial of Azithromycin or Artesunate Added to Sulfadoxine-Pyrimethamine as Treatment for Malaria in Pregnant Women

New anti-malarial regimens are urgently needed in sub-Saharan Africa because of the increase in drug resistance. We investigated the safety and efficacy of azithromycin or artesunate combined with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine used for treatment of malaria in pregnant women in Blantyre, Malawi

A Randomized Controlled Pilot Trial of Azithromycin or Artesunate Added to Sulfadoxine-Pyrimethamine as Treatment for Malaria in Pregnant Women

New anti-malarial regimens are urgently needed in sub-Saharan Africa because of the increase in drug resistance. We investigated the safety and efficacy of azithromycin or artesunate combined with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine used for treatment of malaria in pregnant women in Blantyre, Malawi.This was a randomized open-label clinical trial, conducted at two rural health centers in Blantyre district, Malawi. A total of 141 pregnant women with uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria were recruited and randomly allocated to 3 treatment groups: sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP; 3 tablets, 500 mg sulfadoxine and 25 mg pyrimethamine per tablet); SP plus azithromycin (1 g/dayx2 days); or SP plus artesunate (200 mg/dayx3 days). Women received two doses administered at least 4 weeks apart. Heteroduplex tracking assays were performed to distinguish recrudescence from new infections. Main outcome measures were incidence of adverse outcomes, parasite and fever clearance times and recrudescence rates. All treatment regimens were well tolerated. Two women vomited soon after ingesting azithromycin. The parasite clearance time was significantly faster in the SP-artesunate group. Recrudescent episodes of malaria were less frequent with SP-azithromycin [Hazard Ratio 0.19 (95% confidence interval 0.06 to 0.63)] and SP-artesunate [Hazard Ratio 0.25 (95% confidence interval 0.10 to 0.65)] compared with SP monotherapy. With one exception (an abortion in the SP-azithromycin group), all adverse pregnancy outcomes could be attributed to known infectious or obstetrical causes. Because of the small sample size, the effect on birth outcomes, maternal malaria or maternal anemia could not be evaluated.Both SP-artesunate and SP-azithromycin appeared to be safe, well tolerated and efficacious for the treatment of malaria during pregnancy. A larger study is needed to determine their safety and efficacy in preventing poor birth outcomes.ClinialTrials.gov NCT00287300

Proximity morality in medical school – medical students forming physician morality "on the job": Grounded theory analysis of a student survey

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The value of ethics education have been questioned. Therefore we did a student survey on attitudes about the teaching of ethics in Swedish medical schools.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Questionnaire survey on attitudes to ethics education with 409 Swedish medical students participating. We analyzed > 8000 words of open-ended responses and multiple-choice questions using classic grounded theory procedures.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In this paper we suggest that medical students take a proximity morality stance towards their ethics education meaning that they want to form physician morality "on the job". This involves comprehensive ethics courses in which quality lectures provide "ethics grammar" and together with attitude exercises and vignette reflections nurture tutored group discussions. Goals of forming physician morality are to develop a professional identity, handling diversity of religious and existential worldviews, training students described as ethically naive, processing difficult clinical experiences, and desisting negative role modeling from physicians in clinical or teaching situations, some engaging in "ethics suppression" by controlling sensitive topic discussions and serving students politically correct attitudes.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We found that medical students have a proximity morality attitude towards ethics education. Rather than being taught ethics they want to form their own physician morality through tutored group discussions in comprehensive ethics courses.</p

Maternal–Fetal Microtransfusions and HIV-1 Mother-to-Child Transmission in Malawi

BACKGROUND: Between 25% and 35% of infants born to HIV-infected mothers become HIV-1 infected. One potential route of mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) could be through a breakdown in the placental barrier (i.e., maternal–fetal microtransfusions). METHODS AND FINDINGS: Placental alkaline phosphatase (PLAP) is a 130-kD maternal enzyme that cannot cross the intact placental barrier. We measured PLAP activity in umbilical vein serum as an indicator of maternal–fetal microtransfusion, and related this to the risk of HIV-1 MTCT. A case-cohort study was conducted of 149 women randomly selected from a cohort of HIV-1-infected pregnant Malawians; these women served as a reference group for 36 cases of in utero MTCT and 43 cases of intrapartum (IP) MTCT. Cord PLAP activity was measured with an immunocatalytic assay. Infant HIV status was determined by real-time PCR. The association between cord PLAP activity and HIV-1 MTCT was measured with logistic regression using generalized estimating equations. Among vaginal deliveries, PLAP was associated with IP MTCT (risk ratio, 2.25 per log(10) ng/ml PLAP; 95% confidence interval, 0.95–5.32) but not in utero MTCT. In a multivariable model adjusted for HIV-1 RNA load, chorioamnionitis, and self-reported fever, the risk of IP MTCT almost tripled for every log(10) increase in cord PLAP activity (risk ratio, 2.87; 95% confidence interval, 1.05–7.83). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that during vaginal deliveries, placental microtransfusions are a risk factor for IP HIV-1 MTCT. Future studies are needed to identify factors that increase the risk for microtransfusions in order to prevent IP HIV-1 MTCT