The employability of young graduates in Europe

The Education Council has adopted in May 2012 a new benchmark on the employability of graduates from education and training that aims at measuring the contribution of education and training to the transition from education to employment. This new benchmark is defined as the share of young people employed among the 20-34 years old, who graduated 1, 2 or 3 years before, and are not currently in education or training. It is computed using the annual Labour Force Survey (LFS) microdata. This report aims at analyzing the determinants of the employability of the individuals targeted by the benchmark. It starts with a short presentation of the benchmark indicator. It then estimates the probability of being employed for the 20-34 years old cohort that graduated one to three years before and is not currently enrolled in any further education or training activity, controlling for individual characteristics and institutional factors. In addition to the annual LFS data, we also make use of the LFS ad-hoc module of 2009 to identify more specifically, at country level, the role played by the orientation of the degree and the acquisition of a professional experience during the time of studies. Among those who are employed, we then analyze the nature of that employment by estimating the probability of having a permanent vs. temporary contract and the probability of working full-time vs. part-time. Regarding the probability of being employed, we find that the contribution of education attainment is significant and constant, even after controlling for labour market contextual variables. Whereas education attainment is an important determinant for working full-time, it does not play a role in explaining the probability of having a permanent contract. We find that, overall, having a vocational oriented degree and/or working during studies does not affect significantly the probability of having a job. On the other hand, for a few countries, these two factors are important and our analysis shows that among the two, working during studies proves to be a more significant factor than the sole orientation of the degree.JRC.G.3-Econometrics and applied statistic

The employability of young graduates in Europe: Analysis of the ET2020 benchmark

The Education Council has adopted in May 2012 a new benchmark on the employability of graduates from education and training that aims at measuring the contribution of education and training to the transition from education to employment. This new benchmark is defined as the share of young people employed among the 20-34 years old, who graduated 1, 2 or 3 years before, and are not currently in education or training. It is computed using the annual Labour Force Survey (LFS) microdata. This report aims at analyzing the determinants of the employability of the individuals targeted by the benchmark. It starts with a short presentation of the benchmark indicator. It then estimates the probability of being employed for the 20-34 years old cohort that graduated one to three years before and is not currently enrolled in any further education or training activity,controlling for individual characteristics and institutional factors. In addition to the annual LFS data, we also make use of the LFS ad-hoc module of 2009 to identify more specifically, at country level, the role played by the orientation of the degree and the acquisition of a professional experience during the time of studies. Among those who are employed, we then analyze the nature of that employment by estimating the probability of having a permanent vs. temporary contract and the probability of working full-time vs. part-time. Regarding the probability of being employed, we find that the contribution of education attainment is significant and constant, even after controlling for labour market contextual variables. Whereas education attainment is an important determinant for working full-time, it does not play a role in explaining the probability of having a permanent contract. We find that, overall, having a vocational oriented degree and/or working during studies does not affect significantly the probability of having a job. On the other hand, for a few countries, these two factors are important and our analysis shows that among the two, working during studies proves to be a more significant factor than the sole orientation of the degree

Regulação do comportamento alimentar e novos alvos terapêuticos

Dissertação para obtenção do grau de Mestre no Instituto Superior de Ciências da Saúde Egas MonizO comportamento alimentar depende da regulação do equilíbrio entre a ingestão de calorias e o gasto energético. Esta regulação ocorre a nível cerebral onde o hipotálamo exerce um papel fundamental. Recebe sinais de adiposidade através da insulina e da leptina que o informam sobre o estado das reservas energéticas. Quando estas estão diminuídas, os núcleos do hipotálamo enviam sinais orexigénicos através dos neuropéptidos NPY, AgRP, CRH e orexinas e da grelina, um péptido periférico, para estimular a ingestão e repor as reservas. Aquando a ingestão, os primeiros sinais recebidos pelo cérebro são os estímulos hedónicos influenciando o centro da recompensa cortico-límbico, e estímulos mecânicos devido à distensão do estômago que é comunicado ao bulbo raquidiano através do nervo vago. A digestão provoca a libertação de hormonas periféricas que funcionam como sinais de saciedade, atuando no bulbo raquidiano ou no núcleo arqueado (ARC) do hipotálamo. São exemplos destas hormonas a amilina, o polipéptido pancreático (PP), a oxintomodulina (OXM), a colescitocinina (CCK), o péptido relacionada com glucagon (GLP-1) e o péptido YY (PYY). A regulação do comportamento alimentar também envolve as monoaminas dopamina, serotonina e noradrenalina que intervêm no sistema da recompensa, um sistema que valoriza a ingestão pelo sentimento de prazer que provoca, e o sistema dos endocanabinóides que protege da ansiedade e estimula a alimentação. Existem atualmente poucas alternativas medicamentosas para tratar a obesidade de forma eficaz e segura porque as vias envolvidas no comportamento alimentar são complexas, muitas vezes facilmente compensadas por outras vias, e envolvidas na regulação de outros sistemas

The employability of young graduates in Europe: Analysis of the ET2020 benchmark

The Education Council has adopted in May 2012 a new benchmark on the employability of graduates from education and training that aims at measuring the contribution of education and training to the transition from education to employment. This new benchmark is defined as the share of young people employed among the 20-34 years old, who graduated 1, 2 or 3 years before, and are not currently in education or training. It is computed using the annual Labour Force Survey (LFS) microdata. This report aims at analyzing the determinants of the employability of the individuals targeted by the benchmark. It starts with a short presentation of the benchmark indicator. It then estimates the probability of being employed for the 20-34 years old cohort that graduated one to three years before and is not currently enrolled in any further education or training activity,controlling for individual characteristics and institutional factors. In addition to the annual LFS data, we also make use of the LFS ad-hoc module of 2009 to identify more specifically, at country level, the role played by the orientation of the degree and the acquisition of a professional experience during the time of studies. Among those who are employed, we then analyze the nature of that employment by estimating the probability of having a permanent vs. temporary contract and the probability of working full-time vs. part-time. Regarding the probability of being employed, we find that the contribution of education attainment is significant and constant, even after controlling for labour market contextual variables. Whereas education attainment is an important determinant for working full-time, it does not play a role in explaining the probability of having a permanent contract. We find that, overall, having a vocational oriented degree and/or working during studies does not affect significantly the probability of having a job. On the other hand, for a few countries, these two factors are important and our analysis shows that among the two, working during studies proves to be a more significant factor than the sole orientation of the degree

Whey-Bread, an Improved Food Product: Evaluation of Textural Characteristics

The diversity in bread all around the world is enormous and enriched breads are a trend to follow in the next years. The aim of this work was to develop new breads incorporating whey residue, and the final products were analysed for their textural properties, as compared with a basic wheat bread. For measurement of texture two types of teste were used (compression and puncture). The results showed that the whey residue could be used to produce bread with good textural properties, particularly for an improved recipe. The improved whey bread showed good textural characteristics, which remained practically unchanged after 24 h, being this true for the properties evaluated through the compression test (hardness, chewiness, resilience, cohesiveness, springiness) and through the puncture test (external firmness, inner firmness, stickiness, adhesiveness). Finally, very strong correlations were found between cohesiveness and resilience and between adhesiveness and stickiness.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

European Integration Perspectives in Times of Global Crises - 13th Network Europe Conference, Athens, 19 – 22 June 2022

With the White Paper on the Future of Europe, the European Commission had launched a debate on fundamental reforms of the Union structures in 2017. A total of five reform scenarios ranged from a reduction and focusing of the Union’s competences to increased integration in the sense of a United States of Europe. However, the White Paper did not have any consequences; none of the reform scenarios presented was implemented. However, current global challenges in the areas of health, climate change and energy resources as well as the shift in the global balance of power and related security issues demonstrate the increasing importance of a strong and united Europe. The idea of an “ever closer union”, as laid down in the preamble of the 1992 EU Treaty, could experience a renaissance. Against this background, the 13th Network Europe Conference addressed the importance of the integration project in times of global crises and the challenges in various policy areas, as well as the EU’s relations with its eastern and southern neighbors and its role vis-à-vis global actors such as China and Russia. This publication contains the conference contributions

Biological and clinical characteristics of gene carriers far from predicted onset in the Huntington's disease Young Adult Study (HD-YAS): a cross-sectional analysis.

BACKGROUND: Disease-modifying treatments are in development for Huntington's disease; crucial to their success is to identify a timepoint in a patient's life when there is a measurable biomarker of early neurodegeneration while clinical function is still intact. We aimed to identify this timepoint in a novel cohort of young adult premanifest Huntington's disease gene carriers (preHD) far from predicted clinical symptom onset. METHODS: We did the Huntington's disease Young Adult Study (HD-YAS) in the UK. We recruited young adults with preHD and controls matched for age, education, and sex to ensure each group had at least 60 participants with imaging data, accounting for scan fails. Controls either had a family history of Huntington's disease but a negative genetic test, or no known family history of Huntington's disease. All participants underwent detailed neuropsychiatric and cognitive assessments, including tests from the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery and a battery assessing emotion, motivation, impulsivity and social cognition (EMOTICOM). Imaging (done for all participants without contraindications) included volumetric MRI, diffusion imaging, and multiparametric mapping. Biofluid markers of neuronal health were examined using blood and CSF collection. We did a cross-sectional analysis using general least-squares linear models to assess group differences and associations with age and CAG length, relating to predicted years to clinical onset. Results were corrected for multiple comparisons using the false discovery rate (FDR), with FDR 0·16). CSF neurofilament light protein (NfL), plasma NfL, and CSF YKL-40 were elevated in this far-from-onset preHD cohort compared with controls (FDR<0·0001, =0·01, and =0·03, respectively). CSF NfL elevations were more likely in individuals closer to expected clinical onset (FDR <0·0001). INTERPRETATION: We report normal brain function yet a rise in sensitive measures of neurodegeneration in a preHD cohort approximately 24 years from predicted clinical onset. CSF NfL appears to be a more sensitive measure than plasma NfL to monitor disease progression. This preHD cohort is one of the earliest yet studied, and our findings could be used to inform decisions about when to initiate a potential future intervention to delay or prevent further neurodegeneration while function is intact. FUNDING: Wellcome Trust, CHDI Foundation

Role of Human-Mediated Dispersal in the Spread of the Pinewood Nematode in China

Background: Intensification of world trade is responsible for an increase in the number of alien species introductions. Human-mediated dispersal promotes not only introductions but also expansion of the species distribution via long-distance dispersal. Thus, understanding the role of anthropogenic pathways in the spread of invading species has become one of the most important challenges nowadays. Methodology/Principal Findings: We analysed the invasion pattern of the pinewood nematode in China based on invasion data from 1982 to 2005 and monitoring data on 7 locations over 15 years. Short distance spread mediated by long-horned beetles was estimated at 7.5 km per year. Infested sites located further away represented more than 90% of observations and the mean long distance spread was estimated at 111–339 km. Railways, river ports, and lakes had significant effects on the spread pattern. Human population density levels explained 87% of the variation in the invasion probability (P,0.05).Since 2001, the number of new records of the nematode was multiplied by a factor of 5 and the spread distance by a factor of 2. We combined a diffusion model to describe the short distance spread with a stochastic,individual based model to describe the long distance jumps. This combined model generated an error of only 13% when used to predict the presence of the nematode. Under two climate scenarios (stable climate or moderate warming), projections of the invasion probability suggest that this pest could expand its distribution 40–55% by 2025. Conclusions/Significance: This study provides evidence that human-induced dispersal plays a fundamental role in the spread of the pinewood nematode, and appropriate control measures should be taken to stop or slow its expansion. This model can be applied to Europe, where the nematode had been introduced later, and is currently expanding its distribution. Similar models could also be derived for other species that could be accidentally transported by humans

Invading Basement Membrane Matrix Is Sufficient for MDA-MB-231 Breast Cancer Cells to Develop a Stable In Vivo Metastatic Phenotype

1 - ArticleIntroduction: The poor efficacy of various anti-cancer treatments against metastatic cells has focused attention on the role of tumor microenvironment in cancer progression. To understand the contribution of the extracellular matrix (ECM) environment to this phenomenon, we isolated ECM surrogate invading cell populations from MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells and studied their genotype and malignant phenotype. Methods: We isolated invasive subpopulations (INV) from non invasive populations (REF) using a 2D-Matrigel assay, a surrogate of basal membrane passage. INV and REF populations were investigated by microarray assay and for their capacities to adhere, invade and transmigrate in vitro, and to form metastases in nude mice. Results: REF and INV subpopulations were stable in culture and present different transcriptome profiles. INV cells were characterized by reduced expression of cell adhesion and cell-cell junction genes (44% of down regulated genes) and by a gain in expression of anti-apoptotic and pro-angiogenic gene sets. In line with this observation, in vitro INV cells showed reduced adhesion and increased motility through endothelial monolayers and fibronectin. When injected into the circulation, INV cells induced metastases formation, and reduced injected mice survival by up to 80% as compared to REF cells. In nude mice, INV xenografts grew rapidly inducing vessel formation and displaying resistance to apoptosis. Conclusion: Our findings reveal that the in vitro ECM microenvironment per se was sufficient to select for tumor cells with a stable metastatic phenotype in vivo characterized by loss of adhesion molecules expression and induction of proangiogenic and survival factors

Phylogenetic classification of the world's tropical forests

Knowledge about the biogeographic affinities of the world’s tropical forests helps to better understand regional differences in forest structure, diversity, composition, and dynamics. Such understanding will enable anticipation of region-specific responses to global environmental change. Modern phylogenies, in combination with broad coverage of species inventory data, now allow for global biogeographic analyses that take species evolutionary distance into account. Here we present a classification of the world’s tropical forests based on their phylogenetic similarity. We identify five principal floristic regions and their floristic relationships: (i) Indo-Pacific, (ii) Subtropical, (iii) African, (iv) American, and (v) Dry forests. Our results do not support the traditional neo- versus paleotropical forest division but instead separate the combined American and African forests from their Indo-Pacific counterparts. We also find indications for the existence of a global dry forest region, with representatives in America, Africa, Madagascar, and India. Additionally, a northern-hemisphere Subtropical forest region was identified with representatives in Asia and America, providing support for a link between Asian and American northern-hemisphere forests.</p