Designing and Developing New VET Curricula to Address Skills Gaps in the Aeronautics Industry

Aeronautic industry is one of the enablers of the economic development and social insertion at European level, and it is one of the drivers of expansion of remote regions as far as it allows habitants, workers, and companies at these regions to expand their activities and areas of influence. The European aeronautics industry, including the commercial air transport, generates more than 220 billion of Euros and more than 4.5 million of jobs. These figures are expected to be double by 2030. Future developments in the sector, together with greater intra-European mobility of workers and population aging, bring a greater need for new skills in the work force together with an urgency for a larger number of professionals. Therefore, to achieve the desirable sustained growth the EU needs to invest in high-quality VET (vocational education and training) in order to be able to supply the AI (aeronautic industry) with qualified workers. VET stands for education and training which aims to equip people with knowledge, know-how, skills and/or competences required in particular occupations or more broadly on the labor market. This work discusses the outcomes of the AIRVET project, an European partnership whose principal objective is the development and promotion of “curricula and VET courses” in the Maintenance and Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) domains, required for a highly skilled aeronautical workforce

Aviation 4.0: More Safety through Automation and Digitization

The world is talking about the Industry 4.0 or the fourth industrial revolution, that is, the current trend of higher level of automation, digitalization and data exchange in manufacturing technologies. It includes cyber-physical systems, Internet of Things and cloud computing among other technological assets. With more than 5000 sensors, which generate up to 10 GB of data per second, modern aircraft engines are an exponent of what digitalization and the Internet of Aircraft Things could furnish, as part of the upcoming Industry 4.0 revolution, in the aviation industry. This new era has the potential to improve air transport key performance areas. Particularly, in an industry where safety levels are so high and the margins for improvement are extremely tight, this upcoming era might imply a shift in safety improvement. In an attempt to define Aviation 4.0, this chapter discusses the stages of aviation development from basic VFR flight rules at Aviation 1.0 up to Aviation 4.0 where cyber-physical systems are designed to assist humans’ unkind or hazardous work, to take decisions and to complete tasks autonomously. It illustrates the current and future cases of application of Aviation 4.0 to increase the aviation safety, while outlines how they might increase aviation safety levels

Bayesian Networks for Decision-Making and Causal Analysis under Uncertainty in Aviation

Most decisions in aviation regarding systems and operation are currently taken under uncertainty, relaying in limited measurable information, and with little assistance of formal methods and tools to help decision makers to cope with all those uncertainties. This chapter illustrates how Bayesian analysis can constitute a systematic approach for dealing with uncertainties in aviation and air transport. The chapter addresses the three main ways in which Bayesian networks are currently employed for scientific or regulatory decision-making purposes in the aviation industry, depending on the extent to which decision makers rely totally or partially on formal methods. These three alternatives are illustrated with three aviation case studies that reflect research work carried out by the authors

Importance of the “project” in the geometric documentation of the heritage

[ES] La medida y representación del un elemento patrimonial debe responder a unas necesidades. Será difícil plantear un proceso de documentación geométrica encaminado exclusivamente a conservar la información sobre su forma y dimensiones, si no son determinadas previamente las características de la información que se requiere conservar: su cantidad, cómo se almacenará, se gestionará, se reproducirá y difundirá. Se considera al Proyecto de Documentación Geométrica como el eje vertebrador de la intervención, entendiendo por tal, el documento que recoge las necesidades y circunstancias que rodean al elemento patrimonial, propone resultados para satisfacerlas, plantea alternativas tecnológicas junto a la evaluación de los recursos temporales, instrumentales y económicos de cada una de las opciones; y en definitiva supone el diseño de la intervención para la medida y la representación. En este artículo se analizan las circunstancias que justifican la redacción del proyecto y la transcendencia de la generación de este documento en el proceso de la documentación geométrica.[EN] The measurement and representation of heritage has to respond to necessities. It will be difficult to plan a job of geometric documentation directed exclusively to store the data about shape and size if the features of the element to document are not set beforehand: the amount of data, storage, management and spreading. The Project of Geometric Documentation will be considered as the way to articulate the intervention, that is to say, the document gathering the requirements and the circumstances of the patrimonial element. It suggest outputs to fulfil these requirements ad proposes technological alternatives with the assessment of the temporal, material and economic resources for every option; in other words, it involves the design of the intervention for the measurement and representation. In this paper, the circumstances justifying the generation of a Project and the transcendence of this document are analysed

The ballast pick-up problem. A theoretical approach and two experimental campaigns

The aim of this contribution is to present a theoretical approach and two experimental campaigns (on wind tunnel and on the track) concerning the research work about the ballast train-induced-wind erosion (BTIWE) phenomenon. When a high speed train overpasses the critical speed, it produces a wind speed close to the track large enough to start the motion of the ballast elements, eventually leading to the rolling of the stones (Kwon and Park, 2006) and, if these stones get enough energy, they can jump and then initiate a saltation-like chain reaction, as found in the saltation processes of soil eolian erosion (Bagnold, 1941). The expelled stones can reach a height which is larger than the lowest parts of the train, striking them (and the track surroundings) producing considerable damage that should be avoided. There is not much published work about this phenomenon, in spite of the great interest that exists due to its relevant applications in increasing the maximum operative train speed. Particularly, the initiation of flight of ballast due to the pass of a high speed train has been studied by Kwon and Park (2006) by performing field and wind tunnel experiments

Primary cardiac fibroma in infants: A case report and review of cases of cardiac fibroma managed through orthotopic heart transplant

Cardiac fibromas (CF) are the second most common cardiac tumors in children. They can be aggressive tumors despite their benign histopathologic nature, accounting for the highest mortality rate among primary cardiac tumors. CF usually show a progressive growth and spontaneous regression is rare. Therefore, a complete surgical excision is the preferred therapeutic approach when patients become symptomatic or if mass-related life-threatening complications are anticipated, even in asymptomatic patients. However, some cases are not good candidates for surgical excision due to the impossibility of preserving a normal cardiac anatomy or function after the tumor resection. Orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT) can be an exceptional but adequate alternative for some giant unresectable CF in children. In this article, we report our experience with the case of a 7-month-old infant with a giant unresectable cardiac fibroma who was successfully managed through OHT.Ye

Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells from infants with MLL-AF4+ acute leukemia harbor and express the MLL-AF4 fusion gene

MLL-AF4 fusion is a hallmark genetic abnormality in infant B-acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) known to arise in utero. The cellular origin of leukemic fusion genes during human development is difficult to ascertain. The bone marrow (BM) microenvironment plays an important role in the pathogenesis of several hematological malignances. BM mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSC) from 38 children diagnosed with cytogenetically different acute leukemias were screened for leukemic fusion genes. Fusion genes were absent in BM-MSCs of childhood leukemias carrying TEL-AML1, BCR-ABL, AML1-ETO, MLL-AF9, MLL-AF10, MLL-ENL or hyperdiploidy. However, MLL-AF4 was detected and expressed in BM-MSCs from all cases of MLL-AF4+ B-ALL. Unlike leukemic blasts, MLL-AF4+ BM-MSCs did not display monoclonal Ig gene rearrangements. Endogenous or ectopic expression of MLL-AF4 exerted no effect on MSC culture homeostasis. These findings suggest that MSCs may be in part tumor-related, highlighting an unrecognized role of the BM milieu on the pathogenesis of MLL-AF4+ B-ALL. MLL-AF4 itself is not sufficient for MSC transformation and the expression of MLL-AF4 in MSCs is compatible with a mesenchymal phenotype, suggesting a differential impact in the hematopoietic system and mesenchyme. The absence of monoclonal rearrangements in MLL-AF4+ BM-MSCs precludes the possibility of cellular plasticity or de-differentiation of B-ALL blasts and suggests that MLL-AF4 might arise in a population of prehematopoietic precursors

Antimicrobial resistance among migrants in Europe: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: Rates of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) are rising globally and there is concern that increased migration is contributing to the burden of antibiotic resistance in Europe. However, the effect of migration on the burden of AMR in Europe has not yet been comprehensively examined. Therefore, we did a systematic review and meta-analysis to identify and synthesise data for AMR carriage or infection in migrants to Europe to examine differences in patterns of AMR across migrant groups and in different settings. METHODS: For this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched MEDLINE, Embase, PubMed, and Scopus with no language restrictions from Jan 1, 2000, to Jan 18, 2017, for primary data from observational studies reporting antibacterial resistance in common bacterial pathogens among migrants to 21 European Union-15 and European Economic Area countries. To be eligible for inclusion, studies had to report data on carriage or infection with laboratory-confirmed antibiotic-resistant organisms in migrant populations. We extracted data from eligible studies and assessed quality using piloted, standardised forms. We did not examine drug resistance in tuberculosis and excluded articles solely reporting on this parameter. We also excluded articles in which migrant status was determined by ethnicity, country of birth of participants' parents, or was not defined, and articles in which data were not disaggregated by migrant status. Outcomes were carriage of or infection with antibiotic-resistant organisms. We used random-effects models to calculate the pooled prevalence of each outcome. The study protocol is registered with PROSPERO, number CRD42016043681. FINDINGS: We identified 2274 articles, of which 23 observational studies reporting on antibiotic resistance in 2319 migrants were included. The pooled prevalence of any AMR carriage or AMR infection in migrants was 25·4% (95% CI 19·1-31·8; I2 =98%), including meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (7·8%, 4·8-10·7; I2 =92%) and antibiotic-resistant Gram-negative bacteria (27·2%, 17·6-36·8; I2 =94%). The pooled prevalence of any AMR carriage or infection was higher in refugees and asylum seekers (33·0%, 18·3-47·6; I2 =98%) than in other migrant groups (6·6%, 1·8-11·3; I2 =92%). The pooled prevalence of antibiotic-resistant organisms was slightly higher in high-migrant community settings (33·1%, 11·1-55·1; I2 =96%) than in migrants in hospitals (24·3%, 16·1-32·6; I2 =98%). We did not find evidence of high rates of transmission of AMR from migrant to host populations. INTERPRETATION: Migrants are exposed to conditions favouring the emergence of drug resistance during transit and in host countries in Europe. Increased antibiotic resistance among refugees and asylum seekers and in high-migrant community settings (such as refugee camps and detention facilities) highlights the need for improved living conditions, access to health care, and initiatives to facilitate detection of and appropriate high-quality treatment for antibiotic-resistant infections during transit and in host countries. Protocols for the prevention and control of infection and for antibiotic surveillance need to be integrated in all aspects of health care, which should be accessible for all migrant groups, and should target determinants of AMR before, during, and after migration. FUNDING: UK National Institute for Health Research Imperial Biomedical Research Centre, Imperial College Healthcare Charity, the Wellcome Trust, and UK National Institute for Health Research Health Protection Research Unit in Healthcare-associated Infections and Antimictobial Resistance at Imperial College London

Barriers of mental health treatment utilization among first-year college students: First cross-national results from the WHO World Mental Health International College Student Initiative.

BACKGROUND: Although mental disorders and suicidal thoughts-behaviors (suicidal thoughts and behaviors) are common among university students, the majority of students with these problems remain untreated. It is unclear what the barriers are to these students seeking treatment. AIMS: The aim of this study is to examine the barriers to future help-seeking and the associations of clinical characteristics with these barriers in a cross-national sample of first-year college students. METHOD: As part of the World Mental Health International College Student (WMH-ICS) initiative, web-based self-report surveys were obtained from 13,984 first-year students in eight countries across the world. Clinical characteristics examined included screens for common mental disorders and reports about suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Multivariate regression models adjusted for socio-demographic, college-, and treatment-related variables were used to examine correlates of help-seeking intention and barriers to seeking treatment. RESULTS: Only 24.6% of students reported that they would definitely seek treatment if they had a future emotional problem. The most commonly reported reasons not to seek treatment among students who failed to report that they would definitely seek help were the preference to handle the problem alone (56.4%) and wanting to talk with friends or relatives instead (48.0%). Preference to handle the problem alone and feeling too embarrassed were also associated with significantly reduced odds of having at least some intention to seek help among students who failed to report that they would definitely seek help. Having 12-month major depression, alcohol use disorder, and suicidal thoughts and behaviors were also associated with significantly reduced reported odds of the latter outcome. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of first-year college students in the WMH-ICS surveys report that they would be hesitant to seek help in case of future emotional problems. Attitudinal barriers and not structural barriers were found to be the most important reported reasons for this hesitation. Experimental research is needed to determine whether intention to seek help and, more importantly, actual help-seeking behavior could be increased with the extent to which intervention strategies need to be tailored to particular student characteristics. Given that the preference to handle problems alone and stigma and appear to be critical, there could be value in determining if internet-based psychological treatments, which can be accessed privately and are often build as self-help approaches, would be more acceptable than other types of treatments to student who report hesitation about seeking treatment.status: publishe

WHO World Mental Health Surveys International College Student Project: Prevalence and Distribution of Mental Disorders

Increasingly, colleges across the world are contending with rising rates of mental disorders, and in many cases, the demand for services on campus far exceeds the available resources. The present study reports initial results from the first stage of the WHO World Mental Health International College Student project, in which a series of surveys in 19 colleges across 8 countries (Australia, Belgium, Germany, Mexico, Northern Ireland, South Africa, Spain, United States) were carried out with the aim of estimating prevalence and basic sociodemographic correlates of common mental disorders among first-year college students. Web-based self-report questionnaires administered to incoming first-year students (45.5% pooled response rate) screened for six common lifetime and 12-month DSM-IV mental disorders: major depression, mania/hypomania, generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, alcohol use disorder, and substance use disorder. We focus on the 13,984 respondents who were full-time students: 35% of whom screened positive for at least one of the common lifetime disorders assessed and 31% screened positive for at least one 12-month disorder. Syndromes typically had onsets in early to middle adolescence and persisted into the year of the survey. Although relatively modest, the strongest correlates of screening positive were older age, female sex, unmarried-deceased parents, no religious affiliation, nonheterosexual identification and behavior, low secondary school ranking, and extrinsic motivation for college enrollment. The weakness of these associations means that the syndromes considered are widely distributed with respect to these variables in the student population. Although the extent to which cost-effective treatment would reduce these risks is unclear, the high level of need for mental health services implied by these results represents a major challenge to institutions of higher education and governments. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).status: publishe