Accounting students' expectations and transition experiences of supervised work experience

Political and economic discourses position employability as a responsibility of higher education, which utilise mechanisms such as supervised work experience (SWE) to embed employability into the undergraduate curriculum. However, sparse investigation of students' contextualised experiences of SWE results in little being known about the mechanisms through which students derive employability benefits from SWE. The aim of this study is to examine the impact of students' expectation and conception of workplace learning on their transition into SWE. Analysis of accounting students' experiences reveal two broad conceptions of workplace learning, the differing impacts of which on transition experience are explored using existing learning transfer perspectives. Students displaying the more common 'technical' conception construct SWE as an opportunity to develop technical, knowledge-based expertise and abilities that prioritize product-based or cognitive learning transfer. Students with an 'experiential' conception were found to construct SWE primarily as an experience through which the development of personal skills and abilities beyond technical expertise are prioritized using process-based or socio-cultural learning transfer. Further data analysis suggests that these two learning transfer approaches have differing impacts on students' employability development which may indicate a need for universities to consider how to develop appropriate student expectations of and approaches to SWE and meaningful support for students' SWE transition

Integrated modelling for economic valuation of the role of forests and woodlands in drinking water provision to two African cities

Rapidly growing economies often have high population growth, resulting in agricultural expansion in rural areas and increased water demand in urban areas. Conversion of forests and woodlands to agriculture may threaten safe and reliable water supply in cities. This study assesses the regulating functions and economic values of forests and woodlands in meeting the water needs of two major cities in Tanzania and proposes an integrated modelling approach with a scenario-based analysis to estimate costs of water supply avoided by forest conservation. We use the process-based hydrological Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) to simulate the role of woody habitats in the regulation of hydrological flow and sediment control. We find that the forests and woodlands play a significant role in regulating sediment load in rivers and reducing peak flows, with implications for the water supply from the Ruvu River to Dar es Salaam and Morogoro. A cost-based value assessment under water treatment works conditions up to 2016 suggests that water supply failure due to deforestation would cost Dar es Salaam USD 4.6-17.6 million per year and Morogoro USD 308 thousand per year. Stronger enforcement of forest and woodland protection in Tanzania must balance water policy objectives and food security

Influence of daily 10-85 mu g vitamin D supplements during pregnancy and lactation on maternal vitamin D status and mature milk antirachitic activity

Pregnant and lactating women and breastfed infants are at risk of vitamin D deficiency. The supplemental vitamin D dose that optimises maternal vitamin D status and breast milk antirachitic activity (ARA) is unclear. Healthy pregnant women were randomised to 10 (n 10), 35 (n 11), 60 (n 11) and 85 (n 11) mu g vitamin D-3/d from 20 gestational weeks (GW) to 4 weeks postpartum (PP). The participants also received increasing dosages of fish oil supplements and a multivitamin. Treatment allocation was not blinded. Parent vitamin D and 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) were measured in maternal plasma at 20 GW, 36 GW and 4 weeks PP, and in milk at 4 weeks PP. Median 25(OH)D and parent vitamin D at 20 GW were 85 (range 25-131) nmol/l and 'not detectable (nd)' (range nd-40) nmol/l. Both increased, seemingly dose dependent, from 20 to 36 GW and decreased from 36 GW to 4 weeks PP. In all, 35 mu g vitamin D/d was needed to increase 25(OH)D to adequacy (80-249 nmol/l) in >97 center dot 5 % of participants at 36 GW, while >85 mu g/d was needed to reach this criterion at 4 weeks PP. The 25(OH)D increments from 20 to 36 GW and from 20 GW to 4 weeks PP diminished with supplemental dose and related inversely to 25(OH)D at 20 GW. Milk ARA related to vitamin D-3 dose, but the infant adequate intake of 513 IU/l was not reached. Vitamin D-3 dosages of 35 and >85 mu g/d were needed to reach adequate maternal vitamin D status at 36 GW and 4 weeks PP, respectively

How the data revolution can benefit farmers

Background: Iodine deficiency occurs in West European countries. Iodine is important for brain development of the foetus and infant. The current iodine status of pregnant and lactating Dutch women is unknown. Methods: In a pilot study we examined the iodine status of 36 women. From 20 gestational weeks (GW) until 4 weeks postpartum, they ingested 150 mu g iodine/day in the form of a multivitamin supplement for pregnant and lactating women. Twenty-four hour urine samples were collected at 20 and 36 GW and at 4 weeks postpartum. A breast milk sample was collected at 4 weeks postpartum. Iodine concentrations were analysed by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. Cut-off values for the urinary iodine concentration (UIC) for pregnant and lactating women are 150 and 100 mu g/l, respectively. Adequate intakes (AI) of iodine for infants aged 0-6 months are 1.1 mu mol/l (Institute of Medicine recommendations) or 0.5 mu mol/l (Nordic Council recommendations). Results: The median UICs (percentages below cut-off) were 102 mu g/l (83%) at 20 GW, 144 mu g/l (56%) at 36 GW and 112 mu g/l (40%) at 4 weeks postpartum. The median breast milk iodine concentration was 1.2 mu mol/l (range 0.5-3.0); 33% and 0% of the infants had estimated iodine intakes below the IOM-AI and Nordic-AI, respectively. Conclusion: This pilot study suggested a high prevalence of iodine deficiency during pregnancy. Daily supplementation of 150 mu g iodine from 20 GW might be insufficient to reach maternal iodine adequacy. The median breast milk iodine concentration seems adequate. Further studies, using a representative sample of the Dutch population, are needed to establish the current Dutch iodine status of pregnant and lactating women

Case study of temporal changes in maternal dietary intake and the association with breast milk mineral contents

Minerals play important roles in infant growth and development, even though they only make up to 0.2 g% of the mature breast milk contents. Limited studies examined the association between maternal dietary intake and breast milk mineral contents in a temporal manner. Twenty Malaysian Malay postpartum mothers were recruited by either convenience or snow balling sampling from the urban lower middle income residential areas. Dietary intake of the subjects was obtained by 24-hour recall during each breast milk collection. Adequacy of maternal mineral intake was compared with the latest Recommended Nutrient Intake for Malaysia. Each of the subject provided breast milk samples for three times (T1, T2, and T3) at consecutive 2-week intervals. Breast milk concentrations of selected macro- and micro-minerals, including Ca, P, K, Na, Mg, Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn, Se, I, Cr and Mo were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Subjects were aged 31.4 +/- 6.1 years with a majority (60 %) having post-secondary school/college education. While maternal intake of macro-minerals, Ca, P, K and Mg, did not display a significant temporal changes from T1 to T3, the intake of micro-minerals, Cu, Mn and I decreased significantly over time from T1 to T3. Breast milk K, Fe, Zn and Cu concentrations showed a significant decreased with the progression of lactation from transitional (2-3 weeks) to established stage (>8-12 weeks). Significant correlations were established between maternal intake of K, Na, Fe and Se and their respective concentrations in breast milk in the present study. This case study revealed an inadequate maternal intake of several key micro-minerals (Cu, Mn, I) among the postpartum Malay mothers and a decreasing concentrations of certain essential minerals (K, Fe, Zn and Cu) in breast milk with lactation stage

Mycotoxins that Affect the North American Agri-Food Sector: State of the Art and Directions for the Future

This paper summarises workshop discussions at the 5th international MYCORED meeting in Ottawa, Canada (June 2012) with over 200 participants representing academics, government and industry scientists, government officials and farming organisations (present in roughly equal proportions) from 27 countries. Workshops centred on how mycotoxins in food and feed affect value chains and trade in the region covered by the North American Free Trade Agreement. Crops are contaminated by one or more of five important mycotoxins in parts of Canada and the United States every year, and when contaminated food and feed are consumed in amounts above tolerable limits, human and animal health are at risk. Economic loss from such contamination includes reduced crop yield, grain quality, animal productivity and loss of domestic and export markets. A systematic effort by grain producers, primary, transfer, and terminal elevators, millers and food and feed processers is required to manage these contaminants along the value chain. Workshops discussed lessons learned from investments in plant genetics, fungal genomics, toxicology, analytical and sampling science, management strategies along the food and feed value chains and methods to ameliorate the effects of toxins in grain on animal production and on reducing the impact of mycotoxins on population health in developing countries. These discussions were used to develop a set of priorities and recommendations

Effect of an EBM course in combination with case method learning sessions: an RCT on professional performance, job satisfaction, and self-efficacy of occupational physicians

Objective An intervention existing of an evidence-based medicine (EBM) course in combination with case method learning sessions (CMLSs) was designed to enhance the professional performance, self-efficacy and job satisfaction of occupational physicians. Methods A cluster randomized controlled trial was set up and data were collected through questionnaires at baseline (T0), directly after the intervention (T1) and 7 months after baseline (T2). The data of the intervention group [T0 (n = 49), T1 (n = 31), T2 (n = 29)] and control group [T0 (n = 49), T1 (n = 28), T2 (n = 28)] were analysed in mixed model analyses. Mean scores of the perceived value of the CMLS were calculated in the intervention group. Results The overall effect of the intervention over time comparing the intervention with the control group was statistically significant for professional performance (p <0.001). Job satisfaction and self-efficacy changes were small and not statistically significant between the groups. The perceived value of the CMLS to gain new insights and to improve the quality of their performance increased with the number of sessions followed. Conclusion An EBM course in combination with case method learning sessions is perceived as valuable and offers evidence to enhance the professional performance of occupational physicians. However, it does not seem to influence their self-efficacy and job satisfactio

Temporal Changes in Breast Milk Fatty Acids Contents:A Case Study of Malay Breastfeeding Women

The composition of human breast milk changes in the first two months of life, adapting itself to the evolving needs of the growing new-born. Lipids in milk are a source of energy, essential fatty acids (FA), fat-soluble vitamins, and vital bioactive components. Information on breast milk FA of Malaysian lactating women is scarce. Based on convenience sampling, a total of 20 Malay breastfeeding women who fulfilled the inclusion criteria were recruited. Breast milk was collected three times from each subject at consecutive intervals of 2-3 weeks apart. A total of 60 breast milk samples were collected and classified into "transitional milk" (n = 8), "early milk" (n = 26) and "mature milk" (n = 26). All milk samples were air freighted to University of Groningen, Netherlands for analysis. The dominant breast milk FA were oleic acid, constituting 33% of total fatty acids, followed by palmitic acid (26%). Both these FA and the essential FA, linoleic acid (10%) and alpha-linolenic acid (0.4%), showed no significant changes from transitional to mature milk. Breast milk ratio of n-6:n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) was comparatively high, exceeding 10 throughout the lactation period, suggesting a healthier balance of PUFA intake is needed in pregnancy and at postpartum

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