Effectiveness of individualised support measures in the dropout prevention model (DPM) in Serbian schools

The purpose of this paper was to evaluate the effectiveness of individualised support measures within the Dropout Prevention Model (DPM) after two years of implementation in 10 pilot schools in the seven most vulnerable municipalities in Serbia. The core activities within the DPM identification of students at risk of dropping out were the calculation of the Risk Index (RI) for each of them, and the development of the Individual Plans for Dropout Prevention (IPDPs) as a tool for sustainable planning and provision of support to at-risk students. The sample consisted of 450 students with IPDPs from the pool of 5,884 students with the calculated RI. The evaluation of individualised support measures was conducted through quasi-experimental design at different time points, a qualitative analysis of structural aspects of IPDPs and the examination of the relationship of categories of measures and risk factors, RI and key indicators. Results demonstrate desirable effects of the individualised measures on the prevention of dropout. The Instrument for identification of students at risk of dropout showed high sensitivity for students at very high dropout risk. Only 5% of the students at very high dropout risk for whom IPDPs were developed dropped out of school after two years of implementation of the DPM. Further analysis of the correspondence between the types of support in IPDPs showed a good adjustment to the types of risk factors. The schools demonstrated a good capacity to decrease the influence of the risk factors from the immediate students’ environment, such as poverty. The results presented arguments that support further scaling up of the IPDPs within the DPM to the other schools

Developing a Model for Dropout Prevention and Intervention in Primary and Secondary Schools in Serbia: Assessing the Model’s Effectiveness

The paper focuses on investigating the dropout phenomena and the need for its prevention and reduction within Serbian pre-university education. Understanding dropout as a multidimensional and system-level phenomenon, we offer a model for dropout prevention and intervention. The model considers the characteristics of schools in Serbia, together with the diversity of children under risk. Based on the findings from primary and secondary voc ational schools2where the model was piloted, we focus on the model’s effectiveness as related to a reduction in the dropout rate, absenteeism, and grade repetition, together with the rise in students’ overall achievement at the school level. The results suggest the model is largely effective in the reduction of dropout rate, absenteeism, and grade repetition, with some ambiguous findings in regard to the rise of students’ achievement in primary schools

Developing a model for dropout prevention and intervention in primary and secondary schools in Serbia: Assessing the model’s effectiveness

The paper focuses on investigating the dropout phenomena and the need for its prevention and reduction within Serbian pre-university education. Understanding dropout as a multidimensional and system-level phenomenon, we offer a model for dropout prevention and intervention. The model considers the characteristics of schools in Serbia, together with the diversity of children under risk. Based on the findings from primary and secondary vocational schools2where the model was piloted, we focus on the model’s effectiveness as related to a reduction in the dropout rate, absenteeism, and grade repetition, together with the rise in students’ overall achievement at the school level. The results suggest the model is largely effective in the reduction of dropout rate, absenteeism, and grade repetition, with some ambiguous findings in regard to the rise of students’ achievement in primary schools

Disseminated subcutaneous fat necrosis and elbow joint arthritis as a complication of pancreatitis

Background. Intraabdominal fat necrosis of the retroperitoneum, mesenthery and omentum is a frequent complication of acute pancreatitis. Very rarely, during the disease multiple aseptic subcutaneous fat necrosis, polyarthritis, polyserositis, vasculitis, subcutaneous nodi and eosinophylia, isolated or in combination, may appear. They are known as "pancreatic disease syndrome". Case report. We presented a female patient, 43-year-old, in whom in the course of acute interstitial billiary pancreatitis had occur red multiple localized aseptic necrosis of subcutaneous fat tissue of extremities appeared mostly around the talocrural and wrist joints requiring multiple incision, as well as aseptic elbow joints arthritis requiring puncture of one elbow joint. The symptoms were followed by a prolonged febrility that settled within several weeks. Conclusion. Localized disseminated fat necrosis around joints, arthritis of major joints, alone or with some of other symptoms of the "pancreatic disease syndrome" have to be considered as a probable sign of pancreatitis, even in the abscence of major abdominal symptoms

Risk Assessment in Coronary Patients Undergoing Abdominal Nonvascular Surgery

The aim of our study was to establish that the incidence of perioperative cardiac complications were in direct correlation with level of operative risk in coronary patients undergoing open abdominal nonvascular surgery with general anesthesia. Our prospective observational clinical study was composed of a group of 111 consecutive patients with angiographically-verified coronary artery disease, who were operated on at the University Clinical Center of Serbia. The patients were classified into four stratification subgroups by "Goldman's Cardiac Risk Index" (CRI) in relation to the incidence of perioperative cardiac complications. Electrocardiography was performed immediately after surgery, on postoperative days 1, 2, 7 and one day before discharge from the hospital. All patients were followed to postoperative day 30. Statistical design was presented by Pearson's chi(2) test and binomial logistic regression. The main result was significant difference between the four stratification subgroups of coronary patients in the incidence of cardiac death up to the 30th postoperative day: I - 0/17 (0.0%) vs. II - 0/40 (0.0%) vs. III - 1/37 (2.7%) vs. IV - 2/17 (11.8%), (p lt 0.05). We concluded that the incidence of perioperative cardiac complications significantly increased with the degree of Goldman's CRI. There was significant difference in the incidence of perioperative cardiac complications between the four Goldman's stratification subgroups

A study of pulmonary embolism after abdominal surgery in patients undergoing prophylaxis

AIM: To determine risk factors for pulmonary embolism and estimate effects and benefits of prophylaxis

Color Doppler sonography and angioscintigraphy in hepatic Hodgkin’s lymphoma

AIM: To estimate the characteristics of Color Doppler findings and the results of hepatic radionuclide angiography (HRA) in secondary Hodgkin’s hepatic lymphoma

BRIEF ARTICLES Color Doppler sonography and angioscintigraphy in hepatic Hodgkin’s lymphoma

doi:10.3748/wjg.15.326