103 research outputs found
Darbo motyvacija ir savarankiškumas karjeroje kaip moterų subjektyvios sėkmės STEM karjeroje prediktoriai
The minority status of women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) professions makes their successful career development difficult. Due to gender-specific challenges, career dissatisfaction contributes to women dropping out of STEM careers. Therefore, women’s subjective career success (SCS) is important to persist and progress in their STEM careers. This study analyzed the influence of different types of work motivation and the perceived career autonomy on SCS of women. Specifically, 318 women working in STEM professions in Germany completed a quantitative online questionnaire. Using an ordinary least squares regression for variables predicting SCS measured as career satisfaction, we found that an intrinsic work motivation positively affects women’s SCS. The perception of high career autonomy was related positively, and the perception of low career autonomy was related negatively to SCS. Unexpectedly, the findings also revealed the positive influence of income on women’s SCS. The findings show that intrinsic work motivation and high perceived autonomy are promoting factors for SCSs, which could also contribute to their retention in STEM professions.Mokslo, technologijų, inžinerijos ir matematikos (STEM) profesijose moterų yra mažuma, todėl moterims čia sunku siekti sėkmingos karjeros. Moterų nepasitenkinimas savo profesija kyla dėl su socialine lytimi susijusių problemų ir prisideda prie to, kad moterys nutraukia STEM veiklas. Todėl norinčioms išlikti ir tobulėti STEM profesijose moterims svarbi subjektyvi karjeros sėkmė (SKS). Šiame tyrime analizuojama įvairių darbo motyvacijos tipų ir savarankiškumo karjeroje įtaka moterų subjektyviai karjeros sėkmei. 318 STEM profesijose Vokietijoje dirbančių moterų užpildė kiekybinį klausimyną internete. Naudodami įprastą mažiausiųjų kvadratų regresiją subjektyvią karjeros sėkmę (matuojamą pasitenkinimu karjera) prognozuojantiems kintamiesiems nustatėme, kad teigiamai moterų SKS prognozuoja vidinė darbo motyvacija. Didelis savarankiškumas karjeroje su SKS susijęs teigiamai, o mažas savarankiškumas karjeroje – neigiamai. Tyrimo rezultatai netikėtai atskleidė ir teigiamą pajamų įtaką moterų SKS. Rezultatai rodo, kad vidinė darbo motyvacija ir didelis savarankiškumas yra tie skatinantys SKS veiksniai, kurie taip pat galėtų prisidėti prie moterų išlaikymo STEM profesijose
Operational Experience with Autonomous Star Trackers on ESA Interplanetary Spacecraft
Mars Express (MEX), Rosetta and Venus Express (VEX) are ESA interplanetary spacecrafts (S/C) launched in June 2003, March 2004 and November 2005, respectively. Mars Express was injected into Mars orbit end of 2003 with routine operations starting in spring 2004. Rosetta is since launch on its way to rendezvous comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko in 2014. It has completed several test and commissioning activities and is performing several planetary swingbys (Earth in spring 2005, Mars in spring 2007, Earth in autumn 2007 and again two years later). Venus Express has also started routine operations since the completion of the Venus orbit insertion maneuver sequence beginning of May 2006. All three S/C are three axes stabilized with a similar attitude and orbit control system (AOCS). The attitude is estimated on board using star and rate sensors and controlled using four reaction wheels. A bipropellant reaction control system with 10N thrusters serves for wheel off loadings and attitude control in safe mode. Mars Express and Venus Express have an additional 400N engine for the planetary orbit insertion. Nominal Earth communication is accomplished through a high gain antenna. All three S/C are equipped with a redundant set of autonomous star trackers (STR) which are based on almost the same hardware. The STR software is especially adapted for the respective mission. This paper addresses several topics related to the experience gained with the STR operations on board the three S/C so far
Visual Impairment and Low Vision Aids : A Comparison between Children and Adults
(1) Background: This study aims to highlight differences in the etiology and fitting of low
vision aids in visually impaired children and adolescents in comparison to adults. (2) Methods:
A retrospective data collection from visually impaired patients presenting to obtain assistive devices
from 1 January 2016 to 30 April 2020 was conducted. A total of 502 patients were included. Inclusion
criteria were a minimum age of 4 years and the chart notation of a best-corrected distance visual acuity
in the patient record prior to the fitting of magnifying visual aids. (3) Results: Of the 502 patients,
147 (29.3%) were children under the age of 18 years. The most common cause of visual impairment
in children was albinism, and in adults, it was age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Children
showed better distance visual acuity, with a median of 0.88 logMAR (Logarithm of the Minimum
Angle of Resolution) compared to 1.0 in adults (p = 0.001). Near visual acuity was also significantly
better, with a median of 0.54 logMAR in children compared to 0.9 in adults (p < 0.001). Near and
distance visual acuity were significantly improved by fitting magnifying visual aids (p < 0.001).
After fitting, near visual acuity averaged 0.3 logMAR, and distance visual acuity, 0.7. The most
commonly prescribed aids were optical vision aids, which 68.5% of the patients received; 43.8%
received electronic aids. In children, optical aids were more frequently prescribed, and in adults,
electronic and acoustic aids (p < 0.001). (4) Conclusion: Visually impaired patients can regain the
ability to read and improve distance vision by using individually adapted and tested magnifying
vision aids, often with optical aids alone. Differences between children and adults could be discovered
in the etiology and severity of visual impairment, as well as in the provision type of low vision aids
Gemfibrozil-Induced Intracellular Triglyceride Increase in SH-SY5Y, HEK and Calu-3 Cells
Gemfibrozil is a drug that has been used for over 40 years to lower triglycerides in blood.
As a ligand for peroxisome proliferative-activated receptor-alpha (PPARα), which is expressed in
many tissues, it induces the transcription of numerous genes for carbohydrate and lipid-metabolism.
However, nothing is known about how intracellular lipid-homeostasis and, in particular, triglycerides
are affected. As triglycerides are stored in lipid-droplets, which are known to be associated with many
diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, fatty liver disease and type-2 diabetes, treatment with
gemfibrozil could adversely affect these diseases. To address the question whether gemfibrozil also
affects intracellular lipid-levels, SH-SY5Y, HEK and Calu-3 cells, representing three different metabolically active organs (brain, lung and kidney), were incubated with gemfibrozil and subsequently
analyzed semi-quantitatively by mass-spectrometry. Importantly, all cells showed a strong increase
in intracellular triglycerides (SH-SY5Y: 170.3%; HEK: 272.1%; Calu-3: 448.1%), suggesting that the
decreased triglyceride-levels might be due to an enhanced cellular uptake. Besides the common
intracellular triglyceride increase, a cell-line specific alteration in acylcarnitines are found, suggesting
that especially in neuronal cell lines gemfibrozil increases the transport of fatty acids to mitochondria
and therefore increases the turnover of fatty acids for the benefit of additional energy supply, which
could be important in diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease
Vitamin D and Its Analogues: From Differences in Molecular Mechanisms to Potential Benefits of Adapted Use in the Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease
Lifestyle habits and insufficient sunlight exposure lead to a high prevalence of vitamin
D hypovitaminosis, especially in the elderly. Recent studies suggest that in central Europe more
than 50% of people over 60 years are not sufficiently supplied with vitamin D. Since vitamin D
hypovitaminosis is associated with many diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD), vitamin D
supplementation seems to be particularly useful for this vulnerable age population. Importantly, in
addition to vitamin D, several analogues are known and used for different medical purposes. These
vitamin D analogues differ not only in their pharmacokinetics and binding affinity to the vitamin D
receptor, but also in their potential side effects. Here, we discuss these aspects, especially those of the
commonly used vitamin D analogues alfacalcidol, paricalcitol, doxercalciferol, tacalcitol, calcipotriol,
and eldecalcitol. In addition to their pleiotropic effects on mechanisms relevant to AD, potential
effects of vitamin D analogues on comorbidities common in the context of geriatric diseases are
summarized. AD is defined as a complex neurodegenerative disease of the central nervous system and
is commonly represented in the elderly population. It is usually caused by extracellular accumulation
of amyloidogenic plaques, consisting of amyloid (Aβ) peptides. Furthermore, the formation of
intracellular neurofibrillary tangles involving hyperphosphorylated tau proteins contributes to the
pathology of AD. In conclusion, this review emphasizes the importance of an adequate vitamin D
supply and discusses the specifics of administering various vitamin D analogues compared with
vitamin D in geriatric patients, especially those suffering from AD
Interprofessional education: a necessity in Alzheimer’s dementia care—a pilot study
Introduction: Interprofessional collaboration is seen as an indispensable
prerequisite for high-quality health services and patient care, especially for
complex diseases such as dementia. Thus, the current project aimed to extend
interprofessional and competency-based education in the field of dementia care
to the previously understudied therapy professions of nutrition, speech-language
pathology, and physiotherapy.
Methods: A three-day workshop was designed to provide specific learning
objectives related to patient-centered dementia care, as well as competences
for interprofessional collaboration. Teaching and learning approaches included
case-based learning in simulated interprofessional case-conferences and peerteaching. A total of 42 students (n = 20 nutrition therapy and counseling, n = 8
speech-language pathology, n = 14 physiotherapy), ranging from first to seventh
semester, finished the whole workshop and were considered in data analysis.
Changes in self-perceived attitudes toward interprofessional collaboration and
education were measured by the German version of the UWE-IP. An in-house
questionnaire was developed to evaluate knowledge and skills in the field of
dementia, dementia management and interprofessional collaboration.
Results: Participation in the workshop led to significant improvements in the total
scores of the UWE-IP-D and the in-house questionnaire, as well as their respective
subscales. Moderate to large effect sizes were achieved. All professions improved
significantly in both questionnaires with large effect sizes. Significant differences
between professions were found in the UWE-IP-D total score between students of
speech-language pathology and physiotherapy in the posttest. Students of nutrition
therapy and counseling revealed a significant lower level of self-perceived knowledge
and skills in the in-house questionnaire pre- and post-testing.
Discussion: The pilot-study confirms the effectiveness of interprofessional
education to promote generic and interprofessional dementia care competencies
and to develop positive attitudes toward interprofessional learning and
collaboration in the therapy professions, thus increasing professional diversity
in interprofessional education research. Differences between professions were
confounded by heterogenous semester numbers and participation conditions.
To achieve a curricular implementation, interprofessional education should
be expanded to include a larger group of participants belonging to different
professions, start early in the study program, and be evaluated over the long term
Effect of Caffeine and Other Methylxanthines on Aβ-Homeostasis in SH-SY5Y Cells
Methylxanthines (MTX) are alkaloids derived from the purine-base xanthine.
Whereas especially caffeine, the most prominent known MTX, has been formerly assessed to
be detrimental, this point of view has changed substantially. MTXs are discussed to have beneficial
properties in neurodegenerative diseases, however, the mechanisms of action are not completely
understood. Here we investigate the effect of the naturally occurring caffeine, theobromine
and theophylline and the synthetic propentofylline and pentoxifylline on processes involved in
Alzheimer’s disease (AD). All MTXs decreased amyloid-β (Aβ) level by shifting the amyloid precursor
protein (APP) processing from the Aβ-producing amyloidogenic to the non-amyloidogenic pathway.
The α-secretase activity was elevated whereas β-secretase activity was decreased. Breaking down
the molecular mechanism, caffeine increased protein stability of the major α-secretase ADAM10,
downregulated BACE1 expression and directly decreased β-secretase activity. Additionally, APP
expression was reduced. In line with literature, MTXs reduced oxidative stress, decreased cholesterol
and a decreased in Aβ1-42 aggregation. In conclusion, all MTXs act via the pleiotropic mechanism
resulting in decreased Aβ and show beneficial properties with respect to AD in neuroblastoma cells.
However, the observed effect strength was moderate, suggesting that MTXs should be integrated in a
healthy diet rather than be used exclusively to treat or prevent AD
Switching between intravenous and subcutaneous trastuzumab: safety results from the PrefHer trial
Aim: To assess the safety and tolerability of switching between subcutaneous (SC) and intravenous (IV) trastuzumab in the PrefHer study (NCT01401166).
Patients and methods: Patients with HER2-positive early breast cancer completed (neo)adjuvant chemotherapy and were randomised to receive four cycles of SC trastuzumab, via single-use injection device (SID; Cohort 1) or hand-held syringe (Cohort 2), followed by four cycles of IV, or vice versa (the crossover period presented here) as part of their 18 standard cycles of adjuvant trastuzumab treatment. Adverse events (AEs) were reported using standard criteria.
Results: Overall, fewer AEs were reported during the IV treatment periods, regardless of administration sequence (IV→SC or SC→IV). Differences in AEs between the SC and IV periods were partly due to variances in grade 1 and 2 local injection site reactions (ISRs) and systemic administration-related reactions (ARRs) and these occurred mainly during SC treatment, as expected. When ISRs and ARRs were excluded, rates of AEs were higher during the first treatment period, compared with the second, in both treatment sequences; otherwise there was no clear pattern in the type of AEs reported. Rates of clinically important events, including grade ≥3 AEs, serious AEs, AEs leading to study drug discontinuation and cardiac AEs, were low and similar between treatment arms (<5%). There were no grade 4 or 5 AEs. No new safety signals for trastuzumab were observed.
Conclusions: PrefHer revealed that switching from IV to SC trastuzumab (hand-held syringe or SID) or vice versa did not impact the known safety profile of trastuzumab
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