WSIS+10 series: WSIS+10 and Women’s Empowerment

During the first phase of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), leaders from various countries came together and affirmed that the development of information and communication technologies (ICTs) provided a wealth of opportunities for women, and that women should be an integral part of the information society. It called for removing the gender barriers to ICT education and training, and promoting equal training opportunities in ICT-related fields for women and girls. In the fifth and final blog in a series on WSIS+10 edited by LSE alumna Anri van der Spuy, Doreen Bogdan-Martin, chief of strategic planning and membership at the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), investigates the role of ICTs in perpetuating gender divides and promoting gender equality in the future

A Decade of Inquiry: The Status of Female Superintendents and Secondary Principals in the High Plains

This research provides insight into the status of female administrators from a particular geographical area in rural America. Findings reveal that some progress has been made across the United States but there is more effort needed especially in the High Plains states. The numbers of females in ad- ministrative positions in the High Plains states from 1997 to 2007 were col- lected from the Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota Departments of Education. The percentages of females in the High Plains states were com- pared to national numbers for the same time period. There has been a pattern of increased numbers and percentages of females serving as superintendents and secondary principals across the United States and High Plain states. The High Plains states consistently lag behind the United States in the percentage of increase of practicing female superintendents and secondary principals for the decade of 1997 to 2007. When considering the status of female ad- ministrators, numbers do not tell the whole story. Additional aspects studied through qualitative inquiry were the career tracks of these women, the barriers they encountered, and the support systems provided for them

Evaluation and improvement of dehydrogenation conversion and isomerization selectivity in an extractor Catalytic Membrane Reactor

Thesis (PhD (Process Engineering))--University of Stellenbosch, 2006.Recent advances in inorganic material preparation for membrane fabrication have extended the use of membranes to high temperature and chemically harsh environments. This has allowed inorganic membranes to be integrated into catalytic reactors, resulting in the concept known as Catalytic Membrane Reactors (CMRs). CMRs have overall important benefits of product quality, plant compactness, environmental impact reduction and energy savings. It has found use in a broad range of applications including biochemical, chemical, environmental and petrochemical systems. In these CMRs, the membranes perform a variety of functions, and consequently they are categorized according to the primary role of the membrane: extractor, distributor or contactor. In this dissertation the different uses of an extractor Catalytic Membrane Reactor (eCMR) are evaluated with the help of model reactions. In the eCMR the primary function of the membrane is to selectively extract one of the reaction products from the reaction zone, thereby combining the benefits of separation and reaction in one unit operation. This can lead to a number of advantages, of which the two most important ones include: (a) conversion beyond thermodynamic equilibrium in equilibrium restricted reactions and/or (b) the improvement of product selectivity in consecutive/parallel reaction networks. The dehydrogenation of isobutane, an equilibrium restricted reaction, was evaluated in a dense Palladium and a MFI-zeolite/alumina composite eCMR. These two eCMRs, consisting of a membrane packed with a Pt/In/Ge-MFI-zeolite catalyst, differed only on the basis of the membrane used. The palladium membrane showed superior extraction and selectivity capability for hydrogen in the reaction mixture compared to the MFI/alumina composite membrane. Regardless of these facts, the performances of the Pd and MFI eCMR, when evaluated at the same reaction conditions, were similar. The isobutane conversion to isobutene, employing high sweep rates (185 ml/min) could be increased up to ca. 37 % at 723 K, compared to 14 % in the conventional packed-bed reactor. The similar performance of the two different eCMRs was evaluated using a Catalytic Membrane Reactor model. Model results showed that in order for the extractortype CMR to completely draw benefit from the combination of membrane and catalyst in the same unit for conversion enhancement, a very active catalyst should be developed, able to sustain the high extraction ability of the membrane. This was the first time that these two eCMRs were evaluated at similar reaction conditions in order to study the influence of the nature of the membrane material on the working of the eCMR. The eCMR was also used to carry out meta-xylene isomerization. This part focused on the extraction of para-xylene from the meta-xylene isomerization reaction zone with a MFI eCMR (MFI-zeolite membrane and Pt-HZSM5 fixed-bed catalyst) in order to improve the reaction selectivity towards para-xylene. Para-xylene is an important industrial chemical used as a precursor for polyester resin, and in order to meet the paraxylene demand, ortho- and meta-xylenes are converted via the xylene isomerization reaction to xylene isomers. It has been shown that the pore-plugged MFI-zeolite membranes used in this study can selectively extract para-xylene from a mixture of xylenes. Using an extractor type catalytic membrane reactor instead of a conventional fixed-bed reactor for meta-xylene isomerization, can lead to higher para-xylene selectivities. The para-xylene selectivity can even be improved to 100% if the CMR is operated in the permeate-only mode, but this comes at a price of lower para-xylene yields. When operated in combined mode (i.e. mixing both permeate and retentate streams after the reactor), the CMR shows an improvement on both para-xylene productivity (ca. 10 % maximum at conditions studied) and selectivity when compared to the conventional reactor. This is the first time paraxylene selectivity could successfully be improved by employing an extractor Catalytic Membrane Reactor. This dissertation also led to the design and construction of a new generation membrane reactor testing bench, a first in the Department of Process Engineering, University of Stellenbosch. The bench allows for high temperature evaluation of membranes and Catalytic Membrane Reactors. The design is simple and easily adaptable for use to evaluate various different reactions

Working toward a transdisciplinary approach to teaching and learning planetary health–A collective reflection

BACKGROUND: In order to educate the next generation of leaders to work at reverting the damaging effects of the Anthropocene, there is an increasing need to incorporate more environmental-related aspects in all teaching programmes, including the health-related. Planetary health is a complex field which can benefit from a transdisciplinary pedagogical approach. The aim of this research was to evaluate an approach working toward transdisciplinarity applied to a course of Planetary Health taught at the Bachelor degree Global Responsibility & Leadership of the University of Groningen through substantive feedback and reflections from the students. METHODS: By the end of the course, a focus group was conducted with the students inviting them to reflect on the different aspects of the pedagogical approach, evaluating their effectiveness. A thematic analysis was conducted on the transcribed focus group. RESULTS: The students appreciated the added value of working toward a transdisciplinary approach and peer-to-peer learning and teaching adopted in the Planetary Health course, as a way of enhancing their learning experience. They pointed out the need of incorporating a transcultural approach into the transdisciplinary one, as a way not only to improve their learning experience, but also to enrich the transdisciplinarity itself. CONCLUSION: Incorporating a process toward transdisciplinary and transcultural teaching of planetary health into undergraduate programmes was found to be of added value. The peer-to-peer horizontal learning opportunities were seen as a way for taking advantage of the collaborative, informal teaching and community building serving the overall scope of the course

Regenerating Articular Tissue by Converging Technologies

Scaffolds for osteochondral tissue engineering should provide mechanical stability, while offering specific signals for chondral and bone regeneration with a completely interconnected porous network for cell migration, attachment, and proliferation. Composites of polymers and ceramics are often considered to satisfy these requirements. As such methods largely rely on interfacial bonding between the ceramic and polymer phase, they may often compromise the use of the interface as an instrument to direct cell fate. Alternatively, here, we have designed hybrid 3D scaffolds using a novel concept based on biomaterial assembly, thereby omitting the drawbacks of interfacial bonding. Rapid prototyped ceramic particles were integrated into the pores of polymeric 3D fiber-deposited (3DF) matrices and infused with demineralized bone matrix (DBM) to obtain constructs that display the mechanical robustness of ceramics and the flexibility of polymers, mimicking bone tissue properties. Ostechondral scaffolds were then fabricated by directly depositing a 3DF structure optimized for cartilage regeneration adjacent to the bone scaffold. Stem cell seeded scaffolds regenerated both cartilage and bone in vivo

The bodily experience of cerebral palsy: a journey to self-awareness.

PURPOSE: The aim of the study was to describe the lived bodily experience of cerebral palsy (CP). METHOD: This was a descriptive phenomenological inquiry. Ten participants were interviewed about their bodily experiences of living with CP. Interviews were semi-structured around pain and fatigue. Inductive thematic analysis was used to identify themes. RESULTS: The bodily experience of CP centered on issues of fatigue and pain as a feeling of muscle soreness. An overwhelming amount of the discussion on fatigue emphasized the fatigue that occurs with walking and prolonged activity. Self-awareness of the individuals\u27 own bodies and adapting activity to continue to participate in various aspects of their lives emerged as the most important theme. Some participants used strategies to manage their pain or fatigue; other participants were not yet fully aware of how to recognize signs of fatigue and/or how to adapt their activities. CONCLUSIONS: Self-awareness appears to be an important process to be fostered by service providers and parents. Specifically, encouraging youth with CP to be aware of their own bodies and the effects (positive and negative) of activity on pain and fatigue should be incorporated into transition programs as the individual becomes responsible for his or her own health care needs. Implications for Rehabilitation Fatigue is a major concern for some youth and young adults with cerebral palsy. Adolescents and young adults with cerebral palsy use a variety of techniques (including adapting or restricting activity and building in rest breaks) to manage fatigue. The process of self-awareness should be fostered by health care professionals leading up to and during transition from pediatric to adult care. Clinical conversations should explore the role of exercise, adaptive equipment, rest and other strategies for dealing with fatigue with a focus on understanding each client\u27s needs individually

Adrenal Cushing Syndrome Diagnosed during Pregnancy: Successful Medical Management with Metyrapone

Adrenal Cushing syndrome during pregnancy is rare, and there is limited information on the effect and safety of metyrapone treatment both for mother and fetus. We present a 24-year-old woman diagnosed with adrenal Cushing syndrome at the end of the second trimester. We elected treatment with metyrapone titrated to 250 mg 3 times daily, resulting in good clinical response and maternal serum and saliva cortisol levels in the upper half of the normal pregnancy range. A healthy male infant was born at 35 weeks\u27 gestation, with no clinical signs of adrenal insufficiency, this despite a low cortisol of 5 nmol/L on the first day of life. We measured metyrapone in maternal and umbilical cord blood samples, demonstrating fetal venous metyrapone levels similar to maternal venous concentration, and a fetal arterial cord concentration at about 60% of the fetal venous cord concentration. This case demonstrates that salivary cortisol levels may be used to monitor the effect of metyrapone on adrenal Cushing syndrome during pregnancy. We show, for the first time in humans, that metyrapone does cross the placenta and may suppress fetal cortisol production without necessarily causing clinical signs of adrenal insufficiency

Adrenal Cushing Syndrome Diagnosed during Pregnancy: Successful Medical Management with Metyrapone

Adrenal Cushing syndrome during pregnancy is rare, and there is limited information on the effect and safety of metyrapone treatment both for mother and fetus. We present a 24-year-old woman diagnosed with adrenal Cushing syndrome at the end of the second trimester. We elected treatment with metyrapone titrated to 250 mg 3 times daily, resulting in good clinical response and maternal serum and saliva cortisol levels in the upper half of the normal pregnancy range. A healthy male infant was born at 35 weeks\u27 gestation, with no clinical signs of adrenal insufficiency, this despite a low cortisol of 5 nmol/L on the first day of life. We measured metyrapone in maternal and umbilical cord blood samples, demonstrating fetal venous metyrapone levels similar to maternal venous concentration, and a fetal arterial cord concentration at about 60% of the fetal venous cord concentration. This case demonstrates that salivary cortisol levels may be used to monitor the effect of metyrapone on adrenal Cushing syndrome during pregnancy. We show, for the first time in humans, that metyrapone does cross the placenta and may suppress fetal cortisol production without necessarily causing clinical signs of adrenal insufficiency

Ice Algae-Produced Carbon Is Critical for Overwintering of Antarctic Krill Euphausia superba

Antarctic krill Euphausia superba (“krill”) constitute a fundamental food source for Antarctic seabirds and mammals, and a globally important fisheries resource. The future resilience of krill to climate change depends critically on the winter survival of young krill. To survive periods of extremely low production by pelagic algae during winter, krill are assumed to rely partly on carbon produced by ice algae. The true dependency on ice algae-produced carbon, however, is so far unquantified. This confounds predictions on the future resilience of krill stocks to sea ice decline. Fatty acid (FA) analysis, bulk stable isotope analysis (BSIA), and compound-specific stable isotope analysis (CSIA) of diatom- and dinoflagellate-associated marker FAs were applied to quantify the dependency of overwintering larval, juvenile, and adult krill on ice algae-produced carbon (αIce) during winter 2013 in the Weddell-Scotia Confluence Zone. Our results demonstrate that the majority of the carbon uptake of the overwintering larval and juvenile krill originated from ice algae (up to 88% of the carbon budget), and that the dependency on ice algal carbon decreased with ontogeny, reaching <56% of the carbon budget in adults. Spatio-temporal variability in the utilization of ice algal carbon was more pronounced in larvae and juvenile krill than in adults. Differences between αIce estimates derived from short- vs. long-term FA-specific isotopic compositions suggested that ice algae-produced carbon gained importance as the winter progressed, and might become critical at the late winter-spring transition, before the phytoplankton bloom commences. Where the sea ice season shortens, reduced availability of ice algae might possibly not be compensated by surplus phytoplankton production during wintertime. Hence, sea ice decline could seriously endanger the winter survival of recruits, and subsequently overall biomass of krill

All My Relations : Elders’ Teachings Grounding a Decolonial Bachelor of Nursing Program Philosophy

The aim of this paper is to share the process of developing a decolonial nursing program philosophical framework. Following cultural protocol, we asked two highly respected local Indigenous Knowledge holders and retired nurses to serve as Presiding Elders for the Bachelor of Nursing (BN) Curriculum Redesign Committee. Select committee members engaged with the Elders in a series of gatherings. Elders gifted ‘All My Relations’ as the unifying basis for their teachings of ‘The Four Realms’ and ‘Ani to Pisi -Spiderweb’ as the new BN program philosophical framework: local Indigenous teachings provide the standpoint for respectfully engaging with interconnected multiple worldviews to advance equity and restore wellness in nursing education. Collaboration with Elders provides an invaluable opportunity for decolonization in nursing workplaces and learning spaces. Résumé Le but de cet article est de partager le processus d’élaboration d’un cadre philosophique décolonial pour un programme de sciences infirmières. Conformément au protocole culturel, nous avons demandé à deux gardiens de connaissances autochtones locaux très respectés et à des infirmières à la retraite d’agir à titre d’Aînés Présidents du comité de refonte du curriculum du baccalauréat en sciences infirmières (BSC). Quelques membres du comité ont participé avec les aînés à une série de rencontres. Les aînés ont offert « All My Relations » comme base unificatrice de leurs enseignements sur « The Four Realms » (es quatre sphères) et « Ani to Pisi – Spiderweb » comme nouveau cadre philosophique du programme de baccalauréat en sciences infirmières : les enseignements autochtones locaux fournissent la perspective à partir de laquelle il est possible de s’engager respectueusement avec de multiples visions du monde interconnectées pour faire progresser l’équité et rétablir le bien-être dans la formation en sciences infirmières. La collaboration avec les aînés offre une occasion inestimable de décolonisation des lieux de travail et des espaces d’apprentissage en sciences infirmières