Degrees of competency: the relationship between educational qualifications and adult skills across countries

Background: Educational qualifications and literacy skills are highly related. This is not surprising as it is one aim of educational systems to equip individuals with competencies necessary to take part in society. Because of this relationship educational qualifications are often used as a proxy for "human capital". However, from a theoretical perspective, there are many reasons why this relationship is not perfect, and to some degree this is due to third variables. Thus, we want to explore the net relationship between educational attainment (harmonized according to the International Standard Classification of Education, ISCED) and literacy skills, and how much skills vary within education levels across countries. Methods: We use data from 21 countries from the Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies 2012. This paper compares the literacy skills of adults who achieved different levels of educational attainment across countries. Given the high degree of educational differentiation in most countries, we do this using a more differentiated educational attainment variable than what is commonly used. In our analyses we firstly adjust for factors that are likely to affect access to education and the acquisition of educational qualifications and literacy skills, such as parental education and language and migration background. In a second step, we also take into account factors affecting skill development after initial formal education, such as occupation and skill use at home. Results: We firstly find a high degree of heterogeneity of skills across countries for equivalent education categories. Secondly, we find skill similarities for equivalent education categories classified at different broad education levels, sometimes even breaking the hierarchical order of 'higher education entails higher competencies'. Conclusion: We conclude that ISCED levels cannot be taken as a cross-nationally comparable proxy for human capital in terms of literacy skills, and that education has to be harmonized in a substantively more meaningful way in future adult literacy surveys

Mapping Submerged Aquatic Vegetation Using RapidEye Satellite Data: The Example of Lake Kummerow (Germany)

Submersed aquatic vegetation (SAV) is sensitive to changes in environmental conditions and plays an important role as a long-term indictor for the trophic state of freshwater lakes. Variations in water level height, nutrient condition, light availability and water temperature affect the growth and species composition of SAV. Detailed information about seasonal variations in littoral bottom coverage are still unknown, although these effects are expected to mask climate change-related long-term changes, as derived by snapshots of standard monitoring methods included in the European Water Framework Directive. Remote sensing offers concepts to map SAV quickly, within large areas, and at short intervals. This study analyses the potential of a semi-empirical method to map littoral bottom coverage by a multi-seasonal approach. Depth-invariant indices were calculated for four Atmospheric & Topographic Correction (ATCOR2) atmospheric corrected RapidEye data sets acquired at Lake Kummerow, Germany, between June and August 2015. RapidEye data evaluation was supported by in situ measurements of the diffuse attenuation coefficient of the water column and bottom reflectance. The processing chain was able to differentiate between SAV and sandy sediment. The successive increase of SAV coverage from June to August was correctly monitored. Comparisons with in situ and Google Earth imagery revealed medium accuracies (kappa coefficient = 0.61, overall accuracy = 72.2%). The analysed time series further revealed how water constituents and temporary surface phenomena such as sun glint or algal blooms influence the identification success of lake bottom substrates. An abundant algal bloom biased the interpretability of shallow water substrate such that a differentiation of sediments and SAV patches failed completely. Despite the documented limitations, mapping of SAV using RapidEye seems possible, even in eutrophic lakes

How can Sentinel‐2 contribute to seagrass mapping in shallow, turbid Baltic Sea waters?

Seagrass meadows are one of the most important benthic habitats in the Baltic Sea. Nevertheless, spatially continuous mapping data of Zostera marina, the predominant seagrass species in the Baltic Sea, are lacking in the shallow coastal waters. Sentinel-2 turned out to be valuable for mapping coastal benthic habitats in clear waters, whereas knowledge in turbid waters is rare. Here, we transfer a clear water mapping approach to turbid waters to assess how Sentinel-2 can contribute to seagrass mapping in the Western Baltic Sea. Sentinel-2 data were atmospherically corrected using ACOLITE and subsequently corrected for water column effects. To generate a data basis for training and validating random forest classification models, we developed an upscaling approach using video transect data and aerial imagery. We were able to map five coastal benthic habitats: bare sand (25 km²), sand dominated (16 km²), seagrass dominated (7 km²), dense seagrass (25 km²) and mixed substrates with red/ brown algae (3.5 km²) in a study area along the northern German coastline. Validation with independent data pointed out that water column correction does not significantly improve classification results compared to solely atmospherically corrected data (balanced overall accuracies ˜0.92). Within optically shallow waters (0–4 m), per class and overall balanced accuracies (>0.82) differed marginally depending on the water depth. Overall balanced accuracy became worse (<0.8) approaching the border to optically deep water (˜ 5 m). The spatial resolution of Sentinel-2 (10–20 m) allowed delineating detailed spatial patterns of seagrass habitats, which may serve as a basis to retrieve spatially continuous data for ecologically relevant metrics such as patchiness

Determining the Absorption towards Classical T Tauri Stars from Hydrogen Emission Lines

Classical T Tauri stars (CTTS) are low-mass pre-main sequence objects surrounded by an accretion disk and still partially embedded in the parent circumstellar cloud. We observed a sample of 20 CTTS covering different ages and evolutionary stages with VLT/X-Shooter. Its wide wavelength coverage allows to simultaneously observe H I lines in the Balmer, Paschen, and Brackett series, which supposedly originate mainly from the accretion funnel. We present the results of our study of reddening in CTTS using ratios of common upper level lines. We determine new extinction values AV for several objects, but cannot find deviations from the standard parametrisation A=AV*lambda^-1.84 (Martin & Whittet 1990) of the reddening at infrared wavelengths.Astronom

Centro de materiais e esterilização: riscos psicossociais relacionados à organização prescrita do trabalho da enfermagem

Objetivo: O objetivo do estudo é investigar as características da organização do trabalho no Centro de Materiais e Esterilização e analisar se os trabalhadores de enfermagem estão submetidos a riscos psicossociais.Método: Estudo misto, realizado entre novembro de 2017 e julho de 2019 com os trabalhadores de enfermagem do centro de materiais e esterilização de um hospital universitário. A amostra da etapa quantitativa foi composta por 36 trabalhadores que responderam à Escala de Organização Prescrita do Trabalho e realizou-se análise estatística. A coleta das informações qualitativas ocorreu por entrevista coletiva com 19 integrantes da equipe de enfermagem.Resultados: Dos 36 trabalhadores, 68,3% eram do sexo feminino, 69,4% com idade superior a 45 anos e 75% da amostra avaliou como médio o risco psicossocial, com surgimento de duas categorias. Os aspectos relacionados ao prazer no trabalho foram a importância da unidade, cuidado indireto ao paciente, reconhecimento profissional e trabalho em equipe. Os geradores de sofrimento foram a falta de recursos humanos, insumos, manutenção, comunicação e desvalorização da unidade.Conclusão: O predomínio de riscos psicossociais médios indicou a necessidade de ações que visem melhorias nos processos de trabalho. Palavras-chave: Enfermagem. Saúde do trabalhador. Esterilização. Serviços de enfermagem

Centro de Equipos y Materiales: riesgospsicosociales relativos a organización prescrita deltrabajo de enfermeira

Objetivo: O objetivo do estudo é investigar as características da organização do trabalho no Centro de Materiais e Esterilização e analisar se os trabalhadores de enfermagem estão submetidos a riscos psicossociais. Método: Estudo misto, realizado entre novembro de 2017 e julho de 2019 com os trabalhadores de enfermagem do centro de materiais e esterilização de um hospital universitário. A amostra da etapa quantitativa foi composta por 36 trabalhadores que responderam à Escala de Organização Prescrita do Trabalho e realizou-se análise estatística. A coleta das informações qualitativas ocorreu por entrevista coletiva com 19 integrantes da equipe de enfermagem. Resultados: Dos 36 trabalhadores,68,3% eram do sexo feminino,69,4% com idade superior a 45 anos e 75% da amostra avaliou como médio o risco psicossocial, com surgimento de duas categorias. Os aspectos relacionados ao prazer no trabalho foram a importância da unidade, cuidado indireto ao paciente, reconhecimento profissional e trabalho em equipe. Os geradores de sofrimento foram a falta de recursos humanos, insumos, manutenção, comunicação e desvalorização da unidade. Conclusão: O predomínio de riscos psicossociais médios indicou a necessidade de ações que visem melhorias nos processos de trabalho.Objective: The aim of this study is to investigate the characteristics of work-flow organization of the Central Sterile Services Department and analyze whether nursing workers are subject to psychosocial risks. Method: Mixed study, carried out between November 2017 and July 2019 with nursing workers of the Department of Central Sterile Services of a university hospital. Sampling for the quantitative stage of this study consisted of 36 professionals who have filled the Prescribed Work Organization Scale form, followed by statistical analysis. Qualitative sampling was obtained through collective interview with 19 members of the nursing team. Results: Of the 36 nursing workers, 68.3% were female, 69.4% were over 45 years of age and 75% of the professionals assessed reported as being exposed to a medium psychosocial risk with the emergence of two categories. The aspects related to pleasure at work were highlighted as being the importance of the unit, indirect patient care, professional recognition, and teamwork. The main reported suffering triggers were the lack of human resources, supplies, maintenance, communication, and the devaluation of the unit. Conclusion: The prevalence of medium psychosocial risks indicated the need for actions aiming at improving work processes.Objetivo: El objetivo del estudio es investigar las características de la organización del trabajo en el Central de Equipos y Esterilización y analizar si los trabajadores de enfermería están sujetos a riesgos psicosociales. Método: Estudio mixto, realizado entre noviembre de 2017 y julio de 2019 con trabajadores de enfermería del centro de materiales y esterilización de un hospital universitario. La muestra de la etapa cuantitativa estuvo conformada por 36 trabajadores que respondieron la Escala de Organización Laboral Prescrita y se realizó análisis estadístico. La recolección de información cualitativa se produjo a través de una entrevista colectiva con 19 integrantes del equipo de enfermería. Resultados: De los 36 trabajadores, el 68,3% eran mujeres, el 69,4% tenían más de 45 años y el 75% de la muestra evaluó el riesgo psicosocial como medio, con la aparición de dos categorías. Los aspectos relacionados con el placer en el trabajo fueron la importancia de la unidad, la atención indirecta al paciente, el reconocimiento profesional y el trabajo en equipo. Los generadores de sufrimiento fueron la falta de recursos humanos, suministros, mantenimiento, comunicación y devaluación de la unidad. Conclusión: El predominio de riesgos psicosociales medios indicó la necesidad de acciones dirigidas a mejorar los procesos de trabaj

Towards a comparison of spaceborne and ground-based spectrodirectional reflectance data

Almost all natural surfaces exhibit an individual anisotropic reflectance behaviour due to the contrast between the optical properties of surface elements and background and the geometric surface properties of the observed scene. The resulting bidirectional effects are present in all reflectance data and thus occur as well in various vegetation indices (VI’s) retrieved from multiangular data. No matter whether these effects are considered as noise or as a source of additional information, accurate knowledge about their magnitude is important. This preliminary study is based on data of the spaceborne ESA-mission CHRIS (Compact High Resolution Imaging Spectrometer) onboard PROBA-1 and on ground-based spectrodirectional measurements performed with the dual view field goniometer system FIGOS. The objectives of this study are focused on directional effects in CHRIS and FIGOS reflectance data of a Triticale field as well as on the variability of retrieved vegetation indices for selected view angles in both multiangular datasets

Thymidine Metabolism as Confounding Factor of 3'-Deoxy-3'-[18F]Fluorothymidine Uptake after Therapy in a Colorectal Cancer Model.

Non-invasive monitoring of tumor therapy response helps in developing personalized treatment strategies. Here, we performed sequential positron emission tomography (PET) and diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DW-MRI) to evaluate changes induced by a FOLFOX-like combination chemotherapy in colorectal cancer (CRC) xenografts, to identify the cellular and molecular determinants of these imaging biomarkers. Methods: Tumor bearing CD1 nude mice, engrafted with FOLFOX-sensitive Colo205 CRC xenografts, were treated with FOLFOX (5 fluorouracil, leucovorin and oxaliplatin) in weekly intervals. On d1, d2, d6, d9 and d13 of therapy, tumors were assessed by in vivo imaging and ex vivo analyses. In addition, HCT116 xenografts, which did not respond to the FOLFOX treatment, were imaged on d1 of therapy. Results: In Colo205 xenografts, FOLFOX induced a profound increase in uptake of the proliferation PET tracer 3'-deoxy-3'-[18F]fluorothymidine ([18F]FLT), which was accompanied by increases in markers for proliferation (Ki67, TK1) and for activated DNA damage response (DDR; γH2AX), whereas the effect on cell death was minimal. As tracer uptake was unaltered in the HCT116 model, these changes appear to be specific for tumor response. Conclusion: We demonstrate that [18F]FLT PET can non-invasively monitor molecular alterations induced by a cancer treatment, including thymidine metabolism and DDR. The cellular or imaging changes may not, however, be directly related to therapy response as assessed by volumetric measurements