Escriptura de la tesi doctoral, benestar i context d'aprenentatge: Un estudi des de les percepcions dels doctorands

Les representacions que els estudiants es fan sobre les tasques acadèmiques són cabdals per entendre com les desenvolupen. Creiem que això no és una excepció en estudiants de doctorat amb les seves tesis i és per això que en aquesta recerca estem interessats en investigar com els estudiants entenen els estudis de doctorat. La literatura revisada preocupada per l’experiència del doctorat, és a dir, com els doctorands perceben aquest procés, se centra en variables de benestar, context d’aprenentatge i escriptura. Amb el propòsit d’obtenir un quadre complert sobre com els doctorands entenen fer una tesi, 627 doctorands han completat El Qüestionari de l’Experiència Doctoral (Lonka i altres, 2007) que hem procedit a adaptar a la població espanyola. Aquest instrument mesura les tres variables esmentades (al llarg de 49 enunciats de resposta Likert) i de forma general algunes qüestions del procés doctoral (8 preguntes de resposta oberta) que complementen/donen llum a la interpretació de les dades quantitatives. A més, es demana informació del context del doctorand (18 preguntes) que ajuda a entendre millor el desenvolupament de la tesi en cada cas. Donat que algunes dificultats que els estudiants manifesten en el doctorat tenen a veure amb la percepció de no disposar d’estratègies suficients per regular el procés d’escriptura, ens hem plantejat recollir dades més específiques en relació a l’escriptura de la tesi entrevistant 10 doctorands per separat i posteriorment junts en un focus grup. Pensem que la nostra investigació pot contribuir en la reflexió de la qualitat dels programes de doctorat ja que creiem que els estudiants tenen molt a dir i que cal escoltar les seves veus. A més, si els tutors disposen d’informació sobre com els seus alumnes viuen els estudis de doctorat, segurament entendran millor com porten a terme les seves tesis i podran oferir-los ajudes més ajustades.

Bacteremia due to extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli in the CTX-M era: a new clinical challenge.

Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli, particularly those producing CTX-M types of ESBL, are emerging pathogens. Bacteremia caused by these organisms represents a clinical challenge, because the organisms are frequently resistant to the antimicrobials recommended for treatment of patients with suspected E. coli sepsis. METHODS:A cohort study was performed that included all episodes of bloodstream infection due to ESBL-producing E. coli during the period from January 2001 through March 2005. Data on predisposing factors, clinical presentation, and outcome were collected. ESBLs were characterized using isoelectric focusing, polymerase chain reaction, and sequencing. RESULTS: Forty-three episodes (8.8% of cases of bacteremia due to E. coli) were included; 70% of the isolates produced a CTX-M type of ESBL. The most frequent origins of infection were the urinary (46%) and biliary tracts (21%). Acquisition was nosocomial in 21 cases (49%), health care associated in 14 cases (32%), and strictly community acquired in 8 cases (19%). Thirty-eight percent and 25% of patients had obstructive diseases of the urinary and biliary tracts, respectively, and 38% had recently received antimicrobials. Nine patients (21%) died. Compared with beta-lactam/beta-lactamase-inhibitor and carbapenem-based regimens, empirical therapy with cephalosporins or fluoroquinolones was associated with a higher mortality rate (9% vs. 35%; P=.05) and needed to be changed more frequently (24% vs. 78%; P=.001). CONCLUSIONS: ESBL-producing E. coli is a significant cause of bloodstream infection in hospitalized and nonhospitalized patients in the context of the emergence of CTX-M enzymes. Empirical treatment of sepsis potentially caused by E. coli may need to be reconsidered in areas where such ESBL-producing isolates are present.

Les fundacions de Santa Maria de Cervià i Santa Maria de Vilabertran en el context de la societat feudal (1053-1069)

Descripció de l' evolució del llinatge dels senyors de Cervià i la fundació del monestir benedictí de Sta. Maria de Cervià l'any 1053 i de la canònica de Sta. Maria de Vilabertran l'any 1069 en el context de la societat catalana del segle XI

Testing of Diagnostic Methods for Detection of Influenza Virusfor Optimal Performance in the Context of an Influenza Surveillance Network

Influenza surveillance networks must detect early the viruses that will cause the forthcoming annual epidemics and isolate the strains for further characterization. We obtained the highest sensitivity (95.4%) with a diagnostic tool that combined a shell-vial assay and reverse transcription-PCR on cell culture supernatants at 48 h, and indeed, recovered the strain

Differential prefrontal-like deficit in children after cerebellar astrocytoma and medulloblastoma tumor

BACKGROUND This study was realized thanks to the collaboration of children and adolescents who had been resected from cerebellar tumors. The medulloblastoma group (CE+, n = 7) in addition to surgery received radiation and chemotherapy. The astrocytoma group (CE, n = 13) did not receive additional treatments. Each clinical group was compared in their executive functioning with a paired control group (n = 12). The performances of the clinical groups with respect to controls were compared considering the tumor's localization (vermis or hemisphere) and the affectation (or not) of the dentate nucleus. Executive variables were correlated with the age at surgery, the time between surgery-evaluation and the resected volume. METHODS The executive functioning was assessed by means of WCST, Complex Rey Figure, Controlled Oral Word Association Test (letter and animal categories), Digits span (WISC-R verbal scale) and Stroop test. These tests are very sensitive to dorsolateral PFC and/or to medial frontal cortex functions. The scores for the non-verbal Raven IQ were also obtained. Direct scores were corrected by age and transformed in standard scores using normative data. The neuropsychological evaluation was made at 3.25 (SD = 2.74) years from surgery in CE group and at 6.47 (SD = 2.77) in CE+ group. RESULTS The Medulloblastoma group showed severe executive deficit (context of the Cerebellar Cognitive Affective Syndrome.

Body context and posture affect mental imagery of hands.

Different visual stimuli have been shown to recruit different mental imagery strategies. However the role of specific visual stimuli properties related to body context and posture in mental imagery is still under debate. Aiming to dissociate the behavioural correlates of mental processing of visual stimuli characterized by different body context, in the present study we investigated whether the mental rotation of stimuli showing either hands as attached to a body (hands-on-body) or not (hands-only), would be based on different mechanisms. We further examined the effects of postural changes on the mental rotation of both stimuli. Thirty healthy volunteers verbally judged the laterality of rotated hands-only and hands-on-body stimuli presented from the dorsum- or the palm-view, while positioning their hands on their knees (front postural condition) or behind their back (back postural condition). Mental rotation of hands-only, but not of hands-on-body, was modulated by the stimulus view and orientation. Additionally, only the hands-only stimuli were mentally rotated at different speeds according to the postural conditions. This indicates that different stimulus-related mechanisms are recruited in mental rotation by changing the bodily context in which a particular body part is presented. The present data suggest that, with respect to hands-only, mental rotation of hands-on-body is less dependent on biomechanical constraints and proprioceptive input. We interpret our results as evidence for preferential processing of visual- rather than kinesthetic-based mechanisms during mental transformation of hands-on-body and hands-only, respectively.

Complicated intra-abdominal infections in a worldwide context: an observational prospective study (CIAOW Study).

Despite advances in diagnosis, surgery, and antimicrobial therapy, mortality rates associated with complicated intra-abdominal infections remain exceedingly high. The World Society of Emergency Surgery (WSES) has designed the CIAOW study in order to describe the clinical, microbiological, and management-related profiles of both community- and healthcare-acquired complicated intra-abdominal infections in a worldwide context. The CIAOW study (Complicated Intra-Abdominal infection Observational Worldwide Study) is a multicenter observational study currently underway in 57 medical institutions worldwide. The study includes patients undergoing surgery or interventional drainage to address complicated intra-abdominal infections. This preliminary report includes all data from almost the first two months of the six-month study period. Patients who met inclusion criteria with either community-acquired or healthcare-associated complicated intra-abdominal infections (IAIs) were included in the study. 702 patients with a mean age of 49.2 years (range 18-98) were enrolled in the study. 272 patients (38.7%) were women and 430 (62.3%) were men. Among these patients, 615 (87.6%) were affected by community-acquired IAIs while the remaining 87 (12.4%) suffered from healthcare-associated infections. Generalized peritonitis was observed in 304 patients (43.3%), whereas localized peritonitis or abscesses was registered in 398 (57.7%) patients.The overall mortality rate was 10.1% (71/702). The final results of the CIAOW Study will be published following the conclusion of the study period in March 2013.

Oxidants positively or negatively regulate nuclear factor kappaB in a context-dependent manner.

Redox-based mechanisms play critical roles in the regulation of multiple cellular functions. NF-kappaB, a master regulator of inflammation, is an inducible transcription factor generally considered to be redox-sensitive, but the modes of interactions between oxidant stress and NF-kappaB are incompletely defined. Here, we show that oxidants can either amplify or suppress NF-kappaB activation in vitro by interfering both with positive and negative signals in the NF-kappaB pathway. NF-kappaB activation was evaluated in lung A549 epithelial cells stimulated with tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha), either alone or in combination with various oxidant species, including hydrogen peroxide or peroxynitrite. Exposure to oxidants after TNFalpha stimulation produced a robust and long lasting hyperactivation of NF-kappaB by preventing resynthesis of the NF-kappaB inhibitor IkappaB, thereby abrogating the major negative feedback loop of NF-kappaB. This effect was related to continuous activation of inhibitor of kappaB kinase (IKK), due to persistent IKK phosphorylation consecutive to oxidant-mediated inactivation of protein phosphatase 2A. In contrast, exposure to oxidants before TNFalpha stimulation impaired IKK phosphorylation and activation, leading to complete prevention of NF-kappaB activation. Comparable effects were obtained when interleukin-1beta was used instead of TNFalpha as the NF-kappaB activator. This study demonstrates that the influence of oxidants on NF-kappaB is entirely context-dependent, and that the final outcome (activation versus inhibition) depends on a balanced inhibition of protein phosphatase 2A and IKK by oxidant species. Our findings provide a new conceptual framework to understand the role of oxidant stress during inflammatory processes.

Malware al context del programari lliure

Aquest document mostra els resultats d'una recerca basada en un cas d'estudi on s'avalua la fortalesa de dos comunitats de programari lliure. L'avaluació d'aquesta fortalesa es du a terme amb una exploració que té com a objectiu esbrinar si aquestes comunitats acompleixen una sèrie de procediments que les ajuden a protegir-se davant d'atacs.

After-hours paediatric telephone triage and advice : the Neuchâtel experience

Résumé Introduction : Plusieurs études américaines et australiennes ont décrit des systèmes de tri téléphonique des urgences pédiatriques. En Europe, les services publics d'urgences pédiatriques ont peu de données épidémiologiques sur lesquelles s'appuyer pour répondre à la demande de soins. Depuis 1996, le département de pédiatrie de l'hôpital Pourtalès, Neuchâtel, offre, en dehors des heures ouvrables, mi tri téléphonique infirmier gratuit. Le présent travail analyse : 1) la situation suisse de l'offre en tri téléphonique infirmier pour les urgences pédiatriques ; 2) une partie des données épidémiologiques de l'expérience neuchâteloise. Méthode : 1) Un questionnaire a été envoyé aux 35 services d'urgences pédiatriques publics de Suisse pour Savoir si un tel tri était utilisé ; 2) une analyse rétrospective de tous les appels reçus, consignés sur fiches standardisées, en 1997 et 2000 a été menée. Résultats : 1) La majorité des services (27/35) ont effectivement un système de tri infirmier. Peu offrent une formation spécifique pour ce travail (14/27) ; 2) Au total, 7870 appels ont été analysés (3242 en 1997; 4628 en 2000, ± 43%). En semaine, la majorité ont été reçus entre 18h et 23h et le week-end en milieu de matinée. Septante-cinq % des appels ont concerné des enfants de 5 ans ou moins. La fièvre, les otalgies et la toux ont représenté 42% des plaintes. Vingt-sept % des appels ont été pris en charge uniquement par les conseils infirmiers, 15 % ont été transmis à l'interne de garde et 50% ont conduit à un rendez-vous dans le service le jour même. Conclusion : Nos données peuvent aider d'autres services d'urgences pédiatriques à planifier au mieux la mise en place d'un tel système de tri téléphonique. Abstract Delivery of paediatric primary care by call centres has emerged as a satisfactory system. It been reported in the literature in the United States and Australia. European public-funded paediatric emergency departments (ED) have little epidemiological data to rely on to match the demand in care. Since 1996, we have run a free nurse-led after-hours paediatric telephone triage and advice (TTA) system, To determine wether other Swiss public paediatric departments practiced formal TTA, we conducted a nation-wide postal survey. To delineate who used our call centre and for what reasons, we embarked on a retrospective study of ail the 1997/2000 calls. Most of the units run a TTA (27/35) but few specifically train their staff (14/27). A 43% increase in call numbers was seen between 1997 (3242) and 2000 (4628). During week-days, most of the calls were between 6 and 11 pm and at weekends, a mid morning activity peak was seen. Some 75% of calls were for children aged 5 years or less. Fever, earache and cough accounted for 42% of the main complaints. Of all calls, 27% were dealt by nurses' advice only. About 15% of the calls were transferred to the on-call resident. About 50% led to a same day ED appointment. Conclusion: Nurse-led paediatric telephone triage and advice is common in Switzerland where training seems to be irregular. Our data can help units to better plan an eventual paediatric telephone triage and advice service. After-hours; Paediatric; Telephone advice; Telephone triage

Context switching accounting mechanism

How many times a given process p preempts, either voluntarily or involuntarily, is an important threat to computer's processes throughput. Whenever running cpu-bound processes on a multi-core system without an actual system grid engine as commonly found on Grid Clusters, their performance and stability are directly related to their accurate implementation and the system reliability which is, to an extend, an important caveat most of the times so difficult to detect. Context Switching is time-consuming. Thus, if we could develop a tool capable of detecting it and gather data from every single performed Context Switch, we would beable to study this data and present some results that should pin-point at whatever their main cause could be.

Magatzems de dades en el context de la web semàntica

L'objecte del projecte és estudiar en profunditat els sistemes gestors de bases de dates en l'àmbit de la web semàntica. Aquests sistemes són gestors de bases de dades especialitzats en l'emmagatzematge i tractament de dades semàntiques, tot tenint en compte les peculiaritats d'aquestes. Per tal d'aprofundir en la matèria, el projecte es divideix en dues parts principals. En la primera es recerca l'estat de l'art, fent un estudi comparatiu entre els magatzems semàntics més coneguts en l'actualitat. En la segona part s'estudia en profunditat un d'aquests magatzems (Virtuoso Universal Server).