Fourth Year Research Articles

Examining the effectiveness of employing CAI tools in English/Arabic consecutive interpreting class

This study examines the effectiveness of employing computer-assisted interpretation (CAI) tools in English/Arabic in consecutive interpreting classes using CAI online tools. The study adopts a quantitative approach to investigate the effectiveness of using CAI tools in educational contexts, specifically consecutive interpretation classes. Quantitative data were collected using a Likert questionnaire after employing the Interpreters’ Help tool, which is used to help participants manage terminology by creating online glossaries or importing them to their computers. The participants were enrolled in Level 7, the fourth year of their academic study, and they study the consecutive interpreting course as part of their translation program. The results indicate a significant consensus among the participants (80.6%) that the inclusion of CAI technology in consecutive interpretation learning is essential. Furthermore, 51.6% of the participants expressed an intention to incorporate CAI tools into their future interpretation projects. This affirmative stance suggests a growing recognition of the potential benefits and relevance of CAI tools among translation students. Additionally, 45.2% of the participants advocate for the introduction of CAI technology into classroom teaching. The findings point to the potential favorable effects of CAI tool integration on interpreter output and the overall learning experience. The study recommends integrating CAI tools into interpreting curricula and instruction.

Effect of anatomical studies prior to medical school on medical school anatomy study success and residency choice

IntroductionThere is little research on how medical school matriculants’ experiences prior to medical school effects their choice of specialty or performance in medical school. This research attempts to fill that gap in research in regards to surgical and radiological fields.MethodsAn anonymous survey was sent to fourth year medical students asking them their background in anatomy studies prior to medical school and their anatomy grades in medical school and interest in surgical and radiological fields. Students were also asked whether they identified with under-represented demographic groups in those specialties.ResultsPrior anatomy experience did not significantly affect performance in anatomy courses or Step 1 and Step 2 scores. However, students who applied to surgical specialties had higher performance in anatomical courses and higher Step 1 scores compared to those who did not apply to surgical specialties. There was interestingly no difference in under-represented and not under-represented student application to these fields.DiscussionFor shareholders interested in increasing medical student performance, or interest in specific specialties, more information needs to be gathered.

Dental students' perceptions of the use of two-dimensional and three-dimensional vision in dental education using a three-dimensional haptic simulator: A qualitative study.

To assess the perceptions of novice and experienced undergraduate dental students of virtual learning with two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) vision. This qualitative study involved 21 students from the second and fourth years of a 5-year BDS program. They first performed three operative tasks in virtual reality (VR) training sessions using both 2D and 3D vision. Subsequently, they participated in one of four online focus group discussions (FGDs). The FGDs were recorded and transcribed, and the data obtained from the transcriptions were coded and thematically analyzed. Three main themes emerged from the focus groups. With regard to their perceptions of 2D and 3D vision, most of the participants preferred 3D over 2D vision, mainly due to an improved ability to perceive depth. With regard to the theme of practicing 3D vision in the VR environment, some participants performed their tasks faster with 3D vision than with 2D vision, while others did not perceive any difference between them. Under the same main theme, some participants experienced headaches and eye fatigue with 3D vision. With regard to their perception of technical aspects, with 3D glasses, the participants experienced unpleasant sensations and saw darker images. All the participants placed greater value on practicing with 3D than with 2D vision in the VR environment. They believed that VR training should be used in the early years of dental education as an adjunct to the phantom head as it helps students acquire the skills needed by dental professionals.

Deficiency of Iron in Eucalyptus Plantations of Variable Age in Punjab and its Amelioration

The experiment was conducted during March, 2018 to March, 2020 at Research Farm of Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana and a few villages in Ludhiana district of Punjab, India to standardize the application of iron (Fe) in eucalyptus plantations varying from one to five years of age to eradicate Fe deficiency in these plantations. The treatments (g plant-1) consisted of plants without Fe application, 100 g S+100 g FeSO4.7H2O, 200 g S+200 g FeSO4.7H2O, 300 g S+300 g FeSO4.7H2O, 50 g Fe EDTA (iron chelate), 100 g Fe EDTA, 200 g Fe EDTA, 300 g Fe EDTA and 400 g Fe EDTA. The diameter at breast height (DBH) and height of plants were measured at the time of fertilizer application and one year after application. The DBH and height one year after application improved over increase in control by 6.86 and 7.13% respectively in first year plants with 50 g plant-1, 8.58 and 10.16% respectively in second year plants and 9.41 and 10.2% respectively in third year plants with 100 g plant-1, and 10.85 and 11.21% respectively in fourth year plants and 10.27 and 11.87% respectively in fifth year plants with 200 g plant-1 Fe EDTA alongwith correction of Fe deficiency completely. Therefore, the deficiency of Fe can be corrected by application of 50 g plant-1 Fe EDTA to first year plantations, 100 g plant-1 Fe EDTA to second and third year plantations and 200 g plant-1 Fe EDTA to fourth and fifth year plantations of eucalyptus.

Eddy covariance fluxes of greenhouse gasses observed in a renewed pasture in the southeast of Brazil

The recovery of degraded pastures and the increase in their capacity for storing carbon is a key strategy in Brazil's commitment to meeting its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) to the international effort to halt global warming. Here we report the fluxes of CO2, N2O and CH4 gasses and their balances, obtained by the eddy covariance method, from a representative pasture area in southeast Brazil. The measurements covered more than five years, starting with the old degraded pasture, covering the renewal process and then the re-establishment of pasture. The latter only received nitrogen fertilization once after the renewal – the common practice. The net ecosystem carbon balance (NECB), which considered the sum of the net ecosystem exchange (NEEpasture) of CO2 and methane (FCH4pasture) without the cattle respiration and enteric fermentation, as well the export/import of carbon by grazing and as feces (stocking rates of 1.8 to 3.3 AU ha−1), was positive in the old pasture (236 ± 104 g CO2m−2 year−1) representing a source to the atmosphere, but a sink (negative) during the first year of the renewal (-1603 ± 122 g CO2m−2 year−1) when it was fertilized and the recorded rainfall was normal. In the following two years it was neutral (77 ± 93 and 5 ± 100 g CO2m−2 year−1), partially a consequence of the lower rainfall received. In the fourth year it was a sink again (-736 ± 131 g CO2m−2 year−1). On average the cumulative fluxes of CH4 (42 ± 19 g CO2 eq. m−2 year−1) without the animals’ enteric fermentation and N2O (20 ± 10 g CO2 eq. m−2 year−1) were small and positive, being offset by the net carbon gain. The NECB for this site covering the period of measurements was an overall source of 671 ± 254 g CO2m−2.

The Predictive Performance of General Surgery Milestones on Post-Graduation Outcomes.

To establish whether Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education Milestones predict future performance of general surgery trainees. Milestones provide bi-annual assessments of trainee progress across six competencies. It is unknown whether the Milestones predict surgeon performance after the transition to independent practice. We performed a retrospective cohort study of surgeons with complete Milestone assessments in the fourth and fifth clinical years who treated patients in acute care hospitals within Florida, New York, and Pennsylvania, 2015-2018. To account for the multiple ways in which the Milestone assessments might predict post-graduation outcomes, we included 120 Milestones features in our elastic net machine learning models. The primary outcome was risk-adjusted patient death or serious morbidity. 278 general surgeons were included in the study. Milestone assessments 6-months into the fourth clinical year displayed a normal score distribution while multicollinearity and low score discrimination at the final assessment period were detected. Individual Milestones features from the Patient Care, Professionalism, and Systems-based Practice domains were most predictive of patient-related outcomes. For example, surgeons with worse patient outcomes had significantly lower scores in Patient Care 3 when compared to surgeons with better patient outcomes (High DSM, yes: 2.86 vs. no: 3.04, P=0.011). The Milestones features that were most predictive of better patient outcomes related to intraoperative skills, ethical principles, and patient navigation and safety, measured 12-18 months prior to graduation. The development of a parsimonious set of evidence-based Milestones that better correlate with surgeon experience could enhance surgical education.

Application of combined teaching method of case-based-learning and clinical pathway in practical gynecological teaching.

To train highly qualified medical talent in 5-year programs and improve students' analytical and problem-solving abilities, it is necessary to change the traditional teaching method. This study introduces the combined teaching method of case-based learning (CBL) and clinical pathway and evaluates its role in practical gynecological teaching. Medical students in a 5-year program who were enrolled in the fourth year were selected as the research subjects; these students were randomized into two groups that separately received either the traditional teaching method or the combined teaching method of CBL and clinical pathway. Before the internship, a questionnaire was administered to explore students' views of internship in gynecology, and after the internship, the questionnaire was administered to assess the two teaching methods. Furthermore, theoretical and skill tests were performed both before and after the internship. A total of 206 medical students in a 5-year program who were in their fourth year were enrolled in the study. Students in the experimental group performed significantly better than those in the control group. They performed significantly better in the postinternship test than in the preinternship test (P < 0.001). The questionnaire showed that more students in the experimental group thought that their learning interests, clinical skills, case analysis ability, clinical communication ability, understanding of theoretical knowledge and clinical thinking ability had improved and significantly differed between the two groups (P < 0.05). Compared to traditional teaching methods, combined teaching method of CBL and clinical pathway can elevate students' academic performance, improve their learning enthusiasm and help promote clinical teachers' teaching quality. Additionally, this novel method is effective in facilitating the achievement of teaching objectives and improving the quality of talent training. Therefore, the combined teaching method of CBL and clinical pathway should be popularized and applied in gynecological practice.

Dermatology Education for Medical Students: Assessing Participation Rates in Clinical Dermatology Electives

Introduction: Skin conditions affect 1.9 billion people worldwide and are a common reason for patients to seek health care1. With the high prevalence of skin disease, it is vital that medical students should receive clinic-based education in recognizing and treating skin disorders. University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine (UPSoM) currently offers a 4-week clinical dermatology elective to third or fourth year medical students. However, in an increasingly crowded clinical curricula, the dermatology elective is not taken by many students. Methods: We assessed the percentage of UPSoM students who completed the dermatology elective and analyzed the residency selection of these students between academic years 2012 to 2022. We also explored dermatology elective offerings of medical schools across the United Sates that have a dermatology residency program and investigated the number of schools offering a shortened elective through the American Medical Association’s FREIDA database. Results: During academic years (AY) 2012 to 2022, 1579 students were enrolled at UPSOM. In this time period, 205(13.0%) students participated in the elective course. Of these 205 students, 31(15.1%) pursued dermatology residency, 105(51.2%) pursued primary care and 22(10.7%) students pursued surgical subspecialties. Of the 142 dermatology residency programs, only nineteen programs (17.0%) offer a shortened elective. Discussion: Many medical students graduate medical school with little to no dermatology training, despite a high likelihood of encountering skin disease in their future careers. Offering a shortened clinical dermatology elective may allow for more students to participate in hands-on dermatology training.

Nuclear Reactor Operations Education and Training with Virtual Reality and an Immersive Desktop Application

A virtual reality learning module to train nuclear engineering students in reactor operations to understand reactor power excursions has been developed. The learning module was taught with an Oculus-2 headset and controllers (now called Meta Quest 2). The class was comprised of 71 undergraduate students, mostly in their fourth year of the nuclear engineering curriculum at Texas A&M University. The learning module simulation of power excursion, called pulsing the reactor, was modeled after the Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station TRIGA reactor. First, the students visited the TRIGA reactor for pulsing and answered a technical quiz on the subject. Next, the students performed pulsing in the equivalent virtual reality module developed in this work. One of the primary learning objectives in the laboratory exercise was the role of passive and active safety mechanisms in a rapid reactivity insertion and power excursion. Data from the actual reactor visit showed that most students did not understand a key passive safety mechanism during the reactor visit. However, the students showed a notable improvement in their understanding of the safety mechanisms after the virtual reality reactor visit. When asked if the virtual reality learning module would have made the quiz at the reactor easier, 96% of the students reported that at least one of the quiz questions would be have been better answerable with the virtual reality module. Students also noted that the virtual reality module needed to expand its scope to include more details and teaching components. Although most students were reluctant to completely replace the pulsing reactor visit with its virtual reality module version available at the time of the study, they appreciated it as a learning reinforcement tool. Student opinion may change more favorably in the future with continued improvements and enhancements of the module.

Exploring the viability of Virtual Reality as a teaching method for knee aspiration

Knee arthrocentesis is a simple procedure commonly performed by general practitioners and junior doctors. As such, doctors should be competent and comfortable in performing the technique by themselves; however, they need to be adequately trained. The best method to ensure practitioner proficiency is by optimizing teaching at an institutional level, thus, educating all future doctors in the procedure. However, the Coronavirus Disease 19 (COVID-19) pandemic caused significant disruption to hospital teaching for medical students which necessitated investigating the effectiveness of virtual reality (VR) as a platform to emulate hospital teaching of knee arthrocentesis. A workshop was conducted with 100 fourth year medical students divided into three Groups: A, B and C, each receiving a pre-reading online lecture. Group A was placed in an Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) station where they were assessed by a blinded orthopaedic surgeon using the OSCE assessment rubric. Group B undertook a hands-on practice station prior to assessment, while Group C received a VR video (courtesy of the University of Adelaide’s Health Simulation) in the form of VR headset or 360° surround immersion room and hands-on station followed by the OSCE. Upon completion of the workshop, students completed a questionnaire on their confidence with the procedure and the practicality of the VR station. OSCE scores were compared between Groups B and C to investigate the educational value of VR teaching. On average, students with VR headsets reported higher confidence with the procedure and were more inclined to undertake it on their own. Students in Group C who used the VR station prior to assessment scored higher than the non-VR Groups (Group A, 56%; Group B, 67%; Group C 83%). Students in Group A had statistically significant results on average compared to those in Group B (t(69) = 3.003, p = 0.003), as do students in Group B compared to Group C (t(62) = 5.400, p < 0.001). Within Group C students who were given VR headsets scored higher than immersion room students. The VR headset was beneficial in providing students with a representation of how knee arthrocentesis may be conducted in the hospital setting. While VR will not replace conventional in-hospital teaching, given current technological limitations, it serves as an effective teaching aid for arthrocentesis and has many other potential applications for a wide scope of medicine and surgical training.

Cycle safe or cycle cool? Adolescents’ views on bicycle helmet use and injury prevention campaigns in Belgium

ObjectivesAlthough cycling is a healthy, ecological and practical way of transportation, it is not without risk. The effect of bicycle helmets to prevent head injuries on crashing has been extensively...

COMPARATIVE STUDY OF SOFTWARE PREFERENCES AND BUILDING TYPOLOGY IN ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN STUDIO

The developments of information technology have affected architectural education methods significantly, especially in the usage of architectural design softwares throughout the design process. Proficiency to operate certain software has become one of important considerations in professional architectural practice, because such skill will affect the whole process and outputs. With excellent skill, one can visualize and communicate design more effectively, rather than other individuals that use more updated software features but still learning to operate them. On the other hand, the learning process in architectural design studios always has a theme that can be classified to certain building typologies. This research aims to study the relation between building typology and software preferences in each design stage, from students point of view. The targeted students are the ones in third and fourth year of study, where the digital media are utilized in the studio process. The data obtained from questionnaires will be analyzed further using descriptive and correlational analysis. The findings from this research will serve as an input for the development of architectural education curriculum, regarding the most relevant and beneficial architectural software in each design process, from students' preferences.

Assessing the effectiveness of tumour board education among medical students: a pre-post-test analysis.

Multidisciplinary tumour boards (MDTs) play a vital role in providing high-quality cancer care. In Pakistan's compromised healthcare system, there is a lack of tumour board establishment. To bridge this gap, we aimed to enhance medical education by exposing medical students to the processes and advantages of MDTs early in their careers through conducting a mock tumour board. This approach seeks to provide students with a practical understanding of cancer care and the collaborative decision-making involved in managing cancer patients. A session took place at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre in May, 2023, with participants voluntarily agreeing to attend. This session comprised six components: a Pretest questionnaire, a didactic lecture on the concept of tumour boards, an interactive group discussion following the lecture, a simulated tumour case presentation, a workshop simulating a tumour board scenario and a Posttest questionnaire. A total of 80 participants were included in the study. The mean age of study participants was 22. Among these, 36 (45%) were in their final year, 34 (42.5%) in their fourth year and 10 (12.5%) in their third year. While the majority of students possessed a fundamental understanding of tumour boards, they lacked awareness regarding their importance, implementation and procedural aspects involved. Before the mock tumour board, 53 (66.3%) students were unfamiliar with tumour board procedures; post-workshop, all 80 (100%) gained awareness of the process. Additionally, the study showed a positive shift in perceptions regarding the cost-effectiveness of tumour boards. Initially, 44(55%) students responded with 'maybe' regarding tumour board's cost-effectiveness, but after training, 64 (80%) perceived it as cost-effective from patient's perspective. Moreover, students' overall pretest score was 66.5%, and posttest was 94.62%., showing an overall difference in knowledge of 28%. The mock tumour board workshop successfully heightened students' understanding of tumour board procedures, positively shaped their views on cost-effectiveness, and resulted in a noteworthy enhancement of their knowledge scores. Organising similar workshops for undergraduates offers a practical approach to bridging the current gap in the establishment of tumour boards in the future in Pakistan.

Evolution at Spike protein position 519 in SARS-CoV-2 facilitated adaptation to humans

As the COVID-19 pandemic enters its fourth year, the pursuit of identifying a progenitor virus to SARS-CoV-2 and understanding the mechanism of its emergence persists, albeit against the backdrop of intensified efforts to monitor the ongoing evolution of the virus and the influx of new mutations. Surprisingly, few residues hypothesized to be essential for SARS-CoV-2 emergence and adaptation to humans have been validated experimentally, despite the importance that these mutations could contribute to the development of effective antivirals. To remedy this, we searched for genomic regions in the SARS-CoV-2 genome that show evidence of past selection around residues unique to SARS-CoV-2 compared with closely related coronaviruses. In doing so, we identified a residue at position 519 in Spike within the receptor binding domain that holds a static histidine in human-derived SARS-CoV-2 sequences but an asparagine in SARS-related coronaviruses from bats and pangolins. In experimental validation, the SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein mutant carrying the putatively ancestral H519N substitution showed reduced replication in human lung cells, suggesting that the histidine residue contributes to viral fitness in the human host. Structural analyses revealed a potential role of Spike residue 519 in mediating conformational transitions necessary for Spike prior to binding with ACE2. Pseudotyped viruses bearing the putatively ancestral N519 also demonstrated significantly reduced infectivity in cells expressing the human ACE2 receptor compared to H519. ELISA data corroborated that H519 enhances Spike binding affinity to the human ACE2 receptor compared to the putatively ancestral N519. Collectively, these findings suggest that the evolutionary transition at position 519 of the Spike protein played a critical role in SARS-CoV-2 emergence and adaptation to the human host. Additionally, this residue presents as a potential drug target for designing small molecule inhibitors tailored to this site.

Dental Notation System Used in Dental Teaching in Different Dental Collages

The aim of this study was to find the most commonly used Tooth Numbering System to teach and learn in dental collages in various universities (Benghazi University, Omar Mukhtar University and Libyan International Medical University) by both academic staff and fourth year dental students, to identify the most commonly taught TNS in different dental colleges, to understand the reason why dental staff prefer to use a specific TNS, and the consequences of using more than one TNS. This cross-sectional study was conducted within the dental collages of various Medical Universities. The questionnaire containing 11 questions was randomly distributed to 120 individuals (60 deans of academic staff and 50 fourth year dental students). The palmer notation system was the most commonly used to teach and learn by academic staff and dental students in teaching and practiced in dental collages, while the universal notation system was the least used to teach and learn by academic staff and dental students. As well as the most TNS preferred to use by academic staff and dental students in operative, oral surgery departments and orthodontic department in academic teaching was the palmer notation system while the least TNS use was universal notation system. The Palmer TNS proved to be the most taught TNS in dental colleges in different University. It is advised that the Palmer TNS be implemented as a unified system in my country, due to the advantages of this particular TNS and the benefits of using one single TNS.

Combining Federated Machine Learning and Qualitative Methods to Investigate Novel Pediatric Asthma Subtypes: Protocol for a Mixed Methods Study.

Pediatric asthma is a heterogeneous disease; however, current characterizations of its subtypes are limited. Machine learning (ML) methods are well-suited for identifying subtypes. In particular, deep neural networks can learn patient representations by leveraging longitudinal information captured in electronic health records (EHRs) while considering future outcomes. However, the traditional approach for subtype analysis requires large amounts of EHR data, which may contain protected health information causing potential concerns regarding patient privacy. Federated learning is the key technology to address privacy concerns while preserving the accuracy and performance of ML algorithms. Federated learning could enable multisite development and implementation of ML algorithms to facilitate the translation of artificial intelligence into clinical practice. The aim of this study is to develop a research protocol for implementation of federated ML across a large clinical research network to identify and discover pediatric asthma subtypes and their progression over time. This mixed methods study uses data and clinicians from the OneFlorida+ clinical research network, which is a large regional network covering linked and longitudinal patient-level real-world data (RWD) of over 20 million patients from Florida, Georgia, and Alabama in the United States. To characterize the subtypes, we will use OneFlorida+ data from 2011 to 2023 and develop a research-grade pediatric asthma computable phenotype and clinical natural language processing pipeline to identify pediatric patients with asthma aged 2-18 years. We will then apply federated learning to characterize pediatric asthma subtypes and their temporal progression. Using the Promoting Action on Research Implementation in Health Services framework, we will conduct focus groups with practicing pediatric asthma clinicians within the OneFlorida+ network to investigate the clinical utility of the subtypes. With a user-centered design, we will create prototypes to visualize the subtypes in the EHR to best assist with the clinical management of children with asthma. OneFlorida+ data from 2011 to 2023 have been collected for 411,628 patients aged 2-18 years along with 11,156,148 clinical notes. We expect to complete the computable phenotyping within the first year of the project, followed by subtyping during the second and third years, and then will perform the focus groups and establish the user-centered design in the fourth and fifth years of the project. Pediatric asthma subtypes incorporating RWD from diverse populations could improve patient outcomes by moving the field closer to precision pediatric asthma care. Our privacy-preserving federated learning methodology and qualitative implementation work will address several challenges of applying ML to large, multicenter RWD data. DERR1-10.2196/57981.

Do we have to continue antiseizure medications post surgery in long-term epilepsy associated tumors (LEATs)?

ObjectiveTo identify the rate of successful antiseizure medication (ASM) withdrawal after resective surgery in patients with long-term epilepsy-associated tumors (LEATs). MethodsA retrospective analysis (from our prospectively archived data) on the post-operative ASM profile of 123 consecutive patients who completed a minimum of 2 years after resection of LEATs for ASM-resistant epilepsy. A comparison between recurred and non-recurred groups in terms of seizure recurrence was used to identify the potential predictors of seizure recurrence whose attributes were further analyzed using univariate and multiple logistic regression analysis. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were used to study the probability of ASM freedom following surgery. ResultsWe attempted ASM withdrawal in 102 (82.9 %) patients. Forty-eight (47.1 %) had seizure recurrence while reducing ASM, of which 22 (21.6 %) continued to have seizures even after ASM optimisation. On univariate analysis, presence of pre-operative secondary generalized seizure(s) was the only factor associated with seizure recurrence. At a mean follow-up of 6.1 years, 72 (58.5 %) patients were seizure-free and aura-free at terminal follow-up (53 patients were off any ASM). The cumulative probability of achieving complete ASM-free status was 29 % at fourth year, 42 % at sixth year, 55 % at eighth year, and 59 % at 10th year after surgery. ConclusionsFollowing resective surgery for LEATs, ASM(s) could be successfully discontinued in half of the patients. About one-third of the patients may have recurrent seizures on follow-up. Presence of secondary generalized seizure(s) prior to surgery predicts seizure recurrence, whereas MRI defined completeness of resection will not. This information will help in rationalising decisions on ASM management post-resection.

Agave Wilt Susceptibility by Reduction of Free Hexoses in Root Tissue of Agave tequilana Weber var. azul Commercial Plants in the Fructan Accumulation Process.

Agave tequilana stems store fructan polymers, the main carbon source for tequila production. This crop takes six or more years for industrial maturity. In conducive conditions, agave wilt disease increases the incidence of dead plants after the fourth year. Plant susceptibility induced for limited photosynthates for defense is recognized in many crops and is known as "sink-induced loss of resistance". To establish whether A. tequilana is more prone to agave wilt as it ages, because the reduction of water-soluble carbohydrates in roots, as a consequence of greater assembly of highly polymerized fructans, were quantified roots sucrose, fructose, and glucose, as well as fructans in stems of agave plants of different ages. The damage induced by inoculation with Fusarium solani or F. oxysporum in the roots or xylem bundles, respectively, was recorded. As the agave plant accumulated fructans in the stem as the main sink, the amount of these hexoses diminished in the roots of older plants, and root rot severity increased when plants were inoculated with F. solani, as evidence of more susceptibility. This knowledge could help to structure disease management that reduces the dispersion of agave wilt, dead plants, and economic losses at the end of agave's long crop cycle.

Barriers to women’s participation in higher engineering education: a qualitative assessment of the role of social networks of students in a Ghanaian university

Engineering is critical for socio-economic development, however only a few women participate in engineering education and careers. This study aimed to identify the types of negative information propagated by the social networks of engineering students that could create barriers to students, and particularly women’s retention in engineering education and careers, and assess whether they influence men and women differently. The study was exploratory hence six focus group discussions were conducted with undergraduate engineering students in their second, third, and fourth years of study in a Ghanaian university. An interview guide was used to, among others, examine the perceptions and misconceptions of students’ social networks about engineering and the negative information that circulates within the networks. Demotivating information from students’ social networks were mainly misconceptions such as (1) engineering is too difficult and strenuous for women, and only meant for strong and well-built people, (2) engineering negatively affects women’s beauty and body image, (3) engineering makes women unfashionable and unattractive, and (4) engineering is a threat to marital and family lives. Both female and male students were negatively affected by misinformation about engineering being difficult and having limited job prospects as well as societal preferences for other programmes such as medicine. The misinformation could serve as a barrier, especially for students lacking ‘faith and the spirit of perseverance’ to pursue and graduate from engineering programmes. While efforts are being made to bridge the gender gap in engineering education and careers, there are misconceptions and misinformation that can hinder progress toward achieving the desired gender parity. Educational policies must integrate gender-responsive strategies including addressing the socio-cultural and stereotypical factors and public misconceptions. There is a need to provide strategic counselling services to engineering students to be able to cope with the effects of negative information from their social networks especially during the early years of their studies in the universities.

Mechanical scarification increases seed germination of Neltuma alba (Fabaceae), a threatened tree from the Atacama Desert

Neltuma alba is a tree whose seeds were probably dispersed by now-extinct animals. Currently, its fruits are consumed by foxes, guanacos, donkeys, and goats, which may scarify the seeds during ingestion, thereby enhancing germination. However, these animals might damage the cotyledons when chewing the fruits, potentially reducing the survival and growth of the plants, although this occurs infrequently. We hypothesize that mechanical scarification of seeds increases their germination but does not affect the survival and growth of the plants. Our objective was to evaluate the effects of mechanical scarification on seed germination and subsequent plant survival. We scarified the seeds by sanding them before sowing them in a nursery with daily watering for six months. Subsequently, the plants were transplanted to the field, where they received daily watering for six months, biweekly watering for the next twelve months, and no watering for the following two years. Seed scarification significantly increased germination by 1.5 times: 58 and 39% germination in scarified and non-scarified seeds, respectively. Scarification did not significantly affect plant survival. Survival rates were 93, 67, 67, and 26% at the end of the first, second, third, and fourth years, respectively. Similarly, scarification did not significantly affect plant height, with plants reaching heights of 28, 59, 74, and 118 cm in the first, second, third, and fourth years, respectively. Understanding the limiting factors for the reproduction of endangered plants in the Atacama Desert is crucial for proposing effective conservation actions.