Involvement In Preparation Research Articles

Methodology of Organizing and Conducting Distance Olympiads in Korean as a Second Foreign Language in the Process of Professional Training of Future Foreign Language Teachers

In this article, the author presents the methodology of organizing and conducting distance Olympiads in Korean as a second foreign language in the process of professional training of foreign language teachers.The purpose of the study is to examine specifics of second foreign language distance Olympiads organization in the context of professional training, main objectives of the Korean language Olympiad (increasing motivation, interest in learning Korean, exposure to Korean culture, etc.), and to analyze the main requirements for distance Olympiad tasks of the first round (tests), and tasks of the second round, which are aimed to identify the level of communication abilities. Interview, testing and observation are used as the main methods of research.Results. The methodology proposed by the author was tested in groups of 3–4 year students of Sarsen Amanzholov East Kazakhstan University (educational program 6B01703 foreign language: two foreign languages). The article presents analysis of the distance Olympiad’s results, examples of tasks for each round and the main criteria for evaluating the tasks. The requirements to the second foreign language Olympiad tasks implied: possibility of mass coverage of students with Olympiad tasks; compliance of the tasks with the curriculum; time limit; relying on the students’ experience, including their native language skills and abilities; increasing tasks complexity; variety of tasks forms and content, the tasks contents and novelty; problem nature tasks to stimulate students thinking, language guess; using authentic material for the Olympiad tasks; the use of local history and extralinguistic material. The general complexity of the tasks, and difficulties associated with the nature of the linguistic material were also taken into account.Conclusion. According to the results of the experimental work, the author comes to the following conclusion: the leading principle of organizing distance Olympiads assumes that the university faculty will be focused on the timely identification of the future teachers’ interest to the Korean language, their involvement in preparation for the Olympiad, thus forming their interest in Korean culture and language. Olympiad assignments should be creative so that students learn to find their own ways of solving problems and develop self-education skills. Participation in the Olympiad increases students’ learning motivation, broadens their horizons, and develops their ability to express their opinions. The variety of requirements to the work of participants makes the assessment of each member of the jury quite subjective, but the collective nature of the evaluation procedure ensures correctness and objectivity of the final decision, allows participants to familiarize with the results of their work and consider appeals after each round of the Olympiad participants.

Birth preparedness and complication readiness among husbands and its association with skilled birth attendance in southern Ethiopia

IntroductionBirth preparedness and Complication Readiness (BPCR) promotes prompt use of skilled delivery and readiness for any complications to reduce delays in the provision of emergency care. Husband’s involvement in preparation for childbirth is one way to mitigate life-threatening delays in providing care during childbirth. The current study assessed the association of the husband’s involvement in birth preparedness and complication readiness with the use of skilled birth attendants.MethodA community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 1,432 husbands. Study participants were selected from Arbaminch university health and demographic surveillance sites. Data were collected electronically using the Open Data Kit. The data were exported to STATA version 16 for analysis. Descriptive statistics were computed to describe the sociodemographic and reproductive variables of the study. The associations between birth preparedness and complication readiness practice and birth in the presence of a skilled birth attendant were assessed using multiple logistic regressions after adjusting for known confounders. Explanatory variables on bivariate logistic regression analysis were entered into multivariable logistic regression analysis, and a p-value of less than 0.05 was used to ascertain statistical significance.ResultsMean age of respondents was 33.7 (SD ± 6.2) years. Of all the respondents, 140 (10.3%) had made at least three preparations according to birth preparedness and complication readiness. After controlling for confounders through multivariable logistic regression, giving birth in the presence of a skilled birth attendant consistently increased with husbands involved in birth preparedness and complication readiness (AOR = 4.1, 95% CI: 2.5–6.9). Husbands whose wives had complications during previous pregnancy were 33% less likely to have skilled birth attendants (AOR = 0.67, 95% CI: 0.49–0.917). Moreover, husbands whose houses were near the health facilities were more likely to have skilled birth attendants for their wives (AOR = 3.93, 95% CI: 2.57–6.02).ConclusionHusband’s involvement in birth preparedness and complication readiness is strongly associated with using skilled birth attendants in Ethiopia. It is imperative that when designing husband’s involvement programs targeting birth preparedness and complication readiness, programs and strategies should focus on enhancing activities that are inclusive of husbands in birth preparedness and complication education.

Sero-epidemiology of Marburg virus amongst respondents in Sobi Area, Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria

Marburg virus disease is a hemorrhagic fever of public health importance. There is sparse information on its prevalence in Nigeria. This study was aimed at determining the serological epidemiology and molecular confirmation of MV amongst inhabitants of Sobi in Ilorin, Nigeria in order to forestall a potential outbreak of MVD. Serological evaluation of collected blood samples from consenting participants was carried out using MELSIN ELISA kit for antibody detection. Structured questionnaire was used to collect risk factor data. This study revealed the serological presence of Marburg virus IgG (26.5%) and IgM (19.0%) in this locality(P<0.05). MV IgG and IgM prevalence by evaluated risk factors were 12 (23.5%) and 6 (16.7%), 11 (21.6%) and 9 (25.0%), and 27 (50.9%) and 13 (34.2%) for presence of bats in vicinity, respondent’s visitation to park/zoo and presence of trees in residential area respectively at varying statistical correlations. Consumption of sick animals, contact with dead animals and involvement in preparation of dead body for burial showed an IgG/IgM positivity of 4 (7.7%)/2 (5.4%), 3 (5.8%)/4 (10.8%) and 11 (21.2%)/4 (10.8%) respectively. Higher frequency of contact or closer proximity to known risk factors showed higher prevalence and bats within vicinity revealed to be more amongst respondent with tree in residential area than those closer to Sobi hill. Reduction of bat to human contact and hygienic practices in occupation/research involving animals should be encouraged.

Impact of Child Interaction With Food Preparation on Vegetable Preferences: A Farm-Based Education Approach

ObjectiveTo identify the impact of child involvement in vegetable preparation on vegetable preference and attitudes toward eating vegetables. DesignPre-post mixed-methods. SettingFood and Farming Camp at a nonprofit urban farm in Sunnyvale, California. ParticipantsCamp participants aged 8–10 years (n = 34 girls, n = 12 boys), and aged 11–14 years (n = 19 girls, n = 4 boys). InterventionsInvolvement in vegetable preparation through harvesting, cutting, cooking, and seasoning before consumption. Interviews identified camper perception of vegetable preference and involvement in preparation. Main Outcome MeasuresChange in vegetable preference from baseline with and without involvement in vegetable preparation. Attitudes toward involvement in vegetable preparation. AnalysisAdjustment of preferences to baseline followed by tests of hypotheses to identify differences with involvement. Thematic, qualitative coding to identify prevalent themes within interview responses. ResultsYounger campers preferred vegetables they prepared (P < 0.05), except for carrots. Campers were more likely to choose vegetables they prepared (P < 0.05). Campers of both age groups were curious to try their vegetable creations and described feelings of pride and responsibility related to preparing vegetables. Conclusions and ImplicationsInvolvement with food preparation, in particular in a garden-based setting, may provide an accessible method to improve child vegetable preference.

Implementing changes to a residency program curriculum before competency-based medical education: a survey of Canadian medical oncology program directors.

Postgraduate medical education is undergoing a paradigm shift in many universities worldwide, transitioning from a time-based model to competency-based medical education (cbme). Residency programs might have to alter clinical rotations, educational curricula, assessment methods, and faculty involvement in preparation for cbme, a process not yet characterized in the literature. We surveyed Canadian medical oncology program directors on planned or newly implemented residency program changes in preparation for cbme. Prior to implementing cbme, all program directors changed at least 1 clinical rotation, most commonly making hematology/oncology (74%) entirely outpatient and eliminating radiation oncology (64%). Introductory rotations were altered to focus on common tumour sites, and later rotations were changed to increase learner autonomy. Most program directors planned to enhance resident learning with electronic teaching modules (79%), new training experiences (71%), and academic half-day changes (50%). Most program directors (64%) planned to change assessment methods to be entirely based on entrustable professional activities. All programs had developed a competence committee to review learner progress, and most (86%) had integrated academic coaches. Transitioning to cbme led to major structural and curricular changes within medical oncology training programs. Identifying these commonly implemented changes could help other programs transition to cbme.

Facilitating personal development for public involvement in health-care education and research: A co-produced pilot study in one UK higher education institute.

BackgroundPublic involvement in the education of students enrolled on higher education programmes has gained impetus. For students enrolled on professional health‐care programmes and health‐related modules in the UK, there is also a requirement by professional bodies to include “service user” involvement in preparation for entry to a professional health‐care register and continuing professional development. Actively involving patients and members of the public in research is also a requirement by many research funders. In this article, the term Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) will be used throughout to include lay members, volunteers, user and carers.ObjectivesA unique pilot study was introduced across a health faculty to integrate PPI in a deliberate way. It aimed to provide an educational, focused programme of events that was meaningful to develop and inform peoples’ knowledge, skills and confidence for their involvement in the health faculty.DesignPPI members volunteered to sit on a steering group to determine the educational journey; the outcomes of three focus groups with PPI members (N = 32) and academics informed the programme content which included a range of workshops covering the exploration of public roles and barriers to involvement, introduction to research and interviewing skills.ResultsThe workshops were well attended, and outcomes indicated the importance of co‐production when designing, delivering and evaluating programmes.DiscussionCo‐production underpinned this pilot study, resulting in a programme which was meaningfully received by public contributors.RecommendationsCo‐production was seen as integral to this research to ensure that outcomes were indeed “fit for purpose”.

The Effect of Simple Suppers, A Family Meal Program, on The Relationship between Children’s Food Preparation Skills and Their Involvement in Meal Preparation

Abstract Objectives Examine the relationship between children's food preparation skills and their involvement in meal preparation with their caregiver among families participating in a Head Start family meals program (Simple Suppers). Methods Simple Suppers is an 8-week family meals program tailored to low-income caregivers and their preschool age child(ren). The study design is a single arm pre- to post-test, and the intervention is occurring during the 2019–2020 school year (fall, winter, and spring sessions) at 3 Head Start sites. Caregiver lessons focus on overcoming family meal barriers (i.e., meals on a budget, time saving strategies) through interactive group discussions and goal setting. Child lessons focus on age-appropriate food preparation skills through experiential learning. Children's food preparation skills are assessed via a 9-item questionnaire. Questions are situated on a 4-pt Likert scale (1 = strongly disagree (1pt); 4 = strongly agree (4pt)). Child involvement in meal preparation is assessed with a single item scalar question (0–7 times per week). Pearson correlation was used to examine the relationship between child food preparation skills and involvement in meal preparation. Significance was set at P &amp;lt; 0.05. Results 19 families completed data collection for the fall session. 55.6% were low-income according to federal poverty guidelines, mean (SD) caregiver age was 37.6 (12.1), 94.7% were female, and 84.2% were non-Hispanic Black. Mean (SD) child age was 3.4 (0.5) and 47.6% were female. There was a significant association between the change in child food preparation skills and the level of child involvement in meal preparation with their caregiver (r = 0.62, P &amp;lt; 0.01). Conclusions Preliminary data from this study demonstrate that children's food preparation skills influence the extent to which they are involved in preparing family meals with their caregivers. Funding Sources USDA NIFA CYFAR.

Принципи ефективної підготовки майбутніх вчителів географії до професійної діяльності

The author developed and scientifically substantiated set of principles that will facilitate the effective implementation of the process of preparing future geography teachers for professional activity.Principles of formulation of the purpose and tasks of preparation, in particular principles of excitement and formation of value orientations. The purpose of the preparation is to formulate the ability of the future geography teacher to act in a mode of continuous anticipation. Value orientations determine the order of priority setting of various tasks of professional activity and directions of professional development.Principles of student involvement in preparation, including principles of personalization, dialogue and collaboration. Yes, the principle of personalization makes it possible to optimize the process of training according to personal educational needs. The principles of dialogue and collaboration provide an opportunity for the exchange of professional knowledge, experience and individual values between teachers and students.Key principles are: content preparation, multidimensionality, transdisciplinarity, integrativeness, variability and modularity. Thus, the principle of transdisciplinarity ensures the effective formation of the universal goal, the principle of integration provides the opportunity to integrate scientific ideas into practice, openly perceive innovative processes of development of geographical science. The principle of variability makes it possible to study on an individual educational trajectory. The principle of modularity ensures that the content of the training of future geography teachers is optimized.Principles of training organization, including principles of manufacturability, self-organization, tolerance, reflexivity and feedback. The organization of preparation of future teachers of geography for professional activity in the conditions of transformation of education on the principle of adaptability should meet such characteristics as: clear algorithmization, variability, efficiency and reflection of activity. Important principles are self-organization, tolerance, reflection. Using the feedback principle in preparation, a teacher can obtain information about the relevance of the training to the expectations of future geography teachers, the relevance of the content and the purpose of the training.Principles of determining the results of training, including principles of continuous control, relevance to the individual and professional mobility. The implementation of the principle of continuous control ensures a more efficient construction and implementation of the process of training future geography teachers. The principle of importance will stimulate the self-organization, self-realization and self-development of future teachers in their further professional activity.

The Role of Hospital Medicine in Emergency Preparedness: A Framework for Hospitalist Leadership in Disaster Preparedness, Response, and Recovery.

Recent high-profile mass casualty events illustrate the unique challenges that such occurrences pose to normal hospital operations. These events create patient surges that overwhelm hospital resources, space, and staff. However, in most healthcare systems, hospitalists currently show no integration within emergency planning or incident response. This review aims to provide hospitalists with an overview of disaster management principles so that they can engage their hospitals' disaster management system with a working fluency in emergency management and the incident command system. This review also proposes a framework for hospitalist involvement in preparation, response, and coordination during periods of crisis.

Community Involvement in Preparation of EIA Documents as Implementation of Participatory Principles In Law No.32 Year 2009 About Protection and Environmental Management (Study at PT Mandiri Mining Corporindo)

PT.Mandiri Mining Corporindo (MMC) adalah perusahaan tambang Mangan di Desa Bonehau, Kecamatan Bonehau Kabupaten Mamuju, Provinsi Sulawesi Barat dengan surat izin eksplorasi nomor 418 Tahun 2009 dan izin operasi produksi nomor 333 tahun 2010, dimana proses produksi telah dimulai sejak bulan oktober 2010, adapun luas ijin usaha pertambangan yang dimiliki oleh PT.MMC adalah 178 ha yang meliputi kawasan 178 ha yang meliputi kawasan hutan produksi 125 ha dan perkebunan masyarakat 53 ha, namun areal yang dikelola baru sekitar 30 persen. Sejak awal pembukaan perusahaan tambang di Desa ini telah menimbulkan kekhawatiran akan dampak negatif berupa kerusakan lingkungan, mengingat lokasi tambang berbatas langsung dengan perkebunan dan persawahan masyarakat setempat. Hal ini menjadi masalah yang menarik dikaji dari aspek hukum perizinan, khususnya perizinan lingkungan sehingga permasalahan dalam penilitian ini yaitu; Pertama bagaimanakah kedudukan AMDAL dalam perizinan lingkungan PT.MMC? Kedua, bagaimana pelaksanaan AMDAL PT.MMC. hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa kedudukan AMDAL dalam perizinan lingkungan merupakan kewajiban dan prasyarat mutlak, jika suatu perusahaan melanggar izin lingkungan maka izin usaha atau kegiatan dapat dibatalkan. Dan prosedur penerbitan AMDAL PT.MMC telah sesuai dengan peraturan perundang-undangan namun dalam pelaksanaannya tidak sesuai dengan perencanaan.

Mommio's Recipe Box: Assessment of the Cooking Habits of Mothers of Preschoolers and Their Perceptions of Recipes for a Video Game.

BackgroundVegetables are an important part of a healthy diet because they help prevent several chronic diseases. Mothers of preschoolers reported difficulty getting their young children to eat vegetables, and many did not know how to cook child-pleasing recipes.ObjectiveThe cooking habits of mothers of preschoolers, their perceptions of recipes designed for their children, and the involvement of their children in food preparation were assessed to inform a food parenting video game called Mommio.MethodsA cross-sectional survey design was used. Eligibility criteria included mothers of 3- to 5-year-old children who reported difficulty getting their children to eat vegetables. Participants completed a demographic questionnaire with questions about their food preparation practices. They were asked to select up to 4 of the 10 provided recipes they wanted to try and to prepare and report back on their experiences.ResultsMost (46) of the 50 recipes included in Mommio’s in-game recipe box were evaluated at least once and some up to 5 times with a total of 85 evaluations. This well-educated, mostly employed, sample of 27 mothers of preschoolers preferred simple, quick recipes. They ate primarily at home, made dinners from scratch, and indicated that the 46 recipes were generally simple, quick, and easy to prepare. Involvement in preparation enhanced their child’s acceptance of the food. Prior food and preparation preferences influenced the children’s acceptance of the dish at the ensuing meal.ConclusionsThe high rate of home recipe preparation indicated that including a recipe selection and preparation component in a food parenting video game could be attractive and may enhance effectiveness. Mothers reported that the recipes provided were generally easy to prepare, tasted good, and the instructions were easy to understand, suggesting they could be helpful to the mothers when playing a vegetable parenting game. Some mothers reported that involving their children in recipe preparation influenced their children’s willingness to eat the vegetables. The highest rated recipes are being included in the game, and mothers will be encouraged to involve their children in recipe preparation.

Athletes' perception of the causes of injury in gymnastics.

Gymnastics requires a high level of flexibility, conditioning and complete body recruitment that is infrequently matched by other sports. Artistic gymnastics has a relatively high incidence of injuries, which are generally of minor or medium severity. With all its complexity, it poses a unique diagnostic and treatment challenge to medical practitioners. The present study examined athletes' perception of the causes of injury and of the possible ways to reduce their incidence. The research involved 63 quality athletes, of whom 20 were in men's artistic gymnastics, 21 in women's artistic gymnastics, and 22 in rhythmic gymnastics. We used the self-assessment method. Factors inducing injury were grouped into three different categories: training, the athlete himself, and the environment. We used the χ2 test to test the association between a risk factor and injuries. The association between injuries and risk factors was also tested using a multivariate logistic regression analysis. Overall, an incidence of 184 injuries was found, of which 67 (36.4%) were acute and 117 (63.5%) were chronic injuries. According to binary logistic regression analyses, psychological factors significantly associated with the prevalence of acute and chronic injury in both sexes for all disciplines were: a poor technique, improper methods of teaching, and an inadequate load. In our study, higher rates of acute and chronic injury were observed among male gymnasts, who reported their occurrence during training by overload, and among female gymnasts, who reported a poor technique, improper methods of teaching, and an inadequate load as main causes of their occurrence. Improving the communication between athletes and coaches, taking the opinion of an athlete into account, and the athlete's active involvement in preparation of the program include the most crucial points for reducing the incidence of injuries.

Are psychiatric team meetings patient centred? A cross-sectional survey on patient views regarding multi-disciplinary team meetings.

The system of weekly psychiatric ward rounds is being challenged and multi-disciplinary team meetings (MDTMs) involving inpatients have been developed. These aim to improve integration between medical and social services and increase patient involvement in their care. However, such large meetings are potentially threatening to the patient. This survey aimed to examine inpatient experience of MDTMs and identify factors that significantly alter this experience. In this cross-sectional survey we assessed patient opinion regarding patient inclusive MDTMs in a psychiatric inpatient unit. A total of 27 participants (response rate 90%) were included. We utilised descriptive statistics and Fisher's exact test for non-parametric data where appropriate. In all, 85% (n=23) of patients identified the consultant psychiatrist as a member that they would like to have present at the MDTM. The ward nurse was identified by 63% (n=17) of patients. In all, 48% (n=13) of patients reported feeling anxious/threatened at the MDTM. In all, 70% (n=19) of patients stated that they would have felt less threatened at the MDTM if there were fewer people in attendance. A significant number of voluntary patients (n=11) felt threatened/anxious at the MDTM compared with involuntary patients (n=2) (χ 2=4.921, df=1, p=0.026). The central findings of this study are that patients would prefer fewer people at the MDTM and would feel less threatened/anxious if they participated in selecting those in attendance. These findings suggest that greater patient involvement in preparation for the MDTM could result in a less anxiety filled experience for them.

An examination of the demographic predictors of adolescent breakfast consumption, content, and context

BackgroundBreakfast consumption is important to health; however, adolescents often skip breakfast, and an increased understanding of the breakfast consumption patterns of adolescents is needed. The purpose of this study was to identify the predictors of breakfast eating, including the content and context, in an adolescent sample from Australia and England.MethodsFour-hundred and eighty-one students completed an online questionnaire measuring breakfast skipping, and breakfast content (what was eaten) and context (who they ate with, involvement in preparation). Logistic regression was conducted to investigate the predictors of skipping breakfast, breakfast context, and consumption of the ten most commonly consumed foods. Chi-square analyses were used to examine differences in breakfast content according to context.ResultsMost students (88%) had consumed breakfast on the day of the survey; breakfast skipping was more common in England (18%) than in Australia (8%). Country, gender, socioeconomic status, and body mass index (BMI) were all predictors of breakfast content and context. Whether adolescents ate with others and/or were involved in breakfast preparation predicted the content of breakfast consumed.ConclusionsThis study provides a comprehensive examination of the factors underlying breakfast consumption (content and context) and has important implications for the development of evidence-based interventions to improve rates of breakfast consumption and the quality of food consumed amongst adolescents.

Supporting bachelor of nursing students within the clinical environment: Perspectives of preceptors

Student learning in the clinical environment is a cornerstone of pedagogy for students undertaking a Bachelor of Nursing in Australia. MethodThis paper presents the results of a survey that was conducted with registered nurses who preceptor students for universities in Australia. FindingsFindings reveal that some preceptors do not hold the qualification they are preceptoring students to obtain, that university involvement in preparation of preceptors is scant and that resource provision and communication from universities to preceptors is considered problematic. Registered nurses choose to act as preceptors for reasons that are both altruistic and professional. They are often employed in senior positions and as such find it difficult to manage time and resolve role conflict. ConclusionThis paper concludes that the registered nurses who preceptor students generally have a positive experience but require greater involvement by universities in their preparation, particularly when they are responsible for the direct assessment of students. The paper posits this may be best achieved by universities creating effective lines of communication and ongoing support. This will sustain collaborative and meaningful engagement with registered nurses who preceptor undergraduate students.

How often are others participating in infant‐feeding? An exploratory analysis of secondary objectives of the Baby‐Mine study

Desire to share the infant‐feeding task is commonly offered as reason for lack of breastfeeding initiation, duration and/or exclusivity. Describing who is primarily responsible for preparation of infant formula was a secondary objective of a larger, longitudinal study assessing impact of bottle contents on rate of infant weight gain. Mothers of healthy, term, formula‐fed infants (&lt; 3 months), were recruited via fliers, web ads, and a birth registry. At two time points, mothers recorded infant intake for 48 hours, including who prepared each bottle. Preliminary analysis of 31 mothers with complete data at both time point 1 (TP1: infants ~ 2.4 mo) and time point 2 (TP2: infants ~4.1 mo) indicate that, though others (e.g., fathers, extended family members, and childcare personnel) were involved with preparation, mothers remained primarily responsible for this preparation. Mothers prepared 87.4% of bottles at TP1, increasing to 89.7% at TP2, with father involvement in preparation declining over time, from 8% (TP1) to 5.7% (TP2). This preliminary analysis triggered the addition, to the TP2 interview, of exploratory, open‐ended questions regarding expectations of infant‐feeding support (both prior to and after birth). Results of this qualitative exploration will be presented and contrasted with actual infant‐feeding support, possibly suggesting future areas of inquiry among formula‐feeding mothers.Grant Funding Source: USDA/NIFA/AFRI Award‐2010‐85215‐20663

Industry involvement in preparation of articles.

Industry involvement in preparation of articles.

Immunohistochemical studies on oestrogen receptor alpha (ERalpha) and the proliferative marker Ki-67 in the sow uterus at oestrus and early pregnancy.

Oestrogen receptor alpha (ERalpha), the main subtype in the uterus, is involved in the regulation of uterine growth/proliferation. A relationship between ERalpha and proliferative activity has been shown in the cyclic sow uterus, but to our knowledge, no study has been carried out on early pregnant sows. Therefore, by means of immunohistochemistry and use of mouse monoclonal antibodies to ERalpha and a proliferative marker, Ki-67, the localization of these proteins was investigated in the sow uterus during early pregnancy. Eighteen crossbred multiparous sows were artificially inseminated once at 20-15 h before expected ovulation. After artificial insemination (AI), they were slaughtered at five different times: at oestrus, 5-6 h after AI (n = 4), 20-25 h after ovulation (n =4), 70 h after ovulation (n = 4), on day 11 (the first day of standing oestrus = day 1, n = 3) and on day 19 (n = 3). Immediately after slaughter, uterine samples were collected at the mesometrial side of the uteri, fixed in 10% formaldehyde and embedded in paraffin. Immunohistochemistry was performed by using mouse monoclonal antibodies to ERalpha (C-311) and Ki-67 (MM1). All sows slaughtered after ovulation were pregnant. In general, positive immunostaining for ERalpha and Ki-67 was found in the nuclei. Variations in staining intensity and proportion of positive nuclei were observed in different uterine compartments and stages of early pregnancy. The highest level of ERalpha presence in the surface epithelium and myometrium was found at oestrus (5-6 h after AI), and low levels of ERalpha in these compartments were observed as early as 20-25 h after ovulation. In the glandular epithelia, presence of ERalpha was highest at 70 h after ovulation. The largest number of ERalpha-positive cells in the stroma was observed at oestrus and early after ovulation. Low proliferation was observed, and with no significant difference in tissue compartments except in the glandular epithelium. High proliferative activity in the glandular epithelium at 70 h after ovulation indicated involvement in preparation for secretory activity and growth during pregnancy establishment. Significant positive correlation was found between the number of ERalpha-positive cells in the stroma and Ki-67-positive cells in the surface epithelium. In conclusion, the present study showed differences in immunolocalization of ERalpha and the proliferative marker Ki-67 in different tissue compartments of the sow uterus at oestrus and early pregnancy. In some uterine compartments, the patterns of ERalpha and Ki-67 immunostaining seemed to be influenced by insemination and the presence of embryos, in addition to the effects of steroid hormones.

Advanced technology and the quality of working life: The effects of word processing on video typists

This article presents the findings of a case study which describes the impact of word processing technology on the characteristics of typing jobs in an engineering consultancy. Examination of company documents and interviews with managers indicated that the decision to adopt this technology was influenced by pressures and people within the organization, rather than by external forces. Interviews with typists indicated that the change from copy typing to word processing had reduced task variety, meaning and contribution, control over work scheduling and boundary tasks, feedback of results, involvement in preparation and auxiliary tasks, and communication with authors. The change had increased pay and promotion opportunities, and control over typing quality. The overall pattern of skills and knowledge required by typists had altered. These changes were determined weakly and indirectly by the technology of word processing, and strongly and directly by management decisions about the way in which the typists' work was reorganized and controlled. Management felt that closer control over typing work would increase productivity. The new work organization achieved this control, but appeared to restrict the typists' ability to exploit fully the potential benefits of the new technology.