Determining factors in the performance of integrated vocational education schools

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to identify the determining factors in the performance of integrated vocational education schools, in addition to management characteristics and specificities.Design/methodology/approachBy means of a descriptive study with a qualitative approach, a case study was conducted in two schools located in the cities of Cotia and São Roque.FindingsThe following factors were identified: engagement and commitment of teachers; motivation and focus of teachers and students; team of professionals; commitment and focus of students; family involvement; leadership and climate and selection of students. The following characteristics were observed: participative leadership associated with the use of management tools; pedagogical leadership in partnership with the school community; monitoring of student performance; performance assessment and training of teachers related to career plan; selection of students and actions along the community.Research limitationsThe results reflect the vision of the schools' managers and teachers and not that of the managing institution. There is no intention whatsoever to obtain generalization to other ETECs but rather inferences that could shed light on future studies.Practical implicationsThis research ratifies what has already been proven in the literature, showing that there are no isolated factors that interfere with performance, but an interrelationship among them, given the characteristics and peculiarities of each school.Originality/valueThis study is expected to contribute to guiding school managers and teachers in the search for quality education, whether vocational or regular basic education.

Assessing community health governance for evidence-informed decision-making: a cross-sectional study across nine districts of India

PurposeThe authors intend to assess the village health sanitation and nutrition committees (VHSNC) on six parameters, including their formation, composition, meeting frequencies, activities, supervisory mechanisms and funds receipt and expenditures across nine districts of the three states of India.Design/methodology/approachThe cross-sectional study, conducted in the states of Uttar Pradesh (five districts), Odisha (two districts) and Rajasthan (two districts), used a quantitative research design. The community health workers of 140 VHSNCs were interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire. The details about the funds' receipt and expenditures were verified from the VHSNC records (cashbook). Additionally, the authors asked about the role of health workers in the VHSNC meetings, and the issues and challenges faced.FindingsThe average number of members in VHSNCs varied from 10 in Odisha to 15 in Rajasthan. Activities were regularly organized in Rajasthan and Odisha (one per month) compared to Uttar Pradesh (one every alternate month). Most commonly, health promotion activities, cleanliness drives, community monitoring and facilitation of service providers were done by VHSNCs. Funds were received regularly in Odisha compared to Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. Funds were received late and less compared to the demands or needs of VHSNCs.Research limitations/implications This comprehensive analysis of VHSNCs' functioning in the selected study areas sheds light on the gaps in many components, including the untimely and inadequate receipt of funds, poor documentation of expenditures and involvement of VHSNC heads and inadequate supportive supervision.Originality/value VHSNCs assessment has been done for improving community health governance.

George Washington Carver National Monument plant community report: 2004–2020

The Heartland Inventory and Monitoring Network completed its sixth year of plant community monitoring at George Washington Carver National Monument in 2020. Plant community monitoring focused on the restored prairie community. We visited seven monitoring sites in each of the six years and collected data on plant species and ground cover. In this report we also included two environmental factors—precipitation and recent fire history—to better understand the vegetation community status and trends. Since 2000, precipitation has often been below the 30-year normal. Moreover, annual precipitation was below normal for all but one of the monitoring years. We found that the drought in 2012 stood out as possibly influencing plant guild cover. Although prairies are adapted to drought, further analyses might reveal more about the role of climate change in these vegetation communities. Fire management also plays an important role in shaping plant communities. Prescribed fire occurrence became more frequent and consistent through the period of plant monitoring. Additional treatments, including herbicide and mowing, also supported a healthy prairie. The prairie plant community continues to be moderately diverse despite recent increases in tree seedlings and small saplings. Species richness in 2012 was different than in two of the six years monitored. However, diversity indices (H′ and J′) were very similar across monitored years. Species guilds (also known as functional groups) exhibited differing patterns. Woody plants, long a concern at the monument, were statistically similar across years. In 2020, grass-like species increased, but grass species appeared to have declined below prior years. Grass cover in 2004 was statistically different (greater) than in 2008 and 2020. The reasons for this are not clear. Of particular interest to the park is the status of two sumac species (Rhus glabra and R. copallinum). These species were in decline as a result of focused management actions since 2012. However, the blackberry species (Rubus spp.) seemed to be replacing the sumac in some sites. In 2020, nonnative species richness and cover were below peak levels, demonstrating management actions have been successful in maintaining low levels. The vegetation monitoring protocol experienced some changes between 2004 and 2020. A key difference was a shift from sampling twice during the field season to sampling only once in a monitoring year. Although a decline in species richness was anticipated, that pattern was not apparent. However, the abundance of grasses may have been affected by the shift in seasonality of sampling. Additionally, we remedied inconsistencies in how tree regeneration was recorded (stem tallies in some cases and cover estimates in other cases). We converted all cover data to stem tallies and density was calculated to be consistent with the protocol. The monument has had success with coordinating fire management and invasive species management. A decrease in sumac across the prairie is evidence of this success. These actions will continue to be important for maintaining the prairie in good condition into the future.

Bird community monitoring at Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield, Missouri: Status report 2008–2020

Breeding bird surveys were initiated on Wilson’s Creek National Monument, Missouri, in 2008 to assess temporal changes in the species composition and abundance of birds on the park and to improve our understanding of relationships between breeding birds and their habitat and the effects of management actions, such as invasive plant species control and tree thinning, on bird populations. Birds were sampled using point counts with 38 variable circular plots located on a systematic grid of 400 x 400-m cells (originating from a random start point). All birds seen or heard on a plot during a 5-min sampling period were recorded. In the 13 years since initiating our breeding bird survey, birds were surveyed on as many of the 38 variable circular plots as possible each year, resulting in 444 cumulative plot visits. Surveys have yielded records for 119 different species of birds. Ninety-eight of the species recorded are classified as permanent or summer residents to the area, 18 are classified as transients in the area, and 3 as winter residents to the area. Eight breeding species recorded are considered species of conservation concern for the Central Hardwoods Bird Conservation Region, the bird conservation region in which Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield is located. Of the 98 breeding species recorded, 12 species in grassland habitat and 15 in woodland habitat occurred in numbers large enough to calculate annual abundances with some degree of confidence. Trends in abundance were classified as uncertain for most species, which means that no significant increases or decreases occurred but it is not certain that trends were <5% per year. The Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea) population in grassland habitat was stable. The Eastern Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus) and Eastern Wood-pewee (Contopus virens) populations in woodland habitat were in moderate decline. Comparing population trends on the park with regional trends for the Central Hardwoods Bird Conservation Region suggests that the bird community at Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield is faring similarly to that of the region as a whole. Stable diversity, richness, and evenness values suggest that the park’s habitat has remained consistent in its ability to meet the requirements of many of the park’s breeding bird species. Any decline in species richness could reflect habitat management practices, but it could also reflect the influences of larger-scale factors such as weather or climatic conditions on vegetation. Therefore, continued monitoring of birds and their habitats on Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield as management and weather and climatic conditions change is essential for park management.

Bird community monitoring at George Washington Carver National Monu-ment, Missouri: Status report 2008–2020

Breeding bird surveys were initiated on George Washington Carver National Monument, Missouri, in 2008 to assess temporal changes in the species composition and abundance of birds on the park and to improve our understanding of relationships between breeding birds and their habitat and the effects of management actions, such as invasive plant species control and tree thinning, on bird populations. Birds were sampled using point counts with 70 variable circular plots located on a systematic grid of 100 x 100-m cells (originating from a random start point). All birds seen or heard on a plot during a 5-min sampling period were recorded. In the 13 years since initiating our breeding bird surveys on the park, birds were surveyed on as many of the 70 variable circular plots as possible each year, resulting in 520 cumulative plot visits. Surveys have yielded records for 100 different species of birds. Ninety-seven of the species recorded are classified as permanent or summer residents to the area, two are classified as transients in the area, and one as a winter resident to the area. Six breeding species recorded are considered species of conservation concern for the Central Hardwoods Bird Conservation Region, the bird conservation region in which George Washington Carver National Monument is located. Of the 97 breeding species recorded, ten species in grassland habitat and six in woodland habitat occurred in numbers large enough to calculate annual abundances with some degree of confidence. Trends in abundance were classified as uncertain for most species, which means that there were no significant increases or decreases, but it is not certain that trends were < 5% per year. The Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) in woodland habitat was stable. The Eastern Meadowlark (Sturnella magna) in grassland habitat was in moderate decline, and the Northern Bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) in grassland habitat was in steep decline. Comparing population trends (i.e., changes in population size over time) on the park with regional trends for the Central Hardwoods Bird Conservation Region suggests that the bird community at George Washington Carver National Monument is faring similarly to that of the region as a whole. Trends in the park’s popula-tions of Field Sparrow (Spizella pusilla) and Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea) in grassland habitat and Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus) in woodland habitat were uncertain, whereas they declined significantly in the larger region, which could be a result of management on George Washington Carver National Monument. Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus) population trends, while uncertain in grassland habitat on the park, increased significantly in the region. The Red-bellied Woodpecker utilizes trees for foraging, which are sparse in the grassland habitat on the park. Declining diversity and richness values suggest that park habitat is declining in its ability to meet the requirements of many of the park’s breeding bird species. This decline in species richness could reflect habitat management practices, but it could also reflect the influences of larger-scale factors such as weather or climatic conditions on vegetation. Therefore, continued monitoring of birds and their habitats on George Washington Carver National Monument as management and weather and climatic conditions change is essential for park management.

BeeDNA: microfluidic environmental DNA metabarcoding as a tool for connecting plant and pollinator communities

Pollinators are imperiled by global declines that can impair plant reproduction, erode essential ecosystem services and resilience, and drive economic losses. Monitoring pollinator biodiversity trends is key for adaptive conservation and management, but conventional surveys are often costly, time consuming, and require taxonomic expertise. Environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding surveys are booming due to their rapidity, non-invasiveness, and cost efficiency. Microfluidic technology allows multiple primer sets from different markers to be used in eDNA metabarcoding for more comprehensive species inventories whilst minimizing biases associated with individual primer sets. We evaluated microfluidic eDNA metabarcoding for pollinator community monitoring by introducing a bumblebee colony to a greenhouse flower assemblage and sampling natural flower plots. We collected nectar draws, flower swabs, or whole flower heads from four flowering species, including two occurring in both the greenhouse and field. Samples were processed using two eDNA isolation protocols before amplification with 15 primer sets for two markers (COI and 16S). Microfluidic eDNA metabarcoding detected the target bumblebee and greenhouse insects as well as common regional arthropods. Pollinator detection was maximized using whole flower heads preserved in ATL buffer and extracted with a modified Qiagen DNeasy protocol for amplification with COI primers. eDNA surveillance could enhance pollinator assessment by detecting protected and endangered species and being more applicable to remote, inaccessible locations, whilst reducing survey time, effort, and expense. Microfluidic eDNA metabarcoding requires optimization but shows promise in revealing complex networks underpinning critical ecosystem functions and services, enabling more accurate assessments of ecosystem resilience.

Association between malnutrition status and incident heart failure in community population

Background Malnutrition is commonly prevalent in patients with heart failure (HF) and associated with poor prognosis. However, few studies have explored the association between malnutrition status and incident HF in community population. Method 379,759 participants (46.3% women) without HF at baseline from the UK Biobank were included. Nutritional status was evaluated using the Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) score, with higher scores reflecting worse nutritional status. Association between CONUT score and incident HF were investigated using Cox proportional hazard regression models, with adjustment for traditional risk factors. Results During a median follow-up of 8.1 years, 5,520 cases (1.5%) of HF occurred. The hazard ratio for incident HF with 1-point increase of CONUT scores was 1.16 (95% CI, 1.12–1.20, P&lt;0.001), after adjustment for traditional HF risk factors. Compared with good nutritional status, malnutrition was associated with significantly increased risk for incident HF [adjust hazard ratio were 1.25 (95% CI 1.17–1.34, P&lt;0.001) for mild malnutrition and 2.06 (95% CI 1.36–3.12, P=0.001) for moderate or severe malnutrition]. Conclusion Malnutrition status were associated with increased risk of incident HF. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings and evaluate the use of CONUT in community monitoring. FUNDunding Acknowledgement Type of funding sources: None.

02 Leveraging paramedic data to investigate the effect of COVID-19 on community opioid overdoses

BackgroundOpioid overdoses in Canada have shown dramatic increases over recent years, despite significant investments in harm reduction. Most community monitoring currently relies on emergency department and coroner data. Our team has previously shown that paramedic data can be a useful addition to the current metrics as paramedics regularly interact with opioid overdose patients. This study examines paramedic data to investigate the changes to community opioid overdoses in the era of COVID-19 to better support our strategic partners in their battle against the opioid crisis.MethodsThe electronic ambulance call report database of Peterborough Paramedics (Ontario, Canada) was examined. De-identified records for patients from 2017-2020 with documented problem codes of ‘Opioid Overdose’ were extracted. Patients receiving paramedic naloxone were also included. The data was cleaned and analysed, and incomplete records were removed. Statistical models including chi-squared tests of goodness-of-fit and post hoc pairwise t-tests were applied to the data. Ethics approval for this study was granted by the Trent University’s Research Ethics Board.Results788 opioid overdoses were identified out of 72,737 patients. There were 263 opioid overdoses found in 2020 representing 1.4% patients, a significant increase from 2017-2019 (p value: 0.006). The proportion of patients receiving paramedic naloxone was significantly increased from previous years (p value: 0.005) while bystander naloxone administration was significantly decreased (p value 0.002). Age, gender, and pick-up location types were not significantly different between 2020 and previous years.ConclusionDespite reduced overall call volumes in 2020, paramedics observed an increase in opioid overdoses. The increase in paramedic naloxone administration and decrease in bystander naloxone administration may indicate changes in usage practices of community opioid users or an instability in the drug supply. These factors must be considered in future opioid harm reduction strategies and public health COVID-19 containment measures.