I am done with this! Women dropping out of engineering majors.

Women are still underrepresented in STEM careers (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). One of the possible drivers behind this gender gap in the labour market is the female dropout from STEM education. The causes of the gender differences in the persistence of pursuing STEM studies have been explained by multiple factors related to interest and resolution in this type of career. The goal of the present research is to study the Engineering persistence gender gap in higher education by exploring the main factors underlying the leakage in the pipeline of Engineering fields. Our study reports the results of 34 qualitative in-depth interviews where internal barriers, stereotypes and external obstacles are assessed by women who have left their university degrees, compared with men who have withdrawn and women who have persisted. Results from the content analysis suggest that the undermining of persistence in Engineering fields is related to factors such as the chilly and hostile environment in classes or the workload from an excessively demanding curriculum. Other factors affecting women's withdrawal are the lack of role models and the perceived incongruity between the female gender role and STEM roles in society, leading to a weakening of female students' self-efficacy and eroding their sense of belongingness, even making them consider dropping out of their Engineering degree. These findings provide information for the design of future STEM interventions aimed to enhance women's persistence in STEM university studies.

Ultrasonographic assessment of the renal size using a kidney length to vertebral body length ratio in cats.

Ultrasonographic assessment of the renal size can provide useful clinical information, in combination with other ultrasonographic parameters. The aims of this study were to establish the agreement between the ultrasonographic and radiographic measurements of the kidneys (K) and vertebral bodies (L5 and L6), to establish an ultrasonographic measurement of kidney-to-vertebral body (L5 and L6) ratio to estimate the renal size in cats, and to assess the impact of age, body weight, sex, and gonadal status on the ultrasonographic measurements of the kidneys, vertebral bodies, and ratios. The vertebral bodies of L5 and L6 were chosen as they were easy to identify with ultrasonography (US) using the lumbosacral junction as a landmark, and they are not usually affected by vertebral anomalies. A total of 60 cats (19 intact males, 12 neutered males, 17 intact females, and 12 neutered females) were included in the study. The cats were divided into three age groups (<7 months, 7 months-7 years, and >7 years), two body weight categories (≤ 3.5 kg and >3.5 kg), and two sex and gonadal status groups (male and female, and intact and neutered, respectively). Measurements of the renal and vertebral body length were performed on the radiographic and ultrasonographic images. Two different ratios were obtained, namely, K/L5 and K/L6. There was no significant difference between the length of both kidneys and the length of the vertebral bodies of L5 and L6 on ultrasonographic or radiographic images. There was a good agreement between ultrasonographic and radiographic measurements of both kidneys and vertebral bodies. In conclusion, the kidney length to L6 length ratio obtained was 1.81 ± 0.20 (1.76-1.86), which was useful for evaluating the size of the feline kidney and was not influenced by the age, body weight, sex, or gonadal status.

Ultrasonographic measurement of adrenal gland-to-aorta ratio as a method of estimating adrenal size in dogs.

BACKGROUND: Adrenal size has been used as the principal criterion for differentiating a normal gland from adrenal hyperplasia. The objectives of this study were to establish an ultrasonographic measurement of adrenal gland-to-aorta (adrenal/Ao) ratio to estimate the adrenal size and to assess the effects of bodyweight, age and sex on the adrenal/Ao ratio in non-adrenal gland disease dogs. METHODS: Two hundred and thirty-four dogs (120 entire females and 114 entire males) considered non-adrenal gland disease were included in this study. Dogs were allocated into three bodyweight categories (<10 kg, 10-20 kg and >20 kg), and four age groups (<1 year, 1-5 years, 5-10 years and >10 years old). Measurements of the maximal thickness of caudal pole of both adrenal glands and the aortic luminal diameter in sagittal plane were performed on the ultrasonographic images. Three different ratios were calculated for each dog. RESULTS: Sex and age did not influence on the adrenal/Ao ratio. There were differences (P<0.05) between the three dog sizes for adrenal/Ao ratio, being the highest value for small size and the lowest value for large size. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, only bodyweight influences the ultrasound measurement of the adrenal/Ao ratio in non-adrenal gland disease dogs.

IMAGING DIAGNOSIS-RADIOGRAPHIC, ULTRASONOGRAPHIC, AND COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS OF A DUODENAL DUPLICATION CYST IN A YOUNG CAT.

A 7-month-old, 2.8 kg, intact female Siamese cat was evaluated for repetitive and intermittent episodes of vomiting and anorexia. Abdominal palpation revealed a round, firm, nonpainful mass in the right cranial abdomen. Ultrasonography findings were consistent with a cystic structure adjacent to the descending duodenum. The structure exhibited a "muscular rim sign." A duodenal duplication cyst was confirmed by histopathological analysis. Computed tomography ruled out concurrent vertebral anomalies and clarified anatomic relationships for surgical planning. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first description of an ultrasound "muscular rim sign" in a duodenal duplication cyst in a cat.

Angiografía del día siguiente tras fibrinólisis exitosa frente al tratamiento convencional, en el síndrome coronario agudo con elevación del segmento ST, fibrinolisado / Angiography performed the next day after successful thrombolysis versus conventional treatment in acute coronary syndrome with ST segment elevation

Introducción y objetivos: la incorporación de las nuevas guías de actuación de la Sociedad Europea de Cardiología en el síndrome coronario agudo, con coronariografía precoz (24 horas) tras trombólisis, incluso si es efectiva y sin necesidad de demostrar signos de isquemia residual, en los casos en los que no se realiza angioplastia primaria, ha supuesto un reto respecto a la forma tradicional de actuar en los Servicios de Cardiología. Métodos: durante 2007, 2008 y la primera mitad de 2009 se atendieron 266 pacientes con infarto agudo del miocardio con ST elevado tratados con trombólisis. De ellos, y tras excluir los rescates (41), en 94 (42%) se realizó cateterismo dentro de las primeras 24 horas (angiografía del día siguiente) y en los 131 (58%) restantes se siguió una estrategia convencional con test de provocación de isquemia (tratamiento convencional). Resultados: en el primer grupo, la estancia media fue de 7,3 ± 3 días [mediana, rango intercuantílico: 7 (5-8)]. La incidencia de eventos mortales al año fue de 3 (4%). No hubo ningún sangrado mayor; sólo 20 de ellos (22%) presentaron hematomas inguinales mayores de 2 cm. En el segundo, la estancia media fue de 10,2 ± 6,3 días [9 (6-13)], significativamente mayor (p<0,001). El número de eventos mortales al año fue de 7 (11%), sin que se observaran diferencias estadísticamente significativas (p=0,52). Conclusiones: la angiografía del día siguiente se asocia con una reducción de la estancia media respecto al tratamiento convencional. Además, parece mostrar una tendencia (no significativa) de reducción de mortalidad al año, sin que aumente el número de complicaciones hemorrágicas.

Introduction and objectives: The introduction of new practice guidelines of the European Society of Cardiology in acute coronary syndrome with early coronary angiography (24 hours) after thrombolysis, even if it is effective without showing signs of residual ischemia in the cases where primary angioplasty is not performed, has been a challenge over the traditional approach in the Departments of Cardiology. Methods: During 2007, 2008 and the first half of 2009, 266 patients with acute myocardial infarction with ST segment elevation were treated with thrombolysis. After excluding the bailouts (41), in 94 (42%) of them, a catheterization was peformed within the first 24 hours (next day angiography) and the remaining 131 (58%) underwent a conventional strategy with a provocation test to elicit ischemia (conventional treatment). Results: In the first group, the average stay was 7.3 ± 3 days [median interquartile range: 7 (5-8)]. The incidence of fatal events per year was 3 (4%). There were no major bleeding, only 20 of them (22%) had groin hematomas larger than 2 cm. In the second group, the average stay was 10.2 ± 6.3 days [9 (6-13)], significantly higher (p <0.001). The number of fatal events per year was 7 (11%) and no statistically significant differences were observed (p = 0.52). Conclusions: Angiography performed the next day is associated with reduced length of stay compared to conventional treatment. It also seems to show a trend (not significant) of reduction in year mortality without increasing the number of bleeding complications.

Utilidad de la tomografía computarizada multidetector en pacientes con dolor torácico y sospecha de miocardiopatía hipertrófica apical / Value of multidetector computed tomography in patients with chest pain and suspected apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

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